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first addressed his Royal Highness, in an English speech; in which he complimented him on his military distinction, and on bis, strenuous exertions for the abolition of the slave trade; alluding also to his regularity while an under graduate of the University, and to other topics. The Chancellor having taken the oath of office, and being seated in the chair of state, the Public Orator, the Rev. R. Tatham, delivered a Latin oration. His Highness then rose from his seat, and replied in a very elegant and appropriate speech, delivered with good emphasis and action, to both the Vice Chancellor and the Public Orator. It was received with unbounded applause.-We were happy to observe, that here, as at Oxford, in the different declamations which took place, the efforts of the Chancellor in promoting the abolition of the slave trade, formed a very prominent figure. The festivities, which were remarkably splendid, continued for four days.

Statement of Balances of Money and Securities of the Suitors in the Court of Chan, cery, in the different periods under-mention ed; as represented by the Lord Chancellor, to a Committee of the House of Lords. Years. 1730

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L. 3. d. 1,007,298 14 7 1,295,251 16 3 1,665,160 18 4 3,095,740 0 3 5,158,901 1 3 7,120,537 12 2 10,948,270 7 0. 17,565,912 28 25,162,430 13 2

Wrought iron has been proposed as an advantageous substitute for the materials now in use for many purposes in shipping. A mast of this metal, the cylinder being half an inch thick, and the same height and diameter as a wood mast, will not be so heavy, and will be considerably stronger, much more durable, less liable to be injured by shot, and can be easily repaired, even at sea. It will weigh only twelve tons, and, at 454. per ton, will not cost more than 5401, while its strength will be nearly fifty per cent. above that of a wooden mast that weighs twenty three tons, and costs nearly 1200l. This mast is made to strike nearly as low as the deck, to ease the ship in a heavy sea. Ships furnished with wooden masts are, in such circumstances, obliged to cut them away. Ships furnished with iron masts will not, like others, be exposed to the risk of receiving damage from lightning, the iron ruast being itself an excellent conductor: by using an iron bolt from the bottom of the mast

through the kelson and keel, the electric matter will be conducted through the bottom of the ship into the water, without injury to the ship. Yards and bowsprits may also be made of wrought iron, at the same proportion of strength and expense as the mast. The shrouds and stays may also be of iron, and will both be cheaper and last longer than rope.

ITALY.

The ancient city of Veii, as is known, was taken by the Romans in the year of Rome 360; it was repeopled, and afterwards embellished by the emperors.-Mr. Giorgi, an agriculturist and owner of the soil, having discovered in February last, at twelve feet deep in the earth, a number of columns, employed thirty workmen to prosecute his researches. He has lately found the most beautiful statue of Tiberius known; of heroic size, sitting. The head resembles the medals perfectly, and is sublime both in execution and expression. The arms, the knees, the hair, the drapery, are excellent. It is of Greek marble, and the work of a Greek artist. A fine bust, supposed to be of Lepidus; a Phrygian slave, a caryatides; a beautiful head of Flora; the lower part of a figure of a priestess, the drapery in the highest style; other fragments, an immeuse dolium, many capitals of columns, &c. were found at the same time. What renders this discovery truly remarkable is, that the capitals of columns were ranged in an orderly manner, one row on another; the columns were laid along; the head of the statue of Tiberius was placed between his feet. Hence there is every reason to conclude that this edifice was destroyed in an orderly manner; and so that the separated parts might be concealed from the barbarians; perhaps with a view to subsequent reunion.

The labours executing in the ancient Forum at Rome have contributed to our better knowledge of the topograghy of ancient Rome. The pavement of the Via Sacra is uncovered; and measures have been taken of its breadth : its direction also has been ascertained: bat unluckily it is nearly thirty palms (22 feet) below the surface of the earth; which renders the complete discovery of it hopeless.

In the Coliseum the whole of the steps are uncovered; and below these steps an enormous pavement having several openings for the discharge of water. It appears that a subterranean aqueduct conveyed the water to the Tiber. The ancient arena, with the walls around it, is partly cleared; and it is hoped that a few months will show us the whole of the Coliseum.

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LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THEOLOGY.

La Liturgie ou Formulaire des Prieres Publiques, selon l'Usage de l'Eglise Anglicane, d'après la derniere edition de 1806 par N. Wanostrocht, L. L. D. et maintenant rédigée par Theoph. Abauzit, Pasteur de l'Eglise Conformiste de St. Martin Orgars, Cannon-street. 4s. 6d.

Sermons, Charges, and Tracts, now first collected into one Volume. By Shute, Bishop of Durham. 8vo. 9s.

Strictures on Subjects, chiefly relating to the Established Religion and the Clergy. By the Rev. Josiah Thomas. 3s. 6d.

A Course of Lectures, containing a Description and Systematic Arrangement of the several Branches of Divinity. By Herbert Marsh, D. D. F. R. S. Part II. Ss.

Four Discourses on the Nature, Design, Uses, and History, of the Ordinance of Baptism; with a Preface. By Joshua Toulmin, D. D. 3s. 6d.

Devotional and Doctrinal Extracts, from Epistles of the Yearly Meetings, in London, of the People called Quakers, from 1678 to 1810.

MISCELLANEOUS,

A Series of Views of Picturesque and Romantic Scenery in Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Timor, China, Prince of Wales's Island, Bombay, Mahratta Country, St. Helena, and Jamaica. Engraved by Heath, Woolnoth, and Cook, from Drawings made in those Countries by William Westall. Part I. 10s. 6d. proofs 15s.

A Biographical Illustration of the Encyclopædia Britannica. No. I. Containing 45 Portraits in outline; to be completed in 20 Numbers. Royal 4to, 4s, medium 410. 3s. Psyche, or the Legend of Love, and other Poems. By the late Mrs. Henry Tighe, 4to. 14. 11s. 6d.

Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Cer. respondence, of the late Mr. William Smellie, Printer; Secretary and Superintendant of Natural History to the Society of Scottish Antiquaries, F. R. S.; author of the Philosophy of Natural History, translator of the Works of Buffon, &c. &c. By Robert Kerr, F. R. S. and F. A. S. Ed. 2 vols. 8vo. 14. 7s.

The Life of W. Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, Lord High Chancellor to Henry VI. and Founder of Magdalen College, Oxford. By the late Rev. Richard Chandler, D. D. formerly Fellow of that College, and Author of Travels in Asia Minor, &c. Royal 8vo. 18s.

A Christian's Survey of all the Primary Events and Periods of the World, from the Commencement of History, to the Conclusion of Prophecy. Foolscap 8vo. 7s. 6d.

The New Annual Register for 1810. 8vo. 14.

Sketches of the Present Manners, Customs, and Scenery, of Scotland; with incidental · Remarks on the Scottish Character. By Elizabeth Isabella Spence. 2 vols. 12mo. 12s.

The Works of Beilby Porteus, D. D. late Lord Bishop of London, with an Account of his Life. By the Rev. Robert Hodgson, A. M. F. R. S. Rector of St. George's Hauover-square; and one of the Chaplains in Ordinary to his Majesty. 6 vols. 8vo. 21. 8s.

An Account of the Mode of Roofing with Paper, used at Tew Lodge Farm, and other Places. By. J. C. Loudon. 8vo. 2s. 6d.

A Report upon the Herculaneum Manuscripts. By John Hayter, A. M. Royal 4to. 14. 8s.

A Portraiture of the Heavens, constructed for the use of Students in Astronomy, by the Rev. F. Wollaston, F. R. S. On ten Folio Plates. 14. 1s.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

MISSIONS OF THE UNITED BRETHREN, A CONCISE account of the Missions of the United Brethren, among heathen nations, has long been desired; and such an account having recently been presented to the public, we are happy to have an opportunity of making our readers better acquainted with the nature and extent of the exer

tions of this valuable body of Christians, -Ever since the year 1732, the Church of the Brethren have endeavoured to extend the benefits of Christianity to heathen nations, From small beginnings, their Missions have increased to thirty settlements, in which about 150 Missionaries are employed, who have under their care about 24,000 converts from among various heathen tribes,

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Their motives in sending missionaries was, and continues to be, an ardent desire to promote the salvation of their fellow men, by making known to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They were grieved to hear of so many millions sitting in darkness; and, trusting in the promises of God, they went forth with a confident hope, that their labour would not be in vain. Not disheartened by the smallness of their means, they went forth in the strength of their God, and He has wrought wonders in their behalf. The same spirit still prevails in their congregations; and there has been found a continual and increasing succession of persons, who have been ready to enter on the dangers and hardships of the missionary service. No mission, however, has been undertaken but by particular invitation, and with a prospect of being protected in a permanent establishment.

Members of the Brethren's church, disposed to serve in Missions, mention their views to a committee of the synod appointed to superintend missions; and if no objection appears, they are considered as candidates. As to qualifications, much erudition is not required. “To be well versed in the sacred Scriptures, and to have an experimental knowledge of the truths they Contain, is indeed judged indispensibly necessary. But it has been found by expe rience, that a good understanding joined to a friendly disposition, and, above all, a heart filled with the love of God, are the best and most essential qualifications of a missionary. Nor are, in general, the habits of a student so well calculated to form his body for a laborious life as those of a mechanic. Yet men of learning are not excluded, and their gifts have been made useful in various ways. When vacancies occur, or new missions are to be begun, the list of candidates is examined, and those who appear suitable are called upon, and accept or decline the call as they find themselves disposed."

The settlements of the United Brethren among the heathen, on the 1st of January last, were as follows, viz.

Begun in 1732, in the Danish West India islands, amongst the negro slaves; in St. Thomas, two settlements; in St. Croix, three; in St. Jan, two. Begun in 1738, in Greenland, three. Begun in 1734, among the native Indians, in North America, two settlements, one in Upper Canada, and one on the Muskingum; since which one has been formed, in 1801, among the Cherokees, and one among the Creeks in 1807. Begun in 1738, in South America, three settlements among the negro slaves, free negroes and native

Indians, in and near Surinam. Begun in 1754, in Jamaica, two settlements; in 1756, in Antigua, three; in 1764, among the Esquimaux Indians, on the coast of Labrador, three; in 1765, one in Barbadoes, and one among the Calmucs at Sarepta, near the Caspian Sea; and in 1775, one in the island of St. Kitt's. In 1736, a settle ment was formed among the Hottentots, near the Cape of Good Hope, which it became necessary to abandon, but the attempt was renewed in 1792, and two settlements have been formed there. In all, 29.

The Brethren had formerly three flourishing settlements on the Muskingum, in North America. In the American war, the settlements were destroyed, and the inhabitants partly murdered.

In 1736, George Schmidt, a man of remarkable zeal and conrage, had succeeded in forming a small congregation from among the Hottentots. He left them to the care of a pious man, and returned to Europe to procure assistance. The Dutch East India Company would not, however, permit him to resume his labours, lest the conversion of the Hottentots should injure the colony. At length, in 1792, after repeated applications, leave was given to the Brethren to send out fresh missionaries. The different governments, whether British or Dutch, have since been extremely favourable to them; and they now proceed successfully on the very spot, Bavian's Kloof, where George Schmidt had laboured. This place, in 1792, was barren and uninhabited. At present there are five married, and two single missionaries residing there, with about 1000 Hottentots. A second mission has been be gun, by desire of Earl Caledon, of whom the missionaries speak in the very highest

terms.

Attempts have been made to establish Missionaries near Trauquebar, on the Coromandel coast, in the Nicobar islands, and at Serampore and Potna in Bengal. But various circumstances, and particularly the expense, which far exceeded the ability of the Brethren, occasioned the relinquishment of all these attempts.

The mission at Sarepta has not been very successful among the Calmuc Tartars for whose benefit it was designed, although the exertions of the missionaries have been great and persevering. They have, however, been made very useful to the German colonists on the Wolga, and they have also turned their attention to the education of heathen children.

The most flourishing missions at present are, those in Greenland, Labrador, Antigua

St. Kitt's, the Danish West India islands, and the Cape of Good Hope. In Jamaica, the progress has been slow.

Missions have also been attempted to the following places, which have not succeeded; to Lapland in 1735; to the coast of Guinea, in 1737, and again in 1768; to the negroes in Georgia, in 1738; to the slaves in Algiers, in 1739; to Ceylon, in 1740; to Persia, in 1747; and to Egypt, in 1752. In Upper Egypt, there was some prospect of success; but the wars of the beys made the stay of the Brethren unadvisable.

The general synods of the Brethren's church appoint a select number of bishops and elders, called the Elders' Conference of the Unity, to superintend its concerns till the next general synod, which meets usually every seven or eight years. This conference is divided into four committees, to one of which the care of missions is entrusted. With this committee all missionaries correspond. From their letters and diaries, a secretory makes extracts, of which copies are sent and read to all the congregations and missions. All things relating to mis ́sions are first discussed in this committee; but no resolutions are formed without the concurrence of the whole conference. In each settlement, one brother is appointed to superintend the mission; but he never acts without consulting his fellow-labourers. A society is formed among the Brethren in London, which takes the whole charge of the mission at Labrador, and assists the other missions, especially those in the British do minions, as much as lies in their power. A small vessel is employed to convey the hecessaries of life to the missionaries on the coast of Labrador once a year; and for upwards of forty years, no disaster has befallen this vessel, so as to interrupt the regular annual communication, though the navigation is of a very dangerous kind. In *Amsterdam, a similar society was formed; but the troubles in Holland have put it out of their power to assist much at present. "Another society of the same kind exists among the Brethren in America. These three societies have done all in their power to support the accumulated burthens of the missions; but they have no power to begin new missions, or to send out missionaries, which is vested solely in the Elders' Conference of the Unity.

The regulations of the settlements are every where the same. The Gospel is preached to all the heathen to whom the missionaries can have access, who likewise diligently visit and converse with them in CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 115.

their dwellings. Those who are awakened to a sense of their lost state by nature. and their need of a Saviour, are called new people, and are particularly attended to. If they manifest an earnest desire to be saved, they are admitted as candidates før baptism, and, after a term of instruction and probation, baptized. If they prove by their conduct the genuineness of their profession, after being for a time candidates for the com→ munion, they become communicants. Each of these classes have separate meetings, in which they receive suitable exhortation and instruction. Separate meetings are also held with the children, single men, single women, married people, widowers, and widows, in which the admonitions adapted to their respective situations and circumstances are giyen. Each of the baptized comes at stated times to converse privately, the men with the missionary, the women with his wife, by which a more intimate knowledge of them is obtained, and appropriate advice given. To assist in this important object of acquiring a knowledge of the state of individuals, in large missions, assistants of both sexes are chosen frem among the converts, to visit from house to house, attend to the sick, preserve order, and promote harmony. These assistants meet the missionaries at stated times, in order to confer with them on the state of the congregation. The assistants are allowed occasionally, on week days, to address the congregations. Other persons of good character are used as servants in the chapel, and they meet to consult on subjects respecting outward order. At times, a council is held with a number of inhabitants chosen by the congregation, in which all things relating to the welfare of the settlement are discussed. When the congregation consists of slaves, the external regulations are necessarily somewhat different. The internal regulations are the same in all. Those who violate the precepts of the Bible, are shut out from church-fellowship till they have given proof of repentance. Schools are established in all the Brethren's settlements among free persons; and a Sunday-school, by permission of some planters, has been begun in Antigua. Spelling-books and Catechims, and parts of the Scriptures, have been printed in various languages. In all the settlements, the congregations meet, once every day, for social worship; and on Sundays, the missionaries are employed from break of day till dark, in various spiritual duties; which also occupy them much on the week days. "The Brethren have found by long experience,

30

Their motives in sending missionaries was, and continues to be, an ardent desire to promote the salvation of their fellow men, by making known to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They were grieved to hear of so many millions sitting in darkness; and, trusting in the promises of God, they went forth with a confident hope, that their labour would not be in vain. Not disheartened by the smallness of their means, they went forth in the strength of their God, and He has wrought wonders in their behalf. The same spirit still prevails in their congregations; and there has been found a continual and increasing succession of persons, who have been ready to enter on the dangers and hardships of the missionary service. No mission, however, has been undertaken but by particular invitation, and with a prospect of being protected in a permanent establishment.

Members of the Brethren's church, disposed to serve in Missions, mention their views to a committee of the synod appointed to superintend missions; and if no objection appears, they are considered as candidates. As to qualifications, much erudition is not required. “To be well versed in the sacred Scriptures, and to have an experimental knowledge of the truths they contain, is indeed judged indispensibly necessary. But it has been found by expe rience, that a good understanding joined to a friendly disposition, and, above all, a heart filled with the love of God, are the best and most essential qualifications of a missionary. Nor are, in general, the habits of a student so well calculated to form his body for a laborious life as those of a mechanic. Yet men of learning are not excluded, and their gifts have been made useful in various ways. When vacancies occur, or new missions are to be begun, the list of candidates is examined, and those who appear suitable are called upon, and accept or decline the call as they find themselves disposed."

The settlements of the United Brethren among the heathen, on the 1st of January Jast, were as follows, viz.

Begun in 1732, in the Danish West India islands, amongst the negro slaves; în St. Thomas, two settlements; in St. Croix, three; in St. Jan, two. Begun in 1738, in Greenland, three. Begun in 1734, among the native Indians, in North America, two settlements, one in Upper Canada, and one on the Mus kingum; since which one has been formed, in 1801, among the Cherokees, and one among the Creeks in 1807. Begun in 1738, in South America, three settlements among the negro slaves, free negroes and native

Indians, in and near Surinam. Begun in 1754, in Jamaica, two settlements; in 1756, in Antigua, three; in 1764, among the Esquimaux Indians, on the coast of Labrador, three; in 1765, one in Barbadoes, and one among the Calmucs at Sarepta, near the Caspian Sea; and in 1775, one in the island of St. Kitt's. In 1756, a settlement was formed among the Hottentots, near the Cape of Good Hope, which it became necessary to abandon, but the attempt was renewed in 1792, and two settlements have been formed there. In all, 29.

The Brethren had formerly three flourishing settlements on the Muskingum, in North America. In the American war, the settle. ments were destroyed, and the inhabitants partly murdered,

In 1736, George Schmidt, a man of remarkable zeal and courage, had succeeded in forming a small congregation from among the Hottentots. He left them to the care of a pious man, and returned to Europe to procure assistance. The Dutch East India Company would not, however, permit him to resume his labours, lest the conversion of the Hottentots should injure the colony At length, in 1792, after repeated appli cations, leave was given to the Brethren to send out fresh missionaries. The different governments, whether British or Dutch, have since been extremely favourable to them and they now proceed successfully on the very spot, Bavian's Kloof, where Geotge Schmidt had laboured. This place, in 1799 was barren and uninhabited. At presen there are five married, and two single mis sionaries residing there, with about 100 Hottentots. A second mission has been gun, by desire of Earl Caledon, of whom missionaries speak in the very highes

terms.

Attempts have been made to establis Missionaries near Trauquebar, on the Con mandel coast, in the Nicobar islands, an at Serampore and Potna in Bengal. B various circumstances, and particularly expense, which far exceeded the ability the Brethren, occasioned the relinquis ment of all these attempts.

The mission at Sarepta has not be very successful among the Calmuc Tar for whose benefit it was designed, albion S the exertions of the missionaries have be great and persevering. They have, hower been made very useful to the German lonists on the Wolga, and they have turned their attention to the education heathen children.

The most flourishing missions at prese are, those in Greenland, Labrador, Antig

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