with the greatness of our population. They bid us to beware, lest, in its very youth, our city become as corrupt, as wretched, as debased, as some cities in the Old World, where human life is regarded less than the life of a beast. As yet we have not advanced in the downward course beyond the hope of recovery; but except the public can be alarmed, and made to feel their danger, the time will come, and is not far distant, when the stranger who visits New-York, will return to his friends, and tell them that our Sabbath is not distinguishable from other days in the week. We do hope and believe, that the men we have chosen for Municipal Officers, will feel the responsibility under which they act; and that every Christian, every virtuous man, every philanthropist, and every patriot, will sustain them by their influence and their votes, in any measures which they may adopt for the prevention of this great and growing evil.

:

Bible Cause in Kentucky.-At the close of a four days' meeting in the Second Presbyterian Church in Lexington, on the 18th of Feb. a resolution to the following effect was proposed, and adopted, viz. That with the blessing of Almighty God, and the co-operation of our fellow citizens, of the different denominations throughout our State, we pledge ourselves to raise the sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars, with a view to furnish every family in Kentucky, who may be destitute of the Bible, with a copy of that blessed book within the course of two years. About Seventeen Hundred Dollars were immediately subscribed by the persons then present.

The Rev. Jacob Oson of this city, a man of color, was ordained at Hartford on Sabbath the 17th of February, by Bishop Brownell, preparatory to his being sent out on a mission to the American colony at Liberia, under the patronage of the Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church. He is, we believe, the first foreign Missionary sent out by this society.

Mission Press at Malta.-There are perhaps but few of the benevolent operations of the present day, which, at so little expense of labour or funds,

produces so great an amount of influence as the printing establishment at this station. From a statement made to the Editors of the New-York Observer by the superintendent of the press it appears, that the number of Tracts which have been printed in Modern Greek, is 72; editions, 78; copies, 71,050; pages, 3,732,000. In Italian, 43 Tracts; 51 editions; 55,500 copies; 1,706,000 pages. In GrecoTurkish, 1 Tract, 2 editions; 1,500 copies; 36,000 pages. Total, 106 Tracts, (those which are printed in more than one language being reckoned according to the number of languages); 131 editions; 128,050 copies; 5,474,000 pages.

Of the Greek Tracts, 2,580,640 pages have been distributed; of the Italian, 850,112. Total, 3,430,750. Of the Greek, 1,151,440 pages remain in the Depository; of the Italian, 855,888. Total, 2,007,328.

The Rev. Elnathan Gridley, American Missionary to Asia Minor, died near the close of September, at Kaisarea, or Cesarea, a principal town in Cappadocia, about two hundred and fifty miles east from Constantinople.

Mr. Gridley was graduated at Yale College in 1820, and at Andover in 1823; and in September, 1826, sailed on this mission in company with Mr. Brewer. Being at first unacquainted with the languages of the country, he devoted much of his time to the interests of American and British seamen. He died, says the Editor of the Herald, about the same time in the year with Mr. Fisk, and sleeps not far from the grave of Henry Martyn.

POLITICAL.

Great Britain -By late arrivals we learn that there has been another dissolution of the British Ministry; and a new one formed, with the Duke of Wellington at its head. The cause of this dissolution is stated to have been disunion, growing out of a resolution adopted by Mr. Huskisson, to enforce a severe system of economy, and to render the public accounts more clear and intelligible. Mr. Herries, alone, refused his assent to Mr. Huskisson's plan of finance, as well as to the nomination of Lord Althorp, as Chairman in the House of Commons, of the Finance

Committee, and this opposition was found so determined and insurmountable, that Mr. Huskisson declared they could no longer remain members of the same cabinet. In consequence of this disunion, Lord Goderich, (the Prime Minister) having declared his inability longer to remain in the cabinet, the Duke of Wellington was ordered by the King to form a new one.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Intemperance.-The Medical Society of the State of New-York, taking into consideration the duties they owe to the public, as members of a profession to whose care is committed the health of its citizens, recognise with deep solicitude, one of the most alarming causes of disease that exist in human society, to wit, intemperance in the use of ardent spirits.

And whereas, it is an evil, that is growing to an alarming extent among all classes of society; and from the cheapness and facility of procuring distilled spirits, has become the common beverage of almost every class of the community: and whereas, there is reason to believe that the habitual use of ardent spirits is often the consequence of an opinion that their use contributes to the health of the body, and becomes necessary to sustain it under great fatigue and exhaustion; that it is a preventive of disease contagious and miasmatic causes, that it is necessary as a medicine in diseases, accompanied with debility, to restore tone and vigor to the system and whereas, it is a duty, peculiarly be longing to the medical profession to oppose and correct these insidious errors: Therefore resolved, That in the opinion of this society, the habitual use of ardent spirits is not a source of strength and vigor, but that it is generally productive of weakness and disease.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this society, ardent spirits are not a preventive of disease under any circumstances, but that more frequently their use predisposes the body to the reception of complaints of an aggravated form.

Resolved, That this society will discourage the intemperate use of ardent spirit as far as their example and influence will extend.

Resolved, That the free and habitual use of wine and fermented liquors, is often the source of obstinate and incu

rable diseases, and that although their moderate use may, under some circumstances, be beneficial in giving activity and vigor to the system, yet their use in many cases is often carried too far, and continued to the injury of the constitution.

School Education in New-York city. -The view which we have given, in a preceding column, of the moral condition of this city, as exhibited in their open violations of the Sabbath, is exceedingly painful to every friend of religion and good order. Nor is the mind at all relieved by looking at the condition of the city in respect to its primary schools, and means of education in general. Indeed we see, if we mistake not, in the great neglect in this particular, a fruitful source of the degradation and crime before described.

An Address of the Trustees of the Public School Society of the city presents the following estimates, as undoubtedly a near approximation to facts:

Whole number of children between 5 and 15 years of age, 52,300 Do. attending public schools, 10,000 Do. attending private do. 17,500 Do. do. Sunday do.

not before included, Do. withdrawn before. the age of 15,

600

12,100

40,200 Leaving the surprising number of twelve thousand one hundred children, between the ages of 5 and 15, who are entirely destitute of the means of instruction! and twice that number who at present attend no school whatever!! The whole number of children in the city between these ages, is estimated at 52,300. Consequently, nearly one in four of all these future men and women, are growing up in ignorance of the first rudiments of knowledge! and nearly one in two attend no school at present!!

The immense influx of foreignersno less than 20,000 having arrived in the city the past year-while it accounts in part for these appalling facts, shows also the necessity of greatly increasing the means of education. In a government like ours, such a mass of ignorance is not only disgraceful, but dangerous. To suffer it to exist before our eyes, when by no extraordinary

sacrifices it might be removed, is inhuman and unchristian. Neither the sick nor the destitute have higher claims upon us than the ignorant. The want of knowledge is the most imperative of all wants; for it brings all others in its train.

The whole amount expended upon Common Schools in this city during the year ending 1st of May, 1827, including about $4,400 received from " pay scholars," and $2,155 50 distributed to the Mechanics', the Orphan Asylum, and the Manumission Societies, did not exceed $27,000: while in Boston, with less than one third of our population, the annual amount expended for similar purposes, is from 50,000 to 70,000. And the consequence is, that while New-York exhibits such facts as are stated above, in Boston scarcely an instance is to be found of a child who has not received some sort of education at school.

Young Men's Education Society of Boston. This Society has been for years the largest contributor to the funds of the American Society, having paid $7,537 since 1819. The amount raised last year was $1200, and the sum paid to the Parent Society $1063. It is stated that they voted at the late meeting to support thirty young men at $75 each, making $2,250.

Large Bequests.-Mr. John Grand

ison, who lately died in Philadelphia, has left the following legacies:-to the Orphan's Society, the Indigent Widows' and Single Women's Society, the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, the Friend's Asylum near Frankford, $5000 each; the Pennsylvania Hospital, $3000; the Pennsylvania Society for Charity Schools, $1000; to the Pennsylvania Dispensary, $80 per annum, the Southern Do. $100, the Northern Do. $120; the Apprentices' Library, $75 per annum. It is said he bequeathed several houses to their respective occupants; and that a residuary legacy to the Apprentices' Library will probably amount to $10,000.

Duelling in New-York.--We are happy to state that the bill to suppress duelling has passed the House of Assembly, 61 to 37. The first section declares the inflicting of a wound in a duel, beyond the bounds of this State, from which death ensues in this State, murder; the second subjects the seconds to the punishment of felons,whether death ensues or not.

Lotteries. From a detailed statement in the Pennsylvania Gazette, it appears that the Union Canal Lottery will cost the people the sum of three millions five hundred and thirty-three dollars, for collecting one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the use of the Canal.

Jan. 23.-Rev. ZENAS CASE was ordained to the work of the Gospel Ministry in the Second Baptist Church in Sweden, N. Y. Sermon by Elder O. C. Comstock.

Jan. 24.--Rev. HORATIO FLAGG was ordained Pastor of the Congregational Society in Hubbardton, Vt. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Walker, of Rutland.

Feb. 8.-Rev. JOSEPH PEPOON, as an Evangelist, by the Presbytery of Grand River, Ohio. Sermon by Rev. Luther Humphrey.

Feb. 12.-Rev. JAMES H. THOMAS was installed Pastor of the Associated Congregations of New Windsor and Canterbury, N. Y. Sermon by Rev. Jacob Green.

Feb. 27.-Rev. SAMUEL PRESBURY over the Second Congregational Uni

tarian Church in Northfield, Ms. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Pierpont, of Boston.

Feb. 16.-Rev. BENJAMIN DOLBEAR, at Craftsbury, Vt. as an Evangelist. Sermon by Rev. Jacob N. Loomis.

Feb. 27.-Rev. CHARLES J. WARREN over the First Congregational Church in Attleborough.

Feb. 27.-Rev. JOSHUA DODGE was installed over the Church in Moultonborough, N. H.

March 5.-Rev. WARREN BURTON, over the Third Congregational Society at Cambridge, Ms. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Greenwood.

March 12.-Rev. ASAHEL BIGELOW as Pastor of the Orthodox Congregational Church in Walpole, Ms. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Bigelow, of Rochester.

titude, and going himself into the mountain, the evening came. Here are two evenings spoken of after the hour was past, that is as I suppose, the hour of dining or refreshment. When did the first of these commence? Immediately after midday? or not till some time in the afternoon? Not immediately after midday; first, because at that time the multitudes could not have been in so suffering a state for food, as to excite the compassion of the disciples; secondly, because Mark tells us, vi. 35, that when the disciples came to Christ, the day was far spent, and the time far passed.

But would the day be said to be far spent and the time far passed immediately after midday? But if we suppose the first evening to have commenced at three o'clock P. M. we can account for the compassion of the disciples for the hungry multitude, and see the propriety of the expressions used by Mark, "the day was far spent," and "the time now far passed."

In the opinion here offered, I am supported by the following commentators and lexicographers.

The Assembly in their annotations Matt. xiv. 15, on the word evening, say, "That is, the first evening, when the sun was much declined, about three o'clock P. M., and the second evening, verse 23, which began at

sunset.

Campbell on Matt. xiv. 23, says, let it be observed, for the sake of removing this difficulty, (viz. between this and the 15 verse) that the Jews spoke of two evenings; the first was considered as commencing from the ninth hour, that is, in our reckoning, at three o'clock P. M., and the second from the twelfth or sunset. This he adds, appears from several passages in the Old Testament. In the institution of the passover, for instance, the people are commanded to kill the passover at evening, Hebr. between the evenings, that is, between three and six o'clock P. M.

McKnight on Matt. xxviii. 1, observes," As the Jewish day began at sunsetting, they distinguished the evening into two parts. The first being the evening on which the preceding day ended; and the second the evening with which the new day began. Hence the expression in the institution of the passover, Exod. xii. 6, between the two evenings. Compare also Matt. xiv. 15 with 23, where both evenings are mentioned. The first evening was the space from three in the afternoon to sunsetting; the second began at sunsetting and lasted till nine."

Schleusner, on the word is, after referring to the Hebrew, which is rendered between the evenings, says, "One was from the ninth hour of the day, our three o'clock P. M. until the setting of the sun; the other was from the last hour of the day until the beginning of night,"* (or entire darkness.)

Calmet on the word passover, says. "The paschal lamb was to be killed between the two evenings, that is, between the sun's decline and his setting, or rather according to our reckoning, between three o'clock P. M. and six o'clock in the evening."

Brown on the word even, says, "It is when it begins to grow dark, or at least when the sun is considerably declined," and adds "the passover was killed between the evenings about three o'clock P. M. when the sun was half declined."

There is no evidence which I have seen that the word evening is in the scriptures ever applied to the portion of time immediately succeeding midday; but there is evidence that it is applied to the latter part of the afternoon, or from three o'clock till sunset.

*Una fuit ab hora diei nona, nostra tertia pomeridiana, usque ad solis occasum; altera, ab hora diei ultima, cum sel occidit, usque ad noctis principium."