1857.] A SENSITIVE VITAL ORGAN 131 singing the third hymn. A grand organ, with a choir of two men and three boys, served as an accompaniment to the congregation, who seemed to sing with much heart. The music was plain but excellent. This being over, the preacher of the day, the Rev. Mr. Isselman, arose and preached a sermon, which a friend who was with me, and well capable of judging, pronounced to be excellent. It was forty minutes in length, and well delivered, or read rather. The preacher wore a plain black gown and bands. After a short address, he called on the people to pray, and the whole congregation, whether sitting in the pews, or standing in the aisles-as was the case with manyinstantly bowed the head, and apparently repeated to themselves a prayer it was the Lord's Prayer, I believe. Then the preacher read his text, which all the congregation heard standing. It was a beautiful sight. The subject of the sermon was the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. At the close of the sermon followed the singing of a hymn, the offering up of several prayers, one of which related to the Emperor of Russia and the imperial family, the reading of several official documents of the State, and, last of all, the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in which another pastor, rather too gorgeously dressed as one sees in all the Scandinavian churches, and too much even in Germany-took a leading part. He commenced by intoning-certainly in an admirable manner, aided in the gentlest manner by a note or two, at briefest intervals, of the organthe account of the institution of this sacred ordinance, as given in the Gospel. Then followed the administration, which was precisely as it is seen in the episcopal churches with us. As many as eight different companies, of twenty-five or thirty persons each, went successively forward to the semicircular place in front of the altar, and kneeled to receive the consecrated elements from the hands of the two officiating ministers. The whole scene was beautiful, solemn, and most touching. It was really refreshing to attend a service so simple and majestic, and which contrasted so strikingly with the service of the Greek church, which we had just witnessed. I assure you, that whilst I felt deeply for the poor Russians, and was interested in their serious and devout manner, and offered up my heartfelt prayers for them, I could not but bless God, as I stood in the midst of that Swedish church, and contemplated its noble service, so rational and instructive, that I was born and educated in a Protestant land—in our happy America. It is by such contrasts that we are made to understand the difference between a pure and scriptural worship, and that which the Roman and Greek churches-adding one superstitious ceremony to another-have, in the course of ages, contrived to build up, dazzling to the imagination, but impoverishing to the immortal spirit. New York Journal of Commerce. A SENSITIVE VITAL ORGAN. A MISSIONARY at the Sandwich Islands writes My observation is ever forcing upon my mind, with new strength, the conviction, unwelcome as it is, that the pocket, even of the great 132 DAKOTA GODS.-AN IMPORTANT CHANGE. [NOV. 1857. multitude of Christ's disciples, is a most sensitive vital organ, guarded with a jealous vigilance, and defended, with an earnestness of action that cannot be surpassed, against all external attacks. And when, from time to time, the blessed Spirit moves, silently but powerfully, upon some selfish, niggardly heart of our number, and, unexpectedly to me, sends him with his dollar or two as an offering to the Missionary cause, I feel like going upon my knees and thanking God that, at last, there is a tangible ground of hope as to the reality of that man's faith. As a general rule, I cannot but feel, that when the cries of perishing men reach the pockets of any one of our people, they have unmistakeably touched his heart just in the right spot, and furnished him and others with cheering evidence that the love of Christ is in him. Now, as he has opportunity and ability, he feeds his Master's sheep, gathered and to be gathered. Journal of Missions. 6 DAKOTA GODS.-AN IMPORTANT CHANGE. THE Missionaries among the Dakotas say "Twenty years ago, while we were employed in learning the Dakota language, if we asked any of the people what they prayed to, the reply was, Every thing;' and if we asked again to what they prayed most, the common answer was, 'Stones.' When any of them could be prevailed on to assign a reason for this preference for stones, it was, "They are plenty, many boulders being found scattered over the prairie. Even their principal men, at that time, freely acknowledged that they worshipped not only stones, herbs, and trees, but wolves, foxes, snakes, and, indeed, almost every natural object and many artificial ones, besides the spirits of their deceased relatives, and a host of imagined invisible beings. Then, if we endeavoured to persuade the men to cultivate the earth, they replied that it was well for white men to do so, but that they were made differently; for if they should work as white men did, they would die: the beings they worshipped would destroy them. And this idea, whether it originated with themselves, or was communicated to them by white men, had a powerful influence upon the minds of many. "Now, when we inquire of them what they pray to, they almost universally reply, 'Wakantanka,' the Great Spirit, or Great God; and most of them feel insulted if charged with worshipping such things as wolves, foxes, or snakes. We suppose the change in phraseology is far greater than in fact, and that most of the people render nearly the same kind of worship as formerly, and to similar beings, though under a different name; yet the change is an important one. It affords important aid in preaching the gospel among them, as it is an acknowledgment, on their part, of a Supreme Being who claims their worship and service, and whom of course it is important to please. So, when we address them in the name of this being, to escape the force of our appeal they must either deny or doubt the truth of our message. Under the former phraseology, Wakantanka was only one of a multitude of gods, perhaps no more powerful than many others; or if, as the god of war, or of white men, more powerful, still not their god, and consequently having no particular claim to their love, fear, or service." Journal of Missions. ( 133 ) NEPAUL. THE Ghúrkhas, in the disquietudes of India, have been rendering to us good service. Our readers might wish to know something of them. They are a Hindú race, who conquered Nepaul in 1768, subduing the Newars, or aboriginal inhabitants, a people, whose flat noses, high 134 HINDUISM IN ITS PRACTICAL INFLUENCE. [DEC. cheek-bones, and small eyes, show them to be of Mongolian origin. The Ghurkhas have since remained in the ascendant at Nepaul. Nepaul lies on the N.E. of Oude, being bounded on the south by various portions of the province of Bengal. Advancing from the British territories to Nepaul, the traveller first crosses the Terai, a marshy tract, of a very unhealthy character. Then commences the great forest, containing a great variety of noble trees, and from eight to ten miles in breadth. The forest is succeeded by hills, which rise beyond into a mountainous country, which ascending, range on range, culminates in the inaccessible summits of the great Himalaya. The mountainous country between the hills and the alpine regions, having a breadth of from thirty to forty miles, consists of one mountain heaped on another, and diversified by several inhabited valleys, well watered by streams, varying in elevation from 3000 to 6000 feet above the plains of Bengal. Amongst these is the great valley of Nepaul, with its cities of Khatmandoo the modern Ghúrka capital, Patn the old Newar capital, and Bhatgong. This valley is nearly of an oval figure, its greatest length being from north to south, in which direction it may be computed at twelve horizontal miles. Ít is enclosed on all sides by mountains; those on the north and south being of a stupendous character, and those on the east and west, less lofty. The valley, viewed from above, presents a beautiful scene, thickly dotted by villages, and abundantly chequered by rice-fields, fertilized by numerous streams. From other points of view the cities appear, and those sad appendages which proclaim Nepaul to be an unevangelized land-heathen temples. HINDUISM IN ITS PRACTICAL INFLUENCE. On the 19th of December 1817 a British force of 1100 men, commanded by General Hardyman, defeated 5000 Mahrattas, the troops of the rajah of Nagpur. The victory was gained at a place called Jubbul pur, on the right bank of the Nerbudda, about 222 miles S.W. of Allahabad, which, with the surrounding district, became from that time British territory. Situated in a populous and highly-cultivated country, it has become a large, well-built, and thriving place, with a cantonment for troops, native and European, and a school of industry. Within the last few years it has been occupied as one of our Missionary stations. On taking possession of the country, we found there a representative of a race of Gond rajahs, which had been prolonged, from generation to generation, for many hundred years, reduced, under Mahratta oppres sion, to great misery and indigence. This man's condition was commiserated, and, by British benevolence, he was placed in possession of land, which yielded him some 8000 rupees annually. Time passed on, and Shankar Sahae-for such was his name-had become an aged man, and, with his old age, came the eventful year of 1857, and the paroxyism of rebellion which has convulsed India. The 52d Native Infantry was stationed at Jubbulpur. Several months ago it showed symptoms of a mutinous disposition, so much so, that the Residency was fortified, and the Europeans retired within its defences, keeping a strict look out, and prepared for any contingency. It might have been supposed, that whoever proved false, Shankar Sahae would not, and that he would take this opportunity of repaying to the English 1857.] HINDUISM IN ITS PRACTICAL INFLUENCE. 135 the debt of kindness that he owed them. Alas! it has been quite otherwise. For two or three months, he, with his eldest son, was busily engaged in plotting the destruction of the English at Jubbulpur, the destruction of the houses by fire, and a scene of general plunder. The European officers in command, having been informed of this, proceeded to ascertain the truth. A chuprassi was sent in the disguise of a fakír, to whom the old rajah and his son communicated all their schemes. They were seized and tried, and, being found guilty, were sentenced to be blown from guns in the Residency compound on September 18th. A piteous sight it was to see the old, white-haired rajah with calmness and dignity awaiting the execution of the sentence. As he was bound to the muzzle of a gun, his hands and feet to the wheels, not a feature moved. Miserable man! what led him to such ingratitude? His religion, if such it should be called. In his bag, after his death, was found the following invocation to Kalí, the black goddess, to whom human blood is supposed to be a peculiarly acceptable sacrifice. Close up the mouths of talebearers : Having chewed the talebearers, eat them. Kill the enemies. Having killed the English, scatter them. O mat Chunda (O mother Devi) let none escape. Kill the enemy and their families. Protect Shankar Sahae, and preserve your disciples. Make haste, O mat Hackuka (Deví), Eat the unclean race. Do not delay, and devour them quickly, O terrible mother Kalí. Had the Hindús been Christians, would they have acted as they have done? Some from amongst them have become Christians, and they have stood with us side by side, and have shown all good fidelity. There are native Christians, to the number of several hundreds, shut up in the fort of Agra. On the evening before the battle of Agra, they came, with their wives and children, to the gates of the fort, imploring to be sheltered, as the enemy was at hand. It was with great difficulty the authorities were induced to admit them. But they have since rendered good service in saving medical stores from a house nearly a mile from the fort, in carrying sick and wounded, and taking service wherever they found it. And in that respect they have been in great request; all the heathen and Mohammedan servants having fled from the fort. Is it of no consequence to us whether the man be a Hindú or a Christian? Such has hitherto been the principle of our Government. We have been made to feel that there is a wide difference. Let us see to it, that for the future we so act as to convince the natives we have learned the lesson. Vengeance there must be: not on the dupes, but on the abominable superstitions which have made them so heartless and sanguinary. www RENEWAL OF THE SLAVE-TRADE. OUR readers will be pained at the heading of this article. But, nevertheless, it is no less true than painful that the slave-trade at the present |