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quaintance with the servants of A noted passage in the History of Count Zinzendorf, informed them that he had a sister in the Island

of St. Thomas in the West Indies,
who earnestly desired to be in-
structed in the principles of reli-
gion; but as she had neither time,
nor opportunity for it, she often
besought the great God to send
some person to shew her the way
of salvation. Anthony having soon
after obtained liberty from his
master to visit Hernhutt, again de-
clared, in the presence of many of
the congregation, the desire of his
countrymen, and especially of his
sister, for christian instruction;
but he added, that the negroes in
consequence of their accumulated
labours, could have no opportunity
of religious improvement, unless
their teacher was himself a slave
to instruct them in the midst of
their daily avocations. This re-
presentation, and what the Bre-
thren who had been to Copenhagen
related concerning the state of
Greenland, made a deep impres-
sion on many of the congregation,
and several of them declared their
willingness to go and labour among
'the poor heathen. Leonard Dober,
in particular, and Tobias Leopold,
one of his most intimate friends,
felt so strong a desire to proceed to
St. Thomas, that they offered not
only to go to that Island, but, with
a philanthropy which perhaps has
scarcely a parellel in the annals of
history, to sell themselves as slaves,
in order to make known the Re-
deemer to the negroes, particularly
to the poor woman who so ardently
longed for christian instruction,
should they find no other way of
accomplishing their purposes.
Some of the brethren expressed a
similar desire to proceed to Green-
land; and shortly after Missions
were undertaken to both these
Countries."

Brown's Hist. of Missions,

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the Council of Trent.

IN the beginning of the Reformation, when Luther's doctrine began to make a breach in the Roman church, and to threaten the Pope's triple crown, the Pope employed

the most learned of his communion to write against the Lutheran heresy, So to writing they fall; each one employing what talent he bad that way; each one insisting upon such topics and heads of argument, as he judged did best sérve his purpose, and the present Friar James Hogostrat, a Domioccasion. But (says the historian) nican Inquisitor, wrote against Martin Luther more to the purpose than they all, who, setting aside other ways of convincing and confuting, exhorted the Pope to convince Martin with chains, fire, and flames.

ANECDOTE.

Archbishop Usher, and Dr. Preston, two very pious and learned divines, being very intimate, were often together; and after conversing about learning, and other matters, it was usual with the good Archbishop to say, "Come, Dr. Preston, let us say something about Christ before we part."

It is true, serious persons are not to be always talking about religion, but it is to be lamented that too little time is devoted to spiritual conversation, and that not only amongst mere professors, but truly gracious persons. It is also granted, that we should not force religion into conversation, but all truly serious persons should watch for an opportunity to introduce it in an easy and pleasing manner. Mr. Hervey, it is said excelled in this happy talent.

MARY MAYS.

Dbituarp.

To record the memory of worthy christians, though in humble life, is an important object of our Miscellany. The following letter from a christian Mistress furnishes an honourable testimony to the conduct of a christian servant; and a strong incentive to those who have irreligious and illiterate servants, to give them scriptural instruction.

"Our deceased Sister, Mary May's, lived with me in the capacity of a servant three years and four months. When I first hired her I told her where I attended, and that I wished her to go and hear for herself, promising that if afterwards she thought she should be more comfortable in going to Church, I would shew her where that was preached which would be worthy her attention. On my enquiring how she liked my minister, she said, she was quite satisfied to continue going to Meeting, as what she heard there was more plain than what she had been accustomed to hear in the Church. When she first came to me she could neither read nor write, but seemed desirous of learning; which through the in structions of my companion she accomplished so as to be able soon to make out little simple tracts, by the perusal of which, and having a book to herself when the scriptures were read in the family, she improved so as to be able latterly to read the Bible, and to commit many of David's Psalms to memory: also some Hymns. After living with me for a year, I observed her gradually attentive to divine things, but being of a reserved tem

per I could not persuade her, though I often solicited her to communicate any thing to me; yet I saw with pleasure she was more desirous of attending divine worship, and having the Sabbath free from interruption, would not permit her nearest relations to come on that day, lest she should be prevented in enjoying the privilege of attending divine worship. On my leaving her in the summer, when going out of town, she was told by some she would lay her Bible aside then, and not mind going to the Play with them. Her answer was, "She hoped the Lord would keep her, for as to going to the Play she thought she might as well go to the Devil at once." During my stay in the country I received a letter from her, with which I was much pleased; wherein she told me something of what had led her to see her need of a Saviour. The sermon by which her mind was first impressed, was by Mr. Ivimey from those words, "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." On reading soon after that part of the 25th of Matt, where the Lord says to those on his left hand, "Depart from me, &c." she was led to fear it would be her case, and for some time was greatly distressed; till in hearing Mr. Price, [now of Falmouth] from those words, I will not let thee go until thou bless me; her mind became relieved. One expression he dropped, which seemed more especially to encourage her, was,

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Sinuer, don't think it is too late to pray.' She began from that to hope the Lord would hear her if she sought him, and that he had

already heard her cries, as she said, "he casts out none who apply to him," adding, were it not for such promises as this, and also that in Isaiah i, 18. “Come and let us reason together, &c." she should have thought the Lord would not pardon her, whose sins were more in number than the hairs on her head. She expressed a desire to lay humble at the cross of Christ, and to be found among Christ's sheep; with not merely the sheep's clothing, but giving herself up to him who died for sinners. After some months had elapsed, on hearing there were some persons to be baptized, I perceived her wishing to join them; but from her natural reluctance in speaking, and from timidity and fear lest she should not be accepted, she was neither able to come forward herself, or to see others follow the Saviour without her, I endeavoured to encourge her by telling her, HE knew and viewed with tenderness the feelings of her mind, and I hoped he would give her strength to join his people the next time. This he did, though she suffered much through fear, and was not able to say much before the church, but it was satisfactory, so that she was judged by the Church a fit subject for Baptism, and was bap-tized Oct. 30, 1814.

She was constant in her attendance whenever opportunity was afforded; evidently loved the habitation of God's house; and especially that where she was first brought to a knowledge of him. Her natural temper was irritable and easily ruffled; but truth and integrity were prominent features in her character. I never found her guilty of an untruth, or undeserving the confidence I placed in her in my absence. I have often heard her speak with regret of the conduct of some professing ser

vants who felt themselves justified in going to a place of worship without leave; saying she should neither have expected or deserved to get good by so doing, and should have thought the bell was ringing in her ears all the while she was there. In her last affliction which proved the small pox and terminated in death. I never saw the power and happiness resulting from real personal religion so clearly exemplified. At the commencement of her illness she complained of darkness and confusion of mind, but when told the Lord hears the groaning of his prisoners, replied, it was a sweet text, and seemed comforted thereby, saying, He had promised to put his everlasting arms underneath his people, When the disorder was clearly ascertained by the Physician she received the information with great composure of mind; expressed herself desirous of leaving the event in the Lord's hand; told my companion how she wished to dispose of what belonged to her, if she died, with the greatest calmness; charged her sisters to be satisfied with what was allotted them, and to be sure to let her aged mother have all that could be useful to her. It was one trait in her character which I always marked with pleasure, that of doing all she could to help her aged Parents, who she considered had the first claim on all she could spare. Being told what a mercy it was she was brought to a knowledge of divine things before she was afflicted, she replied, All was mercy, and said her mind was quite comfortable, desired her friends not to weep for her for that all was well with her, and she feared no evil, continued quite composed and happy until the Lord was pleased to release her from a state of suffering by taking her to himself on the 27th

of February 1815, in the 27th year of her age.

Mr. Ivimey preached a sermon on the occasion of her death, at Eagle Street Meeting, the 12th of

February, from the same text as had been blessed to her conversion about two years before, Be ye also ready, &c. D. 0.

Hatton Garden.

REVIEW.

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A Dictionary of all Religions, and religious Denominations, Jewish, Heathen, Mahometan, and Christian; ancient and modern including the substance of Mrs. Hannah Adams's View of Religions, reduced to one Alphabet, with 150 additional Articles; the whole carefully corrected and revised by Thomas Williams, author of the Age of Infidelity, a New Translation of Solomon's Song, &c. With an Appendix, containing a Sketch of the present State of the World, as to Population, Religious Toleration, Missions, &c., with summary practical Reflections. To the whole is prefixed, An Essay on Truth, by Andrew Fuller, A new edition, with additions. Button and Williams, 12mo 7s 6d.

A View of Religions, by Hannah Adams, which had passed through several editions in America, was published in London, in 1805, with a valuable Essay on Truth, by A. Fuller. In the present edition the title of the book is altered, a frontispiece, exhibiting portraits of fourteen Reformers, added: the three parts, into which the former edition was divided, are reduced to one Alphabet, with 150 additional articles. The Editor has taken much pains to improve the work, by corrections, retrenchments, and additions, though we could have wished, for the sake of reducing the price, and obtaining

for it a wider circulation, that there had been greater retrenchments, which we think some of the articles would have allowed. A brief sketch of the state of religion throughout the world, and concluding remarks, are an acceptable appendage to the volume. The numerous and correct references to authorities, at the bottom of the pages, the most modern and autheutic that could be procured, are highly valuable. The "Essay on Truth" has also received some corrections and enlargements from the author, from which we could make very interesting extracts, but our limits will permit us to transcribe only one article from the body of the work, as a specimen of the plan on which it is conducted.

"WALDENSES, or VAUDOIS. The antiquity of this denomination can be traced back 400 years before the time Many protestants suppose that Waldo

of Luther, and 20 before Peter Waldo.

derived his name from the Waldenses, whose doctrine he adopted, and who were known by the name of Waldenses or Vaudois, before he or bis immediate followers existed.

The learned Dr. Alix, in his History of the churches of Piedmont, gives this account; That for 300 years or more, the bishop of Rome attempted to subjugate the church of Milan uuder his jurisdiction; and at last the interest of Rome grew too potent for the church of Milan, planted by one of the disciples; insomuch that the bishop and the people, rather than own their jurisdiction, retired' to the valleys of Lucerne and Angrogne, and thence were called Vallenses,

Wallenses, or the people in the valleys. From a confession of their faith of nearly the above date, we extract the following particulars. (1.) That the scriptures teach that there is one God, almighty, all-wise, and all-good, who made all things by his goodness: for he formed Adam in his own image and likeness: but that by the envy of the devil, sin entered into the world, and that we are sinners in and by Adam. (2:) That Christ was promised to our fathers, who received the law, that so knowing by the law their unrighteousness and insufficiency, they might desire the coming of Christ, to satisfy for their sins, and accomplish the law by himself. That Christ was born in the time appointed by God the Father; that is to say, in the time when all iniquity abounded, that he might shew us grace and mercy as being faithful. (4.) That Christ is our life, truth, peace, and righteousness; as also our pastor, advocate, and priest, who died for the salvation of all who believe, and is risen for our justification. (5) That there is no mediator and advocate with God the Father, save Jesus Christ. (6.) That after this life there are only two places, the one for the saved, and the other for the damned. (7.) That the feasts, the vigils of saints, the water which they call holy, as also to abstain from flesh on certain days, and the like; but especially the masses, are the inventions of men, and ought to be rejected. (8.) That the sacraments are signs of the holy thing, visible forms of the invisible grace; and that it is good for the faithful to use those signs or visible forms; but that they are not essential to salvation. (9.) That there are no other sacraments but Baptism and the Lord's Supper. (10.) That we ought to honour the secular powers by subjection, ready obedience, and paying of tribute.

For bearing this noble testimony against the church of Rome; these pious people were for many centuries the subjects of a most cruel persecution; and in the 13th century, the pope instituted a crusade against them, and they were pursued with a fury perfectly diabolical. Their principle, however, remained unsubdued, and at the Reformation, their descen dants were reckoned among the pro

testants, with whom they were, in doctrine, so congenial; but in the 17th century, the flames of persecution were again rekindled by the cruelty of Louis XIV.

It affords much pleasure to hear from a clergyman of the church of England, who last year visited the vales of Piedmont, that this people are by no means extinct,, but preserve a pleasing vestige of their ancient piety and simplicity, among all the calamities of the late war and the miseries it has introduced."

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Short Discourses on the Lord's Prayer: chiefly designed for the use of country villages. By Isaac Mann. With a recommendatory preface by Rev. John Fawcett, D. D. Hebden-hridge, and Rev. W. Steadman, tutor of the Baptist Academy, at Little Horton, near Bradford, Yorkshire. Button. 1814. It appears from the introduction, that these discourses, (eight in number) were delivered to a village congregation at Steeplane, in Sowerby, near Halifax. We cordially unite with Dr. Fawcett and Mr. Steadman, in recommending them to the serious attention of our readers, The style is characterized by seriousness and simplicity. Mr. Mann is laudably ambitious of treading in the footsteps of Mr, George Burder, and of the late Mr. Benjamin Beddome, whose "Village Sermons" have, no doubt, contributed largely to promote to the instruction of thousands, and tens of thousands, upon whom, more elaborate and polished discourses might be bestowed in vain.

The following extract from the last discourse will supply a speci

men of the author's manner.

"The God, at whose hand we seek mercy, we are taught, is a being who has all things at his own disposal. We cannot ask a blessing he is not in possession of, or pray for an event which he cannot accomplish, so far as our good, and his glory are

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