donations of the Baron de Compagne to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions amount to eight hundred and seventy six dollars. This is mentioned as a memorial of one, who though unacquainted with our language, and living in the heart of Europe, feels such an interest in our institutions and Christian enterprises, and contributes so liberally for their support. The $100 sent to Mr. Dwight were for the American Education Society.

NOTICES OF AN INDIAN SCHOOL.

[The last Number of the Missionary Herald contains some interesting notices of the girls' school at Mayhew, communicated by the teacher, Miss Burnham, at the request of the Corresponding Secretary. Those who feel desirous of being introduced to a more familiar interview with the pupils of an Indian School than can be obtained from the ordinary ac counts respecting them, will be gratified with the following extracts.]

Nov. 5, Evening. The girls while at work were conversing in their own language, and were desired to speak English. One of them who could speak but very little English, requested that the one who was talking, might go through with what she had to say, for she was interpreting the hymn, that they had been repeating about the crucifixion and ascension of our Saviour. When the youthful interpreter had done, she took the Bible, and selected some appropriate passages of Scripture, and read to the other children about Christ's being crowned with thorns and crucified, his rising again from the dead and saying to his disciples, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ;" and added that this was the reason missionaries came hither. Then she took Emerson's catechism and turned to the place where Christ was represented as being crucified between the two thieves, and said one of the theives repented of his sins. Then showing the picture to her instructress, she said," which of the thieves became good? I think it was the one on the right hand."

Nov. 18. One of the girls complained that another had spoken improperly to her. The teacher inquired what was to be done, if such large scholars set such an example for the others. (The girls were 9 and 10 years old.) One immediately said, "please to forgive them, Miss Burnham." "Will that do? And suffer them to go on in this way?" She thought not. Inquiry was made of several others, what it was best to do. The reply was, "We do not know; the teacher knows best." "Shall each of them have a discredit mark?" To that

of the offending parties, if they would forgive each other. One chose that the other should have discredit. The teacher said no more; and one of the girls observed, "If we do not forgive each other, our Heavenly Father will not forgive us." Then she explained the meaning of the petition," forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors," in Choctaw, to the unforgiving one; to which the greatest attention was paid by the whole school.

No one can have an idea how interesting such scenes are, unless they could be placed in the midst of the circle, see the fixed attention, and observe their inquir ing minds.

When it was told the children, that if they should repent of their sins, and love God, they would go to heaven where they would be happy, and never feel any more pain-never be sorry or cry any more, one of the dear children inquired, "if you should go to heaven, and see all of us go to hell, should you not be sorry?”

Dec, 26. The girls were disposed to make many serious inquiries, and many anxious remarks. One said, "when I go to breakfast, my heart feels so bad that I can't eat ;" another,-"I think so much about my soul, that I can't sleep. When I go away alone I kneel down to pray ; the tears come, my heart feels so bad." One in broken English said to her instructress, Isn't the Bible a sort of friend to you?" My mother, when she has been here, has heard the girls say the Lord's Prayer so much, that she has most learned it" "My mother could almost say the Lord's Prayer when I came away; she loves to hear ahout God. I used to tell her a great deal." "My family all bad. Miss Burnham, you must tell us about these things every day. I forget."

27. After attending prayer meeting, found the girls had spent the evening in prayer, and other religious exercises, and were bringing their meeting to a close, by rising and singing the doxology. They had read," Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth," and concerning the erucifixion of our Saviour.

28. Evening. One is now reading the life of Elizabeth Rowe. One committing to memory the 4th Pslam, “Lord, thou wilt hear me when I pray," and another a prayer in the Primer.

March 9. One said, I never viewed things so before, as I have yesterday and to day. I can't express my feelings. I never before thought that food and every thing came from God.

A number went to another room for religious instruction, but one refused to go, saying, "I am afraid they will ask my feelings, and I have nothing to tell.—I don't feel any thing." She was told that she could be excused from relating any of her

DOMESTIC.

No event probably, since the revolution has produced so deep an emotion in the public mind, as the arrival of the Marquis de La Fayette. Besides the warm and universal sentiment of gratitude with which he is welcomed to our shores, his presence awakens anew in our minds, the remembrance of those great and good men with whom he was associated in the revolution, and causes that eventful period, with all its painful and all its proud recollections, to live afresh in the minds of the whole American people.

Al

The Marquis arrived in the packet ship Cadmus at the New York quarantine on the morning of the 15th of August, accompanied by his son, George Washington La Fayette and M. Le Vasseur. though our readers will have been made acquainted with his movements, through other sources, yet we wish to preserve a brief sketch of his visit on our pages. On his arrival the Marquis landed on Staten Island, by invitation of the Vice President of the United States, (it being Sabbath morning,) and became his guest for the day. The following morning in pursuance of arrangements by the committee, he embarked in the steam boat Chancellor Livingston for the city, attended by the Committe of the Corporation, by Naval and Military Officers, Members of the Cincinnati &c. and by a fleet of steamboats crowded with passengers, and richly dressed and decorated, except the Chancellor Livingston which bore only the flags of France and the United States. The Cadmus also, elegantly dressed, and towed by steamboats, formed a part of the gay and novel exhibition. Having been saluted by discharges of cannon as he passed up the bay, the Marquis was landed at Castle Garden, amidst the shouts of an immense concourse of people. From the Battery, escorted by the military, he proto the City Hall through Broadway, which was crowded almost to its centre, and the houses on each side filled to their highest stories with spectators. We need not detail the formalities of his reception by the civil authorities, nor the various exhibitions and rejoicings which took place during his stay in the city. He left New York on the 20th for Boston, attended by a large number of citizens; and by a splended military escort which accompanied him to the Connecticut line where he was received by a troop of Connecticut Horse Artillery.

The same proofs of affection and respect which were shown him at New York, he

meets with wherever he comes. Not only in the cities and villages through which he passes do thousands hail his arrival, but as he passes along the country, the people crowd to the road side-all anxious to greet him as the guest and benefactor of the nation;-aged men, the venerable remnant of the army of the revolution, pressing forward to take him by the hand, and to speak of scenes which will never grow faint in their minds; and people in middle life, and children, to catch a glimpse of the man with whose name they have been made familiar in the nursery.

In all this there is nothing of the adulation of a populace servilely accustomed to do homage to an earthly potentate. It is the honest, inartificial, and warm expression of the gratitude of a free people to a public benefactor. And it is an expression which we love to witness; not simply because it discharges a public duty, but because, while it refutes the proverbial imputation that republics are ungrateful, it strengthens that love of liberty from which it arises. Like the generous sympathy lately manifested for the Greeks, it cherishes the purest feelings, and confirms the best habits of the nation-feelings and hab its in which our free institutions have their surest safeguard.

The Legislature of the State of NewYork was convened at Albany on the 2nd day of August, agreeably to a proclamation by the Governor. The object of this extra session was to pass a law by which the choice of electors of President and Vice President of the United States, should be given to the people. The Senate on the second day of the session, passed a resolution that they were unconstitutionally convened, and therefore could not legislate. The House of Assembly also after several days spent in fruitless and not very magnanimous discussion, resolved "that no unexpected incident or unforeseen exigence had transpired" to justify the exercise of the executive prerogative in convening the legislature. On the 6th both houses adjourned.

The Governor in his message justifies himself on the ground that he acted in "deference to public sentiment" and to "legislative declarations'' made at the last session; and also on the ground that the enactment of the contemplated law af the next regular session would be too late for the approaching election of President and Vice President. This extraordinary session has occasioned much excitement and much editorial discussion in the State.

We believe that when peace of mind in the hour of death arises from

Piety.

DANGEROUS conclusions are fre

quently drawn from false premises. This remark is strikingly exemplified by the deception which is probably often occasioned by laying too great stress on the manner in which men die. If one is calm and joyful in his sickness, and in a good degree free from terror as death approaches, the opinion is too common, that such a person is, without doubt, at peace with God. If another is fearful in the hour of death, a conclusion is hastily drawn against his piety. There is something unspeakably consoling in the triumph of the real christian when leaving the world; and this cherishes an inclination to believe every peaceful death to be an instance of genuine victory over the last enemy. As it is interesting to hear relations of such closing scenes as give cheering evidence of real religion, they are widely and frequently published. Hence the impression is extensive among certain classes of the community, that if a person dies without fear, it is a good indication of a safe and happy condition after death.

It is my present design to show, that a peaceful death is no sure evidence of piety; or that religious character cannot, in all cases be determined by the manner of dying. Vol. VI. No. 10.

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character of God, a resignation to his will, a reliance on Jesus Christ, and a desire to glorify God, it is an evidence of real holiness; but as there may be great peace of mind, and much apparent piety without this holiness, it is important to guard against a mistake so dangerous.

For the opinion already advanced, I offer the following reasons.

1. Other causes besides religion may excite the spirits, and pour peace into the bosom of the dying man. Some diseases, from their very nature cause the patient to feel secure and happy while they are preying upon his very vitals. Such is the consumption. Its victims frequently flatter themselves and others, with the hope of recovery, till they suddenly drop into eternity. So is it with regard to religion. Many while in sickness may feel as secure and as calm on the subject of religion, as when in health. They may converse with composure on death and eternity. They feel no great pain of body or mind-do not realize their condition-and thus fall quietly into the grave, paralyzed by their disease.

In connexion with diseases, medicines are not unfrequently administered in the last hours or days of life, which lead to a mistake as to the actual state of the mind. Instances are not unknown, in which a patient has manifested a quiet submission in

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death, when it was evident that he was made insensible to his situation by soporific drugs. Others, again, when under the operation of stimulants, have had the liveliness and cheerfulness of their spirits, mistaken for spiritual joy. It is well known that persons in health, when under the influence of ardent spirits, are often free and forward to converse on religion; and many, who sneer at religion when sober, will take pains when partially intoxicated to manifest their zeal in religion. It is very natural to suppose, and fact corroborates the supposition, that the same effect may be produced in the dying man, by stimulating medicines; and these means may lead to very erroneous apprehensions as to his spiritual condition.

It is well known that a fever often produces a high state of excitement in which, if it be short of delirium, the patient seems raised above himself. His feelings are strong-his imagination lively-his affections ardent his sensibility to danger taken away and his conversation indicative of a happy state of mind. Present religion before such a person, and he may seize it with the ardor and zeal of a saint. In some well known instances of this nature in which the patients, on being restored to health, have been found, to be totally insensible to every thing which passed during their sickness, and could not recollect, and would not acknowledge a single expression of their conversation. Now had these persons died, they might have been considered as extraordinary examples of pious joy and christian triumph, when in fact, this excitement was but an excitement of the spirits produced by medicine or by disease.

The patient is frequently made to look at death without terror, by the excruciating pain under which he labors. In the agony of disease he talks of death as a familiar and pleasing friend. So far from fearing to meet it, he is calm on its approach, and even desires its relief. Of such,

Job speaks in a very striking manner; "Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul, which long for death, but it cometh not, and dig for it more than for hid treasures, which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave."

Others, whose diseases appeared to be desperate, have seemed to be greatly exercised with religious considerations, and have calmly professed joy and peace ir believing-have been willing to depart-have been confident of future happiness; and yet these very individuals, on recovering, have manifested no regard to Christ, or to his worship. On the contrary, have become most vile and abandoned. But had they died in the midst of their joys, their friends would probably have consoled themselves with a confident assurance of their happy state beyond the grave.

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On

There is a class of men, though perhaps not very frequently found, who appear calm and resigned in their last hours, from bracing themselves against their fate with a feeling differing little from stubbornness. have met with such instances and presume others have likewise. being called to visit a sea captain in his last sickness, I uniformly found him cheerful, and apparently willing to die. As I knew that he had been a careless, profane man, his resignation and coolness seemed unaccountable. The morning that he died, I said, "my friend, you seem fast approaching the grave"-" I am ready to go," he replied. “You feel ready and willing to die, then, do you !" "Perfectly." "I have noticed you seem contented and happy. I have noticed too, that you are sustained by some other principle than my religion. Will you now honestly tell me why you are so calm, so resigned to the will of God, and so ready to die ?" He took my hand, pressed it, and replied with emphasis, " because I cant help myself! I must die, and cannot escape my fate-therefore I am resigned !" In a few hours he