body of the community-have been perverted to a wider corruption of principle, and degradation of mind, than this empire has ever before known. The torrent of blasphemy has poured its pestiferous streams over the land; and the vigilance, the energy, and the prayers of every one who loves his country and his God, are loudly demanded by the dangers of these latter days. "What remains, then, but that, girding ourselves afresh to conflict and to toilwe invoke, without ceasing, the especial grace of that divine Spirit, who alone can make our conflict victorious and our toil successful? Let us look and pray for large measures of his influence-larger than the Church has ever yet witnessed! And let us be assured that the Spirit shall, in answer to the prayer of faith, be poured out from on high, and that the wilderness of the world shall become a fruitful field, and the whole earth see and rejoice in the salvation of God." MORAVIAN MISSION. The burning embers were carried over the broadest streets, nor could any means be devised to arrest the progress of the fire till it reached the market-place, where the Grosse Hof, or court of police, and the Reformed or Calvinistic church are situated. The town-house was walled, but a story had been built upon it of wood, which formerly served as a church. It was furnished with a tower containing a bell and a clock. The Calvinist church was an octagon, walled to the roof, the latter terminating in a cupola. First it appeared as though the flames would end their ravages at this place; but an apothecary's shop, to windward of the church, taking fire, and there being no possibility of entering and removing the large quantity of spirits contained in it, such a fierce shower of burning materials fell from its roof on that of the church, that the latter soon took fire. In the beginning it was not much regarded or perceived, except by a flame like that of a lamp burning on the summit of the cupola; but the fire having penetrated and THE following extracts from the Peri- spread through every part of the interior, odical Accounts of the United Brethren are highly interesting. on a sudden the flames broke forth from all quarters, the windows burst, and from the summit the burning materials arisiog like FIRE AT PARAMARIBO, SURINAM. rockets, fell in a most destructive shower Your kind letter, of the 6th of April, upon the adjoining buildings, and flew I received on the 19th of this month (May even nearly an English mile through the air 1821). We can easily conceive, that your to other parts of the city. As long as the alarm must have been great, when the cupola was in flames, though our buildings public papers informed you of the dreadful were eight or ten minutes' walk from it, conflagration this city has suffered, and we had enough to do to quench the burnwhen you immediately thought of us. We ing embers as they fell on the roofs. Our ascribe our marvellous preservation to nosmall hand-engines were in good repair, thing but the unbounded mercy of God. and rendered us essential service, the cisHe heard the prayers of his helpless chil- terns being full of water. As soon as the dren, and the cry of the negro congrega- cupola fell, we went to work to get all the tion, that he might spare their church, and rest of our goods out of the house, and commanded the cast wind to drop into a lodged them safely with two free negroes, calm, when the fire bad reached us within who lived half a mile from us. We have two houses. The flames then rose perpen- not lost any thing, except two or three dicularly, and by degrees turned the other articles, which probably in the hurry were way, the wind veering to the north-west, carried to some other place. A neighbour, which afforded time to pull down part of a carrier by trade, assisted us with two the intervening premises, and prevent its carts during the whole night to clear the further progress. premises; and when at last the horses were too much fatigued to be longer able to work, our negroes were ready to do it. All of us indeed worked harder than was advisable, and with such expedition, that three days were required to bring back what had been conveyed away in a few hours. The fire originated, in the afternoon of the 21st of January, in the kitchen of a negro-dwelling to windward of the city, and instantly the whole of the eating house was in a blaze. It appeared at first as if the ships in the river would be consumed; but, suddenly, the wind shifting to the east, the flames were driven towards the city. The only fire-engine in that quarter was soon burnt. The sparks flying across the streets, more than one house was fired at the same time, and all was confusion and dismay. No one thought any longer of extinguishing the flames, but only of saving his goods. The sight was indeed horrible. O what a dreadful sight presented itself! No one can have any conception of the horror of the scene, and the consternation which seized every inhabitant of this devoted city. No creature thought of taking any sustenance; fear and hope followed in quick succession. We cried aloud unto the Lord for mercy, and sometimes we were cheered with a belief that he would spare our church and dwellings, not for our, but for his cause' sake. Then again there appeared no possibility of their being saved: we thought it our duty to use every means of providing against extremity, while we beheld the flames approaching and devouring one range of buildings after the other. The night was fine and clear, and passed off before we were aware of it. The full moon peeped now and then mournfully through the mass of smoke with which the air was filled, and the sun rose, as it had set, unheeded. The people near the place where the fire first broke out, had carried their goods and valuables to friends' houses at a considerable distance, and, as they imagined, got them safely housed; but soon the flames overtook them, and they were obliged to convey them still further away. Provisions, however, have not risen in price, though great quantities of all kinds were consumed. Only immediately after the fire had ceased, when the people could again take time to eat, no bread was to be had at any baker's. Those who were spared, had not baked during the night, We had a little left, each having put a piece of bread into his pocket, which, with the soup cooked the day before, and left untouched, afforded us a warm meal, after our fatigue. ENON. WITTE REVIER. I have now, my dear brother, given you an agreeable account of our congregation and settlement, and of the effects of the grace of God prevailing among us; and were I to add much more on the subject, it would yet be too little to his praise. This account is as true as it is encouraging; but as you yourself have spent nearly a year among the heathen at the Cape, I need not inform you, that those who have so lately escaped from the snares of Satan, are yet poor, weak creatures. I have had many opportunities of observing that the devil, when he fears that the formation of such a city of the Lord will eventually prove the ruin of his kingdom, places himself in the way, and creates darkness wheresoever he can; and did not our all-powerful Saviour himself thrust him out, he would soon darken all our path and prevent our proceeding. Whoever goes as a missionary among the heathen, without carrying with him the banner of the cross, may seem to do very well. It is easily understood, that they who love darkness rather than light, love such as do not disturb them: but whoever would go into Satan's quarters, and rescue some of his lawless prey, or even labour to overthrow his strong holds, must know on what foundation he stands, and that he has that strong and mighty one at his right hand. The enemy has no objection to setting up a nominal Christianity, if only those who adhere to it do not learn THE following observation is deserving to know the Saviour as their Saviour, of serious attention: PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. AMERICA. OUR readers will rejoice to know that this branch of the Christian church is progressively increasing in the number of its members. There being no ecclesiastical establishment in the American union, the affairs of the church are conducted in a manner analogous to that of the civil government. Each State is a diocese, and has an annual convention of clergy and lay-delegates from the several parishes over which the Bishop presides. This convention appoints clerical and lay representatives to the triennial general convention of the whole church of the United States. Here the Bishops form the upper house, under the presidency of the senior Bishop; and the clergy and laity the lower house: the Bishops having a veto upon the proceedings of the lower house, but being required to assign their reasons when they exercise that privilege. An individual in New York has lately died, leaving by his will nearly 80,000 dollars to a seminary or college for the edu cation of candidates for holy orders, on the condition of its being established within the State of New York, under the authority of the general convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, or of the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York. The expressions of the will are somewhat ambiguous, and the Bishop of New York (Dr. Hobart) is desirous of putting that construction on the will, which would make the convention of New York co-ordinate with the convention of the union; so that their establishment of such a school for that diocese should bar the claim of the general convention. On this account, a special meeting of the general convention has been summoned by the presiding Bishop (the Right Rev. Dr. White) at Philadelphia. This meeting was to assemble in October last. As soon as the result of its deliberations is known, we shall hasten to communicate it to our readers. EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER OF A CONVERTED JEW. REV. SIR, ment, the liiid of Isaiah was to me no dark mystery, and I understood the prophet Daniel when he said that the Messiah would be cut off. I also was enabled to explain the words of Zechariah, "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced." O may the veil be soon removed from the eyes of all my former church-members, that they also may know him! Having now discovered such treasures of truth in the Gospel, I was happier than the wealthiest prince on earth. But now I would have deemed it a crime to delay professing before the world, the Messiah I had found. I therefore resigned the situation I had held as private teacher in a family. My patrons asked the reason, and I said, "Because I had found in the prophets that great truth, that Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah, and that I now was ready to profess him publicly as such by baptism." You will easily imagine that, after such an open confession, I was greatly persecuted by the blind Jews; and I could scarcely get sufficient money to pay my journey to Frankfort. But I was assisted by the clergymen of the place. Unconcerned as to the means of supporting myself for the future, and trusting in the word of that Saviour whom now I know, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, &c." I cheerfully went to Frankfort, where I met with the kindest reception from the worthy missionary Mr. Marc, the excellent senator Von Meier, and the other members of the Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews. After having received instruction during three months, I was publicly baptized on the 18th of May 1821. I can assure you, that wherever the good seed is sown by disseminating New Testaments or tracts, it takes root, and affords hope of maturing to fruit. I have been here two months, and I am astonished at the blessing which the Lord in mercy grants to my labour.-Wherever I come, New Testaments and tracts are readily received, both in Hebrew and Jewish-German. Many of the most respectable Jewish families invite me into their houses, to converse with me about religion. In a neighbouring village, I gave to Jews Testaments and tracts; and a Christian assured me afterwards, that now the Jews meet every evening, when one of them reads publicly the Testament or a tract, and all the others listen to it attentively.-To a Jew in this place, a Christian read a German tract, and the Jew was so much affected by it, that he began to weep, and requested the Christian to tell him more of the Messiah, Jesus. Jewish family in a neighbouring Prussian place sent a messenger to me, to request A my visit: and this family listened a whole day to my explanation of the truth as it is in Christ, having already arrived to a degree of conviction by reading the Bible and some tracts. On my taking leave, the head of the family assured me, that next spring, he, with his whole family, would go over to Christianity. What great blessings have attended the Frankfort Society, is well known to you. Since the last spring, fifteen Jews from the city and adjacent places, have embraced Christianity. As the object of your, Society extends over the whole Continent, I would request you to supply me with Hebrew and Jewish-German New Testaments, and with Hebrew, Jewish-German, and pure German tracts: with the latter espe cially, for the use of Christians, among whom a more lively interest in the conversion of the Jews thereby may be excited. I have also heard that your Society is publishing the Old Testament in Jewish-German characters. This is truly a most seasonable work with regard to the German Jews, as very few among them are able to read the Bible in the original language; but almost all can read Jewish-German. I could here distribute many copies, and also sell part of them. A missionary among the Jews ought to understand English; and I make it now my business to study that language, and in my leisure hours I avail myself of an opportunity I have found to learn Arabic and Syriac. BAPTISM OF A CONVERTED JEW. ON Sunday, Dec. 9, a numerous congregation assembled at the Episcopal Jew's Chapel, Bethnal Green, to witness the interesting ceremony of the haptism of a Jewish convert. The service was read by the Rev. C. S. Hawtrey, in a most impressive manner; and when the usual questions were put to the candidate, he answered them in a firm and distinct voice. On kneeling at the font and receiving the sprin kling of water and the sign of the Cross, he seemed greatly affected, and particularly when "enjoined not to be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, but manfully to fight under his banner as a faithful soldier, unto his life's end." After the ceremony, Mr. Hawtrey delivered an excellent discourse, in which he congratulated his hearers ou the scene they had just witnessed. AWFUL VISITATIONS. On Saturday, the 8th Dec. an Inquest was held at the house of Mr. Robert Lancaster, at Foxearth, by Orbell Hustler, Gent. Coroner of the Liberties of his Majesty's Duchy of Lancaster, within the county of Essex, on the body of William Clark, aged 75. It appeared that the deceased was a pauper of the parish of Glemsford, adjoining Foxearth, and that about seven in the evening of the 5th Dec. he left his house, in good health, with the intention of stealing wood. Not returning home during the night search was made for him the next morning, and in a field in the parish of Foxearth he was discovered lying on a bank, quite dead. No marks of violence appearing upon his person, the jury returned their verdict, "Died by the visitation of God." A circumstance of a singular and awful nature was disclosed on the examination of one of the witnesses, who stated that the deceased had been in the habit, during the greater part of his life, of trespassing upon the property of the farmers in the neighbourhood, and cropping their trees, cutting up their hedges, and stealing their wood; but being remonstrated with by the witness, only a few days before his death, upon the impropriety of such conduct, he apparently became sensible of the heinousness of his offence, and declared that if he ever went out again in the night for the purpose of stealing wood, "he hoped he might not return home alive!" It appeared, however, that he soon forsook this good resolution, and again left his house for the same purpose; but it was decreed by an all-wise Providence that it should be his last attempt to rob his neighbours, he being found the next morning as above stated, a lifeless corpse, with the wood he had stolen lying by his side. An appalling occurrence, the effects of debauchery, happened at Lochee, near Dundee, on the 12th of December.-Two men, having betaken themselves to a course of hard drinking, formed the wild resolution of trying their powers at originality in swearing, or who could give utterance to the most horrific oath. The one having given vent to his conception, the other stood up and protested that his comrade's oath was a mere trifle; said, he would give him a specimen; but just as his lips were in progress to mould the utterance, his mouth being stretched to the widest, and his right arm raised on high, he was struck with dumbness and delirium, his face and his figure exhibiting a frightful spectacle. He was carried to the infirmary in the evening, and has since been discharged somewhat relieved. 39 REGISTER OF EVENTS. HOME. THE winter season has commenced with an aspect of unusual mildness, although very wet. This is the more important, inasmuch as a severe winter is a visitation of great misery to the poor. We are happy to observe also, that the great fall in the value of all the necessaries of life must carry with it comparative plenty and comfort into the abodes of all the millions of manufacturing labourers, who have been for some years past struggling with alternate degrees of want and starvation. Accounts from all parts of the country unite in representing the whole of our vast manufacturing population to be now fully eniployed, and that at tolerable wages. May we be thankful for the improvement, and may it be permanent! We fear that the other great class of our labouring poor are not equally well situated. That which comforts and sustains the artisan-a cheap supply of food-is itself the cause of distress to him whose labour produces that food at a rate too low to supply his own wants. To meet this evil, the landlords are generally reducing their rents, and the clergy their tithes. PARLIAMENT is summoned to meet for despatch of business on the 5th of February. In the mean time, several changes have been arranged in the Administration, and in the Royal Household. Lord Sidmouth retires, and is succeeded by Mr. Peel. The Duke of Montrose becomes Lord Chamberlain; and the Duke of Dorset, Master of the Horse. One or two of the Grenville family have also accepted office. In the Government of IRELAND, the Marquis of Wellesley succeeds Earl Talbot, and Mr. Goulburn is appointed Chief Secretary in the room of Mr. Grant. The friends of the Protestant Establishment might perhaps apprehend some danger from the known attachment of the new Lord Lieutenant to the cause of what is mistermed "Catholic Emancipation:" but the character of Mr. Grant's successor will reassure them. Mr. Goulburn is well known as one of the most watchful and firm friends of the Protestant cause. And the department in the English Administration, of which the Irish Government may be almost considered as a member and branch, will be filled by the Member for Oxford, the champion of that cause in Parliament. The situation of the sister kingdom had become so alarming as to render the presence of a man of Lord Wellesley's firm character absolutely necessary. Large districts of the' country seem to have been, and still to remain, under the power of associated bands of robbers and assassins. Capt. Waters, a half-pay officer-a labourer near Adare—a man of the name of Willey, of Rathmullen-a servant of J. Raymond, Esq. of the name of Murphy-a shepherd and his wife, have all fallen victims, in less than a fortnight, to the savage fury of these banditti. The animosity of the murderers appeared to arise in most of these instances, from the information given, or the laws put in force against them, by the unfortunate objects of their revenge. The parish church of Knockane has also been maliciously set on fire, and totally consumed. Under these circumstances, the yeomanry and militia of several of the disturbed districts have been called out, and many of the noblemen and gentlemen have taken measures to secure the safety of their residences. Some idea seems to have also been entertained, of fortifying Dublin itself, but it is said to be abandoned. In fact, it appears not to be so much means of defence, or military strength, that is wanted, as religious instruction and liberal treatment of the people. FOREIGN. In FRANCE, the Administration, composed of men of no character or weight, has been forced to retire, by a coalition of the two great parties in the Chamber of Deputies (the French House of Commons). They were succeeded on the 16th of December by the leaders of the Royalist party, who evidently possess the greatest influence in the Chamber. It is allowed on all hands that the new Ministers are men of talent and probity. The state of the country is peaceable, and of the finances, prosperous. The SPANISH PENINSULA continues to be the seat of anarchy and disorder. The factious leaders of the populace appear to be aiming to bring every part of the Government under their immediate control; and whenever the King resists their attempts, they do not hesitate to throw off all obedience to him. The cities of Cadiz and Corunna, it is stated, are in open insurrection against the Government of Madrid; and the taxes are paid scarcely any where. The yellow fever is said to yield to the approach of winter. GERMANY is tranquil.-RUSSIA is yet undecided on the subject of the Turkish war. ITALY is under the power of the Austrians, and of course peaceable. It is said that the safety of travellers has also been much increased by clearing the roads of many of the bands of robbers. TURKEY appears to be in the last stage of weakness, and is quite unable to reduce the revolted Greeks. The Persians are said to have declared war against her, and to have entered the territories of the Porte with a large army. A revolution is also rumoured. |