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useful knowledge? What individual who shares in the expenses and burthens of the community, can say he or she has done enough, se long as there is to be found a child growing up with a mind uncultivated, and uninstructed in some useful employment? What philanthropist can say he has done enough, while there is a child uninstructed in moral principles, and untrained to moral habits? But above all, what Christian can say enough is done-till all are provided with the means of grace, and till all are so instructed, as to be enabled to use those means, and apply them for the good of their own souls and the souls of others?

If it be asked what is to be done; the answer is ready-fill your depository with tracts for gratuitous distribution, at the disposal of the Sunday School-support the schools with not only ample means; but efficient teachers. And not only this, but build up one hundred more schools, and scour out every haunt of wretchedness-nor cease to search and bring into the schools, so long as can be found a ragged child, or any proper subject for this beneficent enterprise.

SUMMARY.

In Press, and will be published next week, "SERMONS FOR CHILDREN, designed to promote their immediate piety," by Samuel Nott, Jr. This we understand is to be a neat 18mo. volume of 160 pages, printed on fine paper and a large fair type, at the moderate price of fifty cents. We have had the pleasure of hearing a part of this volume, and reading one or two of the sermons ourselves, and judging from this specimen, we should say, that the author has most happily succeeded in this difficult species of composition. The volume is calculated to remove the false, but common idea, that children cannot be converted until they are 14 or 15 years of age; and also to raise the standard of juvenile attainment in piety and wisdom.

Philadelphia Auxiliary Society for Meliorating the Condition of the Jews. The Rev. Mr. FREY, agent of the A. S. M. C. J. since he set out on his tour to the South, has preached at several places in New-Jersey, and assisted in in forming Auxiliaries; and since his arrival in Philadelphia, he has preached in a number of the churches, and on Wednesday evening the 11th Dec. a meeting took place at the Washington Hall, to take measures, for carrying into effect the plans of the A. S. M. C. J. The place was crowded at an early hour, and about 7 o'clock, Robert Ralston, Esq. was called to the Chair, and Mr. Thomas Bradford, Jr. was appointed Secretary.

The Meeting was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. GREEN.

The Chairman having stated the object of the meeting, referred for information respecting the American Society for Meliorating the Condition of the Jews, to the Rev. Mr. FREY, their Agent.

Mr FREY came forward and addressed the Meeting in an interesting and im pressive manner, on the origin, nature, necessity and importance of the above Society, and the obligations of Christians to afford immediate aid, and concluded by expressing his hope that the present meeting would, by an unanimous vote, form themselves into an Auxiliary Society to the beforementioned Institution.

As soon as Mr. FREY sat down, it was moved and seconded, and unanimously carried

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That this Meeting do form itself into a Society Auxiliary to the American Soceity for Meliorating the Condition of the Jews, to continue so for three years. A committee was then appointed, consisting of the Rev. Drs. Green, Wylie, Broadhead, and Dr. Sergeant and Messrs. William Green Duncan, A. Browne and B. Naglee, to draft a Constitution, and present the same to this Meeting.

In the interim, Mr. FREY again addressed the Meeting, especially the Ladies, of whom there was a considerable number, contrasting the present degraded state of the Jewesses, with the knowledge, piety and zeal of those mentioned in the Bible, and showing that it is the Gospel which hath raised Christian females to that unparalleled degree of knowledge, happiness and usefulness so conspicuously displayed in our day.

The committee reported a constitution, which was adopted, and the officers ROBERT RALSTON, Esq., is President.-ALEXANDER HENRY, Esq, Treasurer.-THOMAS BRADFORD, Esq. Secretary.

chosen.

City Dispensary. Six thousand nine hundred and sixty-one persons have received medical aid from this excellent establishment during the past year. The expenditures have been $2,565, which, being $160 more than the receipts, leave that sum now due the Treasurer.

Thanksgiving. The Governor of South Carolina has appointed Wednesday next, to be observed by all the citizens throughout that state, as a day of public thanksgiving, humiliation and prayer.

The preacher to the Poor. At a late meeting of the Common Council, an appropriation of $300 was made to the Rev. JOHN STANFORD, with expressions of approbation for his benevolent labours in preaching in the Penitentiary, AlmsHouse, Debtors Prison, &c.

Seventh Ward Bible Association. The following is a list of the officers and managers of this Association for the ensuing year.

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MANAGERS.-Messrs. Samuel Milbank, J. R. Le Count, J. Bremner, S. Wines, T. Hedges, D. Lyon, G. S. Mount, I. Aikman, I. Furman, I. M. Tuthill, I. Dougherty, T. Price, I. Buckmaster, I. W. Dominick, D. Hagerman, S. Price, Willian Palmer, M. C. Thompson, William Miller, I. Platt, S. Lupton, Dr. Ducachet, Dr. Conger, I. Leveridge, I. C. Hoffman.

Ordination. The Reverend Associate Reformed Presbytery of Saratoga held a meeting on the 2d January, in the Rev. Mr. Forrest's church in Roseville, Del. co. and ordained WILLIAM NESBIT and HENRY S. WILKINS, to the office of the Holy Ministry; the former is to be installed in the vacant congregation of Seneca, Ontario county and the latter in the newly erected congregation of York, Livingston county. A sermon was preached by the Rev. Professor Proudfit, of Union College, from Acts xx, 23.-Take heed therefore unto yourselves, &c.-The Rev. Mr. Macauley put the questions of the Formula to the candidates and presided in the Ordipation. An impressive charge was delivered by the Rev. James Mairs; and the

Civil Retrospect.-Foreign.

563 service was concluded by the Rev. Robert Forrest with prayer and praise, &c. A more than usual solemnity accompanied the exercises of the day. It must be gratifying to the friends of the Associate Reformed Church to be informed, that in seve ral places of this Presbytery there is great attention to the interests of religion. Mount Vesuvius. A new eruption of Mount Vesuvius took place in October last. The 20th of that month "prayer and thanksgivings were offered to heaven in the church of St. Janurias [Naples] for having preserved the city from the threatening danger, &c."-The particulars of this eruption are given in various continental publications, and represent it as being truly awful and calamitous.

ERRATA. In the Narrative, “Revival of Religion," at Somerville, N. J., Nov. 2d, p. 467 of this volume, for sixty of the Ethiopian race, read forty-two-and in the P. S., for twenty-five miles in circumference, read twenty miles square.

CIVIL RETROSPECT.

FOREIGN.

Europe. The Congress at Verona has nearly closed its session, and indeed it is reported to have been terminated. No information of authenticity has yet transpired as to the grand results. It is said, however, that France is to be permitted to correct the affairs of Spain, in order to enforce upon the latter country more deference to the will of its king, and to prevent the revolutionary feelings of its population from infecting their susceptible neighbours. To conquer Spain is what France found impossible under the vigorous and military administration of Napoleon for her to attempt it, under the weak and distracted councils of Louis, would be ridiculous. No other news is reported from Europe.

Mexico. This country is on the eve of a new revolution: Iturbide having met with no success in reducing the castle at St. Juan de Ulloa, and with as little in tranquillizing his dominions by means of an elective congress, dismissed the latter, and sent for the governor of Vera Cruz, (near which the castle of St. Juan is situated,) for purposes which the latter distrusted. The latter, instead of obeying the summons, puts himself at the head of his troops, and declares for a republican form of government. In place of the dissolved congress, the Emperor has appointed one himself, from which he will expect no opposition. The affairs of this country are in the most critical state.

DOMESTIC.

Nothing important has taken place at home since our last retrospect. Congress has gone on in its leisurely progress, and passed some laws, but not of general importance. The bill for further suppression of piracy is probably the most important measure adopted hitherto ; a bill is before it for the relief of the sister of the late Lieut. Allen, which meets with no enemies. Indeed, nothing is more easy than to

get laws passed to repress piracies by force; or to get pensions for the relatives of deceased officers of merit. But we fear that we shall long have to search the statute book in vain for laws to provide for the moral improvement of seamen, by disseminating among them the principles of religion, and that, however munificient towards officers of rank, and their relatives, our country has a more frugal set of principles for the common sailors.

In our State Legislature, no bills of importance have been disposed of or introduced. We would call to the minds of our readers, that it was last year committed to the Hon. Judge Emott, of Poughkeepsie, to make a report to the Legislature on the subject of pauperism. This document is not yet laid before it, nor do we know what is our prospect in relation to it. We do, however, feel the strongest interest in its early appearance.

The Governor, under the new constitution, has nominated to office a new chancellor, and, for Judges of the supreme court, the persons who now fill the bench of that court. The late Chancelor, it is understood, is so nearly disqualified by age, (under the constitution,) that his reappointment would have been merely nominal. We cannot, however, witness his withdrawing from the elevated situation he has so long held, with so much honour to himself and so much usefulness to his country, without expressing our admiration of his indefatigable industry, unwearied attention to business, profound learning, and unimpeachable public and private character, and without fervently praying for the richest mercies on the latter days of his useful and honorable career. We would say more if circumstances would render it admissible here-as Christian politicians, we could not say less at an event which so extensively affects our general welfare. That the mantle of Elijah may be caught by Elisha, is one of the best things we can wish our state.

The Senate, it is supposed, will be unwilling to assent to the nomination of the old judges, who are, with one exception, obnoxious on account of some measures which had the voice of popularity in their favour. We should regret their dismissal from the service of the state as a general calamity. Their talents, learning, impartiality, attention to business, and services, entitle them to our respect; and not doubting that their course was dictated by their maturest and most sincere convictions of duty, we the more revere them for determining to do what they thought right, though all the world were against them. Men who will not do so are not fit for such offices, and men who will are not readily found. We would add that, as judges, they have, by their decisions on various occasions, shown their sense of the sacredness of the sabbath day, and of the importance of a respect in the community for the Christian Religion. Whatever may be their fate as to offices here, they will find that the loss of their dignities is nothing compared with the loss of their candour and integrity, and that no honours are worth enough to be procured or be preserved by tampering with the calls of known duty.

February 1, 1823.

Seaman's Magazine.

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Psalm.

NEW-YORK BETHEL UNION.-SECOND REPORT.

(Concluded from p. 540.)

From the scene of our own labours it is delightful to cast our eyes across the Atlantic, and review the exertions of our British brethren. The astonishing success that has crowned the measures of their Bethel Union Society, during the short period of its existence, is almost without a parallel in the history of benevolent institutions.

Among the pre-eminent means which God has particularly blessed to advance the prosperity of the society, they gratefully recognize a spirit of Christian union of all denominations, an ardent spirit of mutual supplication, and an active spirit of evangelical diligence and zeal, in seeking out and collecting together in ships, and places of worship, the objects of its compassion and benevolence.

We can only glance at some of their exertions. On the Thames :The Upper Pool is divided into the north and south banks. On the north, meetings are held every Monday and Thursday, and on the south, every Tuesday and Friday evenings and sabbath evenings. Many striking instances of real conversion among captains and seamen have been made public. At the Scotch Wharfs meetings are held. At the Lower Pool, the Bethel flags have waved aloft every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, to invite the weary sailor to the worship of God. Pious seamen have regularly gone ashore on the sabbath, and picked up their poor thoughtless, guilty shipmates, conducting them to the house of God.

A monthly prayer meeting, in each Pool alternately, has been very useful and animating.-The Rev. A. Brown has generally addressed the sailors on these occasions, and from eight to ten seafaring persons, of both Pools, have engaged in solemn prayer. Many very interesting scenes have been witnessed at these meetings, and sailors have retired with increasing resolutions to serve God, and work for his glory in whatever part of the world their lot may be cast.

At Stepney, many instances are recorded of pious seamen going on shore, and pleading and prevailing with landsmen to attend their meetings, and become reconciled to God.

During the past year new societies have been formed in the following ports:

The English coast east of London:-Colchester, Wivenhoe, Harwich, Ipswich, and a Bethel flag ordered for Lowestoff.

North of London:-Lynn, Boston, Gainsborough, Bridlington, Scarborough, Whitby, Stockton on Tees, Sunderland, Newcastle, Soutb and North Shields, Blythe.

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