of the first fruits; or if we be not favoured to participate even of them, we shall sow immortal seed, which will in due time spring up and produce a plentiful crop. Though David was not allowed to build the temple of the Lord, yet his preparations were of essential use in its erection by Solomon his son; and his desire to accomplish that great undertaking himself, received the approbation and the plaudit of his God.

Entelligence.

POLYNESIA.-SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

THOUGH in a late number, p. 365, we gave a full account of the report of the deputation appointed, by the London Missionary Society to visit these islands, we cannot withhold from our readers the high gratification they must feel in the astonishing facts recorded in the following extracts of a letter from the Rev. D. Tyerman to a lady in England, dated Taheite, Nov. 24, 1821.

THE power and wisdom of God, as displayed in the structure of this wonderful island, can only be exceeded by that stupendous and marvellous change which has taken place among its inhabitants: a change which fills me with incessant astonishment and joy. Had I opportunity and leisure to describe the former moral condition of this people, it would be unnecessary that I should do it to you: suffice it to observe, that it was peculiarly the place where Satan's seat was, and if ever that awful being were allowed an incarnation. it was here. The details of wickedness, given us by the Missionaries since we have been here, are enough to fill us with horror. How many human victims almost daily bled upon their cruel altars! Two thirds of the infants born were instantly murdered by the hands of their own mothers. I saw one woman the other day, who had destroyed eight of her own offspring; I have heard of another who killed nine, another 17, another 20!!! The god of thieves, for there was such a god here, was faithfully served, while crimes of other kinds too horrible to be named, every where defiled this beautiful land. All the worst passions of human nature were indulged in the utmost possible extent. But, where sin abounded, grace much more abounds!

God has done great things for this people. The faithful and holy exertions of his servants are most amply rewarded. The prayers of the British churches are indeed heard; and all the expenses which have been incurred, are now fully repaid. O that you and all whose hearts are engaged in doing good to the heathen, could but witness what I have already seen; it would fill your soul with amazement and gratitude.

Where I have been, the Sabbath is universally regarded; not an individual is known, whether among the chiefs or the common people, who does not attend divine worship on the Lord's day. The engagements of that holy day commence with a prayer-meeting, conducted entirely by the natives themselves, at sunrise. Knowing the backwardness of Christians in England to attend early prayer-meetings, what do you think my surprise has been on going to these services, to find their large

places of worship literally filled. This is the fact at all the situations which I have visited; the whole congregations indeed attend. At nine o'clock in the morning, and at three in the afternoon, there is public worship and preaching, when their places are crowded. The congregations make a very decent appearance; all is solemn and becoming. They have congregational singing, and it is conducted with great propriety. In the intervals of worship, there is catechisim of both young and old. The natives dress all their food on Saturdays; not a fire is lighted, not a canoe is seen on the water, not a journey performed, not the least kind of worldly business done on the Sabbath. So far as outward appearances go, this day is here kept indeed holy: by multitudes, I doubt not, it is kept really so.

The missionaries have already translated and printed the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John, which are in the hands of the people, and nothing can induce them to part with them. The word of God is indeed precious here. The Scriptures are the companions of the people wherever they go. Not a family (I am told) is known that has not family worship, morning and evening, every day. At every missionary station there is a church formed; and though it is only between two and three years ago that they were organized, many real Christians have united to enjoy the benefits of the Lord's Supper, and many more at every station are waiting with eager desire to obtain admission. At one of these are 20 members, at another 62, at another 74, at a fourth 102. No public immorality or indecency is seen. All drunkenness and profane swearing are unknown here. All their former sports and amusements are completely put down. Their morais are almost all demolished, and many of them completely obliterated; and it is a singular fact, that chapels now occupy the very ground on which many of them stood. Never before did the Gospel obtain so complete and so universal a triumph in any country over heathenism, cruelty, superstition and ignorance. Think not that I wish to represent these people as perfect; no, alas, human nature is the same here as elsewhere, but I state facts, which speak for themselves.

In another letter he says:

The profession of Christianity is universal; scarcely is the individual known who does not attend three times every Lord's day at public worship. You would be charmed with a Taheitan sabbath. O England, blush at thine own inferiority, when compared, in this respect, with this so lately barbarous land! No doubt much of this is nothing but profession; but that there is a great deal of vital piety, I doubt not. Yesterday (Dec. 5, 1821) I partook of the Lord's Supper with a church consisting of 106 consistent members. The behaviour of the Taheitan congregations is not excelled by any in England. solemn; all, apparently, is devotional.

All is

Civilization is making rapid progress. Crimes of all kinds are almost unknown. Encourage missionary exertions and missionary prayers. If any are relaxing in these respects, or are unbelievers in the importance of missionary exertions, send them hither. I should not have

thought the sufferings and inconvenience of going ten times round the world too much to be endured for the sake of seeing what God has wrought in these idolatrous countries. We hope to see all the islands which have embraced Christianity before we return. Thirteen are known where the people have abandoned their idols and received the truth. Other islands are petitioning for missionaries. Indeed, if missionaries could be found, there is every reason to hope that all the islands in this vast ocean would immediately embrace the truth.

UNITED STATES.-SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

For the Christian Herald.

In our last we noticed the general meeting of the New-York Sunday School Union Society, and shall now fulfil the promise then made to lay before our readers a most important document. This statement was drawn up by the "General Association of Teachers," and furnishes an unanswerable argument in favour of Sunday Schools, and presents to our citizens some of the highest motives to immediate efforts for reviving this excellent institution.

Or the forty-five Schools attached to the Union, thirty-two were suspended during the prevalence of the late epidemic, four of which number it is feared will not again be revived-three, for want of teachers and one, for want of countenance by the minister. The others having recently been reopened and but partially organized, render it impracticable for the committee to present an accurate account of their present state. Some of the teachers having been separated from their pupils became cold, and have not resumed their labours, and consequently many of the children have not been looked up and brought back into the schools. The probable amount of scholars is now about 1,600, and of teachers, 350. One school it is probable will be given up in the course of a few weeks as the Superintendent stands alone in the work, and no one from the congregation can be prevailed on to come up to his aid, which will force him eventually to abandon the field. Without doubt many dispensations of deep interest to the scholars have occurred in the families connected with the schools, during the late fever, which have not been developed. Two children have lost both parents, and one of them has been received into the Orphan Asylum. A coloured adult bas also fallen a victim to the fever, but not without bearing evidence that his soul had been blessed by the instruction he had received in the sabbath school which he was first induced to attend, through the instrumentality of his children, who went to the same school.

Although there are many who can see no beauty or usefulness in Sunday school institutions; and even some whose profession is to teach and proclaim the glad news of salvation manifest the same disposition, yet we are happy to be enabled to show, by the following extract of a letter from a clergyman of this city, that there are those who can rejoice in, and feel the force of that emphatic expression of our Saviour, "to the poor the Gospel is preached.”

"Very dear Sir,-The deep interest I feel in your welfare, and

that of the Sunday school under your charge, induces me to address you this epistle. I desire to be remembered to the teachers of both schools. I hope they persevere in the good work: tell them I have not forgotten them, nor yet forgotten to pray for their success. It produces joy in my heart when I think I may yet be permitted again to see the faces of those so highly esteemed for their labour of love in the Sunday schools. I long to visit the schools, to exhort and encourage the dear teachers, to meet with them for prayer in our monthly circles, which have so often been marked with comfort to our souls while bowing before our Maker, and devoutly imploring his blessing to rest upon our labours. I wish you to tell the dear children that while I am long absent from them I have not forgotten them. Tell them it is my prayer that their lives may be spared, and that their attendance at the sabbath school may be the means of their everlasting happiness. I hope to see them soon, and to hear that their conduct has been good during my absence-it will give me much pain to learn that any of them have been bad children.'

Did all those whose office is to minister in holy things, imbibe such sentiments and cherish such feelings as are contained in the above extract, we should not want for qualified and faithful teachers in sufficient numbers, not only for the support of all our present schools, but for the upbuilding of as many more.

The same causes that have cast a damp upon the schools of this Union, have operated with similar effect on the schools of the Female Union, and other schools in our city; and it is to be feared that the next annual reports will exhibit the Sunday School cause in New-York in a diminishing, rather than an improving state, while in every other part of our land, and through the world, this subject is exciting an increasing interest, and schools are fast multiplying in every direction, and calling forth new labourers for the rich harvest that is in prospect so immediate. To the Sunday School Union of Philadelphia there were added during the past year eighty-nine schools, four hundred and seventy-three teachers, and seven thousand and seventynine learners, making in all 402 schools, 4,197 teachers, and 31,297 learners in connexion with that society. In that city are 90 schools, 944 teachers, and 8,458 learners, besides seven evening schools, in which above 500 youth and adults of all denominations, among whom are those of the most respectable families, are instructed in the doctrines and precepts of the Christian religion by the Auxiliary Evangelical Society. The Sunday School Union of Philadelphia expended for books, during the last year $5,060 06. Our Union expended during the same period for the same object, $218 65.

To say nothing of Europe, Asia, Africa, the South Sea Islands, and different parts of America, where thousands of sabbath schools are springing up, we notice in 14 of the West India Islands, 6,187 children are taught in Sunday schools.

The last London Report of Sunday Schools, presents, in that city, 562 schools, 4,918 teachers, and 53,398 learners; of which were established the previous year 38 schools, containing 470 teachers and 4,586 learners. Sixty country societies in England report 2,567

schools, 32,766 teachers, 296,041 learners. In Wales, 172 schools, 10,580 teachers, 93,017 learners, which is one out of five of the whole population. In Scotland, 977 schools, 2,121 teachers, 47,831 learners. In Ireland, 1,558 schools, 10,370 teachers, 156,255 learners, which is 1 out of 47 of the population. Total, 5,837 schools, 60,755 teachers, 656,542 learners. Additions since the previous report, 622 schools, 14,148 teachers, 138,959 learners. From eight counties, no reports were received, as no societies are formed, though doubtless they contain numerous schools.

In Holland, the king, nobles, and principal citizens all patronize the schools, that assemble for religious instruction on the sabbathall the cities and large towns, with several villages, have these institutions under the care of the ministers, and the superintendence of the most respectable inhabitants. We have introduced this sketch of Sunday Schools abroad, in the hope that by seeing their progress we shall be strongly reminded of our duty, and excited to more diligence and greater activity.

To take a glance at their progress through most of the civilized, and much of the uncivilized world, and to contemplate on their utility and the magnitude of their operations, and suppose for a moment the subject had lost its interest in our city, affords but a melancholy view of our Christian graces, or philanthropic feelings, and suggests an inquiry into the cause of such apathy. Is it because the citizens have not hearts to bleed over suffering humanity at home? Is it because they are too impoverished to contribute a mite towards supplying a poor child with a moral precept? Is it because they possess too much pious devotion to set apart an hour on the sabbath for the instruction of the poor? Is it true that our rulers feel no interest in the cause? Is it true that the wealthy in general withhold not only their services but their means from its support? Is it true that those who should be considered the respectable and the honourable think the instruction of the poor beneath their dignity or their notice? Or is it true that there is not enough of active and elevated piety to bring all the poor of our city under the benign influence of sabbath schools?

Do we not experience a material inconvenience, and meet a stubborn obstacle to our success, in that division of interest by the two separate unions of the male and female schools, (an unprecedented scheme in our view?) Does not the very idea of three Sunday school anniversaries, three printed reports, three depositories, &c. &c. have a powerful tendency to divide and dissipate that interest in the public mind, and banish that attachment from each separately, which would otherwise be drawn to the great object, if all were concentrated in one? Besides, does not the cause suffer from an accumulation of expense incident to this separation?

Having reviewed some of the probable causes of the declension of Sunday school interest, let us now turn from the disheartening side of the picture, and see if we have progressed thus far without some fruits, as an earnest that the labours of those who persevere in this work shall be crowned with abundant success.

A superintendent remarks, that on his return to the city after the VOL. IX.

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