took great interest in every thing concerning the extension of the kingdom of Christ, especially in the accounts which we were able to give him of the desires of the Jews to possess Testaments. In return, he communicated to us the pleasing intelligence that he superintends three schools, where 400 children attend, many of whom are the children of Jews. He himself instructs them in religion and the Bible, the Old and New Testament, without note or comment, is his text-book." "The spirit of inquiry has seized some of the young men who study with the Rabbi. They assemble in the house of a certain teacher, at night, to read the New Testament, and to examine the proofs advanced for the truth of Christianity. We have distributed 413 tracts, which we brought from Warsaw, and about 130 cards, and have lent New Testaments successively to more than fifty persons. We have, in addition, distributed 120 tracts and six Testaments. By the next post, we hope to send you a full account of the formation of a Posen Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews." The importance of these exertions will be apparent, when it is added, that in a district comprehending Russian and Austrian Poland, and a part of Turkey, there are at least three millions of Jews, among whom there is an unusual spirit of inquiry upon the subject of Christianity, and a readiness to receive the New Testament which surpasses expectation. From Poland, the Committee pass to Berlin, whence they receive gratifying assurances of the progress which the Jewish cause is making in that quarter. A Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews has been established at Berlin, under the express sanction of his Prussian Majesty. The following short extract from the address of the Berlin Society, will shew the views by which the authors of this important measure are actuated, "Pious Christians in Germany have to their grief seen themselves almost excluded from the work of converting the heathen, to whom seafaring nations only have an immediate access. May they be of good cheer, in turning their eyes to the millions of the ancient people of God who live among them, or in their immediate vicinity! There is no nation provided with so effective means now to begin the work of conversion as CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 246. Protestant Germany. To this country the most glorious and sacred harvest appears to be reserved, which ever has offered itself to pious activity. Let us then clear ourselves from the blame, nay from the crime, of having these millions living among us, or near our gates, without having ever made any well regulated attempt to lead them to that cross upon which their fathers sacrificed the Messiah. This field is our own; it only requires labourers. According to our best information of its state, we have no doubt but the soil will readily receive the seed of the Divine word. The news we receive from Poland is quite decisive in that respect: the Jews there seem to be convinced, that some important change in their condition is preparing, and to be ready to offer their hands for co-operation." The London Society have been enabled to occupy another missionary station, with encouraging prospects of usefulness, at Dresden. From Frankfort they continue to receive the most satisfactory assurances of progress among the Jews in that part of Germany. Mr. Marc, the Society's Missionary, mentions the formation, in a place with which he corresponded, of a Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, supported by many persons of respectability in the neighbourhood, the admission into the Christian church of some individuals, and the preparation for baptism of others, whose scriptural attainments and devotedness of character afforded great hopes of their future usefulness among their countrymen; with the baptism of an entire Jewish family, consisting of ten members, and highly respected in their neighbourhood. Pleasing intelligence has been communicated respecting the state of the Jews in Deumark. In Holstein and Denmark, several measures had been adopted, tending to their moral and civil improvement. Some new arrangements, affecting the state of religion amongst them, which had been introduced by the Government, had not only not been opposed by the Jews, but had met with their cordial concurrence. In the south of Europe also, some favourable circumstances are stated to have occurred. Even from Africa, a Tunese Jew writes to a friend ;-" I received lately, dear brother, Hebrew copies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who is to be praised. I confess to you, my 3 E EAST LOTHIAN ITINERATING LIBRARIES. dear friend, what I have communicated maining prejudices had prevented them, already to others, during a considerable as a body, from doing so. time, that I am wholly persuaded that Jesus Christ is the Messial. The Gospel is a grand book, whose precepts are excellent, and resting on the principles of common sense. I rejoice, that the Gospel is now in the hands of many Jews it was never before seen in the sacred tongue. Many Jews are of the same opinion with me respecting the Messiah; and I am of the opinion, that a great discord will soon arise between these Jews and the Pharisean Jews." At Madras, a Corresponding Committee has been formed, in connection with this Society, of which the venerable the Archdeacon of Madras is President; and the Company's three chaplains, with some other gentlemen of the first respectability, in the civil and military departments, are members. This Committee began their operations by circulating an address; in which their more immediate object is stated to be the formation of schools at Cochin, for the instruction of the Jewish children at that place and in its vicinity. Researches into the literature of the Jews, and inquiries after a large body of that nation, generally known by the name of Beni-Israel, and supposed by many to be descendants of the Ten Tribes, will form a subsequent part of the labours of the Committee. But they propose immediately to engage in the dissemination of the holy Scriptures, and of tracts, amongst the learned Jews in all parts of Asia, to whom they will have access by means of the constant communication maintained between Cochin and the Red Sea, the Persian Gulph, and the mouths of the Indus. The importance of this part of their designs may be estimated from the consideration that the Jewish population in Persia, China, India, and Tartary, is calculated to exceed 300,000. The Corresponding Committee strongly urge on this Society the expediency of sending out an English clergyman, well versed in Hebrew, as Missionary to Cochin; and in the mean time they have stationed Mr. Sargon there, as teacher of the Jewish children, upwards of seventy of whom were under his instructions at the date of the last dispatches. He found a great readiness on the part of the White Jews, to commit their children to his care; but though a great desire had been expressed by many individuals of the Black Jews to follow their example, their re The object of this institution is to furnish the towns and villages of East Lothian with libraries of useful books; chiefly such as are calculated to promote the knowledge and influence of religion. In order to keep up a constant supply, the books are arranged in divisions of fifty volumes each, which are removed from station to station every second year. A second period has arrived for removing the different divisions; and the following is the result of the experiment. In the year 1817, libraries, of 50 volumes each, were stationed at four vil lages. The issues of books at these stations were, first year, 1461; second year, 733. In 1819, new divisions of the libraries were sent to the same places; since which time the issueshave been, first year, 1313; second year, 928. Other libraries have subsequently been established, making in all thirteen, containing 650 volumes. The managers of the North Berwick Evangelical Library, finding that of late years there had been very few applica tions for books by the subscribers, resolved to imitate the plan of the Itinerating Libraries, and accordingly sent off two divisions of books to villages in that neighbourhood, where they were immediately brought into active circulation. Much benefit is stated to have arisen from the managers of these institutions agreeing to unite their libraries, so as to afford larger supplies than either can afford separately. EDINBURGH DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION. The Directors of the Edinburgh Institution for the Education of Deaf and Dumb remark, in their last Report, that "there is something utterly forlorn in an immortal mind pent up in a material tenement, the defects of which exclude it from the ordinary ways of communication with its fellows. A case só melancholy pleads irresistibly for help at almost any price, if that help can in any way be given." In reference to their plans for accomplishing this benevolent purpose, they add: "Each revolving year exhibits additional proofs of its practicability and complete success; and many a mind, which was a few months ago cheerless and solitary, has been brought into contact with the rest of its species." The Society are most anxious to build a suitable house for the objects of their humane care; the expense of which will be at least 15001. or 20001.; but they are satisfied that the friends of the Society will see the necessity of the measure, and cheerfully meet the call made on them, not only to give the elements of moral and religious principles, but also, as far as possible, to guard the interesting objects of their benevolence from the presence of vice and the inroads of temptation, which they cannot effect in their present house. They have received, during the year, eight children; and there are at present attending school, fifty-two. The Directors mention the death of a young woman who was educated in the institution, who gave evident proof that she had there acquired the principles of true religion. "I am quite satisfied," says a gentleman, in the letter which announced her death, that she knew herself to be a sinner, and that all her works were quite unaviling to merit God's favour. She was very attentive to secret prayer, and asked the writer of this letter to pray for her. Once, on being asked what she was thinking of, she replied with composure,' Heaven!'" "I am quite satisfied," the letter continues, “that, had it not been for your useful and very excellent institution, her situation would have been truly for. lorn and comfortless. I trust the in structions she received there, were the happy means of leading her to the Saviour as her hope and portion." "It is impossible," remark the Directors," to trace the progress of this one mind through its short history without thankfulness and joy. Not long ago she was as dark as midnight. Her passions knew no right principle of control-her conscience was unenlightened: through the influence of a natural impediment to knowledge, she had no idea of a future state. But light gradually dawned upon her—the light of knowledge, and the light of religious truth; aud having rapidly secured the most essential benefits which judicions instruction could convey, she has cast aside the imperfect frame which still in some degree fettered her intellectual powers, and we trust has risen as a glorified and perfect spirit to the throne of light. How distant are the two extremes of this scale of progress! All moral impediments to the reception of religions truth were made more strong by the analogous natural barriers to the reception of any instruction whatever in the ordinary methods. But both have been effectually overcome; and the deaf and dumb child, in whose countenance, at one time, scarcely a ray of intelligence appeared, is now, we trust, an immortal inhabitant of the realms of peace and perfection.” Subscriptions are received by Mr. J. F. Gordon, the Secretary, Edinburgh. VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. FOREIGN. FRANCE. The speech of the king of France to the chambers gives a glowing description of the advancing prosperity of that country. As far as matters of finance are concerned, there seems reason for congratulation; for from the estimates for the year, there appears to be a surplus of nearly fourteen millions of francs above the current expenditure, and this after a large annual remission of taxes during the last four years. But we are inclined to think that the speech treats too lightly the late political disturbances. There are many obvious indications that the ultra-royalist system is extremely unpopular, and that, if per sisted in, it may cause very serious consequences. From some recent measures, it would appear that the ministry wish to strengthen their hands by the accession of some of the popular party to their cause.-The army on the Spanish border is still retained, ostensibly to prevent the importation of the Barcelona fever; but more probably as a pretext for keeping up a force for anti-revolutionary purposes, whether at home or abroad, and for suppressing the political fever which prevails on either side of the Pyrennees, than from any feeling of the necessity of repelling the late physical contagion in Spain, which the best French physicians have pro foreign influence, which it seems the [JUNE, wish of the Cortes to infuse into the minds of the people. nounced to be unsusceptible of trans- SPAIN. This country is still very ill nah state, that there have been partial The latest accounts from the Havanrisings of the Slaves in that island. detected in this country, but not apPORTUGAL.-A conspiracy has been parently of sufficient importance to disturb the general union which seems to prevail in the nation under the new order of affairs. The Government has with considerable spirit dismissed the SardinianChargé d'Affaires, on account of a demur on the part of his court to acknowledge the validity of the late political changes in Portugal. Were any foreign power to attempt hostile interference in the affairs of the Peninsula, Spain and Portugal would doubtless unite in a common cause; and should their resistance prove successful, their example would probably extend itself to other countries, and become the signal for similar revolutions in the despotisms of middle Europe. few weeks, strengthened by the cirTURKEY.-The rumours of the last cumstance of Russia not having availed herself of the spring for opening her tion of the French government, in the campaign, and by the positive declaraking's reply to the chamber of peers, lead to the expectation that war will Turkey. The basis of the arrangement not be declared between Russia and between the two powers is stated to be, evacuate the principalities of Wallachia an agreement on the part of Turkey to and Moldavia, which Russia had demanded from the commencement of the negociations. having been agreed upon, and begun to The evacuation be put into execution, Russia is stated at Constantinople, in conjunction with to be willing to renew the discussions her allies. We do not place much faith What terms have been secured for on the accuracy of this statement. the Greeks, it does not appear; but the increased popularity of their cause throughout Europe, would seem to should relax in her demands in their render it improbable that Russia favour. Should they even be left to despair of their ultimate success, contheir own resources we should not sidering the magnitude of the stake for which they contend, and the advantages they derive from the nature of their country. Their success, unassisted by Russia, might also supersede those political jealousies which have hitherto deterred some of the European governments from affording their countenance to the Greek cause. CHINA. A temporary suspension of the trade between this country and China has taken place, in consequence of a dispute between some British sailors of the Topaz, and the natives; in which, to cover the retreat of his men, the first lieutenant of the Topaz gave orders to fire, and two Chinese were killed. The Chinese authorities demanded two sailors to be given up to be tried by the laws of the country; which the Captain, knowing that the men would inevitably be strangled, refused. The suspension was not likely to be of any long continuance, as it was the interest of all parties to renew the intercourse. DOMESTIC.: The state of Ireland, and the remedies for its afflictions, have been largely discussed in Parliament. Among many other sources of evil, the state of the Established Church in that country, and the want of employment for the greatly increased population, demand especial attention. The present distress has indeed called forth the exertions of charity and sisterly regard from Great Britain to a large extent, in addition to which Parliament have given 50,000l., and passed a vote of credit for 100,000l., to be made use of in affording work to the unemployed poor; but no comprehensive plans have yet been laid before the legislature with a view to the general amelioration of the condition of the people of that country, or for the removal of the abuses which prevail there. With regard to the church, and to every subject connected with the morals and religion of the people, it will not be denied by any one that much, very much, remains to be done. It will not indeed be possible in a moment to counteract the various evils growing out of the anomalous nature of an ecclesiastical establishment obnoxious to the great bulk of the people; but, even in reference to this point, much might be gained, by making the church more efficient as a religious institution, and by exciting the affection and diligence of her clergy to every due exertion of piety and charity. But in the mean time it seems incumbent upon the legislature to remove every positive grievance, and to carry into effect the work of conciliation and improvement. The state of the tithe system is allowed by all parties to be an evil of enormous magnitude. The litigation which it causes is most injurious to the interests both of the clergy and of the people. The evil does not arise from the litigiousness of the clergy; but from the minute subdivisions of property, the poverty of the people, and the religious differences between the pastor and his nominal flock. An income of three or four hundred pounds per annum is to be collected perhaps from a thousand or fifteen hundred families, depressed with poverty, and almost all hostile to the minister and his claim. Government proposes, as a partial remedy, to allow incumbents to make a composition with landlords for the tithes on their estates for twenty-one years. Leases of this sort are always open to much abuse: though, under all the circumstances, the measure appears useful as far as it extends; but it is not adequate to meet the evil, which requires a general transfer of the liability to tythe payments from the tenant to the landlord, the amount to be periodically assessed by competent authority. We have only room to glance, in conclusion, at various other important subjects brought before parliament. Mr.Canning's bill, for restoring Roman Catholic peers to a seat in the house of lords, has been negatived in that assembly.—Sir James Mackintosh has procured a pledge from the house of commons to take the criminal code into full consideration early next session, with a view to mitigate its rigour, and to reform our police and prison discipline.-Some important discussions have taken place respecting the marriage laws, which we shall advert to hereafter.-Mr. Western brought forward a measure respecting the currency, which we allude to only for the purpose of recording the firmness with which the government and legislature have pledged themselves to maintain the existing laws inviolate.-Several important measures are in progress for altering our commercial laws; but we have no room at present to detail particulars. The subject of the Peterborough Questions has been again brought before the house of lords, in consequence of a petition from the Rev. Mr. Grimshawe, complaining of the rejection of the Rev. Mr. Thurtell as his curate, on account of Mr. Thurtell's answers to the questions being unsatisfactory to the bishop. Lord Ďacre, |