6.-ENGLISH ENCOURAGEMENT OF INDIAN IDOLATRY.

Extract from a letter recently received from England.

"I find that while the people of England are sending Missionaries to India some of the Hindus are brought over here to please the people who frequent the theatres, by setting before them "The Dressing of Vishnu"-"The Hindu's lament at the Satis" and "The Hindu's Courtship"-at which the spectators are said to have been highly gratified. Of course they paid pretty largely for such a treat, as I apprehend their countrymen have not sent them over to instruct us in their Mythology without money and without price. I am too well aware that you have to lament on account of Europeans countenancing Hindu Idolatry, but perhaps it may surprise you to know that this practice is imported into Britain. Perhaps we are about to imitate the Romans who tolerated all religions but that of the Bible, and for a sufficient reason; however they might differ in other respects, they united in opposing the gospel; they hated the light and could unite to prevent its spread. Thus it is here; even the Nách girls must be encouraged to amuse the Christians (so called) in their aversion to the religion of the gospel."

7.-EXTINCTION OF THE OPIUM TRADE.

We believe the opium trade with China is at an end. The Government of the celestial empire, seem at length to have determined that it shall cease. All the opium in Canton has been seized; the British residents made prisoners in their own castle; insult offered to the representative of our Queen, and even death threatened and all honorable traffic stopped, if the prompt and vigorous measures of the Governor Lin were not at once complied with. We have long prophecied this, and were quite sure of the speedy fulfilment of the prophecy; for our information was of the most accurate and undoubted description. Its accomplishment is not however the less painful. Can any thing be more disgraceful or humiliating than the end of this traffic-a heathen people teaching morality and integrity to a Christian people-our commercial and national honour sacrificed to the interests of a band of legalized smugglers, and a blot cast upon our holy faith which will require many years of consistent and upright conduct to erase. The end is not yet known. We tremble even for the next despatch. War we fear will be the issue, and if so what a sad reflection to think that the blood of hundreds may be spilt to avenge the insults offered to the representative of our Queen through the nefarious practices of a few of her money-loving subjects. Verily the love of money is the root of all evil.

8.-STATE OF RELIGIOUS feeling in AMERICA.

Extract from a letter from a friend in America.

"I am disappointed in the state of feeling on mission subjects, among the churches in America. Our Benevolent Societies are as you have heard embarrassed in their operations, but it is not for the want of means, for the churches have an abundance, as the houses, tables and equipages declare. The great secret is, an increasing desire to be rich and increased conformity to the world; less prayer-prayer meetings are more thinly attended than before I left for India in 1834. This to the Missionary is a discouraging picture, but it is the fact, and the many pleas of poverty cannot hide it. There is an increased spirit of enterprise. Public im provements are on the increase. At the same time however it should be stated that many who have heretofore contributed largely in aid of Mis

sions have had their resources cut off the last few years. While others whose means have been multiplied have not manifested corresponding liberality. On the whole there is money enough in the church and so much as to make her worldly-minded and curtail her usefulness.

May the Spirit of God be poured out abundantly on the churches in Christian lands and on her representatives among the heathen and on all their operations."

9.-CESSATION OF SLAVERY AND PRESENT STATE OF THE WEST Indies. The once slave population of the West Indies, according to the latest accounts, was in the most orderly and peaceable condition. The planters were endeavouring to goad the emancipated into rebellion by attempting to make them labor for a minimum of wages. This disposition had been carried so far in Jamaica, and hatred to the measures of her Majesty's ministers had been so displayed by the Assembly of that island, that the Governor had felt it his duty to suspend the constitution and privileges of the island.

10. THE COOLY TRADE.

It would appear from the last despatch received from the Mauritius that the cooly trade is not working so well as was anticipated. The poor simple Dhangars are docile and obedient enough, but the crafty men of the plains are manifesting symptoms of insubordination. We are not surprised at this, nor shall we be surprised if the mania spread even to the more peaceful, if they are to be for ever severed from their wives and families; let the planters, if they are so satisfied with these simple people endeavor to make their lot as happy as they can by importing their wives and children. The emancipated negroes are, as might be expected, after years of oppression and misrule, not overmuch attached to the interests of their old task-masters as they have not the flesh pots of Egypt to sigh over; their associations are with the whip and the stocks. Time will alone serve to wipe out the recollection of their injuries; and this with educa tion and religon, will and must make all the inhabitants of this turbulent island at peace the one with the other.

From our Correspondent at Demerara we have the following statement in reference to the Coolies who sailed on the Whitby and Hesperas.

to us.

"I may take this opportunity of mentioning that a letter was received by Mr. Murkland some time since, addressed to the brethren here by the Rev. T. Boaz of Calcutta referring to the case of the Hill Coolies,' some of whom arrived in this Colony by the ship which brought the letter Not having the letter by me I cannot refer particularly to any thing contained therein. I may only say, generally, that here we can do nothing in the matter. None of the coolies happen to be located near any of our stations. We cannot even ascertain how they are treated on the estate. They themselves do not understand English, and we are of course quite as ignorant of their language. On one Sabbath-day I saw three or four of them strolling up the Canal much intoxicated. The fountain of the evil is in India, and there it must be checked. From all I have heard of them they appear to be quite ignorant of the nature of their engagements or even of the distance they were to be transported from their own country. I heard of two of them who wandered as far along the coast from their own estate as to Essequebo. When they were found and questioned about their thus wandering away, they replied that they wanted to go and see their friends at Calcutta."

THE

CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 86.-July, 1839.

I.-The Present State and Prospects of the Jews.

Amongst the nations of the earth the Jews have ever been the especial favorites of Heaven. Chosen by God in the early ages of the world as witnesses for himself, and afterwards raised to an unprecedented eminence in the annals of history, they stood out for centuries as a people signally favored of God by a knowledge of his will and the enjoyment of his special Providence toward them. Hurled from their national prosperity, and plunged into the deepest misery, they still, though scattered and oppressed, possess many tokens of divine approbation,-the Lord has preserved them a distinct people amidst a heathen and Christian world. They have been his witnesses for the truth in all ages and amongst all people, unamalgamated with others and undestroyed by the direst persecution. Like beacons in the midst of an almost universal wreck they have held forth the truth and faithfulness of God to his own declared will, at once a terrible instance of punishment and mercy. Amidst all their vicissitudes, their minds have ever been upheld, by the hope of restoration to the land of Canaan, and the triumphant deliverance which was to be effected for them by Messiah. For many centuries that hope has been dim, as the light of the lamp which flickered in their synagogues; but, latterly, the hope of Israel has become brighter and stronger, and hundreds borne up by it have begun to turn their eyes towards the land flowing with milk and honey, and towards Him whom they have pierced-the King of Zion. Circumstances of a commercial and political character in the providence of God, appear to have enkindled and strengthened this hope. Many of these circumstances have transpired as unexpectedly as those miraculously created for this people in their early history, and display as markedly the finger of God interposing on their behalf. The great prevenVIII.

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tives to all successful effort to their conversion to Christianity, or indeed to an introduction to them for conversation or discussion on this point, were the deep-rooted prejudices entertained against all Christians because of the religious spoliation and sanguinary persecutions which they had borne from Christian rulers. The civil disabilities under which they almost every where laboured-their literary, scientific and religious ignorance, encouraged by an indifferent and bigotted priesthood-the evident impossibility of their peaceable and final possession of the land of Canaan-their excessive superstition and religious imbecility, and their worldly and grovelling conceptions of Messiah and his work,-these together with their intense hatred to the person and work of Jesus, rendered any attempt to direct them to the cross almost a hopeless task. This was the condition of the children of Abraham some fifty years ago; though a few in every land, a remnant according to the election of grace, has always been found amongst them, who had obtained circumcision of heart, and looked through the dim vista opened to them by a beclouded faith, to the day of Israel's restoration. They continued to feed the flame which has now been fed by many a hand and brightened by many a prayer. During the last fifty years, religionists, moralists and politicians have been stirred up to remove the religious and civil disabilities under which they were labouring, and that too with considerable success. The door of the feast-chamber has not only been opened, but the table has been furnished with guests. Yes, blessed be God, many have come from the east and the west, the north and the south, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. It is a curious but pleasing fact, that the Jews as a body do not resist the idea that they will become Christians; but they have ever associated it with the restoration of the scattered tribes to the Holy Land, a consummation which does appear to be much more likely of accomplishment, humanly speaking, than at any former period. When we take into consideration the present state of Egypt and Syria, the rapid means of transit from all countries to the sacred land by steam communication, and the breaking up of that awful mystery which hung over Egypt's dark land and the land of the promises by travel and publication, the altered political state of the Jews and the evidently strong disposition on the part of the Christian church to bring about the restoration of Israelall seem to say the time to favor her, yea, the set time, has begun to dawn.

We are aware that amongst many such efforts are deemed wild and chimerical, or at least out of time. We en

treat such to well ponder a matter which is engraven on the palms of the hands of the Almighty, and is ever occupying his eternal mind; and not to let past irregularities and failures deter them from praying for and labouring for the peace of Jerusalem-for, they shall prosper that love her. We have brought this subject before our readers for the purpose of calling forth their most earnest supplications and vigorous efforts for the conversion and gathering of the outcasts of the house of Israel, We shall, we believe, best consult the interests of the object, and the instruction and pleasure of our readers, by placing before them the larger portion of an able article on the subject, which appeared in the Quarterly Review for December, 1838. The writer, after some general remarks on Lord Lindsay's travels, of which the article professes to be a review*, says

"We have alluded, in the commencement of this article, to the growing interest manifested in behalf of the Holy Land. This interest is not confined to the Christians-it is shared and avowed by the whole body of the Jews, who no longer conceal their hope and their belief that the time is not far distant, when the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea; and shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and shall gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.'-Isaiah xi. 11.

"Doubtless, this is no new sentiment among the children of the dispersion. The novelty of the present day does not lie in the indulgence of such a hope by that most venerable people-but in their fearless confession of the hope; and in the approximation of spirit between Christians and Hebrews, to entertain the same belief of the future glories of Israel, to offer up the same prayer, and look forward to the same consummation. In most former periods a development of religious feeling has been followed by a persecution of the ancient people of God; from the days of Constantine to Leo XII.t, the disciples of Christ have been stimulated to the oppression of the children of Israel; and Heaven alone can know what myriads of that suffering race fell beneath the piety of the crusaders, as they marched to recover the sepulchre of their Saviour from the hands of the infidels. But a mighty change has come over the hearts of the Gentiles; they seek now the temporal and eternal peace of the Hebrew people; Societies are established in England and Germany to diffuse among them the light of the Gospel; and the increasing accessions to the parent Institution in London attest the public estimation of its principles and services.

• We shall in the next number (D. V.) give some specimens of the ignorance and prejudices of the Jews.-ED.

By an edict of Leo XII., they were closely confined, to the number of 1500 to 1800, within a certain quarter of the town, called the Ghetto. This place they were not allowed to leave, even for a single day, without a special licence; even though furnished with such a licence, they were forbidden to dwell, or even converse familiarly, with Christians.'-Hirschfeld's Strictures, p. 64.

The Callenberg Institution, which began in 1728 at Halle, in Prussian Saxony, had great success, when we consider the limited extent of its means; it came to an end about the time of the French Revolution.