holy scriptures, many Roman Catholic priests preaching the gospel, with a still greater number of Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Reformed, &c. who emulate one another in zeal; such are the consequences of that spirit of life which the Lord pours out in our day, much as in the days of the apostles. Not only England, but several other parts of the continent, see every year new institutions rising for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Basil has a school for missions, which is full of activity, and the success of which is almost wonderful. Geneva

is now founding a society auxiliary to it. When I say Geneva, I mean the true Christians of that city, and unfortunately they are not the greater number.

Different cities of Switzerland, France and Germany, take up collections for the same work. You have heard of the truly great Alexander of Russia, and of what he does for the Saviour in his immense states. He has lately called to Petersburg, and to the Crimea, many evangelical preachers, and in particular the celebrated Gosner and Kindell, who were persecuted in Bavaria, because, being of the Roman Catholic communion, they preached better, that is to say, in a more evangelical manner, than their brethren of the same church. In the north of Germany, where I spent a year, there is a string of faithful pastors, who like the sentinels of a besieged city, cry one to another: "Take heed to yourselves; examine the spirits; whosoever denies the Son, is an enemy to the Father." Their task is difficult, seeing that Satan has sown much tares in the countries which they inhabit; but the Lord is with them, and will render them stronger than the false philosophy of the pretended wise men of the present age. In many churches of France, we perceive the same movements, and the same ardour. We can easily count, it is true, the zealous and evangelical pastors, but blessed be God, their

number has increased in these latter times.

Among us, there has been a long sleep, but these are the days of grace and salvation. After some contest for the kingdom of life, in Geneva, many souls began to be uneasy, respecting their state, to search the scriptures, to pray; and He who excited in them, this holy concern, has made them see, as a new thing, that cross of Jesus Christ, which is never contemplated in vain, when the Lord gives eyes to see it. Out of a popu lation of 22,000 souls, we may now hope that there are four or five hundred faithful, or disposed to become So. If you are interested in a city in which you have lived, pray for those who inhabit it now, and your prayers made with faith, and united to those of so many others who are interested in our state, will not be in vain for us and ours. Every first Monday of the month, our society meets, towards evening, to listen to the good words which each one seeks to bring. The word of God is the best, as you may suppose. We pray, we read, one of us explains, and we never separate without having prayed for the church of the Saviour, and in a particular manner for the missionaries, and for all our brethren, whose names are known to us here below. You know that such meetings exist almost all over England, and that they now extend to many places on the continent.

Will you accuse me of indiscretion, sir, and very dear brother? Of no; for I have spoken to you of the things of Him whom you appear sincerely to love. Speak to us of Him also, and you will cause in us great joy. I shall have much interesting news to communicate to you. You will communicate some to us also, will you not? I will speak to you of Europe; you will speak to me of America. We will ascend Golgotha, and united by the same God, and the same Saviour, we will together render to him glory, honour, love and obedience. May grace and peace be

given and multiplied to you, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ our Lord.

Your affectionate servant and brother in Jesus Christ,

J. E. COULIN, Pastor and chaplain of the Hospital of Geneva.

P. S.-I send you here the names of those, who in Geneva, compose our society: the Rev. Messrs. Moulinié, Demelayer, Peschier, Gaussen, Coulin, Malan. Laymen, Messrs. Perrot, Droz, Duplessis, Gaussen the elder. The Rev. Mr. Cellerier gives us to hope that he will sometimes be with us.* We have, moreover a goodly number of corresponding members, the most part clergymen.

Messrs. Treil and Horsley, Englishmen, and Mr. Duvivier, who is now at Paris, after having attended our meetings, have been separated from us by their business, but not by their affections. We sometimes receive letters from them. I regret that my paper and time compel me to close. If you do me the honour of an answer, I shall be longer another time.

ORDINATIONS.

On the 14th February, the Rev. ASA CUMMINGS, was ordained over the First Church and Parish, in North Yarmouth. Introductory prayer was offered by Rev. David Thurston, of Winthrop. Sermon was preached by Rev. Wm. Allen, president of Bowdoin College, from 20th Acts and 24th verse: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." The ordaining prayer was offered by Rev. Edward Payson, of Portland-Charge given by the Rev.

* Mr. Cellerier is an evangelical preacher of the national church; his residence and pastoral charge are six miles from Geneva.

Elisha Mosely, of N. GloucesterThe right hand of fellowship was expressed by Rev. Otis C. Whitton, of the Third Church in North Yarmouth-and the concluding prayer was offered by Rev. Enos Merrill, of Freeport.

On the 21st of February, the Rev. BENJAMIN BLYDENBURG WISNER, a native of the state of New York, and lately a student at the Theological Seminary of the General Assembly at Princeton, was ordained to the pastoral care of the Old South Church, Boston, (Mass.) from which the Rev. and much esteemed JOSHUA HUNTINGTON, Was lately removed by death. At the ordination service, the Rev. Sereno E. Dwight, of Park-street Church, offered the introductory prayer: the Rev. Dr. Woods, professor of theology in the Andover Seminary, delivered the sermon: the Rev. Dr. Holmes, of Cambridge, offered the consecrating prayer: the Rev. Dr. Osgood, of Medford, delivered the charge: the Rev. Mr. Huntington, of Bridgewater, expressed the fellowship of the churches, and gave the right hand in their name: and the Rev. John Codman, of Dorchester, addressed the throne of grace in the concluding prayer.

"We are informed," says the Boston Gazette, "that the ceremony of presenting the fellowship of the churches, had been assigned, by the church, to the Rev. Mr. Lowell, of this town, which assignment the ordaining council refused to confirm."

In the Congregational churches, the ordaining council consists of such ministers and lay delegates from the churches as may be mutually agreed upon by the pastor elect, and the church, which has called him. It is also customary for the church to request, that the several parts of the ordination service may be assigned to clergymen whom they designate; with the exception of the sermon, for the de

livery of which the pastor elect makes a previous nomination. When the council convenes, they confirm the several assignments of parts, by previous request or nomination, if they think proper; and indeed, it is a rare thing to deviate from it. We are glad, however, to find, that a council convened in the heart of Massachusetts, has dared to exercise this control over its own ordination exercises; for it is absurd to call any collection of persons an ordination council, whose hands should be completely tied up by some congregational vote, or unwritten law of custom.

No doubt, this council had good reasons for assigning to the brother of the late Mr. Huntington the part to which the Rev. Charles Lowell had been nominated. As the ordination service was conducted, none but Trinitarians took part in it. This was as it should have been, when a Trinitarian was about to be ordained; and how the Rev. C. Lowell could have been admitted by a council, having no fellowship with the denial of the true deity of Christ, to express in their name the fellowship of truly Christian churches, we know not. He might have expressed very well the fellowship of Arians and Socinians among themselves; but it would have been criminal in the worshippers of Immanuel to have made him the right hand of a fellowship which they cannot consistently profess. This consistency did not quite please all concerned; and so the Boston Daily Advertiser gives us the following

Copy of a Letter addressed to the Rev. Charles Lowell, subscribed by upwards of forty Gentlemen, Members of the Old South So*ciety.

Boston, 23d Feb. 1821.

Rev. and dear Sir-The subscribers, members of the Old South Society, beg leave to offer you the expression of their sincere regret, that

the ultimate determination of the council convened for the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Wisner, on Wednesday last, should have overruled the arrangement by which the unanimous vote of the church and society, who acted on the occasion, had assigned you an interesting part in the ceremonies of that day. While we regret the prevalence of sectarian views and exclusive systems of theology, we most deeply deplore, that on an occasion, which should be regarded as an holy jubilee, when past animosities should be forgotten, and charitable feelings should prevail, an opportunity should be seized to tear asunder the bonds of Christian fellowship, and to draw a line of distinction between those who profess to teach the same gospel. For such a violation of Christian charity, we will not attempt an apology; we know that your Christian philanthropy will throw over the transaction the most favourable construction, but your sensibility must have received a wound, which the consolations of religion only can heal. To these we can add nothing but our sympathy and the assurance of the great regard with which we remain, dear sir, most truly, your friends,

THE SUBSCRIBERS.

Rev. CHARLES LOWELL.

This letter teaches us, what some FORTY liberal gentlemen (for they were all gentlemen) mean by "sectarian views," "holy jubilee," "charitable feelings," "Christian fellowship," "Christian charity," and "Christian philanthropy." These fine expressions all mean, that we ought to think a man a Christian minister, who openly opposes the deity of Christ, and the doctrine of atonement by his sufferings for the sins of men. They mean, that all are destitute of Christian charity, who will not account every man, who ascends the pulpit in clerical dress, to be a scriptural minister of the Son of God

A NEW SEMINARY.

The German Reformed Church in America have resolved to establish a theological Seminary, and to locate the same at Fredericktown, in the state of Maryland.

ZEAL AND INDUSTRY.

It is stated in the annual report of the Society for supporting the Gospel among the Poor of New York, that during the year 1819, the Rev. Mr. Stanford delivered 547 discourses, and during 1820 exceeded that number.

SERAMPORE MISSIONARY COLLEGE.

During a part of the month of February, the Rev. William Ward, missionary at Serampore in India, paid a visit to Philadelphia, and preached repeatedly in the Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches here. His audience was, in nearly every instance, as large as the house in which he preached would permit. His sermons were appropriate, and well calculated to excite Christians to the more zealous imitation of our Saviour's active benevolence. The pecuniary result of his labours to the missionary college in India, is stated in the following note:

"William Ward, missionary from India, returns his sincere thanks to the friends of the gospel of Christ, who have piously commiserated the melancholy moral condition of the inhabitants of Hindoostan. Twelve hundred and sixty-seven dollars have been obtained in this city from their kind donations and subscriptions; this sum, with what has been or may yet be procured, will be left in this country, and its interest only appropriated to the design, which in the public prints has been explicitly stated. He fervently hopes, that God will recompense to the donors a thousand fold, and that the hearts of multitudes of Hindoos, through the ages of eternity, may

find reason to rejoice in this lovely expression of Christian and American benevolence."

IN THE PRESS.

A volume of Sermons delivered to the Graduates of Princeton College, New Jersey, on the Sabbath next preceding the Commencement in several successive Years, by the President, the Rev. Dr. Ashbel Green.

S. Potter & Co. have in two press octavo volumes of Sermons, by the late President Smith, of Nassau Hall; which are to be prefaced by a Memoir of his Life, from the pen of the Rev. Dr. Beasley, Provost of the University of Pennsylvania.

Statistics.

CENSUS.

The city and county of Philadelphia contained in 1810, a population of 111,210. By the census of 1820, it appears, that our population amounts to 133,273; so that in ten years; the increase has been 25,063 persons. The total of the city population between Vine and Cedar streets, and between the Delaware and Schuylkill, is 63,695; of which 54, 919 are whites, and 7,883 blacks. We have but one slave in the city.

The population of Maine, in 1800, was 151,719; in 1810, it amounted to 223,705; giving an increase of 71,986; and in 1820, to 297,839: giving an increase in the last ten years of 74,124, and a total increase in twenty years of 146,110.

The state of New Hampshire, in 1810, contained 214,342 inhabitants; and in 1820, according to the census, 244,161 persons; giving an increase of 29,819 in ten years.

Massachusetts contains, by the late census, upwards of 525,000 inhabitants. In 1810, the population was 472,000; increase in ten years, 53,000, or more than 11 per cent.

The state of Maryland, in 1810, contained 380,556; and in 1820, her population amounted to 407,300.

The district of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1810, contained a population of 63,179 souls, and in 1820 of 80,212; giving an increase in ten years, of 17,033 persons.

According to the French and English papers, the present population of France is estimated at 29,000,000: of Austria,at 28,000,000: of Spain, in Europe, at 11,000,000; of Great Britain, in Europe, at 17,000,000: in Asia, of 54,000,000, and in America, of 2,000,000; giving a total under the English dominions, of 73,000,000: of the Netherlands, (comprising her colonies) at 6,000,000: of Prussia, at 11,000,000: and of Russia, (including Poland) at 52,000,000.

CONVICTS.

During the year 1820, there haye been convicted, and brought to the State Prison in Philadelphia, 230 of whom 203 are males, persons; and 27 females. Of these convicts, 167 were sentenced for larceny, 3 for assault and battery, 3 for assault and battery with intention to kill, 4 for murder in the second degree, 4 for manslaughter, 4 for perjury, 1 for arson, 1 for bigamy, 2 for rape, 7 for burglary with larceny, 12 for burglary, 5 for robbery, 1 for kidnapping, 1 for conspiracy, 7 for counterfeiting, or passing counterfeit money, 6 for horse stealing, and 2 for misdemeanor.

On the 1st of January, 1821, there were in the State Prison, 464 persons, of whom 118 were under 21 years of age. In the year 1820, there died in the prison 30 convicts; and there were discharged by pardon 51, by serving out their time 182, and by a reversal of sentence 1. Of those discharged, 19 were reconvicted during the same year

MORTALITY.

The deaths in the city and liber

ties of Philadelphia in 1820, amounted to 3374. Of these, 446 persons died of the consumption of the lungs; 106 of the inflammation of the lungs; and 73 of malignant fever.

BIRTHS.

From the returns of 78 practitioners in midwifery, in the city and liberties of Philadelphia, it appears, that in nine months preceding the 31st of December, 1820, there were born 1709 male children, and 1501 females:-total 3210.

CHURCHES.

The number of churches and meeting houses, of every description, in the city and county of Philadelphia, amount, according to the best of my knowledge, to 70. Upon an average, these will not contain more than 1000 persons each; so that were every place of public worship full, not more than 70,000 people could attend divine service at a time. Generally, however, they are not more than half full; so that the number of persons actually present in the churches and meeting houses at one time, would not probably exceed 35,000. At least 63,273 could not be accommodated, under present circumstances, if they would; and 98,273, are absent from public worship, at a fair calculation, on ordinary occasions. Let us suppose, half of this last number to consist of little children, nurses, invalids, or persons necessarily detained at home; and then it will appear, that 49,136 persons, within the city and county of Philadelphia, are living in utter and criminal neglect of the duties of public worship.

Let us suppose that the communicants in the 70 places of worship will average at 250; which is certainly a larger allowance than truth would justify; and that will give 17,500 professors of the religion of Jesus. The non-communicants will amount to 115,773: and if we deduct, for children, idiots, and insane persons, one half, it will leave.