neglect of religious duties himself, he is particularly anxious about the instruction of his children; all of whom, except the youngest, attend a Sunday-school. The Visitor also observed with pleasure, that order and cleanliness were very conspicuous in this interesting family." "RS, a widow, with three children dependent upon her for support, was found in great distress. Having been unemployed during the winter, she had contracted a large debt for rent and provisions; in order to discharge some portion of which, she had pawned most of her necessary articles of clothing and furniture. The mother and her three children were in a state of starvation, and had no means of supplying their wants, when the Visitor called. The remembrance of better days height ened this poor widow's sufferings, while an asthma was rapidly hastening the termination of her sorrows. She seemed deeply impressed with serious views of religion, which were her only solace, and which enabled her to support her trials without repining. In such a season the Society's aid was truly welcome; and, it is hoped, its visits afforded much comfort. The progress of her disease became daily more obvious; but, in her views, death was changed from a king of terrors to a messenger of peace: and she continued thus supported by religion, till that happy hour when its sustaining assistances were no longer necessary."

66

M- was found by the Visitor, with a wife and three children, in such distress, that they had parted with nearly every artiele of furniture and clothing they possessed; and, among the rest, the man's working tools. He told the Visitor he could get employment if he had his tools; upon which the Visitor advanced him 2l. 98. to redeem them from pledge, the man having agreed to leave them in the hands of a third person, if he were out of work. He afterwards obtained the employ ment he expected, and has been in almost constant work ever since."

"GC has a wife and three children. He is by trade a saddler, but entirely out of employment. When the Visitor first knocked at the door of their room, a faint voice from within feebly asked who was there; and upon his telling them a friend wished to see them, the same voice bade one of the children go and open the door-when a picture of real distress presented itself:-on

the floor was a bed composed of a few rags, upon which lay the wife, too ill to get up, and the youngest child; a few old clothes covered the wife; while the husband lay upon the bare boards, his only pillow a working utensil used in his trade, covered with an old waistcoat, part of two old saddles served for his covering, while he lay incapable of moving with the rheumatism. They had no fire nor coals, and had not tasted any thing that day, then late in the afternoon. Their only furniture was two chairs and a table: every article besides, except their tea-things, had been pledged. The emaciated countenances of the children and their sickly parents bespoke their real situation. The Society procured them blankets, and some other necessaries; and the relief, as seasonable as unexpected, was continued for some months; during which time the husband and wife recovered, and the latter obtained employment."

“J— F————, by trade a mathema. tical-instrument maker, for fifteen years supported his wife and family in a respectable way; but becoming disabled in his hands by the rheumatic gout, and suffering likewise through the general distress of the times, was reduced to extreme distress. This family, consisting of the father, mother, and seven children, the eldest only sixteen years of age, had been compelled to part with nearly all their apparel and furniture; and, when first visited by the Society, presented a most interesting picture of industrions poverty. The mother was nursing her infant, which she expected hourly to die; two or three of the younger children were plaiting straw; whilst the older ones were manufacturing bonnets;-all of them seemingly anxious to contribute their feeble exertions towards procuring that support which their squalid appearance too plainly evinced they stood much in need of. Upon the Visitor inquiring for the father, he was informed that he had gone out with his eldest daughter, to endeavour to sell a bonnet, in order to procure their next meal; it being then late in the evening, and they had scarcely tasted any thing that day. The Visitor was also informed, that an opportunity had presented itself for placing the eldest daughter in service; but that, in consequence of her not having proper clothes, she had not as yet obtained the situation. A small sum was immediately advanced, to enable the daughter to go

to the situation, which she happily procured. A regular allowance of 5s. per week was given to the family, with meat and potatoes. Medical assistance was furnished, and a successful application made to the parish for additional relief. The infant is since dead, owing, it is apprehended, to the weak state of the mother, who, together with all her children, were for some time seriously indisposed; but they are now much recovered. The gratitude of this poor and deserving family may be conceived."

THE REFORMED CHURCHES IN

FRANCE.

We announced, some months since (Dec. 1817, p. 821), an intended periodical publication in Paris, to be entitled Archives du Christianisme." It is conducted by zealous members of the Reformed Church, of the state of which it occasionally gives interesting particulars. Our readers will be gratified by the information contained in the follow. ing extracts, as being indicative of the good faith and conciliating spirit of the French government towards its Protestant subjects.

"Those persons" (remark the "Archives" for March, p. 104) "who have derived their knowledge of Christianity from the New Testament, and who have learned from the history of the first three centuries in what manner it was administered by the immediate converts of the Apostles, and by their successors, are fully aware that this religion is spiritual in its discipline, as well as in its doctrine. Faithful to the command of our Saviour which recommends to us love and charity towards our brethren, the reformed Christians are equally devout observers of this Divine command, when it prescribes to us spiritual worship. God is a Spirit,' said Jesus Christ; and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth.' John iv. 24. Their faith and constancy have been often tried upon this as upon every other point; and rather than fail in this respect, they have sometimes courageously sacrificed both their possessions and their country. In proportion, indeed, as they are attached to that Gospel which has destroyed the worship of false gods, and abolished even the ceremonies of the Mosaic Law, they ought in duty, under the dictates of conscience and religion, to abstain in matters of Divine worship from all that is de

rived from paganism, or has a tendency to recal it. Henry the Fourth, in the Edict of Nantes, respected those principles in which he himself had been brought up from his infancy. They will be equally respected at the present period by the monarch to whom we owe the Charter; a monument of equity and wisdom in which is rendered sacred the great principle of liberty of conscience. This assertion, which cannot be disputed, is confirmed by the following fact.

"A fine having been imposed upon some members of the Reformed Church of Puylaurens, for not having decorated the outside of their houses (tapisser) on the day of the Féte-Dieu (Corpus Christi Day), a remonstrance on the subject was presented by the Consistory of Castres, to his Excellency the secretary of the interior. The Consistory of the Reformed Church at Paris, being apprized of this step, immediately se conded it with his Excellency, who condescended to reply, that the request of the two Consistories appeared to him to be just; and that orders should be given that the Protestants should be excused in future from complying with this custom in the ceremonies of the Catho lie worship. The care of thus decorating the houses inhabited by Christian Protestants, on the days of procession, will in future belong to the municipal government. The Consistory of Castres has doubtless received the same answer from his Excellency with that of Paris.

• Our readers are aware, that the dis. cipline of the Reformed Church in France is Presbyterian. The whole is divided into Consistories, each contain. ing a certain number of pastors. The Consistorial Church is usually placed in some centrical spot, containing a considerable proportion of Protestant Christians. A number of the villages and small towns in the neighbourhood are attached to the Consistory, and are supplied by its ministers. The number and size of the congregations vary considerably: in some few principal places there are several of them in one Consistory, containing from one thousand to perhaps three or four times that number of Protestants in each congregation. The number of Consistories was lately estimated at 89, and the total number of churches at 230. The aggregate of individual Protestants has been so differently stated, that it is difficult to form a correct estimate.

“A double advantage results from this decision, so conformable to the spirit of Christianity, and to the fundamental law of the kingdom: it entirely eases the consciences of a considerable number of citizens, whose principles and conduct have rendered the name of Protestant respectable in the eyes of all good men and if this decision be faithfully executed, which we have reason to think it will be, it will prevent the recurrence of a thousand little contentions and vexatious circumstances, to which the vague and uncertain state in which this important point was involved gave rise in many places, and which, thanks to the wise and honourable measure which we take the first opportunity to point out as a subject of gratitude to the friends of religion and of peace, will at length cease every where and for ever.

"It is surely superfluous to add, that the Evangelical Christians, whom it has never been possible to reproach with any irreverence with respect to the Roman Catholic worship, will here find a new motive to redouble their circumspection and fraternal regards on this subject."

To this are added, in the succeeding Number (p. 144) of the "Archives," the following remarks.

"Guided by their usual wisdom and prudence, the Consistories of the Reformed Christian Churches of France, as well as individual members, will doubtless have perceived that they ought calmly to wait for communications from authority relative to the exemption from the tenture, which is the object of their wishes, and their legitimate hopes. A general and definitive law, which, without casting any slur upon the ceremonies of the Romish worship, should put an end to the alarms of the Protestants (Chretiens Evangéliques) upon this subject,—a subject in which their conscience and their tranquillity are so essentially interested, lias become, at length, so necessary, that it cannot but, sooner or later, be obtained from the justice of the king, as well as from his paternal bounty. We venture even to think that, satisfied with the full exercise of their external ceremonies, the Roman Catholics, could their individual wishes upon this subject be collected, would be willing to yield, without impediment, to the Protestants, the exemption which they desire. To imagine the contrary, would be to imal

gine, in opposition to all truth and appearance of truth, that they wish to oppress the conscience, and compromise the safety of their brethren, before they can think themselves in the enjoyment of all their religious rights."

PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY

IN THE SOUTH SEAS.

A very pleasing narrative bas just appeared of the London Society's Missions at Otaheite, and other islands in the South Seas. The following extract will shew the extent of that rapid diffusion of the Gospel in those parts to which we adverted in our Number for February, 1818, p, 128.

"In order to form," remark the Directors of the Society," a just estimate of the moral triumphs of Christianity in the South Seas, it is necessary to consider distinctly what has actually been accomplished among those distant is landers, as well as the future prospects which have been unfolded before them.

"Idolatry has been renounced by the inhabitants of no less than eight islands. But justly to appreciate the importance of this statement, it is necessary to consider, for a moment, what idolatry is; that it is a systematic alienation of the heart from God, by means of which the immortal mind, already a captive to sin, is bound still faster in this dreadful captivity, by the spirit of a sensualizing and infatuating superstition. To break the fetters forged by this spirit, and to liberate the mind from a thraldom so awful, are alone achievements of high and inestimable importance. This, however, has been accomplished in the islands of the South Sea. But the subversion of idolatry there involves the abolition of various other dreadful evils;—1, of infanticide, which is already nearly exploded;-2. of the Arreoy society, a privileged order, who practised the vilest cruelty and abominations; with the total dissolution of which society it may be expected that infant murder will entirely cease;-3. of humau sacrifices* ;-4. of the murder of prisoners taken in battle ;-5. of the principal canses of war itself; -6. of various other immoral and pernicious practices connected with their idolatry. "With idolatry, the people have re

"The horrid practice of killing men, to offer them in sacrifice, we trust, will never again occur on the shores of Otaheite”-Letter of Mr. Hayward..

nounced their former system of thinking and acting-an evident reformation of manners has taken place, their vain and indecent amusements are almost entirely laid aside, and a degree of domestic and social intercourse is enjoyed to which formerly they were entirely strangers*.

"The Christian religion, as a system, is now the religion of Otaheite, Eimeo, and six other islands. The natives have erected places of worship in every district of each island. They strictly observe the Sabbatht, and constantly as semble together for Christian worship and instruction; and they act thus (a

"The men, women, and children, now all eat together; and although this may not appear to be of much consequence, yet their former custom led on to many and great evils.'-Letter of Mr. Hayward.

"When Mr. Crook with his family arrived in the Active on the coast of Otaheite, they were much surprised, that not a single native could be seen all along the shore, as the vessel sailed; nor could they perceive any smoke arising from their dwellings. This excited in the mind of Mr. C. and others a painful suspicion, that the island had been subdued, and all the inhabitants cut off in the war. In the midst of this agitation of mind, one of the sailors, an Otaheitean, who left Port Jackson in the Active, observed, that the natives were keeping the Sabbath-day-that of late, they did no kind of work, nor went out of their houses, except to worship God --and that the whole of the day was employed in religious worship, or in teach ing one another to read. At length, the vessel came to anchor in Matavai Bay; but not a native made his appearance until Monday morning; when great numbers repaired to the brig, bringing with them their usual testimonies of hospitality, of food and fruit of all kinds, with other presents of cloth, &c. They were highly pleased and thankful to God, that he had sent another teacher among them, and fully satisfied all on board that they had been observing the Sabbath."-Letter of Mr. R. Hassall, of Parramatta.

"We are happy to notice, that the Sabbath is observed in a manner very different from what it used to be, and the natives now dress their food on the Saturday evenings, as the Missionaries have ever done."-Lett. of Mr. Hayward, CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 201.

point of great importance) spontaneous. ly, it being evident that the Missionaries can attend to preach, or to direct the worship, at comparatively but few places. Every where they are believed to observe private prayer, and in Eimeo almost every house has family worship.

"A desire for knowledge is univer sally planted among the natives. They are every where importunate for books, and for missionaries to come and instruct them; and, where they cannot obtain the latter advantage, and have proper books, they teach each other. What such a state of things may ultimately lead to, under the faithful labours of nearly twenty Christian Missionaries, and the blessing of God upon their la bours, it is not for us to say; but surely the most encouraging and pleasing ex pectations may reasonably be enter tained,

"At least three thousand of the natives are supplied with books, and are able to make use of them, and many hundreds of them can read well.

"The way is opened, in the islands, to civilization, to the introduction of the useful arts, to the cultivation of the earth, &c. &c. Where the precepts of Christianity are diffused, idleness never fails to become disreputable.

"It may be expected, that the insti tution of marriage among the natives will gradually lay the foundation of domestic and social happiness, and that the general influence of Christianity will rear and cement the superstructure.

"It is at least probable, that the example of these islanders will have a beneficial influence upon the natives of other islands of the Pacific Ocean, as the intelligence successively reaches them; and thus prepare the way for other missions, and of new triumphs for Christianity."

The Directors add: "Since the preceding pages were written, further ac counts have been received by the Di rectors from the South Seas, that fully confirm the statements which have been already presented to the reader. This intelligence comes down as late as the 22d of September, 1817; at which time peace continued in all the islands, Pomare to maintain his authority, the mission to prosper, and Christianity to spread. The king, since the re-esta blishment of his government, had resided chiefly at Otaheite; but he frequently visited the Missionaries at Eiméo, and seemed to display an in4 L