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or his assistants, of partiality in deciding on the parts to be omitted; as it also affords opportunity for stating both sides of a question, in "matters of doubtful disputation ;" and especially as we feel a confidence that sufficient antidotes will be provided against all the poisonous sentiments and insinuations, which are scattered through the English edition. Some inconveniences, however, will evidently result from this restriction. It

will of necessity considerably increase the size of the work. The article America, for example, has been enlarged to nearly twice its original size; and principally for the purpose of contradicting and disproving false statements, copied from interested, partial, or ignorant, romantic travellers. Had these statements been either wholly omitted, or at once corrected, the article would have been much contracted, and freed from that controversial form in which it now appears.

Another inconvenience, attending the execution of this new plan is, that it naturally leads to unnecessary controversy, and will, we apprehend, sometimes lead to bitter controversy.

The

article Abernethy, would probably have led to this, had it not been altered previously to the adoption of the present plan. In that article, as it appears in the English edition, some violent partisan has embraced the opportunity to censure, in the most reproachful language, a whole order of respectable men. The American Editor, by a few omnissions and alterations, has judiciously expunged from the article this extraneous and offen

sive matter. tences, left out, however, we think should have been retained, and we unfeignedly regret their omission. Still we think this distinguished character stands uninjured, and sufficiently high, as delineated in the American edition; unless any should think it necessary to the perfection of a biographical sketch to anticipate the judgment of the great day, presumptuously to usurp the prerogative of Heaven, and pronounce the sentence of the final Judge.

Some of the sen

In the article of American Biography, the publisher, in his advertisement, announces his determination to make such arrangements as shall lay claim to some degree of originality. This promise, if punctually fulfilled, will doubtless enhance the value of the work, in the opinion of every American, who looks with reverence and affection on the long list of venerable names, which shed a lustre over his country. When we consider our means of information with respect to the characters of our most celebrated men, it is natural to expect that material additions will be made to this most interesting branch of knowledge.

The geographical articles, which relate to this country, it may also be justly expected, will receive great improvements. Not only our distance from Europe, but the rapidity, with which alterations take place in our population, wealth, and national greatness, renders it highly im probable, that a correct and impartial description of the United States will ever be given by foreigners. To this part of their

duty, therefore, it is hoped, the American Editors will sedulously apply themselves.

The two last subjects derive no inconsiderable importance from the fact, that a surprising and unaccountable ignorance of this country prevails among the learned, as well as the vulgar, in England. There are individuals, no doubt, who regard us in a point of view more conformable to truth; but the most chimerical tales, and the most preposterous falsehoods, when we are the subjects, are received by many even of the literati, with all the credit and deference, due to grave history. Even the despicable vulgarity of a Parkinson, the unprincipled and empty raillery of a Moore, as well as the more credited misrepresentations and partial statements of a Weld, contribute to give a false and unfavourable view of our national character. It is indeed astonishing, that men of sense could be deceived, as they repeatedly have been with respect to us, by representations supported only by the assertions of the most worthless of men, whenever they undertake to publish what they call Travels. To repel all this calumny, no method so effectual can be adopted, as to publish the facts, which relate to our schools, our religious institutions, our industry, and general improvement, and the various wise measures, adopted by our forefathers, to promote the prosperity of their children. These and many other particulars, at which we have not hinted, will properly find admission in some part of the work before us.

As the principal aim of the Panoplist is to communicate mor

al and religious information and instruction, we shall, in the following review, pay a marked attention to subjects of this nature; not, however, withholding such reflections on any other topic, as may promise to be useful.

The foregoing remarks have originated from a consideration of the importance of the work, under review, and are such, as strike the mind without any ref erence to the manner, in which that work is executed. The reader shall be detained no longer from our critical observations.

On examining the first part of Vol. I. it is with no common pleasure, that we are enabled to bear direct and honourable testimony to the style of its execution. The paper, the type, the engravings, and the accuracy of the printing, will not, it is believed, suffer by comparison with any similar work, with which we have any acquaintance. In saying this, no more than a just tribute is rendered to the care and industry of the Editor.

Yet there are some articles of small importance, in which improvements might be made. It would be an alteration of some convenience, if the subject or article treated of first, in each column, were noted in the margin at the top of the page. This has been done in other works of this kind, and facilitates the use of such a Dictionary. It is well too for the sake of easy reference, to be able to note the page; and, as the trouble of printing two or three figures is so trifling, we can see no objection to it. Every alteration ought to be made, which will so often save even a few seconds of time in the course of a man's life.

We suggest one thing more, which we have never seen in any similar Dictionary; and that is, when there is reason to fear an inexperienced reader will find difficulty in pronouncing a word, the true pronunciation might be expressed, by spelling it according to the natural powers of the letters in English.

It is well

known how differently foreign names are pronounced from what an Englishman would im agine, were he to regard the orthography alone. Hence arises the striking disagreement in pronouncing them, observable among persons of education. To be continued.

Religious Intelligence.

The friends of missions and the followers of Him, who commanded his disciples to "love one another," will be gratified with the following extract of a letter from an American gentleman in London, dated May 20, 1807.

"THE last week would have been a very interesting week to you, had you been in London. It was the grand Jubilee of serious Christians throughout England. Perhaps there is no meeting in the world so interesting, as the meeting of the Missionary Society. To see thousands of private Christians, and hundreds of Christian ministers, uniting on this delightful occasion is a sight peculiarly grateful to every serious mind. On Wednesday morning, May 13, the services commenced at Surry Chapel, a very large, commodious building, where the celebrated Rowland Hill preaches. After the church service was read by Mr. Hill, Mr. Newton of Witham delivered a very judicious discourse from the words, "All nations shall call him blessed." I presume there were about four thousand souls present, and among them between two and three hundred ministers. The collection at the door was 2551. sterling. In the evening the service was at the Tabernacle, a place of worship built by Mr. Whitefield, which is larger than Surry Chapel. Mr. Tack of Manchester preached an excellent sermon from Isaiah xxvii. 6. The collection here was 1427.

Thursday morning a most interesting report of the misssionary society

for the last year was read at Haberdasher's Hall by the secretary, (Rev. Dr. Burder.) It contains an abundance of important information. This meeting closed with a short address by Mr. Hill of Homerton, considering the missionary society as the cause of humanity, the cause of truth, and the cause of God. In the evening Mr. Griffin of Portsea preached a most valuable sermon, at Tottenham Court Road Chapel upon the signs of the times, as favourable to missions, "The time to favour Zion, the set time is come." The congregation at this place was larger, than at either of the others. The collection was about 1507.

Friday morning at St. Saviour's Church in the Borough, Dr, Draper of the Church of England delivered a truly catholic discourse from Matt. xxviii. 18-20, which I heard with very uncommon pleasure. The collection was about 150. In the afternoon we went to Sion Chapel to close the solemn services, in which we had been engaged, by commemorating the death of our common Lord, by cele brating together the riches of redeeming love. Can you conceive a more delightful sight, than two thousand five hundred Christians, of different denominations, sitting down at the same time, at the table of their Lord, and thus publicly professing their attachment to Jesus, and their love to one another? The Rev. Dr. Haweis presided on this interesting occasion. Several ministers exhorted, several engaged in prayer, and thirty or forty

were employed in distributing the elements. The collection was 1607.*

Thus closed one of the most solemn and interesting scenes I ever witnessed. Many ministers, I trust, have returned to their congregations more animated with zeal for the Redeemer's cause than they were before. The prayers of all good people in our dear country will no doubt be offered up to the throne of grace, for such a useful, such an extensive, such ́a blessed institution, as the Missionary Society. Let us fervently pray, that those excellent men, who have left their native land, with all its comforts, to engage in the dangers, the trials, and the arduous duties of missionary labours, may be supported by that Being, who can make water to flow from the flinty rock, and who can make the wilderness to blossom as the rose; that they may go out with joy, that they may be led forth with peace; then shall the mountains and the hills break forth into singing. Instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for a sign, that shall never be cut off. Hasten the time, Lord Jesus!"

vancement both in scholarship and public speaking.

But a scene of much greater moment took place in the vacation, for which you will warmly unite with us in grateful acknowledgments of the triumphant power of divine grace and truth. Union Presbytery, in which for some months Mr. B. and myself have had a regular standing as members, had a session at Greenville, according to previous appointment; and such a reviving season I never enjoyed before, since our arrival at the College. You know the common practice of Presbyterians is to have public worship for several days on a sacramental occasion. Wishing our ministerial brethren from a distance to be heard by the people here as of ten as possible, we have gladly con formed to the prevailing custom, though with singular exemption from those disorders, which in some parts have greatly marred the visible beauty and comeliness of the church. Public exercises commenced at Mr. B.'s meeting house on Friday afternoon; two sermons were preached there on Saturday, two on Sabbath day, one on Monday, and two at the College on Saturday and Lord's day evenings. We have reason to be thankful that our brethren came to us" in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ; that they did not shun to declare the whole counsel of God; but that speaking the truth DENT OF GREENVILLE COLLEGE, in love, they in meekness instructed

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE
REV.CHARLES COFFIN, VICE PRESI

DAT

TENNESSEE, TO A PARTICULAR
FRIEND IN NEW ENGLAND.
ED MAY 6, 1807.

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those that opposed, and commended themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." We have reason to believe that through the divine blessing much good has been done. On Sabbath noon the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered. About 70 persons communed; and to the joy of our souls, Mr. W.'s former people, who have heretofore unanimously declined to commune with us, were included in the number. It is remarkable, that the ministers were so enabled to exhibit the spirit of the gospel with its doctrines and institutions, that where opposition is not subdued, its mouth is shut. It would have afforded you high gratification to have witnessed, on the late occasion, the fidelity of the ministers and the solemnity of the people; to have heard those truths, which have here been

wrathfully controverted for so long a time, inculcated with a simplicity, affection and zeal, over which, it appeared, a knowledge of the past could have no power, either to disturb or control. Beholding in such circumstances more than 400 persons rapt in the most profound attention, not a few shedding tears, and a general face of awe and candour on the whole assembly, you would surely have said, "God is in his holy temple."

After the forenoon sermon on Monday, which was intended to open the session of Presbytery, John Gloucester, a freed black man, delivered, as part of his trials for licensure to preach the gospel, a popular discourse in the hearing of the people and of the Presbytery, with which every body was well pleased. He was awakened and converted, we believe, some years ago under Mr. Blackburn's preaching, while a slave. Mr. B. has obtained for him his liberty at the price of 600 dollars, 200 of which remain to be paid. With the advice of Presbytery, Mr. Balch invited him to come and study grammar, geography, &c. in the college, and board with him. We have instructed him and supplied him with books gratis. He has endeared himself to all classes of religious people in the neighbourhood, and bids fair to make a very faithful and acceptable minister of the gospel. His several parts of trial were satisfactory to the Presbytery, as far as pursued, and he has gone on to the General Assembly to be at their direction. Mr. Blackburn, who is our commis. sioner to that body this year, expects to have him licensed under peculiar advantages for extensive usefulness. He is indeed a genius, an orator, a man of modest and engaging address, well acquainted with genuine good breeding, and, we trust, of more than usual Christian experience. White people think the word of God comes with power from his black lips. have two members of college, whom we expect hereafter to become able and faithful ministers of the New Testament.

We

The above mentioned Presbytery includes eleven ministers; and I candidly think some of them are worthy to be ranked among the most instructive and moving preachers that I have ever heard. The session from begin,

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We have been favoured with an account of the state of religion in some parts of our Indian Empire, by a most intelligent eye-witness, a Clergyman of the Church of England, which we shall give chiefly in his own words, as contained in a Letter to a Friend in this Country. The observations were made in the course of a journey by land, undertaken during the last year, from Bengal to Cape Comorin.

"When in the province of Orissa,” observes our traveller, "I visited the celebrated Hindoo Temple of Juggernaut. I passed about ten days in making observations on it. Juggernaut appears to be the chief seat of Moloch in the whole earth, and the centre of his dominions in the present age. The number of his wor shippers is computed by hundreds of thousands. Four thousand pilgrims entered the gates with me, on the day previous to the grand festivals of the Rutt Iatra at Juggernaut. There I first saw human victims devote themselves to death, by falling under the wheels of the moving tower in which the Idol is placed. There I saw the place of skulls, called Golgotha, where the dogs and vul. tures are ever seen expecting their corpses. There I beheld the impure worship of Moloch in open day, while a great multitude, like that in the Revelations, uttered their voices, not in Hosannahs, but in yells of applause at the view of the horrid shape, and at the actions of the high-priest of infamy, who is mounted with it on the throne. Exhausted and disgusted with the daily horror of the scene, r hastened away from it. How different is that valley of Hinnom from the scene which at this moment presents itself to me here among the Christian churches of Tanjore! Here there is becoming dress, humane affections, and rational discourse! Here the feeble-minded Hindoo exhibits the Christian virtues, in a vigour which greatly surprises me! Here Christ is glorified; and this is the scene which now prompts me to write.

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