he would demolish its superstitious fanes, and its idolatrous altars. He would have every highway, and every footway, passing through its shades, to be so laid, as to lead directly to Mount Zion; and the Castalian fount to be sanctified by mingling with the waters of Siloab. The work is intended to be popular, rather than profound. It is notwithstanding instructive and entertaining; and if we should judge by the effect which reading it produced on our own minds, we should also say impressive. Few sermons, however profound, combine these characteristicks in any considerable degree. The work is well adapted to profit literary youth. Pious and intelligent young people of either sex, could scarcely rise from the perusal of it without finding their scope of information enlarged, their literary taste gratified, and their religious feelings improved; or without at least, some impression, that the most proper place for literary ardour is the altar of religion. The work before us may be recommended to every parent who, with literature, would also cultivate Christianity in the minds of his children, as a book that ought frequently to be read in his family. And as it always considers literature in relation to Christianity, weighs it in the scales of truth, shows what is its real value, and in what it is found wanting, describes its temptations and its disappointments as well as its pleasures, it ought to be in the hand of every collegian, and might not be found altogether unprofitable even to theological students. We close this short review with an extract from the sixth discourse; intended for those who are ardent in the pursuit of letters, but neglectful of religion. "But what can literature do in adversity? "It sometimes shows a spot of sunshine on the heavy cloud, but it cannot roll away the cloud. Pos sessed of delicacy and refinement of feeling, keen is that anguish, that has often preyed on men of genius. The world reproaches them for their inattention to their temporal affairs, when perhaps they deserve not the reproach. Men prove treacherous in whom confidence has been reposed; even courtiers, princes and kings have been guilty of ingratitude. Patrons withdraw until perhaps the man of genius, whose name is to adorn the latest annals of the world, expires in a hovel. Facts seal the truth of this representation. "But can literature make provision for death? "Not to speak of the pains which precede this momentous event, when disease wastes the body and fatal consumption cleaves fast to its victim-What are days then, but days of mourning, and nights, but nights of anguish? Reduced to the feebleness of infancy, the mind impaired, memory losing its recol lection apace, the fancy wild and unmanageable-Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him! Come here idolater of literature, and look upon the dim eye, the hollow cheek, and dejected brow of one like your self, who has explored all science, and gathered goodly pearls out of every field but that of divine truth." Literary and Philosophical Intelligence, etc. A new theological work is announced for publication in Paris. It is to be entitled, The Gazette des Cultes, and will be published twice a week. Its motto is "Civil and Religious Liberty throughout the World." One professed object of the work is to expose the machinations of the Jesuits; to detail the superstitious rites at the planting of crosses, and other Popish ceremonies; and to reveal the intrigues of Rome. The civil disabilities of British and Irish Catholics were intended to have formed a prominent feature of discussion, but this topic is of course superseded. Dr. Esquirol, the first authority in France upon the subject of insanity, states, that in no country is it so frequent as in England, which he attributes to irregular habits of life; the excesses attending an advanced state of civilization; marriages contracted solely from motives of interest or ambition; anxieties attending speculations; the idleness of riches; and the abuse of spirituous liquors. The changes in manners in France within the last thirty years, he says, have been more productive of insanity than all the political turmoils. He remarks: Religion no longer intervenes, but as a mere form, in the most solemn transactions of life: she is no longer a source of consolation and hope to the unfortunate; her principles have ceased to direct the understanding in the narrow and difficult path of life: every source of kindly feeling has been dried up by cold egotism; the domestick affections, respect, love, authority, and the consequent mutual dependence on each other, have lost their influence; every one lives entirely for self. Marriage is only regarded in the light of a formal unimportant ceremony; education has become vitiated, cultivating the mind but neglecting the heart. If the habits of life of the women in France, their almost exclusive devotion to the study of the arts of pleasing, their immoderate taste for novel-reading, for dress, and frivolities of every description, are added to the above causes, there will be no longer reason to wonder at the perverted state of our morals, both in publick and private life: nor shall we have any right to complain if nervous diseases, and especially insanity, are rapidly increasing; so indubitably true is it, that whatever appertains to man's moral good, has the most intimate connexion with his corporeal well-being, and the preservation of his health. It is therefore of the greatest importance to avoid matrimonial unions between individuals born of insane parents; to adopt a system of education more religious in its character; children must be better trained to bear op; position to their caprices; their moral and intellectual feelings should not be excited and over-exerted by the too early application of their faculties to study; errors of diet must be strictly avoided; and their passions should be controlled and judiciously directed." M. Champollion writes with enthusiastick animation of the ruins of Thebes; he views all European edifices as but the work of pigmies, in comparison with these gigantic structures; he discovers the portraits of the most ancient Pharaohs represented hundreds of times in bas reliefs; the campaigns of Sesostris; and the name of Judea among those of thirty conquered nations; with a sculptured commentary on the expedition of Shishak, king of Egypt, against Jerusalem, related 1 Kings xiv. We must think our learned traveller somewhat sanguine in some of his conclusions. In an address delivered to the graduates of the Columbian College, at Washington, by T. Sewell, Professor of Anatomy and Surgery, the following admirable rules of conduct are strongly urged: "1. Maintain a scrupulous regard to truth. Although there are many cases in which it is highly proper for the physician to encourage the hopes of his patient and dissipate his fears, there is no case in which it is justifiable to do it at the expense of truth. To conceal from a dying man his situation, not only involves a sacrifice of truth, but is a violation of the highest principles of honour and justice. 2. Be attentive to the sufferings of the poor. 3. In your professional intercourse, assiduously cultivate a pure and elevated style of conversation, urbanity and gentleness of manner, and kindness of heart. 4. Maintain a due observance of the Sabbath. The observance of the Sabbath, and an attendance on such devotional exercises as are within your reach, is a duty you are bound to perform as far as is compatible with the urgency of the cases committed to your care; and it will seldom happen that your cases are so urgent, or your practice so extensive, as not to be disposed of during the interval of publick worship. Dr. Rush used to say that he never knew a time when his professional business in Philadelphia did not admit of his attendance on publick worship at least half of the day, and he never failed to inculcate the importance of this duty on his pupils. Another custom recommended and practised by this distinguished philanthropist and physician, will be equally worthy of your imitation as soon as your circumstances will admit; that of bestowing all Sabbath fees on objects of charity. 5. Guard against infidel sentiments. Whatever may have been the moral and religious state of the profession in other times, and in other countries, its present condition, and particularly in the United States, shows us that there is no necessary connexion between the science of medicine and scepticism; and it must be gratifying to the profession to recognise the fact, that all the most eminent physicians of our country openly espouse the Christian religion, defend its doctrines, and give the whole weight of their influence in support of moral and religious institutions. Remember that the way of infidelity is downward, and that when you once enter it, every succeeding step will urge you onward with increasing celerity. Few have trod this dark and fearful path, and returned to warn others of its fatal termination. 6. Observe strict temperance in the use of ardent spirits. 7. Abstain from all games of chance, as a practice alike degrading to you as men, and inconsistent with the dignity, and the high and important duties of your profession. 8. Discountenance and abstain from the practice of duelling. 9. Keep constantly in view the moral obligations you are under to your patients and to the community. The moral and religious influence of sickness is, no doubt, highly beneficial to the best interests of man, and of society. At this time the stoutest heart is softened, old animosities are forgotten, the mind looks back with regret upon the errors of past times, and extends itself forward with new and better resolutions to the future. Old vices are broken off, and the mind then, if ever, is open to the convictions of truth. The frequent opportunities you will enjoy of promoting and strengthening the good resolutions of your patients, and especially if suffering under the consequences of vicious conduct, ought never to be neglected. Your counsel and reproof will be listened to with respect, and received as tokens of friendship, whenever they are imparted at proper seasons, and evince a sincere interest in the welfare of the individual to whom they are addressed."-Ch. Obs. Extract of a Letter.-The curiosity, which it is my purpose to introduce to your notice, is appropriately called the ICE MOUNTAIN. It stands in the county of Hampshire, not far distant from the road leading from Winchester to Romney, and near a small stream, called the North river. It is not of very great altitude, nor are its sides very steep or precipitous.-About half a mile or perhaps more, of that side fronting the west, is formed entirely of stone from its base to very near its summit. These stones, varying in weight from one to ten or twenty pounds, lie loosely toge ther and may be easily removed with the hand-no earth of any consequence being found among them, of course no trees can grow there, and the only shrubs to be found are a few wild currant bushes. The side of the above mentioned mountain is fully exposed to the rays of the sun, from 9 to 10 o'clock in the morning until sunset, without any intervening mountain or grove to protect it. In this mountain may be found at all seasons of the year, in summer as well as in winter, an abundance of ICE. It is procured without the least difficulty; it is only necessary for the stones lying on the top to be removed, the ice will be found lying among and adhering to other stones, in pieces of different sizes, all as hard and as firm as in the win ter season. It was on the 4th of July last, that I visited this mountain; and it will be recollected that prior to that time, there had been some very warm and oppressive weather, nevertheless, with the assistance of a gentleman who accompanied me, I procured a plenty of ice; and I am very confident, that in the space of ten minutes, Iwe could have found more than we could have conveniently carried. So easily is it procured and so abundantly is it found, that persons living in the neighbourhood, are n the daily habit during the summer months, of procuring it for the use of their families. The ice I saw, was found near the foot of the mountain, but I was informed, and have no doubt, that it might be procured a considerable distance up the moun tain; but the difficulty of ascending over the loose rocks, and indeed, the danger of those from above tumbling down in the removal of those below, prevented my as certaining the fact. Out of this mountain, and through the stones, there issues a strong current of extremely cold air. It is not like the common breeze that blows over our fields, abating at intervals, but is continual and unremitting, and is as cold as the wind in the middle of December. From my recollection of the Blowing Cave, mentioned by Mr. Jefferson, in his Notes on Virginia, I am pretty confident the current of air which issues from this mountain is much stronger than that from the Cave, and greatly colder. It may be furthermore mentioned as descriptive of this singular mountain, that a gentleman who lives near. and whose plantation lies adjacent to the mountain, has built among the stones a small house, for the purpose of keeping fresh meats, butter, milk, &c. I saw, when there, icicles hanging from the bot tom logs of this house, as firm and as hard as are found here in the depth of winter, and was told that it was not uncommon to find the flies and insects, attracted by the meats, &c. lying numbed and motionless upon the stones. As may be supposed, a person, on ap proaching the mountain, experiences manifest change in the atmosphere, and, I have no doubt, that in the warmest and most sultry day, a person, by remaining on it for a few hours, would feel a coolness almost disagreeable. I have thus given you a very imperfect account of the Ice mountain; the causes which conspire to produce this singular phenomenon, I am not able to explain, and shall not, therefore, make the attempt, but shall leave the task to others who find more pleasure in such investigations. M. Amherst County, Virginia, July 22d. 1829. Keligious Intelligence. MISSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. It may be recollected that in the first circular of the Executive Committee of the Board of Missions of the Presbyterian Church, published in the Christian Advocate for July 1828, it was stated that " a monthly periodical, under the title of The Missionary Reporter, was in contemplation;" but that "in the mean time, religious periodicals already established would be employed to convey to the publick the statements which it would be the duty of the committee to make." These statements have accordingly, for something more than a year past, been published in the Christian Advocate and the Philadelphian. But the time originally contemplated has arrived, and arrived more speedily than was expected, when the Committee believe that a "Missionary Reporter" is demanded to make known, more generally than could otherwise be done, the various concerns of those missions which the Presbyterian Church, in her distinctive character, is now patronising with a most laudable spirit of liberality and activity. Arrangements have therefore been made, in concert with the Board of Education of the General Assembly, for issuing a monthly publication, in which all the important proceedings and measures of both these Boards will be detailed, together with a statement of the result of their several operations. This publication we cordially and earnestly recommend to the patronage of all our friends. We shall transfer from its proof sheets pages all the Missionary Intelligence it may contain, as well as the most important information relative to the Board of Education: and as our publication will be cotemporaneous with that of The to our Missionary Reporter, our readers will receive the intelligence it communicates, as early as those to whom that paper sent. The thirty-third last that will be marked numericommunication given below is the cally, as the Christian Advocate and Philadelphian are no longer the exclusive channels, through which original communications from the Assembly's Board of Missions will be made to the publick. THIRTY-THIRD COMMUNICATION. Virginia. A missionary of the Board, who has recently been travelling in this State, under date of July 11th, 1829, writes to the Corresponding Secretary as follows:the Western part of Virginia. Some parts "We came a pretty direct course through of this old Atlantick state are very destitute of the means of grace. They have occasional supplies by Methodists or Baptist brethren; but these in some situations, like angel visits, are few and far be tween.' You doubtless have been in formed, that whole Counties are yet destitute of what some call efficient gospel, labourers! Could your ears hear what mine have by way of profaneness; could your eyes behold the wretched effects of Intemperance; and could you see the evident marks of destitution of conscience which abound there; I think you would call it Missionary ground, and have some desire to see it brought under moral cultivation!" In the congregation of I have preached three times, and made six family visits. This is an infant society. It embraces only twelve members, and could do but little to support the gospel, but is by no means unimportant as a field for missionary labour. Here, as perhaps in almost every other destitute district of this Western country, there is a great variety of denominations professing Christianity. Delusive, destructive errors are taught, often with much zeal; and thus the carnal mind, which is enmity to God, becomes more and more inclined to cavil, and more full of prejudice against the humbling doctrines of the gospel of Christ. And here permit me to remark, that I should be grieved to see any, in advocating the doctrines of our church, resort to such a method as is not uncommon in our land, yet that it is my firm persuasion, that the cause of truth suffers for want of judicious pieces adapted to correct certain misrepresentations, and to preserve those who are "carried about with every wind of doctrine, and cunning craftiness, whereby men lie in wait to deceive." In discharging missionary duties during this month, I have travelled one hundred and sixty miles, made thirty-six family visits, preached twenty-one discourses, addressed three sabbath-schools, and distributed one thousand pages of religious tracts. For the missionary funds of the General Assembly I have received as follows:By donation in the congregation of Dearfield, of Peter Lazarus, and John Hartsell, each one dollar; of Frederick Lazarus and Abram Hartsell, each fifty cents. Received, by collection from a few individuals in the congregation of Newton, one dollar and twenty-five cents. Also by collection in the congregation of Springfield, nine dollars: amounting to $13.25. Praying that the Lord may bless the efforts of the Board to build up the waste places of Zion, giving wisdom and success to their operations, I remain with sincere affection, yours." KENTUCKY. Extracts from the Report of a Missionary of the Board, dated July 7, 1829. You have already received a brief detail of my proceedings until the first of May. Since that time my labours have been employed in the same field, and according to the same general plan. I have preached in the last two months sixty Limes-attended two days in different congregations to catechetical instruction-organized and attended another very interesting Bible class-made preparation for the commencement of two more Sabbath schools next Sabbath-and assisted on three sacramental occasions; at one of which two, at another, four, and at another, seven persons, were admitted as members of the church, on a profession of their faith in Christ. Thus you have laid before you in few words, the way in which, as your missionary, I have attempted to discharge the duties of my station. Since entering on the field of labour, I have had occasion to travel upwards of 2000 miles in order to "preach the gospel publickly and from house to house"-have been permitted and enabled to preach 160 times, besides delivering exhortations-addresses at prayer meetings and on other occasions-have la boured statedly in ten different countiesthrough which I took a monthly circuitpreached occasionally in 34 different towns, villages, congregations, and neighbour hoods-have met with all that variety of character which is known so extensively to pervade our Western country-have ad dressed people occasionally in six courthouses, and 22 churches-occupied by four different societies of Christians. What the result will be is known only to Him to whom "all things are naked and open He will reveal it when he makes a fail disclosure of the facts recorded in the book of his remembrance. To us at present, though the manifest effect is not such as could be desired, yet there is much casse for encouragement. In general, the at tendance on instruction was very good. both as to number and order. The Sabbath schools-though at first opposed in somo degree by those who say they are not in favour of teaching children religion, any i more than making men preachers"-continue to prosper; and are already bringing forth such fruits as to attract the respect and admiration of the wise and good. The introduction of catechizing produced thrill of joy in the bosoms of some of the excellent of the earth who are bending under a weight of years. Such, say they, was their privilege when young. The great majority both old and young took a most lively interest in this exercise. Many of the most enlightened and pious of the different branches of the Christian church, as well as many who are connected with no society, are very solicitous to havea continuance of those labours among them. And some plead with streaming eyes for me not to leave them, for "what" say they, "will become of those few scattered sheep in the wilderness?"-One small congrega tion of about 60 members would raise about 150 dollars for half the time of some de voted minister-but can get none.-Two other united congregations will about dou ble this subscription for the entire laboure of a Pastor-and give such attendance to his labours as is itself a luxury more than earth can afford. Still, owing to the ind gent circumstances of a great number of those among whom I have laboured, and most of all, owing to the love of money and deep rooted prejudices against giving any pecuniary aid to benevolent or religions operations; the collections have been small. In some places it has been thought advis able not to mention the subject of contr butions, and on all occasions it has been made entirely a matter of choice with the people. So that I may freely say, what has been received has been from "ekeer ful givers." $60.68 is the amount cal lected, now in my hands, for the Board of Missions of the General Assembly. It has been obtained from the following sources |