Experimental Religion Exemplified: being an Account of the Life of Alexander Archibald, late Schoolmaster, Snowhead. By Derry Scotland. THIS small treatise containing the expeOrience of one in the common walks of life, appears to us as justly entitled to the favourable notice of the religious public; it contains a plain Scriptural edifying account of the work in the soul, and of the changes and progress of the spiritual life; well calculated to encourage the heart, and direct the conduet of true believers. We can, indeed, freely recommend it as a judicious piece of Christian experience, and we sincerely hope and pray that it may be abundantly blessed, to the conversion and edification of many, in faith and holiness. We understood it was highly esteemed by the Rev. John Brown, late of Haddington; and we see it recommended by the Rev. Dr. Colquhoun, and Mr. John Brown, of Whitburn.

A Brief Account of a Tour in the Highlands of Perthshire, by the Rev. John Brown, of Whitburn. 3d Ed. 2d. THE worthy author of this little tract, here gives us an affecting narrative of his journey to the Highlands, in which he had an opportunity of witnessing the commendable and useful labours of some zealous ministers, and observing the deplorable need of a great multitude, who are perishing for lack of knowledge. We wish that wealthy persons, both in England and Scotland, would turn their attention to this interesting quarter.

We insert, in our intelligence, a paper, we presume by the same author, called 66 a Loud Cry from the Highlands," which we beg leave to recommend to the careful and charitable consideration of

our readers.

LITERARY NOTICES.

In the Press.

Shortly will be published, The Scripture Reconciler, in Answer to Paine, &c. in small Tracts.

SELECT LIST.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A Mother's Journal during the last Illness of a Daughter; with a Preface. By Miss Jane Taylor. 12mo. 3s.

No Fiction. A New Edition of this interesting Work. 2 vols. 8vo. 12s.

A Sermon preached before the Students and Friends of Homerton Academy, at Broad-street, by the Rev. W. Chaplin. 8vo. 1s.

Posthumous Sermons by John Owen D.D. 8vo. 6s.

A New Plan for Social and Domestic Worship, by the Rev. W. Smith, M.A. Author of the Domestic Altar. 8vo. 5s.

Daily Bread; containing a Meditation for every day in the year, by more than 100 popular ministers and others. T. Williams, Editor. 12mo.

Lorenzo; or the Tale of Redemption, by J. ROBY. 2d ed. royal 12mo. Boards 4s. 6d.

The Scripture Doctrine of the Name, Person, Office, and Glory of Christ, by a Layman. 8vo. 2s.

Thoughts on the Divinity and Sorship of Jesus Christ, with some remarks on the Publication of Messrs. Boyd, Moore, Watson and West, on the Eternal Sonship, by Stephen Brunskill.

The Divine Origin and Authority of the Christian Religion vindicated, by the Rev. H. C. O'Donnoghue, A.M. 5s. 6d.

The Right of Infants to Baptism; a Sermon preached at the Monthly Meeting of Ministers and Churches at Haberdasher's Hall, by H. F. Burder, M. A.

England's Memorial; being the Substance of a Sermon preached at Grove Chapel, Camberwell, Nov. 5, 1819, on the Spirit of Popery, and the Crying Sins of the Present Times. By the Rev. Joseph Irons. 1s. 6d.

A Dialogue on Spiritual Apostacy, recited by four Sunday Scholars. By G. Mantell. Is.

TRACTS.--The Sunday-School Teacher's Monitor. By the Rev. T. Raffles. Second Edition. Is.

A Peep for the Boys; or, the Superintendent's Visit to the Classes. By Anna Kent. 6d.

Life of Joanna Pickford, late in Walcot Sunday-School. 2d.

Memoirs of P. Perry, &c. late of the Trowbridge Sunday-school. By B. Kent. 3d.

The Effects of Infidelity, in the Deaths of Infidels and Christians. 2d. The Life of David. 4d.

The Monthly Reflector, No. J. Is. 6d.

FOREIGN.

BOMBAY.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. Horner, Wesleyan Missionary, dated May 15, 1819.

Ir appears as though God had a controversy with the people of India. War has slain its thousands, and pestilence its tens of thousands. At present things are tolerably quiet: the arms of the Company are victorious every where, and almost the whole of India is prostrate at our feet. But the cholera morbus, which raged so dreadfully last year throughout India, has again made its appearance on this island, and swept away a great number of the natives, as well as some Europeans. It is afflicting to hear, in the stillness of the night, the lamentations and howlings of the poor creatures, on all sides, bewailing the loss of one or more members of their families; to see the dead bodies carried along the streets, while the attendants loudly invoke Ramu or Narayau, or some other of their gods: and to be present at the place of burning, where large fires are fiercely blazing, the devouring element consuming its dreadful meal of human bones and flesh; while corpse after corpse is brought in, till the ground is strewed with the dead! I heard of a very afflicting case that occurred a few days ago: a young man, while performing the last sad offices for his mother, was seized with the disorder, and on being carried home, in a few hours died, his sister, the only remaining member of, the family, was attacked about the same time, and expired shortly after ber brother. So that within the short space of six or seven hours, mother, son, and daughter, who were all in good health in the morning, were consigned to the flames! A village to the southern extremity of the island, where the disorder had been very prevalent for some days, is totally forsaken, the remaining inhabitants having packed up their goods and left it in a body, to escape the contagion; only one or two priests remaining behind to take care of the gods. One circumstance makes it remarkable, namely, that the village is generally considered, by the Hindoos, as the most sacred place in Bombay, and where the Hindoo religion is observed in the greatest purity. Strange! that they should retain an attachment to the worship of gods who cannot protect them, and whom they are obliged to desert to save their lives!'

THE Convocation of Oxford conferred some time since, the decree of D. D. on the archdeacons of Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta; and having been informed that a fourth archdeaconry has been created by letters patent, the convocation has conferred the same degree on the Hon. and Rev. T. J. Twisleton, of Columbo, in the island of Ceylon.

IRELAND.

MR. STEVEN, one of the Committee of the Hibernian Society, has lately paid a visit to Ireland, and been very cordially and gratefully received. Of Mr. Blest, of Sligo, who is superintendent of the Society's concerns in that kingdom, he speaks in the highest terms, as eminently fitted for the important station.' In visiting the Schools, Mr. S. says,

'most

"The Society commenced its operations in the North-West of Ireland, on account of that being the residence of their superintendent; but are desirous of extending their benevolent labours through the whole kingdom. A clergyman in the county of Cork has called their attention thither, where the resident landholders have expressed their intention to lend assistance, and some gentlemen of the county of Leitrim, have also subscribed liberally to the same cause. At Belfast an Auxiliary Society has been formed, the Marquis of Donegall in the chair. A Ladies' Auxiliary Society has also been formed at Sligo, and another at Dublin. To the liberality and candour of some of the Catholic clergy Mr. S. bears honourable testimony. But the majority it appears are hostile, and their hostility becomes more formidable and systematic.

In the course of my examination (as might have been expected) I did not find every school exactly in the same good order; but there was much to commend on the whole. The progress of the children, generally, confirmed my opinion of the value of our plan, which connects the master's emolument with the pupil's proficiency. My feelings, on sitting down in the midst of a hundred or more poor children, chiefly of catholic parents, some of them almost naked, with interesting and intelligent countenances, reading and repeating portions of the sacred scriptures, were indeed more than 1 can express. These are destined by divine Providence to be the fathers and mothers of the next generation: how important is it then that their minds be freed from the fetters of

superstition, and that they be instructed in their duty to their parents and neighbours to fear God and honour the king, And surely the present state of Britain and Ireland, in reference to atheistical and deistical attempts to poison the minds of the lower orders of society, should decide all the friends of religion and social order in favour of a system of education, which leads the learners into an acquaintance with the sacred volume.

The benefit resulting to the parents and neighbours from the children carrying home their Testaments and Bibles is incalculably great. In this way the Word of God has been introduced into thousands of cabins. The necessity of the parents hearing the children repeat their tasks, brings them, it may be at first unwillingly, acquainted with a book, against which they had been prejudiced. Their prejudices by degrees give way; and that book which they had never heard mentioned, but to be loaded with anathemas, now becomes their delight; and their cabin is soon crowded with neighbours to hear its wonderful contents. How delightful to see the big tear stealing down the cheek of the sturdy father, to perceive his rugged temper subdued, and the Lion changed into a Lanb! Hence arises that personal, domestic, and social improvement, which is obvious in those districts where our schools have been established for any considerable time.

On the extended operations of the Society, Mr. S. says,

The Committee will observe, that while they are encouraged to expect cooperation from Ireland to a greater extent than heretofore, they have entered on a new sphere of operations, which will require a considerable additional income; they must, therefore, prepare themselves for greater exertions in procuring subscriptions, donations, and collections in London and in the country.'

LOUD CRY FROM THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND, Come over and Help us.' THE need in which the inhabitants of the Highlands stand of Christian instruction, will be readily admitted by all who have turned their attention to the subject. The Bible was not translated, or printed in Gaelic, till two centuries after it was published in English. The Highlands and Islands partook but sparingly of the benefits of the Reformation; and while, during the unhappy reign s of the royal brothers, the labours of the persecuted ministers were remarkably useful in the remote corners of the Lowlands, to

which they were obliged to retire, the provinces where the Gaelic tongue was vernacular, were, from the circumstance of few of the ministers being able to speak that language, in a great measure deprived of this advantage. Even in the present age, our northern and western countrymen labour under extreme disadvantages of a religious and moral nature, and are perishing by thousands for lack of knowledge. Several of the parishes are larger than some of the counties in the Lowlands; some of them about 60 miles long, by from 16 to 40 miles broad; which extent of boundaries forms but one of the many difficulties in diffusing religious knowledge through the Highlands; Islands, to the number of 6 or 8, are clustered into one parish, and some of them are about 30 miles distant from the residence of the clergyman. In some of those islands there is neither resident minister, missionary, catechist, nor schoolmaster. The inhabitants live and die, not only ignorant of the advantages of letters, but without even oral instruction. Some of the people hear a sermon but four times in the year, some not so often, while individuals, owing to various causes, do not hear a sermon all their days; nor could apostolic zeal itself enable an individual minister to impart the necessary religious instruction, in such unpropitious circumstances. The case becomes more affecting, when we consider, that all the means of religious knowledge which are enjoyed in the Highlands, (the Gaelic Circulating schools excepted,) are stationary. The moral and religious aspect of that country in general, particularly the Western Highlands, is lamentable; indeed Popery is in many places not only general, but almost exclusively prevalent. From these facts it may be naturally concluded, that the people in general must be ignorant. Swearing, smuggling, drinking, strife, revenge, and almost every evil work, prevail in many places. Even in some whole parishes, an instance of family worship can hardly be found. Of the Scriptural view of the doctrines, the precepts, and the ordinances of religion, they live and die ignorant. They have been so living and dying for ages.

An ardent lover of his Celtic countrymen throws out the following suggestions, respecting practical methods of doing good to this interesting portion of mankind, in the hope, that, by God's blessing, his well meant, though humble, labour of love, may not be altogether unavailing. Sensible of his very imperfect information on many points connected with his subject, he proposes his suggestions in the form of queries.

Might not ministers in the Highlands devote a portion of their time to the active superintendence of the schools in their parishes, and occasionally during the summer, on week days, preach in the remoter parts of them? Might not ministers and teachers establish small libraries, containing such Gaelic books as are fitted for religious instruction, and a collection also of English books for such as are able to read and understand them? Might they not engage in an inquiry into the number of persons in their neighbourhood who can read-the extent to which they are furnished with Gaelic Scriptures; and state the result of their inquiries to any of the Bible Societies, who will readily supply them with the necessary quantity of Gaelic Bibles? Might not Bible Societies or Associations be more generally established in the Highland towns, and even in some of the more populous parishes? By their exertions, the state of the country, with respect to a supply of the Scriptures, would be accurately ascertained, and a channel opened for a full and regular communication of the Sacred volume. Might not, indeed, ought not religious persons in the higher ranks of life, who frequently make excursions into the Highlands for pleasure, furnish themselves with a supply of Gaelic tracts, treatises, and Bibles, for distribution, and lay themselves out to obtain correct information respecting the means of religious and moral improvement with which the Highlanders are furnished? Might not Christians, who have no opportunity of visiting the Highlands themselves, send supplies of Bibles and religious books, to ministers or teachers who they have reason to think would willingly and judiciously distribute them* ?

As many persons who may have a wish to engage in this way of doing good, may

* Books in Gaelic: Allein's AlarmGuthrie's Trial-Boston's Fourfold StateDyer's Golden Chain-Baxter's Call Corbyn's Solemn Call-Select Passages of Scripture-Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress-Doddridge's Rise and Progress -Newton's Life - Willison's Sacramental Catechism -Thomson's Catechism on the Lord's Supper-Gray's Catechism on Baptism-Shorter, Proof's and Mother's and Brown's Two Catechisms. Also the following Gaelic Tracts; Poor Joseph-John Covey-The Blood of Christ-Profit and Loss-Plain Truth the Fisherman-the Great Question Answered.-In English; Best MatchBrooke's Golden Apples-Brown's Journal of a Sabbath Day-Early Piety

not know of any individual to whom they may safely consign their gifts, the writer of this begs leave to mention the following individuals, all of whom, he is well assured, will gladly lend their aid in such a labour of love: the Rev. Dr. Ross, Lochbroom; Messrs. M'Intosh, Tain; Forbes, Tarbet; M'Adam, Nigg; M'Donald, Urquhart; Stewart, Dingwall; Shaw, Bracadale; J. Kennedy Kilternan; N. Kennedy, Loggy; Matheson, Kilmuir; Fraser,Oban; Monro, Edderton; M'Millan and M'Kay, Arran; M'Dairmid, Paisley; and Mr. Findlater, missionary, Perthshire, and Mr. M'Gilivray, missionary, Strathfillan. Many other pious ministers would doubtless rejoice in being made the agents of their brethren's liberality: but these are noticed merely because they are more immediately known to the writer. Might not religious tradesmen accompany their packages of goods to the Highlands, with a parcel of tracts for circulation? Might not commercial travellers in their northern journies, distribute religious tracts? Might they not be given with advantage to the Highlanders who visit the Lowlands during harvest, at the ferries where they pass, or at the towns where they are hired? And to such of them also, as are employed in driving cattle to the southern counties? Persons residing on any of the great roads to England, have, in this way, a very promising opportunity of doing good. From experience, the writer can say, such presents are generally received with gratitude. Might not ministers, of every denomination, who can speak Gaelic, spend a month or six weeks in the summer in preaching in the more neglected parts of the Highlands and Islands? Might not small selections of religious Gælic poems, by Buchanan and Dewar, be printed

Brown's Young Christian-Henry on Pleasantness of Religion-Young Cottager, and various other tracts.

Any of the Scots ministers in London, would doubtless, receive and transmit Bibles or tracts for the Highlands. Ed.

* Mr. Dugal Buchanan, long an eminent teacher under the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, was a native of this place. This man, who was possessed of uncommon powers of mind, was in his early days entirely careless about religion, and owed his first serious impressions to a conversation with a pious fellow Highlander. What is your profession, friend?' said the pious man, 'I have none,' replied Dugald, I am a sheet of white paper.' Take care,' retorted the good man, 'lest the Devil write his name on it.' This led to seri

and scattered among the young Highlanders, who are usually fond of music? Might not a missionary society for the purpose of spreading the gospel among the Highlands be set up, and evangelical preachers of all denominations invited to employment for some months in summer and harvest?* Might not Sabbath schools be more generally established in the north? Might not the wealthy and enlightened proprietors of many Highland estates, make some farther exertion for the religious and moral improvement of their tenantry? Might not the overseers at the various fishing stations be employed as agents, for dispersing tracts, &c.? Might not the hawkers, who have, in so many instances, disseminated the poison of infidelity and impurity, be rendered subservient to the general diffusion of Christian truth in the Highlands, by spreading religious tracts?

All the true friends of our common Lord are anxious to do good to all as they have opportunity; but many of them are sometimes at a loss as to the means which they should adopt for this purpose.' To such persons the above hints are respectfully submitted, with an earnest prayer that they may induce some of them to stretch out the hand of Christian benevolence to our unenlightened countrymen in the north and west. The Grampian mountains are daily in my view, and the situation of the hardy and interesting race which dwell beyond them, seldom, for a day, absent from my mind within that stony inclosure, I often say to myself, reside thousands who never read a page of the book of life-who are perishing for lack of knowledge, and who, if something is not done for their instruction, must live and die as ignorant as the inhabitants of Japan or China. They are not only my fellow men but my countrymen, to whose unexampled courage Britain has so often been indebted in the day of danger, and by

ous reflection, and Dugald became an I eminent Christian, and a most useful member of society. He published some excellent Gaelic poems, (a new edition of which has been printed at Glasgow, and a selection from which has been made by the Tract Society there, for distribution among the Highlanders) was of incalculable use to the district in which he lived.

*A society of this kind is erected at Paisley it is composed of several ministers of different denominations, with many of the most respectable Christians in the town; they employ five or six missionaries.

22222

DRUIDICAL TEMPLE.

NORTH WALES CHARITY SCHOOLS.

In the year of our Lord 1792, some truly generous friends, pitying the ignorant and wretched state of NORTH WALES, instituted schools in that Principality. Since their establishment, they have been rendered eminently useful to many thousands of souls. Strict inquiry as to their success, has been made by persons residing in different parts of England, and the information has been most satisfactory. As heretofore, to render these institutions as beneficial as possible they are removed from place to place, under the direction of a Committee. But, they have deeply to lament, that in the course of the two last years, several liberal subscribers have been removed by death, that the times have made some others, who still approve the object, unable to continue their support, and that though the merit of these schools has been repeatedly and powerfully pleaded in the annual reports, and by the testimony of competent judges, yet, but very few new subscribers come forwards to this good work. This has laid the managers under the painful necessity of diminishing the numbers of Scholars, which will be seen by comparing this with the last report; and of denying admission to a great many deserving poor children, who have in vaiù sought carefully with tears to enter into