So, in courts of justice, if a professed Christian perjure himself in order to save the life of an individual, he could not plead the sanc. tion of the Scriptures; but a Hindoo may urge that he has a right to save the life of a Brahmin by false evidence.

WESTERN AFRICA.

Sierra Leone.

WE copy what follows from the communications of Mr. Johnson, in the London Missionary Register for April. Our readers will rene aber, that this is not the first time we have taken occasion to illustrate the influence of the Christian religion on the negroes of the African continent.

Examination of a Candidate for Baptism.

Question.-How long have you felt desirous of being baptised?

Answer. Since you came from England, Sir.

Q. How did you become first desirous? A. Some words which you talk in the church make me fraid.

Q. Can you tell me those words, which made you afraid?

A. Yes, Sir. You say, "Suppose a man or woman die, and not born again by the Spirit of God, they cannot go to God;" and then you talk about them people, how they stand [pointed out the character of those who were not born again,] and then I think that meme do all them thing, and that make me fraid.

Q. If you have been bad before, you do not any thing bad now: you are very good this time, are you not?

A. Massa, me very bad: me heart fall of sin, and that trouble me.

Q. I suppose, then, when you are baptised, you think you shall be better?

A. No, Massa: that no make me good: the Lord Jesus Christ, Him one only can make me good, and can save me; and for that I want to follow him.

Q. Who is Jesus Christ?

A. The Son of God.

Q. What did he do to save you?

A. He die upon the cross for sinners.

Q. Are you a sinner?

A. Too much, Massa.

Q. Where is the Lord Jesus Christ now?

A. He live in heaven.

Q. What is he doing there?

A. Pray for sinners.

Q. How many Gods are there?

A. One: God the Son, God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost-I mistake: it is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

Q. You say three times God; are there not three Gods?

A. No, Massa; them three be one God.
Q. Can you tell me who made you?
A. God the Father.
Q. Who redeemed you?

A. God the Son; and God the Holy Ghost teach me.

Q. What does God the Holy Ghost teach

you?

a soul.

A. Yes, I know: but the Holy Ghost must baptize the soul.

Q. What then is spiritual baptism? (Was silent.) I mean, what is true baptism? A. The Holy Ghost baptism.

Q. Can you tell me what people eat and drink when they come to the Lord's table? A. Bread and wine.

Q And what does the soul eat and drink? (Was silent.) I mean while we look to Jesus Christ, and remember his dying love, what do our souls spiritually receive?

A. The body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Q. You said before, that the Son of God redeemed you; what did he redeem or save you with?

A. He pay his own blood for sinners.
Q. Why don't you say for ME?

A. Me fraid, Massa: me so bad, me can't say "for me," yet.

Q. Tell me, did not you know any thing before you felt your sins?

A. No, Massa; me know nothing before: me careless: me no hear: but when I see all the bad things I do before, then I glad to hear something.

Q. Do you think you shall do good now?

A. O Massa! if God help me, want to do good; but I cannot do any thing by myself. I hope the Lord will help me-me bad too much-I sorry for myself.

Q. Do you pray?

A. Yes, I pray; but I am afraid God no hear my prayer.

Q. Do not you feel glad sometimes when you pray?

A. Yes, Sir: I feel sometimes glad, and sometimes sorry.

Q. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to save you?

A. Sometimes I am afraid, because my sins too much; but he is God, and can do all things: that make me glad.

Here the examination ended, greatly, as may be supposed, to my satisfaction.

Others who were also examined, gave sim. ilar answers: but i should observe, that all can. not answer so correctly as this woman, and, therefore, her examination must not be taken as a general case; though I do not baptize any, unless my mind is satisfied that a work of grace is begun. Their knowledge sometimes differs, but not materially. Some cannot speak in my presence, while they can

do so before Tamba or Davis: some are so much agitated when they come to me, that it requires a great deal of patience to find out their real state.

Remarks of a Christian Negro.

Yesterday morning, when you preach, you shew we that the law be our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. You talk about the ten commandments: You begin at the first, and me say to myself, "Me guilty!"-the second: "Me guilty!"-the third: "Me guilty!"--the fourth: "Me guilty!"-the fifth: "Me guilty!" Then you say the sixth-Thou shalt not kill. Me say, "Ah! me no guilty! me never kill some person." You say, "I suppose plenty people live here, who say-Me no guilty of that! Me say again in my heart, "Ah! me no guilty." Then you say, "Did you never hate any person?-Did you never wish that such a person, such a man, or such a woman, was dead?" -Massa, you talk plenty about that; and what I feel that time I can't tell you. I talk in my heart and say, "Me the same person!" My heart begin to beat -me want to cry-my heart heave so much me don't know what to do. Massa, me think me kill TEN people before breakfast! I never think I so bad. Afterward you talk about the Lord Jesus Christ, how he take all our sin. I think I stand the same like a person that have a big stone upon him head, and can't walk-want to fall down, O Massa! I have trouble too much-I no sleep all night. (Wept much.) hope the Lord Jesus Christ will take my sins from me! Suppose he no save me, I shall go to hell for ever.

Tenderness of Conscience.

Went to see a sick communicant. When he saw me, he appeared much cast down. I asked if he had any thing to say to me. Tears ran down his black cheeks; but he remained silent. I again requested him, if he had any thing upon his mind, to tell me. He answered-"Them words you talk last Sunday live in my heart." (The text was Rev. iii, 19.) "I went to Freetown, some time ago; and met with some of my country-people, who live there. They make me come to their house. 1 eat with them; and they talk foolish, and I did not tell them that they do bad. I stand the same like one of them. My heart strike me, the same time; but I no mind that. Then them people do very bad-they curse, they drink, and do very bad. They tell me to stop all night. I no like it; but, by and bye, I stop: and, Oh Massa! what plague me much is, I laugh when they talk bad. Next day I go home: and Oh! how my heart strike me when I go in the road; and, when I come home, I get sick. God punish me for that: and since that time I been sick. Sometimes, I only strong enough to go to church; but I get no peace in my heart, when I hear the Word of God. All is against me." Here he began to weep again; and I perceived that his illness was caused by grief. I tried to point out to him the tenderness of the father, after having punished his child; and that our heavenly Father, in like manner, mercifully,

rial majesty to accept this expression of cor. dial gratitude, for the interest which he was pleased to manifest, when the greatly enlarg. ed expenditure of the Society was made known to him, through the medium of his excellency Prince Alexander Galitzin, in gracicusly ordering a donation of seven thousand rubles to be given in aid of its funds. The Society also begs leave to embrace this opportunity of tendering its most grateful thanks to his imperial majesty, for the nu merous favors previously conferred by his majesty and his government on the missionaries of the Society, since the establishment of the missions in his majesty's Siberian dominions."

Sermons were preached in behalf of the Society, and collections taken, in different parts of London. We give several of the collections, as specimens of the zeal and liberality of English Christians, at these anniversary meetings.

Surrey Chapel,

Tabernacle,

St. Anne's Church,

Tottenham-Court Chapel,

$1,586 89

898 36 848 92 682 65 448 32 568 52

The receipts of the year amounted to 29,4371.; or $130,700.

UNITED BRETHREN.

Annual Sermon.

No public meeting is held by the Brethren, in behalf of their missions; but an annual sermon is now preached, in aid of the Association, formed in London, for the support of these missions. The sermon on the present occasion was preached, on Thursday evening, the 2d of May, at the church of St. Clement Danes, by the Rev. Legh Richmond, M.A. Rector of Turvey, Bedfordshire, from 1 Thess. i, 2, 3. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Futher.

In reference to the Brethren, Mr. Richmond pointed out the eminent manner in which their church had displayed, in its missions, the work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope. As an ancient body of Christians, always resisting the encroachments of the church of Roine, this Church had been graced with the names and watered by the blood of many martyrs

In the very midst of their persecutions, they had publish ed several editions of the Bible in the vulgar tongue. While other countries were enjoying the blessings of the Reformation, the United Brethren were still, for centuries, visited with the most distressing and cruel opposition, and were often nearly exterminated: on one of which occasions, their bishop, Amos Comenius, bequeathed the remnant of his church to the parental care of the church of England, as the bulwark of the Protestant faith-a bequest, to which he trusted that church would do justice. It was in their flight from their native Moravia, during a persecution which harassed them from the commengement of the last century, that they

settled in Germany; and, though a small and exiled body, they began, within a few years to send out.issionaries to the most inhospitable regions, and to the most savage and degraded tribes of the known world They had maintained the original character of their church through all their vicissitudes, and amidst the severe hardships which had accompanied their labors among the heathen. Their success might chiefly be ascribed, under the blessing of God, to the simplicity and constancy with which they exhibited the cross of Christ, as the power of God and the wisdom of God. The extent of this success had been great; they now employed, including the females of the missions, nearly 170 laborers; and numbered in their congregations, 32,000 converts. The increasing calls upon them for further supplies of missionaries and of funds, their own poverty as a people, their retired and withdrawing character, and the difficulties under which they labor, give them a claim on the enlarged support of their fellow Christians.

The Synodal Committee, at Herrnhut, who direct the concerns of the Brethren's missions, have published the following statement of the receipts and disbursements for the year 1820:

Receipts of the Year 1820.

The following are some of the resolutions passed on the occasion:

"That, in the estimation of this meeting, the communications received from various parts of the world, afford increasing evidence of the favorable disposition of the Jews toward Christianity; and that the beneficial results to which the operations of this Society have led in those countries to which its attention has been chiefly directed, while they call for devout acknowledgments to Almighty God, afford the amplest encouragement for the continuance of its exertions.

"That the opening prospects of useful exertion in other parts of the world where Jews reside in considerable numbers, especially on the shores of the Mediterranean and in the East, furnish an urgent appeal to the Society for an enlargement of its efforts.

"That, deeply impressed with a sense of the inefficiency of human endeavors, unless accompanied with the special aid of divine grace, this meeting earnestly calls upon Christians to unite in fervent prayer to God for the abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit, both on the Jewish and Gentile world."

The receipts for the year, amounted to 7.11,220 2 11; or somewhat more than 49,800 dollars.

venerable and respected minister, well known to most of you, was about to preach, and was then reading his text he had chosen these words, This is the finger of God. (Exod. viii, 19.) The extraordinary combination of circumstances (receiving the letter and hear ing these words) deeply impressed his mind; and, by the blessing of God, what he heard produced an entire change of conduct and feeling: he was led to the Savior, and to that peace which passeth all understanding He is now a respected and useful member of a Christian society."

LONDON RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY.

Twenty-third Anniversary.

Ir appeared from the Report, that the tracts issued during the year had amounted to 5,222,470; being an increase of 388,700 on the number of the preceding year. Since the formation of the Society in 1799, the issues amount to forty-five millions, besides others printed abroad.

The receipts of the year amounted to 1.9,261 3; or above 41,000 dollars.

In illustration of the benefits which may be derived from intimations such as those conveyed by religious tracts, Mr. George Clayton stated a remarkable circumstance:

"A young man, gay, thoughtless, and dissipated, with a companion like himself, was passing along the street, intending to go to one of the theatres: a little boy ran by his side, and attempted to put a letter into his hand: he repulsed the boy: but the boy persevered; and when the young man's companion attempted to take it, the boy refused him, saying to the other, "It is for you, Sir!" He opened the paper, and read its contents: they were simply these words, "Sir, remember the day of judgment is at hand." It pleased God that these words should arrest his attention: he was struck with them: he felt disinclined to proceed, and said he should return home. His companion ral. lied him; but he took leave of him, and bent his course homeward. On his way, he observed a place of worship open; and though he was not accustomed to attend the house of God, he felt inclined to go in, and did sq. A

14,148/138,859 Of which, 471 are new schools opened during the past year.

It should be remembered, that the above table gives by no means a full view of the extent, to which Sabbath Schools have been carried in Great Britain. The whole number of children receiving instruction in the Sabbath Schools of that kingdom, probably exceeds one million.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Sixth Report.

THE Report commences with a very respectful notice of the late President of the Society, and thus mentions the election of a succes

sor.

"On his decease,-say the Managers,-the attention of the Board was directed to the election of a suitable person to be his successor. It is a most gratifying circumstance, that while the Managers felt very high respect and warm attachment to the many distinguished characters in our country, who have patronised and supported the Bible cause, there was one in whom all were immediately united. And at a meeting of the Board on the 6th of December, by an unanimous vote, the Hon. JOHN JAY, of New-York, was elected the President of the American Bible Society."

Make a total of two hundred and sixty-eight || thousand, one hundred and seventy-seven Bibles and Testaments, or parts of the latter, printed from the stereotype plates of the Society in New-York, and at Lexington, Kentucky, or otherwise obtained for circulation, during the six years of its existence.

Auxiliaries.

"Further evidence of the divine blessing on the Society is found in the increase of the number of its Auxiliaries. More have been recognised during the past year than in the two preceding years; and information has been received of a considerable number which have

not been recognised. The Board request that, in all cases where a Bible Society has been, or may be formed, Auxiliary to the American Bible Society, official notice may be sent, without delay, to the Secretary for Domestic Correspondence. And they further request, that the regulation be carefully observed, that no Society can be received as an Auxiliary unless its sole object shall be to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment, and unless it shall agree to place its surplus revenue, after supplying its own district with the Scriptures, at the disposal of the American Bible

Bibles,

In the five preceding years, there were issued,

139,510

28,910

24,506

39 15

53,470

Bibles and Testaments,
Epistles of John, in Delaware, 736
Gospel of John, in Mohawk, 102-140,348
Making a total of one hundred and ninety-
three thousand, eight hundred and eighteen
Bibles and Testaments, and parts of the New
Testament, issued by the American Bible
Society, since its establishment.

Of the Bibles issued from the Depository during the sixth year, there were, German, 393; French, 551; Gælic, 21; Welsh, 5.--Of|| the Testaments, 1576 were Spanish, and 77 French.

Legacies.

We stated in our last number, p. 237, the net receipts for the year. The legacies noticed in the following extracts, are not contained in that amount.

"The Board deem it their duty here to mention, that by the last will and testament of the late President, about four thousand five hundred and eighty-nine acres of land, in the state of Pennsylvania, have been left to Trustees, who are instructed to pay the proceeds of the same into the Treasury of the American Bible Society.

"The liberality of Dr. Boudinot to the National Institution has not been without its influence as an example. And the Managers state, with fervent gratitude, that a citizen of New-York, after a life which had been marked with many acts of charity and benevolence, in his last will bequeathed large sums to various religious uses; and the name of Mr. JOHN WITHINGTON is recorded as one of the most distinguished benefactors of the American Bible Society, to which he has left a legaey of ten thousand dollars.

with it. This regulation does not respect the Societies not Auxiliary which are referred to in the nineteenth article of the Constitution." The whole number of societies, which have been recognised as auxiliary to the National Society, is THREE HUNDRED and one.

South America.

The interest, which has, of late, been excited in South America, render it proper that we should make the following extract, with which we shall close.

"The Testaments in the Spanish language, which, as was stated in the last Report, were sent to Buenos Ayres, have been favorably received by the Cabildo of that city, and by their order have been delivered to the Commissioner of schools.

"It will be seen, by a subsequent list, that a large number of copies of the New Testament in Spanish, have been sent to various parts of South America, and other places, where the Spanish language is spoken. The Managers find the facility of introducing these Scriptures to be increasing, and the number of those who aid them in this work is considerable. They have been assured that in one place, these Testaments were received as a most acceptable gift by a Roman Catholic ecclesiastic, that he proceeded immediately to a judicious distribution of them, and that he appeared to engage in this charity with lively pleasure. The Board feel grateful for the assistance with which they have been favored; and they are determined to embrace and to improve, to the utmost, every oppor tunity of circulating the Scriptures in Spanish. They rejoice in the prospect of being thus more and more instrumental for the Divine glory, and for the good of multitudes who have hitherto remained ignorant of the Oracles of God, and among whom, till lately, a copy of the Scriptures was hardly to be found. As the truths of Religion become more known, the desire of these persons to possess the Sacred Book, will be more gener al; and the hope may be entertained with confidence, that in a few years, the New Testament and also the whole Bible, will ob