The Christian observer [afterw.] The Christian observer and advocate

In the Preface to our twentieth volume", we took a retrospective glance of the general character and events of the fifth part of a century which had then rolled away since we commenced our humble labours. We were enabled to present to our readers, if not a scene glowing with unmingled radiance, yet, upon the whole, such a brightening prospect, in respect to the progress of light and liberty, of humanity and public happiness, of Cliristian principles and Christian zeal, as served to relieve the many darket shades in the sketch, and to give the assurance of the approach of a more perfect day. No devout reader, we are persuaded, can look back upon the establishment and rapid advance of those benign institutions to which we then adverted, or can contemplate their continued and accelerated progress as recorded even in the succinct digests of our present volume, without feelings of delight and admiration; without lively gratitude to the Author of every good gift, for his manifold mercies to a guilty and perishing world ; without fervent prayer that his ways may be speedily known upon earth, his saving health unto all nations; and, in addition to all, without invigorated zeal, and renewed exertions, and warmer love, and inore expanded liberality in forwarding this glorious consummation. If during the last year, we bave had the melancholy task of recording wars and rumours of wars; if we have had to lament instances of political selfishness, or crooked policy, or unjust encroachment, or the sacrifice of Christian sympathy and duty at the shrine of a doubtful and short-sighted expediency; if in any instances we have seen power overstrained or popular liberty abused; if we bave witnessed the opposition between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness becoming more fearfully conspicuous, and the latter on any occasion triumphing for a moment over the former; if amidst our domestic events we have had to regret the continuance of distress in some agricultural districts, or the afflictions of the sister kiogdom of Ireland, or the awful end of

a distinguished statesman, or the removal of many faithful servants of God from their labours op earth to their reward in heaven; if many of our poor are still uneducated, and left destitute of Christian instruction : if our Sabbaths are still polluted; if many blots still remain in our legislation ; if vice, irreligion, and blasphemy still continue to distil their venom; and if some of those who should be most anxious to repress them are wasting their energies, and afflicting their country, in arresting the great march of improvement, in denouncing whatever is projected or achieved, except by themselves, to train the upinstructed, to reform the prisoner, to disenthral the slave, to reelaim the vicious, to civilize the barbarian, to christianize the heathen, and to enlighten and bless mankind; and if even in the Christian church itself where far the largest share of disinterested zeal and virtue ought to be expected, and where we are happy to believe a large share really exists, pot a few of the above evils are to be found; if the consideration of subjeets like these has 100 often forced itself upon us in the course of our periodical labours during another year; still while we reflect on the many facts of an opposite tendency which we have had the privilege of recording, and on the powerful influences which, under the Divine favour, are at work for the lasting benefit of the world, we are disposed to “thank God and take courage." It is certainly a blessing of no inconsiderable magnitude to have had another year of peace; to have witnessed an increase of national prosperity; to have seen our poor eating cheap bread and clothed with cheap clothing, and all ranks, with the exception before mentioned,

Oar readers are apprized, that, for the convenience of making the numeral of the year and of our volumes correspond in future with each other, the General Iudex to the first twenty volumes (which is in a considerable state of forwardness, and inay be expected in a very few enjoying a large share of the comforts of life :- but what to our minds is still more deliylıtsul, because it is as it were the seed-bed of fur wider and more numerous blessings to future generations, is the growth of that religious and moral zeal, of that spirit of disinterested philaoibropy, of Ibai desire foor universal peace and bappiness, and of that disposition to conciliacion aurl concord, which are now evidently in powerful operation, boih in our own island and in many other parts of the world. Seldom, we are loappy to stale, has a year gone by within the period of our labour's less na ked by ac:imonious religious contioversies among good meu ihan the present; and we would sivcerely hope ihat this abatement of losiility (would obat thicie had not been some exceprions !) does not arise from mcre accident, but that it is a conscquence of the growing prevalence of scoipiu al principles of love, piery, and candour. It is refresbing to behold Chrisiians austering with united strengih “ to the battle of the Loiol against the mininy;" and ibat not only in Great Britain, or, among those who speak a common language with'us on the western side of the Allaucic, iowa dls wiiom a valued crorrespondent in our pages has cuilea vonreri, in an imieresting series of papers, to awakeo just feelings of regard and co-operation, but that, even in less free and less religious countries, Christian principles are wiciely extending ; that eveu Souih America is spurning ignorance and slavery from her soil ; lhat Afiica is opening her bosom in civilization and the Gospel of Peace; that Asia is rising in new life, under the beams of the Sun of Righteousness; and above all, i bai Euiope is almost every wliere enlisiing Cloristians of every game under the common banner of Their Lord aod Saviour for the distribution of his divine word, and the estension of his peaceful triumpus, wherever man and misery are to be found.

What may be the results of these opening scenes of universal peace aud holiness, or when we may witness their development, we dare not trust ourselves to predict; nor will we at present clieck the glow of feeling wlich must ai ise, in every Christian mind, at the anticipation of these blessings, by av enumeration of the many formidable obstacles which still lie in ille way of their allainment, and which require the constant prayers and exertions of the Christiau world to remove. We will railes conclude our remarhs wiib al once congratulating and exhorting ibe younger part of our leaders, who are, we trust; destined not only to behold but largely to share iu these triumphs of mercy, and religion. Many lo whooi our earlier volumes were introduced in childhood and youth, perhaps by pious and affectionale parenis who have since“ ceased from their labouis," and " whose works follow thiem," are now among the active members of another generation, and are witnessing a new succession growing up around ihem to supply the places which they also must sooi Telingaish. On this interesting class of persons much depeuds. What their fathers laboured, through good report and evil report, 10 begin, it is their happier lot to follow up with brighter and more animating prospecís. These sous and daughter's “of saivied sires" constitute a large and important boily of persons whose conduct will be measured, not by the world merely, but by the Searcher of hearis, according to the insti'uc.ions they have received, and the privileges they have enjoyed; and double will be their guilt and shave, if Ivey recede from the ScripTural principles in which they were educated, or oeglect the duties 10 which they were so anxiously trained. Let them then resolve first “ 10 give themselves 10 ibe Lord;" and then let them come forward prepared 10 11ead in the steps of ihose who taught them bow to walk and to please God, and resolved to carry towards perfectiou what the breviry of buwan life, and ille feeblevess of individual effort enabled those who have gone before only to plan and to commence.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

VOL. XXII.

BEING FOR THE YEAR 1822.

148

157

ib.

175

Page

NUMBER I.

NUMBER III.

Relig. Com. – Apocryphal Testa. Relig. Com. -- Apocryphal Testa.

ment...................... 1 ment (concluded):. ........ 129

Family Sermon on 2 Cor. v. 1.

On Rom. ix. 3 ................ 134

Vatican and Alexandrine MSS.. 10 Union of critical and devotioual

Drawing Lois ................ 12 Studies .................... 135

Religions Infuence of Creation

Ou the Church Service ........ 138

On Moral Preaching .......... 15

Family Sermon on Jer. vii. 4 .... 1.11

Miscel.-Jonrney througlı N. Ame-

Worldly Conformity .......... 144

rica.............

Miscel.-Domestic Instructors.... 145

Law Clerhsirip to Graduales..... Journey throngh N. America

lier. of - Burnside's Religion of

(continued) ..........

Mankind ..................

Drawing Lots ........

153

Chalmers's. Economy, No. VII.

Drawing Lots .......

136

Lii. Intel.-NewWorks-Oxford.. 48 Rev. oj — The Pirate ......

Italy-General Washingion .... Rev. Of Red.-Bradley's Sermons .. 179
Arctic Expedition ............ Lit. Iniel.-New Works..........

Relig. Iniel. - Church Missionary Population-Cambridge-Steam

Society..........

Engines-Air Pump ........ 175

North American Indians ...

Pawnbrokers - Copyright .. 17
Calcolla Mission College .....

Voiled States ...
Colonization Society......

ludia ......

Pos. Af.– France ..

Sumatra ....

Spain--Turkey-United States 63 Relig. Juiel. - Church Missionary

Great Lrivain; Agricultural Dis.

Society .................... 178

tress; Ireland .............. 64 North American Indians (coll.

tinued) ...... ............. 151

NUMBER II.

Society for Suppression of Vice 135

Reliz. Com. — Apoca ypial Testa-

Nival and Mil. Bible Society 180

meut (continued)........

Drivisi and Foreigo Bible Society 187

On Luke xxii. 44..............

Pub. Aff, - France ............ 188

f'ampily Sermon on Luke xix.

Spaiu-Portgual ..... ...... 190

41, 42..................... 70 Turkey ................

Simplicity in studying Scripture 74 Great Britain; Reduction of

Discourse with Nicodemus .... 76 Stock ; Retrenchiments ......

Calvary............:

80 Ireland .....

Miscel.-Ileory Martyn defended.. Errutum ........

Modern Popish Miracles ......
Pleasing Instance of Catholic Li-

NUMBER IV.
beralıiv .................. SO Relig. Com.- Lise of Kev. J. W.

Rrv. of-Ramsay's Inquiry .......

Fletcher....................

193

Owen's Report ,.............

ib. Family Sermon on Loke xxiii. 40. 205

Hiots for Sunday Schools ..... ib. On Rom. i. 19, 20. ............ 209

Chainiers's Economy, No. VIII. 105 Calvary..................... 210

Lit. Iniel. -- Cambridge, Humane

Calvary .................... 211

Society .................. 117 Miscel. Moral Estimate of Para-

Vaccine E tablishment ...... 118 dise Lost ................. 211

Herculaneum Manuscripts ....

Providential Arrangements in

Bombay Regnlaiion ..........

Chemistry ............... 218

Relig. Intel.-Cirurch Missionary So. On the Reports of Societies.... 221

ciely .................. 120

120 Rev.m-Hoare's Sermons ........ 223

Sociely for poor pious Clergymen 123 The Pirate (continued) ........

Pub. Af-Franceicos.......... 123 Lit. Iniel.-New Works—St. Da.

Spain; Slave Trade ...........

vid's Society ................ 231

Turkey .............

Ireland-- Poland - Russia-Unit-

Great Britain; Ireland........

ed States .................. ib.

ib.

enjoying a large share of the comforts of life ;- but what to our minds is
still more deliylilful, because it is as it were the seed-bed of far wider and
more numerous blessings 10 future generations, is the growth of that
jeligious aari moral zeal, of that spirit of disinterested philaothropy, of
Ibai desire for universal peace and happiness, and of that disposition to
conciliation au concord, which are now evidently in powerful operation,
buih in our own island and in many oiber parts of the world. Seldom,
we are loappy to sale, has a year gone by within the period of our labour's
less ma ked by acrimonious jeligious conti oversies among good men than
the present; and we would sincerely hope ibat ibis abatement of liostility
(would that there load not been some exceptions !) does not arise from
mere accident, but that it is a consequence of the growiog prevaleuce
of sciipiwal principles of love, piely, and candour. It is refresbing to
behold Christians nuite: ing with united strengih “ to the battle of the
Loid against the mighty;" and ibat not only in Great Britain, or,
among those who speak a common language with 'us on the western side
of the Aslautic, (iowa ds whom a valued correspondent in our pages has
endeavoured, in au inieresting series of papeis, io awaken just feelings of
regard and co-operation, but thai, even in less free and less religious
countries, Christian principles are widely extending ; that even Souih
America is spurning ignorance and slavery from ber soil ; lhat Africa is
opening her boson lo civilization and the Gospel of Peace; that Asia is
risiog io new life, under ine beams of the Sun of lighteousness; and
above all, ibat Eui ope is almost every where enlisting Christians of every
name under the common banner of Their Lord and Saviour for the dis-
tribution of his divine word, and the estension of his peaceful triumpbs,
wherever man and misery are to be found.

What may be the resulis of these opening scenes of universal peace
and holiness, or when we may witness their development, we dare not
trust ourselves to predict; nor will we at present clieck the glow of
feeling which must arise, in every Christian mind, at the anticipation of
these blessings, by av enumeration of the many formidable obstacles
which still lie in the way of their allainment, and which require ihe con-
stant prayers and exertions of the Christian world to remove. We will
railer conclude our rewarhs wirb al once congratulating and exhorting
ibe younger part of our readers, who are, we trust, desiined not only to
belold but largely to share iu ibese triumplis of mercy and religion.
Many lo wlon our earlier volumes were introduced in childliood and
youih, perhaps by pious and affectionate parents who bave since “ceased
from their la bouis,” and “whose works follow them," are now among the
active members of another generation, and are witnessing a vew succes-
sion growing up around ibem to supply the places which they also must
soon Telinguish. On this interesting class of persons much depeuds.
What their father's laboured, through good report and evil report, to
begin, it is their happier lot to follow up with brighter and more aniarating
prospecís. These sous and daughter's “of saivied sires” coustilute a
lange and important body of persons whose conduct will be measured,
not by the world merely, but by the Searcher of hearis, according to the
instruccions they have ieceived, and the privileges they bave enjoyed;
and double will be their guilt and shame, if they recede from the Scrip-
tural principles in which they were educated,' or oeglect the duties io
which they were so anxiously trained. Let Them then resolve first “ 10
give tivemselves 10 the Lord;" and then let them come forward prepared
10 liead in the steps of those who taught ihem how to walk and io please
God, and resolved to carry towards perfection what the brevity of buman
life, and the feebleness of individual effort enabled those who bave goue
before only to plan and to commence.