Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. TURKEY IN ASIA. When the spirit of Missions revived, in the close of the last century, alestine was naturally thought of as the station of a Christian mission. e London Missionary Society early sent Mr. Bloomfield to Malta, th a view more immediately to introduce the Gospel into the Greek es, and ultimately into Palestine and other parts of Turkey. This ject was retarded by the death of that valuable Missionary, and other cumstances. But the Society has still a Missionary in Corfu, and other in Malta, who preaches in the modern Greek. The object taken up with enthusiasm by Dr. Naudi and the Church Missionary ciety. The Rev. Mr. Jowett also, whose "Christian Researches" e been published, traversed the Holy Land, and the borders of the diterranean, with a view to ascertain the practicability of such attempt, and the means of its accomplishment. Even America assisted in this object, and sent two valuable Missionaries, Messrs. sons and Fisk, (the former since deceased) to form an establisht at Smyrna, where a Bible Society had been founded in 1818. ssrs. Temple and King have since followed, the latter of whom iously studied the oriental languages at Paris, to prepare him the work, and have been accompanied by Mr. Wolff, a learned verted Jew, who has visited his brethren in the flesh, with a view ecommend to them the Christian faith. But this is not a work e suddenly accomplished: the British and Foreign Bible Society however, been preparing the way by printing the Scriptures in Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Armenian, and other eastern uages. The Society in London for the Conversion of the Jews, twelve Missionary agents now labouring in different parts, (several hom are converted Jews,) by whose means they have circulated than 10,000 Hebrew New Testaments among them, and argued them on the Mission of Jesus and the Evidences of Christianity. ARABIA. is is one of the last countries in which, perhaps, Missions will tempted, on account of the migratory habits of the inhabitants; onaries and schoolmasters however may be found to imbibe their s and itinerate with them. RUSSIA IN ASIA. e United Brethren have long had a Missionary establishment at -ta, on the Wolga, in Russian Tartary, where they have lately disturbed by some of the Calmuc princes, but are countenanced - Emperor, who encourages Missions in all his Pagan territories. London Missionary Society has also a station here under the f Mr. Rahmn, who has compiled a dictionary and grammar of Countries, and Religious Denominations established or tolerated. Some of these Tartars attach great importance to the form of r whiskers; and the Altaians are so fond of military show, that dress up their idol deity in the uniform of an officer of drag The Kamschatans (in the eastern peninsula) were converted (as call it) to the Christian Religion by the late Empress Catherine giving them a ten years' exemption from all taxes! But alas for converts! The population of the Russian dominions in Asia been stated at nine or ten millions; but others think they sc7 amount to half that number: so thinly are mankind scattered int dreary regions. INDEPENDENT TARTARY, INCLUDING BUCHARIA. This includes the various hordes of Tartars, who, following the life, rove from steppe to steppe throughout this vast and fertile ca with their flocks and herds, nature every where providing the richest pasturage. As to religion, they are partly Mahometan So and partly Pagan Sammans; and their whole population, the has been rated much higher, probably does not exceed six the half of which belongs to Bucharia, or Bocharia. The Buch it seems, never bear arms. PERSIA AND CANDAHAR. The Persians are Mahometans of the sect of Ali, called S (which see); and there are also among them a considerable of the disciples of Zoroaster. (See Gaurs, Magi, Parsees, and Zabians.) Pinkerton calculates the present population ten millions; but a paragraph lately inserted in the "He Journal," reckons it more than double. They are fond of p which their language is well adapted. They are servile t superiors, but haughty to their dependents. Mr. Ed. Scott says, they are great boasters, and delighted with flattery, bu rally "sunk into the lowest state of profligacy and infamy to Shiraz.] They live by rearing and feeding cattle. HINDO Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. Calmuc_language, and is now making a Calmuc version of the alter. Mr. R. is also studying the language of Thibet, with a view a mission to that country. The same Society has another station Seliginsk, in Siberia, where Mr. Stallybrass and his brethren are eparing a version of the whole Bible in their language. The Scottish ssionary Society have also Missionary stations at Astrachan, Karass, zran, and Oremberg, where their several Missionaries are employed h in teaching and translation. Some alarm has lately been excited ong the Missionaries in this quarter, from an antient law having en discovered, requiring all converts to Christianity in Russia to baptized according to the rites of the Greek Church: we are happy find, however, that his Imperial Majesty has decreed that such verts shall be baptized by, and unite with, any community of ristians they may prefer; in consequence of which the Persian rza Mahommed Ali Bey, was to be baptized in the Protestant faith the Scottish Missionaries, who have been the instruments of his version. By the liberal patronage of the Emperor Alexander, Bible Societies e been founded throughout the whole of the Russian empire, by ose means we understand that the Scriptures are (more or less of m) being translated into every language spoken in the empire, and ulated through the respective provinces; this has been already e to the vast extent of 177,000 Bibles, or Psalters; and 326,000 taments, or Gospels. His Imperial Majesty, beside an annual scription of 10,000 rubles, a few years ago presented the Russian le Society with 30,000 rubles, a magnificent house, and a portion and taken from the Imperial Gardens, declaring at the same time readiness to furnish farther aid if wanted. INDEPENDENT TARTARY. he Tartars, like the Arabs, are continually shifting their residences, would require a similar kind of Missionaries with the Arabs. PERSIA AND CANDAHAR. he late excellent Missionary, Mr. Martyn, a few years since slated the New Testament and Psalter into Persian, during a -'s residence at Shiraz. Of this work 5000 were printed and ibuted by the B. and F. Bible Society. This work was presented e King, and favourably received, and he is still held in such esteem, he is known there by the name of " the Man of God.""He e here into the midst of us, (said they)—sat down encircled by wise men, and made such remarks upon our Koran as cannot be vered." new body of labourers entered last year into this spiritual field; ely, six Missionaries from the Evangelical Missionary Society at e, who passed through the Russian dominions, and obtained from Countries, and Religious Denominations established or tolerated. HINDOOSTAN, OR INDIA WITHIN THE GANGES. The native inhabitants are Hindoos, (followers of Bramha) M metans and Parsees. The former have been represented as a innocent inoffensive people; but the Protestant Missionaries have them Atheistical in their creed, cruel in their superstitions, and de tive in all their dealings. The Abbé Dubois has just published "Letters on the Sta Christianity in India;" the express object of which is to prove impossibility of converting the Hindoos, from his own experienc that of other Catholic Missionaries; for he considers all the bo converts of the Catholic faith as hypocrites. About seventy ago, he says, they numbered 245,000 converts in India, (chiế Madura and the Carnatic) but of late they have fallen off to oneand he despairs of any more. He is probably right they were by false pretences, and lost by a discovery of their insincerity those pretences will deceive no more. Another system has tried by the Protestant Missionaries. They instruct, and implor influence of the Holy Spirit to convert-not nations, but indivi The result of their labours may be seen on the page opposite. The Afghans are supposed to be the descendants of the ten of the Jews carried into captivity, to whom a mission is contem from Great Britain. See the Dictionary. Under the Article entitled Syrian Christians, in the Dicti it is mentioned that there are in that country about 200,000 Chris of different communions; and Mr. Ringeltaube stated, a few since, that there were not less than 1000 Catholic Missionaries, according to Abbé Dubois, just quoted, have laboured all in va Many have contended for the innocency of Hinduism, p standing its delight in human sacrifices and of blood. A cele Hindoo Deist has, however, lately remarked, that "the chief Hinduism consists in a particular mode of diet," which is undes "to compensate for every moral defect;" and while the s deviation in that respect is a forfeiture of caste," murder, th Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. Emperor an Ukase, allowing them to establish Missionary colonies, printing-presses and schools, among the Heathen and Mahoan tribes beyond the Caucasus, with the same privileges as the ttish Missionaries one of these settlements, at least, on the lers of Persia. Mr. Glen, and another of the Missionaries at rachan, have studied the Persian language, and are able to address numerous Persians resident in that city. HINDOOSTAN. Imost all the existing Missionary Societies have made attempts to ert the Hindoos. The Danes, while they had possessions here, e active in this good work. The "Society for promoting Christian wledge" has Missionaries at Trinchinopally, Tanjore, Madras, dalore, and very recently at Bombay. The Baptists have been cularly successful; besides the settlement at Serampore, founded 92, they have more than twenty other stations, where they employ European and native Missionaries. At Serampore an establish, altogether unprecedented, was formed under Dr. Carey and colleagues, whereby the Scriptures have been already translated thirty-three of the eastern-languages and dialects, and they have nting establishment of considerable extent therewith connected, r Mr. Ward, whose recent death is much to be regretted. CALCUTTA, the Missionaries both of the London and Baptist eties, have an English congregation on Sundays, of from 200 to persons; also eight places of native worship, and native assistants, of whom were Brahmins, who preach in all the adjacent villages. native Christians have of late considerably increased; a spirit of ry spreads, and they have in their schools nearly 3000 children, y boys. e Church Mission Society have also a station here, with about 20 s in continental India, where the whole number of Missionary lishments exceeds seventy.* They have recently formed in this at the expense of £3000) a Christian Institution for the Edu of Teachers, &c. with several boys' schools, in which were een four and five hundred boys, among whom are many of the of Brahmins; and they have lately engaged Miss Cooke (from and) to superintend the education of females, who has already schools under her inspection. They have likewise a printing ishment connected with the Mission. e Scottish Society have lately sent Missionaries to Bombay, with ographic press for native tracts, &c., the first perhaps thus yed. They have also a common printing press. At Surat, the on Society has two or three Missionaries, and another printing * See the Missionary Table at the end of this Sketch. Spul |