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following passage relative to the memory of a man* of whom Britain may be proud, as an exemplification of Christian benevolence, prompted and directed by Chritian motives.

"At the distance of five versts to the north of Kherson, stands the original monu ment of the Prince of Christian Philanthropists-the great, the illustrious Howard; who, after travelling 50,000 British miles, to investigate and relieve the sufferings of humanity, fell a victim, near this place, to his unremitting exertions in this benevolent cause.

"One of the pyramids is erected over the dust of our countryman, and the other has subsequently been raised over the grave of a French gentleman who revered his memory, and wished to be buried by his side. As we had no person with us to point out which of them was designed to perpetuate the memory of the philanthropist, it was impossible for us to determine, otherwise than by confiding in the accuracy of information obtained by some former admirer of his virtues, who has cut into the brick the very appropriate inscription

VIXIT PROPTER ALIOS.

"Such was HOWARD, the most virtuous, and yet the most humble of our race.— How justly he might have taken for his motto what he wrote a few months before his death in God's hand no instrument is weak, and in whose presence no flesh must glory. He was enabled to effect great things, yet he utterly renounced dependance upon himself. "My immortal spirit I cast on the sovereign mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, who is the Lord, my strength and my song; and, I trust, has become my salvation. My desire is to be washed, cleansed, and justified, in the blood of Christ, and to dedicate myself to that Saviour who has bought us with a price." Firmly resting upon this foundation, he was well prepared to address his last earthly friend and attendant, Admiral Priestman, in these words:"Priestman, you style this a dull conversation, and endeavour to divert my mind from dwelling upon death; but I entertain very different sentiments. Death has no terrors for me; it is an event I always look to with cheerfulness, if not with pleasure; and be assured, the subject is more grateful to me than any other."

"His genuine humility prompted him to choose this sequestered spot for the reception of his mortal remains; and it was his anxious desire, that neither monument nor inscription, but simply a sun-dial should be placed over his grave. His wishes were at first so far complied with, that no splendid monument was erected to his memory; but the august Monarch, in whose territory so many of his benevolent acts were performed, and who nobly patronized the attempts made to follow out the plans of Howard for the inprovement of the state of prisons, has borne a public testimony to the respect he entertained for his virtues, by ordering a conspicuous monument to be built in the vicinity of Kherson, the town in which he died.”. page, 280, 281, 283, 284.

We would be desirous of giving some extracts from Dr. Henderson's visit to the Crimea, but the public has had so recently the interesting volumes of Pallas and Dr. Clarke's minute account of it before them, that we must pass it by, reserving his observations on the Karaite Jews for another opportunity. We cannot, however, refuse our readers the following probably just illustration of Scrip

ture:

* We rejoice to believe that the absurd and wretched scheme of Count Polochi, who according to Clarke, intended to take up the body of Howard, and to transport it to his country seat, has not been put in execution.

"Besides two synagogues, there are in Baghtchisarai an Armenian and a Greek church. From the latter we saw a corpse conveyed to the public cemetery of the Christians. It had not been put in a coffin, according to the manner of burials conferred upon even the poorest person in Europe, but was simply wrapped round with a white cloth, laid upon a bier or board, and borne by four men to the grave. This mode of performing the funeral obsequies obtains equally among the Jews, Christians, and Mohammedans in these parts, with the exception of the European families, who naturally conform to the rite of their ancestors. Such appears to have been the manner in which Abner was interred, 2 Sam. iii. 31; for it is said that David followed the bier, in Hebrew, D, mittah, a “bed or board," and not an ark or coffin," such as that in which the body of Joseph was laid, Gen. 1. 23. It has been supposed that what was done to Joseph, was designed as a mark of distinction by the Egyptians; but there is no proof from the text of Scripture, that the rite was performed by the Egyptians at all; and it seems more natural to conclude, that his body was thus deposited, in order to its being preserved until such time as it could be conveyed to the land of Canaan. The Zopos, or bier, on which the widow of Nain's son was carried, and which commentators generally interpret arca retecta et aperta, was most probably nothing more than what we saw in the Crimea."-page, 304.

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After leaving the Crimea, our Author passes through the country of the Don Cossacs, of whom he says,

"The Kozaks are distributed into eleven grand divisions, and are known by the names of the places or countries they inhabit. These are as follow: 1. The Don -2. The Wolga-3, Terek-4. The Grebenskie, or Mountain Kozaks—5. Uralian-6. Siberian-7. Those of the Ukraine-8. Zaporogian, near the Cataracts of the Dnieper -9. Tchornomorskie, or Black Sea Kozaks-10. Bugskie, or those of the Bog-and, 11. Those of Tchuguief. All the last-mentioned divisions are only so many colonies or branches of that on the Don, which is to be regarded as the prolific parent of the whole race; and which, for riches, influence, and numbers, still maintains a distinguished precedency above the rest." p. 402.

"The general character of the Kozaks, their features, constitution, and mode of life, at once prove them not to be of Russian origin. They speak, it is true, the Russian language, but not in a pure state; for, besides the predominance of the Little Russian dialect, their language contains a great number of Tatar words, and others of foreign derivation. They are, in fact, a mixed race, made up of Circassians from Casachia, Russians, Poles, Tatars, Greeks, and other people; a considerable proportion of whom, especially in the later periods of their amalgamation, being Malo-Russians, accounts for the use of the Russ as their colloquial and written dialect.

"This amalgamation seems to have been particularly strong in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and was occasioned by the emigration which took place in consequence of the Polish and Tatar conquests, and other troubles within the Russian empire. Crossing the Don, the refugees intermingled with the Circassians in the neighbourhood of the Kuban; and receiving continual accessions from the various nations by which they were surrounded, they grew exceedingly powerful, and, in a short time, became so formidable, that, if measures had not been taken to gain them over by presents and flattery, Russia might have found it no easy matter to rid herself of a most dangerous enemy.

"The number of the Don Kozaks is estimated at nearly half a million. Besides the old and new capitals, they inhabit one hundred and nineteen stanitzas, or principal villages, many of which have other villages attached to them.

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"Their constitution is completely military. Their chief Ataman has the rank of a General, and is appointed by the College of War, to the minister of which department he is amenable. All the subordinate officers are chosen by the inhabitants of the Stanitzas to which they belong. For the military service, in which they have so greatly distinguished themselves, they are bound to furnish at all times, an army of 25,000 men, whom they equip and maintain at their own expense; but, in case of emergency, all who are capable of bearing arms must take the field. For this service they enjoy peculiar privileges, and live, in most respects, as an independent people; yet they are distinguished for their patriotism, and will go any lengths in defence of the Emperor and their native country.

In their persons the Don Kozaks are generally taller than the Russians, and have something strongly Asiatic in their physiognomy. They are remarkable for the cleanliness of their habits. Their houses which are either built of wood, or constructed of wicker-work, are extremely neat, and bespeak industry, frugality and plenty. Their principal occupations at home consist in the care of their herds, agriculture, fishing and weaving. In this last branch the females are remarkably expert. They also cultivate the vine, and their vineyards produce excellent wine, of which the best is a kind of Champaigne, known by the name of Zemliansky,”— 403. (To be continued.)

DOMESTIC RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

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I am happy to have it in my power to convey to you news much more interesting and encouraging than any which I have hitherto communicated. Fortyfour persons (of whom seventeen are men, and twenty-seven are women) publicly recanted the errors of Popery yesterday, in Cavan Church, in the presence of a very large congregation.The Bishop of Kilmore was present. I am sure I do not transgress the bounds of truth when I say, that the number of persons who conformed yesterday would have exceeded fifty, had not the weather on Friday and Saturday been extremely unfavorable.

"Surely, it is a most encouraging circumstance for those who are employed in the only sure method of improving the condition of Ireland, that in the short space of eight weeks, ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX,RomanCatholics should publicly renounce the errors of the Church of which they had been members; that this should take place in one county; two persons having recanted in the Church of Ballyhaise, on the 5th of

November, and the remaining one hundred and thirty-four on seven different Sundays, in the parish Church of Cavan.

"It is very remarkable, that though every exertion has been made by their Roman Catholic neighbours and the Priests, to bring back the converts to their former religion, in no instance have they succeeded; and the converts have regularly attended Divine Service in the Churches in their respective parishes."

Cavan, Dec. 4, 1826.

"Last week I communicated to you the gratifying intelligence that forty-four persons read their recantation the 26th ult. Yesterday, sixty-one persons (27 men and 34 women) publicly conformed to Protestantism in Cavan Church. The Church was crowded to excess, and a most powerful and impressive sermon, suited to the occasion, and from the very apposite text, "Teaching for doctrines the traditions of men," was preached by the Rev. George Spaight, Curate of Cavan. Thus, in the space of nine weeks, in the county of Cavan, one hundred and ninety-five individuals, many of them heads of families, have renounced the errors of Popery, and have publicly joined that Church which allows to all its members unrestricted liberty of conscience, the right of private judgment, and access to that Sacred Volume, which the Roman Catholics of Ireland are now begining to view, and to demand, as their only guide and right.

"Popery has received a blow in this county from which it never will recover. The great work of the reformation is advancing, and not all the powers of man will be able to check it. Believe me, my dear Sir, your's, &c. &c.

Cavan, Dec. 10.

"Fifty-eight Roman Catholics, 26 men, and 32 women, conformed this day, in Cavan Church. A powerful and appropriate sermon was preached on the occasion by the Rev. Mr. Collins, one of our curates. I have no time, just now, to enlarge on this most grateful event, and wonderful manifestation of God's merciful goodness to our people. The Church, as on former like occasions, was crowded not only by residents of the town, but strangers from adjoining parts of the country, upon all of whom the interesting ceremony of abjuration and the excellent discourse of the preacher, appeared to have made a strong and edifying impression. The holy and salutary interest of the day was added to, in no small degree, by the presence of the Rev Mr. Pope, Capt. Vernon, and Mr. Gordon, those indefatigable and powerful modern apostles of scriptural knowledge and gospel truth.

66 Your's, very sincerely, &c.

Church Missionary Society.We have received the following interesting account of a meeting of one of the branches of this society, from a valuable correspondent. Kilkenny, Nov. 24, 1826.

I have just returned from Fethard, in the county Tipperary, where I attended a monthly meeting of the Church Missionary Association, and beheld one of the most gratifying sights I ever witnessed; 13 clergymen, and at least 300 people attended. The respectability of the assemblage was very great, and all evinced a deep interest in the glorious truths which were uttered, and by the cheering statements which were made of the success of Missionary labours. The power of the Roman Catholic Priesthood, was put forth upon this occasion, to prevent the attendance of any of their flock-but a few broke through the fold, and there is reason to believe, that many are from their hearts deploring the existence of a system which puts the mind into trammels, and makes it bow to the command of man, rather than to the authority of God, as set forth in the holy Scriptures. The value of public meetings, connected with our different religious societies, is becoming every day more manifest; and I trust, that the lovers of divine truth, will

unite more cordially than ever, in upholding them fearlessly and with deep humility. Our church is in no small degree a debtor to them: and we have reason to be thankful to the Giver of all good, that the mist of prejudice is in a great measure dissipated; and that passing events are evidently uniting our members more and more in one holy band on the side of Scripture against tradition and human opinion. Would to heaven that there were in every parish in Ireland, a Church Missionary Association, supported and animated, as that at Fethard appears to be! The publication of the Gospel to the heathen world, is an object to the pursuit of which we are called by prophecy, by promise, and by precept-and, whilst engaged in it, may we experience it to be the power of God to our own salvation.

The following letter was addressed to the Most Rev. Dr. Curtis, and the Roman Catholic Prelates, when assembled in Cavan :

Cavan, Dec. 14, 1826.

MOST REV. SIR,

THE object of your visit to Cavan, connected as it is reported, to be with the recent Conversions from the Roman Catholic to the Protestant Faith, which have taken place in that town and neighbourhood, will, we trust, be considered a sufficient apology for the present communication.

If we are correct in the assumption, that enquiry either of a public or private nature is about to be instituted into the subject, we have no hesitation in stating it as our conviction, that the causes of the separation will be found in the differences which exist between the doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches.

With this impression upon our minds, we consider it due to the motives of the Conformists, as well as the cause with which they have voluntarily chosen to identify themselves, to request that yourself and those members of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, by whom you are accompanied, would consent to a public discussion of the subject. If truth be the object of that system, which it is the office of the Roman Catholic Church to administer and conserve in this country, she has nothing to apprehend from the effects of popular discussion, while the members of her communion residing in Cavan and its neighbourhood, would be afforded the best opportunity of contrasting the reasons and arguments advanced in support of their Faith with

those which are now so generally alleged in behalf of the opposite belief.

This invitation, Sir, we can assure you, is not put forward by us in a spirit of polemical bravado on the contrary, it is respectfully submitted as a public justification of the principles and motives by which we have been actuated in the duty of attempting to inculcate upon Roman Catholics, the principles of what we consider a purer faith, and we have reason to know, that the opportunity which we request, is not less anxiously desired by Roman Catholics themselves.

Should this invitation be accepted by yourself and the other prelates, by whom you are accompanied on this visit, or by delegated representatives on your behalf; we would suggest that three of the undersigned, with an equal number of gentlemen appointed by yourselves, should immediately proceed to the arrangement of preliminary measures for the discussion.

We have the honor to be,
Most Rev. Sir,

Your very obedient humble servants,
(Signed,) A. M'CREIGHT.
R. T. P. POPE.
J. E. GORDON.
G. SPAIGHT.
J. COLLINS.

To the Most Rev. Dr. Curtis, &c. &c.

P. S.-It is respectfully requested, that an answer be forwarded to the Rev. Mr. Spaight.

It is necessary to add, that the Gentlemen who signed the foregoing invitation,

after having waited a sufficient time to receive an answer, deputed the Rev. G. Spaight, and the Rev. Horatio Montagu, to enquire whether any answer would be returned. These gentlemen waited on Dr. Curtis at his Inn, and sent their compliments by the waiter, to know whether a reply to the invitation would be sent.The waiter brought back word to them, "That Dr. Curtis did not consider any reply necessary, and that none would be given." This answer coming through a servant, not appearing sufficiently authentic; Mr. Spaight, and Mr. Montagu, waited on the Rev. P. Reilly, P.P. of Cavan, and Vicar General of the Diocese, and personally enquired of him, whether the foregoing answer as reported by the servant was correct: He replied, "That it was perfectly correct, and that no answer would be given" !!!

Sunday, December 17, forty-nine persons, lately professing the Roman Catholic Religion, renounced the errors of Popery, in the parish Church of Cavan. This fact is peculiarly gratifying under existing circumstances, and proves that the Prelates who lately met there, possess no more power than the priests in repressing that spirit of inquiry which is abroad, and which, we trust will be generally persevered in.

Jamaica. Very satisfactory accounts bave been received from the Lords Bishops of Jamaica and Barbadoes, with regard to the progress of Religion throughout their dicceses.

OBITUARY.

THE LATE JAMES DIGGES LATOUCHE, ESQ.

It is with sincere regret, that we have to announce the death of James Digges Latouche, Esq. This melancholy event has deprived the poor of a steady friend, the church of Christ of a true member, and society at large of one of its brightest ornaments. Instead of any empty panegyric of our's, we offer to our readers, a sketch presented to us, by an intimate friend of the deceased.

"The melancholy task devolves upon me, to give expression to the heartfelt, deep-toned regrets of a large circle of private friends, and the wide circumference of a mourning country, at the loss of a much loved and honoured fellow

citizen, James Digges Latouche. His was indeed a character to benefit, to adorn, to edify his country; in him were united the virtues of a contemplative piety, with the energetic fulfilment of every duty of private and public life. Piety to God was the spring of his usefulness to man-and therefore, he never pursued the one so as to impair the other; though new powers of intellect seemed daily to develope themselves, even to the surprise of his friends, and new strength and dignity of character to be unfolded, yet never could he be moved from that wise moderation, which forbade him to aspire to a situation that might exceed or cause any undue

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