Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. ciety was formed under the same patronage in 1814, to which nearly Auxiliaries have been added. A Society for promoting Christianity ong the Jews has also been established at Berlin under Royal tronage. POLAND. Whatever Poland may have lost in a political view, the country has nothing in respect to the means of religious Instruction. A Polish le Society was formed at Warsaw in 1816, and great exertions making for the conversion of the Jews in Poland, among whom Scriptures have been circulated, with tracts in their own language, some learned Hebrews have become missionaries among them. AUSTRIA. 'he establishment of Bible and Missionary Societies in various s of Germany must greatly subserve the cause of Christianity. its being, some years ago, represented to the British and Foreign le Society in London that there were upwards of a million of testants in Hungary, who were in great want of Bibles, and too to purchase them, 5007. was given for the formation of a Society hat country, for printing and circulating the Scriptures in the garian and Slavonian dialects; and a Hungarian Bible Institution formed at Presburg in 1812. Bible Societies have also been ed at Dresden, Frankfort, and in various other parts of Gery. The United Brethren, whose first settlement was at Herrnhut, Zittau, on the borders of Bohemia and Silesia, have spread a et savour of Evangelical Religion throughout Bohemia, Moravia, and from thence also they have sent Missionaries to the remotest s of the earth; but from Austria Proper, the Bible, general Eduon, and the preaching of the Gospel, seem completely shut out. GERMAN STATES. Wirtemberg Bible Society was formed at Stutgard in 1812, and for Hanover in 1814. The London Society for the Jews has ionaries both at Dresden and Frankfort. At Mentz a Jews' ol Society has been formed, and several have been put to different es and occupations, instead of travelling the country; and means struction have been provided for them in other places. By a ment published at Darmstadt, (near Frankfort) it appears that Leander Van Ess, a most benevolent Roman Catholic, and a us friend of the Bible Society, had, up to May 1822, distributed 870 copies of his New Testament, besides 8934 copies of Luther's nan Bible, and a number of copies in the Greek, Latin, and rew languages. A letter from him, dated Feb. 6, 1823, says, e Lord has raised up many Catholic Clergymen, who promote work with energy and spirit."-[Bible Society Report.] Countries, and Religious Denominations established or tolerated. FRANCE. Catholics, with free toleration to Protestants, who are p numerous in the south of France, but with a great number of In. throughout the country. Jews, and all other denominations, are wise tolerated. It is calculated that there are at present in Fr 2849 curates, 22,244 temporary curates, 5301 vicars, 1462 re priests, 873 almoners of colleges and hospitals. The num priests regularly officiating, including those who do not receive from the treasury, amounts to 36,185.-1361 French priests d the year 1819; and in the same year there were 1401 ordina Of the religious, there are 106 female congregations, poss 1721 establishments, which contain 11,752 sisters. It is said these charitable women constantly administer relief to nearly sick persons, and gratuitously instruct 63,000, poor children. B these, there are at Paris thirteen hospitals for the sick, and eight. houses for the poor and aged. "His most Christian Majest the honour to be considered "the eldest son of the Church: has been more exempt from Papal domination. In the parox the Revolution, the French became a nation of Atheists; the turned Theophilanthropists, (which see,) and since the restorat Louis XVIII. they have returned to all the superstitions and of the Church of Rome. And it is proper to be known that preachers called Missionaries in Paris, are not ministers Gospel, but zealous advocates of Popish idolatry and supers By the last census the population is stated at 29,217,405 souls of Paris only, 713,765. The annual births at Paris, in 181 stated at 24,344, of whom more than one-third were natural cha The inhabitants may be now safely stated at twenty-nine and a half. SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. Catholics, without toleration to any other denomination Cortes have always shewn a disposition to enlighten the peope tolerate Protestants; but Ferdinand VII. on his return, in re-established the order of Jesuits, and the Inquisition, whic again overturned by the popular revolution in 1820; but Frace the Allied Powers are now labouring (Sep. 1823) to restore t their former state, or nearly so; as already has been done in P The Catholic Clergy in Spain are estimated at 200,000, and in P but little less. In both kingdoms the same bigotry and supe prevail; but English Protestants may live unmolested, the beloved. The population of Spain has been very recently eleven millions; and taken with Portugal, both may fairly be es at fourteen millions. Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. FRANCE. The Wesleyan Methodists have three stations, and employ five ssionaries, who continually itinerate around them. The Continental ciety also employs agents, who travel through the country distributing Scriptures and religious Tracts, and preaching, or exhorting, as y find opportunity. In 1818, a Protestant Bible Society was med in Paris, which has already 114 Auxiliaries, Branches, &c. and ough whose aid many thousand Bibles have been distributed. A ligious Tract Society has been also founded, which is forming depôts different parts of France. "The Asiatic Society" in Paris have materially co-operated with the British and Foreign Bible Society London, by their learned labours in editing versions of the New Tesent in the Oriental languages, for circulation in Turkey, &c. Prison Discipline and Reform Societies, and other benevolent instions, have been copied from England with success. A "Society Elementary Instruction" was formed at Paris in 1815, and has 0 schools (on the Lancasterian system) now connected with it, which adults as well as children are admitted; and the Society ndeavouring to extend the benefits of education by means also of day Schools. Government, however, within the last year, has in y instances withdrawn its aid. But the schools in Paris, and the testant schools in the South of France, continue still to flourish. 1 Dec. 1821, a Society was formed at Paris for the promotion of hristian Morals," peace and knowledge, of which the Duke de hefoucauld Liancourt, is President: and in the end of last year 2) an "Evangelical Missionary Society" was also formed, the nt Ver Huell, Peer of France, &c. President. This Society ediately agreed to support Mr. King, (an American, then studying pic in Paris) for a given time, as a Missionary to Jerusalem. SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. eligious Tracts, in the Spanish language, have been distributed Gibraltar, and favourably received; but the error of Baptismal eneration, is there, as elsewhere, a great impediment to the otion of evangelical truth. The introduction of a British army these countries, some years since, had certainly a tendency to en their national prejudices against heretics; though certainly eneral morals of soldiers are little calculated to recommend true ion. The Cortes, however, encouraged education, and the titutional government assigned a convent of Capuchin friars for stablishment of a Normal (or training) School, for 500 boys and irls. Lieut. Col. Kierney (who acquired the system in England) een most indefatigable in the cause, and has opened schools in al of the principal towns in Spain, besides those attached to all egiments of the military. There is, however, reason to fear › from a return to the old system. Similar exertions have been in Portugal as in Spain, and they have been repulsed by similar Countries, and Religious Denominations established or tolerated. ROME AND THE ITALIAN STATES. There are said to be in Rome nineteen cardinals, twenty bishops, 1450 priests, 1532 monks, 1464 friars, and 332 semin The population of Rome, in 1821, amounted to 146,000 souls, be 9 or 10,000 Jews in the city and its vicinity. The present Pope, very aged, and suffering from an alarming accident,* has lately atten to reform (what he had much better have wholly suppressed) the Inquisition, by regulating it according to the principles of civil nals, and ordering all their proceedings to be public. The Pope also shewn many civilities to the English government and nation which he has no doubt sufficient reasons. The inhabitants of and Sicily (about six millions) are rigid Catholics. In 1782 were counted in Naples above 45,525 priests, 24,694 monks, nuns; but the next year a decree passed to dissolve 466 con which greatly lessened them. A Protestant congregation wa tolerated in the city of Naples during the government of Mura as things have returned to their former state, toleration cannot be expected, except by oversight. The population of these may be taken at about eleven millions. SARDINIA is an Island, and is governed by a Viceroy, like Ira but the seat of government is at Turin, the capital of Piedmont, unhappily includes the poor persecuted Vaudois, the Sardinians bigotted Catholics. This is properly one of the Italian States, a population is differently stated at from three to four millions, of the Vaudois are about 20,000. MALTA has been also reckoned as attached to the Italian S but is now in our possession, and tenaciously retained as the the Mediterranean, though in itself of little value, being only miles by twelve; its inhabitants (those of the little rock of G cluded) about 110,000. The whole population of the Italian with these appendages, may be taken at fifteen millions. SWITZERLAND, INCLUDING GENEVA. Switzerland now consists of twenty-two Cantous: those of (or Basil), Berne, Zurich, &c. are Calvinists; Uri, Schweit Catholic; others are composed of both religions; and into sor French introduced a large portion of Infidelity. There is, bo in those Cantons considerable enthusiasm in favour of political and no small zeal for true religion. Geneva was connected w country, by the decision of the Allied Powers, in 1814; the p tion may be safely taken together at two millions. * Before this sheet went to press, the Pope died, Aug. 20, 1823. Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. ROME AND THE ITALIAN STATES. Rome, being the metropolis of the Catholic world, is certainly one the last places to which we should look for a liberal toleration; and we have just seen in print a Sermon, lately preached at Rome by Rev. Mr. Way, a respectable Clergyman of the Church of England, o styles himself Minister of "the Protestant Episcopal Chapel at ce;" and the sermon was preached for the benefit of the distressed I persecuted churches of the Vaudois. The system of Mutual Inaction has lately been introduced into Tuscany, where are 28 1ools, supplied with masters from the Normal School at Florence, ere education continues to flourish under an enlightened patronage. The Vaudois, or modern Waldenses, (which see in the Dictionary) a simple and pious people, divided into thirteen parishes, with each Iinister; they had formerly fifteen great Schools, ninety smaller, . two Latin Schools. Both the Ministers and Schools have subed, in great measure, by charitable assistance from Protestant ntries, and particularly from Great Britain. In 1768, his late jesty granted Letters Patent in favour of the Vaudois, the produce be funded by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; this having amounted to £10,000 three per cents., the interest, £292 annum, is divided among the thirteen pastors. A Waldensian le Society was formed at La Tour in 1816. IALTA has long been an important Missionary station; it has been upied by the London and the Church Missionary Societies: and the erican Board of Missions has employed it as a previsionary station their Missions to Palestine and the East. A Bible Society was ided here in 1817. A School Society, on the British system, has 1 formed at Valetta, the capital of this Island, which has had conrable success, having about 200 boys and 100 girls ; and printing ses are employed in the Missionary cause at this station. The . Dan. L. Camilleri, a pious Catholic Clergyman, has opened ols both for children and adults. SWITZERLAND, &c. ae Canton of Basle has been remarkable for activity in promoting circulation of the Scriptures, and the cause of Missions. The ngelical Missionary Society of that city, last year sent six Missionto the shores of the Caspian Sea. A Bible Society was formed e in 1804; and others have been since formed at Bern, Zurich, in several other cantons. The Rev. C. Malan, an Evangelical ster of Geneva, has particularly exerted himself in the composition distribution of Tracts, chiefly at his own expense, both in Switnd and France. Schools, upon the British system, are also ed, and flourishing in Geneva. At Bruggen, near Basle, are two ols, one of them for training masters on this system. At Geneva, erly the throne of Calvinism, there is a great degeneracy toward nianism. |