the proposed line of stages shall have been established.

That we will concur with the friends of religion and morality in New-York, Albany, and Troy, in all proper measures for encouraging steam boats on the Hudson river which shall not run on the Sabbath day.

That this convention highly approve of the efforts recently originated in Rochester to check the violation of the Sabbath on the Erie canal; and that we pledge ourselves as citizens and men of business, to give our patronage to such men as do not permit their boats to run on the Sabbath.

A meeting was held for the same object at Albany on the last day of February, at which resolutions were passed expressing the peculiar satisfaction with which they regard the proceedings at Rochester and Auburn; the high value which they attach to the Sabbath, apart from its divine authority; the necessity of mutual cooperation and concurrence to prevent its profanation; its peculiar liability to be profaned in the State of New-York, on account of the great amount of travelling and transportation; and pledging themselves to use their best exertions to dissuade the owners of stages, steam boats, canal boats, and hackney coaches, from running them on the Sabbath. In pursuance of this design, the following pledge was unanimously adopted, signed by sixty gentlemen present, and ordered, in connexion with the resolutions, to be printed in a pamphlet form, and submitted to the public for signatures:

We, the subscribers, approving of the resolutions passed at a public meeting of the citizens of Albany on the 29th February, 1828, do, in pursuance thereof, pledge ourselves that we will use our best exertions to dissuade the owners of steam boats, canal boats, stages, and hackney coaches, from travelling on the Sabbath, and that to encourage such of them as shall cease running on that day, we will, and do now, solemnly agree with them, with each other, and with the Christian public, to patronize such of them as shall duly observe that day. And in like solemn manner, we agree to abstain from all travelling on that day, except in cases of necessity and mercy.

A committee, of twelve gentlemen,

was appointed to correspond with other associations throughout the State, with a view to arrest the progress of so great an evil.

Similar exertions are also making in the city of New-York to suppress the same evil. Among the petitions lately presented to the Common Council, says the Observer, we notice one from sundry citizens, praying that measures may be taken to effect the closing of shops on the Sabbath;-which was referred to the Police Committee. The number of signatures, we understand, is four thousand five hundred and twenty-six; including many firms, which in all cases are reckoned as units. length of the petition is upwards of ninety feet, with two tiers of solid names abreast, and much of the distance three. A great number of the petitioners are gentlemen of the highest respectability, influence, and wealth; while others are, in part, the very men who keep their shops open on the Sabbath, being compelled, as they say, to do so in self

defence.

The

The extent to which this evil prevails in New-York, is not probably known even to those who witness it as

often as the Sabbath returns. We

have facts to present, as ascertained by actual investigation. The number of shops found open on the eleventh of November, (either entirely or partially,) for the evident purpose of trade, was FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTYNINE!! Of this number, 422 were dram shops, 420 groceries, 283 fruit shops, 26 clothing shops, 58 shoe stores, 10 hat stores, 1 tin shop, 18 confectioners' shops, 1 soap and candles shop, 4 segar shops, 1 furniture shop, 1 pawn broker's office, 1 vegetable store, 57 bread and cake stores, 10 dry goods, 1 paint shop, 53 oyster shops, 70 barbers' shops, 27 butcheries, 1 blacksmith's shop, 2 thread stores, 1 comb store, and 1 lamp and oil store. If at one half of the groceries, fruit shops, and oyster shops, liquors are sold by the small measure, which is probably a low estimate, then of the 1469 shops kept open on the Sabbath, 800 are in effect dram shops.

These facts are full of meaning. They tell us why our poor-houses, hospitals, and prisons, are so crowded with inmates, and so burdensome to our wealthy inhabitants, while the churches are so thinly attended in comparison

with the greatness of our population. They bid us to beware, lest, in its very youth, our city become as corrupt, as wretched, as debased, as some cities in the Old World, where human life is regarded less than the life of a beast. As yet we have not advanced in the downward course beyond the hope of recovery; but except the public can be alarmed, and made to feel their danger, the time will come, and is not far distant, when the stranger who visits New-York, will return to his friends, and tell them that our Sabbath is not distinguishable from other days in the week. We do hope and believe, that the men we have chosen for Municipal Officers, will feel the responsibility under which they act; and that every Christian, every virtuous man, every philanthropist, and every patriot, will sustain them by their influence and their votes, in any measures which they may adopt for the prevention of this great and growing evil.

Bible Cause in Kentucky.-At the close of a four days' meeting in the Second Presbyterian Church in Lexington, on the 18th of Feb. a resolution to the following effect was proposed, and adopted, viz. That with the blessing of Almighty God, and the co-operation of our fellow citizens, of the different denominations throughout our State, we pledge ourselves to raise the sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars, with a view to furnish every family in Kentucky, who may be destitute of the Bible, with a copy of that blessed book within the course of two years. About Seventeen Hundred Dollars were immediately subscribed by the persons then present.

The Rev. Jacob Oson of this city, a man of color, was ordained at Hartford on Sabbath the 17th of February, by Bishop Brownell, preparatory to his being sent out on a mission to the American colony at Liberia, under the patronage of the Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church. He is, we believe, the first foreign Missionary sent out by this society.

Mission Press at Malta.-There are perhaps but few of the benevolent operations of the present day, which, at so little expense of labour or funds,

produces so great an amount of influence as the printing establishment at this station. From a statement made to the Editors of the New-York Observer by the superintendent of the press it appears, that the number of Tracts which have been printed in Modern Greek, is 72; editions, 78; copies, 71,050; pages, 3,732,000. In Italian, 43 Tracts; 51 editions; 55,500 copies; 1,706,000 pages. In GrecoTurkish, 1 Tract, 2 editions; 1.500 copies; 36,000 pages. Total, 106 Tracts, (those which are printed in more than one language being reckoned according to the number of langua ges); 131 editions; 128,050 copies; 5,474,000 pages.

Of the Greek Tracts, 2,580,640 pages have been distributed; of the Ital ian, 850,112. Total, 3,430,750. Of the Greek, 1,151,440 pages remain in the Depository; of the Italian, 855,888. Total, 2,007,328.

The Rev. Elnathan Gridley, American Missionary to Asia Minor, died near the close of September, at Kaisarea, or Cesarea, a principal town in Cappadocia, about two hundred and fifty miles east from Constantinople.

Mr. Gridley was graduated at Yale College in 1820, and at Andover in 1823; and in September, 1826, sailed on this mission in company with Mr. Brewer. Being at first unacquainted with the languages of the country, he devoted much of his time to the interests of American and British seamen. He died, says the Editor of the Herald, about the same time in the year with Mr. Fisk, and sleeps not far from the grave of Henry Martyn.

POLITICAL.

Great Britain -By late arrivals we learn that there has been another dissolution of the British Ministry; and a new one formed, with the Duke of Wellington at its head. The cause of this dissolution is stated to have been disunion, growing out of a resolution adopted by Mr. Huskisson, to enforce a severe system of economy, and to render the public accounts more clear and intelligible. Mr. Herries, alone, refused his assent to Mr. Huskisson's plan of finance, as well as to the nomination of Lord Althorp, as Chairman in the House of Commons, of the Finance

Committee, and this opposition was found so determined and insurmountable, that Mr. Huskisson declared they could no longer remain members of the same cabinet. In consequence of this disunion, Lord Goderich, (the Prime Minister) having declared his inability longer to remain in the cabinet, the Duke of Wellington was ordered by the King to form a new one.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Intemperance.-The Medical Society of the State of New-York, taking into consideration the duties they owe to the public, as members of a profession to whose care is committed the health of its citizens, recognise with deep solicitude, one of the most alarming causes of disease that exist in human society, to wit, intemperance in the use of ardent spirits.

And whereas, it is an evil, that is growing to an alarming extent among all classes of society; and from the cheapness and facility of procuring distilled spirits, has become the common beverage of almost every class of the community: and whereas, there is reason to believe that the habitual use of ardent spirits is often the consequence of an opinion that their use contributes to the health of the body, and becomes necessary to sustain it under great fatigue and exhaustion; that it is a preventive of disease contagious and miasmatic causes, that it is necessary as a medicine in diseases, accompanied with debility, to restore tone and vigor to the system and whereas, it is a duty, peculiarly be longing to the medical profession to oppose and correct these insidious errors: Therefore resolved, That in the opinion of this society, the habitual use of ardent spirits is not a source of strength and vigor, but that it is generally productive of weakness and disease.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this society, ardent spirits are not a preventive of disease under any circumstances, but that more frequently their use predisposes the body to the reception of complaints of an aggravated form. Resolved, That this society will discourage the intemperate use of ardent spirit as far as their example and influ

ence will extend.

Resolved, That the free and habitual use of wine and fermented liquors, is often the source of obstinate and incu

rable diseases, and that although their moderate use may, under some circumstances, be beneficial in giving activity and vigor to the system, yet their use in many cases is often carried too far, and continued to the injury of the constitution.

School Education in New-York city. -The view which we have given, in a preceding column, of the moral condition of this city, as exhibited in their open violations of the Sabbath, is exceedingly painful to every friend of religion and good order. Nor is the mind at all relieved by looking at the condition of the city in respect to its primary schools, and means of education in general. Indeed we see, if we mistake not, in the great neglect in this particular, a fruitful source of the degradation and crime before described.

An Address of the Trustees of the Public School Society of the city presents the following estimates, as undoubtedly a near approximation to facts:

Whole number of children between 5 and 15 years of age, 52,300 Do. attending public schools,

10,000 Do. attending private do. 17,500 Do. do. Sunday do.

not before included, Do. withdrawn before the age of 15,

600

12,100

40,200 Leaving the surprising number of twelve thousand one hundred children, between the ages of 5 and 15, who are entirely destitute of the means of instruction! and twice that number who at present attend no school whatever!! The whole number of children in the city between these ages, is estimated at 52,300. Consequently, nearly one in four of all these future men and women, are growing up in ignorance of the first rudiments of knowledge! and nearly one in two attend no school at present!!

The immense influx of foreignersno less than 20,000 having arrived in the city the past year-while it accounts in part for these appalling facts, shows also the necessity of greatly increasing the means of education. In a government like ours, such a mass of ignorance is not only disgraceful, but dangerous. To suffer it to exist before our eyes, when by no extraordinary

sacrifices it might be removed, is inhuman and unchristian. Neither the sick nor the destitute have higher claims upon us than the ignorant. The want of knowledge is the most imperative of all wants; for it brings all others in its train.

The whole amount expended upon Common Schools in this city during the year ending 1st of May, 1827, including about $4,400 received from "pay scholars," and $2,155 50 distributed to the Mechanics', the Orphan Asylum, and the Manumission Societies, did not exceed $27,000: while in Boston, with less than one third of our population, the annual amount expended for similar purposes, is from 50,000 to 70,000. And the consequence is, that while New-York exhibits such facts as are stated above, in Boston scarcely an instance is to be found of a child who has not received some sort of education at school.

Young Men's Education Society of Boston. This Society has been for years the largest contributor to the funds of the American Society, having paid $7,537 since 1819. The amount raised last year was $1200, and the sum paid to the Parent Society $1063. It is stated that they voted at the late meeting to support thirty young men at $75 each, making $2,250.

Large Bequests.-Mr. John Grand

ison, who lately died in Philadelphia, has left the following legacies:-to the Orphan's Society, the Indigent Widows' and Single Women's Society, the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, the Friend's Asylum near Frankford, $5000 each; the Pennsyl vania Hospital, $3000; the Pennsylvania Society for Charity Schools, $1000; to the Pennsylvania Dispensary, $80 per annum, the Southern Do. $100, the Northern Do. $120; the Apprentices' Library, $75 per annum. It is said he bequeathed several houses to their respective occupants; and that a residuary legacy to the Apprentices' Library will probably amount to $40,000.

Duelling in New-York.-We are happy to state that the bill to suppress duelling has passed the House of Assembly, 61 to 37. The first section declares the inflicting of a wound in a duel, beyond the bounds of this State, from which death ensues in this State, murder; the second subjects the seconds to the punishment of felons, whether death ensues or not.

Lotteries. From a detailed statement in the Pennsylvania Gazette, it appears that the Union Canal Lottery will cost the people the sum of three millions five hundred and thirty-three dollars, for collecting one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the use of the Canal.

Jan. 23.-Rev. ZENAS CASE was ordained to the work of the Gospel Ministry in the Second Baptist Church in Sweden, N. Y. Sermon by Elder O. C. Comstock.

Jan. 24.--Rev. HORATIO FLAGG was ordained Pastor of the Congregational Society in Hubbardton, Vt. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Walker, of Rutland.

Feb. 8.-Rev. JOSEPH PEPOON, as an Evangelist, by the Presbytery of Grand River, Ohio. Sermon by Rev. Luther Humphrey.

Feb. 12.-Rev. JAMES H. THOMAS was installed Pastor of the Associated Congregations of New Windsor and Canterbury, N. Y. Sermon by Rev. Jacob Green.

Feb. 27.-Rev. SAMUEL PRESBURY over the Second Congregational Uni

tarian Church in Northfield, Ms. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Pierpont, of Boston.

Feb. 16.-Rev. BENJAMIN DOLBEAR, at Craftsbury, Vt. as an Evangelist. Sermon by Rev. Jacob N. Loomis.

Feb. 27.-Rev. CHARLES J. WARREN over the First Congregational Church in Attleborough.

Feb. 27.-Rev. JOSHUA DODGE was installed over the Church in Moultonborough, N. H.

March 5.-Rev. WARREN BURton, over the Third Congregational Society at Cambridge, Ms. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Greenwood.

March 12.-Rev. ASAHEL BIGELOW as Pastor of the Orthodox Congregational Church in Walpole, Ms. SerMon by Rev. Mr. Bigelow, of Rochester.

ON THE COMMENCEMENT OF HOLY TIME.

I HAVE read with considerable interest what has been published of late in the Christian Spectator, respecting the time when the Sabbath begins. This subject, though not of so much importance as some others, is nevertheless one on which it is desirable that our minds should be settled. Having recently paid some attention to it, the following is communicated as the result of my inquiries.

In ascertaining when the Sabbath begins, it is of no small importance to have correct and definite views of the word evening or even, as used in the sacred writings. The word more generally is used to denote the commencement of darkness, or sunset. But it is sometimes used to denote a part of what we call the afternoon, viz. the period from three o'clock to sunset. This is a point which we think it proper to establish. From Num. xxviii. 4, we learn that one lamb was to be offered in the morning and another at even. This direction was given in reference to the morning and evening sacrifice. Now can it be ascertained at what time the evening sacrifice was offered? In the Acts of the Apostles iii. 1, we read that Peter and John went up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. The Jews, it should be remembered, reckoned VOL. II.-No. V.

29

[No. V.

their hours from morning to night making twelve in the day. The ninth hour, then, or three o'clock P. M. was the hour of prayer at the temple. But there was no stated hour of prayer at the temple except when the morning and evening sacrifice was offered. That their seasons of sacrifice were also seasons of prayer is evident from Luke i. 10. "And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense." Indeed, such was the connexion between sacrifice and prayer under the Jewish dispensation that the former is sometimes used for the latter, as in Prov. xv. 8. From a comparison of the above passages I think it may be clearly inferred, that the evening sacrifice was offered at three o'clock P. M. On this point, so far as I know, all commentators are agreed.

To the same result, we are brought from a comparison of Matt. xiv. 15, with 23.

"And when it was evening, his disciples came to him saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past, send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves vituals," &c. 23d verse," And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray; and when the evening was come, he was there alone." Observe, it was evening before the multitudes were fed; and after feeding them and sending away his disciples, and also the mul