him, two priests, standing about ten yards distant from the body, repeat a form of prayer half an hour in length, but they hum it over in such a manner as hardly to give themselves time to brea he. During the whole of this ceremony, the corpse has a piece of paper fixed to each ear, and hangs over the face about three inches below the chin. As soon as the prayers are over, the corpse is carried to the place allotted for its reception, and all the company follow it two and two, with their hands devoudy closed. They are enjoined not to speak a word, because their sepulchral monument is a place of silence and repose. We cannot conclude this account of these idolaters, without taking notice of one sentiment they embrace, which indeed is in some measure peculiar to all the heathen nations we have treated of, namely, the immortality of the soul. Strange, that from one extremity of the world to the other, even the most unenlightened nations should believe the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and yet many of those who have been brought up under the joyful sound of the gospel should deny it. This will rise in condemnation against them, and they will be convicted at the tribunal of the great judge of all the earth, for trampling upon knowledge. We are surprised still more, that there should be none but learned men in the world so abandoned, but learning without grace and the fear of God, becomes a real curse instead of an useful blessing. These reflections do not arise from any suggestions of a a gloomy mind, but really from a concern the author has, as far as his weak abilities will permit, to promote the best interest of his fellow creatures. He is not so sanguine in his hopes, as to imagine that it is in his power to stem the torrent of infidelity, but he is sensibly touched when he finds some men calling themselves ministers of the everlasting gospel, and at the same time attempting to establish deism itself. This they evidently do, when they tell us, that there is no immortality of the soul, nor a future state of rewards and punishments. Thus they are worse than the most illiterate heathens, and even the deists laugh at them. They hate the cross of Christ, they despise the gospel; so that we may apply to them what Dr. Young says, And is there, who the blessed cross wipes off, The above instances of those who have the benefit of the gospel dispensation, will be in the end a dreadful aggravation of their guilt. Our Saviour Our Saviour said it would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of judgement, than for the unbelieving Jews. And if this is to be the case and condition of those Jews who lived under a law of carnal ordinances, how then shall those escape who trample under foot the blood of the son of God, who crucify him a-fresh, and put him to open shame. Hoy dreadful the consideration, that men, brought up by thei: parents in the purity of the christian doctine, should attempt to establish a system which even an ignorant heathen would shudder at. And Upon the whole, while we look upon the eviyet there are men of no small abilities, who have dence of the heathens as a collateral proof of the attempted to prove that the soul of man is mortal. truth of our holy religion, yet we have a higher By such doctrines being believed, the hedges of mo-authority to trust to, namely, divine wisdom itself. rality and genuine picty are broken down, and the Christ said to his disciples, "Because I live, you flood-gates of profaneness set open. By this, many unthinking young persons, who otherwise might have been an honour to their parents, and the comfort of their declining years, have forgot the fear of God, despised religious duties, shall live also: And we may venture to affirm, that as he became the first fiuits of them that slept, so our bodies shall be raised up at the last day, and being joined to our precious and immortal souls, shall both together enjoy eternal happiness. OF OF THE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS IN AFRICA. N ancient times this country was considered as a third part of the terrestrial globe, and it may be properly called a peninsula; for were it not for that small tract of land running between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, it would actually be an island. It is remarkable that in ancient times there were many christians here who had fair and flourishing churches, and here some of the most emi- | nent christian fathers resided; among these were Cyprian, bishop of Carthage; Austin, bishop of Hippo; and Tertullian the famous apologist. These African churches continued to flourish till about the middle of the seventh century, when the Arabians, under their caliphs, established Mahometanism in many parts, such as Egypt, Morocco, Algiers, &c. but at present the greater number of the inhabitants are idolators. But here we find it impossible for us to inform the reader, from whence these modern idolators derive their worship; for it bears no manner of affinity to that of either the Greeks, Romans, or Egyptians; and there is so little of the ancient religion of the Ethiopians, Nigritians, &c. preserved in it, that it would prove a very difficult task to trace from those remains the idolatry of their descendants. Strabo has transmitted to us the following tenets and religious ceremonies of the Ethiopians. "They acknowledge, says he, one immortal and su"preme being, who is the first cause of all things, and "believe in another god, who is immortal, nameless, and wholly unknown. They look upon "their patrons and benefactors, and their most il"lustrious personages, as deities. And they are of "opinion, that kings in general are the guardians "of all the inferior orders and degrees of men, and "that particular persons are the protectors of their "peculiar favourites. There are some persons 66 66 amongst those who dwell under the torrid Zone, "that are looked upon as perfect atheists, because they detest the sun, and curse that radiant planet as often as it rises, on account of its excessive "heat, &c." Herodotus assures us, that the Atlantes, who are inhabitants of the Lybian desarts, curse the sun likewise, because he burns them, and parches up all their country. Purchas makes the ancient Africans pay divine adoration to the sun, and to the fire; and they consecrated, says he, divers temples in honour to both, and maintained their fire, in the same manner, and with the same care and circumspection, as the ancient Romans; but this assertion has no authority to support it. He adds, than the Africans of Lybia and Numidia, offered up their sacrifices, and addressed their prayers to some particular planets; and one part of the negroes worshipped Guighimo, that is to say, the Lord of heaven. Their Pagan superstitions were afterwards improved by embracing the Jewish rites and ceremonies, which they religiously observed for a long time, till they were converted to the christian faith, from which they apostatized soon after, and sunk into the vile impostures of Mahomet. If therefore we may rely on the veracity of Purchas, who has given us this account, the footsteps of Judaism, Christianity, and Mahometanism, are, in all probability, still discernable in their idolatrous wor◄ ship. It is probable, likewise, that the Hottentots, who reside in the remotest parts of Africa, observe the Jewish ceremonies at this very day; for the German historian, who has given us in folio, a long account of the Cape of Good Hope, and the several countries inhabited by those people, affirms it for a positive truth; nay, it is possible, were we inclined to produce learned quotations from the Greek and Roman authors, we might be able to reconcile the ideas of the ancient and modern Africans; but such curious researches would seem so much the more needless and impertinent, as it is impossible to determine, in this case, what would be agreeable to, and hit the taste of the reader. The Religion of the Inhabitants of Nigritia, or Nigeria. THIS Nigritia comprehends the several dominions of Gualato, Genehoa, Tombut, Melli, Sousos, Madigna, and Sanfara, and the kingdoms of Senegal, Gambia, &c. Some of these Nigritians embrace the Mahometan religion. Those of Gaulata, we are informed, pay divine adoration to fire; and as for the rest, they cannot properly be said to profess any religion at all. The inhabitants of Senegal, and the parts adjacent, pay their respects to the moon with loud acclamations, and their religious worship worship is celebrated in the hollow trunks of the most spacious trees, and the idols, who preside in these temples are honoured with divers oblations, which, for the generality, consist in beans, peas, herbs, and all sorts of grain; but sometimes, indeed, they sacrifice the blood of beasts. This worship of theirs is under the direction and management of a kind of priests, who dispose of several little leathern purses amongst these negroes full of pieces of paper with mystic characters drawn upon them, of equal force and virtue as those of amulets and abraxas. These priests, as we are informed, contract no alliance with the laity; and they are expressly enjoined not to marry any woman whomsoever, out of the sacerdotal tribe. We are informed, likewise, that these Negroes acknowledge the unity and omnipotence of the godhead; and circumcise their children, when they are about six or seven years old. But all the accounts we have of these Áfrican countries, are in reality very lame and uncertain, and full of contradictions. However, if we may give any credit to them the inhabitants of Nubia were formerly Christians, and at this very day some antique footsteps may be seen there of Jesus Christ, and several of the saints. They baptize with a hot iron; or, more properly speaking, they make an impression on some particular part of the body, with that instrument, as an equivalent to baptism. The inhabitants of Gambia, and the parts adjacent, have retained a faint and imperfect knowledge of Jesus Christ, whom they call Nabe, and of whom they say, that he was the son of Mary, and a great prophet. If it be true, they are indebted to the Mahometans for that idea of him. The Negroes of Kasamanse worship an idol, by them called China; and their priests, whom they call Aracani, carry it in procession on some certain days in the year set apart for that solemn purpose. Their standard, or banner, is a kind of white silk scarf, on which are painted several dead men's bones, and ears of rice. After the procession is over, they deposit the god within the hollow of a tree, and there make him oblations of honey, and such other good things as they see convenient. This idol, or god of theirs, called China, is represented, it is said in the form of a faggot, or bundle of sticks bound together. The worship of the people of Madigna is a medley, or composition of idolatry and Mahometanism. Their Bexerins, who are their priests, are very much addicted to the practice and study of magic; and the grand Bexerin, who is, as it were, their sovereign pontiff, resides in the metrepolitan city of that king No. 19. dom; and all the priests keep seminaries of superstition and magical knowledge. They distribute some particular billets amongst their pupils and the people, which are, they pretend, infallible preservatives from. all manner of dangers and disasters. Some of them are so ignorant, or wicked, as to refuse ascribing the blessings which they receive to God's goodness: for, say they, if he was really good and gracious, he would never suffer his creatures to be at such trouble and fatigue to attain them. All these Negroes in general are polygamists, and even part with their wives whenever they think proper. They are under no manner of restrictions in this particular, and act without the guidance of reason in every point relating thereto, but in having no conversation with a wife that is with child. The inhabitants of Sierra Leona have in all their cities or borough towns, a kind of boarding-school or monastery, situate at some distance from the common dwelling-houses, where the young ladies that are marriageable, are educated for a about a year, under the care and conduct of a venerable old gentleman, who is a person of rank and distinction, as well as unspotted character and reputation. At the year's end, they are released from their confinement, and permitted to appear, dressed in their best attire, at their public ball or assembly. The relations of the young ladies likewise accompany them to this matrimonial market, where there are always a croud of young gentlemen present, to enquire into their character, and survey them, whilst they are dancing to their Moorish music. After they have taken the necessary precautions, they make choice of such as they fancy, and pay not only a valuable consideration to their parents for them, but gratify their old superintendant for his extraordinary care and expence in their education. The Negroes of Senegal and the Jaloffes, accompany their dead to the grave with the beat of drum, at the head of their funeral train; and all the relations, both men and women, follow the corpse. When they inter their dead, they bury with them all the implements and utensils they made use of when living, and afterwards close their graves, and erect a kind of monument over them. The materials of the house. in which the deceased resided, is, for the generality, devoted to this particular service, and a white flag, or standard in case he was ". warrior, is always set upon the top of his me ment. ment. These Negroes entertain a notion with spect to such as are profested drummers, whic very remarkable. They imagine, that the gr where they are interred immediately loses its virtue, and becomes barren; and that if they 5 Y throw them into a river, or the sea, the very fish would be infected, and rendered incapable of spauning. In order to prevent such fatal inconveniencies, if we may rely on the veracity of Dapper, they bury them in the hollow trunks of their largest trees. These funeral rites and solemnities naturally lead us to the notions which these Negroes entertain with respect to their serpents. As they are fully persuaded, that their friends and relations are metamorphosed into these reptiles after their decease, they cannot be induced by any means whatever, to injure, or kill any one of them, though never so dangerous and destructive: They firmly believe, that some person or another in their neighbourhood, would infallibly die upon the spot, where such an animal should lose its life. Several of the negroes have the art of charming these venemous reptiles, and will venture to handle and play with them without any manner of fear or reluctance. These magicians, likewise, can, by their fascinations, heal such persons as have had the misfortune to be dangerously wounded by them. In short, they charm their very horses, imagining that by virtue thereof, they shall run no manner of risque in riding them, and that in war they will deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. The ancients ascribed much the same virtue to the Psylles, who resided in those parts now called Barca; but notwithstanding this pretended conformity, and the vouchers which our historians produce of spells or charms for soothing these reptiles, and rendering the malignity of their poison ineffectual, it is very probable the surprising influences of such fascinations, may be reduced to some secrets in nature, to which at present we are perfect strangers. The natives of Gambia bury their dead, with all their gold and valuable treasures, and he who has the richest grave, is, in their opinion, the happiest man. When the king of Guinella dies, twelve officers, dressed in party-coloured robes, proclaim, by sound of proper instruments, his majesty's decease to all the people; whereupon they all surround the corpse robed in white, and proceed immediately to the election of a new sovereign. They bathe or wash the deceased all over, then take out his bowels, and burn them in the presence of the god of their country, but preserve his ashes however, and embalm his body. About a month afterwards they solemnize the pompous funeral, and bring perfumes from all parts for the purification of the corpse. Six persons, dressed in white silk robes, carry him to the grave; and during the procession there is a melancholy concert of Moorish music, both vocal and instrumental. The whole train of attendants, except such as are princes of the blood walk on foot, and they indeed are mounted on horseback, dressed all in white, which is the usual mourning with them, as well as the Chinese. All his wives, most faithful friends and domestics, and even his favourite horses, are sacrificed at the grave, in order to attend him to the other world. We have no such instances of loyalty amongst us: neither is it to be supposed, that their subjects are sanguine rivals in this case, and make all the interest they possibly can, to procure the honour of attending his majesty in this solemn expedition; for many of them take care to abscond, when they find his ma jesty's death approaching. Our accounts add more over, that these his unhappy companions are treated with uncommon barbarity even before they are sa crificed. But be that as it will, these savage Moors are not half so heroic and intrepid as our ancient Gauls and Germans were, who never swerved from their loyalty, nor started at the apprehensions of at tending their sovereigns to Vahalla; that is, to the other world. The latter, on the contrary, were: sø concerned, lest they should not arrive soon enough at those regions of bliss, where they might carouse and indulge themselves without any of the anxious cares that pall the enjoyments of this life, that their grandees took care to ride post thither; and for that reason their horses were killed afterwards, and buried with their masters. Is it not very surprising that Christianity, which gives us such a delightful prospect of a future state, should not be able to wean us from our violent, or at least,, too fond hankering after the present? Can so pure and holy a religion produce effects so inconsistent with the scope of our wise legislator? From whence can it possibly proceed? It must doubtless arise from this, that Christianity promises nothing but spiritual advantages; and promises of that nature have not power sufficient to influence even the teachers and propagators of them. For, in general, they are shocked at the apprehensions of death as much as any other persons, and in all probability more. It is possible, they may be more sensible than others of the intricacies that attend religious maxims. The natives of Beni and Sousos, add to their hideous outcries and lamentations sundry presents, which when they go to a funeral they carry with them, and divide into three parts or shares; one whereof is appropriated to the king's service, another to the relations of the deceased, and the third to the party deceased himself, with whom it is buried. For the generality, they erect a hut on this occasion, at some small distance from the grave, in which the relations of the deceased meet together, of the world, is free the moment he sets his foot on They bury the kings of Sierra-Leona, in the high-roads; because such as in their life-time have acted in a public capacity, and been possessed of the most important posts, ought, according to the notions of these negroes, to appear in public likewise, in some measure, after their decease. The Religion of the Inhabitants of the Coast of Guinea. with these people, and their religious sentiments; ̧ for some of them observe the ceremony of circum-' cision, without assigning any manner of reason for their conduct, which, perhaps, nay be grounded on mere necessity. But should some certain customs be added to it, which are in vogue with their neighbours; such as presenting the choicest of their fruits to a particular god, called Belly, and to the souls of their relations; refraining from eating beef or veal, or any kind of shell-fish, we may visibly discern the footsteps of Judaism, and the Paganisin of the ancient Egyptians. This hint, we presume, is sufficient for such to draw conclusions from, as are fond of reconciling the most distant conjectures. Purchas has collected abundance of curious observations, relating to the religion of these people, and their rites and ceremonies. Notwithstanding they have no books, no scriptures, nor even any civil laws for their political government, yet it is certain, they are not destitute of all religion. They dedicate and set apart Tuesday for the worship of their Fetiches, as we do Sunday to the service of God. This day of rest is very strictly observed in the exercise of dancing, &c. and this is likewise their day appointed for the circumcision of their children. There is one of their Fetiches, it seems, whom they acknowledge superior to all the rest. When any one asks them what notion they enter tain of the Deity, tlicy answer, that he is black like themselves; and that instead of being their bountiful benefactor, he acts like a tyrant and an oppressor. To this our historian replied, in the language of a missionary, that God is white like us, is good and gracious, and has done great and marvellous things for us that he descended from heaven to earth for our sakes, and was crucified by the Jews for our sal THE slave trade carried on in Guinea, has given Europeans many opportunities of making themselves well acquainted with the inhabitants. Happy had our merchants been as assiduous to promote the knowledge of Christianity, and the eternal happiness of immortal souls, as they have been to procure riches, by means that no man can justify. This melancholy subject has been considered in a proper point of view by Mr. Granvile Sharp, a gentleman, as much distinguished for his learning, as for the most unblemished character, universal benevolence, and unaffected piety. He considers it in a light which no one ever did before, namely, that as Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians for their oppressions of the poor, so the continuing of the slave trade, and even encouraging it, will bring down the divine judgments upon sinful nations. In vain do they pretend that these people are used as well in the West-Indies as at home. This has nothing to do with the argument, for we must insist that no mortal has a right to deprive his fellow-vation; that after the dissolution of these our creatures of liberty, except for crimes. But are these poor. Africans, when brought to the West-Indies, instructed in religion? No, it is industriously concealed from them. Nay, it is not long since they were bought and sold in England, like beasts of burden. No encomiums can be too great on Mr. Sharp, who brought the matter to the fountainhead of the law, and obtained a solemn judgment, that no slave can live in England; that every foreigner, whether an African, or from any other part earthly tabernacles, our souls shall take their flight to the celestial regions; but all this seemed mere cant and jargon to these negroes, who chiefly opposed the divine providence, alledging that they were no ways indebted to the deity, but to the earth, the waters, the planets, &c. for the many blessings they enjoyed; and it is no wonder at all to hear them talk in this strain. If we will but give ourselves the least time to reflect. we may easily discern the weakness and insufficiency of such arguments |