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of no use, for none of the peo-sembly of the Church of Scotple could read. land, by repeated acts in succesFrom these causes combined, sive years, recommended it to it is certain, nor is it to be won- the liberality of their people. dered at, that intellectual dark-It was made known to Queen ness, the grossest and most profound, brooded over this unhappy country, that its inhabitants were ignorant of the first principles of the Christian system, and that what notions they had of a religious nature were a mixture of popish and pagan superstition.

Anne, of pious memory: her majesty's approbation of it was published by a royal proclamation in the year 1708; and in 1709, the Queen was graciously pleased to issue her letters pas tent, constituting the subscribers a body corporate, by the name and designation which they have We may justly add, that these ever since borne. The objects poor people were as ignorant of of the Society are defined in the arts of civilized, as they were their charter, "- for raising of the principles of the religious" a voluntary contribution tolife; their minds were fierce,"wards the farther promotion and their manners barbarous. " of Christian Knowledge, and The feuds of their clans were "the increase of piety and vir endless, and their quarrels bloo-"tue within Scotland, especially dy. They were plunderers of" in the Highlands and Islands the loyal and peaceful inhabi-" and remote corners thereof, tants of the low-lands of Scot-" where idolatry, superstition, land; and in general (for there" and ignorance, do mostly awere exceptions) they were hos-" bound, by reason of the largetile to the happy constitution of "ness of parishes and scarcity government established at the" of schools-giving and grantrevolution. Successive rebell-❝ing to the Society full powers ions from that area to the "to receive subscriptions and year 1746, furnish melancholy" donations of money, and thereproofs of the justice of this last" with to erect and maintain assertion, and the then disposi-" schools to teach to read, espetion of the Highlanders. "cially the Holy Scriptures and

It was impossible that cultiva-" other good and pious books; ted and benevolent minds could "as also to teach writing, arithcontemplate without commise-"metic, and such like degrees ration, a people, and those their" of knowledge." own countrymen, in so unhappy a condition. The generous founders of our Society pitied them, and formed a noble plan for their relief. Their personal funds were narrow; but they exerted them to the utmost.They made known their intentions to the public;-they were approved; and numbers entered heartily into the plan which they formed. The General As

The Subscribers and first Members of the Society were, many of them, of the highest rank and most distinguished characters in Scotland. Permit me to read from an authentic list, published by authority, a few of their names :-James, Duke of Queensbury and Dover; John, Duke of Atholl (the great-grandfather of our present noble Chairman); Daved, Earl of Bu

chan; Thomas, Earl of Hadding- | of industry which generally preton; John, Earl of Lauderdale ; vailed in the Highlands and IslJames, Earl of Seafield; David, ands, and being persuaded that Earl of Glasgow; Charles, Earl idleness and vice commonly go of Hopetoun; Archibald, Earl hand in hand, resolved to do of Islay. Besides these noblemen, what in them lay to cure this there occur on the list, the names evil. They applied for, and obof many gentlemen of rank and tained from his late Majesty fortune, the Judges of the Su-King George II. a new patent, preme Court of Judicature in authorizing them to erect schools Scotland; all the ministers of of industry for teaching the Edinburgh and its vicinity; and youth of both sexes, and partica great number of its most res-ularly females, its more commen pectable citizens. branches. Upon this part of Four thousand pounds were their plan, as well as upon that raised; and immediately the So- of the first patent, they have ciety began their operations as ever since proceeded, and now described in their Charter. By the number of their schools of establishing schools for the in-industry amounts to above an struction of youth, they wished hundred, at which are taught to rescue their as yet uncorrupt- above two thousand young pered minds from the ignorance sons, chiefly girls. and barbarism of their fathers, to imbue them with the first principles of science and religion, and to open to them the]ands, who as usually happens in channels of farther improve- rude countries, were chiefly emment by teaching them to speak ployed in the labors of the field, and to read the English language. are now occupied in employNeed I say to well-informed ments befitting their sex, in men, acquainted with human na- spinning, sewing, knitting, and ture, that the instruction of the like appropriate arts, while, youth, is of all methods the most at the same time, they learn to effectual for conveying knowl-read the Scriptures, and to unedge and improvement to an ig-derstand the first principles of norant and uncivilized people? religion.

In consequence of these schools, the women of the remote parts of the Highlands and Isl

The success which attended It would be tedious, and occuthe first beginnings of the plan py too much of your time, to adopted by the Society, soon trace the history of the Society gave to it celebrity, and brought through its successive stages, a large addition to the list of its the enlargement of its funds, patrons and friends. Its funds and consequent increase of its rapidly increased, and in exact schools to the present time.proportion to their increase, the Suffice it in general to state, that number of schools upon its es- there are now maintained upon tablishment was augmented. its establishment, above three In the year 1738 they amount- hundred teachers of schools, beed to an hundred and twelve. sides missionary ministers, cateAt that time, the Society deep-chists, and pensionary students ly regretting the idleness, and of divinity having the Gaelic ignorance of the common arts language, and that the expense

are accustomed to count upon your long experienced liberality; and we have never been disappointed.

of their salaries amounts to the of our schools, &c. for each sucaverage sum of about £3600 per cessive year, and proportioning annum. The whole of the So-it to our ways and means, we ciety's annual revenue is but about £4000; so that only £400 per annum remains for supplying their schools with books, (Bibles, New Testaments, Spelling Books, &c.) and for the necessary unavoidable expense of carrying on the business of so large an establishment: by means of which near sixteen thousand children are trained up in the first principles of religion | and literature-the knowledge of the English language, and useful industry.

A taste for literature and intellectual improvement has gradually diffused itself even to the remotest districts of the Highlanders and Islands of Scotland. Many petitions for more schools are annually poured in upon us. Not a few have been transmitted to me since I came to London. These, with deep regret, we find ourselves obliged to refuse, The economy with which the merely because our funds do not business is conducted, is great be-enable us to grant their desire. yond what can easily be con- Our schoolmasters too are obceived by strangers. Three sala-jects of our sincerest commisries only are paid to the Officers eration. Though I know no of the Society-the Treasurer-class of men more meritorious the Bookholder and Clerk; each or better deserving of their counof them having departments of try, than they as a body are, (and great importance and labor, and I know them all;) yet their salathe sum allowed to each of them ries, (almost their sole dependis but £25 per annum. These ence, their school-fees being salaries were fixed many years next to nothing,) are by far too ago, and have never been increa- small to enable them to live with sed. The Secretary, Librarian, any degree of comfort. They Comptroller and Accountant have do not exceed at an average £13 no salary, nor pecuniary emol- per annum. Even this sum, ument whatever theirs' are la- small as it is, in remote and bors of love. cheap countries, was in former times, to men in their station, adequate to the expense of living. Of late, as every body knows and feels, things have undergone a wonderful change.The necessaries of life have advanced to a double price in every part of the empire, not excepting the most distant. Earnestly do we wish to increase the salaries of our worthy schoolmasters: but this we cannot do, without either diminishing their number, or receiving an increase to our funds.

But still in spite of all our economy, the unavoidable annual expense of such an establishment far exceeds our income; and were it not for the occasional and annual subscriptions and donations of the charitable and benevolent, among whom with the deepest sense of gratitude, we number the gentlemen whom I have now the honor to address, it were impossible to maintain it, and the number of our schools must of necessity be reduced.

But in making up the scheme

To abridge the number of teachers, when so many more are wanted and earnestly petitioned for, is a measure which no friend to religion, to his country, or to humanity, would wish to see put in practice. Much depends upon you, Gentlemen, to whom God hath given the means, and I trust, the hearts, to prevent its necessity.

(To be continued)

Religious Intelligence.

repeat from the 1st to the 23d Psalm in prose. Several of them, the greatest part both of Watts' Divine Songs for Children, and of Doddridge's Principles of the Christian Religion: and of some of them there is reason to believe, that their minds are truly impressed with a sense of the infinite importance of divine things.

After school hours, Mr. Reid calls on the parents of his scholars, at their own houses, examines their children before them, and, in this way, takes occasion, to speak to them of the nature and importance of religion; the

strangers to Christ; and the necessity of an immediate attention to the things which belong to their everlasting peace.These visits have, in several in

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Edinburgh Missionary Society. LETTERS have lately been received by the Edinburgh Missionary Society, from Mr. Eben-misery of those who live and die ezer Reid, their Catechist in Jamaica. From these it appears, that though he has not yet been permitted, since the passing of the extraordinary act that was repeatedly noticed instances, been greatly blessed this Magazine, to resume his both to old and young: many evening meetings for the in- have asked him to renew them struction of negroes and people much oftener than it is in his of color, his time is most use- power to do it; and he lays it down fully filled up. In his day-as a rule, never to visit but where school, which is very numerous, he is at great pains, and indeed makes it his chief object to initiate the young people, who attend, in the knowledge of Christian principles, and to impress their minds with the fear and love of God. Every day he catechises, exhorts, and prays with them. Most of them who can read, are able to repeat, besides their catechisms, our Lord's sermon on the mount, and a number of select chapters both in the Old and New Testa-be seen among the rising geneOne of the scholars can ration."

he has an opportunity of catechising and exhorting. A pious and respectable gentleman in Kingston, has written to his friend in Edinburgh, who is one of the Directors of the Missionary Society, in high terms of commendation, respecting Mr. Reid's method of conducting his school. He says, "That such a school, he is persuaded, was never before kept in the WestIndies; and, he trusts, that the happy effects of it will ere long

ment.

'Nov. 5. A Friend of Missions of Sharon,

Donations to the Missionary Society of Connecticut.

A Female friend of Missions,

Noah Webster, jun. Esq. Fifteen Dollars, being
50 cents a 1000 on 30,000 Spelling Books,

7. From a Lady in New-Hampshire,

3 27

0 25

15

5

15. A Friend of Missions,

5 58-29 10

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A REVIEW of times past, and
contemplations on future pros-
pects, humbly attempted for ge-
neral instruction, and to excite
pious meditations, c.; or, the
Editors' New YEAR'S GIFT,
to their generous readers.
(Cont. from Vol. V. p. 248.)

S

tures by many memorable ac-
tions and events.
On this day
Noah first looked out of the ark,
after the universal deluge, and
beheld with joy and thanksgiv-
ing, the earth dried, and restor-
ed again to the use of man.*
On this day Moses, by the com-
mandment of the Lord, reared
up the tabernacle, and sanctified
it, with Aaron and his sons for
the worship of God. This day
the cloud covered, and the glory
of the Lord filled the sanctuary.t
On this memorable day Ezra the
priest, and the long captivated

O to review and number our days as to apply our hearts unto wisdom is the glory and blessedness of man. To this the commands, the mercies and the perfections of God, man's own frailty, and the importance of his salvation constantly and power-sons of Jacob, began their jourfully urge him. At particular periods seriously to consider the times which have passed over us, the mercies we have enjoyed, the manner in which we have regarded the gracious and afflictive dispensations of providence, and to contemplate the prospects before us may be highly conducive to this interesting purpose. Nothing more naturally invites us to such reviews and contemplations than the commencement of a New Year.

The first day of the first month hath been signalized, in the scripVOL. VI. No. 7.

ney, from the land of their captivity, to Jerusalem, with the pious intention of rebuilding the house, and restoring the worship of God, in the holy place; and of teaching again in Israel, the good knowledge of the Lord.‡ On the same day Hezekiah, that pious prince, began to repair and purify the temple, and to set in order the service of it, designing in his heart to covenant with

*Gen. viii. 13.

+ Exod. xl. 13, 14, 15, 16, 34, 35.
+ Ezra vii. 9.
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