ledge or practice; yet may it juftly be regarded as a favourable circumftance, that a growing intercourfe, formed with the more polished nations of Europe, naturally leads to a higher ftate of civilization, and to a happier cultivation of literature. And as the most intimate connections of Ruffia are with those Proteftant nations in which the power of godliness moft prevails, it cannot but afford many and great opportunities for the admiffion of real truth and godlinefs among them; efpecially as the policy of the government holds out encouragement to the fettlement of foreigners, and indulges all Proteftants with free toleration. This has already produced fome happy effects in the little colony of Germans on the Wolga; the faithful who have arifen in Lithuania; and probably a few at leaft difperfed through the empire, who, having the book of truth, and liberty to confult its: contents, are more than nominal believers. It is a great advantage, that Chriftianity is the general profeffion, that the orthodox creeds are profeffedly the national be lief, and however low the present ftate of fpiritual religion may be among them, fome fparks have appeared, and a door of hope is open for the admiffion of farther light and truth, whenever it fhall please the Lord to arife,: and have mercy on that part of his Zion.

SWEDEN.

LUTHERAN, in profeffion, enjoying the free use of the word of God, holding the Aufberg Confeffion, and filled t with minifters of the Chriftian fanctuary, affords fymptoms of real religion, and prospects of greater revival. The correfpondences between us and them, of late breathe a cordial good-will to the caufe of God and truth, afford information of new efforts, making to fpread the knowledge of evangelical doctrines among the poor of the flock; and in the very lamentations they contain of the spread of infidel principles, and the too great indifference to all spiritual religion, it is manifeft there is a body yet remaining, who figh for all the abominations that are committed to the difhonour of the Chriftian

name, and whofe voice is yet heard, preaching and teaching Jefus Chrift, however unfashionable fuch fervour may appear, and fuch truth be regarded. If active zeal, and the power of godlinefs be at a low ebb, there is ftill: vitality in the body, and only waits the coming of the Spirit of the Lord, on the appointed Samfons, who shall caft down the temples of Dagon.

DENMARK AND NORWAY

Are in a state fimilar to their neighbours; of the fame religious profeffion, fharing, I fear, equally in their declenfions and infidelity, but retaining in their eftablifhed church the true principles, and not deftitute of faithful`` witneffes, who preach and teach Jefus Chrift, know the power of his refurrection, and feek to make him known; to others. Their miffions to Greenland, and the coaft at: Malaoar, fpeak an attention to the Chriftian doc-c trine: and whatever caufe for complaint there may be of want of zeal and enlargement in thefe objects, yet, so far as they have gone, there is a bleffing, and nothing hinders, whenever the Lord fhall awaken their minifters to more vigorous exertions, but that they may enter in both the Indies, and lift up the banner of the cross,

GERMANY,

This vaft country, divided into different principalities, the cradle of Reformation, in fo many places affording ftrong fymptoms of awakened zeal for the caufe of Chrift; and from whence the good Moravians have gone forth to spread eminently the Gofpel among the heathen, may be justly expected to have their youth renewed as the eagle's. In the north, chiefly Proteftant, much true religion is yet to be found. The annual meeting of many zealous Lutheran minifters in Lufatia, proves, that a living body of faithful witneffes still fubfifts. From Berlin, Lufatia, Saxony, &c. correfpondences of the most pleasing nature affure, that there is a generation to the praife of the glory of God's grace. Efforts are made to fend forth men of faith and truth, to

address the poor, and fpread religious tracts, and the labours are bleffed. It must be acknowledged, that at Berlin, and all the courts of Germany, the fafhionable philofophy has made a rapid progress, and those who had confeffedly no part of the kingdom of God in their hearts, were ready to take refuge in infidelity, and to treat the religion of Jefus with contempt; but it hath furvived their Pagan predeceffors, and it will live and flourish, when all its revilers fhall fade as the leaf. Many continue to lift up a ftandard against the overflowings of ungodlinefs. Of late, a fpirit of zeal and life feems awakened in divers places, and it is hoped the number of faithful witneffes increafes. The door is open, and however there may be many adverfaries, they have apparently much. lefs difficulties to encounter than Luther, Ca... loftadt, and others, met and overcame. We have affured evidence, that many faithful labourers there, cultivate the Lord's vineyard. The cordial approbation expreffed, and the affectionate regard teftified towards thofe in England, who have lately turned their attention to the poor heathen, demonftrate that the love of the truth ftill lies deep, at their hearts. May their own labours tend more abundantly to diffuse it on every fide!

POLAND,

Now no more a feparate kingdom, has certainly, by its partition, loft nothing on the fide of evangelical religion, and at least gained greater facilities for its admiffion, whenever the Lord fhall pour out his fpirit, raife up inftruments, and fend them forth to labour in that barren land. Those under Ruffian and Pruffian dominion, will probably meet no obftacle from government in the introduction of the true gofpel. If good fubjects, it will be permitted to them to choose their own religious profeffion. That fpiritual matters are at a very low ebb, is much to be feared, where Romanifm has fo long predominated, and Socinian Christianity held for a while its ftrong holds; but the darkest moment precedes the dawn. "Arife, Lord, and plead thine own caufe!"

UNITED PROVINCES.

Of all the nations of the continent of the reformed religion, in these provinces its moft living power seems to have been preferved. We have their hiftory, and in this moment of political crifis, have the pleasing evidence, that whatever their future destination may be, under whatever government fubfifting, the fpirit of life and truth ftill burns among them with an unextinguifhed ardour. Greatly as they may have fuffered by preceding declenfions, or more lately from French fraternity, we know there is a precious feed preferved in the midst of them, both minifters and people, who are counted to the Lord for a generation. The convulfions they have undergone, and the fufferings they have endured, have purified many in the fires. They have felt the Lord's controverfy with them, and have awaked from the torpër of indifference. A spirit of zeal and activity is excited. At Rotterdam many have united for the purpose of extending the gospel among the heathen. In Friefland, a confiderable number of minifters have affociated for the fame bleffed end. Some happy fymptoms of a deeper concern about eternal things have appeared in different places, and thefe awakenings fpeak prefent mercy, and augur future bleffings. A preparation is begun, whenever happy days of peace fhall return, for arifing to the help of the Lord; and, with their renovated commerce, none are likely to poffefs greater opportunities of fpreading the gospel among the heathen, than our Batavian brethren. (To be continued.)

London, March, 1800. In confequence of a very preffing application from Quebec and Montreal, Mr. John Mitchell, from Huxton Academy, and Mr. Clarke Benton, one of the Miffionaries who returned in the Duff, are fent by the London Society as Miffionaries to thefe places. They failed from Liverpool by the thip Ephron, Captain Lipton (who is a ferious man), for Canada.

THE

New-York Miffionary Magazine,

AND

Repofitory of Religious Intelligence.

N°

ESSAYS ON THE SABBATH.

ESSAY II.

On the Sanctification of the Sabbath.

O judicious man can fuppofe that his most careful obfervance of the Sabbath makes it holy. Its facrednefs arifes from that which alone can render any day facred-divine inftitution. Our fanctifying it confifts in devoting it, with fidelity, to the ufes which that inftitution contemplates.

Sanctification of the Sabbath is commonly and properly reduced to thefe two points-abftinence, not only from finful courses, but also from all thofe worldly purfuits which on other days are lawful-and fpending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship.

FIRST, We are to abftain from our ordinary worldly pur fuits. When the day of reft comes, a ceffation of earthly cares and employments is always to accompany it. All kinds of mechanic and manual labour-traffic, and the appendages of traffic in every fhape-cuftomary vifiting-fcafting-amufement-needlefs confumption of time in dress, or in the preparation of food-carnal converfation-i. e. converfation about politics, trade, or the other concerns of ordinary life-worldly-mindedness, or allowing ourselves to project plans of bufinefs for the VOL. I. No. 5.

A