Viesseaux gives the following acof the Chinese college at Naples, aly institution of its kind in Europe. The founder of this establishment was D. teo Ripa, a Neapolitan missionary. Pipa went to China, and resided several yr at the missionary house at Pekin, where his skill' in painting recommended him to the emperor and court. While liv in that remote land, he conceived the which he afterwards executed, of esishing a college in Europe for the eduon of young Chinese as Christian mis5aries to their countrymen. Several ls were made, and at last Naples was fed upon for this institution, as the cliLe appeared to be the most favourable congenial to them. The youths desved for this place are smuggled out of ir country at the age of 13 or 14, by cans of the Roman Catholic missionaries, who send them first to Macao, whence they are conveyed to Europe, generally in Portuguese vessels bound to Lisbon, from which place they proceed to Italy. The expenses are defrayed partly by this institution, and partly by the College de Propaganda Fide at Rome. "The college," says M. Viesseaux, "is situated on the slope of the hill of Capo di Monte, in a quiet retired spot, which commands a fine prospect of the bay. The house and the adjoining church are simply but neatly constructed; the apartments are comfortable and airy; and the whole place is kept remarkably clean, and in the best order, so as to form an agreeable contrast with the generality of Neapolitan establishments. The rector, a Neapolitan missionary, and a sensible well-informed man, politely showed us every thing deserving attention. We entered first the hall, which is hung round with the portraits of the Chinese who have resided in this house since its establishment; they are about 40, and among them is that of Ripa, the founder. Those who have suffered martyrdom are represented with the instruments of their death; others have chains round their necks, as a sign of their having suffered imprisonment. There were six Chinese in the college when I visited it, one of them was insane, and another blind." Mr. J. Burton, who is employed by the Pacha of Egypt in making geological researches, has discovered, in the desert east of the Nile, on the coast of the Red Sea, and in the parallel of Syout, a beautiful little temple, of the Ionic order, with an inscription, "For the safety of our evervictorious, absolute, and august lord, Cæsar, and for the whole of his house, this temple and all its dependencies have been dedicated to the sun," &c. In the same track he came to a mountain called the Mountain of Smoke, the summit of which is covered with roads and paths leading to large quarries of antique red porphyry. He found immense blocks, rudely chiselled, lying in every direction; others, ready squared, lay fixed on props, that were marked and numbered. He found also an endless number of sarcophagi, vases, and columns of large dimensions. Hard by were huts, or booths, in ruins, and the remains of forges. In digging a short time since for the foundation of the steeple of the new church to be erected at St. Germain-enLaye, a discovery was made, upon the site of an ancient chapel, of three leaden boxes, upon one of which was the following inscription-"Ici est une portion de la chair et des parties nobles du corps de treshaut, tres-puissant, et tres-excellent prince Jacques Stuart, second du nom, Roi de la Grande Bretagne, ne le 23 Octobre MDCXXXIII. decede en France,a SaintGermain-en-Laye, le 16 Septembre, MDCCI." Upon referring to the archives of the town, a register was found, which stated at the date of September 16th, 1701, that the prince died on that day at St. Germain-enLaye, and that his brains and entrails were deposited in the church. It is certain that one of the other boxes contains the remains of the princess Louisa Maria of England, daughter of James II. who died at St. Germain on the 17th of April, 1712. It is said that some Englishmen of distinction propose to erect a monument upon the spot where the remains of the prince will be deposited. Providential Escape. An event occurred in this town, on the first day of the present month (December,) which is worthy of being recorded, as it strikingly illustrates the truth of an over-. ruling and governing Providence. A young man by the name of Noah Loomis, had descended the well of William Ferguson, which was fifty-six feet deep, and laboured in it the forepart of the day, for the purpose of clearing it of sand. He came out at noon, and took dinner; and a few minutes before two o'clock, again descended. The person at the top called to him, to know if he had got to the bottom of the well. Loomis replied-" I have got within four feet of the bottom; I don't know about going any farther, as two or three stones have now fallen in." While the words were yet in his mouth, the wali for thirty feet above him, to the top of an old curb which was left when the well was dug, gave way, and Loomis was completely enveloped in its ruins. An alarm was given; people began fast to assemble, and after a few minutes consultation, commenced digging for the purpose of getting the body, having no expectation at the time that the man was yet alive. When they had taken up the wall about ten feet, the remainder gave way and caved in, together with a large quantity of earth at the top of the well. This ne cessarily suspended their labours until a curb was prepared. About five o'clock, tackles and buckets were procured and put in successful operation. They continued to excavate until they came to the old curb above mentioned, which was not till twelve o'clock at night. The old curb was so rotten, that they were afraid to proceed until a new one was made and put within it: the doing of this suspended their dig. ging till four o'clock in the morning.After this was done, they again commenced excavating, and on raising a large flat stone, the person in the well heard a groan! He came up; another descended, spoke to Loomis, and received a distinct and correct answer! This took place when they were about twenty-one feet from the top of the well. The anxiety of the people at this moment, (and there were several hundreds,) was very intense; they appeared completely astonished, and rushed en masse to the top of the well. They again commenced digging with renewed activity and zeal, occasionally calling to Loomis, and as often receiving distinct and correct answers. He was once asked if he was wholly wedged in? He answered, "he was, and not much hurt, but in great distress About half past twelve, came to his hands, holding the rope, and raised over his head, and found him as he had said, completely wedged in. As soon as his head was liberated, they gave him some cordials; and about two o'clock the young man was presented, without having a broken bone, to a large concourse of admiring spectators, after having been buried, twenty-four hours, fifty feet beneath the surface of the ground! He was so completely wedged in on every side, that he could move no more than his toes on his left foot, and his fingers on his right hand. After being in the well two or three hours, Loomis became very thirsty, and feeling a drop of water run down his face, he reach. ed out his tongue, and received drop after drop, sufficient to allay his thirst. All the medical aid that could be given was rendered immediately, as there were several medical gentlemen present. He was de. prived of the use of his limbs for three or four days, but is now doing well, being able to stand; and by the blessing of God he will, it is hoped, soon recover. He wishes, in this communication, to have. his feelings of gratitude expressed to all those who exerted themselves in his behalf.-Sangerfield paper. ,, Missionary Funds. The Treasurer of the New-York Pro testant Episcopal Missionary Society acknowledges the receipt of $215, collected in St. Paul's chapel, on Sunday evening, the 22d December; also, from "a friend," the sum of $30, to constitute the Rev. Lewis P. Bayard, Rector of Trinity church, New-Rochelle, a member for life; and also the sum of $30, from the congregation of the French church Du St. Esprit, to constitute their Rector, the Rev. Henri L. P. F. Peneveyre, a mem ber for life. The example given in these two instances, it is hoped, will be followed in many of the wealthier congregations of our cities and larger towns. Subscriptions and donations will be thankfully received by the Treasurer, at 188 Pearl-street. New-York Athenæum. A number of gentlemen in this city have recently associated for the purpose of instituting an Athenæum. The introductory address at its opening was delivered on Monday, the 13th of December, 1824, by Henry Wheaton, esq. at the City Hotel, where, besides the associates, a large au dience of ladies and gentlemen had assembled. The course of lectures has since commenced, and are delivered in the evening at the hall of Columbia College. Unclothing of the Mummy. The proprietors of the Mummy which has for some time been exhibited in this city, having determined on removing all doubt and cavil as to the reality of this relique of antiquity, the operation of unclothing the body took place at CastleGarden, on the 14th instant, in the presence of several gentlemen of the faculty. The following certificate, taken from the Evening Post of the 27th, must prove satisfactory to the most obstinate skeptick: New-York, Dec. 14, 1824. Having been invited by the proprietors of the Egyptian Mummy, recently exhibited in this city, to aid in separating the bandages, and to disenrobe the body of its funeral investments, in order to remove all doubt of deception, and to ascertain the contents of the sarcophagus-We certify, that we did assist in this operation, on the 14th day of December, 1824, at CastleGarden, in the city of New-York, in the presence of a numerous concourse of respectable citizens. The bandages were cut through on the back, and though they adhered to the body, they were gradually separated, and the corpse completely exposed to view. It was in a state of dryness and preservation, that left no doubt on the mind, that it was a genuine Mummy, of great antiquity, preserved by the Egyptians. There were 25 folds of linen cloth wrapped around the body, and be tween the folds were the powder and spices of aromatic gums; the cavity of the body was also filled with the same. From this exposure it is ascertained that the individual was a female, and probably be tween 25 and 30 years old when embalm. ed. It is clearly not a modern imitation of the ancient mode of embalming, but a true specimen of the manner of preserving dead bodies, practised by nations of remote periods. SAMUEL AKERLY, VALENTINE MOTT. Ordinations. On Sunday the 14th of November, 1824, in St. Michael's church, Charleston, SouthCarolina, Mr. Charles Pinckney Elliott was admitted to the holy order of deacons, by the Right Rev. Dr. Bowen, bishop of the diocese. On the second Sunday in Advent, December 5th, in Christ church, Hartford, Connecticut, the Right Rev. Bishop Brownell, acting for the absent bishop of NewYork, admitted to the holy order of priests the Rev. John Sellon, deacon, minister of Christ church, Ann-street, New-York. Morning prayer was read by the Rev. Thomas Warner, of St.Croix, West-Indies, and the sermon preached by the Rev. Natha niel S. Wheaton, rector of Christ church, Hartford. For the Christian Journal. Messrs. Editors, Struck with the intimation of a writer in the last number of your Journal, that there probably are no hymns adapted to the missionary wants of the settlers in our new countries, I send you the following attempt. America will for a great number of years be the scene of missions, and we ought not to be without a hymn suited to the occasion when a collection is made for their support.-The allusion of the following piece is to the West, because the wants of this kind are greatest, and will be longest felt in that direction.-If these humble stanzas shall excite better talents to a happier effort, the church will be a great gainer, for she certainly has need of a hymn on this subject. A HYMN for Missions to the new Settlements in America. LIGHT of life, here beaming high, Kindle in our Western sky! Thousands, once beneath thy ray, Thither roam beyond its day; Hasten thither, Light divine, There as here in splendour shine! There, though savage horrours cease, None proclaim thy word of peace; Thousands dwell in dreary gloom, Ere thy beams their land illume: Quench'd and lost thy sacred fire, Praise, and prayer, and hope expire. Thousands too, of better mind, Mourn the blessings left behind, Long to view thy welcome beam Pouring there its hall'wing stream, Long new altars there to raise Bright with off'rings in thy praise. For the Christian Journal. Written on hearing of the sudden death of Charlotte Nelson, killed by the bursting of the boiler of the steam-boat Jersey, on the 12th of July, 1824. If youth and worth deserve a tear Whose mem'ry ever will be dear, When call'd to mind her tragic end, (By pains that every heart must rend) Happy for her that-young and fair- Taught her the wrath of fools to dare, Darkly we see while here below: To meet, where life's clear waters flow W. Calendar Notices for February, 1825. 2. The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, commonly called the Purifica tion of St. Mary the Virgin. 6. Sexagesima Sunday. 13. Quinquagesima Sunday. 16. The first day of Lent, commonly called Ash-Wednesday. 20. 1st Sunday in Lent. 23. Ember day. 24. St. Matthias the Apostle. 25. 26. Ember days. 27. 2d Sunday in Lent. The list of Clergy in "Swords's Pocket Almanack, Christian's Calendar, and Ecclesiastical Register" for 1825, contains the following numbers:-Maine 2, New-Hampshire 4, Massachusetts 22, Vermont 9, Rhode-Island 6, Connecticut 48, New-York 99, New-Jersey 17, Pennsylvania 43, Delaware 4, Maryland 47, Virginia 36, North-Carolina 9, South-Carolina 34, Georgia 4, Ohio 6, Kentucky 3, Louisiana 1, Mississippi 2, Tennessee 1, Indiana 1, Michigan 1, Missouri 1-Total 400.-The aggregate number in last year'sAlmanack was 379. Sternhold, No. V. is unavoidably postponed. Conversion and Death of Count (Continued from page 21.) DR. MUNTER then proceeds to obtain from him a statement of his system of religion; from which we find that he is a disciple of materialism, considering man as a single substance, or a mere machine; inferring from thence that there was no morality in actions further than as they affected society, and consequently, that there was no such thing as punishment after this life.Here we cannot but observe, by the way, how the infidel contradicts himself, while he denies the doctrine of future punishments; for at the very moment when he is disclaiming this doctrine, he confesses that man is " punished in this world for his transgressions," and that he was not "happy himself" during the time of his greatest prosperity: thus effectually asserting the prevalence of that fact which revelation only carries on to its perfection by extending it to a future state. At the conclusion of this conference, Munter, instead of directly obviating these errors, endeavours to make an impression on his heart, by informing him of a fact which was calculated to awaken a feeling of remorse. "I had observed that he really was very uneasy about some of his actions, and I thought proper to increase his uneasiness. I suppose my readers know how much he was to be blamed for his conduct towards Count Bernstorf.* I acquainted him, therefore, upon taking my leave of him, with his death. He called out with an emotion of heart- What! is he dead?" and seemed to shudder. Yes, said I, he is. "Count Bernstorf was minister of state in Denmark since the year 1750. Struensee got this great and beloved minister dismissed, by a letter of the king's, dated September the 15th, 1770, with a pension of 6000 crowns; he retired to Hamburgh, where he died the 18th of February, 1772-T." VOL. IX. [VOL. IX. His wisdom, religion, and piety, have preserved him the character of a great man to the last; and it is generally believed, that the grief of his last years had hastened his death. When I spoke this, I looked at him with an air which he seemed to understand, for he blushed." the next conference, by reminding him The same impression he renews at of the deep affliction which he had caused his parents, and how much it was his duty to procure them that only comfort which was left them, not to remain in anxiety about his future state." He appears already to have succeeded partly in this respect: though he had not been able to convince his understanding by arguments respecting the existence of the soul. In the third conference, Munter finds him more disposed to receive the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, by the perusal of Jerusalem's Meditations, (a book for which Mr. Rennell substitutes Pascal's Thoughts.) Still the terialism. He cannot, however, but count perseveres in his system of maacknowledge, when pressed with the fact, that our organs are only instru ments, which imply an agent to make use of them, (a fact strikingly illustrated by Bishop Butler in his Analogy); but the shame of sacrificing his own opinion, is still an obstacle to his conviction of the truth. Munter, very judiciously, still has recourse to his heart, as the means of overcoming the diffi culty. "He was sensible of this, but it seemed to be a hard matter for him to own he was in the wrong. Nevertheless, it was necessary he should make this confession before I could proceed any farther. I undertook therefore to prove, that the manner in which his opinion had taken its origin, and had interested his heart so much, tended neither to his credit nor to his advantage. I looked upor this as the best means to expel one shame by another. He interrupted me very seldom during the to increase it. I hoped his pain might by degrees become more universal, and extend itself over his other crimes. "I had scarcely began to touch him on this side, when he burst into tears, and owned that he found himself in this re time I was speaking, but heard with much attention, and owned that I had exactly pointed out the way which had led him to his opinion. After a short pause on both sides, during which he seemed to be in a deep meditation, he called out- Oh! I hope now, and wish for immortality.' Ispect very culpable, and was absolutely guessed directly that the reading of Jeru salem had brought him so far, and he soon afterwards sail himself--' It is impossible not to be brought over by that book."" The doctrine of a future life being now conceded, the next object of attention was, altogether to remove that false ease by which the count had hitherto been supported, by rectifying his notions of morality. His acknowledgment of a future life had already prepared the way for enlightening him on this head; for when Munter was proceeding to show the insufficiency of even his own standard of morality, good of society, he unexpectedly answered, pointing at the "Meditations" which he had read, that he now found it "by far better and surer to derive the motives of our actions from God, and to consider him as observing them." The heart however is still Munter's point d'appui, and he is not satisfied until he has fully established his influ ence there. the "In the mean time, I begged of the count to reflect how immoral his actions had been, even according to his former principles of morality. I had now discovered that side where the wounds of his conscience smarted most. He was not by far so much grieved at thinking that he had offended God, and made himself mi serable, as that he had ruined his friends with him. The sensation of this I laid hold on, and endeavoured to support and * "This view of Munter is quite correct, and worthy of attention. All attempts to eradicate confirmed infidelity by abstract argument alone will be fruitless. A sceptic has seldom any objection to enter into discussions respecting the nature, the immateriality, the immortality, of the soul, or such sort of subjects, as they give him ample scope for the display of his sophistry and ingenuity; and even if by an able opponent he should be utterly defeated, he is still as far removed from conviction as ever. His pride, the very enemy whom it is our object to subdue, is flattered and increased by the contest. If infidelity proceeds ultimately from corruption of the heart, the heart must be the object of our attack, otherwise the understanding, influenced as it always is in such cases by the passions, will never have free play, nor come to an unbiassed determination. Some good feeling, which yet remains, must be awakened and brought into action. Such was the at a loss to say any thing in his defence. "Suppose then, continued I, you had to reproaclr yourself only with being the cause of all the misfortunes your friends now labour under, it must even then be very difficult, or rather impossible, to ac count for it before God. "I acknowledge this,' said he, ‘and therefore shall say nothing to excuse my self before God; and I hope he will not demand this of me. I trust in my repentance and his mercy. Do not you think God will forgive me on account of this philosophical repentance? "According to my notions of repentance, I can give you no hopes. I know but one way to receive God's pardon, and this is not by a philosophical, but by a Christian repentance. I cannot yet produce the reasons why I am obliged to think so; but if you only reflect on God's mercy, in which you trust, you will find that it is this very mercy which makes it necessary for him to be just, and to show his aversion to moral evil. Such mercy as that of God, which cannot degenerate into weakness, must, no doubt, be very terrible to him who has offended against it. I entreat you not to put a blind and ill founded confidence in it.'-Perhaps I pronounced this with a visible emotion of heart, for he interrupted me, saying'Your humanity must be very great, since your patience is not tired.' ་ "I certainly shall not be tired, but I am uneasy and in pain about you.' "You must not be so much concerned for me. What would you do if I was so unhappy as to remain unconvinced?' "It would grieve me unspeakably. I should wish to conceive good hopes of you, but I fear without reason. Pray do what lies in your power; God will bless your endeavours. I hope you will even yet, upon good grounds, think yourself pardoned by God, and be able to die with comfort and a fair prospect into eternity.' -Here he called out, with a deep-fetched sigh- May God grant it? "He added-' You wish, and I believe from good reasons, that I might become a Christian." "To be sure, (replied I,) I wish it very much; but you know favours are not forced upon any body; and it is natural for you to look out for the greatest that course pursued by Munter in the case before He touched the heart of Struensee upon one of the few good points which yet remained -his affection for his friends; and we see the beneficial result." us. |