Bible Society. The Old Testament probably in a course of translation. In Ceylon, the translation of the Old Testament was begun. A large edition, (5000 copies,) of an old version of the New Testament was printing or about to be printed at Serampore by the Calcutta Society. At Canton and Macao, Mr. Morrison was completing and correcting a defective Chinese version of the New Testament carried out from England, and had already printed the Acts. He had begun a new version of Genesis and Psalms. Two Chinese translations were print ing in Asia. At Bellary, Mr. Hands had translated Luke into the Comarre or Canara language. At Madras, Mr. Jarrett, for aught that appears, was still pursuing the version into the Western Malay. Mr. Sabastiani had finished a Persian translation of the New Testament, which was in the press. This was the third version into that language, besides the one which had been discontinued at Serampore. By a clause in Dr. Buchanan's Star in the East," it appears that some attempts had been made to prepare the Scriptures for the islands in the Pacific Ocean, as distinguished from the Malayan islands. The British and Foreign Bible Society had appointed a Corresponding Committee in Bengal, to be their organ while their aid is needed in any region of Eastern Asia. That Committee besides all the encouragement which they have given to different editions of the Scriptures, have established at Calcutta a General Repository for Bibles in all languages, connected with a Translation-Library, and have entered upon a plan to support Public Readers of the Scriptures in the different countries of the East. An Auxiliary Bible Society has been established at Calcutta, whose primary object is to supply the native Christians of India and Ceylon with the Word of God in their own tongues. With funds amounting to thirty three thousand dollars, collected in the first eight months after their formation, they have already undertaken new and large editions of the Tamul Bible, and the Cingalese and Malayalim New Testament, for the benefit of seven or eight or nine hundred thousand professing Christians. This stupendous account presents you with ten stations where versions of the Scriptures are preparing, and with thirty-one translations, in twenty-five distinct languages. But Dr. Leyden had engaged for two more versions, and one more language, one of the languages having since been undertaken at Serampore. Allowing these to be going forward, you have thirtythree translations in twenty-six languages. If you add to these the Tamul and Malay versions formerly made, you have thirtyfive translations in twenty-eight languages. But this is not all; there are in a state of progression TRANSLATIONS NEAR THE CASPIAN SEA. In Circassia, towards the northern extremity of the country between the Caspian and Euxine Sea, at an equal distance from both, stands the Tartar village of Karass, at the northern foot of Mount Caucasus, near the source of the river Cuban, the Hypanis of the ancients, which rises in the mountains, and separates the Russian from the Turkish Empire. Karass, which is under the Russian dominion, contains a little more than 500 souls, who are called Mahometans. Some of the Tartars profess indeed the Mahometan faith, but the Circassians in general, though they practise circumcision, have neither priest, alcoran, nor mosque like other Mahometans, and are in fact mere pagans. Their language they have in common with other neighboring Tartars, and it is said to have an affinity with the dialects of the aborigines of America. The country between the two seas, especially the extensive regions which lie on Mount Caucasus, are inhabited by different nations distinguished by different tongues. In Karass, where there are natives from all the surrounding countries, no less than six or seven distinct dialects are understood. Around it are the Circassians, Kabardinians, and Abassinians. On one side is a horde of Nagay Tartars subject to Russia; a little more than a day's journey on the other side are the Cuban Tartars now, or at least lately, subject to Turkey. In the spring of 1802, the Missionary Society of Edinburgh established in 1796, sent out two Missionaries "to the countries bordering on the Caspian Sea." Messrs. Brunton and Paterson, with an African youth, whom Mr. Brunton had brought from the neighborhood of Sierra Leone, sailed from Leith, on the 17th of April, for Petersburgh, and thence proceeded over land to Karass. In May, 1805, the Society sent out four new Missionaries, Messrs. Mitchell, Pinkerton, Macalpine, and Galloway. The two first had been taught the art of printing, and carried with them a press, and a fount of Arabic types, which is the character used at Karass. Before their report in 1807, the British and Foreign Bible Society had sent them a fresh supply of Arabic types and paper, to print 5000 copies of the New Testament in the Turkish language; and by the month of August, 1810, the printing had advanced to the end of Acts." At a large distance to the north east of Karass, in Russian Asia, twenty-four miles below Czarizin, on a stream called Sarpa which falls into the river Wolga, the Moravians, in the year 1765 established a settlement which they named Sarepta. Their chief object was to carry the Gospel to the Calmuck Tartars, and other heathen tribes in those vast regions. Some of the brethren resided awhile among the Calmucks, conforming to their manners, living in tents, and accompanying their moving. camp through those immense plains covered with long grass. But all their labors were without success. At length the greatest part of the Calmucks quitted that neighborhood and removed out of their reach. The breth Theol. Mag. vol. ii, p. 220. N. Y.M. M. vol. iii, p. 279, 280; vol. iv, P 144-151. M. B. M. M. vol. iii, p. 232, vol. v, p. 91; vol. vii, p. 330. 100. Pan. vol. i, p 319; vol. iii, p. Star in E. p. 29. M.'s Geog. vol. ii, p. 382,407,412. R.'s Cyc. under Caus casus, Circassia, and Cuban, ren, however, have been useful to the German colonies on the Wolga, by forming societies among them, and supplying them with ministers. Some of the brethren translated a small portion of the Scriptures into the Calmuck language, but were too poor to print it. Understanding that a fount of types could be obtained at Petersburgh for 600 rubles, (about 270 dollars,) they applied to the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society for aid. The Committee not only sent them that sum, but advised them to undertake the translation of entire books of the New Testament, promising further assistance in proportion as they proceeded. All this was done before the month of May, 1808. In the spring of 1809 the committee received information that the money had arrived, and that the brethren, encouraged by that supply, and the promise of more, had complied with the recommendation by commencing in earnest the translation of Matthew. It was confidently expected that they would proceed till they had completed and published the whole New Testament.* The addition of the Turkish and Calmuck swells the number of stations to TWELVE, the number of languages to THIRTY, and the number of translations to THIRTY-SEVEN. Thus it appears that the Missionaries at Karass and Sarepta have attacked the Mahometan and Pagan world of Asia on the N.Y.M.M. vol. i, p. 306; vol. iv, p. 86. Pan. vol. iv, p. 156; vol. v, p. $9,110. that every fault deserves reprehension, and that nothing morally wrong can be innoxious, I propose to make some remarks on certain opinions and practices, which seem to have an extensive prevalence through our country. Enjoying the oracles of Divine truth and the blessings of an enlightened education, as the people of this country do, one could have hoped that we might, "clean escape" from those errors of paganism and superstition in which our heathen ancestors were once, and the heathen world are still, involved. But the fact appears otherwise. Relics of pagan superstition still adhere to us in spite of all our advantages; and men, who call themselves Christians, do and believe many of the same things which their pagan stand their obligation to avoid every appearance of an idolatrous attachment to the vanities of the heathen. Even the dictates of reason rightly informed, would teach them to avoid such errors; and the fear of ridicule, one might think, would deter most persons from the stupid observation of planets, signs, and visions. Still the fact is not so. How many persons the writer has known, whom no considerations short of necessity, could induce to set up the frame of a building, begin a journey, or commence any new enterprise, on a Friday. The reason for this, they tell you is, that Friday is an unlucky day, and that whatever is commenced then will prove disastrous in the issue. But let me ask the observers of Friday, whence came you by such an opinion? Did you learn it from your Bibles? Has God any where informed you that when in the course of the six days of creation, that day first appeared, and when he pronounced his productions of that day "very good" he notwithstanding designed the day itself to be very bad?-Surely you will not charge God foolishly. But will you say, that some evil agent always busies himself in mischief on that day? Then by relinquishing your lawful pursuits through fear of this wicked agent, that is, the devil, you do homage to him. I fear it may be said of you "ye worship ye know not what." Traces of that idolatrous veneration which our heathen ancestors used to offer to the moon, are distinctly visible among us at this day. People now do not erect temples, nor altars, to that luminary; nor will they be forward to acknowledge themselves its worshippers; but many, by their conduct, pay to it, an indirect homage, nor can they well acquit themselves of the imputation. They ascribe to it, in certain cases, some unknown, undefined, and secret, though real, agency, not belonging to matter, nor dependent on any of its known properties; and exerted in such a way as must lead you to conclude, if you make any conclusion at all, that some sort of intelligence is concerned in the agency. From the different appearances of this body in the performance of its stated revolutions, they will prognosticate to you the state of the weather, and determine when is the proper time to sow and to plant, and to gather in many of the fruits of the earth. If it is eclipsed, then too we are to expect changes in the weather, and other things which, they will tell you, its eclipses denote, not consider ing that such eclipses are as much a thing of course, as the alternation of day and night. There are indeed two ways in which the moon has a real influence upon the earth and its productions; in one, by its attraction, a well known property of matter; in the other, by the rays of light which proceed from it, and are well ascertained to have an influence in giving color, solidity, and some other properties, to vegetables. The effect in the first, is mechanical, existing mutually between the moon and the earth, and is common to all matter; the effect in the second is chemical, as appears from the aforesaid changes which are produced by it on the vegetable structure. But such is not the influence which the people here intended ascribe to the moon; that influence is independent of any known principles, or combinations of matter; being magical, or mysterious, and exciting in the observers of such things, sensations bordering on awe, and superstitious veneration. Take from them these sensations, and you remove every thing which they care for retaining. It is the love of something half mysteri. ous, vague, and capricious, that renders many so much attached to these whimsical idolatries, blended, at the same time, with a sort of safety which mankind naturally feel in being idolatrous, while they can be so in disguise, and without profession. The sun, too, is not without its formal observers at this day. Its influence is conceived to vary, as it arrives at certain points in its apparent progress through the heavens; or, in better language as the earth is in certain parts of its annual revolution about that orb. When in such a sign of the zodiac, it will exert a certain mysterious influence upon particular parts of animal bodies; when in another sign, then another influence upon some other part of such bodies. One person will not attempt to angle, unless the sign happens that day to be right; and to ascertain this point, will examine his almanac with as much gravity as a Hindoo will peruse his Shaster. Another would consent to let blood, upon no consideration, unless the sign should be favorable. A third would consider flesh to be inferior in quality, if the animal were not butchered under the proper sign, or at a proper period of thê |