enced by the synods of the Greek Church, they have not all rejected the authority of the Latin. Very early missionaries from the college de Propaganda Fide,' at Rome, found their way among them; and at present they are divided into two hostile parties-primitive Nestorians, who hold themselves independent of any other church; and converted Catholics, who acknowledge a dependence on the see of Rome. Their church is governed by three patriarchs: Simon of Jolemark, a Nestorian, and Joseph of Diarbkir and Mar Elias of Monsoul, Catholics. The two latter, though acknowledged by the Chaldæans, are not properly of that nation, but reside in Turkish provinces; but the former is strictly so and in fact the Chaldæans of the mountains, who are the vast majority, have hitherto rejected all submission to the Church of Rome, which denominates them heretics, as they still retain the disIcipline and doctrine of their church in their primitive independence. Among the remarkable events of their history, is one which they speak of at this day with considerable interest. At a very early period, a part of their tribe emigrated from their mountains, and proceeded to India, where they settled upon the sea coast of the hither peninsula. They brought with them the original purity of the Christian doctrine and discipline, before it had been corrupted by heresy; and this purity, they assert, they still retain in their remote situation. "Though the state of literature is very low at present among the Chaldæans, they have produced many authors, who have written works on various subjects in their language. Among these, the most celebrated is HEBED-IESU, Nestorian Bishop of Soba. About the year 1550, he was induced when far advanced in years, to visit Rome under the pontificate of Julius III. Here he abjured the errors of the Nestorians, acknowledged the supremacy of the see of Rome, and was appointed patriarch of the Eastern Assyrians, in the room of Simon Salachi, who had been put to death by the Turks. Among other works, Hebed-Iesu wrote an account of all the books in the Chaldæan language down to his time, a copy of which is in my possession. He commences with these words: " By the aid of your memory, O God! and by the prayers of every illustrious just man, and by the mother of exalted power, I will attempt to write an admirable tract containing divine books; and I will propound to the readers all ecclesiastical and profane compositions of all former and later writers: trusting therefore in God, I will begin with Moses.' The catalogue contains the titles of two hundred and twenty books, with some account of their contents and authors, either originals or translations: among the latter are the sacred writings and Josephus; the former are generally 6 ecclesiastical or controversial. The catalogue also contains history, poetry, tragedy, and other subjects. A few are philological, and contain an account of the Chaldean language, particularly a dissertation on Alphabetical Appositions.' This states, that some languages, such as the Hebrew, Persian, Syriac, Cufite, Elamite, Midianite, Phoenician, Arabic, and Chaldee, not having a sufficient number of letters in their alphabet, were obliged to use points or appositions to explain the sense, which without them would be only a subject of conjecture or tradition. These points in Chaldee are two, placed sometimes above and sometimes below the word, and hence called siome, or oppositions, serving the use of vowels. It should appear from this passage, that the Phoenician, and other Oriental languages, so entirely lost to us, were known to Hebed-lesu. "Chaldee is read from right to left, like Hebrew, and has a greater affinity with Syriac than any other Oriental tongue; while the Armenian is read from left to right, like the European languages, though the letters have not the remotest affinity with any European character. The following are the sacred books enumerated by Hebed-Iesu as the canonical Scriptures of the Chaldæans, and translated into their language: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Paraleipomena, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Abdeas, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Habakuk, Sephonias, Aggæus, Zecharias, Malachias, Ezra, Tobias and Tobit, Judith, Esther, Daniel Milnor, that is Susanna, Maccabees; Matthew from the Hebrew, Mark from the Latin, Luke and John from the Greek, Acts, Epistles general of James, Peter, John, and Jude, fourteen Epistles of St. Paul, and Apocalypse. There is also extant among them a Gospel, compiled by Ammonius or Titianus, and called Diatesseram. "The account which the Chaldeans give of themselves is curiously confirmed in some particulars by other testimonies. "The ten thousand Greeks, in their retreat from Persia, passed through the greater part of their country, and Xenophon particularly describes it. Xenophon's details accord precisely with the state of the country at the present day, after the interval of 2000 years. "There is every reason to hope that the circumstances of this remote sect of Christians, now so imperfectly known, will soon be better understood, and their spiritual condition improved. The Bible Society of Constantinople has opened an intercourse with them, and they have expressed great willingness to receive the Scriptures." GAELIC SCHOOL SOCIETY. The following particulars, extracted from the Fourteenth Report of this highly useful Society, will remind our readers of the nature of its plans, and present to them a brief view of the progress made towards their accomplishment. The fundamental principle of the Gaelic School Society is, that it is essential for every man to read the word of God in his own tongue, in that language in which he thinks, and which alone he can thoroughly understand; and although the acquisition of the English language would be much for the advantage of the Highlands and Islands, yet, till the English shall cease to be a foreign language, the obligation to communicate religious instruction to the inhabitants in the language of their fathers, remains imperative; and "how can a Christian," asks the Report, "for one moment reconcile his mind, on any pretext whatever, to the thought of leaving from 200,000 to 300,000 of them destitute of the knowledge of the holy Scriptures ?" The necessity for this institution clearly appears from the answers given in by the clergy relative to the state of their parishes. The Rev. Donald Martin of Abernethy, for example, writes-" The population of the parish consists of 2000: they have only about 500 Bibles or separate Testaments. The young people read English, as an operation to be learned mechanically, and scarcely understand any thing at all of what they read; and unhap pily by much the greater number of the Scriptures aforesaid is in English, and of course not useful. It is a fact that they cannot purchase Gaelic Bibles, though they have an ardent desire for them; as I have set on foot seven Sabbath-evening schools, where they learn to read the Gaelic Scriptures, and are delighted with the exercise because they understand what they read. But, alas! we have very few books in that language! and you cannot extend charity more usefully to poor souls lacking knowledge than by sending us as many of the Gaelic Scriptures as you can spare."-Under these circumstances, we rejoice to learn that the number of schools maintained through the year by this Society has been 83, the number of scholars 4674; and the number of stations occapied since the commencement of the Society's labours 243. The aggregate result exhibits a number of scholars equal to one-tenth of the population. PROGRESS OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The last Report of "the Sunday-school Union" contains the following miscellaneous notices respecting the progress of Sunday schools in various parts of the world. France." Numerous are the obstacles which prevail in the promotion of education and religious instruction. Even among the Protestants much ignorance exists, and that religious spirit is, in many places, wanting, which would excite gratuitous teachers to consecrate their ef forts to this labour of love. The Commit.. tee have in their former Reports adverted to several scattered Sunday schools in France, and their number appears to be increasing. An esteemed French pastor says, The progress of some of the children is very encouraging. I have every them have been touched by the instructions reason to think that the hearts of many of they have received. I have now placed, as teachers, twenty young people whom I have been instructing for these two years past, and who give me great satisfaction. I have had reason to rejoice in witnessing the conduct of many poor children towards their parents, who wholly neglected the means of grace.' Germany." The English Sundayschool at Hamburgh contains about 30 children. A German Sunday-school has been commenced in Hamburgh: it has prospered, and contains 119 scholars, who and pious teachers." are taught every Sabbath by 20 gratuitous contains 103 children, and 12 teachers.— Gibraltar.-"The Sunday school here The children, generally, have made considerable advances in learning, and some cellent memory and diligent application. of them have given striking proofs of exTheir behaviour in school has much improved of late, and the teachers begin to discover some marks of serious reflection on the great subjects in which they are instructed." established at Malta contains both Greek and Mediterranean.—" The Sunday school English children, who have committed to memory about 40,000 verses of Scripture and hymns. The Greek scholars have learned Watts'sCatechism, which has been trans lated into their language; some of them have returned to Greece, and it is hoped that they have carried with them such religious knowledge as will prove an abundant blessing to them and their country.Mrs. Lowndes has established a Sunday school, which contains about 25 children. Ceylon. The Rev. Mr Knight, a Church missionary, reports, "There has been a regular increase of girls at our morning service, from about the time when Mrs. Knight began her instruction present at our last service was 53, a greater on the Sunday afternoon: the number number than we ever had before, for this Sunday school is a new thing: it much excites the attention of the mothers, one and another of whom often come to see us, though we have not yet been able to get them to assemble with the other sex to hear the word of God." New South Wales." In Sydney a dépository is opened for Sunday-school books. About 100 boys and girls attended the Sunday school. The Wesleyan Sunday 1 schools are producing very useful effects. The school at Botany Bay has lately been revived. In the Paramatta Sunday-school the children have made great proficiency in useful and religious knowledge. Sunday schools have been formed at Castlereagh and Portland Head. The Wesleyan Sunday-schools contain 217 scholars. following fact mentioned by Mr. Lawry, The will shew the impression which British Christian institutions produce on the minds of savages: A young man from Tonga, one of the Friendly Islands, after visiting New South Wales, on his return, described what he had seen to his relatives: he told them especially of the Sunday schools, and the sacred attention whichthe people at Port Jackson pay to the Sabbath-day, and then added, The people of Tonga will never be wise till they adopt the same measures. The chiefs unani mously replied, We think so too.'' Van Dieman's Land." A Wesleyan Sunday-school Union has been establishThe following is an extract of a letter from the Secretary: 'In a commu ed. nity so peculiarly characterised by habits of irreligion,and of vice, as that of Van Dieman's Land, Sunday schools are of transcendent importance. Over the far greater part of our adult population, we mourn almost as those without hope; but the rising generation excites our liveliest hopes. The youth of this colony are in general of a docile and virtuous race; and if religious instruction only be extensively and zealously imparted to their flexible minds, a reformation will be gradually effected in the tone of public morals. Our Union consists at present of three schools; one in Hobart's Town, one at Kangaroo Point, and an adult school at the Penitentiary. The number of scholars is 79.'" South Seas." In the Georgian and Society Islands there are 2,500 adults, and 2,300 children receiving school instruction from the London Missionary Society. It is pleasing to observe that the Christian Sabbath is commonly recognized, and that many native teachers are coming forward. At Huahine the Sunday school is very prosperous. West Africa.The numerous schools of the Church Missionary Society have continued to diffuse their benefits among the liberated Africans. The Wesleyan Mission has a school at Bathurst, and the Society of Friends a First-day' school at Birkow." South Africa-"The Sabbath school at the Rev. Dr. Philip's has an average attendance of 70 children, who are taught by 12 teachers. At Stellenbosch, a Sunday school has been established for the benefit of the slaves. At Pacaltsdorp the school contains from 50 to 60 boys. Respecting the Sabbath school at Bethelsdorp, Dr. Philip writes, The people meet at eight o'clock in the morning, and in the afternoon. This school exhibits a pleasing spectacle. Here all is activity: daughters of others, belonging to the inthe wives of the missionaries, and the stitution, with the Messrs. Kemp, the merchants, are all engaged; and it is a delightful sight to see all ages, from childhood to grey hairs, under such superinalphabet to the most advanced classes, tendance, learning their lessons, from the reading the most difficult parts of the saSunday scholars are taught in Dutch; the cred Scriptures. Mr. Barker says, 'The the Lord's day for instruction: it is a whole place, old and young, assemble on pleasing sight to see a whole village assemble to learn to read.'” contains 300 children, of whom 130 are "The Albany Sunday-school Union Hottentots and Slaves, who,' says Mr. Shaw, though the children of a people proverbially filthy, appear at school, every decent in their attire, as the poor children Sunday, as clean in their person, and as of any village in England.' African Islands." Mr. Le Brun's SunFrance, is generally attended by from 60 to day school at the Mauritius, or Isle of progress in their Bible and Catechism, and 70 boys and girls, who have made great in learning the Psalms. The progress of of the London Missionary Society, is very education in Madagascar, in the schools pleasing. The children under tuition are about 1,200. The King takes a lively interest in the schools. On the Sabbathday the children are catechized from six and Malagash; at half past one, they are to eight in the morning, both in English Scriptures are read by them and translated questioned on general subjects, and the into their own language: at half past four, they meet again to sing a few hymns in chisms and elementary books, and a small English and Malagash. Several catecollection of hymus, have been prepared." America.-"A Sunday-school Institution has been established for the whole commenced with of the United States. The society has Teachers, and 48,681 scholars. 723 schools, 7,337 There are many other societies, and Sundayschools are become general through the United States." schools are so highly esteemed that the British America.-"In Canada Sundaylegislature of Upper Canada appropriated last year 150l. to promote these institutions generally, without any distinction of name or party. The Committee report the formation of the Niagara Sundaybeen established among the Mohawk Inschool Union. A Sunday-school has dians, at the Grand River. In Halifax, in Pictou, and in the interior, there are several Sunday-schools. Sunday-schools have been established in various parts of Prince Edward's Island. In Newfoundland there are Sunday-schools in various scattered situations. West Indies." The Sunday-schools, generally speaking, continue to prosper: part of them are only catechetical schools, but in others the children are taught also to read. In Antigua, Sunday-schools have prospered greatly: the Church Missionary schools contain 1836 children, and 133 adults; the Wesleyan about 1200 scholars; and the Moravian a considerable number." South America." Throughout this immense region general education is rapidly spreading. The first Sunday school has been established at Buenos Ayres." HIGHLAND EDUCATION SOCIETY. We have given, at a former page of this Number, from the Report of the Gaelic School Society, some particulars respecting the state of education in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. To these we add the following, from the Report of the Society for the Education of the Poor in the Highlands. "It must be obvious to every one," remarks the Report, "that the more a people are enlightened, the more access is there to influence them through their understanding and conscience; and if the education proposed for them is calculated to bring moral principles to bear upon them, to teach them their responsibility to God, their duties to one another, and to enforce these by the high sanction of religion, there is not only power communicated, but to that power is given a safe and salutary direction. We hold, therefore, that the education of the lower orders should be mainly religious and moral, and that the Bible should be employed to impress with all the sacredness of its authority the minds of our useful population. But to convey moral lessons, from whatever source, we must employ an intelligent medium. Our instructions must be clothed in the vernacular language of the people. This seem so obvious, that, were it not for our knowledge of the contrary, we could not suppose that ever it would have entered into the minds of men to propose to make a people wise and virtuous, by conveying instruction in a language one word of which they did not understand. "Or if it should seem that, however un⚫ warrantable is its immediate use, yet in a short time this foreign language might become domesticated, and generally understood, by being made the vehicle of early instruction, we appeal to the fact, that for nearly 100 years the experiment of introducing English, through the schools in the Highlands, has been making; and so little has the progress been, that the line of demarcation which separated the Gaelic and the English territory in Scotland, at the commencement of that period, remains the same to this day, and that at present not one-hundredth part of the people of any Highland parish are capable of receiving instruction through the me dium of the English. Aware of this failure, and desirous of conveying moral and religious knowledge to the people, the Society made use of the Gaelic language as the medium; but at the same time, to meet the wishes of many, and to accomplish what might be done by schools to extend the knowledge of the English, they provided that the children should be taught to read that language also. "The destitution of education in the Highlands falls to be noticed. To this subject much of the attention of the Society has been directed; and they have now in course of publication the results of a minute investigation into the state of every Highland parish. We do not here mean to anticipate the information which that document will exhibit, but will shew by a numerical statement how inadequate the means presently employed are to the wants of the existing population. "The population of the Highlands is 400,000; allowing one in ten of this aggregate for a school-going population, we have 40,000 to be educated. The schools at present in operation over all the Highlands and Islands may be enumerated as follows: "Parochial Schools, 130; those of the Scottish Society for propagating Christian Knowledge, and also those stationed in the Orkneys and elsewhere without the Highland boundary, may be reckoned at 126; those of the Gaelic School Society, 81; of the Inverness Society, 75; the Glasgow Society, 48; endowed schools, and private seminaries, within the Highlands, taking a high estimate, 40;-in all, 500. Five hundred schools, at the common average of 40 to a school, should provide education for 20,000 children. We have seen that the number actually requiring education is 40,000 ; so that schools provide, by all the existing societies and parochial institutions, for no more than one half of the youthful population of the Highlands. But were the schools doubled, so as apparently to meet the wants of the population, the actual wants would be found to exceed the provision, because of the population being scattered over an extensive surface and separated by natural barriers, which would in many cases preclude the possibility of assembling the estimated number at the schools. The same geographical obstacle precludes the hope of being able to meet the exigency by enlarging the school accommodation and increasing the number of pupils in each seminary." The Society state, that their expenditure for the year, including the expense of the central school, was 6571. and the number of their schools was at that period 66, which is at the rate of 10%. sterling per annum for each school of 40 scholars, or 5s. annually for each pupil. STATE OF RELIGION IN MIS SOURI AND ILLINOIS. A very defective apprehension seems to exist in this country, with regard to the rapid progress of civilization, education, and charitable and religious establishments in the newly formed States of the NorthAmerican Union. As a characteristic example of the celerity with which such institutions find their way to the remotest tracts, under the influence of our western brethren, we copy the following brief sketch of the state of religion in Missouri and Illinois. In the state of Illinois there are 22 auxiliary and branch Bible Societies; the first was formed in Greene county, in 1823. -In Missouri are 21 auxiliaries and branches, the principal of which is the Missouri Auxiliary Bible Society, formed in St. Louis in 1818. It has ten branches, in as many counties. This society has sent copies of the Spanish Testament to the Upper Provinces of the Mexican Republic. The first Sunday school in Illinois was opened in Alton, in 1819. There are now fifteen county Sunday-school Societies, and eighty Sunday-schools, including about 240 teachers, and 2400 scholars. The first Sunday school in Missouri was opened in St. Louis, for the Blacks, in 1818. There are now ten Sunday-school Societies, and about forty-five schools, that include not less than 100 teachers and 1250 scholars. In Illinois there are one presiding elder, twelve circuit preachers, and fifty-two located preachers and exhorters of the Methodist Society; regular and united Baptists, fifty-eight do.: Emancipating Baptists, thirteen; [these refuse correspondence with all slave-holders:] Christian body, or Arian Baptists, thirteen; Presbyterians, two; Cumberland Presbyterians, fourteen ; Covenanters, one; Dunkers, one; Independents (English) one: in all, 155. In Missouri, there are of the Methodist Society, two presiding elders, seventeen circuit preachers, and exhorters; fiftythree do. of the Baptists; two Emancipating Baptists; six Christian body; six Presbyterians; twelve (probably more) Cumberland Presbyterians; and one Episcopalian: in all, 115. Most of the preachers in these States are men of limited education, who devote most of their time during the week to secular concerns, and on the Sabbath and at other times of public meetings, preach or exhort according to their abilities. VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. FOREIGN. PORTUGAL. Intelligence has arrived of the death of the king of Portugal. By the treaty formed a few months since between Portugal and the Brazils, the succession to the crown, so far as is known to the public, was left undecided. The Emperor Pedro will probably have to make his election between the throne of Brazil, which he now occupies, and that of the once parent state. We should be truly rejoiced if the arrangements which may take place shall be found to open the way for a more liberal basis of government than that which at present exists in Portugal. DOMESTIC. The king has been seriously indisposed during the month; but, we are happy to state, has nearly recovered from his indisposition. The proceedings in parliament have continued to be, generally speaking, of a most interesting and gratifying character. Never, perhaps, was there a period in our annals, when so little of party spirit was evinced in the discussions of that august body: when opposition to the leading measures of the executive branch of the constitution was so feeble, or rather, we should say, when most of those measures were so warmly espoused even by the chief members of the Opposition itself. We feel humbly thankful to the great Disposer of all hearts and all events for this auspicious unanimity, and especially when we consider how many questions have arisen which might, with great plausibility, have been made the pretext for most animated and injurious contests. The plans of Government alluded to in our last Number, for introducing a general metallic currency throughout the country, have been acceded to by large majorities in both houses. The most material point of debate has been the propriety of extending the extinction of banker's notes under 5. to Scotland, where, from the absence of those restrictions on private banks, which, in compli ment to the Bank of England, have made our southern banks so insecure, the same inconveniences have not been felt as in England. Ministers have, however, expressed their strong wish, and we think most justly, to introduce one regular system throughout the empire; but, in deference to the opinions of others, they have advised a committee for considering the subject. They have resisted with |