Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

NOTES.

a (p. 4.) Bishop HORNE in loc. This critical and pious commentator extends the allegorical interpretation of the Psalms farther, than many expositors; but, in this instance, he has the concurrence of the ablest critics and theologians. The philosophical believer, who will allow the literal interpretation only, is referred to a Critic, not less distinguished for correctness of judgment, than for refinement of taste and elegance of style.

[ocr errors]

'Duplex est Persona Davidis, Propria et Allegorica. Si Carmen hoc [Secundum] perlegentes primo in Propria Davidis Persona oculos defigimus, sententia apparet satis et per se perspicua, et Sacræ Historiæ luce abunde illustrata: per totum quidem verbis ardentior, figuris elatior, et semel atque iterum ita exaggerata est dictio, ac si consulto nos moneret majus quiddam ac sublimius intus inclusum latere, atque ultro etiam in Argumenti penetralia aditum aperiret. Quod si ea secuti indicia ad interiorem jam partem animum intendimus, et ad Personam, Davidis Allegoricam eadem accommodamus, major rerum ordo protinus exsurgit, nec modo sublimior et augustior, sed clarior etiam emergit sensus. Quæ de hoc Psalmo hactenus observata sunt, transferri possunt omnia in Psalmum etiam Septuagesimum Secundum." LoWTH, de Sacra Poesi Hebræorum, Prælect. XI.

b (p. 9.) Sobolescet, propagabitur nomen ejus; quasi dicas, Filiabitur, id est, Propagabitur, sicut familia per continuam filiorum seriem et successionem propagari solet. BUXTORF. Vide etiam PARKHURST. Sa renommée ira de pére en fils. FRENCH VERSION.

c (p. 23.) The Author of " An Inquiry into the Obligations of Christians to use means for the Conversion of the Heathen," estimates the inhabitants of the world at about 731 millions; 420 millions of whom are still in pagan darkness; 130 millions, the followers of Mahomet; 100 millions, Catholics; 44 millions, Protestants; 30 millions, of the Greek and Armenian churches; and perhaps 1 million, Jews.

d (p. 26.) INDIA, at this very time, presents a horrid spectacle of such penances and sacrifices. Various indeed are the rites of the different religious sects. The votaries of Veeshnu offer festive rites to

their deity; those of Seeva perform "sombrous and blood stained orgies" to their's; while the Brahmin "offers up to heaven bloodless oblations on the flowery borders of the Kistna, and on the luxuriant banks of the Ganges." If human sacrifices are abhorrent to some casts, they are familiar to others. Penances are common to all. The following sketch of them, however incredible it may appear, is drawn from well authenticated facts. "A peculiar form of vestment, and an appropriated mode of shaving the hair of the head and beard, have distinguished most religious sects; but where in ancient history do we find a race so infatuated as to suspend themselves aloft in cages upon trees considered sacred, that they might not be infected by touching the polluted earth, refusing all sustenance, but such as may keep the pulse of life just beating; or hanging aloft upon tenter hooks, and voluntarily bearing inexpressible agonies; sometimes thrusting themselves by hundreds under the wheels of immense machines that carry about their unconscious gods, where they are instantly crushed to atoms; and, at other times, hurling themselves from precipices of stupendous height; now standing up to their necks in rivers, till rapacious alligators come and devour them; now burying themselves in 'snow till frozen to death; measuring with their naked bodies, trailed over burning sands, the ground lying between one pagoda and another, distant perhaps many leagues; or braving, with fixed eyes, the ardor of a meridian sun between the tropics; and all this in the transporting hope of immediately transmigrating to Paradise?" Maurice's Indian Antiquities, v. 74, 75. In 1793, Sir William Jones observed, that "in one collectorship out of twenty-four, and that by no means the largest or best cultivated, there have lately been found, by an actual enumeration, a million and three hundred thousand native inhabitants;" whence he concludes, "that in all India there cannot be fewer than thirty millions of black British subjects." The total inhabitants of India are supposed to make about one eighth of the whole race of men now dwelling on the globe. What an immense field is here presented for the labours of Christians! It is not neglected. Within a few years, translations of the Bible into several languages of India have been undertaken and in 1804 the translators expressed the hope, that they should be able to translate and print the Scriptures in all the Eastern languages, in fifteen years. They have already been printed in four or five dialects. It is highly gratifying to learn, that the contributions, made in this country in 1806, to promote that important object, were duly received. Mr. Carey, and the other Missionaries, have written to the Missionary So

[ocr errors]

ciety at London: "We acknowledge, with gratitude, the kindness that has been shewn us both from Britain and America, in aid of the Oriental translations. The sums which have been sent us arrived in a seasonable time, as the expense of the work had begun to press very heavily upon us."

[ocr errors]

e (p. 32.) The Massachusetts,* the Pennakooks, the Agawomes, the Naumkeeks, the Pascataways, the Wampanoags, the Saconets, the Nipmugs, and many other tribes, are no longer in being. An exact knowledge of the present numbers and state of the Indian tribes in North America is a desideratum. It would greatly assist the counsels, and facilitate the labours, of our SOCIETY, and of all others, for the promotion of their civil and religious welfare. The communication of such knowledge concerning any tribe is respectfully solicited of those who have the means of procuring it. In the mean time, some imperfect judgment may be formed respecting the reliques of the tribes in NewEngland from the following account, chiefly derived from actual enumerations. This account embraces the principal of those tribes, at the latest dates of the enumerations or estimates in my possession. But few of these are recent; and, in the lapse of nearly half a century, some of the tribes in this list may have become extinct, while those which remain, must be essentially diminished. The diminution of the Indian tribes, it should be remembered, is generally accelerated in a ratio extremely increasing, toward the periods of their extinction.

[blocks in formation]

*

Of the Indian inhabitants on Charles river, in the vicinity of Boston, TOZMUN was the last. He died near the beginning of the last century. His wigwam stood on the Cambridge side of the river; and the circular outlines of it are still distinctly visible about forty rods eastward of the Church at Cambridge Port, a few paces south of the Concord turnpike.

[blocks in formation]

A.D.

1762 The Potenummecuts [near Harwich]

1762 The Monymoyks [at Chatham, C. Cod]

[ocr errors]

[ocr errors][merged small]

1797 The Naticks
1792 Indians in Dukes County, including Martha's Vine-

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

nearly 20

}

440*

yard, Chabaquiddick, Noman's and Elizabeth Islands In 1774, the whole number of Indians in Rhode Island colony was 1482; and the whole number in Connecticut, the same year, was 1363. In 1796, the whole number in Massachusetts was estimated at upward of 1000. "There are now no Indians in New Hampshire; some of them having removed into Canada, but the greatest part being extinct. The Indians were never numerous in Vermont; and at present it is entirely destitute of them. Within the District of Maine, the Indians, who are all Roman Catholics, are reduced to about sixty families on Penobscot river and about thirty at Passamaquaddy. They have a church at each of these places." A. D. 1792.

In 1798, the numbers of the SIX NATIONS (principally inhabiting the western parts of New York) were as follow:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The tribes with this markt removed from several parts of New England not many years since, and settled in the vicinity of Oneida.

The Mohawks left their villages on Mohawk river about the year 1780, and went into Canada. By accounts from England the last year, it appears, that 2000 copies of the Gospel of JOHN, in the Mohawk language, had been printed in London at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society; that 500 copies had been distributed, with great acceptance, among the Mohawks settled on the Grand River; and that, in consequence of an application to the Society, 500 more were

* Pure and mixed.

about to be sent for the use of the Roman Catholic and other Mohawks lower down the St. Lawrence. This translation was made by an Indian chief of the Six Nations, who went to England to obtain from the British government a confirmation of a certain grant of land to his countrymen. The Indian name of this chief is Tryoninhokaraven; in England he is called John Norton. He was educated at a British school, from the age of thirteen to that of fifteen. His thirst after every species of knowledge is extreme; but his particular attention is directed to obtain every information that may improve the condition of his country. He intends to proceed with the translation of the evangelists Matthew and Luke, the Six Nations being already in possession of a Mohawk translation of St. Mark, and the Liturgy of the English church, by the well known chief, colonel Brandt."

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »