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THE GIANT CITIES OF BASHAN.

BY REV. J. S. PORTER.

Published by T. Nelson & Sons, 137

Grand street, New York.

So many books have been written concerning Palestine and its surroundings, that we had thought it difficult to produce anything new on the subject that would be of interest. But we have before us a book in which "old things seem to have passed away, and all things to have become new." Even when describing that portion of the country lying west of the Jordan, which has been so often visited and described by tourists, the author seems to be describing a land about which we read for the first time. There are at least two prominent reasons for the inter

est that attaches to the book; one is that the author has given himself leisure to see and examine the different localities described, and the other, that he tells us what he saw. Too many tourists and travelers seem to be impressed with the idea that when they attempt to describe any spot, celebrated either for its scenery or for the historic associations which cluster around it, they must go into rhapsody and tell the world what were their feelings, on this or that occasion, when at the same time their particular emotions is the last thing the world cares to know. He who writes for some public occasion, where some thing must be said, because it is the fashion to say something, may be pardoned if he sometimes writes or talks simply for effect, but he who comes before the public as a teacher or a dispenser of information, must not give himself a greater prominence than his subject.

various actors on the spots where they acted, that the stories might be made to assume to my mind, as far as possible, the semblance of reality. I tried to follow every footstep of David and of David's Greater Son, to recall every circumstance, and note every local characteristic, and every topographical feature that might illustrate the prophecies and parables, the discourses, miracles, and walks of our Lord."

That he has succeeded in his endeavors, the book well attests; for while all the time retaing the distinctive characteristics of a narrative, yet so fully has every spot been made to illustrate some incident in history or the fulfilment of some prophetic declaration, that we feel the book might have aptly been titled: "Evidences of the Fulfilment of Prophecy."

But the crowning interest of the work, is the description of Bashan and its Giant Cities. This country lying in a southerly direction from the city of Damascus, has for centuries past been almost an unexplored region. The researches of this author bring to light some of the most remarkable ruins in the world. And not ruins only, for he tells that there are yet hundreds of houses standing, which probably were built before the the Israelites left Egypt, many of them, too, of such dimensions that even in Europe they would be considered palaces. They are built with great simplicity of style, of ponderous blocks of roughly hewn stones, the roofs, floors and ceilings all being of the same material.

TO BE CONCLUDED.

NEW TRACTS.

The spirit that animated the author 'MOTHERS,' and 'Answered at Last," of the book under review is best giv- by John Ashworth, and 66 Captain en by himself in speaking of his soBall's experience," which were adoptjourn in the vicinity of Mount Olives. He says: "I endeavored when re- ed by the Central Book and Tract siding on Mount Olives to localize Committee of Indiana Yearly Meetevery incident of Scripture History, ing, at its last meeting, have been of which it was the scene, to bring together the sacred narrative and the printed, and are now in the Depossacred place,—so to group, in fact, the itory for distribution.

MISSION TO MADAGASCAR.

OUR Friend, Louis Street, started from New York on Seventh-day 12th month 1st., to England, en route to the Island of Madagascar, where he expects to labor under the auspices of some Friends in England, who have organized themselves into a missionary society. About 81% o'clock in the evening, when fifty miles out to sea, the steamer ran into the Kate Dyer, (an American ship from Callao with a cargo of guano), the latter vessel went down very quickly with fourteen out of a crew of twenty-six.

The Scotland was so much injured by the collision that the captain hurried homewards, but was unable to save his vessel, which rapidly filled with water. They reached a sandbar about two o'clock on First-day morning when the water had reached the fire-bars, so that if they had been out a few miles further, the Scotland would have inevitably gone down.

After breakfast Louis Street suggested that a chapter should be read, and that "united thankgiving to our kind Father in Heaven was called for." A cordial assent was given to the proposal, and a meeting accordingly was held to satisfaction.

The passengers stayed on board the steamer chilled with the cold, till afternoon, when they were taken off by a steam tug, and brought to New York.

L. S. did not feel discouraged by the disaster, and sailed for England in the steamer Queen, on Seventhday, 12th mo. 8.

STATISTICS.

AN interesting document showing the number of members of Indiana Yearly Meeting in 1827, at the time of the "Hicksite" separation, has come into my hands-some items from it may interest the readers of the "AMERICAN FRIEND." These numbers were "collected and reported by a Committee of the Meeting for Sufferings,"-children are included with their parents:

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331

81

Kansas....... 738 Wabash...... 719 12390

2334

102

LONGEVITY OF MEMBERS OF THE

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

While spending some weeks in Grant county, Indiana, during the 113 past summer, I examined the records 50 of deaths of the three Monthly Meetings now constituting Northern 136 Quarterly Meeting. The deaths of 28 390 persons have been recorded since 96 Friends established the first Monthly 72 Meeting in this county.

131

102

50

32

912

By way of comparison take Miami Quarterly Meeting, in the first table, and deduct Goshen and Alum Creek Monthly Meeting, which now belong to Alum Creek Quarterly Meeting, and it will leave 1141 members; present number, 820; decrease in thirtynine years, 321 members.

West Branch Quarterly Meeting then numbered 874; now 544; decrease 330.

Fairfield then numbered 1,294, now 1223; decrease 71.

Whitewater then numbered 3598; deducting Chester, (now belonging to New Garden,) and Duck Creek, (now belonging to Spiceland,( would leave 2,807; present number, 1,901; decrease, 906.

New Garden, deducting Mississinnewa, (now belonging to Northern,) then numbered 1,942; now 1813;

decrease 129.

Westfield then numbered 986, now 348; decrease 638.

Centre then numbered 1159; now 1012; decrease 147.

Spiceland, Northern, Kansas, and Wabash Quarterly Meetings have been established since that time, and Western and Iowa Yearly Meetings

have been set off.

Of these, 92 died under one year of age; 177 under five; 203 under ten. Only 143 reached twenty years of age; 92 reached thirty; 69 reached forty; 42 reached fifty; 28 reached sixty; 13 reached seventy; 5 reached eighty; and one reached nearly ninety-four.

The average age at death computed from this account, is 18 years, 3 months and 21 days.

It is not difficult to assign probable causes for this extremely low aver

age.

I am desirous of extending my investigations, so as to ascertain the and for Indiana Yearly Meeting. I average for each Quarterly Meeting, would, therefore, esteem it a favor if the several Recorders will forward to me a list of the ages of deceased members of each Monthly Meeting since its establishment; stating, at the Meeting and the Quarterly Meeting same time, the name of the Monthly to which each belonged.

A sheet of "cap" paper, with three or four columns on a page, will probably contain the whole account for any Monthly Meeting. It will add much to the interest and usefulness of these investigations, if Recorders will separate the accounts into periods. of ten years, placing, for instance, Deducting from the first table those between 1830 and 1839 inclusive, Blue River Quarterly Meeting, now by themselves; also, those between belonging to Western Yearly Meet- 1840 and 1849, &c. ing, would leave about 12,000 members belonging to Indiana Yearly Meeting in 1827-in 1866 the number was 12390-increase in thirty-nine years, 390.

CHARLES F. C.OFFIN. RICHMOND, 12th mo. 1, 1866.

If a Recorder should find the name of a Friend on his books who was not a member of his Monthly Meeting, as is sometimes the case, the age should not be included, as it is important that the age of the same per-son should not be used twice.

If members of other Yearly Meetings will volunteer to accomplish a similar work throughout the Society in America, and forward to the Editors the results, a very valuable and suggestive table of statistics can be formed.

WM. B. MORGAN.

MARRIED. On the 21st of Eleventh month, 1866, at Friends Meeting, Newport, Indiana, JAMES MATTSON THOMAS, late a captain in the 56th Regiment U. S. colored Infantry, to MIRIAM ALETHEA THOMAS, recently a teacher of Freedmen, at Helena,

Arkansas.

The former readers of the Freedmen's Record will, no doubt, observe with interest this marriage notice. The 56th colored regiment was stationed at or near Helena about three years, and the friendly support and cordial co-operation that both officers and men gave to those sent out by the Committee on Freedmen to labor amongst the colored people there, is matter for grateful remembrance.

A Kentuckian by birth and education, James Mattson Thomas, adopted anti-slavery views in opposition to his early training, advocated the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States, and joined the Union army in the late civil war. After two years' service, a commission was offered him in a regiment of white soldiers, which he declined, and took of choice a commission in a colored regiment, the 56th U. S. colored infantry. Of them he says he was as successful in making soldiers of them as he expected to be but not more so, for he had confidence in the ability of the colored man before he accepted his commission. At that time almost none of his company could read; he himself instructed them in the rudiments of learning for eight or ten months, till the establishment of schools for the Freedmen, by Friends, at Helena, afforded them other facilities, which he encouraged them to use, and which

they did use so successfully that nearly all, not only of his command, but of the whole regiment learned to read, and many of them to write, so that as many as thirty in one company signed the pay-roll.

This is the regiment that presented Friends of Indiana Yearly Meeting with buildings and land for an orphan asylum near Helena. The funds for purchasing the land were raised by a voluntary contribution of two days' pay from every officer and soldier of the regiment; some gave more, as they felt inclined. Thirty acres of wooded land, about nine miles from Helcleared off and put in order for culena, was purchased. The land was tivation, and suitable buildings for the asylum were erected, all by the labor of the colored soldiers under the direction and encouragement of their white officers. Mechanics were found amongst them capable of doing all the work of erecting the buildings, so that no other help was procured. This regiment was mustered out of service last summer about which time it was fearfully visited by cholera; one hundred and eighty-seven died of that disease.

Miriam Alethea Thomas, formerly Henley, by birth and education a Friend, a native of North Carolina, but since her thirteenth year a resident of Indiana, where she married her former husband, Wm. Thomas, is favorably known to a wide circle of acquaintances, and no more need be said in this connection, than that she was for two years a faithful and efficient teacher of the Freedmen at Helena. There her present husband, James M. Thomas, made his first acquaintance with Friends, in whom he has since become farther interested through their writings. Having learned their manner of solemnizing marriages, and that the Discipline of Indiana Yearly Meeting permits the marriage of members according to its order with persons who are not members, he was pleased that their marriage should take place in Friends' manner, and it was accordingly accomplished as above mentioned.

M. J.

The Sunday School Teacher,

A NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR SUNDAY SCHOOLS,

Containing carefully prepared papers on Sunday School topics; Scripture Lessons for the Year; Object Lessons; Maps of the Bible Lands; Exercises in Sacred Geography; A Foreign Sunday School Correspondence not equalled by any periodical in the nation; Colloquies for Concerts and Anniversary exercises; Reports of Conventions and Sunday School Teachers' Institutes; new piece of Sunday School Music each month, by Philip Phillips; and other new and valuable features.

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REV. WM. HOGARTH, D. D., Detroit,
REV. ALEXANDER CLARK, Cin., O.
Miss FRANCES E. WILLARD.

RALPH WELLS, Esq., Mrs. EMILY J. BUGBEE,

THE TEACHER is edited by a committee of five clergymen, as follows:
REV. J. H. VINCENT, Chairman, Methodist Episcopal,
REV.Z. M. HUMPHREY, D. D., Presbyterian, REV. H. L. HAMMOND, Congregation'l,
REV. E G. TAYLOR, Baptist,
REV. C. E. CHENEY, Protestant Episcopal.

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The Farmer's Record and Account Book.

Books for Teachers sent by mail at Publishers' Prices.

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