Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. h great success, and suffered martyrdom in the cause: and Dr. rrison mentions, that in the present century many have suffered ishment, torture, and slavery on the same account. The Jesuits (as observed on the other side) have a College at cao. They were expelled from it in 1762; but in 1784 it was ored to the priests of the Missionary congregation, and Portugal ually assigns 6000 taels for the support of the Seminary. There six European professors, the senior being Superior of the College. object is to provide the Catholic Missions of China, &c. with per teachers: young Chinese, &c. inclined to become Christian sts, are admitted gratis, and, after remaining ten or twelve years, ined. In 1815, there were eight Chinese and two Malays in the inary, besides sixteen boys born at Macao. They are taught the l branches of literature and science, with the Portuguese and n languages, and sometimes Chinese, French, and English. In ), it was reported that there were in several parts of China, Cochin a, &c. fourteen Bishops, seven Apostolic Vicars, forty-three opean Missionaries, 235 native Priests, and 585,000 Roman holic Christians.-[Milne's Chinese Mission, pp. 321-2.] he Catholics have still a Mission at Sutchuen, to which M. de cheu, Bishop of Maxula, was sent, in 1819, as Missionary, (or ioner, as the Catholics express it,) who on his arrival consecrated her bishop and several priests, which occasioned great joy amongst congregations. It appears also that they have a Bishop in West juin. "In the mean while the edicts and sentences, which proe the Christian Religion and exile the faithful, are always in r. In the capital of this province, (Sutchuen) a Christian, comed to abandon his faith, was sentenced, on his refusal, to receive, ferent times, 1500 lashes. This is the third or fourth time he has ssed the faith before the tribunals. The executioner being Te to find a whole place on his body, he was sent back to prison.ugust, 1818, another Christian, not less heroic, was condemned canga for life, on his refusing to abandon the faith: repeatedly u vain solicited so to do, he was, by order of a mandarin, shut a narrow cage, and exposed to the heat of a burning sun for days; at the end of which, consumed by hunger, thirst, and he expired, bearing the palm of a glorious martyrdom." It rs also, that all the books, vestments, and ornaments of the 1, contained in seventeen chests, have been seized, which has ed them to great poverty. "We are always concealed, (says ove Bishop of Maxula, in a letter dated Sep. 16, 1820,) and with those who are poor."-[Laity's Directory, 1823, Appen.] lic preaching, it appears, is not permitted in any part of China. Morrison, who has now resided in Canton fifteen years, has, er, laid a foundation for future Missionary labours by his Dic, and translation of the Bible. Ꭰ Ꭰ JAPAN. Countries, and Religious Denominations established or tolerated. JAPAN. The Japanese empire, like the British, wholly consists of detai Islands; and is equally populous with China, in proportion to its size that is only equal to a tenth part of China. Supposing Sir G.S ton's estimate of the former to be correct, Mr. Pinkerton estimate: of Japan at thirty millions; but if we should reduce this in proper with the preceding, it should be brought down to fifteen millions: not likely, however, it should exceed the population of Great B and Ireland, which is little more than twenty millions. The Japanese are Pagans, of three classes. See Japanese i Dictionary. They abstain from animal food, like the Hindo their religion seems of a more cheerful and benevolent character III.-Africa. THIS benighted and unhappy country is, perhaps, best ar according to the compass; we shall therefore divide it intoNorthern States and Egypt-the Western Coast-South A the Eastern Coast-Abyssinia, Madagascar, and other Islands the central parts but little is known at present. NORTHERN STATES. The northern states are those of Morocco, Fez, Algiers, and Tunis; all Mahometans and pirates, who, to the disg Europe, lived for many centuries chiefly by the plunder and Christian slaves, especially of the weaker Christian powers Louis XIV., in 1686, humbled Tripoli, bombarding the capi French fleet; and so recently as 1816, a British fleet, under Exmouth, compelled the Dey of Algiers to deliver up all h without ransom, and to abolish Christian slavery through dominions. But this was not done, without a resistance provoked the total destruction of his fleet, and the demolition fortifications. The population of the state of Algiers was r by Dr. Shaw at 100,000 Mahometans, 15,000 Jews, and 2000 C slaves: the present population has been stated by a gentlem ployed in the above expedition as full 180,000. Tunis is for having been the scite of Carthage, the rival of antient The Barbary States are generally fruitful, and have often s corn to Europe. The population of all these States is rated three millions. Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. JAPAN. The celebrated Xavier and other Jesuits commenced a Mission e in 1549, and were followed by the Franciscans. Their success first was rapid and extraordinary; but their ambition and impruce, as has been asserted, brought on a persecution, which lasted ve forty years, and ended in their extermination. In 1590, upds of 20,000 are said to have perished, and in 1638, 37,000 more: I to this day it is said, the crucifix is annually trampled under foot mark of detestation toward Christianity. We have not heard of Protestant Mission being attempted. III.-Africa. HIS part of the world is not more remarkable for the sable comon of its inhabitants than for the intellectual darkness which y where reigns, except in the few spots that have lately become ionary stations. It should be a lesson to us, however, to recollect here was once the seat of learning and Christianity. NORTHERN STATES. e system of piracy and slavery having received so severe a check → bombardment of Algiers, we hope it may not be long before attempt may be made to civilize these barbarians, and to ince among them the doctrines of Christianity. But to these rians-" Whom shall we send? and who will go for us?" Countries, and Religious Denominations established or tolerated. NORTH AND NORTH-WESTERN COAST. This district comprehends a great number of independent trie nations, as the Foulahs, Jaloofs, (or Yolofs,) Feloops, Manding and many others as far interior as the Great Desart. Most oft are Pagans, except the Foulahs, who are Mahometans, as are the wandering inhabitants of the Desart. The Foulahs are powerful nation, and make war on their neighbours to procures for the European market. Both Jaloofs and Mandingoes ma conscience of stealing, especially from the whites, who have set the example. The former are divided into four casts. NIGRITIA (or Negroland) runs far inland across the co on the north side of the great chain of mountains; and furnis well as the Coast of Guinea, a considerable portion of victims Slave-trade. Some of these parts are very populous, as the be to furnish, as it is said they did, 100,000 slaves annually West Indies. The King of Benin, who possesses but a sma of this territory, is said to be able to raise an army of 100,00 Widah is also very populous, and Haussa has been said (fal doubt) to be more populous than London. The Coast of G divided into the Grain, the Ivory, and the Gold Coast, all which the Slave-trade: the settlers are chiefly Portuguese, the dese of those who, in 1517, obtained a patent from Charles V.: instance of Las Casas. England has derived great honour from her exertions in t pression of the Slave-trade; but France, Portugal, and Spa betrayed the cause, by secretly countenancing its enormities. ! decisive measure to suppress this trade has been lately ade Great Britain, America, and some other great powers, in prom the trade piracy, and all the parties concerned in it pirates population on the north-west coast, including all the nations mentioned, has been calculated at about ten millions. The in are generally Pagans, with some few Mahometans and Port Catholics. The King of Benin is reported to be fetiche, that is, di holds the same rank in Africa, as the Delai Lama in Asia equally adored, though not by so many worshippers. Present State of Religion, Missions, &c. NORTH AND NORTH-WESTERN COAST. member of the Society of Friends lately visited the banks of the bia, with the view of forming a settlement among the Jaloofs; two youths from this neighbourhood, who had visited London, ›, in 1820, placed under the care of friend Hannah Kilham, who devoted herself to the object of negro instruction, and acquired aloof language, with a view to qualify them to teach their countrythe arts of reading and of civilization. These youths have dised good talents and amiable dispositions; and have applied ently to their learning. They have translated some passages of ture into their own native language, and it is hoped may be the is of introducing Bible education into that country. negal has been restored to France; but the Schools there have taken under the patronage of the Society for Elementary Intion at Paris, and those of Sierra Leone under the care of the ch Missionary Society in London. thurst is a settlement on the Isle of St. Mary, at the mouth of ambia, containing upwards of 2000 inhabitants, Jaloofs and lingoes; and at Mandancove, a few miles from Bathurst, in the ions of the king of Cambo, the Wesleyans formed a settlement two years since, and employ two Missionaries. But the principal ment on Western Africa is at Sierra Leone, a colony founded 37, where, at the beginning of 1822, they had a population of 0, in about a dozen stations, continually increasing by the on of negroes liberated from the slave ships by our navy. Three s alone contained 5643 inhabitants, exclusive of the military. chools contain above 3000 scholars, of all ages and both sexes. a Bible Society was founded in 1816; and here, and in the bourhood, are Missionaries from the Church and Wesleyan nary Societies; but a fatal disorder has lately prevailed in this unfortunate colony, which has deprived it of several able and Missionaries, particularly the Rev. W. Johnson, and the ChapMessrs. Flood and Palmer. eral Islands, called the Plantains, situated on the river Sherbro', of Sierra Leone) have been made a station of the Church nary Society; and the American Colonization Society has sed land for a settlement at Cape Mesurado, N. W. of Grand (above the Grain Coast, but below the Sherbro',) where m Bacon is appointed Catechist, to organize a Mission for the can Episcopal Missionary Society. Church Missionary Society had stations at Canofee, and other on the high northern coast, which they have been obliged to p through the renewal of the cursed slave trade by the French, aer nations, contrary to their treaties and professions: this is the impediment to the spread of the Gospel and civilization in |