T

HE inhabitants of this continent, with respect to religion, may be divided into three sorts; viz. pagans, mahometans, and christians. The pagans are the most numerous, possessing the greatest part of the country from the tropic of Cancer to the Cape of Good Hope, and are generally black. The mahometans, who are of a tawny complexion, possess Egypt, and almost all the northern shores of Africa, or what is called the Barbary coast. The people of Abyssinia are denominated christians. There are also some jews on the north of Africa.*-A late traveller has given the following general sketch of the religion of the pagans in this part of the world.

"The belief of one God, and a future state of rewards

and punishments, is entire and universal among the Africans. It is remarkable, however, that (except on the appearance of a new moon) the pagan natives do not think it necessary to offer up prayers and supplications to the Almighty. They represent the Deity indeed as the creator and preserver of all things; but, in general, they consider him as a being so remote, and of so exalted a nature, that it is idle to imagine the feeble supplications of wretched mortals can reverse the decrees, and change the purposes of unerring wisdom. If they be asked for what reason then do they offer up a prayer on the appearance of the new moon; the answer is

that custom has made it necessary: they do it because their fathers did it before

them. The concerns of the world, they believe, are committed by the Almighty to the superintendence and direction of subordinate spirits, over whom they suppose certain magical ceremonies have great influence. A white fowl, suspended from the branch of a particular tree, a snake's head, or a few handfuls of fruit, are offerings which the negroes often present to deprecate the wrath, or to conciliate the favour of these tutelary agents. But it is not often that they make their religious opinions the subject of conversation; when interrogated in particular concerning their ideas of a

future state, they express themselves with great reverence but endeavour to shorten the discussion, by observing that no man knows any thing about it. They are content, they say, to follow the precepts and ex amples of their forefathers through the various vicissitudes of life; and when this world presents no objects of enjoyment or of comfort, they seem to look with anxiety towards another, which they believe will be better suited to their natures; but concerning which they are far from indulging vain and delusive conjectures."

THE present established religion in Egypt is mahometanism, which is exercised in all respects the same as in Turkey, except that they are not quite so strict in observing it in the former as they are in the latter. The mahometans set out from Cairo once a year in their pilgrimage to Mecca, which is one of the most numerous and splendid caravans in the east. The number of those who compose the caravan seldom amounts to less than forty thousand, but it is much greater in

times of peace and plenty.

There are also in Egypt many christians called cophts. They are subject to the Alexandrian metropolitan, who is said to have no less than one hundred and forty bishoprics in Egypt, Syria, Nubia, and other parts which are subject to his patriarchate; beside the Abuna, or bishop of the Abyssinians, who is nominated and consecrated by him. The patriarch makes a short discourse to the priests once a year; and the latter read legends from

the pulpit on great festivals, but never preach. They keep Sunday very strictly, and fast seven months in the year. They have seven sacraments; viz. baptism, the eucharist, confirmation, ordination, faith, fasting, and prayer. They circumcise their children before baptism, and ordain deacons at seven years of age. They follow the doctrine of the Jacobites with regard to the nature of Christ, and baptism by fire. The ceremonies which they observe are much the same with those of the greek church.

The jews are the most numerous class next after the mahometans and cophts. Some pharisees, or talmudists, reside here, as well as kairites, who, though not numerous, have a synagogue of their own.

The other religions toler ated in Egypt are the Greek, Armenian, and Latin. The

Greeks have only two churches in Cairo; in one of which the service is performed by the patriarch of Alexandria, and in the other by the bishop of Mount Sinai. The Armenians, who are not numerous, have only one church.

The distinctions between mahometans and persons of other religions are carried to a greater length in Egypt than any where else through the east. Christians and jews are not even suffered to walk by several mosques in high veneration for their sanctity; or by the quarter El-Karase, in which are a great many tombs and houses of prayer; they are obliged to turn out of their way to avoid these places; even the ground on which they stand is so sacred in the eyes of the people, that they will not suffer it to be profaned by infidels. †

THE inhabitants of those states are mahometans. Many subjects of Morocco follow the tenets of Hamed, one of their

emperors, who taught that the doctrines of Hali, Omar, and other interpreters of the law, were only human traditions.‡

Guthrie, p. 739.

They ascribe great veneration to their priests, whom they style marabots, and to those who make their pilgrimage to Mecca, whom they style saints, and allow considerable privileges. The very camels that bear them are esteemed so holy, that they are exempted from future servitude, well fed, and kept; and when they die, they allow them the same kind of burial as they do their own relations.

The Algerines acknowledge the korân as the rule of their faith and practice, but are generally remiss in the observance of it. They have three principal officers, who preside over all religious matters; viz. the mufti, or high priest; the cadi, or chief judge in ecclesiastical cases, and such other matters as the civil and military power turn over to him. The great marabot, or head of the marabontic order, who are a kind of eremetic monks, are held in such high veneration among them, that they bear an extraordinary sway, not only in private families, but even in the government. They place great merit in frequent washing of their whole bodies; in

the length of their fasts, their lents stretching between seven and eight months; and in their care in feeding beasts, and such kind offices to them, which they suppose to be the most effectual means to wash away their sins.* Some of them maintain that idiots are the elect of God.t

There are in the city of Fez seven hundred mosques, great and small; fifty of which are magnificent, and supported with marble pillars, and other ornaments. The principal mosque is near a mile and a half in circumference. There are nine hundred lamps lighted every night; and in the middle of the mosque are large branches capable of holding five hundred lamps each. Along the walls are seven pulpits, from which the doctors of the law teach the people. The business of the priest is only to read prayers and distribute alms to the people, to support which there are large revenues.‡

Algiers is supposed to contain one hundred thousand mahometans, fifteen thousand jews, two, thousand christian slaves, and some renegadoes.§

in the best inhabited places of Bilcdulgerid.

Christianity was once happily established in Zaara; but it has been quite exterminated for several ages.*

THE inhabitants of this vast country are either mahometans or pagans, chiefly the former. When an eclipse of the moon happens, they believe it is occasioned by a large cat putting one of her paws between the earth and moon; and during the time of its progress they pay reverence to Mahomet. They keep their

sabbath on the Friday, when they pray three times; but on the other days of the week only twice. They have neither temples nor mosques; but are summoned to their devotions, under the shade of a large tree, by their marabots, or priests, of whom their is one to every village.t

PAGANISM is the religion of this country. The negroes of this golden coast believe a supreme Being, and have some ideas of the immortality of the soul. They address the Almighty by a fetiche, or charm, as mediator, and worship two days in a week. They ascribe evil in general, and all their misfortunes, to the devil, whom they so fear as to tremble at the mention of his name.‡

The word fetiche, in a strict sense, signifies whatever represents their divinities; but the precise ideas of the negroes

concerning their lesser gods, are not well adjusted by authors, or even among the most sensible of themselves. At Cape Coast there is a public guardian fetiche, the highest in power and dignity. This is a peninsular rock, which projects into the sea from the bottom of the cliff on which the castle is built, making a sort of cover for landing. Beside this superior fetiche, every separate canton, or district, has its peculiar fetiche, inferior to that of Cape Coast. A mountain, a tree, a