The church at Copenhagen has had an increase of six members, and br. Monster is going to Alborg to baptize several converts there. The authorities take at present no notice of their meetings. I leave to-morrow for Brunswick, Marburg, and Baireuth, and hope that at each of these places a Christian church will be formed. The Lord is thus constantly encouraging us, and every thing bids us to continue steadfast and unmoveable in the work of the Lord. Let us rejoice together at the fruit already gathered, and let it stimulate us to greater devotedness in the best of causes. I must again call your attention to our tract operations; something should be done immediately for our assistance, if the present favorable opportunities are to be improved. There is, indeed, a great and glorious work before us in Germany, and we need all the help our American brethren can give us. May the good spirit of our God influence us to work whilst it is called to-day. Miscellany. SKETCHES OF HINDUISM. angas, revealed by divine persons, or written by inspired saints. They treat of as angas. division. The following article, containing a brief state-tronomy, grammar, prosody, religious rites ment of some of the leading points in Hindu and ceremonies, charms and incantations. mythology, is taken from the Foreign MissionThe fourth class consists of the four Upary Chrouicle. It is compiled, as the author This is by far the most copious states, from the writings of Duff, Marshman, The first Up-anga contains the Heber, Pegg, and others; and gives, we think, Puranas or sacred poems. These treat a more than usually definite and interesting of cosmogony, geography, astronomy, genview of the points presented. ealogies and exploits of the gods, virtue, good works, the nature of the soul, and the means of final emancipation. The second and third Up-angas treat of logic, metaphysics, and the essence and modifications of spirit. The fourth Up-anga consists of the body of laws, by Manu, the son of Brahma, and other sacred personages,-detailing all manner of duties connected with the worship of the gods, and all the possible relations that can subsist between man and man. THE GREAT SHASTRAS.-The sacred writings of the Hindus are in the Sanskrit. Western scholars, who have made themselves acquainted with this language, speak of it as rich, harmonious, and expressive. The natives of India regard it with a veneration that is almost unbounded. Its very name implies perfection; and even to the form of the letters they attribute a divine origin, calling them the Deva Nagari, or writings of the gods. The Sanskrit is not now a living language; although a portion of its life and substance and form has been transfused into almost all the vernacular dialects of India. We have been at some pains to prepare the following account of some of the sacred writings in this language. The writings now enumerated are usually denominated the GREAT SHASTRAS, or books of sacred ordinances, to distinguish them from a great many other works highly reverenced, but not esteemed divine. These works are in great part composed in a kind of blank verse or measured phrase. Their number and bulk is not easily described. The four Vedas form eleven large folio volumes. The Puranas and two other poems contain two millions and a half of lines; whilst an octavo bible in large print contains less than one hundred thousand The first and highest class of their sacred books consists of the four Vedas. These are not only the most ancient, but the most sacred compositions in the Sanskrit. They are believed to be from eternity, not revealed through the instrumentality of any being, but proceeding direct and entire outlines. These are but a small part of the of the mouth of the creator himself. The second class consists of the four upa-Vedas. These were delivered to mankind by Brahma and other deities, and inspired sages. They treat of medicine, music, archery, architecture, and sixty-four mechanic arts. whole. The longest life would not suffice How different are these writings from the scriptures of the Old and New TestaThe third class consists of the six Ved- ment! The God of all truth is the author of the one; the other is from the father of that the worship of one God only, was les, who was a murderer from the begin- taught in their sacred Scriptures. He ing. The one is filled with contradictions, showed very clearly that the impure rewith narratives of folly, obscenity and wick-cords of the lives of their gods were deetness; its pages teach falsehood, and sanc-structive of every thing like morality, and on the violation of every moral precept. The law of the other is "holy, and the commandment holy and just, and good." Every word of God is pure; all his comdments are truth." How important it is that the Holy Bible should be faithfully translated into all langages, printed, and put into the hands of hose who are thus ignorant of the true God and the way of salvation through the cross of Christ; that all may read in their own tongues, wherein they were born, the wonderful works of God. To effect this coject the church has now committed to her the mighty agency of the press, by which bibles and religious tracts may be multiplied to meet the increasing wants of ear benighted fellow men. Let professing Christians, when they pray "Thy kingdom come," take heed that they neglect not the means which God has appointed, for the fulfilment of the glorious results for which they pray. HINDU MYTHOLOGY.-This is a fruitfai theme, containing the glimmering of some fundamental truths,-much of fable, extravagance, wickedness, and contradiction. Our limits will only permit a brief and condensed statement of the leading points of this mass of confusion and absurdity. The Hindus are a nation of polytheists and idolaters. It is true, nevertheless, that the foundation of their system is laid in the belief and assertion of the existence of one great, universal, self-existing Spirit, the origin of all other beings, animate or inanimate, material or immaterial. In regard to the Eternal Spirit, their belief is, in many aspects of it, pure Pantheism. His appellation is BRAHM; not to be confounded with Brahma, who is also one of their principal gods. It is important that this point be noticed, and fully explained. Missionaries have been charged with ignorance and a wish to deceive, when they have described the degrading and abominable practices of Hindu idolatry. But the truth is, the Hindu Shastras, while they speak of one God, to whom all worship ought to be paid, also describe a multitude of other gods, relate their actions, good and bad, and direct the mode and forms of their worship. About twenty years ago, RAM MOHUN Roy, a learned Brahman, in Calcutta, denounced the idolatry of his countrymen, and attempted to prove from the Vedas, 66 the peace and happiness of mankind. But these things are all recorded in their socalled holy books, and in them also is their worship defined and enjoined; and these books are received as of divine authority. Ram Mohun Roy, indeed, only admitted the four Vedas as of divine authority. He contended that his early forefathers worshipped the true and eternal God, and that he had forsaken the idolatry of Hinduism, as unworthy of a rational being; but he insisted in language as strong as that used by the missionaries, that his countrymen were wholly given to this idolatry. The truth is," he observes, "the Hindus of the present day firmly believe in the real existence of innumerable gods and goddesses, who possess full and independent power; and to propitiate them, and not the true God, are temples erected, and ceremonies performed." "The generality of the Hindu community are devoted to idol worship; the source of prejudice and superstition, and of the total destruction of moral principle, as countenancing criminal intercourse, suicides, female murder, and human sacrifiees." It is a melancholy reflection, that this learned and enlightened heathen, with the Bible within his reach, esteemed the preaching of the gospel to be foolishness, and whilst he contended against the idolatry of his countrymen, rejected the offers of mercy through the cross of Christ. Although the Vedas contain many truths in relation to the true God, yet when we bring together their descriptions of the one eternal spirit, we shall find them to be made up of contradictions, metaphysical jargon and absurdity. All natural divine attributes are ascribed to Brahm. Without beginning or end, that which is, and must remain, unchangeable; without dimensions; infinite; immaterial, invisible, all powerful, all knowing, every where present; and enjoying ineffable felicity. Again he is described as without qualities and attributes. This description is in direct contradiction with the former; but then these different states or modifications of being are not contemporaneous but successive. How then, it may be asked, is he unchangeable? No moral attributes are ascribed to him in any state of his existence. Holiness, justice, mercy, goodness, and truth, form no part of his character. The proper state of Brahm's being is described to be that in which he exists wholly without qualities or attributes. When he thus exists, there is no visible external uni verse. He is then emphatically the ONE; | were derived; that the great one became the single and sole entity of the universe; distinctly known as three gods, being one the only possible entity, whether created person and three gods." or nncreated. His unity is so pure, so essentially simple, as totally to exclude qualities or attributes of any kind. It is quite evident that this is a description of perfect non-existence of cold and cheerless atheism. According to this description, in any sense within the reach of the human understanding, Brahm is nothing. The mind of man can form no conception of matter or spirit, apart from its properties or attributes; yet in this state of entire and total negation, he is described as positively existing, and in the enjoyment of ineffable Brahma is represented as the creator of gods and men, and as sharing even the essence of the supreme mind, yet at the present day, he is the least esteemed of all the Hindu deities. He has neither temples erected, nor sacrifices offered to him, nor festivals celebrated to his honor. He is usually represented as a red or golden colored figure, with four heads and four arms. bliss. From this state of repose, after the lapse of unnumbered ages Brahm suddenly awakes, and breaks the universal silence by uttering the words "I am." Dissatisfied with his own solitariness, he imagines the form of the universe; this is succeeded by an act of volition. The process of production is described in the Shastras, and in the writings of their Brahmans, with a great many contradictions and unintelligible explanations; in which are to be found many of the principles of the German transcendental philosophy. Brahm, it is said, contains all things within himself; and there is always the same quantity of existence whether the universe be in a created or uncreated state. When it is in the latter, Brahm is all; when it is in the former, the Deity is just partially unfolded by various degrees of emanation, which constitute the several forms and order of manifested nature. Still all things are God. When the energy ceases to operate, all orders of being return, and are re-united to the fountain whence they sprung. Then God alone is all again. Thus the creator is confounded with the creature, or rather there is no creature, all is God. Another theory is, that all things are il lusions, like the images in a camera obscura, or the appearance in a mirror, or the likeness of the sun reflected from the wa Vishnu is the preserver. He is represented of a black or blue color, with four arms. No sacrifices are offered to him; he is described as a household god; and is extensively worshipped. Siva is the destroyer, and is represented of a silver color, under various forms,— sometimes with one head and sometimes with five. Although the destroyer be his proper appellation, it seems more applicable to Durga his wife, whose aspect and deeds do indeed combine whatever is most terrible. The worship of both is the most obscene and debasing that can be imagined, and hence they are the most popular of any of the Hindu deities. Durga is represented as black, with four arms, wearing two dead bodies as ear-rings, a necklace of skulls, and a girdle of hands around her waist. See Missionary Chronicle, vol. vii. p. 235. Her altars flow with the blood of goats and other animals; and the ancient books contain directions for human sacrifices to this cruel goddess. She has various names. As Kalee she is the patroness and protectress of robbers and prostitutes, and the bands of murderers called Thugs, are her devoted worshippers. Volumes have been written in description of the gods of India. The details, if all collected, would be of little use. Their forms and the different agencies assigned to them are as various as the mind of sinful man could conceive. Great rivers, especially the Ganges, are objects of worship. The cow, the monkey, and the king of birds are their gods. The history of most of their gods is a tissue of vice and villany. Theft, licentiousness, lying, and murder, are described at large in their sacred books, as the employment and the pastime of these godst Wantonness has the sanction of divine authority; licentiousness is consecrated as religions worship, and the human heart, deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, finds in their gods a counterpart suited to its own depravity. Such are the sacred books, and such are the objects of worship of one hundred and thirty millions in India. Truly is this a land of darkness, as darkness itself; gross darkness upon the people, and the shadow of death; without any order; and where | majority of these. They are beginning now the light is as darkness. The apostle has described their condition with the pen of inspiration, in the first chapter of Ro mans. From the abominations of Hindu idolatry, how must the heart of the Christian rejoice, when he meditates on the God of the Bible, as revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." How mournful is the condition of the benighted heathen. Whatever the poor degraded Hindu may have heard of Brahma, of Vishnu, or Siva, they have never heard of the true God, and a Savior's love. And how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?" "As it is written, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth." Then shall the church arise and shine, her light being come, and the glory of the Lord risen upon her. GREECE. In a letter from Rev. Mr. Benjamin, dated Athens, Dec. 2, 1839, are some observations upon The political and moral aspect of Greece. The opposers of the liberal party have lately succeeded in a measure, which shows that they feel strong in their positions, and are disposed to improve this circumstance. Pharmakides, whom I have before mentioned to you as a distinguished writer in favor of liberal principles, has been turned out of the office he has long held of secretary of the synod. This is considered by every body a very strong measure on the part of the king. Other things have occurred which show that all the political tendencies of the times in Greece are of the same character. to avow it openly; and there are priests, and it is said even bishops, who avow that they do not believe a word of Christianity, though as a matter of policy they continue their professions of belief. There has recently occurred a developement of a case of scepticism which has interested and excited this people not a little. Cairis had founded about four years since, an orphan school on the island of Andros. He was aided in the establishment and support of the school by voluntary contributions in Greece and in England. He was the sole teacher, and lived a most laborious and self-denying life, faring at the same board with his two hundred orphan boys, and superintending in person every department of this great establishment. He is a monk, well educated, of great acuteness of mind, a true patriot, having been most active during the war of the revolution, and a republican. Recently it has been discovered that he is a deist, and that many young men have imbibed, in his institution, most corrupt religious sentiments. It seems to have been his secret intention to establish a new sect, deistical; and that this was one grand motive in all his extraordinary labors in the cause of education. The Greek synod has taken up the matter. Cairis was brought to Athens in a vessel of war, and conducted by armed soldiers to the meeting of the synod for examination. In five minutes the place was surrounded by a great concourse of people, and for fear of violence, he was almost immediately remanded to his confinement on board the man-of-war. It is said that if he had been kept a half day in the city there would have been a revolution. He was, without exception, the most popular man in Greece, though at the same time the most modest and retiring. As he came out of the synod he was saluted with "Long live Cairis!" "The living virtue!" "The second Socrates!" etc. The enthusiasm of the people was immense, and their rage against the synod without bounds. The final step in the matter has been to send Cairis to confinement in a monastery on the island of Scyathos. Dr. King, writing from Athens, under date of January 28, mentions the discovery of a secret society, called the Philorthodox Society, which was believed to have no good designs towards those who were en In regard to religious matters, I believe the Greek mind is more truly awake to them than it has been before for centuries. The time is at hand when Greek ecclesias-gaged in the intellectual and religious imtics will be forced to support the cause of religion by reason and the word of God. The existing effects of their deficiency on this point are indeed lamentable. An immense number of young men in the learned professions, and in the different stages of study, are deists and atheists-perhaps a provement of Greece. The discovery was made about the beginning of the year, near the time when their plans were to have been carried into effect. The principal persons concerned in it, were arrested. [Miss. Herald. Other Societies. American Board of Commissioners for we have, so far as China is concerned, an Foreign Missions. SINGAPORE. From a General Letter of the Missionaries at this station, dated Nov. 16th, 1839, we make the extracts which follow. British India and Eastern Asia compared-Chinese spoken language. A line of distinction, if we mistake not, is to be drawn between Hindoostan, as a missionary field, and Eastern Asia. The former is open; the latter is for the most part closed. Singapore, Malacca, Pinang, Batavia, a small district in Borneo, Bangkok, Macao, and Canton, are the only places known to be open to us; and some of these are only partially open. Our efforts to establish other stations have hitherto failed of success. It is to be hoped that our bounds are to be enlarged; and yet it would not be strange if ten years hence our limits should remain the same. Inferences drawn from the progress of things in Europe and America would mislead, rather than aid us, in judging of the progress of events here. Every thing is in motion there; every thing here is stationary. Such an event as an English governorgeneral in Peking, within a few years, is barely possible, but not probable, and, therefore, needs not be prepared for. Hindoostan is a tried field. It has been partially tried for a century or more, and more fairly for a generation or two, and it has borne fruit. Eastern Asia is an untried field, and this is the best we can say of it. For if we say it has been tried, then must we not admit that the experiment has rather worked against us, since little that deserves to be called fruit has yet been produced? Hindoostan has a government which affords to missionaries not only protection, but indirect, yet powerful encouragement, since it is wielding efficiently those many influences for the elevation of a people, which an enlightened government has at command. Eastern Asia, with the exception of a few ports, has governments which are hostile to us, both directly and indirectly. Even where we are allowed a residence, the whole influence of government stands in the way of our plans, keeping down the people whom we wish to raise. In addition to the points already noticed, other obstacle in the difficulty and poverty of the Chinese language. Whatever may be said of the written language of China, (and it is not without its merits, though they have been often over-rated,) it cannot be denied that the colloquial languages of China are exceedingly difficult of acquisition, and very poor when acquired. We have had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Dyer preach in Chinese, and he certainly deserves to be called a preacher. Mr. Medhurst is said to be equally good in the spoken language. But we know of no others who can be called with propriety preachers in Chinese. Mr. Gutzlaff reads and writes the language with ease and rapidity. Mr. Dyer says that he has studied the Chinese fourteen years, with great industry, and with excellent health, and that he considered himself still a learner, especially in the spoken language. John R. Morrison, Esq., a person of superior abilities, whose accuracy in translating from and into Chinese has probably not been surpassed, except by some of the Catholic missionaries, and who has, besides, the advantage of having been born in China, and of having enjoyed the best facilities for acquiring the Canton and Mandarin dialects, which he speaks better, it is generally admitted, than any foreigner in Canton or Macao, still is not master of these dialects, and is obliged sometimes to resort to the wretched jargon, called Canton English, to make himself understood. Persons who have studied the Chinese a number of years, and who have given only a month or two to the Malay (a language about as difficult to learn for conversational purposes as the French, except that the pronunciation of the French is more difficult) can understand and speak the Malay nearly as well as the Chinese. This is true even of those who are successful in acquiring the tones. Those who get on poorly with the tones will learn to make themselves understood in Malay better by three or four months' study, than by several years of hard labor devoted to the Chinese. With one year, or at most eighteen months study of the Malay or the French, a person would be better qualified to preach in either of those languages, than he would be in Chinese after ten or fifteen years of diligent and successful study. These statements will appear less extravagant when it is added that the Chinese spoken language is a less perfect medium of communication, than other languages, so |