America, it should be remembered, was first colonized by missionary efforts, commencing with 1620, from which several institutions arose; among which are to be reckoned, "The Incorporate Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," formed in 1698, and a branch of this, denoted "The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." These arose out of the First Bible Society, formed in 1670, at whose head was Dr. Thomas Gouge; and the "Society or Company for Propagating the Gospel in New England and the Parts adjacent in America," in 1663, whose principal founders were the Rev. Richard Baxter, Henry Ashworth, Esq. and the honorable Robert Boyle.

1709. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge in the Highland and Islands of Scotland.

1732. The Moravian Mission commenced.

1736. Rev. John Wesley went a missionary to Georgia. 1737. Rev. George Whitfield went to join Mr. Wesley. 1760. The Book Society for Promoting Religious Knowledge among the Poor. This was a kind of Bible Society; and as its subscribers receive back their amount of subscription in the most valuable religious books chosen by themselves, at a reduced price, with liberty to purchase any amount at the price, we recommend it to the consideration of all our readers.

1780. The Naval and Military Bible Society.

1781 and 1784. In the former year Mr. Wesley, in Conference, determined on sending assistance to America, and various labors were undertaken in the West Indies, under the direction of Dr. Coke; but in the latter year, the Methodist Missionary Society was formed.

1785. The Sunday School Society was formed. 1792. The Baptist Missionary Society.

1795. The London Missionary Society.

1796. The Scottish Missionary Society.

1796. The Village Itineracy, or Evangelical Association for spreading the Gospel in England.

1796. The London Itinerant Society.

1797. The Baptist Home Missionary Society.

1799. The Religious Tract Society.

1800. The Church Missionary Society.

1803. The Sunday School Union.

1804. The British and Foreign Bible Society.

1805. The British and Foreign School Society.

1806. The London Hibernian Society.

1808. The Society for Promoting Christianity among the

Jews.

1812. The Prayer-book and Homily Society. 1814. The Irish Evangelical Society.

1816. The Irish Society.

1818. The Port of London Society for Promoting Religion among the British and Foreign Seamen.

1819. The Home Missionary Society.

1822. The Irish Society of London.

1823. The Ladies' Hibernian Female School Society. 1825. The Christian Instruction Society.

1828. The British Society for Promoting the Religious Principles of the Reformation.

Other Societies are added:

1. Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, for the Conversion of Infidels and Heretics.-1539.

2. Propaganda, or Society for Propagating the Catholic Faith.-1622.

3. Society in London for Promoting Christian Knowledge. -1698.

4. Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, England.-1701.

5. Royal Danish Missionary Society, by Ferdinand IV.— 1704.

6. Missionary Society of Halle.-1707.

7. Scottish Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. -1709.

8. Russian Ecclesiastical Mission of China, to instruct missionaries in the Chinese language, Greek Church.-1727.

9. Moravian, or United Brethren Missionary Society.-1732. 10. Sabbath Schools in England, by Raikes and Stock.1781.

11. Methodist Missionary Society, England.-1786. 12. Baptist Missionary Society, England.-1792.

13. Society for Conversion of Negro Slaves in the West Indies.-1794.

14. London Missionary Society.-1795.

15. Edinburgh Missionary Society.-1796.

16. Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East.— 1798.

17. British and Foreign Bible Society.-1804.

18. American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. -1810.

19. Massachusetts Temperance Society.-1811.

20. Moral Society of Connecticut.-1813.

21. Massachusetts Peace Society.-1815.

22. London Peace Society.-1816.

23. American Education Society.-1815.

24. Sunday Schools introduced into New York.-1816.

25. French Society of Christian Morals.-1816.

26. Congregation of Missions in France.—1816. 27. Bible Society of Poland.-1816.

28. American Bible Society.-1816.

29. United Foreign Missionary Society.-1817. 30. Bible Society in Germany.—1817.

31. Protestant Bible Society, France.-1818.

32. Prison Discipline Society, established at Boston.-1825. 33. American Temperance Society.-1826.

34. British and Foreign Temperance Society.-1831. 35. American Home Missionary Society.-1826.

36. American Colonization Society.-1819.

37. American Tract Society.-1825.

38. American Sunday School Union.-1824.

39. Baptist General Convention for Foreign Missions.1814.

40. American Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.-1819.

41. American Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church.-1820.

42. American Anti-Slavery Society.-1833.

43. American Seamen's Friend Society.-1828.

44. American Peace Society.-1828.

45. American Temperance Union.-1833.

46. American Unitarian Association.-1825.

The Names of the different Benevolent Societies in the United States, and also

American Peace Society,

$252,076

63,070

55,660

86,522

85,676

33,000

91,732

56,582

14,173

16,035

12,748

44,094

3,065

Domestic and For. Miss. Soc., Protestant Episcopal Church,

Board of Home Missions, Gen. Syn. Ref. Dutch Church,

4,000

(P. p. 317.)

Revivals of Religion.

Revivals of religion to a greater or less extent have at times prevailed ever since the church has existed. Many and signal instances of them are recorded in the Old and New Testaments. God at times remarkably displayed his power and grace in building up Zion. This was the case in the days of David and Solomon, Asa and Hezekiah, Josiah and Ezra. In the time of John, the harbinger of Christ, the Spirit was poured out in copious effusions. On the day of Pentecost, by the preaching of the Apostles, attended by the special influences of the Holy Ghost, three thousand were added to the church. Multitudes were converted in Samaria. There were various seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord in the first centuries of the Christian church. The Gospel had free course and was glorified. This also was the case in succeeding ages. In the sixteenth century, there were unusual effusions of the Spirit which attended the labors of the Reformers in Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Holland. A revival took place in France, about 1550, in the time of those distinguished divines Farrel and Viret. There was an extraordinary revival of religion, in 1625, in Scotland. Such was the revival, in 1628, in Ireland. In the time of the plague in London, in 1665, multitudes were brought to renounce their enmity to the cross and bow to the sceptre of Jesus. In 1732, and 1733, God was pleased to pour out his Spirit on the people of Saltzburg in Germany. More than twenty thousand were converted from Popish darkness to the pure gospel of Christ, and very many hopefully became the subjects of the grace of God. About this time there were extensive revivals in England, Wales, Scotland and the British Provinces in North America. There was a most powerful revival of religion in the United States, more especially in New England, in the days of Whitfield, the Tennents, Edwards, Brainerd, Wheelock and Bellamy. During this period twentyfive thousand persons were probably added to the churches. This revival of religion is attested as being a glorious work of the Spirit of God, by one hundred and eleven ministers of the gospel, most of whom were assembled at Boston, in 1743. About the commencement of the nineteenth century, revivals of religion prevailed in the Carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and New England, especially Connecticut. More than one hundred towns in that State were visited with the effusions of the Holy Ghost. For the last twenty years, there has been

a series of revivals throughout the land. During the years 1831 and 1832, probably as many as one hundred thousand souls were converted to Christ. Between three hundred and fifty and four hundred young men in our public institutions of learning were hopefully brought to rejoice in the Saviour of sinners. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. It is not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts. The glorious victories of our King should call forth the devout aspirations of our souls. These should be declared abroad as memorials of divine grace. The trumpet of praise should sound when the King of Zion cometh in triumph having salvation. It is grace-grace. To God be all the glory.

See Fleming's Fulfilling of the Scriptures;" "Gillies' Historical Collections;" "Calamy's Life of Baxter;" "Prince's Christian History ;" "Dwight's Life of Brainerd,” and “ President Edwards's Narrative of Revivals."

(Q. p. 334.)

Millennium.

The word Millennium, in its etymological import, means a thousand years. It is expressly applied to that time when, according to prediction, the church will be in a far greater state of prosperity and happiness than it ever yet has been. The word is based upon the repeated use of the phrase, a "thousand years," in the first six verses of the twentieth chapter of Revelation. "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark in their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the