AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE. pure, lovely, and of good report. No one can think of him without being better. Being brought early under the influence of Christianity, he was full of faith and the Holy Ghost. The great charm of his preaching was, his power over the religious affections -reverence, joy, contrition, and gratitude, which he could call up at pleasure. Prayers which he offered were but real acts of thanksgiving and supplication. Dr. Alexander's pre-eminence was not owing to any one faculty, but to a combination of parts; and this led so many to sit under his ministry." D. D. I am happy to say (writes another correspondent, the Rev. Dr. Baird) that, although we have not such marked and extensive revivals of religion this year as we had last, yet THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER does not seem to abate. This is particularly true of our larger cities. In New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, and others of our important cities and towns, the daily prayermeetings are very well attended, and as interesting as ever. At these meetings. cases of conversion-cases which show the importance of prayer-are often reported. We must hope that our Churches will soon be blessed again with a general, a wide-spread effusion of the Holy Spirit. We are, indeed, not left without decisive proof that our God is a prayer-hearing God, for in many places there is more than ordinary interest felt on the subject of religion, and the attendance of the people on the means of grace has seldom been better. SABBATH OBSERVANCE. A very cheering evidence of the general increase of religion among us is to be seen in the extensive and successful efforts which are making to secure the better observance of the Sabbath. In comparison with any and every country in Europe, with the exception of England and Scotland, the United States may well be called a Sabbath-keeping country. But little labour is done, and not very much travelling, on the Lord's-day in this land. I have always been struck with this fact upon my return from my many visits to the Old World. And yet there was much room for improvement; and much has been done within the last few years, and especially within the last year and a-half. An active association of Christian gentlemen in this city of New York, have published in tracts, circulars, pamphlets, and in the newspapers, many able arguments and appeals, and scattered them widely over the land. Proprietors of steamboats and railroad companies have been reasoned with; all this has not been in vain. There is now but one or two railroads in New England on which even a mail-train runs on the Sabbath, and that at night, from Boston to New York. In the States of New York and New Jersey, and in the other central States, there are only mail trains, each having one or two cars for passengers, running on the Sabbath. On many of the great roads in the Western States there are but few cars on the Sabbath. Even in the Southern States the difference in this respect between the Sabbath and other days is very perceptible. Even where passenger trains are regularly run on the Sabbath, it is gratifying to see that the number of travellers on that day will not bear a comparison with that on other days. This is very cheering. In the extreme west and south-west there is much more of Sabbath profanation than in any other part of our country; but there is progress in the right direction even there. The greatest difficulty in regard to se curing a proper observance of the Sabbath among us must ever be encountered in our large cities, like New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New Orleans, St. Louis, and others. In all these cities railroads are being laid in all the principal streets; and cars, drawn by horses, are fast and happily taking the places of the rumbling and noisy omnibuses. It becomes a difficult question to know how far to go in demanding that these cars be not allowed to run on the Sabbath. It will be easy enough to keep them from incommoding public worshipindeed they make but little noise-but it will be hard to prevent them from running, and certainly impossible to prevent the running of the ferry-boats on the rivers which front the cities mentioned, and many There are thousands of non-church going people in our cities, especially among the shopkeeping and mechanic classes, who think that, when the weather is fine, a part of the Sabbath must be spent by them, and often by portions of their families, in seeking recreation in the suburbs. What adds greatly to our embarrassments is the fact that within the last sixteen or seventeen years more than four millions of people have come to us from Europe, most of them from Ireland and Germany, and but few of them, comparatively, have any proper ideas of the Sabbath. And so great is the foreign element in some of our cities, that MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. it nearly equals, and in some places even exceeds, the American population. The Irish and Germans combined, in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Milwaukie, and some other important places in the West, much exceeds the population of native origin. And both are fond of frequenting drinking-places, both in the city and in the suburbs, on the Sabbath. The Germans wish to have their lager-beer saloons, their dancing-houses, &c., and complain greatly when this is not allowed. A great effort is making, at this time, in this city of New York, to close all such places on the Sabbath. God be praised! these attempts have been crowned with much success, because we have a better municipal government than we have had for a long time. The same struggle is going on in other chief cities. In St. Louis-a city which, in 1830, had 6,000 inhabitants, and now almost 200,000 !-the question was actually submitted to popular vote the other day: Whether the drinking-places should be open or closed on the Sabbath? I rejoice to say that it was decided, by a strong majority of 2,200 votes, that they must not be open on that day. This is a great triumph, and in a city about which we had many fears. Miscellaneous Foreign Intelligence. ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE SOCIETY OF SWISS PREACHERS-MOSCOW-A MONUMENT TO LUTHER -A BRITISH SUBJECT IMPRISONED FOR CIRCULATING THE BIBLE-AN AMERICAN LITURGY -UNION PRAYER-MEETING IN INDIA. THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE SOCIETY OF SWISS PREACHERS took place a few weeks since in the hospitable city of St. Gall. The proceedings occupied two days; 250 ministers were present, the most of whom were from German Switzerland; a few were from French Switzerland, and three from Germany. Divine service took place in the church of St. Lawrence, which has been lately re-built. It was opened by the singing of a piece from Handel's Messiah. Professor Alexander Schweizer preached on the means and end of the Evangelical ministry, taking as his text the passage which records the calling of Simon Peter to the apostleship. In the first sitting, Professor Hagenbach read a remarkable paper on works of practical piety, circulated in French Switzerland. The subject was handled in so complete a manner and so excellent a spirit in this paper, that nothing very striking was elicited in the discussion which followed. The essay of Pastor Meyer on the second question, reserved for the second sitting, was of a nature to awaken more lively discussion. It had reference to the relations of Scriptural Christianity to the Reformation of the sixteenth century, and the religious wants of our own The discussion is spoken of as having been remarkable for the spirit of frankness and charity which characterised it throughout. The first repast took place in a hall with which is associated some noble historical recollections; in it Zwingle presided over a clerical synod of the cantons of St. Gall and era. | Appenzell. On the evening of the second day there was a gathering on the borders of the Lake of Constance. The members of the Conference were enabled to visit without restriction every principal object of interest in the city of St. Gall, and especially the two great libraries, rich in precious manuscripts respecting both the sixteenth century and the preceding centuries. Zurich has been chosen as the place of meeting for the next Conference, and Pastor Hæfelin as president of the new central committee. Moscow.-Under the well-known signature of "Rob Roy," Mr. John Macgregor furnishes to the Record a series of lively and interesting "Notes from the North," or sketches of what he has seen in the tour in which he is now engaged in Russia. Incidentally we have some glimpses of the religious life of the people, and for the sake of these we quote some of Mr. Macgregor's remarks, written from the ancient capital of the empire: "Moscow is far more interesting to the traveller than St. Petersburg. The streets, the shops, the buildings, are utterly different from those of any other town. Standing on one of the numerous heights that command the glorious panorama, or, best of all, in the balcony of the tower of Ivan, in the celebrated Kremlin, you have a picture round you like a fairy scene, that can neither be described nor forgotten. Form and colour here are of the most grotesque and variegated kind. More than 300 churches with MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. domes and minarets of bright blue, green, churches. Men and women all stand, and red, and gilded; houses with green roofs are generally not separated, though somebedded in trees with the river winding times the females are on one side. The through them, and the solemn tones of a constant bowing, and crossing, and kneelthousand bells blended into one mighty, ing, till the forehead touches the ground, swelling, ceaseless sound. The Kremlin is or with a step aside, till the lips kiss the a collection of buildings less dignified and frame of some sacred picture-these consombre than I had expected, but there is a stant and various physical acts, repeated on mysterious interest even in the name, and all sides of you, and seemingly at the will to the Russians there must be associations of of the worshipper, without any order—give the deepest tone. Here is the little chapel to the Greek form of worship a peculiar where the present Emperor was baptized; he interest not altogether unpleasing, for there was born in Moscow, and next year will cele- is, apparently at least, much of devout brate the thousandth anniversary of his adoration mingled with ignorant idolatry; ancient dynasty. That long range of however dark may be their religious knowcaptured cannon is a chronology of Russian ledge or false their creed. I cannot well victories, and the great gun at the end imagine how a devotee of the Eastern faith carries balls of three feet in diameter and can leave the worship of pictures and the Imfour tons in weight, if indeed it ever could perial Czar, to adopt the intolerant creed of have been fired at all. There stands the Rome, and the miserable slavery of the Popegreat bell of Moscow that was half molten dom. The priests here are allowed to marry, by the heat of burning rafters before it fell but not a second time, and it is said-who and broke a huge piece away. The late doubts it?-that they are, therefore, very Emperor had it raised from its ruins, and careful of their wives' health and happiness. now you can go inside, and in the broken They are not yet admitted to society, as the part see its thickness, not much less than equals of the upper classes. It is a curious two feet of solid metal, while the weight is, sight to behold a minister of religion sitting, I believe, about 140 tons, or ten times that of like a reigning sovereign, beside a black, the Westminster bell that booms the hour in dirty, but emblazoned image, and holding London. The cathedral, where every Emperor out his hand to be kissed by women after is crowned, is open for the vesper song. The they have adored the idol. One of the subdued light of candles and tapers scarcely gates of the Kremlin, the Holy Gate, is illuminates its deep recesses, but their guarded by a soldier, whose business it is sparkling is reflected by the gilding from to see that everybody uncovers his head as the highest parts of the roof. As the deep he passes through. Nobody can tell the bass voices of the priests chant low and origin of this custom. Amid such mumbeautiful music, the long-bearded peasants meries, it was a happy and refreshing bow their heads in awe and deep devotion, spiritual privilege to attend the service on and the incense pours out a cloud, slowly Sunday in the English Church, to listen to rising among the golden pictures, and an excellent sermon from the Rev. Mr. countless gems glittering upon them. Whittaker, and to partake of the Lord's It is not easy to find out what the Rus-Supper, with a little body of Christiansians think about the Crimean campaign; but so far as I can understand their views, they appear to consider that they were thoroughly beaten, and that the utmost resources of this mighty empire were exhausted to avert this defeat-in vain. I visited a monastery, where a crowded congregation listened to the beautiful chanting of about forty monks, all wearing tall, round hats, with a black scarf falling from the top over the long, curly hair that covers the shoulders of the Russian priest, as his moustache and beard cover his breast. Nearly all the priests I have seen were vulgar-looking and dirty, unkempt individuals, but with a good deal of dignity in manner, and intelligence in their features. There is no provision for sitting in these a fair sample of the quiet, sensible-looking millions that one has left at home. The magnificent new 'Church of the Redeemer' is not yet finished. It will be the handsomest building in Moscow." A MONUMENT TO LUTHER.-The GrandDuke of Hesse-Darmstadt has sanctioned the design, by Professor Carl Rietschel, of a monument to Luther and the Reformation, to be erected in the square at Worms. The Reformer is represented standing amid a group of symbolical and historical figures within a crenellated enclosure. "As a whole, the finely constructed enclosure, with its battlements, its escutcheons, and its various figures, reminds the beholder of a fortified medieval castle, and the thought of Eine feste Burg' comes involuntarily MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. to his soul. And now, in the centre of this A BRITISH SUBJECT IMPRISONED FOR to Papal tyranny. Escalante is a British subject, an agent of the Bible Society, a member of the Wesleyan community, and a man of unexceptional life and manners; and he is perishing in the fangs of an infuriated Popish priesthood, who have thrust him into a loathsome prison at Cadiz with felons and murderers. If private and official appeals to British authorities, whether at Gibraltar or at home, are attended with no result, we trust the press and the British public will take up the case. AN AMERICAN LITURGY.-The German Reformed Church of the United States has issued a book of liturgical forms of quite an imposing character, of 400 pages. It is as large as the Book of Common Prayer, and much of the book is similar to that used in the Episcopal Church. It is called "A Liturgy or Order of Christian Worship." The committee of compilation were taken from some of the ablest men in the German Reformed Church. They represented the college, the theological school, and the pastorate. They have been at their work eight years. They say that their examination shows that the Book of Common Prayer is only a compilation from the past; much was taken from the Reformation period and the earlier ages; and that the Reformed German Church only takes what is her own, when she restores their use to the Church of Luther. UNION PRAYER-MEETINGS IN INDIA.Meetings of the members of different denominations for united prayer have been extensively held throughout India, during this year, and have included thousands of native converts, as well as European and American Christians. In one case, an extract from the minutes of the twenty-third annual meeting of the Lodiana mission has been circulated as an "invitation to united prayer, addressed to the Church of Christ throughout the world." The meeting, after expressing its conviction that God has still large blessings in store for His people, and for our ruined race, and that He now seems to be ready and waiting to bestow them as soon as asked," adopted the following resolution: "That we appoint the second week in January, 1860, beginning with Monday the 8th, as a time of special prayer that God would now pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, so that all the ends of the earth might see His salvation; that on the first day, that is, on Monday the 8th, be a holy convocation for solemn fasting, humiliation, and prayer, SACRED LITERATURE. and that on the last day, that is, Sabbath time; and that from the receipt of this the 14th, be a holy convocation for thanks- invitation, onward, all be requested, in giving and praise; that the intervening their secret, family, and public devotions, time be spent in private and social exer- habitually to entreat the Lord to pour out cises of prayer and praise, as the circum- upon all His people so much of the Spirit of stances of each community may dictate; grace and of supplication, as to prepare that all God's people of every name and them for such an observance of the time nation, of every continent and island, be designated, as may meet with His approval cordially and earnestly invited to unite and secure His blessing." with us in a similar observance of that Sacred Literature. Vetus Testamentum Græce Juxta LXX. Interpretes. Recensionem Grabianam ad Fidem Codicis Alexandrini aliorumque denuo Recognovit, Græca secundum Ordinem Textus Hebraei Reformavit, Libros Apocryphos a Canonicis Segregavit FRIDERICUS FIELD, A.A.M., Coll. S.S. Trin. Cantab. Socius. Sumtibus Societatis De Promovenda Doctrina Christiana. Oxonii: Excudebat Jacobus Wright, Academiæ Typographus. MDCCCLIX.-Pp. 1,086; Royal 8vo. THE great importance of the Septuagint version of the Old Testament has always been acknowledged by Biblical critics, but its eminence as a standing monument in the Christian Church is little considered by the generality of private believers. It will be our object, therefore, in the present article, not to dwell on its philological value, but on its historical distinctions, and thereby to illustrate its superior importance as a Biblical version above all other versions, whether ancient or modern. And first-This version is confessedly the most ancient, being made about 270 years before the Christian era. The Greek language had been long spreading in the East. The numerous Greek colonies on the coast of Asia Minor had brought on ancient wars with the Medes and Persians; but it was the conquests of Alexander which gave a permanent establishment to the Grecian sway over the Eastern world. On his death, his vast conquests were divided among his principal chieftains, and Egypt fell to the share of the Ptolemies. Numbers of Jews were amongst his troops, and numbers more were settled at Alexandria as traders and merchants. It was the policy of the Ptolemies to attach these colonial Jews to their newly-gotten sceptre, and for this object nothing could be so influential, as providing them with a version of their ancient Scriptures in Macedonic-Greek. Accordingly, the Pharos of Alexandria was allowed for the convenience of the translators, who had procured authentic MSS. from the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem. It is probable they at first confined their labours to the Pentateuch, and that it was not till the close of the century that the entire translation was accomplished. When completed, it soon spread its influence over the adjacent regions. The Jews carried it with them to the East, the West, the North, and the South. Hence the multitudes of Jewish proselytes, who are generally denominated Greeks in the New Testament, from their use of the Hellenistic version. In the progress of events, the Romans came into contact with Syria and Egypt, and thus the knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures was carried by the proselytes into the West; and those who consult the third volume of "Prideaux's Connexion" may gain a compre |