the day of the festival, the priests adorned with the ensigns of various gods, sacrificed her in the usual manner and afterwards cut off her head, when one of the priests, taking it in his hand, began a dance, in which he was joined by the rest. The priests during this festival, made a race down the stairs of the temple; and the following day the populace entertained themselves with a game similar to the Lupercalia of the Romans; for running through the streets, they beat all the women they met with little bags of hay. In this same month they kept the festival of Mictlanteuctli, god of hell, on which they made a nocturnal sacrifice of a prisoner and also the second festival of Jacatenctli, god of the merchants. The name Tititl, which they gave to this month, signifies the constringent power of the season which the cold occasions.

THE WORKS OF GOD DISPLAYED.

Singular accounts of Iron found in the Earth.

[Eng. Mag.]

IRON is one of the imperfect metals, but the hardest and most useful, as well as the most plentiful of them all. It is of a livid, whitish colour, inclining to grey, and to appearance, internally composed of small facets, or small surfaces: susceptible of a fine polish, and capable of having its hardness more increased or diminished by certain chemical processes, than any other metal.

It is very generally diffused throughout the globe, being frequently found mixed with sand, clay, chalk, and being likewise the colouring matter of a great number of stones and earth. It is found also in the ashes of vegetables, and in the blood of animals, in such abundance, that some authors have attributed both the colour of vegetables and the vital fluid itself, to the iron contained in them. In consequence of this abundance, the iron ores are extremely numerous.

Native iron, formerly thought not to have an existence any where, is now certainly known to have been met with in several places. It is, however, by no means common, but occurs sometimes in iron mines. Margraaf found a fibrous kind of it at Eibenstock, in Saxony: and Dr. Pallas found a mass in Siberia, weighing 1600 pounds. Mr. Adanson likewise informs us, that native iron is common about Senegal; but some natuyalists are of opinion, that those species which have been taken

for native iron, are, in reality, artificial and have been accidentally buried in the earth. The large piece mentioned by Dr. Pallas is of that species called red short which is malleable when cold, but brittle when red hot. A mass of a similar nature is said to have been lately found in South America.

This American mass of iron was discovered by some Indians in the district of Sontiago del Estero, in the midst of a wide extended plain. It projected about a foot above the ground, and almost the whole of its upper surface was visible; and the news of its being found in a country where there are no mountains, nor even the smallest stone, within a circumference of 100 leagues, could not but be very surprising. Though the journey was attended with great danger on account of the want of water, and abundance of wild beasts in these deserts, some private persons, in hopes of gain, undertook to visit this mass; and, having accomplished their journey, sent a specimen of the metal to Lima and Madrid: where it was found to be very pure, soft iron. As it was reported that this mass was only the extremity of an immense vain of the metal, a commission was given to Don Michael Rubin de Celis to examine the spot, and the following is an abstract of his accounts.

"The place is called Otumpa, in lat. 27, 28 S. and the mass was found almost buried in blue clay and ashes. Externally, it had the appearance of very compact iron; but internally was full of cavities, as if the whole had formerly been in a liquid state. I was confirmed in this idea (says our author) by observing on the surface of it, the impressions of human feet and hands of a large size, as well as of the feet of large birds, which are common in this country. Though these impressions seem very perfect, yet I am persuaded, that they are either a lusus nature, or that impressions of this kind were previously on the ground, and that the liquid mass of iron falling upon it, rece ved them. It resembled nothing so much as a mass of dough, which having been stamped with impressions of hands and feet, and marked with a finger, had afterwards been converted into iron.

On digging round the mass, the under surface was found covered with a coat of scoriæ, from four to six inches thick, undoubtedly occasioned by the moisture of the earth, because the upper surface was clean. No appearance of generation was observed in the earth below or round it to a great distance. About two leagues to the eastward is a brackish mineral spring, the only one to be met with in all the country. The earth in every part about this spring, as well as near the mass, is very light, loose, and greatly resembling ashes even in colour. The grass of the adjacent parts is very short, small and extremely

unpalatable to eattle; but that at a distance is long and extremely grateful to them; from all which circumstances, it is probable, that this mass was produced by a volcanic explosion. Its weight might be estimated at about 300 quintals. It is likewise an undoubted fact, that in these forests there exists a mass of pure iron, in the shape of a tree with its branches. At a little depth in the earth are found stones of quartz, of a beautiful red colour, which the honey gatherers, the only persons who frequent this country, make use of as flints to light their fires. They had, formerly, carried some of them away, on account of their peculiar beauty, being spotted and studded as it were with gold. One of these, weighing about an ounce, was ground by the governor of the district, who extracted from it a drachm of gold."

The native iron, said to have been found about Senegal, has a cubical form; and out of this, the black inhabitants make different kinds of vessels for their own use. Some masses have been found in a polyhedral, granulated form, and of a bright yellow colour; but which, on being polished, show the proper colour of the metal. Mr. Bergman informs us, that the great mass of native metal found in Siberia resembles forged iron in its composition, a centenary or 63 grains, yielding 49 cubic inches of inflammable air; and from many experiments it appears, that ductile iron yields from 48 to 51 cubic inches of the same kind of air. Dr. Matthew Guthrie informs us, that "the pores of this iron were filled with a yellow vitrious matter, of such hardness as to cut glass."

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

The Backslider reclaimed by a singular Providence.

[Meth. Mag. Eng.]

A pious tradesman conversing with a minister on family worship, related the following highly instructive circumstance respecting himself.

"When I first began business for myself, I was determined, through grace, to be particularly conscientious with respect to family prayer. Accordingly, I persevered for many years in the delightful practice of domestic worship. Morning and evening every individual of my family was ordered always to be present; nor would I allow my apprentices to be absent on any account. In a few years the advantages of these engagements

appeared manifestly conspicuous: the blessings of the upper and nether springs followed me, health and happiness attended my family, and prosperity my business. At length such was my rapid increase in trade, and the necessity of devoting every possible moment to my customers, that I began to think whether family prayer did not occupy too much of our time in the morning. Pious scruples arose respecting my intentions of relinquishing this part of my duty; but at length worldly interest prevailed so far, as to induce me to excuse the attendance of my apprentices, and not long after, it was deemed adviseable, for the more eager prosecution of our business, to make the prayer with my wife, when we arose in the morning, suffice for the day. Notwithstanding the repeated checks of conscience that followed this base omission, the calls of a flourishing concern, and the prospect of an increasing family, appeared so imperious and commanding, that I found an easy excuse for this fatal evil, especially as I did not omit prayer altogether. My conscience was almost seared with a hot iron; when it pleased the Lord to awaken me by a singular Providence.

One day I received a letter from a young man who had formerly been my apprentice, previous to my omitting family prayer. Not doubting but I continued domestic worship, his letter was chiefly on this subject it was couched in the most affectionate and respectful terms: but judge of my surprise and confusion, when I read these words :-" Oh, my dear master, never, never, shall I be able sufficiently to thank you for the precious privileges with which you indulged me in your family devotions: Oh, sir, eternity will be too short to praise my God for what I learnt there. It was there that I first beheld my lost and wretched state as a sinner: it was there that I first knew the way of salvation; and there that I first experienced the preciousness of Christ, in me the hope of glory.' Oh, sir! permit me to say, never, never, neglect those precious engagements : you have yet a family and more apprentices; may your house be the birth place of their souls." I could read no further :every line flashed condemnation in my face-I trembled--I shuddered-I was alarmed at the blood of my children and apprentices, which I apprehended would scou be demanded at my soul murdering hands!

Filled with confusion, and bathed in tears, I fled for refuge in secret-I spread the letter before God-I agonized, andbut you can better conceive than I can describe, my feelings; suffice it to say, that light broke in upon my disconsolate soul, a sense of blood bought pardon was obtained, &c. &c. I immediately flew to my family, presented them before the Lord, and from that day to the present, I have been, and am determined,

through grace, that whenever business becomes too large to permit family prayer, I will give up the superfluous part of my business, and retain my devotion. Better to lose a few shillings than become the deliberate murderer of my family, and the instrument of ruin to my own soul."

MEMOIRS OF THE MARTYR POLYCARP.

The following is an affecting account of that servant of God who was Bishop of Smyrna, in the second century, and a martyr for the cause of Christ.

[Meth. Mag.--Eng.]

POLYCARP was one of the Apostolic fathers, or one of those early Christians, who had been taught the religion of Christ by the Apostles themselves. He was appointed by the bishop of Smyrna, by St. John; and it has been upposed by some ancient, as well as modern writers, that he was the Angel of the church of Smyrna, to whom Jesus Christ directed the Epistle in the Revelation of St. John, chop. ii. "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." The probability that Polycarp was the overseer and chief minister among the persecuted and poor christians at Smyrna, at the time when St. John had this Revelation, will induce us to think very highly of this spiritual state both of the preacher and people. Blessed is the man to whom Jesus Christ says, "thou art rich." He must be indeed rich in faith, and an heir of eternal glory.

Polycarp was born in the first century, and had conversed with many christians who had seen the Lord Jesus, while he was upon earth; and we are told, that he used to repeat to others with great delight, the gracious words of our Saviour, which had been recited to him, by those who had heard them from the Saviour himself, and had been eye-witness of the miracles which Jesus wrought. Irenæus, who was bishop of Lyons, and died carly in the third century, informs us that when he himself was a child, he was with Polycarp in Lower Asia; and, "I remember," says he, "the place where Polycarp sat