at the same time, by making this five pounds the commencement of a charitable fund for the relief of miners when sick, or rendered unfit for working by age, as also for the benefit of their widows. The sum was accordingly thus appropriated, and the principal of the fund now amounts to 7007. Honesty is another excellent trait in their character. Theft is a crime almost unknown in either of the villages; nor have I ever heard of any one of the miners themselves, or any individuals among their families, who was ever accused of it. No person belonging either to Wanlockhead or Leadhills has for many years been tried before a court of justice. I do not indeed say that the inhabitants of these villages are altogether free from vices; but I know of no one particular or glaring vice to which they are addicted. Industry may be mentioned as another striking feature in their character. The soil is peculiarly sterile, and the heath not unfrequently approaches the very doors of their houses, or rather huts; for, with the exception of the overseer's house, they consist of only one floor, thatched with heath or straw. It is, however, but fair to mention, that though they have a mean outside appearance, they are, generally speaking, kept clean and comfortable in the inside. Situated as they are, the obstacles which present themselves to any thing like a regular system of cultivation are insurmountable; but still the inhabitants, by their industrious application of the pick, spade, and wheelbarrow (for there is not a horse in either village, except those employed about the mines, and those belonging to one of the overseers and one of the surgeons), have brought as much land into a state of tolerable cultivation, as enables seve ral of them to keep two cows summer and winter; and many others, by the same means, are enabled to keep one cow. Most of those who keep two cows are under the necessity of buying fodder for them during the winter. When at Leadhills in October last, another gentleman and myself computed the value of the year's crop of hay preserved by the miners in small stacks, at nearly twelve hundred pounds sterling. I may mention besides, that every family keeps in a state of cultivation a small spot as a garden, or, as it is more commonly called, a kailyard, in which potatoes, cabbages, and other vegetables are cultivated. I have seen the wives and children assiduously gathering manure for the kail-grounds upon the public roads. Both the men and women employ themselves much in knitting stockings. The women also spin a considerable quantity of woollenyarn and flaxen thread, and get the worsted of their own spinning woven into blankets, and coarse cloth for wearing-apparel, and the thread into webs of coarse linen. I might proceed to mention, what is the fact, that they are humane, charitable, and benevolent; that they live together in peace and amity, as children of the same family; that I never knew nor even heard of an itinerant beggar belonging to either village; with many other pleasing facts: but the preceding remarks are, I hope, sufficient to shew that they are an intelligent and exemplary race; that the striking improvement in their character has, by the blessing of God, been effected by means completely within the reach of all; and that the application of the same means may always be reasonably expected to produce the same effects. J. REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Christian Researches in the Mediterranean, from 1815 to 1820, in furtherance of the Objects of the Church Missionary Society. By the Rev. WILLIAM JOWETT, M.A. one of the Representatives of the Society, and late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge: with an Appendix, containing the Journal of the Rev. James Connor, chiefly in Syria and Palestine. London: Seeley, and Hatchard. 1822. pp. 454. WEshould feel it our duty to apologise to our readers for not having before noticed this work, had not many of Mr. Jowett's most interesting communications already appeared in our pages during the last four years, independently of several papers from Professor Lee and others, on the various subjects connected with his important discoveries and suggestions. With Mr. Jowett's name our readers must have long been familiar. His connexion with the sphere of labour in which he has now for a considerable period been engaged, appears to have originated in the suggestions of an individual with whose name is associated every thing that is grateful to a Christian mind-the Rev. Dr. Claudius Buchanan. Mr. Jowett had the benefit of much of that individual's highly desirable counsel previously to his undertaking; and perhaps there was no one to whom he could have directed his attention with better effect for a model in those Christian Researches, on the issues of which are staked such large interests. The island of Malta was selected by the Church Missionary Society as the most suitable place of residence for their literary representative; as it commands all the shores of the Mediterranean, and from them an easy access to all the surrounding countries, the religious and moral state of which possesses peculiar claims on the consideration of Christians. Mr. Jowett's station was not, therefore, to be considered so much one of actual missionary labour, as of investigation and research: he went to feel the way for others, to explore the condition of the people, to examine the difficulties of the work, and to determine upon those measures which, under the sanction and blessing of the Lord of the harvest, might prove most efficient to scatter over those spiritual deserts the seeds of Divine light and blessing. In 1820 Mr. Jowett returned to this country for the restoration of his health, having been absent for the space of five years. The largest portion of this period he had spent at Malta; but a considerable time had been passed in Corfu, and twice he had visited Egypt and various parts of Greece. This volume is the result of his researches; and, although much of his intelligence has been already anticipated by us*, there are yet many statements of more than common interest, to which we are desirous of calling the attention of our readers. The miscellaneous character of the work did not very easily allow of distributing it into very distinct parts; but Mr. Jowett has been careful so to arrange his materials, as that they shall be understood and remembered with as much readiness, as their nature and the quantity of them would admit. There are three general divisions to his work, in * In our volume for 1819, we gave an ac❤ count of the author's first voyage to Alexandria; his interview with Mr. Salt, the British consul, then in Nubia; and his providential connexion with that extraordinary and useful individual Pearce; and in subsequent volumes, more of his communication from Cairo, in relation to the general state of Egypt and of Abyssinia. See our volume for 1818, pp. 63, 620; 1819, pp. 688, 864; 1820, p. 484; 1821, pp. 57, 459, 833. which he considers successively the state of the Christians, the Jews, and the Mohammedans.. Under the first he speaks of the Latins, the Greeks, the Coptic, and other Christians in Egypt, and the Abyssinians. There are two other sections, in which he states what he conceives would be among the most useful measures for extending the influence of Christianity among the various bodies. of them connected with the Mediterranean, and concludes with various remarks on the state of languages, opinions, and creeds, adding some valuable suggestions respecting new stations for missionary labourers, and the requisite qualifications of such as should compose the sacred "army of occupation." Of the Latin Church less is said than of the others; for, however interesting it might have been to have exhibited a series of facts illustrative of the opinions and customs prevalent in Roman Catholic countries, the line of the author's research was principally in the Levant: and, indeed, the connexion of this country in early times with the Roman Catholic Church has rendered a fuller account the less necessary. Having, however, alluded to the subject, he shortly refers to the peculiar feature in the practice of this church, that of withholding the Scriptures generally from its members. He seems to think, that in many parts of Chrisfian Europe, where the Romish faith predominates, the Scriptures in some degree begin to be more freely circulated. The facilities for their diffusion differ indeed greatly in different districts: it is in Italy and Austria that the chief efforts have been made to close this source of Divine knowledge to the great body of the people. But we agree with Mr. Jowett, that the distribution of the Scriptures is the measure by which we may most confidently hope to obviate the evils existing in the Latin and other churches. "It seems deeply and universally to be felt, that it is not merely by conflict with error that we must expect to promote the cause of truth. Controversy has inflicted many wounds on the church of Christ, but of ardent desire, that in the place of crimiit has healed few. It has long been a matter nation, defence, and recrimination, which have so long been the instruments most frequently used by Christian combatants, the efforts of good men should be more strenuously and exclusively devoted to the direct work of diffusing sacred knowledge., The public mind appears to have been led, in the course of later years, to a strong conviction that thiswill best be effected bytheciran object which possesses this advantage, culation of the holy Scriptures in all lands; that of all others it is best adapted to unite Christians in cordial co-operation." p. 11. We now accompany our author to the consideration of the Greek Church. If that body of Christians known by the denomination of the Orthodox Greek Oriental Church has been preserved from many of the corruptions of the Church of Rome, we agree with Mr.Jowett in attributing the circumstance to the fact, that in the former church fewer additions have been made than in the latter, from the decrees of synods and councils, to the holy Scriptures, in forming their standard of faith and discipline. Only the first seven general councils are adopted by the Greek Church for this purpose. In his visit to Smyrna, Mr. Jowett gave the Bishop of that church a copy of our Prayer-book in ancient Greek. It is worth remarking, that though the translation of that work was made for the express purpose of giving theOriental Christians a knowledge of our faith and worship, yet the Thirty-nine Articles have been omitted. They were, however, so generally omitted in our vernacular Prayer-books, that the circumstance is easily explained. Thanks chiefly to the Prayer-book and Homily Society, this defect is now very generally supplied in the editions from all the authorized presses. Mr. Jowett's gift led to a long and very friendly conversation with the Bishop. The favourite topic of discussion between the Eastern and Western churches-namely, the procession of the Holy Spirit-was of course not forgotten; and although Mr. Jowett adverted to the moderate view taken of this subject by our clergy, as exemplified in the exposition of Bishop Burnet, yet the bishop strenuously dwelt on the point as an irreconcileable ground of difference. He seems, however, to have been much delighted with Mr. Jowett's reports of the state of the societies for circulating the Scriptures; and his own acquaintance with the Divine word was extensive. He quoted it frequently and fluently. "Looking," says Mr. Jowett, "on the simple scenery around, I observed, that it might remind those who belonged to the sacred profession of the humble origin of the first ministers of Christ. He immediately took up the idea, and quoted at full length that passage in St. Mark i. 16-18, laying great emphasis on the beautiful expression, 'Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.'" p. 18. Respecting a particular point in the discipline of the Greek Church, an erroneous notion, it seems, had been very widely entertained, and had received considerable countenance from the late remarkable martyrdom of the apostate Athanasius, who, having become a Turk, and being unable to endure the reproaches of his conscience, resolved to sacrifice his life as a proof of his repentance for his crime. The Bishop of Smyrna, however, told Mr. Jowett, that the Greek Church did not refuse to receive back an apostate into her bosom, but only exacted a lengthened penance. A sufficient confirmation of this is, that there is an office in the Greek Ritual for apostates. The temptations to apostacy are certainly very great, and instances of it frequent, under the Mohammedan rule; and a peculiar degree of rigour seems, therefore, to be called for in treating the case of apostates. Shortly after Mr. Jowett went to reside in the Mediterranean, being consulted by a member of the En glish Church then in Greece on the subject of confession, he delivered to him his sentiments respecting it in a communication which conveys a very just and scriptural view of the subject; a subject once warmly agitated, and still of some practical importance. We leave our readers to peruse it at their convenience, and shall proceed to an extract respecting the devotions of the Greek Church to the saints. admit the use of images into their churches, "In public worship the Greeks do not but they make up the deficiency with a multitude of pictures, on pannels of wood, all round the church; and to these 'likenesses,' no less than the Latins to their 'graven images,' they pay almost profound respect, bowing, touching them, kissing them, and crossing themselves before them. The fervour of their devotion to the saints is not less remarkable. If a man is ill, or meets with any misfortune, he makes a vow to some saint, that if he will recover him, he will make him an offering of a lamp of oil. What,' I have often asked, can the saints do for you? Had you not better pray to God?' The answer has always been, But if we pray to the saints, the saints will speak to God for us." I have quoted to them that striking passage of St. Paul, which one might have imagined should have for ever precluded this abuse: There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus,' and asked where in Scripture we are taught to pray to saints. They have replied, In the Psalms.' Some of the passages which they allege as illustrative of this subject, are as follow. "In Psalm iv. 3, the Greek of the Septuagint will bear translating thus: But know this, that the Lord hath rendered marvellous his holy One,' which our translation thus renders, Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself." Their next passage is Psalm xvi. 3, which may bear rendering, God hath made his saints which are in the earth marvellous.' But the passage considered to be the strongest, is that in the 68th Psalm. Θαυματὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς ̔Αγίοις αὐτοῦ, in our Bible, O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places; but they would render it, 'Marvellous is God in (or by) his saints.' Wherever the word exuua, or any of its derivatives, occurs, they have learnt to interpret it of miracles: thus to them the last passage plainly carries the sense, ‘God has worked miracles by his saints.' Scepticism on this point is viewed by many of the more ignorant as equivalent to a disbelief of Christianity. I have therefore, in conversing with them, always admitted all that I safely could, quoting especially scriptural examples; and adding, who can doubt but that God has often worked miracles by his saints? But this does not prove that such an one or such another had been thus honoured. Least of all does it prove that we are right in praying to the saints, which is not commanded in any of these passages quoted from the Psalms." p. 32. Mr. Jowett thus describes the worship: "The Greeks have three services in the day; one at about four o'clock in the morning, called Oggos; the second, a liturgy, and which is the principal service, takes place about six or seven o'clock, differently in different churches; and thirdly, vespers. Every week the priests are obliged to repeat the whole Book of Psalms through. By repeating,' is meant just so much as to move the lips. Often, on entering an open church, I have seen a priest sitting by himself performing this silent duty. The Psalter, as they print it, is divided into sixty-three parts, at the end of which they repeat the Doxology. The common way of speaking is, that the priest recites nine doxologies a-day. Besides this, there is a large number of hallelujahs and kyrie-eleesons to repeat The priests are required to repeat at least three times a day Kugis hoy! forty times: they count by beads three times forty. Surely these are vain repetitions; and were a man to multiply them a thousand fold, they would be still more vain, but he would be regarded as a very holy man. P. 34. Of the Greek clergy Mr. Jowett states, that in those parts which he visited, they have not appeared much in company. In parties of pleasure they would be considered out of their place, and to appear at balls, or at the theatre, would be a public scandal. Their dress is in fact a hindrance to their mixing indiscriminately in society: they are never seen but in a clerical costume, and always wear their beards. Mr. Jowett has judiciously prefaced his observations on the state of Christianity in Egypt, by an abstract of the history of the Coptic Church, and of the painful pre-emiCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 253, nence which it attained by an union of interest with the Mohammedan power in the seventh century, for the purpose of expelling the Greeks, who had acquired great influence in all civil matters. The consequences of this measure have, as might be expected, been grievously felt to the present time. The historical sketch we speak of has been chiefly collected from Renaudot's history of the Patriarchs of Alexandria; and it Coptic Church of a passage from amply justifies the application to the the Psalms, which occurs in their inauguration service: "Have mercy upon us, O Lord, for we are brought very low." Of our author's visit to the three principal Christian establishments in Alexandria, the Coptic, the Latin, and the Greek, our former volumes have furnished an account. There is much in the description to pain the minds of those who are freed from the errors under which those people yet labour. Their outward condition also is one of no little uneasiness. The Bashaw is not by any means considered as a sanguinary ruler, yet, at the period of Mr. Jowett's visit, eleven men were beheaded by his order. The prevalence of eastern notions, in respect to the relations of life, is also much to be deplored. The influence of the Scriptures would modify or destroy these painful circumstances. "My Copt," says Mr. Jowett, " coming to read with me, found me writing. I am writing a letter to my wife,' I said. This I spoke in Arabic, and asked if my Arabic was good: he gently inclined his head on one side and corrected the last word: I am writing to my house.' I asked if this correction was not grounded on the practice of depressing the women in every way: he owned it might be. An neither does Solomon thus speak. He Englishman does not feel or speak thus: does not merge the wife in the house; he makes the house and even the husband illustrious on her account." pp. 104, 105. At Cairo, there is a vent for that curse of Africa, the Slave Trade. In one miserable dungeon, Mr. Jowett states, that among several young slaves was a child of about six years F |