gion. Hence our subject is naturally divided into two sections. We shall, First, trace the history of the form or rites attending the administering and time, no distance of removal from separated from those of a false relithe holy light of divine revelation, no degree of pagan darkness, have succeeded in effacing the deep impression on the human mind. Hence all nations, Christian and pagan, have been found to practise this sacred ap-taking of an oath among the Hebrews peal to their Deity. But the form and rites of an oath conveyed to us through the pure channel of revelation, are to be as carefully separated from the superstitions attached to it by those who have corrupted the holiest things, as the rites of the true religion ought to be and Christians, and which existed by the authority of God in his Church. And, Second, we shall trace the different forms and ceremonies of an oath which sprung up, and were perpetuated in the lands of darkness and superstition. [No. II. in our next.] Religious Entelligence. SKETCHES OF THE REFORMATION IN THE NETHERLANDS; INTRO- In the sixth Number of this Magazine, doctrines of the Reformation. Persecution we commenced some sketches of the ris ad driven Arentson out of Holland. But and progress of the Reformation in the Uni-he frequently though secretly visited and ented Provinces of the Netherlands. We have couraged the Protestant congregations of his seen that the public worship of God was native Province. commenced by the Protestants, A. D. 1566, in the Province of West Flanders. The reformed inhabitants of the Province of Brabant soon followed the example of their Flemish brethren. The first public assembly for divine worship was held in a wood near the city of Antwerp. The Princess Regent immediately issued strict orders that the Magistrates should disturb all the meetings, and hang all the preachers. Such, however, was the growing numbers of the Protestants, that within the year 1566, the public exercise of their religion was introduced and established in several of the most important cities of the Province. Public religious assemblies were also held in many of the towns of the Province of Tournay. The rights of conscience were also claimed and successfully asserted at this period in the Province of Holland. Peter Gabriel, a Flemish preacher, and John Arentson, originally a basket-maker, were the only ministers of the Protestant faith by whom this enterprize was undertaken and accomplished. Gabriel was resident at the time in the city of Amsterdam, where, in a very private manner, and in constant peril of his life, he expounded the Heidelberg Catechism every Lord's day to those who had embraced the VOL. I.-37. Six of the principal Burghers of Amsterdam invited Arentson to a conference on the subject of finally introducing the public exercise of their religion into that city, In this little congregation, which was held without the walls, Arentson offered a solemn and zealous prayer, beseeching God to send down his Holy Spirit among them, that they might be assisted by his direction in forming such resolutions as should tend most to the honour of His Divine Majesty. After having weighed all the difficulties and obstacles in their way, they unanimously resolved, that, laying aside all fear and danger of their lives, they would establish the public worship of God in the Province of Holland, as had already been done by their brethren in several other districts of the Netherlands. On their return into the city they found the Magistrates, who had already taken the alarm, publishing the last placard transmitted to them from the Court. To illustrate the spirit of the Catholic religion, and the temper of the Spanish tyrants, we shall here introduce the substance of this placard. It contained a fresh prohibition of all conventicles and unlawful assemblies, both public and private, on pain of hanging to the preachers and teachers; and the forfeiture of their estates to the behoof and advantage of those who should apprehend them; and in case they had no estates, then the persons who caused them to be taken, should receive from his majesty's Treasurer a reward of six hundred pounds Flemish money, reckoning forty Flemish groats to the pound. In the same manner were to be treated all those who furnished or provided places for the same kind of preaching and teaching. They who harboured or concealed these preachers were to be punished with death; and those who were found at any such meetings, should be punished according to the discretion of the judges, with regard, however, to their different ranks and qualities, as likewise whether they went thither out of mere curiosity, or whether armed to defend the preachers; for in the latter case, they were to be banished."* This placard was received by the mass of the people with the greatest indignation and scorn. It was openly declared that "the placard would lead to the establishment of public worship in Holland, where it had not prevailed." little more than his mother tongue; but on the other hand was endowed with good sense and a sound judgment; by this means he taught with great method and regularity, being assisted by a wonderful knowledge of the Holy Scripture. His zeal rendered him bold and free; by his eloquence he was able to move the hearts of his hearers; he argued very accurately, and with great strength of mind, and could silence his antagonists of all kinds, whether they were Papists, Arians, Anabaptists, or Enthusiasts. He was moderate in such religious differences as were not fundamental or necessary, endeavouring to compose them by gentleness and yielding. Such preachers as these could not but increase the numbers of their hearers, and consequently of the poor too; wherefore it was thought necessary about this time, or a little earlier, to choose deacons, according to the pattern of the first Apostolical Church. They collected the alms of their assemblies in wooden dishes. They chose also some ancient and holy matrons for deaconesses." the matter of their grievances in their own language, and as it proved the beginning of that long and bloody contest, by means of which the civil and religious liberty of the United Provinces was established, should not be here omitted. It was to the following effect : The first public religious service of the The principal noblemen, as has already Reformed religion was held on the 14th of been stated in the former Number, entered July, 1566, in a field near Horn, in North into a solemn confederacy to oppose the inHolland, and was conducted by John Arent- troduction of the Inquisition, on whatsoever son. Before the expiration of the year, the pretext it should be attempted. The Lord Protestants were successful in celebrating of Brederode was chief of the confederacy. their religion in a public manner, not only in Lewis, Count of Nassau, and brother of the most of the principal towns of this Province, Prince of Orange, the Lord of Aldegonde, but in the city of Amsterdam itself. Toward and the Counts of Bery and Kulenburgh, the Autumn of 1566, the Reformed Protes- were active members. Brederode, at the tant Church of Amsterdam was placed un- head of three hundred gentlemen, resorted der the pastoral care of Nicholas Scheltuis, to the Court at Brussels, and presented a formerly a Roman Catholic pastor, Peter Ga-petition to the Regent, which, as it exhibits briel, and John Arentson. The historian, in giving their character, informs us, "that they were very dear to the people, for they did not aim at any scandalous gain, but lived very temperately; were hospitable, admitted all that came to ask their advice and assistance; did not seek the tables of the rich, but visited the rich and poor indifferently; despised all dainties, contenting themselves during the persecution with feeding mostly upon milk and whey with the servants. As for their habit, it was mean but decent.--Scheltuis was well versed in the Hebrew, a perfect master of Greek, and spoke the Latin in its purity. He had thoroughly studied the Fathers, and preached, as the Monks themselves acknowledged, with great learning, and taught with no less charity; confuted his adversaries with much temper, and led a life of virtue and piety. Gabriel was tolerably skilled in Latin and Greek, had committed almost all the epistles of Paul to memory; read almost all the writers of the age, and consequently was expert in disputing and convincing. John Arentson knew *Gerhard Brandt's History of the Reformation in the Netherlands, vol. 1. Fol. p. 179. "MADAM, The Netherlands have been celebrated throughout all Christendom, on account of their great loyalty to their Sovereigns; especially those of the nobility, who are disposed at this present time as much as ever to tread in the footsteps of their ances tors. But among all the tokens of their allegiance, considering the present state of affairs, and the danger they incur of drawing the displeasure of the government upon them, the duty which they are now performing ought to be esteemed the most remarkable, as well as the most reasonable. They have taken the liberty, though with the utmost humility and submission, to represent to your Highness, that the Inquisition and the Placards relating to it, though doubtless intended for the advantage of religion; yet, being now entirely altered, both as to their nature and effects, by reason of the change of seasons, can, for the future produce no thing but aversion, uneasiness, and tumults, | Pastor of the Second Reformed with all kinds of miseries tending to the de- Dutch Church of Glenville. The struction of our country. For, from the many inconveniences that we have experi- charge to the Minister was delivered enced of late years, when proceedings were by the Rev. Mr. Thomas Romeyn; much milder, may, easily be computed what and that to the Church and congrewill happen, in case you should pursue the last orders of his Majesty, not only by put- gation by the Rev. Mr. E. Slingerting in execution the severe Placards, but al- land. The Consistory requested a so by setting on foot the Inquisition itself. copy of each for our Magazine. We We find ourselves therefore obliged, by that have received these able addresses; supreme law, the welfare of the people, to and they shall appear in our pages as put your Highness in mind of the storms that have risen, and of the one now hanging soon as possible. over our heads. Necessity, which justifies all things, forbids us to be longer silent; for our castles, houses, and estates, lying in the open country, will be exposed to the first insults of the raging mob. And who does not see that if the Inquisition and Placards be established among us, our own, and all other subjects' goods, lives, and honour are at the mercy and in the hands of the first envious informer, unless the Magistrates, out of favour or pity, shall stop their ears. For all these reasons, we must humbly beseech your Highness, that you would, as soon as possible, despatch some fit person to carry this our submissive petition to the King, to the end that every body may be freed from the terror he lies under, as not only the absolute necessity of affairs, but likewise justice and equity require of you. We do not presume to prescribe laws to his Majesty ; but if he would be pleased to call together the states of these Provinces, he might settle the business of religion with their advice and assistance, by more proper, safe, and seasonable methods, than such as are now proposed to be employed. We also most humbly beseech your Highness that whilst his Majesty has this our petition under consideration, you would be pleased, in order to prevent the abovementioned dangers, to put a general stop to the Inquisition and all the Placards relating to religion. And we speedily declare that by this remonstrance we have done our duty, so far as concerns ourselves, and discharged our conscience to God and the world; so that from henceforward, if through the neglect or contempt of what we have offered, any riots, insurrections, bloodshed or other evil consequences should ensue, they must not be imputed to us. To this we call to witness God, the King, your Highness, the Lords of the Council, together with our own consciences, that we have behaved as become good and faithful servants and subjects, without having in the least exceeded the bounds of our duty." [ To be continued. ] On the 19th of September, the Rev. James Murphy was installed At a meeting of the Classis of Rensselaer, at Greenbush, on Tuesday, the 17th of October, the candidate A. Henry Dumont, was ordained to the work of the Gospel ministry, and installed Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Greenbush and Blooming Grove. Sermon by the Rev. James Romeyn, from 2 Cor. X. 4. Charge to the Minister was given by the Rev. Richard Sluyter. Charge to the people by the Rev. Peter Wynkoop Ordaining prayer by Rev. Jacob 1. Sickels. At a meeting of the same Classis, at Athens, Greene County, on Tuesday, the 24th of October, the candidate David Abeel, was ordained to the work of the Gospel ministry as an Evangelist. Sermon by the Rev. Asa Bennet, 2 Cor. ii. 16, last clause. Charge to the Minister was given by the Rev Peter Wynkoop. Charge to the people by the Rev. Isaac N. Wyckoff. Ordaining prayer by the Rev. Richard Sluyter. Gretna Green Marriages.-By the ancient law of Scotland, in operation from time immemorial, a marriage is to all intents and purposes legal, if the man takes the woman by the hand and says, before witnesses, "This is my wife, wedded by me." The presence of a magistrate or a clergyman is not necessary. There must be some person, however, who undertakes to get that marriage attested before a county magistrate, or a borough justice. This makes the affair of a marriage of minors very easy, and gives every possible facility to those who elope with young boarding | ter the members had expressed their school misses, or young heiresses strongest disapprobation of the confrom England. And at Gretna Green, duct of those borough justices and especially, which is near the border, county magistrates, who allow such there has been a famous old Black-marriages to be attested in their presmith, who has wedded many a cou-sence, a committee was appointed to ple by such a mode of wedlock. He inquire into the best means of prewitnesses the declaration of the coa- venting these marriages. Every ple, and gets it attested before a ma- Christian parent and guardian of gistrate, and the party return home youth, and lover of order, will offer at their leisure, and present their cer- his prayers for the success of the tificate of marriage according to law. committee in devising an effectual At the late meeting of the General means of putting an end to this sysAssembly of the Presbyterian church tem of things, by which so great a of Scotland, this disgrace of the na-facility is given to have the peace tion, Gretna Green marriages, was of their families and the happiness of taken up and warmly discussed. Af- their children utterly ruined. Literary and Philosophical Notices. Instruction to Mechanics.-This subject is pursued with much zeal in France. Dupin, the celebrated engineer, seems to have given it the first impulse by a course of lectures at Paris. The Minister of Marine appointed Blouet, Professer of Hydrography, to deliver a course of Geometry and Mechanics applied to arts and trades, at Dieppe, an important sea A Sixth continent.-An extraordin-lutely teem with those future seats of ary phenomenon presented in the civilization. Still the coral insect, southern ocean may render our set- the diminitive builder of all these tlements in New South Wales of still mighty piles, is at work; the ocean more eminent inportance. A sixth is intersected with myriads of those continent is in the very act of growth lines of foundation; and when the before our eyes! The Pacific is spot- rocky superstructure shall have exted with islands through the immense cluded the sea, then will come the space of nearly fifty degrees of longi- domination of man.-Monthly Review. tude, and as many of latitude. Every one of these islands seems to be merely a central spot for the formation of coral banks, which, by a perpetual progress, are rising from the unfathomable depths of the sea. The union of a few of these masses of rocks shapes itself into an island; the seeds of plants are carried to it by birds or by the waves, and from the moment that it overtops the waters, it is cov-port. ered with vegetation. The new island constitutes in its turn a centre of growth to another circle. The great powers of nature appear to be still in peculiar activity in this region; and to her tardier process she sometimes takes the assistance of the volcano and the earthquake. From the south of New Zealand to the north of the Sandwich islands, the waters abso He commenced in October, 1825, at the city hall, and delivered his introductory lecture to an audience of 400 persons. At the above date no less than 44 similar courses were delivered in seaport towns in France, and 15 in cities in the interior.-Rel. Chronicle. African Money market. They have a metal currency in Loggun, the first I had seen in Negro-land; it con The author of the interesting memoirs of Don Eteban has another work nearly ready for publication, to be called "Sandoval, or the Free Mason.', It turns chiefly on the extraor past; and as the author, a Spaniard, has himself been connected with those events, an entertaining and instructive sists of thin plates of iron, something in the shape of the tin with which they shoe race-horses. The money market has its fluctuations; the value of this "circulating medium" is settled by proclamation, at the commence-dinary events in Spain for some years ment of the weekly market every Wednesday; and speculations are made by the bulls and bears, according to the belief of its rise or fall.-book may be expected. The inteFrom Denham's Travels. rest with which it is looked for by Steam Navigation.—A London pa- the reading public is moreover enhanper received by the New-York, men-ced by the fact that among the pertions that a great discovery has been sonages who figure as principal charmade in steam navigation, by which acters, will be found king Ferdinand, three-fourths of the fuel now used will the Duke of Wellington, the Generbe saved. The vapour of quicksil- als Freyre, Morillo, Mina, Lacy Barver is substituted for steam with simi-rutel, Riego, &c. &c. lar machinery, and a few precautions to prevent any waste of the metal by The King of France lately purchaa pipe on the safety valve. The bot- sed, at a million of francs, a country estom of the boiler, which is very small tate, to serve as an Agricultural Instiand strong, as compared with that in tute; in which three hundred pupils use for producing steam, is conical, are to be taught Agriculture and Horand the termination of the cone is in ticulture scientifically.-He has ascontact with the burning coals which signed a considerable revenue to the surround it. The heat is communica-institution in order that the course of ted almost instantaneously to the instruction may be obtained at the quicksilver in the boiler, throwing it cheapest rate by the French youth. into vapour at the temperature of 656 Judge Washington and Chief Jusdegrees of Fahrenheit. Its elasti- tice Marshall have selected from the city and power can be indefinitely in-papers left by Washington, between creased by heat, and the greater the three and four hundred letters of his elasticity produced, the greater the va- correspondence with various individcuum in the cylinder on opening the uals both before and since the revoluvalve communicating with the well. tion. They are committed, we unThe saving of stowage will be very derstand, to the hands of Messrs.Caconsiderable, and a ton of quicksilver rey & Lea of Philadelphia, for publiwill be sufficient for propelling a ves-cation, and will form a most interesting sel to India and back again with 140 volume. horse power. Col. Star. remark A work, which must prove ably interesting to the religious public, has appeared from the press of Messrs. Crocker and Brewster entitled, "Memoirs of the late Mrs. Susan Huntington, of Boston Mass. consisting principally of extracts from her journal and letters, &c. by Rev. B. B. Wisner, Pastor of the Old South Church." It gives the most unequivocal evidence of ardent piety, and of an intellect of a superior order. The Editors of the National Intelligencer propose, at some future period, to publish a Register of the Congressional proceedings including the debates &c. from the time that the Constitution was adopted,—ab urbe condita.--Col. Star. An instance is recorded in the Trenton Federalist in which tobacco applied wet to the wound, proved to be an effectual cure for the bite of a rattlesnake. |