jects of the visit of the Greek Pilgrims to Jerusalem. "What I have written will suffice to shew you what takes place annually round the tomb of Christ. May we not hope that the exertions of the Bible Society in the diffusion of the Scriptures which the pilgrims will be enabled, in future, to purchase at the very gates of the sepulchre, and carry home to their families and friends—will tend progressively to inspire a purer and more exalted spirit of devotion." or topmost: others again were busy in chasing one another round the tomb, and shouting like madmen. Whenever they saw in the crowd a man who they thought could pay them, they seized and forcibly carried him, in their arms. two or three times round the church. The whole was a most lamentable profanation of the place. The same happens every year. The noise and confusion increased, as the moment appointed for the apparition of the fire approached, At length, the Turks, who had not hitherto interfered, began to brandish their whips, and to still, in some measure, the tumult. About noon, the Governor of Jerusalem, with a part of his guard, entered the gallery. The eager ness and anxiety of the people were now excessive. They all pressed toward the sepulchre, each person holding a bundle of tapers in his hand. The chief agent of the Greek Patriarch, and an Armenian Bishop, had entered the sepulchre shortly before. All eyes were fixed on the gallery, watching for the Governor's signal. He made it, and the fire appeared through one of the holes in the building that covers the tomb! A man lighted his taper at the hallowed flame; and then pushed into the thick est of the crowd, and endeavoured to fight his way through. The tumult and clamour were great; and the man was nearly crushed to death, by the eagerness of the people to light their tapers at his flame. In about twenty minutes, every one, both in the galleries and be low, men, women, and children, had their candles lighted. Many of them put their lighted candles to their faces imagining that the flame would not scorch them: I perceived, however, by their grimaces, that they speedily discovered their mistake. They did not permit these tapers to burn long; reserving them for occasions of need. The power which they attribute to those candles that have been touched with the fire from heaven, is almost unbound. ed: they suppose, for instance, that if overtaken by a storm at sea, they throw one of these candles into the waves, the tempest will immediately subside. They are chiefly valued, however, in corsequence of the superstitious notion, that, if they are burned at the funeral of the individual, they will most assuredly save his soul from future punishment. To obtain these candles, and to undergo a second baptism in the waters of the Jordan, are the chief ob The pilgrims who have visited Jerusalem, this year, are thus summed up by Mr. Connor:-Greeks, 1600; Armenians, 1300; Copts, 150; Catholics, 50, chiefly from Damascus; Abyssinians, 1; Syrians, 30: in all, 3131. From Aleppo, under date of June the 26th, Mr. Connor continues the account of his proceedings, after he left Jerusalem. He had an interview with the Syrian Patriarch (late Archbishop) Giarve, at Der el Sharfi. "I set out for the convent of Patriarch (late Archbishop) Giarve. His convent is universally called in the country, Der el Sharfi. After passing for some hours along a rugged, steep, and difficult path, among the mountains, we arrived, about three in the afternoon, at the foot of an eminence; on the side of which, and near to its wooded summit, stands the convent of Santa Maria della Liberatrice. The situation of the convent is noble and commanding, overlooking a large tract of mountain scenery, the town of Beirout, a long line of coast, and a wide sweep of the Mediterranean. The convent itself is not yet completed. Its chapel is small, and is hung round with a great number of little pictures of saints and Scripture scenes. It was pleasing to hear, in the evening,the sound of the various convent bells in the neighbouring mountains, which summoned the people to vespers. "Here I left my mules and servant, and proceeded forward alone and on foot. The Patriarch received me in the kindest manner, and I remained with him till the following morning, I found him rather indisposed, in consequence of a recent fall from his horse. "The Patriarch greatly regrets the accident which retards the arrival of his printing-press. It was so seriously injured in the voyage to Smyrna, that, it is probable, no one but its maker and inventor, Mr Clymer, will be able to repair it. As soon as it arrives he will commence the printing of the Carshun Scriptures, and will occasionally issue tracts for the spiritual instruction of his flock, which is very numerous and widely scattered throughout Syria, Mesopotamia, and other quarters. The Archbishop was elevated to the patriarchal seat about a month before my visit. In reply to inquiries respecting the Maronites, by whom he is surrounded, the Patriarch told me that they would gladly receive the Arabic Scriptures, in an edition that would stand the test of a rigid examination. They may amount to 80,000 souls. Reading is a very general attainment among them, and almost every village has its school. In their schools, as in those of the other Christians in Syria, nothing is taught but reading, writing,and the catechism. The Psalter and some theological dissertations are the only books used in their schools." At Damascus Mr. Connor had an interview with Seraphim, the Patriarch of Antioch. "The Patriarch received me in the most friendly manner. The system and operations of the Bible Society delighted him. He will encourage and promote, to the utmost of his power, the sale and distribution of the Scriptures throughout the patriarchate. As a proof of his earnestness in this cause, the next day he ordered a number of letters to be prepared and dispatched to his Archbishops and Bishops, urging them to promote the objects of the Bible Society in their respective stations As soon as theScriptures arrive in Damascus, the Patriarch will make it known to the people, by ordering it to be announced to them in the different churches. "On my expressing a wish to have an Arabic version of the Greek Tract on the Bible Society, which was printed in Corfu, the Patriarch said that he would procure it for me; and, before my departure from Damascus, he had sent the tract to a friend in Beirout, fully competent to the task. This translation will be sent to me to Constanti nople, when I shall forward it to Eng land for publication. The diffusion of this Tract in Arabic will smooth the way for our future operations in these parts." The Greeks under the Patriarch of Antioch may amount to 20,000; and, of these, about 4000 are in Damascus. The rest of the Christian population of Damascus consists of Catholics, Latins, Maronites, Greeks, &c. 16,000; Armenians 150; Nestorians 70. Mr. Connor next proceeded to Aleppo. "Immediately on my arrival I engaged a man to offer the Scriptures, which I had brought with me, for sale in various parts of the city; and am happy to inform you, that he has sold a considerable number of Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, Turkish, and French Testaments. I had only two Hebrew Bibles (Simon's edition), which were immediately sold; and if I had had a hundred of them, I could have parted with them easily.Several Jews called on me, to inquire if I had the Scriptures in Arabic, but in the Hebrew character: they told me that such an edition would have a great sale among the Jews in Syria." The Christian population of Aleppo may be thus enumerated:-Greek Catholics 14,000, Maronites 2000, Syrian Catholics 5000, Nestorians 100, Armenian Catholics 8000, Armenian Schismatics (as they are called) 2000, Greeks under the Patriarch of Antioch 500. Mr. Connor thins concludes his narrative:-" From this sketch of my proceedings in Syria, you will have seen that the channels are now opened for the introduction of the Scriptures into these parts, and for their general circulation. By means of our friends in Jes rusalem, Jaffa, Acre, Saide, Beiront, Damascus, Tripoli, Latichea, Scanderoon, and Aleppo, they will be offered for sale in every part of the country. So far well. The channels, as I have said, are open; but I am afraid we shall be obliged to wait some time before the waters begin to flow. I have prepared the minds of very many, for the operations of the Bible Society in these parts; and I think I may say with truth, that these operations will be hailed with gratitude. In the course of the journey, I have scattered a great number of copies of the Arabic exposition of the national system of educa tion. These may be left, at present, to work their effect on the minds of their readers. A future opportunity will, we may hope, be afforded for the establishment of schools on the system." Mr. Connor has since returned to Constantinople. He protests strongly against the distribution of religious tracts in Syria, as a measure at present premature, and likely to excite great jealousies. The Scriptures, without comment, find a ready circulation. For a variety of interesting Religious Intelligence, we refer our readers to the Appendiz for 1820. VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. FOREIGN. FRANCE.-The French chambers met towards the close of December. The king opened them in person, and announced, with expressions of gratitude to Divine Providence, the continuance of tranquillity, both in the domestic and foreign relations of the kingdom. Notwithstanding the late conspiracy, which was easily subdued, the speech states that France is proceeding in a regular and hopeful career towards her former prosperity. The discordant elements begin to settle by a gradual subsidence, and two things only are wanted-" time and repose"--to attain all that the lovers of their country most fervently wish. The addresses of both chambers to the king were in a similar strain; and would indicate the prevalence among the intelligent classes of that country of a patriotic feeling of the necessity of supporting and consolidating their various institutions, and of erecting the power and prosperity of France, not upon the quicksands of military glory, but upon the firm basis of agriculture, and commerce, and manufactures, under the protecting auspices of religion, and law, and just subordination. The king professes faithfully to adhere to the principles of the charter. We trust that the legislature will also pursue a moderate and patriotic course. At the same time, when we consider the composition of the present chamber of deputies, we are not without some apprehensions on 'that point. Its com plexion has been very materially changed from the effect produced on the late elections by the new law for their regulation. The whole number of deputies is now 430. Of these 101 are strong ultra-royalists; 84 arc designated by the qualifying term of moderate ultras; 115 are ministeralists; and 130 are of the liberal party. This being the state of parties, the ministers have been forced to form a coaFition with the moderate ultras; some of whose leading men, as M. de Villelle and Lainé, have entered into of fice. These two parties united, still form, however, but a minority of the chamber; and as the strong ultras on the one hand, and the liberals on the other, though widely differing among themselves, have already begun vigorously to attack ministers, there is some danger either that these may be unable to carry on the business of the nation without borrowing aid of the high ultras (in which case they will be supposed by the nation to have made some sacrifices to the prejudices of that unpopular party, and will thus be involved in its unpopularity); or that they may be forced once more to dissolve the chambers, in order to rescuethemselves and the nation from some new convulsion. The king, it is supposed, would be exceedingly reluctant to admit the liberals to power; and the nation will not tolerate the predominance of an ultra-royalist influence in the government. The opinion is universal, that if the high ultra-royalists should possess power, they would employ it to restore the ancient order of things; and therefore almost the entire French nation would view, with an alarm which nothing could allay, their accession to office. On the other hand, it is impossible to conceive in what common object, except that of displacing the ministry, the high ultras and the liberals could join; and after they had effected its overthrow, it would still be as difficult as ever to form, out of the discordant materials of the present chamber, an administration agreeing in principle which should be able to command a majority of votes. How all these clashing interests are to be reconciled, it is difficult to conjecture. We shall most sincerely rejoice, if means shall be found so far to harmonize them, that the peace and increasing prosperity of that country may be effectually secured. We shall feel no emotion of jealousy whatever in witnessing the extension of its commerce, the multiplication of its resources, its advancement in science, and the augmenting solidity of its public credit, so long as it shall be the endeavour of its rulers-(we adopt the language of the address from the chamber of deputies)" to corroborate the influence of religion upon the temper of the people; to purify public morals by a Christian and monarchical education; to restore dignity and consideration to the depositaries of the laws; to give to the national force that prudent organization which will ensure tranquillity at home and peace abroad; to distribute, without impairing, the power of the executive department, and to complete all the institutions which are the defences of liberty." The circumstance which is most afflictive in the state of France at the present moment, is the powerful impulse which has been given to the Slave-trade. It has revived to a most enormous extent, and has been accompanied by more than its usual share of atrocity. The blessing of Heaven cannot follow the toleration of this enormous evil, acknowledged by France herself, in terms the most solemn, to be at war with every principle of religion and humanity. The attention of her government has been forcibly called to the subject, and we trust to see this foul stain on the national honour and character speedily wiped away. The estimated expenditure for the service of the year 1821, is 882 mil lions of francs: the revenue is calculated at 888 millions. CONFERENCE ATLAYBACH.-The allied powers have removed the seat of their conference from Troppau to Laybach, a town in Austrian Germany, the capital of Carniola, whither they have summoned the King of Naples, to deliberate with them upon the present state of affairs in his dominions. This requisition has been obeyed; not however without strong remonstrances on the part of the Neapolitan Parliament, who have declared their determination to resist to the utmost of their power any foreign attempt to interfere with their internal government. They do not affect to deny that their new constitution may admit of very desirable modifications; but these modifications, whatever they may be, must be freely discussed and voluntarily adopted and they will run all the risks of war, even with the formidable power of Austria, rather than introduce, on foreign dictation, any changes into the constitution which the concurrent voice of the King and of the universal Neapolitan Nation has sanctioned. The King, before he departed for Laybach, entered into an express stipulation, that in his negociations with the allied sovereigns, he should consent to no arrangement which should be inconsistent with the new constitution. It appears, however, that the sovereigns of Austria, Russia, and Prussia, have adopted a very different determination. They have declared their resolution, not merely to modify, but actually to overthrow and entirely to annul, the order of things existing not only in Naples, but also in Spain and Portugal, which they consider as the offspring of sedition and violence, and as not only opposed to the principles of law and morality and to the true happiness of nations, but as incompatible with the tranquillity of Europe. They declare, therefore, their intention of putting an end to it, either by mediation or by force. But they disclaim, at the same time, any view to conquest, or to the violation of the independence of other powers, or even to the obstruction of voluntary ameliorations in governments. They cannot, however, recognize any authority established by the seditious; and it is only with kings they can confer. This extraordinary declaration has produced, as might be expected, a very strong sensation in every part of Europe. The pretensions contained in it are so utterly at war with every principle hitherto recognized among nations, and so utterly subversive of the independence of all weaker states; and they constitute so undisguised an assumption of " the right divine of kings to govern wrong," that we cannot be surprised at any degree of alarm and indignation which they may excite. Besides, the Spanish Constitution, defective as it most undoubtedly is in many important particulars, is nevertheless the constitution which was formerly recognised by the powers now in league against it, and with which both they and we coalesced infighting the battles of national indedendence against the colossal power. of Bonaparte. It is this same constitution which Spain, Naples, and Portugal have now adopted, and, in the case of the two former, with the express concurrence of their own sovereigns, but which the very same powers whom that constitution contributed to save from the inost abject prostration at the feet of Bonaparte, are now confederated to crush,or at least to reduce to their own standard, by fire and sword. The only principle on which it was ever argued to be justifiable to wage war with the French Revolution, was that it compromised the independence and menaced the safety of other states, and thus forced them upon measures of self-defence. Now, however, the most isolated changes, like those of Spain and Portugal-changes achieved without blood, changes by which monstrous systems of tyranny, civil and ecclesiastical, have been displaced, and a chance afforded to whole nations of moral light and liberty-must be subjected to the absolute veto of three alarmed autocrats, who insinuate, in pretty plain terms, that in their imperial and royal estimate, the king, (such kings too as those of Naples, Spain, and Portugal) is every thing, and the universal nation nothing. What would England have said, had foreign powers attempted to dictate to her, even in Cromwell's time, the line of internal policy she should pursue; or had they categorically demanded that the Revolution of 1688, a revolution so wounding to the pride of déspotism, should have been annulled, lest through the example of" reforms thus engendered by rebellion," and "opposed to legitimate governments," (we use the words of the late declara tion,) "the spirit of rebellion should be propagated" in other states? Nay, we might almost expect, on the strange principles avowed by this royal confederation, to see a manifesto issued against the British Constitution, for permitting a latitude of animadversion' on political institutions and political measures, and a freedom of speech and of publication, which are “ posed to legitimate governments," and calculated to propagate rebellion in neighbouring states," and thus to afflict Europe with the scourge of new revolutions." op These fitful movements are doubtless suggested by fear; which is at the same time the most inconsiderate' and the most cruel affection of the mind. But for this, these monarchs must have perceived that their true policy was to have applied themselves to the work of reformation at home, rather than to have engaged in a crusade against it abroad. It is vain for either of them, and especially for Austria or Prussia, to think that they can ultimately prevent, in their own states, the overthrow of that authority which they exercise, unless they shall now set themselves in earnest to relax its rigour, and gradually to admit their subjects to some participa tion of political rights. The invasion of Naples may hasten, instead of retarding this result. We believe it does not admit of the slightest question, that the people of the north of Italy are now so impatient of the Austrian yoke, which, as it exists there, has been not unaptly termed an iron yoke, that if an opportunity were afforded them, they would rise as one man to break it; and supposing the CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 229. Austrian armies, on advancing into the Neapolitan dominions, to meet with even a temporary reverse, or to be reduced to straits from a want of supplies or from any other cause, there is the utmost probability that the Rhetian Alps would be barred against their retreat, and that an universal defection of the Italian States would be the immediate consequence. The risks, therefore, in the threatened war, it ought to be remembered, are not all on one side; and, we trust, that the monarchs who are assembled at Troppau will be led by the ministers of England and France to count the cost ere they actually commence hostilities. As for the aged and imbecile' king of Naples, whom they have dragged to Laybach, it is not very obvious what rational end is to be answered by his presence. He can, in fact, be only contemplated as a convenient tool to sanction any hostile measures, which, in case of the failure of negotiation, it may be thought expedient to conduct in his name. We still hope much, however, from the enlightened representations of our own government and that of France, in preventing the threatened mischief, and in bringing the assembled monarchs to wiser and juster counsels. Our Government, especially, is adverse to the present interference. DOMESTIC. Parliament assembled on the 23d, and was opened by the king in person. The following is the speech delivered from the throne. My Lords and Gentlemen, "I have the satisfaction of acquainting you, that I continue to receive from foreign powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this country. "It will be a matter of deep regret to me, if the occurrences which have lately taken place in Italy should eventually lead to any interruption of tranquillity in that quarter; but it will, in such case, be my great object to secure to my people the continuance of peace. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "The measures by which, in the last session of Parliament, you made provision for the expenses of my civil government, and for the honour and dignity of the crown, demand my warmest acknowledgments. "I have directed that the estimates" K |