I have been reading only to con- is not read therein, nor may be vince myself still more that I am proved thereby, is not to be reobliged to believe what my church quired of any man that it should proposes to me !!" The giant Pre. be believed as an article of faith judice rules the human mind with or be thought requisite or necessary a more than iron sway. Such to salvation." This line of decases are entitled to our pity and marcation, drawn between the compassion". two churches, is too palpable for I shall conclude with remind- misrepresentation to disguise, or ing the young reader of the differ- sophistry to annihilate. Let no ence between the Romish church Protestant lose sight of the disand the Reformed church, on the tinction. And upon the rising subjects of scripture and of tradi- generation, in the religious world, tion. The council of Trent says, it ought to be deeply impressed, concerning tradition, that "The for it is of high importance that truth and discipline of the Catholic their tender minds should be im. church are comprehended both in bued with a love of the Holy the sacred books and in the tradi- Scriptures, which make wise unto tions, which have been received salvation. By the exercise of the from the mouth of Jesus Christ understanding in the interpreta. himself, or of his apostles, and tion of the pure word of Godwhich have been preserved and the truth, as it is in Jesus, must transmitted to us by an uninterrupt. be attained—and the truth as it is. ed chain and succession!!" The in Jesus, will always be the docdoctrine of the Reformed church trine according to godliness. Free is-That the Holy Scripture inquiry is in strict alliance with containeth all things necessary genuine Christianity. " Some, I. to salvation; so that whatsoever know, affect to believe (says the venerable Bishop of Llandaff) that It is but justice however to de- as the restoration of letters was clare that the above EXTRACT, as also ruinous to the Romish religion, the extract in the Preface, are taken so the further cultivation of them from Reflections addressed to the Rev. will be subversive of Christianity J Hawkins, published in the year itself-of this there is no dan. 1785 and that the Rev J. Berington has since made the amen te honorable, ger. It may be subversive of in a printed paper dated Feb. 13, 1801, the reliques of the church of now in the hands of the Ca.holic clergy Rome, by which other churches -from which it appears, to use its own words, that he has submitted all his are still polluted, of persecutions, religious opinions and writings to the of anathemas, of ecclesiastical judgment of the apostoli al See of Rome; domination over God's heritage, revoking and condemning every sentence of all the silly outworks which and passage in them contrary to, or de- the pride, the superstition, the rogatory from, the definitions and decisions of the general councils, Roman knavery of mankind have erected pontiffs. and orthodox fathers; pro- around the citadel of our faith; fessing himself sorry for the offence but the citaded itself is founded and scandal which these have caused, and promising to avoid the same in on a rock--the gates of hell can. future!!!"-See the Rev. Dr. Milner's not prevail against it-its master. Letters to a Prebendary: Fourth edition, builder is GOD-its beauty will printed at Cork," by the permission of be found ineffable, and its strength The Author," 1857, 1, 448. impregnable, when it shall be freed from the frippery of human orna- one at Skalholt, the other at Hoolum in the northern province; and a landed property was attached to to these institutions, sufficient for the support of between twenty and thirty scholars at each place. Towards the close of the last century, the two schools were united into At this particular crisis I should one, and transferred to Reikiavik ; deem myself wanting in duty, as while in lieu of the school-lands, an advocate of Protestantism, not which were appropriated by the to congratulate the religious pub- crown, an annual sum from the lic upon the recent multiplication public money was allotted to the of Charity Schools and of Bible support of the establishment. A Societies throughout the land. The few years ago, the school was truly Christian union of Church again transferred to its present men and Dissenters, in this blessed situation at Bessestad; the buildwork, is a cheertul and invigorat- ing being vacant which was foring ray of light which shoots merly the abode of the governors athwart the portentous darkness of Iceland. This edifice, though of the times. It shews that Chris- by no means in good repair, is tianity, with its divisions and sub- from its size better adapted than divisions, hath still left energy any other in the country for the enough to lift up its professors purposes to which it is now apabove the wretched narrowness of plied; and, but for the intervenparty-views; rendering them intent on advancing the glory of the SUPREME BEING, by cordially uniting to promote the present and everlasting interests of man kind tion of the war between England and Denmark, would have been further improved by the completion of some additional buildings, which are yet in an unfinished state. The establishment at Bessestad consists, at present, of three masters, and twenty-three or twentyfour scholars; the funds of the school not allowing the reception of a greater number. The head master, or Lector Theologiæ, has an annual salary of 600 rix.dol. lars. It is his office to superintend the general concerns of the school, and to conduct more especially the theological department, and the study of the Hebrew language. At the time of our arrival in Iceland, the person who held this situation, was Mr. Steingrim Jonson; a man apparently not more than thirty-five years of age, but possessed of talents and learn to enter until he has been coning which well fitted him for the firmed; and a certificate of his discharge of its important duties. talents and dispositions is required For several years, he was the from the minister of the parish in pupil and secretary of the late which he has resided. The period Bishop Finsson at Skalholt, after of annual study extends from the whose death he studied some time beginning of October to the end at Copenhagen; where as a clas. of May; the summer being made sical scholar, he acquired very the season of vacation to accomgreat credit. His knowledge of modate the rural occupations, in the Greek and Hebrew languages which all ranks among the Iceis said to be accurate and exten- landers are obliged to partake. It sive; and to theological studies is a part of the office of the Bishop he has given a very minute atten- to visit the school at the com tion, being intimately acquainted mencement and close of each seswith the writings of the most emi- sion; and at the latter time to nent of the German theologians. superintend the examinations of This gentleman, during our stay the scholars which then take place. in Iceland, was removed from These examinations continue dur Bessestad to the church of Oddè, ing several days, with a prescribed in Rangaavalle Syssel, one of the form of proceeding, of which a most valuable livings in the island. sketch has already been given in He was succeeded by another the narrative. person, of the same name, who is likewise reputed to be a man of learning and acquirements. No particular After a certain degree of progress in the studies allotted to him, each scholar becomes what is The two inferior masters of the termed a demissus; leaving the school have salaries of 300 rix. school and pursuing his future dollars each. The office of the studies at home. second master comprehends the period is fixed for a demission. This instruction of the scholars in Latin, is determined solely by the prohistory, geography, and arithme- ficiency of the student, as ascer tic; while the third is occupied tained by an examination; for in teaching the Greek, Danish, which it is required that he should and Icelandic languages. It is a be able to read and write Latin singular circumstance in the re- with accuracy, that he should gulations of the school, that each have some knowledge of Greek scholar, whether intended for the and Hebrew, and of the rules for pastoral office or not, is obliged interpreting the Old and New to study the elements of Hebrew, Testaments; and that he should and to undergo some examination be acquainted with the Danish in this language. By far the language, with history, arithmegreater number, however, of those tic and geography. The know. Hebrew, who attend the school, are pre- ledge of Greek and paring themselves for this future though officially required, is, situation in life; and in the ad. however, in the practice of these mission of scholars, a preference examinations, by no means very is always given to the children of rigorously exacted. Where the priests. A youth is not allowed students are preparing for the priesthood, as is generally the case, zius, Reinhard, Lowth, Griesthey are farther questioned upon bach, Michaëlis, and numerous the Bible and ecclesiastical his- other authors of minor note, on tory, upon the doctrines of the ecclesiastical history and doctrine. Lutheran church, &c. If a youth It is the best theological collechas continued seven years with- tion in the island. out attaining the qualifications. which entitle him to become a demissus, the Lector writes to his family, representing the matter to them, and he is not allowed to remain longer at the school. Among the young men educated at this school, there are some who afterwards go to Copenhagen, with the view of prosecuting their studies at the University there; this advantage being occasionally A library is attached to the afforded to the children of those establishment at Bessestad, con- who hold civil offices, or possess taining probably twelve or four- landed property, and to the sons teen hundred volumes; among of some of the wealthier among which are a few good editions of the clergy of the country. The the classics. The greater part of number of students, however, who the library consists of Icelandic enjoy such opportunities is very and Danish works; beside which limited; and the remainder, opthere are a considerable number pressed by poverty and the neces of volumes in the German lan. sities of their situation, are gene guage, and a few in the English rally compelled to take up their and French. The number of abode for life in solitary spots, manuscripts is very inconsiderable, where their intercourse even with and they appear to be of little each other, is almost wholly susvalue. The private library of pended, and where any future prothe Lector Theologia, though gress in knowledge can only be smaller, is more select, and con- effected by their independent and tains the works of Mosheim, Hein- unaided exertions. MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS. Age of Comments on Paine's " your pages as the historian of the York Baptists:] is under prosecution by the Attorney-General; a miserable way of defending ChrisI had lately put into my hands, tianity. The copy which I have Thomas Paine's "Age of Reason," is valuable, on account of some Pt. iii. a wretched compilation manuscript comments, by a pen, of falsehood and calumny, the dipped as I conceive, in the very dregs of a genius always coarse. spirit, of the New Testament; For the publication of it, a book these I now send you for your use, seller [Daniel Isaac Eaton, of if you shall judge them serviceable Ave-Maria Lane; not I presume to your great object of promoting the D. Eaton, who is known on rational religion. On a blank page opposite to then the justness of representing the title, are the following re- these as undisputed Christian doc. marks:trines ?" In some blank leaves at the end of the work, the commentator has thus written : "Whatever may be thought of the "Reason" of Mr. Paine, or of the prudence of his publisher, highly we cannot deem of the "What is the great gain of inChristianity of the Attorney Gen- fidelity-It relieves the mind eral, quasi Attorney General. In- from superstition! But Voltaire fidelity is not more anti-christian, was eminently superstitious; and/ than is the coercion of conscience the Parisians, in the heat of the by the civil power. It would be French Revolution, bowed down curious to see what sort of an in. before a naked harlot, as the goddictment, Sir V. G. with all his dess of reason.-It explodes priestacuteness and dexterity, would be craft! But priests may be infidels; able to draw from the New Tes. there have been infidel bishops tament, against D. I. Eaton!" and infidel popes; of one of the latter it is told that he once re. marked, 'What a profitable fable is this of Jesus Christ!'-and if men become infidels, there is no longer any reason in morals, why they should not be priests or bish"He that comes to Mr. Paine's ops or popes, or impostors, usurpconclusion upon his premises, ers and tyrants of any other de. must be an infidel to common scription: to such, there is no sense. He attacks the corruptions rule of right but their own interof Christianity, rather than Christianity itself. Unable to distin. guish between spurious and au. thentic scripture, he confounds and opposes both one might give him almost all his arguments, (his scurrilities are out of the question,) and leave Christianity, as really contained in the New Testament, untouched. Paine concludes his work with the definition of infidelity, thus "He that believes in the story of Christ is an infidel to God:" upon which the annotator re. marks, : ests; and what a rule is that for human conduct! What citizen would wish his magistrate govern. ed by it! what master his servant! what parent his child!—Infidelity was, for a time, accidentally associated with free principles in government; but nothing can be more fallacious than the associa. tion. Robespierre was an infidel, "Did Mr. Paine know that and a bold, zealous and consistent Christians do not all believe in the one; so, I dare say, was H.miraculous conception, or, in the D.-- and possibly Thomas Paine infallibility of the Evangelists? and Bp. H. might, in secret, have This he must have known, [for he understood each other, on the was formerly usher in the school subject of religion. Hume (to of Mr. Noble, who was a Chris. whom every other infidel is a pigtian and a divine of the class of my,) was the advocate of the Dr. Foster;] as also that the doc- despotic, wretched house of the trines of election, &c. are as Stuarts; and Bolingbroke (next much reprobated by some believers in ability perhaps to Hume, in as by any unbelievers. Where the ranks of infidelity,) was one |