Cortssinntsurt. LETTER FROM KOLAPOOR. NHL WILDER'S LAST PREACHING TOVR. 11. Mr DEAR C.:—ln my last, I gave you a few facts showing the state of education, in the towns and villages of my recent tour. A third observation on this tour is, that 3. Native prejudices and supersti itions are somewhat relaxing. True science is fatal to Hindu superstitions. 'This is no new discovery. It has always lbeen known in theory, however much 'disregarded in practice. Npu might as 'well attempt 'to amalgamate oil and water, or light and darkness, as modern science and Hindu superstitions. The, proof of this is appearing more and more distinctly in Hindu life and prac tice. Slight as is the progress in educa tion, its effect is visible, and far more 'widely visible than education itself has spread. The facts of true science are retailed in conversation, and pass far leyond the limited circle of educated minds. I might refer here to the re formatory movements in Bengal—the advocacy of female education, re-marriage 40f widows, and some other innovations all , over India. But waiving these and confining myself to the limits of my "lour, the indications that the more in tblligent. Hindus are relaxing their superstitious views and practices were many, and frequent. These inclinations are most manifest in case of native chiefs, Za-ghirdars, Mamletdars, teachers, and their more advanced pupils. These, generally, still yield to custom, and observe the forms of idolatry, when necessary to their goodtapding with the priests and more ignorant classes of the people; but it is easy' to see that, with' very many, their idolatrous acts are performed from policy rather than con amore. Many, indeed, in conversation with a missionary, ad-' . mit this fact. DEISTICAL BRAHMAN-STUMBLING-BLOCKS . AMONG PROFESSING CHRISTIANS. These more enlightened Hindus may be grouped in two classes. One class embraces those of deistical sentiments. One of this class, a shrewd Brahman, came with his party to engage in argu ment with me at the large town of Koo rundwar. He put himself forward as the champion of orthodox Hinduism, defending even the grossest idolatry, on the ground that ." the common people can have no proper apprehension of a spiritual God, and if they do not wor ship idols, they , cannot worship at all." But on sounding him to the bottom, he admitted that he himself had no fear, love; or regard for the idols whatever; he descanted on the one spiritual, . pervading Deity, with a show of much learning and philosophy, and affirmed that, he never showed the , idols the slightest respect, only out of defer ence to the priests and the people. When reminded of the discrepancy be tween his belief and practice, he unhesi tatingly admitted it, but justified it by reference to many (he would have it, all) Europeans in India, who, while claiming to be believers in all the evan gelical • doctrines of the Christian Scrip tures, constantly violate every command of the Decalogue, and never' attend church or observe the Christian -ordi nances, except when surrounded by crowds of their own countrymen, who are kept to the observance by their priests, by the force of habit, and by ettele other's attraction; in which case they conform, as he does to Hinduism,, for the sake of society and popularity. He discarded the idea that we Chris tians are true believers in the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel ; affirming that if we really believed the story of Jesus Christ coming from Heaven to die for sinners, and the doctrine that the only means of salvation from the pains of an eternal hell, was faith, in Him, there would not be five hundred European Christians in India seeking "pelf, place and power" to one preacher of the Gos pel; nor would the few missionaries and chaplains here be seeking their own ease and comfort, seldom or never speaking to a native, except with the greatest condescension, and then only on worldly matters ; that, however zeal ous and self-denying a few of us mission aries might be, we are exceptions to the general mass of Christians, the whole preponderating testimony of whose lives and practice goes to show, that they hold the evangelical doctrines of the Gospel no more sincerely than he does the super stitions of Hinduism, while a Deist at heart. He is a fluent man, and went on to express his belief that European Christians are becoming more and more bold in discarding the peculiar doctrines of Revelations ; quoting _Prof.- Green and Mr. Howard, (two IWchiefa in the Bombay. Educational Department, whose infidel teaching has done much to spread moral disease and death among these young Hindus), and Bishop Colenso, and closed by expressing his firm conviction that in less than a century, all intelligent Europeans and Americans will be Deists, and the peculiar doctrines of Chris tianity will be remembered only as " old wives' fables." I need not tell you how I met the cavils and reasoning of this man, but will report his arguments in proof of the insincerity of Christians, insall its force, to your Committee-men, to the students of the Thtelogical Seminaries, and to the Christian Church in , America., In representing thls.lirahman as a type of his class, I w:ould..retealir, thathe'' iiaa been much with - nuropearis, carries his sophistry further, and manages to blend more logic with it than most Hindu Deists. But all are infidel in regard to Hindu rites and superstitions, however much they may conform in practice for the sake of caste, society and popularity. Tatya Sabib, the chief of Sanglee, tells me frankly that he cares no more for the idols than I do ; has no more respect for them, and allows Gunputti, the elephant god, a place in his Durbar only to please his priests and people. A LIBERAL BRAHMAN CHIEF. Some of these chiefs and Zaghindars, feeling quite secure in their position and influence over the people, disregard some superstitions _practically, and in their case the priests have to wink at tfieir recreancy. For instance, Dada Sahib, the chief of Boorundwar, though a Brahman, does not scruple to catch fish and shoot deer and otbeianimals— acts which, by the Hindu code, are mor tal sins. By the way, at no place on this tour did I find a more pleasant interview with the heads of the people, than with this chief and his brothers. Their capi tal is only about thirty miles from Kola poor, and yet I had never been there, and both the chiefs and people assured me that no missionary had ever visited them before. Much as their views had become modified by seeing European of and by the general radiating influ ence of education, they knew nothing whatever of the special doctrines of Christianity. When stopping in the capitals of the Hindu chiefs, and invited to visit them, as I - generally am, I often find it requires ready resources and some tact to pre vent the interview froFi being a short, formal and barren civility. But I found these chiefs most free and easy in con versation, and as I led their minds to the great facts and doetrinbs of the Christian faith, they asked many ques tions and developed an amount of inter est that prolonged our interview, in, a fall Dubai with one hundred and fifty listeners, some four hours, with much apparent pleasure to all parties. They accepted copies of the Bible with a pledge to give them a thoughtful peru sal. Would that we could pray for a blessing on their reading with pfevailing faith. A MORE HOPEFUL CLASS 2, But there is another class of these Hindus of relaxed superstitions. They are men of less subtle minds—possessed of in.ore native frankness and sincerity. Intercourse' with Europeans and the force of education have produced their enlightening effect on their minds. They have come to see the inutility and sheer absurdity of these rites and superititions they were once taught to hold most sacred. They cannot now practice them without reproaches of conscience. Some of them have got possession of the Chris tian Scriptures and have become familiar with the saving doctrines of the Gospel. They show the effect in a more thought ful, reserved bearing. Their words are few. They seem to fee that they are looked upon with suspicion by their caste-mates ; and yet •the thought of be ing thrust out froth caste, friends and society is something terrible to them. Death itself can hardly be more dreaded. But God's truth. keeps their-conscience active, and here they stand in all the• peculiar difficulties of their position. As :.&:type of this class, I may mention the Mamletdar ~of Knwar, a man Of fine infellect and intelligence. He tells me he has read the •Bible, every word of it, and much of it many times ; and frankly avows 'his belief that it is the revealed will, ,and the'Only revealed will, of God. When I press its, claims, and repeat to him Mat. x. 32, 38, he looks 'thoughtful'; ; hints at' the pain of lifelong separation from parents, brothers, wife and all earthly that is dear to him ; and suggests the possibility of more ulti mate good by keeping all present ties and relations unbroken, and by 8. quiet gradual influence' enlightening and re forming-the whole mass. He tries to pacify conscience with this thought, re mains in the, tramels of caste ; and yet is ill at ease. He is one, of scores of in telligent young Hindus I could name, in the limited circle of my own acquaint ances. 0, for the truth of. God, to fan these smouldering fires of truth and conscience till the flame Alai kindle and burst forth resistless! R. G. WILDER.. Koutsooß, braik, April 26,1866. The Bev. Dr. Mullens, after a long period of serviee'its' emissionairef the L. M. Society in Calcutta, has just left India= for England, to take the place of Dr. Thintin . ai Secretary of that society in 'Loudon. Doubtlelis he' is admirably fitted for that post; end therdfctin be no question of the, propriety of i tiving# to such a faithful old tmisionary„though it is a great loss to India to..have him go. Touching at Bombay on his route, Dr. M. gave a lecture to the young. Hindus there. In the course of his lecture he es timated the number of enlightened, Eng lish-speaking Hindu's in Calcutta and vicinity at 50,000—dividing them into three classes :—l. Beef-eaters and wine bibbers; 2. Thinkers ; 3.. Deists. Much that he said would confirm and illustrate the views expressed in this letter. But how much ground of rejoicing there is in the increase of this first class, is some what-doubtful.. True, they .have swung loose from the old moorings of Hindu ism, but are still farther away from the Gospel, .I fear. We rejoice to,hear of the release of the captive zlissionsties in.-Abieshlia. THE',.AMLEW . C.A : Ii, _? rk s BYTERIApi r , Tp_I7, , ItSDAY, JUNE 28, 1866. THE MEMPHIS FRIENDS OF THE NEGRO. " THE ONLY FRIENDS" OF THE FREEDMEN Having occasion to spend several days in Memphis, Tenn., two Sabbaths ago, I dropped in, at night, to the An niversary of the Shelby County Bible Society. The evening service in most of the churches had been omitted for the occasion, and a very large audience was present. The Rev. Dr. Ford, a recoil . - structed Confederate chaplain, now one of the prominent pastors of the city, de livered the address; in the course of which he urged liberal contributions for the sake of our country, for it is now the only country we have, and especially in view of the needs of the colored race; remarking that, in former days, our labors and success in Christianizing that now unfortunate race were known to all the world, and that since the intimate rela tions existing between them and us have been torn asunder, they look to us as their only friends, to rescue them from the devotees of fanaticism, who, under the guise of friendship, are seeking to poison their minds with false notions of equality. HOW THEY PROVE ;FAKIR FRIENDSHIP. The latter remark's' impressed me par ticularly, in the light of other efforts made in that city three or four weeks previously, which seemed to me to have been better calculated for, and more suc cessful in, accomplishing "the rescue" in question, than a free circulation of the Bible ; for I had the day before visited the ashes, hardly yet cold, of twelve school-houses, in which 1200 colored children were being taught, and four churches, in which, from Sabbath to Sabbath, colored congregations had ,assembled, under the leadership of "devotees of fanaticism," black and white, for the, public worship of a com mon Father. The teachers and minis ters had fled the city, in fear of their lives ; the megroes, with the exception of such interference as the very small military force at hand could accomplish, were restored to the exclusive care.of their " only friends," andAhe " rescue," to a casual observer, seemed fore the time being, to be complete, without the aid of the Shelby County Bible Society. HORRORS OF THE MEMPHIS RIOT I doubt if history will furnish a record of more inhuman atrocity, perpetrated with, less shadow of provocation, than the investigation of the Congressional Committee, which has just completed its labors, will develope, for those terrible days of the Memphis riot. After the drunken row, in which it commenced, no resistance was , made by the negroes ; but they were shot down by scores ; sick men dragged out of their beds and mur dered ; women and children locked up in houses, which were then set on fire, and saved, if at all, only by running the gauntlet of the bullets of a dozen ruffi ans stationed outside to prevent their es cape. Indeed, the whole negro settle ment of South Memphis, embracing a population of perhaps a thousand, and extending more or less to all portions of the city, was for two days and nights the scene of murder, robbery, arson, rape, and brutality of every sort, too sickening to imagine, much less de scribe. The police, . whose office it should have been to preserve order, were themselves the leaders of the, riot, and were encouraged in the work by, prominent city officials. NO SUCCOR BUT a " RESOLUTION." I mention these occurrences, more es pecially to illustrate the consistency of the claim made everywhere in the South by ex-rebel ministers, churches and peo ple, as the exclusive friends of the freed men. I was careful to inquire to what extent, after the riot, sympathy and aid were extended to the hundreds of house less, maimed and destitute victims ; and if a sixpence has been contributed by any Southern citizen, or any word of sympathy for the unfortunate, or disap proval of the riotous proceedings, has been uttered in any Southern church in the city; or any effort, however slight, by that class of people to provide for the reli gious or educational wants of those *hose churches and school-houses have been burned (except the resolution of the Shel by County Bible Society, to circulate the Scriptures without regard to dais or color,) I have not been able to hear. of it. The Freedmen's Bureau have erected one large school-house, capable of ac commodating 400 or 500 scholars, with the very appropriate title of Phstenix. Educational Institute, which was some days ago opened with imposing ceremo nies, and has gone into operation. The agent of the Western Freedmen's Aid Commission, Rev. E. 0. Tade, of the American Missionary tissociation, and others in the interest of 'the " devotees of fanaticism," are also Making arrange ment; to resume their labors as soon as suitable buldings can be obtained ; though, as no arrests of the rioters have been made, as men known to have com mitted half a dozen murders walk the streets and engage in their ordinary bus iness without concealment or fear of punishment, teaching negro schools in Memphis is not an avocation to be recommended, if the object to be ob tained is simply amusement or recrea tion. "MODERATE" SOUTHERN TEACHERS Memphis, like many other Southern cities, furnishes a field which our Com mittee of Home Missions ought to occu py at the earliest possible moment. A majority of the loyal Presbyterians there area ; now , connected with the Second ON THE Oath FROM MEMPHIS, June 13, 1866. Presbyterian Church, as being more moderate in its teachings than the others; and the standard of moderate teaching may be inferred from a remark of the pastor, Rev. Dr. Witherspoon, three Sabbaths since, in recommending the Southern publication cause to his congregation, that he had been recently impelled to burn two Sunday-school books received from a Northern house. There are said to be as many as seventy five loyal persons connected with this Church. In reply to my inquiries, one of these brethren gave me, as a reason for continuing their relations there, that they were Presbyterians and preferred not to join any other denomination ; that there was no loyal Presbyterian church in , the city, and that they hoped to furnish a leaven through which the body would ultimately become loyal. It, is to be hoped, for the sake of religion, patriotism, and humanity, that unity of sentiment and feeling in that Church may not be . accomplished by the oppo site leaven-prevailing. A WORD FOR THE CONGREGATIONALISTS The building of the Union Congrega tional Church was dedicated during my visit at Memphis. . Funds to the amount of $ll,OOO were donated for the pur chase of a site by the Congregational Union, and a neat wooden structure, costing $5500, has been erected. The pastor, Rev. Mr. 'Bliss, is a bold, fear less, energetic minister. His congrega tion on the occasion of the dedication would, I should think, number 300— mostly business men from the North, who have settled in the city since its oc cupation by the Federal authorities. I met some fifty of his people at a social gathering, and was impressed with their intelligence, energy and earnestness. Unle,ss they are absolutely driven out, persecuted and•• proscribeil as many of them are, published in the newspapers by name, and the public warned to shun their places of business as if "small pox" were written over their doors, they will certainly succeed, for they consti tute just such an element as God in His providence always selects, as a means of accomplishing great results. Indeed, after making the acquaintance of these people, I became satisfied of the fact, of which for some days I had serious Vubts, that Memphis is in no present danger of immediate destruction, for lack of the number of righteous men required to have saved Sodom. GENERAL FISK The Freedmen's Bureau, under the vigorous direction of Major-General Clinton B Fisk, furnishes a moral sup port to every religious or benevolent enterprise sustained by loyal men, hard ly to be estimated. Throughout his en tire department of Tennessee and Ken tucky, nothing escapes his notice, and his firmness, unquestioned Christian integ rity, and indomitable good nature, draw from even the bitterest enemies of his Bureau the tribute of respect to himself and his authority. Without a single soldier at his command, however, the Bureau, under less energetic control, would furnish small protection to loyal men, white or black. S. Cahls. PRESBYTERIAN HISTORICAL ALBA- The volume for 1865 embraces the facts as reported at % the May Assemblies. and Synods of 1864. Abstracts of the minutes for that year are given in re gard to the following bodies : "Old School," 94 pages ; "New School," 38 pages; United Synod, 42 pages ; General Synod Reformed Church, 2 pags ; Synod of the A ßeformed Church, 11 pages ; Camber and, 13 pages ; " Confederate" Church, ' 2 years, 94 pages.; Canada Church, 4 pages ; Cana da Church of Scotland, 5 pages ; Church of Lower Provinces, 1 page. Eleven other Presbyterian bodies, including those of Scotland, Ireland and Eng land, are briefly noticed on a couple of pages. Besides abstracts of minutes, we find biographies of about sixty Pres byterian ministers, illustrated with eight portraits. Also, a history of the Third . Street Presbyterian Church, Dayton, and a paper on Manses and Libraries. The principles guiding the industri ous compiler of this work are not al ways clear. For example, we do not see it explained why no mention is made of the Theological Seminaries of our body; why no one of the biographies of our deceased ministers is illustrated, `gild why we do not even see the like mess of the ,popular Divine whO acted as Moderator of our Assembly at Dayton. :There may be reasons for all of these peculiarities, but they are not stated by the coMpiler. The extraordinary brevi tY of the Report of the General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian body must strike every one at all acquainted with its affairs. Its proceedings, especially in the foreign field and among the Freed men, are necessary to a complete view of the Presbyterian Church during the year. The very great fullness of the reports of the rebel General Assemblies, in contrast with the scantiness of those of other bodies, is certainly singular. The Narratives of the State of Religion are given complete. That for 1864 contains the memorable sentence : "OWe hesitate not to affirm that it is the pecu liar mission of the Southern Church to conserve the institution of slavery and to make it a blessing to master and slave." Mr. Wilson, is, however, deserving of eriadit, and of greater encouragement than he now receives, for the savant of information upon the history of the Church in this country which his work embodies. If it were not two years be hindhand ; if greater discrimination were exercised in choosing the materi als ; and if a few sentences, at least, were given to each of the churches in Great Britain, the value and acceptable ness of the work would be doubled. GOOD JIJVIENIMES. Twa BROKEN PITCHER; or, The Ways of Providence. By the author of " Luke Dar rell," "Mabel Ross," etc. Chicago : Tom linson Bros. 16m0., pp. 282. For sale by the Presbyterian Publication Committee, Philadelphia. A widowed father and his two chil dren leave their pleasant country home and come to live in the city. The father becomes the victim of intemper ance, and his two neglected children struggle along, sustained by the Chris tian principles instilled into their minds by a pious mother, until kind friends are providentially made acquainted with their condition, and a happy change takes place in the circumstances of the whole family. The story abounds in tender and truthful revelations of the hearts of children under misfortune; the surprises of proiridential interposition are skilfully introduced ; the sustaining power of religion amid suffering, and the large charities and kindly ministra tions to which she trains her followers, are well illustrated. It is a pure and profitable narrative for the young. The deteriorating effect of low associ ations is skilfully shown in the change in Hattie's language after a year of mis fortune in the city. The story ends almost too happily for strict verisimili tude. MABEL Ross, The Sewing-Girl. By the author of "Luke Darrell, the Chicago Newsboy." Chicago : Tomlinson Broth ers. 16m0., pp. 432. For sale by the Presbyterian Publication Committee, F'hila delphia. A sorrowful book indeed, yet full of deep pathos, and one that needed to be written. Here, in this new world, there are tragedies of suffering arising from poorly paid work, and from grasping and grinding and soulless covetousness almost as dark as any in the overcrowd ed populations of Europe. From facts, so the writer tells us, and these by no means the worst to be met with, he has framed this narrative of the lives of two Chicago sewing-girls. The story, though not complicated, is skilfully planned and effectively told. The sick and dying Lilly; the interviews with hard employ ers and with the merciless house agent Brumbley ; the chill, dignified slowness and intolerant suspicions. of the Chicago " Society for the Promotion of Honest Industry ;" the well-discriminated char acters of Mabel and Hilda, are portions which exhibit marked ability and sustain the interest of the readef throughout. All itcpure and readable, though suited to the oldest class of juvenile readers. • MARCY. Thirty Years of Army Life on the Border: Comprising Descriptions of the Indian Nomads of the Plains; Explora tions of New Territory; A Trip across the. Rocky Mountains in the Winter; Descrip dims of the Habits of Different Animals Found in the West, and the Methods of Hunting Them, with Incidents in the Life of Different Frontier Men, &c., &c., with numerous illustrations. By Col. R. B. Marcy, TJ. S. A. New York : Harper & Bros. Pp. 442 For sale by J. B. Lippin cott &Co., Philadelphia. One of that seemingly inexhaustible series of books of modern travel and ad venture, in wild and little known regions, which is such a marked feature of Har pers' Book List. 001: Marcy's book is every way deserving a place in the series. The information furniihed`concerning the fast vanishing tribes of Indians is full, varied and valuable ; his account of the peculiar phase of pioneer life appear ing on the plains ; his relations of per sonal adventure and hardships ; his de scription of modes of travel and life in those regions, of the natural objects, and of the pursuit of game, all form a volume of great interest, to which Messrs. Har pers' have added the attractions of un usually' good paper, handsome binding and original, graphic, and well:executed engravings. . Col. Marcy's influence upon the tribes must have been rather mixed in charac ter. In one case, a Comanche chief gave him a reproof for offering them brandy ; handing back the glass, he said it was not good, as it took away their senses and made fools of them. At another time, the Colonel :Mowed them a Bible and explained its nature to them. He also pleads for missionaries to teach them Christianity, as, the beet thing the whites can do to rescue and elevate them. poxim. - By the author of " John Halihur, Gentleman," etc. > Boston: Ticknor & Fields. nmo., pp. 260. For sale by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia. We cordially welcome this addition to Ticknor & Fields Bine and Gold Series of the Poets. Pure as a pearl,- touching , sometimes with a homely art, sometimes with tenderest skill, the deep chords of feeling,; bat always appealing to the noblest and, holiest parts of our nature, sometimes giving a new and striking aspect to familiar Scripture,—the Chris tian reader feels emphatically at home with the author. There is more of beauty than of power in these lines; and the severe critic cannot call them poetry of a very exalted quality. The graces of a rich and various language, and the fine elaboration • of thought from the labyrinths of 'a deep and versatile mind, are not in these comparatively humble efforts. Bat there is much in them to captivate and charm, much to seize upon the everyday thoughts and memory of men.. "Philip My King" and "My Christian Name" are familiar to almost all readers. Some of the sonnets reveal more traces of poetic power and insight ; we may specify " Beatrice to Dante" and ‘• Dante to Beatrice." "By the Alma River" and " A Lancashire Dox ology" are skilful renderings of events and sentiments of the time. While "An Honest Valentine" shows traits of a very diverse character. No one can rise from the perusal of Miss Mulock's poems without a feeling of refreshment and of increased sympathy with good ness and piety. A A 111T1 TON. Summer Rest. By Gail Ham ilton. Boston : Ticknor & Fields. 121n0., 356. For sale by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia. Less and less trustworthy, more and more conformed to the tone of the com pany she has been keeping in the Atlantic Monthly, is the tendency of this once passably safe and correct writer. Form erly, such attacks as she made upon the plain teachings of Scripture, or upon evangelical doctrines, were incidental ; in this volume she devotes a long essay to the attempted refutation of what she calls " Mr. Gilfillan's Sabbath," meaning the Sabbath of the Evangelical Church. Much is said, in two other essays, against the doctrines of total depravity and' eternal punishment. In fact, Gail Ham ilton must be set down as an enemy to truth, and her books marked as unfit for general circulation. Few of the pages of " Summer Rest" are clear of every thing unobjectionable. MAGAZINES AND PAMPHLETS. HARPER'S MONTHLY, for July, contin ues the " Personal Recollections of the War," with many illustrations; contains also "Some Curious Homes" of Animals and Insects, finely illustrated, and "A Look at Lisbon," with seven illustrations. Other article are :, High Days in a Virginia Village; Armadale, by Wilkie Collins, (Concluded ; ) Gettysburg': July, 1863; Francis Asb ury, with a Portrait; The Sword of Damocles; The Fool Catcher; Sanctuary Privileges in Rome; Under the Arches; Mr. Muddlar's Mistake; A Study of Legs; The Food of Birds; Education of the Colored Population of Louisiana ; An Hour at Sea; Forty-Two; Editor's Easy Chair Monthly Record of Current Events ; Editor's Drawer. GOOEY'S LADY'S BOOK, for July, con tains its usual copious and skilfully pre pared budget of new fashions, and an arti cle from a Georgia lady, depicting in most graphic terms the excessive inconveni ences Einffered by the Southern women in consequence of the blockade, and the curi ous devices to which they were driven in making themselves presentable. THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY, July, 1866 . —Contents : The Case of George Dedlow ; On Translating the Divine Commedia ; The Great Doctor, I.; The Retreat from Lenoir's, and the Siege of Knoxville; Re leased; Friedrich Riiokert ; Passages from H,awthorne's Notebook, VII. ; To J. B. ; Physical History of the Valley of the Ama zon, &c., &a. Boston : Ticker & Fields. Phila.: A. Winch; T,. B. Peterson Sr, Bro. HOURS AT HOME, July; 1866.-Con tents: De Rebus Hurls, No. II.; A Sol dier's Dream; The. Nest of the Humming Bird ; Benjamin , Silliman, D.D., LL.D. ; The Little Preacher;About Lace; leotions of Frederia Bremer; Why and How the Federal Capital was established on the Potomac; The Christian Statesmen of America, No. VII.; Ignatius, &o. New York : Chas. Scribner & Co. Phila.: T. B. Pugh, Subscription Agent. OBSERVATIONS ON RECONSTRUCTION. By Henry Flanders, author of "Must the War go on." Philadelphia, 1866. FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT of the American Baptist Publication Society, Preeented in Boston, Mass., 1866. Phila.: Am. Baptist Publication Society. LITERARY ITEMS. Ties Tamil is a language spoken by about twelve millions of people in the Car natici and by about half the population of Ceylon., The earliest specimens of the Tamil literature date back to the eighth century A. D. With the exception of commen taries and some modern works, the entire literature is in poetry. Mr. John Murdoch has lately printed at Madras a " Classified Catalogue of Tamil Printed Books, with introductory notes," which is a very valu able contribution to our knowledge of the Tamil literature. The first Tamil types were cut at Amsterdam, in 1678, but were so bad as not to be understood by the ns. Lives. The next attempt was at Halle, Saxony, in 1710, to supply the Tranquebar Mission. The present excellence of Tamil typography is owing to Mr. P. R. Hunt, of the American Mission press at Madras. In 1863, there were ten native presses in Madras. Mr. Murdoch has described 1755 books, which he has arranged in ten classes: Religion, 1218; Jurisprudence, 19; Phi losophy, 50; Science, 62; Arts, 6; Liter ature, 152; Philology, 176; Geography and History, 12; Periodicals and News papers, 26; Books for Europeans studying Tamil, 34. Introductory remarks, of a historical, literary, and statistical nature, precede each class. The books are very carefully described, and their contents marked. The general introduction, besides a great amount of information on general literary questions, contains notices of one hundred and nineteen Tamil authors.— Nation. DRAGS. Some people seem born to be drags u society and on the church. Whateli scheme or good work is proposed, they er r oak for delay and caution—perhaps for the entire abandonment of the measure. They are afraid of failure, or afraid of expens or afraid of consequences. They put cn the drag always at most inconvenient times . When the wheels are going up a steep bill. on goes the drag ! These drag men do Is- , calculable evil in the church of God ! D . they do not directly work the work et Satan, they hinder the work of God. They are men of unbelief, not of faith.—/bid.
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