prayerfully distributed them in such situations, and to such persons, on his tour, as were likely to be productive of good, and thus to promote the benevolent design of the Society.

Literary & Philosophical.

The following is from the Commercial Advertiser. It deserves to be

preserved. It gives a fair estimate of the comparative healthiness of our great cities along the seaboard.

A Dublin coach-maker has attract ed the attention of multitudes by the exhibition of a very handsome and ingeniously constructed carriage, having but three wheels, and propelled by a gentleman sitting therein, at the rate of not less than eight or ten miles an hour. The force applied is in the operation of four levers, which are alternately acted upon with much ease either by the hand or foot; and cause the carriage to make an angle with much greater celerity than a coach drawn by horses can do. The maker, it is said, is building another, on an improved large scale, which, it is believed, will supersede the present system of mail coaches drawn by horses.- -Traveller.

Deaths in the principal Cities.-The twenty-second number of the NewYork Medical and Physical Journal, published recently, contains under the Domestic head, a series of statistical tables by Doctors Niles and Russ, which are extremely valuable and interesting. They exhibit the number of deaths for given periods of time in each of the cities of New-York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston;-rary Gazette of that place, we learn

We have heretofore noticed the steam carriage invented by Mr., Gurney, of London; and from the Lite

that late trials of its power have resulted in the most complete success. It moved on a rate of nearly nine miles an hour, and its velocity might with safety be considerably increased. The Editor of the Gazette says,"There is nothing in the appearance of the vehicle to lead the spectators to suppose it to be propelled by steam; it makes no more noise than an ordi

any annoyance from steam or smoke. It is further asserted, that it can ascend a hill with perfect ease, and be managed with the utmost facility and nicety.-Traveller.

their proportion in different years and months to the population; the proportion of the number of deaths by each disease to the whole number, &c. Owing to the care of the inspector, the returns from New-York are more regular than those of Baltimore and Boston. The average proportion of deaths, including still-born, is in Boston one in 41.26; in New-York, one in 37.83; in Baltimore, one in 35.44;nary travelling carriage, nor is there and in Philadelphia, one in 31.48.This average is obtained from the bills of mortality for eleven years past. The proportion of deaths by consumption to the whole number of deaths is in New-York, as one in 5.03; in Baltimore, one in 6.46; in Boston, one in 5.52; in Philadelphia, one in 7.10. Of deaths by intemperance, the proportions are as follows; in New-York, as one in 70.80; in Baltimore, one in 55.40; in Boston, one in 59.46; in Philadelphia, one in 61.06. It thus appears that our city ranks first for sobriety, and second for general health, but that more cases of consumption occur here than in

other cities.

Poison from Beer Pumps.-The following paragraph is from the NewYork Daily Advertiser.

"We last evening received a communication, informing us that a minister of the gospel of this city had, in the course of the past week, attended the death beds of three young men, who had been poisoned by drinking beer and cider drawn through the brass pumps and leaden pipes so common in use. This is interesting

to the public, if true; and the writer should have left his name, if he wished names and particulars published."

Thunder.-Mr. Russell in his "Tour in Germany," mentions that thunder storms are very frequent and destructive in some parts of Silesia. It sometimes thunders daily for 20 days together. There is scarcely a village or church which has not been set on fire by lightning, and some of them more than once. So certain is it held that the lightning will produce a conflagration, that the moment the storm commences, all who persons have charge of fire-engines repair to their post, and are in readiness to act. Hamp. Gazette.

Curious Discovery.-We learn that a gentleman in Irasburgh, Orleans county in this state, while ploughing in his field, found a few days since, what is termed by some an "iron shirt," the body part is wholly made of rings linked into each other about one eight of an inch in diameter. The collar is made of brass rings so closely interwoven as to be perfectly stiff. It was found, as our informant states, under the stump of a tree about two feet over, which had become rotten. We are told that the United States' engineers who are surveying in that region, have procured it, and intend to carry it to New-York.-Vt. Patriot.

glot, which is as rare as the Complutensian, one of the Paris Polyglot, in ten volumes imperial folio, more splendid than either of the others, and of the London, which is more valuable than all the rest, there are three copies, one of which, splendidly bound, was once the property of the celebrated Earl of Clarendon, to whom it was presented by the author, Walton. Boston Tel.

A Curiosity.-Mr. Tyerman mentions a tree on Prince of Wales' Island, which rises to the height of 121 feet without a branch, measuring 30 feet in circumference at the bottom of the trunk, and very gradually decreasing in diameter till it reaches the height mentioned, where it measures about 20 feet in circumference. The whole trunk is nearly perfectly strait, without any deformity or decayed part, and seems quite in its prime.Boston Tel.

New Theory.-The theory of Mr. Perkins respecting the explosion of Steam Boilers, is very satisfactory. It is well known that explosions frequently take place just after the weight is taken from the safety valve, or while in the act of letting off the steam. This cannot be explained on the old theory, but it is very satisfactorily accounted for on Mr. Perkins' principles, for these are the very circumstances under which the water in the boiler will be apt to rise, and take up the excess of caloric in the steam above it.

The New York Daily Advertiser, in mentioning the importation of a copy of the Complutensian Polyglot for the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in New York, remarks, that "this copy is unique, probably the only one that has ever appeared in the United States." This supposition is erroneous. There is a copy of the Complutensian Polyglot in the Library of Harvard College, in very good preservation.There is also in the Harvard College Library, a copy of the Antwerp Poly-divinity is never sick."

Mr. Perkins has shown clearly that the safety valves in our common steam engines is of no use, but rather a source of danger, and that the only real safety is in keeping the boiler well supplied with water.-N. Y. Ob.

One of the established ministers of the

Gospel happening to be in company with an
itinerant preacher, asked the following ques-
tion:-
:-"How does it happen that you have
not more doctors of divinity in your connex-
ion?" "Because," said the itinerant," Our

OF

THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH.

VOL. II. }

NOVEMBER, 1827.

Religious Communications.

THE REV. JESSE FONDA, A. M.

Late Pastor of the R. D. Church at
Montgomery; N. Y.

"Life's little stage is a small eminence,
Inch high the grave above; that home of men,
Where dwells the multitude; we gazejaround;
We read their monuments; we sigh, and while
We sigh, we sink; and are what we deplored:
Lamenting, or lamented-all our lot!"-YOUNG.

Were a man's usefulness, as a christian, and a citizen, to be determined

[ NO. 8.

rity; and dies almost unknown. And
yet his achievements, under God,
may be far more glorious, and their
results may bloom fresh in the world
of unfading glory. The benevolent
Howard may have relieved the wants
of thousands; and may have sent joy,
and gladness into many a broken
hearted creature; and miserable out-
cast among sons of men.
He may
have gone no further, and done no
more. And yet this was very much.
And it shall never miss its rich reward.

The patriot soldier may have achieved the liberty, and indepen dence of his country. And this will establish his fame while the nation exists. The soldier of fortune, who has made his way, by brutal courage, and address, to the honours and cares of a throne, may be pointed out by his satellites as the first of heroes, and wisest of men. He may have caused the death of millions, and may have 'waded through slaughter to a throne,' and may have left his tract, among the nations, in blood, and mouldering ruins; and may receive the meed of glory from men who are strangely seduced by military glare, and fame, to laud such monsters.

the noise, and bustle which he creates in the world; or by that fame which follows remarkable deeds; and which puts one's name in every man's lips-an exceeding small share would be dealt out to the most useful and holy of our Pastors, either in town or in country. Men do not, usually, measure true greatness, and honest fame by the proper standard. We are struck by the greatness of effects, presented before our eyes, visible and palpable. The man who has travelled from prison to prison,-over all Europe, and who has spared no trouble nor expense in meliorating the condition of the wretched; the man who has given his name to the pages of history, and of song, as the patriot and deliverer of his country; the man who carries his eagles over the breadth and length of a land, and subdues cities and kingdoms not a few,-is applauded by mankind, and held up, from generation to generation, as a model to be copied by the young; and to be followed by those who would The glare of this fame falls not to give their names to immortal fame.- the share of the humble Christian While the humble and painstaking Pastor. But neither do the horrors scholar and pastor, though faithful to inseparable from it oppress him. And, his God, and his flock, lives in obscu-indeed, his soul never breathed a wish

"One murder makes a villain-
Millions make a hero!"

And verily he will have his tremendous reward-in time-he may have it:-and, certainly, in eternity-to the satisfaction of every man--and of every woman, and of every child, whom he hurried mercilessly into their untimely graves.