ity. The leaven of impiety spread, and he had reason to fear that not only was the country becoming infected, but that the young among his own people were tending to skepticism. This grieved his pious spirit, and roused into exertion his utmost talent. He first delivered this sermon at Bristol in 1800, and then at Cambridge. His own view of the case is thus expressed in a preface:

"To obliterate the sense of Deity, of moral sanctions, and a future world; and by these means to prepare the way for the total subversion of every institution, both social and religious, which men have been hitherto accustomed to revere, is evidently the principal object of modern skeptics,-the first sophists who have avowed an attempt to govern the world without inculcating the persuasion of a superior power."

He intimates that it is the immaculate holiness of the Christian Revelation which is precisely what renders it disgusting to men who are determined, at all events, to retain their vices.

"The dominion of Christianity being, in the very essence of it, the dominion of virtue, we need look no further for the sources of hostility in any who oppose it, than their attachment to vice and disorder. This view of the controversy, if it be just, demonstrates its supreme importance, and furnishes the strongest plea with every one with whom it is not a matter of indifference whether vice or virtue, delusion or truth, govern the world, to exert his talents, in whatever proportion they are possessed, in contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints."

Another circumstance which contributed to the popularity of this discourse was the extreme virulence of an attack in the "Cambridge Intelligencer," in several letters by Mr. Flower its editor, . which were written, as was generally believed, in resentment for the friendly advice of Mr. Hall to alter the tone of his political disquisitions. About the same time another attack of equal virulence was made by Mr. Anthony Robinson, in a seperate pamphlet. On the other hand it was lauded by the most distinguished members of the University, celebrated by Dr. Parr in his "Spital Sermon," extolled by individuals of literary eminence, and especially praised by Sir. James Mackintosh in the Monthly Review, and privately circulated by him, to some extent, among his Parliamentary friends. All this however, would have been unavailing to give it permanent influence, and its author superior fame, had it not possessed extraordinary merits. In truth it can never be read without profit, and can never perish while the language lasts.

Within a comparatively short period Mr. Hall published two sermons, remarkable also for their display of talent, and their critical adaptation to the times; namely," Reflections on War," and "The Sentiments proper to the present Crisis." These will be lasting records of his genius, though the exciting occasions of

them have passed away. The few other sermons from his pen, excepting that on the death of Princess Charlotte, had relation to more private events, though of the deepest interest and importance, -as The Discouragements and Supports of the Christian Minister, a "Funeral Sermon for Dr. hyland," with some others. Besides these, he published m. ny miscellaneous pieces, and some controversial writings; but it is not our design either to enumerate or analyze his works. There is not one of them, even the very earliest, that has not his peculiar stamp, the impress of his original mind, and in general they exhibit a remarkable uniformity of excellence, arising, as we believe, from the nice balance of his intellectual powers, the discriminating accuracy of his taste, and the abundant labor lima et mora which he invariably bestowed upon all his productions.

OUR COUNTRY'S BIBLE.-The American Messenger says, three of the speakers at the late Bible anniversary alluded in terms of deep-toned veneration and gratitude to those noble patriots who composed the American Congress of 1782, who superintended a large edition of the Bible, and formally recommended it to the inhabitants of the United States, thus publicly declaring to the nation and to the world, that our free institutions are based on the oracles of the living God.

Original.

THE RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN

INDIANS.

BY SEBA SMITH.

"Lo, the poor Indian, whose untutor'd mind
Sees God in clouds or hears him in the wind;
His soul proud science never taught to stray
Far as the solar walk or milky way;

But simple nature to his hope has given

Behind the cloud-top'd hill à humble heaven."

It is interesting as well as painful to contemplate the religious. notions and superstitions of the North American Indians. Like most barbarous and rude nations, who have not had the light of Christianity spread before them, they have a belief in superior beings or spirits who exercise a controlling influence over them; and, like the ancient Athenians whom Paul addressed, they in some mode or other erect their altars "to the unknown God." And though their ideas with regard to the immortality of the soul are vague and undefined, they all have the basis of such a doctrine, and all believe that the spirit within them will exist in some condition or other after the death of the body. Having none to declare unto them the true character of the God "whom they ignorantly worship," they bow down to "things seen and temporal," as the nearest approach they know how to make to those which are unseen and eternal." Hence their adoration is paid to the sun, or the moon, or the ocean, or a high mountain, or a vast lake, or a great river, or a roaring cataract, or the devouring fire, or the mighty wind, or the earthquake beneath their feet, the thundertempest over their heads, or anything that wears the impress of vastness, mystery, or power.

Still more crude, among some nations and tribes, are their ideas of material creation, and of the origin of men and animals. The Piqua tribe, one of the four tribes of the Shawaneese, have a tradition that they originated as follows:

"In ancient times they had a large fire, which having burned down, a great puffing and blowing were heard among the ashes. They looked, and behold a man stood up from the ashes! Hence the name Piqua-a man coming out of the ashes, or made of ashes."

A tribe west of the Rocky Mountains, called "Carriers," have this tradition respecting the formation of the earth and the origin of the human race:

"Water at first overspread the face of the world, which is a

plain surface. At the top of the water a muskrat was swimming about in different directions. At length he concluded to dive to the bottom, to see what he could find, on which to subsist; but he found nothing but mud, a little of which he brought in his mouth, and placed it on the surface of the water, where it remained. He then went for more mud, and placed it with that already brought up; and thus he continued his operations until he had formed a considerable hillock. This land increased by degrees, until it overspread a large portion of the world, which assumed at length is present form. The earth in process of time became peopled in every part, and remained in this condition for many years. Afterwards a fire ran over it all, and destroyed every human being, except one man and one woman. They saved themselves by going into a deep cave in a large mountain, where they remained for several days, until the fire was extinguished. They then came forth from their hiding-place; and from these two persons the whole earth has been peopled."

Among some of the tribes, however, their traditions and customs afford strong arguments in favor of the opinion now held by many, that the North American Indians are descendants of the ancient tribes of Israel. For instance, what a striking coincidence between the following, and the account given by Moses of the creation of man. Masco, one of the chiefs of the Sacs, or Sauks, stated to Major Marston, that his people "believed that the Great Spirit, in the first place, created from the dirt of the earth two men ; but finding these alone would not answer his purpose, he took from each man a rib, and made two women. From these four sprang all red men. That the place where they were created was Mo-ne-ac, Montreal. That they were all one nation until they behaved so badly, that the Great Spirit came among them and talked different languages to them, which caused them to separate and form different nations."

The points of coincidence here are so numerous and so direct, that it seems impossible to resist the conclusion that the traditions of these people must have been handed down from those who had received the Mosaic account. First, that the man was created from the dust of the earth. Second, that the man was created before the woman. Third, that the woman was made from a portion of the man. Fourth, that the particular portion of the man used for that purpose was the rib. Fifth, that they were one nation till they behaved badly." Sixth, that they were separated by the Great Spirit into different nations. And seventh, that the means used in both cases for their separation and dispersion was the confusion of their language.

The Indians make great use of tobacco in their religious as well as social ceremonies. They not only smoke the "calumet of peace" with their friends, but they on all occasions offer tobacco