32. Robert South, a preacher, distinguished for his great learning, and uncommon powers of satire. Died, 1716.

33. Joseph Butler, bishop of Durham, the learned author of the "Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the Constitution and Course of Nature." Died, 1752. 34. George Berkeley, bishop of Cloyne, a distinguished benefactor of Yale college, author of the "Minute Philosopher." Died, 1753.

35. Robert Lowth, bishop of London, author of "Lectures on the Poetry of the Hebrews," and a "Translation of Isaiah." Died, 1787.

36. William Paley, archdeacon of Carlisle, author of "Natural Theology," " Moral Philosophy," &c. Died, 1805.

37. John Newton, who, from being eminently bold in sin, became a distinguished minister of the Gospel, in London, and author of several valuable works. Died, 1807.

38. Thomas Scott, an English divine, distinguished for his invaluable, learned, and practical commentary on the Bible. Died, 1821.

39. John Owen, an eminent English divine among the Dissenters, a man of great

learning and piety, whose works are highly esteemed, at the present day. Died

1683.

40. Richard Baxter, an eminent Nonconformist divine, author of various theolo

gical treatises, which abound in fervent piety, and eminent love to the souls of men. Died, 1691.

41. John Flavel, a distinguished dissenting minister, author of several valuable sermons and treatises, which are marked with the same piety and benevolence as those of Baxter. Died, 1691.

42. Matthew Henry, an eminent English Dissenter, best known by his valuable "Exposition of the Bible." Died, 1714.

43. Thomas Ridgely, a dissenting clergyman, author of a "Body of Divinity." Died,

1731.

44. Isaac Watts, a dissenting divine, author of several valuable treatises on Philosophical subjects; but still better known for his sermons, and his metrical version of the Psalms. Died, 1748.

45. Daniel Neal, a dissenting divine, author of a "History of New England," and a "History of the Puritans." Died, 1743.

46. Philip Doddridge, an English Dissenter, distinguished as a theological instruc

ter, and for several valuable works, viz. "Lectures," an "Exposition of the New Testament," "Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul," &c. Died, 1751.

47. Nathaniel Lardner, a dissenting divine, author of the "Credibility of Gospel History." Died, 1768.

48. John Robinson, a distinguished English clergyman, who with his people removed to Holland, and is called the "father of the Congregational Churches in New England." Died, 1625.

49. John Cotton, one of the most distinguished ministers in New England, highly celebrated for his wisdom and learning. Died, 1652.

50. Thomas Hooker, first minister at Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the founders of Connecticut, and the first minister of Hartford. Died, 1647.

51. John Davenport, first minister of New Haven, and one of the founders of the colony of that name. Died, 1670.

52. Increase Mather, a clergyman of Boston, and president of Harvard college, greatly respected both for his learning and usefulness. Died, 1723.

53. Cotton Mather, son of the former, justly reputed the most distinguished minister of New England. His publications amounted to three hundred and eighty-two, seve ral of which, as his Magnalia, were large. Died, 1728.

54. Jonathan Edwards, president of New Jersey college, distinguished for his able works on "Original Sin," "Freedom of the Will," &c. Died, 1758.

55. Jonathan Edwards, president of Union college, son of the preceding, an able metaphysician. Died, 1801.

56. Joseph Bellamy, a minister of Bethlehem, in Connecticut, a powerful preacher, and an able instructer in theology. Died, 1790.

57. Samuel Hopkins, minister of Newport, Rhode Island, author of a "System of Divinity," in which he maintains that holiness consists in disinterested benevolence, and sin in selfishness. Died, 1803. It is from his name that the term Hopkinsianism is derived.

58. Joseph Lathrop, a minister of West Springfield, eminently pious and profoundly versed in theology, author of several volumes of popular sermons. Died, 1820.

59. Timothy Dwight, president of Yale college, distinguished for his great usefulness, while at the head of that institution, and for a much admired course of theolo gical lectures, delivered to the students; besides other valuable works. Died, 1817. 60. Nathan Strong, pastor of a Congregational Church in Hartford, distinguished for his talents, eloquence, piety, and learning. Died, 1816.

61. John Smalley, a divine, of Berlin, Connecticut, distinguished for his great logical powers, and for a volume of sermons, which greatly contributed to the advancement of theological science.

62. Samuel Davies, president of Princeton college, New Jersey, an eloquent and powerful Presbyterian preacher, whose published sermons are still much admired. Died, 1761.

63. John Witherspoon, for some years minister of Paisley, in Scotland; afterwards president of Princeton college, in New Jersey, an eminent politician, and a sound and pious divine. Died, 1794.

64. John Rogers, father of Presbyterianism, in the city of New York. Died, 1811. 65. Samuel Seabury, an Episcopal clergyman, bishop of Connecticut, and the first diocesan in the United States. Died, 1796.

66. Theodore Dehon, bishop of South Carolina, distinguished for his eminent learning and piety, and for two volumes of sermons, which are much admired, both at home and abroad. Died, 1817.

67. Roger Williams, founder of the colony of Rhode Island, and father of the first Baptist Church in New England. Died, 1683.

68. John Gill, a distinguished Baptist divine, in London, well known for his Commentary on the Bible, and for a Body of Divinity. Died, 1771.

69. John Ryland, an eminent Baptist preacher in England, and head of the Baptist academy at Bristol. Died, 1792.

70. James Manning, president of Rhode Island college, the most learned man of his time, among the American Baptists. Died, 1791.

71. Samuel Stillman, a Baptist clergyman in Boston, distinguished for his uncommon eloquence and fervent piety.

72. John Wesley, an Englishman, founder of the sect called Methodists. Died, 1791. 73. George Whitefield, an Englishman, a most popular and truly useful preacher, and the leader of the Whitefieldian, or Calvinistic Methodists. Died, 1770.

74. Francis Asbury, the first bishop of the American Methodist Church, distinguished for his great attachment to the principles of his sect, and for the zeal with which he promoted its cause. Died, 1816.

15. George Fox, the founder and head of the English Quakers. Died, 1690.

76. William Penn, an Englishman, and father of the Friends, or Quakers, in the state of Pennsylvania, distinguished for his intelligence, and benevolence of character. Died, 1718.

77. Lælius Socinus, a native of Tuscany, the reputed founder of the Socinian sect. Died, 1562.

78. Joseph Priestly, a distinguished polemical and philosophical English writer,

who, having embraced the Unitarian faith, and meeting with opposition in England, removed to America, where he died, in 1804.

79. Joseph Stevens Buckminster, an eloquent Unitarian minister, in Boston, and lec turer on biblical criticism in Harvard college. Died, 1812.

80. Charles Chauncey, a Congregational minister in Boston, the first open advocate in America of the doctrine of universal salvation. His volume on that subject was answered by Dr. Edwards, of New Haven. Died, 1787.

81. Joseph Huntington, minister of Coventry, Conn., author of "Calvinism Im proved," which was answered by Dr. Strong, of Hartford. Died, 1785.

82. John Eliot, minister of Roxbury, Mass., and who from his missionary labors among the aborigines of New England, has been called the "Apostle of the Indians." Died, 1640.

83. Mayhews, Thomas, John, and Experience, ministers on the island of Mar tha's Vineyard, and distinguished for their zeal in preaching to the Indians of that island.

84. David Brainerd, a pious and devoted missionary of New England, to the Indians in New Jersey. Died, 1747.

85. Bartholomew Zeigenbalg, the first Protestant missionary to India; he was sent out by Frederick IV., king of Denmark, in 1706; and died at Tranquebar, in 1719. He was indefatigable and successful in his labors.

86. Christian F. Schwartz, a most eminent and devoted missionary to India. He entered the field of his labors, in 1750, under the government of Denmark; and labored at Tanjore, and other stations in its vicinity, until his death, in 1798. It is said he reckoned two thousand persons, converted through his instrumentality.

87. William Ward, D. D., Baptist missionary to Serampore. He died, in 1823. 88. J. T. Vanderkemp, D. D., missionary to South Africa. He labored with success among the Caffres and Hottentots, and died at Cape Town, in 1811.

89. Claudius Buchanan, D. D., a Scotch divine; one of the chaplains of the East India company, and provost of the college at Fort William. By his writings, he excited a spirit of inquiry in reference to the moral condition of the heathen, and materially aided the cause of missions. He died in England, in 1815.

90. Henry Martyn, an English missionary to Hindostan and Persia. He engaged in the work of evangelizing the heathen with the ardor and zeal of an apostle, but in 1812, he sunk under the severity of his labors, and the destructive influences of the climate. He lived, however, to complete a translation of the New Testament and the Psalms, into the Persian language.

91. Samuel Worcester, minister of Salem, Mass., one of the earliest and most zea. lous promoters of missions from New England, for communicating the Gospel to the heathen; secretary of the board of commissioners for foreign missions; died at Brainerd, in the country of the Cherokees, 1821.

92. Samuel Newell, American missionary to Bombay. Died, 1821.

93. Gordon Hall, one of the first American missionaries to Bombay; where he, with his associates, established schools and preached the Gospel until 1826, when he died.

94. Levi Parsons, American missionary to Palestine. He arrived at Smyrna in January, 1820; proceeded to Scio to learn the modern Greek, and soon after visited the seven Churches of Asia. He then went to Jerusalem, but, in consequence of ill health, he sailed soon after to Alexandria, where he died, in 1822.

95. Pliny Fisk, missionary to Palestine, and companion of Parsons, he died in October, 1825.

96. Jeremiah Evarts, secretary of the board of commissioners for foreign missions, distinguished as well for his humble piety, as his ardent zeal in spreading the Gospel among the heathen. Died at Charleston, S. C., 1831.

97. Elias Cornelius, the active and laborious successor of Mr. Evarts, as secretary to the board of commissioners for foreign missions. Died at Hartford, Conn., 1832.

OF THE

RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, RITES, CEREMONIES, &c.

OF

DIFFERENT NATIONS,

ANCIENT AND MODERN.

THE surface of the earth is not more diversified, in its mountains and hills and vallies-in its oceans and lakes and rivers-in its forests and fruits and flowers, than has been, and still is the human family, in respect to their religious opinions and religious practices. This diversity commenced at an early period after the apostasy, and has continued to prevail among the nations and tribes of men, as they have spread over the earth, in successive periods of the world.

Considering the character of the human heart-its depraved nature and ignoble tendencies, it is not, perhaps, surprising to find a dark and gloomy system of idolatry and superstition growing up, and prevailing throughout the whole heathen world, and rites and ceremonies correspondingly cruel and degrading. True, the heathen might have known and practised better. For the Supreme Being "left not himself without witness" among them; for, "the invisible things of Him, (namely, his eternal power and godhead,) were clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; so that they were without excuse." But to the lessons taught by the light of nature they gave little heed. Early losing sight of the cardinal doctrine of the Divine Unity, they were soon lost in the mazes of a gloomy superstition, and involved in the senseless rites of an impious idolatry. "Professing themselves to be wise," and they sincerely believed they were, "they became," in the emphatic language of the Scriptures, "fools; and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to four footed beasts and creeping things."*

66

Some of the ancient philosophers, it is true, occasionally uttered sentiments concerning the Divine Being, which, even in this enlightened age, must be pronounced sublime; some rays of light shine forth in their writings; but they are from the midst of a thick darkness." They are blended with principles unworthy of a Deity, destructive of all virtue, and at war even with decency. Plato, who has himself been called "divine," from the manner in which he spoke of the Supreme Being, recommends the worship of false gods, and the same sacrifices as the people offered to their idols. Seneca, after exposing many of the vulgar