ets, may be inhabited. Suppose we pursue the hypothesis of Dr. Eliot, pablished in the Gentleman's Magazine almost forty years ago; a hypothesis in which he and Dr. Herschel, and some Indian tribes, on this Continent, seem remarkably to coincide, that the body of the sun, may be the habitation of intelligent beings. The Natives indeed supposed, that good Indians would go there after death, and find pleasant seasons, plenty of game, and uninterrupted enjoyment. While the Astronomers, we have named suppose it has its own order of intelligences. The inner stratum of clouds may exist there, as a veil and screen for inhabitants under it. It is certainly conceivable that He, who adapted man's constitution to this world, could adapt a constitution to each of the planets; to the temperature of Herschel, twenty-five times colder than ours; to the heat of Mercury, seven times greater than on earth; and to the surface of the sun's body, whatever may be the temperature there. If there are inhabitants in the sun. they have perpetual day, and unchanging summer. They are encompassed with the effulgence which darts to such immense distance cheering light and genial warmth. Vicissitudes like those on earth are unknown to them. When some opening admits, they can glance a look at the lower worlds, which revolve around their abode. They can view them in their true position. But commonly they must have all their powers of vision concentrated on their own glorious horizon.

We love to think of all the stars as centres for revolving planets, and all the material universe, as peopled with rational intelligences. It fills the mind with vast and sublime ideas of the Divine perfections; yet we must not pronounce an opinion on the subjeet with too much confidence. If Almighty love spread out these visible heavens, called into existence innumerable solar systems, merely as scenery for this little world, the work was not unworthy of a God. As Christians, we believe that Jehovah has done immensely more for insect worms, on this little planet, than to have created seventy millions of suns, to decorate their evening sky, and elevate their conceptions of the ETERNAL. This little spot of all his creation, has been wet with the tears and blood of his So. But we will cease to pursue this hypothesis, except to illustrate revealed truth.

"The Lord God is a SUN." Rays of intelligence, purity, and felicity, emanating from HIM, are diffused more extensively than we can conceive. God however, is not only the LIFE and the LIGHT, of the universe, but its centre also. Every thing morally good, revolves in orbits, impelled and attracted by his influence. Yet while his efficient agency is felt throughout his own immensity, still his peculiar glory beams with its brighsest effulgence in heaven. The pious are said, not only to have God dwell in them, but to DWELL IN GOD. Conceive of heaven, as that blest abode, where they need not the light of the sun, the Lord God and the Lamb, being a divine effulgence encircling all the celestial inhabitants. There they have no alternation of light and darkness, heat and cold, joy and sorrow. All is LIGHT, and LOVE, and RAPTURE. Occasional glimpses of inferior worlds, may be had in the abodes of glory, but their true magnitudes and circumstances, are there rightly estimated. Yet the glory of their own eternal home absorbs every other consideration. The INFINITE ONE, even there so veils his glories, as not to overpower their immortal vision, and that is adapted to the ineffable glory with which it is surrounded. Here the reflection involuntarily arises ;-how soon EACH OF US shall be inheriting all this glory, or sinking under the blackness of darkness forever.

SURVEY OF MISSIONARY STATIONS.

We intend giving in THE MONITOR, brief summaries and extracts of Missionary Intelligence, not as a substitute for more able and full accounts on so interesting a subject; but to lend our co-operation in these beneficent labours. We shall precede the intelligence we give of missions established by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, by inserting in our first Number, a concise, but able survey of Missionary Stations and Labourers, under their direction, which we copy from the last Missionary Hera'd This Board was instituted in 1810; and though it was then a day of small things with its operations, it has advanced to a conmanding station in the field of benevolent enterprize.

"THE Board has established Missions in the order of time in which they are now named, at Bombay, and Cey3d Edit.

3*

lon, among the Cherokees, Choctaws, and the Cherokees of the Arkansaw; at the Sandwich Islands; and in Western Asia.

1. MISSION AT BOMBAY.

This mission became fixed in 1814. 1t was commenc ed by Messrs. Hall, Newell, and Nott. Messrs. Bardwell, Graves, Nichols, and Garret, joined it at different periods since that time. Mr. Newell died of the cholera morbus, May 30, 1821. Messrs. Nott and Bardwell returned to this country on account of ill health. The mission has three stations; Bombay, Mahim, and Tannak. Bombay. A large city on an island of the same name. It is the capital of all the British possessions on the western side of the peninsula, and is the primary seat of the mission. Rev. Gordon Hall, missionary. Mr. James Garret, printer.

Mahim.-Six miles from Bombay, on the north side of the island. Rev. Allen Graves, missionary.

Tannah. The principal town on the island of Salsette, twenty-five miles from Bombay. Rev. John Nichols, missionary.

II. MISSION IN CEYLON.

This mission was established in the district of Jaffna, which is in the northern extremity of the island of Cey Jon, October, 1816. The original missionaries were Messrs. Richards, Warren, Meigs, and Poor. Mr. Warren died at Cape-Town, in South Africa, Aug. 11, 1818, where he had gone for the benefit of his health. The mission has five stations; Tillipally, Battacotta, Oodooville, Panditeripo, and Maneppy.

Tillipally.-Nine miles north of Jaffnapatam. Rev. James Richards and Rev. Daniel Poor, missionaries. Nicholas Permander, Native preacher.

Battacotta. Six miles north-west of Jaffnapatam. Rev. Benjamin C. Meigs, and Rev. Henry Woodward, missionaries. Gabriel Tissera, Native preacher.

Oodooville. Five miles north of Jaffnapatam. Rev. Miron Winslow, missionary. Francis Maleappa, Native preacher.

Panditerripo. Nine miles north-west of Jaffnapatam. Rev. John Scudder, M. D. missionary. George Koch, Native medical assistaat.

Manepy.-Four miles and a half north-west of Jaffnapatam. Rev. Levi Spaulding, missionary. Philip Matthew, Native preacher.

The

On the 13th of January, 1817, Mr. Kingsbury arrived at Chickamaugah, (since called Brainerd) and commenced preparations for an establishment there. weather was extremely cold for this climate." says. Mr. K." and I felt the want of comfortable lodgings, having only a skin spread upon the floor, and a thin covering of blankets; but my health was kindly preserved." Messrs. Hall and Williams soon after joined him. Several have been united to this mission, and, for various reasons, have left, whose names do not appear in this survey.This mission has three stations; Brainerd, Creek-path, and Taloney.

Brainerd.-The oldest station of the Board among the Indians. It is situated within the chartered limits of Tennesee, on the Chickamaugah creek, two hundred and fifty miles north-west of Augusta; one hundred and fifty south-east of Nashville; and one hundred and ten southwest of Knoxville. Rev. Ard Hoyt, superintendent and missionary; Rev. Daniel S. Butrick and Rev. William Chamberlain, missionaries; Dr. Elizur Butler, physician; Messrs. Abijah Conger, Joseph Vail, John C. Elsworth, Erastus Dean, Sylvester Ellis, and Ainsworth E. Blunt, assistant missionaries; and John Arch, a converted Cherokee, interpreter.

Creek-path.-One hundred miles west-south-west of Brainerd. A school was established here in April, 1820. Rev. William Potter, missionary. At this station, Catherine Brown, a converted Cherokee, is employed as a teacher.

Taloney-Sixty-two miles south-east of Brainerd, on what is called the "Federal Road." A school was established here in May, 1820. Messrs. Moody Hall and Henry Parker, assistant missionaries.

IV. MISSION AMONG THE CHOCTAWS.

The mission among the Cherokees being in successful operation, Mr. Kingsbury and Mr. Williams left Brainerd, about the first of June, 1819, for the Choctaw nation. They selected a seite for their station, and about the 15th of August, felled the first tree. "The place was entirely new, and covered with lofty trees; but the ancient mounds, which here and there appeared, showed that it had been once the habitation of men." The sta tion was named Eliot, in honour of the "Apostle of the American Indians." The mission has now four stations; Eliot, Mayhew, the French Camps, and the Long Prairies. Eliot. Within the chartered limits of the state of Mississippi; on the Yalo-Busha creek; about forty miles above its junction with the Yazoo; four hundred westsouth-west of Brainerd; and one hundred and forty-five from the Walnut Hills. Mr. Cyrus Byington, licensed preacher and missionary; Dr. W. Pride, physician; and Messrs. Joel Wood, Anson Dyer, Zechariah Howes, John Smith, and Elijah Bardwell, assistant missionaries.

Mayhew.-On the Ooktibbeha creek, twelve miles above its junction with the Tombigbee, and one hundred miles east of Eliot. Commenced in the spring of 1820. Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury, superintendant of the Choctaw mission, and missionary; Rev, Alfred Wright, missionary; and Messrs. Calvin Cushman, William Hooper, Samuel Wisner, Philo P. Stewart, and David Remington, assistant missionaries.

French-Camps.-A settlement on the Natches road, south-west of Mayhew. Mr. Loring S. Williams, assistant missionary.

The Long-Prairies.-Near where the line, which separates the states of Mississippi and Alabama, intersects the dividing line between the Choctaw country and the white settlements on the south; one hundred and forty miles south-easterly from Mayhew. Mr. Moses Jewelt assistant missionary.

W. MISSION AMONG THE CHEROKEES OF THE ARKANSAW.

Commenced in 1829.

There is only one station, called Dwight-On the west side of Illinois creek; four