Religious Denominations, &c. SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. Present State of Religion, &c. ligious toleration and the general distribution of landed property, effected by the late changes in France, have given a spring to education among that wealthy and active people which is likely to produce the happiest effects. The protestants are making great exertions to promote the interests of religion and education, with much encouragement and success. Here are 22,300" Primary Schools." Still the great majority of children are without education. SPAIN. The introduction of an EngCatholics, without Toleration lish army into these countries to any other Denomination.— The late Cortes shewed a dis-had a tendency to weaken the position to enlighten the peo-protestants as heretics, though prejudices of the people against ple, and tolerate Protestants; there is little to recommend but Ferdinand VII. since his return has re-established the true religion in the general morals of the soldiers. Some` order of Jesuits, and the Inqui- of the late Cortes were also fasition; and liberal men have vourable to a reformation of been made the objects of persecution.—The Catholic Cler-religion, and of the priests, which has been lately given as gy in Spain are estimated at 200,000, and in Portugal but the true reason of their being so obnoxious to the present little less. In Portugal the same bigotry and superstition government, which is certainly under the influence of the prevails, but the assistance church. The Spanish univerthey have received from the sities, which have heretofore English inclines them to somewhat more liberality; been numerous, and all their and English Protestants may live literary institutions, are in a unmolested, though not belov-low state. The pernicious ef ed. Population, 13,000,000. The Government of Spain is a limited hereditary monarchy, the power of making laws is fixed in the Cortes jointly with the King-The Government of Portugal is monarchical, with a Cortes like that of Spain. fects of monastic influence have excluded the modern improvements in education. The country appears to be getting into a settled state under the ancient regimen; and the late commotions, it would seem, must produce an activity favourable to true religion and education. The operations of the press are rapidly increas ing, and the effect is sure. Religious Denominations, &c. ITALY, including Naples and dom. No toleration to Protestants can be expected here, though the Pope shews some peculiar civilities to the English nation, for which he has certainly abundant reason but he has complained of a protestant church being allowed at Venice. There are 9 or 10,000 Jews resident in Rome and its vicinity. Present State of Religion, &c. ITALY. A protestant congregation Rome is the metropolis of the has been lately formed at NaCatholic Church, and the Pope-ples; the government has granted them one of the unoccupied churches for their worship, and there seems a great disposition to listen to evangelical preaching. It is said also, that the Pope has complained of the protestant worship being tolerated at Venice. Catholic bigotry has long had less influence in Italy than in some other countries. Little of religion remains in this fine coun try but the forms of the catholic church. The state of education is very low. And, although monastic influence is declining, the indolence of the people prevents any great ef TURKEY. The inhabitants of Naples and Sicily (about six millions) are also Catholics. In 1782 there were counted in Naples above 45,525 priests, 24,694 monks, 20,793 nuns; but the next year a decree passed to dissolve 466 convents, which forts for its revival. must have greatly lessened them. Population 15,000,000. Government, monarchical. TURKEY in Europe, with the Isles of the Archipelago. It is hoped among the Greek, The Empire is Mahometan, as well as Protestant Chrisand Toleration is purchased by tians, thinly scattered over this the payment of a capitation empire, may be found the seed Tax. Of Christians, those of of a future Christian church, the Greek Church are far the whenever it may please God to most numerous, and are in some open a door for the gospel to parts (as in Moldavia and Wal-enter this country. Great eflachia) admitted to places of forts are made by the Greeks, trust and honour. The Greeks, amid all the burdens of their in general, are subject to the oppressive war, to restore their Patriarch of Constantinople in ancient literature. Should they ecclesiastical matters; but obtain their independence, of there are some Armenians, which the prospect is favouraCopts, Nestorians, &c. The ble, there is reason to expect Jews are very numerous, and the establishment of Christiansubject to a chief of their own ity among them, on gospel nation. Government despotic. principles, which may open the Population, 8,000,000. way for the restoration of the church to the land of its nativity. From the indolent and dissolute Turk little is to be expected. Religious Denominations, &c. RUSSIA in Europe. The Greek Church is the establishment in this country, with a free Toleration to Raskolniks, or Dissenters, as well as to Catholics, Protestants and Jews. Present State of Religion, &c. RUSSIA. The emperor's patronage of bible societies in Petersburgh, Moscow, &c. cannot but have a favourable aspect to the cause of true religion. Mr. Pinkerton gives a pleasing account of The Church is governed, not the orthodoxy of the Greek by the patriarch of Constanti- Church, as to the main points nople, as formerly; but by a of the Christian religion, and grand national council of Ec- mentions several denominations clesiastics, in which the Em-of Raskolniks (or Dissenters) peror has a layman of high who discover much of the life rank as his representative. and power of religion. Under The church service is perform- the munificent patronage of the ed in the old Sclavonian lan- emperor and the benevolent guage. [Pinkerton.] Popu- exertions of many of the nobilTation, 33,000,000. Govern-ity, the interests of education ment, a Constitutional mon- are much improving. archy. ASIA. But much is to be done, for the greater part of the peasantry are in a most ignorant and depressed state. ASIA. RUSSIA in Asia. RUSSIA in Asia, including Siberia, Kamschatka, &c. The United Brethren have The Greek Church is the es- long had a missionary estabtablished religion in all the civ-lishment at Sarepta, and the ilized provinces; but with a Russian government encouraggeneral toleration throughout ed protestant settlements on this vast empire. A great part the banks of the Wolga. Some of the inhabitants of the Desert years since the Edinburgh misare Pagan Tartars of the Sam- sionary society also attempted man religion. Some attach a mission at Karass, near Asgreat importance to the form trachan : but all were broken of their whiskers; and the Al-up (at least for the present) by taians are so fond of military the calamitous effects of the show, that they dress up their late war. The missionaries of idol deity in the uniform of an both settlements have, howevofficer of dragoous. The Kam-er, in the mean time been useschatkans have been converted fully and honorably employed to the Greek religion by a ten in translating the New Testayears exemption from all tax-ment, the one (whose work is Population, 3,000,000. already in circulation,) into the Government, monarchical. Turkish language, and the other into that of the Kalmuck Tartars, many of whom have es! embraced Religious Denominations, &c. TURKEY in Asia. Mahometans occupy Palestine, or the holy land, Syria, Mesopotamia, and other countries, the scene of Scripture history: but there are also many Jews and Christians, of various denominations, who are indulged, by paying for it, with living under the ecclesiastical government of the respective patriarchs, whether of Jerusalem or Antioch, Alexandria or Constantinople. The same may be said of the Nestorians, Armenians, and other reputed sectaries. Population, 10,000,000. ernment, monarchical, and irregular, void of liberty. ARABIA. Present State of Religion, &c. embraced Chistianity in the Greek Church. A mission is also in contemplation to the Mongul, and Manjur Tartars, who reside in that part of Siberia which borders on the Chinese empire. Bible societies have been formed, not only at Petersburgh and Moscow under royal patronage, but in the provinces of Esthonia and Livonia, for the express purpose of printing the New Testament and religious tracts in those dialects. TURKEY, Arabia, Persia, Tartary.. No Mission has yet been attempted to these countries, but the way is preparing by printing the Scriptures in almost all the various languages of the East. A mission was attempted by the late Mr. Bloomfield at the Isle of Malta, with a view to introduce the gospel into the Greek Isles, and eventually into Turkey; but the pestilence which raged there, and the death of that missionary, have hitherto retarded the object. It is not, however, Gov-forgotten. Dr. Naudi has been attempting to excite attention to it among the Christians residing on the borders of the Mediterranean; and mentions it as a promising circumstance, that there have been of late many conversions of Jews residing in those parts. A late decree in Persia has permitted the public reading of the scriptures. No part of the world affords a more inviting 20* Mahometans, Sabeans, and Wahabees. Population, 8 millions. Government-Each inland tribe is under the government of petty princes, (or Sheiks.) They have no other laws than those found in the Koran. scene The Jesuits undertook a mission to this country in the 16th century, on the plan of blending the catholic religion with that of Pagans of various sects, but chiefly worshippers of Foe.There are some Catholics, Greeks, and Jews among them, rather by connivance than legal | Foe and the philosophy of Contoleration. The Russians have a church at Pekin, and the Jews a synagogue at Kai-song-fou. The catholics notwithstanding the persecution they have met with, boast of 60,000 converts still in Pekin. Populatlon 250 millions. Government, patriarchal and despotic. fucius; this however was disapproved by Pope Innocent X. and he enjoined a renunciation of their idolatries. In 1788 it was reported that the catholics had, in the course of 30 years, made 27,000 converts in the province of Sushchuen, and 30,000 in Nankin; but a storm of persecution gathered soon after this, and the name of Christianity became peculiarly obnoxious in China. A Chinese Edict has lately been issued against the introduction of Mis. sionaries and their books into this country, yet the late Dr. Morrison |