Lutheran Synod of the U. S. NORWAY, 99 country to continental Europe, which || 39 churches and about 40,000 Luis the principal seat of Lutheranism,& therans. In in which the Lutheran Church is more numerous than all the other protestant churches together; numerous circumstances of interest and utility present themselves to our view. But not wishing to prolong this address to an undue length; we shall limit ourselves to some statistical and general views; and as the situation of there are 4 diocesses, the bishop's of which reside at Christiania (the capital of the country,) Christiansand, Bergen, and Drontheim, and have the management of the affairs of all the Churches. The Department of Aggerhus alone contains 111 parishes. Iceland has 46,000 Lutherans. Holum one of its prinicpal towns, formerly was the seat of a bishop; but his dioare more generally known to our cess is merged in that of Reinkenrick churches, we shall merely state by a or Skalholt, the jurisdiction of whose calculation made from the most au- bishop extends over the whole island. thentic sources,they contain consider-There are in all Iceland 189 parishes; ably more than 17 millions of Luther GERMANY including PRUSSIA, HUNGA ans. In RY AND FRANCE, DENMARK, in which the Lutheran is the estab the pastors are all natives, and have studied principally at Copenhagen. Norway proper contains about 700, 000 Lutherans. In In SWEDEN, lished religion, in which the king in which likewise, Lutheranism is the must profess the Augsburg Confession and maintain it throughout the king affairs are administered by the Archestablished religion, the ecclesiastical dom, the government of our Church, as is well known, is Episcopal. The station is at present filled by the Rev. bishop of Upsala (which venerable kingdom is divided into the following Dr. Rosenstein,) together with the Diocesses: the diocess of Sealand, the bishops of Linkieping, Skara, Streng bishop af which resides at Copenha-nes, Ibesteras, Ibexia, Abo, Lund, gen; the diocess of Funen, the bishop's Borgo, Geethaburg, Calmar, Karlresidence at Obensee, the diocess of Ryven, the Bishop's residence at Ry-holm. The whole church is divided stadt, Hernæsanst, Gothland & Stockpen; the diocess of Aarhus, the bishinto 192 ecclesiastical circles (probop's residence at Aarhus; the diocess of Wiborg, the residence of the bish-steyen) which contain about 2,800,000 op at Wiborg; and the diocess of Aal-members. borg, the bishop of which resides in Aalborg. The government of eccles-there are numerous Lutheran Churchiastical affairs is distributed among es, the principal of which are at Asele; these 6 bishops; and there are in the Lyksela; Jockmock; Gelliware, which whole 3272 parishes. In Sleswig and is situated directly under the Arctic or Holstein, there are no bishops; and North polar circle; at Jukasjerswi; at the management of ecclesiastical af- Enontekis, where the sun in summer fairs is committed to the care of Gen-is visible 49 days uninterruptedly; at eral Superintendants. The members Utsjoki, which is 69 degrees 51 min. of our church in this kingdom amount 52 sec. north latitude; at Kamuso, to upwards of 900,000. The Ferroe and at Enara. The religion of Islands, north of Scotland belong to Denmark and are Lutheran. They is Lutheran. contain 1 superintendent, 7 pastors, ed into two diocesses which are under LAPLAND FINLAND The country is divid 100 Lutheran Synod in the U. S. the jurisdiction of the bishops of Abo ed, the pillar which supports the civil and of Borgo. government would have been removAs crileria by which we may ined, society at large would have lost its some degree estimate the tone of evan- best security, and suffering humanity gelical feeling prevading these sever- her best consolations. What would al countries, the following circum-these airy schemers now say, could stances relative to their Bible socie they rise from the dark tombs into ties, may not be uninteresting to the which they have descended without Church. The ministers and people hope, if they were to behold what intake a deep interest in the dissemina- describable evils have been produced tion of the holy volume. The fourth by their doctrines, or if they should Report of the Danish Bible society see that sacred book, which was once states, that "the the object of their coldhearted derito possess eagerness the Bible is increasing throughout the sion, now circulated throughout the kingdom--many copies have been sent whole world, anxiously inquired for to the ministers for distribution among by multitudes, and received with venthe poor and among the young after eration and gratitude? What would their confirmation. A number of cop- they say, could they see princes and ies has also been forwarded to Ice- other exalted personages, and thousland, to Greenland and the west ands of the various classes of society India Islands." The gospel of Mat- considering it their delightful duty to thew has been translated into the become fellow laborers in paying homFerroe language for the use of the age to this important object, and by inhabitants of those islands. The this means fulfilling the immutable Bible societies in Denmark are par- truth of that divine declaration: "as ticularly active and efficient. In the I live saith the Lord, every knee shall sixth year of her existence, the mo- bow to me, and every tongue confess ther society of Denmark issued 11, to God?" The number of Lutherans 320 Bibles and had 36 auxiliaries.in Nor are the societies of Sweden and Norway deficient in activity and zeal. has been estimated at upwards of 2, Their plans are extensive and their 000,000, which is however perhaps labors great. In concluding this sub- overrated: 1,500,000 would be a ject, we cannot deny ourselves the moderate estimate. Relative to the pleasure of quoting to you the impres-state and number of our Churches in sive words which fell from the lips of AFRICA, EAST-INDIA, HELVETIA AND the aged and venerable president of the Swedish Bible society at their the General Synod cannot, at presmeeting in Stockholm, and which ent, communicate any definite inforcannot fail to reach the heart of every mation. It appears, however, upon follower of Jesus and especially of a general survey, agreeably to the every Lutheran Christian: "There preceding estimates, which are cerwas a period" said he "still fresh in tainly below the true ratio, that those the memory of many, when some pre-followers of Christ, who bear also the dicted that the era was fast approach-name of the illustrious Luther,amount, ing when there would be no Bible to thro'out the world, to upwards of 20, be found, except in large libraries, and| 000,000; their number has indeed been covered with dust, to remain as aestimated by good authors at 28,000, memorial of the superstition of our 000. In concluding this address, the ancestors. They did not consider, Gen. Synod would join their Churchthat had such predictions been verifi-es,& their fellow Christians at large, in RUSSIA THE NEITHERLANDS, offering their sincere and heartfelt || culated to have on the minds of its vo gratitude to the great Head of the taries, and the morals of the commuChurch, for those cheering scenes of nity; and deeply grieved am I that evangelical and catholic exertions for you should be able to derive any enthe salvation of the human family, ioyment from it. which the Christian world has of late Mort. And I am not a little suryears witnessed, in prayer for the prised at your want of taste for the rapid and general diffusion of the holy, Theatre, which has not only been conheavenly, saiving principles of the sidered as a school for morals, in all Gospel of Christ, and in commending ages; but has lately been defended, the Church and all her interest, to and even recommended, from the pulthe protection and the guidance and pit and the press, by the discourses the blessing of Him, who promised that of an able Casuist. That the Theatre the gates of hell should never prevail has a tendency to the improvement of against her. morals, I cannot therefore for a moment doubt, agreeably to the motto, Veluti in Speculum, which was formerly, and may be now, affixed over the curtain at Covent Garden Theatre: for, as in a mirror, virtue and vice are pourtrayed in the most lively forms; and I am thereby more readily taught to admire and practise the former, and to abhor and shun the latter, than by reading, or by the lingering instruction to be derived from scenes in real life: For the Miscellany. Messrs. Editors, Will you give the following dialogues a place in your useful paper? Some of our youth are in danger of being deceived by what the world terms an innocent amusement. How can that be innocent which for centuries has been the means of supporting spendthrifts, gamblers, drunkards, harlots, and the veriest trash of society? Are these characters deserving of imitation? How ignorant, or how lost to every sense of decency must they be, who, under the ill defined title of Thespian band, claim for themselves a place among such company? The more serious part of your readers may, perhaps, have their consciences enlightened and emboldend in the discharge of their duty, by the following dialogues on THE STAGE: and parents and teachers and guardians, who are disposed to know it, may probably ob. tain some aid in determining what conduct should be observed by them in relation to the company of strolling players that occasionally visit this place, and the thespian band that are ambitious of being reputed their rivals. Q. THE STAGE.DIALOGUE 1. To show the very age and body of the time, "Its form and pressure," Shakespeare. Clem. It is not the character of the Casuist to whom you have alluded, nor even the judgment of my valued friend, who possesses such correctness of taste in most other things, that can be admitted by me as an evidence of the tendency of the Stage to moral improvement, while history records the contrary; and moreover, when I find it to be completely at variance Well, my dear friend, what became with every doctrine, spiritual temper, of you last evening, when I looked so and divine precept, contained in the anxiously for your company? Scriptures of Truth. I should, howMr. Mortimer. I was at the Thea-ever, like to hear what can be advanctre, enjoying the representation of the ed from others in favor of this School Comody of The Road to Ruin, and of for Morals; and then attend to what the after-piece of Don Juan, or as it my friend himself may have to offer is called, Don Giovanni, the closing in his own defence, for giving his scene of which exhibits his destruction sanction to that which I firmly believe by a shower of fire. to be destructive to the morals of the Clem. A very correct description community; while I shall endeavor to indeed, Mortimer, of the evil effect answer the arguments brought forwhich theatrical representation is cal- "ward, as they shall occur to my mind. ble of ambitions. You appear greatly diverted at this statement; but remember, Clement, derision and laughter will be a poor substitute for argu Mort. I believe, Clement, you will have enough to do, in order to convince me that I am in the wrong, backed as I am by the names of Addison, Rowe, Young, Horne, Cumber-ment. land, and by a numerous host of worthies, ancient and modern, who never dreamed that they were contributing thereby to lower the tone of public morals, but rather thought they were raising it to its proper standard. Clem. This is a powerful phalanx brought in favor of the Drama, Mortimer, it must be acknowlegded: if, however, it can be proved to be an evil in itself, productive of evil consequences, and contrary to the word of God, even these authorities, great as they must be allowed to be, will not avail you in argument. I shall be attentive to you; bring forth your strong reasons. Mort. You do not expect me to have retained in my memory all the points in favor of my system, with which the discourses of my advocate are fraught, or which I can adduce from other sources. Clem. I really crave your pardon, Mortimer: there is something in the views of your oracle so preposterous and extravagant, that to refrain from smiling is utterly impossible; and, were you not the faithful reporter of what you state to be the objector's sentiments, I could not have believed they had ever issued from the press, much less from the lips or pen of a public Teacher. Mort. You will find them at large in a volume which I shall be happy to lend you; and which you had far better peruse before you condemn. Clem. I shall oppose these vain speculations by facts. One of the most remarkable is, that the Stage has flourished most in the most corrupt and depraved state of society; so that, instead of its being a school, to suppress which would be to perpetuate ignorance, you will find, that in the exact proportion that the Drama has thriven or declined in any place, so has it been the faithful barometer of the depraved or ameliorated state of morals in that community. Clem. By no means. The prominent heads of division in the subject will satisfy me, without regard to arrangement or order, just as you shall be able to collect them; and let me tell you, you will, in your turn, have Mort. But all this is mere asserenough upon your hands to convince tion, without proof;-you talked of me that the Stage is not hostile to pub-facts, and are for substituting mere lic instruction, to morality, and hap- theory and speculation. piness. Clem. Not quite so fast, Mortimer; Mort. This broad assertion my in- have a little patience, and proofs shall trepid coadjutor combats; and con- not be wanting, more than will satistends, that the ignorant, the vulgar, fy the mind that is open to conviction. and the empty-minded, derive im- Let my dear friend, who is not unacprovement from their resorting to the quainted with the Grecian and Roman Theatre;-that Tragedy, to the illiter- histories, carefully observe the effect ate, is a lecture on history; Comedy, produced on the morals and manners to the uneducated; a school for man- of the people of those countries by the ners; that young nations, like young Stage. The Romans universally bepersons, are the most attentive to the lieved that Greece destroyed her inTheatre; and that to suppress such a dependence, and hurried herself into school, is to bid rudeness to be per- ruin, by her rage for theatrical & other petual, and to quench the most amia-effeminate amusements; and therefore considered the period at which morals were at the lowest ebb, the Theatre declined? it was, that Cato asserted, "That the establishment of a regular Theatre would be to Rome a more dangerous Carthage than that which they had Clem. If Mortimer could prove it to just destroyed." For a confirmation have been the case, most undoubtedly of which, permit to refer you to that would I admit my argument to be section in the Preface of Rollins's somewhat weakened; but I deny the Ancient History, which is entitled fact. "The rulers, during the revo"Passion for the representations of the lution, were skilful adepts in the art Theatre one of the principal causes of of corruption: they knew it was nethe degeneracy & corruption of the A-cessary to corrupt before they could thenian State. While the Grecians enslave: they therefore opened an unwere thus employed relaxing the nerves exampled number of Theatres; and of their strength by these effeminate a-so reduced the price of admission, as musements, they were gradually unfolding their gates to Philip of Macedon. At the brightest period in which Rome itself flourished, a Theatre was unknown among that people. And when did the Roman Empire, allow me to ask, begin to decline?-It may be answered, After the conquest of the Tarentines, by Pyrrhus; from whose example the Romans date the origin of the introduction of the Drama to Rome; and which was rapidly on the decline when Nero himself became a buffoon and a comedian. Mort. Can you furnish a proof of a more modern date? In the instances of Greece and Rome there might have been something peculiar to the times and in the manners, when Aristophanes, in Greece, (whose theatrical lessons destroyed all sense of public virtue and decency, it must be allowed,) and Roscius, in Rome, were the heroes of the Drama. Clem. Nothing can be more easy. Need I go further, than by referring you to a neighboring nation? Where, let me ask you, does theatrical representation more abound than in the metropolis of that country? And where, within the compass, on any part of the carth, is there to be found more depravity, effeminacy, and dissipation, than in that capital? Mort. Will not your argument be much weakened, by the fact, that, during the revolution, which must be almost to emulate the gratuitous ad- Mort. Very different, indeed, Clement; for, my advocate does not hesi-. tate to assert, that the Fathers of the Christian Church, by conspiring to suppress the Theatres of Greece and Rome, re-barbarized Europe; and condemned the victims of the tuition to a millenium of ignorance, vassalage, and woe. Clem. The Theatre, then, must have been the palladium of Liberty, of Wisdom, and of Civilization, ac |