Divine displeasure, marks of in the pres- 9 474,522,571 Highlands of Asia, temperature of, sermon, Huntington, Rev. Joshua, Memoir of, - Indiana and Illinois, missionary labors in, 224 Duelling, thoughts on, Early beneficence, - Education, importance of, 394--govern- in Great Britain, state of, 303 Installations, Intemperance, on the causes of, 399 500 - 421 Faith necessary to the Christian life, Fisk, Rev Pliny. See Palestine mission. Jenks, Rev. William, his donation of books Jews, an Address to, 385-cause of their Jowett, Rev. William, his letter to Dr. Kadin Yar Khan, hopeful conversion of 576|| Legislators, corrupt notions of, 106 Lexington, (Ken.) meteorological observ- Gabriel Tissera religious concern of, 174 ations at, 403 282 Love of country, 152 Lowth on Isaiah, criticism on, 1 Lunar atmosphere, 307 371 Ook-tib-be ha, journal of Mr. Kingsbury at, 40 Orphans, on the condition of, 535 Mahim, journal of Mr. Graves at, 369, Merchant Seamen's Bible Society, Missionary hardships, Missionary reinforcements, Missions, opposition to, 115 240 296 Missions, on the continent of Europe, 294 103 125 286 199 Palestine Mission, liberal donation to, 96 238 Panegyric, a specimen of, 575 . 402 Panoplist, its discontinuance announced, 537 225 Missouri, missionary labors in, Nepaul, superstitions of, 348 218 198 New-York, (state of,)missionary labors in, Paramanundu, Nicholas, hopeful conver- Parsons, Rev. Levi, letter from, 575. See 509 278 219 Pennsylvania, missionary labors in, Plainfield, Con. revival of religion at, Poor, Rev. Daniel. See Tillipally. Property, on the fluctuations of, Prophet like unto Moses, discussion con- Prudential Committee, address of, 136-- 191 513 483 506,553 Public festivals, thoughts on, 368 Ram Narrain, a Hindoo bramhun, some SEVERAL years since we offered three premiums to writers in a volume of the Panoplist; and the offer was continued, by implication, to writers in three succeeding volumes. These premiums were adjudged to writers in the tenth and eleventh volumes, and the adjudications were published, immediately after they were made. In reference to the two later volumes, the adjudication has been delayed till quite recently, because we could not find three gentlemen, of suitable qualifications, at leisure to look over the volumes and decide. The conditions were, that pieces written by the Editor, or either of the judges, were not to be candidates for the premiums; and that the only rule of judging should be, the tendency of the pieces to do good. Under these restrictions, the premiums to writers in the twelfth volume were as follows: The premium of twenty-five dollars to the best prose composition was adjudged to the writer of the Essay, which was published in our numbers for May and June 1816, On the manner in which the Scriptures are to be understood; the premium of fifteen dollars for the best piece of poetry, to the writer of The Lord's Day Morning, in the number for June; and that of ten dollars, for the second best prose composition, to the writer of the Essays on the Sabbath, in the numbers for January and March. The writer of the first of these pieces was the late lamented Dr. DWIGHT; of the poetry, the Rev. WILLIAM JENKS, of Boston; and of the other prose composition, the Rev. HEMAN HUMPHREY of Pittsfield. To the writers in the thirteenth volume, the premiums were awarded as follows: That of twenty-five dollars to the writer of the series of papers, six in number, entitled, Theological Remarks; that of fifteen dollars to the writer of Tears of Penitence, which was published in the number for June 1817; and that of ten dollars, to the writer of Familiar Sermons. We are not sufficiently certain who the writer of Theological Remarks is, to mention his name in this public manner. The writer of the poetry is totally unknown to us. The Rev. WILLIAM L. STRONG, of Somers, Con. wrote the Familiar Sermons. To the writers who are known, the premiums will be sent without application. ers are not applied for within a year, they will be considered as relinquished. If the oth In the Christian Observer for October last, p. 646, is the following sensible and well-written article on a very interesting subject. Judging from internal evidence alone, we have no hesitation in attributing the piece to our highly respected country man, Mr. Gallaudet, superintendent of the Connecticut Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. IN the number of your publication for August, 1818, are some remarks on the "Expediency of teaching the Deaf and Dumb to articulate." I am glad to see that you do not consider any field of benevolent effort beneath your regard, and that you are anxious to do good even to such humble and uncomplaining sufferers as the deaf and dumb. I have always felt a deep interest in "these lonely heather of a Christian land;" and, because I have had very dear friends in this helpless condition, I have endeavored to make my self familiarly acquainted with the modes of their instruction, and even at length to venture so far as to attempt, perhaps in a very imperfect manner, to teach a few of them according to the general outlines of the system pursued by the Abbe Sicard, whose works on this subject I have studied with deep interest and attention. I was forcibly struck with a remark in the article to which I have alluded in. these words: "There is really no more intrinsic connexion between written and spoken words and ideas, than between signs and ideas: indeed, the language of the deaf and dumb is abundantly more significant than any other, inasmuch as it denotes that change which takes place in our bodies and countenances, by the movements of the soul; and so far as intellectual processes bear any analogy to the motions of matter, it shadows forth this analogy in very striking and significant emblems." This is so true, Mr. Editor, that I think it almost capable of demonstration, that the deaf and dumb can learn the English, or any other language, only just so far as their own native language of signs is employed as a medium of interpretation. No sounds can be addressed to their ear. If a written or articulate word is addressed to their eye, it must, previous to explanation by signs, be perfectly unintelligible. If I utter the word "hat," or write it, there is no analogy between either the spoken or written sign and the object; but if I describe, in the native language of the deaf and dumb, this object by appropriate signs, my meaning is at once understood.My pupil has never known the meaning of the word "power." I VOL. XVI. 1 speak it, and bid him observe the motion of my lips; or I write it, and bid him mark the different letters which compose it, in either case, its import is completely hidden from him. But I pourtray by his own expressive language of signs a huge rock, and a mighty man lifting this rock and hurling it on his antagonist, and then tell him that this is power, and he comprehends me. How shall I give him the import of the word "admiration?" I describe by signs a lofty edifice, I raise one stone upon another to a great height, I adorn it with all the magnificence and beauty of architecture, I describe myself as approaching it, I look at it, I pourtray my feelings in my countenance, and by the position of my body and the motions of my hands, I ask him, "Did you ever feel so?" "Yes." "Well, this is admiration." I am anxious to lay the foundation of his moral and religious instruction; and before I can proceed, he must become familiar with the import of the terms "good and evil." Yesterday I saw him angry with his companion; I recal the circumstances of the scene by appropriate signs; I pourtray the emotion of anger in my countenance. I point to himself as having indulged the same emotion in his own breast. With a look of inquiry, and expressing by my features and gestures the marks of approbation, I demand whether in that state of feeling he deserved approbation. His conscience furnishes the reply, and he shakes his head. I tell him that state of feeling was "evil." I refer to some common acquaintance with whom we are very familiar; I imitate by my looks and gestures his peculiar kindness of deportment. I describe one act of this kindness which my pupil witnessed. Again, I inquire if this deserved approbation. He assents, and I tell him such a state of feeling was "good." I might multiply examples of this kind without number, all of which would go to prove, that it is impossible, from the very nature of the case, to teach the deaf and dumb the import of any word except through the medium of signs. It is true, that so far as the meaning of words can be communicated by definitions, so far the pupil may learn by this help; but then the words which compose the definition must have previously been explained by signs. To prevent mistakes, I ought, perhaps, before this to have observed, that by signs, I mean, not any alphabet on the fingers, which is as purely arbitrary as either written or spoken language; but all that can be expressed by the various changes of the countenance, attitudes of the body and limbs, delineation of visible objects by the hands; and all the varieties of pictures and paintings. And this language of signs is significant, copious, perspicuous, and precise, to a degree which I believe would surprise any one, who devotes attention enough to become familiar with it. It describes with more rapidity and accuracy than written or spoken language, every object which is addressed immediately to any one of the bodily senses. It pourtrays with a peculiar vividness and beauty all scenes and transactions which are presented solely to the eye. In truth my mind has been more agitated by a description of the day of judgment, which I have seen my ingenious friend Mr., who, you know, is deaf and dumb, exhibit in his own native language of signs, than by the loftiest flights of eloquence, which are to be found in the pages of Massillon or Bossuet. He was the judge, and I trembled before him. He was the accepted disciple of Christ, and 1 almost felt |