of the globe without them. We can, however, now say, unequivocally, that the Holy Bible, the Christian pulpit, Christian education, the religious press, and experimental piety, have been the chart of our liberties, the inspiration of our patriotism, the regeneration of civil society, and the exaltation of the national character.

As a clear result, these States are proclaimed to the world, in their fundamental laws, to be Christian States; thus representing the common faith of the people. By authority of Congress, chaplains have been from time to time appointed to implore the blessing of God upon the Senate and House of Representatives, and "all in authority." By law, this religious provision is extended to our army and navy.

The holy sabbath is recognized in the Constitution. Of this the President is duly informed, by express provision, in Art. I., sect. 7. Dr. Adams says, " In adopting this provision, it was clearly presumed by the people that the President of the United States would not employ himself in public business on Sunday. The people had been accustomed to pay special respect to Sunday from the first settlement of the country. They assumed that the President also would wish to respect the day. The people, in adopting the Constitution, must have been convinced that the public business intrusted to the President would be greater in importance and variety than that which would fall to the share of any functionary employed in a subordinate station. The expectation and confidence, then, manifested by the people of the United States, that their President will respect their Sunday by abstaining from public business on that day, must extend, à fortiori, to all employed in subordinate stations." Senator Frelinghuysen, before Congress, in 1836, said, "Our predecessors wisely determined, in accordance with the sentiments of at least nine-tenths of our people, that the first day of the week should be the sabbath of our government. This public recognition is accorded to the sabbath in the Federal Constitution. The President of the United States, in the dis

charge of the high functions of his legislative department, is relieved from all embarrassment on Sunday. Both Houses of Congress, the offices of the State, Treasury, War and Navy Departments, are all closed on Sunday." And again: "The framers of the Constitution, and those who for many years administered it, doubtless had in their eye the first day, the sabbath of the Christian religion. They were legislating, not for Jews, Mohammedans, infidels, pagans, atheists, but for Christians; and, believing the Christian religion the only one calculated to sustain and perpetuate the government about to be formed, they adopted it as the basis of the infant Republic. This nation had a religion, and it was the Christian religion. Christianity is the religion of this country, and, as such, is recognized in the whole structure of its government, and lies at the foundation of all our civil and political institutions: in other words, Christianity, as really as republicanism, is part and parcel of our laws."

GENERAL CHRISTIAN SOCIETIES.

THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, during the first ten years of its history, circulated 439,580 copies of the Bible; the second decade, 1,549,848 copies; the third, 2,510,156 copies; the fourth, 6,772,338 copies; the fifth, 10,138,044 copies: thus furnishing to the needy by gift, and at very low rates to those desiring to purchase, in all their various dialects, 21,409,966 copies of the Holy Scriptures. The Missionary, Tract, and Sunday-school Societies have felt this strong influence, and, in return, become grand pervading agencies for reaching the world. Orphan asylums, penitentiaries, hospitals, soldiers' homes, homes for the friendless, and, indeed, the haunts of the most degrading vices, have been reached by this indispensable means of instruction, comfort, elevation, and salvation.

The funds furnished by business industry, and very largely by pure Christian liberality, show the public confidence in

the Bible Society, and the providential supply of its benev olent demands. During the first ten years, the figures reached $449,552.73; the second decade, $954,897.94; the third, $1,233,039.95; the fourth, $3,042,632.44; and the fifth, $4,754,850.68: making the grand total in fifty years, up to 1866, of $10,434,953.74.

The receipts from all sources, for the year ending 1867, coming from thirty-nine States and Territories, and from "twelve foreign countries, which have contributed small amounts," were $734,089.14; and the entire number of volumes issued by the society during fifty-one years is 22,667,926. Thus a great national book is circulated everywhere under the patronage of national men, for the purification and elevation of national patriotism.

THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, at their annual meeting in 1830, resolved, "in reliance upon divine aid, within two years to establish a Sunday school, in every destitute place where it is practicable, throughout the Valley of the Mississippi." In eighteen months, 2,867 schools were established, and 1,121 visited and revived. In the year 1833, this resolution was extended in time, and enlarged to embrace the Southern States generally. It was reported, that, in nine years, there had been established in connection with the society, or by its direct agency, 14,550 Sunday schools, containing 109,000 teachers and 760,000 scholars. According to the report in 1860, during the eleven years preceding, the missionaries of the society organized about 20,000 new schools, containing about 760,000 scholars, taught by 127,000 teachers. During these years, the number of schools visited, aided, and strengthened by these missionaries, was much greater. During the past year (1866-7), these missionaries organized 1,671 new schools, having 10,559 teachers and 67,204 scholars. They visited and aided 6,090 schools, having 45,175 teachers and 351,485 scholars. They visited 35,924 families; distributed 9,821 Scriptures and books, and

other Sunday-school requisites, amounting to $15,332.* Who can estimate the national power of these regenerating agencies, forming and directing the rising generations of American citizens?

THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY (Boston).-This institution, essentially New England in principles and spirit, after some twelve years of independent labors in the circulation of Christian tracts and other religious literature, was merged in the American Tract Society in New York. In 1859, determining to send forth everywhere publications thoroughly antislavery, it resumed its distinct organization. Since that time, it has accomplished a work of the greatest national importance.

“It has furnished its publications to laborers, clerical and lay, wherever they were needed and there was a call for them. Sailors and landsmen; the poor and neglected in our cities and large towns, as well as in the sparsely-populated portions of the country; various institutions, educational, humane, reformatory, and penal; sabbath schools, feeble churches," and especially the soldiers of our army and the freedmen of the South, have been cared for and instructed by the agents and publications of this society. "It has received for its charitable operations, from May 1, 1859, to May 1, 1867, eight years, $38,688.977: of this amount, $243,78741 have been expended in the gratuitous distribution of religious books, papers, tracts, &c. During the same time, the number of books, tracts, &c., published, has been 16,091,276; copies of periodicals of different kinds, 24,541,700. Total, 40,632,976."+

THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY (New York). This institution has on its list 3,800 distinct publications, " of which 775 are volumes."

* From a paper by Rev. S. B. S. BISSELL.

From a paper by Rev. WILLIAM C. CHILD, D.D.

"Among the home publications are 900 in foreign languages for immigrants, thousands of whom have thus been enabled to read in their own tongue the wonderful works of God,' with great joy, and often with saving benefit.

"Of the periodicals, a total of over 106,000,000 copies have been issued, or, at present rates, 6,000,000 yearly, to 500,000 subscribers.

"Of the other home publications, 21,000,000 volumes have been printed, and 2,295,000,000 pages of tracts, - a flood of gospel truth which has certainly told with immense power on the character and destiny of America. Probably there is no inhabited country in the land where some of these publications might not be found, and no citizen of the United States who is not indirectly benefited by their effects.

"Annual grants of our home publications are made to the destitute, amounting to some $50,000; and these have gone to working Christians, for circulation in prisons and hospitals, in sabbath schools and mission schools, in cities and in remote and lonely hamlets, to soldiers, and to sailors on our inland waters, and in hundreds of outward-bound vessels from every corner of the globe.

"Besides large amounts thus granted for foreign nations, a total of $560,000 in money has been granted from the first year to the present, to aid the missionaries, at twenty different stations in heathen lands, to print for this mission-work certain books which the society approves; and thus 3,750 different publications have been issued abroad, including over 500 volumes in 141 languages.

"Of the good results of colportage a volume might be written, and yet but a small part be told. In 26 years, it has done a work equal to that of one man for 4,137 years; it has sold 8,550,000 volumes, and granted 2,300,000; it has made 9,596,000 visits, in more than half of which prayer was offered or a personal appeal made; it has found 1,292,000 Protestant families neglecting evangelical worship, 833,000 Romanist families; 494,000 Protestant families without.