be an essential part of the constitution of human nature; and if í be so, we may depend upon it, that if any new extraordinary fact were to occur, such as a hundred dice falling on the same faces or a stone remaining suspended in the air, they would still believe such facts if supported by sasisfactory evidence. It is not probable, that mankind will be put to an actual trial by the occurrence of any new miraculous fact; but if we may judge of what they would do in such a case, from what they have done in similar cases in all times past, we may be sure they would believe it if well attested.

It was already stated, that what mankind will or will not be lieve in any given case, must be left to every individual to determine for themselves. We are apt to be imposed upon by great philosophical names, and to allow the dogmatical assertions of such men as La Place and the Reviewer to pass as uuquestionable truths. This might be in some measure reasonable, if it were a point on which they were well qualified to judge, and the rest of the world quite unqualified, as any question concerning Jupiter's satellites, or Saturn's ring. But this is a question, in which every man is qualified to judge for himself, and where these philosphers can only decide for themselves as individuals. If the great body of mankind declare, that their minds are so constituted, that they would believe miraculous events when well attested, the whole reasoning of La Place falls to the ground; and, from such a decision there can be no appeal.

An individual can speak only for himself, but, for my part, if La Place or the Reviewer had asserted that they had seen these events, I would be disposed to give much credit to them, especially if I was sure they had carefully examined every circumstance, and had no particular interest to bias them. If, in addition to this, all the philosophers of Paris and Edinburgh, and all the intelligent people in both these cities, were to join in the same testimony, I believe, that, in fact, no person, unless void of understanding, would refuse his assent. We would act in this, as we do in all cases which depend on testimony, first examine the capacity of the witnesses, and, when satisfied in that point, would next examine with great care, if they had any particular interest to serve by their testimony. We know that mankind will testify what they consider as falsehood for interest. An Infidel, we know, may be so destitute of common honesty, as to declare his belief of the Bible, and even the Scottish Confession of Faith, for a church living, or a professorship. Hume would not have scrupled at this, had he succeeded in his canvass for the moral philosophy chair. But if we found that the witnesses had

capacity, and no interest to serve, I believe that no person would reject their testimony. And if, in addition to all these circumstances, we discovered that their interest was to be greatly hurt by their testimony; that they were quite certain of losing their situations of emolument, their ease and comfort; of incurring hatred, persecution and death; under such circumstances as these, their testimony would be altogether irresistible.

I have proceeded all along on the supposition, that the author says, "We would not give credit to any number of men, in any circumstances, who declared, that they had seen an event which was a suspension or change of the great laws of nature;" because if he only means that we would not believe one man, it may be granted without the least detriment to the argument, for there are thousands of cases in which we do not give credit to a single witness, where our belief is compelled by a great number.

The badness of the author's logic is here also to be noticed. This, which is the first of his premises, is, in reality, the conclusion itself. It is assuming the very question in dispute, and then making that assumption the medium of proving it, which is just proving it by itself. The thing to be proved is, that we would not believe any number of witnesses, testifying what was inconsistent with the laws of nature, and he begins by laying it down as to be granted.

I shall now examine the reason which he assigns why we would believe our own eyes in case of our seeing a hundred dice fall on the same faces, or a stone suspended in the air. It is, says he, our belief of the immutabillty of the laws of vision.

This, like the former, is mere assertion, without an attempt towards proof; and, like the former, it must also be referred to general opinion. The question is, Why do we believe, in such a wonderful instance, that our eyes have not deceived us? That we do not see deuces on the dice when they are really aces? La Place says, Because we are persuaded of the immutability of the laws of vision. But the fact is, we are persuaded of no such matter; for we know that in many instances a man sees a single opject as double; and in many cases, as of drunkenness and disease, he believes that he sees objects which have no existence at all. In any particular instance, therefore, whether common or extraordinary, a man believes his eyes, because he is convinced by a rapid, and perhaps unobserved process of reasoning, that the general laws of vision have not, in that particular instance, been changed or suspended. The process of reasoning on which he arrives at that conclusion, is, that on all other objects with which he has been long acquainted, his eyes are doing their

office truly as usual. He looks up to the sky, and sees not twe suns, but one; and he observes all the people who are about him, not having two heads, or four eyes, but the usual number. Finding his eyes testifying truly in all these matters, he believes that they are doing the same in the case of the dice or the stone. All this, like many other processes of reasoning, may be so rapid as to be unobserved; but that this is really the ground of belief, and the process by which a person arrives at it, will appear evident from this circumstance--that if any doubt were formally to arise in his own mind, or to be suggested by another, this is the very plan he would have recourse to in order to be sure what was the fact. He would not rest on the general ground, that any change in the laws of vision was impossible; but knowing that such changes are not only possible, but frequent, he would proceed to try his eyes upon other objects, or to examine the objects in question by his other senses, that he might know whether or not any such change had taken place in the laws of vision in the present instance. The credit, therefore, which we give to our own eyes, when we see any wonderful appearance, is not founded on our persuasion of the immutability of the laws of vision, but on this, that in that instance we have abundant proof that the laws of vision are not changed.

Before La Place, therefore, can establish his theory, he must first prove, that we would not believe the greatest number of the most intelligent and upright witnesses who should assert that they had seen a hundred dice fall on the same faces; and he must prove, that when we believe the testimony of our own eyes, we do it from a persuasion of the immutibility of the laws of vision. He has made no attempt to prove either the one or the other; and we believe he did not make the attempt, because he knew he had no such proofs to offer. He comes not forward here as a geometrician, but as an observer of human nature. Geometry could afford no proofs; and all the proofs which could be brought from the observation of the sense and conduct of mankind were against him; for in all ages mankind have actually believed the most astonishing events when well attested; and they szill go on to do so, in spite of all that Hume and the enemies of revelation have said to the contrary. If it is a question which must be referred to the general judgement of mankind,-there is no doubt of that being against them.

[To be continued.]

SIR,

Select Religious Entelligence.

PROPOSED UNION IN SCOTLAND,

A Letter to the Editor.

It has gratified more than one of your readers, that you republished the Basis of a proposed Union between the Associate Synod, and the Constitutional Associate Presbytery in Scotland. In your editorial remarks, you observed, that "if a solid and harmonious union could be formed, it would greatly contribute to the strength and efficiency of these bodies; but that if, as has hitherto been the case, this attempt at union should result in still farther division, it would go near to effect the extinction of both." Every friend of truth would deprecate such an issue as is contemplated in the conclusion of this sentence. I have felt considerable interest in this proposed union, and was sorry to observe from a hint in your Number for July that it was "likely to meet with obstacles and delays."* I have lately obtained correct information on this subject, which induces me to hope that these "obstacles" are neither great nor insuperable. By publishing the following extract from a letter, which I received last month, from a member of the Associate Synod you will oblige a CORRESPONDENT.

16th January, 1827.

"The proposed union between our Synod and the Constitutional Presbytery, is in a fair way toward a comfortable consummation. Propositions explanatory of the only question between us, have been before both Courts for upwards of two years. At last, it was proposed that the members of both, should meet for extra-judicial conversation on them. The meeting took place in May last. It turned out most comfortable. Several alterations were made with the approbation of all. All seemed to see eye to eye. On the meeting of the respective Courts the Committee (which had been previously appointed on this subject) reported, and in both courts their report was agreed to, without a vote. A member of each was then appointed to superintend the publishing of them, for the information of the Church diffusive. A member of each Court was also chosen, as a Committee to prepare an Overture of a new statement of principles from the testimonies of the Secession. Dr. M'Crie was appointed by the Constitutional Presbytery; and Mr. Stevenson of Ayr, by our Synod. I understand the Dr. takes the Narrative and Mr. Stevenson the doctrinal part. Both are busily employed on the book. This when finished comes of course before the Courts, and if agreed to by each, (of which there is little doubt since they have already agreed to the only question between them,) is to be published, and a reasonable time in the hands of the public, before any union takes place. It is then proposed that they unite in the way of covenanting with God and confederating with one another about his public cause. hope that should it please God to bring us forward to this union, it will be the means of strengthening the Reformation cause in these lands. I trust we feel, that we much need the Divine guidance and direction, in this in portant matter."

We

HARVEY ISLANDS.t

Island of Manaia (or Mangeea).

It will be recollected that Davida and Tiere, (or Tepaira) were left at Manaia by the Deputation, on their way to New South Wales, in June,

*This hint was taken verbatum from a letter written by a member of the Associate Synod.-EDIT.

↑ Referred to in our last No. page 389.

1824. Tiere died about three weeks before my arrival. During the first two months of their residence on the island, a few embraced the Gospel, and that number has since increased to one hundred and twenty. These were easily distinguishable among the crowd that collected on our going on shore, by the neatness of their dress and their orderly behaivour. We proceeded to the teacher's house, which we found equal to any, and superior to most of the houses of the natives at the Society Islands. Not far from the teacher's house is the chapel, around which the dwellings of the Christian converts are scatter

ed.

After the curiosity of the crowd had been a little satisfied, I requested them to adjourn to the house of worship, which was soon filled. Great numbers, who could not get inside, surrounded every part of the house, and listened with attention. Davida began with prayer; after which I addressed them on the love of God, in sending his Son to die for them. I then exhorted those who had embraced Christianity to remain stedfast, and those who still adhered to idolatry, to forsake it, and receive the light sent down from heaven. I returned with Davida and his little flock to his house, where we spent some time in conversation, and again exhorted them to constancy. I addressed a word of affectionate advice to Davida, in reference to the work in which he was engaged, and promised that another labourer should be sent to him the first opportunity. After supplying him with elementary books, &c., and what few articles we could spare, for his own use, and for barter, I commended him to God, and bade him farewell. We then returned on board, and bore away for Rarotonga.

The number of inhabitants in Manaia, is from one thousand to one thousand five hundred. The people who have embraced Christianity, are diligent in their learning. Some can read the Spelling-book, and a few are beginning to read the Scriptures. Family and private prayer is strictly observed among them, and they pay great respect to their teacher; and although the king and the principal part of the people are still idolaters, yet they are all upon friendly terms with Davida, frequently visiting him, and bringing him presents of food. All idolatrous distinctions have been abandoned by those who have embraced Christianity in the island, and there is reason to hope that the Gospel will be embraced by every individual in it.

Infanticide being here unknown, the children are numerous. There is little sickness among the people, and the diseases are few. They display great inginuity in the fabrication of their cloth, canoes, stone axes, and earornaments. Their heads are profusely covered with figured cloth, red beads, and sinnet of beautiful workmanship. Their language approaches nearer to that of New Zealand than Tahitian.

The teachers have been industrious in cultivating yams, pumpkins, and melons, all of which were before unknown here; fowls, also, and hogs have been introduced, and are upon the increase. We left with the teachers some sweet potatoes for seed, which will prove a valuable addition to their stock of eatables.

Rarotonga, October 5.—Arrived at Rarotonga. We went on shore, and were welcomed by the teachers (Papeiaha and Tiberio), and a considerable number of the people. It being the evening of the week-day lecture, I addressed a congregation of about one thousand five hundred persons, from Psalm cxviii. 1.; O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; because his mercy endureth for ever. The greatest attention was paid to what was spoken. I spent the evening with the king and teachers, who consulted me upon the general affairs of the islands, and informed me what had taken place during the past six months.

Since the vessel was here last, the most determined hostility had been manifested by the remaining idolaters, against those who had embraced the Gospel, and had eventually led to a conflict, which terminated, without loss of life on either side, in victory on that of the Christians. The vanquished have since entreated their names to be enrolled as worshippers of Jehovah, and the cumbrous deities, fourteen in number (being about 20 feet long and 6 feet in diameter), are now lying prostrate, like Dagon of old.