Reformation in all her various branches has been doing, and is still doing, for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, in India, Burmah, Siam, China, Africa, Western Asia, West Indies, Indian Territory, Sandwich and other Pacific isles, Labrador, and Greenland, and would at the same time learn what have been the efforts of the great Apostasy to make reprisals on heathen soil, for her loss of power and dominion in Europe, must either procure this book, filled as it is with the most reliable information, or gain access to the voluminous sources from which it has been drawn, through the heavy labours of more than twenty able and trustworthy gentlemen. Here we have ready to our hand, and in a most accessible form, all that is necessary to make us accquainted with the great mission-fields of the world. They are made to pass before us with a vividness that is truly surprising, and thoroughly impressive. Their geographical position, topography, climate, progress of discovery, the people, with their race, social, moral, and religious condition, and past history, are all portrayed with a power which cannot fail to inform the understanding and move the heart of the Christian reader. The book is well deserving of a wide and rapid circulation throughout the Churches of Protestant Christendom. Che Religious World. THE AMERICAN SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY. THE American Seamen's Friend Society celebrated its twenty-eighth anniversary at the Tabernacle, New York, on May 5th. Pelatiah Perit, Esq., presided. The Society has prospered during the year, having received $22,283, and expended $21,648. The aggregate receipts and expenditures of the auxiliaries and local societies are not included in this statement. The whole receipts will reach $100,000. At the Sailor's Home, in Cherry Street, 3309 boarders were received in 1855, who deposited in bank about $12,000, and carried away, or sent to friends, $60,000. The number of boarders, at the Home, in fourteen years, has been 47,156. In the Seamen's Saving Bank, in New York, scamen alone have deposited nearly one-third of a million of dollars the past year. Over two and a half millions in that Bank belong to seamen. This Society has foreign chaplancies at Aspinwall, Panama, Honolulu, Lahaina, Callao, and the Chincha Islands, Valparaiso, Canton, Havre, Marseilles, Galtland, Copenhagen, and St. John's, N. B., and also sustains the Mobile Bay Bethel; the New York Sailor's Home, aids the Portland Bethel, and helps the Mariner's Church in this city. In one Bethel, in New York, over one hundred hopeful conversions have taken place. NEW YORK STATE COLONIZATION SOCIETY. THE New York State Colonization Society celebrated its twenty-fourth anniversary at Lafayette Place Church, May 6th. Anson G. Phelps, Esq., presided. The results of the year are as follows:-Receipts, $20,077. The legacy of the late Samuel S. Howland, of the City of New York, of $10,000, was not received from the executors within the fiscal year under review; but the Board are gratified to announce, that it has been, during the past month, paid to the Treasurer. The slave trade is stated to have been renewed, in some measure, on the coast of Africa, but not in Liberia. The importance of Government armed steamers, to cruise in those calm latitudes, is urged in the Report. The successful and peaceable election of President Benson, in the place of J. J. Roberts, who declined being a candidate, is considered as a hopeful sign of the success of republican institutions on the coast of Africa. The subject of education is referred to as having received a new impulse during the past year, both in Liberia and in this country. AMERICAN AND FOREIGN CHRISTIAN UNION. THE seventh anniversary of the American and Foreign Christian Union was celebrated, at the Tabernacle, on May 6th. Rev. Dr. De Witt presided. The Society has a balance in hand, having received $69,330, and expended $67,657, leaving nearly $2000 on the right side. It has one hundred and nineteen labourers in its service; sixty-seven at home and fifty-two abroad, being an aggregate increase of eleven over last year. The general affairs of the Society show but little change; its work is to enlarge the domain of religious freedom, and the corruptions of the Church of Rome are its especial abhorrence. The Annual Report details the evidences of a declension in the Catholic Church, particularly in Sardinia, Tuscany, and Spain; and the Board rejoices at the confiscation of the estates of the Church in Mexico-intelligence of which fact has recently reached us. The discussion in politics, particularly the controversies of Prof. Morse with Bishop Spalding, and Mr. Brooks with Archbishop Hughes, are dwelt upon at considerable length, as furnishing indications that the people of the United States are realizing the evils of Catholicism. THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. THE thirty-first anniversary of the American Tract Society was celebrated in New York, on May 7th, as we learn from the New York Times, under circumstances of unusual interest. The customary annual business meeting of the Society was held an hour before the time appointed for the public anniversary at the Tabernacle, and in order to accommodate the great numbers who were in attendance as early as nine o'clock in the morning, the Brick Church (Dr. Spring's) was thrown open. The officers of the Society met in their rooms, in the Tract House, and immediately adjourned to the Church, which, in a few moments, became thoroughly packed, both on the floor and in the galleries. The scene that followed was highly exciting. The chief topic of excitement was in reference to the publication of Tracts on Slavery. Chief Justice Williams, of Connecticut, presided. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. De Witt. There was much animated discussion, in which Drs. Bacon, Tyng, Krebs, and Adams, and Rev. J. P. Thompson, Judge Jessup, and others, took part. The result was the adoption, by a vote nearly unanimous, of the following resolution : Regarding the actions and proceedings of the Executive Committee, as frankly and ingenuously inviting the fullest investigation into all the affairs intrusted to their charge, therefore, Resolved, That, at the suggestion of the Executive Committee themselves, a Special Committee of fifteen be appointed, to inquire into and review the proceedings of the Executive Committee, and report to the next annual meeting, or a duly convened special meeting, to be called by said Special Committee, at their discretion. The Committee are as follows: Hon. T. Frelinghuysen, Rev. Albert Barnes, D.D., Rev. John McLeod, D.D., The present officers of the Society were re-elected, a few vacancies, occasioned by death, being filled. NEW PUBLICATIONS, in several languages, 105, including 13 volumes; whole number of publications, 2053, besides 3055 approved for circulation in foreign lands. CIRCULATED during the year, 929,074 volumes, 9,788,864 publications, or 283,692,704 pages; total since the formation of the Society, 11,353, 811 volumes, 168,108,276 publications, or 4,220,441,081 pages. Gratuitous distribution for the year in 5739 distinct grants: foreign lands, 10,958,139 pages; army, navy, seamen, and on lakes, canals, and rivers, 1,696,144; home and domestic missionaries, 809,026; by colporteurs and agents, 43,110,197; total, 69,822,048 pages, and 10,774,470 to members and directors, amounting to upwards of fifty-three thousand dollars. Monthly circulation of the American Messenger about 190,000; Botschafer, or German Messenger, 28,000; Child's Paper, 305,000. RECEIPTS in donations, including $26,421 17 in legacies, $158,435 08, being $2401 60 larger than in any previous year; for sales, including periodicals, $257,171 51; total, $415,606 59. Expenditures for issuing books and periodicals, $221,115 56; for colportage, $111,601 88; grants of money to foreign and pagan lands, $17,500; total expended, $415,910 12. COLPORTAGE.-Number of colporteurs labouring the whole or a part of the year, in thirty-one States and Territories, and in Canada, 662, of whom 115 were students from 34 colleges and theological seminaries, and 138 laboured among German and other emigrants. Of the 662 colporters, 210 laboured in the Northern and Middle States, 239 in the Southern and Southwestern States, and 181 in the Western and Northwestern States. They visited 638,338 families, with 294,043 of whom they conversed on personal religion, or prayed. Of these families visited, 94,931 habitually neglected evangelical preaching; 57,181 families were Roman Catholics; 46,216 destitute of all religious books, except the Bible, and 30,277 households destitute of the Bible; and they held or addressed 12,827 religious meetings. The country is divided mainly into eight colporteur fields, centering at Rochester, Philadelphia, Charles ton, New Orleans, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Chicago, with an able Superintendent at each. FOREIGN AND PAGAN LANDS.-Remitted in cash, for the Sandwich Islands, $17,000. AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE anniversary of the American Home Missionary Society took place at the Tabernacle, on May 7th. The Hon. Wm. Jessup, LL.D., of Montrose, Pennsylvania, one of the Vice-Presidents, having taken the chair, the exercises of the evening commenced with prayer by the Rev. Joel Hawes, D.D., of Hartford, Connecticut. The number of ministers of the Gospel, in the service of the Society, in twenty-four different States and Territories, during the year, has been 986. Of the whole number 528 have been the pastors, or stated supplies, of single congregations; 315 have ministered in two or three congregations each; and 143 have extended their labours over still wider fields. Ten missionaries have preached to congregations of coloured people, and 59 in foreign languages; 23 to Welsh, and 31 to German congregations, and 5 to congregations of Norwegians, Swedes, Swiss, and Frenchmen. The number of congregations and missionary stations supplied, in whole or in part, is 1965. The aggregate of ministerial labour performed is equal to 775 years. The number of pupils in Sabbath-schools is 60,000. There have been added to the churches 5602, viz.: 2625 on profession, and 2977 by letter. Fifty missionaries make mention, in their Reports, of revivals of religion in their congregations; and 352 missionaries report 2005 hopeful conversions. Fifty churches have been organized by the missionaries during the year; and 50, that had been dependent, have assumed the support of their own ministry. Forty-eight houses of worship have been completed, 30 repaired, and 56 others are in process of erection. Ninety young men, in connection with the missionary churches, are in preparation for the Gospel ministry. Receipts, $193,548 37; liabilities, $196,162 68. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY. THE fortieth anniversary of the American Bible Society was held on May 8th, at the Tabernacle. Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen presided, and delivered an able address. Ninety-seven new auxiliaries have been recognized. Of life-directors, 105 have been made during the year, and of life-members, 1678. The receipts of the year amount to $393,167 25-being an increase of $46,355 68 over the former year. Of this amount, $161,040 48 are gratuitous, and $232,106 77 from sale of Bibles and Testaments. The number of volumes issued is 668,226; since the organization of the Society, 11,321,912. Many more, than formerly, of the larger and better bound books have been issued. Many grants of books have been made to auxiliary societies, benevolent institutions, and individuals. A new imperial quarto Bible has been published, a royal octavo Bible, the Book of Psalms in octavo, small English Testament for children, schools, &c.; the Gospel of John, and the Acts, in Spanish, Second Book of Kings, in Choctaw. The Ojibwa Testament is now being printed; also, a Portuguese Testament, and the Testament in Portuguese and English. There are thirty-three agents employed by the Society-including two on the Pacific Coast, one in South America, and one in the Levant. The embarrassments of the former year have not admitted as many foreign grants as the Board desired to make. To publish the Scriptures in France, $1000 have been paid; for the same purpose at Constantinople, about $4000; for Syria, $500; for Oroomiah, $2500; Northern India, $2000; for Germany, $1000. CHURCH PEWS PASS TO THE HEIR.-REAL ESTATE. In the matter of the Estate of Henry Haven, deceased. SURROGATE. The intestate was the owner of a pew, "by purchase," "from the Ministers, Elders, and Deacons of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, in the City of New York," in the church in Lafayette Place, subject to the payment of such taxes as might be assessed upon the same by the Consistory of the Church. By the term of the deed, it is manifest that the pew was sold, and not leased, for a term of years. The question now arises, whether it is real or personal estate. In England, by the general law, and of common right, all the pews in a parish church are the common property of the parish, for the use of the inhabitants. The distribution rests with the Churchwardens, subject to the control of the Ordinary, and they cannot be sold or let without a special Act of Parliament. By prescription, title to the use of a particular pew, may be shown to have been attached as appurtenant to a particular messuage, so that the occupant of the house for the time being is entitled to the use. The practice in this State has been widely different. The Act for the Incorporation of Religious Societies provides (3 R. S. p. 206, s. 4) for "the renting of pews," and, I think, upon the true construction of the whole Act, for their sale also. The usage as to the sale of pews has been general for many years, and, except in Voorhies v. The Presbyterian Church of Amsterdam (8 Barb. S. C. 135), has never been doubted, though cases in which the question might have been raised have often been before the Courts. The right in a pew is held to be such an interest in real estate as to fall within the statute of frauds (16 Wend. 31, 8 Barb. 130); but though existing as long as the church edifice stands, it is limited and qualified, and does not give such an absolute interest in the soil as to prevent its alienation by the corporation. 3 Edw. Ch. 155; 3 Kent's Com. 402; where Chancellor Kent says that "the right of the pew-holder is not real estate." After a somewhat elaborate examination of the statutes and authorities, the Surrogate concludes as follows: "The right of an owner of a pew relates to the use of lands, does not resemble a lease for years in having a certain and definite time set for its expiration; is not excepted out of the statute of descents, which provides for the succession of the heir to all hereditaments, nor included in the provisions regulating what shall be assets in the hands of the executor or administrator. |
