The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-04

the detection from the Islamc faith Of an inseres.
ing young man, Sayyad Hassn el-Mediniysh, now
candidate for baptism at the Free Church mission
honse, Ambr0lie. We are very happy to state that
has long occupied q respectable position, have be.
haved in their interviews with him in most
honest honorable, and truthful manner, bringing
against him no false accusation, Offering him
no threat, holding out to him bride, collecting,
encouraging, or tolerating no mob to overawe hln,
and making no unmanly appeals to his feelings
irrespective Of what is right or wrong and CON-
iEing at the same time their efforts to reclaim him
to reasoning and fair argument from their own
neOus point Of view. While they have maintained
that he has dishonored the seal of Ihe prophets
OF whose loins they consider MIN TO have sprung,
they have finally left him to the Judgment of God"
holding, that while in q well ordered Islami, state
his life would be forfeited under the traditional law
OF tbe Mohammedans, no such penalty ia exacted by
The Koran or practicable or desirable under the 8ri
tsh government. For their creditabe federation in
the form in which it has appeared, few were prepar
ed. How far 1t may have originated in desire on
the part OF the MOhammedans to place themselve,
in favorable contrast 10 certain Psrsees lately beor
the public, in the wish not unduly TO advertise
what they may consider their shane, or in othec
mundane considerations, we cannot say. But the
fact is worthy of notice, and calls for gratitude to
Him who stilleth the tumult of The people, we'll
as the noise Of the seas"
now RELIGIOUS LIBERTY WAS PUT DOWN IN FRANCE.
In March, 1852, soon after The coup detat, the
President of the Republic issued a fresh decree
against clubs and political associations; it abragatea
the decree of july 1913, and declared Article POI
OF the Penal Code applicable to public meetings OF
every description whatsoever. The enemies OF the
Professionals soon took advantage OF the new law,
which was apparently directed against political
meetings alone, but which was wOrded in such a
manner as to include religious meetings. Accord
iDgy the pastor of Manners was prosecuted in the
course OF 1853; and when the case ame before the
Supreme Court it declared tnat der the decree Of
March, 1852, no religious meeting could be held
without the permission OF the authorities. There
~ 20. haA INIT ,bVntf
formal; there were no longer chamber OF Depu-
ties to appeal to- and liberal members ready % take
the defence Of religious freedom; the press was
gagged, and the legislative body the mere parody
OF such representative assembly. The decision OF
the Court of Cessation was followed in several
places by the arbitrary closing OF the places OF wor-
ship belonging to the Protestants and par,icu-
larry to the free church The Project of the Hiute
Vjenne distinguished himself by bs zeal 10 this
crusade. In 1851 he had already made an infectual
ariempttO stop the preaching OF the doctrines Of the
reformed church in his department; he now caused
all tne places of worship and the schools to be
closed, and ordered the gendarmerie, mounted
police, to prevent by force the Protestants from
no ding their meetings. But the congregations
were determined not 10 remain without that spri-
tual instruction which had become a necessity for
them; would they renounce the faith which
they had but recently embraced for the Pnotes-
taIts of the Haute Vienne are almost without ex-
ception converts from Catholicism, and the event
has proved that their conversion was sincere. Not
being able to meet in their villages without being
Immediately denounced and dispersed, they met in
the woods in secluded bellows among the hills, aud
there under the shadow OF some spreading chestnut
tree uch as abound in that part OF France their
pastor would preach 30 them The gospel which they
loved TO bear, while sentineis posted on the sur
rounding eninences watched the app coaches aud
guarded against surprise. Thus were the essen
btCs du desert once mere renewed in France In the
mlddle OF the nineteenth century, and at time
when not one Frenchnau in thousand would be-
ieve the thing possible
AMERICAN RIEIp soCIrTy
The first Thursday in January being Nsy Years
Day, tine Board held its stated monthly mee.ing vt
nine a. N. instead Of hall past four p. NJ. Hon.
Theodore FreliDghuysen, Pr.sdsbt Of the society,
was in the chair assisted by Hon. Luther Brsdisn,
with Benjamin l.. Swan add Francis Hall, E:qrs.
Two new societies were recognized, one in Sout1
Carolina and one in Georgia Communicates were
presented from Hon. John Bolton O'NeiIi, OF South
Carolina, accepting the Vice Presidency Of this
Society; from James Henderson Esq, OF Para. in
regaId tO distribution OF the Scriptures IN Brazil
from Rev. Mr.. Calhoun, OF Mount Lebanon, syria,
sending a donation from the pupils Of the Semi
nary at Abeih, and asking 4 grant of looks for
distribution from DIR. Rule, Of London. in regard
to senior De Mora, and affairs in Span; rom
Rev. Mason Noble, Graz lain in United st ,tes May
nov cruising in the Mediterranean, acknow.
Lodging the receipt Of books from this socis,y ADD
giving an account OF their distribution, with en-
couragng statements as ID the demand for the
Scriptures In those regions; from Rev. DIR. Goolale,
CoDstantlDople, stating that the Armeno. rGrkish
Testament is now ready for delivery; that the Old
Testament is to go TO press immediately, 60 be the
basis Of translation INTO the arab)-Turkish, ex.
pressly for the Mussulmens. He states that Mr..
RICHTER is making tour in the interior. Grants o.
books were made Of German Bibles for California:
for the Color, Home Of this city, French and Span
ish Testaments for the south of France with several
of smaller amount, and fourteen volumes for the
bind. The meeting, though not large, was very in
teresting, and an excellent spirit pr,vaeS. At the
close o the business, a member suggested that as
met under peculiar cir ,umstances beiog the i,rt
day OF the new year, after enjoying so many msr-
in devotional exercises, and therefore moved that
the Board unite In prayer; whercupon the President
called on one OF the Secretaries 10 lead the dlvo'
tons. IL sas very pleasan. commencement Of the
new year.