The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1848-09-19 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

OPIUM EATING IN CHINA.—The habitual use of this drug terminates the smoker's life in about five years. The offspring of the opium-smoker, may always be known by his emaciated appearance and imbecile mind. Unborn generations are thus doomed to suffer for the sins of their parents, and the aggrandisement of heartless traders. In the empire, the smoker, to evade the penalty of the law, is compelled to use the opium pipe in secret. Awealthysmoker provides himself with a subterranean chamber, where he may indulge his suicidal propensity without molestation. We cannot penetrate into those narcotic caverns, or witness their sepulchral horrors. Whole streets are devoted to licensed opium-shops, from which the colonial government derives a large revenue. It is even a more shameful crime to fill the treasury of a colony from the produce of such a trade, than to traffic in slaves. Prudery has exclaimed against our French neighbours for taxing gambling and prostitution ; but we should look more at home before we boast of our morality, and not suffer our colony to turn this murderous and soul-destroying drug into a source of revenue.—Dublin University. SINGULAR STATE OF THE CONTlNENT.—Altogether, although our efforts to preach the Gospel to the Jews are somewhat circumscribed just now, on account of the volca sic state of the Continent, and by reason of the jealousy of the authorities in regard to foreigners, especially in the smaller towns and villages, from the circumstance of the numerous political emissaries who are now traversing the Continent; yet I am thankful for having been enabled to find such opportunities of making known the Gospel to the ancient people of God. It is indeed, amongst other things, no little privilege just now, to be thrown into the midst of this " tumultuous stir of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together ;" and as you see the different parties, Jew and Gentile, struggling for their own objects on the arena of conflict, to bear them in your heart by prayer within the vail, that God may be pleased to defeat their objects where they are for evil, and prosper those which are for the advancement of his kingdom. Whatever changes may yet take place, I believe that, for any permanence, the old system of absolutism in Church and State is done away with in Austria and Italy for ever. To the watchful contemplatist at the present time, there cannot be two more interesting countries than these, the imperial and pontifical centres of the ancient Church of Rome, both of which contain within their boundaries such an influential section of the ancient people of God, and in both of which we have reason to believe a mighty revival shall yet take place. Many there shall yet " learn righteousness." many shall " be affrighted" and led " to give glory to God," and shall say, " Who shall not fear thee, Oh Lord ! and glorify thy name, for thou only art holy. for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest in the earth." If ever there was a time when those words of our blessed Lord were applicable to his disciples, " Have faith in God," it is the present; let us watch and pray, and believe as we pray, and we• shall probably live to see great things come to pass.—.7itcish Intelligence.