The Bangkok Recorder.

A Weekly journal will be issued from the printing office of the American Missionary Association, at the mouth of the Canal, "Klawng Bangkok Yai" It will contain such Political, Literary, Scientific, Commercial, and local intelligence, as shall render it worthy of the general patronage.

The Recorder will be open to Correspon- dents subject to the usual restrictions.

The proprietor will not be responsible for the sentiments of his correspondents.

No communication will be admitted un- less accompanied by the name of the Cor- respondent.

No rejected manuscript will be returned unless as a special favor.

Half Yearly9.00

Quarterly4.50

Extra Copies to Subscribers0.50

""Non. do$0.45

First, insertion-ten lines or half a square, and under, ONE DOLLAR and each additional line, FIVE CENTS.

Subsequent insertion, SEVENTY FIVE Cent, for ten lines, and each additional line, FIVE CENTS.

Advertisers must be particular to specify the number of insertions.

Standing advertisements as per Con- TRACTS.

Communications and remittances can be sent to the subscriber, or left at the store of Messrs. Virgin & Co.

President Johnson and the
Pardon Seekers.

At the President's reception on Tuesday, some fifty Southerners were present, most of them seeking pardons. A Mr. Keitt, of South Carolina, (not Lawrence M., he having been killed by a loyal bullet at Fort Wagner,) ap- proached the President, and informed him that he desired a pardon. "What have you done ?" asked Mr. Johnson. "I opposed secession until my State decided to go out of the Union, and then I determined to go out with it— I never joined the army. I did noth- ing to bring on the rebellion," was the reply. "You," rejoined the President, "are like all the rest: you did noth- ing. Now," he added, "my experi- ence is, that the men who didn't join the rebel army, but who acquiesced in the rebellion, were the most mischievous and dangerous men we had. I cannot pardon you, Sir." Mr. Keitt made se- veral other efforts. Among other things he reminded the President that he had come all the way from South Carolina and had been in Washington sometime; that hotel living here was very high, and that altogether his daily expenses were extravagantly large, and that he would like to get away as soon as he could go. The President responded that the hardships of which he com- plained were the direct results of the rebellion; that he did not bring it on, or contribute to bring on the rebellion; that he was not responsible for and could not extricate Mr. Keitt from the difficulties he complained of, nor hast- en his pardon on account of them. The President was firm. His answer was a finality. Exit Keitt. A Mr. Birch, member of the late rebel Leg- islature of Virginia, next approached the President and applied for a pardon. Similar questions were put to him by the President as were asked Mr. Keitt.

From the answers it appeared that Birch did nothing, only as a member of the Virginia Legislature, in obedi- ence to instructions, he voted that Virginia should secede from the Union of the United States. That is all he did, that was—" nothing." The Pre- sident refused to pardon him. (Exit Birch)—Next came a rebel clergyman who asked the President to grant him a pardon. "What great sin have you committed that you come here in cle- rical robes and crave Executive par- don?" "I was a rebel," was the an- swer, "and I desire your Excellency to pardon me that I may be restored to citizenship and be able to support and live under the government of the United States." "You rebel preach-

ers," responded the President, "have done the government a great deal of harm. You have proclaimed devilish doctrines and misled the people. You forgot that it was your duty to yield obedience to the powers that be. You must rest awhile upon the stool of repentance. I decline to grant you pardon at present." Exit reb, clergy- man. The President then remarked, addressing the entire crowd in the room, that it was a little singular that most of the non-combatants who had come here from the South for pardon, assert that they did nothing, were op- posed to the rebellion at the begin- ning, only acquiesced, and thought the rebel government ought to have sur- rendered earlier and stopped bloodshed; yet none of them took advantage of the amnesty proclamation offered by Mr. Lincoln, an act which would have shown sincerity on their part, and contributed so much toward saving the enormous expense of life and treasure. "I will grant no pardons for the present," was the emphatic conclusion of the President, and turn- ing to Col. Browning, he directed him to issue the order to the Attorney General.—-Lorian County News.

The Crops of 1865.

The report of the Agricultural Bu- reau for August is issued; but the re- turns from correspondents in relation to the crops, are only up to 31st July. Calculations are, however, made from the data received, and the result arrived at is that the crop of 1865 will fall short more than twenty-six millions of bushels of that of 1864. The esti- mate is thus quoted ;

In the New England and Middle States, the loss is put down at 2,376,954 by heavy straw and too rapid ripen- ing. In the Western and Northwestern States, on account of rain, rust, and chinch-bug combined, the loss is put down at 2,864,744 bushels.

Rye and barley, it is stated, show fair crops, but not so good as could be desired. Oats are pronounced the best crop ever produced. Corn is very prom- ising, but there is apprehension of in- jury from weeds in late planted fields and bottoms subject to overflow. Sor- ghum is represented as an average yield. Potatoes look well, and promise heavy crops. Tobacco is looking badly in Kentucky on low lands, but well on rolling ground. Flax is slightly in- creased crop. Hay had been well har- vested in the Eastern and Middle States, and much injured in the Western.

Tobacco is the only crop that shows a general falling off, and the reason for this is alleged to be the heavy internal taxes on the manufactured article, and the apprehension of a tax on the raw material. The States this year which have planted a larger amount of land in this staple than last, are stated to be Maine, Rhode Island, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, and West Vir- ginia; New Hampshire is equal to last year's planting, and all the rest under. The report sums up the English news relative to the crops on that side of the ocean in this wise : “ Oats, beans and peas will be short, but the hay is abundant, and excellent, and the crop of potatoes promise a large yield. A good deal of old wheat will be found unthreshed and unsold among the far- mers, so that if the harvests are safely gathered no unusual, supplies will be needed.” The accounts from Europe indicate that it will not have the usual surplus to compete with this country in the markets of Great Britain.—Lo- rian County News.

Spots on the Sun.

SIR,-—Your correspondent ' F. K. G.' seems solicitous of some information regarding a spot now visible on the sun's surface. I would therefore beg to offer the following facts regarding this spot, which may be of interest to many of your readers.

This spot is not any of extraordinary magnitude. Spots such as this are of frequent occurrence, but the active disturbance and constant change which have taken place in this spot during the past few days have been very remarkable. To those of your readers who are not familiar with the nature of these so called sun spots,' I would remark that the term spot, is rather an unhappy one; it gives the impression of being a mark on a flat surface: This is not the case. It is really an enormous hollow, with slop- ing sides, penetrating entirely through the photosphere of the sun, the black part, or ' umbra,' being at the bottom, and is supposed to be the real body of the sun.

On September 28th this black part of the spot was rather more than 9,000 miles in length, while the greatest length of the penumbra, formed by the sloping sides, or penumbra, was about 29,000 miles. These sides were very deeply furrowed from top to bottom, very similar to watercourses cut by the torrents in descending steep slopes of a mountain. The sides terminated to the bottom in long narrow promon- tories of luminous matter, stretching on to the umbra something like a comb having thick teeth. The ends of these promontories frequently broke off in detached roundish pieces, which floated away towards the centre of the um- bra, and in some cases became dif- fused and disappeared in the course of half an hour or more. These chang- es were very rapid on the morning of the 28th of September. One of these promontories I roughly measured to be fully 1,000 miles long. On the morning of the 30th of September similar changes were taken place with great rapidity, so much so that in two or three hours the shape of the spot had greatly altered the main part of the umbra had extended to about 11,- 000 miles in length, while the penum- bra had shortened to about 24,000 miles.

In small telescopes the umbra of a sun spot appears to be black, but in the powerful telescopes this is found not to be the case. In the present instance the umbra was covered with a thin mottled luminous stratum, ex- cept in one place, where it was appa- rently quite black, a fact that very generally occurs in these spots, and this part is termed the nucleus.

On October 2nd I found that the spot had rotated on its centre about 30 deg since September 28th. This very singu- lar fact has been before observed by the Rev. W. R. Dawes, the well known observer.

In conclusion, I would further draw the attention of your readers to the great magnetic storm which occurred a short time since during the laying down of the Atlantic telegraph cable. During this strom a very remarkable group of spots broke out in the sun's photosphere, and the termination of this storm about coincided with the disappearance of this group from the sun's disc. It is well known that dis- turbances on the sun are intimately connected with the magnetic forces on the earth; on this occasion the group consisted of about 14 spots or umbra, all included in one penumbra: the greatest length of this penumbra was rather more than 50,000 miles. I beg to remain, Sir, yours, obediently.

Evening Mail.

Cash better than Lash.

The assertion that the negro will not work except under the stimulus of the lash is repeated every day by a hun- dred Northern presses; hence the im- portence of facts such as the following: Charles F. Whitelaw emigrated from Massachusetts to Mississippi in 1859, settling near Aberdeen. He believed that hired was better than compulsory labor, but was not an Abolitionist, as is evident from the fact that he bought slaves to work his land. Immediate- ly after the collapse of the Rebellion he called his slaves together, acknow- ledged their freedom and offered to pay the men $15, the women $8,33 per month, and the boys a proportionate sum, if they would stay by him. He also hired other negroes from the neigh- boring plantations. His farm embraced 1,000 acres, of which 700 were cleared. It was late in the season, but he prepar- ed to raise a larger crop than ever; and says a correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, who visited the place, "today (Aug. 12), as the product of the labor of 50 free laborers, he has over 600 acres of cotton, while each negro has his garden of sweet potatoes, corn and other truck around his cabin—-Mr. Whitelaw having assigned each one an acre of ground free from rent." He had been compelled to discharge one- hand, and one only during the sea- son. The rest had labored faithfully and steadily. Few of them were wo- men, the men preferring that their wives should not work in the field, but take care of the house and children.

Mr Whitelaw will probably make for the labor of each man, the present year a sum equal to his value as a slave five years ago.

One would suppose that such an experiment as this, under the very eyes of the former slaveholders, would subdue their prejudice and convince them of the superiority of free la- bor. But Mr Whitelaw says thay are incorrigible, and that the only hope of Southern regeneration is in the enter- prise and capital of Northern men. The old slave-masters would rather starve as idle "gentlemen" than thrive as bursy workmen.—-N. Y. Indepen- dent.

MR. EDITOR.

I was glad to notice in your last issue, that His Excellency the Prime Minister had determined to build at Anghin, a "SANITARIUM" for the use of invalid European, and American residents in Siam. His Excellency is certainly under no obligations to the foreign community, and it is to be hoped that any such free will offering will be duly appreciated by them. There is one thing however which I desire to bring to the notice of the gov- ernment officials. It is a well known fact that when persons desire to take a tour through the country, and ask letters from the Foreign department to that effect, the letters of different persons, have quite a different effect in obtaining for them the things which they need. Some who start out find governors of provinces and others ready to serve them at every step they advance, whilst others, can scarcely obtain the necessaries of life. For ins- tance, some time since two gentlemen were desirous of visiting a distant tribu- tory kingdom; but knowing the impos- sibility of doing so without peremptory orders from the authorities here, thy ac- cordingly obtained from the Foreign de- partment what they supposed to be such orders, and they started out upon there journey. After about three weeks of hard rowing they arrived at a certain stopping place, and they presented there letter to the governor.

After reading the letter, he says "you are at perfect liberty to pass on your journey. But how were they to go? They asked him for elephants, but he had none. They could not even buy a food, [..] of rice. They were completely at their wit's end, and apparently at the end of their journey. They however, became desperate and told the governor that they would go, and if he did not grant them the privileges of transport, or otherwise, they would start and walk to their place of destination; an undertaking which would have been extremely hazardous. At length, however, a arrangements, or other- wise, upon his own responsibility put them through to the end of their journey. Others have started on similar journeys, and when they arrived at a certain stage, they were obliged to come back. True the nature of the presents given on the way has much to do with the treatment received. A box of gin has a marvellous effect, even upon governors, in this coun- try; but the insertion of one little word by the authorities here, would have a much greater effect. Some short time since a company were desirous of stopping some time at Anghin, and as there were ladies in the company, they asked permission to occupy a house there, which foreigners had been in the habit of occupying. When they presented their letter to the chief in authority, he said the house was occupied by Chinese workmen, and he had no orders to put them out. He said there was a large open sala there, which they could occupy. This looked rather more inviting than a house which had been so lately occupied by filthy China- men, so the visitors agreed to occupy it, if he would give them something to en- close it in, and make it comfortable, which he agreed to do. The next morning he sent down five small squares of matting, to enclose a large sala; and asked on which side they would have it. They replied that it was not half enough, and that European ladies could not occupy it unless it was wholly enclosed. His reply was, that it was all he could give. They therefore were obliged to return home. Now I would like to bring before the officials the necessity of treating all Eu- ropeans and Americans, whose character at all warrants it, alike in this matter.

They demand it and will have it. The authorities must learn not to make "fish of one and flesh of another." Some ar- rangement should also be made either here, or at the place by which a reasonable or even liberal price could be paid for these things.

A TRANSLATION
FROM A ROYAL DOCUMENT RECENTLY
ISSUED,

Princes and Princesses accounted as suitable subjects for receiving the high honors of the extraordinary Tonsure cer- emonies, are briefly–the younger brother or brothers of the king by the same mother, named Somdeteli [?] Pra Chöw nawng ya t’ö chöw-fa. Also the celestial sons or daughters of the king called Somdeteli [?] Pra Chöw löök t’ö Chöw fa-–also the nephews and nieces of the king who are born of parents both of whom are princes of high rank.

But it is necessary to be more explicit. When a new dynasty is established, the elder and younger brothers and sisters of the new king are denominated respect- ively P’ra Chöw P’eè-ya, P’ra Chöw Nawng ya, P’ra Chöw P’eè-nang, and P’ra Chöw nawng nang. These several princes and princesses who are full brothers and sis- ters of the king become respectively Somdeteli [?] P’ra Chöw Nawng-yat’ö, Somdeteli [?] P’ra Chöw P’eè nang t’ö and Somdeteli [?] P’ra Chöw nang t’ö. But the brothers and sisters of the king by a different mother can be promoted to such rank by the special favor of the king. The children of the king which he had by his queen or by his chief wife before he came to the throne are all de- nominated Somdeteli [?] P’ra Chöw löök t’ö Chöw fa both male and female. The chil- dren of the king by a Chawm manda–-or a wife who was not a princess are not Chöwfa–or celestial princes–-but only P’ra-Ong-Chöws. But if the mother be a distant blood relative of the king, or be a child of a king of a small neighbor- ing nation, or be a child of a nobleman or ruler who had obtained extraordinary favor from the king, such children can be made or constituted Chöwfas, or cel- estial princes, if the king be pleased to have them thus promoted. The persons titled P’ra Chöw liàn t’ö are the sons and daughters of the second king. If their mother be promoted to a Chöwfa, they also take the same title.

The full younger sister of the king de- nominated Somdeteli P’ra Chöw nawng nang t’ö Chöwfa ying, and the celestial daughter of the king called Somdeteli [?] P’ra Chöw löök t’ö Chöwfa ying, when either of them becomes the wife of the great king, or of the 2nd king, or of a prince who has been appointed to a sta- tion of trust, or of a prince without any such tie who is a Chöwfa or only P’ra Ong Chöw, the son or daughter of a woman bearing such relations becomes a Chöwfa following the mother; but the rank of honor is only equal to that of P’ra Ong Chöw who is the P’ra ong Chöw liàn t’ö as the Somdeteli P’ra Chöw liàn t’ö, with a rank equal to the P’ra ong Chöw who is the P’ra Chöw löök t’ö or son of the king.

From ancient times to the present, the sons and daughters of the supreme king as well as of the second king born of mothers that were Chöwfas or that were P’ra Ong Chöws, all become Chöwfas or celestial princes. But if the mother be only a Màwm Chöw, or the daughter of a great nobleman, or of a king of some neighboring nation, the children of such parentage become only P’ra Chöw löök t’ö, or P’ra Ong Chöw löök t’ö, or P’ra Ong Chöw, until the supreme king shall be pleased to promote them to the grade of Chöwfa, which may be done.

The children of the 3rd king both sons and daughters born of the wife having the honors of a princess, become only P’ra Ong Chöws, until the mother be promoted to the grade of Chöwfa, when they too become Chöwfas following their mother. The sons and daughters of the 3rd king by a P’ra Sanööm or inferior wife take the rank only of Màwm Chöws, the same as the sons and daughters of a Prince P’ra Ong Chöws who have been appointed to places of trust or have not. All the Màwm Chöws who have govern- ment charge outside or inside the royal palace may be promoted to the rank of P’ra Ong Chöw according to merit.

These grades of rank are according to ancient customs that have been trans- mitted down to the present those from many dynasties before the building of the old city Ayuthia.

At the beginning of the Tonburee dynas- ty when Bangkok first became the Capital of the kingdom, before the commence- ment of the present dynasty, there were three princes denominated P’ra Chöw löök t’ö Chöwfa. One of them was born of a superior wife a daughter of a no- bleman, before the royal father came to

Bangkok Recorder.

We feel quite certain that we are, in the providence of God, now called upon to buckle on our armor to com- bat with a very extraordinary man, the most learned man among all the Siamese—-the very Goliath of Budd- hism—-he held by the New school Budd- hists. We feel that in ourselves we have no might against such a man, standing as he does full two cubits higher than any of the rulers, or prin- ces, or former kings of Siam, with a helmet not of brass only, but of the best steel, and armed with a coat of mail of the same metal, and wonder- fully well wrought and apparently in- vulnerable. And his legs are encased in greaves, which it would seem not even the swords, or spears, or bullets of French arms with all the magical power of a Nor Pun could hope to penetrate. But Oh his spear looks frightful! And his voice as he stands and defies the armies of Israel seems terrible! But there is a power infinitely higher than he, and in his name we will approach our antagonist with simply our steel pen and the truth of the Most High God calmly flowing from its slender nibs, hoping that He will make that truth mighty in combat with Buddhism's most mighty champion.

Our antagonist in reply to our praise of the Bible as being the best Book —imparting more light than any other book in the world (which views we first issued in the Siamese “Recorder” and afterwards in the English “Re- corder”) appears to be greatly sur- prised, and even ventures to ridicule our high appreciation of it. He affects to believe that the Bible is in no sense a book to enlighten the world, because it does not teach the science of astronomy, nor shipbuild- ing nor the power and uses of steam as applied to navigation, nor the science of calculating the latitude and longi- tude of places, etc.

We will frankly acknowledge, at the onset, that the Bible makes no attempt to teach these or any other of the natural sciences. While it often al- ludes to them, and always in harmony with all the new discoveries that have been made in them, it never stops to describe or define them. It had a far more important light to impart to the world, and that was a spiritual light. The Bible, as we and all its friends hold, was given to mankind to teach them the knowledge and worship of the true God, which they had lost in the fall, and to show them how they may be saved from sin and all its eternal consequences. Now all the friends of the Bible hold that the loss of the knowledge of the true God produces the most horrible darkness that man- kind can suffer, and that a Book which dissipates that darkness is the best of all books. They also hold that the know- ledge and worship of the true God is eminently conducive to strength of mind and a happy and prosperous life, because those who endeavor to please the living and Almighty God, will ob- tain his peculiar blessing in body, soul, and spirit, for he delighteth “to give good things to them that ask him” for them. And these good things comprise, together with spiritual bles- sings, all the ordinary blessings of life among which are a rapid increase in knowledge of the arts and sciences. Hence those nations which are the most thorough believers in the God of the Bible, and receive that Book as his own luminous legacy to a benight- ed world, enjoy not only infinitely more spiritual light and knowledge than hea- then nations, but are also far before them in all the arts and sciences. While they do not learn astronomy, or geography, or navigation, or steam-boat building from the Bible, it gives them intimate acquaintance with One who knows the whole of these arts and sciences, and of all others—nay is him- self the sole author of them, and has infinite stores of knowledge yet un- revealed from which to supply all the real wants of the race as they shall occur during all the eternal future. Having such an Almighty and all-wise father, whom they love and honor, it should be expected that He would confer upon them much more know- ledge and prosperity than He does on those of his children who forsake and forget him. And such we find he does. Where can be found a more notorious fact, than that the nations that worship the God whom the Bible reveals are the most enlightened and prosperous of all other nations? Now all the heathen nations that will not acknowledge Jehovah as their divine father, are still his children, and his heart is still towards them, and it is He who gives them all the good things they enjoy. But He judges that it will neither be good nor wise to favor them as he does those who love and serve Him; and hence the difference we al- ways find between the two classes. For such reasons we affirm that the Bible is the great light of the world, the Book of all Books.

Again.—The Maker of mankind for good reasons may have chosen to bring man into the world with but little knowledge of the modern scien- ces, yet giving him faculties of mind to improve by his own diligent study, and thus grow in knowledge continu- ally and forever. He might have made the first man an angel of light, endow- ed with all the knowledge of Gabriel; for He himself made all the angelic hosts, and surely he could have made mankind as lofty in intellect and power as they. If our Buddhist champion has good reason for ridiculing the Bi- ble because Jehovah gave man at the beginning so little knowledge as he thinks he did, when He had an infinite amount of it locked up in His own bosom, there would still have been substantially the same reasons for do- ing it, had God created man with knowledge equal to all that the human race have since acquired or even angels now possess, for there would yet have been infinite stores in His own mind that He had not communicated. In- deed we do not see where such a man could ever stop ridiculing the God of the Bible until all the in- finite depths and highs of the know- ledge and wisdom of Jehovah had been imparted to man. Hence it must be admitted by all reasonable men, that our antagonist is most unreasonable in attacking the Bible as he does.

The Bible teaches that Jehovah is the sole and only maker and proprie- tor of all worlds, and that it seemed good to him to make many grades and ranks of intelligent creatures, and to endow them with various degrees of knowledge and power, giving them facilities for attaining to still further degrees of wisdom from His own inexhaustible fullness ad infinitum. And the reasonableness of this divine plan, it seems to us must commend it- self to every reasonable mind. God holds himself as being the Father of all mankind, and he speaks to man in the Bible as a human father speaks to his little children in simple language and not in strict scientific terms. The King of Siam, with all his praise- worthy knowledge of the arts and sciences, doubtless converses with his own children in simple language. When he speaks to them of the sun's ris- ing and setting he uses popular terms which suit the appearances of those phenomena. He does not talk to them as a philosopher might, and say the earth hath rolled us round to see the sun again; or more accurately, the earth hath performed another diurnal revolution on its axis so that the sun appears to set. Suppose we should ridicule the king because he always talks to his children and to every body else as though he were ignorant of the first lessons of astronomy! Why, he and all others would account us most unreasonable. In what sense is our Buddhist advocate less so in ridiculing the Bible, Jehovah's simple and lov- ing mode of talking to his little chil- dren on the great concerns of their souls, but occasionally alluding to mat- ters that pertain to astronomy, geogra- phy, navigation and other sciences in popular language, which even the most learned among men love to use?

Again—The King of Siam knows very much that he does not yet at- tempt to communicate to his children, because they are not yet prepared to receive it. He sees that they must be trained a long time, and their minds expanded gradually many years, as his own has been, ere they can come to know all that he does. But enjoying, as they do, extraordinary light from christian lands, he ought not to think that it will require 60 years' for them to attain to all his own knowl- edge. It would be reasonable for him to expect that, should they attain to his age, that they would stand as much higher than he now does in general knowledge, as he does above all his royal predecessors.

The King also sees that his little children do not in their childhood need the hundredths part of the knowl- edge which he now has, that their slender bodies could not endure the indwelling of such a capacious mind, and that their relations to him and to their own country do not at all call for such precocity of intellect. In like manner Jehovah, the Almighty Father of mankind, sees that man is not pre- pared to receive at once the vast stores of knowledge that are laid up in his bosom for him, and that it is far bet- ter to impart those treasures unto him very gradually, as circumstances in the condition of the race shall call for them, and their own relations to the world make it necessary that they should possess them. Hence Jehovah has from the first dispensed to man- kind of the treasures of his wisdom very gradually, but always as fast as He saw the real wants of the race de- manded. We would love to illustrate this grand idea by many striking facts that have occurred in the progress of the race, but we have now neither time nor space.

Again—-Our Buddhist Champion seems to think it quite ridiculous that Jehovah should have made light to appear before the sun. It seems strange that he does not consider that a simi- lar phenomenon occurs daily before the sun rises and after he sets, and in the wet season sometimes several days to- gether, when not a ray of the sun is seen, and still the day-light appears regularly. He would have his readers think it perfect nonsense to believe that every herb and grass and tree was made before the sun. But if Jehovah is al- mighty, had he not power to make day-light without the aid of the sun? And had he not power on the fourth day to constitute the sun and moon the sole rulers, under him, of the day and the night? But the truth is, neither the original Hebrew nor the common English translation from the Hebrew of the 1st Chapter of Genesis make it necessary to understand, that Jehovah did not create the sun and moon and stars until the fourth day of creation. In the 10th verse of that Chapt. we read that God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven", that is, let them appear there, be seen daily fulfilling the offices for which he had constituted them. In all probability they were made before, but from some cause had not till then sent their rays through the remaining dark- ness there was in the heavens. In the 10th verse it is said that "God made two great lights" &c. Now Hebrew scholars know well that the original word translated *made* would be as cor- rectly rendered *had made*, which would seem better to suit the context, and remove apparent difficulties. Now we understand the Bible to give us in the first Chapt. of Genesis an account only of the creation, out of a chaotic globe, of the firmament or atmosphere, the dry land, the vegetable and animal king- doms, and finally man. In the 2nd verse we are distinctly told that there was at the time when Moses began his history a chaotic Earth, being the ruins probably of the same planet at a period innumerable ages before that time. The first act of the Almighty Spirit of Jehovah was to make day- light to appear or light visible. We may reasonably suppose that the chaotic waters were then in such a state of expansion as to absolutely fill all and perhaps much more than all the space now occupied by the atmosphere, and with such density as utterly to preclude every appearance of light. But that first almighty act so con- densed the vapors that some light could be seen, somewhat as the sun now gives light in a very dark and cloudy day. As yet, however, there was no division of the waters into that body within the clouds and that immediately enveloping the more solid parts of the globe. This was done on the 2nd day by the creation of the firmament, or in Bible language the heavens. The waters were then divided distinctly into water in a condensed form as we now find it, and into aqueous vapor forming clouds. At the end of the 2nd day water still covered the whole globe. But on the 3rd day, Jehovah made the dry land to appear. In all probability there was a globe of earthly matter before. But on that day God consolidated that earthy mat- ter much as we now find it. The manner of his doing it, Moses does not attempt to describe. But there are strong intimations given in other parts of the Bible, that He did it by producing tremendous convulsions (Psalms 104: 6—9) so that vast mountains and val- lies were produced from the abyss of waters. Consequently the water would settle away into the immense vallies leaving the higher parts of the globe to become dry.

On the same 3d day, or period of the creation, before any ray of the sun had broken through the dense clouds above, God caused the earth to bring forth every kind of grass and herb and tree. Why should we for a moment question his ability to do this without the aid of the direct rays of the sun since he could and did perform other creative works only the day before equally magnificent! How preposterous for man—-puny, ignorant man-—to ridicule the idea!

On the 4th day God caused the sun and moon and stars to appear. As we understand it, he brought the rays of those luminaries down through the deep clouds that had till then filled the heavens, in some sense as he brought the dry land up out of the abyss of waters. As there was probably a so- lid part of our globe that did not ap- pear till the 3d day, so there was, in all probability, a sun and moon and stars long before thy were disclosed on the 4th day; yet these were the works of Jehovah, performed in the depths of the Eternity past, which idea, we conceive, imparts the greater majesty to Him as creator. And the idea (which the Bible favors and never denies) is a most sublime one, to wit, that this planet was made by Jehovah innumer- able ages before the Bible history of it commences, and that in those previous stages of its existence, its maker had His thoughts upon the human race which He had then purposed to create to inhabit it, and even then made vast provisions of coal and oil and other things which man would at this pre- sent period need, and which He is now opening up to him in all parts of the world.

With regard to the slur which our Buddhist champion would cast on the Bible on account of the supposed lit- tle knowledge which Jehovah gave Noah of ship building, we need add but few words. The record which Moses gave of the time and circum- stances, shows clearly to our mind, that God gave him all the knowledge he then needed of the art. It seems to us far better that he should try to save himself and family and animals of all kinds from destruction by the flood, by means of an ark with- out masts and hence without sails or rudder, than to have done it in such a ship as the “Great Eastern” with the aid of every improvement which modern wisdom has devised. Had he had a ship like the latter, and all the knowledge of navigation which the best modern navigators now have, how is it likely that he would have suc- ceeded better than he did, having only the power and mercy of His Almighty Father to guide him, with the feeling impressed upon him continually that none but his Almighty maker could pre- serve him and his family from a de- luged world? It is absolutely certain, that God preserved and guided the Ark in the very best way, and that it was far better for Noah and his family to lodge on a high mountain in the re- gion of his old home, than to have drifted far away from it, and finally lodged in some valley. By getting aground on the mountain, he had the advantages of dry land about 200 days sooner than he would have had, had he escaped entirely every mountain and first struck on some vast plain.

Supposing Noah had had a steamer like the Great Eastern, where would he have stowed his wood or his coal for steaming 150 days, together with all the animals he was required to pre- serve with him on board! How could it have been as well for him to sail hither and thither to see whether the waters were dried up from the face of the earth, as it was to send out a dove for this object, guided only by Jehovah and which would be sure to bring him correct reports, and with the least pos- sible amount of care or anxiety on his part about it!

But we have already occupied quite too much space in so small a paper as ours, and must desist for the present. Having, as we think, ‘demolished our champion’s most powerful batteries against the Bible, we fancy we shall have easy work to make, in some future issue, a finish of all others that have come to our knowledge.

Local Items.

The Siamese government has just received from the Establishment of George Forrester in Liverpool another dredging machine by the "May Queen."

A Boat is now being made for it and is under rapid progress. We were in- correct in stating in our issue on the 13th that the government had then two dredging Boats in readiness. This one which we now report, being so near an accomplished fact, we caught up too hastily as being such. There is certainly one Boat now complete, and she is performing the duties as- signed to her to the great admiration of the government as well as the people. Phya Sooriwong Wiyawat the only son of H. E. Phya Kalahom has the honor, as we understand, of intro- ducing this great improvement into Siam. Having witnessed the opera- tion of such Boats in Egypt and oth- er places while an attache of the Siam- ese Embassy to Paris in 1850, the thought struck him that such Boats would be of great service in his own country; and from that time he deter- mined that he would exert his influence to introduce them. He has thoroughly accomplished the grand object; and from this time onward we doubt not that such Boats will increase in number and power until the vast prairies of Siam shall become checkered with good canals, and the country by them vastly improved. We are credibly in- formed that the dredging Boat will throw up on shore 10000 cubic feet of earth in 24 hours.

Phya Sooriwong Wiyawat has also the honor of having had the chief charge under his father of introducing River steam Boats into Siam in 1858. He is one of the most enterprising men that Siam has ever produced, a complete counterpart of his illustri- ous father.

His Excellency Phya Kalahom left the city in his steamer "Volant" on the 18th inst for a pleasure trip to Petcha- buree and is expected to return on Sunday the 28th.

There are now 84 square rigged ves- sels moored in the river within the city, forming an almost unbroken line of merchant-men from the upper Fort to the American Rice mill below, a distance of four miles. They make a fine appearance. Many of them are trim waiting to be freighted with the great staple of the country, as Siam is becoming the great granary of South Eastern Asia. We are glad to learn, that the grain of the new Rice crop is coming into market more and more freely, and that there is every reason to entertain the hope that in a few days it will be abundant. As yet, how- ever, the price of the grain shows but little tendency to decline. We are suspicious that holders of it are keep- ing it back, hoping that they can do better with it a month or two hence than now. We feel quite assured that those, who may be playing this game, will in the end find themselves great loosers by it; for all the probabilities seem to be, that the market in China will soon be well stocked with rice from all quarters.

We are authorized to say, that the government dredging Boat will pres- ently be employed in deepening the old canal around the city, and that when that work is completed it will be em- ployed on the canal now being excava- ted from T'acheen River to Bangkok. About two thirds of the manual dig- ging in preparation of the dredging Boat, it is said, has been accomplished, and that the other third is steadily go- ing forward. We may hence reason- ably hope that we shall soon have 17 miles more of a beautiful canal exten- ding to the charming country and great sugar district on the T'acheen river. And on one of its banks, let it be re- membered, government is going to give us a fine carriage road, when we, who live on the West side of the great River- Broadway of Bangkok shall enjoy equal privileges of pony riding and driving with our fellow citizens on the East side.

We hear that some of the servants of Europeans and Americans are suffer- ing from anxiety in regard to the cus- tom of shaving the head as a token of respect for His Majesty the late 2nd king that some, having shaved, are now threatened with flogging for having done so. We suspect that some petty officers of government are trying to extort money from the poor and uninformed by this opportunity. Those high in power should make it plain to all, who should to go into mourning by shaving and who should not.

Mr. Thomson the Photographer who was to have left for Ongoor on the 28d is still here and will not leave till next Saturday. He finds that it will be impracticable to go by way of Chan- taboon and will therefore take the overland route

We are sorry to record that two men fell overboard yesterday from a ship in port and were drowned

We hear that a grand Ball is to be given on Friday next by P. Pickon- pack Esqr. to the Ladies and gentlemen of Bangkok.

We beg in this place to correct another mistake into which we inadver- tently fell in our last issue, in saying that the body of His Majesty the late 2nd king of Siam had been put into a Copper urn. We have been in- formed from the highest authority that the interior urn is of solid silver and the outer one of wood covered with solid gold. Our informant adds that the copper urn is in very common use for the bodies of princes who are not kings. None but kings are ever honored at death with such an urn.

The French Barque Juthia was sold on the 18th inst. to Chawaoga Pook for the sum of $8800.

DEATH.

On the 6th inst. after an illness of 88 hours, Charlotte Elizabeth Alexand- rina Dawson, infant daughter of Capt John and Georgia Crook.

"O! such is the kingdom of heaven."

On Wednesday morning 24th inst, of Chronic dirrhoes, on board of the "Anna Lilly," Gustaf Gusman, a Ger- man Seaman.

Continued from 1st page.

the throne. One of them was by a wife who was a daughter of P'rabit Somdetch P'ra p'oo't'i ya'wt-fa-Chulaloke whom the then reigning king favored by giving him absolute power as a king in the war which then was. Concerning those three Chowfas, one of them died when quite young, and one of them died when the then existing dynasty had passed a- way. But the 3d ultimately became Somdetch P'ra Chow lin t'o Chowfa in the reign of P'rabit Somdetch P'ra p'oo't'i ya'wt-fa Choolaloke. When the now dy- nasty was established, there were two princesses denominated Somdetch P'ra Chow P'à-nang t'o who were Chowfa. The elder of them had three sons and one daughter but their royal father had d'ied l'ong before. The younger celestial later had three sons and two daughters whose royal father had also died long before. All these nine princes and princesses the king was pleased. to promote to the rank of Somdetch P'ra Chow lín t'ò Chowfa. Afterward, the king promoted the son of Somdetch P'ra Chow P'è-nang-t'ô the elder to the office of 2d king at the same time when Somdetch P'ra Chow-nawng-ya-t'ô was second king.

The supreme king at that time had two sons and two daughters by a chief wife whom he had before he came to the throne whom he promoted to the rank of Chòwfia. But the second king had a daughter whose mother was the daughter of the Rajah of Cheang Mòi whom the king also honored with the title of Somdetc'h P'rà-Chòw-lín-t'ô Chôwfia. All the celest'al princes and princesses in the beginning of the reign of P'rábat Somdetch P'rá P'óot'i -Yáwt-fa Choolaláwk were the follow- ing vis—Somdetc'h P'rá Chòw P'ê- nang—2 persons—but if we include the P'rá-chòw-nawng-ya-t'ô the se- cond king there were 3 persons who were of the high'est grade. There were four sons of the king titled Somdetc'h P'rí-chòw-lóok-t'ô-Chòw-fa, who were of the second grade, and there were eleven royal nephews inclusive of the children of the third king titled Som- detc'h P'rí-chòw-lín-t'ô-chòw-fa, who were of the third grade. There were altogether of the three grades eighteen princes and princesses inclusive of Chòw-fa-lín-t'ô, the son of the king of the T'onburee dynasty. And there was also an aged princess, a Chòw-fa who was the daughter of a king in the preceding reign while Ayuthia was the capital. She was still in full honor as a Chòw-fa. Hence there were then altogether nineteen Chòw-fas.

Among these there were at the be- ginning of the present dynasty seven Chòw-fas who had not yet received the rite of Sók'an. These were as fol- lows—three Somdetc'h P'rí-Chòw- lóok-t'ô-Chòw-fas (not including the elder) two Somdetc'h P'rá-Chòw- lín-t'ô-Chòw-fas in the family of Somdetc'h P'rá-Chòw P'ê-nang-t'ô the younger princes; one Somdetoh P'ri-lán-t'û-Chôw-fa in the family of the second king; and one Somdeteb P'râ-Chôw-lán-t'û, who was the son of the Ton-burce dynasty. In the childhood of the seven Chôw-fa liv- ing at the beginning of the present dynasty, there was no opportunity for them to receive the full ceremonies of the Sokan to which celestial princes and princesses are entitled. Two of them attained to a suitable age for receiving the honor in the first year of the present dynasty—the year of the tyger the 4th year of the decade, Sia- mese civil era 1144, corresponding to the christian era 1782. Two others attained to a proper age in the year of the 'small dragon,-—the 7th of the decade—-Siamese civil era 1147—- christian era 1784.-—Two others reach- ed the time of Sokan in the year of the Cock—-the 1st of the decade, civil era 1151—christian era 1789. The Somdetoh P'ri-Chôw-lan-t'û-Chôw- fa who was the son of the king of the Tonburee dynasty attained to the age of Sokan in the year of the hog—the 3rd of the decade—civil era 1153—- christian era 1791. In the course of those ten years the government was greatly occupied with wars and conse- quently no time could be spared for the purpose of the Sokan festivals. The ceremonies were made as short as pos- sible, having barely enough for the name of it.

But there was one-aged princess the daughter of one of the kings who reigned in the old city Ayuthia. Her name was Chôw-fa P'in-t'âwadee. She had herself been honored in childhood with the complete ceremonies of the Sokan suitable for a Chôw-fa, and she had witnessed the same festivals in honor of her elder and younger bro- thers. And hence she remembered all the forms of the ceremony, and was the person to hand that custom and many others down from the ancient times to the present dynasty. When she saw that not one of those seven Chôw-fas (above named) had received the full ceremonies of the Sokan, and that all suitable subjects of the rite had passed away, she worried herself about it greatly, and said that the cus- tom of the Sokan was about to be- come extinct. She was then quite aged and thought that when she should die there would be no one to trace out the custom onward to a time when there should be suitable subjects for receiv- ing it, and said to herself who can then give a correct discription of it. She therefore set herself about giving a full discription in writing of the ceremonies of the Sokan, and then explained it to many government men stationed outside and inside of the royal palace, and had them become well versed in all minutim of the cus- tom, that she might by such means prevent it from becoming extinct.

The great anxiety and care with which Princess Chôw-fa P'in-t'âwadee was exercised received the approbation of 2nd king of the reign of P'râbât Sômdetch P'râ Pôôt'i-yâwt-fâ Choo- lalokol and hence he made an artificial mountain called Kris-lât with a tem- ple on its summit, and made a pool with the four animals sprinkling wat- er into it after the fashion which Chôw- fa P'in-t'âwadee had described. When he had finished the mountain he re- ported the matter to the Supreme king, and begged that the king would be pleased to confer the ceremony of the Sôkan on a son and daughter of the king's, who were born of a mother not a princess, and thus promote them to Chôwfas as though their mother had been of the suitable rank for it, and thus though it be a violation of custom, it could be excused on the ground of a stern necessity to preserve the festival from extinction, while Chôwfa P'in- t'âwadee should still be alive to see that it was all performed in due order according to ancient usage, and would, moreover, have the personal observa- tion of many witnesses, who would thus aid to transmit it down to future generations. The Supreme king granted the request of the 2nd king while he himself could not approve of the viola- tion of the ancient custom above men- tioned.

The 2nd king, having obtained the permission had, the Sôkan festival held within his own palace on three differ- ent occasions—-Once in the year of the rabbit—-the 7th of the decade, civil era 1157—-Christian era 1795—-Once in the year of the horse, the 10th of the decade, civil era 1160—-Christian era 1798, and once in the year of the cock, 3d of the decade—-civil era 1163—- Christian era 1801.

Papal States.—-The new Minister of War has issued strict orders for the suppression of britpandism. The Cen- tral Committee (Liberal) have publish- ed instructions as to the course to be pursued after the departure of the French troops. Travelers coming from districts infected with cholera are prohibited from entering the Papal territory.

Kingdom of Italy.—-The King is at Naples, where he has visited cholera hospitals. A Cabinet circular cautions the authorities as to their conduct now that the French troops are with- drawing from the Papal States. The King of Portugal is at Milan.

The Fenian Object.

The object of the Fenian plot was distinctly defined by two witnesses. It was to subvert the dominion of the QUEEN in Ireland, and establish a re- public. The Fenian oath, also as ad- ministered to members on admission, as repeated by one of these witnesses as follows:—-In the presence of Al- mighty God I do solemnly swear al- legiance to the Irish, now virtually established and to take up arms when called on in defence of its integri- ty. I also swear implicit obedience to my superior officers; and I take this oath in the spirit of a soldier of liberty, so help me God.

When we look to the testimony ac- tually offered as to the means at the conspirators disposal, and the resour- ces on which they relied for the dis- memberment of the British Empire and the subjugation of all other classes of Irishmen to their own, we are cer- tainly astonished at the madness of the devise, but we must admit that Gov- ernment was fully justified in inter- fering as it did. Absurd as was the scheme in its ultimate purpose, it pos- sessed reality enough to work infinite mischief in the country by destroying confidence and banishing tranquility.

The Fenian Conspiracy, and we may remark in passing that the Irish Gov- ernment, appears to have been on the alert for some time past, and to have postponed its action only to a fitting season. A police-officer deposed that he received instructions to watch the movements of the persons connected with the Irish People more than twelve months ago, and the drillings of the Fenians were tracked and calculated from week to week. There was no lack of vigilance; therefore, on the part of the Government, and its circum- spection has now been rewarded with complete success. The whole Feni- an Executive, with a single exception, is in custody, and the charges against the prisoners have been so well substan- tiated by evidence that their committal for trial followed as a matter of course, without objection or protest.—-Evening Mail.

Courting Two Hundred Years
Ago.

—-Among the amusing reminiscences of those days in the famous courtship of the Rev. Stephen Mix, of Wethers- field. He made a journey to North- ampton in 1696, in search of a wife. He arrived at the Rev. Solomon Stodd- ard, informed him of the object of his visit, and that the presure of home du- ties required the utmost dispatch. Mr. Stoddard took him in the room where his daughters were and introduced him to Mary, Esther, Christiana, Sarah, Re- bekah, and Hannah, and then retired. Mr. Mix, addressing Mary, the eldest daughter, said he had lately been set- tled at Wethersfield, and was desirous of obtaining a wife, and concluded by offering his heart and hand. She blush- ingly replied that so important a pro- position required time for considera- tion. He replied that he was pleased that she asked for suitable time for re- flection, and, in order to afford her the needed opportunity to think of his pro- posal, he would step into the next room and smoke a pipe with her father, and she could report to him. Having smok- ed his pipe and sent a message to Miss Mary that he was ready for her answer, she came in and asked for further time for consideration. He replied that she could reflect still longer on the subject, and send her answer by letter to Weth- ersfield. In a few weeks he received her reply, which is probably the most laconic epistle ever penned. Here is the model letter, which was soon fol- lowed by a wedding:

The matrimonial mixture took place on the 1st December, 1696, and proved to be compounded of the most conge- nial elements. Mix was pastor of that paradise of onions for forty-four years.-—N.Y. Independent.

Success of the Missionary
Cause

Well meaning persons often express doubts as to the success of missionary enterprise. The following summary, from the Morning Star, should send con- viction to their minds. It is the work of but a little more than half a centu- ry.

At the beginning of the present cen- tury, there were no missionary socie-

ties in the United States, and now there are 100.

Then there were no missionaries a- mong the heathen, now there are 3,000 and 7,000 native assistants. Then there were no churches on the heathen soil; now there are four thousand Chris- tian churches where heathenism once prevailed.

There were then no heathen con- verts; now there are 380,000 church members of converted heathen, and as many nominal Christians.

There were then no Christian schools; now there are 3,000 with 550, 000 children under the Christian in- struction.

Then the Bible did not exist in a single heathen language; now it is translated into 120 of the most impor- tant heathen tongues.—-American Mis- sionary.