70 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



&amp;lt;nrr,e to human nature. Its most striking fea 

 tures are those immense deserts, near its north 

 ern parts, which comprise nearly one-third of its 

 urface. The deserts of Zaara are 1500 miles 

 ong, and 800 broad. 



America is divided into North and South. It 

 -cmained unknown to the inhabitants of the east 

 ern hemisphere till the year 1492, when it was 

 discovered by Columbus, who first landed on 

 Guanahani, or Cat island, one of the Bahama 

 isles. North America comprehends the follow 

 ing countries : The United States, New and Old 

 Mexico, Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Sco 

 tia, New Brunswick, and Labrador. South 

 America comprehends the immense districts 

 called Terra Firma, Peru, Guiana, Amazonia, 

 Paraguay, Brazil, Chili, and Patagonia. Be 

 tween N. and S. America lie the islands of 

 Cuba, St. Domingo, Jamaica, and Porto Rico, 

 known by the name of the West Indies. Be 

 sides these, there are connected with America, 

 the Bahama and Carribbee islands, Newfound 

 land, Cape Breton, Tobago, Trinidad, Terra 

 del Fuego, &c. America is distinguished by its 

 numerous and extensive lakes, which resemble 

 large inland seas. Its rivers, also, form one of 

 its grand and distinguishing features, being the 

 largest on the globe. It is likewise diversified 

 with lofty and extensive ranges of mountains. 

 When first discovered it was almost wholly cover 

 ed with immense forests, and thinly peopled with 

 a number of savage tribes. Its mingled popula 

 tion of Aborigines and Europeans is now ma 

 king rapid advances in knowledge, civilization, 

 and commerce. 



In regard to the human inhabitants that occu 

 py the different regions now specified they have 

 oeen divided by some geographers into the six 

 following classes 1. The dwarfish inhabitants 

 of the polar regions ; as the Laplanders, the 

 Greenlanders, and the Esquimaux. 2. The 

 flat-nosed olive-coloured tawny race ; as the Tar 

 tars, the Chinese, and the Japanese. 3. The 

 blacks of Asia with European features. Of this 

 description are the Hindoos, the Burmans, and 

 the inhabitants of the islands in the Indian ocean. 

 4. The woolly-haired negroes of Africa, dis 

 tinguished by their black colour, their flat noses, 

 and their thick lips. 5. The copper-coloured 

 native Americans, distinguished likewise by 

 their black hair, small black eyes, high cheek 

 bones, and flat noses. 6. The sixth variety is 

 the white European nations, as the British, the 

 French, the Italians, and the Germans. 



The number of inhabitants which people the 

 earth at one time may be estimated to amount to 

 at least eight hundred millions ; of which 500 

 millions may be assigned to Asia ; 80 millions 

 to Africa ; 70 millions to America : and 150 

 millions to Europe. With regard to their reli 

 gion, they may be estimated as follows : 



Pagans, 



Mahometans, 



Roman Catholics, 



Protestants, 



Greeks and Arminians, 



Jews, 



490,000,00* 

 130,000,000 

 100,000,000 

 43,000,000 

 30,000,000 

 7,000,000 



800,000,000 



From this estimate it appears, that there are 

 more than four Pagans and Mahometans to one 

 Christian, and only one Protestant to 17 of all the 

 other denominations. Although all the Roman 

 Catholics, Greeks, and Protestants were reckonea 

 true Christians, there still remain more than 

 620 millions of our fellow men ignorant of the 

 true God, and of his will as revealed in the 

 Sacred Scriptures ; which shows what a vast 

 field of exertion still lies open to Christian be 

 nevolence, before the blessings of civilization, 

 mental improvement, rational liberty, and Chris 

 tianity be fully communicated to the Pagan and 

 Mahometan world. 



If we suppose that the earth, at an average, 

 has always been as populous as it is now, and 

 that it contains 800 millions of inhabitants, as 

 above stated, and if we reckon 32 years for a 

 generation, at the end of which period the 

 whole human race is renewed ; it will follow, 

 that 145 thousand millions of human beings 

 have existed on the earth since the present sys 

 tem of our globe commenced, reckoning 5829 

 years from Adam to the present time.* And, 

 consequently, if mankind had never died, there 

 would have been 182 times the present number 

 of the earth s inhabitants now in existence. It 

 follows from this statement, that 25 millions of 

 mankind die every year, 2853 every hour, and 

 47 every minute, and that at least an equal num 

 ber, during these periods, are emerging from 

 non-existence to the stage of life ; so that 

 almost every moment, a rational and immortal 

 being is ushered into the world, and another is 

 transported to the invisible state. Whether, 

 therefore, we contemplate the world of matter, 

 or the world of mind, we perceive incessant 

 changes and revolutions going on, which are 

 gradually carrying forward the earth and its in 

 habitants to some important consummation. 

 If we suppose that, before the close of time, 



* This calculation proceeds on the supposition, 

 that only 4004 years elapsed between the Mosaic 

 creation and the birth of Christ, according to the 

 Hebrew chronology. But Dr. Hales, in his late 

 work on Scripture chronology, has proved, almost 

 to a demonstration, that, from the creation to the 

 birth of Christ are to be reckoned 5411 years; ani 

 this computation nearly agrees with the Samaritan 

 and Septuagint chronology, and with that of Jose- 

 phus. According to this computation, 7235 years 

 arc to be reckoned from the creation to the present 

 time; and, consequently, 220 thousand millions of 

 human beings will have existed since the creation 

 which is more than 22 times the number of inha 

 bitants presently existing. 



