A Letter which Master Hooper did write out of Prison to certain of his Friends.

The grace of God be with you, Amen.

I did write unto you of late, and told you what extremity the Parliament had concluded upon concerning religion, suppressing the truth, and setting forth the untruth. It was an easy thing to hold with Christ while the Prince and world held with him; but now the world hateth him, it is the true trial who he is; wherefore, in the name and in the virtue, strength, and power of his Holy Spirit, prepare yourselves in any case to adversity and constancy. Let us not run away when it is most time to fight. Remember none shall be crowned but such as fight manfully. He that endureth to the end shall be saved. Ye must now turn all your cogitations from the peril you see, and mark the felicity that followeth the peril; either victory in this world of your enemies, or else a surrender of this life to inherit the everlasting kingdom. Beware of beholding too much the felicity or misery of the world, for the consideration and too earnest love or fear of either of them draweth from God. Wherefore think with yourselves, as touching the felicity of the world, it is good, but yet none otherwise than it standeth with the favour of God. It is to be kept, but yet so far forth, as by keeping of it we lose not God. It is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here; but yet so, that we tarry not therewithal in God's displeasure, and hereafter dwell with the devils in fire everlasting. There is nothing under God but

may be kept, so that God being above all

things we have, be not lost.

Of adversity judge the same. Imprisonment is painful, but yet liberty upon evil conditions is more painful. I must be alone and solitary; it is better so to be and have God with me, than to be in company with the wicked. Loss of goods is great; but loss of God's grace and favor is greater. I am a poor simple creature, and cannot tell how to answer before such noble, learned and wise men: it is better to make answer before the pomp and pride of wicked men than to stand naked in the sight of all heaven and earth before the just God at the latter day. I shall die then by the hands of the cruel man; he is blessed that loseth his life full of miseries, and tindeth the life of eternal

joys. It is pain and grief to depart from goods and friends; but yet not so much as to depart from grace and heaven itself. Wherefore there is neither felicity nor adversity of this world, that can appear to be great, if it be weighed with the joys or pains of the world to come.

I can do no more but pray for you; do the same for me for God's sake. For my part (I thank the heavenly Father) I have made mine accounts, and appointed my. self unto the will of the heavenly Father; as he will, so I will by his grace. For God's sake, as soon as ye can, send my poor wife and children some letter from you; and my letter also, which I sent of late to D., as it was told me, she never had letter from me, since the coming of M. S. unto her; the more to blame the messengers; for I have written divers times. The Lord comfort them, and provide for them; for I am able to do nothing in worldly things. She is a godly and wise woman. If my meaning had been accomplished, she should have had necessary things: but what I meant, God can perform, to whom I commend both her and you all. Fare ye well. The 21st of January, 1555. Your's bounden,

JOHN HOOPer.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer.

SIR,

AT a meeting of the Clergy of the Island of Barbados, on Tuesday, 5th day of August, 1823, the following Address was unanimously agreed to:

"The Clergy of Barbados, sensible of the benefits which must result to any society from extending religious feel themselves called upon at this instruction to every member of it, moment to submit to the country at large, some plan for the instruction of the Slave Population in the saving truths of the Christian Religion, and in moral virtue, as their best, and in their civil and social condition. only foundation of any improvement

They look with confidence to the cordial co-operation of every enlightened Master; and the soil which

they have to work upon, is so im. proved by the fostering care and indulgent treatment of the owner to his slaves, that they are sanguine in the hope of reaping the fruits of their labours at no very distant day. Should it be objected to the Clergy of Barbados, that whilst a powerful party in Great Britain, has long been clamouring for the religious instruction of the Slaves, they have hitherto exhibited no interest in the question; they owe it to themselves to declare, in the first place, that although they have not heretofore tendered their services in a Body, they have not failed, individually, to testify their readiness to co-operate with the master in the great work of instruction and reformation. Their Churches have at all times been equally open to the Coloured as to the White population; and they have never felt the smallest repugnance to admit slaves, even to the most solemu rites aud ordinances of the Christian Religion, whenever they have felt satisfied of the corresponding correctness of their lives.

In the second place, where the right of the master over the services of the slave is absolute, it is next to impossible to attempt the work of conversion on the latter, without the aid of the former. The silent operation of time, has at length brought us to that period, when almost every master looks on his slaves with such feelings of kind and intimate relationship, as dispose him to meet any rational plan for their religious and moral instruction.

To such a system, conducted by the Clergy of the Established Church, they have reason to think, from the encouragement which Mr. Harte, Mr. Maynard, and Mr. Hinds have experienced, that little opposition will either be shown or felt. This, then, is the period when they conceive that their services are most likely to be useful; and they seize the earliest opportunity of meeting in a body, to offer themselves to the

country as the responsible agents of imparting such religious and moral instruction to the slave population, as may tend to the glory of God, the general welfare of the Colony, and to the cultivation of mutual good will between master and slave.

Should the views they develope be acceptable to their countrymen, they invite a meeting of all owners, and others interested in property, to form an association with the clergy, and to consider of such measures as will enable them to commence their labours with the least possible delay.

In consultation with such gentlemen, the best and most practicable means may be adopted for instructing the slaves without materially interfering with the necessary labours of estates; and when the slave sees both his pastor and master cordially uniting in an endeavour to improve his mind and condition, it is not too much to hope that the happiest impressions may be made on his character."

Immediately on the publication of this zealous and judicious appeal, which was signed by all the Clergy, an association was formed in the Island, for the dissemination of Christianity on a wider and more united plan, than any hitherto attempted. The principal planters and attorneys entered into a ready co-operation with the pastors of the Established Church; and from their local knowledge, experience of the negro character, and well known worth, we may surely expect a secure foundation of the Christian religion to be established. Sir, highly honourable to the Barbados Clergy, as is this exertion, I maintain that it is impossible for these estimable men to effect much, without neglecting their regular charge, or falling a sacrifice to their zeal. The population of white persons, in Barbados, is about twentythousand, and of free coloured persons about four thousand. Let me ask any conscientious parish

But,

College in Oxford, viz. "one chief thing in which they are examined is, how diligently they have read Calvin's Institutions; and are more strictly held to it how they have profited in that than almost in any kind of learning besides. I do not deny that Calvin's Institutions may profitably be read, and as one of their first books of divinity, when they are well grounded in other learning: but to begin with it too. soon, I am afraid doth not only hinder them from all grounds of judicious learning, but also too much possess their judgments before they are able to judge, and makes many of them humorous in, if not against, the Church. For so many of them have proved in this latter age, since my own memory," &c. This letter is dated Feb. 2, Hist. as before, p. 82. Yours, &c.

1635.

CLER. M.A.

WE are happy in being able to follow up the mention that we made in our last Number, of the Dean of Lichfield's munificent donation towards the enlargement and erection of places of worship in his parish, with the following towards the improvement of National Sohools, at once large and most judiciously conceived. It is from the bounty of a Layman, who has from the first taken a most prominent and active part in fostering and advancing the National System of Education; and is as duly noticed as it deserves, in the Report of a meeting of the Corporation of the National Society lately holden at the Vestry of St. Martin's in the Fields. The Report itself is so short and interesting, that our readers will not be displeased at our inserting

the whole as it lies before us.

"National Society.-On Thursday, the General Committee of the National Society for the Education of the Poor in the principles of the Established Church, held their Meeting at St. Martin's Vestry Room;Present, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the REMEMBRANCER, No. 61.

Bishops of London and Llandaff, Lord Kenyon, Archdeacons Pott and Watson, Dr. Bell, and other members of the Committee. Several fresh schools were united to the Society and several grants of money were made from 201. to 2001. each, towards the erecting, enlarging and fitting up of the from the Northamptonshire Society, of the School-rooms; a communication was made

munificent donation of 5001. three per cent

consols, by Sir James Langham, Bart. the interest of which to be distributed in four prizes of unequal amount, to two such masters and mistresses of Schools (other than the Central School at Northampton), without regard to the size of such Schools or number of children, in which the principles of the Madras System shall be best understood, and most successfully practised."

To this we beg to subjoin the following letter, which contains suggestions that appear to us worthy of attention.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer. SIR,

ALLOW me through the medium of your Publication, to suggest the following remarks relative to the use of the Bible in our National Schools.

I look upon it, that the Bible I may be wrong, but should be made as little as possible

a class Book. I would have the

children prepared for a thorough understanding of its sacred contents in all essentials, by a previous acquaintance with the Church Catechism, the several selections of the Parables, and Miracles, the History of our blessed Saviour, and Ostervald's Abridgment of the Bible-and on their reaching the second class, with the Gospels: but let the reading of the Bible be considered more along been preparing themselves, as as that for which they have all the performance of a general duty,

common to them with their elders; and not as a mere part of the school

routine.

Bible therefore in their hands till I would not place the they are able to read it with perfect ease, and are prepared to understand it, and enter with some heart into its high and holy contents. For this purpose I would suggest that the Bible be exclusively confined to the first class in every

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