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To the Editor of the Christian

mens.

SIR,

Remembrancer.

HAVING, during the last few years, had an opportunity of examining the condition of a very considerable number of the ecclesiastical edifices of England, it has been to me a great satisfaction to find so many of these buildings, even in villages, of great value as architectural speciIt has also been pleasant to observe the increasing attention with regard to repairs and cleanliness; there is, however, one point of much importance, which is so generally left without consideration, (perhaps from its frequent occurrence,) that it appears to me to require some notice:-this is, the great and increasing accumulation of earth above the floor of the church, in many instances, to the height of several feet, and very seldom, (but from the peculiar situation on the side of a hill, or some such cause,) does it occur, that there is a step up into the church; whilst for one of this description, at least ten may be found, descending one, two, or three steps.

Of the certain effect of this accumulation of earth, it is needless to speak, as it must be obvious; but as its operation, though slow, is sure, it deserves considerable attention; particularly from there being a very considerable number of churches, on which this cause continuing to act a few years longer, will render it necessary to rebuild them; whereas, could the earth be removed to a level below that of the floor of the church, they might, even for centuries, remain in good condition.

In modern churches, and in such as have been rebuilt within one hundred, or one hundred and twenty years, care has generally been taken to raise the floor, and in some places, burials near the walls are prevented.

In many populous parishes, with confined cemeteries, (and of this

kind are some of our finest monuments of antiquity,) burials still continue, not only close to the walls, but in vaults and graves within the church; à practice by which many buildings have been very seriously injured.

I believe the Archdeacon, at a visitation, has power to inquire into this subject; but from the extent and frequency of the circumstance, it may be said rather to be overlooked, than neglected.

It is proper to state, that individual churches occur, in which great care is taken, by sinking an open drain below the level of the church floor, to preserve the walls from this source of premature decay. I recollect several churches where it has been done to the depth of three or four feet, and in some cases more. I remain, very respectfully, &c. A TRAVELLER.

To the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer.

SIR,

I BEG leave to suggest the following inquiry:-In the case of an insolvent incumbent deceased-is his successor in the living entitled to precedence in his claims on the estate of the deceased for dilapidations-or is he only on a par with any other claimants? It is of great importance to the clergy to ascertain this point, and I shall therefore be obliged by your proposing the question in your next Number. It may perhaps meet the eye of some clergyman who has had to encounter a difficulty such as that to which I have called your attention, and who may be able therefore to instruct others by his experience.

I am Sir,
Your humble servant,
A NEW INCUMBENT.

August 18, 1824.

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schulen be saved, as crist seith in the gospel; moch more thei schulen be in hige degree of blisse that gaven charitabli the greet almesse of goddis word, declaring it rigtli to cristen puple. Cristen men owen moch to traveil nygt and day aboute textis of holi writ, and nameli the gospel in her modir tunge: sith ihus crist verri god and verri man taugte the gospel with his owne blessid mouth, and kepte it in his liif; and for kepynge, and halowynge, and confermynge thereof, schedynge his precious blood; and gaf it writun by hise gospeleris to his chirch in erthe, that eche man rule his liif there bi: for if he kepe this gospel he schal be saved, and els in no manir. and thoug he could nevir othir lawe made of synful man, he may come sufficientli and esili to hevene. alas! who mai for drede of god let lewid men to knowe and kepe the gospel, and comounli speke thirof in mekenes and charite to distir synnes, and plaunte virtues in cristen soulis. but coveitous clerkis of the worlde replien and seien, that lewid men moun soone erre, aud therefor thei schulen not dispute of cristen feith. alas! alas! what cruelte is this to reve al bodili mete fro arewme for a fewe foolis moun be glotouns; and do harm to hemsilf and to other men bi this mete take mesurabli; as ligtli, mai aproude worldli man prist erre agens the gospel writun in latyn, as a symple lewid man agens the gospel writun in englische. Symple men owen not dispute abowte holi writ, whether it is sooth or profitable to mannes soule: but thei owen stidfastli to beleven that it is verri soth and profitable to alle cristen men; for with outen kunnynge and kepynge thirof, no man may be delyverid fro paynes of helle. thirfor lewid men schulden lerne it of god principali, and by good lyvynge of hemsilf, and bisie traveil, and in axynge trewe clerkis bothe in lyvynge and in kunnynge the verri expocisioun therof wher it is derk. for as seint austin seith, the same truthe is seid opunli in holi writ which truthe is set in derk figuris, profecies, and parablis. what resoun is this if a child faile in his lessoun at the first day, to suffre nevir child to come at letteure for this defaute : who schulde be a clerk by this processe. Eviry cristen man takith the state auctorite and boond of god, ye in his cristindon, to be a disciple of holi writ, and a real techer thirof uppeyne of dampnacioun in all his liif and upwynynge of the blisse of hevene. what anticrist dar thanne for schame of cristen men to let lewid men to lerne her holi lessoun so harde comaundide of god. Eche man is bounden to do so that he be saved, but eche man that schal be saved is a real preest made of god; as holi writ, and holi doctouris witnessen pleynli. than eche lewid man that schil be saved is a real prist made of god, and ech man is bouuden to be such verri prist. but worldli clerkis crien that holi writ in englisch tunge, wole make cristen men at debate, and sugettis to rebel agens her so vereyns; and thirfor it schal not be suffrid among lewde men. alas! how mai thei sclaundre god, auctour of pees and his holi lawe, fulli techynge mekenesse, and paciens, and charite: or ellis thei moten seie that worldli pristis representynge the state of cristis viker be in dispeir for her symonie, and othir robberris of cristen men, bothe in temporal goodis, and in spiritual. thus the fals jewis, nameli, hig pristis, scribes, and farisies, crienden on crist, that he made discencioun in the puple. ihus crist that diedist to conferme thi lawe, and for raunsum of cristen soulis stoppe thes blasfemyes of anticrist, and worldli clerkis, and make thin holi gospel knowen and kepte in thi simple brithiren, and encrese hem in feith, hope, and charite, and meknes, and paciens, to suffre deeth joifuli for thee and for thy lawe amen, ihus for thi mirci.

ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION

ARIES.

IT is somewhat unfortunate for the Roman Catholics, that their vaunted character of invariableness has extended, no less to the follies, than to the excellencies of their communion. One of their own number, the Abbé Dubois, has lately shewn cause why they should not succeed in their atattempts to evangelize India. He reports an entire failure on their part, and would accordingly deter others from the labour of the undertaking. We, however, are by no means surprized at the disappointment and dissatisfaction which he expresses. We remember that the Church of Rome is "always the same." She has tried the same measures before, and has experienced the same failure. The disciples of Loyola may succeed, indeed, in making converts to their polity throughout a barbarous nation-witness their astonishing success in Paraguay ;-but this is a very different thing from making converts to the truth. A Protestant Missionary, who had opportunities of observing the method employed by the Papists in converting the heathens upwards of a century ago, thus records his experience :

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"The Roman Catholic Missionaries have made a wonderful progress, and continue to over-run the eastern countries. But since their chief design is to make proselytes to a party only, the souls that fall under their management are left in the utmost ignorance, without receiving so much as a real tincture of inward piety, or of a saving conversion to God. At this rate, they go astray like lost sheep, and remain altogether strangers to the grand mysteries of salvation. Nor do their priests take the least pains to train them up to a competent knowledge of divine things, but suppose they have sufficiently answered the character of a Missionary, when the heathens have learnt to perform the external and customary formalities of the Church of Rome. And after this manner they convert numbers of Pagans in a little time, and with less pains and labour."-Extract from a letter by Bartholomew Ziegenbalgh, dated Madras, Jan. 17, 1710, published in a collection of letters, entitled" Propagation of the Gospel in the East;" trans

lated from the High Dutch, and dedicated to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, London, 1718.

Another Missionary, J. E. Grundler, writes thus

"In the year 1709, and particularly towards the latter end thereof, every thing was very dear in this country. The scarcity was so great, that abundance of Malabarians died for want of necessaries, and

others were forced to sell themselves for slaves in that extremity. The Portuguese Church here, being very large and populous, took hold of this opportunity, and bought up a great many of this poor people for slaves, one being sold from twenty to forty fano, or from eight to sixteen shillings English. After they had purchased the number of fourscore heads, the Pater Vicarius appointed a solemn day for administering the Baptismal act to all those souls at once. At the set day, they went in one body or procession, being accompanied by some who beat the Malabar drums, and others who played on the flute; these being the usual instruments the heathens make use of, both at their idolatrous worship in the common pagods, and in their public processions, when they carry their idols about, as they use to do upon some days set apart for that purpose. There were likewise some standards attending the procession, to give the greater lustre to so solemn an act and formality.

"The whole pageantry being thus mustered up, the sacrament of Baptism was ministered to those ignorant wretches, without so much as asking them one question about the substance of these transactions. Being sprinkled one after another, they were led back in the same pompous manner; the aforesaid Father ordering abundance of cass (a very small coin, eighty whereof make one fano) to be thrown among the people as they went home. And these sorry performances, whereby they make daily additions to the Church of Rome, are extolled by them as extraordinary acts of devotion, and their Church set out as the most flourishing of all others.

"How their Missionaries carry on this work in other parts of the East, I cannot yet tell; but if they don't manage it with greater wisdom and application than what we see here, all the accessions they gain to support their party will prove at last but sorry ornaments to a Church that pretends. to so many prerogatives beyond all others. At least we may learn by this instance what to think of the high boasts, wherewith some Popish Missionaries have filled their books, and told the world that they have

1815.

1816.

1817.

An Account of the Receipts of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, for the last Ten Years.-On the General Account.

Items.

A.D.
1814.

1818.

1819.

1820.

1821.

1822.

1823.

Estimate for the Year 1824.

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Grand Total, as exhibited in Ann. Rep. 7959 4 0 11620 2 3 14387 17 1 13606 3 9 16744 2 1 15950 6 9 17639 17

4 26993 5 9

9 22893 17 0 26743 7

Net Receipts, omitting Balance due from Treasurer and Stock sold...... 6331 19 8 10453 16 5 13068 7 2 12735 0 8 13817 15 2 12641 17 2 17235 11 2 15430 11 6 15560 8 3 16018 4 8 Net-Exclusive of Arrears of Grant..

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An Account of the Expenditure of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, for the last Ten Years.-On the General Account.

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