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described in the circular to be "to cir culate books containing a clear exposition of the doctrine and discipline of the Roman-Catholic Church, with satisfactory refutations of the prevailing errors of the present time: and, to give additional facility to the education of the poor, books of elementary instruction are to be provided for the use of schools.' "It is hoped," adds the circular, "that, with the support expected from the public, 100,000 religious books will be circulated through the country before the expiration of the next three months, which, with the same liberal aid, will be continued each succeeding quarter, till every poor RomanCatholic family in Ireland will be furnished with a select library of religious and other useful books."

We entertain no fears from this mea sure. An attempt was made some eighteen months ago in London, to establish a cheap occasional publication for much the same object as these intended tracts. But in what did it end? The first Number (see our review for May 1828) con⚫tained an account of two recent miracles, and an exhortation to celibacy; and this was all; and no second Number has ever appeared. The present plan may not be equally abortive; but if not, it will be still more suicidal; for while free scriptural discussion is the strength of Protestantism, it is a death-blow to Popery. Infallibility must never assign reasons; its silence is its safety: when it appeals to argument it ceases to be infallibility. Let the Irish Roman-Catholic once learn to think, and let the Scriptures of truth be placed in his hands, and we have no fear of the result. We therefore strongly recommend the Reformation Society, and other societies, so far as is within their province, and the Irish Protestant clergy in general, closely to follow up the projected tracts with temperate, but striking and scriptural, refutations, and to take care that the bane and antidote shall be found side by side in every recess of the island; but above all, to preclude the entrance of error by truth; and to extend scriptural education and scriptural reading, till, by the Divine blessing, Popery shall fall before the word of God, notwithstanding every effort of its priesthood to buttress up its mouldering walls.

EPISCOPAL FLOATING CHURCH SOCIETY.

We are happy to state, that, after five years of repeated disappointments, an Episcopal Floating Chapel has at length been opened in the port of London. The chaplain is the Rev. J. Hough of Madras. The object is patronized by his Majesty, and also by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of London and Winchester, and various Noblemen and Gentlemen, and public bodies; but pecuniary assistance is still wanted to defray the expenses of the outfit, and

to furnish an income to maintain the establishment. Need we add a word to this powerful appeal, except to express a strong hope that the liberality of the public will enable the society to extend their benevolent care to other ports, till every considerable resort of seamen throughout the land shall be provided with an Episcopal Floating Church?

DISTRICT VISITING SOCIETY.

of this important institution, which, so far We cordially rejoice in the formation as practicable, is to be Episcopal in its character, and under the direction of the

parochial clergy. The pressing claims of

numerous other institutions would not allow us to do justice to the details of its plans; but we are relieved from the fear of detracting from their merits, by being able to refer to the society's valuable and satisfactory circular prefixed to our Number for March. That appeal, we know, has been perused with much interest; and we trust that none of our readers will permit the feelings excited by it to subside, without endeavouring, so far as their opportunities allow, to promote the object of the society in London, or the same object in their own vicinities. Most large towns, and many smaller ones, have visiting societies; but in none has a system of classification and co-operation, espe cially under the auspices of the Established Church, been carried so far as is contemplated by this institution. It might, perhaps, be advantageously carried even further. We have before us a French work, published in 1820, entitled, "The Visitor of the Poor," being the Essay to which was awarded the prize by the academy of Lyons, for the best treatise " on the means of discovering true poverty, and rendering almsgiving beneficial both to the giver and the receiver." It contains some suggestions which might be very useful to the members of this and similar societies; and from it, and various English publications, might be compiled an excellent Manual for the use of charitable visitors, in addition to the "hints, regulations, and instructions," in the society's circular, which are drawn up with great wisdom and experience. We need not add, that religious instruction and edification are to be the invariable basis of the society's labours.

IRISH EPISCOPAL HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

An institution much wanted, and likely to be of great utility, has been formed in Dublin for sending clerical Home Missionaries, under Episcopal sanction, to preach in cottages, and barns, or wherever they can find auditors to profit by their instruc tions. The Archbishop of Dublin has given his cordial sanction to the Society, and has already licensed two clergymen as missionaries. We shall gladly report the proceedings of these instruments of benevolent Christian aggression.

ANNUAL MEETINGS OF
SOCIETIES.

We know not whether it be from the impression of the moment, or from the rapidly augmented progress of our religious and charitable institutions, that we feel disposed, year after year, to pronounce the last anniversaries as more interesting if possible than any preceding ones. Certain however we are, that never do we remember a more delightful festival of Christian benevolence than has been presented to our observation during the present month. Among the causes of this powerful interest may have been the elevated strain of devout and Christian sentiment which has generally characterised the reports and speeches of this year; the marked success with which the Providence of God has blessed the labours of the societies; the widened sphere, enlarged funds, and increased number of friends of many of them; the topics of intense interest connected with Ireland, and which have been rendered peculiarly impressive by the affecting statements of several visitors from that part of our common country, who have, with great piety and fervour of Christian eloquence, enforced the claims of their Roman-Catholic fellowsubjects; and last, and perhaps not least, from the fraternal union which has been evinced among the friends of the various societies, the prevailing abstinence from topics of offence and discord, and the cessation of those painful controversies which not long since darkened the atmosphere of some of these admirable institu tions. This generally pacific character of the public meetings has been also perhaps the more powerfully felt from its contrast with the agitating conflictions of public opinion during the last few months relative to the Catholic question. We do not say that no reference was made at any public meeting to that subject; but with scarcely an exception worth notice, even the references to it have been entirely of a healing and conciliating character; and the result of the meetings of Christian brethren, from every part of the kingdom, treading as it were on glowing embers, has proved, in the memorable words of Lord Bexley, that if these institutions cannot reconcile all opinions, they have a most powerful tendency to unite all hearts. It is not necessary for us to have made these remarks for any who had an opportunity of witnessing these Christian festivals; but they may not be unacceptable to our readers in the remoter parts of our own land, or on distant shores; especially to some who stated to us their alarm lest the effect of political ferments should be painfully felt upon the platforms of our charitable societies. So completely unfounded has proved this apprehension, that we know not whether we could point more unequivocally than to the arena of these societies for an illustration of the well-known ancient extorted tribute of

approbation, "See how these Christians love one another."

Great inconvenience continues to be experienced from the want of a hall of suitable dimensions, and in other respects commodious, for conducting these important meetings. Freemasons' Hall is not only too small, but the approaches to it are confined and intricate; not an individual can go in or out without disturbing the meeting, and in case of any alarm the consequences would be fearful. We are glad therefore to learn, that the hall for public meetings, so long contemplated, is to be speedily commenced. It is to be built upon an eligible site in the Strand, and is to accommodate three thousand persons. For particulars, we must refer to the Directors' advertisements.

The publication of the Reports of the societies will enable us to give, in the course of our Numbers, a brief outline of their most important proceedings. In many instances a more full account will appear in the societies' own documents, appended to our Numbers. This plan of widely circulating information and exciting interest, without the expense, delay, and inconvenience of dispatching innumerable small separate parcels throughout the country, we are glad to learn has been found of considerable advantage to various societies, and has proved a judicious measure of finance and economy -the eventual returns from new sources being manifold the expense. The papers thus circulated have also been perused and preserved; and when bound up may be referred to, in future years, from the monthly abstracts on the last page of our Numbers; whereas hitherto documents of this nature have been too generally wasted as soon as read; or perhaps mislaid, or lost, before time was found for reading them. It is painful to reflect, that of several thousand papers distributed casually, or at public meetings, not one in several probably is preserved, even if read; and the same remark too often applies to bundles of documents sent down, at great expense, to the country. Every friend of charitable institutions ought, in conscience, to make the best possible use of such documents; reading, lending, circulating, or preserving, but never wasting.

We pass from the Reports and other documents of the societies, of which we purpose as usual to give from time to time the substance, to the resolutions and speeches at their anniversaries, which our limits do not allow of our detailing. Some of the most interesting of them will, however, appear in the societies' own papers appended to our Numbers, and we doubt not will excite new and enlarged interest for the respective societies among our readers, whom we would strongly urge not only to do all they can themselves to assist the efforts of these invaluable institutions, but to lend these interesting

documents among their friends and neighbours. As we circulate these papers gratuitously, we feel that we have a claim to be importunate with our readers to make

the best possible use of them for the benefit of the respective societies; and we shall be glad to receive from them any suggestions upon the subject.

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

WHATEVER Scenes may be ripening for future development upon the continent of Europe, none have as yet actually occurred which particularly demand our notice. We postpone therefore, for the present, any remarks upon the general aspect of European politics, though there are several pending questions of great importance upon which we hope for some authentic information before the session of parlia. ment closes; especially as relates to the part which our government has taken, or may take, in reference to Greece, Russia, Turkey, and Portugal.

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Turning westward, to America, there is a subject which at this moment excites much interest in that country, though it has not been thought of sufficient importance to be noticed by our journals;allude to the efforts in progress for expelling the North-American Indians still further into the wilderness. The conduct of our Western kinsmen towards their Indian neighbours has never been the brightest page of their history; but we scarcely know of any project more unjustifiable than the attempt now in progress by the Union, in its corporate capacity, at the instance of one of its members, Georgia, to drive beyond the Mississippi the Cherokees; who are not only a harmless people, but, as our readers may see by an able address of one of their chiefs in another page of our present Number, are rapidly advancing in civilization, religion, and all that can strengthen and adorn a State. They are dwelling peaceably and prosperously upon the frontier allotments ceded to them by treaty in lieu of the vast forest inhabited by their fathers: whereas, if forced to relinquish their present habitations, and to seek refuge in the wilderness, they will rapidly melt away, as so many of the aborigines have already done before the aggressions of the White victor, and be heard of no more. To the honour of religion we rejoice to state, that Christian Missionaries in this, as in so many other instances, have been found the friends and protectors of the oppressed; and, we need scarcely add, have, in consequence, been accounted worthy to incur the reproaches of their oppressors. The secretary of war of the United States complains of the effects of education among the Indians, on account of its giving them a taste for the accumulation of property, "peculiar to a state of civilization;" and he affirms, that the Missionaries who have reclaimed these barbarous tribes from their roving preda

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tory habits, are actuated by base interested motives; and oppose their dispersion lest they themselves should lose their own "comfortable establishments among them. The last crime we should have imputed either to our European missionaries, or to the Brainerds and Eliots, the Fisks and Judsons of America, was inordinately coveting "comfortable establishments!" We conjure the friends of humanity and religion throughout America, to combine as one man in behalf of the now comparatively small remnant of the original natives of their far-extended territories. If they would learn their own strength, that moral strength which, when duly and perseveringly exerted, must sooner or later bear down interested opposition, they may witness an instance of it, and in a similar case, at this moment, in their once mother country. Dr. Philip, who went out to the Cape of Good Hope a weak and despised Christian Missionary, saw there the wrongs of the oppressed aborigines under the unequal laws of a professedly Christian colony: he returned home to plead their cause; he found access to benevolent senators, and to the government itself; and he has now gone back to the scene of his mission with the charter of their liberties in his hand,-an ample unstinted charter, from which even the United States themselves may learn the true nature of liberty; for it abolishes, if we are rightly informed, all civil distinctions among the free subjects of the same State, of whatever blood or colour: thus compacting all the members of the commonwealth into one united body. What Dr. Philip, and other humane and Christian men, have achieved for the oppressed Hottentot or Caffre-(we emphatically mention Dr. Philip as the prime agent in this work of mercy, but without meaning to derogate from the gratitude due to the other gentlemen who have conducted, and to his Majesty's government which has completed,it)-what these individuals, strong in moral power and religious principle, have effected in one quarter, others, with the same arms, and relying upon the gracious providence of God, may effect in others. For instance, let the friends of our two great religious societies connected with Newfoundland fearlessly take up the cause of the much-injured aborigines of that island; and, still more, let all the religious bodies connected with the WestIndies unshrinkingly devote themselves to obtain the legal abolition of that horrible

system which grinds down the great mass of the objects of their benevolence; and we cannot doubt what will be the issue. And, even independently of the result, the labour itself will be no slight reward; nor will their efforts be less blessed for the souls of their afflicted fellow-creatures, because they had also the feelings of men and Christians for their temporal wrongs and sufferings.

Having thus adverted to our slave colonies, we rejoice to state, that in one of them, Trinidad, his Majesty's government has issued an order relative to the free Coloured population, more simple, important, and effective, than we could almost have ventured at once to hope for. It places all freemen of African descent upon the footing of equal rights with their White neighbours, thus abolishing those tyrannical restrictions which made even liberty itself often little better than a name. But this law extends as yet only to one island; whereas Jamaica, Barbadoes, and the other islands, need it not less than Trinidad; and though in this favoured spot the freeman is now really as well as nominally free, yet even here, and at the Cape of Good Hope also, the slave is still a slave; and slavery is slavery, whether in the Mauritius or at the Cape, on the South-American continent or in the West-India islands. Let not then the friends of religion and humanity relax their efforts our government, we would trust. wish to ascertain and to effect what is right, but public opinion must arm them with the power.

The proceedings in parliament have embraced a variety of topics; a few only of which we can now touch upon. Some of them we purpose to notice more fully hereafter. Mr. O'Connell is declared incapable of sitting in parliament under the new act, without being re-elected. The revenue for the past year rather exceeds the estimates: no alteration in the system of taxation is intended to be made this session. Some animated debates have taken place on the silk trade and other subjects connected with commerce and manufactures, including the corn laws. These questions have been the more difficult to consider with calm attention at the present moment, owing to the extreme distress of several classes of manufacturers; but we think that government has acted wisely in refusing to impose prohibitory duties on foreign goods; a measure which, however humanely it may sound, especially at a time of temporary pressure, would not in the end be either politic or humane. We are not so well satisfied as to the policy or humanity of refusing to look further into the corn laws. If we allow Lyons to sell silk in London, we see not why in justice Spitalfields should not carry its wares to buy corn in Dantzic, or wherever else it pleases, to support its starving population. The subject requires, and must receive, much further considera

tion.

Our chief fear is that the landowner may refuse to do what is wise and equitable, till a general combination of the great majority of his countrymen forces him to do more than, under all the circumstances of the case, it is reasonable suddenly to require.

Among the beneficial measures in progress in parliament, are the following:-A bill to provide a new system of police for the metropolis, which, though it is thought by some persons to give too much power and responsibility to government, seems absolutely necessary to supersede the present miserably disjointed and ineffective system;-A bill to allow of the summary conviction and punishment of juvenile offenders, in order to prevent their being further corrupted by imprisonment with hardened criminals;-A bill to add a new judge, to assist the Court of Chancery; which is to be followed up by measures for improving the whole system of judicial administration ;-A bill to allow of the sale of game; a measure wise and equitable in itself, and, we trust, a prelude to still further amendments in our present barbarous code of game laws ;—And a bill to facilitate anatomical studies, and to prevent assassination; by allowing the legal sale of unclaimed bodies, under regulations as little revolting perhaps as under all the difficult circumstances of the case could be framed. Government has granted a committee for investigating the system of self-elected parish vestries, which, to say the least, are always liable to the suspicion of abusing their powers. As a beneficial mean between the wild democracy of open vestries in large parishes, and the possible misrule of self-elected irresponsible bodies, we would recommend select vestries, annually elected by the parishioners, under the regulations of Mr. S. Bourne's act. This system is invariably found to work well. (See our last volume, p.664.) Government have agreed, next session, to consider the trade with India, with a view to determine to what extent the present restrictions ought to be abolished at the expiration of the East-India Company's charter. With equal wisdom, they have declined introducing poor laws into Ireland. Poor laws may relieve much distress; but they invariably generate far more than they relieve. Many of the wants of the poor arise from their own ignorance, improvidence, and ill-judged self-indulgence. Dr. Paley used to observe, that during all the time of scarcity, when he was weighing out his own brown bread to his family, he had the mortification of seeing the poor people passing to and from the bakers with fine white cakes, dressed in all the pride of butter and currants. Allowing for the caricature of this representation, it may not unfairly exhibit the pitiable ignorance, improvidence, and illjudged self-indulgence, to which we have just alluded, and which poor laws must foster instead of correcting, It were an

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easy task for the government and legislature indolently to enact a code of pauperism for Ireland, instead of girding themselves to a course of far more laborious and self-denying policy. They have fairly to ask and to answer the following important inquiries First, are the poor every where, both in Great Britain and Ireland, inclined to work diligently, and to live providently, in order to better their own condition? and if in any instances they are not so, how may they be best elevated to this virtuous, religious, and honourable standard of character? Secondly, if so inclined, are they always sufficiently enlightened to know how best to attain their object; and if not, how may they be better instructed? And, thirdly, when thus inclined, and thus enlightened, what are the causes, within the scope of legislative remedy, which, unknown perhaps to themselves, impede the due effect of their industry and providence? This last particular is of great importance; for certain it is, that an honest, diligent, and frugal labourer, or mechanic, may be subjected to insufficient wages, scanty food, and numerous privations, by circumstances not within his own control, but which a wise legislature may be fully competent to obviate. It is the duty of parliament to inves

tigatet his subject, and to legislate accordingly, at whatever temporary sacrifice. In a country thickly peopled like ours, an enlightened system of political economy is of indispensable importance to secure, even to the most praiseworthy members of the community, the due effect of their diligence and good conduct. If, for example, the present distresses of our manufacturers, when not caused by the fault of the individual, arose merely from unavoidable fluctuations or providential visitations, no party would deserve blame; but if, as we are persuaded, powerful legislative remedies might be framed to alleviate the calamity, is it not a public crime if they are neglected? We might offer many illustrations, but we forbear for the present. One principle, not to mention others, ought to run throughout all our policy;-the largest possible mutual interchange of all articles, at the will of the possessor, in the spirit of the Scripture maxim, Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, so do you unto them. What beneficial effects would not this one Divine precept produce, if applied to every branch of legislation; to trade, commerce, manufactures, the fruits of the earth, labour, colonization, slavery!

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Communications have been received from A. B. C.; C.; JUSTITIA; K.; J. S.; A SCHOOLMASTER; IGNORANTIS; M. B.; CLERICUS; J. A.; OXONIENSIS; N.; I. M.W.; R. S.; A CONSTANT READER; T. W.; C. L.; R. H.; L. C.; W. A. B.; CHARLES; W. A. S.; PROCUL; M. R.; and are under consideration.

We are happy to learn, from the Committee for the Gipseys, that our insertion of their interesting appeal has so greatly benefited their cause. We cannot insert lists of donations to Societies, but we readily acknowledge on their behalf an anonymous gift of 201., with the initials G.-C.

SUPPLEMENT TO RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

It is quite unnecessary for us to say one word in presenting to our readers the interesting addresses at the Annual Meeting of this most important of all our religious institutions. Truly the progress and beneficial effects of this invaluable Society, which has now completed a quarter of a century of duration, have been exceeding abundant above all that we could have asked or thought a few years since. May it flourish and increase, till its great work is accomplished!

ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

The Reporter for this month, in replying most convincingly and powerfully to the British Critic, furnishes much interesting and important intelligence relative to the Slave Colonies, and particularly as respects their moral and religious condition, and the lamentable supineness, to say the least, of our own Church and the Societies connected with it, to mitigate the evil. We rejoice to learn that our own former statements, and those of Mr. Riland and the Reporter, have not been without effect; and that the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has sent out a peremptory order to encourage marriage amongst their slaves; which is but the commencement of an entirely amended course of regulation. It seems to be now generally admitted by the friends of the Society, that almost all their former well-meant and oft-repeated regulations proved little better than waste paper on their arrival in Barbadoes. We shall rejoice to find that they are now fully prepared both to legislate to the full extent of their solemn obligations, and to see that their intentions are carried into effect.

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