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that he should advance in humility, in proportion as he advances in holiness. This view of the subject, which we conceive to be just in point of reasoning, might be established by evidence which the Reviewer himself would admit to be decisive. "My dear friend," said the divine Herbert on the day of his death, "I have nothing to present to my merciful God but sin and misery; but the first is pardoned, and a few hours will now put a period to the latter." In a like awful moment, we find the pious Hooker exclaiming, "If thou, O Lord, shouldst be extreme to mark what I have done amiss, who can abide it?" And again: "I plead not my righteous ness, but the forgiveness of my unrighteousness:" and yet he almost immediately adds, "I am at peace with all men, and God is at peace with me; and from that blessed assurance I feel that inward joy which this world can neither give nor take away." Now we mean not to deny that much of the language of this description which takes place among the Methodists may be the language of delusion. Our object is merely to shew the injustice of that sweeping sentence of condemnation pronounced by the Reviewer on all declarations, which combine low and humiliating thoughts of ourselves with lively hopes of heaven. So far are we from agreeing with the Reviewer on this point, that we believe that they whose hopes of heaven are the best founded will be likely to feel most deeply, and express most strongly, their own guilt and sinfulness, in the view of the purity of the Divine law, and of the infinite grace and mercy of the Gospel.

We readily concur with the Reviewer in condemning the watchnights of the Methodists, and that for reasons which do not materially differ from those on which he grounds his censures.

To the author's next material objection against the Wesleyan system, we can yield only a mea

sured approbation. It respects their public and formal dedication of themselves to God. An assembly is convened for the purpose, and a form of self-dedication is read to them from the pulpit, designed in the highest degree possible to awe the mind. The opening invocation sufficiently characterizes the oath: "Oh! most dreadful God," &c. Now had the writer merely condemned the particular mode of this dedication, we might have acquiesced in his judgment. But we cannot but hesitate, as sound churchmen, to condemn such an act, however modified, as in itself improper, when we call to mind the language and spirit of our baptismal, confirmation, and eucharistical services. What are these but a series of selfdedicating ordinances? Does the writer discern any thing of pa rade in these services? Does he find, that men solemnly devoted, like Hannibal, from their youth, and who have sealed their vows to God, not by one ordinance, but by a succession of ordinances invested with all the awe of which the simplicity of our ecclesiastical con stitution admits, and which can be derived from the most solemn sanctions of the word of God (as, for instance," he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself") have, as he supposes of the Methodists, found no middle point between disobedience and despair, between the altar and the mad-house, If so, J. and E. Beale do well indeed to " inform the religious public, that they have enlarged their house for the recep tion of the insane;" and we may expect to see our pews discharge a considerable portion of their con tents into this hospitable mansion.

The Reviewer is altogether wrong in supposing that the Methodists regard all as unbelievers who are not of their sect, nor do the passages which he produces in proof of this at all warrant the inference he draws from them. Neither is it true,

as he affirms, that they intermarry only within their own pale.

Much as we disapprove of many things in both the Evangelical and Methodist Magazines, we think that the Reviewer must, on second thoughts, admit that he has overstepped the bounds of truth and soberness, when he affirms that these works produce nothing but evil. (p. 508.)

His remarks on the Cheap Repository tracts are still more objectionable. These invaluable tracts were the work, not of the Methodists, but of Mrs. Hannah More, and one or two of her friends. They may all be obtained at Hatchard's or Rivington's; and we challenge the Reviewer, after he shall have read them, to point out a single article in the collection which will justify his harsh censure of them as "base trash." The "Fatal Choice" is certainly not one of them. It is somewhat unfortunate, after what has already passed, that the Reviewer should have been betrayed into another attack, so totally unfounded, on the well-earned reputation of Mrs, H. More. High as she deservedly ranks on account of her other writings, and useful as they have been, we do not hesitate to say, that none of them are more marked by genius and talents, nor have all of them combined been more useful to society, than those very tracts which the Reviewer has thus, unwittingly as we trust, laboured to discredit.

In the early part of the Review (p. 435) the Reviewer admits that "the Methodists profess to build their belief upon the articles of the established church, and only meet apart from it because, according to their feelings, they do not hear its doctrines sufficiently enforced with in its walls," and yet he afterwards (p. 511) somewhat inconsistently expostulates with them for leaving the church because "the preacher is dull, or they have had a dispute wah the vicar concerning tithes." He must be aware that such an expostulation will have no effect on CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 109.

men who secede because the doctrines of the church are not preached within her walls. We are at some loss to account for this and some other inconsistencies which we have noticed in this Review, except on the supposition that two different hands were employed in constructing the article.

We avoid entering upon what is said respecting the Methodist views of the doctrine of assurance, because it would open to us a wider field than we are at present disposed to enter upon. For the same reason we leave various other points wholly untouched, and will content ourselves with saying, that we think the Reviewer has greatly exaggerated the evils, both moral and political, which are to be apprehended from the growth of this body.

We have alluded the more freely to some of the errors of this Review, because the excellence of a great part of it may have the effect of obtaining for those errors a more ready currency. If we judge the author aright, he will not condemn us for speaking our mind. On the whole, we thank him sincerely for his review. We consider it as a very important document on the actual state of religion. It breathes through many of its pages a remarkable spirit of candour. It stands aloof from that unphilosophical and disingenuous temper which has confounded all sects and parties which have any thing in common; which amalgamates the tub-preacher with the zealous and consistent churchman, the licentious antinomian with our brightest exemplars of practical holiness; which, while it laughs at the cry of the "church is in danger " from the machinations of popery, will raise that very cry when it may serve to crush a particular division of the clergy, whose zeal and piety render them obnoxious; which sees as much to hate in those doctrines of the Methodists in which they agree with our articles, as in that praxis of discipline, or in those superadded extravagancies, in which

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they differ from them. Such wri. ters, we are convinced, are the very men who multiply the sects they detest. Let other writers arise, with the same candour as the author be fore us, and a more intimate acquaintance with the subject; let the ininisters of the Establishment cling to those fundamental doctrines of Scripture more than ouce adverted to in this striking review; let them give the same momentum to the grand national machine which carries on the little go-cart of the Methodists; let each man consider his own neighbourhood as a little level to be recovered from the encroachments of vice by embankments raised by his own hands; and, under the Divine blessing, the face of things will change. Honest men will not

contend against us, lest" haply they be found to fight against God." Old times will return. The multitude called upon by this author to read the histories of the Fathers of the English Church will no longer say "these were the fathers, but where are the children?"-they will discern their glorious features stamped upon our countenance; they will discover in our hands "keys" which will at least open the hearts of their countrymen; the most unequivo cal "right of succession" in the inheritance of our ancestors' virtues; and the best " patrimony" which St. Peter and the whole college of Apostles had to bequeath-those doctrines and practices which they lived and died to establish and disseminate,

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE,

For the Literary and Philosophical Intelligence (including an account of the Finances of Great Britain, Intelligence from Oxford and Cambridge, Hertford College Exami nation, List of Books, &c.) see the Appendix for 1810. We shall insert in this number only the Cambridge University Honours. They are as follows-viz.

WRANGLERS: - 1. Dicey, Trin.; 2. French, Caius: 3. Hustler, 4. Ally, Jesus; 3. Chambers, 6. Brass, 7. Evans, 8. Poulter, 9. Prowde, Trin.; 10. Johuson, John's; 11. Mortimer, Queen's; 12. Allix, John's; 13. Bloomfield, Caius; 14. Adeune, Trin.; 15. Lambe, Bene't.

SENIOR OPTIMES. 1. Grace, Pemb.; 2. Haggit, Christ's; 3. Frazer, 4. Lloyd, Trin.; 5. Abdy, Jesus; 6. Wilson, Pemb.; 7. Edwards, 8. Campbell, John's; 9. Smyth,

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Caius; 10. Rogers, Sydney; 11. Commeline, John's; 12. Bickerstaff, Trin.; 13. Wallis, Magd.; 14. Dury, Pemb.; 15. Buck, Caius; 16. Field, John's; 17, Wilkinson, Trin.

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JUNIOR OPTIMES. 1. Baker, John's; 2. Barlow, Trin.; 3. Storry, Queen's; 4. Maynard, Trin.; 5. Bligh, John's; 6. Carr, Trin.; 7. Kitebingman, 8. Hales, Clare; 9. Backhouse, Pemb.; 10. Willatts, 11. Way, Trin.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE,

THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN
KNOWLEDGE.

THE Report of the Society for promoting
Christian Knowledge for the year 1809, has
recently been published. It is preceded by
a Sermon, preached in St. Paul's Cathedral,
by Dr. Bathurst, the present Bishop of Nor-
wich. This sermon seems to have been in-
tended by his lordship as an antidote to that
preached last
year
in the same place by the

Rev. Charles Daubeny, Dean of Sarum, on which we had occasion to comment, at the close of our volume for 1809, (p. 810). The Bishop of Norwich is so far from reiter ating his predecessor's attack on the schools which have been erected on the Lancastrian plan, that he seems plainly to point to them, in common with other similar institutions, when, after shewing the advantages which would flow" from a general, well-regulated,

gratuitous education of the poor," he adds, that "the benevolent exertions of many excellent persons among us, (especially for some years past) to meliorate the condition of the poor, and to promote the education of their children, exceed every thing of which we have an account in any other nation, or in any other period in the history of our own." With a liberality which is highly creditable to him, his lordship thus endeavours to modefate those feelings of jealousy, respecting the British and Foreign Bible Societies, which have been unhappily entertained by some members of the establishment.

"Let then Christians, of every denomination, who have at heart the true interest of domestic, or of social life; let every friend to the welfare of his country; let every lover of mankind, contribute a portion of his time and money to this great work and labour of love,' (the work of educating the poor). Let the members of the Church of England more particularly endeavour, in the first place, to second the highly useful exertions of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge; but let them not stop here, and imagine that they have done enough; let them enlarge their views, and, by a comprehensive and weil-placed liberality, encourage and support other auxiliary societies, the generous aim of which is to communicate to those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death,' the glorisas light of revelation, by circulating among them the knowledge of the Bible. On the circumstances which arise in framing such designs, it is possible that men's minds may stand divided for a season; upon such points, therefore, I assume no privilege, from this occasion, to speak for others. If the main end to be pursued, the dissemination of Christian knowlege, were attended to, in every town and village of the united kingdom, as it well deserves to be, with earnestness and assiduity, there is nothing which might not be hoped for. The moral world would soon assume a new face; and it is hardly too much to say, that this happy and highly-favoured island would, in a few years, bear some faint resemblance (allowing for human imperfections) to that heavenly city, which the beloved disciple of our Lord contemplated in a vision. A city which had Bonced of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketli a lie.'”

We now come to the Report itself. From this it appears that the new edition of the

Welsh Scriptures, with the Common Prayer and Singing Psalms, amounting to 20,000 copies, which the society resolved in Marchi, 1805, to print for circulation in Wales, is now iu a course of distribution. The whole charge of this edition, with the binding in calf, is defrayed by the Society, and copies are furnished to any of the inhabitants of Wales, through the medium of the Bishops, or any other members of the Society, at six shillings each, which is considerably less than half the prime cost. This intelligence was com municated to the principality in a circular letter addressed by Dr. Gaskin to the members of the Society residing within it. "The communication," it is added, "has been received with great satisfaction, and numerous ap plications are made and continue to be made for copies." "The society cannot but feel grateful to Almighty God, that they are thus enabled to dispense the sacred records of His holy word, and the pure apostolical Liturgy of the Church of England, amongst a people so anxious to receive them; and they continue fervently to supplicate the great Head of the church, that these their efforts may be productive of lasting good, to the glory of his name, the enlargement of his fold, and the eternal salvation of souls." To this pious prayer we add our cordial amen!

Five thousand copies of the Common Prayer in the Manks language have also been recently printed, and distributed in the Isle of Man, at a little more than one third of the prime cost.

The number of subscribing members to this institution is now $,560, of whom about 475 have been added since the beginning of 1809. The number of schools under their direction is 116, containing about 5,000 scholars. The number of Bibles sent to the members during the preceding year is 8,760; of New Testaments and Psalters, 12,540; of Common Prayers, 19,060; of other bound books, 19,440; of Tracts, 120,236. Besides which, 773 Bibles, 2,629 New Testaments and Psalters, 76 Commou Prayers, 424 other bound books, and 6,114 tracts, have been sent gratuitously to the East Indies, to the Royal Navy, and in various other channels. We observe a very proper note at the end of the Society's list of books. It apprises members that the packets of books which they receive on the terms of the Society ought to be paid for within three months after they have been received; and that no books on the Society's terms

How strong a proof that Wales is not saturated with the Scriptures!

will in future be granted to any member who is in arrear for two years' subscription, or the amount of five pounds for books.

In this Report are inserted the resolutions on the subject of auxiliary societies, to be formed in the different dioceses throughout the kingdom, to which we gave currency in our number for May 1810 (p. 393). We hope the plan may have been found successful.

The expenditure of the Society, from the 13th April 1809, to March 29, 1810, amounts to about 16,000l. Of this sum, about 12,4001. have been paid for books, &c. including the Welsh Scriptures, the Manks Common Prayer, and some prayer books for the Danish prisoners in Great Britain. The expense of the East India mission is 1,208. and of the Scilly mission, 3871. Upwards of 7001. more are expended in different charitable purposes; and the remainder in salaries to officers, and various contingent expenses. The receipts are to a similar amount, and consist of, benefactions and legacies, 1,177/—subscriptions from members 3,0334-receipts for books, &c. 6,2301. (besides 5,000l. of arrears still due)—dividends of various funds, of which 6461. are specifically for the East India missions, about 5,100. The remainder consists of a remission of the Income tax, 3084, and the produce of an estate, 1684. The account of the society's funds is followed by a statement, which has also been separately circulated, with a view to repel a prevalent opinion that the income of the Society exceeds its annual expenditure, and is in an accumulating state, and to prevent the donations which would otherwise be made to them from being diverted into other channels. So far is this opinion from being correct, that in the year ending April 1809, it was necessary to sell 1,7651. three per cent, stock to meet the excess of their expenditure over their income; and at the last audit a sum of 3,0204. remained due to the bookseller and printer, which was over and above the amount of their receipts for the year. The Board, however, trust," that that gracious Providence, which for more than a century past has enabled them to carry on their designs for promoting Christian knowledge, and edifying the body of Christ, will still furnish the means by which these objects may be pursued with increased activity and vigour." We very sincerely hope that this may be the case, and that the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, laying aside all prejudice and partial affection, will devote itself with energy and simplicity to the one great object of its institution, the universal dissemi

nation of the pure, unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

We now come to the account of the Seciety's Protestant Mission in the East Indies, for the year 1809.

The Rev. Mr. Pezold having written that the spirit of refractoriness and disorder which had appeared in the Malabar congregation at Vepery had been in part subdued by means of the Secretary's letter in the name of the Society, but that a few still continued refractory; the Society intimated to Mr. Pezold, in reply, that the ancient rules of the mission ought to be observed as strictly as possible, and that the government of the country, they trusted, would protect their missionaries from disturbance. This the government had shewn itself willing to do. From a subsequent account it appears that things were more quiet.

Mr. Pezold, in January 1809, visited the Christians at Pullicat, to whom he preached several times. He administered the Lord's Supper tothirty-nine Portuguese and twentythree Malabar Christians, and baptized twenty-three children. He also visited and consoled the aged and infirm. In February he went to St. Thomas's Mount, and on his arrival found all the good people assembled to hear the Gospel preached to them in their own language. Two Roman Catholics were received into the congregation, and seven heathens were publicly examined and baptized, who had been under instruction for some time. Before he departed, the people gave him the contents of their alms-bos, about nine pagodas, for their poor fellow Christians at Pullicat; and though poor themselves, they promised, should God bless their undertakings, to continue their weekly collections for the same purpose. Pæzold has sent extracts from his diary, from which it appears, that the religious duties of the mission had been regularly performed by himself, in conjunction with the catechists and schoolmasters. The number of communicants in the native congregations on Easter day, was nearly 200, who were all quiet and peaceable Christians.

Mr.

The Rev. Mr. Holzberg writes from Cuddalore, that his labours in the mission have been uninterrupted. In both the English and Malabar congregations many have heard the word profitably. His school, consisting of twenty children, was under the care of a very able and worthy schoolmaster, called Pitshey-Mutton, who had been recommended by Mr. Kolhoff, of Tanjore. In 1806, he had baptized nineteen children and six adults: the communicants were eighty-two.

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