3. National Society. The Subscribers are not so numerous; and this is more especially a lay society, inasmuch as the lay poor almost exclusively enjoy the great benefits of its operations. Annual Subscriptions, 1831, 346 + 277 + 90 = 713 9741312+ 308 = 2594 "Collections," "Literals," "Anonymous," "Friends," which are rather numerous, are reckoned among the laity. The clergy have a majority of regular subscribers (69), but the lay donations are much more numerous (407). 4. The Incorporated Clergy Orphan Society, 1830. The following comprehends the general "list of the Governors and Benefactors" only, from p. 41 to 66 inclusive. The colleges and corporations are also excluded. Majority of Clergy ... 173, besides the proportion of females.t 5. Church Building Society, 1830. In this Society, I have included the donations from the collegest amongst the clergy; but collections, &c., amongst the laity. Annual Subscribers............ Donations......................................................... Cler. Lay. Females. Total. 114 + 66+ 19 = 199 1075931 + 284 = 2290 1189997 +3032489 The majority of the clergy is in annual subscriptions, 48; and in donations, 144; without reckoning the females. Some DISTRICT SOCIETIES are appended. They seem not very correctly reported, but the following is an Abstract. "Anonymous," a Friend," &c., among the laity. * All the Donations from the commencement are, I believe, here included. The Diocesan Society for the Sons of the Clergy in Durham, for the year 1830, was as follows: Stockton and Darlington......... Ditto Cler. Lay. Females. Total. Total......... 256 +255 + 58 = 569 I regret that I did not, in the beginning, perceive the benefit of going in some certain rule with respect to "collections," and the subscriptions and donations from corporate bodies, " Anonymous," "Friends," &c. ANNUAL SUBSCRIBERS. Cler. Lay. DONATIONS. Total Gen. Fem. Total S. Cler. Lay. Fem. Don. Total. 192711 = 57 =295 78108 52 = 238 135+41 + 18 = 194 123 + 90 + 25 =238 =432 42 20 + 11 = ཎྞཾཎྞཱཝ ས8*:མི Liverpool, &c.......... 34 Seven Oaks........... 4 Stow -+++ 354 +216 +99 669 271 +234 + 80=585-1254 Add Donations... 271 +234 +80=585 625+ 450 +179 =1254 Deduet Lay...... 450 Majority of Clergy... 175; viz., 138 Subscribers, and 37 Donations. Total or Gen. Majority of Clergy 3268, without adding the proportion of females, which would make the number as nearly as much more. If the Collections &c. were added, the majority would be still larger. I can scarcely hope that the above abstracts will, at present, be very attractive, but as they are strong and stubborn facts, I submit them to your consideration, and shall be amply rewarded for my trouble, if they shall, in any one instance, remove a single prejudice against the clergy; who, though generally so poor and so few in number, besides incessant labour and collections, personally contribute to the General and Local Societies for advancing the temporal and eternal interests of the people, very nearly a-third more than all the laity of the empire. I am, Rev. Sir, With great respect, R. W. B. Durham, Jan. 22nd. The account of the Durham Diocesan Society, on the 1st of January, 1830, was Cler. Lay. Fem. Total. 18 Majority of Clergy... 51 VOL. III.-March, 1833. 2 Q WEEKLY LECTURES. To the Editor of the British Magazine. SIR, Will you permit me, through the medium of your publication, to ascertain the sentiments of some of my elder and more experienced brethren in the ministry, with respect to a service, which, although I cannot find it enjoined in either the canons or rubrics of our church, has, nevertheless, been adopted by many of her clergy-I mean a weekly lecture in a school room or private house. The mode I have almost always observed to be adopted on such occasions is as follows:-The clergyman gives out an hymn, repeating two lines at a time-then prays extemporaneously-then gives an exposition of a chapter, or a portion of one, or not unfrequently preaches-the sermon differing in no respect from that delivered on the sabbath, either in arrangement or applicationafterwards, he gives out an hymn as before, and concludes with extemporaneous prayer. Now, Sir, this is precisely the form of service adopted by the dissenters and methodists; and, consequently, whenever clergymen can conform to their mode of worship, and become, in fact, dissenters themselves, it is no longer matter of surprise, that such services should be generally, if not always, well attended by those who yet are never seen within the doors of our churches or chapels, and who' appear not a little elated at the conversions made to their own systems among our clergy, and of course will honour by their patronage! any departure from the forms of our incomparable liturgy. There is another evil, in my opinion, attendant upon this mode of instruction, and one of a much more serious nature, viz.—that they not unfrequently are substituted, in the estimation and the practice of a large portion among the poorer classes of our congregations, for attendance upon Divine worship on the sabbath day-thus tending to create a breach of God's commandment (already, alas! too prevalent), as well as to cherish an indolence of disposition so observable among that portion of our hearers, and especially when such lectures are held in the viciuity of their own dwellings, and at a distance from the parish church. That this is the case, I have had frequent opportunities of ascertaining in Ireland as well as here, and not a little have these evils been increased by the zeal of some of my brethren in the ministry asserting that "this school room! is none other but the house of God," or, "this KITCHEN (!) the gate of Heaven.” Now, Sir, in zeal to be made the honoured instrument in bringing souls to the Redeemer, I shall yield to none; and I care not how I spend or am spent in the service of my blessed Master. That an explanation of a portion of God's Holy Word to the adult members of our congregations during the week is necessary, I willingly allow— nay, I deem it absolutely requisite. But the mode in which such information should be communicated consistently with the discipline and the formularies of our church is the point on which I desire to be informed; particularly when the daily occupations of the inhabitants, and their distance from the church, render an attendance there at a weekly service impossible, and the instruction must necessarily be given either in a school room or private dwelling. Brief as has been my ministerial career, every succeeding day brings fresh conviction to my mind that the formularies of our scriptural church, to which as I have most willingly and conscientiously subscribed, and from which I shall, with the blessing of God, never depart, are the best appointed mode for communicating religious information to our people, as well as those which I do believe God will most honour. Still, as I am but young in the ministry, I would intreat, in some of the succeeding numbers of your Magazine, the matured opinion of some of the fathers of our church upon this subject, so important to the welfare of souls, as well as to the maintenance of the true religion which has been established among us.* I remain, Sir, Your constant reader, W. G. ON SUNDAY SCHOOLS. To the Editor of the British Magazine. MR. EDITOR, Many may be led to exertion, in a way of which they have not previously thought, by learning the details of successful efforts elsewhere. It is with a belief that somewhat of the kind may be the result, that I send you the following statement for insertion in your Magazine, if you think fit. In the curacy to which I am attached, there are four small hamlets lying at distances varying from five to two miles from the church. In two of these there were week-day schools previously to the year 1829, but in none Sunday-schools. In that year my attention was drawn strongly towards them through an approaching confirmation. I became wishful for the establishment of a Sunday-school in each, but scarcely knew in what way the desire could be accomplished, as there were no resident Protestant gentry near any, save one. Still I was stimulated to make the exertion by an active person in the cause of schools; and he and I went into the different hamlets in succession, learnt who were the most likely persons to be interested in such a cause, spoke with them, combating all fears of failure, and pressing for a trial. They successively fell into our suggestions; notice was given of a public meeting in each, at which the principal inhabitants were personally invited to attend. There the advantages and plans of gratuitous Sunday-schools were explained,-well-disposed persons were solicited to give in their names for teachers, and the inhabitants at large to contribute some pecuniary assistance for the purchase of requisites. In one place, I remember, when we arrived at the hour The Editor hopes that this subject may be well discussed. But as many will probably express their opinions, may he respectfully request them to compress as far as they conveniently can? which had been appointed for the public meeting, no one seemed forthcoming. We supposed they could not be moved in the matter, as they had been generally luke-warm in our previous individual conversations with them. Still my friend would not be daunted; he went successively into the different houses, and soon a full meeting was collected, and then the matter agreed upon, and a school established. The results of these exertions may be gathered from the following reports rendered by the superintendants, and read before our respected Diocesan, at his visitation last summer. I should premise that the schools have been carried on at a very slight expense-41. or 51. each per annum; as all the conductors have given their services, and rooms for the teaching have always been provided rent free. The superintendant of the Stodday school reports, "that since its formation, the teachers, with himself, have afforded Christian instruction to 87 scholars, of whom only three have left without their approval. They have sold from the schools, 5 Bibles, 11 Testaments, 38 Prayer books. Fifty-four of the religious tracts on the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge list have been given amongst the scholars, as prizes. There are at present 38 scholars in regular attendance, taught by seven gratuitous teachers. The teachers in this and the other schools divide themselves into two sets, and so give their services alternate Sundays." The superintendant of the Scotforth school reports, "there are at present in attendance at that school, 54 scholars, and 6 gratuitous teachers. A number of the same religious books have been distributed here, in the way of prizes, as in the Stodday school, but he has to lament that a great backwardness has existed towards purchasing any Bibles or Prayer books," In Quernmoor, eight teachers give their services, and afford instruction to 75 regular scholars. The superintendant is able to say, "that no scholars had left the school, since its formation, without the sanction of the teachers or their parents. Forty scholars have received instruction, and left for satisfactory reasons,-such as going to place out of the township, and the like. Twelve Bibles, 40 Testaments, 60 Prayer-books, with several other small religious treatises, have been sold from the school. Many books, such as Burkitt's Help and Guide, Davy's Village Conversations on the Liturgy and Offices, have been distributed among the scholars, as rewards for attention and good conduct. The teachers have divided the neighbourhood into districts, for the purpose of attaching and keeping to the school the surrounding children, and of lending religious books in the several houses." In the Glasson school, the superintendant reports, "there were at present 60 scholars, who are instructed by himself and three gratuitous teachers, occasionally assisted by two other well-disposed neighbours. Sixty Testaments have been purchased from the school, and many small books given among the scholars, as prizes." To all these schools, lending libraries have been recently attached. These were paid for out of a fund which was raised through a bazaar, held about a year back, in behalf of these institutions. By the same means, assisted with a grant of 201. from the National Society, a sub |