when spoken to on the subject, think it is a matter between God and their own consciences, and no one has a right to interfere. Well, but is it right to travel on the Sabbath, encouraging traffic on that day, when you can have food at home? The reply is-The soul must be fed, and it is a duty to seek it anywhere. But why will not the same food do that used to satisfy? Fresh light has been received, and old truths will not satisfy. Thus Satan cheats the soul, and anything but profit follows." This comes from an article in-what Journal does the reader suppose? From some good orthodox High-church quarter of course. Not so, but from the Home Missionary Magazine for April! Even so. This is no matter of triumph-but a matter for most serious reflection indeed. This Society, the newest of all, which professes to break up new ground only, has contrived (with plenty of auxiliaries to be sure) so effectually to introduce the appetite for novelty, that it is fain to cry out and complain itself! That which may have endured a whole twelve months, is given up and deserted at once, if a new teacher should arrive! This, so far from being matter of rejoicing, is indeed a most awful account, though exactly what was foretold by the bigotted High Churchmen long ago. MR. CURTIS. THE following letter will probably be sufficient notice of Mr. Curtis. It does not seem probable that we shall hear much more of him. "To the Editor of the Times. "SIR,-In consequence of the publication of Mr. Curtis's pamphlet upon the state of the text in the current editions of the English Bible, and your remarks on that subject, the members of the sub-committee appointed to examine and report on the authorized version feel it their duty to make the following statements : "In publishing the resolutions of the 13th of June, Mr. Curtis has not only acted without our concurrence, but in direct opposition to the written injunction of one of the committee,-the positive declaration made to him by another, who was also of the sub-committee, that such an act would be a gross breach of faith,-and the obvious design of that part of our fourth resolution in which it is declared 'expedient to wait till the reprint of the edition of 1611, now printing at Oxford, be before the public, ere any further correspondence be entered upon with the Universities.' "We do not consider ourselves responsible for any statements which Mr. Curtis has made in his pamphlet, or which he may hereafter make; and he is no longer secretary to the committee by which we were appointed, or in any way connected with that body. "As our design was not to implicate character, but to secure the integrity of the text of the authorized version, we consider the reprint of the standard edition now commenced at Oxford as the first step towards the advancement of the object we had in view. J. BENNETT. F. A. COX. E. HENDERSON. J. PYE SMITH.” "Though not of the sub-committee, I am happy to be admitted to add my signature. March 26. REPORT. INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ENLARGEMENT, Among other business transacted, grants, varying in amount according to the necessity of the case, were voted towards enlarging the church at North Chapel, in the county of Sussex; enlarging the church at Lynton, in the county of Devon; altering and new pewing the galleries in, and repairing the chapel of St. Paul, in the town of Birmingham; enlarging and repewing the church at Southwick, in the county of Sussex; enlarging, by rebuilding, the church at Hay, in the county of Brecon; repairing the church at Gransden Parva, in the county of Cambridge; restoring the church of Boughton Monchelsea, in the county of Kent, destroyed by fire. The annual general court of the Society is fixed for Friday, the 24th May, at the Society's rooms, St. Martin's-place, Trafalgar-square. His grace the Archbishop of Canterbury will take the Chair at twelve o'clock. DOCUMENTS. EXTRACTS FROM THE BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER'S SPEECH AT CHELTENHAM. "The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge was founded in the year 1698. Now that it should have continued to exist, supported, under Providence, by voluntary contributions, for 135 years, and not to exist only, but to flourish, to go on with constantly progressive support, to see its objects better and better attained in each successive year, and to spread itself in extent, as I shall explain presently it has done, I must think that this circumstance affords in itself a well grounded hope, that it has been conducted in a manner not displeasing to the great and omniscient Parent of us all, that the favour of Almighty God has lighted upon this Society. The first, and by far the most important object, is the diffusing among all classes of society, but particularly among the poor, the Holy Scriptures; and for the manner and extent in which this object has been effected, I will only mention the fact, that during the last year, the Society has dispersed above 63,000 copies of the English Bible, and above 66,000 copies of the New Testament, making together nearly 130,000 copies of the Scriptures. All its other operations will be found subsidiary to diffusing the knowledge of the word of God. I shall mention the second grand object, that of dispersing the Prayer Book, particularly among the poor: in the course of last year only, the Society gave away, through the means of its members, above 150,000 copies of the English Liturgy, thereby enabling at least that number of persons to join in the service of the church, who but for this Society would not have been able to do it in so edifying a manner as they now do. The third object is to print and to disperse books and tracts of all descriptions, that tend to promote a VoL. III.May, 1833. 4 F knowledge of the Christian Religion; the best comments upon Scripture, and the best and most popular tracts upon different Christian duties. And this has been done to such an extent, as perhaps will amaze those who knew not the fact in the last year only, this society dispersed nearly a million and a half of books and tracts!" "It may be asked as a matter of curiosity, by what means has this establishment been able to accomplish these multifarious matters in the effectual manner in which, I believe, all have been done? It is by a number of private subscribers, perhaps about 14,000 persons, whose average subscriptions amount to one guinea each, besides the Society's revenues of about 10 or 12,000l. per annum, resulting from accumulated legacies and donations—some appropriated to particular objects, and some for general purposes. Great as that number is, I confess I do not think it so great as we ought to expect, when we consider how extensive is the good done by such an establishment, and how exactly the advantage is commensurate with the extent of the sum collected. The population, I believe, of England and Wales is 14,000,000; the proportion, therefore, of subscribers is but one in a thousand. Now it is a fact that many persons are in almost total ignorance of the operations of this charity, and know little more of it than its name. To this I attribute the extraordinary circumstance, that several of the very first persons of this country in station, talent, and power, are not members of the society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; nor can I doubt that they would give it support by their money and talents, if its advantages could be brought before them." SOCIETIES FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE AND FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. ON Monday, the 8th instant, a meeting on behalf of the above societies was held at the Town Hall, Stamford, which was filled to excess with a genteel assemblage of the inhabitants of the town and surrounding villages, chiefly consisting of ladies. George Finch, Esq, M.P., was in the chair. The following gentlemen addressed the Meeting:-Mr. Finch, Rev. R. Twopeny, of Little Casterton, Dr. Arnold, Lord Carbery, Dr. Hopkinson, Rev. Joseph Wilson, of Laxton, Rev. H. Mortlock, of Morcott, Rev. C. Swan, of Ridlington, Rev. Nicholas Walters, of Stamford, Rev. T. Arnold, Rev. C. Arnold, Rev. T. Roberts, of Tinwell, and Rev. C. Belgrave. The two following speeches, from laymen, will give pleasure to every one:— Mr. FINCH.-Ladies and Gentlemen,-We are met to-day to hear the reports of the proceedings of two most interesting institutions, fostered and superintended by the Clergy of the Established Church, and to consider how we can best promote their interests. One of these societies assumes the character of a Foreign, the other of a Home Missionary. There is no church to whom a wider field of missionary exertion has been opened by Divine Providence than the Church of England. In the West Indies she has presented to her 800,000 negroes, whose emancipation from slavery must shortly take place. Whether the release from bondage of so many thousands of our fellow-men will be a blessing to them or a curse,-whether it will be the prelude of their relapse into barbarism or of their being numbered among civilized nations, depends entirely upon the failure or success of the exertions now making for their moral and religious improvement. It is satisfactory, therefore, to find that the Church of England is making increased efforts to disseminate among them the principles of truth. In Canada we behold vast regions capable of sustaining a population far more numerous than the population of the United Kingdom. England has communicated to them the principles of civil freedom and the framework of her constitution; but of little advantage would these gifts be, if they were unaccompanied by a church establishment. That man is but little versed in the history of nations who is not aware that unless disciplined and improved by true religion, man is unfitted for the enjoyment of liberty. Experience teaches us that infidelity leads to anarchy, that superstitution demands the support of the arm of despotism, and that true Christianity alone prevents liberty from degenerating into licentiousness. New Holland, which is commensurate in size with two-thirds of Europe, will in future ages possess nations whose destinies will be greatly influenced by the character which her present institutions assume. In India we have confided to our government eighty millions of souls, immersed in the deadliest supersti tions. Stimulated by a sense of the awful responsibility of her situation, our venerable church displays a becoming earnestness. She has circulated, in common with other Christian churches, hundreds of thousands of copies of the Scriptures; she has sent out many ardent missionaries burning with the love of Christ, and prepared to lay down their lives, if called upon to do so, for his sake; and, imitating the example of the apostles, who, after sowing the seed, established churches to watch over its growth, she has built and endowed many churches in our various colonies. With respect to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, its labours are of first-rate importance. Never, perhaps, was exertion more imperatively demanded of the friends of social order and religion than at the present moment. When the question of a more general diffusion of education was mooted some years ago, the clergy of the establishment embraced a liberal and enlightened policy. The established church, however, when she promoted the scriptural education of the poor, impliedly pledged herself to attend her children in after life with her fostering care, and to protect them against the enemies of their salvation. A new field having been opened, a contest naturally ensued between the powers of light and darkness for its possession. The disciples of Priestley, infidels, revolutionists, and the Church of Rome with her thousands of emissaries, are at present unceasing in their efforts to undermine the foundations of the true faith. There is therefore abundant need of the most strenuous efforts on the part of the Christian world; and if these efforts are made, I have no fear of the result. At the close of the last century, when the Roman Catholic religion was overthrown in France, the Church of England, assailed by the arms of infidelity, obtained the victory. The conflict gave birth to the unanswerable defences of a Watson, a Paley, a Gisborne, a Benson, and many other divines whom it is unnecessary to mention. In Italy, at the present day, as we learn from the encyclical letter of the Bishop of Rome, written last August, the Romish Church is almost rent in twain, and requires as much the aid of the Emperor of Austria to maintain her spiritual influence, as the Turkish Sultan requires the aid of Russia to preserve his temporal power. The Church of England is also surrounded by a host of enemies; but doctrinally founded as she is upon the Rock of ages, and daily advancing as she does in Christian and missionary zeal, she will, I am confident, emerge from her trials and difficulties shining with superior lustre. As the meeting must now be desirous of listening to the very interesting particulars which are about to be related of the proceedings of the societies to which I have alluded, it would ill become me to detain them with any further observations. Lord CARBERY said that he had been rather suddenly called upon to move the second resolution-"That the funds of these two Societies are inadequate to the important purposes of their institution." He felt happy that the subject had been so ably handled by the preceding speakers; which rendered it quite unnecessary for him to say much in recommendation of the Societies, but he could not treat a subject so important and sacred in a cold and frigid manner by barely moving the resolution. The present time was an important crisis; and he was afraid, whilst so many revolutions and convulsions were taking place, that the state of society was growing worse rather than better; and hence these and other religious societies, he was sure, had sufficient to do to counteract the evil. When he looked at the great number of artful publications which were daily pouring forth from the press, and evidently intended to draw away the attention of mankind from the important concerns of religion, he was persuaded more and more of the necessity of supporting the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge." It was declared by the wise king, Knowledge puffeth up," and he was afraid it was so in this country; there was a disposition but too general amongst them to forget to which class of society they belonged, and a discontent with the station in life in which Providence had placed them. The writings and doctrines of modern politicians were taking up all their attention, and their sole endeavours were to make themselves great here, whilst they neglected the writings and doctrines of the Holy Bible, which was intended to make them happy and contented here, and great hereafter. One subject he could not refrain from mentioning before he concluded, and that was the conduct and example set by the higher classes of society. Their example ought to be such as would be worthy of imitation by the humbler classes; they were eagerly looked to by them, and their responsibility was great indeed. But when he saw so many of them profaning the Sabbath day, he was afraid that they had done much by their example towards the demoralization of the people of this country. He hoped that ere long this state of things would come to an end, for he firmly believed that a national sin like this would be visited with a national punishment, and that such a state of society would not be permitted long to exist. The noble lord concluded by moving the second resolution. A vote of thanks was passed to the Rev. W. Walters and the Rev. C. Atlay, the Secretaries to the Society, and also to the Mayor for the use of the Hall on this occasion. The meeting broke up at five o'clock. The collection amounted to 517. 13s. 2d.,—of which sum Lord Carbery and Mr. Finch gave 51. each. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, AND THE In the forenoon, the Bishop preached at the Abbey Church, in support of the objects of the societies, on which occasion a most numerous and respectable congregation were present. An attendance of 2000 children, taught at the societies' schools in Bath, formed a very interesting feature of the morning's celebration. The Right Rev. prelate took his text from Prov. ch. xix., 2. The proceedings of the Annual Meeting commenced at the rooms shortly after one o'clock, and were prefaced by prayer. The Rev. W. D. Willis, the Secretary of the Bath and Bedminster committees of the above societies, read the annual Report. It stated the issue of books during the past and preceding years from the Bath depository to have been as follows: Bibles Excess this Sir William Cockburn, Bart., moved the adoption of the Report. The Rev. C. M. Mount seconded the resolution. |