CHURCH SOCIETIES. Mr. EDITOR,-I am desirous, through the medium of your excellent miscellany, of calling the attention of Churchmen to a point which appears to me of far greater consequence than common practice seems to consider it. The insufficiently supported state of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts has been frequently adverted to; not, perhaps, so much as the subject deserves. But there is another Society, which, I hesitate not to say, is more important still: one, too, which we in England are still more bound to patronize, because its objects are so perfectly domestic. Need I specify the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge ?-a Society which, perhaps, has achieved a greater amount of good than any community which has ever existed. An apathy, in itself inexplicable, but fearfully harmonizing with other signs of the times, never inquires how it comes to pass that some of the provincial reports of this Society exhibit district funds in a state of rapid decay; much less is any measure advanced, at all calculated to arrest this tremendous evil. The Christian Knowledge Society has never paraded its claims; no platforms, no speeches; none of the tinsel and jingle of cant. Quiet and dignified, its reports have attested to its patrons the vast aggregate of good which it has wrought; while every parish pastor who has employed its varied means of edification, has had cheering testimony of its blessed power, and thanked the Divine mercy for its existence. A lending library, under its patronage, and by its munificence, was established in a parish of which I was formerly curate; and in one year I had the satisfaction to see, in a very rude community, many, in consequence, learn to read; and many, who could read, become intelligently religious characters. And shall this noble reservoir of "living waters" be allowed to expend itself without any effort to meet the exhaustion? To discover the cause of a disease is, generally, some approach to a remedy. Now I think I can allege at least a concurrent cause in the present case. The Church Missionary Society has, beyond all question, greatly injured the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. I believe that the Bible Society has had a similar effect on the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Not that the Bible Society deserves the reprehension which justly attaches to the selfstyled Church Missionaries. The objects of the Bible Society are avowedly distinct from those of the Christian Knowledge Society; while the designs of the Church Missionaries are avowedly the same as those of the corresponding institution in our Church. Still the two former Societies frequently clash in a manner very injurious to that which it is the duty of every churchman to prefer. That such is his duty may, I think, be easily proved. I now set aside all dark doings about the Apocrypha,—all salaries of honorary secretaries, &c. &c., all incumbrances, in short, which have never clogged the free and honourable course of the Church Society in the century of its noble career. I will suppose the Bible Society freer from imputation than its own reports exhibit it; I will suppose it faithfully to execute the objects which it professes,-the circulation : of the Bible without note or comment, ORAL or otherwise. Even then, with the Churchman it ought to rank below the Christian Knowledge Society. They that are of the household of faith have claims above those of the heathen; our own communion above the rest of our countrymen. Now the Christian Knowledge Society circulates not only the Bible, in the languages spoken in these islands, (and that ON LOWER TERMS than the Bible Society), but the Prayerbook also, and a vast number of the most useful familiar tracts. It also founds parochial libraries ;-institutions of the most beneficial description. All this the Bible Society cannot do its exclusive nature may very well adapt it to general patronage; but its claims to the particular patronage of the Church must be far less than those of a Society which can effect so wide a range of beneficence. I reside at present in a parish which has its "Bible Association, -a thing by no means wanted on the spot, since almost every cottage is provided with a Bible. The villagers are constantly making application to the Secretary of that Society to furnish them Prayer-books; which, (by what rule I know not) he is forbidden, as he states, to supply, even from the resources of the Christian Knowledge Society. What churchman can doubt that a similar Association, in connexion with the Christian Knowledge Society, would be productive of incomparably greater advantage? Now, Mr. Editor, the point I here wish to press, is this. Are there any churchmen contributing to the Bible Society, and not to the Church Society? I believe there are few. If these few be genuine churchmen, they are so, because, without passing any judgment on other men, they believe church principles to be the best principles; and if they be genuine Christians, they will consider their own population before the heathen. They will, therefore, for these reasons, see the propriety of transferring their subscriptions to the Church Society. But there are many churchmen who subscribe to both; and to such I would say, the inadequacy of the resources of that establishment which has the stronger claims on you for its important undertakings is obvious; the PROSPERITY of the other is abundant. Transfer therefore your subscription to those funds where your exertions will be turned to so much better account. But I by no means charge our defective support on the encroachments of the Bible Society. There may be other causes. It is time they should be investigated. Meanwhile, all honest and zealous churchmen should rally in support of the Christian Knowledge Society. District Societies should be formed; new subscriptions made, where none exist already. I shall be happy to hear what the lapse of another month may produce from your correspondents, either in the way of elucidation or direct remedy. I, for my own part, shall be ready to contribute my humble assistance in any way which may be least ineffectual. The past achievements of the Society ought to be known, and the indifference of this liberal age (wo worth the word!) met by a manly remonstrance; it would be at least putting to trial the boasted liberality of our days, and would either procure us friends, or discover our enemies :-perhaps both. A REAL CHURCHMAN. ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCRIPTURAL FACTS AND CUSTOMS, By analogous Reference to the Practice of other Nations. SERVITUDE PREVIOUS TO MARRIAGE. Gen. xxix. 18.-" And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter." THE inhabitants of Haouran, to the east of Jordan, earn their living very hardly. I once met with a young man, who had served eight years for his food only; at the expiration of that period, he obtained in marriage the daughter of his master, for whom he would, otherwise, have had to pay seven or eight hundred piastres. When I saw him, he had been married three years; but he complained bitterly of his father-in-law, who continued to require of him the performances of the most servile offices, without paying him any thing; and thus, prevented him from setting up for his family.-Burckhardt's Travels in the Holy Land, p. 297. THE UNITY OF THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, AND WORSHIP OFFERED ON HIGH PLACES. Gen xxxi. 54.-" Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount." Isaiah ii. 3.—“ And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." The acknowledgment of one supreme Deity, omnipotent and universal, appears to prevail in the most remote parts of the interior of Africa, from the following anecdote of Selym of Assouan, in Mackrizi's History and Description of Egypt, written in the beginning of the fifteenth century:-" Selym adds, that he had seen a man in the audience chamber of the chief of Mokra, and had asked him about his country; he replied, that it was three months' journey from the Nile." When questioned about his religion, he said, "My God and thy God, and the God of the universe, and of men, is all one." When asked where God lived, he answered, in heaven, and again declared the unity of the Almighty. He related, that when the rains tarried, or plagues and pestilence visited them or their cattle, they ascended the mountain to pray to the Almighty, &c.—Burckhardt's Travels, p. 501. surers of the Parent Society, as a Donation from this Committee, in addition to 121. 8s. 2d., the difference of price of books, &c. sold to non-members of the Parent Society, as required by Rule VIII. for the Regulation of District Committees." The Rev. H. Parsons having expressed his wish to resign the office of Assistant-Secretary, on account of his removal to a greater distance from Huntingdon, it was resolved, "That the thanks of the Committee be given to Mr. Parsons, for his valuable ser SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. Barbados. I SEND you the account of our first Chapel; two others, larger, are nearly finished, and the ground for three more offered. A like spirit is, I trust, rising; and that already shewn in the erection of these Chapels most encouraging. On Tuesday, the 15th instant, St. Mark's Chapel, in the parish of St. John, was consecrated. This is the second building which has been erected in this island for the purpose of public worship, and consecrated by the Lord Bishop, since his Lordship's arrival in this Diocese. The idea of building a Chapel in that vicinity (near Consetts') having been suggested, for the first time, on the 10th of September, a site for the projected edifice was immediately offered by Forster Clarke, Esq., on part of the lands of the " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." The most remark able circumstances connected with the erection of this Chapel are, first, the very short time in which it has been completed-exactly ten weeks from the day on which the first stone was laid, namely, the 6th of October; and, secondly, the very moderate sum which has been expended on it, being not quite 300%. currency. Many peculiarly favourable circumstances, however, have concurred to lessen the expenses, and to facilitate the work. Much praise is due to all those immediately concerned in the erection of the Chapel, particularly to Joseph Connell, Esq., to whose indefatigable zeal, and unremitted personal attention, it is principally owing that this very neat structure has been completed with such despatch, and for so small a sum. The Chapel is 50 feet long, 25 feet wide, and 12 feet high in the exterior dimensions, and is capable of accommodating 230 per sons. His Excellency the Governor was present on the occasion; and, after the ceremony of consecration was concluded, visited Codrington College, in company with the Bishop, and, having inspected it, passed on to the Society's Chapel on the hill. The children of the Sunday and daily Schools, amounting to 101, with all the grown people on the Society's estates, lined the way from the brow of the hill to the Chapel and the School. His Excellency and the Bishop then proceeded to visit the Chaplain's Lodge, and the Codrington Foundation School. The party dined at the Society's estate. The weather was remarkably fine and pleasant, and every thing singularly well arranged and executed; and it may be reasonably hoped, that St. Mark's Chapel will prove a blessing to the neigh bourhood. DOMESTIC.-The King's health is much improved. According to His Majesty's command, both Houses of Parliament assembled on the 4th of February, for the despatch of public business, when the session was opened, as usual, by the King's speech. In this document (generally considered as the epitome of the affairs of the state, which will engage the attention of the Houses,) his Majesty assures his Lords and Commons of the friendly feelings, of foreign powers towards this country; notices the conclusion of a treaty of peace between Russia and the Porte; declares that his endeavours to accomplish the remaining objects of the Treaty of the 6th of July, 1827, have been unremitting, and anticipates an early communication of the measures determined on, for the arrangement of the affairs of Greece; announces his inability to effect a reconciliation between the Princes of the House of Braganza, and that he remains undetermined as to the propriety of recognizing the VOL. XII. NO. III. usurper, by renewing his diplomatic relations with Don Miguel; assures the Commons, that every attention shall be paid to economy, and that a considerable reduction will be made in the public expenditure, without diminishing the efficiency of our naval and military establishments; admits the deficiencies of the revenue; proposes the adoption of new regulations for facilitating the administration of justice, and improving the practice of the courts; asserts the increase of the export of our manufactured goods; laments that distress should prevail among the agricultural and manufacturing classes in some parts of the kingdom; and concludes, by expressing his confidence in their concurrence in every measure calculated to maintain the credit of the government. The Address, as usual, was moved; it met with a strong opposition, particularly in the lower house; and on the principle, that the distress of the country is not partial, but universal; but it was carried by a majority of 62 in the Peers, and 85 in the Commons. CC |