CHURCH SOCIETIES. MR. EDITOR, -The letter signed, "A Real Churchman,' on "Church Societies," in your Number for March, 1830, is admirable. With every word it contains I cordially agree; and particularly with that part in which he recommends Churchmen to give all they can afford to the two Church Societies; such is undoubtedly, and plainly, their duty. One reason for the funds of these Societies being so lamentably small, I believe to arise from their being very imperfectly known; as a remedy for which, I would advise every Bishop, both at home and abroad, to command, that each of his Clergy, on a day appointed by the Archbishops, advocate the cause, and explain the merits, of these two Societies, that every episcopal pulpit throughout the British dominions be thus occupied on the same day. I would next advise, that each Head of a College, in both the Universities, form a District Committee of the Fellows and Students, with an Annual Meeting, which would, I doubt not, pour hundreds of pounds (I speak within limit) into the coffers of our venerable Societies. That active, zealous, and immediate exertions may be made to further the objects of these invaluable and inestimable Institutions, and that a blessing may attend such endeavours, is the anxious wish and earnest prayer of A DISTANT READER. ON THE EXPRESSIONS, "THE CAUSE OF RELIGION," "THE FRIENDS OF RELIGION." FEW expressions are more unmeaning; or, supposing them to have a meaning, have a meaning more absurd than such as these, "The cause of religion," "The friends of religion." The words, according to their acceptation in other instances, imply somewhat of benefit or honour conferred on the former by the latter. Now religion is, in this sense, a friend to man-not man to religion. We further not religion's cause, but religion furthers ours. Religion, the religion of the Gospel, provides for our most urgent wants, saves us in our most imminent peril, gives us in this world, for vanity and woe a reasonable happy service, and in the next, for endless misery, a crown of unfading glory. These are some few of the things religion does for man; who, in return, commonly rejects it with scorn, or, professing to believe, disgraces it by his practice. Who then shall dare call himself the friend of religion? Who presume to express himself as the advocate, the patron of its cause, when it is indeed, by the ordinance of its gracious Author, our patron, our advocate; and we all dependent on its good offices in our inmost souls, for our very hope of health and life? C. G. NUMBER OF JEWS WHO NOW EXIST IN THE WORLD. [WE translate the following census from the March number of the Archives du Christianisme au dix-neuvième Siècle, a Parisian Protestant periodical, which fully deserves the encomium passed on it by Mr. Rose, in the Supplement to his State of Protestantism in Germany, and from which we have once before taken, as we may again take, some observations relative to interesting subjects discussed in our pages.] It appears that this singular people are now as numerous as ever; and that there are in existence at least 2,730,000 Jews, belonging to the different sects of Rabbis, Caraites, Samaritans, Yahudis, Malabars, &c. We find them in almost all the states of Europe, excepting in Spain, in Portugal, and in Sicily, where they are not tolerated. said that there are none in Scotland, although they are not prohibited from residing there. ** THE EUROPEAN JEWS ARE DISTRIBUTED AS FOLLOWS: In the Austrian States, in Hungary, Gallicia, &c. 470,000 450,000 In England, Ireland, and the Electorate of Hanover. 25,000 The Jews are very numerous in Africa, in all the Barbary states, from Morocco to Egypt. They are met with also in Abyssinia, in Zanguebar, the Soudan, at the Cape of Good Hope, &c. ; their number is not exactly known, but we may reckon it about 480,000. In Asia, in the tributary States of Turkey, there are about 250,000 ; in the possessions of the Emperor of Russia, 35,000; near 100,000 in Persia; several in Arabia, in Tartary, Cabul, China, Hindostan, and Malabar; the whole number in Asia is about 542,000. There is but a small number in the Polynesia, and those only at Batavia, and in the English and Dutch colonies; in all about 2,000. In America, although excluded from Brazil and the Spanish states, they are spread all over the other colonies, and all the other states. In the United States there are about 15,000; in the English colonies *We suspect that the Correspondent of the "Archives" is a little mistaken on this point. 12,000; in the Dutch colonies 1,000; and 1,000 in those of France, Denmark, Sweden, &c. making in all about 32,000. We may consider this reckoning sufficiently exact, especially as regards Europe, where the Jews are more numerous. Although they form everywhere a distinct people, and though they have retained their peculiar habits, nevertheless they adopt, in general, the usages and the languages of the countries which they inhabit. The languages which they most generally speak, are the Arabian, the Italian, the German, the dialect of the Polish Jews, and the Turkish. THE MORNING HYMN TO CHRIST, FROM BUCHANAN. BY THE REV. J. M. JONES. HAIL! holy offspring of the Great Supreme! Thou God of God-immaculate, divine! AN EVENING PRAYER. OH! blessed Lord, the Keeper of Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps; be pleased in thy mercy to watch over me this night, and to keep me by thy grace from all danger. Grant me moderate and refreshing sleep, such as may fit me for the duties of the day following. Make me ever mindful of the time when I shall lie down in the dust, for I know neither the day nor the hour when my Master cometh. Grant me grace, good Lord, that I may be always ready; that whether I live I may live unto the Lord, or whether I die I may die unto the Lord; so that living or dying, I may be thine, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. MONTHLY REGISTER. INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR BUILDING CHURCHES, &c. Twelfth Report,-1830. THE Committee, in their last Report, detailed the changes which had taken place in the character and constitution of the Society, in consequence of its incorporation by act of Parliament. They adverted, at the same time, to the increase of its funds, by means of the parochial collections made under the authority of a Royal Letter. The proceedings of the Society under these new circumstances,-the difference in the expenditure and its results, as compared with preceding years, and the causes of that difference, these are the facts which it is of most importance for the friends of the Society to learn, and to which the Committee will, on the present occasion, confine their remarks. It is gratifying, then, to observe, in the first place, that the exertions of the Society have, on the whole, been more extensive, and the benefits conferred by it greater, during the last, than in any preceding year since it was instituted. It has received 147 applications for aid. It has made new or additional grants to ninety-five churches or chapels. It has appropriated to these grants the sum of 16,2007., and secured, in return, additional sittings for no less than 20,967 persons, of which 13,546 are free and unappropriated. The point to which the Committee would now direct attention is, the increase in the expenditure of the Society, during the last year, compared with the number of sittings which have been obtained, as exhibited in the printed statement. This may be satisfactorily accounted for by the fact, that, since the discontinuance of briefs, it has been found necessary to afford pecuniary aid, in some cases, towards repairs, as well as towards enlargement or building. The Committee, however, beg leave to observe, that, in making any grant, in such cases, they have been, and ever will be, most careful to adhere to the rule laid down for their direction in the 9th clause of the Act of Incorporation. This clause provides, that, in affording aid to parishes, "reference be had to the amount of money raised by the parishioners, by rates or subscriptions, and to the improvement which it may be proposed to effect in the accommodation for the poor." They wish it therefore to be distinctly understood by all persons who may apply for assistance towards repairs, that the Society is not authorized to assist those who will not make every reasonable exertion for themselves, by pecuniary contributions or rates, and also engage to provide a sufficient number of free sittings for their poorer fellow-christians. The total amount of the accommodation obtained, when compared with the total amount of the grants which have been made by the Society since its first institution, presents a most gratifying and satisfactory result : 193,711 appropriated, and 142,222 unappropriated sittings, in places of worship belonging to the Established Church, may be regarded as cheaply purchased for the sum of 133,990. which the Society has contributed towards procuring this increase of accommodation. By the expenditure of last year, the disposable balance of the Society has been reduced from 33,736l. 4s. 9d. to 26,9921. 18s. The annual subscriptions are neither numerous nor large; and a sum, not much exceeding 400l. is all that has been received from the collections under the King's Letter since the last report, in addition to 40,653. 4s. 7d. which had before been paid in. That the churches and chapels which have been built or enlarged through the Society's grants are well attended, the Committee have every reason to believe. ANTIGUA. Report of the Antigua District Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, for the year 1829. THE Antigua District Committee of Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, states that, in addition to the books in the depository at the commencement of the year, consisting chiefly of Bibles, the Committee has, during 1829, had two supplies, at the cost altogether of 52l. 12s. 6d. sterling, of such books as seemed to be most required, either for sale, or for the use of the parochial schools, and such other grants in aid of the labours of the Clergy, as should be sanctioned at the different quarterly meetings. By the Treasurer's account, it appears that the receipts for books actually sold since the date of the last Report, including four copies of the large "Family Bible," have amounted to 741. 5s. 9d. currency, or about 351. sterling. In estimating the extent of the grants, it is to be kept in mind, that, besides the National Schools in St. John's and English Harbour (all of which are now in a flourishing condition), several Sunday Schools in the different parishes, among which the large one in the parish of St. John deserves particular notice, as also several Estate Schools, receive their chief supplies of books gratuitously from the District Committee. It may be interesting also to observe, that the books required for the use of the gaol in St. John's, have been procured, at the public expense, from the Committee's depository. Nor must the Committee forget to acknowledge, on the part of the Rector of St. John's, a liberal grant of books from the Parent Society, towards the formation of a lending library, for the benefit of his parishioners, among whom a partial subscription had previously been raised for the purpose. In regard to the state of the funds, the Committee are under the necessity of observing, that they are in debt to the Parent Society for books already in the depository, or daily expected from London, in the sum of nearly 1007. sterling, besides what is due in the island for printing and sundries, to the amount of about 10l. sterling. To wards these claims, there is a balance in hand not exceeding 767. 10s. 3d. currency. If, indeed, the subscriptions had been regularly paid at the date when they became payable (the 15th of June in each year), which, from inadvertency, they are not, there would be no deficiency of means to meet the claims already mentioned, or to assist, by gratuitous supplies of books, in the furtherance of Charity Schools, and other similar labours. The following books were issued in 1829, and up to March 19, 1830:Family Bibles, 6; Bibles, 72; Common Prayers, 89; Books, 303; Tracts, 216: total, 686. Two thousand children and others have been supplied with books. First Annual Report of the English Harbour Society for aiding the Education of Poor Children. Read at the General Meeting, on Thursday, the 12th of November, 1829. It is with peculiar satisfaction that your Committee undertake the pleasing task of laying before the public the First Annual Report of the Society for aiding the establishment instituted for the education of destitute and friendless children residing in English Harbour. On the 25th of October, 1828, a meeting of the inhabitants of English Harbour and its vicinity was convened in the school-room, and a Society formed. At the first meeting of your Committee, their attention was immediately directed to the indigent circumstances of the children, many of whom were deprived of the benefits resulting from a punctual attendance at school and at church, from want of decent apparel. To remove these hindrances to the moral and religious advancement of the children, by supplying the necessary articles of clothing, your Committee, at the recommendation of the Rev. Joseph B. Wilkinson, appropriated the first receipts of money to the purchase of nineteen moleskin jackets, and eleven suits of clothes for the boys, together with ten bonnets and four suits of clothes for the girls. This supply was most seasonable, and your Committee had the satisfaction |