regard I had long entertained towards you, that I had originally found myself obliged, by my official position, to bear any part in the transaction alluded to; and when it was considered necessary to publish some account of the proceedings in the case, so far as was requisite for the vindication of the persons with whom I was associated, I anxiously endeavoured, as I mentioned to you some days since in private, so to word my letter as, if possible, not to cause you pain, or appear to throw imputations on your conduct. The letter of June 3rd, 1843, from the late Vice-chancellor, which you have printed, I am not aware that I ever saw until he shewed a copy of it to me yesterday, in consequence of your having informed him that you had thought proper to make it public. It is, therefore, an independent account of the transaction, and written at the time; but I do not perceive that it differs substantially from mine. The Vice-Chancellor, indeed, enters into some particulars to which I had no occasion to advert; and he does not refer to the letter and quotations with which, as I mentioned, you had very properly prefaced, and accompanied your sermon as it was conveyed to the judges. Yet, when I mentioned this, I readily admitted what, indeed, has never been denied, that neither before nor after the judgment upon the written sermon, had you a hearing either in the literal sense of the word, or in the sense which I presume you intend, for the purpose of maintaining and defending your own positions. We only trusted that you had been heard substantially, and according to those principles of equity which we all alike acknowledge. But you conceive that there is a material variation between the two accounts, where the one speaks only of recantation, and appears to exclude qualifications of your language, whereas, my letter speaks of your having opportunity offered to you to disclaim whatever meanings might have been improperly imputed to your expressions, and represents the Vice-chancellor as desirous to receive qualifications or corrections of your words. He only speaks, I apprehend, of not having been satisfied with those particular qualifications which you were reported to him as being ready to offer, and this with reference only to the second paper sent to you, of which I had no need to speak particularly; and again, it is evident to those who are acquainted with the statute, that his letter specially refers to the statutable word, "recantation," whereas, with a copy of the first paper lying before me, (to which I have also referred to-day,) I described it more correctly, according to its real import and actual form, as giving the writer" opportunity to disclaim any meaning improperly attached to his expressions, and to declare his adherence to those parts of our articles and formularies with which, under such imputed meanings, his expressions had appeared to be at variance." Yet, in either case, whether we are to speak of recantation or disavowal, it will be apparent that the specific objections taken to your discourse, and the particular expressions, more especially complained of, must have been submitted to your consideration, or there would have been nothing to be recanted or disclaimed. In our respective impressions, however, of the papers submitted to you, we cannot, of course, be expected to agree. That they were misunderstood is evident from what you state, and is to be regretted; but to discuss them further in a newspaper you will surely agree with me would be most improper; and indeed it is now too late to discuss them at all. But I am entitled to speak of what I cannot but know-their design and intention. That they were not satisfactory to you, indeed, I have already stated, expressing, at the same time, my great regret that endeavours intended in equity and sincerity to do you justice should have failed. Let me add that, as this is the first occasion on which we have corresponded in public, so I earnestly hope it may be the last. On the present subject, at least, any further correspondence must be worse than useless. Do me the justice to believe, what I have already stated to you privately, that I have no desire to assail you, or in any way to reflect upon your conduct. My feelings VOL. XXVII-March, 1845. X are quite of another kind. And I would rather take advantage of this opportunity (sincerely reluctant as I have been to recur to this painful subject) to state thus publicly, that, notwithstanding our very serious disagreements in opinion, I have never ceased to appreciate your many amiable qualities; and I remain always, my dear Dr. Pusey, your sincere friend, The Rev. Dr. Pusey. EDWARD HAWKINS. NATIONAL EDUCATION.-IRELAND. Dublin, Jan. 31. AN influential meeting of noblemen and gentlemen was held at Morrisson's Hotel, yesterday, for the purpose of taking into consideration the subject of national education. The meeting was strictly confined to the persons taking part in the proceedings. The Earl of Roden took the chair, and Mr. G. A. Hamilton, M.P., acted as secretary. The following resolutions were unanimously agreed to: Proposed by the Marquis of Downshire, K.S.P., seconded by Lord Viscount Bernard, M.P. :-" Resolved-That at a crisis such as the present, the able and dignified declaration on the subject of education made by his Grace the Lord Primate of Ireland, and a majority of the bishops of the established church, is calculated to create confidence and hope among the friends of sound scriptural education, and demands our acknowledgments and support." Proposed by the Earl of Bandon, seconded by Mr. C. Cobbe :-" Resolved ―That our respectful thanks be tendered to his Grace and those prelates, for the firm, temperate, and conclusive manner in which they have, in that declaration, vindicated the cause of scriptural education, and asserted the principles and claims of the established church." Proposed by the Earl of Rathdown, seconded by Mr. Edward Grogan, M.P.: "Resolved-That without any desire to make the question of education in Ireland a political question, or to embarrass in any way her Majesty's present government, in accordance with those principles which we have always conscientiously maintained, and which we feel to involve considerations of paramount importance, we deem it our duty to express our full concurrence in the sentiments contained in that declaration." Proposed by Viscount Castlemaine, seconded by Captain Taylor, M.P.:"Resolved-That it is our most earnest and anxious desire that her Majesty's government may be induced to re-consider this important subject; and while they have conceded so much to the scruples of other denominations, may regard the just claims of the established church in Ireland and the position in which its members are placed in reference to education, and afford assistance to schools in connexion with the established church, on principles and conditions of which the clergy and laity may be able conscientiously to approve." Proposed by Mr. J. Barlow, seconded by Mr. W. B. Smyth :-"Resolved -That whilst we thus call upon government to assist the cause of sound scriptural education out of the public funds, we at the same time feel it our duty to urge upon the landed proprietors of Ireland, who are members of the established church, the duty of coming forward with increased zeal in aid of the funds of the Church Education Society, and thus to co-operate with them in the efforts which they are now making to provide a sound system of education in Ireland." Proposed by Mr. J. Wynne, seconded by Mr. G. Macartney :-" Resolved -That the following declaration be circulated throughout every diocese in this country; and we respectfully entreat the parochial clergy to assist the laity in their respective parishes in procuring signatures : "We, the undersigned, feeling deeply interested in the vital subject of sound scriptural education, and having read the resolutions adopted at the meeting held in Dublin, on the 30th of January, at which the Earl of Roden presided, do hereby express our concurrence in the sentiments contained in those resolutions, and our earnest hope that her Majesty's government will take into consideration the painful position in which the clergy and members of the established church who object conscientiously to the present national system are placed in reference to education in this country. RODEN, Chairman; GEORGE ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Secretary." This day a deputation waited upon the Primate for the purpose of presenting his Grace with the subjoined address, bearing the signatures of forty noblemen and members of Parliament : "TO THE RIGHT HON. AND MOST REV. HIS GRACE THE lord ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH, ETC. "We, the undersigned, beg most respectfully to offer to your Grace the expression of our cordial sympathy in the painful and difficult position in which the Irish branch of the established church is placed, with reference to national education, and of our deepfelt gratitude for the firm and dignified part which your Grace has taken in maintaining the principle of sound scriptural instruction. We consider the maintenance of God's holy word as the standard of religious instruction, to be inseparable from our duty to God, from the true profession of the Christian faith, and from the very foundation of our Protestant church. We are convinced that the youth of the country cannot be duly instructed in the moral and social duties of life unless that instruction have its basis on the sacred Scriptures; and we do not believe that a people can be trained in solid principles of loyalty to their sovereign unless they are brought up in a sound scriptural knowledge of their duty to God. Many circumstances warrant us in entertaining a strong hope that a united system might be framed upon this principle, and that, if sanctioned and assisted by government, it would be taken advantage of by numbers of all denominations. We deeply regret that while her Majesty's government has continued the system of the National Board of Education in Ireland, and largely increased the grant for its support, they have declined acceding to the request made by your Grace, in reference to scriptural education, in the year 1842; and have refused either so to modify the present national system as to enable those of the established church who entertain the sentiments we now express to form schools in connexion with the national board, or to grant funds for the purposes of education in the principles of the established church. We implore your Grace to renew your reasonable and just demands for the attainment of this most important object, in whatever manner you may deem most advisable; and we feel it our duty to tender the assurance of our readiness to support your Grace in the maintenance of the principles by which we have hitherto been actuated on the subject, being firmly convinced that sound scriptural education is indispensable to the preservation of the true religion established amongst us, and to the social and moral improvement of the rising generation.-Manchester, Waterford, Downshire, Thomond, Roden, Mayo, Enniskillen, Erne, Bandon, Clancarty, Charleville, De Vesci, O'Neill, Lorton, Carbery, Farnham, Castlemaine; Bernard, M.P., Northland, M.P., Claude Hamilton, M.P., John Manners, M.P., H. A. Cole, M.P., Thos. Vesey, M.P., J. P. Maxwell, M.P., Frederick Shaw, M.P., A. Lefroy, M.P., A. B. Brooke, M.P., W. Beresford, M.P., W. Gore, M.P., John Ffolliot, M.P., Thomas Edward Taylor, M.P., Augustus S. O'Brien, M.P., Theobald Jones, M.P., James Hans Hamilton, M.P., William Verner, M.P., Thomas Bateson, M.P., Mervyn Archdall, M.P., Edward Grogan, M.P., William H. Gregory, M.P., Edward Conolly, M.P., Nathaniel Alexander, M.P., Edmund Hayes, M.P., C. P. Leslie, M.P., William Acton, M.P., George A. Hamilton, M.P.” "" HIS GRACE'S ANSWER. "My Lords and Gentlemen,-It affords me very sincere gratification to receive the address which you have done me the honour to present to me, on the subject of the education of the poor in this country, and I beg to offer you my cordial thanks for the expression of your approval of the part which I have taken in reference to this important question. When I consider the high station and influence of those whose names are subscribed to this addressthe deference and attention which are due to any declaration of their sentiments upon matters connected with the welfare of the Irish communitywhen, moreover, I am encouraged by the assurance which they have given me of their readiness to support me in my efforts to procure aid from Parliament towards the maintenance of scriptural education, I should appear to be wanting in that respect which I feel towards them, and in devotion to the sacred cause in which they manifest so deep an interest, if I were not to take the earliest opportunity in my power of complying with the request which they have made, that I would again bring under the view of her Majesty's government the fair and reasonable claims of the scriptural schools in Ireland to receive a portion of the funds so freely granted for the advancement of national education. "I have the honour to be, my lords and gentlemen, your faithful and humble servant, "JOHN G. ARMAGH." In addition to the foregoing unmistakeable symptoms of the temper of the Protestant mind upon the question of education, I subjoin the address of the clergy of the diocese of Kilmore to his Grace the Primate : May it please your Grace,-We, the undersigned clergy of the diocese of Kilmore, desire to record our gratitude for that seasonable declaration upon the important topic of popular education which has recently been published by your Grace and a majority of our bishops. "We should always endeavour, for conscience' sake, to yield cheerfully to thepowers that be' the fullest measure of obedience consistent with our duty to God; it has therefore been with much pain and sorrow of heart' that we have hitherto felt constrained to decline any co-operation with the government in carrying out that new system of instruction which has been devised for the lower classes in this country. "The reasons by which we have been led to adopt this line of conduct are clearly and forcibly put forward in the document which has lately emanated from episcopal authority; on a calm review of them, they still appear to us to be solid and satisfactory, and such as ought to prevail with faithful ministers of the church of Christ. "We have to contend with many difficulties in endeavouring to uphold in our parishes such a system of education as we can conscientiously approve, but we are well assured that the difficulties to which we refer will not be obviated by compromising the principles of the established church; they must be overcome by a steady perseverance in the path of duty, and believing, as we trust' we do believe, that in quietness and confidence shall be our strength. "Through the unequal contest which we have been called on to maintain, we have been cheered by the same hope to which your Grace and the majority of our bishops have given expression, in that declaration of your sentiments which has recently been published. We feel confident that the inherent justice of our cause, the moderation of our demand, and the liberal spirit in which our schools are conducted, will ultimately obtain for our church education system a more candid and dispassionate consideration than it has yet received; and we are unwilling to relinquish the reasonable expectation so long entertained by us, that some measure may be devised by the wisdom of parliament which will place the clergy of the church established in this country upon a footing similar to that maintained relatively to national education by our English brethren. Our expectation is fortified by the consideration that we do but seck to obtain for ourselves the same privileges which have already been conceded to Protestant dissenters throughout the realm, and to the clergy of the Roman communion in Ireland. "Our church schools in this diocese have afforded gratuitous instruction to many thousand children of all religious denominations, with much acceptance, and without offence. We ourselves are now making every exertion to support them from our diminished incomes, we are bestowing upon them our time, thought, and labour; they have been productive of much benefit to our parishioners of all creeds. If our limited resources be considered, our schools will not suffer by comparison, in point of efficiency, with any others in the united kingdom; we therefore conceive that we possess strong and just claims upon the government of the country; and those claims, we are persuaded, will not be ultimately disregarded by our rulers. "We desire to express the grateful and affectionate feeling with which we regard your Grace's continual watchfulness over the interests of the church, your unwearied exertion in the cause of sound scriptural education, and your munificent patronage of our Church Education Society. "We gladly take this opportunity to assure you, that we rely with undiminished confidence upon your Grace's wisdom and guidance in the present critical position of our church, and we willingly accept the admonition of our spiritual fathers, that we be not weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."" INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ENLARGEMENT, After the various other matters of business had been brought forward and disposed of, the committee proceeded to examine into the grounds of the applications selected for their consideration by the sub-committee, from among the cases recently laid before the society; and finally grants were voted in aid of the erection of new churches: for the district of Wyke, in the parish of Birstal, near Halifax; North Rode, near Congleton; Salford, near Manchester; Eastend, Finchley, Middlesex; Byley, near Middleton, Cheshire; St. James's, Congleton; and Nent Head, near Penrith, Cumberland. It is expected that five of these districts will be endowed from the funds recently placed at the disposal of the ecclesiastical commissioners, but all of them are destitute of the means of attending on Divine worship, being situated at distances of from a mile and a half to two miles from the nearest churches, and still remote from their parish churches, the inhabitants being for the greater part poor operatives or agricultural labourers, some of the places being without any resident gentry. Yet in all of them it is pleasing to report that the most praiseworthy exertions have been made to raise funds for the erection of the intended churches. It is also worthy of remark, that North Rode is one of thirty-two townships in the parish of Prestbury, nearly one-half of which are unprovided with churches; and it is nine miles from the parish church. Byley and four neighbouring townships are to be formed into a district which is situated in the centre of a tract of country nine miles in length, and seven in breadth, in which at present there is not one church. Nent Head is situated |