and Mawr, an increase to former grant of 351., in proportions to local con tributions, the aggregate not to exceed 100l. In the Diocese of Salisbury-to the united parishes of Bridgewater-cum-Chilton, 40l., to meet 301.

In the course of the proceedings it was stated that a considerable increase had taken place in the society's income, but that the receipts fell far short of the sums required to meet the pressing demands which continue to be made from the mining and manufacturing districts, for no less than 250 applications remain still unaided, and these require the immediate addition, it appears, of about 10,000l. per annum to the society's income. It is encouraging, however, that this society supports, by its existing grants, more than two hundred additional clergymen, who are labouring hard among an aggregate population of nearly one million and three quarters, averaging 8,358 souls as the population of each district or parish to which aid has been extended in England and Wales; and all the funds supplied for this great work of extending spiritual comfort and instruction amongst the working classes, it should be noticed, is derived solely from the benevolence of individuals, many of whom are dignitaries in the church, and others are beneficed clergymen, together with the aid of landed proprietors, agriculturists, manufacturers, and members of the learned professions, who cheerfully contribute to the funds of this excellent and most useful institution.

CHURCH ACCOMMODATION.

THE fifth meeting of the Incorporated Society for Promoting the Enlargement, Building, and Repairing of Churches and Chapels, for the season, was held at 4, St. Martin's-place, on Monday, the 17th of March. Present-the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the chair; the Bishops of London, Bangor, Chester, Worcester, Hereford, and St. David's; the Lord Kenyon, F. H. Dickinson, Esq., M.P.; Reverends the Dean of Chichester, Dr. Spry, C. B. Dalton, J. Jennings, B. Harrison; Messrs. James Cocks, N. Connop, W. Davis, &c.

The applications which the sub-committee had referred to the consideration of the board having been examined, grants were voted in aid of the following objects-The erection of new churches at Audenshaw and Droylsden, near Manchester; Quarry-bank, near Stourbridge; Warmley, near Bristol; West Fordington, near Dorchester; and Wooden-box, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch; five of these places are districts recently constituted by the ecclesiastical commissioners, and will be endowed from the funds at their disposal. The popu lation of the whole six is extremely poor, the inhabitants being principally operatives engaged in the cotton, silk, and nail manufactures, in the potteries, or in working stone quarries and coal mines. The present state of these places may be understood by the following facts:-At Audenshaw, a very poor neighbourhood, there is no place which can be obtained for the performance of Divine service, in the interval which must elapse while the church is being built, but a room in a public-house. The district of Quarry-bank is so poor that it was hopeless to attempt to raise any subscriptions from the inhabitants towards building a church, and is one of those places which was much disturbed during the Chartist riots, but the inhabitants are now represented as being not unfriendly to the church. At Warmley the population is described as frightfully teeming with dissent, poverty, and profligacy. West Fordington contains the suburbs of the town of Dorchester on the east, north, and south sides, being the poorest part of the town. The population of Wooden-box consists principally of poor labouring potters, gathered together within the last thirty years from various parts of the country. Numbers of the people are attendants on Mormonite preachers, and the majority are habitual sabbath-breakers.

Grants of money were also voted towards obtaining an increase of accommodation, either by an extension of the building or a re-arrangement of the

seats, &c., in the parish churches of Whitechapel, Sedghill, near Shaftesbury; Horningsheath, near Bury St. Edmunds; Rudbaxton, near Haverfordwest; Colmere, near Altan; Lindfield, near Cuckfield; Osmington, near Melcombe Regis, and Rudgwick, near Horsham.

The fourteen parishes to which the Society's aid is now extended, contains together a population of 481,949 persons, their present provision of church accommodation is 74,149 seats, 23,681 of which are free, and the number of churches is seventy-six; the additional accommodation which will be afforded by the erection of six new churches, and the enlargement, &c., of eight existing churches, is 4,306 seats, 3,590 of which are to be free, or more than threefourths of the whole number.

The total amount of grants which the Society is now pledged to pay is 57,662., while the means at their disposal are only 55,7137., showing a deficiency of nearly 2,000l.

NATIONAL SOCIETY.

THE meetings of the National Society for the Education of the Poor in the principles of the Established Church, during the last month, have been attended by his Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury; the Lords Bishops of London, Hereford, Lichfield, and Worcester; Viscount Sandon, M.P.; Thomas D. Acland, Esq., M.P.; the Very Reverend the Dean of Chichester; Venerable Archdeacon Sinclair; the Rev. H. H. Norris; Rev. H. H. Milman; Rev. John Jennings; Rev. William Short; William Davis, Esq.; Gilbert F. Mathison, Esq., and Richard Twining, Esq.

Grants from the Special fund to the amount of 1500l., and from the Queen's Letter fund to the amount of 4771.-total, 19777.-have been voted in aid of schools at the following places-viz., Norwich, St. Mark's; St. George in the East; Sandbach; Holbeck; Church Kirk in Whalley; Marple; Otley; Birmingham, St. Thomas; Wolsingham; Choppards in Holmfirth; Bethnal Green, St. Thomas and St. Simon; Mellor; Darlington; Rhos Lanerchrugog; Audley; Lothersdale; Middleton in Manchester; Blidworth; Burnley; Lye, Christ Church; Alston; Accrington; Madeley; Darlaston; Coscley; Wigginton; Swingfield; Eling North; Bideford; Beesby-le-Marsh; Deviock; Hilgay; Heckington; Evenlode; Stukeley, Great; King's Ripton, and Portsmouth. Schools in thirty-two places have been received into union.

Betton's Charity remains still unsettled. The judgment of the Master of the Rolls in this case will be anxiously looked for by all friends of church education.

BEER-SHOP ACT.

THE following extract is from a letter on the subject of the Beer-Shop Act, lately addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, by G. V. Drury, Esq., of Shotover House. The subject is one of vital importance, and presses with particular force at the time present, when strong practical efforts are being made to ameliorate the condition of the poorer classes. The impressive force and truth of the subjoined statement cannot fail to strike our readers, most of whom have personal opportunity of observing the working of the evil referred to:

"The Beer-Shop Act is a measure which has done more to demoralize the people, and to encourage and to foster crime, than any other Act ever placed upon the Statute Book. This I declare, without fear of contradiction, as a resident landlord in the neighbourhood of a large city, and with one populous village on my estate, and several others close to its bounds. I make this statement from personal knowledge and observation, and supported by the testimony

of my fellow-subjects, including the most eminent authorities both in church and state, and urged, not less by feelings of humanity, as regards the neglected and impoverished wives and families of the victims of intemperance. The numerous lamentable proofs of the consequences of beer-shop influence, brought to iny knowledge this winter, I can too truly enumerate, as I have, Sir, to this day, been engaged to administer relief to the almost famished and naked families, left destitute by their profligate parents, who have been enticed into these infernal pest-houses.

"I would remind you, Sir, that the beer-shop Act was originally framed with the generous intention of lessening the greedy monopoly of the brewer, and to enable the labouring classes to obtain an unadulterated and cheaper supply of malt liquor from other quarters. But instead of this monopoly of the brewer having thus been checked, it has thereby been increased tenfold, as most of the beer-shops are occupied by persons who have been put into them by the brewers, as agents for the sale of their malt liquor. Improvidence and increase of crime have been the results of this pernicious enactment.

"

Unhappy and numerous cases of incendiarism in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Herts, Wiltshire, &c., during the last autumn and this winter, are known from the confessions of the convicted participators in those crimes-TO HAVE BEEN PLANNED AND ARRANGED IN THE BEER-SHOPS!

"I appeal to you, Sir, most respectfully and earnestly, not only as a man of humanity, but as a statesman, whether it be not better to prevent crime than to punish it. Beer-shops are the very hot-beds of vice, the sources whence, by ten thousand channels, evil is diffused throughout the land. You will merit the applause of all good men, and obtain that best reward- the consciousness of well-doing, if you will strike out of the Statute Book a measure which is alike injurious to soul and body, to peace of mind here and to salvation hereafter."

QUEEN ANNE'S BOUNTY.

AN account of all moneys received and disbursed by the Governors of "Queen Anne's Bounty,” during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 1843, has been presented to Parliament. The gross total amount of the receipts was 188,9457. 158. 11d., and the gross total amount of the disbursements, 194,3561. 198. 9d., leaving a deficiency of 5,411l. 3s. 10d. Of the sums received, 12,705l. consisted of first-fruits and tenths: 20,195/. of benefactions for the auginentation of livings; 37,6127. of dividends on government funds; 42,0551. of the produce of stock sold for general purposes; 21,119l. of interest on moneys advanced on mortgage to build &c. glebe houses; 26,0321. of instalments in part liquidation of moneys advanced on mortgage; 7,8347. of the net produce of sales on county lands; and 17,2851. of endowment trusts; of the sums disbursed, 9,8041. were appropriated to the purchase of land; 23,550l. to the erection of residence houses; 73,1787. to the loans on mortgage to build &c. glebe houses; 21,7521. to the purchase of stock for general purposes; 56,5417. to the clergy; 3,7201. to salaries, and 1,270l. to miscellaneous expenses. There are no first-fruits and only 25l. 16s. 7d. of yearly tenths now in arrear.

MARRIAGES IN ENGLAND.

It appears from very elaborate tables, prepared by the registrar-general of births, deaths, and marriages, and on Tuesday laid before Parliament, that the total number of marriages in 1842, in England and Wales, was 118,825; of these, 17,689 were in the metropolis alone. Of this number, 26,198 were persons who had been married before, the proportion being 15,619 widowers,

and 10,579 widows. Thus the proportion per cent. of those who were remarried was 11.02 for the whole of England, and 12:34 for the metropolis. The proportion of annual marriages to persons of all ages was 1 in 130 in all England, 1 in 102 in London: the annual marriages were to the persons aged from twenty to forty, nearly as one to forty in England, one to thirty-seven in the metropolis; or, more exactly, 2·515 per cent.; and 2·675 (as regards London.) There was, altogether, one marriage to every 136 males and females living in 1842, but only one person married for the first time to 76.3 persons living, which may be considered equivalent to one first marriage to 153 persons living: 11 per cent. of the persons married had been married before, and had been enumerated in the returns of previous years. In 1839 the number married out of 100,000 males was 1,625; and of 100,000 females, 1,553; in 1840, 1,597 males, and 1,526 females; in 1841, 1,574 males, and 1,504 females; and in 1842, 1,506 males, and 1,439 females. Thus, it will be perceived, there has been a yearly decrease during that period. The annual average has been, however, one in sixty-four males out of 100,000, and sixty-six females.

NATIONAL EDUCATION.-CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE LORD BISHOP OF MEATH AND THE GOVERNMENT.

(From the Irish Ecclesiastical Journal.)

[The following correspondence between the Lord Bishop of Meath and Sir James Graham, forms the Appendix to a Report on the subject of the National System of Education in Ireland, drawn up by the Archdeacon of Meath, and which has been, or shortly will be published. The Editor begs to acknowledge the kindness of the Archdeacon of Meath in favouring him with an early copy].

Ardbraccan, Navan, Jan. 2, 1845.

SIR,-The question of National Education is at present engaging the anxious attention of the public, and particularly of the established church in Ireland; and I am aware that it has also been frequently under the consideration of her Majesty's ministers. The great majority of the clergy have been hitherto opposed to the government system; it is of great importance that they should be reconciled to it, and that a final settlement should be made, by which they may be enabled to co-operate in so desirable a work.

I consider it my duty, as a bishop of an Irish diocese, to lend my assistance in the attainment of so desirable an object; I therefore take the liberty of addressing her Majesty's ministers through you, as the home secretary of state, upon this subject, of such vital importance to the well-being of the established church, as well as of the country at large.

When the intention of establishing a national system of education, by parliamentary grants, was first announced, and ever since, I have uniformly advised that the clergy of the church in Ireland should endeavour to make such an arrangement with government as would render their exertions available for the work. But I had no influence, and my opinion had no weight against the great majority. I knew, however, the pure motives by which they were guided; having witnessed the exemplary patience with which they endured privation and persecution, the withholding and subsequent reduction of their incomes. I respected their conscientious opinions upon the education question, although I was obliged to dissent from them. Differing both from the government and from the clergy, and failing in my feeble and unaided attempt to bring them to an agreement, I kept aloof from the discussion of the question, of the progress of which I have continued an attentive and impartial observer. I foresaw objections to the establishment of one uniform system; I wished to see the appointment of a board, such as has since been formed in England,

which might give aid to schools on different plans, neither compelling those who could not, or would not, consent to read the scriptures, to accept the highest kind of education, nor sinking those who wished for the highest to the level of those who would not advance beyond the lowest. Experience has proved that the uniform plan could not effectually work, and that it failed in promoting united education, which ought to be a primary object in any system. I was aware of the conflicting difficulties which government had to encounter, and of the opposite principles they had to reconcile, owing to the peculiar circumstances of this country. I felt that the first step which a prudent and provident executive ought to take towards establishing the peace and prosperity of this country, as well as towards the promotion of the moral and religious improvement of its population, was to endeavour to have all the children of the lower orders educated upon the best plan, and in the best manner that might be feasible under their peculiar circumstances.

There has been, for many years past, a great desire among the lower orders, of all religious denominations for education; the pastors of a large proportion were far from anxious that the children of their flocks should be educated at all, but they found it impossible to resist their ardent desire. Their next object was to prevent their reading the scriptures; for the attainment of which object they exerted the whole power of their influence and authority. Government considered it necessary to make concessions upon this point, in order to their effectualizing their primary purpose, but in doing so, they met with another difficulty, and an opposing principle; they ran a risk of alienating the great body of the Protestants, who considered scriptural instruction the necessary basis of national education; and in endeavouring to reconcile these opposing principles they met with another difficulty, the danger of counteracting another primary object of national education, the union of children of different persuasions in the same schools.

These difficulties we must keep steadily in view in any arrangements we may endeavour to make for the purpose of conciliating all parties to co-operate in the work. The principles and rules under which, in deference to the feelings and objections of Roman catholics, the national schools were established, would have bound our clergy, who might have become managers of schools, to give facilities to the pastors of all religious professions, for teaching their peculiar doctrines in the school-rooms. To this the clergy of our church could not consent, conceiving it to be not only against their consciences to afford facilities for the teaching of error, but inconsistent with their oaths and solemn vows, to allow the teaching of doctrines in their school-rooms which the legislature had obliged them on several occasions to abjure upon oath, and which their ordination vows, imposed both by the legislature and the church, had obliged them most solemnly to disclaim for themselves, and to labour to eradicate from the minds of others.

The commissioners have, however, from time to time, made such changes as would, if fairly carried out, remove the above objection. The greatest changes have been made by the rules of 1843, which left more in the discretion of the patrons and managers than had been hitherto allowed, and thereby an opening was made for the clergy to join them. This occurred soon after my appointment to the see of Meath; I availed myself of the opportunity thus afforded of effecting what I had so long and so anxiously desired—a cordial co-operation between government and the clergy in the promotion of national education; and, accordingly, I issued the circular letter, a copy of which is prefixed to the Report" which accompanies this; in which I endeavoured to point out to the clergy the principles upon which I conceived that they would be justifiable in effecting a union with her majesty's government, and by which letter I also endeavoured to procure information as to the state of education in the diocese ; and, moreover, to elicit the free and candid opinions of the clergy upon the whole question. This led to a lengthened correspondence between the arch

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