preached the last year by the Rev. Legh Richmond, which is to form the first of a Series of Annual Sermons for the Institution. Such Ladies as are skilled in Water Colour Painting will much assist the Institution, by gratuitously sending any specimens of their talents to Mrs. Stibbs, to decorate the Fancy Works made in the House. RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY. On Thursday, the 9th of May, the Religious Tract Society held their Twelfth Annual Meeting at the City of London Tavern, in Bishopsgate Street, London; on which occasion nearly 700 persons were assembled, who were highly gratified by the Report of the Committee, and the interesting communications of several gentlemen present relating to the spiritual benefits derived by many from the reading of Religious Tracts. It appeared from the Report of the Committee, That this Society continues to pursue its object with vigour, and that new channels are daily opening for the distribution of Tracts in foreign parts; and in some Roman Catholic countries they have been thankfully received by the inhabitants of various ranks, from those in high life down to the abject and pitiable GALLEY SLAVE. The increasing interest which is felt by the religious public in this mode of diffusing Divine Truth, will be evident to our readers, when we state that, during the last year, the Society has issued nearly Two Millions of Tracts, being almost half a million more than in the preceding year, although their gratuitous issues to the army and navy, to foreiga prisoners of war, and to foreign parts, has been less than in for mer years; their attention to this important field for enlightening the minds of those who are ignorant and destitute of other means of grace, being necessarily circumscribed by the narrow limits of the Society's Funds. Several Clergymen and Dissenting Ministers addressed the Meeting with much animation on the importance of distributing Religious Tracts, and the advantages thereby derived to the church of Christ; others urged the necessity of attention to the augmentation of the funds, either by Congregational Collections or otherwise, in order to enable the Committee to avail themselves more fully than heretofore of the various opportunities that may offer for thus sending forth rays of light and truth into the dark nations of the earth. The whole of this numerous assembly departed rejoicing to find that this Society, which was at the first but as a grain of mustard seed cast into the ground, had now become a tree, whose branches are extending over the whole earth.-May the Lord of Hosts continue to water it abundantly with his Holy Spirit! HIBERNIAN SOCIETY. THE Annual Meeting of the Hibernian Society for the Diffusion of Religious Knowledge in Ireland, was held at the New London Tavern, Cheapside, on Friday, May 10, at Seven in the morning. The Meeting was much more numerously attended than on any former occasion. The Report, which was read from the Chair, was of such a nature as could not fail to excite the deepest interest; especially the recent communications from Ireland respecting the violent opposition of the Popish Clergy, who are straining every nerve to prevent the instruction of the Children of the Poor by means of this Society. So powerful and determined is this opposition in one of the darkest provinces in Ireland, that, to use the language of a correspondent residing on the spot, It cer tainly will issue in the annihilation of our schools, now twenty in num ber, or the annihilation of priestly authority in this kingdom. I am collecting documents to transmit, which, if brought to light, will be a deep blow to Catholic pretensions.'-We were happy to find that these docu ments did arrive in time to be laid before the meeting; and that they will appear in the printed Report for this year. We shall in a future Number give some extracts from them; and when the final result is known, will lay it before our readers. At the conclusin of the Report, several gentlemen addressed the Meeting in a very impressive manner, ou the importance of the Institution, and the necessity of Pecuniary Aid, to enable the Society to carry their plans into effect for the Education of the Poor by means of freeschools; which, were the funds adequate, might be extended throughout the island, and produce incalculable benefit. MISSIONARY COLLECTIONS, &c. At the Anniversary Meeting in London, Collection at Surry Chapel, Rev. E. Parsons 338 10 8 152 19 0 60 0 0 Collect. at Tottenham Court Chapel, Rev. J. Steven 200 2 0 220 0 0 Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, by Mr. E. Bishop, Sheerness Φ Eros J. W. P. P. United Subscription of the Silver Street Praying 'Society, by the Rev. E. J. Jones A Silver Street Friend, by ditto Society of Young Men, at Lady H.'s Chapel, Worcester, by Rev. Mr. Lake Rev. Mr. Bottomley and Friends, Scarborough Fetter Lane Auxiliary Society (Rev. G. Burder's) for 1811, by Rev. J. Savill and Congregation, Colchester Rev. W. Smelle and Friends, Great Grimsby A Friend, by the Rev. C. Buck L. U. by the Rev. G. Burder H. H. R. S. G. Rev. T. Helmore and Congregation, Kidderminster A Friendly Society, by Mr. Helmore, ditto Rev. Mr. Frost and Congregation, at Dunmow, after a sermon preached by the Rev. Mr. Foster, of Malden Rev. Mr. Lambert and Friends, Hull Collection at the Chapel at Reading, after Sermons preached there by the Rev. T. Raffles Rev. Dr. Cracknell and Friends, Weymouth A few Young Persons in St. George's in the East Rev. Mr. Harris and Friends, Fordham 5 0 400060000 15 4 4 40 A few young Gentlemen, at the Rev. Mr. Lloyd's School, Southgate, Middlesex 16 0 0 90 3 6 22. 7 0 12 4 7 7 0 0 2 2 0 J. G. Canterbury Donations from ditto Subscriptions from Southampton 36 12 6 9 12 0 6 Collection at the Meeting, do. and additional 6s. 6d. 14 14 Ditto at Busleton, by Mr.Chapman Ditto by the Rev. J. K. Martyn, at Pertenhall and Kimbolton A few Young Men of Mr. Savill's Congregation, Colchester Rev. Dr. Collyer and Friends, Peckham Mr. Smart and ditto, Stirling, North Britain A few Friends at a Prayer-Meeting in Pear Street Bethiah The Good Intent Society Totness A few Young Ladies at a Boarding School, by Rev. Mr. Maslin A few Friends at Burnham, by J. Tramper A few Young Friends at Staines, by Rev. Mr. Yockney Rev. Mr. Kent and Congregation, Croydon A Friend, left in the Vestry-Room, Silver Street Chapel Rev. Mr. Scamp and Friends, Havant Manchester, after Sermons preached by the Rev. Joseph Fletcher W. Kingsbury and Friends, Caversharm A Lady, by the Rev. Dr. Haweis Rev. James Small and Congregation, Axminster J. B. A Friend, by the Rev. Dr. Winter Two Gloucestershire Friends, by the Rev. Mr. Jeary J. T. A Friend, by the Rev. C. Buck, 17.- ditto, by ditto, 9s. 6d. A few Friends, at Northop, Flintshire Rev. Mr. Slatterie and Friends, Chatham A Friend, by the Rev. Mr. Thomas, of Bruton 52 10 1 8 18 6 20 00 24 0 0 Teachers, Children, and Friends of a Sunday School in Shoreditch, collected at a Meeting for Prayer, for the Success of the Missionary Society, by Mr. T. Edgeill TOLERATION ACT. intention to introduce. As soon as known, the Committee called a Gethe provisions of this bill were made neral Meeting of the whole body, on Thursday, May 16. The Meeting was uncommonly numerous; and the discussions which took place were conducted with candour and harmony. Library, Red Cross Street, May 16, 1811. At a numerous Meeting of the General Body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers, of the three denominations residing in and about the cities of London and Westminster, regularly summoned to deliberate on the means of opposing the Bill introduced into the House of Lords by Viscount Sidmouth, which has a tendency to narrow the provisions of the Toleration Act, the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted: OUR readers will doubtless recollect, that Lord Sidmouth has repeatedly given intimations to the House of Lords of his intention to propose some explanation, or amendment, of The Act of Toleration. His Lordship has at length introduced the long-expected bill. He spoke in high terms of the Toleration Act; which he declared it was not his intention to injure; but he conceived that it had been abused, and that very improper persons had intruded themselves into the ministry; such as blacksmiths, chimney sweepers, pig-drovers, pedlars, coblers, &c. He therefore proposed certain regulations, of the nature and tendency of which our readers will form a judgment from the various Resolutions of different bodies of Dissenters and Methodists, who have fully considered the sub- 1. That the right of peaceably asject. The object proposed by the sembling, for the purposes of rehIntended bill is to prevent abuses; gious worship and public instrucbut his Lordship appears, by his in- tion, according to the dictates of troductory speech, to aim chiefly at our own consciences, belongs to us the prevention of further Sectarian- as men, as Christians, and as meinism, by means of Itinerant preach-bers of civil society; that this right ers; for without such measures as those proposed, his Lordship expressed a fear that we should have a nominal established church, but a sectarian people. It is, therefore, as we apprehend, to stop the progress of village preaching, and to clog with difficulties, in many cases insa, erable, the attempt of a poor, plain man to instruct his ignorant eighbours. To prevent, if possible, the enactment of the measures proposed by Lord S. the Dissenters of all denominations, including Methodists of various classes, have been remarkably active and united. The Ministers of the three denominations of Protestant Dissenters (Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptisis) resident in and about Londou, bave, for nearly a century, we believe, regularly associated, and have assembled, at least annually, for the management of their affairs. A Committee was appointed by them, about two years ago, to attead to the progress of the Dill which the noble Lord had signified his ought not to be abridged or controuled by any secular authority; and that we cannot consent to the alienation or surrender of it, without criminality on our own parts, disrespect to the memory of those from whom we have, under Providence, received it, and injury to the best interests of our descendants and successors; to whom it is our duty, as far as we are able, to transmit it inviolate. 2. That this right has been recognized and maintained, from the Revolution to the present day,. partly by a liberal construction of the Toleration Act, and partly by the protection of the illustrious Princes of the House of Brunswick; and that it would betray a want of confidence in the favour of our Sovereign, in the justice of the Legislature, and in the spirit of the times, to submit to any proposed restrictions of this right, in passive silence. 3. That as faithful and loyal subjects, attached to the civil constitution of our country, and desirous of contributing to that tranquillity and union on which its permanence and prosperity very much depend, we cannot forbear expressing our regret that any measures should be proposed which have a tendency, by abridging our liberty as Protestant Dissenters, and restraining the exercise of social worship among. those with whom we are connected,' to excite dissatisfaction and discon tent at the present interesting crisis, and more especially at a time when we had reason to hope that our liberty would have been enlarged instead of being restrained; though we are peaceably waiting for that period in which this happy event shall take place, and penal laws no longer have any operation in the province of religion. 4. That the Bill now introduced into the House of Lords appears to us inconsistent with the unniolested liberty which we have long thankfully enjoyed; repugnant to our principles and profession as Protestant Dissenters, who disavow the authority of the civil magistrate in the province of religion, and imposing restrictions which will be in various respects injurious and oppressive. 5. That it is our duty, on our own behalf, and on behalf of our brethren, as well as with a view to the cause of religious liberty in general, to make every constitutional effort in our power for preventing this Bill from passing into a law; and that for this purpose a Petition be presented by this Body to the House of Peers. DAN. TAYLOR, Chairman. It is, we believe, generally known, that there is a body of (lay) gentlemen, usually styled The Board of Deputies, whose province it is to support the civil rights of the Dissenters. These gentlemen are appointed annually by the congregations of Protestant Dissenters in and about London; and have rendered very important services to the whole body. These gentlemen also have been attentive to the present business; and have made and published the following Resolutions: At a Meeting of the Deputies appointed for supporting the Civil Rights of Protestant Dissenters, held at the King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry, London, May, 15, 1811, WILLIAM SMITH, Esq. M. P. in the Chair: Resolved, That liberty of conscience, comprehending the freedom of public assemblies for religious worship and instruction, in such forms and under such teachers as men shall for themselves approve, is the inalienable right of all; in the peaceable exercise of which they civil magistrate. are not justly controlable by the been generally recognized in the Resolved, That this liberty has practice of the British Government since the era of the Revolution, under the construction of the sta tion Act: thus, whatever may have tute commonly called the Tolerabeen the letter of the law, the spirit of Toleration has been extended, and a large portion of religious liberty actually enjoyed. Resolved, That we have beheld, brought into Parliament, designed, with great concern, a Bill lately religious liberty, and having a teuas appears to us, to abridge such dency to deprive the lower classes of the community of those oppor tunities which they have so long enjoyed, to attend public worship and of their own choice. religious instruction under teachers Resolved, That, as Deputies appointed by large and respectable bodies of Protestant Dissenters to attend to their civil rights, it be comes our bounden duty immedi ately to protest against the, principle of such measure, and to point out the unjust and vexatious operation of the aforesaid Bill, as now brought into Parliament. Resolved, That a Petition against the said Bill, grounded on the prin ciples of the foregoing Resolutions, be signed by the Members of this Meeting, and presented to the Legislature. |