been diminishing, human character has been improving. As deductions drawn from the returns of a particular year are obviously entitled to no great confidence, we will commence by giving, for each of the six classes into which crimes are divided in our official statistics, the average of committals for the two septennial periods commencing with 1839 and 1846 respectively-subjoining, for the purpose of comparison, the actual numbers of 1853 . 469 212 6,613. principal heads -murder and the offences connected with it, among which we include shooting, stabbing, etc., and simple assaults not of a murderous character. Of the former subdivision we have already had occasion to speak, but, as it is the most important of all, we give, as before, the averages and the actual numbers of 1853. During the first septennial period, the average number of committals for actual murder was 152-for murder and the other offences which we have combined with it, 341. During the se1853. cond, the averages were 126 and 281; 2,423 and in the last the actual num1,403 bers were 73 and 148. With these 8,345 facts before us, we cannot doubt 135 that an improvement is gradually 188 taking place in the morals of the 2,650 country; yet the comparison with England and Wales-in which, on a ten years' average, the charges of actual murder were only 73 annually, and those for murder taken jointly with the other offences at present under consideration, 252-must be regarded as extremely unfavourable to the sister island. year, Total. 21,211 29,128. 15,144 Confining our attention for the present to the first class, which comprises offences against the person, we observe that the total is less than one-half of the first average, and not much more than half of the second. As, therefore, there can be For the hundredth time, these facts no doubt that the inspectors are ac- demonstrate that Popery will not curate in their statement that only admit of safe comparison with Pro47,311 persons were imprisoned dur-testantism. The former is always ing the year 1846, it follows either that the year was exceptionalwhich, from the returns, it does not appear to have been-or that the excess of commitments in 1853 is due exclusively to those minor delinquencies which are summarily dealt with. Still the fact remains, that the committals for a class of offences most adverse to the maintenance of good order and the progress of civilization have, even in 1853, amounted to 2,423-a number exceeding the total of committals in England and Wales for any one of the nine years ending with 1852. The annual average shown by the returns last mentioned is about 2,200; and, taking the ratio of population into account, the Irish total ought to be only 800, instead of 2,400-that is to say, one-in proportion as it does, so it tends third its actual amount. The class at present under consideration may be subdivided into two worsted; and the latter triumphant. Great, therefore, is the encouragement to Protestant philanthropists to keep an eye on the social development of Popery, since no method is more calculated to shut her mouth, and to bring upon her shame and confusion. In every respect the system is inimical to human welfare. Destroying the individual, it injures the family, and through the family the state. We are anxious that our readers should familiarise their minds to this mode of viewing the subject; for we know of nothing more calculated to work a deeprooted conviction into the soul of the essential wickedness of the system. Whatever comes from heaven must tend to human happiness; and to establish its claims to a Divine Mission. Whatever is debasing and destructive to man is not of God. The Letter Bor. LETTER TO A YOUNG MAN, Entertaining serious thoughts of entering into the Christian Ministry. MY DEAR FRIEND,-The subject | feelings, unless I have misunderupon which you have requested me stood you, is as follows. You have, to write to you is one of very great for a considerable time past, enterimportance. I trust I feel it to be tained some serious thoughts of, to so; and under this impression, com- use a common expression, entering bined with a sense of my own incom- into the ministry,—at first with repetency to give you that advice and ference to missionary labours among instruction that you need, I confess the heathen; but more recently, on I have for some time shrunk from account of your supposed incapacity the task you have imposed upon to endure the privations and hardme. And I now apply myself to it, ships incident to that important not without fear and trembling, lest, branch of service, your thoughts in thus communicating my thoughts have reverted to the ministry of the to you on a subject which has at Gospel at home. Now, the first thing times occupied my own mind in a that strikes me as of importance to way similar to that in which yours be borne in mind by every one who is now exercised, I should only, in begins to cherish views of this kind, Scripture phrase, "darken counsel is, that this is not a thing to be by words without knowledge," Job determined, as the selection of other Xxxviii. 2. Actuated by these views occupations in life very properly is, and impressions, I felt it to be both by the wishes of parents and friends, my duty and my privilege, before I our own inclination or apparent sat down to commence this letter, to adaptation for the work, or any resort for a few minutes to the throne favourable juncture of outward cirof grace, and lift up my heart in cumstances, or by all these united. prayer to the only Source of wisdom, It is a matter simply between God for direction and assistance in the and the soul of the individual, deeffort to which Divine Providence pending entirely upon His good appeared to call me. May the Lord pleasure; to which, therefore, it indeed condescend so to guide and ought ever to be reverently and unaid my thoughts on this occasion, as reservedly submitted. And here I that we may both receive some real may be allowed to remark, that the benefit; and should I advance any common expression above alluded erroneous idea in the consideration to, in the manner in which it is of the subject, may his almighty sometimes used, seems to me to grace prevent such idea from having savour too much of a spirit of selfany improper influence upon your confidence and irreverence, which, mind! always unbecoming, is here peculiarly so. Some persons, I mean, are apt to speak of it with a degree The true statement of the case, with respect to your own views and of lightness and familiarity which evinces that they have very inadequate conceptions of the nature and importance of the subject; as though we might entertain views of engaging in the Christian ministry, and relinquish them again, just as it may happen to suit our own pleasure and convenience, and yet be guiltless. That the reverse of this is true, I need not, I am sure, when addressing you, my dear E-, spend time and paper to prove. Your desire of being engaged in this sacred employment does not, I am persuaded, arise from any idea that you will thereby be enabled to obtain a more easy and respectable maintenance, or from any other worldly motive. It arises, I trust, from motives far more pure, and views far more exalted,-even such as are connected with the glory of God and the eternal salvation of the souls of your fellow-creatures. It is, notwithstanding, painfully evident to every one who "knows the plague of his own heart," 1 Kings viii. 38, that improper motives often steal unperceived into the mind, and mingle insensibly with our better motives; and that in all our engagements and performances, not excepting those which are most decidedly religious. Hence, in a great measure, arises the necessity for constant watchfulness and diligent self-examination; which, if ever needful, must be especially so when a person is about to take so important a step as that which you have now in contemplation. This self-scrutiny, then, my dear cousin, I would seriously and affectionately urge upon you. Set apart, if you can, some time expressly for this purpose, that it may be attended to with all due solemnity of feeling. Let this be accompanied with fervent, persevering prayer for grace to know and do the will of God. And thus, I doubt not, you will be brought to such an humble, submissive temper, as that your own will shall be sweetly lost in the Divine will, and all other desires shall be swallowed up by this-that you may secure the approbation of Him whose you are, and whom you wish to serve, though it be by the sacrifice of some preconceived opinions and fondly-cherished hopes. Oh, how desirable, how delightful a frame of mind is this to be found in! God grant that you and I may experience and enjoy it yet more and more! I think it my duty, in faithfulness to the confidence you repose in me, to observe that some pious persons (and not a few, I believe, in former ages as well as in our own times) have questioned the propriety of so many very young men assuming so soon the ministerial office, and especially taking upon them so early the still more responsible office of pastor of a Christian church. It has been said that John the Baptist and our Lord himself did neither of them enter upon their public ministry until they were thirty years of age. How far this recorded circumstance in their history was designed to bear upon us in the way of an example, I will not take upon me to determine. That it was not intended as a pattern, to be strictly and universally imitated, is, I think, plain; because we do not find that it is anywhere declared to be so, and in one instance at least-that of Timo schools and colleges, which, however, I am by no means disposed to undervalue. In conclusion, suffer me to direct you, in the season of retirement which I have recommended, prayerfully to peruse the following passages of Scripture: 1 Tim. iii. and iv.; the whole of 2 Tim.; Titus i. 1-9; Heb. v.; and 1 Pet. v. And do not think, from what I have just now said, that I wish at once to discourage the purpose you have formed. I have only spoken thus, to lead you to act with the greater caution and circumspection, and to do all in the fear of God. And if you really desire and seek to know the Lord's will in this affair, be assured that he will not long hide his mind from you. Let us but thus thy-we have an approved example to the contrary. In this, however, as in many other things, perhaps no exact rule with respect to age can be or ought to be established. At the same time, I must, for my own part, confess that in the present day there are so many ways in which young men may be usefully employed in the service of God, and exercise their talents for the good of their generation, that there seems to be the less excuse for any rash intrusion upon that sacred office; and particularly, since the exercises and employments to which I allude are so well adapted to prepare them for the Christian ministry, should they, at a subsequent period, by the good providence of God and by the influence of his Holy Spirit, feel themselves called upon to engage in it." acknowledge him in all our ways," And this end, it appears to me, they and the promise is, that "he will are far better and more directly cal- direct our paths," Prov. iii. 6. culated to answer than all the human learning that may be acquired in Essex. The Counsel Chamber. INFLUENCE OF INFIDELITY. J. B. AMONGST the recent publications and with this view he offered a prize more especially suited to the Work- for what he should deem the most ing-Classes, is one just issued, en- logical, complete, and yet concise titled, "The Influence of Infidelity: abridgment of all truthful facts, arbeing an Abridgment of Various guments, and objections, hitherto Facts and Arguments urged against urged against infidelity or unbelief Infidelity. A Prize Essay, by in Christianity, especially as to the David M'Burnie." In this case the authenticity or evidences of that prize was given by Mr. Baillie, of faith, and its tendencies on man's Glasgow, who was anxious to en- moral, social, and scientific advancecourage laymen everywhere, but ment. The donor of the prize was especially those of Glasgow, to ex-peremptory as to authorship. He, amine and judge for themselves on therefore, provided for the exclusion the momentous subject of religion; of all clergymen, preachers, teachers, The or theological students, admitting and necessary for the well-being of none but genuine laymen. The the state. As if that belief and conduct which tended to promote the Essay of Mr. M'Burnie was deemed welfare of communities and nations the best; and although the donor in the aggregate, could be pernisecured for himself the option of cious in its application to the inretaining as his own property the dividuals composing them. argument, like all logical attempts successful Essay, he has generously to destroy truth, is fatal to the presented it to the writer, by whom theory which its advocates would it is now published in a very hand- base upon it. Whatever religious some pocket volume, and sold for affects beneficially the conduct of belief-or superstition if you will2s. 6d. We consider the Nineteenth individuals, must virtually amend Section, touching the Influence of In- the constitution of society; as it is fidelity, as one of the most useful; and clear that society in the aggregate can only rise to higher moral excelhence, as the best advertisement we lence by the moral elevation and incan give to a really good book, and as tellectual advancement of the people the best service we can do our readers, composing it. If a belief, therefore, we shall here transcribe it at length: practical adoption as the foundation we repeat, in revelation, and its INFLUENCE OF INFIDELITY. of moral faith and conduct be beneficial to society at large, its belief must necessarily have benefited the individuals of whom society is but the aggregate, before the aggregate could be fully cognizant of and impressed with the great truths openly declared to the world. "The admission, however, is something, and proves that the advocates of infidelity themselves cannot annihilate in their own minds all reli them, indeed, maintained to the last a seeming stolid indifference regarding death and a future state, while others on the brink of death betrayed all the agonies of remorse, and the deep and settled impenitency of despair. Hobbes of Malmesbury, who "Turning from a view of the benevolent tendencies and results of Christianity to contemplate the moral aspects of infidelity, and finding the whole a cold negation of the greatest of all truths revealed to the world, we naturally expect to find the results produced to be fully in accordance with the principles of action influencing its abettors. And inasmuch as infidelity, by the ex-gious tendency and belief. Some of tinction of revelation, all but annihilates a sense of human responsibility to God, it lessens also the sense of moral obligation due from man to man, and freezes up the warm and living sympathies of our nature, both with regard to individuals and society. It is clear, there-lived till about ninety years of age, fore, when the primary inducements to virtuous actions are destroyed, that its moral tendencies are in a great measure subverted. Still, in an inconsistent spirit, some of its greatest advocates, amongst whom may be mentioned Hobbes and Hume, whilst virtually denying the beneficial effects of the Christian religion upon individual happiness, admit that its restraints, because necessarily affecting individual conduct, are beneficial to society, and that its recognition by the civil magistrate is a stroke of wise policy, could not abide alone in the dark, and said, upon the approach of death, that he was about to take a leap in the dark;' and among his last sensible words were those forming the phrase, that 'he would then find a hole to creep out of creation at.' Hume had a vanity in being thought easy, and passed his last days fraught with melancholy in spite of his affectation, in passing jokes, or affected jokes, about Charon and his boat, and in reading profane and ludicrous books. Rousseau, the 'self-torturing sophist,' as Byron terms him, |