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"6. A modification of the oath prescribed by the Statute 10 George IV., c. 7. (The Catholic Oath.)

"7. To inquire of all candidates whether, when requested to do so, they will, irrespective of party ties or official connexions, take an active part in our favour in the House of Commons on these questions, and on all others involving equal rights to the Catholics of Great Britain, Ireland, and the colonies, and the exemption of the Catholic Church from State control."

This paper has been brought under the notice of one of the present Representatives of the city of Westminster; and we are informed that on all the matters referred to, his answers have been "full and satisfactory." The great grievance, it will be observed, is the non-endowment of Popery; the great demand, money.

Some further light is thrown on this subject by the Resolutions and the Petition adopted at the Marylebone Meeting. The Resolutions in question attribute "the present intellectual destitution under which the English Catholics labour to "the shameless robbery of ecclesiastical property perpetrated by past Governments." The Petition prepared by Mr. Lester Buckingham (one of the Oxford perverts) sets forth, that the petitioners "consider, that having been robbed of so large a revenue, a large portion of which would have been at the present time available for purposes of education, they might, with justice, claim something more than a mere participation in a grant, their share of which must be most insignificant

compared with that of which they have been fraudulently and wrongfully deprived;" but, generous beings! they will consent to forego their rights, and be placed on a level with their fellowsubjects. A correspondent of the Romish journal suggests, that "the appellation 'robbery' would imply that we, the owners, seek restitution of our stolen goods; a position that would involve the disturbance of possession of many, who are now, by purchase, properly the owners. Whilst, therefore, it would be of little real advantage to the Catholics of England to be inundated with that wealth which was the cause of their ancestors' unhappy fall; at the same time, the setting forth of such claims is calculated, in my opinion, very much to injure the Catholic cause. In seeking the conversion of our deluded countrymen, we should ever make them feel that it is not theirs, but them,' whom we covet; and in our demands from a Protestant Parliament, we should be more likely to obtain the rights and privileges to which we are justly entitled, by leaving it with God to take vengeance, as he will, for his dilapidated altars, and the dissipated goods of his own poor, than by calling these men a set of thieves, whose vast possessions we look upon as our lawful property."

It is perfectly clear, that the Marylebone petitioners, and the correspondent of the "Tablet," are agreed as to the ownership of the property in question : they only differ as to the expediency of openly giving expression to their views. Evangelical Christendom.

II. SWEDEN.

RELIGION IN SWEDEN. No. III. BY THE REV. GEORGE SCOTT.

RELIGION RATHER AN ECCLESIASTICAL MATTER THAN A PERSONAL-PIETISM-STATE OF RELIGION INDIVIDUALLY AND SOCIALLY -MORALS ARCHBISHOP WALLIN'S TESTIMONY EFFORTS AND HOPES.

IT is difficult to expose the disparity in Sweden between the religious appearance and the reality, without giving offence to those who consider religion to consist in orthodoxy, profession, and Church order. The error which must be kept in view, in order to understand this anomalous state of things, is, the taking

it for granted that all christened persons are Christians, and dealing with them subsequently as such. This error exists, no doubt, elsewhere; but it is in most places counteracted by the influence of spiritual communities, who urge the necessity of being converted in order to entering the kingdom of heaven. Personal conversion to God is not in Sweden inquired after, as an indispensable qualification for the ministry; nay, some holy men, who have ventured to proclaim the truth on this subject, have been most severely dealt with by the ecclesiastical authorities: and, as the stream cannot

rise higher than the fountain, we wonder not that conversion is not urged upon, nor expected among, the people. In general it may be said, that religion is considered rather an ecclesiastical than a personal matter, and is confined within the doors of the sanctuary, to be solemnly assumed on entering there, and left behind when the threshold is crossed at the close of the service.

Let it not be supposed, however, that no spiritnal life has existed, or now exists, in the Swedish Church. As a Methodism (using the word undenominationally) existed in the Church of England in her lowest estate, even so there has been, and there is now, a pietism in the Swedish Church, which exhibits the genuine features of vital godliness. By the translation and perusal of Spencer's, Schriver's, Arndt's, and Franke's works, by the sanctified sufferings of many belonging to the broken host of Charles XII., who at Bender raised their hearts and voices in united prayer and praise to God, at the very time when the army-Chaplain was devising plays to relieve the tedium of exile, and by direct and remarkable effusions of the Holy Spirit,-many have been turned to the Lord, so that God has not left himself without witness in the land. Ecclesiastically, however, such movements of the Divine Spirit have rather been regarded as extravagances to be deplored, than humbly acknowledged with thanksgivings to the God of all grace. The efforts of pietist Preachers have been discouraged, and their liberties often interfered with; the quiet meetings for edification held, out of church-hours, among the pietists (called in Sweden, Readers) have been dispersed, and in many cases those who frequented them subjected to pains and penalties; and indeed, in a very recent instance, the fine for Sabbath-breaking was inflicted, because the assembly for Scripture-reading, praise, and prayer, took place on that day. Some among the pietists may have given occasion for opposition, by their injudicious proceedings in regard to Church-authorities; but these have been comparatively few, and their conduct not to be wondered at under all the circumstances. If the pietism of Sweden were watched over, fostered, and guided, by men at once intellectually and spiritually enlightened, much good might be looked for as the result.

Beyond this inner circle of the Lord's "hidden ones," the eye of the godly man cannot with satisfaction rest upon the scene, especially if experience have

enabled him to penetrate the covering which might deceive a transient observer. The "unity" of the Church is only in appearance: for it may be asserted, that at least as great a diversity of opinion on religious subjects exists there as meets us elsewhere; and, instead of breaking off from the main body in masses, as is the case in our own land, the members of the one Church, continued so by legislative ligature, are separated into numberless atoms. The ecclesiastical apparatus is, doubtless, evangelical and good, while the generality of those whom it binds together are not what their profession indicates; religion as a national affair is cared for, although the people individually live without the light, life, and joy, which the Gospel offers; and, in short, we need not, on the one hand, undervalue the public ecclesiastical institutions, nor yet, on the other, close our eyes to the conduct of the great mass of professors, in order to form a correct estimate of the religious state of the country. "By their fruits ye shall know them." Family-worship, alas! belongs to the rare exceptions in Stockholm, whether in the houses of Clergy or laity, and, where it exists, is a thing exciting wonder. The practice of taking God's holy name in vain, by such expressions (in the most common conversation, equally as on any unexpected occurrence) as, "Lord God!" "Lord Jesus!" "My God in heaven!" "God preserve us ! "Jesus, God's Son!" &c., is universally prevalent; and plainly testifies that the Lord God is not sanctified in the heart, or his Third Commandment (Second in Sweden) would not thus be violated. The Sabbath is systematically desecrated. No difficulty is found in getting any kind of work done on that day indeed, at certain periods of the year, to work is the rule, to rest from secular labour the exception. Merchants claim the Sabbath as a convenient day for correspondence, taking stock, unpacking and arranging wares, &c.; and many societies and clubs, instituted for purely temporal objects, never suffer their arrangements to be interfered with, should their anniversary fall on a Sunday. Similar practices exist, no doubt, in this country; but they belong to the exceptions, and are branded as disgraceful by a healthy public opinion, while in Sweden they call forth no remark. evening of the Sabbath is devoted to worldly amusements; the theatre, concert, and ball-room, with every kind of sensual pastime, present their allure

The

ments, and are largely resorted to by all classes. Possibly, were such scenes thrown open in England, as many of our imitators of continental manners would seem to desire, not a few would be found willing to mingle in them; but they would be such as neither fear God, nor profess so to do. In Sweden, such a mode of spending the Sabbath is not deemed inconsistent with religion; too many of its Ministers, even, feeling no hesitation in exchanging the pulpit of the forenoon for the opera-box of the evening; nor does any man lose caste as a Christian by a stated attendance at such places on the Lord's day. Many voices are frequently heard triumphing in the fact, that Swedish Christianity is happily, in their estimation, free from the puritanical straitlacedness of Great Britain. The Swedish pietists, however, entertain decidedly the same views in respect of God's name and day, as are embodied in the practice of the godly in our own land. The painful facts now stated, not only indicate a low state of religion, but hinder the success of the preached word, and operate against true and vital Christianity in manifold directions.

If we enter the field of morals, we cannot speak fully of what we find there; but let one fact suffice. In 1840, the official return of births in Stockholm gave one illegitimate child to every one and a half legitimate; and this in a capital, where nothing appears on the surface of society to give the slightest intimation of such a fearful state. the returns are improved during the last six years, it is well; but the tendencies at that time were not hopeful.

If

The late Archbishop, J. O. Wallin, (whose testimony is selected the rather, because he could not be suspected of pietism, who officially declared "dancing, music, the theatre, to be innocent enjoyment of the senses, which God gave us for our relaxation amidst our toils,") in 1837, thus describes his countrymen : "A generation, which in many respects has fallen away, which is not what it was, nor yet what it might be, from its original character, its inagnificent history, its pure climate, the position of its land, and its independent place in the world's organization, obtained through him (i. e., Bernadotte). Along with certain good

things, which remain from of old, or have newly arisen, and which the impartial cannot misinterpret, much besides appears, which, alas! is not good, which bodes no good, and which, either imported from other lands, or produced from a neglected soil at home, is equally distressing to the patriot, whether he sees it mingling like the tares with the noble seed of the field, or shamelessly shooting up in high places where it was not to have been looked for, and where it appears foulest, and works most injuriously. There is a looseness, a superficialness, in the modes of thinking and acting; a perverted mental littleness, which, as a mark of life, seeks to assail God and men; a vile selfishness, which, knowing itself to be valueless, denies also the value of others, believes it not, endures it not, and, wherever it appears, even in its most peaceful, inoffensive form, feels itself insulted, and, therefore, depreciates, misrepresents, falsifies; a differently aimed, but equally restless, hunting after pleasure and gain, which, as it never reaches its goal, is always displeased with those who are supposed to have arrived there-always in conflict; in general, a windy inconstancy in both evil and good—a languid, characterless incapacity for all continued stretch of thought, all disinterested labour, all unassuming self-denial. The heart is contracted, no exalted emotions can find room there; the soul empty and poor,no great idea can there find lodgment and sustenance; time heavy and tedious, -it cannot be endured, because it lays one's own inward resources under contribution, and these we do not possess: it must therefore be trifled away, for that taxes only the resources of others, their property, welfare, power, peace, honour. The picture is distressing; but the leaves of the chronicle of the day, on which it has drawn itself, cannot be torn out. And if such a spirit should become rooted, and gain the mastery, then it is all over with the people of the Gustavuses and the Charleses. But, by God's help, it shall not come to this."

Much has been done from without, as well as by internal agency, to promote the interests of true religion in Sweden ;* and there is probably a greater amount of vital godliness in the land than at any

* The labours and trials connected with the twelve years' mission of the writer, being in some sense denominational, are not referred to here. A friendly reference to them from the pen of the present Archbishop may be found in the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine for August; and in that of November, last year, some particulars, bearing on the same subject, of the religious history of the late Lord Bloomfield, who ever referred to the latter period of his residence in Stockholm with devout thanksgivings to God.

former period. It may further be hoped, that the mighty power for encouragement in spiritual things, which is wielded by the Evangelical Alliance, will, by God's blessing, be brought to bear advantageously on that important country. That this hope may be realized, great caution will need to be used, to prevent, as far as may be, the admission of persons into the Swedish, as well as into other organ

izations, who, whatever be their orthodoxy, or their worldly respectability, are not godly,-godly in the sense which will constrain them, at least, to keep themselves unspotted from that multiform profanation of God's name and day, unhappily so prevalent in countries professedly Christian.-Evangelical Christendom.

VARIETIES.

STATISTICS OF PARIS.-Count Rambuteau, the Prefect of the Seine, being called on Saturday to preside at the election of five members of the Chamber of Commerce of Paris, availed himself of that opportunity to present to the electors an exposé of the situation of the revenues, trade, manufactures, savings-banks, hospitals, schools, embellishments, &c., of that capital during the year about to expire. The tolls had produced 30,510,416f., or 738,268f. less than in 1843. The consumption of butchers'-meat during the eleven months of 1844, was,-oxen, 69,951; cows, 14,522; calves, 71,793; sheep, 401,044, showing an increase, as compared with the corresponding period of 1843, of 2,856 oxen and 5,716 calves, and a decrease of 1,518 cows and 6,500 sheep. The ordinary and extraordinary exports registered at the custom-house of Paris, during those eleven months, amounted to 138,972,194f.; on the 1st of December, 1843, they were only 117,469,402f.; increase in 1844, 21,502,792f. The trade of Paris, it appears, was more extensive with the United States than with any other nation, and had augmented by 10,000,000f. The investments in the savings-banks on the 1st of January, 1844, amounted to 104,786,243f. During the last eleven months the deposits had exceeded the reimbursements by 3,479,990f. The Prefect then proceeded to describe the improvements and additions executed in several of the hospitals a farm had been purchased, in which 400 insane were employed at moderate labour with complete success; and the foundation of a new hospital would be laid in 1845, in the Faubourg Poissonniere. The expenses of those hospitals amounted to upwards of 14,000,000f. Four establishments of primary instruction had been finished at a cost of

500,000f., and opened in 1844; the expense incurred for the maintenance of those schools, which were frequented by 39,678 children, had been 968,967f., or 40,000 more than in 1843. Several new streets had been opened, squares laid out, 4,000 metres of sewers, and 10,000 of flagways, constructed; the water of the Artesian well of Grenelle had been conveyed to the reservoirs of the Pantheon; additional fountains had been erected; the works of the new prison of La Force, of the barrack of the Celestins, and of the new market of Beauveau St. Antoine, were carried on with such activity, that it was expected those buildings would be completed in the course of next year; the church of St. Vincent de Paule had been opened to Catholic worship, and the city_put_in possession of the old church of Panthemont, which would be shortly converted into a Protestant temple. "Our admirable institutions," said the Prefect in conclusion, "and, above all, the genius of the King, whose prolonged reign proves so great a blessing to France, unceasingly develope that great national movement, and in a few years the prosperity of Paris, as well as the prosperity of France, will repose on a basis too strong to be shaken."

MUSIC IN LIVERPOOL FORTY YEARS AGO. On my first visit to Liverpool I was attracted by a good-looking music-shop kept by Mr. Hime, and I bought of him a cheap edition of Haydn's canzonets, published by his brother in Dublin. One reason why music is less studied in this country than abroad is the very high charge for musicbooks. When they are so reduced in price as to come within the reach of the middle ranks, we may have some chance of becoming a musical country. Mr. Hime, finding that I was a stranger who had some

little knowledge of the art, said he was going to have a quartett party in the evening, and would be glad to see me. I was flattered by the invitation, and waited upon him. I met that fine violinist, Yaniewicz, whom they had engaged as the leader of their concerts. I heard him play a quartett of Mozart's. It was one of the set of three, commencing with a violoncello solo. I was charmed by the breadth and scope of his play: had never before heard any style so magnificent. As it was the first quartett I had heard of Mozart, (like Gainsborough, who, on hearing Fisher play, insisted upon purchasing his oboe,) I bought the book, and brought it home with me. At supper we were joined by several ladies and gentlemen, for a vocal party, in which I met Mr. Webb, son of the great glee-composer. He was repeatedly asked to give us something on the piano

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forte, but declined, saying there was not anything he could recollect. Some time having been lost in these entreaties, I ventured to observe that I thought I could mention a piece he could play. Seeing I was a stranger, he said, in a supercilious tone, "And pray, Sir, what is that?" "A composition of your father's, Discord, dire sister of the slaughtering power.' He was then sitting on the music-stool, with his back to the piano-forte: he instantly revolved upon his seat, and executed it in a masterly style. I had the thanks of the company, and he seemed pleased with the manner in which I had entrapped him he came up to me, and we talked over the merits of this fine composition. I engaged to breakfast with him the next morning, and was much gratified by the knowledge he possessed upon musical subjects.-Gardiner's Music and Friends.

WESLEYAN MISSIONS:

OR, INTELLIGENCE ILLUSTRATIVE OF

THE OPERATIONS OF THE WES-
LEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, AND ALSO OF THE STATE AND
PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL IN VARIOUS PARTS OF
UNDER THEIR DIRECTION: EXTRACTED CHIEFLY

THE WORLD

FROM THE

66 MISSIONARY NOTICES," AND FROM OTHER SOURCES PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARIES.

*

POLYNESIA.

FEEJEE-ISLANDS.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. John Watsford, dated Ono, October 5th, 1846.

The

I AM thankful to God that I am enabled to inform you that we are still living in the enjoyment of health, and crowned with the blessing of the Lord. Lord is very gracious to us, and does abundantly bless our souls and cheer us in our blessed work. We have had a good District-Meeting: the Lord was with us, and all were blessed. appointed to Lakemba; and we were on our way to that place, in company with Mr. Lyth in the "Triton," when we called at Ono. We found that the Popish vessel had been here, and was to return

I was

soon with Priests: and one Chief wished to embrace Popery. We met the Teachers and Leaders, and diligently inquired into the state of the people; and, after careful examination and much prayer, Mr. Lyth and I thought I had better remain here for twelve months, or until Mr. Lawry's visit. Here we have four or five hundred members in society; and these sheep are given into our care, and we feel that every means must be used to keep them from out of the power of the wolf. The Papists are determined to make efforts to get the inhabitants of these islands of the

*Our readers are earnestly requested to avail themselves of the opportunity to procure the entire copy of the "Wesleyan Missionary Notices," published by the Secretaries of the Society, and sold at the Centenary-Hall, Bishopsgate-street, and at 66, Paternoster-row, London. Our selections from this invaluable record of the progress of the Gospel in heathen lands must, of necessity, be brief: we are therefore very desirous that the "Notices" should receive an extensive circulation among all classes of the religious public.

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