insult which at last filled his bitter cup to the brim. In a note to a friend he says "I am absolutely undone and broken hearted!"...." they are going to put the carpets out of the window, and break into Mrs. S-'s room to take me—for God's sake let me see you." This dreadful apprehension was soon realized :—a Sheriffs officer actually arrested the dying man in his bed, and was going to carry him off, in his blankets, to a spunging-house, when his physician interposed, and by threatening the officer with the responsibility he must incur, if, as was but too probable, his proner should expire on the way, averted the completion of this outrag ›. "But he was now," says his biographer, "fast losing the consciousness of every thing earthly, but pain. After a succession of shivering fits, he fell into a state of exhaustion, in which he continued, with but few more signs of suffering, till his death. A day or two before that event, the Bishop of London read prayers by his bed side; and on Sunday the 7th of July, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, he died." We can add nothing to this sad lesson :-but for the relief of those who may feel shocked at the cold and concise formality with which Mr. Moore dispatches the solemnities of a dying bed, we shall quote another account of this transaction, and conclude these strictures with the expression of our earnest wish and prayer, that the words of Christian counsel and comfort from the lips of a Christian minister, may have been enforced by the Power which can say to the dry bones, "live," and breathe into the torpid or despairing soul the conviction of sin, the terrors of a final judgment, the trembling prayer for pardon, and the tumult hope of mercy through the blood of that all-forgiving Redeemer, who is able to save to the uttermost, and who alone can estimate the depth of a dying penitence, or the fervency of a dying prayer. "Some days before his death, the Bishop of London, desired Dr. Baine to ask if it would be agreeable to his patient to have prayers offered up by his bed side. When this commission was imparted to the sick, he assented with such an expression of fervent desire, that the Bishop was instantly sent for, who lost no time in attending the solemn call, and accompanied by the physician, read several offices of devotion suited to the awful occasion. In these prayers, Mr. Sheridan appeared to join with humility and aspiration, clasping his hands, bending his head, and lifting up his eyes, significant of that penitential frame of mind which becomes every human spirit in it's passage out of time into eternity." We have not space to say more of Mr. Moore's eloquent reflections, and summary of Sheridan's character, than that they contain (what we have observed throughout the volumes) the results of enlarged experience rather than of altered principles. As such, however, they may with some readers be more influential than the lessons of the preacher or the practical moralist; and we would not willingly weaken their impression: but we would guard the young and sanguine against the dangerous error, of mistaking a change of moral tone founded almost avowedly on motives of expediency or interest, for a radical purification of principle, or depending for the stability of honour, virtue, or happiness, upon any foundation but Christianity-personal, vital Christianity. Without this foundation, the most plausible and enlightened morality has no prospect of permanence in this world, or of hope in the next. DOMESTIC RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. RELIGIOUS TRACT AND BOOK SOCIETY FOR IRELAND. The General Meeting of this Society was held on Monday, April 10th, in the Lecture-100m of the Dublin Institution. The Chair was taken by Mr. Serjeant Lefroy. The Resolutions were proposed and seconded by the following Gentle men: Rev. B. W. Mathias, Rev. Dr. Singer, F. T. C. D., Rev. Mr. Kyle, Rev. Mr. Wilson, Rev. P. Roe, and John M'Clintock, Esq. The Report, from which the following extracts are taken, was read by the Rev. D. Stewart. "PUBLICATIONS.-The Committee have carried through the press, during the past year, twenty-six tracts, original and compiled, twenty small books, five tracts reprinted as books, and one hundred and fifteen reprints, in all one hundred and sixty-six, which exceeds the number of the former year by forty-eight. The total number of original and compiled tracts and books, published by your Society, during the period of five years, is of the former 57, of the latter 161, in all 218. ISSUES OF TRACTS AND BOOKS.-The issues of tracts and books, including those sold in London during the past year, have been considerably greater than during any preceding year. Of tracts issued at full and reduced prices, the number is 474,411; the number gratuitously issued amounts to 30,590, in all 505,001, which exceeds that of the former year by 100,631. The number of books is 63,564, being an increase over the former year of 14,156; thus the total number of tracts and books issued during the past year is 568,565, being an increase of 114,787, and from the commencement, upwards of 2,500,000 tracts, 217,000 books, AUXILIARIES.-The Dublin Auxiliary Religious Tract and Book Society has five depositories in different parts of the city, besides a central and general one, which has been removed to No. 4, D'Olier-street, in all of which the publi cations of your Society may be purchased by retail. The receipts of this valuable Auxiliary, including sales, during the past year, have been £177:9:5 its issues of tracts and books have been 17,500, and the total from its establishment in 1820, 150,000. To the Dublin Ladies' Tract Association your Society is much indebted for their valuable assistance. Its operations are becoming more extended, and its usefulness proportionably augmented. The number of Depositories and Lending Libraries connected with this Association is 40, of which 13 have been opened during the past year. It bas circulated upwards of 20,000 tracts and books, and since its commencement, 82,678. DEPOSITORIES.- In order to increase the number of Depositories in different parts of the country, the Committee transmitted a circular to a number of friends to this important object, soliciting their co-operation; and they are happy to state, that several new depositories have in consequence been opened. At Youghal one has been established, which it is expected will be very useful in that part of the country-others have been opened at Waterford, Loughrea, Kilkenny, Monaghan, Roscrea, Newtown-Hamilton, and other places, which promise to be efficient channels for disseminating your publications throughout the country. LENDING LIBRARIES. In addition to the number mentioned in last Report, 22 new ones are now to be recorded, so that at present there are about 140 depositories and lending libraries in connection with your society. Desirous to afford every encourage ment in their power to Auxiliaries, your Committee increased the allowance to them on the Society's publications, from 25 to 33 per cent. on all purchases to the amount of 5s. and upwards. Before concluding this part of their Report, the Committee would direct your attention to the subject of itinerating libraries, adverted to in a former Report. The plan on which these institutions are conducted in East Lothian, in Scotland, where they were first established, is the following: A district of country is marked out, and a number of villages selected, the most convenient of access to all the inhabitants; the books are divided accordingly, and each division placed under the care of some person of good character, who will exchange these books at stated periods to the inhabitants of the village and neighbourhood. This person acts gratuitiously. At the end of a certain period the division is removed to another village, and its place supplied by another, containing a set of books entirely different. Thus, by a very simple process, each village enjoys the benefit of all the books; and at a very small expense the poor of a whole district may be furnished with useful, entertaining, and instructive books. These institutions, by which a small collection of religious books is made to furnish instruction successively to the inhabitants of many villages and hamlets, from their adaptation to the state of this country, the reading population of which is so rapidly increasing, while yet religious works are so inadequately supplied, deserve the serious attention of all who are employed in the noble attempt to illuminate, exalt, and bless their countrymen. It FINANCES.-ENGLAND.-The establishment of an office in London, as the centre of operations in England, is found, by the experience of another year, to justify the expectations that were formed from the adoption of that measure. was stated in last Report that nine Associations had been formed to aid your funds, in addition to which, four new ones have been established at Clifton, Deptford, Woolwich, and Margate, The sum of £194: 11: 6 has been received from these Auxiliaries during the year. Besides these, several depositories have been opened for the sale of your publications: 125,139 tracts, and 9,921 books have been issued from your central depository in London; and your funds have received, in subscriptions and donations, £151: 9:6; from collections after sermons, preached on behalf of the Society, £35. 12: 0; and from the sale of your publications, £80:8:7; in all £463 : 1 : 71⁄2. SCOTLAND. In the month of December last, a deputation from your Society visited Scotland. They attended the annual meeting of the Glasgow Auxiliary, and proceeded to Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, and other places, in all of which they met a friendly reception, and collected about £200. From the Glasgow Auxiliary, whose continued liberality demands your best acknowledgments, the sum of £40 has been received during the past year. IRELAND. In adverting to the receipts which have been contributed by Associations in our own country, it is encouraging to state, that they have been nearly double those of the former years. Find It will be in the recollection of the members of this Society, that some years since the Committee found it necessary to solicit a loan to a considerable amount, which was accordingly obtained. ing the usual income of the Society inadequate to make any advances towards the liquidation of this debt, a subscription was opened for the specific purpose of paying it off. The sum of £75 Irish was subscribed and applied to this purpose but a large sum still remains due, which, it is hoped, those to whom God has given the means, and what is a still greater blessing, the heart to make a right use of them, will come forward and enable the society to discharge." JEWS SOCIETY. The Irish Auxiliary to the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, held their annual Meeting at the Rotunda, on Tuesday, April 11th. The Chair was taken by the Vice President, the very Rev. Dean of Ardagh, in consequence of the indisposition of His Grace the Archbishop of Tuam. The Rev. William Bushe read an abstract of the Report, and the following gentlemen addressed the meeting:-Rev. Thomas Magee, Rev. D. Hamilton, the very Rev. Dean Mahon, Hon. and Ven. Archdeacon Pakenham, John M'Clintock, Esq. Rev. B. W. Matthias, Rev. Mr. Lewis, Missionary from Palestine, Rev. P. Roe, Rev. Mr. M'Kee, and the very Rev. Dean Browne. The following extracts from the Re port will shew the success of the Society for the past year:— The "Your Committee sent this year, a deputation through the North West of Ireland, to visit Associations previously established, and to form new ones. old Associations visited, were Monaghan, Omagh, Strabane, Letterkenny, Londonderry, Colerain. In that route, three new ones were formed Clones, Stranowlan, from whence subscriptions before that time had been sent, and Ballymenagh. The increase of most of the old in those places, and the addition of new Associations prove the visits were not without eflect. There was a meeting also held at Enniskillen, where the friends of the cause, in the adjoining neighbourhood, attended, and were successful in reviving the interest that was before felt. A Branch Association, also was formed at Bundoven, to be in connexion with the one at Bally shannon. Other meetings were held in Limerick and Kilkenny. Two other Associations also have been formed without the aid of deputation, by the activity of private individuals, for Wicklow and Rathmolin. The Committee would feel happy if it were in their power annually to have each Association visited, as they feel it a due return for the active zeal shown in their cause, to send them not only a report of all the proceedings of the Society; but to have these laid before them by deputation, more fully and satisfactorily than the contracted limits of any detail can allow. But it is not always in their power to compass this desirable object. There is no reason that the Committee would insert, that the zeal throughout Ireland has slackened in this cause. Although the statement of their finances shew a decrease, notwithstanding some new associations have been formed-they are persuaded they may be fairly accounted for on other causes. The sums received within this year, were, £1,469 10s. 10d. Irish-Remitted to the Parent Society, £1,083 es. 8d. Irish." SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY. The annual General Meeting of this Society was held in the Rotunda, on Wednesday, 12th April, 1826. The Earl of Roden, the President of the Society, took the Chair, and the several Resolutions, which passed unanimously, were proposed or seconded by Besides the 1,804 schools previously mentioned, there are upwards of 70 schools, the conductors of which having funds sufficient to defray their own expenses, are only indebted to your society for permission to purchase books at reduced prices. The number of adults above the age of 15 reported, is 23,812, and of those who are reading the Bible or Testament, is 66,015-it is, however, the opinion of your Committee, that the adults are generally those who continue to attend the schools for religious improvement, and that few comparatively come to learn the first rudiments of instruction. Your Committee conceive it also their duty to state their conviction, that of the scholars attending Sunday Schools, a very considérable number do not attend Daily Schools." HIBEBNIAN BIBLE SOCIETY. The twentieth Annual General Meeting of this Society was held in the Rotunda, Dublin, on Thursday the 13th of April, 1826. The Right Hon. the Earl of Roden, President of the society, in the chair. The room was so much crowded at an early period of the day, that several friends of the society could not obtain admittance. The resolutions were moved and seconded by John M'Clintock, Esq. and Rev. Dr. Singer, F. T. C. D.; the Venerable Archdeacon Pakenham, and Rev. John Burnett; Rev. Denis Brown, and Rev. Walter Hoare; the very Rev. Dean of Dromore, and Rev. Henry Irwin; Rev. Mr. Hepenstal and Rev. Dr. Hamilton; Rev. David Stewart, and Rev. W. Bushe; Rev. Mr. M'Clintock, and Rev. Henry Crofton. The Rev. B. W. Mathias acknowledged the vote of thanks to the officers of the Society, and paid a justly deserved tribute of affectionate regard to the memory of his late brother secretary, the lamented and beloved Hon. and Rev. Edward Wingfield, The Report from which the following extracts are made, was one of the most interesting and encouraging ever presented to the Society. "Your Committee, in presenting them. selves before you at the completion of their stewardsihp, again enjoy the high satisfaction, through the peculiar favour of Him in whose service you are engaged, of announcing to you the continued and increasing prosperity of your Society. During a year of great tranquillity, without any unusual exertion, or any unusual excitement on the public mind, the issues of the Scriptures from your Depository have exceeded those of the former year by 2,480 Bibles, and 5,777 Testamenls, making a total increase of 8,257 copies of sacred Writ introduced into circulation during one year. This is a result which your Committee, sanguine as they might be respecting the ultimate success of the Society, did not anticipate. On the contrary, two years ago they endeavoured to prepare your minds for hearing of a diminution of your sales; but the Lord has been pleased to surpass all their expectations and to make the power of his word to triumph over all their calculations and apprehensions." After giving a summary of the proceedings of the various Auxiliary and Branch Societies, and Bible Associations, in different parts of the kingdom, the Report states that the year which then terminated, had seen sixty-two new Bible Institutions formed in connexion with the Society-eleven Auxiliary Societies-three Branch Societics - and 48 Bible Associations-the latter chiefly conducted by ladies; thus, making the total number of such Institutions, in coanexion with the Parent Society in Dublin, to amount to two hundred and ninety-three, viz. In Lienster, Aux. Bran. Asso, Tot. 20 Total, 63 Alluding to the solemn visitation of Providence, in the removal of their late revered and beloved secretary, the Hon. and Rev. Edward Wingfield, the Report proceeds thus:-"Every thing connected with accession of that lamented individual to the list of your officers, was calculated to endear him to your Committee, and to every friend of the Bible Society; and the time at which it pleased the Lord to remove him-. |