of government, he contends, "to maintain the frame of society; and for this end to restrain violence and crime, to protect person and property, to enact and adminis. ter the laws needful for the maintenance of peace, order, and justice, to sanction public works called for by the general convenience, as docks, harbours, canals, railways, &c.,to conduct the relations of society with other communities,-to provide for the public safety against external attack,-to appoint the officers, raise the taxes, pass the laws, construct the buildings, &c., requisite for these purposes;" but he contends that "it is not the duty of government to feed the people, to clothe them, to build houses for them, to direct their industry or their commerce, to superintend their families, to cultivate their minds, to shape their opinions, or to supply them with religious teachers, physicians, schoolmasters, books, or newspapers." In support of these views of the functions of government Mr. B. argues with great ability. Some, perhaps, might say that the philosophical data on which he reasons are the least perfect part of this letter.

In his third letter our respected friend shows-" that there is no necessity for the proposed interference on the part of government to change the character of the education of England, for that the people are able to do for themselves what it is proposed to compel them to do by Act of Parliament, and under the control of public functionaries." This position is maintained by an able exposure of the exaggerated statements which found their way, in 1843, into public reports, respecting the then existing deficiency of the means of intellectual and religious instruction as far greater than it actually was. The author's returns "showed on a comparison of the years 1801 and 1841, that whilst the population of the district had increased in forty years from 975,553 to 2,208,771, or 127 per cent., the church and chapel sittings had increased, (almost entirely by voluntary exertions,) from 311,788 to 994,583, or 219 per cent., and that there was thus church and chapelroom for 45 per cent. of the entire population." Mr. B. does not deny that more schools are wanted; he only contends that the deficiency has been sadly overrated, and that the means in existence, or to be voluntarily created, are sufficient to meet the actual demands of the case.

The fourth letter contains a searching inquiry into "the alleged deficiency in the means of education." We do think Mr. B. has effectually demolished many of Dr. Hook's extravagant representations of exist ing defects. Doubtless errors have sprung up on this and other subjects from the great imperfection of our national statistics, from

the vast variety of the sources of education extant, from the formidable prominence which squalid ignorance and vice often obtain, from rash conclusions drawn therefrom, and from the absurd supposition that the want of education arises solely from the want of the MEANS of education. Mr. B. has well exposed these sources of error; and, having done so, institutes an inquiry, first, as to what proportion of the popula tion we may reasonably expect to have in the day-schools of England and Wales? and, secondly, as to the number of scholars actually in attendance in the day-schools of England and Wales? The results brought out by Mr. B., by these inquiries, are certainly well worthy of profound attention, whatever partial defect may attach to them. They are as follow:Day-school accommodation re

quired in 1811, so as to allow every child in England and Wales to be at school, on the average, five years Add 25,000 a-year for the five years from 1841 to 1846

The Day-schools required for existing for

Present deficiency

.

1,812,292

125,000

Scholars

1,937,292

1,876,947 61,318

In his fifth letter, we have a noble exposition of the "power of the voluntary principle," or the power of the people to educate themselves. Mr. B. shows that the question here discussed involves the interests of "freedom, religion, and the progress of human society." The case put is this, that no minister could come to parliament-even admitting the right of parliamentary interference -to demand public money for schools, much less to revolutionize the education of the country by a plan like Dr. Hook's, if the statistics here given of the present state of education, chiefly by voluntary means, be at all approaching to be correct. "Supposing the number of schools, then, to be deficient, is the deficiency one which the people can supply, and are likely to supply for themselves? Mr. B. urges strongly that the experience of the past leaves no room for reasonable doubt as it respects the future. He shows that the progress towards a general education of the people is steady and sure, and if not arrested by state intermeddling, will, at no very distant period, be fully realized.

In the sixth le'ter, we have some very cogent arguments to prove that, whatever may be the alleged inefficiency of our existing plans of education, there is little reason to conclude that under government direction their efficiency would be materially enhanced. From 1818 to 1833, 3,400,0007. sterling was expended on education; towards which only about one-ninth, 400,0007., was con

tributed by parliamentary grants, during the latter half of the period, and the remainder by the independent and voluntary efforts of the people. The present amount of dayschoolaccommodation provides for 1,876,947 scholars; of which aggregate accommodation provision has been made for 1,100,100 scholars since 1818! Such is the ratio of voluntary effort as to the quantity of education; but some contend that a state system would greatly improve the quality of the education imparted. This plea Mr. B. endeavours to invalidate by some very cogent arguments, the force of which it would be difficult to evade. We cannot but feel that education "would improve far more if left perfectly free. and subject to the most unrestrained competition, than if put under the guardianship of a minister of state.

The seventh letter discusses the very important question, "Ought religious and secular education to be separated?" Our author maintains, with great force of reasoning, that they ought not. To his opponents be says: "As the two parts of their case go together, so do the two parts of mine. They, asking for state education, necessarily exclude religion from the day-schools. I, asking for independent and voluntary education, necessarily include religion. Relying mainly, though not wholly, on the zeal of religious communities, I, on that ground, as well as on still higher grounds, advocate religious education. At the same time I impose religion on no one; for it is my ob. ject to insist that all shall be left free." We have some doubt here, whether in a modified state system of education, in this country, religion need be excluded. But we shall speak of this hereafter.

In his eighth and ninth letters, Mr. B. exposes the nakedness and defects of the continental systems of education, on which so much doubtful praise has been bestowed. We invite the attention of all our readers to these letters. They are full of information not easily obtained, and dissipate the dreams of some very philanthropic persons. We never wish to see the continental systems, even the best of them, introduced into England.

Mr. B.'s three last letters are headed, "American Schools," "State Education destructive of Voluntary Education,"-and "Concluding Appeal." Under the last, our author endeavours to show, that "the views of state educationists are exceedingly discredited, by their serious errors on the following important points :-1st. Their ignorance as to the actual amount of education in this country; 2nd. Their credulous reception of the plausible representations made of foreign systems, without examining their real character; 3rd. Their extreme insensibility to the power of the voluntary

principle in this country; 4th. Their forgetfulness of the effect which government interference must have in paralyzing voluntary and independent effort; 5th. Their apparent total oblivion of the immeasurably superior influence which voluntary and independent education has on the national character; 6th. Their endless differences among themselves as to the plan, and even the principle of national education."

Such is a very imperfect sketch of Mr. B.'s letters, which are creditable alike to the head and heart of the writer, and which contain an amount both of valuable informa. tion and sound argument, which entitle him to the warmest acknowledgments of the Christian public, not excepting even that portion of it that may differ from him in the position he so firmly assumes in opposition to state education.

We should like to do equal justice to our respected and beloved friend Dr. Vaughan, whose able article on "Popular Education in England," which appeared in the British Quarterly, has created a powerful impression on the public mind. A more candid, ingenuous, and masterly article, on any great question, we have seldom read. Dr. V. thinks that government may render good service in the cause of national education. But he is no blind admirer of the continental schemes of state education; he would only retain what is good and safe in them, and reject the rest. He thinks, too, that “what has been done among ourselves in the cause of primary instruction, by the popular agency, as distinguished from state agency, has been sometimes unduly lauded." exaggeration is deprecated on the one side and on the other; and should the present government attempt any scheme for the instruction of the people which might "be fatal to our existing educational machinery," he would be among the first to protest against such a project." This we thoroughly believe.

All

Dr. V.'s first inquiry is, "To what extent are the people of this country brought under school instruction ?" From a calm, and we believe perfectly honest, examination of the " Summary of Education Returns for England and Wales, in 1833," compared with other statistical documents to which he has had access, his conclusions are the following: "That the population between the ages of five and fifteen in the larger and lesser towns of England, taken together, the proportion, from THE WHOLE POPULATION found in day-schools, at any one time, would be somewhat less than ONE-THIRD; that about an equal number would be found receiving Sunday-school instruction ONLY; and that the remaining number, consisting of greatly MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE WHOLE, must be reckoned as not found in

ANY school whatever,-day school, eveningschool, or Sunday-school." And again: "That in England and Wales we have a population, FOUR-TENTHS of which should be described as unable to write, and about a THIRD of which should be described as unable to read. Of the former class, there may be some knowing how to hold a pen, and capable of scrawling letters; of the latter there may be some knowing their letters, and capable of reading monosyllables, but, we think, that for any useful purpose, and in an honest sense, the non-writing and non-reading classes in our general population must be reckoned as above." Such are Dr. V.'s conclusions from very laborious investigations of the statistical and other information that has come before his clear and sober judgment. But his facts and details must be read by all who look at his results. And as his article in the British Quarterly is now published, by Jackson and Walford, in a separate and cheap pamphlet, we hope that all who take an interest in the subject of national education will get hold of it, and peruse it carefully.

His second inquiry relates to the quality or value of the education at present dispensed. Here we do suspect that the evidence adduced by government inspectors will go far to show, that there is much inefficient instruction at present dispensed among the people. The witnesses are so numerous and trustworthy on this subject that we dare not call them in question; though doubtless multitudes of schools for the poor are in a truly healthy condition.

"Here, then," observes Dr. V., "are England and Wales, with their SIXTEEN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE,-with between SIX and SEVEN MILLIONS unable to write their name, and with not less than FIVE MILLIONS unable to read their mother tongue. This is a startling-an unwelcome statement. It is natural that good men should endeavour to escape from an admission of its truth. To ourselves it is unwelcome. We would

not believe it true if we could avoid it. But it is a conclusion which results, not merely from the publications of the RegistrarGeneral, nor from any other solitary testimony, but from evidence emanating from a multitude of points, and all converging upon this issue. We presume, that what our readers want on this subject is THE TRUTH. This, we think, we have now laid before them. This being our solemn conviction, the facts before us are so momentous, that we dare not attempt to throw any sort of veil over them. We feel bound, rather, to give them studied note and prominence. In so doing, we are conscious of acquitting ourselves rightly in relation to our mother. land, to humanity, and to God!"

Most reluctantly we must here stop for

the present, as our space forbids enlargement; reserving for another article a friendly investigation of the question of state interference in the matter of education, and a development of the plan which Dr. V. has sketched. We have at present great diffi culties; but we wish to act candidly between enlightened and philanthropic men, who substantially agree on all the weightier matters of the law. Such discussions cannot fail to benefit us, and must, in the issue, do much towards the furtherance of the sound and healthy education of the people. Meanwhile we have many apprehensions on the subject of government interference, lest it should lull the active benevolence of the public mind, disturb the educational forces now in full play, and afford advantage mainly to those who will stereotype the instruction of the people with sectarian principles.

CHEAP EDITION OF MR. BAINES'S LETTERS ON NATIONAL EDUCATION.

vertisement on our cover,) that a committee We perceive, with pleasure, (see the adhas been formed for the purpose of raising a fund to promote the more extensive circulation of Mr. Baines's Letters to Lord John

Russell, by reducing the price of them to the small charge of one shilling. As information, at the present moment, is the great point, we heartily approve of this measure; though, for the reason assigned, we should have been glad if the said committee, whatever may be their personal convictions, had determined to do the same justice to Dr. Vaughan. We want to look at both sides of this great question.

PROVINCIAL.

RE-OPENING OF SABBATH SCHOOLS.

The sabbath-school premises connected with the church and congregation, under the pastoral care of the Rev. H. Birch, Driffield, Yorkshire, having been found inconveniently small, as well as having become dilapidated, it has been necessary to rebuild and enlarge them. The premises in length now occupy the whole of the ground belonging to the chapel property, and consist of two stories instead of one as before.

This commodious building was opened for use on Sunday, Dec. 20th, 1846. On this. occasion sermons were preached by the Rev. Orlando T. Dobbin, LL.D., when liberal collections were obtained. On Tuesday evening, a sermon was preached by the Rev. On Wednesday B. Beddow, of Barnsley.

evening, a tea-meeting was held in the new premises, the provision of which being gratuitously supplied, a considerable sum was realized for the fund. To many the pleasure of these services was enhanced by a great improvement in the psalmody, which was conducted by a seraphine, the product of the self-taught musical genius of one of the congregation. While others, beholding the realization of their hopes in the completion of the building, and desiring that the eternal Spirit would descend and hallow it by his presence, silently ejaculated, "Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children; and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

RECOGNITION.

The Rev. Patrick Morrison, late of Newburgh, Fife, was inducted on Wednesday, the 14th of October, as pastor of the church at Duncanstone, Aberdeenshire.

The Revs. John Hill, of Huntley; John Miller, of Inverury; John Rennie, of Culsalmond; and Alexander Nicoll, of Rhynie, took part in the services.

The chapel was crowded on the occasion by a respectable and deeply interested audience. The prospect before Mr. Morrison is one of deep interest, in a sphere so long and so ably filled by his late venerable father.

ORDINATIONS.

THE WELSH INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, GREAT JACKSON STREET, HULME, MANCHESTER.

In connection with the re-opening of the above place of worship, after its being closed for repairs and painting, and the recognition of the Rev. David Hughes, B.A., late of St. Asaph, as the pastor of the church, divine services were held on Friday evening, Oct. 23, 1816; the sabbath-day, Oct. 25; and on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, the 26th, 27th, and 28th.

The following ministers officiated on the occasion:-The Rev. Robert Thomas, of Liverpool; the Rev. D. Price, of Denbigh ; the Rev. W. Griffith, of Holyhead; the Rev. A. Jones, D.D., Bangor; and the Rev. S. Roberts, M.A., of Llanbrynmair; and the Revs. J. Griffin, R. Jones, J. L. Poore, J. Gwyther, and the Rev. E. Edwards, of Manchester.

The collection, including a donation of 15. from William Morris, Esq., Salford, amounted to 557.

INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, HIGH-STREET,

WARE, HERTS.

The Rev. J. Lockyer resigned his pastoral office in the above place on the 28th of October, where he laboured during the period of twenty-one years, and has accepted a cordial and unanimous invitation from the church and congregation at Ponder's End, Middlesex, and commenced his stated labours on the 8th of November.

The Rev. S. Davies, late of Colchester, having accepted the pastorate of the English Presbyterian church at Rotterdam, intends entering on his stated labours in that city, on the 17th inst.

Rev. Noah Stephens.

On the 30th and 31st of December, 1846, the Rev. Noah Stephens, Brecon College, was set apart to the pastorate of the Independent church at Sirhowy, Monmouthshire, where, for several years, the Rev. Richard Jones, now of Manchester, laboured with great success.

At two o'clock the first day, the Rev. Davies, Rhumny, introduced, and the Rev. - Roberts, Cwmavon; Llewellyn Rowland Powell, Hanover; and W. Williams, Hirwain, preached.

At six, the Rev. T. Roberts, Llaunchlyn, late of Brecon College, introduced, and the Revs. T. Griffith, Blaenavon; Benj. Owen, Merthyr Tydfil, and J. Stephens, Brychgoed, (the young minister's eldest brother,) preached.

At seven o'clock the following morning, a prayer-meeting was held. At half-past nine, the Rev. W. Williams, Tredegar, read and prayed, and the Rev. J. Stephens, Brychgoed, delivered the introductory discourse; the Rev. T. Jeffries, Penyear, proposed the usual questions; the Rev. Ridge, Kendal, offered the ordination prayer; the Rev. E. Davies, M.A., Classical Tutor, Brecon College, delivered an impressive charge to the young minister, which he afterwards promised, at the unanimous request of all the ministers present, to publish in the "Diwyqiwr," (the "Reformer;") and the Rev. Ll. Powell, Cardiff, in the unavoidable absence of the Rev. D. Stephenson, Brynmawr, preached to the people.

At two, Mr. Shem Phillips, Brecon College, introduced, and the Rev. Edwards, Aberdare; Mr. J. D. Williams, Homerton College, (in English;) and the Rev. T. Recs, Siloa, Llanelly, (the translator of "Barnes's Notes" into the Welsh language,) preached.

At six, the Revs. Jones, Llangattog; T. Roberts, Llanuchlyn; and D. Stephens,

Llanvair, (the young minister's third brother,) preached.

May the Lord greatly bless both the minister and the church! and may the peace and unanimity, which at present exist among them in so happy a measure, continue, until their connection with each other shall be dissolved by Him who is constituted the Head of the church!

The Rev. W. Jackson.

The Rev. W. Jackson, from Rotherham College, was ordained pastor of the church, assembling in the Stoneway chapel, Bridgenorth, Salop, on Tuesday, October 6th. The order of services was the following:- In the morning, at seven, the Rev. F. J. Falding, M.A., of Wellington, read the Scriptures, and offered prayer; the Rev. D. H. Shoebotham, of Kidderminster, delivered the

ordination discourse; and the Rev. J. Hammond, of Handsworth, received the pastor's confession of faith, and offered the ordination prayer, with the imposition of hands. In the evening, at half-past six, the Rev. J. H. Barrow, of Market Drayton, read the Scriptures and offered prayer. The Rev. Professor Stowell, of Rotherham College, delivered the charge to the pastor; and the Rev. J. A. James the charge to the church and congregation. The Rev. Messrs. Shore, of Smethwick; Parkes (Wesleyan) and Silly (Baptist) of Bridgenorth; Simpson, of Gornal; Davis, of Ludlow; Ollerenshaw, of Broseley; and M'Michal, of Rotherham College, also took part in the solemnities.

On the previous sabbath, the chapel, which had been closed for various improvements, was re-opened, when the Rev. A. Gordon, M.A., of Walsall, preached, and liberal collections were made.

THE BIBLE IN FRANCE.

(From M. D. Presseuse.)

I have been affected even to tears when reading in the communications of the majority of our colporteurs the details of their privations and sufferings. They have, however, borne with all as Christians, looking for consolation and strength where they are to be found; but often when, perhaps for a whole day together, they have met with nothing but rebuff, and heard the cry resounding in their ears, "It is bread that we want, and not your books," they have returned to their quarters in the evening with sorrowful hearts, and quitted them in the morning with anxious apprehensions for the coming day. "Oh, if you knew (they write) how many visits, and what persuasion and entreaty it costs us to do the little we have recently been able to do, you would not blame, but rather pity us, and redouble your prayers in our behalf."

You know me, I think, sufficiently to be assured that I deeply feel for these our poor friends in the critical situation in which they are this year placed; and hence you will easily conceive how loth I must be to con. vey to some, who have hitherto been our best Bible-vendors, the expression of regret which I cannot but feel at their present apparent want of success. Nevertheless, I feel it my duty to summon up courage to do so, and must regard a tone of severity as part of my duty. And oh! may the Lord

grant that, while guiding them with a firm, yea, a very firm hand, they may be made sensible, in a manner tending to reanimate their courage, that I am myself wrestling with them in prayer! Nor is the task more easy for me; and I earnestly entreat that you will, in brotherly kindness, often remember me.

From the foregoing you may, perhaps, have been ready to anticipate a grievous falling-off in the aggregate amount of our distributions for November. Such, however, is not the case; for there have been issued from your depôt here, during that month, 922 Bibles and 10,096 Testaments; in all 11,018 copies, of which 9012 were appropriated to the use of colporteurs.

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The Rev. Mr. Roussel is not merely engaged in publishing controversial tracts, but has, of himself, alone prosecuted the work of evangelization by instituting Protestant worship in the midst of Roman Catholic populations. This friend has just commenced a work of the same description in a large town where several of our colporteurs have, at different periods, largely distributed the Holy Scriptures. As there is no just cause for concealing the locality of the work here alluded to, I will at once mention that it is Angoulême, in the department of the Charente. There, seconded by the inhabitants, Mr. Roussel has built a chapel, sufficiently spacious for holding 900 people, and which, for the last month from the time