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method pursued by the esteemed author, is that of selecting, on any particular branch of Christian duty, the principal injunctions of the New Testament, and then following them up, with a suitable and energetic meditation. As the meditations are divided into separate portions for each day in the week, the volume will find a place in the closets of many who have a preference for works so constructed. We can assure our readers that this is not one of the light and trifling publications of the day; but a sober, evangelical, earnest, and heart stirring exhibition of the preceptive will of the great Master. We congratulate the author upon this valuable effort of his pen.

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very unpretending, but nevertheless full of wholesome counsel upon all those subjects most interesting to the nation at this eventful crisis. Mr. Gray is a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of God, and giving to every man his portion in due season.

WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

1. The Duty and Desirableness of Frequent Communion with Christ in the Sacrament of the Supper; in Three Discourses. By the Rev. HENRY GRAY, M.A., Minister of St. Mary's, Edinburgh,

18mo. 2s.

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RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON.

EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

At an extraordinary meeting of the general body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations, residing in and about the cities of London and Westminster, holden at the Library, Red Cross Street, on Thursday, April 19, 1832.

The Rev. F. A. Cox, LL.D., in the Chair. It was Resolved,

That this body is deeply impressed with a sense of the duty of a Christian community to provide for the education of the whole people, as the best security for social order and harmony, and as the most likely means under the blessing of the Divine Providence, to promote the true knowledge of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fear and worship of Almighty God.

That we consider all education essentially defective which does not include instruction in the Holy Scriptures, which we regard as the only sure ground of faith, the unerring rule of life, and the infallible guide to immortality.

That experience teaches us, at the same time, that the holy Scriptures cannot be taught effectually and universally in a course of national education, without a constant and cautious observance of the great principle of the right of private judgment, and that any violation of this principle tends to prolong the reign of prejudice, to excite uncharitableness, to degrade the Bible from its sacred use, and to pervert it into an instru ment of discord and division.

That with these impressions we have witnessed, with much satisfaction, the appointment by His Majesty's government of a com

mission for administering the funds granted by parliament for the education of the poor of Ireland, the commissioners consisting of persons belonging to different religious denominations in that country, and appointed under instructions which provide for the use of such Scriptural lessons in the schools as may be agreed on by all the commissioners, and also for setting apart one or two days in the week for the religious education of the children, by the respective ministers and teachers of religion whom their parents shall prefer.

And that, being fully persuaded that in the present critical condition of Ireland, this is the most eligible plan of ensuring a national and religious education in that country, of promoting the civil, moral, and spiritual, improvement of the Irish people, and of guarding the tranquillity and advancing the pros. perity of the United Kingdom; this body agrees to petition both houses of parliament, to give their sanction and support in carrying into effect the measure devised by his Ma jesty's government for the education of the poor of Ireland.

THOMAS REES, Hon. Secretary.

At a special meeting of the Deputies from the several congregations of Protestant Dissenters of the Three Denominations, Presbyterian, Independent, and Baptistin and within twelve miles of London, appointed to protect their civil rights, held at the King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry, on Tuesday, the 10th day of April, 1832, for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of petitioning Parliament in support of the measure proposed by his Majesty's government, relative to the subject of education in Ireland.

HENRY WAYMOUTH, Esq., in the Chair. Resolved, on the motion of William Smith, Esq.; seconded by Thomas Gibson, Esq. "That this Meeting believe that the security and happiness of every country will be promoted by liberal institutions, and the general information of the people; and that as they consider the progress of peace and prosperity in Ireland will be mainly assisted by national education, they are induced, by these convictions, and by their firm attachment to civil and religious liberty, to approve the plan for general education recently introduced into Ireland by his Majesty's government, and to desire cordially its permanence and success."

A petition, founded on the foregoing Resolution, having been read,

Resolved, on the motion of Thomas Wilson, Esq.; seconded by Isaac Sewell, Esq., "That the petition, now read, be approved and adopted, and the Right Hon. Lord Hol

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At a Meeting of the Board of Congregational Ministers, residing in London and its vicinity, specially convened on Monday, the 2nd of April, 1832.

Rev. John Humphreys, LL.D., in the Chair. Resolved, without a dissentient voice, on the motion of the Rev. Dr. Smith, seconded by the Rev. Robert Halley.

1. That the Members of this Board are

deeply impressed with the conviction, that the vice and misery, the spirit of turbulence and insubordination, the illegal associations, devastation of property, and destruction of human life, which have been lamentably prevalent in Ireland, are in a great degree to be ascribed to a deficiency of moral and religious education, and consequent destitution of those virtuous principles which must ever constitute the basis of social happiness and national prosperity.

Resolved, on the motion of the Rev. J. Yockney, seconded by the Rev. Dr. Winter,

2. That the best means of securing such an education is, in the opinion of this Board, the establishment of schools for the instruction of children of all denominations, into which as much of Scriptural reading shall be introduced as is practicable in the peculiar circumstances of the country, without interfering with the inalienable right and imperative duty of every parent to instruct his children in what he believes to be the purest system of faith and practice.

Resolved, on the motion of the Rev. John

Burnet, seconded by the Rev. T. James,

3. That although the Members of this Board cannot be expected to pronounce a decided opinion upon the detail or working of a plan, of which, at present, only the principles are developed, yet they have, after much consideration, found sufficient reason to approve cordially of the general measure proposed by his Majesty's government; because, by intrusting the management to a commission, consisting of persons of different denominations, it provides against the unjust appropriations of the public money in favour of one party;—because, by furnishing copious extracts of the Holy Scriptures as indispensable lessons, it recognizes the principle, that good morals and social virtues are most effectually derived from revealed truth ;-be

cause, by appropriating certain days for religious instruction, it affords the opportunity and encourages the attempt to apply the general learning of the school to the exigencies of immortal and accountable beings; -because, by intrusting that most important part of education to the denomination to which the children respectively belong, it disavows any infringement upon the rights of conscience, or assumption of human authority in matters of religion;-because, by directing full statements of the progress and operations of the commission, to be laid before the parliament, and of course before the public, it furnishes the means of correcting any abuses to which, through human infirmity or mismanagement, it may be at any time subject; and finally, because the commissioners have no power to impose the system upon the country, but are instructed to receive applications from such schools as may solicit aid from their funds.

Resolved, on the motion of the Rev. Dr. Fletcher, seconded by the Rev. Dr. Bennet,

4. That petitions, founded on the above Resolutions, be prepared and left for signature, at the Congregational Library.

THOMAS HARPER, Secretary.

N. B. Upon the conduct of the Dissenters in supporting the plan of Education for Ireland, proposed by the King's Government, some disgraceful remarks have been made in the Record Newspaper. Does the Editor of that litigious journal suppose that the Dissenters of England, are a race of men so obtuse, or so worthless, as to fall in with the intolerant dogmas of his prurient fancy? We should be ashamed of them if they were capable of one grain of sympathy with the junto of bigots, who support that unhappy organ of religious slander. We tell the pitiful conductors of this paper to read the history of the Protestant Dissenters, and there learn what stuff they are made of. One hundred such organs as the Record Newspapers could do them no harm. Let their Resolutions, on the subject of Irish Education, speak for themselves! Blessed be God! they can be loyal to a Whig or Tory government, as they have abundantly proved; but they cannot relinquish their common-sense for mere political clamor. Let this calumniator of the Dissenters come out from behind the scenes, and then the public will know who he is.-ED.

TRINITARIAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

As we expected, this bubble has at last burst. By a majority of nine (forty-seven voting on the one side, and thirty-eight on the other), it was decided, on the 12th of last

month, that parties thinking with Mr. Irving shall not be excluded from the Society. The consequence is, that its officers, and a majority of the committee have retired from a fraternity so heterodox, and have formed themselves into a provisional body for purposes which we are yet to learn. In the mean time the Record Newspaper has assumed a hostile front to its quondam friend, and, strange to say! has sent it to learn wisdom, and prudence, and all other good qualities of the It is British and Foreign Bible Society!!! truly gratifying to know that the whole of this contending fellowship, upon an actual trial of strength, could only mustre, after all its haughty assumptions, EIGHTY-SEVEN VOTES. This speaks volumes, and is cause of devout thanksgiving to that God who confounds the counsels and frustrates the devices of those who, unwittingly, or from design, would injure his cause. Let the friends of order and peace watch the movements both of the Trinitarian Bible Society and the new Provisional Committee. They may assure themselves that fresh schemes to entrap unwary minds are in progress; but surely a discerning public have had enough to convince them that no great society can be conducted by the men embarked in these undertakings. We hope they will continue to conduct their affairs, as on the 12th of April, with closed doors, as this will render them comparatively harmless, though, in the present state of public opinion, it will awaken some little suspicion as to the integrity of a cause which shuns the light of day.

NEW BISHOP FOR INDIA.

We have much satisfaction in announcing to our friends that the Rev. Daniel Wilson (now D.D.) has been appointed Bishop of Calcutta, to succeed the late Dr. Turner. Such an appointment must be highly gratifying to all the friends of evangelical truth. The prayers of thousands will attend him to his destination; and pious churchmen and dissenters will unite in looking to him for a vigorous support of the cause of Christian missions in the East. "May his bow abide in strength, and the arms of his hand be made strong, by the arm of the mighty God of Jacob!"

FOREIGN TRACTS.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.

The Religious Tract Society have repeatedly pleaded the commands of God for dispensing Divine truth to aliens (as will appear on referring to Levit. xix. 34; Num. xv. 15; Deut. xxxi. 12; Josh. viii. 36, and many other passages of like import), and have recommended the distribution of them; and, in order to facilitate the performance of that service, have provided four paged tracts, in

all the languages, so that every friend of the gospel may carry about him in the smallest compass a specimen of each language. The tracts will be supplied gratuitously, and deposited at different places of worship, &c., where they may find admittance, and, it is hoped, will be sent free of expense to individual friends of the gospel.

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List of the respective tracts." Summary of the Bible," French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish. Way to Heaven," Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish. "Sin no Trifle," Dutch. "I know not the day of my Death" Dutch. "Way to Heaven, German. "What is taught by the Bible," German. "The nature of Sin and Repentance," Modern Greek. "Important Enquiries, &c," Modern Greek.

Those friends who wish to promote the Spiritual Interest of perhaps 25,000 aliens, and through them their connexions abroad, are requested to signify their benevolent intentions to A. B., at Mrs. Collis's, stationer, No. 7, London Road, Southwark.

BAPTIST CHAPELS IN JAMAICA.

We regret to state that the loss of property in chapels, &c. sustained by the Baptists in Jamaica amounts to £20,000. We understand that the charges against some of the missionaries have been made by persons who have confessed that they were bribed, and that instances of perjury, and abuse of magistratical power, have come to light truly shocking to humanity.

UNION CHAPEL, BRIXTON HILL.

We feel highly gratified in announcing that the Rev. John Hunt, late of Chelmsford, has accepted an unanimous invitation to become the stated minister of this newly raised interest, and that he commenced his labours on the third Sabbath in April, with the most encouraging prospects of usefulness, in that rapidly increasing and respectable neighbourhood.

ORDINATION OF THE REV. THOMAS ARCHER.

At their Meeting, on 20th April, we understand that the United Associate Presbytery of London appointed the ordination of the Rev. Thomas Archer to take place on Thursday, 3rd day of May, in Oxendon Chapel, Oxendon Street, Haymarket. Service to commence at 11 o'clock.

SCRIPTURE-READING SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine. SIR,Deeply deploring the prevalence of irreligion, and the consequent non-attendance upon the public ordinances of the gospel, of so many families throughout Great Britain, I beg leave, through the medium of your valuable miscellany, very

respectfully to propose to the consideration of the independent churches, whether the establishment of congregational societies for Scripture-reading is not practicable; and whether such a plan, if adopted, would not prove an eligible means of introducing the important truths of the gospel, more immediately to the attention of the profane; of inducing their attendance upon the public worship of Almighty God, and of thus promoting the salvation of thousands of immortal souls, who, unless some great effort be made on their behalf, may perhaps perish in their sin and guilt.

I conceive every adult who is competent to read the word of God with facility and correctness; and who, as a professor of religion, has experienced the power of divine grace on his own heart, would be proper to engage in the work of thus reading the Scriptures in the families of the poor, the illiterate, and the ungodly. A number of persons qualified for the office of reading, might, it is presumed, be sufficient to supply, to a given extent, in the towns where they may be resident, and who would perform the duty gratis. If the readers were occupied each evening in reading half an hour in one house, then if two half hours, say from half past seven to half past eight o'clock, were appropriated to the work, twelve or fourteen families would enjoy the privilege of such reading, taken in succession during the week. In general it would only be requisite to read the New Testament Scriptures; the readers, at their own option, to provide themselves with a Testament, or one to be given them by the congregational society of which such readers may be members. The readers might embrace occasional opportunities for religious conversation, and of using their influence to induce an attendance upon public worship, which would be one of the momentous objects contemplated by the society. If such congregational societies were formed by all the independent societies throughout England, I entertain no doubt but that a spiritual good of considerable magnitude might, by the divine blessing, be thereby effected; and while we rejoice at the number and variety of existing religious institutions, it would seem that this is the only one yet wanting to complete that beautiful circle of human means, specifically designed and adapted to promote the salvation of souls. It is conceded that discouragements and difficulties will be attendant upon the establishment of such societies; but I believe that greater difficulties have been connected with the establishment of other religious associations, and which have been surmounted; and therefore the establishment of reading societies is not, I presume, impossible: on the contrary, I believe that if the sincere friends of the cause of Christ, recognize (as I hope they will)

the necessity and advantages of such societies, they would not hesitate to make the effort; and in particular when encouraged by the consideration, that the adoption of the plan in Ireland has been productive of the most beneficial effects. A. B.

REV. CALVIN COLTON.

We are requested, by our valued friend from America, to state that he has received for the Lane Seminary, since our last announcement, the following contributions : From the Rev. Thomas Lewis, of Islington, £5; from the Rev. Dr. Bennett, ten volumes of books; and from Miss Sevill, £1. We hope many will follow the example of these friends.

PROVINCIAL.

The Anniversary of the Bedford and Huntingdonshire Union of Christians will be held at Bedford on Wednesday, 6th of June, when the Rev. John Alexander, of Norwich, and the Rev. D. Gould of Dunstable, are expected to preach.

The thirty-sixth Anniversary of the Somerset Association is appointed to be held on Wednesday, the 30th of May, at the Rev. Evan James's Chapel, at Bridgewater. The Rev. William Wheeler, of Wells, is engaged to preach the Association Sermon in the morning, and the business will be transacted in the afternoon, and a public meeting held in the evening.

HAMPSHIRE ASSOCIATION.EDUCATION FOR

IRELAND.

At a Meeting of the ministers belonging to the Independent churches of Hampshire, convened at Romsey, the 18th of April, 1832, Rev. W. Thorn, Chairman, Resolved: That the plan proposed by His Majesty's government for the Education of Ireland has the approbation of this Association; and that they concur in the petition presented by the Congregational Board on its behalf.

NEW CHAPEL.

In consequence of the present Independent place of worship, at Hadleigh, in Suffolk, being considerably too small to accom modate the numbers who regularly repair to it to hear the word of God, the trustees and other friends have unanimously consented to erect a new and more commodious chapel. In the above town and adjacent villages there has recently been excited a great desire of hearing the gospel, and many are enquiring, "What they must do to be saved." The foundation-stone of the new place was laid on Tuesday morning, the 20th of March, and an address given by the Rev. John Raven, pastor of the church. The

Rev. John Whitby, of Ipswich, and the Rev. B. Moore, of Boxford, took parts in the service. The new chapel is eighty feet by forty-five, including vestry, &c.--The architect's estimate for the building, not including many other expenses connected with it, is £2,100, and the materials of the old chapel. The members and subscribers have liberally and generously come forward, so that no collections will be made when the chapel may be opened.

On Monday, March 26, 1832, was laid the foundation of the chapel at the Protestant Dissenters' Grammar School, Mill Hill. On which occasion the Rev. W. Clayton, chaplain of that institution, and pastor of the church in the village, read appropriate por tions of Scripture, and the whole company united in psalmody. An interesting address was then delivered by Dr. Smith, the unvarying and tried friend of that seminary of religion and learning. The Rev. Dr. Cox, offered up an affectionate and solemn prayer. After dinner, in the hall, the Rev. J. Yockney addressed the pupils in a suitable and impressive manner. The new building will (D. V.) be completed by the end of June. It is to be erected by private subscription, to which, already, considerable sums have been contributed. Many friends have expressed their kind purpose to favour the undertaking with their support; amongst these are several of those who have received their education at this noble institution, and who thus evince their attachment to their

Alma Mater. Any pecuniary assistance will be gratefully received by R. Bousfield, Esq, Manor place, Walworth.

NEWPORT PAGNELL EVANGELICAL INSTITUTION.

The twentieth Anniversary of this Institution is intended to be held at the Rev. J. P. Bull's Chapel, Newport Pagnell, on Wednesday, the 16th of May. The Rev. T. Binney, of London, will preach in the morning, at eleven o'clock; and the public meeting for transacting the business of the Institution, will be held at three o'clock in the afternoon.

ANECDOTES OF THE LATE REV. MR. GLASSCOTT.

Hatherleigh, March 30, 1832.

SIR. Perhaps the following anecdotes of a venerable servant of God, well known in the religious world some fifty years ago, and lately gone to his rest, will not be altogether unacceptable to your readers. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, GEORGE PEARSE.

A company of strolling players once endeavoured to fix themselves in Hatherleigh, during the winter. The good vicar, aware of the pernicious influence such an establish

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