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prayer was, "Thy will, O God, not mine be done." But though her piety was thus pure and elevated, so as almost not to need any adventitious aid, yet she was a great advocate for public worship and family devotions. Her last effort, and a painful one it was to leave her home, was to attend her usual place of worship. With respect to family prayer, she uniformly practised it in her own house, and evidently with great seriousness and ardour; and she often lamented the

lightness with which it was regarded by many families who make a public profession of religion-who perform the duty but once or twice a week, and not even then if at all inconvenient. In a word, the piety of this excellent lady was of the most elevated character, and such as, no doubt, gained her the favour of her God, and qualified her for a seat among the blessed in heaven. During her illness, which was short, but very painful, she was perfectly resigned to the will of God. She softly sunk in the arms of death, without a murmur or a sigh.

Lately, in Charlotte Street, Bloomsbury, aged 54, the Rev. WILLIAM BINGLEY, F. L. S., author of " Animal Biography," and of several other ingenious works of natural history. Mr. B. was brought up in the law; but prospects of promotion led him to exchange this profession for that of the church. He

devoted his leisure from his early years to the study of natural history, and was beginning to acquire a solid reputation at the time when he was cut off by a short illness. He wrote for many years the Monthly Reports of Natural History for the Monthly Magazine, dated from Christ Church, where he then performed parochial duty.

Lately, in Covent Garden, aged 64, Mr. WILLIAM PLAYFAIR, long known to

the public as a political and statistical writer, and as a miscellaneous editor. He was the elder brother of the late Professor John Playfair, of Edinburgh.

Death Abroad.

1822, Aug. 22, at Serampore, by an attack of the cholera morbus, KISHUN PALL, the first idolatrous Hindoo in Bengal, who was converted to the Protestant faith. He was baptized by Dr. Carey, in the Ganges, in the year 1800, and throughout a Christian profession of more than twenty years, proved how well-suited Christianity is to elevate the Hindoo character. He has left a widow, four daughters, and eleven grandchildren. He was beloved and respected in life, and was followed by his relations and numerous friends to the grave. He died full of Christian hope and joy.-Calcutta Journal.

INTELLIGENCE.

DOMESTIC.

Anniversary of the Opening of the Unitarian Meeting-House, Moor Lane, Bolton.

THE First Anniversary of the opening of the Unitarian Meeting House, Moor Lane, Bolton, was held on Easter Sunday and Monday, March 30th and 31st. There were individuals present from Blackburne, Bury, Chowbent, Cockey Moor, Congleton, Dob Lane, Dukinfield, Haslingden, Hindley, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Manchester, Mellor, Monton, Newchurch Rossendale, Ormskirk, Padiham, Park Lane, Preston, Rivington, Rochdale, Southport, St. Helens, Stand, Tildesley, Walmesley, Warrington, Wigan, &c. The morning service was introduced by the Rev. Thomas Madge, of Norwich; and the Rev. Dr. Philipps, of Sheffield, delivered an admirable sermon, strongly enforcing a steady adherence to Christian principle in spite of every obstacle, an

union of heart and soul, and the strict observance of Christian practice, as the only sure foundations of the prosperity of a religious society, and of human happiness. The Doctor's text was Philip. i. 27:"Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; and in nothing terrified by your adversaries." In the afternoon, the Rev. T. Madge conducted the whole service, and preached an eloquent and argumentative discourse, On the Right and Duty of fearless Inquiry, and of a bold Declaration of Truth, from 1 Peter iii. 16. In the evening, the Rev. Joseph Marriott, of Liverpool, took the devotional part of the worship, and the Rev. Dr. Philipps preached from Psalm lxxxvi. 5, and Psalm ciii. 11, very ably vindicating and illustrating the free, unpurchased grace and mercy of God.

On Monday, a public dinner of the members and friends of the congregation was held in the Cloth Hall. Dr. Philipps (in consequence of the illness of the Rev. George Harris) kindly presided, and Mr. Joseph Best, of Rose Hill, was the VicePresident. Two hundred and thirtyseven persons, male and female, sat down to dinner; which number was increased to nearly four hundred after dinner by the admission of other members of the society. Various sentiments were given, which drew forth animated speeches from Dr. Philipps, Messrs. Makin, Brandreth, F. B. Wright, Revs. Joseph Marriott and T. Madge, and Messrs. H. Clarke, F. Boardman, W. Duffield, Berry, and P. Smith, Jun. The congregation were congratulated on the success which has attended the efforts of the minister and members during the year, in which period they have established SundaySchools, a Benevolent Society for the Sick and Poor of the Congregation, a Library, and a Class Meeting for Religious Conference; and have paid off more than £500 of the debt on the Meeting House. On the health of the Rev. George Harris being given, the following Resolution was proposed, and carried by acclamation :

Resolved, "That the warmest thanks of this Meeting be given to the Rev. George Harris, for his valuable and unwearied services both in this town and the county at large; we beg to assure him of our sympathy in his present affliction, aud of our fervent wishes for his speedy restoration to health, and to the exercise of his ministerial functions in the temple of our God and Father."

In the evening there was another religious service in the Meeting-House. The Rev. Robert Cree, of Preston, engaged in prayer, and the Rev. T. Madge, from John i. 46, gave an unanswerable reply to the common and prevailing objections to the Unitarian Christian doctrine. The religious services were all well attended, and the collection towards the liquidation of the debt on the Meeting-House amounted to £55. 178. 10d.

On Tuesday the Sunday Scholars, educated by the congregation, to the number of one hundred and sixteen, dined together in the Cloth Hall; they were at tended by their teachers and others, and nearly two hundred persons sat down to the tables; the Rev. R. Cree in the Chair. Various addresses were made by Rev. R. Cree, and Messrs. D. Shaw, Brandreth, E. Seddon, R. Scowcroft and E. Makin; and the afternoon was spent in a truly edifying and rational manner.

S.

Somerset and Dorset Unitarian
Association.

ON Tuesday, April 1st, the Half-Yearly Meeting of the Somerset and Dorset Unitarian Association was held at Bridgand evening, were performed by the Rev. water. The religious services, morning S. Fawcett, D. Hughes and G. B. Wawne. should be held at Crewkerne, on which It was resolved that the next Meeting occasion the Society have reason to hope for the advantage of Mr. Fawcett's services as their preacher. The plan adopted last year for the circulation of cheap tracts has met with general approbation, and the Committee have resolved to distribute this year Mr. Wright's Essay on Repentance, (one of the "Christian Tracts,") and, if possible, to procure the publication, in a separate form, of a part of Mr. Aspland's Plea for Unitarian Dissenters, viz. that part in which the principles of Unitarianism are admirably exhibited both in contrast with the Articles of the Church of England, and in the words of Scripture.

G. B. W.

Southern Unitarian Tract and Fund Societies.

THE Southern Unitarian Tract and Southern Unitarian Fund Societies, held their Annual Meetings at Portsmouth, on the 2d of April. The Rev. William Stevens, late of Newport, preached in the morning before the Tract Society, at the General Baptist Chapel, from Luke iii. 5, 6. He took a review of the obstacles which Unitarian sentiments have to encounter, and of those favourable circumstances which indicate their ultimate success. The preacher observed, that it might on superficial consideration be expected that doctrines so benign, rational and scriptural need only be announced, to meet with general acceptance; but when we look at the nature and antiquity of prevalent errors, the firm hold they have taken on men's minds, and the dependence of one false dogma on others, so that the inquirer shrinks with horror from the consequences which may follow from removing any part of the fabric, we shall have more cause for gratulation thau disappointment. Pride, interest, the influence of national establishments, and the mistaken and calumnious reports of Unitarianism given by its adversaries, were pointed out as other powerful obstacles. Under the last-mentioned head, Mr. S. observed,

"There is no subject upon which there is a more extravagant misunderstanding. As it comes from the lips of our opponents, is resounded from every pulpit, repeated

in the declamations of every itinerant orator, heightened with all the odious colouring which ignorance or bigotry can prepare, it is a perfect caricature; it has neither form nor comeliness, that men should desire it. Thus it is described as the halfway-house to infidelity, Deism in disguise, as a denial of every thing and a belief of nothing; as robbing the Saviour of his glory, encouraging immorality by denying future punishment; as a religion for the rich, because it flatters the pride of their understandings and their hearts, but affording nothing for the poor man's comfort, &c. &c. The uplifted eye of horror, the deep-drawn sigh of sympathy, the shake or shrug significant of something too monstrous to be described, are the language by which it is pictured to the multitude; and, while it conveys no precise idea of what our faith is, it answers well the purpose which it was intended to serve, that of impressing the mind with a notion of something exceedingly horrible and blasphemous, and intimidating the inquirer from raising the curtain to behold what this tissue of misrepresentation conceals. It is true, these falsehoods are generally propagated by those who know nothing of our sentiments but what they have received in the same manner. Few of those who know better will indulge in such calumnies; but though not active combatants in the warfare, many of them evidently look on with no inconsiderable interest, else should we not see them sometimes interfering to restrain the torrent of misrepresentation? Their silence proves, that the more extravagant the caricature, the more they enjoy it. Success, however gained, sanctifies the means."

Assurances of the ultimate triumph of truth were drawn, from its reasonable ness and simplicity, the progress of liberal sentiments, and the increasing diffusion of knowledge. The preacher concluded by strongly recommending Tract Societies as powerful means of forwarding the good work, anticipating the time when every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, the rough places smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God,

The Rev. S. C. Fripp, B. A., of Bristol, preached before the Fund Society in the evening, at High-Street Chapel, where a numerous auditory were attracted by the notoriety of the conscientious sacrifices made by him, in seceding from the Established Church. His discourse, from Acts x. 34, was an appeal in favour of popular exertions for the spread of Unitarianism, founded on its simplicity and accordance with the teachings of our Lord and his Apostles. Primitive Chris

tianity was ably contrasted with the Athanasian and Cavinistic adulterations of it. The mildness and candour of the preacher, and his sincere, unaffected manner, gained the attention and esteem of every class among his hearers.

An interesting report, read by the Rev. Russell Scott, comprised a retrospect of the labours of the Society's Missionaries during the past year. A short abstract of the subjects treated on will best convey an idea of their nature and importance.

By the Rev. W. Hughes :-Orthodox Falsifications of the Scriptures; Calviuistic Objections to the Christianity of Christ; Salvation offered not to Calvinists only, but to all men; Love to Christ; the History and Mystery of Chapters i. and ii. of Matthew's Gospel.

By the Rev. John Fullagar :-The Trinity not a Christian Doctrine, because it is unreasonable; The Faith of the Apose tles and Primitive Christians; The Suf, ferings and Temptations of Christ; The Comforter promised by our Lord to his Disciples; The Use and Abuse of Paul's Epistles; Trinitarian Calumnies; The Moral Effects of Popular Orthodoxy,

By the Rev. M. Harding:-Unitarianism the Religion of the People; The Carpenter's Son.

By the Rev. William Stevens:-Titles applied exclusively to the Father; the Di vine Character, as affected by the Calvinistic Scheme; Mystery, Revelation and Reason; The Orthodox Doctrine of Faith; Glorying in the Cross of Christ.

Thanks were voted to the several preachers; and general regret expressed at the removal of Mr. Stevens from a district where his approved Christian character, and co-operation in every good work, have much endeared him. Happily the regret at losing so valuable a labourer was alleviated by the arrival of the Rev. Edmund Kell, on his way to supply the congregation at Newport for a limited period; he addressed a crowded assembly on the following evening, in a large school-room at Portsea, from Paul's declaration to the Corinthians, "To us there is but one God, the Father," in a manner creditable to his zeal and talents,

Southwark Unitarian Chapel. SUNDAY, the 13th of April, being the Anniversary of the Opening of the Chapel in White Horse Court, High Street, Borough, two sermons were preached by the Rev. Benjamin Mardon, A. M. of Glasgow. The subject selected for the morning's discourse was, The principal Causes of Objections to Unitarians and Unitarianism considered; that in the evening was, On the absence of all proof

in Scripture of the Doctrine of the Trinity, with a particular examination of the texts adduced in support of that doctrine by Westminster Divines. The congregations in both parts of the day were highly respectable and numerous, and the preacher, by his very impressive manner, commanded the attention of his auditors.

The society has now completed the first year, as may be seen by referring to the Monthly Repository and Christian Reformer for May 1822. The services have hitherto been conducted gratuitously by ministers and lay preachers, and the Society humbly solicit the assistance of those ministers who occasionally visit London. As the Society have received assistance from Funds, they beg to embrace this opportunity of publicly returning their thanks; From Unitarian Fund, £7.78.; Hackney Fellowship Fund, £5; St. Thomas's Fellowship Fund, £5; Bristol Fellowship Fund, £3; Tenterden Fellowship Fund, £2. The expenses of fitting up, as well as the incidental expenses, which amounted to £71. 18., are all discharged, leaving a balance of 18s. 10d. in

the Treasurer's hands.

W. WOOD.

63, High Street, Borough.

Case of the Unitarian Baptist Society at Cranbrook.

A STATEMENT of the embarrassed situation of this congregation was inserted in the Monthly Repository [XVI. 61, 62] for January, 1821, and may still be recollected by many of its readers. While the members feel grateful for the donations they received, they regret to say, that the £700, for which the chapel was mortgaged, remain unpaid, as they were only enabled to pay the arrears of interest. Rather than involve themselves farther by accumulating interest, which they are unable to pay and at the same time contribute to the support of a minister, they have instructed the Trustees to dispose of the chapel and burying ground, which were advertised on the wrapper of last month's Repository for sale by auction on the 24th of May next. Unwilling, however, to have recourse to this measure, they venture once more to make their appeal to the friends of truth generally. They have commenced a subscription among themselves, which amounts to nearly £200, to be advanced if sufficient can be raised to redeem the chapel, &c. (which originally cost upwards of 19407). On this condition they venture to make their appeal both to the churches in their own connexion, and to the Unitarian body at large. And, as no time is to be lost, they respectfully and earnestly intreat those Societies and Friends who may be disposed to render assistance, to

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has been formed are defined in the folThe grounds on which this Association mously adopted at the first Meeting :— lowing Resolutions, which were unani

"That the individuals composing the present Meeting are deeply impressed with the magnitude and number of the evils attached to the system of Slavery which prevails in many of the Colonies of Great Britain; a system, which appears to them to be opposed to the spirit and precepts of Christianity, as well as repugnant to every dictate of natural humanity and justice

"That they long indulged a hope that the great measure of the Abolition of the Slave Trade, for which an Act of the Legislature was passed in 1807 after a struggle of twenty years, would have' tended rapidly to the mitigation and gradual extinction of Negro bondage in the British Colonies: but that in this hope they have been painfully disappointed; and, after a lapse of sixteen years, they' have still to deplore the almost undiminished prevalence of the very evils which it was one great object of the Abolition to remedy—

"That, under these circumstances, they feel themselves called upon, by the most binding considerations of their duty as Christians, by their best sympathies as men, and by their solicitude to maintain unimpaired the high reputation and' the solid prosperity of their country, to exert themselves, in their separate and collective capacities, in furthering this most important object, and in endeavouring, by all prudent and lawful means, to mitigate, and eventually to abolish the Slavery existing in our Colonial possessions."

Hibernian Translation Society.

THIS Institution was established at a public meeting, held in the Lecture Room of the Dublin Institution, on the 30th of April, of last year-the Right Hon. the Earl of Roden in the Chair for the purpose of forming a "Society for aiding the Translation of the Holy Scriptures into Foreign Languages."

An Address has been lately circulated by the Committee, some extracts from which will explain the grounds on which the Society has been established :

"Among all the Societies at present existing in Ireland for promoting the knowledge of the Redeemer's name among Heathen nations, there is not one specifically directed to the translation of his Holy Word into their various languages. Hitherto Ireland has borne no share in this important concern. Her Bible Society is purely domestic; and though her Missionary exertions have been laudably extensive, considering her means, and eminently successful, as yet she has made no effort that foreign tribes and nations may read in their own tongues the wonderful works of God.

"Under such circumstances, the Committee of the Hibernian Society for aiding the Translation of the Holy Scriptures into Foreign Languages' conceive that they have just ground to congratulate the Irish public upon its formation. It is not a Bible Society, for it does not circulate the Scriptures; it is not a Missionary Society, for it has nothing to do with the explanation of them but its simple object is, to assist all Societies engaged in the Translation of the Holy Scriptures into Foreign Languages.

"This simplicity of object in the Society, it is presumed, should protect it from every jealousy; and, at the same time, commend it to public patronage. It interferes not with any other Society, but is in the strictest harmony with all and, even should the Hibernian Bible Society, at some future period, find herself in a situation to imitate her elder sister of Great Britain, and embrace foreign objects in her principle, and bend her energies to foreign operations; still it is conceived that they would not clash, and that the Hibernian Bible Society would find in the Hibernian Translation Society a powerful and efficient auxiliary."

NOTICES.

THE Annual Meeting of the friends of Unitarianism in Sussex, will, as usual, be held at Ditchling, on the Sunday preceding Whitsuntide. Mr. Horsfield has consented to preach.

VOL. XVIII.

THE Annual Assembly of the General Baptists will be holden on Whit-Tuesday, May 20th, at the Chapel in Worship Street, near Bishopsgate St., London. The Rev. E. Chapman, of Chatham, is appointed to preach, and in case of failure, the Rev. R. Wright, of Trowbridge.

THE Anniversary of the Unitarian Fund Society will be held on Wednesday, 21st of May, at the chapel, Parliament Court, Artillery Lane, Bishopsgate Street, London. The Rev. Henry Acton, of Walthamstow, will preach, the Rev. James Gilchrist having declined, on account of

the state of his health.

Unitarian Chapel, South Place, Finsbury, (adjoining the London Institution, Moorfields).-It is expected that the first stone of the New Chapel, to be erected in South Place, will be laid on Thursday, May 22, at half-past Eleven o'clock precisely. An address on the occasion will be delivered by the Rev. W. J. Fox. The building is to be completed, and opened for public worship in Nov. next.

The Annual Meeting of "The Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty" will be held at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, at Eleven o'clock precisely, on Saturday, May 17th, when a distinguished friend of Civil and Religious Freedom is expected to preside.

Christian Tract Society.

THE Anniversary of this Society was held at the Old London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, on April 24th, JAMES ESDAILE, Esq., in the Chair. We regret that the particulars cannot appear till our next number. In the mean time we beg to call the attention of our readers to the appeal on behalf of this useful institution, contained in pp. 234, 235, being strongly impressed with the conviction that it is entitled to the most cordial support.

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
MARCH 5.

Substance of the Debate on the Church
Establishment of Ireland.

IRISH TITHES.
(Concluded from p. 188.)

Mr. HOBHOUSE seconded the motion. Mr. GOULBURN rose for the purpose of giving his most decided negative to the Hon. Member's Resolutions. If, on this occasion, he felt any difficulty in answering the Hon. Member, it arose, not from 2 K

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