stated before a Committee of the House of Commons, amongst the most productive means by which crime is so fearfully increased. "Nor can we omit to notice the scenes which the evening of God's holy day presents, when the public-houses and tea-gardens are thronged with noisy Sabbath-breakers,-when the cattle, which have been purchased at the various fairs in the suburbs, in the morning of that day, are crowding through the streets to the public market, and when Smithfield itself exhibits a scene of uproar and confusion equal to its annual fair,-when oaths, shouts, execrations, and cries are heard on every side! "These facts form but a feeble outline of the picture which might be drawn of the public state of this metropolis of Protestant Christendom on the Sabbath-day. "But it must be remembered, that the greater part of the evil is not seen, though its existence is too well ascertained. The Lord's day is employed for festive purposes by thousands, and these entertainments, from the family party to the cabinet dinner, cause thousands more to violate God's sacred commandment. Amongst the lower classes, the milliner, the tailor, the shoemaker, the hair-dresser, the butcher, and the baker, in untold myriads, are in requisition, to minister to the persons and appetites of the multitude; while the costly festivities which are given by the higher orders, from the private gentleman to the prime minister, require the Sabbath labours of the fishmonger, the poulterer, the fruiterer, and confectioner; and command also all the efforts of their domestics, who thus find the Sabbath not a day of rest, but of unceasing toil." SCOTTISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. In the summer of 1833, a deputation from this Society visited Ulster, composed of the Rev. Messrs. Macfarlane, Hay, Liddel, Watt, and Renton. These brethren were very acceptable in the different parts of the country which they visited, and their labours were rewarded with some measure of success, the amount raised for the Society, including some subscriptions and donations not obtained by the deputation, being nearly £700. The labours of these brethren from Scotland being terminated, and the accounts of the Society being closed for this year, the Secretaries at Belfast judge it proper to submit to the public the following acknowledgment of the sums received during the year, by means of the labours of the deputation and otherwise. Collections by Mrs. Irwin, Belfast, by Mrs. Knox, do., by Miss Hamilton, do. by Miss Hanna, do. Armagh, Rev. P. S. Henry, Cumber, Rev. J. Allison, Banagher, Rev. T. Ellison, £2 16 0 9 3 200 14 18 6 3.5 0 3 11 I Donation by Sharman Crawford, Esq. Newtonards, Rev. J. Maculloch, Donaghadee, Rev. J. M'Auley, Additional Collection by Rev. W. Patteson, 1 16 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 31 0 Brigh, Rev. J. Denham, 4 3 10 2 14 1 Stewartstown, Rev. Messrs. M'Curdy and Allen, 300 Coagh, Rev. J. Cowan, Dungannon, Rev. D. Bennett, 1 16 0 3 0 1 5 6 4 0 4 0 7 1 3 5 0 20 0 0 0 10 Keady, Rev. Mr. Love, Armagh, Rev. Mr. Scilly, Loughgall, Rev. Mr. Henry, Ballynahinch, Rev. D. Edgar, Boardmills, Rev. J. Downes, Rev. Mr. Sturgeon, Donoughmore, Rev. M. Finlay, Rathfryland, Rev. J. White, 2 4 1 2 0 0 2 14 41 3 7 6 2 1 2 2 3 10 2 13 8 10 0 0 1 11 6 1 8 8 310 0 2 7 0 2 14 6 15 11 9 13 2 6 621 1 12 6 13 2 0 5 10 0 Dervock, Rev. J. Bellis, Coleraine, Rev. A. Macaldin, Portstewart, Rev. J. Stewart, Rev. J. Whiteside, Dunboe, Rev. W. Lyle, Macosquin, Rev. C. Houston, Drumachose, Rev. Messrs. Steene and Wilson, Glendermot, Rev. Messrs. Carson & Monteith, Londonderry, Rev. Messrs. Hay and M'Clure, Rev. Mr. Crawford, Ramelton, Rey. E. Reed, Rev. Dr. Gamble, Ramullan, Rev. Mr. Anderson, Letterkenny, Rev. Mr. Lyttle, Manor-Cunningham, Rev. Mr. Rentoul, Raphoe, Rev. W. Killen, Ballindreat, Rev. Mr. Huston, Donations by Miss Magee & Mrs. Russell 10s & 5s 0 15 0 Balance received from Lawson Annesley, Esq. (including £175 from the Executors of the late Miss Cumming, Ballymena,) ... .. 183 17 10 Moiety of Funds collected by the Belfast Auxi- Amount of Sums formerly acknowledged in the RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. 13 3 8 24.18 0 ORDINATIONS.-On Tuesday, the 17th September, the Rev. H. J. Dobbin was ordained to the pastoral charge of the new Presbyterian congregation of Hillsborough. The services of the day were conducted by the Rev. Dr. Hanna, and Rev, Messrs. Wallace and Simpson. On Tuesday, the 12th inst. the Rev. William Campbell, a licentiate of the Scotch Church, was ordained to the pastoral charge of the newly erected congregation of White-Abbey: The services of the day were conducted by the Rev. Dr. Cooke, and Rev. Messrs. Montgomery and Hanna. ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN. No. LI. DECEMBER, 1833. VOL. V. LIFE OF JAMES RENWICK, THE LAST OF THE SCOTTISH MARTYRS.* It was our intention to have noticed this most interesting and instructive little volume much sooner, but we deferred it until we could afford space for a few extracts from it. Even yet these must be fewer and shorter than we could desire to submit to our readers, but we cannot withhold them altogether; and these, we doubt not, will constitute the best recommendation of the volume which it is in our power to give. The following extract will show the place which providence assigned to James Renwick in the religious history of Scotland. "Upwards of eighteen thousand Scottish Presbyterians suffered martyrdom, in one form or other, during the reign of Charles II. and his brother James; while those ministers who escaped the sword or the scaffold, either voluntarily took refuge in foreign countries, or were banished, by the council, from their native land. It was during this arduous struggle for religion and liberty, that the subject of the following memoir commenced and terminated his eventful life ;-one who has left a name that will not soon be forgotten by any who revere the memory of our persecuted fathers. James Renwick was born in the parish of Glencairn, in Nithsdale, on the 15th of February, 1662.” As might be expected in the life of such a man, at such a time, many events took place in the course of his history, strikingly and impressively illustrative of the watchfulness of providence over him, as well as of his observance of the same, and his dependence upon it. Of these things take the following example. "The imminent danger to which Mr. Renwick was exposed in Clydesdale induced him to repair to Ayrshire, where the following traditionary account of his reception at the house of John Brown, of Priesthill, in the district of Kyle, is preserved. Almost sinking with fatigue, he arrived at Priesthill; Brown was from home; and the family were busily engaged in preparing the wool of their flocks for a neighbouring fair. The eldest * Life of James Renwick, the last of the Scottish Martyrs. By the Author of the "History of the Covenanters." WAUGH & INNES, Edinburgh. 1833. P. p. 180. |