Imatges de pàgina
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it that ye will not take advantage of these improvements, and give to the English reader a translation worthy of the original? Be assured that this will be an object of contention worthy of yourselves, n mely. to strive not merely to increase your influence by distributing books, but to shew yourselves worthy of the Christian name, by making those boks as perfect as in your power. There is no want of learning in the sect establish ed, and we know no man tetter qualified than Dr. Marsh to co operate with other members of the two Universities, whom we could easily point out, in giving to the public a translation of the scriptures, that should do honour to the increased scriptural learning now in this country. Dr. Marsh, in his Letter, continues, in his usual strain of error in connecting his sect with the state, and lamenting," that religious discussion is, in consequence of our mixed const tu tion, closely connected with political discussion. Religious dissention," he tells us. "becomes, in this country, a political evil." We can tell him of a country, where, no religious dissention was allowed and ev. ry one, who knows any thing of the state of Spain, must see, that religiou dissention is a blessing, compared with that peace which the tortures of the Inquisition gave to the sect established in that unhappy country. So far from religious dissention being the political evil that the doctor esteems it to be we believe that there would not be the least harm whatever in it, but rather much good, if the state gave no preference to either of the contending pa ties. We will never allow this false position of Dr Marsh to pass current, It may do very well for the phicgm of the literati of Germany, who look upon the scriptures as an olject of mere criticism, 1ke Vig lor Horace, who bow to the religion of the state whatever it may be, and who would, if they had lived in the time of Christ and the Apostles, have considered them as a set of pes ilent and seditious fellows, fit only for the corcion of the magistrate. In this island, owing to religious dissention, there are many, praised be God who more highly estimate sacred truths, and who look upon them as intended not merely to enlighten the mind, but to purity.the heart. The lust.tution for Education, formed by several members of the established sect, has received great encouragement in the two Universities, and

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elsewhere; and the amount of the subscriptions to it has been very consideṛable. The committee for its management has advertised an account of some meeting in which the majority present were bi hops, and the number of persons not in orders was very small. They elected a secretary, and passed resolutions of business. the chief of which is the establishment of corresponding societies in different parts of the kingdom This latter measure is not only useful, but absolutely necessary, since, as the children are to be educated in the doctrines of the established sect, there should be some method by which it may be ascertained that no other doctrines are taught. Th's will be secured by a constant correspondence between the primary and the minor committees and as in the primary committee is a number of bishops a sufficient degree of attention is paid to this part of the Institution. In a very populous place a meeting has been held, in which the in t tution has been approved of. At Manchester it has been, resolved to found schools on Dr. Bell's plan and to concur in the views of the institution. We trust that there is in that place a school on the Lancastrian plan, that the experiment may be fairly made, where are so many good judges of the subject under controversy. At the same time, our friends will not be inattentive to this interesting topic, but endeavour to apply the merits of either system to the educat on of their own children -When the judgments of God are on the earth, the people learn rightequsness; they are led to examine more diligently their ways The education of the lower classes is of great importance; but, in the present state of our country, there is a very large class of the community to whom a sense of religion is peculiarly necessary; This is the army' What an awful image does military array, without any principle, hold out to the world! Every attempt to instil religion among military men is praiseworthy, and we read with satisfaction the circular of the Duke of York on the appointment of Chaplains, with an im provement of rank and increase of duty, not ithstanding the allusion in it to the increase of sectaries, who are not of the established sect. [M. Repos Vol. vi. p. 735. When we recollect, however, the number of Roman Catholics, Methodists, Dissenters, and members of the Scotch sects in the army, we cannot but think,

proceeded in parliament.

that an appropriate military servicem ght an arrangement, to which they have have been laid down, that should not As to the shock either party. Time only will mere medical opinion, it does not shew how far the new system will seem that it was of much importance, answer the intended purpo e The chap- and the opinion of the plic was not lain is to have the rank of major; and at all affected by it. For, after the length we should not be sorry to hear that he of time that the patient had been affectsat on courts martial, and attended ed, the number of attacks he had sufthe execution of every military sentence. fered, his age, and his blindness, where In his attendance on the hospitals, he will could be found a single independent and have a good opportunity of witnessing disinterested man, who could hink it the effect of severe floggings, and on this safe to the kingdom, or proper for the interesting topic, his observations may individual, that he should return again be of great ut lity.-Several occurrences to the cares of royalty ?-The Irish are have excited in the general mind very in patient suspense for their great cause, unpleasing sensations. Some atrocious the Emancipation of the Catholics, in murders have been committed, attended with such horror in the execution of them, as seems enti ely foreign to the English character. The m. st dil gent search has been made after the murderers; but when we consider the sentiments expressed on these few murders, the horror that they have excited in every generous mind we are at a loss to account for the apathy on the myriads that fall a sacrifice to war. Would to God, that the same horror was felt universally on the slaughter of a fellow creature, whether in the field of battle, er by the midnight assassin. But the time is not arrived for man to possess these feelings, the most honourable to human nature it will be long before the kingdom of the Prince of Peace is established.-A Fraud by a Member of Parliament, and the commitment to pri son and the condemnation of the culprit, have afforded much conversation. We have also had a melancholy instance how learning may be prosutused. In the prologue to the Westminster Play was the basest adulation of the Duke of York that ever met the public eye: then happy occurrences which led to his disgrace were represented as base arts, in which he had no concern; and he was extolled as a most virtuous character. If the masters of Westminster have such an opinion of morality, what are we to expect from the rising generation! The King's illness has come to a crisis, even in the opinion of the physicians. They have been examined before the Privy Council and the Parliament: and their answers to numerous interrogations have been published. From the answers may be gathered, that they entertain very slight hopes of a recovery; and they said enough for the Minister to express the necessity there now was for

which the Protestants now take a very active part. All their meetings concur in pra sing the conduct of the general committee at Dublin, and expecting from it the best results. A strange story of a conspiracy has appeared, but it is most likely to originate w th the enemies of the Catholics. The principals of the latter body took the earliest opportunity of giving inform tion to government which received their intelligence with unaccountable apathy. It serves, however, to shew the little credit to be paid to those inflammatory papers, attributed to the Catholics, of which, we appre hend, the far greater part is to be a tributed to a very different origin. --The Parliament was opened by a speech from the Regent, delivered by comissioners, in which was nothing remarkable; and an echo of it was passed in the House of Lords, as an address, without a division. In the House of Commons, the usual routine did not take place; for Sir Francis Burdett, as a true representative of the people, opened the debate upon the speech by a view of the state of the country, in which he pointed out a number of things, particularly the state of the representation, that required examination and reform. The substance of his speech he embodied in an address, which he moved to be presented to the Prince Regent and in this he was seconded by his colleague, the other representative for Westminster Lord Cochrane, and his address was then read from the enair When this had been done, the gentleman designed by the ministers to move an address got up, and taking very little notice of what Sir Francis had said, or of his address, moved, as an amendment, the address that was previously prepared, and which was, in fact, an echo of the speech. In

this he was seconded, as usual. by the sity of probing the wound more deeply, other gentleman fixed on for this pur- of going to the root of the el, of enpose. A very slight debate ensued. quiring nto the causes of the increase Mr. Whitbread would not support Sir and the atrocity of cr.mes, of the effects Francis, though he agreed in the greater of imprison ents n the hulks, and the part of his address and Mr. Ponsonby whole nature of our criminal laws. Mr. disapproved of the manner in which the Sheridan, also, in a strain of wit, fer subjects were brought forward; and on which he is particularly celebrated, turna division, there appeared only one for ed into complete ridicule the poor Secre Sir Francis Burdett's motion, besides the tary's speech, and the negligence of his two tellers, the mover and the seconder duty, as first officer of the police of the of the motion. The gentleman's name kingdom. The whole House was moved is Cuthbert; and his name ought not to by the flagrant necessity of the case and be forgotten, as to be singular in a good the impotency of the measure proposed cause is far better than to follow the by government, and it was resolved leader in the beaten track of servility. unanimously, that a committee should Nothing, indeed, can be more con- be, and a committee accordingly was, temptible than the fashion of an address appointed, to examine into the whole coming from the ministerial side of the state of the police. Sir F. Burdett, who house; and we thank Sir Francis is one of the committee, moved afterBurdett for interrupting this silly prac- wards, for an account of the police offitice, and standing up for the people, and cers and their qualifications.-The speaking the language of the people. thanks of the country are due to Lord Mr. Creevey distinguished himself in the Folkstone, for bringing a very important following nights, by his observations on subject before Parliament, the state of the Droits of the Admiralty, the four and the Ecclesiastical Courts. The immedia half per cents. in Granada, and sine- ate cause was the case of a poor ignocure places and pensions, held by mem- rant girl, thrown into prison, under prebers of Parliament, or those who had tence of contumacy, after having been been members. But he was not suc- exco. municated. The girl was a minor, cessful in his endeavours, any more than and the offence was trifling, calling a Mr. Brougham, who brought the sub- woman by a bad name. His Lordship ject of the Droits of the Admiralty be gave a history of these courts, and profore the house, in a very long and la- duced several instances of oppression boured speech, in which the whole sub under them, finishing by a motion for ject was developed, with great clearness, an enquiry into the nature of their jurisaccuracy and precision. The doctrine, diction. Sir W. Scott entered into a however, of the king's personal claim to laboured defence of them, such as might these droits, was much weakened by be expected from a judge in them, and this debate; and it seemed to be pretty such as a grand inquisitor would plead generally recognized, that they were in support of the inquisition; but he subject to the controul of parliament.- expressed a wish, that some other senThe Establishment of the King and Prince tence might be substituted for that of Regent occasioned much less debate than excommunication. Sir S. Romilly exthe importance of the matter seemed to plained to the house what excommunirequire, and the plan was brought for- cation was, and the state of the poor ward in a very confused manner by Mr. girl under it, who had uttered an exPerceval. An increase of expenditure pression, coarse indeed, but most proto the nation, not a diminution, was bably true. He was happy, however, held out. But if this minister intro- to hear excommun cation so reprobated, duced but weakly this important sub- and trusted that great good would reject, another was much more unfortu- sult from it, by a bill to put an end to nate, for after giving notice of a motion in consequence of the dreadful murders and horrid atrocities, committed in the metropolis, and expatiating on them in glowing colours, he ended by proposing a committee to enquire into the mightly watch of the metropolis. Th's brought up Sir Samuel Romilly, who stated, in a manly and energetic speech, the neces

such a sentence. Sir S. corrected Sir. W. Scott on the power of imprisonment in the ecclesiastical courts, since they en oy it med ately, though not immediately, the ten.poral court always imprisoning upon their application. Sir John Nichol, another spiritual judge, allowed that excommunication ought to be abolished. After a few more speeches,

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im which the ecclesiastical courts met be very successful, and to have sufficient with the reprobation they deserve, and room for exertion. Their population Sir W. Scott promising to bring in a increases rapidly, their agriculture imbill to abolish excommunication, Lord proves; and manufactures are making Folkstone withdrew his motion, and a more rapid progress than is desireable. the case of the poor woman was to be All they can wish is to let the turbu brought up on a future day. We trust lence of the wicked spirits in Europe go that Lord Folkstone and Sir Samuel by, and to endure their wrong or a Romilly will keep their eye upon this time rather than involve themselves in question; and readers who wish to know a war, which must tend to he injury of the nature of ecclesiastical courts should their morals and hei feedon. Their consult the narrat ve of the persecu neighbours, the Mexicans, are far from tion of Hippolyto Joseph da Custa Pereira tr nquility. The popous language of Furtado de Mendonca with the bye-laws i's v ceroy does no, secure peace in the of the Inquisition at Libon ust pub- interior, and his boas ed success has done lished. It teaches us, tha the Inquisi- lit le more than give him the coat ulover tion is far from ben; abolished in Por he api al, in which he is almos besieged. tugal, as the case took pl ce within The Me cans are following he plan these ten years, and a compar son be of the Spaniards in the mother country, tween the laws of the inqision and and forming guerillas or war-bands in those of our courts, wi: shew the ca- every part, which render extremely dif rious manner, in which Protestantism cult ali intercourse between the viceroy has steered its vessel. 1etween the hor- and the e tremity of the province. Every rid tortures of St. Domini k on the one thing wears the appearance of final inhand, and true Christian Iberty on the dependence; and in the Caraccas and other.---Abroad, the state of affairs has Buenos Ayres, it is almost all but ac- not much varied. Reports are strong of knowledged. In short, Spanish America approaching peace between the Turks is more and more likely to withdraw and Russians The misfortunes of the itself from the European yoke. As to vizir have had a serious effect upon the Spain and Portugal, they go on in nearpolitics of the falling empire, and the ly the same state. The English are at abominable wickedness of the govern- their ease in Portugal-the guerillas ment, in the horrible massacre of the are harrassing the French in SpainMamlucks at Cairo, has far from pro- the Cortez at Cadiz is doing nothingduced the effects its contrivers expected. difficulties have arisen between the The expedition against the Wachabites English and the government there; moves on slowly; so that the Turks, there is a perfect want of a commandexposed to inroads in three quarters of ing energy; and the French are contitheir dominions, are little likely to free nually increasing their influence and terthemselves from the difficulties of their ritory. Valentia is however not yet situation. The United States of America taken. It is invested on all sides, and hold a language far from pleasing to the very little prospect appears of its being lovers of peace, but we prefer this lan- relieved.-In India, the British arms guage to the horrors of war. It is bet- have been very successful. The island ter that the malignant passions should of Java, as far as it was possessed by evaporate in the war of words, than in the French, has submitted, and the the actions of Cain. They speak with troops were made prisoners of war. Bagreat severity, and too much truth, on tavia is a rich prize, and the French are the conduct of the contending parties in now excluded from every port to the Europe, but we hoped, that the follies east of the Cape of Good Hope. In and wickedness of the Old, would be a such a situation, it becomes us more and warning to the New World, not to pur- more to read the prophecies on Tyre, in sue the same crooked train of policy. In the Old Testac ent, that we may not other respects, the United States seem to fall into the same condemnation.

NOTICES.

A Proclamation has appeared, di- nesday, the 5th of February, and in Scotrecting the observance of a GENERAL land, on Thursday the sixth. FAST in England and Ireland, on Wed

Mr. NIGHTINGALE, Author of known or supposed author, and the time the "Portraiture of Methodism," is pre- and the occasion of its being written. paring for the Fress, A Portraiture of the Roman Catholic Religion. (See the IV тарper.

The Rev. THEOPHILUS BROWNE, Editor of the " Selections from the Old and New Test ments" is preparing, as a Sequel to the above a work which will comprise every part of the Apocryphal ・Writings, the meaning of which is instructive and important, with such corrections of the common version as the Greek and Latin origin. Is will authorise, accompanied with Notes,explanatory and practical, and an account of each book, its

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The HULSEAN PRIZF, in the University of Cambridge, for the las year, has been adjudged to Francis Cunnin.ham, Esq. Fellow Commoner of Queen's College-Subject A Dissertation on the Books of Origen against Celsus, with a view to illustrate the argun ent, and to point out the evidence they afford to the truth of Christianity." The following is the su'ject for the Hulscan prize for the present year :“An Inquiry in o the Religious Knowledge which the Heathen hilosophers derived from the Jewish Scriptares'

CORRESPONDENCE.

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We are sorry that in the first Number of our present Volume, we have to an nounce the death of MRS. LINDSEY, the widow of the late reverend and venerable Theophilus Lindsey, of Essex Street. Of this interesting and excellent woman, some account may have been looked for in our preceding pages: we had prepared for insertion in them a short obituary, chicfly taken from the Morning Chronicle which however, we have found ourselves unable to bring within our prescribed limits: the omission will, we trust, be amply supplied in our ensuing Number.

Various other articles (of Review, Obituary and Intelligence,) have been excluded from the present No. from the same san.e cause. We particularly regret our inability to report the proceedings of the ROMAN CATHOLIC in IRELAND, especially at the Dinner which they gave in Dublin to the Friends of Religious Liberty; where, by nobles and gentlemen, soldiers and lawyers, Catholics and Protestants, Presbyterians and Quakers, there were asserted the most enlarged and generous sentiments on the Kights of Conscience, worthy of the most enlightened assembly in the mo t liberal age and country of the world. We may, perhaps, hereafter, recur to this subject; but in the mean time, we have great pleasure in referring our readers to the DISSENTER, a Weekly Newspaper, which seems to make a point of recording all proceedings, bearing upon the question of Religious Liber y we can with the more propriety recommend this well-written and promising paper, as we are totally una quainted with its projectors, proprietors and conductors: we were not amongst those who augured well of the publication from its title, but while it perseveres in the course which it has begun, we deem it fairly entitled to the support of the friends of Christian freedom.

We acknowledge, as desired, the rece pt of the following subscriptions to the UNITARIAN FUND:

Mrs. A. Hughes, Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, ann.
Mrs. Warter, Cruck Meole, near Shrewsbury, ann.

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Jan. 30-On arriving at the conclusion of our present Number, we find ourselves obliged to exclude more of the articles prepared for it, than we had apprehended: we regret particularly, the omission of a paper on the Toleration Act ; a subject which some recent proceedings of the inferior courts, and some decisions of the higher, have rendered of fearful importance to Protestant Dissenters, we pledge ourselves to take it up in the next Number, and to pursue it, if necessary, through the Volume.

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