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"The London Society was instituted in the year 1809, and consisted of Christians of various denominations. Its great object was to promote the spiritual and eternal welfare of the Jews, by endeavouring to lead their attention to Jesus Christ as the Messiah promised to their fathers, and the Saviour of the world.

"The means used by the Society have been effectual, through the Divine Blessing, in convincing of the above truth more than forty adult Jews, who have been admitted into the Christian church by baptism.

"Schools containing eighty-nine children of Jewish parents are supported by the Society; and the children are educated in the principles of the Christian faith.

"A translation of the New Testament into Hebrew for the use of the Jews has been undertaken, and is in a state of forwardness. The Gospel of St. Matthew is published, and that of St. Mark is in the press.

"A large Episcopal Chapel has been erected at Bethnal Green for the Jews; the Society having previously purchased the lease of another Chapel in Spitalfields.

"A Printing-office and Basket-manufactory have been established to give employment to the Jews who are deprived of their means of subsistence on account of their attending Christian places of worship.

"The extent of these undertakings has, however, been greater than the funds of the Society would admit of, and it has in consequence for some time past been in great need of pecuniary assistance.

"Hitherto the Society has been conducted without an exclusive regard to any of the particular forms in which Christianity is professed by British Protestants. One great branch of it was modelled upon the principles of the Church of England. Another branch, at the Jew's Chapel in Spitalfields, was conducted on a plan by which the services of Dissenting Ministers of various denominations were rendered available for the great ends of the Institution. The object of the Committee in these arrangements was to unite Christians of various communions in the great work of evangelizing the Jews.

"In carrying on their operations upon this plan, the Committee have, however, found practical difficulties of consider

able magnitude, arising chiefly from different views in matters of church or der and discipline.

"At a meeting of the Dissenting Subscribers of the Society who reside in London and its vicinity, held on the 14th of February, 1815, the difficulties arising both from the pecuniary state of the Institution, and also from the cause above mentioned, were taken into consideration; and the Dissenters, actuated by a principle of the most disinterested zeal, and under an impression that the welfare of the Institution would be best promoted by leaving it in the hands of their brethren of the Established Church, came to the determination of withdrawing from the management. The Resolutions passed on this occasion were expressed in a manner most conciliatory, and with a catholic spirit of liberality which does much honour to the respectable Dissenting Ministers, and Gentlemen composing the Meeting.

"The Resolutions referred to were taken into consideration by the General Committee of the Society, consisting both of members of the Established Church and Dissenters, on the 17th of February, and were discussed with a degree of Christian temper and harmony, which is very seldom witnessed. The Committee finally determined to submit the subject of them to an extraordinary general meeting of the Society, to be held for the purpose on the 28th of February.

"This Meeting having assembled, Thomas Babington, Esq. M. P. in the chair, a Report of the reasons which had led the Committee to call it was read by the Rev. Mr. Hawtrey.

"The Report concluded by recommending the following Resolution for adoption:

"Resolved, That this Meeting is most deeply sensible of, and most cordially and affectionately acknowledges the zeal and liberality with which the efforts of the Society have been aided and supported by Christians of various denominations throughout the United Kingdom from its original foundation. That the present Meeting most deeply regrets the difficulties which have arisen with respect to the union of the members of the Established Church and other Christians, in the management of the Society, in matters of church order and discipline; and also, that the execution of the rules proposed on the 27th

and thus to emulate the spirit of their brethren in the metropolis.

"Donations and subscriptions received by Sir T. Perring and Co., Cornhill; Messrs. Hoare and Co., Fleet-street; Ransom, Morland, and Co., Pall-mall; and Right Hon. David Latouche and Co., Dublin."

CEYLON.

December last, has not appeared prac ticable; that under circumstances of such difficulty as the Society is now placed in, unity of design, and principle, and operation, is peculiarly and indispensably necessary for its future management. And as the Dissenting Members have, with a spirit most truly conciliatory, offered to leave the ma nagement of the institution in the hands CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. of their brethren of the Established Church, this meeting do, with the same spirit of Christian meekness and charity, approve and accept the offer; and the members of it who are of the Established Church most earnestly beseech their Dissenting Brethren still to favour them with their pecuniary support, and, above all, to aid them with their prayers, that they may be enabled, with the blessing of God, to extricate the Society from the state of difficulty in which it is now placed, and to pursue the great design for which it was instituted with renewed efforts of Christian faith, wisdom, and zeal, to the glory of their common Lord in the salvation of Israel.'

"The motion, that the above Resolution be adopted, having been put and seconded, the Meeting was addressed by several gentlemen, some of them of the Established Church, and some of them Dissenters, on the subject of the Resolution. The Dissenting Gentlemen ex pressed their determination, though they had withdrawn from the management, still to continue their aid to the institution, both by their influence and example; and they thus evinced themselves to be actuated by principles of the most exalted Christian philanthropy and liberality, which we trust will be both felt and imitated in every part of the kingdom. Perhaps the history of the Christian Church presents few examples of a point of so much difficulty and delicacy having been decided with such a happy union of those sentiments which most highly adorn the Christian character. The Resolution passed una nimously.

"The public is requested to observe, that though the above Resolution places the entire management of the London Society in the hands of the members of the Established Church, the Committee will thankfully receive the contributions of other Christians. They particularly request the Dissenting Subscribers throughout the kingdom to continue, and even increase, their aid,

This island has of late become an ob ject of great attention to the different Missionary Societies. The wise, liberal, and Christian policy of his Majesty's Ministers invites and encourages the prudent efforts of these bodies to dif fuse the light of Divine Truth among the Pagan and Mahometan subjects of the Crown; and this policy will be richly repaid in the increasing strength and security of the Empire.

The Rev. Thomas Norton and the Rev. William Greenwood, two English Clergymen, have been long destined for this station. To them, in conjunction with the Rev. Messrs. Schnarre and Rhenius, was addressed the admirable Charge of the lamented Buchanan. They are now waiting at Plymouth, to take their passage for Ceylon, on board the Government transport, the Chapman, Capt. Forster. His Majesty's Ministers have very condescendingly granted them a free passage, and have recommended the objects of the Society to the protection of the Colonial Government.

The following extract of a letter to the Secretary from the Chief Justice of the Island, the Hon. Sir Alexander Johnston, cannot fail to awaken the most lively hopes, that, under such protection, the efforts of the Church Mis sionary Society, and those of other Institutions, will be crowned with abun dant success.

Sir Alexander Johnston to the Rev. Josiah Pratt. "Mydear Sir- Columbo, June 26, 1814. "No person, I assure you, can be more sensible than I am of the great advan tage which millions of the human race, in different parts of the world, must sooner or later derive from the exertions which the Society is making for the propagation of Christianity; and no person can be more anxious than I am, to cooperate with them by every ineans in my power, in carrying into effect emong the inhabitants of this island the bene

volent and sacred object which they have so much at heart.

"In consequence of the resolution which the Society came to while I was in England, I have, ever since my return to the island, been carefully observing the character and conduct of most of the young Cingalese of rank, who were likely to become fit subjects for the education which your Society has so liberally promised to give to any two of them whom I might select; and I am extremely happy to be enabled to inform you, that I have at last discovered two, who, I think, are in every respect deserving of the patronage of the Society. Their characters are unexceptionable, and their connections give them great influence among the Cingalese inhabitants of the country. They have both attained the age of twentyone, and have already had that sort of education, as to the English language and the principles of Christianity, which will enable them to comprehend, in a much shorter time, and with much more facility, than persons younger and less educated than themselves could do, any instruction which your Society may think proper to give them.

"The great-grandfather of these young men, Philip Philips Wefayacone, was, owing to his piety and upright character, as well as to his great family influence among the Cingalese, In the year 1744, appointed, by the then Dutch Governor of these settlements, Maha Modliar, or Chief of the whole of the Cingalese inhabitants.

"The Dutch Government, as the high est mark of respect which they could shew the family of this person, and as the best means of associating with those who professed Christianity on this island all the influence and authority which his relations and connections possessed among his countrymen, had his eldest son, Henricus Philips, educated in Holland, for the church, at the public expense; and, after he had studied at one of the Dutch Universities for seven years, had him ordained and appointed from Holland to officiate as one of the Dutch clergymen at this place. He, besides performing for many years all the duties of his office with great credit to himself and great advantage to his congregation, corrected the then existing Cingalese translations of the four Gospels and of the Acts of the Apostles; and himself, for the first time, translated into Cingalese the rest of the New TesCHRIST. OBSERY. No. 159.

tament, and some of the books of the Old.

"This person died, leaving three sons; all of whom the Dutch Government, from the same policy which I have already mentioned, caused to be educated for the church at the public expense: the eldest, at the seminary at Columbo; the second and third, at the University in Holland. The third son died in Holland, after having officiated as a Clergyman in that country for some time. The eldest son died at Columbo, after having officiated for many years as one of the clergymen of the place. The second son, after he had been ordained in Holland, returned to this island in 1790, and died here a few years ago, leaving behind him the translations which he had made, with great care and trouble, of many of the books of the Old Testament, which have never yet been published, but which I am now endeavouring to collect for publication. Petrus Hermanus Gerardus Philips, one of the two young men whom I have selected, is the eldest son of this gentleman; and John Gerard Pevera Appohamy, the other, is a cousin

of his.

"Approving as I do of the policy of the Dutch, in as far as it relates to their mode of propagating Christianity among the natives, and wishing to shew the natives that I thought the same system should be pursued by the English, I anxiously seized the opportunity which the Resolution of the Society afforded me of manifesting my respect for a family which had been distinguished, for the last sixty years, by the number of able and respectable men belonging to it, who had most materially assisted the cause of Christianity among the people of this island; and I accordingly felt great pleasure in being able, from a conviction of the merits of the two young men whom I have mentioned, to select from that family the persons who are to receive so marked an honour as that of being educated and ordained under the care and patronage of so distinguished a Society.

"Having mentioned the subject to General Brownrigg, our present Governor, he has agreed, on behalf of Government, to pay the expense of the voyage of the young men to England; and I therefore expect that they will leave this for England either in October or January next.

"I cannot conclude without informing 2 D

you of my views with respect to that part of your letter to me, in which you suggest that if a Society could be organised in Ceylon, as an Auxiliary to your Church Missionary Society, it would tend greatly to further your wishes and plans. I have read with great attention the plan, contained in the first Number of the Missionary Register, of Church Missionary Associations; and intend to propose to such of the persons here as are likely to agree with me upon the subject, to have a Church Missionary Association at Columbo, with subordinate Associations of the same description at Jaffna, Galle, and Trincomalee, which are the

principal British stations on this island: and, with the view of procuring the aid of the natives themselves in the measure, I mean further to propose that each of the principal castes among them should also form, for the same purposes, subordinate Associations : and, that they may be fully acquainted with the nature of the plan, I have directed the first Number of the Register to be immediately translated into Cingalese, Tamul, Dutch, and Portuguese, which are the languages that are the most generally understood throughout these settlements.

"ALEXANDER JOHNSTON."

The want of space is the only apology we have to plead for the delay of much other interesting intelligence which has reached us during this month. It is one of the privileges of our own days that the march of Religion is too rapid for works tik☛ our own to keep pace with it.

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

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Such are the awful changes by which it pleases God to teach us the instability of human things--to baffle the calculations of worldly policy-to convince us that our wisdom is rather to look to present duties than to future contingencies to instruct us in lessons taught also by our immortal bard→→

"What thou livest, live well;

And leave the rest to Heaven." There is certainly a peculiarity in the features of our own times. Heretofore it was chiefly in barbarous states that changes were rapidly accomplished. But now, the same principle of sudden growth or subversion seems to have manifested itself in the oldest and most organised governments. In the midst of domestic peace we find ourselves suddenly in a state of commotion. We lie down upon our beds with a Bour

bon on the throne of his fathers:we awake, and find him a fugitive in a strange land, and his seat filled by the very man who had been driven from it not a year before, and who was thought to be for ever stripped of the capacity of disturbing its repose. Such are the calculations of the short-sighted politicians of this world! In less than three weeks, the work of the congregated hosts of Europe, and the work also of its congregated monarchs and statesmen, is rendered unavailing by a single individual; to-day an exile in his little is. land, to-morrow the monarch of France, In such an age, the mind ought surely to sit peculiarly loose to all worldly interests and objects, and to seek its peace and welfare in Him who is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

But we shall proceed to give a brief account, first, of our internal disturbances, and secondly of the occurrences in France.

And, first, as to the Corn Bill.—It' was scarcely to be hoped that any bill which respected the staple of life should be discussed without exciting some degree of popular ferment. But when that bill was designed to carry into effect a measure, the apparent tendency of which was to increase the actual price of bread; which was to be protected and arranged by men having generally a large interest in the value

of land; and which was to be discussed and carried at a period in which the people were expecting, by the cessation of war, a restoration to a state of comparative ease-it was scarcely possible that the voice of the people should not be heard; and that some more weighty arguments than the mere flourishes of rhetoric should not be addressed to our national representatives. The tide of tumult, however, rose more rapidly and furiously than was expected. It appears, indeed, to have found some of our civil centinels asleep upon their posts. That the confusion should so suddenly vanish when the constituted authorities began really to act, amounts to a presumption that at first they did not act with be coming vigour. In consequence of this, the houses of some of the King's Ministers, together with those of various individuals who supported, or were supposed to support, the Corn Bill, have had to sustain the storm of popular indignation. And, if the opinions of men could be changed as easily as windows are broken, we should probably have become one of the most unanimous nations in the world. But the Houses of Parliament have acted with the dignity which might have been expected from them. They have yielded nothing to the violence of their angry countrymen, and have, whether wisely or not, yet, at least, calmly and deliberately, and by immense majorities, maintained their own judgment in defiance of the opinion of their electors. It appears to us, looking at this vast subject "through the loop holes of our retreat," that both parties have been, as to some points, a little mistaken in their policy-some of the opposers of the Corn Bill, in not admitting the necessity of this, or some analogous bill, for the protection of agriculture; its advocates, in not shewing a little more deference to the numerous applications of the people; and both, perhaps, in not agreeing to such a mean between a very high protecting price and no protecting price at all, as might have at the same time secured the interests of the landholder and satisfied the wishes of the people.

But whilst we thus venture to animadvert on some things in the proceedings of both parties, we also find much to admire. It is impossible, for instance, not to admire the promptitude and decision with which the opponents of the bill took part with the Government against the lawless mob which would

controul the deliberations of the Legislature. And it is equally impossible not to applaud the dignity and courage of those parliamentary supporters of the Bill, whose voices have been heard, amidst the din of riot and insubordination, quietly defending the principles they deemed it right to maintain.

Our surprize, we will own, throughout the whole of the struggle has been, that so little doubt should have been expressed by either party as to the course to be pursued. We confess, that we have found innumerable obstacles to the formation of a clear and decisive judgment upon the question; and, if we have come to any decision, it is thisthat some such bill was necessary-but that perhaps a little more delay and investigation were due to the supplications of so large a number of petitioners; and that a protecting price of 72 shillings would have been better suited to the conflicting interests of the country than that which has been adopted.-The grand argument, we conceive, in favour of the bill, is the expediency of securing a tolerably regular price and fair market to the cultivator; and this, perhaps, is to be done only by yielding to him a species of protection granted to almost every other class in the community. Nor can it be denied that if a tolerably moderate and regular price of corn could have been secured by the measure, every class of society would be benefited equally with the cultivator.

But then, on the other hand, let us consider for a moment the actual influence of an importing system on the welfare of the country. Under an export ing system, it appears, that the population of England and Wales decreased in the first ten years of the last century, 275,000 souls. On the contrary, under an importing system, the population increased in the first ten years of this century, 1,320,000 souls.-Look next at the wealth of the country. It is true, that, in the 21 years beginning in 1792, we imported to the amount of 58 millions, sterling. But then the exports from Great Britain in the single year, beginning Jan. 5, 1811, were 63,300,431 in value. Next let us look, for a moment, at the effect of an importing systera, even upon the agricultural interests of the country, and here it will be admitted that the farmer has been growing rich; that rents have very greatly improved: and, which is a singular fact, that, in five years, beginning in 1808, the number of

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