The Rev. S. Wood conducted the devotional service, and the Rev. Edward Hawkes, of Kendal, preached an impressive and appropriate discourse from Acts ii. 22. At the business meeting of the Society, the Rev. Henry Hawkes presided, and the Rev. E. Kell read the report, which, in addition to interesting information from the older churches in the district, gave a pleasing account of the state of Unitarianism in Jersey and Southampton. In the former place, from the liberality of Admiral Gifford and the judicious and zealous labours of the Rev. James Taplin, the cause seems to be permanently planted. In the latter, there has been an increase of members during the past year, and there is considerable promise of future progress. The meeting passed a spirited resolution to continue to afford this infant church all the assistance in its power, and an animated discussion took place as to the best methods of effecting this object. In the evening, about 350 persons drank tea together at the Queen's Rooms, Rev. Edward Hawkes in the chair, and a lively interest in the propagation of Unitarian Christianity was evinced in the various addresses. In addition to the ministers already mentioned, the audience was addressed during the proceedings of the day by the Rev. J. Fullagar and the Rev. W. Hall; Messrs. A. Clarke and Pinnock of Newport; Mr. Burgess, of Southampton; and Capt. Morgan, Messrs. Knight, Sheppard and Faulkner, of Portsmouth. Some pieces of sacred music, excellently performed, contributed to increase the pleasure of the evening.

Bolton District Unitarian Association.

The usual half-yearly meeting of this Association was held at Rivington, on Thursday, April 27th. It was well attended by members of the different congregations in the district. The religious services were introduced by Rev. Franklin Baker, M.A., after which an excellent sermon on Zeal, from Gal. iv. 18, was preached by Rev. John Ragland. After defining zeal, and describing some of its various manifestations, the preacher came to the more particular object of his discourse, which was to describe religious zeal, pointing out as its leading characteristics, sincerity, charity, energy and perseverance. Among the motives for the cultivation of religious zeal, he urged the importance of the cause itself, as the cause of

truth, piety and goodness, and, finally, the opposition which this cause has to encounter from a great variety of causes. The soundness of the reasoning and the earnestness with which the preacher enforced his views made a useful impression upon his audience.

After the chapel services were concluded, a large company partook of tea at the village inn, from which they adjourned to the chapel, when some interesting sentiments were introduced by Robert Andrews, Esq., of Rivington Hall, who presided, and the following gentlemen addressed the meeting-Revds. Franklin Howorth, C. B. Hubbard, Henry Clark, John Ragland, W. Probert, F. Baker, and C. J. Darbishire and Leighton, Esqrs.

The autumn meeting of the Association will, it is expected, be held at Chowbent on the 12th of October, when the officiating ministers will be Revds. F. Baker and H. Clark.

Christianity in China.

Of Christianity in China I am afraid I cannot give a very satisfactory account; as for a real native Christian, I do not suppose one exists in the empire; the converts all adhere to the worship of their ancestors, and partial success has attended the preaching of the Roman Catholics alone, who cannot overcome this rooted obedience to the precept of the Confucian system. The plan adopted by these worthy fathers is to enter the country thoroughly prepared; they acquire the language at some outpost, together with the knowledge of medicine or other art that may be turned to good account; and having let their hair grow into a tail à la Chinoise, and left European habits behind them, they take ship and enter the country as common sailors or fishermen, and devote themselves to gaining the confidence of the natives. The extent of their success I am ignorant of, but the following extract from the Chinese Repository, June, 1846, will shew that they are not idle :'Apostolic Vicariate, Fer-kien.-This province is assigned to the Spanish Dominicans. Bishop Carpena is vicar apostolic, and there are in connection with the mission, one coadjutor, five European priests and nine native, and more than forty thousand members." I wish I could say as much for the success of the Church of England mission; but at Koo-lung-su (Ken-langShuy, meaning "gold cold water," or

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the island of the golden springs), where I was for upwards of a year, the only two Protestant converts that I could hear of were suspected of running off with the Communion plate. And yet we read and are expected to believe such precious romances as the following:"We have had rather a long season of rain; when it intermits, as it has to-day, many come over from Amoy. It is at such times especially that our situation appears favourable for a mission. It combines the advantages enjoyed by Paul at Ephesus and Rome. We need not go to the school of one Tyrannus, but can dispute daily with multitudes who come to our hired house." But the Jesuit possesses great advantages over the Protestant. Amongst bells, candles, incense, chanting, flowing robes and celibacy of the priesthood, the Buddhist and Catholic are equally at home. And the Church of England does not tolerate the worship of ancestors; but blame must attach somewhere for the paucity of churches; one in Macao and a mat-shed at Hong Kong comprised all that I could hear of. The Dissenters are better provided with buildings, but are equally unsuccessful at conversion. And yet there are many hard-working and zealous men, both English and American, in the Protestant missions; perfect toleration is granted to all other sects of Christianity in the five ports equally, as the edict somewhat naïvely remarks, with the worshipers of images.

On the occasion of the death of an officer of H. M. service at Chusan, in reply to the military surgeon, who had asked an English missionary why he did not attend the hospital to administer the consolations of religion to the sick, the amateur apostle, who, no doubt, flattered himself he was not like the publicans, said—" Soldiers and sailors are so very bad, it is of no use; I never like to go near them."-Forbes's Five Years in China, from 1842 to 1847.

A Cambridge Examination Incident. A Cambridge correspondent of the Gentleman's Magazine states that at the recent B.A. Examination in the University, the following questions were proposed: "What was the object of the Abbot of Winchelcomb's book on the immunities of the Clergy? Give a brief account of the proceedings which immediately followed its publication. What memorable determination in connection with it was pronounced by

Henry VIII.?" It is said that every candidate left these questions unanswered, and that the Examiner by whom the questions were proposed happening to be absent when the papers were gone through, the other Examiners very candidly confessed their entire ignorance of the Abbot and his book. On the Examiner's appearing in the Senate House when the degrees were conferred, the undergraduates saluted him with three hearty cheers for the Abbot of Winchelcomb. This Abbot was Dr. Richard Kedermyster, a preacher at Paul's Cross, of whom Burnet, in his History of the Reformation, states, that he published a book to prove that all clerks, whether of the greater or lower orders, were sacred and exempted from all temporal punishment by the secular judge, even in criminal cases. The correspondent of the Magazine doubts the alleged fact of the publication of the book, of which neither the title is known, nor the place where it was printed, nor the language in which it was written.

A Home for Penitents.

The Athenæum mentions the establishment of an institution, founded by the munificence of Miss Burdett Coutts and called her "Home," for penitent females. A large house has been taken at "Shepherd's Bush," and fitted up at an expense of £1200, for their reception. The institution is under the more immediate management of Mr. Chas. Dickens and Mr. Chesterton, the Governor of Cold-bath Fields Prison. It is as yet only an experiment; but gives, we are informed, every sign of proving useful to the class for which its benefits are intended. Our readers are aware of the suspension of the transportation system by Government, and the substitution of "exile" for male prisoners, after a course of rigid discipline at Pentonville. Miss Coutts's "Home" is intended to try the same scheme for female penitents. They are to be sent out to the colonies, after a course of trial and probation here, as free women; provision being made for them until they enter into service or marry. Every kind of domestic art-cooking, sewing, straw-plaiting, &c.-is to be taught in the "Home," which can render them valuable as wives or servants. Great care is taken in the selection of the inmates; real penitence, sobriety, honesty, health, being the qualifications demanded in the applicant for admis

sion. As yet there are but twelve or fourteen inmates; but, if the scheme work well, the promoters are prepared to appeal to the public for the means of greatly enlarging it.

Jewish Emancipation Bill.-It is with regret we record the rejection of this Bill by the Lords, lay and spiritual, the numbers being-for, 128-against, 163. Our regret, though, is less for the measure than for the possible effects of its rejection. The present is hardly the moment when any wise or patriotic man would unnecessarily provoke public agitation. The Lords may have power to postpone, but can hardly be strong enough to prevent the ultimate passing of, a measure so manifestly founded on common sense and common justice. In the heated discussions that

will probably ensue, it may be that the fitness of others besides Jews for the discharge of legislative duties may become a question, less easily settled and involving more serious consequences.

The General Baptist Assembly.-The General Assembly of General Baptist Churches will be held on Whit-Tuesday, June 13th, at the General Baptist meeting-house, Worship Street, Finsbury Square. The business will commence at nine o'clock, and the public service at eleven, when the Rev. Robt. Ashdowne, of Horsham, will preach. The friends and members of the Assembly will dine together at the White Hart Tavern, and there will be the usual evening meeting at Worship Street.

April 16, at the residence of W. R. Hawkes, Esq., in Hertfordshire, aged 62 years, Mrs. GASKELL, wife of Daniel Gaskell, Esq., of Lupset Hall, near Wakefield.

To the memory of this most excellent and distinguished lady, many a tribute of affection and admiration will, no doubt, be promptly paid, for her various attainments and virtues were extensively known; but the writer, who is now anxious to recal some of the leading features of her life and character, can only plead the warmth and depth of his sorrow; for, to do justice to the character of the departed, he is fully aware may well engage the efforts of those who, in the power of an eloquent and pathetic narrative, may far surpass his ability; yet, feeling as he does, he cannot forego the relief his bosom asks, to take at least a share in this last token of regard.

In contemplating this most interesting and beloved personage, a prominent feature that presents itself is the strength of her mind, and her unshaken perseverance in accomplishing those schemes which aimed at the improvement and happiness of her fellow-creatures: thus, with unwearied exercise, both of mind and body, did she exert herself in establishing an Infant School, and bringing it to a matured excellence that was the admiration of all who visited the institution. In a beautiful erection for the purpose, in a neigh

bouring village, by the handsome and generous aid of her valued partner, was she enabled to train a succession of scholars that witnessed her almost daily visitation, her judicious and unceasing kindness, her enlightened and even more than maternal affection. The tears which must now flow from many a father's and mother's eyes, and not less so from their young offspring, for the loss of their sweet benefactress, must be numerous and of genuine grief. Alas! let benevolence take up the mantle of the departed as it may, never can it fully repair the melancholy vacancy. For many years to come we cannot doubt will her endeared name be repeated from the lips of village gratitude, mingled with tones of mournful regret.

Ever mindful of the importance of early education, it was in the spirit of a thankful heart that she so much distinguished herself in procuring some suitable recompence for the indefatigable labours of a Wilderspin. The extraordinary efforts her perseverance in this object led her to make, are not easy to be told. The hundreds of letters in the beautiful and clear style she had acquired, bear a testimony of the highest kind to her skill and address in this generous undertaking; and the final success with which it was crowned, and which has made easy and happy the evening of a worthy man's life, who has left the footsteps

of his instructive walk in almost every town of the United Kingdom, was the pleasing reward to her pure and disinterested spirit. Other instances, too, of her persevering kindness in fostering genius in its intellectual growth, till it reached an independent pre-eminence, might be enumerated, were it necessary to add a further tribute to the kindness of her nature.

In various respects were the mental powers of this lamented friend distinguished. Her attainments in languages were considerable. Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, were not unknown to her. The Old Testament in the first, the New in the second, and several of the Latin Classics, she was wont to read with considerable facility. The modern languages, French, Italian, and German, were almost the daily habit of her perusal; and those who are acquainted with the ready and beautiful mode in which she was wont to write her native tongue, cannot but feel assured that rarely indeed is a happier manner acquired of expressing the well-arranged thoughts of a cultivated mind. In political investigations, she was ever the warm friend of liberty; and feeling an ardent glow in its cause, she ever welcomed the progress it was making for the happiness of the great family of man. Yet, impressed with an anxious wish that it might never be stained by violence or cruelty, when it really was so, her sympathy with and pity for fallen greatness were most sensitive. In theological investigations and biblical knowledge, she was yet more at home,-they were indeed her favourite study; and the various sentiments of different religious sects often engaged her attention. Perfectly_destitute of bigotry, and with no fondness for sectarianism as such, she listened with readiness to the arguments of great and good men of every persuasion; yet, clear in her own views, her attendance in the Unitarian chapel at Wakefield, was the result of her sincere conviction, and secured her decisive preference. Her truly religious feelings and unostentatious display of piety-still, deep and true-adorned her profession, and added an ornament to the place of her worship; and, so esteemed, has left a gloom upon the assembly of her fellow-worshipers that will be long ere it can pass away.

But not unnecessarily to expand where it would be easy to be copious indeed-so unwearied was her pursuit of knowledge, so daily adding to the

stores of her information, so ready to engage in pleasing and instructive communication with every literary friend, while willing to unbend to the more general conversation of society, that few indeed, we may truly say, filled up with more acceptance and pleasure the advantageous situation in which she was placed, more especially in union with a partner in life every way worthy of and receiving her warmest attach

ment.

But here we approach delicate and sacred ground, and venture no further to proceed than now to breathe a last farewell. The writer of these somewhat hasty remarks has known the departed for more than half a century, has seen her progress from almost the cradle to the grave, at least from early childhood to nearly the last hour-has been honoured through the whole of the lengthened period with being included in the pale of friendship; and has, therefore, great cause for thankfulness in knowing how much it has contributed to his own advantage and happiness. Yes, he now takes a last farewell-and O! departed friend! drawing near as he must, from highly advanced years, to the verge of the grave, and feeling a loss not likely to be repaired in the short remains of his earthly lot, may it be, when the final event arrives-perhaps as sudden as was thine own--may it be to renew an acquaintance with thee in another and a better world! One other prayer to heaven he would breathe, in the full sincerity of his heart, that his most valued friend, the surviving partner of thy existence here, may have strength from above to support his bereavement; and when it shall please his Heavenly Father that he should follow thee, that he may be blessed with thee for ever, no more to experience those heart-piercing separations known in this transitory state. Sic deo placeat!

The interment of the above very excellent lady took place in the catacombs of the Westgate chapel of this town, on Monday morning last, attended by the following relatives and friends as mourners :-Daniel Gaskell, Esq., Arthur Heywood, Esq., Acton Hall, Benj. Gaskell, Esq., Thornes House, and his son, Milnes Gaskell, Esq., Heywood Jones, Esq., Badsworth, and his brother, Hugh Jones, Esq., Liverpool, Rev. Edward Brooksbank, Tickhill, James Booth, Esq., counsel to the House of Commons, Rev. J. Eastwood, of Ecclesfield, and the Rev. T. Johnstone. To

these we might add numerous other friends of different religious persuasions, anxious to manifest their respect for one who was the liberal friend of all, of whatever party. Nor was the testimony of regard even so limited. The irreparable loss had been felt through the town and neighbourhood, and occasioned more tears to be shed amongst a larger crowd of attendants than has been usually known in these last expressions of funeral regret. The service was performed by the Rev. Edwd. Higginson, minister of the chapel, in a most solemn and impressive manner, and the address more particularly was so appropriate and affecting, that no one could retire from the mournful scene but with the warmest sentiment of admiration.-Wakefield Journal.

April 21, at his house in the Abbey Green, Chester, the Rev. JAMES PARRY. Mr. Parry was a native of South Wales,

and was educated for the ministry, first at Caermarthen, and afterwards, in consequence of his embracing Unitarian opinions, at Exeter, under the Rev. Timothy Kenrick, whose youngest sister he married at a later period of his life. He did not, however, exercise the profession of a Dissenting minister, except by occasional services, but was occupied for many years in tuition at Wrexham, Chester and Liverpool. Latterly he had retired altogether from active duties. His mind was well cultivated and his reading extensive; his judgment, both of books and men, remarkably sound and clear. His unobtrusive manners prevented his being known beyond a limited circle; but his amiable temper and singleness of character procured him the affection and esteem of those who were brought into intimate connection with him; and his removal is deeply regretted by the religious body to which he belonged.

1848. April 22, at Hatfield, Herts, RICHARD ANDREW MARSDEN, of Bennet Street, St. James's, London, and Blackheath, Kent, to AUGUSTA SOPHIA, second daughter of Mrs. BRADLEY, of Greenwich.

April 25, at Bank-Street chapel, Bolton, by Rev. Franklin Baker, M.A., Mr. CHARLES M'KEAND, of Manchester, to ISABELLA, daughter of the late Mr. Henry Moss, of Bolton.

May 2, by Rev. J. P. Malleson, at the New-Road chapel, Brighton, Rev. GEORGE KENRICK, of Regent Square, London, to SARAH, youngest sister of G. S. WALTERS, Esq., of Artillery Place, Finsbury Place, London.

May 4, at Todmorden, HENRY, second son of J. BROCKLEHURST, Esq., M.P., to ANNE, daughter of John FIELDEN, Esq., late M.P. for Oldham.

May 8, at the Unitarian church, Stockport, by Rev. David Davis, B.A., HERBERT NEW, Esq., of Evesham, Worcestershire, to MARY, elder daughter of John ALCOCK, Esq., of Gatley, Cheshire.

May 9, in the Great meeting, Hinckley, by Rev. G. C. Lunn, Mr. JOHN WILSON, printer, Birmingham, to ANNE,

second daughter of Mr. N. EALES, Hinckley.

May 11, at Little Portland-Street chapel, by Rev. E. Tagart, FRANCIS TAGART, Esq., of Carlton Hill, St. John's Wood, to ISABELLA FIRMIN ONGLEY, youngest daughter of Captain Ongley HOPSON, late 25th Light Dragoons, Rutland Gate, Hyde Park.

May 16, at the Unitarian chapel, Earl Street, Maidstone, by Rev. William Stevens, minister of the chapel, Mr. SAM. JOHN BARTLETT to Miss SOUTHON, both of Maidstone.

May 16, at the High-Pavement chapel, Nottingham, by Rev. B. Carpenter, Mr. G. R. COWEN to HARRIET, only daughter of Mr. S. MORE, Clerk of the Peace, Nottingham.

May 24, at the Old chapel, Dukinfield, by Rev. R. Brook Aspland, M.A., Mr. JOHN AYRTON LEVENS, of Roch dale, to Miss MARY BRIERLEY, of Dukinfield.

May 24, at the Old chapel, Dukinfield, by Rev. R. Brook Aspland, M.A., ISAAC PARKER, of Mottram, in Longdendale, to HANNAH KELLY, of the same place.