presented to the Rev. James Smith, M.A. Fellow of Brasennose College, by the congregation attending the Stepney New Church, London, with the following inscription:" Presented to the Reverend James Smith, M.A., on his retiring from the ministry of Stepney New Church, after a zealous and faithful discharge of its duties during nine years, by the congregation, in token of their grateful respect and şincere esteem.' The King held a levee on the 16th May, which was very numerously attended, on which occasion the Duke of Northumberland presented a petition from the Archdeacon and clergy of the Archdeaconry of Northumberland to preserve to the bishops, clergy, and to the churches of these realms, all such rights and privileges as do by law pertain to them. Petitions were also presented from the Bishop and clergy of the diocese of Cloyne, and the clergy of the diocese of Limerick, against the Irish Church Reform bill. The Bishop of Bath and Wells presented a petition from the clergy of Bedminster, in the diocese of Bath and Wells, The subscription in aid of the funds for the relief of the Irish clergy amounted, on the 29th of April, to 45,7391. The eighteenth Report of the Committee on Public Petitions has been presented. The following is extracted from it :Petitions. Signatures. For the Sabbath Observance Bishop of Chester, at St. Bees, Cumberland.-Bath Journal. STAFFORDSHIRE. On Sunday, 12th inst., a new organ was opened in Wallsend Church, on which occasion a sermon was preached by the Rev. J. Armstrong, on the history of sacred music, and how it may be best used in the Christian temple for the edification of man and the glory of God. This organ was raised by voluntary subscriptions among the inhabitants, chiefly through the exertions of the Rev. the Incumbent; and it is but justice to the builder to add, it gave general satisfaction, and is well adapted for a moderate sized church. WARWICKSHIRE. A meeting of the clergy of the Archdeaconry of Coventry was held at Meriden on the 16th inst., for the purpose of petitioning the Legislature on the subject of the Irish Church Reform Bill. WILTSHIRE. Labourers' Friend Society. The following has been communicated to the agent of this society, by W. Ludlow, Esq.: A farm of about eighty-four acres, at Sunbridge, in the parish of Melksham, 1831; at that time this farm was in the Wilts, became untenanted at Lady-day, worst possible condition, from neglected cultivation, and particularly from the 235,754 tenant not employing a sufficient number of 4,983 labourers, though there were at the time 13,991 many good labourers in the neighbourhood supported out of the parish rates, because they could not procure employment. Such a state of things naturally suggested the expediency of letting off about thirty-eight acres into lots to some of the labourers in the neighbourhood; twelve of them immediately accepted the offer, about four taking a field, and dividing it among themselves, according to their respective means of cultivation and payment of rent. The whole of the land has been ever since so occupied; it is in good condition, and well cultivated; and the crops in the second year exceeded, by more than half, those of the same description produced by the former tenant in the year preceding that in which he quitted it. The whole of the rent has been paid punctually; the tenants are well satisfied; and not one of them either has received, or is likely to receive, parochial relief. The foundation stone of a new Church in Commercial Road(West), South Shields, was laid on the 22nd inst., by the Rev. Jas. Carr, perpetual Curate of St. Hild'sChapel, who delivered an appropriate prayer and address on the occasion. The edifice will be built and endowed at the sole expense of the Dean and Chapter of Durham, and will afford accommodation for 1200 persons, 800 of which will be free sittings. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. Miss Musters has caused a new gallery to be erected in Annesley Church; an organ and organist are provided, and 25 sunday scholars of each sex uniformly clothed, and taught to sing.-Nottingham Mercury. SOMERSETSHIRE. At a meeting of the clergy of the Deanery of Bath, on Tuesday the 14th inst., a petition to the two Houses of Parliament, against the Bill affecting the Temporalities of the Church in Ireland, was agreed to and very numerously signed. It is said, that the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells intends shortly to establish, at Weston-super-mare, a Divinity Institution, similar to the one he promoted, when VOL. III.-June, 1833. YORKSHIRE. Union of Parishes.-Letters have been received from his Grace the Archbishop of York, by many of the clergy within the diocese, requesting them to make inquiry, and report thereon, relative to such parishes as can with propriety be united; the maximum population of the united parishes to be 1000, and the income 5001. Two, three, and four clergymen have been 5 B appointed to confer on the subject, according to the extent of the respective dean eries. The clergy of Sheffield have sent a petition to Parliament to reject some parts of the government plan of Irish Church Reform, and also for the immediate and total abolition of Negro Slavery. The pupils of the Rev. Wm. Leitch, of North Shields, having formed the design of presenting him with a testimony of the esteem and regard in which he is held, a subscription was entered into to purchase a service of Plate, and to give a public dinner, at which it might be presented to the Rev. Tutor: a party of upwards of 50 gentlemen sat down to the dinner on the 9th inst. Bible Society.-On Thursday the 9th inst. a meeting was convened in the Toll-Booth, Boroughbridge, by the friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The Rev. W. Gray, A.M., Vicar of Brafferton, was called to the chair. The Report stated, that upwards of 500l. had been contributed, either for bibles or in free contributions, by the agency of this branch, since its' formation. The Knaresborough Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society having been dissolved, of which Auxiliary the Institution here has been a Branch, it was resolved to organize a regular Auxiliary, in direct communication with the Parent Society. Presentation of Plate.-The Rev. J. Jenkins being about to vacate the incumbency of Trinity Church, Bolton, preparatory to his entering upon the incumbency at Whitehaven, to which he has been recently appointed, his friends determined to present him with a piece of plate, as a testimonial of their regard. On Monday, the 13th inst., the reverend gentleman, pursuant to invitation, met a number of the subscribers at the Bridge Inn, when the plate, which consisted of two elegantly embossed goblets, was presented to him by the chairman, John Cross, Esq., in an appropriate speech; and Mr. Jenkins expressed in a feeling manner his strong sense of the kindess evinced by this unexpected mark of respect. Tribute of Respect.-An elegant pulpit gown has lately been presented to the Rev. Angus Barton, Minister of Castleton, by the young ladies of the parish, as a token of their respect and esteem for him as their pastor. On Wednesday, the 22nd inst., a very handsome silver salver, value 100 guineas, was presented at the Talbot Inn, Bradford, to the Rev. L. Hird, in testimony of respect for his conduct in the magistracy, from which the Rev. gentleman has recently retired. J. W. Field, Esq. of Heaton, and the Rev. G. Wright of Bilbam House, near Doncaster, have each subscribed 50l. towards the repairs of the parish church of Bradford. A very handsome subscription has been raised in Bromley for enlarging the church. For this purpose a faculty was obtained in the Ecclesiastical Court of York, on the 18th of April. SCOTLAND. The Edinburgh University.-This splendid edifice, the building of which has occupied nearly the lapse of a generation, is now near completion. A great number of workmen are at present employed in finishing off the internal area. A terrace about 6 feet high is formed completely round the square, with massive ornamental balustrades; and, leading up to the ter race, which conducts to the various class rooms in the university, are nine broad flights of steps, ascending from the level of the carriage-way. When finished, the interior quadrangle of the college will present a fine view of architectural chasteness, simplicity, and grandeur. IRELAND. Irish Church.-By an account recently presented to the House of Commons, and printed by its authority, it appears that the number of benefices in Ireland of above 2,000l. a year value is eleven, one of them being of the annual value of 2,8001. ; of above 1,0007. and under 2,000l. value the number is ninety-one; of 750l. to 1,000!. there are ninety-six; of 500l. to 7501 there are two hundred and fifty; of 2501. to 500l. there are four hundred and twentyfive livings; and all the remaining livings in Ireland, to the number of five hundred end eighty-three, are below the annus! value of 2501., many of them being very considerably below that amount. JUST PUBLISHED. NEW BOOKS. Woman, the Angel of Life; a Poem, in 3 Cantos. By R. Montgomery. Post 8vo. 7s. 6d. bds. Bibliotheca Classica: or a Classical Dictionary on a plan entirely new. By John Dymock, LL.D., and Thomas Dymock, M.A. 8vo. 16s. boards. Recapitulated Apostacy. By the Rev. G. S. 18mo. 25. Elliott's Life and Correspondence of Rev. W. The Christian's Family Library.-Vol. VII. The Sunday Library for Young Persons. Edited The Leading Idea of Christianity. By Rev. J. Wilson's (Edward) Sermons at Bath. 8vo. Ayres's Lectures on the Liturgy. 18mo. 3s. 6d. cloth. Hierurgia; or the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Church Reform: a Letter to Lord Althorp, on PRICES OF CANAL SHARES, DOCK STOCKS, &c. At the Office of R. W. Moore, 5, Bank Chambers, Lothbury. "H. H.'s" letter on Sunday schools is received, and shall be used when room can be found. But it appears to the Editor that "H. H." requires of clergy what they cannot perform. What is to be done in the many cases where a clergyman's duties effectually prevent him from being the Sunday school teacher, and where the funds which can be raised do not admit of his obtaining a teacher so carefully instructed as "H. H." requires? Such a teacher is indeed invaluable. But the care and time requisite to train such a person would make it hopeless to establish one in many country parishes. "O-s" is thanked for his article. But political papers are not admissible into this Magazine. "W. G.'s" communication is received. The Editor agrees fully as to the merit of the four first stanzas, but the two last are so unequal as to make it doubtful whether the poem should be used."H. A.'s" kind contributions shall be used as soon as opportunity offers, and with many thanks." C. T. C." shall be used next month, and the Editor earnestly begs to hear from such a correspondent again very soon. "A Subscriber" must surely see that such information as is found in the private part of his letter, however valuable, cannot be used, when the name of the party giving it is not added,— not for the sake of publication, but as a guarantee to the Editor, who could never be justified to himself or to others in stating facts of this nature on anonymous authority. "Pastor's" communication arrived after all the matter on Church Reform was arranged. His private letter is truly kind, and the Editor hopes to hear from him shortly again. Apologies, beyond all measure, are due to "R. W. B." for his not being informed long ago that his most valuable documents as to schools are quite safe, and shall be used. In answer to "S. P.," Altaragium means the gifts and oblations to the clergy made at the altar. "Philalethes" is heartily thanked for his letter. If he thinks that the wretched trash put forth by Mr. Little is really gaining circulation, it shall be used. Mr. Burges's letter shall be inserted in the next number. The Editor begs to acknowledge the receipt of a pamphlet called "A few Reasons why I vote for a Conservative Member," by a Dissenter. That portion of this excellent pamphlet which relates to the feelings of dissenters towards churchmen is so truly creditable to its author, that it ought to be extracted. They confirm the views exprest here as to the opinions of the better class of dissenters, and their entire abhorrence of the base and unchristian warfare maintained latterly against the church by some low papers and lower societies. Mr. Johnes has written to the Editor a serious complaint against the article relating to him in the last number, which he thinks an unfair and unjust attack on his character. Mr. Johnes is obviously not aware that he is considered by the friends of the church as the doer not the sufferer of wrong, and that their charges against him are not against his private character, which may be most excellent, but against his public character as a fair and impartial writer, for treating the church in a manner which they consider as unfair and unjust, for misrepresenting and distorting facts. Mr. Johnes says that the writer of the article shews gross ignorance of the whole matter and of his book, by stating that the tithes belonging to Christ Church accrue from one parish, whereas they accrue from four. Allowing this to be so, in what possible way does this alter the case against Mr. Johnes, or diminish the seriousness of the accusation against him? Again, he states that his book mentions the residence of the incumbents in certain cases where the Magazine accuses him of not mentioning it. But the gravamen of the charge against him was this, that he held up to scorn and obloquy, as absentee rectors, persons who ought not to be and could not be residents as spiritual persons, because their place was supplied by law. Admitting then for a moment that the Magazine was incorrect in the minor point, what change does that make as to the major part of the charge? On the present occasion there is no room to go further into the matter or into the defence of the Magazine. It is only just to Mr. Johnes to state his complaints, although it is not easy to see how his case is bettered by it. And, to confess the truth, the Editor has not Mr. Johnes's book at the moment to refer to. He never buys such mischievous books, and returned it to the friend who lent it as soon as it was used. If Mr. Johnes wishes for a full discussion of the matter, he shall be satisfied next month. The names of the two works published at Colchester, by a Layman, (mentioned in a note in this number,) are "Cottage Tales " and "The Sunday Monitor." There is a second and enlarged edition of Professor Pusey's excellent Tract on Cathedrals just published, with a curious and valuable list of eminent Divines who have had Cathedral preferment, drawn up by the Rev. B. Harrison, of Christ Church. A Mr. Gillon, a Member of Parliament, stated last week that the Dissenters are in number two-thirds of the whole population. Now it has been shewn time after time in this Magazine that the Dissenters themselves, when pressed close, claim only three-millions-and-a-half out of fourteen millions, i.e. one-fourth of the whole,-and that this is far beyond the truth. Why are not such assertions exposed at once? Every one who respects high principle must respect Sir Andrew Agnew, and feel much regret (although no surprise) at the way in which his bill was treated. It is not so easy to say what one ought to wish from the Legislature. If it were a Christian Legislature, one would wish for a bill which should leave no man an opportunity of saying that the State had not at least warned him of his duty, and which should contain positive provisions preventing business on Sunday. Whether any Legislature can go or ought to go much further is very doubtful. For public laws and the private calls of conscience in religious matters are two widely different things. But the difficulty in the present case is increased beyond measure. Looking at the way in which religion and every allusion to religion is treated in the House of Commons, who could wish to see such an assembly making a strict rule for the observance of the Sabbath? |