morning and evening, for family prayers, with the addition thereto of a sermon, to be read by the master, on Sunday evenings.

"The drawing up of these forms was also assigned to the Bishop; and when, with the catechisms, they had been duly circulated, approved, and presented to the Governors, with a report, the whole was concluded.

"As to the manner in which the task was accomplished, there can be, I think, but one opinion as to its expediency, there may be many. The system thus devised may be viewed in two ways. It may be contrasted with the unity and consistency which would have been attained by an adherence to our English Church and formularies, and then it is a source of deep and lasting regret and it may be contrasted with the irreligious scheme at first proposed, with barely the name of Christianity, and even that dependent upon the peculiar creed and piety of the Master, and then it excites feelings of joy and gladness. But whilst the praise of moderation, wisdom, piety, must be given to those who surmounted so many difficulties in the execution of their task-the blame attached to what they did, if there be any, must ever fall upon the governing body who required impossibilities at their hands. It was impossible, and ever will be, to frame catechisms, introduce Bibles, and draw up forms of devotion, for different religious parties, without compromising what is true, or giving up what is essential.

"What may be the feelings of the Committee, now that their work is done, and the excitement passed, I cannot tell. I only know that the Bishop of Calcutta has been put on his defence ever since. I know also that the Vicar Apostolic has been strongly censured by his superiors, and that he has left India, with an indignant mind, to plead his cause, and explain his conduct at Rome. And I suspect that there are not a few of our friends in Scotland, the ministers of the Presbyterian Church established there, who would be disposed to say to their chaplain and representative in India-' Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting.'

How the system will work remains to be proved. Mr. Bateman evidently does not feel very confident about it. He justly

remarks:

"He who fills the office of master in the Martiniere had need be a very ex

pert theologian. He must not only know the points on which these five churches agree, but those also on which they differ. He must understand theological terms; be able to draw theological distinctions; and be well read in ecclesiastical history:-not in order to teach the children these things, but that he himself may know what he must not teach them.

"Practical difficulties have arisen. The children have been accustomed to bow at the name of JESUS. This was considered a grievance by the Presbyterian chaplain, and he has been led to remonstrate with the other Governors, and to seek from them an order that the practice shall be discontinued on certain occasions in the school. What shall we say to this? Many, I am well aware, will not scruple to say that the Chaplain was right, and the order good. But, suppose that the Roman Catholic Governor, on the other hand, had remonstrated against the neglect of this practice by the children of Presbyterians, and had insisted upon its being uniformly observed in the school_ what then would have been said? Yet, which is the worst, Irreverence or Superstition? Is it not as bad to compel a child to omit what he has been taught to think a reverential act, as it is to insist upon his practising what he has never been taught to do at all?

"These difficulties are not imaginary, but real. They have already proved a source of embarrassment. They spring almost necessarily from the mixed system adopted, and will increase, I conceive, every year it is continued.

"In the remarks hitherto made, I have had respect only to the system itself, and have said nothing as to what is a mere adjunct to it: viz. the occasional visits of clergymen and ministers of different religious denominations. Of these also I have been personally cognizant. I have seen some of the children called together for examination, separated from their fellows, collected in a different room, awe-struck, uninterested, cold—and the impression was by no means favourable to such a mode of instruction. Compared with a wellordered National School, or even with one conducted on the British and Foreign system, nothing could appear more unsatisfactory; and I could almost venture to prophesy that in a few years even this individual instruction will cease. The duty will be found burdensome; the voluntary attendance of the minister will relax, or become impossible from multifarious duties; the Bishop will be absent on his visita

"The Archbishop's question is not answered by anything which the Bishop of Calcutta has done; and if the writer of the pamphlet can give no other reply, the question must be considered unanswerable. Is it necessary to say that there is no such thing as general instruction' in Christianity? It involves a contradiction in terms. If Christianity be taught generally, no instruction, properly so called, can be conveyed. Ob. serve the Martiniere. What is there called general instruction, is made to consist of nine capital and fundamental points of Christianity, common to all the churches. On these, it is said that the master is at liberty to instruct the children; whilst, by a prior and imperative law of the institution, he is for

bidden to touch upon any points of controversy between the said churches. Here, then, he is on the horns of a dilemma. If he instructs the children, he breaks the law; and if he observes

the law, he cannot instruct the chil

dren.

“Is the Archbishop's question then answered? Has the Bishop of Calcutta solved the difficulty? He himself would, I am sure, be the very first to answer in the negative. The Martiniere has laid down general principles on which instruction is to be given; but it has, at the same time, taken away all power of communicating that instruction. Thus, it not only does not answer His Grace's question, but affords a most conclusive and sufficient proof that it is unanswerable."

We honour the Bishop of Calcutta for the admirable spirit which he displayed throughout these embarrassing transactions; and this notwithstanding we think that had the result and all its

consequences been foreseen from the beginning, it would have been a subject for serious consideration, whether it was not better to secede than to concede. His Lordship exhibited great forbearance and self-denial in not taking that course, which would have spared him much trouble and inconvenience; but perhaps he considered the danger of persons in stations of authority, and especially to men of ardent temperament, to lie chiefly on the side of not yielding sufficiently to the opinions of others; not adopting a moderate and conciliating rather than an obstinate and perhaps mistaken course; and that it might be said he had lost the important institution of La Martiniere to Christianity, from pique the exclusive control of his own or pride, because it was lost to church. The prelate who so nobly carried into execution that boldest of all measures connected with the propagation of Christianity in India-the abolition of all distinction of caste among the converts-assuredly did not shrink from what he considered the line of duty at the suggestions of a vacillating policy.

But let not the case be stretched beyond its limits. It appears from Mr. Bateman's details, that so far from the Bishop's having relinquished the principle of adhering to the doctrine of a national church, even under the peculiar circumstances of India, he stedfastly maintained it; and if being overruled, he consented to try whether a plan of extensive "amalgamation," as it is called, was feasible, the result has shewn the contrary. The Vicar Apostolic consented to keep back the pope and transubstantiation, penance and purgatory; and the Presbyterian chaplain, being persuaded that there was no prospect of establishing the system of his own

church, yet feeling the necessity of a defined Christianity, and of rejecting the "nothingarian" Irish education scheme, with great candour and Christian magnanimity threw his weight into the Bishop's scale, never urging captious objections, always helping to lessen real difficulties, and dissenting only where a point of conscience arose. Yet even under these favourable circumstances the scheme will not, and cannot, work; and the lesson taught by the whole proceeding is, that there is just as much difficulty in establishing a no- church as a church. Why not then in all national measures begin at once upon a solid basis; and meet the difficulty in full front? If England had done so in all her colonies; if she had shewn that her wish and design was to establish in them a branch of Christ's holy catholic church upon the model of our own national portion of it; not interfering with the civil or religious rights of Romanists, Protestant Dissenters, or of Jews, Mahomedans, or Pagans; but pursuing her own course calmly and wisely, the ecclesiastical difficulties of the colonies would not have been so great as those which now clog our way; and in our contentions, if such we must have, there would be something worth contending for. The Romanist and the Heathen would respect us for our conduct; and the latter would find, upon their conversion to Christianity, a church at once to receive them and the great majority of well-disposed Protestants of every class would be glad to have a really efficient and practically useful system of religion, though not constructed in every particular to their mind. The timid political conservative friends of the church are always exclaiming, "There is a lion in the way;"

:

instead of going out to slay him, and to rescue honey from his

carcase.

It would conduce very much to right conclusions in these matters, if statesmen and Christian philanthropists would peruse the annals of ecclesiastical history, and not account them an old almanac. The narrative of successes and reverses of Christianity in India from the days of the apostles till the present time, is fraught with weighty lessons; and ought to be thoroughly studied by all who are concerned, legislatively or executively, in endeavouring to promote the extension of our holy faith in the regions of the East. It is too large a theme for us to venture even to touch upon in these cursory remarks, which are confined to the circumstances of modern missions; but the reader will find an elaborate and very valuable account of it in Mr. Hough's work, the title of which we have prefixed to our remarks. The two volumes hitherto published do not come down to the date of the Protestant labours in India; but the retrospect of those of past ages is monitory, and ought not to be lost upon the promoters of Christian missions in the present day.

It is always with pain that we hear the missionary enterprises of Great Britain eulogized. We are indeed thankful that any thing is attempted; and, blessed be God, there are those-chiefly among the poor of this world, rich in faith-who go to the reasonable extent-perhaps beyond it-of their power, and deprive themselves of much of their worldly pittance, that others may not be left wholly destitute of the bread of life. But speaking generally, or nationally, our missions are our disgrace. Money is wanting; men are wanting; above all, that deep, energetic piety is wanting, which

would lead those who call them selves Christians to spend and be spent in the service of the Lord, and for immortal souls purchased by his precious blood. And here is the root of the evil; the worm at the bud; the true cause of the neglectful conduct, in a religious view, of this highly favoured land towards her foreign dependencies and the perishing heathen. Is it possible that those who have felt the infinite value of their own souls, can be insensible to the value of the souls of others; or not exert themselves on their behalf? Appeal to our merchants, our manufacturers, our traders, our members of parliament, the inhabitants of our magnificent streets of palaces, to our farmers or country gentlemen, for their aid in making known "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord;" and what, in the great majority of instances, would be the result? Would their hearts and purses be open? Would they at least respond to the call, and lament only that, amidst the multiplicity of pressing objects, they could do so little? Try the experiment; as many have tried it with sanguine hearts, and eventually baffled expectations.

And what is the remedy? Not indeed to neglect the heathen; but to begin at home. We want missionary materials in our parishes and churches. We go and ask a gentleman to oppose the countenance given to idolatry in India, who himself worships at the shrine of mammon, and whose family, with his good will, worship in the pagodas of worldly dissipation. Why should a man be anxious about the dancing girls in India, who sees no evil in the Queen's theatre in London? Why should another be solicitous to convey to the heathen "the unsearchable riches of Christ;" who himself covets no treasures but CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 28.

those which are earthly and perishing? What a focus of fanaticism must Exeter Hall appear next month, to tens of thousands of " baptized infidels," who wend past it in pursuit of worldly business or pleasure; utterly heedless of an impending eternity of weal or woe! Is Christianity a revelation from God, or is it a delusion? Are men perishing for lack of knowledge," or are they not? Did Christ purchase the heathen for his heritage, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possessions, or are these but antiquated notions, which the light of modern philosophy has exploded?

And yet we do not mean to say that it is bluff bare-faced infidelity that mainly works the evil. It is rather quiet, decorous, unmeaning Christianity-falsely so called. It is indifference rather than opposition; scepticism than blasphemy. Christianity is true and good ;yes, very true and very good; but is it influential, pervading, absorbing? No; it is a custom; a very decent national custom; churches and clergymen, and the Bible and sacraments, are all highly proper; but they mean nothing; nothing, that is, so extremely serious as a few excited persons imagine. There is a golden mean in all things; let us be decorously religious; but not trouble all the world about our religion!

And is it Christians-men purchased by the sacrifice of Calvary— men who are aspirants for heavenwho thus, tacitly at least, argue? Alas! where is the spirit which once made those who professed to be the followers of Christ willing to sacrifice every thing for his sake? Has the Gospel of our Redeemer altered? Has God changed? or eternity? or the human soul? Oh that the Spirit of light and grace would pour out upon his church more of faith, and love, and zeal! The want of faith, 2 K

or its weakness, is the root of the evil. If the ungodly believed now, as they must believe when the day of judgment arrives, how different would be their feelings! Yea, and if the faithful believed with the intensity of vivid realiza

tion which will flash upon them at that forth-coming hour when they shall behold their Lord and be with him for ever, how different -in degree at least-would be theirs also!

So then we are really at war with China. After violating her laws by wholesale smuggling of the most demoralizing and desolating character, and outraging her in her own territories, we are to wreak our vengeance upon her with fire and sword; to invade her shores, to bombard her towns, to slaughter her unoffending sons and daughters, under some paltry pretext of the vindication of our national honour; whereas no man doubts that the real object is to recover the value of the opium so justly confiscated, and to impose what commercial or political relations we see fit upon an independent nation at the cannon's mouth. And this is conduct befitting free, generous, humane, and Christian England! The too general torpor with which this direful announcement of war has been listened to is most afflicting; but we trust that it is only a momentary pause for weighing facts and collecting strength; and that public meetings will be held throughout the land, and petitions be poured into parliament, to stop as soon as possible the effusion of blood -for much is it to be feared that it has

already commenced. The House of Commons is addressing itself to the question-we would hope that it will act rightly and promptly; but the concentrated force of the disinterested and sound-hearted portion of the nation is requisite to counteract the intrigues of selfish cupidity: for neither from the India Company; nor from the merchants and other powerful interests which have inundated China with opium; nor from her Majesty's ministers; nor from the vast body of cold-blooded calculators who scoff at all higher considerations than those of short-sighted sordid commercial policy, is anything to be hoped for but injustice to China, and moral disgrace to England. The bless ings of the Most High cannot attend such an unjust and wicked warfare. Will any Christian say that he can pray in faith that the God of battles would

sharpen our swords, and point our cannon, and prosper our arms, in the invasion of China?

We should scarcely have written as we have done, in the above sentence, of such a body as the East India Company, had not the recent rejection of Mr. Poynder's motion for the production of papers upon the Indian idolatry question (which we have alluded to in a former page) shewn the heartless apathy which so often paralyses its proceedings, where questions of moral or religious importance are weighed against commercial gain, or territorial aggrandisement. It is frightful," justly says the Bishop of Calcutta in his last Charge, "to think, after all that Providence has done for us in India, that we should be still countenancing the most degrading and debased idolatries; should still be identifying ourselves with the bloodstained car of Juggernaut; and should still be enlisting the Christian virtues of prudence, sagacity, fortitude, and perseverance, in arranging the abominations, and preparing and decking out the pageants of the grossest and most polluting idolatry." Such is the statement, not of some reckless declaimer who knows nothing of the circumstances, and who cares not what may be the effect of his words; but of a Right Reverend prelate, himself long resident in India, and conversant with the facts of the case; and who writes under the most solemn responsibility of personal character and high official station; and with the full knowledge of the offence which such honest dealing will excite; as was lamentably shewn in the browbeating rebuke to the meek Bishop Corrie, and the injustice exercised towards Sir Peregrine Maitland and other public officers, who ventured to keep a conscience. The honourable company not only itself pockets the wages of iniquity, but absolutely holds out inducements to the natives of India to