family claim on the affectionate regards laboured, shall not now be deprired of of the people of England, by being the benefit of Christian ordinances, or recently more closely united under the driven to other communions than that same gracious Sovereign. They appeal which these distinguished prelates to their wealthier neighbours of the adorned. United Kingdom in behalf of many The Archbishops of Canterbury and thousands of their poor brethren, who York, and the Bishop of Sodor and desire to join with them in the same Mann have each subscribed £100. The Liturgy, to imbibe the same doctrines, Bishop of London £50, and the Bishops and to participate in the same commu- of Salisbury, Lichfield and Coventry, nion. Their object is Christian unity, and Llandaff, each £20. and their appeal is to Christian charity. Subscriptions are received at Messrs. - They trust that an Island where a Hammersley's, Pall Mall, Seeley's, Fleet Barrow, and a Wilson, and a Hildersly Street, &c. and by the Rev. H. Stowell. CLERGY MUTUAL ASSURANCE SOCIETY. A SOCIEEY for this purpose has been ceeding £500.-or for an "Endowment established under the patronage of the of a Child ” of £50 or any multiple Archbishops of Canterbury and York. thereof not exceeding £500, to be due The object of which is, to enable Cler- when the child endowed shall be fourgymen to prepare for the education and teen years of age-or of £50, or any settlement of their children, by ineans multiple thereof, not exceeding £500, of Mutual Assurance, and to afford to be due when the child endowed shall them an opportunity of securing a pro- be twenty-one years of age. Both vision for themselves, their wives and Assurances may be made for the same families, when more than ordinarily child. needed, namely, in sickness, in old age, The plan embraces also a Fund in and at death. In this Society Clergy- aid of the poorer clergy. As the intent men may effect Assurances for a Provi- of this Society is to comprehend within sion at the rate of £26 or £52 or £78 or itself assured members from all classes £104 per annum, during any sickness of the Clergy, and as only those in betor sicknesses, until the day when the ter circumstances may be enabled to Assurer shall be seventy years of age.- make full provision by adequate assuFor a Provision at the rate of £26 per rances, it is proposed to raise a distinct annum, or £52 per annum during any Fund by means of Legacies, Donations, sickness or sicknesses, from the day and annual voluntary Subscriptions, to when the Assurer shall be seventy years be called the “Fund in Aid," so that of age until his death.–For a “deferred Clergy with small incomes and large Annuity” of £13. per annum, or any families may be assisted in making their multiple thereof, not exceeding £104. assurances, and be provided, as well as per annum, to be due half yearly, from their wives, widows, and children, with the day when the Assurer shall be other advantages, when occasion may seventy years of age until the day of his require. The fuod thus raised will be or her death-or for a “Deferred applicable in the first instance as a Annuity” of £13. per annum, or any guarantee to “ Assured Members," and multiple thereof, not exceeding £104. will be entitled to one third of the profits to be due half yearly, from the day when made upou all assurances. the Assurer shall be sixty-five years of Subscriptions are received by the age-or for a “Payment at Death" of Secretaries, 27, Parliament Street : by £50, or any multiple thereof, not ex- the Treasurers, &c. NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY. The Annual Meeting of this Institution tures had been found in their boats. was held at Free Masons' Hall, on 10,283 Bibles and Testaments have Tuesday, May 12, Lord Viscount Lorton been circulated during the past year, in the Chair. The Report stated very making the whole now circulated by cheering facts illustrative of the avidity this Society 230,693. The receipts with which soldiers and seamen receive have been £3771. 188, 8d. being ab the Word of God. It announced, that increase over the past year of £249. attention had been paid to the spiritual 12s. 3d. The expenditure of the Sowants of Boatmen and Bargemen, and ciety has exceeded its ipcome 1704. that not one copy of the Holy Scrip- 58. 3d. REGISTER OF EVENTS. The Parliament of the United Kingdom was prorogued on Wednesday the Twenty-fourth of June, when the Speech from the throne was delivered by his Majesty's Commissioners. The Speech contains little that is of importance, expressing principally a hope of the continuance of peace at home and abroad. Thus has this most important Session of Parliament closed, and we review its labours with the most painful feelings. The only measure of national importance which has attracted its attention has been the Catholic Relief Bill, of which we have already recorded our decided disapprobation. Most happy shall we be to discover that our views in this respect have been erroneous; that the measure is less pernicious than we anticipate, and that it conduces, as its advocates fondly dream, to the civil and religious prosperity of Ireland. At present the appearances of tranquility in that country are far from encouraging ; the Romish party have gained too great an advantage by agitation, speedily to return to peace and quietness, and the apprehension of exciting new tumults and rekindling the flame of discord, will most probably induce the supporters of the existing administration to prevent any of their friends froin contesting with Mr. O'Connell, the county, of Clare, so that it is expected he will be again returned, and now of course, can take his seat without any obnoxious oath. Excepting this one bill, Parliament has done little of importance. It has passed the usual annual public bills, and a number of private bills have also received the Royal Assent. But all the great and important national questions have been postponed. Petitions have been presented and speeches made on the commercial distress; on the slave question ; on the idolatrous services required from our soldiers in Popish Colonies and Dependencies; but these, with many other im. portant topics have been postponed 15 another session ; and will, we fear, be still further postponed so long as private cupidity or frigid indifference overpower the claims of the public welfare and the homage and reverence due to that God, whom as a Christian nation we profess to serve. In such a state of things it becomes us, we conceive, to speak plainly and to enter our feeble protest against those evils which we cannot remedy; in the humble hope that helpers may be raised up who will advocate the cause of the needy and the oppressed. We have said that the slave question has been again postponed, and if there is any truth in a statement which has been recently made, namely, that there are in the House of Commons sixty-seven proprietors of slaves, twenty holders of West India Bonds, and about two hundred individuals connected with slave proprietors by marriage or otherwise, it is obvious that any attempt substantially to ameliorate the condition of slaves, and much more any plan for their final emancipation, must be proposed in the face of a most formidable opposition. Fully, however, convinced as we are, that the slavery now existing in our West Indian possessions is most cruel, unjust, debasing, and demoralising; at once injurious to ihe slaves themselves, inconsistent with the real interests of their owners ; endangering the very possession of the Islands, and fatal to every extended effort of a moral and Christian nature, we call upon every reader to unite in efforts for enlightening the public mind on this awful subject, for petitioning the Throne and both Houses of Parliament, that some real steps may at length be taken towards emancipation, and above all, to lift up their prayers to Almighty God that he may remove from these lands the guilt of innocent blood, and may so dispose the hearts of our Sovereign and his Counsellors, that they may break every yoke and let the oppressed go free. “Another evil which has been brought before the House of Commons this session, and which that House has refused to terminate, is the obliging Protestant soldiers to atiend the processions and other ceremonies of Romanists in foreign countries. English Protestant soldiers are required to attend at the festivals of Romish saints; to fire salutes in their honour, and in various ways to countenance, support, and advance a superstitious and idolatrous worship. From thus violating their consciences Roman Catholic soldiers are exempted. They are not required to attend Protestant places of worship. Surely then, in all fairness, Protestant soldiers ought to be allowed the same liberty; but such is the ignorance which prevails on this subject, that a distinguished officer inquired, What would be thought of a Catholic soldier refusing to fire a salute on the fifth of November from conscientious scruples ;' implying that the refusal of a Christian man 10 participate in honouring a pretended saint, was worthy of no more consideration than the refusing to share in a public rejoicing for a great and surprising national deliverance from one of the most detestable treasons ever plotted. Perhaps, however, this hint was only thrown out to feel how far the British public might be disposed to concede to the Popish insinuation that the whole Gunpowder Plot was no more than a malignant Protestant invention to stigmatize the poor innocent Roman Catholics. We have already adverted at some length to the cases of those sufferers for conscience sakė, Captain Atchison and Lieutenant Dawson, (see Christian Guardian for 1826, p. 111.) and we only now mention their names in order to recommend to the attention of our readers a Petition to the King, submitted to his Grace the Duke of Wellington, Jan. 14, 1829, by Thomas Atchison, Esg. which may be had at Hatchards' for sixpence, and deserves a careful perusal. Some reference has also been made this session to the fees of the Ecclesiastical Courts, but no measures, as far as we know, have been adopted to render those courts more efficient. Meanwhile a melancholy proof of the necessity of some alteration has recently been given in the case of a Dr. Free, rector of Sutton in the Diocese of Lincoln. This clergyman was accused on October 14, 1824, of gross impropriety and immorality of conduct. On June 15, sentence was pronounced ; the articles of charge were declared fully proved, and it was directed that Dr. Free should be deprived of the Rectory of Sutton, and condemned in costs. Now, in what a melancholy state must that parish have been for five years; and what necessity upon earth can exist for such a tedious, expensive, and inefficient system being perpetuated : the cause indeed is not yet ended; Dr. Free has declared his intention of appeal against the decision, and how much longer the case may last we cannot conjecture. We abominate that arbitrary and tyrannical system by which the prospects and the character of any individual may be ruined by a hasty and er parte decision, but surely it is a scandal and an offence that five years should elapse in determining the simple question whether a clergyman to whom three illegitimate children had been sworn, and who was stated to have been guilty of indecent and scandalous conduct, was, or was not, an immoral man -fit, or unfit, to be the incumbent--the officiating minister of a parish. We are happy to find this subject has been brought before the House of Lords by the Earl of Hardwicke, and hope from the Duke of Wellington's answer, that some effectual remedy may be provided. Considerable attention has been excited by the election of a Member of Parliament for the University of Cambridge. The defeat sustained at Oxford in the case of Mr. Peel, rendered the administration exceedingly cautious and reluctant to incur a similar defeat at Cambridge. Sir N. Tindal was therefore passed over on one occasion until the immediate danger might be supposed to have ceased, and he has only recently been advanced to the bench. On the vacancy thus occasioned, two candidates were proposed, Mr. Bankes and Mr. Cavendish. The leading members of administration were decidedly in favour of the former, the majority, however, were in favour of the latter, the numbers being 609 to 462; when of course Mr. Cavendish was declared duly elected. The real cause of this result is, without doubt, principally owing to the suspicion aud aversion with which every man connected with administration is regarded by the clerical members of either University. Notices and acknowledgments. The request of Mokpos shall, if practicable, be attended to; though we see no reason why he should shrink from a confidential communication. Several of PuILOPATRIA's observations have been anticipated from some we dissent, and others enter too far into politics for the majority of our Readers. Possibly however some use may be made of parts of his communication. We shall notice as early as possible Mr. Simeon's valuable Appendir to his Hore Homileticæ in Six vols. 8vo.“ If our correspondent will refer to the Christian Guardian for March last, he will see that Domestic Instruction, by Mrs. Mathias, is mentioned in our list of new Publications. We are happy to hear that Mrs, M. is preparing two additional volumes for more advanced pupils, which judging from the present specimen, must be at once interesting and instructive. CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN, AND AND Church of England Magazine. AUGUST 1829. MEMOIRS OF ENGLISH DIVINES, R. ABBOT. ROBERT, the elder brother of Arch- of Dr. Abbot's Treatise on Antibishop Abbot, * was born at Guild- christ, ordered his own commentary ford in 1560, and sent to Baliol on part of the Apocalypse to be College, Oxford, in his seventeenth printed with it, which was an unyear, where he was chosen scholar, precedented distinction. He pubhaving made an eloquent oration lished about the same time another on the anniversary of Queen Eliza- work which gained him great repubeth's inauguration. In 1582 he tation, entitled, “A defence of the graduated as Master of Arts, and Reformed Catholic of Mr. W. being invited to preach at Worcester, Perkins, against the Bastard Counwas made Lecturer in that city, and ter Catholic of Dr. William Bishop, Rector of All-Saints. Nor was this Seminary Priest.' Dr. Featly, his the only preferment which he owed biographer, observes of this piece to those talents, with which God of polemical theology, 'that he had endowed him as a public gave to William Bishop as great an speaker; for not long after, having overthrow, as Jewel to Harding, preached at St. Paul's cross, a Bilson to Allen, or Reynolds to gentleman named Stanhope, who Hart.'* He appended to this was one of his hearers, presented work a particular treatise, called him to the valuable benefice of The true ancient Roman Catholic,' Bingham in Nottinghamshire. which he dedicated to that interest In 1594, he became distinguished ing young personage Prince Henry; also as a controversialist, publishing to whom it was so acceptable, that • The Mirror of popish subtleties : he thanked him by an autograph discovering the shifts which a letter, and promised his assistance, cavilling papist, in behalf of Paul on the next vacancy, to advance Spence, a priest, hath gathered out him in the church. of Saunders, and Bellarmine, &c. In 1609, he was unanimously concerning the Sacraments, &c.' chosen to the mastership of his which he dedicated to Archbishop college. Here he was careful and Whitgift. Three years after he skilful, to set in this nursery the proceeded Doctor in divinity, and best plants ; and then took such at the accession of King James was care to water and prune them, that made one of the royal chaplains. in no plat or knot throughout the The King much esteemed him university of Oxford, there appeared both as a preacher and writer; and more beautiful flowers, or grew on occasion of the second edition sweeter fruit, than in Baliol Col * There was also another brother sometime Lord Mayor of London. * Abel redivivus, p. 539. AUGUST 1829. 20 lege, while he was Master. His when they came bither to seduce diligent reading to his scholars, and young students; who, afraid to be his continual presence at public expelled, if they should openly proexercises, both countenanced the fess their conversion, were directed readers, and encouraged the hearers. to speak freely against the Puritans, These regulations and improve- as what would suffice. So these ments he further wrought, by esta- do not expect to be accounted blishing piety, which had been 'papists, because they speak only much neglected; restoring peace, against Puritans; but because they which had been long wanted ; and are indeed papists, they speak making temperance more familiar nothing against them : or, if they among them, wbich had been too do, they beat about the bush, and great a stranger in that society.' that softly too, for fear of disquiet. This distinction was succeeded by ing the birds that are in it. I nomination to a fellowship in his was fain (he added) to sit patiently Majesty's College at Chelsea, then at the rehearsal of this sermon, newly founded; and a prebendal though abused almost an hour stall in the church of Southwell. together, being pointed at as I sat; The King was so much gratified nor would I have taken notice of with a sermon which he preached, it, but that the wbole university during his month of waiting at applied it to me; and my friends court in 1612, that he named him told me, I should sink in my credit, successor to Dr. Thomas Holland, if I answered not Dr. Abbot in his regius professor of divinity at own. Nevertheless, I would be Oxford; but he modestly refused patient, and desire of your lordship that chair, till his brother procured to vouchsafe me some direction.' a mandate from the king for him to It should seem that the bishop hold it. recommended forbearance, as it His lectures proved him wèll read does not appear that Laud took in the fathers, councils, and school- further notice of the offensive dismen. He countenanced the sub- course. lapsarian scheme, in opposition to He now gave great satisfaction his two predecessors, Holland and to his Sovereign by some excellent Humfrey, who took higher ground lectures delivered at Oxford on the on the mysterious subjects of elec- Regal Supremacy, which contained tion and predestination. He used able answers to the pontifical advofrequently to betray a salutary sus cates, Bellarmine and Saurez. The picion of those, who were strenuous See of Salisbury becoming vacant, for the maintenance of unmeaning his Majesty recommended bim to and superstitious forms, as secretly the Dean and Chapter for election inclining to popery, and one day to that bishoprick. He was congave great vexation to Dr. Laud secrated by his brother the primate, by his observations, who wrote to in his chapel at Lambeth, on the his patron the Bishop of Lincoln third of December 1614. A party, an account of a passage in his who would have slandered the cha. sermon, asking whether he ought racter of his brother, were equally not to make a direct reply to it. opposed to his elevation to the The complainant represented Abbot episcopal bench. King James witas saying, “There were men, who tingly alluded to this, when the under pretence of truth, and preach new prelate appeared at court to do ing against the Puritans, struck at homage. “Abbot,' said the monarch, the heart and root of that faith I have had very much to do to and religion now established among make thee a bishop; but I know do us; which was the very practice reason for it, unless it were because of Parsons’and Campian's counsel, thou hast written against one.' His |