tion: they resolved in consequence of labours, there is the most satisfactory the receipts of the first three quarters evidence: and, if the proficiency of of the year being deficient to the amount Children under education—if the acquiof £6000, while the receipts of the whole sition, by ignorant Heathens, of a knowyear exhibited an excess £10,000. and ledge of the letter of God's word-is an though their expenditure is rapidly increasing respect to the Messengers of increasing, there is no ground for the Salvation, and an increasing attention to idea, that still larger revenues may not the truths which they deliver—if a grabe anticipated. The supporters of the dual improvement in the Heathen ChaLondon, Baptist, and Methodist Mis- racter, 'in places where the genial sionary Societies have stepped forwards, influence of Christianity is felt, though liberally to meet their existing necessi- its doctrines be not yet received-may ties; and why should the friends of the be deemed sufficient evidence of success, Church Missionary Society fear that not only the rising Converts of Southera their friends would be found wanting India, but the softened Inhabitants of in the day of trial. If two or three New Zealand, supply unequivocal thousand pounds could be raised at one proof. meeting by our dissenting brethren, is In that higher success, to which, in it too much to anticipate a similar result subordination to the will and glory of among ourselves. On this subject how- Jehovah, the Society aspires; the callever we cannot now enlarge, possibly ing out of the world the scattered sheep we may have occasion to resume it of Christ, and conducting them into His before long.

fold; there are many occasions of graAdopting the language of the Report, titude to the Exalted Head of the we observe, That the Society has, by the Church, who has condescended to use blessing of God, met with abundant our unworthy efforts for the advanceencouragement in the prosecution of its ment of His own glory.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT. The following passage, from the Referring to the agency of Mr. Claus address of M. le Pasteur Réville, affords of Frankfort, the Report states : a powerful argument for the establish "The spirit in which he set out may be ment of Associations among the humbler seen in the following extract. After classes of society :

alluding to some discouraging circum“When a rich man offers a copy of stances, he says : “ But my hope is the sacred scriptures to a poor workman, placed on Him who can turn the hearts it is seldom that the latter is sensible of men as the rivers of water, and I feel of the value of such a present; in vain as if he were speaking,—be of good the rich man tells him, “The book which cheer; fear not; go on and prosper." I give you has afforded me the greatest Never was a visit more timely, and its consolation:' In general, the poor man results have proved most gratifying. imagines that those who enjoy more Speaking of circumstances that he bad of the comforts of this world have no witnessed, he observes: “It is generally need of consolation ; that their whole allowed things cannot remain in their life is spent, as it were, on a bed of roses. present state, and that the Bible must But let a poor individual like himself, be again introduced into use. But how who has no claim to this world's goods is that possible in the present excessive -a poor mechanic, who gains his bread indigence of the inhabitants of a country, by the sweat of his brow, present him who are scarcely able to provide for the with a Bible, and pressing it to his common necessaries of life, and have bosom, exclaim, Here is the book nothing but the most dismal prospects which indemnifies me for every priva to look to ? To these people I appeared tion—this it is that reconciles me to my during my journey as a messenger of hard lot—here is my treasure, with peace; and many eyes beaming with which I am richer than the wealthiest hope are directed towards England and mortal :' The unhappy man who hears the Bible Society. The desire to possess this address becomes moved, affected, the word of God increases, as I had and is won for the cause of the gospel; often opportunities of witnessing on the for it is often by the weak things of this high roads; and all the clergy to whom world that God promotes the religion I made this remark, not only confirmed of his Son."

it, but several of them assured me that

in their congregations no copy of the would not have commanded it. Proceed Bible had been purchased for thirty or with the narrative, and mark what Peter forty years, and that they dared not said. She proceeded; and when she make it publicly known that Bibles and had read these words, “To Him gave Testaments were to be had at reduced all the prophets witness, that through prices, or by the poor gratis, because they his name whosoever believeth in him feared they should be stormed, and that shall receive remission of sins,' the poor it would be impossible to satisfy all at young creature was overwhelmed; she once."

burst into a flood of tears, and exclaimed, The following is extracted from the Now I see it now I see it! It is by letter of a Russian correspondent: believing in the Lord Jesus Christ that

“When the young person first came we receive the forgiveness of sins.' And to us, she seemed to take great delight from that day to the present, her delight in reading, and we were gratified to see in the word of God, her diligence in how diligently she improved every spare business, and her love to the souls of her moment for this purpose ; but the first relatives, makes her very highly esteemed time she discovered any emotion respecto by us. She may, in fact, be said to ing it, was one evening when reading adorn the doctrine of her God and Sathe history of Cornelius. She came to viour in all things. Now, my dear sir, my wife with an anxious inquiring look, are not these things encouraging? The and said, . Please to explain this to me: scriptures which a kind Providence Cornelius fasted, prayed to God alway, and benevolent friends have enabled me and gave much alms to the people, yet to circulate are doing, and will do, he was commanded to send for Peter. much good. And, looking at the work How is this? What could he do more? on a large scale, what may we not hope Is any thing more required of us than to from the millions which your Society has pray, give alms, and keep the fast ?' prepared and sent abroad into almost Mrs. answered, "If something all the world? Bless the Lord, O my more had not been necessary, the angel soul! Bless thine own word, O God I"

CHURCH OF ENGLAND TRACT SOCIETY. Tue following extract from the Seven- most beneficial ends, in proportion to teenth Report of this valuable Institu the use wbich is made of it. If then, tion, will on many accounts be interest by rendering the knowledge of letters ing to our readers, we only regret that more general, a thirst for information the funds placed at the disposal of the be excited, it must necessarily follow as Society are so small.

a duty imperative upon all those who Much has been said as to the have the best interests of their country moral effects which the present en at heart, to provide such means of gralarged system of national education tifying it, as may have a tendency to has produced ; but your Committee raise the standard of moral feeling, and would not venture to express any fur- to elevate and purify the mind, instead ther opinion upon the subject than this of polluting and degrading it. That the

that wherever the basis of instruction press has been too often converted into is laid upon the foundation of the Bible, a vehicle for disseminating the princiand the principles of Christianity are ples of infidelity and licentiousness, inculcated, not as a mere system of sci must be admitted even by those who ence, but in all their powerful and prac admire it as the champion of our liberty, tical application to the hearts and con and the instrument of such vast and sciences of the young, there the blessing important benefits when rightly employof God may be confidently anticipated; ed. The enemies of truth are well and there an amelioration in the moral aware of the influence which they derive condition of those so instructed may be from this source, and have not failed to reckoned upon, by the warrant of God's take advantage of it. The country has word. There is one consideration been overrun by publications of the however, which must forcibly occur to most infamous character: agents are every reflecting mind, when surveying continually employed to disperse them the extraordinary diffusion of knowledge even in the most unfrequented parts, as witpessed in the present day, that “as well as in our cities and villages ; and knowledge is power” the exercise of it there is every reason to believe that the must necessarily be rendered subservient most deplorable results have been either to the most dangerous, or to the caused by the infection thus created. There appears only one way by which that by the very claim of infallibility an evil of such magnitude can be met which the Romish church impiously and counteracted, namely, by multiply- arrogates to itself, such error never can ing publications of an opposite tendency be corrected; they have dared to avow -by inserting, as it were, into the mass that modes of faith are matters of trifling of the community, those great truths importance, and that the piously right of revealed religion, which, like leaven, and piously wrong may, at last, hope to will gradually and imperceptibly per- enjoy an equal share of God's favour vade the different portions of it into and acceptance. In perfect contradicwhich they are communicated, until the tion to the argument upon which they will of God is fully accomplished, and ground the right of the Romish church His Kingdom is established in righ- to decree matters of faith, and to assume teousness throughout the world.

an universal authority, as the only true • In surveying also the moral and reli church : they would lead us to believe gious aspect of this country at the pre- that it is in many respects materially sent moment, one of the characteristic changed from what it was during the signs of the present day, is the prodi- dark ages; that its most idolatrous ceregious efforts which have ben made, and monies are become inerely the guides are still making by the friends of popery, of devotion; that its spirit which has to propagate their pernicious tenets. been falsely represented as intolerant A spirit of faise liberality' on matters and persecuting, and which might once of religion, disguised under the title perhaps have been exasperated by the of charity, which has of late been rapidly bitterness of its opponents, is now gaining ground in this country, seems, become what its designation expresses, in no inconsiderable degree, to have catholic in the utmost latitude of that favoured the attempt. Religion has been word ; that it has accommodated itself represented as a matter of speculation to the improved state of civilization, in between the Creator and his creatures, this and other nations; and that thereupon which every man is to decide fore all barriers against its innovations, according to the dictates of his con- and all apprehensions of its increasing science; and with which therefore, any power, are unnecessary and groundless. human interference is unwarrantable. Such efforts as these cannot be viewed The inference which would naturally with indifference by those who are follow from ́such principles is, that all cordially attached to the Reformed religious creeds are alike acceptable to Protestant Religion, as established in God, if only a man be sincere in what the CauRCH OF ENGLAND. It is most he professes. It is no difficult matter important, that such misrepresentation to show that this species of charity, should be refuted in a popular manner; falsely so called, has its source in the that the system of idolatry, superstition, infidelity of the human heart: and finds and error, of the very grossest kind, but too ready an acceptance with those which is now defended and upheld in who are anxious to free themselves the Romish church, should be exposed from the restraints of moral obligations, in a way calculated to inform the minds and to shelter themselves under the of the poor, whose ignorance on such guise of liberality, in a total indiffer- subjects exposes them to be more readily ence as to any religion whatever. The led astray, by the sophistry and misteadvocates of popery have not been presentation of popish emissaries. They negligent in availing themselves of the hope therefore to increase the number of advantage which this tone of feeling, Tracts, which may form, in some degree supported by arguments in direct oppo a corrective to the pernicious opinions sition to the plainest assertions of Scrip- which have been so sedulously propature has afforded them. Conscious gated, and may prove a valuable indeed, as they must be, that error is auxiliary to those who are now labourmixed up with the system they are ing to extend the knowledge of the labouring to extend ; and aware also, Protestant Faith in Ireland.

:: Notices and Acknowledgments. The concluding portion of Alpha's Narrative is requested with as little delay as possible, · Received --F.T.V.-N.-Amicus HIBERNICUS.-CANTAB.-J. D.-T. S. B.

We are much obliged to Senex for his communication. The article referred to was forwarded from what appeared to us, competent authority.

MEDE. The eminently pious and learned disputations and other exercises, he Joseph Mede, was born in October had the double task of finding 1586, at Baden near Bishop's arguments and conveying them in Stortford, Essex, of parents related such language as was most easy to the family of Sir John Mede of utterance. By care and obserof Lofts Hall in the same county. vation, he attained 50 great a At ten years of age he lost his mastery over this infirmity, as to be father, who died of the small pox, able to deliver a whole sermon of which distemper he was himself without any considerable hesitation, also dangerously ill. His mother and to become an edifying and afterwards married Mr. Gower, of encouraging example to all who Nasing, by whom he was sent to laboured under a like impediment. school, first to Hodsden, and next Of a metaphysical turn of mind, to Wethersfield. Happening to go he was much troubled with an evil to London, he saw a Hebrew heart of unbelief. Meeting in the Grammar by Bellarmine, and grati. apartment of another student with fied his youthful ardour for philology a production of one of the ancient by its purchase. His master, who Pyrrhonists, he imbibed much of was ignorant of that language, told the scepticism which marked that him the work was by no means philosophical school, harassing his suitable for him : but he was not to mind with curious speculations, and be discouraged from its study, which even doubting whether the visible he followed with such diligence, as universe were any thing more than to become a proficient in the a mere phantasm ! His youthful Hebrew before he left school. He spirit was not for a while proof was entered of Christ's College, against the subtle insinuations of Cambridge, in 1602, where he was these dangerous sophists; but he admitted pupil to Daniel Rogers, was at length mercifully delivered one of the fellows. On the depar- from this uncomfortable state ture of this gentleman after three of feeling and sentiment; wbile the years; he was transferred to the same intellectual acuteness which tuition of Mr. William Addison. had been diverted into a wrong

He soon drew on himself the channel, gave promise under divine attention of the University; which direction, of important and benefiwas the more remarkable, as he cial results. Meanwhile, he was had such hesitation in his speech, not content with a smattering in and experienced such difficulty in philosophy, but with admirable the pronunciation of certain words perseverance explored the depths in connexion, that in his public of science ; so that when he took OCT. 1829.

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his Master's degree in 1610, he itself when he was yet but a youth; had made so happy a progress for he refused the invitation of his through all kind of academical uncle Richard, a merchant, who studies,' says his biographer Wor- being at that time without children, thington, ' that it was manifest proposed to adopt him, if he would to all, that that title was not (as enter under his roof; finding the with too many it is) any false chance of commercial benefit less inscription. He was justly so attractive than the positive delights styled, and was universally esteemed of study. as one who did well understand all The fellowship to which he was those Arts, which make up the chosen was in Christ's College, accomplishment of a scholar. He and founded by King Edward, and was an acute logician, an accurate had been previously enjoyed by philosopher, a skilful mathemati Hugh Broughton and Dillingham, cian, an excellent anatomist, (being both of whom were famous for usually sent for when they had any Hebrew learning. It was a superanatomy in Cajus College) a great numerary to the institution of the philologer, a master of many lan foundress, the lady Margaret, who guages, and a good proficient in had originally appointed a master the studies of history and chro. and twelve fellows, in allusion to dology.'

Christ and his apostles. This reHis first appearance in public semblance was broken by the was on occasion of presenting an addition of a thirteenth member, address to Bishop Andrews, in a which was unpalatable to a certain Latin Treatise on · Relative Holi- party, one of whom, who was ness,' which was very acceptable opposed to his election, had the to that prelate, a competent judge incivility to remark, 'We are twelve in all matters of learning and reli- on the foundation, and there (pointgion, and called forth the appro- ing to Mr. Mede) sits the odd bation of his friends, to whose wish fellow!' He bad received many in after-life that it might be prin slights in his academic intercourse, ted, he would not consent, being and Dr. Carey (afterwards Bishop conscious that it bore evidence both of Exeter) head of the college, was in matter and manner of early jealous of his advancement, saying, composition. That it was however that he looked too much towards no mean production, is sufficiently Geneva. This observation seems apparent from another of his tracts to have been little called for, if we on 1 Cor. xi, 22; “ Have ye not may judge from his recorded dishouses to eat and drink in; or courses and sayings, from which he despise ye the Church of God?” appears to have held similar views as also from his Latin Sermon to on the doctrines of grace with those the clergy, from Levit. xix. 30; of the established church, and to “ Ye shall reverence my sanc- have been by no means ready to tuary ;” in both which he had bring them forward in an obnoxious incorporated the substance of his manner. The circumstances which address. Mr. Mede, requiring the led to his election were as follow. royal favour to succeed in his elec- About this time, a gentleman in tion to a fellowship, not only found the north earnestly invited him to the good offices of the Bishop in reside at his house, on a handsome this particular, but also received salary, but he desired leisure to from his Lordship the office of his reflect on the proposal. Passing domestic chaplaincy; which he de through Stourbridge fair, he saw, clined from partiality to college in a stationer's shop, a mathemalife. The same preference for stu- tical work which he had long digus habits had already manifested wished to possess, bat the lowest