good, and some very clever tricks were performed. It was tolerably well received.

July 6. An Operetta, called Military Tactics. It appeared to be little more than a new translation of " Les

Projets de Marriage," which appeared at the Haymarket about four years ago, under the title of Match-Making. It was badly acted, and received with the utmost indifference.

BIBLE SOCIETY.

This society, during the last twenty years, has expended 1,165,000l., and has circulated, at home and abroad, more than four millions of Bibles and Testaments. During the past year 124 new societies and associations have been formed, and an increase obtained in the income of the society of above 1000l. In the same period the expenditure of the society amounted to about 89,500l., and the issue of Bibles and Testaments from its depositories. exceeded those of any former year by more than thirty thousand copies. Much has been effected under its auspices in Ireland, in the British colonies in America, the West Indies, Africa, and New South Wales,-in China, where the Bible, translated into the language of that country by Dr Morrison, has been printed, and in India. The Coptic churches in Egypt, the Christians in Abyssinia, the Greeks, the other Christians in the Turkish empire, and the Turks themselves, have each received, or were about to receive, the Scriptures printed in their native tongues. In South America,

and especially in Lina, there has been a great demand for Bibles; and a remittance of 2991. has been received, for the purchase of the Scriptures. In the Island of Otaheite the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles have been printed and circulated in the language of the country. In France, in the Netherlands, in Germany, Switzerland, Prussia, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and the United States of America, the example of England, in the formation of societies, and in the distribution of the Scriptures, has been followed with great zeal and success.

The London Missionary Society held its anniversary. The report chiefly adverted to Mr Smith, one of their missionaries at Demerara, whose death, and the circumstances attending it, are so well known. On the motion of the Hon. B. Noel, a resolution declaratory of Mr Smith's innocence, and the hardship of his case, was passed unanimously.-The Rev. Mr Irving, of the Caledonian Church, preached one of the anniversary sermons of the London Missionary Society, in Tottenham Court Chapel, on Thursday evening. Mr Irving preached for upwards of

three hours and a half, and was so exhausted, that he was obliged to crave the indulgence of the audience twice during his discourse, the congregation, during the intervals, singing a hymn. LONDON HIBERNIAN SCHOOLS.

There was a most numerous audience of ladies and gentlemen at the Freemason's Hall, to hear the Annual Report of this Society's proceedings. Lord Gambier was called to the chair, during the absence of Lord Lansdowne; but at a little before one the gallant admiral vacated his seat to him.

The report stated that the Day Schools were distributed through the provinces of Ireland in the following proportions:

Of these, 188 are in connexion with noblemen and gentlemen resident in the country, 274 under clergymen of the established church, 10 under dissenting ministers, 26 under Roman Catholic priests, and 574 without the benefit of local superintendance. Since the last year the agents of the society had been increased from twenty two to sixty, and the number of copies issued from the depository in the course of the year amounts to 2005 English Bibles, 12,297 English, and 2000 Irish Testaments, presenting an increase of 890 Bibles, and 2368 Testaments upon the distribution of last year; and a grand total of 108,902 copies since the commencement of the Institution. Lord Rocksavage moved, and Mr Stanley, M. P. seconded the resolution, that the report then read, be received, adopted, and printed, which was carried unanimously.

Lord Barham moved that the thanks
VOL. XVII. PART II.

of the meeting be presented to the Duke of Gloucester, which was seconded in a speech by the Hon. Mr Shore, who said that this society had been grossly misrepresented, when it had been stated that any of its agents had received directions from the committee to endeavour to change the religious opinions of the Irish peasantry.

At the conclusion of the hon. gentleman's speech, a gentleman who stated his name to be Macdonnell, requested permission to make some observations on the preceding speech, which he proceeded to do, when he was called to order. After a desultory conversation, in which many gentlemen present took part, it was decided by the noble chairman, that as Mr Macdonnell was not a subscriber to this institution, he could not be allowed to address it.

In the course of Mr Macdonnell's speech, to prove it was not necessary to use the Bible as a class-book, he instanced the parish-schools of Scotland, and among other authorities cited the statements on that subject by the editor of a morning paper; when the Rev. Edward Irving said, as a Scottish clergyman, he must affirm, that the Bible was used in Scotland in all the parish-schools.

The Rev. Mr Irving, in an animated speech, supported the institution. He had been in Ireland, and shared in the hospitality of its peasantry; he had partaken in the jokes and good humour of their fire-sides, but he could not help remarking the ignorance and unhappy manner in which their children were brought up. A superstition existed there which had not been surpassed in the middle ages, and he exhorted all denominations of Christians to support so excellent asociety as the present, which was to destroy this fatal want of education. Thanks were then voted to the chairman, and the meeting sepa. rated.

Y

May 1st, The Annual Meeting of the Scottish Missionary Society was held in the Assembly Rooms; the Right Hon. the Lord Provost in the chair. The Rev. Dr Buchanan having opened the meeting, the Rev.Dr Dickson, the secretary, read the report; after which the meeting was addressed in suitable and impressive speeches by the Rev. Dr Gordon, the Rev. Mr Young of Perth, the Rev. Mr Henderson, Stockbridge Chapel, Capt. Wauchope, R. N., Robert Hepburne, Esq. of Clerkington, the Rev. Mr Dickson, James Inglis, Esq. Rev. Mr Campbell, and Rev. Mr Young of Whitby; and closed by the Rev. Mr Brown. The meeting was more numerously attended than any former annual meeting of this society, and excited a lively interest among the audience in its behalf.

PRESBYTERY OF EDINBURGH.

On Wednesday, the Presbytery of Edinburgh held their monthly meeting. The minutes of last meeting were read. At their meeting on the 2d instant, the Rev. Mr Burn was ordained minister of the church in St Peter's Street, Montreal.

Dr Inglis said, he had a motion to submit to the Presbytery, which he conceived would take up little of their time, as he did not think there would he any difference of opinion on the subject; he therefore hoped Dr Thomson would allow him to bring it forward in preference to his motion.

Dr Thomson acquiesced.

Dr Inglis observed, the matter to which he alluded was of great public importance. It appeared that a bill was at present in the House of Commons for the relief of the poor in Scotland, the principal sections of which were most dangerous in every point of view; he allowed that there were some parts of it which he would not object to. [He begged the act might

be read, which was accordingly done by the clerk.] The reverend doctor said, that should the act pass into a law in its present state, it would have a powerful tendency to demoralize our country, and increase the number of paupers. He had learnt that the Court of Session have found that appeals to kirk-sessions cannot be sustained. The Court at the same time did not find what allowance should be given, but merely that the case was one at civil law. With regard to what the bill proposes as to paupers, he perceived a considerable degree of danger attending it, as it cut off the pauper from relief in almost every case of doubt as to his residence, and he would be thus put off from one parish to another, and the man before he could obtain relief, would have to raise an action. This clause would probably be rectified, but some of the other provisions of the bill were noxious, as they abrogated every act from William III., and annulled all cases of persons who for the first time received aid from any other source than from the minister and elders; it was therefore clear, that if the bill passed, no person could receive assistance from any other establishment raised by poor-rates. The funds that might be raised could not support the poor of the parish, and in large cities, if the poor were refused aid, they would be forced to go to the streets and beg, and who could hold up his face to prevent it? In those cases no one could distinguish those who really required and deserved assistance, from vagrants and sturdy beggars; but it would bring us back to the period previous to William and Mary, when the country was in danger from vagrants. Supposing the bill were to be modified so as to avoid some of the noxious clauses, still it would operate against the dissenters, and every congregation would become in a great degree liable to support their own poor. As a great pro

portion of those congregations were composed of poor people, it would entail upon them a very heavy assess ment. He thought there ought to be an immediate expression of the opinion of the country upon the subject; and he was clearly of opinion, that as the presbytery were indispensably bound to maintain the interests of the poor, it was therefore their duty to step forward on this occasion. The matter could not be delayed; he had therefore no other choice left than proposing that a petition should be transmitted without delay to the House of Commons, praying that time might be allowed for considering the provisions of the bill for the relief of the poor in Scotland.

Dr Davidson proposed that a committee should be appointed, for the purpose referred to by Dr Inglis, and report to the presbytery.

This was agreed to, and it was also resolved that the presbytery should meet on Friday to receive the report of the committee.

Dr Andrew Thomson then rose to bring forward his motion relative to clergymen of the Church of Scotland accepting and performing offices of a secular nature, incompatible with their duties as ministers. He said he should endeavour to be as brief as possible in his observations on the motion, with which he should conclude. It is well known, that when the church at Calcutta was established, it was placed by the General Assembly under the jurisdiction of this presbytery, but, since its establishment, they have never been consulted on anything regarding it by the East India Directors. It was notorious that there had been three clergymen in India-one at each of the presidencies avowedly in connexion with the Church of Scotland; to these other three had been added. Of all these transactions the presbytery know no more than what they heard from

public report; they never had received any official communication of the appointments. They themselves have also been faithless to their charge, for they have never taken any steps to inquire into the state of that church. He knew, that in the Presidency of Madras the ordinance of the Lord's supper had only been celebrated once in seven years. It was time they should resume their authority. It appeared, from statements which he would submit to the presbytery, that the minister at Calcutta was appointed and officiated as clerk to the Committee of Stationery. The appointment had excited much interest in India, and there could be no doubt as to the matter of fact, as his name appeared in all the newspapers in India. It must not be forgotten that this gentleman is a minister of the gospel; that he has been set apart for that purpose, and, in consequence, had no title to accept of any secular employment. He had spiritual duties to perform, and that, too, among a people whose besetting danger was worldly pursuits. Now, what must they think when an example is set by their minister accepting a secular employment? It must lower their estimation of the clerical character, and consequently tend to their neglecting their religious interests. The minister of Calcutta was sent there to maintain our national church; he was therefore bound to uphold its dignity. When a clergyman among us engages in any secular employment, the evil is not observed, from the number of ministers; but in India, where the clergymen are so few, its bad consequences are at once apparent. The persons sent out to India by the church of England were men of learning and piety, of the most exemplary behaviour, and were an honour to their profession. They had not laid a finger on any secular employment. He conceived that it was