and by a minister of great moderation, of great discretion and pru. dence. A question arose in the House of Lords upon a comparison of two measures, one of which was proposed by Lord Grey in 1807, and the other was carried into effect in 1817. The bill was to exempt the Catholics in the army and navy from those oaths which they had declined and refused to take. Lord Grey, in the course of the discussion, said, that the present Ministers had now done that very thing for which he and his friends had been obliged to quit power. Lord Liverpool (whom I very much respect) said, that there was a very great difference between the two measures, and justified his own by stating, that the act of 1807 was a permanent act, while that of 1817 was only an annual act, and left the Catholics, as well as Protestant Dissenters, entirely dependant upon the indulgence of the legislature. This consideration is of the greatest im. portance to you. You see the principle upon which you are regarded. You are all Dissenters from the Established Church, and whatever power or privilege you enjoy, you owe to the indulgence or modera tion of the government, by whom it is only granted from year to year. It is a yearly lease, determinable at the end of the year, at the will of his Majesty's Ministers; and this comes from the deliberate opinion of a most important person in the King's Council, and a person of considerable weight: it was uttered in a place too, and with a deliberation which adds to its weight.

"Permit me to say that I have been refreshed this day by the praises which I have heard bestowed up on liberty, and especially by the inimitable speech of your Secretary, which I could devote the day to eulogize. Without any of the cold deliberation of a formal assembly, I have heard it justly stated, and as elegantly as justly, that liberty is essential to greatness and goodness We seek it not alone for

in man.

ourselves, but for our children. For what was the blood of Hampden, and Sidney, and Russel, shed, but for the cause of liberty? For what was the great King William called great, but for his exertions in the same cause? And for what did William and Somers live, but to establish liberty?

"What we desire is what these great men thought worthy the sacrifice of their lives. And what is liberty, but equal justice among men ? And what is more heavenly and godlike than the exertions which are made for the establishment of justice upon earth? It is to secure man against wrong that a form of government is established; but can this be obtained without the possession of civil and religious liberty?

"I must say that I have attended to the important statement which has been made, with instruction as well as with surprise. I was ignorant, till this day, that scenes of vexation, such as have been described, could have occurred in this civilized country; and the knowledge of their existence will certainly induce me to watch with more vigilance every measure connected with this subject, that may be brought before the legislature. I shall be most happy to state every grievance that may be presented to my notice, and to assist in obtaining for the Dissenters all those rights to which they are entitled. I consider that I should be disgraced in the eyes of this respectable assembly if I did not act publicly upon the principles which I now publicly profess. I therefore solemnly pledge myself, on every occasion, to endeavour to carry into effect the instructions which I have received, and to promote your honourable and enlightened views.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am now, in my turn, about to require a favour. I am going to beg a reward for the small exertions which I have made. You have been pleased to express your approbation of

thy humble efforts to amend the crininal laws of our country. You are all of you persons of some influence in society, and especially among those whom you love, and who, no doubt, feel for you a reciprocal af. fection. Let me ask then, that you will employ that influence in forwarding petitions and addresses to promote the object which I have stated. We are surrounded by the ministers of the gospel, whose duty, as well as inclination, it is to inculcate the doctrines of humanity. Upon the exertions of these men I may rely, and those who think that, in principle, we ought not to forbear the severe infliction of punishment upon moral guilt, will be pleased to call in mind an observation which was made by a friend of mine, a common-council man, (Mr Taylor,) who, when a certain member of that body, got up and quoted the law of Moses as a justification of the laws

of England as they stood, most aptly replied, by quoting the words of our Saviour, Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but that whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also.' It was the most ingenious retort I ever heard in public debate; and will no doubt remind the ministers of religion of the spirit of the gospel which they preach. I have now only to renew my thanks for the honour you have conferred, and to re-assure you of my anxious desire to promote the attainment of those objects which have been so ably and so conclusively stated by the gentlemen who have addressed you."

Sir James then dissolved the meeting, which had been continued nearly five hours, amidst the strong, est expressions of approbation.

On the 13th of May, the Reli. gious Tract Society held its Twentieth Anniversary, at the City of London Tavern. The chair was taken by Joseph Reyner, Esq.; and the meeting was numerously attended: though held at the early hour of six, one thousand and ninetythree friends of this important and interesting Institution sat down to breakfast, previously to the commencement of business. Many highly affecting and pleasing instances of usefulness were related, in which the distribution of Tracts had, thro' the influence of the Divine Spirit, awakened the most profligate cha. racters, and afforded consolation under the most trying circumstan

ces.

manufactories, cottages, &c. &c. 351,000 children's books, and upwards of one million of the hawkers' series. The loss on those supplied to hawkers, added to the amount of grants for various purposes, both foreign and domestic, in the whole, exceeds nine hundred pounds. In addition to this, we much regret to state, that the Society is under engagements, to the amount of eight hundred pounds, beyond the sum in the hands of the Treasurer. This simple statement, together with the increasing demands on the Society, will, it is hoped, powerfully appeal to the feelings and principles of individuals and auxiliary societies, and obtain from them renewed and more active assistance.

VOL. VI.

LI

mencement of its operations, during which period considerably more than thirty millions of Tracts have issued from its depositories, independently of pecuniary grants for foreign countries.

The labours of the Society have much increased: the field for its operations now extends to almost every part of the habitable globe. Its silent preachers have penetrated into the hitherto inaccessible regions

of the Chinese, and are to be found on the arid plains of Southern America and Africa, declaring the truths of the gospel, and carrying the glad tidings of salvation where, as yet, the feet of missionaries cannot tread, acting, both at home and abroad, as the pioneers for the labours of other societies, and declaring to foreign "the nations, in their own tongues, wonderful works of God."

ON Monday evening, May the 10th, the first Anniversary of this Society was held at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street; Sir John Jackson, Bart. M. P. in the chair.

We are happy to learn, from the Report which was read, that the noble example set by the Honourable East India Company, of which the worthy Chairman is a Director, has been followed by the Bank of England, the Parliamentary Commissioners, the Police Magistrates, and many individuals of rank; that the chapel has been regularly favoured with the gratuitous services of respectable ministers and students; that several hundreds of seamen have frequently attended public worship; that the instances of feeling under the word are numerous and indubi.

table; that prayer meetings among the sailors are no uncommon thing; that a school has been established on board; that some thousands of tracts have been distributed to eager recipients; that much good is most evidently doing; and that masters and mates of ships own there is a visible improvement in the morals and habits of this interesting class of men.

The various resolutions were mo ved and seconded by the Rev. Mess. G. Townsend, J. A. Coombs, Morison, Moore, Vowles, Thomas, Edwards, Hyatt, F. A. Cox, Evans, Lacey, Crisp, Harper, and James.R. H. Marten, Esq. was re-elected Treasurer; Rev. N. E. Sloper, with Messrs Cooke and Thompson, Secretaries; and the crowded assembly departed at a late hour, with feelings of the highest gratification.

An Apology, containing a Reply to Objections against the Constitution and Funds, &c. of the London Missionary Society; and against the Elgin Auxiliary Missionary Society, for aiding them. By PHILOLOGOS, a Friend to Foreign Missions. Elgin pp. 3

. 32.

"AN apology for the London Missionary Society!" we ex

claimed, on perusing the title of this pamphlet; an apology for the luminary of day in his circumvolutions round the terraqueous globe, to shed light, and heat, life and vegetation on all !—an apolo

gy for the moral light that makes wise unto salvation, through faith that is in Christ Jesus, and lighteneth every man that cometh into the world!

Not that we blame the author for using the word on his titlepage it having been used in the same sense by Athenagoras, Justin Martyr and Tertullian, who wrote Apologies for Christianity; and the late Bishop of Llandaff, who wrote an Apology for the Bible. But we could not but wonder why such an Institution should require an apology. Yet, when we remember that there are, in every age, owls and bats; that some, even among the followers of Christ, forbade the casting out of devils by those who followed not with them; when we recollected the words of our Divine Master," it is impossible but that offences will come," although a woe be pronounced against that man by whom they come ;-our wonder was changed into pity.

To be an accuser of the brethren, to bring railing accusations against a society, whose aim is to spread the blessings of the Gospel of the grace of God, we should suppose a distinction that few in the present day would be desirous of acquiring. Yet, true it is, and of verity, that there has arisen in the Burgh of Elgin, an objector, who has publicly, and from house to house, made it his study to rail at the London Missionary Society.

indeed be collected from the perusal of it, whether the Objector was a clergyman or a layman, a member of the Established Church or a Dissenter. We, however, whose office of reviewers gives us an opportunity of knowing many things, think it proper to apprize the public, that the Objector is pastor of a Dissenting congregation in the Burgh of Elgin: and this we do not with a view to point the finger of scorn at him; but that it may be known' there is one objector, and only one, and that none of his brethren in the same connection approve of his conduct. At a time when unity of sentiment, and an alliance with their brethren, are aimed at; why an individual should thus choose to distinguish himself as an advocate for bigotry and intolerance, we are not informed. Perhaps the gentleman has found this the only way to bring himself into notice: and being desirous of distinction, wished to obtain it at any price: we envy not his disposition; we pity that man,— we pity that minister, who, while he pretends to be a lover of the gospel, can be found publicly opposing the London Missionary Society, at the time of its twentyfifth anniversary.

But we hasten to give some account of the Pamphlet before

us.

The Apology commences with an allusion to the Missionary and Bible Societies, and to the formation of an Auxiliary Society in Elgin in 1814, which was intended to aid the London, Edinburgh, Moravian and Baptist Societies, although the greater part of its funds was transmitted to the London Society, p. 7.

The objections do not arise from any partiality on the part of the Elgin Society, but from its impartiality. The Apology is not made because the Objector has proposed another Society, but because insinuations have been made, and objections brought forward, against the plan, and principles, and conduct of the London Missionary Society, p. 7.

The author would approve of Societies auxiliary to the Edinburgh, Baptist, Church of England, or Moravian Missions, or to any Society whose aim is to spread abroad the glorious gospel; but he has no confidence in their exertions to promote missions, who begin by attempting to undermine those Societies already in existence and effective operation:-neither, we confess, have we. And, although Paul rejoiced when Christ was preached out of envy or strife, yet we nowhere read that he would have rejoiced at any attempt to put a stop to that preaching, under the pretence, that at some future time it should be commenced in another form.

The principal crime alleged against the Elgin Society is, that they transmit to the London So ciety a part of their funds, p. 8. ; and it is asserted, that the Edinburgh Society has preferable claims, p. 26.

We had lately risen from the perusal of an account of the success of a deputation of the Edinburgh Missionary Society in a visit to London-of the large collections they had made and the grant of £400 from the London Society. We had felt our hearts warmed by the perusal of the speech of the Rev. Henry Grey of Edinburgh, (whom we have of ten heard with pleasure pleading the cause of missions), and we really could hardly repress our indignation at this petty incendiary, whose aim seems to be the excitation of a spark of jealousy between two Institutions, which go hand in hand, walking by the same rule, minding the same things. Had we the formation of a Society, we certainly would take the Elgin one for our model: we would consider the London Missionary Society as having a claim on us "for a part of our funds:" and we suspect the adversary's design, not to be the promotion of the interests of any Society; but to arise from a lurking enmity to missions of every descrip

tion.

The claims of the London Missionary Society are stated with a high degree of propriety in the following paragraph:

"It is a certain fact that the Lon

don Missionary Society has been pre-eminently honoured in awakening the dormant energies of the Christian church, and directing their attention to the condition of the heathen world, upon an extensive scale, above any other Institution of the same nature now in existence. "Their zeal has provoked many. The evangelical clergy, both in the church of England and Scotland, have felt the impulse, and come