dissenters. The writer can also add his own testimony in the following remarkable fact, that during an intercourse of eight years' continuance with the late Rev. Mr. Toller, an eminent and amiable dissenting minister at Kettering, with whom he was associated as secretary to the Northamptonshire Bible Society, so numerous were the subjects of discussion, in which they were found to agree, that there was neither opportunity nor inclination to introduce those in which they differed. Instances might also be enumerated to prove the tendency of this society to soften political differences, and national animosities. Mr. Baker and Mr. Plomer, two rival candidates for the representation of the county of Hertford, first met together without the feelings of asperity, on the platform of a Bible Society, and after the meeting, expressed their mutual satisfaction, embracing each other as friends. In a similar manner, the late Mr. Whitbread seconded a resolution, at the London Auxiliary Bible Society, which Lord Castlereagh had previously moved; stating, that in such a cause he forgot the opponent, and recognized nothing but the friend. Another interesting fact might also be stated.After the anniversary of the Paris Bible Society, in the year 1826, the writer met a warm and distinguished friend of the cause, Admiral Count Verhuel, who, two years before, had attended the great annual meeting in London, as the representative of the French Bible Society, and occupied a seat next to Admiral Lord Gambier. On asking him what were his feelings on that occasion, he replied, "I remember the time when Lord Gambier and myself could not have stood so near to each other, without each holding a sword in our hands. At that time we did not feel the want of our swords; we suffered them to remain in the scabbard; we had no sword, but the sword of the Spirit, and 'the sword of the Spirit is the word of God.'" "Would it not," I added, "be a matter of regret to you to be again engaged in war with Great Britain?" "I should always," he answered, "regret to be at war with a country that is so nobly engaged in sending the Gospel of peace throughout the world."

Anecdotes, like these, are the best refutation of objections such as we have already enumerated. A uniting principle cannot possibly be a bad principle; the spirit of love is the spirit of Christ and of true religion, while prejudice contracts the heart, and fills the mind with injurious surmises; it finds a vulnerable part in every limb of an Achilles, and a defect and blemish in every feature of a Venus.

The Church Missionary Society next merits attention. That we may duly appreciate the motives that led to the establishment

of this institution, it is necessary to state that, prior to its formation, the only society in the Church of England, exclusively devoted to missionary objects, was the society for the propagation of the Gospel in Foreign parts. Though this designation seemed to imply a character of universality in its labours, they were, in fact, restricted to the British Colonies in North America. In addition to this limited scene of exertion, the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge united with its other operations the charge and superintendence of the Danish mission at Tranquebar, and the field of labour formerly occupied with such distinguished success by the apostolic Swartz; and yet their labourers did not exceed four or five in number; while so inadequate were the funds for the support of this undertaking, that the missionaries were accustomed to contribute towards its expenses from their own salary, and sometimes even from their personal property. Such was the extent of missionary exertion in the Church of England about the beginning of the present century.

With the knowledge of these facts, it appeared to several pious and reflecting minds, that an effort ought to be made, more commensurate with the credit and dignity of the Established Church, the claims of the Heathen, and the ample facili ties possessed by this country for communicating the blessings of the Gospel. Without, therefore, presuming to impeach existing societies for neglecting a field of labour which they never undertook to cultivate, duty loudly demanded a vigorous effort to rouse the dormant energies of the public by a powerful appeal to facts and arguments, and to stimulate British Christians to dispense that Gospel which the providence and grace of God had entrusted to their hands. The appeal was made, nor was it made in vain; and the Church Missionary Society, forming its plans on the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, commenced its career, by selecting Africa and the East as the scene of its future operations.

It is due to this society to state, that, considering the difficulties it had to encounter, both at home and abroad, all its proceedings have been marked by singular judgment, uniform Christian conciliation, a well regulated and chastised zeal, and that which forms the real and effective weapon of all missionary enterprise-a spirit of humility, and faith in the power and promises of God. It is also no small praise, that this society was the first in the church of England that ever attempted to repair the wrongs of injured Africa, by conferring upon it the blessings of the Gospel, the first that wiped away the re

proach from our church, of having never sent labourers from among her own sons, to go forth in the cause of the Heathen. We may, however, now refer, with emotions of gratitude and praise, to her missionary seminary, to the living witnesses of reviving piety, and to those who have already finished their course with joy, after having borne the heat and burden of the day, leaving others to reap the harvest which they sowed in tears. Such were Martyn, and Johnson, and Brooks, and Palmer, and men like-minded; of whom we may exclaim, "these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”—Heb. xi. This Society is at present honoured with the sanction of nine of the prelates of our own church.

13.

1

The society for promoting Christianity among the Jews owes its origin to the conviction that, amidst the prevailing desire to extend the blessings of the Gospel to the world at large, the exclusion of the ancient people of God was an act unauthorized and unjust. The divine command is positive and express, "go and preach the Gospel to every creature ;" the Jew, therefore, must be supposed to be included in this command, and to have all the common claims of the Heathen, with the prior rights of the Jew. The order emphatically given, was "to begin at Jerusalem ;" and the Gospel is represented to be the power of God, "to the Jew first," and also to the Greek. The assertion that the Jews are not to be converted by human agency, but by some extraordinary display of Almighty power-that the time is not yet come--that they are in a state of judicial blindness, and too degraded to encourage any reasonable hope for their conversion, forms no ground for the neglect of a divine command. The Jew is an alien from God, and needs mercy; and it is this need, and the authority of a divine command, that constitutes his right to the offer--if he rejects it, the responsibility is his ownif the offer be withheld, the responsibility is ours; because it is not the secret purpose of God, but his declared will, that is the basis and rule of our conduct. The difficulties of the attempt may be alledged: but difficulties form no justification for disobeying a divine command. Besides, what are difficulties in What is moral darkness to him

the hand of Omnipotence!

that can turn darkness into the light of noon-day!

At the very moment that we are now writing, the extraordinary signs of the times, and the gradual waning of the Crescent on the shores of the false prophet, give a character of intense interest to the future destinies of the Jewish nation. If the

grand crisis, pointed at by prophecy, to which the servants of God look with anxious solicitude, should indeed be approaching, who does not see, in the events which will probably follow that crisis, the removal of an apparent barrier to the accomplishment of the purposes of God respecting his ancient people? It is true, the times and seasons the Father hath reserved in his own hands, nor is it for erring mortals presumptuously to intrude into the secrets of his counsel. But as the Almighty has connected the fulfilment of his purposes with the agency of certain causes, when this agency seems to be exerted, we may turn with joyful hope, and hail the hour of Israel's salvation. "There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."-Rom. xi. 26.

Nor ought we to omit, as a most powerful argument in favour of this society, that the promises will never receive their final accomplishment, nor the Church of Christ attain to the full maturity of its high and holy calling, till the natural branches be again grafted in by the same Almighty power which suffered their excision.

distinctly, that this soprophecies which reNor does it presume

It is here, however, important to state ciety does not take its sanction from the spect the final restoration of the Jews. to determine in what manner, or at what period, the Jews as a nation are to be converted; whether by some miraculous interposition, or by human instrumentality, or by both. These subjects it leaves to every man's private judgment, and is not responsible for the peculiar sentiments of any of its advocates. It acts on the simple principle of precept and duty-that the Jew has long rejected the faith of Christ, and yet cannot be saved without it; and that it is our bounden obligation, as Christians, to direct him to the remedy which we possess, and which he needs. This is the foundation on which the society prefers its claim. The known purpose and design of God is an encouragement to its faith, but it is his divine command alone which is the rule and authority for its undertaking. So long as it adheres to this fundamental principle, it occupies a station, from which no sophistry or ingenuity of argument can dislodge it. If it departs from this simple principle, it may gratify the predilections of a few, but it will not fail to alienate others. The society's strength and wisdom is evidently to adopt a basis in which none can disagree, and all may be willing to unite.

There is another society which demands our notice-the Prayer-book and Homily Society. In the navy, no means existed for distributing the book of Common Prayer among that

valuable body of men, who risk their lives for the defence of their country. The society was formed to supply this deficiency. But, independently of this call for its exertions, Prayer Books were generally published and circulated at that time, without the insertion of the Articles of our Church-those Articles which are the appointed standard of her doctrine, the guide to her worshippers, and the intended security against all declensions and corruptions in her faith! As a consequence of this omission, a large portion of her members were utterly unacquainted with the very existence of those Articles-and a reference to them in the pulpit had become a matter of rare occur

rence.

We may further observe, that not a single copy of the book of Homilies was to be obtained through the medium of any existing society in the Church of England. And yet these very Homilies were set forth by authority, originally appointed to be read in churches by the ministers, diligently and distinctly; and are recognized in the Articles, to which every minister declares his solemn assent, as 66 containing a godly and wholesome doctrine!" When, therefore, these necessary bulwarks of our church, the Articles which record her faith, and the Homilies which illustrate and enforce it, were thus rendered almost inaccessible, we would ask of every impartial and reflecting mind, whether there was no just ground of apprehension that the purity of Christian doctrine might be ultimately corrupted ?-whether the general tone of preaching in our pulpits at that time, and before that time, did not, in many respects, justify that apprehension?—and whether doctrine was not treated as an inconsiderable part of Christianity, and practical duties held up as the sum and substance of all true religion?

At the suggestion, therefore, of Mr. Richmond, the book of Homilies was added to the society's original object.

The unpromising state of public feeling, prior to the establishment of these societies, has already been adverted to. The change subsequently produced, is obvious to all. We may hence learn an important lesson :-a nation, comparatively speaking, may be sunk in religious apathy; the zeal and piety of churches may lie dormant, and the prospect may appear dark and lowering. But amidst general declensions, some characters are always preserved by the power and grace of God from the contaminating effects of the surrounding lukewarmness; and it is to their efforts that we must look, at such times, for the needed revival. If it be asked, how are these efforts to be employed? We answer, use the necessary means, in dependance upon a divine power, and let the public mind be roused and ex