XI. THE BRITISH REFORMATION SOCIETY. THE Eleventh Anniversary of this Society was held on Thursday, May 3d: George Finch, Esq., in the chair. The speakers were, the Rev. G. W. Philips; the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel; the Rev. Mr. Beck; the Rev. M. Hobart Seymour; the Rev. J. Cumming; and the Rev. A. S. Thelwall. from the Report, that, while money never seemed wanting to the agents of the Romish Church for any object which they had in hand, the pecuniary resources of this Society had of late been diminished. The whole income of the Society in the last year did not exceed £2,269. 13s. 114d.; a sum far short of what the wants of the Society required. The Report stated, that in the last year the Society had watched with great attention the proceedings of the Roman Catholics in this country, and that no language could adequately describe the activity of the agents of the Church of Rome, and particularly of the Jesuits, in urging forward the interests of their Church, and spreading its doctrines. Popish processions in the open air, which, by the laws of the country, were illegal, were now conducted with all the pomp and ceremony of Catholic countries. The Report here entered into a minute description of the programme of a procession of the host on CorpusChristi Thursday, at Grace Dieu, the site of an old nunnery in Leicestershire. The procession was publicly announced by advertisement to Protestants as well as Catholics, and was conducted with extraordinary pomp and magnificence. From the programme it appeared that there was to be a gorgeous display of flags and banners. One of these was to be borne by P. Lisle, Esq., in the costume of a Deputy-Lieutenant of the county; another banner (we believe that of the Virgin Mary) was to be borne by Sir C. Wolsley, Bart., in full courtdress. There were to be the usual attendance of Acolytes, bearing lighted tapers, Sub-Deacons, Deacons, and Priests in rich vestments, and other Priests in splendid robes. All this was carried on in the open day, not only not opposed or interrupted, as illegal, but actually encouraged and joined in by persons holding the commission of the peace. In other respects, also, the Roman Catholics were most active. Lectures were given on political subjects; tracts were circulated, some of them purporting to be Protestant, with the view of more easily entrapping the unwary. While these efforts were made for the spread of Popery, the agents of the Reformation Society had met them by corresponding activity on their part, which in many instances had been followed by complete success in defeating the exertions of the agents of the Romish Church. It further appeared, VOL. XVII. Third Series. AUGUST, 1838. Now MR. SEYMOUR said, that when "the man of sin" was described in the Scriptures, it was said of him "that he possessed the deceivableness of unrighteousness, speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having a conscience seared as with a hot iron." It was in the same terms that they should properly describe Popery, with which they had to contend, with all the instruments which it had at its command. Unquestionably there was in Popery "the deceivableness of unrighteousness, lies spoken in hypocrisy, and conscience seared as with a hot iron." In what he had to say on this occasion, he would confine himself to some facts and illustrations which had come to his knowledge, as the Secretary of this Society; and the first he should notice, as an instance of one of the weapons wielded by Popery, was the public press. There was a time when we might plume ourselves on an independent press, as the best safeguard of our liberties and our religion. we find that the press was not only capable of self-degradation, but was also made the channel of extending and promoting that very superstition against which it was once so powerful a guard. It was a matter of perfect notoriety, ever since the year 1814, that the establishments of Jesuits in this country were going on in full vigour and activity. There was one at Clongowes in Ireland, and those of Oscot and Stonyhurst in England; and it was scarcely a matter of less notoriety, that the objects of Popery were urged forward by the press in every variety of publication, from the encyclopædia to the magazine. But most of all were these objects seconded by the daily press, on some of which were Popish Editors and Assistant-Editors, and Popish Reporters; and thus the speeches sent forth to the public, whether delivered in Parliament, or in such Meetings as the present, underwent a process of filtration, by which they were freed from any hostility to Popery which they contained in their original shape. As a case in illustration of this, he might mention, that in a certain town in 2 R England a Protestant journal was set up there was no difficulty in finding a Protestant Editor, as it was supposed, to conduct it. On one occasion of a visit of a Deputation of this Society to the town, they had a conversation with this Editor, the result of which created a suspicion, that speeches delivered and communications sent to that journal had undergone the process of filtration to which he had before alluded, and had thus lost much of their original force. That suspicion led to inquiry; and it so happened that there was a young man at that time in the town who had recently left Maynooth College, and had become a Protestant. The suspicious circumstances, and the name of the Editor in question, were mentioned to him: he said, that he knew a young man of that name who had left Maynooth College a certain time before. The dates were then compared, and it was believed that the Protestant Editor and the Maynooth student were one and the same person. The young man who had become a Protestant and the supposed Protestant Editor were invited to meet at the house of a gentleman the following morning, when on meeting they immediately recognised each other as former fellow-students at Maynooth College; and then the Editor was compelled to acknowledge that he had never become a Protestant, but that he, a Roman Catholic, had continued to conduct a Protestant journal; then at once was explained the cause of the process of filtration to which the speeches and other communications sent to the paper had been submitted. Mr. Seymour mentioned several other instances in which Roman Catholics had passed themselves off as Protestants. XII. LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY THE Thirtieth Anniversary of this Society was held at Exeter-Hall, on Friday, May 4th: the Right Hon. Sir George Henry Rose, M.P., in the chair. The speakers were, the Rev. William Marsh; the Rev. Thomas Grimshawe; the Rev. Francis Cunningham; the Rev. Hugh Stowell; the Rev. Joseph Wolff'; the Rev. William Pym; the Rev. James H. Stewart; the Rev. Merle D'Aubigné; and the Rev. Samuel Gobat. The children sung the 111th Psalm in Hebrew; and the Assistant-Secretary read the Report for the last year; from which it appeared that £19,054. 4s. 8d. had been subscribed to the funds of the Society for the year; being an increase of £4,517. 178. 9d. upon the year preceding; the largest portion of which arose from the Auxiliary Societies. From Ireland the sum subscribed was £1,259. 2s. 11d. towards the funds of the Society, and £214 towards building a church at Jerusalem, being an increase of £436 upon the preceding year's subscription. XIII. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. THE Seventh Anniversary of this Society was held at Exeter-Hall, on Friday, April 26th: the Bishop of London in the chair. The speakers were, Captain Sir Edward Parry, R. N.; Admiral Sir James Hillyar; the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel; the Rev. Dr. Greville; the Rev. J. Grant; D. W. Alexander, Esq.; the Rev. Thomas Mortimer; the Bishop of Norwich; the Rev. Mr. Gogerley; the Rev. M. Perrot; and Mr. Thomas Roberts. MR. PARKIN read the Report, which stated that the Committee, amidst some discouragement and some opposition, had been able to sustain the functions and extend the operations of the British and Foreign Temperance Society. Information had been diffused as to the injurious tendency of distilled spirits. Temperance periodicals were now conducted in various parts of the world. During the past year, Her most gracious Majesty had become Patroness of this Society, and the Bishop of London had consequently accepted the office of Vice-Patron and President. Lectures had been delivered on the prevalence and mischievous effects of intemperance. Mr. Cook had delivered three lectures, in which he illustrated by diagrams the consequences of intemperance on the human frame. Thirty new Associ ations had been formed, and 20,000 members had been added to the Society, making a total of 240,000. The amount of expenditure during the past year was £925.9s. 8.; the receipts £707. 98. 104d.; leaving a balance against the Society of £217. 19s. 10d. There was scarcely any quarter of the world into which the Society had not penetrated as the herald of peace. America still maintained her progress in the good cause. There was scarcely a regiment in India which had not its Temperance Society. Two hundred Associations had been formed in Ireland, principally through the agency of Mr. George Carr. In Scotland progress had been made, notwithstanding the increased consumption of ardent spirits. During the year ending 5th January, 1837, 31,402,417 gallons of distilled spirits at proof paid duty for home consumption, for England, Scotland, and Ireland. 55,192 public-houses, and 45,738 beer and cider shops, were licensed in England and Wales, which, together with a multitude of other incitements to intemperance, were in active operation. £354,537 were levied for poor-rate; 20,984 prisoners were charged with criminal offences; and upwards of 290,000 persons were relieved by the hospitals, infirmaries, and dispensaries of London, a very large proportion of whom required this aid from their use of distilled spirits. Two millions and a half of grain were annually consumed in making spirits, which would furnish two hundred quartern loaves to every poor family in the kingdom. CAPTAIN PARRY stated, that he had witnessed the dreadful effects of intemperance, principally arising from the use of ardent spirits, both among seainen and landsmen. He was fully convinced that an immense proportion of the crime, and therefore of the misery, which existed throughout the world might be traced to intemperance; and, consequently, he could not withhold his support from a Society the object of which was to check the progress of so alarming and ruinous an evil. Every one knew that seamen were, as a class, much addicted to intoxication. More than one half of the fatal accidents which occurred at sea might, if circumstances permitted, be traced to that habit. But while that awful crime had of late years increased on shore, while ginpalaces were rearing their heads in fright. ful magnificence in all the principal towns of the kingdom, and while beer-shops were demoralizing the rural population, the contrary had been the case among seamen. The reduction in the amount of spirits supplied as an article of diet to the men in Her Majesty's navy had had great effect in producing that result. Half a pint of spirits was formerly given out daily to every man on board a manof-war, so that in a three-decker fifty gallons of spirits were daily consumed. Ingenuity could not have devised a more effectual mode for producing confusion and disorder where discipline ought to have prevailed. That reduction was brought about in the following manner :Sir John Philimore, when he commanded the Thetis frigate, observed a great deal of drunkenness on board, and, consequently, the infliction of very severe punishments. Being desirous of remedying the evil, he collected the men, and proposed a reduction of one half of the rations of spirits. He suggested that the amount saved should be expended partly in tea and sugar, and that the balance should be paid to the men at the end of the month. The suggestion was complied with, and the most beneficial results ensued. When the ship came into harbour, she was called "The Tea-chest." The case was reported to Admiral Sir George Cockburn, who embraced an opportunity of effecting the reduction generally throughout the navy. Were spirits necessary to seaman as an article of diet? He would unequivocally answer, "No." It had been contended that they were necessary to keep out the cold; but so far from effecting that object, they let the cold in. When he was in the northern regions, he ordered the cook to supply the men with tea or coffee. They found it highly beneficial. In some cases spirits were necessary as a medicine; but that was allowed by the Society. The gallant Captain then referred to the advantages derived from American Temperance ships, and contrasted the conduct of the men on board them with that of British sailors. The population when he was in New South Wales was rather more than 60,000, and the consumption of ardent spirits was 245,000 gallons per annum. He felt great pleasure in being present when a Temperance Society was formed in that distant colony. The cause was advancing in Van Diemen's Land. XIV. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY. Young; Mr. Thomas Roberts; the Rev. The Secretary read the Report, which contained an account in detail of the operations of the past year. In the port of London, the two Thames Missionaries had boarded nearly 8,000 vessels, and held 260 religious meetings afloat. 200,000 tracts had been distributed, and the word of truth made known to upwards of 7,000 seamen; 247 new ships had hoisted the Bethel flag; more than 100 Captains had attached their names to a solemn covenant to maintain religious worship on board their vessels. The recent departure of the Rev. J. Williams, Missionary to the South Sea Islands, was adverted to in affecting terms. His visit and stay here had been the means of exciting unusual attention among sailors to religion. The seven stipendiary Agents of the Society had zealously prosecuted their labours, in conjunction with two Thames Missionaries, their district extending from London-bridge to Black wall. They had held upwards of 1,000 religious meetings for sailors. The Sailors' chapel was reported to be ineligible, and un. worthy of the Christian zeal of the metropolis; a new one was therefore earnestly desired. In addition to the volumes circulated among sailors by the loan-library, 15,000 pamphlets and 150,000 tracts had been distributed. In the day and Sun day schools upwards of 552 children had The receipts during the year were, donations and life-subscriptions, £581. 128. 11d.; annual subscriptions, only £245. 15s.; collections, £308. 17s. 5d.; from Auxiliaries, £311. 16s. 8d.; which, with other items, made a total of £1,835. 19s. 8d. The expenditure amounted to so much as to leave a balance of only £58 in hand. XV. THE CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTION SOCIETY. speakers were, Thomas Challis, Esq.; The Report stated that the Society contains 87 Associations; employs 1,898 Visiters, and 15 Missionaries; and conducts 124 prayer-meetings. By these agencies upwards of 252,000 individuals are brought under the influence of the Society. More than 3,800 cases of distress were relieved during the past year, either with money, food, clothing, or medicine. By the voluntary Agents, 743 copies of the Scriptures had been circulated; 2,927 children were obtained for Sunday and day schools; and there had been lent to the families under visitation not less than 1,800,000 religious tracts. At the commencement of the last summer the Committee renewed their arrangements for field and street preaching with more than usual energy, having been much encouraged by the truly liberal donation of Sir Culling Eardley Smith, who presented the Society with two elegant and commodious tents, which cost him more than £80. Besides these, the At Committee purchased a third, at the ex- XVI. LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY. THE Thirty-second Anniversary of this Society was held at Exeter-Hall, on Saturday, May 5th: the Marquis of Cholmondeley in the chair. The speakers were, the Bishop of Derry; the Rev. E. Sidney; Lord Teignmouth; the Rev. Dr. Cooke, of Belfast; the Right Hon. Frederick Shaw, M. P.; Captain Vernon Harcourt, R. N.; the Rev. Hugh Stowell; the Rev. Henry Hughes; the Rev. J. Cumming; the Rev. Thomas Smith; Captain Forbes; Yacoub Asaad El Kehaya; and Captain Banks. The following is an extract from DR. COOKE's speech on the importance of scriptural education in Ireland :— com Ireland, whose benefit the Meeting had in view, Ireland might in act be of ten barbarous, but in mind was not barbarian. Whoever supposed that Ireland was an uneducated nation knew nothing of that nation. A few parts there were, in remote and uncultivated districts, which literature had not deeply penetrated; but still the evils of Ireland did not originate from ignorance of reading, but from ignorance of what it was good to read; whilst the power of reading, without a controlling power above it, was but like the gale in the sails of a ship without a rudder; a power to impel, not a power to guide, and by whose mightier forthputting she must finally founder at sea, or be wrecked upon the shore. Besides, however, the education of literature, which Ireland, as pared with other places, did not want, there was the education of habit, which Ireland did want. How many practical virtues depended upon the early formation of habits of industry, order, subordination to law, and respect for authorities, he needed not to mention; nor would he dilate upon the topic, inasmuch as it lay rather within the verge of politics, with which the present Meeting had no concern. But the education of principle was the foundation, the topstone, and the cement of the other two. This was the education by which Britain prospered; this was the education by which Ireland must be saved. Give the children of Ireland the Bible as free as Luther read it, and as God revealed it. This was their sole want. The Bible was the only book which always set God in his being, providence, judgment, and justice, before the eye of forgetful humanity. It was the only historical book that ever gave, or could give, any true account of the sins of men. But would the Bible be read in Ireland? Had it not been It denounced in its use as a school-book, as "contrary to all that was holy and exalted in the Church of Rome? had been so denounced; and he verily believed a greater truth was never uttered. It was not only contrary to, but utterly destructive of, all that is "holy," when holiness means self-righteousness. It was utterly contrary to all that was called "exalted," when it seats itself in the temple of God, and "above all that is called God." Still the Bible survives in Ireland these blasphemous denunciations, of which the speaker told a remarkable anecdote as an instance. He had read lately the report of a speech delivered at a Mechanics' Institute in Liverpool, and he believed, during the sittings of the British Association, in which, amongst many other most objectionable statements, the scriptural schools were accused of communicating little or no intellectual knowledge of what their children read. The exact words he could not remember; but to the meaning and effect he pledged himself. Now this speech was the authorized production of an honourable and learned gentleman; (we believe Mr. Wyse, M. P. for Waterford;) and the charge insinuated amounts to this, that in the scriptural schools they teach the children no better than starlings or parrots, and leave their intellects totally unexercised and unilluminated. Now, to put this matter to the test, and to teach philosophers and M. P.s to think twice before they speak once, he did there make his appeal to the public newspapers, to convey to the learned and honourable gentleman the following challenge:-Let him choose any book of Scripture; let him study it till the end of the session of Parliament, and reveal it or keep it secret, as he pleased; let him then return by Belfast, and the day after his arrival he should be met by the scholars of one or more Sunday-schools, each under fourteen or fifteen years of age; examiners should be indifferently chosen; the examination should not be doctrinal, if the honourable and learned gentleman chose to avoid it, but purely historical and philological, with proofs and parallel passages,-in other words, intellectual; and upon the comparative result of that examination, he (Dr. Cooke) would fearlessly peril the claim of Ireland to a free and unmutilated Bible education. This challenge he gave, not in the spirit of a vain braggadocio, who dreaded its acceptance, but in a spirit whose carnest wish was its |