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vocate from that important city-where, however, we rejoice to add that the incidental discussions which have arisen have powerfully strengthened the antislavery cause. But the most striking feature of the elections is the return of Mr. Brougham for Yorkshire; a return most unexpected, and achieved, in no slight measure, from those anti-slavery principles which render him a fitting successor to Mr. Wilberforce in that most important country. Mr. Brougham's zeal for promoting national education; his efforts to improve the administration of law; his wish to see the blessings of freedom and constitutional government prevail over the despotisms abroad, and still more over that worst of all despotisms, the system of slavery in our own colonies; are points in which every true friend to Christianity and the happiness of mankind must heartily concur with him and we shall rejoice to see his indefatigable energies and distinguished ability devoted to objects like these, however much we may disapprove of some of the sentiments which he is accus tomed to express in enforcing his opinions. Some of the most popular pledges required of candidates have been to oppose the East-India Company's monopoly at the renewal of the charter; to promote a free trade in corn; and to vote for the extinction of colonial slavery. The question of parliamentary reform, which once so powerfully agitated contested elections, has scarcely been touched upon. The late votes for or against the Catholic question seem also to have been little taken into the account, even in Ireland; where, as in England, a few, but no large number, of Roman Catholics have been returned. In various places there has been a disposition to avoid hostile and exhausting collisions; a singular instance of which has been, that the O'Connel and Beresford parties in Waterford have coalesced, and chosen each a candidate, to represent respectively the radical and aristocratical interests of that county.

Dr. Philpotts is to be the new bishop; he is to be appointed to Bristol; Bishop Gray succeeding Bishop Majendie at Bangor.

We omitted, in our last Number, to express our deep regret that the House of Lords had rejected the humane amendment which the House of Commons and the feelings of the country had forced into the forgery bill, to abolish the punishment of death in all cases, except for forging wills. The alterations made in the Lords were adopted by the Commons, and the bill

received the Royal assent. It retains the punishment of death for forgeries of negotiable securities, transfers of stock, and cheques upon bankers; and its only improvement on the old law consists in its simplifying and consolidating it, and repealing the capital penalty in all cases of forgery upon the Stamp-office. It is mortifying to us as Englishmen, to say nothing of higher considerations, to think that both France and the United States, and some other countries, may very probably precede us in abolishing the inhuman and unchristian practice of sending a fellowcreature forcibly and unprepared into eternity, for mere fiscal offences. The practice will not bear one moment's calm examination.

His Majesty and the Queen have continued to conduct themselves with great public affability and kindness, and have justly secured a large share of honest popularity. We think it, however, not unseasonable to remind our readers of some of the remarks in our last Number, and especially of those on the necessity of awakening the public attention to the duty of promoting a better observance of the Lord's-day. We would most earnestly advise petitions from all parts of the country, not only to Parliament, but to the Throne, on this important subject, particularly in regard to the enactment of more efficient laws to prevent the enormities of Sunday newspapers, stage-coaches, traffic, and the like. We would invade no man's social liberties; but the religious part of the public have, at the least, as full a right to be protected as the irreligious; and a tradesman or newspaper vender, a stagecoach proprietor or driver, who obeys the laws of God and his country in refraining from following his occupation on the Sunday, ought not to be allowed to be injured by the unchristian and illegal acts of his neighbours. The public owes him protection; and is bound either to afford it, or to say at once that we are not a nation of Christians, and that the breach of the Sabbath is no longer illegal. At present we have laws upon paper, while we make it men's supposed interest to break them, and do not prevent their so doing. As matters practically stand, we seriously doubt whether any good end is answered by prosecutions against petty hucksters and small tradesmen. There must be a reform in public feeling; and to effect this Christians should chiefly apply themselves; otherwise no sufficient laws will be enacted, or, if enacted, will be effective.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

J.; A. R. C.,; J. C; A SEARCHER OF THE SCRIPTURES; F. C.; QUINQUAGESISMA; H. S.; J. P.; W.; S. T.; W. P. C.; are under consideration.

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We meant no offence to SCRUTATOR, in saying, what we still think, that it is "unjust and uncharitable "" to maintain, without a shadow of proof, or an attempt at proof, that because a particular text does not happen to occur in the short selections for the Epistles, our venerable Reformers intentionally rejected it from an addiction to Popery. Yet for this Scrutator thinks it right to send an abusive anonymous letter, (he is too much displeased to pay the postage), calling us apparently petulant, trimming, time serving, self-interested, obsequious, and clandestine," "fostered by the buzzing of vampires;" with much more equally to the purpose; adding, that he has for fifty years been in the habit of communicating his opinions, political and theological, through the medium of the public press, and that, if we keep a sharp look out," we shall discover that "he has not flung away his pen," but shall, where and when we least expect it, "be spattered with a sort of ink which has long lain within his reach," &c. And all this because we do not agree with him, that such men as Latimer and Cranmer did not believe the doctrine of St. Paul, that "by grace ye are saved, through faith ;" and that they wilfully rejected Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10, with a view to keep this fundamental doctrine from the knowledge of the people. If our correspondent has attended the four or five days' Reformation discussion in the town named in the post-mark of his letter, he will have heard enough to shew how unfairly he estimates the character of our Reformers, who were anti-popish even to the flames of martyrdom. His charge against them is just as groundless (it cannot be more so) as the charge against ourselves, of being interested, obsequious, time-serving, and so forth. So far from it, we are constantly receiving intimations that we should render our pages much more acceptable to not a few of our most influential readers, and greatly extend their circulation, if we would yield up what are conscientiously our sentiments on various important questions. What says our correspondent to our remarks on the poor laws, the Catholic question, slavery, and international intercourse, not to mention many other topics, political, ecclesiastical, and theological? It is easy to throw out charges, but Scrutator has not attempted to prove them.

We receive great numbers of letters requesting reviews of works, or reasons why they are not reviewed. Our correspondents will see that it would be not only burdensome but invidious to enter upon such explanations. Our plan is to select such papers for insertion, and such works for review, as appear to us best calculated to answer the objects of our miscellany, and we mean no disparagement to any other. We do not profess to review a twentieth part of the books that are published. Replies to two or three correspondents are deferred for want of space.

SUPPLEMENT TO RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

THE Extracts relate various facts, detached, but all concurring to shew the wide demands for the Word of Life, and the blessings conferred upon the world by the supplies issued by this most important institution.

ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

The subjoined Anti-Slavery publications relate to such important matters, that we should only do injustice to them by attempting an analysis. Every page deserves perusal; and we should think ill of the heart or the head of any of our readers, who, in a cause like this, would not endeavour to make themselves masters of the details, were it only for the sake of being able to enlighten others, and to expose the misrepresentations which are current on the subject. We rejoice to say that the Anti-Slavery cause rapidly gains ground in the public intelligence and sympathies; as, indeed, it must, in proportion as it is canvassed, and its merits understood-especially among those who take the word of God for their rule of duty. The great length of these important documents obliges us to defer several other papers.

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LAST DAYS OF BISHOP HEBER.

(Continued from p. 460.)

WITH

ITH much pleasure we resume our notice of the last days of Bishop Heber, from Arch

deacon Robinson's memoranda.

Calcutta: November 1, 1825.-I find, by the multiplicity of the Bishop's engagements, there is no chance of our getting away before the beginning of February. This will drive our journey through the south into the hot weather; but he cannot break through earlier. The delay, however, will enable me, I trust, to accomplish the one great object of my own journey, the printing of my Persian Pentateuch.

*

November 7th.-This morning Archdeacon Corrie and I attended the Bishop, to return the visit of Father Abraham, the Armenian bishop from Jerusalem. We were received in the vicarage-house attached to the Armenian church, and attended by Mr. Jacob, an intelligent Armenian merchant, who acted as interpreter. Father Abraham is rather below the middle

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size, with a handsome beard, and a very pleasing expression of countenance. In the black dress of his convent he is a striking figure. He shewed us a handsome copy of the four Gospels, five hundred years old,

bound in solid silver, and ornamented with a cross of gold. He talks modern Greek and writes it well.

November 10th.-This was the morning fixed for the bishop of Jerusalem's visit to the college. He was very much interested in all he saw, particularly the library, where he was delighted to find the works of Chrysostom and Eusebius, both of whom they hold in high estimation. These instances of friendly intercourse with the different branches of the Eastern church may be of great benefit.

November 27th, Advent Sunday. -This has been a great day for Calcutta, on which was preached the first Episcopal missionary sermon, strictly so called. The Bishop pleaded the cause of the Incorporated Society: the same sermon as in Bombay. It could not fail to make a great and good impression :

the collection seems to have been about 4000 sicca rupees.

November 30th. This morning has been rendered interesting by the ordination of Mr. Bowley, Mr. Reichardt, and Abdool Messeeh: the last a most venerable person, the first-fruits of the Christian They priesthood in Hindostan had all some years ago received 3 Y

Presbyterian ordination in Calcutta. Bishop Heber has been anxious (as he is on all subjects) to ascertain what had been the feeling of his predecessor on a point of so much delicacy; and he finds that Bishop Middleton, not having power at that time to ordain them himself, expressed no objection to the measure then resorted to, as a temporary expedient, in consideration of the exigencies of the church, and the difficulty of obtaining an adequate supply of regularly ordained clergymen. This is, indeed, the ground on which the venerable Society for promoting Christian Knowledge has acted in the missions in the South of India, recognising the orders of a sister national church, and thankfully employing as its missionaries those who had received them, till our own episcopacy should be established with full powers in this diocese for the continuance of its own ministry. That time has now happily arrived; and it justly appears to the Bishop a matter of no trifling importance, that all those employed by the societies in our communion should derive their commission from the same source, and be subject to the same paternal authority. All the clergy dined with the Bishop this evening; we were nineteen at table, the largest number of clergy ever present at one time in India.

December 21st.-How delightful have been the interesting solemnities of to-day! Abdool Messeeh and the others, who were before admitted deacons, were ordained priests. Archdeacon Corrie preached an excellent sermon, in which you will easily imagine his feelings almost overcame his utterance; for they were all in some sense his children. Mr. Adlington, a young missionary whom he had educated almost entirely, was ordained deacon at the same time. Poor Abdool Messeeh has been ill some days, and was quite overpowered by the service; he nearly fainted after the act of ordination. The good Bishop went through the

Hindostanee part of the service without difficulty. One of the most interesting solemnities of our church at all times, is the admission of new candidates to the sacred office, and the pledge so solemnly demanded and willingly given, which separates them for ever from the secularities of the world to the stewardship of God's family. But the peculiar circumstances of this country, the tried and well-known character of the men themselves, and the bright prospects of futurity which opened on the mind even from this early and partial dawn, all conspired to make the scene before us one of deeper and more powerful interest. It was an awful and touching moment when the Veni Creator was sung by the congregation, the Bishop reading the verses from the altar, surrounded by twenty of his clergy kneeling in their surplices. All seemed to feel the beautiful devotion of this heavenly hymn, and to join with one heart in the sublime invocation of the ever-blessed Spirit. Who can doubt that such prayers were answered? Father Abraham was present, with his vicar, during the whole service. He embraced the Bishop at the door of the vestry, and I attended him to his carriage, where he and Ter Joseph embraced me, and expressed their pleasure at thus joining with us, and their sense of the honour with which they had been received.

All the clergy dined with the Bishop in the evening, where I had the pleasure of having the venerable Abdool Messeeh by my side. He speaks Persian with perfect fluency, and much greater purity than most of the learned Mussulmans in this country. He has great urbanity and courtesy of manners, beautifully and harmoniously blended with the gravity which becomes his advanced age, his fervent piety, and his sacred office.

His conversation is varied and accomplished, and is not only marked by the knowledge of the world which his former life and his missionary labours have naturally

given him, but adorned with the lighter elegancies of the Persian classics, and enriched with the rare accompaniment of good taste and judicious reflection. Its peculiar charm, however, is the happy adaptation of the exquisite expressions of Saadi and Nizami, which are familiar to him, to the purposes of Christian feeling. This happy talent has made him very acceptable to the more educated among his countrymen, and he is a welcome visitor at the court of Oude, where the King has more than once engaged him in conversation on the subject of Christianity, and in controversy on its evidences and doctrines with some of his learned Moollals. He often meets with hard names and angry looks from the more bigoted amongst them; but his soft answer generally turns away their wrath, and, while they hate his religion, they are still constrained to admire the man. He drank wine with me at dinner, but it was only to avoid the rudeness of a refusal; and he explained to me afterwards, that he very seldom touches it, and would rather abstain from what might lessen his influence among the Mohammedans. I fear he carries this abstinence beyond his strength; for the infirmities of age are fast growing on him, and he requires a more generous diet. He seemed much pleased with the distinguished kindness and respect the Bishop paid him, but it was the pleasure of a man who valued the distinction for the sake of him who conferred it, and who loved the praise of God more than the praise of men.

December 29th.-I read over to Father Abraham our Bishop's letter to the Syrian metropolitan in Malabar. He was exceedingly delighted with it. "It is Apostolic," said he; "it is like one of St. Paul's."

January 2d, 1826.- Father Abraham has been reading to me a letter he has just written himself to Mar Athanasius. It expresses the pleasure he has had in hearing of the state of his churches, and his joy

at the extension of Christ's kingdom in India, so much greater than he expected to find, and which he attributes greatly to the influence of the zeal and exertions of their brother Reginald the English Bishop: he warns him of the subtlety and wickedness of the Romish Church, and implores him to look well to his flock, seeing all were purchased by the blood of Christ.

January 28th.-The Government have secured accommodations for us in the Bussorah Merchant, which is moving slowly down the river. The uncertainty as to the actual time of sailing is harassing and painful, both to the Bishop and his family, and he has therefore determined to join the ship at all events on Monday morning, securing tomorrow a quiet Sunday at home.

January 31st.-The Bishop has one of his travelling drawers filled with a small selection of books for the journey; and it is an unusual luxury to him, after his perpetual engagements of business, to have a few quiet hours of uninterrupted reading. One of his books is Milner's Church History, which he has brought with the intention of making some selections from it for the Ceylon missionaries to translate into Cingalese. I never knew any one read so rapidly he has got through two volumes in the course of yesterday and to-day, besides several letters, and a variety of other avocations.

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February 2d, Ship Bussorah Merchant. We joined the ship this morning, I fear with the prospect of a long voyage to Madras. However, nothing could be better than the relaxation thus afforded the Bishop to recruit his strength before he plunges into the business of the most important part of his diocese. I look forward myself with great pleasure to the time we are likely to spend at sea, not only for the opportunity thus afforded me for gaining information on the great objects of the journey, but chiefly for the happiness of unrestrained and constant intercourse with his

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