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the State as something altogether distinct; and, having done so, he draws the very conclusion that we drawthat the one has no business to interfere with the other. Now this reasoning is perfectly conclusive in the mouth of a voluntary; and hence it has been declared from the Bench that the Government has no right to intermeddle with a voluntary church. But who does not perceive that the conclusion is a non sequitur, when it is not a church simply that is spoken of, but a church claiming the countenance and support of the State?

It is a scriptural and incontrovertible position, that the church is not at liberty to yield subjection to any power on earth; but it does not, therefore, follow that the church cannot place herself in circumstances in which she forfeits her independence. A man may be free, and yet he may sell himself as a slave, or bind himself as a servant. May not the church do the same thing? May she not sell her birthright, or come under obligations that involve subjection? She ought not to do so; she never can be justified in doing so; but this is not the question: the question is, whether, when, instead of retaining her primitive position and dependence on her own resources, she chooses to be indebted for her support to another, she is then at liberty to say, I am as free as ever I was, and will not submit to foreign or external supervision and control?

The Voluntary-churchman is the only consistent advocate of the Headship of Christ over his body, the church. Where wages are taken service is due; where there is State-pay there ought to be State-control. And let no one insinuate that by repudiating Church-andState alliance we seek to divest governments of everything like Christian character, and to reduce them to the rank of godless institutions. On the contrary, what we require of them is, that they shall religiously respect Christ's authority, and in no instance interfere with it, or set it aside. Voluntaryism in religion is essentially Christian and spiritual. It demands that in things religious there shall be no king but Jesus. Civil governments must not thrust the sword into the region over which his sceptre rules. This is voluntaryism. Is Free-churchism a more spiritual or heavenly thing,

the church, except in the way of granting it endowthe church, except in the way of granting it endowments? Compared with this, is voluntaryism low, political, earthly, sensual? Is the minister of the gospel who, as such, boldly confronts the Government, and says, I want your money, but will not be your servant, a noble testimony-bearer in behalf of the crownrights of the Redeemer; while he who declines such an appeal, and is content to live upon what the people among whom he labours is able to afford, is little better than a heathen? We wish that governments were more Christian than they are; that those who compose them were religious men; that they conducted the secular affairs of the empire under the influence of Christian principle; and, especially, that they made conscience of not intruding into the presence of Him who alone is Lord of the conscience.

"The battle of Establishments," said the Duke of Wellington, several years ago, "must be fought in Scotland." It has been begun; and if Scotch voluntaries bestir themselves, and prove true to their principles, the day cannot be far distant when their efforts shall be crowned with victory.

NIALL AND COCKSHAW, PRINTERS, HORSE-SHOE COURT, LUDGATE HILL.

FOR THE

Liberation of Religion from all State-interference.

OFFICES-4, CRESCENT, BLACKFRIARS, LONDON.

THIS Association was formed in May, 1844, at a Conference composed of upwards of 700 delegates, from all parts of the kingdom. The following is the FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE on which it based :

"That ali legislation by secular governments in affairs of religion is an encroach. ment upon the rights of conscience, and a usurpation of the Divine authority; and that the application of the resources of the State to the maintenance of any form of religious worship or instruction, is unsound in principle, hostile to liberty, and opposed to the word of God."

ITS OBJECT is to obtain THE SEPARATION OF THE CHURCH FROM THE STATE.

It does NOT seek the destruction of the Church of England, or an alteration in its doctrines and forms of worship, but to render it self-supported and self-governed, like other religious bodies.

While it holds that the bulk of the property now applied to the support of the Church really belongs to THE NATION, and ought to be applied to secular and strictly national purposes, it would SCRU

PULOUSLY RESPECT ALL EXISTING RIGHTS AND LIFE-INTERESTS.

IT IS UNSECTARIAN in its constitution and object, and it asks for the co-operation alike of Churchmen and Dissenters, and of all who believe State-esnablishments of religion to be injurious to both the religious and the political welfare of the people.

Nearly 600 meetings, &c., were held in England, Scotland, and Wales, in the three years ending 1850.

Persons holding the Society's principle, and subscribing any sum annually to its funds, will be enrolled as Members. Subscribers of Ten Shillings and upwards are entitled to half the amount of their Subscriptions in Tracts.

Local Committees have been formed, or Registrars appointed, in various parts of the kingdom; but where Subscriptions cannot be paid on the spot, they may be forwarded to the Secretary, Mr. J. CARVELL WILLIAMS, 4, Crescent, Blackfriars, London; where the Society's tracts may be obtained, and through any Bookseller.

All Communications should be addressed to the Secretary, and all Money-Orders made payable to " WILLIAM EDWARDS, ESQ., (the Treasurer,) 4, Crescent, Blackfriars," at the Chief Office.

NOUR TRACTS on the STATE-CHURCH; by J. H. Tillett, E. Miall, John Burnet, and J. H. Hinton. Stitched in a wrapper, price 7d.

ANTI-STATE-CHURCH TRACTS; Twelve Essays, by Dr. Young, A. J. Morris, W. Forster, Brewin Grant, E. Miall, F. W. Newman, and others. Cloth, 2s. 6d.

A SHILLING'S-WORTH ABOUT OUR STATE-CHURCH; a series of popularlywritten papers, exhibiting the evils of an establishment.

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THE ALMANACK FOR THE TIMES.-FOR 1851. Beautifully printed in colours. Price Twopence; or handsomely mounted on rollers and varnished, price ls.

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TRACTS FOR THE MILLION.-NEW SERIES.

1. The Anti-state-church Movement; its Design and Tendency. (8 pages.) 2. Plain Words to Perplexed Churchmen. (4 pages.)

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4.Political Dissenters!"-the Cry Examined. (4 pages.)

5. Who constitute Church? (4 pages.)

the National

6. A Clergyman's Reasons for Leaving the Establishment. (4 pages.)

7. The State-church not the Cause of England's Greatness. (2 pages.)

*8. Questions to Churchmen about Church-rates. (2 pages.)

*9. Plain Questions Plainly Answered. (2 pages.)

10. A Model Law. (2 pages.)

11. A Question that Concerns Everybody. (4 pages.)

*12. Ought there to be a State-church? (2 pages.)

13. The Union of Church and State. (2 pages.)

14. Anti-state-churchmen Vindicated by their Opponents. (8 pages.)

15. The Age of Bribery. (2 pages.) 16. The Church is in Danger. (2 pages.) 17. The Character and Working of the Church of England. (4 pages.)

18. The State Church in Ireland. (4 pages.)

May be had in the form of Hand-bills (is. 6d. per 100); No. 10, as a Placard for street-posting (48. 6d. per 100); or ornamentally printed and mounted on rollers and varnished (9d. each).

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"We have read them all [the Tracts] with attention, and see scarcely a sentence in them that we would wish to alter. In their substance they are most truthful, and in their manner they are clear, calm, and serious. Altogether they are wisely adapted to their purpose, and we wish them the widest possible circulation."-British Quarterly R view.

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"Written in a calm and dispassionate spirit, they will be found useful in disabusing many minds of an unfounded prejudice against the society; whilst the ability with which they discuss the various aspects and bearings of the State-church question render them peculiarly fit for producing right convictions on this important subject. They are pre-eminently the Tracts for the Times,' which would be the most fitting title they could receive."-Christian Spectator.

A Complete Set of all the Society's Publications (Seventy in number) price 5s. London: British Anti-state-church Association, 4, Crescent, Blackfriars; Benjamin L. Green, Paternoster-row; and all Booksellers.

Tracts of the British Anti-state-church Association.

NEW SERIES.-No. 5.

FACTS AND FIGURES

RELATING TO

THE IRISH CHURCH.

"The Irish Church is the most utterly absurd and indefensible of all the institutions now existing in the civilized world."

MACAULAY.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED FOR THE BRITISH ANTI-STATE-CHURCH ASSOCIATION, AT

ITS OFFICES, 4, CRESCENT, BRIDGE-STREET, BLACKFRIARS.

1850.

Price Three Half-pence.

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