opposition, shall tend to soften down the angry spirits of those who, Diotrephes like, are seeking the preeminence; and, at all events, it is conceived, that by the accession of the patron, the minister will be provided with an able counsellor, and a warm friend.

"

'As, moreover, in both these instances, the minister's income had suffered by the conduct of the wealthy individuals who had set themselves against him, whilst the remainder of the congregation, (to whom he was deservedly dear), were little able to make a competent provision for him; a handsome sum has, for the two last years, been voted to him by the Christian Capital Society.

"In six or seven other cases, relief has been afforded to about an equal number of poor Curates, and Dissenting Ministers. A handsome sum is also yearly divided amongst the different evangelical religious societies, the gift being regulated in amount, by the present exigencies of these societies, and no regard being paid to party considerations.

"I proceed to furnish you with an account of the various persons who stand connected with the Christion Capital Society. I have, indeed, already done this in part.

"To the twenty subscribers, whose names, or circumstances, have been before mentioned, I must add, first, eight Ministers of different denominations, who strictly conform to the rules of the society, giving from their yearly incomes all that a rigid economy enables them to spare: two tradesmen, in a good way of business, yet not having, at present, realized any thing considerable; and three industrious farmers, placed under nearly similar circumstances; that is, in possession of profitable farms, but not having, as yet, had them a sufficient length of time to have got beforehand with the world.

"On these two last classes of men, the society consider themselves to have the least claim. Not that they are, by any means, exempted from the obligation to do what they can (that obligation lies, equally, on all); but, as trading and farming profits must always be uncertain, it is not, of course, expected of those who depend on them for their subsistence, that their subscriptions should bear the same proportion to their incomes, as is the case with others of independent property.

"Nevertheless, the subscriptions of the persons just spoken of amount, separately, to a sum, at least, equal to what, according to the present fashionable mode of calculating religious obligation amongst professors, a man of 8 or £900 a-year, independent property, would suppose himself called on to give.* -Thus great has their liberality been; and, they all agree to express their belief, that a Divine blessing has attended the sacrifices they have made.

"But, I perceive that I shall only just have time to send my letter by this day's post; pardon me, therefore, if I somewhat abruptly subscribe myself,

"My Dear Harvey,

"Yours, very truly,

“E. SEYMOUR.”

* The appeals of the Christian Capital Society, far from having, in any instance, unfavourably affected the interests of other religious societies, have, on the contrary, on many occasions, led to their increased support.

Continuing, without apology, the subject which filled the whole of my last letter, I proceed to tell you, that the Christian Capital Society has female as well as male subscribers. The first party of that sex, who joined its ranks, were three maiden ladies, living together in the south of England. These ladies possessed, unitedly, £1000 a-year, and had hitherto, though making a profession of religion, lived nearly up to their income, without giving more to God than might be comprehended in about the customary proportion of subscriptions to religious and charitable societies, with occasional relief afforded to their poor neighbours.

"Having read, however, a sort of prospectus, which the Christian Capital Society caused to be circulated, it struck them that they might live very well on £500 a-year. This they have ever since done, regularly subscribing to the society. The first year, keeping back £100 for other societies, and charitable purposes nearer home, they sent £400 to the society, which annual sum they have never since fallen much short of, and sometimes exceeded.

"Another single lady in their neighbourhood soon caught the holy infection; and, limiting all her other

expenses to £150 a-year, sends, annually, exactly so much (these two sums making up the total amount of her income) to the society. A fourth lady, in an opposite part of the kingdom, having £500 a-year, entirely at her own command, annually sends £250 a-year to the society, Another, in Wales, from an income of £200 a-year, regularly gives £80; and, one who has only £100 a-year, always contrives to spare £15, besides what she contributes to other societies, and gives to the neighbouring poor.

"Add to all these, Mr Fenton, and Mr Farquhar, who both subscribe very handsomely (that is, all they can spare from other plans of benevolent expenditure), and you have an account of the present members of a society of which you desired me to give you a particular description

"I have omitted to mention, that the society has sent six Ministers to different places, where there seemed to be a peculiar dearth of Gospel privileges. The six individual sfixed on for this purpose, were chosen from amongst the young men at the schoolmasters' academy. The superintendent of that academy, himself a pious and discerning man, is requested, from time to time, to point out such of his pupils as he thinks peculiarly eminent for piety and ability; they are then, if willing to undertake the sacred office, removed to some proper seminary ;— they are, moreover, maintained at the society's expense, both whilst there, and, also, afterwards, in the respective spheres of action to which they are sent, till the people amongst whom they labour become willing themselves to support them. Some of them have gone out as Missionaries, and are still maintained by the society.

"The schoolmasters' academy is thus made a sort of nursery for ministers as well as schoolmasters. All the young men are encouraged to form prayermeetings amongst themselves; and the better to pre

pare them properly to discharge the duties of their future office, and at the same time to benefit the children of the poor around them, the latter (the poor children of the neighbourhood, which is populous), are invited to spend two hours at the academy every evening, for the purpose of receiving instruction. They are divided amongst the pupils, and as each pupil has rarely more than one (sometimes the number of learners is less than the number of teachers), that one is generally very well taught, and, perhaps, during the two hours he remains at the academy learns more than in the ordinary way of teaching he would do with a whole day's schooling.

"Twice a-week the children are classed, and examine each other on scripture subjects, in the way of mutual tuition, and it is then seen who have profited most by the instructions they have received. Every evening a short address, limited to ten minutes, is offered to the scholars by one of the pupils, and afterwards another of them prays for the same length of time.

"The superintendent has thus an opportunity of ascertaining whom he may most properly, that is, with the greatest probability of usefulness, recommend as suitable to take the charge of souls. His recommendation, however, is never given merely on the ground of the intellectual qualifications possessed by him who is the subject of it; and not till after good reason has been afforded to hope that his piety is equal to his talent.

"There is also, at the schoolmasters' academy, a Sunday-school, at which both boys and girls attend; and here, whilst a further sphere of present usefulness is afforded to the pupils, the superintendent is furnished with a new opportunity of estimating the respective abilities of the young men, by the prayers which they are, morning and evening, required to offer, and the addresses with which the Sunday-school