wars, who had lately been taken prisoner by the Papists, says,

Montgomery was racked, to have gotten matter out of him, whether the Queen's Majesty or M. le Duc were privy to his enterprise; but he was very constant, as well therein, as in his religion, neither would he by any means be induced to yield to any superstition, and was very much pitied. p. 502.

William Smith, an English merchant in Russia, after mentioning the danger he was in because of the war with the Tartars, and saying, In a manner ten to one but we shall be taken or slain,' nevertheless adds,

But yet there is a God that doth aid and keep all those that put their trust in him, which is my only refuge, who I trust will defend me in all time of necessity. p. 419.

The accomplished Sir Philip Sidney, writing to the Earl of Leicester, concludes his letter thus :

I humbly cease, with my daily and most bounden prayer, that it may please the Eternal to continue and increase you in all prosperity. p. 514.

At p. 318, vol. ii, the editor has given an extract from Stowe, the old historian, describing his death after the battle of Zutphen, where he received a mortal wound : 'He was conveyed to Arnam, where he continued to his end in such kind of godly behaviour, that both the preacher did wonder at it, and the chyrurgions* did admire, the one seeing his wise godliness, the other his valiant courage, with patience to abide all kinds of pains.'

Vol. ii. p. 5, Dr. Wilson, writing from Antwerp to Lord Burleigh in 1575, says,

Surely the Catholics' malice is unspeakable, and if I had not by secret means understood their deep maliciousness, I would never have believed the same by any common bare report. God, for his mercie, defend our sovereign from their tyranny!

When we read this, we cannot but apply these words to the present state of England and its youthful queen. But fiercely as Popery roars, or treacherously as it smiles, we do not despair, since the same * Surgeons.

providence watches over us, as watched over our forefathers, when a concealed Papist, (Charles II.) and an avowed one, (James II.) filled the throne in succession.

The celebrated Walsingham writes thus to Randolph and Bowes, the English agents at Edinburgh, on account of the deposition of the Regent Morton. His testimony to the ministers of the Scotch Church is honorable to that body, but the chief importance of the passage lies in the sentiments it evinces. Alas, how far have modern statesmen departed from the language and principles of their illustrious predecessor ! Who them would have the among courage, to act on such grounds and to write in such terms as these?

The way is easily opened to division. Gaps and breaches made in the state are not easily stopped, and seldom soundly. But seeing they are fallen into this inconvenient, that they are now more subject to those inconveniences which discord and division breedeth, than before, it shall behove them especially whom God hath appointed watchmen over the peace of his house, to mediate as much as they can, that unity may he maintained, that the profession of the gospel and the free course thereof be not interrupted, that good regard be had amongst them to continue their good amity with their friends who make the same profession as themselves, that they suffer not themselves to be carried by sinistrous practises to any course that may prejudice the good estate thereof, whereupon dependeth the welfare of the cause of religion amongst them, and of the crown and realm.

And to this effect you shall do well to persuade with the ministers and others, that are best affected, to be good instrucments that way, and to be very careful thereof, seeing they are so nigh to danger.

This I thought good to impart to you, for the good wish of the state, and benefit of both the realms, and the duty I owe to the advancement of the kingdom of God, and maintenance of the same within this isle, which God grant we may hold and leave to our posterity to be inherited and possessed by them, as the greatest and best part of their inheritance. And so I leave you to the grace of God. (March 6, 1577.)

At p. 153, Sir Francis Knolly writes to Lords Burleigh and Leicester, as the respective Chancellors

of the two Universities, Oxford and Cambridge, about a new sect, September 29, 1581. The closing remark is excellent.

The same perfection that the Family of Love do pretend to obtain by virtue of love, the same perfection do Castalio his sectaries pretend to obtain by the doctrine of faith. But it is not by faith in believing to be saved by the merits of Christ, but by a faith in believing that every man is able to fulfil the law of God, and that the cause why men do not fulfil the law is the want of this Castalio his belief. Now both these sects do serve the turns of the papists, as all free-will men and justifiers of themselves do.

It is an unhappy circumstance attending all reformations and revivals of religion, that the work is impeded by new sects, who start up at that time, and make their distinguishing tenet the very essence of true religion. Granting, for argument's sake, that their views are not altogether erroneous, but contain a wholesome principle, if not carried out to excess, still it must be deeply regretted, that instead of contending for their tenets, as true principles, they too often prefer erecting them into the Shibboleth of a party.

We now turn to a more pleasing subject. At page 177 we have an interesting account of the means taken by John Walker, a navigator, for the religious instruction of his seamen, contained in the fragment of a letter to the Earl of Leicester, dated June 14, 1582.

Now, God be praised, there is among us as great concord and friendly amity as may be among any people, and all things go well with us, and no doubt but God will bless us for our people are wonder. fully reformed, both in rule of life and religion towards God. Every Sunday I preach, and after dinner we have conference in the scriptures, wherewith the mariners, who never heard sermons in their lives, are wonderfully delighted.

The last extract we shall make is from a letter of Sir Thomas Blanke, Lord Mayor of London, fo Lord Burleigh, dated January 4, 1582. It appears that on a Sunday some scaffolds had fallen at Paris Garden (a popular place

of amusement in London) by which several persons were hurt.

It giveth great occasion to acknowledge the hand of God for such abuse of the Sabbath-day, and moveth me in consequence to beseech your Lordship to give order for redress of such contempt of God's service.

Thus we see, that our pious ancestors had to struggle with the same evils as are now exercising the efforts of an Agnew, a Hardy, and a Plumptre. On this account the passage quoted above is particularly interesting.

Here we must close these extracts, for sake of room, though we would gladly have added others. What has been given will, we trust, be read with pleasure ; and though mere antiquities are not likely to have any charms for the greater part of our readers, still it is a matter of the highest interest, to ascertain the power of religion' on the minds of our forefathers, especially at a time, which stands so conspicuous in history, as the age of Elizabeth.

There is one letter which we should be glad to see republished in a separate form, as a tract or a small pamphlet; we mean the last letter of the unfortunate Duke of Norfolk to his children, which has been mentioned above. It is one of the most affecting religious epistles we have ever met with, and as we have already observed, it proves the lamented writer to have been a Protestant.

Perhaps the editor may be induced to extend his researches into subsequent reigns. By doing so, he will not only render a great service to the history and literature of England, but may also be the means of bringing forward materials for her ecclesiastical history during that time.

We have only to add, that we have taken no notice of various letters from eminent prelates; as they may be serviceable in our biographical department on future

occasions.

AT the general meeting held on Tuesday the 2nd of October, 1838, a letter from the Lord Bishop of Australia to the Secretary, was read to the Board, of which the following

are extracts:

Sydney, April 6, 1838.

'It affords me satisfaction to assure you, that taking all circumstances into consideration, I have great reason to acknowledge the merciful and protecting sway of Providence in disposing many causes to work together for the good of the Church, and so giving me cause to hope, that by firm and temperate perseverance in the course we are now pursuing, it may be planted here, upon a peaceful and secure foundation, in the affections of the people of this community. One index of the flourishing state of the Diocesan Committee is, in the continued steady demand which prevails for the publications contained in the catalogues, and the regularity with which the funds required in payment for the numerous shipments made to us have been collected and remitted to the Treasurers. At the vast distances to which population now extends, beyond the limits indeed to which the restraints of the law, or, I grieve to add, the ordinances of religion can be duly extended, travelling vendors find it their interest to convey small cargoes of these publications, and meet with a ready sale for them upon terms which they consider satisfactory. In this manner, I have no doubt, a considerable body of religious instruction may every year be circulated, where it would be scarcely possible, by any other means, to obtain admission for it: and will thus keep alive the knowledge of God, and some acquaintance with his word and promise, where such knowledge might otherwise be speedily extinguished. The support of Government has been continued to the schools during the present year, and I have reason to hope may be extended to the next. But I scarcely dare to hope that any adequate permanent provision will be made for DECEMBER, 1838.

the maintenance of schools under the superintendence of the clergy of the Church of England, or of any system of instruction in them in avowed accordance with its formularies. Under such circumstances of uncertainty, it is my anxious endeavour to effect every practical improvement in the schools of which we now have charge; and though the visible effect is slow, in consequence of the scarcity of competent teachers, yet the character of these has decidedly improved since my first arrival in the colony. In the town of Sydney alone we have now nearly a thousand (infants and children) under instruction. The Diocesan Committee have recently put forth some resolutions and instructions, adopted from Mr. Wigram's Manual, for the extension of Sunday-schools, which are now very general throughout the colony, and will, I am persuaded, be yet more widely adopted. I have also this week opened a grammar-school in this town for the education of boys. The course of instruction includes everything which can be considered as belonging to a plain general education; and to ensure a due attention to religious knowledge and duties, I have requested the Rev. G. N. Woodd, Minister of St. James's, to undertake the charge of this important branch. The terms of the school are fixed at so moderate a rate, that its advantages will be extended, I confidently trust, through a wide limit among the middle and humble classes of our society. Under any circumstances, I rejoice to think, there is little prospect of any fresh attempt being made to introduce what is termed

The Irish System.' It was condemned by the unanimous voice of the community; insomuch that the attempt to establish it has proved to be one of the most complete failures that I remember to have read of, or to have witnessed.

'Another most important accession to our means of usefulness, and thereby to our stability and security, has been afforded by the increase

3 S

which has occurred, within the last six months, of the number of clergymen. Seven have arrived, under the sanction of the Incorporated Society, and brought into the field through the exercise of its munificence for their conveyance to these distant shores, and for their maintenance when settled here. I feel it to be a debt due to our Diocesan Committee to mention, that in proportion to their means they have not been deficient in liberality. The sum of 501. has been voted as a donation to each of the clergymen recently arrived; and a spirit of cordial good-will has been manifested in their reception, which must not only be gratifying to those who are the objects of it, but will powerfully tend, I trust, to dispose others of the clergy to propose their services to the Incorporated Society, with a view of transferring them to this diocese, where they are so urgently needed.

In the department of church building, and the erection of parsonage houses, there is no relaxation in forwardness of disposition. Some of the churches may be regarded as completed, and will be prepared for consecration on my return from Van Diemen's Land. Others are in a state of progress more or less rapid and satisfactory: and when delays have arisen, the cause has been principally, if not exclusively, the impossibility of procuring mechanics to carry on the work. Upon the whole, appearances are encouraging; and I entertain little doubt of the completion, within a few years, of the entire number of churches which I have reported to the Society as having been undertaken. All of these are to be substantial buildings of brick or stone. To supply the requisite funds, I am under the necessity of continuing to draw upon those which the society has entrusted to my distribution.'

'W. G. AUSTRALIA.'

A letter was read from the Rev. John Armstrong, British Chaplain at Buenos Ayres, stating, that he had lately urged upon his congregation the necessity of establishing schools in connexion with the Church of England, and had succeeded beyond his expectations. Funds have been raised for the

erection of school-rooms on ground belonging to the church, and a subscription entered into to defray the current expenses of the establish

ment.

Books to the amount of 10%. were granted on this application.

Mr. A. E. Lingard of Runcorn, writes: My late residence was in Manchester, where I dispersed many thousand copies of your Bibles, Common Prayer-books, and Tracts, chiefly among the poor watermen on the Mersey and Irwell navigation, for the benefit of these long-neglected and degraded, though useful poor men, I conducted a school of Christian instruction at the Old Quay in Manchester, for a period of nearly ten years, which, under God's blessing, produced the most salutary effects upon the religious and moral character of these men, for whom also I obtained the inestimable privilege of resting from their toil on the Sabbath. In testimony of the work of reformation that has been going on among them for several years past, allow me to give you an extract from a letter received from the Rev. W. Bayne, of the parish church, Warrington :- The pains which have been taken to improve the moral and religious character of the flatmen have produced here a very visible effect: they are generally an orderly, well-behaved class of men; a large portion resident in Warrington are constant in their attendance at the parish church, and some of them amongst the most exemplary members of the congregation. It is a remark that has often been made to me, that from having been, as once was the case, a most drunken, dissolute, and disorderly body of men, they have of late become a pattern worthy the imitation of the labouring classes. I have an opportunity of judging of them, not only from their behaviour on Sundays, but in visiting their families, have been enabled to form a more correct estimate of their ordinary habits, and I have no hesitation in saying, that from my own experience there are no cottages which a clergyman visits with greater satisfaction than those of the flatmen.'

and if I might further beg the favour of a grant of Tracts, I should feel more obliged than I can express. We have about eighty flats, nearly all of which are supplied with Bibles, and the Select Book of Homilies, the latter granted to me by the Prayer Book and Homily Society, and the former through the pious benevolence of a departed friend. Besides the Common Prayer-books for the school, I should be glad of as many Bibles for the same use.

'EDW. ARTH. LINGARD.'

The Board readily made a grant of books to the amount of twentyfive pounds for this purpose, accompanied by an intimation that further assistance would be afforded if required.

The society made a grant of twenty pounds towards the establishing of a library of its publications in the city of Jerusalem. Her Majesty's Consul, W. Tanner Young, Esq. who has been appointed to the consulate recently established in that city, has agreed to take charge of the library, thinking that it would be both acceptable and useful to the residents.

The November meeting of this Institution was chiefly occupied with a discussion on the proposed Commentary on the Bible. It appears that the Resolution for preparing a Commentary was passed in Oct.

1832.

That in the following December, the Archbishop of Canterbury recommended Messrs. Lonsdale and Hale as editors, when the Board requested the Archbishop to appoint two Bishops as referees;— after this, various other resolutions were passed, and several discussions took place; and at present, after six years, there appears some probability of a Commentary on the Four Gospels being nearly prepared, while no progress has been made with reference to the remainder of the Sacred Volume.

Considerable dissatisfaction was in various quarters expressed at this slow progress of the work, while some doubts were intimated as to the expediency of its being undertaken by the society. The difficulty of bringing out a satisfactory Commentary is obviously great-and now that not one of the Bishops think fit to take the chair at the Board, it seems adviseable that both the Tracts and the Commentary should be given up. After much discussion and various propositions, it was at length resolved that the secretaries be directed to inform his Grace the President, that Archdeacon Bather has relinquished the task he had undertaken, of supplying practical reflections to the Society's Bible Commentary, and also respectfully to request his Grace's advice under the circumstances. What advice the Archbishop of Canterbury may think proper to give, remains to be seen;—at all events, it seems that Messrs. Hale and Lonsdale, with the aid of Archdeacon Bather, have been some six years in preparing a Commentary on the Gospels;-Mr. Scott, if we mistake not, completed his Commentary on the whole Scriptures in somewhat less than four years and a half; reading prayers, preaching and expounding during the whole period, some six or seven times a week. We very much doubt whether the Society's Commentary will be in any respects comparable to Scott's.Certainly D'Oyley and Mant's is a

most miserable failure.

After the discussion on the Commentary was ended, it was proposed to restrict the binding up of religious tracts with the Prayer Books issued by the Society. Several grants were then made some members elected, and donotions and legacies announced.

MR. ELLIOTT, speaks frequently, in his recently published travels, of the labours and success of the Protestant missionaries in Syria, but it appears that dire persecutions await the persons who listen to their teaching. The following is one instance. Asaad, a

man of considerable talent and learning, out of zeal for his religion, employed himself in writing a reply to a Protestant tract written by an American Missionary, the Rev. Mr. King.

In composing an answer to Mr. King's Address, he was compelled