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troducing a friend) were regaled. Swinden presided, and was supported by the Rev. Mr. Cassells, Mr. George Crowther, and others. After the ladies had retired, the chairman gave the King, the Earl of Dartmouth, the munificent patron of the church and school, and the district generally, to whom the poor are indebted for many bounties; the Rev. Mr. Cassells, &c. &c.; the company not forgetting to pay a proper compliment in return to the worthy chairman. A striking instance of the benefits of a church, and a school in connexion with it, in a village or a district, is that of Morley-cum-Churwell. A few years ago, there were not more than two churchmen in Morley; the greater part of the inhabitants were violently prejudiced against the church of England; absolutely ignorant of its services, doctrines, or discipline. By the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Swinden, Mr. Geo. Crowther, and one or two others, but principally of those gentlemen, a church was erected, and has been opened somewhat less than three years; and last year an admirable new district school was opened. Thanks to the zeal of the minister, Mr. Cassells, his church is already regularly attended by a numerous and respectable congregation, and no less than 260 scholars belong to the Sunday School, most of them children of dissenters, who see and acknowledge the duty and utility of sending them thither. These are encouraging results.

New Church. On Friday, 31st ult., the first stone of a new church at Cross Stone, in the parish of Halifax, to be dedicated to St. Paul, was laid by the Rev. Charles Musgrave, Vicar of Halifax. The building is under the direction of Messrs. Pickersgill and Oates, of York, architects.

Et. Mark's Church, Woodhouse. - On Monday, the 27th ult., the children of the Sunday Schools which attend St. Mark's Church, Woodhouse, to the number of above 600, were assembled and taken in procession to the Moor. From thence they went to the church; and after singing, and an address from the Rev. J. Fawcett, incumbent, they separated to their respective schools at Feather Hill, Nether Green, and Little London, where they had refreshments provided.

On Friday, 14th inst., a massive and complete tea equipage of silver, with elegant papier machée tray, and a handsome suit of canonicals, purchased by subscription from a number of his parishioners, were presented, at the National School-room, to the Rev. A. Cheap, Vicar of Knaresborough, by the Rev. Thomas Collins, A. M., in the presence of a numerous assemblage. The plate bears the following inscription:

"Presented to the Rev. A. Cheap, LL.B. Vicar of Knaresborough, by his Parishioners, as a token of their affectionate regard and esteem, for his unwearied exertions in the Ministry and active bene

volence amongst the Poor, during the period of 29 years. The Rev. Mr. Collins expressed himself honoured in having been selected by his townsmen to offer this token of regard to their worthy Vicar, particularly in these times of rebuke, when so many were desirous of bringing obloquy upon the church of which Mr. Cheap was so consistent a member.

Visitation at Doncaster.-The visitation of the Venerable the Archdeacon of York was held in the parish church of this town on Monday, the 17th instant. The attendance of the clergy on this occasion was very numerous. The sermon was preached by the Rev. R. Sutton, A.M., official of the Archdeaconry of York, and Rector of St. Michael's, Spurriergate, from Matthew v. 16. It was a masterly delineation of the duties of a Christian minister, and made a powerful impression upon the congregation.

John Elliott, Esq., of Rochdale (a freeholder in Saddleworth), has, through the Rev. Richard Whitelock, M.A., the incumbent, presented an elegant service of silver Communion plate to Saddleworth church.

Kirkstall Church.-Through the exertions of Mr. Simeon Musgrave, and the liberality of the Society for building, enlarging, and improving churches and chapels, and the kindness of various individuals locally connected, and otherwise, a sufficient sum of money has been obtained for fully repa ring the damage lately done to Kirkstall church by lightning. The work of restoration will be proceeded with immediately, and several of the congregation intend to raise a small but distinct fund for the purpose of erecting in the church a marble slab, containing a record of the accident, and a brass plate, on which will be engraved the names of the parties who have on this occasion lent such generous and effective assistance.

WALES.

A Petition to the House of Lords from Archdeaconry of Brecon, in the Diocese the Archdeacon and the Clergy of the of St. David's, against some obnoxious clauses contained in the Bill now before the House of Commons, upon the question of the temporalities of the Irish church, has been prepared, and is now in course of signature.

The Lord Bishop of Llandaff will hold a visitation in his Diocese in September

next.

IRELAND.

The Rev. Michael Hobart Seymour, of Ballinrobe, has accepted a challenge from the Right Rev. Dr. Machale, to discuss the controverted subject of Purgatory, for not admitting the existence of which the Bishop declared Protestants to be infidels at the funeral of the Rev. Mr. Jennings, in the chapel of Ballinrobe.-Dublin Warder.

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Rev. W. Goode on Modern Claims to Gifts of the
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Bridgewater Treatises. Sir Charles Bell on " the
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The Ouranoulogos. By John Galt, illustrated by John Martin. 4to. Part I. 6s. sewed, 12s. India.

Dr. Gregory's Memoir of Robert Hall, with Forster's Observations. 12mo. 6s. cloth. Rev. F. Hutton's Discourses on Christ's Temptation. 8vo. 7s. bds.

The Remains of the Rev. W. Howels. By W. P. Moore. 12mo. 5s. bds.

Fletcher on the Influence of the Mind on the
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A History of Mummies; illustrated by numerous Plates, &c. By T. J. Pettigrew, F.R.S., &c. &c.

History of the Manufacturing Population, its Manners, Habits, &c.

A Volume of Poems. By Lady Emmeline Stewart Wortley.

On Man-his Motives, their Rise, Operation, Opposition, and Results. By W. Bagshaw, Clerk, M.A.

Dramatic Scenes from Real Life. By Lady Morgan.

Letters on the Divine Origin and Authority of the Holy Scriptures. By the Rev. James Carlile, Junior Minister of the Scots Church in Mary's Abbey (Capel Street), Dublin. Travels in the United States and Canada; containing some Account of their Scientific Insti tutions, and a few Notices of the Geology and Mineralogy of those Countries. By J. Finch, Esq., Cor. Mem. Nat. Hist. Soc., Montreal, &c. &c.

Conrad Blessington, a Tale. By a Lady. Foolscap 8vo.

Naturalist's Library. Vol. II. Conducted by Sir W. Jardine, Bart., F.R.S.E., F.L.S., &c.; forming the First Volume of Monkeys. Observations on the Proposed Legislative Changes in Factory Labour. The Third and concluding number of a Collection of Doorways from Ancient Buildings in Greece and Italy, By T. L. Donaldson. 4to. An Abridgement of the Rev. Gilbert White's "Natural History of Selborne."

The Rev. Mr. Kennedy, of Birmingham, has completed a new edition of his "Church-ofEngland Psalm Book," by the addition of a Selection of Hymns adapted for public wor. ship.

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PRICES OF CANAL SHARES, DOCK STOCKS, &c. At the Office of R. W. Moore, 5, Bank Chambers, Lothbury.

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THE Leed: Mercury contains a violent letter from a dissenter, highly honourable to the evangelical clergy. It is, in short, a furious attack on them for disuniting themselves from their dissenting friends, and, in the hour of danger, joining closely with their own brethren in defence of the church. This is as it should be.

Mr. Hull's letter shall appear in the next Number. The Editor always endeavours to insert any thing sent before the 15th, although, even in this case, the space is sometimes preoccupied. But there is little chance of finding room for any thing sent after that time, unless it is a very urgent and merely temporary matter.

The letter respecting Sir L. Jenkyns's Fellowships is received, and shall be considered. But surely the writer could be so kind as to ascertain whether the Fellowships exist, and for what purposes they are used. This would be the better course.

L. M.'s letter on Provident Societies shall have an early place. Could he have the goodness to obtain from a friend the Reports of the other Societies in Cornwall, alluded to in his letter? The Editor begs to express his regret that no friends have favoured him with any lists of the charitable contributions of the clergy in the several counties beyond those already published, except for Staffordshire, Herefordshire, and Cheshire. Is this really too much trouble? All that is wanted is just to collect the printed lists of the charities already enumerated in the table printed, and then the children of the house could pick out the names of the clerical subscribers, and add them together.

Eta ought to represent the Churchwarden's neglect to the Archdeacon. Most archdeacons now give direct orders as to removing the soil &c. from the walls, and keeping the inside of the church neat, and enforce those orders; and it would do some churchwardens a great deal of good if the archdeacon's power were invoked occasionally. The church has provided remedies for most evils, but laymen will not use them, and then the poor church is abused, and suffers.

In answer to the gentleman who inquires as to Rates for Chapels, under the late Act, the Editor begs to observe, that it is clearly not the business of the Church Commissioners or the Bishop to put constructions on Acts of Parliament, which is exclusively a business for lawyers, to be paid for (alas!) by certain Guas. Having said this, the Editor may add, that it seems to him (only seems) that in the case in question, his correspondent is part of the original parish, a mere chapel of ease to the mother church, with a district assigned for convenience, with chapel-wardens to keep order, (perhaps) collect pew-rents, and look after the chapel, but without power to levy rates within the district, either with or without select vestry. Why a select vestry is spoken of cannot be guessed. For rates, therefore, if only a chapel with a district, it seems to the Editor that his correspondent must go (with what chance of success he best knows) to the churchwardens of the mother church, whose duty it would be to supply the wants of the chapel. But this is only a private, and not a legal opinion.

Walsingham Church in the next Number. Warblington Church (a most curious and interesting paper) is received with great gratitude, and shall be very shortly used.

The Letter on the "Million Facts" in next Number.

The Editor will endeavour to write to his friend G. L. F. very soon.

"Q.," " W. B. K.," and "W. F. P.," are received, and shall be used.

In answer to "R. L. V.," who says, "You must not expect people to pay postage, as you will lose a great deal of important information," the Publishers beg to state, that they are positively compelled by the very heavy expense of postage to request that it may be paid. Surely any friends of the church, who have important information to send, will not object to pay a single postage for it. The information sent in this letter is, that a noble Duke possesses the revenue of the living of Lidlington, in Bedfordshire, leaving only 261. to the vicar, and a private gentleman that of Elstow, in the same county, leaving only 401. to the vicar. This is, indeed, a common case. The radical papers, to be sure, try to represent that only Cathedral bodies absorb the great tithes of parishes, but every body, except those ignorant people who rely on newspapers for their knowledge, (they are, indeed, but too many and too ignorant,) knows perfectly well that there are above 4000 vicarages and perpetual curacies in England, of which the laity hold the great tithes of the overwhelming majority; and in the case of perpetual curacies (about 1000 in number) absorb nearly the whole revenue.

"A Churchman" recommends that the introductory and final clauses of the Athanasian Creed should be omitted in reading, and that the whole should be read by the minister, as it is of great importance that the Creed should be kept before the people. Many indeed think, and perhaps with good reason, that one cause of the freedom of the Church of England from all Socinian taint, so visible in many Protestant Churches, is the inculcation of the truth by this Creed in a way from which no one but a dishonest man, remaining in the church, can escape.

ERRATUM.-In last Number, page 667, line 25, for "first supposition," read "just supposition."

BRITISH MAGAZINE.

AUGUST 1, 1833.

ORIGINAL PAPERS.

ON THE

ENGLISH CONVOCATIONS.

THERE are at the present time many persons who desire that the meetings of our clergy in convocation should be renewed, and imagine that thus the presence of our bishops in Parliament might with safety and advantage be discontinued. There are too a very far greater number who desire this restitut on to the example of primitive times, not with a view to destroy a system, the good of which seems to them undeniable, and which, in addition to grounds of expediency, has claims of justice and long-established usage in its favour, but as a method of improving the discipline of our church-of obtaining a fuller discussion and examination of plans for reform in ecclesiastical matters-and of calling into existence a vigilant and acknowledged guardian for its interests and defence. To all such persons a short historical sketch of our convocation, and an account of its form and constitution, with some remarks on its proceedings and internal bond of union, may not be uninteresting.

The meeting of ecclesiastical synods seems to have been usual from very early times. For although there were no general councils till the emperors became Christian, yet the bishops used to hold meetings among themselves and with the clergy of their respective dioceses, to consult for the interests of the church, for the maintenance of sound doctrine, and the public condemnation of heretical opinions. Their decisions, however, could only operate as instruction to the well-disposed, and as warning against those who taught other doctrines, being enforced by no temporal authority. In the general councils, which were after

Hooker, b. viii. p. 457.

+ Eusebius, lib. v., c. 23, 24. Cyprian, in many passages. Tertullian de Jejun. VOL. IV.-August, 1833.

R

wards held, there were present bishops from all parts and countries. Their object was to determine the sense of the universal church on particular subjects, or to record its disavowal of opinions rising into importance, both with a view to obtain authority for checking their progress, and to testify to after ages the received sense of the church on them.* The bishops sat in a semicircle foremost; behind these the presbyters (who were in each city a council for their respective bishops, who did nothing of importance without their advice), and in front stood the deacons and people, being little more than witnesses of the proceedings. Such was the ancient mode of holding ecclesiastical councils.

Of convocations in our own country we have very early mention, though it is difficult in many cases to decide whether an ecclesiastical or civil character predominates in them, and the precise nature of the objects for which they were convoked. This arises, in a great measure, from the general circumstances of the times, and partly from the position and state of England, particularly during the Saxon domination. For, from the general rudeness and ignorance among all classes, political business, of necessity, was divided between the nobles and ecclesiastics, and the deliberative part, from the same cause, fell chiefly to the clergy. Hence the mixed meetings of laics and ecclesiastics, and the prevailing number of the latter, even in those which were merely political. Again, England, from her insular and remote position, was beyond frequent intercourse with those countries where religion was made most a matter of discussion, and whence most of the early heresies took their rise; and was, moreover, constantly occupied with domestic wars. And thus, as religion among the Saxon kingdoms required less attention for regulating the opinions of the Christian converts, or for promulgating authoritative decrees against false doctrines, so there existed, in a very small degree, the causes for which councils were called in early times, and the chief ecclesiastical business in them was to legislate for the domestic interests of the church, and to watch over and endeavour to correct public offences in morals rather than in opinions.

From the mixed character of these meetings results their anomalous form, when regarded as ecclesiastical synods. A mention of some of these varieties will shew how it has happened

* Vid. Rights and Powers of an English Convocation, p. 5. There are accounts of them early in the 5th century.

These occasions did occur sometimes; e.g. 446-A council against Pelagian heresy.

§ A convocation was called to issue censures against Vortigern for marrying his daughter.

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