into circuits and districts, which, like the Episcopal dioceses, stretch over the boundary line of the counties, as convenience in the one case, and usage in the other, may require.

There seems to be no method of estimating the number of the Calvinistic Methodists with complete accuracy. That section of the body which is called the Countess of Huntingdon's Connection, publish a Yearly List, of which we have availed ourselves, and for the rest, have obtained the best information we could command.

We are happy to be able to present a return of the number of Meeting Houses belonging to the Society of Friends, extracted from their annual "Account of the Times and Places of the Meetings for Worship," &c. a people who, for patient consistency and benevolent labours, well justify the station they occupy amongst the elder brothers of nonconformity.

We must now proceed to explain the manner in which we have prepared the respective returns of the County Contributions to the Missionary So

cieties of the several Protestant Communions in the kingdom.

We should have been happy to have given our readers a detailed account of the efforts of the friends of the Societies for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in each County, because they are the only missionary institutions for foreign objects which the Orthodox party in the Church of England support, but the task was impracticable, for in the report of the former, the subscribers, more than twelve thousand in number,

ties, have, happily for us, classified their contributions, and thus, without much difficulty, we have been able to sent a view of their respective efforts. The only difference between the returns is, that the Wesleyan Methodists' county reports include all donations, while the other returns only contain subscriptions; their donation having one common entry. Thus the Wesleyan Methodists appear to have a superiority, which, it is probable, in some cases they do not actually possess.

The British and Foreign Unitarian Association, as its name imports, is for the diffusion of Unitarian opinions at home and abroad, and therefore is intended to support Missionaries to the heathen, and itinerants amongst our countrymen; and also by books, magazines, and tracts to explain and illustrate the errors which constitute their peculiarities. It will be doubtless gratifying to the friends of evangelical truth, of every denomination, to perceive how little is done in any county, by this confessedly opulent party, toward the extension of their views of Christianity, a pretty certain indication that they possess but little influence over their own minds.

In reviewing the circumstances of the separate churches in this kingdom, it must be evident that Christianity depends not for her support on state provisions, seeing that there are, at least, 6,400 Christian congregations in this country, who, besides bearing their proportion of all the imposts laid on the community, for the emolument of the endowed

cal, civil, or social divisions, but crowded together in one list, in a type too formidable for our vision, whilst the contributors to the latter are so oddly assorted under distinct alphabetical lists, headed Incorporated - Contributing and Associated Members - Diocesan and District Committees, that our patience would find their classification equally formidable. We shall, however, bring the operations of these Societies before our readers, in a comparison with those of others, towards the end of this introduction.

The Church, Baptist, London, and Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Socie

places of worship, support their own ministers, and contribute largely too for the extension of the Christian faith throughout the earth.

Amidst ecclesiastical corruptions which impress the minds of shrewd worldly men with the conviction that religion is made an article of traffic, and an engine of state; it is gratifying to be able to refer to the zeal, liberality, and consistency of such a body, who not only yield their unbought suffrages to spiritual religion, but present their costly offerings at her altars.

The number of Episcopal and Dis

Thus it appears that the members of the Church of England, whose ministers and parochial edifices are supported by general taxation, do not subscribe so much by £22,481. per annum, towards the truly apostolical work of evangelizing the nations, as the members of the separate denominations, though they, besides their proportionate contributions to the support of the state religion, have to edu cate and maintain their own ministers, and erect, at their own charge, their various places of worship.

we

But let us now inquire, do not our Episcopalian countrymen employ their resources in other ways? answer, yes! and every Dissenter will do well to notice the tendency of their efforts, both in the circulation of books, and in the education of the poor.

It appears that of the large sum of £72,394. 4s. 10d., which formed the gross receipts of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge last year, £62,154. 2s. 9d. were employed in the Home objects of the Society, which are principally the sale and gratuitous circulation of Bibles, Prayer Books, and Church of England tracts.

In what proportions these are issued is an important feature of the case; the total numbers are thus reported:

It is, of course, impossible accurately to ascertain the exact proportions of support which these general societies receive from Churchmen and Dissenters, but we venture to think dividing the amount between the no great injustice will be done by members of the Established Church, and all classes of Dissenters.

Assuming that a moiety is the proportion, the separate communities contribute about £75,000. annually toward the circulation of the Scriptures, and other religious books. And what is the character of these publications-Sectarian? No, while Episcopalians are spending, at least, £50,000. a year in circulating books, which principally advocate the claims and illustrate the rites of their church, the Dissenting bodies are content to belong to general Societies, which only circulate books, which teach the common salvation!

This may be very creditable to the catholic feelings of Dissenters, but is it politic? Do they think their principles, for which they make so many sacrifices, unimportant? or do they imagine that they are so evident that they need no explanation, no defence?

Let us now direct the attention of our readers to the subject of Education.

The National School Society is exclusively conducted by members of

the Episcopal Church, and its avowed object is to " educate the children of the poor in the principles of the Established Church.” This Society appears to have about 275,000 children at present under its care, a great proportion of whom are daily instructed in those "principles," by catechetical and every other means, which a determined adherence to the establishment can suggest.

The British and Foreign School Society is jointly supported by Churchmen and Dissenters; the neutral system therefore characterizes its operations, and though the children under its care are taught Scripture les sons, yet the dissenting churches only obtain a negative advantage, by the support which they give to the schools. The various sections of the dissenting community are vigorously engaged in Sabbath instruction. It is probable that they have 5000 Sabbath Schools, and seven hundred thousand scholars; but the few hours which are thus given to the work of education in the Sabbath Schools of England are either occupied in imparting elementary knowledge, or those principles which are common to all evangelical Christians. We believe it is not possible to produce a sectarian catechism which is used to any considerable extent amongst them; and we think we may assert with confidence, that in the Schools connected with the Congregational denomination no such catechisms are employed. If these statements be true, it is evident that the Church of England, as a party, is employing the school as well as the press to further ber peculiar interests, with greater efficiency than the dissenters; for, while she is from day to day training her thousands of children to be of the straitest sect" of her communion, we are principally contented with devoting one day in seven, (and then only a few hours,) to the general and unsectarian instruction of the children in the truths of the Gospel. We are well aware that an influence favourable to our denominational interests is obtained by the circumstance that these children are accustomed to attend our places of worship. Still it is evident, that the same drilling system is not employed to train these young recruits to dissenting tactics, as is in con

06

stant practice in the National Schools, where the minds of their pupils are familiarized with the various evolutions, and orthodox watchwords of good Churchmanship.

The increased activity of the Esta. blished Church, unless met by proportionate efforts amongst the dissenting bodies, will doubtless, to a certain extent, impede the progress of dissent. Aforetime, the moral fields of our country lay waste, and whoever would might enclose for himself. This is no longer the case The boundaries are vigilantly regarded, and often the line is drawn with as much strictness as will comport with a just regard to the rights of others; and, in some cases, we regret to say, that the covetous spirit of a lordly Ahab is manifested toward some poor Naboth's vineyard, which may be at hand. But inclosure is not cultivation. If" fallow ground" is to be broken up,-if" the seed of the kingdom" is to be scattered,—if a "harvest" is to be reaped, " labourers" must be sent forth. The universal church is "God's husbandry," and he will only honour with success men who deserve that title. That many such have appeared in the Episcopal Church of this country, is not a matter of regret, but of rejoicing with us. But that such men can multiply to an indefinite extent, especially as its beneficed clergy and dignitaries, appears to us impossible; and let those who doubt this sentiment gravely weigh the state of patronage in that Church, as exhibited in our tabular analysis, and consider the vast emoluments connected therewith, and say if, as human nature is constituted, patronage in such hands, and with such temptations, will be in the main employed to prefer "holy men of God" to the most responsible stations? Without a miracle it cannot be. Let us then continue to cherish the deepest solicitude for the spread of evangelical religion, and discover a greater anxiety for the conversion of sinners to God, than of persons to our party. man rob us of this glorying. And while we continue thus to seek the honour of God, he will not fail to honour and prosper us. At the same time, our separation from the National Church is professedly based on principles which many desirable

Let no