THE appointment of this muchrespected clergyman to the official situation which connects him with the diocese of Winchester, reflects equal honour upon the Right Reverend patron and upon the subject of his wise and disinterested choice. We know not in what quarter a prelate anxious to discover a man qualified for the office, instead of subordinating the office to the man, could have selected a clergyman better fitted to discharge the important duties of vicar-general of such a diocese as Winchester, than in the person of the Reverend author of the excellent discourse now before us. It has fallen to the lot of Mr. Dealtry, in the varied functions of an academical professor, a bishop's examining chaplain, and an active and exemplary parish priest, to have become largely acquainted with the duties and the habits both of the clergy and the laity; and his earnest and scriptural piety, his calm discretion, his cordial attachment to the doctrine and discipline of our revered church, and, not least, his ab stinence from controversy and party spirit, could not fail to render the experience thus acquired of inestimable value in furthering the interests of true religion within her pale. The office of chancellor of a diocese -and indeed that of episcopacy itself-may not, in the present day, be capable of wielding all the practical power which it exerted in ages of greater subordination and simplicity, when visitation, institution, and, as the old canonists express it, CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 326. "correction of manners, and a general inspection of men and things, for the preservation of good government in the church," were very far from being merely official forms. But, happily, all is not lost, even in the way of direct authority; while in that of personal example, salutary influence, faithful exhortation, and pious zeal, the official regulators of our church may still, by the Divine blessing, effect much, very much, to promote the glory of God and the best welfare of mankind. Next to the sound principles, the personal character, the affectionate spirit, and the active services of a bishop himself-in all which points the diocese of Winchester is preeminently happy-we would estimate as of vital importance the character of the several officers who exercise his delegated agency; and we fear we must add, that to the too generally prevailing habit of considering such appointments as sources of private patronage, rather than as matters of official responsibility, may be attributed much of that laxity of ecclesiastical doctrine and discipline, which has been so greatly lamented by the best and wisest of our prelates, and by every sincere friend of the Established Church. If the prime minister of the day, in appointing to a bishopric, consults only private friendship or political expediency, to the oblivion of those higher claims which alone can qualify a clergyman for that momentous office in the church of Christ; and if the bishop thus appointed views his official patronage in the same secular light, to be disposed of for the gratification of his patron or the emolument of non-qualified friends, it is obvious that the same debasing and servile system will descend to the very outskirts of the diocese; till clergy and laity will alike learn to view the Church as a mere political machine, to be worked, not for the spiritual welfare of mankind, but for the convenience of those who direct its movements. R plicity, that we have taken the liberty of trespassing on the forgiveness of our valued friend, by extracting the whole of his argument as a Family Sermon; adding only a few lines at the end, in order to apply to the private reader what the character of Mr. Dealtry's auditory led him, in the second part of his discourse, to apply most powerfully, and at considerable length, to the case of the Christian minister. We will, however, in return for our licence of quotation from the first part, refrain wholly from any extracts from the second; referring our readers to the discourse itself, for such a truly scriptural and affectionate appeal to the hearts, the understandings, and the consciences of the clergy, as we cannot doubt must have been deeply felt, and will be long remembered, by those who heard it; and will now, we trust, by the blessing of God, become, by means of its publication, highly interesting and serviceable to many who had not that privilege. The name of Mr. Dealtry has often graced our Review department: we have seen him as the champion of the unfettered circulation of the Scriptures, the zealous advocate for Christian missions, at a time when the duty of such exertions was little estimated in the church of Christ, and when every attempt to promote them was assailed by the scorn and obloquy of the world; but in no capacity are his writings so valuable as in that of a faithful Christian teacher, unfolding the doctrines of the word of God, and impressing its duties, for correction, edification, and instruction in righteousness. The discourse now before us incidentally exhibits the writer in the two-fold aspect above alluded to. In the former part, descriptive of the character of the Gospel message,we trace the faithful and affectionate parochial instructor declaring his hallowed announcements with such amplitude of range, such fidelity of delineation, yet at the same time with such edifying sim LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE, &c. &c. GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication, and in the press-A critical Examination of some of the fundamental Principles of Mr. Faber's Calendar of Prophecy; by W. Cuninghame ;-He is Risen; an Easter Offering;-Popular Lectures on Biblical Criticism and Interpretation; by W. Carpenter;-A Christian Biographical Dictionary; by W. Jones;-Sketches of Irish Character; by Mrs. S. C. Hall. Two remarkable tusks of a Mammoth have been brought home by Capt. Beechey. The largest must have measured twelve feet; and the mammoth to which it belonged must have been fifteen or sixteen feet high. They were found on the west coast of America, near Behring's Straits, in a mountain of ice a hundred feet in height above the sea. This mass of ice is covered with earth and grass, and has embedded in it a vast number of the tusks, teeth, and bones of the mammoth. Specimens of organic remains, it is stated, have lately been found in Clashbennie quarry, on the left bank of the Tay, in the old red sand-stone, in which few organic remains have hitherto been found, and from which is dated the existence of the vertebral animals. The interior of York Minster, one of the most valuable and magnificent of our national architectural treasures, has been desolated by fire. The damage includes the destruction of the splendid roof of the choir, the stalls, canopies, and other woodwork on the sides, the matchless organ,the communion plate, and the delapidation of many of the monuments. The elaborately carved screen, the splendid east window, the records, the wills, and some valuable articles of antiquity or curiosity, have been preserved. The destruction is traced to the hand of a lunatic. The minster has several times suffered by fire; the last occurrence of which kind was nearly seven hundred years ago. Professor Leslie states that the largest drops of rain, which are about one-fifth of an inch in diameter, will fall 2040 feet in a minute: but the ordinary drops in this climate will seldom fall half as fast. Hailstones in the south of Europe, having sometimes the diameter of two inches, will fall with a velocity of 113 feet in a second, or more than 14 mile in a minute, a rapidity of stroke which destroys cornfields and ravages vineyards. The Water Companies which supply the metropolis, are the New River, East London, West Middlesex, Chelsea, Grand Junction, Lambeth, Vauxhall, and Southwark. The daily supply amounts to nearly thirty million gallons; which, estimating the population of the metropolis at 1,500,000, is nearly twenty gallons a day for every individual. A plan is under discussion for forming a General Clerical Provident Society; to give an opportunity to the clergy, by means of mutual assurance, to secure a provision for themselves and their families in sickness, old age, at death, and whilst bringing up a family. The plan is not fully matured; but the object is highly important. As an illustration of the nature of the plan, it is calculated that if a clergyman, upon entering into orders at 23, will engage to pay the sum of 4. 16s. 10d. per annum until he dies, or attains the age of seventy years, he will, in such case, be entitled to 21. weekly in sickness, until he is seventy years of age; 14. weekly in sickness, after he is seventy years of age; and 52. per annum, in health or sickness, after he is seventy years of age. At thirty, the same benefits may be obtained for 6. 1s. 2d. per annum; at thirty-five, for 7. 10s.; and at forty, for 91. 15s. 4d. We shall recur to the subject. FRANCE. The whole of the highways of France are made and repaired at the expense of the Government, and the whole amount set down for this purpose is only about 800,000. The highways extend the length of 8,584 leagues, the league being about two English miles and a half; and, separately from annual repairs, it is calculated that nearly 8,000,000. sterling would be necessary to complete them. A commission has been appointed to consider the subject. Our fellow-Protestants in France are adopting the plan of sales of ladies' work for assisting benevolent and religious objects. At a recent sale at Paris, on behalf of the Evangelical Missionary Society," almost as many English ladies as French were found among the contributors and purchasers. ITALY. In a house lately excavated at Pompeii were found the skeletons of two persons, apparently overtaken by destruction in the moment of flight. The one, it is conjectured, is that of the proprietor of the mansion, holding in one hand a key and in the other some gold coins and decorations; the other, that of a slave, carrying behind his master two vases. What an affecting illustration of the condition of all ages and ranks at the approach of that great leveller of all human distinctions-Death! SWITZERLAND. The first edition of the translation of Henry Martyn's Life into French, we are happy to learn, is nearly exhausted, and that successive editions are likely to be in demand. A medal has been struck at Strasburg to the memory of the Pastor Oberlin. The likeness is said to be very faithfully executed. UNITED STATES. The custom of "bowing at the name of Jesus" in the Creed, has been generally continued among our American Episcopalian brethren; but there being no canon with them as with us to enforce it, some of them, we understand, wish to abolish it, as unnecessary in itself, and offensive to many Dissenters. The majority, however, consider it at the least so innocent, and in intention so reverent a practice, that they determine to retain it. Lines of stage-coaches are beginning to be established in different places, upon the principle of not travelling on the Sunday. Joseph Lancaster is in New York, suffering under poverty, and has appealed to the public for relief. Far the larger part of the produce of the immense apple-orchards in some parts of the United States is made into cider, for the purpose of being distilled into brandy; which thus becomes so injuriously cheap as to be a constant source of temptation to the labouring classes. It is reported that a considerable number of manuscript volumes, containing the Journal of the British House of Commons during the Protectorship of Cromwell, has been discovered among a mass of books belonging to a literary society in New York, which for many years had remained undisturbed. The manuscripts, it is said, were taken to America by the re. gicides who fled thither at the Restora tion. A benevolent individual has offered to pay the tuition, at Yale College, of one hundred indigent pious students for the Christian ministry. Last winter, one of the Fire Companies passed a resolution, prohibiting the use of spirituous liquor as a refreshment in cases of fire. It was doubted by some of its members whether the measure could be carried into effect, in consequence of the erroneous impression which prevailed, that men could not work at an engine any length of time unless assisted by a supply of spirituous liquor. The company determined to substitute warm coffee instead; and with such success, that the men state they are more refreshed than by the use of spirituous liquors. The members of several other companies are endeavouring to get similar resolutions passed. An American physician, in an address lately delivered on the dreadful effects of spirit-drinking, says: "What is the secret of this witcherywhich strong drink exerts over the whole man? I will tryto tell you. After being received into the stomach, it is sucked up by absorbent vessels, is carried into the blood, and circulates through the alimentary organs, through the lungs, muscles, and brain, doubtless through every organ of the body. Not a blood-vessel, however minute, not a thread or nerve in the whole animal machine, escapes its influence. It disturbs the functions of life; it increases for a time the action of living organs, but lessens the power of that action; hence the deep depression and collapse which follow preternatural excitement. By habitual use, it renders the living fibre less and less susceptible to the healthy operation of unstimulating food and drink; its exciting influences soon become incorporated with all the living actions of the body; and the diurnal sensations of hunger, thirst, and exhaustion, are strongly associated with the recollection of its exhilarating effects, and thus bring along with them the resistless desire for its repetition. Even the brain, that most delicate and wonderful organ, which forms the mysterious link between the other forms of matter and mind, the healthy functions of which are essential to vigorous intellectual operation, is capable of imbibing alcohol, and having all its actions suddenly arrested. In the case of a man who was picked up dead soon after having drunk a quart of gin for a wager, in the vessels of the brain was found a considerable quantity of limpid fluid, distinctly impregnated with gin, both to the sense of smell and taste, and even to the test of inflammability." We earnestly wish that some benevolent individuals would unite to circulate information on the evils of spirit-drinking among our own population. The practice has of late become fearfully prevalent. SOUTH AMERICA. A recent traveller in South America (see "Guatimala, or the Republic of Central America, in 1827-8,") writes: "Walking through the streets of Guatimala one day, I was painfully surprised to observe a large statue of the Saviour borne on a platform by four men, and accompanied by ten or twelve wretches grotesquely dressed, and as absurdly masked, who were dancing before it in order to excite the mirth of the populace. Such is the temporising and worldly spirit of this Babylon of the nations, that the only reply I could get from one of her worthiest ministers to an indignant remonstrance was, We do not approve it, but it is necessary to give life to the festivity!' Perhaps there is no country in the world where religious processions are so numerous, or the great mass of the people so fanatical, as in Guatimala. In Buenos Ayres, Colombia, and Peru, and even in Mexico, the revolution has in this respect effected an important change; but here every thing remains the same as before, not a priest has been ejected, or a friar displaced." It is however added, that in secret infidelityis greatlyupon the increase. VAN DIEMAN'S LAND. Government has established a Savings Bank for convicts, in which to deposit their surplus carnings. The money which they may possess at the time of their arrival in the colony is to be taken from them and deposited in the Savings Bank for their ultimate use, with accumulated interest. LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. THEOLOGY. 5s. Farewell Discourses. By the Rev. J. H. Stewart. Illustrations of Prophecy. 2 vols. 17. 1s. Two Sermons on the Errors and Pretensions of the Roman Church. By the Rev. E. Rice. Confirmation by the laying on of Hands, MISCELLANEOUS. Herodotus, translated from the Greek. By the Rev. J. Taylor. 16s. An Analysis of the Second Decade of Livy, on two charts. By the Rev. F. Russell. 5s 6d. An Exposure of the Jesuits; from the Foreign Review. 6d. Analogy between the Natural and Spiritual Worlds. 8s. India's Cries to British Humanity. By the Rev. J. Peggs. Letters to the Young. By M. J. Jewsbury. 6s. Lays of Leisure Hours. By M.J. Jewsbury. 5s. A Geographical and Historical Account of the Great World. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. KILDARE-PLACE EDUCATION SOCIETY. THE last annual Report states, that 8,7521. was received by the society in the last year in voluntary contributions; that 192 schools were opened without the aid of the society; that 1,500 schools are now in connexion with them; and that there were 124 applications for aid in erecting new schools. The children in five of the society's schools have been withdrawn by the interference of Roman-Catholic clergymen ; 1,600 children are now receiving instruction in the model school; and 11,392 children have been instructed in the model school from the commencement. There have been distributed in the year, 59,092 cheap books, making a total of 1,291,794 sold by the society since the commencement of its labours. NEWFOUNDLAND SCHOOL SOCIETY. The committee of this most excellent society have sent us a statement, from which we learn that the increasing accept ance which their schools meet with in Newfoundland compels them to send out more teachers this spring, notwithstanding their treasury is exhausted. Their only resource, therefore, for the necessary supplies, in dependence on the Divine blessing, is the charity of the friends of religious education; to which they earnestly appeal. We have not space to insert the particulars of their statement in our present Number, but the object most justly claims the immediate liberality of the public. We should be much pleas ed to learn that the society were encouraged to extend their aid to the whole of our North-American colonies, where their assistance is greatly needed. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. A committee has been formed for revising the tracts upon the society's list, with a view to amend such as need correction, to omit others which it is not desirable to retain, to add new ones where wanted, and in general to make the whole series more popularly interesting, as well as complete. We trust that much benefit will result from the appointment of this committee. AMERICAN MISSION TO GREECE. The American Board of Missions have determined to send a special agency to Greece and other places in or around the Mediterranean. Some of the principal objects of this agency are, to ascertain what can be done in Greece, both upon the continent and in the islands, to prepare the way for the full and regular performance of missionary labours; and how far the education of children and youth may be made subservient to this great end; and how far the government will sanction attempts to impart the benefits of education and religious knowledge to the people. |