in the mottos printed monthly on our covers, is to prote church-reform, and we hail the accession of such a powe fal coadjutor as the Edinburgh Review. The Review expresses our own mind towards the conclusion of the arti ele: "the main object at present to be accomplished a to draw the public assention to the state of the Church, and to show to every man's understanding that it ought not to be left as it is. Above all, we wish to dispel that cloud prejudice which, on this question, besets the mind of w large a portion, not of the clergy only, but of the gentleme of England-to expose some of those parrot-like phrases. which, to the disgrace of human reason, so often bind men's minds with a secret and sovereign charm. Such are the expressions which we so often hear of the Constitution in Church and State,' of its venerable Establishment,' of its heroic Martyrs,' its 'pious and learned Reformers, and of 'the mild and tolerant spirit of its Doctrines and its Ministers.' We call these parrot-like phrases-because, as they are commonly used, they are all either untrue or irrelevant. "The Constitution in Church and State'! Why it is like the feet of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which were made part of iron, and part of miry clay; the State strong and sound, gradually perfected by the care of suc cessive generations, carefully watched and continually repaired;-the Church patched up in a hurry three hundred years ago, out of elements confessedly corrupted, and ever since allowed to subsist, unlooked to and unmended, as if, like the water of the Thames, it would grow purer by the mere lapse of time."

The Fountain of Marah. By Mrs. HEMANS.

[From "The Amulet." See Christian Reformer, p. 391.] "And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter.

"And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

"And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet."-ExOD. xv. 23-25.

WHERE is the tree the prophet threw

Into the bitter wave?

Left it no scion where it grew,

The thirsty soul to save?

WE have not inserted in this volume the Quakers Yearly Epistle, there being little in it that is interesting to the general reader. It is in every respect a poor composition. The two passages that follow are the only parts worthy of being extracted.

"We feel tenderly for such of our dear friends as come togeher in very small companies in their religious meetings, but we earnestly desire that they may not relax in their diligence, or allow either their solitary situation, or their outward concerns, to prevent a due and punctual attendance of these meetings."

In the course of the last year the circumstances of the commercial inhabitants of this country have been such as to involve numbers in great distress and perplexity. Members of our Society, some, we fear through their own imprudence, have partaken of this calamity. We feel for such as are in trouble, and desire that their sufferings may be conducive to their lasting benefit. To those who, in the management of their temporal concerns, are now struggling under difficulties, which it is possible are only fully known to themselves and to the Great Searcher of hearts, we would offer a word of encouragement and sympathy. We entreat you to act with prudence and uprightness, and so to live from day to day, that you can in humble trust place your whole dependence upon the Lord; then may you entertain the consoling belief that His protecting care will be extended towards you. And may we all, dear friends, be so instructed by the things that have been suffered, as to fix our hearts upon a treasure in the heavens that faileth not'!"

On the subject of the last paragraph, another Epistle was addressed to the Quaker body by the Yearly Meeting.

WHLST we have been engaged in examining into the state our Society as conveyed through the answers to the Queris our attention has been particularly turned to the subject of th fifth Query. At the same time that we are not disposed animadvert with censure on the conduct of those who ma have given rise to the exceptions in the answers to this Query we are anxious that what has occurred may be a warning to others. We feel for many who are brought into trouble, in some instances probably from unavoidable circumstances, and we are sensible that such should be the objects of our tender sympathy.

We entreat Friends frequently to inspect into the state of their affairs, and not to delay the performance of this duty, either from an apprehension that things are going on well, or from a fear to know how their accounts really stand. It is a practice which can be injurious to no one; but it has very fre quently been seen, that had it been timely and regularly sorted to, it would in all probability have prevented grievous suffering. Those who hold the property of others, and this may be said to be the case more or less with most who are engaged in trade, are not warranted, on the principles of justice, in neglecting to inform themselves from time to time of the real situation of their affairs. If men conceal from their nearest connexions in life a knowledge of the actual state of their property, they may deprive themselves of salutary counsel, and of a kind participation in trouble; family expenses may be incurred and subsequent distress may ensue, which might have been avoided. And we particularly advise young persons to be cautious not to enter too hastily into business, and, from the time of their being thus engaged, to be very careful to make themselves well acquainted with their annual income and expenditure. This would be greatly facilitated by their early adopting and regularly pursuing a clear and methodical system of keeping their accounts, in regard both to trade and domestic expenses.

We know that the experience and sufferings of the past year in

*The fifth Query is, "Are friends just in their dealings, and punctual in fulfilling their engagements; and are they annually advised carefully to inspect the state of their affairs once in the year?"

this nation, have furnished many useful lessons to those who have escaped the troubles of which others have partaken; and we desire that these lessons may not be without their practical good effect. They should teach us not to trust in uncertain riches, and they should be a warning to parents to be careful how they enlarge their domestic establishments, and not to hold out to their children expectations of ease and abundance, nor to train them up in habits of delicacy and indulgence. O! that both parents and their offspring might fix their hopes of happiness on that which is substantial and eternal, and endeavour to be good stewards of the temporal blessings bestowed upon them. Such we believe to be the concern of many of our dear friends. Among the evils of later times has been the practice of individuals trading beyond their capital, and that of carrying on their business by means of a fictitious credit:-practices very dangerous in their effects, and utterly inconsistent with that Christian moderation and contentment which the precepts of the gospel enjoin, and in which our true happiness consists.

It becomes those who are attached to the cause of Truth, who love our principles, and are desirous of promoting the best interests of our Society, to remember that they are not exempt from danger. Dear friends of this description, and especially you who are young, accept a word of caution offered to you in Christian love. If you attend not to the witness of God in your own hearts, and seek not to be delivered from the spirit of this world, you may, contrary to any apprehensions that you now. entertain, be introduced into future trouble: you may obstruct your own usefulness in the Church, mar the designs of Infinite Wisdom concerning you, and, when it is too late, have bitterly to regret the want of timely withstanding the first temptations of the enemy.

And we would tenderly invite those who may have acquired a competency of outward substance, to watch the proper period at which they may withdraw from the cares of business, and when disengaged from the regular concerns of trade, to beware how they employ their property in investments which may in volve them anew in care and anxiety. We affectionately desire that neither these nor other cares may disqualify them from acting the part of faithful stewards in the employment of their time, their talents, and their substance, or from being concerned above all things, through watchfulness unto prayer, to have their lamps trimmed, and oil in their vessels; that when the solemn close of life shall come, they may, through redeeming love and mercy, be prepared to enter into the joy of their Lord. Signed in and on behalf of the Yearly Meeting, held in Lon don, by adjournments from the 24th of the 5th month to the 1st of the 6th month inclusive, 1826.

VOL. XII.

JOSIAH FORSTER, Clerk to the Meeting this Year,

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