the gospel of Christ. To the poor the gospel is preached. How hardly shall those that trust in riches enter into the kingdom of God. Come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Blessed are ye poor, for your's is the kingdom of heaven. After all that ye have done, say, we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which it was our duty to do Not of works lest any man should boast.” And the many other passages of the Bible, which are familiar to Bible read VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. The event to which we alluded in our last month's register has taken place; the Bill for removing the Roman Catholic disabilities, introduced into the House of Lords by the Duke of Wellington, passed through it with great majorities, and received on Monday, the 13th of April, the royal assent. It is impossible to contemplate the event without considerable emotion: that a change, which has been for so many years the subject of party violence,-which has been made the criterion of loyalty, and the instrument of faction- about whose expediency the greatest men that ever directed the councils of the nation agreed, yet could not carry-that this, when the opposition seemed louder, if not more general, than at any former period- that this measure should have passed through both Houses of Parliament, and become the law of the country, in a space of time so short, that we can scarcely credit its certainty, is assuredly one of the most extraordinary events that the annals of Parliament can furnish. The Duke of Wellington has surmounted obstacles more formidable than any which had presented themselves in his military career, and he has proved that, in him at least, fortune has not selected for its favours one of inferior powers. Deeply do we regret that the parliamentary contest has been stained by an act, which, whatever the world may call it, the Bible denominates sin-we allude to the duel which took place between the Duke of Wellington and Lord Winchelsea, in consequence of a letter published by the latter, reflecting in a very violent manner on the character and conduct of the former. Such a proceeding on the part of the former distinguished individual. excited in us no surprise, as we had never discovered by his actions, or learned by his professions, that he took the law of God, rather than that of man, for his rule and guide; but we did bitterly lament the inconsistency of the noble Earl, who had placed himself at the head of those who called themselves the supporters of religious truth. But we have done with this subject; and any feelings we may have experienced are not unmingled with pleasure, since we have understood that Lord Winchelsea, in a deeply Christian letter to the Secretary of the British Reformation Society, has evinced his contrition for his rash act, and resigned the responsible situation he held in that Society. We trust sincerely that this act is more than a sacrifice to public opinion. Of the Bill itself, and its operations, we would say a very few words; not, of course, on its political, but its religious tendencies. In the first place, we rejoice exceedingly, that the Bill carefully avoids every recognition of the system of the Church of Rome, or of its professors, but as dissenters from the Church of England; this is an important point, and well worthy the sacrifice of any influence that might have been connected with the veto on their Bishops, or the payment of their clergy. Let not our Protestant Establishment pollute itself by an union with such a system-and as soon as possible let us remove any links that may bind us to it, by discontinuing the public support of Maynooth, and of Roman Catholic chaplains to jails.Again, we rejoice to find that the provision for excluding the monastic orders has been introduced; -we trust it will be acted on, and we fearlessly say, that five-and-twenty years of their exclusion will do more for the extension of the principles of the Reformation, than a century of the remains of the penal code. We are not disposed to treat as trifling, that part of the Act which probibits the assumption of British titles by Roman Catholic Bishops; independent of the anomaly of having two rival churches in one empire, we know the power of a name-we are aware that the expecta tions of a re-establishment was kept alive by this assumption, and we therefore think that its removal was the result of sound policy. We confess, that whatever may be our notions of the political character of the measure, we have no fears of it in a religious point of view. Regarding, as we do, Protestantism to be the religion of the Bible, we entertain no apprehensions for it; believing the Established Church to be the purest scion of Protestantism, we apply to its prosperity the promises of God; and feeling convinced that it owes much, very much, of its usefulness to its being an integral part of the State, we rest convinced that nothing but our own unworthiness and forgetfulness of duty will ever sever that connection. We hold it as little other than a libel on the Established Church, to say, that she has done so little for the people, and has so small a claim upon their gratitude and their affections, that the moment a few Roman Catholics, members of a Church which all Protestants join in censuring and fearing, obtain the right to possess power, the influence of our Church, rooted as it is by time, by influence, and by benefits, must cease, and the State must sever the union and dilapidate her revenues. We have no such fears; if there be a Church on earth to which Christianity and morals owe a debt of gratitude, it is to the Church of this empire; and so long as her doctrines continue scriptural, and her sons and ministers maintain them in their purity, so long we confidently trust in the providence of God, that her candlestick will not be removed. We certainly think that the duty of all is now to seek to give effect to the determinations of the Legislature -by cultivating a spirit of peace and amityby laying aside all merely human distinctions and, without compromising principle, or giving way to error, proving that the accusation of the enemy was false that it was not for this world, but another, we strove. A considerable excitement exists; and every friend of Ireland should seek to direct it to a good end: one impediment to the circulation of the Scriptures, and the hearing of the Word has, we hope, been broken down, in the removal of political animosities; and it is now the bounden duty of all to redouble their exertions in the cause of God. We close by giving our readers a letter just received from our invaluable correspondent, who has not been terrified from signing himself BEDELL, by the unjust and unfair insinuations that have been directed against him; and we close this article, by praying in the spirit of peace, that the Lord may bless the great measure that has been passed, to the extension of his kingdom, the encrease of bis church, to the giving of "his word a free course, and glorifying it." To the Editor of the Christian Examiner. SIR-Whatever opinion may be entertained as to the policy or the probable results of the Bill which has just received the royal assent, it is certain that the lovers of scriptural truth, and scriptural education, are placed on new, trying, and important circumstances, and they are called upon, by every thing that is dear to them as men and as Christians, to make known that only name under heaven, given among men, whereby they must be saved. They are convinced that Ireland's misery and degradation are owing to the existence of a moral evil, which can only be overcome or removed by the application and influence of a moral principle. They are equally convinced that such a principle is not to he looked for from any earthly source, or to be found in any system of worldly policy-but that it does exist on the Scriptures of eternal truth- and that whenever it has been brought into operation by the almighty energy of the Holy Spirit, the wilderness has rejoiced, and blossomed as the rose. Entertaining, as they do, this conviction, I would humbly, and with brotherly affection, remind them, that it is their bounden duty to quit themselves like men, and be strong; that as this is a remarkable year in the political history of our country, it may be still more remarkable in its religious history. Let a spirit of prayer, of union, of diligence, of exertion, of self-denial, of liberality, of forbearance, of holy boldness, and of devotedness to God, be more than ever cultivated, that they may thus recommend the truth which they love, by a real exhibition of its holy influence upon the temper and conduct. Our public meetings have been a mighty engine in shaking the strong holds of error, ignorance, and superstition, and in calling the attention of all ranks of men to the consideration of the book wherein God's unspeakable love to them, in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ, is so marvelously displayed. They have attracted public attention, and are capable of being made instrumental in producing more extensive good than has ever been calculated upon, or expected. They, in fact, constitute an extensive and effective home missionand by the means at least 100,000 persons, during the past year, heard the faithful word which is able to make wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. then be conscientiously kept up-let them be regulated with prudence-let the abundant blessing of God be supplicated upon them, and let the edification of others, and not the exaltation of self, be the object of every speaker. Time is short-there is a great work to be done sinners are perishing every where for lack of knowledge-a spirit of inquiry is progressive in our land, in spite of all the efforts that have been made to check it -let us improve the opportunity, and employ all the means vouchsafed to us of making known the great salvation.— May the Spirit be poured from on high, and may all in our land, from the least to the greatest, know the Lord, and be brought to enjoy the peace that passeth all understanding. Let these meetings April 16th, 1829. BEDELL. POETRY. LINES IN A PRAYER BOOK, PRESENTED TO A YOUNG LADY ON HER MARRIAGE. WRITTEN BY COLONEL BLACKER. Others, thy priz'd regard to gain, Nor think thy love is valued light, If poor my off'ring seem; Deck'd by their care in rich array, But when, in better, holier hours, SKETCHES OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY-THE STATION, No. III. (concluded) 422 North America- Remarkable Instance of an Answer to Prayer. Canada- Opposition to the distribution of the Scriptures. Portugal-Observance of the Lent. Intolerance and Persecution of Protestants, by Protestants in Switzerland. Protestant Worship in the German Language at Ve- nice, Protestant Church in Florence. Prussia-Instruction of the DOMESTIC RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.. Deaf and Dumb Institution. Religious Tract and Book Society for Ire- HURST, CHANCE, AND CO. LONDON. SOLD ALSO BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Printed by Bentham and Hardy. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Senex's" communication will be inserted in our next. The letter of "Little A" has been read, and those whom it concerns-while expressing thanks for the admonitions of a friend-desire to express their intentions to profit by the advice. The letter of" J.K." is under consideration: as is also the tract on preach. ing, by "L.B." "Bedell's" communication has been received. "If possible, the paper on education, signed "Politelos," will have a place in our next Number. The first convenient opportunity the poem by "Subscriber" will be inserted. The letter signed "Juvenis"-written as it is in an anxious and Christian spirit, and bearing testimony as it does to the good effects of attending the meetings of the Religious Societies, we must decline inserting. The Biblical Criticism signed "Alexander" shall be inserted. The one signed Equi Amator we must decline. "Melancthus" is under consideration. "A Prophetical Enquirer" asks, on what Scriptural ground it is concluded that the great body of the ten tribes did not return from the captivity along with that of the two tribes-the evidence he asks, must be of course subsequent to the return. We cannot close this volume without again returning our thanks to our friends and Correspondents for their continued support, and trusting that the attestations to the usefulness of our Miscellany which we have received from many different quarters, will prove the integrity of our principles, and our strict adherence to them. We regret to say that some of our Correspondents and friends have been displeased with the sentiments we have expressed on the much disputed subject of prophetical interpretation. As it has never been our intention to dogmatize on so obscure and so awful a subject, we do think, that a statement of opinions might have been tolerated; and while we allow to all, to examine and judge for themselves, that we might claim the same privilege. Our pages are open to the advocates of either side, provided the sentiments be charitable, and the language that of Christianity—and while we would regret, if an impartial public could bring us in guilty of using too sharp a weapon even against Mr. Irving, (who, in his management of his theological arms, spares neither person nor opinion,) we must yet assert our freedom from any motive but the love of truth and the desire of the advancement of the glory of the Messiah. |