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God; and he would join with the holy Psalmist in exclaiming, 'Not unto me, O Lord! not unto me, but to thy Name be all the glory.' Every ship did its duty that day; but it was in the name of our God that we set up our banners, and the Lord had heard our prayers. To fight in an humble dependence on Divine protection, and with a simple unmixed reliance on the Divine mercy, through the Redeemer, is, and always must be, the high way to victory and honour."

SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL.

The annual sermon before the Society was preached by the Lord Bishop of Peterborough, on the 20th February, at the parish church of St. Mary-leBow, from 1 Tim. ii. 4—6.

The annual meeting was held in the vestry-room, after the sermon; when it appeared, from the Report, that the benefactions, dividends, subscriptions, &c. for the year, have been 4,608l. 15s. 8d.; and the parliamentary grant, in aid of the Society's exertions in the North-Americau colonies, 8,1261. 58.; amounting together to 12,7351. Os. 8d. Of this amount, 9,7341. 68. 11d. have been expended in salaries and gratuities to missionaries, catechists, and schoolmasters, and in exhibitions to the scholars at the college in Nova Scotia.

The following is a list of the Society's Missionaries:-- Newfoundland, 5 missionaries and 11 schoolmasters; Nova Scotia, 17 missionaries, 1 assistant, 18 schoolmasters, and 5 schoolmistresses; in New Brunswick, 9 missionaries, with 10 schoolmasters, and 1 schoolmistress; Cape Breton, 1 missionary; Upper Canada, 3 missionaries, &c.; Lower Canada, 5 missionaries. In Africa, on the Gold Coast, the African Company's chaplain receives 501. per annum from the Society, as a missionary, catechist, and schoolmaster to the Negroes. In New South Wales, 2 schoolmasters; and in Norfolk Island, 1 master and 1 mistress.

Upon the Bishop of Nova Scotia's recommendation, the Society have extended the number of exhibitions at the college of Windsor to six, and those at the Academy to eight. Three young men have already been educated at this infant establishment for the ministerial office, who are stated to be discharging the duties of their ministry with fidelity and success; and the Society look for

ward with confidence to a constant supply of learned and able missionaries.

The exertions of the Society in the introduction of the Madras System of education in America have been crowned with success. The National School has enjoyed distinguished patronage at Halifax, particularly that of the Governor and the Bishop. Schools upon this system have been formed for boys at several places; and it is expected that a female school will be opened immediately at Halifax. The Society, thus fostering with a liberal hand the laudable exertions of the people at Halifax, have been prompted to the measure in the hope of introducing the system to the whole province. The manifest superiority of the National system of edu cation had created such a sensation throughout the two provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, that applications had been transmitted to the Committee from all quarters, for permission to send the several schoolmasters to Halifax to acquire a sufficient knowledge of the plan, for the introduction of it into their respective schools.

It appeared to be peculiarly desirable to form a similar establishment at St. John's, New Brunswick: great exertions have been made, and considerable subscriptions have been raised, for the erection of a schoolhouse, and the sup port of a schoolmaster. The Society view with satisfaction the rapid progress of this powerful instrument for the relìgious education of the lower orders; and have not hesitated as far as possible to encourage the undertaking.

The Rev. George Stewart, Missionary at Kingston, has been furnished with a considerable supply of Indian Prayerbooks, for the use of the Mohawks. A version of the Gospel of St. Mark into that language has been for many years bound up together with the Common Prayer; and expectations have been raised that the remaining Gospels will shortly be translated.

At Cumberland, Parrsborough, and Sackville, New Brunswick, there appears to be every disposition among the people to exert themselves in erecting new churches, or in repairing old ones. The Society have willingly, therefore, lent themselves to these pleasing expectations; and have given the strongest assurances, that they will meet the proposals from every part of the country, with a disposition to furnish the people with Missionaries.

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

FRANCE.

THE Duke de Richelieu has made the following communication to the Chambers. By the treaty of 1814 the contracting powers reciprocally renounced the whole of the sums due to them, but, in surrendering their own rights, still held sacred those of individuals. France, in consequence, bound herself to discharge the whole of her debts to individual foreigners or foreign establishments, and under subsequent stipulations assigned seven millions of rentes for their liquidation, undertaking that if this proved inadequate she would supply the deficiency. But in February 1817, when the whole of the claims had come in, ministers discovered them far to exceed the calculations before made, or the powers of France to liquidate. They therefore proposed to the Allied courts such a modification of the contracts as would bring them within the competency of Government to discharge. The result is as follows: The sum total of claims was sixteen hundred millions of francs (sixty-six millions sterling); of these, 180 were paid off, and thirty rejected; leaving a balance outstanding against France of 1,390 millions of francs. The total capital which it has now been agreed shall be provided for, or for which an equivalent in rentes must be found, is 320 millions, or a little more than thirteen millions sterling, which is considerably less than one fourth of the remaining debt. In full liquidation of this debt, the creditors shall receive about sixteen millions of rentes, to be inscribed in the great book of France, and which, at the present rate of French stock (taking it at sixty-eight), would produce about 218 millions of francs, being a further reduction virtually of 100 millions.-The conduct of the Duke of Wellington in this arrangement is much praised for its moderation and impartiality. We presume, how ever, that the Allied sovereigns have undertaken to grant some indemnification to the different individuals, their own subjects, whose fair claims have thus been renounced, and whose property

GREAT We are concerned to state, that the Queen has been seriously ill. On the

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The discussions between Spain and America are carried on with a considerable degree of warmth. The arrest of the American consul at Cadiz on a civil process, and his harsh treatment during a long period of imprisonment; the alleged spoliations of Spanish cruisers on the American trade; and some interferences between their respective boundaries on the Western continent, form the subjects of those discussions; which carry with them an appearance, on the part of the United States, of a wish to find some plausible ground of quarrel with the Spanish government. The re. volutionary movements in the Spanish colonies are still continued, though too feebly and irregularly to afford a hope that the contest will speedily be terminated. Advantages are claimed on both sides in a succession of petty engage. ments, which appear to be attended with no decisive effects.

UNITED STATES.

Congress has passed an act, the object of which is to retaliate on us the exclu sion of their ships from British colonies. They have prohibited, under severe pe nalties, the intercourse of British ships between the United States and our own colonial possessions. They doubtless hope, by this extraordinary step, to produce a relaxation of our navigation laws in their favour. The effect is more likely to be, that the West Indies will be supplied with lumber and fish from our own North American colonies, and with provisions from Europe, the Brazils, or Africa; or which will be still more desirable, that they should raise food for themselves. BRITAIN.

evening of Saturday the 24 of May her Majesty was seized with a violent

spasmodic attack, while taking tea with a party at the Duke of York's. Her Majesty has just completed her seventyfourth year. The danger appears to have been so great, that ministers have thought it their duty to bring in a bill for the care of his Majesty's person, and to prevent public inconvenience, in case of the demise of the Queen during the dissolution of Parliament. The account to-day (May 27) is very favourable: she is said to be recovering fast from her illness.

The other principal domestic transactions during the month may be briefly summed up. The Duke of Kent is to be united to the Princess of Linangen, sister of the reigning Prince of SaxeCobourg and of Prince Leopold. Par liament has in consequence granted 6,0001, a year to the Duke, on the completion of the event.—The investigation into the state of the education of the Poor, and into the appropriation of cha ritable funds devoted to that object, has led to the detection of many flagrant abuses. Mr. Brougham, with whom the inquiry originated, has stated, that, of property actually worth between a million and a half and two millions of money, but 750,000l. have been received by the proper persons, or properly accounted for by them. A parliamentary commission is about to take the subject into full consideration, with the view of detecting abuses and applying the necessary remedies. Were the fair amount of the charitable funds, really applicable to purposes of education, bestowed in the most enlightened and economical manner according to their original destination, it would appear that very little further aid of a public nature would be necessary to effect the universal education of the poor throughout the country. The bill for the erection of churches has been almost unanimously approved of in both Houses,

with the exception of a few of its provisions, which have been modified.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has given up, at least for the present session, his plan for regulating country banks. The Bank Restriction is to continue for another year.

We are rejoiced to find that a commission, appointed by the Prince Regent, is to take into consideration the best means of preventing the forgery of Bank notes, which, as we stated in our last number, has become alarmingly frequent. The blood which flows annually, in this country, in consequence of the strong temptations which are presented to the commission of this crime, is quite appalling: and yet, from the great severity of the punishment, the number of prosecutions and convictions is far less than it would otherwise be. The chance of escape is thus greatly increased, and consequently also the temptation to commit the crime. We cannot reconcile our minds to the idea of continning to punish forgery with death, any more than we could to that of thus punishing theft. Forgery is, in fact, a theft. The appropriate punishment for it would be hard labour for life. In nine cases out of ten, it is occasioned by idleness and profligacy. The proper remedy, therefore, would be, the certain prospect of a life of compulsory labour and restraint, in case of detection. There is some thing horrid in the idea of unsparingly exacting blood for property, as is done in all convictions for forgery.

We shall take occasion, after the close of the present session, to revise some of the parliamentary proceedings on important points, such as the Poor Laws, Education, the Building of Churches, the State of Slavery in the West Indies, &c.—The session is expected to close early in June.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

R. R. J.; PHILALETHES, JUN.; G. R.; "A Churchman's Answer;" A COUNTRY CLERGYMAN; C. E. S.; F—x; "Cursory Remarks on the Peace Society;" A MANAGER OF A SAVINGS' BANK; AN OLD INQUIRER; SERIOUS; JUSTITIA; E. C.; A-R; CLERICUS; W. J.; J. L.; and "A Memoir of the Rev. G. E.;" have been received, and are under consideration. CHRISTINA had better direct her former inquiry to some pious and active Minister in her own neighbourhood; the latter, we have it not in our power to answer.

THE

CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 198.]

JUNE, 1818. [No. 6. Vol. XVII.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Christian Observer. CURSORY REMARKS ON UNITARIANISM, AND THE ARGUMENTS BY WHICH IT IS USUALLY SUPPORTED.

Μ'

(Continued from p.277.)

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No. VI.

R. Wright comments thus on John v. 16, Making himself equal with God. "In the Improved Version this text is justly rendered, making himself like God; that is, assuming a resemblance to God, and the exercise of God-like powers."- This is one out of many instances to prove that the Improved Version is not what its name imports: for the word, iros signifies equal, not like; whence, in the place where it is said, that they which shall be counted worthy to attain the future world shall be ayyino, that word ought to be translated, equal to the angels, The Jews therefore considered that Jesus, by representing God as his own proper father, made himself "equal with God." This, however, was only a construction put upon his words by the Jews; and the author is of opinion, that "Whatever the malice of the Jews might lead them to charge him with, he repelled the charge, by declaring, The Son can do nothing of himself.' This could not be the language of one who thought himself equal with God; for, had he been equal with God, he could of himself have done all things." Mr. Wright's opponents, however, are by no means of this opinion; for, as we believe, the Son to be not only equal with the Father, but one with him, the declaration of our CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 198.

Saviour harmonizes with this opinion, by shewing that they act not independently, but in concert.

The remarkable declaration of our Lord in John viii. 56-58, is too pointed and emphatic to be easily explained away. The use of the present tense in referring to a period earlier than Abraham's birth, and that too in speaking to a people already offended by his exalted descriptions of himself, is peculiarly calculated to claim attention. It is an idiom of Deity, with whom past, present, and future are all as one; and, when connected with the description given of himself by the Almighty in Exodus, appears decisive of our Lord's claims. Let us therefore turn to the arguments by which our author seeks to get rid of this conclusion.

"In other places where the same Greek words occur, the translators have added the pronoun he to I am. If they had done so here, the expression I am he could not have been understood to mean more than that Jesus was what he professed himself to be, the Messiah."The proper English of yw pl, in ordinary cases, is, "It is I;" and it may be so translated in almost all the passages where our present reading is "I am he." The introduction of that pronoun, however, always implies that there is an antecedent to which it may aptly refer; which in this instance is not the case: here, the only translation that can pretend to be literal is, "I am." The next question therefore is, Whether in the words, so taken, there can be supposed to be any reference to the language of Jehovah in Exodus. It is very true, 2 Z

as Mr. Wright remarks, that the Hebrew words, literally rendered, mean, "I will be that I will be:" but it is also true that the Hebrew verb has no present tense; and that the Septuagint version of the passage, in which most quotations from the Old Testament are given in the New, is, 'Eyw ε & v. The supposed reference, therefore, is not disproved by the argument drawn from the tense of the original. The same use of the present tense occurs also in Col. i. 17: AUTÓS ἐστι πρὸ πανίων.

Let us next hear, then, the author's own exposition of the text. "The connexion in which our Lord's words stand will fully explain them. He said (ver. 56), Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.' How did Abraham see his day, which must mean the time when he actually appeared? He could only see it is as it was before him, placed in his view in the Divine promise."-I should rather say, that when Abraham saw a ram substituted for his son, as a sacrifice to God, on the very mountain on which our Lord was afterwards crucified, he saw in emblem the day of our Lord's atonement.

So far, then, I confess, there is no assertion of the pre-existent state of our Saviour. "But," adds Mr. Wright," the Jews, misconstruing the words of Jesus, said, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?' He had not said he had seen him. Jesus replied, Verily, verily, I say unto you, be1 fore Abraham was, I am : that is, 1, as the Christ, what I am, was placed in Abraham's view; I was before him in the Divine promise; and he rejoiced in the prospect of my coming, though you, who glory in calling him your father, bate and persecute me. This view of the passage agrees with the context, and all the circumstances."- Is it not plain, that this exposition leaves the remarkable words "I am" totally unaccounted for? Is it credible, that by the emphatic words

"I am," our blessed Lord' meant not "I am," but " I was promised?" Surely these are freedoms with the words of our gracious Master, which his disciples cannot be warranted in taking. They might thus easily dilute the magnificent descriptions, not only of his pre-existent glory, but of his future kingdom, to the narrow conceptions of earthly prejudice. But if we allow to the assertion its full force, and understand it to mean, "I am He that liveth for ever aud ever, the Self-existent," we have a clear, indisputable sense for every word in the dialogue, and the whole context hangs naturally together:-"Hast thou seen Abraham?" "I am eternal, and have therefore seen all things." No wonder, then, that the effect of such a declaration was what it appears to have actually been on the bigoted and prejudiced Jews: (ver. 59) "Then took they up stones to cast at him.”

The following remarks occur on John xiv. 11, Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. "That this affords no proof of the equality of the Son with the Father, is evident (remarks Mr. Wright) from chap. xvii. 21, 22; also from the 20th verse of this chapter: At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.' If Christ's being in the Father and the Father in him, proved him to be equal with the Father, the disciples being in Christ and he in them, would prove their equality with him. It was on account of the Father's being with him, and in him, that Jesus said, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.' The Father was revealed in his teaching, his power was seen in the miracles of Jesus, and his image exhibited in his temper and conduct."The author cannot but allow that this passage, in its literal interpretation, favours our doctrine more than it does his. He has indeed brought forward another passage as parallel, and presses

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