CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN OBSERVER EXTRA.

Although our present number far exceeds our prescribed limits we cannot forbear affording our subscribers an additional sheet, containing a few items of the deepest interest, on the subject of West India Slavery, the Idolatry question, and the Exportation of Natives, received by the last overland despatch. These, with other topics connected with India, have been actually the subjects of discussion in the Parliament of Great Britain. There is yet hope for India.

1.-IDOLATRY IN INDIA.

On the 26th of March, the following discussion ensued in the House of Lords on the presentation of a petition by the Primate of England for the dissolution of the union.

"The Archbishop of Canterbury presented petitions to the same effect (abolition of slavery) from Canterbury, and several other places. The Right Rev. Prelate also presented a petition signed by twenty-three Clergymen of the Church of England at Birmingham, and a similar number of Dissenting Clergymen, against the interference of the servants of the East India Company, relative to the superstitions of the inhabitants of Hindostan. The petitioners felt bound to address themselves to their Lordships on this important subject, and prayed that such orders might be forthwith sent out as would procure the immediate abolition of all idolatrous worship in India, and release all persons, whether civil or military, from any obligation to take part in any ceremonies, rites, or festivals whatever connected with the superstitions of that country. The shortest way of putting the House in possession of the question, was to refer to the papers sent out by the Directors containing these instructions, on the 20th of Feb., 1833, which entered minutely into the subject. The Rev. Prelate read the instructions, which were of considerable length, and proceeded to say that the delay which had taken place in carrying those instructions into effect, was viewed with great impatience by the Christian public in India, and numerous petitions had been presented to the Supreme Government on the subject. He then read a letter from the Bishop of Madras, complaining of the delay, and, as we understood, recommending the abolition of the pilgrim tax. For four years after the passing these instructions nothing was done. On the 22nd of Feb. 1837, another resolution was passed, in which the Directors called for further information, and said that the general consideration of the subject would be resumed as soon as that information was obtained.

"The Bishop of Chester presented a petition to the same effect, in which he entirely concurred. The Right Rev. Prelate observed when the pilgrims in India saw the idolatrous worship protected by the British Government, they would naturally conclude that all the efforts made by this country to disseminate Christianity among them were not made in sincerity. (Hear.)

"The Bishop of London also supported the prayer of these petitions. He must say, that if it was true, as it was alleged, that the order of the Court of Directors, that the English residents should not be called upon to attend on the religious worship of the Hindus, had not been acted upon, it was an eternal disgrace on the British Government that such a system should be allowed to exist; and its officers in permitting it to continue, and in neglecting to put the Indian colonies on the same footing with other countries, as regarded its state of Christianity, had been guilty of a great neglect of their duties. It really appeared to him that the state of the country had retrogaded instead of its having advanced.

"Lord Glenelg said, that having been a party to the order referred to by the Right Rev. Prelate, he, for one, must express his regret that it had not been carried into effect. The neglect to do so was certainly a breach of duty on the part of those into whose hands that department of the government was placed, but at the same time he must contend that he had performed his duty in the steps which he had taken.

"The Archbishop of Canterbury must say one word with reference to the expression which had been used, that the state of Christianity had retrogaded. Now, certainly, as regarded one particular, this was incorrect, for the Europeans no longer actually took a part in the religious ceremonies of the Hindus, as they had formerly done."

The Court of Directors on the 21st of the same month, held a meeting, when the subject was mooted by J. Poynder, Esq. and as if the Court sought to render themselves ridiculous and to bring down the odium of an enlightened people upon them, they passed the following absurd resolution.

"That this Court deems the continued public discussion of questions affecting the religious feelings of the Natives of India to be fraught with danger, and that the regulation of such matters may with more safety be left to the responsible executive.”

This sage Council requires two things to render the resolution of any avail. First, the power to convince the public of the danger; and, secondly, the power to suppress what they cannot deny. It looks well by the side of Lord Glenelg's cutting reproof in another place.

We find the following notice of this meeting in a contemporary. "EAST INDIA HOUSE.-A Quarterly General Court of Proprietors of East India Stock was held to-day in Leadenhall-street. The motion on the subject of Hayleybury College, for which the Court was made special, was postponed out of courtesy to Mr. Poynder, to allow that gentleman to bring forward his motion on idolatry in India. After the letter of the Court of Directors to the Marquis of Wellesley, informing him of the grant lately made to his lordship by the Court, and the Noble Marquis's reply to the same, had been read and ordered to be printed, Mr. Poynder rose and addressed the Court in a speech which occupied two hours in the delivery. In the course of his speech he declared that if he did not succeed in his object, he had determined to disqualify by selling out his stock, being resolved not to receive the price of blood. He should have done so before, but that his presence in that Court had given him a chance of accomplishing the great object he had in view. There appeared no doubt but that the debate would be adjourned."—Globe, March 21.

We should exceedingly regret should Mr. P. sell out and leave the company to revel undisturbed in its guilt. Let the British people once settle the question of Slavery and then will come this, to be dis posed of for ever.

2.-SLAVERY.

We give the following extracts on this subject, which we are sure will possess deep interest with all concerned in the welfare of mankind.

"MARCH 13.-In the House of Lords, Lord Glenelg moved the second reading of the Slavery Abolition Act Amendment Bill. The Noble Lord in the course of his speech, made some pointed observations on the conduct both of the Legislative Assembly in Jamaica, and the planters, in not complying with the provisions of the Slave Emancipation Act of 1833. Lord Brougham, the Marquis of Sligo, the Duke of Wellington, and the Earl of Ripon, severally took the same view of the matter, and supported

the bill, which was unanimously read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday week."

"MARCH 15.-In the House of Lords, Lord Brougham gave notice that he should, before the Easter recess, move for leave to bring in a bill for the abolition of the negro apprenticeship system on the 1st of August next. An immense number of petitions against the apprenticeship system was then presented from all parts of the country. Their Lordships only

sat an hour."

"MARCH 19. In the House of Lords, several petitions were presented against the New Poor Law Act. Lord Wharncliffe presented several petitions from Yorkshire, praying for the immediate abolition of negro apprenticeship, and in doing so, expressed his concurrence in the prayer of the petition. The Marquis of Sligo also said, that in consequence of circumstances which had recently come to his knowledge, he also had changed his opinion on the subject, and wanted but very little to be an immediate abolitionist. Lord Brougham then said, with great emphasis, 'My Lords, never, since I had the honour of a seat in your Lordship's House, have I heard two declarations which gave me greater pleasure, or which conferred more honour upon those that made them, than the declarations which have just been made by the Noble Lords, Wharncliffe and Sligo. (Hear, hear.) Lord Brougham then presented a host of petitions on the same subject from all parts of the country."

"MARCH 22.-In the House of Lords, in answer to a question from Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Glenelg said, that he did not see the necessity of uniting the Government measure for the abolition of Negro Slavery, with a bill on the same subject proposed by a noble and learned lord (Lord Brougham.) Lord Brougham then observed, that he considered the Government Bill so ineffectual, that he would much rather have had the further consideration of it put off; but if it were not to preclude any one from takinghis own course afterwards, that made all the difference in the world.

"The Marquis of Sligo, in moving an amendment to the first clause, that the negroes be allowed to leave off work on Fridays at twelve o'clock, shortly urged the necessity of putting an end to the apprenticeship system on the 1st of August next, instead of the 1st of August, 1840. "For my own part,' said the noble Marquis, I will not preach what I will not practise, whether my noble and learned Friend's Bill be passed or not, there shall be no slave on my estate after the 1st of August next. From that time I shall consider myself to have no claim upon the negroes, but that they shall have every claim on me for past services.' The noble Marquis's amendment was agreed to, and the bill passed through committee.

"The Marquis of Northampton, in reference to the same subject, and in order to the more effectual prevention of the slave trade, suggested, that there be stationed on the coast of Africa a combined squadron, formed of four nations, France, Holland, America and England; and to prevent any jealousy of the nation, let the squadron be placed under the command of the Commodores of each nation alternately, and let the squadron thus constituted act under a joint flag. If this were to be adopted he thought the flag would be one of the most formidable in the world, and would at once put an end to a traffic which was the most disgraceful that existed in the whole universe.' "

3. THE LEVEE.

"The Queen held a levee to-day, at St. James's Palace, on which occasion a number of addresses were presented to Her Majesty, on various subjects. The two most important were the following:

"Lord Brougham, accompanied by Captain Hansard, R. N., Mr. Joseph Sturge, and the Rev. Thomas Scales, an address on behalf of the negro

apprentices in the British Colonies, adopted at a numerous meeting of the friends of the negro, held in Exeter Hall, on Wednesday, March 14th, representing the wrongs of the negro population in the British Colonies, and imploring Her Majesty's gracious interposition in their behalf, in order that the system of negro apprenticeship in those colonies may terminate on or before the 1st of August next.

"The Rev. John Burnet, the Rev. W. N. Bunting, the Rev. Peter Clare, and Wm. Dilworth Crewdson, an address from the females of Manchester and Salford, on behalf of negro apprentices in the British Colonies, signed by 28,386 females, praying Her Majesty to bestow her gracious consideration upon the state of the negro apprentices of the British Colonies, for the purpose of promoting their full and complete freedom.

4.-EXPORTATION OF NATIVES.

It appears that the planters have obtained an order in council, to sanction the trade in flesh and blood from this land to the West Indies. Lord Brougham has attacked the lion in his den, and we hope with success.

"MARCH 6.-Lord Brougham brought forward his promised motion in the Upper House, this evening, for rescinding the order in council, of the 19th of July last, relative to the importation of slaves from the East Indies to Guiana. The noble Lord, in a speech of surpassing eloquence and power, condemned the order in council, as practically re-establishing slavery. The noble Lord's address occupied nearly three hours in delivering. He concluded by moving, first, a resolution that the order in council was contrary to a recent statute passed on the subject of slavery; and, secondly, a motion for the repeal of the order in council. Lord Glenelg followed, and defended the order in council, on the ground that it was impolitic on the part of the State to prohibit the transportation of free laborers. The Duke of Wellington suggested that the order, without being abrogated, might be greatly improved, so as to prevent any abuse arising from it; and the hope that Government would adopt his suggestion, would move the previous question. Lord Melbourne defended the order. Lords Ellenborough and Lyndhurst strongly opposed and denounced it. Their Lordships then divided, when there appeared, for Lord Brougham's resolution and motion 14-against it 56; majority 42. The impression, however, in the House, after the division was, that the question of rescinding the order was virtually carried."

"One of the largest in-door meetings which ever took place in this, or perhaps in any other country, was held this day at eleven o'clock in Exeter Hall, to petition Parliament for an immediate abolition of Negro Slavery in the West Indies. Upwards of 5,000 persons were wedged into the large room, and it was supposed that from 6,000 to 7,000 went away who could not obtain admittance. Lord Brougham presided as Chairman and addressed the meeting at considerable length, as did Mr. O'Connell and various other public men. There were several members of Parliament present. The meeting adjourned at half-past two o'clock till the following day, the one-half of those gentlemen who wished to address the meeting not having had an opportunity of doing so."

"The great meeting to petition Parliament for the immediate abolition of slavery in the West Indies, which was adjourned yesterday, took place to-day when Lord Brougham again made one of his most splendid speeches. A number of dissenting ministers, and other well-known public characters, addressed the meeting, consisting, as it did yesterday, of 5,000 persons. The resolutions were all unanimously adopted."

We are indebted for these items to the extras of our contemporaries the Englishman, Hurkaru and Bombay Gazette.

THE

CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 74.-July, 1838.

I.-The General Assembly's Pastoral Letter on Family Worship.

We recommend to our readers the perusal of the following affectionate and impressive address of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to her people, on a subject which many require to take into serious consideration. We fear, that not a few of those who aspire to the name of Christians, are but too negligent in the regular performance of family worship; and that those, who are Christians indeed, do not always, when mingling in society, bring to the remembrance of others the solemn obligation which all, who are the professing followers of the Saviour, and believers in the overruling providence of God, lie under to engage in Divine Worship in their families, to assemble their households before the merciful and Holy One who preserves and guides them, in order that they may show forth together his "loving kindness in the morning, and his faith. fulness every night."

We rejoice in holding such a pledge, as the following, of the Parental interest which the national Church of Scotland thus manifests for the increase of true piety and godliness among those who adhere to her doctrine, discipline, and forms of worship.

Δ.

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, To our dearly beloved People: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.

On your behalf, brethren, we thank God, whom we serve with our spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that your faith and devotion have long been spoken of throughout the world; and we are bound always to have remembrance of you in our prayers night and day, greatly desiring that, like your forefathers in times of clearest light, you may continue stedfastly in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, abounding in the exercises of that unfeigned godliness which is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

In compliance with the solicitations of many who watch for your souls, and are jealous over you with godly jealousy, we VII.

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