It is very possible you or your readers may not be prepared to go the whole length with me, in the views which I entertain of modern Popery. Indeed, Sir, I can make great allowance for incredulity, for I had, a short time ago, no conception that their case was so bad as I have since ascertained it to be; and I shall therefore, without any farther reasoning, endeavour plainly to point out what appears to me to be our duty as Protestants at the present moment.

1. I think we ought very carefully to watch, and very vigilantly to repel the attempts of the Romanists to obtain any the least accession of power. Their petition is now before the House, I hope and trust many hundreds and thousands of counter-petitions will be presented. Sir, I have no objection that they, or that any other body of men, should have the privilege of worshipping and serving God as they please; but they have this power already they possess it in a very remarkable degree. The Roman Catholics have really more liberty than almost any other denomination; they have a degree of liberty which Protestants no where possess in Roman Catholic countries; but their object is to obtain an accession of power, and in what way they will use that power I appeal to the records of history— I appeal to the state of Ireland-I appeal to the melancholy fact, that the moment an Irish Catholic renounces his errors, and becomes a Protestant, he is turned out of work, and is in danger of perishing through starvation or violence. *

* As an illustration of our correspondent's remarks, take the following extract from the (Dublin) Roman Catholic Expositor of Jan. 1. 1827.-EDITOR.

"Hundreds are applying to me to change, as they call it, but then they must be supported, as they will get no work when they change. As for work, I cannot give it them those who have turned are very steady, notwithstanding the great opposition they meet with. The Reformers at

I trust, Sir, that you will therefore allow me to call upon my fellow Protestants, and entreat them to support and strengthen the hands of the best friends of our constitution in church and state, and not to leave room for the insinuation to be again thrown out, that the people of England have no objection to Ro. man Catholic Emancipation, otherwise they would petition against it. I am sure the arrogance of one of the speakers on presenting the petition, is a loud call to Protestants to come forward manfully.

2. Another point which I think ought ever to be kept in view, is the formation, of societies and associations for the promotion of the reformation.

The inhabitants of Cavan have set us an example which we all ought to follow. There are said to be, Sir, eighty thousand Irish in London, most of whom are Catholics. Fifty thousand Catholics at Manchester; vast numbers at Liverpool and all through Lancashire, besides the hosts scattered through all our large manufacturing towns and districts. Multitudes of these, Sir, are perishing for lack of knowledge. We hear of good Roman Catholics, but they are I fear very scarce. Popery is a grand means of quieting the consciences of those who live in sin, and when we look round on the great mass of papists, we are compelled to give way to the most alarming apprehensions as to their state in the sight of God. Now, Sir, can nothing be done to awaken their attention, to provoke them if you please to discussion, to lead

them to read the word of God? Do we really believe that the worship of the Virgin Mary and the adoration of saints, and the bowing down

tend me every Sunday from ten to twelve, and answer in their lesson from the Bible, and are making great progress in religious knowledge. Their children attend Mrs. Murray at the same time.

(Signed) RICHARD MURRAY. Askeaton, Nov. 22, 1826.

to images is idolatry? Do we really believe that God hates and will eternally punish idolatry? And shall we content ourselves with seeing the crowds pass by to Moorfields and Duke Street, and Somers Town, and say, poor Roman Catholics! without endeavouring to lead them to enquire whether they are not blind followers of the blind? I do not profess to know, Sir, very exactly what are the plans which Lord Farnham and the Gentlemen of Cavan are about to adopt, but I would have a reformation society formed on a large scale, with associations in every town in Great Britain, whose object should be to prepare and circulate books, tracts, and other publications calculated to show the evils and corruptions of popery, and the nature of true, spiritual Christianity among Roman Catholics of every description ; which should send out suitable persons to converse and reason with Roman Catholics, and read to them the Holy Scriptures; which should interfere for the temporal provision. and relief of those, who, by following the dictates of their consciences are thrown out of employ, and who should endeavour thus to protect the convert from that real though in many instances concealed persecution, with which he is assaulted. Why cannot Scripture readers be employed in the vicinity of London, to read to the labouring Irish in their own tongue on the Lord's day the word of God? The success of the simple reading of the Scriptures at the period of the reformation is well known. The present conversions in Cavan seem very much to have arisen from this one circumstance, and the Scripture readers of the Hibernian and Irish Societies have been in consequence of their exceeding usefulness, assailed by papists, &c. with the most determined malignity and misrepresentation.

But this leads me to another point of immediate and urgent im

portance, and that is the duty of stepping forward promptly and liberally to the support of those institutions through whose instrumentality so much good has been effected, and who would, humanly speaking, be able to effect ten times as much, would British Christians supply them with the means.

I cannot but feel, Sir, that we are very criminal in not doing more for these valuable Institutions. I have not by me the last Reports of the Irish Society, and cannot therefore enter into any particular details with respect to its proceedings; and my subsequent remarks must therefore chiefly apply to the London Hibernian Society, from whose last Report it appears that upon an average SIXTY SIX THOUSAND PERSONS of different descriptions had been instructed in their Schools during the last year-had been supplied with Spelling Books, Testaments, &c.—and regularly inspected and examined; that in addition to these Schools SIXTY or SEVENTY persons had been employed partly in inspection, but principally in reading the scriptures in English or Irish to the poor people; and that the whole expense of these Schools and readers, with all the apparatus of secretaries, agents, offices, books, &c. did not amount to NINE THOUSAND POUNDS, so that if this sum is divided by the number of scholars, the expense of each will be, not as the Society mo destly state FOUR SHILLINGS per scholar, per ann. but somewhat less than THREE. And if the mere cost of the schools is calculated, and the expense of the readers, inspectors, officers, &c. deducted, it will appear that the cost of each scholar to the Society does not exceed TWO SHILLINGs per ann. Now, Sir, I am informed that this Society has numerous and urgent applications for schools from every part of Ireland, that thousands of Roman Catholics are desirous that either themselves or their children

should attend such schools-that the Society's establishment could with very trifling additional expense, manage all the arrangements for double the present number of scholars, so that as long as British Christians will subscribe one halfpenny per week, or two shillings per annum, an additional Irish person can be taught to read in his own language the word of God.

I beg, Sir, you will let this go forth to your readers. I think I recollect somewhere or other its being said, that you have five-andtwenty-thousand readers! Why, Sir, a penny a week from each would educate fifty thousand Irishmenthat is, it would teach them to read and commit to memory the Bible: And if each of your readers had from the commencement of your work given a penny a week to the Hibernian Society, they would have given scriptural instruction to FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND Irishmen to at least THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND Roman Catholics ; and I firmly believe that no man who is taught to read his Bible when he is young, will remain a Roman Catholic when he is old.

Sir, we are doing a great deal for other countries by our Bible Societies, and our Missionary Societies, and I wish we did ten times as much as we now do; but I should like to see a little more charity at home. I like to read over the lists of persons who give £5. per annum to train up a little Negro in the Christian faith, as a

memorial of William Wilberforce, or Josiah Pratt, or Edward Bickersteth; but I should like to whisper to each of the donors, five pounds per annum will educate twenty-five, perhaps fifty Irishmen; may you not hope that more than one of this number may be savingly converted to Jesus Christ, and touched with a feeling of pity to perishing sinners, and be willing to go out as a Missionary to testify to others of Redeeming love.

Sir, the more I think of Ireland, the more importance does the work of reformation assume. The eyes of Roman Catholic Europe are upon that country. The Irish Papists are most intimately connected with Spain, Portugal, and France. If Popery totters in Ireland, it will tremble through Europe; and the cry will soon go forth, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and shall rise no more for ever.

Sir, I am persuaded that very small personal and pecuniary sacrifices are now necessary to effect this glorious end; and I therefore call upon you, and through you, upon all the ministers of the church, upon all who are conscientious maintainers of the Protestant cause, while they petition against Roman Catholic emancipation, to step forward and form Reformation Societies, and at least to show their sincerity by assisting those Societies which have already done so much for the honor of God, and the welfare of our Irish Brethren.

How numerous and diversified are the pursuits and desires of mankind! Pleasure and power, influence and ambition, riches and renown, have each their votaries and their victims.

But amidst all these varied scenes and contending passions, if we would obtain happiness in life, peace at death, and unclouded bliss for ever,." one thing is needful." What is this object so important?

:

CLEMENS.

Is it science or is it philosophy? Is it knowledge or is it skill? No; it is religion. It is this, and this only, that can teach us how to live and how to die for what says the word of God? "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. The Saviour uses the same language to all, "Take up thy cross and follow me." 'I will lead you to the at

tainment of solid comfort here, and of all you can possibly enjoy hereafter.'" Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world; the exercise of faith, hope, and love, combined with condescension, humility, charity, and purity. Religion, however, does not depreciate the magnificent achievements of either arts or sciences, but it requires their followers to cast their wreaths at the foot of the cross, and ascribe all the glory to the God of nature and of providence, of grace and of glory.

O my soul, how wilt thou decide this momentous point? Eternity depends upon the question. Wilt

thou follow after the desires and vanities of this evil world, engaging all thy thoughts on sensible objects; or wilt thou reflect upon thy state, flee to the cross for salvation, and at the altar of divine mercy devote thyself to the service of God hereafter? Art thou seeking the praise and possession of this world, or feasting upon the love of Christ, looking for treasures in heaven? Help me, O. Lord, to inquire into the state of my heart before thee, to bend with humility, adoration, and fervour, at the footstool

of divine mercy, and exclaim, "Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me!" "Guide me by thy counsel, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, 2 Cor. ix. 5. The glorious gift to which the Apostle refers is Christ. Behold the divinity of his person, and the depth of his misery! View the character of the Saviour, as comprehending all mysteries, the God of all, and yet the servant of all; the wellbeloved of the Father, yet expiring under the most dreadful expression of his wrath; exalted far above the praises of angels and archangels, yet subject to the scoffs and revilings of men; the most holy, yet most sinful; the most glorious, yet most humiliated. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." View it in its application to us : how free! how invalu. able! how spiritual! Have I felt its value, or have I not? What are its claims upon me? It claims the gratitude of the heart, the obedience of the life, and the praise of the lip. Do I enjoy this gift? Then let me obey with all my powers, for gratitude is the flame, prayer the offering, praise the incense, but obedience is the substance of this joy. Do I know any thing of its nature, excellency, or effects? It

P. R.

is possible to be almost without being altogether a Christian, deceiving ourselves and those around us. Lord teach me to examine my own heart by thy holy word, and pour thy Spirit continually upon me, that I may be guided, preserved, and sanctified, through the righteousness that is in Christ the Lord.

Christian! whatever may be thy wants and thy losses, still hast thou one glorious possession, which will ever claim thy thanks, and should always excite thy gratitude. Look forward, then, through all the mazes that surround thee here, to a time when thou shalt have passed the dark valley of the shadow of death, and be for ever in those mansions of purity and bliss, where grace shall become consummated

in

glory, and thou shalt for ever join in one continued song, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

A CONSTANT READER.

SIR,-In your volume for 1824, page 440, you briefly advert to the dreadful practice existing in British India, of immolating widows alive on the funeral pile of their husbands, and afford some intimation of your purpose of shortly resuming the subject. I trust you will therefore allow me to make a few remarks upon this cruel and disgraceful system, to which the public attention has subsequently been called, by a brief but valuable publication of the Rev, Mr. Grimshawe, * and a still more recent notice of motion given by Mr. J. Poynder, † at the last General Court of East India Proprietors, and which will come regularly under discussion at their next meeting.

It is a melancholy consideration, that since the period when Dr. Buchanan published his Christian Researches, in which he strongly protests against this enormous evil, not less than twenty-five thousand women, on a moderate calculation, have been sacrificed in our own territories to the devouring flames. The statement inserted in your former volume is rather calculated to produce an impression that the number of victims to this horrid practice, in the presidency of Ben

* Entitled, An earnest Appeal to British Humanity in behalf of Hindoo Widows, in which the Abolition of the Barbarous Rite of burning alive is proved to be both safe and practicable. By the Rev. J. S. Grimshawe, M. A. 1825.

+ Mr. Poynder's Notice of Motion is as follows:

That the Court, taking into consideration the continuance of human sacrifices in India, is of opinion that in the case of all Rites or Ceremonies involving the destruction of life, it is the duty of a paternal government to interpose for their prevention; and therefore recommends to the Honourable Court of Directors to transmit such instructions to India as that Court may deem most expedient for accomplishing this object, consistently with all practicable attention to the feelings of the natives.

gal, is on the decrease; if however you refer to the statements contained in Mr. Grimshawe's pamphlet, and which are extracted from the returns made to the House of Commons, it will plainly appear to be very materially increased; the number for 1815 being 378, while that for 1821 is 654. The cause

of this increase is justly argued by Mr. Grimshawe, to be the adoption of certain regulations which aimed at cutting off the abuses, but left the great abuse, namely, the inhuman practice itself, untouched; and which in fact legalized its performance, when in conformity with the Shaster, and thus exhibited a Christian government in the painful character of giving its public sanction to an act of superstition under one of its most atrocious forms.

It appears clearly from Mr. Grimshawe's pamphlet, and is abundantly confirmed by other authorities, that the immolation of widows on the funeral pile was unknown in the early days of Hindoo Legislation. That these sacrifices are very far from voluntary. That the poor deluded objects are urged on by the covetousness of near relations, and the cupidity of Brahmins. That they are assailed in the first paroxysms of their grief, when they are scarcely free agents; are terrified with the fear of disgrace and poverty; are frequently plied with stupifying drugs; and are sometimes dragged by actual violence to the devoted pile.

It is also clearly shown that this cruel practice can be terminated without any danger; that the termination would be favorably regarded by the large proportion of the Hindoos themselves; that numerous similar innovations on establshed customs and practices have been introduced; and that some of these measures have excited the most grateful feelings in the minds