HOME. LONDON COMMITTEE FOR THE RELIGIOUS IMPROVEMENT OF ITALY AND THE ITALIANS.-A meeting of Christian brethren was held in Freemasons' Tavern, London, on Friday the 6th of October, at which Sir Culling Eardley Eardley, Bart., presided. There were present Rev. T. R. Brooke, rector of Avening; Rev. A. Brandram, secretary of the Bible Society; Rev. A. S. Thelwall, secretary of Trinitarian Bible Society; Rev. W. Bevan, secretary of the Evangelical Alliance; Rev. J. Robinson, secretary of the London City Mission; William Jones, Esq., secretary of the Religious Tract Society; Rev. W. H. Plumptre, rector of Eastwood, Notts.; Rev. Edw. Craig, minister of St. James', Pentonville; Rev. Dr. Hoby; Rev. J. A. Walker, rector of Gallo; Rev. W. Arthur, of Paris; Rev. Dr. Alder; Rev. Dr. Carlile, of Parsons-town, Ireland; Rev. Ridley H. Herschell; Rev. Dr. Kidston, United Presbyterian Church; Rev. Dr. Giacinto Achilli; Sir T. W. Blomfield, Bart.; Hon. Arthur Kinnaird; F. F. Goe, Esq.; George Hitchcock, Esq.; Lewis H. J. Tonna, Esq.; Capt. Sullivan; J. Wallis Alexander, Esq.; James Whitehorne, Esq.; Lewis A. Jones, Esq.; together with many others. After prayer by the Rev. T. R. Brooke, L. H. J. Tonna, Esq. submitted to the meeting extracts from a voluminous correspondence with friends of Gospel truth in various parts of Italy, by which it appeared, that in the providence of God many openings have offered themselves, both for the dissemination of the pure word of God, and of sound religious publications, and even for the preach. ing of the Gospel. It appeared also, that many friends were ready to devote themselves to the cause of sacred truth in Italy; and that committees for this purpose had also been formed both at Geneva and New York. The facts narrated were of a deeply interesting nature, but, from prudential motives, are not published. "That the main object of this Committee shall be to communicate with existing societies, to further their labours for Italy in various ways; to collect and administer funds; and to obtain and transmit information for the promotion of these several objects. "That such objects shall especially be I. The circulation of the Holy Scriptures and tracts. 2. The promotion of colportage in Italy. 3. The maintenance, wherever practicable, of Italian preachers. 4. The opening of a place of worship in London for Italians. 5. The availing itself of all providential openings for the furtherance of the Gospel in Italy. 6. The encouragement of the brethren associated in Italy, or Committees of Home Societies formed or to be formed there for similar purposes, by remittances of money and other means. 7. With a view to the concentration of the powers employed for this purpose, to act in harmony with Committees in Geneva, New York, or elsewhere. "That the following gentlemen be the Committee, with power to add to their number: Bevan, Rev. W. Kinnaird, Hon. A. "The Rev. Edward Craig, 6, Barnsbury Park, Islington, and Lewis H. J. Tonna, Esq., 6 A. Whitehall Yard, Honorary Secretaries." A fund was commenced, which, in donations and subscriptions, amounted to more than £120. of extremely immoral tendency. The Record says: "The present state of the French press in this department, is sufficient to throw suspicion on whatever comes from it. We need no further evidence of this than the words of the French attorney-general in the recent trial for perjury arising out of a fatal duel between two men of letters in Paris. We hope,' he said, 'that the present condition of men of letters is momentary; that these men will resume the dignity of the character they have lost, and that they may be listened to without danger.' : CONCLUDING ADDRESS. It is not an easy matter to present any thing novel in offering a parting word at the close of the year-nor is it indeed necessary, nor, to a certain extent, desirable for in so far as in past days friends have been bountiful and untiring with their valued succour, it cannot be otherwise than desired that they should continue to be so; and in this case nothing can be more seasonable or becoming than the sameness and repetition of annual and grateful acknowledgment. And here we are thankful to have no room for novelty. We have been well supported by valuable and interested contributors. We venture to assert that papers have appeared in our pages during the last year of peculiar weight and import. To our kind fellow-workers, "M. N." and "LATIMER," our thanks are specially due; nor is the Poetry of "H. T." and "L. S." less worthy of a special acknowledgment. We think, too, that some of our Reviews, and particularly those referring to the Romish Controversy, cannot fail to have recommended themselves to our readers. And in proportion as we indulge these feelings of grateful satisfaction for what our friends have enabled us to be, is our desire for an extended circulation of the CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN. We are more and more persuaded that the days into which we are thrown, increasingly require a fearless and uncompromising maintenance of truth as well as detection of error: and it cannot be denied, that, to say nothing of other points, as it respects cheapness and popular character, the CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN occupies ground and is adapted for a very large portion of the members of the Church of England, for which there is in existence no other suitable provision. We beg leave to suggest this consideration to our clerical brethren in particular; and to request them to consider whether it would not be worth their while to make some recommendation of our work amongst their respective flocks. How easy it would be for each clergyman who approves of the CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN to obtain half a dozen or a dozen subscribers; and for each present subscriber to secure another! And we beg the Clergy to bear in mind how desirable it is for them to possess and uphold a vehicle, through which they can themselves at any time bring publicly forward such matters as may seem to them of importance. It is not of little moment that, in these days of expansive benevolence, such a channel should be kept open and conveyed as extensively as possible throughout the land, to make known what that benevolence is contemplating, and what objects it has in view. We confess that we have not an object of greater interest, to our own mind, than that of opening out the world's necessities on the one hand, and of bringing before our readers the tangible means of supplying them, on the other. Events, which are thickly crowding upon us in all directions, press upon us the conviction that all should be made acquainted with what is going on in the world, in order that all may sympathize with the coming glories of the Saviour, and be in haste to enrol themselves amongst the faithful servants who shall be found at their posts of duty when the Master cometh. We have specially our eye on such foreign and domestic Intelligence as bears upon these grand points: and of this, the wonderful days in which we live afford no lack. The only difficulty is, to select. Now, if we seem to any of our readers to arrogate too much to ourselves, we beg them to consider that we can only venture to submit these remarks in consequence of the conviction we possess of the quantum of value which our work has acquired from others. For ourselves, in the management of the work as a whole, we are too well aware of our many imperfections and defects to entertain any feelings of self-satisfaction. Our remarks, and our venturing to commend the GUARDIAN to an enlarged adoption, must only be connected with what others have enabled it to possess of unquestionable value. What last words may have to be offered at the close of another year, who can venture to predict? Was there ever a year so fraught with tremendous events as the one now ending? We are becoming so accustomed to such events, that they almost cease to affect us. In the meanwhile, we feel it a privilege to be permitted to bear publicly our testimony to truth, and to advance, in however feeble a degree, the interest of our Redeemer's kingdom: but oh, how much greater a privilege it is to receive that truth into the heart, and to have that kingdom within, which is righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost! NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. INELIGIBLE "H. S."-"E." UNDER CONSIDERATION.-"Random Thoughts." TO APPEAR "Vinet, on the affections of Christ."-" O. F. R." FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE. |