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church. It is the source of much knowledge and delight to us; and may, under the blessing of God, be the means of great good to them. Mill and I went to breakfast with Dr. Wallich, at the Botanical Gardens, this morning, to meet Bishop Abraham, three of his clergy, and Mr. Jacob. We all returned after breakfast to the college, and spent the rest of the morning in the library. We had more conversation with them than we have ever had before; and I am rejoiced to find, that with their many disadvantages, a scattered and oppressed people, they still retain so much knowledge and such love for the Gospel of Christ. Some of their nation have yielded to the yoke of the Church of Rome, and are looked upon by the rest as apostate and renegade. Those Romish Armenians have a convent at Venice, (of St. Lazarus) which have printed some very useful works; but many of them, particularly their creeds and liturgies, have been perfidiously altered by the Jesuits to make them coincide with the Latin Church.

The original Armenians are in the essential doctrines orthodox; the Fall of Man-the proper Deity of Christ-the Atonement-the Grace of the Holy Spirit. In the doctrine of the Incarnation they are Jacobites; and I think they clearly hold the doctrine of transubstantiation, though of this I am not certain. The Liturgy they use is that of Chrysostom, (not St. Basil) with some few prayers added by different bishops. Bishop Abraham told me he had had the whole of our Ordination Service interpreted to him, and he found many parts exactly the same as theirs. We had much talk about the usurpation of the Church of Rome, of christian love and communion. On all these points, I was much pleased with the sound judgment displayed by them, and their ready quotation of the Sacred Scriptures, with which they are familiar. I was particularly struck with one of their deacons, David. They have seen Abdool Messeh several times since his ordination, and are much pleased with his goodness and piety. That acquaintance is valuable to both parties, to them in showing them what is doing for the extension of Christianity, (for they have as yet had no missionary zeal in their church); and to him as introducing him to the ancient and established Churches of the East, whose existence and character have been hitherto almost unknown to him. Here is also one good fruit of his episcopal ordination,-his recognition among such churches. I am very thankful for what I have myself seen of them. There is much true religion amongst them. I read over to him my Syrian translation of our Bishop's letter to the Syrian Metropolitan in Malabar. He was exceedingly delighted with it. "It is apostolic," said he, "it is like one of St. Paul's." They have invited us to attend their service on Christmas Day; but I fear we shall have sailed to Madras before that time. Finding that the Christians of Malabar write Syriac in the Estrangelo character, I have had to learn and practise this, and have copied out the Bishop's letter in that character to-day. This familiarity with their common hand will assist me in examining their MSS.; and I am devoting now the chief part of my time to collecting all the information I can from Mill, of the Syrians, to assist me in my visit to that interesting country.

January 2. Bishop Abraham has a letter from the Syrian Patriarch, of Jerusalem, to the church of Malabar; and as he is not

likely to deliver it in person, he has requested that it may be inclosed with the Bishop's in the same packet,—and he has been reading to me a letter he has just written himself to Mar Athanasius to send with it. It is very excellent. It expressed the pleasure he has had in hearing of the state of his churches;-his joy at the extension of Christ's kingdom in India, so much greater than he expected to find, and which he attributes greatly to the zeal and exertions of their BROTHER REGINALD, the English Bishop. He warns him of the subtlety and wickedness of the Romish Church, and implores him to look well to his flock, seeing all were purchased by the blood of Christ.

A HYMN,

Sung in the Church of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, when a Sermon was preached in behalf of the Charity Schools of that Parish.

BY THE CONGREGATION.

THE glorious beams of gospel light
Dispel the dark uncertain night,
Adorn the lofty mountain's brow,
And cheer the humbler vale below.

Children of Poverty, no more
The darkness of your state deplore!
Divine Instruction sheds her ray,
To guide you on your homeward way.

BY THE CHILDREN ALONE.

We hear, we hear the welcome word;
And bless our friends, and praise the Lord;
Who makes us, helpless as we are,
Objects of his paternal care.

O may we by his grace be led,
The sacred paths of truth to tread :
To shun the sinner's dang'rous way;
To love, and worship, and obey!

BY THE WHOLE CONGREGATION.

Lord of all power and might! oh hear
Their artless song and earnest prayer;
Prosper the work of love, and bless
Our humble labours with success.

MONTHLY REGISTER.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

BISHOPSGATE DISTRICT COMMITTEE.

We have now to notice the second Report of this Committee, the establishment of which we hailed with so much pleasure last year. It is impossible for any one, who is aware of the constitution of the Society, and of the advantages to be derived from it, to doubt for a moment, not as to the utility, but the necessity of district committees, in order that those advantages may be placed within the reach of the great mass of our population. It is impossible too, for the Society to investigate the want sand inquire into the spiritual condition of the different parishes; this is the duty of the minister and the resident gentry. Again, we know that the rich, though they in general gladly contribute of their abundance, yet it is necessary that the object should be brought home to them, and ever and anon pressed upon their attention. This only can be done by personal application, and by a visible and regularly constituted body, holding its meetings from time to time, and intreating all to attend and to co-operate with them in their great labour of love. How exquisite must be the satisfaction of that minister of the Gospel, who sees his parishioners, induced by his example and persuasion, actively engaged in so holy a cause, and forsaking their selfish pursuits to minister to the wants of their poorer neighbours; for he knows that they have passed from death unto life if they love the brethren.

We regret that the example which has been set in Bishopsgate has not been generally followed in the metropolis; but we record with peculiar pleasure the establishment within the last year of similar committees in the populous parishes of Lambeth and Saint Martin in the Fields. May other parishes speedily follow in the same course! and surely in all there is occasion. Let, indeed, any one passing into the lanes and alleys of this me

VOL. VIII, NO. VIII.

tropolis witness the profligacy and wretchedness of their inhabitants, and he will shudder at the extent of human misery which proceeds from this single cause IGNORANCE, and will tremble, too, at the responsibility of those who neglect any means of introducing into these dark places of the earth the beams of gospel light.

It is, indeed, well observed in the Report, "A crowded population, contained within a district limited in extent, scantily supplied with the means of subsistence, and the materials of religious knowledge, should not be left to a casual participation in the good dispensed throughout the country by a Society, which, though diffusive in its beneficence, cannot be particular in its enquiries; but presents a field for the local exertions of those charitable Christians, who are at once most inclined and best able to relieve the wants which fall under their personal observation. The district committees of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, established in different parts of the country, are so many channels and conduit pipes, through which the streams of its bountry are conveyed to the places, which most require their fertilizing influence, without misdirection or waste."

The whole issue of books by the Society itself is stated, by which it appears there is "an excess of more than 5000 Bibles, 8000 New Testaments and Psalters, and 7000 Common Prayer Books above the preceding year's account." The Committee informs the friends of the Society, "that a separate fund has recently been established, under the auspices of this Society, for the support of Native Schools in India, one of the most promising and hopeful methods of diffusing amongst the heathens a knowledge of the Gospel."

We rejoice that the number of books distributed by this District Committee is very considerable; the best measure, they apprehend, of the

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good which, under the blessing of God, they have been enabled to do in a neighbourhood, where much spiritual darkness yet prevails.

"Three Bibles have been sold to Jews; one to a Roman Catholic at his request; one Prayer Book to a Roman Catholic, and four Testaments have been given to the Bishopsgate Benevolent Society."

We shall conclude our notice of this Report by extracting the concluding paragraphs; and happy shall we be if any are induced, by reading the interesting information they contain, to do likewise.

"It is believed that an increased attendance of poor persons at church, and at the Sacrament, may be ascribed, in part, to the religious knowledge which has been diffused amongst them by means of this Committee. Bishop

Wilson's Tract on the Lord's Supper, and a short Exhortation on the same subject, are much sought after; and great interest has been excited amongst the poor by that very instructive and pleasing little book, Village Conversations on the Liturgy, by the Rev. George Davys. To excite an interest in the scriptural Liturgy of our Church, and to enable the unlearned, by familar explanation, to pray with the understanding, is to qualify them for the right performance of the very first duty of religion, that of worshipping God in spirit and in truth.'

"The Committee are desirous of opening in this neighbourhood a Depository, where the public may be supplied with the books and tracts of the Society at prime cost. At present they have not succeeded in their endeavours to find an eligible place.

"Since the last Report was drawn up, a District Committee of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts has been established in this parish, and nearly 2007. has been remitted by the Secretary to the funds of that most important institution, which, as it becomes better known, will be more liberally supported, and enabled to prosecute more effectually its pious designs.

"An alteration has just taken place in the rules, by which the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge regulates its transactions with district

committees. It now requires that all books furnished to such committees shall be paid for at cost price; but it no longer requires a third part of all local subscriptions and donations, as heretofore it did; and the Committee do not expect that they shall be obliged to raise the price of books sold in this district.

"If inquiry be made into the amount of actual good resulting from the labours of this Committee, it will be sufficient to say, without descending to particular details, that to have put into the hands of their poor ignorant brethren more than six hundred copies of the Word of Life, five hundred Manuals of Christian Piety, and two thousand Religious Books and Tracts, is a work which cannot possibly have been unproductive of good. The harvest may not fullycorrespond to the seed that has been sown; but it cannot have been wholly thrown away—' we shall find it after many days.'

"In conclusion they have to remark, that the recent establishment of Infant Schools within this district, renders still more important those charitable exertions, which are directed towards providing the poorer classes with books of instruction adapted to every age; by which both parents and children, masters and servants, may be taught the relation in which they stand to each other and to God, the true principles and measures of obedience, and diligence, and charity in their respective callings, and the value of that inheritance, which is in store for the faithful servants of Jesus Christ.”

DURHAM DIOCESAN ASSOCIATION.

We have received the report of the Durham Diocesan Association. The different committees seem to be making some progress in their good work, but the sums collected and the number of books distributed are small in some of the districts, considering their extent and population. We do not perceive that the public in general have been encouraged to come forward and cooperate with the clergy. We observe however with pleasure, that the parochial lending libraries, established by the late excellent Archdeacon Bowyer, are great favourites with the people, and cannot fail to do much good.

COUNTY OF LEICESTER SOCIETY.

WE give the following extract from the Fifth Report.

"Every sincere Christian must rejoice that the higher the rank this country assumes in the scale of nations, the more strenuous are her exertions in diffusing a knowledge of religious truth amongst all classes of her people both at home and abroad. Appreciating the eminent blessings she enjoys, she is diligent in promoting such a spirit of gratitude in her citizens as may be an acceptable offering to the Giver of all goodness.' Believing that acquaintance with the sacred records is the source in which the best feelings of our nature originate, she is zealous in diffusing them to the remotest corners of the earth. The Society, of which that in this county is no unimportant branch, and which has sustained her undeviating course for upwards of a century, is the agent by which she discovers the wants of her people, and supplies them with the light necessary to guide them.

It becomes to Christians, therefore, an important duty not to be inactive in this holy service. Being themselves firmly convinced of the advantages to every subject of these realms of intimate acquaintance with the inspired volume, your Committee cannot omit at each succeeding Anniversary, to impress on you the necessity of your sincere co-operation with them in the performance of this high duty. They call upon you to reflect, how much you have the power, by this universally approved means, of communicating to the poor a blessing, which, the more they study it, the more will they be inspired with right principles, in their civil as well as religious duties;-it will teach respect for themselves, as well as for their superiors, and will inculcate contentment with their humble sphere, deference and probity towards those above them. You shew them that the injunctions to perform every social and religious duty, are enforced by the highest sanctions, and that obedience secures the highest rewards. You have the means of convincing them, that it is ther truest interest to submit to the appointments of God, who places one on the throne,

and another in the cottage. And whilst this Society sends forth her apostles to the remotest of her isles, it is her peculiar boast that she neglects not to cheer the hearts of her people at home with that divine light, which flows from the eternal fount.

"LOCAL DEPOSITORIES.-Since, in our county, the circulation of religious books increases in proportion to the increasing facilities of obtaining them; and since, as the objects of this Society are better understood, the number of its Members is enlarged, it cannot but be gratifying to this Meeting to know, that eight Depositories of Books are established in various parts of this county, in addition to a very considerable one in the county town. advantages and facilities afforded by the latter, for transmitting at the shortest notice to every part of the county, such parcels of books as may be required by members, are daily apparent and appreciated. The copiousness of the supply renders disappointment of very rare

The

Occurrence.

The issues from this source have been augmenting annually.

"Your Committee cannot refrain from again calling the particular attention of this Meeting to the important benefits that would result from the Clergy's annually advocating the interests of this Society in their several churches, not so much on account of the collections that might be made, as for the purpose of giving greater publicity to its designs and exertions. Such a practicable and efficient mode of acquainting every parish with the efforts that have been made, and are still making, for the advancement of Christian knowledge, in connexion with the Established Church, would encourage the most active to continue their exertions, and awaken the most dormant to follow the laudable example.

"PAROCHIAL LIBRARIES.-One additional Parochial Library is stated to have been established at Congerston: it is gratifying to report the very satisfactory testimony received from all sides, of the benefits conferred by those already reported.

"It cannot but be obvious to every one how material it is by such means to afford to the lower classes of the

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