School Society, before that Society lent itself to further the project of the Government,-but in the year 1843, after Sir James Graham's Factory Education Bill had been so signally defeated, they met in conference in the Congregational Library, and originated one of the largest subscriptions that has been made for the extension of day-schools.-I believe that not less than £120,000 has been raised since December, 1843, for that object. And I may add, that we stand at this day precisely on the ground which we deliberately and unanimously took up more than four years since, on the three great points which have been controverted, namely, a repudiation of Government grants, our duty to give a religious education, and the superior efficiency of denominational action. That you may see how strictly this is the case, I will read two of the resolutions passed at the Conference of December,

1843:

"That this meeting, utterly repudiating, on the strongest grounds of Scripture and conscience, the receipt of money raised by taxation, and granted by Government, for sustaining the Christian religion, feels bound to apply this principle no less to the work of religious education; and, considering that the education given by the Congregational churches must be religious, advises most respectfully, but most earnestly, that no Government aid be received by Congregational churches for schools established in their own connection. And that all funds confided to the disposal of the Central Committee, in aid of the schools, be granted only to schools sustained entirely by voluntary contributions. The recommendation of this meeting to the Congregational churches is, that wherever there is a Congregational church or Mission, there, if possible, there should be a daily school, sustained entirely, or promoted to the utmost, as the case may be, by the resources, local or central, or both, of the Independents, either of one church separately, or of two or more churches acting unitedly."

So clear and strong was the avowal of our principles four years and a half since. We then plainly declared, that we could not, in consistency with our known principles, accept Government money for religious teaching; and if anything could be worse than the violation of our known principles, by accepting grants for religious teaching, it would be this-namely, the exclusion of religion from our teaching, in order that we might obtain public money! This would, in my judgment, not only be degrading, but impious. And it would not only be a crime, but-what, in the estimation of some politicians, is worse-it would be a blunder. It would, by giving up religious teaching for the sake of that which would not strengthen, but weaken us; which would not enrich, but impoverish us; which would not free, but fetter us. I believe that the Voluntary principle is not only to be maintained on New Testament authority, but also to be vindicated by a philosophical view of human nature; that it not only serves to guard religion from the pollution of statecraft, but that it is in itself a more noble and excellent way; that every effort put forth in a sacred cause rewards by invigorating and exalting him who uses it; that as nothing can be truly religious which is not voluntary, so the exercise to voluntary zeal conduces to the life and power of religion in the human breast; and that, on the other hand, the less men exert themselves for

religion, the less influence it possesses over them. I am, moreover, persuaded, that our principles as Voluntaries are highly conducive to civil liberty. They promote that manly self-reliance which is the only true safeguard of freedom. State religion and State education are generally found to belong to systems of arbitrary government. Despotic rulers have considered it a stroke of policy to bring the most influential professions-namely, the ministers, schoolmasters, and authors-under their own patronage and control, in order that, by their means, they might mould the sentiments of their people, and reduce them to blind obedience. I might support this view by the authority of some of our noblest writers, who have distinguished themselves by breaking the chains of the human mind-Milton, Locke, and Adam Smith; but this is superfluous, when it is so well known that the dependence of the ministers and schoolmasters on the Government, formed a part of all those European despotisms which are now falling around us. At the recent meeting of the British and Foreign School Society, Lord Morpeth appeared to doubt whether this was either the intention or the effect of the Stateeducation of Prussia. But surely there are notorious facts amply sufficient to prove that of which Lord Morpeth doubts. I could tell him of an exiled Prussian schoolmaster now in Yorkshire, who was obliged to flee his country because the school-inspector found that he had taught his scholars that the people were the true source of political power. I could refer his lordship to the pages of Mr. Horace Mann, who points out the shocking hypocrisy produced by this system in the schoolmasters, and its degrading influence on the national mind. Is it not notorious, too, that when the revolution broke out in France last February, the Prussian schoolmasters were all forbid by the Government to mention this fact in their schools? it not, moreover, known, that State-education in France was a part of that centralized functionalism which M. Guizot employed to uphold his corrupt Government; and which, as soon as he had fallen, M. Ledru Rollin employed to school both the children and the adults into republicanism? Surely Lord Morpeth does not question the authenticity of the circular of M. Ledru Rollin, to the 36,000 primary schoolmasters of France, whom he commanded to turn round in one hour, from being the teachers of loyalty, to become the agents of revolution; and who (to prove how effectual is their bondage) did so! Are we not also told by Mr. Wilde, that the Austrian plan of Government education is "so conducive to the caste continuing system, after the manner of the Chinese and Ancient Egyptians, that it is opposed, not only to political reformation, but also to the steady progress of civilization itself!" Signor Mazzini gives us specimens of the Government education enforced by the Austrians in Lombarby, where, he says, the schools were starved, and the masters proverbial for their ignorance and negligence. The following are samples of the instruction given (p. 25):-Question. How ought subjects to conduct themselves towards their sovereign ? Answer. Subjects ought to behave towards their sovereigns like faithful slaves towards their master. Question. Why ought they to behave like slaves? Answer. BeChuse the sovereign is their master, and his

Is

power extends over their property, as over their persons." Then, I venture humbly, but confidently, to say to Lord Morpeth, that, notwithstanding his doubts, the system of Government education, not only in Prussia, but also in other countries, is what it has been representednamely, a mental and moral police for the maintenance of arbitrary rule. But then, says his lordship, if such was the intent of the system, it has failed. Yes, happily, it has failed, as everything else has failed, to uphold despotism; and the tremendous purposes to which centralization has been turned on the Continent, might teach our own statesmen, who have been practising in the same school, a salutary lesson. But that does not disprove the alleged object and influence of Government education. Lord Morpeth handles his argument with exquisite caution; but he would seem to leave the impression, which some Chartist orators have openly advocated, that the Government education of Prussia has rather been favourable to liberty. Now, I am content to put the question, so far as liberty is concerned, on a plain practical issue. Here is Prussia, with her all-perfect system of Government education; and here is England, with her alleged rude and inefficient system of Voluntary education: in the former you see a fabric of despotism built so high, that in one hour it tumbles into ruins; and, in the latter, you see a fabric of liberty, firm as the pyramid on its base -the work of ages, resting on the broad foundation of right and justice; and, perhaps, without pretending that it is faultless, the best form of Government the world has ever seen. Tell me, in the face of these facts, that State education tends to liberty, and I reply, that it is the basest mockery and bitterest jest with which the victims of a bad measure were ever insulted. Lord Morpeth said, on Monday last : "What he wished to say, on behalf of the wishes and intentions of the Government with which he was connected was, in the first place, that assistance was to be given only to those who sought it; and, in the next place, that it was always given in strict subordination to the purposes of those who asked it, and with a full recognition of their entire independence." To which I reply-first, that even the Church complains that its "independence" is compromised by the conditions imposed on its schools by the Committee of Council; second, that Dissenters being compelled to pay to a system of which they conscientiously disapprove, and from which they can receive no benefit, they and their schools are unfairly and unjustly treated; third, that to offer money to those who, it is known, cannot and will not receive it, is to add mockery to injustice; fourth, that this is a new wing added to the vast edifice of the Church Establishment, which already frowns upon us with insolent scorn; fifth, that to offer grants to all the other sects, expressly for religious teaching, is, in our view, applying public money indiscriminately to the spread of error and truth, and bribing all the sects into a system of universal endowment; and, sixth, that the more generally grants are accepted, the greater is the mischief to the independence of the national character, and the safeguards of our liberties. When Lord Morpeth protests that he and Lord John Russell have no wish to injure the national liberties, I fully believe that amiable and honourable nobleman. But the more firmly I

believe him, the worse I think of the policy which has beguiled such men. For what are the notorious facts with regard to Lord John Russell? Why, that he was a decided friend to that measure of Sir James Graham's, which would have handed over both our day-schools and our Sunday-schools to the tender mercies of the Church; that he warmly advocates the endowment of the Roman Catholic clergy; that he has brought forward a measure of education which would make all the schoolmasters and school-assistants in the country stipendiaries of the State; and that his Government is oppressing the colonies with religious and educational establishments, subject to all the objections which attend those in the mother country. When I look at these facts, I cannot but say that Lord John Russell is the worst enemy of the Dissenters and the Voluntary principle; and that his measures are hostile to educational freedom, and therefore to educational improvement, as well as to civil liberty. In the position in which Dissenters now stand, they look at the British and Foreign School Society, from which they have been accustomed to obtain their teachers, and they see that that Society has lent itself to the Government policy; that it takes Government grants; that its officers are the open advocates of Government interference; that it has deserted the independent ground on which it stood for more than thirty years; that its influence on the teachers trained there must naturally be favourable to their receiving public money; and that we must, therefore, consider it as a Normal School for teaching dependence-a Propaganda Fide in the Government. Now, as we have lost our faith in the Government, we cannot retain it in the British and Foreign School Society. The Committee, by adopting the course they have taken, have cast off the Dissenters; and it becomes us now, with whatever reluctance, to transfer our support to an institution conducted on better principles. It only remains to consider what is the duty of the Congregational body under present circumstances. The Report to be read by the Secretary will inform you of the plan agreed upon by the Congregational Union at a Special Meeting, held at Derby la December, and confirmed this day. I may say generally, that it is a simple perseverance in the course decided upon at the Conference of December, 1843. We have thought it both the duty and the interest of our body to make denominational efforts on behalf of education. It is impossible to shut our eyes to the fact, attested by nearly all the religious organizations of England-our churches, our Sunday-schools, our various Missionary Societies for home and foreign fields, and, above all, by the effort made by the Congregationalists on behalf of day-schools since 1843-that denominational movements are made with far greater power than general movements. Where religious education is to be given, there are considerable difficulties and embarrassments attending any other mode of action. Our Congregational Union is an organization already made ; and its annual meetings in London and the country present most favourable opportunities for diffusing an interest on behalf of Voluntary and religious education. We have also the example of the principal religious communities in England and Scotland for acting on this principle. I trust the plan of operations to be

laid before you, will command the general approbation, and the warm and earnest support, of the Congregational body. Great principles are at stake: mighty interests are to be maintained. If the Congregationalists should have to stand alone, I hope they would accept that glorious distinction, and prove themselves the unconquerable and incorruptible friends of civil, religious, and educational freedom. Let them zealously discharge their duty; and, in so doing, they will best support their own interests and those of their country. [The speech was received throughout with much applause.]

The Rev. R. AINSLIE then read the Report, which we regret the want of space to insert.

Dr. HAMILTON rose and moved the first resolution, in one of his magical effusions of wit, brilliancy, and eloquence. It was to him a source of pleasure to reflect that, from the first, the ground he occupied was the same as that he then stood on. Nor was this his sole felicity,his companions had been constantly, and of late, rapidly multiplying; there were few deserters,many converts. Theirs would never become a fashionable cause; to their opponents belonged the power and the money. When the poor man was told that the way for his daughter to be a mistress was through the Government schools, and that in the same path his son might find his way to place and preferment, you moved him by a lever which nothing could resist but principle and piety. It was intended thus to work, not on the higher classes, but on the humble and plebeian. There was manifest in the whole of the Government plan a desire to flatter those who had never been flattered; to buy those who had never been bought. Princes, prelates, and peers were bowed down already, and what remained was the subjugation of the lofty spirit of the British people. But it would be all in vain; light and truth would spread, and once diffused, would preserve the nation. The meeting then held did not disgrace that Hall. Their object was the extension of religion and of civilization throughout the earth. The times which were passing over Europe were singularly portentous; but there was everything for humanity to hope, and nothing to fear. this strain Dr. Hamilton concluded a long and powerful speech.

In

Mr. PARSONS, of Ebley, next addressed the meeting, and expressed a strong wish that the next meeting, in behalf of education, might be held in the provinces; where, he said, meetings much larger in number, and more intense in sympathy with the great work would be found, than in the capital. It was a grievous misrepresentation to affirm, that the parenthood of the nation could not educate its own children. The truth is, that neither parents nor congregations know their own power. The time was when his congregation trembled before a debt of twenty pounds; but the seeds of the Voluntary principle had been sown among his people, it had taken root, and had brought forth fruit abundantly, having produced no less than 2,400l. Amid what some deemed darkness, he had bright and glorious visions before him; he had faith in man, faith in the parentage of the country. Let there be good instruction given in the school; this was the way to get the people. They who teach best, will find most public patronage. If the Church teach well, Dissenters have only to teach better. He had had abundant proofs in his own experience. Attempts had been made to detach his children, but they remained firm as a rock. His neighbourhood was alive to the business of education; his chapel would hold a thousand people, but he believed he had had as many as 1,600 in and around it on the business of education. When the chairman, Mr. Baines, recently honoured them with a visit, and a lecture of two hours on the great question, he must have had, at least, an audience of fifteen hundred. The Government of the day was an impersonation of Absalom; it addressed itself to all classes of religionists, saying to each of the circle in succession" See thy matters are good and right, come unto me and I will do thee justice." When any man, the leader of a sect, comes nigh to it, to "do it obeisance, it puts forth its hand, and takes him, and kisses him ;" and so Lord John is labouring to steal the hearts of the men of the British Israel.

The meeting was subsequently addressed by the Rev. Joseph Fletcher, E. R. Conder, T. W. Davids, Josiah Conder, and A. Wells.

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE JEWS.

THE Annual Sermon in aid of the Jewish Mis

sion College, was preached in the City-road Chapel, by the Rev. Ridley H. Herschell, on the 22nd of February; and that for the Society, at John-street Chapel, by the Rev. Dr. Raffles,

on the 18th of April. A Special Meeting for Prayer was held at Westminster Chapel on the 19th; and the Annual Meeting, at Freemasons' Hall on the 27th; on which occasion the Hall was crowded to overflowing. The Rev. J. Robinson, Secretary of the London City Missions, offered prayer. J. D. Paul, Esq., presided, and opened the Meeting by a pious and excellent address.

The Report presented an encouraging view of the usefulness and present position of the Society, and urged its claims on the grateful and prayerful co-operation of Christians. It appeared that the income of the Society had exceeded that of the previous year by more than £1,000; the Ladies' Associations having contributed nearly £2,000. It referred to the growing interest manifested in the cause in England and Wales; and referred to several instances of the Divine blessing on the Missionaries' labours. The Jewish Mission College supplied a most interesting and satisfactory feature in the Report.

The Meeting was addressed by Capt. Vernon Harcourt, Rev. Dr. Archer, J. Hamilton, W. Bunting, Dr. Schulhof, Rev. A. Barrett, W. Bevan, R. Herschell, Dr. Alliott, and Dr. Henderson.

COLLEGE.

Six young men, resident within the college, and two others have with them been led through such a course of instruction in the Greek and Latin classics, the Hebrew and Chaldee dialects and literature, and systematic theology, as, when completed, will, it is believed, send them forth qualified by their mental acquirements, combined with decided and eminent piety, to occupy any place in the mission. field to which it may please the Holy Spirit to call them. The certificates of the examiners, and the testimony of the tutors, will show that the young men have proved themselves worthy of the advantages afforded to them.

While pursuing their studies, we feel it no small benefit to them that they enjoy the paternal counsel and oversight of Mr. Davidson, and mingle in the intercourse and worship of his family. It appears, too, that there exist, between the respected tutors and these their younger brethren, a unity of purpose and a reciprocity of affectionate confidence, rendering the students' course cheerful, and encouraging hope that the recollections of the college will have a sanctified and a quickening influence on the more active labours of the Missionary life. By an arrangement in every point of view highly important, each student is engaged on one day in every week in intercourse with the Jews in London. This gives the service of another labourer to the metropolis, while it affords a stimulus and an exercise to the piety of the young disciple. The Reports of the examiners and tutors are as follows:

REPORTS OF EXAMINERS.

I. Having, at the request of the Committee of the Jewish Mission College, examined the students in the Hebrew and Chaldee languages, I have great pleasure in bearing testimony to the efficiency of the method adopted by their tutor, Mr. Davidson. The students, who had more than once gone through the Pentateuch in the course of the session, read and translated portions of the Book of Exodus, selected at the

time by the examiner, and were required to account for various linguistical phenomena presented by the Hebrew text. The translations were ready and accurate; and the acquaintance of the young men with the orthoepy and etymology of the language, satisfactorily showed that they had carefully studied Gesenius's Grammar on these subjects.

They also read and translated a portion of Genesis in the Targum of Onkelos, which exercise, considering the limited time which they had devoted to the study of Chaldee, evinced a pleasing degree of promise with respect to ultimate success.

II. The students of the Jewish College have been examined in writing on the genuineness, authenticity, and inspiration of the books of the New Testament, on the evidence of miracles and of prophecy, on the unity of God, the existence of mysteries in Scripture, and the Old Testament evidence of the doctrine of the Trinity. Their answers are exceedingly good, and prove the ability and industry with which they have pursued their studies under the superintendence of their esteemed theological tutor.

Specimens of these answers were read to the Committee, in whose presence the students were examined viva voce in part of the Gospel of John in Greek, and in the beginning of the first Book of Cæsar's Commentaries. I believe I speak the sentiments of all present when I state, that there was very gratifying evidence that our young friends had improved the advantages afforded them by this Institution, and that they had made as much progress in Greek and Latin as, considering the time which they had been able to devote to these languages, could reasonably be expected.

I was very much pleased with the result of the whole examination, and cordially recommend the college to the continued confidence and liberal support of the friends of the Jewish

cause.

(Signed) RICHARD ALLIOTT. Lambeth, April 24th, 1848.

III. The tutors of the Jewish Mission College, in presenting their Report to the Committee at the close of the first Session, desire, with gratitude to the Father of mercies, to bear a favourable testimony to the character and conduct of the students committed to their charge.

They can speak with much satisfaction of the diligence which has been manifested in the prosecution of the various departments of study in which instruction has been afforded; a diligence which the tutors believe has arisen from the earnest interest felt by the students in the Missionary work to which they have devoted their days, and to a right sense of the importance of being duly qualified for actual engagement in it.

Towards themselves, as tutors, the deportment of the students has constantly been marked by a courteous and Christian spirit, and they have every reason to believe that the same spirit has distinguished their conduct towards each other.

In every respect, the Session has passed away happily; and, in prospect of the duties and engagements of another year, the tutors can only express the hope of a continuance of the

same industry and right-mindedness which have been exemplified in the period of study now brought to a close.

The tutors cannot conclude their Report, without making an earnest request to the Committee that a portion of the Society's funds may be appropriated to the purpose of providing a suitable library for the Institution. Hitherto they have, in repeated instances, been compelled to supply the wants of the college from their own libraries, but they feel assured that the Committee would not desire the continuance of this mode of meeting the difficulty under which the students at present labour, more especially in regard to Lexicons, Concordances, and Books of Reference.

LONDON CITY MISSION.

THE Thirteenth Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Exeter-hall. The great hall and the galleries were filled in every part.

Lord KINNAIRD took the chair.

The Rev. J. GARWOOD, one of the Secretaries, read the Report. It begun by stating, that the number of Missionaries had been increased during the year from 186 to 201, the present number; but the state of the funds having been such as not to allow any increase in the expenditure, it had been necessary, inconvenient though the rule was, to require the entire support of the Missionary to be guaranteed to the Society in all these new appointments. Two of the Missionaries had died during the year; one of them, Mr. Miller, was killed in the railway collision at Wolverton; the other, Mr. Jones, one of four Missionaries in St. George's in the East, fell a sacrifice to the severity of the labour of that trying district, at the age of forty-five, leaving a widow and eight children. Mr. Jones was much respected in the district; during his illness the poor used to visit him in small companies to receive instruction. A hairdresser, whom he had persuaded to close his shop on Sundays and attend public worship, insisted on being his honorary barber during his illness. (Hear, hear.) Two more examiners of Missionaries had been appointed, the Rev. J. Charlesworth, Rector of St. Mildred's, Bread-street, and Dr. Beecham, Secretary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society. The year's receipts amounted to £16,137 98. 2d., being an increase of £2,208 13s. 1d. on the ordinary receipts of the previous year; but the expenditure now amounted to £1,500 a month, or £18,000 a year, and the balance in hand would not more than suffice for about six week's expenditure. (Hear.) With regard to the motives which might induce those who could to aid the Society, two illustrations were then given of the kind of district occupied, taking one from the centre of trade, the other from the centre of fashion. The first was on Holborn-hill. One court, Plumtree-court, entered either from Shoelane or Holborn, (a few yards east of St. Andrew's Church,) had only thirty houses in it, but they contained 153 families, three or four families living often in the same room; of the 175 children (under fourteen) resident there, not

more than thirty attended any school until the Missionary recently established a Ragged school; for more than half a century this court had received no regular or systematic visitation. The other district included Orchard-place and Gray's-buildings, two contiguous courts within a stone's throw of Grosvenor, Manchester, and Portman-squares. In these courts there were forty-nine houses, and on a recent examination they were found inhabited by about 600 families, consisting of 1,757 persons; and during a part of the year the population was very nearly 3,000. Of these 1,757 persons, 1,274 were adults, of whom 484 could not read; only 14 attended Protestant worship, and but very few possessed the Scriptures. Of the 483 children in these courts, 404 did not attend Sundayschool, and 314 did not attend a daily school; a Ragged-school was now being formed for them by the Missionary, and an adult-school had also been established by him, at which the present attendance was 58 Roman Catholics and 3 Protestants. On the late memorable 10th of April, the Missionary, on proceeding to visit Plumtreecourt, found it as a depopulated village; its entire population was cleared out to march to Kennington-common. The Missionaries bore testimony to the very exemplary manner in which the poor of London had very generally borne privations and distresses unusually severe; but few would wonder, that, in localities like these, where starving inhabitants could not stir without coming in contact with splendour, and often found themselves uncared for by their neighbours in the higher and middle walks of life, there should be envy and discontent. (Hear.) Referring next to the operations of the Missionaries, the Report noticed, that in the case of two Police Missionaries, (to the Metropolitan and the City Police respectively,) the Committee having only received £6 towards their support during the year, feared that they must withdraw one, though both had been very useful during the year, and their services were extremely needful. The Missionary to the Metropolitan Police had paid 2,436 visits to policemen in time of sickness and death, and now held fifteen meetings each week, at which the average attendance was thirty. In three cases constables who had been benefited by his labours, themselves held meetings, to which they invited their comrades. One hundred and fifty policemen had been prevailed upon to attend public worship as often as their duties would allow, and eleven had been received as communicants. (Hear.) The Cab Missionary had again been made a blessing to that much-neglected class; a friend had just sent in a contribution made up by laying by one penny for this object every time a member of his family used a cab during the year. (Hear.) The Committee purposed to make a more extended effort on behalf of foreigners in London, taking the three classes of Germans, Italians, and French; contributions would be received for either department. A Missionary to soldiers, also, was much needed; they received very little religious instruction, and required a separate effort. The Greenwich pensioners had formed an Association to aid in supporting "the Children's Missionary" to them, and sixty-five of them were now subscribing a penny a week towards his support; but the total amount received for him during the year was only £36. The Working Men's Associations had