MONTHLY REGISTER. Society for Promoting Christian DEANERY OF ACKLEY. Extracts from Fourth Annual Report. THE Committee of Members of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge within the Deanery of Ackley and its Neighbourhood, beg to present to the Public the Fourth Annual Report of their Proceedings in the District. From the statement of the number of Parish Schools in the District, given in the Appendix, which are taught either wholly or in part by publications from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, it appears, that the number of Children so taught, in 18 Parishes from whence returns have been received, amounts to 2,738. The distribution of Books from the Society's stores, though not so extensive with regard to Tracts as recorded in former Years, yet continues to be considerable, From the Parishes of Appleby, Ashby-dela-Zouch, Austrey, Barrow-upon-Soar, Castle-Donington, Church-Gresley, ColeOrton, Kegworth, Loughborough, Mount Sorrell, Packington, Polesworth, Raven stone, Rothley, Seale, Shuttington, Swep stone, and Whitwick, and from the Chapelry on Charnwood Forest, there have been distributed since the 30th of April, 1821: From Parent Society. Bibles and Testaments. From Local Depository. 178 970 afford for the past year: as, with the single exception of Barrow-upon-Soar, local circumstances and the general state of Agriculture, have rendered it inexpedient to make any such appeal for the present, even in those Parishes witere it has been formerly made. The Committee hope however that this important mode of re. commending the Society's objects to pub lic attention and support, though suspended, will not ultimately be abandoned; but rather revived, on a recurrence of more favorable circumstances, with encreased energy and success. In the Parish of Kegworth, where a collection has been formerly made for this Society, a collection was made during the last year for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, as will appear from the short statement of that Society's proceedings in this District, affixed to the present Report. The proceedings of the Committee, as they respect the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts will be found in a subsequent part of this Report. After having thus briefly stated the local proceedings of this particular district, the Committee have great and peculiar pleasure in further reporting, that a County Anniversary for the advancement of the designs of the Societies for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, was held at Leicester during the last summer, which was 160 both numerously and respectably attended, and was abundantly sufficient (in point of success,) to encourage the repetition of the same measure during the present year. The Committee cannot but express their strongest persuasion, that an occasional intercourse of the several Districts with each other, and a communication of each others views and proceedings, must be attended with great advantage to the general objects of the Society: and whilst the nature of the union between the county in general and each particular district, will gradually unfold itself, so also experience will shew in what particulars it is desirable to keep the proceedings of each district distinct. Tracts, bound and stitched.... ......1219 Total. Bibles and Testaments..... 199 377 379 ......2189 Total 2945 The Quarterly Meetings of the Committee continue to be held, alternately at Loughborough and Ashby-de-la-Zouch; this arrangement being still found to be at once conducive to the convenience of Members, and to the general objects of the Committee. On the subject of Parochial Collections, the Committee have little information to The Committee conclude this Report with expressing their hearty satisfaction at the continued progress of their several de signs; and with a humble hope and prayer, that under the blessing of Almighty God, and through the exertions of the Clergy and laity throughout the several Districts; FRAS. MEREWETHER, John Cradock. I there found, that if the leading principles of the National Society had been ever, as I was informed, fully acted upon, the School had now greatly degenerated. The system of mutual instruction was almost lost sight of, and the mechanical parts of the system, which appear so well calculated to keep up the attention, and to infuse life and activity through every department, were so much neglected, that I thought it necessary to address a letter to the Colonial Government on the subject. My letter was dated Society for the Propagation of the the 7th of April, and on the 21st of the Gospel. Extracts from the last Report. 66 Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, September, 1st, 1821. "In compliance with your desire, and in conformity to the rules of the Society, that I should communicate with you, I take the opportunity of writing to you by the ship Morley, which leaves this in a few days for England, and I trust that I have at length something to communicate which may not be wholly unworthy of the attention of the Society. "My voyage from England lasted three months, during that period I performed Divine Service regularly, and preached every Sunday and holiday, with two exceptions, having been once prevented by sickness, and at another time by the inclemency of the weather. We anchored in Table Bay, on Wednesday, the 7th of March; and I am happy to say, that the voyage in general was very favourable. On the 8th I landed, and presented my letters of introduction to Sir Rufane Donkin, the acting Governor, by whom I was courteously received; and obtained from him, as well as from the Colonial Secretary, every promise of encouragement in my humble endeavours to carry into effect the benevolent designs of the Venerable Society for Propagating the Gospel, the constitution and objects of which I explained. same month I received a most favourable reply from Colonel Bird, the Colonial Sécretary, stating that my letter had been submitted to the consideration of his Excellency the Acting Governor, and that in consequence a communication had been made to the Members of the "Bible and School Commission," with whom arrangements of this nature exclusively rested, and that he trusted such measures would be adopted as to meet the object which all must feel equally interested in; "that of improving the system of education in every possible way." In consequence of the communication from Government, a meeting of the Bible and School Commission was called, in which it was agreed, that I should be authorized to visit and superintend the Free School, and introduce the necessary improvements. I therefore, without further delay, set about the improvement of the School; and though it has been attended with considerable difficulty, I have the satisfaction of adding, that the School is now nearly conducted on the principles of the Central School in Baldwin's Gardens. I have also the pleasure of being able to inform the Society, that since this change has taken place, the School is daily increasing in numbers, and I have every reason to be satisfied with the progress and diligence of the children, as well as the attention of the Masters. When I first visited the School, the number of Scholars in the English department was 45, of whom nine were slaves. In the Dutch department the number attending was 194, of whom about 24 were slaves. The number at present of those attending, is, in the English department, 60, seven of whom are slaves; and, in the Dutch, there are now 255, of whom 36 are slaves, and 199 free. Of these latter, 133 are of the Reformed Church, which is the old established religion of the colony, and 12 are Lutherans. Of the remaining 54, two are Hottentots, seven the children of Mahomedan parents, and the remainder are generally the children of slaves who have ob 4 C tained their freedom; but though instruct. ed at the School in the principles of the Christian religion, none of the latter have been baptized. "There is also at present a more constant and regular attendance than formerly. The general number of those lately attending the morning School, averaged about 170-it is at present above 200; for it cannot be expected that the attendance can be quite regular, particularly on the part of the slaves, whose time is not at their own disposal. "I have distributed a considerable number of the National School-books which I received from the Society; but we are very much inconvenienced by not having a sufficient number of Alphabets, Arithmetical Tables, and National Schoolbooks, Nos. 1 and 2. In the Dutch department, there is a great want of good elementary books. I am not certain whether the National School-books have been translated into Dutch; if they have, a supply of them would be particularly gratifying, as they would be far superior to those now in use. The re-organization of the School has, particularly in the commencement, occupied a great deal of time and trouble, and the School will continue to require a strict attention on my part, as I am almost the only visitor; but I have been also latterly engaged in other duties, an account of which I proceed to lay before the Society. "At the distance of eight miles from Cape Town, is the village of Wynberg, consisting chiefly of a number of scattered cottages, in which, as well as in the immediate neighbourhood of the village, reside many families, both Dutch and English, who have no opportunity of attending Divine Service, unless at Cape Town. The consequence is, that many of the lower orders have been entirely without the benefit of religious instruction for years, and the distance often renders it too inconvenient for those of the better order to attend their Church in town. The vicinity of the village, particularly in the hot months, is the residence of many of the most respectable of the inhabitants, as well as invalids from India, who come here to enjoy the benefits arising from a cooler atmosphere, the thermometer being at least SIX degrees lower than in Cape Town, There are also some officers and soldiers stationed here. Among the inhabitants must also be included a number of slaves, and some Hottentots. "A House of Worship appeared to be here particularly wanting, and was much wished for by many of the inhabitants, The Rev. Mr. Hough introduced the "The impulse given to the public mind here, with respect to the obligation of improving the state of the native population, is indeed remarkable; and the conviction among the more reflecting and religious part of the European society, seems to be gaining ground, that this improvement must involve in it the introduction of Christianity, and should be conducted according to the sober principles, the apostolical doctrine and discipline of our Church. The great difficulty with which we have to contend, is the prejudice which associates every endeavour of this nature, with hos tility to the establishment; a prejudice, which though contradicted by innumerable testimonies both in former times and the present, exists in the minds of many very different classes of persons, and is confirmed in them by much that they see and hear around them. The good which the Missionaries of the dissenting communions, the Baptists especially, are actually ef fecting among the heathens, is strongly counterbalanced by the evil of this false opinion, which many of them avowedly, and all indirectly, are the means of propagating with it. Excepting this obstacle, arising naturally out of the original evil of their separation, which threatens more at future times than at the present, the plant ing of the Church in India, there seems no reason for discouragement. Apprehensions of danger from the native prejudices, are, in the judgment of almost every ob server here, without foundation. The experience of the Diocesan Schools, and others where the children of Pagans are instructed, proves that they will admit any thing, provided their errors be not the direct objects of attack; and that while the indolence and sensuality of their native habits bind them most to their superstations, the hopes of their childrens advancement, are sufficient to make them consent to the method, which more efEfectually than any other, tends to undermine the same superstitions in them. From the very limited experience I have myself acquired in this country, I can speak with confidence to the fact, that the Scriptures, and other Christian books, even in places the most contradictory to the whole system of idolatry, may be read in Heathen Schools, where Brahmin Pandits are the bearers and teachers, without exciting any alarm or offence whatsoever." P 150. R NATIONAL SCHOOLS. ON Monday last the Parochial Charity School at Paddington, which has been lately enlarged on an extensive plan, so as to afford the benefits of moral and religions instruction, and habits of industry, to all the poor children of the parish, was opened by the Lord Bishop of London, Patron, attended by the School Committee, and a numerous and respectable assemblage of visitors. There was a Public Examination of the Children, who acquitted themselves with great credit, both to themselves and their Instructors, and shewed a highly commendable progress in those attainments suited to their condition of life. The new School Rooms, recently erected iminediately opposite the Church, are calculated to contain upwards of 300 Children, and were much admired for the simplicity of their construction and accommodation, The charge of the new building will be THIS most important appeal, which was conducted by Mr. Broadrick and by Mr. Jessop and Mr. Knox and Mr. Ryland for the appellant, for the respondents, occupied the Court from 12 o'clock till 7. "It involved the question, which has excited so much interest, since a decision that lately took place in Nor folk, namely, whether the rent is to be taken as a criterion of the occu pier's ability, when it is proved that the occupation of his land is productive of no profit; and whether the actual profit derived from the tithes is not to be taken as the criterion of the tithe-owner's ability; and consequently, whether in a parish in which the occupiers of land derive from it no ability to support the poor, the statute of Elizabeth does not throw the burden upon tithe-owner exclusively *." the Mr. Broadrick, in his opening, stated that Mr. May, the impropriator of the great tithes of West Mersea, had, in April last, been raised in his assessment to the sum of 3467. 12s., being 4s. per acre on 1733 acres of land; no alteration having at that time been made on any other proprietor in the parish. Against that rate he appealed, on the ground that he was assessed at the whole value of the tithes; whereas the land was charged at 10s. per acre, which was only two-fifths of its value. Mr. B. observed that there were several admissions agreed upon between the parties, that the question might be decided upon its merits, and not evaded by any tech The part marked with commas here and elsewhere, is taken from the Essex Herald of July 23, 1822. nical objections. It was also admitted that the productive value of the great tithes was 4s. per acre. On a question from the Court as to the precise extent of that admission, there appeared some little confusion in the explanation, but it was understood that 4s. per acre was the sum paid by several occupiers as a composition in the usual way, and that the appellant had offered to compound with all at that price.. Two Surveyors, "Mr. Lake and Mr. Creek," living in the neighbourhood, and acquainted with the lands in West Mersea, were called, who calculating on the produce of a sup-posed farm of 210 acres, agreed in stating the produce at the present prices of grain, exclusive of seed, corn, and of the oats, clover and turnips for horse feed and cattle, to be about 8481. The expences, in. clusive of parochial assessments, and of tithes, namely, 4s. per acre for great, and 1s. 6d. for small tithes; and of seven per cent. to the occupier for interest of capital and profit, were estimated at about 5851., leaving 2627. 10s. for rent, at 25s. per acre, with 10s. over in the accurate balance of the account as given in Court. On cross-examination it appeared that they had omitted to charge for manure brought on the farm, which might be 201. These gentlemen agreed also in stating that they considered one-fourth of the land or one-fifth of the aggregate of land and tithe, as the value of the great and small tithe together; from which one-fourth was to be taken as the value of the small tithe. Therefore if the land was worth 25s. per acre, (and they expressed no doubt of being able to find accupiers at that price) 6s. 3d. would be the value of the whole tithe, and about 48. 8d. the value of the great tithe alone, which might be let for 4s. On the part of the respondents, Mr. Jessop represented the extreme importance of the principle, for which he should contend in this case, and which he had no doubt he should establish, although it would be attended with fearful consequen ces, and would involve in ruin the whole of that species of property which the appellant possessed. But he saw nothing more likely than the decision of the present case to call the attention of the legislature to the necessity of altering the existing law upon this subject, and of giving that protection to agriculture which was so loudly demanded. He urged that both land and tithe were to be assessed alike according to their productive value; and that in this case he should shew, that the produce of the tithes was abundantly more than the sum at which it was now rated; but that to the occupier of land there was no profit or rateable value whatever. In proof, two Surveyors, "Mr. Rogers and Mr. Dawson," were called, who, taking the whole quantity of land paying great tithe at 1733 acres, and calculating the produce of about 1246 acres now in crop, estimated the whole produce at about 82207., the tenth of which was 8221. Deducting 2s. for every acre in crop for the cost of collecting, &c. there would be left 6971., the value of the tithe. These gentlemen calculated the whole expenses to be such as left only is. 2d. per acre for rent and profit; and denied that there was any profit on stock as given in the account on the other side. Mr. Smith, an occupier, who had been overseer of West Mersea, was called, from whose evidence it appeared that on a farm of 95 acres, he had for some time paid 3001. rent; but that last year he paid only 150l, which he said he paid out of his crop and earrings; that if corn continued at its present price, he could not pay that rent, he could not get a living, he had been losing money, he could not do better than by day. labour. Mr. Knox, for the respondents, in commenting on the evidence, |