by a private individual, a little more compression, or a little more illustration, would not have been unsuited to the dignity of an University Pulpit. The eighth Lecture upon Divisions within the Church, requires a more particular notice. From 1 Cor. i. 12, 13, Mr. Whately takés occasion to observe "The Apostle's admonitions to the church of Corinth, both in this passage and in several others of the same Epistle, are of the highest importance to Christians, of every age and country. But in order to appre ciate them rightly, and apply them profitably to ourselves, we must keep in mind two circumstances which are very often, practically at least, overlooked: viz. first that the Apostle is not here accusing his converts of holding any erroneous doctrines, but of divisions, party-spirit, and contentions: secondly, that he does not seem to be alluding to any open schism as having taken place among them, but merely to intestine discord; not, in short, to any separation from the Church, but to disunion within the Church, "These circumstances, I say, ought constantly to be remembered, in our application of St. Paul's precepts; not, of course, with any view of depreciating the importance of a right faith, and extenuating the evil of heresy; nor of implying that the sinfulness of schism is diminished by an avowed secession from the Church; but to guard against the mistake, (by no means unfrequent,) of too hastily setting our conscience at rest by the plea of being neither heretics nor dissenters. For it is not uncommon to hear men appeal to the soundness of their doctrine, and their strict conformity to the Church, when they would clear themselves from any imputation of being promoters of division; though per haps there is, notwithstanding, so much of the spirit of party in their proceedings, that they are introducing, or preparing the way for, all that train of evils which have been formerly described. If, like the Corinthians, who said, “I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, they range themselves under distinct leaders, and distinct denominations, wel coming as brethren those who adopt a certain fixed phraseology, and regarding with bigoted aversion or jealousy, all others, they may, without forsaking either the Church or its doctrines, be guilty of fostering discord, and of manifesting that carnal spirit which St. Paul so strongly reprobates." P. 237. We are then told that the advantages derived from combination are not a sufficient excuse for a party in our Church, because they are already secured by the union which that Church has effected; and that she furnishes a sufficient check upon. the errors of her ministers, by compelling them to subscribe and use her Liturgy and Articles, and making them responsible for any gross deviation from their spirit. "As far as human means can be effectual, it seems scarcely possible that better provisions than these could be made against the suppression or perversion of Gospel truth; or at least against the 'necessity of having recourse, for the sake of opposing such evils, to the formation of subordinate associations, and party-distinctions within the Church. And when any such has arisen, there seems no sufficient reason for raising an opposite party to counteract the evil, while the Church itself thus furnishes a sufficient bond of union, and acknowledged common authority. The risk thus incurred (if it be not something more than a risk) of widening the breach,—of strengthening instead of weakening the party we oppose,-of plunging, in the heat of a contest, into the contrary extreme from theirs,—of diminishing Christian charity,—and of drawing off men's attention from the essentials of religion to controversial bickerings,—is not in this case counterbalanced by any adequate benefit. "Sometimes however we find it urged by men who profess to admit these principles, that they themselves seek not to form any separate party within the Church; nor pretend to more than to be genuine Churchmen; but that those whom they combine to oppose, are disguised sectaries, and covert heretics; outwardly professing indeed an attachment to the Church, but in reality holding sentiments hostile to the spirit of her doctrines and institutions. But it should be remembered, that, on the one hand, if any thing be taught or practised which can be proved contrary to the doctrine and discipline of the Church, this evil can be checked in a regular way, according to the constitution of that Church, without any need of forming a party for the purpose; and that on the other hand, if nothing of this kind can be proved, we are neither honouring nor serving the Church by combining against any such concealed hostility. We are not honouring her, because we are in fact implying that her Articles and Liturgy are so defective as to permit those who conform to them to be nevertheless fundamentally erroneous; nor are we effectually serving her, because we are setting a dangerous example of pre. sumption, which an opposite party may easily follow. They may as easily contend on their side, that, of all who profess conformity, they alone are the genuine Church men; and that their interpretation of the language of the Articles and Liturgy,their judgment as to the true spirit of them, are alone to be received as correct." P. 243. That we may not be at any loss to determine the Lecturer's precise meaning, he concludes an inquiry into the faults of the two parties in the Church, by an explicit recommendation to keep ourselves separated from both. a "The faults however which have now been adverted to, as the most prevalent in the two opposite parties respectively, not only are less the appropriate subject of our present consideration, than the party spirit which is common to both; but are so far of less practical importance, that they may be expected to diminish in proportion as that spirit itself is subdued, which contributes, above all other causes, to foster them. It should therefore be our first and most constant care, earnestly to protest against this; and to maintain steady opposition to both parties, as par ties; while we study, at the same time, to preserve the most friendly union possible with the members of both, considered as individuals; doing full justice to the merits of each, and carefully selecting and adopting whatever is right in their sentiments and practice. And if those who are disposed, either by their own temper, or from the result of their experience, to reckon every one among the adherents of one party or another,-find themselves perplexed and at a loss in which class to place us*, we may regard this circum "It is observed by Aristotle, (Pol, b. 2.) that the constitution of Sparta had its elements so nicely blended, as to leave men in doubt to what class to refer it; some calling it a Royalty, some, an Oligarchy, others reckoning it Aristocratical, and others again as rather Democratical: a strong indication, as he observes, of its being so judiciously tempered, as to keep clear of the faults of each of the simple forms of government.” stance with self-congratulation, as a pre sumption that we have been successful in steering a middle course between opposite extremes, in keeping ourselves untainted with the spirit of party, and in preserving unbroken, as far as possible, the bond of charity with all men." P. 269. these are not our opinions. But the It is hardly necessary to say that quarter from which they come entitle them to a respectful consideration; and the present article cannot be more appropriately concluded than by pointing out the objections to which they are liable. But Mr. Whately admits that the Church of England may avail herself of the advantages of party-feeling in the contests which she is obliged to carry on with dissenters. The heretic and the schismatic may be opposed with a legitimate and well-regulated esprit de corps. no sect or subdivision within the pale of the Church is to be encountered with the same weapons,-because if we understand Mr. Whately aright, St. Paul has condemned divisions and parties as such, even when they were not deformed by irregular practices or corrupt doc trine. If this be valid reasoning, how can Mr. Whately defend his concession respecting the mode in which we are to resist dissenters ? How can he answer those latitudinarian champions, who comprise every professing Christian within the limits of the Church; and contend that St. Paul's prohibition applies to them all? Will he not be told, that the Bible is the great rule of faith and morals, and that we are bound to give the right hand of fellowship to all who embrace its tenets? And what reply can he make to such questions and arguments, except that it is possible to acknowledge the Bible with the lip, while its spirit is explained away and neglected. The same is true of the Liturgy and Articles of the Church. Excellent as they are, some men have always been found to profess them and subscribe to them, and to act at the same time diametrically opposite to their injunctions. And when such men coalesce, govern themselves with the regularity, and caution, and zeal of a sect, increase in numbers, and increase in power, they must be systematically resisted, or their triumph will be certain. St. Paul has forbidden us" to be puffed up for one against another," i. e. to form ourselves into parties from attachment to different leaders, and this is the main object of his admonitions to the Corinthians. But how does this prove that they who believe the interests of Christianity to be endangered by a party within the Church, are not at liberty to unite in their opposition to it? Must they sit still and see their flocks led astray, their doctrines decried, and their religion itself brought into deadly peril, for fear they should hurt the unity of the Church? If so, they ought to surrender the Act of Uniformity and the Test Act and refuse to exclude conscientious believer from their truly Catholic Communion. But this course Mr. Whately will neither adopt nor recommend, and to be consistent with himself his present system also should be abandoned. one Whatever might have been the case in a preceding age, whether the parties by which we are now distracted might have been prevented, or were inevitable; they are now formed and in active operation, and few men can profess to abstain from them with safety. Here and there an individual may be found whose temper, rank, or talents may enable him to remain neuter without danger. But an immense majority do and must take a part, and they had better say so at once. If they run the risque of becoming violent partizans, they escape the dangers of indifference, equivocation, and trimming. If they are infected in a slight degree by party failings, they escape the temptation of forming a third party for themselves, to which neutrals are more prone than Mr. Whately imagines. If they are sincerely desirous of peace, they may promote it in a party much more effectually than out of one. Feuds are seldom extinguished, or even abated by neutrals; and whenever the peace of the Church of England is re-established, that blessing will be obtained by the moderation of party leaders, rather than by the mediation of self-elected umpires. The mutual respect of open opponents, their mutual concession of unimportant points, and the rigid correction of their respective errors, may yet prevent a declared and lasting schism. Violence on either side will precipitate its arrival; indecision will not suffice to arrest its progress. The Church was overturned in 1640 by the ill-timed moderation of Usher and Hall, quite as much as by the intemperance of Charles and Laud. If the puritans of the seventeenth century had been withstood calmly and systematically by all who disapproved of their principles, the horrors of the grand rebellion in all probability might have been escaped. Should the clergy of the present day tread in the steps of their forefathers, the final success of puritanism may be looked upon as certain; and those whom it will involve in well-merited destruction will be convinced too late of the folly, the criminal folly and presumption of refusing to profit by experience. By distinguishing party feeling from party spirit, and shewing that the one is as necessary and advantageous as the other is hurtful, Mr. Whately enables us to escape from many of the difficulties in which Christians are now involved. Why should he confine his reasoning to separate communions, or desert his own system the moment that it brings him to the goal? Let him apply all his observations upon the excess and abuses of party to the division which unhappily exists among Churchmen. Let him warn us against those feelings which are too apt to spring up in all our hearts, and to make us forget that we are the disciples of one common master. But let him not endeavour to produce a nominal unanimity, where there is a real and conscientious difference; let him not unintentionally substitute the finesse of apparent moderation, for the open opposition of an honourable contest. Such a system can only lead to one of two effects, the submission of the two existing parties to a third, which shall affect to reconcile and unite them; or the subversion of one of the present parties by the other; and that other not the purest, the wisest, or the best, but the most united, the most persevering, and the most artful. MONTHLY REGISTER. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRIS- This Committee held its Anniversary Meeting on the 3d inst. at the Depository in Brighthelmstone. It was numerously attended by the friends of the two Societies, the Right Hon. the Earl of Chi❤ chester, President, in the chair. The An nual Report, read by the Rev. Dr. Holland, one of the secretaries, contained the substance of all the last year's proceedings, and was most gratifying. Although shops have been opened in different parts of the district for the sale of the Society's books to non-subscribers, which might have been supposed to lessen the demands on the committee's dopositories, the secretaries had issued within the year 837 Bibles and New Testaments, 1,343 Books of Common Prayer, and 4,205 Books and Tracts. Among the gratuitous issues of books and tracts, it was stated, that 150 Books of Common Prayer had been given to the Very Rev. the Vicar, and the Rev. the Chaplains, of the two Chapels of Ease, for distribution among the poor of their respective congregations, who most regularly attend public worship. The committee had also given to various national and parochial schools 33 Bibles and New Testa ments, 102 Prayer Books, and 1,114 Religious Books or Tracts. A set of the Lewes Lending Library, in 30 volumes, has been appropriated to the use of the poor in the new workhouse, and a suitable grant of Bibles and Prayer Books made to the patients in the infirmary, and to every person who may be admitted into the Brighton Female Penitentiary, which has been just established. The secretaries congratulated the meeting that the applications, which shew the nature of the spiritual wants of the dis trict, had not been for those books which contain the evidences of Christianity, and for those special tracts which have been lately published to counteract the influ ence of infidel and blasphemous writings, which have not gained admittance in any numbers into this district, but for those books principally which contain illustrations of the Bible, and the ordinances of the Church; and, above all, for the Scriptures themselves, and for their best companion, the Book of Common Prayer. Of the latter, it appears, an unprecedented number has been issued, to more than double the amount of any former year. To make the Book of Common Prayer, thus extensively dispersed, more available in the hands of the poor for the purposes of family prayer, the committee have made a selection of morning and evening prayers in the Liturgy for family worship, and affix the list within the cover of every Prayer Book and Psalter which they distribute. The Report went on to congratulate the meeting on his Majesty's pious regard for the spiritual welfare of the people, evinced by his having, in addition to the third service which the King had commanded to be performed at his Majesty's own charge, appropriated 400 seats in the Palace Chapel, which was consecrated in the beginuing of the year, to the inhabitants and visitors of Brighthelmstone; and it was gratifying to hear how highly his Majesty appreciates the exertions of the committee in furtherance of true religion, as professed by the Established Church, by the very gracious manner in which his Majesty received from the Very Rev. the Vicar, a book respectfully submitted to his Majesty, containing the Address to the Lewes Deanery, the Regulations and Rules of the Committee, and its Annual Reports, now forming an interesting volume, and by the satisfaction which his Majesty was pleased to express on the oc casion. In consequence of the late reduction in the price of books by the Parent Society, the committee have still further reduced the charge to their subscribers-offering nonpareil Bibles at 1s. 10d. brevier New Testaments at 8d. and nonpareil Prayer Books, without the metrical version, at 3d. each. After giving an epitome of the proceedings of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, during the past year, the se cretaries made an interesting report of the enlarged labours and increased expenditure of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts-in the three principal provinces in America, which are dependent upon Eng land, as also the Cape of Good Hope, and in the East Indies particularly noticing the translation of the Liturgy of the Church of England, and of many of the Society's tracts, into the native languages of the East, under the auspices and assistance of the Lord Bishop of Calcutta. The committee has lost some subscribers by death, and some by their removal into other districts, but new sub. scribers have supplied their place. The officers were all re-elected. Sir Richard Borough, bart. was added to the list of vice-presidents, and the Rev. Dr. Pierson elected an auditor, in the room of the Rev. Trefusis Lovell, who had left the district. The schools flourish through the dean. ery. One new national school had been formed at Preston; and though parochial returns were not made this year, it is conjectured, on good grounds, that the numbers educated in these schools, which are supplied with books from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, considerably exceed five thousand, which was last year's return. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Extracts from last Report concluded. "CANADA. "THE Bishop of Quebec, during the pre-, ceding year, completed his Visitation, and held a Confirmation, at every place in which a Missionary was established. He was much gratified at the pleasing appearance of many Churches begun, and some handsomely finished. In January, his Lordship ordained Mr. Taylor for the Mission of Eaton ; and in the following month he held a Confirmation at that place, when many persons of a mature age, who before where Lutherans, having united themselves to the Church, presented themselves to receive the benefit of that rite. Two Churches were building at Eaton, one of which was in great forwardness. At the same time that the Bishop ordained Mr. Taylor, he ordained also Mr. Myers, who, like Mr. Taylor, was a Lutheran Minister, and appointed him to Matilda, in Upper Canada, where he is now officiating. The people at Riviere du Loup, who are exerting themselves to build a Church and a Parsonage-house, have earnestly petitioned the Bishop for a resident Minister; and Mr. Knagg, with whom they are much pleased, has undertaken that duty, until the wishes of the Society are made known. "The Bishop has advanced to the several Churches hereafter named, 1001, currency each, out of the fund placed at his disposal by the Society-St. Andrew's, Riviere du Loup, Point Levi, and Hull, Lower Canada; Chippewa, Queen's Town, and Ancaster, Upper Canada. Encouragement has been given to the people of Gaspé, and to Mr. Pollard, at Sandwich, for the use of Churches in that neighbourhood, the erection of which that gentleman is promoting with great zeal and industry. "The Rev. Romaine Rolph, Missionary at Amherstburg, reports, that the number of communicants had greatly increased, which he considers as the beneficial progress and influence of Divine grace. When Mr. Pollard administered the Sacrament, thirty communicants attended, being an increase of fourteen during a very short period. The Church at Colchester will be finished in the Spring. The people are naturally anxious to obtain the benefits of a regular resident Minister, as it is not in his power to visit them oftener than once in the month, without a neglect of his own more immediate duties. In obedienee to the directions of the Society, he has offered himself as a candidate for the Holy Order of Priest, to enable him to perform without assistance, the whole duty of his Mission, and to relieve Mr. Pollard from his attendance at Amberstburg to administer the Sacrament; an arrangement which has necessarily occa |