West Looe..Sir C Hulse, H Goulburn Worcester..Lord Deerhurst, Col. Davies Yarmouth, I. W..Sir Peter Pole, (1)T. H. Broad- Yorkshire..Lord Milton, J, A. Stuart Wortley Armagh..C. Brownlow, (1)Hon. H. Caulfield Cork..Hon. R. Hare, Lord Kingsborough Galway..James Daly, Richard Martin Kerry..James Crosbie, Right Hon. M. Fitzgerald King's County..Thomas Bernard, J. Parsons Londonderry..G. R. Dawson, A. R. Stewart bart Louth..Right Hon. J. Foster, Lord Joselyn Roscommon..A. French, Hon. Stephen Mahon Tipperary..Right Hon. W. Bagwell, Hon. F. Tyrone..Rt Hon. Sir J. Stewart bart, W. Stewart Werford..R.S. Carew, (1)Lord Stopford Athlone..(1)John M'Clintock Armagh..(1)William Stewart Belfast..(2) Earl of Belfast Carrickfergus..(2) Arthur Chichester Cashil..E. J. Collett Clonmell..(1)J. H. M. Dawson Coleraine..Sir J. P. Beresford bart Cork..Sir N. C. Colthurst, Right Hon. C. H. Hutchinson Downpatrick..J W Maxwell Drogheda..(i)Henry Metcalf Dublin.. Right Hon. H. Grattan, Robert Shaw Dublin, University.. Right Hon. W. C. Plunkett Dungannon.. Hon. Thomas Knox Dungarvon..(2)A. W. Clifford Ennis..(1)Sir Ross Mahon bart Enniskillen.. Richard Magennis Galway..(1)J. S. Prendergast Kilkenny..(1)Right Hon. Dennis Browne Kinsale..George Coussmaker Limerick..Hon. J. P. Vereker Lisburne..Horace Seymour Londonderry.. Right Hon. Sir G. F. Hill bart Mallow..W. W. Becher Newry..Hon. F. J. Needham Portarlington..David Ricardo Ross..John Carroll Sligo..(1)Owen Wynne Tralee..James Cuffe Waterford.. Right Hon. Sir J. Newport bart Wexford..(1)William Wigram Youghall..(1)John Hyde RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. THE Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, we are happy to state, has increased the number of its members to upwards of 14,000; and its exertions during the last year have been marked by a laudable zeal and anxiety for effecting its import ant objects. The Diocesan and District Committees of the Society, at home and abroad, now amount to 216. The details of the proceedings of these subsidiary institutions occupy more than fifty pages of the last Report. They include many very interesting statements; among which we notice with peculiar pleasure the efforts made to stem the torrent of infidel and blasphemous tracts, and the desire which begins widely to prevail to establish parochial libraries for the benefit of the poor. The Diocesan Committee established at Calcutta have transmitted their second and third annual Reports, containing many important facts. The Committee observe, that " a new era of things appears to be rising in the Eastern world light is emerging out of darkness: long-rooted prejudices seem, by a slow yet still perceptible progress, to be wearing away. Among professed, but ignorant, Christians, proffered means of knowledge are in general well received, and excite a proportionate desire of instruction: while among the heathen, Christianity appears to be regarded not only without abhorrence, but in many cases with somewhat of curiosity at least, if not of more serious interest: and while, without offensively obtruding it, we earnestly and zealously offer our religion to the free examination and acceptance of those among whom we dwell, it must be believed, that as subordinate in struments in his hand, we are carrying on the gracious designs of Almighty God, in bringing these benighted nations to the knowledge of His grace and faith in Him.” In order to facilitate the communication of the Committee with the more distant parts of the presidency, depots of books and tracts have been formed at Cawnpore, Meerat, Ghazeepore and Dinapore, under the care of the resident chaplains, who have been requested to invite such members of the Diocesan Committee as might be resident at their several stations, to form with themselves a Station Committee to distribute the books committed to them amongst soldiers and others where they think they may be useful. This Report goes on to notice books supplied to pilot schooners, to military establishments, to general and military hospitals, the details of which furnish information of much interest. The Committee declare, "that they will not relax their exertions, but on the contrary hope to carry them on with increasing vigour. Every soul, that is saved, is the cause of joy in heaven: and they, who have pointed out the road to salvation and smoothed the difficulties of the way, if they have succeeded in any degree, must be allowed to have performed a good work. To this great end the means committed to the Diocesan Committee will be strenuously applied; nor can they doubt that He, who willeth not that any should perish,' will further with continual help those, who labour to extend the knowledge of his faith and fear." In the third Report the Committee inform the General Board that they have supplied the Military Orphan School, and the Charity School at Prince of Wales's Island with books, and have granted upwards of 800 school-books to the Chaplain at New South Wales, who estimates the number of children of European parentage there at 5000.The care of the Committee has also been extended to the little colony on Pitcairn's Island in the South Pacific Ocean, and a supply of books furnished to them, with a suitable letter addressed to Jolin Adams and others resident there.The demand for Bibles and Prayerbooks has considerably increased, in addition to that for the Society's books and tracts. Very interest ing details are given of the continued good progress of the native schools. The District Committee at Madras, from the latest accounts, still continue actively to forward the Society's designs in that division of the diocese. The District Committee at Bombay has received a grant from the Governor in Council of 842 rupees, to be paid annually, for the supply of Bibles, Testaments, Prayerbooks, and Psalters, for the use of the English troops in hospital, and the English seamen of the Honour able Company's cruisers. The Committée lend their cordial support to the Bombay Education Society, and have resolved to supply gratuitously all schools connected with that Society with such books and tracts as are on the Society's list. The District Committee at Colombo have received from his Excellency the Governor a present of an edition of the Tamul Prayerbook, printed at his sole expense. They are persuaded that the Tamul Prayer-book will be of great use, both as a book of devotion and as the means of attaching the Malabar Congregation to the Church of England. Some extracts from our Liturgy, translated into the Cingalese language, have been fa. vourably received; and the printing of the whole Book of Common Prayer in Cingalese is in great forwardness. In Prince of Wales's Island, a CHRIST. OBSERV. APP. District Committee has been formed; and it is proposed to establish a Station Committee at Fort Marlbro'. The General Board offer a just tribute of respect and gratitude to the lord Bishop of Calcutta, for the zeal with which his lordship has continued to promote the interests of the Society. The Diocesan Committees of Halifax (Nova Scotia), and Quebec, give favourable accounts of their proceedings. Several District Committees have been formed, and the number of subscribers continues to increase. In returning homeward, to state the progress of education, the Society record, that fifty-nine Diocesan and District Committees have this year given in the number of children educated in the schools which they supply at 135,803. It is ascertained that the number of children instructed in schools in and near the metropolis, supplied immediately by the Board itself amounts to 16,320; so that, even from the imperfect returns already received, the General Board have the satisfaction of communicating, that its assistance extends to the education of at least 152,123 children. The statement of the number of Bibles, Common Prayer Books, Tracts, &c. dispersed by the Society, between April 1819, and April 1820, is as follows:-3797 packets of books sent to members on the terms of the Society, consisting of Bibles..... 31,756 New Testaments and Psalters.. 53,653 87,884 76,203 Small Tracts, half-bound, &c. 940,014 New Testaments and Psalters.. 812 1714 1259 2019 Small Tracts, half-bound, &c... 40,950 The following are the new books and tracts admitted on the Socie5 T ty's Catalogue this year, which may be had by the members on the terms specified. The Necessity of Advancement in Christiau Knowledge and Practice, by the Rev. C. ...... Scripture the Guide of Life Reasons for retaining Christianity, extracted from Bishop Watson's Letters to Gibbon The Faith and Duty of a Christian digested under proper Heads, and expressed in the Words of Scripture, selected from the Christian Institutes of Bishop Gastrell, designed for Young Persons Elementary Questions annexed to ditto (separately) Ditto ditto, on a Pasteboard.. Selections from the Old and New Versions of the Psalms of David,comprising a Course of singing Psalms, arranged for general Use in Parish Churches and Chapels, upon the Plan recommended by Bishop Gibson, in 12mo..... Ditto in 24mo. ..... ...... Friendly Gift for Servants.... Hanway's Domestic Happiness promoted Bishop Horne's Considerations on the Life and Death of Abel, Enoch, Noah, and John the Baptist..... .... Walton's Lives of Hooker, Herbert, and Sanderson.... Gilpin's Life of William Baker Wells's Geography of the New Testament s. d. 1 0 4 0 4 0001 now remain in the vallies of Piedmont amount to 18,000; that they are divided into thirteen parishes, with an equal number of pastors, and are the subjects of their lawful Sovereign the King of Sardinia. He enters at some length into a description of their past and present stale, and represents the difficulties which they have now to encounter as very serious. The stipends of the clergy are low; provisions are at a high price; and they have no private fortunes. Some of them are re0 0 duced to the greatest distress, and the expense of bringing up their children to succeed them in the ministry is heavier than they are able to bear. Since peace has been restored on the continent, they have also been exposed to fresh injuries from the Roman Catholics. The principal object, however, of M. Peyrani was to request the assistance of the Society in furnishing books for their churches; and it was resolved that the sum of forty pounds should be granted to him, to be laid out partly in the French works on the Society's list, and partly in the purchase of copies of a book of Psalms and 0 2 Hymns, which is in use among the Vaudois, and of which the Society's correspondent stated them to be particularly in want.-M. Peyrani takes occasion to regret the misfortunes which have deprived the Waldensian Church of the benefit of an episcopal government. 0 6 0 5 1 0 1 4 0 1 1 0 2 0 Selection from Bishop Horne's Commentary on the Psalms, suited to the Offices and Festivals of the Church........ Hildrop's Spiritual Husbandry Bishop Bagot's serious Caution against the dangerous Errors of the Anabaptists, in Welsh 01 0 3 A communication has been received from M. Peyrani, one of the pastors of the ancient Protestant church of the Waldenses, who states, that the numbers who The labours of the special committee for counteracting blasphemous and infidel publications form an interesting feature of the Report. In addition to 1000l. appropriated from the Society's general funds to this especial purpose, subscriptions to the amount of upwards of 60007. have already been obtained, partly through the munificence of corporate bodies, partly from the liberality of individuals, and partly from the active exertions of many of the diocesan and district committees. Many individuals, who are not members of the Society, have contributed largely in aid of the special fund. We have already narrated the principal proceedings of the Society on this subject. (See Christian Observer for January and June.) The general institution of Parochial Libraries has also been decided upon. The chief particulars will be found in our Numbers for July and October. The receipts of the Society from April 1819 to April 1820, amount ted to 52,6847. 7s. 7d. and the payments to 52,366l. 18. 5d. In the course of the present year, two very considerable legacies have been bequeathed to the Society; one by the Rev. Edward Parkinson, Rector of Great Leighs, Essex, and formerly Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, amounting to 20,000/. in the 3 per cent. consols; and the other of 1000l. by the Rev. Thomas How, of Huntspill, Somerset. Various other legacies have also been reported. The account of the Society's Missions mentions the grant of 5000l. towards the Bishop of Calcutta's College, the particulars of which have been already before our readers. The Rev. Dr. Rottler, at Vepery, has completed his Tamul Version of the Common Prayer Book. The work had been many years in hand, and he had laboured to make it as correct and faithful as possible. The Bishop of Calcutta, in a letter dated from Madras, the 20th of March 1819, mentions his having met at that place the new missionary, Mr. Sperschneider, and that he had resolved upon his going to join Mr. Kolhoff at Tanjore, who had been assisted, for a few months, by the Rev. Mr. Baker. The Bishop expresses great anxiety for the arrival of additional missionaries, hoping that the two who had been expected from the Bishop of Zealand would soon be in India, as help was very urgently wanted in the missions. The Bishop conceives that it would be very desirable for the Society to have always six or seven missionaries in India, who might be stationed in the following manner: two at Vepery, one at Cuddalore, one at Tanjore, one at Trichinapoly, and one at Palamcottah; all these would find constant employment. The Bishop recommends increasing the salaries of the Society's missionaries, especially as sources of income, heretofore enjoyed by them in consequence of the performance of clerical duties, now fail on account of the increase of the Company's chaplains *. The Bishop, solicitous that missionaries ordained by the Church of England might be introduced to these missions, thought it probable that he might hereafter be able to make some further suggestions upon the subject t. His lordship has recommended that a disposable sum of 2007. for the use of the Jews at Jew Town and Mattacherry, should be half expended in Hebrew Old Testaments, and half in the Hebrew version of the New Testament. Another vote of credit has been most readily made, to the extent of 1000l., to be expended in such ways as shall be deemed by his lordship most likely, under the blessing of Divine Providence, to promote the Society's general designs in India. The several suggestions made by his lordship were received by the Society with gratitude and deference; and the mission committee most cordially agree with him in opinion, that it would be proper and expedient, to endeavour at least to keep up in India an establishment of not less thau seven missionaries. The relief furnished by the efforts of the friends of the Society and the public to the distressed islanders of Scilly has been extremely serviceable, by not only contributing present necessaries, but by giving to many of them the creased to 2501. per annum. for foreign stations will probably have |