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the 'poor man's box,' which occurs in the Rubric, can have reference only to that box which used to be placed in all our Churches, to receive the alms of the charitable for the benefit of the poor of that particular parish. A very curious decision of Sir Lyttleton Powys, in the reign of George I., has been lately published, which sets this matter at rest, for it is therein distinctly stated as the law at that time (and it does not appear that any adverse decision has been since made to reverse it,) that no collections can be legally made in churches during the reading of the Offertory, except for the poor of the parish, but by the leave and permission of the Crown. If, therefore, you think fit to restore the use of the Offertory in any of the churches where you may be appointed to serve, you will bear in mind that all the money so collected can only be legally applied to the relief of the poor of the parish. There can be no objection to collections being made for other purposes, in cases where the congregation themselves are consenting parties to them ; but, wherever such collections are resisted, it will not be safe for you to persist, while the law upon this subject remains at least so doubtful. I have thus stated my opinion upon some of those points which have been the most fruitful causes of dissension between the clergy and the laity; and in conclusion, I will only refer you to one of the questions which you will be called upon to answer to-morrow. You will be asked, Will you maintain and set forward as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace, and love, among all Christian people, and especially among those that are or shall be committed to your charge?' To this question you will be required solemnly to reply. I will do so, the Lord being my helper.' Be assured that your usefulness in your parishes will very much depend upon your fulfilling the pledge which you will thus give; and if you will go forth to your respective cures anxious to fulfil your sacred duties in the spirit of peace,-not pertinacious about trifles, even if the law be on your side, and still less so, if this be doubtful,-anxious only to win souls to Christ, and with this view endeavouring to conciliate the affections of your people while you point out to them the way of everlasting life, the Lord will be your helper. He will bless your ministerial labours with success; and may you hereafter be enabled to appear before his judgment-seat, and say, with well-grounded confidence, "Of those whom thou hast given me have I lost none."

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Review of Books.

PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN BENGAL ILLUSTRATED. By J. J. WEITBRECHT, Church Missionary. Second Edition. Small 12mo. pp. vi. and 344. London, Shaw, 1844.

THIS excellent little volume is the substance of a course of lectures on Indian Missions, delivered first in Germany and Switzerland, and afterwards in London and other parts of England, for the purpose of rousing public attention to the important duty of evangelizing the world. The work is divided into seven chapters; the first three of which contain a description of India as to the moral condition of its inhabitants, as to its religious books and mythology, and as to its idolatrous ceremonies. The remaining four chapters relate to the more interesting details of missionary labour and success. The whole work is simply and forcibly written, and conveys a strong impression of the manly sense, and of the deep piety of the writer. It is well calculated to arrest the attention of the reader, to render him thankful for the privileges he enjoys in a Christian land, to fill him with earnest desire for the salvation of the heathen, and to encourage the hope that the promised deliverance of the world from the iron yoke of Satan shall not be long delayed.

The style of preaching most useful to the imaginative tribes of the East, is well illustrated in the following example.

6 'An excellent missionary brother thus relates one of the last sermons he addressed to the Hindoos at Benares, -" I spoke on the words, Enter ye in at the strait gate:' the chapel was full, and great attention prevailed among my hearers. I explained to them the signification of the strait gate, and what they must do to get through. First, I represented, according to Hindoo ideas, a worldly-minded person, who cares nothing about religion, and who hopes nevertheless, at the end to get to heaven. There, I said, is one coming along riding on an elephant; he appears in grand style, he cares nothing for God and eternity, he wants to enjoy the world, and yet he hopes to get to heaven in the end. Thus he is riding on towards the strait gate hoping he may get through.' While speaking thus, one of my hearers called out' He must come down from his elephant, or he will never get through.' 'You are right,' I replied; yes, he must forsake his worldly-mind and descend from his height, and humble himself or else he will never enter heaven.

"Then I described another character belonging to those of whom our Saviour said, 'You cannot serve God and mammon.' Here, my friends, said I, comes a man who appears desirous to go to heaven; he has his eyes fixed on the strait gate and is walking up to it: but on his back carries a large bundle of various things-see how he groans under it! Will he succeed? 'No,' said another man, he must leave his bundle behind or else he will never get through.'-You are perfectly right, if we wish to get through the strait gate into heaven, the heart must be wholly given up to it—a divided heart God will not accept-he will either drive sin out of the heart of man, or sin will drive him out. The people understood this very well and applauded. The third class I wished to represent were the proud and selfrighteous. Here I had nothing to do but to allude to a certain class of people who are constantly seen at Benares. I mean the haughty Mahomedans. Without mentioning names, however, I continued-There comes another: you see he gives himself the air of a great and holy man; he says, I do no man any wrong, I repeat my prayers daily, I fast often, and give every one his due; thus conscious of his righteousness, he lifts up his head, and with

firm step you see him walking up to the gate. A man called out, 'He must stoop down, he must bow down, or else he would break his head." I replied, do you understand what you say? 'Yes,' said he, he must leave his pride behind and come as a poor sinner; stooping signifies humility, and if he is not humbling himself, he will never enter through the strait gate.' Thus we see that the Hindoos understand our preaching, and the word enters into their hearts.'-p. 185.

The following extract records a remarkable conversion, which shews that the word of God has indeed come with power to the hearts of the heathen.

'Last year, a well-educated and intelligent Hindoo applied to a clergyman in Calcutta for baptism. He had received his education in the Hindoo college, and was a Deist. A tract accidentally fell into his hands, by which he was made acquainted with the Bible. He read it for several days with deep attention, and discovered in it a religion concerning which his heart, his conscience, and his understanding convinced him that it was divine. He determined to embrace this religion. He was the only son of a rich Zemindar, and his friends did all in their power to make him change his resolution. When they found him inflexible, they sent him a sum of money, accompanied with a most earnest request that he would embark for England, and be baptized there, lest the caste of the whole family should be polluted by his cecoming a Christian on the spot. But he remained unmoved, and declared Here in the eyes of all my countrymen, I will show in whom I believe;' and he was shortly afterwards baptised in the mission church at Calcutta. On the occasion of his baptism he composed the following hymn; it is the effusion of a heart filled with the love of the Saviour:

""Long sunk in superstition's night,
By sin and Satan driven;

I saw not, cared not for the light
Which leads the blind to heaven.

"I sat in darkness, reason's eye
Was shut, was closed in me;
I hastened to eternity,

O'er error's dreadful sea.

"But now, at length, thy grace, O Lord,
Bids all around me shine;

I drink thy sweet, thy precious word,
I kneel before thy shrine.

"I've broke affection's tenderest ties,
For my dear Saviour's sake;

All, all I love beneath the skies.

Lord, I for thee forsake."'-p. 227.

"

The writer of this interesting volume does not shut his eyes to the discouragements and difficulties of the missionary work; but he sees the way through them all, to the bright and glorious scenes which prophecy unfolds, and for which the Church of Christ is commanded to wait and to pray.

'Some people believe' (such are some of his concluding remarks) 'that centuries will still elapse before heathenism is extirpated in every part of India, and before the whole country can be evangelized. I am not of their opinion, and feel no inclination to join the ranks of those who have nothing but difficulties to produce, and can fix their eyes nowhere, but on the darkest back ground of the picture. One great event is following another in our days in the political world, shaking whole nations and empires. And do we not perceive the same thing happening in the religious world,—events of the greatest magnitude succeeding each other with increasing rapidity.

1845.

E

'While the building of Solomon's temple was in progress, it is very probable that many came and looked on, who, seeing the preparations, were ready to say, it was perfectly impossible that the magnificent structure contemplated, could be finished within six or seven years; forasmuch as they could only perceive the foundation being laid, and the ground levelled-but they were little aware of what was going on in the marble quarries of Tyrus, and in the cedar forests of Mount Lebanon. Thousands of labourers and artizans were there engaged cutting the timber and preparing the marble blocks and framework of the noble edifice. Every part was made ready and received its polish there; and so perfect were the preparations that it is expressly stated, แ And the house when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house while it was building.'

In like manner there are, in the present day, thousands of hands, heathens and christians, believers and unbelievers, engaged in preparing the materials for the spiritual temple of God. They who know the great Architect, have been permitted to look into his plan, and they can rejoice in hope, being assured that a glorious edifice will be raised, although they are not as yet acquainted with the details, nor how the several parts are to be joined together; they know quite well that the workmen engaged in his service-work, as it were, into each other's hands, and that the various materials are calculated, in the nicest manner, to fit into their proper and destined places;-yes, they have a happy presentiment, grounded upon facts, that the whole will be finished much sooner than might be expected.'-p. 339.

Remarks like these, show at once, the calm and patient energy with which the work of evangelizing the heathen is now proceeding under the efficient labourers connected with the Church Missionary Society; and, without disparaging the services of any other society, we are bound to express our conviction, that the blessing of God is, in a remarkable manner resting upon THIS, and our earnest hope and prayer that he will cause his own work to prosper in its hands.

We strongly recommend the book before us, as one likely to produce a very salutary religious impression on the reader's own mind, as well as to communicate correct information respecting the state of the heathen, and the necessity of increased exertion for their spiritual welfare,

AN INQUIRY INTO THE PREDICTED CHARACTER OF ANTICHRIST; or the Antichristianism of the Church of Rome investigated. A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Ely, at a Visitation held in the parish Church of St. Michael's, Cambridge. On Tuesday, April 23, 1844. BY ARCHDEACON BROWNE. London, Hatchard, 1844.

If there are too many of the dignitaries of the Church who are disposed to regard with favour or with connivance the Tractarian movement, Archdeacon Browne is not one of the number. He stands as a faithful watchman upon the walls of our Zion, and causes the trumpet of warning to give a certain sound, that the soldiers of Christ Jesus may prepare themselves unto the battle. For, that there must and will be a battle, we cannot doubt. Never were the ecclesiastical elements in such a state of confusion; never was the sky so lowering; never were the clouds so charged as now, without an explosion. We hope it will be one which shall purify and not destroy the Church.

If, however, there be one thing, which, more than all the rest, serves to excite our apprehensions, it is the manner in which the prevailing evil is treated by our ecclesiastical authorities. A word-or even an intelligible frown-from them, at the right moment, would (in all human probability) have extinguished the spark, and have prevented the flame from spreading through every portion of that sacred edifice which has stood the test of ages.

But, so far, the damage is not irreparable. If our Bishops will begin, even now, to take the alarm which all, except themselves, have long felt; if they will begin to sympathize with the laity in their sincere and well-founded objections to tractarian novelties; if they will not allow themselves to be blinded by a few zealous, but not very discreet, chaplains and officials around them: we shall still see the successful issue of the conflict, and shall perhaps stand in amazement at the dangers we have escaped.

The clear and forcible tone in which Archdeacon Browne denounces the errors of Rome, and guards his clergy against them, is truly refreshing; especially at a time when men of undoubted talent, still take the foolish part of attempting to conceal, to palliate, or to explain away, many of its greatest enormities. The object of the present Charge is sufficiently apparent from the title. It has been thought illiberal to insinuate that the Pope could be Antichrist; and many protestants have been so untrue to their principles, as to give up this greatest of all grounds of objection to the apostate Church of Rome. Has not this been the sharp side of the wedge which has literally introduced Tractarianism into the Church? And can we get rid of this latter plague, without boldly re-asserting the unpopular, but scriptural doctrine, that the Pope is "the Man of Sin" described by St. Paul, and the Antichrist referred to by St. John.

We beg the reader's serious attention to the volume before us, and assure him that it will be his own fault, if he does not rise a more sincere and hearty protestant from its perusal.

Late of Corpus

1. POEMS. BY THOMAS EDWARD HANKINSON, M.A. Christi College, Cambridge, and Minister of St. Matthew's Chapel, Denmark Hill. Edited by his Brothers. 8vo. pp. vii. and 451.

2. SERMONS. By the same Author and Editors. 8vo. pp. xii. and 419. London. Hatchards, 1844.

It seems scarcely necessary to write in commendation of the Poems of an author who obtained the Seatonian prize, in the University of Cambridge, no less than nine times during the period of his short but valuable life. We may, however, remark, that it is probable that the Poems of Mr. Hankinson may be safely reckoned among the very best specimens which have ever attained that distinction, since the institution of the prize in 1750. In addition to his success in obtaining the Seatonian prize, Mr. Hankinson while yet an Undergraduate-had awarded to him a second CHANCELLOR'S PRIZE for an English Poem, the first being that year adjudged to Mr. Christopher Wordsworth of Trinity;

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