and problematical; that the measures adopted in some of the Societies are not the most judicious; and that the schemes of others might be simplified and consolidated: but instead of dwelling upon these or any other objections, I cannot but call it a subject of Christian exultation and gratitude, that such a sum is annually collected for such a purpose. The word has been often abused; but the ostensible object of most of these Societies is Theo-philanthropy, or the love of men for the sake of God, and in their relation to God. Many other Societies are powerfully operating for the relief of individual suffering; many for the improvement of the moral and social condition of mankind; and it would be the delight of the Philanthropist, to know the extent of their efforts and their means: but nearly all the Societies now under contemplation, aim, or profess to aim, at the religious instruction of mankind. In the manners of the age, there is but too much of thoughtless ease and selfish luxury; in the religion of the age, there is much of open and avowed infidelity and scepticism; much of false doctrine, heresy, and schism; much of rivalry, jealousy, and hostility; and among the philosophists and political economists, there is much invidious pleasure in contrasting the progress of education with the increase of crime; in condemning the utter inefficiency of all missions, especially of all missions from a divided Church, and after the admitted failure of the Roman Catholic missions; and in asserting the injurious effects of charity in creating the wants which it professes to relieve, and thence inferring the expedience of restricting its operation to the maintenance of hospitals, not for the consolation and recovery of the sick, but for the promotion of anatomical science!! (see Westminster Review). Under these circumstances, it might be naturally supposed, that the means and motives of religious charity would be counteracted and restrained; and yet Christians, as Christians, are found to be labouring together in promoting religious education, in distributing religious books, and in furthering religious missions: and, however, by their unwise and uncharitable divisions, they may be thought, for a time, to hinder rather than to advance the object which they have in view, their hostilities are overruled, and they are made instrumental to the wider diffusion of Christian principles, at home and abroad.

Another subject of congratulation is, that these Societies are all Protestant Societies, and that, although many of them are unquestionably under the management of nonconformists, they are nonconformists professing the orthodox faith. If all the expenses incurred in the management of the national local schools, could be brought into one sum, and added to the expenditure of the National Society, that Society would take the lead among the Societies for promoting education: the wealthiest of the Societies for distributing books, after the Bible Society, is the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; the largest Missionary Society, is that of the Wesleyan Methodists, who, if they are true to their principles, are hardly separated from the Established Church. There is little reason to apprehend, that the Socinians are very zealous in the diffusion of their principles among the multitude; and the Catholics, notwithstanding the ascendancy, which they affect to claim over the Church

and other Sectaries, as is now their language, are doing little but in the way of boasts and menaces, and have probably no great funds at their command. Except in Ireland, their power is shaken; and even in Ireland it has lost much of its stability, however the subtlety of a Doyle, or the vehemence of an O'Connell, may impose on the credulity and sway the passions of the people, and make a timid policy, an accommodating liberality, and a temporizing subservience to an assumed and arbitrary power, the means of arresting for the moment the progress of an incipient reformation. The parliamentary grant in favour of the Kildare-street Society has been lately suspended, or rather diverted into another channel, and the immediate effect has been an increase of voluntary subscriptions and donations; and I cannot but rejoice to see so many other Societies cooperating in the promotion of Protestant Scriptural Education, and to know how favourably their endeavours are received among the Irish Catholic peasantry. There is the best authority for believing that they are not labouring in vain. "About ten years ago, the Scriptures were not read in 600 schools in Ireland; while now, they have found their way into 6,058 daily schools, independent of 1,945 Sunday-schools; in all, into above 8,000 schools: and of the 6,058 daily-schools, only 1,879 are connected with any Society; so that in 4,179 Schools, the Scriptures have, of late years, been adopted by the voluntary choice of the conductors and teachers, the latter of whom are generally dependent for their livelihood, upon the pleasure of the parents of their pupils-a signal proof that there is no repugnance to scriptural education among the people.' (Ninth Report of Commissioners, p. 4, 5.) A signal proof indeed, that in twenty years above 6,000 schools have been called into exertion by a love of scriptural instruction, proved in the least ambiguous manner, by the voluntary contribution of the poor and distressed peasantry." (Speech of Doctor Singer, S. F. T. C. D. as reported in the Dublin Evening Mail, Jan. 11, 1832.)

It has been further stated, that about the year 1814, there were about 200,000 children in attendance at the various schools for scriptural education in Ireland: in 1826, the children in attendance were 568,964, being an increase, in the short space of twelve years, of 368,964, and this increase took place in those schools whose foundation was the entire word of God. When the first report was made, it appeared that about 20,000 children, or one-tenth of the whole amount then attending on the schools in which the Scriptures were taught, were of the Roman Catholic persuasion: in the later reports, it was shewn, that of the 568,964 children, 300,000 were the children of Roman Catholic parents. This increase of attendance in the schools for scriptural education is continuing; and in the short interval between the years 1826 and 1831, the increase has been upwards of 50,000. The Bible is also finding its way into the hedge schools of Ireland; and in the schools in which the Church Catechism is taught, there are, under the care of the association, which is superintended by the Bishops of the Established Church, 15,000 children, of whom 6,344 were the children of Catholics, and in the diocesan and parochial schools, of 36,498 scholars, there are not less than 15,000 Roman Catholic children. (See the Speech of Captain Gordon at Exeter Hall, reported in the Morning Herald, Feb. 9, 1832.)

The London Hibernian Society, to which many of the dignitaries of the English Church have liberally contributed, had under its care, in the last year, 678 day schools, containing 53,452 scholars, of whom 23,093 are Roman Catholics, and 30,359 are Protestants, besides 863 Sunday and adult schools, and 54 Irish classes, containing altogether 85,755 scholars, who all learn, and commit to memory, large portions of the Holy Scriptures, without any opposition but that which arises from the Roman Catholic Priests, and which is firmly resisted by the Roman Catholic people, and is usually overcome, though often not without a serious struggle and great hardship. (See Society's Advertisements.) "The Catholic masters, he might observe, amounted to no fewer than 2,670 in those schools in which the Scriptures are read. When it was said, that the Roman Catholics were not disposed to read the Scriptures, he met the assertion with these facts; and he also met it with another fact, that many of the Roman Catholic parents endured excommunication from the Church, rather than withdraw the children from the schools in which the Scriptures were read. He held in his hand, a declaration signed by six Roman Catholics, who had been excommunicated for sending their children to one of these schools. Those persons asserted their right to choose the schools which they considered best fitted for the education of their children; and declared, that, notwithstanding the excommunication, they would continue to send their children to the schools in which the Scriptures were read." The evidence annexed to the report of the Commissioners in 1825, shewed, that even the Roman Catholic priests were not unanimous at that period, in making it a condition that the Scriptures should not be read: for 75 priests had received aid from the Kildare-street Society, and it was a principle of that Society, never to exclude a Roman Catholic master, for the purpose of substituting a Protestant. He contended that the Kildare-street Society was working well, and with no inconsiderable success in giving to the people of Ireland of all persuasions a sound, moral, and religious education, founded on the Holy Scriptures." (Speech of Dr. Lefroy; see Morning Herald, March 7, 1882.) I wish not to speak of the experiment which it is proposed to substitute, and which is subject to the combined and cordial opposition of the Presbyterians of Ireland, and the Church of Ireland, supported by the zealous Protestants of England: but I cannot bring myself to believe, that in the great exertions which have been already made, there is any want of a blessing from above; that the religious education of the people, simultaneously proceeding in England and Ireland, and comprehending little less than a million and a half, or two millions of children, grounded in the principles of the Protestant faith, and brought to the knowledge of Scriptural language, and Scriptural doctrines, will not prepare the way for their more effectual instruction from the pulpit: or that the system of popular education, as considered in connexion with the progress of emigration, may not be a means in the hands of the divine providence of spreading civilization, and Christian knowledge to the ends of the earth. I see, that emigration is proceeding from Christian and Protestant nations, and that even Ireland is sending out her Protestant peasantry; that in Christian and Protestant nations, Scriptural education is chiefly estab

lished; that the English language is becoming the vernacular and native tongue of the whole Continent of North America, of Southern Africa, and of Australia; and that the English Bible, and the English Prayerbook are familiarly known in these vast regions, and may, for a time, be the chief means of preserving the religious knowledge of the colonists. I see these things, and I think of them, till I am almost lost in the contemplation of the ultimate good which the Protestant Societies are producing, till I seem to follow the missionaries of the Church of England into the wilderness, and to hear the voice of their salutation, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

The

It is a subject of further congratulation, that the Societies in more immediate connexion with the Church, take their full share in these works and labours of Christian love. The statement, which is prefixed to these remarks, takes notice only of the annual income of these Societies: I am inclined to dwell more upon their expenditure, as a better criterion of their usefulness. I have already adverted to the apparently small income of the National Society: but I take a very different view of its importance, when I consider, that more than 700,000 children are assembled in the metropolitan and provincial schools, in connexion with the Society, and how permanently and fully its work has been done in contributing to the erection of substantial school-rooms, in the education of masters and mistresses, and in sending them, prepared to carry on the system in foreign parts, from Canada to Australia. With the only exception of the British and Foreign Bible Society, to whose funds Churchmen and Dissenters contribute indiscriminately, both the income and the efficiency of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge stand preeminent. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has an income of but 32,000l., including the annual amount of subscriptions and benefactions, and the parliamentary grant; but by the sale of stock, the accumulation of former benefactions, its expenditure exceeds 50,000l.: and if to this sum be added the income of the Church Missionary Society, which amounts to 47,000l., and that of the Society for Converting Negro Slaves, which is 3,5217., the Missionary Societies in connexion with the Church will have funds at their disposal, exceeding 100,000l.; and I wish that there could be a consolidation and union of the councils, and the operation, and the means of all these Societies, in one grand association, for the propagation and maintenance of the Christian religion in foreign parts, and especially in the colonial dependencies of the empire. It is true, that the parliamentary grant is to be gradually withdrawn from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel: and I hope that the deficiency will be supplied by a large accession of associated, and by the increased contributions of the incorporated, members. The sums contributed by the associated members, have, within the last ten years, gradually risen from 396., to 5,405l. annually: but I regret to state, that within the same period, the entrances and subscriptions of the incorporated members have not, on the average, exceeded 6231. annually, though the amount, in the year 1821, was 6281.: and even in the year 1762, of which the account is now before me, the amount of the subscriptions only, and without the entrances, was 4851. 10s. 6d.

I have added to the Statement, in a fourth column, the income of some of the principal religious charities for the years 1819-20, that a comparative view may be formed of their progress or decline to the present period. I am desirous more particularly of shewing the advancement of the several Societies in connexion with the Church; and I regret, that I can only lay my hands upon the Reports of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, since the formation of District Committees in 1809; of the Church Building Society from its establishment in 1818; and of the Society for Propagating the Gospel since the establishment of district committees in 1821. I have placed the abstract of the accounts in a tabular form, shewing what has been done, and what support has been received by the several Societies. Thus, of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge:

In the thirteen years which have elapsed since its first establishment, the Church Building Society has received 1,345 applications; has voted 829 grants, amounting to 162,2261., by which 230,675 additional sittings have been obtained.

The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, within the last ten years, has received 6,2271. from incorporated, 30,8941. from associated members, and 49,1497. in legacies and donations inclusive of the stock. Its total expenditure has been 398,953.

The total expenditure of these Societies, for these several periods, has been 1,700,163l.

The two Societies, S. P. C. K., and S. P.G., have received, within these periods, in annual subscriptions, 257,0971.; and in legacies and benefactions, 181,3027.: together, 438,399. The progress of these Societies may be most satisfactorily ascertained, by comparing the average receipts and expenditure for the first and the last five years; and then examining those of the last year, and proving that the good work is still in advance; that the means are not exhausted, nor the necessary labour suspended.

I have not words to express the pleasure which I derive from the review of these proceedings of the religious Societies in connexion with the Church; and I join, most cordially, in the prayer of humble and hearty thanks, which the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge offers "for that providential support, by which it has been enabled to spread abroad the knowledge of sacred truth." The cause of these Societies has been liberally supported by the Clergy, and by the people; and in proof of the attachment of the people to the Church, and the institutions of the Church, I would refer to the legacies bequeathed to these Societies, chiefly as it would appear by persons in the middle classes of Society, and to the large contributions raised under the authority of the King's Letters, in behalf of the Propagation Society (twice), the National Society, and the Church