Answer to the Question concerning Relationship by Marriage. 41 Should you favour this with insertion, and should the knowledge of its appearance reach Mr. Todd, I cannot but hope the real character in which I subscribe myself, will be my apology to him for troubling him with this enquiry: and likewise prevail with him towards obtaining an early reply to it, either through the same, or some other public channel. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, A CLERGYMAN. ANSWER TO THE QUESTION CONCERNING RELATIONSHIP BY MARRIAGE. To the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer. Sir,-Though not a Civilian by profession, I trust it will be in my power to satisfy the inquiries of "Querist," in your last number, as to the degree of relationship subsisting between a husband and the nephews and nieces of his wife, during the existence of the marriage, and subsequent to its dissolution by death or divorce. In this case, Querist asks, "After the death of the wife, are the nephews and nieces, in point of consanguinity, still to be considered as relatives to the husband, or do they continue to be such otherwise than by the law of courtesy?" There is an error in Querist's question; for, as no relation of consanguinity existed between the nephews or nieces and the husband, during the marriage, so none can exist after its termination: but the rule of our law is, that a man or woman marrying contracts a relation, not of consanguinity, but of affinity, with all the consanguinity of the wife or husband,—a relation, which is founded upon the divine declaration, that a man and his wife are one flesh, Marriage, then, constitutes the relatives of the wife, relatives by affinity to the husband. Nor does this relation cease by the dissolution of the marriage; for, did no relation continue to exist, a marriage with the sister of a wife, or the daughter of a wife's sister, would not come within the degrees prohibited in the table of 1563,-which is referred to in Can. 99. 1603, and has been confirmed by the common law upon various cases of appeal from the Ecclesiastical Courts. The answer, then, to Querist's inquiry is this - The nephews and nieces of a husband or wife, are nephews and nieces to the husband or wife, by affinity; and, since affinity is not a temporary, but a permanent relation, such nephews and nieces are really and truly relatives to the husband or wife; and such as can contract no new relation with the husband or wife, either by courtesy or courting. I shall conclude with stating, that the whole of this subject is fully explained in Gibson's Codex, p. 412, and Blackstone's Comment. B. i. c. xv. And I am, Mr. Editor, Your humble servant, VOL. VIII. NO. I. G RESPONDENT. MONTHLY REGISTER. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. NNNNNN LEICESTER DISTRICT COMMITTEE. THE Fifth Anniversary of the Society, in this county, was held, jointly with that of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in Leicester, on Friday, 30th September. After an appropriate Sermon preached at St. Martin's Church, by the Rev. Mr. Gutch, Rector of Seagrave, the members of these Societies repaired to the National School-Room, where the immediate business of the day was transacted. The Right Honourable Earl Howe was in the Chair. A Report of the Proceedings of last year having been read by the Secretary, the several resolutions were moved and seconded by the Right Ilon, the Chairman, John Mansfield, Esq., C. Winstauley, Esq., Rev. Mr. Merewether, C.G.Mundy, Esq., Rev. Mr. Stephens, Rev. R. Davies, Rev. H. Browne, Rev. Dr. Pearson, and Rev. Robert Gutch. There being no Committee at present in action in the Deanery of Guthlaxton, it was respectfully suggested to the members in that Deanery, that it would be desirable to commence holding Quarterly Meetings at Lutterworth, to invite increased support, and to produce increased exertion. His Grace the Duke of Rutland, and the Rev. R. Gutch, were requested to be Stewards of the next Anniversary. The Rev. Jemson Davies, M. A. was requested to preach the Sermon before the Members on that occasion. The Chairman having left the chair, the cordial thanks of the Meeting were given to his Lordship for the interest he takes in these Institutions, and for his readiness to preside on this and every similar occasion. After which the company proceeded to the Three Crowns Hotel, where the Chair was taken by the Steward, the Earl of Denbigh, who was prevented, by an unforeseen event, from presiding at the earlier business of the day. His Lordship was supported by Earl Howe, the Venerable the Archdeacon of Leicester, and a very numerous assemblage of the Gentry and Clergy of the county, several of whom delivered their sentiments on the occasion. The Right Hon. Chairman announced, that his Grace the Duke of Rutland had accepted the office of Steward for the next Anniversary. BARBADOES DISTRICT Patron. His Excellency Lieut.-General COMMITTEE. sons giving a Donation of Twenty Pounds or upwards. Treasurer.-Henry Frazer, Esq. Secretaries.-Rev. John H. Pinder; Rev. John Packer. REPORT. THE Committee of the Barbadoes Society for "Promoting Christian Knowledge," cannot commence their annual statement without congratulating the Board of Directors, and all friends of religion and good order, upon the acceptance of the situation of President of this Society by the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of the Diocese-an event of the highest importance to the Society, not only from their reliance on the exemplary zeal and well-known abilities of his Lordship, and the advantages derived from being placed under the Episcopal Establishment, but from the conviction that such an Auxiliary will give to the Society friends both numerous and powerful; and that, with such aid, they may entertain the most sanguine hopes of being able to overcome the lukewarmness, and counteract the mischief, which indifference to religion, or intemperate zeal, may oc casion. The Committee have much satisfaction in laying the following statement before the public, because it shews that their liberal contributions have not been bestowed in vain.-The increased number of applications for admission prove that the Society operates beneficially upon the several parishes in the island; and there can be no doubt that these applications are likely to increase, as the advantages thus offered to the poor become more generally known. Number of children apprenticed out since the last Report-12. There are at present receiving education at the Central School the following number of children : Boys..... Girls... 120 46 166 Of these, sixty-five are boarders. The increase of boarders anticipated in last year's Report, has been carried into effect; and the funds are, at present, found adequate to meet the additional expenses. - Twelve girls continue to have a dinner provided for them on every school-day. A separate establishment for the girls is most anxiously contemplated by the Committee, whenever their funds shall enable them to effect so desirable an object. To the branches of education hitherto taught, English Grammar has been added. Applications for apprentices from gentlemen in every line of business, are more numerous than can be complied with. One of the first views of the Society (the training boys at the Central School to take charge of the Parish Schools) is about to be realized immediately. The Rev. Mr. Harte, Rector of St. Lucy, has applied for one (when old enough for such a trust) to superintend the School in that parish. Instances of good conduct are unnecessary to be adduced, as examples of the contrary are extremely rare. The conduct of one boy, however, cannot be passed over in silence: he has not been placed out quite two years, and has already given so much satisfaction to his employer as to have gained his confidence, and is now receiving a salary of thirty pounds. We must also add, that this youth is deserving of praise for his religious and moral feelings, and of credit for his dutiful and affectionate attention to the wants of his indigent mother. The Committee will be obliged by any communication from the masters to whom the boys are apprenticed. It would be an act of injustice in the Committee, who have such frequent opportunities of observing the zeal, activity, and earnest attention of the Rev. Mr. Packer, the Master, should they withhold the sincere tribute of esteem and praise due to his unwearied exertions for the improvement of his pupils; nor can they refrain from noticing the solicitude manifested by him on all occasions in the cause of this Institution. The Committee are happy in being able to make a favourable report of the present state of their funds; the balance in the Treasurer's hands to the 29th of March, 1825, being £516 12s. 94d. In fulfilling the welcome office of recording the flourishing state of their funds at the present period, the Committee have a duty to discharge in directing the attention of the Society to the extensive munificence of Sir Henry Warde: The Committee entertain the highest sense of the valuable support his Excellency has continued to afford the Society from the time of his arrival in this country, and are earnestly desirous to record on their Minutes this public and lasting testimony of their gratitude for his many and liberal donations. The Committee are persuaded that the friends of this Society will gradually increase, and its utility be gene rally acknowledged, when they view its beneficial influence upon the poor of their own country, and contemplate the probability of the Barbadoes Central School becoming, with the aid of Divine Providence, an instrument of "Promoting Christian Knowledge" SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL. IN our number for October, we made a few remarks upon the Report of the above Society, and (as we conceived,) very fairly alluded to some faults contained in it. We are aware that our conduct, in this respect, has not escaped without censure; but we have every reason to rejoice, that we did thus point out what we justly deemed the defects of the Report; for the religious annals of the last month have abundantly proved that the least mistake in any matters connected with the Church Societies, will not fail to be observed by those who are more watchful to perceive their failings, than anxious to spread abroad the knowledge of their merits. But when we ourselves had already noticed the error of the Report, we had deprived any future objectors of at least half the power of their attack. We have made very accurate enquiries into the object of that arrangement of the names of the subscribers, which gave the appearance of the existence of at least 160 committees," formed or forming;" and if the motive which led to the adoption of that arrangement had been boldly brought forth to notice, we should have hailed it as one of the most powerful appeals that could possibly have been made to the friends of the Society. We understand that the purpose of dividing the names of the members according to the ecclesiastical districts in which they reside, was in order to shew to those members, how many neighbours they had like-minded with themselves, and to induce them to form local committees for the purpose of increasing We particularly allude to an abusive article in the Eclectic Review for December. Such abuse, however, as that of this article, can do no harm to any but the writer. the influence of the Society. Had such an arrangement been preceded by a vote of the board directing the thing to be done, and earnestly soliciting the persons who should find themselves in the same lists, to cooperate earnestly together, to appoint their Presidents, Treasurers, and Secretaries, and to communicate with the Society, we should have been as loud in our applause of so wise a measure, as we have been mild in our censure of the method by which the compilers of the Report endeavoured to carry it into effect. But with this we know that the Society itself has had nothing to do, We are happy, at the same time, to state, that, in the opinion of many of the warmest and most devoted friends of the Society, our observations have been productive of great good. We are ourselves fully persuaded, that the more the proceedings of the Society are discussed, the more popular will it become; its merits are of that superior order, its labours have been productive of so much substantial good, its objects are so intimately connected with the propagation of Christianity under the purest form, that the more it is known the more will it be be loved; and we are persuaded that the time is not very far distant, when the spiritual wants of Christians in our colonies will excite as deep an interest as the benighted condition of the heathen of the East; and when it will be universally admitted, that it is at least as great a duty to preserve Christians from renouncing their belief in Christ, and denying the Lord who bought them, as it is to bring heathen nations within the pale of the church. We are happy to observe, that the interest now taken in the concerns of the Society, is rapidly increasing. The following meetings have recently been held in aid of its funds; and we are privately informed, that in several places similar meetings are contemplated, from which we may expect as powerful results. The three District Committees of this Society, which have recently been formed, are at Aylesbury, for the Deanery of Barking, and at Clapham. In the establishment of the last-mentioned Committee, much interest was excited by the preaching of an excel lent sermon, by the Rev. Mr. Otter, minister of Kennington, and the holding of a public meeting in the schoolroom at Clapham, at which the rector presided. Our readers will, we are sure, peruse with much pleasure the account of these proceedings, bearing, as they do, such high and indisputable testimony to the excellent society on whose behalf they took place. CLAPHAM DISTRICT COMMITTEE. ON Tuesday, December 6, a meeting of the principal inhabitants of Clapham and its vicinity, was held for the purpose of establishing a District Committee of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. It was most numerously and respectably attended, and the chair was taken by the Rev. Wm. Dealtry,the Rector, who briefly adverted to the object of the meeting. He said, that a few years ago, when sermons were preached in the churches throughout the country, to raise a fund for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, their parish church was remarkable for the liberality of its contribution. He proceeded to give an historical account of the origin and progress of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, from the year 1701, when it was chartered, down to recent times; and pointed out the gradual extension of its labours in the different colonies, and the increasing necessity for the further extension of its invaluable benefits in the diffusion of the Gospel by all practical means. With their general experience of the moral value which had throughout characterized its labours-its success in the civilization of Indian tribes in NorthAmerica-he knew that nothing further would be necessary to ensure public support. By its efforts, numerous churches had been built-many of the Indian tribes had been converted-missionaries had been sent among them, and the most happy consequences were the result. late years the Society had extended its labours to the East as well as to the West; at Calcutta a college had been established, which gave the Of greatest and most desirable effect to its exertions. But the operations which had been so extensively carried on had necessarily caused a very considerable expenditure; and within the last three years, that expenditure had exceeded the income to the amount of 23,000l. Yet the Society was anxious to become still more extensive in its arrangements for carrying on the great work of conversion to Christianity; and, with greater means than it had been possessed of since its establishment in the year 1701, there was no knowing to what extent it might benefit mankind. To enable its sphere of action to be less limited was the object of the present meeting; and he most cordially and sincerely hoped, that not only by contributions, but by example, it would assist in the aocomplishment of so desirable an ob ject. Sir Robert Inglis rose to propose a resolution declaratory of the value of this Society, and pronounced a warm eulogium upon its character and practical merits. He did not believe there was a single person present who was not ready to co-operate for the diffusion of the gospel among heathen nations, and to extend to less favoured people the eternal light of christian truth. He declared himself a steadfast adherent to the Church of England, and expressed his warmest wish that her doctrines and discipline should be diffused throughout all the colonies. It was the disgrace of England, that, for the two first centuries of her colonial government, no effort was made to diffuse her gospel with the success of her flag. The honourable baronet concluded, by repeating his earnest |