The Sermon "on Spiritual Vanity" is introduced with some just observations on the case of the young man who professed to have kept the commandments from his youth, and asked in what he was yet deficient. Hence the preacher enlarges on the opinion which religious persons are too prone to entertain of their own performances, and on the vanity of monks and ascetics in seeking for fanciful rules of perfection. He concludes with maintaining, that the plain paths are the most secure, because God will assist those that obey him; that the known path leads most directly to the end; that nothing should interfere with duty; and that there is a necessity for frequent self-examination. There are several passages in this Sermon which our limits forbid us to extract. The Sermon "on Spiritual Wisdom" is founded on the text James iii. 17. containing six characters of heavenly wisdom. Conformity with these characters is the test of true religion, which does not consist in any of the modifications of superstition. The last Sermon is "on Repent ance." The parable of the Prodigal Son affords occasion of considering, 1. What repentance is; 2. What are its difficulties, as it opposes the natural inclination, as it is delayed till sins have become habitual, till the sinner has become partial to himself, and till the nature of repentance itself is disguised; and 3. The reasons for which God appears to have so much regard to penitent sinners as may be thought to exceed his love to those who have never offended. Hence we should learn to contemplate the difficulty of repentance, and the graciousness of the divine forgiveness, and of the assistance of the Holy Spirit. To the Sermons is annexed “ an Appendix, containing a scheme of the Arminian, Calvinistic, and intermediate doctrines respecting God' decrees and human salvation, with observations on each system." These observations are generally attributed to the Bishop, and are considered by the editor" of an importance sufficient to justify their appearance in their present place." They are distinguished by temper and discrimination, and will be a useful summary in the hands of those who have not access to more elaborate treatises, and who wish to possess their minds with a distinct view of the leading points of the controversy. The Bishop's argument agrees with the Scriptures; it necessarily corresponds with the doctrine of the Church of England. MONTHLY SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRIS- REGISTER. Jos. Algar, A. M. Minister of Christ Church, Frome, from Gal. vi. 9.-" Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due Bath and Wells Diocesan Asso- time we shall reup, if we faint not." ciation. The preacher began his discourse with pointing out the importance of Religion ON Thursday last, the Annual General-first, as it concerns the individual, and Meeting of this Association took place, (according to the order of established rotation), at the town of Frome. A numerons and most respectable body of Clergy and Laity proceeded from the assembly room at eleven o'clock, to attend divine service at the Parish Church, where a sermon was preached by the Rev. + secondly, as it becomes him to impart it to others. He enlarged on the many advantages held out in this respect by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, which most eminently entitled all engaged in its designs to be considered as unwearied in the cause of well doing.— He then took a comprehensive view of the means afforded for attaining these ends-whether by the circulation of the Holy Scriptures-by the diffusion of the Book of Common Prayer-by Religious Publications-or by the establishment of Parochial Libraries, &c. in all such ways we were undoubtedly doing well in the sense of the Apostle. He concluded his excellent discourse by earnestly entreating all the Members of the Society to continue unwearied in the cause-at a time, when the emissaries of infidelity were so indefatigable in their exertions. The effect of this discourse was apparent from the large collection made in the Church in behalf of the Diocesan Fund, which exceeded that of any previous year. After divine service, the Meeting was beld in the chancel of the Church, in consequence of its being found inconvenient to hold it in the assemby-room, and the Lord Bishop of Gloucester was called to the chair. The Annual Report, prepared and read by the Rev. Wm. B. Whitehead, Vicar of Twiverton, the Diocesan Secretary, presented the Meeting with highly gratifying details of improved resources and increasing exertions and success. The circulation of the Bible, the -Prayer Book, and of the various excellent explanatory, moral and religious Publications of the Parent Society in this Diocese, during the past year, was announced to have exceeded that of most former years. Under the head of Common Prayer "Books, more especially, this has been the case,---a fact, which called forth many pointed congratulatory observations from the Right Rev. Chairman, as demonstrative of a growing spirit of pure devotion, and of sound religious attachments in the extensive Diocese of Bath and Wells. The successful action of the new Bath District Depository, in Kingston-buildings, formed an interesting feature of the Report; this establishment is likely, in future, either immediately to supply the wants of the other Associated Districts, or to be adopted by them as a model for similar institutions. The value also of the Town Lending Library, attached to the Depository, was also forcibly dwelt upon and acknowledged. The results of improved zeal appeared most conspicuously in the Reports from the Taunton, Dunster, and Crewkerne Districts, as compared with former years. The District subscriptions were reported to have generally increased, notwithstanding the -pressure of the times. The Parochial School returns formed, however, upon the whole, the most grati fying portion of the General Report. The number of poor children which will appear in the printed details, as receiving sound Church of England education in this Diocese, under the heads of Daily and Sunday Scholars, are very nearly 20,000. Last year, the returned amount scarcely exceeded 17,000. There is, at the same time, still reason to believe, from the many parochial omissions even now complained of, that this large number falls considerably short of the actual amount which fature Reports, it is hoped, will present to the Diocese. Such arrangements were adopted at this meeting, at the suggestion of the Rev. Secretary, for the appointment of gentlemen to act in various parts of each Deanery, in the capacity of Assistant Secretaries, as will, no doubt, ensure fulness and accuracy in the future School returns of the Association. The dinner at the George Inn was attended by nearly fifty gentlemen, the Bishop filling the chair at the head, and the Diocesan Secretary that at the bottom of the table. In the course of the evening, Sir C. Hippisley, in a manly and eloquent speech, called the attention of the meeting to the present state of the Catholic Question, and while he professed the same liberal principles of Christian toleration, which have always distinguished his public life, he pledged himself that, if alive at the time, he would endeavour to give the County of Somerset an opportunity of declaring its opposition to the enactment of any future law that may be proposed, inconsistent with the entire security of the English Church und State. This pledge was received with apparently unanimous approbation. The company departed, many of them for their distant homes, at a very early hour. Extracts from the Third Report of the Liverpool District Committee. "It is with considerable pleasure that the Liverpool District Committee now proceed to observe, that the success, which has hitherto accompanied their endeavours to forward the benevolent views of the Parent Society, has been such as will, they trust, be highly satisfactory to the Subscribers, and Friends of the Institution. Since the publication of their last Report, there has been an accession of 19 new members to the Parent Society, and of 84 Subscribers to the District Fund. And the Committee have also great satisfaction in stating that, through the exertions of the * D signifies Day School, and S Sunday School, Thus has the benefit of the Society's Publications been extended by the Committee, as the foregoing account will shew, to nearly Thirty Schools in this Town and neighbourhood, in which upwards of four thousand five hundred Children, are now receiving the advantages of a Christian Education; than which a greater blessing cannot be conferred either on them or on Society. It having been represented to the Committee, that an essential service might be rendered to the sick poor in the Liverpool Infirmary, by selecting for their use such of the Society's Publications as were best adapted to their situation and circumstances; a gratuitous distribution of Bibles, Prayer-Books, and Tracts, to an amount not exceeding Ten Pounds, was, in consequence, made, by order of the Committee throughout the several Wards of the Lufirmary for the benefit of the Patients. REMEMBRANCER, No. 44. 4537 An application was likewise made to the Committee, by the Commander of the Convoy which sailed from this Port some time ago, with Settlers to the Cape of Good Hope, for a supply of Books for their use; 25 Prayer-Books, 447 Tracts and Schoolbooks, together with a set of Cards, were immediately granted them by the Committee. On the subject of Parochial Lending Libraries, the Committee deem it necessary to observe, that though they highly approve of the nature and end of these institutions, yet they, at the same time, lament the impracticability of forming such an establishment in this extensive Parish, by reasou of its immense population which would, necessarily, prevent the proposed plan from being carried to such an extent, as would render it generally useful. They, however, strongly recommend these Establishments to the notice of the less popu 3 S Jous Parishes in the neighbourhood, in which they would be eminently useful; and the Committee will be ready to give every assistance in their power towards the formation of them whenever it may be required. The extraordinary demand for the Society's publications at the Depository, having occasioned a considerable diminution of the District Fund, the Committee again requested the Clergy in the Town and neighbourhood of Liverpool to recommend the Society from the pulpit, or in such other way as they should deem most advisable, to the benevolence of their respective congregations. Sermons were, consequently, preached, and colections made, in aid of the District Fund, in the following Churches: St. Philip's Church.. do.... £. s. d. 45 16 6 Carry forward,..... 63 17 01 Of the foregoing collections, one-third of the amount, 42l. 9s. 6d. was remitted to the Parent Society, agreeably to its regulations, as a Benefaction for general purposes. For the information of the Subscribers and friends of this Institution, and that they may be enabled to form a just idea of its great and local utility, the following statement is given of the number of the Society's Publications which have been cir. culated throughout this Town and its vicinity, from the first opening of the Depository in May 1816, to the 31st of Dec. 1821. Books distributed by the District Committee. Making a total of.... 112 "The consequence of this extensive support and encouragement afforded to the Society's proceedings, has been the establishment of District Committees, and Local Depositories of the Society's publications, both in the County Town, and in other Districts. In the Deaneries of Ackley, Christianity, Framland and Goscote, Gartree, and Guthlaxton Committees bave been opened and established under high and general support: having their respective Presidents, Treasurers, and Secretaries, for the purpose of ready and immediate communication with the Parent Society: and in the Deanery of Sparkenhoe a Committee is on the eve of being formed, under circumstances not less favourable, and for purposes precisely the same. Thus the whole County will shortly be, both in form and in substance, connected with the Society in London by means of these local regulations. With regard to Local Depositories of Books, not only was one established for the convenience and advantage of the County Town and its vicinity at the General Meeting held in April last, but in the Deaneries of Ackley and Gartree Depositories have been opened for some time; the former since April, 1819, the latter since 1815, with considerable usefulness and effect; and one is on the point of being established for the Deanery of Sparkenhoe. The arrangements of the Gartree Deanery in particular, which appear well calculated to give efficiency to this branch of the Soeiety's designs, will be found in the Appendix. "The next circumstance to be detailed in the proceedings of District Committees, is the distribution of Books which has taken place in each of them respectively: and as no formal statement on this head has ever been presented to the County on any former occasion in a collective shape, it may be interesting to give the total, as far as it has been ascertained and communicated by each District Secretary, since the first establishment of the Committees. The result of the account thus collected is as follows: |