nate, envious, rebellious, disobedient: a liar, a swearer, a drunkard, a fornicator, a blasphemer, a scoffer, a hypocrite; I was treacherous, I was ungrateful, a great admirer and lover of myself; yet in the midst of all, I was told by you and some of my other ghostly Fathers, that I should get to heaven by performing your injunctions. Perhaps you will say, I had many opportunities abroad of amending my ill-spent life. But I beg you will not be surprised if I ask you where ? I presume you mean in some religious convent? Nay; but unless GOD touch the heart, all the discipline of a monastical life will help but little in the conversion of a sinner,-conversio cordis, the conversion of the heart to GOD, Consequently,

""Tis not the desert, or the cell,

Can hide me from my pain:
I carry with me my own hell,

While self and pride remain." For I myself have been staggering with liquor, more than once, in the seraphical habit, so called, of ST. FRANCIS, which I wore night and day from June 24, 1732, till August 1733, at Douay, in French Flanders: the truth of what I say is known to many now in London, who then wore the same dress. Now where would you send me, beyond seas, to learn a christian life, if your strictest orders be as much given to wine, gluttony, and swearing, with their consequent vices, as any unbelieving worldling? 7. Even in Ln, where, of all men, Missionary Priests ought to be the most exact, and careful of their character, I could send you (if you have not already been amongst them) to a public rendezvous, known both to superiors and inferiors, where you may find them most nights, gaming, guzzling, and swearing, with as much gout as any Protestant carman.

8. But must I thence infer, because the Conventual and Eremitical Clergy of the Romish persuasion lead such lives, that there are no real Christians upon earth? GOD forbid; I know, GoD has even in this city, who, by his grace, walk in simplicity, study self-denial and mortification, gladly suffer the shame, reproach, and contempt of this world, for the name of JESUS, the Captain of their Salvation; hate their own

ease, regard no temporal things, renounce all, without vowing Franciscan poverty; fly the world, without running to the desert or the cell; curb the desires of the flesh, without the help of disciplines; and place all their happiness in GoD alone, by whom they are what they are, in meekness, love, and brotherly charity, in patience and long-suffering.

Yea,

9. Yet how far are these from taking glory to themselves, according to that doctrine of your church, contained in the twenty-fourth canon of the sixth session of the Council of Trent, in these very words, Si quis dixerit, bona opera fructus solummodo, et signa esse justificationis adeptæ, non autem ipsius causam, anathema sit. "If any one shall say, that good works are no more than the fruits of justification, and not the cause thereof, let him be accursed." LORD, I readily submit to be anathematized by this Council, and all its adherents, rather than challenge to myself any part of my salvation so wonderfully wrought out and purchased by thy dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. When I followed you, I believed you the best of men. But I have now found those who are what you only seemed. Nor will it avail to say, that all heretics, at their first setting out, affect a particular sanctity of life, by which, like wolves in true sheep's clothing, they may the more easily delude the ignorant. For those of whom I speak are no heretics at all, (unless as you term all Protestants so.) No; all heretics deviate from some fundamental point, or doctrine, of the true Christianity taught in Scripture. Whereas these do all vehemently hold the common principles of Christianity,-the plain, old Christianity, that they teach and stand to, detesting all other marks of distinction, but to be inwardly and outwardly conformed to the holy will of God, as revealed in his written word.

10. I have neither leisure, inclination, nor ability, to enter with you into the depth of the controversy between the Church of England, whereof I have for some time professed myself, and the Church of Rome. Only permit me to ask, if

we be regenerated and born anew by the HOLY GHOST, believing all that is written in the Holy Scriptures, need we fear being lost because we give not equal credit to oral traditions?-If we make a conscience of sincerely worshipping GOD, the Sovereign Dispenser of all good gifts, shall we perish because we render no religious worship,-reverence, call it Dulia, Hyperdulia, or by whatever name you please, to relics, images, pictures? If we pray to GoD with our hearts, as well as with our lips, as our blessed SAVIOUR has taught us, shall we incur his displeasure because we invocate no Saint or Angel?

"No other help I know; If I withdraw myself from thee, Ah! whither shall I go?" If we, according to CHRIST's Own institution, receive the holy Communion of his body and blood in both kinds, shall we, for so doing, draw upon us the dreadful anger of a just GOD, because the Council of Constance robbed us of the cup? Which indeed the good Council of Trent restored, if the Pope will acquiesce in their gracious grant.-Let GOD, Sir, be true, and every man a liar, who dares assert, in spite of the word of GOD, that he who believes and is baptized, whether in Rome, Paris, London, or Madrid; or whether he be in communion with the Pope, or Archbishop of Canterbury, shall not be saved or that he who believes not, whether in Rome, Paris, London, or Madrid; or whether he be in communion with the Pope, or Archbishop of Canterbury, shall not be damned.

:

MR. WILKS'S OBSERVATIONS ON [IN consequence of a desire repeatedly expressed to us, by friends resident in various parts of the kingdom, and with the obliging permission of the Author, we insert the following Extracts of a Paper which appeared in the Evangelical Magazine for May, 1815. Many of MR. WILKS's observations, although primarily applicable to the case of the several Denominations of strict and conscientious Dissenters, have an equal bearing on the Registers of that portion of the Society of Wesleyan-Methodists, whose children have not been baptized by the Mi

11. I desire to confess to all mankind my confidence and dependance on CHRIST alone, for redemption, without the intercession of saints or angels; I desire we may provoke one another to good works, without laying the least stress on them for our salvation, because such a gift is not given us for what we do, or have done, but for what CHRIST has been most mercifully pleased to do for us, and still does at the right hand of God the FATHER. Not to us, LORD Jesus, not to us, but to thy death and passion, be all the glory for ever and ever, Amen. I desire to join all the faithful upon earth, and the innumerable company of saints and angels in heaven, in praising the common LORD of all the world, whose love, forfeited by the sin of ADAM, our Head and Representative, CHRIST has regained even to the ungodly, and him that worketh not, by his precious blood, which justifies every one that sincerely turns to GOD through him. And unless God the FATHER accept us in the Beloved, in whom he is well pleased with all returning, self-condemned sinners, we, with all our good works, abselutions, and indulgencies, must go quick into hell.-Away, then, with our merits; away with the superabundant works of religious men and women, which of themselves can neither save the doer, nor help others; I desire CHRIST may be all in all to me, to whom be glory, honour, might, majesty, and dominion, now and for ever, Amen.

DAVID JEFFERIES.

THE REGISTERS OF CHILDREN. nisters of the Establishment, nor, of course, enrolled in the regular Parochial Registers.-We take this opportunity of stating, that a Plan for a GENERAL REGISTER of the BIRTHS and BAPTISMS of Children, (among the Wesleyan-Methodists, and others,) which includes all the advantages of the Form recommended by MR. WILKS, was, some years ago, approved by the CONFERENCE, and is now in operation. Detailed information respecting it, and Blank Forms for Parents to fill up, may be had, at a very small expense, from the Preachers in their respective

"ANXIETY has been extensively produced by a communication inserted in January, in your very valuable and widely-circulated Mis cellany, on the subject of the Registers of Baptisms of Dissenters. In compliance with your wishes, and those publicly and privately expressed by individuals and Societies, whose sentiments deserve my respect, I transmit the following observations, intended to allay the anxiety which I have observed and deplore. For that purpose, I have been induced, in compliance with the same wishes, by the addition of my signature to give an effect to these remarks, which anonymous and unprofessional observations probably would not obtain.

"Your intelligent Correspondent, desirous to increase the security of Dissenters, has rather exaggerated both the evil which he supposes to exist, and the benefit which he is desirous to procure. Registers of Baptisms are not so important as he has conceived. The three objects which have generally induced a reference to Baptismal Registers are,

1. To entitle survivors to insist on the performance of the Burial Service by the Parochial Minister, according to the rites of the Established Church, over their departed friends; and whose Baptism with water, and in the name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST,' it may be necessary to prove; 2. To demonstrate the settlement of paupers by their birth; and, 3. To assist in illustrating the descent of claimants to estates. As to the first of those objects, which very rarely occurs, it has been decided that the Clergyman required to officiate must be satisfied with any reasonable evidence.* As to the second object, it has also been determined, that Registers are only evidence of Christenings, and cannot afford any demonstrative proof by which the right to a settlement by birth can be maintained. †

• KEEP V. WICKES. + GOODRIGHT V. Moss,

No case

And as to the third object, Registers constitute not the best evidence, but only one of many species of secondary evidence, which, from a consideration of the nature of those cases, the courts of law and equity have been accustomed to admit. But if Registers were essential documents, and therefore far more important, no legitimate cause for particular anxiety appears to exist. has hitherto been recorded, in which proofs from the Registers of Baptisms preserved by Dissenting Ministers have been rejected, or in which a preference has been given to those which were formerly kept under the authority of the canon law, and are now directed to be kept by statute by the Ministers of the Established Church. The statute of 25 GEO. III. c. 75, even recognized and imposed a stamp on entries made in the Registers of Dissenters; and those entries have been frequently produced, and generally admitted, without controversy or objection. To promote uniformity and public convenience, and to assist the useful design of the author of the recent Act for better regulating Registers, ‡ efforts were made to continue therein the clauses recognising and establishing the Registers of Dissenters originally inserted in that Act; but the efforts excited an opposition, with which it would have been useless to contend, and which it would have been injurious to increase. If, however, at any future period, any judicial determination should give solidity to the speculative apprehensions which some persons entertain, a reason will be presented for immediate applieation to the Government and the Legislature, to confirm past entries, and to legalise future registration, which would then probably command attention and success.

"To Dissenters and Methodists, whose security and just contentment I am solicitous to promote, it does appear that no better advice can be now afforded, than that they should manifest greater attention to the form and preservation of their Registers; and that they should introduce and extend the improvements which the last statute has compelled the 52 GEO. III. c. 146.

He

"MR. WESLEY, whose letter was read next, informed the Committee of the great satisfaction which he also had experienced, when he heard of their formation. He conceived that their design, while it would destroy the Slave-Trade, would also strike at the root of the shocking abomination of slavery also. desired to forewarn them that they must expect difficulties and great opposition from those who were in terested in the system; that these were a powerful body; and that they would raise all their forces, when they perceived their craft to be in danger. They would employ hireling writers, who would have neither justice nor mercy. But the Committee were not to be dismayed by such treatment, nor even if some of those who professed good-will toward them should turn against them. As for himself, he would do all he could to promote the object of their institution. He would reprint a new large edition of his Thoughts on Slavery, and circulate it among his friends in England and Ireland,

to whom he would add a few words in favour of their design. And then he concluded in these words: I commend you to Him, who is able to carry you through all opposition, and support you under all discouragements.'

"On the 30th of October, 1787, a second letter was read from MR. JOHN WESLEY. He said 'that he had now read the publications which the Committee had sent him, and that he took, if possible, a still deeper interest in their cause. He exhorted them to more than ordinary diligence and perseverance; to be prepared for opposition; to be cautious about the manner of procuring information and evidence, that no stain might fall upon their character; and to take care that the question should be argued as well upon the consideration of interest as of humanity and justice, the former of which he feared would have more weight than the latter; and he recommended them and their glorious concern, as before, to the protection of Him who was able to support them."

[The following Article has been received from a Gentleman of high rank, now resident at Berlin. We are happy to meet his views by giving publicity to the statements which it contains; and shall be truly gratified, if further trial and experience shall justify the hope it suggests, of an effectual remedy for one of the most terrible of those diseases to which human nature is exposed. EDITOR.]

WHEN MR. MAROCHETTI, an operator in the Hospital at Moscow, was in the Ukraine in 1813, in one day fifteen persons applied to him for cure, having been bitten by a mad dog; whilst he was preparing the remedies, a deputation of several old men made its appearance to request him to allow a peasant to treat them, a man who had for some years past enjoyed a great reputation for

prevention of Hydrophobia, and of whose success MR. MAROCHETTI had already heard much.

He consented to their request under these conditions:-First, that he (MR. MAROCHETTI) should be present at every thing done by the peasant:-secondly, in order that he might be fully convinced that the dog was really mad, he, MR. MAROCHETTI, should select one of the patients, who should only be treated according to the medical course usually held in estimation. A girl of six years old was chosen for this purpose.

The peasant gave to his fourteen patients a strong Decoction of the "Summit. et Fl. Genista luteæ Tinctoriæ," (about a pound and a half daily,) and examined twice a day under the tongues, where, as he stated, small knots containing the poison of the madness must