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State has been denounced in the resolutions as the primary source of evil, and a manly and determined stand taken against any encroachments' of any civil power' on religious rights and privileges. From all that we have seen we are led to believe that these views are sympathized with by the great majority of Nonconformists. The replies of the Queen to the addresses presented to her have been decisive and dignified; full liberty for the free exercise of religion is promised to be upheld, whilst, at the same time, the rights of the Crown will be maintained. Mr. Roebuck, in a letter, full of keen satire, to Lord John Russell, charges him as the promoter of the disturbance which has taken place on this question. Mr. Bennett, the late rector of St. Barnabas, Pimlico, also charges the Premier with connivance at Puseyite practices. Mr. Bennett has since resigned his living into the hands of his temporizing diocesan, the Bishop of London. In addition to the sermons, lectures, &c., which have been prined, the agitation has elicited several documents which deserve mention. Mr. Mursell's letters to the editor of the 'Nonconformist,' in defence of the position which he has taken on this question, are chiefly remarkable as coming from him, aud maintaining views which are regarded as inconsistent with his own principles. For polemical epistles they are singularly lacking in argument. Mr. Sharman Crawford has addressed an admirable letter to his constituents, embodying sound views of Protestantism. Mr. Crawford maintains the position that the proceeding of the Pope is not an invasion of the Queen's supremacy, and that the real danger lies in the union of Church and State. The Rev. W. Robinson, of Kettering, has also published an address setting forth similar views. The congregation under the pastoral care of the Rev. Newman Hall, at Hull, has adopted a series of resolutions, in which the same position is taken. Mr. Childs, of Bungay, in a letter to the Nonconformist,' advocates the abolition of the Bible monopoly. The Queen,' says Mr. Childs, 'expresses her confidence that the Bible, under God's blessing, will have a powerful effect in strengthening the defences of our Protestant faith-but I raise my voice once again to ask, with what reason can this be expected, if the Bible is not to have "free course," but must continue the subject of a close monopoly, the only "article" in behalf of which men who profess to regard it as the Word of God will not take the trouble to procure for it the benefits of free-trade!'

The above are the principal features of the anti-Papal agitation during the past month, on which, as this is intended only as a rapid summary of intelligence, we do

not now comment.

THE ANTI-STATE-CHURCH MOVEMENT.

Much that has been communicated in the pages immediately preceding, might have appropriately been placed under this head, which, however, for the present, will refer principally to the operations of the British Anti-state-church Association. Public meetings in connexion with this Association have been held during the past month at Huddersfield, Wakefield, Beverley, Darlington, Stockton, Sunderland, Newcastle, Hartlepool, North Shields, Carlisle, Kendal, Watford, Brentford, Luton, Hemel Hempsted, St. Helen's, and Aylesbury. Mr. Kingsley, the society's lecturer, has also delivered an address at Woking; Mr. Miall, one at Islington; and the Rev. G. B. Johnson, one at Darwen. In some of the above instances meetings were held in the localities for the first time. The anti-Papal meeting at Edinburgh was convened by the Scottish Anti-state-church Association, and was remarkable for the bold advocacy of Anti-state church principles. In the Edinburgh Town Council, a resolution memorializing the Queen in favour of the separation of the Church from the State, introduced by Professor Dick, was only lost by a majority of two.

ECCLESIASTICAL LAW.

THE ESTABLISHED CLERGY AND POOR RATES.-An important case, which involved the question, whether a minister's manse and glebe are liable, under the new Poor-law Act (Scotland), to be assessed, has been decided at Edinburgh, by which the ministers of the Established Church of that country are exempted from poorrates, to the extent of between £4,000 and £5,000 a year.— -Summons for Tithes. --On the occasion of several Quakers of St. Vedast, Foster-line and other parishes, being summoned before Sir Peter Laurie, for non-payment of church-rates and tithes, Sir Peter stated that, according to a late act of Parliament, commonly known as 'Jervis's Act,' the amount claimed was irrecoverable unless applied for within six months after it became due. The solicitor for the plaintiff stated that he should appeal from the decision of the Alderman to the Court of Exchequer, to try and recover the full amount claimed The case is expected to come on shortly.Minority Church-rates.-A minority church-rate' having been levied at Brighton, two of the parishioners (Mr. William Bentley and Mr. Richard Mighell) refused to

pay, have been served with citations from the Court of Arches, to which they have appeared. It is intended by the defendants to let the case be prosecuted after the example of the celebrated 'Braintree Case'; and a local committee has been formed to support the prosecution. They appeal to the public for subscriptions; we trust it will be liberally responded to. -The Law of Divorce.- We learn from the daily papers that a Royal Commission is about to issue to inquire and report upon the whole subject of the law of divorce-not merely the proceedings in the Ecclesiastical Courts, but the proceedings in Parliament-not the divorce a mensa et theore alone, but the more weighty and important question of the divorce a vinculo matrimonii. The Commission is chosen from the most eminent lawyers and members of both Houses of Parliament. It will be composed of the following:— Lord Campbell, Lord Beaumont, Lord Redesdale, Dr. Lushington, Spencer Horatio Walpole, M.P., W. Page Wood, M.P., and the Hon. E. P. Bouverie, M.P.

CELIBACY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

It is said that the Pope means to found an order of married preachers, for the sake of finding employment for those English clergymen who, being married, cannot become Romish priests.

THE PEACE MOVEMENT.

The Peace Society is prosecuting its object with much spirit. Lectures have been delivered during the last month at the Hall of Commerce-on the 3rd, by the Rev. H. Richard, on The Influence of Standing Armies'; on the 10th, by the Rev. Thomas Spencer, on The Influence of Commerce in preserving and extending Peace, with a reference to the Exhibition of 1851'; and, on the 17th, by the Rev. Dr. Massie,subject, 'War opposed to the Principles and Spirit of Christianity.'

EDUCATION.

VOLUNTARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.-A public meeting of the friends and sup porters of this society was held during the last month at the Stockwell Institute, Stockwell-green. The meeting was numerously attended, and many members of the gentlemen and ladies' committees of the Association were present. William Carlile, Esq., of West Brixton, presided. The meeting was addressed by the Rev. John Burnet, John Bromley, Rev. J. C. Davie, E. W. Alexander, Esq., Rev. W. Leask, H. R. Ellington, Esq., and others. The following, embracing the principles of the society, was the principal resolution adopted :-That this meeting believes that the Scriptural education of the community can be satisfactorily effected only by the voluntary and combined exertions of Christian men, and that all interference by the State with religious instruction is an idle infringement of the rights of conscience, and detrimental to the interests of Christian faith.'- -Oberlin Institute.-At the late commencement of Oberlin Institute, eight of the graduates who received the degree of A.B., were young ladies, and the degree of A.M. was conferred on eleven gentlemen and one lady. Three gentlemen and one lady completed the theological course. President Mahan has resigned his office, with the intention of founding a new college at Cleveland. A difference of views between the President and Professor Finney, it is said, has led to this step.

THE SABBATH IN FRANCE.

M. Montalembert has proposed in the Legislative Assembly, that the observance of the Sabbath be made compulsory on all classes in France. The motion, however, met with little favour from any class, and, we are glad to say, was defeated. M. Montalembert is a Catholic, and a State-churchman, and thinks that people can be made religious by law. What a notion of religion!

NEW CHURCHES.

HAMMERSMITH. A new Baptist chapel, to cost £2,100, is being built at Hammersmith, which will seat about 900 persons. The foundation-stone was laid on the 6th ult.

GLASGOW.-A new church is about to be erected in Glasgow, for the Rev. Mr. Porter, formerly co-pastor with Dr. Wardlaw. It is said that it will be one of the most unique and exquisitely beautiful temples of Christian worship in Scotland. The cost is estimated at £10,000.

MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS.

NOTTINGHAM.-The Rev. James Matheson, B.A., of Friar-lane Chapel, Nottingham, has resigned his office of assistant pastor with the Rev. Joseph Gilbert, on account of ill health.

MAIDENHEAD.-The Rev. W. Farebrother has accepted an invitation to become pastor of the Congregational church at Maidenhead.

STOKESLEY, YORKSHIRE -On Wednesday, Dec. 11th, the Rev. D. W. Evans, minister of the Independent church at Stokesley, was publicly ordained to the pastoral office.

MANCHESTER.-The Rev. D. M. Evans, of Glasgow University, has accepted the call to the pastorate of the Baptist church worshipping in Grosvenor-street, Chorltonupon-Medlock.

CHOLFORD. The Rev. T. Whitta has accepted an invitation to assume the pastorate of the Independent Church in this town.

Missions.*

EAST INDIA.

THE LEX Loci -We observe, in the magazine of the London Missionary Society, that the native Indian press has sounded the alarm, and that vigorous efforts are being made, on the part of the abettors of heathenism, to excite the Hindoos to an organised opposition to the new law establishing perfect liberty of conscience in India. It is intended to raise 30,000 rupees for this object. The Bhashu, a native paper, thus confesses the influence this new law will undoubtedly have :--

Of all the cases of injustice shown by the Government towards their Hindoo subjects, this is by far the worst; for the law which through our evil destiny has been lately published, will prove the weapon that will utterly root up the whole tree of Hindooism-of this there can be no doubt. By this act the Government has opened the doors, so long closed, which stood in the way of the destruction of the Hindoo religion, and has made the way easy for Hindoos to become Christians.

The whole body of the Hindoos have been grieved by the rejection of their memorial by the Governor-General, and are now preparing to appeal to England. Although we have great fear as to the result of this measure, and feel almost certain that the prayer of the Hindoo memorialists to the home authorities will be unsuccessful, still the attempt will serve to show how many Hindoos there really are at the present time, as compared with the number at the time when the rite of Suttee was abolished.'

The editor says, however, that he does not see great eagerness in regard to the subscriptions, and hence suspects that the number of Hindoos has greatly diminished

CALCUTTA.-The Baptist Missionary Herald contains intelligence of the safe arrival of the Rev. J. Leechman, of Hammersmith, in Calcutta, on the 1st of November.

CHINA.

An interesting account of the conversion of a hospital patient at Hong Kong, named A. Poon, written by M. Hirscberg, appears in the Missionary Magazine.' He was an occasional attendant at the Banner Chapel, and was led by sickness to the hospital. Since the time of his profession he continued to attend divine service, and the missionaries and the Chinese Christians had frequent conversations with him about the one thing needful. He believed on Jesus, prayed to him morning and evening, but had not yet faith and strength enough to lay aside his business, which he was told he must do before he could be baptized. This was very trying to him, as he had no other means of gaining his livelihood; but one day it happened that Dr. Legge met him in the street, and addressed him upon the subject. The Lord blessed these words to his soul: he at once laid aside his business, came day after day to be instructed, and has since, to our great joy, been received into the Church

of Christ.'

FUH-CHAU-Mr. Richards, of the American Mission, writes in the New York Evangelist,' that an important question is now pending, the decision of which will have important bearings upon the prospects of that mission. Hitherto, no missionaries have been allowed to occupy premises within the walls. A complaint has been entered by some students residing near, and the matter is under discussion between

We take this opportunity of expressing our obligations to the Secretaries of the London Baptist, and Wesleyan Missionary Societies, for kindly furnishing us, at our solicitation, with early copies of the monthly missionary reports published by the societies, in consequence of which we shall be enabled to give a digest of the latest missionary intelligence. The above Summary is compiled chiefly from these sources.-ED. Christian Spectator.

the English Consul and the provincial authorities. Our missionaries have been prevented from procuring a more eligible situation, an objection being made, that they would injure the wood and water of some neighbouring tombs.'

TAHITI

A revival of spiritual religion has taken place in Tahiti. The Rev. Mr. Howe writes, that on one day nineteen were admitted to the Church, and three adults baptized. From that time a remarkable development of long-standing work had taken place, and subsequently sixty candidates for church-fellowship were admitted, and eighteen adults baptized.

HUCHINE.

'The principal settlement on this island, which suffered so severely a few years ago from the devastations of the French, is gradually recovering its former prosperity, and the services of the sanctuary, and the education of the young, are again regularly conducted. The labours of the missionary are attended with some gracious tokens of the Divine approval.'-Missionary Magazine,

WEST AFRICA.

Accounts of a very interesting character have lately been received from West Africa. Rev. George Thompson has penetrated into the interior, about 200 miles (300 following the course of the river), where the people had never before seen a white man. Mr. T. was sent out to West Africa, about two years ago, by the American Missionary Association, as successor to Rev. William Raymond, who accompanied the Amistad Africans to their native country. He was stationed at a place called Kaw-Mendi, on the Little Broom river, about 100 miles south of Sierra Leone, and fifty miles from the coast, this being as near the Mendi country as the missionaries could reach, owing to the wars then prevailing in that region. On arriving at Tissana, Mr. Thompson was met by Braw, the principal chief on that side of the war. This chief had heard of the Christian religion through Bunyan, and, some years before, had visited the mission at Kaw-Mendi. He had long desired to have a teacher come to his country, and was overjoyed when he heard of Mr. Thompson's arrival.

After a few days spent at Tissana, during which, at Braw's earnest request, Mr. Thompson entered into an agreement to establish a mission there, he started, accompanied by this friendly chief, to visit the tribes on the other side. He passed through great dangers and hardships, from which his health suffered severely; but after spending about two months among them, he had the happiness of seeing his labours crowned with success. Peace was established, and great were the rejoicings among chiefs and people.

SOUTHERN AFRICA.

We observe in the Cape Town Observer,' that an effort is about to be made to Construct a uniform system of orthography for writing each and all the Aboriginal districts of Africa, south of the Mountains of the Moon. It is proposed that the needful details be furnished by committees of missionaries in the various parts of Africa, and Dr. Adamson, of the American Board, undertakes to classify such of these details as may be sent to him, so as to lessen the labour and difficulty of the ultimate comparison-by whomsoever that may be undertaken-of all the information that can be gathered respecting the languages found within the territory designated. This, if accomplished, will wonderfully facilitate the work of the missionaries.

FRENCH CANADA,

The French Canadian Missionary Society have issued an appeal to the Evangelical Churches of Great Britain. That society was formed in 1839. It has for its object the evangelisation of 600,000 French habitnas in Lower Canada, among whom Romanism bears full sway. The people are very amiable, but deeply sunk in ignorance and superstition. The constitution of the society is Catholic, and is supported by the ministers and members of the various religious denominations in the province. It has accomplished hitherto a great work, but the society is in debt.

ARMENIA.

ERZERUM, Sept. 5.-Mr. Bliss, of the American Mission, gives an account of a recent tour in the southern part of Armenia, and as far as Diarbekir in Mesopotamia. A wonderful change has taken place in this region since Mr. Peabody visited it a year ago. At Melikean they were scarcely seated in their lodgings when the villagers gathered around them, cordially welcoming them, and showing the deepest interest in their conversation in regard to the way of salvation.

NEW WORKS AND NEW EDITIONS.

RELIGION.

SCIENCE.