To the Secretary, &c. ting a carriage road which leads along the back of the building. The ground at the water-side was measured and marked oil, on Wednesday last, for the first manufactory. The funds are raised by a Joint Stock divided into two hundred shares of £250 each, one hundred pounds of which is required to be paid up by quarterly instalments of ten pounds each. Though we bave been successful in procuring the necessary funds by this mode, yet it now appears to me, had we either divided each share into ten parts, or made the number 2000 shares of £25 each, that we should have experienced more facility in this respect. This would have put it in the power of a much greater number to have taken an interest in the concern. It is pleasing to know that almost all the shares that have been latterly taken up, have been by those who have witnessed and examined our proceedings. The first general meeting of the proprietors was held in the new establishment at Orbiston, on Monday, 17th October last, at noon. The individual members live at a distance from the spot, and from each other. Nine were present out of sixteen, which composed the number of the company. Having acted as interim trustee for the company, agreeably to the wishes of the members expressed to me individually, I laid the list of subscribers before the meeting, by which it appeared that 125 shares had been taken up; and, from the statement of expenditure, it appeared that the sum of £5,119, 8s. 8d. had been laid out on work and materials. The meeting expressed themselves satisfied with the way the work was conducted, and I was unanimously confirmed trustee for the company; and Mr Henry Jones and Mr J. Applegath were appointed auditors to examine and inspect the accounts. The articles of agreement herewith sent were agreed upon and adopted. At this meeting several of the subscribers agreed to double their subscriptions, if it were found necessary to do 80. I have had application from Ireland for 4 shares since, from gentlemen exceedingly zealous in the cause. These I have recorded with pleasure. As the property has already begun to yield some return, and as by May next this return will be ample, we do not anticipate much difficulty upon account of capital. On the evening of Tuesday last, a few individuals, chiefly weavers, came from Hamilton, with the view of securing apartments in the Establishment. The wives of two or three of them had come along with them. I endeavoured to explain the system by which it was intended we should act; and their minds seemed to be fully prepared for its practical introduction. I 5 had the thought that it would be requisite to insert notice in the newspapers, that I was ready to receive applications from intending tenants; but from present appearances, we shall not be able to admit one-half of those who are likely to apply without such notice. The applicants are chiefly from the middle and working classes. The apartments are numbered, and those who apply have their choice of the vacant rooms. Our friends from Hamilton gave me their names, which were duly enrolled, and their numbers attached. This meeting was held in a space railed off from the store. The large room was occupied by a party of the workmen, who had taken the use of it for a convivial meeting. Some new hands had joined the quarrying department, and on such occasions it is customary for the newcomers to pay their "entry." In the afternoon I had heard one of the labourers asking some questions at another on this subject.-The answer was, that "first the entries will be condemned, and after that will be a join, but for my part I will not stop long for mortal man. The store was kept open, on account of our meeting, longer than usual.—This was rather unlucky, as the means were thus afforded to the men for obtaining more liquor. I had seen the storekeeper give away fresh supplies oftener than once, without considering the natural consequences; but the impropriety of such proceedings suddenly became ap parent, from the circumstance of two labourers, natives of Ireland, coming in in a state of considerable excitement; they had a bottle with them, and what they wanted was a single half-mutchkin each of whisky, "to make them comfortable before they went home." The store-keeper had refused to give them any.-Finding their entreaties unsuccessful, they requested me to consider the hardship of their case. They were both strong well-looking men, with much good humour depicted in their countenances. As I came forward, one of them, who was chief spokesman, took from his pocket a roll of tobacco; he said there was a full ounce of it, and this he offered as security for the payment of the whisky. I endeavoured to make him understand that the refusal he had met with, was not for want of credit, but upon account of the injury which the drink was calculated to do to his constitution. He whispered to his neighbour that "the gentleman's intention seemed to be good, but, at the same time, he could not conceive what injury a single half-mutchkin of whisky could do to any working man." They continued their entreaty with so much perseverance, that the storekeeper was glad to compromise with them for half of their demand, to accept of which they consented with considerable re Whistling and Singing at Orbiston on the Sabbath-day. luctance. They went off, and the door was shut. During this altercation I received a pressing invitation to witness the "order" and sobriety" that existed among the workmen in the room above, lest I might imagine that they had drank to excess. I felt no inclination to go up, but yielded to entreaty. It was the long room on the 2d floor, where the first general meeting of the proprietors was held. Many of the workmen were already gone, and the number that remained might be about 25 or 30. Their spirits were elevated to the highest pitch. I had seen no individuals in such apparent extasy for a long time. They had the appearance of health itself, joined to irresistible strength. Their features, though weather-beaten, were, all of them, well formed, and many of them handsome. I fancied I could perceive a considerable degree of intelligence, united with much benevolence and good-nature, which shone conspicuous amidst their noisy mirth. Several individuals went about with tin measures which contained whisky. I was repeatedly asked to drink. A young man played on the bagpipes, while several were dancing. There were no females, yet they were all in motion, and continued for a long time to dance reels with much apparent satisfaction. They were all in their working dresses, of thick corduroy. Their shoes were exceedingly strong, with much iron on the soles. They twisted their bodies into all manner of attitudes; and the dancing of many of them appeared to me to be beyond mediocrity. Their feet struck the floor with much force, and they gave a shout of joy at each turn. Indeed there was much strength or vigour manifested in all their movements. The scene altogether was to me one of deep interest. I viewed it with a mixture of joy and grief, in which the former predominated. The impression it left on my mind, was, "that labour is exceedingly beneficial," and that so soon as it can be united with intelligence and prudence, it must come into 1epute. I left the room, pleased with the notion, that I had got some acquisition to my knowledge of the human character; a subject I have studied for some years, with much interest and pleasure. The night was stormy, dark, and rainy. After getting a little way into the field adjoining, the scene was recalled to my mind, by looking back to see the figures move backwards and forwards before the lighted windows, After my arrival at the farm-house, I sat ruminating for a considerable time on what I had seen. The idea, that the New Store had furnished the spirits for "this scene of jollification," gave me some uneasiness. I was considering which way would be best to overcome such unfortunate propensities. I was grieved to consider the insatiable nature of all bad habits; and could not avoid entertaining a wish that their supplies had been cut off much earlier, for I believed, that no additional quantity ever diminished the desire for more. My mind was made up to use all the means in my power to induce the store-keeper to be resolute in resisting all such demands in future. I had just arrived at this conclusion, when the cook who prepares the food at the New Building was introduced. He was drenched with rain. He was not drunk, nor yet sober. He appeared to be in that state, which, in some parts of the country, is expressed by the term "muzzy." He had come, he said, to ask a most particular favour, which he trusted I would be able to grant, as it would be a most essential service to him, without doing any injury to me. He said, "it was simply to walk down with him to the building, that I might procure for him the key of the store, that they might get a little more drink." I stated, that the key was not left with me. He asked if I could not furnish him with a little whisky from the house. I stated that I really had none to give him. I was not aware, that my kind hostess had placed a bottle behind where I sat," in the idea, that I might require a little in such a stormy night.' Edwards' eye caught this bottle, and in a low tone he replied, Oh! if you have none to give, of course I can't get it; and with this he left me. In a short time all was quiet,—I was consoled a little with the idea, that this was a particular night," and that they kept good hours in their revelries, for the clock struck ten as he went away. 66 I am glad to learn, that the London Cooperative Society have agreed to register their proceedings; and shall be happy to receive the Magazine as it comes out. shall probably make some remarks on their past proceedings in my next paper. WHISTLING AND SINGING AT ORBISTON ON THE SABBATH-DAY. As a proof that the errors of the friends of the New System are not likely to receive much quarter from those who belong to the Old, I may mention the following trifling circumstance-A friend from the South, I who arrived at Holytown on the Saturday night, knowing that I was at the farmhouse at Orbiston, walked up to breakfast with me on the Sunday morning. He has a custom, occasionally, when musing, to Letter to Thomas M'Lelland, Master of the Ayr Steam-Vessel. make a sort of hissing, low, half whistle through the teeth, which is peculiar to those who are fond of music. It chanced that our landlady, (who is of an extremely kind and affable disposition,) heard this as she entered the room, and in the kitchen she mentioned that "the gentleman whistled on the Sabbath-day." Upon the Monday following, the contractor for the building, (Mr King,) took me aside to say, that I ought to be careful to avoid giving offence to the people-that things were different here from what they were in Edinburgh-that what he said was in a friendly way, and that he hoped I would not take it amiss. I said I certainly felt obliged to him for any advice or information, but that as yet I was rather at a loss to understand what his hints referred to. He then told me that he heard at Motherwell, (a village about two miles distant,) that morning, that two gentlemen had been with me, who had "been whistling and singing all Sunday." I had some difficulty at first in discovering the origin of the report, but 7 I saw afterwards how it originated; and it was neither more nor less than what I have already stated. Such reports are not soon forgotten; for, though this circumstance occurred about three months ago, the clergyman of the parish, no later than Thursday last, told me "that our people ought to have some regard for the feelings of his parishioners, for though they might not regard religion themselves, yet they surely did not wish to set common decency at defiance."-The circumstance to which he chiefly referred, he said, was, "that a certain individual belonging to the New Establishment had "whistled with all his might" on the Sunday afternoon, to the great annoyance of the people returning from church." This appeared to me to be another edition of the old story; and the only part that surprised me was, that the minister, (who seemed to have much good sense and penetration,) knew so little of the real nature of such reports, as to be deceived by them. LETTER TO THOMAS M'CLELLAND, MASTER OF THE AYR I WISH to address a few words to you upon what I consider the hardship of your present situation. From your earliest infancy, you no doubt have been trained to believe, that all were best off when each looked only to himself. At school your teacher led you to believe, that your object was to get beyond your fellows, and you were never taught that it was your interest to help those who were weaker in intellect and more ignorant than yourself,—so far from this being the case, you were trained to believe, that their unhappy condition was their wilful choice; and you saw them punished for not choosing otherwise. As you grew up, the same lessons were taught you in the world. You had heard of Irishmen dying for want, while their fellow-creatures vere shipping off the food to supply markets previously glutted. -This was done coolly and deliberately, and you did not hear the voice of the country raised in one clamour against those who acted thus. Scarce a murmur was heard and the reason was obvious, because their mode of acting was in unison with their principles. Each had always been taught to look to his own interest, and to be “the architect of his own fortune." Wherever you went, you saw this principle acted upon, and it is known that habit becomes a second nature. In the melancholy affair with the Comet, you acted upon this principle; and, though the consequences have been dreadful, I cannot consider you a fit object of blame. In all sudden emergencies, individuals can only act according to the ideas that are first presented, or that are in unison with the principles according to which they are accustomed to act. You had, all your life, been trained to believe, that it was every man's duty to look only to himself. This was the very foundation of your principles; and those who cherish the same notions, now blame you for acting upon them, at a time when you had not a moment to deliberate,—that is, when you had no time to receive different ideas.-Because, in a scene of uproar, you acted in unison with the principles in which your instructors had educated you, and which you had seen invariably practised around you, at a moment when all reflection was banished, and when you were loudly requested to do so, you have been held up as an object of horror and detestation to the whole country,-as if the motives which induced you to act in this way had been chosen by yourself. For the honour of human nature, it appears that false principles cannot be acted upon in cases of emergency, when there is time for reflection. But as when there is no time for reflection, an individual must act according to the notions that are present at the moment, it evidently follows, that if blame lies any where, it must be with those who cherish and defend the notions which are the cause of such actions. Divine Revelation teaches Letter to Thomas M'Lelland, Master of the Ayr Steam-Vessel. ws, that we ought to do unto others, on all occasions, as we would that they should do unto us. But a notion has been generat ed in the human imagination, that it would not be the real interest of ali mankind to act upon this principle at all times. The whole system under which you have been trained, appears to me to be one continued breach of this divine precept; and your crime, in my estimation, is simply that, for want of reflection, you unfortunately did not deviate from the principles in which you were educated, when nature called loudly upon you to do 80. The inconsistency of your accusers becomes the more apparent, when we consider, that, in their conduct towards you, they are now coolly and deliberately acting in opposition to this very precept, for the breach of which you are considered so highly culpable. They do not consider that, by the unchangeable decrees of God, every wrong act is necessarily fol lowed by painful sensations. Though, in this unfortunate affair, you must appear, to all rational minds, only as the victim of false principles, which were instilled into you by others; yet you are, nevertheless, truly responsible; for if all your countrymen should endeavour to sooth your wounded feelings, and to consider you only as an instrument in the hand of the Great Governing Power of the Universe, to exhibit to the world the effects of want of caution, and of false principles, yet, the idea of being such an instrument, is truly painful; and the painful sensations thereby produced, are the motives implanted in our nature to teach us our duty. It ap. pears to me,, that man has no power to add to the punishments which God has ap The REGISTER for the First Society of Adherents to Divine Revelation will be published every THURSDAY, as regularly as circumstances will admit. Its object is twofold: 1st, To shew that it is possible to sepa rate, completely, Divine Revelation from the mere testimony of the Human Imagination. That mankind really do not possess the power to prefer Human Testimony to Divine Revelation, when both are completely separated. That the facts and truths which the Great Governing Power of the Universe reveals to the senses and to the understanding, have not been understood, only because mankind have de pointed in nature, and all attempts to act against the Almighty, must only serve to defeat their own purpose. I can appeal to your present feelings to bear me out in this; for my belief is, that when you reflect upon the imperious necessity by which you were impelled to act, the accusations and violent invectives, which have been poured out against you, will produce a sense of injury, which, when contrasted with the painful sensations which necessa rily arise in the mind, from the idea of being instrumental in such a deplorable occurrence, will truly be a source of relief. The more loud and violent these invec tives become, your painful reflections will be diminished in the same proportion; and should any arbitrary punishment ensue, it would nearly annihilate them altogether. You may perceive, from what I have said, that I consider you as unfortunate, but not criminal; I deplore the causes which produce such melancholy effects, but I wish to avoid attributing to the one what belongs to the other. Perhaps it may afford some relief to your mind to know, that there are some individuals who can sympathize with you in all your misfortunes, and whose wishes for your welfare are as sincere as they should have been, had no such calamity befallen you. Had you been trained from your infancy to believe that all are the children of one family, and that no individual can more effectually promote his own interest, than by "seeking another good," you would find that no emergency could possibly arise under which you would be "wounded in spirit," by acting, without reflection, upon such principles. voted their attention to the mere testimony of the Human Imagination in preference. That Divine Revelation has not been acted upon, only because it has not been understood-That Vice, Poverty, and Misery, exist in the world only because Divine Revelation has not been acted upon. 2dly, To record the proceedings connected with the First Society of Adherents to Divine Revelation-which is now forming at Orbiston, near Glasgow, and which is composed of individuals who are willing to unite their efforts to overcome evil by good-and to assist, and not to oppose each other. The Second Number of the Register will contain the answers to the inquiries of various correspondents-regarding employment for clerks-how those who wish to live on their capital can be accommodated-remarks on Divine Revelation, &c. Edited by ABRẠM COMBE, and Sold at the Orbiston Store, and by the various Agents.-Price 2d. J. & J. GRAY, Printers, Edinburgh. Letter to A. B. I UNDERSTAND that the title of this Register appears to you more objectionable than any thing which the first number contain ed. I feel inclined to attend to your opinions, because I know that you have a sincere wish to adhere to Divine Revelation, in preference to every thing else. I know, also, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament constitute the standard by which you think our opinions ought to be regulated. I do not wish to be behind you in manifesting my respect for the valuable practical truths which the Bible contains; but an attentive examination of this important subject has compelled me to believe, that the same God who revealed the facts and truths which are contained in the Bible, to the senses and understanding of those who lived in former ages-continues still to reveal to our senses, and to our understanding, facts and truths equally marvellous and useful. You are compelled to believe, that it is your duty to regulate your opinions by the history of the facts and truths which God revealed to the senses and to the understanding of his ancient people. Consequently, nothing can be more natural, than that you should act accordingly. On the other hand, I am compelled to believe, that it is my duty to regulate my opinions by the facts and truths which God reveals to my own senses, and to my own understanding. This is one point in which we differ. I agree with you, that the facts and truths which God reveal ed to the senses and to the understanding of his ancient people, were to them a Divine Revelation, and I believe, that the history of these facts and truths is the history of a Divine Revelation. But as yet you do not perceive that the facts and truths which the same God now reveals to our senses, and to our understanding, is Divine Revelation, though the chain has not been broken from the beginning till now, and though you have irresistible evidence that these facts and these truths come direct from the Fountain of all truth, This is the second point on which we dif fer. Vol. I. PRICE 2d. The history of what God did, before the eyes of other people, you call a Divine" Revelation to you; but you feel displeased with me, because I call that Divine Revelation, which the same God is now doing before our own eyes; and you think my opinions wrong, because they are at variance with your interpretations of the history of what God revealed to others, while I think yours wrong, only in so far as you perceive them to be at variance with what God reveals to your own senses, or to your own understanding. These are the only points on which we differ; and if your opinions and mine (on one and the same point) are different, one or other of us must be wrong. Moses and the Prophets, and the Apostles, were children of the same family; and as their conduct has been much approved of, we may know with some certainty the course that we ought to pursue, by ascertaining how they acted. You certainly should feel no desire to condemn those who follow their example; yet, when you examine the subject attentively, you will find that the example set by Moses and the Prophets, and confirmed by Jesus Christ and his Apostles, is the one we follow, and that the course you recommend, is the one which brought destruction on Pharaoh and his host, and which was the cause of preventing the Jews from receiving the benefits of a better dispensation. Moses and the Prophets concurred in calling the attention of the people to what was passing before their eyes. To the doings of the Lord, they were invariably directed, as the source of instruction and delight. The course thus begun by Moses and the Prophets, was not departed from by Jesus Christ and his Apostles. To spread the knowledge of the Lord was their sole occupation. So much were their minds engrossed with the importance of this work, that even their own natural wants seemed to have occupied little of their attention. Hardly a syllable do they utter regarding the obscure history of the facts which God had revealed to the senses of others, in the former ages of the world. Their whole attention was devoted to what B |