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F.

The testimony of the Bishop of Calcutta to the value of the tracts issued by the venerable and ancient Church Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge is peculiarly acceptable, because this estimable Prelate was not amongst the most attached to this particular institution, notwithstanding he was for many years a subscriber. He says, "I must confess that I have not yet read the tracts and books in later arrivals, but I was very much gratified some time since, with those which had been transmitted to Calcutta." Whereas, for each more modern tract there is abundant testimony of general approbation in the immense increase of their circulation.-Letter, 1838.

G.

The Bishop of Australia mentions this as a "circumstance he had become acquainted with, on the day whereon he wrote his letter, which imparted to him a strong conviction of the acceptable nature of the Society's tracts." Letter, Sydney, April 6, 1838.

H.

The following places are thus provided with priests who are bound to maintain that heretics, amongst whom we of the Church of England, are reckoned not only to be anathematized, but deprived of all property and civil rights, and delivered over to the secular power to be punished and extirpated.-Cramp's Text Book, 1839, page 389. Why should we wonder at the revolt of our Colonies?

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Diocese of Quebec, which is allowed to remain unoccupied
by a Protestant Bishop.

Roman Bishop of Quebec

£ s. d. . 1000 0 0

£

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Rent of Palace

. 1000 0 0 2000 0 0

Upper Canada, no Protestant Bishop.

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These items are taken from the official "Return" ordered by the House of Commons, Feb. 25, 1839. The allowances at Madras are omitted, but without these the amount is therein stated to be £14,763. 11s. 4d. This the people ought to consider is given in support of a system of religion, which the nation, through the declaration required of the clergy by its laws, abjures as "impious and

heretical," as well for the "damnable doctrine" it maintains, as for the "foreign ecclesiastical authority" it labours to establish "in this realm."-Oath of Abjuration.

I.

The despatch of 1833, ascribed to Lord Glenelg, alluded to, directed the withdrawal of the encouragement afforded by Great Britain to the idolatrous worship of India, and also, the relinquishment of the revenue derived from such source. This good news was said by one on the spot, to come "as cold water to a thirsty soul." From this period, after waiting above three years and a half, without perceiving any indication of compliance with this direction, a memorial from upwards of two hundred European ecclesiastical, civil, and military residents, of all ranks and stations, in the presidency of Madras, was addressed on 6th August, 1836, to the Governor of Madras, praying for the relief expected. This memorial was forwarded to Sir F. Adam, by the late Bishop of Madras, together with a letter from himself . . enforcing its prayer. To this letter of the Bishop, an answer of the "most offensive and insulting character was returned," both of which were ordered to be printed by the House of Commons on the 1st June, 1837.-Appendix to Speech of John Poynder, Esq. 2nd edit. 1838.

The memorialists prayed for relief at the hands of the Indian Government, simply because it had not observed the slightest regard for their "rights, customs, and opinions, as Protestant Christians, while it professed an undue sensibility for those of the heathen." The result has been, however, to confirm the government in the protection and support of all that Christians must abhor; for the following order of 18th October, 1837, less than one month after the motion for acting upon the memorial had been negatived, was transmitted to India. "We now desire that no customary salutes or marks of respect to native festivals be discontinued at any of the Presidencies; that no protection hitherto given be withdrawn; and that no change whatever be made in any matter relating to the native religion, except under the authority of the supreme government."-Idem, page 54.

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"A government, calling itself Christian pays a band of pilgrim-hunters, who go about the country to bring together votaries and swell the attendance on the wretched festivals! government repairs the idol temples; salaries the officers of those temples; honours their infamous processions with presents and offerings in the name of the British authorities; and, instead of christianizing the poor deluded idolaters, even compels the attendance at the festivals of its own officers, civil and military, (if it so happen, even on the sabbath) and prostitutes the consciences of its servants to do honour to the vilest rites of heathenism.". Sermon of Rev. Mr. Goode, East India Chaplain, April 30th, 1838. "It was the refusal of Christians to attend the most odious of

all idolatries, the Dusserat festival, that led to the subsequent cashiering of Sir P. Maitland, who had, in point of fact, relieved them by his express orders from the necessity of such attendance," &c.-Speech of John Poynder, Esq. March 20, 1839.

K.

"For only four of the numerous temples of heathen India the worshippers have paid, as a tax on their religion, in twenty-two years, upwards of one million and a half sterling, and the company has netted the clear profit of above a million sterling."-Speech of J. Poynder, Esq., at a General Court of Proprietors of the East India Company, on December 21, 1836, p. 7, second edition, 1838. "A government calling itself Christian, still clings to a polluted revenue derived from the pageants of idolatry."-Sermon of Mr. Goode, 1838.

L.

The heathens themselves regard these acts of the government as countenance given to their abominations, " as I know," said Mr. Goode, "from personal experience." The remark was made to me by my Pundit, (a learned Hindoo.) "Sir," said he, "Christians cannot think any great harm of our idolatry; you yourselves give an offering of broad cloth to the idol."-Speech of J. Poynder, Esq. 1838, p. 60.

M.

It seems hard to suppose the government can sanction a proceeding such as this which is now recorded for the information of the public. If such be the practice of a Christian government, the native must marvel how it can assume the name. It is quite sufficient to justify the Bishop of Calcutta's remark; that "Human Governments seem to be deserting our noble Anglican Church, the glory of the reformation, and the chief bulwark of Christianity in Europe!" It will be still a marvel if Christianity in India makes head against such opponents, but as it has done so it will prevail.

"A Christian sepoy musician, attached to the 60th Regiment, Bengal N. I., deserted, but finding his progress more difficult than he had anticipated, he returned to his regiment, and was brought to trial before a European Court Martial, which, on guilt found, sentenced him to receive a corporal punishment. This sentence came in the usual course before the Brigadier commanding, for his confirmation; but the officer, looking to the general order of Lord Bentinck, considered himself barred from giving his assent to the sentence of the Court, as, according to his judgment, the order was meant to apply to all soldiers in the Native army. But he laid the case before the Judge Advocate General for his opinion, and

that officer expressed himself on the subject as follows:-Sir, I have the honour to return the proceedings of a European Court Martial, held in the 60th N. I. upon sepoy and musician John Dooming. I conceive that the prisoner Dooming was correctly sentenced to corporeal punishment, and that Lieutenant-Colonel Tulloch might have carried the same into effect without any reference to you, the award not exceeding 300 lashes. The general order of the 24th February, 1835, does not extend to Christian drummers or musicians, who are governed by the rules laid down in the articles of war for the European troops. It only affects Native soldiers not professing the Christian religion. (Signed) G. YOUNG, Judge Advocate General, Judge Advocate General's Office, Fort William, 16th April, 1836."-Asiatic Journal, Vol. 22. Part II. page 176. William H. Allen and Co., Leadenhall Street, 1837. Let the Christian reader pause and take breath. Then let him ask himself what are the natives to think of Christianity?—and what are the Christian people of England to think of the Government, and the liberty of conscience granted to our Christian countrymen abroad?

N.

When the disciples of our Lord forbade one to cast out devils in His name because he followed not them, "Jesus said, forbid him not; for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my Name that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us, is on our part."-Mark ix. 39, 40.

us,

Hence I apprehend that it is not for us to forbid any one to call upon his fellow man to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus that he may be saved. Nay, I think this is the bounden duty of every parent, and of every master, and of every magistrate, and of every one in authority, and of every individual, however lowly, or however exalted his condition, without assuming that either of them should take upon himself the office of a minister of Christ, or that all men are appointed, as heralds, to preach the Gospel. But if either of these with the most pure intention and good desire, not being against but on our part, goes out of order and his own vocation, as a minister of Christ, I must not follow him, because I am bound by my office to adhere to the rules prescribed for me, and to which I have myself subscribed; for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 1 Cor. xiv. 33. God who is Almighty, will accomplish his own work by such instruments as he wills; wherefore I desire to offend no man, especially the well-meaning Christian, and I do hope he will not be offended when I assert, by inference from holy writ, that which appears to me to be the truth. If I seem to be exclusive, I entreat him to consider, that whatever men may think or say, our Lord and Master says: strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. vii. 14. I would therefore entreat those who think me, as a minister of Christ, in error, to take

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