The returns of the chaplain of Preston House of Correction, printed in February last, are equally unfortunate for Mr. Stowell's argument.

Another clerical witness has been summoned from the House of Correction at Kirkdale Lane, in the same county, to give evidence on the question; and the results of his statistics are not more favourable to the pre-eminent goodness of the teaching of the church of England. At the assizes, sessions, and special commissions of 1842, there were, it seems, 795 prisoners. The following classification will tell the result:

These figures will be thought conclusive as far as the county of Lancaster is concerned, and the returns of other counties would not, we suspect, prove to be more satisfactory.

The Middlesex House of Correction supplied, three or four years ago, the following returns:

If a general return of the creeds of all criminals was ordered by the House of Commons, the foolish boasting of such zealots as Mr. Stowell would be effectually silenced.

We say foolish, because, apart from the character of their teaching, it is most plain that Nonconformists of every class must feel it to be a point of honour, to vindicate their dissent by their circumspection. They must always hear the pointed question of the Lord, “What do ye more than others?" and aim to prove themselves to be "a peculiar people, zealous of good works." This is found to be the case in a neighbouring country also. Protestantism is the nonconformity of France, as its professors dissent from popery, the established religion of that kingdom. There, as in our own land, certain writers have wished to raise the established system of religious instruction at the expense of the Protestant churches, and to extol the influence of the Roman Catholic doctrines and discipline, in order to depreciate those of the reformed. They have, therefore, asserted, with great confidence and apparent impartiality, that the number of Protestant criminals is greater in proportion, than of the Roman Catholic church. Some Protestant gentlemen have, therefore, inquired into the number of unhappy prisoners of each communion that were confined in 1841 in their bagnios and houses of correction; and in L'Almanach Protestant, for 1842, we have the results of their investigation in the following summary:

The Catholic population of France is 33 millions, and the condemned of that communion were 23,748, or as one criminal out of 1389 Roman Catholics.

The Protestant population of France is one million and a half, and the condemned of that communion were 592, or as one criminal out of 2533 Protestants.

The Protestant population of the kingdom being in the proportion of 1 to 20, the criminals should be in the same proportion; whereas,

in point of fact, they are as 1 to 40. Two Roman Catholics are, therefore, condemned for one Protestant, which fact must silence those who contend for the superior moral influence of popery to protestantism on the popular mind.

These "facts and figures" deserve alike the careful consideration of the churchman and the statesman, and doubtless, ought to be sufficient to check those ungenerous aspersions and sweeping censures which have been cast upon the Nonconforming bodies both in Great Britain and France.

NUMBER OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.

THE latest and most correct returns of the Congregational churches are as follow::

These do not include isolated churches in various parts of Europe, and those which have been gathered from amongst the heathen in all parts of the world, by the labours of missionaries sent forth by British and American Congregational churches.

Some Reflections which were penned many years ago by the venerable William Jay, are increasingly applicable to the churches and ministers of the Independent denomination at the present time.

"By inspecting these churches, a man may see how Christian societies are formed, where nothing but toleration is expected from the secular power. He will see that in these communities there is nothing compulsory; all is founded in conviction, in choice, in spiritual friendship. He will see that the calling of the Christian does not sacrifice, but ratifies and sanctifies the rights of the man. He may compare these societies with the primitive churches, when no system was established or endowed. He may observe the adaptation there is in

them to diffuse themselves, and to multiply; their fitness for missionary exertions; their simple, unperplexed, unembarrassed mode of operation in evangelising a heathen country. He may compare them with the profit of the individuals composing them; with the injunctions of Scripture to watch over one another, to consider one another, to provoke one another to love and to good works-with the admonition of the apostle, Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as ye do.' 'Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient unto all men'-with the exercise of brotherly reproof, the support of discipline, the purity of the Lord's table, and our Lord's rule-' If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother; but if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.'—He may take occasion from hence, to inquire, whether there is anything like mystery in church government. He may ask, whether it was necessary for the Scripture to frame any particular or definite system upon the subject. He will see whether the influence which the Gospel supplies, and the general laws it lays down, are not sufficient to guide us in all circumstances; and whether, as where there is no law there is no transgression, any injury can result from different administrations, varying with times and circumstances, and equally allowing of communion with God and social edification.

"But some may be ready to ask, What authority had such men to preach at all? And the question is easily answered with regard to their own people,-their choice and approbation; with regard to the country in which they reside, the law of the land acknowledging, sanctioning, and protecting their labours; with regard to God,-command, inclination, capacity, opportunity, success. Some things are usually and some things are usefully connected with the ministerial office, that are by no means inseparable from the essence of it. Some are not regularly inducted, nor have had an academical entrance. We are far from despising order; or supposing that learning is of little importance. Institutions established to prepare men for their public work, are of great utility; and as God has, in the course of his providence, furnished our churches with them, we would earnestly recommend that those who are encouraged to give up themselves to the ministry of the Word, should avail themselves of the advantage. At the present season we should the more urge it, not only for the invaluable benefits derivable from them, but to suit the character of the times, and the state of many congregations, in which mere zeal would not, as formerly, secure attention; and also to keep back many, who, as one justly

observes, while they declaim against men-made preachers, are fond enough of self-made preachers, and go forth with no advice but from their ignorance-with no consultation but with their own presumption, by which, so many settled ministers have thorns planted in their nests, and schisms formed and upheld in their neighbourhoods. Of old, in Israel, there were schools of the prophets, from which God generally took his servants; and thus he honoured the use of means. But he occasionally called a messenger from a different condition; and by endowing and succeeding him, showed that he was not bound to the use of them. And he does the same now. He gives us rules to go by: but he will not confine himself. While he discountenances the fanatic, he can pour contempt upon the formalist; and teach those who love means, not to idolise them. And when he produces exceptions, the circumstances will justify them; and the general rule will be confirmed, rather than invalidated.*

NOTICE OF THE WYCLIFFE SOCIETY.

THE object of this Society, whose advertisement appears in our advertising pages, is, we believe, generally known to our readers: we are anxious to bespeak in its behalf their kind and prompt attention.

The subscription list must be closed on the 31st instant. On the numbers contained in that list will depend when the Society shall commence operations. As the Provisional Committee are pledged not to publish, nor would it be safe for them to do so, without the full complement of paid-up Subscriptions, they are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the last day of the year, in order that their course may be finally determined upon. The earlier intimation is given of intention to subscribe, the more encouraging and gratifying will it be to the Committee; and should the proposed number of 1500 be ascertained before the day in question, they will proceed forthwith to press, in the hope of placing a volume or two in the hands of the Subscribers at an early period in 1844.

In addition to the ordinary claim of our olden ecclesiastical literature on the respect and veneration of all Nonconformists, there is special reason for resuscitating it at the present moment. The Anglo-Catholic Library, and the Parker Society, are reprinting the works of the orthodox and evangelical Reformers in the English church. The Wodrow and the Spottiswode Societies propose reprinting the corresponding writings of divines in the Scottish church.

Most desirable is it, therefore, that the works of the Reformers, Puritans, and Nonconformists, who advocated religious reformation on Scripture principles only, even, in many cases, to the complete separa

* Memoir of the late John Clark. Works, vol. viii. pp. 414-417.