any other society which had the same object in view, and was labouring to effect the same end, the dissemination of Christianity over the habitable globe.

His Lordship was a friend to the Bible Society; because it could operate where, from national custom, or the prevalence of different sentiments, the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge would not obtain admis sion. The universality of the object proposed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and its tendency to unite all Christians (however divided on subjects of minor concern) in the bonds of Christian sympathy and be nevolence, gave it, in his Lordship's mind, a powerful claim to universal support. The noble Earl concluded a speech of great energy, liberality, and decision, by stating, that in accepting the office of President, he had considered that he was performing an act of duty; and if his influence had the happy effect of benefiting the Society, his end was fully answered; and he should feel it bis duty to persevere the zealous friend of the British and Foreign Bible Society as long as he existed.

On quitting the chair, his Lordship presented the Society with a second donation of £ 50.

The patronage of the Prime Minister thus afforded to the British and Foreign Bible Society, is the best possible answer to the malevolent assertions of its adveraries, who charge it with designs against the State.

THE defendants were placed upon the floor of the Court, on the motion of Mr. Dauncey, to receive the sentence of the Court for a riot, in disturbing a congregation of Methodists at Newnham, on the 8th of January, 1815. It appeared that they, with about 100 others, had beset the place of meeting of the Methodists; had first driven out the congregation, by beating in the windows and throwing down the chimney; and then assaulted and ill-treated them, with sticks, stones, and brickbats. After hearing counsel on both sides, the Court ordered that they should be severally im

prisoned in the gaol of Gloucester for three calendar months.

Several other persons have been convicted at the Gloucester Assizes of the same offence; but their sentence is deferred on a point of law, The chapel it seems has been destroyed by fire; and it appeared on evidence against one of the rioters, that he thought there was no more crime in killing a Methodist than in shooting a crow.'

ORDINATIONS.

REV. B. Williams, late of Ruthin, having accepted the unanimous call of the church at Bagillt and Flint (hitherto connected with the Independent church at Holywell) was set apart, Nov. 6, to the pastoral office there. In the forenoon, Mr. R. Williams preached from Rev. xix. 7; and Mr. Jones, of In the Holywell, from Deut. iv. 4. afternoon, Mr. Powell, of Mold (in

English) from Psalm Ivi. 16; and Mr. Davies, of Denbigh, from Matt. xxiv.37.

Nov. 15. The Rev. John Nelson Goulty, of the Old College, Homerton, and late of Godalming, in Surry, Protestant Independent Dissenters, at was ordained pastor of the church of Henley upon Thames.

On the preceding evening, Mr. Hughes, of Battersea, delivered a preparatory discourse, from 2 Cor. iii. 2. Messrs. Eisdell, of Enfield, Jefferson, of Basingstoke, and Dr. Collyer, engaged in prayer. The morning service was opened with prayer and reading, The by Mr. Douglas, of Reading. Winter, of Newbury; in the course of introductory discourse by Mr. John which, at his request, the proceedings of the church were read by J. Benwell, Esq.; after which, Mr. Goulty express Winter offered the ordination prayer, ed his acceptance of the call, and Dr. with laying on of hands. Dr. J. P. Smith delivered the charge, from Jer. xxiii. 28; Dr. Collyer preached to the people from Hebrews xiii. 17; and Mr. Cook, of Maidenhead, concluded. On the evening Mr. Jay, of Bath, delivered a solemn and appropriate discourse,

from Ezekiel xlvii. 1-12.

Messrs.

Adkins and Hunt (of Chichester) prayed before the sermon, and Dr. Winter concluded.-The place of worship was exceedingly crowded; and upwards of 40 ministers were present on the occasion. The services of the day, it is expected, will be published.

Nov. 16. The Rev. Herbert Tyler, formerly of Homerton Academy, and late of Sawston, Cambridgeshire, was publicly set apart to the pastoral

longer wanted, and found in great dis tress, with no other means of subsistence than as beggars. Some instances have occurred of death, in the most deplora ble circumstances. We understand that about fifty of these unhappy men were found in the most extreme distress at Billingsgate. Being brought to the Mansion-honse by the proper officers, their case was immediately attended to, and arrangements made between his Lordship and the Secretary of State, whereby all foreign sailors, whether white or black, are to be received on board a ship, and provided for until they can be sent to their respective countries. And we have much pleasure in adding, that Sir Home Popiam, as Commander in Chief on the home station, bas humanely rendered every facility in his power to this benevolent object.

It is to be regretted that the officers of various parishes, where many of these men have been found, have neglected the case of these unhappy strangers, a considerable proportion of whom would have come more properly under the jurisdiction of the County Magis.

trates.

At a Meeting of the Committee of" the Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty," held at the New London Tavern, Cheapside, on December 5, 1815,

SAMUEL MILLS, Esq. in the chair, It was unanimously Resolved,

past and useful efforts, and for their judicious and liberal disposition to maintain, on behalf of the Protestants of France, those great Principles of Refigious Freedom which this Committee most devoutly approve, and are appointed to protect.

2. That, desirous to co-operate with the British Government in conduct so enlightened and beneficent, this Committee will continue to observe the measures which may occur in France, and will neither abate their vigilance, nor their humble but utmost exertions, until the Protestants of that country shall practically, perfectly, and permanently exercise that Liberty of Worship, and those Rights of Conscience, which the Constitutional Charter of their own Monarch has justly recognized; which bis recent Ordonnance has wisely reassured, and which they, and every man throughout the world, are entitled to enjoy. T. PELLATT, Secretaries J. WILKS,

}

The following paragraph shews the dread ful state of ignorance and superstition which prevails upon the Continent.

Nov. 14. A dreadful crime was committed at Onkerzeele, near Grammont :A woman, fifty years of age, enjoying a decent fortune, the mother of seven children, has been roasted alive on suspicion of sorcery. A farmer had a daughter, 20 years of age, who was seized with a lins gering disorder; instead of applying for medical aid, he, doubtless, applied to His daughter was charmed. The question Soothsayers, and persuaded himself that was to discover the sorceress; his suspicions fell on a female neighbour, whom the enticed into his house, where she had shut the doors and the windows, and, in never before set foot. He immediately concert with his wife and sick daughter, after loading this unfortunate woman with maledictions, and after having used the most urgent importunities to make her confess her pretended crime, and reverse the charm, these barbarous wretches, without regard to her oaths of innocence, and to her tears, bound her hand and foot, strack her several blows with a sabre, which wounded her body and arms, and threatened her with the most horrible death: they immediately lighted a fire, which they renewed thrice, and on which they placed her several times. happy woman was thus tortured for three hours, without being able to call for help, because her assassins stopped her mouth. It was not till the murdererssaw her dying, and begging for the priest to attend her in her last moments, that they left her to fetch the Ecclesiastic, by

This un

Brunmark, have enabled the Committee to purchase £2500. four per cent. annuities; which will produce £100. per annum for Mrs. Brunmark and fa mily. The account of the subscrip. tion, with the list of subscribers, may be had (gratis) of Mr. Hatchard, Piccadilly; or Mr. Seeley, Fleet Street.

The next Quarterly Meeting of the Sunday School Union will be held in Silver Street chapel, on Wednesday evening, Jan. 17, at half past six o'clock; when, after the usual reports are read, the following adjourned question will be discussed: Are Monitors desirable or useful in Sunday Schools ?'

A statement in a Boston newspaper makes the present population of the United States of America 7,239,000. The States of New York and Virginia contain nearly one million each.

REV. C. BUCK.

THE friends of the Widow of the late Rev. Charles Buck, are requested to meet at the Missionary Rooms, in the Old Jewry, on January 9, at Twelve o'Clock, precisely, To make final arrangements relative to the sums collected for the benefit of the family.-Those persons who have obtained any addi tional contributions, are particularly requested to transmit them to the Rev. Matthew Wilks; or to send them to the place of Meeting by the above-mentioned date.

IT is with no ordinary degree of pleasure that we record the energy and the success of the exertions of the Committee of Dissenting Ministers, in behalf of the persecuted and too long neglected Protestants in France. The expression of public feeling which they have called forth, has already quickened the steps of the authorities in France; and the contributions which are liberally and cheerfully presented, will most essentially assist those who have suffered the loss of all things, on account of their religious profession.

Two circular Letters have been addressed by the Committee to their brethren throughout the united kingdom. The first containing an account of their proceedings, and requesting collections from all the friends of religion and humanity. The second, containing the melancholy proofs of the massacres, spoliations, and outrages which have been for months the order of the day against the professors of the Reformed Religion. It is impossible to peruse this short but luminous and connected history of the horrid efforts of fanaticism, without full conviction of their existence, and without an anxions desire to check their progress and alleviate their effects. We are happy to

We

learn, that the contents of this letter, with additional information, will be published by the Committee, in a cheap form; and the profits of the sale be ap propriated to the general fund. now lay before our readers extracts from letters of recent date, received by the Committee from France; some of them in answer to enquiries, others written since they have been informed of the exertions of the Committee in favour of their afflicted brethren.

'I hasten to communicate what news I can collect from the fugitives, whom dire necessity compells to seek for refuge from their blood-thirsty neigh hours. I long to hear what effect the intelligence of our miseries has produced on our Protestant brethren in your country. You must be conscious that thousands are now looking with an imploring eye to a nation so renowned for the exercise of Christian charities and Christian graces. I am sorry to say that the unhappy situation of Nismes is scarcely to be paralleled in the présent tranquil state of Europe.

For many weeks the horrid system of pillage, expatriation, and murder, has been pursued with unabated ardour. Some trifling efforts for protection have been shewn by some in authority; but

nothing of consequence till lately. The eyes of Englishmen will soon be opened to see that, notwithstanding the base calumnies of our enemies, the object of our indefatigable foes has been not political, but the Protestant faith and the Protestant worship. To annihilate the former and destroy the latter has been their aim by night and by day. The night of the 16th of October last seemed destined by the infernal demon that suggested the massacre of St. Bartholomew's day, as the period when a finish should be given to the proceedings in Nismes by the extermination of every Protestant, and the murder of every family of the reformed faith. Troops of assassins had actually formed the bloody project of putting to death all the abhorred remnant that remained in that unfortunate city.

The assassins of our brethren have too long been suffered to proceed with impunity, but may we not now hope that, by the justice of the King, those wretches who have slaughtered so many innocent victims, --laid waste and burnt so many houses in the town, and such a number of chateaus and estates, the property of our respectable Protestants in the country, shall we not indulge the hope, that they will at length meet the reward of their crimes, and others be deterred from pursuing us with fire and massacre, because, without molesting them, we humbly venture to worship God according to the dictates of our consciences. You will not be surprized to hear that the Protestants still live in constant dread. All those who have property have quitted, and have sought an asylum in Lyons, Bourdeaux, and Paris; and to these more tranquil places the merchants and tradesmen are daily taking flight. The manufactories and other monuments of Protestant industry, are all abandoned; our wretched mechanics are either murdered, or perishing in the forests, or wandering in other towns, bereaved of their dearest connections, forced from their means of subsistence, and seeking daily bread: Lamen. v. 1, 2, 3. Out of five ministers, four have been obliged to fly; and the churches, shut for months, have no prospect of being re-opened, as no Protestants dare assemble for divine worship, for fear of their persecutors. Write me with as much circumspection as possible, and say if your esteemed brethren commiserate the calamities of the persecuted Protestants.'

Another.

"Since the publication of the Memoir, intended for the defence of the Protestants in the South, tranquillity is by no

means restored in that country.``The fanatics continue to persécute and massacre those who profess a religion dif ferent from their own, In the month of September last, on the eve of the election of the Chamber of Deputies, forty-two persons were butchered, that the electors being terrified might not name any of the Protestants. In the night of the 16th or 17th of October, they had formed the plan of a general massacre; and they had begun to carry it into execution.'

The writer then proceeds to give a long and most distressing account of the horrid scenes of the 8th of Noventber, when an unsuccessful attempt, was made by the Protestants to re-open one of their places of worship; which object they have since found it neces sary, for the present, entirely to aban don: and concludes by saying, “Things are at present more tranquil; but all those who have pecuniary means, desert this unhappy city, and the others are in a state the most deplorable. Next to God, all our hope is in the justice of the King, and in the benevolence of our brethren of all countries." Another,

I hope for better times,-persecutions and fears keeping the Protestant churches and their ministers in a state of inactivity. I rejoice to hear that there has been a General Meeting of our dissenting brethren in London. I hope that meeting will produce good effects; and that it may send some pecuniary assistance to those poor families, who have been deprived of all the means of subsistence by the dreadful persecutions which they have endured, and which are not yet finished. O send to them some pious and zealous English ministers, to distribute to them comforts and assistance !'

Another.

I received your letter two days ago, it was health to my bones. The time is at length arrived when the English churches take an interest in those of France. I thank you, in the name of 570 churches and nearly two millions of Frenchmen- verily ye have your reward.'

Independently of the immediate good that will result from collecting in your country, the measure will create a more lasting interest in the fate of the churches on the continent; and this I trust will produce the most important consequences;-yes, rouse, support, and animate the churches of France, and they may conduct the electric fluid to the extremities of the Continent.'