loyalty and affection of my people. I esteem it also a peculiar advantage that I succeed to a Sovereign whose constant regard to the rights and liberties of his subjects, and whose desire to promote the amelioration of the laws and institutions of the country, have rendered his name the object of general attachment and veneration. "Educated in England, under the tender and enlightened care of a most affectionate mother, I have learned from my infancy to respect and love the constitution of my native country. "It will be my unceasing study to maintain the reformed religion as by law established, securing at the same time to all the full enjoyment of religious liberty; and I shall steadily protect the rights, and promote to the utmost of my power the happiness and welfare of all classes of my subjects." The enthusiasm which has attended the proclamation of the Queen cannot be surpassed, and universal gladness is diffused throughout the country at her Majesty's peaceful and auspicious accession. May the God of heaven guide and bless her Majesty's youth, and may all her godly subjects plead in their daily prayers for her happiness and health, remembering that her precious life alone stands between our present national felicity and a state of things which we shudder to realize but for a moment. APPEAL TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN THE CASE OF LADY HEWLEY'S CHARITY. Our readers are aware that the Unitarian Trustees have appealed from the judgment which Lord Lyndhurst gave in this important suit, to the decision of the House of Lords. Application has therefore been made by the Relators, that the Judges should be ordered to attend on the hearing of this appeal by the House of Lords, which was opposed by the Solicitor of the Trustees, but, upon its being mentioned to the Lord Chancellor, he stated that he and Lord Lyndhurst felt it to be a case of such importance as to require the attendance of the Judges, which has been ordered accordingly. Although the previous arrangements of the Judges, and the present state of public business in Parliament, will cause the hearing of this appeal to be deferred till another year, yet we rejoice in this appointment, as it will invest this final adjudication of the case with unusual solemnity, and make the decision, whatever it may be, final upon all analogous cases. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AT DR. WILLIAMS'S LIBRARY. Protestant Dissenters should be reminded that no child born before the 1st of July, 1837, can be registered under the forms of the new Act, and that, therefore, the only mode of recording births, previous to that day, will be through an entry in a Dissenting Register. As it may be presumed that the Chapel Registers in general record the act of Baptism rather than the date of the Birth, the more eligible plan of registration, at the present moment, is to have recourse to the Registry of the Dissenting Deputies, kept at Dr. Williams's Library, Red Cross Street, London, the form of which record is more precise and comprehensive than most Chapel Registers require. The Registration Commissioners will (it is expected) recommend an early transfer of this record (in common with all other Dissenting Registers) to the custody of the Registrar General, clothed with the character of legal evidence. It will then cease to be used for new entries; and no time, therefore, should be lost in entering upon it at once all births, of which it is desired that legal evidence should be preserved. There is no limit to the age at which this entry can be made; and not only any child, but every person, of whatever age, with regard to whom the required certificate (from one or both parents or from one or two persons present at the birth,) can be obtained, may now, (for the short interval that the Register will remain in use) be placed in a situation of having legal registered evidence of his or her birth-an advantage which, if now neglected, can never afterwards be obtained in any form. The printed forms may be purchased for the price of the paper at the Library; the registration fee of a shilling being only payable on presentment for that purpose. OBITUARY NOTICES AND RECENT DEATHS. DEATH OF HIS MAJESTY WILLIAM IV. We cannot record this mournful event in more appropriate language than that supplied by the Supplement to the London Gazette. "On Tuesday morning, the 20th of June, at twelve minutes past two o'clock, our late Most Gracious Sovereign KING WILLIAM the Fourth expired at his castle of Windsor, in the seventy-second year of his age, and the seventh year of his reign. This event has caused an universal feeling of regret and sorrow to his late Majesty's faithful and attached subjects, to whom he was endeared by the deep interest in their welfare which he invariably manifested, as well as by the many manly virtues which marked and adorned his character." On the 28th of May, at Bristol, in the 37th year of his age, the Rev. THOMAS CHIVERS EVERETT. This gifted young minister was educated at Highbury College, and by his attainments, piety, and character, excited very fond expectations of future eminence. He entered upon his public ministry as co-pastor of the first Congregational church at Reading, Berks, being associated with the Rev. A. Douglas. A failure of health compelled him to resign that interesting station, and after a partial recovery he devoted himself to the work of tuition. By his early death, this Magazine has lost an able contributor, and his own family and the Church of God, a lovely friend and faithful minister. At his residence at Ramsgate, Kent, June 5, 1837, the Rev. GEORGE TOWNSEND, in the 82d year of his age. This venerable minister of Christ was born in London 1755, and had his classical education at St. Paul's school. Having received a knowledge of the Gospel amongst the Calvinistic Methodists, he entered upon the ministry under the auspices of the Countess of Huntingdon, and prosecuted his theological studies at her College at Talgarth, in the County of Brecon. We believe he continued a preacher in that connection, supplying her Ladyship's chapels in town and country until 1792, when he became pastor of the ancient Congregational church at Ebenezer Chapel, Ramsgate, over which he presided with fidelity and honour for forty-five years. Mr. Townsend engaged, while in the Countess's connection, in the Socinian controversy, with the celebrated Mr. William Frend. The first pamphlet, which appeared in 1788, was entitled "Testimony for Truth, against Frend, on the Divinity of Christ," which was followed by three others, "The Replication," a "Brief Rejoinder,” and “A Word of Caution against Socinian Poison,” all in 1789. He was one of the founders of the London Missionary Society, and the last survivor of that noble band, who signed the declaration of the Society in 1795. He preached at the Tabernacle on behalf of that Society, at its anniversary in 1802, and the Sermon, which was printed under the title of "The Glory of Messiah," will supply the intellectual reader with a very characteristic specimen of his style of preaching, and power of thought and expression. There was a fond attachment existed between this venerable man and his much-loved brother the late Rev. John Townsend, of Bermondsey, who, with growing years, seemed to grow in mutual affection, and which led them to delight in the thought that the friendship of Christians will be connected by eternal bonds. The universal respect and affection which his blameless and useful life had inspired in the minds of the inhabitants of Ramsgate was strongly displayed on the day of his funeral. Nearly two hundred gentlemen formed the procession, amongst whom were seen several clergymen, and a number of dissenting ministers, the physicians, medical practitioners, the public officers, private gentlemen, and many tradesmen of the town, who united with the trustees, deacons, and members of the church and congregation in paying their last tribute of respect to the worth of this truly estimable minister. The funeral service was commenced in the chapel by the Rev. Thomas Young, of Margate, who read the Scriptures, and offered prayer; the Rev. H. T. Bevis, the present pastor, delivered the address, after which the remains were borne to the grave in the new burial ground belonging to Ebenezer Chapel. During the funeral the bells of the churches were tolled, the colours in the royal harbour and on the churches were lowered to half-mast, and many of the shops were closed, and all united in expressions of regret for the departed. In the evening of the same day, Wednesday, June 14th, the Rev. William Chapman, of Greenwich, preached the funeral sermon from a text chosen by the deceased, Psalm 84, ult., "This God is our God, &c." On the 6th of June, and in the 60th year of his age, died, at his residence in Middleton Square, Pentonville, the Rev. WILLIAM BROADFOOT, for many years a faithful, laborious, and successful minister of the United Secession Church of Scotland. He left a sphere of pastoral usefulness in the north to become minister of the Secession Congregation assembling at Oxendon Chapel, Coventry Street, London, previously under the pastoral care of the Rev. George Jermant. Here he continued to labour to an attached people, till a painful affection of his voice compelled him to relinquish the public duties of the ministry. His health having partially recovered, he was appointed by the Trustees of Cheshunt College to the Theological Chair in that institution, on the resignation of the Rev. William Kemp, the late President, in December, 1830. He was Deputy Chairman to the Committee of Examination of the London Missionary Society, and a leading member of the body of the Three Denominations, in whose recent discussions respecting the Unitarian Secessions, he took a decided and faithful part. He was respected as a father and loved as a brother by his metropolitan associates in the ministry, a large body of whom attended his funeral at Bunhill Fields, when his esteemed associate, the Rev. J. K. Foster, the Classical Tutor at Cheshunt, delivered an appropriate address, and his friend, the Rev. J. Young, offered prayer, who also preached his funeral sermon on the succeeding Sabbath at Albion Chapel. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, &c. Favours have been received from the Rev. Drs. Bennett-J. P. SmithHenderson-Rev. Messrs. J. Wall-J. Leifchild-H. J. Rook-Robt. Lang -J. Morison-R. H. Shephard-Algernon Wells. Also from Messrs. C. J. Metcalfe-W. Stroud, M. D.-T. T. Sadler-Hull Terrell-W. A. Hankey-Joshua Wilson-Wm. Jones-Joseph Blower. We beg to invite the attention of our readers to the advertisement respecting Dr. Morrison's Library, which appears on the cover, and to the Appeal on behalf of India that is stitched up with this Magazine. AT THE OPENING OF THE SESSION, OCT. 31, 1836, BY THE REV. J. II. MERLE D'AUBIGNÉ, Translated from the French, as published in the Archives du Christianisme, No. 23, 1836. GENTLEMEN,-The Holy Scriptures declare that you have been bought with a price; that the Son of God has given his life for his sheep; that you are no longer your own, but belong to that Being who has appropriated you to himself by the death of his Son. Were young persons who live devoted to themselves or the world, to squander the time that is allotted to them, and abuse the faculties with which they are endowed, it would be considered, even by' worldly wisdom, as the height of folly; but how much more astonishing would be that folly were you guilty of it; you whose time and faculties are no longer your own, but all belong to that Almighty and Eternal Lord who has saved you by his blood? This, Gentlemen, is the thought that ought to be predominant over every thing I may bring forward, while pressing the precept given by the apostle to his disciple, Timothy, "Give attendance to reading, exhortation, and instruction." What vast intellectual activity, Gentlemen, is abroad in these our days! How widely is light and knowledge extending itself on every side! And ought any task to appear more easy than that of imbuing with the deep importance of solid learning those who devote themselves to the holy ministry? Yet still the task is extremely difficult. Here, instead of that ardour in the acquirement of knowledge, which we see spreading throughout almost every rank in society, how often is a man contented VOL. I. N. S.-VOL. XX. 3 Q with the very lowest degree of attainment which is absolutely necessary, makes but a slender progress in useful knowledge, and has hardly commenced the duties of a pastor or preacher of the gospel, ere the little he did possess is all expended. This is the great evil which must be remedied before the Christian Church again holds an honourable and prominent station in the world. The minister of Christ ought to be able to expound the Word of God, to resolve difficulties, to combat errors, to conduct to truth; and to do this too with perspicuity, solidity, and efficacy. What study, then, is necessary for this great work? Let us take out of the various branches of divinity one only for an example, namely, doctrinal theology, and from this let us select a single question of dispute, namely, the Arminian, or Semi-pelagian controversy, one of such pressing importance in all our churches; how diligently must we labour before we possess a full and perfect knowledge of this subject in all its bearings! And how many are there teachers in Israel who have never acquired such knowledge! If, however, the student in Theology neglect these labours, what fruits must be expected from so weak and imperfect a ministry. He will come in contact with infidels more or less instructed, and will not be able to measure himself with them; a discussion will arise on some difficult point, and he will remain confounded, producing only the most unsatisfactory arguments. Deplorable ignorance! whose first effects will be the disgrace of the ministry, inasmuch as we cause the world to regard it only as the refuge of uninstructed and superstitious minds ;-the contempt of the Bible, because we have been unable to maintain its truth and grandeur;-the triumph of infidelity, because we have not unmasked its deception; and what is still more, the loss of immortal souls, who have been left to perish by us who ought to have been the means of their salvation; who have been left to perish, through our idleness, through the injurious prodigality of our time, and the obstinate carelessness with which we have regarded the labours of our academical career. Unhappy ministry! A ministry of perdition, not of salvation. Is this, Gentlemen, the example set us by the great luminaries of the christian church? Instance John Calvin. Know ye what answer he gave to the thundering voice of Farel, when he earnestly urged him, on his return to Basle and Strasbourg, to remain at Geneva? I must pursue my studies. This man, who had already filled France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany with his name, who had published the most astonishing work on Theology of which the christian church could ever boast; this man, whom Scaliger had already pronounced the most accomplished scholar in Europe, we see convinced that he does not yet possess enough knowledge to fulfil all the duties of a minister of Christ. It was necessary that he should still pursue his studies. But, it may be said, we shall hereafter be able to supply all our deficiencies, and acquire the knowledge we may have neglected. No, gentlemen, you will not acquire it. This we know is the prospect, of which so many students flatter themselves, and on which |