heavy tax; in the abolition of the middle tenantry; in the rational supply of education, and in the diffusion of that variety of comforts which makes the English peasantry a happy and contented people. By these means the tyrannical authority of the priesthood would be gradually diminished; the agitator O'Connell, and his crew, would sink into the insignificance of Hunt and Cobbett among ourselves, and Emancipation would be rendered unnecessary by the speedy diffusion of Protestantism. The measure now before Parliament has been aptly illustrated by the Scripture proverb, of giving a stone to those who ask for bread.

Having disposed of the expediency of breaking in upon the Constitution, we have but a few words to say upon the securities which are offered for its INVIOLATE preservation. The citadel is first to be surrendered, the enemy are to be admitted within the walls, and we are then to be secured against the plunder of the soldiery, and the entire demolition of the fortress! This, it must be owned, is something, provided we can trust to the guarantee. Let us then see what these boasted securities are: and to any one, who is even superficially acquainted with the history of Romanism-of which, by the way, there is a pitiful ignorance within the walls of Parliament, as the subjoined letter from one of our correspondents will testify-their value will be duly appreciated. Two state-offices, forsooth, are to be reserved exclusively for Protestants; at least till the first Catholic Parliament shall decree otherwise: Catholic Bishops are not to assume the titles of Protestant Sees; as if Dr. Doyle will be a whit less powerful, as Vicar Apostolic at Clackmanan, than as titular Bishop of Dublin: and an oath is to be administered to Catholic and Protestant members equally, which it is immoral in the legislature to offer, but which a Catholic will take upon the principle that it is meritorious to break faith with heretics, and that he can be absolved from its obligation at any time that it may rest heavy upon his conscience. We know that in answer to the queries, proposed by Mr. Pitt to the Catholic Universities, it was unanimously affirmed, that no such doctrine was maintained in their Church, as the unlawfulness of keeping faith with heretics. But to this declaration we could oppose a multiplicity of Bulls, Indulgences, and acts of Councils, which are too well known to our readers to require republication. It should seem, therefore, that the divines who returned the answer were either ignorant of the constitution of their own Church, or at the very time of dictating the answer, were acting upon the very maxim, of which they deny the existence. Can such shameless perfidy be trusted under any securities?

We have said enough to evince our hostility to the proposed concessions, and our reasons for such hostility. If the unaccountable perfidy of those we trusted has betrayed us into a tone of expression which may seem too strong for the pages of a Christian Remembrancer, we trust that our anxiety for the welfare of the Church of Christ, and especially the reformed part of it established within these realms, and the honest indignation which we feel at the snares which are laid for its overthrow, will be a sufficient excuse with our readers. It is only from the fear of giving vent to language, which might be construed

by some into a "speaking evil of dignities," which deters us from delivering our sentiments on the conduct of those Prelates, who have ranked themselves among the number of those "who have evil will at Zion."

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR, -In reading parliamentary speeches on ecclesiastical and Christian matters, I am often surprised at the ignorance of history, opinions, Scripture, and the constitution of our own Church, displayed by men whose very acceptance of a seat involves a pledge of information on all these subjects. A recent instance of this kind I beg to notice :-Mr. Twiss is reported to have said, on the second reading of the Constitution-breaking bill, "If Roman Catholics were not Christians, then had the world been strangers to Christianity for thirteen centuries after the coming of Christ." The only sense which I can elicit from these words is, that Romanism was the religion of the world for the first thirteen centuries of the Christian æra: in other words, Catholicism is true Christianity. Is it possible that Mr. Twiss could have uttered such a sentiment? Let me hope that his meaning has been disguised. I shall not stay here to point out the dates of the successive corruptions introduced into Christianity by Rome,dates on which any man possessing such knowledge of history as every MEMBER OF THE BRITISH SENATE ought to possess, can immediately lay his finger; this has been already done in a masterly manner in the "Friendly and Seasonable Advice," lately edited by Mr. Hook but let us ask Mr. Twiss, if such be his deliberate opinion, why does he sit in a [yet] Protestant House of Commons? Romanism be pure Catholic primitive Christianity, why is not Mr. Twiss a Romanist? Still more, how does he reconcile his conscience to the oath which he has taken, that he believes this same perfect and apostolical Christianity to be AN IDOLATROUS SUPERSTITION?

If

Well may we re-echo the language of the pious and patriotic prophet-" As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people! they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths!"*

A CATHOLIC Of the Church of England.

FEE FOR OPENING VAULTS.

MR. EDITOR,-Perhaps one of your correspondents can inform me what fee the incumbent of a Church is entitled to demand for the burial of a member of a family in a vault belonging to that family in his Church, or in the part of the Church where the family have for years been accustomed to bury, although no regular vault has been built.

Where there is no such vault, or has been no such custom in regard to a family, I presume the incumbent has power absolutely to refuse permission to disturb the pavement of his Church, or to have any burial take place within it. And in this case he may, therefore, make

Is. iii. 12. "The WEAK GOVERNORS are called metaphorically children and women." -DR. LOWTH.

an arbitrary demand for granting such permission. But in the cases before specified, unless he is at liberty to refuse permission altogether to the family to deposit more bodies where they have hitherto been accustomed to bury, he cannot, I presume, make the same demand. But, if there be a customary fee for burials within the Church, he must limit himself to this. And, if there be no such acknowledged customary fee, owing to the rarity of the occurrence, he cannot enforce a demand beyond the common burial fee. How is this? The case being new to me, I should be obliged by information from any who are competent to give it.* M.

ANTI-SLAVERY REPORTER.

Mr. EDITOR,-It is to thinking minds a source of painful reflection, that in the rapid diffusion of Christianity in the present times, the spirit of Christianity is not more observable. Reproof, even when deserved, is not offered in the tone of Christian gentleness; and the character of individuals is often assailed, without sufficient investigation of the facts, on which the charge is founded.

These feelings are excited by a perusal of a late number of the AntiSlavery Reporter;-and deeply interested as I am in the propagation of the Gospel among the Slaves of the West Indies, and in the heathen world generally, I feel sure that I am most effectually aiding the cause of divine truth, by offering some remarks on the number alluded to.

The Sermons, from which the extracts are taken (pp. 413, &c.) it must be remembered were all delivered by members of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. They must be considered, therefore, as the voice of the Society itself. The Society thus, since the year 1711, at a period, when no other Society interested in the evangelization of slaves was in existence, was almost annually revolving the great question, and devising means for carrying their beneficent views into execution. Catechists were sent out-catechists reported to the Society their exertions, and their failure, and if the reason for this failure be sought, it is to be found in the demoralizing influence of the Slave-trade. Until this traffic was abolished, and the constant influx of African superstition and of scarcely human manners was effectually checked, it was almost impossible to expect success. Then there commenced a new era in the British colonies; and although the Society were certainly tardy in availing themselves of the new state of things, an efficient system was adopted in 1818, which, under the grace of God is beginning to bring forth much fruit.

The advocate of the Society alluded to in p. 419, (who certainly was not the Secretary) was mistaken in supposing the use of the whip finally abolished. It ought to have been so; and according to the express injunctions of the Society, is now forbidden.

In p. 420, the Reporter states that Mr. Pinder, the Chaplain," has been familiarized to the sight and contact of slavery from infancy." I have the means of knowing that Mr. Pinder spent one year (viz. 1799,) of his early childhood in England-left Barbados, his native land, at the

We refer our correspondent for the present to the report of the case Bryan versus Whistler," in our Number for July, 1828, p. 446.

age of thirteen; and after receiving his education at the Charterhouse, graduated at Caius College, Cambridge, and did not return to Barbados till the latter end of 1818, when he commenced his labours as Missionary to the Slaves on the Society's plantations. Mr. Pinder is, it is true, a holder of domestic slaves, four in number. But judging from the fact, of his having manumitted one at considerable expense to himself, (who became his property at her own earnest request) and of his having promised manumission to the others, when christian character qualifies them for the boon, I cannot think that he need be uneasy at the imputation of being a slave-holder.

Mr. Clarke, the Society's agricultural attorney, is stated, in terms not very delicate, to have exercised the lowest offices of coercion as a slave director. We have inquired into the facts, and have been assured, that Mr. Clarke, to use plain terms, was brought up as a manager by a relation of his; and that he was never called upon to submit to the low and harsh employment, as asserted, p. 420, “ of following with a cow-skin the negro gang in the field." This office is usually assigned to a slave of good and trustworthy character. But as the Reporter declares that he does not mean to derogate from the respectability, or impeach the intentions of these gentlemen, I shall pass on to another topic.

In page 421. When the Society stated, that "no regular system of religious teaching had been provided," it is obvious that they meant to say, not that no kind of teaching whatever had been adopted, but that no chapel had been erected, and no minister provided exclusively for their slaves. This is obvious from a reference to their previous reports, where catechists are spoken of as giving instruction. Writing and arithmetic were excluded, it may be supposed, from a just deference to public opinion: inasmuch as no immediate benefit could result to the slaves; and the time which would have been thus spent, could be far more profitably employed in learning to read, and in receiving into their hearts, those truths which should make them wise unto salvation.

In the same page, fault is found because the children could only read the New Testament. Surely this was the thing of most consequence; and it being the head-class book generally in parish schools, we may conclude that they were able to read the Old Testament as well as other books.

In stating, a little further on, that "the children quitted the school at ten-that the instruction was restricted to children under ten years-and that the adult population were excluded from acquiring the capacity to read the Word of God,"-the Reporter strangely omits to remark, what would have prevented this unkind imputation, namely, the following regulation: "That there shall be a Sunday School, for the accommodation of those, who either from being superannuated, or from having neglected past opportunities, may desire to benefit by the advantages now afforded them; and particularly as a plan for continuing those in habits of useful knowledge, who shall hereafter quit the school." Here, then, is the very provision made, which is so urgently demanded by the Reporter; and, we are sorry to add, that it follows the very words last quoted by him. The Society's

reports prove that the Sunday School has continued in operation; and in Mr. Pinder's Letter, 1825, there were twenty-five who regularly attended. I am also sorry to observe such a remark as this:-" The Creole agents well knew what an indulgence even a cup of cold water was. They had, doubtless, seen gangs toiling for many a burning hour, without even one drop of water to cool their tongues!" Such remarks can do no good. They injure the soul of him who suffers himself to write them. They exasperate the West Indian mind; and they shut out the co-operation of many who are heartily desirous of meliorating and elevating the condition of the slave.

In page 422, the subject of marriage is discussed; in which I cannot help thinking that the Reporter regards marriage too much in the light of a civil contract, when he speaks of Heathens and Infidels marrying. The Society speaks of it only with reference to the rites. of the Church of England. For myself I cannot imagine to what but "the influence of religion" the chaplain could look forward, for putting an end to polygamy. The weapons of his warfare are spiritual. He might regret that there was no legal sanction: he might be disappointed that his sermons were disregarded, his advice neglected, and his warnings despised. His Divine Master was scorned before him, and his instruction set at nought. But in Mr. Pinder's letter I do not find him, as it is alleged, arrogantly talking of the slaves living in concubinage and polygamy, until his labours shall make them Christians. But I do see him, looking forward to the free coloured class as setting the example-and to that example as followed by the higher grades of slaves. In short, I find him using means, and trusting to the blessing of the Redeemer who has promised to be with his ministers, even to the end of the world.

I have heard many instances from gentlemen who have been to the West Indies corroborative of Mr. Pinder's assertion, that the Negro looks on the woman as his wife-and the wife on the man as her husband and I have heard cases of fidelity brought forward, which would put to the blush many that have ratified the bond by the sacred solemnities of the altar. None but must long to see the day when polygamy is unheard of amongst the West Indian labourers: though the vision tarry, we will wait for it.

In page 413, there is a remark on the illicit cohabitation of slaves; that is, their living together as man and wife, without legal registry, or without the marriage service, as being a bar to the reception of the Lord's Supper. The pious and pure-minded Doddridge, in a note on the words 1 Tim. iii. 2, "the husband of one wife,' expresses it as his opinion, that in the early admission of Gentiles to the Christian religion, the line adopted was this: The standard of Christian virtue was held up, by allowing none to become a Christian minister who was the husband of more than one wife. But that no man was repelled from Christ altogether, who had ignorantly done this thing." With him I must agree; and should not dare to refuse the bread of life to the soul of the poor Negro that hungered for it, and against whom no other charge could be brought, than that, in the times of ignorance, he had formed a connexion with two wives, and they with him. I would endeavour to convince him that he had