(whom I knew to have been brought From DG--, Esq. to Mr. "It rejoices me to hear of the success Providence has given to the efforts of the Hibernian Society; and I am confident that the good effects of their proceedings will shortly appear in the reformed manners of the rising generation. Already, in my neighbourhood, the effect has shewn itself: the roads are no longer crowded with naked children, shocking the ears of the well disposed with oaths and curses. God be thanked, they are now learning his word, and will, in time, spread the knowledge of the right way' through this benighted country." From A —H· Schoolmaster at D-, to Mr. B—. "My school is increasing in number, and my pupils are improving in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, which are able to make men wise unto salvation. Like the noble Bereans, some of the Roman Catholics have expressed a wish to read the Bible: I have, therefore, given my school Bibles to two Catholics of this parish, one of whom has three sons in our Testament class, and the other three are children also at my school. These two men manfully told the priest that they thought it a great blessing thus to have the Scriptures put into the hands of their children: on which he said, At this rate there will shortly be no occasion for ecclesiastical teachers,' and left them." From J— H——, a Schoolmaster at D-. "I am sure it will be gratifying to you to know that the youth of this amazingly wicked place are become more moral: the word of God is carefully read by many both young aud old, and its effects may be easily seen. The youngest children in my school will not bear to hear an oath or a lie, without expressing their disapprobation. A person told me lately of the seriousness of his children, and of their remarks at home, when they see any thing improper in his family. One child between five and six years of age, hearing her father swear, told him of God's displeasure at his conduct. Every one was struck with amazement at the behaviour of the child. ، I have the pleasure to say, that my school has increased consider ably. Five Catholic children have returned to it: they are all of one family; and their father says he will no longer submit to the priest's jurisdiction in this respect. The school has increased to 140, and the attendance is better than it has heretofore been." From P-- --, an Inspector. "The schools are doing very well. It is truly gratifying to hear how correctly most of the superior classes repeat their lessons; and still more, to hear the wise and even enlightened responses which many of them make. Some of the teachers seem to be impressed with the importance of learning and believing ihe word of God. Mr. M-- of K-- can correct his pupils with out referring to a book, in any verse from the second to the fourteenth chapter of St. Matthew; and many of them can do so likewise." proportion to that reduction, since the call for the holy Scriptures, from those who had not before been supplied, has been comparatively much greater than at any former time; and among sailors and soldiers generally, the desire to be possessed of Bibles seems progressively gaining ground, hereby confirming, in the most full and gratifying manner, the anticipations of the Society, and exhibiting another instance of the increased demand excited by the dissemination of the word of God. Under these circumstances, instead of relaxing their exertions in consequence of the reduction of the uavy and army, the Society are anxious to impress upon the public mind the motives and necessity for an unremitted activity; convinced that the precious seed which has thus been sown is taking root, with the most cheering prospect of an abundant harvest. NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE instance could scarcely be cited, SOCIETY. THE success that has attended the exertions of the Naval and Military Bible Society during the year pre. ceding its last meeting, and the encouraging prospect of its increasing prosperity, enabled the Committee to present a Report of their proceedings with a satisfaction and a confidence fully equal to that which had been experienced upon any former occasion. The consolidation of peace having necessarily occasioned a considerable reduction in the navy and army, the scope of the Society's operations, particularly with reference to the former, has been greatly diminished; yet by no means in CHRIST. OBSERV. APP. than that which is afforded by comparing the past with the present state of religion in the navy and army. Many thousands of our countrymen, sailors and soldiers, who a few years ago were in a manner without the knowledge of God-Christians in name alone, and therefore equally ignorant of their duty towards God and towards man without any principle of action but that uncertain and fallacious one prompted by unenlightened conscience-and with no motive to do good but fear of the consequences of doing evil, now, by the perusal of the Bible, are made acquainted with Him,' whom to know is eternal life.' That, the study of the Word of 5 U God is calculated to produce a beneficial effect, will not be denied; but it is most gratifying to find this effect so powerfully produced upon the description of persons referred to-men who, from their station in society, have necessarily very limited means of religious instruction, and who from the very nature of their calling, are continually exposed to temptations of the most dangerous kind, to the seductions of idleness and vice on the one hand, and (even if well disposed) to the taunts of folly and wicked ness on the other. Nor is this anticipation of the effects produced founded only upon an abstract view of the subject; for it is from actual observation of the lives and manners of those men who now read their Bibles, compared with their former general character and conduct, that the Society speak thus confidently of the happy consequences resulting from the study of the Word of God. The Committee announce the formation of the "Glasgow Auxiliary Naval and Military Bible Society," and "the Glasgow Female Association" attached thereto.The formation of local committees is an object to which the attention of the Society has been directed, as being next in importance to the establishment of auxiliary societies, both in facilitating the distribution of the Scriptures, and as afford. ing the means of extending the knowledge of the Society, and procuring for it further countenance and support. Soon after the last general meeting, a most efficient local commit tee was established at Edinburgh, under the patronage of the officers at the head of the naval and military departments there, supported by various officers in both services, and several of the most respectable inhabitants.-Owing to the arrangements consequent on the reduction of the army, and other circumstances, the local committees at Woolwich and Colchester have been dissolved: depôts of books, however, have been continued at those places; and others, by the obliging co-operation of zealous friends of the Society, have been established in Dublin and Exeter. At the former important station, a room at the royal barracks has been promised by the general officer commanding the troops in the garrison, in which to establish the depository for the issue of Bibles and Testaments from the head-quarters of the army in Ire land. With regard to the funds of the Society, we are sorry to find a deficiency of 1687. 13s. 6d. in meeting the expenses of the last year. A principal cause of this diminution is to be attributed to the Com mittee not having considered it right, under the peculiar circumstances of the times, to make those appeals to the liberality of the public, through the medium of their clerical friends, which on former occasions have been so productive. The whole of the receipts of the last year were little more than 10007.: the expenses incurred have amounted to 1236/. 7s. 8d. The annual subscriptions, including the arrears paid up during the past year, do not amount to 400l.; while more than 3307, have been received from private soldiers themselves, in return for Bibles and Testaments supplied: of this it is most pleasing to state, that nearly 2007. have been remitted by the army in France. Of the remaining part of these contributions, two remittances from corps in England are specially acknowledged; namely, the sum of 341. 10s. sent by the officer commanding the 36th regiment, as a tribute of gratitude from that corps for the Bibles and Testaments the men had received; and the sum of 14. 3s. 6d. from the soldiers of the 38th regiment, remitted by their commanding officer under similar circumstances. In referring to these past items, the Committee invite particular attention to such manifest and satisfactory proofs of the earnest desire evinced on the part of the soldiers to obtain the holy Scriptures; in pursuance of which the amount of their contributions has this year nearly equalled that of the stated annual subscriptions. There has been a considerable addition to the list of annual subscriber, particularly from officers of both branches of his Majesty's service; in which another proof is afforded of an increased regard for religion, among this important elass of the community. In order to give greater facility to the circulation of the Word of God in the Navy and Army, it was thought expedient to make a further reduction in the prices at which Bibles and Testaments are to be sold to sailors and soldiers; at least with reference to those of the sizes calculated for more general use. This has been done with a view to encourage their sale in preference to gratuitous distribu. tion; thereby bringing the books more within the reach of sailors and soldiers desirous of having them for their own use, or that of their families, and making it unequivocal that the desire is prompted by proper motives, whilst the funds of the Society are thereby relieved of a part of the original cost of the Bibles and Testaments thus put into circulation. Above 4000 Bibles and 6000 Testaments have been issued within the year; of which 1250 copies have been sent to the army in France; nearly 2700 to garrisons in the colonies, and troops embarking for foreign stations; above 3400 to corps, regimental schools, barracks, and hospitals at home; and not less than 2700 to the crews of men of war now in commission on the peace establishment; making altogether an issue of above 10,000 copies of the Word of God in the Navy and Army since the last General Meeting. On account of the pressing demands made from other quarters, it has not hitherto been found practicable to direct much attention to the supply of the British troops serving in the East and West Indies; but the Committee having learned, that an earnest desire had been manifested for the holy Scriptures amongst the soldiers in the king's service at Bombay, which, from a want of books, that Society had the mortification to find themselves totally unable to supply, the Committee felt it their imperative duty to afford the Bombay Bible Society the most prompt and effectual aid; and 250 Bibles, with 500 Testaments, were accordingly shipped in the first vessel sailing for that settlement, consigned to their secre tary, with a request that the Committee would undertake the distribution to those British sailors and soldiers whose wants had become known to them in the course of their pious exertions in the general cause of the Bible Society in India. Another instance has more recently occurred, in which the Society has been called upon for a supply of the Word of God, most earnestly solicited by some British soldiers, through the medium of the Missionaries sent to the heathen several hundred miles up the country from Madras; and a consignment of 200 Bibles and 400 Testaments is now on its way to those truly pious and active servants of God, for distribution to sailors and soldiers serving in that part of British India. The destitute situation of the West-India Black regiments has also occupied the attention of the Society; and they look forward with anxious expectation to the time when increased funds shall enable them to supply those hitherto neglected men with the holy Scriptures, that all among them who thirst may, as well as their European brethren in arms, drink of the "well of living waters."—We need scarcely add how much we We have been for some time looking for a suitable opportunity of abstracting the very important Act passed in the last session of Parliament, (and which begins to be in force from December 31, 1817,) to consolidate the laws relative to the Clergy; and, therefore, gladly avail ourselves of a few pages of our Appendix for the purpose. We agree with the Bishop of Llandaff, though for somewhat different reasons, that this law for the government of the church is of "greater consequence than any ecclesiastical law which has been made since the Reformation." It is, as his lordship states, a Bill "to regulate the conduct of the Clergy in every thing relating to their residence, the performance of their spiritual duties, the extent of their temporal engagements, and the payments to which the Beneficed Clergy are subjected, when their duty is performed by a curate." To the probable effects of some of the provisions adopted in it we have alluded on former occasions, and may possibly again take up the subject at some future period. For the present, we give only an abstract, without comment; referring all parties interested to the Act itself, for the minuter details. Section 1. repeals such of the provisions of 21 Hen. VIII. cap. 13., 28 Hen. VIII. cap. 13., 13 Eliz. cap. 20., 14 Eliz. cap. 11, 18 Eliz cap. 11., 43 Eliz. cap. 9., 3 Car. I. cap. 4., as relate to spiritual persons holding farms; to leases of benefices and livings; to buying and selling, and to residence; and such of 12 Ann. stat. 2. cap. 12., 36 Geo. III. cap. 83., as relate to maintenance of curates. The acts of 43 Geo. III. cap. 84., 43 Geo. III. cap. 109., 53 Geo. Spiritual persons, holding any dignity or benefice, or in any wise ecclesiastically engaged, may not take to farm more than eighty acres, under penalty of 21. yearly per acre; except by consent in writing of their diocesan, setting forth the term of lease, which must not exceed seven years. Penalty may be sued for by informer. No spiritual person holding any dignity or benefice, or otherwise ecclesiastically engaged, shall, by himself or any other for him, carry on any trade or dealing for profit; or deal in any goods, wares, &c. Nothing in this Act is to extend to any spi ritual person for any buying or selling in relation in any wise to the management, &c., of a school, &c.; or for the bona fide purchase for his own household, (although resold at a profit), of any articles whatsoever; or to the purchase or sale of corn or cattle, &c. necessary or convenient for such lands, &c., as he may lawfully hold; unless be sell the same in person in a public market, &c. The penalties on beneficed persons for non-residence without licence or exemption, except they reside at some other benefice, are as follow: For from three to six months, one-third; from six to eight months, one-half; above eight months, two thirds; and for twelve months, three-fourths of the value of the benefice, &c., after deducting all outgoings, except the curate's salary. Penalties, with costs of suit, to the informer. Beneficed persons having no house of residence on their benefice, and residing nine months in the year (within two miles of the church or chapel) in the city, parish, &c., in which the benefice may be situated, are not required to take out licence, but are to be deemed and returned as resident by the bishop. Houses purchased by Queen Anne's bounty, although |