METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL at WALSALL, from Oct. 23, to Nov. 22, 1834, inclusive.

The situation of Walsall is so near the Centre of England, that its Temperature may be taken as the
Average of the whole Kingdom.-
-Latitude 52°, 34', 30′′ N Longitude 1°, 57', 0" W-Thermometer
in the shade NW aspect.

* Nov. 3d, (Monday) a little before 8 P. M. a luminous arch was seen, in appearance much like the Milky-Way, but considerably more brilliant; commencing between Jupiter and the Pleiades in the east, and ending near Altair a Aquila in the west; its greatest height being about 65 to 70 degree; it had a nebuloss appearance, and the stars were distinctly seen through it; after a short time it separated rather rapidly, in masses-and in about twenty minutes it wholly disappeared. If it were not an electrical phenomene: # might, probably have been occasioned by an extraordinary refraction of the sun's ray.

It is universally acknowledged, that professional men, of every class, in this country, are generally so circumstanced as to forbid the accumulation of property equal to the support of themselves or their families in the event of premature decay or early death,

This is especially true of Dissenting Ministers, whose limited incomes rarely permit them to provide for the contingencies of human affairs, whilst the duties of their office often expose them to disorders which suddenly paralyze their energies, or extinguish life.

Depression must, therefore, be frequently felt by the laborious Pastor, when he realizes the casualties of existence, and remembers that he is unable to provide for his own comfort, or that of his family, should Divine Providence disable him from the discharge of his official duties, or suddenly remove him to heaven.

A Church and Congregation, too, that are affectionately attached to their Pastor, must also anticipate with gloomy apprehensions the possible failure of his physical or intellectual energies, conscious, as a poor people must be, that they should not be able, at the same time, to provide for his own comfortable support under the pressure of such a calamity, and also secure to his successor a respectable maintenance.

a

It is unquestionably the duty, therefore, of persons, so circumstanced, to avail themselves of that system of Mutual Assurance which philosophical observance of the usual order of nature and the common laws of mortality has suggested.

Such a system, based as it now is on nice and accurate calculations of risk and adventure, confers on all the parties who engage in it, pecuniary security against the sad vicissitudes of life.

To bring this method of providing for the uncertain future before their brethren, the Committee of the CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ENGLAND AND WALES have, under the sanction of the two last annual Assemblies of that body, already published a plan of the Congregational Ministers' Mutual Assurance Society, which has been extensively circulated. They now present to their brethren and the churches the following Tables, which have been calculated by an eminent Actuary, and will explain the various methods by which the advantages of the proposed Institution may be secured. The Rev. James Bennett, D.D. Thos. Wilson, Esq.

Wm. Hunter, Esq. and
T. M. Coombs, Esq.

The Rev. George Clayton, The Rev. Thos. James, have consented to act as Trustees, and it only remains, therefore, for the Committee to ascertain to what extent it is probable the projected Institution will be patronized.

As they are only authorized to carry it into execution, when they shall ascertain that three hundred policies will be effected, they earnestly invite the immediate attention of the Congregational Ministers and Churches to the following Tables, and the explanatory examples at the foot of each, as they feel persuaded that they will awaken, in many minds, a solicitude to participate in the advantages of such a system of Mutual Assurance.

TABLE I.

Showing the Single and Annual Premiums for insuring £100 on a

single life.

TABLE II.

Showing the Single and Annual Premiums for insuring £100, to be paid on the demise of either of two assigned lives, Ä, and B.

7 15 10
8 13 5

60

72

4 2

9 19 10

40

58

Age of

Single

A B

Premium.

£ s. d.

47 18 10
49 2 5

35

45

60 66 2 11

55 64 10

6

67 6 1

50 65

0

7 18

7 3 4

EXAMPLE I. A person, whose age, next birth-day, will be 30 years,
may assure £100, by paying down £39. 58. 10d.; or by paying £2. 9s. 9d.
annually,

EXAMPLE II. A minister may assure £500, to be paid at the death of
his wife, whose present age is 24 years, by paying annually the sum of

The Rev. John Brown, who is in the 45th year of his age, should pay £11. 18. Od. annually to assure £300 to be paid at his death. For suma greater or less than £100, the premium must be increased or diminished proportionally.

EXAMPLE I. What must be paid annually to assure £100, to be paid at the death of whichever may die first of two persons, whose ages are 30 and 35 years respectively, the Dayment of premiums to cease at the first death ?--Ans. £4. 108. 5d. EXAMPLE II. The single payment requisite to assure £200 at the death of either In using this Table, look for the corresponding ages of the parties to be assured in the and B, and in the same line will be found the single and annual Premium

two persons, whose ages are 20 and 30, is £100. 19s. 2d.

Showing the Single and Annual Premiums for insuring £100, to be paid at the death of the *survivor of two assigned lives, A and B, i, e. at the death of the longest liver of the two, the sum assured not to be paid till both are dead, or while either of them is living.

Showing the Single and Annual Premiums for insuring £100, to be paid on the Death of A. provided B. be then living.

• If two persons be named, and one of them die, then the other is termed the survivor: and the assurance is then dependant on the life of the individual who survives the other.

TABLE V.

TABLE VI.

49

34 14 0