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RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

ST. DAVID'S COLLEGE. WE have much pleasure in informing our readers that this important infant institution, which promises to be of essential value to the interests of religion, in connexion with the Established Church, in Wales, has begun already to reward the pious and benevolent zeal of its founders. About sixty students are already on the books. The annual expenses, including board, lodging, and tuition, it is calculated, will be about fifty guineas for each student. The college library already contains several thousand volumes. The chapel has been recently consecrated by the bishop of the diocese, who addressed the students on the great advantages likely to result to them from the institution, both for the prosecution of learned studies, and their preparation for holy orders. From the excellent consecration sermon, delivered on the occasion, by the pious and learned Vice-Principal, the Rev. A. Ollivant, we copy a few passages illustrative of the character of the institution. We rejoice to find that specific theological instruction is to occupy a prominent place in the pursuits of this new college; and that to "the cultivation of personal piety, and the formation of habits conducive to ministerial usefulness," among the students will the "principal efforts" of its conductors be directed. May their labours be abundantly blessed by the great Head of the church, for the promotion of his glory, and the best welfare of mankind.

"So far as we are able from reason or Scripture to anticipate the effect of an institution such as this, and so far as we have experience to decide us as to its actual results, we should not hesitate to predict, that an abundant harvest will be reaped from the seed that shall here be sown, if only it be sown in dependence on him with whom it rests to fertilize the soil, and open the windows of heaven, and pour down upon us the healthful spirit of his grace. For if it be the will of God, that the ministration of the Gospel should be committed to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also; if it be his command, that the priest's lips should keep knowledge, that men may seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts; if it be necessary, as it undoubtedly is, the extraordinary communications of the Spirit having now ceased, that we should use the ordinary methods of obtaining that

wisdom which may fit us to discharge our high commission, we cannot but expect the best results from that enlightened piety, of which the first fruits are this day offered upon the altar of God."

"We look to this institution, with no small degree of satisfaction, when we consider the benefit it is likely to confer in a literary point of view, by giving an impulse to many an inquiring mind, and opening a path to those intellectual pleasures, for which many, but for its assistance, might have thirsted in vain. We look to it with increased delight, when we consider that by thus dispensing the benefits of a liberal and substantial education, it will lay a foundation, upon which its students may safely build, when they devote themselves, as in the latter part of their course it is intended they should do, to the prosecution of theology, duties of their profession. We consider and apply themselves more directly to the it again to be a benefit of no ordinary value, if our clergy with these advantages in their hands should acquire in some degree a literary taste, and be raised, by the enjoyments it affords, above the necessity which ignorance too often entails, of seeking their recreations in habits unworthy of their sacred office. But God forbid that we should so far mistake the means for the end as to rest here, and be satisfied that this should become a mere school of science or human wisdom. Far higher than these are the objects for which it has been founded, and it is our hearts' desire and prayer that they may be always kept in view. Whatever be the value of a luable to the minister of Christ, he will learned education, and indeed it is invabe but as the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal, if he be not animated by the spirit and follow in the steps of him in whose ministry he is engaged. He cannot perform aright the duties of the pastoral office, unless he have in some measure the tenderness of him who, when he saw the multitudes, had compassion on them, because they fainted and were scatterred abroad as sheep having no shepherd.' He cannot discharge the high commission of an ambassador of Christ, unless he have felt the misery of being at enmity with God, and learnt to appreciate that plan of reconciliation, which it will be his privilege to proclaim.

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"To the cultivation then of personal piety, and the formation of habits conducive to ministerial usefulness; to the attainment of those graces, rare in their separate excellence, and still more rare in their combination, which are essential to the perfection of the clerical character, should our principal efforts be directed; and while

we pray that all, who bear office in this our body, may remember the important duty to which they are called, to train up ministers of Christ, we would urge it upon all, who may repair hither for instruction, to reflect that they are not invited to the groves of the academy to imbibe the lessons of philosophy, or hang upon the lips of a merely human teacher,but to prepare for the arduous task of making men wise unto salvation, to listen to the lessons of inspiration, and submit themselves to the teaching of the Son of God. "It is a complaint that is often urged against the universities of our land, that the mode of education pursued in them has too little practical bearing upon the formation of the ministerial character. And perhaps there is some justice in the charge. But though the circumstances of the country may have rendered it expedient that they should devote themselves in the present day to general rather than clerical education, it will not be in our power to urge the same plea in mitigation, if we fall under the same reproach. For our object is more specific and defined, and we are under no such necessity to embark upon a wider sea. It may be difficult for them to modify what usage has taught them to revere; but while we have the benefit of their experience, we are free to follow the plans which it suggests, without submitting ourselves to the risk of innovation, or incurring the accusation of caprice."

PRAYER-BOOK AND HOMILY
SOCIETY.

We feel much satisfaction in laying before our readers the following appeal of the Prayer-book and Homily Society, respecting the religious wants of Ireland; and we earnestly trust, that it will be promptly answered by the liberality of the Christian public. The venerable formularies of our church, having been drawn up at the period of the Reformation, and chiefly by persons who had themselves seen and renounced the errors of Popery, are especially appropriate to the present circumstances of Ireland. Some parts of the Homilies in particular, the force of which are less felt in a Protestant land, are peculiarly adapted to the necessities of a Roman-Catholic population, who are beginning to inquire into the nature and grounds of the respective creeds and forms of Protestantism and Popery. The following is the Society's circular.

"After all the benevolent efforts, by means of which schools have been multiplied, Bibles circulated, and readers of the Holy Scriptures sent forth among the people, ignorance and irreligion still prerail to a deplorable extent in our sister island. It is equally true, that an increasCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 310.

ing attention to the religious wants of Ireland is manifesting itself in this country, The reformation which has commenced so auspiciously, and which seems to be proceeding so steadily, has been the means of adding new energy to exertion, and of exciting expectations which, it is hoped, will not easily be discouraged. The number of schools for scriptural instruction, we may confidently anticipate, will be greatly increased; Bibles and Testaments, to a far greater extent than hitherto, will be put into the hands of an inquiring population; and, in proportion to the welcome which shall be given them, a great number of individuals, whose office it shall be to read the Scriptures to the most ignorant will be employed.

"But it may be reasonably asked, whether other measures, in addition to those already alluded to, may not be adopted, with fair promise of success, both among professed Protestants and inquiring Romanists. To obtain information upon this point, letters have recently been addressed, in the name of the Prayer-book and Homily Society, to a very considerable number of the Irish clergy, requesting them to say, whether, in their opinion, the placing in the hands of both descriptions of persons abovenamed the Formularies of the United Church, in English or Irish as circumstances might dictate, would or would not be, at the present juncture, of the highest importance. The answers received from about seventy clergymen have expressed, in the main, but one opinion; namely, That the measure contemplated appears to be fraught with the most beneficial effects; and that the thanks of those who wish well to religion are due to the Society which has instituted the inquiry. At the same time, direct applications have been made for the grant of Prayer-books in English and Irish, and of such a selection of the Homilies as that already circulated in the county of Cavan, to the number of about 7000 books; with intimations in most cases that a far more considerable number will soon be called for-so strong is the spirit of inquiry which has of late been excited.

"Anxious as the Committee of the Prayer-book and Homily Society are to answer such demands, they find that the funds which are placed at their disposal are quite inadequate to the exigency of the case. To make an effort to the full extent of their means, and even in some respects beyond it, has appeared to them to be, under existing circumstances, an obvious duty. They have made this effort; and, in answer to the applications of their numerous correspondents, have granted 1000 English Prayer-books, 750 Irish, and 1000 copies of a selection of the Homilies bound together; sa a pledge of their good wishes, and of their 4 N

entire disposition, if means can be found, to forward, as soon as may be, more adequate supplies. Under these circumstances the committee appeal to the benevolence of the public, and especially to that of the members of the Established Church. Shall thousands of Protestants (some of whom are new converts, and whose poverty is extreme), be left destitute of that aid, which may, by the Divine blessing, assist them in praying with the spirit and with the understanding? Shall the Romanist be willing to learn how Protestants worship, and not be presented by them with those scriptural forms, which may be blessed as the means of teaching him to approach the Throne of Mercy in the alone name of Jesus Christ? Or shall either Protestants or Romanists be inclined to peruse a simple exposition of the doctrines of the Gospel, such as the Homilies of our church contain, and find no one willing to impart the means? Such, it is humbly hoped, will not be the case.'

The following are extracts from letters of clergymen in Ireland on the subject.

I. The plan proposed will be most useful in enabling curates to forward the knowledge of religion. The Homilies would tend much to the spiritual welfare of the people."

Prayer-books and Homilies would be materially useful to the Protestants of this parish."

Many Prayer-books would be thankfully received by the lower class of Protestants."

"The Protestant population is not fully supplied; many of whom are in the humblest circumstances.'

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"I apply in behalf of a parish of 1000 Protestants, many of whom are extremely poor."

II. Prayer-books are very much in demand by the converts: they take great pleasure in reading them."

"The prospect of numerous converts renders it highly desirable that we should have a supply of Prayer-books and Homilies. A quantity, however small, will be most useful."

"Numbers have lately joined us from Popery; and many are preparing to follow their example. In consequence, a great want of Prayer-books is experienced. The Homilies would be most useful, to shew these persons the true doctrines of the church into which they are passing."

"We have probably 100 conformists, who should be supplied with Prayer books. This would just now be a most valuable acquisition.”

III." A strong religious excitement has for some time existed here. Within the last four months, twenty-two persons have publicly conformed, and many other Roman Catholics are constant in their attendance on our Protestant worship. They are willing to receive any book which may give them information."

"The distribution of the Prayer-book would be of most essential service, by giving the Roman Catholic the opportu nity of comparing it with the Missal, &c. "Consequences the most interesting and important are likely to result from it." "From the very great anxiety testified by Roman Catholics for instruction, we have no doubt that Prayer-books would be read by many of them, as well as by Protestants. A selection of the Homilies would be most acceptable to both; and we have no doubt that great results may, through God's blessing on such means, be produced."

"It is the general opinion of the clergy whom I have consulted, that the distribution of the Homilies would be attended with the best effects, and materially promote the cause of the Reformation."

DEFENCE OF THE SANDWICHISLANDS MISSION.

Various reports have of late been circulated in different quarters, and especially in the Quarterly Review, to disparage the truly Christian and benevolent labours of the missionaries in the Sandwich islands. We intended some time since to have adverted to these most injurious misrepresentations and fabrications, with a view to refute them by a selection of simple facts, clearly proving the momentous benefits which those calumniated missionaries have been the means of conferring upon the hitherto barbarous and pagan natives; but understanding that a full official exposition on the subject was in preparation, we have forborne our remarks till this vindication should be published. We are happy, for the sake of the great cause of Christian missions in general, as well as of the individuals more immediately concerned, to state, that a defence has been drawn up by Mr. Orme*, which completely rebuts the charges urged against them. We shall lay before our readers

some of the facts of the case.

We will

only premise, that much of the opposition which has been raised to the South-Sea missions, both in the United States and in England, has arisen from a cause as honourable to these Christian islanders

* Mr. Orme is known to our readers as the biographer of Dr. Owen: he has since published an elaborate and highly useful work for reference, entitled, "Bibliotheca Biblica," containing a select list of books on sacred literature, with biographical, critical, and bibliographical notices. He has also more recently published an interesting memoir of the late Mr. Urquhart, of the University of St. Andrews, a young man of remarkable promise both for talent and piety.

and their instructors, as disgraceful to the originators of these calumnies. It is well known that the sailors of both countries had long been accustomed to the indulgence of habits of licentious intercourse with the natives of these islands; but, in consequence of the introduction of Christianity, the native women no longer visit the ships which anchor on their coasts; and a strictness of conduct very generally prevails, which has given great offence to those Christian visitors, who, in some instances, encouraged, it is feared, by their officers, have caused great tumults in the islands, and threatened vengeance against the missionaries who had been the means of bringing about this new state of morals. We give the following illustration from a letter, dated as late as Nov. 2, 1826. The letter was written by a respectable missionary at Owhyhee, to the American Board of Foreign Missions.

Mr. Bingham and family still remain at Kiruah, where we are revising the Gospel of Matthew for the press. Mr. Richards and family have just returned to Lahaina after a visit to this island of six weeks. His stay was protracted in consequence of information received from Lahaina, of the base conduct of the crews of several English and American whale ships, who had threatened to kill him if they could find him; because through his influence, a stop had been put to prostitution. They went in a body to his house to demolish it, but found it carefully guarded by some friendly natives; when they turned away to another part of his land, and took away his hogs and fowls as their booty. The women all fled to the mountains, and with them Kekauonchi, the chief woman, who had charge of the place during the absence of Hoapili, Governor of Mani. For several days in succession, the sailors prosecuted their search through the village for women, breaking into houses, and taking away the property of the inoffensive inhabitants, who looked on without assaulting them, because their chiefs were gone who should lead them. They bore the spoiling of their goods with fortitude, knowing that it was for righteousness' sake that they were called to suffer: but they yielded not an inch in complying with the demands of the ships: and the sailors, at last, abandoned their search, and hired their captains to take them to Woahoo, in hopes of succeeding in their object there. This is but a specimen of the abuse and insult that the mission is daily receiving from our own countrymen and other foreigners, who leave no means untried to bring into discredit, not only us, but all who profess to have become pious." We now proceed to Mr. Orme, whose defence appears in the form of a Letter to

the Editor of the Quarterly Review; `a work which, we regret to say, has of late lamentably disgraced itself by its uncandid and unjust animadversions upon Bible and Missionary Societies.

Mr. Orme opens his account with the following narrative of facts. We quote the detail more at large than may perhaps appear necessary, in order to exhibit to our readers a specimen of the spirit in which charges are too currently urged against our religious and charitable institutions. It is certainly not surprising that numerous objectors can bring themselves to express a belief in such charges, if even the Quarterly Reviewer can gravely profess to credit that an epistle, beginning with the traditional formula of a homely Englishman's letter, "I take this opportunity of sending you these few lines, hoping they will find you in good health, as they leave me at present," was, bona fide, written by a Sandwich islander, and this after Mr. Ellis had most clearly pointed out the improbability. But let our readers weigh the mat.

ter for themselves.

"In the March Number of your journal (the Quarterly Review), you have favoured your readers with an article on

The Sandwich Islanders,' in which occur some very gross misrepresentations of the state of the missions, and the conduct of the missionaries established there, and in the South Seas, on which I feel it my duty to animadvert. That article professes to be drawn up from the Voyage of his Majesty's ship Blonde,' from the Narrative of a Tour through Hawaii, or Owhyhee, by Mr. Ellis, the missionary,' and from unpublished letters of Captain Beechey. The voyage of the Blonde appears before the public without a name. The reason of this is not satisfactorily accounted for. Whether the authors were many, and could not agree about the division of their claims, or whether the principal author, if such a one exists, was ashamed to acknowledge his offspring, I shall not determine. It is of little consequence, however, who wrote it, provided its statements be correct. You acknowledge that it is but a meagre narrative,' and express a doubt whether we really have the narrative in its original state;' thus unintentionally throwing discredit on the whole book.

"That we have it not in its original state, is very evident; and, were it worth the trouble, it would be easy to shew that the voyage of the ship Blonde is a meagre compilation, a piece of patch-work: numerous portions of which have been taken, sometimes with slight verbal alterations, and at other times without any alteration, and always without acknowledgment, from the work of Mr. Ellis, one of those very

missionaries, whom you affect to despise, as fit only to handle the awl or the needle;' but without whose assistance Mrs. Maria Graham would have made but a poor figure in editing the voyage of the Blonde, and you yourself must have failed in furnishing an article on the Sandwich islanders, of sufficient interest to your readers.

"On what authority you have used the letters of Captain Beechey to criminate the missionaries you have not told us. This I shall leave you to settle with him, when he shall justify himself to his country, for going out of his way to meddle with matters which it is obvious he does not understand.

"The charges in the article itself, you further confirm and corroborate by inserting at the end of the same number, a letter from Boki, one of the chiefs of the Sandwich Islands. This letter I shall here produce, as I entertain little doubt that it is a shameful imposition. That imposition I do not impute to you. I know the document is to be found in the records of the Admiralty. Who framed it, will, perhaps, one day be disclosed. The author of it had unquestionably the 'Complete Letter Writer' before him, and the reader who is in possession of that useful and learned work, has only to turn to its pages, where he will find a perfect counterpart to this veracious document.

Since the preceding pages have been struck off,' says the Quarterly Review, 'we have been favoured with the following literal copy of a letter of Boki, (which we pledge ourselves to be genuine,) confirming what we have stated with regard to the conduct of the American missionaries at the Sandwich Islands.

"Island of Woahoo, Jan. 24, 1826. "Sir-I take this opportunity to send you these fu lines, hopping the will find you in good health, as ples god the leve me at present. I am sorrey to inform You that Mr. Pitt (Karaimakoo) has gon thro four opperashons sine you sailed from here,

Or the Reviewer either, Mr. Orme might have added. Take, in proof of this, the following passage from the Quarterly Review itself: -"The apprehension of civil war, expressed by Captain Beechey, appears to be owing to the misapplication of another text of Scripture, which says, that in the kingdom of heaven none is before or after another,-none is greater or less than another;-which, as the American teachers apply and expound it, is exactly to tell these poor creatures, that all men are equal." "Where did the Reviewer find this passage in Scripture? It occurs, it is true, in the Athanasian creed, though on quite another subject; but an American non-episcopalian missionary was not very likely to quote that document, and still less to call it Scripture. The whole matter is clearly a fabrication.

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but thank god he is now much better, and we ar in hops of his recovery, and I am verey sorey to tell you that Mr. Bingham the head of the Misheneres is trieng evere thing in his pour to have the Law of this country in his own hands. all of us ar verrey happy to have sum pepel to instruct us in what is rite and good but he wants us to be intirly under his laws which will not do with the natives. I have don all in my pour to prevent it and I have don it as yet. Ther is Cahomano wishes the Misheneres to have the whol atority but I sholl prevent it as long as I cane, for if the have ther will be nothing done in thes Ilands not even cultivation for their own use. I wish the pepel to reid and to rite, and likewise to worke, but the Misheneres have got them night and day old and young so that ther is verrey little don her at present. The pepel in general ar verrey much discetisfied at the Misheneres thinking they will have the laws in ther own hands. Captain Charlton has not arrived from Otiety which makes me thing sumthing has hapned to him. Mr. Bingham has gone so far as to tell thes natives that nether king George nor Lord Biron has any regard for God, or aney of the English cheefs, that they are all bad pepel but themselves, and that ther is no Redemsion for aneyofthe heads of the English or American nations. God send you good health and a long life.

"Mrs. Boki sends her kind love to Lord Biron and Mr. Camerone and the Hon. Mr. Hill. (Signed) NA-BOKI.'

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"This production is not given as a translation, but as a literal copy of a letter written in English, by Boki. Without anticipating Mr. Ellis's remarks on it, which are perfectly fatal to its authenticity, I will here give a copy of a real letter from Boki to Mr. Ellis, and will simply appeal to every person of common understanding, whether he can believe that the two letters are the production of the same individual. Their entire phraseology and manner indicate that they belong to opposite quarters of the globe. The original and translation are both before me. "Oahu Honoruru, October is the month. "Affection for you, Mr. Ellis. This is my entreaty to you. Return you hither, and we shall be right,, Grief was our's on your returning, [to England,] and sympathy with you, Mrs. Ellis, in your illness. Heard before this have you of the death of the king. But all things here are orderly. We are serving God. We are making ourselves strong in his word. Turned have the chiefs to instruction. Their desire is towards God. I speak unto them and encourage them concerning the Word of God, that it may be well

with our land.

"Attachment to you two. Attachment to the Missionaries all.

"CAPTAIN BOKI.' "I must now, sir, lay open to the

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