evening, the Rev. S. Lowell of Bristol preached at Albion Chapel, from Hosea iv. 6; and on the morning of the day following that, the Rev. Dr. Collyer preached for the same cause at New Court, from Prov. xxix. 18.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

SCHOOL SOCIETY.

MAY 16, the Seventeenth Anniversary was held at Freemasons'-hall, His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex in the Chair. The speakers were, the Rev. Messrs. George Clayton, G. Burder, Rowland Hill, Mark Wilks, F. A. Cox, Nich. Bull, and Drs. Schwabe and Waugh; Thomas Spring Rice, William Allen, William Wilberforce, and Evans, Esqrs. Lord Ebrington, Baron de Stael, and the Royal Chairman.

The Central School in the Borough Road contains 500 boys and 300 girls; and 21,396 children have been educated at this school from its commencement. During the last year 30 masters were prepared to propagate the system, and eight missionaries studied the plan in order to introduce it into their schools among the heathen. The youths brought from Madagascar, who had been ten months under instruction, had made a progress beyond what could have been expected; fair specimens of their writing were handed round the room, and excited much admiration.

The Depository for Spelling and Scripture Lessons was now adverted to; and the meeting was informed that, by a separate subscription, they were now prepared in French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Portuguese. Auxiliary Societies are spreading through different parts of the kingdom, and are widely extending the system, and Bristol, Plymouth, and Tavistock have aided the funds of the Society. In Ireland also, for which country the system is allowed to be particularly adapted, "The Society for the Education of the Poor" (established there in 1814) has now 513 schools, and about 40,000 scholars. The circulation of Tracts in that country is also an object of vast importance, and the friends of religion and morals in Ireland have pushed this matter with so much energy, that they have already excluded from the book-market much of the trash formerly circulated in that country.

The Report now turns to the foreign connexions and concerns of the Society. The Society for Elementary Instruction at Paris, (formed in 1815,) in the course of last year opened 157 new schools, making about 1400, equally open to Catholics and Protestants; adult schools have been formed, and in several departments Sunday Schools are also introduced, and 6,000 Testaments have been placed at the disposal of the Directors by the Bible Society at Paris.

In Spain, schools formed on the British System are continued, under the sanction of the Cortes. Colonel Kearney continues his exertions with great zeal, and has opened many new schools. A Normal School has also been formed in Valencia.

In the Netherlands, the minister of public instruction, M. de Falch, reports, that by the new system, in conjunction with schools on the Dutch system, education is greatly extended. In Brussels the School Society is making progress, both in the education of boys and girls. In Ghent, Mons, Tournay, and Liege, there are schools, and in the province of Hainault education is now provided for 60,000 scholars.

In Sweden, M. Gerellius has, by the king's order, introduced the British System into Military Schools.

In Russia, the cause continues to spread under the same high and illustrious patronage. It is carried into Poland; and at Homel, on the Russian frontier, a school is established on an estate of Count Romanzoff's, and, under his immediate patronage, conducted by Mr. Heard, a young man trained at the Borough Road School. Schools also are formed at Petersburgh, Kioff, Magiloff in Siberia, and various other places.

In Italy, political events have been most unpropitious to the cause of education; but there are 26 schools on this plan at Tuscany, and a Society is formed to extend the plan. In various parts of Germany, popular instruction has become an object of public attention, and the King of Denmark has begun to introduce the new system into the schools of that kingdom.

Time has not allowed to report any progress in the plan of introducing female schools in India; Miss Cooke, however, arrived there in November, was cordially received, and entered immediately on her beloved work. Of the other sex, there are above 20,000 natives under instruction, and 10,000

a member, and therefore had a claim upon its fund,) it is stated, rendered him such assistance as enabled him "to procure himself every comfort he required, without obligation to any one." In your Magazine for May. p. 205, you have inserted an erratum," acknowledging "the very li beral assistance he received from the Baptist Fund the last ten years of his

in Ceylon. Dr. Milne is very active in promoting schools at Malacca, and all the Missionaries of the London Society study to promote the British system. It has found its way into North and South America, the Islands of the South Seas, and the West Indies. A gentleman at Barbadoes lately made a voyage to England at his own expense, in order fully to understand the system, and has returned to pro-life," and the omission of it in the mote it with his utmost zeal.

In Africa also the system widely spreads. Dr. Thom, who was lately in England, has returned to the Cape, to renew his exertions in its favour. Schools have been formed in Senegal under the patronage of the Society at Paris, and at Sierra Leone under that of the National Society in England. Thus has the system already made the tour of the globe, though certainly

there is still much room for it to
spread, both at home and abroad.
The Meetings to be continued in our next.

ERRATA.

SIR,
I read in your Number for March,
a Memoir of a very excellent minister,
Mr. Whitfield of Hamsterley. At the
bottom of page 93 is a note, which is
calculated to mislead the public as to
the support he received from the
friends of religion. The "Bath So-
eiety," (of which it appears he was

66

statement made in the Memoir. I can further inform you, Sir, that this venerable man was assisted from the funds of the Society (established in Lordon in 1818) for the relief of aged and infirm Ministers of the three denominations.

Thus it appears, in addition to the aid derived from the first-named Society, that two Societies, purely eleemosynary, had the honour (for such they esteemed it) of contributing to the comforts of this excellent minister of Christ. I trust your love of justice and impartiality will induce you to insert this in the next Number of your Magazine. Permit me also to express a wish, that writers of Memoirs in general would exercise great caution that they do not insert those things which are liable to be controverted.

J.G.

In our last Number, p. 195, col. 2, 1. 41, for spirits read spirit.

Nor forget, in the fulness of wealth,
That your sister is asking for bread.
And now that the thirst of revenge

Has crimson'd the point of her steel,
And you hasten her crimes to avenge,
Oh! forget not to bind up and heal.

From the stores of a liberal hand

Be her granaries amply supplied; And the mist that o'ershadows the land,

Let the sun-beam of knowledge
divide!

And, my country, the "Emerald" isle
Will all but your kindness forget;
And her warm-hearted sons, by their
smile,

Will show they have cancell'd the
debt.

Bedford,

Kalendar.

JUNE 4. Moon passes Antares VIII JUNE 19. New Moon VI. 32 morn. ; but

252

LIST OF THE ANNUAL MEETINGS

OF THE

BAPTIST DENOMINATION.

1822.

TUESDAY, JUNE 18.

MORNING, XI.-An open Meeting of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society, at the Missionary Rooms, 9, Wardrobe-place, Doctors'-Commons, at which the Company of such Ministers as may be in Town is particularly requested, especially the Members of the Corresponding Committee. EVENING, VI.-Annual Meeting of the Baptist Home Missionary Society, at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19.

MORNING, VIII.-General (Union) Meeting of the Ministers and Messengers of the Baptist Churches in Town and Country, at Dr. Rippon's Meeting House, Carterlane, Tooley-street.

XI.-Sermon for the Baptist Missionary Society, at Great Queen-street Chapel, Lincoln's-inn-fields, by Rev. William Jay of Bath.

EVENING, VI.-Sermon for the Baptist Missionary Society, at Zion Chapel, Whitechapel, by Rev. Micah Thomas of Abergavenny.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20.

MORNING, IX.-Prayer Meeting for the Mission, at Eagle-street Meeting House. Some Minister from the Country is expected to deliver an Address.

XI.-Annual Meeting of the Baptist Missionary Society, at Great Queen-street Chapel, Lincoln's-inn-fields.

EVENING, VI.-Annual Sermon for the Stepney Academical Institution, at the Meeting House in Carter-lane, Doctors' Commons, (near St. Paul's,) by Rev. John Birt of Manchester.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21.

MORNING, VII.-Annual Meeting of the Baptist Irish Society, at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street: Joseph Butterworth, Esq. M.P. in the Chair.

Irish Chronicle.

those scenes so disgraceful to religion, which were acted at certain holy places, to which many thousands of pilgrims annually resorted.

their not crossing themselves and kneeling. And on one of these occasions, lately, by order of the priest, the whole process was stopped, whilst two Protestant gentlemen were present. On perceiving which, they of course instantly retired.

"One of these holy places, at which multitudes formerly attended, has been suppressed, by order of the notice given by an English gentleman priests, in consequence of the public' in the newspaper, of the notorious crimes which followed the religious rites on that occasion.

Ir is pleasing to find that the attention of our country has lately been much drawn towards Ireland. It is hoped that benevolent and patriotic individuals will be induced to visit ducted now more secretly, the priests "In some places these rites are conthat afflicted country; to witness discouraging the attendance of Prethe scenes of ignorance and super-testants, who are instantly known by stition that exist among the swarming populations of Connaught and Munster; and then return, with their hearts yearning over the miseries which abound, to relate what they have seen and heard: the information thus communicated will draw forth the liberal contributions of persons in England, to assist in the education of the peasants, and thus the axe will be laid at the root of all their miseries. The public are under great obligations to Mr. Robert Steven for having acted upon this plan. He has published the result of his observations in a pamphlet entitled, "Remarks on the present State of Ireland; with Hints for ameliorating the Condition, and promoting the Education and Moral Improvement, of the Peasantry of that Country. The Result of a Visit during the Summer and Autumn of 1821." From this highly interesting work we give the concluding paragraphs, which it will be seen are as applicable to the Baptist as to the London Hibernian Society.

"What has been said of a nation bent on freedom, that when she wills it, nothing can prevent it,-will apply to the circumstances of Ireland, in reference to education. The Irish, as a nation, are determined on the education of their children, and nothing can prevent it. To those who oppose this determination, I would give Gamaliel's advice, on another important occasion, which seems to me not altogether foreign to the present case.

It is most encouraging to find, that the light of scripture truth, in its progress through Ireland, is compelling the church of Rome to veil from the public eye, as much as possible,

VOL. XIV.

"And I believe that the priests are now discouraging many of those practices, which formerly were common, at these annual seasons.

"Let me, then, call on all the friends of the London Hibernian Society,-on all the members of other Societies,-on all the advocates of the

education and moral elevation of the poor of Ireland, to persevere. The prize you are contending for, is invaluable. If it be a noble enterprise to help a nation to the possession of civil liberty, how much more so to aid it in the struggle for intellectual and spiritual freedom? Let the members of the various Societies, which are the ornaments of our age, imitate the brave men of different nations, on the memorable field of Waterloo, who, instead of occupying the precious hour of preparation for battle, by one saying, "I am a Prussian," another, "I am a Wirtemburgher;" and who, instead of keeping aloof from each other, nobly united in one unjarring, unbroken phalanx, in defence of the freedom of Europe.

"Give the Irish peasant the Bible, and teach him to read it, then may we reasonably hope, that, by the blessing of God, he will become an industrious, peaceable, loyal member of the com

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