OF Kurnall. There he found some artillery men,

a

Corrie who knew Mr.

loved

These Christian soldiers came to Mr. Thomason's tent tent for prayer and exposition of the Scriptures, and (said he who ministered amongst them)

even in this jungle, we could rejoice together in remembrance of the love of Christ. All the places, (he added) where troops are usually stationed, are empty. There is nothing to amuse a traveller who does not hunt: however, I hope my time is not wholly lost; my little Hindoostanee church has lately received an accession by one of the converts from Agra, a pious humble Christian: we are now a little company, and spend many a happy hour together over the Scriptures. With these beloved fellow-travellers, I am often so. laced amidst the sickening frivolities of the camp. Since we left Hindostan, Sunday has not been observed as a day of rest; yet the Governor halts to get ready for a tiger hunt. The kingdoms of this world will have their own pursuits and enjoyments, they are not those of the kingdom of Christ. The experience I have had of this, will, I trust, be useful to me, and certainly, intercourse with native, schools, and daily Hindoostanee preaching, have contributed much to enlarge my heart towards the perishing heathen. Pp. 228-231.

On Mr. T.'s first arrival at Calcutta, he was employed at the Mission Church; in March 1824, he was appointed by Bishop Heber to a situation in the Cathedral, and in the following year was compelled by the precarious state of Mrs. Thomason's health to return to England before, however, the vessel could reach this country, Mr. T. was called upon to consign the remains of his beloved partner to the silent deep; a bereavement which he felt most keenly. No sooner, however, did he arrive in this country, than he devoted himself to diligent and laborious services, engaging with zeal and success in the work of the ministry, principally, though not exclusively, at Cheltenham, where, as well as Briqonqqs us bus modemuboo') 295пanibro wot 916 and I

in numerous other places, he delighted to make mention of the Redeemer's name, and by his interesting statements of the scenes which he had himself witnessed, produced a deep impression on the minds of many, and stimulated them to enlarged exertions for the promotion of the gospel in hea then lands. This was remarkably felt during the last visit of Mr. Thomason to Cambridge, whereb several valuable students were induced to determine on going outas Chaplains or Missionaries. I

His heart, however, was devoted to India. He had only returned to his native land for the sake of his beloved partner. It had pleased God to disappoint the expectations which had been entertained with respect to her, he therefore determined to resume his situation at Calcutta. Before, however, his return, he deemed it adviseable to re-enter the marriage state, and was accordingly united to Miss Dickenson of Liverpool, who still survives to lament his loss, and whose character and conduct evince, in the most striking manner the In 1828, wisdom of his choice. Mr. T. sailed again for Indiabefore, however, he reached Cal-! cutta, he was attacked with water in the chest; and when the complaint appeared to be removed, was advised to sail to the Mauritius for the recovery of his strength. Twelve days, however, after landing in the Isle of France, his earthly tabernacle was dissolved, and his spirit numbered among the just made perfect, Sunday, June 21.

We have here given a brief outline of the life of this valuable and eminent servant of God-for the filling up, and for numerous and interesting anecdotes of distinguished characters, we must refer our readers to the volume itself, which we are confident will well repay their careful perusal.

zuoioibuj & vd,ilding meiternd )

495

THE Author's preceding letters ad vocated an improved system of clerical education, and a revision of the present mode of entering the ministry in the Church of England, by requiring that all deacons should be assistant curates, and in no instance, except from some occasional necessity, charged with the exclusive care of a parish. This revised mode of entering the ministry would in our author's view lead to the clergyman's remaining a deacon until he was nominated as Incumbent to а parish, which nomination should be his title to priest's orders. He now proposes that' an act should be passed, providing that any clergyman, who shall apply to a Bishop or other functionary for institution to a benefice, or licence to a perpetual curacy, shall thereby without any exemption, vacate every other preferment, which he may possess with cure of souls.That every clergyman admitted or instituted to a second preferment should on the Sunday after institution give notice, or cause it to be given in his former church, that he has ceased to be its incumbent, though he may continue as curate, and use the parsonage for any time not exceeding six months; that if in these six months the patron neglect to present a new parson, the bishop may collate by lapse; that if in two months more the vacancy be unsupplied, the patronage should

P

lapse to the Archbishop-in two months more to the crown; and if at the end of twelve months the vacant living be still unsupplied, any priest producing proper testimonials, &c. may claim institution.' The author conceives this plan would, without injustice, ter minate pluralities, create a more rapid succession to livings, and materially relieve the poorer clergy. We apprehend, however, that all the real advantages of his plan might be attained, without that sweeping alteration in the situation of deacons, curates, &c. which he suggests. His letter contains some judicious observations on the propriety of imposing a moderate tax on the larger livings, in the room of the existing first-fruits and tenths, and on the expediency of altering the present divisions of parishes, and of empowering a bishop, on request of the patron and incumbent, to unite two parishes, where the population of the two together does not exceed a thousand, and the extreme distance of the most remote part of one parish, from the most remote part of the other, is less than five or six miles. These suggestions deserve consideration, though we \{very] much doubt whether their adop tion would be attended with any material advantage; they are certainly far too moderate to meet the taste of these reforming days.

MR. Campbell has rendered a very seasonable service to the Christian public, by a judicious

*x + jou godt, vib qoning abridgment of Baxter's work ons Confirmation, and an appropriate preface. There are few ordinances

496

concerning which men run to greater extremes than that of Confirmation. The Papists exalt it to a sacrament. Some Protestants characterize it as an useless and unprofitable human device. Some speak of it as if it were the most important and essential part of his episcopal office; others deny that the imposition of episcopal hands is at all necessary to its due administration. Yet few we apprehend will question the correctness of Mr. Baxter's Twelve Propositions on this ordinance, though they may not all appear of equal importance. It will generally be conceded for instance, as Mr. B. asserts in his Seventh Proposition, That the profession of those that expect the church state, and privileges of the adult, is to be

tried, judged, and approved by the pastors of the church;' and even those few who would omit the word pastors, will usually insist on some judgment being formed before individuals are admitted to full communion, and it therefore follows, which is more fully stated in Mr. Baxter's ninth proposition, That this approval is a corroborating ordinance, and that corroborating grace is to be expected in it from God by all that come to it in sincerity of heart, and so hath it the name of confirmation.' It is not, however, our intention to enlarge on this topic, and the rather since we trust many of our readers will be induced to procure and carefully read Mr. Campbell's small publication.

and 310.

WE fully agree with the Editor's statement in the close of his preface. He who will read the following work, will need no argu

ment to recommend it. It is a treatise calculated to be useful to people in every rank of life.

1

We are happy to meet again with this valuable writer, who has done much in this, as in her foriner publications, to teach the young to do their duty in that state of life, unto which it may please God to call them. We strongly recommend this interesting little volume to all who are desirous of promoting the welfare of the young; it

ought to circulate freely among the senior girls in our schools of industry, &c. and to occupy a place in every Kitchen Library; and while especially calculated for servants, it will be found to suggest many valuable hints to their superiors, which may materially contribute to domestic order, peace, and comfort.

IT is much to be regretted, that many in the present day are exceedingly ignorant of the cruel persecutions which their forefathers underwent. The narratives of these dreadful events are principally recorded in large and ponderous volumes little suited to the taste of modern times, even were they more generally accessible, instead of being as many of them are, only to be met with in public libraries, &c. while the artifices of Romish,

DECEMBER 1833.

Infidel, and Liberal Historians induce many to believe that a large proportion of those cruelly burut by order of queen Mary, were put to death for political, rather than religious offences/ Nare ratives, however, like the present are calculated to produces a more correct impression, and to exhibit Popery in its true light. We com! sider therefore Mr. Richings as having rendered good service by this interesting publicationsWe

90

recommend it to the attention of our readers, and hope that those who have access to narratives and documents which possess local interest, will follow Mr. R.'s example, and forthwith communicate them to the public in a cheap and portable form. Ignorance is the

foundation of Popery, and ignorance of the real character of Popery has induced many to suppose that Popish emancipation would not produce those bitter fruits, which will we conceive inevitably follow.

III. A Christian Remembrancer.

THESE annual publications contain with the ruled pages, &c. common to Pocket Books, several pleasing narratives, essays, and verses of a miscellaneous character. The life of the late Mr. Wilberforce in the Evangelical Museum, and that of the late Rev. Rowland Hill in the Ladies' Diary, will be read with especial interest. We have inserted in our present number specimens of the poetry of the Evangelical Museum and Christian Remembrancer. The following sonnet appears in the Ladies' Diary:

SONNET

ON READING BAXTER'S SAINTS REST. THANKS be to God, in Christ there is a rest For the believer starting from the dream Of guilty life, and by the earnest blest,

In his swift transit o'er the troubled stream! Then for the gift celestial; then the prize, What angel-tongues can justly this extol; What multiplied eternities suffice

Its still increasing value to unroll?
If vast the joys, how awful then the loss

Of such existence bought by Jesus' blood. When scorching lusts and devils ever toss

The souls that perish in the sinking flood! How must reflection's pangs, like glowing dross The spirits thrill, which scorned the glorious cross!

The following hymn from Fulcher's miscellany will, we doubt not, be perused with pleasure by many of our readers.

LAMP of our feet, whose hallowed beam
Deep in our hearts its dwelling hath :

How welcome is the cheering gleam

Thou sheddest o'er our lonely path! Light of our way! whose rays are flung In mercy o'er our pilgrim road, How blessed its dark shades among The star that guides us to our God.

Our Fathers in the days gone by

Read thee in dim and sacred caves, Or in the deep wood, silently

Met, where thick branches o'er them waved, To deck the hope thy record gave:

When thou wert a forbidden thing, And the strong chain and bloody grave Were all on earth thy love could bring.

Our Fathers in the days gone by
Read thee while peril o'er them hung;
But we, beneath the open sky

May search thy leaves of Truth along; Fearless, our daily haunts among,

May chaunt the hallowed lays of old, Once by the Shepherd Minstrel sung, When Israel's hills o'erhung his fold.

In the sweet morning's hour of prime
Thy blessed words our lips engage,
And round our hearth's at even time

Our children spell the Holy page;
The way-mark through long distant years,
To guide their wandering footsteps on,
Till thy last loveliest beam appears,
Written on the grey church-yard stone.

Word of the Holy and the Just,

To leave thee pure, our father's bled, Thou art to us a sacred trust, A relic of the martyr dead! Among the vallies where they fell, The ashes of our fathers sleep, May we who round them safely dwell, Pure as themselves the record keep!

Lamp of our feet, which day by day
Are passing to the quiet tomb,
If on it fall thy peaceful ray,

Our last low dwelling hath no gloom : How beautiful their calm repose

To whom that blessed hope was given, Whose pilgrimage on earth was closed By the unfolding gates of heaven!