MONMOUTHSHIRE.

Area, 496 square miles. Parishes, 125. Inhabited houses, 1841, 24,880. Uninhabited, 1,417. Building, 235. Population, 1841: Males, 70,608. Females, 63,741. Total, 134,349.

Monmouthshire being originally a Welsh county, though now reckoned as a part of England, the language of each country is spoken, and consequently there are distinct Congregational Churches for the natives of each.

The Monmouthshire Association of English Independent ministers and churches consists of fifteen churches, but three of them are beyond the bounds of the county. The twelve English churches have five village chapels, which have no pastors. These are included in the following list; the rest, we believe, are Welsh churches.

There is an Association of the Welsh Independent Churches in the county, of which the Rev. Hugh Jones, of Tredegar, is Secretary, but we have not received an authorized list.

The English Association joined the Congregational Union of England and Wales 1835. The Rev. Thomas Loader, Monmouth, is Secretary.

Area, 2024 square miles. Parishes, 730. Inhabited houses, 1841, 85,922. Uninhabited, 3,711. Building, 450. Population, 1841: Males, 199,055. Females, 213,566. -Total, 412,621.

The Norfolk Association of Independent churches for the spread of the Gospel in the county was formed, 1814; Mr. H. J. Balls, Treasurer, and Rev. Messrs. J. Alexander, and A. Reed, Norwich, Secretaries. Some recent movements indicate that this association will rise to great efficiency.

The Rev. W. Legge has a preparatory academy at Fakenham, for training young men for the work of the ministry, whose occasional labours are doubtless useful in that part of the county.

The Association joined the general Union 1841.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

Area, 1016 square miles. Parishes, 303. Inhabited houses, 1841, 40,903. Uninhabited, 1,674. Building, 295. Population, 1841: Males, 98,886. Females, 100,175. -Total, 199,061.

"The Northamptonshire Association" is one of the oldest in the kingdom. Dr. Doddridge preached before it at Kettering, his celebrated sermon on "the evil and danger of neglecting the souls of men,"-October 15, 1741, and which he printed with an epistle, addressed to "the Associated Protestant Dissenting Ministers of Norfolk and Suffolk," which is full of useful suggestions, that are far from obsolete. There are throughout the county a considerable number of rural chapels not entered in the following list as they only form out-stations for lectures and sunday schools. This Association joined the Congregational Union in 1840. The Rev. Benjamin Hobson, Welford, is the Secretary.

NORTHUMBERLAND.

Area, 1,871 square miles. Parishes, 81. Inhabited houses, 1841, 48,704. Uninhabited, 3,031. Building, 442. Population, 1841: Males, 121,271. Females, 128,997.-Total, 250,268

The churches of Northumberland are united with those of Durham in one associa tion, and the reader is therefore referred to the list of the latter for particulars respecting it.

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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.

Area, 837 square miles. Parishes, 211. Inhabited houses, 1841,50,541. Uninhabited, 2,749. Building, 216. Population, 1841: Males, 121,660. Females, 128,113. -Total, 249,773.

In 1815 a society was formed by the Independent churches in the counties of Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester, to promote the spread of the Gospel within their district. Although good was effected by their combined operations, it was felt that as the churches in each county had increased in numbers and moral power, so they had better act in their own counties. The Nottinghamshire Association was therefore formed at Mansfield, June 16th, 1829.

Mr. Thomas Herbert, Nottingham Park, is Treasurer Rev. Dr. Alliott. and Arthur Wells, Esq., Nottingham, are the Secretaries.

This Association joined the Congregational Union in 1832.

Area, 756 square miles. Parishes, 217. Inhabited houses, 1841, 32,141. Uninhabited, 1,440. Building, 201. Population, 1841: Males, 80,383. Females, 81,190. -Total, 161,573.

The Oxfordshire and West Berks Association of Independent Churches and Ministers, was formed at Abingdon, Berks, on the 8th of December, 1840, to promote "fraternal intercourse and mutual edification between the several ministers and churches," and the extension of the Gospel by every scriptural and practicable means. It consists at present of sixteen members, only nine of whom reside in the county of Oxford. Mr. Underhill, Oxford, Treasurer. Rev. W. Harris, Wallingford, Secretary.

The small extent of this county and the paucity of our churches have rendered an association for it unnecessary. We wish, however, that the principle of union were recognized by the churches associating by themselves, or with those of some border district.