Presbyteries' Proceedings. PRESBYTERY OF LANCASHIRE. MANCHESTER, February 4.-Rev. V. M. White, Moderator. An application was made by the Presbyterian congregation, Chester, for moderating in a call. The 19th instant was appointed for that purpose, the Moderator to preach and preside. A memorial from the congregation at Leeds was laid on the table, praying the Presbytery to take such steps as might lead to the settlement of Mr. Edmonds, Preacher of the Gospel, amongst them as their pastor. Mr. Campbell, the commissioner of the congregation, was heard in support of the memorial. After discussion and deliberation, the following motion was unanimously agreed to:-The Presbytery receive the memorial, and while sympathizing with the position of the congregation, and desirous to do what in them lies to promote its interests, at the same time find, that inasmuch as this is not yet a recognized charge, and, moreover, Mr. Edmonds has accepted the call to a congregation in another Presbytery, it is inexpedient to comply with the prayer of the memorial. The two following Motions were put in reference to the Hymn-book 1. That it does not by any means meet the desideratum, and, therefore, the Presbytery cannot recommend its receiving the sanction of this Church for use in our congregations without very material additions and alterations. 2. This Presbytery acknowledging the necessity of a well selected Hymn-book for the use of our congregations, approves generally of the Hymn-book remitted for consideration by the Synod, and returns it to the Committee, with a recommendation to use their diligence to correct and complete the same according to the best of their judgment. The latter Motion was carried by the casting vote of the Moderator. The Presbytery adjourned to meet at Liverpool on the 3d of March. PRESBYTERY OF LONDON. Professor Lorimer gave in the Report of the Committee appointed to examine the Synod's Hymn-book. It recommended that the following hymns should be omitted, Blest are the souls who hear and know. Commit, then, all thy griefs. I once was a stranger to grace and to God. Feb. 3.-Dr. Hamilton, Moderator, pro Love divine! all love excelling. tem. My God, the covenant of thy love. Not all the blood of beasts. The saints on earth and those above. The report to be discussed at next ordinary Meeting, on the second Tuesday in March. PRESBYTERY OF BERWICK. The Convener of the Synod's Committee on the Hymn-book has received the Presbytery of Berwick's suggestions; and prints the main portions of them along with those of the Presbytery of London, for the information of the other Presbyteries whose returns he hopes soon to receive. They propose the omission of some hymns, all of which are in the list given above, and the addition of the following,Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat. And am I only born to die? Beware of Peter's word. Beset with snares on every hand. Bestow, dear Lord, upon our youth. Go worship at Immanuel's feet. He lives, the great Redeemer lives. Had I the tongues of Greeks and Jews. Lord! how delightful 'tis to see. My dear Redeemer and my Lord. Now I have found the ground whereon. Oh, love divine! how sweet thou art. Prayer was appointed to convey. Pilgrim burdened with thy sin. "Tis a point I long to know. 'Tis my happiness below. Though troubles assail. Vital spark of heavenly flame. Vain man, thy fond pursuits forbear. Paraphrase 23, and hymns 2, 4, 5. Communications from other Presbyteries to be addressed to Rev. W. Chalmers, 16, Exeter Hall. Local Lotices. REGENT-SQUARE CONGREGATIONAL MISSION AND ASSOCIATION. - The annual Meeting of the congregation was held in the Music Hall, Store-street, in January last, when about 500 members and ad herents sat down to tea. The Rev. Dr. Hamilton occupied the chair. Short and practical addresses on the Synod's schemes, the objects and working of the Association, the position and prospects of the Presbyterian Church in England, and the benevolent enterprises of the congregation, were delivered by several office-bearers and members. The Sixth Annual Report of the Association was read and ordered to be printed for circulation among the contributors. A copy of that interesting document is now before us, from which we glean the following particulars : From the Treasurer's statements we find that the amounts paid through the Association for general and local schemes amounted to 7917. 18s. 10d., being an increase of 1617. over the previous year. The amount of church door collections for general and local objects amounted to 6941. 5s. 9d., showing an increase over the collections of Total per the previous year of 1127. Association and collections, 1,4867. 4s. 7d. Total increase over the preceding year, 2741. The Reports of the various labourers engaged in connexion with the Congregational Mission and schools in Somers-town furnish some painful and instructive details. In seven streets in or adjoining the district, there are 261 shops, 205 of which were found open on the Sabbath. In three of those streets no fewer than 169 persons were observed one Sabbath morning hawking goods or selling them at stalls, while the streets were thronged with busy purchasers, living without God and without hope. four of the districts visited by ladies of the congregation there were 112 families, containing at least 366 grown up persons, only 26 of whom attend regularly any place of worship. In one district consisting of 16 families not a single individual was found a regular attendant at the house of God. The Report of the lay missionary showed a similar state of ungodliness in his extensive district. In The maximum attendance at the dayschools was 274 juveniles and infants, and the girls' industrial class had a regular attendance of 56. A fund is connected with the latter, through which clothing is obtained at the cost price of the materials. A savings' bank was about to be established as a means of inculcating frugality and care. The attendance at the Sabbath-schools was somewhat varied, occasionally as high as 340,-the average for the year was 258. A week evening school has lately been opened for apprentices and others engaged at work during the day. The amount contributed for the Mission through the Association and collections was 3297. 18s. The Sabbathschool held in Regent-square continues to prosper; some of the senior scholars have now attended it for from five to ten years. The congregational day-school established for a respectable class of children, and which affords a superior literary and Christian education, has an attendance of from seventy to eighty pupils, thirty-four of whom are in the highest class and afford gratifying evidence of the efficiency and value of the Institution. The Young Men's Society has now seventy-one members. It corresponds with ten similar Societies in England, Scotland, and America. The library contains 581 volumes, which are also available to members of the congregation. A considerable number of the young men are actively engaged in the Sabbath-schools, and other benevolent enterprises connected with the Church. SOUTHAMPTON CHURCH.-Every one of our readers, we are sure, will be glad to hear of the growing prosperity of this infant congregation, under the persevering diligence of their pious and devoted minister. The communion-roll now numbers 116 members; and as the Lord is continuing to bless them, and add to their numbers, we sincerely trust it may be "of such as shall be saved." A benevolent and active member has given a site for the new church, and about 1,4007. has already been subscribed for its erection. An Association has been organized, and is being so efficiently worked for the building fund as to afford a pattern for others to imitate, and such as should call forth the sympathies and assistance of the wealthier members of other congregations. "The Lord helps those who help themselves;" and if His servants and followers will imitate his example, they will not be forgetful-in their prayers and liberality— of our devoted friends at Southampton. Jottings of the Alonth. THE "Times" refused to publish the advertisement of the Roman Catholic Defence Association, as the assumed titles in the advertisement are contrary to law. THE 66 Westmeath Guardian" shows how the Government has managed to drive a coachand-six through the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill of last Session, having, "within the last month supplied the military, prisons, schools, &c., with Bibles and religious works, bearing on their emblazoned title page the Papal arms, and the superscription of The Most Reverend Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland.' This inconsistency is the more glaring as, previous to the enactment against the assumption of these titles, the Douay Bible bore the modest imprint of being published with the approbation of the Most Rev. Dr. Crolly." THE Bulwark says that " Popery is attempting to spread a net-work of newspapers over the provinces of England-the newspapers being all the same, and only varied by some local intelligence. We have before us two of them, published respectively in two great centres of population, at least 100 miles distant from each other, but intensely Popish, under pretence of liberalism, and in the main nearly word for word the same." THE Roman Catholics have built a College in North Wales, near to St. Asaph, capable of accommodating about 300 students. They are taught the Welsh language, and already ten have been ordained and sent forth, two and two, as missionaries among the Welsh villages. ing displays at the Popish Cathedral in Southwark.] THERE are in England and Wales 28,290 churches and chapels. Of the buildings exclusively devoted to sacred purposes, 97.89 per cent. are Protestant, and 2.11 per cent. Popísh. Besides which there are 7,474 meetings held by Evangelical Dissenters in schools or hired rooms. Increase of Protestant churches and chapels, during twenty years, from 1831 to 1851 (exclusive of a few minor sects), 7,646, or 40-7 per cent.; increase of Roman Catholic chapels, in twenty-six years, from 1825 to 1851, 222, or 59.20 per cent.; increase of Protestant places of worship, as compared with Roman Catholic, 40.7 to 59.20; and the actual number of Protestant places of worship which have been built, as compared with Roman Catholic, thirty-four to one. THE Governor has headed the subscriptionlist for the Free Church about to be erected at Malta, with a donation of 50l. The cost of the church and site is estimated at 4,000%. SEVERAL Belgian and Netherlands papers state, that a convention has been concluded between the Dutch Government and the Pope, according to which the Romish hierarchy is to be re-established in Holland, and that a number of episcopal sees will be immediately erected. THE Duchess of Orleans, with becoming dignity, refuses to accept the President's alms. She is said to have sent him the following note:-" Sir,-As I do not recognise your right to rob my family, neither do I recognise your right to endow me in the name of France. I refuse the dowry.-DUCHESS DE ORLEANS." DR. CUMMING preached two Charity Sermons, one Sabbath lately, in one of the parish THE total population in the Mormon terrichurches of Glasgow: the charge for admission tory, United States, free and slave, is 11,380; was one shilling! [This, we believe, is the farms, 926; manufacturing establishments, 16; ordinary charge for seeing the Sabbath-morn-it consists of seven counties. Children's Messenger. CORFU JEWISH MISSION-SCHOOL. WE had intended, this month, to give you a long account of the island of Corfu-its villages, its hills, its groves and olive-treesbut we think it better, first of all, to tell you more about the Mission, as it is important you should know this at once. It is just six years last summer since Mr. Charteris left England for Corfu. His main object, as we told you, was to carry the Gospel to the poor Jews, not forgetting also to do good to others as he had opportunity. He found many English and Scotch soldiers stationed on the island, and very soon he had a large number of them hearing him preach on the Sabbath evenings. At his request, a number of Psalm-books were sent out to them, and you would have been pleased to see how delighted they were when, on the first Sabbath evening after the books arrived, each one was sitting in the house of God, singing the sweet Psalms of David once more. Many of them thought of the happy days when they committed them to memory at the Sabbath-school; and some were much affected, as they remembered the quiet evenings, long ago, when their fathers sung them at family worship in their humble cottage homes. They thought of their mothers' prayers and tears and blessings, and heavy sighs swelled their hearts when they remembered how careless and forgetful they had been. It was the first time the Psalms and Paraphrases had ever been sung in Corfu, and Mr. Charteris and his wife almost shed tears of joy. dirty streets, as idle and careless as ever. Do you ask the cause of this? Perhaps you will wonder when we tell you. It was merely because they were taught to read the New Testament! He had no objection to them reading the Bible, but the Testament speaks so much about Jesus, whom they hate and despise, that he would not allow them to read it any more, or even to take it into their homes. If you read over the twenty-seventh chapter of Matthew, you will see how the Jews hated the Saviour when he was here; and their enmity is just as strong now. Their language still," AWAY WITH HIM, AWAY WITH HIM." If the Saviour was in Corfu today, the hatred in the Jewish heart is still strong enough to mock him, spit upon him, crown him with thorns, and crucify him. Surely you would pity the children of a father who brought them up to be robbers and murderers, who would have at last to pine away in a dark prison cell, or die on the scaffold? You felt much for the poor Khunds, whose parents sold and killed them like oxen, and who thus lived and died without God and without hope. But how much better are these little Jews, who are taught to "trample under foot the blood of the Son of God, and put him to open shame?" Learn to pity and pray for them. THEY WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE OVER WHOM THE SAVIOUR WEPT. He still longs to see the day when they will be brought back again to their Father's house. Poor Mr. Charteris was greatly discouraged at the closing of the school; his heart almost sunk within him. What was he to do? They will come back if he turns out the Testament, and says nothing about Jesus. But can he do that? No! To tell them about the Saviour was the very object for which he and his teacher came. So he thought he had better just wait a little, and perhaps the Rabbi's wrath would cool down. God did not forsake him. A Jewish shoemaker, whom he had taught to Very soon after this he began with the poor ignorant Jews. A class for boys and young men was formed, and many of them gladly came to be instructed, and were very thankful for so much kindness. It was interesting to see their mothers coming, their fine dark eyes glistening with gratitude, to tell Mr. Charteris how pleased they were that their boys had found so kind a friend. The poor little Jew-read the Bible, became his stedfast friend. At esses were in a very sad condition, growing up ignorant, careless, and neglected. The Greeks had schools on the island, but they hated and ill-used the little Jews so much, that they were often afraid to attend them. Mr. C., therefore, wished very much to have a school for them, but he had no time to attend to it himself. Just a year after he went to Corfu, the Committee sent out Miss Greig, a pious and devoted lady, who commenced a school for Jewish girls. Very soon she had thirty scholars, all most anxious to learn, and pleased with their kind and attentive teacher. Sometimes Mr. Charteris's kind heart leaped for joy when he entered the little school and saw the girls, with their bright dark eyes glistening, as they listened to Miss Greig's instructions. But it was only a calm before a storm. All of a The poor sudden the school is deserted! length this poor man was taken ill. When you are ill, kind friends come to read the Bible to you and tell you about the Saviour's love; but this poor Jew had to hide his Bible among the bed clothes lest his friends should take it away and burn it. Mr. C. often saw him; he said that all his hope was in Jesus, and that he prayed to God in his name; and our good missionary thought that if he was but the means of saving this man, he had not come to Corfu in vain. At last the school was once more opened; the children and young men one by one returned, and some of the people said they were very sorry for treating Mr. Charteris so unkindly. It has gone on ever since, prospering very much; the children not only read the Testament now, but even sing hymns to the praise of Jesus, and we hope that not a few of them will yet be saved by his precious blood, and that you will meet them at his right hand in heaven clothed in "fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of the saints." |