pursuits. We have now only lost an unstable friend-we may gain him back reformed. But is it really true that a miracle attributed to Prince Hohenlohe has swayed with this gentleman in effecting his conversion to the Roman Catholic superstitions? Feeble indeed must be that erudition which surrendered itself to such imposture! A poet has truly observed, in words of memorable beauty: Η θαύματα πολλά. Κὶ πέ τι καὶ βροτῶν φρένας Ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον Δεδαιδαλμένοι ψεύδεσι ποικίλοις Εξαπατῶντι μῦθοι. Perhaps the author from whom we quote has not fallen in the track of Mr. T.'s learned labours, but we could have wished that he had been aware of the fact expressed in this passage, and guarded himself against such a seduction. We could have wished rather that he would have imitated the conduct of another erudite person; and when this Meg Merrilies of Popery presented his "wondrous art Pontifical" before his astonished sight, he had dispelled the charm with an "exorciso te, sceleratissima, nequissima." We are very sorry to learn also that the vicissitudes of Mr. T.'s faith have involved also "his amiable consort"-and that she has at the same time become a Roman Catholic. What is become of" the three very fine youths," does not appear from the narrative. To the Editor of the Christian SIR, I AM perfectly astonished at the confidence with which Mr. Brandram denies the fact stated by Scrutator in your Number for August. I myself heard the clergyman alluded to by Scrutator, relate all the particulars just as he has reported them. Dr. Steinkopff was the officer of the society, immediately implicated in the proceeding. Will he come forward and say that the alleged attack upon the Church of England was not made?-that, those whom it more concerned to put down the speaker remaining silent, it was not repelled by the clergyman in question in the manner specified, or in terms to that effect? and that he (Dr. Steinkopff) did not interpose to allay the ferment excited, and did not engage, as a pacificatory expedient, to suppress all the offensive passages in the published reports?-And has he not accordingly done so ?— The aforesaid clergyman had viewed the society from a distance, and deluded by the Church of England display at the head of all its reports and circulars, had been promoting its interests most assiduously. He was so unprepared for the Quaker greeting whined into his ears, that for some time he could not believe them, and when his incredulity was overpowered by accumulated evidence, he looked round him amongst his brethren and ecclesiastical superiors, not doubting that a general burst of indignation from the whole body, or a dignified rebuke from the Chair, or its Right Reverend sup porter, would put the audacious calumniator to shame. As he was disappointed in this very natural expectation, his self-control yielded to the excitement in the manner your correspondent described. All this, I repeat, was related to me by the clergyman himself. It is true he is not in this country at present, but he is not out of the reach of letters; and when Dr. Steinkopff has delivered his testimony, further appeal, if necessary, may be made. Your obedient servant, Clericus Londinensis. To the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer. SIR, It is probably in this time-serving generation, a principle with many unstable professors of Christianity, to support the vulgar adage, that "the truth is not, at all times, to be spoken;"-but, being myself a disciple of the opposite school, I would reply to such disputants, by an equally trite, though somewhat homely saying, "speak the truth, and shame the devil." I regret to say, Mr. Editor, that I have been led to these reflections, by perusing a letter, published in your Miscellany of the present month, purporting to be written by the Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in reply to a letter signed " Scrutator," which appeared in your Publication for August. The main particulars related by Scrutator, as occurring at the last anniversary of that Society, I am sorry to know, are positively true. I had the account of them from the very clergyman spoken of by Scru tator. That an assembly of professing Christians, although comprising every sect of the present day, from the Calvinist to the Socinian, should tolerate invectives against, and misrepresentations of, the Liturgy of the Church of England, and in particular, at a time, when the object of their meeting was to consider, solely, the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures, is most unworthy of them :-but when, according to the rules of this age of conciliation, some members of the Established Church, thinking it their duty to support this anomalous society, on the occasion in question, gave their personal attendance; it would, indeed, have been most surprising, had not one of their body, and more especially so of the clergy, on such an insult offered to their faith, stept forward to express his indignation, and expose the ignorance of the party indulging in the abuses. It is not, however, my present object to enlarge on this point;all I aim at is to enforce truth; and I would, therefore, especially refer the secretary of the Society to his coadjutor, the Rev. Dr. Steinkopff, (who, at the meeting, addressed the clergyman, in question, by name,) upon the subject, and he will then be assured that Scrutator has given a correct account of that day's proceedings; and, however disgraceful the scene, it would have better become the British and Foreign Bible Society to have passed it over in silence, or to have honestly acknowledged the evil, and deplored its occurrence. Why its secretary should have been directed to a different line of conduct;-and why such mode of proceeding should appear to the Society as best suiting its views, I cannot take upon me to decide ;but of this I am assured, that whatever such reasoners may advance, that tors, was considerable. The former Rector was possessed of a large property, his affairs were thrown into Chancery, his successor, as a creditor, proved his claims. From that time to this not a farthing has he been able to obtain; nor can his solicitor foresee any probable period of the affairs being adjusted. Has he a right to interest on the debt due for dilapidations?-Treble the interest will not repay the additional damage caused by the weather in the interval. Suppose this small living to have been the sole support of a numerous family whose necessities precluded the present incumbent from doing the repairs more immedi. ately requisite; in the event of his dying before he receives the money from his predecessor's estate, to whom does his successor look for the greatly encreased amount of dilapidations? I imagine to his (the intermediate incumbent's) estate,and the executors of this intermediate incumbent (who probably died nearly insolvent) must wait, till a decree of Chancery enables them to receive the sum due from the estate of the former. Has the successor of the insolvent a claim prior to other creditors? Will the Solicitor who conducted the insolvent's business in the Chancery cause not deduct his charges?-For no man ever had a Chancery cause gratis. But if the successor has not a prior claim how is the Glebe House ever to be repaired? I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, To the Editor of the Christian SIR, We take this opportunity of returning our thanks to those who have favoured us with communications on such subjects, and to make it known that it is a great part of Incumbent," respecting any priority of claim for dilapidations on the estate of an incumbent dying in. solvent, I would refer him to the following extract from Bishop Gibson's Codex, p. 753, from which it will appear that however equitable any such claim might be, the common law of England does not permit its enforcement. This doctrine is also found stated in Ayliffe's Parergon and in Burn's Ecclesiastical Law, under the Article Dilapidations. "Executors who are chargeable with dilapidations are bound to make satisfaction for them before the payment of any legacies, and it might be hoped before the payment of any other debts, since the repairing of dilapidations is in the strictest sense a debt to the church, and it seems hard that private debts should be satisfied out of the spoils of the church, and the church herself be denied the common right of restitution. For whatsoever substance any incumbent gets from the church, and dies possessed of, is so much greater in proportion to his neglect of repairs, and that part that grows from such neglect is no better than a theft from the church, whose rights and privileges were anciently the first care of the law; but we are told by Sir Simon Degge that the common law prefers the payment of debts before damage for dilapidations;' and that being the course of the common law, we must be content." Parson's Coun. sellor, p. 1. c. viii. 7th edition, 1820. Yours, London, Sept. 1824. our plan to promote a general interchange of opinions among the Clergy on matters of professional interest to them as a body, that the information of individuals may conduce to the general good of all. MONTHLY REGISTER. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN Bangor Diocesan Committee. AT a Meeting held in the National School room, Bangor, the 4th day of Angust, 1824, PRESENT, The Lord Bishop. The Very Reverend the Dean. .... .... ... .... ... .... .... .... R. Newcome, Warden of Ruthin. Ellis Anwyl Owen. H. Price, Rector of Llangelynin. J. W. Trevor, Vicar of Carnarvon, J. Williams, ditto ditto. John Hughes, Esq. Dep. Reg. Prayers having been first read— The accounts for the last year were examined and approved, when it appeared that there was a balance of 1387. 12s. 4žd. on account of books sold, and on account of subscriptions 70l. 108. which, with a deduction for disbursements, amounting to 14l. 13s. 1d. leaves a balance of 1977. 98. 3 d. in the secretary's hands. The secretary having read the report of the proceedings of the last year, the thanks of the meeting were moved to him by the Lord Bishop, for the very able and satisfactory manner in which it was drawn up, and the same was ordered to be printed in the North Wales Gazette. The Rev. John Pugh, curate of Llandecwyn, was recommended by the Rev. W. Jones, rector of Maentwrog, as a subscribing Member of the Society. Resolved, That the Meetings of this Society hereafter take place at the National School. Signed in behalf of the Committee, J. H. COTTON, Secretary. Report of the Bangor Diocesan Committee, for the Year ending August 3d, 1824. The summary of books placed at the foot of this Report, will be found highly satisfactory; the amount of Bibles, Testaments, and Prayer Books, which have been sold by the Committee, is very considerable. As to the state of education on the principles of the Established Church within the district, connected with this Committee; the Committee have nothing to add to the Report of last year, with the exception of the formation of a school for the joint parishes of Bodwrog and Llandrygarn, in the county of Anglesey, to the establishment of which the National Society have liberally contributed 251. The Committee are happy in being able to make a report of the greatly improved state of their funds; the promise which had been given to the public as to the liquidation of the debt in which they had been involved, and their intention to reduce the price of their books, they are now enabled to perform. Calculating the value of the stock of books now in hand, the amount of sums now due, and the sums already paid for books, the Committee has now a balance in their favour of 12l. 48. 11дd. The attainment of this long wished-for object has been effected by a steady adherence to their original purposes; by an additional charge made upon the purchasers of books, by their requiring prompt payment for books, and by an immediate investment of all receipts in the Bank for Savings; by the adoption of this last mode they are happy to add, that they have received from the interest of money invested, the sum of 4l. 16s. 1d. The detail of this statement will be found at the close of this report. Since the date of the formation of this Committee in the year 1812, 158 persons .... .... .... Griffith Owen, Rector of Llanenddwyn. David Evans, Rector of Llandanwg. Wm. Pugh, Rector of Llanfair. Richard Pughe, Rector of Llanfro then, Wm. Williams, Rector of Traws- Rice Hughes, Perpetual Curate of John Maurice Edwards, Curate of David Edwards, Curate of Celynyn. Of these persons above named, the ten last are connected with the Dolgelly district, of which the Rev. R. Davies, of Llanaber, is now the secretary. If proofs are any where wanting of the regard which is generally felt for our Church, or of zeal in promoting the reli. gious and moral interests of its members, by the laity of rank and respectability within this diocese; in the district alluded to, at least such proof will not be wanting. At a time when the mind of Sir R. Vaughan might have been occupied with the important domestic event which has now called forth the congratulations of this portion of the principality, this zealous friend of the Church came forward, together with the Clergy of his neighbourhood, in support of her institutions. By the enrolment of their names, as members of the Parent Society, and by the sale of the Scriptures and of religious Tracts, will be given, we doubt not, a fresh stimulus to the friends of religion and of the Church; nor can we but entertain a hope that the gentry of the neighbourhood. may be induced to aid the impulse which has been given, and to lend their names and influence to a society so venerable and excellent. That the friends of this Society may increase, that its objects may be universally known, and its utility generally acknowledged, is the subject of the Committee's earnest desire and repeated efforts; hoping that through their prayers to Almighty God, that wish may be gratified, and those efforts made effectual. |