the minority. So long as the church of England retains the affections of the people of England and its present unquestionable majority of members, it will stand as an establishment, in spite of the reform bill and all its disastrous and democraticizing consequences. But how long will it retain its majority if some very decided and vigorous measures are not taken to extend church-of-England education and church-ofEngland accommodation, to build churches and church schools? In the parliamentary borough of Liverpool, which contains, perhaps, 220,000 souls, the dissenters say they educate 8,300 children, while 1 venture to say 10,000 children are not educated at all. Suppose, however, the dissenters only educate 7,000, or suppose even only 6,000, there will even then be 16 or 17,000 children brought up in total indifference or direct hostility to the established church. Surely this is a very painful and discouraging prospect. Such a state of things has produced grievous evils, and is fraught with still more grievous evils to come. Before the church can be said to answer its purpose as a means for national religious education, its school accommodation should be increased three-fold. Again, as to church-room. In Liverpool, comparatively speaking, we are remarkably well off in that respect. In the parish, containing about 170,000 souls, there are twenty-two churches (including the floating church), containing about 29,000 sittings, whereof about 9,500 are reputed free: that is, there is church-room for not quite one-sixth of the population. Now more than a third ought to attend public worship, and therefore one-half, I should say, is unprovided with church-room. To remedy this, plain, cheap churches should be built, with a school attached and a resident minister: and the people thus being brought up in the habit of attending church, and communicating on friendly terms with the minister, we might hope that a better feeling with regard to the church would prevail in the great towns, where, unhappily, at present almost two-thirds of the shopkeepers (who are at the same time electors) are dissenters. Such being the case, there is no wonder that the members for so many of the great towns should be so hostile to the established church. Hoping you will be able to insert this, and apologizing to your intelligent correspondent R. W. B. for not replying before,

I remain, your obedient servant, CLERICUS.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

SIR,-Your correspondent " G.," in your Number for October, 1834, p. 424, appears to refer to the letter of "H. H.," which is found in the preceding Number for September. He expresses a wish for "much more in detail" as to the remedy for the defects in the matter of teaching Sunday-schools-particularly, it seems, as to the steps to be taken to "teach the scholars to understand and feed upon the kernel that is so plentiful in the Liturgy." It is not easy to give such a detail as will be understood. The following remarks will probably not be well understood at one reading. Perhaps they may be worth a second perusal:

The want of success in the business of teaching appears to lie more

frequently with the teachers than with the scholars. No one can be supposed able to teach the liturgy to advantage who is not familiar with its practical meaning and use. Moreover, there is an art in teaching that which is known, which is not to be communicated by description. This art appears, in fact, to be the real object after which your correspondent, " G.," inquires. But to communicate the art of teaching the young scholar to any practical advantage, by any detail upon paper, is a task not less hopeless than to communicate by description the art of making shoes, or of navigating a ship. A course of practice alone, under the direction of a skilful master, can give the necessary power; and, as in other difficult arts, many may receive a course of good instruction, and yet not acquire any proficiency.

The human mind, in its early stages, is a most admirable field for cultivation-open, and to a great degree yielding, curious, inquisitive, yet feeble, sensitive, volatile, perverse, obstinate, requiring much skill, delicacy, and judgment in those who undertake its guidance and discipline. But Sunday-scholars bring also with them to school all that variety of natural and artificial obstruction to valuable improvement which neglect and mismanagement can be supposed to generate, as hindrances to success in their instruction. It is beings of this sort that are to be taught the knowledge of God, and formed to habits of submission and obedience to his directions. And the inquiry is, how this is best to be done? Doubtless, in the way which the all-wise God himself has pointed out: in the way which he hath adopted to teach the ignorant and perverted human race. If, in this view, the first half of the book of Deuteronomy be carefully studied-particularly the fourth and sixth chapters-the following attempt may possibly convey some guess at the meaning of the observation about following the scripture method:—

Suppose two teachers-one provides his class with easy lessons prepared for the purpose, with chosen words and sentences, to set forth God's power, wisdom, goodness, &c., &c., and man's duty and interest, which subjects the teacher illustrates by explanations in the usual way, and the clergyman gives his assistance by frequent lectures and exhortations; both clergyman and teacher referring to the liturgy, according to their judgments, and explaining parts of it. Suppose this process to be continued for a given time-say twentyfour months. The other takes a class of equal age, and with equal qualifications, as near as may be, and for precisely the same time. This teacher employs his class in the first two chapters of Genesis. He neither lectures nor explains, otherwise than by questioning, to lead his class to notice the information given in the chapters-to notice the things said to have been done--how they were done-why they were done-when they were done-and the connexion of one part or transaction with another-and with all the parties concerned. The written words and phrases of the chapters are kept to as nearly as possible, both in the questions and in the answers that are approved. The children, by proper ordering, become familiar with a regular system of obedient attention and regard to the authority of the teacher, and VOL. VII.-April, 1835. 3 L

know the words and the sentiments therein expressed, can read the text, and are familiar with the ideas suggested by what they read. In the meantime, this class is rigidly required to observe a constant, sober attendance at church; where, they are informed, the parishioners meet to worship the Maker of heaven and earth, who is understood by them to be perfectly acquainted with what is doing in every place, and particularly at church. The class is taught to join in the services when at church, and, moreover, to understand, in its simple meaning, one of the collects, and to use it daily-say the collect "for grace." Except these particular things, little pains is yet taken to explain the liturgy. It may now be considered which class will, at the end of the proposed time, be best prepared to receive such further instruction as shall lead them to understand and to use the liturgy to advantage.

After all, the main question is still untouched. Where is the teacher that is prepared to enter thus minutely into the particulars of what is read by the class, and to keep up the spirit of his class for two or three hundred lessons, while confining the reading, repeating, ques-` tioning, and answering to those two chapters?

The Book of Common Prayer offers itself to our notice. It contains the churchman's religious system, and is the clergyman's directory in the various duties of his office; while, in opening and explaining the liturgy to the older part of his charge, he preaches to them the Gospel in all its fulness, and leads them to the practical use of it as a guide to devotion; the younger may, with great propriety and advantage, be instructed and practised in the duty of keeping holy the Sabbath-day, and of observing a decent and devout behaviour at

church.

It is high time that we learn from experience to abandon the comparatively senseless notion, that learning to read is education, and that teaching children to repeat a few good sentences is forming them to a religious character. Such a character can be formed, as we can contribute to form them, only by a course of judicious discipline added to instruction. Knowledge, and the art of applying knowledge, are qualifications of a distinct character, and require a process somewhat different in their acquisition. The facility with which persons learn to address and exhort-that is, to talk upon religious subjects-is no proof of improvement in the science, or in the art of giving religious instruction. Education will make little substantial progress in the country so long as the taste for cheap schools and gratuitous teaching continues prevalent. If we wish to breed Alexanders, we must employ Aristotles as preceptors for young children. Religion will never be properly promoted in our Sunday-schools till the sacred history be more generally and more carefully worked into the minds and understandings of youth-till judicious catechising takes place of exhortations, addresses, and sermons to children-till religious education be begun where the church directs, and its progress be conducted according to the method there suggested. The judicious exertions of the parochial clergy are, at this season, inconceivably important; but the zealous clergy must cease to admire and to imitate those who have no plan to

CORRESPONDENCE.-QUESTIONS.

guide them but the ever-varying spirit of the age-those who mistake change for improvement, and blush to be thought to venerate the well-digested methods of their fathers. They must study the rubric, and try to guide themselves by its directions; they will thereby learn to preach the gospel more acceptably and more successfully, and to instruct their youth to greater effect. Perhaps the present moment may be considered as highly favourable. A degree of re-action is perceptible; men's minds are cooling down to sobriety, which will allow them to judge between systems which promote the herding. great numbers of children together for parade and show, to sing and hear speeches and sermons, and those which provide that tender minds shall be exercised on subjects which they can understand and feel, and shall be carried forward as they open and strengthen.

Whether your correspondent, " G.," may think these observations amount to anything like a relevant reply to his implied request, the writer of them pretends not to judge. He knows that it is difficult to write upon the subject, because it is a subject little understood. (He submits to the imputation of vanity for the last remark.) Then only will real religious improvement in Sunday-schools generally commence, when the comparison implied in the subjoined adage shall be thoroughly and generally understood, and the practice it is calculated to recommend sedulously adopted-" A BOY may preach, but it reH. H. quires a MAN to catechise.'

QUESTIONS.

MR. EDITOR,—If some of your well-read and well-informed correspondents will be kind enough to answer the accompanying questions, they will confer a favour upon one who, with a very limited library, and little other means of obtaining information, often finds himself at a loss to answer questions which arise in his mind after reading, or are suggested by conversation.

1. In what modern work or works may be found the best account of the present state of the Jewish nation, shewing the state of their present religious opinions, and in what respects they still adhere I wish particularly to to the observances of the Mosaic ritual? know how far their present customs, both religious and municipal, tend to illustrate the third rule laid down by Leslie for establishing the truth of the Mosaic miracles.

2. From what quarters may be gathered an account of the different varieties of church-government (including the forms of ordination*) of the anti-episcopalians of the present day?

Should these few lines find admission into the pages of the "British Magazine," and be deemed worthy of an answer in some future

On this particular head I have read, with some surprise, the twenty-ninth and thirtieth letters in " The Voluntary System." The thanks of every well-wisher of religion are due to the author of this publication; it supplies valuable information of which, I believe, previously, most churchmen were ignorant.

Number, I may probably be again tempted to have recourse to the same channel when in quest of information, which I am very sure many readers and writers of it are able to supply.

Your obedient servant, TYRO.

NOTICES AND REVIEWS.

Principles of Interpretation of the Old Testament. By J. H. Pareau. Translated by P. Forbes, D.D. Vol. I. (BIBLICAL CABINET, Vol. VIII.) Edinburgh Clark. 1835.

:

THE observations in the last number apply, though in a less degree, to the present volume. Pareau does not parade his learning, and his long list of authorities, so much as Plank, nor is he so lax in his principles; on the contrary, he is much opposed to rationalism, but even he is lax. The translator is obliged to give one long note to correct some of these opinions, and tells us, in his preface, that he should have done so to some extent but from fear of increasing the bulk and price of the volume, and exhibiting the author and translator as opposed to each other. But is it advisable to translate books which require this? and is it good for students to find a long confutation of rationalism a main part of a treatise on interpretation?

Letters to a Friend who had long been harassed by many Objections against the Church of England. By the Rev. A. S. Thelwall. Seeley and Burnside. 1835. 12mo.

THE exceedingly uncharitable tone used in the preface by Mr. Thelwall towards his brethren of the clergy excites a strong feeling of dislike to his work, and that feeling is fully justified by its contents. Does Mr. T. think that good can be done by accusing many of them of preaching popery and heathen morality, calling them intruders and pretenders, &c., and asserting that he and his friends are the true church of England? He says he would turn them all out if he could, and shall not be surprised if the Lord turns them out, but shall glorify him for his work! Good man! But who are Mr. T.'s friends, and what are his opinions? He denounces nearly every body, stating that he is under persecution for his faithfulness. After every one else, the Record is denounced as one of the false and dangerous friends of the church.

Passion Week, a Devotional and Practical Exposition of the Epistles and Gospels for that Season. By the Rev. R. Meek. London: Hatchards. 1835. pp. 186. PERHAPS no greater praise can be given to Mr. Meek's work than saying that it answers its description in the title, and that it is really and truly both devotional and practical. Such works are far better for writer and reader than controversies.

An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles. By Bishop Tomline. With Notes and Questions by the Rev. R. Paul. Oxford: Vincent. 1835. pp. 539. Ir persons use Bishop Tomline's work, they cannot have it in so useful or agreeable a form as that in which Mr. Paul has here presented it. But when shall we have a work worthy of our Articles, not meagre like this, nor lowminded like Burnet?