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ment, or its seasonableness at this time.
any publication of his with more gratification.

XIX.-Christian Communism.

A Sermon, &c. By WILLIAM SEWELL, B.D., Fellow and Tutor of Exeter College, Oxford. Oxford: Parker.

THIS sermon, which was preached on occasion of laying the first stone of the Alms-House Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene, Chiswick, contains a very beautiful exposition of the principles and modes of Christian charity, as applied to the case of the indigent and the lowly members of the community. It points out the desirableness of providing a refuge for such persons, impressed with a Christian character, and combined with occupations of an innocent and useful kind. God grant that such a spirit may exercise increasing influence in our land.

XX.-MISCELLANEOUS.

The press of matter compels us merely to acknowledge the receipt of the following books and other publications, which we hope to notice in our next number :

Davidson's Introduction to the New Testament-Gilly's Romaunt Version of St. John-Anderson's History of the Colonial Church, Vol. ii.-Dr. Chalmers's Scripture ReadingsTrollope's Liturgy of St. James-The Sea King, by J. S. Bigg -Monopoly the Cause of Evil, by Arthur O'Connor-Gray's Lectures on Money - Principles of Protestantism-Clarke's Thoughts in Verse-Tate's Holy Things and Times-Epitome of Alison-Letters from the Archives of Zurich (Parker Society) Original Letters, 1537-1558-The Psalter, by Scott-Corner's History of England-The History of a Family-Hopwood's Order of Confirmation-Analysis of Herodotus - Birkett's Trial of Creation-Blackley's Scriptural Teaching-Parry's SermonsMoberly's Logic-Loci Communes, by Swainson and WratislawThe Path of Life-The Scottish New Generation-L'Anima Amante, by Pagani-Moore's Human Nature in InnocencyGrant's Kapiolani-Cambridge Theological Examination Papers -Marsh's Bampton Lectures-Kidd on the Thirty-nine Articles -Poynder's Nelson's Fasts and Festivals-Nind's Lecture Sermons-Woman, by Monod-Thom's Chronology and Prophecy -Poole's Ecclesiastical Architecture-Songs of Christian Chivalry-Gauntlett's Bible Psalms-Gauntlett's Chants for the Psalms-Jarrett's Hebrew Lexicon-Beecher on Baptism-The Parochial and Collegiate Churches of Scotland.

Among smaller publications, pamphlets, &c. we may mention Instructions for Afflicted Christians-Prayers for the NurseryHints on Female Parochial Schools-Spencer's Commentary on the Collects-Harry and Archie-Christian's Child's Book-A Drop in the Ocean-Plain Sermons for the Poor-Prayers for Parochial Schools-Emmaus, by Nugee-The Penitent's PathSound Words-A Collection of Mr. Cleaver's Tracts-Family Prayers, by a Clergyman-Reasons for a New Edition of the Peschito, by Rogers-Slight's Letter to the Bishop of OxfordThe Theologian-Scottish Magazine - Ramsay's Catechism Charges by the Bishops of Fredericton, Exeter, and Archdeacon Manning, &c. &c. &c.

Foreign and Colonial Intelligence.

CANADA, Diocese of Toronto.-Prayer on account of the Cholera.— The Bishop of Toronto has issued a Pastoral Letter on the apprehended approach of the cholera, and directed the two following prayers to be used in the congregations of his diocese, immediately before the General Thanksgiving at Morning and Evening Prayer :

"Most gracious Father and God! who hast promised forgiveness of sins to all those that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto Thee. Look down, we beseech Thee, from heaven Thy dwelling-place, upon us Thy unworthy servants, who, under an awful apprehension of Thy judgments, and a deep conviction of our sinfulness, prostrate ourselves before Thee.

"We acknowledge it to be of Thy goodness alone, that, whilst Thou hast visited other nations with pestilence, Thou hast so long spared us. Have pity, O Lord! have pity on Thy people, both here and abroad : withdraw Thy heavy hand from those that are suffering under Thy judgments; and turn away from us that grievous calamity, against which our only security is in Thy compassion. We confess in shame and contrition that in the pride and hardness of our hearts we have shown ourselves unthankful for Thy mercies, and have followed our own inclinations instead of Thy holy laws. Yet, O Merciful Father, suffer not Thy destroying Angel to lift up his hand against us, but keep us, as Thou hast heretofore done, in health and safety; and grant, that being warned by the sufferings of others to repent our sins, we may be preserved from all evil by Thy mighty protection, and enjoy the continuance of Thy mercy and grace, through the merits of our only Mediator and Advocate Jesus Christ. Amen.

"O, Almighty God! who by the many instances of mortality, which encompass us on every side, dost call upon us seriously to consider the shortness of our time here upon earth, and remindest us that, in the midst of life we are in death, so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

"Give us grace to turn unto Thee with timely repentance, and thus to obtain, through the merits of our Saviour, that pardon to-day, which tomorrow it may be too late to seek for; that so being strengthened by Thy good Spirit against the terrors of death, and daily advancing in godliness, we may at all times be ready to give up our souls into Thy hands, O Gracious Father, in the hope of a blessed immortality, through the mediation, and for the merits, of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Advance of Protestant Truth among the Romanists.-The Bishop of Montreal, in a letter dated June 19, writes thus to the Society for Pro

moting Christian Knowledge:-" A disposition is beginning to manifest itself, here and there, among the French Canadians, to unite with the Church of England. I have lately ordained the Rev. Daniel Gavin, a Swiss minister, who, from conviction, has conformed to the Anglican Church, a singularly discreet, as well as exemplary and zealous man, and one of exceedingly good attainments, to the charge of a little flock of French converts at a place called Sabrevois; his maintenance being provided for by a widow lady of property in the neighbourhood. There is also another small body of French Canadians, who, having renounced the Romish faith, have established themselves in a separate settlement in the township of Milton, and have received much attention from the Rev. George Slack, Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at Granby, within whose charge Milton is situated, and who is sufficiently master of the French language to converse with them, and to afford them some week-day ministrations; but having three services and sermons, in three different parts of his mission, to perform in English upon Sundays, he cannot then afford any time or labour to the Canadians. Mr. Gavin has undertaken to visit them upon a Sunday, once a quarter."

FRANCE.-State of the Romish Church.-The Romish hierarchy and clergy in France are in a state of complete prostration before the political power of the day. As in February the clergy danced attendance on the trees of liberty, so the bishops hastened to issue their mandements in honour of the New Constitution, with orders that prayers should be offered in all the churches for the success of the presidential election. Many of the documents contained tolerably broad hints in favour of General Cavaignac, who had not failed to pay his court to the Romish clergy, in the hope that the weight of their support would tell greatly in his favour. The result seems to indicate that the influence of the Romish clergy in France is but small, and that to be a "dilectissimus filius” of the Church, as 66 Eugenius Cavaignac" is called in the letter of Pius IX., is but a small recommendation in the eyes of the great majority of Frenchmen. The accession of Louis Napoleon will, in the present temper of the Papal hierarchy, at once dispose them in his favour, and it remains to be seen what will be the development of the Romish Church under the new order of things. Among the various indications that the "Catholic" party mean to bestir themselves, is the fact, that their old organ, the Ami de la Religion, has undergone a complete renovation. It had for some time become exceedingly tame, and since the revolution in February had changed almost to a common newspaper, appearing six times a week, and containing hardly any thing beyond the current Ecclesiastical intelligence, and the news of the day. It is now brought back to its original character, as a theological periodical, and to its former mode of publication, three times a week, under the editorship of Abbé Dupanloup, who will be assisted by the most eminent Clergymen and laymen of the Ultramontane party, such as Count Montalembert, the Jesuit Ravignan, Henry de Riancey, and others. The change appears

to have been determined on at the instigation of the French bishops, and the Pope signified his high satisfaction with it in a brief addressed to the Abbé Dupanloup.

General Assembly of the Reformed Churches.-After twenty-three successive sittings of the General Assembly of the Reformed Churches of France, held at Paris in the course of September and the beginning of October, a project of law has been agreed upon, to be presented to the Government for the adoption of the legislature. The project consists of fifty-nine articles. It provides for the government of "the Reformed Church in France," by general and local consistories, provincial synods, and a general synod. It requires of aspirants for the pastoral office, that they shall be Frenchmen by birth, at least twenty-five years old, Bachelors of Divinity in one of the Reformed faculties of France, and provided with certificates of consecration by seven, or at least five, ministers or professors. The local consistories are to be composed of ministers and lay-elders, according to a graduated scale, beginning with twelve lay-elders to one Minister, and ascending to twenty-four layelders to five or more Ministers. Elders need not be communicants, provided they have once in their lives received the communion. In the general consistories the number of the laity is to be to that of the Clergy in the proportion of two to one; in the provincial synods in the proportion of three to two; in the general synod, to be held every three years, the number of Ministers and laymen is to be equal.

GERMANY.-Utter Confusion in the Protestant Communions. Projected Protestant Confederation.-The danger which, in the present unsettled state of all the political institutions of Germany, threatens the Ecclesiastical establishments, especially those of the Protestant communions, on account of their intimate connexion with the State, has excited the most serious alarm in the minds of the religious part of the community. The country is inundated with protests against the official documents which have emanated from the various revolutionary authorities, more especially against the decree of the Schwerin ministry for the convocation of a constitutional assembly of the Protestant Church in Prussia, which places the representation of the Church upon the broadest possible latitudinarian and democratic basis, as well as with projects and counter-projects of all sorts. It would be endless, and scarcely interesting, to reproduce the various documents, or even to enumerate the several occasions which called them forth, or the meetings at which they were adopted. It will be sufficient, in order to give an accurate idea of the state of Protestantism in Germany at the present time, for us to confine ourselves to a report of the Ecclesiastical Assembly held at Wittenberg during the last days of September; as the measures there proposed, and the statements made by different speakers, will serve to place the whole position of affairs, in reference to the Protestant communions, in a clear light.

In the first place it is to be observed, that the Assembly possessed no

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