A return having been made from the several Parishes within the Deanery of the number of Children between the ages of 6 and 12, distinguishing male and female, and, as far as could be ascertained, such as have received, and such as have not received instruction, it appeared that there were upwards of 2,200 Children between the said ages, many of whom had not received any, and most of them it is to be feared, a very inadequate education-the following Resolutions were proposed to the Meeting, and unanimously agreed to.

"1.-That this meeting, convinced of the urgent necessity, in these times, of some system of general education in the principles of the Established Church, have observed with a lively interest the formation of a National Society with that view, and approve highly of the enlarged and comprehensive scale on which it is formed.

"2.-That the Resolutions of the District Society at Colchester claim the most ready concurrence of this meeting, merit its cordial co-operation, and are calculated to call forth the best exertions of the Clergy in carrying them into effect, as far as the circumstances of their respective parishes may require, or will permit.

"3.-That though some difficulties occur to the minds of the Clergy assembled at this meeting, as well as to the mode of raising sufficient funds for the support of parochial schools, as to the application of the new system of tuition in country parishes, where the number of children to be collected in one place must be comparatively few; yet they will always be anxious, in a design of so great importance, to obviate these difficulties, and will not fail to exert all their influence for that purpose.

“4.—That with this view, they will both by publick and private exhortation, endeavour to impress the more opulent part of their parishioners, and the well disposed in general, with a just sense of the necessity of the religious and moral instruction of the poor, as the best, if not the only, means of correcting that disposition to idleness, and, in many cases, intemperance, which, of late years, appears to have gained ground amongst the labouring poor: of reviving that spirit of industry by which alone parish rates can be relieved, and of rendering that most useful and numerous part of the community

faithful and honest in their services to others, and happy and cotia tented in themselves."

In consequence of the above Resolutions a general and numerous Meeting of the Clergy, and also of the Laity of the Deanery, was subsequently held at the same place, March 16th, when, after the principles on which the National Society is founded, had been stated fully to this meeting, its objects particularly pointed out, and the resolutions by which it is constituted, as well as the regulations by which it is to be conducted, read,

IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED,

"1. That such a Society is, from the complexion of the times, and from the circumstances of the poor, become particularly necessary in these kingdoms, as calculated to propagate and maintain the scriptural doctrines and sound religion of our Reformed Church amongst the now uninstructed part of the community, to inculcate early habits of piety, decency, sobriety, and virtue upon the rising generation, and thus to promote, in profession and practice, pure and unadulterated Christianity.

"2.-That the Resolutions of the District Society at Colchester, now submitted to the consideration of this meeting, merit in every respect its approbation, and are entitled to, and have its concurrence,

"3.-That in conformity to a Resolution of the said District Society, of the 8th of January last, this meeting do now proceed to the nomination of a Sub-Committee for this Deanery, to co operate and communicate with the general Committee at Colchester, on the points stated in the said Resolution.

"4. That such Sub-Committee shall consist of all the Clergy within the Deanery, and of two of the Laity, or, where necessary, & greater number, of each parish.

"5.-That Subscriptions, for the purpose of carrying into effect the inestimable designs of the National Society, be solicited in each parish within the Deanery, in Easter week in every year, by the Members of the Sub-Committee for that parish, and that such Sub scriptions be applied in the Education of the Children of the Poor, resident within that parish, whether they be settled inhabitants ef

not.

6. That any smaller parishes may, at the option of the paro chial Members of the Sub-Committee, on consultation with the Sub* scribers of that parish, unite their Subscriptions with those of any neighbouring parish or parishes, and have one common school for such parishes so united.

“7.—That where the Subscriptions are adequate to the expence of a daily school, and where the number of children to be educated in any school exceed fifty, it be recommended to the parochial Members of the Sub-Committee to adopt, through the assistance of the parent Society in London, the new, or what is usually called, the Madras System of Education, in their respective schools.

"8. That where the number to be instructed, or the amount of the Subscriptions will not admit of so extensive a scale of education, it be recommended to the parochial Members of the Sub-Committee to apply the sums so subscribed, either in the establishment of a Sunday-School, in reducing the expence to parents of putting their children to a Day School, or in such other way as may seem most likely to promote the great objects of the Society.

"9.—That in whatever way the said Subscriptions may be applied, particular care shall be taken that all the children reaping the benefit of this most charitable Institution shall, without exception, be instructed in the excellent Liturgy and Catechism of the Church of England, shall constantly attend Divine Service in their Parish Church, or in some Chapel under the Establishment, on the Lord's Day, unless such reason for their non-attendance be given as shall be satisfactory to the parochial Members of the Sub-Committee.

"10.-That it be recommended to the parochial Members of the Sub-Committee, either to visit the School within their parish frequently themselves, or to appoint monthly Visitors out of the Subscribers, and to adopt such Rules and Regulations for the promotion of the general designs of the Society, as the circumstances of their respective parishes may appear to require.

"11. That the Sub-Committee for this Deanery shall meet to receive reports from their parochial members, and to communicatę them through the Special Committee of the District Society at Colchester, to the Society in London."

(Signed by the Chairman.)

The General Committee of the National Society wish the parochial Clergy to understand, that where there is no Diocesan or District Committee, any particular Deanery, or a smaller association of Parishes, or a single Parish, may unite themselves to the Society, through the Bishop of the Diocese, and correspond directly with it, through its Secretary.

All communications with the Society are to be addressed to the Rev. T. T. WALMSLEY, 13, Clifford's Inn.

N. VI.

REPORT of the SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The School Committee was appointed for the general management of the Central and other Schools, and to assist Dr. BELL in his office of Superintendant. To this office was attached the power of engaging Masters and Mistresses, and the power also of suspending or dismissing them. He was further commissioned to engage persons to be trained as Masters and Mistresses, and for this purpose the Trustees of the Schools of Lambeth, Mary-le bone, and Gower's Walk, Whitechapel, were requested to afford him the means until the school under the immediate direction of the Society should be formed. Application was made to the Trustees without delay, who very readily acceded to the request.

The Committee saw at once the inconveniencies which would arise unless they were provided with a person properly qualified to assist Dr. BELL in the laborious duties which he had gratuitously undertaken, as well as to supply his place during his occasional absence.

Their attention therefore was early directed to this object.

In considering how the designs of the Society, in this particular, could be carried into complete effect, it appeared to them that such assistant should be called upon to act as the principal Master in the Central School; to have the controul over those persons who should engage to be trained; to take minutes of the Proceedings of the Committee, under their direction; to receive and to answer all applications for Masters; to assist in the formation of Schools in the Country; to give instructions to those Masters; to receive their Reports, and to audit their Accounts. For the discharge of such duties, a man of education was required; and when it was found that the Children of the Central School could not be accommodated in any Church or Chapel in the neighbourhood, the Committee looked forward to the probable necessity of having Divine Service performed on a Sunday in the School-Room, if approved of by the Diocesan, and therefore they deemed it expedient that the person whom they engaged should also be in holy orders. In the Rev. Mr. JOHNSON, of Grasmere, in the county of Westmoreland, who offered himself with the strongest possible recommendations, they conceive that all their wishes are answered. From the experience which they have already had of his qualifications, attention, and zeal, they judge that he is in every respect suited to their purpose.

If the Committee had not determined upon the propriety of engaging persons to be trained for the purpose of forming Schools in the Madras System, the numerous applications from the Country for Masters would have soon forced this measure on their notice.

They preferred, indeed, and they recommended, that the Applicants should send to London the Master of their own appointment, in order that he might receive the benefit of observation, as well as instruction, in some one of those Schools, where the system had been long established. But they did not neglect in the mean time to provide for the wants of those places where their recommendation could not be conveniently adopted, by qualifying persons to organize Schools, wherever it should be requisite. In both ways, assistance has been afforded. Several Masters from the Country have received the benefit of information and experience in the Schools of Lambeth, Mary-le-bone, and Gower's Walk, Whitechapel. A few persons