E. Ball assured the House that his only desire was that the established church might become more pure, and therefore more useful. In 1837, Lord Derby admitted that church rates were a grievance to Dissenters. Who were the Dissenters? The founders of the Sunday school system, the promoters of education, the supporters of mis

clay in the south part of the city. They were called together and addressed on the same subject, the same offer of the simple beverage above alluded to was made to them, they complied with it; not a laborer in my employ, in that clay bank died. But mark the contrast: on the other side of that same clay bank were other laborers, thirty of them. To keep off the cholera, and stimulate them to greater exertion, the contractor furnish- sions and religious societies. On these grounds ed them, at regular intervals, strong drink-in-they were entitled to great consideration from the toxicating poisons. Ten of the thirty of these poor Irishmen fell victims, not to the cholera alone, but to the whiskey jug.

I give you, Mr. Editor, these facts, with the hope that they may operate as a warning. Let the laboring man, especially, avoid the grog shop; for he may rely upon it, that the pestilence lurks there, watching to catch him. Let no one be beguiled for a moment by the idea that he is safe, because he thinks he gets pure liquor. He can have no certainty of getting it, while he may be sure, in ninety-nine cases in the hundred, that he does not get it; and if he does get it pure, he may be sure that he gets intoxicating poison, never useful, always injurious as a beverage in health. Yours, very truly,

E. C. DELAVAN. Ballstone Centre, July 13th, 1854.

FRIENDS' REVIEW. PHILADELPHIA, EIGHTH MONTH 5, 1854.

Such of our readers as are in the practice of examining the articles which appear in our paper, will probably remember an interesting essay on the subject of church rates, which was published in the 43d number of the current volume. In that article reference is made to the introduction of a bill into parliament for the abolition of those rates; and in the account of the late Yearly Meeting of London, which appeared in our 42d number, notice is given, that a draft of a petition to parliament, in support of the bill above alluded to, was prepared for the general signature of Friends attending that Yearly Meeting. This was on the 31st of Fifth month. Of the presentation of that petition, the editor has seen no account. But in the Scottish Press under date of June 23, we have a brief notice of a debate which occurred on the 21st of that month, in the House of Commons, in relation to that bill.

A motion was made for the second reading of the bill, and supported by several members; but Goulburn condemned it as unjust in principle, and inconsistent with sound political wisdom and Christian charity. It recognised the doctrine of the separation of Church and State. He moved as an amendment that the bill should be read a second time that day six months; which was in reality, that it should be rejected.

House; a claim which was supported by their great numbers. The question had come to this point: that they must either abolish church rates, or be prepared for a continued religious strife from one end of the country to the other. For the cause of religion, he would give up the church rates, to avoid the strife to which he had referred.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer made some observations which were not very clear, if indeed they were consistent with each other. He admit

ted that the church rates were a wrong for which there ought to be a remedy, but appeared to think this bill could not become a law at the present session; and said he would not assent to the proposition that the alternative lay between countenancing these rates and abolishing them. The case for a change was irresistable. Among the objections to the present system was the fact that the existence of a legal obligation which could not be enforced, tended to weaken the adminis tration of the law, and he conceived that the rates were a grievance both to churchmen and Dissenters. But he did not consider that church rates ought to be abolished.

J. Bright, dilated on the mischievous character of the rates, disavowing any hostility to the church of England except as a political institution, which he did not think useful; and he contended that the church would have far more success if it depended upon its own exertions, as the Dissenters did. The Dissenters did not come there as supplicants. They had been from the time of the reformation, a growing body in that country. The Puritans first, the Nonconformists afterwards, and the Dissenters now, and all the power of the Jameses, the Charleses and the Georges had not been able to arrest the deepening, widening, fertilizing and purifying stream of Nonconformity, which existed in the country. He thought that far higher interests than those either of Dissenting sects, or of the established church were involved in the question. Was it not possible that, if this element of discord were removed, and that sects and churches would live together more in har mony-if it could be said of them as it was of the Christians in the early ages of the church: "Look how these Christians love one another;" was it not far more likely than at present that that large out-cast part of the people, who are not touched

DIED,-On the 28th of Fifth month, at the resi The fulfilment of this precious promise is to dence of his daughter, Rachel N. Hoge, in Loudon be witnessed only through watchfulness unto Co., Va., MAHLON SCHOLFIELD, a member of Hope- prayer. "What I say unto you, I say unto all, well Monthly Meeting, in the 85th year of his age. Watch."-(Mark xiii. 37.) "Watch ye and Near Milton, Wayne County, Indiana, on the 12th of last month, of pulmonary consump-38. These commands of our adorable Saviour pray, lest ye enter into temptation."-(Mark xiv. tion, ISABELLA, wife of Charles T. Westcomb, a member of Whitewater Monthly Meeting, in the cannot be obeyed by the mind which is engrossed 38th year by the exciting and clashing elements of this

world; and, while we are deeply sensible of our frailty, we may remember, for our strength and encouragement, the gracious declarations of our Lord: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.-(Matt. vii. 7, 8.) But the natural man receiveth not these things; they are the things of the Spirit ;-they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. From hence come the evils and contentions that abound.

Our blessed Lord declares that from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, wickedness, deceit, pride, foolishness, and all those other evils mentioned in the text (Mark vii. 21, 22), which afflict mankind; and the apostle James holds this language: "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in your members?"-(James iv. 1.)

The humble believer in Jesus desires and earnestly seeks to be redeemed from evil. He desires that the hard and stony heart may be taken away; that he may have a heart of flesh, a heart to feel for others' woes,-a heart to sympathise with others' sorrows; that, instead of hardness or malice towards any, pure love to all may prevail within him,-love that worketh no ill to his neighbor,-love that is, therefore, the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. xiii.10.)

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute you."-(Matt. v. 44.) These commandments are practical in their nature, and are obligatory

upon us.

After many years, in which the blessings of peace have, to a great extent, been enjoyed by the principal nations of the world, we are pained from across the Atlantic with the sound of war, and war wide spread and desolating, in which several of the great nations of Europe are about to engage.

What are the feelings which the thought of scenes such as these should excite in every humane breast?

In the ranks of the invading army how many there are who have left behind them fathers, who have looked to them, it may be, as the staff of their declining years; mothers, who have looked upon their sons with an affection and solicitude which only a mother feels; sisters, brothers, wives,-all these tender ties of life, left to obey the cruel behests of war; and multitudes of them never to revisit their native land, but whose bones will be left to whiten a foreign soil. What ties are severed, what hearts are made to bleed, what hopes are forever destroyed, by the embodying and going forth to battle of every army!

These considerations relate to earth. There are other considerations, of infinitely higher and greater moment.

In the strife of battle what multitudes are hurried into eternity, it is greatly to be feared, in an unprepared state!-brought to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, suddenly, from the field of bloody strife, amid the displays of the unhallowed passions of rapine and bloodshed;fresh, it may be, from the shedding of a fellowcreature's blood.

What fearful considerations, these, to the reflecting mind! What an awful responsibility rests upon the promoters and abettors of war!

We greatly desire that we may all be clear in these respects. Let us beware, then, beloved friends, how we, in any manner or degree, become leavened into the spirit of war ;-of how we partake in any measure of the excitement which war, now so unhappily prevailing, engenders. Let us seek earnestly to be preserved in consistency, as the followers of the Prince of Peace.

How should we long that everything within us, which can be joined to a warlike spirit, may be removed!-that we may take no part, even in feeling, with the contentions, the victories or defeats of war, except to deplore them, and to crave the speedy coming of that blessed gospel Every battle of the warrior is with confused day, when "they shall beat their swords into noise, and garments rolled in blood."-(Isaiah ploughshares, and their spears into pruningix. v.) Already do we realize, in the history of hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against narecent events, the truth of this scripture. Al- tion, neither shall they learn war any more.” ready are cities laid waste, and the dwellings-(Isaiah ii. 4.)

of their peaceful inhabitants destroyed. Al- It becomes, the Christian, when he hears or ready are multitudes of unoffending people sub-reads of the events of war, and of the bloodshed jected to the awful miseries of war. Not only and misery it produces, to remember that they men, who were perhaps, in the peaceful pursuit are the fruits of the carnal mind, which is enof their daily avocations, but the tender mother, with her helpless infant and innocent children, is driven, homeless, out upon the world, by the dreadful operations of war; or perhaps they themselves, involved in the destruction of their dwellings, are left to form a part of the ruin which marks the spot, a short time only before their peaceful homes.

mity against God, "for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," (Rom. viii. 7); while, on the contrary, "the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."-Gal. v. 22, 23.)

We feel a lively concern on this important subject, for our dear friends who are parents, or

who have the care of youth. May you, beloved friends, feel your responsibility, in the sight of the All-seeing eye, faithfully to discharge your duty herein to the objects of your love and of your care.

Fathers are bound to look upon their children as tender plants, under their care to be reared and trained for heaven. We beseech you, in a prayerful spirit, to seek to impress upon their tender minds the great Christian duty of love. Teach them to restrain their unruly passions, and to learn to forgive as they hope to be forgiven. precepts of the gospel are couched in plain and simple, yet beautiful and impressive, language: But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."(Mark xi. 26.)

The exhibitions of military show and prepa

ration should be set before them in their true

your

under the guidance of the Prince of Peace,-to discourage the spirit of war.

What though your efforts may appear feeble and unavailing? what though the war spirit may rise in many and varied forms to oppose you? Remember, the cause of truth is mighty, and must prevail,-the Lamb and his followers will have the victory.

GROWTH AND COMMERCE OF CALIFORNIA.

We find in a speech delivered on the 29th of Fifth month, in committee of the whole House of Representatives, by James A. McDougal, member from California, the following statements, respecting the growth and commerce of this risideration was the state of the Union. The obsing State. The subject nominally under conject of the speech was to enforce the importance, the advantages and the necessity of constructing a railroad to connect the Atlantic with

the Pacific coasts.

The State of California has now a population

light, and they early taught that they are parts of the antichristian system of war, and should be considered in that light, and not as attractive displays for recreation and amusement. Mothers, you too, can do much in this holy cause, in domestic circles, when your children are around you. How powerful and last-of 300,000 persons; and from the fact that they ing, often, are the impressions made upon these, are almost exclusively effective men, they may by the precepts and prayers of concerned moth-be considered fully equal to any other population ers! We beseech you, let these precepts be in of 700,000 in capacity, either for labor or entera spirit of the Gospel. Speak to your children prise. of a Saviour's love,-of the love of him whose advent was proclaimed by angels, with the blessed annunciation of, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke ii. 14.)

And, O! when you remember your sisters in a foreign land, who may even now be subjected to the vicissitudes of war, with all its train of evils and miseries, speak to your children of these in words of pity and commiseration.

Enter into feeling for them, and make, as far as you can, their case your own;-as if you, too, with those you hold dear, were the victims of the cruelties of war.

and

To the lovers of peace of every name, so far as we may be permitted to speak to such as these, we would hold the language of encouragement, say, "Follow peace with all men."(Heb. xii. 14.) Shrink not from any suffering to which a faithful support of your testimony to the unlawfulness of war may subject you. Adhere steadfastly thereto, through evil report and through good report.

Remember that it is through suffering that the victory is obtained, and that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strong holds,bringing into captivity every thought, to the obedience of Christ.-(2 Cor. x. 4, 5.)

The present is a day which calls peculiarly for faithfulness,-every one in the sphere of life allotted him, in meekness and humility, and

The city of San Francisco has a population of from 50,000 to 75,000 persons, and is already second only to New York in point of commercial importance, while in the amount of her tonnage she is competing with the second city in the Union.

It has been said that "money is power." The gold of California has been the master-power that by its force has seemed to realize the fabled birth of the ancient Tyre, said to have sprung from the foam of "the great sea." The gold perfect, with palace and temple and busy mart, fields of California have proved rich beyond any known parallel. Within the last five years they have produced over $300,000,000. Within the ducts of our own rivers and mountains, have past year over $80,000,000 in treasure, the propassed out of our golden gate. If I remember about 1835 and 186, the estimated amount of right, during the great currency controversy, the entire specie basis of the currency of the United States was $80,000,000. The State of California contributes annually to the currency of the country an amount equal to the entire real currency of the whole Union eighteen years

I have made these statements-presented these facts; I have asked for them the attention of this committee; and I now ask whether California, her interests and necessities, may not justly demand the attentive consideration of this body, and of all those who hold the powers of the gov-ring the last year 110,000 passenger transits