N. Connop, jun., Esq.; J. S. Salt, Esq.; H. J. Barchard; and others of the committee. Among other business transacted, grants, varying in amount according to the exigency of the case, were voted towards repewing the church at Llananno, in the county of Brecon; building a gallery in the church at Hackford, in the county of Norfolk; enlarging the church at Kingswood, in the county of Wilts; restoring the steeple of the church at Kemble, in the county of Gloucester, damaged by lightning; enlarging the church at Ridley, in the county of Kent; fitting up a building, to be used as a chapel, at Gaer Hill, in the parish of Marston Bigot, in the county of Somerset; repairing the church at Gransden Parva, in the county of Cambridge. PLACES OF WORSHIP IN ENGLAND AND WALES. Abstract of the Total Number of Parishes in each Diocese of England and Wales, containing a population of 1000 persons and upwards; the Number of Churches and Chapels therein; Number of Persons they will contain; and the Number of Dissenting Places of Worship therein. Dated May 20, 1812. (MEMORANDUM. The population for the diocese of Bangor, Bristol, Chester, Lincoln, Oxford, and Salisbury, has been collected for this abstract from the Population Returns in 1801.) SIR, A difficulty is often experienced in securing personal neatness and regular attendance in village schools, established for sewing and reading. The way in which I have successfully attempted to remedy the evil has been by making every little girl of the weekly sewing school, which I have set on foot in this parish, a member of a school clothing club. Having reason to think that the rules laid down for that purpose, may suggest some useful hints to others similarly engaged with myself, in endeavouring to train the rising generation of the poor to industrious and good habits, I now transmit them for insertion in the Northampton Herald. Suggestions relative to the welfare of the poor are at all times interesting, and will probably not be deemed unworthy of a place in your columns, at a moment of parochial changes now attempted to be produced by a law, from which, if judiciously administered and well supported, I am one of those persons that expect considerable benefit to the working classes. I will add, that the effect of this plan, simple as it may appear, has been to secure the co-operation of many slovenly and obstinate mothers, who were before more ready to thwart than to assist, and, with the aid of a most admirable assistant in the person of a farmer's wife, to place the regulation of my little school upon a footing that no other exertions had been able to effect. A large sheet of pasteboard, hung up in the school-room, with divisions opposite to each name marked for every week in the year, contains, in addition to the rules, the following letters, to shew what, and by whom, and when offences are committed and forfeits incurred, viz. a, absent half day; a a, absent whole day; b, bad behaviour; d, dirty; l, late; s, sick; h, long hair. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Farthinghoe, Sept. 17, 1834. FRANCIS LITCHFIELD. Rules to be observed and attended to by Children belonging to the Child's Weekly School and Penny Club, at Farthinghoe. No child to belong to the Weekly School and Penny Club without also belonging to the village Clothing Club, and consenting to observe the following rules: Rule 1st. The school to open at nine o'clock in the morning, and one in the afternoon; ten minutes being the longest time for assembling. Rule 2nd. Every child to deposit a penny on the opening of the school in the morning, with any forfeits which are owing. Rule 3rd. Every child's hair to be cut short all round, and not allowed to come down more than half way over the forehead; and every child to bring her own thimble." Rule 4th.-Every child's face and hands to be quite clean, and her dress neat. Rule 5th. Any child breaking any of these rules, to forfeit, for every offence, one halfpenny, which must be brought on the next school-day; and any child staying away without leave, to forfeit a penny, which must be paid in the same way; and one month's continued forfeits, or twelve forfeits in the course of the year, to exclude from the school and both clubs. No money to be returned; and the entire receipts, with such charitable additions as may be made, to be laid out at Christmas for the benefit of the children, according to the plan of the village club. * This rule has been lately resolved upon, in consequence of its being found that the leaving the thimble at home was sometimes made an excuse for returning thither. SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL. To the Editor of the Birmingham Advertiser. SIR,-With your permission, I will offer to the consideration of the members of the established church the particulars of a letter from the highest ecclesiastical authority in connexion with our establishment in Newfoundland; and, if you can afford me space for so much as seems necessary to cite, I shall not regret that I did not attempt to adduce it at the meeting. The writer had but just returned from a visit to this country, made partly on account of his health, but chiefly to solicit government aid, for the assistance of the Society for Propagating the Gospel, for the erection of a protestant church in St. John's. In this important part of the objects of his visit he returned, it is grievous to report, wholly disappointed-the former would not assist, the latter could not. On his arrival at the island, he found that one of the missionaries had been compelled to give up, and was on his way to England-" a man,' says he, "most exemplary; who, through the withdrawal of the government aid, and the consequent ruin of the Society for Propagating the Gospel, had only received, during the preceding nine months, between 121. and 137. with a wife and child-a man who did the work of an evangelist, with the zeal of an apostle, and the energy of an Hercules, labouring with all the talents he had, and those such as to make him most acceptable. Another, and another, of our missionaries are reported to be on their flight from this land of paupers, where, if they stay, they starve."-Whilst this ruin is brought on the prospects of our church there by government-the Romish authorities in the town of St. John's boast of having made 200 proselytes to their church (and a pretty aspect it presents in Newfoundland) during the past winter. The protestant archdeacon himself, I am informed, owing to the reduction of his salary, has been compelled to give up housekeeping, to seek lodgings with his wife and family, and make the incommodious vestry of his church his study !! This will, in some measure, show the necessity of the circumstances which have compelled the society to renew its appeals to the Christian public; and it will also, I trust, be a means of inducing the friends of the church in Birmingham to vigorous exertions, in order to support that society in upholding its missions. Indeed, it seems absolutely necessary that prompt efforts should be made throughout the kingdom, in the hope that the society may be enabled to stay the return of its missionaries from their field of labour and usefulness, and from leaving their converts and the number of ill-informed and inconsiderate protestants a prey to the bigoted and superstitious satellites of Rome. Allow me just to add what may be new to most of your readers, and to most of the members of the church. It is that, whilst government is acting such a ruinous part towards the protestant church here, in Ireland, and in Newfoundland-in which latter place, in giving a local legislature to the illfated island, it has so extended the franchise as to throw the main weight of influence into the popish scale; it is actually saddling New South Wales with a popish establishment, and, as in the case of Maynooth-that hot-bed of heresy, idolatry, and rebellion-at the expense of protestant funds. Till very lately, there were only two priests of the Romish persuasion in New South Wales, each of whom had a salary of 150l. per annum from the government. But since then a Romish vicar has arrived in the colony, having a salary of 2001. per annum assigned him by the government! And so lately as the month of June last, (1833) salaries of 150l. each were voted by the legislative council to six Romish chaplains, besides 800l. per annum for Romish schoolsmaking in all 1900l. a-year, in addition to various sums allowed for the erection of chapels. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, JOSIAH ALLPort. Ashted, Nov. 5th, 1834. 4 T CHURCH IN JAMAICA. Ir is proposed to build in the town of Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica, a new parish church, capable of accommodating at least a thousand individuals, together with a school-house, of about one-fourth the size of the church. The parish of Portland contains a population amounting to nearly ten thousand; of these, two thousand nine hundred are free, the remainder slaves. The town of Port Antonio is a military station, and the resort of much shipping from England and America. For the entire population of this extensive parish there are but two places of public worship; only one of these is connected with the establishment. This one (the present church) is extremely small, incapable of containing more than three hundred and fifty; while the congregation exceeds five hundred, and, not unfrequently, seven hundred individuals. On more than one occasion, during the last twelve months, the number attending divine worship did not fall short of one thousand five hundred. The total number of communicants and candidates for the ordinance amounts to five hundred and sixty-five. Schools have been established in various parts of the parish, at which about five hundred and forty scholars receive instruction during the week. A large proportion of these are excluded from the benefit of attending divine worship, in consequence of the want of room in the church. Not only is the present church quite inadequate to contain the congregation, but it is also difficult of access, being built upon the summit of a steep hill, which overlooks the town of Port Antonio. The situation of a place of worship is a matter of importance, in a country exposed to the withering influence of a tropical sun; the ascent of a hill is in no slight degree oppressive. Tropical countries are, moreover, subject to sudden vicissitudes of climate. It is, notwithstanding, an interesting spectacle to witness the zeal which, on these occasions, the negroes display. Often are they seen with umbrellas, or whatever means of shelter they can procure, braving the storm, willing to subject themselves to the greatest inconveniences, rather than lose any portion of "the Bread of Life." When it is known that many of these poor people travel a distance of nine or ten miles, the Christian feeling of those to whom this appeal is addressed will surely incite them to lend their aid in erecting a new church of larger capacity, and more conveniently situated. It has been stated, that it is in contemplation to build, at the same time, a school-house for the children attending the daily and sabbath schools. At the former, about one hundred and thirty children receive instruction in Christian doctrine, and reading the Holy Scriptures. The scholars assemble, when the weather allows, in the open air, not from choice, but from want of room in the confined and wretched apartment which they are permitted to occupy. The Sunday school is held in the church before and after service. At this time the officiating minister is engaged in the performance of various public duties such as baptisms, marriages, &c.; and this, together with the arrival of the adult members of the congregation, as the hour of service approaches, occasions much confusion and consequent interruption of the business of the school. The number of scholars receiving instruction is about two hundred. A Bible class of sixty-four readers has been formed, many of whom exhibit striking evidences of the inestimable value of an acquaintance with the Word of God. The probable expense of completing and fitting up the proposed church, may be estimated at 2,700l. That of the school-house, at 300l. The parish of Portland, though in many points of view of great importance, is, perhaps, the very poorest in the island of Jamaica. Several attempts have actually been made, during the last five years, to obtain from the parochial resources a sum sufficient for the building of a new church. These efforts have, unhappily, not been productive of success. Not withstanding these serious difficulties, it is calculated, that of the 3,000l. required for the church and school-house, 1,000l. may be raised upon the spot, in a great measure by the contributions of the negroes attending the church. EDUCATION IN FACTORIES. THE Central Board, with a view to obtain correct information as to the state of education amongst the operatives in the forms sent out, made columns, in which should be entered, one by one, whether the operative could read or not, and write or not, and a large body of information has thence been obtained. Yorkshire ... ... 1630 1806 ... ... ... 3530 ... ... 351 Nottinghamshire Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex ... ... ... 2208 229 591 1678 34 ... 401 386 Gloucestershire Worcestershire Warwickshire 4556 21 105 . 43,327 1983 2952 IT has been the uniform custom of this Magazine entirely to abstain from all comment on Bishops' Charges, on the obvious ground that these being the official directions given by the pastors of the church to their clergy it would be presumptuous to commend, and it would be intolerable to censure them. It has, therefore, been deemed better simply to give such extracts from them as seemed most adapted for general circulation. In the present case, the Bishop of Lincoln will, it is hoped, not be offended if a large use is made of his charge. It has been a matter of the very highest and warmest satisfaction to find the principles and views which have been upheld in this Magazine confirmed by such authority as his. And as, in all probability, from the temper manifested just now by the Dissenters, these same questions may be discussed again, it is truly satisfactory to be able to present the matter to the reader, not in the weak arguments of an anonymous writer, but in the clear words and powerful reasonings of the Bishop of Lincoln. 1. Dissenters' Claims, and mode of treating them. "When we last met, I called your attention to the prevalence of certain opinions respecting Civil Establishments of Religion; from which I drew the inference, that an attempt would probably be made to dissolve the union at present subsisting between the church and the state in this kingdom. Subsequent events have shewn that I had not altogether misinterpreted the signs of the times. It is true that no proposition |