Preferments—CONTINUED. Archer, C., chap. Clapham and Wands- | Escreet, J., chap. Smyrna hospital. Allen, J., hd. mast. Ilminster gram. sch., Somersetshire. Ashe, R., rec. Langley-Burrell, Wilt shire (pat, family), 74. Babington, C. E., cur. Needwood, Staffordshire, 27. Bampfylde, C. F., rec. Hemington-withHardington, Somersetshire (pat. Id. Poltimore), 68. Barnes, T., can. York, rec. Castleford, Yorkshire (pat. duchy of Lancaster), 79. Baskett, J, rec. Spettisbury-cumCharlton, Dorsetshire (pat. Drax), 81. Bayles, P., rec. St. Mary-at-the-Walls, Colchester (pat. bp. of Rochester), 80. Bealy, T., Exford, Somersetshire, 91. Blofield, T. C.. rec. Draytoa-with-Hellesdon, Norfolk (pat. bp. of Norwich), Huntingfield, T., precentor of Here- Morgan, R, vic. Rendham, Suffolk Palmer, H., rec. Cricket-malherby, Testimonials of respect have lately been presented to the following Clergymen : Long, W. D., late min. St. John's chap., London-road, Southwark, Surrey. Owen, J. R., late p. c. Rhyl, Flintshire. Milner, J., chap. II.M.S. Orion. Phelips, J., vic. Yeovil, Somersetshire Strickland, J., rec. Christ Church with Llangendeirn-and- Ware, J., rec. Wyverstone, Suffolk, 64. Webster, E. B., p. c. Bassenthwaite, Cumberland (pat. d. and c. of Carlisle), 39. White, W., hd. mast. Wolverhampton gram. seh., Staffordshire, 61. Whyatt, W., chap. 2nd div. forces before Sebastopol. Wilson, H., rec. Colling bourn. ducis, Wiltshire (pat. marq, of Ailesbury). Pennington, A. R., late cur. of Newport, I. of Wight. Rhodes, H. J., late cur. Abingdon, Berkshire. Soper, J., min. South Lambeth chap., Surrey. Wrenford, J. T., late cur. Roath, and St. Mary, Cardiff, Glamorganshire, from both parishes. Broceedings of Societies. BOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. 67, Lincoln's-inn-fields, Mar. 6, 1855. The bishop of Argyll and the Isles in the chair. The bishop of Mauritius was present. The undermentioned members of the society were elected auditors of the treasurers' accounts for the year ending in April, 1855: rev. A. M. Campbell, Philip Cazenove, B. Drew, J. Hunt, W. S. Jones, Francis Russell, rev. Samuel Smith. The bishop of Madras, in a letter dated "On Visitation, in camp Andoora, en route, from Nagpore to Jaulnah, Jan. 3, 1855," wrote as follows: "The accompanying petition, from the head men of the congregation of Sawyerpooram, in Tinnevelly, and the district attached to it, under the charge of the rev. H. C. Huxtable, of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, reached me on a long and fatiguing tour of visitation in the northerly part of my extensive diocese, and I am anxious to lose as little time as possible in forwarding it for the favourable The It consideration of the venerable society to whom it is addressed, with my most earnest recommendation. society will perceive that the petition is written both in the Tamil language (the native language of the petitioners) and in English; and I am assured by their worthy pastor that both the original and the translation are the entire production of the natives themselves, unassisted by their pastor; and its simple object is to ask for help and encouragement in their efforts to raise a suitable house for the worship of Almighty God in connexion with their station and mission. would be sufficient for me, in commending the good work to the attention of the venerable society, in order to secure their co-operation, to assure them that a church is much needed for the growing congregation, as I have visited Sawyerpooram in two successive visitations, and confirmed on the occasions more than two hundred persons, and was witness to the inadequacy of the present frail and temporary building to contain the numbers that flocked to the house of God as doves to their windows, and many were altogether excluded for want of room from getting within hearing of the sacred service; but, when I have also to inform the venerable society that in their zeal and love to see this work accomplished the poor natives have subscribed amongst themselves the almost incredible sum of nine hundred rupees (£90), it will be admitted that they are indeed worthy of the assistance required. I have further to state that, in a letter just received from the rev. Mr. Huxtable, I find that these poor and excellent men are at present suffering from two severe providential calamities, an inundation, which has washed away many of their houses, and the cholera, which has removed many of them to their everlasting rest. As I read the account of their trials and privations, in connexion with their prayers and efforts to raise this edifice for the worship of the Almighty, I could not help feeling how emphatically the words of the inspired apostle to the Corinthians were true of them: How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty, that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God (2 Cor. viii. 2-5). I will only add that they have anticipated a favourable result to their application, and have begun the work in faith. I have just received a deeply-interesting account of the laying the foundation stone of the new building from the reverend pastor of the flock and head of the seminary, Mr. Huxtable. Commending myself to the prayers of the president and the society, I a.n," &c. The petition in Tamil, containing a large number of signatures of the chief natives of the district, was laid before the meeting, with an English translation. It was agreed to grant £40 towards a church. A letter was read from the bishop of Colombo, dated St. Thomas's College, Colombo, Ceylon, December 26, 1854, giving a satisfactory account of the progress of the college of St. Thomas, Colombo. The following is an extract: "In my late visitation to the south, an orphan boy was presented to me for admission to the native asylum in connexion with the college, who had been rescued from actual immolation by the activity of an estimable magistrate in the north, and reared from earliest infancy by him. The practice was not known to exist in this country; and, when attempted, as on this occasion, by a necromancer for his unholy gain, is done so stealthily, and veiled so subtilly, as effectually to evade the penalty of legal conviction. In this case it was so. Nothing could be done to punish the perpetrator of so heinous an act; but happily the child was rescued, and in a few days probably will be an inmate of our asylum." The bishop, on January 13, 1855, wrote as follows: "The anxious question for the Singhalese people, in reference to their proposed national effort to erect a church for themselves, is happily now set at rest, and under more auspicious circumstances, I rejoice to add, than could at one time have been safely anticipated. The colonial government have voted them a grant of £500 and a site, which, added to the kind and generous aid of the venerable society, and their own contributions, makes an aggregate of £5,000. They will therefore commence operations without further delay than may be necessary to secure the title, &c.; and, in anticipation of their want, our treasurer has drawn a bill, which I have signed, for £50, on the society, the amount of the grant last year for the Singhalese church, half of which I promised them on laying the foundation stone, and the remainder when the roof is laid " In a subsequent letter the bishop introduced to the society Mr. John Murdoch, whose name had been mentioned before in his lordship's letters to the society, in connexion with the cause of education in Southern India. He said, "His object in visiting England will be best explained by himself, as well as the nature of the assistance which he is anxious to obtain from the society in prosecution of his great object for the benefit of the South of India and Ceylon. The school-book society, of which he is the disinterested and persevering agent, owes its origin to him." The following letter from the bishop of Graham'sTown, December 2, 1854, was read to the meeting: "As I am most anxious to form a collegiate institution in this town, and to make it the centre of all educational work in this diocese, I am prompted at once to appeal to the generosity of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and to ask you to lay my views before the committee. All we have at present is a school for day scholars, who pay £10 a year. A good school-room has been built, and the rev. F. Bankes, who has been here scarcely a year, bas already been most successful, having raised it from 14 scholars to 37. There is no boarding-school, and parents in the country of the better classes have no means whatever of educating their sons. There is no school whatever for the lower orders except the government school, which is a complete failure, and, as you know, is no way connected with the church of England, My desire is to erect buildings which may receive boarders, to erect a school for the poor, and also to have a department attached to the boarding-school for the reception of youths of 17 or 18, who may be disposed to devote themselves to missionary life. I am in great hopes that some may be found to desire preparation for holy orders; and, as many already have a knowledge of Kaffir, we might greatly advance the missionary work by this means. I beg to inclose a letter of Mr. Bankes. His views, you will see, correspond with my own; and he has well thought over the subject. I have a strong conviction, from what I have already seen, that the church of England will make a great stride in these parts, if we are able effectively to forward the work of church education. I need not say how important it is to elevate the tone and spirit of the English population, in order to exercise a spiritual influence for good on the heathen tribes." It appeared by the rev. F. Bankes's letter, dated Graham's-Town, Nov. 13, 1854, that the object of an educational establishment in that city should be threefold: 1. To provide a sound Christian education for the youth of the province according to the principles of the church of England. 2. To furnish the means of training for holy orders. 3. To form a centre from which missionary operations may more effectually be carried on. The secretaries gave notice that the standing committee would, on the 17th of April, propose a grant of £1,000 towards a collegiate institution at Graham's-Town. It was also stated that the standing committee had further considered the request of the bishop of Natal on the subject of a missionary collegiate institution at Natal, and that they should propose, at the meeting in April, an additional grant of £500, the sum of £500 having been already voted. The rev. J. H. Welsh's report of visits to emigrants from Liverpool, for the quarter ending Feb. 12, 1855, was laid before the meeting. The following are extracts: "During the past year, 210,742 persons have sailed from the Mersey as emigrants, being at the rate of more than 4,000 a week; and for the conveyance of this vast multitude of people, composed of the surplus population of at least three European nations, a fleet of 957 ships has been employed. Ofthese persons, 194,922, chiefly Irish and Germans, have proceeded to the United States; 41,491 to the Australian colonies; about 20,000 to the colonies of North America; and the remainder, about 200, to the East and West Indies. They exhibit one remarkable feature, as compared with those of previous years, the large number, 20,000, who have sailed hence for the Canadas. Looking at this gigantic movement in a Christian point of view, one cannot help reflecting with pain that amongst these 210,000 souls only seven clergymen of our church have gone forth from this port." The secretary informed the society that satisfactory letters had been received from Pitcairn's island. The following letter from Mr. John Adams, a grandson of the original settler, was read to the meeting: "Pitcairn's Island, Oct. 24, 1854. and think we can do without any assistance from our good friends in England for the next three years; and, perhaps, by that time we may hear something definite concerning Norfolk Island. If the government should determine to move us thither, the less amount of baggage we have to carry with us the better; and I have no doubt, let the removal come when it may, we shall have to abandon much that is useful-but that is quite a secondary consideration; a removal is imperatively necessary, and the earlier the better. There are many whom I met at your society to whom I am greatly indebted for the interest they manifested both to myself and the islanders, and to whom I offer my grateful respects." The bishop of New Zealand, in a letter to the secretaries, stated that he hoped, soon after his return to his diocese, to pay a visit to the community at Pitcairn, and requested twelve copies of " Pitcairn, the Island, the People, and the Pastor." These had been forwarded to the bishop. "MY DEAR SIR,-I embrace this opportunity to address you a few lines, as I feel sure, from the kindness which was shown by you to our worthy pastor while in England, you will forgive my intrusion upon your time. The deep interest you have taken in our welfare, both spiritual and temporal, demands our warmest thanks. For myself individually, I feel I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude; but I trust you will accept of my best wishes, as a small token of that love and esteem which I ought and do feel to one who has done so much real good for our community. Had it not been for the many valuable lessons we have learned from the liberal supply of books which we from time to time have received from the society to which you have the honour to belong, I doubt if the present state of education now existing among us would have been attained. You will, doubtless, be rejoiced to learn that your society has been the means of diffusing much Christian knowledge among us, and that we are not insensible of the immense debt of love and gratitude we owe you. The ordination of our teacher is a blessing which we highly appreciate, and it will, 79, Pall Mall, March 9, 1855. with the blessing of Almighty God, be productive of The society has recently received the following inmuch good. Divine service is performed every Wed-teresting letters from assistant-chaplains at the seat of nesday evening, and we partake of the holy sacrament "Rev. T. B. Murray." A letter was read from the rev. the chaplaingeneral, saying that 3,000 prayer-books and 3,000 New Testaments are required for the Crimea, for the use of the troops, and that he will undertake to pay half the amount. It was agreed that they be sent, and that the prayer-books be granted, from the fund of Clericus, to the value of £162 10s., being the amount of half the cost of the whole consignment. Several grants of books and tracts were made. SOCIETY For the propagATION OF THE GOSPEL war: IN FOREIGN PARTS. (From the rev. W. Whyatt). "Staff, 2nd Division, British Army, Crimea, "Feb. 9th, 1855. "I do not intend to say any thing about the affairs of the hospital at Scutari, as you will have so good testimony from eye-witnesses. I may, however, say that I was much pleased with all I saw there, and felt assured that all was being done for them that could be done. Such of the soldiers as I inquired from, expressed themselves in most grateful language for all their comforts. Owen was delighted to see me, as his work was so great that he scarcely seemed to do any thing, or to make any impression. We looked forward to working together, and hoped to do some good. The duration of our partnership was not for long. In four days he was taken ill, kept his bed for eight or nine days, and, when better, was taken down to ship to go to Scutari. I was exceedingly sorry for him, as being ill in camp is of all places the worst, and it was well that I was up to cheer him and comfort him a little. I think his was an attack of Crimean fever, which is now so prevalent and fatal. On the same day, Mr. Canty, the R.C. priest, living next tent to me, was taken; his merged into typhus, and he died on Thursday, the 1st of this month. He was a fine hearty young man, about thirty years of age, and seemed to have strength for any thing. I saw much of him, and was enabled to do many little offices of kindness to him, and, indeed, was up with him for several hours the night he died. This is the second R.C. priest attached to this division who has died. You may suppose that these things coming together would tend to dispirit me and alarm me; but, strange to say, they have not, except at the time. I am wonderfully preserved, especially in spirits, and can only attribute it to him who has promised his help to his servants. I am well received by all; and it would gladden many a Christian's heart to hear in my convalescent huts the hearty manner in which they repeat after me the Confession, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. I am enabled to come home rejoicing many a time, when you would fancy I ought to be sorrowful, as none can help being to a degree, who sees the awful sights it is my daily fate to see. The soldier is very child-like in some things; he has been so long accustomed to obey, that he has not been allowed to form notions or have opinions, and thus he is in a fit state to receive the good news, the glad tidings of salvation; he receives it in simplicity. I have formed little bands of communicants amongst the privates, and I am meeting them once a week to keep them together; they are few in number, as death has taken some of them away; however we hope for an increase, and feel assured we shall get it, if we trust in God, who has promised that his word shall not return unto him void. I wish I had books or tracts, as the poor men are so anxious to have something to read. I am constantly asked for prayer-books. To whom must I apply for them?* I am thankful to add, that I am extremely happy in my work, and hope that the Lord will make me a useful minister in this portion of his vineyard." (From the rev. C. E. Hadow). sent from this place to England; they will bless them to the last moment of their lives; and, until this generation of soldiers shall have altogether passed away, her name will be revered in the British army." (From the rev. Dr. Freeth). "Kulalie Hospital, Feb. 15, 1855. "I believe I wrote to you a short time since, stating that I had obtained permission to go to England for recovery of health. I improved so much aboard ship, that I readily responded to Mr. Sabin's kind and urgent appeal to assist Mr. Huleatt in his duties here. I arrived at this place last Monday, and am now engaged as chaplain to the sick here. I must write more in detail hereafter. My health, thank God, is now excellent, and my spirits good. We have a noble and extensive field of duty before us here." THE TITHE REDEMPTION TRUST. The quarterly meeting of the board of this association for recovering to parish churches their alienated tithes, was held at its rooms, No. 1, Adam-street, Adelphi, on Wednesday, the 14th of Feb., the rev, Domvile Wheeler, rector of Barcheston, in the chair, when arrangements were made towards restoration of tithes to the churches of Marazion in Cornwall, Orcop "Scutari Barracks, Feb. 10, 1855. in Herefordshire, and Sutton Guilden in Cheshire; in "I have good reason to believe that the reformation each case the laity or clergy connected with it offering which takes place here is more than temporary with liberally in aid of the work. Besides several other the majority. Their attention to religious observances, cases brought before the board was one of a donative, when they are recovered and able to get about again, viz., Publow, in the diocese of Bath and Wells, with a is most gratifying to the clergy. If you want to know population of more than 1,000, but with a church deshow Miss Nightingale and her nurses work, and the titute of divine service frequently for many Sundays immense good they do, ask the convalescents who are following. And now, through the active exertions of * The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has already the rural dean and this association, a good layman sent out several parcels of books, and more will be transmitted has become acquainted with the case, and has munifiimmediately. Large quantities of bibles, commou prayer-cently supplied a curate, but the service of the church books, and other books and tracts have also been sent out by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. and the service of the people can only be obtained by the bishop licensing him to an adjoining parish. Miscellaneous. CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY. (Continued from last month's Register.) Reports of Committees. The PROLOCUTOR said from the minutes of the last meeting it appeared that the reports of the committee of privileges and the committee of gravamina were laid upon the table of the house on the 20th of July last. The question for consideration was the proper course to be pursued with respect to those reports. The report of the committee of privileges merely contained a summary of the results of investigation instituted and carried on with considerable care and labour by the members of that committee into the ancient practices and privileges of the house; and this subject appeared to him to be entirely within the jurisdiction of the house at any time. A motion might, therefore, be made for its adoption in whole or in part, or for the adoption of such portion thereof as might be assented to without dispute or observation. The second report did not stand exactly in the same position. It was competent to the house to move that a petition founded upon the conclusions contained in the report be addressed to his grace the president, praying him to take the report into consideration. That appeared to him to be the constitutional course. It was not the province of the house to come to any synodical conclusions on the recommendations contained in the report. On the other hand, if it should not be considered desirable to petition the upper house, the report might be passed over sub silentio, or a resolution might be passed to the effect that it did not appear necessary at this time to enter into any further consideration of the conclusions contained in the report, inasmuch as the object had been already obtained by the conclusions of the joint committee. ward the question of the second report, for the purThe archdeacon of ST. ALBAN's, on bringing forpose of proposing for the adoption of the house the did not do so with the intention of disregarding the second course pointed out by the prolocutor, said he important subjects of that report, but because he the house for giving the questions involved in it a grave thought that a better opportunity would be afforded to consideration. When he mentioned that it was reported that five millions of persons were absent from public worship on the Lord's day, he said enough to prove the extreme importance of one subject. It was a matter of congratulation that there appeared to have been so close an identity between the recommendations special provisions of the report before the house, as of both houses. He did not propose to bring the they were more in detail in the report of the joint committee, which would probably be sent down to the house with some recommendation. He moved that be not taken into consideration in the present session, the report of the committe of gravamina et reformanda Chancellor MARTIN seconded the motion. The archdeacon of WORCESTER gave notice of his intention to make a motion to the effect that the house as constituted was not competent to discuss questions respecting the interests of the church, and that the constitution of the house be considered, and that no question relating to the interests of the church be in the meantime entered into by them. Archdeacon DENISON said he had given notice in July of a similar motion. A message from the upper house, requiring the attendance of the lower house, interrupted the discussion. On their return, The PROLOCUTOR Communicated to the house that he had received from his grace the president of the upper house the four resolutions, to which he requested the concurrence of the house. The rev. Mr. JEBB (resuming the discussion which had been interrupted) said that he did not respond to the motion made by archdeacon Grant. He considered that the question involved a change in the liturgy. He should even be against any measure which recognized in the slightest degree any change in the liturgy of the church of England. Archdeacon DENISON said the position of the house was this: they had appointed a committee on the church services. A joint committee of both houses had proposed some modifications, and the proposition before them was, that the report of the committee of that house should be allowed to stand over. Some thought it would be better to take the discussion on the report of the joint committee. He would go further, and contend that they were not in a position to enter into the discussion at all. Was the house prepared to assent to the proposal made by the archdeacon of St. Alban's, and that the report of the joint committee was to be substituted in the form of the resolutions brought down from the upper house? He was prepared to meet the question of the adoption of the resolations from the upper house with a direct negative. The motion of the archdeacon of St. Alban's was then agreed to. The prolocutor informed the house that he was also commanded by his grace the president to adjourn the house after its present sitting-should they not conclude their session-to eleven o'clock on Thursday. The Resolutions of the Upper House. Archdeacon GRANT moved that the resolutions brought down from the upper house be adopted. The motion was seconded by archdeacon HARRISON, and agreed to; and the house adjourned accordingly. Thursday, Feb. 8. Both houses of convocation met this day at Westminster, and proceeded to the despatch of business. UPPER HOUSE. The prelates composing the upper house sat in Queen Anne's Bounty-office. The archbishop of Canterbury presided, and there were also present the bishops of London, Oxford, Llandaff, Salisbury, Lichfield, St. David's, Exeter, and Winchester. After a discussion as to the meaning of the term "totus clerus" in the writs for the lower house, The archbishop of CANTERBURY then read the report made to the convocation of the province of Canterbury upon the changes required in the present constitution of the convocation as follows: "I. In the constitution of the upper house, consisting of the archbishop and bishops of the province, we suggest no alteration. deans and archdeacons in convocation, but suggest "II. We suggest no alteration as to seats of the that the proctors for the cathedral and collegiate chapters should be elected by the chapters, including the non-residentiary and the honorary canons. "III. We deem it expedient that henceforth there should be a proctor for the clergy of every archdeaconry, to be elected by the clergy of that archdeaconry. "IV. That all beneficed clergy, and all curates and chaplains, being in priests' orders, and being licensed by the bishop of the diocese, should have a right to vote at the election of a proctor for the clergy of the archdeaconry. "V. That, when the right of electing proctors shall be co-extensive with the archdeaconries, the archdeacon or his official should preside at the election, and possess the ordinary powers of a returning officer. "VI. Having thus made our suggestions as to the constitution, we proceed to make certain recommendations concerning the true working of the body, which we cannot exclude from our consideration of the sub Archdeacon DENISON thought that he might then at last go to work. The resolution he would submit to the house was in the form of an amendment; and it declared that, till such time as the house itself was re-ject committed to us. The first, and, so far as regards constructed in a manner to obtain the confidence of the church, it was unadvisable for the house to take into consideration the second of the reports. The PROLOCUTOR objected to the introduction of in the four following questions :extraneous matter. Archdeacon DENISON said he would then content himself by simply moving a direct negative to the adoption of the resolutions brought down. He moved that the house do not adopt the resolutions sent down from the upper house. The archdeacon of WORCESTER wished to propose, as an amendment, a resolution to the effect that it is inexpedient for this house to enter upon the consideration of any important question affecting the interests of the church, until such a reform of the constitution of convocation has been effected as will entitle it to the full confidence of the clerical and lay members of the church of England. The hon. and rev. Mr. BEST seconded the amendment. He had always felt that, until the houses of convocation could be made to represent the church of England to a larger extent, embracing the laity, they would be nullifying their own action. He did not object to some reasonable alterations of the formularies of the church; but, before venturing to pass any judgment on the subject, convocation ought to ba satisfied that it was competent, from its constitution, to take the matter into consideration. Dr. RUSSELL then moved the adjournment of the debate until Thursday morning, at eleven o'clock. the upper house, the most important of these points concerns the power of the president in the conduct and close of its deliberations, and may be summed up "1. Has the president the power to refuse to submit to the upper house any propositions made by one or more of its members? "2. Has the president a casting vote in case of an equality of votes upon any question submitted to the upper house? "3. Has the president a final negative upon all bills which have passed the two houses? 4. Has the president the power of proroguing convocation against the wishes of his brethren? "As to the second and third of these questions, we think that there are precedents which clearly show that the president does possess these powers. "As to the first and fourth, the precedents appear to us not to be decisive; and therefore, without attempting to settle the question of abstract right herein, we would venture to suggest, first, that it would be more expedient that the president should not be at liberty to refuse to submit to the upper house propositions made by any of its members; and, secondly, that it would be expedient that, while the archbishop should possess, as he does at present, when authorized by the royal writ, the absolute power of prorogation, he should in ordinary prorogations act with the consent of h is brethren. "VII. As to the questions which concern the con |