If the numbers contained in the 120 schools from which reports have not been obtained, are in proportion to those which have reported, the grand total will be 588 schools, 11,165 teachers, 108,531 scholars, average attendance during the month of November last 73,722, or rather more than two-thirds. The sales for the year amounted to £8,782 1s. 10d., being a decrease of £931 10s. 6d. The decrease was probably to be accounted for, in some measure, by the efforts made by the present and former Committees to encourage the formation of infant classes, and the general use of the collective mode of teaching in the elementary classes. Another cause of the decrease was to be found in the fact, that a continually increasing number of scholars were in Scripture classes, where they used the word of God itself, and were thus relieved from the necessity of using other books. The Committee rejoiced in those circumstances. Although the Treasurer's account would show a balance in hand, yet it would speedily be exhausted in supplying the demands made on the benevolent funds of the Union. Donations had been received during the year from schools in various parts of the country. The Report then referred to the Minutes of Council, which, it stated, had engaged much of the attention of the Committee, although they had not thought right in them to take any action in the matter. leading features of those Minutes were then given in the Report, the reading of which elicited strong marks of disapprobation of them from all parts of the Hall.

The

From the Treasurer's account it appeared that the total receipts of the year on the Benevolent Fund Account amounted to £1,575 10s. 4d.; the expenditure to £1,372; leaving a balance in hand of £203 8s. 4d.

The Committee, it seems, thought a great deal about the "Minutes of Council," but they did nothing. This was as it should have been. It was essential to analogical harmony. In all our principal towns and cities the people have been against the "Minutes," and the Corporations for them. The Methodist People, too, are against the "Minutes," and the Divan for them. The Nation, the Commons themselves, are against the "Minutes," and the Commons' House for them. The following is a return of the number of petitions and petitioners against and for the Government grant for State Education, so far as published in the votes and the proceedings of the House of Commons at the time we write:

Majority of members for the grant 325

This is a fine exhibition of the sympathy between the constituents and the representative body. Now seeing that the whole of the London Auxiliaries were unanimously and intensely hostile to the "Minutes of Council," it was most meet that the General Committee of the Union should be friendly to them. This preserved analogical harmony throughout the nation, which might otherwise have been disturbed. But, seriously, this is a grievous state of things; there is some. thing deeply and generally disordered in all society wherein it prevails. It is no longer representation, but contrast, contravention, contradiction, antagonism-what you will-anything but representation! For elective bodies so to act is clearly a violation of an implied compact-a denial of justice-a breach of honour. In the case of this Union, it arises out of the vicious nature of the Constitution-the socalled Catholic Constitution. More excellent men than the members of this Committee, London cannot furnish, Britain cannot boast; and yet those very men, by their position, are led into courses which render them obnoxious to the mass of their constituents. If our information be correct, there are only some two church schools, such as they are, in the Union, and yet to please the, no doubt, worthy gentlemen by whom they are represented, to preserve inviolate the boasted Catholicity, the views of well nigh ten thousand teachers must be neutralized and disregarded! This may be called liberality; we think it would be more fitly characterized by another name. By all these medley constitutions, without one exception, Dissent is always the loser-State-Churchism is always the gainer. How long till men be convinced of the impossibility of blending the services of God and Mammon !

LONDON CITY MISSION.

· THE Twelfth Annual Meeting of this invaluable Institution was held at Exeter-hall, on the usual day, when that vast edifice was completely filled before eleven o'clock, at which hour the Secretaries came upon the platform, with the noblemen and gentlemen who were to take part in the business of the meeting. A psalm having been sung, and prayer offered by the Rev. J. Robinson, one of the Secretaries; the Rev. J. Garwood, the other Secretary, then read an admirable Report, which began by alluding to the

U

extension of the Society's labours, during the year, by the occupation of thirty-four additional districts. It had been found necessary to increase the number of examiners; and the Committee had obtained the valuable services of the Rev. R. W. Dibdin, and the Rev. Dr. Steane. Both the present Secretaries had agreed to relinquish their pastoral engagements, and devote their entire time and attention to the work of the Mission; and the missionaries would now have a more efficient oversight. All new missionaries would receive a course of instruction on the evidences of Christianity and the doctrines of the gospel, and additional means would be adopted to qualify them to their important labours. (Hear.) Among the thirty-four new districts were portions of St. George's-in-theEast, Shadwell, Greenwich, and Deptford, and parts of St. Pancras, Marylebone, and Whitechapel. The Committee had resolved, in certain cases to consent to the appointment of missionaries within twelve miles of St. Paul's, but in every case beyond their ordinary boundary of eight miles, they would require the entire support of the Missionary to be guaranteed; they had accordingly appointed to Richmond, Chigwell, North Cray, and the neighbourhood of Barnet. A very large number of Ragged Schools had been established, more or less through the instrumentality of the Missionaries. A Society having been formed, of which the Bishop of London was President, for the erection and management of lodging-houses for the poor, the Committee had made over to it the lodginghouse they established in King-street, Drurylane; and if the rulers of that Society had permitted it, they would have done the same by the female lodging-house in Newton-street, Holborn, satisfied with having stirred up others to undertake an incidental work of this kind. But the latter would still remain on their hands; it had cost the Mission £17, but it was likely in future years to support itself; and the Committee felt the more justified, because, connected with its maintenance, the support of a missionary was promised, to labour in and around it. Since the admission of one of the missionaries to the Marylebone workhouse, access had also been allowed to those at Whitechapel and Stepney. The four missionaries who visited each of the thirty wards of Lambeth workhouse once a fortnight, reported that it contained more than 1,000 inmates; 261 persons died in it in the year; the missionaries were listened to with attention in the refractory wards (hear); three very decided cases of conversion to God had occurred during the year in this workhouse; the workhouse visitation involved expense without any return, but the Committee had confidence that they were doing right. (Hear, hear.) The most perfect harmony had again prevailed in the Committee throughout the year. (Hear.) The deplorable condition of London seemed to become more and more apparent to them. In Horace-street (late Cato-street), of the 132 families resident therein, there were only two that were not either without religion, or Infidels, or if of any religion at all, Roman Catholics. In a district newly occupied in the highlyfavoured parish of Islington, all but three of its twenty-six shops were open for trade on the Lord's day; and out of its 540 families, not the odd forty regularly attended public worship. The missionary to the Italians was labouring to

the full satisfaction of the Committee; of the missionary to the cabmen, an account was given in the Society's Magazine for the month. The missionary to the police had obtained access to the force in general, far beyond what was anticipated, and his visits were most thankfully received, many of the men saying, "At last some one is about to care for our souls." It was quite affecting to find how many dated their declension in religion from their first entering the force. Encouraged by the receipt of £72, and the great good effected, the Committee had also appointed a missionary to the City Police. During the year, 16,825 visits had been paid to the police, 1,374 being to the sick and dying. (Hear.) It must be left to the great day to reveal all the evil prevented by the Mission, but several cases had occurred during the past year, in which the visits of the missionaries had evidently prevented self-murder. Their general labours might be judged of by the summary of the year's work of one of them, the missionary at Battersea-fields:-Paid 8,226 visits, 1,676 being to the sick and dying; spent in domiciliary visitation 2,155 hours; held 155 meetings, at which an average of ten adult persons attended; prevailed on ninety-three adults regularly to attend public worship; sent seventy-three children to schools. Through the labours of one of the Hackney missionaries, twenty-seven individuals had been admitted as communicants in the year, and sixty-three other cases had occurred of hopeful conversion to God in health, besides forty-three others in affliction, and ten in death, with nineteen other cases of outward reformation. Very nearly half a million of the population of London was now under the visitation of the missionaries. (Hear.) The missionaries paid, during the past year, 764,151 visits, 72,532 being to the sick and dying; religious tracts distributed, 827,183; number of meetings held for prayer and exposition of the Scriptures, 14,448; number of adults induced regularly to attend public worship, 2,312; number of children sent to school, 6,387. During the year, the missionaries had met with very painful illustrations of the active and soul-destroying efforts made in some parishes by the ministers of religion, in inculcating what could scarcely be called semiPopery, since it much more nearly approximated to direct Popery itself; in some of these parishes the missionaries had met with great opposition, and were branded with the worst of names. The Committee ventured to remind the meeting that this Society could go into these parts of London, when all other Societies connected with the Church of England must, by their constitution, refrain from giving the people any instruction. (Hear.) The Report then proceeded to detail some individual examples of the Society's usefulness. Some hundreds of cases of outward reformation had occurred during the year. In 388 instances persons had become communicants; 2,997 adults under visitation had died, of whom 1,025 were visited in their last sickness, and till their death, by the missionaries alone; 191 persons who had gone back into the world, had been restored to church fellowship, most of them being individuals who lived religiously in the country, but on coming to London gradually lost their religious impressions, because here "no man cared for their souls." The meetings held by the missionaries had been useful in the conversion of souls in so

many instances, that the Committee felt more and more strongly how important a part they were of the system of operation adopted by the mission. The receipts of the year, exclusive of the contributions (£225) to the Disabled Missionaries' Fund, and of £200 appropriated for the Model Female Lodging-house, by A. Gordon, Esq., amounted to £13,929 14s. 84d., being an increase of £2,213 17s. 74d, over the previous year's; but the financial position of the Society was by no means satisfactory; the increased expenditure for new missionaries was greater than the increased receipts by some hundreds of pounds, and the balance in hand was less than two months' pay of their salaries. The ordinary receipts had been gradually more and more exceeded by the expenditure during the last three years, till in the year just closed the deficiency reached £951. For several months the Committee had been compelled to refuse every application for an additional missionary, unless his entire salary was guaranteed, and were thus prevented from appointing missionaries in some quarters where the need was very urgent. The expenses of the Society were £1,300 per month; and the year's increase of receipts consisted mainly in guaranteed sums towards the support of new missionaries, the remainder of the salaries having to be paid from the General Fund. What the Society especially needed now, was contributions to the General Fund-with an appeal for which, the Report concluded.

The City Mission, we rejoice to see, is still rising in public favour; and there are now rational grounds for hoping that it may one day realise the magnitude desired for it by its now sainted founder, David Nasmith. All London churches, of sufficient strength, ought to have their own City Missionaries either in connection with, or apart from the Society; and all churches, who have not such strength, ought to put out what they have in connection with the City Mission. And do let those, whom God has blessed with means, both living and at death, remember London with its perishing myriads, and THE OVERPOWERING CLAIMS OF THIS ITS MISSION!

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE fifty-third anniversary of this Society was one of the most intensely interesting we ever witnessed. The Hall was crowded at an early hour. The speech of Sir E. N. Buxton was brief, striking, and beautifully pertinent to the occasion.

Rev. A. TIDMAN, Foreign Secretary, on rising to read the Report, was received with reiterated bursts of applause, as was also Mr. FREEMAN, who read a portion of it at a subsequent stage. This most masterly document, which occupied about one hour and a quarter, was heard with great attention, and of those parts which referred to China and Tahiti, the great assembly marked their special approval by emphatic cheers. The scene presented by the Hall on the re-appointment of the officers was, perhaps, the most striking affair of the sort that was ever beheld. Dr. Halley put the matter before

the mind of the assembly in a very unmistakeable form, and the response was not less marked and decisive than the appeal. That moment will be long remembered by all who shared in the transaction. The number of stations and outstations supported by the Society in different parts of the world, 460; churches, 150; 165 European missionaries, and 700 European and native assistants. Number of printing establishments in operation, fifteen. The total amount of receipts, during the past year, had been £76,319 7s. 1d.; the expenditure, £75,724 6s. 11d.

HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

THE REV. Mr. ASHTON read the Report, which was admirably drawn up, and stated, that the labours of this Society extended over nearly every county in England, and some in Wales. Through its instrumentality, chapels had been erected, churches formed, schools established, and a multitude of souls converted to Christ. Many of its former stations had now become pastorates, and many brethren who commenced their labours as missionaries in rural districts, had become settled pastors. The receipts of the Society, during the four septennial periods which it had been in existence, were, at the expiration of the first seven years, leaving out fractions, £27,986; the second, £31,659; the third, £42,874; and the fourth, £53,536— (cheers)-making a total amount-nearly the whole of which had been expended-of £156,056. Since the Institution had become connected with the Congregational Union, it had been more efficient than before. (Cheers.) The ordinary receipts of the Society, during the past year, had been larger than the preceding, but the total amount had not been so great. The expenditure exceeded the income by £940, including the balance of last year. Several of the counties required the whole of the amount contributed by them to be expended within the county, while others placed a large surplus at the disposal of the Society. Bristol had contributed £230 per annum, but it required the whole to be expended in its own county; whereas London contributed one-fourth of the whole income of the Institution, and required no return. (Cheers.) The present number of missionaries was forty-five, the grantees sixty, students at Cotton End six; making a total of 111. The number of stations occupied by the Society, or temporarily supplied by it, was 123; the missionaries and grantees laboured among a population of nearly half a million, and had under their superintendence 50,591 persons; 115 churches had been formed, containing 5,000 church members, 630 of whom had been admitted to fellowship during the past year. That was not the actual numerical increase, as in many of the churches there had been removals. The Sunday-schools connected with the Society amounted to 190, containing 14,270 scholars, with 1,854 teachers. There were also thirtyfour day-schools, gathering within them 1,705 pupils. The number of Bible-classes formed was 109; a large number of tracts and periodical publications had been distributed, and 3,271 copies of the Scriptures had been purchased. In nearly all the stations God was greatly blessing the labours of the Society.

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

THE Rev. A. WELLS read the Report, which, as usual, was luminous, and marked by large views and generous sentiments. It stated that the Society was not what it ought to be. The principal cause of failure had been an inadequate supply of funds. The Society could always have obtained right men, if it had possessed the means necessary for their support. The sum of £5,000 per annum would render the institution vigorous and efficient. With that amount our interest might have been planted in the principal town of every colony belonging to the British empire. The churches were able to raise that sum, but not one-half that amount had been realized. Applications had been made

from several colonies for missionaries, but not one brother had been sent out during the year in answer to them. The calls were most hopeful; and what had been the sole difficulty? The Committee wanted the funds. The Report then alluded to the progress made in the Society's stations, both in Western Canada and throughout the Australian colonies, and gave an interesting sketch of their proceedings since the last Anniversary. The receipts of the Society during the past year amounted to £2,500 28. 3d., while its expenditure had been £2,752 178. 11d., leaving a balance against the institution of £252 158. 8d., which added to the balance against it at the commencement of the year of £350 3s. 8d., made the total amount of the debt £692 19s. 4d.

CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE.

(From the "Patriot.")

THE FUND FOR AGED MINISTERS. THE REV. ALGERNON WELLS read the Report of the Magazines. The Committee was much pleased in presenting its Report. The circulation and profit arising from the sale-the vigorous tone and generally wholesome influence of their periodical publications-were such as to afford it great gratification. The circulation, in 1846-7, of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS and CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE had been 1,600,000; the nett profits on both Magazines for the year was £1,384 48. 11d. At the third distribution fifty ministers received grants from the fund. A balance was left upon the two years, 1846, £824 88. 9d., and 1847, £904 2s.; making a total of £1,726 198. 10d. to be expended in the purchase of stock, as an investment to effect insurances for ten brethren to receive £50 a-year from their sixty-first year. The Committee could not too warmly congratulate the Editor on his success. His labours and services it was not possible too highly to appreciate.

The Rev. H. WIGHT, of Edinburgh, a deputy from the Scotch Congregational Union, moved the adoption of the Report. He was much gratified by having the privilege of expressing his cordial concurrence with the sentiments of respect and approval towards the revered Editor. He felt the deepest interest in the prosperity of the Magazines, for he knew the extensive influence for good exerted by them. Their success confirmed him in the opinion he had formed when the first mention of starting the PENNY MAGAZINE was made in Manchester, that dependence might be placed in the Editor's judgment; and he now saw the advantage of their having a man to fill such a responsible post who had a will of his own. (Cheers)

The Rev. J. ELY, of Leeds, considered the circumstance of their Magazines having obtained so wide a circulation of the utmost importance, now that such an array of powerful and determinedly hostile influences had been ranged against them. To cope with these there was need of the strength and indomitable energy of the Editor. The time had fully arrived for a

thorough indoctrination of the people in our principles, and of this there existed among them a very general and lively conviction. He had lately visited some churches in rural districts which had to contend against the sapping influence or open hostility of aristocratic power, and in such cases he felt it his duty to insist upon the obligation of adhering to the principles which distinguished them as a body. To his appeal and representations he invariably received a hearty response, indicating that the soil was now ready for the good seed. He was much pleased at the relation which now existed between the Editor and the Union. The dissociation which the present arrangement had effected had, in his mind, great advantages. The Union was not responsible for all that appeared in either of their publications, and of this he was glad, as he confessed that there were occasionally some things in the WITNESS not quite to his taste. He thought, for instance, that an institution with which he was connected-the Evangelical Alliance-was spoken of sometimes in a too sarcastic tone. Now, when he entered the Alliance, it was on the distinct understanding that there should not be required of any of its members any compromise of principle, or suppression of their opinions. Besides, he did not altogether admit the propriety of the Editor's travelling out of our own denomination. At the same time he was quite aware that, if they were to have the right man, it was an indispensable condition that he should be at full liberty. (Cheers)

The Rev. J. ANGELL JAMES congratulated the aged brethren upon the success of their periodicals. No man could render these so effectual service as the Editor; his intelligence, energy, and devotedness, insured the triumph of whatever he undertook. With the remark of his friend, Mr. Ely, he agreed; and of this the Editor was aware, for he had several communications with him; but, in justice, he should say, that his objections or remonstrances were always treated with more deference than they were entitled to, proceeding from one so humble as himself. As to the Alliance, it had not in any way affected his attachment to Dissent. He was every inch of him, and of inches there were no few, a tough Nonconformist. He was not, in

any degree, disposed to compromise his principles; but, in putting them forward, he now endeavoured to do so in the spirit which it was the great end of the Alliance to foster and diffuse. Among his own people, he constantly insisted on the duty of being faithful to their peculiar tenets, and tried to guard against all paralysis in respect to their distinctive principles. He would, however, caution his brethren, especially the younger, against their engaging in any of the exciting controversies of the day, from political rather than spiritual motives. There was great danger of this. (Cheers.)

The Rev. J. HILL, of Stafford, wished to remind his brethren of the provocation which Dr. Campbell had received to use harsh language, and it was a marvel to him that he was so moderate. The Magazines had a wide circulation among the Methodists, and it would prove a great benefit to let them into the secrets of their despotic masters. He predicted for the worthy Editor, when some man in the Hanbury succession should undertake to write the memorials of the present Dissenting generation, the reward of posthumous fame, as he believed him deserving of the most profound gratitude and admiration of the present age. (Cheers.)

The Rev. Dr. MORISON was desirous to mingle his feelings of sincere congratulation with those to which his excellent brethren had given utterance. There was no reason for any rivalry between the Magazines of which he and Dr. Campbell were Editors; their object was nearly identical, and in it all of them were interested; it was their own. He felt that no rivalry did exist. The entire freedom from control referred to was necessary for the satisfactory performance of Editorial duties. He cheerfully awarded to his friend Dr. Campbell the highest praise, and felt that his services had laid the churches generally under deep obligation to him. (Cheers.)

Mr. HOWELL said it was stated in the Record, that the Churchman's Magazine exceeded in circulation the PENNY MAGAZINE. Now, if such was the case, it was very easily explained; for, in many of the poorer districts, so great was the poverty of the people, that, at present even a penny was an object.

The Rev. J. SHERMAN begged to state, that the circulation of the Churchman's Penny Magazine, if large, was easily accounted for, by parties paying annual subscriptions taking large quantities and circulating them gratuitously.

Upon the resolution being adopted,

Dr. CAMPBELL rose amid general and hearty cheers, on the subsidence of which he said :Mr. Chairman and brethren,-We stand to-day exactly in the right position. I am much obliged to Mr. Ely for his reference to the absolution of the Union from all responsibility for the general contents of the WITNESS, which is not the organ of its opinions; and I protest against its being so considered or represented. It is the organ solely of its official proceedings; for all besides, I, and I alone, am responsible. It occasionally serves the purpose of parties intent on accomplishing an especial end, to identify you as a body with the views set forth in its pages. Now such disclamatory views as those which have just been put forth by Mr. Ely and Mr. James, serve to set this matter at rest in spite of obstinate insinuations to the contrary. (Hear, hear.) And if any one is taking notes of the present meeting for the press (and I wish our Union meetings were regularly re

ported, for never otherwise shall we be able to interest the churches), whatever else be omitted, I beg the reporter to remember this. My friends have both expressed great concern about the Evangelical Alliance, which is, doubtless, as a whole, a confederation of most worthy men; but it comprises some very odd materials. (Laughter.) I have had some strange exhibitions of the spirit of certain of its members— exhibitions which excite in my bosom no regret that I have not entered its ranks, and no desire so to enter now. Mr. Ely has said that the fellowship of the Alliance has been of special spiritual benefit to him, inasmuch as he has endeavoured both to speak and act under the constant remembrance that he is a member of that body. I do not think our friend was ever in very great danger of particularly erring on that score. (Hear.) The infirmity, it strikes me, both of him and Mr. James, if anything, is more likely to lean to the side of an excessive charity. (Cheers.) My friend, Mr. James, has referred to a compact of silence about the Alliance and the Anti-State Church Association, as points on which the opinions of the Union were divided. The Alliance may be a good thing, but the Anti-State-Church Association cannot be very bad, since you, Mr. Chairman, and our friend Mr. Ely have recently joined our ranks. (Laughter and cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN.-I have joined your Society; you must now come and join mine. Come into the Alliance. (Laughter and cheers.)

Dr. CAMPBELL.-I will think of it. Such, I rejoice to say, have been among the acquisitions of the Anti-State-Church Association this year; and we shall have Mr. James the next. (Laughter and cheers.)

Mr. JAMES (with much good humour.)—No, no, no! (Laughter and cheers.)

Dr. CAMPBELL.-I have no objection, on proper grounds, to enter the fellowship of all good men, to accomplish good ends. But, as Dr. Alexander said yesterday of the Covenanters, it must be with my "sword at my side and my musket in my hand." I will never desist from war with all ecclesiastical establishments, as the great obstruction to all that is good and peaceful among men. (Cheers.) I believe I have your confidence and the confidence of the British public. (Loud cheers.) This much I may say, I have sincerely endeavoured to deserve it. The year now closed has been one of much anxiety, industry, and effort for the public good. The Report has truly said, the "Editor requires your prayers, the prayers of all; will be thankful for the advice of some, and will prize the contributions of a number." This is altogether according to truth. For prayer he will be deeply thankful; to the advice of candid and judicious men he will ever pay the respect which is due; and for valuable contributions he will be at all times grateful. I hope my valued friends, Messrs. James and Ely, will remember this. (Hear, hear.) The Evangelical Alliance may be a good thing, but, assuredly, the Congregational Union is a better. (Cheers.) That Alliance has published a periodical of its owna respectable periodical-I wish that publication all success; but it is not meet that the practised and accomplished pens of our beloved brethren should grace its pages to the neglect of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS. One word on the subject of Methodism. It has annually been my wont, with the view of advancing the glory of God