MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. FATE OF THE FACTORY BILL. SIR James Graham announced in the House of Commons on Thursday, the 15th of June, that "on the best consideration which government had been able to give to the subject, they had come to the conclusion, that it would be most consistent with their public duty not to press the Educational Clauses of the Factories Bill during the present session." This was hailed as an auspicious close of an ardent and anxious struggle, and we were prepared to congratulate our readers upon the moral victory, that the union of all sections of Nonconformists had happily secured. But the bill, as amended by the Committee, and on re-commitment, is now printed; and, lo! it still bears the title of "A Bill for Regulating the Employment of Children and Young Persons in Factories, and for the Better Education of Children in Factory Districts;" and that our readers may not suppose it a mistake, there are, at least, half a score Educational Clauses in this third edition of the bill, and clauses, too, which in the hands of the unscrupulous party that now govern this country, may be made the means of worrying every dissenting school-master, in factory districts, out of his bread. We feel astonished at the barefaced impudence and pertinacious adherence to this meddling system which these proceedings manifest, and we regard the powers of interference in education, which these clauses would give to inspectors, as arbitrary and dangerous. We must not, therefore, suppose, that we have escaped all the mischiefs designed by this most wily measure, till the bill is denuded of these unconstitutional clauses. If a poor factory child must be able to read before he can earn his bread, let the inspectors examine the children, not inspect the schools. It ought to be of little consequence to the government, how the child acquired the art of reading, so that the art be acquired. But there is evil intended, and we must not sleep. MEETING TO PROMOTE AND EXTEND CHRISTIAN UNION. On the 1st of June, was held in Exeter Hall, that great manifestation of the essential union of all evangelical Christians, to which we have frequently directed the attention of our readers. The demand for tickets of admission was unprecedented; and as the committee could not restrict the issue, ten thousand were sent forth. It was not surprising, therefore, that the great Hall was densely crowded, that a supplementary meeting was held in the lower Hall, and a third meeting at Great Queen Street Chapel, where about one thousand five hundred persons assembled. W. Evans, Esq., M.P. for North Derbyshire, occupied the chair pursuant to the public announcement. The Rev. Joseph Turnbull, Baptist minister, of the United States of America, gave out the first hymn, "Come Holy Spirit! heavenly dove," &c. And when the congregation rose to sing, accompanied by the great organ, the effect was most impressive and affecting. The Rev. Thos. Mortimer, B. D., Episcopalian minister, Gray's Inn Lane, read portions of the Holy Scriptures: Psalm cxxxi., John xvii. 15-26; Eph. 14-21; iv. 1-6; and then most impressively read the collects of his Church for Good Friday, and the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. The Rev. George Clayton, Congregational minister, Walworth, then offered extemporaneous prayer. He was followed by the Rev. John Leifchild, D.D., Congregational minister, Craven Chapel, who made a statement on behalf of the committee, respecting the object contemplated in calling the meeting. These introductory proceedings being closed, W. Evans, Esq., M.P., as chairman, delivered a brief address, and then called upon the Rev. John Harris, D.D., President and Tutor of the Countess of Huntingdon's College, Cheshunt, to move the first resolution.* At the close of his very beautiful address, letters of apology for absence were read from the Rev. Dr. Chalmers and the Rev. Dr. McCleod. The Rev. James Hamilton, minister of the Scotch Church, Regent Square, in a very eloquent address, seconded the motion, which was put to the meeting, and carried unanimously. The Rev. James Sprigg, pastor of the Baptist church, Ipswich, gave out, "Let party names no more," &c. which having been sung, the Rev. Peter Latrobe, Secretary to the Moravian Missionary Society, offered prayer. The Rev. A. F. Cox, D.D., pastor of the Baptist church, Hackney, moved the second resolution, which was supported by the Rev. Robert Alder, D.D., a Secretary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society. That resolution having been carried, the Rev. Thomas Jackson, Divinity Tutor of the Wesleyan Theological Institution at Abney House, gave out, "Let all the saints terrestrial sing," &c. ; which was followed by another prayer, offered by the Rev. Arthur Tidman, a Secretary of the London Missionary Society. The Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, Episcopal minister of St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row, then presented the third resolution, which was seconded by the Rev. A. F. Lacroix, of Neufchatel, and missionary at Calcutta. Thomas Farmer, Esq., Treasurer of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, sustained the resolution, which was adopted. The Rev. Edward Steane, D.D., pastor of the Baptist church at Camberwell, offered prayer again, after which the Rev. John Angell James, pastor of a Congregational church at Birmingham, moved the fourth resolution, in which he gave the following history of the immediate occasion of the present assembly. 'Sir, there was an individual who was, no long time since, pursuing his daily course of communion with God, and before he rose from his knees a thought came into his mind, that it was desirable and possible, notwithstanding the many circumstance that seemed to oppose the idea, to bring Christians nearer to each other than they have hitherto, at least in modern times, appeared to be. The thought occurring in prayer, suggested to him that there might be something of God in it—there might be something from above; and the moment he rose from his knees he determined to convey that thought to the metropolis, and, at the Meeting of the Congregational Union, to suggest it to brethren wiser and holier than himself. They received the idea; and they have had the honour-I am sure in their own bosoms now they have the reward, and hereafter will have one still richer-of maturing that original thought for the public mind. And look around, and see how the public mind has received it, and how that one simple thought, so struck out and so given to the world, is working its way; and who can tell what, where, and when, the last operation of that thought will be? It is encouraging, thus to know what the simplest idea, if it be good, may do; and how, with all propriety of feeling and manner, we should be willing to communicate such a thought, if we have one, to others." We say this was the immediate occasion, for certainly there have been many happy influences at work to produce this blessed result, and none deserve greater honour * We do not transcribe their resolutions, as they are all to be found in our Magazine for May, page 377. than those connected with the proceedings of Sir Culling Eardley Smith, Bart., who some years ago gave a prize for the best "Essay on Christian Union," and which produced the valuable works of Drs. Hoppus and Harris on that subject. Isaac Taylor, Esq., Stamford Rivers, author of "Ancient Christianity," seconded the resolution, which was adopted. Dr. Leifchild proposed, that the Committee be permanent, and also thanks to the Chairman, which that gentleman acknowledged, and then left the chair, which was occupied by Mr. Farmer. The Rev. Robert Redpath, minister of the Secession Church, Wells Street, moved, and the Rev. Robert Ainslie, Secretary to the London City Mission, seconded the fifth resolution, which was carried unanimously. The Rev. James Sherman, minister of Surrey Chapel, then gave out,— "Blest be the dear uniting love," &c.; and the Rev. J. H. Hinton repeated the apostolic benediction, and the meeting separated, after having given delighted attention, for nearly seven hours, to the services we have recited. A full and revised report, 70 pages, 12mo, has been pub. lished, with the sanction of the Committee, for sixpence: we need not recommend it to our readers. RECENT DEATHS. It is our mournful duty to record three instances of mortality that have occurred within twelve days, by which our churches and the Christian world have sustained no ordinary bereavement. On Thursday morning, June 8th, at his residence, Mile End, London, died the Rev. JOSEPH FLETCHER, D.D., in the 58th year of his age, and the 20th of his pastorate in the ancient Congregational Church at Stepney, Middlesex. On Monday, June 12th, at his house in Camden Town, the Rev. SAMUEL KIDD, Professor of the Chinese Language and Literature in University College, London, and for many years a missionary at Malacca, under the patronage of the London Mis sionary Society. He died suddenly in a fit of epilepsy, and has left a widow, and a numerous family of children, we regret to say, unprovided for. Our lamented brother was only in the 43d year of his age. By his early death, Protestant Christianity in China has lost an able coadjutor. On Friday night, June 16th, at his residence at Highbury-place, in the 79th year of his age, THOMAS WILSON, Esq. Treasurer of the London Missionary Society, and for nearly forty years the Treasurer and most active friend of Hoxton Academy, now Highbury College. No individual in the present age has been permitted to accomplish so much for the promotion of Evangelical religion in our native land. We announce these, to us, mournful bereavements, but we trust that the pages of this Magazine will, ere long, contain more extended notices of the lives and labours of our lamented friends. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Rev. Drs. Clunie-Henderson-Urwick. Revs. George Wright-R. Robinson-B. White-R. Calvert-Samuel RobertsH. J, Rook-Thomas Stratten-Thomas Guyer-Edward Davis-A. J. Morris— R. Ashton-G. B. Kidd. Sir J. B. Williams-W. Stroud, Esq. M.D.—Messrs. G. Binnes, Jun.—T. A. Coombs-C. Forth-W. Wood—J. Green—H. N. Byles-Le Fylde-Diakonos. THE CONGREGATIONAL MAGAZINE. AUGUST, 1843. AN ADDRESS PREPARED FOR THE PUBLIC DAY AT THE PROTESTANT DISSENTERS' GRAMMAR SCHOOL, MILL HILL, JUNE 21ST, 1843. BY THE REV. JOHN BLACKBURN.* THE academical engagements of another year, have now terminated with exercises and honours most fitting to the occasion. A review of the past session, cannot fail to suggest, that it is our first duty to acknowledge the goodness of Almighty God to this institution, in continuing the health and usefulness of those honoured men, to whom the laborious duties of tuition are confided-in maintaining amongst the members of the executive committee, peaceful counsels and harmonious action-in preserving the pupils from frightful accidents, malignant diseases, and, from what we should dread still more, slothful habits, disobedient conduct, and open vice. At your family altars fervent prayers have ascended to the Father of mercies, day by day, on behalf of those dear objects of your affections and hopes; and it is delightful this morning, to witness in their healthful countenances, their honourable testimonials, and their school rewards, that those prayers have not been poured forth in vain. The continued favour of a gracious * Mr. Blackburn having been invited by the Committee to deliver an address at the close of the academical business of the public day, the following was prepared for the occasion; but that having more than occupied the time allotted for the whole service of the morning, he declined further to trespass on the patience of the audience. A very urgent request was in consequence made for its publication in the Congregational Magazine, and he yielded to the too confiding wishes of the company, though he is very conscious how little it deserves the notice of the public. N. S. VOL. VII. 4 B Providence will doubtless obtain for this establishment, the growing confidence of the religious public, and the prayers, thanksgivings, and benedictions of a constantly increasing band of generous friends. The academical exercises and the public honours of this day, not only bear witness to the assiduity of the masters and the diligence of the pupils, but also indicate the happy combination of science and learning, of modern literature and ancient lore, which is found in the curriculum of this school. Not that I would for a moment detract from that respect which is justly due to classical learning, most wisely placed foremost by our ancestors in the order of a liberal education. It is no frivolous occupation of a few years of boyhood, to acquire the words and phrases, the measures and constructions of Greek and Latin authors. "It is wholly unjust," (remarks a modern writer,) to stigmatize the study of the classics, as being confined to words instead of things; for it is utterly impossible that words can be learned without the acquisition of a considerable degree of knowledge of the things to which they relate, and of the historical facts which they have been employed to express, and without an involuntary modelling of the mind, to the elegance and elevation of sentiment which pervade the works of those authors who are habitually put into the hands of boys in the course of their elementary studies; an acquirement which is of still greater value to the orator and the statesman, than the command of language and the facility of expression, and the beauty of imagery and power of reasoning, which he derives from a perfect familiarity with the great masters of antiquity."* But granting, as I do, the truth and justice of these remarks, still, I regard it a happy circumstance, that here the modern languages are learned as well as the ancient; and that not only the exact sciences built upon self-evident truths are taught, but those also which are based on observation and experiment. We all know that the French language is the vehicle of sentiment and feeling in the most polished circles, and amongst the most accomplished inhabitants of Europe, and that it abounds with authors whose sparkling wit, elegant taste, and vast erudition, render it most desirable to be familiar with their productions; whilst the laborious sons of Germany have made their mother tongue the rich depositary of the most subtle philosophy, and the most profound researches among the noble remains of Greek and Roman genius and refinement. Nor is it less certain, that an acquaintance with physical sciences, is indispensable to a good modern education. Think of the animals and vegetables we see every day,-of time, of place, of light, of colours, and of gravitation, of our very senses and frames, by which we perceive and enjoy all around. Is it good to be in ignorance of their philosophy! And should some sordid objector accost us with "What is the utility? whence the profit? where the gain?" We may answer in the satirical * Encyclopædia Britannica, 7th edition; art. Porson. |