answered by the bishops to whom they were ad- or two passed along the perilous line of communidressed. Thus the whole body of the bishops|cation, saluting no man by the way, and, entering themselves was cemented by an inseparable community of sympathies, of rights, of doctrines, of interests, of orders, of religion: but if a particular bishop offended against any of these, the whole body cast him out; so as to prove that the unity was not a name only and an appearance, but a substantial and practical reality. fortune." the scene of blood and torture, took their share in the dangers and extremity of the persecuted flock, imparted the consolations and counsels of the shep|| herd, and then, God willing, hurried back again upon their perilous journey, fraught with various news of joy and sorrow,-of the martyrdom of this brother, of the apostacy of that, of the general conThen, again, each bishop was the centre of unity stancy or infirmity of the flock,-to their anxious to his own Church; every man communicated with masters. Often were these dove-like messengers him, and he with the whole body; and so every intercepted, and shot as it were on the wing; and individual communicated with the whole body- the mournful tale which they were bringing was just as each finger is united first with the hand, spared to the ears and hearts of their employers, and through that with the centre of life and circu until it came at last through another channel, aclation, and is one with the body, and with its fel-companied by the aggravated ill news of their mislows. The bishop had the privilege (or rather on him devolved the duty) of casting off the communion of any one who fell into dangerous heresy, or into disreputable conduct; but he was equally bound to maintain, in the unity of the body, every one who failed not in the essential character of a Christian. If any one left one place to go to another, or a thousand others, the bishop of the first gave him letters of communion, which carried him to the next diocese, or over the whole world in communion with all the whole Church; but if he was excommunicated by one bishop, neither these letters, nor any symbol or instance of communion was afforded by any other bishop-cut off by one, he was separated from the whole body of the Church; received by one, he was received into and by all. Thus were the bishops the very instruments of || ever-blessed and glorious Trinity. Thus was its such an union as was never yet exceeded in any || body of men associated, for whatever cause, on the face of the earth. To maintain this, however, more perfectly, a tolerably frequent meeting of the bishops, or communication between them, was highly desirable; and it is wonderful how often councils met, in times when it should have seemed dangerous for two or three bishops to assemble together, and how very frequent was the correspondence between different bishops. It far surpassed in those days of the Church's poverty and persecution, and in its want of means of free converse, what it is at the present day, with all our security, our posts, our roads, our railways, and our pathways over the great deep. But we have not only to observe upon the frequency of this correspondence, but upon the great and necessary caution with which it was conducted. No ordinary messenger was sufficient to convey a bishop's letter, which was entrusted to a deacon, or a subdeacon at the least. These, suspected by the heathen, and in danger from their very profession, were the messengers of the bishops, and as Evans prettily observes,1 "A faithful deacon 1 Biography of the Early Church. The efficacy of this divinely appointed bond of union, thus laboriously and conscientiously carried out, was obvious, and fully tested by the event; for after the Church had been now nearly 300 years deprived of the visible presence of its divine Head, on a council being called of bishops from all parts of the world, the most distant nations sent their || representatives, and the utmost union was proved to have existed in the doctrine which had been taught throughout the world, upon a question, more than any other, subject to constant attack and the most opposite misrepresentations; for though 320 || bishops assembled at Nicea, all agreed in the condemnation of the blasphemies of Arius against the eternal godhead of the second Person of the unity in doctrine attested by the whole Church; and its unity of fellowship was proved by the very fact of those several bishops coming together from so many and far-distant nations. Nor was this a less clear proof that the doctrine was one throughout the world, at that day, and that we in England, for instance, held the same faith with those in Egypt or in Syria, than that it was one with the doctrine of the apostles, and that all agreed with what they first taught, and committed to faithful men to teach and in their turn to transmit to others. For what possibility is there that all should have agreed together, except by all agreeing with some one standard? And since Rome had not so soon claimed to be a rule for all Churches, there was no standard but that one handed down every where by the apostles, and preserved in all the Churches of the saints. Episcopacy, then, or the body of bishops, each supreme in his own Church, was intended to be, and effectively was, an active instrument of unity or sameness in doctrine and fellowship throughout the whole world. It will fairly occur to ask,whether it is so still; and if it be not so, why it is not. This is the really important question, which makes all that has been before advanced most interesting. You will be surprised perhaps to hear, that, in the face of all the apparent divisions among bodies truly episcopal, and among all the actual hostilities of other bodies claiming to be of the Church, one with another, episcopacy really has effected its end, and does continue to effect it; that is, wherever it is maintained in its purity. The adversary has availed to divide Christendom; but he has been obliged, first of all, to repudiate or to corrupt the principle of unity in the episcopate. With regard to the actual throwing off of episcopacy by many bodies, nothing can be clearer than the fact, nothing more melancholy than the results. It has issued not only in divisions of fellowship from us, but in like schisms among themselves; and in every mad perversion of doctrine that can well be conceived. The perversion of the episcopate is less obvious in its effects, and requires to be considered separately. : In this Church we retain, as we fully believe, that genuine episcopacy which was committed to chosen men by the apostles, and which was handed down from them to our own days; yet we are cut off from the communion of a large body of Christians who profess to retain, and who do retain, under the limitations which I have to mention, this principle of unity of unity with us, as it ought to be, and one with another. You will judge that I am speaking of the Roman Catholics. Now, how do we account for this? Simply by the fact that they have perverted the episcopate, and rendered it in many respects void, by erecting one bishop with such an overwhelming superiority, that the other bishops throughout his communion cannot fulfil the ends of their appointment, and especially cannot fulfil the end of unity, since that especially is transferred to the one Bishop of Rome, instead of being served by all the bishops, in their equal and concurrent authority. Thus, then, by appointing a centre of unity which is not scriptural nor primitive, nor in itself adapted to its end, Rome has occasioned a huge schism, to the mighty scandal of the world. But wherever the episcopate is maintained in its purity, unity is preserved. The Church in England is as truly one with that in Scotland and in America, notwithstanding the numerous differences of circumstances, as the Church of York is one with the Church of Canterbury ;-as the Church of Ripon is one with the Church of London: and as for the differences which are seen between different individuals of these Churches, or of any of them, they are not such as amount to a breach of communion; and even they would be less, but for certain unhappy elements in the Church's position, which do not concern the matter of episcopacy, and affect the unity of the Church only indirectly. It may be satisfactory to know that our own Churches are not worse than any others in this respect; or at least that the Church of Rome is far less united in such matters than we. In America, and in Scotland, and in all our settlements, the good English Churchman will find not only the same communion, but in the main and in essentials, the same doctrines that he has been taught here. The Romanist is not taught the same in France, in Spain, in Italy, in Germany, in Ireland, and in the schismatical assemblies which are holden by his fellows in error in the great cities of this more enlightened kingdom. Thus, then, the conclusion of the only part of this paper we have been able to make directly practical, is this:-that we adhere, heartily and thankfully, to that divinely appointed rule and means of unity, the apostolic order and succession of bishops. Poetry. THIS WAS IN ALL MY PRAYERS. From the New York Churchman. "From them [the parsonages of England] as fountains among palm-trees, what living streams have flowed, to purify and to refresh the world! How much of England's greatness and of England's glory-what scholars, what artists, what soldiers, what sailors, what merchants, what statesmen, what philosophers, what patriots, what divines, what saint!-have sprung from the parsonages of England!"-BP. DOANE'S Impressions of the Church of England, p. 15 (note). THIS was in all my prayers, since first I prayed,- Northfield Vicarage, August 3, 1841. From our arrival until midnight the bells in this venerable old church kept up a merry peal. 2 We had the great enjoyment of the daily morning and evening service here. Notices of Books. Byron's Poems: People's edition. London, Murray. 1842. they will soon find that they have taken a reptile to their bosoms to prick and sting them; polluting at its very source every virtuous motive, paralysing and artisans into misanthropists, idlers, rebels, and all honourable industry, and debasing our labourers infidels. Surely the risk of encountering evils such tion and fascinating imagery. Poison is not less as these is poorly compensated for by poetical dicdeadly because it is administered in a golden goblet. Entelligence. Ir is always painful to animadvert upon writings which, while in the highest degree pernicious, witness to the possession of great intellectual endowments in the writer, as well as many other qualities which, had they not been abused, might have been as subservient as they are now opposed, to every thing that is good and virtuous. This reflection always suggests itself whenever the works of Lord Byron fall in our way. For to deny to that writer INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE the possession of very considerable poetical powers, ENLARGEMENT, BUILDING, AND REPAIRING OF to question the exceeding beauty of his diction, or CHURCHES AND CHAPELS.-Since the last report of the richness of his imagery, would at once prove us this society, 178 applications have been received, to be the victims of invincible prejudice, or insen- from various parts of England and Wales, for assible to the charms of poetry. And yet, on the other sistance towards the repair, enlargement, or rehand, not to see that Byron had only one end of building of ancient fabrics, or the building of addipoetry in view the pleasure, in its lowest sense, of tional churches or chapels in populous parishes. his readers; not to know that the most subtle poi- In consequence of these applications, 143 grants son lurks in every line of his writings, and that no have been voted, of sums varying according to the one can read them without the hazard of sadly da- circumstances of the several cases; and provision maging his morality, his philanthropy, and every nohas thus been made for the accommodation of bler principle of his nature,—would argue a strange 41,554 persons, of whom 30,048 will have the priobtuseness in our moral perception. Knowing such vilege of attending divine service without cost. The to be the fact, we had hoped that these writings sum thus voted amounts to 19,0907., being 3,4531. would have been suffered to remain in that oblivion less than the votes of the preceding year, while the to which the good sense of the English people had increase of accommodation given has been in proof late consigned them. Time was when Byron's portion greater; for in the year 1841 accommodawas a name familiar as a household-word, and no tion was provided for 45,757 persons by a vote of poetry was quoted but his. Though his works, from 22,5431, while in the past year the number has been the expensive manner in which they were got up, 41,554, and the cost to the society 19,0907. At the had never a popular circulation, they were uni- present moment, the grants of the society remainversally read by the upper classes; and to speaking unpaid and liable to be called for, at varying against them was considered high-treason against taste. Nor was there any thing very remarkable in this. There was so much of romantic mystery connected with the author, and his writings were so accordant with the spirit of the age in which they appeared, that they readily and naturally obtained a great hold upon the public mind. Add to this, that the more repulsive features of his muse were so hidden by a fascinating exterior, that its real deformity was not at first discernible. The imposture, however, was eventually discovered; and it was found that, while many of his productions, like Don Juan, were gorgeous temples of impurity, his less objectionable poems,-such as Childe Harold, The Corsair, The Doge of Venice, and Sardanapalus,―were nothing less than so many satanical efforts to dignify vice, and excite our sympathy and reverence for characters worthy only of reprobation. And this reprobation was, generally speaking, both felt and expressed; so that, comparatively, Byron's had become a forgotten name amongst us. It is with real regret, therefore, that we observe an attempt is now being made to reverse this just sen. tence of condemnation, by exciting a fresh gusto for Byron's muse, and introducing it to the middle and lower classes of society. This sad truth, the people's edition, placed at the head of this notice, testifies. Heaven forfend the English people from the evil which is here being prepared for them! For ourselves, we would much rather see a plague, a pestilence, or a famine rage among us, than that Byron's poetry should leaven the mind of the great mass of our population. Let our humbler readers, then, be on their guard, and conscientiously shun this people's edition. For if its spirit be imbibed, periods, amount to 50,9851., but the sum in its possession is only 47,759., shewing a deficiency of 3,2261. The committee cannot conclude their report without thankfully adverting to the munificent donations, amounting to 3,500l., which they have received from various quarters within the past year. They will not occupy the time of the meeting by reading the long list of such benefactions, which will be contained in the yearly statement; but they wish to express their lively gratitude to her Majesty the Queen Dowager for a donation of 500l., and to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester for 1007. Nor can they refrain from recording a second donation of 500l. from his Grace the Duke of Northumberland. And they trust they may be allowed to mention another sum, not on account of its amount, but as it affords an example of a pious sacrifice to devout and charitable objects, which cannot be too highly esteemed or too earnestly recommended for imitation: it is a donation of 607., being part of 1607., the tithe of a layman's professional income for 1841, placed at the disposal of the Bishop of London.-Last Report of the Society. The consecration of Christ Church at Ardsley, near Barnsley, constructed under the superintendence of Messrs. Hurst and Moffatt, of Doncaster, took place on the 7th of June last. It was erected by voluntary subscription, with the exception of 2001. from the Incorporated Society for Promoting the Enlargement, Building, and Repairing of Churches and Chapels. John Micklethwaite, Esq., of Ardsley House, generously contributed the sum of 4001. towards the erection; Sir George Wombwell gave the ground for the site; George Maude, Esq., of Middlewood, has given 90%. towards the endowment; the Pastoral-Aid Society have agreed to give 501. a year towards a stipend for the minister, and the vicar of Darfield will contribute the remainder. The church will accommodate 500. It is 66 feet long, 38 feet wide, and 25 feet high, with a gallery at the west end. The style is Norman, plain and simple. The west end is furnished at the top with a belfry. It is built about the centre of the village, on a gentle ascent at the left side of the road towards Barnsley. The churchyard presents a fine view of the neighbouring district of Hoyland, and of the busy manufacturing town of Barnsley, which is about two miles distant. The church was built by the late Mr. Thomas Waring, of Goldthorpe, and has now been used for divine service for about twelve months. The contract for the erection of the building was 9301.; but with the addition of the cost of the churchyard-walls, the fitting-up, bells, &c., the total expense amounts to 12507. On the 8th of June, the elegant little church which has recently been erected at Clifford, in the parish of Bramham, was consecrated by his Grace the Archbishop of York, in whose province and diocese the parish is situated. The Rev. Dr. Hook, vicar of Leeds, preached the consecration-sermon. There was a very numerous attendance of the clergy, who in their robes received his grace at the entrance of the churchyard, and escorted him to the vestry at the south-east corner of the church, where the archbishop put on the episcopal robes. The site of the church and churchyard, which contains about three roods, was given by George Lane Fox, Esq., who also presented 1000l. towards the endowment; and we understand that, besides having given 100%. in liquidation of the cost of erecting the church, he has promised to give 500l. towards the erection of a parsonage-house. The dean and chapter of Christ Church have also given 2007. in order to meet the bounty of Queen Anne in augmentation of the endowment; and by the consecration-deed, five per cent of the proceeds of the pew-rents is to be set apart for the repairs of the church. DIOCESE OF CHESTER.-Ecclesiastical Statistics, 1831-1841.1 Churches. Church-Sittings. 1841. 1831 1841 1831 Population. 1831. 1841 10,436 20 13 21 12 Preston Heywood Chorley West Derby.. St. Helens... Oldham Bolton Rochdale Blackburn Whalley Todmorden Wigan Deane Bury 51,800 9 Twenty towns, &c.... 1,331,600 200 216,675 16 293 Taking 1 in 3, or 33 per cent, as the least proper amount of church-accommodation, and 1 to 2000 souls as the least proper supply of clergy for efficient pastoral care; this shews an aggregate deficiency of 227,161 church-sittings, and of 372 clergymen, in these 20 towns and parishes; and in some cases, especially near Stockport, Manchester, and Todmorden, there are outlying townships and hamlets of 1500 to 5500 destitute of churches. Progress of Church-Building, 1801-1841-Churches. Comparative Liberality of Churchmen and Dissenters.- Collections have lately been made at the churches, chapels, and meeting-houses in Bath, in behalf of the United Bath Hospital. From the account of the sum collected, it is found that while the meeting-houses only contributed 887. 19s. 4d., the churches contributed 3651. 9s. 8d.! The two Wesleyan meeting-houses are very large indeed, but two of them contributed only the paltry sum of 91. 5s. 8d.! Surely the poor of Bath will readily see whether Churchmen or Dissenters are their best friends. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The Lady's Well in our next Number; in which, also, the papers on English History will be continued. LONDON: PORTMAN SQUARE; and to be had, by order, of all BookPublished by JAMES BURNS, 17 PORTMAN STREET, sellers in Town and Country. PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLYN, THE ENGLISHMAN'S MAGAZINE. No. XX. Contents. AUGUST, 1842. In my first letter I gave, as you will remember, a sketch of the history of Britain and the Britons, from their origin to their final subjugation by the Romans, in the time of Severus. We must, therefore, now inquire into their state while they were under the Roman yoke; in other words, into the changes which they underwent, both in religion and civil affairs, after their connexion with the imperial city. And first as to the religion-for that must, of course, be to a Christian the subject first, not only in importance, but in interest-of the Roman Britons, if such an expression may be allowed. It is well known, that in the reign of Tiberius (A.D. 31) our divine Saviour, having expiated by his death the sins of a guilty world, his apostles began to proclaim the glad tidings of this glorious ransom, as he had commanded them. Soon was the Gospel propagated far and wide; and, according to some, reached even distant, inaccessible, and barbarous Britain before the death of Tiberius. The accounts, however, which we read of the mission of Joseph of Arimathea, his founding the monastery of Glassenbury, and of other matters connected with his supposed mission, are of too suspicious a nature, and bear too much evidence of monkish interpolation to be much relied on. Indeed, when we remember that the first labours of the apostles were in the East, it is very improbable that Christianity should have been known in Britain within two years after it began to be propagated; and when we reflect that the conversion of Cornelius, the first-fruits of the Gentiles, as it is generally supposed, did not take place till six years after that event, the introduction of Christianity into Britain during the reign of Tiberius would seem almost an impossibility. PRICE 4d. Scarcely less plausible is the notion entertained by some, of St. Peter having been the apostle of Britain; for though the papists have endeavoured to establish the fact, they have been singularly unsuccessful in doing so. Even Lingard, the popish historian, is compelled to admit, "that the opinion rests on the most slender evidence; on testimonies which are many of them irrelevant, all ambiguous and unsatisfactory." Still, that Christianity was known in Britain during the apostolic age is expressly asserted by Eusebius, the ancient ecclesiastical historian; a fact which he tells us he learnt from Constantine, whose father both governed and died in Britain, and where also Constantine himself was born. Hence, information on this subject from such a source is only not indisputable. If, then, the light of divine truth shone upon Britain in this early age, the question is, to which of the glorious company of the apostles is the mission to be assigned? I think you will agree with me in concluding, that St. Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, has, both from direct historical testimony, and on the ground of probability, a fair claim to this distinction. For let us consider the historical testimony. St. Clement, the third bishop of Rome, and probably a friend of the apostle himself, assures us, in his deeply interesting epistle to the Corinthians, "that St. Paul preached righteousness through the whole world; and in so doing went to the utmost bounds of the west." Theodoret, also an early ecclesiastical historian, says "that St. Paul brought salvation to the islands that lie in the ocean." Now you must know that "the utmost bounds of the west," "the western isles," and similar expressions, are those by which Britain is distinguished by ancient historians. Thus Plutarch in his life of Caesar, when speaking of his expedition into Britain, an account of which I gave you in my former letter, observes: "He was the first who brought a fleet into the western ocean." The same synonymes are employed by Theodoret and Eusebius. Hence I think we may conclude, from direct historical testimony, whatever Lingard, who applies what he says of St. Peter's mission to that of St. Paul's also, may say to the contrary, that the great apostle of the Gentiles was the apostle of Britain. This testimony is confirmed by the circumstances in which St. Paul was placed. It is well known, that in the second year of Nero (A.D. 56) St. Paul was at Rome, where, according to St. Luke (Acts xxviii. 30) he abode two years. In the interval, therefore, between his departure from Rome and his martyrdom there in the fourteenth of Nero's reign, there was ample time for him to propagate Christianity in the western parts, and, among the rest, in Britain. Probably he became acquainted with Britain through Pomponia Græcina, wife of I |