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the numerous but scattered population. The preceding Address of Mr. Baldwin will have shown our readers the peculiar circumstances of the wide region beyond the Alleghany Mountains. The diocese Ohio is the only one yet formed in that region. Its wants and difficulties are forcibly depicted in the following Appeal in its behalf, from the presbyters and deacons of the diocese:

"We, the presbyters and deacons of the diocese of Ohio, North America, having, at our last annual convention, in communion with our apostolic head, contemplated with sorrow the gloomy condition, and more gloomy prospects, of the church in the States west of the Alleghany mountains, unanimously resolved, that some efforts should be made, under God, to insure her preservation and extend her borders. In looking anxiously around for relief, our eyes involuntarily turned to the land and church of our fathers. Here, thought we, if any where, the Lord hath appointed us succour; their benevolence is proverbial, and we are their brethren. At the impulse of hard necessity, therefore, and from a conviction that nothing of an ordinary nature can continue to succeeding ages our apostolic ministry and doctrines, we have determined to lay our wants before them. And, beholding in our venerated and beloved diocesan a zeal which prompts him to sacrifice to the good of Christ's mystical body, private interest, domestic comfort, and the tranquillity required by advancing age, we would humbly introduce him, as the messenger of these our wants, to that venerable church, whence, by God's good providence, we derive our name and existence. By him the precarious condition and needy circumstances of our diocese will be best set forth, for he best knows, having longest felt them. We wait, therefore, anxiously, but submissively, the sentence of the Lord on the destiny of our infant church."

(Signed by the Presbyters and Deacons of the Diocese of Ohio.)

In what manner this visit of Bishop Chase to this country is viewed in America, will appear by the following extracts from two periodical works, connected with the episcopal church, and issued in distant parts of the States. In the first of these, published in the city of Washington, it is said,

"Bishop Chase, of the diocese of Ohio, sailed on board the ship, Orbit, for the

port of Liverpool, on the 1st of October. The object of his visit to England, we are informed, is to obtain from the friends of religion, and of our apostolic church, the means of promoting the great interests of the Redeemer's kingdom in the west. For this purpose, he is desirous of establishing a theological seminary within his diocese for the education of young men for the ministry, whose pecuniary circumstances, habits, and local attachments, would prevent them from uniting with the seminary at New York; and, also, render them much more useful in the discharge of the ministerial duties of their office, than could be expected from those who are educated in the eastern section of the union. May God speed him on his passage, and give him a cordial reception among the brethren in the Lord, in that highly favoured land whither he is gone; a land which, notwithstanding its national sins, is doing more for the cause of our glorified Emanuel, than all the world beside.

"It will always afford us pleasure to see our bishops manifesting the same zeal and self-denial, which characterize the proceedings and conduct of the Right Reverend the Bishop of Ohio."

In reference to the resolution of the diocese of Ohio, to make an appeal for assistance to this country, it is said, in another episcopal publication, issued at Boston:

"We are much gratified at this determination; and have no doubt that the sympathy of our brethren in England will be powerfully excited in favour of the church of Ohio and its zealous and primitive bishop."

We add our own confident persuasion, that the venerable prelate, who has visited this country on a mission so truly apostolic, will receive a cordial and liberal support; and we hear, with great satisfaction, that a number of sincere friends to the extension and efficiency of the American episcopal church, who are fully acquainted with all the bearings of the subject, and with what has been published thereon, both in this country and in America, have united to promote the object of the bishop's visit. We heartily wish success to this, and to every other attempt to consolidate and extend the influence of our holy religion in that form of administration, in the unspeakable benefit of which we ourselves habitually participate.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

WE have just received the Twenty-third Report of this most valuable institution; and although we presented an outline of it when delivered at the Anniversary in May, and are aware that the leading facts are

generally known, yet as there are many points which have not hitherto met with the attention they deserve, we trust our extracting some of them will meet with general approbation.

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"On the establishment of the Church Missionary and Bible Societies, great fears were entertained that they would injure the funds of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. The event has happily proved exactly the reverse. At the first anniversary of the Bible Society, in 1805, its income amounted to 55921. 10s. 5d. In that year the funds of the Church Missionary Society rose from 9127. (the income of its first year) to 19597. 18s. 7d. And, in the same year, the total receipts of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, amounted to 12,4241. 5s. 2d.

"Passing over the intermediate years, in which the funds of these Societies continued to increase with astonishing rapidity during a period of great national difficulty, let us direct our attention to the statement made at their respective anniversaries, in 1822; and we shall find the income of the Christian Knowledge Society 53,7291.98.3d. -that of the Church Missionary Society 32,975l. 9s. 7d.-and that of the Bible Society 103,8027. 17s. 1d.

"Thus it appears, that the Society which led the way in the great work of Christian charity, is so far from having received any injury, from the interest excited among the members of the Church of England in favour of the other Societies just mentioned, that in the course of the seventeen years of their joint operation, an addition has been made to its annual receipts of no less a sum than 41,305l. 4s. 1d."-P. 50.

Ultimate Means of Evangelizing the
World.

It must be perfectly obvious to those who consider all the circumstances of the case, that however important the sending forth of English or European missionaries may be, an adequate number can never be obtained or supported for the evangelizing the world. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance, that native teachers should be educated for this work, and we rejoice to find that this object is steadily kept in view by the Missionaries already engaged in the Society's service.

"The Committee feel it their duty to do all in their power to send forth a body of teachers, who may be competent to the task of leading forward the minds of such young persons to every practicable degree of enlargement and knowledge. In Sierra Leone,

*more than twenty pious African youths are prepared for instructors of this description: in Calcutta and in Madras, this branch of the Christian institutions of the Society formed at those Presidencies, loudly calls for such aid; and at Cotym, among the Syrians, and in other places, the seminaries of this description, already established, require more instructors; while not only in these places, but in other parts of India, in Ceylon, and in the Mediterranean, devoted missionaries, nurtured in the admirable system of our Universities, might put their acquisitions to the most noble use in the service of their heavenly Master, by training up in sound discipline and learning the future pastors and evangelists of the unchristianized world. The Committee fervently beseech the Great Head of the Church to call forth such men!"-P. 57.

Distressing Effects of the Slave Trade. In noticing the Society's missions in West Africa, the Committee extract from a letter of the late Mr. Johnson's, the following affecting passage:

"The day before yesterday, a slave schooner, with 400 unhappy fellow-creatures on board, was upset off Cape Sierra Leone. Only seven men were saved: they had got into a boat, and were picked up by the Myrmidon. Nineteen sailors and two officers of this vessel were on board to bring her in to Sierra Leone, who have all perished with the rest. A tornado came on suddenly, and turned the vessel over.

"O, my dear brother, how many poor creatures fall a sacrifice to the inhuman traffic in human blood! I have been filled with horror ever since. Numbers were landed from another vessel yesterday, in the most deplorable condition.

"The hospital at Leicester is overflowing. Some are but just alive; and others are walking about with a death-like look, and will to all appearance fall also a sacrifice. One poor creature in the Girl's School died just now; and five or six more will soon follow. My heart is full!

"What do the good people of England know about the real state of Africa? They can have no idea of its misery, unless they are eye-witnesses, as we are. O, when shall an end be put to this trade! O Lord, have mercy, have mercy upon afflicted Africa!"

Blessed Change ia the liberated Negroes.

But it is the province of Jehovah to overrule the most painful events to the promotion of his glory; and while we mourn the abominations resulting from the detested traffic in human blood, we rejoice that many of the intended victims of the slave dealers cupidity, have, indeed, been made free men in Christ Jesus.

"Your Committee are aware that they

have occupied à more than proportionate space in extracts relating to this mission; but such a spectacle as more than ELEVEN THOUSAND of our fellow-creatures rescued from slavery, and living in peace and security under a mild and equitable government, rising from brute ignorance into à civilized and industrious population, many of them dispossessed of the evil spirit that ruled them, and sitting in decent order and restored understanding at the feet of Christ -such a scene must arrest and detain the attention of the Christian. He must turn from it with reluctance; uncertain whether his eye will ever again fall on a spot in the whole compass of the world, that presents so striking a proof of the overruling providence and converting grace of God."

"Six years' experience has taught me that the African can learn any thing; and that he is not what designing men have represented him- a sort of middle being, between man and brute."

"Most of those with whom I live, I have seen brought from the holds of slave ships. I have seen them rise, from the chains of the slave dealer, to become industrious men and women, faithful subjects, pious Christians, affectionate husbands and wives, tender fathers and mothers, and peaceable neighbours. Considering these things, I have always thought myself among the happiest of men, in serving in this way our Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood cleanses even the soul of an Ethiopian from all sin; and in being connected with our Society,

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"One man said-Massa, them things God done for me pass every thing. Who live there, who will die for another? O, the Lord Jesus die for sinner-yes, for them people who been sin against Him! I sit down, and consider this; and I don't know what to say: I never hear such thing before. Sometimes people say, Such men do me good very much;' but what the Lord Jesus Christ do, pass every thing: he love so much, till he die to save me. OI love him so little. That time I want to love him my heart no willing-he always run about. That trouble me much-but yet he love sinner! Ah, true-that pass every thing."-P. 91.

"Another-I can put no trust in any thing beside; for all thing I see is sinful: in my heart, nothing but sin: in the world nothing but sin. The Lord Jesus Christ, he take all sin, and die for it; and he only good, and only able to save. him my every thing."-P. 92.

That make

Happy should we be if our limits would allow us to extract still more largely from this valuable and interesting Report; this, however, must be postponed to another opportunity.

Notices and Acknowledgments.

ALIQUIS-H. B. &c. will be inserted.

We are compelled, at present, to answer H. B.'s inquiry in the negative.

The papers inquired after by our Poetical Correspondent are still under consideration: should they not be inserted, they will be returned agreeably to his direction.

We should really be very happy to answer the inquiries of A MERCHANT, could we conceive any practical good would result; but as he states, that should 1824 arrive he'fore he receives that counsel in which there is safety, it is probable that step may be 'taken which it might not be easy to retrace,' we feel it is almost in vain to give counsel; since 1824 must arrive before he can receive our answer: a circumstance which might easily have been foreseen, às his letter bears the post-mark of December 6.-In our judgment, he ought not to secede from the Establishment; but to imitate the conduct to which he refers, and wait in fervent prayer for the desired result.-We have neither space nor leisure to answer his other inquiries.

The expression objected to by P. H. is, we think, justified by the Prayer-Book translation of Psalm xxvii. 16.

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We doubt whether the present communication of the Moniteur, though valuable, is yet exactly suited to our pages.

The Humble Follower of the Lord Jesus Christ' can surely find no precedent, in the conduct of his Divine Master, for excluding the Christian Guardian from two parishes where it has been recommended and read for many years, because he disapproves of ONE article. We are, however, abundantly consoled under his displeasure, by the testimonies of approbation of that very article to which he objects. We have carefully referred to it, and noticed the allusions made to it by Mr. Vaughan, in a recently published Sermon ; but we see nothing to alter or retract, and are conscious of having, on that occasion, discharged a clear, though painful duty, with considerable reluctance.

THE

CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN,

AND

Church of England Magazine.

FEBRUARY 1824.

MEMOIRS OF THE REFORMERS.

MELANCTHON.

[Continued from Page 10.]

THE production of Melancthon which claims peculiar notice, is called "Theological Common Places." It appeared in 1521, and has been esteemed, by able critics, as mainly contributing to the grand cause of reformation. Men of very opposite sentiments united their testimonies in its favour.

The author of "The Literary History of the Reformation," after adverting to the benefit done to the common interest of religion and learning, by such characters as Erasmus and Reuchlin, observes, that a compendium of doctrine was much needed by the public; that those who were beginning to be convinced of the sandy foundations of the old system, might know what they were to believe under the new.

This was supplied by the Greek Professor at Wittenberg. "He made an abridgment of the whole renewed doctrine, a sketch of the earlier reformed tenets, in a chaste and clear style. Instead of the ponderous tomes of articles of faith and Christian doctrine, by which Thomas Scotus, and the scholastic doctors, followed the Lombard sentences, he exhibited Christianity under another aspect, and in a concise and nervous manner adapted to the circumstances FEB. 1824.

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of the time. He entitled them,

Propositions in Divinity,' as indicative of the real sense of Seripture, and the true nature of Christianity. Genuine religion had been so obscured by unprofitable disputation, that nothing had been left to the world but its name and its shadow. To these verbose masses he opposed his concise maxims."

Justus Jonas was so convinced of the utility of this summary, that he rendered it from the Latin into the vernacular German; and when Melancthon found that it was generally acceptable, he revised and corrected the original copy, and published several editions. In 1535 he sent out a new compendium of divinity, much enlarged, and which was subsequently edited with the rest of his works, while the first sketch became very scarce. On account of its rarity, it was preserved by Vanderhardt in his collection of docu

ments.

It appears from this early treatise, that Melancthon entertained similar notions with Luther, on the points of free-will and divine predestination. Semipelagian theologians have ever been ready to quote Melancthon as taking part with them against the great names of Luther and Calvin; but they have been betrayed into this partiality, from an admiration of the mildness of his character, and from

the manner in which he qualified his expressions in more advanced life. In this we praise him not. That constitutional gentleness which made him shrink, by a sort of involuntary sensitiveness, from discord and acrimony, would have led him to reconcile Luther with Erasmus on free-will, and with Zuinglius on the nature of the eucharist. But the attempt in either case was fruitless. Metaphysical disputation is generally attended with danger. Its distinctions are so subtle, that not unfrequently in the act of removing one, another arises. An amiable mind, engaged in such discussions, is induced to make an appearance of surrendering some valuable portion of truth (and what portion of truth is not valuable?) for the sake of peace; and the endeavour to benefit others terminates in personal embarrassment. He is the most consistent as well as the most faithful disputant, who builds his argument on a scriptural basis, and bows with humility before the difficulties into which it may lead him.

The Elector of Saxony was alarmed at this period at a disposition shown by the Augustinian friars to abolish the popish mode of celebrating private masses; and commissioned Pontanus, one of his counsellors, to remonstrate with the church and university upon their proceedings. Melancthon, Jonas, Doltz, Carlostadt, Schurff, and Amsdorff, were selected to investigate the affair; and in their report, they intreated their sovereign "to put an end to the popish masses throughout his whole territory; and not to omit this exercise of authority, for fear of the name of heretic, or Hussite; for Christ required as much of the Elector, whom above all other princes he had honoured with the light of truth." Frederick, however, returned for answer, through Professor Bayer, that "he was un

willing to omit any thing, as became a Christian prince, which might tend to the glory of God, and the confirmation of Christian faith; but was of opinion, that precipitation should be avoided in a matter which concerned the whole church, and might be found difficult to effect by so small a body: that others were becoming acquainted with the truth, and it might be hoped the reform would be general: that he for one was unprepared to say how long the celebration of the mass had obtained, or when the apostolic usage had been departed from: that, moreover, it was to be considered, as so many churches and monasteries had been expressly founded for saying masses, how far it was possible to reform, and yet avoid the reproach of heresy : and that, as he was only a layman, and ignorant of Scripture, the deputies from the academy and chapter should consult with the members of other collegiate bodies, and so order the affair, that discord and commotion may not be excited."

They replied, that "they adhered to their former opinion against masses, as institutions founded for the purpose of lucre rather than edification, and which ought to be abolished. They conceived that this abolition might be effected without tumult or scandal. If, however, disturbance did ensue, they were instructed by Christ to let their opponents alone, as blind leaders of the blind; and by the Apostles, to obey God rather than men. As to the paucity of their numbers, it was to be observed, that from the beginning of the world it had always been found, that a small proportion of mankind acknowledged the truth; and, according to the testimony of Christ himself, the Gospel was to be preached to the weak, the few, the wretched, the illiterate: wherefore no man ought to wonder, that

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