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We regard every attempt to perpetuate the memory and to revive the spirit of Whitefield, as real blessing to the churches of Christ in Great Britain. On this account we hailed the centenary celebration of his devoted toils, in the month of May, and now rejoice in placing the results of it in a printed form before our readers. The volume will be deeply interesting to every one who has watched with the eye of a Christian philosopher the effect of that mighty moral movement to which Whitefield gave birth. It consists of a general Introduction; a Discourse, by the Rev. John Campbell, on the character and labours of Apollos, illustrated by those of Whitefield; an address on the genius and labours of Whitefield, by Dr. Cox; a sketch of the past and present state of religion in

England, by the Rev. John Blackburn; an appeal in defence of the propriety, duty, and necessity of open-air preaching, by the Rev. John Young, A.M.; and of appropriate speeches, by Sir Culling Eardley Smith, Bart., the Rev. John Ely, of Leeds, and the Rev. Dr. Bennett, of London. The interest awakened by the centenary was deep and thrilling, and the effect of the pointed addresses will, we trust, be permanent and beneficial.

WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

1. The Fathers and Founders of the London Missionary Society; including Authentic Memoirs of these distinguished Men, and Historical Notices of the several Protestant Missions. By JOHN MORISON, D.D. Part V. 3s. The First Volume may now be had complete. Fisher, Son, and Co.

2. Travels in South-Eastern Asia, embracing Hindostan, Malaya, Siam, and China; with Notices of numerous Missionary Stations, and a full Account of the Burman Empire. By the Rev. HOWARD MALCOM, of Boston, &c. 2 vols. Charles Tilt, Fleet-street.-See extract in our General Chronicle from this deeply interesting work.

3. A Greek Lexicon to the New Testament, on the basis of Dr. Robinson's: designed for junior Students in Divinity and the higher Classes in Schools. By CHARLES ROBSON, Tuoуpagos. 12mo, 7s. Whittaker and Co.

4. The Millennium a Spiritual State, not a Personal Reign. By JOHN JEFFERSON. 12mo, pp. 90. John Snow, Paternoster-row.

5. Christian Fellowship; or, the Church Member's Guide. By JOHN ANGEL JAMES. Ninth Edition, enlarged. 12mo, pp. 238. Hamilton and

Co.

5. The Missionary Repository for Youth, and Sunday Scholar's Book on Missions. Edited by the Son of a Missionary. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, 12mo, 1d. John Snow. The editor of this useful miscellany, intended to foster the missionary spirit in the bosoms of the young, is Mr. Robert Milne, sen of the late Dr. Milne, of Malacca. It is well adapted to the object which it proposes to accomplish.

PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.

1. Memoirs of the Rev. William Milne, D.D., of China. With Biographical Annals of Asiatic Missions from Primitive to Protestant Times. By ROBERT PHILIP, Author of the "Life and Times of Bunyan and Whitefield."

N.B. The Materials of Dr. Milne's Life have been supplied by his family and friends.

LONDON.

REMARKS

On an Advertisement in reference to the South Seas.

We cannot but regret the appearance of a paper stitched up with the cover of the

Magazine for last month, entitled "Affecting Intelligence from the South Seas," &c., because we consider it as calculated to pro

duce an erroneous impression upon the public mind. Many of the facts which it contains respecting the introduction of ardent spirits to the South Sea Islands

are of old date, while the evils spoken of are considerably exaggerated. We speak

without fear of contradiction, when we assert, that the testimony of all our missionaries in the South Seas would be, that no permanent check has been given to the work of God, by the wicked conduct of those who have sought to ensnare the native converts by inducing them to traffic in spirituous liquors. The author of the paper in question doubtless meant well; but the effect of his statements upon minds ignorant of the real state of the case, would be unjustly to degrade the Christian and moral standing of the Polynesian Christians.

HIGHBURY COLLEGE.

The Examinations of the students of Highbury College, took place on Friday, the 28th of June, and Tuesday, the 2nd of July, and occupied upwards of five hours each day. The latter being the day of the annual meeting, the Examination was publicly conducted in the presence of the friends of the institution, who were pleased to signify their high approbation of the progress which the students had made in the branches of theological learning to which their attention had been directed.

The following is the testimony borne to their ability by the Rev. W. Lindsay Alexander, M.A., of Edinburgh, who did the college the honour to preside on occasion :

Having this day had the pleasure and honour of presiding at the Theological Examination of the students of Highbury College, I have the highest satisfaction in attesting the ability and proficiency which they displayed. The Hebrew Classes were examined in the History of Joseph, and in the eighth, ninth, and fifteenth chapters of Isaiah the acquaintance they displayed with the meaning of the words, and with the grammatical structure of the language, was such as to evince the very thorough and penetrating manner in which they had been taught the sacred tongue.' In divinity they were examined at considerable length upon the evidences of Christianity, and upon the arguments in proof of the Existence, Unity, and Trinity of the Godhead; their answers showed that they had been occupied in the careful study of these subjects for themselves, and had made themselves familiar with the most important arguments and objections on both sides of the questions connected with them. The examination, upon the whole, was such as to elicit the warmest expressions of satisfaction with the attainments of the students, from those by whom it was witnessed, and to confirm the friends of the institution in their high estimate of the

learning, fidelity, and zeal of those by whom the tuition of the students has been conducted.

"W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, M.A." July 2, 1839.

In the evening, the Annual Meeting of the friends and subscribers to the institution, was held in Islington Chapel, when an appropriate discourse on the subject of the gospel ministry was delivered by the Rev. James Stratten; and the annual report of the committee read and adopted.

LONDON SOCIETY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF FEMALE SERVANTS.

The Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor, President.

When it is considered how much the security of families depends on the faithful, moral, and religious conduct of servants, and how much domestic peace and comfort are promoted by exemption from the vexation and trouble of perpetual change, and, also, how much easier prevention is than cure; a society like this, which so immediately tends to encourage stationary habits, and a virtuous and praiseworthy conduct, commends itself to approbation and support.

In the course of the past year, besides the distribution of 84 bibles, and numerous moral and religious tracts, the society bestowed on 286 servants to subscribers, pecuniary rewards, from 10s. 6d. to 31. 38., amounting to 5417. 168. Since the commencement of the society, in 1813, it has distributed 10,3147. 2s. 6d., in 5,708 pecuniary rewards; besides 2,013 bibles, and many thousand moral and religious tracts.

Subscribers are allowed as many servants on the books for rewards as they subscribe guineas, and also are supplied with servants free of expense. Plans of the Society may be had gratis, at the Registry, 110, Hatton-garden, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 10 to 4 o'clock.

(the saving influence of the Holy Ghost,) or by extraordinary crosses. But the consequent effects of that exceed in real profit to the subject, those of this world, as much as heaven does the earth, yea as the Creator does the creature. The one is but transitory, and is calculated to harden cr to drive to despair; the other enlightens, humbles, strengthens, comforts, and is permanent. Hence the perseverance in holiness of some amidst relapses, and the final fall of others.

"As I purpose to write to you more fully afterwards, I hope you will excuse my breaking off so abruptly at present.

"I hope you will present my best wishes to such of my Christian acquaintance as you may have an opportunity of seeing or writing to. I trust Christians are in my esteem the excellent ones of the earth, and with whom has been my delight. With these I hold communion now at the throne of grace; and may the God of all grace grant that my fellowship may be with them in the ages to come.

"I humbly request an interest in your prayers. That all temporal good may attend you, is the desire of, my dear Sir, "Your friend and most humble servant, "ROBERT WATT."

Mr. Watt knowing that all letters to and from him were inspected by officers appointed, perhaps prevented him from writing so explicitly on the state of his soul, as he otherwise might have done.

Mr. Watt's attendant (appointed by the magistrates) called upon me the day before the execution of the sentence, informing me that the Lord Provost, Sheriff, and Colonel of the Castle had just been inspecting the vehicle which was to convey Mr. Watt to the place of execution on the morrowthat he had presented to them a petition from Mr. Watt, for permission that I should spend the last night with him in his prison. The Colonel had said, that if any of Watt's friends were to be with him all night, he would not be answerable for the security of his person. Wherefore the prayer of the petition was refused.

Had I been able to have rescued Watt from the Castle of Edinburgh, in spite of a thousand soldiers, and a draw-bridge up, it would have been a greater miracle than Jonathan and his armour-bearer capturing a Philistine fort near Michmash.

He wrote the following letter on the morning of the day on which he died. It was brought to me, by his attendant, about the time they were leading him to execution. A solemn hour!

"MY DEAR SIR,-I was favoured with your very instructive and sympathising letI expected to be able to write you at

ter.

some length, but attention to a narrative of facts to be published after my decease, deprives me of this opportunity. Accept of the following as a reply to your letter:

"Yon who were some time darkness, are now light in the Lord.' If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.' He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.'

"May we meet in the abodes of everlasting life, light, and joy. Farewell. "I am, dear Sir,

"Your unfortunate friend

"And most humble servant, "ROB. WATT.

Edinburgh Castle, Oct. 13, 1794."

There is no appearance of trepidation in the letter; the writing is excellent; the lines are as straight as if written on ruled paper: it is well folded, wafered, and directed, all as if done by a merchant sitting quietly at his desk, instead of a person within five hours of suffering a violent death, and who knew that nothing could prevent it, short of the sudden sounding of the last trumpet, the trump of God, calling away men from all concerns but their own individual ones.

The minister to whom Watt committed his narrative of facts, mentioned above, got them published in a folio sheet of paper, and circulated among his friends. I forget their nature, but I recollect the Christians in Edinburgh were rather disappointed, expecting deeper humiliation for his guilt, and more warmth of expression, from being written on the threshold of eternity.

I sent a copy of his printed facts (or confession), and the three letters addressed to myself, to the late Rev. John Newton, of St. Mary Woolnoth, for his opinion of Mr. Watt. After detaining them a while, he sent me the following letter, or extract :

"London, January 17, 1795. "DEAR SIR,-I differ from some of your friends about Mr. Watt; nor do I think a whit worse of him (now I have read his confession) for his misconduct. I have no reason to doubt his veracity, nor can I see why the truth should be concealed. Does not his whole case say, 'Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall?' Have any of us a stock of inherent grace sufficient to secure us from equal and greater miscarriages? Who can equal the fervour and spirituality of David's mind as expressed in Psalm xlii., lxiii., and lxxxiv. ?-yet how base and complicated were his crimes in the affair of Bathsheba. It was written for our instruction; and similar declensions, with their awful consequences, are permitted for our instruction and warning to this day.

The Lord preserve us in so resting in past experiences, as to go forth as supposing ourselves wise and good! I hope I shall never dare to think myself out of equal danger an hour longer than I feel the necessity of praying, 'Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe,' and not otherwise.

6

"It should excite lamentation, when a believer gives occasion for the way of truth to be evil spoken of; but if the heart be so deceitful and desperately wicked as the Scripture declares, I rather wonder it does not happen more frequently. When Jude says, To him who is able to keep you from falling,' we know that he means the Lord, and his expression intimates, that no power less than that which keeps the planets in their orbits, can preserve us from dreadful things for a single day. Through great mercy I have been thus kept as to my character before men; but I can remember many turns in my experience, when, if the Lord had not watched over me when I was sleeping, I might have proved very vile indeed. More than once he permitted mine enemy to rob me of my spear and cruise, my strength and my comfort, by which I know to whom I owe it that I am alive at this day."

Thus far, J. Newton.

I remember afterwards, in referring to the case of Mr. Watt, Mr. N. remarked, that he thought it probable that the way to heaven was more frequently by the gallows than a bed of state.

I have thought that his letters written to me were written in ciphers (or occult characters), and that texts of Scripture were the ciphers he used, that I might collect from them the history of his mental exercises. Take the first text in the last letter, "Once were ye darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord." Might he not mean, as if he had said, When I was first committed to prison, all my glaring guilt presented itself before me, and horror, anguish, and despair seized me, and I viewed the Lord as casting me out of his sight; but, on acknowledging mine iniquity, and fleeing for refuge to the great atonement, he restored to me the joy of his salvation.

Perhaps he might not feel inclined that his inward struggles and exercises of soul should be presented before such ignoramuses of such matters, as he knew must peruse his letters before they reached their destination, thinking it like casting pearls before swine. This is only my supposition. Kingsland, June 10, 1839.

J. C.

The Midsummer Examination of the Pupils in this establishment was held on Monday, the 24th of June last, on which occasion the Rev. Professor Hoppus, of the University College, presided, assisted by the Rev. Professor Kidd. The whole of the morning was occupied in the classical departments, and the following report has been presented to the committee:

، On Monday, June 24th, the pupils of the Congregational School, at Lewisham, were examined in Latin, Greek, and Elementary Mathematics. The first Latin class had prepared Latin Grammar; the second and third classes read passages in Latin Extracts; the fourth class had prepared the first of Cæsar's Commentaries; and the fifth class presented three books of the Eneid, with scanning, and parts of the first book of Sallust's Catalinarian War; the fourth and fifth classes had also studied Greek Grammar.

"A class of the pupils had prepared the first book of Euclid, and one of them read Algebra, to equations of the second degree; several of the boys in each class acquitted themselves to their own credit, and that of their teachers; and we were gratified to find, that their reading of Latin was in strict accordance with the rules of prosody. (Signed)

"JOHN HOPPUS, Chairman.
"SAMUEL KIDD."

In the afternoon, the Rev. S. Ransom, of the Hackney Theological Institution, presided, when the boys were examined in English Grammar, Geography, and Natural Philosophy. Two of the pupils, Masters Scott and Flower, also read essays, as specimens of their attainment in English composition.

In the evening a numerous company assembled on the lawn, when the boys delivered their recitations, and those whose assiduity and good conduct during the year, had rendered them most deserving, received suitable prizes, after an address delivered to each by the Rev. R. T. Hunt. The engagements of the day were closed by prayer, that the institution may become an eminent blessing to the church and to the world. It is pleasing to add, that already the school has furnished several who are labouring in the ministry of the gospel, both at home and abroad, and that the spirit of piety appears to be spreading among the present pupils.

The school will re-open in August, with forty-one boys, (sons of Congregational ministers,) and the committee are contem

plating a still greater increase in the number, if the growing liberality of the Christian public shall render this important measure practicable.

Subscriptions will be thankfully received by W. A. Hankey, Esq., Treasurer; or by the Rev. G. Rose, of Bermondsey, Secretary.

BLACKBURN COLLEGE.

The examining committee report, that in the theological department the students have been conducted, during the past year, through the following range, and that the classes were examined in the following highly important subjects:- Duration of Future Punishment; the Atonement; Justification; Perseverance of Saints; Repentance; Regeneration; Evidences of Christianity; Ecclesiastical History during the first three centuries; Mental Philosophy. They also read some excellent Essays on the Distinction and Connexion between Sensation and Perception; on the History of the Arian Controversy in the Fourth Century; Divine Sovereignty; on the Province of Faith in Justification; on the Experimental Evidence of Christianity. Portions were also read in unpointed Hebrew, from the first and Second Chapters of Genesis, and first Psalm. In most of these branches a careful examination was conducted; but though in addition to the greater part of Wednesday, an hour was given on Thursday morning, there were some portions of the course on which it was found impossible to enter. The committee have the gratification of reporting, that extensive as this range of study has been, they have found the students well grounded in the various topics, and well prepared to meet objections and difficulties. Whilst various measures of attainment were of course discovered, they do not recollect ever attending a similar examination with higher, seldom with equal satisfaction.

In the classical department the committee report, that they have carefully examined the several classes in the Æneid of Virgil, First Book of the Odes of Horace, and his Ars Poetica, Cicero's Offices, and the Satires of Juvenal; and in Greek, in the Meredibilis of Palæphatus, the Odes of Anacreon, the Iliad of Homer, the Ajax of Sophocles, (the whole of the Scholia upon which had been read by the students,) the Medea of Euripides, and the Memorabilia of Xenophon, in such passages of the respective books which they proferred, as the committee pleased to select; and they have the satisfaction to say, that the knowledge which the students had acquired both as to its minuteness, correctness, and extent, with reference to Etymology and

Construction, Syntax and Prosody, general dependence and special references of the respective languages, generally merited much praise on their parts, and reflected high honour on their esteemed tutor. One class also demonstrated several problems of Euclid, from his first four books, with great facility, and evidently with equal comprehension and judgment. Another class read various portions from the history of Joseph in the original Hebrew; and evinced competent acquaintance with the grammatical simplicity and punctual accuracy of this sacred tongue. The committee feel delighted and constrained to testify, that the whole of this department of Examination has afforded them peculiar pleasure on the present occasion, and fully justifies the hope and trust, that some of the students, should an opportunity ever be afforded for such exclusive attention, would most advantageously pursue their studies at one of our Universities.

In one word, they are strongly impressed with a sense of obligation under which their constituents are laid by the assiduity and skill of the tutors; and with the affectionate confidence to which the present race of students are entitled.

(Signed)

JOHN ELY,

Chairman of the Theological Department.

JOHN CLUNIE, LL.D. Chairman of the Classical Department.

ASSOCIATION.

The Annual Meeting of the Somerset Association was held at Magdalen-street Chapel, Glastonbury, on Wednesday, the 29th of May, being the Forty-first Anniversary of this Society. The Rev. William Fernie, of Zion Chapel, Frome, preached an impressive discourse on Tuesday evening from Isaiah ix. 6. On Wednesday morning, at eleven o'clock, public worship commenced. The Rev. John Bishop, of Chard, preached from Zechariah iv. 7; and the Rev. Edward Paltridge, of South Petherton, and the Rev. Robert Colman (Wesleyan,) took part in the devotional

services.

In the afternoon, the business of the association was conducted, when William Spencer, Esq., was called to the chair. The report was read by the Rev. John Davies, of Taunton, and addresses were delivered by the Rev. Messrs. Smith, of Milbourne Port; Fernie, of Frome; Wilson, of Shepton Mallett; Davies, of Taunton; Jukes, of Yeovil; Paltridge, of South Petherton; Bishop, of Chard; and Robert James, who, aided by the Rev. B. Kent,