of the necessity or propriety of which we are by no means satisfied, we saw with grief that two of the confessions of our christian faith, respectable for their antiquity,have been entirely laid aside; and that even in that which is called the apostle's creed, an article is omitted, which was thought necessary to be inserted, with a view to a particular heresy, in a very early age of the church, and has ever since had the venerable sanction of universal reception. Nevertheless, as a proof of the sincere desire which we feel to continue in spiritual communion with the members of your church in America, and to complete the order of your ministry; and trusting that the communications which we shall make to you on the subject of these, and some other alterations will have their desired effect, we have, even under these circumstances, prepared a bill for conveying to us the powers necessary for this purpose. It will in a few days be presented to parliament; and we have the best reasons to hope that it will receive the assent of the legislature. This bill will enable the archbishops and bishops to give Episcopal consecration to the persons who shall be recommended, without requiring from them any oaths or subscriptions inconsistent with the situation in which the late revolution has placed them; on condition that the full satisfaction of the sufficiency of the persons recommended, which you offer to us in your address, be given to the archbishops and bishops.

You will, doubtless, receive it as a mark both of our friendly disposition towards you, and of our desire to avoid all delay on this occasion, that we have taken this earliest opportunity of conveying to you this intelligence, and that we proceed (as supposing ourselves invested with that power which for your sakes we have requested) to state to you particularly the several heads, upon which that satisfaction which you offer will be accepted, and the mode in which it may be given. The anxiety which is shown by the Church of England to prevent the intrusion of unqualified persons into even the inferior offices of our ministry, confirms our own sentiments, and points it out to be a duty very earnestly to require the most decisive proofs of the qualifications of those who may be offered for admission to that order, to which the superintendance of those offices is committed. At our several ordinations of a deacon and a priest, the candidate submits himself to the examination of the bishop, as to his proficiency in learning; he gives the proper security of his soundness in the faith, by the subscriptions which are made previously necessary: he is required to bring testimonials of his virtuous conversation during the three preceding years; and that no mode of enquiry may be omitted, public notice of his offering himself to be ordained, is given in the parish church where he resides or ministers, and the people are solemnly called on to declare, if they know any impediment, for the which he ought not to be admitted. At the time of ordination too, the same solemn call is made on the congregation then present. Examination, subscription and testimonials are not indeed repeated at the consecration of an English bishop, because the person to be consecrated has added to the securities given at his former ordinations, that sanction which arises from his having constantly lived and exercised his

ministry under the eyes and observation of his country. But the objects of our present consideration are very differently circumstanced. Their sufficiency in learning, the soundness of their faith, and the purity of their manners, are not matters of notoriety here. Means therefore must be found to satisfy the archbishop who consecrates, and the bishops who present them, that, in the words of our church," they be apt and meet, for their learning and godly conversation, to exercise their ministry duly to the honor of God, the edifying of his church, and to be wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ."

With regard to the first qualification, sufficiency in good learning-we apprehend that the subjecting a person who is to be admitted to the office of a bishop in the church, to that examination which is required previous to the ordination of priests and deacons, might lessen that reverend estimation which ought never to be separated from the Episcopal character. We therefore do not require any further satisfaction on this point than will be given to us by the forms of testimonials in the annexed paper; fully trusting that those who sign them will be well aware how greatly incompe tence in this respect must lessen the weight and authority of the bishop, and affect the credit of the Episcopal church.

Under the second head, that of subscription; our desire is to require that subscription only to be repeated which you have already been called on to make by the tenth article of your Ecclesiastical Constitution: But we should forget the duty which we owe to our church and act inconsistently with that sincere regard which we owe to your's, if we were not explicit in declaring, that, after the disposition we have shown to comply with the prayer of your address, we think it now incumbent on you to use your utmost exertions also for the removal of any stumbling block of offence, which may possibly prove an obstacle to the success of it. We therefore most earnestly exhort you, that previously to the time of your making such subscription, you restore to its integrity the apostle's creed, in which you have omitted an article merely, as it secms, from misapprehension of the sense in which it is understood by our church. Nor can we help adding, that we think it but a decent proof of the attachment which you profess to the service of our Liturgy, to give to the other two creeds a place in your book of common prayer, even though the use of them should be left discretional. We should be inexcusable too, if at the time when you are requesting the establishment of bishops in your church, we did not strongly represent to you, that the eighth article of your Ecclesiastical Constitution appears to us to be a degradation of the clerical, and still more, of the Episcopal character. We persuade ourselves, that in your ensuing convention, some alteration will be thought necessary in this article, before this reaches you; or, if not, that due attention will be given to it in consequence of our representation.

On the third and last head which respects purity of manners, the reputation of the church both in England and America, and the interest of our common christianity, is so deeply concerned in it, that we feel it our indispensable duty to provide on this subject

the most effectual securities. It is presumed that the same previous public notice of the intention of the person to be consecrated, will be given in the church where he resides in America, for the same reasons, and therefore nearly in the same form with that used in England before our ordinations. The call upon the persons present at the time of consecration, must be deemed of little use before a congregation composed of those to whom the person to be consecrated is unknown. The testimonials signed by persons living in England admit of reference and examination; and the characters of those who give them are subject to scrutiny, and in cases of criminal deceit, to punishment. In proportion as these circumstances are less applicable to testimonials from America, those testimonials must be more explicit, and supported by a greater number of signatures. We therefore think it necessary that the several persons candidates for Episcopal consecration, should bring to us both a testimonial from the General Convention of the Episcopal church, with as many signatures as can be obtained; and a more particular one from the respective conventions in those states which recommend them. It will appear from the tenor of the letters testimonial used in England, a form of which is annexed,* that the ministers who sign them bear testimony to the qualifications of the candidates on their own personal knowledge. Such a testimony is not to be expected from the members of the General Convention of the Episcopal church in America, on this occasion. We think it sufficient therefore that they declare, they know no impediment, but believe the person to be consecrated is of a virtuous life and sound faith. We have sent you such a form as appears to us proper to be used for that purpose. More specific declarations must be made by the members of the convention in each state from which the persons offered for consecration are respectively recommended; their personal knowledge of them there can be no doubt of.

We trust therefore they will have no objection to the adoption of the form of a testimonial which is annexed, and drawn upon the same principles, and containing the same attestations of personal knowledge with that above mentioned, as required previously to our ordination. We trust we shall receive these testimonials signed by such a majority in each convention, that recommends, as to leave no doubt of the fitness of the candidates upon the minds of those whose consciences are concerned in the consecration of them.

Thus much we have thought it right to communicate to you without reserve at present, intending to give you further information as soon as we are able. In the mean time we pray God to direct your counsels in this very weighty matter; and are, Mr. President, and Gentlemen, your affectionate brethren.

Signed,

This will appear in our next number.

J. CANTUAR
W. LBOR.

Literary Notice.

The beneficial Effects of Christianity on the Temporal Concerns of Mankind, proved from History and from facts. By the Right Reverend BEILBY PORTEUS, D. D. Lord Bishop of London.

THE zeal and abilities of the venerable author of this excellent performance, have been so often and so successfully displayed, in behslf of the best interests of man, that it is with the greatest pleasure we perceive his intellectual strength undiminished, and his powers still exerted in the defence of that religion, of which he is so great an ornament.

The question of the utility of Christianity is one of considerable. importance; and it is discussed in this pamphlet with great force and ingenuity. Infidelity has not scrupled to charge our religion with cruelty and intolerance. This absurd accusation is not only repelled with success, but, on the contrary, it is fully proved, that "Christianity has added most essentially to the sum of human happiness; that it is not only in its own nature calculated to promote the peace, the welfare, and the comfort of mankind, but that it has actually done so ; that its beneficial effects are in a greater or a less degree visible throughout the Christian world; and that considered in all the various points of view, in which it presents itself to our observation, and in all its different bearings on the several conditions and relations of human life, it appears evidently to be the purest and most subtantial blessing, even in the present state, that heaven in its bounty ever conferred upon the sons of men."

The truth of these assertions is completely established by the plain statement of facts, which the most determined and most ingenious adversary of the Gospel will not find it very easy to con

trovert.

The beneficial effects of Christian government are thus concisely but forcibly stated;

"With respect to paternal power, the first Christian emperor, in order to prevent the destruction of grown children by their father, (a practice, at that time, too frequent) very wisely and humanely ordained, that the public should maintain the children of those who were unable to provide for them.

"In the year 319 he put an effectual stop to this terrible practice, by making it a capital offence; and even affixing to it the punishment denounced against parricides.

"The exposure of infants, however, still prevailed; this he also restrained by an edict, in the year 331; and under the emperors Valentinian, Valens, and Gratian, this crime was made a capital offence.

"Another branch of domestic tyranny, perpetual servitude, was, as a learned civilian observes, greatly discountenanced by the Christian religion; and about the twelfth or thirteenth century, when ecclesiastical legislation was at its height, is dated the ex. rinction of slavery in Europe.