it was unanimously resolved, "That the Rev. Robert Aspland be respectfully requested to prepare one or more Tracts, at his earliest convenience, for the use of this Society, with the view of inculcating the principles of Christian Charity and Religious Liberty."

Officers for the ensuing year:

Treasurer, James Esdaile, Esq., Bunhill Row.

Secretary, Rev. B. Mardon, M. A., No. 6, Goulden Terrace, Pentonville.

Committee: Rev. E. Chapman, Messrs. S. Bayley, J. Clen ́nell, J. Evans, J. Fisher, S. Hart, S. Hart, Jun., John Mardon, J. C. Means, G. Smallfield, and W. Wood.

BOLTON DISTRICT ASSOCIATION.

THE Fourth Half-yearly Meeting of the Bolton District Association was held at Chorley, on Thursday, April 24th. The introductory part of the service was conducted by the Rev. John Ragland, of Hindley; and a discourse suitable to the occasion was preached from 2 Cor. iv. 7, by the Rev. William Probert, of Walmsley. After the sermon,_the_congregation was addressed by the respected minister, Mr. Tate, who, in announcing the place of meeting at the close of the religious services, made some interesting remarks on the purposes and objects of such assemblies, advocating the necessity of associations amongst Dissenters as long as they labour under any disabilities or privations on account of their religious profession. The afternoon was spent in discussing those topics which have since taken such a favourable turn for religious liberty; Mr. Brownhill in the Chair. The Rev. W. Allard, of Bury, was elected Supporter for the next Meeting, which will take place at Cockey Moor in the autumn.

B.

WELBURN SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

AT Welburn, May 19, was held the Anniversary of the Sunday-school connected with the Unitarian Chapel in that place. The Rev, Mr. Hincks delivered an appropriate discourse from Eccles. xxvi. 14, "There is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed." The audience was numerous, and amongst them were the sixty children who are brought up at the school on Christian principles. To them the preacher directed a large part of his remarks and exhortations. After the service the children were provided with tea, being assisted by some of the more active of the persons assembled. A large number of friends then sat down to tea, after which more important business was proceeded to. The Rev. Mr. Hincks was called to the Chair, and ably supported his office. Various sentiments were mentioned, and speeches made on those subjects which

possess the greatest interest for the friends of truth, the progress of Unitarianism in Welburn and the neighbouring villages, the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, and the connexion of education with civil freedom. The spirit of zeal unmingled with bigotry, and of gladness free from levity, in which the meeting was conducted, will be remembered with delight by all present. Amongst the friends assembled we noticed several students from Manchester College, and many others from York and the neighbouring town of Malton. Sixty sat down to tea, and at least a hundred collected to hear the speeches.

UNITARIAN MEETING AT RISLEY.

ON Whit-Tuesday, May 27th, a Meeting was held at Risley, by the Unitarian congregation of that place, attended by friends from Chowbent, Warrington, and the neighbourhood. There was service in the afternoon at half-past two o'clock. The Chapel was tolerably well filled, and the congregation was serious and attentive. The devotional part of the service was performed by the Rev. F. Knowles, of Park Lane; and the Rev. B. R. Davis, of Chowbent, preached an excellent sermon from Acts xxviii. 15, "And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and the three taverns whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." The preacher drew a striking picture of the situation of Paul at the time alluded to in the words. He dwelt with peculiar earnestness on the necessity of united efforts on the part of Christian professors to the promotion of the truth; and his appeal must have been felt by all, that if an inspired apostle, and especially one like the Apostle of the Gentiles, needed encouraging in the discharge of his duty, how much more so must it be the case with respect to the friends of truth in the present day!

At the conclusion of the service, the congregation, male and female, and friends who attended on the occasion, retired to a private house (at present uninhabited) near the Chapel, and there took tea, which was a very pleasant, social repast. The Rev. J. Marriott, the Pastor of the Risley congregation, presided over the meeting. In the course of the evening, various appropriate sentiments were given, occasionally interspersed with singing a hymn; and the assembly was addressed by Messrs. Davis, Dimock, Knowles and Marriott.

About eight o'clock the meeting broke up, and each retired to his own house, well persuaded that, as it is happiest for "brethren to dwell together in harmony," so it is most favourable to Christian improvement and the spread of Christian truth. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may

be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (John xvii. 20, 21.)

DUDLEY YEARLY LECTURE.

THE Yearly Lecture at Dudley took place on Tuesday, May 27th. The Rev. Samuel Allard, of Hinckley, offered the general prayer. A discourse was then delivered by the Rev. John Cooper, of Coseley, from Rom. ii. 3, "What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect?" The Rev. John Corrie preached the second sermon, from Rom. xii, 1, the concluding clause, “which is your reasonable service."

UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION.

THE Anniversary of this Association was held on Wednesday, the 28th of May, in the Finsbury Chapel. The Rev. Dr. Hutton, of Leeds, preached an able and impressive sermon, designed to rebuke the bigotry of such as sit in judgment on the motives of Unitarian Christians, which we hope to see shortly in print. In the meeting for business, CHRISTOPHER RICHMOND, Esq., presided. There was some discussion upon the Sacramental Test Repeal Bill, and various resolutions upon this subject were passed, which we shall insert either in this or the next number. The subscribers and their friends dined together, as usual, at the London Tavern; WILLIAM SMITH, Esq., M. P., presided. The company consisted of about 250. The recent triumph of the Dissenters gave unusual animation to the meeting. We must refer the readers to the Monthly Repository and the World newspaper of the 18th of June for further particulars.

TEST-ACT DINNER.

A DINNER on a very splendid scale was given by the Dissenters at Freemasons' Hall on the 18th instant, to celebrate the abolition of the Sacramental Test. His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex presided, and was supported by sixty or seventy distinguished Members of both Houses of Parliament. Four hundred gentlemen dined. There were upwards of one hundred and thirty Stewards, consisting of Dissenting gentlemen from all parts of the kingdom. About one hundred ladies graced the galleries. The meeting was spirited and joyous beyond all expectation and all example. His Royal Highness did not quit the Chair until past one o'clock in the morning. On this occasion the Dissenters declared themselves most explicitly in favour of Catholic Emancipation. The day will never be forgotten by those that were present at the meeting,

and we anticipate very important and favourable results from it to the general cause of liberty.

RESOLUTIONS OF

PROTESTANT DISSENTING MINISTERS

THE REPEAL OF THE CORPORATION AND TEST ACTS.

ON

Ar an extraordinary Meeting of the General Body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations, residing in and about the cities, of London and Westminster, held at Dr. Williams's Library,' Red-Cross Street, on Monday, the 26th of May, 1828, and specially convened for the purpose of considering what measures it might be proper for the Body to take, in consequence of the Bill for the Repeal of so much of the Corporation and Test Acts as imposed the necessity of taking the Sacramental Test, having passed both Houses of Parliament and received the Royal assent, -Rev. ROBERT WINTER, D. D., in the Chair,—it was resolved unanimously,

That this Body desire to acknowledge with devout thankfulness to Divine Providence their satisfaction and joy on the abolition by the Legislature of the Sacramental Test, which had so long obstructed the liberty of Protestant Dissenters, and dishonoured the Christian religion, by the application to secular uses of one of its holy ordinances.

That in this ever-memorable concession to their petitions, they feel new reasons for grateful attachment to the constitution of their country, and for loyalty to the august Family now upon the throne of these realms.

That they concur entirely and most cordially in the resolutions of the United Committee, and that being represented in that Committee, they do not deem it necessary to express at large the thanks which they, in common with all the Dissenters of Great Britain, feel that they owe to the Members of both Houses of Parliament for their magnanimous support on this occasion of the cause of justice and freedom; but that they cannot refrain from expressing their obligations, never to be effaced from their minds, to the Right Honourable Lord John Russell, who has entwined another wreath of honour around the name of his illustrious family, and to the Right Honourable Lord Holland, whose unanswerable argument and splendid eloquence, whilst they contributed so essentially to the success of the measure, reflected honour on the memory of his venerated relative, the late Charles James Fox, the steady champion of the Protestant Dissenters at former less auspicious periods.

That they feel themselves bound in duty to express their sincere acknowledgments to his Majesty's Ministers for yielding so candidly to public opinion, declared by the majority in favour of the Repeal of the Sacramental Test in the House of Commons, and for their manifest regard to both the conscientious opinions and the religious feelings of the Protestant Dissenters, in the progress of the measure through the Legislature.

That, as Christian ministers, this Body hail with delight and affection the testimonies borne in favour of conciliation and charity by many of the clergy of the National Church, who united in their petitions, and by the majority of the bench of Bishops who supported the Repeal of the Sacramental Test by their votes and speeches, thus exalting their character in the estimation of the Dissenters and of the public in general, as distinguished ministers of that gospel which proclaims 66 peace on earth, good-will to men."

That this Body deem it incumbent upon them to express their obligations to William Smith, Esq., M. P., Chairman of the United Committee, for his assiduous and valuable services in the late application to Parliament, and that they heartily congratulate him upon the final success of a measure to which, through a long Parliamentary life, his talents and influence have been honourably devoted.

That the cordial thanks of this Body be given to the United Committee appointed to conduct the application to Parliament for the Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts, for the enlightened zeal, persevering exertion, and Christian prudence and moderation with which they have discharged the trust committed to them, and have thus so effectually promoted the success of the application.

THOMAS REES, Secretary.

BIRMINGHAM UNITARIAN TRACT SOCIETY.

THE Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Tract Society, established in Birmingham for Warwickshire and the neighbouring counties, will be held at Kidderminster, on Wednesday, July 9, 1828, when a sermon will be preached by the Rev. Edward Bristow, of Birmingham.

J. R. W.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Communications have been received from Messrs. Latham; Plomley; Bowring; Payne; and Baker; and from M. D.; A. F. D.; Guillaume; T. C. A.; C.; and Noncon.; and the Extract from Bishop Watson's Memoirs.

ERRATA.

XIV. p. 134, 13 lines from the bottom, for Seldon, read "Selden." 153, 22 lines from the top, for as, read "an."

204, 22 lines from the top, for persecutions, read " prose-
cutions."

214, 18 lines from the top, for the, read "my."
215, 8 lines from the top, for this, read "thus."

22 lines from the bottom, for the, read "this,"