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us through all temptations, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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The Church of England does not imagine that God will overlook "venial errors," or that there can be such an anomaly as a little sin" all sin must be abhorrent to a holy Being his law is a perfect circle, and whoso breaks it “in one point is guilty of all:" nor does she teach the erroneous doctrine of the Church of Rome, that penance, or alms, mortification or abstinence, can atone for "venial errors," or sins of deeper die. No : our church points to the Lamb of God, whose blood can alone expiate transgressions, whether of the greatest or the least commandment; she leads us to that fountain opened to sinners, and bids us wash there and be clean.

This Collect teaches our liability to error, from the frailty of our very nature; but when we remember, that to this are added the temptations of the world, and the evil suggestions of the powers of darkness, do we not indeed stand in need of succour? To whom then can we apply for aid? To Him "who knoweth us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers," lurking around us unseen, besetting us by night and by day, and accompanied by temptations which assume various disguises, as we pass from youth to manhood, from manhood to old age. But God's eye can discern every peril, his arm defend us in every danger; his word is immutable, and his promises of succour are repeated "from generation to generation."

When danger alarms us, when sickness brings down our strength by the way, or sorrow has stripped from the world somewhat of its fair disguise, we are generally ready to apply to God for help but temptation often steals on unperceived, and finds the Christian unguarded. Conscience, that sentinel of the soul, may slumber at his post, or, corrupted by the fascinations of some insidious enemy, afford admission to the citadel; but if the soul be under the protection of its God, some arrow from the armoury of His word, will, like Ithuriel's spear, reveal the intruder in its native deformity, and we shall recoil with repugnance from what we were about to greet with delight.

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Adversity is not the season of the Christian's greatest peril : then we feel our need of succour, and cling more closely to One mighty to save;" but when prosperity throws a brilliant light upon the world, we forget that it is polluted, and not our rest; weeds which lay dormant during the winter of poverty, or the tempest of suffering, spring up with rapid

growth, and did not God check their progress by some unforeseen blow, they would perfect their fruit, to our shame and sorrow.

That is a wise and touching petition in the Litany "in all time of our wealth, Good Lord deliver us." It is the bright day which brings forth the adder;" and barks which have ridden safely through the tempest, have gone down in the calm; but our God is ready to grant us such strength and protection as may "support us in ALL dangers, and carry us through all temptations," if by faith in Christ we seek his aid... Knowing the frailty of our nature, He will require no more from us than we are able to fulfii, but he has set no limits to his offer of strength and protection: he has never said to the trembling soul in the hour of danger, hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, or refused in the time of temptation to make "a way for our escape." If, therefore, we fall beneath the peril, or yield to the temptation, on ourselves will be the blame, for we have promises to encourage us in every time of need, while this collect provides us with a petition suited to all emergencies: but on the other hand, knowing the frailty of our nature, and feeling that we have " no power of ourselves to help ourselves," if we are made conquerors, and more than conquerors, to God's grace and mighty power be it ascribed, and to him be the praise and honour and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord, META RILEY.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND SOCIETIES.-No. II.

THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

A VERY interesting "account of the origin, objects, and general proceedings" of this Society has been published in the last Report, lately issued to its members, and which deserves the close attention of all who can procure it. As, however, many of our readers cannot obtain access to that document, we will endeavour to give a brief outline of the Society's history and character.

The same excellent persons who originated "the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel" abroad, were also the founders of the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge" at home-so that they may justly be called Twin Societies. Though their field of labour is distinct, yet their design is The first meeting of the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge" was held in London, March 8th, 1698, when the following persons were present:-the Right Hon.

one.

Lord Guildford, Sir Humphrey Marworth, Mr. Justice Hook, the Rev. Dr. Bray, and Colonel Colchester. Those five original members declared their conviction that the growth of vice and immorality was greatly owing to gross ignorance of the principles of the Christian Religion. Acting upon this wise and sound opinion, they at once began to form Catholical Schools and Lending Libraries in the principal towns in this kingdom, and took measures for distributing religious books and tracts, especially Bibles and Prayer Books, and the Homilies of the Church. Thus, it plainly appears that such works of benevolence were began, and continued by churchmen for many years before any institutions of the kind were established by other denominations.

But, we are to remember that the Society has not confined its exertions to the British Isles. It has extended, from time to time, its beneficence to all the Colonies abroad, wherever its objects were of use to the human race. The Scriptures and the Liturgy, as well as books, tracts, &c., were circulated. From the year 1733, when the Society first began to report its issues of publications, to the present year, it is calculated that it has nearly distributed fifty-one millions of books.

The number of members in 1839 was nearly 16,000; the income upwards of 90,000l.; and the publications issued were 2,889,146.

There are District Committees formed in most of our large towns, which co-operate with the Society in London in raising funds, and in the circulation of the books and tracts. The Clergy have always been very active in supplying the Sunday and other schools, and the poorer members of the Church with the Society's publications. The readers of The Village Churchman may therefore obtain, at a very easy and cheap rate, Bibles, Testaments, Prayer-Books, the Homilies, Comments on the Scriptures, Books of Devotion, Books for Sunday and Day Schools, Tracts on all points of Christian Doctrine and Practice, and, in short, such means of instruction as eannot be had in any other way.

The Clergy also will receive donations, however small, towards the general designs of the Society, and will at all times be glad to give any further and fuller account of its proceedings.

The Society has two Catalogues; 1. The Permanent Catalogue, consisting of Bibles, Common Prayer-Books, and Religious Books and Tracts; new Tracts being added from time to time by the Tract Committee. 2. The Supplemental Catalogue, containing Books combining amusement with in

struction. This Catalogue is under the superintendence of the Committee of General Literature and Education.

Some estimate of the labours of the Society may be gained from the following statements of its issue of books in the year 1839:

Bibles and New Testaments ...

210,253

Common Prayer-Books and Psalters...... 241,560
Bound Books and Tracts

Total

.2,437,333

.2,889,146

From the year 1733, when the Society first began to report its issues of publications, to the present year, it is calculated that it has distributed nearly fifty-one millions of books.

The General Monthly Meetings of the Society, from December, 1839, to July, 1840, inclusive, will be held on the following Tuesdays:

1839. December 3.

1840.-January 7, February 4, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7.

W. M

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These Schools are situate in Northgate, and the design, as will be seen, reflects much credit upon the Architect, Mr. Wallen, as it possesses much originality. The style of architecture is that termed Cottage Gothic; the bargeboards to the roof are of carved oak. The happiest feature of the building is a flowing scroll with the words, "National and Infant Schools," inscribed in high relief. An ornamental palisade in front adds much to the general effect.

The interior consists of a School and Class-room, on the

ground and one-pair floors (each school affording accommodation for two hundred children,) and washing-rooms, and other appropriate conveniences, connected with the staircase. The basement is distributed into four rooms, which are to be let to tenants, by which means interest will be obtained upon the money expended. The proposed master's house is not yet commenced.

The first stone of these Schools was laid on the day of the Coronation of her Majesty Queen Victoria, and this usually interesting ceremony was rendered more so owing to the ceremony having been performed by the youthful children of the respected Vicar of Huddersfield, the Rev. J. C. Franks, A.M.

The original contract for the building amounted to 1,136, but this sum has been somewhat exceeded owing to the enlargement of the play-ground, &c. The bazaar lately held at Huddersfield was for the purpose of defraying the expenses of this building, and was eminently successful, nearly 1,2007. having been realized.

We have felt pleasure in noticing these Schools, not simply on account of the object to which they are applied, but as being the work of the only resident architect in Huddersfield, and (we believe) his earliest effort in the town; and we cannot conclude our observations without referring with the highest gratification to the fact, that, within the last year no less than three Schools have been erected, or are now in course of erection, in Huddersfield, in connexion with our vene rable Establishment, and instituted for the purpose of furthering the moral and religious instruction of its rising population. In addition to the National Infant Schools, the schools* connected with Trinity Church, and the Huddersfield Church of England Collegiate schools (for the children of the middle classes) may be mentioned as striking proofs that while the commercial importance of the town of Huddersfield is increasing, the highest interests of its inhabitants are not lost sight of.

* Mr. Wallen is also the architect of these buildings.

HOW TO MAKE MUCH OF A LITTLE, OR THE WORTH OF A PENNY A WEEK.

As the title of this little Magazine implies, that it is intended to promote the happiness and benefit of those who dwell in the villages of our highly-privileged land, it may not be uninteresting to some of its readers, to peruse the account

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