1817. The York Annual Meeting of Trustees will be held at Etridge's Hotel, York, on the evening of Wednesday the 25th, when the vacancies on the foundation will be filled up from amongst the candidates whose testimonials have been previously transmitted to the committee for examination. Applications for admission for the ensuing Session, as Lay Students, are requested to be sent as early as convenient, addressed to the Rev. Charles Wellbeloved, Manchester College, York, in order that the necessary accommodations may be prepared. The Trustees and Friends of the Institution will dine together on Wednesday and Thursday, the 25th and 26th, at Etridge's Hotel. Manchester, May 16, 1817. N. B. The period allowed for sending in Essays for the Rev. William Lamport's Theological Prize is extended to January 1, 1818, and not May 1, 1818, as erroneously stated in the Monthly Repository, for April, 1817, p. 249. Unitarian Chapel, Tiverton. On Sunday the 27th of April, this Chapel was opened for the worship of the One God, even. the Father, by the Rev. Dr. Carpenter, of Exeter; whose exertions in behalf of the cause have been unwearied from the moment of the plan being submitted to him, by the friends of the object at Tiverton. There were three services during the day, at each of which the Chapel (which will seat about 160,) was completely filled, together with the aisles. On this occasion a great num ber of most respectable friends to the cause, from Breedwell, Dorchester, Callumpton, Crediton, Honiton and Exeter, attended; all of whom expressed their high satisfaction of the services, and their best wishes for the success of the undertaking. Dr. Carpenter most kindly consented to undertake (with the assistance of Mr. Yeates's reading the Scriptures and the long prayer in the afternoon) the whole of the services. from Phil. iv. 6. Afternoon, Acts xvii. His discourses were, in the Morning, 11. Evening, 1 Pet. ii. 15, which, like all his other compositions, were most truly judicious, and delivered in a most energetic manner, and were heard with the most fixed attention. In the first he made a most powerful appeal to Scripture, for the proof, that religious worship was alone due to God, even the Father; and his arguments were such as to flash conviction on the mind; at the same time conveyed in such a liberal and interesting style, as to excite the highest admiration, even from those whose sentiments were contrary to his own. 'The afternoon discourse earnestly enforced the duty of searching the Scriptures, and from them alone forming our religious faith, unawed by worldly influence, and firmly to relinquish whatever would not bear this test of examination. The evening discourse was a general view of the Unitarian which was most ably advocated. At doctrine, and its beneficial tendency, this service many respectable inembers of the Establishment residing at Tivèrton attended. There were collections at the door after each service. (For the amount see the list below). W The friends to the cause at Ti'verton were highly gratified by the a countenance they received on this occasion, as also by several most kind and animating letters, containing contributions from other friends at greater distance from them, who were unable to attend. They earnestly soficit the further assistance of any who may be disposed to contribute thereto, to enable them to discharge the whole of the expences that have been incurred, which amount to about forty pounds more than they have at present received. They have also great pleasure in stating that on the two Sundays that have since elapsed (on each of which Mr. Yeates has conducted the services), the chapel has been attended by a much greater number than was expected; and they trust, (although their views and principles are much misrepresented and opposed by their Calvinistic brethren,) that the cause of truth will ultimately succeed and increase amongst them; feeling assured that when their creed is better understood, it must cease to excite that alarm and prejudice which always prevents a dispassionate inquiry and examination. They propose as soon as possible to establish a Sunday school (which some ladies have already kindly offered to superintend) and also a Fellowship Fund on the principle recommended in the last Numbers of the Monthly Repository and Christian Reformer. Dr. Car penter and C. Gifford, Esq. of Exeter, have been good enough to present to them several books and tracts, as a commencement for establishing a congregational library; any further addition to which will be most thankfully received. Subscriptions are received by the Rev. Dr. Carpenter, of Exeter, Rev. Thomas Howe, Bridport; Rev. Robert Aspland, Hackney Road; or Mr. George Dunsford and Mr. M. L. Yeates, Tiverton. Tiverton, May 13, 1817. The Unitarian Society for Promoting Knowledge and Virtue by the Distri bution of Books. THE Twenty-sixth Anniversary of the Society was holden on Tuesday the 15th of April In the morning, a discourse was delivered before tre Society at the Chapel, in Essex Street, by Mr. Rees, the present Secretary, recommending the objects for the promotion of which it had associated. A meeting for business was afterwards held in the Vestry; whence the members present adjourned to the London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, to dinner. On this occasion, the new Treasurer, Thomas Gibson, Esq. was called to the Chair. The company was somewhat less numerous than last year, owing probably, in part, to the day having been unavoidably changed, but principally to some other public meetings being held at the same time, at which several of the members were The meeting was o obliged to attend. however rendered highly interesting by the observations of the chairman, on proposing the different toasts, and 33 139 by the speeches of the gentlemen who M. L. Y. Amount of Subscriptions in- Carried up 9 0 0 9 3 10 1 0 14 9.11 Successively addressed the company, ble Clerical" Loyal Address.” THE Gazette lately contained a Loyal Address to the Prince Regent" from the most dutiful and loyal subjects of his Majesty, the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese of Winchester, and expressing their utmost detestation of the most wicked and atrocious attempt to take away the life of his Royal Highness," and concluding with the following passage: measure was a debt of justice, and others that it was big with enormous mischief. "We daily offer our prayers to God for the long continuance of those blessings, the fair prospect of which is open to us by the exercise of every public and domestic virtue which so highly distinguish your Royal Highness both in your public and private character, and which have laid the surest foundation for the future happiness of your people, together with your own, and ensured to your Royal Highness that glory and prosperity, which is the never failing reward of every good and virtuous King in the love and affection of a grateful people." Parliamentary Debates on the Catholics. The often-agitated question of Catholic Emancipation has been again debated in both Houses, and decided against the Catholics. The debates exhibited the curious spectacle of the ministers taking opposite sides; some of them contending that the proposed The subject was brought into the House of Commons on Friday, May the 9th, by Mr. GRATTAN, who moved that the House should resolve itself into a committee to take into consideration the laws affecting the Roman Catholic subjects of the empire, alleging that in the committee he should move such resolutions as should give the securities necessary for preserving the religion established at the Revolu tion, and at the same time give the Catholics that participation in civil and military rights to which the constitution entitles them. The motion was supported, amongst others, by Lord CASTLEREAGH and Mr. CANNING, and opposed by Mr. L. FOSTER, Sir J. C. HIPPISLEY, Mr. BATHURST and Mr. PEEL. On a division, there were Ayes 221, Noes 245. Majority against the Catholics, 24. The question was brought into the 16th, and the discussion was preceded House of Lords, on Friday, May the by petitions against the Catholic claims from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Here the debate was much more animated than in the Commons. It was introduced by the Earl of DONOUGHMORE, as the chosen advocate of the Catholics," whose speech was able, manly, spirited and eloquent. With regard to the securities which the Catholics should give, he adverted to the domestic nomination of the To prelates, and explained that the Ca- Marsh's, the present Bishop of Llandaff, who was present, to shew that the Pope was not alone in his dislike of associations for circulation of the Bible only: this passage, he said, was in substance the very doctrine of the Papal Bull. He concluded with a motion for a Committee, similar to Mr. Grattan's in the Commons.The Bishop of Llandaff (in his maiden speech) opposed the motion at some length, considering the question as one not of religious liberty but of political power. His objection was not to the Catholics as religionists, but as under foreign influence, which might interfere with their obedience to their lawful sovereign. He declared himself for religious liberty, and made a distinction between the Protestant Dissenters and the Catholics, from which we may hope that should the former apply for the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts they would have his Lordship's support. The venerable Bishop of NORWICH followed in behalf of the Catholics, allowing, however, that some apology might be necessary for taking this part in the debate, in this intolerant country, for so it had lately become." He maintained that the Catholics were excluded from offices solely on the ground of their religious opinions. The question, he urged, was whether the union with Ireland should be nominal or real and substantial. He bore testimony to the labours and merits of the Roman Catholic clergy. He appealed to Mr. Locke in favour of a different line of policy from that which had been pursued towards Ireland. "The Roman Catholics of Ireland," said the Right Reverend Prelate, "had for more than a century displayed the greatest moderation. They had shewn this too while they had been exposed to a degree of insult and oppression, which was not only unjustifiable but justified resistance itself, as the only means of escaping servile degradation. He could not see how it was possible to reconcile a continuance of harshness towards the Roman Catholics with good policy, and still less with Christian charity." In the course of his speech, which he thus concluded, he intimated in language not we hope prophetic that this was probably the last time he should trouble the Lords on this or any other question.-On the other side, the Bishop of OssORY made an able speech against the motion, arguing that the opinions and resolutions of the Catholics were too fluctuating to be relied upon, that the spirit of many Catholic publications was adverse to peace and loyalty, and that papal inAuenee in these realms was inconsistent with the Constitution.-The Earl of HARROWBY spoke warmly in favour of the motion, correcting what he supposed to be an indiseretion in the speech of the Bishop of Norwich (the concluding passage, just quoted), and replying most ably to the objections of the prelates of Llandaff and Ossory.The Earl of LIVERPOOL differed from the last speaker in every point of view. His speech may be briefly summed up in his own words: "The glorious principle established at the Revolution was that Church and State were inseparably connected, and it was well known that no civil government could possibly exist without practical religion, for indeed the protection of religion was necessary to government. It was, therefore, his determination not to risque in this country what he considered an innovation on the constitution." "If their Lordships adopted this motion of unlimited concession, he would ask them why not on the very same grounds extend it to the DISSENTERS?" "If all classes of his Majesty's subjects were placed on an equal footing with the Established Church, there would be an end to Parliament being any longer a Protestant Parliament."-Earl DARNLEY characterized Lord Liverpool's Speech as "declamation on the dangers to the connexion of Church and State." After many pertinent and judicious observations on the debate and on the present state of the question, he concluded with assuring the Catholics that "though they might be disappointed at present, they had no reason to despond."-LordGRENVILLE followed on the same side, with his wonted clearness, decision and force of argument, but his speech will not admit of epitomizing. Every sentence was an argument, or a complete answer to what was not argument. He paid a high compliment to Lord Harrowby on his speech, and pronounced an animated eulogium on the Bishop 3 of Norwich. He vindicated the character and celebrated the virtues of William III. In reply to the AntiCatholic Bishops he contended that this was not a question of the schools, but one of large state policy, and he shewed that all the reason of the case was in favour of concession.-Earl BATHURST spoke against the motion. He did not know for what purpose they were to go into a Committee. No specific measure was proposed.. An allusion had been made to Scotland, but it was impossible to deal with the Catholic religion in the same manner as they could deal with any sect of Protestant Dissenters. They must next give to the English; Catholics, what they were now asked to. give to the Irish Catholics, and repeal all their Test Laws. Were they pre-. pared to go as far as that?-Earl GREY could not reconcile it to his sense of duty to give a silent vote. He rejoiced to find in this debate some charges against the Catholics, such as not keeping faith with heretics, dropped. He had heard with pain, however, that the Protestant Religion did not admit of toleration to the Catholics; he had always thought that the Protestant faith excelled the Catholic in its more tolerant spirit. The Irish Catholics were oppressed: what was the answer? That the Constitution of this country was essentially Protestant! He denied that proposition, and perfectly agreed with Lord Grenville, that the Revolution was equally founded upon liberality in all that concerned religion, and upon liberty in all that related to political conduct. After an acute examination of the various pleas of the advocates of things as they are, the noble Earl thus concluded: "It was said that this would lead to the repeal of the Test Act. He could not see any danger in this consequence: he, on the contrary, thought that the Catholics of Ireland ought to Shave all the lines of promotion open to them; that the Catholics of England who were worse off than the former, though their loyalty had been conspicuous, ought also to receive the same advantage; and that with regard to THE DISSENTERS, of whose loyalty and attachment to the Government there could be no doubt, the Test Act ought to be repealed, which in fact had become a dead letter, by the passing of an annual Indemnity Bill."-The LORD CHAN CELLOR opposed the motion; he could Their Lordships then divided- Majority against the Catholics MISCELLANEOUS. Blasphemous Libels. 90 142 52 WILLIAM HONE, a bookseller in the Old Bailey and author and publisher of a weekly two-penny pamphlet, entitled The Reformists' Register," in the manner of Cobbett's late periodical work, has been arrested on three ex-officio informations filed against him by the late Attorney Ge neral, Garrow, and is now in the King's Bench Prison. The warrants, signed by Lord Ellenborough, were served upon him in the street, within a few doors of his own house, on Saturday afternoon, May 3rd, and he was immediately taken in a coach by the officers to a lock-up house. Here he was kept till Monday morning, when being put into a coach he was driven down to Westminster to the Court of King's Bench and called upon to plead immediately to the three criminal informations. One was filed against him for publishing The late John Wilkes's Catechism of a Ministerial Member, adapted to the present times, being a parody upon the Catechism of the Church of England. The second was for publishing, "to the great displeasure of Almighty God," The Political Litany, a parody upon the Litany of the Book of Common Prayer. The third was for publishing, The Sinecurist's Creed or Belief, another parody, tending" (such is the language of the information) "to scandalize and bring into contempt another part of the service in the Common Prayer, entitled the Creed of St. Athanasius." Mr. Hone complained of being detained in custody since Saturday night without power of giving notice of bail, and of |