ment 536,084. The Prussian Bible Society had distributed 13,000 Bibles and Testaments during the year, making a total of 1,076,467. In Smyrna and Constantinople 5,626 copies had been circulated. In British India the circulation of the Bible had been immense, as well as in New South Wales, the Pacific, New Zealand, Southern Africa, West India Colonies, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada, &c. The income for the year was 44,0457. 11s. 5d., being an increase on the preceding year of 1,3007. 17s. The sums received from the sales of Bibles and Testaments amounted to 50,2047. 14s. 10d. ; the total receipts from all sources were 95,0957. 4s. 8d., and the total expenditure 90,9687. 9s. 5d. The issues of the Society have been from the depository at home, 584,545, and from depots abroad, 231,006; together, 815,551. The total issue of Bibles and Testaments, since the establishment of the society, amounts to 14,038,934 copies. The Bishop of Chester, Lord Glenelg, Lord Sandon, Dr. Tring, and others spoke in advocacy of the society.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

May, 1842. At the General Meeting of this Society, held on Tuesday, the 3d of May, 1842, the following Members of the Society were appointed the Tract Committee for the year ensuing :-Rev. Dr. D'Oyly, Rev. Dr. Dealtry, Rev. R. G. Baker, Rev. C. B. Dalton, Rev. J. Lonsdale, Rev. J. Endell Tyler, Rev. J. G. Ward.

The Secretaries laid before the Meeting the Auditors' annual account, together with the following comparative statement:

1841

1842

Decrease......

4,068 5 7

3,441 13 3

626 12 4

CHURCH MISSIONARY

SOCIETY.

This Society held their forty-second anniversary at Exeter Hall, on the 3rd of May. The Earl of Chichester presided, supported by the Bishops of Winchester, Ripon, Norwich, and Chester. Lord Ashley, Sir. R. Inglis, Mr. Plumtre, Chevalier Bunsen, &c. The Report announced

PRAYER-BOOK AND HOMILY SOCIETY.

This Society held their thirtieth anniversary at Exeter Hall on the 5th of May. Lord Bexley presided. The Report directed attention to the operations of the society among seamen. 3,000 visits had been paid to ships: Prayer-Books, Bibles, and volumes of select Homilies had been distributed amongst sailors. The captains of ships, on most occasions, show great civility to the agents of the society. Swearing has been considerably checked. Additional auxiliary associations had been established in many of the provincial towns. Clergymen had commenced lectures on the Homilies, which had already effected much good, and grants of these tracts had been made for distribution amongst those persons who had expressed a wish to receive them. In Ireland the society's operations, although small in extent, had been successful. The foreign operations of the association have been more cheering than hitherto; translations into foreign languages have been effected.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE JEWS. This Society held their anniversary at Exeter Hall, on Friday the 6th of May. Sir Thomas Baring in the chair. The Report announced that the Archbishop of Canterbury had become patron, and the Archbishop of York, and nearly all the episcopal bench, vice-patrons of the Society. It also mentioned the donation of 15,0007. from the King of Prussia towards the bishopric in Jerusalem, and that the committee had made a grant of 3,000l. towards the same object. The aggregate amount of contributions received during the past year was 24,6997. 8s. 9d., being an increase of 1,760. 9s. 7d. above the receipts of the preceding year. This amount had been contributed in the fol

lowing proportions:-General purposes of the Society, including the Jerusalem Mission and Scripture Funds, 22,841. 13s. 8d.; Hebrew Church at Jerusalem, 1,3137. 10s. 2d.; Hospital at Jerusalem, 1897. 8s. 8d.; Jewish Converts' Relief Fund, Jerusalem, 51. 1s.; Operative Institution, Jerusalem, 51.; School of Industry, Jerusalem, 55.; Temporal Fund, 1977. 15s. 3d. After defraying the expenses of the year, they had in hand 8,000. vested in exchequer bills, and 1,788. 19s. 2d. in the hands of the treasurer. On account of the Hebrew Church at Jerusalem they had 1,543. Os. 10d. in the treasurer's hands; and on account of the different funds for temporal relief already enumerated, they had 500/. in exchequer bills, and 3647. Ils. in the hands of the treasurer, making a total balance of 8,500/. in exchequer bills, and 3,6967. 11s. in the hands of the treasurer.

THE CHURCH PASTORAL AID

SOCIETY.

This Society held its annivery on Tuesday, the 10th of May, at Exeter Hall, Lord Ashley in the chair. The Report stated the need of more ministers, and the spiritual destitution still pervading. The result of the late census showed the population of England and Wales to be 16,000,000 being an increase of 2,000,000 in ten years. Supposing, on an average, 2,000 souls were assigned to one clergyman, 1,000 new churches and 1,000 additional ministers would be needed for these 2,000,000 only. The number of grants for which the society is responsible is 280, being 246 to ministers and 34 to lay assistants, at an annual charge of 21,800. The incumbents so assisted provide from local sources 3,6077., making a total of 25,4077. The receipts have been 18,9007.; 7657. less than the preceding year. The Bishop of Norwich, Rev. H. Raikes, Lord Harrowby, Bishop of Llandaff, Hon. and Rev. H. M. Villiers, Rev. H. Stowell, Rev. E. Tottenham, Rev. R. Burgess, and others addressed the meeting.

COLONIAL CHURCH SOCIETY, FOR SENDING OUT CLERGYMEN, CATECHISTS, AND SCHOOLMASTERS, TO THE COLONIES OF GREAT BRITAIN, AND TO BRITISH RESIDENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

From the Sixth Report of this Society, it appears that while its receipts have been considerably larger than in preceding years, they have not been equal to the increased demands made upon its resources. The subject of funds, consequently, has caused

the Committee some uneasiness, and they have found it necessary to make a call on the guarantee fund, raised for cases of emergency, of more than twenty per cent. The Committee, however, look forward to a steady improvement in the Society's income, the number of annual subscribers having considerably increased during the past year. They are borne out in this expectation, by having learned that a good feeling has usually been awakened, wherever an opportunity has been afforded of fully stating the Society's claims, and rectifying misapprehensions with regard to it. The Associations have aided the funds in the past year to the amount of 6697. 4s. 10d.

MEETING OF THE INCORPORAT

ED SOCIETY FOR BUILDING AND REPAIRING CHURCHES AND CHAPELS.

The Annual Meeting of the Incorporated Society for Building, Repairing, and Enlarging Churches and Chapels, took place on Monday, May 23d, His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury took the chair, and prayer being offered up for a blessing on their labours, the Report of the last year's proceedings was read, from which it appeared that during this period 178 applications had been made to the Society, from parishes in England and Wales, for assistance to build new, or to rebuild, enlarge, or repair old churches and chapels; and the number of grants voted for these purposes has, within this period, been 143; and the amount thus disbursed has been 10,0007. The Report also stated, "That there is an increasing demand for additional church accommodation from all parts of the kingdom; whether in the manufacturing or agricultural districts, the population are soliciting the means of enjoying the blessings and benefits of public worship according to the doctrines of our national Church. The Society has now been in operation for twenty-four years, during which period they have directed an expenditure of 100,000l., which has increased the accommodation for public worship by 900,000 sittings, of which two-thirds are free to all who desire to receive spiritual instruction. The Society's finances are not, at present, in a flourishing state, and unless speedy efforts are made by the friends of religious instruction to increase these funds, the Society will be compelled to restrict their

grants, at least for a time, within much smaller limits, and, in some cases, to withhold them altogether." It further appears that the grants of the Society now remaining unpaid, and liable to be called for, amount to 50,9851., but that the sum in their possession is only 47, 7591., showing a deficit of 3,2267.

TITHE COMMISSION.

REPORT OF THE TITHE COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES.

In this document, bearing date April 22, 1842, the Tithe Commissioners report the progress of the Commutation of Tithe in England and Wales to the close of the year 1841. They have received notices that voluntary proceedings have commenced in 9,381 tithe districts; of these notices 184 were received during the year 1841. They have also received 6,348 agreements, and confirmed 5,804; of these 442 have been received, and 668 confirmed, during the year 1841. 2,178 notices for making awards have been issued; of which 1,008 were issued during the year 1841. The Commissioners have received 1,355 drafts of compulsory awards, and confirmed 1,030; of these 534 have been received, and 470 confirmed, during the year 1841. They have also received 5,220 apportionments, and have confirmed 4,347; and of these, 1,532 have been received, and 1,715 confirmed, during the year 1841. Of the whole business of assigning rent-charges and apportioning them, about half is completed.

The Acts under which the Tithe Commission is constituted, will expire on the first day of July next. The Commissioners state that should a renewal Act be passed, they have neither alterations in the old Acts nor additions to them to suggest, which affect in the slightest degree the broad principles of those Acts, or the relative position and interests of the landowners and tithe-owners: but that during the working of an operation so extensive as that of the commutation of tithes throughout England and Wales, intricate and perplexed cases occasionally present themselves wholly unforeseen, with some of which it is difficult, and occasionally impossible to deal, without powers or machinery which have not yet suggested themselves. The Commissioners therefore conclude by reporting a few such cases for the consideration of the Home Secretary.

St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford. This Church, after having been closed for more than a twelvemonth, has been re-opened for divine service. The whole of the pews have been re-arranged, and painted a dark oak colour. It would have been desirable to have dispensed with the galleries, if it could possibly have been managed; but they accommodate a great number of poor people and school children, who must otherwise have been excluded from their parish church, which will now accommodate from 1,050 to 1,000 persons. Before the alteration it would only hold from 750 to 800. The north side of the church, having been pulled down and rebuilt in the best style of decorated English, to serve (together with the adjoining monument) for a memorial of the Martyrs, has also been opened as an appended place of public worship.

Woolwich.-The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have been pleased to order the erection of a handsome and commodious Chapel in Woolwich Dockyard.

In compliance with the plan recommended by the Lord Bishop of Lichfield, sermons have been preached and collections made in the different churches at Derby and Chesterfield, in aid of the Lichfield Diocesan Church Extension Society.

Newfoundland.-A gentleman of the name of Slade, an eminent and opulent merchant, a native of the town of Poole, has undertaken to build at his own expense five new churches in the colony of Newfoundland.

Anglesey--The new church at Anglesey, for which 1,1007. of the 2,000. required, have already been subscribed, is in forwardness.

Alverstoke. It is in contemplation to erect another church at Elson, or Hardway, a populous district of the parish of Alverstoke, distant three miles from the existing church, as soon as a sufficient sum can be raised. As it is intended that every seat shall be free, it is not proposed to fit the area of the building with pews. The population of the parish of Alverstoke exceeds 13,000, and the present church accommodation is less than 4,300, of which about 2,220 are within the town of Gosport.

Bethnal Green Churches.-Since the final appeal put forth by the committee of the Bethnal Green Churches, the sum of 20007. additional has been raised: consequently 10,0002. only remain to be collected in order to fulfil the design as originally con

a

templated for the amelioration of the parish. A subject of a most interesting character was touched upon by his Lordship, both in the sermon, and afterwards when he met the clergy at the curate's house. The Bishop pointed out that the pastoral responsibilities of the parish could never be adequately fulfilled while so large population as 6000 was left to the ministrations of a single clergyman. After all the ten new churches are completed, and a minister appointed to each, this will be the case; the population of Bethnal Green being 74,000, while the districts will be only twelve in number. Hence, his Lordship stated plainly, the necessity that would exist for providing assistant curates for all of these large districts, so as to secure the ministrations of at least two clergymen for each 6000 of population.

Hanwell. The new church, just completed in the parish of Hanwell, Middlesex, has been consecrated by the Lord Bishop of London. The new structure is a fine specimen of the Anglo-Roman architecture. It will contain about 700 sittings, nearly 300 of which are to be free.

Latimers.-The Hon. C. C. Cavendish has built a new chapel at Latimers, Bucks, at his sole expense, in the Elizabethan style of architecture. It has been lately opened for divine service.

Bolton-le-Moors.-During the last year, eight methodist preachers of Bolton, Lancashire, have been admitted into communion with the Church of England.

Consecration of Emmanuel Church, Camberwell. This church, built on a site of freehold ground presented gratuitously by the Rev. Sir Edward Bowyer Smythe, Bart., for that purpose, and situate on the west side of Camberwell-road, was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Winchester, on Saturday, the 16th of April. The church is built at the expense of 6000., 10002. of which have been furnished by the Commissioners for Building Churches, 2000. by the Metropolis Churches' Fund, 20001. by Sir Edward B. Smythe (in addition to the ground), and various smaller subscriptions from public societies and private individuals. The edifice is built in the Norman style of architecture, and will accommodate upwards of 1000 persons.

Winchester Diocesan Church - Building Society. At the last meeting of the committee, the following grants were made :For a new church at Hardway, in the parish of Alverstoke, 550. For one at South Hawley, in the parish of Yately,