so unjust a feeling, nor consider this a sufficient answer to eighteen years unrewarded service; and if the dean and chapter may conceive that he has been sufficiently remunerated in the trifling sums already paid to him, what must be thought of the remuneration, in addition to patronage, which they enjoy for the performance of their duties of three months only in the year each, very frequently, and as frequently as they please, by proxy. Your petitioner, with great reluctance, comes before your honourable house, but is driven to it by a sense both of private injury and public wrong-himself deprived of the just reward of long service, and the church suffering in its undoubted rights, by the modes now practised of administering the funds and patronage of St. Paul's cathedral. Your petitioner, therefore, humbly prays your honourable house to take these premises into consideration, to investigate the abuses existing in St. Paul's cathedral, in regard both to patronage and funds, and to make provision for the future, that the vacant benefices thereof be first offered to its unprovided members, before they be allowed to be given away to strangers; and your petitioner will ever pray. SAMUEL BIRCH, D.D. N.B.-This petition was presented to the house of commons on the 18th of May, by the Marquis of Chandos. ADDRESS OF THE NATIVE CONVERTS, ALUMNI OF BISHOP'S TO THE REV. WILLIAM HODGE MILL, D.D., PRINCIPAL OF REVEREND SIR,-We, the undersigned native converts, alumni of Bishop's College, have been reflecting with great concern, for several months last past, upon your intended final departure from India; and the circumstance of your embarkation being nigh at hand, has led us to express, in the following words, the different feelings which the fact has generated within us. Your departure deprives us of one whom we have been accustomed to look upon as our father and our guide; and you will therefore excuse the liberty we have taken of thus waiting upon you with this address. Our Alma Mater is indebted to you for the numerous benefits which she is conferring on this country. You are the person that has rendered her a centre of various kinds of learning, before unheard of in the East; and she is affording to her inmates on the banks of the Hooghley those advantages, for imparting which to the sons of England, Cambridge and Oxford are so celebrated in history. A Hindoo may now cultivate, within the limits of his own country, that learning for which it might before be necessary to go into those Universities. India is accordingly under heavy obligations to you for fostering the first episcopal college within her precincts; and while the name of the venerable Bishop Middleton will be ever remembered with gratitude, as its projector and founder, we trust that posterity will be sufficiently sensible of the blessings derivable from this institution, and so likewise revere your memory, for having nourished and cherished it in the helpless state of infancy. As we firmly believe that few minds could be found capable of planning the college like the venerable father of the Indian episcopacy, so are we also convinced that few hands could be procured strong enough to rear the projected institution with the vigour with which you have done. We fear we shall not, for a long time, find a head like yourself to govern us. We can conceive of no branch of instruction essential to the usefulness of the missionary and the clergyman, in which you could not personally lecture, advise, and examine your students. In the two learned languages of the east, held sacred severally by the Hindoos and the Mahomedans, the student could prosecute his studies under you with a degree of confidence which he could not feel even under the most learned Brahmin or Maulavi. It was a very flattering reflection to us, and one which rendered our situation peculiarly responsible, that we stood under the direction of a principal who could instruct, advise, and direct on every subject in which the theological student could possibly be interested. Whether he was preparing for the stated and defined duties of a parish clergyman, or for the more difficult labours of a general missionary, he could possibly have no excuse if, while enjoying the advantages of your direction and tuition, he did not furnish himself with every weapon that was necessary for stopping the mouths of his gainsaying opponents. Every one of your pupils, Reverend Sir, ought to be able in future to meet the Brahmin and the Maulavi on their own grounds, and to turn their weapons against themselves. But deep as our gratitude is to the Almighty, for the gift of a father and a friend, every way versed in rearing up clerical and missionary students, it is heightened when we think upon the kindness which you have invariably manifested towards us, in consideration of our peculiar situation. Trained up from fancy in habits and principles perfectly heathen and barbarous, and only lately redeemed by Divine Providence from the unhappy degradation, we have been gently and gradually led by you to entertain Christian habits and principles; and the kindness with which you have always treated us is what language cannot express. You have encouraged us in our pursuits, fostered our infant religion by godly admonitions, and considerably counteracted the remains of our heathenism, by your mild and effective discipline. We cannot, Reverend Sir, cast a retrospect upon our collegiate life, for the last twelve months, without deep gratitude; neither can we think of your final departure from us without a lively sense of our heavy, and perhaps irreparable loss. One of the undersigned has already begun the work for which we are all preparing; and although his residence at Bishop's College was not long, yet he cannot help looking to that short collegiate life under your care as the means, under God, of bringing the little he has acquired to its present maturity. It was here that he received the impetus, the benefit of which he daily feels in the discharge of missionary functions. He cannot, therefore, think of the work in which he is engaged without turning his eyes with gratitude to the institution of which you have been the foster father. Your departure will deprive him of a friend and a guide, always ready to advise on missionary affairs; while, in the prosecution of an important Sancrit translation, commenced under your direction, he will be left without any immediate hope of help. We cannot, Reverend Sir, reflect, without being very thankful, on the numerous advantages we possess at the College. We are led to begin and to close our daily course with the religious exercises provided in the liturgy. We have the privilege of celebrating in due order the fasts and festivals of our holy church. These are high privileges; and even if we enjoyed no other advantages, still these regular devotional exercises alone might be sufficient to render a college life highly desirable. But besides these, we receive a critical lecture daily on the holy scriptures; and instructions are also imparted to us every week on the evidences of natural and revealed religion, in the classics of the Greek and Latin languages, in the science of mathematics, in the learned language of our native literature and poetry, and in various other branches of knowledge; all calculated to insure, with the divine blessing, our future usefulness. And if to these advantages we add the numerous other benefits that we may and hope we shall in time partake of, our gratitude to God becomes considerably enhanced, and we feel our minds too weak, and our conceptions as yet too limited, to give us an adequate idea of our privileges. Convinced we are, that nothing but personal misconduct on our own parts will ob struct the grace which our situation is calculated to give us before God and man. That the Almighty will provide for his own institution in his own good time-that our honoured and respected professor, the Rev. G. U. Weithers, still remains with us in health and strength-and that we are not left in consequence altogether helpless and unprovided for-are facts which are highly consoling in the midst of our bereavement. That your talents will perhaps find a richer harvest in England than in this country-that perhaps in your broken state of health, after a long residence in a climate debilitating to foreign constitution, the church will benefit more extensively from your labours in Europe, than she could if you continued in India in your present condition are likewise a great source of comfort to us. Besides these considerations, we feel satisfied that you will ever continue to give us an interest in your prayers, and assist us otherwise in such matters in which distant residence may not render it impossible for you to help us. Some explanation is due of the reasons which have induced us to present this address separately from our Indo-Briton friends. While we are all on a par as students, in many respects, there are some circumstances which characterize our peculiar situation. We are almost all converts from Hinduism, and our relations and natural guardians have disowned us in consequence of our change of religion. We are, therefore, utterly destitute in the capacity of private individuals, having to look even for our personal expense to the funds on which we are maintained in the college. Such being the case, it is not in our power to express our gratitude and respect by any substantial token; and as we must be content with this empty and verbal but sincerely presented offering, we could not help presenting it separately. The impressions which your kindness and attention have left upon our minds would induce us even to pluck out our eyes if they could be of any use to you. But it is absolutely beyond the reach of our ability to present any substantial tribute; and we must beg of you to accept of our poor, humble, but grateful, offering in the form of an address. Abler and wiser men than ourselves have already recorded their sense of the inestimable benefits which the cause of religion and literature has derived from your residence in this country. The Arabic translation of the liturgy will, with God's blessing, serve to commend our religious and catholic devotions to many a Maulavi, whose notice would not perhaps be otherwise attracted to them. But what has most surprised our countrymen, and excited peculiar sensations in us, is the work you have composed in Sancrit poetry on the life and history of our Saviour. We entertain very sanguine expectations from the circulation of the Christa Sangita among the learned men of our country. The many recommendations it brings with itself when offered to the notice of a Brahmin, lead us to hope that it will be a great help to us in our future labours; and we cannot at the same time but believe, that it will prove a great blessing to a large number of men now perishing in darkness and ignorance. May you, Reverend Sir, see many and happy days with your honoured lady and family in your native land. May you be blessed with health and strength to benefit mankind by your labours wherever Divine Providence may lead you. May all your projects of serving the cause of the Redeemer prosper, and may the church find in you a strong pillar of support under God. May you be long spared on the earth to promote the glory of God and the best interests of men. May the institution which you have so long fostered be amply supplied with those means by which it will be able to carry on the pious objects which its founder, the venerable Bishop Middleton, had in view, and which you have always kept in your sight. And though we have no prospect of ever seeing you any more in this world, may we be led by the Holy Spirit so to spend our earthly life that we may hereafter join you in singing praises to God for ever and ever. Amen. We have the honour to be, Reverend Sir, your most obedient humble servants, (Signed) KRISHNA MOHANA BANERJEI, Missionary on Begum Sumroo's BROGINAUTH GHOSE, GOPAUL CHUNDER MITTER, DWARKEYNAUTH BANERJEA, H. DYCE ANUND, ditto ditto ditto ditto ditto BAM MADHUB MOZOOMDAR, Student on Powerscourt Foundation. Bishop's College, Oct. 5th, 1837. RIGHT OF APPEAL AGAINST CHURCH COMMISSIONERS. Court of Queen's Bench-Wednesday. THE QUEEN V. STOCK.—In this case the question was, whether an appeal could be heard against an order of the Church Commissioners for stopping up a pathway adjoining St. Philip's Church, in Birmingham. The question turned upon the construction of the 5th and 6th of William IV., which had repealed the 55th of George III., but had left unrepealed the 59th of George III. The 55th of George III. contained a power of appeal against such an order, and the 59th of George III. professed to incorporate in itself the provisions of the 55th, as to the power of the commissioners to stop up pathways, but said nothing whatever as to the power of appeal. The question therefore was, whether the power of appeal could by implication be taken to be preserved. The Attorney-General and Mr. Mellor were heard in support of the right of appeal, and Mr. Waddington against it. The Court, on the authority of the case of "King v. Hanson," where Lord Tenterden had laid it down that the right of appeal could not be given by implication, though the right to a certiorari would remain, unless expressly taken away, decided that the appeal in this case did not lie, and that the order of sessions allowing it must be quashed. ELECTION OF CHUCHWARDENS. Bail Court, Thursday. THE QUEEN V. THE RECTOR, CHURCHWARDENS, AND INHABITANTS OF BIRMINGHAM.—Mr. Hill moved for a rule, calling on the rector, churchwardens, and inhabitants of Birmingham, to shew cause why a writ of mandamus should not issue, commanding them to proceed to the election of churchwardens. In April last two persons were put in nomination for that office. Amidst the excitement of the occasion, and the various plans suggested for conducting the election, the day wore on, and the question arose whether the poll should be adjourned. The poll, on the question of the adjournment of the poll, was adjourned, the rector stating that he would keep the poll open next day for a period sufficiently long to enable the rate-payers to record their votes. On the following day, the rate-payers not having attended, the poll was declared to be closed. The parishioners then came forward, remonstrated, and demanded a scrutiny; this was agreed to on the part of the rector, but, as no time was mentioned, the meeting separated without doing anything. Mr. Hill wished to make it a part of his rule that the election should be held in the Town Hall, and not in the church. Mr. Justice Coleridge had no jurisdiction as to locality, but would grant the rule.-Rule granted. RIGHT OF WAY FROM THE VICARAGE TO THE CHURCH. Vice Chancellor's Court, June 1. MARRIOT V. TARPLEY.-Mr. Wakefield and Mr. Turner appeared in support of the bill in this case, which was filed by one of the churchwardens of a parish in Northamptonshire, to have a perpetual injunction against the Rev. Mr. Tarpley, the vicar, and the dean of Christ Church, the patron of the living, to restrain them from pulling down a wall which separated the churchyard from the private grounds of a gentleman named Pack, and through which the vicar claimed a right of way to the church from the parsonage house. Before the grounds were enclosed, it was alleged a public footpath had always existed, leading from the north-west entrance of the church, and that it had only remained disused since the erection of the wall within the last 20 years. The defendant attempted to assert a right of way in the autumn of 1833, by breaking through the wall, and it appeared that some hostilities had taken place with the parishioners, the consequence of which was, that an ex-parte injunction was granted, and still remained in force, against the vicar. By a supplemental bill filed for the purpose of making the other churchwarden a party, it was alleged that an action of trespass had been maintained against the vicar by one of the tenants of the land, and that as Mr. Tarpley had in that action pleaded both the public right of way and the vicar's right unsuccessfully, the verdict of the jury was conclusive of the right. Mr. Knight Bruce, Mr. Koe, and Mr. Waddington, supported the vicar's case, and Mr. Bethell appeared for the dean and canons of Christ Church. Judgment was reserved. Ir has been for some time the editor's purpose to call the attention of his readers in general to what he knows that a great many of them have observed and fully appreciate; he means, the vast body of documents relating to all that, in the widest sense of the term, may be denominated ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS, which are already accumulated in the pages of the Magazine, and some of which would not be found without difficulty elsewhere. A list is now given of those merely which are to be found under the heads of " Trials" and "Documents"-though it will be obvious to all who are acquainted with this periodical that it might be greatly swelled from other departments. The sequence being in many cases a matter of interest, the chronological order in which they appeared is preserved. 1832. March. The King v. Joddrell-Rating Tithes to the Relief of the Poor. Facts Respecting the Church of England and her Revenues, from Parliamentary Documents. Information published by the Commissioners for Emigration, respecting the British Colonies in North America. Augmentation Act. April. Southall v. Lynes-Non-residence. Lamber v. Fisher-Tithes. Attorney-General v. M'Lean Sudbury Grammar School. under Lord Brougham's Act, as to The King on the Prosecution of the Bishop of Exeter v. Coulton-Libel. Glebes-Statement of those in the Rape of Bramber. Amount of Livings in Archdeaconry of Derby. Petition to the House of Lords from Petworth, Sussex-Poor Rates. |