alterations were, he thought, most injudicious, and of doubtful good. To these changes, as recommended by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, he was no party, but he would join in giving effect to the alteration which had been introduced. His Lordship proceeded to say that he considered the Ecclesiastical Commission as unconstitutional, and exercising despotic power, and he would not conceal his apprehension that that feverish thirst for change -that desire for innovation which was abroad, and which that Commission promoted, was endangering the interests of the Establishment, and placing the Church in a perilous position. He gave full credit to the members of that body for the purity of their motives; but he would not conceal the danger which, in his opinion, would arise from a body so organized-a body which was perfectly irresponsible, and possessed of despotic and imperial power; and he would take that opportunity of entering his solemn protest against that Commission and against its Constitution (for it consisted of only one class, and contained only a fifth of the Bishops), and against its proceedings in its interference with Ecclesiastical affairs. His Lordship then again adverted to the alteration in this diocese, and stated that the plan recommended by Cranmer to Henry the Eighth would have been found much more convenient; it was then proposed to annex Berkshire to Oxfordshire, thus forming a compact diocese, and to unite Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire in another diocese. With respect to the rural deaneries, it would be most inconvenient to have different rules in the two counties, and he therefore proposed to assimilate the practice in this county to that of Oxfordshire. His Lordship next reviewed the proposed plan of National Education without the principles of religion, which had recently been brought under notice. This, he denounced as a specious liberalism, which would, if carried into effect, tend to demoralize, debase, and make profligate the youth of the country, render infidelity and irreligion predominant through the land, and destroy those Established Institutions which were at present preserved to us. The most pernicious consequences must inevitably ensue if a system of National Education were introduced, not formed upon a scriptural basis, and he would say if the framers of that system again prosecuted their plans, that an opposition to it should be immediately organized, and that petitions and remonstrances should be presented, until the object was abandoned. It was not, however, his opinion, that the present system of National Education was perfect-far from it-he believed that great improvements might be introduced; an extension of the knowledge at present imparted could be advantageously made; and he saw no objection -indeed it might be attended with profit in their hours of relaxation-if the rudiments of science were taught to the poor in those schools. Adult schools also might be formed, and with good effect. As regarded the state of education in this county, he was happy

to state that in only eight parishes were there no schools; and this was, in reference to their size, population, and position, not so great an evil as might be thought, they being but thinly inhabited. Still much remained to be done in educating the poor, and he had great confidence in the exertions of the Clergy to increase the dissemination of general and religious knowledge among the poorer classes. His Lordship then referred to the Tithe Commutation Act. The Clergy, he observed, had in this matter surrendered a great right: and if such a plan had been adopted at the time of the Reformation, they would by this time have been without any property. The Marriage and Registration Acts had now been in operation for twelve months, and he believed had completely failed in answering the expectations of their advocates. He considered that the first of these acts was of immoral tendency, as it reduced the holy rite of matrimony into a mere civil contract; and, as far as regarded the new registration, he hoped it would produce increased veneration for the solemn ordinance of Baptism, which has latterly been diminished, and which would be promoted if the rite were more publicly celebrated; this he would recommend should be done by baptizing immediately after the Second Lesson, and if not on every, at least on stated Sundays; this was done throughout the greater part of Oxfordshire, and he wished it carried into effect in this county also. His Lordship then said, that, with reference to those measures bearing upon the interests of the Church, and which he had felt it right to condemn, he was desirous of stating that he did not object to reform, where it was safe and practicable-he was no enemy to the removal of abuses, but it became his duty solemnly to protest against measures which placed the Establishment of the country in Church and State in jeopardy and peril; and he believed that the framers of these measures would be visited with the heavy judgment of posterity. He then referred to some publications, which had excited considerable controversy, entitled Tracts of the Times. The authors of these works had endeavoured to bring into practice the more ancient forms of worship with regard to a more literal and formal adherence to rubrical service. He gave full credit to the motives of zeal, piety, and love for the Church, and the purity of its rites and ceremonies, which the authors of these works undoubtedly possessed; but he would warn them that the agitation of the revival of customs and ceremonies in the Church, fallen into disuse, might, instead of increasing its usefulness and exalting its authority, sink it into what some might consider vain superstition.

His Lordship then remarked on the spiritual duties of the Clergy, and concluded his address, which was listened to throughout with that profound attention which the importance of the subjects treated upon and the solemn and impressive delivery of the Right Rev. Prelate could not fail to produce.

ON THE LEGALITY OF CHURCH RATES.DECISION OF THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DIOCESE OF YORK.

In the Ecclesiastical Court of York, in giving judgment in the Wakefield Church-rate case, the Chancellor (G. H. Vernon, Esq.) lately made the following observations, which were important, as applying to all church-rates. He said that he was aware that, on a former occasion, he was distinctly of opinion that it was not a competent defence to a suit for subtraction of Church-rates, for the defendant to plead "that certain items in the estimates were illegal that those estimates not being upon bills actually paid, the party was not entitled to take notice of what the Churchwardens held forth as their intention to pay; but that, should any illegal payments be made, the money might be recovered afterwards." He had since found reason to adopt a different opinion; and the sanction of certain decisions in the courts above, led him to retract so much of what he had held forth to the public on that occasion, and to announce his present opinion, that if Churchwardens brought forward certain estimates, announced their intention of making certain payments, and laid a rate, and the majority of the parish agreed to a rate founded on those estimates, which included illegal items, resistance might be made to that rate, if those illegal items should form any such considerable proportion as should cause the court to think it worth while to make the objection. It was undoubtedly unfortunate, that it must always remain in the breast of the court what proportion would constitute the illegality which would make it invalid; but it had been over and over again laid down, that small matters would not do this, while larger would.— York Chronicle.

PEWS IN CHURCHES.

As pews in old churches have sometimes been sold, the following paragraph copied from a London Evening Paper, may probably prevent a repetition of this illegal practice: As it has been a constant practice to sell and buy pews in ancient parish churches, we think it may be worth while to state that the practice is totally contrary to law, and that the seller can give no title. (There is no such thing in law,' says Anderton, as selling pews.') There is one clause in this faculty, says Sir William Scott, in the case of Stephens v, Woodhouse, which is plainly illegal-a permission to parties to sell seats; this is a practice which may have prevailed frequently, but it has been constantly discountenanced by this court. Pews may be sold in chapels, which are private property, but in old parish churches such acts are contrary to the law of the land.' Dr. Phillimore says, It appears that the pews in this church have been bought and sold, and bequeathed by will: and that the guarantee has considered he might deal with them as with an estate held in

fee-simple. These notions are perfectly erroneous. The sale of pews in a parish church is invalid and illegal. As it is unlawful for private individuals to sell, so it is unlawful for them to let, pews. The disposal of pews rests with the Churchwardens, who are the officers of the Bishop.' The distribution of the seats,' says Sir John Nicholl, rests with the ordinary (the Bishop); the Churchwardens are his officers, and they are to place the parishioners according to their rank and station. It is evidently an illegal custom,' says Sir William Scott, that pews appurtenant to certain houses should be let by the owners to persons who are not inhabitants. If a pew is rightly appurtenant, the occupancy of it must pass with the house. From all this,' Anderton says, 'it is clear that the owner of a pew cannot let it out for rent; for seats do not belong to persons not inhabitants; and if a parishioner entitled to a pew does not use it, it returns to the disposal of the Churchwardens. It is also an error to suppose that pews are appurtenant to land: they are only appurtenant to houses. If the house falls, the appurtenance ceases. If the occupier does not go to church, the Churchwardens may place another parishioner in the pew.""

IRISH PROTESTANT TENANTRY SOCIETY.

OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY.-Amidst all the exertions that are making to protect Protestantism in Ireland, from the mine and assault of the Popish Priesthood, and their bigotted flocks, as well as from the incessant and powerful attacks of the Tryconnells and Phippses of the Crown, it appears never to have entered into the heads of the leaders of the Conservative party, that all the while, the only lasting ground of success and security, a Protestant Tenantry in Ireland, has been and is daily disappearing.

Large districts of Ireland, which not very long since were peopled with those gallant and faithful men, who form the vanguard of Protestantism and the British Monarchy, have been weeded of them to such an extent, that not a single Protestant is now to be found in those districts.

Where the Established Church once stood, and the pure religion of Christ was once disseminated, now stands the Popish Mass-house, pouring forth the pollution of Maynooth ruffianism. From those districts all rational hope of the revival of civilization, through any other means than the replacing a Protestant tenantry, is utterly banished. But what more immediately presents itself as a simple and obvious duty to the protection of the Protestant Creed and Constitution, is the prevention of the removal of the present Protestant Tenantry of Ireland, through the operation of those wellknown causes which drive them from the homes of their brave ancestors, to make way for the papist, who introduces the misery, superstition and conspiracy of which his religious and political creeds

are so prolific, and which ultimately are brought to bear against the Constitution of England itself.

To meet and counteract this destructive course of things, the Irish Protestant Tenantry Society has been organized, which will periodically lay before the Protestants of the British empire the actual state of the Irish Protestants, the causes, general and local, which are working their extermination: and above all, exert itself by every lawful means within its reach, to retain the present Protestant population, and to introduce a Protestant Tenantry into the districts before alluded to.

Persons subscribing 17. or upwards annually, or giving, at any one time, a donation of 107. or upwards, will be considered members, and will be entitled to copies of the Reports, and all other publications of the Society.

Communications to be addressed to either of the Honorary Secretaries, Edward Dalton, Esq., 2, Exeter Hall, London; or Samuel Gordon, Esq., 42, Aungier-street, Dublin; by whom every information, with respect to the operations of the Society, will be given.

METROPOLITAN CONSERVATIVE SOCIETY.

We cannot resist calling our readers' attention to the Statistical Account of Popery introduced in the eloquent speech of Professor Butt, at the weekly meeting of the Metropolitan Conservative Society. We quote the speech, as reported in the Dublin Evening Packet. Upon Professor Butt being informed that the Protestant Association of London was ready to co-operate with the Metropolitan Conservative Society, the Professor spoke thus

"He hailed with pleasure this testimony from England of the approbation of the cause they had pursued. Every day's experience more and more satisfied him that they had done right in attempting to excite the Protestant feeling of the country. He had received from many-from some unexpected quarters-private testimonies of the most encouraging nature. Of course he did not feel himself at liberty to mention the names of the writers of private letters; but could he do so, they would value and esteem the approbation which they spontaneously expressed of the movement which had been made in that society. They had indeed another testimony to their having done right in the violence of the abuse with which they had been honoured by the Radical press (hear, hear). They could scarcely take up an Irish Radical paper without finding themselves ridiculed or reviled; and he had been told that the Morning Chronicle, the English Ministerial journal, had visited them with its huge indignation, because they were not high enough in station-because they were not elevated enough by affluence-that journal, the organ of a popular Ministry, had attempted to damage them in the eyes of the public by representing them as a Society composed of the lowest of the people. More