out meaning the slightest disparagement to that gentleman, than whom it would not be easy to point out a more exemplary pastor. I may add, however, that so far from offering me the assistance mentioned, this gentleman did not conceive himself at liberty to allow me to take notes of, or even to see, certain lists and particulars which he read

over to me.

I have now, Sir, gone through the whole of the strictures contained in Dr. Spry's letter, and trust I have shewn how totally undeserved is the charge of wilful misrepresentation endeavoured to be fastened upon me. I venture also to hope your readers will agree with me, that the points brought forward by Dr. Spry do not bear on the material parts of the report. It is not pretended that there is any exaggera tion in the description of the degree of ignorance prevailing among the peasantry, the utterly inefficient character of the schools, and the low moral condition of the adult population. Dr. Spry does not pretend that there are any other means of instruction than those described, nor that the ville has up to this day possessed any church, chapel, or clergyman, whatever may be now, or for any time past has been, in contemplation. Indeed, he expressly exempts the points which form the real substance of the report from his observations, by saying, “Of the account given by your reporter respecting the general condition of the inhabitants of the ville of Dunkirk, the nature and value of the instruction they receive, and the knowledge they possess, I forbear from saying a word."

Trusting, Sir, to your sense of justice for the insertion of this letter in your pages, to which I conceive you are the more bound from the nature of your observations on the report, I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, F. LIARDET.

35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, Nov. 16, 1838.

THE SECRETARY OF THE HOME DEPARTMENT'S QUESTIONS.

SIR,-In reference to a circular recently issued by the Secretary of the Home Department to the Boards of Guardians, I beg to state what has fallen under my own observation.

The circular bore date, August 25, 1838, requiring, amongst other particulars,

1. The number of churches and chapels of the established church? 2. The number which each is capable of containing?

3. The number of dissenting places of worship, with the denomination to which they belong, and the number each is calculated to contain?

The return is to be made by the 20th November.

Now, what is the course pursued by our guardian, a churchman, on receiving these inquiries?

He lays his head together with that of a neighbour, who has acted as a methodist preacher; and though there is previously no licensed mecting of that denomination in the parish, a building is immediately

erected on land belonging to the guardian, to be the scene of his neighbour's future ministry, trusting to the chance of a congregation. It is now nearly finished, and will of course be duly included in the return, with the number it is " calculated" to contain.

I do not state these facts to complain of the guardian or the preacher; the law allows the one to embark in any speculation for the improvement of his property, and the other to exercise his self-appointed vocation. But I protest against such a method of pretending to ascertain the relative strength of the church and of dissenters, while it is in reality holding out a lure to the latter to make their case appear to advantage by building places of worship with or without congregations, a space of three months being offered them as if expressly for that purpose, with the implied hope of a measure to be founded on it by the government.

It would be desirable to know how many similar instances occur; but I hope this will be sufficient to put your readers on their guard against any calculations which may be founded on such returns in support of measures hostile to the establishment. I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, CLERICUS.

ON 1 TIMOTHY, vi. 13.

SIR, The text in the 13th verse of the 6th chapter of St. Paul's first epistle to Timothy, as represented in the authorized version, has been a subject of lengthened consideration in the British Magazine,-what the sense is of the words, "Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession."

By giving to the word μapruphoavros its proper ecclesiastical sense, by detaching τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν (ν. 13) from μαρτυρήσαντος, and by observing the sound rule of interpretation to which there is no exception-not to give a different sense to words or phrases occurring closely together, (rùv kadǹv óμodoyíav, in the 13th verse, is an express reference to the same phrase in the 12th verse; the same confession must be understood in both places,)-the whole passage seems restored to its catholic sense. Παραγγέλλω σοὶ κ.τ.λ., “ I deliver to thee, (or commit to thee, or give thee charge of,) before God, who quickeneth all things, and Christ Jesus, who in his suffering witnessed to the truth under Pontius Pilate, (that good confession which he had just spoken of,) that thou keep this commandment (what I deliver) undefiled and irreproachable until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The "good confession" is that which the "man of God," whom the apostle addresses, (v. 11,) "made before many witnesses," (v. 12.) That the apostle does not confine himself in his address to the person of Timothy is evident from the reference to the future appearance of our Lord, "The man of God," therefore, is the term applied to every Christian disciple whose baptism occupies the apostle's attention in the words of the 12th verse-" Fight that good fight of the faith," VOL. XIV.-Dec. 1838.

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not to be "ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil""Lay hold on that eternal life" (work out your salvation) "unto which you are," or have been, and remain, "called," in the peculiar sense of the perfect tense éλýons, and the change of tense to the aorist kai wμodoynoas, specifying the time of the confession, and shewing the effect of the call to remain, connects the two events together, making the time of calling to have been when the confession before many witnesses was made. No words could more accurately describe the whole of baptism than the three sentences of which the 12th verse is composed the duty to "fight the good fight of the faith," the good confession, or articles of belief, and the grace of baptism, or call to eternal life; and laying hold on eteiral life is to "continue in that state of salvation unto this life's end." "The good confession" is the confession of faith made at baptism, or the original form of the apostolic creed, in which the words καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ μαρτυρήσαντος ἐπὶ Пovríov Пiλárov, now translated "suffered under Pontius Pilate," had a place.

In addition to finding the fragments of that most ancient confession of faith, we see the apostolic authority given to such a creed, and the principle of tradition established as the essential character of the Christian church; also the Christian call identified with the grace of baptism, according to the language of the catechism, in which we "heartily thank our heavenly Father that he hath called us to this state of salvation, and pray that God would give us his grace, that we may continue in the same unto the end of life."

The translation of scripture is of no authority for the formation of peculiar opinions at variance with the catholic doctrine, (2 Pet. i. 20.) And this would be less impugned if those who take upon themselves to be teachers were mindful of the necessity, in order to fulfil that function, of having recourse exclusively to the original scriptures. Without deriving their knowledge wholly from that source, " desiring to be teachers of the law, they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." (1 Tim. i. 7.) The church and the scriptures, in their original language, are inseparably connected-the church is the keeper of holy writ, and the natural consequence of the tendency which is now too evident of superseding the church, not by the Bible, or the actual oracles of God, but by an interpretation with which human imperfections are very largely mixed up, is to do away with Christianity altogether, and to leave the word itself in the hands of the people without authority.

I am, Mr. Editor, yours respectfully,

J. H. B.

EXPOSITION OF THE SUNDAY WAKE.

SIR,-The great nuisance of Sunday feasts and wakes has long been admitted by most persons whose opinion is worth having upon right and wrong; and at several periods in the history of our country, as

can be easily proved, laws have been made for the regulation of them. Some there are who, through mistake, or for want of inquiry, seem to have thought better of them than they deserved; but there is no doubt that as they are at present held, the more they are looked into the worse they will appear. I am glad that the subject calls for so much of the public attention, and that it is not likely to be soon laid aside; and that the truth of the case may be better understood, I wish to set it before you plainly and with moderation. Let no man deem me an enemy to rational or healthful amusements, such as recreate the body or the mind, carried on at proper times and seasons, so as not to give public offence. Whether wakes and feasts of any kind can or cannot be brought within these limits I take not upon myself here to determine.

The question, as to those held on Sundays, is not a new one, and there are many of opinion that they should not be permitted at all, and still more who object to their being permitted to be held as they now are upon any account whatever. It is a fine thing to read descriptions of meetings like these in poetry, of wakes and festivals, village swains and maidens, all innocent and harmless, enjoying themselves cheerfully and happily, like the fabled creatures of a golden age. But we know that the naked truth is a very different thing; the regular end of such a feast is the beginning of a fray; and the true explanation of the word feast, or wake, as it may be now understood, should, in a future edition of Johnson's Dictionary, be given, a bloody Sunday riot. Am I to crave indulgence for applying a harsh defi nition to a vile thing? Well, then, if this be thought too coarse, let it be, an assembly of both sexes, held usually on the Sabbath-day, accompanied by disorder, dissoluteness, and fighting. I have been informed that the frenzy into which a multitude, both of men and women, were wrought at some of the late feasts, rather resembled the excesses of bacchanalians of old, or the fury of savages, than anything else. I know there are countries where the peasantry can meet to amuse themselves without reproach,-to dance, to wrestle, to pitch the quoit or the bar, and strive in athletic games; but it is not so in England. Now, sir, these privileged sources of confusion and outrage have arrived at such a pitch as to call aloud for redress in a Christian land. They are become the scenes of premeditated riot and quarrel, injurious to the persons and lives of her Majesty's subjects, and destructive of the peace of our Lady the Queen. I speak seriously, and with real knowledge, when I say, that the annual recurrence of them in the neighbourhoods in which they are held, at intervals throughout nearly the whole year, is looked upon by the peaceably disposed with anxiety and alarm. They consist chiefly of two parts, or ingredients -drinking and fighting. What is the usual course of these proceedings? I have collected a variety of individual instances forming a whole, the particulars of which may be substantiated. A rumour is abroad that a challenge or two has been given and accepted, to be fought at the approaching feast, or that the men of one parish are coming to try their strength and prowess against the men of another. All the disorderly persons in that part of the country, who make a

practice of going about from feast to feast, are in attendance; they are ripe for a riot, if none were intended, Their first joy is to get into a state of intoxication, next, into a fray. The constables, if they have been called upon to be present, look on with a conviction that they shall not be able to suppress it. If they speak, they are bullied into silence; if they interfere, they are beaten. He whose duty it has been to preach reverence to the sabbath, and to uphold it, attempts to interpose and prevent violence, and he meets with insult, if, indeed, he is not assaulted; serious injury to some of the parties, or it may be death, ensues. I could point to many fatal instances in Monmouthshire and Herefordshire, in the course of the last few years; but the places might be unknown to you, and I forbear. I will only say that, upon one occasion at least, knives were drawn. Now this I say-if two men fall out casually, and attack each other in the heat of provocation, it is better they should sinite with fists, than with sharpedged weapons. But there is no good reason why any, or the whole of these consequences, should not be prevented, if possible, even in cases of unpremeditated assault. Yet when licensed opportunity is given for brawling; when the sabbath is customarily desecrated; when the lawless make a practice and a boast of setting all others at defiance, certainly some effectual interference is peremptorily required. If two prize-fighters engage to meet at a stated place, within a certain distance of the metropolis, is it not thought a fit occasion for the interference of the authorities, and do they not effectually interpose? And from the known character of these assemblies, have we not a right to look to the same species of protection, since they have become the avowed occasions of promoting a challenge, and settling private quarrel? Let us, however, go a little further, and see how the thing works. Mischief or death takes place; the affair comes before the coroner; investigation is set on foot, and warrants are issued; the offending parties run the country, and hide themselves, till the impression of the outrage is weakened, and they find an advantage in voluntary surrender. Or the case may be lighter; it comes before a magistrate; he is an estimable and amiable man-just, but lenient ; and perhaps he is prepossessed in favour of what he is pleased to think the manly and harmless amusements of the people. The evilof which this is but a short and imperfect sketch-has never been presented to him in all its disgusting magnitude. The evidence may be strong against the violent behaviour of the accused, but there is no sufficient proof of pre-determined malice, and the injured party may have been as much to blame. He is of opinion, with others, that men who cannot agree may fight, if they please. Injury, almost mortal, may have been inflicted-it may be uncertain whether death will not be the consequence-yet, at all events, it was chance-medley; at most but an accident, that should not be visited too severely. So the amenable parties are bailed, and already half triumphant. When it comes before the court they are confident that they shall get off; all who can speak anything like a good word for them are mustered and brought forward, let the known dispositions and habits of the offenders be what they may. He who has a good character is entitled to the