boldened, most humbly, but most earnestly, to implore your honourable House deliberately and maturely to weigh and consider, whether it be not fearful and daring presumption in any human Government to wrest that right from the Creator's hand, and, unauthorised by him, destroy the only part of his glorious creation which he himself declared was made in his own image.'

"That for these reasons, your petitioner (an aged man) presumes, but with all due respect, to entreat and supplicate the attention of your honourable House to the grave subject of his petition.

"And your petitioner will ever pray, &c.

(Signed) "WILLIAM ALEXANDER." The disgusting scene lately exhibited in the Metropolis of Britain, on the morning of Courvoisier's execution (July 6), cannot but thrill with horror every Christian heart. The brutal yell of exultation, when the gallows was completed the infuriate execrations poured forth on the unhappy criminal from the moment he appeared to that of his death,-present at once a melancholy evidence of the ignorance and debasement of the high and low vulgar who were there indulging their degrading propensities, and a demonstrative proof of the soul-hardening tendency, the revolting cruelty and licentiousness of such spectacles of blood.

BIRMINGHAM UNITARIAN DOMESTIC MISSION SOCIETY.- -At the last annual meeting of the Unitarian Association for the Midland Counties, it was resolved to change its name to that of "The Unitarian Domestic Mission Society;" having for its objects, the diffusion of religious knowledge among the poor, and the general amelioration of their condition; and its means, the employment of a missionary to visit them at their homes, the assembling of them together for the purpose of public worship, the instruction of the rising generation through the medium of Sunday-schools and the distribution of the Holy Scriptures, books, and tracts. Whilst we rejoice in the establishment of this Mission to the poor of Birmingham, we, at the same time, regret the abandonment of the Midland Association. There is necessity for the exertions of both institutions, and funds should

readily have been found for the support of the two societies. These are not the times for giving up effort, but for increasing it. Happy are we to know, that the Rev. Thomas Bowring has been engaged as the Missionary. A more suitable election could not possibly have been made. He entered on his labours in April; and we are glad to learn, that the attendance on the schools, and at the chapel in Thorp-street-to the district surrounding which, his labours are at present specially directed-have been gradually increasing. His visits to the homes of the poor have been gratefully received; and, with all our hearts do we wish him, God speed. The address circulated by Mr. Bowring, in the district to which he devotes himself, breathes the pure spirit of Christianity:

"To the Inhabitants of this District.

"Dear Friends,-Permit one who is sincerely and anxiously desirous to promote your best interests, to address you on a subject of supreme importance to yourselves and to every rational being; to all who, like you, have been called by a gracious Providence to a marvellous light, to a knowledge of the saving truths of the everlasting Gospel. In this country there can be few who have not some knowledge of the leading doctrines of religion; and, it is to be hoped, fewer still who have never heard the name of Christ, who are wholly ignorant of the revealed will of God, who know not that when they die they shall live again, and that their future, everlasting state of being depends entirely on the deeds done in the body, whether they have been good or evil. These things are acknowledged by all, or nearly all; and perhaps there is not an individual breathing who has not at times thought much and seriously on them. Yet it is a sad truth, that too often they are practically disregarded; that they are not allowed sufficiently to influence the mind, to mend the heart, to correct the passions, and to regulate the conduct. The things of time and sense shut out from our view those of heaven, of eternity. Like Martha, we cumber ourselves with much serving; whilst the better part, the one thing needful, is passed heedlessly by, or the consideration of it postponed to a more convenient season,—a season which to multitudes, alas! never comes. But, brethren, there is not a more solemn and important

truth than this, and would it had its due weight with us, that Religion is a matter of every-day concern; it is the great business of our lives, or a mere delusion; we cannot serve two masters, we cannot give ourselves at the same time to God and the world. Let us choose whom we will serve; and if, happily, we make God our choice, let us give him our whole hearts, for less he will not accept; let us awake from sleep, that Christ may give us light.'

"To promote and spread abroad a knowledge of religion, of the duties it enjoins, the hopes it inspires, the blessings it promises to the good, the woes it threatens to the hardened impenitent offender, the peace it imparts to the returning penitent,-to form Christ in the soul, by raising the mind above the influence of low and debasing pursuits,-to teach the great doctrine of moral responsibility, and to bring, if possible, those who are now out of the way, wandering as sheep without a shepherd, into the fold of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, this DOMESTIC MISSION is instituted. It is imagined that, in this extensive and populous town, there is, notwithstanding the eminently successful exertions of many kindred societies, still work enough to do. The person who signs this address has been engaged as the Missionary. He comes among you, seeking not yours, but you; he wishes your good alone; his aim is to be considered as your friend, as earnestly desirous of your welfare, as an humble instrument in the hands of Divine Providence to the furtherance of your salvation; receive him as such; strengthen his hands; help him onward! Let him by you, and through you, see that his labours, feeble though they may be, have not been in vain in the Lord, and with the blessing of Almighty God, the work will prosper.

"As public worship is undeniably a great good, even for the promotion of peace and order, no right-minded person can desire its abolition; but believing it to be an institution of God's appointment, for keeping alive the knowledge of his name and will in the world, it is of the highest importance that it be regularly and punctually attended. The man who habitually absents himself from the House of Prayer, is so far from being a Christian,

that he is no good member of civil society. Friends, do not neglect the services of God's house especially on the Lord's day. The chapel in Thorp-street, will be opened for public worship every Sunday; thither may numbers repair, draw water freely from the wells of salvation, and be enabled to say, This is none other but the House of God, and this the gate of heaven.'

6

"My brethren, I am willing to spend and be spent in your service. My own strength is, I am aware, quite inadequate to the work; but there is ONE who can make his strength perfect in my weakness, and on his help let us humbly rely. Remember that, whilst we have time enough granted to work out our salvation, we have none to lose, none to waste, none to employ, in the works of the flesh.' Let us each be careful to redeem the time; to turn it to the best account; to ever bear in mind that the night cometh in which no man can work.

"Your friend and brother in Christ,

"THOMAS BOWRING. "N. B. The sittings in Thorp-street Chapel are FREE.”

THE Annual Meeting of the Kent & Sussex Unitarian Christian Association was held at Maidstone, on the 8th of July. There were present, ministers and friends from Maidstone, Tenterden, Cranbrook, Headcorn, Canterbury, Chatham, Bessel's Green, Battle, and Northiam. The reading of the Scriptures and the introductory prayer were taken by the Rev. Thomas Bradshaw of Cranbrook; the long prayer was offered by the Rev. Edward Talbot of Tenterden; and the Rev. Thomas Madge of Essex-street, London, delivered an admirable discourse from the words of the Divine Being, Ezekiel xviii. 29, "Are not my ways equal?" He strongly insisted, that the words of Scripture, in which the attributes of God, and the equity and goodness of his dealings with mankind, are described, are to be uniformly understood according to their ordinary and proper acceptation, only in their highest sense, and with the complete exemption from all defect or imperfection; that, being addressed to the natural reason and conscience of man, they can answer their intended purpose only as they are clearly comprehended and duly estimated by those faculties. We

have reason to say, that this convincing and impressive discourse produced a corresponding effect on the minds of the audience; and if its leading principle be kept in view in the perusal of the Sacred Writings, the saving truths which they impart will be seen and felt, shining with their native radiance through the soul; while the unavoidable obscurities of particular passages, arising from our remoteness of time and circumstances from the scenes to which they immediately apply, and the Eastern metaphors in which they abound, will either be resolved into senses coinciding with their general purport and spirit, or be passed over as obscurities necessarily arising from these or similar causes.-After the service, the business of the Association was transacted, and the Report of the Committee was read; the most remarkable feature of which, was the case of Battle. This case has been frequently before the Unitarian public, and, under recent more favourable circumstances, promises to become an important station. There is evidently a great and increasing desire to hear the truths of the Gospel, the audience generally consisting of agricultural labourers and mechanics. The Chapel is unfortunately burdened with a debt of about £170, which is a clog on the prosperity of the congregation. By the labours of their present minister, and through the assistance of neighbouring ministers, who have lately been engaged in delivering a course of lectures, the prospects of this religious society are brightening; and, if they could disencumber themselves of the pecuniary burden upon their Chapel, they would be enabled to do still more for the progress of truth. -At the conclusion of the business of the Society, the members dined together at the Star Inn; James Carter, Esq. of Rochester, in the chair. Many suitable sentiments, introduced in a very appropriate manner, were given from the chair, and responded to by the different speakers; among whom were most of the ministers within the circuit of the Association, besides the Rev. T. Madge of London, and J. C. Meeke of Northampton. The afternoon was spent in a most agreeable and profitable manner-leaving, we are confident, but one regret in the minds of most, that meetings, so improving to all the better affections of our nature, are not more frequent.