viduals who have been missing, and eyes sunk, her resolution failed, nature of whom no trace has been found. resumed her powers. The son refused We trust, however, that these alarming to fire the pile, but her brother-in-law discoveries may lead to the adoption (his motives might be easily discovered) of some plan by which the anatomical said, Now she must burn, for the Boro schools may be supplied without having Sahab (the great gentleman, meaning any longer recourse, to the agency the English magistrate) had sent his of those whose habits and principles permission to burn; and then he began fit them for every work of villainy. to anoint her. The son refused the

While, however, this subject is oil as his mother's last blessing, and discussed in every company, we have firmly persisted that he would not set been forcibly reminded of the old fire to her. He wept-he screamedobservation, that even a benevolent the mother appeared in agony; but man would be more alarmed at being having this fatal permission, she was told that he was to lose his little finger bound to the dead body, and pressed the next morning, than at hearing down with two bamboos. that the whole empire of China was The testimony of a British eye-witness swallowed up by an earthquake. The should be received by a Christian public whole empire is filled with horror at with that attention which high responthe murder of ten or twelve individuals sibility demands; and that eye-witness by obscure and wretched assassins, says: while a system of authorized murder is - If I had authority merely to have allowed to proceed in open day in one said, "you are not to burn,' all this of our distant dependencies, by which, would have been prevented; for I am as Mr. Poynder justly remarked at the sure that both the people and the East India House on a recent occasion, Brahmins would have dispersed without eight and forty human sacrifices had a murmuring word. Many call it a bad taken place each month during two custom, and are quite tired of it.' years; while Mr. HUME observed, that in Who are the responsible persons, the last ten years, no fewer than 5,997 why that word is not given? These women were sacrificed in Bengal alone, murders cannot be perpetrated in India and that under a Christian government. without British permission.—Is not, We give the following fact for consider then, Britain, as the supreme power, ation;

implicated in the guilt? The united "At a Ghaut, near Serampore, a voice of the proprietors of India stock mother, of about 35 years of age, having could compel that word ; and if these her five children with her, was waiting, should linger in their duty, it will be the near the corpse of her husband, the duty, and greatly to the honour of Bripermission of the ENGLISH MAGIS- tish Christians, who are not proprietors TRATE to burn herself. When it to raise their voice, whose power arrived, her countenance changed, her could not be long resisted.

Notices and Acknowledgmeuts.

Received :-PSALM XLVII. 6.-Amicus HIBERNICUS.-A. R- e-X. Y. STEDFAST.-A COUNTRY CURATE.-CLERICUS DERBIENSIS.

The Inquiry on the Resurrection is under consideration.

A valuable Correspondent from the sister Island remarks: Ireland is in a state of extreme agitation, and the clouds which overhang it are very black ! but there is a bow in them : and we dare not doubt but that the good seed of the word which has been sowed in such abundance for several years past, will yet bring forth a beauteous and valuable crop.

In connexion with the above it may be proper to add, that the Marquis of Anglesea is recalled from Ireland, and that the Duke of Northumberland is expected to go out as Lord Lieutenant.

Our readers will recollect that Parliament meet on Wednesday February 5. In the present state of things it becomes us all most fervently to pray that God will direct and overrule their counsels for His glory, and the welfare of these realms.

CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN,

AND

Church of England Magazine.

MARCH 1829.

MEMOIRS OF ENGLISH DIVINES.

BISHOP BEDELL.

[Continued from Page 47.] The King, having inquired into your grace could look into my the character and circumstances heart, and see how little I fear lack of Bedell, commanded him to ac- of provision, or pass upon any cept the charge of the government outward thing in this world ; my of the college, on which he entered chief fear in truth was, and is, lest in the August of the ensuing year, I should be unfit and unprofitable and soon discovered a talent for in the place; in which case, if I public business not always found in might have a lawful and honest those whose lives have been devoted retreat, I think no wise man could to private study. He abstained blame me to retain it; especially however from taking a very active having understood that your grace, part, till be both knew the statutes whose authority I chiedy followed of the house completely, and well at the first, did, from your own understood the characters of its judgment and that of other wise inmates. Many of the fellows, men, so truly pronounce of me, unaware of the reasons of his con- that I was a weak man. Now that duct, began to entertain mean ideas I have received your letters so full of him, and even the Archbishop of life and encouragement, it puts was inclined to think he had been some more life in me. For sure led to overrate his abilities. Dis- it cannot agree with that goodness heartened in some measure on this and ingenuity of your's, praised account, when he returned to Eng. among all God's graces in you, by land a few months after, with intent those that know you, to write one to bring over his family to Ireland, thing to me, and to speak another he entertained the project of resign. thing to others of me, or to go ing his new preferment, and return- about to beguile my simplicity with ing to his benefice in Suffolk ; but fair words, laying in the mean while the Primate wrote so kind a letter a net for my feet, especially sith to him, as to divert him from his my weakness shall in truth redound purpose, and draw from him a to the blaming of your own dissuitable answer.

cretion in bringing me thither.' •Touching my return, I do thank- Having accordingly conveyed his fully accept your grace's exhortation, family to Ireland, he applied himadvising me to have faith in God, self to the government of the college and not to consult with flesh and with his native intellectual vigour, blood, nor have mind of this coun- and soon evinced his suitableness try. Now, I would to God, that for the situation. Not content

MARCH 1829.

M

with the mere correction of abuses appear from a letter which lie wrote which had crept into the establish to Archbishop Laud, to this effect. ment, and the formation of salutary · Right Reverend Father, my regulations, he considered it his honourable good Lord. particular province to instruct the 'Since my coming to this place, young academics in the principles which was a little before Michaelof religion. He catechised them mas, I have not been unmindful every week, and dividing the cate- of your Lordship's commands, to chism itself in fifty-two parts, made advertise you, as my experience it a subject for discourse for every should inform me, of the state Sunday in the year, going through of the church, which I shall now the whole as a body of divinity, and the better do, because I have been so judiciously blending practical about my dioceses, and can set observation with speculative doc. down, out of my knowledge and trine, that his addresses were at view, what I shall relate. And once critical lectures and useful shortly, to speak much ill matter exhortations. On the third of in a few words, it is very miserable. September, 1629, he was advanced The cathedral church of Ardagh, to the Bishoprick of Kilmore and one of the most ancient in Ireland, Ardagh, two contiguous Sees in the and said to be built by St. Patrick, province of Ulster, chiefly through together with the bishop's house the instrumentality of his friend, there, is down to the ground. The Sir Thomas Jermyn.

church bere, (at Kilmore) built, but Though he was now nearly sixty without bellor steeple, fontor chalice. years of age, he entered on the The parish churches all in a manner administration of his diocese, and ruined and unroofed and unrepaired, pursued its government, with a The people, saving a few British force of character, which seemed planters here and there (which are more suitable to younger men. It not a tenth part of the remnant) was his earnest desire to learn dis- obstinate recusants. A popish clergy, cretion and derive strength froin more numerous by far than we, and that Saviour, in whom are hid all in full exercise of all jurisdiction the treasures of wisdom and know. ecclesiastical, by their vicar-general ledge, and helpeth them that are and officials; who are so confident weak. He found his diocese in a as they excommunicate those that disordered state; the revenue wasted come to our courts, even in matriby excessive dilapidations, and all monial causes. Which affront hath sacred things had been exposed to been offered myself by the popish sale in so sordid a manner, that it primate's vicar-general; for which was grown into a proverb. The I have begun a process against him. cathedral of Ardagh was in a state The primate himself lives in my of ruin, and there was scarcely parish, within two miles of my enough remaining of both those house; the bishop in another part revenues to support a bishop who of my diocese farther off. Every was resolved not to supply himself parish hath its priest; and some by unworthy methods. He had a two or three a-piece, and so their very small clergy, but seven or mass-houses also ; in some places eight in each diocese, of good suffi. mass is said in the churches. ciency; each of these had many • Friars there are in divers places, vicarages, but the population being who go about, though not in their generally Irish, and the pastors habit, and by their importunate English, they were as barbarians begging impoverish the people; to them, according to the reasoning who indeed are generally very poor, of the Apostle. (1 Cor. xiv. 11.) as from that cause, so from their These particulars however will best paying double tithes to their own

clergy and ours, from the dearth the church, and gave their adverof corn, and the death of their cattle saries great advantages against these late years, with the contribu- them, so did it very much endanger tions to their soldiers and their both their own souls, and those of agents : and, which they forget not the flocks committed to their charge. to reckon among other causes, the And to let them see that he would oppression of the courts ecclesias- not lay a heavy burden on them, in tical, which, in very truth, my which he would not bear his own Lord, I cannot excuse, and do share, he resolved to part with one seek to reform. For our own, of his bishoprics. For though there are seven or eight ministers Ardagh was so impoverished, and in each diocese of good sufficiency; had long gone as an accessary to and (which is no small cause of the Kilmore, yet since they were really continuance of the people in popery two different sees, be thought he still) English, which have not the could not decently oblige his clergy tongue of the people, nor can per to renounce their pluralities, unless form any divine offices, or converse he set them an example, and rewith them; and wbich hold, many nounced his own; even after he of them, two or three, four, or bad been at a considerable charge more vicarages a-piece; even the in recovering the patrimony of Arclerkships themselves are in like dagh, and though he was sufficiently manner conferred upon the English; able to discharge the duty of both and sometimes two or three, or these dioceses. He therefore remore, upon one man, and ordinarily signed Ardagh to Dr. Richardson. bought and sold, or let to farm. The authority of this example, and His Majesty is now with the great the efficacy of his discourse, made est part of this country, as to their such an impression on the clergy, hearts and consciences, king, but at that they all relinquished their the Pope's discretion.

pluralities. WILL. KILMORE AND ARDAGH. His next object was the enforceHis first care was a reform of the ment of residence. But in this he system of pluralities. This be re- met with great difficulty. King garded as an abuse contrary both to James, upon the last reduction of the nature of ecclesiastical func- Ulster, after Tyrone's rebellion, tions, to the obligations that the had ordered glebe lands to be ascure of souls naturally imported, signed to all the clergy, obliging and to those solemn vows that them to build parsonages within a churchmen made at the altar, when limited time. The royal commisthey were ordained. And he knew sioners, however, in their arrangewell that this corruption was no ment of this affair, had acted without sooner observed to have crept into due consideration of the circumthe Christian church, than it was stances of the incumbents, assigning condemned by the fourth general them in many instances lands which council at Chalcedon. He convened were extra-parochial, and in others his clergy, and in a discourse with scattering them in the most inconwhich he opened the meeting, laid venient manner. The bishop probefore them, both out of scripture posed to remedy this state of things, and antiquity, the institution, the by exchanging lands which had nature, and the duties of the mini- been assigned to himself in the sterial employment; and afterwards different parishes for the clerical addressed them at large on the glebes; and that such exchange same subject, in a Latin oration, might be made upon a just estimate, exhorting them to reform the in- he procured a commission from the tolerable abuse of pluralities, which, Lord-Lieutenant, which executed as it brought a heavy scandal on its task with so much satisfaction to both parties, that all the persons such examples. But he acted with concerned requested a great seal much tenderness to all who were from his Majesty in its confirmation, distressed. An incumbent holding

Another concern which engaged two livings, had been persuaded to his attention was the nomination of farm them to a gentleman at a fresh incumbents to the benefices great disadvantage ; on which Dr. which had been vacated at the Bedell wrote to the gentleman, in abolition of pluralities. For this a dignified but courteous manner, purpose he was so strict in his recommending him to give up the examinations, that even when Mr. bargain : but having received a Thomas Price, who had been senior sullen and baughty answer from fellow of Dublin college under the him, he made the minister resign provostship of the bishop himself, both, as they belonged to his own presented himself for ordination, patronage, providing him with his examination lasted for two another benefice, and placing two hours. Unwilling to take on him- other worthy men in the two self the whole responsibility, after churches. Thus he put a stop at the fullest scrutiny into the religious, once to the gentleman's fraud and moral, and literary qualifications of the churchman's plurality. candidates, he used to desire the A fifth endeavour of his Lordship clergy, many of whom were always of Kilmore was the improvement of present, to investigate still further Visitations. These had dwindled as to any point on which they were to little more than matters of form. not satisfied, nor would he proceed Some slight inquiries were made, to the solemn office, without their and intolerable fees exacted. But concurrence. He then preached, the Bishop took these opportunities and administered the sacrament. of giving spiritual instruction, and It may also be noticed, that he would take nothing but what was would never be influenced by parti. by law and custom established, cular recommendations, that he which he employed in entertaining would never ordain any one presby- the clergy. And when there was ter, who had not been a whole year any overplus, he sent it to the deacon, and that (acting on the prisons, for the relief of the poor. same principles as when he refused At his visitations he made his clergy to pay fees for a title to his benefice sit with him and be covered, whenin Suffolk) he delivered into the ever he himself was covered, hands of the clergy their various wishing to avoid the appearance of instruments written by himself, and state. It is no wonder that these moreover accompanied them on endeavours at reformation excited leaving him, to the very gates of the opposition of chancellors and his house, lest they should give any other ecclesiastical officers. Nor fees to the attendants.

did his episcopal brethren themA fourth object with this con- selves second his endeavours as they scientious prelate was the inspection ought. Even the excellent primate of the lives of his clergy. Many of Usher, who stood by him longer the reformed incumbents were as than the rest, told him at last that immoral as their ignorant and the tide run so strong against him, scandalous predecessors; so that he could assist him no longer. But an Irisbman once said to him in he was not disheartened ; merely open court, ‘My lord, the king's thanking his Grace for having priests are as had as the pope's sanctioned his proceedings so long, priests !' He earnestly desired to and declaring that by the help of wipe off this reproach, as well for God, he would try to stand alone. the credit of the Reformation, as to He also corrected many abuses in hinder the pernicious tendency of his ecclesiastical courts, and by a