of the plants, when the defendants obliged him to desist, and to quit the place, leaving behind the plants which he had rooted up. Some evidence was given to show, that Mrs. Mackie, before giving up possession, had had license from George Soden, the incoming tenant, to leave the box upon the premises till it could conveniently be removed. The case ultimately turned upon the question, whether growing box were such an article as could be removed by a tenant during the term. On this point, the plaintiff was nonsuited, with leave to move to enter a verdict for one shilling damages.

Mr. Humfrey now moved accordingly. The strictness of the law with respect to things annexed to the freehold has been relaxed in modern times, and the rule, as deduced from the cases in Amos and Ferard on fixtures, p. 77. is, "that a tenant is entitled to take away certain things which he has at his own expense affixed to the demised premises for the purpose of ornament and furniture. And the principle on which this rule is founded appears to be, that as annexations of this nature

S. P. G.-TEWKESBURY.

THE First Annual Meeting of the newly formed Tewkesbury Committee of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, was held at the National School-room, Tewkesbury, on Monday, the 10th ult. at twelve o'clock, the Rev. C. White, Vicar of Tewkesbury, in the chair. The report for the year was read by the Secretary, the Rev. J. Frederick Hone, in which the necessity of increased exertions in the Society's behalf was strongly urged upon all present. The accounts were audited, from which it appeared, that in subscriptions and donations, 74/. and upwards had been collected in Tewkesbury and throughout the deanery of

Winchcomb, in the course of the preceding year, and that great hopes were entertained for future increase. Several resolutions, embodying these sentiments, were then moved and seconded by the gentry and clergy present; and the meeting separated with a strong determination to uphold and advocate the venerable Society's interests in the towns and villages of the deanery.

S. P. G.-CHELTENHAM.

We have great pleasure in directing the attention of our readers to the statements and arguments so forcibly and eloquently urged by the Lord

* 6 Bingh. 473.

Bishop of Gloucester, at a meeting lately held in behalf of the above Society.

The LORD BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER, on taking the Chair, enjoined all present to assist, pursuant to the constitution of the Society, in commencing the proceedings of the meeting with prayers; which were very impressively read by his Lordship. On resuming his functions as Chairman, his Lordship said:-It is the customary duty of the Presidents of meetings, such as this which I have now the satisfaction of addressing, to open the deliberations by explaining the general position of affairs relating to the Society, its purposes and means, its present operations and future prospects. But you are all fully aware that the object of the Society is the Propagation of the Gospel in the British Settlements; and that it has existed for as long a period as one hundred and thirty-three years. Its great purposes are, to establish missions, to appoint faithful and zealous pastors, to build schools, to found and endow colleges, and by all other expedients to promote true religion in North America, in the East and West Indies, and in other parts of the world. It is allowed, I believe, that, in the United States, the establishment of the Episcopal Church is mainly attributable to the exertions of this Society, before their separation from the mother country. In order to educate Missionaries who might be duly qualified for the sacred labour of diffusing the knowledge of the gospel, and spreading the light of its truth through heathen nations, colleges are supported by this Society, in Nova Scotia, in Barbados, and in the East Indies. At this time the Society is in peril—it is, in fact, in an alarming crisis-the cause of which it is necessary that I should fully explain. Until the year 1813, the British Government made provision for Clergymen of the Establishment in the British Colonies in North America; but at that period an arrangement was made with this Corporation, that in consideration of receiving certain sums by annual grants of Parliament, the Society should conduct the church department in those provinces. The money yearly paid was about 15,500l, and that was al

lowed until two years ago, a crisis when there was the greatest anxiety amongst the friends of the Society and of the Church to promote its objects, and establish still more extensive missions, rendered necessary by the great influx of emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland: at that very moment, when they were contemplating the necessity of still further extending their establishments, an announcement came on the Society like a thunder-bolt, that the Parliamentary grant was to cease, and that "the Society must for the future take care of itself." Repeated representations were made — but in vain to induce the Government to revoke their determination. All that could be done was to prevail upon them to render the reduction of the allowance gradual; so that it should fall first to 12,000l., then to 8,000l., then to 4,000l.; and in the next year cease altogether. But, though the arguments and remonstrances of the Society failed to produce any other effect, the representations from the Colonies have induced Ministers to relax in some degree from their resolve, and to make a small provision for Clergymen who have already undertaken their high, important, and responsible situation, on the implied faith of Government. The missionary, on the faith of that assurance, has established his family and himself in a far distant land, in the wilderness; and has in some cases expended his slender means in building a parsonage house. Government has now consented to apply to Parliament for 4000l. which, with other aid, will enable the Society to pay to the missionaries three-fourths of their original salaries; he who had received 200% per annum receiving 150l. and all others in the same proportion. But, though the existing missionaries may thus be provided for; still, as no allowance is to extend beyond their lives, or their capability of discharging their several duties, but is, in effect, to cease with them, -as far as the public question is involved, or the interests of religion concerned, even this concession will do little. As soon as by sickness, death, accident, fatigue, or bodily infirmity, the present missionary shall cease from his labour, no provision whatever is

The

to be made for the maintenance of a successor.-It is not for me to impugn the motives which led to the withdrawal of the original grant; the necessity of reducing the national expenditure, and a due regard to economy, were, I doubt not, the only reasons:-but this part of the subject cannot be mentioned without expressing a deep feeling that an act of great injustice and impolicy has been committed. Had his Majesty's Ministers been members of the Society, and thereby known its excellent and laudable objects, and all the good that it has accomplished, they would not have cut off part of its supplies. But they did not, they could not, know the almost boundless extent of good which their proceeding has arrested. The measure was one not only of great hardship to those concerned, but of great impolicy; for I appeal to history, and to the knowledge and experience of all, whether there is any bond of union amongst nations so strong as that of worshipping at the same altars and maintaining the same form of religious belief. With respect to Canada, we are now endeavouring to relieve the mother country by forced emigration to that portion of our Colonies; and as the majority of the emigrants have from childhood been accustomed to worship their God in the bosom of the Church of England, an additional number of Clergymen would consequently be required to minister unto them in their new station;

instead of which we are threatened with a reduction of those previously employed. It is indeed impossible to say what will be the consequence, unless the good and pious feeling of the Christian community, by which our efforts have heretofore been zealously supported, should enable the Society to uphold their establishments in still greater efficiency. Think of the state of religious and moral destitution to which the poor emigrant will be reduced in remote lands, when he has no longer the means of looking forward to the customary mode of employing the Sabbath in the service of his God; or of consulting his Clergyman as he was wont; when his children can no longer receive the sacred rite of baptism; nor his sons

or daughters the holy ordinance of matrimony; and he himself, at the close of his career, deprived of the last consolations of religion, can look forward only to the burial of a dog. But this is a painful subject, and I wish to leave it. I must, however, call your attention to the manner in which the missionaries have conducted themselves. Those who have read the reports of the Society will find in them ample testimony of as much piety and zeal-as much labour, mental and bodily--as much hardship patiently endured-and as much fortitude displayed, as there can be found on record from the time of the Acts of the Apostles down to the present day. I refer to these facts with the more gratification, as I find them fully confirmed by the Bishop of Nova Scotta, Dr. Inglis, whose name I mention with pleasure for two reasons:-first, because I have the honour of his acquaintance; and secondly, that I have recently had the satisfaction of receiving a letter from him, acknowledging in grateful terms the exertions made by the Clergy of my Diocese in behalf of this Society and of its missionaries.-The Bishop of Quebec, Dr. Stewart, has published an Address to the British public on behalf of the Canadian Missions, from which I will read you the following passages:

:

"The emigrants, of whose sacrifices in leaving their homes, their friends and relations, their Church and their pastors, I have already spoken, are for the most part constrained upon their arrival in Canada to go into new settlements, or rather to commence making them, at a distance, for some time at least, from the comforts and even necessaries of life, and almost without the means of communication to enable them to procure assistance from those who are in more favourable circumstances. In addition to these privations, a great proportion of them are destitute of the services of the Church, of the benefits of public worship, of the offices and consolations of the minister of the gospel. It is this want, this loss, this distress,aggravated to them by the recollection of former experience, and to be judged of in some degree by you, who

at present enjoy these blessings denied to them,-which we call upon you to relieve. We ask you to give them means to supply themselves with the ministrations of the Church, or to provide for sending them pastors to dispense with them; we ask you to contribute not only by present bounty, but by continued yearly subscriptions, to their temporal and spiritual welfare in things most valuable, things heavenly and eternal. You must be

sensible that no people have a stronger claim on your charity as fellow-christians, on your best sympathies as fellow-subjects and countrymen; many of them formerly your neighbours, some of them more closely connected with you by ties of friendship and affection, perhaps of kindred.

You

have many comforts which they want; add, then, to their comfort and your own by giving of your substance in their cause, for the honour of God, and the promotion of religion.'

Before I quit this portion of the subject, there is one observation which I cannot suppress, because it makes the claim of the colonies on the religious sympathy and support of the British public irresistible. We came into possession of those provinces by conquest; and however gratifying to the national spirit it might be to attribute our success chiefly to the prowess of our arms, and to our own valour and heroism; still a higher and juster feeling tells us that success should be ascribed only to the favour of the Almighty. However we may have exulted in the conquests of Cape Breton and of Canada, we should never forget that it was the God of battles that fought for us, and secured us the victory over nations greater and mightier than ourselves. I appeal, therefore, not to your charity only, but to your gratitude to the Almighty. With regard to the East India missions, there are some present who will recollect a celebrated paper, published in a popular Review, condemning all attempts made to propagate the religion of the gospel in those countries. The chief argument made use of was, that the superstitions cherished there were of a kind that our missionaries would wage war with in vain. Yet since that time, we have had several episcopal churches founded there. The excel

lent and exemplary Bishop Middleton was the first in the field; and though his own most valuable career was prematurely cut short, yet he opened to his successors that way which they have so successfully followed. I remember to have read that, however horrible, however atrocious, the self-immolation of the widows, any attempt to abolish the practice would lead to rebellion. However, the present Governor-General, Lord William Bentinck, issued an order for suppressing the suttee, and it has been suppressed; and yet we find that no rebellion has been the consequence. On the contrary, all accounts represent the country as better satisfied with his government than with that of his predecessors. Then I have heard that it would not be right to attempt to suppress the tribute paid to Juggernaut; and yet, two years ago, the Board of Directors sent out an order to suppress it, as far as the Company was concerned, and it was done; yet no rebellion, no disturbance, whatever ensued. I have now before me a late dispatch of Bishop Wilson, and from that you may know how he feels on these points, and his reliance upon the operations of the Society. It is true, however, that he does not seem aware of the danger that now threatens it, or of our not being longer able to afford them that support by which so much good was effected.

"At the distance of more than half the globe, my sacred functions impose on me many painful sacrifices, which nothing can so much tend to relieve as the affectionate confidence of your incorporated Society, the oldest of the Protestant mission bodies in Indiaand the most signally successful-and well capable of taking a fresh and vigorous spring, and starting off in a new career of sacred enterprise. Amongst all the means of propagating Christianity which are entitled to my support and none fail of some claims to it-the Venerable Incorporated Society may rely upon my first and warmest cooperation, to the full extent of the instruments with which she furnishes me, and the character and piety of the men whom she sends out. India seems now waiting for the doctrine of salvation. Europe is overwhelming Asia with her commerce,

All

her arts, her literature. Hindooism and Mahommedanism are crumbling under their own weight. They cannot bear, as they were not designed to meet, the day. Education is bursting the barriers of ages. To pour in the tide of life over these dead and barren deserts to prevent the turbid waters of deism and semi-infidelity from polluting and defiling the regions which they cannot fertilize-to make the transition from idolatry and superstition to Christianity direct and briefto send the missionary, the Bible, and the Sacraments, and the other apostolical institutions of our Church, wherever the heathen priesthood is discardedto erect the modest christian edifice on the ruins of the deserted mosque and pagoda-this is the high office of England, the only Protestant nation amongst the dominant powers of Europe, and which is now entrusted with the most magnificent empire ever appended to a western sceptre."

I must say this eloquent, this feeling expression of sentiment, reminds me forcibly of that which I may now consider as almost a prophecy, in a beautiful Poem by Mr. Grant, President of the Board of Control, who has a chance of seeing his prediction fulfilled.

I will say no more of India, but this; without the co-operation of this Society all that could tend to realize the heavenly results thus ardently anticipated, must be cut off. All its means, derived from the contributions of the Parent Society, and of the District branches, and the annual interest of its funded property, if taken altogether, would not amount to more than 12,000l. per annum; and it will take the whole of that sum, with the small allowance from Government, to keep up the Missions in North America only.The appeal that we now make, is made to the whole christian community; and we do most anxiously hope it will impress upon every one the necessity of endeavouring to support this good and sacred work; for it is in the power of every one to further it, not only by his own subscription, but by recommending it to his friends. In the Diocese of Gloucester, last year, the contributions made, on hearing of the blow that had been struck, amounted to above 400l. which placed us conspi

cuously amongst the Dioceses of England. But when I look into the list, I see how it may be done much more effectually by small subscriptions in distinct parishes. I find, for instance, at Sittingbourne, in Kent, the population of which is about 2,180, the subscriptions (none of which exceeds 5s.) amounted to nearly 50%.; now the population of Cheltenham is more than twelve times greater than that of Sittingbourne. The town of Cheltenham, besides, is known to all the world; and may well take the lead among the parishes in England, in the furtherance of such a work. There is, in fact, hardly any place the example of which is likely to be more influential than that of Cheltenham,-with reference to the circumstances of its inhabitants, and to their ability to do good; let it only be understood how great and crying are the spiritual wants of our fellow-subjects. Much as I have occasion to apologize for having thus long occupied your attention, I must, in concluding, touch upon one point of great public importance:-the condition of the Negroes in the Colonies; whom this country has, by the most noble act ever performed by a nation, emancipated at a vast pecuniary sacrifice. On such an occasion as the present, I feel, and all, I am sure, will agree with me, that no allusion should be made to topics calculated to excite political differences or discussions. But with respect to Negro emancipation, I may, without infringing that rule, observe, that the act was, in itself, a noble one. As to the time, and mode of carrying that emancipation into effect, all may not quite agree with the authors of the measure; but all must agree that the traffic in Negroes was opposed to all christian principles. Property in the flesh and blood of our fellow-men, ought to be done away with. It is my own opinion that it should have been done earlier, and by more gradual means. Had Christianity in the West Indies been more extensively propagated, instead of such momentous duties being left in the hands of ignorant enthusiasts; had the Church been our earlier care, that which has now somewhat precipitately taken place might have been effected gradually and with safety,