hitherto been considered, from par ticular circumstances, as unfavourable scenes for such efforts. But the zeal of the clergy has disregarded these circumstances; they have made the attempt in a becoming spirit of faith and humility, and hope and love; and the result has exceeded their expectations, and crowned their pious wishes. This fact is important, because it may well encourage similar efforts in other places, where little hope of success has hitherto been entertained. There is evidently a spirit in the Church, and holy feelings among her members, which only require to be called into action, by zealous, pious, and judicious exertion; and it is not too much to hope, with humble confidence, that these will be brought into general and permanent effect in every part of the kingdom, in every diocese and ecclesiastical division of the country, until every parish and hamlet has its share in the holy work.

"It is therefore very gratifying to see in the country papers the long lists of places, where meetings have been, or are to be held on behalf of the Church in the colonies, that their ligious destitution may be relieved by the efforts of the same Church at home. Parochial associations are forming in numerous places, to carry on this good work permanently; and it is felt that every effort to which the members of the Church in this country are thus called, on behalf of the suffering members abroad, facilitates similar exertions for all the important objects of the Church at home. It is the sound feeling of the Church called into an active operation, upon sound principles, and under Church direction, and looking to that blessing which alone can give it any value. Well, therefore, may we all join in fervent prayer, that such feeling and such effort may abound on every side, and be richly blest by the mercy of our God, and of his Christ. Much remains to be done, but that blessing will make the accomplishment of it easy and delightful.

"I remain, Rev. and dear Sir,
"Your faithful servant,
"JOHN NOVA SCOTIA."

"The Rev. the Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel."

"To the Rev. the Secretary.

"Kenwyn, near Truro, Sept. 2, 1839. "Reverend Sir,

"I have little time for fulfilling your wish of sending you a statement of my progress in attempting to advance the cause of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel throughout these counties; but the following brief sketch may perhaps answer your purpose: :

"I began on Sunday, the 11th of August, by preaching in the morning at St. Andrew's chapel, Plymouth, in the afternoon at Stonehouse, and in the evening at St. John's, Devonport, on behalf of the Society. The con gregations were large, and the collections of a very unusual amount. On Monday the Lord Bishop held his visitation, and both in his charge and after the visitation dinner, brought our cause and my mission before his clergy, and expressed his full approbation of it. On Tuesday, the 13th, his Lordship took the chair at our public meeting at Plymouth, and spoke most ably for half an hour in opening the proceedings of the day. The meeting was in all respects most highly gratifying. Such an attendance had never been known before in Plymouth, and the interest of the meeting on the subject was marked and most encouraging. In the evening of the same day a meeting was held at the Town hall, Devonport, which was filled with a most respectable audience: the clergy both of the town and neighbourhood took a hearty interest in our cause. The amount of the collections and increased subscriptions from these towns alone amounted to 157. 16s. After the Devonport meeting, the Archdeacon of Totnes took me on to Modbury: whence we went in the morning to Kingsbridge, holding a meeting there in the morning, and at Kingsbridge in the afternoon. At each of these places we formed District Associations for the surrounding parishes; and the clergy of the neighbourhood who were present undertook for themselves and their neighbours, that they would at once form their parishes into Parochial Associations. Our collections were, Kingsbridge, 47. 15s. 6d.; Modbury, 41. 5s., besides many annual subscriptions of all amounts, My

plan, I may mention here, has been throughout, to form as many parochial associations as possible at once, and get the names both of subscribers and collectors before the meeting separates. Many are led to join us heartily, while the great facts of our case are fresh in their recollection, who would probably defer joining us otherwise, until other subjects had effaced their first impression. On Thursday, the 15th, I preached, by the appointment of the Lord Bishop, at the consecration of Bickleigh church, which has just been magnificently rebuilt at the sole cost of Sir Ralph Lopez, the patron; and thus had an opportunity of bringing before all the principal laity and clergy of this part of the county the case of our Society. On the 16th, I went on to an important agricultural station, Lifton, meeting the neighbouring clergy at dinner, and having afterwards a service, at which the whole neighbourhood attended. The congregation, indeed, was crowded, and exhibited a lively interest in the cause of Church of England missions, then for the first time, probably, brought before very many of them. All the clergy present undertook for their own, and many of them (in the name of their brother clergy) for the neighbouring parishes, that each should forthwith be formed into a parochial association; and we collected in the small sums of hearty givers, 4l. 1s. 11d. at the church doors. On the following day two meetings were held in Tavistock, at both of which I explained fully our case, and preached for it the next morning in Tavistock church. The growing interest of the people, with the increase of knowledge on the subject, was strikingly exhibited here. Last year it was scarcely deemed fit for Dr. Short to hold a meeting; and when he did so, about two pounds were raised for the cause; this year our collections reached twenty-six pounds, besides gaining a large accession of subscribers and collectors. The officiating minister takes up the subject warmly, and, I doubt not, will prosper in it. Your district secretary also is most active and effective here. On Sunday evening I went on to Milton Abbots, another agricultural centre, and here again

preached to a congregation, full of attention, and so numerous that the fine church overflowed largely into the churchyard: 91. 8s. were collected; a very large sum, being made up of the widows' mites, the pence and halfpence of the labouring poor. Here, and all round, parochial associations, I trust, will flourish. The following day I met the Bishop of Exeter at his visitation at Liskeard, and again was enabled by his lordship to introduce the subject to his clergy there assembled. The following day he took the chair at our meeting at Liskeard, supported by the mayor and all the leading gentry and clergy of the neighbourhood, and a numerous attendance of the town's people. Parochial associations were again formed, collectors' names obtained, and 11. 7s. 1d. collected at the doors. The following day the district secretary took me to Tor Point, where an excellent meeting was held and an association formed; 41. 88. 8d. was collected in the room, and a large body of subscribers enrolled. On Thursday I proceeded to Callington, preached for the Society, and afterwards held a meeting in the Town Hall our collections reached 61. 13s.; and we set up, or obtained engagements to institute several associations in that neighbourhood. Our next meeting was at Bodmin on the following day, when the Bishop again presided; and on Saturday evening Wadebridge and the neighbouring parish of Egloshayle were formed into an association, at a meeting at which 41. 15s. was collected, and the foundation of several parochial associations in the neighbourhood was laid. On Sunday morning, the 25th, I preached at Bodmin, collected, with the collection after the meeting of Friday, 18. 12s. 3d., and then went on to preach at St. Austell in the evening, where 10. 17s. 3d. was contributed in the church. On Monday, the 26th, the Bishop again took the chair at our meeting at Fowey, which was filled, after his lordship had left the room through indisposition, by the Hon. G. Fortescue. The most lively interest in our cause was here displayed; and a body of zealous collectors formed, under the vicar of the town. Eleven pounds were collected at the doors.

Tuesday, the 27th, I preached at Lostwithiel church, to a highly respectable congregation, who contributed 81. 68. 5d. to our funds. A parochial asso

ciation was to be formed the following Thursday, Mr. Fortescue undertaking the office of patron. Thursday, the 29th, I proceeded to St. Columb, and at a most gratifying meeting in the evening, formed a parochial association there under the best auspices: 91. 6s.2d. was collected in the room, and annual subscriptions amounting to almost six pounds entered. The following evening a meeting at St. Austell, at which Mr. Tremaine, of Heligan, presided, was most respectably attended, and 9l. 9s. 10d. were added to the Sunday's contribution. On Sunday morning, Sept. 1, I preached to a magnificent congregation at St. Mary's, Truro, when 31. 15s. 4d. were collected at the doors. In the evening, at a sermon at Redruth, I brought the subject before the mining population of that large district, and collected a little above five pounds for our cause. are to hold meetings at Truro and Redruth this afternoon and to-morrow, under the presidency of the Lord Bishop, and again in the evenings, for the poorer classes.

We

"Upon the whole, I thank God that our success has been great and evident. Our collections have been throughout almost twice as large as those usually made for similar objects; and what is of far more importance, in almost every single instance I have been heartily welcomed by the laity and clergy. If it please God to prosper me, I do, indeed, trust, that through his blessing, a safe foundation for general parochial associations is being laid throughout these two large counties: Even in parishes which were thought pre-occupied by other societies, the attempt of introducing our own has been hitherto eminently successful; and we have had some most gratifying instances in which the clergyman was previously almost ignorant of our true character, and therefore devoted to other instruments, where, after the statements made at the meeting, he has united with me in declaring, that, however useful other societies may be, we have the first claim. In these cases it has hitherto appeared that

VOL. XXI. NO. X.

other causes have suffered no loss, whilst we have been at once put at the head of the list.

"Let me have your prayers, Reverend Sir, that God's blessing may rest on my endeavours, and that his work may be done in this matter simply, solidly, and lastingly.

"I am ever, your obedient servant, "SAMUEL WILBERFORCE. "Our collections hitherto amount to 3351. is. 2d."

The Hon. and Rev. S. Best, who has kindly undertaken to advocate the Society's cause in the counties of Wilts and Dorset, says, "I have now attended several meetings, and have been much pleased throughout with the zeal and ferventness in the cause that has been shown. I have taken the opportunity of pressing on each meeting the importance of acting parochially, and have pointed out the facility and readiness with which this may be done. It gives me great pleasure to report that a strong feeling in favour of this system appears to be awakened, and all parties are beginning to apprehend the real strength of their position, and how important it is that the Church, which, in the establishment of this very Society, set the example of missionary exertion, should take up and carry out its great principle.

"I have now to mention the establishment of an association in my own parish; and I have reason to be thankful for my success. Our population is 560, and entirely agricultural; and yet, exclusive of my own family's subscription, I shall have, I hope, to remit nearly five pounds, raised, with only one exception; in sums under five shillings, and the greater part of it in shillings, sixpences, and pence. I preached on the subject on the Sunday evening, but without a collection, and gave notice of the meeting at the school-room on the following evening. I then engaged some of my farmers' daughters to go round, and, in delivering the papers as notices, to use their influence, which, they did with success; and I hope, that as the subject becomes better understood, (ás I shall endeavour to make it, by circulating two or three copies of the Re4 N