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places, and for a short time, but the evil would speedily remedy itself. The lesson though painful, would be salutary to our political associates. They would learn the necessity of deferring to our wishes, and, instead of hazarding the repetition of defeat, would allow our chosen men to enter the Commons' House. Temporary loss would in such case be ultimate gain. A reconstruction of parties, so obviously needed by the requirements of our age, would be accelerated, and the imperishable principles on which our opposition to state churches is based, would become the rallying point of the most enlightened, compact and energetic body which has ever influenced the counsels of our nation. There is a vast amount of electoral influence afloat in society, which would speedily gather round such a party. The masses are with us, the common sense and common honesty of the people are on our side. As yet, however, they hesitate, and well they may, for we fail to impress them with the conviction of our being thoroughly in earnest. But let them once see the evidences of our faith, let them be made to feel that we rely on our principles with a confidence which never falters, and they will speedily be at our side to cheer on and aid our labours.

But what, it is natural to ask, should protestant dissenters do? What is their special present vocation, what the measures they should adopt, the course of action on which they should enter? To these enquiries a reply is rendered, by the second of the electoral resolutions adopted by the conference. There are two points to which this resolution specially adverts, the registration of voters, and the return of men who combine, with liberality of political sentiments, a thorough knowledge of, and earnest attachment to, our distinctive ecclesiastical principle of opposition to all state churches.' For the attainment of these objects, local organization is recommended, and we must take leave before closing our remarks to reiterate this counsel. A large number of dissenters are yet unregistered. This has resulted from various causes to which we need not now advert. Immediate steps should be taken in every county, city, and borough, to secure the registration of all qualified persons; and we are convinced that if this be duly attended to, it will go far to determine many future elections. County freeholds should also be looked to, and a disposition to secure them be fostered amongst our people. The Anti-Corn Law League has shewn what may be done in the latter case; and, it will be strange indeed, if the religious men of the empire cannot be aroused to equal zeal and sagacity in the pursuit of their yet nobler end.

But it is alleged that our great difficulty is to find suitable candidates. This was adverted to by several speakers in the Conference, and it obviously calls for the earliest and gravest

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consideration. If the case be as some assume, we had better at once relinquish our efforts, and resign ourselves to despair. The more private inculcation of our views is all which, in such case, we can wisely attempt; and the largest sphere of usefulness, the theatre on which most might, under other circumstances, be done for the truth of God, must be consigned over to those who impeach his supremacy and secularize his church. But is the case so? Are we driven to this alternative? Let us look at the matter calmly, and as wise men should. The difficulty affirmed to exist arises, of course, from the view taken of the qualifications held to be essential in a parliamentary representa tive. We have been accustomed to suppose that an independent fortune, or, as it is termed, a large stake' in the country, is one of these; and the difficulty apprehended is to find such in combination with an intelligent and earnest advocacy of our principles. We admit, at once, that we have few, very few, such men; and that, if this opinion be held to, we must forego the hope of a parliamentary representative of our sentiments. But the question recurs and we press it with all seriousness on our readers-whether this supposition be a correct one? We believe it to be erroneous, a delusion which has grown out of our aristocratical pre-possessions, and which must be got rid of, if our duty to the commonwealth and to religious freedom is to be discharged. We look to a parliamentary representation of dissenting principles as important, mainly with a view to the opportunity it would afford of instructing the nation in the nature and evidences of such principles. The members of the Commons' House speak within the hearing of all, and from a position which commands the attention, whether reluctant or otherwise, of the whole body of the people. The daily, weekly, and monthly press is perpetually employed in sending to the extremities of the civilized globe the things which are uttered in that house; and there is no calculating, therefore, the potency of the words there spoken. Our publications and lectures fail to make an impression on the popular mind, for the very obvious reason, that it is never brought into contact with them. They are read or heard by our own people only, while the debates of parliament are read by the nation at large; and whatever may be alleged to the contrary, are invested with a power to which no human agency is superior. What we specially need, therefore, is the return of men who know and deeply love our principles,-men who are thoroughly earnest in their advocacy, and are capable of giving them fitting utterance. Such men we have: they have been trained amidst us; are acquainted with our habits, our sympathies, and views; have mourned over the apostacy of the land from the truth of God,

CONDUCT AND DUTY OF DISSENTERS.

and must be summoned by the united voice of their fellows, to forego for a time the quiet and seclusion of domestic life, in order to consecrate themselves to this department of religious service. Such men, if legally qualified to take their seat, may forego the fictitious advantages of wealth and title. Their sincerity and fitness for the station will gradually work out for them a parliamentary status, more conducive to their object than any of the artificial distinctions of life. A nobler or a more useful sphere of labour does not exist on earth; and he will be thrice blessed who is found worthy to fulfil its high requirement. We confess to a deep anxiety on this point. All minor considerations fade away in its contemplation; and we wait to see whether the growth of intelligence and sound sentiments amongst us, be sufficiently advanced to permit the consummation of our hopes.

The providence of God has forced the protestant dissenters of these realms into a position of immense responsibility. If they evade their obligations, they will prove themselves unworthy depositaries of the truth, recreant to the principles they have avowed, and indifferent to the highest interests of their fellow men. Whatever pleas they may urge, conscience will reproach them with infidelity to their trust, and their children will listen with sorrow and shame to the indignant reproaches with which a future generation will load their memory. If, on the other hand, and we feel no slight confidence in this issue,-they meet their responsibilities with fairness and integrity; if, eschewing the favour and disregarding the frowns of men, they address themselves, in a deep religious spirit, to work out the emancipation of the church from secular controul; if, in a word, they combine practical sagacity with sound principle and prosecute their measures with the singleness of purpose and profound earnestness of men who realize a divine mission, then the God of truth will own them as his servants, generations yet unborn will exult in the beneficent tendency of their labours, and their Lord and Saviour returning to the church, from whose secularity and pollution he has retired, will find in it an appropriate dwelling, a satisfying reward for his former humiliation and sorrow.

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Brief Notices.

Latin Made Easy: an Introduction to the Reading of Latin, comprising a Grammar, Exercise Book, and Vocabulary. By the Rev. J. R. Beard, D.D. p. 220. London. Simpkin and Marshall.

THIS is one of the most valuable of the many books which have of late years been produced with the view of facilitating the acquisition of knowledge to the rising generation. We hail such attempts with satisfaction. When the scope of even high education was narrow, and confined to very few objects, it might be all very well to give the young student plenty of work, and to occupy much of his time in making the acquirements demanded from him. But now, when the circle of human knowledge is so greatly enlarged, and when varied and sound acquirements are expected, and will every year be more expected in those, whose manhood must be spent in that struggle for subsistence, which is constantly becoming more stern and difficult-it is no time to stand upon the obsolete ceremonies of routine education, which were framed for a state of things entirely different. Means must be found to enable our children to meet the changed condition of our social system, and of our intellectual culture, by assisting them to turn to the best account the precious leisure of their youth in acquiring, in the shortest possible time, the largest amount of solid knowledge.

To afford such help, in the acquisition of Latin, appears to have been the object of the present work. Dr. Beard says::

This manual, owes its existence to necessity. Having in vain tried to find an introduction at once sufficiently easy and systematic, the author was led to prepare one which should combine the qualities which lengthened experience had taught him to consider desirable. The work is constructed so as to be suitable to children of tender age, while it prepares the way for the higher attainments of riper years. In order to facilitate the labour which is generally found difficult and wearisome, the writer has striven to make the later as well as the earlier lessons easy to the learner; and for that purpose he has gone onward to the close of the volume by short and almost imperceptible steps.'

The mode of realizing this very useful object, which has recommended itself to the judgment of a writer of Dr. Beard's large and successful experience in liberal education, appears to us very judicious. The design is not only good, but skilfully executed; and we consider that we render a good service to parents and teachers, by recommending the book to their notice.

The Modern Orator, being a collection of celebrated speeches of the most distinguished orators of the United Kingdom. Parts I to V. 8vo. London: Aylott and Jones.

WE are suprised that such a publication as this has not appeared a long time since. In this book-making age, when men's brains are ransacked for some new schemes, none would seem to us more full of promise, or more serviceable to the commonwealth. The most celebrated speeches of Chatham, Burke, Pitt, Fox, Sheridan, Erskine, Grattan, Curran, Canning, &c., will form a collection which, for political philosophy and splendid eloquence, is inferior to nothing on record, and such is to be the work, of which the early parts are now before us. We have long desired to see such a publication, and have sometimes even contemplated bringing it out ourselves. We are glad, therefore, to introduce it to our readers, and to give it the full benefit of our recommendation. The parts before us contain the speeches of the Earl of Chatham, and of Mr. Sheridan. Short illustrative notes are introduced, and the price is such as an extensive circulation only will justify. Our own views of the plan of such a work would have been more fully met, if instead of printing the speeches of each man separately, they had been given as they actually occurred in the debates of the House, with a brief historical notice of the debates themselves. An additional interest would thus have been given them, and a fuller knowledge of our parliamentary history have been obtained. As it is, however, we strongly recommend the work to our readers, and shall be glad to find that it secures the patronage it merits.

Literary Intelligence.

Just Published.

The Annals of the English Bible. In two vols. 8vo. By Christopher Anderson.

Views of the Voluntary Principle. In Four Series. By Edward Miall. The Bridal of Salerno: a Romance, in Six Cantos. With other Poems and Notes. By John Lodge Ellerton, M.A.

Songs for social Arranged for four

The Family Choir; or Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual worship: the music selected from Handel, Haydn, &c. voices, and the pianoforte, or organ; the poetry by Watts, Wesley, &c. The London Medical Directory, 1845.

Fifty-three plain and practical Sermons. By Thornhill Kidd.

The Signs of the Times in the East; a Warning to the West; being a practical view of our duties in the light of the prophecies which illustrate the present and future state of the church and of the world. By the Rev. E. Bickersteth.

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