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frequent opportunities of free conversation, and of reading and expounding the Scriptures. In some instances, truth seemed to carry with it at least a momentary conviction to the understanding, but in others it was warmly opposed.

Turkish exactions.

May 23 The Greek priests of the prineipal convent told us that since the present war commenced, that is, within two years, the Turks have exacted from that convent

more than 3,000 purses. A purse, in the language of Turkey, is 500 piastres, a little more than $50, making a sum total of more than $150,000. As no Greek pilgrims now visit Jerusalem, the income of the convent is cut off, and they a e now obliged to borrow money at 12 or 15 per cent. interest. Should the present state of things continue long, they will necessarily find themselves extremely embarrassed.

Monastery of the Cross.

rabbies, and each individual of the assembly, repeat ed his prayers in a whisper, after bowing. They visited also the synagogue of the Caraites. There are but three families of this sect in the city. Here they were shown a manuscript copy of the Old Testament, said to be 400 years old, and two copies of the law in rolls, one of them said to be of the same age. All these manuscripts are without the points.

Tombs of the Prophets.

May 26. They went to visit what Jews, Turks, and Christians call the tomb of Samuel and his mother Hannah at Rama, now called Nabu Samuel, (the prophet Samuel,) two hours from Jerusalem. There is a mosque over it, and around it are a few stone huts inhabited by Arabs. They also visited, on their return, what the Jews call "the tombs of the last Sanhedrim," and also the spot venerated as the tomb of the prophetess Huldah, (2 Kings xxii. 14,) and the tombs of the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Uncertainty hangs over all these traditions.

In a conversation with his Arabic master, Papas Isa Petros, Mr. Fisk stated to him the ecclesiastical usages and religious opinions of Christians in America. To many of the particulars his answer was," like the first Christians," and he afterward added, that he thought the American churches must be more like the first Christians than any other churches at the present day.

May 24. In the morning we walked out to the Greek monastery of the Cross, west of Jerusalem. A little way from Jaffa gate we passed a collection of Turkish graves, and a large reservoir for rain water, at present dry. It is said to have been originally the work of David, and has been called by some travellers Gihon. See 2 Chron. xxxiii. 30. In 15 or 20 minutes from Jaffa gate we came to the top of the hill which overlooks Jerusalem. It is not, however, high enough to give a fair view of the city. You only see the castle, minarets, and domes rising above the wall. Thence we descended to the convent, which stands in a valley about half an hour from the city. It is called the monastery of the cross," because here is the earth, that nourished the root, that bore the tree, that yielded the timber, that made the cross. Under the high altar you are shown a hole in the ground, where the stump of the tree stood, and it meets with not a few visitants, so much verier stocks than itself, as to fall down and worship it." There is an old library in the convent. The books are heaped together in the utmost disorder. Among them there are some in Greek, Ethiopic, Syriac, and a large number in Georgian. TheSuperior told us that this monastery was built by theGeorgian Christians many centuries ago. There are no persons in it except the Superior and a few domestics. When we came away, they invited us to visit them again, saying, "The convent is yours," the Oriental way of saying, wealth and his readiness to use it in the "make yourselves at home."

In the afternoon of the same day they visited several synagogues belonging to the Spanish Jews, and one belonging to the Polish Jews, about 30 persons were present at one of these, and 40 at another. The roll of the law was read by one of the

During our residence at Jerusalem, brother Wolff occupied a room on the side of Mount Zion, near the residence of the Jews, with whom he laboured almost incessantly. Brother King and I had separate rooms in a Greek convent, where we "received all that came in unto us, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ." The preceding pages will give some idea have lately been encouraged by meeting of the manner in which we laboured. We with the Rev. Lewis Way, whose name is well known to you, and the Rev.Mr.Lewis from the university of Dublin, now a missionary from the London Jews' Society. Mr. Way has hired, for a year, a building which was erected for a Jesuit's college. I am now residing with him; he has repaired and furnished the house, and hopes it will be permanently a residence for missionaries, converted Jews, and Bible Society agents. He hopes to visit Jerusalem, before leaving the country, in order to commence some establishment there. His

service of Christ enable him to do much. When shall we see other rich men ready to leave their palaces, travel abroad, and expend their treasures, not in pursuit of pleasure, but in seeking the restoration of the long lost sheep of the house of Israel?

ANNIVERSARIES IN LONDON.

The following statement of the late Anniversaries in London is selected from the last number of the London Missionary Register. In giving this statement, "we shall confine ourselves to such parts of the official business of the respective Societies as may afford, in the smallest compass, a satisfactory view of their state and progress."

IRISH SOCIETY OF LONDON.

SECOND ANNIVERSARY.

The Morning Anniversary Sermon having been preached, by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, at Percy Chapel, on Tuesday the 6th of April, the Annual Meeting was held on the 7th, at the Argyle Rooms, Regent Street; the President of the Society, the Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, in the Chair.

The Evening Anniversary Sermon was preached, by the Secretary, the Rev. G. Mutter, on Tuesday, the 4th of May, at St. Paul's, Covent Garden.

The total receipts of the year were 3001. 9s. 5d. The Collections at the Anniversary

amounted to 1687.

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

ANNIVERSARY.

The London District Auxiliary held its Annual Meeting, at Great Queen-Street Chapel, on Wednesday the 28th of April; Lancelot Haslope, Esq., in the Chair. The sum raised during the year had been 57191. 17s. 4d., being an increase on the preceding year of 6051. Os. 3d.

Sermons were preached before the Society-by the Rev. Richard Watson, one of the Secretaries, at the City-Road Chapel, on Thursday Evening, April the 29th--by the Rev. Robert Newton, of Manchester, in Great Queen-Street Chapel, on Friday Morning, the 30th-and by the Rev. John Anderson, of Manchester, in China-Terrace Chapel, Lambeth, in the evening of the same day. Mr. Watson's Sermon was, at the request of the Committee, particularly directed to enforce the obligation under which this country lies of bestowing every practicable benefit on the West-India Slaves.

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On Sunday, the 2d of May, Sermons were preached for the Society, in all the Wesleyan Chapels in London and its immediate vicinity.

At eleven o'clock on Monday, the 3d, the Annual Meeting of the Society was held at the City-Road Chapel. Joseph Butterworth, Esq. M.P. was called to the chair;

the Rev. Henry Moore, President of the last Wesleyan Conference, having opened the meeting with prayer. The Report was read by the Rev. Richard Watson.

The collections at the various services and meetings connected with these anniversaries, together with donations made on the occasion, amounted to 1370.; being an increase of 1501. on the contributions at the anniversaries of the preceding year.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

TWENTY-FOURTH ANNIVERSARY.

The annual sermon was preached, at St. Bride's church, on Monday evening, May the 3d, by the Rev. Fountain Elwin. From Acts ii. 17.--And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh--the preacher showed, 1. The need of the divine influence, promised in the text, for the successful prosecution of missionary labours; and, 2. The encouragement afforded in the work, by the expectation of the plenary and ultimate accomplishment of the prophecy.

At twelve o'clock, on Tuesday, the 4th, the chair was taken at the annual meeting, in Freemasons' Hall, by the President, Admiral Lord Gambier, G.C.B. The meeting having been opened by the Noble President, the Rev. Josiah Pratt read an abstract of the Report; and was followed by the Treasurer, who, in addition to some remarks on the state of the funds, read the following passage of the Report, which had been omitted by Mr. Pratt as having rela tion to his own connexion with the socity

The Committee have now to state an arrangement in the Society's domestic concerns, which has been rendered necessary by the increase and great extent of its business. Additional help has been obtained, from time to time, in the Secretary's Department, as the exigencies seemed to require. The Secretary has occupied that office since December, 1802; in December, 1815, he was joined by the Assistant-Secretary; and, since June, 1820, Mr. Coates has devoted himself to the work of this department. The income and expenditure of the Society, by the amount of which an estimate may be formed of the extent of its business, are at present more than double what they were when the Assistant-Secretary entered on his office, and nearly one-third more than at the time of Mr. Coates's engagement with the Society. While the business of this department has been thus rapidly augmenting without an adequate increase of assis.

tance, the Secretary himself has been progressively butunavoidably withdrawn from that active share in it which he had so long taken; the Missionary Register having occupied the chief part of his time, as the proper conducting of that publication requires a constant and vigilant attention to all that is passing in respect of Missionary Exertions throughout the

world.

In consequence of the intimation from the Secretary that he felt it incumbent on him, on the grounds before stated, to retire from the responsibility of an office. the duties of which he had it no longer in his power to discha ge, and aware that the great augmentation of the Society's concerns required new and efficient arrangements in his department, the Committee entered into a full investigation of the nature and amount of the Society's business, in order to ascertain the measures which it had become necessary to adopt on the occasion. The result has been a full conviction, not only that a new arrangement of officers was required, but some addition also to their number. Two Clerical Secretaries being found inadequate to discharge the duties of the department, even with the very efficient assistance of Mr. Coates, and when the Secretary could devote his time more exclusively to these duties, it became necessary, not only that a Secretary should be appointed in conjunction with Mr. Bickersteth on Mr. Pratt's retiring, but that another Clergyman should be added. These three Clergymen, under the title of " Secretaries," together with Mr. Coates, to whom that of "Assistant-Secretary" has been assigned, will divide among themselves all the duties of the Secretary's office.

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On account of Seminary

37,051 3 2 2,221 4 1

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SIXTEENTH ANNIVERSARY.

On Friday, the 30th of April, and on Saturday the 1st of May, sales of ladies' work for the benefit of the Society, held at Willis's Rooms, King-Street, St. James's, produced about 2601.

On Thursday evening, the 6th of May, the annual sermon was preached, at St. Paul's Covent Garden, by the Rev. Legh Richmond, M.A. Rector of Turvey.

On Friday, the 7th, at noon, the annual meeting was held in Freemasons' Hall; the President, Sir Thomas Baring, Bart. M.P. in the chair.

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Payments of the Year.

Bibles and Testaments

Printing Reports, and stationary
Salaries of agents

Boat-hire and watermen
Rent
Sundries

Total

195 3 9

1.853 15 7

550 0 0

47 S 9

203 10 0 100 7 0

31 4 0

47 16 S

7.980 1 6

The Collection was 1097. 12s. 3d. The President announced a contribution of 100

guineas, in addition to former donations, from the Corporation of the Trinity House.

UNITED BRETHREN.

SERMONS.

May, the Rev. W. Marsh, of Colchester, On the evening of Friday the 7th of preached in behalf of the Brethren's Missions at St. Clement Danes. The Collection was 341. 2s. 3d.

On Monday evening, the 10th, the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, Rector of Albury, pleaded the same cause at the church of St. Catherine Cree. The collection amounted to 851. 12s. 9d.

Funds of the London Association.
The state of the Funds of the London
Association in aid of the Brethren's Missions,
for the year 1823, is as follows-

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Total

7. 12,426 0

Payments of the Year.

Annual Subscriptions

Jewish children

1693 5 6

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Donations and col. by individuals
Congregational Collections

1567 16 8

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EIGHTEENTH ANNIVERSARY.

The annual meeting was held at twelve o'clock, on Saturday the 8th of May, in Freemasons' Hall; the Marquis of Lansdown, in the absence, from indisposition, of the Patron, H. R. H. the Duke of Gloucester, in the Chair.

A discussion arose at the meeting in consequence of some declarations of Mr. Eneas M'Donald, an Irish Roman-Catholic Barrister, relative to the disposition of the Roman-Catholic Clergy of Ireland on the subject of Education. It appearing that Mr. M'Donald was not a subscriber, the discussion was closed; but he was invited to attend the Committee, and state to them his views and sentiments.

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Salaries

Printing, stationary, and incidentals

Total

223 18 9
153 18 1
93 15
267 8

415 0 0
531 19 6

Z. 1893 10 8

PORT-OF-LONDON SEAMEN'S

SOCIETY.

SIXTH ANNIVERSARY.

The Annual Meeting was held, at the City-of-London Tavern, at the same hour as that of the British and Foreign School Society. The Right Hon. Admiral Lord Gambier, G.C.B. was in the Chair. The Report was read by W. Cooke, Esq., one of the Secretaries.

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agents

Travelling charges

Purchase of Scriptures

Printing 80,000 spelling-books

Miscellaneous printing, &c.

Salaries, poundage, and gratuity Sundries

Assets.

7410 6 S

120 14 2

9 13 7 555 11 2

Total

Payments of the Year.

Supply of ministers for the chapel

246 12 6

Salaries of servants

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Repairs of the chapel Stationary and printing Sundries

Total

430 2 2

9 17 6

7.439 19 8

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Consols, 3 per cent. 13377. 4s. 5d.-4 per cent. annuities, 500%.-Exchequer bills, 10002.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY.

NINETEENTH ANNIVERSARY.

The meeting was held, at noon on Monday the 10th of May, in Freemasons' Hall.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL-UNION.

The meeting was held on Tuesday morning, the 11th of May, at the City-of-London Tavern, at six o'clock; Joseph Butterworth, Esq. M.P. in the Chair. The Report was read by Mr. W. F. Lloyd, one of the Secre taries.

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