LETTER FROM THE DONCASTER CIRCUIT. IN the month of May last we opened a new chapel for the worship of Almighty God in Ashorn. I preached in the morning and evening, and Mr. W. Staley, of Sheffield, in the afternoon : the collections were upwards of £21. On the 16th of September a small but neat chapel was opened in HadfieldWoodhouse, by the Rev. Jos. Hollingworth, from Sheffield, who preached two excellent and impressive sermons on the occasion. The collections amounted to nearly £10. This week Messrs. Morley, Wilton, and Cheriman, purchased at Thorne a house, ground, &c., for £600, where we are going immediately to erect a commodious chapel, to be opened on the third Sunday in June. Never did I witness in any Circuit, for these forty-six years, such zeal for the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ, as in this. But these facts are only stated as an introduction to other subjects. At our last Quarterly Meeting it was proposed, That One Guinea Quarterly should be contributed, out of the funds of the Circuit, on behalf of the Schools at Kingswood and Woodhouse-Grove. The proposal was unanimously approved ;' and the Circuit-Stewards have advanced the sum of four guineas as the subscription for the year; and also addressed a letter to the General Treasurers on the subject; from whom they have received the following answer:— Leeds, Nov. 25th, 1825. "VERY DEAR Brethren, "Accept our sincere and affectionate thanks for the prompt and liberal manner in which you have rendered assistance to the schools at Kingswood and Woodhouse-Grove, and for the kind and truly Christian letter with which you have favoured us. Please to present our grateful acknowledgments also to the Stewards and friends who have so freely and unanimously cooperated with you. Were every Circuit to act like yours, the schools would soon be relieved from their present embarrassments. It is a duty which we owe to you and the Institutions we officially serve, to report your spontaneous and valuable liberality; and we shall strive to do it in such a form as may be least objectionable to yourselves. Our prayer is, that Almighty God, whose cause you are labouring in so many ways to support, may enrich you, and the whole Circuit, with the abundant and perpetual dew of his blessing. We are, very dear Brethren, your truly-affectionate servants, "T. STANLEY. "J. HANNAHl." "Messrs. Morley and Wilton, Doncaster." proposed, That One Guinea per Quar- ter should be subscribed to the Fund for P. S. Our Missionary Contributions this year will amount to upwards of £420. Dec. 1825. DEAR SIR, THE earnest attention of the Committee having been solicited, by certain Members of the Society, and also by many of the Committees of its Auxiliaries, to the propriety of affording aid, from the Funds of this Institution, to the circulation of Foreign Editions of the Scriptures, which contain the Apocrypha; the subject was referred to a Special Committee, appointed for that purpose; from which, as well as from the General Committee, it has received the mest mature consideration. The result we are instructed to transmit to you in the subjoined Resolution. It is our fervent prayer, that the har.. mony which has hitherto subsisted among the Members and Friends of this Institution, both at home and abroad, may be preserved to the latest age; and that the Society may long continue to prove a blessing to the Christian Church, and also to the world at large. We have the honour to remain, Dear Sir, Your faithful and obedient Servants, JOSEPH HUGHES, Secretaries. November 21, 1825. At a Meeting of the Committee, sum moned for the purpose of receiving the Report of the Special Committee, ap. pointed on the 1st of August, to consider the proceedings and communica. tions on the subject of the Apocrypha; The Report of the Special Committee was read and received. The Committee, in accordance with the spirit of the recommendation in the Report of the Special Committee, adopted the following Resolution; viz. That the Funds of the Society be applied to the printing and circulation of the Canonical Books of Scripture, to the exclusion of those Books, and parts of Books, which are usually termed Apocryphal; and, that all copies printed, either entirely or in part, at the expense of the Society, and whether such copies consist of the whole, or of any one or more of such Books, be invariably issued bound; no other Books whatever being bound with them; and, further, that all money grants to Societies or individuals be made only in conformity with the principle of this regulation." November 28. At a Meeting of the Committee, specially summoned to confirm the proceedings of the last Meeting; The Right Hon. Lord Teignmouth, President, in the Chair; The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. Extracted from the Minutes, JOSEPH TARN, Such is the Resolution which, after much debate, and a long contest, has been carried in the Committee of this great Institution. For ourselves, we confess, that we regret that a measure so binding, and so detrimental to the operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in aiding the circulation of the Scriptures of the Old Testament in Catholic Countries, among the memhers of the Greek Church, and among some classes of foreign Protestants, should have been adopted. The point is not, Whether any persons at home are favourable to the circulation of the Apocrypha, for its own sake ;-not whether the British and Foreign Bible Society should themselves print versions of the Scriptures with the Apocryphal writings,-for this we understand the minority in the Committee were willing to concede, for the sake of peace;-not whether we are at all unset led respecting the canon of Scripture;-but, Whether grants should be afforded to foreign Societics, for the printing of the canonical Scriptures, without imposing upon them, at the same time, the condition of not mixing with them, or appending to them, the Apocryphal Books, either received by their respective Churches into the canon, or stamped with various degrees of reverence. On such a question as this, we decidedly think, that the parties might have agreed without any sacrifice of principle; and also that they ought to have united upon this basis, both out of regard to mutual concession, and for the sake of keeping open that interesting field of usefulness, which the Continent of Europe, and that of South America, presented; and which will now be closed, or greatly narrowed, to the operations of the Society. This has been sacrificed, as far as we can see, for no real practical end whatever." since every body, of any knowledge at all, knows that the Protestants of this country, do not consider the Apocryphal Books of divine authority. We fear, too, that no small degree of popular misrepresentation on the whole question, has been sedulously spread through many parts of the country; and we are equally persuaded, that if the votes of all the members of the British and Foreign Bible Society could be taken on the question, fairly and dispassionately proposed, the vast majority. of Subscribers would declare against a Resolution so rigid as that which the Committee has adopted, and especially against the two latter clauses of it. It especially strikes us, as going much beyond the bounds of moderation, to make it a positive regulation, that all the copies shall be issued bound; which was evidently done to prevent any person from binding up the Apocrypha with them. Surely if any Subscribers choose to do this, they ought to have been left at liberty; or to bind up for themselves, or for their neighbours, had they chosen to do it, at their own expense, a Prayer-Book, or a HymnBook, or any other book they might think would conduce to edification, and for which the Bible Society could not have been responsible. It is a large infringement upon the liberty of Subscribers to prevent this. The debates which have already existed are, however, too painful for us to wish them to be continued. It will, perhaps, be more prudent for the members generally to submit for the present to this illiberal Resolution, and to wait for the sidence of that feeling which has been stirred up, to call the attention of the Committee to its reconsideration. VOL. V. Third Series, JANUARY, 1826. E b Relating principally to the FOREIGN MISSIONS carried on under the direction of the METHODIST CONFERENCE. AMONG the circumstances of the Year which has just closed upon the efforts of our friends, in behalf of our Missions throughout the Connexion, we feel bound specially to notice the extension of Branch Societies into the villages of the different Circuits. In many instances this has been done from the beginning; but of late, owing to the honourable and enlightened zeal of many of our official friends, in different Circuits, supported by the kind co-operation of the Preachers, several Circuits have adopted it as a principle, that both Christian duty and Christian privilege require that every Methodist Society and congregation, in every village of a Circuit, ought to have a regularly-organized Branch Society, with its Anniversary Meeting, its Committee, Officers, and regular Collectors. With this view, in the Nottingham, Newark, Doncaster, and some other Circuits, Branch Societies have been formed by the visitation of the Preachers, Travelling and Local, and other friends, who have devoted now and then an evening for this purpose; and thus, at very little expense for travelling, the public of those retired places have been called together to learn the state of the heathen world, to praise God for the successes and progress of his Gospel, and to offer the aid of their Christian liberality in behalf of interests so important to the world, and so dear to the hearts of all who love our Lord Jesus in sincerity. We cordially thank those who have thus formally adopted so noble a principle, and have so effectually acted upon it; and we most earnestly recommend its general adoption, throughout the kingdom, as a most effectual means of raising the annual amount of the General Fund, so as to prevent those embarrassments which must otherwise arise from the late great extension of our Missions, and to provide the means for those new efforts to which we are obviously called by openings of Divine Providence. Nor are considerations of weight wanting to enforce this upon the attention of our friends everywhere. If the affording of aid to this blessed work were a burden, it would be but just that it should be shared among all our Societies and congregations, and the influence they can command, that in all, as the Apostle speaks, there may be "an equality." But this is not the view taken of this great, and lofty, and all-inspiring charity. The high vocation of the whole Church is, to shine as the light of the world; nor ought any individual Christian to be prevented, for want of the opportunity which is afforded by the organization of such Missionary Societies, from taking his share in thus enlightening the world by the diffusion of the Gospel. The knowledge too which is thus communicated, on the condition of heathen nations, to the body of pious people, living in retired parts of the country, is of great importance to impress them both with deeper convictions of the value of the Gospel, in the light of which they walk, and with sentiments of gratitude to God for this inestimable benefit. That sympathy for perishing millions is thus spread, which surely ought to pervade the whole Church; and an increasing number of powerful and effectual prayers, for the coming of the kingdom of Christ, are thus called forth, and must bring down from heaven richer effusions of divine influence upon the universal cause of truth and righteousness, and upon the labours of those who are engaged in promoting it at home and abroad. It is thus, too, that the natural spirit of selfishness, which is so contrary to the spirit and character of true Christianity, is most effectually subdued, and the sanctifying habit of living, not to ourselves, but to Him that died for us, and rose again, is encouraged and matured. How important is it also, to train up the young of all our congregations, to this zeal for Christ, this universal benevolence, this public spirit; and to give them a share in the grace and benefit of the work of evangelizing the world! Nor are those high interests and hopes to be overlooked, which are excited in the bosom of the pious, by the intelligence of new conquests obtained by the Saviour whom they love, and the new honours which are thus accumulated around his adored name; sentiments the most pure, elevating, and rich, which even grace awakens in the spirit of a believer; and which, more than any other, connects him, while on earth, with the church above. To lay it down, then, as an explicit rule, that wherever there is a Society of Christians, great or small, in town, village, or hamlet, this company of lovers and friends of Christ shall be united into a Branch Missionary Soeiety, associated to spread the savour of His name, as they may have opportunity, to the ends of the world, is what we recommend to the Preachers of every Circuit, and to the Officers of every Auxiliary Society. It is easily carried into effect, by holding a series of evening meetings in the way practised in the Circuits above alluded to; and not only will the means of supporting and extending our Missions be thus greatly increased, but the most happy and important effects, by God's blessing, will follow upon the intelligence, the feelings, the character, and the joys, of thousands of the friends of Christ, who now are but very partially acquainted with the operations and successes of Missions. SOUTH SEA MISSIONS. NEW SOUTH WALES.-Extracts from the Journal of Mr. Horton. MARCH 14th.-I revived our Windsor Sunday-School, which was first established by Brother Carvosso, but afterwards relinquished for want of a suitable person to conduct it. Sixteen children attended. such is the apathy of the people, that only two attended the meeting; so that we could scarcely do any thing. 19th.-1 called on a man and his wife, who had been Members of our Society in Yorkshire, and many of whose friends are Methodists. The woman acknowledged with sorrow, that she had suffered great spiritual loss, and both promised to attend the chapel and return to the Lord. April 2d.-I went with the Rev. John Cross, the Chaplain who resides at Windsor, to Wilberforce, to form a Bible Association for that district; but 7th. A gentleman said to me, that he was particularly struck with the sermon on Sunday last, and asked if I intended it to have any personal allusion. I assured him I did not design it for him in particular, but for the He said benefit of all who heard me. he felt a good deal concerned about religious matters, and that his mind had been much affected in reading the Memoir of Captain Tripp, which was inserted in one of our Magazines that I lent him. In early life he was intimately acquainted with that excellent man, which rendered the account E 2 of his conversion, and subsequent piety, the more interesting. 10th. In going to Sackville-Reach, I stopped to look at a place where a party of natives had lately encamped. The only huts they erect are made of large pieces of bark placed in a reclining position against each other, or against a fallen tree, in the form of a roof. In travelling through the bush, many trees are to be seen from which the bark has been stripped off for this purpose. These temporary coverings they make wherever they choose to lodge; under them they sleep, with a fire in the front during the coldest and most rainy weather; and when they rise in the morning they abandon them without concern. 11th. At Sackville-Reach I first examined the children of the SundaySchool, about seventeen in number. In general they answered my questions very pertinently, and I distributed among them a few rewards. I was pleased to find that several of them have good voices, and are learning to sing. The congregation assembled at eleven o'clock, and were, as usual, very attentive and serious. 17th. I had a profitable journey to Emu Plains. Riding through the bush, where there is no variety of scenery to divert the attention, is very favourable to meditation. 18th. At half past eight this morning, upwards of eighty were present, all of whom were as silent and as solemn as death. Surely our labour here will not be in vain. I baptized two children immediately after the service, and then proceeded to Castlereagh, where, after preaching, I administered the sacrament to nine communicants. At Windsor, in the evening, about fifty persons attended, and though I was somewhat fatigued, I trust we all found it good to be there. June 19th.-I called on as many families as I could at Castlereagh, to talk with them about spiritual things, and invite them to attend the house of God. Some were thankful, all were civil. Household visitation is an important branch of ministerial labour in this colony, where so large a majority of the people attend no place of worship whatever. For some time past the natives in the neighbourhood of Bathurst have committed dreadful outrages. 21st. I observed to-night what I have frequently seen before, a tree on fire within, and unburnt without. The inside of the trunk was burnt quite holJow, like a funnel, and the fire streamed out of the top, and through several apertures where branches had broken off. The bark, being less combustible than the inner wood, was untouched. It had a very striking appearance, and the more so as the night was exceedingly dark. 27th. The inhabitants of SackvilleReach have solicited me, by a petition, to preach to them every month; which I shall henceforth endeavour to do. Forty persons were present at the service this morning. The children of the School have made great improvement during the last quarter. Eleven of them read to me very well in the New Testament, which not one could do three months ago; and a year since scarcely any knew the alphabet. July 4th. Two persons were present at the Castlereagh Class, who never attended before: they seemed to have good desires. 17th. Our friend Mr. Scott and I called on several families between Castlereagh and Emu Plains, with a view to form a Sunday-School. There are here about a dozen children old enough to be instructed, but they do not know a letter. The parents were all willing to send their children except one. A horrid circumstance occurred in this neighbourhood last week. A dispute arose between two men who were at work in the bush, when one of them hit the other, and then threw him on the fire, where he was so much burnt that he died a few days after. 31st. The black natives of this country possess remarkable acuteness of sight. They can distinguish at a distance of seventy or eighty yards, the motion of the grass which is occasioned by the creeping of a serpent, from that which is caused by the impulse of the wind. They can also trace human footsteps with unerring sagacity, where, to the nicest observation of Europeans, no vestiges are discernible; and they can even distinguish between the track of a white man and that of a black. A person at Castlereagh having lost some clothes, applied to some blacks with whom he was acquainted to assist him in discovering the thieves. They traced the track of their footsteps to the edge of the river, and having found it on the other side, they pursued it over long grass, and even large portions of bare rock, for four or five miles, until they came to the very hut where the bundle of clothes was found. Aug. 13th.-On my way to the Nepean, I called at a house in which a most atrocious murder was perpetrated last Sunday night. Two convict servants killed their master at the instigation of his |