BRERETON is a village in Cheshire, situated within 5 miles of Congleton, and 3 of Sandbach. An old manorial residence, of which the first stone was laid by queen Elizabeth, was long in the possession of a family of this name, which was extinct in the early part of the eighteenth century. The estate subsequently passed into the hands of Mr. Bracebridge, and then became the property of a Mr. Howard. The Hall, it may be added, is the "Bracebridge Hall" of Washington Irving. Brereton church, dedicated to St. Oswald, is within a stone's throw of the Hall. It is a plain building, in the perpendicular style, encompassed with trees; among which are one or two venerable yews, standing in the churchyard. The original chapel was built in the reign of Richard I.; but it is doubtful whether any traces of this ancient structure remain in the present building. One of the large windows on the north side of the chancel was formerly filled with stained glass. The subject contained four figures, representing the persons who slew Thomas à Becket, and a fifth, supposed to be Henry II. By an instrument yet extant, it appears to have been portrayed by order of sir W. Brereton, in 1608. Perhaps the object of most interest in this church at present is the armour, supposed to have belonged to lord Brereton. The harness is suspended from the north wall of the chancel. The shirt, to which the rings have been attached, remains: they, however, have dropped off. It is surmounted by the helmet bearing the family crest. Below these hang the gauntlets and spurs; and above the whole was a banner, of which only the staff is left. Attached to the wall, on the same side of the chancel, is a monumental tablet with a Latin inscription, to the effect that, this church being in ancient times a donative chapel in Astbury parish, the ancestors of sir W. Brereton, baron of Malpas, who erected this monument in No. 977. 1618, were buried in the churchyard of Astbury*. It may be added that at the census of 1841, the population of Brereton was 667. Jews ... 10,037,277 14,508 1,207 218,773 The number of protestant churches is 8,164, and of protestant clergy 6,139; or 1 church to every 1,223, and 1 ecclesiastic to every 1,623 protestants. The Romanist churches are 5,156, in which 5,605 clergy minister; or 1 church to every 1,176, and 1 ecclesiastic to every 1,082 Romanists. ITALY. Mr. Gabriele Rossetti, late professor of Italian literature at King's College, London, Savonarola:" "If you desire to know in detail makes the following statement in the "Eco di the extent of the moral army which Rome maintains in the Italian peninsula, or rather the whole * Hall's "Baronial Halls, &c., of England." body of priests, &c., which prop up its enormous superstition, you have but to take a glance at the statistics of the various European states. But, as for us Italians, without taking any account of the four millions and a half of jesuits who infest our land, it were well for us to consult the tables of our best statistical writers, for the purpose of ascertaining the numbers of the moral police which the pope makes use of in support of his doctrines. In Piedmont, with a population of 4,500,000 individuals, there are 4 archbishops, 26 bishops, 52 vicars-general, 1,500 canons and chaplains, 4,000 parochial priests, 7,300 religious persons (i. e. monks and nuns) of the two sexes, and 3,000 ecclesiastics; in all 15,882. In the island of Sardinia, the population being 500,000, we find 3,000 lay and clerical persons in the church; and in the kingdom altogether there are 428 monasteries and convents. În Tuscany, the population of which is 1,500,000, there are 8,757 secular priests, 2,540 regular priests or monks, 3,900 nuns in 210 convents, making a total of 15,197. Before the Leopoldine law there were 300 monastic institutions, which had a yearly endowment of 98,000,000 Tuscan livres (see 'Serratori, Statistica d'Italia,' Florence, 1852). In Naples, with a population of 6,000,000, we find 26,304 secular clergy, 11,394 regular and monks, and 9,512 nuns-total, 47.210. In the island of Sicily, which has 2,000,000 inhabitants, there are 316 monastic establishments, containing 15,182 monks In Rome alone, which has a population of 150,000 souls, we have 2,000 secular priests, and 4,000 religious persons of both sexesaltogether 6,000; and in the other states of the church the priests amount to 20,000. There are, in fact, 122,471 priests in all Italy, dark in soul as in vesture. Such is the spiritual army which distracts the poor peninsula! Is this compatible with pure Christianity and social freedom? And to hold the soil in subjection it requires 120,000 Austrian bayonets, besides these 122,471 priestly soldiers, all at hand to destroy the bodies and pervert the morals of the people." and nuns. BIBLE SOCIETIES.-The British and Foreign Bible Society has an income of upwards of £108,000; and during the last year it circulated 1,154,541 copies of the bible and New Testament; making a total of 25,402,309 copies put in circulation by it since the date of its foundation. The French bible society, nineteen years ago, had an income of little more than £300; in 1851-52, it had increased to £6,000 and upwards. It now gives employment to 200 distributors, and since it was established has circulated 3,500,000 copies of the bible and New Testament. The bible society in the United States of America is annually extending its operations. Last year it circulated 672,800 copies, and since its first formation has issued 7,572,697. The Prussian bible society cir-culated 57,611 bibles, and 17,202 New Testaments last year. From the time of its institution it has issued more than 1,500,000 copies. In Austria and Hungary, where 36,328 copies of the scriptures had been put in circulatiou in eighteen months, all further distribution of the bible by protestants has been interdicted. THE JEWS OF CONSTANTINOPLE.-The most ancient part of Constantinople proper is, by way of distinction, called Stamboul. We are told that at no very remote period many Jews had their abodes there; but at present none make it their place of residence. Nevertheless, this part of the city is of great importance in a missionary point of view. Thousands of Jews flock daily to its bazaars and markets: the shops in the streets are almost exclusively occupied by them; and they are found besides in many other places. Nor is Stamboul of less consequence in regard to foreign Jews. Its numerous khans (inns) are open to all men, of whatever quality, condition, country, or religion. Most of the foreign Jews, therefore, of various parts of the globe, are there to be met with. For the benefit of these sons of Israel, the London Society's mission has opened a depôt in this quarter, where, besides the sale of the scriptures and the distribution of tracts, opportunities offer for preaching the gospel by word of mouth. Half an hour's row up the Golden Horn brings us to Balat, which may be well called the Jewry of Constantinople. It is one of the oldest settlements of the Jews, and contains near 3,000 families. This community has eight synagogues, besides many Yeshiboth and private-meeting houses. The public schools consist of nine or ten rooms, having on an average fifty or sixty children each. On the other hand, Balat is the dirtiest and most squalid portion of the city: the houses are wretched, many of them half underground, and at the same time very densely peopled. Most of those who live here are poor, and have to struggle hard for a scanty subsistence. Here also is the bulwark of rabbinism, the Beth Din or court of justice, where cognizance is taken of all litigation among the Jews. This building has a dark subterraneous prison for the incarceration of the refractory of disobedient of the community; but it is a power which is nearly annihilated; for all can now claim the protection of the Turkish laws. In the neighbourhood of Balat there are also other places, where smaller numbers of Jews are found" (Jewish Intelligencer, No. 214, 1852). CHINA. "It will be interesting to you" (observes the rev. W. A. Russell, in a letter to the secretary of the Church Missionary Society, dated Ningpo, April 11, 1852) "to know that Yuoh-yi, one of our converts referred to in former letters, has accompanied me in my excursions, and fre quently addressed his countrymen in so clear and impressive a manner as often to bring tears from my eyes. He has considerable ability in stating truth in a definite and forcible way-so much so that, if, by the grace of God, he be kept humble, and enabled to obtain clearer and more realizing apprehensions of the all-sufficiency and inestima ble preciousness of that Saviour on whom, I feel satisfied, he is now entirely resting, I shall look forward to his becoming a valuable agent in furthering the cause of Christ among these poor peo ple. In the alphabetic system he is making con siderable progress, and through it is rapidly gaining an extensive acquaintance with the scrip tures. The harassing persecution, to which be was subjected after the burning of his house and his entrance into a new residence, he has borne with Christian fortitude and patience. .... Our other converts, too, with the exception of one bap tized by the bishop at Hong-Kong, give us much satisfaction, especially Ling-teh, our servant, whose Christian spirit and exemplary character are .... ruly gratifying. At present I have three candi- female, arranged in classes, who recite what they Fates for baptism, all parents of children, who are have read or heard of the lessons assigned them. eceiving their education at our little day-schools, Sixty-five of these are learning to read. A numnd who, I believe, have been in a great measure ber of heads of families have in this way become fluenced to attend our preaching by what they able to peruse intelligently any part of the New ave heard from their own sons. On the Testament. One mother has read it repeatedly, hole, the present aspect of things here to my from beginning to end; and another has comind is very favourable. In attestation of this, I menced translating the Old Testament from the Bill mention a conversation which took place the ancient into the modern Syriac. So interested ther evening, after family prayer, between have some of them become, that, wherever they Kuoh-yi and a neighbour, who has been a very go, the spelling-book is carried in their bosoms; gular attendant at our services latterly. Yuoh- and their leisure noments are thus occupied in i was alluding to the difficulties in the way of spelling out the words. Facts of sacred history he progress of Christianity amongst his own peo- from the Old and New Testament, learned in le, assuming that elsewhere they could hardly these schools, are now the common topics of conave been so great, and expressing his fear that versation and inquiry among those who were for.. or a long time they would not be removed. This merly listless and uninterested. As a natural reeighbour interrupted him, and asked him to re-sult of this, a closer and more intelligent attenall his thoughts to the state of things here a few tion is given to the preaching of the gospel; and ears ago: Then,' said he, 'you are aware how there is also an increasing attendance on the means luctant the Ningpo people were to allow their of grace. Nor is this all. Every village-school ildren to go to foreigners' schools; whereas at is a preaching station; and, though the number of present, if one hundred schools were opened by the native preachers is insufficient for so many places em in this city alone, they would not have room of worship, the teachers of the village-schools are nough for all the boys who would be glad to go generally priests and deacons, either pious or them. And why?' said he. Because their pa- evangelical, and can, therefore, hold regular ents see that their children are far better instructed meetings on the sabbath. Who can estimate the them than in their own schools, even in their amount of good which is effected, directly and wn character, and in addition are taught to read indirectly by the educational efforts of the ooks which all can understand, which is not so mission? All the more populous villages on the with their own, on the alphabetic system. Now,' plain of Oroomiah, with one exception, are supaid he, this is some progress made, and some of plied with means of education; and some of the he difficulties removed. Again,' said he, you smaller places are also provided for. At no preemember how sometime ago all the women spoke vious time have there been so many persons under arshly against foreigners, whenever they saw instruction; and the increase has arisen, not from em passing through the streets; but now you any special effort on the part of the mission, but ee how very different it is; for, instead of speak- from a juster appreciation of the value of educag harshly of them, on the contrary they say tion on the part of the people. Applications for hey are far better behaved than their country-schools, in repeated instances, have been denied Here is another step gained and other dif- for want of teachers and funds. The progress of culties removed.' All of which Yuoh-yi ac- the pupils is represented as commendable. And nowledged. From my own observation, too, I the friends of missions are already apprised that an see that the people are much more friendly the course of instruction is thoroughly scriptural" isposed towards us than they used to be.....(Communication from rev. Mr. Stocking). Some time ago even our teachers were ashamed o be seen with us in any public place. At our hapels, too, I see the number of regular attendnts increasing, and the attention of all far more ixed and definite than it has hitherto been. On he whole, I cannot help feeling that the Lord is aving his way prepared among this people, and hat ere long, if spared, we shall be privileged to ee his truth telling largely upon them." SABBATH SCHOOLS. The Nestorians of Droomiah.-"On the sabbath, especially, the chools are a medium of religious teaching, not nly to the pupils, but to the people generally, in e form of Sunday schools. The scholars recite, the presence of their friends, such portions of ae bible or question-books as they have learned ring the week. A great amount of scriptural nowledge is thus treasured up in their memories, hich may in due time bring forth a precious harest. But there are other benefits accruing to the estorian community from the educational system troduced by our missionaries. The sabbath hools are a means of awakening a desire on the art of the people to become acquainted with the ord of God. In the different villages there are o hundred and sixty-three adults, male and en. H. S. PROPOSED OPENING OF THE CRYSTAL HOWEVER strongly some may advocate the Sunday fair, and however much others may be afraid to express the objections they do entertain, nobody of the shallowest comprehension can help seeing that there must of necessity follow a vast increase of sabbath-breaking. In a year or two it may be boasted no very numerous cases can be traced to the Crystal Palace; but it must have time to work. It is a perfect farce to talk of going to church in the morning, and to Sydenham in the afternoon. There will be less and less scruple of conscience. Thousands, who would have felt no restraint in the ordinary peaceful round of sabbath observance, will be invited, tempted, and go. Beginnings of a less alluring form have led * From A Letter to the right hon. the earl of Derby, &c., &c., &c., on the proposed opening of the Crystal Palace on the Lord's Day." London: Seeleys. 1852. |