no remarks upon the meaning of the word ordinances, but I will ask, what kind of a christian country is that, in which no regular administration of christian ordinances has been yet established? There is one christian ordinance, which the missionaries would have done well to have established, before they had told us that the natives were christians. Will not the reader be a little csandalized, when he hears, from the mouths of these very missionaries, who boast of having converted these Otaheitians, "that formal marriages in relation to the natives at large do not take place in many instances, though the principle of the marriage union is strictly and almost universally observed.” 13. Pray what is the principle of marriage union? It would appear from this, that a deputation is much wanted to establish this as well as other christian ordinances, which the missionaries, who have been there these thirty years, have not yet done,. though I fear the deputation will return without accomplishing. any thing more than the others.

If other arguments were wanted to shew the unsatisfactory state of these poor natives, we might derive them from comparing different parts of their accounts. The inhabitants are supposed not to be less than 20,000. There are four stations, yet the Missionary Register for 1821, page 80, tells us that "the congregations vary from 3 to 800, occassionally much larger numbers attend." What then becomes of all the rest? Are they christians, too, who do not attend? Nay, will any one answer that they who do attend are christians?

Some people lay much stress upon the natives having cast away their idols. Yet we are told, in page 80 of the same Register, that the inhabitants of the Sandwich islands have done the same, though they have never had the advantage of a mis sionary among them.

I shall therefore conclude the whole of this article with an extract from one of the missionary's letters in these islands,. which I dare say contains much truth, and is the most faithful picture we have yet seen of the state of christianity on the South Seas. "We have had," says he,. " to mingle our tears of regret with our rejoicing, and it is with sorrow we view the prevailing influence of sin over multitudes of the natives. In this, as in every other part of the world, the number of those

who profess, is far greater than that of those who really feel the power of vital religion. While, therefore, we admire the astonishing effects of divine power in constraining the natives to abolish their cruel and sanguinary rites, we cannot but weep over those who are not only unacquainted with repentance unto life, but who evince a total unconcern about the salvation of their souls." 120.

Here ends the account of the London or Independant Missions. It is remarkable, notwithstanding all their glorious pro→ mises, that somehow or other the truth always comes out at last. The whole might be summed up in two words, which is applicable to all their missions, viz.-regretting the present state of affairs, and hoping for the future.

(To be continued.)

The Little Office of the Conception of the Immaculate and our Blessed Virgin Mary, in Latin and English ; being an entire new translation, with the Approbation of the Rev. Dr. Milner. Price 6d. ; bound, 10d.; in black and gilt, ls.

AMONG the many signs of the decay of piety in these times may be noticed the general disappearance of those good books of devotion which were formerly so common with both sexes; particularly those containing the offices of the B. Virgin, St. Joseph, and others framed after the manner and spirit of the general office of the church, and so dear to the piety of our ancestors. It is well known that these offices were the favourite and daily devotions of pious Catholics, and continued to be so till these latter times, when, as the faithful were gradually 'emancipated from restrictions, they began to lay aside their ancient practices of piety, and too frequently to fall into the indifference of their unbelieving neighbours, in the all-impor tant concerns of piety and religion.

Still there are many pious souls who have the religion of retiring at proper times, in order to pour forth their souls in

prayer; but who, from wanting the devotions of ancient times, the various imitations of the divine office, do not enjoy the full benefit of their piety. These devotions, next to the churchoffice itself, have the strongest claim to the practice of devout christians, from having been composed in the manner which the church has chosen for the prayers of her ministers. They are generally approved of by the pastors of the church, and are recommended by the practice of those of her children, who are most eminent for their religion and piety. They have moreover, in general, the sanction of antiquity to recommend them in preference to modern ascetic compositions.

To encourage the revival in this particular of the ancient spirit of devotion among the faithful, and more particularly to promote the veneration and invocation of the holy Mother of God, the present translation has been undertaken. The little office of the Conception was probably the most generally used heretofore after the little office of the blessed Virgin. Its singular beauty recommended it to many, and its brevity invited others who had but little leisure for vocal prayer. It is the daily devotion likewise of persons who are invested with the holy scapular. It is not unlikely however that many persons have been deterred from making use of it from the very obscure and uncouth translation of it made more than two centuries ago. The object of the present translation is to present the pious catholic with a version of this admired office, in which the sense and spirit of the original has been studiously preserved, while the hymns are rendered in a measure far more suitable to the present style of our language than the abrupt lines of the old translation. In this undertaking the pious translator has in our opinion been most admirably successful, and we most fervently join with him in desire that this little work may tend to God's greater glory-the increase of devotion tothe blessed Virgin and the salvation of souls, through the merits of her son Jesus Christ, and her own holy intercession,

PETITION OF POOR CATHOLICS.

To the Nobility, Gentry, and Public in general, professors of the Roman Catholic Faith, this Petition of "Poor Catholic Servants," most humbly sheweth,

THAT we, your petitioners, many of whom are converts to the true faith, are for the most part the offspring of poor and industrious parents, who have clothed and nourished us, till we were able to earn our own livelihood.

That, from the poverty of our parents, we were obliged, at an early age, to quit our native homes, and endeavour to maintain and provide for ourselves in the humble capacity of

servants.

That the greatest part of us have been born of Catholic parents, who, as far as their humble means would allow, have spared no pains to impress upon our minds a profound veneration for, and an ardent attachment to, the faith and doctrine of the holy Catholic church.

That we, your petitioners, have ever maintained the same veneration and attachment, and ever will to the end of our lives, notwithstanding the very heavy trials and difficulties which we have to encounter in our servitude; and which in a great measure are to be attributed to our living with Protestant masters and mistresses, who not only have a different mode of living and worship to the Catholic church, but are for the most part strongly prejudiced against us; and use various means and persuasions, to seduce us from the faith of our fathers.

That, in many places and many parts we are either wholly deprived of the consolation of attending to the duties of our holy religion, and of hearing mass, through there being no chapel where the family dwells; or through the restrictions under which we are kept, as regards time, &c.

That the object of our petitioning is, that while we are thus suffering, and forced to remain out of places, we behold in your service for the most part Protestant servants, who, as religion is not an object with them, might and are able to live anywhere'; but which is not so with your petitioners who value and

prefer their religion, to the most luc: ative situations in the world.

That we, your humble petitioners, do theretore most humbly submit our case to your consideration; soliciting you henceforth to employ and give encouragement to those of your own communion, many of whom are now labouring under great affliction from their inability to live under the restrictions and prejudices of Protestant families.

That, your petitioners, in particular, who are converts to the true faith, earnestly implore you to consider the trials under which they labour; being deserted and despised even by their own relatives and friends; and the great need they stand in of protection and instruction from their Catholic brethren, lest they be seduced back into their former darkness and

errors.

That, in the humble hope, your petitioners, from the least to the greatest, will meet alleviation and employment from you, professors of the same God and of the same church, they one and all, humbly present this petition to your notice and consideration. And as in duty bound will ever pray.

Signed in behalf of the petitioners by

A CATHOLIC FELLOW-SERVANT.

London, April 7th, 1823.

REV. MR. GLOVER ON CATHOLIC EMANCIPA

TION.

(Continued from page 89.)

"We now come to the reign of John, which we have already briefly noticed as the era of Magna Charta; a reign which proves beyond all question the argument here insisted on, that the faith of the Catholic has not been unfriendly to civil freedom, and that civil allegiance in one quarter is not inconsistent with spiritual submission in another. We know that Langton, then vested with the very highest ecclesiastical dignities, an archbishop of Canterbury, and a cardinal, and raised to that pre-eminence by the immediate patronage of the Pope, was one