God is calculated to produce a beneficial effect, will not be denied; but it is niost gratifying to find this effect so powerfully produced upon the description of persons referred to men who, from their station in society, have necessarily very limit ed means of religious instruction, and who from the very nature of their calling, are continually exposed to temptations of the most dangerous kind, to the seductions of idleness and vice on the one hand, and (even if well disposed) to the taunts of folly and wickedness on the other. Nor is this anticipation of the effects produced founded only upon an abstract view of the subject; for it is from actual observation of the lives and manners of those men who now read their Bibles, compared with their former general character and conduct, that the Society speak thus confidently of the happy consequences resulting from the study of the Word of God. The Committee announce the formation of the "Glasgow Auxidiary Naval and Military Bible Society," and "the Glasgow Female Association" attached thereto. The formation of local committees is an object to which the attention of the Society has been directed, as being next in importance to the establishment of auxiliary societies, both in facilitating the distribution of the Scriptures, and as afford. ing the means of extending the knowledge of the Society, and procuring for it further countenance and support. Soon after the last general meeting, a most efficient local committec was established at Edinburgh, under the patronage of the officers at the head of the naval and military departments there, supported by Various officers in both services, and several of the most respectable inhabitants. Owing to the arrangements conséquent on the reduction of the army, and other circumstances, the local commmittees at sw foum wod bbs yo1632 1991 Woolwich and Colchester have been dissolved: depots of books, however, have been continued at those places; and others, by the obliging co-operation of zealous friends of the Society, have been established in Dublin and Exeter. At the former important station, a room at the royal barracks has been promised by the general officer commanding the troops in the garrison, in which to establish the depository for the issue of Bibles and Testaments from the head-quarters of the army in Ire land. With regard to the funds of the Society, we are sorry to find a deficiency of 1681. 13s. 6d. in meeting the expenses of the last year. A principal cause of this diminution is to be attributed to the Committee not having considered it right, under the peculiar circumstances of the times, to make those appeals to the liberality of the public, through the medium of their clerical friends, which on former occasions have been so productive. The whole of the receipts of the last year were little more than 10007.: the expenses incurred have amounted to 1236l. 7s. 8d. The annual subscriptions, including the arrears paid up during the past year, do not amount to 400/.; while more than 3301. have been received from private soldiers themselves, in return for Bibles and Testaments supplied; of this it is most pleasing to state, that nearly 2001. have been remitted by the army in France. Of the remain. ing part of these contributions, two remittances from corps in England are specially acknowledg ed; namely, the sum of 347. 10s. sent by the officer commanding the 36th regiment, as a tribute of gra titude from that corps for the Bibles and Testaments the men had received; and the sum of 14, 3s. 6d. from the soldiers of the 38th regiment, remitted by their manding officer under similar cir "cumstances. In referring to these 2019514 181 9131) Military Bible past items, the Committee invite particular attention to such manifest and satisfactory proofs of the earnest desire evinced on the part, of the soldiers to obtain the holy Scriptures; in pursuance of which the amount of their contributions has this year nearly equalled that of the stated annual subscriptions. There has been a considerable addition to the list of annual subscribers, particularly from officers of both branches of his Majesty's service; in which another proof is afforded of an increased regard for religion, among this important class of the community. In order to give greater facility to the circulation of the Word of God in the Navy and Army, it was thought expedient to make a further reduction in the prices at which Bibles and Testaments are to be sold to sailors and soldiers; at least with reference to those of the sizes calculated for more general use. This has been done with a view to encourage their sale in preference to gratuitous distribution; thereby bringing the books more within the reach of sailors and soldiers desirous of having them for their own use, or that of their families, and making it unequivo cal that the desire is prompted by proper motives, whilst the funds of The Society are thereby relieved of a part of the original cost of the Bibles and Testaments thus put into circulation. *Above 4000 Bibles and 6000 Testaments have been issued within the year; of which 1250 copies have been sent to the army in France; nearly 2700 to garrisons in the colonies, and troops embarking for foreign stations; above 3400 to corps, regimental schools, barracks, and hospitals at home; and not less than 2700 to the crews of men of war now in commission on the peace establishment; making altogether an issue of above 10,000 copies of the Word of God in the Navy and Army since the last General Meeting. On account of the pressing demands made from other quarters, it has not hitherto been found practicable to direct much attention to the supply of the British troops serving in the East and West Indies; but the Committee baving learned, that an earnest desire had been ma nifested for the holy Scriptures amongst the soldiers in the king's service at Bombay, which, from a want of books, that Society had the mortification to find themselves to tally unable to supply, the Com mittee felt it their imperative duty to afford the Bombay Bible Society the most prompt and effectual aid; and 250 Bibles, with 500 Testar ments, were accordingly shipped, in the first vessel sailing for that set. tlement, consigned to their secre, tary, with a request that the Com mittee would undertake the distribution to those British sailors and soldiers whose wants had become known to them in the course of their pious exertions in the general cause of the Bible Society in India. Another instance has more recently occurred, in which the So ciety has been called upon for a supply of the Word of God, most earnestly solicited by some British soldiers, through the medium of the Missionaries sent to the heathen several hundred miles up the country from Madras; and a consignment of 200 Bibles and 400 Testaments is now on its way to those truly pious and active servants of God, for distribution to sailors and soldiers serving in that part of Bri tish India. The destitute situation of the West-India Black regiments has also occupied the attention of the Society; and they look forward with anxious expectation to the time when increased funds shall enable them to supply those hitherto neglected men with the holy Scriptures, that all among them who thirst may, as well as their European brethren in arms, drink of the well of living waters."We need scarcely add how much we The chief of the new provisions **"are as follow: We have been for some time lookoing for a suitable opportunity of abstracting the very important Act bipassed in the last session of Parliament, (and which begins to be in force from December 31, 1817,) to consolidate the laws relative to the Clergy; and, therefore, gladly avail te ourselves of a few pages of our Appendix for the purpose. We agree with the Bishop of Llandaff, though -ic for somewhat different reasons, that this law for the government of the church is of "greater consequence 5 than any ecclesiastical law which has been made since the Reformastion." It is, as his lordship states, a Bill" to regulate the conduct of the Clergy in every thing relating r: to their residence, the performance of their spiritual duties, the extent of their temporal engagements, and ad the payments to which the Benevd ficed Clergy are subjected, when notheir duty is performed by a cuo rate." To the probable effects of Csome of the provisions adopted in it we have alluded on former occa- sions, and may possibly again take up the subject at some future period. For the present, we give 9 only an abstract, without com ment; referring all parties interisested to the Act itself, for the miinuter details. 1 Section 1. repeals such of the -provisions of 21 Hen. VIII. cap. 13., 28 Hen. VIII. cap. 13., 13 Eliz. cap. 20., 14 Eliz. cap. 11, 976 18 Eliz cap. 11., 43 Eliz. cap. 9., and 3 Car. I. cap. 4., as relate to spiritual persons holding farms; to moleases of benefices and livings; to buying and selling, and to residence; and such of 12 Ann. stat. el s2ncap. 12., 36 Geo. III. cap. 83., as relate to maintenance of curates The acts of 43 Geo. HI. cap. 84. from Geo. III. cap. 109.,669 Geo. Spiritual persons, holding any dignity or benefice, or in any wise ecclesiastically engaged, may not take to farm more than eightyacres, under penalty of 27. yearly per acre; except by consent in writing of their diocesan, setting forth the term of lease, which must not exceed seven years. Penalty may be sued for by informer. No spiritual person holding any dignity or benefice, or otherwise ecclesiastically engaged, shall, by himself or any other for him, carry on any trade or dealing for profit; or deal in any goods, wares, &c. Nothing in this Act is to extend to any spiritual person for any buying or selling in relation in any wise to the management, &c., of a school, &c.; or for the bona fide purchase for his own household, (although resold at a profit), of any articles whatsoever; or to the purchase or sale of corn or cattle, &c. necessary or convenient for such lands, &c., as he may lawfully hold; unless he sell the same in person in a public market, &c. The penalties on beneficed personsfor non-residence without licence or exemption, except they reside at some other benefice, are as follow: - For from three to six months, one-third; from six to eight months, one-half; above eight months, two thirds; and for twelve months, three-fourths of the value of the benefice, &c.,' after deducting all outgoings, except the curate's salary. Penalties, with costs of suit, to the informer. Beneficed persons having no house of residence on their benefice, and residing nine months in the year (within two miles of the church or chapel) in the city, parish, &c., in which the benefice may be situated, are not required to take out licence, but are to be deemed and returned as resident by the bishop Houses purchased by Queen Anne's bounty, although vinot in the parish, but contiguous, The bishop may in his discretion after approval in writing and under, grant licence for non-residence in enseal of the diocesan, and entry in writing, setting forth the cause of registry, are to be deemed houses such grant, in sundry peculiar v. of residence to all intents and pur- cases; such as as itness or infirmity poses. In all cases of rectories of the minister, his wife, Tor ehild; having vicarages endowed, resi- want of proper parsonage; occudence in the rectory-house by the pancy of another house in the same vicar, is to be deemed legal resi: parish; holding another benefice or dence; provided the vicarage- licensed curacy; being master or usher of an endowed school; hold. house be kept in repair, to the sasatisfaction of the bishop. ing an endowed lectureship, cha pelry, preachership, &c. &c. In case of the refusal, on application, of such licence, an appeal may be made to the archbishop of the province. ايد The bishop may, where there is eno house of residence, belonging to the preferment, allow any fit house thereto belonging to be the house of residence. oben Sundry enumerated persons, and any others specially exempt by unrepealed acts, are declared not liable to penalties for non-residence, during the period in which they shall be in actual attendance on their several duties, but may account such period as legal residence*. Dignitaries residing at cathedral Te churches for certain periods are exempted, and provision is made for cases in which the year of resi›dence at cathedrals commences at any other period than the first of January; but a bishop may license for a longer period, if the duties of a cathedral require it. 3 Dignitaries in cathedral or collegiate churches, appointed previously to this Act. are exempted ...from the penalties of non residence on their benefices, so long as they 1 shall be actually resident on their dignities. Spiritual persons, nonresident, who shall not keep the parsonage-house in good and suffi cient repair, and shall neglect to put the same into repair within the time specified after monition, shall forfeit all, protection, from licence or exemption, until the repairs be effected to the satisfaction of the bishop. ཝཱ The persons enumerated in this section are the chief officers, heads of houses-professors, &e. in the two Uni2)versities-chaplains cathedral clergy,^ &c. &c.. red The diocesan, if he see fit, may grant licence for non-residence in non enumerated cases, and in such case may assign any salary to the curate employed; and, in case of the incumbent's ab sence from the realm, he may grant and renew such licence, without application, and appoint, curate and salary where none, or to increase salary where he sees fit, out of sequestration: but, in all nonenumerated cases, na licence to be valid until allowed and signed by the archbishop after examination, by himself or his commissiouer, of the reasons set forth by the diocesan for grant of such licence. Every application for licence for non residence must be in writing and signed; and may not be granted, unless specifying whether the incumbent intends to perform the duty;-and if so, where and at what distance he resides; and if he intends to employ a curate, what salary be proposes to give whether the curate is to reside in the parsonage, &c. &c. Licences for non-residence are revokable by the grantor or his successor; and in no case to be in force for more than two years from the 31st December immediately following the grant of such licence; and in case of revocation there is right of appeal to the archbishop. The bishops, &e, shall return annually to the king in council, the name of every benefice, &c. in their diocese, and the name of the incumbent resident or non resident thereon; and also the names of all curates licensed to such non-resident incumbents, the amount of their salaries and place of residence and whether the gross annual value of such benefice a mount to or exceed 3001, Nonresidents by exemption shall notify the same to the diocesan within six weeks from 1st January, with the nature of the exemption; and whether the benefice is of 3001. annual value or more. Aud every spiritual person having more than one benefice, who shall reside on one of them, or who shall reside on any dignity, &c. or shall be nonresident by any exemption in this Act during any period of the year, shall in like manner notify the same to the diocesan. A penalty of 201. attaches for omission to make such notification; to be applied by the diocesan to charitable uses, or remitted or mitigated at his discretion. The Act is not to exempt nonresidents without licence, or lawful cause of absence, from ecclesiastical censure; but no proceeding in any ecclesiastical court is to be admitted for a non residence of less than three months, unless instituted by the diocesan. Non-residents (absent contrary to the provisions of the Act), returning to residence upon monition, femain liable to costs, &c. of monition. In all cases where spiritual persons shall have become subject to penalty, &c. for any uon residence, the local diocesan may proceed for such past non-residence, and levy penalties by monition' and sequestration. Benetices under sequestration on account of non-residence for two years together, or thrice under sequestration in two years, without relief on appeal, are de clared ipso facto void; and notice shall thereupon be given by the bishop to the patron to present. letting All contracts idence age houses are is ordered by the bishop. No oath is to be required of any vicar in relation to residence on his vicarage. Penalties are not recoverable under this Act for more than one year beyond 31st December preceding; and no action for penalties is to be commenced before 1st May of the year following the alleged offence.' The year is to be reckoned, for the purposes of the Act, from 1st of January. The months are to be calendar months; and, when made up of several parcels of time, consist of thirty days. No writ to be issued out, nor any process to be commenced by the informer, until one month after written notice given to the incumbent, and to the diocesan, setting forth explicitly the cause of action, the penalties to be sued for, &c. In any depending action for penalties the Court may require the diocesan to certify the value of the defendant's benefice, and such certificate shall be received as evidence; without prejudice, however, tó other evidence of its value. An incumbent not residing, and neglecting to secure the due performance of its ecclesiastical duties, the bistrop may appoint and license a curate with such salary as this Act' directs, unless the incumbent do the duty of the benefice, having at the same time a legal exemption from residence, or a licence for residing out of the parish or house of residence. Provided always, that the curate's licence shall in every case either state that he is to reside in the parish, or specify the grounds of permission to reside elsewhere, together with the distance of such other residence from the church or chapel which shall not exceed five miles, except in cases of necessity allowed by the bishop and specified in the licence. Where the benefice of any nonresident incumbent to which a curate is appointed, shall amount |