,'; 118 THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS SOCIETY. WE have derived considerable satisfa&tion from the •PerUsal of the last Report, of,-1816, of the General 'eatnmittee - of the NationAt 'Society for the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church, anti every friend to that church and to its tenets must 'rejoice to see this institution so ably supported by those whose rank and fortune anti station adorn the pages of subscription annexed to the Report. Although the funds collected previous to 181(i had been exhat:sted in the necessary measures for realising the cfihrts of its conductors, yet a new contribution was then entered into. which was aided by most, if not all, of those mem bers of the government, and by the leading dignitaries of the church. These etlOrts could not fail of success, when they were first encouraged by a donation of 3tltll. from the Prince Regent, and of others from the Queen, the Duke anti Duchess of Gloucester, tkc. At this pe riod, the epoch of the successful battle of Waterloo was made kmovn, and brought with it a claim upon British gratitude, with the operation of which the Committee were unwilling to initrfere by any comps-• tition fur the public bounty ; they thereihre suspended their own public appeal until the fidlowing January, when they found the call in behalf of the sufferers, and their surviving relatives, had been answered in a man ner worthy of the country. But there was another ob stacle to their appeal, which has affected all other in. atitutions which arc supported by voluntary contribution. The financial embarrassments which prevailed, checked much of their prospects; yet, notwithstanding these difficulties, the zeal of its votaries protlncel a list of 'benefactors to the amount of' 80001. ; and, in addition to these, the two Universities, the chapters of Christ Church and. Winton, several of the colleges, and the 'Royal Military College ; and the Bible and School Com mission at the Cape of Good Hope, were very generous in their contributions, amongst which we cannot avoid noticing as a judicious, as well as generous help to the Society, that the Diocesan Committee at Winton, who, - having circulated five hundred copies of the Society's Address printed at their own expense, transmitted 1701. as the local fruit of its effect. The conduct of the Central School is vested in the hands of the Rev. Wil =liam Johnson, to whom the Report offers a just tribute to his " ability, vigilance., and indefatigable assiduity," which are fully eXempliiied at the two examinations, now fixed on the 15th of Mav and November, in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. A female Committee of Ladies, assisted by Mrs. Rogers, to whom • similar praise is equally due, superintend the school for girls—the boys then amounted to 563,- and the " to 242. The SoCiety have judiciously adopted a mode of re -wardforgood conduct peculiarly appropriate to its object; •si gift of " a*Bible and Prayer Book, with a suitable inscription within the cover," to such children as remain three years in the school. This indicates a fact well observed, that after a short time their parents are dc. irons of taking them from the school, and turning their proficiency to some account, the evil consequences of which arc thus in some respect checked, " until good instruction and wholesome discipline have established them in the habits of virtue." The instruction of teachers of the new system recont mended by Dr. Bell, has been extended to thirty-five masters and thirty-one mistresses, formed into two classes, one of those retained in the service of the So ciety, and the other of those destined for country schools; and upon the whole, 217 schools derived advantage from the Central Establishment, in the article of teachers, 'since the meeting of 1813. It is here curious and pleasing to observe how one 7ood emanates from ano ther. These schoolmasters formed P ' themselves into a Benefit Society; and one of the first acts of this Com mittee was to take it under their patronage, and to grant a donation of fifty 'guineas and an annual sub scription of ten guineas towards its funds ; to these other contributions have been added, and an enereasing stock raised, tehich promises to anima a seasonable relief to members disablid by age or infirmity, or to -their widows and children after their decease, and they re ceive occasional eneouragoment during their service. Among the places enumerated where National Schools have been established, we were glad to find that popu lous districts kad been selected where " large Manufac tories had brought together masses of the lower orders, and where ignorance and irreligion, together with their never failing concommitants, turbulence and profligacy, previously prevailed ;" and the number of scholars tin der national instruction were then estimated at 1 17,000. And in all the numerous reports front the schools, the system is approved; and the manifest improvement of the children, extending in many instances to their pa r'nts, as well in their morals and demeanour, as also in religious knowledge, and in the discharge of their reli gious duties, arc amply detailed. Their attendance on the Lord's Day at their parish churches have gem:rail-N- I:leen effected; but in some places these were too small to admit of them, or in a very limited degree.. • We are next introduced to a regulation well calcu lated, as the Report states, to keep alive exertion, by fixing a practice of bringing the schools periodically under general ob.:ervation : the pupils are hereby oni . mated to exhibit fresh energies, and their benefactors t o offer renewed suppore. The emulation thus excited , • •.THE NATIONAL REGISTER. is apparent in every seminary, from those of the uni versities to the smallest school in the land ; and fir this end the labours of an attentive visitation have been, we believe, voluntarily undertaken by some very eminent divines, resident in different districts, which are mate rially assi.aed by 1)r. Bell at the centre, mid at other parts to which he travels. The Diocesan and District Secretaries usually meet in London, at the time of the annual meeting, to confer on the subject of the concern in general ; and their suggestions for its improvement, in many respects, have already met with deserved at tention. We rojoiee also to find that the children of the army and navy have already, as radii from this center, felt it, benefit, and ender the 'patronage of the illustrious Coin wander in Chief, and of the Lords of the Admit alty, Uiere is little doubt of their complete and universal establishment. In the Gaol Schools many young convicts have displayed evident signs of a progressive amelioration of character, as religious principles have been gradually instilled into their muds. Prom Ireland, Gibraltar, and Nova Scotia, lice most satisfactory reports are transmitted of their improving tran actions : at the latter, 70 children of the Royal Artillery, School, w was adopted as retinal to that colany, were ailmitteil, and eight masters were in training. lit these efforts we are happy to recognise the cooperations of the two venerable societies for promoting Christian knowledge, apd ti o • propagating the gospel. The Cape of Good Dope, Ceylon, and British India, have since been added to the widely extended field of these schoui> : ;It Calcutta 300 did (11.(.11 ha ve been received since the art i cal there of the Bishop, • Ito granted his patronage and sonerintetailanee, and he Iris since presided at at public examination, at which the scholars acquit:ed themselves so well, as to surprise all who witnessed their proficiency; and a native was so impressed by it, that he• presented to the Bishop a donation of 500 rupees, 621.11 s. At the presidency of Bombay, Archdeacon Barnes pursued upon his arrival the same plan, and has succeeded in reselling the half cast children of soldiers, and other Europeans, from profligacy and heatherism. As we proceed in this valuable report. we meet with new claims limos our conscientious admiration, for we find ho nourable and just mention made of the Bev. W. Witt, the grat unties and indefatigable secretary of Dr. Iti as associates, by whose ;incrposition the I louse Of Assembly of the Bahama Islands granted 4001. currency to defray the expenee of a tempor.u•y master from this eon:ors., to organise the schools there for the benctit of the neeroes ; soil another master has leceived instruction at the Central Schoe.i , at the request of the African Company, and has since proceeded to his destina tion; and to this we may add of our own know ledge of a yonth of colour, from Sierra Leone, who is flow in one of the Aiisiliary Schools for the sauce purpose; and some officers of the Russian army have likewise passed tlirongli the• course of this system tinder Mr. Johnson, at Bablwiles-garitens. Towards the erection of school-rooms, the Society appears to have lent liberal facilities to the amount of 28701. in forty eight cases of Heed. These judicious helps have been so seasonable as to save the undertakings in those districts from becoming abortiv e. We regret that our limits compel us to forbear a just tri bute of respect and esteem to the Bishop of Mt. Asaph, for Inc own attention, and that of his amiable famils - , w hilt resi dent at St. Andrews, to the promotion of the Auxiliary Scl Is in London. 'lice same active and generous zeal leas manifested itself' at St. Asaph, where, float his own purse, he engaged to pay all the deficiency of contribution for erecting a school on ground given by the Vicars of that cathedral. It is attended by children from a distance of fen miles, who have been catechised in the church by his Lordship, " and their progress was the astonishment of . the :whole congrega tion." No one more sensibly feels this success than the Rev. W. Walmesley, the Secretary, and to to one is the Society more indebted for its promotion. At l'enteleact. knaresborough, Ridgway, Dewsbury, C orpinfon and Cray, Nottingham, Chiswick, anil - many other places have afforded proofs of every geuei oils zeal in this national cause and its attendant bench's. Ci.lty School rooms were raised in the course of the year at a cost of 10,01)01, Of which the Society furnished 2,6701, hcsidc a 5171. 13s. 6d. in packets of Elementary Books ;=—and the So , ciety for promoting Christian knowledge have resolved to bear is hatever meertiked us.pcnee the discontinuance of• the nationarsociety to supply such books might occasion. The Report, in conclusion, appeals to public confidence, not on what " ille Society has accomplished, lint on the great and good work which is yet befire' them." The delicacy of this I . l . lllilrk 1114 y fidly he retorted, that the good work which lies before them van rev Cr be accomplished, but by the means which 11..ey hose aittady so ably adopted. Annexed to the Report ate the Arehde;u•onal Bcturns of the Schools, the places, numbers and donations; and to these are subjoined the cor respondences accompativing those returns—the Report for. building Schools--the Giants of Money—the Society of Secretaries—plans of Union—present state of the Central . School and its daily disc ipline of instruction—tlie Cash ac count for the year—and, we rejoice to add, a copiuu., list of grin:wits Reuel:Acton' TRANSLATION OP A IT'LL 1110ENTLY NEWT IIY PDF PRF.SENT POPE [rltr3 vir.] To THE ANCHNIttiiOP OF tiNEZN AND PRIMATE OF ALL-POLAND. - Vend rabid! Brother, health and npostolie benediction,—ln our last letter to you, we promised shortly to aIISWCr your letter, in whit le, on your own part, and also on behalf of the rest of the bishops in Poland, you earnestly desire instruc tions front Avis Holy it us to the manner in which you s'imild conduct yonrselves towards what are commonly denominated Bible Societies, of which you had ris en us some account. We have long since dvsired to comply with your request. but the incredible variety of weighty CMICCEII3 which have pressed' upon as on every side, has to this day prevented our complying with your request. We have long indeed abhorred this abominable device, by which the very tbundation of re ligion is undermined; and having, in consideration of the great importance of the subj , et, convened to mir council our venerable brethren, their eminences the Cal (finals of the Rely Roman .ire, we have deliberated with the utmost care and attention upoi: the ineavutes proper to be adopted by our pontifical authority, in order to detect and root out this pes tiience in every way. In the mean time, we heartily eon emulate and commend you,. venerable brother, as it fit we should do, in the name of the Lord, upon the singular zeal yon have displayed Under circumstances so threatening to Christianity, in having dienonneed to the ,Ipolic See, this de filement of I'mr faith, and this most imminent peril to souls. And. although we are well aware• hew necessary it is to ex cite him to rester activity who is already in rapid 'tuition, APRIL 14. seeing that, Of your own isceord you already glow with 'he desire of detecting and overthrowing the impious machina tions of innovators; yet, in conformity with our office, we most earnestly exhort you, that whatever you can achieve by your power, provide by your counsels, or effect by your au thority, you will execute daily ia the most strenuous manlier, placing yourself iu this manner like a wall about the house of Israel. For this parpose we send this reseript, that 't the same time that we eon , cy to you a signal testimony of our approbation, of your c• cellent conduct, we may the more certainly excite your pastoral solicitude and activity. The general good most imperiously requires that you sliwild em ploy your utmost efforts for the purpo,e of &footing the plan which the enemies of our most holy religion have prepared for its destruction; whence it becomes-the duty of the epis copal °dice to expose the wickedness of this abominable scheme to the eyes of the faithful, which you have so well dune, by showing, in obedience to the Precepts of our church, with all that learning and wisdom with which you are en dowed, that the Bible printed by Herel:es is to be numbered among othcr prohibited books, according to the rules of the ludex (See L. No. 3.) Indeed, experience has proved, that the Holy Scriptures, when circulated in the vulgar tongue, have, through the temerity of men, been productive of more tejury than advantage. (Reg. IV.); and this design is more to he dreaded in these di egs of time, in which our holy reli gion assailed ft um every quarter with great m o oing and skill, and the most dreadful wounds are iatlictcd on our church. It is therefitre necessary to adhere to the ' , notary decree made on tile lath of Jane, 1757, which prohibits all versions of the Scriptures in the vernacular tongues, except such as are approved by the Apostolic See, and are published with annotations from the writings of the holy fathers. We meth tently hope, that in this critical juncture the Poles will give the clearest proofs of their atiachinent to the religion of their falters; and that, by your care, and that of the other guardians of that kingdom, rwhom we heartily congratulate in the Lord upon the stand they have so admirably made for the preserratiou of the sacred depository of the faith,) they may all most ahundautly justify the fayourable opinion we have formed of them. It will be farther necessary that you should transmit to es, as soon as possible, the Bible whirl Jacolins Wichius has pablished in the Polishianeeage, with a commentary, as well as a copy of the new odition which bus been printed without the annotatini,s taken from the wri tings of the holy fathers of our church, or those of other learned Catholics, and threish US with sour opinion upon them, in order that we may compare them together, and, on full examination, denounce the emit s which have limn introduced. We shall then deflate our judgment fur the preservation of the faith. Continue, therefore, venerable brother, according to the standard of .siatiol dpctrine, to pur sue this holy course upon which you have entered; and to tight the battles of the Lord in the upholding the trile doc trine; warning the people intrusted to soar care, lest they fall into the snares prepared for their eternal destruction. The Chruch demands this from you, as well as trout the other bishops, whom our rescript equally concerns; and we most anxiously expect it, in order, that the great pain whi c h we feel on account of the new species of tares which a hostile man has lately sown (1) may, by this cheering and heart.glad dening hope, be iu some measure alleviated... We pray that the Lord may confer upon ypu and your bre thren, and other bishops, imireasing gifts of grace, for the good id . his flocks; and we coaclude by giving to you all out apostolic benediction. . . Given at Rome, at sit. Mary the Great, the 29th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1616, and in the 17 tb, year of our pontif;cate. (‘lgned) PIUS. P.P. VIT. (1) This refers to the person who had been principally instrumen tal in funning the Bible Society, against which this bull is levellisl; and who, having been enabled to intluetwe the kmperor of Russia. Own at Wutsaw, to become the patron of the Polish Bible Society had the'satiafaction of seeing that society formed, with tile EmperOr at its hew!, in spite of the abovetoll. POLICE. . . . Thursday, John Webber was charged with having beaten a pregnant woman, the wife of Archibald Rierhanan. Bu ckman stated, That as lie was returning from the Surry The atre, with- his wife and sisters, the poisoner began to pull alpha his wife. The complainant espostiotated with him, but instead of desisting from such improper violence, the prisoner struck the object ot•his first attack, and rendered her incapable of walking limns. As soon as the prisoner was brought into the office, he was recognized as an intimate of several gangs of robbers. He was remanded. He Berner, a Frenchman, was charged with having frau dulently obtained the sum of 101. from Mr. Elliott, of Lur c lane. The prisoner smile months ago waited upon Mr. Elliott, •nd told him that by an accident his remittances from France did not reach hint in doe tivie, and that the disappointment had caused much inconvenience. The request lie was about to make might appear extramilinary, especially as he was a stranger to the person to whom he addressed himself; but as he knee/ a correspondent of Mr. Elliott, Monsieur Le Cro sier, of Bordeaux, %%Ito conld vouch for his integrity, he felt very little hesitation at proposing that Mr. Elliott should lend hint the mom of let. until the arrival of his remittance. Mr. Elliott lout the money, loot found the prisoner seas hot puny, ILI I ; and havin_ learned from his correspondent at liurolvaux that 1)4. Itct tier was unknown , to him, determined to punish him upon the first (opportunity. This nid not occur until It educ•'lay last, when Elliott met De Berner in the-street, and pot him tinder the care of a constable. 'Floe prisoner said he had gi‘eii his promissory note for the mousy to :11Ir. Llliott, Remanded. mAssioN tiorsr.. CII A RI.; I.: OF 1; LA Itl Su;0111011 BalliCS Nas brought up on a charge of burglary. W edit( stlay night rho premises of Messrs. It lenhairti, in Water-lane, were broken open and l obbed. A patrols in passing near the place ' , WV llirCe 1111.11 to ethos, under circumstances which excited Ilk suspicion. lie call' d out to the unfelt to stop the party. • Solomon !Wilkes was tie only person apprinrnded. lie had almost him so l i l e cases, Ilse piopt uty of dm complainants, and several iniplemt nts used in I 1111 l sehreaking, such as picklocks, skeletons, 6:c. 1:r. mauled till Monday. B 0 W-ST 11 I: El% Wednesday, G. Yate., J. Greaniy, and 11. Rowe, under went a thud exami nat i on, charged 'V% ilia cutL lIL /he . Mr. Want, a bricklayer, in Swallow•street, on riiday week, and stealing therein live 101. Batik -notes, a metal %%ail It, and several articles of Jewell-ry and sumo oscine. apparel. Phillips, apprentice to the pruseentor, admitted 43 all C% [- deuce, deposed, that 'ae 114 d k titian Yates two month.. ; about