visible effects which the instruction given in the day schools is producing on the Church, and one of the committees was directed to collect the same.

The establishment of a Congregational Aid Fund was referred to the consideration of a committee, which is urged to make strenuous efforts to ascertain what may be the feeling of the Church upon it, that its formation may be commenced if found practicable.

Alterations in the rules relating to candidates for the ministry were suggested, and referred to a committee to be considered and prepared for another year.

The Conference deemed it necessary to pass the following resolution on Junior Membership" Resolved, that the Conference regrets that the labours of its members, in fully considering and reporting on important points of discipline and use, should be met with so little interest. The connexion of a body of junior members with any society, is an orderly and certain mode of increasing, or, at least, of keeping up its numbers; and, if they be properly attended to, of imparting new life and vigour to its exertions; the Conference, therefore, requests that the societies will give the report in question their serious consideration before they are called upon to answer the questions relating thereto in the next circular." The consent of the Conference was given for the ordination of Mr. Robert Abbott into the ministry, on the application of the society at Ipswich.

A reduction of one half was agreed to in the price of the " Questions on the Four Leading Doctrines," and of the "Catechism with Scripture Proofs." It is hoped that now these important little works will be brought into more general use in the schools. The numbers of the last series of the Repository, ending with the year 1839, were directed to be sold at sixpence each, but the Conference did not sanction any reduction of the numbers of the current series.

A committee was appointed to investigate the state of the accounts, and to report to the Conference before its adjournment. The result shewed that the income from subscriptions, and the dividends of stock, was barely adequate to the expenses necessarily attendant on its proceedings, and that altogether the funds were by no means in a prosperous state, and it was, therefore, resolved, that an appeal should be made to the Church to increase the income of the Conference, so

as to enable it to carry out the great and important objects of its establishment.

It is recommended that the "Affectionate Address" to the members of the Church, issued by each Conference, should be read publicly at the first general meeting of the society held after the publication of the minutes, that every member may be aware of its existence, and have the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the advice and recommendations it affords; for as the minutes cannot be supplied to every member, the knowledge of it might be confined to those only who become possessed of them.

The dividends of stock applicable to education were disposed of as they were last year; applications were made by some of the schools to have more children placed with them, but the Conference, not having any increase of funds, could not entertain them.

Such are the leading features of the business of the present Conference, and there are several points about them which certainly manifest advancement. The practice of soliciting, by means of the president's circular, written answers to questions relating to the administration of the services, and by means of the secretary's circular, containing questions on the statistics of the Church, has afforded pleasing proofs of progression. The questions are more fully answered; the repetition of them has aroused attention to them, and the objects to which they pointed, have, in numerous instances, been attained; double the number of questions being now answered in the affirmative, which formerly were either unnoticed, or met with a negative.

The numbers that attended this Conference, considering the great distance at which it was held from most of the societies, and the expenses necessarily incurred in attending it, formed one gratifying feature. When held in this city before, in 1833, it consisted of six ministers and fourteen representatives; there were this year double the number of ministers present, and eight additional representatives. Among the ministers who then attended was the late Rev. Robert Hindmarsh, who was the president, and it was the last Conference at which he was permitted to be present, being called to the performance of greater uses in the spiritual world before the following Conference.

The reception of the members of Conference by the friends at Bath was extremely kind and attentive, and will be

long and affectionately remembered; every accommodation and convenience was afforded for the business of Conference in the neat and commodious Church, and in the spacious school-rooms belonging to the society. The interest that was felt in the Church was fully demonstrated by the very numerous attendance at the friendly meeting held on the Thursday evening, when upwards of 250 sat down to tea. After having partaken of this refreshment the meeting was adjourned to the Church, where it was considerably increased; several friends had come from Bristol and other adjoining parts to be present on the occasion. The two Bath papers called the Journal and the Herald, noticed this meeting; extracts from which will be seen in the communication below.

The Conference was opened and closed each day in the manner directed in the new rules, by one of the ministers reading a portion of the Word and offering up the Lord's Prayer. Divine service was performed on the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, when the Revds. D. Howarth, T. Goyder, and E. Madeley, respectively officiated, and the admirable choir of the society most efficiently executed its part of the services.

On reviewing the proceedings of this Conference, we are led, in devout grati tude to the Lord, to express our sincere congratulations to our brethren for the signal uses which such annual assemblies are calculated to perform. A watchful care is thus exercised over the external relations of the Church, especially in rcspect to those funds which have been bequeathed for the purposes of education on New Church principles, and likewise for other purposes connected with the progress and establishment of the Church. These annual meetings afford also a centre of union, in which brethren from distant parts may meet together, and mutually edify each other in the great and glorious cause of the New Church, and devise new projects and plans of usefulness by which that cause can be promoted in the world. Thus it was announced in this Conference, that one generous friend present proposed to give £20. towards the printing of a large edition of Mr. Clowes'

is every probability of this eminent act of use being speedily carried out. Four liberal friends also generously subscribed the sum of £15. each to enable the London Missionary Society to send an effective mission, followed up by a copious distribution of tracts, into the different parts of the kingdom where the saving doctrine concerning THE LORD IN HIS DIVINE HUMANITY has scarcely ever been preached. Such were some of the objects of use connected with the late Conference, and we have every reason to rejoice, that such occasions are afforded in which the energies of our brethren may be concentrated for the carrying out of the most important ends in respect to the temporal and eternal well-being of mankind. The next Conference will be held at Birmingham.

NEW CHURCH, HENRY-STREET,

66

BATH.

The members of this Church took advantage of the opportunity offered by the session of Conference in this city, by inviting the Rev. Thos. Chalklen, of London, to give three lectures, on Sunday, August 10th. The subjects chosen were, morning, Charity, not Faith, the First Essential of True Christianity;" afternoon, "The Nature of Heaven and Hell, and the Origin of Angels and Devils;" evening, "The Lord Jesus Christ proved to be the one Only God of Heaven and Earth, the Creator, Reedeemer, and Regenerator of Men."

These lectures having been advertised in two of the weekly journals of the city, and by placards, proved attractive, and were listened to with great attention. The subjects were most ably treated, especially the one of Sunday evening, which must have made a powerful impression on strangers.

On the following Tuesday evening, an interesting lecture was delivered by the Rev. David Howarth, of Salford; on Wednesday evening, by the Rev. Edward Madeley, of Birmingham; and on Friday evening, by the Rev. Thomas Goyder, of Chalford. All these week lectures were well attended; and the subjects chosen, and the mode of treating them, such as can hardly fail of good results.

On the termination of these lectures, three more were immediately announced for the Sunday following, Aug. 17th, when three admirable discourses were delivered: morning, the Rev. Thomas Goyder; afternoon, the Rev. David Howarth; and in the evening, the Rev. Edward Madeley; 2 N

each of which services was attended by numerous, attentive, and, we have reason to believe, delighted audiences.

After the lecture of Tuesday evening, a liberal supply of tracts from the London Missionary and Tract Society (through Mr. Butter) was distributed at the doors, to strangers only, which distribution was continued throughout the remaining lectures. It is to be hoped that these tracts, which were readily accepted, will be read with attention and unbiassed judgment by many; and if so, the effects are not a matter of doubt. We are happy to be enabled already to record one instance of a reader being so favourably impressed as to order the whole set of tracts.

The members of the Church feel much indebted to the Missionary and Tract Society for entrusting them with so great a means of usefulness; and the Committee take this opportunity of gratefully acknowledging the same.

Thursday evening, August 14th, was devoted to a tea meeting, which was attended by the members of Conference, nearly all the members of the Church, and a goodly number of strangers, so that the spacious school room was completely filled, besides upwards of one hundred who took tea in the library adjoining. "After the delightful refreshment, (excellently provided,) an adjournment took place to the church, when, on the motion of Mr. Bush, seconded by Mr. Bateman, the chair was taken by Mr. James Keene; and the remainder of the evening, from half-past seven till eleven o'clock, was devoted to addresses from the ministers present, and intervals of sacred music, selected from the first masters, beautifully executed by the efficient choir of the church. In the course of the evening, the meeting was addressed by the Revds. David Howarth, Edward Madeley, Thos. Chalklen, R. Storry, J. H. Smithson, W. Woodman, Thomas Goyder, D. T. Dyke, E. De La Roche Rendell, J. Bayley, T. C. Shaw, Messrs. Bateman, Senior, Eddleston, Butter, &c. The proposition to which the speakers were confined was- That the Doctrine of the Sole, Supreme, and Exclusive Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ is consistent with all the Doctrines of Scripture, and its Belief the only means of their Elucidation and Practical Use.' This afforded most ample scope for argument, of which the several speakers took the best advantage, rendering the evening one of delightful interest throughout."

We are happy to perceive that the

lectures, &c., have been noticed not only by the Bath Journal, from which we supply some of the above particulars, but by the Bath Herald, whose report is as follows:

"NEW CHURCH, HENRY STREET.(From a Correspondent.)—The Society of this Church held a tea meeting on Thursday, in order to invite the clergy and others of the 38th General Conference, now being held in this city. The meeting being attended by all the members of the Conference, many members of the Church, and others, completely filled the library and school-room appropriated to the purpose. After a handsomely-provided entertainment had been duly enjoyed, the company retired to the church, which, by eight o'clock, was filled. The proceedings afterwards consisted of addresses from the several ministers present from all parts of the kingdom, with frequent intervals of music, choicely selected from the first masters. The whole evening proved a delightful source of intellectual enjoyment of unbroken interest to the close. The several speakers, confining themselves strictly to the dictates of Scripture on a given subject, viz.- The Supreme Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ is consistent with all the Doctrines of Scripture, and its Belief the grand means of their Elucidation and Practical Use,' had an ample field of discussion, and elucidated many points of doctrine with eloquence, and in a true spirit of charity towards all who differ from them in opinion. This Church is a movement for good or evil that ought to interest every member of the Christian Church; it has been no sudden excitement, but beginning humbly with a weekly meeting of three or four, it has now, in about fifteen years, increased to such a body as to be 300 or 400, and continually increasing. When it is considered that this is not only the case in Bath, but that, within the last fifty years, the same gradual and apparently permanent progression has been experienced in nearly all the principal cities and towns of the empire, it behoves the authorities of old institutions to see whether or not the Society called the New Church are perverting true doctrines, or giving examples of better things it would be wise to follow."

The Bath Society are in hopes that Conference will, at an early period, repeat their visit. And when it is considered that such an interest has been excited in Bristol by the lectures of the Rev. J. Bayley at the Assembly Rooms, where the attendance at the first lecture was