dy commenced its operations. Letters have been written to the secretaries of the several conventions and societies connected with the church, to some of which the most flattering replies have been returned, with promises of every assistance. The editors of the different periodical works favourable to the church, have also been requested to furnish us with copies of their publications. In addition to this, requests of a similar nature have been addressed to three of the most eminent societies in Great-Britain, as well as to the editors of such periodical works in that country as were deemed most conducive to the objects of the society. The information received from this quarter, it will be observed, will naturally comprehend her colonies, as well as those countries with which her relations may be more intimate than those of the United States.

With such prospects, and under the immediate patronage of the church, it is not too much to say, that our society bids fair to flourish. All that remains to ensure our success, is, to secure the support of individuals, who, without an address of this kind, might not feel themselves called on to lend their aid.

The church has always been conspicuous for the wealth and general information of her laity-she is now becoming conspicuous for better things--for the application of that wealth and information, by a few noble spirited individuals, to the most elevated and holy purposes. To such we would more particularly address ourselves; not for pecuniary aid-the immediate objects of the society are necessarily unconnected with any views of that nature --but in their daily walks through life a thousand things may meet their view, a thousand ideas may occur to their minds, which, if duly improved, might be of lasting benefit to the world. It is the intention of the society to publish, from time to time, such essays of its members, and such letters of its correspondents, as may be deemed advisable. It were needless to say how gratifying to the members, and how conducive to the objects of the society it would prove, to have it in their power to embody in these publications the views, not only of the clergy, but also of those intelligent and pious laymen, who are the ornament and support of their church. It may not be a trifling inducement to such to reflect, that they will be lending their assistance to one of the many instruments of human improvement, which, (blessed be GOD!) are in such active operation in our day; that they will be placing this instrument in the hands of those who are best calculated to wield itwho are even now preparing to go forth to the dissemination of the glorious gospel of the Redeemer, bearing in its train civilization, philanthropy, every virtue which can dignify man, and bring him near his God.

J. LAWRENCE YVONNET, President. W. R. WHITTINGHAM, Corr. Sec. of the Soc. of Inq. in the General Theol. Sem. of the Prot. Epis. Church placed in the city of NewYork.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

THERE has been an increase of the church in this diocese during the last year of one presbyter, one deacon, and two congregations; its present members being reported as follows: The Bishop, 28 presbyters, 5 deacons, and 37 settled congregations.

The thirty-sixth annual convention was held in St. Michael's church, Charleston, on the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st days of February, 1824; and was attended by 17 presbyters, 2 deacons, entitled to seats, and by 42 lay delegates from 21 parishes. Five clergymen entitled to seats, were absent.

We notice with pleasure that the parochial reports this year, far exceed in accuracy those of the last. With some, indeed, we are more gratified than with any which we recollect to have seen in all the journals which have come under our inspection. The city churches in particular, which have been long established, and where, of course, more definite information could be obtained than in the country parishes, have set an example which we shall hope to see imitated in every diocese. To illustrate our meaning, we give the report of St.

Philip's church entire.

St. Philip's Church, Charleston.

The Rev. Christopher E. Gadsden, D. D. Rector.

The Rev. Allston Gibbes, Assistant Minister.

In conformity to the 45th canon, we present to the Bishop, the following statement of baptisms, &c. for the last year.

Baptisms: adults 5; infants 75. Total 80.

Marriages 14. Burials 75.

Communicants, about 39 males, 263 females, white persons; and about 220 persons of colour. Total 522.

We lament that the disproportion between the male and female communicants is so great.

There are two Sunday schools held at different hours. In that for the whites, there are about 150 children, of whom 100 attend punctually. There are 6 male and 13 female teachers. In that for the coloured, there are about 25 adults, and 150 children, of whom about 100 attend punctually. There are 7 male and 9 female teachers. In both schools 324 pupils,

There are
And

The instruction is exclusively religious.

35 teachers.

It is an obvious remark, that the interesting of so large a number of our members in the charitable, and to themselves, instructive office of imparting to others the knowledge unto salvation, is among the advantages of the valuable institution of Sunday schools.

Conformably to the resolution of the convention, passed last year, we report that, agreeably to the canon of 1822, a sermon has been preached, and a collection made in our church, in aid of the common fund, for the support of the Episcopate..

The sermon on the same subject, which was inadvertently postponed

the preceding year, was also preached, soon after the rising of the last

convention.

In conformity to another resolution of the last convention, we report the number of families as about 262, of whom 38 belong to other congregations, and of these, 6 belong to four congregations, as follows: To St. Paul's, Charleston, 18) Of the 18 at St. Paul's,

Besides these, there are twelve families of persons of colour, who bave pews in the gallery. The number who sit in the aisles, we have not been able to ascertain.

By a judicious connexion of the galleries, there have been added to our church, 16 pews, so that the whole number is now 164. The new pews are not yet sold, or otherwise disposed of, but we may reasonably expect, as several of them are large, that they will produce an accession to this congregation of twenty families, and also, afford additional accommodation to the Sunday scholars.

Peculiar circumstances have prevented that inquiry, which would have enabled us to ascertain the number of individuals in each family, so as to state, agreeably to the desire of the convention, the whole number of the flock. We believe, however, that we may justly esti

mate them at about

The number of communicants in the three city churches varies only two from that stated last year. This leads us to conclude that some of the families of St. Michael's and St. Philip's have connected themselves with St. Paul's, Radcliffe borough. For St. Paul's has had a steady increase of families, and communicants for the last three years. It is now, as to the number of families, the second church in the city, and its communicants have increased since the last report, from 242 to 275. The bishop gives the following account of the liberality of this congregation, which is greatly to their honour, and deserves to be made known, for a memorial of their pious munificence.

"The vestry of St. Paul's church, Radcliffeborough, found themselves encumbered with a debt, which on the completion of the church, had been left as a balance of its costs, amounting with interest accrued to 30,000 dollars. Their creditors had become urgent, and the property of the corporation was at their mercy. The proprietors of pews, by a unanimous decision of a meeting of them, assumed the debt, and according to a judicious scheme submitted by the vestry, by five instalments, payable at half-yearly intervals, the last of which

is payable in 1824, the whole becomes discharged. I know not of any other instance of conduct under similar circumstances, strictly admitting of a comparison with this. In richer communities than ours, a substitute for this generous course has been found, in soliciting at a distance, and in the remotest states, the means of paying a church's debts.* A firm refusal of our countenance to such applications from abroad, would, perhaps, on almost all occasions, be entirely consistent with any reasonable estimate of our Christian duty."

The whole of the parochial reports are from 25 congregations, as follow :

In 21 congregations 1182 families.

615

66

4848 souls.

1675 communicants.

286 baptisms.

72 marriages.

183 burials.

7 Sunday schools. 681 Sunday scholars.

We have but one wish ungratified with regard to these reports, the expression of which, we trust, will not be unacceptable to our friends in South Carolina. That state is, we believe, divided into 28 or 30 districts; according to which, in the census of 1820, the tables of the white and coloured population were arranged. We should like to see the same geographical division observed in the statisticks of our church; and the clergy resident in each district might, we imagine, with a little pains, ascertain and report to the bishop, the name and place of residence of every person within it professing to be of our communion. We speak with diffidence, however, because we may not know the obstacles which have impeded or prevented accurate parochial returns.

Episcopal acts.

The bishop has visited during the last year 7 churches, admitted to holy orders, one presbyter and two deacons, received 8 candidates, administered confirmation in South Carolina and in Georgia to 256 persons, and has consecrated one church, that of St. Paul's, Pendleton, of which we gave an account last year.

A church for the gratuitous use of the poor has been founded. The active and useful services of the Rev. Mr. Phillips as domestick missionary, gave encouragement to the female society, under whose appointment he had served for nearly two years, to undertake the erection of this building. At the request of this society a number of gentlemen formed themselves into a committee, to provide means for carrying it into effect, and their exertions have been so effectual that they have been encouraged to lay the foundation of a building which will constitute an interesting addition to the institutions of Christian benevolence in that city.

The society for the advancement of Christianity continues to increase in usefulness. It has received, within the year, from the ex

This has never been done, it is believed, by members of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

ecutor of the estate of the late excellent Mrs. Gregorie, of whom our readers will find some account at page 245 of our last volume, a legacy of 666 dollars, and from Plowden Weston, Esq. of Charleston, donation of 200 dollars. Collections from the three city churches and from Trinity church, Columbia, have amounted to 426 dollars 43 cents. The bishop recommends this society to the continued confidence and increased patronage of the church. He exhorts the laity to make a more ample provision for the support of the clergy, and the clergy themselves to bear with patient suffering the evils under which they exercise their calling. "The day of the gospel dispensation," he continues," on which our lot in the service of our heavenly Master has fallen, is a day of extraordinary enterprise, for the advancement of his glory, and the extension of his kingdom. In this enterprise, there is, I sincerely believe, much of honest and holy zeal embarked, under various denominations of profession. It is most devoutly to be wished, that as there is one faith, one Lord, one baptism, for all true disciples of the Son of God, so there could be among all, one purpose of heart, in the prosecution of the interests of his kingdom, and that all their distinctions of sect and name renounced and obliterated, they all might be one, even as he and the Father are one. This is, however, far from being as much an object of reasonable solicitude as the existence, under all the varieties of denomination, of the spirit of the religion of Christ. If the amalgamation of disagreeing portions of the great Christian family, seems too impracticable to admit of its being wisely or discreetly in every way effected, at least it becomes, for it is practicable for each, so to qualify its zeal with love, that the name of Christ be not blasphemed. It comes, unavoidably, of the infirmity of our nature, that in some degree, personal and party sensibilities should mingle themselves, with our best and most sincere solicitudes of religious zeal. We cannot too anxiously guard ourselves against an influence of these, which bringing the unamiable passions of our nature into action, shall impair the dignity of our calling, and while it mars its claims upon human respect and confidence, make void our hopes of acceptance with him who seeth and shall judge us. spirit of religious party, is always likely, from the peculiar character of the institutions of our civil polity, with respect to religion, to prevail and abound in our country; and the strife for ascendant influence, and the exertion of a worthy zeal, to use to the utmost the happy opportunity of religious liberty, for the advancement of religious truth, will so commingle themselves, as to put us in danger of mistaking the one for the other. Let us be duly aware of this: and while we are faithful to the peculiar institutions, under which, according to the deliberate persuasion of our own minds, we have undertaken to serve Christ, and be instrumental of the happiness and salvation of those who call upon his name, let us guard ourselves against the temptation, of which the circumstances in which we are placed, involve so much, to think or act, with respect to other religious communities, otherwise than as we would that they should think and act with respect to us. The real usefulness and honour of no one of the various religious communities, which exist on the footing of equal toleration in our country, can consist in a course of conduct that is harsh, injurious, or unjust, or disin

The