Did silently and constantly dispense Though the attention of Dr. Barrow was principally directed to theology during the latter part of his life, his mathematical writings have placed him second only to Newton among the philosophers of the 17th century. Besides new and highly improved editions of Euclid's Elements, the works of Archimedes, selections from the works of Apollonius and Theodosius, which he gave to the world in rapid succession, he published several original works, replete with the most profound investigations. His "Lectiones Optice" were revised and enlarged by Newton, and have been highly commended by the best judges. His "Lectiones Geometrica" are filled with original and profound dissertations respecting the properties of curvilineal figures; and in his method of subtangents contained in that work, he has clearly revealed the germ of the fluxional calculus. It has been justly observed that, with a genius less inventive than Newton's, he has made a near approach to some of that wonderful man's discoveries, and contributed in a remarkable degree to enlarge the field of mathematical learning. Of his theological works, all of which were published after his death, his sermons are best known, and they have uniformly been ranked among the first productions of the English pulpit. Beside numerous passages of sublime and simple eloquence, they are every where distinguished for vigour of style, and great depth and copiousness of thought. It has been said that the celebrated Lord Chatham asserted, that he owed much of the fervour of his eloquence to the study of Barrow. It is especially, however, to his Treatise of the Pope's Supremacy, that we must look for that wonderful compass of learning, and acute discrimination of mind for which he was so deservedly eminent. Familiar with every branch of Ecclesiastical History, and having narrowly observed popery disguised in France, militant in England, and triumphant in Italy, he was thoroughly prepared to enter into every branch of the controversy. Accordingly after a candid examination of the several suppositions, upon which the claim of the pope to supremacy is founded, he proves that they are equally unsupported by scripture, reason, and antiquity. In the course of his work, which may also serve for a complete history of the rise of papal authority, he clearly shows that no such claim was ever admitted, or even made during several centuries after the Christian era. In addition to this, his treatise contains a satisfactory re futation of most of the distinguishing tenets of the Romish church. In short, to use the language of Dr. Tillotson, " he hath exhausted the subject, and said enough to silence the controversy for ever." What renders the work peculiarly valuable is, that the argument is conducted in a strain of candour and Christian charity which must ever place its author among the most liberal, as well as the ablest champions of the Protestant faith. We rejoice to see such a work republishing in our city, and sincerely hope that its publishers may meet with complete success. Connecticut Christian Knowledge Society. In Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocess of Connecticut, at Bridgeport, June 3, 1818. WHEREAS it is deemed expedient by this Convention, to establish a Society in the Diocess of Connecticut, for * Messrs. S. Potter & Co. the purpose of raising funds for the employment of Missionaries in the vacant parishes-and for the gratuitous distribution of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and religious tracts -Therefore Resolved, that the following be adopted as its Constitution. 1. The Society shall be called, "The Connecticut Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, by employing Missionaries in the vacant parishes of the Diocess, and by the gratuitous distribution of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and Religious Tracts." 2. The Bishop of the Diocess shall be ex-officio President of the Society -and the Convention shall annually appoint two Vice-Presidents-a Recording Secretary-a Corresponding Secretary-and twelve Directors-of whom at least one half shall be clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church-which officers shall constitute a Board of Direction-and six of their number, including the President, or one of the Vice-Presidents, shall be a quorum for the transaction of business. 3. The Convention shall also appoint three lay-members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, as a Board of Trustees, for managing the permanent fund of the Society-one of whom, elected by the Board, shall be the Treasurer of the Society, and shall give bonds to the Board of Trustees for the faithful discharge of his trust. All vacancies in this Board, by death, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled by the Convention. 4. It shall be the duty of the Board of Direction to meet on the Thursday following the day of the annual meeting of the Convention, and as often as the interests of the Society shall require, at such time and place as the President, or the first VicePresident, with the advice of a member of the Board, shall direct. The Board shall appoint agents in the different parts of the Diocess, to obtain subscriptions for the benefit of the Society. They shall employ such Missionaries as the ecclesiastical authority shall appoint, to supply the vacant parishes within the Diocess. They shall publish or purchase Bibles, Prayer Books, and religious tracts, and distribute them in such parts of the Diocess, and in such proportions, as they may deem proper and expedient. And they shall manage all the other concerns of the Society, not otherwise provided for by this Constitution. 5. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to attend all the meetingsof the Board of Direction, and to keep a record of their transactions. He shall also keep a register of the names of the members, with the sums by them respectively given a list of the donations, with the names of the donors-and a record of the collections made for the benefit of the Society. 6. The Corresponding Secretary shall carry on the correspondence of the Society, in the name and by order of the Board of Direction: 7. All monies received by way of donation, subscription, or collection, for the benefit of the Society, shall be paid into the hands of the Treasurer - and so much thereof as the Board of Direction shall deem expedient to appropriate to the support of Missionaries within the Diocess, and to the gratuitous distribution of Bibles, Prayer Books, and religious tracts, shall be subject to the order of the Board of Direction--and the residue shall constitute a permanent fund, to be managed by the Board of Trustees, and held subject to the control and direction of the Convention. Provided, however, that the amount reserved for the permanent fund, shall be at least one fourth part of the aggregate of the annual receipts of the Society. 8. Every person who shall annually pay into the funds of the Society one. dollar, shall be a member---and whoever shall pay the sum of five dollars, shall be a member for life. 9. It shall be the duty of the Rector and Wardens---(or of the Wardens, where there is no Rector)---of every parish in the Diocess, to make an annual collection for the benefit of the Society. 10. There shall be divine service, and a Sermon delivered at every annual session of the Convention, and a collection made for the benefit of the Society---the preacher to be appointed by the President, with the concurrence of one of the Vice-Presidents. 11. The following reports shall be annually made to the Convention, viz. 1st. A report by all the Lay-Delegates attending, of the amount of collections for this Society in their respective parishes. 2d. A general report by the Board of Direction, of all their proceedings. 3d. A report by the Treasurer, of the disposable funds in his hands. And, 4th. A report by the Board of Trustees, of the state of the permanent fund. Which several reports, or so much of them as the Convention shall direct, shall be entered on the Journals. Messrs. Charles Sigourney, Samuel Tudor, and William M'Crackan, were chosen Trustees of the Fund, and have been incorporated by the Legislature. Mr. M'Crackan has since been appointed Treasurer, and is ready to receive subscriptions and donations. Report of the Christian Knowledge (From the Missionary Register.) Diocesan and District Committees. An abstract of the proceedings of the various Committees at home is first given, in the order of the Diocesses. Those in the Diocess of Calcutta then follow. We shall extract 12. Whenever the Bible and Com- this part of the Report. mon Prayer Book Society of the Diocess of Connecticut shall be dissolv ed, and its funds paid over to the Treasurer of this Society, each lifesubscriber of that Society shall be considered as a member for life in this -and the permanent fund of that Society shall be added to the permanent fund of this Society. 13. No alteration shall be made in this constitution, unless the same shall have been proposed and entered on the minutes of the Convention one year previous to its adoption. And the Convention alone shall have power to make the alteration. Whereupon, the Convention proceeded to elect the officers for the ensuing year, when the following gentlemen were duly chosen. Right Rev. John H. Hobart, D. D. President. Rev. Tillotson Bronson, D. D. se- John Beach, Esq. Recording Sec'ry. Rev. Philo Shelton, Rev. Ashbel Calcutta Diocesan Committee. The Diocesan Committee at Calcutta have transmitted their Report; in which they express their grateful acknowledgments to the Society, as well for the very distinguished consideration which their communications have experienced, as for the very liberal supply of Books transmitted for their use; a supply, which they state to be far beyond any expectation that could have been formed. They appear also to have been instrumental in circulating many copies of the So-. ciety's Family Bible. They state, moreover, that it was conceived advisable to reprint at Calcutta, before the arrival of the ex pected Books, Mrs. Trimmer's Charity-School Spelling-Book, in Two Parts; which might be distribated to great advantage among the Children of Europeans in his Majesty's and the Honourable Company's Service, in Regimental and other Military Schools, in Barracks, Cantonments, and Hospitals. As, however, the funds of the Committee were at that time unequal to the expense, this design was respectfully laid before Government; and pecuniary aid solicited, to carry it into effect. The General Board learn, with much satisfaction, that the readiest acquiescense was given to this request of the Diocesan Committee, and a sum given fully equal to meet the estimated cost of the edition; and that it has since been printed, and largely distributed, and it is believed with no inconsiderable advantage. Besides this, the Committee have, at their own charge, subsequently reprinted Woodward's Soldier's Monitor, which has been found equally acceptable. The Committee state also, that there is a very increasing demand for the Society's Books; and that they hope shortly to request another supply of them, and to specify those which appear to be most in request. At present, they can only say generally, that the demand appears to be much greater than was at first, perhaps, expected; which they consider to be chiefly owing to their strict adherence, as far as the different circumstances of the two countries will admit, to the analogy afforded by the Society, as well in regard to reduction of price as to system in distribu tion. The Diocesan Committee notice to the General Board, the establishment of the District Committee at Bombay, mentioned in the last year's Report ; which they view with very great satisfaction, as completing the connexion of the Society with the three Presidencies of British India. Madras District Committee. tified to find that the Society's Family Bible is in great request in that Archdeaconry. A supply of Books from the Society had just been re ceived; and would be distributed with considerable advantage to the design of promoting Christian Knowledge, as Prayer Books were very scarce, and much wanted. Ceylon District Committee. No recent accounts have been received from the Committee. Ceylon has been lately placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Calcutta. The proceedings in the Diocess of Nova-Scotia and Quebec are next reported. Halifax (Nova-Scotia) Diocesan Committee. His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury having recommended the Society very earnestly to the favourable consideration of his Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, the Earl of Dalhousie, his Lordship has, in every way, promoted its interest within his Government. The Halifax Diocesan Committee state, in their Report, that they have great pleasure in repeating their acknowledgments to the several District Committees in different parts of this extensive Diocess. "These," they observe, "are nobly promoting the objects of the Society; and encourage the best hopes, that, with the blessing of God, their endeavours are already producing important benefits. The correspondence with the Com From the District Committee at Madras, the General Board are apprized, through the Calcutta Diocesan Committee, that, previous to the arrival of the Books requested from the Society, they had received a temporary supply from the Missionarymittees at Frederickton, St. John's, Stores of Messrs. Pæzold, Holzburg, and Kolhoff, which were of use; as also a supply of the Soldier's Monitor, reprinted at Calcutta; and also a considerable proportion of the Books transmitted from the Society to the Diocesan Committee, by means of which their operations had been much assisted. Bombay District Committee. From the District Committee at Bombay, the General Board have received a Report; and are much gra St. Andrew's, Newfoundland, Cape Breton, Prince Edward's Island, and with numerous individuals, who are too remote from each other to unite in a Committee, continues to encourage all the hopes that were entertained when they first joined the Society. Their contributions still give evidence of their zeal and success; and the Books which they are dispersing are received with thankfulness, and are rendering very valuable services even to the remotest Settlements in these Colonies." In the progress of their Report, this Committee further inform the General Board, that the distribution of Books and Tracts throughout the Diocess has engaged their earnest attention; and it is with much satisfaction they are enabled to state, that this part of their work is also prospering. "The demand for these Books and Tracts has been much greater than could be supplied from the stock at Halifax; and, in some cases, the Committee have been obliged to forward the applications to the Parent Society. At the commencement of the year, the Committee had, as they then considered it, a very ample stock of Books on hand; but such has been the call for them, that, at the close of the year, several of their most valuable articles are entirely exhausted; and they have been obliged to request a new supply from England, to the amount of 5001." From repeated and earnest applications also, this Committee has been induced to establish Depots of Books in different parts of the country; and are desirous of complying with other similar applications, as far as their means will allow. Large demands have also been made upon them for the supply of Schools, and especially of those into which the National System of Education has been introduced; all of which they have gladly supplied, to the extent of their ability. They state also, that they "have likewise furnished a partial supply of books to several small and remote Settlements along the shores of those Provinces, whose want of the means of Religious Instruction was most deplorable: and they have resolved to attempt the supply of all such places more abundantly, as soon as it may be possible to distribute Bibles, Testaments, Prayer Books, and Tracts, through some careful agent, who may be visiting the harbours and other settlements on the coasts." This Committee, moreover, thankfully acknowledge several very liberal contributions at Halifax, St. John's, Frederickton, St. Andrew's, and other places. VOL. III. Diocess of Quebec. Since the publication of the last Report, the General Board have had the satisfaction of receiving the pri mary Resolutions of a Diocesan Committee, formed at Quebec. From them the General Board learn, with much gratification, that every exertion will be used to forward the views of the Society in that division of the Empire. It is resolved, that District Committees, in correspondence with this Diocesan Committee, be promoted throughout the Diocess, in aid of the general designs, for the furtherance of subscriptions and donations, and for the extension, as far as possible, of the objects of the Society. It is intended, moreover, that an Annual Sermon shall be preached, in recommendation of the Society's designs; and arrangements made for a Collection in aid of them, in the Cathedral Church of the City of Quebec. Education and Schools. Every succeeding year bears wit ness to the increasing importance which attaches to this branch of the Society's designs. The exertions of the Benevolent, to diffuse the blessings of Religious Instruction, are more and more evinced in the establishment of new Schools for impart ing its benefits. Though returns of the number of Children educated in Schools, supplied wholly or in part with Books from the Society, are still very imperfect; yet, from the accounts transmitted by 33 only out of nearly 200 Committees, it appears that 90,129 Children receive the advantages of Religious Information. Should the Society, by the diligence of Diocesan and district Committees, be enabled to complete the account of the number of Children educated in the Schools to which its supplies extend, the large amount of those who thus receive, in their early years, the benefits of Christian Knowledge, by its means, could not fail to be highly gratifying to every one who feels, in its full extent, the value of imparting 15 |