If there be no hope of reunion, there is hope (though it be against hope) that fraternal relations may yet be formed between the two great Churches. And of this subject, also, the South is ready.

First. The South, in 1848, through its delegate, Dr. L. Pierce, proposed to the North "the establishment of fraternal relations and intercourse." The proposition was rejected on the ground of "serious questions and difficulties existing between the two bodies." Dr. Pierce replied: "The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, can never renew the offer of fraternal relations between the two great bodies of Wesleyan Methodists in the United States. But the proposition can be renewed at any time, either now or hereafter, by the Methodist Episcopal Church.”—Journal General Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1850, pp. 188-190. By reference to the protracted and pompous discussion on the occasion, it will be found that the "serious questions," etc., all merged in the conceit that the Southern Church was a "proslavery Church."-See Debates General Conference North, 1848, published in northern journals at the time. A fatal conceit, fancy, error! Again, it is here unequivocally affirmed, the Southern Church never was a proslavery or antislavery Church, but the true primitive Methodist Church, as has been again and again defined and proved in these papers. Manly, wise, and fortunate would be the renunciation by the North of this old, pernicious error, that has so long sustained the resolution to rend and ruin the unoffending and innocent Southern Church. Renounce that error, and why may not Jacob and Esau cordially shake hands in fraternal intercourse? It is worthy of remark, that while Dr. Pierce and Dr. Dixon, delegates from different portions of Methodism, were on their way to Pittsburgh, the former said to the latter: "You will be received and welcomed as a messenger of the Church, while I shall be refused and rejected." Dr. Dixon "warmly" replied, "I hope not; if you are rejected, it will be the occasion of everlasting regret to me."-Report of Dr. Pierce, Journal General Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1850, p. 192.

Secondly. The Southern General Conference of 1850, in St. Louis, ratified the action of Dr. Pierce in the following resolution:

"That we cannot, under their [northern] acts of rejection and refusal, renew our offer of fraternal relations and intercourse; but will at all times entertain any proposition coming from the Methodist Episcopal Church to us, whether it be by written communication or by delegation, having for its object friendly relations, and predicated of the rights granted to us by the plan of separation adopted in New York, 1844."—Ibid. p. 193.

It is doubtful whether ecclesiastical history contains such an example as this of Christian affection, forbearance, willingness to forgive, and readiness to form friendly relations, if reunion be impossible, with a former Christian brotherhood. But examples are not wanting of the insensibility and repulsiveness of the adverse party.

Thirdly. The southern bishops, in their pastoral address, issued from Columbus, Georgia, August 16th, 1865, after referring to the "ineffectual mission" of Dr. Pierce in 1848, adds: "We hold ourselves acquitted of any breach of Christian unity that might appear. But if at any time they should formally and officially make the same offer to us, the door would be open for its consideration. in 1848. They have since made us no such offer. There the matter rests, and we might well be excused from any further reference to it "

This was

Such is the friendly attitude of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, toward the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States.

Similar and still stronger utterances occur in a letter to the "Southern Christian Advocate," (which we have mislaid,) by Rev. Dr. Summers, late editor of their "Quarterly Review." Indeed, we understand the unanimous and settled ground of the Church South to be this: We, the Church South, made the last formal proposition for recognition or union, and that was formally rejected; we now stand permanently ready, not to make further

official offers, but to hear and consider in a Christian spirit whatever propositions the Methodist Episcopal Church sees fit to make. From these extracts, uncontradicted as we find them, we, first, infer that the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, whatever its past animus, professes to renounce every thought inconsistent with future loyalty to our government and peace with our states and people. We, second, infer that toward' the negro, whatever the irreligious and the politicians may do, southern Methodists profess their purpose to be humane, Christian, parental. They mean (so they profess) to meet in the spirit of Christ the Northern missionary who comes in that true spirit. They mean, so far as their means permit, not to be outrivaled in deeds of Christian goodness to the lowly. We, thirdiy, infer that the Church South affirms that, historically, she made the last offer of fraternity to our Church, even under the expectation of a humiliating rejection; that she has ever since been the repelled party; and yet, that at this present time, if reunion does not come, it is not because she is not Christianly ready for its coming. So they profess; and these professions were not addressed to outside ears, but were intended for home consumption. Let our readers judge of their validity.

ART. X.-FOREIGN RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

PROTESTANTISM.

GREAT BRITAIN.

recent Church Congress at Norwich, none attracted a more universal interest than the reform of the "Court of Final Appeal." The tribunal thus designated is the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. as the highest Court of Appellate jurisdiction in ecclesiastical causes. This board, consisting in its majority of laymen appointed by the Crown, has thus been for the Church of England what the Court of Rome has been for the Roman Catholic Church, the tribunal which had to give the final decision on the most important Church questions. It is only very recently that English Churchimen began to feel the abnormal and disgraceful condition in which their Church was put by this submission to a body of politiciaus. The first case that aroused a violent opposition was that of Mr. Gorham, a clergyman, who boldly denied the doctrine of the English Church concerning baptismal regenera

CHURCH CONGRESS. -The annual Church Congress was held, according to appointment, in October, at Norwich, under the presidency of the bishop of that city. It was well attended, and seems to have not been inferior to any of its predecessors. In fact, the idea of these Church Congresses is becoming decidedly popular, and their success thus far has been sufficiently great to commend to all religious denominations the consideration of the question, whether in addition to the constitutional conventions of the Connection and of the Connectional Society, a free annual gathering of members of the denomination for a full discussion of all denominational interests would not be a desirable addition. Of the questions discussed before the tion. The other Protestant bodies of

course generally sympathized with the views held by Mr. Gorham; still we cannot but find it very creditable to the High Church party that they were shocked in seeing that any, however fundamental, doctrine of their Church was at the mercy of a body of men appointed by the Crown, and whom no law prevented from being the worst opponents of the Church which they actually governed.

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that the minority should publicly state the grounds of their dissent, and that Privy Council judgments should not be binding on the Privy Council itself. Sir Robert Phillimore, who, as judge of the Court of Archies, is himself a layman, on ecclesiastical matters does not even go this length. He only desires that all bishops should be removed from the Judicial Committee, and formed into an independent board, to which questions of doctrines should be referred.

That both these remedies, if adopted, would be insufficient to cure the evil, is obvious. Both would leave to the Judicial Committee a controlling influence over the doctrines of the Church, and would, therefore, by no means prevent the efficient patronage by the state of the views of the Essayists and of Colenso.

The continued discussion of this sub

A few years later, another case aroused a still more profound opposition to the power of the judicial committee. A theological movement which had almost spent itself in Germany began to agitate the religious mind of England. Six clergymen, with one lay colleague, became the pioneers of the new opinions by publishing the famous volume of the "Essays and Reviews." Both the High and the Low Church parties loudly protested ject in the Church of England can hardly against permitting doctrines so glaringly fail to open the minds of even the Eninconsistent with the whole history of glish Churchmen, more and more, to the the Church, to be openly advocated by radical erroneousness of the entire sysits ministers. The bishops were nearly tem of State Churchism, and gradually unanimous in condemning these doctrines prepare the way for its overthrow. If, as dangerous heresies, and the clergy as is reported, men of as great influence responded to the episcopal declarations as Dr. Pusey and Mr. Gladstone are alwith rare unanimity. Two of the offend-ready strongly inclined in this direction, ers were cited before the judges of the the progress toward attaining the sepa Court of Arches, an ecclesiastical tribunal, ration of Church and State is certainly who found some of the charges brought considerable forward against them proved, and sentenced them to suspension from their benetices. The two clergymen appealed from this sentence to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which reversed the sentence of the court below, and decided in effect that very lax views on inspiration and future punishment did not so trangress the latitude allowed to clergymen as to subject them to pen

alties.

Court

GERMANY.

THE GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS ASSOCIATION. The general assembly of this society, whose beneficent operations abroad and popularity at home are increasing every year, was held in 1865, at Dresden, from September 5th to 7th. The society was established in 1843. From 1843 to 1858, or sixteen years, it raised one million thalers for providing the Protestants scattered in Roman

It was natural that such a decision should arouse the most intense indigna- Catholic districts with churches and tion, and should greatly strengthen the schools. The second million was raised desire of a radical reform of the from 1859 to 1864, or in six years. From of Final Appeal." the report on the last year, 1864, we Ever since, this reform question has learn that this society aided 723 poor greatly agitated the Church of England. Protestant congregations, and the sum At the recent Church Congress three expended to this end was 195,634 thalelaborate papers were read on the sub- ers. Compared with the previous year, ject, by Archdeacon Randall, Sir Robert

this shows an increase in the number of

Phillimore, and Sir William Jones. Arch-supported congregations of fifty three, deacon Randall described, in strong aud and in the amount of expenditures of true terms, the degraded condition of 16,504 thalers. The following details of the Church, but he nevertheless confined last year's report are of interest, as they himself to suggesting that certain bish-illustrate the great usefulness of the ops should be selected by their brethren society in the Roman Catholic and nonas members of the Judicial Committee, Christian countries:

meetings. The Protestant congregations are thus compelled to change constantly their places of meeting, and sometimes even the regularity of their religious assemblies is interrupted. The possession of a house of worship, of course, greatly facilitates the establishment of a permanent congregation, and largely adds to the number of casual attendants. Such a building can at the same time be used for the education of native youths of both sexes, many of whom may thus be prepared for spreading the doctrines of Protestant Christianity by teaching and preaching.

A number of priests in Mexico continue to declare themselves in favor of a religious reform. One of them is employed by the American and Foreign Christian Union to prepare a new translation of the Bible into Spanish. The liberal party, as a whole, is not only favorable to the establishment of religious liberty, but they are more opposed to the Church of Rome than ever. As soon as the star of the republic shall again rise, Mexico will offer unusual prospects for the spread of Protestantism.

MADAGASCAR.

put a stop. His widow, who succeeded him on the throne, hated the Christians, expelled the missionaries, and seemed to be determined to exterminate Christianity. A large number of the natives, however, gave the best proof of the soundness of their conversion by remaining firm during a severe persecution. The period of persecution again ceased and that of toleration recommenced when the pagan queen died in 1860, and was succeeded by her son, Radama II., who was known to be a friend of Christianity. The missionaries were allowed to return and to resume their operations. All restrictions upon the open profession of Christianity were removed, and it soon became evident, that notwithstanding the secrecy in which the native Christians had for years been compelled to hide the profession of their faith, their number had not decreased. On the contrary, intelligence was received from remote places which had never been visited by a European, that Christian congregations had been organized by native missionaries, and soon the number of Christians throughout the island began again rapidly to increase. The missionaries who have since been laboring in this interesting field are very sanguine of success; and Mr. Ellis, in the address to which we have already referred, expresses the hope that the next generation of the island will be predominantly Christian, and witness the overthrow of paganism.

America has as yet not been represented through its missionaries, in Madagascar. The bright prospects which there open for the permanent establishment of Protestantism, and the great efforts made by the Church of Rome to prevent this result, well deserve to attract the attention of all our missionary societies to this field.

SUCCESS OF THE PROTESTANT MISSIONS.-The fears which the assassination of King Radama I. and the intrigues of French diplomatists and priests raised for the future of the Protestant missions in Madagascar, have fortunately not been realized. On the contrary, Protestantism has struck deep root in the island, and Madagascar already stands forth as an inchoate Protestant country, and as a conclusive proof that the labors of devoted Protestant missionaries-as Roman Catholic writers, with the great applause of an anti-religious press, so boastingly assert-have not been everywhere a failure. The facts which were recently adduced by the Rev. Mr. Ellis, the pioneer missionary of Madagascar, in a public address delivered in England, are an interesting contribution to the relig ious history of our age. It will be remembered by most of our readers, that during the enlightened rule of King Radama I. English missionaries, in the employ of the London Missionary Society, spread the first knowledge of Christianity, which was adopted by a large number of natives. To the bright prospects which thus began to open, the death of Radama, in 1828, seemed to FOURTH SERIES, VOL. XVIII.--9

ROMAN CATHOLICISM

ITALY.

THE POPE, THE GOVERNMent, and THE ULTRAMONTANE PARTY.-In hardly any country of Europe have the people at the polls pronounced themselves more unanimously against the claims of the Papacy and the tendency of the Ultramontane party, than in Italy. Italian Chamber of Deputies consists

The

of 443 members. At the general election held in October, the Ultramontano