The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-13 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

The following address has just been issued by the
Bishop of London to the laity of his diocese :
"London House, June 5.
" My Christian Friends,—The revenue returns and the
census have been felt to preach a great lesson. Thoughtful
men ask themselves whether God's unmerited goodness to
this nation, vouchsafed for so many years, has stirred us to
show our thankfulness by doing what we can, each in his
own sphere, to secure that efforts for the highest goad of the
people shall keep pace with our steady progress in material
prosperity. Immured with this thought • number of
owners of property and employer' of labour in London,
with other persons interested in the wilful of the metro-
polis, did me the favour of meeting here a few weeks since
to consider what means could be devised for supplying
the spiritual wants of our rapidly-incrusting population.
I called their attention to an appendix in my last chugs,
which sets forth the present condition of 83 of our largest
parishes in reopen of the proportion of churches and clergy
to the number of inhabitants. It was granted on all hands
that our population increases at the rate of some 40,000
each year, and that, great as the exertions are which have
been made of late, both by societies and individuals, our
utmost efforts have not hitherto been able to do more than
supply the additional means of grace required to meet this
increase I and that, therefore, the original evil of • rut
population inadequately cared for remains much as it was
when Bishop Blomfield began his labours. While I feel
assured there was no one present who did not allow how
much the future well-being of oar people must depend on
the improvement of their physical condition and on good
secular education, we were still, I think, unanimous in the
belief that their physical and intellectual state could not
be effectually improved if their spiritual waste were neg-
lected. It was acknowledged that the time had come
when some effort on • large wale ought to be made, not
only to prevent matters growing worse, but to make some
sensible progress in penetrating the dense mass which bad
ageumulated in past times of neglect. While all present
were, I believe, willing to allow the great value of the
exertions of various kinds already made to ameliorate the
condition of our people, and while there was no jealous
depreciation of what had been done and is doing without
our own communion, still we unanimously acknowledged
the loud call which the present state and the prospects of
London address especially to the national church. sad we
determined to *et vigorously to work for afresh effort.
" While we considered the state of some parishes totally
unmanageable from their vast extent, and the necessity
of their immediate subdivision into separate districts, each
with its new church, the meeting still fully allowed that
it is not merely for the erection and endowment of new
churches, or even the formation of independent districts, that
an effort must be made ; it was felt that put experience
points to the necessity of securing at once living agents
to labour io the living church, and nesting that the
material edifice with all the requisites of a new parish
will follow in good time, when required ; and it was urged
that great care must be taken not to press too far the
principle of parochial subdivision. We pledged ourselves
to send missionary clergy at once into all our most destitute
districts that they may assist the incumbents, and to surround
them with such appliances as are indispensable : we under-
took to help them, with the concurrence of the incum-
Dente, in building temporary churches, ached churches, or
mission rooms, where necessary, and to supply what other
helps they might need as adjuncts in their immediate work.
"The question of the amount of funds required was
anxiously discussed, and the moderate proposal which I
had myself made was set aside, the meeting determining
that not less than a million of money should be called for,
to be raised in the next ten years. It was felt that nothing
but harm could insult from not at once facing the evil in its
full magnitude, and it was thought that both the vast
resources of London and the amount expended in former
years pointed to such a sum as both necessary and likely to
be produced. It was urged that as the munificent 000tribet.
tioos promised yearly since 1836 by the landowner, of
London to the Diocesan Church Building Society will soon
come to an end, the new subscription to be now cons-
mewed mast be on • scale by no means lower than that
which it is intended toveplace.
" With these general resolutions as to the magnitude at
the work, and the way in which to undertake it, the meet-
ing separated. The time since the meeting has been em-
ployed in fully considering and maturing our scheme, and I
now appeal to the diocese to commence thin great work.
" The question bag been raised how far the =paid efforts
of the laity may be depended on to contribute valuable as- 1
sistance in bringing the Gospel to the homes and hearts of
the neglected people around us. I am certainly not likely
to overlook such aid. No man can be more deeply coo-'
vinoed than myself how much may be done by laymen with
the love of God in their hearts spending such time as they
can spare from their secular pursuits in aiding the parochial
clergy, while they visit the poor and seek to assist in sup-
plying both their temporal and their spiritual wants. 1
shall be ready, therefore, at once to receive the names of
any such laymen u will enlist themaelves under my direc-
tions, and to devise suitable arrangements whereby they
may have each • proper sphere assigned and receive direc-
tions for their work, and I shall be glad if inch offers of as-
sistance are not confined to one sex.
" It would, however, be visionary to expect that we could
depend altogether on the unpaid assistance of those whose
time is greatly occupied by their common 'scalar pursuits.
Other lay agency will be at hand. Oar Scripture Readies'
Society, which at present for lack of funds can command
the services of only 98 readers, but the great value of
which, even in its present condition, has for years been
acknowledged by our parochial clergy, will become a far
more effectual handmaid of the church if its means are
supplemented by assistance from the fund we propose to
raise. A similar remark may be made as to the society
which supplies parochial mission women to our clergy, and
through the powerful instrumentality of their watt
influence gains access to many homes not before maned.
" It is my desire that our scheme be as elastic as possible.
We need • great addition both of clerical and lay agency ;
we need to increase the miserably poor endowments of
many of our incumbents ; to plant missionary curates
amidst our dense populations, supplying them, if possible,
at once, with suitable residences, from which the influence
of a Christian home may radiate through each district ; we
shall require to build many schoolrooms, chapels, and
churches. Each year, also, may suggest new means for
advancing the great work we are undertaking ; and it is
my desire that no approved agency which is suggested in
connexion with oar national church should be excluded
from our field of operations.
" The plan, then, which I now commend to you, lade.
pendently of the appeal for voluntary labourers, is this
that • fund be raised to meet the spiritual wants of the
diocese ; that • very large body of persons, clergy and laity,
interested in this work be formed into a hoard to co-operate
with me as bishop ; that out of this board an executive
oommittee be elected who @boll represent the different in-
terests with which we have to deal ; that as the parochial
clergy are so much occupied with their more directly
spiritual labour, an effort be made to place the badness
connected with the food as much as possible in the hands
of laymen. Two of the objects which it is proposed
to accomplish are already sought by two diocesan societies
—the Diocesan Church building Society and the Dinneen.
Home Mission. The organised agency already established
A Berlin correspondent says that M. von Big- Iby thug, as wen as by the 9criptute Readers' and other
mark urged the King to give some public mark of his ills- reacsociehtinhe willittoinvska puts 2 e effsettis:llt la
hearty co-operation with these existing sopcleoMPT.
approbation of his sods words at Dentate, but thus his
Majesty refused, contenting himself with writing a private "It may seem a poor thing for a bishop to be addressing
letter to the prince. The contents of that epistle have sot his diocese on tbe old question of our need of foods, but the
transpired, but it is the general belief that on receiving it, command ofxpletfunds is an indispensable condition the
"the
prince read it, shooed it to his wife, and then pot it meat effort which the is of the time' requires. With-
out gnat sod self. enyiog exertions thousands of souls in
tato his pocket." the mane of Christendom must be left without the know-
THE FRENCH AT THE ANNAMITE COURT.—Admiral ledge of God in Christ. and without any appeal being roads
Howard's report of his manioc to the Alumna coon is ; to them porsouslly in Cheat's same. Is is to be (gored that
published in the Monitcur at great length. The anxiety of ! with all the advantages already secured thousands
arranging and carrying out the ceremony of exchanging the amongst us never enter ober& or chapel, have no family
treaties Met Annan] us of its best statesmen, by name :
-D
are ignorant of God sod Christ, utterly regardless
" Lam," who died of cholera, brought on by overwork, is • religion themselves, and unconcerned though their chil-
few hours. 20,000 IMO wars under arms, sod all the ;da through their neglect, are growing up half heathens.
phut, of He drawn up round the palace. on the owe. . It Is
our duty before God to seek out such, whether they
sion of the interview at that ambassador with " co
s."
will bear or whether they recess ; and, great as the exertion
The Europeans were, by special garmission, allowed to required roust be, 1 feel confident that, with the vast means
approach his Majesty like area, that is, " with hoed snots and at our command, our work can easily be eacomplished. The
looking to the sky," instead of •.s, mode dad quadrupedal,. result of our preaching sad teaching and viaitiog must be
and were abio permitted to wear their arms. After Um in God's bands, but we most not be discouraged and neg.
ceremony, his giainns, Tiasin anus an autograph imam in led our responsibilities. If we are rich, we base great means
Verne to Admiral Boomed to bs delivered into the hands of to help forward the cause of God, and He claims • large nin-
th° Emperor of the French. In the interests of European tribution. If we are poor let us remember that the
literature it is to be hoped that these royal verses will be united contributing. of the poor sod the middle classes
given to the puha la site museums we give • specimen given heartily will soon outweigh the most munificent we.
ny the prose m kin Annamisa Majesty :—"Thu ambassadors tributions of the rich. Consider what our metropolis is—
who hove supported all the fatigues of • journey here have its vast population—its boundless influence on the whole
given a striking proof of their merits. For this reasoe the kingdom—the certainty that, as evil
must de-
co their mission. When the ambassadors have returned to ' moralise the country, sad disorder our whole modal system,
their own sovereigns they will say that, pesos having been unless it be hayseed by • civilian' Christian infinsisea. No
today concluded. in (mum all shims Amid be treated man of education and good feeling will live in London with-
pacifically, and then the most moire friendship will exist out contributing directly to spread this Christian Menem*.
for ever for the happiness of the nations. Let the mobse. I Every owner of property, every employer of labour, every
*tors ears,. these words on their =monks ; it is lor henseAader. ococl inbabitnnt. nab *Teri visitor. es he
that that Tar
-Dne proems= Am." haps in Ida degree to draw the poor to congregate in Lou-

A Berlin letter of the Bth has the following :
We are credibly informed that Count de Bismark does
not intend to submit the ordinance of June 1 for the
approbation of the chambers. That and all the other
exceptional measures will be abrogated just before the
meeting of the chambers. The amnion will be made u brief
as possible, sad after int close the exceptional ordantooss
will be miesued. Such is the plan the government intends
to follow, it no unforeseen incidents occur to render it
impracticable.

(armies massaus.)
RUSSIA AND AMERICA.
ST. PETERSBURG, Joys 13.
The Journal de St. Petersbotirg of to-day pub-
lishes a despatch, dated June 4, addressed by
Prince Oortchakoff to Mr. Clay, expressing the
Emperor's satisfaction at the reply of Mr. Seward
to the proposal of France to join the diplomatic
intervention in favour of Poland. The despatch
concludes as foUovrs :—" Such facts draw closer
the bonds of sympathy between Russia and
America. The Emperor knows bow to appreciate
the firmness with which Mr. Seward maintains the
principle of non-intervention."

VENEZUELA.

CARAOCAB, H•T 23.

The definitive articles of agreement between the
government of President Paez and the liberal party
were signed here yesterday. The modifications
proposed by General Falcon were accepted without
difficulty, and he joined the government. The
peace is received with the greatest satisfaction.
The above is official.