The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-19 00:00:00

AS TO CATECHISTS IN SYNODS.

In the first ten Synods above mentioned, there are only six 1
Catechists stated to be necessary for the due means of religious
instruction to the people, and this necessity arises from the large
territorial extenrof some particular parishes.
In the other six synods also above mentioned, no fewer than
130 catechists are required ! Nor will this lamentable deficiency
seem surprising when the physicial localities of the country are
considered. There arc many islands in it at great distance,
from the coast. The coast of the mainland is often indented
by long arms of the sea, and its whole surface is intersected,
and in many places rendered impassable by precipitous moun-
tains and by rapid rivers.
One parish, 17 miles long, on the mainland, has an island
belonging to it with a population of 300, situate at 24 miles from
the shore, and owing to its great distance, and a dangerous na-
vigation intervening, the Minister cannot visit it above once in
the year. Another parish consists of nine islands, of which six
arc inhabited, and it extends, including sea, 50 miles in length,
and 30 in breadth ; and a third parish of 24 miles long, on the
mainland, includes four inhabited islands, some of which are
20 miles distant from each other.
Each of these parishes has only the parochial Minister to
perform every pastoral spiritual duty to the people.
The inducements that we have to attempt the remedy of the
evils in question are great and inviting.
1. In reference to the means of education by the establish.
ment of Schools, every encouragement is held forth which can
arise from the characteristic acuteness of the population con-
cerned—from their habits, connected with their peculiar custom
of frequent village meetings, for hearing and committing to
memory the history and poetry of their clans and country—
and above all, from the extraordinary growing eagerness they
have of late manifested for the blessing of education.
Many children, it is stated in the returns of the Clergy, are
prevented from attending a school by their distance from it, and
by poverty. disqualifying parents for paying the school fees,
or purchasing school books ; but few or none are prevented
by indifference. On the contrary, the best clothes of the pa-
rents have in some instances been sold to defray the expense
of edacating their children. Adults too, from 20 to 70 years
of age, crowd every where to newly erected schools, which
happen, from their situation, to be at all accessible to them;
and from their ardour and assiduity in their tasks, such persons
do often make a rapidity of progress unher.rd of in other dis.
tricts ; from six to twelve months (of which numerous instances
are specified), being sufficient to qualify them to read the
Scriptures with facility. Nor is it uncommdn for a boy to be
sent by the joint sr bscription of the poor inhabtiants of the
hamlets of a glen, to be hoarded and educated at a distance,
and for this boy, on his return, to become the schoolmaster of
his neighbourhood, after the labours of the day, when himself
and those who are to be his scholars, are over. And to all this
may be added the interesting fact, that when either a youth
or an adult acquires the qualification of reading it is the fre
quent practice of his less fortunate neighbours (grandfathers
group),ors parents and children mixing in the same
gp to listen—what otherwise they could not have heard
"few and
hut from their ministers, whose visits are necessarily
far between,"—the glad tidings of salvation read to them from
the book of God.
11. I reference to increasins the means of religious in'truc-
tion byn employing additonal Catechists, the Committee have
to state, that there are also powerful inducetnents to attempt
The inhabitants of the Highlands and Islands have a
this measure. profound
respect for religious institutions, and an ardent thirst for religious
knowledge. Amidst difficulties totally unknown in the Low-
lands, and next to insuperable in themselves, they repair in
crowds to the accessible places of worship on the ordinary
Sabbaths; and it is common for them, on occasion of t
Sacrament of the Lord'i Supper being dispensed in their own
or in an adjoining Parish Church, to go from great distances,

sometimes by sea and sometimes by land, in large Mill",
and carrying with them all the necessary means of lodging*
and subsistence during the period of their stay. On the
Monday, after the Sacrament, in one particular parish, there
may be seen, the beautiful and touching spectacle of from 40 to
50 boats setting sail at once, to bear homewards the pious mul•
titudes. who from the remotest boundaries of its vast extent,
(50 miles by 38), have been devoutly in attendance on the ser-
vice of communion.

While, however, the Committee state the sad privations, as
to the means of education, and of religious instruction existing
in these sequestered districts, and the inducements, from the
dispositions and habits of the rop'e, that encourage attemPt6,
to alleviate the evils to which thy arc exposed, they feel 11
their duty to state also that t!:e Committee on the ReY5
Bounty, the Society for Propapting Christian Knowledge,
and various private Institutions, have rendered most import'
ant service in this good cause. But still the funds of these
respectable bodies, though managed with the utmost jag;
ment and economy, and their labours, though most faithful,
z•nd zealous, are utterly inadeep!ate to meet the exigencies of
the case. An immense field of beneficence yet remains to r
cultivated by the General Assembly, and through them by "16
Christian Public.

Now, inthetirst place, to what quarter could an appeal for
interposition in such a case have been made more appropriately,
or with better grounds of confidence than to tho General A;
sembly ? Its ministers are the official overseers of every spiritual
flock in the kingdom. They are the provincial guardians'
through all its limits, of the Redeemer's religion and cause'
and they know well that there is no portion of the poPulat°,,n
within the church, who in their general character and hab`t:
are more peaceable and virtuous, or more deserving of the prv:
tection and kindness of their country. than the inhabitants 01.
the districts in question. The Ass?mbly, accordingly, on thel.l.
part yielded to the appeal. But, in the second place, the Corn",
mittee have no doubt of finding cordial support to the Assern
bly's plans, from the munificence of the public, both at boil
and abroad. They know that this spirit is already widely an:t
enthusiastically awakened. And to those at a distance it 1,
merely necessary to give the assurance, that the great body of
the Heritors interested in the Highlands and Islands, are pre
pared to give continued and permanent proof of that willingne
which they have already evinced, to make every requisite aer
tion for accomplishing the great obiect in view.
On the whole the Committee would earnestly press on the
public attention are peculiar claim to confidence and patrorlagi:
belonging to a measure, which in all the details of its 3"1,f
nistration is to be under the superintendence and direction t
the General Assembly of the National Church. It nittstsa ,
once appear that this circumstance affords the best groan of
for full confidence in the faithful and wise application
the fund that may he contributed, as entire reliance may be
,at
placed on the most scrupulous care being always taken
both the Schoolmasters and the Catechists on the Estabus
ment shall be men of good personal character, and of annii
principles in Church and State, and regular, zealous, and dili-
gent in their professional duties ; since for all these
tions their ecclesiastical sul.arintendents will be the rest
v
sible guarantees,
n
The Committee would only further add, the express'; n of
their confident hope, that the preceding simple statemen,itrelil
secure the liberal support of ifte friends of education and
-be,
gion, not in Scotland only, but in every quarter of the gio,ich
And they especially flatter themselves, that the facts lve"its
they have brought forward, and the objects which they hay_bn,
view, will not fail to obtain the efficient patronage of all Pao,
from personal or family connections, or from birth anddes
associations, take an interest in the Highlands- and Jsl3n 0.04
Scotland, and in the improvement and happiness of dieir
and gallant inhabitants.

Signed in name and by authority of the Committee,
Edinburgh, 1825. GEO. BAIRD. Convener.

GRAND REGATTA.

MR. KEAN'S PRIZE WHERRY.
d for
Yesterday Mr. KEAN gave a Prize Wherry to be rove- the
by seven pair of oars. It is said he means to retire from
stage, and that he gave the Prize as a farewell remembrance:l b
His friends on the Banks of the Thames have been so n;ce,
impressed with his performance of the histrionic hero of t,,
worth Field, that they entitled the bills announcing the ma-the
'6 King Richard's Farewell Wherry." He was, in fact, 4
River God for the day, and presided over all the Tritons ar
Nereides of the stream. The prize was to be gained by the b
men rowing two heats. ster
First Heat.—To start at two o'clock from WeattnliVa
Bridge, row round a boat moored off Lawn Cottage, a"u to
the Surrey shore to the Red-house. The three first boa.
start for the second heat. Red-ho
Second Heat.—To start from the buoy at the Red— 41
through Vauxhall Bridge, return en the Surrey shore roVerry
boat moored off Lawn Cottage, and back to the Prize
near the Red-house.
The following candidates for the Prize took their stationt.
J. Joyce,Arundel Stairs, and W. Noulton, Lambeth,
C. Mills, Hungerford, and I-1. Vincent, ditto - Ptutlitee.
G. Maynard, Lambeth, and A. Hallam, Vauxhall N'l^"-
G. Hayden, Waterloo Bridge, and J. Covington, glue
vet
Westminster
k•
G. Jones, Banksidr, and R. Croker, Vauxhall pir •
W. Emery, Hungerford, and S. Miner, Whitehall Grego
G. Williams, Waterloo, and G. Heath, Ilungerford Ve'icooPe'
Between two and three o'clock Mr. Kean, and .31r-".o.,er-
the Comedian, went on board an eight oared cutter at 40 sP'
100-bridge. The water men wore scarlet, and the coonireit-
peared in a splendid coat and badge. Having rowed t Oirls
minster-hAdge, they found the candidates waiting 'WI!
Richard's royal command to slip end run. The Prize ote at •
was exhilsited. It made a, gay appearance, having a odd vid
with the words—" Prize Wherry." Upon the back.b°,ool),
painted in gold character—" King Richard's Prize '
e"
given by EDMUND KEAN, Esq." &c. &c. h the h
scariee
On the discharge of a pistol the boats went off with tool( t
All the candidates were young and able men. Ihe
lead, and dashed along with astonishing rapidity' t the at
under that colour (Joyce and Noulton) arrived first a-patien`-it
House, 'followed by Pink and White, they were con'
declared winners of the first heat. Mr. Kean then I;tefedi•
the Red House, and, with a party of friends, partook% to re;
ment. After some time had been allowed the watertn' ofivitle3
cruit their strength, they prepared for the grand heati spi3so,l
manceuvred the thr?e boats into their station the signafter a veot
and away they went. The distance was long, and ad
hard prevailed the strength and skill of Maynard a. a collie
(white) . They came into the winning P°l„pion Of tol
derable distance a-head of the others, and took posse,qude, ept
prize. They were haled by the shouts of them n" then vito
certainly received a well-earned triumph. Mr. Keanviateral of
into the house and dined with his friends, whilst the. _ fork,
and other company celebrated in copious libations the 201
' him who had procured fin- them the feast of Neptune
e
rites of Bacchus.

_
_ e
shoe t!' r
THE CORK HANGMAN.-Daniel Donal 4e101,G
hangman attached to the Cork ,craol, was indicted for ibex
a:great coat on the lands of Balyphilip, in the I,lct`ia t, wog-
tferhsr.,,esdtleixweciproperty of Cornelius Hallesy. On Satur"3'utost ll_
Sr Oe :IF! t 0 three
.d:
coat a t was laid near a gate in the field where the proec,e m.-0
fencev,
me l l
time,
andt
to offer
hberno
it
nltghhhe
it
scionbaeathwavlearrs,dodi
ree
verdict
ooafncdGhe.
character,
crt
yot
em. r , him, he refuse other
ive it, alleging that it was his own coat. He had 10„,„,irt I-4
It to the Jury to decide on the case. They raentairetdheil-1:c°11:
wreodrkitaitind was afterwards found on the prisoner in !
His Lensed thell,
detnhyyeeCaamltresi
utr:kcie.hmor
rfi
li
satisfiedmtr
ih
esenoCntmr
ionew theniwhnttth,;taotnhcdehoasurerdnt
t;
laboure Snaecdt. ell>iie:thp
roe O.