The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-14 00:00:00

the General Thanksgiving, &c., to the end of the Even-

ing Prayer.
....---_.
The Bishop of London has issued the following
circular to the clergy of the metropolis :
" Fulham, Nov. 3, 1819.
" Reverend and dear Sir,—ln the pastoral letter
which I addressed to the clergy of this diocese in
December, 1847, with reference to the expected ap-
pearance of the cholera, I pointed out certain special
duties as proper to be undertaken by them at that
anxious crisis, in addition to the more peculiar func-
tions of their sacred office. I said that, while their
first object should be to impress upon the minds of
their people the necessity of an implicit trust in God,
of an entire submission to his will, of increased degrees
of seriousness, vigilance, and self-restraint, and of
frequency and fervour in prayer, it would also be an
office of real piety and charity to urge upon them the
importance of endeavouring to remove all those
physical causes which might invite the approach of
clip ease, and aggravate its malignity.
e i suggested, as a motive to such endeavours, that
while we may not look for a blessing upon the re-
sources anal appliances of human skill if they are not
employed in ii"umble reliance upon the power and
goodness of God, so neither, if we neglect to use all
probable and practl;cable means of prevention and
preservation, have we .
months.
withs awful
.'any reason to expect that He
will specially interfere i`o rescue us from the conse-
quences of our own negligence.
" The importance of this c..
Nution has been painftre
proved by the events of the last' twelve
expected seourge has fallen 1.1%)°,11 .hui:vast metro-
severity, and has swept away.from t
-nts. Judging
polis at least 15,000 of its inhabit,
• made by the
from the unvarying tenor of the reports
medical inspectors, and of other persons
,I do not
watched the progress of that fatal disease, who have
hesitate to declare my belief that by far the rester
r
the
number of those who have fallen victims io
pestilence might, under God's blessing, have been
saved from death bad timely and effectual measures
been taken for cleansing and ventilating their ll-
ings, preventing their overcrowded state, and draining
the courts and alleys in which they are situate.
" We shall be chargeable with great folly and want
of foresight as political economists, and guilty, I
v,,rily believe, of great sinfulness as a Christian people,
if we neglect to profit by the dearly-bought expe-
rience of the past, and to take prompt and energetic
measures ibr improving the condition of the labouring
classes, by re:uoving the worst at least of those evils,
which at once render them an easy prey to disease
and death, and place them at a hopeless distance from
the Church's teaching and ministry. I remarked in
my former letter, that persons immersed in misery
and filth are for the most part inaccessible to the
motives and consolations of the Gospel.
" Much, no doubt, there is which can be effected
only by means of legislative measures ; but much may
be done by the charitable efforts of associated
Christians, which in the present state of thin the
law could accomplish only by very slow degr:es-
Let us not wait, while under the pressure of extreme
necessity, for the operations of a machinery which will
require a considerable time to put it in motion ; but
let us at once take the work in hand, and show that
the desired improvement is practicable, to a great ex-
tent, by the exertions of an active and well-directed
charity.
" We are about to perform, as a Christian people, a
public and solemn act of thanksgiving to Him, who
holds in his hands the issues of life and death, for his
great mercy vouchsafed to us in answer to our
prayers, in removing from us the plague and grievous
sickness which of late afflicted us, and restoring the
voice of joy and health to our dwellings. God grant
that it may be the expression of a real, heartfelt
thankfulness ' • and that it may be followed by its pro-
per results of increased self-denial and charity ! You
will, I am persuaded, see the propriety of calling
upon your congregation to contribute liberally of
their worldly substance on that occasion, as a thank-
offering to Almighty God for their preservation from
that pestilence which has hurried so many thousands
to their last account; and I venture to recommend
1 that the alms then collected should be applied to the
promotion of some well-considered plan for improving
the dwellings of the labouring classes.
" I would not be understood to prescribe the
channel through which the collections should be so
applied; but I would suggest that where the funds
so raised are not sufficient for carrying out a local
scheme for that purpose, they may he safely entrusted
to `The Society for Improving the Condition of the
Labouring Classes,' without fear of misapplication or
waste. Much good has been already effected by that
society, in setting an example of what may be done
towards providing the poor with decent and commo-
dious habitations, by an outlay which will ultimately,
be repaid with interest, both in a social and a pecu-
niary point of view. It is a remarkable and encou-
raging fact, that in the dwellings and lodging-houses
belonging to the society there was not one case of
cholera, and two only of diarrlacsa, which speedily
yielded to medical treatment.*
" I cannot conclude this letter without expressing
my deep sense of the exemplary manner in which the
clergy of this diocese have discharged their duties
during the late most trying season, in visiting with
unwearied assiduity and kindness the sick and dying,
and in ministering, to the utmost of their power, both
to the bodily and spiritual comfort of the sufferers.
Two only of their number have fallen victims to that
deadly disease which has carried off so many members
of their flocks. Let us, who have been mercifully
spared, show forth our thankfulness by increased dili-
gence in every work of piety and charity, that the
Lord, when he cometh, may find us so doing. Com-
mending you to his holy keeping.
"I remain, Reverend and dear Sir, your affectionate
friend, " C. J. LONDON."
* The reports of the society may be had of the
secretary, John Wood, Esq., 21, Exeter Hall, Strand.

The Lord Mayor gave directions on Monday that
the following notice should be extensively circulated
in the city of London :
" FARNCOMIt, MAYOR.
"Mansion-house, Nov. 12, 1849.
" Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen having
by her royal proclamation appointed and commanded
that a General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the
abatement of the grievous disease with which many
places in this kingdom have been lately visited shall
be observed throughout England and Ireland on
Thursday, the 15th day of November instant,
"The Lord Mayor requests that his fellow citizens
will close their shops and abstain from all business on
that day, in order that it may be devoutly and reve-
rently observed by all classes.
" By order of the Lord Mayor,
" S. R. GOODMAN."

On Monday the Rev. Dr. Adler, the Chief Rabbi,
issued the following Form of Thanksgiving for the
cessation of cholera, to be used in all the British syna-
gogues on Thursday next. The Thanksgiving is to
be preceded by psalms, and by the ordinary prayers
for the Queen and the Royal Family :
" God of the spirits of all flesh I—before thee we
come this day, in the place of Thy holiness,
to glorify, to praise, and to thank Thee
that, although Thou hest been angry with us, Thine
anger is turned away, and Thou bast com-
forted us : and that, though Thou hast chastised us
sorely, Thou hast again become our salvation. Thy
chastening hand had lain heavily upon the inhabitants
of this land. The mysterious and irremediable sickness
had stricken down many—many beloved and lamented
victims : the stoutest heart trembled at the voice of
death sounding at the threshold ; and the boldest
among the mighty were seized with terror and
anguish. But gracious and merciful art Thou, 0
Lord! Thy wrath endureth not long; nor is thine
anger everlasting! Thou makest sore and healest;
Thou woundest, but it is Thy hand which prepareth
the balm. In the depths of our terror and affliction
Thou didet send forth Thy Spirit and there was a
pause. Thou commandedst, and the Plague ceased.
" Mighty and all-powerful Lord ! our Rock and
our Shelter ! who can tell all Thy goodness ?—who
can show forth all Thy glory ?—who can expound
thy ways in the sanctuary ? But the living, whom
Thy mercy hath spared—the living it behoveth to
thank Thee with their whole heart. The father to
his children shall make known Thy truth, and declare
Thy goodness—how Thou hast dealt wondrously
with U 3 !—how Thou hast called to mind Thy cove-
nant with our forefathers and has shielded us with
the sun of Thy mercy which beareth healing and
consolation on its wings.
" Fountain of all blessings! open our eyes to
know the benefits which the days of distress bring
forth when the scourge has ceased. Grant that we
may understand how full of blessings are the chas-
tisements of Thy hand : that we may learn thereby
Thy statutes, and cease to sin against Thy holy laws.
Glorious are the powers and faculties with which
Thou hast bounteously endowed us ; which cease-
lessly follow out their true destination, but when we
destroy their harmony it is we who produce conflict
between them and act against Thy will : 0, let us
therefore ponder our ways so that we may ever re-
member the past affliction and provoke not its return.
Grant that no uncleanness may pollute us, and that
wrong and unrighteousness be not found among us.
Send sorth the blessed light of Thy truth to guide and
lead us in Thy holy path. Deign to imbue us with
the
spirit of true charity, that we may strengthen the
feeble knees and assist with compassion those who are
ianre the. sacrifices.
which Thou d
affitchon—for such deeds Thy d '
" 0 continue to be merciful
' countenance still shine upon us,
our days as of old ! Amen." arestnot despise.
dolt
untono
t
us. Let Thy
0 Lord, and render
h e

IF THE BEAM CAP FITS, WEAR Ir. Haynau has
!wen called " The Jack Ketch of Hungary." By-the-
bye whenever a King or an Emperor, or any fine despot,
.
has a pet executioner, would
.not be amiss to address
him by the significant title of " 4118 Royal Haynauto.....
Punch.