The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-07-17 00:00:00

PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA

The following is an extract from a letter recently received
from the Bishop of Calcutta:—
" The mild paternal sway of the British sceptre has now
for 20 years extended to what may be termed the sovereignty
of Hindostan. A profound peace, resembling in sonic mea-
sure that which prepared for the first advent of our Lord in
the flesh, has hushed India into tranquillity, since the termi-
nation of the Burmese war, for eight or ten years. Improve-
ments in domestic policy, jurisprudence, the use of the native
languages, the more equal collection of the revenue, offices
open to native' talent; education, commerce, intercourse
with home; taste for western manners, government, and
literature; discoveries in the arts, &c. have been pushed on
with an unexampled celerity. Lord Glenelg's new charter
of 1834 threw open the floodgates for India's civilisation and
illumination. The establishment of steam-vessels on our
fine and majestic Ganges has been multiplying the internal
facilities for commerce and mutual communication through
every part of India, whilst the commencement of a reguhr
mail despatch from Bombay to England, by the same Ivo n
derful mechanical discovery, is bringing on rapidly, as we
trust, the time of eastern knowledge, inquiry, and obedience
to the faith of Christ.

" 2. For, contemporaneous with these external aids for the
elevation of our prostrate millions of Hindoos, are the exer-
tions of your society, and those of the propa•::ation of the
Gospel, of the British and Foreign Bible Society, for the
circulation of the .Holy Scriptures, of the Church Missionary
Society, and others, to impregnate all secular efforts in
learning with divine truth, and sanctify the education of
youth with the knowledge of the Christian redemption. I
need not observe to the venerable society that the outburst
of mere curiosity in a heathen and Mahommedan people,
their mere grasp after human science, their attainments in
the arts and learning and wisdom of this world, if that is all,
will only resemble the eruption of a volcano, to bury in ruins
the fair fields which stretch around.

"3. Knowledge, as introductory to Christianity, I hail
with joy ; but if divorced from it, with extreme alarin and
suspicion.
"d. These thoughts are naturally suggested by two para-
graphs of your letters, of March 20th and August 10th, cf
this last summer. In the one you favour me with an account
of the unanimous resolution of the general meeting in June
to present a memorial against the continuance of the pilgrim
tax in India , the other, in which you are good enough to
pass a vote for the support of our mission schools near Cal-
cutta, and propose certain inquiries to me connected with
the subject.
...en-we-patronage of the basest and most degrading system
of idolatry and pollution which the lost spirit of darkness
ever, perhaps, imposed on a fallen world—a system which has
contrived an entire new code of religious usages, and re-
' wards and punishments, without any one consistent refer-
ence to moral good or evil—a code, minute, inquisitorial, all-
pervasive, in which the anti-social principle of caste con-
demns one-half of the human race to be perpetual staves and
menials, and depresses nine-tenths of both sexes into an irre-
vocable and grinding exclusion from hope—a system founded
in an ignorance of the God who made, and the Saviour who
redeemed, mankind, and going on its course by means of op-
pression, cruelty, and lust; the support of such a system Ly
the greatest and freest of the Christian nations of Europe is
au anomaly of the most deplorable and glaring character.
I scorn to advert to mere argument after the incomparable
despatch ascribed to Lord Glenelg, of February, 1833. It is
a case which requires no argument. Let the fact of British
governors, councillors, commissioners, magistrates, counte-
nancing, by voluntary measures, the misery, and barbarism,
and premature exaggerated ruin of their prostrate subjects,
be established (anrcl believe they cannot be denied,) and the
duty of a Christian people to protest against the national
guilt of such a conduct speaks for itself.
"5. lam not master of the subject in all its details. I ant
not aware of the particular objections to an immediate aboli-
tion of the pilgrim tax which are raised here, as I suppose
they are, by the subordinate local authorities. These mat •
ters are as much secrets, and very properly so, in India as at
home. I proceed on these two broad, and plain, and irrefra-
gable points. The countenance of idolatry, with its attend-
ant horrors, in a Christian state, is, per se, unmoral and sin-
ful. The delay in executing the positive orders from home
embodied in the despatch of February, 1833, if such delay
was not inevitable, augments the sin.
" 6. It would be wrong in me, perhaps, altogether to con-
ceal what I hear in conversation with gentlemen who have
lived many years in the vicinity of Poree and the temple of
Juggernaut, and on whose veracity no doubt can for a
moment be cast. They inform me that of 150,000 pilgrims
who resort annually to the spot, nearly one-third perish from
various causes, and never return to their homes.
"They inform me that the bands of pilgrim hunters, as
they are termed, swarm all over India, even to the most dis-
tant provinces, to collect and drive in before them the de-
luded pilgrims.
" They state that, almost every year, the pilgrims of the
adjoining provinces are lessening, especially the men ; and
that the supply is now very much from the more remote
places, and chiefly of women.

"They tell me that one practice, which does not appear in
any public documents, and which may, therefore, not be ge-
nerally known, is of the most atrocious injustice—the com-
pulsory assemblage of 2,000 poor wretches each year to drag
the idol car. If this one oppressive act were discontinued,
many gentlemen think the whole system of Juggernaut, like
the ancient Dagon before the ark, would instantly fall.
"7. I have been both at Juggernaut and Allahabad, the
sacred junction, as it is accounted, of the Ganges and the
Jumna, and my mind retains a vivid impression of the grief
and compassion and horror I felt for my sad fellow-creatures
crushed under the griffin yoke of "the god of the world.'
Nor could I believe scarcely, nor can I now, that the petty
sophisms of human cowardice and political expediency could
chill the glowing benevolence which would strike off the
chain and set the captive free."

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE.

CAMBRiDGE, JULY 13.—0 n Saturday the 30th ult., Wm.
Samuel Parish, 8.A., of St. Peter's College, in this Univer-
sity, was elected a Foundation Fellow of that society; and
the Hey. Thos. Ludlam, M.A., was, on the same day, elected
a Fellow on the Foundation of Mr. Gisborue.

NEW CHURCH.—The first stone of the new church, at
Tonge, near Middleton, was laid on Wednesday, July dtli.
It is expected to be finished in a few months, as the workmen
are getting very fast forward with the building. The style
in Christ, South
of architecture is the Gothic.
. SOUTHPORT.—On Sunday week, two sermons were preached
alfdterwplocrht: in the morning, by the Rev. J. Hordan,
and in the evening, by the Rev. C. Hesketh, Rector of North
Ilklnefaolust,•
upwards of £3O were collected for the
OLDHAM C Sunday schools connected with the church.
Sundaybythe
ilweek,ev. sjeurthntio nisi
as‘n• edri.,endt
he-, de-
livered at 01"dUracHEh?rlich
curate of Ashton-under-Lyrae, on the occasion of the annual
collections for the organist choir. A number of vocalists
of ability assisted in the services. The contributions amounted
hheasßbeeve.n W. G. Eaton,
u
to the handsome sum of
z electedutu chaplain to
CHESTER COUNTY Gitor,.—..T
chap-
lain to the Chester infirmary, has
per an
the county gaol, at a salary of
TOKENS OF RESPECT TO THE CURATES oF A.SitionTr-UNDER-
LYNE.—The teachers in the girls' school be to the
parish church of Ashton-under-Lyne, have recently
the Rev. J. Handforth and the Rev G W. Bower, presented
the
an elegantly bound Bible, as tokens of their respect and es-
teem for their diligent and attentive pastors.—,Manchester
Caul ier.

TRIBUTE or RESPECT.—On Wednesday last, the congre-
gation of St. Matthew's invited the Rev. C. HaN, assistant
minister, on his leaving that church, to a sumptuous dinner,
provided by Mr. Craig, Gartside-street, at which William
Tebbutt, Esq., the senior churchwarden, presided. The com-
pany vkiterwargi adjourned to-the Sunday school of that
church, where, in the presence of the ladies and teachers of
the school, they resettled the reverend gentleman with a
purse of money, and a sb gold watch and appendages, in-
scribed—Presented to the Rev. Carter Hall, A.M., by the
congregation of St. Matthew's Church, Manchester, together
with a purse of gold, July, 1838." Also a bible and prayer
book, splendidly bound and inscribed—" Presented to the
Rev. Carter !fall, A.M., by the teachers of St. Matthew's
Sunday school, as a token of their esteem, and an humble ac-
knowledgment of his affection towards them, July 1838."
After which the rev. gentleman delivered a feeling and im-
pressive address, particularly to the teachers of the school.
During its delivery scarcely a dry eye could be observed in
the crowded room. The total value amounts to more than
We understand the rev. gentleman, at the invitation
of the congregation of St. Mark's, Cheetham-hill, has ac-
cepted the office of evening lecturer at that chapel.—Man-
chester Courier.

Emperfat Varliament.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY.

Mr. S. LE FEVRE moved the second reading of
assessment bill.

Mr. GOLUB N moved that the bill be read a second time
" this day six months."
On a division the amendment was negatived by amajority
of 10-1 to 42, and the bill was read a second time.
Sir W. RAE moved the third reading of the small debts
(Scotland) bill.
Mr. WALLACE moved that it be read a third time " this
day three months."

The amendment was carried by a majority of 63 to 45, and
the bill is consequently lost.
Mr. Serjeant Jackson's registration of voters (Ireland)
bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on
Wednesday next. The Court of Chancery (Ireland) bill
went through committee, and was ordered to be reported on
Thursday. The local commissioners relief bill went through
committee, and was ordered to be reported on Friday. The
qualification of members bill was read a third time and
passed.
On the motion of the ATTOTINEY-GENER AL, the impri-
sonment for debt bill was read a second time, and ordered
to be committed on Monday.

In answer to a question from Lord STANLEY, the
ATTORNEY-GENEUA r. said, that it was his intention to press
the bill this session; and he expressed a hope that there
would be no opposition to it.
The Dublin police bill then went through committee, and
was ordered to be reported on Monday.
On the motion of Lord MonPETH, the Clare county ad-
vance bill was referred to a select committee.

The house adjourned at a quarter past nine o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAY.
IRISH MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL.

On the question that their lordships resolve into committee
on the municipal corporations (Ireland) bill,
Lord LYNDHURST stated the amendments which he in-
tended to propose, and the principles on which he thought
they ought to proceed in fixing the qualification, &c. With
respect to the towns in schedule A, which were large and
populous, there was no intention on the part of the noble
lords on his side of the house to object to corporations being
granted to them ; but with respect to the towns in schedule
B, many of which were small, and possessed of little or no
property, it had occurred to him and many other noble lords
that it would be highly unjust to force corporations on them,
but that it should 6e left to the town themselves—if a
majority of the rated inhabitants were so inclined—to apply
to the crown for charters. With respect to the qualifica-
tion, he proposed it should he £lO, including rent, allowance
for repairs, and insurance. His amendment was, " The
qualification should be of the yearly value of not less
than £lO, to be ascertained and determined as hereinafter
mentioned." The first question was, whether the house
would accede to the proposition for raising the value to £10;
and the next was, whether they thought his mode of ascertain-
ing the value was correct. He proposed to continue his
amendment, " And such yearly value shall be ascertained
and determined in the manner following, and not otherwise;
that is to say, it shall be composed of the value of the pre-
mises rated as they are hereby required to be under the pro-
visions of an act made and passed in the present session of
parliament, entitled An act for the relief of the poor in Ire-
land,' and of the amount of the sum at which the landlord's
repairs and insurance is estimated in such rate." Their lord-
ships were already aware, that 1)7 an amendment introduced
into the poor relief bill there was a schedule attached to it in
reference to the rating, in one column of which were men-
tinned the landlord's repairs, while in the other the insurance
was set out. The poor-law commissioners were to appoint
valuers, and the valuers were to act under their orders, and the
rates were to be made under their direction, and these points
were to be ascertained in 'the rate, and these persons, there-
fore, who were to decide on the qualification would have only
to take the three sums which he bad mentioned.
Lord MELBouIiNE complimented the noble and learned
lord on the fairness of his statement. He.differed, however,
as to the leaving it to the towns in schedule B to apply for
charters. There might be many reasons, internal dissensions
and fends, which might prevent an application whereas if
the corporations were given at once they would be well re-
ceived, and they would be conferring on the town a form of
government which was now admitted generally to be produc-
tive of advantage and benefit.
Lord WICK LOW always considered that this reform ought
to be granted; he knew that it was only a question of time,
and it was therefore peculiarly satisfactory to him that the
session would not be allowed to pass without the adoption of
a satisfactory measure. With respect to the qualification, he
feared that there would be much difficulty in arriving at a
perfect knowledge of what the repairs and insurance might
he, and he should prefer a bond-fide qualification fixed at a
lower nominal amount on the rating.
In committee, Lord LYNDHURST'S amendment, to the ef-
fect that corporations should be given only to part of the
towns, was agreed to without a division.
The other amendment of*Lord LYNDHURST, that the £lO
be composed of rent, repairs, and insurance, was opposed by
Lord Aler.uounNE.

It would appear, from an answer returned by Lord lAND-
HuaST to an observation from Lord MELBOURNE, which was
not heard, that the latter had suggested the fixing the quali-
fication at £8 rating, thus getting rid of the perplexity of de-
termining the allowance for repairs and insurance.
On a division the amendment was carried by 96 to 36.
Lord MELBOURNE Said, after that division, be would not
press their lordships with further debate; he considered that
their lordships' opinion had been expressed in that division.
Lord LYNDHURST said, he should propose to retain sche-
dule A, and to omit schedule B; that where there was a trust
for Protestant purposes, no Roman Catholic should be a
trustee; and that the constabulary should be the only police
force of the different towns.

The house having resumed, the report of the bill was or-
dered to be received on Tuesday, after which their lordship's
adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--THURSDAY.

The trading companies bill wa read a second time, and
ordered to be cotnnu?ted on Saturday.
Lord JOHN 1-4ss.E.L suggested, that as the entertainment
in the city would interfere with the attendance of members o❑
Friday evening, the house should meet at noon that day.
The house adjourned at four till six o'clock. _ _

Scarcely had-the house re-assembled at six o'clock when a
member moved that it be counted, and it being found that
there were not 40 members present, the house adjourned till
Friday at twelve o'clock.

After n LI OUSE OF_JMATl:occici, no other business
was transacted beyond the forwarding of the Dean forest
bill, and some other orders of the day a stage.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
Mr. BROTHERTON and Mr. BAINES presented some very
interesting petitions on the subject of idolatry in India.
Lord J. Russart., in answer to Mr. B. Palmer, said that
he could not state when it would be proposed to take into con-
sideration the lords' amendments to the poor relief (Ireland)
bill.
Sir. G. GREY, in answer to Sir J. Graham's inquiries, said
that he was informed, two (not three) vessels had arrived at
Demerara wills hill coolies: the East India labourers' bill
would afford an opportunity for discussion on this subject, if
it were desired.
Sir H. PEEL having adverted to the statement of outrage
on the part of the coast guard, mentioned in Thursday's Man-
sion House report,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he had not seen the account,
but that he would institute inquiry into the subject.
Lord ASHLEY made formidable complaint regarding the
"counting out" of the house on Thursday, and thus warding
off the motion of which lie had given notice, namely, "to call
the attention of the house to the state of the law for the regu-
lation or the factories of the united kingdom, and to move,
"That this house deeply regrets that the law affecting the re-
gulation of the labour of children in factories, having been
round imperfect and ineffective to the purpose for which it
was passed, has been suffered to continue so long without any
amendment." But no trickery of that kind should succeed.
He was determined to bring it forward, and make his state-
ments on the first supply night.
Lord J. ltussEt.r. bore testimony to the manner in which
his lordship had conducted this question, and, while express-
ing regret that the motion had been evaded, declared that the
government was no party to any manoeuvre to get the house
counted out."

Mr. LABOUCHE RE, Mr. It. STEUART, and Mr. Fox MA ULE,
also protested that the counting out was purely accidental.
The house then went into committee on the prisons bill.
It was afterwards arranged that the imprisonment for debt
bill should be considered in committee, the ATTORNEY-GENE-
RA E. being most anxious to proceed with it.
The other orders being disposed of, the house adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—SATURDAY.
The Speaker took the chair at l 2 o'clock.
The East India steam-ship companies' bill was read a
third time and passed.
A number of petitions on various subjects were presented.

IRISH TITHES.
Sir G. SINCLAIR gave notice, that on the house going into
committee on the Irish tithe bill, he should call attention to
the policy of her Majesty's ministers towards the Protestants
of Ireland.

TURNPIKE ACTS.
Mr. F. MA t:LE gave notice, that on Monday next he should
move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the acts relatinv
to local turnpike roads.
On the motion of Mr. F. MAULE, the report on the Edin-
burgh and Leith agreement bill was brought up and
agreed to.
Mr. F. MAULE moved the third reading of the prisons
(Scotland) bill.
Mr. CHALMERS proposed an amendment in the 17th
clause, but its precise nature could not be ascertained in the
gallery. The amendment was negatived without a division.
Mr. BLAIR rose to move that the word " crime" he substi-
tuted as the rule of assessment, for "crime and population
jointly."
Mr. F. MAULE said he did not think the amendment. could
be put in its present. form, as it altered all the clauses and
schedules of the measure.
Mr. F. KELLY said, if such was the case, he trusted the
hon. member would allow the bill to stand over for a few
days, so that time might be given for fully considering the
question.
A long, discussion ensued, alter which,
Mr.' BLAIR said, as he was not able to carry his amend-
ment, he should oppose the further progress of the bid. He
therefore moved that the bill be read a third time that day
three months.

Strangers were ordered to withdraw, but no division took
place. The amendment was withdrawn, and the bill read a
third time, and passed.
The report on the coal trade (Port of London) bill was
brought up, and ordered to be taken into consideration on
Moliday.