THE CHURCHMAN.-This periodical for October, under an enlarged series, is rendered more than usually efficient for its pious purposes by its ampler dimensions. The Rev. M. A. Gathecole, it seems, has been dismissed from his office as Editor of this Magazine," on account of the violence and coarseness of his writings," and has taken upon himself the Editorship of The Conservative Journal and Church of England Gazette, a virulent attack in which, on The Churchman, is ably parried in the present number of the last-named publication.-Taunton Courier.

THE CHURCHMAN.-The contents of this pillar of the Church for October are multifarious, and deeply interesting. The title of the periodical alone will commend it to the lovers of our National Establishment; and the contents of so sound, devout, and cheap a magazine, (only sixpence) in conjunction with its present temperate character, will insure a continuation of that patronage which its object, the defence of the venerable Church and Constitution of England, must extort from the generous sympathies of a people deeply roused by the wiles of the enemies of our Zion, to aid every hand that is stretched forth, in the Lord's name, to guard the national, civil, and religious liberties.-Hull Packet.

THE CHURCHMAN-We rejoice to find that this spirited periodical is gradually winning its way into popular esteem, It deserves the support of every true friend to our orthodox, venerable, and Protestant Church. The present number contains several very acceptable and powerful papers. The remarks on "British Tithes" show the origin of that impost, and the title upon which it rests. "The Apostacy" is a striking paper on the peculiar characteristics of the Church of Rome. "The Instruction that causeth to err," is an article of great value. It contains some very seasonable admonitions. We are not pleased with the apology, (for such we must term it), for the "Inconsistencies of the Clergy." Why should there be" unworthy ministers" in the Church at all? If all such were rejected from its pale, where would be the necessity for maintaining the validity of their ministry? The remarks on "the state of things connected with Religion in Judea" give rise to a train of painful reflections. The miscellaneous ecclesiastical intelligence in the Churchman is well selected. We wish this periodical every success, as long as it steers clear of the Oxford Popery. -Liverpool Standard.

The October number of THE CHURCHMAN has been reprinted, and in order to meet the continued demand, will be kept in type during the present month.

We are making arrangements to present to our readers on, and after the first of January, a series of Engravings descriptive of the Cathedrals in England, by the first Artists, which will be accompanied with brief histories of them. Further particulars will be announced in our next number.

"A Member of the Established Church of England" is informed, that we are not acquainted with the merits of the Pictorial Bible, the prints of which, as they appeared to us in the shop windows, are strangely inconsistent with the times which they affect to illustrate. We certainly, as members of the Church of England, should feel exceedingly unwilling to admit into our libraries any theological work, much more a Bible, issued from the quarter whence the Pictorial Bible proceeds.

To "the Young Churchman." We thank "the Young Churchman" for his favourable opinion of ourselves and our zealous endeavours to serve the Church to which we belong. At the same time, as charity hopeth all things, we hope that the scenes, which his letter describes, were confined to the places which he mentions.

"A LOOKER ON."- We have received a letter under this signature, but suspect that we should come within the penalties of the law if we were to insert it. Nevertheless, we thank our Correspondent for his information, and may refer to parts of it in a future number.

We thank "SPERANS PERGO" for his poetical article, and shall feel happy in receiving further contributions.

We wish

We receive punctually the K. O. Many thanks for the other communications. our Correspondent would give us in confidence her name and address. ADVERTISEMENTS. THE CHURCHMAN (with one exception) has, during the last three years, had the largest circulation of the Church Magazines; and it is hoped will exceed in number the Methodist Magazine (17,000) among Wesleyans, and the Evangelical Magazine (14,000) among Congregational and other Dissenters. Advertisements of Livings, Curacies, New Churches, Institutions, Anniversaries, New Books, Schools, Teachers, Apprentices, and other Situations, Medicines, Sales, and Miscellanies, for insertion in THE CHURCHMAN for December 1st, must be sent to Painter's Printing and Publishing Office, 342, Strand, by the 27th inst.; if from the country, post free, with an order for payment in London.

PRINTED BY W. E. painter, 342, strand, London.

ON THE RUMOURED MARRIAGE OF QUEEN VICTORIA WITH THE DUKE OF NEMOURS.

WHETHER this rumour rests on a stable foundation, or whether it should be enumerated among the fictions of the day, we have not the ability to decide: but since the public journals have lately attached to it credibility, and have even stated that it will shortly become the subject of Parliamentary debates, we are bound to call the attention of our readers to the dangers which must arise to the Protestant religion of this country from such an ill-conditioned marriage.

A mystery has certainly hung over the palace; the frequent visits of the Belgian King; those in his interest surrounding the Queen; secret messengers hurrying to Belgium, and thence to the royal residence here; the weakened influence of the Duchess of Kent; and the dismissal of Sir Herbert Taylor from the confidential post with which he was honoured by the preceding sovereigns-are, collectively, causes of suspicion; and when we recollect the relationship subsisting between Leopold and the Duke of Nemours, they give a colouring of probability to the rumour that is afloat. We are aware that a similar rumour has fixed itself on a Prince of the House of Saxe-Cobourg, as the intended King-consort; but the mysterious secrecy which is maintained is its best refutation; for if a Protestant Prince were about to be proposed to the country, these secret embassies would not have an adequate object; there would be no reason for the diminution of the influence of the Queen's mother-no reason for satellites in the Belgian interestno reason why Leopold should not openly advocate his nephew-no reason why Sir Herbert Taylor should be removed from a post which would make him cognizant of the whole matter. But if a Roman

LL

Catholic be contemplated as the Queen's husband, there is every reason for existing transactions.

As the House of Brunswick, however, was seated on the throne of these realms merely on account of their Protestantism; as it was their Protestantism ALONE which caused their preference to the former dynasty, it is manifest that if this Protestantism be abandoned, the cause of their elevation will have ceased to exist-that their right over the rejected family will fall with it, and that the sole condition by which they wield our sceptre will be violated. Should this union ever take place, the legislative bodies must answer to God and their country for the consequences: for without the subversion of existing, and stringent, and constitutional laws, it will be impossible. To every one practically or historically conversant with the spirit of the Roman Catholic religion, it will be evident that the royal union with a Papist must be subversive of the Protestant principles of the Sovereign, and that in proportion to their diminution will be the infraction of the Coronation oath. Observing already the daring advocacy of Romanism, with which some holding official situations are chargeable; the darkening state of religious affairs unchecked by the exercise of the royal power; the uncurbed insolence of Popish democrats, all adding gloom to the shades of suspicion which are brooding over the public mind; it is equally clear to us, that if the Sovereign should countenance a defection from the faith of her forefathers-if by her own example she should pioneer the way to it, should she retain her power, there will be thousands of unprincipled sycophants and time-servers who, from interested motives, will bow the knee to Baal, or the images which royalty may set up, who will emulate wickedness in high places, and join with the enemies of their former faith to overwhelm the country in all the horrors of superstition, persecution, and martyrdom.

In making these remarks, we would not be wanting in courtesy ; but we owe a duty to the public which is superior to courtesy. In the royal marriage each subject has a personal interest, a certain right of investigation; in it our religion and our liberties are concerned; from it must either the welfare or the injury of the country be expected. It is absurd to argue, that were the Queen to marry a Papist he would have no paramount power in the state; for what is law is not always practice; and who shall lay bounds to his secret influence and suggestions? Who, though the Queen be the solely-recognized Sovereign, shall prevent him from being, through his dictation and sway over the royal mind, actually King? We are too apt to be amused by fallacies; but a fallacy in this case will be fertile in lamentable results.

Everywhere we see the encroachments of the Papists; everywhere we observe them strenuously aiming at temporal power, and as in Ireland, proportionably undermining, and where they can, persecuting the Protestants. Now, if the Duke of Nemours be true to the principles of his Church, which holds no faith with heretics, of which fact we have witnessed an accumulation of proofs since the Papists were permitted to participate in our legislature, he must, by the fealty which he owes to his Church, exert his utmost interest and power to destroy and eradicate Protestantism from this country, and to place Popery wium

phant in insolence on its ruins. Nor can he consistently with his duty to Rome, the absolver from oaths and abettor of all perjury that is conducive to her interests, be scrupulous as to the means; if persuasion avail not, compulsion will appear righteous; if compulsion avail not, the sword, the rack, and the faggot, must perform the behests of the man of sin. To the martyrs under the altar* slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held, crying for judgment and vengeance, will then be added their fellow servants and their brethren, "that should be killed as they were." He indeed who cannot perceive from the signs of the times, and cannot infer from historical experience the danger of an alliance with Popery, especially an alliance with it in the highest department of the State, must have a mind most impenetrably dense,

Thus treating this rumour according to the almost official character which has been given to it, that if it should be verified by an application to the Parliament, we may be prepared to act for the support of our religion in our respective capacities, let us consider by what means Protestants should endeavour to avert the evil. We can only seek to avert it respectfully and constitutionally.

We would suggest that every Protestant Society in Great Britain and Ireland should petition THE QUEEN HERSELF, her Ministers, and the Parliament, against it; that the Clergy and the Laity, independently of these Societies, should separately do the same; and that on one fixed day those petitions from every part of the empire should be simultaneously presented by delegates, that THE QUEEN, her Ministers, and the Parliament, might see the Protestant strength, and be taught to reflect by such a general expression of the Protestant feeling. We would suggest, that in these petitions, the causes which placed the house of Brunswick on the throne-the condition of Protestantism by which that house holds the throne (for this follows from the Coronation oath), and the question how far the tenure will be valid if its condition be forfeited, be strongly but most respectfully urged.

We verily should be on our specula; for the days are evil, and our holy institutions have for some time past been assailed; and every engine that Popery and Infidelity have been able to devise has been directed against the Church. If this matrimonial master-piece of Jesuitical art and chicanery be added to the snares and oppressions by which we are encompassed; if our Sovereign be duped by designing persons to contemplate an act which may overthrow both the religion and constitution of the country, and perhaps aim at our vassalage to France, we are not wanting in respect to our Sovereign in seeking to alter her purpose, and in demanding the Parliamentary interference; but we shall be sadly wanting in our duty to our country unless we do $0. We call to mind the words of the wise man- -+

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn;'

and would avert the probability of the wicked bearing rule, and of another abomination of desolation profaning our holy places. Our motto for action should be-PONE MORAS.

* Rev. vi. 9-11, † Prov. xxix, 2,

THE OXFORD TRACTS.

SINCE the two Wesleys and Whitfield proceeded from Oxford to found new sects, and to disturb the unity of the Church, there has not been so much religious agitation as that which the Tracts for the Times, written by certain well known members of the University of Oxford, have produced. There have been controversies and other displays of sectarian animosity, but there has been nothing which is so likely to set a house against itself as the rise of this party within our pale. The danger is rendered greater by the high characters and acknowledged talents of the writers, by their appeal to ecclesiastical antiquity, by their professed veneration for our Establishment, by their vindication of the Apostolical succession of our ministry, and their undoubted piety. In the very small compass of our work, we cannot particularize our objections to the extent to which we could carry them; nor is our periodical suited to the learned research which would be necessary fully to discuss the doctrines which are proposed, and the allegations which are made. The fathers of the Church are cited as authorities; but they are only authorities in a very secondary degree; and where the interpretation of the Scriptures, particularly that of the Old Testament, is concerned, we conceive that no man is debarred from the exercise of a critical judgment, even if it be contrary to the patristical interpretation; and the more so as it will not be uncommon to find fathers of different sentiments. In the writings of the fathers, as Dr. Shuttleworth has shewn, are interpretations contrary to the Scriptures; in them is much that is puerile, and much matter of other descriptions which cannot be accepted. Now, although we bear the fathers great respect, as pious men and well deserving of the Church, we do not conceive ourselves bound to succumb to their judgment, where it appears to be against the sense of Scripture; and as they were continually occupied in refuting heresies and correcting corruptions of Christianity, according to their best knowledge; and as these heresies, especially those of the Gnostics, must have given rise to many traditions, which succeeding ages could not separate from other traditions which had been heretofore received, we cannot allow the tradition handed down to us by the fathers to be either a standard of faith, or a rule of life, of equal authority with the written and inspired Word of God. The author to whom we have alluded, has in so masterly a manner shewn the deficiency of the first link in the traditionary chain, and the certain corruption of tradition in general, that we shall not pursue this subject into particular evidence. Making, however, these observations on the fathers, we wish them to be confined by our readers to the points to which we have confined them. We would not be understood as inveighing against that which is useful and good in their works, but against their too exuberant fancy, and the authority assigned to them as the sure custodiers of ecclesi.. astical tradition. On the other hand, we would remind our readers that in very many places where they make mention of tradition, it is undeniable that they referred to the Scriptures themselves; and we are of opinion, that the traditions cited by St. Paul were the facts and doctrines which we find in the books of the New Testament. For, supposing with some chronologers, the first epistle to Timothy, and that