to the rank of Major, and appointed to an official situation in the Ordnance Department, which not only secured to him his full pay, but (which was of higher importance) a considerable amount of influence over the students at the Military Academy, Woolwich. This influence he invariably exercised with the view of promoting the moral and religious interests of the Cadetsan object which he seriously regarded; and, in several instances, his labour was crowned with a manifest blessing from the Lord. His official duties soon brought him acquainted with Dr. Olinthus Gregory, Professor of Mathematics, and known to the Christian world by his admirable "Letters on the Evidences of Christianity." With him he formed an intimate friendship, and he ever afterwards cherished for him the most affectionate esteem and regard, which was fully reciprocated by the pious Doctor. Major Handfield entered the Surrey Chapel Sunday-school, as a teacher, in or about the year 1807. The children were at first much struck with the novelty of being taught by a Major in the army, and not a few of them were desirous of joining his class. The Major's acquaintance with the truths of the gospel was so clear and accurate, and his habits and manners so attractive to young persons, that it was very soon thought expedient to appoint him teacher of the Bible-class, consisting of boys from the age of twelve to fifteen years. This proved to be a well-judged proceeding. The Bible-class was thenceforward considered the post of honour, and was open to the most attentive and best-conducted children. While he felt the paramount claims of his own class, the Major was not uninterested in the others: on the contrary, he loved and prayed for the children of the whole school, and delighted in his work. As an instance, it may be stated, that while a Sunday-school teacher, he was promoted to the rank of LieutenantColonel, which rendered it necessary that he should be presented to His Majesty George IV. He attended at Court accordingly; but on the following sabbath he was duly engaged with his class, directing the minds of his scholars to the King of kings, and to the honour that cometh from God! During the usual hour of attendance, the Major was found at the head of his class; and the boys appeared to emulate their leader. His system of instruction was directed to the mind, and often in a catechetical form. Being himself of a kind and affable disposition, his occasional appeals to the scholars, and especially his addresses from the desk, were powerful and impressive. He never sought to be engaged in the more public duties of a Sunday-school teacher; but he never shrunk from them, and he always conducted them to the satisfaction, and oftentimes to the profit, of the children and his fellow-teachers, who delighted to honour their occasional superintend ent. Some have supposed that the different ranks and orders of society should be merged in the higher claims of Christian brotherhood; and a worthy man in humble circumstances, acting towards Colonel Handfield on this opinion, led, in the early part of his Christian life, to a remonstrance from a brother-officer, most painful to the Colonel's mind. But instead of resentment, he acted with greater caution, lest he should prejudice the minds of irreligious offi cers against the doctrines of the gospel. Those who had the privilege of his acquaintance, however, well knew how highly he esteemed all, whatever their stations in life, "who loved our Lord Jesus in sincerity;" and how truly he was not only the diligent and devoted Sunday-school teacher, but the counsellor and friend of all his fellowteachers. But Colonel Handfield's philanthropy was not restricted to the children of the poor. He kindly and generously received at his table his young friends, including the cadets and junior officers from Woolwich; availing himself of those opportunities to pour instruction and counsel into their minds; and many live to praise God for the privileges they thus enjoyed under his hospitable roof. For many years the Colonel had been subject to what were considered spasmodic attacks; oftentimes so violent as to compel him to throw up his chamber-window for the purpose of breathing freely. The conjecture as to the disease was erroneous; he had an affection of the heart. After usual private and family devotions, he attended the breakfast-table, January 8, 1821, in apparent health, Mrs. Handfield alone being present; and while partaking of the providential bounty of his heavenly Father, he fell from his chair, and immediately expired! His mortal remains were deposited in the vault of St. George's, Southwark; and among the mourners were his venerated pastor, the Rev. Rowland Hill, and his beloved friend, Dr. O. Gregory. Some years before the death of this eminent man, it pleased God to bless his endeavours for the spiritual benefit of several members of his family. Of the decided piety of his younger brother, Philip, a Captain in the Royal Navy, through his instrumentality, no doubt could be entertained; and it is believed that the example, the prayers, and the persuasive earnestness of a beloved brother, were accompanied with the Divine blessing to the minds of his sisters. That the Colonel did not rely upon himself for holiness, or on any human agency for usefulness in his Christian course, is obvious from the following lines, penned by him in 1807: "Spirit of Christ! thy power alone Can God's eternal truth impart; Can take the sacred fire of love, As kindled in the Saviour's heart, A pure seraphic flame! The Letter Box. CHURCH OF ENGLAND. A VERY large number of our readers have heard of the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, as a Minister of the Church of England by law established, distinguished for private worth, public spirit, catholic charity, and pulpit eloquence; indeed, one of the greatest ornaments of the Establishment-one of that constellation of eminent men whose lustre tends to turn off public attention from the evils and crimes of the system. The presence of such gentlemen in the said Church conduces, more than anything else, perhaps, to prevent inquiry among good people into its essential merits, its scriptural character, and practical working. To all objections on the part of men better informed, the prompt reply was, "Look at Mr. Baptist Noel: if the system were so bad as you represent, would he stand by it?" This sort of argument is easy, but it is always bad, and ought never to be resorted to by Christian men. In all matters appertaining to conscience, it is needful that they should be based on the Word of God; nothing else will do at the day of final reckoning. To be in the Established Church, moreover, and to approve of the same, either as to its constitution or its working, are very different things. A man may be there, and seemingly at ease-admired and followed by multitudes, while his pulpit, instead of a paradise, is a purgatory to his conscience! Mr. Noel's own case is one exceedingly in point: while, to appearance, he might have been taken for an advocate of the Church, he was solemnly preparing to perform the part of an assailant; and, all things ready, he opened a fire upon her such as has not been witnessed from a Churchman in the course of living memory. He has published an octavo volume, price 12s., setting forth his reasons for coming out of the Establishment, which it were desirable that all good people should read. This great work has produced an extraordinary sensation in the so-called religious world, and has had a very extensive circulation, considering its cost, but for which it would have been read by ten times greater numbers. We are anxious that the less opulent portion of the readers of the CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE should not remain wholly ignorant of the contents of the work, and therefore we shall set before them the summary of Mr. Noel's argument against Church EstablishThe first part of the volume thus concludes: ments. SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS AGAINST ESTABLISHMENTS. The Let us now recapitulate what has been said: The Union between the Church and the State in any country, involving as it does the subordination of the Church to the State, is unprincipled, absurd, and mischievous. State being the world, it is a close alliance between the Church and the world-which Christ has forbidden. The Church being in spiritual things the parent, and the State its child, it is an unnatural subordination of the parent to the child. History abundantly condemns it as uniformly hostile to spiritual religion; and it is condemned by the provisions of the Mosaic economy, by the language of the He brew prophets, and by the express declarations of Christ and his apostles. The Union of the Church with the State in this country rest upon four main principles, the legal maintenance of the pastors, the supremacy of the State, patronage, and compulsion. In supporting this Union, Christians who are charged by the authority of Christ to support their own pastors, have devolved this duty upon the State; and being bound to interpret and enforce Christ's laws for themselves, they have committed to the State-that is, to the world-the right to superintend them; thus allowing the supremacy of the world to encroach upon the supre macy of Christ. It is Christ's declared | And many who resolutely shut their will that they should select their pas- eyes to the evils which it entails, and tors with the greatest care, according who close their ears against all exposito the direction which he has left for tions of its corruptions, applaud even this purpose, and they have left the the blindest and most headlong of its nomination of their pastors to others advocates; glorify with their hosanwho are for the most part men of the nahs reasonings, which are palpably world, not reserving to themselves even weak; sustain their tottering cause by the liberty of objecting to the intrusive expositions of Scripture which are nominee. And while every offering to worthy of Rome itself, misrepresent God should be free, and Christian mi- the Scriptural system which should nisters ought to receive no contribu- replace it; predict the most doleful tion which can hinder their usefulness, results from changes which would ocAnglican Christians allow the State to casion a general revival of religion; alienate thousands from the gospel, by cry "Ichabod!" when they should compelling them to pay for the sup- shout as David, when he anticipated port of good and bad pastors indiscri- the erection of the temple, "Lift up minately on pain of the spoliation of your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift their goods. The support of the first up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of these principles of the Union in- of Glory shall come in;" appeal to volves Anglican Christians in the guilt martyrs of ancient date, who, if their of a selfish and covetous disregard of gigantic energies could once more do positive duty. Their allowance of the battle to the earth, would gallantly State supremacy is infidelity to Christ, lead on the army of the second Retheir King and Head. The third prin- formation; and when all reasons fail ciple which they support is destructive for their adherence to a system which of their spiritual welfare; and the is incurably corrupt, oppose to all reafourth renders them schismatical to- soning their unalterable resolution, and wards their Dissenting brethren, and rise to a sort of heroism by nailing uncharitable to every other recusant. their colours to the mast in defence All these four principles are unscrip- of that which every enlightened man tural, corrupt, and noxious; and, by would seek, by the help of God, to placing the churches of Christ under overthrow. the influence of men of the world, hinder their free action, destroy their spirituality, and perpetuate their corruptions. Under these circumstances, the little band, who, with less courage than the crisis demands, investigate their duty in the Word of God, are called more resolutely and more perseveringly to summon the churches of Christ to accomplish their Redeemer's will. Let them demand, on behalf of Christ, that the churches of this land substitute persuasion for compulsion in the advancement of the cause of God; that they receive no pastors but those whom the Word of God sanctions; that they maintain the sovereignty of Christ by claiming the right of unrestricted submission to all his laws; that they support their own pastors according to his will. Were this Union to be now for the first time proposed to Christian men, I believe there is scarcely one who would not instantly repudiate it. Custom alone can account for its continuance. Christians have been familiar with it from their infancy; romantic associations are connected with it; a thousand times they have heard it termed venerable ; few ever study the directions of the Word of God upon this subject; governments, patrons, prelates, incumbents, and expectants, are all interested in its stability; and members belonging to a large political party dread all innovations, and especially those which would strengthen the popular element in any of our institutions. Erroneous opinions, eagerly embraced, and assiduously reiterated, pyramids. For when the three huninvest it with an air of sacredness. dred Spartans stood on the narrow Should we in this cause meet with some rude assaults, the cause is worth the conflict. The humble tomb at Thermopyla speaks more to the generous traveller than the sky-pointing than the civil liberties of Greece. Let each minister and each Christian, who knows that the principles of the Union are corrupt and dishonourable to Christ, resolve that they will terminate the bondage of the Anglican churches by destroying it, and, with the aid of God, they will at last succeed. causeway between Mount Eta and the sea, to guard the liberties of their country against an innumerable host of invaders, resolved to die rather than yield, they did that which will live in the hearts of brave men while the world lasts. And the liberties of Christ's churches are more precious ** This powerful statement is not to be dealt with as an ordinary, every-day matter: it is the closest and most vigorous embodiment of the great general principles of the subject we ever remember to have met with in the same space, and as such it will bear perusal and re-perusal twenty times over, while every sentence will supply materials for solemn and intense meditation. * The Counsel Chamber. DISSUASION FROM THE USE OF TOBACCO. AMONG the many hundreds of thousands who read this Magazine there are vast multitudes of lads and young men, to whom, this month, we would very seriously address ourselves on the subject of a habit which prevails to a fearful extent, even, among those of whom much better things might be expected. We address ourselves, first, to those in whom the habit is already formed, in the hope that we may prevail with them to break it off-a result of which we do not by any means despair; and, secondly, with still more confidence, such as are still pure, that they may be saved from the danger and degradation. To those who have not heard of the late Honourable John Quincy Adams, the famous philanthropist, and philosophic President of the United States, it may be proper to say that he was one of the greatest and best men that ever arose in the New World —a steadfast and powerful friend of everything that tends to make individuals happy and nations great. Some time before his death, at a good old age, he wrote to the celebrated Dr. S. H. Cox, of Brooklyn, New York, the following letter: by the results of my own experience. More than thirty years have passed away since I deliberately renounced the use of tobacco in all its forms; and although the resolution was not carried into execution without a strug DEAR SIR,-I have received your letter of the 13th instant, and shall deem myself highly honoured by the inscription to me of your introduction to the proposed publication of the Rev. J. B. Lane's work on "Tobacco and its Mysteries." In my early youth I was ad-gle of vitiated nature, I never yielded dicted to the use of tobacco in two of its mysteries, smoking and chewing. I was warned by a medical friend of the pernicious operation of this habit upon the stomach and the nerves; and the advice of the physician was fortified to its impulses; and in the space of |