ISbe Metropolis.
The Evangelical Voluntary Church Association met at Craven Chapel, in Marlborough Street, on Wednesday, for the purpose of "considering the state of religion at this momentous crisis." Sir Culling Eardley Smith, the President, delivered, an address of two hours' duration ; in which he said that the Church of Scotland had been marked, like the trees in spring, for cutting down altogether : he anticipated that ere many months had passed Puseyism would be recognized by the English Ecclesiastical Courts, and would be the prevailing theology of the coun- try ; for no establishment could subsist much longer but that of those who were opposed to the Reformation. The Pope, however, is less re- garded than he was ten years ago, and be thought it probable that the College of Cardinals would decline to elect another person to that office. Thence he passed to attack the proposition for a State payment of the Roman Catholic priests in Ireland. The meeting was addressed by the Reverend John Burnet, Dr. Leifchild, Mr. Hindley, M.P., and others. A resolution was passed unanimously, "That any attempt to establish the religion of Popery in Ireland, by the payment of priests or other- wise, was opposed to the feeling of that meeting ; and that they felt it right to let the Government know the nature and force of their objec- tion to it."
Father Mathew took up his station for administering the pledge of total abstinence, at Islington, on Monday and Tuesday. Thence he re- moved to Paddington, on Wednesday. He appeared that morning on the ground with Lady Bedingfield, the Honourable Stafford Jerningham, Mr. Monckton Milnes, the Honourable E. and Lady Petre, and other gentlemen ; having breakfasted with Lord Brougham and a party at Mr. Jerningham's. On Thursday he visited Enfield. The total number of persons who had taken the pledge in London, up to Sunday last, is re- ported at 37,100.
At Brentford Petit Sessions, on Monday, a tall, elderly, gentlemanly man, said much to resemble Sir Francis Burdett, was examined in order to being sent to the County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell. He interrupted the service in Chiswick Church on the 6th instant, by proposing to preach a sermon ; and on being arrested he became very violent. Sub- sequently, be declared that he had lived for sixty centuries ; that he was " Enoch of old " ; that God had now appointed him as the " great kidnapper," his object being to get possession of the person of the " boy who is to fill the throne," the infant Prince of Wales, in order to deliver him from the pernicious instruction of Archdeacon Wilberforce, whom he pronounced to be embued with the " deadly heresies of the Tractarians or Puseyites"; and he intimated that he was on his way to Windsor. The necessary order was made out, and he was removed in custody.
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