THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.-That the present condition of the "Church of England, as by law established," unquestionably demands reformatory measures, seems to be admitted even by those who contend for the continuance of its connexion with the State. Just now, that Church seems to be like the parted strands of a rope, each having little or no union with the other save at the point-the Gordian Knot-where it is united with the temporal power. Its Puseyism is becoming practically Papal, and its Evangelism seems verging toward Dissent. The breach between the high and the low Church appears to be gradually widening, while there scarcely seems to exist a moderate or central party, which, free from these extremes, continues to represent the Church. At least, the centre bears no proportion to the wings, which are constantly extending in opposite directions. The power of the bishops also appears to be injudiciously and capriciously wielded, while among them great diversity of sentiment and adminis tration prevails. Remonstrances have been made, directly to the throne, against certain proceedings of the notorious Bishop of Exeter, by true and orthodox churchmen, and the conduct of that prelate and others has been unsparingly censured by leading journals of the Church of England. It will require consummate skill and not a little conces

sion, on the part of the supreme dignitaries of the Establishment, to avoid serious collisions and defections, if we are not greatly at fault in reading the signs of the times.

REV. MR. GORHAM AND THE BISHOP OF EXETER. The right of the bishops of the Anglican Church to examine into the orthodoxy of their clergy, at any time, has been established by the decision of the Arches Court in this case. Mr. Gorham, formerly vicar of St. Just, in the county of Devon, was appointed by the Lord Chancellor to another living in the same diocese, and applied to the Bishop of Exeter to be instituted therein. This application was not acted upon for some months, but in Dec., 1847, the Bishop intimated to Mr. Gorham that he must undergo an examination, in reference to his doctrinal views, before he could be instituted. To this Mr. Gorham objected, on the ground that the law limited the Bishop's right to institute such an examination to twenty-eight days after the appointment. He submitted, however, under protest; the Bishop decided that he was unsound in doc. trine, principally on the subject of Baptismal regeneration, and refused to institute him in the new living. Mr. Gorham sought his remedy in the ecclesiastical courts. Sir H. J. Fust decided that the statute of limitations at common law did not apply to the case; that the Bishop had the right to ex

amine into the soundness of Mr. Gorham's doctrines, although the twenty-eight days had expired. The parties then proceeded to argue whether Mr. Gorham's view of the doctrine in question was sound or not.

"SISTERS OF MERCY."-The most recent exhibition of the Papal character of Puseyism has been made at the "Orphans' Home," at Plymouth, in the diocese of the Bishop of Exeter. It was in evidence, at an examination before the Bishop, that the principal of the institution, Miss Sellon, was always accosted or spoken of by the inmates as the

Lady Superior," and her associates as the "Sisters of Mercy;" that Dr. Pusey, who visited the institution, was styled "Father Pusey;" that the devotional routine of the "Home" was divided into laud, prime, terse, sext, none, vesper, and compline; that there

was an oratory,' ," with an altar ornamented with a cross, flowers, paintings of the Virgin and child, &c.; that before these each inmate bowed on entering and retiring from the altar, &c.; and that the greatest secrecy was enjoined upon all-" they were never to speak of what was said or done in the house." The closing scene of the investigation is described, by an eye-witness, as most exciting, -the Bishop, after much commendation of the "Lady Superior" and her associates, declaring, amid hisses and laughter,-" Miss Sellon will go from this room, not as a Sister of Mercy, but as a Martyr of Mercy; she makes us feel what poor, miserable things we are as compared with herself." The Queen Dowager, who had been a patron of the institution, has, since these disclosures, withdrawn her countenance from it.

THE EVANGELICAL CONFERENCE at Wittenberg.-We mentioned this remarkable assembly in our last number. It resulted in the formation of a Church-league, embracing all who hold the Confessions of the Reformation. The urgent necessity of such a league was felt strongly by men of very different religious affinities. The committee appointed to carry out the plans of the Convention is a very strong one; and meetings have been held in various parts of the country, preparatory to the organization.-The

approaching separation of Church and State is regarded with great fear by most of the Evangelical leaders in Germany; they have not yet learned that the Church finds but a broken reed in State support. It must be remembered, however, that the movements for freedom are made mostly by infidels. Yet Thomas Jefferson was the author of the separation of Church and State in America: and how wonderfully God has wrought good out of what, perhaps, was intended for evil! So, doubtless, it will be in Europe.

FREE CHURCH MOVEMENT.-The January number of this Review informed our readers that an informal Synodical Assembly of the Reformed Church of France had been held, and resulted in a partial separation of the Evangelicals from the Rationalists. The principal event that has since occurred in connexion with the religious history of France, is the withdrawal of the Rev. Frederick Monod and the Rev, Agenor de Gasparin from the National Church. M. Monod assigns as his reasons for this step, that the Synodical Assembly refused to avow a con

fession of faith-" of faith in the revealed truth of God,... a faith acknowledged and personally confessed by the members of the Church," as distinguished from merely hu man opinions. This step involves heavy sacrifices, both personal and pecuniary, on the part of M. Monod. It is his hope, and that of his coadjutors, to found a Free Church of France, after the manner of that of Holland and of Vaud. The Archives du Christianisme is to be the organ of the new

movement.

THE POPE. We shall say little respecting the present "anomalous condition" of Pius Papa IX. The entire circumstances are too deeply impregnated with a politicoecclesiastical character to be classed, with strict propriety, under religious intelligence. Still they have a religious aspect, and may

therefore be briefly adverted to in this connexion. "Vulgar eyes have seen (him who claimed to be) the vice-God, running away in the guise of a lacquey! As if HE, whose glory had been claimed for another, had come forth to write shame upon the pretend. er." What we chiefly desire to chronicle

here, however, is the fact that the Pope's bull of excommunication has been entirely powerless, has been laughed to scorn, and publicly defied, even in papal Rome. This is, indeed, "a marvellous thing, and wondrous in our eyes." What the final issue will be, we pretend not to foresee; but it seems certain, that even should the Pope be restored to the sovereignty of his dominions, the spell of Romish superstition must be broken, now that the harmlessness of a Papal bull has been thus publicly demonstrated.

In Italy, as elsewhere in Europe, political

changes seem to be preparing the way for the kingdom of Christ. The Bible can now be freely distributed, especially in the north of Italy, and much has already been done in spreading the word of God. The "Christian Union" for March contains a loud call upon American Christians for help,-and we earnestly echo it. We think too little of our duty in the wonderful days in which we live. Aid is needed for the publication of the third and fourth volumes of D'Aubigné's Reformation, in the Italian language; the first and second having appeared some time ago.

RELIGION and religious liberty are at a low ebb in the Canton de Vaud. The Council of State, in a late document, says of the National Reformed Church, that being protected, privileged, and subsisted by the State, her clergy" are especially bound to obey the will of the State ;" that "however spiritual the authority of the clergy may be declared to be, it is essentially based upon, and draws its sanctions from, the institutions and laws of the State." So that the "National Reformed Church" may hereafter be considered as in bondage unto the temporal power. The religious sects free from such bondage are, the Free Church, the Wesleyans, the Independents, and the Plymouth Brethren; the two former being, numerically and influentially, much the stronger. They are all exposed to persecution by the State; and although at

present, comparatively, they "have rest," further persecution is anticipated, the President and several members of the Council of State having publicly stated that more severe measures would probably be required. As evidence of the religious condition of the masses of the people, it may be mentioned, that at Lausanne, on New-Year's day, a masquerade being held in the streets, a Roman Catholic altar was exhibited, around which pretended priests and nuns congregated, and performed mimic mass, substituting for the Romish service obscene and blasphemous words and songs; while tracts were freely circulated among the by-standers, containing an infamous parody upon the ten commandments, inciting to every abominable crime.