and despised, and they preferred the easy yoke of an indulgent master, who fed them well and treated them familiarly, to being withered and having their souls galled by the iron of contempt. The North is thus receiving a retribution not to be wondered at. They have kept the blacks at arm's length, and the blacks have learned to fear and avoid them. All through the Southern states the negro is treated by his master with indulgent familiarity. They sit with their children in the same carriage, side by side in the same railway car; the black and white children play together, they go to school together. Mr. Olmsted found this frequently the case; one master in Louisiana said,-"My niggers' children all go regularly to a Sunday school, just the same as my own, and learn verses, and catechisms, and hymns. Every one of my grown up niggers are pious, and members of the church." This is of course compatible with harsh treatment on the part of severe and capricious masters, and with cruelties practised on the negro by overseers. Of these Mr. Olmsted gives some instances. It is clear that where the whip is used, where there is no restraint placed on its exercise, where the evidence of slaves is not received, and where man wields over his brother man a power that is absolute and irresponsible, harsh usage will be not unfrequent and barbarities will occur. No doubt, in the breeding countries such as Virginia, these happen rarely; a man man will not mutilate the negro any more than the grazier would mutilate his ox or cow. But in the producing countries, and in the process of sugar grinding and refining, where long spells of night-work occur, and when brisk work must be had at any terms, the laziness or sullenness of the negro will irritate the temper and provoke the passions of his master; and it is impossible not to see that between apathy and idleness on one side, and imperious demands on the other, opportunity will be given for passion and violence. Still no doubt the general impression, which Mr. Olmsted's observations leave, is, that cruelty is the exception and indulgence the rule. But the indulgence is often licentious and fatal, and the cruelty without redress or cure. For, as a planter admitted to Mr. Olmsted in Louisiana, "on all sugar plantations they work the negroes excessively, in the grinding season often cruelly." They make them work eighteen hours out of the twenty-four, leaving but six for rest. If you maltreat your negroes, your neighbour won't tell, still less prosecute; for if he did, he would have you and all your friends as his mortal enemies. Hence even the laws which are passed for the protection of negroes are violated. There is a law requiring that meat should be served regularly to the negroes, but that law is little regarded. There is another law which forbids the working of negroes on Sunday, but the planter

admitted that almost every one worked their negroes on the Sunday. And when one planter opened a school-house for a church, as this induced the other negroes to wish for the same indulgence, he was forced by his neighbours to close his schoolhouse on Sunday. In fact, in the generality of estates we find that the negroes are treated well as profitable animals, but that for their morals or their spiritual life there is neither thought nor care.

Unhappily such a system is not disagreeable to the negro; sensual and degraded, he becomes satisfied with bodily comforts; and it may serve to qualify the notion that the negroes are ready throughout the South to rebel, to find that in the main they are content with the life they lead. They see the free African as degraded as themselves, with this difference, that, as he is pauperized by his vices, he is often left to endure the pains of hunger and want: an old negress was struck with terror when her master threatened to send her away, to send her back to Africa. In Virginia, where they have peculiar advantages, a negro slave, who was intelligent and had been a sailor, visiting the ports both of the South and North, expressed a feeling which, we suspect, prevails widely. "I asked him once," said his master, "how he would like to live in New York." "Oh! he did not like New York at all, niggers were not treated well there. There was more distinction made between them and white folks than there was here. There ain't no place in the world like old Virginny for niggers, massa."

Doubtless we shall still have from Mr. Russell, and from other observers, remarks which will further illustrate the condition of the South and the system of American slavery. For these remarks we wait, and by these we may correct the impressions which this volume has left upon us. But from internal evidence we accept the testimony as trustworthy as far as it goes, though it is by no means complete.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND CLERICAL AND LAY ASSOCIATION.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

As a professed observer of "sayings and doings" in Christian society, you will, I think, be pleased to have your notice drawn to a body which, under the name of The Church of England Clerical and Lay Association for the Maintenance of Evangelical Principles, held its fourth annual conference at Bath on the 4th and 5th of June in the present year. In the Report* of

*Should any of your readers desire to see this Report, which contains notes of the subjects discussed,-list of 425 members, since which many may have joined, and some interesting papers,-they can obtain it by application to Rev. J. Emeris, St. James' Parsonage, Gloucester.

the third Conference, held in June, 1860, at Clifton, the objects of the Association were thus set forth and commented on:

"The first rule of the Association asserts the objects most clearly thus, FIRST and principally for general CONFERENCE, with a view to mutual recognition, counsel, and communion at stated periods; next as an important adjunct, to afford opportunities for general consultation on all questions affecting the interests of Religion and of the Established Church; and lastly, to establish and maintain such an organization as may tend, as far as possible, to promote unity in action, in every case wherein such action may seem desirable.'

"The second, and subsidiary object, is to afford opportunities for general consultation,' &c. Little need be said upon this, except to remark that it holds the SECOND place in our objects. The Association formed for Conference becomes a natural and ready means for consultation on important public measures, but only when a sufficient interest is awakened on any particular question to render it advisable to consult. It is not the purpose of the Association to seek out questions of this kind, but to be prepared for them, if need be, when they arise. Great caution has been exercised, and, therefore, but little attempted hitherto. But when circumstances may hereafter render it desirable to call for a more general expression of opinion on public questions affecting the interests of religion, or of the Established Church, we feel that we possess the means of obtaining it, at least to the extent of our own members; and yet, in the interval, we remain more or less quiescent, with the view of avoiding unnecessary interference with other parties, or the adoption of any course which might tend to rouse or to cherish a spirit of hostility or contention.

"The third object, although possessing its due relative importance, is still more subsidiary to that which has been shown to be first and pre-eminent. There are undoubted occasions when the results of conference, discussion, and consultation, would require an organization to render them more practically effective. Under wise and prudent regulations, unity in action' is as desirable for the Evangelical as for any other body in the church; but such unity can only be effectually promoted by an established organization, ready to act when occasion requires. Nevertheless, the intention of the Association is not to constitute a Committee for the purpose of stirring up strife, or of attacking others; nor of watching for opportunities of busy action; but for the management of its internal affairs, and for the adoption of such measures as may be thought best calculated to promote the maintenance of the Evangelical principles of the Established Church. And our desire is, to accomplish this in a manner and spirit consistent at once with Christian candour, courtesy, and charity."

To enumerate the various important and interesting subjects which, in the spirit of the above remarks, have been discussed by the Association, would occupy more time and space than I can expect you to allow me; but I will mention that at the late meeting the following were brought forward among others :1. The criteria of divine truth, more especially in relation to the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.

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2. Evangelism; present state and prospects in the church of England.

3. The duty of the preacher in relation to existing evils, whether political, civil, or social; with an inquiry into the system of preaching generally, and its results.

4. The impressions of the laity on the present position of the church of England in relation to its teaching, its machinery, and its services: its moral and spiritual influence on themselves; their duty in connection with it as a church, and as a national establishment: and also a layman's view of lay influence and lay ministration in the church of Christ.

The discussion which arose on the last topic was so illustrative of one of the grand objects of the Association, viz., the free interchange of ideas and opinions between the clergy and laity, that I am induced to send you a transcript of the address in which it was introduced to the meeting by a layman, thinking you may deem it worth a place in your magazine. When I say that, although of course it expresses not an universal opinion, it was favourably and kindly received by a large audience, of whom the great majority were clergy, your readers will readily understand that candour and charity preside at our meetings, and how much good may be expected from their continuation. C. R. F.

[NOTE.-The layman's address, though it well deserves the praise bestowed upon it, is too long for our pages: nor can we print what, in fact, would be a report of a speech already made public to a certain extent.-EDITOR.]

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THE PROTESTANT DEACONESS-INSTITUTION IN PARIS.

SIR,-I wish, with your permission, to offer to your readers, at irregular intervals, a few letters on a subject concerning which I was allowed to write in the "Christian Observer" in the last month of 1858. The title of that contribution was "Sunday Schools and Deaconesses;" but it was remarked, in the course of it, that a paper with that special reference could only touch a part of a very wide subject. Since that time, the question of the female diaconate has made wonderful progress, both in public opinion and in actual experiment. The "Bible Woman" system has been established. The "Missing Link" has been published. And these, important as they are, are only specimens. Hospitals, workhouses, penitentiaries, and, above all, parishes, are feeling the impulse. The subject in all its range is under grave discussion. Contributions based

on actual knowledge and careful thought can hardly fail to be of some use, even if they are desultory and occasional.

There are various reasons why the consideration of the Paris Deaconess-Institution is an advantageous starting point. In the first place, its history is not very generally known.* When Deaconess-Institutions have been under consideration in England, our attention has been taken up with that of Kaiserswerth, not more than its importance deserves, but too much to the exclusion of others. I lay more stress, however, on this, that the Paris Institution has on the whole been the least successful of the Continental foundations of the same kind. It has therefore a special value controversially, on the principle that it is good policy in argument to understate your case. Moreover, the difficulties which have beset it are peculiarly instructive. It has struggled into existence through much debate, and in the course of this debate those points have come prominently into view which are likely to be most closely scrutinized in England. Our own people are naturally anxious to be fully informed of all the religious bearings of an organization which is pressed on their notice. The Paris DeaconessInstitution, though much smaller and weaker than some others, is, in this point of view, very rich in suggestions.

The first beginnings of a new religious enterprise are of great importance. We want to be satisfied concerning the spirit in which it has risen. Our first criticism is directed to this point. Our wish is to discover here the traces, so far as it is permitted, not only of human sagacity and human courage, but of Divine providence and Divine grace. I doubt whether any spiritual enterprises of our times will stand this test better than the founding of Deaconess-Institutions. I am well satisfied of this as regards the Institution in Paris.

As a mere matter of chronology, the idea of a female diaconate was probably quite as early with M. Vermeil as with Dr. Fliedner of Kaiserswerth, or any other of the founders of the various Deaconess-Institutions. He thought and spoke about the subject in 1830, or before. At that time he was pastor of a congregation in Bordeaux. It is of some interest to mention this; for it was from that congregation that the lady came, who was of eminent service in organizing the Institution in Paris, and who still presides there. The first steps of the undertaking were marked by those providential coincidences, on which a religious mind loves to dwell. This

* Among the scattered notices which have appeared at various times, we may particularly mention an appeal (inserted in the "Record" newspaper, and else where, in 1850) for the formation of a body of English Deaconesses in association with the Paris Institution, and

specially with the view of rescuing English women in Paris from a life of misery and sin. The author of the appeal was Mr. E. A. Argent, for several years a successful agent of the Colonial Church and School Society.