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NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



A Convenient Conscience. — A meeting was lately held In Bungay, 

 by certain persons calling themselves " friends of the church," for the 

 purpose of enforcing on the refractory Dissenters in that place, the duty 

 of paying church-rates. At this meeting, a Rev. gentleman, who 

 rejoices in a very lucrative living in the neighbourhood, in addition to 

 the name of Hobbs, is represented, by one of the provincial papers, to 

 have held forth to the following effect : — " I maintain, it is the duty of 

 all men to contribute to the support of whatever is the established church 

 of the country in which they dwell. I myself, acting on this principle, 

 cheerfully paid for the support of the Roman Catholic Church, when 

 residing on the continent." This Rev. gentleman, according to his own 

 showing, has a marvellously pliable conscience. He runs but little risk 

 of ever suffering martyrdom for his principles. It is impossible, be his 

 lot cast where it may, that he will ever find himself in a wrong position. 

 What simpletons he must think such men as Cranmer, Latimer, 

 Ridley, and others of his own church, were, for suffering their heads to 

 be chopped off on the scaffold, or their bodies to be burned at the stake, 

 for such a trifling affair as conscience ! The fires of Smithfield may be 

 again kindled whenever religious intolerants of any denomination please — 

 there is no danger of their ever singeing a hair of the Rev. Mr. Hobbs's 

 head. What matters it, in so far as this enforcer of the duty of paying 

 church-rates is concerned, whether the Mahometan religion, or the 

 Christian religion, be the established religion of the land ! In either 

 case, he will be equally cheerful and prompt in his payment of church- 

 rates. In Turkey, there cannot be a question, he would make a most 

 exemplary Mussulman. Of course, if in India, he would not have the 

 slightest scruple in contributing his share to the support of the worship 

 of Juggernaut. The Scriptures tell us, there will be a severe and 

 deadly struggle between the true and false religion, immediately before 

 the Millenium. The late Rev. Mr. Irving died in the firm belief that the 

 Millenium is to commence in 1847. If this ornament of the church 

 happen to live to see the struggle which is to precede the Millennial 

 advent, he will be quite safe, however others may fare. He will always 

 be on the strongest side — always a supporter of the established church, 

 whatever it may chance to be. What a mighty convenient thing it is 

 to have so accommodating a conscience ! 



Marhying Extraordinary. — The following short paragraph is just 

 now making the round of the papers : — 



"A woman recently died in Italy, who had attained the, advanced age of 142 

 years, after having eight hushands, the last of whom has survived her." 



There is so much curious matter indicated in this brief paragraph, 

 that we wish, with all our hearts, the inditer thereof had been somewhat 



