trained to take a part in the Church-service, which they do with alacrity. The holy communion is, I believe, as well attended as in any other parish of the same dimensions; and I have a very considerable sum accruing from the weekly offerings at the altar; out of which, after the parochial necessities are duly provided for, a donation is sent at the end of the year to each of the principal Church societies.

But I feel a reluctance to appear to boast of my own parish. I only cite these facts to show, that attention to the ceremonial worship, far from contributing to the neglect of those active exertions which some appear so exclusively to value, has, on the contrary, the most beneficial influence, by sanctifying and promoting them.

I will therefore conclude with a few general remarks on the nature of the change which had been effected, and which I verily believe to be the principal thing wanted in most of our parishes, in order to bring our people into that condition which Christ Himself designed for His Church militant here on earth.

The view of a Christian congregation, that they are not only hearers of the word, and believers, but also principally and essentially worshippers, is borne out by the strongest evidence, both from Scripture and history. When the three thousand souls were converted on the day of Pentecost, and had obtained remission of sins in the baptismal font, what do they proceed to do? We read that they continued "in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers... And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and single

ness of heart." In short, after being believers, they became worshippers. They did not cherish a mere reserved and inward faith; but they assembled together for frequent prayer and communion, besides exercising abundant almsgiving and self-devotion; and through these acts of religion their faith derived its sustenance and support. The same system of united worship and communion, which is the great feature of apostolic religion, was carried on by the early Christians, as it had been from the beginning. All things were made occasions for worship. The birthday, the circumcision, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension of our Lord, were honored by united worship. Lent was set apart for fasting and self-denial, in commemoration of our Lord's temptation. The days on which the saints and martyrs were taken to their glory were kept as holidays and seasons of thanksgiving. All these various ceremonials, and many others which might be named, sprang from a fervent faith, and, in their turn, fostered the faith from which they sprang.

When the nations became Christian, and the kings and queens of the earth became nursing fathers and nursing mothers of the Church, and the Gospel was the religion of the rich and powerful, still the same system was continued, but in a nobler form,-more worthy of the honor due to the divine Head. The frequent worshipping was continued, but it was accompanied by a rich and solemn service. The gifts which God hath bestowed were rendered back to Him with gratitude. God's house was decorated with choicest architecture and rich embellishment. A well-instructed choir, aided by the notes of music,

poured forth its praises and thanksgivings, or chanted the solemn litanies. The bishops and presbyters, with their attendant deacons, assembled round the high altar, and in their turn addressed to the congregated worshippers such words of exhortation and instruction as they deemed suitable; consisting, not so much of labored oratory, as of grave and simple instruction from God's word. All this was the natural and proper development of that holy worship which is due to God from sinners washed in the blood of the Lamb, united to the body of His Son, and growing up to perfection in one external and spiritual brotherhood.

But, alas! during days of luxury, corruptions crept into the Church, which were still more increased in days of turbulence and darkness. The most sacred rites were turned to superstitious uses; the holy eucharist itself desecrated to purposes of gain; the just authority of the rulers of the Church converted into a temporal sovereignty; and a formal ritual made the substitute for the ancient holy worship.

Then came the Reformation, whereby superstition was removed; but with it, unhappily, came a division of system amongst the reformers. The Anglican Church simply removed the corruptions which had crept in; the Zuinglian, or Calvinist, deserted the Church, and constructed a new religion for themselves. The English Church retained the solemn Liturgy, the daily service, the fast and festival, the decent ceremonial, and adhered to the communion of her divinely appointed bishops. The Calvinists swept all away deserted their bishops; looked on God's Church as a mere roof to cover those who were in it; considered the holy eucharist as a bare sign of some

thing absent; substituted the effusions of some human teacher for the ancient form of worship; in short, converted Christian worship into an intellectual system, and made the assembling together in God's house a mere affair of preaching.

To this false system, the popular opinion, even within the English Church, has of late years too much leaned; so that the very construction of our modern churches gives the idea, not of a temple wherein to worship God, but a mere room for an audience to assemble. Long time and persevering exertion will be required to accustom men's minds again to the true system of the Church, as received from the apostolic ages. But the difficulties are not insurmountable, because, through God's merciful providence, we have our English Prayer-book as a standard to refer to. It is on that mainly that our preservation as a Church has hitherto depended; and that must be our chief instrument in effecting the restoration which is needed. If our Prayer-book be tampered with by any party, the glory of the English Church will have departed. But so long as we maintain that treasure inviolate, it will afford a basis on which to rebuild our solemn worship, and invigorate our languishing system with the spirit of purer and holier ages.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Great God, by whom the strifes of men are weighed
In an impartial balance, give Thine aid

To the just cause; and, oh! do Thou preside
Over the mighty stream now spreading wide!
So shall its waters, from the heavens supplied

In copious showers, from earth by wholesome springs,
Brood o'er the long parched lands with Nile-like wings.
WORDSWORTH.

RECAPITULATORY REMARKS.

THERE is at the present time an unusual ferment in the English Church; God grant that it may turn out for her eventual furtherance and purification! It may be called, in some degree, a reconsideration of principles. And yet it is not so, strictly speaking; for the debate is between men who belong to the same communion, and profess to acknowledge the same great principles, and receive the same articles and formularies. All members of the Church confess the great doctrines revealed in Scripture and summed up in the Creed. All acknowledge the duty of man to live to the glory of God, who made him. All believe that, when man lay in sin, pardon and salvation were purchased for him by the blood of Christ the Son of God, who took our nature upon Him and suffered death on the cross, so that thenceforth all who believed in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And all acknowledge the sanctifying operation of the