true Christian's ultimate aim is not wealth or maintenance, is not worldly pleasure, is not fame and distinction, however useful or even necessary in the absence of better motives this kind indubitably is. The motive held out to us by the Gospel, by which the grandest exploits have been performed, and the steepest heights of virtue ascended, is the desire of regaining and retaining God's favour, of obeying His will, of doing all things to His glory. In pursuit of these objects it is impossible to say how many have undergone the greatest hardships in the way of their duty, without receiving and without desiring any earthly reward; it is impossible to say how many have closed their eyes against the brightest and most alluring prospects to become the willing disciples of Christ in paths of obscurity, "counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord." The walls of many a religious house may have witnessed the struggles, and re-echoed to the sighs, of rigid recluses bent upon the mortification of their most darling passions, of persons by nature qualified to sway the destinies of nations and command the esteem of the most judicious observers, but condemned by a self-imposed restraint to pass away unheeded to the land where all things are forgotten."

monas

It would be irrelevant to our present purpose to cry out, as we justly might do, against the solemn freaks of mistaken zeal, or to shew that great powers are bestowed for a better purpose than to be wrapped in a napkin, or hid in a tery. It is perhaps necessary to state, in order to obviate any misconception at the present time, that the writer has no desire for the revival of monastic institutions, but the contrary. He adduces the case of the recluses of that class as an illustration of the principle, but only in conjunction with those of many other classes of mankind, whom duty has impelled contentedly and perseveringly to pursue what appeared to them the path of self-denying duty, unnoticed and unknown. Such have been more numerous, and more useful, than monks, nuns, and hermits. The writer begs to subjoin an extract from an old number of Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, which he met with since writing the above, and which exactly re-echoes his sentiments.

"Flowing from a high principle which has its basis in pure moral feeling, there is a self-denying, self-devoting power, a power of sacrificing self and all its wishes, all its prospects, all its dearest earthly hopes, at the call of duty; which is many a time practised amid the obscurest scenes of life, amid the noiseless and unknown fulfilment of daily and hourly toils, of which few of the many who have been clamorously hailed as heroes, would be found capable,-heroism which can battle down the aspirings of a lofty spirit; the bounding thoughts and purposes of genius-of talent; the joyous anticipations of a young and mirthful heart; and at the call of duty or affection be content to smother all its cherished hopes and wishes, and to wear away dreary days and sleepless nights in cheerfully performing lowly household tasks; in watching over sick-beds; training up wayward children of the dead, or it may be, the unworthy; in attending to petty, spirit-killing, mind-extinguishing cares and services till youth and bloom with all their gay hopes and sweet affections have perished-and for ever. Of this species of heroism, the greater number of examples will certainly be found among women; though among men the instances of most noble self-devotion, without even a hope or thought of attaining the smallest portion of the bubble honour, are, I am persuaded, both numerous and striking."

Here let me, then, advert to a view of these facts, from which persons in our days may reap a better lesson than they would be apt to do from a self-complacent comparison of themselves with others, of the present with the past.

All those who are disposed to doubt the power of religion may learn from instances of the above kind, with how much efficacy its influence upon the heart is endued. Few by whom religion is reputed chimerical and vain, being widowed of more solid consolation, can withstand the attractions of popular applause ; they may therefore be able the better to conceive how strong must be the virtuous principle by which others, whom they pity or despise, are enabled to abjure it, and resign themselves, by their own voluntary act, to quiet and

seclusion. Yes; Christianity has its heroes and champions,―men whose deeds no poet has blazoned, no historian recorded. Their conquests have been those of the heart over its own imaginations and corruptions. Their efforts were great, yet confined to the domestic sphere, the scenes of affliction, or the obscurer departments of official and professional labour; in which, satisfied to remain unknown to man, and approved only by God, they have exerted great abilities with as much utility, though not with as much notoriety, as some of their contemporaries, with whom they might have competed in the struggle for distinction.

By the constraining power of grace, they have set at nought the solicitations and cravings of weak humanity, and have preferred to be misunderstood of their friends, unnoticed of the world, and (hardest of their trials!) that the truth which they love and might adorn should sometimes, and in some places, want a defender and advocate, rather than come forth again into a world they have forsworn, and for the sake of a recompense which they no longer value. Such there have been, and such we can scarcely doubt, there may be still; and if any of these favored beings should happen to read this little tribute to their sincerity of faith, it may afford them the comfort of knowing that some one at least appreciates their motives, and is anxious to prevent their good intentions being lost altogether to the world.

That very much talent has been lost to the world from sentiments of a religious kind, it is impossible for any one to disprove; (and here, be it remembered, I am only speaking as to the facts without either expressing approbation or dislike upon the question.) Many Platos, Bacons, and Newtons, there may have been, whether immured in convents, or at large in the world, who have been pleased to deny themselves; and, laying their most splendid conceptions upon the altar of God, to mingle with the crowd of undistinguished worshippers in the humble adoration of a Saviour's love.

But He" has not left them comfortless"; they have seen what is invisible to all but the eye of faith, and covet not the praise and esteem of men, because of the far more exceeding glory that awaits them.

Let therefore the sceptic pause in his hostility to a faith which can achieve so much; and let those who are conceited of their little abilities, learn the folly of their pride and pray for humility of spirit, seeing how many superiors they have as well among those whom the world never knew, as among others whom it has found and honoured. I shall conclude with an extract from Bishop Hall. "Lord God, what a world of treasure hast Thou hid in the bowels of the earth, which no eye of man ever did, or shall, or can see! What goodly plants hast Thou brought forth of the earth in wild, unknown regions, which no man ever beheld! What great wits hast Thou shut up in willing obscurity, which the world never takes notice of! In all which, Thou showest that it is not only the use and benefit of man which Thou regardest, but thine own glory and the fulfilling of thine own good pleasure; and if only the angels of heaven be witnesses of Thy works, Thou canst not want a due celebration of thy praise."

C. F. R.

CORRESPONDENCE.

SIR, Can you inform me when and by whom the Scottish Communion Service as now used (and which has lately caused so much unpleasant feeling) was compiled? On comparing it with Rev. Wm. Keeling's "Liturgia Britannica," I find that it differs much from the form in the Scottish Liturgy of 1637, and also from the form in the Liturgy of 1549: it appears to be compiled from these two forms, with some additional matter and alteration.

I remain, your obedient servant,

S. Y. S.

The Editor of "The Church Magazine."

Sir,

As much is sometimes said about the observance of Holy days, and Saints' days, and some persons seem to think that any minister who has divine service on these days must ipso facto be a semi-Romanist, will you allow me to point out that the Prayer Book from beginning to end assumes their observance? 1. There are proper lessons provided for both services of these days, and proper Psalms for some of them. 2. A few pages on there is a table " of all the feasts to be observed," vigils being appointed for some of them. 3. The Rubric before the Athanasian creed directs it to be "sung or said" on certain Holy days and Saints' days. 4. Proper Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, are provided for all the Holy days and Saints' days, for which proper lessons are appointed; the Rubric also before these Collects, &c., alludes to the use of the Collect "for any Holy day that hath" [for some have not] "a Vigil or Eve"-" at the evening service next before." 5. The Rubric after the Nicene Creed directs notice to be given of these Holy days on the Sunday before. 6. Proper prefaces are provided for the Communion on Christmas day, and Ascension day. 7. The Rubric at the end of the Communion directs a portion of the Communion service upon Holy days. 8. The Rubrics before the Offices of Public and Private Baptism of Infants, and the office for adults, command baptism to be administered after the second lesson "upon Sundays, and other Holy days," either in the morning or evening service. 9. The Rubric at the end of the Catechism directs Catechising" after the second lesson at Evening Prayer" upon Holy days, as well as Sundays. 10. The Preface to the Ordination Service allows ordination "upon some other Sunday or Holy day" than those "appointed in the Canon." 11. When a bishop is to be consecrated, the form says it "is always to be performed upon some Sunday or Holy day"; and it will be remembered that the five Colonial bishops were consecrated on Wednesday, 24th August (being St. Bartholomew's day) 1842, in Westminster Abbey. 12. The Rubrics before each of the four state services assume the observance of Holy days. From this I am inclined to think that our Church intends these days to be observed, and that it would be well to observe them. The words in Gal. iv. 9.-11. and Col. ii. 16, are sometimes urged against the observance of these days; we observe them however on the principle laid down in Rom. xiv. 4—6. I am not contending for a superstitious observance of these day, nor as considering them equal (or anything like equal) with "the sabbath"(Exodus xvi. 29) or "Lord's day" (Rev. i. 10.), but that they should be turned to the best account they can. A volume of "Discourses for the Festivals of the Church of England with notes," by Rev. J. B. Marsden, (Hatchard) has been published* this year, and is highly spoken of; indeed an extract was given a few weeks ago even in the the Record. In the "Church of England Magazine," No. 462, p. 302, an extract is also given with the following recommendation. "In these discourses the festivals of the Church are exhibited in a practical point of view; and it is shown that, if they have been at any time abused to superstitious purposes, the remedy may be found, not in depreciation or neglect, but in their appropriate use, by rendering them conducive to the interests of pure religion, These discourses are ably written throughout, and in parts in a style of genuine eloquence. In these respects they are equalled by few modern publications of a similar kind; and will be read with great interest and edifi

cation."

An Essay "On the Observance of the Festivals and Holy days of the Church," by Rev. T. P. Wright, may be seen in the Church of England Magazine, No. 64. (in vol. iii. for 1837) pp. 97-99. See also Hooker, Book. v. c. 69 and 71, and Rev. H. McNeile's Lectures on the Church of England, No. iii. p. 139, 140. The Rev. Ed. Bickersteth has also put down a collect for each Holy day and Saints' day, in his volume of Family Prayers.

I may notice that when these Holy-days are observed, the HOMILIES referred to in the 35th article, may be read in the Morning Service instead of a Sermon, (see the Rubric,) which would thus set forth the genuine doctrine of the Church of England. At the 2nd service, catechetical instruction might be tried (according to the Rubric at the end of the Catechism) instead of a Sermon. Much is now

There is also a work called "Illustrations of the Saints' days and other Festivals of the Church in a course of lectures," by Rev. H. C. Cherry, in 2 vols., lately published. Bishop Mant has also published a work on the subject.

said in favour of this mode of instruction; and indeed by an extract from a note to a charge delivered in 1832, by the late Bishop J. Walker, of Edinburgh, given at p. 416 of the Church of England Magazine, No. 83, it seems that it is often very beneficial. Instead, however, of substituting it for the second sermon on Sundays, (as some recommend,) the Evening service of the Holy-days might be used for this purpose. In large parishes also, where public baptism cannot be quite conveniently administered on Sundays, from the numbers, the services for Holy days might be used for this purpose also.*

I may observe, that in places where there is a weekly collection at the Offertory, this may be restricted to Sundays, according to 1 Cor. xvi. 1,2; while on Holy days the prayer for the Church Militant may be used without the collection, thus marking the difference between "the Lord's day" and those which are observed as matters of convenience on Church authority only, according to our 24th article. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,

22nd July, 1844.

C. H. D.

P.S.-With reference to the subject of my letter, I may just quote the following passage: "And herein we notice what seems to us an inconsistency in our Oxford brethren. Great as is their reverence for Saints' days, they seem invariably to devote them to the rather frivolous and vain tasks of writing dedications and prefaces-for we scarce recollect any such introduction, but it is dated on some such day-and there are only about thirty of them, fixed or moveable, in the course of the year. With all our laxity, we fancy we have too much respect for Saints' days habitually so to employ them."-Churchman's Monthly Review for May, p. 321.)

It may have appeared to some, that there is an oversight in our 36th article, in naming the form of consecration, &c., set forth by Edward VI., since that form was slightly altered at the last review in 1662. The concluding part of the act of uniformity, however, expressly states that the article is to be understood, and construed, and subscribed as referring to our present form as set forth in 1662.

LINES ON VIEWING THE REMAINS OF A YOUNG CHRISTIAN FRIEND.

* When baptism and catechising occur together, the baptism should be administered first, since the Rubric directs them" immediately after the last Lesson," while the catechising is only" after the second Lesson."

295

UNITY.

"One Lord, one faith, one baptism."-Ephesians iv. 5.

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us that the world may believe thou hast sent me.”—John xvii. 21 "Let us love one another, for love is of God."-1 John iv. 7.

In matters of life and death, impudency and boldness is not unseasonable. A man will never die for modesty; when the soul is convinced by the law that it is accursed, and eternally lost, if it do not speedily plead Christ's satisfaction at the throne of grace, it is emboldened to run unto him: when it finds an issue of uncleanness upon it, it will set a prize upon the meanest thing about Christ, and be glad to touch the hem of his garment. When a child hath any strength, beauty, or loveliness in himself, he will haply depend upon his own parts and expectations to raise a fortune and preferment for himself; but when a child is full of indigence, impotency, crookedness and deformity, if he were not then supported with this hope, "I have a father, and, parents do not cast out their children for their deformity," he could not live with comfort and assurance: so the sense of our own pollutions and uncleanness, taking off all conceits of any loveliness in ourselves, or of any goodness in us to attract the affections of God, makes us rely only on his fatherly compassion. When our Saviour called the poor woman of Syrophœnicia Dog, a beastly and unclean creature, yet she