The Lord's Prayer is so general, and yet so comprehensive, that it is used by our Church on all occasions, because it embraces every thing that Christians are permitted to pray for. Then follow two prayers, one or both of which are to be used, although the latter is most commonly preferred, because it is more emphatically appropriated to the occasion. For after recognizing some of the most prominent doctrines of revelation, it concludes with this humble petition to our heavenly Father-"To raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness, that when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him; and that at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in his sight, and receive that blessing, which his well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all who love and fear him, saying, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this, we beseech thee, Omerciful Father, through Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer." This, then, is to be viewed as a most interesting religious service. The attendants are expected to enter into all its sentiments, and to perform all its devotions with feeling hearts. Indeed, every time we attend a funeral, we ought to realize the matter as our own. When we enter into the habitation of the dead, we ought to remember, that in a little time, we shall occupy a place in that dominion. When we see a corpse deposited in a grave, we ought to reflect that our bodies will soon be placed in a similar situation. When our minds are directed to the resurrection of the dead, we may imagine ourselves bursting from the earth. When we are told, that, at the second coming of our Saviour, he will judge the world in righteousness, we ought seriously to weigh our fitness for such a trial. For he that is liable to be cut down like a flower, ought to be always ready. To the poor unenlightened heathens, these events were distressingly gloomy -to the sinner, they are full of horror --but the countenance of God can brighten them all. "The grace of our An Extract from a Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Episcopal Communion of Ross and Argyle, by the Right Rev. Dr. Law, Bishop of that Diocese, in the year 1823. "IT is gratifying to know, from the most authentic documents, that the Protestant Episcopal Church of independent America, may be considered as in a highly flourishing condition; certainly as in a situation of progressive improvement and increase. On the part of Christians of other denominations, she is indeed exposed to very considerable and active hostility; but in controversies excited by that hostility, she has hitherto maintained her ground with learning, argument, and temper, equally creditable and christian. All things well weighed, it is astonishing that any thing like a regular Episcopacy should subsist and be supported in America, where the seeds of party opposition, and of de termined dissent to that religious sys tem, were originally sown by men, who retired to that new continent because they abhorred the Church established in their native land. The Epis copal form of worship was introduced, and subsequently supported, through the praiseworthy, but partial labours of benevolent societies and individuals; and, though without that which is es sential to Episcopacy, (the order of Bishops,) it had attained considerable influence and consistency, when the separation from the mother country took place, which had in the first instance a very injurious effect on the Episcopal communion, because the revolution war drove away many of the ablest and most conscientious of the clergy, injured Church property and the rights of parishes, and left the people in many places as sheep without a shepherd. Still there remained many clergymen of distinguished learning, piety, and principle, who happily succeeded in securing, first from our own Church, and then from the Church of England, a regular and valid Episcopacy, which has now assumed a consistency, and obtained an influence highly gratifying to the friends of sound and sober religion." [Our correspondent here copies two para graphs more, which will be found at page 94 in our number for March last, to which the reader is referred, it being thought unnecessary to repeat the insertion in this place. He then goes on-] From this extract, it clearly appears in what estimation the Protestant Episcopal Church in America is held by men of correct principles and capacious minds in other countries. Indeed this truly apostolic Church only requires a consistent adherence to her principles and her government, to extend her limits with the limit of this immense empire, and to maintain in its real purity the religion of JESUS CHRIST. For the Christian Journal. D. A Sermon delivered before the NewYork Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society, in St. Paul's Chapel, New-York, December 19th, 1824; by the Rev. HENRY U. ONDERDONK, Rector of St. Ann's Church, Brooklyn.-Published by request. Psalm lxxxiv. 2.-" My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." I ADDRESS you on the present occasion, my brethren, in behalf of those of our fellow Christians who have no op portunity of frequenting the house of their God, celebrating his worship, and hearing his word, but by the services of Missionaries; and the subject can not be better introduced than with the above exclamation of the psalmist. It is the impassioned complaint of some Israelite, perhaps of David, when banished from Jerusalem, and deprived of the benefits and comforts of the holy solemnities there performed. An alien from the chosen place of the presence. of Jehovah, an alien from Zion and its altar, yet constant in affection for the holy mount, his hallowed feelings burst forth in the language of ardent recollection," how amiable are thy taber VOL. IX. Brethren, there are many, there are rael, who, through uncontrollable cirtens of thousands, of our Christian Iscumstances, are in as entire an alienation from their sanctuary,-tens of thousands, who, but for missionaries, cannot be gathered into the solemn assembly, cannot join in the services of Christian altar. Emigrants into our the Christian temple, or kneel at the unsettled regions, they look back with affection on the sacred things they once enjoyed, long to possess them again, or tremble lest such of these benefits as they obtain from the missionary, be lost through the failure or decrease of the means of his support.-It is in behalf of these, some without public worship, and some but precariously supplied, that I ask your bounty. Many of them are longing and fainting for a restoration to the courts of the Lord. In others, who have ceased to do so, it will be your honoured privilege to revive these sacred feelings. The topics of a pleader for missionaries are twofold,-the general duty of contributing to the conversion of the world, and the more particular duty of establishing the gospel in those parts of our own country which are yet without it. By providing for the darkness of our own land, a vast extent of which is not yet actually christianized, we perform that share of the grand duty of spreading universally the light of truth which, by the course of Providence, is especially committed to us. I. When we consider the inspired assurances that every portion of the family of mankind will be brought to the pure and the happy faith of Jesus, we cannot but feel a sacred rejoicing in the hope of so excellent a consunimation. We exult in the expected triumph of our religion. We are thank 6 ful that the millions of benighted fellowmen who now grope in the darkness of ignorance, of idolatry, of sin, will be called into the marvellous light which we enjoy. Above all, we adore that majestic and good Being who will vouchsafe to take to himself the universal kingdom, and reign benignantly over a reclaimed world. When, in the holy exercise of imagination, we behold this future happiness of the earth, and hear the devotions of every clime and every tongue rising to their One God, through their One Redeemer, all animated by the One Spirit, and professing the une faith, we do more than rejoice, our hearts breathe a fervent prayer that God will hasten the glori ous event;—we may, in warmer moments, feel that our praises are even now ready, should it please him to accomplish it with unexpected rapidity, and show a decisive token of it in our day. The mind which yields itself to the current of such meditations would, like Jacob, wrestle with God, and refuse to let him go till this blessing were granted. Abating the enthusiasm which mingles with these high expectations,-as it will with every wish and hope interesting to human beings, we find them as congenial with reason as they are with faith. From the past triumphs of the gospel we may justly anticipate its greater triumphs yet to come. Its conquering energy was first indicated by the train which followed the preaching of its Author,-by those multitudes to whom he pointed, exclaiming, "the harvest truly is plenteous:" and .well might it be said of one whose persuasions were of such intrinsic force, never man spake as this man." Its conquering energy was again proved, when a few humble labourers went in to the harvest, and whole nations were gathered the pride of philosophy and the prejudices, of heathenism were sub. dued by these feeble instruments; the gloom of a long night fled at the dawn of the Sun of righteousness; the citadels of error crumbled, and the Cross was erected on their ruins. And, as the gospel has thus gone forth "conquering,' we may confidently argue that its success is not exhausted, but that it will continue to go forth "to conquer" yet more extensively, as long as error and depravity remain on the earth. Such a hope, we confess, is not unattended with anxiety when we survey the actual state of mankind. Only about one in four of human beings are Christian; and, besides the weight of numbers, ignorance and prejudice are arrayed against us in all their strength. The several heathen faiths, though originally but slight deviations from patriarchal truth, have now, in their worst corruption, become so ancient; their superstitions are so rooted, and their very abominations so consecrated by wrong, yet devoted feeling; their rites and doctrines are amalgamated so largely, not to say universally, with the secular business of their votaries; that we fear we might as well imagine the uprooting of the pyramids, as the sapping of the foundation of errors se inveterate. Christianity too has advanced but slowly for several centuries. And even in the present day, when the efforts of Christendom are expanding beyond any known in modern ages, though we are gladdened with the tidings of success in a few islands and colonies, there is but little progress in the great empires devoted to false religions. These considerations would be dis couraging, did we rely on human calculations and human foresight. But there are, within the power and direction of Providence, means unknown to us, which can effect the later, as it did the earlier, victories of the Cross. We read of "the fulness of the time," in which Messiah was born,-of that ripeness of affairs which would give Christianity the best opportunity of supplanting other religions: that fulness of time came, and the gospel succeeded. The same Providence can ripen human affairs into a second fulness of time. Public agitations, the extending light of knowledge, and increasing desire for it, the spirit of freedom, that extreme of personal independence, which, revolting at all submission, spares not the yoke of superstition,-this, or some other state of things, may convulse the empire of falsehood, and prostrate its barriers, and thus the word of the Lord II. From these extensive views let me now direct your thoughts to that portion of this great duty which Providence assigns to our country—the planting of the gospel in those parts of our own territory in which it has not yet taken root. We have, as it were, soared for a moment above the earth, to gain a wider view of its religious prospects, and to excite a holy ardour to aid in their fulfilment. Let us now descend, and examine in what course our efforts should be directed. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,"-whatever duty is brought near us and within our reach, to that let us apply ourselves. The two great Protestant nations of the age have, by providential appointment as it were, their respective por tions of the duty of evangelizing the world. Our mother country is labouring chiefly in those pagan regions where she has colonies, possessions, or other important interests. We should be active in those many districts in our borders and new lands, which, though Christian in name, are yet 66 crying out for the living God." This work is obviously for our "hands to do, let us do it with our might." It is the call of our country. Nay,-it is the call of fellow Christians in danger of losing their religion, the call of our own kindred. O, if I know my heart, I would exult in sending the Cross through the whole wide earth, to the darkest of pagans, and the most savage of barbarians. But if I can with effect help only a part of the human race, let it be my countrymen, my kindred, those who were once taught, as I am taught, to name the name of Christ, but who, for want of continued instruction, are in danger of falling from him. These, brethren, are made the nearest to us by our common Father. And he, who sent his gospel first to the house of Israel, his natural kinsmen, and already his people, will approve our devoting first and chiefly to our countrymen and fellow Christians our alms in the same cause.-If we do this, we do an integral and important part in the work of evangelizing the world, that part which, we must believe, God expects at our "hand." To the circumstances and the claims of these brethren let us devote a more particular attention. At the period of the revolution, the civilized population of this country was chiefly confined to the Atlantic coast and the neighbourhood of the rivers there joining the ocean. There was a vast interior, to the north and the west, then but a wilderness, a wilderness of forests almost unbroken. The unsettled portion of our territory was many times larger than the settled portion; and it has since been widely extended by the acquisition of other immense districts. Before the independence, the civilized occupation of our borders had proceeded but gradually, perhaps we may say tardily. But after that event a new impulse was felt; emigration passed beyond the then borders to the very depths of the interior; and new states were added to the union. Within ten or twenty years, the passion for such removals has reached a still greater height; the tide of emigrants flows into our unbounded west in a degree that can scarcely be credited by those who have not witnessed it. And we must expect that the facility now opened, of water communication, will increase this current far beyond all former example. These facts are adverted to, to show the extent to which missionary operations are required in our country. For though we speak of this emigration as forming a settled tract, it must not be imagined that what is termed a settlement in those regions can, for many years, be such as ours. A new district becomes sufficiently tenanted for the occupants to enter upon their civil rights, and have civil order established. Laws and government are first introduced; their expense is small and easily borne. But the services of religion, besides being an additional tax, are in themselves more costly; many pastors must be supported, and places of worship built. Such a burden is beyond the means of the early settlers: for they are almost all labourers; and we know that even among us, the more favoured classes must provide for these the instruction and the rites of the sanctuary. The first settlers have not usually an acre for cultivation, till, tree by tree, the forest about their cabins is le`velled and burned; and to reclaim even a small farm is the work of years. They can therefore contribute nothing to the support of a missionary,-nothing but a welcome, and an hospitable share of their bard-earned food. Yet they, most of all need from the missionary the bread of life-long deprived of that bread, and rapidly forgetting to hunger and thirst after it. Rapidly do most of the pioneer settlers, owing to their seclusion from society, and other unfavourable circumstances, forget the sa cred knowledge and the holy principles in which they were educated. Though, on their first removal, their souls may have "longed and fainted for the courts of the Lord," years operate an evil change. For many years perhaps, no messenger of Zion visits them, to bid them, in the discouragements of their pilgrimage, "lift up their eyes" to the holy, the heavenly "hills from whence cometh their help." And if this messenger be not sent by more favoured brethren, death will overtake them in this wretched oblivion,-their "hearts never crying out for fhe living God." Provide them then missionaries. There are many such primary settlers in our State, for which your present bounty is asked;-large districts, yet unhallowed by the message of life, call upon you for its heralds. O send them,-to sustain the drooping Christianity of a Christian land, to cheer the desolate life of brethren banished from Jerusalem, to support them in their last hours, and dispel the darkness of their valley of death. Neighbourhoods thus partially settled, advance in time to a better and more extended cultivation. The occupants become more numerous, and many social blessings are enjoyed. Still however their case is full of difficulties unknown to older districts. Forthough there are spots where the forest has disappeared, there are larger tracts intermingled where it yet stands, a majestic but useless desert; and it requires all the means the neighbourhood can command to effect the settlement of these waste places. Nor let it be objected, that, if they can encourage a farther accession of emigrants, they can also maintain the services of religion. Not so. Their only possessions are the yet unsubdued forest about them, their only wealth, its future increase in value by the influx of settlers; Al their resources are but prospective. And let me add, that this is but the fair side of their case; only a few, often a very few, have such possessions; the vast majority earn their subsistence by continual labour. Time indeed will improve their affairs, and raise them to a level with those of older regions. But, as they now are situated, years and years must elapse before they can enjoy Christian rites and pastoral instruction without your help. It was once the case of our fathers,-when these coasts were thinly peopled. Nor were their wants left unheeded. most every church of our communion in these parts was formerly a missionary station; the venerable clergymen who filled them being aided by the mother country. Repay your debt, brethren, repay it to those who are continuing the laborious and tedious effort to make the wilderness blossom. Rear new establishments, as yours have been reared, and they will, in time, add their offerings to yours, that the gospel may be sent to the innumerable settlements rising and yet to rise in our ample territories. Innumerable indeed are the new settlements in our State, and through the whole land; and in adverting to them, we shall acknowledge that there must be an increased effort to supply their religious wants. The flood of *emigration continues so great, and the |