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rural quiet, which carried to his mind so many charms; mixing cheerfully and frequently with the excellent neighbourhood by which he was surrounded; inquiring into and relieving the wants of the poor people who needed his assistance, and benefiting them in every way by his care, his counsel, his instruction and his example. Amongst other instances of attention to them, he contributed liberally, at the time I am speaking of, towards repairing and embellishing their parochial church*; and I shall soon have occasion to record an act of still greater munificence,

*The chancel was at the same time much improved at the expense of the present worthy Rector of Sundridge, Dr. Vyse; and Lord Frederick Campbell, who resides at a most beautiful place in the parish, called Coomb Bank, and of whose benevolence on all occasions, where it can be usefully exerted, it is impossible to speak too highly, undertook to make an excellent road to the church, instead of a very narrow and bad one, which before led to it from the village.

munificence, which, if any thing could have added to the respect and veneration in which he was before held, will immortalize his name as the benefactor of that parish.

In the months of April and May in the following year 1802, he undertook for the fourth time the visitation of his Diocese. This at his advanced age was an arduous and laborious undertaking; more particularly, as from its increasing population he thought it necessary to extend his confirmations to the more distant parts of the county of Essex, where they had never been held before. On this occasion I had the honour of attending him, as his chaplain; and I can never forget the admirable and striking manner in which he executed all the duties of his high station; the attention, the respect, the kindness which he shewed to his Clergy;

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Clergy; the anxiety he displayed to rectify all that was wrong, to encourage all that was good; the dignified solemnity, with which he performed the rite of Confirmation, and the deep impression, which was uniformly made by his animated, simple, and affectionate address to the congregation, when that service was concluded. This address, I doubt not, is still fixed, in substance at least, on the recollection of thousands: but as a correct copy of it has never been before the public, and as those, who heard it, cannot but feel an interest in reading, what so much touched and affected them at the time of its delivery, I shall here insert it at length.

"The office of Confirmation is now over: but before you leave this place, I have a few words to say to you, to which I desire you will all pay the most serious attention.

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attention. Remember, I beseech you, every one of you, as long as you live, what has passed here this day. Think not that it is a mere formal, unmeaning ceremony, which extends not beyond the moment; which may be forgotten as soon as it is over, and which can have no influence on your future condition either here or hereafter. On the contrary, it is one of the most awful, one of the most important, and, if it is not your own fault, one of the most useful acts of your whole lives. It is a solemn dedication of yourselves in this sacred place to God and to religion. It is a voluntary oblation of yourselves, your souls and bodies, at your first entrance into the world, at the first commencement of your rational life, to the service of your Maker and Redeemer. You have, in short, chosen this day whom you will serve; you have chosen

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chosen Christ for your Lord and Master; you have, in the presence of God and of this congregation, professed yourselves his disciples; you have vowed fidelity and allegiance to him; you have promised to believe his doctrines and to obey his laws.

“Take care then, every one of you, that you punctually fulfil these sacred engagements; and be assured, that, upon your doing so, depend the whole comfort and happiness of your future lives, both in this world and the next. And that you may be enabled to do all this, you must frequently and fervently apply for the assistance of God's Holy Spirit; you must never let the morning rise nor the evening close upon you, without addressing God in private prayer; you must be constant in your attendance on the public service of the Church, on the Lord's

Day,

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