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"I'll wager my best new goun," Said the maiden, "that saxteen would be nearer the mark."

"But wha was she like, Andrew ?" Said the old woman. "Was she like

auld Janet that was drowned in the pond hard by? or that auld witch that your master hanged for stealing his pet lamb? or was she like-"

"Are you sure she was na like me, Andrew?" said Effie, looking archly in his face.

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"You-Pshaw! Faith, guid mither, she was like to naebody that I ken, unless it be auld Elspeth, the cobler's wife, that was spirited awa' by the Abbot, for breaking Father Jerome's head wi' a tin frying-pan!"

"And how was she drest, Andrew?" "In that horrible three-cornered hat, which may I be blinded if ever I seek to look upon again! an' in a lang blue apron."

"Green, Andrew!" cried Effie, twirling her own green apron round her thumb.

"How you like to teaze one!" said the lover. Poor Andrew did not at all enter into his mistress's pleasantry; for he laboured under great depression of spirits, and never lifted his from the ground.

eyes

"But ye hae na tald us what she said, lad!" said the old woman, assuming an air of deeper mystery as each question was put and answered in its turn.

"Lord! what signifies it whether she said this or that! Haud your tongue! and get me some comfort; for, to speak truth, I'm vera cauld."

"Weel mayest thou be sae," said Effie; "for indeed," she continued, in a feigned voice, it was a cauld an' an eerie night to be saé late on Anneslie Muir."

Andrew started, and a doubt seemed to pass over his mind. He looked up at the damsel, and perceived, for the first time, that her large blue eye was laughing at him from under the shade of a huge three-cornered hat. The next moment he hung over her in an ecstasy of gratitude, and smothered with his kisses the ridicule which she forced upon him as the penalty of his preservation.

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[The readers of the Christian Journal will peruse with pleasure the following prospectus of a Commentary on the Liturgy of the Church, by the Right Rev. Bishop Brownell. No doubt can be entertained of the manner in which this work will be executed. The high recommendations of the Bishops form a pledge that it will not only be worthy of its great ob ject and creditable to the talents and piety of the compiler, but that it will be a volume of great interest to every Episcopalian. It will form an appropriate companion to the Family Bible now publishing at the office of the Chris tian Journal, under the superintendence of the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart. The Family Bible and the Family Prayer Book will com pose a complete library, in which will be ex◄ hibited a body of sound doctrine and a mass of religious information interesting to all, and particularly to Churchmen.]

The Family Prayer Book: or the Book of Common Prayer, &c. accompanied by a general Commentary, historical, explanatory, doctrinal, and practical. Compiled from the most approved liturgical Works, with alterations and additions accommodated to the Liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. By THOMAS CHURCH BROWNELL, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Connecticut.

PROSPECTUS.

THE Church of England has been eminently distinguished in theChristian world by the labours of her scholars and divines, for the advancement of sacred learning, and the promotion of piety. No work, with the exception of the Bible, has profited so richly by these labours,as her Book of Common Prayer. The history of its several Of fices has been investigated, and their im

port fully explained;-the system of doc. trines it inculcates has been successfully defended and established, and the whole has been commended to the judgment by the most ample illustration, and enforced upon the conscience and the heart by the most earnest practical appeals. But the works of these writers on the Liturgy are diffused through a great number of volumes. Some of them have become, in a measure, obsolete in their style; and some of the most valuable of them are hardly to be obtained, even in England; while no complete work on the Liturgy has yet been published in this country. The result has been, that those who wished to profit by such works could only gratify their incli nations at great expense, and with much difficulty; while a very large portion of the members of our Church remain but imperfectly instructed in the full import of those services which constitute the formulary of her worship, and the administration of her sacraments.

A judicious compilation from the works of the best English writers on the Liturgy, so comprehensive as to contain all that would be most interesting and useful, and yet at so moderate a price that it might be brought into general use, would be a valuable acquisition to the Church. It will be the object of the Editor to endeavour to supply this desideratum, in the best manner that his judgment and his leisure will permit.

The title of his contemplated work (in the preparation of which he has made considerable progress) is placed at the head of this Prospectus. In the prosecution of such a work, originality of composition would be less valued than a judicious serection from the writings of others. It is his intention to present the Commentary on the Morning and Evening Prayers of the Church, in his own language, and somewhat at large; condensing what has been said by many writers into single articles, attached to each particular part of the service. As this portion of the work will probably be most frequently read in a devotional way, such an arrangement would seem to be useful, to preserve the connexion, and to prevent those interruptions which must otherwise occur, in pass ing from the observations of one writer to those of another. In most other parts of the work, and always, when any doctrinal point is involved, the name of the author will be annexed to his remarks: and on all controverted questions, those writers will be appealed to, who have been most distinguished for their judgment, learning, and piety, and whose opinions have received the most unanimous sanction of the Church. Those comments for which the Editor feel himself responsible, either may as their author, or as having collected them from various sources with altera

tions, will be designated by the initials of his name subjoined to them.

It will be a leading object in the proposed work, to notice all the alterations of the English Liturgy, which have been made by the compilers of our American Book; and to state, as far as practicable, the considerations on which they were founded. In the performance of this task, the venerable Presiding Bishop has kindly promised his assistance. It is well known that this excellent prelate took a principal part in the re-organization of our Church, at the close of the revolution. No other man living is so well qualified to explain the views by which our first General Con ventions were actuated, in their revision of the Liturgy. From his promised aid, as well as from information he has already communicated to the public in his valuable Memoirs of the Church, of which a free use will be made, it is hoped that this sub. ject will receive a satisfactory elucidation: and that, on this account, the present work will acquire an interest to which it could not otherwise aspire.

In the use of the English commentators, it is intended to make alterations and additions, accommodated to the state of the American branch of the Church; and on some subjects, illustrations will be sought in the writings of the American Bishops, and other Clergy.

The several parts of the Liturgy will afford a wide range for comment and reflection. The history of their respective derivations, the ideas they were severally designed to convey or to excite, the dec trines of faith and practice which they in culcate or recognize; all these topics will, as occasion may offer, occupy the attention of the compiler; but it will be his main design to give the whole work a practical character, for the purpose of recommending it to the use of families, and as a help to their domestic devotions. He is persuaded that many who habitually use the Book of Common Prayer, have a very imperfect apprehension of the full import of its several offices, and catch but a faint inspiration from that spirit of piety which animates them.

If, by collecting together the lights which have been shed upon it, he can be come a guide to its clearer comprehen sion, and a more pious use of it, his labours will not have been in vain.

THOMAS C. BROWNELL.
New-Haven, April 4th, 1822.

The views of the Bishops of our Church, in relation to the publication of this work, may be collected from the following letters and extracts.

Philadelphia, Dec. 29th, 1821. Right Rev. and dear Sir,

I have just now received your letter of

the 26th inst. informing me that you con template the preparing and publishing of a Book of Common Prayer, with a commentary on the different services, accommodated to the alterations of the English Liturgy by our American Church. The last circumstance is especially desirable, there being as yet nothing of the kind. And your connecting the commentary with the text, will very much further the purpose of introducing the former into families, and of promoting a more general information of the grounds of our Institutions. Wishing you success in your undertaking, I remain your affectionate brother, WM. WHITE.

Right Rev. Thos. C. Brownell.

I do cordially concur in the foregoing sentiments of the Presiding Bishop. JOHN HENRY HOBART.

Though we have several commentaries on our Prayer Book, and explanations of the Liturgy, I am decidedly of opinion that no one of them is exactly what is wanted in families, and for common use. A work of this kind, so judiciously compiled as to comprise what is most essen. tial and interesting in the history and exposition of the Book of Common Prayer, with the addition of a much larger pro portion than we usually have of practical remarks, calculated to promote the right use of it, would be a valuable acquisition to our theological libraries; and I rejoice to learn that you think of devoting some part of your time to such a work.

I am, respectfully, your friend and brother,

ALEX. V. GRISWOLD.
Right Rev. Thos. C. Brownell.
Bristol, January 4, 1822.

Richmond, (Vir.) Jan. 19, 1822.
Right Rev. and dear Sir,

I have received your communication upon the subject of the Liturgy, and shall be happy in affording you every encou ragement in the accomplishment and circulation of your intended work.

Never was there a system of devotional exercises constructed with so much piety; or so well calculated to meet the views of an intelligent worshipper. It is my fer vent prayer, that the same spirit which animated those who arranged the service of the Church, may accompany your efforts in the explanation of its beauties, and the recommendation of its observance. With sentiments of unfeigned regard, believe me, Right Rev. and dear Sir, your affectionate friend and brother,

RICHARD CHANNING MOORF. Right Rev. Bishop Brownell.

Baltimore, Jan. 3, 1822.

Right Rev. and dear Sir,

I am very much pleased to learn that you have determined to carry into effect the design you were pleased to intimate to

me, at the last Convention, with regard to the commentary on the Book of Common Prayer. It will be a most valuable acquisition to the Episcopal families in the United States. The "Family Bible" and this Commentary, will constitute a very complete domestic library.

JAS. KEMP.

With sincere regard and affection, 'I am your Brother in Christ, Right Rev. Bishop Brownell.

New-Brunswick, Jan. 8, 1822.

Right Rev. and dear Sir,

The compilation of a commentary on the Common Prayer Book of our Church, which you express a design to undertake, will doubtless be a very useful and laudable work. For, though many excellent commentaries already exist, they are in the hands of but few persons; partly from the circumstance, that they are not adapted to the Book of Common Prayer of the American Church, as altered from that of the Church of England; and partly from the scarcity of copies.

Besides; but few people can conveniently bear the expense of purchasing a number of works on the same subject. A careful and judicious compilation from the most esteemed among them, adapted to the Common Prayer Book of the American Church, would therefore put it in the power of many persons, especially Clergymen with small salaries, to furnish themselves with whatever is most useful of such necessary information. Your de sign, therefore, meets with my approba tion, and I heartily wish you success in the performance of it.

With very great regard and affection, I am, Right Rev. and dear Sir, your friend and brother, JOHN CROES.

Right Rev. Dr. Brownell.

Charleston, Jan. 20, 1822. Right Rev. and dear Sir,

The work which you are contemplating is certainly a desideratum; and may be made the vehicle throughout our Church in these States, of a kind of information, which is too little found among its members. The old standard works on the Common Prayer are not to be had by people in general: and the more recent popular works, of which I esteem Shepherd's (unhappily left unfinished) the most, having little known. Persuaded that practical not been reprinted in this country, are very christianity can in no way be better pro moted, than by causing the Book of Com mon Prayer to be rightly understood and used, I look upon your design with very great satisfaction, and trust it will be blest to a result both honourable and useful to the Church.

I am, dear Sir, with very great regard, your friend and brother, N. BOWEN. Bishop Brownell. [For the conditions, see the cover of this No.]

Plan for a Free Church. SEVERAL Episcopalians residing in the vicinity of Corlaer's Hook, taking into consideration the neglected situation of the neighbourhood, in respect especially of Episcopal places of worship, or rather the entire destitution of the eastern part of the city, have resolved to endeavour to supply the want on the following plan.

The object is to build and endow a Church, of which none of the 'pews shall be either sold or rented, but shall without reserve, be free for all who shall be induced to attend.

It shall be Episcopal in its organization, ministry, and worship.

The mode proposed for effecting the object is the following:-A certain number of individuals will procure the ground, commence and carry on the building, on their own responsibility, at least until it be enclosed. When the work is thus commenced, and the public convinced of their determination to proceed, agents, to be appointed, will solicit contributions from their fellow citizens and fellowChristians, for the double object of completing the work and defraying the expenses in curred, and of providing for the establishment a permanent support.

After defraying the expenses of building, whatever money shall remain in hand, shall, upon the congregation being organized according to law, be conveyed to the vestry in legal form, conditioned that the establishment shall for ever remain sacred to the purposes for which it was commenced, that is, A FREE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. It shall also be a condition, that after the expenses of building and endowment are obtained, on the first Sunday in every quarter, commencing with the new year, or, in case of necessity, on some other day to be appointed, the entire collections shall be appropriated to the purpose of establishing a fund for raising other establishments on the same plan, in succession; that is, the sums collected at such times shall be vested in the Savings Bank, or some other similar institution, to accumu late, and afford funds, from time to time, for building and endowing additional free Churches.

New-York, March, 1822.

We do most cordially approve of the above plan, and earnestly wish success to the meritorious and public spirited individuals who have engaged in it.

JOHN HENRY HOBART,
Bishop of the Prot. Epis. Church in the
State of New-York.

WILLIAM BERRIAN,
An Assistant Minister of TrinityChurch,
New-York.

BENJAMIN T. ONDERDONK,
AnAssistant Minister of TrinityChurch,
New-York.

I heartily wish success to the above project,

HENRY J. FELTUS,

Rector of St. Stephen's Church, N.York. We cordially unite in approving the above plan, and wishing that it may be car ried into full effect.

JONATHAN M. WAINWRIGHT, Rector of Grace Church, New-York, THOMAS LYELL,

Rector of Christ Church, New-York. I most heartily concur with the afore. mentioned recommendations.

WILLIAM CREIGHTON,

Rector of St. Mark's Church, New-York, The above mentioned plan we consider as calculated to be of essential utility, and it will give us great pleasure to see it carried into effect.

JAMES MILNOR,

Rector of St.George's Church, New-York HENRI PENEVEYRE,

Rector of French Church du St. Esprit, New-York.

In the present stage of the above measure, personal services are of essential importance. We would therefore earnestly recommend it to our friends, who feel favourable to the plan, to use their influence in its behalf. And if there be any who are willing to enlist their services in soli citing contributions, we are authorized by the building committee to say, that they will be thankful for the aid of such, and request that they will leave their names at the office of the Christian Journal.

Constitution of the Female Auxiliary Mis

sionary Society of Christ Church, organ¬ ized on Good Friday, April 5, 1822. DEEPLY impressed with a sense of their obligations to their fellow creatures and their God, and viewing with heartfelt pleasure, the efforts now making to extend, to the less favoured inhabitants of the interior, the benefits and privi leges arising from an administration of the word, and sacraments of the Church, by persons duly authorized: considering also, that auxiliary societies are the means of creating a more extended interest' in a work of this nature, than the general institution can be supposed to effect; the ladies of Christ Church have determined to form themselves into a Society for that purpose, and have adopted the following Constitution:

ARTICLE I. This society shall be denominated The FEMALE AUXILIARY MISSIONARY SOCIETY of CHRIST CHURCH, and shall be auxiliary to the New-York Episcopal Missionary Society.

ART. II. The object of this society will be to collect funds for the support of missions; which funds shall be raised by the

contribution of its members, of not less than fifty cents per year, to be paid in advance, and of such donations as the friends of the missionary cause may contribute. It shall be the duty of the managers to en

deavour to increase its funds by soliciting such aid from either ladies or gentlemen, as will be most conducive to that end; and all monies thus collected, shall be paid over annually to the Treasurer of the New-York Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society. Any person paying five dollars at a time, may become a member for life; which life subscription shall be placed in the perma ment fund of the society before mentioned. ART. III. The affairs of this society shall be conducted by a first, second, and third Directress, Secretary, Treasurer, and twelve Managers, who shall be chosen by ballot at the anniversary meeting. The first, or in her absence, the second or third Directress, shall preside at all meetings of the society or board; in case of the absence of the three, one of the Managers shall be appointed to preside. The Secretary shall keep a list of the names of all the members belonging to the society; shall record the proceedings of every meeting, and at the opening of each meeting, shall read the minutes of the preceding. The Treasurer shall receive and keep an account of all moneys belonging to the society, and annually report the state of the funds to the board.

ART. IV. The Board of Managers shall meet at least once in three months, at which time, one-third of the whole shall form a quorum for the transaction of business. They shall have power to fill their own vacancies, and to call special meetings of this society.

ART. V. The annual meeting shall be held in Christ Church, on the first Thursday in November, of every year; being the day appointed by the authority of the Church as a day of thanksgiving; at which time the subscription shall fall due. The annual report of the Board of Managers shall then be presented, a copy of which I shall be transmitted by the Secretary to the Corresponding Secretary of the parent Society.

ART. VI. No alteration shall be made to this constitution, without the concurrence of a majority of the members present at a meeting of the Society, previous notice having been given of such intended alterations.

Officers for the present year.
Mrs. Benjamin Hide, fisrt Directrss;
Mrs. David Baker, second Directress; Mrs.
Oliver H. Taylor, third Directress; Miss
Jane P. Hide, Secretary; Miss Ann Mar-
shall, Treasurer.

Managers. Mrs. William Post, Mrs.
William Baker, Mrs. Doctor Jauncey, Mrs.
Thomas Tripler, Mrs. John Van Nostrand,

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THE annual meeting of the Massachu setts Episcopal Missionary Society was held at the vestry room of St. Paul's Church in Boston, on Easter Tuesday, and, by adjournment, the following day. The follow ing officers were elected.

The Right Rev. Bishop Griswold, ex officio, president; the Rev. Asa Baton, the Rev. Samuel F.Jarvis, D. D. Stephen Cod. man, esq. vice-presidents; John T. Winthrop, esq. secretary; E. Hale, jun. M. D. corresponding secretary; Benjamin Howard, treasurer.-Trustees, the above mentioned officers, and John Sowdon, J.C.War ren, M.D. Francis Wilby, J.C. Merrill, esq.

The committee appointed to collect subscriptions reported, that the sum of five hundred and twenty-seven dollars was already subscribed, to be paid annually, and two hundred and seventy dollars, in dona. tions to the society; and that further sub scriptions will be received.-Gospel Ader

Episcopal Acts.

On Saturday the 23d of March last, the Right Rev. Bishop Griswold held a confirmation in the church at Dedham, Massachusetts, when twenty-three persons partook of that rite.

On the festival of St. Philip and St. James, the Apostles, Wednesday, May 1, the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart held an or dination in Trinity Church, in this city, and admitted Mr. Alonzo P. Potter, tutor in Union College, Schenectady, to the holy order of Deacons.

On Wednesday, May 8th, at the opening of the Convention of the Diocess of Pennsylvania, in St. Peter's Church, Philadel phia, the Rev. William Thompson, Deacon, Minister of Tripity Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was admitted, by the Right Rev. Bishop White, to the holy order of Priests; and Mr. Richard V. Morgan to that of Deacons.

On Ascension-Day, May 16, the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart consecrated St. Luke's Church, in this city, to the service of Almighty God, the Right. Rev. Bishop Brownell, of Connecticut, being also present, and taking a part in the consecrating ce remonies

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