For the Christian Journal.

THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN, NO. I.
Reflections for the New Year.

THE shortness of human life, and the rapidity with which it flies, ought ever to be to mankind subjects of serious reflection. When we consider how day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, are passing imperceptibly away, without leaving scarcely a trace of their existence behind them; when we reflect how short the term of our days is, even at the best, how few the years of the longest life, and how much fewer the years of the greatest portion of mankind; with what serious and sober feeling ought we to be impressed? "Our days upon earth," saith holy scripture, "are a shadow." No description of human life could be more correct, both as it respects the actual length of it, and the impression its events leave upon us. Like the shadow which at one moment is seen, and at another moment is gone, so are our days when compared with the endless years that fill the great period of eternity. Man springs into life, spends a short time among his fellow mortals, decays, and sinks again to the dust from whence he was taken. Another succeeds him, pursues the same path, and sinks also into the grave. Another, and another, in like manner rise up and fill their places, and in like manner become inhabitants of the tomb. So that the term of each is in reality a mere shadow, that flits before our eyes and vanishes. What a solemn consideration!-Let us enlarge a little upon this idea. Let us fancy ourselves, for a moment, upon an eminence from which we can view all the nations of the earth, with all the hu man beings they contain. Let us also fancy ourselves possessed of lives equal in length to the duration of time; and VOL. VI.

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then let us take a survey of the human species. One generation we behold rise up, spend a few years, and then pass to their long home. It is followed by another, that by a third, and so on to the end of the world. Each of these generations is composed of many millions of inhabitants of all ages, some just beginning to draw the breath of life, some advanced to childhood, some in the bloom of youth, some in the meridian of their days, and some on the borders of the tomb. Our attention is principally employed in contemplating those who depart from life. We behold the aged every day, every hour, nay, every minute, sinking into the grave. Their pla ces are filled up, and they are forgotten. Those in the vigour of life, soon also reach old age, and disappear. The youthful part have advanced to fill their places, and have met with a similar fate. Children and infants have become incorporated with the young, the middle-aged, the old, and the dead. Other infants, children, youth, middle-aged, and old men, have taken their places, and are pursuing the same path. Like a forest of trees, where we at all times behold some dead, some dying, some flourishing in strength and beauty, and some just springing from the earth; so are the inhabitants of this world; there is no stability among them, they flee as it were a shadow, and never continue in one stay.

Our minds are struck with awful and solemn feelings, when making reflections like these. How trifling, how insignificant does each individual of this innumerable multitude appear? Like the evanescent shade, they now are, and now are gone. While the sun of life beats upon their heads, they ap pear; but when the clouds of death obscure that sun, they vanish, the shadows are no more seen. Like the tender leaf, they flourish during the spring and summer of their days; but when autumn

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and winter arrive, they wither and fall to the ground. How justly then, when we compare the life of man with time, may it be called a shadow? But when we look back upon our own lives, when we each one of us review the days that we ourselves have spent, the comparison will appear still more just. Does not the time past of our lives seem like a shadow? Is it not as a dream, as a tale that is told? Is there any substance, any reality left? Look back upon yesterday. Where is it? It is gone. Like the fleeting visions of the night, it cannot be recalled. Look back upon last month. Where is it? It is gone. Like the empty shadow, it is beyond our grasp. Look back upon the last year. Where is it? Like a wave of the sea, it for a while showed its head, but it has sunk again into the immeasurable ocean of eternity. Look back upon your past lives. Where are they? Like the evanescent dew of the morning, they have vanished for

ever.

Let us look back also upon the most important events of our past lives; those events to which, before they took place, our most anxious attention was directed. Where are they now? Past, never more to disturb us. What joy have we experienced at certain periods, when some long-expected and desirable occurrence has taken place! What fears and anxieties filled our breasts, before the event, lest some unforeseen circumstance should cause a disappoint ment! Where are these fears, these anxieties and joys now? Gone, and forgotten. Other anxious feelings have taken their places, and are causing in our breasts the same agitations. What sorrow has filled our hearts, when some unlooked-for and mournful event has occurred, when perhaps a friend or relative who was near and dear to us, has dropped into an untimely grave! How have our souls been harrowed up with the most painful emotions, and how indifferent have all earthly objects then appeared to us? How insipid all those pleasures in which we had formerly engaged? The world had lost its charms, and sorrow and mourning alone filled our breasts. Where now are these sorrows and mournful lamentations? Gone

too, and forgotten. Like the dark and stormy cloud which sometimes obscures the sun, so they for a short period broke in upon our pleasures; but these clouds have dispersed, and the sunshine of our former enjoyments beats upon our heads. So justly may our days and years, and all the events of our lives, be compared to a shadow. Nothing here below is lasting. Eternity alone is permanent and substantial.

If then such are the world and the things of the world, what is the course which we ought to pursue while here below? Is it not our interest to grasp the present with all our care-to lay hold of time before it flies, knowing that it can never be recalled? Surely if life is but short at best, we ought to make the most profitable use of the time we enjoy. We should consider for what end we were sent into the world, and apply ourselves diligently to its accomplishment. If our existence is to terminate here, we should strive to enjoy this life, we should seize with avidity the pleasures it affords, we should eat and drink lest to-morrow we die. But if our existence is not to terminate here; if this is only the beginning of our days; if beyond the grave there is to be an existence that will never end,

and such I hope we all believe to be the truth--then our interest is to act as those whose home is not in this world, but who are looking forward to a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, whose builder and maker is GOD. This world was designed by our Creator to be to us a state of probation. Like children sent to school, in order to prepare them for the proper performance of their duties, when they come to man's estate, and to enable them to fill the stations they may be in with honour to themselves and usefulness to their fellow men; so are we, as it respects the world to come. This life is to us a school, a probationary state of exist

ence.

We are beset on all sides by temptations. We are attacked by foes within and foes without. The world, the flesh, and the devil spread before us their allurements, to draw us aside from the paths of virtue. He who resists these temptations, and preserves his heart free from their dominion, will

For if the true reading be preserved, it implies that we may quench the Spirit."

Lest I should be mistaken in saying that the above reading is unauthorised, I have referred toGriesbach,Hammond, Macknight, Doddridge, Poole's Synopsis, and Poole's Annotations, and do not find a hint that the passage would bear such a modification. They refer the language, "this is the will of God," to the previous clause or previous verses, and not to the verse following. This edition is a large quarto, London,1793, on excellent type and paper. It appears to be of the kind noticed in the journal of the house of Bishops for 1820, p.54; an edition issued in "evasion of the law," "by the appending of a few notes in the lower margin, with the intent of their being either retained or cut off at the pleasure of the purchaser." In this copy a very few insignificant notes, occupying one line low down in the margin, are retained; enough to make it evident that it is one of the spurious editions described, and thus sanction the belief that the above error is not unintentional.

While on this subject it may be added, that in a school-bible printed some years ago in Connecticut, it was found that the words "whom we (Apostles) may appoint" to be deacons, were changed to "whom ye (people) may appoint," Acts vi. 3. Such a corruption would "wrest scripture" to an approval of lay ordination.

CLERICUS.

Abstract of the Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Diocess of Connecticut, held in St. John's Church, Waterbury, on the 6th and 7th of June, 1821.

THE Convention was composed of the Right Rev. Bishop Brownell, twentyeight Presbyters, four Deacons, and Lay Delegates from thirty-one parishes.

The Convention was opened by Morning Prayer, conducted by the Rev. Charles Smith, Rector of St. Matthew's Church, Wilton, and Church, Ridgefield; and a Charge to the Clergy by the Bishop.

The Bishop delivered the following address to the Convention : MY BRETHREN OF THE CLERGY,

AND OF THE LAIty,

In pursuance of the Canon "providing for an accurate view of the state of the Church, from time to time," it now becomes my duty to lay before you a statement of the affairs of the diocess since the last meeting of the Convention. I have administered the holy rite of confirmation in 34 parishes. The following list shows the times, the places, and the number of persons confirmed:

June 20th, at the church in Hebron, 50 persons; July 12th, at Trinity Church, Branford, 22; August 17th, at Trinity Church, Watertown, 8; 18th, at Trinity Church, Northfield, 24; 22d, at St. John's Church, Waterbury, 41; 23d, at St. John's Church, Oxford, 13; 24th, at St. Paul's Church, Ripton, 37; 25th, at St. Peter's Church, Huntington, 25; 26th, at St. Peter's Church, Trumbull, 37; 27th, at Christ Church, Stratford, 55; 28th, at Trinity Church, Fairfield, 20; 29th, at Trinity Church, Weston, 10; 29th, at Trinity Church, Reading, 11; 31st, at Trinity Church, Newtown, 22; September 10th, at Trinity Church, Simsbury, 37; 25th, at Trinity Church, Middle-Haddam, 4; 26th, at Trinity Church, Chatham, 17; 27th, at Trinity Church, Glastenbury, 9; October 10th, at St. Matthew's Church, Plymouth, 22; 11th, at St. Peter's Church, Plymouth, 40; 12th, at St. Peter's Church, Woodbury, 13; 13th, at St. Peter's Church, Roxbury; 8; 14th, at St. John's Church, WashMilton, (Litchfield) 5; 17th, at St. ington, 11; 15th, at St. John's Church, John's Church, Barkhamstead, 20; 21st, at St. John's Church, East-Windsor, 4; April 15th, at Trinity Church, New-Haven, 110; 19th, at Trinity Church, North-Haven, 19; 27th, at Trinity Church, West-Haven, 27; May 10th, at Trinity Church, Wallingford, 12; 11th, at St. Andrew's Church, Meriden, 81; 27th, at St. John's Church, Bridgeport, 10; 29th, at Christ Church, Guilford, 33; June 3d, at Christ Church, East-Haven, 29-in all, 836.

It is probable that there is no part of

our country where the utility of the rite of confirmation is more duly appreciated than in this diocess. Yet even here the beneficent designs of the Church are but very imperfectly accomplished. It does not seem to be sufficiently understood that all who have been baptized belong, in fact, to the Church of Christ--that its privileges and benefits are their proper inheritance, and that the obligations of the Christian covenant are binding upon them: nor that it is their imperious and indispensable duty, publicly and solemnly, to assume their baptismal engagements, and live in conformity to their Christian profession. I cannot, therefore, urge it too strongly upon the Clergy, as well as upon Christian parents, frequently and earnestly to impress upon the young the nature of their vows of baptism, and the obligation which rests upon them to make a formal recognition of them by the public profession of their Christain faith. Such a public profession will have a tendency to produce in them a consistency of conduct; and by fixing deeply in their minds a sense of the resposibility under which they live, will excite them to vigilance and diligence in the performance of their Christian duties.

On the 12th day of July last, at Trinity Church, Branford, I admitted to the holy order of Priests, the Rev. Origen P. Holcomb, Minister of that church, and St. Andrew's Church, North-Branford, and the church in North-Haven. And, on the 30th day of August, at the church in Danbury, I admitted the Rev. Daniel Somers to the holy order of Deacons he having passed his regular probation as a candidate in the diocess, and exhibited to me all the requisite testimonials. I have also admitted, pursuant to the Canons, the Rev. Beardsley Northrop, lately a Minister of the Methodist connexion, to the holy order of Deacons. The ordination was held at Trinity Church, New-Haven, on Wednesday, the 2d day of May.

On my visit to Ripton, on the 24th day of August, I consecrated the new church in that parish, by the name of St. Paul's Church. It is a spacious, neat, and commodious building; ho

nourable to the zeal and liberality of the parish, and creditable to the taste of the architect. When at Washington, on the 14th of October, I consecrated the church there, by the name of St. John's Church. It had recently been finished in a very neat manner; and I observed among the congregation a zeal, which is almost as surely the consequence, as the cause of liberal exertions for the support of religious institutions.

I have preached in all the churches where I have performed these Episcopal duties, and have also officiated in several other parishes which were either vacant, or but partially supplied.

Among the changes which have taken place in the diocess since the last meeting of the Convention, it becomes my duty to notice the death of the Rev. Dr. Smith. He was a man distinguished by his theological and literary attainments, and for many years took an active part in the concerns of this diocess. After a long life, chequered by much trouble and suffering, he has gone, as we would earnestly hope, to that better world, where sighing and sorrow shall be no more. The Rev. Nathaniel F. Bruce has returned to the diocess of New-York, and the Rev. Edward Rutledge has received letters demissory, on his removing to Springfield, in the eastern diocess. The Rev. Ambrose Todd has returned to this diocess from that of New-York, and has taken charge of the parishes of Reading and Danbury. The Rev. Beardsley Northrop, lately admitted to holy orders, has been appointed to the parishes of Oxford. The Rev. Reuben Ives has resigned his rectorship of the parish of Cheshire, with the consent of that parish, and the Rev. Dr. Bronson has been appointed to succeed him, with the Rev. Asa Cornwall for his as

sistant.

The following persons are, at present, candidates for holy orders in this diocess, viz.-Lemuel B. Hull, David Botsford, Bennet Glover, Shadrach Terry, William Shelton, John M. Garfield, Franceway R. Cossit, William Jarvis, Martin Snell, Seth Paddock, Richard Haughton, Ashbel Steele, Moses P. Bennet, Asa Griswold,