CHRIST IN HIS CHURCH.

THE wintry night is wild and dark! The wintry winds are loud and high! There is no safety in that bark!

There is no succour nigh!

I see the night is wild and dark;

I hear the winds are loud and high; Yet there is safety in our bark,

For there is succour nigh!

Harsh was Gennesaret's troubled roar; Loud was the tempest's angry might; Frail was the bark, and far the shore; No succour was in sight!

The trembling boatmen sought the bed, Where sleeping midst the storm HE lay;

He rose! HE spake !-the winds are laid; They hear, and they obey!

Then fear not though the wind be high, And doubt not though the bark be frail, Since there is ONE for ever nigh

Whose Word can still the gale.

What though the winds and waters rise, And coward hearts announce our doom? Though veil'd His brow, though clos'd His eyes,

Our bark is still His home!

And better that those Eyelids sleep,

That glorious Brow averted be, Than that they wake our sins to weep,

Or blast with majesty !

Seek then, with fasting and with prayer
Repentance full and faith sincere,
His Presence Whose Almighty care,
Our perill'd bark can steer.
For HE is here.-And HE will heed

The prayers of all who rightly pray,
And succour at their utmost need

All who His Will obey.

Within His Church His Presence dwells, And there shall dwell for aye and aye, Yet oft, alas, our sin compels

His face to turn away. Then fear not though the night be dark, And doubt not at the ravening wave, For CHRIST is still within our bark To succour and to save!

J. B.

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH.
UNDER a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,

With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;

His brow is wet with honest sweat,

He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat, and slow,

Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;

They love to see the flaming forge,

And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.
He goes on Sunday to the Church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the Parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughters' voice
Singing in the village choir,

And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice, Singing in Paradise!

He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;

And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.
Toiling, rejoicing,-sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begun,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life

Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought!
Longfellow.

OSSIOOT.

We returned through the bazaars, and made purchases of pipe-bowls, for the manufacture of which Ossioot is famous. While we were drinking coffee and bargaining with the merchant, a young Coptic Christian, dressed in semi-Frank costume, came up and conversed with Achmet. We found that he knew a little English, and had been educated in Mrs. Lieder's school at Cairo. Mrs. Lieder is the wife of a German gentleman, in English priest's orders, living in Cairo, and originally, I believe, sent there by the Church Missionary Society. He was, as I have understood, ordained priest, by the late Anglican Bishop at Jerusalem. Mr. and Mrs. Lieder, assisted by others, have opened extensive schools in Cairo, to which they are ready to admit all comers; but as the Mohammedans have strong prejudices, hard to overcome, it so happens that most of their pupils are either Coptic or Greek orthodox Christians; the evils of which I will hereafter endeavour to explain.

The young Copt asked us whether we should like to see the Coptic Church, to which I eagerly assented. Having, since I entered the town, observed in the streets many men wearing black turbans, (the distinguishing dress of the Copts) I had felt some desire to fraternize with them, and to show the proud Mussulmen, that the oppressed and insulted Christians had the sympathy of English travellers. The Coptic youth informed us, that his uncle was no less a personage than the Coptic Lord Bishop of Ossioot, one of the twelve dioceses into which the patriarchate of Alexan

dria is divided. We mounted our donkeys, and rode with our new friend through several narrow streets passing on the way a house where, much to the disgust of our guide, some persons were for persuading us to dismount, and which turned out to be the Latin Church. A few more turns brought us to a house where our guide caused us to halt and quit our steeds. He led us through a dirty court, where several persons were seated; and presently showed us up into the bishop's

room.

INTERVIEW WITH THE BISHOP OF

OSSIOOT.

in

The apartment in question was at the head of a dark narrow staircase, and was not remarkable either for size or cleanliness. Round two sides was a high divan, on which several dignified personages, tarbooshes, or turbans, were seated. The bishop sat in the corner of the divan, with two large volumes placed beside him, which I afterwards found to be the Arabic Gospels and a Coptic Church-Office Book. The youth presented us, and caused us to sit on the divan by his side. The bishop was a truly venerable-looking old man, bearing in his countenance an expression of meekness and humility such as I have seldom met with. The old man, through his nephew, who acted as interpreter, inquired after Mr. and Mrs. Lieder, whom he said he knew. I endeavoured to enquire into the state of the Coptic Church in Ossioot, but, owing to the interpreter's lack of English, could make out little or nothing. We were forced to drink sherbet, made of brown sugar and

water, to the infinite disgust of my companion, who was all anxiety to get away, and was nudging me with his elbow, in order to curtail my conversation with the worthy prelate. However, before we left, they brought us some coffee, which was a great improvement on the former beverage.

When we left the bishop, his nephew conducted us to see the Coptic Churches. There were three of these clustered together, and apparently of great antiquity. The Coptic Churches are not very dissimilar to the mosques in their form, which is almost square. In these the arches were Saracenic, and built of brick. The women's division was partitioned off with open wooden lattice work. At the end were three altars, enclosed with screens, as in the Greek Churches. The altar-screens, (as in all the Coptic Churches which I saw in Egypt) were richly inlaid with various kinds of woods. All the crosses that appeared were of the Greek form. Our cicerones opened the screens, and displayed to us the holy tables, which, to my surprise, were very mean, (reminding me of numerous examples "not a hundred miles from home," as the phrase is) and upon one of them were placed the priests' vestments, in a sadly tattered state. Our interpreter's English was extremely deficient, and I could not discover whether or not the Consecrated Elements were reserved. My impression is that they were not. The orientals would think it a mark of disrespect to take off their turbans or head-gear in a Church; and our Coptic guides seemed surprised, if not hurt, at our doing so. The best rule for Europeans, seems to be, that if they are wearing hats they should take them off, but if dressed in turbans or tarbooshes, to keep them on as do the natives. The priests,

and others who were with us, neither knelt nor blessed themselves, on entering the Church. There were rude paintings of the Crucifixion, the Blessed Virgin, and S. George and the Dragon, a favorite subject with the Copts, that Saint being the patron of their Church.

On going out we were assailed by beggars. We proceeded on our donkeys back to the bazaar, where we had left Achmet making purchases. Ere we took leave of our young Coptic guide, he told us that his uncle the bishop invited us to attend the Coptic Church on the morrow, (Sunday) and (to my consternation and utter surprise) "to receive the Holy Sacrament." made him repeat this latter request two or three times, and even then, knowing the strictness of the Greeks on the subject, did not feel convinced.

I

It had been part of our agreement with our Reis (or Captain) that, during the voyage to WadyHalfa, his sailors should be allowed two opportunities of stopping, for four and twenty hours at least, in order to bake themselves bread. The places they had selected for this were Ossioot and Esnéh. remained, therefore, over Sunday the 30th of December, off El Ham

ra.

We

At an early hour some of the sailors commenced washing the boat, and we consequently breakfasted betimes; and afterwards, not being able to prevail upon B- to accompany me, I started off alone, in order to be present at the services of the Coptic Church. At the same time, I dreaded the renewal of the Episcopal invitation (if such there was) to receive the Holy Sacrament, as I felt (and that on the authority of English Divines whom I had consulted before starting) that I should not be warranted in receiving communion at the hands of

those who confound the nature of our blessed Lord, (by denying its twofold existence) as do the Copts of Egypt.

I trotted over the mile of road between El Hamra and Ossioot as fast as my donkey would carry me. At the entrance to the town is a gateway, and within the gateway an open court, clean and whitewashed, where the elders of the city sit to discuss matters, (as in Ruth iv. 1, 2, &c.) and to act as judges and advisers. As I entered at full trot, my donkey tripped and came down, throwing me over its head, to the great amusement of the grave turbaned men, who were sitting, smoking, and conversing "in the gate." The beast continued to lie down until I was fairly on my legs. Soon after passing the gate, I met a man in European costume, walking with a taller man, in a black eastern dress and turban. I greeted the European, who answered "Bon jour, Monsieur." He in

formed me that he was returning from "la Messe de l'Eglise Catholique," which he begged me to go and see. I had scarcely parted from them, when I met my Coptic friend, the bishop's nephew, who insisted upon my instantly accompanying him to his uncle's. He said that he was on his way to our boat, with a message from the bishop, requesting me to come, and sending me some loaves of blessed bread, such as is given away after Holy Communion, and similar to that which I had received when I attended the orthodox service in Cairo. He declared that the bishop had expected me at his Church, and wanted to know why I had not gone. Accompanying my friend, I found the bishop seated with his two books, in the same corner of the divan, and in the very same position that I had left him in on previous night. Upon the same divan were seated several priests,

one of whom was a black Abyssinian. I kissed the bishop's hand, and answered the salutations of the priests, with whose countenances and manners I was greatly pleased; and especially with the frank, and at the same time, devout expression of the Abyssinian's face. I got on very badly with my interpreter. One of the priests, whose earnest tone and manner pleased me much, began asking questions about the Protestant College at Malta, to which he said he should like to go, in order to learn English. My interpreter, who fancied that, as I was an Englishman, I must, of necessity, be what is called '" a very zealous Protestant," lost no opportunity of putting before me the peculiar religious views which he had somehow imbibed at Mrs. Lieder's school; and I cannot but regret, that in that well-meant institution, as also in the Protestant College at Malta, there is to be found a disregard, which looks like contempt, for many time-hallowed and universal customs of the ancient Church, which Easterns (heretics as well as orthodox) still fondly cling to and venerate. I have by me the last Papers of the Malta Protestant College, dated 1850, from which it appears, that a considerable number of orientals are receiving education in the institution, and among them several Copts from Egypt. As an instance of what I have above stated, I quote the following passage from this Paper, circulated by the Committee of Management :

"This somewhat new educational experiment, aided by the example and influence of our older English students, has already been the means of dispelling spiritual darkness from the minds of some, and of leading others, with true earnestness, to seek after the things which belong to their eternal peace.

"Dr. Crawford, in a letter from

Malta, narrates an incident strikingly illustrative of these remarks:Two of the Eastern students were observed, for some time after their arrival, to take occasionally out of their boxes, their crosses and sacred images, and to kiss them, as is the practice in the East, and to place them carefully back. They were, however, lately seen taking them out of the boxes, and, instead of putting them back, throwing them away under their beds, uttering words of contempt. They did this entirely of their own accord.'"

I cannot but own to a fear lest, if Eastern Christians are thus taught to think harm of such innocent practices, and to despise what they once looked upon as the symbols of ancient Christianity, and of the unity of the Church, visible and invisible they should fall into more or less of infidelity, and in the end, deny "the faith once for all delivered to the saints."

My friend left the room, and I found myself alone with the venerable bishop and his priests, without being able to converse. After vainly attempting to make himself understood by words, the good bishop commenced making signs to me. He placed his two fingers together, saying, "sowa, sowá," ("both together, both alike") and pointing to Heaven, while he placed his left hand on his heart; by which I understood him to mean, that we were both alike aiming at the same heavenly object, and were united in heart. I pulled out of my pocket a book of devotions, and showed him a small picture of the Crucifixion, which he examined, and then raising his eyes, crossed himself devoutly. When the interpreter returned, I made another attempt at conversation, but with slight success. I succeeded, however, in asking him the number of the Egyptian bishops. He seemed astonished

to find, that I knew St. Mark to have been the founder of the Alexandrian Church; he asked me whether there was an English patriarcha usual question, as I found, in the East, and one difficult to answer to the satisfaction of the enquirers. Meanwhile, my Coptic friend was constantly putting in scraps of the notions which he had picked up at Mrs. Lieder's school. He told me that negotiations were going on between Mr. Lieder and the bishop, on the subject of establishing a school in Ossioot, similar to Mrs. Lieder's school in Cairo. He also declared, that several of the priests present were desirous of going to the Protestant College at Malta. At parting, the bishop gave me several loaves of blessed bread, and sent others to our boat, "for my friends," as he said. In passing, I paid a visit to the Latin Church, a plain edifice, with three altars at the east, and German prints of the stations, (that is, of the principal scenes in our blessed Lord's passage from the seat of judgment to Calvary) round the walls. After another ride to the Stabl' Antar, and a delightful Turkish bath, I returned to the boat, and we set sail, with a tolerable wind, at about half-past six o'clock.

"In the settling of principles, we are never to consider, how the world hath practised, but how God hath taught. The practise of the multitude, how great soever that multitude may be, hath no influence upon truth; yet it will stagger the minds of many and carry them away, as with an over-bearing torrent; happy are they who have a better rule to direct them."-Jones of Nayland.