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high praise to “The Diamond Ring” in saying that it surpasses all her previous stories, both in originality and in interest. The qualities with which we are familiar in Mrs. Mitchell's books-high-toned religious feeling, graphic delineation of character and a play of graceful humour which enlivens every page—are all present in this tale, but the plot is very striking and uncommon, and it is worked out in a manner to fascinate irresistibly the young people who may have the good fortune to possess the pretty volume. The diamond ring, a family heirloom, is to be given “to the most worthie” of four daughters of the house, according to their success in achieving, each one, some great and good deed in the course of a probationary year, and we will not forestall the pleasure to be derived from reading the book by stating how all lost and all won, but we strongly recommend our readers to obtain it and judge for themselves.

Whispers of Love and Wisdom, collected and arranged by Annie Cazenove (Griffith and Farran), has the advantage of a preface by Miss Yonge, who gives the key-note to the dainty book by quoting the proverb, that “a verse may catch him who a sermon flies." The short extracts are well chosen ; but why is the name of the author appended only to some of the quotations and not to all?

Sketches from the East illustrating Church Doctrine and Practice, by Rev. J. Ridgway (Mowbray and Co., Oxford and London), is a much more valuable little book than its unpretending appearance and style might be supposed to indicate. The lamented writer had visited, more carefully than most travellers, every part of the Holy Land, which had a strong fascination for his devoutly religious mind, and his minute study of every locality consecrated by events in the life of our LORD, has enabled him to bring to light many details of the deepest interest to churchmen. The work is one calculated to be of great use to the clergy, but it cannot fail to be attractive to all who are interested in Catholic tradition.

Fairleigh Hall, a tale of Oxfordshire during the Great Rebellion, by the Rev. A. D. Crake (Mowbray, Oxford and London). Mr. Crake's admirable historical tales have long been in the hands of our young Church people, and they will assuredly welcome another volume of the same description, knowing in how pleasant a manner these works have enriched their knowledge of bygone days, while leading them to hold more and more strongly to the Church of their fathers. The young readers, however, have not perhaps perceived that it was Mr. Crake's intention to illustrate consecutive periods in the history both of Church and State, and he has now reached one of the most interesting epochs, that of the civil wars of England in the seventeenth century. The tale is more or less founded on fact, and the site of the old hall which gives its name to the book is visible to this day. The scene is laid in a district where, on the one side, Prince Rupert and the cavaliers kept the line of the Cherwell, with Oxford for their headquarters, while on the other side Hampden and the Roundheads held the Chiltern Hills. It will be found a most interesting and exciting story.

Correspondence.

[The Editor is not responsible for the opinions of the Correspondents.]

To the Editor of the Churchman's Companion.

Answers.

THE SEVEN CANONICAL HOURS.

SIR,-In reply to Robert Spencer's inquiry on the "Original History of the Seven Canonical Hours," I enclose the following extracts:

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"Canonical hours. They are mentioned generally by S. Clement of Alexandria, and as Synaxes in Ecgbright's Excerptions, 740. There are four day hours and three night hours, in allusion to S. Mark xiii. 35, and S. Matt. xxvi. 44. From the fourth century the nocturns embraced three Psalms, one for each watch. The seven canonical hours, so called because fixed by canon Church rule, for prayers at each third recurring hour, are founded on David's practice, and Ps. lv. 17, 'In the evening, and in the morning, and at noonday will I pray,' and Ps. cxix. 62, 'At midnight I will rise and give thanks unto Thee because of Thy righteous judgments.' Daniel prayed three times a day (Dan. vi. 10), which S. Cyprian considered was in honour of the Holy Trinity. The Jews prayed four times a day.

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"Their names are Matins-matuta, dawn, at midnight, called Vigils by the council of Carthage, A.D. 398, and mentioned by S. Cyprian as midnight and matins, and by S. Athanasius as nocturns and midnight (Ps. cxix. 62, 147, Acts xvi. 25, but about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymnsunto GOD), an office which Cassian and Isidore say was first observed in the fifth century in the Monastery of Bethlehem, in memory of the Nativity; Lauds, after Matins before day, mentioned by S. Basil, and in the Apostolic Constitutions; in the fifth century nocturns merged into matin Lauds (Ps. lxiii. 6, and cxix. 55); Prime, the early morning, 6 a.m., mentioned by S. Atha

nasius (Ps. xcii. 2, v. 3, lix. 16); Terce (the third), 9 a.m., mentioned by Tertullian with Sexts and Nones, when the disciples were assembled at Pentecost (Acts ii. 15); Sexts (the sixth), noonday, when S. Peter prayed (Acts x. 9); Nones (the ninth), 3 p.m., when SS. Peter and John went up to the temple (Acts iii. 1); Vespers, mentioned by SS. Cyprian, Basil, Ambrose, and Jerome, and the Apostolic Constitutions, Evensong, 6 p.m. (Ps. lv. 18, xli. 3), when our LORD instituted the Eucharist, showing that it was the eventide of the world. This hour is called from evening, according to S. Augustine, or the evening star, says S. Isidore. It is also known as the office and the hour of lights, as, until the eighth or ninth century, it was said in the East, and at Milan also, when the lamps are lighted (Zech. xiv. 7). The Roman custom of saying Vespers after Nones then came into use in the West. Compline, the completement of divine service, as the office before bedtime (Ps. cxxxii. 3), was first separated from Vespers by S. Benedict.

"The Apostolic Constitutions mention Matins as a thanksgiving for the dayspring from on high and the return of light; Terce, when our LORD was sentenced by Pilate; Sexts, when He was crucified; Nones, when the great earthquake and shaking heavens could not endure the LORD's shame; Evensong, thanksgiving for the gift of sleep after the day's toil; and cock-crow, when the coming of the day invites to do the work of light. Cassian likewise mentions the observation of Terce, Sexts, and Nones in monasteries. Tertullian and Pliny speak of Christian services before daylight, S. Jerome names Terce, Sexts, Nones, Vespers, and Dawn, and S. Augustine, for the two latter hours, substituting early vigil. Various reasons have been assigned for

a deeper meaning of the hours; one is that they are the thanksgiving for the completion of the creation on the seventh day. Another theory beautifully connects them with the acts of our LORD in His Passion; Evensong with His institution of the Holy Eucharist, and washof the disciples' feet, and the going out to Gethsemane; Compline with His agony and bloody sweat; Matins with His appearance before Caiaphas; Prime and Terce with His appearance before Pilate; Terce with the scourging, crown of thorns, and presentation to the people; Sexts with His bearing the cross, the seven words, and crucifixion; Nones with His dismissal of His spirit, descent into hell, and rout of the devil; Vespers with His deposition from the cross and entombment; Compline with the setting of the watch; Matins with His resurrection. Ado of Trèves says that, even during the Diocletian persecution, the Christians kept Matins, Vespers, Terce, Sexts, and Nones round the graves of the Saints. The old English names are: Uht-Sang, midnight; Lof Sang, praise or after-sang, 2 or 3 a.m.; Prime Sang, 6 to 7 a.m.; and Undern Sang, 8 to 9 a.m.; Midday-sang; Noonsang, 2 to 3 p.m.; Even-sang, 6 to 7 p.m.; Night-sang, 8 to 9 p.m. An account of the canonical hours will be found in Daniel's valuable book on the Book of Common Prayer, and in Procter's History of the Book of Common Prayer."

I will conclude my rather long extracts with the following stanzas.

"At Matins bound, at Prime reviled,

Condemned to death at Terce,
Nailed to the Cross at Sext, at None
His blessed side they pierce.

"They take Him down at Vesper-tide
In grave at Compline lay,

Who thenceforth bids His Church observe
Her seven-fold hours alway."
Yours, &c.,-F. B.

THE MORAVIANS.

SIR,-The Moravians are said to have been originated by Count Zinzendorf, a nobleman of Moravia, (a province formerly of Bohemia) in the last century.

They have Bishops, who profess to derive Orders from the Greek Church. But this is doubtful. They are sometimes called Herrnhuters, and sometimes the United Brethren. They are an industrious people and have no very special doctrines. John Wesley for some time fraternized with them. They have settlements, it is believed, both in England and America. But what their plea is for maintaining a Schism, it is not easy to understand. Some persons consider them to be descendants of the Hussites. -Yours, &c., S. T. M.

IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

SIR,-Your correspondents sometimes inquire after a Society of the above nature. To save their time and your space, kindly allow me to state that there are vacancies in one of which I am president, and which consists entirely of daughters of the English Catholic Church. It embraces Drawing and Painting, English Reading, Foreign Languages and Practice of Music, also the writing of a monthly essay. Members can join for one or more, or all of these, the drawings are most carefully criticized by a lady artist and public exhibitor, the essays by myself and another gentleman, both of us Graduates in Honours, and every effort is made to render the Society useful to its members. Our Religious Rule is the daily recitation of the Collect, "Prevent us, O LORD." The next term will begin on or about January 8th next, Rules 3d. from Hon. Sec., 55, Hamstead Road, Handsworth, Birmingham. The subscriptions are given to prizes, fines to Church purposes. As you, Sir, are much interested in many good Church works, will you accept the fines for next term, and give them to any good work you may wish to forward? In inserting this in your most valuable serial, kindly add a footnote stating the object to which the fines are to be given. Tendering my hearty thanks,-Yours, &c., G. V. COLLISON, Bacton, Hereford.

[The fines, of which we gratefully accept the stewardship, will be given to the Church Mission at Zanzibar, at pre

sent suffering under the loss of the devoted Bishop and two of his equally devoted assistants.-ED. C. C.]

READING SOCIETY.

SIR,-In answer to your correspondent, "B," I send the following notice, which appeared in "Aunt Judy's Magazine" for June:

"Members wanted for a half-hour daily Reading Society, beginning July 1. Subscription, 1s. Prizes given in money. Also for an Early Rising Society, beginning August 1. Subscription, 1s. Prizes given in money. Rules of both Societies can be had on sending ld. to the Sec., Miss Alice Peel, Burghwallis Rectory, Doncaster."-Yours, &c., E. L.

BARGE MISSIONS.

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SIR,-A year or two ago, you kindly allowed me to draw the attention of your readers to the Lichfield Barge Mission. Though it is progressing favourably, I regret to say it is not so much known as it ought to be. Few seem inclined to help to bring our Canal population out of a state of almost heathenism. verhampton is a most important Barge Centre, and there it is that a Mission Room as soon as funds can be obtained is to be built. A site has been granted by the Canal Company. I would earnestly plead that the state of the Barge people should be inquired into, and that help should be accorded to the Diocesan Mission at Lichfield. Surely, through whatever parish the Canal passes, an offertory might be given to this most excellent object. Though the Mission Room may be established at Wolverhampton, the Mission itself can hardly be called purely local; and if more of the clergy would take this into con

sideration, the work would not fall so severely on the Chaplain at Wolverhampton.

All subscriptions may be paid to A. B. Wordsworth, Esq. Lloyd's Bank, Lichfield, Treasurer.

Books, tracts, &c., suitable for a Lending Library, will be thankfully received and acknowledged, I feel sure, by the Rev. P. H. Moore, 10, New Hampton Rd., Wolverhampton.-Yours, &c., J. M.

Queries.

GREENSTEAD, NEAR ONGAR. SIR,-In his " History of the Diocese of York," recently published by the S. P. C. K., Canon Ornsby states that the first Christian Church built in the kingdom of Northumbria by Edwin, the king at York, after his conversion by Paulinus, was "of wood, resembling, probably, in its structure, a church which yet survives at Greenstead, near Ongar, and is a most curious and venerable relic of Saxon times." Will one of your readers who resides in that neighbourhood kindly describe the church for me? What is its shape? and of what material is it constructed? Also, what is its dedication, and generally, what is known about it?—Yours, &c., S. T. M.

PRINTS FOR CHRISTMAS.

SIR,-Kindly allow me to make known to your readers, that I have a great variety of French Lace Prints for Christmas, (really appropriate subjects,) which I am selling for the benefit of a very poor Mission in the Black Country. The Prints are 3d. each, and I should be pleased to send packets on approval. -Address, MISS MACDONALD, Prestbury, Cheltenham.

Notices to Correspondents.

B., You are requested to send your present address, as two letters are awaiting you at our office.

Several letters received too late for this month will appear in our next issue.

J. MASTERS AND CO., PRINTERS, ALBION BUILDINGS, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE.

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