whom they considered to be qualified for the ministerial office. Now, Sir, it is well known that the clergy of Scotland are in the habit of celebrating all the sacred rites which the clergy in our Church are qualified to perform; it is generally admitted, also, that, as a body, they are highly respectable in a moral and religious view, and many of them are distinguished for literary attainments; that in the exercise of their ministerial functions, they are diligent, zealous and laborious; and that their people are both attentive to their public instructors, and for the most part are considered to benefit by the services of their pastors, to whom they are stated to be generally much attached. Indeed, as a people, it has been generally admitted that they are much superior to ourselves in their regular attendance upon the ordinances of the Church, as well as in the selectness and respectability of their lives.

Now, Sir, however much I approve of the general principle, which you have so ably advocated, relative to Apostolical succession and Episcopal ordination, I am at a loss to discover what opinion we are to form of the claims of the Scottish Presbyterian Church. To me it seems unaccountable that a Church, which does not possess what we consider to be the due and essential requisites to entitle it to the name, should still be so widely and so abundantly blessed; and for my own, as well as the information of others, I beg to request your opinion upon a question which I think you must admit is possessed of some general interest. In considering the subject as I have frequently done, I am induced to believe that particular circumstances may sanction, in some cases, a line of conduct, which it might be afterwards impossible or inexpedient to alter, from the strong hold it may have obtained on the affections or prejudices of the people and that fear of the consequences which an attempt to correct the original plan or defect might produce, is a sufficient ground to prevent any such alterations being contemplated. The remedy in this case might be worse than the disease.

I am sorry to encroach, Sir, upon your valuable time, but I think this subject too important to be passed over without some consideration. I think, therefore, the question may fairly be stated thus: Is the principle of Apostolical Succession and Episcopal Ordination to be viewed as absolutely essential in all cases to the name and character of a church of Christ: to be, in short, of universal application? Or may not peculiar circumstances render a deviation from this rule expedient in some cases, and afterwards sanction the continuance of a system, in which there may have been an original defect. May we, in short, recognise the Presbyterian church of Scotland as a sister church 2

I have another question, Sir, to put before concluding, which I have heard frequently asked-Can the church of Rome resume the orders which she had conferred upon those bishops, who afterwards revolted from her authority, and brought about the Reformation? Has she not virtually done so, by the same authority that Jerome of Prague, before martyrdom, was deprived? And if the orders which we profess to have received from and through her, have been thus resumed or invalidated, what claims can the Church of England advance to authority derived from Apostolical Succession? For instance, let us imagine that several bishops may have adopted some opinions at variance with what are considered to be the doctrines of the Christian faith; that these bishops proceed to consecrate other bishops, and ordain priests and deacons, in order to perpetuate their heretical views, what would be the conduct of our Church in such a case as we have supposed? Could she deprive such men of their orders? or must they remain indelible, and heretics be permitted to pepetuate heresy, professing to be successors of the apostles, and to be acting by their authority? If our Church, it may be asked, is competent to deprive such men, has not the Church of Rome autho rity to deprive us? And if so, where is the line to be drawn, where heresy may be said infallibly to commence? Such questions, or questions to this effect, I have occasionally heard put; and am induced, therefore, to submit them to your judg ment that they may obtain a solution through the medium of THE CHURCHMAN. As the above questions have excited much interest and enquiry, if it is not en croaching too much upon your limits, I would venture to request, Sir, your insertion of the above, together with your answer in your valuable periodical, that the subject may be generally understood and for ever set at rest.

With all possible respect, I remain, Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

ON CHURCH SINGING.

To the Editor of The Churchman.

SIR,-In these times, when the efforts of the enemies of the Church are successfully used in undermining the character of her ministers, impugning her doctrines, and drawing away her attendants, any means which can be devised of adding to the number of her members, must, I conceive, be acceptable to your numerous readers. For this reason I have determined to request you to introduce a few observations in your next number of THE CHURCHMAN upon the necessity of a more general introduction of psalmody into our Churches; being persuaded that this subject has hitherto been too much overlooked and neglected. The poor, Sir, as you are doubtless aware, naturally believe the singing of psalms and hymns to be part and parcel of the worship of Jehovah, and when they find this portion of the service occasionally neglected, or, as is frequently the case, suffered to fall into desuetude, they will turn to the conventicle.

As a Clergyman, naturally desirous of keeping my congregation together by every lawful means, I have made several attempts, permanently to establish singing, but hitherto, I am not ashamed to confess, without success-principally, I conceive, on account of the difficulty there usually is, in inducing the major part of the congregation to join; the natural consequence of which is, that our entire dependence has been upon a few leaders, who, in country villages, I regret to say, are generally found to be ignorant, conceited, and puffed up with an idea of their own importance. Such, at least, has been the case in my own parish, and I doubt not, in many others also. Now, Sir, I beg to enquire, would it not be very desirable if a society were set on foot, to supply competent persons, to facilitate (by their temporary assistance) the more general introduction of vocal and instrumental music into our country churches? This, I conceive, might, in a great measure, be effected, by giving instruction to our village schoolmasters, teachers, and children. I have been informed that every appointed teacher of the common people in Scotland is competent to give instruction in psalmody; and why, I would ask, should it not be the case in England? The National Education Society, I perceive, offers to instruct country schoolmasters in their system of teaching,-why then, should they not further qualify them, (such of the candidates at least, who have an ear and a voice for music,) to lead a congregation?

The only objection to this, I suppose, would be for want of the necessary funds, which surely might quickly be obviated, by calling public attention to the subject. As an individual, feeling the want of which I complain, I can only say, I should be most happy to assist any such institution by my annual contributions, and I believe many of my clerical brethren would be found ready to do the same. I would now desire, Mr. Editor, to leave the subject in better hands, trusting, that at your earliest convenience, you will second this my humble effort, in calling attention to it. In the meantime, I beg to subscribe myself,

Your obedient servant,

THE CHURCH.

To the Editor of The Churchman.

JUVENIS.

SIR,One of the most distinguishing features of the providence of God, as displayed in the case of the Church militant on earth, is that all-directing influence, by which real good is brought out of apparent evil, and by which the unruly wills and ungodly purposes of the enemies of the truth are made subservient to, and instrumental in, the accomplishment of his everlasting counsels. Human arts may for a time prevail-human depravity may exult in a temporary triumph; but when considered as mere subordinate parts, and viewed in connection with the great whole, they are discovered to be mere agents in the moral government of the universe. The relentless persecutions under the Roman emperors were ordained by the divine Author of our religion as the fiery trial of the primitive Christians, to prove their constancy-confirm their faith-and consummate that holy fortitude, which enabled them in danger and death, to hold fast "the hope that was in them," and above all, to afford the heathen zealots a most convincing testimony to the truth of the Gospel. The rise and progress of the blessed Reformation may,— humanly speaking, be attributed in some measure, to the turbulent passions and impetuous temper of Henry. And in a more memorable instance we see that

cruelty and injustice were conspicuous agents in the blessed work of our redemption. Modern times, and the history of that branch of Christ's Church established in these realms, furnish many signal instances of heavenly protection vouchsafed to this favoured people. "O fortunatos nimium, bona si sua norint !" "God blew and the enemy were scattered."-("Afflavit Deus, et dissipantur") is at once a motto breathing a spirit of holy gratitude, and an encouraging memorial of past deliverance.

The founder of our Church has given to his followers the assurance that "the gates of hell shall never prevail," and with this encouraging promise before him, the Christian warrior needs not fear the threatening aspect of the times.

Should the dark scenes of Cromwellian domination again be enacted on the stage of Britain, should the factious murmurings of dissent swell into the shout of triumph, or religious rebellion once more lift up her maddening voice in high places, and hoist the blood-red standard of anarchy, still the servants of the truth never need despair, remembering the gracious declaration that "he which endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." Though persecution should heap high the pile of martyrdom-though all the powers of darkness_dispatch their fell emissaries, either hid beneath the cowl of the many-faced Jesuit, or wrapt in the cloak of dissenting hypocrisy, to molest the peace of Zion, still the ray of hope shall never wholly forsake the horizon-still the eye of faith shall light on the temple of truth, unscathed amid the storm, unmoved amid the shock of contending elements.

Some of these ideas have been embodied in the lines subjoined by an author who shall be nameless: should they appear worthy of notice, they are submitted for insertion in your excellent periodical. C. C. C. C.

Poetry.

STANZAS

WRITTEN IN THE SEASON OF SICKNESS, WHEN THE CHURCH BELL WAS SOUNDING FOR PRAYER.

Он, how I love that holy tone, Which calls the worshipper to bend Before the Eternal's awful throne, And in his courts for prayer attend,

Gladly have I in other days Joined with the Church-frequenting throng,

Met to pour forth the voice of praise,
And lift aloft the solemn song.

And gladly too-how gladly, I
Have led the multitude in prayer,
Pointed to better worlds on high,
And chid their faults, and soothed their

care.

But now, tho' chimes the Sabbath bell,

And willing feet its call obey,

I hear its heaven-directing swell, But may not keep the holy day.

Cheddington, March 4, 1838.

THE
WITH mutt'rings deep and loud,
The black'ning thunder cloud
Hangs o'er the venerable pile,
Whose turrets crown the sea-girt isle !

Sickness is paining every limb,
And pale and weak my feeble frame;
Yet will I raise the prayer to Him
From whom my hopes and being came.

He will restore what now is fled,
And bless the strength his mercies give ;
He will lift up again my head,
And spare me, that I yet may live.

And oh, if thus-if life be spared,
Then be that life more truly given

To Him, who for the suppliant cared, And heard the lowly prayer from heaven.

Be strength renew'd, renew'd to God, And in his service freely spent:

Then let me kiss the chastening rod,
In life, in death, resign'd, content.

And when I hear that holy tone,
May my rapt soul its call obey,

Till brought before Jehovah's throne,
With saints to keep glad Holy-day.
W. S.

CHURCH.

With angry curse the circling foe,
Beleaguer Zion's tow'ry fane,
As countless billows o'er the main
Surging before the tempest flow!

While menacing unholy doom
Fell legions gather in the gloom
The Jesuit slips the dogs of hell.
Here broods the godless infidel,
And there with Ruin's deadly swell,
Is heard the fierce enthusiast yell.
All march enroll'd with savage glee
To join the demon revelry!
They come with many a shadowy form
Conspicuous in the rising storm.
They come the quiv'ring portal
shakes,

Each altar in the temple quakes
The fabric reels the martyr dies!
And shouts of triumph mock his
Jehovah bid the lightnings fly, [cries!
And volleying tear the livid sky,
May vengeance on the whirlwind ride,
Shatter the foeman's haughty pride,
And pour amid the battle bray
Confusion o'er their dark array!

May heav'nly Truth's eternal day
Dawning upon the mingled fray,
Descend, and clothe the temple spire
With wavy lines of living fire;
And o'er the darkling future throw
The beams of Hope in milder glow!
Soon shall the demon of Despair
Crouch in his horrid lair;
Again meet bickering foes in peace,
And persecution cease!

Tho' madd'ning zeal should wildly rave,
Or trampling on the sainted grave,
Her blood-besprinkled banner wave...
Still shall our Church the fury brave
Of ruthless godless war;

And still amid the bloody strife,
One mercy-beaming star,
Gilding the martyr's closing life,
Shall kindle in the deepest night
The heav'nly beacon of the sacred fight.
D. S. S. P. B. D.

Reviews.

The Cartoons of Raphael: A Series of Discourses preached thereon, in Bowood Chapel. By the Rev. W. L. Bowles, Canon Residentiary of Sarum. London: Murray, Albermarle-street.

It is not often that discourses are delivered from the pulpit founded, as it were, upon works of art; but when those works have for their foundation some text of God's holy word, and for their object the illustration of some passages of sacred history, discourses may very legitimately allude to them, while they are directly based upon the word of truth. The Cartoons of Raphael are unquestionably very beautiful specimens of the noble art of painting; and these discourses may, henceforth, be considered as the best accompaniments and expositors of them. These excellent discourses are as follows, six in number;-I. St. Peter with the Keys. II. St. Peter and St. John at the Beautiful Gate.-III. Ananias and Sapphira. -IV. St. Paul in Cyprus.-V. St. Paul at Lystra.-VI. St. Paul at Athens: and we are given to understand that a new edition of them, accompanied by engravings of the Cartoons, is already in the press; and we doubt not it will be bought with avidity. We have not room for quotations at any great length, but the subjoined will sufficiently describe the style and characters of the sermons to those who are unacquainted with the venerable poet, if any such there be, and to others nothing is necessary to be said.

The following note, appended to the second sermon, is a little piquant and humorous:

"The most trifling circumstances will shew of what advantage to the poor it is to have a gentleman of piety and cultivation of mind and heart dwelling among them, of which Wesley never thought. The clergyman has been absent, a poor girl is smitten by consumption, the moment he hears of it, every thing neccessary is sent from the clergyman's house-an old woman is bed-ridden it is the same. This morning, (May 12th) a good and excellent old man comes with a petition; he had bought a pig, 'Providence,' as stated in his petition ' ordained his pig to die!' I don't know whether the poor parishioner was a Pig Calvinist, but reading his petition, and seeing a number of names with a subscription of one shilling, the old vicar said, 'If Providence ordained your pig to die-Providence ordained a Parson of a Parish who could give you another!"

From the discourse on St. Paul at Athens, we take this beautiful passage:"As to the doctrine of fate, and lofty virtue, and moral self-righteousnessChristian humility and brotherly love, smite them to the dust.

"To the black catalogue of the vilest sins of the gentile world, is added with pe

culiar force, the sin of being 'without natural affections,' by St. Paul in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. 'Our High Priest' was 'touched' with 'feelings of our infirmities' and ' touched' indeed he must have been, when over the grave of the dead he wept,' and when speaking of little children, he said with more than human tenderness, Suffer them to come unto me'-when before he ascended into heaven, just risen from the grave, not having yet left the earth, and about to sit on the right hand of the Father, for evermore, he looked on the poor penitent woman, he himself not known except from the tender recollection with which he pronounced the affectionate word, Mary!' And can we forget that St. Paul himself, who in his youth held the garments of the murderers of St. Stephen, and was steeled against the feelings of nature, thus pleads for a poor slave, in his old age, to Philemon, his master-though I might be bold in Christ to enjoin you, yet, for love's sake, I rather beseech thee, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner!'

"As to the Epicurean, hear the Bible, (the Apocrypha) not speaking with divine authority, but with wisdom and truth, showing the vain lessons of this worldly wisdom of every age, 'Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and ointments: and let no flower of the spring pass by us: let us crown ourselves with rose-buds before they be withered.' But hear the awful rebuke, Such things they did imagine and were deceived: for their own wickedness had blinded them.' For God created man to be IMMORTAL, and made him to be an image of HIS OWN ETERNITY. '...----Wisdom of Solomon.

6

"Oh! pure and holy Spirit of Christianity, it is thine, not only to dash the cup of pleasure, untasted from the lip, but to tread under thy feet, all the pollutions and sins of the world. Oh! pure and holy Spirit, it is thine to embrace all that is most lofty with all that is most gentle and lowly in sentiment, as the Sun in heaven illumines the dews of Hermon-Thine is the knowledge and contemplation of the great God Almighty, which was, and rs, and is to come;' never separated from God the merciful Redeemer, and God the Holy Ghost, 'the Comforter,' in joy and sorrow, in sickness and in health. Thine are the rapt feelings of adoration the smile of more than the world's 'courtesy-the tear of more than the world's pity! Oh! how transitory and perishable the motes of all human sophistry, before the beams from thy majestic forehead, for the light of thy everlasting truth shall'shine more and more, to the perfect day,' when the fragments of human systems, from whatever source derived, shall be scattered, lost, and dissolved, in the Heaven of Heavens."

The Devotional Year; or the Companion to the Liturgy of the Church of England, extracted from the writings of the Fathers of the Church, and the most approved Divines of later Times. By the Rev. E. D. Jackson, Master of English Literature in the Grammar School, Manchester. London: Longman. 18mo. pp. 355.

We have to take shame to ourselves for having so long delayed to notice this very useful and truly excellent little work, one of the best we know for a present to the young of both sexes. Mr. Jackson, after briefly noticing the regular morning and evening services of the Church, begins the ecclesiastical year with the First Sunday in Advent. Under the title "THE EPISTLE," he places a verse from the epistle of the day, and gives a short comment upon it from one of the Fathers of the Catholic Church, or of the English branch of it. With "THE GOSPEL" he does the same: and then follows a hymn, and after that a prayer or collect which concludes the devotional day, an integral portion of the devotional year. The extracts are judiciously chosen, and the work altogether such as we can most heartily recommend.

Rhetoric in Miniature; and Logie in Miniature. By the Rev. Dr. Vale. London: Groombridges 18mo. pp. 46 and 62.

Two very neat and useful books; extremely well adapted for schools.

Sacred Pastime; consisting of verses on various subjects. By the Rev. J. Lawson, M.A. London: Fellowes. 18mo. pp. 82.

THIS is a neat little book of good poetry, published for the best of purposesthe promotion of Christ's cause in the world. It is published " For the benefit of Church of England Missions in Canada," and no object more needs the support of the Church at large; for instead of supporting the Church in Canada, according to its original compact, the government of this country is withdrawing from it its