that, next to an established liturgy, and beyond all prescribed confessions of faith, the single ordinance of catechetical institution bas, under Providence, been the great stay and support, throughout Christendom, of orthodox unwavering catholicity." pp. 20, 21.

.

The next branch of public instruction is the right and due administration of the common prayer and sacraments. On this topic, we shall present our readers with a longer passage. Most truly is it observed, that

"A more important subject, or more intimately connected with the religious improvement of a Christian people, can scarcely be imagined. And we accordingly find that it was weighed with deep and serious thought, both by the framers of our Liturgy, and by the rulers of the land. In various offices of our church, the proper performance of these duties is dwelt upon as matter both of prayer and admonition; and in more than one legislative enactment it is enjoined and enforced with great solemnity. But, in truth, it is founded on principles antecedent to all liturgies and laws, on the common feeling too, and general consent of mankind, that the worship and adoration of Almighty God should 1 be conducted soberly, gravely, and affectionately, in a manner suitable at once to the wants of those who pray, and to the majesty of Him who is addressed in prayer. In order to the effectuation of this purpose in our church, it is indispensable, that the system, the order, and the spirit of our Liturgy be known and appreciated by those who serve and minister at the altar. And it is matter of painful regret not wholly unmingled with surprise, that, in the education of ministers for our communion, very inadequate provision is made for acquainting them with the history, the grounds, and reasons of our Common Prayer, and for training them to a just and impressive manner of performing the noblest liturgical services, at present, or, I verily believe, at any former period, extant in the Christian world. It is most desirable, that this deficiency should be supplied, by some mutual understanding between the bishops and the university of Ireland; and it may not be unreasonable to hope, that, through their joint exertions, a great and lasting improvement may be effected. In the mean while, and for the information of those who may present themselves as candidates for holy orders within this diosese, I think

it right to give this public notice, that I will make very special inquiry into their knowledge, both historical and critical, of the offices, the rites, and ceremonies of our church; and into their capacity for reading those offices, and administering those rites and ceremonies, as they ought to be read and administered. And, whatever may be their qualifications in other respects, those who are deficient in this knowledge, and especially those who are not qualified to perform Divine service in a clear, devout, and edifying manner, shall never be ordained by me. pp. 24-26.

In order to attain this "clear, devout, and edifying manner," Bishop Jebb recommends that candidates for orders, and the younger part of the clergy, should occasionally submit their reading of the Liturgy to those who are more experienced than themselves, with a view to the correction of any improper habits which they may have contracted; and to study some approved treatise on the art of reading. A regulation similar to that here recommended has, for some time, been acted upon in an institution above mentioned, the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Among the professorships attached to that

school of the prophets," is one of "pastoral theology and pulpit eloquence," the functions of which were discharged by the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart, of New York, until ill health (the result of the multiplied and arduous labours of an American episcopate) compelled him to visit this country for his recovery. From the official report laid before the last triennial convention of the Episcopal Church in the American Union, held at

Philadelphia, in the month of May, 1823, it appears that the students in that seminary attended Bishop Hobart one day in every week during the session; namely, from November to June; when they were engaged for several hours, in recitation, and in the delivery of sermons, and, on certain days, in reading the Service of the Church, as a devotional exercise. Two, and

frequently three, sermons have been
delivered by the students, in rota-
tion, each day; which, as well as
the performance of the service,
were subject to the Right Reverend
professor's critical remarks; and
some of the students, it appears,
also furnished outlines of sermons,
as an additional exercise. They
likewise went through a short course
of instruction on the qualifications
and duties of the clerical office. Al-
ready, we are assured, the most
beneficial effects have resulted to
the American Episcopal Church
from this practice; which we notice
in the hope of inviting to the subject
the attention of some of those gen-
tlemen who hold the important and
responsible office of divinity tutors
in the different colleges of our uni-
versities. Ordinarily, so short a
time elapses between the taking of
the first degree, and the receiving
of deacon's orders, that candidates
for the sacred office have too much
to occupy their attention, in pre-
paring for the requisite examina-
tions, to be able to spare much time
for the private reading of the Li-
turgy aloud, as a devotional exer-
cise, with the view of preparing
themselves for their future perform-
ance of Divine Service in public.
In some colleges, indeed, there
are prizes for declamation; and if
the reading of our Liturgy were
made the subject of attention, it
might be a means of producing
hereafter a more uniform and im-
pressive manner of conducting
Divine Service. In offering these
observations, however, we must be
allowed to guard the student (as
Bishop Jebb also does) against all
elaborate emphasis, all departure
from a natural and easy manner :
in short, against all affectation
of fine reading, which is far more
offensive to good taste and right
feeling, than any

fault compatible with simplicity and nature. Most truly has Burnet remarked, that a clergyman "must bring his mind to an inward and feeling sense of those things which are prayed for

in our offices: that will make him pronounce them with an equal measure of gravity and affection, and with a due slowness and emphasis." "A deep sense of the things prayed for, a true recollection and attention of spirit, and a holy earnestness of soul, will give a composure to the looks, and a weight to the pronunciation, that will be tempered between affectation on the one hand, and levity on the other."

On the third subject mentioned in our analysis of the Charge, namely, the residence of the clergy upon their respective cures, Bishop Jebb's remarks are necessarily local. They are, however, practically among the most important part of his Charge; and most happy are we to learn that his lordship intends to enforce this first of pastoral duties.

The last topic of theCharge, which indeed is a very important one, is that of allowable recreations. On this subject we extracted some very important observations from the Bishop of Gloucester's last Charge, in our Number for October, 1822, (pp. 662-664). The remarks of Bishop Jebb, though primarily offered to the clergy of his own diocese, are of universal concern to the clergy of both islands.

"Constituted," he says, "as our nature is, it is necessary, that, when fatigued and exhausted by exertions bodily or mental, we should recruit ourselves by some innocent amusement. But the choice of recreation is a far more important matter than the world is commonly aware of; and, in the first place, on this account, that our chosen amusements serve at once to indicate, and to confirm, the dispositions and character of the man. In what is commonly called the business of life, we are, to a considerable degree, involuntary agents; our occupations are determined for us; and if we would succeed in our various professions, those occupations we must sedulously pursue. But recreations are purely matter of choice; in this particular, we are entirely at our own disposal; and whoever wishes to estimate the temper and turn of the mind of any individual, will do his well to inquire not how he passes hours of business, but how he spends his intervals of leisure. This important prin

P2

"That both the body and the mind have need of relaxation, is attested by general experience; but this indulgence is only proper and allowable, when it disposes us to fulfil our professional duties, and when it facilitates a compliance with the observance of them. Repose is necessary to supply us with new powers to continue our course. All the avocations which alienate us from it, which draw us aside, which create in us a dislike of our calling, propriety forbids, and religion condemns. The sports of the field, gaming, giddy company, any of these delights, which powerfully engage our mind, and chiefly occupy our time, are surely unbecoming; for, independently of the impropriety of an employment so indecent in a clergyman, as addicting himself from day to day to the destruction of an animal or a bird, is it an exercise congenial to the humanity and gravity of our character? Does a clergyman, with the weapons of destruction in his hand, breathing only blood and slaughter, represent the Great Shepherd, employed in conducting his flock in peace, or the wolf prepared to devour and destroy it? The arms of our warfare,' says the Apostle, are not carnal, but spiritual; designed to combat pride, avarice, and every high thought which exalts itself against God: faith is our buckler; zeal for the salvation of men, our sword: these are the arms committed to us by the church, when we become her ministers. How indecent, then, in a pastor, to devote his time to diversions! He neglects his flock; he does not deign to succour those sheep who are perishing; and he observes with vigilant attention, and pursues with keen impatience, the flight of a bird, or the course of an animal, After indulging himself in this barbarous exercise, does he feel disposed to go and present his person, and pour out his prayers for the souls committed to his care, at the Throne of Grace? Do not the re:

collection, the seriousness, the holy fervour essential to the proper discharge of his spiritual avocations, suffer by the riotous disposition in which he has lately been so unholily engaged? What veneration can the people have for their pastor, when they see in his hands the consecrated elements, the pledge of our salvation, whilst their minds are impressed with the reflection, that they had, perhaps on the preceding day, seen those hands employed in bearing destructive arms, directed to carry terror and death to the wild and unoffending inhabitants of the field?

"What I have said of rural diversions, I may say also of frequent * play. A clergyman who is a professed gamester, is a disgrace to the church: he loses, at the gaming table, the time designed for the salvation and the sanctification of the souls redeemed by the blood of the Son of God: he loses there the attachment to whatever is serious and sacred in his profession; the respect and the confidence of his flock; the quiet and tranquillity of his mind. He there loses his soul, by the passions inevitably attendant upon play! What does he not lose, since he there loses the spirit of his vocation, and the whole advantage of his ministry? Such are the losses which can never be repaired, with which the loss of money, however severely it may be felt, can never be put in competition."-(Massillon's Charges, translated by St. John, pp. 158—160.)

Long as is the preceding quotation from Massillon, we feel assured that it will be perused with interest by our readers, from its appropriateness to the topic discussed by Bishop Jebb, to whose Charge we once more return. Lest his clergy should mistake his intentions in the passages above cited, he subjoins the following considerations:

* We should have omitted this word,

had we been at liberty to alter the original passage: the 75th canon of the Anglican Church, above given, prohibits ALL play.