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The troubles of the Rector, however, did not as yet amount to anything worth speaking of. We shall come to that by-and-by, when he became " superannuated.”

His

cism; the humbler classes, who composed two-thirds of the congregation, complaining that her air was haughty-her head carried too high-and that she was dressed in silks. How unkind and unreflecting of them! The lady was not haughty, she was only high

be corrected somewhere. Nor is it designed to represent the Rector without any shading of character, or without faults. At any rate, soon after his marriage, the people began to find them out; for they did exist.wife soon came in for a share of sharp critiHe had preached so many "crack sermons" within the last few years, and got so much praise for them, that it is a wonder he had not become himself cracked. This was the fault of the ladies, young, middle-aged, and old. They have, and justly too, the reputation of "spoiling ministers." Fair beings!bred; and as to her head, she carried it just with bosoms full of sympathy, the first source of temptation, yet the first to repair the damage of the fall; without whom all religion is dead, and to cherish whom is a part of religion itself; surrounded by a halo-when { you flutter gauze-like about the clergyman, a half a dozen of you at a time, investing the whole citadel where his vanity dwells, twir-ever much they might affect the minds of a ling your fans, shaking your ambrosial curls, and perfumed with musk, he rushes infatuate into the idolatrous fire, to scorch up the wings of his true devotion, and lamentably to illus-began with his marriage, so did his happiness trate that he is, like other men, a mere worm of the dust.

as nature poised it, on a most beautiful, commanding form-and as to silks, they are the most economical of all dresses. These reports, as they were twittered with a swallowlike sharpness into their ears, by the birds of gossip who flitted by their door, worried poor Mr. Admuller more than his wife; and how

few, he was still able to counteract them by the potent influence of a "crack sermon”— thanks to Sir John Staples! If his troubles

ceived from men.

too. This is the experience of all men who marry, especially of the clergy. Listen to The Rector began to have a few troubles what the aged Jeremy Bartoldus, some two when his married life commenced-who does hundred years ago curate of All-Willows not? The first years of his ministry had been Parish, Hentz-Hinckly, Gilliganshire, Engone picture of peace, imbued with rosy light, land, says. This is from his diary, bequeathdarkened only by the passing cloud which ed to us in a trunk of old books: “From yo rested awhile over the grave of Miss Cle-time that I did enter into y bonds of holy manthe. "It is good to be afflicted." Sun- wedlock, much thanksgiving due from me to shine and shadow form the composition of the God, and from henceforth y less praises regood man's life. There is no monotony so For my deare wife, (now painful as the incessant down-pouring of the with God,) having in her some gentle blood, floods of light. We ought rather to pray for (no fault of hers,) they did straight begin to the alternations of the seasons; for the day pick at me, and Will, y tinker, say I not of prosperity, and for the quiet of the night dine with him. I forthwith dine with him, watches, when we may fold our arms and and then my wife, so sweet and noble in her yield to meditation and repose; for the spring conduct, that they did not feel at ease; so time of hope, when we may look forward they did forthwith go about to make my place trustingly; and for the summer, when we vacate, poking at me as one would poke at a may apply ourselves to work while the day bear thro' y bars, if so be they might have lasts; for the autumn, triumphant with fruits one below y level of themselves, so they and vintage, and the very symptoms of de- feel more at their ease, in which they not succay; that, last of all, we may be prepared to ceed. Now I being a poor curate with fawelcome the winter of old age and death,mily, yo natural fierceness born with me nearand be gathered in ourselves like sheaves ly all gone by y necessity of poverty, and fully ripe. ye rest, if any remained, thank God, kept

down by y principles of Christ, so that I succomb readily to insult, and ye insinuation of unfeeling men, and find my account thereby. For there be some men rendered truculent and insolent by accidental riches, men of no education or refinement, howbeit, will clap their vulgar hoofs on ye heads of such as I, and they will spoon out their allowances so as to make me acknowledge ye same. These things be thorns in y flesh, which I pray God may not inordinately vex or worry me, for what be such to ye affections of the major part of my people, who would not have a hair of my head harmed. Should not a parish minister be humble ?"

Thus far the aged Jeremy Bartoldus. But was the minister's wife all which he had imagined as essential to make him happy She was. Yet he had not sought her among thousands, but had found her as accident,

that is to say, God, sometimes casts gems in our way.

To the charms of youth and beauty, she added energy of character, and strength of intellect.

She did not live alone in heaven, forgetting the actual duties of the present sphere, although she seemed like an angel who had newly come upon the earth. She scattered roses in the pathway of those who had otherwise been acquainted only with thorns. Her charities, which diverged on all sides, like rays from a focus, began at home, where she staid much, not gadding about to be the Lady Patroness of nonsensical schemes, and annoy those who had their hands full, but she exerted herself to make her husband happy, gilding a career so auspicious in its beginning, and whose ending had been less painful had she lived to smooth the pillow of his distress.

STYLE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING.

THE pithy writer who calls himself “ Old Gilbert," in an essay on the subject of speechmaking and preaching, gives some of his views in the following paragraphs:

"Others are really artillery-men-thundering and blazing. No objection to artillerymen, if they will only throw balls; but it is rather funny to fire loud guns, and have very small shot.

"We confess our likes for effective pulpit style. A minister is not a pulpit essayist. "Let every man keep his own natural A minister is not a philosophic lecturer. Astyle. All preachers can't preach alike. fine book is not a fine pulpit style. The Personal taste should be rectified, and then heart is the minister of the desk. The best become personal law. How would Milton's style is that which brings the intellect down old Gothic architectural style suit the simplethrough the heart, and melts all its precious hearted Cowper? How would Charles Lamb metals in that hot furnace. If you want a look in Coleridge's Germanic idioms? How specimen, take good old South-see what would Hall look in Chalmers's garb? How edge is in all he said. Playful but not light; would Wesley appear in Harvey's gaudy sharp but not sour-imaginative, but not dra-robes? Let every man be natural. Nature matic-using common words with uncommon is a very indefinite word now-a-days. If you power-speaking to you as if he expected to have the volume of water of Niagara, then convince you-full of earnestness-decided, you may become a cataract, but a bucketful without dogmatism-witty, but not vulgar.won't answer. If you have electricity, you All his words strike you like the explosion of may afford to thunder, but not without." torpedoes.

CONVOCATION IN VERMONT.

"Why should we crave the worldling's wreath,
On whom the Saviour deign'd to breathe,
To whom his keys were given;

Who lead the choir where angels meet,
With angels' food our brethren greet,

And pour the drink of heaven?"-Keble.

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T was on the evening of the servants to enter on this new and untried 8th of April, that the mem-work in this portion of His Master's vinebers of St. Stephen's Parish, yard-to make the first move in a cause so in M, Vermont, were in- noble, and promising such important results. vited by the sound of the The invitation of the young Rector of the Church-going bell, to assemble in Church in M-, there to meet in Convotheir little church, for the worship of cation, was met by sympathy so warm, conAlmighty God, in His own appointed currence so hearty, as showed the first effort way. This sound, always so wel- only was necessary, to enlist in this great come to the devout worshiper, was work many earnest hearts and untiring now heard only in the pauses of the storm. hands-men who had long felt something It was, indeed, a singularly inauspicious more was necessary to be done by the Church evening. The rain came down in torrents, in Vermont, in order that she should accomwhile the wind and darkness threatened dan- plish the work given her to do. Something ger from many points, to those who were bold more was now to be attempted, and though enough to encounter their combined terrors. the season was inauspicious, a little band of Even the moon, the very Paschal moon, the devoted sons obeyed the first call of their holy sure emblem, at this holy season, of that far mother, the Church. They came from the more glorious light about to rise upon the distant portions of the Diocese, all animated world, failed to penetrate the surrounding by a common zeal and a common love-one gloom; yet, amid all these discouragements, Lord-one faith-one Baptism. After the a faithful few obeyed the call, and as the evening service of the Church had been decheerful light streamed from the illuminated voutly performed, a sermon singularly approwindows of their Church, as they drew near priate and beautiful was delivered, on those to its gates, it seemed to their reviving hearts words of Holy Scripture, found in Prov. iv. but a faint reflection of that purer and better 18: "The path of the just is as the shining light they were about to receive through her light, which shineth more and more unto the inestimable services. It was, indeed, an oc- perfect day." The analogy between the casion, (unfavorable as were all external cir-opening day-the light first so dim and imcumstances,) full of bright hopes and joyful anticipation for it was the meeting of their Convocation-the first Convocation, within their borders, which opened a new era to the Church in Vermont-the promise of better things, of brighter days to come. It was indeed a day long to be remembered-of devout gratitude to God, who had inclined so many of his servants thus to assemble for the benefit of His Church, and the extension of her borders and especially that He had put into the heart of one of his most youthful

:

perfect, gradually increasing in beauty, strength, and power, until the brightness of noon-day splendor burst upon us; the comparison thus instituted between this most glorious of natural objects, and the progress of the new-born soul, rising from the waters of Holy Baptism-regenerated by its mystical power to wash away sin, endued with new graces, which, if properly cherished, would shed new light on every step of its after progress, till fully matured and perfected, was very forcibly and ingenuously sustained. The

power and authority, and in the name of her ascended Lord, gather His dispersed flock into His fold, and pour the light of Divine truth into every dark and ignorant soul. Such had been the course adopted in the case of the little village just alluded to, and most encouraging had been the results. A Sunday School of sixty children, with the prospect of more, had been put in successful operation, while funds were rapidly gathering for the

ment does this afford to well-directed effort, and faithfulness in duty! Here in this single community will be gathered into the Church of God many who would otherwise continue in a state of alienation from Him-many of the young, thus training up for Christ, who, but for this timely aid, would have grown up, vicious and miserable, a burden to all with whom they were connected.

inferences naturally to be drawn from such a subject, were full of solemn meaning to all classes of hearers. The following day, the weather proving more favorable, many more persons were enabled to attend, and the Holy Communion was received with deep seriousness and devotion, by a considerable number, not usually found among its recipients. The services of the afternoon were of a character rather unusual, at least among those who now constituted the audience. They consist-erection of a Church. What an encourageed of addresses on the extension of the Church in the Diocese of Vermont, from several clergymen, each presenting in his turn those views of duty or encouragement, which his particular locality had opened before him, and all breathing the same spirit of devotedness and self-sacrifice, in the work in which they were engaged. Among the statements made of fair prospects of usefulness to be accomplished by the Church, if she only is faithful Time and space would fail us, should we to herself and her Divine Head, was one of a attempt to do justice, in even a slight degree, peculiarly interesting character. It was pre- to the various services of this interesting ocsented by a clergyman, whose field of labor, casion. Addresses to the Sunday School, though in the midst of a flourishing village, Parents, and Teachers, formed a very imporhad seemed from various causes rather untant and impressive part, in the course of productive but several miles distant from which, the great consequence of Holy Bapthe usual place of worship were to be found tism, and of educating the young, in constant a large population, laborers in a manufactur-reference to its high obligations, were faithing establishment, too poor to sustain, unaid- { fully exhibited. ed, the services of the Church, and the labors of a clergyman, yet famishing for the bread of life, and stretching out their hands to receive it. We are sometimes asked, remarked the Rev. speaker, why the Church goes unsolicited into the destitute portions of the earth. Is it the will of her Divine Lord that she should thus wait, when souls for whom He died are dying daily, aliens from His Church, strangers to the covenant of promise? Did the Apostles, the first Missionaries of the Cross, thus wait, till they were invited to enter upon their great work of bringing souls to Jesus? and did He, our Divine Lord, wait to be solicited before He left the glories of Heaven, and the riches thereof, to assume the form of a servant, and suffer and die for our sakes? Oh, no; we are COMMANDED to go forth, in all the Church's

In conclusion, may we be permitted to congratulate the parish of St. Stephen's, and its excellent Rector, that they have been honored by Providence, in being permitted to commence a work, which, we trust in God, is to accomplish much for the Church in Vermont ; and we feel assured there will be found within its borders as devoted zeal, ardent love, and persevering effort, in the cause to which they are pledged, as have distinguished any of their sister Dioceses. May we strengthen their hands, and encourage their hearts, by our prayers, our influence, our contributions, and may the course of our beloved Church be onward, and onward, till its glory shall fill the whole land, even as the waters cover the sea!

Vermont, Easter.

G.

NATURAL AND REVEALED RELIGION.

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prophet Malachi; and after an intermission of about four hundred years, was revived through the Apostles and Evangelists: with the last of whom, St. John, this species of inspiration ceased-the Bible thus completed being regarded, in the wisdom of God, as sufficient for securing and disseminating a record of the system of faith and duty which He had committed to His Church for man's moral, spiritual, and eternal good; and for identifying that system in all future ages.

T is very common, in speaking of religion, to distinguish between natural and revealed. As usually un'derstood, the present writer thinks the distinction not favorable to a right judgment in the matter. It may well be questioned whether such a thing as natural religion, distinct from revealed, has ever existed. No truly reasonable and philosophical mind has ever, I apprehend, felt real satisfaction in any theory respecting the origin of our race, but that of the Bible, or one substantially the same: that is, one which represents the first man as formed by the Supreme Being in maturity of body and mind, and placed in immediate personal communication with his Maker; and thus in-ceived. The descendants of Ishmael and structed in the principles and precepts of the religion most proper for him; in other words, best adapted to his nature. This, then, was truly natural religion-the religion which God revealed as most suitable to human nature. In such religion man was taught of God.

This direct divine teaching ceased not at the fall, from the full measure of the evils of which, man was rescued by the great DIVINE MEDIATION. The cases of Adam, Cain, Noah, and Abraham, are among those in which we have instances of the immediate communication of divine instruction.

After the calling of Abraham, and the forming with him of the special covenant which made the Church a body distinct from the world, fuller and more particular notice is taken of God's merciful care for keeping men informed of His will, and their duty. We then read more of His own direct communications, and of His sending messages by His angels. At length-in the time of Moses-we hear, for the first, of God's revelations being committed to writing. This continued to be done, through prophets and scribes, for about a thousand years, until the

The religious instruction thus given from the very first, of course spread, in greater or less purity, throughout the world. The descendants of Noah, wherever dispersed, bore with them traditions from the Church in the Ark. Abraham journeyed much, and widely communicated the revelations that he had re

Esau very extensively imparted what had come down to them from Abraham and Isaac. Jacob and his posterity made known in Egypt, and, through its inhabitants, to all nations confederated or communicating with it, the wondrous things and teachings which they had seen and heard. From Job much knowledge of revelation must have been diffused around, and handed down. The forty years journeyings of the Israelites; the attention necessarily drawn towards them from surrounding nations, during their settlement in Canaan; their extensive intercourse, at different periods, with the rest of the world; the Babylonish captivity of Judah and Benjamin, and the yet untraced dispersion of the ten tribes; the various ways in which the Jews, when restored to their country, had their fortunes mixed up with those of other nations; and the translation of the Old Testament into Greek, then the most prevalent vulgar tongue, about three hundred years before our Saviour: all these circumstances, (and many similar might be noticed,) show how the religion which God communicated to man dispersed at least many of its essential principles throughout the world. They suffi

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