Anuit, to-night, signified "to-day," or the existing diurnal partition of time. The LONGEST NIGHT was held in particular veneration by the Saxons, and considered to have produced all the others, as well as the days; whence they termed it MOTHER NIGHT, and calculated their years as beginning from thence; holding a festival in honour of THOR (see Vol. I. p. 125, and article CHRISTMAS DAY;) one of their greatest and most powerful Deities, in whom, as they believed, was vested the supreme command of the Elements; and praying for a favourable year, and fruitful seasons.

Whether this mode of reckoning originated in the Northern nations from whom descended our Saxon ancestors, or from the Jews, cannot now satisfactorily be ascertained; the latter would appear extremely probable; and it has besides, the advantage over our present custom, insomuch as it agreed with the true order of time, which, according to the MOSAIC ACCOUNT commenced at night, "the Evening and the Morning" having formed "the first day." CAESAR and TACITUS both speak of this usage among the antient Gauls and Germans.

Sir THOMAS MORE, the Lord Chancellor under HENRY VIII. who was sacrificed because he could not conscientiously admit to that Sovereign, the supremacy he had assumed in Episcopal affairs, was no less remarkable for his wit, than for qualities of a more steady and substantial nature: Even while presiding in his high office, forgetful

of the dignity necessary to be maintained in such judicial capacity, he sometimes indulged in the effervescence of his fancy: one instance of which, as applicable to this article, may be here noticed. -A gentleman who had wronged a poor widow of a sum of money, was ordered by Sir Thomas forthwith to make restitution of the property, with the costs attending the suit." I hope then," said the gentleman, hurt at the want of respect he considered shewn to his consequence, "your Lordship will grant me a long day to pay it." " I will grant your motion," instantly replied the Chancellor "Monday next is BARNABAS's day, which is the longest in the whole year; pay it then to the widow without fail, or I will commit you to the Fleet."

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Before the alteration of the style, in the year 1752, St Barnabas's festival, which now happens on the 11th of June, was called the longest day; and was thus noticed:

"Barnaby Bright,

“The longest day, and the shortest night."

Saint John the Baptist.

(24TH JUNE.)

The Reformed Church holds a FESTIVAL on this day, in commemoration of the wonderful circumstances that attended the "NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST," the Precursor of the Messiah; and in her service, celebrates also his DEATH, by appropriate passages from the Scriptures, recording the most remarkable facts connected with his life and sufferings.- Formerly our church held another festival on the 29th of August, in commemoration of his Martyrdom, which is still noticed in our Almanacs by the title of "THE Beheading of JOHN THE BAPTIST,” though not any service is appointed for that day. -The Church of Rome, however, retains the 29th of August as a solemn Feast, by the title of "FESTUM DECOLLATIONIS," being a corruption, according to Durandus, of "FESTUM COLLECTIONIS S. JOHAN. BAPTISTE," or the feast of gathering up St John the Baptist's Relics, which are stated to have performed numerous miraculous cures in the fourth century.

The sacred canons inform us that ZACHARIAS, the father of ST. JOHN, was a priest of the Race of Abia, and that ELIZABETH, the mother of the Saint, was one of the daughters of AARON; that. they were both righteous before God; and that

they had no child," because Elizabeth was now barren," and they were both well stricken in years that ZACHARIAS going to the temple to burn incense, there appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord, who declared unto him that his wife ELIZABETH should bear him a Son, whom he should name JOHN:-that there should be great rejoicing at the birth of this son, who should be filled with the HOLY GHOST, even, &c. &c.and that this son should be great in the sight of the Lord, "turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the coming of the MESSIAH, whom he should precede, in the spirit and power of ELIAS."Agreeably to the prediction of the Angel, ELIZABETH was safely delivered of a son, in the year of the world 4000, being about six months before the birth of the REDEEMER, whose Harbinger this greatest of the Prophets had been appointed. Having escaped the cruelty of HEROD, who, to secure the destruction of the new-born CHRIST, had sent to immolate all the children in Bethlehem and its vicinity, we find ST. JOHN retired into the deserts, leading a life of sanctity and forbearance, his "garment made of camel's hair, with a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food, locusts and wild honey;" thereby also verifying the prediction of the Angel, that he should prove an example of the greatest temperance, "neither drinking wine nor strong

drink."

In the 18th year of the reign of TIBERIUS CÆSAR, or the year of our Lord 33, "The word of GOD came unto JOHN in the wilderness;" and obeying that Almighty summons, he visited" all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;" thus preparing his disciples for the reception of a SAVIOUR, and for that hope of redemption by the forgiveness of sin, which the Gospel contains. The followers of ST. JOHN were numerous in the extreme; and to them he bore repeated and the most unequivocal testimony of CHRIST, the latchet of whose shoes he acknowledged himself unworthy to unloose; rejoicing that the ascendancy and eminent influence of the MESSIAH "must increase," while his power would diminish. And when our Saviour came to him from Galilee unto JORDAN to be baptized, JOHN forbade it, saying, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" But as our Lord commanded it "

TO BE So, to fulfil all righteousness," JOHN humbly complied, when, "Lo! the heavens were opened, and the Spirit of GOD descended like a DOVE, and a voice was heard from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'."

JOHN having exercised the course of the Ministry to which he had been called, for about thirteen months, with a zeal and courage worthy of the importance of his delegation, repaired to the court of the Tetrarch, HEROD ANTIPAs, and boldly re