In common with the rest of mankind, the minister of Christ is concerned to be a good and holy man, for his own sake, i. e. to save his own soul. He, as well as they, by living an unholy life, must, at the last judgment, be doomed to everlasting punishments, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Besides this, he has the additional motive to be a good man, for the sake of others, for the sake of the souls whom he may be the instrument of introducing to the kingdom of heaven. If he fail in this, the express design of his profession, and that, through the effect of his bad example, what a weight of guilt must hang upon his head! How deep will it sink his conscious soul in misery, when, to the just Judge of men and angels he giveth in his account, it will then be seen that those whom he was sent to save were lost through the influence of his unholy conversation! With this view of the subject, how dangerous a profession is that of a clergyman; and how detestable a character is that of a bad one! To link his soul to the souls of thou sands, and then betray both himself and them to the enemy, and together sink into eternal flames! My brethren, the words of our or dination service are so appropriate to this part of our subject, that it would be criminal in me, in closing it, to omit them. "Have always, therefore, in remembrance, how great a treasure is committed to your charge. For they are the sheep of Christ, which he bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood. The Church and congregation whom ye serve is his spouse and body. And if it shall happen that the same Church, or any member thereof, take any hurt or hinderance by reason of your negligence, you know the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will ensue." This is the language of our pious Church to all her ministers: and what shall we say; what shall we do, after such awful considerations, and such awakening exhortations as these? Where shall we find our sufficiency for these things? Where, but at the footstool of our all-powerful, meritorious, and gracious Saviour? There, bewail ་ ing our sins and acknowledging our weakness, let us implore his forgiveness and heavenly strength. There, let us weep tears of blood, if it were possible, that the blood of souls, the guilt of dooming them to eternal misery, cleave not to our priestly garments. There, and thence alone, let us seek for that assemblage of pious, zealous, and effectual graces, which can arm us for the important warfare into which we have enlisted. And then, with Jesus for our leader, and the aid of his spirit for our comfort, we shall be sufficient, in, and through, the day of trial, and finally crowned with eternal life. My discourse to my brethren the Clergy is finished; I have now a few words to say to the Laity. In listening to what has been said to the clergy, you, my brethren of the laity, must have perceived its amazing importance. Ask, then, yourselves, from whence this importance arises? Does it not arise, principally, from the value of your own souls? And are you not concerned in their salvation? Will all the efforts of the clergy be of any avail without your co-operation? Like the hands in the natural body, they are the ministers to give you the food of eternal life; but if you will not receive it when offered, who is answerable if the members perish? Like the knees, they are at the altar, to bow and pray for you; but if you will not bring gifts to support God's Church; above all, the offerings of broken spirits and contrite hearts, what can they do, but save their own souls alive, in the day of visitation? I have mentioned the support of God's Church. I know, as well as you can know; I feel, perhaps, more deeply than you do feel, how delicate it is, to speak of the temporal support which you are bound to give to the ministers of Christ; of whom, however unworthy, I am one. But, delicate as it is, I am constrained, both by the duties of my station and the necessities of the case, to do it. Bear it in mind, however, that I do it not for your consideration alone who hear me, but for that of all, who may become acquainted with what is now said. I say, therefore, and I say it because I am bound to declare the truth as it is in Jesus, that all who hope to be saved by the Gospel, must help to maintain that Gospel. If God has seen fit to establish a Church, and constitutes its officers, those who receive the benefits thereof must help to maintain it and them, or they must be content to have no part nor lot in this matter. Under the Mosaic dispensation, God made ample provision for the support of his Church; and, under the Gospel dispensation, the nature of the thing remaining the same, the duties required from his people, though the mode of rendering them may be more discretionary, are the same. "Do ye not know," saith the apostle to the Corinthian Christians" Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? Even so, the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." This point, then, is clear beyond all dispute ; and if it be stated to you under circumstances which admit no possibility of any sinister or selfish motive, it ought to be urged with a manly ardour, becoming its importance. That these are the circumstances of the person now addressing you, is known unto you all. Having, through the long course of twenty-two years' ministry, procured more than one half of his subsistence, and that of his family, from the arduous employment of educating youth; having left situations much more lucrative than his present one, and come among you, under the aid of no charitable institution; and when here, with his own hands having ministered, and still ministering, to his own necessities; if he cannot urge this with a becoming freedom, for the benefit of God's Church; for the love of his dear brethren in the ministry; and for the good of souls; it is hard to say who tains have issued nearly all the streams of religious and moral science which now fertilize the Christian world. These sources, as respects this country, are dried up; and not only institutions of learning, but the clergy themselves, are dependent on the personal and immediate munificence of each individual Christian. What will be the result time will show. If the laity had reason to complain that the clergy made a bad use of their privileges, let them now show that they fall not into like error themselves. God is as much the proprietor of the wealth of the world, when in the hands of the laity, as when in those of the clergy. In both cases, the possessors are but STEWARDS; the use of that wealth, for the purposes of virtue and religion, God will require of both. 66 Think not, however, my brethren of the laity, that in urging this subject, we sink our characters of embassadors of God to youward into that of beggars: for we have feelings as well as you on this delicate subject. We preach not the Gospel of the blessed Jesus unto you for filthy lucre's sake. As our chief motive, we seek you, not yours." Every faithful minister of Christ is bound to say with the aposle, "Necessity is laid upon me- -yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel." And, in doing this, he seeketh the flock, not the fleece. But does this preclude the propriety of his addressing you, as did also the apostle the Corinthian Christians, on this selfsame subject-" If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ?” Let those who would attribute worldly motives to the clergy, give themselves but a moment's reflection, and they will see reason to blush at their uncharitable censure: for there is not a clergyman among us worthy to be such, as respects talents, but could procure much more ample means of support in any other calling. What, then, can be the reason of their entering and continuing in this laborious profession? No other answer can be given to this question but this one. They have thought, and still think, it their duty to sustain this character. Humble as it is in the eyes of a wicked world, and neglected as it often is by the rich and proud, how sure soever they may be of poverty themselves, and to whatever distresses they may subject their families, they have entered, and still continue in the ministry of the Gospel, because they believed, and still believe, that Gospel; because they trust they are called to preach it to others; and because, if they should neglect so to do, the Divine displeasure would rest upon them. To attribute bad motives to such men, and under such circumstances as these, is not only an offence against the dictates of charity, but those of common sense. But, after all, there is another way of giving support to the ministers of Christ, more noble, more effectual in itself, and more dear to them than the offering of all your treasure. And what may this be? It is that of giving your hearts to God, and your lives to his service. This will be more than meat and drink to them: this will cheer and animate their hearts in the gloomiest hours of worldly depression; this will sustain them in all their labours, and comfort them in all their sorrows. Yes, my beloved brethren of the laity, I may boldly say, that I speak the united voice of all worthy clergymen, when I repeat to you, that it is not yours, but you, they seek. Offer unto God but a broken spirit, and a contrite heart; know and feel the power of religion on your souls, and practise its holy precepts in your lives, and your worldly substance shall not be so much as named to you. A stable for the birth-place of our children, and a manger for their cradle, are no worse than our adored Lord was treated withal; and why should his ministers complain? Clothe us with "sheep skins and goat skins ;" let us wander among you, having not where to lay our heads but on the cold ground, with the wild wood and the canopy of hea ven for our covering; let our drink be water, and our only food the coarsest bread; let us but see you and your children seek first the kingdom of hea ven, and its righteousness, and all other things, in respect of ourselves, shall be as nothing: a crown of glory, laid up for us in the eternal world, will outweigh them all. My discourse to the clergy and laity is now finished. It remains to give a statement of my official duties since we last met in Convention, with some reflections on the state of the diocess. (To be continued.) Anecdote of Lord Nelson. In the course of last year a volume of Discourses and Dissertations was pub lished in London by the Rev. Dr. Booker, Vicar of Dudley. In a discourse on a thanksgiving-day, he takes a cursory view of the blessings which have at tended the British nation; and, in commenting on these blessings, he introduces the commencing sentence of Admiral Nelson's despatches after the battle of the Nile-" Almighty God has given to the fleet under my command a great victory;" and adds, “As a proof of whose accuracy of judgment, or rather prescience of mind, an anecdote is here subjoined that has never been communicated to the public. "On visiting Monmouth, the mayor and corporation of that ancient borough requested his lordship would honour them with his company, and invited the neighbouring gentry to meet him. Af ter dinner the sentiments and songs in compliment to the gallant admiral's profession and victories were entirely, as the war had been, of a naval character. On finding they continued to be so, his lordship rose from his chair with peculiar animation, and said, 'I feel, gentlemen, all the force of the compliment, in confining, as you have done, the eulogy of your toasts and songs to the British navy and the British tars: and I rejoice that we have deserved your praise. But why have we deserv ed it? Because Providence has afforded us an opportunity. The war, hitherto, remember, has been anaval war. Give the army the same opportunity of sig nalizing themselves, and take my word for it, they will do their duty as well as we have done. And, in my opinion, they will, ere long, have an opportunity. We have drubbed the enemy, till they dare not show their heads above water. Depend upon it they will not be easy till they have been as soundly drubbed on land: and be assured they will be so, whenever they meet an English army on that element. I therefore, gentlemen, beg leave to give as a sentiment, the Commander-in-Chief, and army of Great-Britain.'- How remarkably was this hero's prediction fulfilled!- -The war did soon after per Canada, in 1819. "My brother had, by his exertions and encouragement among the people, caused a chapel to be built, about eight miles from York, where he officiates once a month; one of the young students under his care reading the service, and a sermon on the intermediate Sundays. On this day of doing duty I went with him, and was highly gratified. The chapel is built in a thick wood; the ground on which it stands, and a small space for a burial-ground, having been cleared on purpose. This gives a most picturesque, and, as it struck me, a solemn appearance to the scene. The church is too low for its length, but it is very comfortably fitted up. wards change its character-becoming, Extract from Strachan's Visit to Upfor some time, almost entirely a continental one; and was attended by a series of victories achieved by the British army, not surpassed in any age. A few are here particularized, as remarkably verifying the declaration of that great man-and as exemplifying the language in the text, prefixed to this discourse: for, he that does not ascribe them to a Divine power, must be an unbeliever in one.- At Lincelles, eleven hundred British soldiers stormed a strong work of the enemy which was defended by 5000 opponents, completely routed them, and took the whole of their artillery. At Tournay, a small British brigade drove back the whole left wing of a large army, and soon decided the victory; which, till that moment, was doubtful. At Nimeguen, six British battalions marched out in mid-day threw themselves into the enemy's entrenchments, without firing a shot-dispersed the whole force that guarded them; and, after completely destroying the works, returned in perfect order, without the enemy daring to attack them. Lastly, for more recent instances are too numerous to mention, (nor is the man who has forgotten such achievements worthy of being reminded of them), at Cateau, eighteen hundred British cavalry defeated an army of 25,000-took their general prisoner, with upwards of 50 pieces of cannon. "If, to this brief, though splendid, list of victories, were added those of a Wellington, with other mighty names, and any man should say that heaven has not been gracious to this land,' in raising up, for its defence, heroes thus valiant in fight,' he must be lament ably defective both in religious and patriotic feeling. Far different were the thoughts, on this subject, even of that formidable enemy of our country, who The dimensions are sixty feet by thirty: the pews are very decent; and, what was much better, they were filled with an attentive congregation. As you see very few inhabitants on your way out, I could not conceive where all the people came from; and it was pleasing to hear the voice of prayer and thanksgiving rising up from the wilderness, I hope, in sweet memorial,before the Lord. The people were clean and neatly dressed, and interested in the service. "After the sermon, the clergyman descended from the pulpit, and went to a small altar, erected behind it, in the east end of the church. He then directed that those who were desirous of being baptized should approach. Never was I more astonished than to see five grown-up persons, the youngest upwards of twenty, and the eldest, perhaps, forty, proceed to the altar. In Scotland, I had never seen a grown-up person baptized, except once, by the Anabaptists; for it is the universal practice to baptize children as soon after they are born as possible. The solemnity before me was new, but highly interesting the calm and dignified seriousness with which the clergyman addressed the persons to be baptized, the lively appeal made to their witnesses and the congregation, the sweetness of our Saviour's invitation, and the encouragement and hope which he felt of their performing sincerely the vows they were taking, from their coming voluntarily forward, affected me, even to tears. Two of the candidates were dissolved in tears; and the countenance of the eldest, a man of rather a stern appearance, seemed for a moment convulsed, by repressing his feelings. The congregation was fixed in attention, and seemed scarcely to breathe. And when they were taken one by one, and the water poured upon them, followed by the sign of the cross, accompanied by the solemn and interesting words, 'We receive this person into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith in Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end,' there was not a soul present that did not sincerely cry, Amen. The excitement was too great to have continued much longer; but our blessed religion never appeared to me before so beautiful and interesting. "On our return home, I inquired of my brother, whether such occurrences frequently happened? Since the building of this church, I have baptized nearly four hundred persons, half of them grown-up, sometimes fifteen or sixteen together.' It is always interesting to behold such coming forward to baptism-it is encouraging to the clergyman; it seems to be a blessing on his labours, and a proof that they are not in vain." walking on the beach, conversing with a chief, my attention was arrested by a great number of people coming from a neighbouring hill. I inquired the cause of the concourse, and was told that they had killed a lad, were roasting him, and going to eat him. I immediately proceeded to the place, in order to ascertain the truth of this appalling relation. Being arrived at the village where the people were collected, I asked to see the boy. The natives appeared much agitated at my presence, and particularly at my request, as if conscious of their guilt; and it was only after a very urgent solicitation that they directed me towards a large fire at some distance, where, they said, I should find him. As I was going to this place, I passed by the bloody społ on which the head of this unhappy victim had been cut off; and, on approaching the fire, I was not a little startled at the sudden appearance of a savagelooking man, of gigantic stature, entirely naked, and armed with a large axe. I was a good deal intimidated, but mustered up as much courage as I could, and demanded to see the lad. The cook, (for such was the occupation of this terrific monster), then held up the boy by his feet. He appeared to be about fourteen years of age, and was half roasted. I returned to the village, where I found a great number of natives seated in a circle, with a quantity of coomery (a sort of sweet potatoe) before them, waiting for the roasted body of the youth. In this company were shown to me the mother of the child. The mother and child were both slaves, having been taken in war. However, she would have been compelled to share in the horrid feast, had I not prevailed on them to give up the body to be interred, and thus prevented them from gratifying their unnatural appetite. But, notwithstanding this melancholy picture of New-Zealand, I believe they are very capable of receiving religious instruction, and a knowledge of the arts in general. They are very ingenious and enterprising, and discover a surprising willingness to receive instruction. I did not visit any one village where the principal chiefs did not strongly urge my residence |