of our clergy are becoming far too secular, and their secularity is daily and hourly increasing. Even now the newspapers, and through them the mass of the nation, are calling upon them to be more diligent in seeking out the poor, importuning the rich, and relieving the wants of their needy brethren. Alas! they little know how every moment of the time of the metropolitan clergyman is occupied with such depressing and harassing occupations-how earnest he is in relieving misery, how indefatigable in seeking it out and aiding it. They know not, either, how little he can do with all his zeal and all his energy. They forget, too, how incompatible such incessant employment of one kind— and that the lowest of all the ministerial functions, however necessary— is with anything like study and prayer, and the higher duties of the ministry. They are calling on a clergy already worn out with a toil apparently endless, to "serve tables" still farther, and thus still more painfully to "leave the Word of God." Surely, such demands are unreasonable; surely, it would be better both for priest and people to follow out the analogy suggested to us, under similar circumstances, by the Apostolic Church, nay, by the Apostles themselves, and "to look out from among us men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." And, as was the result in those times of labour and difficulty, so will it be, we doubt not, in these similar times on which we are fallen, that when we have, in humble dependence on God, thus augmented our efficiency, "the Word of God would increase, and the number of disciples multiply greatly:" and not only this, but we should find the great body both of the presbyters and their subordinates more "obedient to the faith." The clergy, therefore, would be undoubted gainers by the adoption of some such plan as we have advocated; nor is the practice of antiquity against our relieving them in some such manner. The difficulty has occurred, and has been met on inspired authority; and from the mode in which it was met, we are justified in drawing, by analogy, our own best course of procedure. To the lay agents thus employed the best consequences must, so far as we can calculate, arise. They would be taught, in the first place, that they were intimately bound up with the Church, its ministry, its rights, its privileges, its duties; and would regulate their feelings and sympathies accordingly. When every inhabitant of a parish had some ministerial office of charity, of exhortation, of visiting the sick and needy, and of reading to others God's Holy Word, put within his reach, permitted yet superintended by Church authority, he would feel more clearly, and the feeling would come more directly home to him, that it was no slight sin to break the bond of unity, to rend the robe of Christ, and to bring dissension and schism into the Church of his fathers. He would feel, what now unhappily is too little the case, that he had a vital interest in the welfare of his parish, and, through that narrow circle, in the welfare of the Church of England, and therefore of the Church Catholic. He would no longer assume that the cure of souls belonged to the clergy alone, and that the laity were to sit still, idle spectators and receivers of the Word of Life, but he would throw him

self into the ranks of Christ's Church militant here on earth, content, though not honoured with the first place, with being put in any situation wherein he could fulfil his baptismal obligation of "continuing Christ's faithful soldier unto the end of the world." And wherein can a man fight Christ's battles more efficiently and more usefully both to his own soul and the souls of his brethren, than by combating sin and Satan in their very strongholds where they sit enthroned among the ignorant, poor, and depraved masses of our fellow-countrymen? Wherein can they follow Christ's example more nearly (and who is not bound to follow Christ's example?) than by seeking out and relieving the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and instructing the ignorant? We cannot hope to restore the times when the "possessors of lands and houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostles' feet," nor can we expect that the poor will ever cease out of the land; but we can do much, far more than we have as yet done, for the relief of them that lack, by encouraging the rich among the laity to contribute their riches, the poor to contribute their prayers, and, when practicable, their assistance, and all "to let their light so shine before men, that they may see their good works and glorify their Father which is in heaven."

And the poor shall bless us. They will see that we are no longer selfishly seeking our own, but every man his fellow's good; and they will better appreciate the efforts and intentions both of clergy and of laity. They will find that sympathy with their wants and feelings is no longer confined to the dissenter, and will gladly return to that Church which has forgotten them for a little while, but now has returned to them with redoubled affection and interest. Let us not be of little faith in the power of our Church to win over souls and draw them within our pale. There is a feeling of love and reverence among our poorer brethren towards the Church of England which years of misconduct and neglect have failed entirely to remove; and when once the Church throws off the character of stepmother, which, unhappily, she has so long maintained, and cries with the tender accents of a loving mother, “Return, return," all those feelings of love and reverence will again arise in the hearts of her straying children, and they will return to the one fold, and be one with her under one Shepherd. But we must remember our errors, and bear with the people whom we have estranged; we must treat them kindly, and bear with the perverseness which we have in great part caused; we must visit them in their homes, and comfort them in the time of need: perchance we may have to bear with ingratitude, perchance with contumely; but let us persevere in well-doing, and we shall reap in due time. Who knows how soon the stray sheep may be found? Only let us partake, in our search, of the character of the Saviour, of whom it was predicted, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

But when the laity of our communion arouse themselves to a sense

of their duty, and come forth to aid their ministry in the performance of their arduous task, what blessings may we not anticipate for our Church? The feelings of unity and union will once more become strong among us, and our parish clergy will each become centres of a well-regulated system. We shall lose none of the blessings of apostolical order and government which we enjoy, but we shall gain that sympathy one for another which the early Church, when its members were few, possessed, and which we have lost, because our sympathies have become too generalised and too widely extended. Our parochial system will be restored in all its power and efficiency. As the laity are admitted more into the privileges of Church membership they will become more patient of discipline and control. The injunction of our Saviour, "Tell it unto the Church," will then be not only a practicable, but most desirable measure; for all will feel a deepseated interest in the wellbeing of their parish and the well-doing of its members, which they could not feel in the more general and extended sphere of the Church of England or the Church Catholic. Their sympathies, however, formed and exercised within a narrow circle, will not thereby be contracted. The interest they feel in their parish will in fact be an interest in the universal Church. As we become acquainted with the wants of our brethren sunk in poverty and ignorance, we shall learn better to appreciate and feel for the wants of those lands where the name of Christ has never been heard. We may find, too, among the unknown or despised believers among our poorer brethren, many who would rejoice to be permitted to carry, under the sanction of authority, the message of salvation to heathen lands; and who, through their practical skill, and ability to endure privations, would be peculiarly fitted for the task. Thus our sympathies would be far from narrowed by this renewal of our parochial system. In fact it is the system of nature. Self-preservation is her first law; then the preservation and benefit of our families; after this, our good-will extends to our street, our neighbourhood, our parish, our county, our country, our Church, and through our particular Church to the wider sphere of the Church Catholic. It is a general law of our nature to ascend from particulars to universals, and we shall do wisely if we follow it in this case.

Thus will our Church return to her primitive efficiency. The great work of a Church of Christ will be restored, and a brand will be removed from us with which we were too justly branded. The poor will have the Gospel preached to them. For surely if this was a sign to John the Baptist that he to whom he sent was indeed the Christ; surely it is no doubtful supposition that this same feature will be a token of the true Church, the faithful spouse of her Divine Master. Dissent will vanish from among us at all events to a great extent. Many a man, now irregularly preaching the Word, will gladly exercise a subordinate ministry in the Church. We shall attain unto unity through love, and we shall find this a much more effectual as it is a much more pleasing way to that most desirable end, than any ill-defined claims of authority not backed by active exertion and untiring charity. Not that we would

sacrifice one jot or tittle of the authority of our Church. God forbid that we should seek even unity at the expence of truth. But we would bring before our minds more clearly, and translate into action more practically, the precept of our Saviour, that he who would be the highest should be the servant of all. It is a law of Christ's kingdom, to which we dare not blind ourselves, that, through humiliation, suffering and obedience we must attain unto glory. It was thus that Christ made himself poor and became more rich he was made perfect by suffering. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Thus it is that we must attain to heaven. We must take up our cross, and follow him through the same perfecting path of humiliation and obedience. And as it was with the Saviour, and is and has been with every individual Christian, so must it be with the Church of Christ. It is a thing well pleasing to the carnal mind to see the Church lording it over God's heritage, putting her feet upon the necks of princes, and standing as a queen among the nations. But angels weep at the sight. The steps by which the Church on earth must join the Church in heaven, are steps of humiliation, not exaltation. It is by becoming, in truth, the servant of servants that the Church Catholic shall establish her supremacy, and best prove her divine origin and her apostolic constitution. She must stoop, like her Divine Master, to wash the feet of her disciples, and count it all joy for Christ's sake. And in all these trials our faith shall buoy us up, and faith is the victory that overcometh the world.

We have now performed, however imperfectly, our self-appointed task, and we trust we have succeeded in drawing some attention to a question, in our opinion the most important which the Church of England now has to solve; viz., how she is to deal with the masses of her population, who have so completely outgrown the means of grace which she has to offer. We think the remedy which we have proposed is the one which, in some form or other, must be adopted. We care little whether it be the form which we have suggested or not, provided it be done efficiently and speedily. We say speedily, for if we can discern the signs of the times, the wheels of the chariot are beginning to be heard at a distance, and the Son of Man is about to reveal himself. When he cometh, shall he find faith upon the earth? Let us, at least, of this Apostolic Church of England, be found with our loins girded, watching and praying. While we write, we have been informed that a plan of extended district visiting, by means of lay agency, under the direction and authority of the minister, is contemplated in one of our metropolitan parishes. It is also rumoured that the Bishop of London has called together his clergy to consider some means of meeting the dangers and necessities of the times. We trust God's blessing may rest upon his councils: for if London set the example of any such step as we have suggested, all England will quickly follow. Meantime let us, as individuals, be up and doing; for we know not how short our time may be, nor how soon the vials of God's wrath may be poured forth on this generation. Let us lay aside our unholy strifes and vain debates,

and all lend a helping hand towards the establishment of God's Church and kingdom. The Church of England has a great work to do, which if she perform duly, her position among the Churches will be eminently distinguished. She shall be "all glorious within-her clothing shall be of wrought gold-she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work-the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company. Let her, then, hearken and consider, let her incline her ear, that the King may have pleasure in her beauty: for He is the Lord her God, and Him only should she worship. Then, instead of her fathers, she shall have children whom she may make princes in all lands."

THE PRESENT STATE OF THE CHURCH.*

HONOUR to the able and upright Bishop of Ohio for his noble stand in defence of God's truth. He sees clearly what the signs of the times demand from him as a Christian bishop, a leader of the hosts of God. With the enemy in front, and detected treachery in the camp, he knows well that this is no time for slumbering in a fancied security, or shutting his eyes to what is going on around him, and saying "Peace, peace,' when on the side of evil there is no peace. There is here no coquetting with error by elaborate commendations of the learning, and piety, and holiness, and meekness, and what not, of those who are poisoning the fountains of life. On the contrary, he guards his readers, as it might be supposed any opponent of their errors would naturally do, against the common mistake of attaching to these ordinary attendants on erroneous teaching any undue importance. Neither is there any display of virtuous indignation at the hard blows they have received; still less, a tribute of praise to the (so-called) uniform meekness with which they have received them. The bishop is too well acquainted with their writings to offer any such censure of the one party, or praise of the other. No; here is a Charge warm from the heart of one who feels himself to be set for the defence of the Truth, and who realises the importance of the question at issue, and the true nature of the present struggle.

The more honest among the Tractarians have latterly (to do them justice) clearly spoken their mind, and fairly warned us what their system is, and what their determination with respect to its maintenance; that the matters in dispute are vital, and that there can be and shall be no peace till their system takes the place of its antagonist. It is a declaration which would have come from them with a better grace had it come earlier, though it can surprise none who have watched their

*The Chief Danger of the Church in these Times." A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Ohio, Sept. 8, 1843, by C. P. M'Ilvaine, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese. New York: 1843. London: 1843.