and fidelity to the church which had been a nursing mother to him and his for many generations. Widely have his followers departed in practice from his precepts and example in this respect. Let us, however, at least hope, that the veneration they justly cherish for his memory, as well as their own good sense and good feeling, will prevent them from ever joining the ranks of the deadly foes of that church for whose peace and prosperity, with his last breath, he fervently prayed, some of the last words he was heard to utter having been-" God bless the king and the church."

I am, Sir, A CONSTANT READER,

DISCONTINUANCE OF WEEKLY SERVICE.

GOOD SIR,-I am an ancient country clergyman, who seldom go fronr home; and when I do, I confess to you, my principal anxiety is to get back as soon as may be. Among other my methods of beguiling the time of absence, one has been to make a point of attending the public prayers of the church, where opportunity offered, either on my journey, or at my place of sojourning. For many years, when I came to any large town, I could be certain, at least on all holidays, and on Wednesdays and Fridays, of refreshing myself by hearing and joining in our noble service and the Litany. And I need not, I suppose, be ashamed to say to you, Sir, that it made me feel at home for the time at least, and cheered me on my way. But, somehow, of late, I have been sadly balked (I do not recollect any other word so suitable) in this respect.

Let me state to you two or three instances:

At a large town in the south of England, I went to the church on a saint's day, when the officiating minister omitted the whole of the Communion Service. I understood his vicar, or rector, was what they called very serious; but I thought surely I must be misinformed, otherwise he would not have allowed the service in his church to be so curtailed.

In another town, I went, as a stranger, to the church on a holiday, when, to my surprise, the curate or vicar, (he, too, serious,) somehow or other, dovetailed the Communion Service into the prayers, and then sent us away without the appointed blessing. To be sure, we were but a scanty congregation; but, as I walked away, I could not but feel that a wrong was done to us, and that because we were but a very small remnant, we were not thought worth a blessing. However, I comforted myself with reflecting on the promise made to two or three gathered together "in His name."

In another instance, going to the church in a populous town on a saint's day, and not hearing the bells, I said to the sexton, "Surely, I am too late." No, Sir," said he, "we have done with that now. Since Mr. came, who is a beautiful preacher, we have an evening lecture instead, once a week, which the people like much better." I made no reply, but walked away back to the inn; for, indeed, Sir,

my heart was full, and I felt as if I, and such as I, were shut out from our poor old neglected church.

I am, Sir, yours, in much dejection, SENEX.*

Wednesday, July 16th, 1834.

QUERY AS TO CHURCH BUILDING.

MR. EDITOR,-I reside in a village, containing a population of three hundred and thirty souls, which is three miles distant from its parish church; and I add, with concern and sorrow, that Sunday seldom witnesses a dozen of its inhabitants within the walls of their parish sanctuary. I am free to acknowledge that carelessness and indifference may form a material part of the cause; but still, were it otherwise, the distance alone would form an insuperable obstacle to the attendance of the majority. It, however, Mr. Editor, fortunately happens, that amongst us there are some (though few) who can and will lend their aid towards removing a cause which too many are ready to lay hold of as an excuse for not attending the house of God, but which is doubtless a valid reason to a great many of my neighbours. Would you, therefore, Mr. Editor, in your next number, do me the favour to say, how the good work of raising a humble temple to the service of God in our own village must be proceeded in. To whom ought we first to apply? To the incumbent of the parish? To our diocesan? Or to whom? And last, though not least, what assistance may we expect from the Society for Building Churches, and what from Queen Ann's bounty, or any other source, as an endowment? I will just state farther, that it is most probable that the great proprietor of the estate would give the ground for a site, and perhaps some pecuniary assistance; in which case, I think it would be right to vest in him the patronage. Besides this, I think 3007. may be safely calculated upon from private contributions; and, upon a rough calculation, the total expense of the building, &c. is laid not to exceed 5007. I think, Mr. Editor, judging from your labours, that it is unnecessary for me to add an apology for thus troubling you, being on a subject calculated to "enlarge the borders" of our church, and thereby to diffuse more widely the blessings she is shedding upon our country. I am, Mr. Editor, A LAY SUBSCRIBER.†

July 21st, 1834.

There is great justice and truth in this complaint. But one point deserves consideration. When a parish is very large, and the incumbent can perhaps ill afford one curate where two would not be enough, how can the due degree of parochial visiting in distant parts of the parish be carried on, when (on an average, taking in Lent) near three mornings of the week, besides Sundays, are so taken up as to pre. clude all distant excursions?-En.

+ Perhaps some correspondent will be so good as to answer this fully in the next Number,

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.*

SIR,-Sunday schools occupy, at this time, the minds of a great many of the clergy, and of others who are concerned for the moral and religious improvement of our countrymen, many of whom have to lament the want of expected effects from them.

The efficiency of Sunday schools depends much upon the qualifications of those who conduct them. Rooms and funds are essential; yet places in possession of both, but destitute of qualified teachers, are like those places where churches and church endowments exist, without a liturgy, and a clergyman prepared to give that liturgy its practical advantage.

I take it for granted, that the effect to be desired from Sunday schools is, to work into the minds of children right moral and religious principles, and habits of acting upon those principles. If this object be obtained, all the rest which is not got in the necessary process will be gained in due time. If we take our notions from the writings given us by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, we shall proceed in this business upon the principle, that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of all that we endeavour to inculcate. And, moreover, we must be persuaded, that good teachers must not only be of quick understanding, in the fear of the Lord, but also ready and judicious in the application of this principle to cases within the observation and comprehension of the persons they undertake to instruct, before they can be expected to instil this knowledge into the minds of children, and to lead them to form habits of applying it in the daily regulation of their own conduct. How should teachers convey to others ideas they do not themselves perceive, or teach others to seek for, and yield to, an influence, with the force of which they are themselves unacquainted?

Nor can it be supposed that all those who may be allowed to have in them the root of this matter, are therefore qualified to lead children to the habit of applying this great principle of godly fear to the regulation of their thoughts and actions in common life-that is, to a uniform reverence of God's name and word,-to a due regard to the Lord's day, to the reverence of his sanctuary,-to the aiming at devotion in his worship,-to conscientious diligence in their appointed daily tasks, and to work into their every-day conversation a ready perception of the duties of their situation, together with habits of truth, fidelity, order, obedience, self-denial, and perseverance,-all resting upon the basis of God's holy and perfect law; and that he who made that law is the constant witness of all that we say and do. Children are as capable of understanding these things as other matters they are usually taught, if teachers were prepared to direct their thoughts in a judicious manner.

The question is about the mode of conveying proper ideas on these

*This letter has been long mislaid. It is due to its most respectable author to mention this.-ED.

subjects. With the most vivid impression upon our minds, that from God proceeds all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, that God alone can give us a right judgment. We must recollect, that the Divine influence is usually afforded to assist well-applied human means. Our notions about the best means may vary; but we have nothing to say to those who expect either wise or good children without the application of proper means for their instruction and discipline in wisdom and virtue. The instruction of children, both in matter and in manner, is an art founded on the science of human nature in its early years, of the weakness, yet susceptibility, of the infant mind, - an art acquired only by assiduous practice under judicious direction, or by a long course of careful experiment,—an art as distinct from any theory of education got from books or from lectures, as is the correct use of a language from the theory of its grammar and rules of syntax. We conceive that, to a vast majority of persons who pretend to teach, this art is a perfect mystery; and, that a well practised observer will perceive, that it is a mystery to no small proportion of otherwise good and wise and learned men, when such men undertake to teach and manage children.

Without design to insinuate the least possible disrespect to the clergy, it is seriously asked, whether their order, generally, be in possession of this important secret? Indeed, how should they possess an art which is not acquired by thinking, by reading or hearing lectures on education, by visiting schools, but by all these, together with long practice, or by skilful assistance. It would be as reasonable to expect a well-finished chest of drawers from one who had never wrought in the shop of a cabinet maker, or that a man-of-war should be built and rigged out by persons unacquainted with the operations in a dock-yard, as a well managed school by unprepared teachers. In the case of schools, the assistance so greatly wanted cannot generally be had; there is comparatively no one to communicate it; yet it appears to the writer of these remarks, that that want, so miserably felt in Sunday schools, would, in a reasonable time, be, in a good degree, supplied, if we could once persuade the clergy, generally, to suspect that they are deficient in the essential qualifications for the regulation and teaching of children. Their minds would then be brought to bear upon the subject, and their desire to promote the good of mankind would urge them to every exertion in searching after an art which is greatly lost, yet so greatly wanted, that the substantial instruction and discipline of the rising generation cannot possibly be provided for without its recovery. And with so much ability and preparation of mind, perseveringly bent upon such a subject, we should not be long destitute of very considerable improvement in the efficiency of Sunday schools, indeed in the practical part of education generally. Reading and lecturing have their use; but they can no more make a schoolmaster, than they can make a surgeon a painter, a sculptor, or a poet.

I should be sorry to be misunderstood. Far be it from your present correspondent, Mr. Editor, to detract from the merits, or to disparage the effects produced by the exertions of those benevolent persons,

clergy and laity, who have laboured in this work of Christian charity. I respect from my soul, and love with Christian affection, all, both male and female, old and young, (and they are many,) who have given themselves to this good work. Great has been their selfdevotion, and their reward is with the Most High; they have not been without cheering, visible fruits of their labour. Besides the diffusion of the ability to read, and of better habits of conduct, one of a hamlet and two of a parish have, by God's good blessing, been formed by them to the Christian character. But when we look more generally at the population of the country, allowing all the exceptions, there is a great want of the effect to be reasonably expected from proper means generally applied. And it is presumed, that the deficiency, on the score of public moral and religious principle at this period, lies in the deplorable scarcity of persons employed in teaching, -of persons who are qualified by principle, by knowledge, by quickness of perception, by self-command, by experience, by proficiency in the art of communicating instruction, to undertake the teaching and the guidance of children—that is, the business of education. And it is further presumed, that there is an almost total want of any adequate exertions to supply this lamentable deficiency. As if, while tailors and milliners must be trained to the art, schoolmasters, and governesses, and teachers were to be gathered, like blackberries in autumn, from every hedge; and you had nothing to do but advertise and have what of this kind may be wanted. An advertisement, however, cannot fetch that which exists not in the country. For Sunday schools at least, teachers must be formed; for, in many extensive districts, there are none to be had; and to whom can we look but to the clergy? Their labours are extended throughout all the country; and if their influence and exertions in this particular department could but be judiciously applied, it would be well received and abundantly useful; but it is necessary that they should be better prepared than generally they are. To make those schools efficient, the machinery of the church of England (if I may be allowed the expression) must be brought to bear fully upon them. The church of England is a machine of admirable construction and of immense power (as human means can be powerful) in a moral and religious view; and is particularly applicable to the improvement of that class of persons of whom and of whose connections Sunday schools are composed. But we want persons of skill and judgment to apply its powers and to work its provisions. This is most evidently the specific business of the clergy; but I am sorry to say,—and nothing should induce me to say it, but the hope of exciting such reflections on the fact as may lead to a useful change,-that, in this respect, the clergy, as a body, are greatly deficient. They have not sufficiently understood this use of our liturgical services and offices, and, of course, are not prepared, generally, to work this machinery. I speak advisedly, and with some extent of acquaintance with the subject. A great proportion of very laborious and devoted clergymen-and to whom, in many respects, the writer of these remarks looks up with unaffected deference-have not the art of applying the advantages afforded by our national insti