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will be produced openly at the day of judgment. Take heed ye blush not at Christ's awful tribunal, where all the powers of heaven tremble, and where all mankind must stand to be judged; and where the devil will be present to accuse you, saying, Lord, this person in word renounced me, but in deed was my servant.” The angels will sigh, and holy men bewail your misery. But father and mother cannot help youbrethren and friends will not own you: but every man will be naked and destitute; consider, therefore, and provide for your security."

CHURCH BELLS.

THE CURFEW.

In our last number, we promised to make a few additional remarks on the different names given to bells, and uses to which they were applied. We have spoken of the Passing Bell, we now come to speak of the Curfew Bell.

The Couvre-few, or Curfew Bell, the name of which is almost proverbial with us, is commonly supposed to have been introduced by William the Conqueror, and to have been imposed upon the English as a badge of servitude. Henry, however, in his History of Britain, 4to. vol. iii. p. 567, says that this opinion does not seem well founded. For there is sufficient evidence that the same custom prevailed in France, Spain, Italy, Scotland, and probably in all the countries of Europe at the same period, and was intended as a precaution against fires, (which its name implies,) which were then very frequent and very fatal, when so many houses were built of wood. The practice of ringing the curfew-bell, that all people should put out their fires and lights at eight o'clock, is said to have been observed to its full extent only during the reigns of the first two Williams (See Brand's Popular Antiq.' 4to Ed.vol. ii.p.136.

PASSING BELLS.

I have noted it to be the fashion here amongst you, that when a neighbour dies, all his friends, in several parishes, set forth their bells, to give a general notice of his departure. I do not dislike the practice: it is an act of much civility, and fair respect to the deceased. And if the death of God's saints be, as it is precious in His sight, there is great reason it should be so in ours; and therefore well worthy of a public notification. But let me tell you, that, in other well-ordered places where I have lived, it is yet a more commendable fashion, that when a sick neighbour is drawing toward his

end, the bell is tolled to give notice of his dying condition, that all within hearing may be thereupon moved to pour out their fervent prayers for the good of that departing soul, sueing for mercy and forgiveness, and a clear passage of it to the approaching glory. If there be civility and humanity in the former course, there is more charity and piety in this. (Bishop Hall. Sermon 41. Talboy's Edition. Preached at Higham, near Norwich, July, 1, 1655.)

THE VILLAGE CHURCHMAN'S SABBATH
MEDITATIONS.-No. III.

(For The Village Churchman.)

DAILY MERCIES.

THERE are some blessings so universal, and so regularly received, that we almost cease to estimate them at their real value, until circumstances that we cannot controul deprive us for a time of mercies we had lightly regarded-and one of these is sleep. Sleep, when fully considered, is a wonderful provision of our nature: we fearlessly commit ourselves to a state of unconsciousness, yet rise from it with our bodies refreshed, and our minds invigorated. Those functions necessary to life, such as respiration and circulation, of which we share in common with beings of inferior degree, continue in full exercise, while the reason lies dormant, which man claims as his peculiar privilege, and the will ceases to exert its sway. Night and repose, are of such regular recurrence, that they create in us no alarm; but unless Adam was divinely fore-warned of their approach, we can imagine, that surprise, if not fear, would arise in his breast, when he perceived the beauties of creation gradually disappear beneath the shade of night, and felt his own animation decline as sleep exerted its hitherto unknown influence upon his frame. Then, when the chaunt of birds broke the spell of slumber, and Adam beheld the morning mist melting away beneath the beams of the rising sun, and the beauties of Eden glistening in its refreshing dews, surely he would spring up with this grateful acclamation, "I laid me down and slept, I awaked, for the Lord sustained me." God dispenses his blessings as they are needed; the frame most wearied by labour, is most surely recruited by repose, for sleep is the poor man's heritage. Care may harass the statesman's slumber, anxiety prevent the merchant's rest, or the investigations of science encroach upon the student's hours of sleep; but

station, however high, cannot command refreshing slumber; wealth, though mighty, cannot purchase it; and though knowledge may be power, sleep eludes its sway, for narcotics, the only substitute it can discover, which bring to some a merciful alleviation of pain, haunt the pillows of others with such hideous visions as are but a mockery of that priceless blessing-"Tired nature's sweet restorer, gentle sleep." Oh do not let a blessing so unattainable by our own endeavours, yet so necessary to our comfort, be either unsought or unacknowledged let us not lie down at night and rise in the morning like the brutes that know not from whose hand refreshment comes! From the Bible, that golden treasury, where lie petitions suited to every time of need, we may "take with us words to the throne of grace." David was not unmindful of the source whence this and every mercy flowed, nor can we compose ourselves to rest with a more suitable aspiration than his, "I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou Lord only makest me to dwell in safety;" nor find a more humble acknowledgment for our waking moments than the words "I laid me down and slept, I awaked, for the Lord sustained me." There is one expression in the former passage which deserves our especial attention in peace. David felt the value of this blessing better perhaps than we do: he had known what it was to be hunted like a partridge upon the mountain, chased from city to city, and driven from his own people, to seek refuge in another kingdom; he then could fully estimate the privilege of that peace which permitted him to "lie down in safety."

We also are the recipients of the "blessings of peace"our land is for the most part the abode of tranquillity; we are governed by laws, which are the security of the poor equally with the rich but let ALL remember, that in individual obedience to those laws consists the general security. Let not the specious arguments of designing men induce one village churchman to swerve from the allegiance he owes to his sovereign, the obedience due to the laws of his country. The Bible, that unerring standard of right, assures us, that "the powers that be are ordained of God." Our blessed Saviour paid tribute to an alien monarch; the apostle Paul commanded his converts to be subject to the higher powers, even when that power was vested in heathen hands surely then we are bound to yield obedience to the one set over us by the constitution of our country, and held by the English Church to be its temporal head. Oh! do not let us, by dissension and

ingratitude, provoke our God to let loose one of his sorest judgments upon us! War is even fearful; but civil war, when brother's hand is armed against brother, and the homes of peace are desolated by the fury of fellow countrymen, is the most dreadful of all calamities. Yet even when eternal peace reigns without, tumults may rage within the bosom ; the habitation may be secured from assault, but no bolts or bars can exclude the terrors of an accusing conscience. The same God who preserved the king of Israel through perils by day, and perils by night, beheld the anguish of his spirit when the arrows of God's displeasure had pierced his inmost soul, and he bathed his couch with the bitter tears of repentance. The same powerful voice could alone promise pardon, and whisper peace; and HE who was both David's Lord and David's Son, is yet rich in mercy to all who seek from him a pardon, signed (so to speak) with his own blood. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered; and what other blessing can compete with the assurance, thy sins are forgiven thee-go in peace." We may then not only lie down in peace, and take our necessary rest, but with equal confidence await the approach of that long sleep of which the first is a type and earnest.

Job speaks of death as the "King of Terrors." St. Paul exclaims "Oh death, where is thy sting!" HE whom Job foresaw as his "Redeemer," he whom the apostle both heard and saw, HE, and he alone, could despoil the strong man armed, overcome the King of Terrors, and trample him beneath his feet, and in Him, the captain of our salvation, we are made more than conquerors. Our bodies may say to the worm, thou art my sister, but our souls, ransomed at so great a price, cannot surely share in the long slumber; they must. ascend to the presence chamber of the Most High, and while they unite in the heavenly anthems, joyfully await the consummation of their bliss, when the worn, tenement that was sown in weakness shall be raised in power."

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META RILEY,

CHURCH OF ENGLAND SOCIETIES.-No. III.

THE NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY.

About sixty years ago, a considerable number of soldiers were assembled in Hyde Park, London, to preserve order and pace in the Metropolis; but they were a sad disorderly set

themselves, and their morals and habits were almost as bad as they could be. A thought struck an humble individual, who witnessed their conduct, that if the word of God could be spread among them, their depraved manner might be, in some degree, corrected. The late John Thornlase, Esq., whose history is well known in the Annals of Benevolence, to whom this thought was mentioned, at once gave one hundred pounds to follow it up, and soon afterwards added another hundred pounds to it.

The next year the society was formed, and was called "The Bible Society," as at that time there was no institution for the sole purpose of distributing the Holy Scriptures. Sermons were preached by the clergy on account of the Society, and money was collected, so that in fourteen years 22,000 Bibles had been issued, some to the Navy, but most of them to the Army. When the British and Foreign Bible Society was formed in 1804, it was necessary to alter the name of the institution, and since that time it has been called "The Naval and Military Bible Society." In 1814, the Bibles and Testaments issued had amounted to 84,000, collections yielded nearly 3000/., and Subscriptions and Donations almost 20007. Patronage increased: Bibles were given to the Navy and Army. The late Duke of York, the Commander in Chief, became the Patron of it. His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester and Prince Leopold were Vice-Patrons. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the President; the Archbishop of York, the Duke of Wellington, and several of the Bishops, many of the Nobility, Admirals, Officers, and Gentlemen, Vice-Presidents. His late Majesty approved of a plan which was formed, to allow every soldier who could read, a Bible and a Prayer Book gratis. The Society did not give the Bibles, but supplied them at two shillings each copy less than the cost price; Government paid the rest. The same plan was extended to the European troops in the service of the East India Company. The number of copies issued in all by the Society is above three hundred thousand.

Many of the aoldiers and sailors highly value their Bibles. An Officer in the Artillery stated that the greater part of his men had asked to put by part of their pay for the benefit of the Society. An Officer on board a frigate at Spithead wrote word that most of the seamen, and the whole of the Marines in the ship, had volunteered a day's pay for the same purpose. One of the Bishops, at an Anniversary Meeting of the Society, when the late Duke of York occupied the chair, informed the audience that many instances had come to his knowledge

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