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t2X

ADVANTAGES

H »^

A LITIIKai

IN COMPAKISON WITH

E X T E iAl P E ]^: P K A Y E M S

IN THE

PUELIC SEliYlCES i)Y THE CllUliCir

By rev. T. L. HANSON, B.zl.,

TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN; SOMETIME OF THE L'.NIVERjITY OF Lu:fDO.\ ; AND
INCUMBENT OF WOODBRIDGE AND VAUOUAV.

•Hid.

TORONTO :

ITKNRY R0W8ELL.

I.S70.

ADVERTISEMENT.

I beg most respectfully to dedicate these i,ages to our beloved
Lord Bishop of Toronto, to my Brethren of the Clergy in this
Diocese, and, in fine, to all who " love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity."

I have endeavoured to - speak the truth in love," and nothin<v
but my most solemn conviction of the truth of what I have
written could induce me to seem to run counter to the feelin-s
and prejudices of those whom 1 so highly esteem- 1 nu>an n?y
Brethren of the various religious denominations. But, our
blessed Saviour prayed for the unity of His Churc!., " that tlie,j
all may he one ; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I hi Thee
that they aUo may he one in ns ; that the icorld may helieve that
Ihou hast sent .>^,e."— (St. John, xvii., 21). And feeling, as I
do, that the Episcopal is the form most Scriptural and Apol'tolic
and the best fitted for propagating the religion of Christ in this
world, no one can blan>e me for expressing my convictions, and
.shewing the many advantages of our truly Evangelical Com-
inumon-cvcn that Church whidi is "built upon the foundation
ot the Apostles and Bruphets, Jesus Christ himself bein- the
head corner-stone." °

T. L. HANSON.

The Paksonage,
Pine (.Trove, June, 1870,

515 3:^ I

ADVANTAGES

OF A

LITURGY, &c.,

" Let all things bo done decently and in order." — 1 Cor. xiv. 40.
" Prove all things: hold hist that which is good."— -1 Thess. v. 21.

God lias made man with a body as well as a soul. His
liody, therefore, which is God's, he is bound to exercise in
the service and worship ( f God, .as well as the spiritual
part of his being.

But this can only be done by external forms.

Religion must ex])ress itself in acts. The life of the
soul — its feelings — its passions — must be manifested by
certain acts and deeds, as the life of the body is manifested
ill a similar manner.

Religion consists in certain acts which express ideas.
The soul speaks tln'ough the senses.

Man has three faculties — 1. Understanding. 2. Imagi-
nation. ,S. Sentimeiit.

Corrospondiiig to tliosc -.wa — 1. Words. '2. linages. 3.

Acts.

Now to forbid these — to forbid tlie soul tlie lannuao-e of
signs and symbols, is to do violence to nature; and, in
fact, to destroy thoyghf and feeling. To destroy tJionght
inasmuch as it is conceived, developed, and ])reserved by
signs. To destroy feeling, because it cannot live, nor
perpetuate, nor even commnnicate itself, without its off-
spring, gesture.

Religion being the link between God and nuin, demands
expression. We have thoughts, hopes, fears, desires,
which must, somehow, have a mode of utterance. In
what manner ? In the riglit mode of using observances
or ceremonies, /. e., in a Form or Ritual. And do we not
find this in ordinary life ? Has it not its Ritual too ? Are
there not certain laws and rules in society which every
man must observe, if he would be a member of that
society ? And are there not certain rites and ceremonies of
Religion, to which all must conform, if they would have
the true expression of the worshij) of the soul, and unite
with one heai't and voice to serve their Maker ?

It is plain, then, there must he Ritual. God Himself
commanded it most minutely and ])articularly in the Old
Testament; but, even if this were wot ^o, Nature herself
would teach us that it is necessary — a certain form or

iiKxlo of religious worsliip l^eing found among all nations,
even the most uncivilized.

But, more than tl)is : Reason, the '• iani)) of (Jod" within
us, teaclies that this body of ours, whieh ])elongs to God,
should bow before Him in acts of prayer and r«'H<don.

Calvin, with reference to this, says, "In that deeoium
here prescribe. 1, there is bending of the knee in worship of
Almighty God."

A greater than Calvin, even St. Paul, says, " Let all
things be done decently and in oi-der."

Now, as a proof that outward signs and acts in ordinar^^
life are expressions of inward feeling — if the outward bo
absent, or withheld from us, do we not ({uestion the exist-
ence or truth of the inwaixl feeling (/.r., supposing there
is no insu])ernble barrier to their manifestation ?)

For exam])le, if a person ])i'ofessed great friendship for
ns, and yet treated us with marked neglect, T ask would
w^e believe in his sincerity ? And so, if any one either
withholds from ({od altogether, or lightly esteems the
devotion of the outward man, do we not regard him as
deceived, and as a self-deceiver and a h)'j)ocrite ?

So much is this law, of having a certain outward form
in our daily actions in life, the law of our very existence,
that the most ultra body of religionists, i.e., the Society

()<" [''flciifl-;, (»i' (^hiiikcrs, unconsciously testify to its n(HM's-
sity and (orcc hy tlicii' convcntion-il dress, 1»y (licir
(listin(ttiv(( niod(( (»!' spccttli, and l»y their mainier <•!'
I'eckonin"' tlie <1ma's of tlu^ wtM'k and Uic niontlis ol" Die
yo;\y. In .'ill tliese ways, find otliers, too, tliey ]>l)iinly
pi'uvo tl»attlu3y re((,Uij hare, (t/onn of ih< / r o/'-ii, ^iinl llmf
tJiCjl (i(li>l)l a, CCi'htiih (li.'^/'dic/irt', r'lliial oj " '■■■ (iiiil liKdnirr,
ivliifc rcjccli iKj odlfdi'd Joi'iiiH allo(jether.

Now in every otiier Ixxly oi' Clii'i.-tiaiis tlio nde of out-
ward i'oini is acknowledged, ami the Chui'ch of l<]nglan<l
lias so iinirornil'v^ recoci'iiized ami acted unou it that the
word '• Ritual" lias come to Ije used in a narrower an<l
secondary s(!nso as the mode of worshi[) prescribe*! hy the
Church — the law of worship fixed by authority, and given
to her mendjers in the Book of Common Prayer.

And that there is an absolute necessity for "llitual " of
some sort in worshi]), is furtlier evidenced by the manifest
<le(iciencies, not to say al)snrdities, C)i' free or extem])ore
prayer, used l>y thf)so who will not be guided by the rules
of autliority, and claim freedom of jirivate judgment in
such matters. Hut, ])ractically, they who abjure forms of
prayer, hare a form <>/ Ihc'ir ov;/. How so ^ They i'all
into a stcrcotjiiwd mode of ])Ljsenting their pt'titions to
the Most High, ;^o that the prater, though it may not be
word for w^ord the same every Sunday, is yet substantially
the same— whetlier the subject of petition be the Congre-

gatioii, the Sick, tlio Quglti, tfio Parliament, kc, kc. This
cannot fail to have struck every one of thouf^ht an<l obser-
vation.

We see, then, that even tlioso bodies of Chi-istians
cannot get free from the necessity of a foi'iii, wh(» most
cry out against it. And here the question narrows itself
to a point: f ' I speak as to wise men, judge ye Avliat I
'^^y-") V ^^^^'"^ ^'^ i(> ^^f (f^form, why not have a good one
at once ? What is worth doinfTj at all is worth doiu'^ well
And since the service of God is the noblest and hirdiest
exercise in wh* ;]i man can engage, the Church has pi'ovided
with especial care for the right and due observance of all
acts of worship, that " all things may be done de(!ently
and in order," and not only so, but with the most scrupu-
lous attention to dignity and decorum.

Now, I ask, is not this far better than the substitution
in fact of self, and the rule of a man's owv taste, comfort,
and edification, for the honour and glory of God and the
real good and d,evotion of the worshi})pers ?

The great and grand idea is this : The Church of God —
the Holy Catholic or " Universal " ("'hiirch — merges the
individual in the office, so that the Minister or Clei'gyman
is hut part of a vast systeui. In piiljlic worship, it is not
his act — his prayer — his reading and exposition — no, nor
his fancies, his whims and interpretations of Scripture,

but ho must follow and witness to the rules and customs
of the Church Catholic — doing as others have done for
eighteen luindred years before him.

What a s[)icndid guarantee this is in tlie Episcopal or
English (.'];urcli for correctness of form and purity of
doctrine !

I conu! now to consider the -uses of a Liturgy or Form
of Prayer, and these may be viewed as three-fold : —

1. For secuvlnii the Saltahlc Worshl2) of Almir/ht)/ God.

So long as we are here on earth we must worship God
with respect to our present state, and therefore, of neces-
sity, have some definite and particular time in which to
perform that worship.

To His peculiar i)eople, the Jews, God Himself appointed
their set times of public devotion, commanding them to
otier u}) two laiid)S daily, one in the morning, and the
other at even: (Exodus xxix. o9). And so our Chuivh
takes care, at nny rate, to provide in the Prayer Book
for morning and evening ])rayer, every dny all the year
throngh, following the copy or pattern given by God to
His Church in fornier a^'es.

2. But again, another use of a Liturgy, Form of Prayer,
or Bitual, is, /or cxcitliuj reveroice ui Mcoi.

Let us not Ije afraid to iiso tlio last Avnrd, as there Js a
wide difieroiice between "liitiutr nnd " liifinillsm"

Ritual is the fair and honest exposition and observance
of the Rubrics of the Prayer Book ; Ritualism is the
addin<^r of forms, rites, ceremonies, either not in the Prayer
Book, or not coiitem})lated Ity it.

But we should ^'ujird ao-ainst the mistake of slio-htinf»-
and undervaluing Ritual whilst we exibit a just opposition
to Ritualism. Oh, let none of us swerve in our alleo-iance
to our Scriptural and Apostolic C'hurch, because of some
slight blemishes and ini})eifections.

It is an old and popular saying, " England, with all thy
faults, I love thee still :" and so, - My C1nn-eh, with all
thi/ faults, I love thee still."

Rally round and defend the Church so long as she Is a
witness foi- God, His truth. His Word, and His Sacraments !

Oh ! grand and glorious institution ! Coming down
from the past — hoary with age — ever sublime ! Thy
Chants rolling like waves of harmony through the mao--
nificent Cathedrals of my Fatherland ; thy Creeds the
bulwark of doctrine; thy Articles the exponents of ettn-nal
truth; thy Liturgy all coni])rehensive in its petitions,
a<lapted to every want and woe of man ; thy C^ollects the
most beautiful, concise, and exi)ressivc — every line a ])ra3'er,

find almost every word a thought; — what, I ask, even from
the c(mfession of our opponents themselves, can be more
adapted to edification, instruction, and devotion.

Eitual, then, or a Form of Prayer, or a Liturgy, is not
only beneficial in that by or through it we give to God
the outivard worship and service of our body, but, more-
over, it confers a positive benefit on ourselves, inasmuch
as it fosters and increases (which experience plainly shews)
i liter iial reverence and devotion of the heart and mind.

We are all dependent upon outivard things for our
hiivard imi)rcssions ; in fact, man Is nearly altogether
(jovcrned hy the external 'world.

It is in this way that "Ritual" is so powerful. It
witnesses to doctrine — it preaches more effectively than
the most eloquent of sermons. Why ? Because that by
it truths are brought before us in a sensible and obvious
shape, and the character of the truth is expressed— now
joyous, now sad ; now encouraging, now terrible —following
the nature of the various subjects to be enforced. Thus,
ceremonial is to truth what words are to thought — its
truest and best expression; thus ceremonial gives form,
and body, and shape, to tliat which might linger for ever
in the mind, struggling in vain for utterance.

;. Further, unity is promoted amongst Christians by
tJie use of a Liturgy, or " Ritual."

•tj

In Acts iv. 24, we are told "that they all " (/.r-., tlie
believers) "lifted up their voice with one accord, and said,
' Lord, tho art God,' " kc. They could not have thus
" all joined with one accord " unless either the vmrds were
Jamillcir to thern, or they were under the influence of
direct inspiration. ' If the former supposition be correct,
then we have an example o<' nform of 'prayer.

If the hxtter be preferred, then we see that when a con-
gregation worshipped under the immediate direction of
the Holy Spirit, the prayer was one in which they joined
audibly, and was not entrusted to one single individual
to whom the rest were to listen in silence. It is obvious
that such united prayer can only be obtained, in these
times, by the use of a pre-composed form.

I now pass on briefly to notice the invportance of a
Liturgy, or " Ritual." Most impressively, then, it teaches
the presence of God in Ills sanctimry, and assists to
realize that presence. When the whole congregation
makes obeisance at the name of Jesus Christ in the Creed
(Ep. Phil. ii. 10), by this act they testify tlieir inward
humility, profound reverence. Christian resolution, and due
acknowledirnient that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true
eternal Son of God, and the (mly Saviour of the world.

And does not Scripture tell us that whosoever honours
the Son honours likewise the Father who sent Him ( and

may we not say the Holy Ghost, too ? — thus shewing our
belief in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, inasmuch as we
lionour and worship the Father and the Holy Spirit in the
person of tlie Son ?

Til ere cannot be too much stress laid on a correct and
solemn Ritual, for the services of the Church, when duly
celebrated, win the heart.

Keligion must put on an outward form to interest man,
and be appreciated by him. Our service in the sanctuary
of God should be cheerful and attractive, as well as devout.

Ah ! as we wend our way along the streets of a great
city on cold, dark evenings, and we see the public-houses
and gin-i)!i.la(^es Hooded with warm, bright light, and
sounds of merry music fall on the ear, and then when we
think of the ])ooi' man's home, the poverty, the squalor,
the hunger and the cold, can we wonder Avhere that j)oor
man is to be found ?

But why not make God's House attractive, too ? Why
should we not make men feel welcome and hap])y guests
in their Father's house — His earthly temple here below ?
One thing is certain : If in any Church there is a crowded
attendance, the throngs which fill the place have been
drawn thither eithtn* by the beauty of the Church or the
eloquence of the ])reacher. If by the latter, then surely

no one will pretend to say that the elegance of the Iniild-
iiig is any hindrance, that it will deter any persons from
coming, impair the efficiency of the Clergyman's ministry,
or interfere with the reception of the truth.

We need, then, not only to have public places of worship,
specially set apart for the service of God, but a fit and
becoming Ritual likewise. For when ceremonies disappear,
religion disappears.

When men grow careless about the form, the great
probability is that they will lose the life and poiver of
Christianity.

Having gone thus far in our consideration of the benefits
of a Liturgy or Ritual, we shall now, we trust, be able to
shew you its advantages in a still more striking light, by
setting forth by way of contrast the disadvantages and
unsuitableness of extempore prayer in the public services
of the Church.

1. Extempore prayer has been well called an " oblique
sermon," for the Minister shews that the leading idea in
his mind is to convey to the people the sentiments, the
exhortations, the reproofs which he wishes to impress upon
them — the very nature of the service excluding the idea
of really united prayer.

Accordingly, wo find that the members of those congre-
o-ations in which extempore prayer is used, criticize the
prayer, either favourably or unfavourably (according to
their humour), in much the same style as they do the
sermon— Yegiirdmg such prayer merely as the intellectual
performance of their Minister, not as a work in which
they themselves are to bear a part. Hence we often hear
such expressions as these—" Oh, what a beautiful prayer !
Oh, what an eloquent prayer, how well composed!"—
words, I contend, utterly unsuited to describe true prayer,
and which too plainly prove an awful ignorance of its very
nature and design. For what, I ask, is prayer ? It is not
mere fluency of speech, for that belongs to the intellect,
and may be acquired by study and practice ; it is not the
stringing together a number of petitions with a certain
degree of volubility, for a man through habit may learn
to do this almost unconsciously ; it is not line speaking-
it does not consist in magnificent, grand, and strained
expressions, distilled with a kind of laborious and painful
chemistry, and presented to the Almighty as the incense
of our adoration. No, no 1 Prayer is not any, or all, of
these. It is the worshij) o.^ th(5 soul— it is the prostration
of the whole being in penitence, sorrow, and tears— it is
the humble ccmfession of sin-it is the earnest V)eseeching
for mercy— in fine, it is the " spirit of grace and supplica-
tions" which God has promised to His peo[)le, and to i)our
out abundantly on them in answer to their fervent longings
and desires.

2. Ai,^iiu: ■Extempore ]>rayov labours under the serious
(lei'ect (.!' peiiiiittiii.L,^ the edification of the congregation to
(lc])ena on tlie aliility of the minister. Let us just ask
the question— On t of tlie hirgc uuniher of ministers Avho
pray extempore iji puhlic every Sunday, what ])r;>portion
is really fitted to edify the people ? ( Vnisider how uiauy
are ireal- (did inicoufh in prayer, incapable of framing
any suitable or becouiing supplication to the Most High.
How many indulge in odd or Irrevevent expressions— or
else make their prayers a vehicle for (h3nunciati(m oi' their
enemies, and invocation of Cod as a patron and abettor ot
the most contrary and inconsistent schemes and projects.
ALis 1 such things have been and are, to the disgrace of the
Church and the dishonour of God.

And here I Vv^ould n<jt be understood as making any
exception in favour of the best and most talented minis-
ters of the various denominations, for, when hearing them
preach and then pray, wo cannot help feeling what a
difference there is between the tv/o performances. After
listening to a glowing, eloquent, powerful sermon, instinct
with genius, all on fire, sparkling with the scintillations of
thought, and radiant with beauty, kindling our souls
within us, and bracing to liigh and holy ])urposes; — Oh,
how sa<l to have all these feelings dea<lencd, almost
(juenched within us, l)y tlie succeeding didl, heavy prayer,
which, as it were, throws a funeral pall over the scene,
and is painfully out of harmony with the preceding, it

may V)e, brilliant exhibition 1 Who is there that has
listened to the pictorial and spirit-stirring eloquence of a
Chalmers— the burning eloquence of an Edward Irving—
or the entrancing, soul-subduing eloquence of a Guthrie—
but must have Avished that such splendid efforts of oratory
might have been prefaced and concluded by one of those
becautiful prayers or collects which are the very soul of
devotion, the very gems of thought and the very marvels
of expression. No congregation whatever should be
dependent on the extempore prayers of their minister,
which are apt to vary (I might almost say infinitely) with
the ever-changing phases of our fickle and inconstant
minds.

Besides, there are so many disturbing causes at work-
so many Inndrances arising from nervousness, low spirits,
or ill-health— that no man can promise to himself in what
mood he shall come before the Almighty to frame the
supplications which may be suited to the wants, sorrows,
and desires, perhaps, of a large congregation.

This is truly an awful and responsible position, and
which, if duly* pondered on, is fitted to appal even the
stoutelt heart, especially when we reflect what a deeply
solemn and weighty matter it is to lay before the Eternal
God the cares, necessities, and sins of "the great assembly"
of saints and unbelievers.

,i)

In c'onuboiatioH of tliis, I would quote a passage from
the life of that eminent minister, the late Rev. Dr. McAll,
of Manchester, England. Describing his method of devo-
tion in the j)ublic services of his i)lace of worshi}), a friend
and admirer thus writes :— " At times he was borne away
by the fervour of his feelings, and the elevating topics
which he introduced ; and there were moments when he
almost resembled a seraph bowing in meek but rapturous
adoration before the throne." Again, another admirer
uses this language :— " His manner, always reverential,
was sometimes rapt as if the spirit had found admittance
before the throne, and were bending amid the celestial
worshippers." " He was not always alike — who is ? — and
in a morbidly sensitive temperament such as his, the vari-
ations in the frame of his mind, bearing analogy to those
in the physical condition ol" his body, would not fail
to be frecpient and marked. According to the temporary
peculiarities of that frame, the j^roportions varied in the
different departments of liis addresses to the Divine Throne,
and, throughout the whole, the difference was strikingly
perceptible on different occasions, in the suri)assing copious-
ness, ease, and felicity of thought and exjn-ession in (me
compared with another, //^/.s prayer.^ varied according to
his state of health; so that a reyular hearer could tell
soon after the commencement v^hefher the mind and Iwdy
were in tune, or deramjed, or uncomfortahle—a clrcura-
stance indicated, too, l>y the smooth forehead and placid

huh In the ini'^* c((M', and th(t kuiUcd brow and rrslless
l/huK'r hi iJic, oflirry

I have <;iven this passao-e entire, Lccaiise it is one of tlie
most ,strikin.;-an<l i(>reil.l(^ thitt coul.l he selected to illus-
trat(aliesul)ir(^L; and I would add, wlu. will not tliank
(^od— what niend)eror our lOpiscopal i'hun\i will not he
devoutly --raterul th;it " th(! line^ liave fallen to liini in
pleasant places," an<l that there is in our connnunion a
'pvolcrlUuh io /he ^p'r/ihud llherh) of (he p^ojdc, inasnnieh
ill tlie minister is not h-ft to his ever-eh,< ii'j'nuj uanuU, like
tlic proverhiahy hcklc ocean, hut is kept in his proj^er
])lace, aol as the (d>mlide vnler,U\t onhj a:< (he insira-
meahd leader of the devotions of the con-r.-ation.

:3. But we must, iinally, hring forward another most
serious ohjection to the use of extempore pray(3r in the
public services of the Cluirch, vdiicli is tliis : tliat a gifted
minister— one capable beyond many others of making
Avhat is called "an elorpient prayer"— is in gr.at danger
of striving to say fine things, to seek h.r beautitul images,
to cull choice expressions— in. fine, to strain h.is utmost
etforts after that whicli is elaborate, strange, and ninv, in
his prayer, in order to gratify the tastes of the hyper-
critical in his audience, who arc drinking in every sentence
MS it falls from his lips, and giving to each ibrm of thought,
each ilash of imagination, or each specimen of highly-

coloiu-ed fancy, tlint pmiso or disprniso wliiuli their uLim
or caprico mny dictJito at i\n\ inoiiu'iit.

It is Lad onoun-1, if in a srymou, a pr.-a.-1u'r, instead ..f
tliinlciri,<^li<»w ho may beneHt his hearers, thinks how h.'
luay atti-act tlieir admiration ; hnt snrely it is worse it-
he, in ofierin- prayer, he led away iVoui lliinkin:.- of Clod
to'thinkin- of his hearers; if he he tempted, instead of
praying, to exhibit a gift of pnn/n- ; and ii; while pro-
fessing to Immble himself before God, his nnnd he occupied
in selltifjfot' eloqmrU terms In vMch to make imyfesslon
of his hitmUitif.

Such an evil is alwiost inevitable when extempore prayer
is used in the public services of the Ohmch, and I have no
doubt that many of our l>rethren of other «k'nominations,
keenly, at times, feel the evil, aye, and would acknowledge
it too, if they were not under the trammels of a system.

It is not long since tlie Edinburgh eoi-respond(mt of the
" Watchman and Refiectorr in a letter describing some of
the celebrities <.f the Scottish metropolis, says ol" one of
^l^ei.i .„" His (the preachers) exceeding volubility and
eommand of language give him a great advantage ni
prayer; and he jmurs out his petitions so smoothly and
with such hapi>y diction, that one with his eyes closed
would suppose him to be reading. Of coarse he is not an

rgent i^Uadev a

t the throne of grace ; he Is rattier vagne

9i>

and rjenrraJ, and no one numlJ accum h'nn of ojf'rrhig the
onost eloquent prajer ever addressed to an Edlnhnrcjli
audience ! / / "

Alas ! wliat a i)ity that oceasion should have hocu <^ivTii
fur such a (;i'iticisni as this ! What a pity that after such
iiiaiiiicst abuses as these, nieu will nut u[)eii their eyes to
the unspeakable advautaLjes of a Liturgy !

Such dani^^ers to true devotion — such extravacrances —
cannot arise wlien nforni of prater is used.

Nowhere in ^cvlptare, noiuhere in Ecdeslastlcal historf/,
do we find that in the ptuhllc services of the Church the
minister is to he everythlnij and the [H'ople nothing : that
he is to prau, to read, to exhort, to preaeJt, and they to sit
still and listen, and take no part ivhatever hi the sei*vice
(except, perltaps, the singing), and thus, hg degrees, fall
into the habit of suppositag that in the solemn and heart-
stirring devotions of the sanctuary they are to be merely
'passive recipients — ivell pleased enough if the doctriite
tvhieh their minister sets forth passes muster for that Sun-
day, and excites no unjpleasaid feelings or misgivings
loith regard to its orthodoxy.

In conclusion, we say that Calvin left his disciples a
Liturgy ; Luther composed for his followers a Liturgy ;
Knox prepared a Liturgy for the Scottish Presbyterians ;

Baxter compiled a Liturgy ior the Ncuirontor.nists. Twine
in the Scottish Kirk did the Prcsby terians adopt a Liturgy.
At this moment a^^he German Protestant Reformed Chris-
tians alike use a Liturgy ; and to the dlsam of a Llluiy>f
may be attributed in great measure flw .Soclnianlsm whU-h
has Infected the Genevan Church for the loM two hundred
years, and 'which has spriini/ up in every Presbyterian
unlitwrglcal Church in the luorld.

PRINTED BY HENRT

R0W8ELL. 74 AND 76, KING STREET EAST, TORONTO.

16 . ,.,v :,

March lat, by Rev. William McCann, on " The Bible."

April 6th, by Rev. Father Carberry, on " The Jesuits in ',
America."

June 7th, by E. J. Hearn, Esq., on " A Visit to the Lakes
of Killarney."

August 21st, by Rev. Francis Ryan, P.P. of St. Michael's *
Cathedral, on " Books, and How to Read Them."

October 4th, by Rev. Father Dollard, on " The Church in
Ireland."

December 6th, by Rev. Father L. P. Minehan, on " The
Infallibility of the Pope. '

This branch has been instrumental in placing many of
the publications of the Parent Society in the bookstores of
this city. I have been informed alao that the Rev. Father
William McCann has under special instruction several per-
sons who are desirous of joining the Church, as a result of
the work of this Society.

I would like very much if the convener of each com-
mittee would throughout this year keep a more correct
account of the number of publications distributed and
other work done, and that the same be inserted in the
minutes of each meeting of the Society, so that at the end of
the year proper reports of the Society's work can be issued.
I need not ask the members of all committees to do their duty
well, as I am sure they will do so zealously. As I cannot
devote the time to the Society that I should, and that I desire
to, I respectfully ask you once more to give me the best assist-
ance in your power, and to attend the meetings regularly. If
you do this the St. Mary's branch of the Catholic Truth
Society at the end of 1898 will show a record that will be the
envy of all other branches of the Society. I think it abso-
lutely necessary, in order to make the work more effectual,
that some form of amalgamation should take place
between the branches in the city, and I would suggest that a
committee be appointed from this branch to confer with the
committees of the other branches to this end. I think the
scheme that Ottawa has adopted of having a central council
is the more workable, with the exception that the central
council should, in my opinion, be composed of only delegates
from the branches, say one delegate for every branch having
fifty members, or under that number, and one delegate for
every fifty members or major fraction of fifty above that
number.

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