^^ \T V^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 IA£|28 |2.5 us us u IM 20 L8 IIIIIM \M M 1.6 < ^ — _ 6" ^ ► V '/ Photographic ScMices CorporatiGn 23 WEST MAIN STREIT WeBSTH,N.Y. 14580 (716)872-4503 •N? \ ^ W<\ <^^" ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/iCMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and BibKographic Notaa/Notas tachniquas at bibliographiquas Thac tOtlH Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy avallabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagas in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. D D n □ n D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagAe Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurAe et/ou peiiiculAe r^ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque r~n Coloured maps/ Cartes gtographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encra de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I — I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relink avac d'autres documents Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re iiure serrde peut cau'^er de I'ombre ou de la distortion la long de la marge intArieure Blank leaves added during restoration ma/ appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouttes lors d'une restauration apparaissant dans la taxte, mais, lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 4t6 filmtos. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmentaires: L'Instltut a microfilm* le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a At* possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographlque, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthoda normale de filmage aont indiqute ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagAas Pages restored and/oi Pages restauries et/ou peiliculies |~~1 Pages damaged/ I — I Pages restored and/or laminated/ Thai possi of th( filmli Origi bagir theli sion, othei first I sion, or illi □ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d*color*es, tacheties ou piqudes Pages detached/ Pages d*tach6es Showt Transparence Quality of prir Qualit* in*gale de I'impression includes supplementary matarif Comprend du material suppi^mentaire r~p\ Showthrough/ r^ Quality of print varies/ r~~\ includes supplementary material/ Thai shall TINU whic Mapi diffei entir( begii right requi meth Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont *t* film6es A nouveau de fagon A obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux da reduction indiqu* cl-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X V 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy film«d h«r« ha* bMn r«produc«d thanks to tho gonorosity of: L'oxomploiro film4 f ut roproduit grico A la g4n4rosit* da: MttropolHan Toronto Library CifiMlian Hiitory DtpartiMnt Mttropolitan Toronto Library Canadian History Dapartmant Tha imagat appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia concidaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha filming contract apacif Icatlons. Las Imagaa tuivantaa ont 4t* raproduitat avac la plus grand soln, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da I'axamplaira fllmA. at an conformity avac laa conditions du contrat da fllmaga. Original copies in printad papar covers ara fllmad beginning with tha front covar and ending on the last page with a printad or illustrated impres- sion, cr the back covar when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printad or Illustrated Impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printad or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couvarture en papier est ImprimAe sent filmis en commenpant par la premier plat at en termlnant salt par la darnlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, solt par la second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autras exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commandant par la pramlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration at en termlnan< par la darnlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END "), whichever applies. Un des symboles sulvants apparattra sur la darnlAre Image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: la symbols — »* signlfie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signlfie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely Included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent itre filmte A des taux de reduction diff Arents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atra reproduit en un aeul clichA, II est f limA A partir de I'engle supArieur gauche, de gauche A drolte, et de haut an bas, en prenant la nombre d'images nAcessalra. Las diagrammes sulvants illustrent la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 lORONTO PUBLIO LIBRARV * DECENCY AND ORDER IN A SERMON , m V I PREACHED IN j^ii *t.y.;j ■ L wish, to upipress^ upon ypur min^ that due decorum and oj^der, which ^onl4 be observed in the celebration of Divine "V^rship, and I, mean to explain to you, as briefly as. may be cont sistent with cleanness, some improvements which have lately beea. introduced into our service. That some improvements and ref<;»inSi Iff e required in ith^.'s^ces of the Church, I iirill quot^ the words; of the Rev. J. C. Ryle, a mt^niwho is loolqediup toby all the' i extreme low Church party in England as their leader, but who is nevertheless equally respected by alL I heard that able and learned divine utter these words nt the Nottingham Congress, and I quote them from the official Report: — < t *'Our beloved Church does not get the full benefit of its numbers and position, for want of reforms and sensible adaptations to the advanced requirements of the times. It presists in wearing the old clothes which were made for our grandfathers see years ago, and is consequently cramped and hampered when it takes the field." " Let her infuse fresh blood and vigour into her machinery, and show the world that she is elastic and not cast-iron, and can meet the times; th^ will she renew her youth like the eagle, and not be ashamed when she speaks with her enemies in the gate.'' [Doubtless it was this very sentiment which has wrought the many improvements — ^undoubted improvements — which we have wit. nessed during the past few years. The wretched old Metrical (?) Psalmody of Tate and Brady has retired before the Evangical and truly poetic as well as Scriptural " Hymns, ancient and modem," The New Lectionary for the ^.r:t lime used on the first day of Januuary last, has superseded that which had been in use for three hundred years ; and those who watch Church movements view with amazement, if not with somewhat of alarm, the sweeping changes proposed to be introduced by the Archbishop of Canterbury.] I regret however that I am obliged to make these explanations not on die loving invitation of whole-souled church-members, but in refutation of the false and slanderous gossip and chit-chat which has occupied certain ignorant and wicked detractors and afforded food to their ill-constituted minds, during the 'past week, persons who have even attempted to parade their supposed grievances before the public, and to have their aspersions against their Pastor inserted in the public press of our town with the secret stab of the "annony- mous correspondent." I am glad however to find that the con- ductors of our newspapers had too much self-respect to allow their columns to be prostituted to such an unworthy purpose.** I am always, not only too ready, but too happy, to explain to any member of my flock or to any inquiring soul to whatever denomination he may belong, any difficulties, which may arise in his or her mind jcspecting either doctrine or discipline. ; As to the first pou?t — "The cougregation standing while the offertory is being made." First of all, no one is obliged to stand and, as a matter of fact, some one or two continue sitting. Tis very true that I have expressed myself as desirous that the congre. gation should stand at that time, not merely because it is the ail- but universal practice in our dear mother Church in England, but because it is only decent, when we present our oflferings to the Giver of all good, that we should do so in a reverential and respectful manner. Would you, I ask, present a tribute to your earthly monarch carelessly lolling in your chair ; and is the King of Kin^ and Lord of Lords to be treated with less r spect ? It is an essen- tial part of Divine Worship to make an offering of your worldly substance as well of your souls and your bodies. — " Ye shall not come before -the Lord empty" is the unrepealed order of the Almighty. — ^Those who in the lazy position of lolling pass the plate with an excusing nod, or who, desirous of saving their decency, put on the plate the three or five cent bit, an acknowledg- ment to God, for food, health, clothes, house, family, and all the blessings of this life for the past week, can have but a small appre- ciation of the claim which He has upon us. Who hath given us all things richly to enjoy. Read the history of the early church in the Acts; those, who brought their oflferings, laid them reverently at the Apostles' feet, and when a false-hearted man, and his equally false- hearted wife, would deceive the Church, the estimate of the offer- tory service is well expressed in the words "thou has not lied unto men but unto God." The offertory was not made to man, but to God.^ .(m „::^V ,ti. A second cause for grievance is, that I have erected a Confessional and that I have a newly-formed choir of boys; and, after some occult and mysterious rites, we all walk into church in solemn procession, and that I purpose robing the choiristers in surplices. This you will say perhaps is somewhat of an exaggeration, and puting the case too strong, but such has been the assertion made. Now as the facts, — I found our Choir needed replenishing and I adopted an idea, broached by my worthy young friend who filled my place during my temporary absence, that it would be well to avail ourselves of the services of some of the boys of the congrega- tion for this purpo.is. But my experience in this matter has been that, at fint at all eveiitt, boys shoiild be under thelmihediateeye •of their eklerF^ for we all kiUm that a devotional spirit is not, as a itult, the spirit of a fine healthy lad in all the buoyancy of youth; baving therefore enlisted a few boys as .choristers, I proceeded to pr(>vide seats for them in front of the choir, so as to be under 'my own supervision ; and, in order that they might be present at the cotnmeticement of Divine Service, and also be imbued with a proper spirit when in the Sanctuary, I deemed it most desirable, nay absolutely necessary, that they should come to the Vestry and joiti me in prayer (and here I may say that my practice has always been to offer a private prayer in the vestry, before enter- ing the church) I say I considered that it would do miich t6 the solemnizatiou of their minds, as weU as bring a blessing to their young hearts to offer up, before they entered the Church, such a prayer as this : — " O, Almighty God,'grant that the words we are about to repeat with oiir lips, we may feel in our hearts, and ■practise in our lives." And so far, I have not been mistaken in my anticipations, for I bear them record that their demeanour has been most reverential. Of course God only can see the heart, but as far as the outward behaviour is concerned, that has been most Sflltisfactory ; and, after seryice, before leaving God's House, we have aftother prayer, of similar import. »A»^«/ I (--rkf /t As to the surplice question, surely it would be well to adopt the sentiment " that we should not cry out till we are hurt," I have not invested the choristers in snowy garments, emblematic of the hearts of all who serve God in His Sanctuary, they have not, like Samuel of old, been girded with the linen ephod when they knmister before the Lord; I have refrained from doing this, because tiie accomnodation was so limited, and a surpliced choir would be, perhaps, out of place in our contracted little church. To you, the members of the choir, and more especially to you, my Dear Boys, I would say, remember you are doing Angels' work, you have entered on a high and holy service ; ever consider it your highest privilege to do all you can for the hondur of God, more especially in the service of His holy Church. Some will try by the shafts of ridicule to turn you from the path of ydur duty and privilege, heed tiiem not, they are Satan's agents, doing Satan's Work, they iroidd pmreikt you obeying the injunction of the sweet Psalmist of Israel ** Young men and maidens, old men and children, pndse the name 6f the Lord." Disturbers are they, hinderers of God's word, Christians in name perhaps, but only in name, for they a^e the troublers 6f oiir Israel. ]iu't alas! ihat there should be neeii ofa special clioir m ouir ciiuir^K ! Why should not the whole congregation be a choir? and wiUk one heart, one soul, so also with one voice sing the praises of God, " lustily and with a good courage ?" But what is the fact ? Only a very few comply with the directions of Scripture and of the Church in the offices of Praise, — and as to the responding, although you as a congregation, compare favourably vrith others, yet are you far short of what you ought to be. The general confession is " said after me " by a very few, by, perhaps, half a dozen, a few others mumble some uncertain sounds, while the majority of the congregation are mute, — and the same with the rest of all the s'»rvice. As to the "Amens," they are very few indeed. It must be in the minds of many, what ■ap agitation arose in the Parish some three years ago when the choir chanted the "Amens," because the people would not repeat tl^em. Well, at the Micitation of a fcv. weak-minded parishoners, that practice was abandoned, and how melancholy has been the result I Instead of a full, hearty " Amen" sung by the choir; in which many, joined, we have now one or two mutters, and sometimes not even so many; surely I have spoken to you on this point once and again, but all to little or no effect. A parishoner has told me that, somf weeks ago, he took his place in the lower part of the church and responded in his ordinary voice, that all around him at once gave him a broad stare, as though he had committed some grave offence i^ainst decorum and propriety. Ah, my good peopler has this thought never occurred to you— how ready you are to carp, to take iexception at what you may be pleased to consider the fault pf your minister, and how blind you are to your own short comings? Jn my private devotions, a few mornings since, I read this text, ** and He was casting out a devil, and it was dumb." Come down, BJessed Saviour, and now perform a similar miracle of grace among this people. "O LCird, open Thoti our liipS." "Arid biir mouth shall shew forth thv prafee." ... ^ Suppofe the scene changed, and, Oh, that it were changed I from the Church on earth, militant, to the Church in Heaven, triumphant Suppose that one of those glorious beings, who surround the throne of the Omnipotent, were to invite his fellows to sing a glorious Hallelujah to Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Iamb, suppose you that then even one of the Redeemed and Saved Church would remain mute and apathetic, while the Redeemer's love was being chanted ! Another alleged cause for dissatisfaction is, like the former, the result of ignorance/ — ''Bowing at the sacred name." On this sub- ject I do not now speak for the first time. Are these objectors a.ware that this is in accordance with scripture, " wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus e^'ery knee should bow?" Are these objectors aware that it is in accordance also with the Canons of our Church? In the i8th Canon we find this direction, ** Likewise, when in time of Divine Service, the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall be done by all per- sons present, as it hath been accustomed ; testifying by these out- ward ceremonies and gestures, their inward humility. Christian resolution, and due acknowledgment that tllie Lord Jesus Christ, the true and eternal Son of God, is the only Saviour of the world, in whom alone all the mercies, graces, and promises of God to mankind for this life, and the life to come, are fully and wholly comprised." So that the changes and innova- tions are not to be charged on those who bow, whenever the sacred name occurs, but on those who do not. T^ey are those, who are changing the customs and invading the institutions of our forefathers, who after all, perhaps, were a little wiser than their descendants. I am often grieved to notice the growing neglect of this most seemly and reverential observance. One might naturally expect that, in days when infidelity rears its brazen front with unparalleled impudence, when blasphemers abound and scoffers walk on every side, the people of God would wax more zealous, and become more tenacious of every badge distinguishing them as worshippers of an insulted Lord. New light, however, seems to have broken in upon some of them, a light which I do not believe to have come from heaven, whencesoever else it came from, teaching t 'Ah, iv,/*"-. ■ *«■.^«l. .<•!»••'" i ■ t them that now, is the time to relax in these points,-^the leaion to rob the Lord of th&t outwMrd demonitiation of respect which his enemies delight to see withdrr.wn from Him. " It is too Popish^T say these silly objectors. For my part, I have never, but once in boyhood, been at service in a Roman Catholic place of Worship^ and therefore am 'mable to say what the custom is there; these objectors seem ^ be more familiar with the service of the Mass than I am. — But this custom is not borrowed from Rome ; it was a universal custon in the Church from the beginning. But, even were it borrowed from Romanism, are we, therefore, to reject it? Then indeed ours would be but a sorry skeleton of a religion. Away go the Creeds I Away goes the LoH!s Prayer ! I Away goes the whole of the blessed Bible ! ! ! Romanism is Christianity, as I conceive added to, and corrupted by man's device. Our Religion, the Religion of the Reformed Church of England, is Christianity, rescued and reformed, after the most perfect form of the Church in her first and purest days, and in strict accordance with Holy Scrip* ture. Our beautiful Liturgy is no other than the Romish Prayer Book, purged of all, that the fond inventions of man had intro* duced, to deface a pure worship. Those who refuse to bow, and who stiffen the neck and toss back the head, when the sacred name is pronounced, shew how little regard they pay either to the posi- tive command of Scripture or the express direction of their Church. \ Our Rukic enjoins kneeling during the supplicatory portions of the service ; and, fast and fast are many in our congregations departing from this command. I do not suppose that there are a dozen persons in this church who kneel; and yet who will be bold enough to assert that the exercise of kneeling is not enjoined in the Testaments, both Old and New, enforced by the example of our Blessed Redeemer himself and his Holy Apostles. I do not know, because I have never tried, and I trust in God that I never shall be tempted to try, what degree of devotional feeling accom- panies a sitting posture during the worship of my Heavenly Father, but I much question the advantages of such a comfortable and sleep-inviting demeanour. While we remain in the body we cannot discover the intimate connection, subsisting between the outward act and the inward thought ; but it does appear to me an ode' way of obeying the Apostolic exhortation to " glorify God in your body Ji -(.•^"N. TNs to tl' 'p^i ■ ikfr «nd in your spirit, which Are God's," to attempt such a disjunc- tldn of mind and mattier just where we are admonished specially to join them in the service and Worship of God. To deny or to cortail the homage of the body, in order to exalt that of the soul, is going against universal experience and against the tenor of His injunction, Who knew what is in man better than man himself knows it To me I confess that it is a very delightfUl momrvit of realization, in regard to the privilege of church membership and the Communion of Saints, when Brethren and Sisters-in-the-Lord, do outward homage to HiM, who in taking their nature upon Him ne/er ceased to be "God over all, Blessed for ever." It is surely fitting and meet that, that flesh which He deigned to take into connection with Deity, should with lowly and external reverance, hail Him as God manifest in the flesh. Jesus Christ qu.^ Lord, are words of mighty and immeasurable import ! The Saviour, the Anointed, our Anointed, our God, the Captain of our^Salvation, the Head of His body the Church, which body we are, it was He Who wore our form, bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, Who walked our earth, a persecuted and afRicted man. Who hung upon the cross for our sins, descended into the grave, that it might become to us the gate of life, and now in heights of eternal glory visits our temple and harkens to our prayci. Let those, who can, deny Him this poor tribute of gateful reverence, but, so long as I have power to use a muscle, I will bow, in deep and willing adoration, to the glorious and blessed name of Jesus Christ, My Lord. '.--> ^..* -m.,^ ^ .=. .j . V-.f. 7 »4, Then again exception is taken against me because some of the congregation make a reverence at the " Gloria :" all minds are not constituted alike ; some are more devotional and reverential than others, while perhaps each is equally loving, and it may be, equally devout; but why interfere with another's liberty? The practice of bowing on such occasions is a very ancient, and at the ^Kune time a beautiful custom, and once was a uiiiversal rule iA Worshippers. Does it not seem correct and proper that man below should make a reverence at words of such import and such deep devotion, especially as we re^ in the Apocalyptic visioi^ ^t the Heavenly Inhabitants veil their fiices and &11 down before Him that sitteth upon the throne, and cast their crOwbs ^f -^ i-A at His 'ftet a^ tKey chatht 'fhe triuiiiphal hytiin, '-Hdly, Hbly^ Holy, Ldra Gdd ^migliiy, nrliich i& ^d Was atnd is to Cdfjie/' ^at^s of ihdSt holy iihjioi^ lind cteep devoifidn? Instead of taldng exceptions a^amst their tirethfen and Sisters for the exhibi- ti'On of too mudi revei'efide, Would it not te better that these objectors sliould shew sbhfewhat mOte devotion themselves. I see inany doming into God's House in the most irreverent manner, flinging theimselves iiito their seat as though they were in a Play House or a Concert Room, their eyes wa:ndering about, and nfever offering a secret prayer that "the words of their mouth airtd the meditations of their hearts may be acceptable in the sight of the Lord, their Sti'ength, and their Redeemer." . My Brethren, Dearly Beloved in the Lord, however arrogantly a few (and I believe a very few) may assume to themselves the position of sitting in judgment on their minister, and however, assiduously they may go round the parish, endeavouring to generate an ill- feeling against him, yet am I concious to myself, in the presence of my Heavenly Master, of doing my duty faithfully, though it may be feebly, not witholding from yov the whole counsel of God, pressing on you the the great Salvation purchased by our adorable Redeemer on Calvary's Hill ; and I will yield to none in honestly urging upon you, with every energy which God has giv^ me, the blessed Evanglical Doctrines of our beloved Church, a moon which has no light of her own, but derives all her brilliancy 4uid all her splendour from the glorious Sun of Righteousness. ■ Soundness of Doctrine is not incompatible with decency and order of ritual. ,, ,, ,, Threats have been used that if the Boys' Choir, to which I hope to have large additions, and which, by God's blessing, I thean to eft'cburage by every possible means in my power, in order thkt bur Service may be made more worthy of Him A^Vhom we worship) ; Threats I say are used that, if the Boys' Choir be continued, there will be a considerable ddection from the Chu¥ch. I do not be- Heve that any thing of the kind will occur, all I can isay is thit any who apostatiize, for such a pretended caused nieVer Were true soiis br dSaughters of the Chtirth. The defecttbn bf such Will be little ffknyloss. ■ ^J IS ,J /»1 t Agauiy another threat has been held out, that the screws of the Voluntary System will be' applied and that if I desire to continue my ministrations in the parish, I must not expect any income from the people. This has been used by one at present before me, one whose name I have never seen as a contributor to any Church ob' ject ; but let me tell that individual, that such a threat has no terror for me, for, though starvation should threaten me and mine, yet would I pursue that course, which the Holy Spirit tells me I should adopt. But neither do I fear this threat either, a threat which manly feeling should have smothered as soon as it was conceived. But after all, there is much encouragement in this miserable op- position, the result of ignorance in the case of some, of ignorance and wickedness in the case of others. An opposition to which, perhaps, I give more prominence that it deserves, by noticing it in the least degree. It shows me that I am doing good work. Never n the history of the Church, from the day that Satan beguiled our first Mother from her allegiance down to the latest period in the Church's history, never did the Lord put it into the heart of any of His servants to be more earnest, more zealous, more decided in His cause and for His glory and for the salvation of souls but Satan also puts it into the hearts of his agents to counteract if pos- sible, and by any means to check the blessed work of labor and love. Even Paul himself was not without this trial, " Alexander the copper- smith hath done me much harm, the Lord reward him according to his work." After a ministry extending over thirty years I have now for the first time to refer to myself from the pulpit. If, how- ever, these false aversions, so assiduously propagated, affected only myself, personally, I would have passed them by as "the idle wind which I regard not," but when they are aimed at the peace of the church, whose minister I am, then I felt that it was my duty, however painful, in accordance with the advice of a valued friend, to notice them and to explain the principle on which I acted in these points which have so agitated, not the church-going portion of the congregation, but a few vfho seldom are seen within the Sanctuary walls. I pray God thet He will be pleased to turn their hearts and to give them a large portion of that humility which was so characteristic of our Blessed Master, Far more congenial would it have been to me to have taken, as I at first intended, the V—nr-r if 13 subject of this da/s sennon fix>m the first Lesson, and to have enlarged on the bright side of the prophecy, " the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's head/' instead of being obliged to take up the darker side " It shall bruise thy te^'' May the Lord pour into all our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace of all wmIm Amen. , :'li^ .■.;;'-, ..■•■; •: ■iiU: : -iij. -jfT ly'f- i Iji ( > ■• l"u f ■ C-< •■;;.; "^ . •P«;f' ■ I, ■ ■ ' • I-'"' <:;/.■ ^.'f:*'- . ^ f ■ . ' , '.- ' * * V t - 1 , t ' ' ' ''i ' f"* • * • ■ . i - * - 1 ,1," * * . ' '1 : i . t • ■■'-':,: . 't^i'S'. '0 .h-i.; ..Hi- 1 ■ ■ ' -* r ■ -.7 h : \ ) ■;: --.urndr-jit'^x? ■ ■A. O: ... ■- • J *■:*-= ."' 1 "f , ■ . I't ■ 'r 1,4 ty- .:■; :::!j Vi. ::- -u/? - ' :', ;^ ;•': '■ :?iiii ,. j> ■' ''it:. on ix.'-v"',' ■ ' -'-wl ■■.'■. ■ '^j ''■. .•• ■';. -■■ V' :. r^-ii'^r .,:?;■. '■ t / '.'..J 'ly-Oru' '.'_.mihi',i^ *■ .*■-■'''•' t.' ■ ' *" - , . '" " St NORTHS. • • .1 a The following article appeared in the CoUingwood Enterprise^ Its February. " '' " Pjlaying at Popery."— As a "Churchman but not a Papist,' neglected to send us his real name, we must decline to insert his communication, beiaring the above title. We are asked to " pro- nounce upon" the "innovations" that have been recently made at the English Church, in this town. We decline to do so, because it is not ours, but the business of the congregation, to express them- selves upon any matter which they may consider afifects the interests of their church. We may state, however, that the introduction of a boy-choir, with or without surplices, is not necessarily an indica- tion of High Churchism. ^ I am indebted to the Rev. John Carry, B.D., for the following information, apposite to this subject The OflFertory Service in the Primitive Church was very different from the general irreverence of the present day. The Roman Emperors, after the Empire had become Christian, did not sit on their thrones in the Church, and drop their offerings into a dish presented to them. It was granted to them as a special favor to be allowed to rise from their superb. throne, walk into the Chancel, and lay their gift on the Altar. The learned Bingham, discoursing of the uses of the Chancel in the Primitive Church, says : (Antiqq Bk. viii. c. vi. Sect. 7) "St. Ambrose would not permit the Emperor Theodosius himself to communicate in this part, but obliged him to retire as soon as he had made his oblation at the Altar, which cus- tom continued for some time after, as appears from what The- odosius Junior says of himself, in the Acts of the Council of Ephesus, that he only went up to the Altar to make his oblation, and having done that, retired again to the Exterior Court or atrium of the people. And so we find it decreed, correspondent to this practice, in the Council of TruUo, That no lay-man whatsoever should come unto the altar-part, except only the Emperor, when he had ma4e his oblation to the Creator, according to ancient custom." c In my early school days this was a universal practice. I well remember the entire class making a reverence when the line in Alvar/s Prosody occured — "/« recto ac^atric, et venerandum notnen lESU." When I went to my first curacy, an occurence took place k IS which showed me the practical utility of this respectful act An old half-pay was conversing t*' Ji some other gentleman, and swore by the sacred name; I rose up my hat, ana made an inclination m my head. My military friend immediately attacked me, somewhat rudely, asking me if I intended to insult him. I replied, "Not by any means, but I always made a bow whenever I heard that name.'' I then walked away. When next I met this gentleman, he told me that "he had been dwelling on the gentle rebuke I gave him; he thanked me for so doing, and said he would endeavour to break himself of so useless and, unquestionably, so wicked a habit" t