with which they practised this method of preaching the Gospel of CHRIST, and exhorting us in our day, as well by their writings as by that most powerful of all arguments, their example, to "go and do likewise."

As to the use of this way of teaching in the Congregation in primitive times, the passage from St. Paul's 14th chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, which I have already cited, seems to be sufficient, though others might be adduced, either directly or by implication, conclusive of the Apostolic custom. And, in later times, it has become matter of history: for we find from Bingham, that in the Eastern and Western Churches this was the customary practice. In both, the Bishop was wont to perform this office always once in the year; in the former on the great day of preparation, the day of our LORD's Passion; and in the latter on Palm Sunday: while at other times the Presbyters and Deacons were the Catechists.

The usefulness of catechising seems to have been universally acknowledged, and the practice as universally adopted, in the Christian Church. I believe, indeed, there has never been any great body of persons professing Christianity, who have not, to a greater or less extent, employed it. In all the Churches of the Roman obedience it has been carefully observed, and not less so among the continental Protestants. Luther was a great Catechist himself, and wrote two Catechisms. Calvin and others of the foreign Reformers were equally careful in this matter. Few things, indeed,

contributed more to the extension of their opinions than the zealous performance of this part of their ministerial duty. And so convinced were the Council of Trent of the effect of these catechisings, that they compiled the Roman Catechism as an antidote, and strictly enjoined all their Priests to teach it diligently to the people.

And what is the judgment of our own Reformed Branch of the Church Catholic in this matter? There is no part of the Ministerial Office on which she lays greater stress, or for the due performance of which she has made a more complete and effectual provision. Rubrics and Canons, Injunctions, and Charges, the writings and the practice of the holiest and wisest of her sons, unite in pressing upon us the constant and faithful discharge of this all-important duty. To this end she has provided a short yet comprehensive Catechism, wherein the young regenerate Christian is taught the blessed privileges and deep responsibilities of that state of salvation into which he has been brought by his Baptism, and instructed in the divinely appointed means of Prayer and Eucharist, by a faithful use of which he may secure a constant supply of GoD's renewing grace, and so "continue in the same unto his life's end."

Moreover, that her care in providing this Manual may not be in vain, she has ordered in the Rubrics, at the end of it, that "the Curate in every Parish shall diligently upon Sundays and Holy Days, after the

second Lesson at Evening Prayer, openly in the Church, instruct and examine so many children of his Parish, sent unto him, as he shall think convenient." And she directs "all fathers, mothers, masters, and dames, to send their children, servants, and apprentices, to the Church at the time appointed, obediently to hear and be ordered by the Curate."

In the 59th Canon, she has given the same order, and attached to the act of disobedience these penalties, which, whether in operation or not, serve to exhibit distinctly the Church's mind :-" If any Minister neglect his duty herein, let him be sharply reproved upon the first complaint, and true notice thereof given to the Bishop or Ordinary of the place. If, after submitting himself, he shall wilfully offend therein again, let him be suspended. If so the third time, there being little hope that he will be therein reformed, then excommunicated, and so remain until he will be reformed." And so, if the others neglect their duty, "as the one sort in not sending them, and the other in refusing to learn," similar penalties are directed against them.

Individual testimonies' in the Church on this point are without end. Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley were both earnest in their injunctions to their Clergy to catechise. The former compiled a Catechism, the basis, I believe, of that we now use; and the latter, speaking of it and the opposition to the teaching of it,

See Ley's Documents and Authorities on Public Catechising, to which the writer is much indebted.

when Mary came to the Throne, says "Satan could not long suffer that so great light should be spread abroad in the world. He saw well enough, that nothing was able to overthrow his kingdom so much as if children, being godly instructed in Religion, should learn to know CHRIST, while they are young: whereby not only children, but the elder sort also, and aged folks, that before were not taught to know CHRIST in their childhood, should now, even with children and babes, be forced to know Him."

Bishop Hall strongly urges the practice of catechising, as the great remedy against error, and he has a passage singularly applicable to the present times.

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Surely," says he, "if ever there were or can be a time wherein this duty of catechising were fit to be enforced, it is this upon which we are fallen; when the souls of Christian people are so hard laid at, not only by Popery, Anabaptism, Antinomianism, but by the confounding heresies of Socinianism, Antitrinitarianism, Pelagianism: prodigious mischiefs, tending not only to the disturbance of our peace, but to the utter destruction of Christianity."

2

But time would fail me to quote the various authorities which may be found in point: suffice it to say, that amongst the Prelates of our Church, from the Reformation to the present day, there is one continuous testimony to the importance and advantage - one

1 Fox's Book of Martyrs, vol. iii. p. 446.
2 Works, vol. vii. p. 96. Oxon.

earnest and unqualified injunction to the exercise, — of this most vital function of the Christian Ministry.

And surely, with evidence such as this, and with the recorded opinion, as well as practice, set before us of such judicious and holy men as Hammond, and Hooker, and Herbert, and a cloud of witnesses of their rank and order, it were needless for me to offer any laboured argument, to induce you to follow their example.

Before, however, I conclude, I would make a few remarks on two difficulties which may suggest themselves; the one regarding ourselves; the other our people.

It may, perchance, be said: Every man has not the gift of catechising, and a crude attempt would not only not profit, but perhaps create a dislike in the hearers. To this I simply reply: My reverend brethren, make the attempt. I acknowledge the task may be a difficult one, and may give you at first considerable trouble; but the helps1 are so many, the employment so enticing, and the profit so great and manifest, that if you will but undertake the experiment, I feel sure that you will neither repent of, nor relinquish the practice.

As regards our people, it may be said, that in some places it would be distasteful to them. Possibly, if introduced injudiciously and without previous explanation, it might prove so. But I am satisfied, that if we

1 Inter alia, Dean Nowell's Catechism; Bp. Nicholson, Archbp. Wake and Bp. Beveridge on the Catechism; Beavan's Help to Catechising; Bather's Hints on Catechising.