wishing needlessly for conflict, that she interprets our too passive forbearance into acquiescence with her proceedings, to a cowardly timidity-or conscious weakness on our part. Such, however, is not in reality the case. Fear forms as little the portion of our Protestant fellow-countrymen, as it does of any. Their honesty may be taken advantage of their confidence may be betrayed and undue advantages be thereby gained, by the low and intriguing artifices to which designing persons may resort. But that honest confidence betrayed, will prove, when the truth and falsehood is discovered, the means of bringing upon her system the unmitigated scorn and anger of the people.

Rome may overshoot the mark, as before she has done. A recoil will take place. Persons see that concessions do not conciliate-that endowment of Popery will not procure her friendship. Politicians are doubting the expediency of their own favourite measures. Men of faith and of prayer are now more actively on the move.

The religious of the land are becoming awakened to the importance of the matters at issue. What shall we do at the next election? they are beginning to ask. Shall we elect those who betray us? Shall we send men to Parliament who will support Popery? Have we no other candidates? Is every interest of such vast importance that it must be represented, and are Protestant institutions so valueless, that we need not that any care should be taken for them?

But it is frequently asked, "What can I do? Gladly would I exert myself, if any course appeared open to me, but I see none." None, perhaps, which seems adequate to arouse your exertions, or likely to reward your labours with immediate success. But be not neglectful of each small occasion-in due season you shall reap, if you faint not. Every one may do something, and if each one did what he ought, then the result would be far better than it is. Victory is not gained by the exertion of one man alone, but by the united action of the whole army. Let not small things be despised by those who have not the power to perform great things. Let them impart to others the information which they themselves possess. Let them circulate the papers and periodicals published by our Association : opinions lead to action. Contemptible as the grains of sand appear, trampled as they are, and disregarded, beneath the feet; tossed about by the winds, and wafted by the waves, they have yet been used by the Divine Architect to form an irresistible barrier to the encroachments of the ocean, and to check the incursion of those waves which beat upon their surface.

Thus may each one present a barrier against Popery. By prayer, by effort, by union, much may be done. They may repel the Romish invasion, drive back the calumniators of our religion, and make our beloved Church and country to be more than ever yet they have been, blessings to the nations of the earth.

THE PRESENT WANTS OF THE CHURCH.

A LETTER TO HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

BY HENRY KINGSCOTE, ESQ.

London: Seeley, Burnside, and Seeley. pp. 32.

THIS pamphlet has acquired great notoriety from the name of its author, the nature of its subject, and the eminent personage to whom it is addressed.

We have not for a long time read any publication with such deep interest. The past history of the Church, its present position, and its future prospects, seem to have been present to the mind of the writer with unusual vividness. He has written as a patriot-as a Christian desirous of promoting the glory of God-the temporal and spiritual happiness of his fellow-creatures. The letter takes its rise from the following circumstances.

In the course of last year, an Address was presented to the Archbishop of Canterbury, signed by many noble, influential, and respectable persons, praying that some means might be adopted towards removing the growing evils of a Church inadequate to the wants of a rapidly-increasing population. That Address pointed out that the efficiency and usefulness of the National Church might be very greatly increased by arrangements, which, without introducing any organic changes, should bring into active operation the powers and capacities now lying dormant in her existing institutions.

It proposed chiefly two things:-1st. The expediency of increasing largely the members of the third order of our clergy, the deacons, which it was suggested might be effected by admitting, on such conditions as would maintain the order and discipline of the Church, persons who had not the means or opportunity of proceeding to a University degree, but who were found competently trained for the service of the Sanctuary, their advancement to the higher order of the ministry being made contingent upon a faithful discharge, during a lengthened period, of the office of a deacon, or upon such other circumstance as his Grace the Archbishop and the other members of the Episcopal Bench might think fit.

2. The propriety of sanctioning and encouraging the employment of a class of laymen, who, without altogether abandoning their worldly callings, might be set apart under episcopal authority to act as visitors of the sick, Scripture-readers, catechists, and the like, in parishes where their introduction should be approved of by the parochial clergy.

Upon the reply given to this Address, Mr. Kingscote observes, p. 5, "Your answer was courteous; coming from your Grace, it could not be otherwise; but anything less encouraging to the hopes of the petitioners anything less indicative of a desire on your part to act with boldness and decision, such as the times demand, it would be difficult to imagine."

"Under these circumstances," Mr. Kingscote proceeds, "I feel that I should be acting with insincerity if I approached you with the language of compliment. The business is too serious and urgent for

anything but plain speaking. I look around me and see a scene too nearly resembling that described by the prophet in such affecting language, Ezek. xxxiv. 2, &c."

"The responsibility of such a state of things must rest somewhere. It rests, in a measure, on all who can do something. It presses heavily on those who can do most. My Lord, I do but give utterance to the thoughts of ten thousand bosoms when I tell you, looking at the place you fill, the resources within your reach, and the present temper of our public men, that immensely more might be done in this direction by the Heads of the Church, if they had the heart to do it.

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“ Let us look the evil in the face. We cannot conceal it, if we would. Enemies to the Church, for the sake of exposing its defects—friends, to enlist the public sympathies in favour of their several schemes of improvementeconomists, for the sake of building up some favourite theory with an array of figures and calculations—have exhibited the principal facts till they have become familiar to us all. Let me give a few as a specimen of a hundred more, showing how completely inadequate is our existing machinery for the spiritual education of the people.

"The population, gathered within eight miles of St. Paul's, is computed at 2,250,000. For the instruction of this vast multitude there are about 500 clergymen, or one for 4,500 souls. But the instances are not few in which 10,000 and more are allotted to a single man as his flock.

"It has lately been ascertained that in Lambeth, and the five adjoining parishes, there are no less than 20,000 children without the means of education; and as this is no new evil, the parents, in a vast number of cases, are as untaught as the children. The population of the metropolis, and the suburban parishes, increases at the rate of 30,000 a year. To keep pace with this growth, fifteen Churches should be built annually, and two ministers appointed to each. I need not say, with all the efforts of the last ten years, since the Bishop of London's scheme was made public, how short the supply falls of this demand. Probably not half the increase has been provided for, and the other half is added to the previously existing mass of some million and a half who are living without any public acknowledgment of the Almighty.

'Deplorable as this case is, when the whole metropolitan population come to be divided amongst the metropolitan Churches and Clergy, it is far worse when particular instances are selected. Many of the city parishes are abundantly supplied. Some of the most populous districts, thanks to the recent zeal for church-building among the laity, and to the unwearied labours of many admirable incumbents and curates, who ply their daily task in courts and alleys, are thoroughly explored and faithfully overlooked. But there are others near them absolutely waste and desert as regards spiritual cultivation, where the people are so many, and the teachers so few, that the spiritual provision made from public resources becomes a perfect mockery.

"I here beg to refer you to the annexed table, which I believe to be correct, and the following facts taken from the Reports of two Societies.

"A thousand labourers, therefore, would find ample employment in the places of extremest need alone; and to me our deliberations about new ecclesiastical arrangements, and all our efforts for Church extension, and other good things, seem to be miserably below the mark, while this grand desideratum is kept out of sight, namely, living men to speak, where living men will hear them, of God and Christ, of judgment and salvation, of repentance and holiness.

"You must excuse me, my Lord, if I speak strongly; but I am indeed grieved to find that responsible persons, occupying the watch-towers of our city, and having great influence with rulers and with people, remain satisfied, while nothing is being attempted on any large scale to redress evils like these. It may be that they will baffle us when we rise up to meet them; for our sins the Almighty Ruler may have let this host of untaught citizens grow and grow, till we can cope with it no longer, and Christianity possibly must now surrender to the powers of evil the ground which they have held so long. But who would dare to come to such a conclusion till remedies were exhausted? New methods should be tried, if old ones have failed. A searching investigating spirit should be at work. Devotion to precedents should not pass for the highest wisdom, nor enterprise in a high and holy cause be regarded as wickedness and folly. If need be, something should be ventured for God and souls.

"For the Church to stand still, while all the world is astir and busily adapting its institutions to its wants, is, I make bold to say, at least as dangerous as the experiments of the rashest ecclesiastical innovators, and much more full of hazard than anything which I shall venture to suggest in the following pages."

Mr. Kingscote then suggests that if objections exist to having lay deacons, then lay readers may be substituted, an auxiliary force, thankfully received by many of the clergy. The Bishop of London and the Bishop of Winchester placed themselves at the head of such a movement two years ago. "And under their sanction and approval of every step which has been taken, the Society sent out some fifty men with the Bible in their hands, and the love of the Saviour in their hearts, to rouse the slumbering masses of our fellow-townsmen to some thought and care about their souls' salvation."

After pointing out various instances in which incumbents had borne high testimony to the efficiency and usefulness of this class of men, he thus further proceeds, p. 26 :

"Men are much more likely to cling closer to the Church in which their zeal has found vent and occupation. There are numbers born in our communion, and growing up in it, who have warm hearts, and a ready tongue, who long to be made useful to their fellow-men, but who have no chance to become clergymen. Is it wise to tell them, 'If you ever become teachers of babes, and instructors of the foolish, you must first cross the parting-line between Churchmen and Dissenters; we have no room or place for you, go

over to the other side, and preach as actively as you please?' This is what the men do say, practically, who object to schemes like ours. By persisting obstinately in their ill-judged career for a long course of years, they have driven forth crowds of men, whose talents might have strengthened the Church in many ways; and now when others, alive to the evil, propose to employ them, under judicious guidance, in the wide field which wants every Christian agency that can be brought to bear upon it, the timid, precedentloving, nineteenth century Churchmen denounce the plan as tending to train up preachers for the sectaries!"

MONTMORENCY.-A ROMAN CATHOLIC TALE

(Continued from page 404.)

WE will now return to the castle, from which we have long been absent, and resume the history of Clara, at the completion of her seventeenth year, when we shall find her the delight of her fond father, the favourite of all who knew her. The tears which had so freely flowed at her mother's death had long been dried-sorrow since then had been a stranger-all that the love of a devoted parent could devise had been done to make her happy; and hitherto his care had been well repaid by the warm affection and unbroken happiness of this idol of his heart. But as childhood gave way to youth, Clara was conscious of an undefined feeling of restlessness; the pursuits which had hitherto occupied her lost their power to interest; the days seemed to pass in one unwearied monotony. She read, she walked, played on her harp, sung her favourite songs, read the papers to Sir Hubert, listened to the advice of Father Joachim; yet she wearied of all these. There were none who could understand her feelings. Nay, she could not understand them herself; but she felt no longer happy, and vainly imagined if she were in a gayer sphere she should then be at the summit of all her wishes. She tried to dismiss these feelings of discontent; but it was far easier to persuade herself she had no cause for unhappiness than really to feel happy. This change in Clara soon attracted the notice of her parent, who anxiously inquired, why she met him without a smile; or, if she smiled at all, why the smile was so soon followed by a sigh. "I know not, my father, but I am tired of all my pursuits. I arise in the morning without energy, and retire to rest, feeling I am useless in the world and a burden to myself. If I try to reason I have but self-reproach to comfort me, since I clearly see I ought to be happy."

Sir Hubert gently chid his daughter. "Of no use, my Clara, when a fond father looks to your affectionate love as the solace of his declining days; but if you are weary of the old man's society, and long for gayer scenes and younger companions, your desire shall be

gratified.'

"Dear father, think me not so devoid of gratitude and affection as to wish to leave you. I cannot account for feeling thus. Sometimes, I own, I eagerly long for gaiety and amusement; but I oftener feel we were formed and sent into the world for a nobler motive than merely living in pleasure."