(3.) In carefully educating in the truth, as it is in Jesus, the children of the poorer classes, through the means of the NATIONAL SCHOOL SOCIETY.

But in addition to these labours at Home, she is engaged Abroad,

(4.) In carrying the light of the truth by her Missionaries, among those that are now sitting in darkness and the shadow of death; and at the same time in continuing the means of grace to her own expatriated children, through the SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.

Lastly, and in intimate connexion with all her operations, both at Home and Abroad, she is engaged,

(5.) In circulating the Word of Life, in the Bible, in the Book of Common Prayer, and in useful religious publications, through the means of the SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNowledge.

For the CHURCH then, thus engaged in furthering the SALVATION OF MAN,-for the annual support of the Church, in each and all of these her labours of love, the Upper Clapton and Stamford Hill Church Fund has been established.

have

We are the children of the Church: it has pleased our Heavenly Father to take us out of the world, and to place us in her arms for salvation: under her nurture we have been brought up; in her paths we gone on from one means of grace to another, from spiritual blessing to spiritual blessing :-and having thus freely received, shall we not freely give? Shall we not do our best to enable the Church to visit others with those means of salvation with which she has so amply blest us?

Let us take into consideration the grievous excess there has been for years in the population of this country above the Church accommodation for it; let us remember what the yearly increase of that population is two millions nearly had been added to it at the census of 1831-and the want of churches

in the country, and the increasing want will be manifest. Let us look at the numbers crowded together in the bye-streets, lanes, and suburbs of our large towns-remembering that an eternal world awaits them all: but "how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?" Let us think too of the children in such places as these; and of the children of the poor in general; growing up to be a blessing to the nation, or a curse to it, as they shall be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, or in alienation from it. Let us think of those in foreign parts, children of the same family, who are crying day and night to us, to send over and help them. Let us ask ourselves, whether it is not bound upon us, as members of the Church, to take our part in the fulfilment of the last injunction of the great Head of the Church, "Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."-Let us think on these things; and say, if there be not indeed a cause before us, worthy of our hearty, liberal, and continued pecuniary assistance.

And how little comparatively is required of us! Supposing that those who are able to do so, contribute a pound annually to each of these societies,what is such a sum, when its object, and our duty, and the blessings which it contributes to bestow, are considered? How many objects even of useful annual expense does the duty of thus speeding the Word of Truth and Life over the world certainly precede in its claim upon us! How many more that administer to our passing pleasure only! How few could such a sum be spent upon with equal satisfaction!

But though the importance of collecting a large sum must not be overlooked; it is much more desirable, that we should all, out of one common feeling

for the Church of which we are members, give something, than that a few only in comparison should give largely.

Are we not all ONE in Christ Jesus? ONE in obligation? ONE in the faith and hope of our calling? ONE in the obedience due to our Lord and Master? You love the Church, you desire, and pray for her welfare; but you have hitherto given nothing to it; and you plead as your excuse that you are too poor, or only a servant, and that the little, therefore, you can give is not worth the giving. But is it not our Lord's rule in this matter, to every one of us,-to give of our ability?-And has He not promised to accept what is given according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not? If then the shilling or the sixpence given to each of these Societies, be as truly of the ability that God giveth, as the larger sum of the richer contributor;-if it be the heart's offering to the Church in this spirit, "God speed thee here and every where: what thou dost for me, do for others!"-will not God be pleased with such a gift?

It is however the heads of families among us, the masters and mistresses of households, who are more especially called upon for their co-operation in this work. Nor is their own individual support of the "Church Fund" more earnestly requested, than that they would recommend it to the different members of their families and households-that they would interest themselves in explaining to them the great Christian purposes to which they are invited to contribute, and as far as their own households are concerned, take the charge of the collection upon themselves.

And to what better end-it may be asked-could the influence of that station be directed in which it has pleased God to place every master and mistress of a family? or what would better become the Christian heads of Christian households,-standing as

they do before God in something of the light of his ministers to the Church in their own houses,-than the coming before Him, once a year, and laying upon his altar the united tribute of themselves and their families to the service of His Church?

May

May God incline our hearts to the work! He, to whose glory in the Gospel of His Son all we do is dedicated, in this and all our works, prevent us with His most gracious favour, and further us with His continual help, for His Son's sake.

Rev. C. J. Heathcote.

Take good heed, I say, in any case, of high climbing cogitations; of clambering up to heaven without this ladder, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, as He is simply, plainly, and most excellently described in the word. Only do thou rely upon Him, and suffer not thyself to be drawn from Him, with thy wit, human sense, and reason: so shalt thou take a right hold of God.-Luther.

OFFICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Q. What is the peculiar office of the Holy Spirit? A. To sanctify and renew our corrupt nature, and restore it to its primitive perfection and dignity. For since without holiness it is impossible to please God, or attain that happiness which consists in the enjoyment of Him, and that the frailty and weakness, as well as the corruption of our nature, is so great, that we are not able of ourselves to accomplish this mighty work, God has been graciously pleased to grant us His Holy Spirit to be the Author of all internal holiness, and the principle of our spiritual life; and consequently it is this blessed Spirit that gives clearness to our faith, zeal to our charity, and strength and power to all our graces.-Nelson.

The Churchman's

Monthly Companion.

JULY, 1844.

ST. CLEMENT OF ROME.

CLEMENT was a fellow-worker with St. Paul in the Gospel of Christ'; but the thick veil which obscures the history of the early Church, hides from our sight all that took place between his residence at Philippi, and his becoming bishop of Rome. Nothing but a course of unblemished life and unwearied exertion could have led his brethren to think him not unworthy of presiding in a Church where the words and the works of two Apostles were still fresh in memory. About three and twenty years had passed since their martyrdom; and two bishops, Linus and Anencletus, had successively discharged the pastoral office, when Clement was summoned to its ministration.

(A.D. 92.) Thus he succeeded to a charge, of which we can but faintly estimate the exceeding weight. As a companion of Apostles, he would be looked up to with reverence, and his authority would be appealed to, as of one whose information was drawn from the fountain-head, "having their preaching still sounding in his ears, and their traditions before his eyes." But as not being an Apostle, he would have to contend with rebellious spirits, who

1 Phil. iv. 3.