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Rome. But that there was such a man, and that he wrote those works, is hard to credit.

From the seventh to the tenth centuries, there was a wish and endeavour among the people of these islands to pass off for real Christianity, and so consign to oblivion the semi-druidical sort of heresy which had been prevalent in the fifth and sixth. And I should look upon these works as having been composed in that spirit and intention, by Culdean, or other British priests, not being Romanists.

I will conclude by just observing, that Coroticus is not a corruption of Caradawg, but of Cereticus. Ceretica was a district of Britain, (nearly coinciding with Cardiganshire,) where St. Patrick sojourned, and from whence he set out on his expedition to Ireland. See Girald. Cambr. ap. Wharton Angl. Sacra., p. 629. H.

SUNDAY CLOTHING CLUBS.

SIR,-The fact is notorious, that, (notwithstanding increased and increasing accommodation,) the attendance of the poor upon public worship falls infinitely short of what it should be. The reason assigned, almost invariably, for this habitual neglect of the public means of grace, is a want of decent clothing. The question is, "How can this objection be removed?"-I answer, (and I would modestly submit it to the careful and deliberate study of every Christian person,) by the establishing of "Sabbath Clothing Societies." Children in our National Schools take home with them, on the Saturday afternoon or evening, the clothing in which they appear on the Sunday, returning that clothing at the school-house on the following Monday;-the same plan, to prevent the possibility of pledging, &c., to any extent, might be adopted regarding the parents. The funds requisite for carrying into effect this project, would, I am aware, be somewhat considerable; but a weekly payment of three pence, or less, until three-fourths of the value of the articles of apparel were paid off, would greatly meet this difficulty-and as a large majority of the poor obtain their articles of dress at tally-shops, this arrangement could not, I conceive, be objected to upon their part. After a year's wear, the Sabbath suit could be presented to them for week-day use: and they would thus be furnished with a succession of reputable apparel, at a very inconsiderable outlay. Many difficulties would, no doubt, meet the whole project, but none, to my mind, which could not, by perseverance, be overcome.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, U.

SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH AND HIS TUTOR.

MY DEAR SIR,-Sir James appears to have been a great admirer of Fenelon, (Life, vol. i., 370, Quarterly Rev., July, No. cvii., p. 275,) and, if I do not greatly err, he has unremittingly borne the strongest testimony to that true saying of the archbishop, (Pious Reflections, 24th day,) "The love of liberty is one of the most dangerous passions

of the heart of man." Sir James, (i., p. 12, Review, p. 258,) speaking of his tutor, Dr. Dunbar, says" but I shall ever be grateful to his memory for having contributed to breathe into my mind a strong spirit of liberty, which, of all moral sentiments, in my opinion, tends most to swell the heart with an animating and delightful consciousness of our own dignity; which again inspires moral heroism, and creates the exquisite enjoyment of self-honour and self-reverence.' Now it is from my perfect accordance with Sir James's opinion, that I say, if I know anything of the gospel of Christ, and if its promises for the life that now is, and that which is to come, are anything but a cunningly devised fable, the moral sentiment which Dr. Dunbar breathed into the mind of his pupil was the greatest curse that he could have inflicted; in fact, I should say that he was serving the god of this world in the most efficacious manner. With this strong impression, how false soever it may have appeared to Sir J. Mackintosh and his tutor, I fancy to myself that I shew unto you a more excellent way. I have ever endeavoured to breathe into my own mind and that of those whom I have had to instruct, not what shall tend to swell the heart with a delightful consciousness of our own dignity, but what shall tend most to sink it with a sad consciousness of our own unworthiness. I make you, it is true, by these means, to feel yourself wretched and miserable, and blind and naked, in your highest and best exaltation over the highest and best of your species. "But I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of nakedness do not appear; and anoint thy eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see." I admit that I cut up, by the root, all "the exquisite enjoyments of self-honour and self-reverence;" but I think that I compensate it with the infinitely higher enjoyments that flow from the honour of another, the respect of another.

Sponte cadis, majorque accepto robore surges. In the "animating and delightful consciousness" of having his merits to plead, his grace to support you, you will be inspired with a moral heroism, that can work-aye, that has worked moral miracles. FRANCIS HUYSHE.

BURIAL FEES.

SIR,-The following Canons of the English church may help to throw light upon the subject which " N. C. T." has brought under notice :Canons of Elfric. A.D. 957.

Canon 27. That no priest sell his ministrations for money, nor make demand of anything for baptism, or any other ministration, &c.

Provincial Canons of Westminster. A.D. 1126.

2. We charge that no price be demanded for chrism, oil, baptism, visiting or anointing the sick, for the communion of the body of Christ, or for burial. Provincial Canons of Westminster. A.D. 1135.

1. Following the canonical institutes of the fathers, we forbid, by apostolical authority, any price to be demanded for chrism, oil, baptism, penance, visitation of the sick, espousals of women, unction, communion of the body of Christ, or burial, under pain of excommunication.

Provincial Canons of London. A.D. 1175.

7. The holy synod detests simoniacal heresy, and ordains that nothing be demanded for orders, chrism, baptism, extreme unction, burial, communion, nor the dedication of a church, but that what is freely received be freely given; let the offender be anathema.

Provincial Canons of Westminster. A.D. 1200.

8. According to the Lateran council, we forbid anything to be demanded for inducting or instituting priests, or other clerks, for burying the dead, or giving the nuptial benediction, for chrism, or any of the sacraments; let the offender have his portion with Gehazi, &c.

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16. And since the covetousness of some has grown to such a height that they strive to set a price upon the inestimable grace of the sacraments, we, being desirous to extirpate from the clergy that love of money (which is the root of all evils), strictly charge that nothing be extorted for the administration of the sacraments, or sacramentals; but let them freely give what they have freely received. We order that no priest, under pain of suspension, demand anything for funeral rites, or the nuptial benediction, &c.

Diocesan Canons of Worcester. A.D. 1240.

35. We strictly charge the priests, that they exact nothing from those committed to them for nuptial benediction, burials of the dead, &c.; but, at the same time, we do not wish to obstruct the pious customs of the faithful, which they may be willing to observe of their own accord.

On the other hand, compare

Provincial Canons of Westminster. A.D. 1102.

26. That corpses be not carried out of their parishes to be buried, so that the priest of the parish lose his just dues.

And Provincial Canons of Oxford. A.D. 1222.

27. We firmly forbid that ecclesiastical burial, or baptism, or other ecclesiastical sacrament, be denied to any on account of money, or matrimony be hindered: since, if by the pious devotion of the faithful, anything is wont to be bestowed, we will trust (Wilkins has nolumus, but the sense requires volumus, and so Johnson translates it,) that justice be done to the churches, in this matter, by the ordinary of the place, as is more largely set forth in the general council, &c.

* Council of Lateran, iii. c. 7. A.D. 1179,-" Whereas, in the church all things should be done of charity, and that which is freely received be freely given. It is too horrid that in some churches the love of gain has taken up its abode; so that, for installing bishops and abbots, and inducting presbyters, moreover, for burial and funeral rites, and benedictions of married persons, and other sacraments, money is demanded. That this may not be done for the future, we strictly charge that nothing be demanded for installing ecclesiastical persons, or instituting priests, or burying the dead, or nuptial benedictions, or the other sacraments."

+ Council of Lateran, iv. a.d. 1215, c. 66.—“ It has come to our knowledge, by frequent complaint, that certain of the clergy exact money for the rites of the dead, nuptial benedictions, and the like, and, if their cupidity be not satisfied, fraudulently interpose fictitious hindrances. On the other hand, some of the laity, through heretical pravity, under the pretence of regard for the canons, strive to infringe the laudable custom which the pious devotion of the faithful has introduced toward the church. Wherefore we both prohibit these disgraceful exactions to be made in this matter, and also charge that the pious customs be observed: ordering that the ecclesiastical sacraments be freely given; but that they who endeavour to change the laudable custom be restrained by the bishop of the place, having knowledge of the truth of the

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SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL

IN FOREIGN PARTS.

SIR,-In offering the remarks which follow, I take for granted that every minister of the church of England is deeply interested in the prosperity of the venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

The question, then, in this matter is-How can we, the parochial clergy, be most instrumental in increasing the efficiency of the society?

In one of your Numbers for last year, I noticed the recommendation of a plan, which was adopted, with considerable success, in the parishes in which I am professionally interested. Your readers may remember that the plan recommended last year was-that the minister of the parish should, on the Sunday before Christmas-day, bring distinctly before his parishioners the claims of the society to their affection and support, and should exhort that the head of each family, throughout the parish, should call together his children and servants on the morning of Christmas-day, and, having set before them the blessings of the Gospel and the duty of all Christians to assist in its propagation to distant nations, should encourage them to join him in his labour of love, and, according to their respective means, contribute to the funds of the society.* These contributions should be sent to the minister to be forwarded to the society.

As my short experience has proved to me that our people not only require to be urged to the performance of duties not laying immediately before them, but also to be assisted in the detail of their arrangements, it might, perhaps, be productive of good, if, in populous parishes, some such short address to the parishioners as the following were printed, and placed in the pews, and in the free-sittings, in the church, on the morning of the Sunday before Christmas-day.

ADDRESS,

To the Parishioners of

MY CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,-I am entitled to presume that you are all anxious to extend to others the religious blessings which are so happily enjoyed by yourselves; and that you not only feel it to be your duty, but find it also a pleasure, to be in any degree instrumental in promoting the salvation of your fellow-creatures. My object, therefore, in laying this paper before you is, not so much to exhort you to the performance of your duty, as to offer a few suggestions as to the manner of making your exertions most effectual.

I would therefore submit to you the following PLAN FOR YOUR ADOPTION, as a means of increasing the funds of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

Let each person into whose hands this paper may fall humbly desire that he may be made, in some degree, useful in extending the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour; and then meekly, but firmly, resolve that he will adopt some plan for the purpose; for instance:

Let him, on the morning of Christmas-day, the anniversary of that day on which to us was born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, call together the various members of his household-children, servants, and dependants-and, in few words, explain to them the blessings of Christianity, and the claims of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel upon every good churchman; and then exhort them to contribute according to their ability to its support; which might be done in some such terms as these:

Our blessed Lord hath said "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." This passage, and many other parts of Scrip

I will now state the results which followed the adoption of this plan, in our united parishes, last year, in a pecuniary point of view :I. In the united parishes of W and Tand T, containing together a population of between 4000 and 5000, we received and transmitted to the secretary of the district committee, in the neighbourhood, the sum of 127. 11s. 2d., making a return of about 21. 10s. for every 1000 persons. Allowing the whole population of England and Wales to be 13,894,574, according to the census of 1831, the benefit to the society at this rate would be 34,7367. 8s. 6d., in one day. However, reducing the average, for reasons which need not to be detailed, from 21. 10s. to even 17. per 1000 persons, the benefit to the society would be 13,8947. 11s. 5d.

II. If the result of our labours should be less satisfactory than it ought to be in a pecuniary view, still, in addition to the positive increase of means, to whatever amount it may be, we have reason to believe that great spiritual benefit will be the effect of an earnest ap

ture, abundantly assure us that the knowledge of Christ is salvation. The most essential service, therefore, we can render to our fellow-creatures is to make known to them the Gospel of Christ, and, for this purpose, we must be willing -nay, we must be glad, to make some sacrifice of those things we have received of a bountiful God; for unless we are ready to do this, we cannot be said to love one another, and we must not forget the words of Christ-" By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Let it therefore be our satisfaction, as it is our duty, to assist in carrying into distant lands the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and bringing the consolations of the Gospel of liberty and peace to those who mourn in the captivity of ignorance and sin. Let us joyfully contribute our mite to increase the funds of that excellent and venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, which has a claim to our affection and support as having for its object the salvation of sinners, and as having so long used those means of accomplishing its great purpose which are in strict accordance with the Word of God, and the principles of the established church. For, let me tell you that the great object of this society is to place the Bible in the hands of those who know not the true God, to afford facilities of worshipping in those pure and scriptural services which are the glory of this church and the great bulwark of Christian doctrine in this nation, to reform the hearts of the wicked, to lift up the spirit of the contrite ones, and to direct all to the cross of Christ as the way of salvation, and to the Spirit of God as the sanctifier of his people. As to the means by which this venerable society would secure its object, it is by sending abroad good and able men as ministers of God, lawfully appointed to the work of evangelists, that by means of these preachers the people may hear of Jesus Christ; and hearing, may believe in him, and believing, may call upon him, and calling upon him may be saved.

The master or mistress of the house may then express a willingness to receive, in the course of the day, from the several members of the family, such little offerings as they may be disposed to make in support of the society; or they may leave a box in some fixed place for the reception of contributions, having first written on the front, or on the lid, the following words

"SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL.

"Box for Contributions.”

All contributions thus received by heads of families should be sent in the course of the week to the officiating clergy, to be forwarded to the parent society; or to the secretary of the district committee in the neighbourhood.

That the God of peace may make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, is the hope and prayer of

Your pastor and faithful servant, A. B.

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