How oft, thou wanderer of the stormy deep, On through the fearful tempest dost thou soar, Unchecked amidst the elemental roar. Alas! how sure the hand that guides thy way, THE Albatross is the largest of all the birds that frequent the sea-coast, and measures as much as three feet in length, while its expanded wings are from nine to ten feet. The common Albatross has been called the Cape sheep, by the Dutch, on account of its extreme corpulence. The beak of this bird is very powerful, but although so well provided with a weapon of offence, it is naturally a cowardly creature, and seldom acts except on the defensive; it gets rid of the sea-gulls who are constantly teasing it, in rather a singular manner, by descending rapidly through the air, and plunging its assailant into the water. Small marine animals, zoophytes, and the spawn of fishes, form the chief food of the Albatross; but it also greedily devours all descriptions of fishes, when it can obtain that food, and is so voracious, as to be taken with a hook and line baited merely with a piece of sheep's skin. On account of their great weight, these birds have much difficulty in raising themselves into the air, and are obliged to assist themselves in this manœuvre by striking the surface of the water with their feet; but when once on the wing, their flight is rapid, and apparently performed with great ease, as they appear to do little else than sway themselves in the air, sometimes inclining to the left, and at others to the right, gliding with great rapidity over the surface of the sea. It is only in bad weather that their flight is at any great elevation; their voice is extremely disagreeable, and resembles the braying of an ass. The principal resort of the Albatross tribe, of which there are four or five species, is the ocean in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope, but they are found in all parts of the South Seas. As an article of food, the Albatross is but little sought after; its flesh, on account of the nature of its food, being very rank and disagreeable; it is, however, sometimes used by the sailors, who, after skinning it, place it in salt for a few days, and eat it with some strong seasoning. About the middle of September the female builds a nest on the sand, about three feet in circumference, and lays a considerable number of eggs, of a greyish colour and speckled black; but a great portion of these are destroyed by birds of prey, reptiles, &c.; they are also much sought after by the inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope and islands of the Indian Ocean, as an article of food, as they partake in a very slight degree of the peculiar flavour of the flesh of the birds themselves. It is a singular fact, that the yolk of these eggs never becomes hardened by the process of cooking. A SHORT explanation of the above diagram (for the construction of which we are indebted to the early Christian writers), may not be unacceptable to the reader of these pages. Obscure as are the vestiges of that remote period, we doubt not that the house of Prayer, of whatever extent, comeliness, or antiquity, is an object of lively interest and reverential contemplation to the faithful of these latter times. And, perhaps, the following remarks cannot be better introduced, than by collecting, as far as we are able, some account of the places set apart for Christian worship, from the days of the Apostles themselves. The Chamber, in which our Lord was pleased to solemnize his last Passover with the disciples, appears to have afforded the pattern of those oratories, in which, after his resurrection and ascension, they were wont to participate in holy counsel and devotion. In this apartment, made ready beforehand by his own miraculous appointment, we find him, on the eve of his sufferings, discharging the several ministrations peculiar to his Gospel. Here it was, that, in washing the feet of the disciples, he did not only teach them the humility required of his followers; but further, he did intimate to Peter, in the memorable words, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part in me," that, without the washing of regeneration, by baptism into his death, we cannot obtain the benefits of his Cross and Passion. Here also, (as need hardly be mentioned) he instituted the most comfortable Sacrament of his most precious body and blood. Within these walls, was uttered that holy valedictory address to the future Pastors of his Church, as well as that solemn prayer to the Father, for its unity and truth, which closed his earthly ministry. And, lastly, beneath this roof did the Saviour and his chosen uplift the hymn of praise and thanksgiving, when about to retire to that dread scene of his desertion and agony, the garden in the Mount of Olives. East Window proceeding to an "upper room" (such as was that in which the Passover was eaten), to elect, after due prayer and supplication, another Apostle in the stead of Judas, (Acts i. 13.) The second chapter of the Acts relates, that, "when the day of Pentecost (which also was the first day of the week,) was fully come, they were all, with one accord, in one place." Whether that "one place" was the same which was prepared for the Last Supper,-whether it was the same in which our Lord manifested himself to the disciples, on the evening of the day when he arose again, and also on the eighth (or Lord's) day following,-and whether the vacant Apostleship was here allotted to Matthias, we venture not, on the authority of the above instances, to assert; though there appears nothing unreasonable in the supposition. Be this as it may, there exists no doubt, that, wherever the infant churches were planted, some place of concourse (similar to that in which the faithful met, within the walls of Jerusalem) was specially appropriated to the worship of our Lord and Saviour. In sacrificing their possessions to the furtherance of Christian truth, many would gladly devote, if not their houses, at least the principal apartment therein, to this holy use. To which the Apostle seems frequently to allude, when, in writing to particular Christians, he speaks of the "Church in their house," that is, of the assemblage of believers, resorting to some determinate place beneath their roof. In blaming the Corinthians for their irreverence in partaking of the Lord's Supper, he asks them, "Have ye not houses to eat and drink in?" Thereby drawing a distinction between their habitations, and those portions of them which were set apart for holy purposes. Proceeding from the Apostolic age to the times of the Fathers, we find a continuance of testimony to the same purport. Clemens, one of the most ancient, writes, in his epistle to the Corinthians, that our Lord did not only determine by whom, and at what particular seasons, the ordinances of his Religion should be solemnized, but also, the places wherein he would receive the homage of his worshippers. Justin Martyr, another early authority, mentions the faithful as assembling together, in one place, on the Lord's day. Tertullian, whose words stand at the head of these remarks, speaks not only of the Church, or House of God, but describes, also, its form and arrangement. Lucian, a heathen writer of the second century, although no friend to the Christians, describes with accuracy the apartment, in which they were accustomed to meet for the purposes of devotion. Until the reign of Constantine, early in the fourth century, the Christians, alternately persecuted and tolerated by the imperial power, appear to have attended little to the exterior decoration of their places of worship. But, that Emperor having issued edicts prohibitory of Paganism, and in favour of Christianity, structures of unusual beauty and magnitude were erected to the promotion of our faith, not only in the cities of the empire, but in its less populous districts. These were called "Kuriaka," that is to say, "houses of the Lord;" whence our terms "Kirk" and "Church." We proceed to the consideration of their general form and arrangement, by reference to the plan above given. Consecrated as this chamber was, by the last interview with their divine Master, it is not unreasonable to conjecture (even were tradition silent), that the Apostles did, from time to time, resort thither, in memory of that solemn evening; washing, as he had taught them, in all humility, each other's feet: partaking, in the symbols of bread and wine, of his spiritual body and blood; discoursing of his marvellous acts, and heavenly doctrines; and uniting in prayer and praise to the Author of our salvation. Scripture, it is true, says little as to the place of their assemblage. It mentions the appearance of Jesus to them, on the day of his resurrection, which was the first day of the week; and again, eight days after, The entrance was under a porch, or vestibule, (a), (John xx. 19, 26.) "when the doors were shut;" consisting, in their more sumptuous edifices, of a proof that they were accustomed to meet together marble, and frequently adorned with fountains. Here in private, as on the eve of our Lord's sufferings; stood the lowest order of penitents, beseeching the probably in the same chamber to which He had, on prayers of the faithful, as they crossed the sacred that occasion, directed them. After his ascension, threshold. To this custom we may attribute the we find the Eleven, on their return to Jerusalem, | origin of that appendage to some of our Cathedrals within their churches. When censured by their enemies on this very account, the writers in defence of our faith, far from denying the charge, appear to have considered it as an additional evidence of the simplicity and holiness of their religion. We cannot, perhaps, give a better summary of their opinions on this subject, than in the words of Origen, who flourished towards the middle of the third century. He tells his adversaries, that the images which the Christians dedicated to God were not to be carved by the hand of artists, but to be formed and fashioned in us by the Word of God; being the virtues of justice and temperance, of wisdom and piety, that conform us to the Image of his Son. "These (says he) are our only statues, formed in our minds; and by which alone we are persuaded to honour Him, who is the Image of the Invisible God, the prototype and archetypal pattern of all such images." Figurative, (and, in some degree, fanciful) as these allusions may seem, they evidence, how little of external circumstance was necessary to strengthen the faith, or quicken the devotion of believers in that day. Kneeling towards those precincts which had been consecrated by the bodily presence of the "Sun of Righteousness," and with that glorious symbol of his Spirit, the light of Heaven, before their eyes; how vain, how derogatory would they deem every endeavour of art, to imprint the person of the Saviour on their memories, or to portray their conceptions of his unspeakable beauty and holiness! which, (in reference to its distance from those | equally certain, that no images were allowed a place precincts which were formerly accounted most holy), is still called the " Galilee," and beyond which, in former times, offenders were forbidden to proceed, until reconciled to the Church. Immediately within the doors, was the "Narthex," (B), a term, for which no accurate translation can be given, but which answers, in point of situation, to what we should call the "ante-church.." The Narthex was subdivided into three parts; in the first (a) stood the "catechumens," or learners of Christianity; in the second (b), (where was also the baptismal font (c),) were placed the "energumeni," or those possessed by Satan; and the third (d), was reserved for the middle class of penitents, who were permitted to hear the public worship, but not to enter the congregation. Next to the Narthex, lay the principal body of the church, called "Naos," or Nevis," (c) whence our term "nave;" subdivided also into two parts. The first of these (e) was allotted to the higher class of penitents; above whom was placed the "Ambo," (ƒ), answering the purposes of our pulpit and reading-desk. Beyond this was the place (g) where sat those who were called "the faithful," and who alone were admitted to partake of the Lord's Table. The third, and last principal division of the Church was the "Bima," or "Hieratium," (D), raised above the floor of the nave, and separated from it by rails (h), which were termed "cancelli." whence the corresponding portion of our churches is named the " chancel," to this day. Within this was the "Thusiasterion," or altar (i); so named metaphorically, because there was offered the commemorative sacrifice of Christ's body and blood; also spoken of by the Greek Fathers, as the "Hagia Trapeza," or holy table. At the extremity of the Bima," and immediately under the east window, was the chair, or throne (k) from which the bishop addressed the people; and to the right of which were the seats of the presbyters, elders, or priests, (?). The deacons were not permitted to sit there. On the north of the chancel, was the "diaconicon," (m), where the vessels and garments appointed for divine service were kept. Lastly, on the south was the "prothesis," (n) where were laid the alms, oblations, and remainder of the consecrated elements, until properly disposed of. Such were the edifices dedicated to Christian worship, in the earlier and purer ages of the Church. No superfluous ornament, no appeal to the senses by the hand of art, no antiscriptural practice or ceremony, had then intruded within their portals. The Lord's Table, though figuratively styled (as in our days) the "Altar," in reference to the sacrifice and death of Christ, there commemorated,—to the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, there offered,—and the alms and oblations laid thereon, as unto God, in behalf of the necessitous; resembled as little in the costliness of its materials, as in its usage, those pompous altars which were the boast of the Heathen temples, and which afterwards were but too successfully rivalled by the mistaken zeal and overweening pride of a Church, arrogating to herself the supreme rule in all things spiritual. Whence one of the principal objections urged against the Christians, was, that they had no altars. To which the Fathers made reply, that they needed none; the only true altar being a pure and holy mind;-the best and most acceptable sacrifice, a pious heart, and an innocent and religious life. "These (said they) are our oblations; these the sacrifices which we owe to God." And, as we learn hence, that all superstitious usages of the Christian altar were then unknown, so is it It were unjust to close these remarks, without adverting to the memory of those great and pious men, upon whom, in later times, devolved the charge of removing from our churches the superstitious vanities which, during the lapse of centuries, had grown with the growth, and strengthened with the strength of the Papal supremacy. Comparing the simplicity of those arrangements which we have been considering, with the gorgeous superfluities, introduced by, and still retained in, the Church of Rome; we cannot too highly appreciate the caution and judgment of our Reformers, in adopting such details of the primitive model, as were warranted by the circumstances of their times. Whether it would have been judicious, or even practicable, to carry the resemblance beyond this point, is not for us to decide; so different was the position of the Church, when triumphing, in the might of her Lord, over the paganism of the Empire, from her state, when emerging from the darkness and bondage of the middle ages.. But this we may with truth affirm that they acted upon, and illustrated that noble principle, which should ever be observed in the maintenance of the worship of God,—the preservation of its dignity from pomp, its simplicity from Lo! smiling like an angel from the sky, And grov'ling cares. Th' emancipated mind And with glad welcome hails the happy train And transient joys of life, with forward glance, CHARLES CROCHER. any It is astonishing to observe what an inclination prevails amongst some persons, when they meet with extraordinary appearance in the natural world, the real cause of which they cannot exactly understand, to ascribe its existence to a supernatural influence; to Satan, for instance, or to those fancied beings, called Fairies. This is the case with respect to what are named SATAN'S FOOTSTEPS, and FAIRY RINGS. Any one who endeavours to remove these superstitious opinions, by explaining the real causes of such things, does good service to those who make such mistakes, and with this view, we transcribe the following extracts from an interesting little work, Howitt's Book of the Seasons. SATAN S FOOTSTEPS. There is a singular appearance often observed in spring, which has excited many a superstitious terror in the minds of the simple country people, and which, in reality, is very striking. It is the print of footsteps across the grass of the fields, as though they had been footsteps of fire. The grass is burnt black in the foot-prints, presenting a startling contrast with the vivid green of that around. The common people have, consequently, concluded these to be the traces of the nocturnal perambulations of Satan, whereas they are those of some one of themselves, who has crossed the fields while the night-frest was on the grass, which, at this season, is very tender, and is as effectually destroyed by the pressure of a foot, in its frosty brittleness, as by fire, and with much the same appearance.-p. 85. FAIRY RINGS. somewhat wider, of course, than the former one. They have also been attributed to insects. The The least plausible theory is that of lightning; the most That D. I. E. LET every man in the first address to his actions, consider, whether, if he were now to die, he might safely and prudently do such an act; and whether he would not be infinitely troubled that death should surprise him in his present dispositions; and then let him proceed accordingly. -ST. BERNARD. These singular appearances in the grass, called Fairy Rings, are never more conspicuous than during the Autumn months. Even when all other grass is brown, they exhibit a well-defined and bright-green circle. The production of these remarkable circles, and the property which they possess, of every year becoming larger, have, of late years, been the subject of various theories. They have been attributed to lightning; they have been attributed to fungi, (that is, mushrooms, toadstools, and such things,) which every year grow upon the outer marJOHN WILLIAM PARKER, WEST STRAND. gin of the circle, and then perishing, cause, by the PUBLISHED IN WEEKLY NUMBERS, PRICE ONE PENNY, AND IN MONTHLY PARTO remains, a fresh circle of vivid green to appear, EVEN in the fiercest uproar of our stormy passions, conscience, though in her softest whispers, gives to the supremacy of rectitude the voice of an undying testimony.CHALMERS. LONDON: FRICE SIXPENCE, AND Sold by all Booksellers and Newsvenders in the Kingdom, |