image. The cross and the image of Christ must be worshipped with the self-same supreme worship, latria,' with which Christ himself is adored."

"The faithful in the Church do not only worship before the image, (as some, for caution-sake, affirm,) but they do worship the image itself, without any conceivable scruple whatever. Nay, they must worship the image with the worship of right, due to the prototype or original being. So that, if the original being is to be worshipped with 'latria,' (supreme divine worship,) the image must also be adored with the same 'latria."

BISHOP BAINES, A.D. 1827. DR. WISEMAN, A.D. 1837.

Bishop Baines, 1827.

"Is it possible that any one of you should persuade yourselves, that the most ignorant Catholic could be capable of adoring the ivory image which you see upon that altar? Anathema to the man who gives to an image divine honours, or prays to it."

Dr. Wiseman, 1837.

"If I stood before the image of any one whom I had loved and had lost, fixed in veneration and affection, no one would surely say that I was superstitious or idolatrous in its regard. SUCH is PRECISELY ALL that

Roman Missal.

"Adoration of the Cross."

"The Priest at the middle of the altar uncovers the cross, and says, 'Behold the wood of the cross! Come, let us adore !' The Priest then, kneeling, fixes it in front of the altar, and putting off his shoes, approaches to ADORE the cross, kneeling thrice before he kisses it. Then the Clergy, and then the laity, two and two, approach, and kneeling thrice, ADORE the cross."-Tyler's Image-Worship of the Church of Rome proved to be contrary to Holy Scripture.

CAUSE OF THANKFULNESS. A MINISTER was once speaking to a brother Clergyman of his gratitude for a merciful deliverance he had just experienced. "As I was riding here to-day," said he, "my horse stumbled, and came very near throwing me from a bridge, where the fall would have killed me; but I escaped unhurt." "I can tell you something more than that," said the other: "As I rode here to-day, my horse did not stumble at all." We are too apt to forget common mercies.

JEREMY WHITE'S COURTSHIP. JEREMY WHITE, one of Oliver Cromwell's domestic Chaplains, paid his addresses to Lady Frances, the Protector's youngest daughter. Oliver was told of it by a spy, who followed the matter so closely, that he hunted Jerry to the lady's chamber, and ran immediately to the Protector with the news. Oliver in a rage hastened thither himself

and going in hastily, found Jerry on his knees, kissing the lady's hand. In a fury he asked what was the meaning of that posture before his daughter. White said, "May it please your Highness, I have a long time courted that young gentlewoman there, my lady's woman, and cannot prevail: I was therefore humbly praying her Ladyship to intercede for me." The Protector, turning to the young woman, said, "What is the meaning of this, hussy? why do you refuse the honour Mr. White would do you? he is my friend, and I expect you should treat him as such." My lady's woman, who desired nothing better, with a very low curtesey replied, "If Mr. White intends me that honour, I shall not be against him."

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Say you so, my lass?" cried Cromwell: "call Godwyn: this business shall be done presently, before I go out of the room." Mr. White had gone too far to retreat: the Parson came, and Jerry and my lady's woman were married in the presence of the Protector.

NEW YEAR'S DAY.-FEAST OF THE CIRCUMCISION. JAN. 1st.

THIS festival was instituted in the sixth century. At the commencement of the new year we rejoice with our friends at having escaped the dangers that attend every season, and commemorate the event by some trifling present.

The Romans, at this time, sent presents of sweetmeats, as dried figs, honey, &c., (strena,) expressing a wish that they might enjoy the sweets of the year into which they had entered. The calends of January, or the beginning of the year, were celebrated in the most gross and licentious manner. To this St. Augustin alludes, in his address to some converts from Paganism. "Will you celebrate the strenæ as the Pagans do, and spend that day in gaming and drunkenness? What a contradiction is here between your profession and practice? While they send their presents, do you give alms; while they attend to lascivious songs, let your application be to the sacred oracles. While they run to the theatre, hasten to church. While they get drunk, do you fast; or, if you cannot fast, at least eat with temperance and sobriety." A relic of this custom is still observed in the south of Scotland, where the sweetie-skon, a sort of plum-cake, constitutes the New Year's gift. Among the northern nations, it was customary for subjects to present gifts to their Sovereigns, which were called jolagiafir, yule-gifts.

In France, particularly in the south, early in the morning of New Year's Day, a round of visits is commenced to relations and friends, to wish them a happy new year, and to present them with bonbons (sweetmeats). "The relations are first visited, beginning with those nearest in affinity, then those that are further removed, and lastly come the friends and acquaintance. It is a contest of politeness on this occasion which shall start first, and anticipate the call of a relation or friend. The shops of the confectioners are dressed up on the day before with lookingglasses, intermixed with festoons of silk or muslin, and bunches of ribands or flowers. The counters are covered over with a nice table-cloth, and set out with cakes, sweetmeats, dried fruits, and bonbons, made up into pyramids, castles, columns, or any form which the taste of the decorator may suggest; and in the evening they are illuminated for the reception of company, who come to buy their bonbons for the next day. Endless are the devices for things in which they are to be enclosed: there are little boxes or baskets made of satin, ornamented with gold, silver, or foil; balloons; books; fruit, such as apples, pears, oranges; or vegetables, such as a cauliflower, a root of celery, an onion ; anything, in short, which can be made with a hollow within to hold the bonbons: but

the most prevailing device is what is called a cornet; that is, a little cone, ornamented in different ways, with a bag to draw over the large end, and close it up. In these things, the prices of which vary from one franc (ten pence) to fifty, the bonbons are presented by those who choose to be at the expense of them; and by those who do not, they are only wrapped in a piece of paper; but bonbons in some way or other must be presented. In these visits to friends, and in gossipping at the confectioners' shops, which are the great lounge for the occasion, the morning of New Year's Day is passed; a dinner is given by some member of the family to all the rest, and the evening concludes, like Christmas-Day, with cards, dancing, or any other amusement that may be preferred."

"The celebration of New Year's Day," observes Mr. Hutchinson, (Hist. of Northumberland,)" is preserved in this county as a rural festival. Gifts are made to children, servants, and dependents, called New Year's gifts. Stillingfleet says, that, 'among the Saxons of the northern nations, the feast of the new year was observed with more than ordinary jollity;' and, from Hospinian, says, It was an ancient custom of the Heathens, and afterwards practised by the Christians.' Servants were exempt from their labour, and partook of the feast and rural sports with their masters: they were presented with tokens of approbation and favour. On certain festivals the Romans gave pieces of money to travellers and strangers who were present at the sacrifice. On our day of festivity, mirth is excited by a rustic masquerading and playing tricks in disguise the hide of the ox slain for the winter cheer, is often put on; and the person thus attired attempts to show the character of the devil, by every horrible device in his power. All the winter sports seem to express a strong opinion of the ancients, that genii of very contrary natures prevailed on earth; that the one was constantly concomitant to light, as the other was to darkness; and this image of the devil, which is frequently permitted to expel the inhabitants, and take possession of the house, is typical of the power of the evil genius, in the season when the sun is longest absent from our hemisphere. This corresponds with the lamentation used by those who held the Eleusinian mysteries, and mourned for Adonis. It is very difficult to make any probable determination to what people we owe these customs. In the Roman Saturnalia and Sigillaria, this kind of frolicking was practised."

The ancient custom of going about with the wassail, a bowl of spiced ale, is yet retained in many places. The composition was ale, nutmeg, sugar, toast, and roasted crabs or apples, and was called lamb's-wool.

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There cannot be the smallest doubt, observes Mr. Douce, that the term wassail is to be sought for in the well-known story of Vortigern and Rowena, or Ronix, the daughter of Hengist; the earliest authority for which is that of Walter Calenius, who supplied the materials for Geoffry of Monmouth's history. He relates, that, on Vortigern's first interview with the lady, she kneeled before him, and, presenting a cup of wine, said to him, "Lord King, wacht heil," or in purer Saxon, was hal;" literally, "Be health, or health be to you!"

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As the King was unacquainted with the Saxon language, he inquired the meaning of these words; and being told that they wished him health, and that he should answer them by saying, Drinc heil, he did so, and commanded Rowena to drink. Then taking the cup from her hand, he kissed the damsel, and pledged her. The historian adds, that from that time to his own, the custom remained in Britain, that whoever drank to another at a feast said, Wacht heil; and he that immediately received the cup answered, Drinc heil.