and the rest of the Apostles, in order to allow to your theorist H. H. the benefit of as much argument as can be found. I do not harshly suppose any one to be born intractable; I think not so meanly of myself, and injuriously of my Creator, as to conclude that he has made me, or my fellow-creatures, unalterably and incorrigibly evil. But, to maintain that correction can in most cases be accomplished "without any harsh or threatening language," is an utopian system, and a fabled discipline, which is in no respect fit for, and no where to be realized on the globe which we inhabit. No one who believes the fallen state and depravation of its inhabitants can doubt this. The first step to knowledge, is the conviction of the want of it, as the first step in the heavenly inspiration of holiness, is "to convince the world of sin."-Children must be first taught their deficiencies, and made dissatisfied with their ignorance; and can you instil the disgust which they ought to feel, and the discontent which is requisite to animate their attainments, " without any harsh or threatening language?" Your theorist, however, has observed, with due deliberation, that he never "puts an answer into the mouth of a child," preferring to lead him gradually to the subject. Experience will bear him out in this. That he who tells will never teach, is an axiom in tuition, which is unerring and unanswerable. But it is calculated to cast a veil over truth, and by doing so, to create the dissatisfaction of parents, and prejudice the public mind, to urge (what I am satisfied is only suited to the metres of fancy, or the embellishment of Romance) the unphilosophical and impracticable government of a school which pre-supposes that persuasion is sufficient without restraint, that reproof and rebuke, though apostolical commands, are no longer Christian duties, and that punishment, though a divinely appointed sanction, may be dispensed with as unprofitable, and rejected as unworthy.

Tenderness, mercy, kindness, and compassion, is the benignant genius of Christianity. But when these are insufficient to produce good, whatever part of teaching be our respective province, whether as masters of schools, or preachers in churches, "knowing the terrors of the Lord, we must persuade men." He would be neither a Christian, nor a sound moralist, who would threaten or be harsh when gentleness is sufficient. But the morbid sensibility is unworthy of commendation, which, according to the proverb, "would spare the rod and spoil the child." Most important and extensive are the relative duties of one whose province it is to lower his talents to the abilities of a child; and it is hoped that those who are principally concerned will weigh the question with becoming seriousness before they surrender their judgment to the sophism "that he who cannot command attention without using harsh or threatening language has no business in a school." If this prejudice is to prevail in schools, more especially such as are parochial, they will soon be extinguished, from the highest to the lowest, from the royal endowments of Eton and Westminster, down to a Sunday School." Errare mehercule malo cum Platone, quam cum aliis vera sentire" seems to be the maxim both of Cicero and H. H., but I question if the lectures in the

groves of Academus, or even the celebrated "republic" of the philosopher, ever maintained the unnatural proposition, that a community could be formed out of any part of mankind with the moderation, and excellence, and perfection, which are contemplated in the classes and masters of parish schools.

June 17, 1833.

I remain, Mr. Editor, your obedient servant,
SACERDOS ET TUTOR.

CHURCH SERVICE.

SIR, Without examining authorities as to the propriety of any "Collect before Sermon," I would submit to your correspondent A. L., that if any must be used he will find a very appropriate one in the service for the Ordering of Priests:-" Most merciful Father, we beseech Thee to send upon thy servants" &c. I have for some time been in the habit of employing this as an introductory prayer, in turn with those for the second and third Sundays in Advent; and when about to preach on a special subject or on one of the festivals or fasts, one or other of the several collects for the Sundays and holidays throughout the year have served me with a prefatory form sufficiently adapted to the discourse.

As to "variety" in our service, I think it is our own fault if we have not a sufficiency, for the Liturgy offers the means. That officiating minister must be inattentive to the design of our church who does not avail himself of the option given as to certain hymns and prayers.

The opening sentences may be, and ought to be, varied, always reading more than one.

When the first lesson treats of the creation, as on Septuagessima Sunday, or when the bounty of Providence is displayed, as in the spring and harvest seasons, and particularly on the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, the Song of the three Children will come with no small effect, and in propriety ought to be read. After a tempest, I have known this canticle to have been acceptable to a congregation. Similarly in the Evening Service, the subject of the first lesson may render it more judicious to introduce the Cantate Domino than the Magnificat.

The second lesson of the morning frequently has a bearing, which requires that the Benedicite should be repeated in preference to the Jubilate. In Advent there can be no doubt of the expediency of its introduction; I would submit the same with regard to Passion week. I have often been surprised at the omission of the appointed prayers for the Ember weeks. Surely these should be taken advantage of; and, as there are two, they could be alternated according to the services of the place. A more important form is not to be found in the whole Book of Common Prayer, and strange that it should ever be overlooked.

If more " variety" be desired, there is a short collect preceding that for the High Court of Parliament, which may occasionally be

employed with effect, especially when the Litany is omitted. And in the Communion Service, why is not more advantage taken of the option in the two collects for the King. At many altars but one and the same is ever heard.

Indeed, wherever there is an option either in prayers or hymns it is injustice to our Liturgy not to avail ourselves of it. In the Burial Service, the reading of both the Psalms in particular instances will be suitable and impressive. Attention to these provisions of the church is our duty, and the judgment of the officiating minister must be relied upon. There is certainly an improved style of reading in our desks, and that reading cannot be better exercised than in bringing all the beauties of our Liturgy to light. The excellent Charge of the Bishop of Gloucester supposes that "the prayers be read with the serious and earnest devotion which ought always to attend that duty." One object of this letter is, to recommend that to the seriousness and earnestness be added such variety as the rubric allows, or, I should say, demands. Your obedient servant, W. F. P.

COLLECT BEFORE SERMON.

SIR,-In your number for June a correspondent requests that some collects, from our own or other formularies, may be pointed out as suitable prayers before the Sermon. Some years since, I examined all our authorized services, that I might make myself acquainted with all our forms suited to this purpose. I have enclosed three with which I was particularly impressed, and which, with some others, I have constantly used, and many of my congregation have expressed themselves pleased with them. The two first require a few trifling verbal alterations to suit them for general use, but none is required in the sense. These alterations I have marked.

There may be some difficulty in ascertaining whether our Reformers designed any prayer should be used before Sermon. But the custom seems to have prevailed generally in our church, and it is apprehended all attempts to alter it would prove ineffectual. Sounder wisdom must be shewn in pointing out the best authorized helps for the purpose, and especially as the practice is highly becoming, and adds solemnity to the Sermon. Your's very faithfully, A CONSTant Reader.

PRAYERS BEFORE SERMON.

"Most merciful Father, we beseech thee to send upon the ministers of thy word and sacraments thy heavenly blessing; that they may be clothed with righteousness, and that thy word spoken by their mouths may have such success, that it may never be spoken in vain. Grant also, that all may have grace to hear and receive what they shall deliver out of thy most holy word, or agreeable to the same, as the means of their salvation; that in all their words and deeds they may seek thy glory, and the increase of thy kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."-(Service for Ordination of Priests.) "Almighty God, who by thy Son, Jesus Christ, didst give to thy holy Apostles

many excellent gifts, and didst charge them to feed thy flock, give grace, we beseech thee, to all bishops and pastors of thy church, that they may diligently preach thy word, and duly administer the godly discipline thereof. And grant to thy people, that they may obediently follow the same; that all may receive the crown of everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."(Form of Consecrating a Bishop, &c.)

"Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and curates, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy sacraments. And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and especially to this congregation here present; that with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy word; truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life." "Grant

this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen." (From the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church, in the Communion Service.)

The Collects for the second and third Sundays in Advent are well known and in general use. The Collect for the second Sunday before Lent may be mentioned as well suited to a Charity Sermon; and the third Collect for Good Friday to one on the propagation of the Gospel.

DIOCESE OF YORK.

SIR,-On reading the article on Church Reform in the British Magazine for June last, I was surprised and grieved to find that Mr. Granville Harcourt, the son of the Archbishop of York, had advocated the consolidation or suppression of some of the Irish bishoprics, on the ground that there were three millions of souls in his father's diocese, and that he never heard any complaints of things going on ill there.

It is very much to be lamented that he did not, before he used the argument, inquire of some of the clergy in the diocese, what their opinion was with respect to its extent, and whether one person had time and physical strength adequately to discharge the important duties of a bishop in that extensive diocese.

The answer to him would have been (as it has been to me making these inquiries), that, if the diocese was divided into three or four, each bishop would have ample employment, and that no single individual can, by the most laborious exertions, fully discharge the duties of a bishop in that diocese as it exists at present. They would have pointed out to him the evils arising from its extent with repect to confirmation only;-that from that cause it is impossible for the Archbishop to attend at as many churches to confirm as would be desirable, and that he is compelled to confine his attendance to the towns. They would have represented to him (as they have to me) that this causes numerous inconveniences and evils, and prevents a great proportion of the good which ought to result from the solemn rite;-that the children are obliged to travel long distances to the place where the confirmation is held, sometimes as much as twelve miles, at a very considerable expense, either to their parents or the clergyman;-that by this many are prevented from attending;-that the attention of the

young, especially in the lower ranks of life, is drawn away from the religious obligations they come there to take upon themselves by the novelty of the scene around them ;-that the number assembled is so great, that in many cases the church is filled two or three times so full that some cannot hear the service, in which they ought to take a part, and the rest are obliged to wait for admittance without being subject to proper control;-that the parents are in most cases unable to attend to take care of their children, and that the clergyman and churchwardens, though using every exertion, cannot take care of all their flock.

These reasons, among many others, for thinking the diocese of York too large, would, I have no doubt, have been given to him as they have been to me; and had he inquired of the parochial clergy in the neighbouring dioceses, I have no doubt he would have received a similar answer.

I most deeply regret that he did not do so; for if he had, I feel assured he would not have advocated the suppression or consolidation of any of the Irish bishoprics; for most of the evils arising from the great extent of the bishoprics in England will immediately fall upon Ireland in a much greater degree if the suppression takes place, and all of them as soon as the reformation which is now going on in that country, which may be retarded, but cannot be suppressed, has made a considerable progress. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, C.

CHURCH REFORM.

SIR, Since the last number of the Magazine went forth, a most momentous change has, it is to be feared, occurred in the condition of the church (not of Ireland only, but) of England. The House of Lords, as well as the House of Commons, has admitted to a second reading a bill which, without any reference to the church itself, lessens the number of its spiritual rulers by nearly half their number, in one country; which forcibly alienates property given for the support of the bishops, gives some of it to laymen, and converts the rest to what this bill chuses to pronounce more religious purposes; which takes a tax from the land, on which it has rested immemorially, and lays it upon an oppressed and impoverished clergy. Without inquiring into the necessity or no-necessity of the case, it is not to be denied that this is done. Men may chuse again to quarrel about definitions, and say that none of these are spiritual matters or have any connexion with spiritualities, and that they are consequently quite within the sphere of parliamentary jurisdiction. Not to dispute about definitions, it is not to be denied that Parliament assumes to itself the right of judging how many spiritual rulers the church requires for the furtherance of her great purposes, without consulting the church, and how religion will be best promoted by the arrangement of whatever belongs to the church. Then there is nothing in the nature of this bill which makes it belong to Ireland in particular, The grounds on which it goes are equally good or equally bad for all countries, and especially for that country immediately connected with