Arthur. I remember my old nurse who could not read told me that she never said any prayers but those she had learned from hearing them at church. They always said what she wanted, and the words were better than her own, she used to say.

Mr. Weston. So I have known many do, and find, especially perhaps in the Collects, the very expressions and petitions they wanted. But as a form of worship for a congregation in general we will now consider our service. Though each one may have particular wishes and wants, yet we all agree in the most important. What is our first act of worship and first supplication? Confession of sin, and

Matthew.

don.

prayer for par

Mr. Weston. And you see that all alike have faults, though different ones, to confess, and all want forgiveness, and cleansing, and grace to amend. How can each make this confession his own?

William. By thinking of his own sins, and resolving to amend his own life.

Mr. Weston. In the same way every one can apply the prayers and thanksgivings to himself through the service, and if you try, you will find that in all circumstances you could scarcely ask better for yourself than in those words. But again, I must remind you of a duty we owe to each other as being all united, and one before GOD in His Church. You know to what I allude, Arthur ?

Arthur. To pray for one another; we ought to think of all the Church, not only of ourselves.

Mr. Weston. Yes, and in this unselfish spirit we pray not only for all belonging to our own parish, but for our national Church, our country, and for the advance and prosperity of the Church in all lands. But of this we will speak more another time. I will only mention now one more advantage in our Church having given us one service of common prayer and praise. Or can any of you think of what I mean?

Alex. Is it not this, that when people are separated far from each other, they can still offer the same prayers, and feel joined together when they worship God?

Mr. Weston. As you so readily mention it, I suppose, Alex, you often thought of this at sea?

Alex. Yes, sir, and I was glad to remember you would all here be praying in church as I was on deck or in the cabin. And once, when we had a rough Sunday morning, and only some of the hands could go to prayers below, I thought you were praying for all who travelled by water, and GOD would hear you for us.

William. Ah! Alex, I used to think of at those words.

you very often

Mr. Weston. So, I have no doubt, did many of your companions, Alex, and all who are themselves in distant lands, or have friends there may feel that communion, which continually reminds us that though scattered here on earth, we all have One FATHER and One Home. Mr. Weston paused, and then said: I might have added that we hold a bond of union not only with the members of CHRIST'S Church militant on earth, but with all the Saints of GOD in all ages, in our Prayer Book; for we pray and praise in the words used by holy men of old, both before and since our LORD's coming on earth. What part of our service is the same with that used by Israel long ago ?

Arthur. The Psalms, and the reading of the Old Testament.

Mr. Weston. And what prayer is our most ancient ? Charley. The LORD's Prayer.

Mr. Weston. Then the other parts of the service, as I can tell you more particularly when we look into them, were the prayers and litanies of the Christian Church from the times of the Apostles, the creeds are the same in which faith was confessed from the earliest times, our forms of praise were repeated by Apostolic men.

Robert. The Prayer Book as we now have it, was arranged at the Reformation, was it not, sir?

Mr. Weston. Yes, nearly so. The errors and disorder which through many years of neglect and perhaps ignorance had been introduced were set right, and the English language used instead of the Latin. Afterwards, some parts were changed or added as need required, by the Bishops and clergy in a council, almost a hundred and

fifty years after the first book had been arranged by their predecessors.

Alex. I meant to have asked you just now, sir, whether we do not find forms of worship used by GoD's command; because some people say they are not what He approves.

Mr. Weston. You need only look into Scripture to see such reasoning is false. A large part of Moses' writings is taken up with full directions for the worship of GOD, the words to be used in confession, thanksgiving, and blessing, are appointed; (Num. vi. 24-26; x. 35; Deut. xxxi.) and the Jews were blamed, not for using these forms, but for not bringing the worship of the heart into them. What we have to avoid is making our truly spiritual service a formal ceremony, by our own carelessness and sin. It is too late now to enter into any part of the service this evening, but I will read you a short story, which will help to remind you of some things we have now been talking of. It was written by my father, partly from the account of Edwin Grove himself, the young man it speaks of.

Charley. Then he knew him, sir?

Mr. Weston. Yes, the Groves lived not far from our house, and I remember the younger brothers of Edwin as men when I was a boy. Now, if you like to hear it, I will read the story of his early life.

TO MY WILLIE BOY

On his last night in England, March 31, 1859.

THY last night in England! my child, oh! my child,
To-morrow thou'lt sleep on the waters so wild;
No mother's fond breast then shall pillow thy head,
But the blue rocking waves will be thy cradle bed.

Thy young head no father's dear hand shall then press
With prayerful "GOD bless thee" and tender caress;
No sister's soft voice then shall lull thee to sleep,
Thou'lt be hush'd to repose by the murmuring deep.

No brother shall waken thee at dawn of day

With glad heart rejoicing in GoD's house to pray;
The boatswain's shrill whistle thy Matins shall ring,

And the white sea bird's shriek thy "Te Deum" shall sing.

O'er ocean's deep caverns, my boy, shalt thou glide,
No cherished companions to cheer by thy side;
Thy bright loving eye o'er the waters shall glance,
Nor find kindred gleam in their boundless expanse.

But oh! thou wilt find that "Our FATHER" is still
Watching over His child to defend him from ill;
A Father more loving more tender than he
Who has nurtur'd and guided and watch'd for thee.

Thou'lt find One Whose love is than mother's more deep,
Whose watchful Eye never will slumber nor sleep;
Whose Arms everlasting will fold thee, my child,
And cradle thee safe on the waters so wild.

Thou'lt find a dear brother, a friend, and a guide,
More faithful and fond than those late by thy side,
Whose presence will ever thy footsteps attend,
Whose Spirit will lighten thy path to the end.

Thine eye may not find on the ocean's cold breast,
A pledge to thine own, nor a place there to rest;
But an Eye all compassion looks down from above,
And glads as it smiles on the child of His love.

Then list while His voice 'midst the wild ocean's roar, When storms beat around thee and dark'ning clouds lower, Speaks, Peace: I am with thee; oh, why dost thou fear? And a calm shall steal o'er thee because He is near.

Oh list to His voice when the howling winds cry,
They but echo "Te Deum" from angels on high,
And midst ocean's thunder thou'lt catch the sweet tone
Of glad Alleluias from heaven's bright throne.

Yea; earth, air, and ocean, but speak of His love,
The blue depths below and the bright sky above,
Then fear not, my Willie boy, lean on His arm,
'Twill comfort thee, sure, and defend thee from harm.

God bless thee and keep thee where'er thou dost roam,
And bring thee in peace back again to thy home:
Or, when sorrow, parting, and tears shall be o'er,
To that haven of rest, on the heavenly shore.

E. E.

ECHOES OF FANTASIE.

PART THE FIRST.

List of Names (derived from the Greek.)

Fantasie. Imagination. (Hope.)
Dicè. Innocence (Baptismal.)

Erosie. Love.

Zetesie. Curiosity. (Enquiry.)

Noësie. Reason. (Human understanding.)
Thymè. Pride. (Self-dependence.)

Eunomie. Discipline (Holy.)

Orthosie. Obedience. (Faith.)

Ar what precise period of the world's history I first made my appearance I cannot tell, but it was many thousand years ago. I am of noble origin-and I know I was contemporary with Adam in his Paradise, because I well remember when he and Eve were cast from thence, causing them alternate joy and bitterness, by my vivid pictures of the flowers, and peaceful glades of Eden; and I think too I remember how, before 'twas lost to him, I, in my selfish sport, gilded the fruit of that forbidden tree, thus to deceive his eye, not dreaming what would be the cost: but I (and all my species, of whom I shall hereafter speak) am born and live anew in every human being,-stronger or weaker, according to the care or food I have. I fascinate and charm the man, and raise his thoughts from the dull, cold round of ordinary life, to revel in the marvellous and ideal. On the other hand, I sometimes horrify him by the frightful terrors I can show him; yet in pleasing, or scaring him, I own 'tis but to gratify myself I seek. I am the queen and origin of all those fairy sprites, known and unknown, that have been said to influence and attend mankind; they are, in fact, but my own subjects, creatures who go forth at my command, and implicitly submit to all my fancies and eccentricities. Yet although, by various means, I and my doings have always held an undoubted sway over the minds of mortals, claiming homage and admiration;