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tear, reminded them that it was the chamber of death. A few decent preparations, such as the season allowed of, and their unostenta tious affection prompted, were made for the interment; and, on a little eminence that rose in the middle of the glen, they committed the body with sorrow-but not with a sorrow that "would not be comforted "-to the ground.

ON MINISTERIAL To the Editor of the Christian Guardian.

SIR,

THAT it is a duty incumbent upon the Christian Minister to declare to the people committed to his charge the whole counsel of God, is a truth which cannot be denied by any one who takes the Scripture for his guide; and it is equally true, that temptations to unfaithfulness are on every side. Fear of man-dread of reproachbackwardness to excite painful reflections, all exert a dangerous influence in this respect. But there is a feeling which perhaps prevents many Ministers from fully stating to their flocks the duty of obeying them that have rule over them: I mean a backwardness to speak of themselves; a fear of deserving, or appearing to deserve, the charge of egotism.

Now, it will be readily agreed, that not even this apprehension can justify the neglect of this part of Christian instruction; but still such a neglect does to a great degree prevail; and the consequence is, that many professors of religion seem to have no idea that any deference is due to the opinion of Ministers; or that any desire ought to be felt to strengthen their hands, or any fear of exciting grief in their hearts, while they are watching as those that must give account. On the contrary, we meet frequently with professors, people who can

Here they planted a few willows, interspersed with yew, to weep over his grave, and called it "La Roche's Rest." These trees, now beginning to decay, still mark the sweetly-solitary spot; and the pious peasant, as he conducts "the wanderer of the Alps," forgets not to relate the instructive and affecting story, and to point to where "the good man" sleeps. R. T.

FAITHFULNESS.

talk most abundantly upon religious matters, who maintain so high an opinion of themselves, that utter contempt is poured upon the exhortations of their instructors. This chiefly prevails among young professors. In a few weeks, or months, after their attention is first turned to religious matters, they frequently begin to think that they are fully acquainted with every part of doctrine and of practice, and seem much more disposed to offer instruction than to receive it. They can censure the conduct or the plans of their pastors, and are ready to tell them, that if they would but follow their advice, they could put them in the way of being more useful than they now are. Now, when I hear a new beginner talk in this manner, I long to follow the example of that glorified saint Mr. Walker of Truro, and to ask him, whether he thinks that he or his Minister has had most advantages for acquiring the knowledge of divine truth and of ministerial duty? which of them has studied most? which of them has prayed most? or to ask him what he would think of the folly and conceit of a man, who without knowing any thing of law or of medicine, should undertake to criticize or instruct an Eldon or a Baillie.

It is painful for a Minister to be compelled to speak of himself or his own usefulness; but it is a pain to which St. Paul was forced to

submit. It might, however, be less necessary in the present day if young professors would study and pray over 1 Cor. iv. 1. Heb. xiii. 17. The conduct there enjoined would greatly tend to prevent scandals, divisions, and offences; it would pro

mote their own growth in grace; it would give those who labour among them reason to rejoice in the confidence that they will be their crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus.

HAUD IGNARUS MALI.

THE CALL AND CONSUMMATION OF THE GENTILE CHURCH.
PSALM LXXII. 8-11.

THE high behest is giv'n-from every land
Where Christ is worshipp'd pours a sacred band:
Inflam'd with holy zeal, with hope sublime,
They bear the lamp of life from clime to clime.
Thou Star of Bethlehem! o'er their march preside,
And through untrodden wilds their footsteps guide.
I track their course-
e-I see them, far and near,

The blazing torch of revelation rear:

O'er land and main the vital radiance flows,

Parch'd Libya cheers, and brightens Greenland's snows.
Jesus they preach-and to the joyful cry

Of his salvation rocks and woods reply:

From Madagascar streams the song of praise,

And Zealand glistens in the Gospel blaze.

Jesus they preach-and to earth's utmost bound

Rolls on, and spreads, and swells th' harmonious sound.
Soon may that mighty name, so loud and sweet,
Chase Superstition from her last retreat;
Shake Moloch's shrine by Ganges' bloody wave,
And from the demon-car its victim save;
On outcast Pariahs fix a royal name,

And rescue frenzied widows from the flame!

O Thou, who hast alone the winepress trod,
The wormwood drunk, and borne th' avenging rod,
Art now at the right hand of power set down,
The travail thine, Immanuel, thine the crown!
Why do thy chariot-wheels so long delay?
Rise, conquering Prince, pursue thy glorious way.
Ah, what though thousands gather round thy throne!
To tens of thousands thou art still unknown.
Arise, thy foes like earthen vessels break;
The strong, the mighty, for a portion take;
Pour on the barren places from above
Truth and salvation, righteousness and love,
Till in lone wastes the flowers of Eden grow,
And peace, like rivers, through the desert flow.
It comes, the everlasting jubilee,

"subscribe,"

Earth claps her hands, and shouts th' exulting sea.
Lo! kings and priests from every savage tribe,
To Christ, the immortal Priest and King,
And to the cross, in lowly homage, bear
Their grateful sacrifice of praise and pray'r.

E'en tattooed hands his glorious name indite;

E'en stammering tongues his gracious words recite;
In Christian temples China's myriads meet,

And infant Arabs Zion's songs repeat.

The Jew, the Turk, their rebel arms resign,
And Ishmael's seed, with Isaac's favour'd line,
Before the Galilean prostrate fall,

His golden sceptre kiss, and "erown him Lord of all." J. N. P. JUNE 1822.

FF

REVIEW OF BOOKS.

Christian Researches in the Mediterranean, in furtherance of the Objects of the Church Missionary Society. By the Rev. William Jowett, M. A. late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. Pp. 454. London, Seeley, Hatchard.

THIS volume will be read with considerable interest by various classes of persons, and will, on many accounts, well repay a diligent perusal. It is the production of an able and accomplished scholar, of a pious and devoted Minister; and contains the latest, we had almost said the only account of the moral and religious state of those countries which are at this moment the subjects of anxious observation. Greece, the seat of ancient arts and literature, the scene of apostolic labours and sufferings, is now in the very crisis of either attaining dear-bought freedom, or falling a fresh slave into the iron hands of irritated and savage oppressors. Egypt, once the basest of the nations, is assuming somewhat like an air of independence; and the way to Abyssinia, that almost unknown land, appears gradually opening upon our view. We are therefore anxious, on many grounds, to obtain information on which we may depend, and in consequence, rejoice most sincerely at the appearance of the present volume.

The work before us points out the state of Christians, Jews, and Mahommedans round the Mediterranean; and suggests measures for extending the influence of Christianity among these various bodies, to which are annexed some concluding remarks. An Appendix is added, containing the Rev. Mr. Connor's Journal of his Tour in Greece, Syria, and Palestine.

The Christians are arranged by Mr. J. under the general heads of

Latins, Greeks, Copts, and Abyssinians; though the two latter, as he intimates, have a near affinity. The Latins, that is, the Roman Catholics, are very briefly adverted to, both because they are generally known, and because the author was restrained by the circumstances of his situation, in Malta, from entering so fully into the subject as might otherwise have been desired.

With respect to the Greek church, Mr. J. first states some particulars concerning their doctrine, discipline, and worship, and then communicates extracts from his Journal of visits to various places.

When visiting Smyrna, Mr. J. presented to the bishop of that see a copy of our Prayer Book, in ancient Greek; this the bishop carefully examined, and proceeded to state five points in which the Greeks differed from the Latins.

I did not (says Mr. J.), at this first interview, enter into discussion; but only replied, in answer to two points, that we did not in the least believe in purgatory, which we held to be a vain invention of men; and that the Pope's supremacy we utterly deny.

On a subsequent visit, seeing the Prayer Book which I had given him lying by him, I asked his opinion of it. He opened it, and said the prayers were excellent; very much in accordance with theirs: but turning to the Nicene Creed, where he had doubled down the leaf, he bid me read. I did so; knowing full well his meaning. When I came, therefore, to the Article"Proceeding from the Father and the Son *" -I stopped. "This," said he," is one of the five principal points in which our Church differs from that of Rome."-" I was aware," I replied, "of the difference: it is a point which, in the present day, has not been much controverted, being considered as somewhat indifferent."--" But

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with us," said he, "it is considered as a great blasphemy; a very great one.' I touched on the reasons, by which the Western churches support the doctrine, parti

The Greeks maintain that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father only; whereas the Nicene Creed states, "which

proceedeth from the Father and the Son.”See Bishop Burnet on Art. V.

cularly John, xx. 22. He quoted, of course, John, xv. 26. He desired his assistant bishop to read the Acts of the first and second Councils, so far as they related to the Creed. He turned over our Prayer Book, with evident concern that this expression prevailed in it. He looked at the Consecration of Bishops, and observed it there. "With this exception," I said, 66 you will, I am sure, admire that service." He read aloud the chief part of it, and was pleased; pausing particularly at the passage, "Be unto it a shepherd, and not a Wolf."

He

I remarked that the language was seriptural, and took occasion to observe the importance of the Christian church being well furnished with the Scriptures. agreed with me on the utility of the Bible Society; and acknowledged, with great warmth, the generosity of England in printing the modern Greek Testament. "But," I said, "you will, in these things, co-operate much better with Russia, which has the same doctrines and rites as yourselves." I then related to him the glorious progress of the cause in that empire. I could not help observing that this bishop, as well as many other Greek ecclesiastics with whom I have conversed, is well acquainted with Scripture, especially with the New Testament, and quotes it fluently. Looking on the simple scenery around, I observed that it might remind those who belong to the sacred profession, of the humble origin of the first Ministers of Christ. He immediately took up the idea, and quoted, at full length, that passage in St. Mark, i. 16-18; laying great emphasis on the beautiful expression-Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

After much friendly conversation, for about two hours, we separated. On my rising to leave him, he constrained me to

stay and take some refreshment; and at parting, gave me a truly primitive and apostolic greeting of charity upon my cheek. This is a still frequent custom in the countries of the East.-Pp. 17-19.

solution): he says, I have done this and that, &c. &c. When he has confessed, the priest examines him very closely, exhorts him to fasting, prayer, alms-deeds, and fruits meet for repentance; and then gives him absolution. "And then are his sins forgiven? "--" Yes."--" But the priest cannot see his heart; and, after all, he may have been acting the hypocrite: he may have concealed some sin; or his heart may still love sin as much as before: can the priest forgive a man in such a state?"

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"Then the man must answer for it to God: he is in the wrong, not the priest." "Very well," I have replied; then, after all, the priest cannot always, by his word of mouth, give pardon: it comes only to this, that he may declare and pronounce the pardon which God is willing to give to those whom he sees to be sincere."—" Ab; but the priest puts the sincerity of the penitent to the test."-"How?" I asked. "If a man has committed some great crime, as murder, the priest will not give him absolution for a long time: he must give proofs of his penitence, by fasting, by rẻpeating prayers whole nights, by labours, &c. If he refuses, the priest withholds absolution."-" But still," I said, "if he complies, and obtains absolution, yet, if his heart is not changed from the love of sin, he is not pardoned in the sight of God." On this they quote John, XX. 23. "This," as one expressed it to me, "is the text which should raise in the minds of the clergy a proper sense of their dignity." I only answered, that it was a great dignity for a man simply to declare the pardon of his fellow-sinners through Christ; and to plead with them in Christ's stead, beseeching them to be reconciled to God.-Pp. 23-25.

Their public worship is always performed in ancient Greek, which very few of the modern Greeks understand.

They do not admit the use of images into their churches; but they make up the defi

On the subjects of confession ciency with a multitude of pictures, on

and absolution, Mr. J. remarks:

Conversations of the following tenour have taken place on this subject, between the Author and Greek Ecclesiastics.

When asked, as I have frequently been, whether we have confession in our Church, I have described our General Confession, and the declaration of absolution on the supposition of penitence. To the question, What penitence? I have replied, that which is sincere, and in the heart. They have then described what they meant by penitence. A man comes to his spiritual father (pneumaticos, i. e. spiritual, is the title of those in the Greek church who are qualified to receive confession and give ab

pannels of wood, all round the church; and to these" likenesses," no less than the Latins to their "graven images," they pay a most profound respect-bowing, touching them, kissing them, and crossing themselves before them.

The fervour of their devotion to the saints is not less remarkable. If a man is ill, or meets with any misfortune, he makes a vow to some saint, that, if he will recover him, he will make him an offering of a lamp of oil. "What," I bave often asked, "can the saints do for you? Had you not better pray to God?" The answer has always been," But if we pray to the saints, the saints will speak to God for us." I have quoted to them that striking passage

of St. Paul, which, one might have imagined, should have for ever precluded this abuse:-There is ONE Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.-P. 31. By members both of the Greek and Latin churches, I have frequently been asked what our Church declares respecting the Пavayia, or "Most Holy," which is the title given by them to the blessed Virgin. I have replied, "We consider that prophecy and every other purpose were sufficiently accomplished in her being a virgin till Christ was born after that the Scripture speaks obscurely, and the point is immaterial: therefore our Church declares no

thing." "But," they reply, 16 we look to her as the great Mediatrix: all our prayers pass through her to God." To this effect, indeed, both their public services and their most eloquent sermons 'continually tend.

On their domestic devotion, Mr. J. observes, that the Grecian church has provided religious services to be performed in very numerous

cases.

In these, and many others of the same kind, there is so constant a recurrence to the facts recorded in Scripture, that, by their use, those of the people who understand something of ancient Greek must be, in a measure, kept acquainted with sacred history.

We may take for example the following simple and touching sentences, extracted from a prayer, used on "a child's coming to learn sacred learning"-probably the Psalter, or some portion of the church service; -in which the allusions to Scripture facts are appropriate, and with these the Greek prayers abound: its composition is evidently to be referred to those more ancient times, when the spirit of piety dictated obvious thoughts and natural language:

"O God, our God, who hast honoured us men with thine image! Thou that didst enter into the temple in the midst of the feast, and teach the people, while they wondered, saying, Whence hath this man letters, having never learned? David also saith, Come, ye children! hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. O Thou, that didst teach Solomon wisdom! Lord of all, Word supreme! open the soul and the heart, the mouth, and the understanding of this thy servant, that he may understand, and receive, and do thy will. And redeem him from all assaults of the devil; keeping him all the days of his life; and evermore making him a proficient in all thy commandments. For thou art the Bishop of our souls and of our bodies, O Christ, the Lord! and to thee do we ascribe the glory, with the Father, and with thy Holy Spirit, now and ever, and from generation to generation! Amen."-P. 37.

In Smyrna, long funeral processions are performed by the Greeks: and the publicity of this Christian rite seems reverently to be allowed, in the midst of their Mussulman oppressors. Visiting, on one occasion, the learned master of the public school, Economus the presbyter, our conversation was interrupted by the approach of the procession of a deceased Greek of some consequence, over whom Economus was to preach a funeral sermon, in the adjoining metropolitan church. I went with him. It was very affecting, to see the corpse lying in an open coffin, with the ordinary dress of life; that is, the loose flowing Greek robes; on his head, the kalpac, a large and cumbrous head-dress, commonly worn; and the face exposed. The sight made me shudder; and so did the indifference, which habit has produced on the minds of the bystanders.

Economus preached a sermon of twenty minutes' length. He spoke of the dead in an Attic style of compliment, under the title of ὁ μακάριος. He concluded his sermon, by breaking out into that awful service which the Greek church has for the dead, and in which the congregation in a murmuring voice joined. It is an invitation to relatives and friends to bid their final adieu:

"Come, brethren, and let us give the last embrace to the deceased, thanking God! He hath left his kindred-he is borne to the grave-no longer heeding the things of vanity, and of the burdensome flesh. Where now are kindred and friends? Now we are separated: whom let us pray the Lord to take to rest!

"What a separation, O brethren! What woe, what wailing on the present change! Come then, let us embrace him who a little while ago was with us. He is consigned to the grave-he is covered with a stone-his abode is with darkness-he is buried with the dead! Now we are separated: whom let us pray the Lord to take to his rest!

"Now all the evil and vain festivity of life is dissolved: for the spirit hath left its tabernacle-the clay hath become blackthe vessel is broken, speechless, void of feeling, dead, motionless: whom consigning to the grave, let us pray the Lord to give him rest for ever.

"Truly, like a flower, and as a vapour, and as morning dew, is our life. Come then, let us look down narrowly into the grave. Where is the comeliness of the body, and where is youth? Where are the eyes, and the beauty of the flesh? All are withered like grass-all are vanished. Come then, let us fall before Christ in tears.

"Looking upon the dead laid out, let us all take account of our last change; for this man is carried forth, as smoke from the

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