behold the same crucifixion they saw mystically performed by the hands of the priest. Think with St. Gregory that the very moment it is offered, at the priest's voice, the heavens are opened." If this is not blaspheming our God and teaching idolatry, what is it? Such, then, is Ritualism, alias Bastard Popery, which is being publicly taught by men eating the bread of our Church. To be silent at this act of usurpation is treason on our part. If any doubt exist in the minds of the people as to the extent to which these false teachers will go let them visit St. Matthias, Stoke Newington, any Sunday morning, and judge for themselves; there they will see our Church turned into something like a Pagan exhibition, and as one of our Bishops recently stated, "You would think the clergymen were showmen and the laity only babies to be amused, or fools to trifle with." It is intended to forward copies of this leaflet to each Bishop, Peer, and Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom. DEATH OF THE REV. R. STEVENS. We regret to announce the death of the Rev. Robert Stevens, chaplain at the Portsea Island Union Workhouse, which took place at his residence in Lion Terrace, Portsea. The rev. gentleman was respected by all who knew him; and his kind, affable, unassuming manner secured for him universal esteem. His illness was of brief duration, the deceased gentleman having been confined to his bed but a few days from the effects of a cold; but a sudden attack of rheumatism following, the heart became affected, and death took place somewhat suddenly. Mr. Stevens recently preached, as was his custom, at the Union in the morning and afternoon, and St. Mary's, Portsmouth, in the evening. He had only been six years in orders, his first curacy being that of St. John's, Portsea, which he left to undertake the duties of chaplain to the Union, to which he was elected about two years since, and the rev. gentleman was also the secretary to the Portsmouth branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The funeral is arranged to take place at the Kingston cemetery, when the Burial Service will be conducted by the Rev. John Knapp, incumbent of St. John's, Portsea; and the sudden demise will be "improved" by the same rev. gentleman from his own pulpit. The deceased (who was thirty years of age and unmarried) was not seen by any member of his family before death, his brothers (one being the Rev. H. Stevens, of Sydenham) not having arrived in Portsmouth until a late hour the same day.-Portsmouth Paper. [How little did the dear young friend above mentioned imagine that he was so near the close of his earthly career, when calling upon us at Southsea, in our recent sojourn there! He was one for whom we had personally the very highest esteem. So simple-hearted, so genial, so genuine. Mr. Stevens appeared a man whom you might know at sight. There was a transparency of character that could not but commend itself to those who love to see the precious fruits of a child-like receiving and advocacy of the truth as it in Jesus. Dear young friend! our heart follows thee to thy rest, even to the bosom of his loved and loving Lord, to encounter no more with wilderness warfare.-ED.] THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN.—A WORD TO A MOTHER. WE are by no means surprised at your anxiety on behalf of the spiritual interests of your children, in these truly-solemn and most deceptive days. If the Holy Ghost says, by the prophet Daniel, concerning our times, "and some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white," it is no wonder that you or any right-minded parent tremble for your children, growing up as they are, and about to go forth into a world beset on every hand by snares and entrapments. We see but one refuge, beloved, and that is what has been well called the weapon of "all prayer." Truly those times have fallen upon us which was foreshown by the Lord, when He declared, "Then shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." We would suggest to you, in reference to your beloved children, to bring everything insomuch as in you lies, to the standard of truth. Let "To the word and to the testimony" be your constant watchword. Pray much for wisdom and strength. Appeal to the throne with the candour and simplicity of a little child. Let the appeals of your little ones to yourself on so many and such varied occasions suggest to you the continual resorting to the mercy-seat. Mark the dealings of God, in His providence, are commonly the handmaid of grace. Let your elder children especially, at least to a certain extent, be aware of your cares and anxieties, in order that they, as well as yourself, may watch for and see the interposing hand of your great and gracious Deliverer. And in regard to the Ritualism, and the Rationalism, and the many delusive, captivating, and destructive isms of the day, let your watchword be, "Will it stand, my children, the test of a sick-bed, and all the solemn realities of a dying hour?" Abide by this; swerve not from this. Let nothing induce you to quit this stronghold in exhorting and remonstrating with your loved ones. You can with the utmost truth testify that this is one of the rich and distinguishing features of a true scriptural faith, that it enables its possessor to enjoy a holy familiarity with God, and a blessed confidence in Him whom it has believed, where the most devoted Romanist (and the mere Ritualist is only a dishonest copyist of such) is tossed about upon the waves of a miserable uncertainty as to his eternal future. A tenet of Romanism is, that "assurance of salvation" is an awful presumption. Now you, beloved, have been taught better. You have not so learned Christ; therefore, be it yours to abide by what you know, both scriptually and experimentally, to be true. The advocacy of these old-fashioned verities may cost you much in a way of sneer and rebuke and a vainly-imagined new and better way; but never mind. God will honour His own truth, afford you a peculiar peace and satisfaction in the vindication of it; and (if not before) will at least on a deathbed, cause you to experience all the joy, all the comfort, all the unspeakable blessedness of Him who, as a crowning mercy to His previous knowledge of and looking for the Christ of God, exclaimed, "Now, Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation ;" and, although you may not live to see it, a mother's prayers and a mother's example shall be answered in her loved ones being brought to His feet who hath graciously declared, that "His righteousness shall be unto children's children." What a blessed promise! Beloved, be this your plea of faith and our plea of faith day by day. Bedminster, Jan. 26, 1868. THE EDITOR. A WORD FOR THE WEARY. "Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well.”— JOHN iv. 6. JESUS weary! Well, then, weary one, thou hast a sympathizing Friend in Him-sweetly consoling and encouraging are His gracious words, "Come unto me, all ye that [are weary] labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Well does He know the heavy load of the wayfarer on Zion's road. He bids thee "roll thy burden upon [Himself] the Lord," and assures you "He will sustain thee." The burden and heat of the day He has Himself endured. He is able to succour them that are tempted, having been, as the inspired apostle assures us, "tempted in all points" like unto His brethren, sin only excepted. Nor less is the heart of sympathy open to the heavy-laden soul, awakened to a sense of sin and guilt; His grace, love, and power are present now as with the Christtaught soul at the well of Samaria; and when, by the witnessing of the Spirit, you are enabled to say, "Lord, give me this water, that I thirst not," then you will prove that the mercy of our compassionate Lord Jesus is as great as when bearing the heavy load for us. Angels were sent to strengthen Him." Fear not then, weak and weary pilgrim, thy Jesus is not weary of thee; say not, Why this sorrow, trial, perplexity? He saith, "I have loved thee, and given myself for thee." Hast thou been looking within, and so faith has become feeble; or, is it that the battle has been sharp with sin, self, and Satan; and, though often having overcome by the strength of the Lord, yet, now the enemies are subdued, you are as another David, thinking you shall one day fall by the hand of this Saul. Cheer up, then, see how thy Jesus when weary "renewed strength!" Turn not from, but turn to, thy Lord for refreshment. "He will satisfy the longing soul;" He will refresh the weary; "He giveth power to the faint." His word of encouragement in this rest by the way on Jacob's well assures you that "His love in times past 66 "Each sweet Ebenezer You have in review, Passing Ebents. Monthly Note. "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?"-MATT. xvi. 3. WE are glad to see that another important movement has been made to counteract the Ritualistic and Rationalistic errors of the day by the publication of a penny Protestant paper, named the Rock. It is brought out under the direction of a committee of clergy and laity in London, who have taken counsel together respecting the desirability of such an undertaking for some months past; and its promoters give repeated assurances that its principles shall be truly sound, scriptural, and Protestant. We believe that the power of the penny Press of our country is enormous. seems to a considerable extent to have changed the habits and feelings of the masses, and it holds them in firm subjection, moulding and turning them according to its will. How important, then, that that power should be diverted if possible into the best channel, and made to elevate and improve our people whilst it interests and amuses them! We fear very much that this is not generally the case; the penny papers which we have It found most largely circulated amongst the lower orders, and most popular with them, have been almost invariably objectionable ones, such as promulgate sceptical notions, scoff at all real religion, and delight to pubfish, with fullest details, every revolting crime and scandal. These are welcome visitors almost everywhere, and, being handed about from cottage to cottage regularly, are devoured by young and old. We are truly rejoiced, then, at any addition to our cheap literature which is free from these objections, and as the rage for news in the present day seems to be so unbounded, we are especially pleased at the appearance of a penny newspaper like the Rock, and wish it a large circulation and every success. The friends of the Church Association are most liberally supporting it. The proposal made at its last meeting, that a guarantee fund of £50,000 should be raised to enable the Council to proceed to law with the Ritualists, and thus settle the question once and for ever as to whether their innovations are legal or not, seemed almost an extravagant one; but it has been nobly responded to, and already, within about two months, it has been supported by promises to the amount of nearly £20,000. This surely ought to prove to the Ritualists that they are not going to have everything their own way, and that there is a strong widespread Protestant feeling in the country which is directly opposed to both Romanism and its counterfeits. Not that we expect that the evil will be very easily or speedily eradicated; we are fully persuaded that Ritualism, as well as Romanism, is a form of religious ceremonial highly pleasing to the natural heart; the unrenewed heart feels that it wants something, and as the substance of true religion is foreign to it, it seeks for a substitute in its shadow. Hence, gaudy ceremonials and grand outward religious shows, appealing as they do to the aesthetic tastes and passions, will ever be, more or less, in whatever form they appear, popular and successful. In America a strong protest has recently been made against Ritualism by the clergy and laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. In that protest, they well observe that the tendency of Ritualism is to effect an entire subversion of the Protestant and Evangelical character of our reformed Church; to transform the ministry of the Gospel into a priesthood; baptism into a magical rite; the Lord's Supper into the sacrifice of the mass; evangelical liberty into bondage to manifold observances and ceremonies; and the one Church, the blessed company of all faithful people,' into the body of those who recognize and conform to a mere sarcerdotal system." A very strong feeling has also been excited in Ireland respecting this evil; hitherto the sister isle has been almost free from it, but it does not seem as if it will long continue so. We remember its appearance some years ago in one small Church in Dublin, which occasioned at the time a loud outcry, but since then we learn that it has appeared in other churches, causing no small dissatisfaction and ill-feeling, and that has been countenanced rather than discouraged by some in authority. A leading article in a recent number of the Dublin Daily Express speaks very truthfully and boldly upon the subject. It exposes the subtle way in which the Ritualists work; the slow but regular gradation whereby they introduce their innovations, and educate their people to a taste for the "full-blown travestie of Romanism;" and it strongly urges upon all true Protestants to bestir themselves, and to resist by every legitimate means this "great conspiracy against the Protestantism of the Established Church." We may soon expect to receive decisive intelligence with respect to the fate of the poor Abyssinian captives. How terrible must be their suspense during this long time of waiting! Our troops have made a successful, although apparently a very slow, advance, and have overcome with ease many difficulties which were supposed to be insuperable. King Theodorus, it is reported, like Saul at Endor, as a last expedient, has been consulting the opinions of unseen spirits, but these are said to have proved unfavourable to him; and it is expected that he will not submit without a struggle. Poor wretched man! more wretched far than the miserable captives whom he keeps enchained-wallowing in blood, tormented by an accusing conscience, and haunted continually by the horrible fear of an awful recompense. Rome is still in a most unsettled state. The Roman people are sullen, and will not, unless forced by the Zouaves, attend the theatres or take part in the usual public festivals; disaffection is said to exist in the Papal army, and another invasion of the Papal territory is being organized. The state of the Pope's finances are also affirmed to be in a most unsatisfactory condition, and he has to have recourse to most extraordinary devices in order to recruit them. One of the latter is the sale of a new model, called an Agnus Dei, which is composed of virgin wax, mixed with a small portion of the dust found in the catacombs, and its virtues are said to be that it "preserves the wearer from sudden death, stills tempests, averts shipwreck, puts out fire, stops all sorts of inundations, and preserves mother and infant through all peril!" Who would not desire to be possessed of so wondrous and efficient a charm? Six The results of the Fenian outrage at Clerkenwell are published. hundred families are reported as suffering in health, person, and property, from the violence of the shock; seven individuals have been killed; fortyone badly wounded, in some cases aimed for life; fifty-six, many of them heads of families, rendered homeless at mid-winter. All this destruction of life and property caused for the sake of liberating one prisoner! The Fenian trials still proceed, and extreme measures are extensively resorted to throughout the country for the suppression of the insurrection. The Roman Catholics are very careful to spread abroad the information that their bishops and priests discountenance this movement; but we would have our Protestant friends remember that, if this be the case, a Roman Catholic Archbishop is at the same time treasurer of the fund collected in token of sympathy with the three murderers who were executed at Manchester, and that a score of Romish Priests publicly approve of processions on their behalf. We regret to hear that another important Society-the Irish Church Missions-is in a sadly crippled and almost dangerous pecuniary condition. For some years past its income has been much reduced, so much so that, instead of extending its operations, it has been compelled partially to retrench them; but this year, unless the Lord stirs up the hearts of His faithful people on its behalf, the income of the Society will be reduced some three thousand pounds more, and a still further retrenchment in its operations will be necessitated. We earnestly hope that this may not be the case. We know, from personal observation, how important is the work which this Society has been carrying on; and we should greatly regret that that work should cease, or that it should be in any way retarded. May He whose are the silver and the gold, incline many hearts willingly to come forward at this time, and contribute liberally of that abundance which He has so liberally bestowed upon them. |