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events in the English Church. It was long plastered up, so that no one knew, even if they had cared for, that all this beauty existed there. Whether the mutilations now so deplorably evident, were effected before this coat of plaster was put on or since, is not known. The most conspicuous defacement is that of a dead CHRIST placed immediately before the eye. The figure of our LORD, and of His Cross, have always been objects of hatred with some, but happily our modern Cross haters cannot use the axes and hammers lawlessly as they did of old.

I took the cloisters on my way to the city again. The roof on each side is finely groined; the bosses which are formed by the intersecting ribs being richly sculptured, especially on the south side, where the genealogy of our LORD from Jesse is ingeniously represented in the series. Here too is a lavatory, less perfect than that at Gloucester; and here a fine chapter-house, containing a respectable library. The ancient refectory, now a grammar school, and some other chambers, fill up the sides of the cloister ambulatory. In the north-west corner of the pavement, is a small stone with the inscription

66 MISERRIMVS."

What mystery of sorrow lies hidden under this single word can never be known; but it is thought to mark the grave of a priest, whose loyalty to his king caused his deprivation when William Prince of Orange, became the de facto monarch of England. When so loud an outcry is sometimes made about the intolerance of churchmen, it is well occasionally to recall to mind how many churchmen suffered the loss of all they had in this world, some at the Great Rebellion, others at the second Great Rebellion in 1688, rather than forswear themselves before GOD. "Miserrimus "" doubtless indicates the earthly portion of many hundreds of such priests; and the one who left this sole record of his fate, may stand as the representative of a multitude of good men, whose names are like his, unknown, and their sorrows forgotten. "Their departure is taken for misery.. but they are in peace."

The Daily Services at Worcester Cathedral are at 10.15 a.m. and 3 p.m. On Sunday, the ancient division

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of the Morning Service is still retained; Morning Prayer being at 8.30; Litany and Communion at 11.15; and Evening Prayer at the same hour as on week days.

Having ascertained these particulars, I passed away from the shadow of the Cathedral; cast a glance at the ancient gateway or Edgar tower, which gives admission to the green, (and which contains, by the by, the famous autograph of Shakspeare, signed at the foot of his marriage deed,) and then wended my way back through the city to the station. On my way, I observed the Guildhall of the city, with two wonderfully brilliant statues of Charles I. and his eldest son, standing sentinels on either side of its doorway; and above, another equally brilliant memorial of Queen Anne. So is there still cherished at Worcester, the memory of that unfortunate family for whom her citizens fought and suffered, perhaps more than any others in England. Not far above these crowned effigies are the city arms, bearing the motto well deserved"Floreat semper fidelis Civitas."

So condensing my good wishes for the ancient city into this concise and agreeable form, I betook me on my

way.

THE CROSS.

I. COR IN CRUCE.

"NAY, be it not," the rapt Apostle cried,

Straight to the empyreal heaven upgazing high,—
"That I should ever boast in aught beside

The Cross of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, whereby1

The world to me is crucified, and I

Unto the world !"-That word took up the Bride:
At bath,-at board,-when lamplight hour drew nigh,—
She sign'd the token of the Crucified

On her meek front august. In everything
She saw the Cross-in Nature and in Art,
Sail on the mast, or bird upon the wing,

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2 Ad omnem progressum àtque promotum, ad omnem aditum et exitum, ad vestitum et calceatum, ad lavacra, ad mensas, ad lumina,

Or man to swimming boune, with arms apart,
Or flower, encircling it with glory-ring :-

On CHRIST's dear Cross she crucified her heart!

II. CRUX IN CORDE. (1.)

Down with the Cross! from altar and from skreen
To splinters dash the superstitious sign!
Nor leave one decoration to the shrine
Save what by Act of Parliament has been
Anno secundo Edwardi sexti seen!

Tho' what that is, we cannot well divine-
No matter-godly hearts like yours and mine
Love best bare walls-externals come between
Us and our prayers.-Why prate of saints of old?
The SPIRIT OF THE AGE demands us! man
By those blind weaklings scorns to be controll'd!
Far different, far, the creed to suit our plan!
"Allah akbar!"—" Gold boven!" THIS we hold!
Frenchmen in Egypt,-Dutchmen in Japan!1

III. CRUX IN CORDE. (2.)

Up with the Cross! ay, up with it! tho' torn
From chancel gable ev'n, and spire-crown'd tower,
Nay, more-from secret chamber, studious bower,
Beloved grave-the Cross may yet be borne
Where, inaccessible to bigot power,

The persecuted Church retires to mourn

Deep in her children's hearts, and there hath worn
Cells in the rock with penitential shower.

Up with the Cross! upon the Altar there
Exalt it in its glory! jewell'd bright

With diamond Faith, and Hope, soft sapphire fair,
And Love," entire and perfect chrysolite;"

While o'er the flaming gems their rays unite

The pure twin tapers-Thanksgiving and Prayer.

ad cubilia, ad sedilia, quæcunque nos conversatio exercet, frontem Crucis signaculo terimus. Tertull. de Coronâ Mil.

1 That Christian prince, Napoleon I. put forth this address, among many similar, when in Egypt:

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Sheiks, Ulemas, Orators of the Mosque! teach the people that those who become my enemies shall have no refuge in this world or the next. Is there any so blind as not to see that I am the Man of Destiny? Make the people understand, that, from the beginning of time, it was ordained, that, having destroyed the enemies of Islamism, and vanquished the CROSS, I should come from the distant parts of the West to accomplish my destined task. Show them that in twenty passages of the Koran my coming is foretold." Alison's History of Europe, xxvi. 74.-The insults offered to the Cross by the Dutch Christians in Japan, to facilitate their trade, are well known.

IV. THE REFLECTION.

My fatherland! and do we see the day?
Thy Legislature panting to be free
From their poor shred of Christianity—
All safeguards of Religion swept away
From Oxford (Christian once!) and soon to be
From Christian Cambridge: yet, the pest to stay,
No Hough, no Pechell: now, full low they lay
The very semblance of the Faith in thee.

O Thou Who didst for Thy despisers bleed !

Cross-bearer and Cross-borne! Priest-Victim true!
Say, may it be that Thou for us should'st plead,
Who Thee with knowledge crucify anew,1

As Thou didst erst for sinners intercede,-
"FATHER, forgive! they know not what they do?"?

V. THE PRAYER.

Perchance it may for they, for whom that prayer
Ascended, might have known Thee, ev'n as we.
Thy mercies, too, are infinite; and ne'er
Have thousands in our England bow'd the knee
To the base Baal hight Expediency.3

O spare Thine Israel then-in pity spare!—
Those hands extended on the bleeding Tree
Extend from heaven to those who spurn Thy care,
Tho' disobedient and gainsaying still.4

"Who speaks a word against the Son of Man
Shall not be unforgiven :" Thy blessed will

Is such; in faith we claim it. Weal or ill
Betide us, grant us power and love that can
Thy whole good pleasure suffer and fulfil.

H., T.

The Children's Corner.

ELLEN MUNRO; OR SCHOOL LIFE.
(Continued from Vol. XVIII. p. 394.)

"How very dull we all are this afternoon!" exclaimed Gertrude, as she folded up her last piece of work for the poor-basket. "I am sure sometimes this eve of S. John has been so merry, and now every one seems behindhand

1 Heb. vi. 6.
1 Kings xix. 18.
5 S. Matt. xii. 32.

2 S. Luke xxiii. 34.
4 Isa. lxv. 2; Rom. x. 21,

with their work, and all the preparation for the schoolfeast to-morrow is left to the servants. I wonder where the whole first class are, they have not deigned to appear since dinner. Are they deep in some secret consultation in the study ?"

"They are not in the study together, I am sure," replied Annie, "only Edith and Emma are there, writing out the plan for the flower-show."

"I wish they would come here, that we might get the hall decorated for to-morrow, and write the girls' names on the things in the basket," answered Gertrude.

"There is something not quite right, I think," observed Miss Lane, who was sitting with the girls, "several of the young ladies are with Mrs. Lonsdale."

A quick blush crimsoned Annie's cheek, and she looked round apparently to see who were absent; but Gertrude impatiently took up a basket and knife, and said, "I shall go and get the evergreens and begin putting them up; I do not mean to be kept waiting all day. Come, some of you, and help."

Ellen and several more followed her, and having soon cut the flowers she wanted, she set the younger ones to work with them, in forming ornaments for the walls. The absence of the elder girls, and of one or two who usually were the life of the party, rather damped their enjoyment however, and Annie looked far from happy.

"I hope to-morrow will be brighter than to-day, both in-doors and out," said Gertrude. "We had such a nice holyday last S. John's Day, and such pleasure in preparing the day before."

"It is very nice to have the Saints' Days kept at school," said another, "we always get something of a treat, and they seem like holydays; I wonder what made Mrs. Lonsdale think of such a good plan."

"Mrs. Lonsdale did not make the rule, she only follows it," answered Gertrude, "you know she is anxious we should obey the rules of the Church always, and this is one."

"But she does not make us follow all," replied the other girl, "she never makes us fast as it is ordered in the Prayer Book. I am very glad she does not, but when I looked one day, I saw it was a rule."

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