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calculated to secure to the parents and godparents of every child an opportunity of having it instructed by a competent and experienced catechist. The regulation to which I allude is to be found at the end of the Church Catechism, and is as follows: "The "curate of every parish shall diligently upon Sundays and Holydays, after the second lesson at evening prayer, openly in the Church instruct and 'examine so many children of his parish sent unto Whim as he shall think convenient, in some part of Ithe Church Catechism. And all fathers, mothers, "masters, and dames, shall cause their children, ser"vants, and apprentices (which have not learned "their Catechism) to come to the church at the "time appointed, and obediently to hear and be 'ordered by the curate, until such time as they "have learned all that is here appointed for them to 'learn." Respecting this injunction hear that learned and devoted minister of our Church, the Rev. George Herbert,-" The country parson values

catechizing highly: for there being three points " of his duty-the one to infuse a competent know"ledge of salvation into every one of his flock; the "other to multiply and build up this knowledge "to a spiritual temple; the third to inflame this "knowledge, to press and drive it to practice, turn"ing it to reformation of life by faith and lively ex"hortations. Catechizing is the first point, and but

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by catechizing the other cannot be attained. . "he useth and preferreth the ordinary Church Cate"chism, partly for obedience to authority, partly for uniformity sake, that the same common truths may "be every where professed. . . . This practice

excels even sermons in teaching; but there being "two things in sermons, the one informing and the "other inflaming-as sermons come short of ques"tions in the one, so they far exceed them in the "other. For questions cannot inflame or ravish, "that must be done by a set, and laboured, and continued speech."

And now after all these multiplied precautions have been taken to ensure to the child a knowledge of the nature of his Baptismal vow, and, as far as can be effected by human instrumentality, an earnest desire to observe it; and, after he has reached a sufficient maturity of age and judgment, he is at length permitted and encouraged to ratify and confirm in his own person the solemn vow which was made for him at his Baptism. And in order that this renewal of the Baptismal Covenant may be made with all solemnity, the promise is made to the bishop or chief pastor of the diocese, who, after the example of the Apostles, lays his hands on the head of each person so promising, praying at the same time that he may continue God's for ever, and daily increase in his Holy Spirit more and more till he comes to his ever

lasting kingdom. He is then admitted to the Holy Communion, and to a full participation of all the religious privileges which belong to the members of the Church.

On this occasion we have another striking instance of the great (some may think, superfluous) care and watchfulness of the Church over each of her children; for knowing the frailty and infirmity of human nature, knowing how prone even the best of us are to fail in the due performance of our most sincere and deliberately-formed resolutions, and how much we need a friendly monitor continually to put us in mind of our covenant engagements, she has ordered, in one of the rubrics at the end of the Church Catechism, that all persons to be confirmed shall have a godfather and godmother as a witness of their Confirmation.

But even when this has taken place there is no cessation of the care of the Church for the individual. The great fundamental principles with which she endeavours from the very first to pre-occupy the mind of the child, she labours to re-impress on every fitting opportunity that occurs in the course of his mortal career. If he enters the Holy Estate of Matrimony he is not only reminded of the peculiar duties of that state, but is also in various ways admonished "so to live in this world that in the "world to come he may have life everlasting."

Again, it was the intention of the framers of our Liturgy, that Baptism should be performed in the presence of the congregation, not only that they might hail with joy the admission of another lamb into Christ's fold, but also that each individual should be reminded of his own vows and obligations.

It was also their intention that the children of each parish should be instructed in the Church Catechism after the second lesson in the afternoon service; and this was ordered not only for the sake of the children, who might as conveniently have been catechized in the absence as in the presence of the congregation, but for the sake of the adults, who might listen not only with pleasure but with great personal profit to the instruction thus given to the children, and be most effectually reminded of the vow they had made, and of the nature and importance of that vow. The remarks of Archdeacon Bather on this subject are most valuable, and I gladly avail myself of his words, and take shelter under his high authority. "By open catechizing in the Church,

very much may also be done for remedy of the "difficulties which are continually besetting you, " in consequence of the defective and perhaps utterly neglected education of the grown members of your "congregations. I do not stay to inquire how often "this exercise can be attended to; or how far it

may be made to consist in particular cases with

"your other labours. But to men earnest in their calling, whose care is not to justify their own "failures, but to avail themselves as they may of "every facility for usefulness-to such I commend

an instrument which may very well aid their pur"pose. You cannot be as minute in catechetical "instruction in the church as you must be in the school. But having in the school ascertained what the measure of the children's knowledge is, "you can make them produce it in the church, and "you can add, as I have said, your own brief re'marks as they are called for. And thus all the "people of your charge will have the benefit of an "easy and familiar method :-you will have an " opportunity you much want of instilling instruc"tion drop by drop, into ignorant adults as well as "into ignorant children; and you will be enabled, "with almost equal ease and advantage, to arrest and fix their attention. For next to being asked "a question ourselves, nothing awakens and interests us more than hearing others questioned. There "will be curiosity to catch the child's reply. A "thought can scarcely fail to cross the listener how " he should reply himself, or whether he could reply. "Many are glad to get information without the risk of exposing present ignorance; and when the informa“tion is watched and waited for, it is retained. Most people take pleasure in contemplating the efforts

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