witness the performance? Now do not such expressions tend to lead to improper notions of the great-business for which we meet together, namely, to unite in offering up our prayers to our Father who is in heaven? and does not this notion of a performance tend to shut out from our minds the feeling of that great truth, that "where two or three are gathered together" as Christians, to worship their heavenly Father, there has our Saviour promised to be in the midst of them?"

I must add, that, as far as the above-named Prin cess is concerned, no expression can be less suitable. I may say the same of the whole of the Royal Fa mily. No one could ever join more devoutly in public worship than the late King; and the whole of his family were brought up in religious habits; and I am mistaken if the greater part of them do not still retain the habit of reading Scripture every day in private; to which habit I know they were brought up. The late King always joined in the responses at Church in a very audible voice, as every one ought to do; and I have observed that this prac tice is still retained by such part of the family as I have had an opportunity of seeing at Church.

I know but little, however, how these things are now; my knowledge of them in former days was greater than it is at present; but I must add that I think the practice which prevails in some Churches, of leaving the responses wholly to the clerk, is a very bad modern innovation, quite contrary to the intention of our Church, and certainly encourages the notion that the clergyman is a performer and the people spectators, rather than that they are all fellowworshippers together.

SENEX.

CHRISTIAN DUTY.

My duty is " to do unto all men as I would they should do unto me."-Church Catechism.

The duty thus described in our Catechism is taken from the direction given by our blessed Saviour, who told us that the first and great commandment was to love God with all our hearts and mind, and soul and strength; and that the second great commandment was "to love our neighbour as ourselves." These two commandments contain, in few words, the sum of the instructions of the Law and the Prophets. We find, from these, that we are to be devout and holy towards God. If we neglect this, we are guilty of a great offence against our Almighty Father, however pleasing we may have made ourselves in the eyes of men. But we must likewise remember, that we cannot please God unless we are kind to our fellow-creatures. We have opportunities of shewing this disposition every day of our lives. It is not only to be shewn on great occasions; but there are a thousand little circumstances constantly occurring, to prove whe ther we desire to observe this rule or not. often do we see children at school disputing with one another, and all trying to gain their own will! But, if they wish to obey the Scripture rule, they will try to put themselves in the situation of others, and then ask how they themselves would like to be treated. Let them think of the pleasure of others, and thus try to make them happy; this sort of consideration will lead to great improvement of the disposition, and will shew that the lessons of Scripture which they read are turned to good account. From Rivington's National School Mag.

How

DEATH OF A CHRISTIAN.

1.

THOU art gone to the grave, but we will not deplore thee,
Though sorrows and darkness encompass the tomb;
Thy Saviour has passed through its portals before thee,
And the lamp of his love is thy guide through the gloom,

2.

Thou art gone to the grave-we no longer behold thee,
Nor tread the rough path of the world by thy side;
But the wide arms of Mercy are spread to enfold thee,
And sinners may hope, since the Sinless has died.

3.

Thou art gone to the grave-and, its mansion forsaking,
Perhaps thy tried spirit in doubt lingered long;

But the sunshine of heaven beamed bright on thy waking, And the song which thou heardst was the seraphim's song.

4.

Thou art gone to the grave-but 'twere wrong to deplore thee,
When God was thy ransom, thy guardian, thy guide;
He gave thee, and took thee, and soon will restore thee,
Where death hath no sting, since the Saviour hath died.

Bishop Heber.

!

ADVENT*.

66

THE word" Advent" means the same as The Coming." Our Church, by the "Advent," means the "Coming of the Lord." At Christmas we celebrate the coming of our Saviour into the world to save the world; and our minds ought to be led thereby to think of his second coming, to judge the world. These events are so solemn and important that our Church has set apart five weeks before Christmas for the more particular consideration of them.

* This ought to have been in our last Number.

Let

Christians employ them for the purposes for which they were given. What must be the state of those who can not only forget these sacred purposes, but employ such seasons in profligacy and drunkenness? Think! Consider!

ADVENT.-A HYMN.

1.

The chariot! the chariot! its wheels roll in fire,
As the LORD cometh down in the pomp of His ire;
Self-moving, it drives on its pathway of cloud,

And the Heavens with the burden of Godhead are bow'd.

2.

The glory! the glory! around him are poured
The myriads of Angels that wait on the LORD;
And the glorified Saints and the Martyrs are there,
And all who the palm-wreaths of victory wear.

3.

The trumpet! the trumpet! the dead have all heard;
Lo, the depths of the stone-cover'd monuments stirr'd!
From ocean and earth, from the south pole and north,
Lo,the vast generations of ages come forth!

4.

The judgment! the judgment! the thrones are all set,
Where the Lamb and the white-vested Elders are met;
All flesh is at once in the sight of the LORD,
And the doom of eternity hangs on his word.

5.

Oh mercy! Oh mercy! Look down from above,
Redeemer, on us, thy sad children, with love!

When beneath to their darkness the wicked are driven,
May our justified souls find a welcome in Heaven!

Rev. H. H. Milner.

REMARKS ON THE LETTER OF D. D.

(Vol. 5, p. 519.)

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

PERMIT me to reply to your able correspondent D. D. in your Number for Nov. 1825, who appears to me to have made the subject of educating the deaf and dumb much of his study. The only difficulty he entertains with respect to the deaf and dumb being educated in common schools, with other children, is the improbability of procuring masters to teach them in common schools, although he thinks it not impossible. I can say from experience, that it is possible. In my opinion a deaf and dumb child should by no means be taught in a room where none but the deaf and dumb are: there should be as little distinction as possible made between them and others. The Almighty, I conceive, never intended them to be separated. He withheld from them the sense of hearing for some wise purpose, but He has given them the means of learning a language by their eyes; and, without that sense, how should we ourselves have learnt a language? The admixture of the deaf and dumb with others will more probably bring them forth as useful and valuable members of society. That their ideas are as capable as those of other people of improving us, I have often experienced.

My own brother, who is deaf and dumb, is now living in a most respectable situation in life, and is well known as a successful artist. He was educated in common with other children,

Yours,
I. P. A..