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charge or cure thereof, it hath been usual to admit Readers, to the end that divine service in such places might not altogether be neglected.

It is said that Readers were first appointed in the Church about the third century. In the Greek Church they were said to have been ordained by the imposition of hands: but whether this was the practice of all the Greek Churches hath been much questioned. In the Latin Church it was certainly otherwise.* The council of Carthage speaks of no other ceremony, but the bishop's putting the Bible into his hands in the presence of the people, with these words-" Take this book, and be thou a Reader of the Word of God, which office if thou shalt faithfully and profitably perform, thou shalt have part with those that minister in the Word of God." And in Cyprian's time, they seemed not to have had so much of the ceremony as delivering the Bible to them, but were made Readers by the bishop's commission and deputation only to such a station in the Church.— Bing. Antiq. vol. ii. p. 31.

Upon the Reformation here, they were required to subscribe to the following injunctions:

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Imprimis, I shall not preach or interpret, but only read that which is appointed by public authority.

"I shall not minister the sacraments or other public rites of the Church, but bury the dead, and purify women after their child-birth : "I shall keep the register book according to the injunctions:

"I shall use sobriety in apparel, and especially in the church at common prayer:

"I shall move men to quiet and concord, and not give them cause of offence:

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I shall bring in to my ordinary testimony of my behaviour from the honest of the parish where I dwell, within one half year next following:

"I shall give place upon convenient warning so thought by the ordinary, if any learned minister shall be placed there at the suit of the patron of the parish:

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I shall claim no more of the fruits sequestered of such cure, where I shall serve, but as it will be thought meet to the wisdom of the ordinary:

"I shall daily, at the least, read one chapter of the Old Testament, and one other of the New, with good advisement to the increase of my knowledge:

"I shall not appoint in my room by reason of my absence or sickness any other man, but shall leave it at the suit of the parish to the ordinary for assigning some other able man:

'I shall not read but in poorer parishes, destitute of incumbents, except in the time of sickness, or for other good consideration to be allowed by the ordinary :

"I shall not openly intermeddle with any artificer's occupations, as covetously to seek a gain, thereby having in ecclesiastical living the sum of twenty nobles, or above by the year."

This was resolved to be put to all Readers and Deacons by the

* In Wales, in many parts of England, and in colleges, persons officiate as Readers who are not in orders. (Cowp. 349, 445.) But 57 G. 3, c. 99. s. 15. assumes certain Readers to be in orders.

respective Bishops, and is signed by both the Archbishops, together with the Bishops of London, Winchester, Ely, Sarum, Carlisle, Chester, Exeter, Bath and Wells, and Gloucester.-Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 306.

By the foundation of divers Hospitals, there are to be Readers of prayers there, who are usually licensed by the Bishop.*

* By the 13 and 14 Car. 2, c. 4. s. 8, Readers in the Universities are required to sign the declaration contained in s. 9, which is still in force, so far as respects the Liturgy (not being repealed by 13 and 14 C. 2, c. 4. s. 12.) now expired, or 1 W. and M. c. 8. s. 11. now in force, and is as follows-"I, A. D. do declare that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by law established."

VANDERKEMP, THE MISSIONARY.

The Rev. Mr. Moffatt, in his missionary labours in South Africa, draws the following striking portrait of the missionary Vanderkemp:"Some time elapsed before the crafty monarch Gaika would give bis consent that they should remain in his dominions; and when this was at length granted, and a suitable spot selected, he adds, in true Gospel simplicity, Brother Edmonds and I cut down long grass and rushes for thatching, and felled trees in the wood. I kneeled down on the grass, thanking the Lord Jesus that he had provided me a resting place before the face of our enemies and Satan, praying that from under this roof the seed of the Gospel might spread northwards through all Africa.'

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"After Mr. E's departure, the doctor in his cheerless abode was instant in season and out of season, eagerly embracing every opportunity of recommending the Gospel, and catching each little ray of light that beamed on his devious path. He was a man of exalted genius and learning. He had mingled with courtiers. He had been an inmate of the universities of Leyden and Edinburgh. He had obtained plaudits for his remarkable progress in literature, in philosophy, divinity, physic, and the military art. He was not only a profound student in ancient languages, but in all the modern European tongues, even to that of the Highlanders of Scotland, and had distinguished himself in the armies of his earthly sovereign, in connexion with which he rose to be captain of horse and lieutenant of the dragoon guards. Yet this man, constrained by the love of Christ,' could cheerfully lay aside all his honours, mingle with savages, bear their sneers and contumely, condescend to serve the meanest of his troublesome guests-take the axe, the sickle, the spade, and the mattock-lie down on the place where dogs repose, and spend nights on his couch drenched with rain, the cold wind bringing his fragile house about his ears. Though annoyed by the nightly visits of hungry hyenas, sometimes destroying his sheep and travelling appurtenances, and even seizing the leg of beef at his tentdoor, though compelled to wander about in quest of lost cattle, and exposed to the perplexing and humbling caprice of those whose characters were stains on human nature-whisperings occasionally reaching his ears that murderous plans were in progress for his destruction -he calmly proceeded with his benevolent efforts, and, to secure his object, would stop with the meekness of wisdom' to please and propitiate the rude and wayward children of the desert whom he sought to bless."

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YOUNG MEN AND MISSIONS.

THE unity of the Divine Nature is forcibly illustrated by the harmony which pervades the economy both of nature and of grace. The intimate dependence of man upon man in the social system, and the identity of the true interests of an individual and of the community are examples of this. Still more perceptible is this harmony in the constitution and experience of the Church of Christ. The spiritual interests of one member clash not with those of the whole body, and again the body reflects back on its individual members with additional force, the light which it derives through them from the Spirit of God. In laboring for the spiritual good of others we help on our own advancement in the Divine life, for "He that watereth shall be watered also himself." In this point of view it is, that exertions in behalf of Foreign Missions, so far from detracting from Home efforts, are most efficiently conducive to their prosperity. This point is exemplified in the following letter respecting the operations of the Young Men's Church Missionary Society, in connection with the Protestant Episcopal Church of the State of New York. We are disposed to think that these Young Mens' Associations, as channels for the circulation of interesting Missionary information, and as a bond of union between Young Christians, may become most important auxiliaries to our District Visiting Societies, Sunday Schools and similar Institutions. We hope ere long to recur to this subject.

MY DEAR SIR,

New York, September 19, 1843.

"Your very interesting letter of the 3rd July, should have received a much earlier reply, but that I delayed answering it, until I could lay it before the board of Mana gers of the Young Mens' Church Missionary Society, which was done last evening; and I have now the pleasure of conveying to you on behalf of that Society, their Christian sympathy and salutation in the name of our common Lord. The communication with which you have favored us was listened to with lively interest, and it will afford great pleasure to the members of our board to open a correspondence with the London and Westminster Young Men's Church Missionary Association we hope that this may be conducive on both sides to an enlargement of our knowledge of Missionary work and duty, and that it may be the means of calling forth those Christian feelings and affections which ought not to be confined to any particular land, but to flow forth freely towards all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth.

'As you are desirous of knowing our plan of operation, and the result of our past experience, I shall endeavour as briefly as possible to give you what information is in my power, and send you besides, some of our late Annual Reports, and a copy of our by-laws.

And this I do with the less hesitation, since we have had the advantage of occupying the field longer than yourselves. In almost every other department of Christian benevolence we have been con

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tented to receive the example of Great Britain, and to follow in her footsteps. From her we have received our Church, and our Prayer Book, from her example we have established Bible Societies, Missionary and Tract Societies, and almost every other benevolent ration of the day; but the association of Young Men for their own spiritual good, and for the helping on of Christ's cause is an organization which owes its origin to this country, and which we heartily rejoice in now beholding extending itself to England; may it prove an efficient aid in promoting a Missionary spirit, and in spreading that early concern for immortal souls which it is so important to excite in our hearts.

"The Young Men's Auxiliary Education and Missionary Society," (as its title originally was) was formed ten years ago for the purpose of enlisting the energies of our Young Men in acts of Christian be nevolence, and to serve as an auxiliary to some of our older institutions having kindred objects in view.

The rules and by-laws of the Society will give you the detail of its organization, my object shall be to inform you of its working and the advantages and defects which experience has pointed out.

For several years after the formation of this Society, its labours were divided into two channels, Education and Missions. There is in this Diocese 66 a Missionary and Education Society," and in reference to our Education branch, our sole duty and privilege consisted in paying certain funds to the Parent Society, and nominating the individuals who should be educated with these funds. Beyond this we had no office to perform; the young men were not responsible to our Society; we had no supervision of their conduct and studies; and little knowledge of them beyond their name. The consequence was, that little or no interest was created amongst us by this department of labour; rumours of an unfavourable nature sometimes reached our ears of our beneficiaries whilst attending distant colleges; and a growing dissatisfaction became apparent amongst the members of our Society. The result was, that in the year 1842, it was resolved to give up this branch of the Society's plans, and to alter its name to the "Young Mens' Church Missionary Society," confining its future operations to Missionary work.

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Regarding this department, from the beginning, I would say, that our Society, acting always as subsidiary to existing and authorised Societies of the Church, exercised the privilege of contributing its funds to whatever Missionary operations it saw fit. These have chiefly been expended on Missions in the Western part of the State of New York, the Indian Mission at Duck Creek near Greenbay, the Diocese of Tennessee, and the deeply interesting Mission at Cape Palmas in Africa. Our Society was the first which made a move towards that benighted land and pledged 500 dollars per annum towards the support of that Mission, which has been paid from that period.

From that Mission we have received from time to time, very cheering accounts of the conversion of heathen minds from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to the true God; instances have been afforded of the most decided character where the life has been permanently changed, and where education has been blessed to the lifting up of some to a state of intelligence and well-grounded Chris

tian hope, who had otherwise lived and died in savage heathen igno

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From what I have stated, you will perceive that the principal duties of our Society have consisted in raising funds and appropriating them, and that the management of the Missionary work has been in other hands. But I should not speak correctly if I said that these were our only or our principal objects. There is another, which, to my mind, is yet more important, and which will alone compensate for the whole labour and machinery of the Society, if it can be effectually obtained, and that is the spiritual good of the managers of the Society themselves. These consist of students of divinity in our Theological Seminary, whom of course it is highly important to imbue with a Missionary spirit before they go out to their Master's work; and of the Young Men of our city, who are engaged in the various active duties and avocations of life, and who, but for such an organization would have no proper channel of labour; these perhaps, originally feeling little interest in the cause, may gradually have their hearts warmed in the cause of Christ, by coming in contact with others more advanced than themselves in the Christian life, whose zealous example may awaken new life in their hearts.

To this end therefore, a part of the time of the board's meetings is devoted to hearing reports from Missionary Committees, to whom the four quarters of the world are assigned in order to report Missionary intelligence from every place in rotation.

I am happy to say, that these plans have not wholly failed of their effect. I am persuaded that through our Society many profitable Christian friendships have been formed, much zeal called forth, and that our Missionary reports have been the means of exciting and cherishing a Missionary spirit.

'What then might not have been the blessed result if these plans had been always carried out in the most efficient manner, and in a right spirit; but the misfortune has been (and it has doubtless operated as a great drawback) that too often we come together without being imbued with that heavenly and prayerful spirit, which is necessary to make such exercises profitable, and we have been so much absorbed in the harassing and worldly department of the finances, that no time was left, or perhaps no reports were ready from the Missionary Committees. With all these drawbacks, however, I thank God that our Society has not been altogether without fruit in these respects.

Regarding the subject of funds it was our plan for many years to assume annually, certain responsibilities to the extent of our supposed ability. Owing to fluctuations in the times and other circumstances, it was often very difficult to fulfil these pledges, which led to spasmodic efforts overstraining many individuals beyond their strength, and often leaving the Soceity afterwards in a languid state.

Finding the evils of this system, it has latterly been laid aside; but I am not sure whether we have not fallen into the opposite error of not spurring ourselves up sufficiently to do all in our power.

'I would now give you an account of a new object before our Society, which has lately called forth a lively interest amongst us,

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