The writer of the first letter.

and devoted christians in the bosom of other churches, and that they were men of great candor, of cool and deliberate judgment, and of undoubted piety, having retained to the present time the undiminished confidence of those christian bodies from which they felt it their duty to separate themselves. I would also add, that these individuals reside in different parts of the country, and have no personal knowledge of each other. The first letter is from a layman. This letter perhaps will be read with increased interest, when it is known that the writer has some time since passed the meridian of life, and is now descending into the vale of years, surrounded by a lovely family, who have all been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and who, by their correct christian deportment, and devotedness to the Saviour, present a lovely example, not only of a holy, happy family, where God reigns, and religion is the most interesting theme, but also of the truth of that unerring declaration of scripture"Train up a child in the way in which he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." This worthy and beloved father, as he remarks, had strong and almost invincible prejudices against the Episcopal Church. His testimony is the more valuable on this account. Whatever may be thought of his argument, we can bear witness to his close and careful walk with God-his high and holy aim to advance the glory of his Creator-and to the kindliness of his feelings to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

Often have I thought that if any of my acquaintance ever reached Heaven, and stood on the glorious mount of God, the writer of the following letter would be among the number. Though a plain man, and never having enjoyed the advantages of a liberal education, he has a sound judgment, and a heart warm with the love of God:

"Dear Sir:

"In compliance with your request, I will attempt to give you some account of the manner in which I was led to become connected with the Episcopal Church. It was with decided aversion to the forms of the Prayer Book, that I first began to attend the Episcopal Church. I had in early life received an impression, that religion was at a low standard among Churchmen; and that impression had lost none of its strength

Solemn administration of Baptism.

with increase of years. Peculiar circumstances, however, induced me, occasionally, to attend worship at an Episcopal Church. About this time a beloved son was made a subject of divine grace, by the preaching and counsel of an Episcopal minister. My attention was now more seriously directed to a consideration of the mode of conducting worship in the Episcopal Church, and to an examination of the Prayer Book. The result was, that I became convinced that the gospel was faithfully and forcibly exhibited in the service. With the preaching I was entirely satisfied; and, notwithstanding my aversion to forms, I was induced to procure seats for my family, (regarding the measure as altogether temporary,) in an Episcopal sanctuary, where my son had received so great a blessing. For a considerable period the peculiarities of the church worship were a burden; but, by degrees, as they were better understood, what I had regarded as forms, I realized to be devotional exercises. After my strong prepossessions were in some degree removed, I began to examine into the design of the various matters peculiar to the church; and the result of my inquiries was a decided conviction that if christians of other denominations were unincumbered with some things which appear to be a draw-back to the Episcopal Church, they are also lacking in much that is instructive, and that adds greatly to the solemnity of worship,

"When I first witnessed the administration of baptism in the church, I was forcibly reminded of a remark made to me by an aged and respected brother in the Congregational Church, which was as follows: "There is a great want of solemnity in our mode of baptism, and the ordinance loses much of its importance on that account." I had been reminded of this remark, when witnessing the administration of this ordinance by immersion.-There was a hurry, and bustle, and confusion, distracting to the mind. But when witnessing the administration of this ordinance in the Episcopal Church, I felt the truth of my friend's remark still more forcibly. There was a solemn stillness; no noise of thoughtless spectators; every thing was befitting an ordinance designed as a seal of the everlasting covenant. The reflection came upon my mind with great power, that here was all the solemnity, the absence of which was so much lamented by my Congre

Communion service—Religious year.

gational friend. But I pass to notice the other appointed seal of the covenant.

"The communion service was not without its influence upon my mind. I had sometimes noticed an appearance of despatch in this solemn ordinance, as practised in some independent churches. But here was a solemnity becoming the most solemn event which it was designed to commemorate. First, the Lord's Prayer; then, an invocation of the Holy Spirit; then a rehearsal of the ten commandments; while the communicants, on their knees, invoke the merciful forgiveness of their past sins, and grace to keep the law, for time to come. Here the broken law is spread out before us; at the rehearsal of each commandment, the response is a confession of guilt, and an invocation of pardoning mercy. What can

be more suitable than this, to prepare the heart for a right reception of the symbols of the broken body and shed blood of the Saviour of the world? The attitude in which this sacrcd duty is performed, to my mind, is not an immaterial circumstance. It seems to me that in this most solemn transaction, the communicants should come around the altar, and on their knees receive the sacred symbols, from the hand of Christ's ambassador.

"I have found, also, that the appointed services, which mark the great events of the religious year, are eminently adapted to fix the attention upon the prominent incidents involved in the history of the Lord Jesus Christ; and to induce devout and humble exercises of the heart. Those for the season of Advent have a delightful influence in turning the thoughts to the scenes and circumstances connected with the coming of Christ in the flesh. The language used by the apostles is well adapted to express our feelings on this subject "Rejoice ye Gentiles with His people, and again, praise the Lord all ye Gentiles, and laud Him all ye people."Those for the Epiphany direct our minds to a consideration of the obligation of christians to publish "the gospel to every creature." Those of Lent are happily adapted to lead the mind to devout meditations upon the sufferings and death of the Saviour; upon our lost state as transgressors of God's righteous law; and upon the infinite compassion of Christ, who at so great a sacrifice, has made it possible for repenting sinners to obtain pardon and eternal life. Those of Easter

Forms of Prayer.

tell of his triumph over death and hell, and of the firm foundation of the christian's hope. And in the yet more glorious event of the Ascension, we are led along by the appropriate exercises, till we find ourselves standing with the disciples of our blessed Lord, steadfastly looking up toward heaven, as he ascends, and hear a voice proclaiming-This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven.' Whitsunday calls up to mind the glorious descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost-but I forbear to proceed.

"It has been often remarked that every thing is beautiful in its season; and that order is conspicuous in the works of God. It is likewise an apostolic injunction-Let every thing be done decently and in order." It is a chief excellence in these appointed services of the church, that they are in harmony with the sentiments just quoted. And the scriptural truths embraced in these exercises, come upon the mind with tenfold power from these happy associations.

"Few persons have thought more unfavorably of forms of prayer han myself; and it was not till several months had clapsed, that my mind was released from the strong prejudices I had formed on that point. Without entering into a discussion of the subject here, I shall briefly speak of it as regards my own experience. My aversion to this part of wor ship gradually subsided as I became familiar with the exercises, so that I could participate in them understandingly. And when I had attained a tolerable knowledge of the several parts, I found it to be in a high degree devotional. In truth it has become to me the most interesting part of worship. I do sometimes, nevertheless, experience a weariness before the service is finished; but a little self-examination on those occasions, always leads me to see that the cause of that weari ness is a want of watchfulness, whereby I suffer my mind to wander from the duties before me. And now, after two years experience in this matter, I am not only satisfied with the morning and evening service of the church, as it is appointed to be read before the sermons, but I think it far better adapted to promote the great end of all religious services, than any extemporary exercises whatever. I am aware that it is objected against the use of forms, that they lead to formality in worship, to which the mind is sufficiently prone

without such a help.

Episcopacy.

My answer to this objection is, that I have not found it so. I do not realize that this decided preference for the services of the liturgy has, in any degree, diminished my interest in extempore prayer on more private occasions for social worship.

"On the subject of Episcopacy, my mind is quite satisfied. If infant baptism and the christian Sabbath can be proved to be of apostolic usage, so can Episcopacy, by the same species of evidence. As I believe the former, I cannot reasonably reject the latter. But if it cannot be proved by any express declaration of scripture, so neither can any such warrant be found in the scriptures for Presbyterianism or Congregationalism. How then does the subject stand in point of expediency? I think it admits not of a doubt, that the advantage is altogether on the side of Episcopacy. Every candid man who has noticed what is passing around him, will admit that in all denominations, there are in fact grades in the ministry, though they are not recognized in their church polity. In each synod, church-conference, and consociation, there is a governing spirit; and that spirit is in the breast of one man. Or if there are exceptions, it is where there is a striving for mastery among the two or three, who are aspirants for supremacy. I do not say this unkindly, nor with a view to depreciate the exalted piety and acknowledged excellency of our brethren of those denominations who have laid aside Episcopacy. But I simply notice a fact which has existed, and probably always will exist, while human nature continues as it is. Far better is it, therefore, in my view, that there be one elected to the office of Bishop, by the consent of his clerical brethren.

66

Having now briefly recited some of the considerations which have led my mind to a renunciation of past errors, in relation to the Episcopal Church, and to become in feeling and in sentiment an Episcopalian, I have only to add, that I regard it among the most interesting events of my life, that my family have been brought under this influence; and each of the several members of it is no less happy in this consideration than myself. Since we have become associated with Episcopalians, five of our number, it is hoped, have passed from death unto life.