absence of envy and of pride of intel- God, when instructing his creatures
lect-it is disinterestedness-it is in their duty, and in the allegiance
mildness of disposition-it is harm- they owe to him, necessarily delivers
lessness and unsuspecting confidence perfect rules; and as those creatures
it is fellow-feeling in the welfare of are deeply entangled in the trammels
others—it is a readiness to believe and of sin, their allegiance will be una-
to forgive-and it is a love of peace voidably deficient; and here it is that
and unanimity. Not, then, without the atonement of Jesus Christ steps in
to our aid, and renders us admissible
reason does the Apostle prefer it even
into those mansions which must other-
to faith and hope: for if such a com-
prehensive virtue as this was univer-wise have been barred against us for

sally embraced and universally prac-
tised amongst us, this world would
be itself a paradise, and we should
have no occasion to desire another.
The effects of faith and hope are con-
fined to the individuals in whom they
reside; but the effects of such a cha-
rity as this are diffused over all crea-
tion. Faith will guide each of us to
heaven, and without it there is no
admission there; and hope will cheer
and invigorate us in our efforts to reach
it; but charity will benefit not ourselves
only, but all those, with whom in the
varied walks of life, we may chance
to meet, or over whom our actions
may have any influence. Our faith
and hope will save ourselves; but our
charity may promote the salvation of
others.

15

Some degree of this blessed ever. charity is attainable by us even in this life; and unless we strive to attain it, in vain shall we look to Jesus for the supply of our deficiencies. We can check, if we cannot subdue our angry passions-we can forgive, and we can ask forgiveness-we can be kind and affable and condescending -we can administer to the wants and bodily infirmities of others--we can endeavour to cultivate peace and good will, each in his own narrow circle. Thus we may in part adopt the spirit of St. Paul, and I may add too, the spirit of our blessed Lord, as it was manifested in every accent of his lips, and in every work of his hands.

Having dwelt thus at length upon charity in its general and diffusive nature, let me now call your attention to that particular branch of it, which relates, more immediately, to the object of my present address. The relief of the wants and the distresses of our fellow-creatures is, as I observed, a pre-eminent part of Christian charity. It is that too, which is of the most pressing obligation; as the sufferings of the unfortunate are, alas, constantly presenting themselves to our sight. In discharging this duty, then, we have two methods to adopt :-First, that of privately relieving those of the afflicted whose sufferings may fall within the sphere of our observation or knowledge; and Secondly, that of contributing to the support of public institutions which have been esta

Have you then, my brethren, this excellent gift of charity? Do you in your intercourse with your fellowmortals act on such principles as I have above enumerated? Are you thus patient, long-suffering, kind, humble, unsuspicious, disinterested, forgiving, and peaceable? Alas! there are few of us, perhaps, that can answer altogether in the affirmative. The pattern is too perfect for us accurately to imitate; yet, let us remember though we cannot obtain perfection, we may, nevertheless, so far practise the pure precepts laid down for us in the Gospel, that at the great day of account, the all-sufficient me. rits of our Redeemer may be pleaded on behalf of our imperfect services.

(To be continued.)

London: Published for the Proprietors, by T. GRIFFITHS, Wellington Street, Strand;

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No. 30.]

SERMON BY THE REV. E. RICE.
SERMON BY THE REV. H. J. OWEN.
SERMON BY THE REV. C. SIMEON.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1831.

[Price 3d.

(The Rev. E. Rice's Sermon concluded.)

|

it is not a local school; but it is already
in some degree, and may hereafter
become in the fullest sense, the Charity
School of England. It partakes of the
advantages of all benevolent institu-
tions for the young; for in one of
them, the orphan is sheltered—in an-
other, the child of the soldier-in a
third, the child of the sailor is received
-in a fourth, the unhappy offspring
of the wretched convict is sheltered
in a fifth, the deserted child that never
knew a parent's smile finds a home.
In various other institutions, the des-
titute or orphan children of persons of
particular professions are sheltered;
but in the St. Ann's Society Schools
all are admitted: distress alone is the
qualification there required. In this
respect, indeed, it differs in some de-
gree from the only institution, to which
it bears in other respects a resemblance,
as far as its limited means at present
admit of; I allude to Christ's Hospital,
an institution with which I myself am
connected, a third of whose presenta.
tions are restricted to the children of
parents who are free of the city of
London but here, there is not even
that partial limitation, the door is
freely opened to all whom early sorrow
has qualified to be its inmates. And
sincerely do I hope, (I may be allowed,
perhaps, on this occasion, to express
this hope) that it may so increase in the
approbation and support of the country
at large, that it may one day be en-

It is not, therefore, a parochial school; | abled like Christ's Hospital, to maintain upwards of one thousand children, educating and clothing and wholly providing for them all. Its establishment at Brixton gives it the means of an indefinite increase in point of locality; and nothing but the extensive co-operation of the benevolent is wanting to enlarge it into a great and truly national institution. Its patrons and supporters are zealous and active in the highest degree. They have, indeed, in a praiseworthy reliance on Christian sympathy, gone beyond the means of the society, and incurred a debt in the erection of the Brixton establishment which they trust to the benevolent to defray: a sum of two thousand pounds still remains to be discharged on that account.

VOL. II.

That the institution is conducted in a manner calculated to deserve your support, may be gathered from the best of all testimonies, the testimony of those who were themselves educated within its walls, many of whom are annual subscribers, many life governors of the school, and still more, whose humbler means have not yet enabled them to give either of those greater testimonies of their gratitude, have formed themselves into an auxilary society in aid of the establishment, that out of individual subscriptions of a small amount they may periodically present to the society a collective sum. The last annual contribution from this source amounted

с

to twenty-five pounds; and most valuable must that contribution appear to the managers and supporters of this institution, conveying to them, as it does, the cordial approbation of those who have felt, and therefore can estimate, the blessing imparted.

by constant calamity and distress. The affliction of such persons is hard, indeed, to bear. It is painful to be, themselves, the victims of continual disappointment-it is more painful to be cast down from a state of affluence into a state of poverty, which they are ill prepared to encounter-but it is most painful of all, to look around upon their offspring, and feel that there is no hope for them. The parent will endure the wretchedness of his own lot, perhaps, without repining; but for his children, we who are parents well know, that he must feel, and feel acutely too. Could he but have a hope for them he might yet be happy. Let us then, my brethren,

In regard to the necessity of this institution, a point on which perhaps you might be induced to found an enquiry, one fact alone will be sufficient to convince you; though it wholly supports one hundred children, and partially fifty more, yet at the July election last year, the immense number of one hundred and twentytwo candidates were unavoidably rejected, whilst nine only could be admitted. It cannot, therefore, at pre-impart our aid, whether as contributors sent, receive even a tenth of those, on whose behalf its necessary aid is from time to time earnestly and loudly implored.

on this occasion, or as permanent supporters of the St. Ann's Society-let us contribute our aid to administer one drop of consolation, at least, to the bosom of many an afflicted parent-let us assist in keeping open, and in enlarging the source of relief, which will draw down many a blessing on the heads of its benevolent supporters, and which will cause many a thanksgiving from grateful lips to ascend to the throne of God in the name of his Son Jesus Christ Our

And who, alas, are those on whose behalf its aid is, as I said, earnestly and loudly implored? Let me conclude, by again reminding you of this point; they are peculiarly the children of the unfortunate, the offspring, in many instances, of those who have seen better days, or who have been prevented from rising to the station, for which they otherwise were qualified, | Lord.

A Sermon

DELIVERED BY THE REV. HENRY JOHN OWEN,
AT PARK CHAPEL, CHELSEA, JAN. 9, 1831.

Psalm xxiii. 4.-" Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

GREAT danger is to be apprehended of our being attracted and enchained to the study of the word solely, or even principally, by the beauties of its composition, and by the general

character of the sublime and interesting subjects of which it treats and thus, mistaking delight in its language, imagery and general contents, for holy joy at the contemplation of its in