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are published by the venerable "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge."

1. "Prayer-Book, great primer (type) medium
4to, with Psalms."

"Bible, (without Apocrypha,) English (type,)
medium 4to, with references.'
"Apocrypha, pica (type,) royal Svo."

2, "Prayer-Book, great primer (type,) demy
4to, with Psalms."

"Bible (without Apocrypha) English (type,)
demy 4to, without references."
"Apocrypha, pica (type,) royal 8vo."

At the small cost of (to subscribers to the Society for Promotiing Christian Knowledge) £1. 9s. 10d., or of 18s. (according to whether the size of the reading-desk requires the larger or the smaller-sized books,) OR of (to non-subscribers) £2. 1s. 10d., or £1. 7s. 10d., it is quite possible-and that without delay-to remove from the reading-desks of many of our churches the present scandal of" Bible" and "Apocrypha' " in one and the same volume. I have succeeded in accomplishing this in one Episcopal Chapel, I hope shortly to do so in (at least) one other. Here, then, is a department in "Church Reform," in which the zealous efforts of your reforming readers may at once be crowned with success, if they will immediately set about it.

I would just add, that although the law does not appear to require the Apocrypha to be bound up with the Church Bibles, yet, I believe, it does require "the Apocrypha" itself, to be in the reading-desk. While, therefore, the old " Apocrypha- Bibles"

are removed, it will be needful, in supplying a pure Bible, not to forget "the Apocrypha," in a separate volume-like the Book of Homilies

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Sir,-Can you, or any of your correspondents, explain to me the principle upon which the following fact is grounded?

Mr. William Palmer, a deacon in the Church of England, who went to Russia in 1840, was the bearer of a letter from Dr. Routh, President of Magdalen College, Oxford, in which, addressing himself to all bishops of the Apostolical Church in Russia into whose dioceses he might go, he desires of them that if they find him an orthodox Christian in all essential points of the true faith, they would admit him to the communion.

The fact is a startling one: I leave it to speak for itself, and remain, sir, yours, AN OBSERVER.

The above is taken from a book

otherwise some "rural dean" might printed by Mr. Palmer himself. order the old books back again.

I would also add, that very convenient and suitable books for "the Communion table," (corresponding with the foregoing for the desk) may be had of the 66 Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," at a very cheap rate, viz., "Great primer (type) demy 8vo, without psalms," at 4s. 2d. to subscribers, and 6s. 1d. to non-subscribers; also the same "with the Psalms," i. e. the metrical version, at 5s. 8d. and 7s. 7d. respectively.

To the Editor.

Sir, The pretext usually alleged by Tractarians for rejecting the decision of the Queen in Council in the Gorham case is, I believe, that it is unsanctioned by the Church in Convocation. Meanwhile, they slight the teaching of the 27th Article as uncatholic, and as having "a tendency to mislead," (Maskell's Letter to Goode, p. 9), and tenaciously cling to the

CORRESPONDENCE-THE BURIAL SERVICE.

teaching of the latter half of the Church-Catechism, as the soundest of doctrine. Will it, then, be credited, that while the 39 Articles received the full and formal assent of Convocation, the latter portion of the Catechism was introduced in 1604, and added to the Prayer-book by Royal Proclamation only, without the assent of either Convocation or Parliament ? Surely this was an exercise of the Royal supremacy far beyond the exercise of it in the Gorham case? But yet the Convocation of 1603-4, in the 80th of the Canons of that synod, directly sanctions the Prayer-book as thus altered in this and other places by the King's authority, and describes it as "The Book of Common Prayer, lately explained in some few points by his Majesty's authority, according to the laws and his highness's prerogative in that behalf," (Canon 80)!

The importance of this, and similar precedents is ably shown in the "Letter to Lord J. Russell" on 66 Scriptural Revision of the Liturgy," by "a Member of the Middle Temple," pp. 159-168 and pp. 179–184. I am, Sir, yours,

Sept. 13th.

M. A., OXON.

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423

under their own eyes, or is communi. cated to them by the most credible testimony.

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There was a sad funeral at the other day: a man who was an habitual drunkard, insisted, whilst in a state of intoxication, upon performing some work of a nature at all times attended with some danger, but of course, while in that state, of a doubly perilous character. Just before doing so, he swore, with an oath, to the truth of a fact, which eventually turned out to be false. An accident happened, and the man was killed on the spot. My informant adds, "I did hear that the wretched man said, 'he would go, though the devil was there,' or something to that effect." The church was crowded at the funeral, and Divine service, which immediately followed. The whole of the funeral service was read, without any omission.

Comment here is almost unnecessary. If the crowd were warned in the Sermon, what must they have thought of the Service?

I have heard of clergymen, in such a dilemma as this, obtaining the offices of brother ministers, who knew nothing of the circumstances of the case, and whose consciences might not therefore be wounded; but are the former made thereby quite comfortable, and do they escape the responsibility of misleading surrounding friends and parishioners?

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Over believers in Jesus, the Bible tells us not to "sorrow as those who have no hope." We practically tell the living that we have hope of good and bad alike, for at the graves of all, we pray that when we shall depart this life; we may rest in Jesus, as our hope is this our brother doth. What hope could the minister of have had? The omission of a few words of uncertain application, and the introduction of a few more of warning, would add much to the value of this almost inspired composition. Yours,

N. N.

Reviews, and Short Notices of Books.

MEMOIR OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS

OF THOMAS CHALMERS, D.D., LL.D.
By his Son-in-Law, THE REV. WIL-
LIAM HANNA, LL.D. Vol. 3, pp.539.
Edinburgh. Sutherland & Knox ;
London. Hamilton & Co.

THE Volume before us takes up the
history of Dr. Chalmers at the period
of his departure from Glasgow for St.
Andrews, in 1823, and not only
carries us along the uninterrupted
current of Dr. Chalmers' busy life,
but indulges us copiously with in-
teresting particulars and reminis-
cences of many of the most distin-
guished of his cotemporaries. Great
praise is due to Dr. Hanna for his
judicious selection and arrangement
of the matter for this most valuable
of biographies; and although this is
not the day for lives in four volumes,
yet we cannot find fault with the
present biographer for presenting us
with all the most important facts of
Dr. Chalmers' ministerial and lite-
rary labours, or for not withholding
those incidents and anecdotes which
unfold the christian and amiable cha-
racter of the man in his domestic life.
After a time, we shall look for a care-
ful condensation of this Memoir; so
that the history of so great and good
a minister of Christ, may be brought
within the reach not only of the
purse, but of the time for reading, of
the thousands of book-buying people.

The following extract from a letter to Mrs. Chalmers, when the Dr. was visiting in and about Edinburgh, will give an instance of the playful nature of this laborious man when relaxing

from his severe duties:

"Thursday. Started between six and seven. Took an early breakfast. Went to the North Bridge on chance, and with a great feeling of lightness because of having got quit of my luggage and being weighted only with two neckcloths. Found two coaches at eight o'clock on the start for Costerton, and had an inside berth in one of them for

four shillings and sixpence. Rode on about fourteen miles, and landed after ten. Had then a long mile to walk, and

got at length to a beautiful sylvan recess, at the bottom of which I descried an irregularly shaped house, and on my approach could distinguish Dr. Hunter's white head through one lozen of an end window, and Mr. Duncan's profile through another lozen of it. Dr. Nicoll came out and gave me a bland and cordial reception. It was exclusively an academic party, Dr. James Hunter being also there, and Mr. Gillespie having joined us about three o'clock. Mr. Duncan

Had

annoyed me by the affirmation that I am
sensibly and considerably fatter since I
left St. Andrews. There must be serious
measures taken to keep me down.
cordial greetings with the gentlemen in
the library, then we sallied out to the
premises, and had a very delightful fore-
noon saunter through the woods and lanes
of Costerton. We fixed the situation of
a future moss-house, for which Dr. Hun-
ter I hope will write an inscription; and
I have left the fragment of a knife,
broken by Mr. Duncan, in a spot which
overhangs a bath to be made in a linn.
By the way, I am not altogether fond of
the Stockport business. I hope that

you and the children went to see M.
Alexandre, and that he called upon you.
His exhibition in private is, I understand,
still more impressive than in public.
Before dinner we had a game at bowls in
a green before the house. I and Mr.
Duncan against Dr. Nicoll and Dr. James
Hunter. We had the best of three games.
Mr. Gillespie afterwards took up Mr.
Duncan and was beat by him. With all
the convivialities of the west I have seen
no such guzzling as to-day with my St.
Andrews' friends, and told Mr. Duncan
so. They are rare lads these Leeterati
or Eaterati. Before supper there was
family worship, when I was asked to
officiate. We were shewn to our beds

about twelve. I got the large bed-room in which Mr. Duncan was the night before, and he had a closet with a small sofa-bed that communicated with the room. This arrangement was vastly agreeable to me; and we tumbled into our respective couches between twelve and one. I like him.

"Friday. Got up about eight. Went to Mr. Duncan's closet and got behind him in his sofa-bed, where I had a good purchase for jamming him out, and did so accordingly. Had cordial talk with him. Had a turn before breakfast, and

REVIEWS-LIFE AND WRITINGS OF DR. CHALMERS.

agreed to find my way with him to Edinburgh by the help of coaches which go past this way. Dr. Nicoll, however, traversed this arrangement, he having so ordered it as to go to Edinburgh in his own carriage-to take Dr. Hunter and me along with him, and offered a place in the dickie to any other. I offered to take the dickie, but he would not hear of it; and as Mr. Duncan professed himself liable to giddiness, Dr. James Hunter sat beside the driver, and in this style we drove to Edinburgh. I had to explain and half apologize to Mr. Duncan for having deserted him, and he instantly saw that such an exclusive preference on our part for one another might hurt the feelings of our elders, and that it was far better to acquiesce in their plan, We set off between ten and eleven. But between that and breakfast, Mr. Gillespie, who is somewhat of a bluster, challenged me to a game at bowls, when, to the great satisfaction of all, I beat him, by thirteen to eight. On our way to Edinburgh got in two newspapers at Dr. Nicoll's post-office, which we read in the chaise.'"

Some amongst us who are rather too fond of mixing up musical performances with the solemnities of Divine worship, may receive some instruction from Dr. Chalmer's indignant account of a scene at Manchester, in which it was attempted to make him an actor,

"They are going to have a grand musical concert along with the sermon, to which the best amateurs and perform ers of the neighbourhood are to lend their services. This is all put down in their gaudy manifesto, and to me it is most ineffably disgusting. You know that I am to be very guarded; but I could not perfectly disguise my antipathies to this part of the arrangement. I asked Mr. Grant if I might take the paper with me for the amusement of my Scottish friends. He asked if I disliked music. I said that I liked music, but disliked all charlatanerie. Thus far I went; and it was perhaps too far, but this is really making it a theatrical performance, and me one of the performers. But let me be patient; I am jaded and overdone, and reserve my further writing till Monday. Mr. Grant is very peremptory on the subject of my spending some days, but I must be off on Monday night, or very early on Tuesday morning. Went to bed about eleven.

666

425

Sunday.-Sadly annoyed all last night with the quackish advertisement, and spoke further of it at breakfast. About twelve Mr. and Mrs. Grant came in their carriage, and the former accompanied me in a chaise to Stockport. I was to visit the school at one, and the sermon was to begin at half-past five. My other friends from Manchester were to come in the evening in two carriages, and one of them a chaise and four. I reached Stockport at one with Mr. Grant. Could see a certain hard and ungracious reception of me, perhaps from the consciousness of something wrong on their part. Mr. M-, my correspondent, did not appear for some time, and when he did, there was a blush in his countenance and a tremulousness in his voice. I was in the midst of managers, and the stairs to the different rooms of their immense fabric were crowded with scholars. I asked what they were about; and with some hesitation and difficulty they told me that they had been practising for the music of this evening. When I went to the great preaching hall, I found that there was just this practising before an immense assemblage, on which I called out, in the distinct hearing of those about me, that there was an air of charlatanerie about the whole affair, and that I did not like it at all, I would stay no longer in that place, and went along with them to the committee-room, where there were about twenty managers and others. I said that I had come from a great distance on their account, and had therefore purchased the privilege of telling them plain things; that they should have consulted me ere they had made their arrangements-that I was quite revolted by the quackery of their advertisement-that they had made me feel myself to be one of the performers in a theatrical exhibition-that what they had done stood in the same relation to what they ought to have done, that an advertisement of Dr. Solomon's did to the respectable doings of the regular faculty, &c., &c. I was firm and mild withalthey confused, and awkward, and in difficulties. I said, that still I would preach, but that I thought it right to state what I felt. On the other question of the urgency, and the pleading a promissory obligation on my part, I have as yet had no reckoning. I left there in the carriage with Mr. Grant and Mr. Marsland, for the magnificent place of the latter gentleman on the banks of the Mersey, He introduced me to his two daughters. who, I thought, had that peculiar stiff

ness and ceremony which I have often noticed in English ladies of high breeding. I was there shewn to my room, when I got a second letter from a minister on the subject of the indecent exhibition of Stockport. I had got one the night before from another minister on the same subject. It seems that many serious people here are scandalized at it, and that many eyes are fixed upon my conduct in regard to it. Mr. Marsland told me in his carriage, that he had forewarned the managers that they were carrying the matter too far, and that I would probably decline preaching altogether. My feeling is, that this would have been too violent, and I have several reasons for not carrying my resistance this length. However, I begged Mr. Marsland to send for Mr. M- that I might hold conversation with him. Mr.

M

sent back word that he could not possibly come, and why? because he was presiding at a dinner given before sermon to the Gentlemen of the Orchestra, and he was just in the middle of a speech to them when my message came. On this Mr. Marsland and Mr. Grant walked down to Stockport, and told Mr. Mof my difficulties and wishes; that I would not comply with their arrangement until it was altered. They wished my prayers and sermon to be mixed up with their music, me all the while in the pulpit. I said, that I would not be present at their music at all, that my service should be separated altogether from their entertainment-that I should pray, preach, and pray again in continuo-not entering the pulpit till the moment of my beginning, and retiring from it as soon as I should have ended.

The gentlemen had their interview with Mr. M- and he was very glad to comply. I dined at half-past two-retired for an hour to prepare-drank coffee after five. The two gentlemen walked before, to be at the music. The two ladies went down with me in the carriage at six. Will you believe it? an orchestra of at least 100 people, three rows of female singers, in which two professional female singers, so many professional male singers, a number of amateurs: and I now offer you a list of the instruments, so far as I have been able to ascertain them-one pair of bass drums, two trumpets, bassoon, organ, serpents, violins without number, violoncelloes, bass viols, flutes, hautboys. I stopped in the minister's room till it was over. Went to the pulpit-prayed, preached, retired during the time of the collection, and again prayed.

Before I left my own private room they fell too again with most tremendous fury, and the likest thing to it which I recollect, is a great military band on the Castlehill of Edinburgh."

The following account of the manner in which Dr. Chalmers laboured is very graphically given :

"Dr. Chalmers's treatment of these topics from the chair was diffuse and illustrative. To facilitate the remembrance of his lectures, to give his students a distinct conception of the ground actually traversed, and to prepare them for that examination to which they were afterwards to be subjected, he dictated a few succinct sentences, containing the leading topics of each lecture, so as to furnish his students with a condensed

syllabus of his course. It would not have been easy for them amid the excitements of that class to have followed the old practice of the Scottish Universities, by taking notes during the delivery of the lecture. The very manner of that delivery would have been sufficient to have kept their eye fixed upon the lecturer. There was, besides, the novelty of many of the speculations, as well as of the garb in which they were presented; while the interest was at once deepened and diversified-at times by some extemporaneous addition or illustration, in which the lecturer springing from his seat, and bending over the desk, through thick and difficult and stammering utterance in which every avenue to expression seemed to be choked up, found his way to some picturesque conception and expressive phraseology, which shed a flood of light on the topic in hand; and again, by some poetic quotation recited with most emphatic fervour, or by some humorous allusion or anecdote told with archest glee. It was almost impossible in such a singular class room to check the burst of applause, or to restrain the merriment. The professor did his best, and used many expedients for this purpose. Lecturing on the difference between the solitary and tranquil emotions of the intellect, and the more turbulent emotions of the theatre-There is a practice,' he continued, 'which is now making sad desecration in some of our most famous universities, in some of which, I understand, every eloquent passage, every poetical quotation, or, what is more ridiculous still, the success of every experiment-and especially if any flash or explosion have come in its train, is sure to be followed up by so

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