which we published a year ago, it is in vain to speak even of this united Convocation as in any sense representing the united Church, even if the English section of that Church were at all disposed to admit of its pretensions. At present its chief use seems to be to bring clerical synods into contempt, and to hasten its own destruction. If any of our readers think that we stand alone in our opinion, we can assure them that we have letters in our possession from those who are high in authority in the Church, more strongly expressed than anything which has fallen from our pen. But we shall rest the charge at present on the following specimen of what passed in a debate which took place on the 21st May, upon a Bill introduced into the House of Lords, for the very laudable purpose of enforcing an English service in Welsh parishes where there is a certain number of English residents. We copy from the Times :

"After a few words from Archdeacon Allen,

"Archdeacon Denison vehemently protested against the conduct of the bishops in bringing these Bills into the House of Lords, taking advantage of their position as peers of Parliament without consulting the House of Convocation. (Cheers.) The bishops were not the representatives of the clergy, and—not to mince matters -it was time that they should learn that fact. (Cheers.) Why did they not consult the Welch incumbents on this Bill? The Bill in its present state had scarcely any life in it. (A laugh.) He protested against any legislation in Parliament attempted by the bishops unless it had been previously considered by the Synod. (Cheers.)

"Archdeacon Moore thought that an appeal to the Archbishop would meet the case. Why should an unreasonable incumbent be allowed to do mischief without check or control? (Hear, hear.) On the one side you had to wrestle against a foolish and bigoted rector on behalf of his parish, and on the other against a bishop and a faction who wanted to put a rival and obnoxious clergyman into an unpopular rector's parish. An appeal to the Primate would guard against both evils. The parochial system was also the greatest source of the Church's strength, and it was the greatest source of the Church's weakness. It was unreasonable to object to English services in cases where Englismen came into a Welsh parish, where they heard nothing but an unknown tongue (laughter, and no, no'); well, not an unknown tongue, but an unreasonable, unpronounceable, but, no doubt, learned, and, perhaps, original language. (Loud laughter.)"

The courtesy of Archdeacon Denison to the bishops will not pass unnoticed, and will, we hope, excuse us if we have spoken a little freely of the Lower House, even in the eyes of all those High Churchmen who by their cheers adopted not only the Archdeacon's dogma, but with it the Archdeacon's ill manners. But the concluding sentence of this "vehement protest" deserves more than a passing remark. In an unguarded moment Archdeacon Denison has avowed, and his admirers have cheered, a sentiment which, carried into effect, would reduce the bench of bishops to a mere bench of delegates. The ambition of Convocation is almost equal, it seems, to its imbecility. The bishops are to introduce no measure into the House of Lords which the Convocation has not sanctioned. For the Convocation is -what, he affirms, the bishops are not-the representatives of the Church. We deny at once both of these assertions. The bishops in their place in Parliament, sitting with the noblest of its laity, are the highest representatives of the Church. Convocation represents only the busy-bodies of the cathedral close, and a few ambitious members of the High-Church party. We beg our

readers especially to note the contemptuous manner in which these gentlemen can treat the bishops, whenever their childish ambition is thwarted; and with what supreme indifference the principles of our constitution are set at naught. They would place a bench of delegates in the House of Lords! How long their presence would be tolerated in this new capacity in that august assembly, even if the bishops themselves submitted to the bondage and indignity, no Colenso is required to calculate. The loud laughter amidst which Archdeacon Moore sat down is not very creditable to an assembly which contains so many scholars and so many perfect gentlemen. Was it then quite a new idea in Convocation that the Welsh is probably an original language; or was it the use of the word unpronounceable, which provoked their mirth? In either case a body so anxious to have its speeches reported, should learn to be a little more discreet, and to remember that loud laughter is generally held to be one of the symptoms of vulgarity in which ecclesiastical synods are not expected to indulge too frequently.

The American civil war has blazed out with tremendous fury. A short campaign has closed in a terrible disaster. It is about a month since General Hooker left his entrenched camp at Falmouth, on the north side of the Rappahannock, crossed the river, and began his march on Richmond, at the head of 100,000 men. After two desperate battles, the most sanguinary which have yet been fought, he has been driven back, leaving his dead unburied, and even his wounded uncared for on the field; and is again, after nine days' absence, entrenched in his old camp at Falmouth. From all we can yet learn, his defeat is hardly less complete than that of the French at Waterloo, and far more bloody. That he was able to recross the river at dead of night, and save any portion of his army, seems to have been entirely owing to the rapidity with which the movement was executed; or to the policy of the Confederates, who were probably too much exhausted to risk a third battle with a retreating and now desparing foe. The effect of these melancholy tidings on the Northern States has not yet reached us. The first attempt of the Government was to conceal the extent of the calamity. But this manœuvre has been tried so frequently, that it is not likely to succeed again. The President has issued another proclamation, demanding a conscription forthwith. Our earnest hope is, that the President will be as obstinate in this as he has proved in some other points. It will bring consternation into every family, and then we shall have some hope at last of seeing an end put to the most extravagant, the most inhuman, and the most unjustifiable civil war which ever disgraced a Christian people.

It is a mournful consideration how little the wickedness of war is felt in countries where the scourge has not fallen. It seems to be looked on as a national pastime. A deputation of working men waited on Lord Palmerston a few days ago, to urge his interference with Russia on behalf of Poland, which still makes head against her oppressor. "We are men of action, my Lord," said one of them: "we wish Russia to be thrashed into good behaviour." And if we had a democratic government, we have no doubt this thrashing system would be at once adopted. But in England the questions of war and peace are not yet come to be decided on the impulses of passion. And there

are those among us, not few in number, who stand in awe of that which is written,-" Scatter thou the people which delight in war."

Mr. Walter, the Member for Berkshire, has raised a question, in the agitation of which we heartily concur with him; though we are afraid many of our readers will not applaud our wisdom. He thinks, and so do we, that the efficiency of a school, and not the fact of its having the expensive luxury of a well trained, certificated, and well paid master or mistress, with their pupil teachers, ought to be the test by which its claim for assistance out of the national purse should be tried. The present system is acknowledged to be, as far as the education of the lowest class is concerned, a miserable failure. It has never reached them. One half the parish schools in England, it is calculated, are excluded from government aid; and that one half includes almost all the schools which adapt themselves to the necessities of the really poor. Now, the children in this class require something very different from the smart routine of schools such as Inspectors love to see, and certificated masters and mistresses are naturally proud of managing. The best Infant School we ever saw was conducted by a mistress who would have made but a sorry figure had she applied for a certificate. We have in our eye another school, the mistress of which manages from seventy to ninety children, boys and girls, with perfect ease, assisted by one girl. Both are uncertificated; and, indeed, both are below the mark, and incapable of gaining one. But these mistresses have, what no certificate can give, a great genius for teaching, excellent good temper, a natural love of children, and, we hope, true piety. These are the best qualifications; and until the Privy Council at Whitehall attach less importance to certificates, often granted to those who are utterly wanting in physical qualifications, not unfrequently to persons disqualified by nature, temper, and inclination for the task, we think they will never succeed in a work in which they are, we have no doubt, quite as deeply interested as ourselves. The really poor will remain untaught, and the complaint, every day rising louder, will be heard that however good the schools may be, the factory lad and the kitchen maid have not been much improved.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

AMICUS Consults us upon a difficult question. He would know whether it is quite becoming and respectful on the part of the female portion of the audience at our great meetings in Exeter Hall, "to do their crochet work, go on munching their sandwiches," and so forth, while speakers of high position in the Church, or of great and just distinction for their services and their piety, are addressing them. We submit the knotty point to those whom it most concerns, the ladies themselves. Perhaps they will reply, that if the meetings were made a little shorter they should feel less exhausted. But, seriously, the sight from the platform is sometimes a little unbecoming, and to a timid speaker not a little discouraging.

A.B., Manchester, we are obliged to decline.

"We must put a difference between them which err of ignorance, retaining nevertheless a mind desirous to be instructed in truth, and them which, after the truth is laid open, persist in the stubborn defence of their blindness."-Hooker's Disc. of Justif.

THE character of the times they live in has always been a favourite speculation with thinking men. Few have sufficient acquaintance with other countries to define exactly the spirit of their age; but among ourselves, moulded as our character is by free institutions, and left to range at large with unfettered licence of thought and speech, it must be interesting to mark the events and changes, for better or worse, which impart a distinctive character to our own times and nation.

Men of science find matter for just self-congratulation in the social advancement which their discoveries create; and, since great political questions are well nigh adjusted, we may expect that the "consultations" of Government will be henceforth directed more and more, should peace happily continue, to such matters of internal improvement as may promote "the safety, honour, and welfare" of the entire community. In many respects, the aspect of the times is tinged with hope. Notwithstanding the stubborn miseries which poverty and ignorance still perpetuate, social comforts are more widely diffused; in spite of abounding immoralities, there is no reason to tremble for the interests of domestic virtue; and though the spread of national education, present and prospective, is not all the colour of the rose, yet no Christian mind will regret that in a few years we are likely to become the best educated people in the world.

Still, a deeper insight beneath the surface discovers elements of active mischief which create grave misgivings. We are quite aware of the propensity to magnify the features of good or evil, which belong to our own age. They present themselves to us

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as matters of urgent and personal importance. We see them actually at work, and hear the apprehensions with which desponding minds misinterpret the signs of the future. The idea is always fondly cherished, that our own times are the most remarkable, and some great providential crisis is destined for fulfilment in our day. All this is very true. But there are times, great and critical epochs, in which events seem to culminate, when the mysterious workings of other days ripen into maturity; and, without identifying ourselves-with any school of prophetic interpretation, signs of the times are significant enough to attract men's keen but reverent observation, and to give emphasis to warnings of coming perils, of which the shadows are portentous and imminent.

Not that the Lord's people have anything to fear. Let that ever be prominent in any review of the perils of the times. The Christian's eye is ever directed to two things,—a sound, indisputable title to the kingdom of heaven, and personal fitness for its spiritual employments and companionships. The Lord Jesus bestows the one; the Holy Spirit creates the other. Both are received by faith. For when the sinner receives Christ, he stands in a new position; sin is no longer imputed; the sentence of condemnation is cancelled; God looks upon him as guiltless and accepted in the Beloved. The act of faith, like affixing the signature to a deed, transfers the sinner instantaneously from the ranks of His enemies to the household of God; he is thenceforth incorporated into the mystical body of Christ, and is esteemed as perfect and faultless before God as is Christ Himself. For such is the glory of the Gospel, "that Christ was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

But why is the believer kept here, for many years, burdened with the cares and miseries of this sinful world? If, when he first clasps the Saviour in the aims of faith, he has peace with God, and the assurance of the heavenly inheritance, why does He not receive him to Himself? One great and obvious reason is, that he is not yet ready. He is justified, but not sanctified; safe, but not holy; delivered from wrath, but not yet prepared for glory; one with Christ in His death, but unlike Him in His life; sin is pardoned, but not uprooted; its guilt gone, but its power remains; he would do good, but evil is yet present with him; he is one with Christ, and Christ one with him, but the body of sin is not destroyed; he would learn of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart, but proud thoughts still infest his bosom; he would fain carry his cross daily, and follow Christ, but his strength is small and his spirit sometimes languishes under the burden; he wears the armour and pursues the enemy, but at times with a fainting heart and weary step; his treasure is in heaven, and his heart there too, but many affections linger around earthly