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the general want of information upon this subject of Church history, that such deplorable indifference prevails as to the respective merits of the various forms of Protestantism now existing in Christendom. People look upon Protestant sects and denominations, whether in this or in other countries, as differing only from the Church, with its threefold ministry and liturgical services, in the circumstance of their not being Episcopalians, and in their not holding that peculiar relation to the State which makes our Church to be an Establishment. They regard them as all the same with us and with each other by their adhering to the Bible as the rule of faith, whatever heterogeneous interpretations may be put upon it, and by common renunciation of the authority and errors of the Church of Rome. To correct this mistaken view, what remedy so effectual is there as the study of ancient ecclesiastical history? From which it will be seen, that the term "Catholic" was that in which the Church of primitive and purest times always rejoiced, as distinguishing her from heretics on the one hand, and from schismatics on the other; that, in whatever country of the earth Christianity was planted, for the first three centuries the Church in its free and independent state was characterized by jealous maintenance of the same doctrines and the same polity, which our Church in the sixteenth century retained, while rejecting Papal jurisdiction and false articles of faith; that there was no Church, whether founded by Apostles or by their successors, without the threefold ministry, and to be without it was regarded as a state of schism or, in some cases, of heresy; and that sentiments, now so often erroneously called “ evangelical," were then not recognized in any part of the world. It will thus be found that our Church, as a Church, is not what it is by virtue of its connection with the State, which relation is only accidental, and not essential to it, but by virtue of its oneness in principles and polity with the Church of primitive times, times before any such connection ever existed or could exist with the Civil Government, before any sad corruptions disfigured the creed of Europe, and before the necessity was created for any Protestantism at all.

To the same cause may be ascribed that very common mistake

of imagining that the Church of England is only coeval with the Reformation, i. e., that it had never existed before, and that nothing in fact had anywhere existed ever since the New Testament was written, but either Papal imposture or a state of ignorance and superstition in which the truth was lost; in other words, that between the days of SS. Paul, Peter, James, and John, and those of Luther, Calvin, Cranmer, and Knox, "darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people." In the first volume of Lord Macaulay's History of England there is an incorrect representation, which has just the effect of confirming in the minds of his admirers the utterly false impression to which I here refer. In the margin are put the words, "Origin of the Church of England," and the text explains them by the statement, that "The Church of England was the fruit of the union between the Government and the Protestants" in the reign of Henry VIII. The Church of England in its separation from the Pope, and its new relation to the British crown, may be said to date from that origin; but to say that the Church of this country is of no older date than that, is a strange misrepresentation from the pen of any historian. If the Church of England first came into existence then, we might not wonder at the low estimate of its nature and claims which is formed from viewing it merely as an Establishment supported by the State. It is not of course from reading the writings of any men who are either interested to give an unfair account or do not profess to have studied themselves the antiquities of the British Church, that much correctness of idea upon the subject is to be acquired. The real truth of the case, the extreme antiquity of our Church, reaching as it does very far beyond the beginning of Papal usurpations within this realm, even up to the earliest times, when it was as sound in creed and pure in worship as any other of the Apostolic age, can best be learned by studying its own history. An Englishman might well take pride in acquainting himself with the pedigree of his own Church, and he cannot well do this without learning also something of the primitive condition of the Church Universal.

But I would ask people to believe, that the acquisition of knowledge in the department of Church History is not useful only, but replete with peculiar gratification. There is an interest, which can be better felt than described, in tracing the course of God's wonderful Providence for the protection of the truth, and for the perpetual fulfilment of Christ's promise, "Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world;" in observing the gradual growth of

His Kingdom upon the ruins of transitory states and earthly empires; its preservation through a thousand perils; how it has stood the shock of secular hostility without, and the machinations of false brethren within; by what amazing martyrdoms and deeds of heroism it has fought its defensive battles of endurance; how it has retained its outward and visible form and functional apparatus and distinctive ministry of three Orders all along from the first, even through ages when the inward spiritual life has been least apparent; how heresies and schisms from time to time have disturbed its peace, as in the present day, and yet how invariably triumphant it has come forth out of every conflict and controversy, proving ever more and more that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It is deeply to be lamented, that, while histories of human states and institutions, and even books of fiction, command abundance of readers, there is rooted in the popular mind an indifference to the history of God's kingdom on earth, "the Church built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner-Stone." There seems to be a widespread persuasion, either that such history is for the most part fabulous and legendary, or, if not, that it is a subject with which the Clergy have exclusive concern. How far the recent publication of “Historical Tales, illustrating the Chief Events in Ecclesiastical History, British and Foreign,"* is likely to succeed, or has already succeeded, in winning more attention to the subject, I know not; they are indeed, so far as they go, extremely interesting, and some of them are most charmingly written. But I would say, why should the subject not be left, like any other of grave moment, to stand on its own merits, and be investigated for its own sake, with no other inducement to recommend it but its own intrinsic importance ? Let Church History be read in its pure and simple and genuine form, and it will repay the student with ample profit and pleasure too. It is not all the "ancient authors" themselves that need be read through by every layman; but every man, that has upon his book-shelf a History of England or a History of Europe, foregoes an amount of interest and gratification quite within the reach of his time and ability, if he place not beside it some lucid and succinct summary of ecclesiastical history, place it there when read and to be read again.

Is it not indeed a question deserving consideration, whether the

*Messrs. J. H. & J. Parker.

neglect of Church History be not one of the most serious deficiencies in the generality of English Schools. Perhaps this is the most obvious way of accounting for that ignorance upon the subject which is so common in after life. Surely it is reasonable, that in a Christian country like this some knowledge of the history of the Christian Church should form a part of every young person's education. All, of course, could not be done at school; but a beginning might be made, and a direction given, and the minds of the young would not be left, as they now so generally are, a perfect blank, so far as this subject is concerned, with no appetite imparted, no inducement supplied, for enquiring further and learning more. Thus, when they grew up, they would better understand the teaching of the Church, and better endure "the strong meat" of more advanced instruction; they would feel a more lively interest in all relating to the Church; they would value more intelligently the Book of Common Prayer, perceiving that it does contain the true Catholic interpretation of "the Faith once delivered to the Saints;" they would be readier in the day of danger to meet the arguments of adversaries; they would read the Word of God itself with greater zest and clearer comprehension, and from comprehending it better would reverence and love it more. And so they would be furnished with a triple force of reasoning, wherewith to maintain their own position and to withstand gainsayers: the Bible, the PrayerBook, and the History of the Church would be their threefold cord of defence; and "A threefold cord is not quickly broken."

CURATE.

"All the world's a stage."

66

This reflection of the melancholy JAQUES naturally recurred to my mind on seeing in the windows of some of the small shops in the village where I reside an announcement that one John ****, the converted Comedian," would "preach the Gospel on certain days in an adjacent room, the announcement being bordered with sundry texts; which, however certainly right texts, were as certainly not in the right place. I turned from this to the consideration of another case of modern "conversion," the quasi "convert" being in that case a clergyman, the Rev. George ****, who, eschewing the Orders received from an English Bishop, and in love, so to say, with the disorders of modern Romanism, practically exclaimed "Motley's the only wear!" and entertained London audiences with the comic

performances of "Arthur Sketchley." Pondering on these two cases of "conversion," I could not but question with myself which of these two spectacles should appear to angels and to men most miserably mirthful or grotesquely grave, that of the self-deposed minister of Christ ministering to the amusement of the multitude as a mountebank, or the self-elected minister preaching without authority: and thus cogitating, my thoughts took metrical form in the following quatrain :

From grave to gay, from lively to severe,

There parson playing clown-clown parson here!
And all the while GoD's angels looking down
On this irreverent man, that "reverend" clown;
And saints and sinners mingled, moving on
With these deluded changelings, George and John :
While still through all discordant sounds arise
"In sad perplexèd minors, harmonies

Of hearts in tune with that Eternal Song

Which unto saints and angels doth belong,

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Glory to GOD!" That sweet celestial strain,
Despite fantastic tricks and follies vain,

Goes on unceasingly, and still shall last
When unrealities shall all be past!

H. B.

HILDEBRAND OF CLUGNY.

It has been the fashion to regard a certain period of our history as an age of darkness; but as the amelioration of the political condition of a people is not always accompanied by a corresponding purification of its morals, it may fairly be doubted whether in some particulars the ages which produced a Hildebrand or Roger Bacon, or which was susceptible to the earnest and simple eloquence of Peter the Hermit, may not be favourably contrasted with some of our short-comings at the present day. Our ancestors made one fatal mistake, they confounded reform with annihilation; they sought to destroy human nature rather than to cultivate and turn it into the right course. To macerate a man by solitude and privation, realized their ideal of a saint; they gave no occasion for the play of the

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