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learnt, this language is applicable to the majority of Protestant ministers in France. Believing that secret things belong unto God, they seldom preach upon the mysteries of the Gospel, as they are termed. Election, predestination, justification, and the operation of Divine grace, are subjects almost exploded if there remain any orthodox doctrine in the pulpit, it is that of satisfaction.'

In the beginning of July, he grew rapidly worse, and his state of weakness became alarming; he therefore felt it necessary to inform his family of the painful change which had taken place. The following letter is addressed to them all.

'July 12, 1818.

'I find myself at length forced to the performance of a painful duty which by deferring I had hoped to escape, viz. that of making you fully acquainted with my present painful and feeble situation. I wish you to be prepared for all events; and when I tell you that I write this letter from a sick chamber, to which I have been confined for almost a week, chiefly in bed, in a state of such helplessness, as to be absolutely dependent on the kind offices of the family with whom I lodge, who have been forced for several nights past to watch with me; that for a month past I have been forced to employ the skill of an eminent physician of the town, who visits me twice a day, you will agree with me, that it is very possible you have seen me for the last time on this side the tomb. I wrote to you by a friend last week, a general account of the reverses which have led me to this state. I wish not to expatiate; my sufferings have been, and continue to be, very great, and it is quite sufficient that I have to bear them myself without making you suffer.

'Under these painful circumstances, the mercy of God has provided me every possible consolation, and in general my mind is tranquil and happy; oftener, indeed, disturbed on your account than on my own; and I earnestly pray, and confidently hope, that these consolations will soften your portion of this mysterious dispensation as they do mine. The grand truths of the Gospel, especially that of the universal love and fatherly character of Him in whose hands our breath is, confirmed as this doctrine is by reason and by past experience, fill me with humble confidence; and though death is awful, it has ceased to be terrible. When I look back on the merciful dealings of His providence during my long sickness, and reflect on the

numerous and unexpected softenings I have constantly received from his paternal goodness, how can I doubt that all is working together for my good? that in the hands of a Father I shall always be safe? and that if his wisdom sees good to remove me from this earthly scene, it is only to remove to another, where my enjoyments will be increased, and where my perceptions of his everlasting mercy will be more lively, my views of his glorious designs for the children of men more extensive and enchanting? If I had had a doubt on this subject the wonderful interposition of His providence, in leading me, almost in spite of myself, to this house, would have removed it. There is not a single person in the family who does not strive to aid me, and the mistress is beyond all praise; all the day long she is in my chamber, with the exception of a few moments devoted to family affairs; she exhibits all the tenderness of a mother, performs the most menial offices with pleasure, and after all, she assures me that the pleasure of my acquaintance and friendship is an ample reward. I trust, however, my friends will enable me to reward her more substantially in case of my death, and if I live, I shall not fail to shew her my gratitude. *** My doctor finds me better, and assures me there is hope; at all events, be tranquil; we shall meet again, if not here, at least in that world where there will be no more sorrow, no more tears.. What can I say to my numerous friends? Give them my blessing-you will hear again shortly, -be comforted.'

On the 23d of July Mr Goodier expired; he retained his composure and resignation to the last, and his own former conviction was realized, that he believed he should have hope even in death.' His hostess, whose kindness soothed his departing hours, communicated to his friends in England the particular circumstances of his death, in the following terms.

'You desire to be made acquainted with the minutest details of the life, and death of this excellent young man. I will endeavour to give you all possible satisfaction; but you will suffer me to omit the recital of those agonizing pains, which for the last three months I saw him endure. Soon after his arrival here his disorder took an alarming appearance; and though he then became convinced that his malady was incurable, that conviction had no power to shake the firmness of his soul, his cheerfulness was unabated, and the benevolent sweetness of his manners continued till he drew his last breath. When on his

death bed, he used to request the students, on their visiting him, to unite with him in the prayers addressed to the Almighty, by the minister, whose pious offices he had desired, and on these occasions he edified all around him by his patience and resignation. The sufferings he endured in his throat, the last two days, prevented the usual distinctness of his speech; but all that I could gather from his lips throughout those trying moments, were words of true submission to the decrees of Providence, and of consolation for us; consolation which he entreated us likewise to impart to his father, and his other good friends in England. With undiminished fortitude, he expressed his last wishes respecting the rewards to be given in his name to his attendants; then informed us in what way he desired to have his funeral conducted; dictated an inscription for his tomb, and then expired.'

On the 25th his funeral took place, which was attended by all the professors of the college, the Protestant ministers and students, and the English who dwelt there. M. Moline, the minister who had daily attended him to administer the consolations of the Gospel, delivered an appropriate address at the grave, Thus at the age of twenty-five, in the spring of life and youth, was he taken away, in the midst of increasing usefulness and virtue, in the very opening of all his benevolent plans and superior pursuits, and while existence still wore to him the charm of early freshness and hope.

The character of this excellent young man is sufficiently depicted in the events of his life and the extracts of his writing. But in order fully to appreciate it, it must not be forgotten that these were the attainments and the writings of one who had risen by his own exertion from an humble condition; who laboured as a weaver in his father's employment till he was twenty years of age, and who furnished himself for distinguished usefulness by cultivating at intervals of leisure, those talents, which others are occupied in training during all the years of childhood and youth. He is an instance of eminent and most praiseworthy success. He furnishes another proof of how much may be accomplished by the ardor and industry of a devoted

mind.

His ruling principle was most conspicuously a deep and fervent devotion, and the whole strength of his mind and affections was bent upon spreading religion and doing good. Pain, sickness, and exhaustion were unable to shake his faith or put

a period to his plans of usefulness. Even in his last weary months amongst strangers, he was active in observing and inquiring, in improving his own mind, and in projecting labours of benevolence to be done if God should give him strength.

He was distinguished, we have been delighted to observe, by the interest he took in the cause of the lower classes, and his earnest desire to preach the Gospel to the poor. 'He felt warmly for the common people,' (says the Christian Reformer,) whom he held in a degree of respect, which is perhaps rare in those, that in their early days have seen much of them, and have been afterwards raised somewhat higher in the scale of society.' Some proofs of this are given in passages above quoted. 'We want preachers for the poor,' said he, and 1 flatter myself that I could be useful amongst them.' He speaks with great feeling of the Rossendale Christians, who had become Unitarians, without reading any Unitarian book but the Bible, and are almost entirely made up of those, who earn their bread by the sweat of the brow.' He was delighted on spending the night at the house of the minister of Rossendale, 'to find six or seven of the people, when the sun was set, come in to see and converse with their preacher. Most of them were without hats and coats, with their aprons and clogs (a sort of shoes with wooden soles) on, and one of them was smoking his pipe. They were all serious, and engaged in religious conversation with great readiness. Religion with them is an affair of the heart and life, not merely as with many, a speculative inquiry. I wish some of our cold and refined Presbyterians (as they are erroneously called) had been with me that night. I wish also to have had the company of those who have doubted, or affected to doubt, whether Unitarianism could be brought to dwell in the humble cottages of industrious poverty.'

Upon the whole-this was a minister with his Master's spirit -willing to spend and be spent in his service-cut off prematurely and mysteriously from an opening career of great usefulness-but leaving an example to be admired, a name to be loved, and a testimony, that cannot die, to the power and value of the truth as it is in Jesus.

Ceremonies and Superstitions of the Catholic Church 353

Collections.

Ceremonies and Superstitions of the Catholic Church in Rome.

[The following paragraphs are quoted from that very lively and popular work, Rome in the Nineteenth Century,' which the English Journals highly praise, and which the Christian Observer, in citing these passages, calls an honourable addition to the literature of the country.']

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'Rome, 1817, 1818.

In our impatience to secure places for the first Miserere in the Sistine chapel, we went at three o'clock, and sat waiting nearly an hour and half before the service commenced. Even at that hour however, the gentlemen had difficulty enough in finding standing room; so great was the pressure in the confined space allotted to them. Many were unable to get in from want of room; and many were turned back, from going in boots or trowsers, instead of silk stockings; for no man may attend this service of religion and penitence, unless he be dressed as if going to a ball; and if he has any description of military uniform, it is highly expedient for him to wear it. When at last the service did commence, nothing could exceed my disappointment. It was in no degree superior to the most ordinary chant of a Catholic church; and, finding nothing in it to occupy me, I amused myself with watching the ill concealed drowsiness of many of the cardinals, who, having just risen from dinner, seemed to have the greatest difficulty in refraining from taking their customary siesta.-Though broad day light there was a row of candles of mourning wax, (of a dark brown or purple colour,) ranged upon the top of our grate; the utility of which was not very apparent; as they were extinguished before it grew dark. There were also fifteen similar mourning candles erected on high beside the altar; which, I was given to understand, represented the Apostles and the three Maries, rising gradually in height to the central one, which was the Virgin. As the service proceeded, they were put out one by one, to typify the falling off of the Apostles in the hour of trial; so that at last they were all extinguished, except the Virgin Mary, who was not under the altar. The shadows of evening had now closed in; and we should have been left almost in total darkness, but for the dull red glare which proceeded from the hidden lights of the unseen choristers, and which, mingling

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