scribed for your use, if you should
think proper to insert it.

sickness, extreme old age, want of
proper clothing, abject depravity,
dependence on parish-officers, &c.
&c. But if by "indigent" is meant
that large class of the population who,
without any personal or hereditary
property, are dependent on their
manual labour, or on the scanty pro-
fits of precarious business, the ques-
tion is again solved without much
difficulty. Most certainly the indi
gent of this class form by far the
major part of our congregations in
point of "number;" and, in respect
of "spiritual excellence," it must in
candour be acknowledged, that they,
as a body, bear away the palm from
"the more affluent" members of our
societies. Nor is it strange that it
should be so; considering the inti-
mate and dangerous influence which
worldly intercourse, fraud, and fashion
pre-eminently exercise among the
higher classes of Christian professors.
We can boast of "not a few names
even in Sardis who have not defiled
their garments." Yet, regarded com-
paratively, there can be no doubt,
that among us, spirituality, devotion,
and practical godliness, prevail most
among those who are "
poor in this
world, but rich in faith, and heirs of
the kingdom.'

A DISSENTING MINISTER.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer BEING a short time since engaged in reading Mr. Milner's Ecclesiastical History of the Church of Christ, in the course of my progress through the work, my mind was repeatedly arrested by the demonstrative evidence of the powerful efficacy of Divine grace, manifested in the hearts and lives of many illustrious characters, not only in the earliest but subsequent ages of Christianity. Of those who were living witnesses for Christ, I have selected one, who seems to me to stand as a pre-eminent example to the young in every age, and especially to those in the higher ranks of society. Mr. Milner's account of him, I have tran

A TRANSCRIBER.

"The accounts of individuals in the 14th century who truly feared God, and wrought righteousness," (said the late pious author)" are extremely rare. One person I find on the continent, who seems not unworthy of a place in these memoirs: I mean Eleazar Count of Arian, in Naples, born in 1295. At the age of twentythree, he succeeded to his father's estate. That this youth, in very affleent circumstances, and at a time of life when the passions are usually strong, could support a constant tenor of devotion and religious seriousness till death, which took place about five years after, seems scarcely to have originated from principles lower than those of real Christianity. The regulations of his household are very remarkable. I cannot allow any blasphemy in my house, nor any thing in word or deed which offends the laws of decorum. Le the ladies spend the morning in reading and prayer, the afternoon at some work. Dice, and all games of hazard, are prohibited. Let all persons in my house divert themselves at proper times, but never in a sinful manner. Let there be constant peace in my family; otherwise two and the master is devoured by them armies are formed under my roof, both. If any difference arise, let not the sun go down upon your wrath. We must bear with some thing, if we have to live among mankind. Such is our frailty, we are scarcely in tune with ourselves a whole day; and if a melancholy humour come on us, we know not well what we would have. Not to bear, and not to forgive, is diabolical; to love enemies, and to do good for evil, is the mark of the children of God. Every evening all my family shall be assembled af a godly conference, in which they shall hear something of God, and salvation. Let none be absent on pretence of attending to my affairs.

scribed for your use, if you should
think proper to insert it."

sickness, extreme old age, want of
proper clothing, abject depravity,
dependence on parish-officers, &c.
&c. But if by indigent" is meant
that large class of the population who,
without any personal or hereditary
property, are dependent on their
manual labour, or on the scanty pro-
fits of precarious business, the ques-
tion is again solved without much
difficulty. Most certainly the indi-
gent of this class form by far the
major part of our congregations in
point of "number;" and, in respect
of "spiritual excellence," it must in
candour be acknowledged, that they,
as a body, bear away the palm from
"the more affluent" members of our
societies. Nor is it strange that it
should be so; considering the inti-
mate and dangerous influence which
worldly intercourse, fraud, and fashion
pre-eminently exercise among the
higher classes of Christian professors.
We can boast of "not a few names
even in Sardis who have not defiled
their garments." Yet, regarded com-
paratively, there can be no doubt,
that among us, spirituality, devotion,
and practical godliness, prevail most
among those who are "
poor in this
world, but rich in faith, and heirs of
the kingdom."

A DISSENTING MINISTER.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer BEING a short time since engaged in reading Mr. Milner's Ecclesiastical History of the Church of Christ, in the course of my progress through the work, my mind was repeatedly arrested by the demonstrative evidence of the powerful efficacy of Divine grace, manifested in the hearts and lives of many illustrious characters, not only in the earliest but subsequent ages of Christianity. Of those who were living witnesses for Christ, I have selected one, who seems to me to stand as a pre-eminent example to the young in every age, and especially to those in the higher ranks of society. Mr. Milner's account of him, I have trau

A TRANSCRIBER.

"The accounts of individuals in the 14th century who truly feared God, and wrought righteousness," (said the late pious author)" are extremely rare. One person I find on the continent, who seems not unworthy of a place in these memoirs: I mean Eleazar Count of Arian, in Naples, born in 1295. At the age of twentythree, he succeeded to his father's estate. That this youth, in very afflu ent circumstances, and at a time of life when the passions are usually strong, could support a constant tenor of devotion and religious seriousness till death, which took place about five years after, seems scarcely to have originated from principles lower than those of real Christianity. The regulations of his household are very remarkable. I cannot allow any blasphemy in my house, nor any thing in word or deed which offends the laws of decorum. Let the ladies spend the morning in reading and prayer, the afternoon at some work. Dice, and all games hazard, are prohibited. Let all persons in my house divert themselves at proper times, but never in a sin ful manner. Let there be constant peace in my family; otherwise two and the master is devoured by them armies are formed under my roof, both. If any difference arise, let not the sun go down upon your wrath. We must bear with some thing, if we have to live among mankind. Such is our frailty, we are scarcely in tune with ourselves a whole day; and if a melancholy humour come on us, we know not well what we would have. Not to bear, and not to forgive, is diaboli cal; to love enemies, and to do good for evil, is the mark of the children of God. Every evening all my family shall be assembled at a godly conference, in which they shall hear something of God, and salvation. Let none be absent on pretence of attending to my affairs.

of

I have no affairs so interesting to me, as the salvation of my domesties. I seriously forbid all injustice, which may cloak itself under colour of serving me.' If I feel an impatience under an affront,' said he, on one occasion, I look at Christ: Can any thing which I suffer, be like that which he endured for me? We are told that his conduct in life corresponded to these maxims. "I could not prevail in myself," says Mr. Milner," to pass over in silence such a character as this, whom general history, full of the intrigues and ambitious enterprizes popes and princes, neither knows nor regards. God has his secret saints in the dullest seasons of his church, and Eleazar seems to have been one of these. But he was soon removed from this vale of sorrow. His behaviour in his last illness was of a piece with his life. The history of our Saviour's Passion was read to him daily, and his mind was consoled by this means, amid the pains with which he was afflicted."

that many of the Jews were con verted to the Christian faith, but yet were notwithstanding persecuted by their brethren, erected a convenient house and church, with all necessary accommodations, and called it by the name of the "House of Converts;" in which place, if any would live a retired life, they had all accommodations granted them for their lives: which place continued a house of alms, and receptacle for the converted Jews, constantly down till the 18th Edward III.; and then there proved a failure of such converts, and the place became empty and ruinous: whereupon that prince, in the 18th year of his reign, granted the same house to other poor people who had nothing to live on, with the benefit and accommodation of the gardens and other things, and an alms of a penny a day out of the Exchequer to each poor person: which place one Wm. de Bunstal, being made Guardian, and likewise at that time Master of the Rolls, afterwards obtained leave of that king to annex the same house and chapel of the converts to the Master and his successors for ever.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. It is pleasant to see the general ion of Christians in the present day, for the diffusion of Christianity in all nations, and particularly among the Jews. I should be glad to contribute as I am able to this work; and having in my legal studies met with some information, which I may be interesting to those studying the best welfare of the posterity of Israel, I communicate it for the general good. In an old and valuable law book (Molloy de Jure Maritimo), we have Therefore we decree, That the sons a short account of the Jews, who and daughters of those Jews who

The constitution of this society (when it was in being) was pursu ant to the canon law; for by that it was decreed, Reciting that in regard the companies of evil men do oftenmuch more then those who are prone times corrupt even the good, bow to vices? Let, therefore, the Jews

think

who are

were in those days the chief mer

who are converted to the Christian
faith have no further communion
henceforth with those who still con-
tinue in their old Jewish rites, lest
peradventure they should be sub-
verted by their Jewish society.

relating many cruel statutes which their parents, shall be separated chants. Among other things, after involve themselves in the errors of had been enacted against them, and from their company, and placed

are baptized, and that do not again

many persecutions they had suffered with Christian men and women fearin this country, he gives the fol- ing God, where they may be well lowing statement of what was done instructed, and grow in faith and for the benefit of converted Jews.

Christian manners.

And further,

King Henry the Third, finding by the same council it was decreed,

CHRIST. OBSERY. No. 118.

4. N

That if a Jew should have a wife converted to the faith, they should be divorced; unless upon admonition the husband would follow."

It was gratifying to me to meet with this passage; and I doubt not many of your readers will also receive pleasure from seeing that, amidst the cruelties exercised upon the Jews, there were some who sought their spiritual good, and that royalty itself patronized their benevolent plans. It does not appear that the time for the restoration of Israel had then arrived: we hope that a brighter day is now dawning upon Judea, and that the Sun of righteousness will soon arise to disperse the long and dreary darkness.

We talk of this being a day of the revival of religion; and so it is, when we look at the cold and dark night that is past; but O how little are even the most fervent awakened to a due sense of that which is emphatically called the travail of the Redeemer's soul! If we were to compare our times with those of the primitive Christians, we should discover how little (rather than how much) we have of a zeal for our Saviour's honour.

E. B.

bours are intended for the use of his own congregation, he will be thankful for any suggestion which may advance or correct them. In one respect at least, he hopes that the following poems will not be found reprehensible ;-no fulsome or indecorous language has been knowingly adopted: no erotic addresses to Him whom no unclean lip can approach; no allegory ill understood, and worse applied. It is not enough, in his opinion, to object to such expressions, that they are fanatical: they are positively profane. When our Saviour was on earth, and in great bumility conversant with mankind; when he sat at the tables, and washed the feet, and healed the diseases of his creatures; yet did not his disciples give him any more familiar name than Master, or Lord. And now, at the right band of his Father's Majesty, shall we address him with ditties of embraces and passion, or language which it would be disgraceful in an earthly sovereign to endure?

Such expressions, it is said, are taken from Scripture: but even if the original application, which is often doubtful, were clearly and unequivocally ascertained, yet though the collective Christian church may very properly be personified as the spouse of Christ, application of such language to individual believers is as dangerous as it is absurd and unauthorised. Nor is it going too far to assert, that the brutalities of a common swearer can hardly bring religion into more scandalously sure contempt, or more profane the Name which is above every name in heaven and earth, than certain epithets applied to Christ in our popular collections of religious poetry.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THE following hymns are part of an intended series, appropriate to the Sundays and principal Holidays of the year; connected in some degree with their particular Collects and Gospels, and designed to be sung between the Nicene Creed and the Sermon.-The effect of an arrangement of this kind, though only partially adopted, is very striking in the Romish liturgy; and its place should seem to be very imperfectly supplied by a few verses of a Psalm, entirely unconnected with the peculiar devotions of the day, and selected at the discretion of a clerk or organist. On the merits of the present imperfect essays, the author is And in the heaven which he hath made,

unaffectedly diffident; and as his la

D. R.

ADVENT SUNDAY.-Matt. xxi.
HOSANNA to the living Lord!
Hosanna to the incarnate Word!
› Hosanna in the earth be said,

Hosunga!