1. I am to give a short explanation of the parable, which is thus recorded by St. Matthew.

"The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents behold, I-have gained two other talents besides them. His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Then he which had received the one talent

Lord.

came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed; and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

By "the kingdom of heaven," mentioned in the parable, is to be understood the Christian Church or Gospel dispensation on earth. The "man travelling into a far country" is JESUS CHRIST. His servants, in the primary signification of the words, are the Ministers of the Gospel: but in their general and more extended application, is included the whole christian world. The talents with which he entrusts them are the knowledge of his will, the gifts and graces of his Spirit, mental endowments, riches, rank, and influence. Their trading with them represents our journey through

life; the improvement of our talents, our progress in religion; and the burying them in the earth, our disregard of eternal things. The time of reckoning is the day of judgment. The many things over which the approved servants of GOD shall be made rulers are the joys of heaven. And the outer darkness, into which the unprofitable servant was cast, is that horrible place where the wicked shall be tormented for ever with the Devil and his angels.

We also learn from the parable before us, that GOD is the sovereign disposer of all things; and that he dispenses his blessings, to each individual, in such proportion as he pleaseth. To one he gives five talents; to another two; and to another one; hence the different ranks and degrees in society."The LORD maketh poor and maketh

rich."

"He giveth wisdom and understanding," and withholdeth them, from whom He pleases. While some are entrusted with power and placed in authority, it is the province of others to obey; each man has his respective talents appointed him,、 which he is required to improve; and according to his improvement or neglect of them, will be the condition assigned him, by his impartial judge, in the great day of reckoning.

JESUS CHRIST, on his leaving this world, went indeed into a far country, even into the heaven of heavens; but before His ascension, He gave authority to his disciples, "to preach the gospel to

every creature." He, at the same time, assured them that "all power, both in heaven and in earth, was given him" by God the Father, and that he would "continue with them always, even unto the end of the world." St. Paul tells us that CHRIST JESUS is "the Head over all things to the Church," and that "by him all things consist." He therefore orders, and directs, and governs the world as he pleases. Nothing can befall us in life but what is under his control. If we are blessed with health, it is he who bestows it upon us. If we are visited with sickness, we know who has said, that "affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; but that "whom the LORD loveth he afflicteth, and Scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." What an animating truth, my Christian Brethren, is this! How full of comfort and consolation to the sincere christian, to know that his most merciful Redeemer is at the helm of the universe, and shall make "all "-even the afflictions, distresses, and bethings,"reavements of life, the rending asunder the closest ties, the dissolution of those bonds which love and sympathy, and the august ceremonies of religion have cemented, "work together for his" eternal "good."

Our privileges are great, as a Nation, if we merely regard our Civil Institutions, the protection that is afforded to our persons and property, the impartial administration of excellent laws, and the

free scope that is given for the exercise of individual talent, and the attainment of the highest honors. But great as our civil privileges undoubtedly are, they are as dust in the balance when compared with our religious ones. By our excellent Eeelesiastical Establishment, which is apostolic in its origin, whose rites and ceremonies are decent and orderly, and whose liturgy is truly scriptural, a body of more than ten thousand men are distributed in as many parishes, throughout this kingdom, whose education fits them for the society of the great and noble, and whose sacred calling leads them to have frequent intercourse with the poor and illiterate. This, 1 say, is a great blessing to this Country, whether we consider the moral worth of the Clergy, the sound religious instruction they impart to the community, their advice and direction in worldly af fairs, or their various acts of kindness in reproving the vicious, exhorting the careless, consoling the afflicted, and comforting those that mourn. These are labours of love which are done, without parade or ostentation, in a greater or less degree, by the Clergy in every parish of this kingdom; and they are the principal means, under God, not only of promoting harmony and peace, and connecting more closely the different orders of society; but of kindling and keeping alive in the nation a spirit of true piety. What has been the life of your excellent and lamented Vicar; but a life dedicated to GoD, and you? -to GoD, as the first and great object of love and