this Church were raised at the time when the famine in Ireland and Scotland was drawing largely on the sympathies and resources of the people, and when, to use the emphatic words of the Bishop of Oxford, "want as an armed man was knocking at the door of many who never had known it before;" followed as this was by a commercial panic and agricultural depression, Continental revolutions, and what more than all paralyzes benevolence, disquietude concerning religion. Let this invigorate us with stout hearts and untiring hands, to carry on our struggle with sin, as much in the world without as the hidden world of each man's own heart. This, we repeat, must assuredly, in all circumstances, be our LORD's will; and behold He leaves not unassisted one effort made in the spirit of that simple trust, which brought this good work to its blest conclusion. We cannot terminate without briefly mentioning that a deficit of £1,942 yet remains in the expense of building the Church of S. George the Martyr, which rests on the Vicar alone; but we trust he will not long be left to bear this burden: so good a cause must certainly enlist the sympathies of many. THE OPENING OF THE NEW PAROCHIAL SCHOOL OF WESTON S. MARY'S. THE opening of the new Parochial School of Weston S. Mary's, near Spalding, Lincolnshire, was celebrated on Thursday, the 17th of October, in an appropriate manner. The national flag hoisted on the tower of the Church, together with the sound of the Church bells at early morning, announced to the expectant villagers that the day for their rejoicing at the completion of their school had arrived. Crowds accumulated and reverently met together in the Church for the celebration of matins, after which nearly eighty persons, including upwards of twenty workmen, and most of the Clergy, with several of the most influential of the laity, both ladies and gentlemen, at that time in the neighbourhood, sat down to an old English dinner in the schoolroom. About two o'clock, a perfect picture of a village festival presented itself. The numerous banners which hitherto had decorated the grounds and garden of the vicarage and school, as so many bright flowers scattered among the autumn trees, were borne towards one central point, and there distributed to the Clergy, churchwardens, choir, and school children, benefactors, visitors, and parishioners, to be carried in procession, accom panied by a band of music, to the Church. On arriving at the Church gate, the churchwardens lowered and furled their flags; this rule was observed by all who carried banners. The band, standing without the consecrated ground, continued to play "Sound the loud timbrel," while the churchwardens, advancing to the Church porch with the choir and scholars, formed a double line, through which the Clergy advanced first into the Church, the furled banners being deposited in the porch. The spacious Church was crowded; and as the body of Clergy, now arrayed in their priestly robes, advanced through the nave to their appropriate position in that most exquisite chancel, the architecture, the subdued light from the tinted windows, the breathless silence, all conspired to awaken the feeling with which all were impressed. The service was well chanted both at matins and evensong; the Vicar of Weston S. Mary, the Vicar of Pinchbeck, the Vicar of Whaplode, the Curates of Whaplode Chapel, Whaplode, Pinchbeck, and Spalding officiating; while most of the neighbouring Clergy within some miles of the place, and some from a considerable distance, added their assistance. The choir was chiefly composed of the schoolmasters in the neighbourhood, who had volunteered their services on the occasion, and at great personal sacrifice had practised and fully prepared their respective parts. The effect was far beyond what was expected. It was a glorious service; the versicles taken from the Parish Choir, the canticles and psalms from Helmore. After service the procession formed again, and returned to the school, where a feast was prepared, of which upwards of two hundred visitors and children partook. The rest of the day was spent in merry games, in which all appeared interested; and towards the conclusion the band struck up a country dance, in which both old and young delighted. The party dispersed after joining in the National Anthem, all expressing their pleasure at the orderly and appropriate festival which they had been permitted to enjoy. The more lukewarm were pleasurably excited, and the most fastidious found nothing of which to complain. Could such festivals be multiplied, much good would result. Why should the Church of England be the only body whose members know not one another by their annual feasts? Why should the Church be the only society whose members meet not their brothers with external emblems of rejoicing and form, and show themselves unitedly in their processions? It is in accordance with ancient practice; it is the practice of almost all other societies; it is in accordance with the spirit of the times; it is beneficial; it is desirable; it may-it ought to be-more general. The school buildings at Weston S. Mary's are deserving of notice; by some they are said to rank among the best village schools in England. We confess they are most highly creditable to the architect, John Billing, Esq., of Reading, and to the builder, Mr. Dawson, of Spalding. The style is Tudor, composed of brick and stone; the doors, windows, &c., being the old work, most judiciously introduced, from Fulney Hall, which had recently been pulled down. The noble plinth is supposed to have been worked originally for the abbey of Spalding, which was destroyed at the Reformation, and Fulney Hall built out of part of the ruins. An anecdote will illustrate the character of the school buildings. On the opening day, one of the churchwardens observed to a visitor, that he thought, from the nature of the buildings, and their construction, they would last as long as the world lasted. The matter-of-fact visitor replied that he thought they would, with a little repair. The buildings have cost about £800. An argument was urged, in reply to applications for assistance in building these schools, that they were unnecessary, as there were so few children in that locality. There are already upwards of eighty scholars enrolled. Objections and difficulties are generally invented for some sinister motive; they will never deter those who act on principle. The village of Weston S. Mary is but little known, though lying in perhaps the richest line of Churches in England. The tourist cannot, we think, find a greater treat than taking the following route: Lincoln, Tattershall, Boston, Frampton, Kirton, Algarkirk, Sutterton, Gosberton, Surfleet, Pinchbeck, Spalding, Weston, Moulton, Whaplode, Holbeach, Fleet, Gedney, Sutton Wisbeach, Walsoken, West Walton, Walpole S. Peter's, Walpole S. Andrew's, Terrington, to Lynn, a distance of little more than seventy miles, NOTES OF THE MONTH. JANUARY derives its name from Januarius, in honour of Janus, one of the Roman gods, who was represented with two faces; one 66 young," as referring to the future,-one" old," as referring to the past. He is also figured as holding a key in one hand, and a rod in the other, opening and ruling the year. The ancient Saxons called this month "wolf monat," because the people were wont always in that month to be more in danger to be devoured by wolves than in any season else of the year; for that, through the extremity of cold and snow, those ravenous creatures could not find other beasts sufficient to feed upon. In later times, when Christianity prevailed, it was called Aefteryula, i.e., after Christmas. JANUARY 1. The Feast of the Circumcision of our Blessed LORD; on which appropriate papers have already appeared in our former volumes. CUSTOMS. In many places the custom still obtains, of ringing the deathknell of the departing year, and announcing the birthday of the new. There are not many who will not enter fully into the feelings of Charles Lamb, when he says, "Of all sounds of all bells, (bells the music nighest bordering on heaven,) most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the old year. I never hear it without a gathering up of my mind to a concentration of all images that have been diffused over the past twelve months; all I have done and suffered, performed or neglected in that regretted time. I begin to know its worth as when a person dies. It takes a personal colour, nor was it a poetical flight in a contemporary when he exclaimed, 'I saw the skirts of the departing year.' The celebration of the religious services of the eve has already been gradually restored during the last few years. The habit of giving new year's gifts, and exchanging civilities, is too well known to call for any remark. We would only suggest that the richer should remember their poorer neighbours at this inclement season, and give some comfort to those who have been strangers thereto. In conclusion, we wish, from the grounds of our heart, to all our readers, young and old, A HAPPY NEW YEAR. TWELFTH-NIGHT. The Eve of the Epiphany is differently observed in different parts of England. It derives its name from being the twelfth night after Christmas eve. The origin of the twelfth-day king and queen has been accounted for differently by various writers. Of the customs observed, we ourselves know that in certain parts of Devonshire the farmers stand round the best apple tree, and drink the following toast:-" Here's to thee, old apple-tree; whence thou may'st bud, and whence thou may'st blow, and whence thou may'st bear 'apples enow. Hats full, caps full, bushel, bushel, sacks full, and my pockets full too. Huzza!" A similar custom also obtains in Herefordshire. Our young readers would rather eat the glorious twelfth-day "CAKE," than read any long remarks of ours upon it. Yet though it belongs to the feast of the Epiphany, we may as well here introduce two verses which they may not have seen before. "Now, now the mirth comes, With the cake full of plums, Where bean's the king of the sport here; The pea also Must revel as queen in the court here. "Begin, then, to choose Who shall for the present delight here, And who shall not Be twelfth-day queen for the night here." Epiphany, in commemoration of the "manifestation" of CHRIST to the Gentiles, was celebrated among the primitive Christians with great solemnity for twelve days, the first and last of which were called the greater and lesser Epiphany. Explanatory articles have already appeared. Notices to Correspondents. "ONE READY TO FAINT" will find some thoughts applicable to his own case in a forthcoming paper by S. M. We have only to set a definite object before us, and labour to attain it. We must strive, (to use the words of a clerical correspondent,) by every lawful means to emancipate our Church from the thraldom in which she is fast held. To secure that she shall, as represented by her Clergy and laity, determine her own doctrines, and manage her own spiritual affairs; that so, having awakened out of the slumbers of the last century, she may, "like a giant refreshed with wine," address herself to the work of evangelising the nation. "A S. MARK'S MAN" is informed that there is no rubrical direction for |