baptized a child should be taken to the Clergyman of the parish, to the Church, on some Sunday or Holy Day, with two Godfathers and one Godmother if a boy, with two Godmothers and one Godfather if a girl. The Clergyman will either sprinkle with water, or immerse the child if the parents require it, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. The child is thus baptised, and thereby regenerated, placed into covenant with GOD, and made an heir of everlasting salvation through CHRIST. Registration is an order of the State. The State cannot administer the sacraments, and in this instance has nothing to do with the sacrament of baptism, which is spiritual. -All parents may please themselves as to the registering their children. All parents, as they would have their children made Christians and heirs of heaven must have them baptized. We would very strongly recommend any of our readers who are not fully acquainted with the nature of the sacrament of baptism, to read the baptismal service in the prayer book very carefully, and besides this, to consult their parish priest upon the subject.-Ed.]

To the Editor of the Christian Magazine.

Dear Sir,-As your Magazine is extensively circulated at Stockport, I take the liberty of sending the inclosed address lately presented to the Rev. B. H. BIRKS, on his leaving the curacy of St. Thomas's, Stockport, the perusal of which may, I trust, prove as acceptable to all your readers as it has proved to me.

Your obdt. Servt., B. W.

ADDRESS

To the Rev. B. H. Birks on his leaving the Curacy of St. Thomas's Church, Stockport; presented with a Bible, by Edward Lilly, on behalf of himself and the Teachers at St. Thomas's Sunday School, on St. James's Day, 1842.

"Rev. Sir,

"Permit me on behalf of myself and the teachers of St. Thomas's Sunday School, Stockport, to return our most heartfelt thanks to you for the kind attention you have manifested on all occasions to our spiritual welfare during the time you have been permitted to

minister among us, which has been but short, yet long enough to bind us to each other with the cords of affection and love. You have been the happy means of pointing out to us the good old paths which our forefathers trod to happiness and bliss, and not only pointing them out to us but practically performing yourself all the holy precepts you have taught. You have striven to impress on our minds the solemn truths of our most holy religion, and taught us to revere the Sacred Scriptures, and never read them in a careless thoughtless manner. The doctrines of our most holy religion you have shown us to be derived solely from, and to be proved by, most certain warrants of Holy Writ,—rather than compromise which doctrines, and the faith and practice necessary to eternal life, the first members of the infant Church willingly sacrificed their lives and all that was near and dear to them in this world. If thou wouldst enter into life keep the commandments" was their plain mission, and they by their example taught us to maintain the faith which was once delivered to the saints, convinced as they were that nothing was laid down in Holy Scripture but what was profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of GoD might be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." We do, sir, bear our humble testimony to you that, as a Christian minister, you have on all occasions strenuously endeavoured to revive the good old doctrines and practices of our forefathers, and to deliver your own soul of the trust which was committed to your keeping. We hope that much good has been done by you in reviving Mother Church doctrines and practices, and that your labours have not been in vain in the LORD. Your labours and troubles amongst us are well nigh drawing to a close: may we who have gladly received your instruction remember the holy precepts you have taught us in private as well as in public, and endeavour ourselves to follow the advice you have given us, and walk in the steps of our Divine Master, in the

blessed company of the Apostles and first Christians, and strive to serve our MAKER and SAVIOUR in this our day and generation, continuing to do our duty, and to be content in that station of life in which Providence has placed us.

"Rev. Sir,- should we never meet again in this world, may we meet in that world where all our troubles will be ended, and when we shall be separated from each other no more. In the mean time we desire to be remembered in your prayers, and that when presenting your own supplications at the Throne of Grace, you will pray that our SAVIOUR's protection may be thrown over us, to shield us from the contaminating evils which surround us, even amongst those who profess and call themselves Christians. We fondly hoped that you would have stayed amongst us, with GOD's assistance to confirm the doctrines you have taught us; however, such is not the case. We offer to you, sir, as a token of love and esteem, this blessed volume of holy inspiration, which we believe to be entwined round your heart. May you continue, wherever your vocation may be, strenuously to inculcate the precepts therein stated; and may you, sir, when you view this book, remember that it came from those who loved you and valued your instruction, and could wish to have enjoyed your presence and ministry amongst them longer. You are called to labour in the LORD'S vineyard among other people. Our desire is that they may never give you any cause of uneasiness. We must continue in this as yet desert part of the LORD'S vineyard. Pray for us that we may be kept from all evil, and be saved in the day of the LORD. Then, sir, you as Preacher, and we as Teachers shall be blessed together in heaven, when our SAVIOUR shall say to each of us, if we continue faithful to the end, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy LORD;" and, "Come, ye blessed children of my FATHER, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

THE OLD CHURCH CLOCK.

(Continued from page 288.)

CHAPTER VIII.

"You, Sir, know that in a neighbouring vale
A Priest abides before whose life such doubts
Fall to the ground; whose gifts of nature lie
Retired from notice....

In this one man is shown a temperance proof
Against all trials; industry severe

And constant as the motion of the day....
Preaching, administering, in every work
Of his sublime vocation, in the walks

Of wordly intercourse between man and man,
And in his humble dwelling, he appears

A labourer, with moral virtue girt,

With spiritual graces, like a glory, crown'd."

"Doubt can be none," the Pastor said, "for whom

This portraiture is sketch'd. The great, the good,

The well-belov'd, the fortunate, the wise,

These titles emperors and chiefs have borne,

Honour assumed or given: and him, the WONDERFUL,
Our simple shepherds, speaking from the heart,
Deservedly have styled."

WORDSWORTH'S EXCURSION.

"to be sure I

"HEAR of Wonderful Walker?" said I, have! and have honoured and revered his memory as one of the bright lights of the Church, shining in a dark age, and in a remote corner of the world, where it might have been feared that light would hardly have extended. Why, my good friend, I once walked to the quiet and retired village of Seathwaite that I might make a pilgrimage to his grave; and though I have gazed upon the tombs and monuments of many of the most renowned heroes and sages of days gone by, none of them filled my mind with such deep sensations of awe and reverence as the quiet and unpretending tomb of Robert Walker!

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE, No. XIV.

BB

I

yet see the inscription as freshly as if I had read it yesterday-the villagers point it out with pride and pleasure, as an honour to their rustic church-yard, and preserve it from all profanation, as a treasure above all price. How humble is the inscription engraved on that modest tombstone! What a couple of saints are there recorded, reposing in peace and union after a long life of pious usefulness, and awaiting the sound of the archangel's trumpet with a faith as firm as their sleep is tranquil! Thus runs the record :

In memory of the Reverend Robert Walker, who died the 25th of June, 1802, in the 93rd year of his age, and 67th of his curacy at Seathwaite.

"Also, of Anne his wife, who died the 28th of January, in the 92nd year of her age.'

"Truly were they lovely in their lives, and in death not divided.' How I envy you, my friend, to have been taught by the honest voice, and to have gazed on the honest face of Robert Walker!"

Truly, sir, you are quite enthusiastic about my old pastor, and I suspect you have read the poet Wordsworth's delightful sketch of his character, with the materials for which he was supplied by some of his surviving descendants; if not, I recommend you to lose no time in doing so. My recollections of him are of a humbler kind, but perhaps not less interesting; to me he has been more than a father. His divine words yet live in my memory-I wish I had always followed his good advice, and good example!

His habits, as you know, were quite upon a level with the plain and homely rustics of the village. He lived as they lived, and worked as they worked. But he lost no spiritual influence, or even worldly respect by this; on the contrary, by excelling them all in those pursuits of which they could judge, he gained credit among them for being always right in matters wherein they were less informed. I believe the clergy, by their too frequent ignorance of, or contempt for, common things, often lose an influence among the uneducated, which all their know