very much, and I hope will continue to do. The other prayers also still continue at ten and three, to which the gentry and better sort of people, who maintain them, are wont to come.-Patrick.

Simon Patrick, bishop of Ely, from whose life the above extract is taken, was born in September, 1626, and died in 1707. The picture which he here gives of the state of his parish is very delightful, and one which we could much wish to see in these our days. The revival of the offertory would tend greatly to induce a right practice of almsgiving in the Church, and by degrees would have the effect of doing away with the present mode of collecting money at charity sermons, which, as they are now conducted, have a tendency to cause mistakes in persons' minds on the very important duty of Christian charity. The daily service would show that we are a praying people, and that at least we have faith in one of God's promises, that " when two or three are gathered together in His Name, there is He in the midst of them." At present, with only Sunday services, the Church of England is neither true to herself nor her children. She professes to give a daily service, which in many instances she neglects to do, and her true and faithful children have good reason to reproach her for refusing them that daily food, to which by her institutions they are entitled.

REVIEWS.

AMONG the many publications which at the present day are issuing from the press, we cannot but hail with sincere satisfaction, the appearance of so many really sound religious works adapted for the use of children. A few years since, it was thought necessary that a child's book should not only be simple in its language, but senseless in its matter, and regardless of right principle in its object; as though children's minds were too unformed to receive impressions, or those little ones, whom CHRIST embraced in his arms and blessed, were

too insignificant to be cared for. We rejoice to think that such is no longer the case, and that we have now a series of children's books, written by sound and religious churchmen, which we could wish to see in the hands, and their good instructions in the heart, of every child in the kingdom. Among the many excellent works of this class which have lately appeared, it is perhaps no easy matter to make a selection; but to such as are not already possessed of them, we would most strongly recommend Archdeacon Wilberforce's two little volumes; the one entitled The Rocky Island," and the other "Agathos;" both of which were briefly noticed in our first number. That the principles contained in them are such as every sound and pious churchman would wish his children to imbibe, the author's name is a sufficient pledge. That they are such as children love to read, our own experience can testify. We make an extract from a beatiful parable, entitled "The Prophet's Guard." The parties present are Elijah and his servant Elisha :

"Now the prophet's eye rested upon him, and he read all his secret thoughts; and he pitied his weakness, for that holy man was full of pity for the weak; so he chid him not; but bowing his knees again on that flat roof, he prayed unto his GOD to open those eyes which earthly fear had darkened. His prayer was heard; for there fell from them as it were films; and now when he looked out he saw a glorious sight. All the mountain was full; and they were a fearful company which filled it. The dark hosts of the Syrians, and their glancing swords, and clashing chariots, now looked but as a mere handful; for the whole mountain round them was full of that terrible army. Chariots of fire, and horsemen of fire thronged it in every part. High up into the viewless air mounted their wheeling bands; rank beyond rank, and army beyond army, they seemed to stretch on into the vastness of space, until his wearied eye was unable to gaze on them; and all of these were gathered round his master. They were GoD's host keeping guard over GOD's servant, and they who would injure him must first turn aside those flashing swords, must break up that strong and serried array, and be able to do battle with God's mighty angels. Then was the weak heart strong. Then did the poor trembler see that he was safe and know that he who is on God's side can never want companions and defenders."

Another very beautiful passage we cannot avoid quoting from the same volume. The subject is taken

from the parable in Matthew xxv. 15, and describes the state of a sincere penitent, and the final judgment:—

"Then his eye fell upon a shop where were no jewels, nor gold, nor costly silks, nor pearls of great price; but all that was in it was coarse sackcloth, and rough and hairy garments, and heaps of ashes, and here and there a loaf of bitter bread, and bitter herbs, and bottles wherein tears were stored. As he gazed on this shop, something seemed to whisper to his heart, 'Go and buy.' So he went with his sorrowful heart, as one not worthy to traffic for his Master, and he bought the coarsest sackcloth, and the ashes of affliction, and many bitter tears; and so he waited for the sounding of the trumpet. Then suddenly, as some loud noise breaks in upon the slumbers of men who sleep, that great trumpet sounded. All through the air came its voice still waxing louder and louder; and even as it pealed across the sky, all that great city, and its multitudes, and its lofty palaces, and its show, and its noise, and its revels, all melted away, and were not; and in a moment all the servants were gathered together, and their LORD and KING stood amongst them. All else were gone, and they and their works were alone with him. Then was there a fearful trial of every man's work. Then were they crowned with light and gladness who had risen early and traded diligently, and who now brought before their Master the fruit of that toil, and labour, and pain. Each one had his own reward; and amongst the richest and the best-as though he brought what the King greatly loved-was his reward who brought unto his Master the offering of gratitude from the broken hearted widow. Then drew near the servant who had wasted the morning, but had repented of his sloth, and had fought his way through the crowds, and had at last bought the sackcloth. So he drew near with it; and it looked poor, and mean, and coarse, as he bore it amongst the heaps of gold, and jewels, and silks, which lay piled up around; yet did he draw near to the King; and as he came, he spoke, and said,-'A broken and contrite heart wilt Thou not despise.' And as he spake, the King looked graciously upon him; a mild and an approving smile sat upon His countenance, and He spoke to him also the blessed words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.' Then did the coarse sackcloth shine as the most rich cloth of gold; then did the ashes of the furnace sparkle as a monarch's jewels; whilst every bitter tear which was stored in the bottle turned into pearls and rubies which were above all price. Then the King turned to the careless servants, and His voice was terrible to hear, and from His face they fled away. I dared not to look upon them; but I heard their just and terrible sentence, and I knew that they were driven away for ever from the face of the King, which is life and peace; and that they were bound under chains and darkness, deeper and more dreadful than those from which the King's Son had graciously delivered them."

THE vicar continued his observations as follows:"I am in the habit of making my remarks upon the earliest symptoms of disposition which appear in the children of our school, and I remember well, that from the very first acquaintance with your child, I observed a wilfulness and obstinacy of disposition, which threatened the most disastrous consequences to her future happiness. I mentioned my fears to Mrs. Short, who corroborated them from her own observation, and I requested her to pay particular attention to the disposition of your child, in order, if possible, that this predominating feature in her character might be brought under and subdued. It was shortly after this, that those circumstances occurred which ended in the removal of your daughter from our school. You will remember, that I then called upon you, expressed my opinions on the subject, and warned you against persisting in a course of indulgence to your child, which in all probability would end in her misfortune and misery. I afterwards heard that she had left St. James's school, to which she went after she left ours, and successively had been to the Methodists, Independents, and

CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE, No. IV.

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Baptists. It was on one of these changes that your husband spoke to me about Esther's wandering habits in search of a religion, and her obstinate and insubmissive conduct on his remonstrance with her. I then repeated what I had told him before, and anxiously warned him against those evils which, alas! have befallen her, more disastrously and more quickly, than I could have expected. Perhaps it was then too late; at all events, she was allowed to persist in her course. Then came her intimacy with Joseph Freethink, of his character you were aware, and were warned seriously against allowing Esther to keep company with a professed infidel. Warnings were, however, useless. You looked, I suppose, at his business, which was good; and, considering the matter in a pecuniary point of view, would willingly have sold your child,—for selling in such a case it is, to one who denies the LORD that bought him, and ridicules as folly all that Christians are taught to respect and revere, --and now came the result of it all. Your daughter, unstable in disposition, wilful in heart, heady, and high minded, rejecting all parental advice, refusing all parental control, trusting in herself, is found weak, and relying on her own strength, in a moment of temptation falls a victim to a cold and calculating seducer, and is now, from the upbraidings of her own conscience, and the unkindness of her paramour, reduced to a bed of sicknessperhaps of death! The case is a most distressing one; but one, alas! which too frequently occurs. I do not, however see, how, under existing circumstances, you can possibly refuse forgiveness to your child so far as to deny her a home; by receiving her, you may perhaps be a mean of bringing her to a sense of the sin she has committed; at all events, you will remove her from that wicked man, and his wretched dwelling."

Mr. and Mrs. Simmonds were both of them much struck with what the vicar said; it was very evident to them that there was much truth in it, but they made no remark at the time, except to say that they were much obliged to him for his advice, and would consider