sees, so soon as the thing became practicable. As to holding that the bishops of the Church of England have any spiritual charge over the souls of the inhabitants, the idea, to the mind of a Papist, is preposterous, since they were appointed by the English Government, and not by the Vatican; hence it is that the Catholic Church regards them simply as "usurpers." Here, then, is language concerning which there can be no mistake. In thus speaking, of course, we will not be supposed to be swearing by the Church of England, nor upholding the bishops, of whom our conception is not very exalted; as we consider them next, in point of position, to those of the Romish Apostacy, at the furthest remove from the Apostolic episcopate. We are told that the present movement is an illustration of the feelings which govern the bishops and priesthood, and that the creation of a Romish Hierarchy is a step towards the re-establishment of Popery in these realms.

No evidence is so satisfactory as that which is obtained from the lips of a witness of an opponent; and hence the value we attach to the foregoing declarations. Such disclosures as the foregoing will most materially help to awaken the Protestants of these realms to a true sense of their condition. It is no marvel that the Bishops of the English Church, with the Clergy, are roused from their apathy, and that, however they may feel as to the Gospel, they are solicitous about their glebes, parsonages, and palaces; for they may be well assured that the resumption of these by the Priesthood of Antichrist is the goal to which all Papal movements tend and however the present movement may be checked, from time to time, like the receding wave, which retires only to return, it will go on till the power from which it proceeds be annihilated. The Protestants of these nations may lay their account with the continuance of efforts by the Vatican to overthrow the Established Church of England, to make room for the restoration of the olden system.

But this, in itself considered, is not our concern. The preservation of English freedom, both civil and religious— the preservation of the Protestant Bible, and free Protestant worship, is our concern; and for these we mean to contend, and to teach our children to contend, even to the stake, should that ever become necessary. But we must not forget the Reviewer; let us, therefore, hear him again :

The same prudential considerations have further now induced the Holy See to redistribute the territory of England into new diocescs, in order to avoid coming into collision with the Act of Parliament which forbids any but Anglican prelates to assume the title of their sees. It is not that the Pope or any other Catholic in Christendom regards that Act as anything but an insult to Almighty God. If it were prudent to do so, the Catholic Church might nominate a Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury to-morrow. We consider ourselves no more bound to obey that enactment as of lawful authority than to say, "There is but one God and Mahomet is his prophet;" because a bloodthirsty and licentious conqueror raised the cry many centuries ago in eastern countries.

Since writing the above we have heard, on all sides, and the report is uncontradicted, that the Review from which these extracts are taken was actually penned by Cardinal Wiseman himself! If the fact be such, it is one of the first importance, and is worth whole volumes as to the true spirit of the Modern Papacy. The thing is in the highest degree probable, since it is very unlikely that the chief Popish Review would, at such a time, have proceeded to such lengths without consulting the Cardinal. But if not his writing, it is, beyond dispute, his sentiment. Forewarned, then, is forearmed. The citizen, the Churchman, the Dissenter, each on his own ground, has reason to watch, to oppose, and to seek the overthrow of Rome, the common enemy of God and man!

Their

They whom these avowals will not teach will be taught by nothing. eyes are closed. Their wound is incurable. They are sold to fatuity, and must be left to their fate. For the thousandth time we repeat, that nothing is wanted to Rome but her ancient power, to the assumption of her ancient post; nothing else is required to her once more trampling in the dust all existing kings, thrones, powers, and peoples.

ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCILS. ARCHBISHOP WISEMAN, nothing daunted by the threat of the Premier and the frown of nations, proceeds in his princely career, determined that nothing shall arrest him he is resolute on completing, as speedily as possible, the Ecclesiastical edifice of which he boasts of having been the creator. Pursuant to his Pastoral Letter, he proceeds to make known and propagate a Statute of Institution and Organization of Councils, for the better administration of the London district. In the preamble of this precious docu

ment he is careful to intimate that it emanates directly and entirely from himself, receiving its force from his own authority; that it has not been enjoined on him by any higher authority, nor suggested to him by others, but published motu proprio. The prince, therefore, hastens, as speedily as possible, to divide the glory of the Pope; he feels it beneath him to act as an ordinary Bishop, or even Archbishop. His tones are those of a Cardinal. He defines the nature of the Council he proposes to create. The num

ber and nature of them are then set forth; and according to the outline he has presented, it will supply a considerable amount of prelatical labour. Let our readers meditate the following:

NUMBER AND NATURE OF THE PROPOSED
COUNCILS.

1. The administration of a diocese or district naturally divides itself into two branches. That of its temporal, and that of its spiritual interests. 2. At the same time it is clear that there are many matters of either a lesser or an urgent nature, presenting no difficulties which need not be brought before a council, and yet even regarding these, deliberations and good advice may be expedient. It is also conducive to the regular despatch of business that it should be transacted according to proper forms, and that proper records thereof should be kept.

3. It has therefore seemed to us advisable, and we have consequently resolved to form three councils: two greater and the lesser.

1. The lesser council, or weekly board, shall meet regularly, for the expediting of current business.

II. The first of the two great councils, that of temporal administration, will attend to the administration of the funds and temporal affairs of the district.

III. The second great council will be convened to advise the bishop upon affairs touching the spiritual concerns of the district, and will be called the council of spiritual administration.

IV. The two first of these we proceed at once to institute, reserving the formation of the third till the others are fully and satisfactorily established.

THE LESSER COUNCIL OR WEEKLY BOARD. 1. This council shall consist

1. Of the vicar-general or vicar-generals, there shall be more than one.

II. Of two or more consultors taken from the secular or regular clergy, and named by the bishop.

III. Of two secretaries, one for home and one for foreign correspondence.

2. These shall meet each week at the place and the hour and on the day appointed by the bishop, and there shall assist him in transacting such business as he shall place before them.

3. In the bishop's absence the vicar-general,

or if there be more than one, the senior among them shall preside.

4. A register or record of all that is transacted shall be made by the secretary according to a prescribed form.

5. Every meeting shall be opened with the prayer "Adsumus Domine."

THE COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION, 1. This council shall be composed of a certain number of secular priests, of the London district, not exceeding twelve, selected by the bishop, who will fill up all vacancies, or add to the existing numbers.

2. The vicar-general will be an ex-officio member of the council.

3. The council shall have a secretary likewise appointed by the bishop.

4. Of the members of the council, three including the secretary, to be all named by the bishop, shall form a special commission or board under the title of administrators.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATORS.

1. The object of this council being to assist the bishop in the temporal administration of this district, and so to lighten his burthens in this respect, its functions will not merely consist in giving him advice upon any special matters laid before it, but generally in carrying on the administration of all funds and property belonging to this district.

2. And for the better definition of this duty and extent it must be observed that these funds are divided into three classes, to wit:

1. Funds for the bishop's maintenance, or at his personal disposal, or confided especially to his administration.

II. Funds exclusively appropriated to ecclesiastical education.

III. Funds belonging to particular missions or other foundations or appropriated to them temporarily, or held for general purposes connected with the district.

3. The first of these classes remains as heretofore in the bishop's administration.

The second is reserved for future settlement under a board to be formed in accordance with the prescriptions of the Council of Trent.

The third class will be entrusted to the administration of the council.

This administration will be divided into two classes the ordinary and the extraordinary, of each whereof we will treat separately.

Here, then, is another step towards fortifying the new Hierarchy, and a second note of warning voice to the British people. But there is another light in which this matter may be viewed. It will be seen that the project presents the perfection of centralization, the Bishop constituting the great moving power. He only is intelligence, will, and motive power. Everything around him, near and far, small and great, is but the minister of his pleasure. There is one lesson taught by this, which ought not to be lost on the Protestant Churches-the necessity of union; union not so much in polity as in action, as far as that union is compatible with individual and congregational freedom: and, unquestionably, with sound intelligence and corresponding spirituality, with a self-sacrificing

spirit, and a strong intent to promote the glory of God, much might be done which has never yet been attained, to promote unity of action, and thus to realize the stupendous moral effects which that unity alone can produce. Presbytery, Methodism, and Moravianism, to a considerable extent already, have realized and exhibited the value and force of union. It

chiefly remains for the principal body of British Dissenters, the Nonconformists, to seek, and so to seek as to find, the blessings of a perfect and all-pervading union-union for all such purposes as are common to all, and more especially as it respects home and foreign countries, in everything appertaining to the kingdom and glory of Jesus Christ.

THE subject of Church Meetings is one intimately connected with the best interests of religion. Their non-existence is wholly incompatible with a satisfactory condition of church - fellowship, since many lessons must remain untaught, and many duties remain unperformed. This will readily be conceded by all who really consider the reasons on which they are founded, and the ends they are intended to subserve. But where they exist as a matter of church organization, their nonattendance is almost tantamount to their non-existence, and is wholly incompatible with the duties of individuals to the cause of Christ in the Churches with which

they may be connected. It is impossible that they can become the subjects of the feeling which knowledge alone can beget in their breasts; and without which the duties of their ecclesiastical relations will be very imperfectly discharged, or altogether neglected. The Church is a body, and, as such, it has many things to attend to. It is a sad mistake to imagine that the sole business of church-fellowship consists in personal edification, and that, consequently, if individuals are regular in their attendance on the various means of grace, and give due heed to their public and private walk and conversation, they have filled up the measure of their obligation, and stand fully acquitted of all charge of deficiency, although they do no more, and go no further. This is one of the most mistaken and pernicious notions that ever entered the head of a subject of the kingdom of Christ. It is out-and-out a mere emanation of selfishness, beginning and ending in the pursuit of personal advantage, and involving the very foundation of church-fellowship. To live such a life as this requires no organization at all; it is quite compatible with a carnal and worldly establishment of Christianity, where every feature of

the New Testament Church is obliterated. Such is the undoubted fact; but there is another fact more personal to Nonconformist Churches, and this is the evil we now deplore, and are anxious to remedy-an evil, which exists in a variety of degrees in the Church, and which even in a less degree is attended with lamentable consequences. This neglect is largely at the bottom of all that is weak and inefficient among the several sections of the Church of Christ. The subject may be viewed in several lights; some of which we shall now consider.

The duties which devolve on Churches extend to every individual of the fellowship, however humble. Even youth, ignorance, poverty, and obscurity, form no ground of exemption; for a single soul to neglect the duties which belong to it, is, to that extent, to weaken the Church, and endanger the cause of Christ. No other member can take the place of such a person, and thus do double duty; there is no work of popish supererogation in the kingdom of God. Whatever each can perform, that each is required to do; and when he has done his best, he will still fall short of what is due from him, so that he has nothing to spare for his neighbour; and after all, he must take his own stand in the final day, on mercy, not justice. There are duties which every man owes to the collective body, and which the collective body owes to every member; and in both cases the duties require that the knowledge of which we speak should be possessed, in order to the feeling; neither of which can be possessed in the proper measure in the absence of Church Meetings, and a conscientious attendance on them. For the lack of this, Christian fellowship, to a lamentable extent, is little more than a name. The multitude who periodically occupy the market

place for carrying on the business of life, forms nearly as much, and in many cases more, of real fellowship, than do those who constitute the Church of Christ. This is a sore evil, which it is of the first importance to cure as speedily as possible, and which can be cured only in one way-attendance to the divine method of the saints coming together, from time to time, in the name of the Lord.

This subject might be impressively illustrated by a reference to the carnal fellowship of the present world, where periodical assemblage is considered, and found, to be essential to their prosperity, not to say existence; and hence attendance is required and enforced by appropriate penalties, even to the extent of exclusion from themselves and from all their privileges. The duties which the Church owes to the world are, if possible, still more dependent on the orderly and habitual association of the members. In diffusing light around it, and working, instrumentally, life among the dead, the Churches require to work as a body; it is God's own ready-made and imperishable organization for this very thing. As a body, it is to think as one mind, to resolve as one will, to speak as one mouth, to pray as with one heart, and to war as with one hand against the powers of darkness. The existence of societies for such objects in Churches proceeds upon a mistake which is often fraught with the most disastrous consequences. Take, for example, what is known as a "Christian Instruction Society," which is formed of a number of pious individuals, to promote the salvation of the families of a given locality. With this view they provide for persons to visit a district, to distribute tracts, and to hold spiritual intercourse with the people. The framework of such an institution has in it the air of a thing that is external to the Church-a thing that is optional; so that while it may be very laudable to form a part of such an organization, it is in no respect reprehensible, as involving a neglect of duty, to stand aloof from it. It is therefore concluded, that they who stand aloof do well, although they who join the benevolent confederacy may, perhaps, do better.

Let us not be misunderstood; we are far from uttering censure against such Associations; on the contrary, we offer them our most respectful praise. By these means, although founded on defective principles, truth is diffused which

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otherwise would be unheard, and souls are plucked as brands from the burning, which otherwise might have perished. On these grounds, therefore, great praise is due to the individuals who compose them; but while we most cheerfully pay to them the tribute which is due, we must be allowed, at the same time, to state that there is a far more excellent way-a way which requires that the entire Church, as a body already formed, should go forth, and act as a Christian Instruction Society :-it requires them, when met in their social capacity, to create the necessary instrumentality :it requires them to appoint a Committee, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and Visitors; while the pecuniary expenses connected with the enterprize, the Church will, of course, take upon itself. To them reports, from time to time, will be made, and the Church will constitute the Public Meeting. The whole power of the Church will thus be brought to bear upon the enterprize; the whole character of the enterprize will thus be changed, and it will acquire a momentum of which the artificial system is wholly unsusceptible. The Church of Christ never diverges from the path marked out by the sacred Scriptures without being great losers. The Divine plan is always distinguished by two attributes, simplicity and powerpower, because of simplicity. The efficiency of the Divine plan, carried out to an extent perfectly practicable, still remains to be seen: the world, nay, the Church, has but a very imperfect conception of the power of union; when that shall have been fully proved, it will be then, but assuredly not till then, that it will become "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." It is order and organization that constitutes the strength of armies. It is solely from this that a body of twenty or thirty thousand soldiers have been known to subdue a nation of many millions. Let it not for a moment be supposed that the sole secret of this wondrous power consists in the fact of their being trained to the use of arms, and possessing them. Such is by no means the case let them be thus trained, and thus armed, but separated from each other, and scattered throughout the general population, and in a single hour they might, by a hundredth part of that population, be cut off. Their collective strength arises solely from their union, which confers upon them a physical power, enabling them, like a torrent, to

bear down all opposition on the part of an unorganized people.

But we must concentrate our views on two or three particulars. We have insisted upon Church Meetings, in order to produce a community of sentiment, interest, and feeling, as a means to a special end; and among these we come, in the first place, to

PRAYER.

A Church, whatever its size, giving itself to prayer with one accord, is a most potent agency for good. The numbers may be small, and the individuals may be poor, and, in this world, unimportant; but their collective prayer will have a power with God which will be attended with results the most glorious. Such was the character, and such the power of prayer of the first Churches; and history has told the issue. Come the day when the Churches of our times shall assume a like character, and, with one mind and one mouth offer up a like prayer! This once accomplished, all will, in effect, be accomplished.. If men can be brought with their whole hearts to pray, there is nothing they cannot be brought to do; and if they can be brought to pray together, there is nothing they may not be brought to do together: unity of prayer will prepare for

UNITY OF ACTION.

It is important that the idea of action should be familiar to the mind of the Churches; for if the kingdom of God is to fill the world, there must be efforteffort of many kinds, and by all hands. There will be somewhat to do for every one. This is finely exemplified in the case of the poor benighted idolators, which is graphically set forth by the prophet Jeremiah : "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make the cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods."

That action may be powerful, it must be universal; the power of the Churches has never yet been called fully forth in any case; even where most has been done, much more might have been performed; but in the great majority of cases, so far as man can judge, the mass is still dormant; not a moiety has been put into operation for the great cause. All sorts of Evangelical labour devolve on the hands of a few who are, in many cases, oppressed, while the great mass go

free, and, for aught they seem to care, the interests of the kingdom of heaven may go to wreck and ruin. When the time shall come that the bulk of believers shall begin themselves for the service of the Lord, it will be a sign that a new era is coming, and is already at the doors. But while human effort is all-important in the business of setting up the kingdom of heaven, earthly substance is also required, as an element of the mighty system of means to be employed. Much is said of the presentation of gold for his use, and in the pages of inspiration, concerning

CONTRIBUTION.

The most remarkable of all the Psalms which relate to his kingdom, the seventysecond, is strongly stamped with this peculiarity. On this subject there is the same all-pervading deficiency among the Churches, that characterizes them in relation to prayer and effort. It will, indeed, be found that there is a harmony of proportion in these three points. As is men's prayer, such is their other effort; as is their effort, according to their means, such will be their contributionall will rise and fall together, exhibiting the proportions of much, little, or nothing, as the case may be. Such is the general rule, to which there is no real exception.

The remarks already made on the subject of prayer and effort, apply here, were all the members, without exception, of the poorest Church, to contribute in the fair proportion of their means, the result would astonish the world. The Churches would then stand amazed at the survey of the past, and wonder what they and their fathers had been about so long. There is not at this moment a single denomination of Christians that has ever approached the proper standard; and it may be doubted whether there is even a single congregation of moderate magnitude that has reached it. A few have done great things, but even they might possibly have done more. The Free Church of Scotland is making an astounding experiment upon the subject; but even they, by the recent movement in Perthshire, under the management of Dr. Duff, the missionary, have discovered that, when they thought they had attained a climax, it was possible, without oppression to any, to increase their missionary revenues three or fourfold, by simply getting every Church and every Presbytery, and every member of every Church, to do somewhat.