be received accordingly. give. Christ himself received that he might Ministers must deliver all that which they have received of the Lord, Acts xx. 20, 27. We must deliver that we have received, though it may displease some. If we seek to please men, we are not the "servants of Christ." Ministers must deliver that only which they have received of the Lord, 1 Cor. ii. 16. As to us, the word is our rule. What we find there we may say we received of the Lord; and what we bring you thence, you are to receive, Rev. xxii. 18, 19. Hear it not as the word of a mean, frail man; but as the word of the Eternal God. The sacrament itself was instituted by Christ as a King. It was an act of Christ's kingly office. Doctrine. That the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was instituted and appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ himself, on the night wherein he was betrayed, to be a standing ordinance in his church. In Matt. xxvi. and Luke xxii. we have the institution. Show, I. The Author of the institution.-That was the Lord Jesus. A sacrament must be instituted. Sacraments are created of things that do not appear; and a sacrament must be a Divine institution, or else no legal sacrament. It is the King's prerogative to coin money. The Lord Jesus appointed the Lord's Supper, 1. As Jesus.-As a Saviour, in pursuance of his saving design. He came to save his people "from their sins." It is for the killing of sin that the ordinance is appointed. 2. As the Lord Jesus.-As Lord: that is, as one to whom the power is given in heaven and in earth, Matt. xxviii. 18. All along in this institution the Apostle calls Christ Lord, because the instituting of the Supper was an act of his dominion. As Lord of the covenant.-The Father has committed all judgment to the Son. He having purchased a new covenant, by satisfying God's justice for the breach of the old one, he had the settling of the covenant. He appointed the terms; and the next thing he had to do was to fix the seals, which were Baptism and the Lord's Supper. He is "the Mediator" of the covenant. He has the " "bringing in of the better hope." The "promises are in Him Yea and Amen." As Lord of the church." He is the head of the body, the church," Col. i. 18. He is the head of vital influence. He appointed the ordinance to be one "of the joints and bands." He is the head of government: as such he has power to appoint offices and ordinances. The church is his family: he thus provided for his own. church is his army: thus he saith, "Do, and they do it." For this reason we call it the Lord's Supper. He is the maker of the ordinance. 't was instituted to continue in the church till the end of the world. Show, The II. The time when it was instituted: "in the same night wherein he was betrayed,"-that remarkable night (Matt. xxvi.) when his sufferings began. All the evangelists give a particular account of that night. See Exod. xii. 42, where, of the departure of the Israelites, it is said, "It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord :" a night of observation. Surely the night in which Christ was betrayed was a night of observation. 1. It was instituted just after the passover, to show that it was to come in the room of it. In the ordinance of the passover blood was shed. When the blood that made atonement was shed, there was to be no more bloody sacrifices. They were to cast out the leaven; to eat it with staves in their hands. Old Testament institutions, though they do not bind, yet they instruct us. In the "Supper' is food for the soul. They had been eating the paschal lamb just before they were not hungry. The law of the passover is largesee Ex. xii.; the law concerning the Supper is in a few verses. 2. It was just before Christ entered on his sufferings. He did it then, To evidence the dear and strong love he had for his church. He was more thoughtful for the church than for himself. What legacy shall I leave my church? what love-token? Thus did he set his church as a seal upon his heart, as a seal upon his arm. By this it appeared that "having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them to the end.' He said, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer," Luke xxii. 15. To comfort and encourage his poor disciples, who were now entering into temptation. They laboured under a deal of grief, and fear, and disappointment; and then did Christ appoint this ordinance. They were to go in the strength of this meat through a hard brunt; though, poor creatures, it was not long ere they all forsook him. Sacraments are good supports in suffering times. That it might pass for the sealing of his last will and testament. Now the hour was at hand when the new testament was made of force by the death of the testator; and it must first be sealed. That it might engage us, whenever we draw nigh to this ordinance, affectionately to remember the dismal night in which he was | betrayed. Think of him being amazed, and very heavy. He sweat as it had been great drops of blood. Then the sword was made to awake the Shepherd was smitten, and the sheep scattered. Isa. lxiii. 3-5. He trod the winepress alone. Application. Is this so? Then, 1. Own and acknowledge the wisdom, power, and grace of the Lord Jesus manifested in the institution of this sacrament.-Admire the contrivance of it. Wonder at this instance of the care and condescension to his church, that he should thus by sensible signs give himself to us; that "by two immutable things we might have strong consolation.' Receive this ordinance as a law: "Do this." It is one of the Gospel laws-a law for our own benefit. It is plain, and easy, and obvious. the daughter, Mrs. Bachelor, "So you are a Dissenter?" quested that the sheet might be reverently removed, and another supplied. Mrs. B.-Yes, Sir, I am, and have She then asked for some water. A been many years. Rev. Mr. D.-Then, as the minister of this district, I must tell you you are wrong. Mrs. B.-Indeed, Sir; in what respect? Rev. Mr. D.-Oh! good morning; and with that walked away. At the appointed time Mr. D. and one of the "Sisters of Charity" came to administer the sacrament, and in so doing a little of the wine was spilt on the sheet. After the ceremony was concluded, the "Sister of Charity" re bason-full was brought. "Oh! that is not enough." A pan with two or three gallons was brought; but before the operation of washing was commenced, the "Sister" said, "Let us pray," which she did, but Mrs. B. could not understand what she said. Having washed the sheet, she asked for a fire, and that the water might be removed reverently to it, when, with a tea-cup, she poured the water on the fire, taking care a drop did not run through the grate, but all ascend in vapour, as it was holy water. The Letter Box. REVIVALS OF RELIGION. SIR,-Amongst all the efforts for the good of our fellow-creatures, none can supersede the claims of the Gospel; and I do, therefore, greatly rejoice to see your notice respecting "the Revival of Religion" in this month's Number of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS. I am thankful to the Author of all good that your attention has been directed to this important matter, and pray that you may be further directed and assisted in prosecuting the subject. The sad report of the low and languishing state of vital godliness in the midst of our churches shows the imperative necessity of some means being put forth, of some vigorous effort being made, for the revival of religion amongst us; and that, accordingly, Special Means and Effort ought and must be put in force. It is to be feared that many of our churches, pastors and people, are sinking too much into a dull formalism, a mechanical routine service, a cold, lifeless mode of conducting and engaging in the services of religion; and that in our midst there is a great lack of that which is soul-stirring and attractive, calculated to affect the mass, in this day of vigorous effort and action in all that appertains to sublunary things. If such, then, be the case, is there not great need for special effort for the revival of religion? that, by the influence and power of the Holy Spirit, its standard may be raised, its principles and influence extended, and its effects seen in the happy results of the prosperity of Christ's church, through the salvation of sinners, and by the addition of numbers who are and shall be thus saved. In connection with Church-lane, a station of the London Home Missionary Society, planted in a rural district, we have had Special Services for this object for three or four years' past, and I can say that they have been times of great refreshing from the presence of the Lord times when many have been led to inquire, "What must I do to be saved?" and afterwards not a few added to the church; and not only 1 80, but the influence and power of in their anxious inquiry, "What must Gospel principles have been thereby felt I do to be saved?" by the minister and spread abroad, with an outward and any other he may invite to assist effect on others, who have not yet for this purpose; when also suitable closed in with the offers of mercy and prayers, singing, &c., are further en reconciliation. gaged in. At the close of these meetings, with some exceptions, we have generally had some thus remaining behind; and the result has often been very gratify Our mode of proceeding, if I may take the liberty to state a few particulars, has been, in the first place, to hold special prayer-meetings every evening for a week previous to the commence-ing, causing us to give thanks to God, ment of the special services, to implore the blessing and outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the contemplated efforts. This matter has also been a subject of remembrance in private prayer. The assistance of two or three ministers, for a few nights or a week each, is previously engaged; when the special services are opened and carried on by appropriate, concise sermons and addresses on such subjects as are calculated to soul-stirring and awakening, intermixed with short, fervent prayers and suitable hymn - singing. Particular attention is given to the central place of worship of the station; and after this a series of services is held in all the out-stations and leading preaching places, so that, in the whole, about a month is occupied in this manner. The ministers are assisted by the laypreachers giving occasional addresses and exhortations, and various members (without that formal mode of selection) engaging in prayer. At the close of the general service of the evening, notice is given that there will be a second, or aftermeeting, for inquirers after salvation; and all such, previous to the close, are earnestly exhorted and invited to remain behind the other part of the congregation, for the purpose of being conversed with about their soul's eternal welfare, and of being further directed and take courage to go on sowing the seed of eternal truth in faith and prayer, that its effect may be seen, not only many days hence, but now, in this our day; and such has been the case. To God be all the praise! The places thus visited, and at which special services have been held, are seven in number, including central station, distance from one to four miles. Assistance has been kindly rendered by three distant or neighbouring ministers, in addition to the four lay-preachers on the station. A sabbath-day or week-night service is now held at all these places weekly, or the alternate week. As a church and people, I trust I can truly say, without presumption or boasting, that we are, on the whole, in a spiritually healthy and vigorous condition; and this not in an insignificant degree attributable to the influence and effect of these favoured opportunities and privileges. Such are a few of the particulars, simply and plainly stated, in reference to the progress of the good work in one of your rural Home Missionary stations; which may the Lord of the vineyard be pleased still to prosper and bless. As I consider the special services for the "revival of religion have been a great means of extending this station's usefulness and prosperity, I therefore feel the more anxious to give this humble testimony to the important consequences and beneficial results that may be expected to be derived when instrumentality and effort of this kind are rightly directed and put into action. I conclude with the expression of an earnest hope that you will continue to be the advocate of home missionary support being afforded to rural districts, where there is generally such a powerful worldly influence to contend with, and with the oft-repeated prayer that you may be increasingly blest and made a blessing in your important sphere of labour. I subscribe myself, Yours most sincerely, A DEACON AND LAY-PREACHER. The Counsel Chamber. EDMUND BURKE AND THOMAS PAINE. THERE is one book, beyond any other that has appeared within the present century, or during the latter part of that which preceded, has claims on the attention of the Young Men of England, on the score of its eloquence, and also of many of the principles with which it teems-Burke's "Reflections on the French Revolution." The Young Man who desires to see a magnificent and almost perfect exhibition of the strength, variety, splendour, and power of his native tongue, has but to cast his eyes over that magnificent production; and he who aspires to a thorough mastery of the English language cannot do better than to transcribe every paragraph of the work. If Demosthenes, in order to the cultivation of style, wrote, with his own hand, eight times over, the history of the chief Historian of Greece, sure we are that the Young Englishman who aspires to a like perfection in Oratory would do well to pursue a like course in respect to Edmund Burke. The people of the present day can form scarcely any conception of the excitement produced by the publication of the "Reflections on the French Revolution." It fairly divided the nation. There was scarcely a person capable of reading, or even of hearing others, who was not more or less interested. With the more Conservative portion Edmund Burke was an oracle, an angel, a saviour; with men of another stamp he was a tyrant, a turk, a despot, a demon! He required none to aid him, as his friends soon perceived and, therefore, one of the ablest poetical writers of the day paid him a merited compliment when he said, "Leave Burke ALONE to thunder on our foes!" But many opposed him, and among these some who wanted neither for logic nor for eloquence. Of these the chief was Mr. Mackintosh, then a young man, a briefless barrister, subsequently a man of renown-Sir James Mackintosh, a great ornament to England, and a steady friend to mankind. Mackintosh replied to Burke with great spirit and ability, and in such a temper, that it led to a correspondence with the immortal Orator, which deepened into a friendship which death alone put an end to. Nevertheless, time and |