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Rev. William Robinson, Wishaw R. co. Warwick.

Rev. George Barnes, Grimstone Botolph R. Norfolk..

Rev. John Wilcox, Little Stonham R. Suffolk.

Rev. Robert Clifton, Matson R. co. Gloucester.

Rev. Thomas Hatch, Walton upon Thames V. Surrey.

Rev. E. Norton, M.A. Blythborough and Walberswick Perpetual Curacies, co. Suffolk.

Rev. W. W. Mutlow, Brockthorp V. co. Gloucester, vice Clifton, resigned. Rev. Philip Le Geyt, Marden V. Kent, pice Sutton, resigned.

Rev. Charles Sandby, Honeychurch R. Devon.

Rev. G. Day, B.A. Sprowston and Plumstead Magna Perpetual Curacies, Norfolk.

Rev. James Stanier Clarke, Petworth R. Sussex.

Rev. Edward Thurlow, LL. B. Sound R. Norfolk.

Hon. and Rev. H. Erskine, Loddington R. co. Northampton.

Rev. Thomas Cox, Coleridge V. De.

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to the Rev. Archdeacon of Ely, vice Davies, dec.

Rev. T. Mears, M. A. All Saints R. Southampton.

Rev. T. Hunt, Wentnor R. Shropshire, vice Pett, resigned.

Rev. Joseph Gilbanks, Lamplugh R. Cumberland, vice Dickenson, déc.

Rev. William Hepworth, jun. B.A. St. Matthew's R. Island of New Providence. -Rev. James Speare, M.A. Elmset R. Norfolk.

Rev. Thomas Young, Fouthill Bishop R. Wilts.

Rev. Wm. Henry Parry, M. A, South Muskham R. Notts.

Rev. Samuel Kilderbee, Easton R. Suffolk.

Rev. John Short Hewett, M.A. Rotherhithe R. Surrey.

Rev. Roger Carus Wilson, B.A. Preston V. co. Lancaster.

Rev. William H. Clark, Cold Higham R. co. Northampton.

Rev. George Strong, M.A. Lansannan R. co. Denbigh.

Rev. Dr. Randolph, St. Paul's R. Covent Garden.

Rev. W. J. Mansel, M.A. Hethe R. Oxon.

Rev. William Stephen Gilly, B.A. North Fambridge R. Essex.

Rev. G. F. Tavel, M.A. Campsey Ash R. Suffolk.

Rev. Thomas Oldfield Bartlett, Swanage R, Isle of Purbeck.

Rev. C. H. Paynter, Lower St. Columb and Cranstock Perpetual Cures, Cornwall.

Rev. Samuel White, D.D. one of the Domestic Chaplains of Lord Com

Rev. William Workman, Estrop. R. bermere. Wilts.

Rev. E. J. Beckwith, M.A. Tillingham R. Essex, vice Bennett, dec.

Rev. H. J. Kuapp, Minor Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral, vice Bennett, dec. Rev. Thomas Heckford, M. A. Official

DISPENSATIONS.

Rev. William Vaux, M.A. Sutton Waldron R. with Critchell R. Dorset.. Rev. Robert Wright, to hold Ovington R. with Itchin Abbas, Hants.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

; F:; and SENEX; will appear.

A CONSTANT READER; Thoughts on the Effects of Prejudices; UNIT; SEVI; and J. M.; are under consideration.

A CONSTANT READER AND SINCEREWELL-WISHER should blame our correspondents, rather than us, that no answer has appeared relative to the inquiry inserted in our Number for January last, p. 24, as to the propriety of Episcopalians conforming in Scotland to the National Church,

THE

No. 189.]

SEPTEMBER, 1817. [No. 9. Vol. XVI.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. HAVING experienced your kind attention to the short Memoirs, which I successively sent you, of four of my departed children, and having reason to hope that those accounts were not void of utility, I transmit the following account of another departed daughter, whose conduct in life (if the testimony of friends may be admitted) was in many respects highly exemplary, and gave evidence of her love to God, and unfeigned faith in the Redeemer. I take this liberty also, at the request of some who were most intimately acquainted with her, and who have furnished me with such accounts as will convey a just idea of her character after she had ceased to be a member of my family.

Her natural disposition was frank, affectionate, generous, and cheerful. Religious impressions seem to have been made early upon her mind, and to have grown up gradually; but no particular period could be assigned for their commencement, In a familiar letter to her mother, when she had arrived at her twenty-fourth year, she thus expressed herself:-" It is a difficult thing for one surrounded by every comfort, to look upon this world as only a passage to the next. Indeed, the corruption of our hearts might be a sufficient reason for our wishing for a change, exclusively of all the joys that are promised to those who are so happy as to arrive at heaven: but the pain which the Christian feels CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 189.

on account of the corruption of his heart, is an enviable pain."

When about twenty-six years of age, she shewed great attention to her private devotions, usually retiring three times in the day for that purpose; a practice which she continued through life, though nothing of ostentation ever appeared on these occasions.

In 1797 she married the Rev. R. J—, with whom an union of sentiment and affection subsisted, which was increased and confirmed by their more intimate acquaintance with each other. She became the mother of eight children, of whom seven survive to deplore the loss of an affectionate, pious, and judicious parent.

In the education of her children, she evinced great firmness without harshness, and tenderness without indulgence. In this important branch of family duty her husband concurred, and properly took a leading part. The children were early brought to behave with decorum and submission to authority, even before their understand. ings were capable of receiving instruction. When they were capable, instruction was conveyed to them in an impressive, yet tender manner. She had a peculiar talent for reproving what she observed amiss in their conduct; of which the following little anecdote may be considered as a specienm:-Her youngest son, then six years of age, had one Sunday behaved in a careless, and somewhat irreverent, manner at church. She was at that time forbidden by her medical advisers to speak

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aloud, on account of a complaint be serious about your soul, there is

at her chest: she therefore wrote down her reproof, and desired one of her sisters to read it to the offender. As he had expressed a wish to be a minister when he should arrive at a proper age, she put her reproof into the form of a sermon; and supposed the following address to be made by him to the children of his congregation. "I now address myself to little children.-You must go to church, but you may look about you; and if you have a book before you, you need never look at it; and you may move about all the time you are at church, and not remember one word that was said. This was the way I did when I was a little boy, and I do not remember ever feeling sorry for doing so." The boy felt the keenness of this irony, and seemed much ashamed of his conduct. This talent of faithful yet mild reproof, was not confined to her children; but was also extended to her friends, and to all that were about her.

The exercise of self-denial and mutual kindness was constantly and earnestly pressed upon the minds of her children; and as their understandings improved, the various duties of life were urged upon Christian principles. The following extracts from a letter to one of her daughters will further shew her manner of conveying instruction to her family. While at tentive to the least deviation in them from the path of duty, her constant aim was, to lead them to wa right faith in the Redeemer, that they might not depend upon any righteousness of their own for pardon and acceptance with God.

"My dear, as it has pleased God to deprive me of the power to converse with you, I have determined to take up my pen, to point out one or two things that may be of use. to you. You are now arriving at an age when religion should ap-, pear of the first consequence to you. If you do not begin now to

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a danger of your growing more and more indifferent to it. In Scripture this work which we have to do is called a warfare, which implies that we have enemies 10 fight against; but these enemies vary in different persons, so that I would have you set about an examination, what are the things in you which you know to be displeasing to God. There are some things which your friends can see; but there are more, I have no doubt, that are known only to God and yourself. By way of helping you to set about this duty of self-examination, as a kind mother, I will point out one or two things in you which I have observed, and which will be something to begin with in this good employment. It is said in the Bible, Be kindly affectioned one towards another; and, Let brotherly love continue. We should ask ourselves, Am I striving to keep this commandment? Do I ever give up my will, or any little selfindulgence, to make my brothers and sisters happy, and to please them? At one time I had very great pleasure in seeing you exercise this beautiful system of self-denial, more than you do at present. Now, to-day, you had a hassock which I observed you kept to yourself, whilst your sister was left without one. I cannot myself find out where the enjoyment was of doing this. You know that frequently on a Sunday, I have invited you to use part of mine; and it was more pleasure to me than having it all to myself. In little things which occur every day, the strife is- Let ME have it; whereas it should be I have more pleasure in gratifying you than myself.” This would be pleasing to God, and would also make you happier.”

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After giving some directions respecting the books she should read in the intervals of Divine worship on the Lord's day, and recommending particularly

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perusal of Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, Mrs. J proceeded-"I think also that you ought to take more time for your private devotions." She then earnestly advised her retiring to her room before bedtime, that she might have an opportunity of reading the Scriptures by herself, and thinking over what she had done in the day, and then added-"It is not the length of your prayers that will recommend them to God, but faith in Christ, which alone can procure for us those things of which we stand in need. That is, it is Christ who procures them for us; but it is through faith that we receive them. Whatever we ask for, depending upon him, we shall receive. But as, on the one hand, we must not expect to recommend ourselves to God by our much speaking; so, on the other, we are to leave our selves sufficient time, not to hurry over our prayers."

These little details may perhaps appear to some readers to possess scarcely interest sufficient to render them worthy of being so particularly recorded; yet I cannot but think that such familiar instances of religion, in quiet and domestic life, may oftentimes furnish a lesson of useful instruction, or a pattern for ordinary imitation, beyond what is derived from memoirs more replete with brilliant incidents or sentiments.

As it was her constant practice to speak evil of no one, so it was her delight to set before her children the example of any person with whose piety and good conduct she became acquainted. An instance appears in a letter to another of her daughters.

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but the reality. Self seems in her to have no place. I believe she has habituated herself so long to act from higher principles, that it is very little self-denial to her to give up to others, and study their comfort rather than her own."

"I have looked into Miss Hamilton's work lately, and have been much pleased with her sentiments on self-denial. She points out very strikingly its beneficial effects, when it is exercised even in little daily occurrences. It brings the mind into a state of subordination, which enables us to resist temptation, and prepares us for disappointments in life. I have myself frequently observed the different effects of disappointments on persons who are exercising themselves in this way, and those who are not. We can never be too young to begin this salutary em. ployment. Indeed, I hope you do exercise it sometimes, for you have often had its advantages pointed out to you. I want it to be more a system with you. Had you omitted to take your meals, you would feel the want of them: let this principle then become more and more habitual to you, that so it may become one of your pleasant employments; and, in a manner, as needful as your meals.

"How happy should we all be, if we considered more how we might please God! He sees our hearts; and it is our motives by which he judges of our actions. O, my dear, let us pray God to give us the Spirit to enable us to do what is pleasing to Him; for without that Spirit we can do nothing."

It seems that the reproof con tained in the former of these letters, had produced its proper effect; for, in a subsequent letter to one of her sons, she thus writes:-"There is one thing I ought to tell you in praise of your sisters, which gave me great pleasure. Mr.W. said, that they were very kind to each other. You know, my dear boys, what delight it would afford us to see

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ality in her engagements, and for She was remarkable for punctumethod in her domestic arrange. ments; by which means she went through much business, and "yet had leisure to pursue a course of reading for the improvement of herself and her daughters.

brotherly Move amongst you. Fosteps of her husband, pursued with hope you have learned the cxxxiii.d her children; and, I trust, that Psalm, which I recommended to system was not pursued in vain. youg You recollect also the fable of the bundle of sticks. I wish you all to remember it. When you return home at the next vacation, I hope we shall see a great improvement in this respect. You will be happier, as well as every one around you. Each one must determine to give up to others; and you will find greater satisfaction in this, in the end, than if every one gave way to you. Indeed, it brings a present gratification with it. I hope you do not forget your promise to me, that you would read a portion of your Bible every day. This is a duty we should never forget. I hope also you will begins to think it a duty to improve your time, and strive against all self-indulgent habits. You will find it useful in future life § 1 d ?p

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concerns of the poor. She was much interested in the were sought out, and judiciously Their wants relieved by her. She did not stand aloof from their company and conversation, but had usually two or three poor women to dine at her house on the Lord's day.

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natural small-pox in infancy, which She had suffered much from the left a tendency to catarrh, that fre quently affected her in the winter season, and at last terminated in a her in the fiftieth year of her age. consumption, which proved fatal to year preceding her death, had given A visit which she paid to me the me the opportunity of painfully ob serving the increase of her complaint: and the accounts which I received from time to time, after her return home, confirmed my ap prehensions of her danger. I berecoveries from a dangerous situacame solicitous, that her repeated tion, should not induce, at this time, an unwarranted expectation of restoration to health, and therefore thought it my duty to lay before her my apprehensions respecting her real situation. my letter about a month before her She received death, from which time her husband kept a journal of the most material circumstances relating to her; and during the last three weeks, another then went to visit her, and remained was kept by her eldest sister, who with her to the time of her depar ture. From these journals I have extracted the following accounts, These extracts from her letters,racter and conduct. 'which will further illustrate her chashew sufficiently the system of edu- My communication of her danger cation which she, following the was received by her with great calm.

In another letter to the same, written soon after the death of a pious woman, who died in the almshouse and with whom, notwithstanding the disparity of their circunstances, she had contracted an intimate friendship-she thus endeavoured to impress upon him the example of that excellent woman, who was well known to all her children: "When I saw Mary B-before she died, she spake of the preciousness of a Saviour, and her own unworthiness. If we have not him for our help, we shall find it no where else. He is precious to them that believe. Let us then be in earnest to have the Holy Spirit to teach us to believe on Him. What a glorious change to Mary, who had lived in poverty all her hfe,sand had many troubles of various kinds! We have lost a good woman's prayers. We know not but many of our mercies have been the traits of her intercessions for us. We must now endeavour to improve them.'s diape

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