By this time I had become heartily tired of my I may love a man for his amiable qualities, and respect visitor, and yet I did not feel inclined to let the oppor-him for his intellectual greatness, while at the same tunity pass by without endeavoring to give her some time I may abhor his opinions. And this would instruction on a few points of which she appeared to probably be the state of my feelings towards the Baphave little or no correct knowledge. I therefore, in tist gentleman. He undoubtedly thinks himself conanswer to her last question, saidscientious in his opposition to infant baptism, but so long as he continues in this belief, (even though other obstacles to Christian communion were removed,) I cannot consider him a true minister of Christ, and consequently cannot admit him into the church to teach his erroneous doctrines. But are there many persons in the parish who attend his preaching?"

not say that we ought really to become part Baptist, and so forth, but that we ought to appear or seem to become such."

pend upon it, sir, children have feelings-yes—children have feelings. I trust I did some good in those days. But the very first Sunday after Mr. Lindley took charge of the parish, he came into the Sunday

"But that would be hypocrisy, you know, Miss Bacon. From all blindness of heart, from pride, vain-school and began to examine the children in the glory, and hypocrisy” ”—

There, you are all the time quoting the PrayerBook, Mr. Bingham. But now let me tell you, for I already see that you are a pretty high-Churchman, that you would do better not to preach against these evangelical sects, or you will drive many persons from the Church, as Mr Lindley did.”

Church Catechism. I told him they were too young to understand such language and theological points as the Catechism contained, but his only reply was, that if they could not understand the questions and answers he would explain them.' He then went to work and broke up all order in the school, and every Sunday nothing was heard there but catechism-cate

"I do not intend to preach against any particularchism-catechism. sect," I answered. "I shall endeavor to preach 'Christ and Him crucified,' the one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one fold, under one Shepherd.' The great business of the Christian minister is, in the use of the appointed means, to be instrumental in the salvation of immortal souls."

"I am glad to hear you talk so, Mr. Bingham,” { rejoined Miss Prudence; "really, you are more evangelical than I supposed you to be. If Mr. Lindley had been like you, there would not so many persons have left the Church."

"I have never before heard of any persons in this place, that have left the Church," said I. "How many thus strayed from the true fold?"

"Oh, there were several," answered she. "Who were they?" I inquired; for I was desirous to know, that I might use my influence in recalling them from the paths of error.

"Why, there was-let me see-there was-yes, there was my sister, and-let me think-and-more besides. But," continued she, evidently eager to change the subject, "here I am keeping you from your work. I declare I didn't think of staying more than a minute or two, when I came. Yet I cannot leave you till I have told you how shamefully I have been treated by some of the Church-folks. I once had charge of the female department of the Sunday school, and, though I say it myself, no one ever did more towards the conversion of the children. I made all the female teachers come to my house on Saturday evening, to see if they understood the lesson well, and to explain to them difficult texts of Scripture. Then on the next day, I went around amongst the classes to see if the teachers all taught evangelical doctrines to the scholars. And then I would read to them all some story about missionaries being murdered by savages-and then the dear little souls would cry and look so frightened-or else I would tell them about Robinson Crusoe, who, you know, was punished for disobeying his parents, by being cast on an island filled with bears, and lions, and tigers. I never read the account myself, but I often heard my mother tell the story when I was a little girl. Why, Mr. Bingham, I never let a Sunday pass without making the darling children all cry till their eyes were quite sore. De

He even got the wardens to remove several books from the Sunday school library, (and most of these were the very ones which I had taken great pains to select,) and had others, as he said, which were good Church-books, put in their place. And even afterwards, when I bought with my own money a copy of the Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk,' and offered to present it to the library, he refused it, and said it was a bad book, not fit for children to read. I felt myself so insulted by his taking the whole Sunday school out of my hands, that I soon left in disgust, and the school never has prospered since. I asked one of the scholars afterwards if Mr. Lindley ever told them pretty stories to make them cry. He said 'no,' but that he loved to go to Sunday school better than he formerly did. (I have no doubt, Mr. Bingham, but that Mr. Lindley told them all to say so.) And such a persecution as they all raised against me! You cannot think what Mrs. Green, Mrs. Clayton, Miss Bailey, Miss Thompson, Mr. Goodwin, and Mr. Warner said about me. That Mrs. Green! what a slanderer she is! Always meddling in somebody's business. What do you think they said about me, Mr. Bingham?"

I had been an impatient listener to Miss Bacon's prattle, and as I did not see any prospect of convincing her of the error of her ways' at present, I began to revolve in my mind the question as to the propriety of telling her that my time was now very much occupied, and that I would call on her some day in the course of the ensuing week, when I should be more at leisure. I therefore said,—

"Miss Bacon, it is now quite late in the afternoon, and there are several duties that require my attention before to-morrow; you must therefore excuse me, if you please, and as soon as I find a convenient opportunity I will call on you, at your house."

"I know, Mr. Bingham, that I have been interrupting you here, but my great desire is to do good, and I came here for this purpose. Before I go I have one request to make, and that is, that you will re-instate me in my former office as directress of the female department of the Sunday-school. I am well acquainted with the duties of this situation, and have no doubt, poor weak creature as I am, but that you will find great good result from it. Yes, I believe you might

before three months hope to see at least thirty chil- of the Gospel. This feast is older than St. Bernard's dren converted." time, who has written some homilies upon it.

"I have been in the parish too short a time to make any alterations or new arrangements," I replied.

"Well, think about it, Mr. Bingham," said she. "And I have another favor to ask, which I hope you will promise me to do."

"What is it?" I inquired.

Dr. Nicholls.

FESTIVAL OF THE EPIPHANY, OR MANIFESTATION OF
CHRIST TO THE GENTILES.

JAN. 6.-The Church celebrates this feast to show our gratitude to God in manifesting the gospel to the Gentile world, and vouchsafing to them equal privileges with the Jews, who had been all along his peculiar people. The first instance of this divine favor, was in

"Why, I want you to preach, to-morrow afternoon, a sermon against slandering and meddling with other folk's affairs. Mrs. Green is a great busy-body, and I think it would do her good to get a few hard hits.declaring the birth of Christ to the wise men of the It would be an excellent lesson for her, I think. Good East. Matt. ii. 9. The ancient Church called this bye!" feast" Epiphaneia," or the appearance or manifestation, and it was the common name for this and for Christmas-day. And as that was the greater, this was the lesser Epiphany. This festival was observed in the time of Nazianzen, whose sermon upon "the holy Lights" is upon this day. Epiphanius and Chrysostom have likewise sermons upon it. St. Austin, in his time, speaks of it as universally celebrated by the Catholic Church, and neglected by none but the schismatical Donatists. Dr. Nicholls.

For the Evergreen.
MIDNIGHT VOLUNTARY,

ON THE DYING YEAR.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "CHRISTMAS BELLS," AND OTHER POEMS.

THE
grey old year
is dying! Through the wood
The mourning winds are chanting solemnly
His funeral anthem, hoarse and half subdu'd:-

From the dim city and th' adjacent sea
Through every pause of their wild melody,
Come faint responsive voices. Moon and star,
With cheerless splendor gleaming brilliantly,
Stud the transparent firmament afar,

Or o'er the dim horizon float with trembling car.

THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH SUNDAYS AFTER
THE EPIPHANY.

FROM Christmas to Epiphany, the Church's design
is, to set forth Christ's "humanity," to make Christ
manifest in the flesh, which the offices do, as we
have seen; but from Epiphany to Septuagesima, es-
pecially in the four next Sundays after Epiphany, she
endeavors to manifest his glory and " divinity," by re-
counting some of his first miracles, and manifestations
of his deity; so that each Sunday is, in this respect, a
kind of Epiphany.
Bp. Sparrow.

The offices of the Sundays which follow the Epiphany, until Septuagesima Sunday, are of the same argument with the Epiphany itself: all belonging to the manifestation of Christ, and to the end for which he was made known to the sons of men.

Selected for the Evergreen.

THE CONFIRMATION.

FROM THE GERMAN.

THERE is no festival in the Church which excites a

ates in active man, the touching fortitude which it communicates to suffering woman, its power in the hour of death, and the happiness which it confers upon two loving hearts at the altar; I prefer the mind of the child while yet surrounded by the soft breathings of innocence, whose heart is full of joy in meeting the crucified Redeemer; and whose mind, yet unruffled by worldly influence, approaches the altar to give itself up to heaven.

It may be easily conceived how sacred this festival is held by the minister himself. He sees them approaching; their souls filled with the hope of innocence, their faces beaming, and their hearts beating in lively pulses, resolved to live for Him, who was graciously inclined to require their services for such an occasion. Alas! does not his own experience, and that of others, inform him, that it will not be always thus; that they are standing upon a height, from which they must descend again; a height, to which many revert their weeping eyes, and regard the recollection, that they have once been so highly exalted, as the greatest happiness of their lives? Is he not compelled to tell them, that now, indeed, heaven is victo

greater degree of interest in the hearts of the congregation, than the public confirmation of children. Whether this is to be ascribed to the nature of the ceremony, which in this case exerts a peculiar influence, whilst the tendency of other festivals is of a more general nature; or whether we should seek the cause in youthful enthusiasm, evinced by their ardent and elevated love for the Most High, I will not decide. But in point of fact, the most lively and joyful emotions are excited in every one that looks upon the youths and maidens, whose feelings for the time rise and expand in the pure light of the gospel. The beholder is impressed with the conviction, that henceforward the life of each individual among them must be devoted to the cause of the Redeemer. Or is the interest which is felt by most persons on these occasions only a last effect of that good Spirit, which wishes to direct the distracted and worldly soul to its proper destination, and to remind itrious in their young and pure hearts, but at some future of its own consecration, which long since has been forgotten, and to fill it with penitence and sorrow when looking upon these children devoted to God? At no other time is the sensibility of the people excited in such a degree; and he, who has been able to read their hearts in such moments, has witnessed emotions, of which he hardly believed them capable. Sometimes this solemnity offers the rare spectacle of a number of children of the most opposite classes in life, and varying degrees of cultivation, all united by the same elevated feeling, in the same glorious resolution, and with the first and glowing love of their young hearts striving after the "one thing needful." Even in less refined minds, little favored by natural endowments and tematic cultivation, the anticipation of a higher world to come, is often observed in an uncommon degree. Yet could it be otherwise? When the most sublime and blessed gifts which the human mind can conceive, are held out to an uncorrupted child; when the instructions of a beloved teacher, who inculcates and speaks of the sacred doctrines with all the warmth of spiritual grace, when the admonitions of their parents, and the testimony of their own hearts point to the same course: could it be possible that under such circumstances their gentle hearts would remain unmoved, unwon! Neither at the bed-side of sickness, nor indeed at the Lord's Supper, nor on other festival days have I found the effects of Christianity so powerful as at the time of confirmation. When I first contemplated the youthful heart, with its pious aspirations, I felt assured that I witnessed the most delightful blossoms which Christianity can call forth in the human character. Extol as much as you please the high degree of moral strength, which the word of God gener-like, pray for that person every time you think of him.”

sys

time the world will grow more powerful, and some may then deem this enthusiasm ridiculous, and these tears childish? Perhaps they will tear themselves from the heart of the loving minister of the gospel, by whom they have been trained,—and what is infinitely worsefrom the heart of their Saviour. Does the servant of the Lord merit reproach when a bitter sadness mingles with his joy, and he only presses the inexperienced nearer to his heart, as if he were desirous of attaching them so firmly by his paternal love, that they should be unable to tear themselves from him. It is this fear, however, which leads him to the full consciousness of his joy. If he should rejoice that his religious feelings and his views of Christianity had prevailed to such an extent in many human minds, and been so impressively communicated, that they could never be entirely eradicated, certainly it would be but a vain and selfish joy. But that these children may be attached to their spiritual father with all the intense and ingenuous feeling which is peculiar to youth; that they may look upon him as their leader to salvation, that the love with which they embrace the Saviour of their souls, may endear him also, who made Him known to their young minds; and that, in future, they may form amid the larger congregation, a smaller one yet nearer to his heart;-O, who can doubt that this more intimate connection of the clergyman and his confirmed

children must become a source of rich joy!

"If there is any person whom you particularly dis

VOL L

4

For the Evergreen,

THE CHURCH;

OR,

A STAGE-COACH COLLOQUY.

broad slap when you spoke of noisy meetings. I am a Methodist myself, and think that I know as much about them as some other folks. I love a religion that has some life in it,—something that I can feel,—something that makes me happy. And as for noisy meetTHE stage-coach rattled away from the city cre the ings, the Baptists, and even some of you Presbyterians, darkness of a rainy night had yet begun to disappear. have of late years been able to equal, if not exceed, us My fellow passengers seemed inclined to preserve a Methodists in this matter. And I am glad that it is sullen silence, with the exception of a venerable grand-so. I always knew that you could not do much todame, who was at times disposed to be somewhat lo-wards the conversion of sinners, in your dull, quiet, and quacious, though she met with little encouragement in sleepy way." the way of responses, from her companions. But soon the first faint beams of morning light began gradually to scatter the shades of darkness; and as we proceeded onward and the glowing disc of the sun became visible above the castern clouds, our travellers appeared to shake off the clouds of gloom and apparent discontented with a kind of Methodistical contagion, but the with which they had been overshadowed.

“I beg your pardon, sir," interrupted the old lady ; "I must take the liberty to inform you that you are mistaken about the Baptists. We do not encourage any irregular and disorderly measures in our denomination. To be sure, some few among us may be infect

great body of our preachers and members are decidedly opposed to every thing of the kind. Still I love the Methodists, and I sometimes go to their meetings. In fact, I love all sects except Catholics and Episcopalians. I hate the former because they are the follow

We were just driving through the pleasant village of N. Many of the industrious inhabitants had already entered upon their respective daily employments, as the measured sound of the smith's hammer and the clattering of the neighboring mills gave evidence. Buters of Antichrist, and the latter because they pretend to as we passed along, a small procession of persons of various ages, and apparently of different conditions of life, emerged from the neat little gothic church which was pleasantly situated at the further end of the village. Their respectable appearance, their reverential walk from the house of God, and their bright and happy countenances arrested the attention of all the passengers.

be the only true Church; and because they are opposed to prayer-meetings, protracted-meetings, and revivals.” "I myself dislike them for these same reasons,” said the middle-aged gentleman.

"They are a very dull, formal set of people," said the Methodist. "I pity them, for I suppose many of them think that their life of mere morality will be sufficient for their salvation. Those that we just passed, for instance, could not be prevailed upon to give up keeping Lent and going to church every day to hear their prayers read."

"My friends," said I, "you have all given your opinions concerning Episcopalians, and I trust you will now allow me to offer my views. And in the first place, I will say that we (for I am a Churchman) are not likely to meet much mercy at your hands; for you blame us for being opposed, as you say, to prayermeetings and protracted-meetings, and then, in the next breath, you find fault with us for keeping Lent, (which I consider a pretty long protracted-meeting,) and going to church every day to worship God in prayer. What is this but a prayer-mecting?"

"I am willing to let them do as they please," said one of the passengers, (a well-dressed, middle-aged gentleman,)" for I think it best that every one should worship God just as his own conscience may dictate. Episcopalians have one way; Presbyterians another; Baptists another, and so on; and they all have good and bad members among them. If they are disposed to meet for public worship every hour in the day, I am sure I have no objections, so long as they do not disturb their neighbors. I do not altogether like the Episcopalians;ing to support your claims to be the true Church. But but still I do not know that they have been accused of holding noisy meetings, and thus breaking in upon the peace of quiet people."

"I am willing," replied the middle-aged gentleman, "to allow you to worship just as you please, but I must say that I think many of you are very illiberal in try

I have known some Episcopalians, however, who are not so bigoted; perhaps you are one of these, at least, I hope that you are."

An old gentleman, who had been sitting in a corner of the coach, apparently inattentive to the conversa-sition," I began by saying,tion, now addressed the last-mentioned speaker, under considerable excitement,

As I was thus indirectly invited to "define my po

"I suppose, sir, you are one of the smooth-faced Presbyterians, and meant to give the Methodists a

"I am obliged to inform you, sir, that I sincerely believe that there does exist on earth a Holy Catholic Church; and from scripture we learn that there was such a sin as schism. But if we allow the numberless