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advancing rapidly into life. In a few years you will be able better to estimate, not only your privileges, but your responsibility. You will then be called upon to ratify and confirm your baptismal vows, and to devote yourselves, your souls and bodies, to the service of God. And I earnestly pray that you may not shrink from this great and interesting duty; but that you may enter into the solemn engagements required in the ordinance of confirmation, with such sincere penitence for your sins, and such a lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as to be enabled to look to his merits alone for the hope of salvation.

And now, to conclude, let me warn you against every device which may be designed or calculated to draw you away from the Church to which you are united by the holy rite of baptism. Remember by whom the Church was established; by whom its sacraments were ordained; by whom its ministry was appointed; and who promises to be with it to the end of the world, and, finally, to be its Head and HighPriest for ever. Let nothing alienate you from this Church; let no persuasion induce you to relinquish its regular and beautiful order of worship, for any novel invention or unauthorized innovation of man.

And may God, for the sake of his only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, keep you under his almighty protection; may he enable you, through the blessed influences of his Holy Spirit, to serve him faithfully unto the end; and may he receive you at last into the arms of his mercy, and grant you the joys of his eternal kingdom.

I am, my dear children,
Your affectionate pastor,
H. CROSWELL.

October, 1817.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL.

Constitution of the Episcopal Female Common Prayer Book Society of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania.

ARTICLE I.

THIS Society shall be called the Episcopal Female Common Prayer

Book Society of Wilkesbarre. Its object shall be the distribution of the Book of Common Prayer in Wilkesbarre and its vicinity.

ARTICLE II.

Every lady paying the sum of Fifty Cents annually shall be considered as a member of this Society. The payment of Five Dollars, or more, at

one time shall constitute a member for life.

ARTICLE III.

All life subscriptions, and donations of money, shall remain as a permanent fund, and shall be vested in such a manner as the Managers shall direct. The interest of which shall only be expended.

ARTICLE IV.

Section 1. The business of this

Society shall be conducted by a Board of Managers, (residing in Wilkesbarre,) consisting of a Directress, Secretary, Treasurer, and nine Mathe members present at the annual nagers, to be chosen by a majority of meeting.

Sec. 2. The annual meeting of the Society shall be held on the first Monday in July.

Sec. 3. The Board of Managers shall meet as soon after the election às possible, and at such other times shall constitute a quorum; provided, as they may appoint. Five members nevertheless, that one or more attending the place of meeting regularly called, may adjourn.

Sec. 4. The Board of Managers shall make all laws necessary for the government of the Society; and shall cause a report of their proceedings to be laid before the Society at their an nual meeting.

Sec. 5. All vacancies in the Board, between the stated meetings of the So ciety, may be supplied by the Board. ARTICLE V.

This Constitution shall not be al

tered except at the annual meeting of the Society, three-fourths of the members present consenting. Mrs. HAINES, Directress. Miss ELIZA BOWMAN, Secretary. Miss RUTH ANN BUTTLER, Treasurer,

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THE Board of Managers of the Wilkesbarre Female Common Prayer Book Society, on this their anniversary, beg leave to lay before them a very brief report of their proceedings during the past year. The feeble effort which they have been enabled to make in the important concern of advancing the interests of the Church, they fondly hope will be received with indulgence, when the infant state of the Episcopal Society in this vicinity is taken into consideration. When

we reflect, that previous to the au tumn of 1815 the Book of Common Prayer was almost unknown with us, and the admirable liturgy of our Church had never yet ascended from our altar, it will not be thought surprising that our means of doing good are still circumscribed.

The first meeting of the Wilkesbarre Female Common Prayer Book Society was held on the 7th of July, 1817, when it was composed of about 30 members; since which time it has greatly increased, and there is a happy prospect of its becoming still larger. The money collected at that meeting was immediately appropriated to the purchasing of Prayer Books: 52 were obtained from New-York, a number very inadequate to supply the demand, had not a small donation been previously received from the Society in Philadelphia. Daily applications are now made, which we deeply regret it is not in our power, at present, to satisfy; but when our next supply arrives, of which we are in constant expectation, we shall be happy to distribute

them to all those who feel a desire to join in the excellent service of our Church.

A large field still remains for our exertions; but while we regret that we have had it in our power to do so little, we enjoy the highest satisfaction that we have done all that we could:

and if we are actuated by proper motives, we may humbly trust that he who condescended to accept the widow's might, will graciously receive and bless this our imperfect endeavours to disseminate his truth. By order of the Board,

ELIZA BOWMAN, Sec'ry. Wilkesbarre, July 6, 1818.

At the annual meeting of the Society the Rev. MANNING B. ROCHE performed divine service, and delivered a sermon from Matt. xvi. 18. "Thou build my Church, and the gates of art Peter, and upon this rock I will hell shall not prevail against it.”

Extract from the Journal of the Proceedings of a Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia, which assembled at Winchester, or Tuesday, the 19th of May, 1818.

THE Committee, on the state of the Church, to whom was referred the resolution providing a secure and permanent depository of the Episcopal Fund, have, according to order, had the same under consideration, and beg leave to report,

That, from the great extent of this Diocess, it has been deemed, by preceeding Conventions, highly expedient, if not indispensibly necessary to the welfare of the Church of Virginia, that the Bishop should be relieved from the confinement of parochial duties, in order that the benefits of the Episcopal ordinances may be thereby more promptly and widely diffused; that the desolate temples of religion may again hear the voice of our chief pastor within their long forsaken courts, and that his venerated authority and influence may be extended over the whole flock which it has pleased God to commit to his pious charge.

For this salutary and holy purpose the Standing Committee of the Diocess early recommended the establishment of a fund for the support of the Episcopate, and the Convention seconded their recommendation by various resolutions, which have been hitherto followed with imperfect success. Particular parishes have contributed their subscriptions towards the fund, with a zeal becoming its importance to the prosperity of the Church, while others have totally disregarded the appeal which has been made to their piety and liberality.

Your Committee cannot recommend the abandonment of a measure so fraught with common benefit, until every practicable effort for its accomplishment shall have failed. It is confidently believed, that the obstructions which have hitherto opposed its success, have arisen from a want of confidence in the means which had been devised for its attainment, rather than from an insensibility to its importance.

The resolution referred to the Committee, if adopted, will effectually secure to the fund that permanent character which should remove among the parishes the fear that the fruits of their liberality will be hereafter misapplied; among the first subscribers, the apprehension that their pious contributions will not be seconded in time by all their brethren; and in the Church, the belief that any delay, however protracted, can ultimately defeat the object of its piety. A decision of the Supreme Court of the United States has recognized the legal existence, and its authority will protect the rights of the corporation, in which the resolution proposes to vest the Episcopal fund of this Diocess. The Committee would have recommended a more central depository, could one have been obtained under the sanction of law.

The resolutions of preceding Conventions have too sanguinely contemplated an immediate resort to the fund, for the object which it is designed to accomplish. Your Committee are of opinion that this should be deferred until the fund shall have been

enlarged as to provide for that ob

ject by its annual revenue. They beg leave, therefore, to recommend to the Convention the adoption of the following resolutions:

1. Resolved, That the annual contributions from Christ Church, in Alexandria, of one hundred dollars, for raising a fund for the support of the Bishop, which have now been paid or which may hereafter be received, together with all other sums which may be any where subscribed and collected for the same object, be vested in bank stock, under the direction of the Standing Committee of this Diocess, in the names of GEORGE DENEALE and JOHN MUNCASTER, Church Wardens of Christ Church, Fairfax Parish, Alexandria, and their successors, for the purpose aforesaid.

2. That, in aid of the Episcopal Fund, the several ministers of this Church do, in their respective congregations, at some fit season in each year, deliver an appropriate discourse, recommending the pious object of the fund, and thereafter make a collection, the amount of which they shall specially mention in their respective parochial reports.

3. That each minister do, at some convenient season of every year, visit one or more of the vacant parishes of this Diocess, or of the counties of this Commonwealth, wherein there is no parish, for the purpose of delivering a similar discourse, and of collecting, by personal applications, or otherwise, farther sums for the enlargement of the Episcopal Fund, of which visit and collections they shall respectively make a report at the succeeding Convention.

4. That no part of the Episcopal Fund shall be withdrawn for any purpose, until its annual interest shall suffice for the attainment of its object; and that, in the interim, it shall be the duty of the Standing Committee to see that its enlargement is hastened by the prompt conversion of its revenue into principal.

The said preamble and resolutions, being twice read, were, on questions severally put thereupon, agreed to by the Convention.

On motion of Mr. POWELL, the Com

mittee of the whole Convention was discharged from the consideration of the resolutions thereto referred: and the said resolutions were then read a second time, and, on questions seve rally put, were agreed to by the Con

vention.

Mr. MERCER, from the Committee on the state of the Church, presented a farther report, which was read as follows:

The Committee on the state of the Church recommend to the Convention the adoption of the following resolution :

Resolved, That the Secretary do annex to the Journals of the Convention the following list of the Clergy of the Diocess of Virginia, viz.

The Right Rev. RICHARD CHANNING MOORE, D. D. Bishop, and Rector of the Monumental Church, Richmond. The Rev. BENJAMIN ALLEN, Jefferson county.

The Rev. THOMAS G. ALLEN, Dumfries Church, Dettingen Parish, Prince William.

The Rev. ALEXANDER BALMAIN, D. D. Frederick Parish, Winchester. The Rev. HUGH C. BOGGS, Berkeley Parish, Spottsylvania.

The Rev. JOHN BRACKEN, D. D. Williamsburg.

The Rev. WILLIAM MEADE, Fre derick Parish, Frederick county. The Rev. JOHN MIOKLEJOHN, Mecklenburg.

The Rev. OLIVER NORRIS, Christ Church, Alexandria.

The Rev. JOHN S. RAVENSCROFT, St. James's Parish, Mecklenburg. The Rev. WILLIAM STEELE, Prince William.

The Rev. ANDREW SYME, Bristol Parish, Dinwiddie.

The Rev. WILLIAM H. WILMER, ☀ St. Paul's Church, Alexandria.

The Rev. JOHN WOODVILLE, St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper.

The Rev. JOHN P. BAUSMAN, Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle.

The Rev. JOSEPH R. ANDRUS, St.Paul's Church, King George county.

And that the Secretary annex to the Journals of every succeeding Convention a list of the Clergy, with all alterations therein produced in the preceding year by ordinations, deaths, removals, suspensions and degrada

tions.

The said resolution being twice read, was, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the Convention.

The Rev. JOHN L. BRYAN, Berke- Prayer Book and Homily Society of

ley county.

The Rev. JOHN BUCHANAN, D. D. Rector of Henrico Parish.

The Rev. ALFRED DASHIELL, Deacon, New-London.

The Rev. JOHN DUNN, Shelburn Parish, Loudoun county.

The Rev. GEORGE HALSON, residing near Norfolk.

The Rev. WILLIAM H. HART, Assistant Minister of Henrico Parish.

The Rev. ALEXANDER HAY, Antrim Parish, Halifax.

The Rev. THOMAS HORRELL, Berke

ley county.

The Rev. WILLIAM KING, Augusta Parish, Staunton.

The Rev. GEORGE LEMON, Hamil ton and Leeds Parishes, Fauquier. The Rev. SAMUEL Low, Christ Church, Norfolk Borough.

The Rev. EDWARD C. MCGUIRE, St. George's Parish, Fredericksburg,

Maryland.

Baltimore, May 9.

Ar a meeting of the Clergy and Laity of the several Protestant Episcopal Churches in this city, convened last evening by public notification, at the Lecture-Room attached to St. Peter's Church, for the purpose of forming a Society to procure and distribute gratuitously the Book of Common Prayer, and Homilies in Tracts-a number attended, together with some other Clergymen, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather; when the Right Rev. Bishop KEMP being called to the chair, opened the proceedings by prayer to Almighty God for his direction and blessing. HUGH D. EVANS, Esq. being then appointed Secretary. The Constitution of a Society to be called the "Prayer Book and Homily Society of Maryland," after being debated by para

graphs, was unanimously adopted:
by one clause of which the Bishop of
the Diocess is, ex-officio, President;
and by another, the Clergymen and
Vestries of the different parishes and
congregations in this Diocess, are re-
quested to form auxiliary societies.
After an election then held, the fol-
lowing gentlemen were appointed to
conduct the said institution :-
Right Rev. Bishop KEMP, President.
Rev. J. P. K. HENSHAW, Vice-Pre-
Rev. J. V. BArtow, Ssidents.

Mr. HENRY BRICE, Treasurer.
Mr. S. YOUNG, Corresponding Sec'y.
Mr. R. H. MOALE, Recording Sec'y.
Mr. JOSEPH ROBINSON, Agent.

Managers.-Rev. WM. E. WYATT, Hon. NICHOLAS BRICE, Dr. WM. DọNALDSON, Dr. J. BAER, Mr. NOAH RIDGELY, Mr. ROBERT NELSON, Mr. JAMES BELT, H. D. EVANS, Esq.

The proceedings of the meeting were then closed by prayer from the Rev. Mr. HATCH, of Frederick.

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THE Book of Leviticus is so called, because it is chiefly employed in describing the sacrifices and services of the Tabernacle, to be performed by that holy order of men who were of the tribe of Levi, and in detailing the particulars which related to the discharge of the priestly office; the historical parts of this Book being extremely few. That Moses was the author of this Book is shown not only by the general arguments which prove bim to have written the Pentateuch, but appears also from particular pas

sages in other books of Scripture, in which this is expressly cited as his inspired work. The delivery of these Laws, it is supposed, was included in the space of one month.

The two main designs of the Jewish Law seem to have been to oppose the idolatry and false worship so universally prevalent in the heathen world, and to prefigure the spiritual religion of Jesus Christ, the promised Saviour. As to the former of these designs, many particular customs and usages are forbidden the Jewish nation, for the prohibition of which we can in no way account, except by taking them under this view of an intendtions of the Gentiles. The chief dif ed opposition to the several superstificulty under which we labour in this matter, is, that we cannot determine what particular idolatrous customs were prevailing in the time of Moses; so vastly distant is the time, and so short the records of ancient nations.

The religious services prescribed in this Book are reducible to the following heads:

First, Sacrifices of different kinds. Though these were outward rites of religious service, yet did they carry with them their several meanings, which had relation to spiritual reli gion and worship, while the whole was a typical scheme, and a fit introduction to that more perfect dispensation of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, by whom all mankind were to receive full atonement with God, and be bless ed with the more pure revelation of his perfect will and way of worship.

Secondly, Purifications from legal uncleannesses. These were a numerous and burdensome part of the Israelitish religion; but they were not intended to terminate in mere ritual observance: they were most aptly significant of many things tending to inward and substantial religion, such as reverence towards God's house, his worship, and all holy things appropriated to his service; they represented also the necessity of inward purity of heart, life, and principles; the difficulty of rooting out evil habits from the mind, and the danger of sinful affections in such as worship the true

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