see the inconsistency involved, and would detect the erroneous tendency. We are told that "of two hundred and sixty parishes, established in glory in the days of Cromwell, two hundred and forty are now Unitarian," and, sadder still, that the pulpit, from which John Calvin preached to a loving people, now resounds with denials of the Trinity. So long as "the form of sound words" is adhered to, so long will there be very little probability of defection from sound Christian doctrine,-so long will the centrifugal tendency of the sect-system be held in perfect equili brium by the centripetal force that binds the believer to the great fact of the Incarnation, as beyond all question, that which must never be yielded up even though life itself be the forfeit.

The return to the use of the Creed, not, however, made dependent on the will of the officiating clergyman, but authoritatively required, must, by a natural process, lead to an acceptance of its life and spirit. He, who publicly and with a due sense of its meaning, repeats the article-I believe in the communion of saints-must be made to see sooner or later that such communion will not admit of a division of the Church into contending parties, and to feel that existing divisions are wrong and must decrease while the Church itself shall increase.

Liturgical worship not only allows of a more full union, on the part of the people, with the prayers of the minister, but it effectually prevents the injurious effects of any heretical notions he may entertain. The recognition of such will be easy to those who have been trained in forms, prepared in accordance with the early Church customs and formulae. A return to it is a hopeful indication at present. Those, who fear every thing that is Churchly, lest it may be Romanizing, may have their fears dispelled by reflecting on the fact that the practice of the Roman Church, in our country, is to confine the liturgical worship to the clergy and the choir;-these perform the whole service. There is a practical denial of the universal priesthood of believers,-an usurpation tion of the worship, as absolutely from the hands of the

people, as is the case with some of our most unliturgical sects. The use of liturgical services by people and minister is not in accordance with Roman Catholic custom, but is in perfect accord with the custom of the early days of the Holy Catholic Church, even in its apostolic times. Moreover, the employment of the vernacular for this purpose is especially enjoined by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians, when he exhorts them "to excel to the edifying of the Church," by speaking in "a tongue easy to be understood,"-"Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?" (1 Cor, 14: 16.) In the Roman Church, adherence to the Latin service, and the entire use of Liturgical material by the priest and choir, constitute important differences from the Liturgical worship of such Churches as have, under faithful ministers, well-trained congregations joining, with audible voice, in the responses required by the service, thus satisfying the minister and themselves that their thoughts are not bent on criticizing the prayer but on the contents of the same. The criticism of a rough old soldier, in the Light Artillery of our Army, on the difference between a liturgical form of prayer and one of extempore origin, will show in a word the effect of the two modes of worship on the hearer. The regular Chaplain at the post was in the habit of using the Book of Common Prayer,-being obliged to be absent one Sunday, his place was filled by a brother who rejected all such helps as Liturgies might offer. After service one old soldier expressed himself somewhat as follows:-"I don't like that preacher, for when he says 'let us pray,' he means I will pray and you shall listen, but with the other preacher he means exactly what he says." Here was the difference: in the one case the hearer was obliged to use his intellect, and probably found it difficult to avoid criticizing; in the other he could accompany the minister, who was merely acting as the mouth-piece of the congregation.

But we must draw our article to a close. All mechani

cal plans at Christian Union, have proven themselves unfitted for the great purpose of binding the disjecta membra of the Church. There seems, however, to be hope that such an union will take place; but it must spring from the approximation of religious bodies in life and usages, so that at last, the necessity of separation no longer existing, they must, by a law of their own existence come together and form one harmonious body. To employ the words of an English author: "We can do nothing well till we act 'with one accord;' we can have no accord in action till we agree together in heart; we cannot agree without a supernatural influence; we cannot have a supernatural influence unless we pray for it; we cannot pray acceptably without repentance and confession." Approximation in life and usages must result from a general and devout use of the Creed with the liturgical services that necessarily arise from its employment. Our Churches at present exhibit a great interest in the subject of Liturgies and their uses, and hence we have endeavored to lead our readers to our opinion, that in the Liturgical tendencies of the Times there is a faint foreshadowing of future Christian Union. We cannot force the course of History. We must pray and wait. There is a vis medicatrix ecclesiae, which will eventually heal all wounds and throw off all excrescences, drive off morbid affections and restore healthy action. We can be as confident that the Actual Church will at one time fully embody the Ideal Church, as that

"The saints on earth and all the dead

But one communion make;

All join in Christ, their living Head,
And of His grace partake."

ART. III-ANGLO-GERMAN LIFE IN AMERICA.

THE Anglo-German is fast becoming a recognized element in our growing country. It has characteristics peculiar to itself, which will yet go far toward giving tone and color to that general American life in which it is no unimportant part. Long misunderstood and a thousand times abused by what is, to say the least, no better than itself, it is in our day rising to a truer public estimate of its intrinsic worth. We propose to offer for consideration, some reflections on the Anglo-German element, with respect to its characteristics, numerical strength, and probable future influence.

Rationalism or ignorance, transcendentalism or infidelity, fumes from long pipes and lager-beer are the main ideas suggested to the popular mind, when we mention the Ger mans and their descendants, in relation to our American life.

The glories of the Fatherland are not known to the American public; especially as now inherited by her sons in the truths of the Reformation and the principles of German arts, science and philosophy. These are largely transferred to this land along with her sons. We are liable to forget the full value of the rich inheritance transmitted to us from the Reformation fathers. By some strange power, something like Circean enchantment, not pleasant but still strong, there is a continual tendency to transform the English grown German into a character, with everything but the Yankee left out. Under the pressure of this general force, it soon becomes fashionable to be ashamed, not only of the noble language of the fathers, but also of their simple honesty of character and homely manners. By the prevalence of Yankee customs, moulded by ignorant prejudices, which derisively calls them "Dutchmen," they are foolishly led to ignore, along with the falsely supposed odium that attaches thereto, the true excellencies of their inherent birth-right.

For the bald assumptions of that would be superior intelligence, which ignorantly mistakes German for Dutch, we have no kind of patience. It may be well passed, once for all, with unveiled contempt. But for those, who make a ludicrous merit of bedaubing their ancestry, in accent that should blister their tongues, if it does not mantle their cheeks with the deep stirred blush, by denouncing everything which reminds them of their origin as "too dutch," we have but sovereign pity. We have seen Anglo-Germans, under a false conception of what constitutes the genteel and respectable, with indignant zeal, repelling the imputation that they understood the language of their fathers. We however honored the warm blood that nevertheless gushed at the same time from a German heart, to attest its duty to its original life. The fifth commandment is not considered here in as binding force as it forever should be.

All this, under one view, is natural enough. For though there be nothing in the German character itself, and still less in its noble language, of which its descendants have true cause for being ashamed; yet there are considerations in some sense calculated to give the blush to those who thence derive their origin. Much of this element appears in our American life in its most ungainly dress. Wild radicalism in politics, mystic transcendentalism in philosophy, rationalism and pantheism in religion, are strongly represented by many of those, who have left their country for their country's good. It were a blessing also to the land in which they now sojourn, if they would do as much good for us. But such do not truly represent the general German life. Scum boils naturally to the top, and is always more apparent than the better contents in the vessel below. We are not the advocate or apologist for that kind of German life-the only kind, by the way, with which the public are acquainted.

However apparent are the more repulsive aspects of the Germanic element among our people, so that it is not failed to be noticed, and even grossly exaggerated and most keenly carricatured, there is, nevertheless, a better side.