ment, by the Church, of a Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, for their ingathering.

As a solemn deprecation of God's anger, in the "pestilence that walketh in darkness," it well becomes the season, when the seeds of disease are most apt to ripen, into death.

Considering these things, and mindful of my trust, for Christ, as put in charge with a portion of the flock, which He has purchased, with His blood, I earnestly recommend the solemn observance of the Rogation Days; which occur, this year, on the 10, 11 and 12 of May. I commend, to individuals, the practice of "such a measure of abstinence, as is more especially suited to extraordinary acts and offices of devotion;" and, to the Clergy, I recommend the observance of, at least, one service, on each of the three days, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. What an overpowering demonstration of the truth and power of the Atonement, the Ascension of the human nature of Christ Jesus into Heaven! How suitable the supplication, which beseeches Him to pour His blessing, on the fields, on the forests, and on the seas; that the opening of His hand may "satisfy the desire of every living thing!' And how well adapted to arrest the terrors of disease and dissolution, the position of the Church, as she stands, "between the living and the dead;" with tears, and fastings, and supplications!

Pondering these things carefully, not without prayer to God, for His direction, and His blessing, I earnestly advise the observance, in all the parishes, of the three Rogation Days, as a season of fasting and special prayer, for God's blessing on the earth, and on our homes: filling us with plenty; and shielding us from disease and death.

I hereby authorize the use of the Litany, in the morning service, on Monday and Tuesday, as well as Wednesday, of Rogation Week; and I also set forth the two following prayers, to be used, on the Rogation Days," before the two final prayers of Morning and Evening service."

Beseeching Almighty God to teach us how to pray, who know not what to pray for, as we ought; and to give an answer to our prayers, in the fullest measure of His temporal and spiritual blessings, on ourselves, our homes, our country, the Church and the whole land: and specially beseeching a remembrance, beloved brethren, in your prayers, I am ever, most affectionately and faithfully, your Bishop and servant, in Christ.

Every Sunday afternoon was devoted in St. Mary's Parish, to a familiar unwritten exposition of the word of God; or of some subject connected with the Book of Common Prayer. He prepared for this with great care; but no notes were made generally, and none were ever used at the time. His Bible, with a few references marked, was all he needed. Always avoiding the evils of extempore preaching, diffuseness and repetition, he fell into its advantages of familiarity and plainness and minuteness, most profitably. It was this habit and power that made him such a speaker; so telling, so ready, so

precisely to the point. He followed out always a full and perfect plan, of introduction and argument and application. There were no loose ends left untied, to weaken what he said or to unravel it. He was remarkably exact, even in his unwritten lectures, in his use of words and terms. There was no idea of sparing work in it. They were as carefully thought out as his sermons. He used them and urged them as more direct, and simple, and straightforward; and the afternoon congregation at St. Mary's was never less than in the morning. His theological teaching always included a practice in this sort of preaching, for the students.

His estimate and idea of it, and his execution and perfection of them, are best seen in his own words.

It is more than ten years since I became the Rector of this parish. I have been absent from it, as little as the duties of my higher office in the Church allowed, never of my own mere desire. Very seldom have I been here that I have not, twice in the holy day, done what I could as your instructor in the faith and duty of a Christian. I have acted almost from the very first, upon a settled plan. My morning teaching on the Lord's day has been a written sermon. In the afternoon I have either taught you through the children, in the catechizing, or by a familiar exposition of the words of Holy Scripture in their natural connection. In this way, though seldom taking more than twelve or twenty verses at a time, I have gone through, as I could, the Gospels according to St. Matthew and St. Luke, and the book of the Acts of the Apostles.

It was not without deep reflection that I adopted this course of instruction. It was from no labour-saving consideration; nor was it on any pretension to extemporaneous gifts. If by extemporaneous speaking, were meant speaking without thoughtful preparation, it would be an outrage on the sanctity of this place, and on the awful cure of souls. If preparation without writing were adopted to save time or toil it would be a pitiful self-seeking, unworthy of the minister of Christ. Extemporaneous speaking, strictly so called is, I trust, unknown to the practice of the true Church. It would be certain to become vague and vapid declamation: and the mind, in such an abuse of it, would be as sure to grow dull and torpid, as the land that has been worked for years without replenishing, to run to weeds and worthlessness. There can be no choice fruits in any thing, but by continued, careful cultivation. And not to bring the very best before the Lord were wanton sacrilege. The Minister of Christ in teaching others is to teach himself. The better he is taught the better they will be. That is not teaching which supplies mere knowledge. It implies the development of powers and culture of faculties. It is not so much pouring into a receiver, as it is drawing out the mind itself and giving every energy and every capacity its fullest vigour and most healthful action. To this end I have long advised my clergy to prepare always one written sermon in the week, and only one. More than that, few can do well. None can do two, one-half so well as one.

The mind divides itself and is distracted. Each sermon robs the other. There are two thin ears of corn for the one good one. And what is worse than this, the habit has a reflex action on the mind itself, destroys its tone, diffuses its powers, makes it familiar with work half done, and satisfied with shallowness and superficialness. But it should be a rule, as near as possible without exception, to write one discourse for every week. Without it, there will be little study, or to little purpose. Without it there will be no vigour of conception or accuracy of expression. Without it the best powers of mind will run to waste. Just as earnestly as I enjoin that there be one written sermon every week and but one, I urge upon the clergy the stated catechetical instruction of the Children, as an ordinary office of instruction, in the presence of the whole congregation; and simple, familiar, practical exposition of the Word of God itself, or of the Creeds, Articles and formularies of the Church as founded on, and proved by, Holy Scripture. This, that the precept of the Apostle may be acted on, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. This, that the word of truth may be rightly awarded, and every one receive his portion in due season. This, that the people may be instructed not only in the massive outlines, but in the most minute details of the truth as it is in Jesus. And this, too, that the Minister may keep up and diversify his studies, acquaint himself with all the avenues by which men's minds and hearts are reached, gain confidence in his work, and give his people confidence in him, as a master workman, that needs not to be ashamed, and deal with them as a man, with men, plainly and honestly, with the earnestness of free discourse, on the great subjects which concern their souls. None of this to be done unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, soberly and in the fear of God, with carefulness and thoughtfulness in the study, with meekness and reverence as in the most holy place, and above all, not without prayer. The preparation of the written sermon necessary, to give accuracy and order and proportion and drift to the unwritten exposition. The unwritten exposition certain, to lend earnestness and ardour and prac ticalness and point to the written sermon. The whole result promising, if God shall bless the work, to the same amount of ability, acquirement and exertion in the preacher, the best return, in the interest, the attention, the edification, and, through grace, the salvation of the hearers. And, let me add what I feel, and what I do hope some of you also feel, drawing preacher and hearers nearer together year by year in their participation of that most precious treasure which has been committed to the Church, growing into each other, if I may say so, as both grow more and more into Christ in the sense of nearness not only but of oneness in the Common Salvation.

As a catechist, he was great indeed, in his love for it, his power in it, and the catechetical habit, which his precept and example has introduced into the Diocese. To commend one of his clergy as a good catechist, he counted highest praise. He always catechized monthly, at the Parish Church, and at the Hall, and at the College. His own ideas were often urged.

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His second charge was largely devoted to its importance. His name, throughout the country, is connected with this; as much as with systematic charity, missions, and Christian Education. He published constantly about it; a book on "Public Catechizing" a little pamphlet, The Catechism proved by Scripture. And he urged it in the Convention, and in the columns of the Missionary, frequently.

* A subject which has occupied much of my thoughts since our last meeting, my brethren of the Clergy and Laity, is the religious instruction of children. I need go into no detail of argument, or illustration, to impress you with its importance, or with the sense of our duty in the premises. I do not hesitate to say, that, as the training up of his children, " in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," is the parent's first and highest duty, so the Christian Pastor can in no other way so effectually subserve the objects of his calling, in the edification of the Church for the salvation of souls, as in the strict, constant, personal supervision of the religious education of the children of his charge. It is a duty which cannot be neglected without the most awful responsibility, and which cannot be delegated by him to any other. Of the great benefits which have been derived, and which may be expected from the excellent institution of Sunday Schools, I do not entertain, and would not, intimate a doubt. As auxiliaries to the pastoral care of the young, or as substitutes where it cannot be had, they are of unquestionable value, and their extension an undoubted blessing. But there is too great reason to believe that their proper use has, in many instances, been departed from; that they have become substitutes for, instead of auxiliaries to, the pastoral care; that the clergy have generally withdrawn, or been by imperceptible degrees removed, from their direction, until their influence over them has almost ceased; if, in some cases, their right to control and regu late them be not seriously questioned. Nor is this all. The ancient and wise provisions of the Church for the instruction of all her children, in the catechism, have, it is to be feared, been in a great degree superseded and gone into disuse. So that the pastoral intercourse with the young, and, of course, the pastoral influence with them, is scarcely, if at all greater, than with the adult parishioners. Now this cannot

be right. It is not safe for the country, nor for the Church. It is not consistent, my brethren of the Clergy, with the solemn responsibility of our office. We cannot so give account with joy for the lambs of our Saviour's flock.

The catechizing of the children I have found productive of the best effects. Children, parents, pastors, and myself by no means to the least extent, have been partakers in the pleasing, and I trust in God, the profitable, interest. It has brought forth that "form of sound words," which is "to be learned by every person before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop," from comparative obscurity, to its due prominence in the Church. It is the beginning, I fondly hope, of Address, A. D. 1836.

* Address, A. D. 1834.

a course of efforts, by which, if God help us, the Church in this diocese will regain her proper hold upon her infant members, and be enabled, by divine grace, to " bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Parents are universally gratified with the arrangement. The children take delight in it. With my reverend brethren, no argument or influence is necessary to secure their hearty zeal in feeding the Saviour's lambs. Hitherto the examination, with two or three exceptions, has been confined to the mere repeating of the words. Hereafter, it is my wish that the children be prepared for what is more properly a catechetical exercise, in being examined on the meaning of the words, the Scriptural authority for them, and their practical application, and I design myself to take a part in it. A thorough trial of the experiment in my own parish, in which the children, once in a month, are catechized "openly in the Church," before the whole congregation, has thoroughly convinced me that no exercise can be more engaging to the children, more edifying to the people, or more profitable to the Pastor.

*The purpose with which this reprint has been undertaken will be fully answered, if it shall serve to extend the increasing attention which is now attracted towards the plan of public catechizing, and to establish more widely a just and proper conviction of the great importance of that ancient institution. The success which shall attend its adoption in any case will be mainly dependent, under God, upor. the pastoral interest. As to the duty of bringing up the children of the Church "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," there will be no difference of opinion. The only point to be decided is, the most effectual mode. If the test of experience be followed, the decision will be easily established. A chief obstacle to its adoption is the apprehension, commonly met with, of failure in the attempt. There is a supposed necessity of some peculiar fitness for the work which all cannot attain. Doubtless there will be degrees of facility and different degrees of success in this, and every other human enterprise. But because all preachers are not eloquent alike, are not all to preach? The conviction is established in the author's mind, after much reflection and experience, that a high degree of excellence is much more generally attainable in catechizing than in preaching. The saying often quoted, is not lost sight of, that a "boy may preach, but it requires a man to catechize." Allowance is first to be made for a fair measure of proverbial exaggeration in the antithesis here stated. For the rest, experience makes the difference. "Docendo docemur." The catechist will learn to catechize. Only let him have long patience. If there be a motto for him better than any other, it is Isaiah's"precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little and there a little." For the method of catechizing, it will vary-the Church catechism being the basis-with every variety of character and circumstance. No course that could be delineated would suit all. A specimen of the course pursued, with great advantage, by the present writer, is in preparation for the press-"the

* Bishop Doane's Postscript, to Gilley's "Hore Catechetica."