impress the doctrines of the Thirty-nine Articles, in all their scriptural simplicity, on our people, enabling each of them, by proof and on conviction, "to give a reason of the hope that is in him." It was evidently to effect this that the injunction to catechise was issued. It would be a narrow view of that injunction to confine its object to the education of children. In every generation, but never perhaps so much as in our own, has there been a class of persons, in every congregation, who, whatever be their bodily maturity, are, spiritually speaking, but infants in mind; whose education has been entirely or partially neglected; and who, requiring teaching "with the sincere milk of the word," are yet utterly incapable of receiving it, except through others. This numerous class in all our congregations has increased, and is every day increasing, from the desultory character of education. This has had to struggle for the mastery with the wealth, selfishness, and prejudice of the age. If it has gained some important points in the struggle, still is there much yet to be gained before we may consider it either safe or satisfactory.

Our course has hitherto been, it is to be feared, to educate for dissent; not, of course, with this intention, but with this result. The half-educated mind is incapable of firmly embracing or adhering to principles. The knowledge we have been enabled to communicate has only tended to weaken the hold of truth, by its tendency to set afloat the reasoning powers of the mind, without affording them that anchor of safety which is found only in principles rooted in conviction. Had the education of the last twenty years been perfect, instead of gradually creeping on through a series of acknowledged imperfections, the fruits of discouragement and distrust, still would the majority of our scholars, from the very early age at which they are removed from school, be necessarily in the state which the argument supposes, fluctuating and undecided in their principles, unable to reason out the truths, or to understand the sound form of words the Church teaches. Were it my purpose to enlarge on the deficiencies of our education, it would be easy to shew to those who apprehend danger from its improvement, that the only danger to be feared is from its total inefficiency; from its bringing the subjects of it to a certain point only, and

then leaving and neglecting them; from its opening the avenues of the heart to every passing impression, without any sufficient guide to choose the good and eschew the evil. The truth is self-evident, that having begun the educational course we cannot stop. The mind taught to read and think must have wholesome food supplied it. For secular knowledge, the well-chosen library must supply the demand which the exertions of the schoolmaster have created, while, in spiritual things, reason must be taught and directed how to work out that conviction which faith requires. It is for the class of inquirers thus constituted the Church would appear to have especially provided instruction through Catechising. It is one of her characteristics, which we cannot too prominently bring forward, or too often admire, that she adapts herself in all her institutions to every age and its circumstances, providing for every want as it arises. A stronger instance of this can hardly be insisted on than her provision for the instruction of the maturer classes of our congregations, through the mouths of her babes and sucklings.

It has been already asserted to be a very narrow view of Catechising, to suppose it as including only the children of our communities. There are several other classes, besides children and those above alluded to, who benefit by a review of principles, and by a well-reasoned system of proof and authority. It is impossible to review the general system of education amongst us, whether it be of the higher or of the humbler classes, without acknowledging its deficiencies in many, and those the most important, points. To supply these, the practice of Catechising would appear excellently well adapted. Whatever it be that we have to contend with, and in whatever class,-whether it be pride, or ignorance, or presumption, the quiet method which our Church prescribes, in making the whole onus fall on those who can best bear it without shame,—that is, on those who are not expected by any reasonable man to be able to give a full reason of the hope that is in them, for they are only learning, by instruction, how to do so; to all, this method conveys that instruction that all, in fact, stand in need of, through the lips of children, by question, answer, and scriptural proof. By this practical method is developed the doctrinal system of the

Church, and by reasoning out its conclusions are they brought home, in the most inviting manner, to the hearts of many who may have heard with indifference the most eloquent sermons, from their incapacity to follow out their argument. The Church was first indebted to the late Archdeacon Bather (that is, in modern days) for calling the attention of Churchmen to this important subject. Many others have followed him; yet will our own experience teach us that it has not yet received that general attention it so justly merits. Few, very few, are the cases in which it has been restored, and yet nowhere without success.

When complaining of dissent, and endeavouring to trace its cause, we find it, as we believe, very generally in that want of fixed principles-that inability to "prove all things and hold fast that which is good," which distinguishes our age.' How can we better meet this, than by means which enable us to reason out closely, and prove seriatim, from God's word, the truth that we assert? When suffering from the indifference of those who should take an enlarged view of their responsibilities, how admirable a means is afforded us of bringing home, by reasoning and example drawn from the same divine source, the questions of duty we wish to press! Lastly, when arming the man of God before sending him out into the world, how excellent an opportunity does Catechising afford us of instilling "precept on precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little," until the firm foundation of his faith is deeply laid, and his mind imbued strongly with right principles, in the strength of which he may go forth to war against the flesh, the world, and the devil!

I have spoken throughout, in these remarks, of Catechising, and not of the Catechism, not with the view of distinguishing between them, as the one is necessarily the act of carrying the other into operation, but to avoid that confusion which may probably arise in the minds of some, as

* I would not for one moment seem to imply this to be the state of conscientious dissent. I believe this to have its convictions as sincere and firm as those of the Churchman; but I would be understood to speak of that vacillating and wavering which dissents without being capable of reasoning, and has no convictions but those founded on impulse or ignorance.

to the object, and the extent of the object, to which I would draw attention.

The tendency of the age, as we may perhaps say of the world in every age, is to run into extremes. We must not, therefore, be surprised, if such points as may not suit the age in its tendencies are overlooked, and, while men war with words, if duties of a merely practical nature are forgotten. Logomachy is the characteristic of the age. A layman, perhaps, looking on without entering into the merits of the struggle, would speak of it as splitting straws, for no one will doubt that the fiercest champions are often re-enacting the old story of the two-sided shield; and that, were a third to step in, and tie both parties down by strict definitions, the differences really left as a residue to contend over would be too evanescent to await the contest. I do not mean to assert, that there are not prevalent in the age very strong antagonistic principles, or that against error, in whatever shape, it is not our first duty to uplift our voice; but I would as freely assert, that nine-tenths of those who imagine they differ, and range themselves under some imaginary standard, do not, in fact, when brought back to be tested by their adhesion to the Articles and the Book of Common Prayer, differ at all, but are anxious, honestly anxious, to carry out the principles of the Church with zeal and soberness. Why, then, it may be asked, is not this the result? Because the Church, as a whole, as a system of doctrine, discipline, and practice, is not fully understood. Our estimate of its formularies, although higher, is, in fact, as loose and general as that of our dissenting brethren; and the effect of this is experienced, not merely in the lay but in the clerical members. It has not been studied as a whole, and, consequently, whatever is in itself good, we hold in practice may be made use of as a substitute-if convenience, or apparent convenience, require it for anything that does not in our estimate so fully accord with the taste and requirements of the times in which we live. It is in this way the evening sermon has superseded Catechising. It has not been looked upon as an essential part of the Church's system of edification, but as one of those points of indifference for which a substitute may be found in any other unquestionably scriptural means, such as preaching. We forget the composition of the Church; and, putting out of the case the large

portion of it of a more mature age likely to be benefited by catechising, to whom I have before alluded, we lose sight, in the substitution of an evening sermon, of those threefifths, at least, of our congregations who are so much better taught by question and answer than by theses. That which

is a remarkable fact is, that we appear to lose sight of our blessed Lord's example, as well as that of his Apostles,* who went forth to teach and to preach. Now it will neither be supposed that these terms are synonymous, nor will the state of the Christians of those days enable us to apply the first to anything corresponding to our schools; we must, therefore, understand them of that more familiar method of instruction, modified, as the case may be, which our Church now directs us to use, under the name of Catechising. The lambs, as well as the sheep of Christ, are to be fed; and the Church has most wisely secured that some portion of the sacred day, at least, should be devoted to instilling, by question and answer, by proof and by conviction, the truths which are to form the consistent basis of a Christian life.

The anxiety of the Church on this subject cannot be doubted. Carrying out the example of our Lord and his Apostles, it would have us impress upon the minds of every rising generation those "things which every Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health." Our education should not be vague and general, but distinct and well defined, that the Churchman may not grow up in uncertain principles, but be able to give to every one that asks it "a reason of the hope that is in him." We do not appear to understand how great is the power we possess of promoting this. When complaining that the due influence of the Church in education is not permitted, or is interfered with, we forget that the Church herself has prescribed a method of which we do not avail ourselves, and in the exercise of which we cannot be interfered with. When seeing this, there may reasonably exist in the minds of many a proportionate doubt of the soundness of the exclusive claim of the Church to the superintendence of education. With many parts of education, as for instance, grammar, arithmetic, or the abstract sciences, the Church can have no exclusive claim to interference; and

* Matt. xi. 1: Acts, v. 42.