CHAPTER XV.

REMEDIES FOR THE EXISTING EVILS.

No one who seriously considers the present condition of the English nation, can do otherwise than acknowledge that it is in a very unsatisfactory state. The irreverence, and immorality which abound-the luxuriousness of the rich the self-willed, rebellious spirit of the poor-the ignorance of what it most behoves all classes to know; all these evils taken together, are, perhaps, greater than they have ever been at any former period of our history.

Now, the Apostolic Church is, as we believe, God's instrument for leavening the world with good. It is "the salt of the earth; but if the

salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" The lamentable state of the people proves that the Church has been, in some way, thwarted or depressed. The Anglican Church is, as we have shewn, an integral and pure branch of the Church Apostolic, and universal. But though good in theory, she is marred in practice; she is robbed of her rightful influence; her sphere of action is cramped and limited, for want of proper resources; her authority is denied: many of her most important provisions utterly neglected; and her services either unwarrantably altered, or irreverently slurred over-deprived of life and reality, and looked on as unsuitable to the age. The conventicle system has superseded the Church system. She is no longer a praying, but a mere preaching Church. But she is beginning to move and recover her former self. Only let her children aid her heartily in her efforts to re-occupy her true position, and, by the blessing of God, she may yet again pervade the nation with her wholesome influence.

And, first, it is obviously most necessary to make the Church itself, physically and statistically, equal to the wants of the people. Of late

years we have had, in many districts, but the skeleton of a Church, as compared with the population. Millions of souls have departed from her communion, or fallen into unbelief, by reason of her inability to comprehend them. We have to thank God that this drawback is beginning to be removed. Let but the churchbuilding spirit proceed as it has begun, and we may hope, ere long, that means, at least, of worshipping God, and receiving the ordinances and instruction of religion, will be afforded to the people. A wide-spread opinion also prevails, and cannot be too often insisted on, that the Church can never be restored to its true and effective state, without a very large increase in the number of her ministers, whether Bishops, Priests, or Deacons. All acknowledge the parochial priesthood to be lamentably deficient in numbers. But an increased number of pastors and congregations requires a proportionate increase in the number of Bishops, if the Church system is to be duly carried out. It seems also most desirable, under the present circumstances of the country, that either licensed Catechists should be appointed, or else that the order of Deacons should be made, not as at present, a

mere step to the priesthood, but, in some degree, a distinct body-Subdeacons, perhaps, they might be called-who shall be employed in those various matters of parochial business to which the exertions of the Priest are wholly insufficient, compatibly with the more important duties of the Sanctuary.

A good deal has been said lately, in Parliament and elsewhere, about the preferableness of appointing ministers, to building churches. But the truth is, we want both; and the question to be considered is, how we shall best secure them both. If a church is built, we know from experience that a pastor will follow; but if a pastor be appointed first, it remains to be proved that a church will as certainly be built. Besides, the minister may be removed; but the church once planted will remain, and will not be suffered, for very shame's sake, to be long unoccupied. We suffer whole districts to remain without religious instruction, and think little of it; but once plant a church there, and the very fact of its being closed will stir up men's minds to endeavour to remedy the evil. If a given sum (suppose £3000) were all that could possibly be raised for a district, then it might be

admitted that a priest would be preferable to a church; but lay out the sum in building a fit church, and priest, school, parsonage, and all the rest, will soon spring up.

The building of churches, however, and the appointment of ministers, is only the beginning of what is needful.

The principal thing is the service itself. We should take especial care that the church is made what it professes to be, a house of Prayer, according to the ritual of the Anglican Church. The service should be a solemn offering of humble devotion to Goda real and earnest participation in the ordinances and sacraments of the Gospel. It must not be a mere conventicle, or preaching-house. God forbid that I should say one word against the holy ordinance of preaching. All I maintain is, that, important as preaching is, yet the essential character of the house of God is that it should be "a house of Prayer," where regenerated souls may resort to hold communion with God, and join together in the ordinances of religion; and so be led on daily in their Christian course, as well as reminded of their duty, and be taught to add to their faith, virtue, and every other Christian grace.