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THE LITURGY.

IN the Church which had the benefit of the services of Dr. Freeman and Mr. Deacon, the Holy Sacrament was regularly administered once a month. By this wise regulation, frequent opportunities were afforded to the pious part of the congregation to partake in the Feast of the Lamb, and of laying at the foot of the altar, the burthen of their cares, and the weight of their sins; whilst the less devout were warned by the admonitions of their Pastor, in his earnest and oft-repeated invitation to the Holy Communion, of their danger in neglecting an ordinance so full of comfort, encouragement, and hope, and so essential to their salvation. The good effect of this shade of likeness to the Apostolic times was yearly more visible; and the good Doctor had the proud satisfaction of seeing the number of communicants more than trebled from the time he had multiplied the observance of this Christian practice. There were, indeed,

persons who considered such a recurrence unnecessarily frequent, and who consequently satisfied themselves with a participation of the ordinance once or twice in the year, more as the qualification to hold some secular office than to secure any spiritual benefit. Among these was a Mr. Heron, a man who had acquired a handsome competence by means best known to himself. They who were acquainted with him fifteen years ago, were astonished to find him transformed from an Attorney's, scribbler, on a very limited salary, into a Gentleman of independent fortune. But though this Protean effect had taken place in his circumstances, it was not difficult to delineate the original chicanery of character, the low trick of petty cunning, and the meanness of upstart gain. Like the monkey who had seen the world, and contrived by dress and foreign habits somewhat to alter his native form, but who, nevertheless, was a monkey still; Mr. Heron's ap pearance, though garnished and set off by a curricle and pair of bays with gilt harness, could not wholly blind the eyes of the world to his true nature, and lethefy the remembrance of his former habits and condition. As, therefore,

he found that his admission into that better part of society, in which character, demeanour, and respectability are more regarded than a long purse and stylish equipage, he resolved, in the true spirit of his Satanic Majesty, who deemed it better "to reign in hell than serve in heaven," to put himself at the head of a party in the parish, which had for its object a speciousness of good; but which, in reality, opposed the better-disposed, merely because they were friends of order. Headed by such a man, the refuse of the parish, to whom faction is a blessing, and discord food, were more ready to clog the wheels of parochial management, than by putting their shoulders to them, to enable the officers to conduct all things orderly, peaceably, and well.

There were others, also, who from one reason or another, though regular attendants on Divine Service, neglected to join in that goodly company, who took the cup of salvation and called upon the name of the Lord." Among these, in particular, was Mr. Armstrong, a man in other respects strictly orthodox, and a constant worshipper in the Church of his Forefathers with his "family and wife," but who,

on all occasions of the Sacrament, kept away. This man had, by dint of a persevering industry and a strict line of honourable dealing with his customers, contrived to realize a small independency, and at the age of fifty resigned to his two eldest sons the full management and profits of a business, by which he had attained his present rank in society. Probity and integrity, though clothed in rags, command respect, and sooner or later attain that notice from society, which is never withheld from deserving objects. So was it with Mr. Armstrong. He was received and esteemed by a large circle of respectable neighbours. And though he could not wholly cast off the technicality or dapperness of his former way of life, his unblemished character was deemed a sufficient salvo for his "smack of the counter." He had lately been introduced to Dr. Freeman, who had made two or three friendly calls upon him; the last of which Mr. Armstrong was returning on a morning which followed the Sacrament day, when, after the usual interchange of salutations, he begged to thank the Doctor for his beautiful sermon on Christian Unity preached the day before..

"There was something in it, Reverend Sir," he observed, "which took my attention very much. It was pretty and pathetic, and, as I used to say to my customers when I had an article I could recommend, the texture was so fine, and the colour so tastefully blended, that it was both pleasing and useful."

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Really, my good friend," said the Doctor, whose good humour exceeded his vanity, your compliment is so complex and twisted, that I, who am no adept in the machinery of Spitalfields, am somewhat at a loss to comprehend it. But, however, I am glad you approve of any thing which I address to my flock, as it is my wish to attract, only that I may instruct. But do you not think, that Mr. Deacon's discourse yesterday, on the Sacrament, was not only well delivered, but ably and satisfactorily handled ?"

"That it was well delivered," replied Mr. Armstrong, "I readily grant, because that I understand; but of its ability and satisfaction I am unable to speak, as it is a subject on which I have never made up my mind."

"This confession," said the Doctor, "gives