fidelity opens the ale-house, sectarism the conventicle. To one or other of these refuges the poor man, most probably, yields. If his sense of religious duty prevail, he thinks the conventicle the lesser evil. He argues "I want employment-'tis religion, and there can be no harm in going to hear what is good-I may spend my time much worse-I can receive no injury," and so on. He goes-something in the manner of the preacher strikes him-he mistakes violence for zeal, and bold vulgar assertions for Gospel Truth he is ensnared he goes again and again, till at length he thinks that way only to be right, and can soon listen to, and with pleasure join in, that volcano of slander and invective, with which schismatics seldom omit to assail the members, the ceremonies, and especially the ministers of the Church of England. Thus, from want of occupation on the evening of the sabbath, arises the confirmed Dissenter. When the man is thus drawn aside, his wife is soon persuaded or perhaps compelled to accompany her husband to the meeting-house. They are by degrees allured to send their children for instruction to the schools attached to almost every dissenting congregation; where the principles of schism and dissention are early fixed in their infant minds. As the children grow up, they manifest these principles in their hatred of our Church, and in the diligence they use to persuade others to forsake our communion. The evils that arise from flying for refuge to the ale-house, are too evident to need much observation here. The streets of our large towns are too often witnesses of the sad effects of allowing public-houses to be open on the evening of the sabbath; and the families of the deluded men who seek to kill the vacant hour in them, are made to suffer the most poignant distress, for want of the money thus expended. Besides this, he who frequents those haunts and nurseries of vice, is soon poisoned with infidel principles, immoral habits, and contempt of all laws, human and divine; and he becomes a burthen on that society, of which he might have been an useful member, had he been afforded a proper opportunity of employing the evening of the sabbath.

"We hear much of a want of churches, especially in large towns; and it is much to be wished that this were remedied. But till the legislature shall render it as easy a matter to build a church, as to erect a conventicle, a remedy cannot be expected. In the meanwhile let us more frequently open the churches we have.

persons in the middle classes of society, who have gone to the dissenting meeting houses solely for want of engagement, and are now joined in close society with the dissenters, and liberally contribute to the support of their preachers, their schools and their cause. Some of these, when spoken to on the subject, have candidly acknowledged, that if there had been Evening Service in the Church, they should never have had an idea of attending a meeting house; that they went at first with reluctance, and merely for want of amusement.

Let us open them at that season when the dissenters have found they can procure the most numerous attendance. Let us devote that part of the sabbath, which is most unoccupied, to the worship of God and the instruction of the ignorant. This is in our own power; and this I am persuaded from observation, will render a most essential service to the cause of religion, promote the welfare of society, and frustrate the designs of our enemies."

The two following cafes are adduced as evidences of the advantage arising from this plan.

"On the establishment of an Evening Lecture, in a town containing near twenty thousand inhabitants, the methodists repeatedly changed their hour of meeting, but could not keep up their congregations. The church was well attended and the meeting neglected. At length two of the preachers went, as it should seem ex officio, to the clergyman, and asked him if it were his intention to declare war against them. In this church it is by no means unusual to see a congregation of almost two thousand persons, on the Sunday evening. Just before the commencement of the lecture, the old meeting-house was so much crowded, that it was deemed necessary to build a far more commodious one. Had they waited a few months longer, they would have found their old one large enough for their purpose.

"A clergyman of the Establishment in a very small village has experienced the superior advantage of an Evening Lecture. Not only is that service well attended; but his morning congregations and communicants have also considerably increased. The change of duty was begun from motives of temporary conveni ence, but has been continued from a full conviction of its utility, and has received the sanction and cordial approbation of his diocesan."

This well-timed and judicious addrefs deferves general attention; and we truft that fo reasonable and practicable a plan, will not be rejected. We have read with pleasure a Sermon by this author, "on the danger of Rebellion, occafioned by the execution of Defpard and his affociates."

Poetry.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S

SIR,

N

MAGAZINE.

EITHER you nor the generality of your readers need be informed that in one of the marches of Conftantine, he is reported to have feen with his own eyes the luminous trophy of the crofs, placed above the meridian fun, and infcribed with the following words, " BY THIS, CONQUER:" that in the enfuing night he is reported to have feen a vifion, wherein he was admonished to frame a fimilar ftandard, and to infcribe the fhields of his foldiers with the fame celeftial fign; and to march with an affurance of victory against Maxentius and all his enemies:-that he executed the commands of heaven, and that his valour and obedience were rewarded by the decifive victory of the MilvinBridge.

It is of no confequence to Chriftianity whether this nar rative be true or falle :

Non tali auxilio nec defenforibus iftis

Tempus egit.

The hiftory, however, fome time ago appeared to me capa ble of a fpiritual application, which I attempted and which I now fend for infertion (if you choofe) in your magazine.

CONSTANTINE'S VISION.

t

IN HOC VINCES.

SOLDIER of Chrift, by this fubdue!
So flow'd, 'tis faid, the ftrain divine,
When burft on thy enraptur'd view
The crofs, imperial Conflantine.

Straight

Straight o'er thy creft the cross was rais'd;
Bright with the cross thy buckler blaz'd;
Thy arm the banner'd cross unfurl'd,
And wav'd triumphant o'er the world.

O! Thou, who read'st the wond'rous lay,
Its terrors does the world unfold,
Or to thy dazzled sense display

Its filken pomp, and gems, and gold ?-
Does pleasure, to feduce thy foul,
Hold to thy lip her charmed bowl,
With luxury thy table spread,

Or lure thee to th' unhallow'd bed?

Does he, the foe of man and God,

Couch'd like a lion, near thee wait,

Prepar'd to taint thy tongue with fraud,
Thy hand with force, thy heart with hate?--
Still uncorrupted, undismay'd,

Begirt with truth, in faith array'd,

And fixing on the cross thy view,

SOLDIER OF CHRIST, BY THIS SUBDUE!

I remain, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

Good-Friday, 1808.

R. M.

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