easy upon them; and exempt them from every temptation to be unprofessional, as if this were required in order to be happy. But every man has not this gift. Archbishop Tillotson, whose "decent but grave cheerfulness," says his biographer, Dr. Birch, "made his conversation as lively and agreeable as it was useful and instructing," mentions, in his private diary, as one of the inconveniences of his station, that "It is an uneasy thing to sit always in a frame, and to be perpetually upon a man's guard; not to be able to speak a careless word, or to use a negligent posture, without observation and censure." It is indeed an uneasy thing" to sit always in a frame," and it is not necessary; unless "grave cheerfulness" and conversation "as lively and agreeable as it was useful and instructing," be accounted constrained. Leighton's was far the higher attainment; it was the temper of a bishop of the highest cast; but where such constant "elevation of soul" is not felt, there should at least be an effort not to sink below the level of " ' grave cheerfulness" and conversation "useful and instructing," as well as "lively and agreeable." To descend to levity, frivolity, and banter, does not comport with the exhortation to all Christians to let their speech be always with grace seasoned with salt; and assuredly neither bishop, priest, or deacon, should feel that it is any harsh restraint, even in familiar relaxation, to avoid being a Momus. If his temperament incline him to playfulness, he will strive to aspire at least to the grave cheerfulness" of Tillotson, even if he despairs of attaining the habitual elevation of soul" of Leighton. But our author seems upon principle rather, we should say, from an or apparent personal dislike of devotional conversation - to wish his bishop to find his "cheerfulness" in being unbishoplike; and he speaks with much scorn of those "fools" and "pompous blockheads," who would have bishops and clergymen, yea, and all men, pray to God, like the Psalmist, to "keep the door of their lips" from vain frivolous speech; and to make even their most cheerful relaxation "useful and instructing." The following passage is written not only in disgracefully wretched taste, but in a spirit which shews that the author has much to learn, and more to unlearn, before he can understand, much less desire to attain, the high elevation of the Christian character. He will not, we trust, find any bishop who finds it necessary to recreate himself after his grave labours with quips, cranks, and merry jests," upon the "texts and toast, morals and muffins, sour wine and sourer divinity," of "divines and dowagers," to whom the Bible is not a bore, or devotional conversation a nuisance. "Your lordship must not be afraid or ashamed of relaxation. Amusements are equally necessary to your bodily health and your intellectual vigour; it is possible to contribute to the hilarity of a company without sacrificing the smallest portion of your dignity. There are, indeed, some who cannot comprehend the difference between unbending and abandoning the restraints of station; they are pompous blockheads who make solemnity a vale for stupidity, and who fancy that they are deep, simply because they are dull. General society affords the best relaxation for a man of talent, whose time is much occupied with affairs of great importance.' Yon will derive more pleasure and advantage from society by contributing your share to its hilarity, than by being Your present as a mere spectator. quip, crank, merry jest, occasional fun or facetious conceit, will not only give pleasure to others, but sharpen your own zest for enjoyment. In hours of relaxation your conversation should be, just what fools think it should not be, as little professional as possible. There is not a greater plague in modern times than the divinity of the tea-table; you could scarcely render a greater service to humanity than by lending your aid to abate the nuisance. At all events, you should not encourage it by your example. There is no doubt that the fact of your having pleasant parties will expose you to the calumny of certain cliques, and that stories of your unclerical and unepiscopal demeanour will be hatched in the coteries, or rather conventicles, where texts and toast, morals and muffins, sour wine and sourer divinity, contribute to make up modern evenings at home.' But I e. But I trust that you are not to be daunted by pharisaism produced by the union of divines and dowagers. It is impossible to write gravely on the nonsense vented by the inquisitors of the tea-table." We close the book with much pain, after reading this passage; not because we admire "inquisitors" either at "the tea-table," or anywhere else; or because we think there are not proper times and places for all things; or because we think that a bishop may not cheerfully or even playfully relax; but because such profane sneers, as "texts and toast, morals and muffins ;" and such singularly ill-chosen words as "quip, crank, jest, and fun," to characterize what he considers should be a bishop's social unbending, shew that he abhors the very notion of habitual spiritual-mindedness; and under pretence of ridiculing cant and hypocrisy, is aiming his shafts at that increased seriousness of spirit, among the clergy and religious laity of Ireland, as well as England, which causes religion to intrude "A visitor unwelcome into scenes" 66 sacred to "quip, crank, and merry jest," those graceful and dignified accompaniments to episcopal "wine" unsoured by "divinity." He would have a bishop in com. pany as unprofessional as possible;" by which we understand that all serious, useful, thoughtful conversation, all reference to works of piety and charity, above all, every allusion to "texts" of holy writ, is a mere professional matter; and an unseasonable invasion upon the time and talent rightfully belonging to Joe Miller. The author ought however to have added, in order to prevent mistake, that he meant to confine the "fun and the "wine" to episcopal tables; because such small fry as Deacons, the bishop himself says at their ordination, quoting "texts" from St. Paul, must be "grave" and not " given to much wine;" and may well be content with a "tea-table;" especially as their wine is "sour," their incomes not allowing of the purchase of such as our courtly "layman" condescends to drink with his right reverend friend. VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. re THE approaching parliamentary elections are absorbing every other political and national topic. Before our marks meet the eye of our readers, some of them will have been determined, and others will rapidly follow. But though it may be too late to discuss with much practical advantage particular questions of litigated policy, with a view to the pending contest; it is not too late to urge upon every Christian elector, up to the last moment, the solemn duty of voting, as in the presence of God, in the manner which he conscientiously believes, after the fullest consideration which he can give to the matter, to be most for the Divine glory and the best welfare of his country. God, as well as England, "expects every man to do his duty." ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. S. O. M.; R. N.; Phoenix; Cephas; W.; Oxoniensis; P. and C. P.; are under consideration. We refer a correspondent who addressed us upon the tract entitled "The Sin ner's Friend," to the author's own letter, inserted in our present Number. ADDRESS AT THE FUNERAL OF A YOUNG PERSON. My dear Sir,-The following observations were addressed to a mixed assemblage of Protestants and Romanists, at the funeral of the young person to whom they allude. If you conceive that they are likely to be useful to any reader of the Christian Observer, they are at your service. J. M. H. WHEN I look around upon the large assemblage which now meets my eye, brought together by a cause so solemn: and when I consider that each of you upon whom I now look is the tabernacle of an immortal soul: I cannot let pass the present opportunity of addressing so many whom I shall very probably never again meet on this side of the grave, without offering a few friendly observations,-not of a controversial but a practical kind, in order to improve, if God permit, this solemn occasion to your spiritual benefit. It will readily be supposed that the present scene is, to me, not only solemn but affecting, when I state that on this month, eleven years ago, in discharging my duties as curate of the adjoining parish, I commenced to instruct in the Holy Scriptures the immortal spirit of that young person whose mortal remains are now before us. And I can truly say, that it would not be easy to find one more anxious for instruction, and whom it was a more easy and pleasing duty to instruct. You all must have observed that she possessed a peculiar seriousness and sobriety of demeanour. This, doubtless, was in some degree natural character, but I am convinced was in a far greater degree the effect of divine grace. She had great gentleness and retiring modesty, with, at the same time, an openness of mind, and a simplicity of motive and feeling, which perfectly freed her from shyness a defect which never fails to embarrass those who seldom mix in the society of strangers, and who are much occupied in thinking about themselves. Her modesty was the fruit, not of sensitive pride, but of meek humility, and therefore was free from awkward shyness. It was not the modesty of sex or circumstance only, but of an humble, gentle, and well regulated mind; and she would equally have developed it had she been of the other sex, or under other circumstances. It was a grace of that Gospel in which there is neither male CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 44. 3 M nor female, bond nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus-all conformed to this one model, She evinced a steady, practical desire to read God's word, in order to become acquainted with God's will: and, I do trust and believe, felt a sincere hunger and thirst after the righteousness, not only of justification, but of sanctification, which it reveals. This led her to attend diligently upon every means of grace, and among others upon a meeting held weekly at the house of her uncle, for reading and instruction in God's word, and for prayer. And though she had a good understanding, which she applied with deep interest, and thus soon became well acquainted with the Scriptures, yet there was as little forwardness to answer, as little appearance of display or vanity, as I have almost ever seen accompany talent, in any degree of it. She possessed all that docility and teachableness of a little child without which our blessed Lord tells us we cannot become his disciples. And, indeed, I trust I may with truth say, that she was in spirit one of those little children of whom He declares, “ of such is the kingdom of heaven." In addition to these observations upon the character of the deceased, I will state a few facts corroborative of them, related to me by her mother. And, first, I will mention a circumstance relative to that mother, as an example to every parent, and as furnishing an encouragement to all who in simplicity desire, above every other interest of their children, their spiritual well-being, and the salvation of their immortal souls. They have here an instance in proof of the truth of that gracious promise, that if they will but train up their child in the way that he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. They here see that if they will but honestly do their part, God will not fail in His; but will water with the dews of Divine grace, and fructify, the seed sown. In the childhood of this young person, her mother's parents were most anxious that she should be committed entirely to their care. This opened to her a prospect of much worldly advantage, which however her mother steadily, and even to the annoyance of her own parents, refused. She said she could not answer it to her conscience to deprive her child, for any worldly advantage, of the ministry and instructions of Mr. W——. And I ask you now to say, whether at this moment she has any cause to regret that she preferred her child's spiritual to her worldly interests-the interests of eternity to those of time? But before you answer, look upon that bier and calculate, "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Then, you who are parents, "go, and do likewise." : This young person seldom mixed in the society of her ordinary acquaintance, and never sought it. She had company in her own closet: she had a resource within. She was generally silent: shewed, and among friends expressed, uneasiness at any light and frivolous conversation and, to adopt her mother's expression, "it must be a serious conversation indeed in which she would heartily join." Her placid temper, her mother declares to me, was never ruffled, but was the same in the domestic circle as it appeared to me in our pastoral intercourse. The strongest signs of emotion and warmth which she ever evinced, and these less of anger than of sorrow, were when any, in these latter days of rebuke and blasphemy, spoke irreverently of God's word, and of the blessed truth which it reveals. The principal occupation of her leisure hours, and her chief enjoyment, was in retiring to her chamber, and there reading and studying that word: so that her mother has frequently followed her, and entreated her to lay by her Bible, lest she should destroy her sight: for, in consequence of repeated inflammation, her friends had long apprehended the loss of one of her eyes. The last time she urged her not to injure her eye by constant reading, she, with a quiet smile, replied, If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? Her pious mother ever after desisted, and God was pleased to spare, for her short life, the organ of which she made so good an use. She was much and often engaged in private prayer: and after this sacred exercise, it was her habit to sit alone in her room for a considerable time, in calm and silent meditation. A thousand little traits of this character prove to every spiritual mind that she had much communion with God: that the heavens were opened to her prayer: and that the Spirit of God ascended from and descended upon her. During her last illness, her chest was so heavily oppressed that she could speak little; but that little was cheering and edifying to the friends around her. Her Bible never left her bedside; and, within a few hours of her unexpected departure, she begged that her mother would read to her a chapter from its well known and much loved pages. In allusion to the portion of Scripture which had been recently the subject of a lecture, and which she, at the time, said had much impressed her; and in its spiritual application to the dying Christian comforted and encouraged her, she frequently repeated, as if applying to herself, these words of our Lord, when walking on the sea He drew near to the tempest-tossed and affrighted disciples, "It is I, be not afraid." Scarcely a minute before her departure, she turned in her bed to lay herself in the position in which she suffered least, and requested her mother to retire from her bedside that she might endeavour to sleep. To prepare for that sleep, she ejaculated, in a clear and audible but tremulous voice, " Heavenly Father, have mercy on me.-Lord Jesus, wash my polluted soul in thy most precious blood." She then lay perfectly silent: and when in less than a minute her mother, not hearing her distressed breathing, approached, she perceived that distressed breathing, and all other suffering, had ceased for ever that she had resigned her willing spirit, without a single struggle, to God's last messenger: that her happy soul, emancipated from that earthly tabernacle which vainly strove to press it down, had winged its rapid flight into "boundless realms of joy:" and that her next communion with that child, of whose voice the last tones were still sounding, in the melody of prayer, on a pious mother's ear; beneath the pressure of whose last embrace her anxious bosom still palpitated whom, as she most affectingly expressed it to me, she had always treated more as a companion than a child, and now missed more as a friend than as a daughter: that her next communion with the now glorified spirit of her departed child, companion, friend, must be when they both appeared before the judgment seat of Christ. In speaking thus of the deceased, it is but just, and may be useful, to say, that I thank God she has left behind her, in her own immediate family, and among her near connexions, some who resemble her in her Christian character; and some who I trust as they grow in stature will grow in grace also, and become more and more like her. They have been privileged to witness her good example. They have seen her discreet and pious walk through her short life, Thus have |