her own.

The business of the State is to see that right is done both to the people and to the Church. The Church will never be able to vindicate her authority until she is fully ready to recognize her responsibility. Depend upon it, if we can but succeed in making rich and poor, master and servant, the tradesman and the customer, understand their duties to each other, that would go a great way in delivering ourselves from our present embarrassment. He concluded by proposing the health of the Queen, and he trusted when the national anthem was sung, they would join heartily in the prayer that her Majesty may “defend our laws," and he would add, may we have judges who will rightly interpret them, and then her Majesty will never want subjects faithfully to obey them." The national anthem was then sung with great heartiness. The Chairman next proposed, " Prince Albert and the Royal Family." The toast was then duly honoured, and the following song was then sung by the choir, the words by the Rev. J. M. Neale :

:

A song for the times, when the sweet church chimes,
Call'd rich and poor to pray,

As they opened their eyes by the bright sunrise,

And when evening died away.

The squire came out from his rich old hall,
And the peasants by two and by three;
The woodman let his hatchet fall,

And the shepherd left his tree.

Through the churchyard dew, by the churchyard yew,
They went, both old and young,

And with one consent in prayer they bent,

And with one consent they sung.

They knelt on the floor till prayers were o'er,

To the priest they gave good heed;

Who would not bless those good old days,
When our Church was a Church indeed?

Christmas was merry Christmas then,
And Eastertide the same,

And they welcomed well with merry bell
Each Saint's day as it came.

THEY thought with love on the saints above
In the pious days of old-

WE toil and we slave till we drop in the grave,
And all for the lust of gold.

But little we'll care what wicked men

May say or may think of ill;

They kept the saints' days holy then-
We'll keep them holy still.

We'll cherish them now, in times of strife,
As a holy and peaceful thing,

They were bought by a faithful prelate's life
And the blood of a martyr'd king.

The Vicar of Ardeley quite agreed with the remarks of his reverend brother in the chair respecting "the Church and Queen," and thought we ought never to cease to pray for "the coming of that glorious time" when "Kings shall be the nursing fathers and Queens the nursing mothers" of the Church. The great enemy the Church had to deal with in these days was the spirit of change, which had intruded itself everywhere, even into the councils of the state. If they looked back a few years, they would see the mischief that had been done by the spirit of change. When old institutions, like old buildings wanted renovation, instead of being carefully restored in all their integrity, and suited to the modifications which had arisen from the lapse of time, they were destroyed, and something else set up in their place. Many of these changes had been particularly detrimental to the interests of the poor, and he would remark on that subject, (as they were met to celebrate the dedication of a church built expressly for the poor,) that he trusted the nation-to use the words of the prophet-would soon "return to the old paths."

Three lusty cheers were then given by the rustics in honour of their much loved Vicar, and the company then proceeded to the parish church, where evening prayer was said, the choir of S. John's taking their places with the Clergy in the old and spacious chancel, and the anthem, "Praise the LORD, O my soul" was sung after the third Collect.

At its close, the company re-assembled in the old barn and partook of tea; after which the village band, of which most of the choir are members, struck up, and an old English country dance was much enjoyed till 9 o'clock, when the parishioners retired to their respective homes, delighted with the festivities of the day.

THE RE-OPENING OF THE CHURCH OF STOKE DAMEREL.

(From the West of England Conservative.)

THURSDAY, the 18th of April, 1850, will be long remembered by many persons in Devonport, as the day on which the parish Church was re-opened, for the customary and sacred services to which it is devoted. Although the building has no architectural beauty, no groined pillars, no "sublime arches," no delicate

tracery, no "storied windows," yet, as the parish Church,—as the place in which their parents worshipped; where they themselves were received by the "one baptism for the remission of sins" into the Christian Church; as the place where themselves and friends had plighted and received holy vows, and where they had been strengthened by the heavenly nurture which GoD provides in His house, and dispenses by His servants, the Clergy; and as the hallowed place in which the last offices of religion were ministered to thedear departed ones,"-by all these and other kindred ties, the old Church, although a plain and hitherto much neglected structure, was more dear and more sacred to many hearts than even "the old house at home;" and this feeling has happily been increasing of late in this neighbourhood, as well as in other parts of the country. Consequently, when the Curate mentioned his desire to repair and decorate the interior of this sacred edifice, they rejoiced in the prospect of seeing their house of prayer beautiful in its services and objects, made more lovely to look upon, and they encouraged their Priest in his good work. He gave to it zeal and energy, and in a few weeks a transformation has been effected, little less than marvellous; and which shows to the earnest-minded Church-restorer, with good taste to guide him, and a resolve to make the best of every particular, an ecclesiastical character and a degree of beauty may be given to even an unpromising building.

We have before stated that the alteration and decoration of the Church originated with the Curate, and that he was encouraged by many of the parishioners to persevere in his intentions. As no Church-rate has been made here for many years, it was necessary to obtain the requisite funds by voluntary means; and we have pleasure in reporting that the Curate's idea was readily responded to, not only by many Churchmen of the immediate neighbourhood, but by some living at a considerable distance, from whom liberal contributions were received. In planning the alterations and decorations, the Curate was assisted by the well known talent and extensive experience of Charles Spence, Esq., one of the Secretaries of the Exeter Diocesan Architectural Society, and author of several ecclesiological papers, &c. The whole of the pews have been cut down upwards of fifteen inches, and all the square boxes abolished. A pew has been removed on each side of the font, to enlarge the baptistery, and several pews at the east end of the chancel-aisle, in order to introduce stalls for the Clergy and choir. The old altar-tables and chancel-window have been removed, and ' a set of very beautiful tables, in Longo-bardic character, with initial letters beautifully illuminated in colours and gold, have been substituted. The whole of the panelling of the chancel is richly painted in blue and white, each of the four tables occupying the centre of a panel bordered with gold and white. The new window is richly stained, and is of a medieval character, and was made,

we understand, by Mr. Beer, of Exeter. It is of simple design, quarries of about the time of Edward III., surrounded by a running foliated pattern. This design was chosen as best suited to the anomalous character of Stoke Church as an ecclesiastical building, and as adapted for alteration and adoption in a Church of Pointed architecture, which may hereafter be erected. The stalls are ornamented with pointed arches, terminating in poppy-heads formed of fleurs de lis. Prayers are said from the north stall, and the lessons read from a lettern (of beautiful mediæval design, the gift of Mr. Moule) placed in front of the pulpit, which has been removed some feet to the south.

At eleven o'clock the organ "swelled forth its solemn and sublime tones" through the Church. The boys, twelve in number, arrayed in surplices, entered, and took their places in the stalls fitted for them on either side of the eastern end of the chancel-aisle. The Rector and Curate, and Assistant-Curates, the Rev. Prebendary Luney, and about thirty other Clergymen in robes, came in in procession. The officiating Clergy took their places in the stalls, others in the seats adjoining, which had been reserved for that purpose. The Rev. W. B. Flower said the prayers.

The sermon, by the Rev. Prebendary Luney, was from Isaiah lviii. 12. "And they that shall be of Thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations, and thou shalt be called a repairer of the breach, a restorer of paths to dwell in." The Rev. Prebendary commenced by observing, that in Holy Scripture the Church of CHRIST was compared to a house, and the individual members to lively or living stones, JESUS CHRIST being Himself the chief corner stone; the ministers were the builders, and were directed and cautioned how to build, and what to build. What the Apostles had built up they had left to their successors to be defended against the malice and fraud of the devil, and the wickedness of designing men. He sketched the history of the Church from the Apostolic times down to the commencement of the Continental reform; adverting, in eloquent terms, to the decay into which the sanctuary had been permitted to fall. He passed on to characterise this Reformation, which differed from that of England in several particulars. It originated with, and was carried on by, the inferior orders of the Clergy, and without the concurrence of the Bishops; and thus the continental Churches lost the blessing and privilege of the episcopate. Their reformers had run into the extreme of casting away the safeguard of the Church, which lay in the episcopate. The best guarantee and protection of the Church was to be found in the Apostolical succession of her episcopacy; and this, thank GOD, was preserved in the English Church. It was interesting, edifying, and refreshing, occasionally to look back on the past history of the Church-to seasons of trial, of adversity, and prosperity; it was

especially so at this time, when there were without fightings, and within fears. He observed they had reason to be thankful that day, that God had put it into the hearts of His servants to remove from them the reproach of seeing the LORD's house going to a waste, while they lived in ceiled houses; and if souls should be converted to GoD in that place, and the piety of the servants of GOD increased, they would have reason to thank God and take courage, that the glory of this latter house, if not in her material, yet in her spiritual character, would be greater than that of the former. He called upon the congregation to become repairers of the breach and restorers of the paths to dwell in, by contributing at the offertory which would follow, and to do so not only because it was a duty, but with the feeling that it was a great privilege. They must take care, while they adorned their Church, not to be contented to rest in ordinances and external objects, but draw the supplies of comfort from GOD; otherwise the temple would be as the body without a soul, a system without a sun, a fountain without

water.

The above is but an outline of an able and eloquent sermon. During the offertory, alms in aid of the fund for altering and repairing the Church were received by the Deacon and Churchwarden, and others. A very large number of persons partook of the Holy Communion, which concluded one of the most heartstirring services held in the Church during the memory of the oldest person who had the happiness to be present.

The Children's Corner.

TALES OF THE MOON.

AFTER THE MANNER OF ANDERSEN'S PICTURE BOOK,

WITHOUT PICTURES: BY THE PRINCESS J-G.

Translated from the German MSS. in the Count E.'s Album, by C. P. P.

It was on a stormy cheerless winter evening that I looked through a veil of dark and heavy clouds upon an old, old castle, and into a sick chamber in which confusion and dismay prevailed; for stretched there on the bed lay a youth in the full bloom of life, his whole frame writhing in agony, his hands convulsively clenched, his features distorted, and his eyes rolling