that you might be blessed with as much light and warmth as you could bear; but you thought, poor wayward ones! you could look upon that sun and live-you thought you could gaze unhurt on the full blaze of that mysterious casket of light, and cast aside the cool leaves of your home which veiled in mercy the exceeding brightness of that light, which was to be unfolded to you by degrees as you could bear it. And mark the punishment; the effect of the light and heat was more than you could safely receive, it brought in your unprepared state, instead of a blessing, a curse, and then you condemned what was given for good to be evil, because you had sought it in an unauthorised way. And then another of my poor rebellious children errs in another way, though the same motive doubtless led both; she saw no good in what appeared to her a useless unmeaning brook, to her the end of the little brook's existence, was to bubble and dance and run to and fro through the earth for its own amusement, and this error arose from the fact of her not looking beyond; if she wished to see the fruit of the little violet's merry life, she should have lingered on the barren earth where she had for the first time gambolled, and in the cracking earth and tiny spot of delicate green which for the first time pressed forth its grateful head and burst its tomb of clay, she would have found an answer to her inquiry What good do you do with your frothy bubbling self?'-and not only to the small and helpless shoot are the benefits of the life-giving brook confined, but the full-blown flower, and stately tree derive sustenance from its fertilizing influence. So you see, my children, how by our imprudence, private judgment leads us to call evil good and good evil. Have I ever deceived you, my children?" "No, no," every voice exclaimed, "we have a mother whom we can trust, she has never told us wrong, we will obey her, we will never again leave our first home, but continue its faithful members and her faithful children to our lives' end." The saying pleased the good mamma, and affectionately pardoning and blessing her children, she bade them continue in the same mind. And to this day Violets in all their sweetness and humility bloom around us, they never stray from their leafy home to roam over open and uncultivated wastes, but there is a tradition among them, that many years ago, some of their ancestors once rebelled, and from that they learned a lesson which the flowers of that race to this day have never forgotten. And if this tradition be translated into our language, we doubtless should find the above tale an account of that rebellion, and the lessons it teaches may not be in vain.

LIZZIE W

Church News.

REOPENING OF THE PARISH CHURCH OF OTTERY S. MARY.

ON Wednesday last, this venerable church was opened with two solemn services, to mark the completion of the great work of internal restoration, which has been in progress during the last year, and which has rendered this glorious edifice a holy and beautiful house" that does honour to Ottery and Great Britain. At an early hour the town was full of visitors, from far and near, who came to be present at what might almost be called its second dedication; and it has never been our lot to record a more impressive scene, within that extensive diocese, than met our eyes as we entered the western door of that time-honoured edifice. It would occupy too much space to enter into details, but we are happy to learn that a full account of the restoration will be published in another form. Suffice it to say, that the whole area has been cleared of the unsightly pews which so lately disfigured it, and occupied throughout with open seats. Every gallery has disappeared, the transepts and a portion of the ancient chancel are brought to the same level with the nave, and a chancel has been constructed on its original elevation, with six stalls on either side, formed by the ancient misereres, and with seats in front for the choristers, and behind for the singing-men. The organ stands in the south transept. The aisles are laid throughout with encaustic tiles,-those in the chancel and sacrarium being of the most exquisite designs and brilliant colours, increasing in beauty and ornament towards the altar. The same observation may be applied to the roof, which is coloured throughout, with the exception of the north aisle. Over the present chancel the painting becomes more elaborate, and is heightened by the introduction of gilding; until the eye rests upon the reredos, the centre compartment of which, with the cornice and its armorial bearings, has been similarly embellished. The same remarks apply to the Ladye Chapel, which has been fitted up for the daily morning prayer. There are many painted windows of great merit, by some of the most distinguished artists in that department. Not the least pleasing features of the church are the beautiful vistas presented by the aisles, with the painted groins and gilded bosses terminating in two exquisite little chapels, which have been thoroughly restored and adorned at the sole expense of the Rev. R. H. Podmore, the chaplain priest. They are fitted up for private devotion or meditative

retirement. The stalls were occupied by the Lord Bishop of Guiana, the Rev. Prebendaries Hale and Dornford (the preachers), the Rev. G. A. Denison, and the Rev. R. L. Webber, Chaplains to the Bishop of Guiana, the Clergy of the parish and district churches, and others who had been formerly ministerially connected with the parish; all habited in surplices. Before them were ranged the choristers, and behind the stalls the singing-men, also in surplices. The remaining portion of the original chancel to the transepts was reserved for clergy, who were present to the number of above 100. The nave and transepts were filled with a large proportion of strangers, who had come hither to testify the interest they had taken in the good work, and to express their grateful thanks to God for its full accomplishment.

Morning Prayer was said by the Rev. R. H. Podmore, the Chaplain Priest. The first lesson was read by the Rev. E. C. Lowe, Head Master of Hurstpier-point school, near Shoreham (formerly an assistant-curate in this parish), and the second lesson by the Rev. A. A. Hunt, Perpetual Curate of the District Church of S. John's, Tipton. The Rev. G. E. Deacon, the Senior AssistantCurate, said the Litany, and the Bishop of Guiana administered the Holy Communion, assisted by the Rev. Prebendary Dornford, the Rev. G. A. Denison, and the Rev. Dr. Cornish, Vicar of Ottery S. Mary. At the conclusion of the sermon, the Offertory was collected from the whole congregation, and amounted to £110, after which the Holy Communion was administered to 210 communicants. Evening Prayer commenced at 4 P.M. The Rev. Prebendary Dornford preached an appropriate discourse from the text, "The poor have the Gospel preached to them," in which he especially addressed himself to the parishioners on the privileges to which they were admitted by the daily services which are henceforward to be celebrated every morning and evening throughout the year, and the responsibilities which such privileges bring with them. There was a baptism after the second lesson, at which, for the first time, the magnificent font, composed of Devonshire and Cornish marbles, (the splendid gift of Mr. Hope, the great benefactor of S. Augustine's College,) was uncovered for use.

Thus ended a day long to be remembered, not only by the parishioners of Ottery S. Mary, who from day to day continually will have cause to be thankful for the good work now brought to a conclusion; but also by all those whose happy privilege it was to assemble within these holy walls for prayer and praise, and thanksgiving, and Communion. They will carry with them, some of them across the waters of the broad Atlantic, an enduring recollection of these solemnities, as a bright spot in their remembrance of the pure and simple rites of their Mother Church, in all the "beauty of holiness." And, even in our own favoured diocese, it is not too much to hope that the order and arrangements of its services, in

exact accordance with the requirements of the Church's laws, will commend them to the hearts and affections of her children.

CHURCH MEETING AT GRAVESEND.

AN important and interesting meeting of Clergy and laity took place at S. John's, Milton, next Gravesend, on Thursday, the 16th May, being the octave of the Ascension. The proceedings commenced with full service in the Church, and Holy Communion; after which about sixty sat down to dinner at the house of the Incumbent, the Rev. W. J. Blew. After which, many earnest addresses on the present condition of the Church, and the remedies for the anomalous position which that (our LORD's kingdom on earth) now occupies, as being under the governance of those who are, or may be, external to it, were delivered. Such meetings, carried on in such a spirit, cannot but do good, in calling forth zeal and perseverance in behalf of our Church.

The Cabinet.

Meanwhile, can we doubt what is the duty of every Christian towards the particular Church in which God's mercy has assigned his lot? To adhere to it with all thankfulness and meekness; "to obey them which have the rule over him, and submit himself," "esteeming them very highly in love for their work's sake;"+"to love the brotherhood;" to hold communion in all acts of worship, above all in that the highest of all the Holy Supper of the LORD, which is the very golden cord of unity, binding together in one the whole Body of CHRIST on earth; "For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread."-From a Charge delivered by Henry, Lord Bishop of Exeter, in 1842.

BAPTISM.-Unless it be believed to be the real means of union with the Manhood of CHRIST, it can only be a

*Heb. xiii. 17. † 1 Thess. v. 13. 1 S. Pet. ii. 17. § 1 Cor. x. 17.

superfluous and unnecessary action. Man may seek further causes of this movement in GoD's immediate influence on the minds of His creatures (they may assume that in some cases there is an arbitrary gift of prevenient grace), but such a theory leads directly to Fatalism, because it implies that these renewing gifts, without which corrupt nature cannot be restored, are bestowed only on those whom the ALMIGHTY, by arbitrary selection impels to use them. And to rest the efficacy on foreseen obedience is to suppose that God's Grace can be purchased by human merit.R. I. WILBERFORCE.

BAPTISM.-Put the arguments used against the grace of Baptism in a worldly, not a spiritual good; in matters of estate, not of the soul; as a judge in a case of civil citizenship, not of being a "member of CHRIST"? If the child dies, he will not inherit the property; if he is a spendthrift he will waste it, why should he have it at all? or when he has wasted it,