nothing to render it animating to the Pastor, or engaging to the children. It has become dull, formal work, without estimation, and with but small advantage. In too many cases, it has gone entirely out of

use.

v. To restore the catechising to its due importance, it must not only be done openly in the Church, but, when it is done, it must take the place of the sermon. Objections will, I know, be raised to this proposal— that the people will complain of it—that it will hinder their edification-that it will make the Church unpopular. They are the objections, I presume to say, of those who never made the trial, or made it partially, and without confidence. The true inquiry to be made is, what is right, and what has been experience? It is right, doubtless, that "the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and that the people should seek the law at his mouth." What the Scripture teaches, what the Church enjoins, what his best judgment recommends, and his conscience honestly approves, he certainly must do. And, what he makes it plain that he so does, the people will as certainly allow. They know that the children must be instructed. They know that the Church requires that he should catechise them openly before the congregation. They know that for this service, time must be allowed. They know that to add it to a sermon will exhaust his strength, while it fatigues the children, and is wearisome to them. It is an error to suppose the people blind to these considerations, or deaf to reason and duty. They are alive to

both. They confide in the judgment of him who ministers to them in holy things. They are predisposed to the approval of his godly judgments. Let him convince them that he seeks not theirs but them, let them be satisfied that he would save their children and themselves, and they will object to nothing that he proposes, they will withhold nothing that he requires,— be it consistent only with the Scripture and the Church. Of the good shepherd, that goeth before his sheep, the saying of the Saviour will always be true -calling his own sheep by name, and leading them out, his sheep will follow him, because they know his voice.* And such is the lesson of experience. Where the catechising has been made a public exercise, and diligently administered, it has secured acceptance with the people, and approved itself a benefit to all. Bishop Sanderson, when he was a parochial clergyman, used to spend an hour at evening in the Church Catechism: "whereat," says one of his biographers, “ the parents and elder sort were wont to be present, and from whence they reaped greater benefit than from his sermons; the great principles of religion working more powerfully upon them than his discourses and enlargements."+ "I never yet," says Bishop Fleetwood, "heard catechising in the Church, where I did not see the oldest and the gravest people attend as seriously as any else; and I dare say they were as much edified and more pleased to be so, than the younger."

"In most

*St. John x. 4. + Special Remarks in the Life of Dr. Sanderson, p. 21.

Works, p. 467.

country parishes," says the present Bishop of London, "a catechetical examination of young persons, interspersed with judicious illustrations and remarks, will be of greater benefit to the congregation than a second sermon. "My own experience in every respect confirms the statement of these high authorities. Everywhere, the testimony is, that the catechising at the visitation, transcends in interest and in profit the usual sermon. Once in a month, at least, in every parish-as I have practised with entire acceptance and to great advantage in my own-I most decidedly advise the substitution. I am much disposed to think with Bishop Blomfield, that it were well, if it were weekly. I only differ from him, in believing, that in city, equally with country, parishes, the practice is not only feasible, but altogether to be commended.

vi. It is scarcely necessary to suggest, that in conducting the catechetical exercise, distinctness, simplicity, directness, familiarity, variety, are elements essential to success.-Distinctness is essential to the hearing, first, and then to the understanding, of the exercise. To ensure the hearing of the answers, as well as of the questions, the minister must often repeat them, as they fall from the weak voice of his little, timid pupil: and this, if it be connected with a word or two, in confirmation, if it be right, in correction, if it be wrong; sometimes by way of explanation, sometimes by way of enlargement, incorporating as it were the teacher with the scholars,-will give additional weight and

* Primary Charge, p. 29.

value to the lesson. That its whole tenour may be understood, as well as heard, the questions must be short, the points precise, the order natural-the interrogatory so framed that if the expected answer be not in the words of the Catechism itself, it may be in the fewest words, connected obviously with what precedes, suggesting evidently that which is to follow.-Simplicity of matter and of arrangement is a most important quality in catechising. Let a single train of thought be well arranged in the instructor's mind, before he commence the exercise. Multiplicity of subjects divides, complexity of statement will confuse, the attention of the learner. A single doctrine or a single duty, with its connections and its consequences, will often furnish matter for a lesson. The progress made by weeks or months, from step to step, completes in time the whole great subject, and yet never overtasks the youthful mind. A single truth, a single precept, understood, inculcated, laid to the heart, will fix itself there, and, with the Spirit's gracious aid, will live and grow there. Another and another is presented and enforced. The food received is well digested. The soul is fed and nurtured. "The sincere milk of the word" gives gradually place to the "strong meat." The "babe in Christ" increases "in wisdom and in

stature," and grows "in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."-To this end, directness and familiarity must come in aid of distinctness and simplicity. The Christian Pastor must be as a father among his children. He must know them all by name.

He must arrest the individual eye. He must address the individual heart. To do this, he must come down to the level of every age and capacity. "He is not catechising," says one who understands the subject well, "when he ceases to be perfectly intelligible, easy and familiar."* "He must descend," says Bishop Sumner, "from the high and lofty tone of language, to walk in the humble terms of Scripture." "He must abound in interrogations and direct addresses, which, however the rules of composition may condemn in writing, the rules of nature sanction and require in speaking."+ The great desideratum is to put the children at their ease; and this they will be if they feel that they are talking with a friend. Let your children see that you take pleasure in instructing them. Let them see that what you do, you do from love. Let them feel that immortal souls, for

what you love in them is their which the Saviour died; and lead them thus to lay to heart, while yet the heart is young and soft, the unction of that Blood which only cleanses from all sin. -Finally, let the subject be relieved, the exercise diversified, the attention roused and kept alive, by a

Gilly's Horæ Catecheticæ, p. 148.

+ Apostolical Preaching, p. 11. "The concern of a parish minister," says Archbishop Secker, "is to make the lowest of his congregation apprehend the doctrine of salvation by repentance, faith, and obedience; and to labour, that, when they know the way of life, they walk in it. If he doth not these things for them, he doth nothing; and it requires much consideration to find out the proper methods of doing them, and much pains and patience to try one after another. Smooth discourses, composed partly in flowing sentences which they cannot follow to the end, containing little that awakes their drowsy attention, little that enforces on them plainly and home what they must do to be saved, leave them as ignorant and uninformed as ever, and only lull them into a fatal security. Therefore, bring yourselves down to their level.”—Second Charge.