BAND OF HOPE RECORD. MINISTERIAL DEGRADATION. By Rev. G. W. McCREE. The office of a Christian pastor is the highest, most solemn, and morally dignified that can be sustained by any man. Statesmen and merchants, peers and kings, occupy a lower place. Riches, titles, castles, sceptres, and crowns may fade before the men who can say "We are ambassadors for Christ." They are successors of the companions of the Great Teacher, and may claim alliance with the prophets of the olden time. No worldly patronage can adorn them with higher grandeur, or lift them to a loftier position. Legates of heaven, consecrated to the service of the Divine temple, intercessors for men, a royal priesthood," preachers of doctrines which surpass all others in truth, power, and beauty, and the presumed heirs of a magnificent and immortal reward; they stand in the midst of men like the purple mountains of eastern lands. The functions of the pastor invest him with peculiar interest and social influence. He visits from house to house, and is a conspicuous guest at all christenings, weddings, funerals, and family banquets. He visits both rich and poor, is the friend of the widow and orphan, is entrusted with painful histories, and easily gains the ear of all; for all that is difficult to other men is easy to the Christian pastor-his sacred office opening all doors and hearts. When Who can over-estimate the influence of such men? wise, faithful, and devout, they are a well-spring of life, golden lamps shining in dark places, guides of the erring, comforters of the distressed, liberators of the oppressed, enemies of vice, a terror to evil doers, and the fearless champions of peace and virtue the world over. Can any one tell what good was done by John Wesley, Thomas Chalmers, Edward Bickersteth, John Angel James, Benjamin Parsons, Theobald Matthew, and Bishop Stanley? Their deeds will never die. The centuries which are to come will know their names. The sweet odour of their lives will live for ever. Their destinies are sublime. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever." But, alas, it is known unto all men that the fair fame of the Christian pastor is often obscured. Strong drink spares no man because he is invested with a sacred office, any more than fever spares a young maiden that is beautiful. Indeed, some of the worst cases of drunkenness and concomitant profligacy which have shocked the public gaze have been those of fallen ministers. When a palm tree falls there is a gap in the landscape which all men can see. When a standard bearer is treacherous the whole army knows it. When a star rushes from its sphere all the nations turn pale. Fallen ministers shock all our conceptions of sanctity, and heroism and blessedThey resemble bright angels under a curse; trees of rare beauty blasted by cruel storms; harps of solemn sound with every string made discordant; manna from heaven turned into the poison of asps. "These are spots in your feasts of charity clouds are they without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame: wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." ness. We have known many intemperate pastors, and deplored their fall. Let us write of a few. We knew a fine, tall, fearless, eloquent man-a hero in debate on behalf of the slave. One morning we went into his study, and were surprised to detect the aroma of ardent spirits. An empty glass which stood on the table told the sad tale of the morning dram. Not many years passed away before an awful disclosure made us aware of his ruin. We knew an aged, able man, who had once stood before mighty men as a preacher, but who was then “under a cloud." He came to see us—we were young in the work then -and endeavoured to convince us that the millenium was still far-far away. When he left we said to a friend-"Was he "No; poor man, he often takes a glass." He died We knew a young pastor, and heard him preach a sermon which was "published by request." "When he comes to B. and puts up his horse," said a friend, "he gets a cigar and a glass of brandy." We trembled for his future reputation, and were not surprised to hear that he had become a drunkard. Disgrace followed exposure, and he, his wife and children, were covered with shame. His cruelty compelled his wife to leave him, his children were stolen from him by their friends lest his foul life should pollute them, and if living, he is a beggar and vagabond. sober ?" a drunkard. Such examples of moral weakness and degradation might be multiplied to any extent. The pulpit is not an impregnable fortress where Satan cannot enter, nor can it be affirmed that the office of a pastor renders him infallible. Wine may overcome and enslave and destroy him as it does painted women and vile men, and make him a horror and reproach. It may assault him " as a thief in the night," and cast its fatal spell over him, and drag him down to misery and death. It has done so a thousand times, and its enmity to goodness continues the same. It heeds not learning, reputation, eloquence, high birth, and bright prospects. It can blight them all, and cast deep shadows over all the future of life, and therefore, the only wise and safe plan is to abstain from wine and strong drink. There is high sanction for such a course. "The Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die : it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations." Another great religious teacher was prohibited the use of intoxicating beverages. Concerning John the Baptist it was said-" He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.” Precedents for total abstinence may therefore be easily established, and made to mould and justify modern practice. But we would plead another argument in addition to that suggested. What should be the prime aim of the Christian pastor? Usefulness. Here, then, is the foundation of our plea. We do most conscientiously believe that the adoption of the temperance pledge is an additional faculty for good. After twenty-five years' experience we simply dare not cast away this means of usefulness. It is a "talent" we could not bury in the cold ground of moderate drinking. Other pastors entertain the same convictions as ourselves. The Rev. John Kirk, of Edinburgh, says :-"I once visited a jail,' along with some other friends; and when we entered a cell where four or five criminals were confined, one of our party observed one of them much more simple, and not so hardened in appearance as the rest. We spoke to him, and learned that he had been a servant with a minister whom we knew. Spirits were regularly used in the house; and this servant had acquired the habit of using them when there. His appetite for liquor became so strong, that he stole to appease it, and was in prison for the theft—a ruined young man. O, what has that minister to answer for?" Here, the instrument of evil was ardent spirit, but wine and beer work the same mischief in various localities, and alcohol is everywhere the foe of pure religion. Every Christian pastor man because he is invested with a sacred office, ar thin, is blows, • every sin. 、d Wisdom cries, Do not despise advice, young son and daughter. those evils shun, And, every one, 、 to drink of honest water." A GLIMPSE OF 1821. his ainst JOHN P. PARKER Carriage festivities of the Prince and Princess of Wales Celebrated with great splendour by the nation. How Aro sober and refined we are than our forefathers, let a in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle tell us :— Cursday, July 19, 1821, the day on which the last of the Four was crowned, was auspiciously fine;' and great preparations boon made for the celebration of the event in Newcastle; some of och so admirably calculated to create disorder,' were worthy of a appassive blue lantern.' There was a wine-pant on the Sandhill. Plato were beer-pants at the Spital, the Old Fleshmarket, and the Milkwenket. Double furnaces were erected at the Old Fleshmarket and the pital, between which to roast two oxen (for Mr. Soyer had not taught mankind, in 1821, to roast a whole ox in a fire-encircled cylinder); the fires were kindled at two o'clock in the morning. At six, a royal tute was fired from the castle, and the bells of the churches broke silence. and of the Council in the forenoon, at which a congratuKing was adopted. There was a military display as boat-racing on the river, which did not come ust! The four mail coaches, followed by decorated, made the tour of the principal s, &c., after returning from service in the e drunk the health of his Majesty at was in possession of the populace, So they repaired to the Guildhall, a window, with the accompani 6 1-bells. At the same moment the when instantly a scene of noisy confusion and pots of every description were put in part of the invigorating stream; and though much ne parties were generally successful.' One man, who ssession of the spout, was torn almost naked. After run wards of an hour, the wine ceased to flow; when, having nothing attract their attention, the mob began to throw about the pots, soaked hats, caps, &c.; but, on the whole, were as peaceable as could be expected. The top of the court was crowded with spectators, as was every window on the Sandhill. Many houses had a kind of gallery erected on their tops, with seats for the accommodation of ladies and gentlemen. The pant was totally torn down, and part of it carried away by the moh, during the afternoon and evening.' At the Old Fleshmarket, after Divine service, the ox was to be carved and dispensed. The two animals, ere they were slain, had been exhibited at the Spital, browsing round the furnaces gaily decked with ribbons; and 'as if humanity had not been sufficiently outraged by such an exhibition,' the Chronicle indignantly remarked at the time, 'their dead carcases, with their heads, horns, and legs left on, were paraded in carts through the streets from the slaughterhouse to the places where they were to be roasted, with a degree of pomp and exultation which might have been allowable, perhaps, in an uncivilized barbarian, but was certainly disreputable to any making the least pretence to decency. Altogether, this procession, and the exhibition of the animals on the spits, were as disgusting a sight as we ever witnessed.' The ox roasted at the Old Fleshmarket, transferred from the fires to a platform, was to be carved by four butchers. After cutting the pieces, they attempted to give them out with large poles; but the people pressed' so' strongly that they at last threw them among the crowd, together with the potatoes with which the animal was stuffed. Both the meat, (much of which was still raw) and potatoes were quickly returned to the butchers, who were pelted with them until obliged to fly. The remains of the ox were dragged down to the Sandhill. The furnace was then partly pulled to pieces, and fragments of meat and brick-bats began to fly about in all directions. Many persons received bruises; and the mail-coaches passing at the time were shamefully pelted, and one of the guards much hurt." When the beer had begun to flow from the pant,' it was the object of keen contention, creating many attempts at boxing matches. Before the |