every day, if they are able to attend. To attain this object, the Bishop has himself set an example of liberality and self-denial which has been followed beyond expectation. The East India Company came forward handsomely, and private individuals and societies contributed to raise the fund. The cathedral is now so far completed as to be ready to be dedicated to God, and the following letter gives an account of the ceremony of the consecration::

66 Bishop's Palace, Calcutta, October 30, 1847. "Rev. and dear Sir,-Allow me to present a few copies of the Final Report of the Cathedral of St. Paul's, Calcutta, for the acceptance of the venerable Society, whose munificence contributed so materially to its erection and endowment.

"The anxious labours and cares of eight years were amply rewarded on the day of consecration, October 8th last. Such a sight had never been seen in Calcutta as on that day. An uninterrupted success had attended the progress of the work. Expectation was all awake. The magnificence of the scene, both within and without the sacred edifice, must have been witnessed, in order to be fully credited.

"Our ordinary Sunday congregations are 300 or 400. On this week-day service at least 1100 crowded the choir, the transepts, the lantern of the tower, and the steps of the four doors of approach.

"As I drove towards the Cathedral, not only the close itself, but all the adjoining fields were filled with carriages, and burst with its rude magnificence upon my view. The variety of equipages, the heathen coachmen and servants, the crowd of native Hindoos, aroused the most earnest feelings and prayer for the conversion of the people to the faith of Christ.

"When I entered the great western door, the whole length of the sacred edifice opened before me-248 feet, including the walls; a sea of heads on all hands; the beautiful picture of the Crucifixion rising above them in the great eastern window; the holy table, with her Majesty's superb service of communion plate; the stalls for

the clergy on the south and north sides of the choir; the Governor-General's and Bishop's seats; the pews thronged with anxious auditors; all was a magic scene.

"In a moment the organ burst forth, and the procession began. Forty Clergy were present, and twenty Divinity Students.

"When the Petition had been read in the front of the sacred table, the procession proceeded down the choir, repeating the sublime 24th Psalm. On its return, a pause was made, to allow the middle aisle to be filled with benches for the convenience of the attendant crowd.

"When Morning Prayer began, it was delightful to find that the hearing was perfect; nothing could surpass the clear, melodious, gentle echo of the reader's voice. The coolness, also, of the choir was remarked by every one; to which the lofty roof, and the double-glazed windows of ground-glass contributed.

"When I ascended the pulpit, which itself is a beautiful work of art, I was overpowered with the sight. The vast multitude were singing the 100th Psalm, led by the superb organ, of which the fine and rich and mellow tones charmed every ear. The anxious eyes of the multitude were fixed in devotion. I believe I made myself heard from one end of the choir to the other: it is 131 feet by 61, and 47 high. May God be pleased to bless. The Society will see the discourse prefixed to the Report.

"At the Offertory nearly 2000 rupees were collected for the Calcutta Additional Clergy Society.

"The Holy Communion then commenced. The Clergy kneeling round the sacred table, all in their surplices, as in cathedrals at home, was a most touching scene. Between 140 and 150 communicants partook of the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord.

"The entire service lasted about five hours. The impression of the whole scene on the native crowds was extraordinary, and scarcely less on the East Indian population.

66

Daily service has been celebrated since, and two full services on the Lord's-day, with every prospect of steady congregations, (about 400 on Sunday mornings, and

from 30 to 50 on week-days,)—and of an abundant blessing upon them.

"But this blessing must, I am aware, come from above. The external building is nothing: the spiritual end, in the conversion and edification of souls is what, I hope, I am singly looking to. The great work is now to be entered on. We have not finished,-we have only prepared for our grand object. I trust, the pure Gospel of Christ, free from all Romanizing tendencies, will be preached in this new edifice from generation to generation; and that the edifying usages and rites of our Protestant Episcopal Church, as settled by Cranmer, Ridley, Jewel, and Hooker, may be most carefully and strictly observed.

"Then will the Cathedral be a centre of grace and truth to heathen India; then will it constitute a pledge and guarantee for the settlement of Christianity in the East; then will it be a seed-plot for a native Ministry: then will it help on the glorious consummation, when all nations shall remember themselves, and be turned to the glorious Saviour, the Sun of Righteousness, and the hope of all the ends of the earth.

With dutitul regard to his Grace the President, and affectionate love to all the brethren, I am, &c.

66 "D. CALCUTTA. "To the Secretary of the venerable Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge."

LINES ON THE DEATH OF AN INFANT.

So young, and yet so soon from earth away,
Could nought suffice to win thy longer stay?
Is there no sweetness in the cup of life,
By thee scarce tasted? Why this early strife
Of flesh with spirit? Infant, tell me why

So loth to live-so nothing loth to die?

Thy speedy flight much blames the sluggard pace
Of worldlings lingering 'midst earth's devious ways,
As though they deem'd it heav'n to loiter here
Amongst the flesh-pots of Egyptian cheer,-
66 'Reprove me not," methinks I hear thee say,
"See with mine eyes, nor wouldst thou wish to stay;
'Twas wise in Him, whose voice has call'd me home
To his blest fold, before I learn'd to roam:

'Twas kind-an act of most especial grace,
To snatch me from this world's precarious race.
Had I lived on, I might have died to God,
But dying soon, I mount to his abode :

'Tis better far to be with Christ above,

Secure within his folding arms of love,

Than to abide the change and chance of time,

The fickle influence of earth's varied clime.

Then mourn me not-but haste-ensure thy flight
To joys eternal in the realms of light."

S. B.

EXTRACT FROM ARCHBISHOP CRANMER'S ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.

BEFORE Archbishop Cranmer was taken to the stake at Oxford, to be burned, in the year 1556, he was allowed to offer up his prayers, and to make an address to the people. Saturday the 21st of March was the day appointed for him to die. The morning being very rainy, the sermon, which was to have been preached at the stake, was preached in St. Mary's Church, where the mayor and aldermen, and many persons, high and low, attended. The Archbishop was placed on a high seat over against the pulpit, that the people might see him. "And when he had ascended it, he kneeled down and prayed, weeping tenderly; which moved a great many to tears.' It was after Dr. Cole had preached the sermon that the Archbishop made his address, containing a full declaration of his faith and trust, and then, among much excellent advice to the people, he gives the following exhortation to them, to cultivate a spirit of Christian love and kindness one towards another.

وو

"I exhort you that you love like brothers and sisters. For, alas! pity it is to see what contention and hatred one Christian man hath to another, not treating each other as sisters and brothers, but rather as strangers and mortal enemies. But I pray you learn, and bear well away this one lesson, To do good to all men, as much as in you lieth, and to hurt no man, no more than you would hurt your own brother or sister. For this you may be sure of, that whosoever hateth any one, and goeth about maliciously to hinder or hurt him, surely and without all doubt God is not with that man, although he think himself never so much in God's favour."

v.

THE NEW CHURCH.

No. XIV.

Ir is pleasing to the pious mind to contemplate the character of Christians in affliction. We know assuredly (because we find it written in the Word of Truth) that "affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground';" so that, in every instance, something is to be learned, and some good extracted, unless it is our own fault. David, in the 119th Psalm, ver. 67, seems to have understood why God had afflicted him for he testifies, "Before I was afflicted I went astray;" but he did not let this knowledge alone satisfy him, for he adds, "but now have I kept thy word." How many now in heaven praise God for their earthly sorrows; and how often are poor wanderers brought within the fold by feeling the hand of God upon them! Nor are they backward to acknowledge, "It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." Sickness is an unwelcome guest, though often a useful one-useful to quicken us to duty and prayer. We may be persuaded, whenever God sends this messenger, there is a "needs be" for his visits, and we ought in self-examination to ask, Is there not a cause? By absenting ourselves from the afflicted, we lose many valuable lessons, as well as opportunities of comforting those who are under the chastening of the Almighty. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." Do not, then, turn coldly from the sorrows

of

your brethren, but endeavour, like your Lord and Saviour, to bind up the broken-hearted. Imitate his example, by constantly going about to do good. Be certain it is far better for the soul "to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting;" and visiting the sick is a most profitable employment. Some may perhaps say, "I have not spirits for so sad an office-my nerves are not equal to scenes of sorrow or sickness.' But, if God so decree, we must have nerve for our own sickness when it comes; and we shall consider our case

2 Job v. 6.