Entroduction.

To prepare the soul of man to pass into the presence of its Maker, to guide it in making itself ready for the great judgment, to assist it in so judging itself that it may stand before that Judge Whose sentence is eternal and unalterable, is an office the very thought of which is enough to make the heart of him who is called upon to perform it tremble. And then to have to do this for all kinds of men; for the hardened in sin, for the selfrighteous, for the penitent, for the despairing, for the unfortunate, so long sunk in vice that the very notion of what sin is, and what real repentance, is almost obliterated; and then, too, to have to comfort and sustain him who, at the close of a holy and religious life, looks with sure trust and hope, yet with trembling (for who shall stand when He appeareth ?) for the coming of his LORD; this is what the Minister of the Church is called upon to do; this is the real wearing difficulty of the Christian Priesthood. To be able not only to realize, but in some measure to sympathize with, the sorrows, the sufferings (bodily as well as mental), the fears, the hopes, the aspirations, the anxieties, even the terrors of those to whom he ministers, that is what the guide of souls must strive to attain to, if he desires his direction, his exhortation, his consolation to be useful, satisfying, and comforting to the sick. Kai πρὸς ταῦτα τίς ἱκανός ;

To endeavour then to provide the Clergy with a regular system of preparation for this difficult office, or with a complete essay on its performance, would require far more extended space than this opportunity affords. We can here only attempt to give to our brethren, especially those of the younger Clergy, some hints on the method of visiting the sick, and on the use of the following Offices, for the most part gathered from standard writers of our Communion, and tested by our own experience in such or such like cases. And as we make no pretence to furnish a dissertation, or to establish any theory of our own, our brethren will expect from us rather the results and conclusions arrived at in the course of our studies for the compilation of this volume than the abstract reasons which have guided us to them.

A Priest of the Church of England will guide himself in visiting the sick by the instructions and intimations of her intention with which she has furnished him in her two Offices for the Sick :-the Visitation and the Communion. This is, as the best and safest, so indeed the only dutiful course her Minister can follow. And to assist him herein, we shall proceed at once to make an examination of those Offices and their rubrics, with such remarks as may guide him in the performance of his duty in the visitation of the sick. "When any person is sick, notice shall be given thereof to the Minister of the Parish, who, coming into the sick person's house, shall say."

From this opening direction we see that since the sick man is unable now to join himself bodily or externally to the Church, the Church is, in the person of her representative, the Minister of the Parish or place, to be brought into the sick man's chamber. And here it seems fitting to make some general remarks on the immediate preparation, the method, and time of proceeding to the sick man's house.

In parishes of moderate size in a rural district the people will be individually so well known to the Priest, that notice, in the sense probably contemplated by the

rubric, will not be needful. "A good Pastor," in such a case, as Bishop Wilson observes, "will not stay till he is sent for." But in more extended districts, in our over-grown and over-crowded town parishes, and in the great missionary tracts of the colonies, no such particular acquaintance with his flock can be hoped for or attained, as will enable the Pastor to be cognizant of every case of sickness. In all cases therefore it is to be recommended that the Priest, both occasionally in his public and constantly in his private instructions, advise his people to give him notice whenever either they themselves or any in their families are sick.† And this they should be advised on no account to postpone until the sick are in the last extremity: for they should be reminded that sickness is GOD's visitation to lead them to careful and improved lives in the event of recovery, as well as to preparation for death; that no one can tell, without careful examination, how much preparation any one needs for death and judgment; that repentance and perfect reconciliation is at all times a work of importance, and often of difficulty; and that the Clergyman's visit must be most advantageous while the sick man is in full possession of his mental powers. The officers of the Church also, as the Churchwardens, Clerk, and others, should be often Parochialia. Works, i. 428.

+ In connection with this point, though rather beyond the immediate object of this Introduction, we may observe that should our brethren in their pulpit instructions not merely recommend, as above suggested, that notice be given by their parishioners to them when they are sick, but also take occasion from time to time to explain the nature and the importance of the offices they are called upon to perform to their sick brethren, and the religious duties to be performed towards and to be expected of the sick, their parishioners would be found to reward their pains in many ways; not the least recompensing of which would be a more reverent care and provision for the occasion. The family and friends would be less at a loss as to the best means of discharging the duty now looked for at their hands; instead, by their evident want of preparation, of rather perplexing than assisting the Minister in the comfortable discharge of his office. A family thus instructed would at least be ready in attendance with their Prayer Books to assist in prayers for the sufferer; and would want no directions when to kneel, or what otherwise to do, but would understandingly and feelingly perform what was expected of them.

reminded to inform the Priest of any case of sickness coming to their knowledge; and that not only as a matter of courtesy, but even as an implied, if not a direct duty to the Church whose officers they are, and an act of charity to their fellow-parishioners. So likewise the people of all classes should be encouraged to communicate freely to their Minister all cases of sickness among their neighbours or friends; and especially such persons as lodging-house keepers, nurses, or the like, who from their callings are likely more particularly to have the sick under their observation. And here it is almost superfluous to point out how much may be done, not only in this particular, but in many other important parts of the ministry to the sick, by medical men in a parish. It is most essential to invite and encourage them to point out to the Priest such cases of sickness, among all classes, as come under their notice. And we may remind our brethren that the most certain way to induce such notice of sickness, whether on the part of the sick themselves or from others, is by readily attending to it, and showing the people that the information has been always thankfully received, and speedily acted on.

Notice having been by any of these means received, it will be advisable for the Priest to ascertain from the person giving it, or on arrival at the sick man's house from some about him, before he enters his presence, the points contained in the Inquiries which he will find at p. 3. The answers to these inquiries will enable him to make such preparations as he may deem requisite, whether externally for ministering, or mentally for conferring with the sick.

And under the head of external ministrations, let us not be thought to descend below important matters if we allude to dress and demeanour. For let it never be forgotten that the Priest goes to the sick man as his Minister, as the representative to him, for the time, of the Church to which he belongs, and as the Ambassador of GOD. This is what the sick look for and desiderate in the Clergy who visit them, and this is what none other can be to them. Kindly offices, con