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VI.

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR TO HIS

FLOCK.

The present truth. 2 Pet. i. 12.

10 April, 1836.

YOUR attention has been called to the directions of the church "that every parishioner should communicate at the least three times in the year, of which Easter to be one." And, if you will refer to the Word for the first Sunday after Easter, last year, you will find that an account was given you of the manner in which these directions were complied with then. be useful to give a similar account this year, as it may perhaps serve, through God's blessing, to awaken attention in some who are living in constant neglect of the Lord's dying command, and refusing the means of grace which he has appointed and it will, at all events, inform the members of the Church of the state of their numbers; and may lead some to pray earnestly for their careless fellow-parishioners.

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At Easter last year, there were only 163 persons in the parish, who were communicants (of which only 117 obeyed the Church, by attending at Easter time.) Before the end of the year these persons were increased to 217; which was the total number of Communicants in the year, out of about 400 who were of proper age to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Of these, seven died, and sixteen have left the parish; so that the number at the beginning of this year was 194. Since this year has begun, five new communicants have been added, of whom one has since died: and thus the whole number of communicants at present in the parish is 198; or about half the number of grown-up people; for ALL of whom Christ died, and to whom He says, "drink ye all of it." Only 112 communicated at Easter; but about twenty-four others were hindered by illness, or other reasonable causes: so

that sixty-two of the Communicants, without any apparent excuse, have neglected the directions of the Church, as to the time for communicating.

It may be as well to make the state of the parish in this respect a little more plain, that no parishioner may be ignorant of it. There are in the parish 143 houses. In forty-four of these, every grown-up person is a Communicant; and in fifty other houses, some members of each family communicate; so that the profession of Christ's religion is made in ninety-four houses. But there remain forty-nine houses in the parish, in which there are no persons who make a reasonable and consistent profession that they belong to Christ, and depend upon His death for their salvation. How grievous is this state of things! May God speedily alter it, by awakening a more earnest care for their souls in all the people.

VII.

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR TO HIS

FLOCK.

The present truth. 2 Pet. i. 12.

19 March, 1837.

ONCE more the season of our great christian Passover has arrived, (1 Cor. v. 7.) and we begin to-day the week of the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church calls upon us to employ that week in an especial consideration of those sufferings, as borne of his own free will for our sins. This can best be done by thinking much of the greatness of our sins, which caused His sufferings, and of the greatness of His love which bore those sufferings. In a country Village like ours, it would be scarcely possible for any number of the people to attend the regular services of the Church, every day in the week; it is therefore better that your minister

should make such arrangements, as will enable the people to profit, during this week, according to the spirit and intention of the Church, rather than by a strict following of the letter of her directions. This was clearly shewn during the Passion Week last year, by the very small number of persons who were able to attend the daily Service appointed by the Church. It has been with a view to this, that your Pastor has carried on the course of instruction, during Lent, by which we have gone through a particular examination of the four first commandments, being the first table of the law of God. Those who properly attended to this course of instruction, cannot fail to have found how much cause there is to humble themselves deeply, and sincerely, at this season. To help you all in fulfilling the intentions of the Church, during Passion Week, the following arrangement is made. For the purpose of bringing to mind a clear understanding of the sufferings of our Lord, those parts of Scripture which contain the History of each day in that eventful week, are pointed out day by day in the Calendar. (An account of this daily History was given in the Calendars of Passion Week in the

years 1834 and 1835.) Scriptures, on each day, as they are placed before you. For the purpose of helping (through divine grace) to bring you to a really humbled sense of your sins, which caused those sufferings, your Pastor will meet his parishioners during the week (see Calendar), and will assist them in applying the Lent course of instruction. On Monday Evening, he will attend at the School-room, and apply the Questions at the end of the. Text Papers No. 2 and 3. On Tuesday he will attend at the Rector's Room, and apply the Questions at the end of the Text Paper No. 4. On Wednesday at the Cottage Reading, he will apply those at the end of Text Papers No. 5 and 6. On that evening at the Lecture, he will explain Psalm xxii., which is a prophetic account of the Passion of

You are advised to read these

Christ. On Thursday there will be a Sacramental Meeting. On Good Friday, the usual public services will take place, and the Communion will be administered.

It is still necessary to call your attention to the arrangement by which the Lord's Supper will be administered twice at this season. The object in view has not yet been attained; and while that is the case, it is the Pastor's duty still to warn, and to urge, whether the people will hear, or whether they will forbear. (Ezek. ii. 7.) The Communion of the Lord's body and blood is the outward mark and token by which a profession is made, that persons desire to avail themselves of the benefits of Christ's death: and, as there is no reasonable excuse for not feeling the desire; nor any, that will hereafter avail, for not coming in faith to Christ; so there can be no excuse which ought to have any weight, to hinder sinners from making an outward profession by Communion. It is well known, that whatever number of members attend the Communion, there are still a great number in the parish who neglect it altogether. It is impossible for a christian to consider this truth seriously, without feeling alarm and compassion concerning those who "thus wilfully abstain from the Lord's Table, and separate from their brethren, who come to feed on the banquet of that most heavenly food." It should also be remembered, that by this conduct, they break themselves off from the Communion of the Church. The Church considers no person as continuing to be a member, who neglects attendance upon the Lord's Table. That it may be clearly understood what is considered neglect, the members are required by her rules, to communicate "at the least three times in the year;" and that proper attention may be paid to the solemn instruction conveyed by this season, it is ordered that Easter should be one of these times. There are many baptized persons in this parish who thus excommunicate themselves from the Church. Is it not to be feared

that they must also be negligent of the means of being admitted into the eternal glory, in which only the true members of the body of Christ will find a place. Eph. iv. 15, 16.

Your

It is but too plain that much deadness and coldness concerning spiritual religion, is to be found in this flock: and that even those who have shewn earnestness in the cause and service of Christ seem to have, in some degree, felt the effects of this state of things. (Gal. iv. 18; v. 7-9.) There should be more evident marks of the Holy Spirit amongst us, in spiritual life, and in holy living. To this end, there wants a more pressing and more patient spirit of prayer. Pastor calls upon every one who feels the truth of this remark, to be diligent in much supplication to God, that for Christ's sake, He may shew forth the power of the Holy Spirit more largely amongst us. Let them take encouragement from our Lord's parables of the friend who at first refused the loaves; and of the importunate widow. (Luke xi. 5—13; xviii. 1—8.) And let them especially use the more earnest diligence during this Passion Week, that by a united effort, we may obtain the blessing that God is willing to give.

VIII.

THE PASTOR'S ACCOUNT. No. I.

They watch for your souls, as they that must give account.

Heb. xiii 17.

2 April, 1837.

At the beginning of the year you were told, that it was the purpose of your Pastor to shew you something of the spiritual state of the parish, by making you acquainted with a few simple facts, concerning the numbers of the congregations, and of the attendants on the different means of grace and instruction; comparing the few past years with the present.

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