Rabbi, at Posen, received Mr. Way with civility; (p. 33.) that a post-master at Polangen, though a Jew, permitted him to leave a Hebrew Testament in his house; (p. 35.) or that the Jews at Berlin, are disciples of Moses Mendelsohn. (p. 24.) Nor can we be much more satisfied with what are called "the encouraging incidents which have happened at our own doors." (Report, 1818, p. 29.) We read, indeed, of some thirty boys, and as many girls, who are at present in the school; but we are not told whether they are the children of Jewish parents or not, and we know how easy it is to sweep the streets of hungry and ragged children, and to detain them for a time by good food, new clothes, and sugared words. We hear also of seven or eight Jews at the Lord's table, of whom there is reason to think well; better reasons we hope than those which induced the Society to form an equally favourable opinion of Judas Catarevus, of Josephson, of Jacobs, of L. Leon, and others, by whom it has been brought to shame.* Well, indeed, does Mr. Simeon remark, that it should not

"Content us to proselyte the Jews to mere nominal Christianity. It is to no purpose to bring their bones together, and cover them with flesh, unless their souls be made alive to God, and they become living members of Christ's mystical body." Report, 1818. p. 16.

We very much fear that few such real Christians have been, or will be made by this institution. Mr. Abrahams, we suspect, has stated the truth, when adverting to the thousands which have been expended in visionary attempts to convert Jews, he asks

"What have they bought for their money but deception? Even those outcasts which the temptation of money has beguiled to enlist under the banners of that Society, would be exceeding happy to return to their own congregation, if they thought they would be accepted." Abraham's Answer to Simeon, p. 13.

This advice, therefore, is well worthy of consideration; and if Mr. Simeon and his friends may hesitate in adopting it upon the recommendation of a hostile Jew, when they recollect

* See Goakman and Sailman-Passim.

upon what authority they are direct ed, first and principally to do good to the household of faith, they may receive it as an evangelical precept.

"Let me recommend you," says he, "to withhold your light from us, and bestow it where it is more required. Endeavour, first, to enlighten upwards of one hundred different sects of your own profes sion, and make it appear to them which sect is right; for was there any Jew willing to embrace Christianity, the many dif ferent sects would confuse him so as not to incline him to put faith in either." p. 21.

Of this we are sure, that the readiest mode of recommending Chris tianity to those who are without, is to rectify the opinions and conduct of those who are within. When our Jerusalem is built as a city that is at unity in itself, then the Jews and Gentiles may be expected to flow into it; but while every fanatical teacher sets up for an Apostle, while every benevolent enthusiast advocates a new plan of conversion or instruction, while the people are carried about by every wind of doctrine, and the very ministers of the Church, who should be the guardians of unity, are, some of them, by their will worship, and independency, the promoters of division, that predicted time may be considered as still far off from us. Our Zion herself must first be established in the beauty of holiness, her breaches repaired, her wounds healed, her dissensions pacified, her pure doctrine asserted, her apostolic discipline restored to its due authority, before the great work of Jewish or of Gentile conversion can be successfully carried on, or they, whose first duty is owed to her, can consistently or blamelessly devote their time or faculties to such an undertaking.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL.

BISHOP HICKES.

THE following extract from an Épistle of this truly excellent and primitive prelate, to the author of a book against which he wrote, shows at once the independent and evangelical character of his mind.

"THESE are the men, whose orácle you are, and whose party language

you speak; calling us, as you think very finely, High Church, High fly ers, and Enslavers of Mankind. But, Sir, to let you and your party see, how little I am concerned at those names, let me tell you, I glory in them, and here make no difficulty to profess to be all that they truly import. I am for the heighth, as well as the breadth, and length, and depth of the Church, that is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. I am as much for the highest pinnacle of it, as any other part, though it may be you would throw me down headlong from it, if you could, as the Jews did St. James, from the battlements of their temple. I also profess to be an Highflyer, whose endeavour is to fly upon the wings of the old principles, which you ridicule, as upon the wings of angels, to my Saviour, to the General Assembly, to the Church (the High Church) of the Firstborn, who are en

ples I now defend, the law in my members, as the Apostle calls the inclinations of flesh and blood, would have me throw them off, as so many manacles and fetters; but the law of my mind, which I take to be superior, will not let me do it, but commands me to go through the straight gate, and walk in the narrow way to heaven. This, Sir, is my unfeigned endeavour, upon conviction, which I cannot overcome; this is my profession, which I must still own, and if you will have it so, my craft, my very priestcraft, by which I am not yet ashamed to declare, I have, as much as I was able, endeavoured, in your sense, to enslave mankind, and deceive the people; but which, in my own judgment, is to set men free from sin, which heathen, as well as Christian writers have always declared to be the greatest slavery of mankind."

FOR THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL.

fles's Tour.

"You see, Sir, I have made a frank confession to you, and therefore you ought not to reproach me, or be angry with me, for my error, if it be my unhappy error. First, because I confess it; and, secondly, because I have enslaved myself by the narrow rigid doctrines of it, as much as I have endeavoured to enslave all other men. Sir, I farther protest to you, that as my flesh and blood is of the same nature with yours; so I have had, and still have as natural desires to be as much at liberty from the severe and sturdy old principles as you. Nay, I will farther confess to you, and all the world, that my first notions, for want of knowing better, had too much of latitude in them; and that since I espoused the princi

"FEW of the doctrines, and little of the spirit which once rendered it" (Geneva) "the glory of the Protestant world, now remain." "The pastors of its churches are, almost to a "On man, Arians or Socinians." Sunday, I debated much in my own mind where I should worship."

Every friend of the truth as it is in Jesus, must enter into the feelings of the Reverend Author in this di lemma. On the holy day, when it had been his delight to resort to pub. lic worship, for both the exercise and confirmation of his faith in the blessed doctrines of the Gospel, he is at a loss, even in a Christian city, to know where he can expect to find them re But there cognized or illustrated. was a refuge. God, in his providence, had provided a sanctuary in which his pure worship could not be alloyed by either the ignorance or the artifice of him who conducted it; and where much instruction in the sincere word of God was ever to be certainly found.

The author bears testimony to this in a style which does credit to the

strength of his understanding, the piety of his heart, and his impartiality as an English dissenting minister. "Aware of the state of things in the churches of Geneva, and ignorant who and what I might hear, I determined for the English Episcopal Chapel. I felt the devotional part of the service extremely edifying, and was much impressed with the scriptural character, and deeply devotional spirit of the Liturgy."

The reader of this interesting volume cannot but regret that the respectable author, who rarely neglects an opportunity of deducing religious and moral reflections from the occurrences of his tour, should have been restrained from a very obvious improvement of the pious satisfaction he experienced on this occasion. Surely the edifying, impressive, scriptural, and devotional Liturgy which afforded him the only certain refuge from the consequences of the spiritual defection of this city, so eminent in the reformation, deserved something more than a mere passing notice. Did it not occur to him (or did dissenting consistency arrest the obvious remark?) that such a Liturgy must be a blessing wherever it is received that to have the public worship of Almighty God governed by its requisitions, as indispensably binding upon him who leads that worship, must be its most effectual security against the pollution of erroneous and strange doctrine?

The sentiments of the eminent Dr. Buchanan are here forcibly brought to mind. Speaking of the Syrian Churches, he says:

"Here, as in all Churches in a state of decline, there is too much formality in the worship. But they have the Bible and a scriptural Liturgy; and these will save a Church in the worst of times. These may preserve the spark and life of religion, though the flame be out. And as there were but few copies of the Bible among the Syrians, (for every copy was transcribed with the pen,) it is highly probable that, if they had not enjoyed the advantage of the daily prayers, and daily portions of Scripture in their

Liturgy, there would have been in the revolution of ages, no vestige of Christianity left among them.

"In a nation like ours, overflowing with knowledge, men are not always in circumstances to perceive the value of a scriptural Liturgy. When Chris→ tians are well taught, they think they want something better. But the young and the ignorant, who form a great proportion of the community, are edified by a little plain instruction fre quently repeated. A small church or sect may do without a form for a while; but a national Liturgy is that which preserves a relic of the true faith among the people in a large empire, when the Priests leave their ARTICLES and their CONFESSIONS of FAITH. Woe to the declining Church which hath no Gospel Liturgy! Witness the Presbyterians in the West of England, and some other sects, who are said to have become Arians and Socinians to a man. The Puritans of a former age did not live long enough to see the use of an evangelical for mulary."

Let those who are blessed with such a Liturgy, be thankful for the privilege. Let them jealously guard against every innovation, which, by lessening a sense of obligation to any part, may tend to diminish a proper reverence for the whole, and thereby gradually deprive it of its wonted efficacy in preserving the true doctrines of the Gospel. If the present writer is not misinformed, the Genevan Churches have a Liturgy, but it admits of the interpolation or addition of prayers of the minister's own composing. Now it is obvious that many of the advantages of a Liturgy may be lost by the use of this liberty.

If we suppose that every part of the prescribed services is not binding on every occasion of public worship, and that the minister is at liberty to add any prayers of his own on such occasions, it is obvious that such omissions and such additions may be practised, as will defeat every good purpose of an evangelical Liturgy. The only safe rule, therefore, is to consider every part of the prescribed services indispensably binding upon

easy style of music than that which is appropriated to the psalms and hymns in metre. They are more uniform; each anthem, psalm, and hymn, having generally a chant peculiar to itself. There is, then, every reason why they should become more familiar to our congregations than the other music. I know not how other minds are affected, but with regard to

GENTLEMEN,

As it is my custom to attend the celebration of divine service in the week, as often as other necessary engagements will permit, I went to Morning Prayer, in Trinity Church, on Wednesday of last week. I can hardly express the satisfaction I felt when we came to the noble anthem Venite Exultemus, on hearing the strains of the fine organ belonging to the Church, and the beautiful chant in which that inspired act of praise is usually performed in the Sunday services. The Gloria Patri after the Psalms of the day, and the Benedictus were also sung. This was rendered the more interesting and impressive from the circumstance of its being a treat very rarely enjoyed on Prayer Days. It gave rise to a variety of reflections in my mind, which I will endeavour to reduce to some order, and take the liberty, with your consent, of obtruding them upon your readers.

I could not help asking myself, why the sublime service of our Church should not always be allowed the additional effect which the primitive and legitimate music of the sanctuary is calculated to impart. By this I mean the chanting of the anthems, psalms, and hymns, which statedly occur. Provision is almost uniformly made for a species of music merely allowed, and by no means essential to the scriptural and edifying character of our Liturgy. Why should that which brings us to a closer imitation of the days of primitive piety, and to a nearer resemblance to what is revealed of the services of the Church Triumphant be more slighted and neglected? The chants are in a much more simple and

music, and scarcely ability to join in it, a sensation of disappointment is experienced, when, after the deeply affecting preparation for praise which is afforded by the part of the Morning Service preceding the Venite, that anthem is not allowed the natural expression which music only can afford, of its lofty strains.

Again; why should not the noble instruments which adorn the temples of our God, and are hallowed to the setting forth of his most worthy praise, be applied to this sacred purpose whenever a congregation of worshippers is assembled ? Is it of less importance at some times, than at others, to have every impressive and edifying effect given to the services of the temple? Would it not tend to remove, in a degree, the indifference of people to the weekly prayers, if there were attached to them the additional solemnity afforded by the sound of sacred instruments? I could propose another very serious question, sug gested by observing that rarely when the exercises of the pulpit are to be superadded to those of the desk, are we denied the pleasure of rejoicing in that sound.

Indulging in such reflections, a singular fact excited some surprise in my mind. How is it that the finest anthem in the English language is uniformly deprived of the effect of music? I mean the Te Deum. I have never heard it sung, but on a few special occasions, and then, by a choir, in a style by no means adapted to the general use of a congregation. In Dr. Smith's collection, it is set to a chant with which the people could very easily become acquainted. And who would not feel his devotion heightened, when its majestic strains

ascend in full and melodious chorus?

Methinks I hear the common objection which this age of spiritual coldness and decline so amply furnish es, that it would take too much time it would be tedious. Now I will venture to assert, that the five or six, or more verses which are not unfrequently sung from the psalms or hymns in metre, together with the goodly symphonies in which our organists seem so fond of displaying their skill, occupy nearly, if not quite as much time, as would the chanting of the Te Deum. But to this we rarely hear objections.

If I am rightly informed, the chanting, in this country, is altogether too slow. Its correct execution would be very little slower than reading, and have all the effect of the natural accent, emphasis, and pause.

The proper improvement of our chanting in this particular, and preventing the unnecessary obtrusion of a species of music which is merely allowed, and was unknown till a very recent age, upon that time which we have hardly to spare for the genuine praises of the sanctuary, would allow us more fully to engage in them, without the unwelcome appropriation of time that we so much fear.

I could not help further reflecting how very few avail themselves of the opportunities of public worship afforded on the weekly Prayer Days. Indeed, it would seem that out of the parish in the churches of which they are statedly observed, few think themselves at all concerned in them whereas it has ever been my impression, that this should be regarded, not as a parochial, but as a public benefit. But few, indeed, even on our solemn festivals (except when there is to be preaching) are seen to go up to the temple at the hour of prayer. It cannot, indeed, but be allowed that necessary avocations may often keep many from the sanctuary, on days when those avocations may be fairly considered duties. But who will not sometimes let them be interrupted by pleasure or worldly interest; and yet how few, by the worship of their God? I have

ever thought that if it should please God to revive among us the primitive spirit of evangelical piety, one of its first evidences would be an earnest endeavour so to arrange the discharge of the various social duties, as not to be prevented by them.from availing ourselves of every opportunity of join ing in the worship of his Church.

I was further led to query, why, in this large city, there might not be es tablished the primitive pious custom for which our Church has so amply provided, of DAILY MORNING and EVENING PRAYER. I think there would always be enough to form a Christian congregation; while it would be providing a facility and frequency of evangelical and edifying worship, very acceptable to many pious and devout people, and which, we might humbly hope, would be blessed to the increase of pure and undefiled religion.

Such, Messrs. Publishers, is the course of reflection into which my mind was brought by the circumstance I above stated. If you think the detail of it will be acceptable to your readers, or calculated to do any good, you will oblige, by inserting it,

Your's, sincerely,

CULTOR CHRISTIANUS. New-York, May 21, 1819.