THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN, CIRENCESTER. THE church of Cirencester, in the county of Gloucester, is a magnificent structure, in the decorated English style, erected in the fifteenth century, containing a nave, seventy-seven feet long and seventy-four broad, side aisles, chancel, and five chapels. A handsome embattled tower, 134 feet high, ornamented with statues and pinnacles, stands at the west end; and on the south side is a very curious, richly-ornamented porch, thirtyeight feet long and fifty high. It is richly decorated externally with grotesque figures, carved niches, canopies, &c., and internally by radiated tracery, and of a character not elsewhere to be found. Within the church are two rows of clustered columns, five in each, which, with two pilasters at each end, support the roof. The east and west windows contain some fine specimens of stained glass, collected from the others, and which VOL. XVII. had long lain in a mutilated state. The brasses with which this church abounds are rich and curious. "The merchants in wool, for which this and the surrounding districts were remarkable, traded, in the fifteenth century, with the manufac turers in Flanders, where these brasses were made and given in exchange.' The chapel of St. Catherine is regarded as the most curious, supposed to have been erected by Richard Osmund, of whom there is a stone effigy. There is also a fresco painting of the martyrdom of St. Catherine, 34 feet in length. In Trinity chapel are some remarkable brasses, representing William Prelatte, esq., and his two wives, bearing date 1462; a marble monument, with the busts of Allen, first earl Bathurst, and his lady; and another to the memory of lord chancello Bathurst, his son, who died in 1794. The other chapels have all, more or less, objects worthy of examination. FF Outside of the church, under the parapet of the north side of the nave, is a remarkable range of sculpture, of a series of figures, habited as minstrels, with various musical instruments, representing "a Whitsun ale." Under the parapet on the south side is another series of figures, illustrative of the serio-comic pastimes of the date when it was erected. A fund bequeathed for keeping the church in repair now amounts annually to 2671. 9s. 4d. Two other churches in Cirencester, one dedicated to St. Lawrence and the other to St. Cecilia, have long been in ruins. There was formerly at Cirencester a rich abbey, founded in 1117, for Augustine monks, by Henry I., originating from a decayed college of prebendaries. The buildings were finished in 1131, and the church dedicated to St. Mary and St. John. It was built in the Saxon style. Many grants were made to it by successive monarchs, and, ultimately, on the twenty-first abbot, William Best, were conferred the mitre and pontificals by the pope. At the dissolution of the monasteries, the buildings were ordered, by royal mandate, to be destroyed. The spot where the church stood can now hardly be ascertained; and of the other portions only very few remnants are to be seen. Cirencester is a place of great antiquity. It was the seat of a Roman colony; and many most curious and interesting relics have been, from time to time, discovered. Nor is it less conspicuous as a place of historical interest in modern times, more especially in the civil wars and during the commonwealth. The inhabitants adopted the cause of the parliament. It was plundered by the king's troops A.D. 1642. The town was recovered by the parliamentary forces A.D. 1643. Strange to say, the inhabitants were strong partizans of the Stuart cause at the revolution; and the first blood then shed was at Cirencester, where captain Lorange, of the county militia, attacked lord Lovelace, on his march to join the prince of Orange. The captain and his son were killed; but his men made Lovelace prisoner, and committed him to Gloucester gaol. THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL. BY THE REV. P. H. GREENLEAF, Rector of St. John's, Charlestown, U. S. TO-DAY, the Christian world presents the sublime spectacle of one vast cloud of incense ascending from earth to heaven: men of every clime and every language and every tongue, men differing widely in opinion, in interest, in intellect and position, do homage to the Saviour. What but the power of the gospel and the energy of its lifegiving principles could bring together so many discordant elements, and send up, at once, toward heaven the homage of the earth? The incarnation of Jesus, and the glory of his kingdom, are still the wonderful themes into which "angels desire to look" (1 Pet. i. 12), and are not able. Redeeming love causes (Luke xv. 7) joy in heaven, as well as upon the earth; and no theme more stirs the deep fountains of gladness among all the servants of God. And therefore it is that we keep this festival season. We would give one day to its distinct and joyful remem brance. We would connect it with our holiest hopes, our best affections, our most endearing and time-honoured associations. Let it not be supposed that we attach an undue importance to this festival, or are disposed to revive or continue its superstitious observance. Its antiquity might prove the piety of our fathers; but, unless we could show its practical utility, unless we had some important truth to commemorate, some salutary influences to be sent forth in its observance, we would not ask it to be preserved, nor could we expect it would retain such hold upon the public mind as to be of any real value in the subserving of truth. We do not profess to be of those philosophers, who affect to despise "subsidiaries in religion" (as though men could go where these are not), and who would live independent of external influences. On the contrary, such is our nature, so are we constituted, as that we are incessantly acted upon by the men and things which surround us. Hence, from the time when the morning stars sang together for joy (Job xxxviii. 7), and angels chanted the glad tidings of salvation, music and voice have been employed to awaken devotional sentiment and enkindle piety. And not only eloquence and song, but painting and architecture have lent their aid to awaken pious feelings, and produce, as well as increase, devotional sentiment. Hearts, hard and perverse, insensible to argument and reason, are sometimes softened and swayed by the influence of sensible objects and sounds. And the power of these influences you cannot measure. They are not confined to a single spot, or a single mind. They spread on every side, like the undulations of the smitten water. They reach those who never saw or heard them. They extend their impressions, circle after circle, to distant generations," as the small pebble stirs the peaceful lake." To such influences we would give a direction: we would address the eye as well as the ear: we would employ these subsidiaries in the preservation of truth, and to promote and cultivate the practice of piety. Our festival commemorates the incarnation of God for the salvation of men. Can an event be selected more wonderful than this-one fraught with richer blessings-one better deserving our commemoration? Let us consider, for a moment, the condition of the world in the day when Christ was born. The remains of that age are the admiration of our own. Its marbles, its paintings, the magnificent fragments of its genius, its learning, its poetry and song, give proof of man's intellect and skill. And, however moderns may vaunt of their improvements in Christian philosophy, and their advance in the science of a God, much of both is older than Christianity, and too often is but a revival of pagan wisdom. Yet these monuments of antiquity are also monuments of man's ruin. Vestiges enough remain of his genius, his wisdom, his intellect, to show the impress of divinity; yet, disjointed and turned from the purposes of their creation, they betoken his fall. The whole world lay in moral ruin. The knowledge of a true God, his law and will, had almost faded from human tradition; and, though conscience still lingered in the soul, like a spirit of the departed, unwilling to leave even the ruins of the palace which it once 66 occupied" (Wolfe), the mind was debased, the man was lost. Under these circumstances, God at this time became "manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. iii. 16): Jesus was born at Bethlehem. The angel, who sang at his birth, called him "a Saviour;" and he proved to be, as the holy Simeon said, "the light to lighten the gentiles, the glory of Israel" (Luke ii. 32). He came the predicted Messiah, the Way of life (John xiv. 6)-to sanctify the soul (Heb. xiii. 12), to forgive the sins (Matt. ix. 6), and to save and bless mankind. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, in these last days spake unto men by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power" (Heb. i. 1-3), came to the earth for the redemption of men. The day, therefore, which ushered Jesus unto the world, was the birth-day of all those hopes of reconciliation with God, of restoration to purity, of happiness beyond the grave, which to us sinners are the chiefest and choicest blessings. every coincident between us and Rome, some fear to give currency or countenance to the observance of this day, because, from its origin and circumstances, they judge it has become identified with Roman superstition. In their apprehension and alarm we could well join, at every proof of the growth of this schismatical church, or the increase of its principles. But, if the simple fact of either reception or original at Rome is good cause for the rejection of a Christian institution, many things far from being objectionable would share its fate. We admit neither its Roman origin nor its identity with Roman superstition. It is identified neither with Rome nor Greece nor Syria, nor with any national church. We claim for it that it is catholic, apostolic, scriptural. But, even if it had original at Rome*, is it good philosophy and sound argument to reject any thing because it flows through an imperfect conductor or an unsightly channel? May not the water be pure, though the pipe be leaden? May not the scriptures be God's word, though Jewish bigotry and Roman intolerance have been their keepers? in its favour. But the real question is, not whence it came, There are some objections made to the observ- but why it is used; and, until its observance be ance of this day as a religious festival, which, shown to be unscriptural in its original or misbecause they are current, and to some formid-chievous in its tendencies, I claim your judgment able, would seem to require particular notice. It is said that this institution, not being the subject of a divine command or express injunction, has no warrant from scripture, and no place in a religion which has abolished legal ordinances. To this it may be replied, that the fact commemorated, and its attendant doctrines and influences, sufficiently indicate the scriptural nature of the festival. There needs no express law to make its subject and theme interesting to the Christian mind. While men live who trust in a Saviour's cross, that which called forth angel-song should breathe in sacred harmonies on earth. It is sometimes further objected to this festival, that the day we observe was not the true birthday of Jesus, and therefore its observance should cease. I deny both the premises and the conclusion. Although we have no certain proof as to the time when this day was first observed in the Christian church, yet, because it was at a very early period kept as the true day+ by those who, from their position, had ample opportunity for knowledge; because it was at so early a period generally thus observed, and because the church for so many centuries has agreed in this judgment, we affirm that it is the true day, and place the burden of proof to the contrary upon those who deny it. The time of the officiating by Zacharias in his course, and the conduct of Herod in the murder of the holy innocents, are strong collateral proofs; while the general tradition, and the absence of any other assumed day, strengthen our opinion. But, admit that we are mistaken, does it therefore follow, that we should cease to observe it? We do not rest its expediency or propriety upon it as a birthday, but as a conventional period, generally designated for commemorating an important truth. Does it add nothing of interest to the day, that almost a world's population are sending up their anthems with ours? Does it form no reason for keeping this high festival, that it can, Nothing is commanded in the New Testament which is not of the essentials of Christianity. Belief and obedience, faith and repentance, the word and the sacraments-these were at the first enjoined. All else was left to apostolic direction; where the apostles left no direction, then to the decree of Christ's church; and, where neither the gospel nor its apostles nor its church directed, then to the individual judgment. Now, the keeping of Christmas is not an essential article of Christian doctrine. Like the ritual of the service, and the mode of worship, this institution is left to the discretion of the various branches of Christ's church. In the exercise of this discretion, that branch of the church catholic to which we belong has enacted its observance; and in that enactment we have the concurrence of the large majority of Christians, and, as we think, the warrant of primitive usage and common sense. Nevertheless, we prescribe it not for others, but for ourselves. And, though it is painful to know that any blame us for the observance of an institution which partakes of the nature of a domestic regulation, yet, as we base its observance only upon the expediencies and proprieties of the case, our rule is, here as elsewhere, "Let every man be ground for fixing upon that day, as men now have for celebratfully persuaded in his own mind." Another objection to this festival arises from another and a better source. Apprehensive of the increase of popery in our country, alarmed at This we deny, although its observance was enacted by Julian, bishop of Rome, A.D. 345 (Giesel. i. 292). "It is found marked as such in a Roman calendar supposed to have been compiled in or before A.D. 354" (Pilk, Evang. Hist. 45. Introd.) + Giesel. Eccl. Hist. i. 292. ↑ St. Chrysostom, tom. 5, hom. 33 (in 4th century) uses this language: This day is of great antiquity and of long conti nuance, being famous and known in the church from the beginning." It cannot be denied, that the fathers of the church, in the days here called "the beginning," may have had as good ing the landing of the Plymouth colonists, on the twenty-second December; the direct evidence of which may be as much lost to posterity, as that of the day of the nativity would be to us, had we no other testimony. St Augustine, also, mentions the Quoted by Dr. Pilkington, Evang. Hist. Chron. Dissert. p. 46). same fact (Sermon 18, de Nat. Ch. de Trinitate, lib. iv. c. 5. more than any other institution, unite the greatest | because we would, on this day, commemorate a number of souls in an act of religious homage? manifested divinity, because we would annually Surely, if so many Christians are agreed in this trace the distinct outlines of this truth, and keep great act of annual thanksgiving to God for the it in memory for ever, we set apart this day, and, blessing of a Saviour, it forms good cause for our by every endeared recollection and hallowed assounion with them to consecrate this day to the ciation, would consecrate it as the birth-time of nativity of Jesus. our blessed Redeemer, and, therefore, as the beginning of that "mystery of godliness" by which the Word, on this day made flesh, gave us " the power to become the sons of God." But here, again, the force of our argument is evaded by an allegation, that there is not such an agreement of men in an act of religious homage, but only in an act of festivity, often riotous and unhallowed. The Christian sabbath tells of the Christian's Saviour: it comes to us teeming with memorials and sacred recollections; yet, if it present any one fact in our Lord's history, or any one truth of his gospel, more prominent than another, it is the fact and truth of the resurrection. The Christian "communion of the body and blood of the Lord" excites in the pious soul liveliest emotions of gratitude, and brings to "remembrance his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension;' and in the memorial we make, and which he has commanded, as often as we eat that bread and drink that cup, we do show the Lord's death till he come (1 Cor. xi. 26). He must be a bold man who should review the thousands of Christian altars in the civilized world, where, to-day, prayer has been made, and gaze upon the kneeling millions who render, today, their thanksgivings, and say, "there is no homage there." The ancient prayers, the hallowed services, the anthems which peal from so many temples, and the "tables of the Lord" spread in so many lands, sufficiently indicate the intention of the assembly, and the agreement of Christian minds in an act of religious adoration. The truth is, however, that the fountain of human action sends forth even its purest streams more or less contaminated, and no tide of human feeling But, when we set apart a day as the memorial long flows uncorrupt. And, therefore, you can of his birth-time, we bring into strong relief the never secure man's best religious offerings from specific event we commemorate. Its distinct retaint, or his best institutions from perversion and membrance tends to perpetuate the recollection of sin. The Christmas festival, like the thanks- its supernatural character. It draws close the giving-day of New England, is a human institu- attention to its remarkable circumstances. The tion; and both are frequently perverted by un-day stands up as a memorial column in the year, hallowed festivities. But would it be fair argu- inscribed with the fulfilled prophecies. We make ment and good philosophy to say, that there were it distinct testimony to the divine character of our no grateful hearts in this commonwealth upon a Redeemer; and it becomes, therefore, a witness to thanksgiving-day, because so many persons dese- us, and to our children's children, that the Word crate it? Or would such perversion be considered which was in the beginning with God, on this as good cause for its abolition? Clearly not. day was made flesh, and dwelt among us" Rather would we save it from being corrupted, (John i. 14). and sanctify it by acts of piety and devotion. Christians every where consecrate this sabbath as holy to the Lord. And thus would we ever commemorate the birth-time of our Redeemer*. We hallow it annually by the eucharistic sacrifice, the highest act of homage known to our religion. We devote it to religious festivities and grateful acknowledgments of the goodness of God. It is to us the day of the incarnation of Jesus. His marvellous birth, his holy office, his divine character-these are the themes of our thought. If he were only a man, we might turn over the remarkable circumstances of his birth to the page of history. If he were only a man, we should consider his virtue and his obedience but his bounden duty and reasonable service. If he were only a man, we should never dream it could be true that his blood could cleanse from sin (1 John i. 7); and truly, if he were only a man, the story of the angel-songs at his birth-time is but an embellishment of antiquity. But, when we consider him as divine, as the manifested God, the event we commemorate is at once invested with an august and sublime character. It was an event fitting to be a world's wonder, and worthy to be ushered in by "a multitude of the heavenly host singing and praising God" (Luke ii. 13). And, therefore, "This festival is the most improper season (if there can be one more than another) for impiety and wickedness, and a most notorious aggravation of it, because contrary to the design of our Saviour's coming into the world, who was made manifest, that he might destroy the works of the devil' " (Comp. for Festivals, edit. 1715, p. 72). 66 SABBATH MEDITATIONS. No. XXVI. DECEMBER 22.-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. "Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him."-ISA. xxx. 18. Meditation. "Lord! in these hours of sacred rest, when workday cares no more molest, When hushed awhile is this world's din, and calm without aids peace within, Good Lord, our darkened spirits bless with the sweet grace of thankfulness. For every word of truth that falls within thy church's hallowed walls; For him who left to-day the tomb-our Saviour For all his merits, bought for men,-bless'd be the of ours be in that shall never be afforded a meal! whereas now there is a constant diet provided for them every Sunday, if we will conscionably employ it, may be a festival day to them, may bring them in such spiritual food as may nourish them to eternal life" (Author of the Whole Duty of Man). Baily). EVENING. "Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."-1 JOHN ii. 5. Meditation.-"It is our part to lead our life in godliness, to desire God with hearty and fervent prayers, that it may please him to make perfect that thing which he hath begun in us, to help and strengthen us, that by his grace we may be able to do those things which he hath commanded us, and that he will auginent and increase our faith in us; for the prayer of the unfaithful is nothing worth before God, and without faith it is impossible to please God'" (Abp. Cranmer). Prayer.-"O Lord most high; O God eternal, may, through thy blessing, feel in my heart the all whose works are glorious, and whose thoughts beginning of that eternal sabbath which, through are very deep; there can be no better thing than humble affiance in thy dear Son, I dare hope to to praise thy name, and to declare thy loving-celebrate in unspeakable joy and glory with saints kindness in the morning, on thy holy and blessed and angels, to thy praise and worship, in thy Sabbath-day. For it is thy will and command-heavenly kingdom for evermore. Amen" (Bp. ment that we should sanctify this day in thy service and praise, and in the thankful remembrance, as of the creation of the world by the power of thy word, so of the redemption of mankind by the death of thy Son. *Therefore, O my God, I praise thy glorious name, that whereas I, a miserable sinner, having so many ways provoked thy Majesty to anger and displeasure, thou, notwithstanding, of thy favour and goodness, passing by my profaneness and infirmities, hast vouchsafed to add this Sabbath again unto the number of my days. And vouchsafe, O heavenly Father, for the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son, whose glorious resurrection thy whole church celebrateth this day, to pardon and forgive me Prayer. O blessed Spirit, by whose anointing all my sins and misdeeds. Especially, O Lord, and sanctification alone we can become the sons cleanse my soul from all filthy sins with the blood of God and joint-heirs with Christ, imprint, we of my most pure and undefiled Lamb, which beseech thee, his word and his statutes in our taketh away the sins of the world.' And let thy inmost hearts. Graciously lead and help us, that Holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions, we may indeed follow our one Lord and Master that I may be renewed after thine own image, to as dear children, and, through his gracious adserve thee in newness of life and holiness of con- vocacy and full and perfect propitiation, be enabled versation. And as, of thy mercy, thou hast to cast away the spirit of bondage, and receive the brought me to the beginning of this blessed day, Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, “Abba, so, do I beseech thee, make it a day of reconcilia- Father!" Let thy grace and strength dwell with tion betwixt my sinful soul and thy divine Ma- us and in us, that we lapse not into wilful and jesty. Give me grace to make it a day of re- presumptuous sin; and if, in the hour of our pentance unto thee, that thy goodness may seal it weakness, we be overcome of temptation, and to be a day of pardon unto me; and that I may our obedience wax faint and cold, so that we keep remember that the keeping holy of this day is a not his commandments, humble us, yea, overcommandment which thine own finger hath writ-whelm us with so unutterable a sense of our sin "And when, anon, I shall, with the rest of the holy assembly, appear before thy presence in thy house, to offer unto thee my morning sacrifice of prayer and praise, and to hear what thy Spirit, by the preaching of thy word, shall speak unto thy servant, O, let not my sins stand as a cloud, to stop my prayers from ascending unto thee, or to keep back thy grace from descending by thy word into my heart. O, let it be like unto the good ground, that I may hear thy word with an honest and good heart, understand it and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience in that measure that thy wisdom shall think meet for thy glory and mine everlasting comfort. 66 Open likewise, I beseech thee, the door of utterance unto thy ministering servant, whom thou hast sent to open our eyes, that we may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto thee; that we may receive forgiveness of sin, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ. And give me grace to behave myself in the holy congregation with comeliness and reverence, as in thy presence, and in the sight of thy holy angels. Keep me from drowsiness, and from all wandering thoughts and worldly imaginations. "O, that I may make this day, which godless and profane persons desecrate to their own lusts and pleasures, my chief delight, and consecrate it to thy honour and glory; not doing my own ways, nor seeking mine own will, nor speaking vain words; but that, ceasing from works of sin, as well as from the works of my ordinary calling, I ful backsliding, that we may be brought back, self-abased and self-condemned, to the foot of the cross, and be washed with the blood of sprinkling, which cleanseth from all sin, even the sin of the whole world. And, O reconciled Father, give us, we earnestly pray thee, to know thy Son, Jesus Christ the righteous, whom truly to know is everlasting life. Give us to confess him, not with the understanding and the lip only, but in spirit and in truth; secretly, and before men, as well as in the great congregation; in our lives and actions, in our daily intercourse, and every dealing one with another; lest thou cast us without as liars. In much mercy, give us, diligently, watchfully, in all places, in every hour, and under every temptation, to cleave unto and keep thy word; for, if the truth be not in us, surely we fall from thee, and are overcome of the wicked one. With thy most gracious and ready help be thou pleased to help our helplessness, and make us firm, that we falter not under our infirmities. O, perfect thou thy love in our hearts! So shall thy Son dwell in us, and we abide in him: so shall we be enabled to press forward unto the mark of our high calling, meekly striving to walk as he walked, and doing righteousness, to bear witness that we are born of him. We laud and magnify thy name, O Lord our God, that thou had vouchsafed to reveal unto us Jesus the Christ; that he hath overcome sin and eternal death for us, who were children of wrath; and that by his true light we are passed out of darkness, and enlightened with the bright and |