after many pauses, into glass bottles, in order to exhibit it to the people. The duration of the ceremony was full two hours and a half, at which were said a long litany and prayers for all ranks of people: the whole ended with the Lord's supper, and a general blessing, which was bestowed by the Archimandrite. By permission, I examined the oil, and found that it had acquired a green colour from the copper vessel, a rancid smell, and tasted like oil of olives, partaking of the odour of mastich. It was prepared, as I was informed, in forty days, from various flowers and plants, which were collected on the mountains of Anatolia, and the Caucasus, with the greatest secrecy.—Pallas, p. 334.

MINUTIÆ.

INFIDELITY.

Every man is chargeable with the very madness of desperation, who presumes to neglect, much less to oppose and persecute religion, before he is prepared to demonstrate its absurdity and imposture. While it can be affirmed, 'It may be true," he who is indifferent to its claims, without aiming at the certain conviction of its falsehood, is so at the peril of his everlasting happiness. And what is the lurking cause of the infidelity, which renders the heart thus reckless of its highest interest? My brethren, it is wickedness. Infidelity is more the growth of the heart than of the head. Its arguments partake of all the feverish weakness of depraved feeling; they possess nothing of the calm and majestic force of enlightened wisdom. Infidels reason more like

advocates and special pleaders, who have a cause to gain at any rate, than like the philosophical enquirer, whose only object is to ascertain what is truth; and, if it be asked what is their retaining fee? we reply, it is license; the emancipation of the appetites and passions from all restraint; the exhilirating hope that there is no God, either to reward virtue or to punish crime. Sin began with apostacy, and it leads to atheism. We are all infidels by nature, because we are all sinners; and till we are divorced from the love and practice of iniquity, we shall feel it to be our interest to contemn the Scriptures and the ministers of God. It is the heart's only security against the accusations of conscience, and the fear of accountableness-a desperate expedient, which displays at once the enormity of its guilt.—Rev. Dr. Styles.

ANECDOTES.

BISHOP SANFORD.

When Joseph Sanford, of Baliol College, Oxford, so well known for his learning and singularity in dress, applied to the Bishop for ordination, he was introduced to the Chaplain, to whom he was a stranger, and who, as usual, said he must examine him. The first question proposed, was, Quid fides?' to which Sanford replied, in a loud voice, Quod non vides.' The second question was "Quid spes?' to which Sanford answered, in a still louder tone, Futura res.' The third was 'Quid caritas ?' to which he roared out In mundo raritas.' On this, the Chaplain, finding that he had an extraordinary character to deal

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with, left him, and went to inform the Bishop what had passed below, with a person he knew not what to make of, who had given in his name, Joseph Sanford, of Baliol; this made the Bishop laugh and exclaim, You examine him! why he is able to examine you, and our whole bench: pray desire him to walk up.' The Bishop made an apology for the chaplain, and said he was sorry Mr. Sanford had not applied to him in the first instance.

NAPOLEONISTS.

Amongst the various projects which Bonaparte entertained, was that of becoming the founder of a new religious sect, or rather of establishing Unitarianism. He became acquainted with this system from the writings of a Baron Gussey, which accidentally fell into his hands. He found that the great generals of antiquity had left nothing but a name behind them, they had no followers. But the founders of new religions were immortal in their disciples. The institutes of Moses had existed for four thousand years; the gospel by Jesus Christ was revered over a great part of Europe; Mahomet had his millions of votaries; Confucius, Calvin, and Luther, still existed in their sects: I will, therefore, be the founder of a new religion,' said he, I will establish Unitarianism, and its disciples shall be Napoleonists. I will smile on Protestantism, and give religious liberty, as the means to accomplish my design. My people are so versatile, they will follow the court; on the new sect I will heap my choicest favours, and thus destroy a religion, whose ceremonies and doctrines are inconsistent with common sense.' I believe the source,

whence this information is derived, is one on which full reliance may be placed.-Raffles's Travels.

HOW TO BE ALWAYS EASY, OR THE RIGHT USE OF THE EYES.

An Italian Bishop struggled through great difficulties without repining, and met with much opposition in discharge of his episcopal functions, without ever betraying the least impatience. An intimate friend of his, who admired those virtues which he thought it impossible to imitate, one day asked the prelate, if he could communicate the secret of being always easy? 'Yes,' replied the old man, I can teach you my secret, and with great facility; it consists in nothing more than making a right use of my eyes.' His friend urged him to explain himself. Most willingly,' returned the Bishop. In whatever state I am, I first of all look up to Heaven, and remember that my principal business here, is to prepare for my journey there: I then look down upon the earth, and call to mind how small a space I shall occupy in it, when I come to be interred: I then look abroad into the world, and observe what multitudes there are, who, in all respects, are more unhappy than myself. Thus I learn where true happiness is placed, where all our cares must end, and how very little reason I have to repine or complain.'

REGAL ACUTENESS.

When Moliere, the comic poet, died, the Archbishop of Paris would not let his body be buried in consecrated ground. The King, being informed of this, sent for the Archbishop, and expostu

lated with him about it; but, finding him inflexibly obstinate, his majesty asked, how many feet deep the consecrated ground reached? The question coming by surprise, the Archbishop replied, about eight. Well,' answered the king, I find there is no getting the better of your scruples; therefore, let his grave be dug twelve feet deep, that's four below your consecrated ground, and let him be buried there.'

THE ANTI-SCEPTIC.

ON SCEPTICAL OPPOSITION TO THE SACRED
SCRIPTURES, AS A PROOF OF THEIR AU-
THENTICITY.

"The world's contempt of his commands
"But makes their value rise

"In my esteem, who purest gold,
"Compar'd with them, despise."

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

Unskilful combatants are sometimes slain with the weapons of their own defence; logicians overturned by their own syllogisms; and important truths themselves established by the errors and consequences to which they stand opposed. When we behold an exquisitely finished portrait, we naturally admire the skill of the artist: and when a prediction is accomplished in the event foretold, we cannot doubt its infallibility.

Upon these principles, therefore, the character and conduct of sceptics, may be adduced as powerful auxiliaries to support the legitimate claims of HOLY WRIT, and confirm our faith in its averments. They are the