assistants. The youngest cardinal deacon draws by lot the numbers of the various lodgings in the conclave from one urn, and the names of all the cardinals from another, and thus the apartment of each is fixed, and they immediately set to work to fit up and furnish their quarters according to their pleasure. Thirty-five domestics are appointed to do the necessary work in the conclave; and each cardinal is allowed to take in with him two or three attendants or conclavists, of whom one at least is an ecclesiastic, who must be approved by two cardinals appointed for this purpose. Three cardinals are chosen by ballot, to superintend the conclave, and especially the clausura, or enclosure, so as to prevent all intercourse betwixt those within and those without the conclave. The conclave ought to assemble within ten days after the Pope's death, but it is not always possible to make the necessary preparations in so short a time, and accordingly although Leo XII. died on Tuesday, February 10, the conclave did not meet until Monday the 23rd.

While the conclave was in preparation I went frequently to examine the place. This was in the Quirinal Palace, a large building one wing of which forms the north side of a street called the Via Pia; and is usually divided into small apartments, occupied by persons of the lower classes; when a conclave is to be held, these tenants remove and the whole is hastily fitted up for the accomodation of the cardinals. The street is barricaded at each end and guards placed so that there is no access to it-except through the Palace; the lowest story is occupied by the servants of the conclave and the second and third by the cardinals, and their conclavists. Each suit of apartments contains at least three rooms, and some four or five.

An open

corridor runs along the whole length of the building, on the second and third stories from which the apartments enter. On this side lie the Pope's gardens, inclosed by a lofty wall, and from their size, and the form of the ground, it is impossible that any communication can take place in this direction with the external world without immediate discovery. On the other side, the windows look into the Via Pia, and these are all carefully boarded up outside to the top in such a manner as to admit a little light, and yet effectually prevent the view. The wing thus prepared is connected with the principal part of the palace by means of a temporary wooden gallery, by which the Cardinals pass from their cells to what may be termed the public rooms of the conclave. These consist of a large hall, several chapels, and apartments for some of the principal officers and the masters of ceremonies, who are necessarily present.

The apartments allotted to the Cardinals are very small, and in many of them the plastering, papering, and painting was only finished on the morning of the 23rd, so that of course they were most uncomfortable. Those Cardinals who were created by the deceased Pope, had the hangings of their apartments purple, which is the papal mourning; the others used furniture of whatever colour they pleased. When all is prepared, every access to the place of conclave is walled up, except two. One of these is on the ground floor, by which the Cardinal's provisions are introduced through a revolving cylinder, which conceals the interior. The other is at the top of the great staircase, by which the Cardinals and the conclavists enter, and which is not opened from the commencement of the conclave, until the election of the Pope, unless the death, or dangerous

sickness of any of those enclosed make it necessary to allow them to go out under an oath of secresy; or unless an absent Cardinal arrive to take his place in the conclave. This door is guarded with great care by the Marischal of the conclave, a post of high honour, which I believe is hereditary in the Chigi family. When any of the ambassadors desire to have an audience of the conclave, it takes place at this door; but they are not admitted within the enclosure. Immediately over the principal entrance to the Quirinal Palace, there is on ordinary occasions a large window which is now built up with brick, and a small tin chimney may be observed projecting from the wall. Every thing being prepared, the Cardinals and Conclavists who were in Rome, assembled on Monday, the 23rd, in the church of St. Silvestro, very near the Quirinal Palace. Hence they walked in procession along

the Piazza di Monte Cavallo to the Palace, and the scene was very striking. The crowd was prodigious, and completely filled the Piazza, and every window and house-top which could command a view. The Cardinals, with few exceptions, were very old and venerable men, apparently much exhausted by the unusual exertions of the last fortnight, and some of them tottering on the brink of the grave. They went in equals; one of them was to come out temporal Lord of a beautiful kingdom and spiritual ruler of the whole Roman Catholic, world.

In the evening the Cardinals receive visits from the ambassadors and their private friends. Even heretics are allowed to pay their respects to those among them whom they happen to know, and the strict shutting up of the Conclave does not commence until after these visitors have taken their leave.

SIR,-The subject of the unpardonable sin, which engaged our conversation on the last evening we were permitted to spend together, has since much occupied my attention; and I would now therefore forward a few observations which may possibly not be altogether uninstructive, though I can scarcely hope that they will afford full satisfaction on this difficult subject.

The first point of inquiry is, What saith the scriptures? And on turning to them, I find the following passages which appear to me to relate to this sin, and which I would request you seriously to peruse. Matt. xii. 31, 32. Mark iii. 28-30. Luke xii. 10. Heb. vi. 4–6; x. 26–29. 1 John v. 16. Now these passages appear to me to prove, that there is a sin

which is in its own nature unpardonable-that in consequence of the commission of this sin, the transgressor is given up to final obduracy-that it is therefore impossible that he should afterwards repent, and must necessarily therefore perish for ever. Some indeed do not consider the unpardonable sin as a distinct and peculiar transgression, but intimate, what is indeed most true, that all sin which is not repented of, is in its own nature unpardonable; and that therefore every one who perishes has committed the unpardonable sin; but I cannot say that such a view appears to me at all satisfactory. Sinners in general are obdurate and impenitent, and dying in that state must perish; but generally speaking, we may hope

and expect that under the Divine blessing, many of them may yet be renewed to repentance; but this is impossible with those who have committed the unpardonable sinand I therefore cannot but consider that sin as in its own nature more peculiarly awful and malignant.

But what, it may be asked, is the peculiar characteristic of this sin?

It is described by our Lord in the above passages as the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost;and the precise nature of that blasphemy appears to be pointed out by St. Mark iii. 28–30. when he records, Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit; and we may thence conclude that the malignant, wilful imputation of the miracles wrought by the Redeemer through the power of the Holy Ghost, to the agency of Beelzebub, is one manifestation of unpardonable guilt. So again the Apostle says in the epistle to the Hebrews, x. 26-29. "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; "—and the cessation, so to speak, of the existence of the all-atoning sacrifice in such cases does not arise from the failure or defect of the sacrifice itself, but from the impossibility of renewing the apostate again to repentance, as appears from Heb. vi. 4-6. and this impossibility arises from the withdrawing of the influence of the Holy Spirit, in consequence of his being grieved, vexed, quenched, rebelled against, until he finally departs from, and becomes the enemy of the wretched and miserable sinner; who may subsequently cry, like those spoken of in Prov. i. 27-29. and howl in anguish of spirit, as the wretched Spira is said to have done, but cry and howl in vain. This view of the subject is materially strengthened by the language of St. Peter to Simon, Acts viii. 22. "Pray God if perhaps the thought of thine

an

heart may be forgiven thee;" exhortation which seems to imply a doubt whether Simon had not, in his degrading views of the Holy Spirit's gifts, gone too far for pardon.

I consider therefore this sin as the determinate, wilful, intelligent rebellion against, and rejection of the authority, influence, and gracious offers of the Holy Spirit. As a sin against clear light, decided evidence, and full conviction. As the sin of one who hates the light, determinately chooses darkness, and wilfully brings forward accusations against the clear manifestations of the Holy Spirit, though these manifestations are most evident and unquestionable. The Pharisees were in danger of committing this sin when they said of Christ," He casteth out devils through Beelzebub."-Is there no danger of incurring the like guilt in malignantly attributing those decided conversions from sin to holiness which sometimes take place, even in modern times, to corrupt agency. Or in caricaturing the language and conduct of real Christians in order to bring the doctrine of the Holy Spirit's influence into contempt and ridicule? Nor would the pretensions recently made to the gift of tongues and other miraculous gifts, be altogether void of this danger did, they proceed from intelligent hostility to the Holy Ghost rather than, as appears to me, from a deluded imagination.

The whole subject of the unpardonable sin pardonable sin appears intended as a solemn warning against trifling with conviction; against indulging in levity, slanderous, or contemptuous language, or even hasty and inconsiderate expressions on spiritual things. We may presume, and venture nearer and nearer, until at length we put forth the hand and touch the ark, and are smitten. O let us not trifle with sin, with any sin.;- we know not

"Be

what the result may be. hold, these three years, I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree-CUT IT DOWN." They especially are in danger of this sin who have been familiar with sacred things from early infancy; and yet remain light, trifling, and obdurate. There are those who are first that shall be last.-There is a road to hell hard by the gates of heaven.

I think we may confidently assert that those persons have not committed this sin, who are most distressed and alarmed about it. Their deep concern, their serious anxiety, their lively apprehensions, their overwhelming convictions, are decisive symptoms of that very renewal to repentance which can never take place in those who have thus blasphemed against the Holy Ghost. Their conduct may have been base, ungrateful, malignant ; but still the blood of Jesus Christ

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cleanseth from all sin." To that fountain they may fly. To those healing streams they are to be directed-and there, in rivers better than Abana, Pharpar, Jordan, or all the waters of Israel, they may wash and be clean.

O let us ever remember, that whether we understand aright the meaning of those passages which treat of the unpardonable sin or no; all sin which is unrepented of is unpardonable: the grand question therefore is-Are we, with true repentance and godly sorrow, drawing near to Christ, and embracing the blessed hope of everlasting life which is set before us in him. All other questions are indeed of trifling importance in comparison with this, "What shall I do to be saved?" Lord, help us to believe on Jesus Christ to the salvation of our souls.

Н. О.

SIR,-Sometime ago there appeared in your work.two or three papers relative to Congregational singing in church. What effect those remarks may have had, touching its improvement generally, I am not able to decide; but if I might judge from my own knowledge, I should say there is still much room for amendment. Our own church is indeed an exception, an advantage for which we are chiefly indebted to a late excellent Vicar, who was not only truly orthodox, in the proper sense of the expression, but possessed of real judgment and taste in poetry and music.

I apprehend the practice of congregational singing has grown into disuse, partly from the incongruity of some of our tunes, and partly from the injudicious selection of the psalms. In many of our churches, the four stanzas are left to the

choice of John the Blacksmith'the chief leader-while the tune is left to the decision of a little group, who, during prayers, are very busy whispering and debating, not so much what tune is the most suitable to the words, but what part each shall take in order to make a little display; and who, now and then, by way of treat, give us what they call a 'Piece,'

or

Anthem.' Surely it is one duty of the officiating clergyman, before the worship begins, to choose the psalms, and, if competent, to give directions also about the tunes.

But while I admit that many in our assemblies are prevented from taking their part in singing by these improprieties, I by no means intend to extenuate the indolence and paltry excuses of those who often tell us, I would, but cannot sing.' Now, is not this untrue? Surely your catches and glees,'-your

'trios and duets,' shew that it is. How is it, ye daughters of Miriam, that in accompanying your pianos, you almost enchant us with your strains of elegance and melody, and yet at church you tell us that you'really cannot sing.' Is not the plain English of your conduct this, that either you are ashamed, or that it is not fashionable, or both.

Our tongues were made to praise the Lord, and surely those who can sing, ought to sing in his house, and to the glory of his name. Some indeed object to join in the psalmody, on the ground that most of the selections in general use are more or less exceptionable; psalms and hymns ought to be always in the language of praise or prayer, and chiefly the former; for a mere sentiment of belief, however correct, is not the thing intended: as well might we call the creed a hymn or prayer. It may by some be thought little better than treason to dare to question the talent and wisdom of our most eminent compilers yet as, in this blessed land of privilege, we are allowed the liberty of " calling no man master," I claim that liberty as using it, though not abusing it;" I will therefore in the first place, point out what I disapprove, by taking a verse or two from hymns in

common use:

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"Let worldly minds the world pursue,
What are its charms to me?
Once I admired its trifles too,
But grace has set me free.

Its pleasures now no longer please,
No more content afford,

Far from my heart be joys like these,
Now I have known the Lord."

Again ;

"Is there a thing than life more dear?
A thing, from which we cannot part?
WE CAN! we now consent to tear
The idol from our bleeding heart."

Now however truly these expressions may apply to the experience of that Christian who is more excellent than his neighbour," and however well fitted for his pri

vate use, yet surely such intimations of high attainment are not correct in a mixed congregation of five or six hundred persons; for in the first place a part perhaps do not believe it, and smile at the word experience; more still do not understand it; and few, very few, enjoy it; why then are words put into their mouths, which may induce them to sing what is not true? At all events I am most intimately acquainted with one who cannot and will not join, in such language; but the height of whose ambition is expressed in the following stanza.

"Let death in haste upon them fall,

And send them quick to hell; For mischief doth abide in all The places where they dwell."

Now the first of these seems to carry with it in some sort the idea of merit, a very inappropriate character truly for a sinner; and though the others are doubtless correct in the mouth of David prophetically considered, yet are they most unsuitable to those who are assembled to sing the praises of that eternal Jehovah, who reveals himself as a Father delighting in mercy.

But I come at last to a greater than Brady and Tate, who was indeed" a servant of Jesus Christ, separated unto the Gospel of God :” and who yet has thought proper to bring forward such verses as the following: