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general failure of the next harvest. Thus an Irish famine is an English calamity.

Upon us then, is this visitation sent and it is in the humble hope that its future effects may be softened in answer to our prayer, as well as in token of hearts broken and contrite for the sins which have brought it upon us, that we are to-morrow to fall down low before God's footstool. It is because of our sins of the sins of each one of us in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Let us think therefore of those sins: let every one think over and dwell upon, and offer to God the sacrifice of repentance for, those countless open and secret sins, which his conscience tells him of and which none other but God can know. Then let him pray for forgiveness to himself and others, for the sake of the death of our Blessed Saviour, and in faith and trust in Him offer promise of amendment of life. In this manner all persons may always observe all the fasting days which are appointed by the Church and to-morrow of course even more specially, as being more specially commanded than the ordinary fasting days. And so, for the sake of the same our Lord, may we hope that in some measure the heavy hand of God may be removed

from us.

And on such a day of general and public mourning and penitence, let our outward behaviour be in some degree consistent with what our feelings should be. Let us, for this one day above others, endeavour to be serious and silent, to withdraw ourselves, to think upon Death and Judgment: let us avoid "foolish talking, and jesting," which on such a day especially are "not convenient."* * Eph. v. 4.

Let us endeavour to feel and to appear to feel for the sorrow of our brethren.

But no religious exercise whatever can be of much real service to us, which begins and ends, as to all its effects and influences upon us, with one day. We should endeavour to carry on, though not in the same manner and with the same forms, the repentance for sin, and the sympathy for sorrow, of this fast-day which is coming, to future days. And let us remember that unless visitations such as these, and the ordinances relating to them, make us better than we were, more humble, more penitent, more full of thoughts of heaven, of love for God, and of kindness towards each other, the good which they are meant to do to us will be lost. For they are meant to do us good all the chastisements of God are meant to do good. And they upon whom they most immediately fall are often the most likely to receive their full benefit. Even to many of those who have died under this famine, we doubt not, their sufferings and death have been blessed beyond the knowledge of the children of this world. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."* And we humbly trust that many of the thousands of poor Irish, who after a life spent always on the verge of starvation have sunk under its fearful power, many who like Lazarus in their lifetime have received evil things, like him are now comforted, and reposing in Abraham's bosom.t Happier indeed they were even during their worldly trial of poverty and distress, than those who in comfort and prosperity are given up to luxury and selfishness, unfaithful stewards of the riches which God has given them: but how much happier now! *Rev. xix. 13. + Luke xvi. 23-25.

Let us then not be of this latter number: let us be reminded by the sight and the thought of misery, of our duty to attempt to soften it: and on the solemn day which is coming, let us remember our sins, the punishment which is due to them, and the Atonement which has been made for them: "humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He," through the mercies of Christ," may exalt us in due time." And if the future be dark and doubtful, still let us "cast all our care upon God, for He careth for us."*

* 1 Peter v. 6, 7.

LETTER TO THE REV. ERNEST HAWKINS ON THE SPIRITUAL CARE OF EMIGRANTS.

(1849.)

MY DEAR SIR,-The feeling that has arisen in favour of a religious provision for Emigrants from this country during the time of their passage to the Colonies, appears to me to furnish a favourable opportunity for a further step upon that principle which the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has of late always kept in view in its operations; namely, that of gradually withdrawing aid from our Dependencies in proportion as they become able to provide for their own spiritual needs, and of bestowing the bulk of its support partly on strictly Missionary operations, partly on the spiritual care of our Emigrants during the first stages of their emigration and settlement.

I can draw nothing but constant confirmation of this principle, both from further reflection on the case in general, and from the progressive development of the Colonial Church. Nothing can be in itself more unreasonable than that Dependencies, which we hope to see, as far as possible, reproducing a complete image of the Mother-Country in all their institutions, should be accustomed to look anywhere but to their own resources for the permanent support of their ecclesiastical establishments; and, on the other hand, the constant formation of new Colonial Dioceses calls, in the loudest manner,

for the liberal application of the sound principle of operation on the part of the Society, by giving a good start, so to speak, to those infant Dioceses, till they may be so methodized and consolidated as to be able to support their own institutions.

But it is obvious that, with respect to all our Colonies, the most important practical application of this principle is immediately connected with the subject mentioned in the outset of this paper. We encourage in every possible way, for the relief of this country, for their own benefit, and for that of the Colonies, the departure from its shores of vast bodies of Emigrants, and pour them into our North American and Australian Colonies. What these Colonies have a right to demand is, that concurrently with the progress of this mere human supply, we should send out both the men, in due numerical proportion, who are needed for its moral and spiritual care, and the means for their continuance in the Colony during those early stages of settlement, when the Emigrants are unable duly to provide these means for themselves.

This, however, is the most abstract way of stating the case, and without further explanation would only be applicable to a Colonial district when the first settlers go out to it from this country. In existing circumstances the Society is obliged to modify the strict application of the rule, partly by obligations which it has contracted, and by the existing circumstances of Colonial society, partly by the habits of chronic dependence on its funds which have been allowed to grow up, especially in the North American Colonies; but the principle itself is to be kept always steadily in view.

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