wanton act. Although it stands near one of the new streets, it is so far from it, that a considerable space of building ground divides the two. It is satisfactory to add, that its fate will not be accomplished without a struggle, and it is certain that the fall or preservation of this church will mainly influence the fate of many others.

The specious pretence of the increase of residence, and provision for the incumbents, is put forth to amuse and delude the clergy. Shortsighted indeed must this body be, if they can be blinded, by this flimsy veil, to the real object of the measure. It is not the welfare, but the destruction of the church which has dictated it; and if the party which has devised the scheme succeed in this object, the clergy will assuredly find their revenues the next object of attack.

I trust you will call your readers' attention to this Letter. The consent both of the metropolitan and diocesan must be obtained before any church can be levelled with the ground. Let then the public voice aid and assist the judgment of these dignitaries, and unless the most urgent necessity calls for the removal of any one or more, which may stand in the way of a great public improvement, let the friends of the church be called upon to make a bold and resolute stand against a measure which, it is to be feared, is only the offspring of schism, innovation, and irreligion.* Yours, &c. ATHANASIUS.

ON CONGREGATIONAL PSALMODY.

SIR,-As your correspondents have made frequent inquiries on the subject of Congregational Psalmody, I hope that the enclosed course of psalm singing, for a year, may be worth inserting in your Magazine. The Psalms are taken from the selection published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, marked in their catalogue, gg, sold at the price of 6d., or 5d. to their members, according to their size; and bound up, if ordered, in their prayer books, at an additional cost of from 6d. to 2 d. Those which are used in this course will be found, in every case, to have some reference to the service of the day: the first Psalm A.M. designed for use after the Litany, and referring either to the Collect or first Lesson; the second A.M. for before the Sermon, referring to Epistle or Gospel; and the first P.M. referring to Collect or first Lesson for the afternoon.

The tunes have been appropriated with reference both to the words of the Psalms, and to their fitness for the use of a mixed congregation. A copy of this course given to the clerk and organist will be found to save much confusion where the minister of the church has not leisure to make a selection each Sunday for his own use.

Yours truly,

C. J.

The Editor will be obliged to Athanasius, or any one else, to send him any information on this matter. He is compelled to confess that at present he knows nothing beyond a paragraph in the newspapers.-ED.

in one of your num

SIR,-My attention was lately drawn to a paper bers, which was intended to be placed in our churches, as a remémbrance of our duties at church, and I was requested to make some alterations in it, to give it what it was thought to require, a greater VOL. V.-Jan. 1834.

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degree of completeness. On examination, I was led almost entirely to re-model it; and I now send to you the result of my revision of it, which perhaps you may deem worthy of a place in a future number; and I will add, that should the venerable Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge consider either it, or any modification of it, useful, it is entirely at their disposal. I am, Sir, your's faithfully,

MY CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,

D. I. E.

Before entering on this important subject, let me first ask you to consider why it is that you come to church. Is it only for form's sake, that you may appear unto man to be Christians? or, merely because others come? or, simply because it is as well to spend an hour here as elsewhere? or, solely because you have long been in the habit of coming! Or is it, as I would fain hope, from a far better reason, even for conscience' sake, that you may glorify God, by advancing, through Christ, the salvation of your never-dying souls. If this last be your reason, then I am sure you will be glad to know how you may most profitably conduct yourselves whilst in church.

Now, it is very remarkable what care has been taken in our Prayer Book to warn us of the sacred purposes for which we come together, and of the way in which we ought to behave ourselves whilst assembled. None who wish to learn can well be ignorant in this matter. None who attend can easily forget. But I will endeavour

to make this plain.

I. In the very beginning, both of the morning and of the evening service, the minister always tells the people why they come to church. Do you not remember how he warns us, that "we assemble and meet together, (1) to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at God's hands," and "to set forth his most worthy praise; (2) to hear God's most holy word ;" and (3)" to ask of God those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul"? And does he not call on us, as well becomes such miserable sinners as we all are, to prepare ourselves, by humbly acknowledging and confessing our sins before God, before we presume to enter upon these three great and holy exercises of praise, of prayer, and of hearing God's word. And moreover, let us observe, that these three things are again enforced in the morning service in the 95th Psalm, which invites us to join in praise, saying, "O come, let us sing unto the Lord;" in prayer, saying, “ () come, let us worship and in hearing God's word, saying, "To-day, if ye will hear his voice." Surely we must all remember this.

11. The Prayer Book also reminds us of the inward disposition with which we ought to join in each of these three works. Thus (1) praise is to be offered with a joyful, as well as a thankful feeling of the heart: "Let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation." (2). Prayer ought to be offered with a humble and lowly spirit. Of this we are reminded by the words, "we humbly beseech thee," and "we, thy humble servants," which we are to use when we pray, and therefore ought, of course, to feel. (3) The hearing of God's word ought to be with a heart open to divine teaching, and a disposition ready to learn, and therefore it must be with an unhardened heart: " To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." But III. The outward form and posture of the body is, in each of these three, to be in agreement with the proper disposition of the heart within us. Thus (1) praise is to be offered to God, not sitting, but standing up. Remember it is written for our learning, that whilst the priests and the Levites sang unto the Lord, "all Israel stood," (see 2 Chron. vii. 6,) and that in heaven, whither we hope to go, angels and saints are both described in scripture as standing, when they give glory to God and to the Lamb (see Rev. vii. 9, 11); and so we are taught in our Prayer Book, to stand up and sing, and praise the Lord. It is, in fact, not following either the holy Scriptures or the directions of our church if we presume to sit to do so. (2) Prayer is to be made "devoutly kneeling." As a sign of our humble spirit within, we are exhorted to "fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker." And such, let us recollect, was the custom of holy men of old, of Solomon and Ezra, and Daniel, and also of St. Peter and St. Paul-nay, even of our blessed Lord himself, (see 2 Chron. vi. 13; Ezra, ix. 5; Dan. vi. 10, Acts ix. 40, xx. 36; and St. Luke xxii. 41.) And what can be more just or proper than this-that we, lost, sinful, and helpless creatures, should always thus humble ourselves in public, as well as in private, meekly kneeling o our knee, when, in prayer, we are asking any favours of the great God and King of heaven? And (3) as we find in scripture that it was the custom for God's people of old to stand up when the word of God was read in their ears (see Nehem. viii. 5), so, in our Church, we are directed to stand up to hear certain portions of the Bible, which is the word of God, read to us-as, for instance, the gospel for the day; shu if, lest we should be weary in well-doing, we are allowed to sit down whilst other parts of it are