A Companion for the Festivals and Fasts of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America

ENTERED according to the act of Congress, in the year 1831, by Mary ** Hobart, in the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States iz the Southern District of New-York.

JOHN R. M'GOWN, PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER,

57, ANN-STREET, NEW-YORK.

PREFACE.

IN drawing up the following volume, the Editor took for his guide the excellent work of Nelson on the Festivals and Fasts of the Church of England. Considerable change, however, has been made in the arrangement, the matter, and style of the original work. The evidences of the Christian Religion, and the constitution of the Christian Church, are discussed in preliminary instructions; and on the latter subject much useful matter has been selected from Stevens's Treatise on the Church, from Potter on Church Government, from which the preceding tract is compiled, and from the excellent work of Daubeny on the same subject. In the Chapter on Sunday, will be found an explanation and illustration of the Liturgy of the Church, connected with directions for the use of it; and on every Festival and Fast an explanation is given of the particular service for the day. These parts of the work are principally compiled from the various and excellent commentaries on the Book of Common Prayer, and from a small tract, entitled, Directions for a devout and decent Behaviour in the Public Worship of God. The Devotions are chiefly selected and altered from a book distinguished for its primitive and fervent piety, entitled, Devotions in the Ancient Way of Offices, published by Dean Hickes. The above are some of the principal particulars in which the 40X1159

present work differs from that of Nelson; and the humble hope is cherished, that they will be found useful improvements. The method of question and answer has been preserved; as it is calculated to awaken inquiry, to give variety and force to illustration and reasoning, and particularly to fix the attention of the young, for whose instruction books of this kind are peculiarly useful and necessary. The earnest wish is entertained that the present volume may be a useful manual in the hands of parents, guardians, and others, for the instruction of youth in the principles of religion, and in the constitution of the Church.

It has been the object of the Editor in the selections from Nelson, to condense the style and matter without, however, omitting any thing that could be deemed immediately useful or important. He has added a few notes; and has occasionally introduced in the body of the work, observations, which he may perhaps claim as his own. His principal office, however, has been that of a Compiler. And if the book should prove a useful companion in the exalted exercises of the Christian life; if, while it serves to impress on the members of the Episcopal Communion the excellence of their truly Apostolic and Primitive Church, it should excite them to adorn their profession by corresponding fervour of piety and sanctity of manners; the Editor will be amply rewarded for the labour and attention which he has bestowed upon the work. New-York, 1804.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PRELIMINARY Instructions concerning the evidences of the

Christian Religion -

Preliminary Instructions concerning the Church

Preliminary Instructions concerning Festivals and Fasts