every child who knows anything, form an inexhaustible fund of materials for illustration and comment. And if the meaning of what has been written above is at all indistinct, nothing more can be requisite than to meditate on the contrast in style between these discourses of our Lord and any description of pulpit discourses, to explain what is meant, and enable one to realise that particular system of instruction which the practice of catechising would encourage. And the evidence of facts seems to establish the insufficiency of that adverse system which has wrought so determinedly, and, unhappily, so effectually, to the destruction of our catechetic discipline. The assailants have pursued their plan with a courage and perseverance worthy of a good cause; and their success is a good lesson of what may be effected by these qualities: for, looking at the subject historically, it will be found to divide itself into several periods, in which the afternom preaching was successively forbidden-rebuked-complained of- connived atsanctioned RECOMMENDED;—until at the present time, when we are rubbing our eyes, and beginning to see a little more clearly the real value of the original scheme,-when we would seek for help in the restitution of such a precious portion of our system,we find that the legislature has all but peremptorily forbidden* the ministers of the Church to do that which the Prayer-book quite peremptorily commands them to do. And yet the Act of Uniformity remains nominally unrepealed! From the beginning it was foretold by wise men that certain results would follow from the substitution of sermons for catechising: notwithstanding this, the substitution was made; and the predicted state of things has come to pass. Is it not reasonable, then is it not our practical duty, to return to the humbler instrument originally provided?—an instrument rejected, not because it had failed, but simply because it was too humble, too laborious, too churchlike, for persons whose besetting temptation was always to slight the body of Christ, and glorify individual members; as the Church of Rome loses sight of the communion of saints in an idolatrous veneration for their relics. Be it remembered that these are the old paths--the paths in which we are commanded to walk -the paths in which wise men of old found it their wisdom to walk-the paths which were systematically followed in the purest ages, and gradually neglected as ignorance or corruption prevailed, until the Reformers came, and made it one of their proudest boasts that they had restored the old way of catechising.† * Where shall the example stop? We know an instance where a parish priest has expelled the Church Catechism from his very Sunday-schools! Luther's Works, xvi. p. 820, &c., as quoted in the Church-histories. There There are two antagonist principles in our nature, by which men admire most the most opposite things-those of which they best understand the good, and those which they do not understand at all. And so it is with sermons. There are two descriptions of them which are eminently popular with the mass (i. e. the unlearned) of mankind. One, eloquent and redundant, with fine words and rhythmical sentences; now lulling the hearers with its measured cadences, like the majestic flow of a brimming river-now tearing up trees and rocks, and sweeping all before it in one overwhelming flood of irresistible superlatives: but to the unlearned, in either case unintelligible; or if, by chance, intelligible, still unedifying, because identified with the thought of the abilities displayed. It was characterised, better than we could characterise it, by the enraptured old woman's meek reply to the question, Could you understand the preacher you admire?' 'Would I presume? blessed man!' The other is quite the opposite of what has been described. It makes no attempt at oratory; is independent of rhythmical sentences or musical delivery; is homely, though rich and metaphorical in language; abrupt and irregular in style; profuse in illustration; in manner almost colloquial; abounding in short sentences, with frequent questions interspersed; and continually full of suggestions, which it moves the hearer to follow up for himself. The characteristic of this, too, we will borrow, from one who said, 'It was nothing fine; but one's conscience does not talk fine. The reader will have recognised in these descriptions the preacher who (making due allowance for the difference between the pulpit and the desk) comes nearest to the catechist, and the one who is most remote from him. Both are, unquestionably, favourites with the unlearned, far beyond any intermediate class. But are both legitimate? But are both legitimate? Are both likely to do good? If this praise must be withheld from the high-flown preacher, it will be no slight incidental recommendation to the catechetic system, that it is calculated, beyond anything else, to train and accomplish the clergy in pointing their more elaborate discourses also, right at the consciences of their hearers. We believe that few of them, after a little parochial experience, will hesitate to confess that one of the difficulties which have been most forcibly presented to them has been that of adapting the matter and style of their sermons to a country congregation. To such as are fond of speculation, it is by no means an unusual or un interesting study to contrast their first with their latest compositions of the kind; and we believe that it is by no means without practical utility. We have ourselves seen an instance of of this sort, in which a sermon, written when the author was fresh from the university, had been revised and corrected some years afterwards. Alas for the calligraphy of the MS.! It had once been elaborately neat: but it was now more like a blottingbook than a sermon! Every tenth verb and noun (on a moderate computation) had been scored out to make way for shorter, simpler, and more idiomatic phraseology. But all would not do. Our friend had, it is true, got rid of his 'long-tail'd words in osity and ation;' but the full-resounding march, the long majestic line,' was only halting, not destroyed: Cicero was still there, though it was Cicero on crutches; and the rhythm which remained was, by the effect of contrast, more striking than ever; as a party of deserters are detected, in plain clothes, by the sound of their footsteps. Some may perhaps think that the ground is too narrow and limited for real advantage, inasmuch as the Rubric confines it to the exposition of some part of the Catechism. But, simple as that little manual seems, every page of it teems with never-failing matter for edification. Let those who doubt the sufficiency of the materials look at the little Scheme of Christian Theology, according to the arrangement of the Church Catechism,' which Dean Ramsay gives in p. 3. Let them consider even the Lord's Prayer alone, which we are almost tempted to analyse, sentence by sentence, by way of indicating the scope which each offers to the most excursive treatment. But this is not necessary. There are various works sufficient to furnish any one who is willing to try —even if it be but as an experiment-how far obedience to the Prayer-Book will make his ministry effectual. Bishop Nicolson's exposition is now republished: those of Ken, and Beveridge, and Wilson, and Hammond, and Wake may easily be procured. And, for further illustration, there are Andrewes,* Hooker, Jackson, Barrow, Pearson, Kettlewell, and a host of other giants of our Church. But we do not ask for over-precision; and the Rubric will be sufficiently obeyed, even though the actual Catechism be from time to time departed from, in favour of portions of the Gospel history, discourses, parables, or miracles of our Lord. These may be read or repeated, and expounded by questioning, provided that the pastor leads his lambs continually back again to the Catechism, eliciting illustrations of it from the Scripture lesson, and commentaries on the Scripture in its familiar words. To catechise well is indeed, with all the helps that can be fur * We would recommend a glance at Bishop Andrewes on the Ten Commandments to any one who fears that there might be a lack of matter! nished, 6 nished, no easy task. It requires not only a great deal of closet preparation and of natural talent, but other qualifications too, which nothing but time, observation, and labour can bestow. Yet helps may be used with good effect: with beginners, Mr. Beaven's will be of service, while Mr. Ramsay's Catechism seems equally valuable for those who are a little less ignorant; and the introductory remarks to each volume will well repay a diligent perusal. Archdeacon Bather's charge is invaluable-stamped with thought and experience in every line. While the catechist is a novice, he would do well to read it over before every meeting with his catechumens. But all these helps are little in comparison with the lessons of his own practice, which his weekly visiting, and the school, especially the Sundayschool, will furnish. Here he must educate himself that he may edify others; learning how to put his questions so as to be understood, and to lead (for this is his legitimate object) to the right answer; observing how the laws of association vary in the minds of different individuals and classes, and how, therefore, his questions are to be arranged to make the chain easy; studying their characters, moreover, that to all he may give their meat in due season. And thankful may he be, if, as generation after generation pass away from the school, he finds his power of communicating and eliciting knowledge increase-yea, but a little! Most thankful, if he sees the young men and women, whom he has known as boys and girls, regularly bringing their well-kept Prayer-books and Bibles (memorials of their good conduct at school) to church, Sunday after Sunday; retaining their relish for the evening's catechising, while they have attained the capacity for profiting by the morning's sermon. But though the Catechesis must thus begin in the school, it must not be remanded altogether thither from the Church. If it were, it would fail of much of its effect even upon the children; and, besides, they were not the only persons for whose advantage it was designed.* To those who occupy the place of the unlearned in the congregation, it is as necessary as it can be to the children; and these, to be instructed in that which children ought to know, must be got at through the children. Frequently, they are untaught as children, without their teachableness; way * George Herbert says of the country parson, He requires all to be present at catechising; first, for the authority of the work; secondly, that parents and masters, as they hear the answers prove, may, when they come home, either commend or reprove, either reward or punish; thirdly, that those of the elder sort, who are not well grounded, may then by an honourable way take occasion to be better instructed; fourthly, that those who are well grown in the knowledge of religion may examine their grounds, renew their vows, aud by occasion of both enlarge their meditations.' But we must stop, or we shall be tempted to transcribe the whole chapter. ward ward as childhood, without its humility. They cannot be brought to school, and therefore their teaching must be in the church. Too often they will not submit themselves to teaching of any kind, and so the lesson must be reflected upon them from the catechumens: they must be taught as by a parable, as if they were listeners and lookers-on, judges and not doers. To this end the catechetic system of the Church, if carefully followed, will afford the surest means in laying down the plain doctrines and enforcing the practical principles of Christianity. They will thus reach many who would have stopped their ears and hardened their hearts against any 'exhortation which spake unto them as unto children;' and if at last the thought arises in their minds that the catechist 'spake of them,' this will itself be a proof that the lesson has been laid to heart. ART. III.-Edwin the Fair; an Historical Drama. By Henry Taylor, author of Philip van Artevelde.' London. 12mo. 1842. THIS HIS has been a money-making age. We are bringing no charge against it: we are only stating a fact, the boast of many and admitted by all. But, whatever other advantages may belong to the extreme of industrialism, it certainly does not seem peculiarly likely either to cherish the dramatic instinct in the mass, or to furnish the poet with the best materials for the drama. The pursuit of wealth, however honourable it may be in particular cases, is not calculated, when it becomes a characteristic of the nation at large, to develop the more heroic portion of our nature, or to present us with the humorous side of things, or to familiarise us with those purifying agonies, unselfish struggles, and dauntless encounters which form the subject matter of the drama. It is not in a golden mirror that society can see its own face reflected with clearness. It will not be denied that another prevailing characteristic of our time, as far as the highly-educated classes are concerned, is its morbidness. From whatever source this morbidness may proceed, whether from an excessive indulgence in private judgment and individual caprice, from vanity, from repletion and satiety, or from a critical habit indulged as if we were the end of all things, and had nothing to do except judge those that went before usfrom whatever cause or combination of causes it may have arisen, this morbidness undoubtedly exists, and exists to a degree which in many cases makes our bodies an hospital for diseases, our religion VOL. LXXI. NO. CXLII. 2 B |