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hoped that they will tend to produce the wished for effect. But when I declare my satisfaction at their general tenor and object, I must express my concern at an omission which (to some at least) appears to be important. I refer to the custom which at present seems to be gaining ground among the members of our church, of neglecting to bow at the mention of the name of Jesus during the repetition of the Creed, as also of omitting to rise when the preacher, at the close of his discourse, gives that glory which is so justly due to the Almighty. Both these practices have been in use from the earliest ages, are sanctioned by Scripture itself, and are reasonable and proper in the highest degree. It would, perhaps, be improper to enlarge upon the subject at present, but, should opportunity favour, it may be more fully discussed at some future time. I cannot, however, avoid observing, with reference to that remarkable passage, Phil. ii. 10, 11, that, as in the repetition of the Creed, we openly and decidedly avow our belief in the Divinity and Messiahship of Christ, that certainly must be a most proper opportunity of manifesting our respect and reverence towards our Saviour, by doing all that lies in our power to fulfil the declaration of the apostle" that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." The objection which has been urged, "that by so doing we act in contradiction to our common practice, as at other times we neglect to show any mark of reverence at the mention of that sacred name," is at best but a negative argument, and very inconclusive. Is it to say, that because we neglect our duty on some occasions, (which perhaps are considered of no consequence,) we should also neglect it on solemn and important occasions, that so we may be consistent in our negligence? It is well known that the truly great and good man, Robert Boyle, was accustomed never to mention the name of God without a solemn pause, indicative of his reverence and awe. Would that

his example were more generally followed! It is hoped, however, that we shall not long see our fellow churchmen make a point of showing their disregard for the predictions of the Holy Spirit, and their small respect for the character of our Lord, by determined opposition to a custom established by precedent, sanctioned by Scripture, and conformable to the dictates of reason and devotion. With respect to the other matter mentioned, a slight consideration of the propriety of the established usage would, it is supposed, be sufficient to induce any to correct their practice. The rubric requires (and with great propriety) that the doxology shall be repeated standing: analogy renders it necessary that the attribution of glory to God at the close of the sermon, which is, if possible, a more so lemn act of praise and thanksgiving, should be performed in the same respectful manner.

The excellent remarks of your correspondent, respecting the necessity and beauty of order in public worship, will fully apply to their subject, and preclude any further observations by U. U.

For the Christian Journal.

THE annual meeting of the NewYork Bible and Common Prayer Book Society was held in Trinity church, New-York, on Tuesday, the 25th of February, 1823, when the thirteenth annual report of the board of managers was read and accepted, and the following gentlemen elected, to be associated with the clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church, residing in this city, as the board of managers for the ensuing year:-Matthew Clarkson, John Onderdonk, John Slidell, Henry Rogers, George Dominick,Gulian Ludlow, Isaac Carow, Richard Whiley, Henry M'Farlan, Richard Platt.

At a meeting of the board of managers, on the following Friday, the Rev. Benjamin T. Onderdonk was elected secretary, Gulian Ludlow, treasurer, and Henry McFarlan, agent; and the Rev. Thomas Lyell, D. D. Henry Rogers, and John Slidell, appointed to be associated with the president, secretary,

and agent, as the standing committee. The following is the report:Thirteenth Annual Report of the Board of Managers of the New-York Bible and Common Prayer Book So ciety.

Another year, the divine Head of the church has honoured this society with being an instrument for promoting the great ends designed by the establishment, of his kingdom. The instrumentality has, indeed, been humble; but, we may hope, not altogether unblessed. Two hundred and forty-six Bibles, and six hundred and fifteen Prayer Books, have been gratuitously distributed. They have gone into various parts of our state; and have conduced, we trust, to disseminate a knowledge of the true God, and of Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent―of the doctrines and precepts of his religion-and of the nature and constitution of the church which he has established as the channel of his grace and mercy to a fallen world, and the solemn obligations under which it lays its members. In promoting such objects, we perform the best species of charity. We improve the condition of our fellowmen, as intelligent, and promote their perfection, as immortal beings. We rescue them from the degradation and misery of irreligion and vice, and open to them the pure pleasures and heavenly consolations of piety here, and its infinite reward hereafter. We make those who might become the disgrace and pests of society, creditable and useful to

it.

We promote all the good to individuals, and the community, which cannot but flow from the extension of a church, holding and disseminating evangelical truth, in its primitive purity, and dispensing, in the divinely appointed way, the means and pledges of salvation provided by the Redeemer of mankind. And if he has promised to regard as extended to himself, the relief which we afford to the bodily necessities of our brethren, we surely may hope, that when we bestow our efforts on turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; reclaiming them from the way of spiritual and eternal destruction; and preVOL. VII.

senting them to Christ, to be sanctified by his grace, and saved by his merits, ing to himself. We may surely trust, he will mercifully receive it as an offerthat he will consider as done to him, whatever we do to promote the unity, purity, and prosperity of the church which he loved, and for which he gave himself.

Of this character, we humbly hope, are the operations of our society. The board would have rejoiced in the means of having them more extensive. They have done what they could. They have endeavoured faithfully to apply the resources with which they were pro→ vided; and hope that the prayers of their fellow-members will be united with their own, that the divine blessing may attend their efforts.

The operations of the past year make the aggregate of distributions by the society, since its establishment, 10,707 copies of the Bible, the New Testament, and the Book of Common Prayer.

In consequence of the sickness which prevailed in the city last fall, the sub criptions of members for the past year have not been collected. Their collection will be combined with that of those due for the current year. The board would express the hope that all the present members will gladly continue their patronage to so excellent an object, and that others will be added to the number who thus lend unto the Lord. An immediate advantage to members, and their families, will be found in the allowance of one Bible, or one octavo Prayer Book, for every dollar thus contributed.

For the reason stated above, the receipts into our treasury, during the past year, have been small, being limited to the interest of the permanent fund, which fund amounts to $5,374 56.

The board, at its last meeting, appropriated $450 to the procuring of Bibles and Prayer Books for distribution. May the blessing of God go with them, and sanctify them to his glory, the good of his church, and the spiritual and eternal welfare of his people! Signed by order of the board,

THOMAS LYELL, Chairman, Attest, pro tem. BENJAMIN T. ONDERDONK, Secretary. 16

For the Christian Journal.

THE Bible and Prayer Book Society of Albany, and its vicinity, held its annual meeting in St. George's church, in the city of Schenectady, on Tuesday evening, the 25th of February, 1823,at half past six o'clock.

Evening prayer was conducted by the Rev. Alexis P. Proal, rector of St. George's church, and an appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev. David Butler, rector of St. Paul's church, Troy, Rensselaer county. A collection was then made in aid of the funds of the society.

In the absence of the president, and vice-presidents of the society, on motion, it was

Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Butler take the chair.

Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Proal be appointed secretary.

The Rev. Mr. Lacey then presented the following report in behalf of the board of managers

Report.

The managers of the Bible and Prayer Book Society of Albany and its vicinity, in presenting to their constituents, at the close of their official term, a statement of their proceedings during the last year, cannot refrain from offering to Almighty God their deep and unfeigned aspirations of gratitude for the preservation of their lives to the present time, and for the degree of success with which he has been pleased to crown their feeble endeavours to premote the interest of his church. Of the twenty-one officers chosen at the last anniversary, all, excepting one, have been permitted by his gracious providence to see the close of their official term. Mr. Tabor, a pious and interest ing young man, has been removed, in the midst of life and usefulness, from this state of trial to his reward in another world. He died as he had lived; resigned to the dispensations of Divine Providence, and with an humble hope of acceptance in the sight of God, through the merits of his beloved Son. His sudden call to the dread tribunal of his Maker, to give an account for the deeds done in the body, solemnly and forcibly presses upon us all the admoni

tion of our Saviour "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

During the last year we have witnessed, with great pleasure, increasing calls upon us to enter with renewed diligence upon the great work in which we are engaged. This work, beyond all question, is the greatest in which human beings can be employed. It is nothing less than effectual efforts to rescue immortal souls from the power of sin and Satan, and to translate them into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; to make them happy in the enjoyment of the divine favour in the present life, and in the participation of eternal salvation in that which is to come. In comparison with a work of this description, the grandest projects of human genius dwindles into insignificance and nothing.

The institution of Sunday schools in nearly all the parishes of our church, and the organization of new congregations in newly settled places, render the continuance and increase of our exertions indispensable. And, so long as the improvement of the rising generation, and the supply of our poorer brethren with the Holy Scriptures, and the inimitable formulary of our worship, are admitted to be objects of great importance; your zeal, we trust, in promoting the objects of this society, will not diminish. The sort of good produced by the dissemination of the word of God, and the Book of Common Prayer, is, indeed, noiseless, but it nevertheless is of the purest and most exalted order. We believe, from undoubted testimony, that our society, humble as its pretensions are, has, under the blessings of Divine Providence, been the happy instrument of contributing, in many instances, to the present and eternal interests of our fellowcreatures. And, surely, if we can be the means of reclaiming a single sinner, or of administering consolation to the bosom of a solitary Christian, we shall be amply remunerated for all our labour of love. "They," says the word of God, "that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever."

The following schedule exhibits the state of the treasury:-Permanent fund $1,250; interest thereon for one year $75; collections, donations, subscriptions, and the avails of books sold $104 34; balance in the treasury last year $63 71-making in all $243 5. The disbursements for books purchased during the last year amount to $178 86-leaving now in the treasury $64

18 cents.

Books purchased by the society have been distributed in the cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy; and in the counties of Washington, Warren, Otsego, Saratoga, Chenango, Montgomery, and Cheteauque; in the states of Ohio and Illinois, and in the Michigan terri tory.

On motion, resolved, That the report be accepted.

Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Butler be requested to furnish the secretary a copy of his sermon, to be published, with the proceedings of this evening, in the Christian Journal.

The society then proceeded to elect, by ballot, the officers for the ensuing year. The following persons were unanimously chosen :-Philip S. Van Rensselaer,president; William A.Duer, 1st vice-president; George Tibbits, 2d vice-president; James C. Duane, 3d vice-president; Henry Trowbridge, treasurer; S. D. W. Bloodgood, recording secretary; Henry B. Davis, corresponding secretary.

Managers.James Gibbons, John T. Cooper, James Dexter, John R. Satterlee, James Stevenson, Stephen Warren, Nathan Warren, William S. Parker, G. Van Schoonhoven, D. Martin, D. Tomlinson, G. W. Featherstonaugh, Barrent Staats.

The following clergymen, members of the society, are (ex officio) managers-The Rev. Mr. Butler, the Rev. Mr. Lacey, the Rev. Mr. Dorr, the Rev. Mr. Proal, the Rev. Mr. Potter.

On motion, resolved, That the next annual meeting be held in Trinity church, Lansingburgh, Rensselaer county; and that the Rev. Mr. Potter be requested to preach a sermon on the occasion; and, in case of his absence, that the Rev. Mr Proal supply his place.

Episcopal Acts.

Ar a special ordination, held in St. Paul's church, Charleston, South-Carolina, on Sunday, the 23d of February, 1823, by the Right Rev. Bishop Bowen, Benjamin Huger Fleming, of Georgetown, was admitted to the holy order of deacons. Morning service was performed by the Rev. Mr. Delavaux, rector of St. Matthew's parish, and the sermon preached by the Rev. Mr. Hanckell, rector of St. Paul's.

On Thursday, the 27th of February, 1823, St. Stephen's church, in Philadelphia, was consecrated to the service of Almighty God, by the Right Rev. William White, D. D. Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in this state, in the presence of the Right Rev. John Henry Hobart, D. D. of NewYork, the episcopal clergy of this city, and a large concourse of other persons.

Morning prayer was celebrated by the Rev. Dr. Abercrombie, and the Rev. James Montgomery; and a very appropriate and impressive sermon delivered by the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart, from Heb. xii. part of the 23d verse.

The numerous congregation assembled on the occasion were still and attentive, in a degree evincive of the deep interest they took in the solemnities of the day.

This beautiful edifice is a chaste and correct specimen of Gothic architecture, and is the only one in the country that in its external appearance, and internal arrangements, is conformed to that style of building-for, though we offend against the canons of the science, yet we must be allowed to use the term style, in reference to Gothic modelsconsidering them to have a character as appropriate and as well defined as any acknowledged style can have; and thinking, moreover, from its suitable ness to sacred edifices, that it ought to be called the ecclesiastical style.

As this church has been admired by all who have seen it, it will doubtless gratify our readers, and will be but an act of justice to the eminent architect, William Strickland, esq. of this city, of whose skill, and taste, and indefatigable services, gratuitously exercised and rendered, it is a noble monument, to

subjoin the following technical description of the structure ;

Description of St. Stephen's Church, Philadelphia.

This Gothic structure stands on the cast side of Tenth, between Market and Chesnut streets, and presents an appearance highly bold and impressive. Its extreme length from east to west is 102 feet. The breadth of the body of the building is 55 feet, and that of the front, including the towers, 61 feet.

The western front consists of two

octangular towers, 86 feet in height, carried up on the north and south angles, comprising five stories, with windows and offsets, terminating in an embattled parapet.

The curtain, or space between the towers, is 33 feet front by 60 feet in height, and contains three doors of entrance, over which there are three large windows, formed within a recessed arch, 24 feet wide by 36 feet in height. On each flank are the windows of the north and south aisles, being separated by mullions into four compart ments, and decorated with pannelled tracery. The sash is composed of lead, and divided into small quarries of glass.

The interior of the church has a vestibule or antichamber, separated from the body of the building, which communicates with a stairway in each tower, leading to the gallery and organ-loft.

From the vestibule there are three screen openings, corresponding with the outer doors, which lead into the aisles and pews.

The pulpit and chancel form the principal decoration of the eastern front, being highly finished with recessed screen pannels, tracery, and clustered columns, supporting four projecting canopies. There is a large window immediately behind the pulpit, flanked with recessed pannels, being intended to receive marble tablets,* upon which the Commandments and Lord's Prayer are to be sculptured. This window, and the recessed pannels, are covered

The tablets are presented by William Strickland, esq. and are to be gratuitously sculptured by Mr. John Struthers, the marble mason of the church.

with highly enriched Gothic soffits, supported by brackets projecting from the wall.

The gallery screen is parallel with the sides of the church, connected in a semicircular form opposite the pulpit. It is enriched with perforated tracery and pannel work, and lined with purple drapery. It is supported by clustered columns, the front reed of each column rising above the capital, and terminating in a canopy on a level with the top rail of the screen.

From the upper part of the intervals between the windows of the flanks, spring the massy ribs which sustain the ceiling. Each rib is supported by brackets, and terminates in a key or pendant, the spandrils being pierced with pannels. These ribs, brackets, and pendants, being regularly disposed along the ceiling, dividing it into many compart ments, form a rich and decidedly beautiful perspective effect, particularly when viewed from the east or west end of the church. The organ-loft, or choir, is situated on the western front, in the it is large enough to contain 50 chorisrear of the circular pews of the gallery: ters, and is amply lighted by the three front windows. The ground floor contains 122 pews, the gallery 54: making a total of 176 pews.

The building is warmed with a Lehigh coal furnace, built in the cellar.

It is the intention of the building committee to embellish the windows with stained glass, and to crown the towers in front with ogee domes, and the appropriate cross, ball, and vane.

The building, thus completed, will present a correct specimen of the Gothic architecture of the middle ages.-Ch. Record.

Obituary Notices.

REV. JOHN TYLER,

DIED, at Norwich, January 21st, 1823, the Rev. JOHN TYLER, rector of Christ church, in the 81st year of his age

This venerable divine, the last of the clergy in this diocess who received orders immediately from the parent church, was born at Wallingford, Connecticut, August 26th, 1742. From

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