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W.; 4 Royal Exchange, E.C.; and 48 Picca dilly, W. THE WORDS OF CHRIST, with the Parallel Passages, Discrepancies and Omissions. Collated from the Four Gospels. By T. B. Dedicated, by permission, to the Very Reverend the Dean of Westminster. "A most admirable selection from the four Gospels of the actual words of CHRIST, calculated to save an infinity of trouble to all students of Christian doctrine, whether clerical or lay. The service which the collator has rendered to the student anxious to examine the Gospel records, can scarcely be overrated. He deserves the thanks of Christendom."-Social Notes, Jan. 3, 1880. A work which displays great care and sound judgment . . . considerably facilitating the study of the Gospels."-Christian, Feb. 5, ANGLO-AMERICAN BIBLE REVISION. By Members of the American Revision Committee. These Essays on the various aspects of the Anglo-American Bible Revision now going on, are issued by the American Revision Committee as an explanatory statement to the friends of the cause. "Written with ability, and rich in suggestive criticism."-Clergyman's Magazine.: A Life of our Lord for With 16 Full-page Illustrations by A. BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN; or, Christ the Light of the World. "It will widen and deepen the currents of his usefulness."-Homilist. 16mo, 18., cloth limp, KEPT FOR THE MASTER'S USE. By the late Frances Ridley Havergal. Uniform with 'My King," &c. "It is sweetness itself."-Sword and Trowel. Royal 32mo, 9d., cloth, MORNING STARS; or, Names of Christ for His Little Ones. By the late Frances Ridley HAVERGAL. "A beautiful little volume."-Rock. "Another precious little volume for the children."-Christian Progress. Recently published, fcap. 4to, 38., cloth, gilt edges, or in paper cover, 18. 6d., SONGS OF PEACE AND JOY. The Words selected from "The Ministry of Song" and "Under the Surface." By the late FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. The music by CHARLES H. PURDAY. "A pretty little quarto, beautifully printed, melodious, simple aud musician-like-of a kind altogether to make the book a favourite neighbour of the sitting-room piano in many a household."-Liverpool Post. Small crown 8vo, 1s., cloth, A CHIP OF THE OLD BLOCK. By Emma Marshall, Author of 'Between the Cliffs,' &c. "A capital story of a brave and heroic boy who is worthy of his lineage. Young lads wonld do well to read this short story."-Sunday School Chronicle. London: JAMES NISBET and CO., 21 Berners Street. PAGE 77 MR F. C. BLYTH'S THOUGHTS ON THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED Cloth Cases of entirely new pattern (price Is. 6d. each, by post, is. 9d.) for binding last year's volume have been prepared. But for the convenience of those who prefer to keep their volumes uniform, the old Cloth Cases may still be had for 1879, at the same price. In sending orders it should be distinctly stated which case is wanted. HE LITERARY CHURCHMAN is now published every alternate FRIDAY. The Subscription for one year, including Postage, is 9s. 6d. Subscribers are respectfully reminded that the Subscription for the Current Year (9/6) is payable to W. SKEFFINGTON & SON, 163 Piccadilly, W. Price 3d. per dozen, 78 79 80 80 82 83 84 85 85 86 RETREATS. Retreats or "Quiet Days "--which is only another name for the same thing-are now becoming so general, that we may regard them as an established practice in the Church of England. From the arrangements of the Bishop of London for a Day's Retreat for his clergy in the metropolitan Cathedral, down to the quiet gathering of a few 81 clergy in some remote parsonage, the principle of Retreats is now accepted. The restoration of this species of devo83 tion was due to the efforts of a society of clergymen of the High Church school, to whom also we owe the commencement of "Missions," such as are now held in many parishes and towns in England. We believe the first formal Retreat was held in Kent, at a country parsonage, about a quarter of a century ago. There had been previous to this a small meeting of clergy at Christ Church, Oxford, hardly organised enough to be called a Retreat. Eight clergy were present, and the devotional exercises lasted two days. In all probability we shall not be guilty of exaggeration, if we say that now there are fifty Retreats or Quiet Days" annually given; and that, on one occasion, as many as seventy clergy attended, whilst 92 oftentimes the Retreatants have numbered forty or fifty. It may be of service, in accounting for this rapid growth, if we trace the history of this devotional exercise, see in what it consists, and note some of the objections which it has had to encounter. SEVEN RULES for the NEWLY CONFIRMED; a leaflet to be placed in a Bible or Prayer-Book. Printed on toned paper in red and black, with blank space for the name of the Parish Priest, That a Retreat should be no longer the mark of a party is not surprising, when we find the principle of this practice everywhere conspicuous in Holy Scripture. When GOD had some fresh gift for His servants or for His people, HE granted it to them at a time when they had withdrawn from the world. Abraham, separated from country and kindred; Moses, withdrawn into the wilderness, and further withdrawn on the Mount; Elijah, forty days on Horeb; S. John Baptist, in the wilderness; CHRIST, in the desert at this season; the Apostles, in "the Upper Chamber" between the Ascension and Pentecost, are instances of Retreat as a preparation for the reception of some new The Church blessing, or the entrance upon some office. carried on this principle of retirement as a means of closer fellowship with GOD, and the essential features of Retreat may be traced in the life in the Thebaid, though the practice of periodical retirement was, perhaps, not in force until the thirteenth century. Before that, lives had been spent in Retreat; after that, others, besides Religious, made it a habit to withdraw for a short time from the world, for purposes of devotion. It is, however, to S. Ignatius we owe the modern practice and form of Retreats, and since his day what is called "the Ignatian method" has held its ground. The clergy, who are always ministering to others, feel their need of a time when they can apply the same truths to their own soul, and therefore withdraw from their absorbing employment for their own spiritual benefit; and doubt not but that the loss of two or three days to their flock is amply compensated for by the radiance with which they come down, as it were, from the Mount of GOD. All Retreats must be more or less the same, for in them the moving truths of the Gospel are in order brought before the soul. The subjects in "Manresa, or the Spiritual Exercises," are such as any Christian may use with spiritual profit, seeing that, with one or two exceptions, they do not touch upon doubtful points of doctrine. Creation, Sin, Death, Hell, Judjment, the Mysteries of the Incarnate Life, Humility, the Holy Eucharist, Examination of Conscience, &c., such are the themes which, in this wonderful book, are treated in the most practical way. However the conductor may vary his addresses, these fundamental truths must form the staple of his meditations. In a Retreat there is a sort of cycle-the soul created-the soul departing from its Creator-the soul returning to Him-the soul renewedthe soul perfected. The whole is thus summed up-" De-austere. Here, again, practical acquaintance with this formata Reformare, Reformata Conformare, Conformata Transformare." Others, again, consider Retreats harmful, because they are said to excite the emotions to too great a degree. This is wholly a mistake. A Retreat differs from a Mission, in that the Mission is an "excitative;" the Retreat, a "quietive" process. Retreats are conducted in silence. The meditation is an appeal, not to feelings, but to the understanding, the will, the affections, and the conscience. Retreats are oftentimes spent without any addresses, the soul receiving a few thoughts for its guidance from some "spiritual pastor.” Another objection to Retreats is that they are too devotion is alone needed to dispel this erroneous view. In Retreats no fasting or mortifications are enjoined. It A Retreat, then, is simply a withdrawal, for a time, is rather considered in order that the mental and from the world, in order to give oneself undividedly to bodily powers may be in good condition to bear the necessary the care of one's own soul. "A Retreat," it has been said strain of continuous prayer and attention, food and by one who, more than any other, has been instrumental rest during Retreat should be sufficiently provided in the revival of this practice-Canon Carter-"has its for. Again, some object to Retreats because they special object," which is "to give, as far as outward cir- imagine that to attend one is to put oneself in the cumstances can further it, an undivided influence favour- position of being urged to confession. It will be sufficient able to the presentation of unseen and impalpable truths to say that confession in Retreat is voluntary, and is left in their bearing on one's own solitary personal life." We -as it is always left by the Church of England-entirely are acted upon from without and from within. Viewed to the discretion of the individual. Doubtless a quickened psychologically, a Retreat is a time when we withdraw conscience, and a deepened sense of the evil of sin, ourselves from external impressions, that we may give tend, under certain conditions, to create a desire for "the attention to internal, and wait upon GOD. We "reduce," benefit of absolution." so to speak, "sense-impressions," that memory, will, understanding, and "all that is within" us, may be concentrated on spiritual objects. It must not be concluded that a Retreat is simply a time for introspection, it is also one of contemplation and expectancy. As through our bodily senses we realise this outer world, so through spiritual senses we gaze upon the Invisible, the Real, and Eternal. A Retreat, then, is a time for holding close communion with GOD, and for tasting the powers of the world to come. It leads to deeper repentance, spiritual progress, better fulfilment of duties, and so always concludes with some practical resolutions. The oppositions which this practice has had to encounter are manifold. Some have said it is comparatively a waste of time, and, therefore, they will not, even for a day or two, retire from their duties in life. Such persons fail to see that a Retreat is undertaken because it is viewed as a means of grace, and has the promise of a Divine blessing, which will aid them in the discharge of those duties in the future. We cannot but think that if Retreats were at any time needed, they must be in an especial way needed now, when life is at such a high pressure, and the age is marked by restlessness and love of controversy. It must be serviceable for all, lay and clerical alike, now and then to pause in the midst of this feverish scene, and in silence and stillness to pass up into the Mount, to be alone with GOD. MR BRIGHT ON THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. No one will challenge the Islington philippic of Mr Bright on Nonconformity as inconsistent with any of his previous public utterances on the matter of religion, for Mr Bright has always been delighted with any opportunity of pouring out the vials of his righteous indignation on the heal of the National Church, and to have a good fling at a Bishop is a supreme gratification to his candid mind. The political dissenters, who find no ordinary encouragement and enjoyment in Mr Bright's abuse of the Church, will not be disappointed with his recent speech, leaving, as it does, far behind it all preceding achievements of this distinguished |