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308 Dialogue between a Clergyman and one of his Parishioners

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lowship, &c." All these petitions breathe the same sentiment, and are evidently founded upon that unity for which the Apostolic Christians are held up to our imitation, who continued stedfastly (Acts ii. 42.) in the Apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Every word of this sentence is full of instruction shewing how Christians, ought to con→ duct themselves, in patient continuance in well daingin stedfastly adhering to the Apostolical unity and government of the Church;-in not having itch ing ears, multiplying teachers to themselves, but duly attending to such as are of the divinely appointed mission ;-in carefully avoiding schism; under all its alluring forms, and continuing in the fellowship of the Son of God. The daily prayer of the primitive Christians was, give us this day our daily bread and their daily practice was, with enraptured hearts and stretched-forth hands to receive it. Their prayers were offered up with one accord: one mouth, one soul, one principle of life, was to every member of that one body. Thus (Col. ii. 2.) their hearts were comforted, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; (v.7.) rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as they had been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

P.-What a holy and heavenly doctrine! How blessed are such as conform to it!I have often studied the unity of the Church, as a lesson arising also from the conduct of the soldiers at the crucifixion, who would not rend the Redeemer's seamless coat, but cast lots for it whose it should be. And the circumstance of our Lord's giving up the Ghost, so that “not a bone of him was broken," when the soldiers, to hasten the death of the two others, brake their legs.

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C.-Yes, Sir, your observations are just, and the inferences are obviou;— no doubt these actions of the soldiers, though they knew it not, were done a greeable to a divine dispensation, which makes the wrath turn to the praise of God," or bounds it, with a "hitherto shalt thou come and no further."We may safely conclude that the preserving our Redeemer's vestment wholethe not breaking a bone of his body, are perfectly coincident with that unity, or preservation entire, which he so earnestly and so repeatedly besought his Father to grant to his mystical body, the Church:-In the 17th chapter of the Gospel by St. John, the gracious Intercessor prays thus, v. 11. Holy Fath er, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that THEY may be ONE, as we are."--Verse 17. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."-Verse 18. As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me, through their word; that THEY all may be ONE; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be ONE in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.→ And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be ONE, even as we are ONE; I in THEM and THOU in ME, that they may be made perfect in ONE, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.'

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Who can read this prayer of the Redeemer without the most lively sense of the unity of his Church In this he intercedes for you, and for me, for thousands and ten thousands, nay, for all who shall believe through the words of the Apostles, who being dead, yet speak by the organ of our mouths, and cause their voice to be heard. They were chosen and ordained by our Lord, that they should bring forth much fruit, and that their fruit should remain→→ and their fruit will remain, like the seed of a tree which is in itself, until the end-at no period will the apostolical commission cease; it will not return void, but will prosper in the thing whereunto it hath been appointed. By this prayer, it is evident that UNITY among the members of Christ's body is a primary object of the Father's sending the Son;-of the Son's sending the Apostles ;→→→ of the Apostles sending faithful men, who shall be able to instruct and send others, and thus of continuing the same order of succession 'till the number of the human race be summed up; and that this unity is a public testimony to the Divine mission of the Son of God. How precious then is that vinculum or chain which ties the redeemed of the Lord together, and binds them up in

Dialogue between a Clergyman and one of his Parishioners.

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the bundle of his life! And that chain, Chrysostom tells us in his 10th homily on the first epistle of St. Paul to Timothy, is the Episcopate his words translated are "the imposition of hands, or ordination, the bishop's preroga tice, is the chief and principal of all ecclesiastical powers, and that which chiefly maintains and holds together the Christian Church.

P. The same Chrysostom, with one of whose prayers cur public service ends? G. Yes the same. He was bishop of Constantinople, born at Antioch, A. D. 354, and died at Pitius, on the borders of the Euxine sea, A. D. 417. He was a glorious defender of the unity of the Church, and celebrated for his evangelical oratory, among all nations. Of his fine compositions, this prayer is reckoned one of the sublimest;-and it is impossible to join in it with the great congregation, without feeling a glow of that celestial warmth, which enabled the first Christians to lift up their voices to God with one accord, in the union and communion of his Church.

P.-Chrysostom was a very high Churchman, for which he was twice exiled from Constantinople;-was he not ?`

C-Yes; the pride of man cannot bear to think of any delegated power from God. But as to High Church and Low Church we read nothing of them in the scriptures, or in the writings of the primitive Christians. There is no alternative, a man must be in the Church-or he must be out of it. He must be in its union or disunited from it. He must either be a member of the mystical body of Christ or not. There is no halting with safety between such contrary conditions. If Christ hath instituted his Church, given it sacraments, and promises of pardon and peace, and hath committed the govern ment of it, as a sacred deposit, to men of his own designation, to be to the edification of many sons and daughters unto glory-how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?-Look all around you, sir, and take notice, how the world is divided-divided in point of doctrine-in point of discipline, in point of faith Where is there to be found a common band of unity among those of the anti-episcopal persuasion Into how many sects are they split up?-No sooner did the reformation take place, but all those, who, to get away as far as possible from the Church of Rome, rejected Episcopacy, which as above quoted, chiefly maintains and holds together the Christian Church, divided and subdivided themselves into numberless and irreconcilable parties, and denominations, like so many sects of philosophers, each zealous for the honour of its founder, but unmindful of that unity so much insisted upon by their common Lord. And this evil increases daily. Schism is the fruitful mother of heresies ;—and we behold Europe and America inundated with a revival of all the heresies of antient times!

P. Here is my difficulty.

C. And a no small one it is; but you have clear rules for your conduct, and the promise of the Holy Spirit to assist you in every trouble, in every perplexity. As you freely ask my advice, I will as freely give it. Let it be your resolution, that whatever others do, you and your house will serve the Lord; and continue steadfast in the Apostles doctrine, and prayers, and in breaking of bread when God shall give you an opportunity. Never permit any of your family to indulge the idea, that mankind may obtain happiness here or hereafter, by any other means than those God hath appointed. Teach them that every endeavour which they use to preserve or restore the unity of Christ's body mournfully bleeding by the wounds inflicted on it by heresy and schism, will find acceptance with God, and he will remember and visit them concerning that thing. When you have no opportunity of worshipping God publicly in the unity of his Church, you will do well to assemble your family at the stated hours of morning and evening prayer in your own house; then, according to the patriarchal condition of things, act the priest of your own family, in all things merely precatory. Before you begin, make all your arrangements; to one, assign the office of reading the first lesson; to another, the second. Appoint one to lead the psalm, or chant; one to read the epistle, and another the gospel, for the day. On your family so engaged, God will not fail to look down with complacency-he will graciously receive the sweet smelling odour of your sacrifice of prayer and praise, and say of you, as the patriarch said of his son-see! the smell of my son is as the smell of a fickt which Jehovah hath blessed,

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P.-Good Sir, you have my hearty thanks for your pastoral care of me and mine, and particularly for putting me upon a method of preserving the unity of Carist's Church in a private way; who knows but God in his goo tness may the more speedily send us a pastor of his own institution, when he sees that w wish to do what we can to be a holy seed in a strange land.

C-Most certainly, he who sent Philip to preach to, and baptize the Ethiopian in the desert-will not fail to send one of his deputed servants in his own good time to minister to you in holy things, ordinary and extraordinary! ;—— until such time as this be done; wait in faith and patience; let not your heart fret against the Lord; by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honour and immortal lite; and the God of all comfort and consolation will continue to watch over and bless you.

P. I am afraid, sir, that I take up too much of your time, and I must be gone about my business. Shall we have the pleasure of seeing you at my house before our removal? My wife and children have always entertained a due sense of your fatherly love and care for them and would be glad to see you. My little son Jonathan cries and says, pappa, why can't you stay 'till I-have recited all the catechism to our good parson shall never see him more! shall I pappa? Can we have such a good man to be our priest in that new country we are going to, pappa?

C.-My time is never so well employed as in promoting the interests of reli gion; and next week I propose, God willing, to pay my respects to you' and family, as a Christian farewel.

P. You will be heartily wellcome, sir.
C.-My best regards to your family, sir.
P. They will be very acceptable, sir.
C.-Farewel.

[Fo be continued.]

FOR THE CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE.

ON DUELLING.

Wrath killeth the foolish man, and Envy the silly one.-Job v.

HO would think that it should ever be considered an instance of wis

WHO sfe to gratify the caprice or glut the revenge of

a turbulent passion ?-Can it be an act of real bravery, to expose my person, because some fool-hardy practitioner as a sword's" man or mark's man is des perate enough to risk his?- The Christian gentleman, if he betrays not his profession, will bear in mind that he is not his own, but bought with a price, even the precious blood of the Son of God, and therefore, when tempted to give or receive a challenge will instantly start back from the temptation (well knowing it to originate with the antient murderer) and say to himself, God forbid that I should do this great wickedness and sin so grievously against him.

But, it is said, Honour is at stake-better for a man to lose his life, than for feit his reputation ;-better for a man to be in his grave than to be the jest of every coffee-house or jolly company-to be perhaps pointed at, on the public street or highway, as a mean-spirited, sneaking, or as the gentlemen of the sword so elegantly speak, white-livered animal!Among whom, let me ask, shall a man lose his reputation for refusing to risk his life, when there is no national call for it ?-Among the rash, the violent, the furiously angry, the revengeful, the sons of chimera and cruelty; whose applause is infamy, and detraction their highest praise? From judicious and serious people, the son of peace will always have approbation, and entitle himself to their esteem.-When Casar received a challenge from Anthony, to fight a duel, he very calmly an swered the bearer of the message thus" If Anthony is weary of his life, tell him there are other ways to death besides the point of my sword. Who ever deemed this an instance of cowardice?—All ages have admired it, as the act of a discreet and gallant man, who was sensible of his own importance, his value to his country and of the delicate relation he bore to his family, friends and dependents; and knew how to treat the petulent and revengeful humour of discontented adversary with its deserved contempt.

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Barely to lose our life, is the smallest of those evils which attend this mischeivous practice. It is pregnant with a long-an almost endless train of disas trous consequences to parents, wives, children, friends, associates and the com munity. It is an infallible expedient for depriving one of the favour of God and of exclusion from the joys of his eternal kingdom. It is the sure way of becoming an object of abhorience to the angels of light, and of being, made a butt of derision for evil spirits in their abodes of darkness. Shame, everlasting shame, shall be the reward of such gallantry, the promotion of such fools; for the word of God pronounces all duels, or single combats, murders;-and let the duelist whiten them as much as he will, with the names of honour and honest pretences, their use is sinful and their nature devilish!

Would you then, cries the revengeful man, tamely submit to affronts, insults, and injuries?

As to the trifling affronts of a peevish inconsistent tongue, I would treat them with a superior scorn. And when thus treated, they are sure to recoil, with the keenest edge, and heaviest weight, upon the inipotent malice that offers them The wretch should see, that I could pity his misery, and smile at his folly. But, as to injuries, the case is otherwise. Should any one offer violence to my person it is at his peril. I should consider him as I would a robber or an assassin. Under the protection of God's assisting Providence, I would endearour to ward off his attacks, and make him feel,

Et nos, tela manu, ferrumque haud debile dextra
Spargimus, et nostro sequitur de vulnere sanguis

VIRG.

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Here the fundamental and everlasting law of self-preservation, calls upon us to play the man. And I am sure, that Christianity does not require us, to yield our throats to the knife, nor open our breasts to the dagger,

But to retire to deliberate to hessitate to sit down--and indite a formal challenge----seems to be altogether as savage, and iniquitous as to act the highway-man. He who demands my money on the road, or extorts it by an incendiary letter, or decoys me into a snare by a forged or counterfeit note, is stigmatized for a villain---is abhored by every person of integrity, and, when detected, is punished as his crine deserves. Why should we reckon the chal Jengist less injurious, less sayage---who makes his attempt upon my very life, and thirsts with insatiable fury, for my blood ---He allows me a fair chance, it be said. A chance! a chance of what?---Either of falling a sacrifice to his

rage, of of imbruing ing hand in his

than reducing me to a necessity, of launching myself into damnation, or of transmitting a fellow-creature to eternal vengeance :---and pray, is this an extenuation this a mitigating circumstance?---It really proves the practice to be so inexcusably wicked, that nothing can be pleaded in its defence. The very ar guments used to justify the horrid deed, inflame and aggravate its malignity. Ought not the legislative authority in every state of the Union to interpose, and with the most energetic sanctions, suppress duelling, as one of the most flagrant wrongs that can be offered to society, as the most notorious violation of our holy and benign religion ---Why should not the laws declare it felony, to make the first overtures for a duel since it is always more heinous, and frequently more pernicious-is always murder in the intention, and frequently issues in double destruction. In this State, to the honour of our Legislature, be it mentioned, ample provision is made against duelling; and I believe in seve ral of the other States, the laws are sufficiently pointed:---But if they are fuffered, like some antiquated sword, to rust in their sheath---cui bono?---what is the use of them?---they answer no good purpose, rather do they invite transgression.

But if, the laws of man were not sufficiently compulsory on this subject---surely the laws of God are---written as it were with a sun-beam----enforced under the severest of sanctions, the divine displeasure here and hereafter. As a man I cordially pity the gentleman who receives a challenge, but as a Christian, I would have him trample it under his feet----and return to the angry gentleman, some such answer as the following:

Sir-However meanly you may estimate your own life, I set too great a value upon mine, to expose it as a mark for undisciplined and outrageous pasion. God forbid that i should so totally renounce all that is humane----bene

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volent, or amiable, as to point the deadly ball for your destruction, because you have given me a challenge, to murder or be murdered by you: I am a Christian--my profession forbids me to shed blood--I will not return you evil for evil---you have given me an opportunity of acting both the gentleman and the Christian--and I accept this challenge as a note under your hand for the sum of £ being the mulct appointed by law in such case, which will be instantly demanded of you, by sir, yours, &c.

Among the antient Romans, he who saved the life of a citizen in battle or otherwise, was honoured with a civic crown ;----in like manner might not the refuser of a challenge, upon giving it into the hands of the civil authority, be entitled to some honours, some privilege, some token of public approbation, because by his cool and temperate bravery, he had saved the life at least of one citizen!-- cannot but think that honorary distinctions would operate more forcibly than mere penalties, in checking the progress of duelling, and that by turning the artillery of revenge upon herself, the tooth of malice might be broken by her own weapons.

THE INFIDEL.

LAS! what pilot shall direct his course?

A What gentle breeze shall fill his way-worn sail?

What comfort bring an everlasting day?

What all the bliss of heaven with him avail?

Forever toss'd by adverse winds and tides,
Forever changing with the changing sun,
His bark at random on the ocean rides;

Where will be anchor, when his voyage is done?

POUGHKEEPSIE.

S.

ANECDOTE.

ANY persons will perhaps express their admiration of God's word as

MANY

system of truths, but when it tells them they are sinners, and represents their vices in a just point of view with the consequences that must result from them, it is cast aside with disgust. In this respect they act as the old woman did by the mirror which she found in a dung-hill; after wondering how so beautiful a thing could be placed in so contemptible a situation, it no sooner represented her own deformed countenance, than she threw it where she found it, saying, " You are deservedly cast out into that filthy place by all people, for impudently misrepresenting them to themselves."

OBITUARY.

DIED, at Derby, on the 4th instant, Mrs. LAVINIA HULL, the amiable consort of Mr. Samuel Hull, jun. merchant, and daughter of Mr. Henry Deming, of Wethersfield, deceased. Her funeral was attended the next day by a numerous concourse of people, deeply affected by the irreparable loss. A well adapted and affecting sermon was delivered by the Rev. Ambrose Todd, from Philippians i. 23:----For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ; which is far better.

A procession of about seventy young Ladies was formed at the house of the deceased, and followed her to the place of interment, to pay their last tribute of respect to their beloved companion; to whose natural accomplishments and agreeableness of disposition, were added the superior graces, piety and Christian morality. Numerous surrounding pleasing prospects of worldly happiness did not limit or satisfy her desires; but she wisely judged it of primary importance to secure the favour and friendship of God her Saviour; and, though cut off in the morning of life, hath left this consoling reflection, that dying she hath exchanged earth for heaven.

Learn hence, ye lively and engaging fair,

To make your minds your chief and greatest care;
For death e're long will close the brightest eyes,
But heaven-born virtue never, never dies.

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