hor ultraism and party spirit, as such, of every hue. her errors, abandons her superstitions, and renounces For us, the name of Churchman is sufficient, but if her absurd pretensions to supremacy and infallibility. those of our communion have so strong a desire for I firmly believe that most of the controversies which some characteristic prænomen, and are not content now disturb our repose, originate in misapprehensions, with that of Catholic, we would respectfully suggest and are little more than 'disputes about words;' and that they call themselves Prayer-book Churchmen, that the residue are connected with the metaphysical provided that they endeavor to do honor to such a pro- subtilties which have sprung out of the teachings of fession. Calvin, and relate chiefly to the means of renovating grace, and other points on which neither party has deviated essentially from the integrity of Christian doctrine. Nothing is wanting but a little time for calm reflection, a more candid view of controverted topics, and the exercise of true Christian charity, to restore the Church to that peace and union which has so long marked her onward course.

We would be far from finding fault with any one for asking our opinions on any subject. While it has been our honest intention to be explicit in all we write, we have not deemed it important to obtrude our own private opinions for the mere purpose of "defining our position." We know of no better way of replying to certain inquiries, than by inserting the excellent and well-timed address of our good Bishop, (read at our recent Diocesan Convention,) especially as it meets our own views precisely; and coming from such a source, will carry far more weight than any thing we might prepare on the same subject. We hope all our readers will give it an attentive perusal. If its insertion shall tend to assist any anxious inquirers in locating us, we shall be highly gratified, i. e. if our lo-low state of religious feeling in the quarters from cation, thus settled, be in neither of the extremes of ultraism.

66

'As to those combined attacks, by which we have for some time been assailed from without, I have but a few remarks to offer. They have been characterized by a bigotry unsuited to a land of equal rights and religious toleration; by a malignity and violence uncongenial to the spirit of the Gospel; and by a want of Christian courtesy and Christian candor, which indicate a

which they come. But let us not return railing for railing. We have not so learned Christ. The cause of truth and righteousness can gain nothing by unhallowed recriminations. It can ultimately lose nothing by the mere appeals to popular prejudice and ignorance which are arrayed against it. While, then, we are ever ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us, let us do it with meekness and fear. Let us be ever ready to defend the faith once delivered to the

Christian's armor; and confide the result to the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls. He has pledged Himself to be with His ministers of Apostolic succession to the end of the world. He has declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We will trust in His promise."

My Brethren-When I last addressed you, I had the pleasure of congratulating you on the union, peace, and harmony, which prevailed throughout our whole communion. Since that time, events have occurred which have given a temporary shock to our repose; and by becoming mingled with other prevailing topics of discussion, have created no small excitement in the Church, and no small triumph among her enemies.saints; but let us join the combats with none but the I view this excitement with no serious alarm, and the triumph with no dismay. If we have cherished any undue pride in our privileges, let that pride be humbled by the rebuke it has received. But, blessed be God, we have in our articles and liturgy, conservative principles, by which any errors in doctrine may be tested and condemned, and any defects in our organization discovered and amended. If any extreme opinions have been held by individuals, the present excitement has brought them to the test, and the corrective will be found effectual. If in any thing we have fallen below the standards of our Church, we shall be THE EARLY CHRISTIAN FATHERS; OR MEMORIALS OF reminded of our defection and brought back to the NINE DISTINGUISHED TEACHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN model of primitive truth and order. It is in these pe- FAITH DURING the first three CENTURIES: including riods of excitement that our attention should be turned their Testimony to the three-fold ministry of the most actively and carefully to first principles; to the Church. By the Rev. William M. Carmichael, D. D. law and to the testimony; to scripture and to primi- New York: A. V. Blake, 1844.-This work is well tive usage; and I doubt not but the present agitation adapted to fill a long-felt vacancy in Church-literature. will result in the clearer elucidation and the firmer esIt consists of a compendious and faithful biography of tablishment of the truth. As to the imputation of any some of the earliest and most distinguished Fathers of tendency to Romanism in our Church, we regard the the Primitive Church, and those extracts from the suggestion as one of those oft-repeated calumnies, writings of each, which have a reference to the Sacred which is as often revived by prejudice, but believed Orders of the Ministry. It is to be regretted that such only by the ignorant. We can hold no closer connec-multitudes of even professing Christians are so protion with that corrupt communion, till she corrects foundly ignorant of the writings of the early Fathers.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

the early British and of the Anglo-Saxon Churches, the rise and growth of the Papal Supremacy, the connection of England with the Papacy, the Causes and the Character and Results of the English Reformation, are subjects concerning which every Churchman should feel it his duty to inform himself. It is but seldom that we are called upon to notice a book which we more earnestly wish to see in general circulation, than these Lectures on the "Catholic Church in England and America."

And such even as have cursorily perused some ex- at the publication of every work which presents, in a tracts from their writings, are too often but little in-fair and faithful manner, the Church's claim to Aposformed concerning their personal history. We cannot tolicity and Catholicity. The design of the work bebut admire, therefore, the plan of the author, by which fore us can be judged from its title; and, after having he gives us an interesting and accurate biography of carefully read it, we feel bound to say that we know each of these "nine distinguished Teachers of the of no other work of its size, which contains such a Christian Faith during the first three centuries," thus rich fund of useful information on the subjects of making us acquainted with their true character and which it treats, nor one which is so well adapted for worth, and to every biographical sketch adds the testi-general use. The history of the Apostolic descent of mony of each Father to the three-fold ministry of the Church. The Fathers, whose lives and writings are thus furnished us, are Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Polycarp, of the first century; Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian, of the second century, and Origen, Cyprian, and Cornelius, of the third century. These are succeeded by a sketch of the life and writings of Eusebius. There probably never was a time when the biography of the Fathers was more needed than it is at present. With the unworthy design of lessening the value of the patristic writings, recent sectarians are too frequently found holding up THE USEFUL LETTER WRITER, comprising a sucthe Christian Fathers as a set of ignorant, supersti- cinct Treatise on the Epistolary Art, and Forms of tious, semi-heathen men, whose testimony (inasmuch Letters for all the ordinary occasions of life. New as it lends no support to the "modern developments” { York: D. Appleton & Co. New Haven: Croswell of sectarianism) is not entitled to any respect, except { & Jewett.-This neat little volume contains " perchance in a few cases, where they find it convenient, by way of enforcing their own views. These "Memorials" of the Christian Fathers will show that they were not quite so illiterate, and so little acquainted with the order and discipline of the Primitive Church, as some of their modern calumniators. It will be found that the world never contained more able, fearless, zealous, devoted, and self-denying servants of Christ, than these holy Fathers.

There is also appended to the work, a chapter on the Apostolical Succession, and one on Heresy and Schism, on each of which subjects the sentiments of these Fathers are given.

We fervently hope, with the author, "who sends it forth as a messenger of truth," that his work "may be the means, under God, of doing something, not only towards the dissemination of high and holy views respecting the essentials of our faith, but clear and primitive views respecting the polity of the Church, so that those who have long been wandering in the dark, and perhaps in bye and forbidden paths, may, in the good providence of God, be brought back to the One Fold, and the One Shepherd, which is Jesus Christ our Lord."

Family Letters, Business Letters, Letters on Love, Courtship, and Marriage, Friendship, Letters of Invitation, &c.," and is designed, we suppose, either for those who through ignorance are incapable of writing a letter, or for those who through indolence are unwilling to take the trouble of composing one. If the publishers will have a few Letters for Editors inserted in their next edition, and present us a number of copies in sheets, to send to some of our numerous correspondents, we shall feel disposed to notice the work more favorably.

BLACKWOOD'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, for May. American Edition. New York: L. Scott & Co. New Haven: T. H. Pease. We have read several articles of more than common interest, in this number. This magazine contains threefold more matter than our three dollar monthlies, and while its contents are of far higher order of literary excellence, the price for which it is furnished is the same.

The number for June has just come to hand, but wo have had no time to examine it.

AUTHORITATIVE MINISTERIAL TEACHING. A Sermon preached at the opening of the Convention of the Diocese of Maryland, May, 1844. By the Rev Thomas Atkinson, Rector of St. Peter's Church, Baltimore. Published by request. Baltimore: D Brunner.-We just received this sermon, and upon opening it to glance over its pages, found ourselves so highly interested with the author's plan of presenting the truth, that we could not lay it down till we had read it entirely through. We should be glad to say more of its excellencies, but have not room.

VOL. I.

THE EVERGREEN.

For the Evergreen.

LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL.

op, assisted by two British or Welch Bishops. He showed himself a faithful servant of Christ, living in the most self-denying manner, and traveling about on foot to "preach at cot or castle, villages or towns." Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, upon his arrival in England, seems to have entertained some doubts respecting the validity of a consecration by the British Bishops.* "If you doubt it," said St. Chad, "I willingly resign my Bishopric. I ever thought myself unworthy of the dignity, but consented to take it out of obedience to my King." Theodore, however, did not wish him to resign his Bishopric, but told him, that if he had not been regularly consecrated, he himself was ready to complete his consecration. St. Chad consented to this; but afterwards, fearing a division of parties in the province, he withdrew to his former hum

MANY of our young readers have doubtless read with much pleasure a recent interesting work entitled "The Siege of Lichfield: a Tale illustrative of the Great Rebellion," by the Rev. W. Gresley, M. A. We furnish in our present number an engraving of the Lichfield Cathedral, with its history, and some other incidents connected with it, which we have gleaned from various authentic sources. We trust the length of this article will not prevent any one from reading it. Lichfield Cathedral is one of the most complete and beautiful, though not one of the largest, of those "sacred edifices which were raised by the pious hands of our forefathers to the honor and glory of God." If tradition may be trusted, the spot on which Lich-ble retirement. But Theodore "seeing the worth of field stands has a claim to be regarded as one of the most sacred in England. Here it is said a thousand Christian martyrs, with their leader, Amphibolus, were put to death at one time, during the persecution which raged in the beginning of the fourth century under the Roman emperors Dioclesian and Maximian. A field in the neighborhood, which still bears the name of "Christian Field," is pointed out as the scene of this slaughter; and etymologists have found a memorial of the same event in the name of the town itself; for Lich-virtues." It may not be uninteresting to our readers field, they contend, signifies, in Saxon, the "Field of the Dead." Dr. Johnson, himself a native of Lichfield, has given this derivation in his Dictionary. Other writers, however, have called in question this interpretation of the term.

such a primitive-mannered Christian, shortly after recommended him to the See of Lichfield. * Chad had now a Diocese not much less in extent than his former one. The Archbishop, however, had no little difficulty in persuading him not to travel entirely on foot, but to use a horse for more expedition on his journeys. Thus provided, this good old Saxon Bishop journeyed diligently throughout the midland counties, and gained great renown for his Christian

to give a legend concerning him before he became a Bishop. We copy it, with a few amendments from other sources, from the "Siege of Lichfield."

"A few furlongs from the Close of Lichfield, on the east side, is an ancient Church, dedicated to St. Chad. It was on this spot, according to a legend of former days, that the holy man led an eremitical life, dwelling in a cell beside a bubbling spring. A stone is still seen at the bottom of the spring, on which, it is stated, he was wont to kneel at his prayers; more probably it was placed there for the converts who were baptized. The saint himself is said to have

In the Saxon times, Staffordshire was a part of the extensive and powerful kingdom of Mercia, which, according to the venerable Bede, became a Christian kingdom about the middle of the seventh century, upon its conquest by Oswy, King of Northumbria. Lichfield is said to have been erected into a Bishopric in the year 656; Dwina or Duma (one of the disciples of St. Columba*) being the first Bishop appoint-been supported by the milk of a white doe,-white as ed to preside over the See. His immediate successors snow, which resorted to his cell; and many holy were Cellach, Trumhere, Jaruman, and Ceadda, com- men either dwelt with him, or sought his company. monly called St. Chad, who was consecrated in the His principal companion was Ovin, who had been year 669. chief minister to Princess Ethelreda; but determinSt. Chad was a Saxon by birth, and was consecra-ing to quit the temptations of the world, he came, ted, at first, Bishop of York, by Wina, a Saxon Bish- with his axe in his hand, to dwell with St. Chad, and

*For an account of St. Columba the reader is referred to the first article in the February number of the Evergreen. 29

VOL. I.

*We have here an example of the extreme jealousy and vig ilance with which the Episcopal office has always been guarded

exercise himself in the laborious occupation of wood- noxious branches. Probably our own forefathers owe cutting. their conversion to his zeal. We should regard him, therefore, as one, the influence of whose faith and holy deeds has descended even to our own days, and whose name deserves to be had in lasting remembrance."

"One day these holy men were disturbed in their quiet seclusion by the sound of hound and horn, which rang through the forest glades; and presently St. Chad's white doe rushed panting into the cell of The first cathedral is supposed to have been begun the saint, seeking protection from its pursuers. She by Jaruman, the predecessor of St. Chad, but it was was soon followed by a gallant train of hunters, at the not completed till the year 700, in the time of Bishop head of which were Wulfade and Rufine, sons of Hedda. About the end of the eighth century the inWulfere, the King of Mercia. The young princes fluence of King Offa obtained from the Bishop of were struck with reverential awe at the dignified as- Rome a grant to erect Lichfield into an Archbishoppect of the saint; and having thus providentially form-ric; but it retained this dignity for only two or three ed an acquaintance with St. Chad, were afterwards years. The Diocese was originally one of great exconverted by him from heathenism, and baptized into tent, comprehending nearly the half of England; but the Christian Church. The King, their father, hav-several other Bishoprics have been formed out of it in ing learned their conversion, from an evil counsellor later times. named Werebod, put them both to death; but afterwards, filled with remorse, himself sought the cell of the holy man, by the counsel of Queen Ermenilda, embraced the faith of Christ, and banished all idola-architecture, however, indicates that little of what now trous worship from his dominions. Afterwards St. Chad was appointed Bishop of Lichfield; and the fame of his piety which he had acquired as a hermit, deservedly accompanied him as a Bishop.

The founder of the present cathedral is usually supposed to have been Roger de Clinton, who was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese in 1128. The style of

remains, could have been erected before the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries. No documents, or hardly any, referring to its erection, now exist, as all its records were destroyed at the time of the Reformation, or during the Great Rebellion. On the former occa

"He built for himself a small house and oratory on the spot where his cell had formerly stood; and thith-sion it was despoiled of all its ornaments, which were er he retired often to pray in private, and there at last he died, in March, 1672.

"It is recorded of him, that he was deeply moved to adore the power of God in the mysterious wonders of the wind and storm. If he heard the sound of it, as he sat reading, he would stop to utter a prayer that God would be merciful to the children of men. As it increased, he would shut the book, and falling on his knees, remain fixed in inward prayer. But if it grew very violent, or thunder and lightning shook the earth and air, then he would go to the church, and pass the time in earnest supplication and psalms.

"Such was his high reputation for piety while living, that after his death, a miraculous atmosphere was supposed to overshadow his tomb. The very dust taken from his grave was considered a certain remedy for all disorders incident to man and beast. He was canonized; a shrine erected to the honor of his memory was visited by innumerable devotees, and Lichfield began to increase and flourish.

"Such is the legend of St. Chad. We read it in the present day with a smile of incredulity; but, divested of its marvels, it preserves to us the memory of a good, and holy, and able man, who exercised a beneficial influence over the barbarous age in which he lived, and baptized many converts, both high and low, into the faith of Christ. By him, the Mercian heathen were brought to a knowledge of Christ. He was, in short, a Christian missionary, one of the second founders of the English Church, after the British Christians had been well-nigh exterminated by their heathen conquerors, and before the Popish system had spread its

converted to the use of the crown, with the exception of the shrine of St. Chad,* saved by the intercession of the Bishop, Rowland Lee.

At the commencement of the Great Rebellion, the Close of Lichfield was fortified by the royalists, and the command entrusted to the Earl of Chesterfield. Lord Brooke, a zealous and popular, and (of course) a fanatical Puritan, who at this time was the leader of the rebel army, determined to raze the cathedral to the ground. It was on the 2d of March that the siege commenced. It is a remarkable fact, much spoken of by the historians and divines of the times, that this day was the anniversary festival of the patron St. Chad. "Lord Brooke, though believed to be naturally of a just and honest, as well as peaceful disposition, had, through the influence of one of his near relatives, and some schismatical preachers, become strangely tainted with sectarian principles, and was so great a zealot against the Church, that nothing less than the utter extirpation of Episcopacy, and abolishing all decent order in the service of God would satisfy him.

"With these views he had been the chief instigator of the attack upon Lichfield; one of his avowed objects being (as above stated) the destruction of the ancient cathedral. Strange that an earnest-minded man should so mistake the spirit of true religion, as to suppose that God could be served by the destruction or desecration

This shrine of St. Chad was furnished at the expense of Bishop Walter de Langton, about the year 1300. It cost upwards of £2000.

opposing God's holy Church, and fruitlessly seeking its destruction."

Sir Walter Scott thus alludes to these events in his "Marmion :"

"fanatic Brooke

The fair cathedral spoiled and took;

But thanks to heaven and good St. Chad,

of His holy temple! But when the minds of men are once diverted from that holy and reverent temper which characterizes the true servant of God, and when they refuse obedience to the lawful requirements of the Holy Church, there is no deed of violence to which Satan will not lead them. Sectarianism and dissent, begun in fancied scruples of conscience, and continued in wilfulness and pride, are ever ready to hurry men on to the destruction of that Church which they Enraged at the death of their leader, the rebels soon have disobeyed and deserted; and following their own rallied under another commander, Sir John Gell, (who, passionate will, which they suppose to be the dictate having forfeited an office under government by exactof conscience, or the impulse of the Holy Spirit, theying false levies of ship-money, had turned traitor, and are found on the side of blasphemers and enemies of joined the rebel army;) and after three days faithful God."

On the preceding day, when the rebel army had approached near the city, Lord Brooke drew up his forces and addressed to them, in Puritanical style, a solemn exhortation, and begged a blessing on his intended work, devoutly praying that “ God would, by some special token, manifest unto them His approbation of their design."

A guerdon meet the spoiler had.”

and brave resistance on the part of the royalists, Lord Chesterfield was obliged to surrender the Close to the rebels. Contrary to the terms of the surrender, the prisoners were treated by the exasperated Puritans with almost every species of insult and indignity, many of them were obliged to remain in confinement for three days and nights without food, while their houses were plundered by their rapacious conquerors. But this is far from being the worst feature of the Puritanical spirit. The fanatical crew into whose impious hands the cathedral had now fallen, were constantly engaged in all sorts of profanation and plunder. The wan

Early in the day, the attack on the city and garrison commenced; the Puritans having brought their heavy artillery as near as they were able, opened their fire upon the fortress. The royalists contented themselves with annoying the besiegers by their fire from the battle-ton soldiers, says an old writer, (Dugdale,) “exercised ments. For a time this mode of attack and defence continued without resulting in any decided advantage to either party. At length Lord Brooke, armed capa-pie, came out of one of the houses to give orders to the gunners. He had just raised his hand, and was pointing towards the great spire of the cathedral, when a deaf and dumb man (who was related to some of the most respectable families in the city, and had zealously espoused the cause of the Church, and his King) took aim and fired, and the rebel leader fell! { "He who had desired a sign from Heaven in approval of his enterprise, and had prayed that his eyes might behold the destruction of God's temple, might be almost said to have received the sign he desired; the shot entered his brain through his right eye, and died on the spot.*

their barbarism in demolishing all the monuments, pulling down the curious carved work, battering in pieces the costly windows, and destroying the evidences and records belonging to that church; kept courts of guard in the cross aisles, broke up the pavement, and every day hunted a cat with hounds throughout the church, delighting themselves in the echo from the goodly vaulted roof." Sometimes one of the Puritan soldiers, robing himself in the vestments of the clergy, would play the hare, and the rest would follow as hounds and huntsmen, the latter making the most discordant sounds with the broken pipes of the organ, which they used as horns. "It happened during their riotous proceedings, that one of the soldiers raised the hecovering of the tomb containing the remains of Bishop Scrope, and found in it a silver chalice and crosier "Lord Brooke was a melancholy instance of the of considerable value. A piece of good fortune like length to which self-will and wrong-headedness will this, excited the avarice of the soldiers, and every tomb carry even a well intentioned man; and proves to all and monument was sacrilegiously ransacked, the ashschismatics and sectarians, how utterly valueless is the es of holy men scattered about with barbarous indeplea of conscience, to excuse enmity against God's cency, and many beautiful monuments mutilated and Church, if they have not taken heed that their con- defaced. The Governor, Rouswell or Russell, set the science shall be well informed, and aided by the grace example of spoliation by possessing himself of the comof God. We know that in ancient days, men have munion plate and linen, and whatsoever else of value thought that they did God service, when they slew the he could lay his hands on. By some fortunate acApostles. No wonder, then, that others, in these la-cident, the valuable manuscript, called 'Textus St. later times, should persuade themselves, like this ill- Ceaddæ,' or 'the Gospel of St. Chad,' escaped defated and rebel chief, that they act conscientiously instruction. This manuscript is believed, on good

* It is not a little remarkable that one of Lord Brooke's principal objections to the Liturgy, was the petition to be delivered from "sudden death;" it not agreeing at all with his views of predestination.

grounds, to have been written not later than the year 720, and consists of the New Testament, perfect as far as the third chapter of St. Luke, in fair and legible Saxon characters.