Mr. Close-Fist now very devoutly arose, and said, “I fully agree, Mr. Chairman, to the amendment just offered; those gentlemen who have spoken upon the subject have delivered exactly my sentiments in the matter. But what I fear is, that we shall be obliged to pay too dear for preaching: the ministers will ask us as much as they think they can possibly obtain, especially popular preachers—who, after all, are generally a set of artful men, fond of filling their own pockets. I love to hear good popular preaching as well as any man living, and would wish to hear a new preacher every Sunday as long as I live; but I would not give all I am worth to gratify my ears—therefore,

appoint a committee, (if the motion be carried,) who are men of judgment, art, wit, and economy; such men as will not be liable to be imposed upon by the artful insinuations of ministers. I wish, therefore, that the sense of this meeting may be taken upon the subject immediately."

THE members having been legally warned, convened accordingly, and unanimously made choice of Mr. Steady for their Chairman, and Mr. Faithful for their clerk. The meeting being thus duly organized, the Chairman stated, that the meeting was open according to warning, whereupon Mr. Itching-Ear arose, and very respectfully bowing to the chair, said, that if he un-I think it to be a matter of the utmost importance to derstood the object of the meeting, it was to hire preaching. He would, therefore, move that a committee be appointed, with full powers to hire twenty good old steady clergymen, to preach for them in rotation-for his part, he was tired of hearing the same preacher. Mr. Curiosity next arose, and had only time to second the motion made by Mr. Itching-Ear, before Mr. Novelty arose, and observed, that the motion was highly agreeable to him—that he considered { it a very dull business to go to public worship, and hear nothing new; for his part, he would be as willing to attend a little to his own domestic affairs on Sunday, such as salting his cattle, and walking round his farm, to see what repairs were needed, as to go con- After a long pause, Mr. Serious, whose head was stantly to hear the same preacher, let him preach ever silvered over with age, and whose countenance was so well. He further stated, that the sole object for venerable, but cheerful, arose, and, respectfully addresswhich he ever attended Church was to hear preaching, ing the chair, said, "I do not rise, sir, to find fault and if he did not hear something new, he considered with the resolution which has just been passed, but to his time as spent in vain; and he believed, that if the correct, if possible, the opinions of those gentlemen who motion made by Mr. Itching-Ear should be carried have spoken upon the subject; they appear to have into effect, they would be so happy as to hear some-good hearts, but very erroneous heads. They seem to thing new every Sunday for a long time; therefore, he have lost all true ideas of the Church of Christ, of the hoped the motion would be adopted. ministerial office, and of public worship. The Church

The vote was now called for, and declared to be in favor of the motion, by a large majority; and Messrs. Steady, Itching-Ear, Novelty, Popularity, and CloseFist, were appointed a committee to carry the resolution into effect. The Chairman then inquired whether there was any further business for the meeting to transact; if not, it would be proper to dissolve it.

Church, and distributed, under lawful governors, into particular Churches, holding communion with each other in all the essentials of faith, worship, and discipline. His ministers are dignified with an especial commission from Him; they are stewards of the mysteries of God, to whom He has committed the word of reconciliation; they are ambassadors from Him, authorized to negociate and transact all the outward

Mr. Popularity arose, and said, "Mr. Chairman, I of Christ is the whole society of those who are incorheartily agree to the motion made by Mr. Itching-Ear,porated by baptism, administered by those who are seconded by Mr. Curiosity, and espoused by Mr. No-commissioned by Him as the Supreme Head of the velty. I wish, however, Mr. Chairman, to make this amendment to the motion, that a committee be appointed to hire twenty good popular preachers.' By a 'popular preacher,' I mean one who has a smooth, clear, full, loud, heavy tone of voice, together with an animated theatrical delivery. I care not so much what a preacher says, as for the manner of his preaching. I like to see him clothed in the fashionable mode. I am tired of hearing a minister, in a home-administrations of the covenant of grace. Upon which spun suit, preach up that a Christian faith, a holy tem- account, their office is sacred, and all contempt shown per of mind, and evangelical obedience, together with to them is an affront to their Master, whose character sincere repentance, are absolutely necessary to make they bear; and, therefore, on account of the high digus good Christians. These doctrines are as old as nity and absolute necessity of the ministerial office to Christianity itself. I fully agree with Mr. Novelty, and the very existence of a Church, they are entitled to a whenever I go to public worship, I want to hear some-liberal support from the people, according to the blessthing new, and I wish to hear it told with a gooding of God upon their (the people's) substance, and grace. I am, therefore, anxious to have the amend- that not grudgingly, or of necessity, but cheerfully, ment adopted." as a debt due to God, who is the bountiful giver of

every good gift, in whose name and in whose authority wants to multiply preachers. Mr. Novelty considers they act. But the idea, that the ministerial office it a very dull business, to go to the house of God and consists altogether in preaching, and that it may be hear nothing new, and that he had rather attend to bought and sold by the people's hiring preaching, apsome small domestic affairs on Sunday, than to go pears to me to smell rank of simony, and to imply that constantly to hear the same minister, let him preach the gift and graces of God's Holy Spirit may be bought ever so well, and that the only reason why he ever and sold, and that our heavenly Father may be bribed attended Church, was to hear preaching, and if he to bestow His blessing upon us. We learn from the did not hear something new, he considered his time Bible (a Book which all, who profess and call them- as lost. Mr. Popularity appears to hold the same senselves Christians, believe to contain the Word of {timents, but wishes to have the preachers clad in soft Truth) that God, 'at sundry times, and in divers man-raiment, to preach in a more pompous and ostentaners, in times past, hath spoken to the fathers by the tious manner, and to lay aside the old hackneyed doc. prophets; and, at last, sent His own Son into the trine of faith, repentance, and Gospel obedience. He world, and spake in Him; and that He instituted the does not care what he hears, if it is only told with a Church of the Jews and the Christian dispensation; in { good grace. And to put on the cap-sheaf, Mr. Closethe former, Aaron, with his Priests and Levites-in Fist arises, confesses that those gentlemen have spothe latter, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. But in this ken his sentiments and feelings to the full; but, only he Book, we find mention nowhere of hireling priests un- does not wish to injure his purse to gratify his ears. der any divine sanction. We read, indeed, of certain Mr. Chairman, is it possible that these can be the deof the priests teaching for hire; but those are the cha- liberate sentiments of those who have been initiated racters of whom it is said, they preach deceit, and into the Church of Christ by the sacrament of bapthe people love to have it so.' None but irregular tism, and have been taught their catechism. I am priests would submit to be hired. We may find an sensible that this is the road in which no small part of example of such a priest in the young Levite, (Judges mankind, at the present day, are travelling, as they xviii. 7,) who hired himself, not by the Sunday, but for pretend, to the regions of eternal glory. But, Mr. a certain period, to a man of Mount Ephraim. We Chairman, we must not expect that our ears alone will should mark the conduct of this hireling priest-how he carry us to heaven; we must not expect to ride joined with a legion of the tribe of Dan to rob his mas- to endless happiness upon the back of a new popular ter, and carry off all his gods. Learn from thence, preacher, or to be wafted to the regions of eternal what confidence is to be placed in mercenary or hire-bliss by a blast of pulpit eloquence. This is a plan ling priests. True it is that the priests of Baal and of obtaining salvation, to which the holy Scriptures Diana were hired, but I hope that you would not rank { give no encouragement; it is not embraced within the Christian priests with those. By my abhorrence of whole compass of divine revelation. the plan of hireling priests, I have naturally been led into this digression; but to return—

"The Bible is the only rule to direct us how we are to obtain endless happiness; that teaches us what we are to believe and what we are to do. Noah manifested his faith and obedience by building the ark, to save himself and family from the waters of the deluge; Abraham, by leaving his native country and offering up his son Isaac; Moses and the children of Israel, by attending to every ceremony of the Passover, that they might not perish with the first-born in Egypt; David, by building an altar at the threshing-floor of Araunah, to stop the pestilential sword of the Lord; Naaman, by washing seven times in the waters of Jordan, to cleanse his leprosy; and the widow of Za

"The worship which is due from us to God, consists in confessing and imploring the forgiveness of our sins, and requesting Him for such blessings as we stand in need of, with humble, penitent, and obedient hearts. And when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church, we should attend to them, as a voice from heaven, as a revelation from the God of truth, as the grand charter of all we hope for, and the rule of faith and manners, to direct us in the true path to eternal happiness. In our prayers and praises, with grateful hearts and united voices we thank God for all His favors, both spiritual and temporal, which He has con-repta, by delivering up her last morsel of meal and oil, ferred upon us, and devoutly implore the continuation to sustain the Prophet of God, that they might not of them through the merits of Christ. And when we fail during a famine of three years and six months. sit down to hear the sermon, we should hearken to it, as delivered by God's minister, as a means of promoting and cultivating in us the practice of all moral and evangelical duties. This is the doctrine which {pentance, together with evangelical obedience, are rethe holy Scriptures teach us concerning the Church of God, His ministers, and the worship that is due unto Him from all Christians.

"But Mr. Itching-Ear says he is weary of hearing constantly the same minister preach, and therefore he

"In that part of the Bible called the New Testament, (let Mr. Popularity say what he will about it,) a Christian faith, a divine temper of mind, and a sincere re

{quired of us. The first comprehends what we are to believe, the second what we are to be, and the last what we are to do. Now the first step in the Christian religion, is to believe that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah pointed out by the Prophets. This belief is

founded upon the evidence for it contained in the holy (has instituted in His Church, under any lawful minScriptures: we must take a view of the prophecies in ister whom God in His Providence shall place over the Old Testament concerning the Messiah, compare you, always remembering that holiness of office is suthe fulfillment of them in the New, and see if Christ perior to every other consideration. If you do these came with all those characters mentioned by the an- things with a peaceable and sincere mind, you have cient Prophets. In this case our faith will be built the assurance of God Himself that they will finally upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, lead you to those rivers of pleasure which flow at His Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. right hand, and where you shall participate in heaven(Eph. ii. 10.) ly joys for ever and ever."

"Mr. Chairman, in order to obtain eternal happiness, we must be initiated into the Body or Church of Christ by the sacrament of baptism: this is the way and means by which we are admitted into covenant with God, and are translated from a state of nature into a state of grace, and are thereby under the most solemn obligation to walk in newness of life. But in order to support this new or spiritual life, we must receive the sacramental body and blood of Christ, by the worthy partaking of which, we obtain the pardon of our sins, fresh supplies of the Holy Spirit to enable us to do our duty, and a principle of immortal life to our bodies as well as our souls. We must also regularly appear before God in His house, in that place where He has told us His honor dwelleth, and where He will meet us and bless us; with penitent hearts confess our sins, devoutly implore the forgiveness of them, heartily thank Him for the numberless favors and privileges He is constantly bestowing upon us, with humble resignation to His divine will ask the continuance of them, and with attentive minds and obedient wills hear what He says to us in His holy Word. These things being done upon evangelical principles, render us, through the merits of our blessed Redeemer, meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light; and when we are thus qualified for happiness, Christ will intercede for us, in right of His own merits, that we may be put in possession of that degree of happiness which our Gospel obedience has fitted us to enjoy. This is the way which Infinite Wisdom directs us to pursue, that we may finally arrive at the regions of endless glory. These are the means I have made use of from my youth up, with a steadfast faith in the promises of God, through the merits of Christ, and with a sincere desire to walk in the way of God's commandments.

"I am this day fourscore years old; I am now standing, as it were, with one foot in this world and the other in the next. By the use of these means I have been supported through all the changing scenes, all the trials and providential dispensations that have befalten me in my long journey of life. I can now look backwards upon my past life with complacency, and forwards into the other world without dismay. Take, I beseech you, for once, an old man's advice; give over, I pray you, all your whimsical notions of obtaining eternal felicity only by hearing new and popular preaching, and sincerely and devoutly make use of all the means of grace which our blessed Saviour

For the Evergreen.

ON THE DEATH OF MR. G*********** R*******,

HE is gone!--but he's gone to that mansion of rest,
Whence no traveller longs to return;

To repose on his heavenly Father's breast,
While from angelic choirs, who welcome the guest,
Their anthems of rapture he'll learn.

We loved him, but till he was taken away,

We knew not how much we did love;
But God would permit him no longer to stay
From that heaven to which his life pointed the way-
He took him in mercy above.

Then why should we mourn? for our loss is his gain,
And though here we will meet him no more,
There's a promise of God that will lessen that pain,
Though no more on earth ;-we will meet him again
Where joy and peace reign overmore.
LOUISVILLE, (Ky.) Aug. 19, 1844.

G. P. B.

[NOTE BY THE EDITOR.-It affords us a melancholy satisfaction to insert the above lines on the death of the young and devoted Churchman alluded to, who, while on a journey, far from his friends, was so suddenly cut off, in the midst of his usefulness, by a recent distressing accident in the cars on the Baltimore and Philadelphia railroad. Though we knew him only as a subscriber to our periodical, yet we trust we may be permitted to tender our sincere sympathies to his bereaved widow, relatives, and friends.]

For the Evergreen.

SONNET.-A SUMMER SABBATH MORN.
THE sun is peeping o'er the eastern hills,

And now shoots forth his thread-like silv'ry beams,
And soon in a more golden splendor gleams:
The dewy herbage with rich fragrance fills
The morning balmy breeze; the flower distills
Its grateful sweets, and all around but seems
Like one of fancy's purest waking dreams,
That with pure joy my inmost heart instills.
Deep silence reigns. Such music stillness brings
To the fond soul a feast of melody.
But list. The joyous birds on many a tree
Begin their matin lays-thank-offerings.
I too must raise my songs at early prime,
And holy keep this consecrated time.

EDITOR'S TABLE.

Ir is always with much pleasure that we take our seat at the "Editor's Table," to hold a short chat with our readers; but at this time we resume our pen in an unusually pleasant mood, and it may not be altogether uninteresting to our readers to know some of the reasons for this.

We have good reason to believe that the distinctive principles of the Church have heretofore been too little known and understood, by many "who profess and call themselves" Churchmen, both old and young; and we are not at all surprised, therefore, when we hear an occasional complaint that the Church forms too prominent a place in most of our articles. We hope we shall give no offence to such complainants, when we mention that it is for them, more especially, that we so frequently bring to view some of the various excellencies of Church-doctrine and order.

Our object is best explained on our title-page, where we state that the Evergreen is to be a "Church-offer

First, then, we have received, within the last month, an uncommonly large number of letters from our friends and well-wishers, containing warm expressions of their hearty approbation of the course we have so far pursued in conducting our periodical. It cannot be otherwise than gratifying to us to learn that Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, as well as so many intelli-ing for all seasons; a repository of religious, literary, gent laymen, so fully approve of the general contents of our periodical, and so willingly unite in recommending it to the patronage of Churchmen. We sin

cerely hope and trust that they may never have any cause to regret the favorable opinions which they have so kindly expressed.

Another reason for our pleasant mood at this time, is, that our subscription list continues to increase. Within the last few weeks, many who have been eroaking the failure of the Evergreen, have become convinced that it can be sustained, and have no longer hesitated to send us their names as subscribers. The Evergreen is now circulated, more or less, in ev

ery State, and in some of the Territories, of the Union. And we hope that every subscriber who approves of our periodical, will use his influence to promote its circulation still more and more extensively.

A third reason for our present unusual good humor, is, that we have just received payment for two or three delinquent subscribers. (We call all delinquents,' who do not pay in advance.) "A word to the wise is sufficient."

and entertaining knowledge for the Christian family." We fully believe, that if the Church can get a firm hold of the literature of the day, the result will be inundefiled religion." We are desirous of doing all in conceivably beneficial to the interests of "pure and

our power towards promoting a sound Church-literature, and we trust that the Evergreen may be the humble means of accomplishing something towards this great and good object.

The music in our present number will be found to be one of those simple, solemn, rich, and dignified tunes, which all lovers of good Church-music will ad

mire. It has been harmonized for the Evergreen, by one who now numbers threescore years and ten, and whose life has been devoted to the cause of the Church, and especially to Church-music, he having been a singer or precentor in a Church-choir for about sixty years. We should rejoice if every Church-choir was under the direction of such a precentor.

The article in our present number entitled "The Struggle between the Church and Independency," was prepared as an exordium to a "Review of Professor Park's Discourse," (noticed in our last number,) but it was deemed best to insert it under another caption, and leave the "Discourse" for a future occasion, as the article might otherwise have been too lengthy. We have no desire to enter upon any controversy, but wish only to present the features of the Church-system and Independency just as they are.

From some things which we may have written, as well as from the character of a goodly portion of the contents of our periodical, many persons, we find, are under the impression that it is designed almost exclusively for young persons. We therefore again state, that our design is to make the Evergreen a magazine not expressly for either the old or the young, but for both classes—in other words for every member of the Christian family. In every number we endeavor to furnish matter that may be read with interest, and we CHURCH BOOKS.-It is not unfrequently brought fortrust with profit, by all Churchmen, whether old or ward as a serious obstacle to the general circulation young. If, however, any one should find some of our of Church books, that they are so dear. Having had articles to possess no peculiar interest for him, he some little experience in the way of publishing, we should recollect that we are obliged to adapt our read- are bold to say, that as far as we can judge, Church ing-matter to a variety of tastes, and that we must books are generally afforded at as low prices as any therefore endeavor to season each number with the other books; or if the price is sometimes a trifle more, grave and the gay, the solid and the light, but in no it is because Church books are usually "got up" in case admitting into our columns any thing which would far better style than most others. One thing, too, have a tendency, in the least, to militate against-seems seldom to be noticed in examining books-the what we so heartily desire to promote-evangelical number of pages which they may contain. We have truth and Apostolic order. now before us Chapin's "Primitive Church" and Smi