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Proprietor) succeeded to the living of Kilrush, on the 6th of March, 1687, in the room of the Rev. John Paterson, deceased. Feeling, in common with the rest of the Protestants of Ireland, the intolerable pressure of Lord Tyrconnel's government, he took an early opportunity of joining his fellow-sufferers in seeking redress; and, after rendering many services to the Protestant cause, and being severely wounded at the battle of Aughrim, he returned to Kilrush, and repossessed himself of his benefice.

this Society was held yesterday, at their house in Lincoln's Inn-fields. The Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chair. The Rev. Mr. Rodber read the report, from which it appeared that since their last meeting there had been 74 additional applications, out of which 43 additional grants had been made; that 1328 members of the community had, in addition to those formerly sup plied, been furnished with churchroom; and out of the total increase there were 10,296 free and unappro priated seats, supplied for those who His neighbour and cotemporary, the could not afford to pay for them. The Rev. Mr. Barclay, Vicar of the Union amount of the donations was £59,417 of Kilmurry Mc Mahon, remained at 10s. and the annual subscriptions home during the whole contest, and £614 19s. which sums had been vested holding a valuable farm under the See in the funds, and bore interest. The of Killaloe, paid the tythe of it to the total amount of grants was £40,082; Roman priest, who had usurped his the increased accommodation for per fiving. The priest was particularly severe in exacting tythes from the ejected Vicar, and always required security for their payment. In the summer of 1691, he was unsually hard to be pleased in the security, and Mr. Barclay, despairing of being able to proçure it, was returning in low spirits to his residence at Ballyartney, when he met Captain O'Brien, of Ennistymond, with the news of the utter defeat of the Irish army at Aughrim. He returned THE Corner stone of a new Church Immediately to the house where the in- was laid in Newbern, North-Carolina, truder was settling the tythes of his pa- on the 5th day of July. On this occa fish, surrounded by a great number of sion, Divine Service was performed people. "Have you got security, Sir?? in the Old Church, immediately after said the priest, in a loud and imperious which, the congregation repaired to tone. "I have," said Barclay, my the site of the new Church, when ar security is great King William, and if interesting address was delivered by the you do not deliver up my tythe books Rev. Richard S. Mason, Rector of in ten minutes, I will have you hanged Christ Church, by whom the corner on the high road of Kilmurry." The stone was laid. Christ Church is to be priest turned pale, and trembled on the a spacious brick edifice, and, when seat of office. Lord Clare's dragoons completed, will reflect great credit upon galloped through the village in confu- the individuals by whose liberality it is sion, pushing for the pass of yasta. erected.

Mr. Barclay's tythe books were submissively returned to him, and the Protestants of Clare, for many years afterwards, drank BARCLAY'S SECURITY a bumper toast.

Society for the Enlargement and Building of Churches and Chapels, (England.)

AN adjourned General Meeting of

sons 49,830, of which there were free sittings 36,632, The total sum invested was £64,417 13s. 6d. The donations not paid amounted to £1556 Os. 1d. which, after deducting expences, &c. left in the hands of the Trea surer a sum of £21,137 13s. 7d.

Christ Church, Newbern, North-
Carolinas

Institution and Confirmation.

On Friday, the 22d day of July, the Rev. Jacob M. Douglass was instituted Rector of Trinity Church, at Swedesborough, in Gloucester county, New Jersey. The Rev. Mr. Cadle, Rector of St. John's Church, Salem, conducted the Morning Service; and the Institu

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A Thought on Death; written by Mrs.
Barbauld, at the age of ninety-five.
When life as opening buds is sweet,
And golden hopes the fancy greet,
And youth prepares his joy to meet,

Alas! how hard it is to die!

When scarce is seized some valued prize,
And duties press and tender ties,
Forbid the soul from earth to rise,

How awful then it is to die!

When one, by one, those ties are torn,
And friend from friend is snatched forlorn,
And man is left alone to mourn,

Ali! then-how easy 'tis to die!

When faith is strong, and conscience clear,
And words of peace the spirit cheer,
And visioned glories half appear,

'Tis joy-'tis triumph then to die!
When trembling limbs refuse their weight!
And films slow-gathering dim the sight,
And clouds obscure the mental light,

"Tis nature's precious boon to die!

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Recent Publications.

QUESTIONS upon the Evidences of Christianity, the Constitution and Ministry of the Christian Church, and upon the Festivals, Fasts, and Usages, observed by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. Intended to assist in the study of the "Companion for the Festivals and Fasts of the Church." By the Rev. John C, Rudd, Rector of St. John's Church, Elizabeth Town, New-Jersey.

History of the Reformation. Being an abridgement of Burnet's History of the Reformation of the Church of England.

Together with sketches of the lives of Luther, Calvin, and Zuingle, the three celebrated Reformers of the Continent. By the Rev. Benjamin Allen, Rector of the Parish of St. Andrews, Virginia.

A Charge to the Clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Connecticut: delivered at the Convention of the Church in said State, in St. John's Church, at Waterbury, on Wednesday, the 6th day of June, A. D. 1821. By Thomas Church Brownell, D. D. LL. D. Bishop of the Diocess of Connecticut. Published at the request of the Convention.

A Monument, to the Memory of the late Rev. JAMES W. EASTBURN, has recently been erected in St. George's Church, in this city, with the following inscription:

M. S..

Jacobi Wallis Eastburn, A. M.
Ecclesiæ Sancti Georgii

In comitatu Accomack et republica
Virginia,
Nuper pastoris,

Qui propter ægritudinem,
Ad insulam Sanctæ Crucis navigans,
In gremium Abrahami fuit receptus,
2do. die Decembris, A. D. 1819,
Etatis suæ 23.

Hoc marmor posuit Pater orbatus.
Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus
Tam Chari Capitis?

The form of the monument is a pedestal finishing with a pyramid. The Base rests on a Truss, which is encircled with white-oak leaves, richly disposed and ira high relief. The front is an eliptical convex, except the pyramid, which is straight, forming a ground, before which stands an Egyptian Lyre with four chords, one broken, the others appearing relaxed, as though yielding to the gentle pressure of the Laurel Branch introduced upon one of the horns of the Lyre, over which it gracefully passes, bending part of its foliage with the chords. The whole instrument is raised from its ground. It is neither a basso nor alto relievo, but wrought in that kind of high cutting that has seldom been successfully attempted, except by the first masters of antiquity,

No. 9.]

CHRISTIAN JOURNAL,

AND

LITERARY REGISTER.

SEPTEMBER, 1821.

For the Christian Journal.

[VOL. V.

A Christian Application of a Stoical sented herself to Hercules clad in all

Motto.

"HUMANA TEMNE "Seneca. SENECA was a philosopher of the Stoic sect. He was one of the few who preserved their integrity under the reign of the voluptuous, cruel, and tyrannical Nero, and one of the many who fell victims to his insatiate thirst for blood. Though there are some stains which blot the purity of this philosopher's character; still we observe in his conduct that of the highminded and noble, but misguided and self-sufficient Stoic. Possessed, as he was, of all the learning of the School of Zeno, and of all the practical wisdom that experience can bestow, we should expect from his pen remarks fraught with instruction. Our motto is in itself one of this nature. But when we consider the general principles of the Stoic sect, the erroneous opinions that they entertained, and the false doc trines that they taught; when we call to remembrance the total insensibility in which they wrapped themselves, and the contempt which they professed for all the softer virtues, we cannot but attribute to our motto a signification which would not at first sight seem the true one. We now discover that our author means, by the epithet "humana," all the generous passions of the soul, all the warmer feelings and refined emotions of the heart, all that is good or great, all that is virtuous or noble, all that gives energy to life or zest to enjoyment. And these we must despise and reject! For what? For the empty shadow of virtue, to which this visionary philosophy adds austerity, while it deprives her of every charm that could please, interest, or delight. The heart of man revolts from such a picture, while his understanding penetrates the veil intended to VOL. V.

cover its deformity. Had virtue prethe harshness with which this system of philosophy would clothe her, when he was hesitating whether he should devote his life to her service, or embrace the proposals of her more fascinating rival, he would have shrunk with abhorrence from a personage, whose dignity was thus sunk into austerity, and in whose countenance he discovered the forbidding frown, instead of the cheerful and alluring smile. Despise what is human, reject all feelings of compassion from your heart, suppress the tear that rises to your eye ready to assert the rights of pity in the human breast! Is this the language of a philosopher? We should rather say that it was the command of a dæmon, who wished to expel this heaven-born sentiment from the world, that he might assimilate all men to himself, and reign in gloomy grandeur amidst the ruins of fallen humanity. Pity is the sweetest attribute of the Divinity, it is the noblest feeling in the breast of man. To pity and its associate emotions, we owe all the charms of social intercourse, all the sympathy of kindred souls; to them we owe the ecstatic pleasure that we enjoy when we prop the head of declining age, or supply the wants of famished misery; to these heaven. born principles the human race owes its existence, and if they were banished from our breasts, nought but a dreary void would be left behind, soon to be filled with envy, malice, and revenge. According to the principles of the Stoics, the wise man deserves all the favours that are heaped upon his head, and owes no gratitude to his benefac tor. They would not only banish gra titude and pity, but all the other feelings of love, affection, and friendship; they would have the heart so cold as to disregard all the endearing appellations

33

man

of child, parent, and friend. How miserable would be the life of a man who should obey their precepts! In sensible to the mutual exchange of parental, filial, and conjugal affection; too cold to feel the tender attentions of his wife; too lofty to stoop to enjoy the innocent, undisguised, and heartfelt caresses of his children; too selfish to admit a friend to share his sorrows and his joys; too proud to be agreeable to others; too discontented to be happy in himself; his mind a wilderness of mingled hope and apprehension; his heart a dreary and unfruitful waste; it is no wonder that he should "end the beartache, and the thousand natural ills that flesh is heir to," by adding his name to the long list of Stoic suicides who have gone before him. But how different would be the admonition conveyed in our motto, when uttered by the mouth of a Christian. It would not then arbitrarily command us, to shut out from our breasts all those softer traits which constitute the noblest part of the human character. The first tie by which the Christian religion binds to his Maker, is gratitude. This grati tude is soon heightened into love, and when at last the soul is separated from the body, stripped of its "mortal coil," and free from the vanities of the world, it aspires to friendship, with the Deity himself, to a holy communion of souls between the Creator and the creature. Thus we perceive that those very feelings which the Stoics considered a disgrace to human nature, our holy religion regards as its noblest and brightest ornament, and its only passport to happiness and heaven. Our motto, taking the epithet "humana," to mean the grosser pleasures of sense, the alfurements of grovelling vice; in fine, every thing which draws off our attention from the contemplation of a here after, warns us to soar above them. It does not forbid the acquisition of wealth, the pursuit of distinction, or the enjoy ment of pleasure, provided they do not interfere with more important duties. In compliance with the mild spirit of Christianity, it does not command us to despise worldly enjoyments, without holding out to us a reward for our sacrifices. Is a man in pursuit of

wealth? Christianity offers him in its stead the riches of heaven, which are inexhaustible. Is he in pursuit of pleasure? It promises him the pleasures of heaven, which are unalloyed. Is he in pursuit of distinction? It offers him a kingly crown, which far surpasses in splendour the diadems of earthly sovereigns. Is he in pursuit of true happiness? It opens to his view a bright prospect of never fading joys, and never-ending bliss. Does he pos sess a feeling heart? It will afford him an opportunity of admiring and imitating the benevolence of God. So numer ous and so vast are the rewards which Christianity will bestow upon its vo taries. Rewards! for what? for des pising those mean and sordid appetites, those grovelling desires, which are beneath the dignity of an immortal soul. What is this world, that we should prefer the enjoyment of its pleasures, to an immortality of happiness? It is a scene of disappointment and misery; a stage on which we act our parts, and, when we make our exit, are forgotten; a desert where folly, deceit, and vice in all their hideous forms, are let loose to prey upon the passing traveller. What is life, that we should forego, for its short span, the blessedness of an endless eternity? It is only a period of probation, during which we are at one time tempted to forego a wish for heaven, by success in all our schemes of aggrandizement; at another to reject our Maker, by the misery into which he has plunged us, to try our strength. If we look back upon the past, there will always be some painful regret; if we contemplate the present, some devouring care; if we anticipate the future, some impending calamity, to disturb our repose. We are not doomed to live always in such a world, to lead al ways such a life as this

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Abstract of the Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Convention of the Diocess of North-Carolina, held in the Supreme Court-Room, in the City of Raleigh, on Saturday, April 28th, Monday, April 30th, Tuesday, May 1st, and Wednes day, May 2d, A. D. 1821.

THE Convention was composed of the Right Rev. Bishop Moore, six Presbyters, four Deacons, and LayDelegates from eight congregations. The Convention was opened by Morning Prayer, conducted by the Rev. John Phillips, Rector of Trinity Church, Tarborough, and an appropriate Discourse by the Bishop.

Grace Chapel, Pitt county; Church, Warrenton, Warren county; and Christ Church, Rowan county, were severally received into union with the Convention.

The Rev. Gregory T. Bedell was elected Secretary,

The following gentlemen were appointed the Standing Committee for the ensuing year:→→→

The Rev. Adam Empie, the Rev. Gregory T. Bedell, John A. Cameron, Robert Strange, and Charles T. Haigh. The Parochial Report's rendered to the Bishop, and entered on the Journal, agreeably to the Canons, furnish the following aggregate :

Baptisms (Adult 1, Infants 5, not specified 70) 76—Marriages 20—Burials 40-Communicants 332.

Missionary collections were reported to the amount of $336 66 cents,

The following gentlemen were chosen delegates to the General Con

vention:

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The Rev. Adam Empie, the Rev. John Avery, the Rev. Richard S. Ma the Rev. Gregory T. Bedell, Duncan Cameron, John A. Cameron, John Stanley, and Josiah Collins, Esqrs,

son,

Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention be presented to the Right Rev. Richard C, Moore, for his truly excellent sermon delivered at the opening of this Convention, and that he be requested to furnish a copy of the same for publication with the Journal

Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Mason, Duncan Cameron, and Charles T.

Haigh, be a committee to wait on the Bishop with the foregoing resolution

Duncan Cameron, Esq. presented to the Convention the following preamble and resolutions, which were adopted;Whereas the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, did, at their last session, resolve that the General Theological Seminary, theretofore established by its authority in the city of NewYork, should be removed to, and be established in, the city of New-Haven; and did further resolve that the autho and did further resolve that the autho rities of the Church within their reed and requested to use their best enspective diocesses, should be empower deavours to procure funds for the es tablishment and endowment of said Seminary;

And whereas, this Convention, independently of its obligations, at all times, to respect the authority of the General Convention, doth most cordi said Seminary at New-Haven, and is ally approve the establishment of the sincerely desirous of promoting the welfare of the same by all the means in its power:

That this Convention will use its best Be it therefore unanimously resolved, endeavours to raise funds for the support of the Theological Seminary established by the General Convention at New-Haven,

Resolved further, That it be, and it is hereby recommended to the friends the views of this Convention. of the Church in this state, to second

Resolved further, That the thanks of this Convention be, and are hereby tendered, to the Rev. Gregory T. Bedell, who is agent for collecting funds in aid of the Theological Seminary at NewHaven, and that he be requested to continue his exertions to increase said funds.

Resolved further, That the thanks of this Convention be offered, to the efficient aid given by him to the Rev. Rev. Mr. Mason, for the active and Mr. Bedell in procuring funds for the said Seminary.

The following reports were then made and adopted:

The standing committee beg leave to

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