mutandis. We could much wish that no clergyman were ordained a Presbuteros until he had attained the age of thirty years at least. It is true that there are not always wise heads on old shoulders; but the majority of mankind do learn from experience. If Churchwardens and Sidesmen could be selected because they were full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, although not nominally Deacons, the office of serving tables and many ministerial and disciplinary functions might well be entrusted to them, to the great relief of the Presbyter. And if we had in the ministry persons analogous to the "Licensed Probationer," but termed a Deacon, examined by the Bishop, holding his Licence, and either stationary or with a general commission for the Diocese, or even holding several Licences in several Dioceses, we cannot help thinking that great gain would accrue. It does not seem essential that he should have been at the Universities, or even possessed of that learning which is most in repute at them. It is beyond a doubt that, as there are many among the clergy who cannot preach, so there are many among the laity who can. We hold it, moreover, to be an utter mistake to suppose that the pulpit, when it is efficiently filled, has lost its power in England. A few years ago it was the fashion to decry preaching; but even those who depreciated it then are now of another mind. In Ritualistic Churches may be occasionally heard preachers who are wonderfully akin to ranters, and who gesticulate with a fervour that might be envied in a Primitive Methodist Chapel. With this we are very far from quarrelling; and although the doctrine taught may be of a very doubtful description, it is better than no doctrine at all, and may occasionally convey some useful admonition to the gaping audience attracted by the histrionic performances which prelude the discourse. If, indeed, such preaching as we refer to were an invariable concomitant of the show, a great deal of pardon might be extended to the vulgar display which turns some of our churches into no mean rivals of second-class theatres.

This leads us to the consideration of one of the chief defects of our present Ecclesiastical system. By the rigid manner in which the function of preaching is now confined to ordained persons, to the exclusion of all other Christian people, a vast amount of useful talent is lost to the Church. Hearts which are inditing of a good matter find no scope for utterance within her pale, unless they will surrender themselves absolutely to her service; nor is it very easy then for a man who has attained to some age to enlist in her ranks, even if he would do What is the result? Men who have been in their youth. headstrong and careless, who have lived perhaps after the fashion of John Bunyan in the earlier portion of his career,

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who have been at length awakened and have been so led to see the want and worth of Jesus Christ our Lord, and who have found that God has given them utterance in some measure to express what they have seen to others for their edification, find that in the Church of England, as at present constituted, there is no room for them. "They are full of matter; the Spirit within them constraineth them. Behold their belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. They will speak that they may be refreshed; they will open their lips and answer." If they go to their parish church, they may find some youth up in the pulpit who has plainly nothing to communicate to them, although they may have much to communicate to him. In such cases, when, in the vast majority of our parishes, the barriers cannot be overleaped, and every attempt at lay ministration is looked upon askance and with nervous jealousy at what may be the consequences of irregularity, what is the attitude of Dissent? We know not how it can be better expressed than by quoting from Bunyan's "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners":

"Therefore they desired me, and that with much earnestness, that I would be willing, at sometimes, to take in hand, in one of the meetings, to speak a word of exhortation unto them.

"The which, though at the first it did much dash and abash my spirit, yet being still by them desired and intreated, I consented to their request, and did twice at two several assemblies, but in private, though with much weakness and infirmity, discover my gift amongst them; at which they not only seemed to be, but did solemnly protest, as in the sight of the great God, they were both affected and comforted, and gave thanks to the Father of mercies for the grace bestowed on me.

"After this, sometimes when some of them did go into the country to teach, they would also that I should go with them; where, though as yet I did not, nor durst not, make use of my gift in an open way, yet more privately still as I came amongst the good people in those places, I did sometimes speak a word of admonition unto them also; the which they as the other received, with rejoicing, at the mercy of God to me-ward, professing their souls were edified thereby.

"Wherefore, to be brief, at last, being still desired by the Church, after some solemn prayer to the Lord, with fasting, I was more particularly called forth, and appointed to a more ordinary and public preaching the Word, not only to and amongst them that believed, but also to offer the gospel to those who had not yet received the faith thereof; about which time I did evidently find in my mind a secret pricking forward thereto; though I bless God, not for desire of vain glory, for at that time I was most sorely afflicted with the fiery darts of the devil concerning my eternal state.

"But yet could not be content, unless I was found in the exercise of my gift, unto which also I was greatly animated, not only by the continual desires of the godly, but also by that saying of Paul to the

Corinthians, 'I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the household of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.' (1 Cor. xvi. 15, 16.)

"By this text I was made to see that the Holy Ghost never intended that men who have gifts and abilities should bury them in the earth, but rather did command and stir up such to the exercise of their gift, and also did commend those that were apt and ready so to do, 'They have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.' This scripture, in these days, did continually run in my mind, to encourage me and strengthen me in this my work for God; I have also been encouraged from several other scriptures and examples of the godly, both specified in the Word and other ancient histories. (Acts viii. 4; xviii. 24, 25. 1 Peter iv. 10. Rom. xii. 6. Foxe's Acts and Monuments)

"Wherefore, though of myself of all the saints the most unworthy, yet I, but with great fear and trembling at the sight of my own weakness, did set upon the work, and did according to my gift, and the proportion of my faith, preach that blessed gospel that God had showed me in the holy Word of truth; which when the country understood, they came in to hear the Word by hundreds, and that from all parts, though upon sundry and divers accounts.

"And I thank God He gave unto me some measure of bowels and pity for their souls, which also did put me forward to labour with great diligence and earnestness, to find out such a word as might, if God would bless it, lay hold of, and awaken the conscience, in which also the good Lord had respect to the desire of His servant; for I had not preached long before some began to be touched by the Word, and to be greatly afflicted in their minds at the apprehension of the greatness of their sin, and of their need of Jesus Christ.

"But I at first could not believe that God should speak by me to the heart of any man, still counting myself unworthy; yet those who thus were touched would love me and have a peculiar respect for me; and though I did put it from me, that they should be awakened by me, still they would confess it, and affirm it before the saints of God; they would also bless God for me, unworthy wretch that I am! and count me God's instrument that showed to them the way of salvation.

"Wherefore, seeing them in both their words and deeds to be so constant, and also in their hearts so earnestly pressing after the knowledge of Jesus Christ, rejoicing that ever God did send me where they were; then I began to conclude it might be so, that God had owned in his work such a foolish one as I, and then came that word of God to my heart with much sweet refreshment, The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.' (Job xxix. 13.)

What is the strength of Wesleyanism? We mean no dis respect to their accredited ministers when we say that neither in point of zeal or ability are they superior to those who can be

found by multitudes in the Church of England. But there has been the skill and the tact to turn into the channels of their system the waters which have been pent and dammed up in the Church, fertilising nothing, but chafing against the restraints imposed upon them. No sooner, in town or country, can a man be found, whether of godly life or converted sinner, who yearns after the souls of his brethren, than he is summoned to their rescue, and employment is found for him. He might attain the age of Methuselah before he would be suffered to preach in a church, and, in many parishes, before he would be allowed to deliver a cottage lecture. Hence in all classes of society, from the highest to the lowest, there is a vast amount of irregular evangelistic action, which allies itself with all forms of Dissent, and, in consequence of its exclusion, becomes systematically more hostile to the Church. It is quite possible that if the persons we allude to were permitted to preach, there might often be solecisms in grammar and offences against good taste; there might be crude and unguarded statements, which, nevertheless, fervent zeal might well condone for; there would, too, be in many instances self-conceit and presumption, which would, however, ere long find its own level. A preacher who would not be listened to, and whose supersession might be earnestly requested by sober-minded and rational people, could be disposed of without serious difficulty. A windbag which has burst is of not much more account than a spent rocket. Notoriously, however, there are multitudes of a far different stamp, in town and country, who are effectually upholding the cause of Dissent, and who are indeed its true strength, who might be utilised amongst ourselves. We grieve to see so much living water turning the wheels of every mill except our own. Much of this is, we fear, attributable to the jealousy and sensitiveness of the clergy. The old and well-known story is not yet without its point: "If he preaches better than I do, nobody would listen to me; and if he preaches worse, he has no business in the pulpit at all." The question is solved by the erection of chapels and permanent schism throughout the country. Very different might be the results if pulpits and meetings were freely open, and those who manifested gifts, the expression of vital piety, were ever and anon swept into the ranks of the church's ordained ministers, the rest being left to find their vocation wherever they could. Many, we believe, would be quite content with such occasional ministration, and would not care for more. In our own former experience, we can well remember the case of a cavalry officer whose great delight it was, when the chaplain was absent on visitation, to dress himself in a full suit of black, and conduct, so far as he could, the services of the Church in his absence. There was no more strenuous upholder of the

minister's authority on his return, no one more forward to help him in every good work. The occasional service converted an ordinary parishioner into a zealous and important adherent.

It does, then, seem to be a thing much to be desired that means should be found to enlist into the service of the Church a large amount of zeal which is now worse than lost. How far this can be done by an extension of the Diaconate is another, although a kindred question. If the result of the proposed innovation were to be the multiplication of a number of foolish young men who would be termed, in theatrical parlance, "walking gentlemen," and who would be recruited, like their theatrical prototypes, merely for the purpose of donning vestments and swelling processions, it would be hardly possible to conceive a more deplorable affliction, or one more calculated to bring the Church of England and her Orders into contempt. This danger in the present juncture, would have to be carefully guarded against. There are already too many such superfluities in her ranks-men without true vocation or real capacity, who make up for their lack of intelligence by assumption of sacerdotal position. The theatre, and not the Church, is the proper arena for their exertions. To them might most appropriately be entrusted the care of devising curious garments, which we regret to see has latterly been occupying the attention of the Bishops in Convocation, now that letters of business have been conceded to that venerable body. When we read the account, we could not help recalling Juvenal's description of the Senate summoned in hot haste by Domitian to deliberate upon the most judicious mode of dressing the "spatium admirabile" of the great turbot. If, however, on the contrary, the object is to intercept in a most lawful and becoming manner the loss of zeal, and piety, and spiritual gifts from the Church, and to retain within her pale enthusiasm which now wanders from it, the endeavour would have our warmest sympathy, whether effected by the extension of the Diaconate, or by sanctioning an order of lay preachers. In either case, a sufficient check might be provided by the sanction of the Bishop of the Diocese and the consent of the Incumbent of the Parish being required before permission is granted for the occupation of the pulpit. Beyond this, and clear evidence of godly life and conversation, together with a familiarity with the Bible, little, if any thing, should be required. There would thus be ample scope afforded for the comprehension of men of the class now constituting local preachers among the Wesleyans, who minister with acceptance, and sometimes with power, in rural districts. If the licence were granted for the diocese, the man for whom there was no room or no call in his own parish might find room for his energies beyond it. An incidental benefit would be the emulation thus provoked between