school under Government inspection. He impressively stated that he regarded the present as a crisis which would decide whether this were to continue a Christian country or not."-From the Guardian of March 3rd, 1847.

THE CHEST FOR THE POOR.

THE SITH CANON, ENTITLED "A CHEST FOR ALMS IN EVERY. CHURCH."

"The churchwardens shall have and provide, within three months after the publishing of these constitutions, a strong chest, with a hole in the upper part thereof, to be provided at the charge of the parish (if there be none such already provided), having three keys, of which one shall remain in the custody of the Parson, Vicar, or Curate, and the other two in the custody of the Churchwardens for the time being; which chest they shall set and fasten in the most convenient place, to the intent the parishioners may put into it their alms for their poor neighbours. And the Parson, Vicar, or Curate shall diligently, from time to time and especially when men make their testaments, call upon, exhort, and move their neighbours to confer and give, as they may well spare to the said chest; declaring unto them, that whereas heretofore they have been diligent to bestow much substance otherwise than God commanded, upon superstitious uses, now they ought at this time to be much more ready to help the poor and needy, knowing that to relieve the poor is a sacrifice which pleaseth God; and that also whatsoever is given for their comfort is given to Christ himself, and it is so accepted of him that he will mercifully reward the same. The which alms and devotions of the people the keepers of the keys shall yearly, quarterly, or oftener (as need requireth), take out of the chest, and distribute the same in the presence of most of the parish, or six of the chief of them, to be truly and faithfully delivered to their most poor and needy neighbours."

FROM MEDE'S DISCOURSE ON ACTS X. 4.

‘And he said unto him, thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."

to

"Observe. The joining of almsdeeds with prayer ; Cornelius we see joined them, and is therefore commended for a devout man, and one that feared God. And by the angel's report from God himself, we hear how graciously he accepted them; giving us to understand that a devotion thus armed was of all others the most powerful to pierce into his dwelling-place, and fetch a blessing from him. Therefore our Saviour likewise (Matthew vi. 1-5) joins the precepts of alms and prayer together, teaching us how to give alms, and how pray in one sermon, as things that ought to go hand in hand, and not be separated asunder. It was also the ordinance of the Church, in the Apostles' times, that the first day of the week, which was the time of public prayer, should be the time also of alms. So saith St. Paul, 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week (that is, upon the Lord's day) let every one lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.' Which institution seems to be derived from the commandment of God in the law twice repeated, Exod. xxiii. 15; Deut. xvi. 16; Let no man appear before the Lord empty.' For the words

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annexed to that law, Deut. xvi. (where it applied to the three great feasts, when all Israel was to assemble to pray before the Lord in his tabernacle), the words, I say, there annexed sound altogether like unto these of St. Paul concerning the Lord's day, Three times a-year shall all the males appear before the Lord, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty. Every one shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which he hath given thee.' Is not this the same in sense with St. Paul's, 'Let every one lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him?' The primitive church after the Apostles followed the same precedent, and our own Reformed Church hath ordained the same in her service-book, were it accordingly practised as was intended; for after the epistle and gospel, she appoints divers choice sentences of Scripture to be read, which exhort us to alms, and other offerings to the honour of Almighty God; and then, as supposing it to be done, in the prayer for the whole estate of Christ's Church, We humbly beseech him most mercifully to accept our alms, and receive our prayers which we offer unto his Divine Majesty.""

OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE POOR LAWS.

From Chitty's Burn's Justice of the Peace.

Relief of the Poor, ancIENTLY AN ECCLESIASTICAL CONCERN.-According to the early writers upon the subject of the poor, and their relief, one of the first consequences of the establishment of the Christian religion in this kingdom, was a provision for the maintenance of the poor. It is stated that the fourth part of the tithes of every parish was devoted to this purpose, under the direction of the minister, assisted by the churchwardens, and other principal inhabitants; and as it was regarded as a matter of ecclesiastical concern, the whole was under the supervision and control of the Bishop, whenever his interference became necessary.

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Blackstone, upon this subject, says, "The poor of England till the time of Henry VIII. subsisted entirely upon private benevolence, and the charity of well-disposed Christians. For till the statute, 27 Hen. VIII. c. 25, I find no compulsory method chalked out for this purpose; but the poor seem to have been left to such relief as the humanity of their neighbours would afford thein.' (1 Bla. Com. 359.) Still, however, if the contributions were voluntary, the method was in the course of time so far reduced to a system, as to be sanctioned and upheld by acts of parliament, for by the statute last cited, the churchwardens, or two others of every parish, were to make collections for the poor on Sundays. By 5 and 6 Ed. VI. c. 2, the minister and churchwardens were annually to appoint two able persons or more to be gatherers and collectors of alms for the poor. By 39 Eliz. c. 3, the churchwardens of every parish, and four substantial householders were to be nominated yearly in Easter week by two justices, and called overseers of the poor. Next followed the important statute, 43 Eliz. c. 2, out of which, Dr. Burn observes, More litigation and a greater amount of revenue have arisen, with consequences more extensive and more serious in their aspect than ever were identified with any other acts of parliament, or system of legislation whatever.' By these and other acts,' says Sir John Nicholl, the maintenance of the poor has now become much more matter of temporal than of spiritual concern.” ”

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THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY AND THE POOR BOX. "AMONG the great advantages which have arisen from the improved and increased energy of the present race of ministers of the Established Church,

both in exhortation, discipline, and example, that of exciting their congregations to the practice of almsgiving is not amongst the least Christian virtues that is valuable. In the Church, and in the porch of St. Peter in the East in Oxford, there were placed, by the advice of the present Bishop of Salisbury, when he was Vicar there, no less than seven alms-boxes, of a curious antique shape, with appropriate inscriptions, in which we understand twenty or thirty pounds have sometimes been deposited. That this example, set by this eminent prelate and his successor, the Rev. W. R. Hamilton, has been followed in several other parishes in other dioceses, we could testify from our personal knowledge."-From the Bristol Journal.

CO-OPERATION OF THE POOR IN WORKS OF CHARITY.

From Chancellor Dealtry's Charge, in Hants, 1838.

"The opinion sometimes expressed that it is a hardship upon the poor man to ask for his pecuniary co-operation in these works of mercy, has not been borne out by experience. On the contrary, it has been found, that wherever there exists true Christian principle, even in the poorest cottage, there is also a cheerful readiness to give; it has been proved that the habit of saving even one penny a-week for a religious object, instead of bringing injury to the poor, has led many to habits of frugality and order, and conduced the permanent improvement of their condition; and when to these facts we add the comfort and satisfaction of mind, which even the most indigent can derive from participating in works of Christian benevolence, it may reasonably be asked, whether they have not a right to expect that we should associate them with us, even in the most extensive operations of Christian charity? Why are they to be excluded from these labours of love, because they can give but little? Why may they not have the benefit, and know that they have it, of those intercessions which ascend to heaver, from the devout colonist, and the converted heathen, in grateful return for blessings beyond all earthly estimate of value?"

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

"In advocating the Replacing the Chest for the Poor in all Churches, it will be seen that I am not endeavouring to originate anything new, but simply to revive an ancient, godly, and charitable custom. And I see no reason, why individual clergymen may not immediately commence the plan in their own parishes, in obedience to the directions of the 84th Canon. And as it appears to be the prevailing wish of almost all classes of the community that the burden of the poor-rates should be lessened; what better substitute can be found for it, than this scriptural, ancient, and long tried method of collecting weekly at the church porch the charity of benevolent Christians, and placing it at the disposal of the official officers of the church to be disposed of by them for the benefit of the poor and deserving members of the church? The worshippers of God would then be seen as in the days of old, going up to the house of God to present their prayers and their alms. (Acts x. 4.) These sacred offerings would be felt to be made directly to the Lord, and the offerers without considering their deeds of charity deserving of praise or reward, might comfort themselves and one another with these words: When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he

shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' (Matt. xxv. 31-40.) On such passages as this the pious mind might rest, whilst the right hand cast in the sacred offering into the treasury of the Lord. Then, likewise should the poor be instructed to regard the Church's bounty, as a gift coming directly from the Lord, for which their gratitude and thanksgiving was due immediately to him, and that it was incumbent on them to show forth their thankfulness and their praise, not only with their lips, but in their lives.' And when there is a proper measure of gratitude felt towards the heavenly Benefactor, there will be no want of it toward those, whom God has appointed his ministers on earth for dispensing his bounty. "Should the Church adopt on an extensive scale this system of charity, it would probably be found requisite to direct the more immediate attention of the Deacons of the Church to their more peculiar work of ministering to the temporal necessities of the sick, poor, and impotent people of the parish.' Such a church officer, faithfully labouring in such an important work, would be likely to have a very beneficial moral influence amongst the poor, and bring them to a regular and devout attendance on the ministry of the Church, which would be the greatest blessing to themselves and the country.

"Finally, if the Church is to be regarded as filling by Divine appointment, the parental office in reference to the poor, it is scarcely to be understood, how she ever so far forgot her parental affection and duty, as to consent to devolve this most interesting and important part of her work upon persons over whom she had no immediate control. The neglect of such a duty is quite sufficient to account for the Divine judgments which have been poured out on the Church for many years; nor have we any reasonable ground to expect that those judgments will be removed and a blessing vouchsafed, until the Church shall confess her sin, and return to the plain path of duty, by taking care of the deserving poor.

"May the Lord hear my prayer, and grant that the Church may become the rich man's almoner to the poor, blessing rich and poor, and uniting their hearts together in the fear of God."-From a "Second Letter to the Bishops and Parochial Clergy in behalf of the Deserving Poor," published by the Editor in the year 1839.

It is the intention of the Editor that the Second Number of the Advocate shall appear (D.V.) on the 1st of August. All communications connected with this publication are requested to be addressed, "To the Editor of the Deacon's Advocate, Norfolk House, Shirley, Southampton."

TUCKER, PRINTER, SOUTHAMPTON.

LLUKE

THE

ADVOCATE FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE ORDER

OF DEACON

IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

AND REPLACING THE CHEST FOR THE POOR IN ALL CHURCHES.

No. II.

AUGUST, 1847.

PRICE 6d.

the

DR. ADAM CLARKE ON THE OFFICE OF DEACON.

"Your Minister, or DEACON. "I know no other word which could at once convey the meaning of the original, and make a proper distinction between it and the Greek word translated servant, in verse 27. The office of a Deacon, in the primitive Church, was to serve in agape, or love feasts; to distribute the bread and wine to the communicants; to proclaim different parts and tunes of worship in the Churches; and to take care of the widows, orphans, prisoners, and sick, who were provided for out of the revenues of the Church. Thus we find it was the lowest ecclesiastical office. Deacons were first appointed by the Apostles, Acts vi. 1-6: they had the care of the poor, and preached occasionally."-From the Commentary on St. Matthew, xx. 26.

"Ministry of the word," or, "The Deaconship of the word.""The continual proclamation of the Gospel of their Lord; and, to make this effectual to the souls of the hearers, they must continue in prayer: a minister who does not pray much, studies in vain.

"The office of Deacon came to the Christian from the Jewish

Church. Every synagogue had at least three Deacons, which were called parnasim, from parnes, to feed, nourish, support, govern. The parnas, or Deacon, was a sort of judge in the synagogue; and, in each, doctrine and wisdom were required, that they might be able to discern and give right judgment in things both sacred and civil. The chazan, were also a sort of Deacons. The first was the priest's deputy; and the last was, in some cases, the deputy of this deputy, or

and shamash,

the sub-deacon.

"By referring to the Greek New Testament, it will be found that the Apostles are called Deacons 2 Cor. vi. 4; Eph. iii. 7; Col. i. 23: see also 2 Cor. xi. 15. Christ himself, the shepherd and