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It would, however, be most erroneous to imagine, that the largest proportion of the members of the Church of England, either Clergy or Laity, would prefer increasing her efficiency by an increase of Layagency, rather than by the Restoration of the Order of Deacon.

It is very much to be doubted, whether the writer of the article in the City Mission Magazine is sufficiently acquainted with the sentiments of the Bishops, to justify the assertion that an increase of Deacons is not favoured generally among the Bishops of the Church of England. Perhaps the difficulties connected with such an increase of Deacons, may have made their Lordships' cautions that such a step should not be taken, until due consideration had been given to the whole question, and that such time and attention might be given to the preliminary arrangements, as should secure a greater measure of efficiency to the Church.

In the selection of persons to be ordained as Deacons, it ought always to be understood, that their previous training or instruction has been attended to in such a manner, that they are competent to undergo the required examination for Deacon's orders.

REPLACING THE CHEST FOR THE POOR IN ALL

CHURCHES.

SCRIPTURAL

TESTIMONY.

"From some scriptural expressions it is clear, that the giving of alms accompanied the performance of public worship both in the Jewish and Christian Church: when the Jews went up to the temple, they cast their alms into the treasury. From this custom, or rather from an abuse of this custom, our Lord is led to give this warning instruction in St. Matthew vi. 1-4, 'Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father, which is in heaven; therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward; but when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right right doeth, that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. The interesting anecdote of the poor widow casting in her two mites into the treasury illustrates the same. 'And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites

which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury; for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.' St. Mark xii. 41-44. And from the angel's testimony in favour of Cornelius, (in Acts x. 4,) Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God,' we may fairly infer that his alms accompanied his prayers."

PRIMITIVE PRACTICE.

"In the primitive times there were collections for the poor every Lord's day. 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. A consecrated day being fittest for a consecrated dole: the week day being the seed time, the Sabbath the harvest for Christian charity. This sacred stock (is one calls it) which is laid up in the week day, will be put to the highest, and the holiest usury on the Lord's day, if the hearts of the poor be filled with food and gladness, and the backs of the poor wear the livery of our bounty. Justin Martyr, speaking of the order of Christians upon the Lord's day in his time, affirms, that alms are given according to the discretion of every man, for the relief of the poor, the fatherless, and the banished. Chrysostome observes, that the duty of charity is most seasonable on a Sabbath, because it is a day wherein God appears in his best and largest bounty to us, then he gives us his sweetest ordinances, then he enricheth us with Gospel privileges, then he drops down upon us his divine graces. In our churches at this day, the poor's bread is set up for distribution on the Lord's day. which imports the sweet correspondency between that day, which is a day of love, and the duty, which is an act of charity. A learned man takes notice, that this custom of relieving the poor on the Lord's day, was grown obsolete at Constantinople, till the worthy Chrysostome restored that commanded duty. And this custom well becomes the Sabbath, for what are we but alins'-men at the throne of God's grace on the time of God's day? Indeed, the Sun of Righteousness as on this day arose, and scattered his beams of light and love, and the world rejoiced in that appearance; let us scatter our bounty and laudible charity on this day, that the poor may rejoice in our seasonable contributions; Let us remember that in 1 Cor. xv. 2. the Greek word we render, laying by, may be more correctly rendered, treasuring up. He that lays un, and treasures for the poor, lays up an everlasting treasure for himself. And let us consider, charitable words are not enough; the love of the tongue only is flattery, not charity, it is adulation, and not affection. Words are cheap, and the pities of language are at no cost, or charge. The belly is not filled with roseat phrases, nor the back cloathed with the embroidery of indulgent language; only to bid the poor be filled,

or be cloathed is not compassion, but derision: And therefore on the Sabbath, our love must be the charity of the purse, and not only of the lip; we must act good works, and not only give good words: Faith acts not without love, Gal. v. 6., and love acts not without works. Heb. XIII. 16. When we are blessing God on a Sabbath, let the poor be blessing us, it will be sweet harmony, when our heart, and the poors loyns both praise God together. On the Sabbath we must appear before God, Psal. XLII. 2. And the Old Law commands us not to appear before God empty, Deut. xvi. 16. Charity on any day is Silver Bullion, but on the Sabbath is Golden Ore. Let us therefore on that holy day, feed the hungry, refresh the thirsty, receive strangers, cloath the naked, visit the sick, and comfort those in prison; this will redound to our account in that day, when acts of charity are the recorded characters of a sincere and sympathizing Saint, Mat. xxv. 35. And happily capacitate us for the donative of a Crown."

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From "The Practical Sabbatarian; "Sabbath Holiness crowned with Superlative Happiness." By John Wells, Minister of the Gospel. London, printed 1668.

CONCLUDING APPEAL.

"I wish now most respectfully to suggest to my Lords and Reverend Brethren-the Bishops and Parochial Clergy of the Church of England, the benefit which would arise both to the poor and to the church from the renewel of this godly and charitable custom. In every parish, let the clergyman, assisted by some upright, religious, and judicious members of his flock, make a collection for the poor on the first day of the week, that every one, when going up to the house of God, having laid by him in store as God hath prospered him, may have an opportunity of casting in his free-will offerings into the treasury of the Lord. Care must be taken that this fund should always be kept as a purely charitable fund, free from all legal interference, so that it shall be entirely left to the judgment and discretion of the Clergyman and his parochial advisers and helpers, to dispense it for the benefit of the poor as they shall deem best. The church would then be doing its duty to the poor, who would again regard the ministry of the church with that fond affection which they were wont to do in her purest and most prosperous days."

This Extract and the Scriptural Testimony are from "A Letter to the Bishops and Parochial Clergy, in behalf of the Deserving Poor," published by the Editor in the year 1838.

It is the intention of the Editor that the Third Number of the Advocate s'all appear (1.v.) on the 1st of November, 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, HIGH-STREET, SOUTHAMPTON.

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A HOME FOR THE WIDOWS AND DAUGHTERS OF CLERGYMEN, AND COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF HER MAJESTY'S NAVY.

GOD discovers a special regard for widows and fatherless children, and frequently recommends to his people, to be very careful in affording relief to the widow and orphan. "A Father of the fatherless and a Judge of the widow, is God in his holy habitation."-Psalm lxviii. 5. "Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child, if thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless."-Exodus xxii. 22-24. "Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."-Isaiah i. 17. "Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in me." Jeremiah xlix. 11. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."-James i. 27. St. Paul would have us to honour widows, that are widows indeed, and desolate that is, having neither husbands nor children to help and relieve them. See 1 Timothy, v. 3-5.

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For the reception of the respectable aged and infirm poor from amongst the labouring classes, arrangements have been made in some cottages near Norfolk House, where eighteen persons may find a quiet and comfortable home.

Poverty and distress are not, however, confined to the widows and fatherless from amongst the labouring classes. There are many widows

or be cloathed is not compassion, but derision: And therefore on the Sabbath, our love must be the charity of the purse, and not only of the lip; we must act good works, and not only give good words: Faith acts not without love, Gal. v. 6., and love acts not without works. Heb. XIII. 16. When we are blessing God on a Sabbath, let the poor be blessing us, it will be sweet harmony, when our heart, and the poors loyns both praise God together. On the Sabbath we must appear before God, Psal. XLII. 2. And the Old Law commands us not to appear before God empty, Deut. xvI. 16. Charity on any day is Silver Bullion, but on the Sabbath is Golden Ore. Let us therefore on that holy day, feed the hungry, refresh the thirsty, receive strangers, cloath the naked, visit the sick, and comfort those in prison; this will redound to our account in that day, when acts of charity are the recorded characters of a sincere and sympathizing Saint, Mat. xxv. 35. And happily capacitate us for the donative of a Crown."

From "The Practical Sabbatarian;" or, "Sabbath Holiness crowned with Superlative Ilappiness." By John Wells, Minister of the Gospel. London, printed 1668.

CONCLUDING APPEAL.

"I wish now most respectfully to suggest to my Lords and Reverend Brethren-the Bishops and Parochial Clergy of the Church of England, the benefit which would arise both to the poor and to the church from the renewel of this godly and charitable custom. In every parish, let the clergyman, assisted by some upright, religious, and judicious members of his flock, make a collection for the poor on the first day of the week, that every one, when going up to the house of God, having laid by him in store as God hath prospered him, may have an opportunity of casting in his free-will offerings into the trea sury of the Lord. Care must be taken that this fund should always be kept as a purely charitable fund, free from all legal interference, so that it shall be entirely left to the judgment and discretion of the Clergyman and his parochial advisers and helpers, to dispense it for the benefit of the poor as they shall deem best. The church would then be doing its duty to the poor, who would again regard the ministry of the church with that fond affection which they were wont to do in her purest and most prosperous days."

This Extract and the Scriptural Testimony are from "A Letter to the Bishops and Parochial Clergy, in behalf of the Deserving Poor," published by the Editor in the year 1838.

It is the intention of the Editor that the Third Number of the Advocate sall appear (1.V.) on the 1st of November, 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, HIGH-STREET, SOUTHAMPTON.

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