and questions, forming a course of christian instruction in connexion with the latter plan, may be found in the same volume, pages 127, 152, and 181. Besides these, the following are suggested, as fitting subjects for a course of public preaching during the more private Confirmation instruction.

1. Satan, his power and devices.

2 Cor. ii. 11.

2. The World,-what it is, and how to renounce it. James i. 27. (pt.)

3. The flesh, and the subduing of it. Jude 23 (pt.)

4. The operation of faith. Heb. xi. 24—26.

5. The love that flows from faith. 1 John v.

1.

Specimens of five sermons on these several subjects will be found in the second part of this number, in five text papers.

As much difficulty will always exist in impressing the mind of a large portion of the candidates with a tone of sufficient seriousness, nothing should be omitted which is likely to assist in producing such a tone. For this purpose, it has been found very effectual to inform the candidates at the beginning, that one great effect of their Confirmation will be, to admit them to a participation in those privileges which are most highly esteemed by real christians; and after dwelling upon this point, it would be well to invite them to remain in Church, as witnesses of the administration of the Holy Communion, upon the occurrence of it before they begin to attend the classes. In the parish referred to, this happens on Whit-Sunday. While this might be proposed as an invitation, such candidates as continue during the whole course of instruction should be required to attend as witnesses upon the occasion of a Communion administered immediately before the day of Confirmation arrives, and to which all the communicants should be specially invited. It has been found by experience, that after the course of instruction, the witnessing of this solemn service has been attended with the best results upon the minds of very many young persons.

When the course of instruction in the classes has been finished, then follows the most arduous and important part of the minister's duty, consisting of the private examination of each candidate individually. A fortnight is devoted to this; and it requires the minister's undivided time and attention during that period. Having obtained a tolerably accurate estimate of the proportion of knowledge which each possesses, and the tone of feeling manifested during the attendance in the classes, the minister appoints each individually to a private conversation; during which his object is to lead the candidate to see his own case; and

if that case be a bad one, to induce him to withdraw of his own accord, but in such a manner as will leave behind the seeds of a desire after a better state, which may subsequently bear fruit; while if the case be a hopeful one, the aim will be to encourage the candidate, and to leave upon his mind a feeling of confidence in the minister, which may lay the foundation of much future influence for important good. Upon this occasion the approved candidate receives his certificate; and with it a copy of Tract No. X., entitled, "The Minister's Address to the Candidates for Confirmation when he gives them their certificates that they are approved."

SPONSORS AT CONFIRMATION.

In the previous article a reference has been made to the means by which the communicants in a parish may be of essential service in assisting the efforts of the minister, when preparing the young people for Confirmation. While this subject is referred to in general terms, in several of the tracts therein mentioned, and also in the addresses given in our first volume, a particular plan was alluded to as being especially arranged to produce the desired effect. The great object of this plan is to facilitate the efforts of sincerely pious persons in making the catechumens the subjects of prayer during the period of preparation, and to ensure, by system, the exercise of earnest supplication for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at that important period.

In order to obtain this end, a plan has been proposed, by which it is intended to apply the principles upon which the Church acts in the appointment of sponsors, at the time when the catechumens are most in need of some of the benefits that are intended to be obtained by that system. Tract No. XI. of the series before alluded to is "An Address to Sponsors" with a plain explanation of their duty; but it is to be feared, that comparatively few persons who undertake that duty make any serious attempt to perform it, in even a limited degree. There is however no reason why a clergyman should not endeavour to obtain some of the benefits which the church contemplates from the sponsorial system, at the time when the office being about to cease, its especial privilege of prayer for the individual may be most usefully exercised. Any spiritual, prayerful member of the church, who is awakened to a sense of the value of effectual spiritual impressions at a moment like that of Confirmation, may become a voluntary substitute for those persons

who, fifteen or sixteen years before promised for the infant, what they had probably forgotten, or neglected to perform; and if a clergyman can number but a few such spiritual members in his little church, whose interest is really awakened upon the subject, he can, to that extent at least, engage them in a systematic manner to act, as what may be called pro-sponsors in the matter of prayer, while he is engaged in a special ministerial effort with the youthful individuals in the matter of instruction.

If a clergyman were to inform his communicants that he was anxious for their assistance in praying for a blessing upon his efforts at instructing the individual catechumens, many persons would express their desire to help him; and others, of whose piety he was personally assured, would be easily induced, by private explanation, to join in the plan. To each of these voluntary helpers, the minister might assign one, two, or three individual catechumens, selected in such a manner as to take advantage of any circumstances of particular interest, whether of relationship, of friendship, or of neighbourhood, which might make the object more suitable to the communicant's feelings. All that should be distinctly asked, and expected, of the voluntary pro-sponsor should be, that, during the period of preparation for the Confirmation, the catechumen, whose spiritual interests were consigned to the communicant, should be made a subject of daily intercession before the throne of grace. While this is all that should be required, it might be suggested by the minister that much good might be effected by such occasional inquiries personally on the part of the communicant, as circumstances might permit. Such a suggestion would be greatly assisted in the pro-sponsor's heart by the impulse acquired in the daily intercession; and it would be practically found that in the course of the few weeks employed in this manner, such an interest would be drawn forth between the individuals thus placed together in spiritual relationship, that a foundation would be laid for a more permanent and extensive enlargement of christian love in the parish, which would flow out from the elder members of the Church, who, as more mature christians, would afterwards be watching with an unceasing interest, the growth and progress of the babes in Christ.

If any clergyman should conceive it to be impossible to carry out this suggestion upon a large scale, let him attempt it upon a small scale; and it is not to be doubted that he would have occasion to rejoice in the result; while a little experience would convince him that it will bring an increasing blessing to all the parties concerned.

171

PASTORAL STATISTICS. No. IX.

(See page 161.)

It is important that the people should have a clear account of the result of the last four confirmations in this parish; which is as follows:

In the year 1832-53 persons were confirmed; in 1835-51 persons; in 1838-41 persons; and in 1841-41 persons: making together 186 persons, of which 85 were males, and 101 females.

At the present time 13 of these have died, 55 have left the parish altogether, and 15 are now absent from the parish. This makes 83 to be taken from the above number, and leaves 103 persons who have been confirmed here within the last fifteen years, and who are still residing amongst us; 51 males and 52 females.

Though all these made their public profession by being confirmed, yet 22 of them never joined the communion of the Church; while 81 did communicate.

But 28 of these have, from time to time, gone back and left off communicating.

While through God's mercy 53 persons have continued in communion with the church up to the present moment; 21 males and 32 females. There are 177 communicants in the parish, these confirmations have supplied nearly one third of the whole.

The following is the account of the present state of the parish as regards those persons residing in it, who, being above the age of fifteen, have not yet confirmed their baptismal vows.

There are a hundred and three such persons belonging to the parish; but 11 of them are at present absent, so that only 92 are living here; 59 males and 33 females. Of these 45 have grown up, &c. since the last Confirmation; and 31 are those who neglected to be confirmed at that opportunity. The remaining 16 are those who have refused previous opportunities of professing themselves christians; 5 refused the Confirmation in 1838; 8 refused also in 1835; and 3 refused in 1832, and ever since. There were many others in the like condition at first; but some have died, some have left the parish, and not a few have been turned to a better mind, and have joined the Church at subsequent Confirmations.

Of this whole number, 54 have given their names as desirous of being confirmed; 31 males and 23 females: leaving 38 persons who have not yet come forward; of whom 28 are males and 10 females. 12 of these have not yet been questioned upon the

subject; but 26 have been questioned, of whom 10 seemed ashamed of objecting and gave doubtful answers; 6 seemed to have some shame but not enough, and they gave no answer at all; while 10 had no shame in giving a positive refusal.

MY CHURCH-YARD. No. XVIII.

(Continued from page 110.)

I WISH it may be as useful to others, as I find it to be to myself, to retrace the current of ministerial thought, prayer, and action, by which I have been permitted to direct the stream of life within the reach of poor sinners. The endeavour to recal past events of this kind seems to touch the secret springs that open many doors long closed in my mind; and the retrospective glancing through them into the chambers of imagery quickens many thoughts that were dead, or that lay entranced and inactive; but when they thus resume their liveliness, and rise up connected with all their associations, they seem to do their work again in the minister's heart; and perhaps better in remembrance than in their first birth, since I find that they humble me for many short-comings, and chide me for many mistakes. As I have thought over the cases of Mary Norton and Emily Mills, how often have I said, 'Oh if I could but recal the events I would do this, or say that, or try some other plan, to draw the soul to Christ. I pray that my readers, such of them as are pastors themselves, may be enabled to discern the better way of managing the conscience that might have been taken; and may gain the advantage to their own ministry without passing through the process of humiliation which belongs to him, who, by his mistakes and short-comings, lost the benefit in the circumstances that actually happen.

I know not what is the concatenation of thoughts by which I am led from the grave of Emily Mills to another, far apart from it, that is found almost at the other extremity of my Church-yard. It suggests no relative circumstance that binds it to the lamentable story I have just brought to a close. I think it must be a sense of painful disappointment that brings with it the wish to have altered and re-shaped many of the ministerial dealings with the poor soul, whose body has now grown into earth under that little mound; and this sense of disappointment is a natural offshoot from the deep distress which such a case as that of Emily Mills must leave at every recollection. There is no similarity in the features of the cases; Satan indeed struggled hard for a triumph