Gertrude glanced anxiously at her sister, and, as if afraid of what might be coming next, sought to give a less personal turn to the conversation. "You used the word rebellion just now, and that reminds me, Aunt Mary, of a question I have been intending to ask since Sunday. You recollect it was in the Morning Lesson, and please to explain why it is compared to the sin of witchcraft? They don't seem, on a first view, to have much reference to each other." "I have often thought the same, but happened lately to meet with an explanation which satisfies me. The commentator supposes that as the sin of witchcraft was known to have drawn down Saul's special anger against others, so it was employed by the Prophet to make him feel the enormity of his personal offence, or, if you like a more familiar exposition," I added, laughingly, “just look how you have torn your fingers with the thorns of the briar-rose you so earnestly warned Willie against." "Yes, I understand, Aunt Mary; what Samuel calls the argumentum ad hominem, I suppose; but doesn't that imply a taunt, something beyond a grave rebuke; and you remember what the quaker-lady affirmed, speaking of satire, that it must be wrong even when employed in a good cause; and how she defied the company to produce a single example of irony throughout the entire Bible ?" "I do, dear, and how mercilessly we all pelted her with examples, till she quaintly observed, Thee should speak one at a time.' The kind old lady, however, would have been right had she contested that there is no instance of irony to be found in the sacred Writings which is not simply and solely intended to enforce Divine Truth; and from this we may gather an important lesson in regard to its use the slightest admixture of scornful or malicious intent converts it into sin-there is no doubt of that." All this while poor Helen, (usually the most voluble of the party,) maintained a dignified silence, until a turn in the lane suddenly brought us vis-a-vis with our young hostesses, who had hospitably run out to welcome us. How it happens I do not undertake to say, simply speaking to the fact that governesses of schools and maiden aunts, after long experience, come to have eyes in the back of their heads, and ears at their finger-tips, so that, without appearing to look or to listen, they see and hear, whatever is going on around them. This will account for my having heard every word of the two separate dialogues carried on by the friends on either side of me. Gertrude's particular crony began by informing her that their number of the Churchman had arrived an hour or two before she set out, just affording her time to "tear out the heart" of Aunt Nelly and one or two other favourites. She was proceeding to enter further on the forbidden ground by the true English question, "Which do you prefer? The Two Guardians or the Pris-?" when Gertrude eagerly broke in-"O, please do not discuss it," which was of course met by an inquiring look and response on the part of her friend "what could be the meaning وو "O, nothing-only papa has desired we will not look into the next few numbers. He did not give his reason-of course it is a good one. Now do but just look at that saucy rogue of a red-breast; see if he minds us a bit, looking so thoroughly satisfied with himself, and as Burns says, so 'Proud of the height of that but half-lang tree.'" This might have sufficed to turn the conversation had not Helen's companion caught the word "Churchman," and eagerly inquired of her how much of it she had read? "Not a line-why? because papa has taken it into his head." Gertrude caught her raised tone, and, speaking across, said with a pleading earnestness, "Do not say chosen, dear Helenit was but yesterday that you yourself declared you believed papa and mamma would let us always have our way-if they dared." "Yes-but that was after I had had my way." Helen's friend, (lately returned from a fashionable boardingschool,) laughed out at this repartee, which seemed to confirm the speaker in her notion that she had said a clever thing, so she laughed too. I confess it gave me no pleasure to observe this rapidly cementing intimacy. Soon after our arrival at the house the young folk, Willie and all, scampered off on their several hobbies, leaving the two elderly ladies to enjoy a quiet amble on theirs. It was the old story, education. My companion seemed never tired of asking, nor I of advising the best mode of training young folk, so as they should become blessings instead of plagues to the world, to their friends, and to themselves; but now I must leave the rest of my tediousness, together with the sequel of poor Helen's affair till a future number, being, as it is, rather late with my papers. Church News. CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY, CLIFFORD, HEREFORDSHIRE. IN Vol. VI., pp. 366-369, of the present publication, we invited the attention of our readers to an account of the ceremonies which were observed when the first stone was laid of the district Church of Hardwicke, in the parish of Clifford, Herefordshire. The work was steadily carried on till the end of August, 1851, when it was ready for consecration; and we now offer a brief relation of that event, which circumstances unnecessary to detail have prevented us from introducing before. On the morning of September 3rd, bright as that which ushered in the day of the laying of the foundation stone, friends and strangers from various, and some very distant, quarters assembled to witness the consummation of this pious and benevolent undertaking. Arrived at the churchyard, they admired the beautiful proportions of the building, the effect of which surpassed even that which had been anticipated. The site is judiciously chosen a beautiful knoll, commanding a panorama of the surrounding country, itself commanded from a range of hills to the south and east, opening into the Golden Valley, and visible also from the opposite ranges of Radnorshire. The architecture is of the Middle-Pointed style: externally it presents a picturesque, and at the same time truly ecclesiastical appearance. At the west end, over a large window, stands the bell-turret, 62 feet high, containing two bells, and surmounted by a handsome cross. The north side of the nave has four windows, the south side three, with intermediate buttresses; the chancel contains three windows, besides that at the eastern extremity. The interior, which is calculated to receive two hundred persons, was soon crowded with an overflowing congregation, though it had been found necessary to admit by tickets only. It is characterized by solidity and grace, and all its appointments are substantial and elegant. The roof, with its massive ribs and hammer-beams, and appropriate ornaments of flying angels, as well as the seats below, the pulpit and the reading-desk, are all of the best "heart of oak;" the whole of the timber, as well as the stone, being furnished by the estate of the founders. AH the seats in the nave are open. The windows, of stained glass throughout, are the work of Mr. Bell, of Bristol. The east window is a memorial of the late Dr. Penoyre, of the Moor; the west, of Thomas Stallard Penoyre, and of his brothers, Edmund and John Stallard, Esquires. The former contains suitable representations from the history of our LORD; and the latter the three cardinal virtues. The windows in the nave contain the Apostles; those in the chancel emblems and patterns. The font is chastely and elegantly carved out of a solid block by a mason of the country, and was much admired. There is an organ-chamber on the north side of the chancel, separated from it by a stone screen, and containing an excellent instrument, built by Mr. Walker, of London. Scrolls with scriptural texts are interspersed upon the walls. All the appointments of the Church were excellent, and in the best taste. The building itself was designed and executed under the talented superintendence of Thomas Tudor, Esq., of Wyesham, in the county of Monmouth. The Lord Bishop of Hereford arrived soon after eleven o'clock, and was received, and proceeded to the consecration in the usual form, attended by a numerous body of Clergy in their surplices. Prayers were said by the Rev. W. T. Napleton Penoyre; the first lesson read by the Rev. R. L. (now Archdeacon) Freer; the second, by Canon Musgrave. The sermon was preached by the Rev. John Webb, Rector of Tretire, from Ps. cxviii. 24, and has since been published at the request of the congregation: the consecration of the churchyard immediately followed. The assemblage of Clergy was unusually great, and the following is believed to be a correct list of them:-Revs. R. Hampden (Bishop's Chaplain), Archdeacon Venables, Canon Musgrave, R. L. (now Archdeacon) Freer, W. T. Napleton Penoyre, S. Alford, W. L. Bevan, H. Bevan, E. Davis, H. Dew, J. Hopton, cat, T. H. Knight, G. F. Lewis, Lowther, James, Jenkins, Morgan, E. Mynors, Johnson, C. Kaye, - Goss, Merewether, Phillott, T. Powell, Richards, T. O. Tudor, L. Venables, S. L. Warner, J. Webb, T. W. Webb, A. Wheeler, Williams (2), H. De Winton. Thus was accomplished the noble desire of the founders; and long may the sacred edifice prove a blessing to the inhabitants of this neighbourhood. A procession of friends, neighbours, tenants, the poor, and the children of the schools, who had all been invited to attend upon this solemnity, returned in the same order in which they had come, to the Moor, the seat of the Penoyre family, where they partook of an excellent entertainment in a marquee on the pleasant lawn, commanding a beautiful woodland scene, with the grand, abrupt termination of the Black Mountain. About two hundred and sixty persons shared in the hospitality of this generous house. The workmen and the poor were not forgotten. On the following evening the school children and their parents were assembled on the same spot, and gratified by a tea-party, which was concluded by rural sports. And thus too, on both occasions, amidst general satisfaction and mutual congratulations, with thanksgiving to the Author of every good, and many a blessing on the founders,-all hearts happy, and all countenances cheerful, closed these eventful days. S. KITTS, WEST INDIES. On the Feast of the Ascension, the boys and girls belonging to the Sunday schools of this place met in the schoolroom after Holy Communion. There were about 105 children, and 20 teachers, and 40 friends. The schoolroom was tastefully decorated with evergreens and flowers. After prayer and anthem, prizes were distributed by Archdeacon Brathwaite to 15 children, selected from different classes, for regular attendance and diligence, two extra prizes being given to the most exemplary boy and girl in the school. The prizes comprised Bibles and Prayer Books, and works of a pleasing and instructive character. The children then partook of a slight refreshment; after which an anthem was sung, and the Blessing pronounced. The Feast of the Circumcision was marked by a similar fête. The Editor's Desk. The Church news of the month is somewhat barren of interest, The heat of the summer is unfavourable to agitation, and matters are proceeding on the whole so satisfactorily, that there is now time for real work. The elections are now over, and we think we have reason to congratulate ourselves upon the result, although the new Parliament will not contain some whose names are well known, and whose labours for the Church have been long appreciated. We trust that, though to lean upon the State is to depend upon a broken reed, yet that such measures will be taken as will give to the Church that freedom and liberty of action which she has a right to demand. We are not sorry that we have by this absence of news an opportunity of introducing to our readers the following extract from an Appendix to a Sermon by the Rev. H. Bellairs, M.A., one of Her Majesty's School Inspectors. 66 FINCHLEY. "There are in the schools 89 boys, 45 girls, and 50 infants. The numbers of children under industrial training are 40 boys and 11 |