2. The celebration of this holy sacri- the spiritual advantages of the mass, by fice, called mass, a word derived accord-means of oblations, and therefore the ing to some, from the Hebrew Misach, church wished that all should offer, which means, oblation or offering, and though this privilege was not available according to others, from the word Mes, to every one. The person who made an which means among the northern nations, festivity or congregation. St. Isidore says, that this word mass comes from the Latin Missio, which signifies leave, because the faithful should not go out of the church until dismissed by the minister, and they have received his benediction.

3. Though from the time of the apostles, private masses were used among the Christians, the faithful were not admitted to them, as the church always desired that all should be present and assist at the masses, which the bishops celebrated with their clergy; which is the present practice in some cathedrals on certain days. It seems that this discipline began to change when the piety of the Christians relaxed, and they failed in their attendance at the sacred table. We know that at the time of St. Augustin, it was prohibited that the priests should admit the faithful to private masses, on holy days. This prohibition existed yet in the eighth century, as Theodolphus, Bishop of Orleans, who flourished in the year 781, repeated a similar precept in the instructions to his diocese.

offering was admitted to the communion, and as among the Christians there were always some who on account of their crimes could not be admitted, it was ordered that their offering should not be accepted until their re-admission to the communion of the faithful, at the end of their canonical penance.

6. The deacons were to examine into the merits of the offerers to participate in the divine mysteries, and received or rejected their offerings. After this scrutiny the oblations were made at the end of the singing of the creed, and after the offerers were named by the deacons, the priests prayed for them in particular.

7. Though the sacrifice of the mass is of infinite value on account of the sacred victim offered in it, the church always believed that especial application was of great importance to the faithful; for which reason St. Monica requested her son St. Augustin always to make mention of her in the holy sacrifice. This custom was very popular in Spain from the first Christian ages, and we find in the Muzarabic missals, prayers pronounced by the priests after naming each of the offerers, and even at the present day those especial commemorations are made in the mementos.

4. In Spain the same discipline was observed, because, though in the first council of Toledo it was determined that all churchmen should be present at 8. In the council of Merida, 666, it was the mass, which was celebrated daily at ordained that the priests every Sunday the principal church, the priests were in their churches should make especial not prohibited from celebrating one or commemoration in the mass, of the more private masses each day. Accord-founders and benefactors, whether alive ing to ancient discipline the priest could only celebrate one mass at each altar, and therefore we see that in the churches there were altars besides the principal one. This is proved by the inscription copied by the bishop, Don Pelago, which, though after the councils of Toledo, shows that this discipline was then already introduced in Spain; as the ecclesiastical laws made by the Goths were observed in the first ages of the restoration of this monarchy.

5. The faithful were participators in

or dead. This gratitude demonstrated by the church towards her benefactors still continues in an improved degree, as, instead of a weekly mass for them, one is daily performed in all cathedrals and monasteries, and the same celebrated in parish churches for their parishioners on the days in which they are required to attend the mass.

9. In it offerings were presented to God by the faithful, through the priest, of any thing they thought proper, but generally they consisted of bread

and wine, of which sufficient was con- | for the maintenance of the priests, which secrated for present use, and the rest was thus secured. He who officiates at divided between the bishop and priests the altar, should be maintaind by the in the cathedrals, and the rector and his altar, as says St. Paul. To participate ministers in parish churches. in the offerings was to receive an equi10. In the council of Braga, 572, itvalent for the introduction of unferwas prohibited to offer any other things than wine, bread, and water, but not withstanding others were made and deposited in the appointed place, as is mentioned by Cardinal Bona. But it does not appear that money was offered in Spain at mass previous to the council of Merida, 666; in its canonical rules we find that at the time the faithful communicated, which was only at the mass, they offered money for the maintenance of the priests.

mented bread or azymus, the offerings. in kind having ceased. St. Chrodegang, Bishop of Mes, who lived in 1750, was of opinion that the priest might receive any alms from the faithful, and dispose of it as he pleased. This opinion is approved by the divines of the church, because the priest does not receive the money on account of the consecration, but for his maintenance.

14. According to the old canonical rules, offerings made in the mass were divided among all the clergy, but we do not know when those offerings began to be considered as belonging to the officiating priest. Some think that this custom was not established until the twelfth century, but we may presume that it commenced in Spain in the sixth, or perhaps before.

11. It does not appear that in any of the western churches any other bread was used but the common sort, before the seventh century; and if, at a time when only common bread was used at the mass, the ministers accepted offerings of money, it is not likely they would refuse it when it was necessary to buy a particular kind for the sacrament. This 15. In the council of Tarragona, 516, custom was established in Spain, 693, it was ordained that in churches where by the sixteenth council of Toledo, when there were many priests, they should it was ordained that the priests should officiate weekly, alternately, each rein future consecrate, instead of common ceiving the offerings during his week of bread, small white loaves made for that office. This decree occasioned many purpose. From that time offerings of dissensions, and to obviate them it was money were more frequently made.

12. In the time of St. Augustin these offerings were customary, as he writes to Bishop Valeries, that if any one should offer money it should directly be divided among the poor. St. Peter Damianus, who lived in 1057, says, that a duchess offered to him, while saying mass, some monies of gold named Byzancious; and the same saint having found a piece of money when a boy, presented it to a priest to say mass for the soul of his father, according to his Life written by John the Monk. Honorius Augustodomensis, who lived in 1130, says, that after the faithful began to absent themselves from the communions, the custom of offering money in the mass commenced. From these facts it appears that in the twelfth century this custom was already general.

13. The faithful made their offerings

ordained in the council of Braga, that one of the churchmen should receive all the offerings made in the commemorations of the dead, and in the festivities of the martyrs, and should be distributed among all once or twice in the year; an order which had no reference to the churches which had but one priest, in this case he received every thing offered.

16. The last-mentioned decree comprehended only the offerings on holy days, but those made in private masses belonged to the officiating priest. This is the meaning of the council of Merida, in whose acts we find that one third was adjudged to the bishop, another to the priests and deacons, and another to the rest of the clergy. The bishops then celebrated the solemn masses, and it was but just that they should receive a greater recompense for their trouble. This proportion between the merit and

reward was the principal ground for though it is probable from the great inthe decree of the council of Merida, and tercourse between the two nations; and upon this principle the offerings of pri- Cardinal Bona says, that the discipline vate masses belonged to the officiating of the two churches was the same. The priest only, therefore this custom is first information we have about the stisupposed to have originated in this pend of the mass, is from the eleventh epoch. century. The only mention made of it 17. The piety of the Christians began in our history is, that Doña Mayer Santo cool in the fourth century. During chez, daughter of Count Don Sancho, the persecutions, the Spaniards com-in her will, dated 1066, left the third municated in all the masses at which part of a number of cows which she they were present, but after peace was had in Asturias, in order to celebrate conceded they began to cool in their masses for her soul. assistance at the sacred table, so that it 21. This custom was the cause of was found necessary to deprive of the many abuses, as many priests, faithful right of offering all those who did not followers of Judas, offered for sale the communicate, with the view of exciting precious body and blood of Christ, makthem to assist more frequently. This ing various conditions for the infamous evil increased so much, that notwith-price to be given for the mass; others standing the above-mentioned punish- celebrated many masses, not for the ment, very few received the communion, and the first council of Toledo was obliged to renew, with certain modifications, the before-mentioned decree, in favour of the many who did not receive the communion.

18. Those deprived of the right of offering, could only partake of the fruits of the sacrifice through the means of alms. Many of the priests were poor, and lived at the expense of the faithful, whose liberality they repaid by applying to them the especial fruits of the masses. We therefore see introduced the custom of receiving alms on account of the said application in the middle of the eighth century.

19. In the ninth, there were many in France who thought that the priests ought to receive but one offering in each mass, in the persuasion that the greater was the number of offerings the less was their merit. This opinion was perhaps new, as in the preceding ages no one believed that the multiplicity of offerings diminished the merit of those who consecrated them to God, and the church was rather anxious that all those who assisted at mass should offer, but when this opinion gained ground it was natural that the priest should receive but one offering at each mass.

20. It is not known whether this discipline of the church of France was introduced into Spain in that century,

sake of spiritual advantages, but to satisfy their unbounded thirst for gold. In vain Alexander II. tried to put a stop to those abuses, prohibiting the priest from celebrating more than one mass daily, as they despised his deeree, consecrating at once as many wafers as they had received offerings.

22. These and other similar disorders did not escape the censure of the church. The zeal of the bishops armed itself with sufficient energy to extinguish them. The origin of these disorders proceeded from the poverty of the clergy and the abominable crime of simony, so prevalent in those miserable ages. In the present day we are free from those defects, though not from others.

23. The celebrated Jonas, Bishop of Orleans, who lived in 840), declaimed forcibly against the covetousness of the priests, who kept up the idea that no alms were useful to the dead, but those given to the priests to say masses for their souls. Perhaps there are among us some who maintain this opinion, as we see many testators distributing all their inheritances in stipends for masses, without remembering the poor of the hospitals and houses of charity. The advisers of such persons should remember the doctrine of the celebrated Melcho Cano, who, upon the authority of Paul and James, says, that the purest act of religion is to visit the sick, to

SEEDS

comfort the fatherless and the widow, It is true that, according to the declaraand to love our neighbour as ourselves. tion of Urban VIII., the priests ought 24. After works of charity began to not to attend so much to this regulation be substituted for canonical penances, as to the will of the giver. the desire of satisfying divine justice," without the pain or trouble of mortifi(To be continued.) cations, was very ardent among the Christians. Our king, Alfonso VII., in the twelfth century, said, as prayers, fasting, and alms banish sins, and we do not know how to fast and pray properly, it is well that we should with our alms make the fasts and prayers of the servants of God ours. The Abbot Reginon says, that one mass remits twelve days of penance, and ten masses four months. This discipline necessarily multiplied the alms, for it was more na tural that the rich should prefer expiating their crimes with masses than by per

sonal mortifications.

FOR SALE AT MR. COBBETT'S SHOP,
No. 11, BOLT-COURT, FLEET-STREET.
February, 1832.

LOCUST SEED.

Very fine and fresh, at 6s. a pound. For instructions relative to sowing of these seeds, for rearing the plants, for making plantations of them, for preparing the land to receive them, for the for the application of the timber; for after cultivations, for the pruning, and all these see my “WOODLANDS;" or TREATISE ON TIMBER TREES AND UNDERWOOD. 8vo. 14s.

SWEDISH TURNIP SEED.

25. In the twelfth century, the mendicant friars were introduced into the church, whose evangelical profession did not allow them, at the commencement, any other property than the charity of the faithful. They received their Any quantity under 10lbs., 10d. a alms, and their mass was applied gene-pound; and any quantity above 10lbs. rally for all their benefactors, as is now and under 50lbs., 94d. a pound; any practised by the Capuchins, by which quantity above 50lbs., 9d. a pound; the pious custom of giving alms for the above 100lbs., 8d. A parcel of seed application of masses was increased. In may be sent to any part of the kingdom; other religious orders, the prelates re- I will find proper bags, will send it to ceived those alms, and necessity obliged any coach or van or wagon, and have it some of them to compel, indirectly, booked at my expense; but the money their subjects to celebrate the mass must be paid at my shop before the seed daily. It would be desirable that no be sent away; in consideration of which one should be compelled to say mass I have made due allowance in the price. every day, because all have not the If the quantity be small, any friend can necessary zeal, nor are all who inhabit call and get it for a friend in the country; monasteries faultless; but these abuses if the quantity be large, it may be sent will continue while priests are poor. by me. The plants were raised from 26. The income of many of the mo-seed given me by Mr. PEPPERCORN (of nasteries of Spain consists principally of Southwell, Bedfordshire), in 1823. He the alms for masses; and the portion gave it me as the finest sort that he had assigned for the maintenance of the ever seen. I raised some plants (for priests is so small in almost all the use) in my garden every year; but, at dioceses, that without this help they Barn-Elm I raised a whole field of it, could not subsist for three months; and and had 320 bushels of seed upon 13 therefore those alms should be consi- acres of land. I pledge my word, that dered as church revenue: as such they there was not one single turnip in the are considered by the council of Trent, whole field (which bore seed) not of and by different diocesan synods, which the true kind. There was but one of a regulate the stipend of the masses in suspicious look, and that one I pulled proportion to the value of provisions. up and threw away. So that I warrant

་

this seed as being perfectly true, and as having proceeded from plants with small necks and greens, and with that reddish tinge round the collar which is the sure sign of the best sort.

MANGEL-WURZEL SEED.

one-third corn-flour; SECOND, in batter puddings baked, a pound of flour, a quart of water, two eggs, though these last are not necessary; THIRD, in plumpuddings, a pound of flour, a pint of water, half a pound of suet, the plums, and no eggs; FOURTH, in plain suetAny quantity under 10lbs., 74d. a puddings, and the same way, omitting pound; any quantity above 10lbs. and the plums; FIFTH, in little round under 50lbs., 7d. a pound; any quantity dumplings, with suet or without, and above 50lbs., 6d. a pound; any quan- though they are apt to break, they are tity above 100lbs., 6d. a pound. The very good in this way; in broth, to selling at the same place as above; the thicken it, for which use it is beyond all payment in the same manner. This measure better than wheaten-flour. seed was also grown at Barn-Elm Now, to make BREAD, the following farm, the summer before the last. are the instructions which I have reIt is a seed which is just as good ceived from Mr. SAPSFORD, baker, No. at ten years old as at one. The plants 20, the corner of Queen Anne-street, were raised in seed-beds in 1828; they Wimpole-street, Marybone. As I have were selected, and those of the deepest frequently observed, the corn-flour is red planted out in a field of 13 acres, not so adhesive, that is to say, clammy, which was admired by all who saw it, as the wheat and rye flour are. It is, as a most even, true, and beautiful field therefore, necessary; or, at least, it is of the kind. The crop was very large; best to use it, one-third corn-flour and and out of it were again selected the two-thirds wheat or rye flour. The rye plants from which my present stock of and the corn do not make bread so seed was growed; though, indeed, there bright as the wheat and the corn, nor was little room for selection, where all quite so light; but it is as good bread were so good and true. I got my seed as I ever wish to eat, and I would alfrom Mr. Pyм, of Reigate, who raised ways have it if I could. Now, for the it from plants proceeding from seed that instructions to make bread with wheatI had given him, which seed I had raised flour and corn-flour. Suppose you are at Worth, in Sussex; and, all the way going to make a batch, consisting of through, the greatest care had been thirty pounds of flour; you will have taken to raise seed from no plant of a of course twenty pounds of wheat-flour dubious character.-This seed, therefore, and ten pounds of corn-flour. Set your I warrant as the very best of the kind.— sponge with the wheat-flour only. As A score or two of persons, who sowed soon as you have done that, put ten of this seed last year, have given me an pints of water (warm in cold weather, account of the large crops they have and cold in hot weather) to the cornhad from it, and have all borne testimony flour; and mix the flour up with the to its being the truest seed they ever water; and there let it be for the presaw of the kind. I sell these seeds sent. When the wheat sponge has risen, much cheaper than true seed, of the and has fallen again, take the wettedsame sorts, can be got at any other up corn-flour, and work it in with the place; but I have a right to do this, and I choose to exercise my right. My seeds are kept with great care in a proper place; and I not only warrant the sort, but also, that every seed grow, if properly put into the ground.

USES OF COBBETT-CORN FLOUR.

We use the corn-flour in my family, FIRST as bread, two-thirds wheaten and

wheat sponge, and with the dry wheatflour that has been round the sponge. Let the whole remain fermenting together for about half an hour; and then make up the loaves and put them into the oven. The remainder of the process every one knows. These instructions I have, as I said before, from Mr. Sapsford; and I recollect also, that this is the way in which the Americans