be considered as the offspring of a beneficence, kindred in its spirit to that by which the Society is actuated."

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"There is a prospect of having published for the Society an edition of Archbishop Secker's Lectures on the Catechism of the Church (with the copyright secured to the Society), by which measure the Board of Trustees hope to promote, not only in this diocese, but among Episcopalians generally in these United States, the circulation of that very valuable work of one of the ablest and most zealous friends to the churches in America."

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"The generosity of an individual has commenced the gratification of their wishes; and laid the foundation of a library for the Society, which may one day be of unlimited utility to the Church in this diocese. It is with pleasure stated to the Society, by the Board of Trustees, that soon after the restoration of commerce with England, they received from General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney a donation of books, recently imported, towards the formation of a Theological Library-most of them highly valuable--and making together a good foundation, on which the wisdom of the Society and the benevolence of other individuals may hereafter build."

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"Of the need of them [Missionaries] who can doubt that casts his eye over the extensive territory in the upper country, becoming rapidly settled by an important population; among whom the faith and worship of our Church are scarcely known. Let not exertions to carry them thither be damped by apprehensions that the economy of the Episcopal Church is not adapted to that stage and state of society. Where shall man, in any state, find a better exhibition of his duties than in the Decalogue? Where more plain and sound articles of faith than in the Creed? Where purer and more excellent forms of devotion than in the Lord's Prayer, and the collects which accompany it? And if impassioned sentiment and impassioned language be necessary to rouse the feelings and kindle the desires of the people, where shall be found more fervent sentiments or more rapturous expressions, than in the impassioned parts of the liturgy of the Church? It is believed by the Board, that a better economy than that of the Church could not be provided for the districts, where she is, as yet, in a great measure, unknown. How much plain and useful instruction in true religion might be conveyed, through the medium of her services, to an uninformed people; while their devotions, at the same time, were freed from the offensive exuberances of unguided piety, and conducted in a manner worthy of the rational character of man.

"But to manifest the want and utility of missionaries, it was not needful to have adverted to the field for their labours in the upper country. Here, in the lower country-here, where the Church has been planted, and once flourished-here, where parts of the flock of the Redeemer remain, wandering upon every heath and exposed to every robber-the voice of those who should gather them, is in many places never heard. There are none to feed his sheep-to feed his lambs."

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"If the Society had in many years accomplished nothing more than the establishment of this Church in Columbia-near the college of the Statewhere the youth of the Episcopal community, and especially those who are designed for the ministry, may have the benefit of the guidance and friendship of a clergyman of the Church, and the enjoyment of her services and all the

privileges of her household-this alone would be a compensation for all its care, and a standing monument of the good it had done."

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"Children, thus enrolled, will probably grow up attached to the Society; and there will be added to the claims, which its good purposes will have upon them in after life, the solemn obligation of parental will. Oh! could parents, who are now before the throne of God, speak, would they not call upon their children, who are in their places here, to aid liberally this Society in its efforts to raise the Church, which they loved, to the highest degree of prosperity! Children of those ancestors, who are now with the spirits of the just, made perfect, cherish the Church which discovered to them a path to the tree of life, in which no sword flames-and imparted to them, even in this world, some foretastes of the pardon, peace, and joy, which now give its worth to their immortality in heaven! Children of those ancestors! cherish the Church! And teach your children, and your children's children to cherish it."

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"But what are funds, and what are activity and wisdom, without the blessing of Almighty God? It was the first sentiment which impressed the Board of Trustees, when they entered upon the review to which this report called them (and the sentiment is stated with a confidence that it will be responded by all the members of the Society) hitherto hath the Lord helped us. When, therefore, the Board call upon the members of the Society to exert themselves to obtain for it the necessary means of accomplishing its purposes, they still look upon the blessing of God as its best treasure; and commend it most anxiously to the intercessions of the friends of the Church. While they ask of the liberal their contributions, they ask of the pious their prayers. And may those prayers be heard, to the advancement,' through the operations of the Society, of the glory of Him, who is the author and finisher of all good purposes; and to whom must be ascribed all that is right and happy among the children of men, and throughout the universe."

No. VII.

CIRCULAR TO THE CLERGY,

On the Restoration of Peace.

To the Clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of South-Carolina, and to the several Congregations thereof, grace, mercy and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Brethren, Reverend and Beloved,-Ir having pleased Almighty God, the sovereign disposer of all events, to prosper the efforts of the government of these United States; to bring to an honourable termination the war in which they have been engaged, and to restore to our country the blessing of peace.

And the President of the United States having, at the request of the Congress thereof, recommended, by his proclamation of the 4th inst., to the good people of these States the observance of Thursday, the 13th day of April next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to God for this his signal mercy towards them. And, whereas the Almighty Sovereign of all worlds hath, in his own most holy word, taught us that peace is among the most inestimable of all the mercies which are bestowed upon the children of men, and that it is under his gracious providence towards them that this blessing is given to the people whom he regards, from which, his declaration, there ariseth an obligation, binding upon all Christians, to recognize his hand in the restoration, to them, of this mercy, and to offer unto him their grateful acknowledgments and praise for the same. And, whereas the inhabitants of this State have great and special cause for gratitude to the Most High, not only in their participation of this common felicity of their country, but also in that spirit of patriotism and unanimity, which, during the continuance of the war, was called forth in this State, to strengthen the bars of its gates, and in its preservation from the terror and sufferings, and unspeakable dangers, to which it might have been subjected by contending armies and ruthless invasion. For these reasons, brethren, and in conformity with the sentiments and wishes of our Ecclesiastical Convention, recently held in this city, you are called upon, and by these presents exhorted, in obedience to the proclamation of the chief magistrate of the nation, moving you thereto, to assemble on Thursday, the 13th day of April next ensuing, in your respective churches, with religious reverence and holy joy; that there may ascend to heaven on that day, as from one common altar, the incense of hearts and lips penetrated with gratitude to the Great Disposer of events, as for all his mercies to this our country, so especially for this, his unmerited goodness, in "giving unto his people the blessing of peace." And in order that, according to the spirit of our Church in all her public offices, we may then be as one people, using the same praises, speaking the same words, and meditating on the same portions of holy scriptures, the morning and evening service shall be the same which is appointed in the Book of Common-Prayer, except as is hereinafter provided, viz.-Among the sentences at the opening of the services shall be said the following:

Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people, favoured of the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency." "Not unto us, O Lord; not unto us, but unto thy name, give the praise for thy loving mercy and for thy truth's sake."

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion; for he hạth strengthened the bars of thy gates—he hath blessed thy children within thee— he maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat." Instead of the Psalms for the day of the month, there shall be read in the morning, the 29th, the 65th, and the 85th; and in the evening the 9th Selection. The first lesson in the morning service shall be the eighth chapter of Deuteronomy-and the second lesson, the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, with the thirteenth chapter as far as to the twelfth verse. The first lesson in the evening service shall be the fourth chapter of the Prophet Micah and for the second lesson, there shall be read the fifth chapter of the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, from the twelfth to the twenty-fourth verse. Immediately after the general thanksgiving shall be said the occasional

thanksgiving for "peace and deliverance from our enemies," as it is set forth in the Book of Common-Prayer. In the communion service, instead of the collect for the day, shall be used the following:

O Almighty God, the sovereign and merciful ruler of the world, we bless and magnify thy glorious name, for the peace which thou hast restored to our country, the praise whereof we do, with all thankfulness, ascribe unto thee. And we beseech thee to accept the oblations of gratitude, which thy people in this land are this day offering unto thee in thy holy temples; and to give us grace to improve this blessing to thy glory, the advancement of thy gospel, the increase in our country of wisdom, science, useful arts, and true happiness, the cultivation of unity, grace, and kind affections among ourselves, and, as much as in us lieth, to the good of all the human race. And earnestly we pray thee, long in thy mercy to continue peace a blessing to our land; and to impress us with such a due sense of the goodness for which we praise thee, as shall engage us to show forth our thankfulness in a humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost, as for all thy mercies towards our country, so especially for this great blessing, with which thou hast blessed us, be all honour and glory now and forever.—Amen.

For the Epistle shall be taken the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians, from the fourth to the ninth verse. And for the Gospel, the eighth chapter of St. John, from the thirty-first to the thirty-seventh verse.

Amidst our joy in our own happiness, it is meet and right-yea, brethren, it is our bounden duty, to remember, with pious and affectionate sympathy, the widows and children, and bereaved friends of those our fellow-citizens who have fallen gloriously in their country's service; and you will all be disposed to offer, in the appointed place, in behalf of those whose joy in the peace cannot but be mingled with some emotions of sadness, the prayer which the Church hath provided "for persons under affliction." There is also a debt of sympathy, on occasions like this, with all the people of the earth. The sense of our own felicity will induce you to offer, with redoubled fervor, the petition in the Litany (which shall on that day be used), that it would please the "good Lord," from whom we have received our blessing, “to give to ALL nations unity, peace and concord."

Commending you, reverend and beloved brethren, in this your service, and in all your concern, to the acceptance and blessings of Almighty God, I remain ever.

Your affectionate Bishop,

THEODORE DEHON.

Charleston, March 30, 1815.

No. VIII.

PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who rulest over all the kingdoms of the world, and disposest of them according to thy good pleasure, we yield thee unfeigned thanks, as for all thy mercies, so especially for the national, civil and religious blessings with which thou hast distinguished our land. We this day praise thy name for that independence which thou didst enable us to establish among the nations of the earth and for the peace and prosperity with which, (while thy judgments are awfully abroad in the world) thou hast been pleased hitherto to bless her. Take not, O God, thy loving kindness from us, and let not our iniquities turn away thy favours. Continue to us the freedom, peace and prosperity with which thou only hast blessed us; and grant that, through thy good providence, we may be enabled to transmit them, unimpaired, to posterity. Let truth and justice, liberality, kindness and charity, devotion and piety, concord and unity, with all other virtues, so flourish among us, that they may be the stability of our times, and make our country a name and praise in all the earth. All which we humbly beg for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour.

No. IX.

[The following Prayer, which Bishop Dehon had seen in print, and altered in some degree, was one which he especially admired and frequently used.]

AN UNIVERSAL PRAYER

For All Things Necessary to Salvation.

O MY GOD, I believe in thee; do thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in thee; do thou secure them. I love thee with all my heart; teach me to love thee daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended thee; do thou increase my repentance. I adore thee as my first beginning; I aspire after thee as my last end. I give thee thanks as my constant benefactor; I invoke thee as my sovereign protector. Vouchsafe, O my God, to conduct me by thy wisdom; to restrain me by thy justice; to comfort me by thy mercy; to defend me by thy power. To thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings; that henceforward I may think of thee, speak of thee, and willingly refer all my actions to thy great glory, and suffer willingly what thou shalt appoint.