the merits of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose blessed name 1 offer up this prayer, and to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory. Amen.

Evening Prayer.

Grant, O Lord God Jehovah, Father of all mercies, that as I kneel now before thee on this evening of another year, blessing thee for past mercies, and imploring their continuance, I may be so found every future evening of my life; "for we know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning." And whenever he may come, O God of all grace, grant that I may be found watching. Vouchsafe to hear the petitions which, with this renewed epoch of life, I now offer up to thy mercy seat.

May I follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, peace, and love; and make all my temporal desires to be in subjection to those heavenly ones. May I

pass henceforth every day, which is given to me on earth, in the progressive attainment of thy favour; so shall all be well with me, whatever may betide.

When sorrow, sickness, perplexity, wearisomeness, assail me, may I fly to my Bible for comfort and aid; for therein are the words of eternal life. Happiness here, and everlasting happiness, are contained therein. God Almighty grant that it may not be a sealed book to me; but open thou the eyes of mine understanding; and "may I continue in the things which I have learned," and have been assured of, Knowing where I have learned them, and that from a child I have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make me wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

May I remember and ever hold fast the blessed truth, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Bless this house with religion, peace, and love. Take all its inhabitants under the sha

dow of thy wings; keep them from all evil; guard them through the night, and awaken them to a new day with more intense sentiments of love to thee, and a more steady desire to do thy will.

Bless all those dearest to my soul, absent or present; correct their evil propensities; confirm their good ones; lead them through this life, O God, so that they lose not that life which is eternal.

Pardon my enemies, if I have any. Take from my heart all bitterness towards them; and though I guard myself against their malice, may I never harden my heart towards them, but strive to imitate the blessed Jesus, who pardoned all, even on the cross.

Thus in prayer to God, and in peace with all mankind, I lie down to take my rest; and may I, Almighty Father, through faith in the blood of the Lamb, so lie down in life's last sleep, calm and untroubled, and arise to be with thee for ever. Amen.

Dancing.

[The following article, from the Ontario Repository, contains the opinions of the celebrated dissenting minister, Dr. Watts, on the subject of dancing. We agree entirely in the views here expressed by that eminent person; and we trust that the readers of the Christian Journal will be gratified by having an opportunity to peruse them.-Ed. C. J Messrs. EDITORS,

WILL you insert in your useful paper, the enclosed extract from the writings of the sensible, excellent, and pious Dr. Watts; of whom it is said, "Few men have left such purity of character, or such monuments of laborious piety." The extract is taken from his Discourse on the Education of Children and Youth,' and relates particularly to an accomplishment, here of late fallen into great disrepute, and hardly to be acquired without incurring the anathemas of a class of people, whose wisdom, to say the least, in thus seeking to abridge the innocent and useful recreations of youth, deserves to be questioned.

This judicious writer, after mentioning mathematics, geography and astronomy, natural philosophy, history and

poetry, music, painting and drawing, with approbation; fencing and riding, as healthy exercises, which may be useful in life;" continues-" Shall I speak of dancing as a modish accomplishment of both sexes? I confess I know no evil in it. This is also a healthful exercise, and gives young persons a decent manner of appearance in company: it may be profitable to some good purposes, if it be well guarded against all the abuses and temptations that may attend it. It was used of old, in sacred and civil rejoicings, Exod. xv. 20, 21; 1st Sam. xviii. 6; 2d Sam. vi. 14. It is certainly an advantage to have the body formed early to graceful motion, to which the art of dancing may contribute. But where it is much beloved and indulged, it has most sensible dangers, especially mixed dancing. It leads youth too of ten and too early into company; it may create too much forwardness and assurance in the sex whose chief glory is their modesty'; kindle vain it may and vicious inclinations, and raise in young minds too great a fondness for the excessive gaieties, and licentious pleasures, of the age.

"In all these affairs, a wise parent will keep a watchful eye upon the child, while he indulges it in these gratifications of youth and inclination; a wise parent will daily observe whether the son or little daughter begin to be too much charmed with any of the gay ornaments and amusements of life; and with a prudent and sacred solicitude, will take care lest any of them intrench on the more necessary and more important duties of life and religion; and, according to this view of things, the parent's hand will either give a looser rein to the pursuit of these exercises, or will manage the propensities of the child with a needful and be coming restraint.”

Q.

To the Publishers of the Christian Journal. GENTLEMEN,

IT has been confidently asserted that the review of Bishop Hobart's sermon which you republished from the London Quar. terly Theological Review, was written by the Rev. Mr. Norris, a clergyman of the Church of England, distinguished for his munificent and pious zeal, and who has VOL. XI.

shown many marks of friendship and attention to Bishop Hobart. The following extract from a letter recently received whom he corresponds, will show how ut from him by a layman of this country with terly unfounded he assertion is, that Mr. Norris is the author of that review. These

are the terms in which he writes concerning it :

"It is a tirade of scurrility, without tain one sentence of argument, but is just one redeeming property. It does not consuch a volley of trashy, insulting verbiage, as you might expect to meet with at our Billingsgate, or any other place upon the same scale of respectability.”

Utility of studying Arabic Poetry. The Baron Silvestre de Sacy lately read before the Asiatic Society of Paris, a brief memoir on the utility of the study of Araadvantages, he adds-"I ought not to forbic poetry, in which, after stating other get a very useful purpose to which Arabic poetry can be applied; I mean the light which it diffuses upon another poesy, divine in its source, and sublime as the hea ven from whence it derives its origin, but human as far as regards its design, since it is consecrated to our instruction, to the reformation of our manners, and to the elevation of our souls towards our common Author; since it is intended to inspire us with fear of his judgments, gra titude for his favours, and confidence in

his paternal goodness; since, in short, it is meant to triumph, by means of holy and elevated feelings, over the deceitful charms of pleasure, the seducing illusions of pride, and the combined efforts of a wandering mind and a corrupt heart. If the study of the antique Arabic poetry can assist us, as there can be no doubt it may, in penetrating deeply into the sanctuary of the poesy of ancient Sion; if, with its aid, we can dispel any of the obscurities which impair the effect of the sublime songs of Isaiah, the eloquent lamentations of Jeremiah, the energetic and terrific pictures of Ezekiel, the bitter groans and keen expression of the tried innocence of Job, and the varied accents, always dignified and always affecting, which issue from the lyre of David; will it still be said that we should regret the efforts expended for the purpose of acquiring knowledge from whence such results can be obtained?". Christian Observer.

taining within nothing but a light dusty substance, he believes that Halbequist has erroneously taken it for the fruit of the solanum melongena, which our traveller found no where near Jericho, but only the solanum sanctum. He himself conceives the apple of Sodom to be nothing else than the bladder-formed gallnut, which is raised by the stings of insects upon the pistacia terebinthus. He remarked, that no where has Flora undergone greater changes than in the Plain of Jericho. The valuable shrub which gave the balsam has disappeared; of the celebrated rose of Jericho no vestige is left; of the numberless palm-trees, on account of which Jericho was called the City of Palms, there remains only a single representative; in vain should one look for that fig-tree of which St. Luke speaks. The whole broad plain is now a naked desert waste, which stretches from the mountains of Judah to the banks of the Jordan.-Nuor, Gior de Letterati

Chain Bridge, North-Wales.

The following description of the stupendous chain bridge erected over the straits of the Menai, in North-Wales, is furnished by a friend, who has lately received it in a letter from a gentleman now travelling in England:

"This stupendous structure, this miracle of art, this modern colossus, has alike excited the wonder and called forth the admiration of the learned and scientific, and bids fair to stand for ages an amazing monument of British ingenuity.

"The morning being fine, I resolved to see the chain bridge before breakfast, and accordingly set out on my way thi ther. I overtook a very intelligent man, whom I found, after a little conversation, to be one of the under engineers, and to whom I owe my information as to the principles and admeasurements of it.

"On account of the hilly nature of the ground on each side of the straits, piers of granite are built on each side, which make the road level with the country. These piers are built on arches of 52 feet span; from high water mark to the spring of each arch is 65 feet; and lead to the grand pillars from which the chains are suspended, in massive, yet graceful festoons. These pillars tower 152 feet above high water mark; through them are gate.

ways which lead to the carriage roads, 9 feet wide, 15 high: there are two carriage roads, each 12 feet wide, and a foot-path between them, 3 feet wide.

"The chains, 16 in number, are 1714 feet in length, formed of links composed of 5 bars of wrought iron, 10 feet long, 3 inches deep, and half an inch thick; these 5 bars are put side by side, and riveted by bolts; forming an almost solid bar, of 10 feet long, 3 inches deep, and 2 inches thick; of these links the chains are formed; 4 of which chains form one great chain; and these 4 are so suspended, that the middle of the upper links fall on the joints of those underneath. This is a description of such links as hang from pillar to pillar, a distance of 553 feet; those from the pillars to the fastenings are rather shorter and thicker: I traced them to the rocks where they are fastened, and was truly surprised at the amazing strength and apparent security of the whole, and could not help questioning whether Jove's everlasting chain,

Whose strong embrace holds heaven, earth, and main,' were half so well secured.

"In the saddles over which the chains pass on the tops of the pillars, rollers are placed, to prevent any accident happening from the contraction or extension of the iron work by heat or cold, as also from the heat or cold affecting either side unequally.

"The vertical rods suspended from the chains are of iron, one inch square, and serve to support the sleepers on which the flooring of the road-way is laid; these rods are 5 feet asunder. A neat railing, about 5 feet high, runs along the whole line of the bridge.

EPISCOPAL ACTS.

In the Diocese of Maryland. At an ordination held in St. Paul's church, in the city of Baltimore, on Wednesday the 13th of December last, by the Right Rev. Bishop Kemp, the Rev. Charles Williams, president of the Baltimore college, and the Rev. John T. Wheat, minister of Queen Caroline parish, deacons, were admitted to the holy order of priests. Morning prayer was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Wyatt, associate minister of St. Paul's parish.

In the Diocese of Pennsylvania.

On the 24th of December, 1826, being the fourth Sunday in Advent, the Right Rev. Bishop White held an ordination in Christ church, Philadelphia, when Mr. Pierce Connelly and Mr. James May were admitted to the holy order of deacons.

Trinity Church, Utica.

The ladies of this congregation have contributed the sum of fifty dollars to constitute the rector a patron of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. The Female Missionary Association of this parish have also, within the past year, paid over to the Missionary Fund of this diocese the sum of $74 75, making a total of more than 400 for missionary purposes from this congregation since 1822. If every parish in the diocese of equal ability would do as much, how many waste places of the church might be built up!

Obituary Notices.

Died at Jamaica, Long-Island, October 18, 1826, ALEXANDER HAMILTON CODWISE, in the twenty-third year of his age.-The writer of this can truly say, that he was no common youth. Under the instruction of an affectionate and pious mother, like Timothy of old, from his childhood up he seemed wise unto salvation. Soon after

his joining the communion of the church, he determined to devote himself to the ministry. This determination is known to have been in preference to much more promising worldly prospects, and is fully believed to have been made by those peculiarly awful yet noble and generous motives that are required in every candi. date for the ministry, when he answers that he trusts that he is moved by the Holy Ghost. And so disinterested were his views in this respect, that it is known to the friend who writes this, that he had determined, should God have permitted him to enter upon his intended work, not to seek a situation of profit or ease; but

it seemed to be rather a subject of pleasing anticipation with him, to go where there was much labour and little worldly profit-to go where, in the spirit of missionary zeal, he could most effectually subserve the cause of Christ and his church. But the great Head of the church had otherwise determined. A pulmonary consumption, which evinced its first alarming symptoms some years ago, was seen to make its gradual but sure advances, till it gained its victim. He died sitting in his chair, uttering, as his last, the words of the first martyr Stephen, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

The following is an extract from the sermon preached in Grace church, Ja maica, the Sunday after his decease:

It is proper that this occasion should not pass away without being further improved by a brief notice of the decease of a young brother and friend, whose remains we lately conveyed to the house appointed for all living." Were I not averse to any thing like mere ostentatious formality in what are termed regular funeral sermons, in which, I fear, the great truths of our religion, and the blessed object of our faith and hope, are made to give place to eulogies, often undeserved, on those departed hence-this, I feel, would be an occasion for much, very much to be said. Yet as our young brother was very near and dear to all of us, as a member of our communion, as one brought up from his infancy with us, and as one to whom every thing connected with the good of this church was very near-it is proper, though in few words, not only as a tribute of respect and affection for his memory, but also for our own benefit, that the solemn event should be noticed and improved. It is known to many of us, that from his youth up, our young brother seemed to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.' I well remember when, with others of equal age, he attended our catechetical instructions. I well remember, both in public and private, his eager and respectful attention, his uncommon kindness and docility, and urbanity of temper. I well remember seeing tears fall down his youthful cheeks, when he listened to the love of Christ to sinners, and the blessedness of early devotion to his ser vice. I then thought these evidences, so rare and uncommon among our children, were evidences of the first fruits of grace in a life to be devoted to the glory of God and the good of his fellow-men.

"Subsequent instructions, and subsequent dealings of God with him, seemed to fix these impressions firmly in his mind. When, some years ago, at college, he joined the communion of our church, his letters to me on that interesting occasion, evince a pure and conscientious devotion