A Canon explanatory of the first Part of the Rubric at the end of the Communion Service.

"Whereas, in the first part of the last rubric in The Order for the Administration of the Communion,' the allowing of the officiating minister, there being no sermon or communion, to proceed to the Blessing; was owing to the circumstance, that without such a proviso, his doing so would not have been agreeable to the rubric: it shall be the duty of every minister of this Church, in the celebration of divine service on Sundays and other holy days, to recite that part of the service which commonly has the name of the ante-communion service."

No. 35. Page 257.

Thoughts on the Proposal of Alterations in the Book of Psalms in Metre, and in the Hymns, now before a Committee of the General Convention: By a Member of the Committee.

The subject shall be considered as it respects-1st. The Book of Psalms in metre-2dly. The Hymns already adopted; and-3dly. The adoption of others.

Let the Book of Psalms in metre, as translated by Tate and Brady, be continued entire, until another entire translation shall be presented, and thought preferable after deliberate examination by those the best qualified to judge of the work, as to the integrity of it, and as to its poetic merit. It is not understood that any such translation is in readiness; and, as to altering of the book in particular passages, it is a course which, once begun on, is likely to be continued, by a succession of changes without end. Probably the book will never be the same, longer than from one General Convention to another.*

Some are for printing only select passages of the book; and the reason given is, that the greater part of it is never used. It is here predicted, that let the selection be made with ever so much care, there will be complaints of the omission of passages, which, it will be said, ought to have

These remarks were not designed to discountenance a measure subsequently adopted by the assembled members of the committee-the appointing of a subcommittee to report to an adjourned meeting-any deviations which there may be from the most correct copies, and any mis-translations of the original.

been retained; and of the retaining of others, which, it will also be said, might have been well spared. This was sufficiently experienced in the reception of what was called the Proposed Book. Where fastidiousness of criticism may grow out of mere difference of taste, why not leave every man to his own?

But, say they, it is an unnecessary swelling of the volume. For this, there is an easy remedy. The metre psalms are no part of the Book of Common Prayer; and no law of the Church will be violated, if there should be editions with such selections as the favourers of the works may approve of; who would have none to please but themselves. The license is allowable in reference to the hymns also.

Let the hymns already adopted be retained; because there can be no material use in the contrary, and because it would counteract the tendency to perpetual change. Be it, that here and there we find a line or two not defensible. Let these be altered in future editions. The alterations would be slight, and not materially affect the use of the present books. In giving numbers to the new hymns, there should be a continuation of those of the old.

In favour of new hymns it is pleaded, that there are some occasions not specially provided for. Be it so: and let a few hymns be chosen for those occasions. The necessity for any more may be doubted of; considering that for the usual subjects of praise and thanksgiving, and for the expression of penitence, and for the impressing of a great variety of salutary instruction, we have an abundant supply in the Book of Psalms. Yet, if there should be proposed additional hymns, not too many, and not only correct in sentiment, but excelling in poetic merit, no objection is here made.

Most decidedly is there objected to the taste of some, disposing them to wish for hymns, in which the same subjects are again and again repeated in varied phraseology. It is denied that this contributes to devotion; and the denial is grounded on the well known property of the human character, that when religious sensibilities have been often excited by certain words, the repetition of them is more likely to produce the like excitement than other words comprehending the same sentiments. The principle is applicable to other subjects, and accounts for the long duration of the effects of popular ballads-especially the wonder-working one of the Swiss.

Whether the inviting feeling be religion or patriotism,

makes nothing as to the question of effect. Let it be supposed that some poet should compose a song, expressing the sentiments in "Rule Britannia," &c. and equal to that song in versification. Can it be supposed, that the new song, on any occasion interesting the public mind, would have an equal effect with the accustomed words? It is not to be imagined. Much less would this be likely to happen, if the new song should have a new tune tacked to it.

Divine wisdom has accommodated to this property of human nature of which there is an interesting instance in Deuteronomy xxvi. 5—“ A Syrian was my father," &c. This was a form to be repeated without variation from year to year; no regard being had to the taste of those whose ears have a relish for great variety in words. So, when the ark "set forward," it was always with the invocation— "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee, flee before thee:" and when it rested, it was with-" Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." In each case, the same words were repeated always: and in after times, when the services of the temple were arranged, they were invariable.

In order to perceive the ground of this procedure in human nature, we should distinguish between what is gratifying to the intellect, or to the imagination, or to the ear, and that which is an excitement of devotion, or of sensibility in any other department. The former kind of gratification requires variety; but as producing the latter, sameness is more effective.

It is no objection, that in the Book of Psalms, we find the same sentiments in a variety of diction. Those compositions were such, as present state of mind, and present circumstances of life, suggested to the mind of the sacred poet. The fact has no bearing on periodical returns of devotion, whether public or private.

There seems no reason for difference in this respect, between psalmody and prosaic prayer. Under the latter head, we have the stated form of the Lord's Prayer; and there are extant other forms, attended on by him and by his apostles in the synagogues. Our Church has adopted the principle in this department. We know, that some would make inroads on this arrangement. But what is the consequence? It is, that in their extemporaneous prayers, they insensibly assume the character of harangues: on the principle above stated, that variety has a more natural alliance with exer cises of this sort, than with the excitement of devotion.

Accordingly, the design of this communication is to express disinclination to variety, any further, than it is called for by variety of subject and of state of mind.

No. 36. Page 268.

Constitution of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, as established in 1820, and amended in 1823, 1829, 1832, and 1835.

ARTICLE I. This institution shall be denominated "the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America."

ART. II. The society shall be considered as comprehending all persons who are members of this Church.

ART. III. At every triennial meeting of the General Convention, which is the constituted representative body of the whole Protestant Episcopal Church in these United States, there shall be appointed, by a concurrent vote, on nomination by a joint committee of the two houses, a board of thirty members, who, together with the bishops of this Church, and such persons as became patrons of the society before the meeting of the General Convention in the year 1829, shall be called the "Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America." The said committee of nomination shall consist of three bishops, to be elected by ballot in the House of Bishops, and three presbyters and three laymen, to be elected by ballot in the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies.

ART. IV. To the Board of Missions shall be intrusted the supervision of the general missionary operations of the Church, with power to establish missionary stations, appoint missionaries, make appropriations of money, regulate the conducting of missions, fill any vacancies in their number which may occur, and also to enact all by-laws which they may deem necessary for their own government and the government of their committees.

ART. V. The presiding bishop of the Church shall be the president of the board; and in his absence, the senior bishop prescut shall preside; in the absence of all the bishops, the board shall elect a president pro tempore.

ART. VI. The Board of Missions shall hold its first meeting on the call of the presiding bishop, and shall meet annually thereafter at such time and place as may have been appointed at the previous annual meeting; and also on the second day of the meeting of the General Convention, at the place of its meeting. They shall publish an annual report of their proceedings for the information of the society, and present a triennial report to each stated General Con

vention.

At all meetings of the board, ten members shall form a quorum.

Special meetings of the board may be called as shall be provided in their own by-laws.

ART. VII. The board, as soon as may be after it has been constituted, shall proceed to appoint eight persons, four of whom shall be clergymen, and four of whom shall be laymen, who, together with the bishop of the diocese in which the committee is located, shall be a Committee for Domestic Missions; and eight persons, four of whom shall be clergymen, and four of whom shall be laymen, who, together with the bishop of the diocese in which the committee is located, shall be a Committee for Foreign Missions; all of whom shall be ex officio members of the Board of Missions.

Any bishop or bishops present at the place of meeting, shall have a right ex officio to attend the meetings of the committee, as members of the same.

Vacancies occurring in either of the committees, during the recess of the board, may be filled by the committees respectively, subject to the approval of the board at its next meeting.

ART. VIII. To the committees of the board thus constituted, shall be referred, in their respective departments, during the recess of the board, the whole administration of the general missionary work of the Church, subject to the regulations of the board. Each committee shall make a report of their proceedings to the Board of Missions at every meeting of the board.

ART. IX. The Board of Missions shall appoint for each committee a secretary and general agent, with a suitable salary, who shall be the executive officer of the committee, to collect information, to conduct its correspondence, to devise and recommend plans of operation, and, in general, to execute all the purposes of the board, in his proper sphere, submitting all his measures, before their adoption,