peace into the bosoms of our own peasantry, to awaken the people who not only remain in darkness amidst marvellous light, but who, if they continue in their slumbers, will have a heavier account, in proportion as that light has been resisted. The tranquil duties of an English parochial clergyman are not the less spiri.. tually arduous, because accompanied with less temporal privation than the office of the missionary. Those who are faithfully endeavouring to discharge such duties, with any thing like an adequate impression of their importance and the responsibility which they involve, can best declare the difficulty of making any religious impression upon hearts often tempered into more than heathen hardness, by the habit of resisting those sacred influences of the Spirit which soften wherever they penetrate, but leave only the more obdurate those by whom they are rejected. In such a work, the Christian messenger to the unconverted of our own land needs as great encouragement as he who is sent to the heathen, and the knowledge of the progress of others engaged in the same course adfords him a consolatory support, similar to that which is experienced by the missionary when he contemplates the successes of his brethren, devoted to the same momentous object.

Those who are impressed with this feeling will not refuse their attention to a record of the life of one who-having been called to undertake that awful responsibility which attends a commission to feed the flock, of Christ, was enabled, with a maturity in the Christian ministry comparatively seldom bestowed after so short an experience in it, freely and faithfully to preach the Gospe! which he had freely received, and rapidly ripening for heaven by the abundant increase which is promised to those who thus exercise the gifts bestowed upon them-was joined to the spirits of the just made perfect, mysteriously, but to the eye of faith wisely, in the very meridian of his usefulness.

The Rev. Roger M. Manwaring, was the youngest son of John Robert Parker, Esq. of Kirmincham Hall, in Cheshire. He was born in Ireland, in February 1794, and was baptized Roger Manwaring in respect to his maternal family. When only fifteen years old, by the will of a maternal great aunt, he was appointed heir in succession to a family estate bequeathed to her, and according to her desire he changed his name to Manwaring. Whilst under the care of a clergyman, at a very early age, he shewed more attention and was more impressed, by hearing Dr. Porteus in the pulpit, than could have been expected from his years; and as he possessed a natural diffidence which led to retired habits of life, his meditations upon these discourses may have probably laid the foundation of his future choice of a profession. At fifteen he was sent to

Rugby school, and from thence to Brasennose College, Oxford, where he afterwards took his degree with credit.

At this period of his life, with the allurements of fortune at his command, and invited into the gaiety of the world by multiplied excitements, he steadily and triumphantly resisted the temptations which would lead him from serious meditation; and in reflecting upon the choice of a profession, he committed himself to the promised direction of that Holy Spirit who had led him to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. In this he was anxiously encouraged by an elder sister; and those only who have experienced the consolation which is afforded by an interchange of Christian sympathies, especially at the outset of a religious life, can justly estimate the advantage which Mr. Manwaring derived from this source. Thus aided, and with much searching of the Scriptures, he found the pearl of great price, and was willing to part with all the gratifications of the world to preserve it. Residing in a dissipated city, possessed of advan tages which placed its dissipation within his reach, and moving in a sphere in which his conscientious abstinence from many of those plausible indulgencies by which the young and the thoughtless are enticed into a dangerous and too often fatal vortex, could not but expose him to much of the ridicule and reproach with which the world ever regards all serious religion; he was however mercifully enabled to put on the whole armour of God, that he might have power to stand against all these wiles, and by the grace of his Saviour to turn his mind to that ministry of reconciliation upon whichhe afterwards went forth to theworld.

It is not uncommon to hear young men, who have been educated at our universities for the purpose of taking orders, express an intention of passing the interval between their degree and their ordination in enjoying those pleasures of the world, of some at least of which the decencies of society will deprive them when they assume the sacred function. It is indeed lamentable to find persons thus publicly proclaiming their love of that which they are about to bind themselves to repress with all their efforts, and displaying the unfit state of their minds for that sobriety of thought and conduct, which they take upon them to maintain and encourage. It is terrible to consider the awful responsibility into which such men rush, when they take holy orders, with their minds reeking with the vain thoughts and follies and desires of worldly gratifications which hang upon them like a thick cloud, at the most serious moment of their lives, instead of cherishing selfabasing thoughts, and heavenly affections. In proportion as this inconsistency is to be deplored, must we rejoice when we witness such an earnest preparation for that sacred office, as was evinced in the

case of Mr. Manwaring, and that too, in defiance of the formidable array of temptations which then assailed him. He was admitted into holy orders in June, 1817, by the present Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, who appointed him to the curacy of Whaddon in his diocese.

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A young clergyman's first curacy is generally a voyage of discovery into an unknown region. He has to ascertain the bearing of the land in the difficult navigation of that deep abyss, the human heart; and, for want of a knowledge of the one guiding Star, many fail to find a secure landing-place upon which to erect the standard of Christ in token of possession, or from whence to spread abroad the glad tidings of great joy. With Mr. Manwaring, no doubt, these difficulties existed, in a great degree; but he steered by the one only true guiding Star, and obtained experience with than common rapidity. He set about his Master's work with a zeal which shewed itself to be according to knowledge, and which attracted the attention and gained the favour of his diocesan. His conscientiousness of mind was displayed in a remarkable manner, in consequence of the approbation with which the Bishop regarded him. His lordship offered him a living; but he was placed in such circumstances as would have precluded his residing upon it, had he accepted it: he therefore declined the offered kindness. None who were acquainted with his character could refuse their esteem and admiration at his motives.

After a useful course of ministration at Whaddon, he repaired for a short time to the curacy of little Dean; but several reasons concurring to induce him to quit that place, he undertook the temporary charge of the parish of Bisham, near Marlow. Here his ministry was peculiarly blessed to several of his parishioners; while the impressiveness of his manner, in his public discourses, and his urbanity and unwearied attention in the more private duties of his charge, endeared him to all. When he had publiclydeclared the truths of the Gospel in a way which he thought calculated to suit the particular state of mind of any individual in his congregation, he failed not to appear at the cottage of that person, at the earliest opportunity, to enforce by special application, the general argument he had advanced. For such opportunities, he was ever on the watch, and many of them appear to have been most usefully improved.

While at Bisham, a large sphere of usefulness appeared to open to him, in consequence of the indisposition of the Rev. Mr. Bradley, the curate of Wycombe, who, being unable to continue the weekly lectures at his church, had recourse to the assistance of Mr. Manwaring; who, on Mr. Bradley's quitting the curacy, became for several months

the stated minister. Young as he was, his advancement in vital Christianity had been great; and his abilities, as a public teacher, might rather be measured by his zeal than by the period during which he had exercised them. It was in this place that he became acquainted with Miss P. Blackden, to whom he was afterwards united. He had previously returned to his charge at Bisham, whither he now conducted his bride. From the very earliest period of his marriage, his tenderest affections were severely put to the trial by domestic afflictions. But as his whole heart was deeply imbued with the spirit of the Gospel, and an entire reliance upon the providence of God, these only rendered him more devoted to the service of Him by whom all blessings, and among others the blessing of fatherly chastisement, if necessary, are dispensed.

His earnest and unwearied exertions, for the temporal and spiritual welfare of his beloved partner, through the dangerous struggles of a typhus fever, prepared his own frame to receive the fatal infection, which too soon manifested itself during the gradual recovery of the beloved object of his anxiety. Though he was exhausted in body, and deeply agitated in mind, he continued his pastoral duties with increased devotion and earnestness. On Sunday, the 2d October, 1825, he was found at his post of duty; and proved himself a faithful watchman, in preaching his last sermon on the afternoon of that day. The impressive manner in which he delivered that discourse, will not be soon forgotten by his auditors; and his text (1 Cor. vi. 19, 20,) was an epitome of the religion evinced in his whole life. "What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

I cannot refrain from extracting one passage from this sermon, which will convey to the reader a more just impression of the state of his mind at that moment, and of the purity of his religion, than could be effected by volumes of description. In discoursing upon the latter part of the text, he said, By the expression of glorifying God in our body, we may understand that he will consider himself robbed of his glory, unless we surrender ourselves to him in all the active duties that he has enjoined. It is not enough that we praise him with our lips, unless we praise him with our life. We are bound to yield all our members as instruments of righteousness unto God-not one or two only, but all. The hypocrite is partial, the real Christian is universal, in his endeavours to please God, having no reserves. He must wage war against all sin it matters not what it is: if it be

sin, it must be opposed. It may be a beloved sin, an easily besetting sin, a long indulged sin; no matter-the Christian is not his own, he is bought with a pricehe will therefore glorify God by cutting off the right arm or plucking out the right eye. He will say with Ephraim, What have I any more to do with idols?' He will enter into the spirit of the Psalmist, and say, 6 All false ways I utterly abhor.' But he will still more distinctly glorify God. As his body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, and as different parts of the temple and its furniture may be employed to different, though, in every case, holy purposes, so the Christian strives to yield all his different members, each according to their different offices, to God's glory. And in this way he becomes a new creature, or new-created in Christ Jesus unto good works, for all his powers are newly created and turned to their proper use. His eyes, which once gazed upon evil with delight, now serve to glorify God by admitting more of heavenly light and information. He longs for a more thorough acquaintance with the character and will of God, and with the truth as it is in Jesus. His heart also is an instrument of God's glory, for the pure fire of love and devotion arises in it continually. His lips in like manner; for, instead of saying as heretofore, My lips are my own, he uses them to celebrate the praises of the Most High, and says with the Psalmist, Awake up my glory, I myself will awake right early to sing and give thanks.' Nor are his feet and hands idle, for they also minister in holy things-the one is stretched out to do his will; and with the other he runs in the way of God's commandments, without weariness and without fainting.

"Nor is this all; he strives to glorify God by a zealous attention to all the active and relative duties of life-I mean, by his conduct towards his neighbour. Here, he will ask, What is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me? How may I spend my time, my money, my talents, and use my authority so as to benefit my neighbour in body and soul, discountenance sin, promote holiness, and bring some little revenue of praise to my God and Saviour? Do you think that this is not required at your hands? Indeed you err. It is a duty required by the same authority, and to be enforced by the same motives; for he who gave you your being gave your neighbour his, and he has thrown you into society, and bound you by laws that you might in love serve one another, and by doing so shew forth his praise.

"And while I speak upon this subject, let me mention in particular one way, and that not the least, of glorifying God; I mean, by suffering with patience whatsoever he sees fit to lay upon his people. We are called upon to suffer. All Scripture leads us to expect it-all experience confirms the expectation. No man is

exempt from trial, affliction, and sorrow. It is not only the fruit of man's sin; but it evidences the high authority of God, who sends them when, and how, and upon whom he will, according to his sovereign pleasure, and forbidding all men to ask in proud rebellion, What doest thou? But how hard is it to glorify God at such a season! How hard to obey that injunction, Be still, and know that I am God! How difficult to possess one's soul in patience, and in the darkest season to ascribe righteousness and mercy to our Maker and Redeemer, and to cast our care upon him. Difficult indeed! But still we are the temples of the Holy Ghost. Still we are bought with a price, and therefore must glorify God, not only by actions, but by suffering his will in patience, and faith, and hope.

In the state of mind which this discourse bespeaks, he retired from his church and employed the Sabbath evening in preparing for the duties of the following Sunday, taking advantage of the devotional frame engendered by the sacred exercises in which he had been engaged, to compose a sermon for his next public discourse. The text he chose manifested the workings of his mind. It was Phil. iv. 6, 7: "Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." He wrote the greater part of an excellent discourse; but he became evidently indisposed before he could finish it, and retired to rest with symptoms of illness. He rose however in the morning, and went to visit some of his flock who needed his presence. This was the last time he discharged any of the duties of his office, for on that evening he lay down on that bed which he never after quitted alive. His worn-out frame was peculiarly susceptible of the infection to which he had been so long exposed, and he fell a sacrifice to it. Delirium came on, which disturbed his mind at intervals during the five succeeding weeks; but at all other times the fervency of his prayers, and of his praises, and his faith and trust in Christ evinced the practical root from which his spiritual instructions had flowed so freely to others. It is unnecessary to particularise the many deeply afflicting circumstances which were the result of the situation of his family during this period. The misery of it was greatly alleviated by the tender cares of a younger sister attached to him, not only by the ties of nature, but by an affection that flows from his having been the means of strengthening the impression of serious religion on her mind. His afflicted wife was still unable to leave her bed from debility, while her medical attendants judged it right to keep her in ignorance of his state; and she mourned and