Hear further what is said by our Lord in the Gospel of St. Matthew:

"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, 'For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh?' Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

Hear also what St. Paul says, in his epistle to the Ephesians, as touching the duties of husbands towards their wives and of wives towards their husbands:

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself, for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

Into this holy estate these two persons are come to be joined. Therefore, if any man can show any just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let him now speak, or forever after hold his peace.

[And then, addressing the persons to be married, he shall say: Also, I charge you each and both, as you will answer before God at the day of judgment, if either of you know any reason why you may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, confess it now. For be well assured, that all those who are

brought together contrary to the word of God, are not joined together of God; neither is their marriage lawful.

[If there be no impediment alleged, or no suspicion raised, the minister shall proceed, and say unto the man :]

Wilt thou take this woman to be thy wedded wife?

Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking every other, cleave to her only, so long as you both shall live?

[The man shall answer :]

I will.

[Then shall he say unto the woman :]

Wilt thou take this man to be thy wedded husband?

Wilt thou obey him and serve him, love, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking every other, cleave to him only, so long as you both shall live?

[The woman shall answer :]

I will.

[Then shall the minister say :]

As a seal to this holy vow, give each other the right hand. [Then shall he address these words to the bridegroom, who shall repeat them after him :]

I, M., take thee, N., to be my wedded wife, and pledge thee my troth.

[In the same way the bride shall repeat these words after him :] I, N., take thee, M., to be my wedded husband, and pledge thee my troth.

[Then shall he lay his hand upon the hands of the pair and say :] The marriage vow, which you have here made, before God and these witnesses, I confirm, in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen!

What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Let us pray:

O God, who by thy mighty power didst create man in thine own image, and then ordain for his happiness the estate of marriage, to be continued through all generations, look mercifully, we pray thee, upon these thy servants; that both this

man may truly love his wife, according to thy word, and also that this woman may be loving and amiable, faithful and obedient to her husband; and in all quietness, sobriety and peace be a follower of holy and godly matrons.

O Lord, bless them both and grant them an inheritance in thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

en.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heavGive us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and Amen.

ever.

[Then shall he bless them :]

Almighty God, who at the beginning did create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and did sanctify and give them in marriage, pour upon you the riches of his grace, sanctify and bless you, that you may please him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love unto your lives' end. Amen.

NO. 3.

A FORM OF SERVICE TO BE USED AT THE LAYING OF THE CORNER

STONE OF A CHURCH.

[When the people have assembled at the spot where the new church is to be built, the minister, standing near the corner-stone, shall say:]

Christian Brethren:-It is right and proper, in all our doings, to beseech Almighty God for his most gracious direction and help. But especially, as we are now assembled to begin a House, which is to be set apart for His honor and service; for the worship of His holy name, the preaching of His holy Gospel, and the administration of His holy Sacraments, let us devoutly look up to Him for assistance, protection, and blessing.

Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and art wont to give more than

either we desire or deserve; grant us, we beseech thee, the fulness of Thy mercy. Prosper and bless the work which we have here undertaken, that by thy favor it may promote Thy glory and secure the salvation of many souls; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Our Father, who art, etc.

[Here the minister shall read the 96th Psalm, or some other suitable portion of Scripture.

The inscription of the stone, if it have any, shall be read, and notice given of the deposites made therein.

Then the corner-stone being laid in its place, the minister shall say:] Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

[Striking the stone three times with the hammer, he shall say :] In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I lay the corner-stone of an edifice to be here erected by the name of church, and devoted to

the worship of Almighty God, agreeably to the principles and usages of the German Reformed Church in the United States of North America.

Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ; who is God over all, blessed forever; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

[Then shall the minister say:]

Let us pray:

Blessed be thy name, O Lord, that it hath pleased thee to put it into the hearts of thy servants to commence the erection of a building in which thy holy name is to be worshipped, the messages of reconciliation proclaimed and the means and pledges of thy grace and mercy administered. Prosper thou them, O God, in this their undertaking. Guard by thy prov

idence everything which may appertain to the building, which is now begun in thy fear. Excite the skill and animate the industry of the superintendents and workmen. Shield them from all accidents and dangers. And grant unto them, and all of us here present, the influences of thy Divine Spirit, so that we may become in soul and body living temples of the Holy Ghost, and be prepared for that eternal city which hath foundations, whose maker and whose builder is God. All which we ask through the abundant merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

[Here an address may be delivered. After which a collection will be made and the service concluded with the singing of the 100th Psalm and Apostolic benediction.]

ART. III.-CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTION.

It is an encouraging fact, that amid the radical and unchurchly tendencies of the present age, the subject of Catechising, has of late years received increased attention on the part of all the leading branches of the Protestant Church. Not only have pastors, and professors of theology advocated in various religious publications this time-honored, and Scriptural mode of carrying forward in a healthy and vigorous form the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom, but the highest ecclesiastical judicatories, have expressed anew, and with increased earnestness, their hearty confidence in this mode of inculcating divine truth, and, by the weight of their solemn authority, directed the ministers and churches under their care to prosecute the work of systematic, catechetical instruction, with increased diligence and zeal. And as the Church, to whose interests this publication is especially devoted, is emphatically a catechetical Church, and was thus characterized from the beginning, it has been deemed appropriate to prepare a paper on this particular department of her religious policy.