ject, too, I have a few words to say to parents also. I believe some persons have a mistaken idea that we, the clergy, are obliged to provide schools for our people, and that they do us a sort of a personal favour if they send their children there at all. Now I beg to assure any such, if such are here present, that no clergyman is obliged by civil or ecclesiastical law to keep a school: we do indeed consider it a part of our duty to God, as forming a means, by His blessing, of giving religious instruction; but it is our free and willing offering to God's service, whether of time or of money, for this object. I heartily wish the time might come when men would shake off their foolish prejudices, and attend to their own and their children's best interests, not to please men, but to please God, and for the sake of their own souls. The church, the school, the minister, the teacher, are all but instruments in the hand of God, appointed by Him to set forth his word and doctrine, and to lead his flock in the right

way. The neglect of them injures, not the Church nor the minister-they stand where they were, and are accountable to their own Master-but it injures the despisers and abusers of means of grace. We gladly receive your children when you send them, brethren, and we wish to do them all the good in our power, and we grieve when, for any insufficient reason, through mistaken indulgence, or false pride, or for whatever motive, you keep them away from our daily and Sunday schools; but it is not we who have to account for that neglect, but you: you, who thereby hinder your children's spiritual instruction, and keep from them the sincere milk of the word, whereby "babes in Christ," such as are here assembled, are nourished unto everlasting life.

Thirdly. My younger friends, my text teaches you to reverence and submit yourselves to your elders by age, whoever and wherever they may be. An aged person should always be an object of respect: even savage nations are very particular

about this and I fear that in this respect we are not now so much to be commended as our forefathers in less enlightened times-learn then from the text to submit yourselves to the advice and the reproofs of the aged: never take advantage of their infirmities, or mock their weaknesses. Remember how the children who mocked Elisha, and called him "bald head,"* were punished God sent two bears, which tore them all in pieces. Old people can teach you much their experience makes them good advisers; honour them for their past labours, for God has said in holy Scripture, "the hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."†

Fourthly. My text teaches you, children, as well as all of us, to submit ourselves to our superiors in rank and station and authority. This day on which we are now assembled, is a very fit one for the notice of this part of my subject. It teaches you to be loyal and dutiful subjects to * 2 Kings ii. 23, 24.

+ Proverbs xvi. 31.

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your Queen, who is this day crowned the sovereign of these kingdoms-long may she reign! I hope there is no great need for me to say much upon the duty of submitting yourselves to the authority of the rulers of the land; but nevertheless I must call upon you to observe how this is commanded expressly by God. “Submit yourselves,"* says St. Peter, "to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." Again, St. Paul "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God:...Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour;"† and again he bids Titus " put " his people

says,

* 1 Peter ii. 13, 14. + Romans xiii. 1, 2, 7.

"in mind to be subject to principalities and powers," and to obey magistrates." Humanly speaking, if it shall please God to permit our gracious Queen to live the usual space of years allotted to mortals, it is not at all likely that many of the elder part of us here present may live to see another such day but as the strength of a ruler is in the affection of

the people, I call upon you, my young friends, to lay up this day in your memories, and, as you grow up, fix the lesson more deeply in your hearts, to honour and obey the Queen. I trust, brethren, that no evil example, no pernicious and poisonous notions, will be permitted to taint the principles of these children; let no false ideas of liberty and equality, no imaginary grievances, no political disputations, be allowed to corrupt their minds, and to destroy that proper subordination and subjection which the lower orders must pay to the higher. So far from making men slaves and destroying their

Titus iii. 1.