and we do bless with all our heart, these efforts, and your labours for the union of all the Churches. We also pray God the Father to hasten this true union which is so much desired by all Christians. From the time we became acquainted with your undertaking, we have not ceased to pray God that your efforts may be crowned with success, and to beseech Jesus Christ to make His will perfectly known to you, and to imbue you with wisdom and prudence. May our Heavenly Father grant you His Holy and Life-giving Spirit, to illumine, to strengthen, to lead you always in the right way, and to put into your mouth arguments strong and unanswerable, that you may contend zealously and courageously for the Church of Christ, and preach the doctrines of God. Thus the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you, and you will be glorified in Him, by the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. ALEXANDRIA, April 13th, 1863.' 'JAMES, 'Patriarch of Alexandria. We venture to say, that such yearning for unity between the East and ourselves has never-no, nor in any comparable degree-been shown before. The work which stands third on the list will, we hope, be of great service in the way of union; and would have been more so, we think, by one alteration, of which presently. Were we at liberty to mention the name of the very eminent divine from whom it proceeds, we should at once secure widely-spread interest in it. It is evident that the Scotch Liturgy will tell far more favourably than our own on the Oriental mind, as so much more closely based on their own great Offices. Besides which, our own has had but bad fortune in its translations. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has, of course, watered its doctrine wherever the process was possible. The old translation, made by Elias Petley, under the auspices of Laud, among innumerable mistakes, has one frightful blunder: minister is always interpreted by diákovos! The unfortunate theology to which this must lead is patent to all. The present translation is based on Duport's, but with some grammatical errors corrected (for Duport, though an omnivorous, was not an accurate scholar) and the ecclesiastical terms are better expressed. Thus, for 'minister,' ἱερουργὸς is substituted instead of λειτουργός—a word, as every one knows, which always is used of the deacon. Briefs' are γράμματα προτρεπτικά, not Βρέφια. The ‘fair linen cloth is not σουδάριον, but εἱλητόν. But the distinctively Scotch portions are in many instances very finely translated, and are infinitely more imbued with an ecclesiastical tone than Duport's. The better this work, the more we must regret that the Nicene Creed is printed at length. As our readers are aware, in the Greek office-books themselves the initial words only occur, thus: • Πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεόν, κ. τ. λ. If this plan had been followed in the present translation, while no Greek Ecclesiastic could have imagined that the Scotch Church used the unaltered Creed, the irritation and vexation consequent on reading the unauthorized addition would have been spared. We fear that many an one will at once throw aside the book, who would have perused it, but for this, with deep interest. The next book which stands on our list-not yet published -but of which we have been favoured with the perusal, will, we hope, throw some light on the Liturgies, more or less corrupted, of the far East.i Mr. Howard, being thrown into the way of that most interesting Communion, the Christians of S. Thomas, instead of setting to work as the Church Missionary emissaries have done, to convert them to the most straightest sect of Evangelicalism, wished, in the first place, to learn from them; in the next, if he could, to help them. The MSS. which he was fortunate enough to obtain promise to be of no small value. We are allowed to say that, on a comparison instituted between them and those which Dr. Mill gave to Oxford, those of Mr. Howard's are certainly the fuller, and appear to be the more exact. The history of that Church is well known. When the great body of the Asiatic Communion fell into Nestorianism--when, from China to Arabia, from the White Sea to Borneo, the vast majority of Christians professed that belief; when this marvellous Nestorian Community is said to have outnumbered the Catholic Church, reckoning East and West together, it was almost impossible that India, which had not retained the Christian faith from the beginning, but was converted again in the ninth century, should not itself have become Nestorian. Then in the Synod of Diamper, when Rome, rightly condemning the heresy, condemned also much that was perfectly indifferent-some things which were most truly Apostolic-in the rebound from that Synod, this poor afflicted Church, having been deprived of its own Liturgical books, and so, in one generation, lost its own distinctive tenets, went over to the other side. The existing MSS. are all Jacobite. The writer of this Article was told by one whose authority will not be disputed-the late Dr. Mill that of Nestorian MSS. none now existed. He himself had made the most diligent inquiries for them in Malabar, but the zeal, first, of Roman missionaries, and next, of Jacobite converts, had, to all appearance destroyed them. By way of preface to his translation of these Offices, Mr. Howard prefixes a 1 We are unable to give the title under which the work will appear; our title expresses only its general bearing and sense. very interesting-one might almost say, amusing-account of his first introduction to the Indian priests. We will quote one passage: 'On one occasion, however, I determined to accept his invitation. It was my great object to be present at the celebration of the Corbano, and this would be accomplished only by going over on one of their holydays, as Sunday was, of course, occupied by my own duty. went over accordingly on the Feast of the Purification, in 1861. This was not held on the 2d of February, as with us, but on the corresponding day according to their reckoning, which with us was the 14th of that month. The best plan seemed to go as far as possible by water, as I determined to go on from Chattanoor to Trevandrum, my out-station, without returning to Jinton. Leaving my house, therefore, about 7.30 A.M. my palanquin was taken to the back-water, and there placed on a jungarum—a sort of stage formed by tying two canoes together, side by side, with an interval between them of about eighteen inches. This is done by means of stout poles, which keep the boats apart, and form a very steady plat. form, on which the palanquin rests. In this way one is punted along, mostly through a shallow canal, lined with high banks of sand, overgrown by reeds and brushwood, which shut out the breeze, and are tediously monotonous. Occasionally, however, the canal opens out into a wide back-water, separated from the sea only by a bank of sand, over which the surf can be distinctly heard, and occasionally seen; then with the mountains in the back-ground, and the broken line of its banks, rising in low cliffs, or sweeping down with a gentle declivity to the smooth surface of the water, the scene often forms a picture of exquisite beauty. About two hours of this kind of travelling-punting, rowing, or sailing— brought us to the place where the river before-mentioned intersects the road, as it comes down from the mountains towards the sea. Here my palanquin was landed, and by 11 A.M. we had reached the village. Here I found my arrival anxiously expected, for the village is quite out of the usual track of Europeans; and, as the "ho-ho" of the bearers announced my approach, I observed peeping eyes from many a door-way, eager to see something of the English Catanar. When we had nearly reached the church, I was met by a little boy carrying a sort of flag-streamer with a cross worked into it at the top-and a handbell, which he rang as he ran before the palanquin towards the church. Here I was received with much courtesy by the Catanar, George, who introduced me to his aged father, also a Catanar, and led the way to a verandah on the south of the nave, where a table was laid out with refreshments as much in the European style as possible. I cannot too warmly acknowledge the hospitality with which I was received. No little pains had been taken to render the entertainment agreeable, and to set it out as much in the European style as possible. The dishes consisted of fowl, curry, and roast goat's flesh; and port wine, claret, and brandy were each in turn pressed on my acceptance. The only cause for regret on my part was my inability to do justice to this profuse hospitality, but explained that, having already breakfasted, I was not disposed for anything more than a light refreshment. The repast was concluded, therefore, as soon as courtesy would permit, and as the hour of service had now fully arrived, Catanar Jacob retired, leaving his father to do the honours of the table. We did not, however, sit long, for hearing the sustained murmur of a voice, I expressed my desire to see what was going on, and on passing into the church, I found that it proceeded from the Catanar, who was reciting the appointed office, while vesting and making the usual preparations before the altar. This was done before the people began to assemble, and with the veil drawn close across the chancel-arch; but in a few minutes all was ready, and NO. CXXIV.-N.S. I I the congregation having assembled, the veil was drawn aside, and the public service begun. "The vestments worn by the Catanar were very handsome; the stole, and outer robe, being of silk damask, showing a yellow pattern upon a scarlet ground. But the change in his dress was not by any means so striking as that in his manner. Hitherto he had appeared shy and uneasy; but now, as he stood at the altar, and performed the several functions of his office, reciting the well-known prayers meanwhile, I could not but be impressed with the dignity and reverence of his manner, and the solemnity of the whole scene. At one time he stood beside the throne, with his left-hand on the book, and his right across his breast; at another, he knelt low before it; at another he prepared the incense, and gave the sign of peace; he would be seen now to veil the mysteries, now to raise them up on high, or perfume them with incense; then turning towards the people, with uplifted arm, he invoked upon them the blessing of the Almighty." The translations themselves we leave for (as we hope) some future Liturgical Article. With regard to the work of the Abbe Guettée's which stands on our list, and to that of Mr. Neale, we say nothing now, because they will both better be considered in the Article on the Filioque Controversy, which we trust, in our next number, to lay before our readers. In the meanwhile, if ever negotiation between the Eastern and the English Churches seemed hopeful, it is now. And, remembering what His last prayer was, Who-as just before the holy time in which this Article will appear-prayed' THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE,' those who may have taken any interest in what has been said before, are entreated to beseech Him so to rule the Councils of the three Western Churches interested in the matter-English, American, and Scotch-and so to guide the heads of the four great Patriarchates of the East, that even in our own lifetimes, if it be His will, they and we may be one. 471 ART. VIII.-The Times Newspaper. February 9th, 1864. 2. Defence of the Rev. Rowland Williams, D.D. in the Arches Court of Canterbury. By J. FITZJAMES STEPHEN, M.A. Barrister-at-Law, &c. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1862. 3. Speech delivered before the Judicial Committee by H. B. WILSON, B.D. London: Longman. 1863. 4. Charge by Samuel, Lord Bishop of Oxford. London: J. H. and J. Parker. 1863. Oxford and 5. A Charge by Connop Thirlwall, DD., Bishop of S. David's. Second Edition. London: Rivingtons. 1864. Par 6.-Dictionnaire des Harmonies de la Raison et de la Foi. l'ABBÉ LE NOIR. Publié par l'Abbé Migne. Paris: J. P. Migne. 1856. 7. Dictionnaire des l'ABBÉ LE NOIR. Migne. 1860. Droits de la Raison dans la Foi. Par 8. Thoughts on Free Inquiry, Evidences, and Subscription. By C. E. PRICHARD, M.Á., Rector of South Luffenham, Prebendary of Wells; late Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. 9.-The Whole Counsel of God; a Sermon. By H. P. LIDDON, M.A. Student of Christ Church, &c. &c. Published by Request. Oxford and London: Rivingtons. 1864. THERE are few subjects on which the human mind is more likely to form erroneous conclusions than on the comparative magnitude and importance of contemporary events. How many an occurrence, which seemed to those who witnessed it to be the commencement of a new epoch in a nation's life, has been found, after the lapse of a few years, to exercise, so far as men can judge, an influence infinitesimally small; while another seemingly slight circumstance, summed up in a few lines by the chronicler of the day, has proved fruitful of weighty results that no human wisdom ever pretended to foresee. Nevertheless, occasions do arise on which the judgment of contemporaries and of posterity is substantially agreed-agreed at least in so far as concerns the recognition of their importance. Is it over-bold to imagine that an event of this nature has just occurred in the history of the English Church? Is it not probable that the recent Judgment of the Judicial Committee |