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laity, and who, from associating chiefly if not entirely, with those of their own calling, have not a wish beyond.

"Then my scheme is not Utopian, after all," said Geraldine, "for here, you see, I have a precedent in the practical experience of the Greek Church."

"Yes; but with respect to the bishops, you will receive but feeble support from the Greek Church, for they are allowed one wife' during their life. and, owing to the prohibition they are under of ever wooing a successor, there is a Greek proverb illustrative of the superabundant felicity of a bishop's wife."

"But do they lead fashionable lives?" persisted Geraldine; "have they their Almacks and their operas? Do they speculate for their daughters, and corrupt their sons? Do they place their husbands in that awful dilemma of disunion from their wives, or infidelity to their God?"

"I think I can fairly reply No!" said Mr. Everard, "The same strict discipline which is exercised over the education of the families of the priesthood in general, would necessarily extend its influence over the wives of the superior clergy. The class, among the Greek clergy, who lead a stricter, and, as it is termed among them, a more perfect,' life, are the confessors: they have no earthly tie."

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"Look at those bleak hills in the distant twilight," exclaimed Miss Graham, who had hitherto been silent; " and look at that dark range of fir against the still red sky. I have been gazing at those objects which speak to me of Scotland ever since we left Charleton; and, while you have been comparing the two corrupt and fallen Churches of England and Greece, I have been carried back to the humble manse of the Scottish pastor, there to

find all my sympathies and all my convictions confirmed in favour of simplicity."

"Well! well! I love Scotland, and Scotland's Kirk very much too ; but observe this, Miss Graham, that for the Universal Church, which is to embrace all nations, all ranks, all dispositions, it is necessary to have in the priesthood men of different degrees of refinement and education. The pious and zealous body of Scottish clergy are taken almost exclusively from the lower ranks; the English clergy almost exclusively from the higher. I like nothing exclusive; neither did John Wesley, whose purpose was to form a body of underworkers to the more highlyeducated Clergy; and what a prize was lost to the English Church by the compulsory dissent of the Wesleyan Methodists! Men who have braved all dangers, all privations, to carry the Gospel tidings to their fellow-creatures, and who, in unwearied zeal as missionaries, are equalled by few, and excelled by none save the Jesuits!"

"Oh! Mr. Everard, this is too much. Your philanthropy and liberality of feeling extend even beyond my comprehension !" exclaimed Geraldine. "Because my knowledge and experience extend farther," quietly replied the old gentleman.

The carriage here stopped at an inn on the road, for the lamps to be lighted, and, after this interruption, the conversation turned on the various little occurrences of the day, till they drove into the avenue of Elverton.

CHAPTER XX.

Then, fainting soul, arise and sing,
Mount, but be sober on the wing;

Mount up, for heaven is won by prayer,
Be sober, for thou art not there.

KEEBLE.

AFTER many long and fruitless endeavours, on the part of Katherine, to prevent Geraldine's farther research into Catholic books of controversy or of devotion, a truce was tacitly agreed on between the friends, and each took her own course,-Katherine exercising the powers of her mind in the investigation of the various points of doctrine then agitating the Evangelical World, and feeding her interest in those discussions by the perusal of the Record' newspaper, The Christian Observer,' and other periodicals, sent her by zealous friends,-whilst Geraldine, having determined that ignorance was a bad plea for remaining a Protestant, yet fearful of farther involving Mr. Everard with her uncle, by asking his opinion of the books to be procured, remained for some time contented with the three works, which, together with the catechism, formed the whole of her Catholic library, namely, the Faith of Catholics,' the Papist Misrepresented,' and the • End of Controversy;' till, suddenly calling to mind the old Missal discovered in the Abbey chapel, she claimed it from Mr. Everard, anticipating a deep and continued interest in comparing the Roman Catholic service with that of the Church of Eng

land, in the Book of Common Prayer. A few minutes after she had quitted Mr. Everard with the prize, and had seated herself at her writing table, with her Prayer-book and Missal spread open, side by side, before her, she was joined by her old friend, with another book in his hand. "Here, Geraldine," cried he," are the Vespers and Litanies of the old Church, which, together with the Missal, will enable you to find the source whence is drawn the ́ admirable Liturgy,' of those. good Protestants,' to whom the very sight or sound of a popish book of prayers is an abomination."

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"Will you not remain with me?" cried she, drawing a chair beside her own. "Do, if you have no better occupation, help me to trace our Church Service in the originals you have brought me! Now, tell me the cause of that deep sigh, Mr. Everard,” added she, as the old man turned away.

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Nothing, girl, nothing—at least, nothing new. You look unusually like her who is gone to a better world, that is all! and at those times, nay always, you may do what you please with me;" and he seated himself by Geraldine, and drew the two open books before him. "Now then for the Mass, and its Protestant translation," cried he... "The Catholic Service of the Mass opens with the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, during which the priest and the congregation make the sign of the cross: this invocation and sign is omitted in the Protestant service."

"Then follow, in both rituals, verses taken from Scripture, equally humble, and contrite, and beautiful, but the Catholic selection, referring to the awful sacrifice which is the very soul and essence of the Service, has been changed by the Protestant com. pilers to texts of more general import."

"Next follows, in the Missal, the confession of the priest, lowly bending before the altar, and

thrice striking his breast, while the clerk, in the name of the people, implores mercy on him. This is omitted in the Protestant service."

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"Next follows, in both rituals, the general confession,' with this difference, that, while the Catholics, with St. Paul, confess before Almighty God, his angels, and just men made perfect, the Protestants, having resolved to separate themselves from the general Church, not only from that on earth, but also from that in heaven, disdain to be looked down upon with sympathy by their brethren in glory, and omit in their confession the union of God and his saints."

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"But oh! how beautiful the general confession' is in our Service," said Geraldine; "I think, in point of fulness and pathos, it far exceeds its simple original. Do you not also think, Mr. Everard, that the marginal translation in the Missal is much less beautiful than that of the Church of England?"

"You are accustomed and attached to the latter," replied he," and so, I confess, am I. The language is both touching and powerful. As for the English part of the Missal, I scarcely know it, and you, too, Geraldine, will soon acquire sufficient knowledge of the Latin, to require no translation. Now let us go on to the Absolution,' which you see is quite as authoritative in our ritual, as in the other, with this addition in the Protestant absolution, that it is enforced by the declaration, that God hath given power and commandment to His ministers, to pronounce this forgiveness and loosing of their sins to those which be truly penitent."

"Then comes in the Church of England Service the Lord's prayer,' which, in the Roman Catholic Service, is deferred till the more solemn part of the Liturgy; then, after a few versicles and responses from priest and people, in both services, the Catholic priest ascends the steps of the altar. The Service

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