A GUIDE TO THE PARISH CHURCH. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. "O how amiable are Thy dwellings, Thou Lord of Hosts." Psalm lxxxiv. I. GUIDE Books are plentiful in our days. There is scarcely a country you can desire to visit, for which you cannot purchase a Guide. Very useful such books are found to be. They give you information concerning the best mode of reaching the country, the means of travelling in it, the manners and customs of the inhabitants, the historical events of interest connected with it, and other important points. Many persons who travel in foreign parts, and who without such a companion as a Handbook would reap little advantage from their journeyings, frequently by help of such a book return home really better and wiser for what they have seen. May we not take a hint from this with regard to that journey which we so frequently make, namely, from our homes to the Parish Church? Probably there is scarcely any journey which in general is made with less previous preparation, and which in fact requires more. The reason why a person visiting foreign countries finds it necessary to study books containing information concerning them is this:-that the history, the manners, the customs, the ways of thinking belonging to those countries are different from those belonging to his own; and unless he studies the differences he may easily shew great ignorance or indulge foolish narrow prejudices, and so may be the worse rather than the better for leaving home. Is not the same thing true of the Parish Church? It too has its history and its manners and customs, which require to be studied and understood. There may be many things done in the Parish Church, which to an ignorant untutored mind may seem strange or unprofitable or even offensive, but which to the understanding sympathetic worshipper may be most instructive and edifying: and there may be things which do not seem strange in consequence of long habit, and which nevertheless convey little or no meaning because no trouble has been taken to understand them. And though some portions of the Church service are more simple than others, still it may be asserted with truth that there is no portion which will not bear and repay careful study, and that the whole of the public worship of the Church will shine with a new and bright light, as soon as the worshipper takes the work in hand of thoroughly studying and understanding what it is that he is doing. What a wrong impression may result, when either the proper sources of information are wanting, or the proper effort to understand the peculiarities of the place we are visiting have not been made! Conceive the condition of a person suddenly placed in the midst of an English Court of justice, without any explanation of the meaning of what is going on, the arrangement of the building, the costumes of the officials, the processes of a civil or criminal trial. A person so situated would have but a meagre account to give of the principles of English law his visit to the court would be almost utterly unprofitable: he would probably be surprised when he was told that he had witnessed a scene which was the chief glory of a free state. So also, if persons scamper through a country as rapidly as steam can carry them, and then undertake to give an account of their travels, it may be easily believed that their experience and opinions will be of not much value. This has sometimes been done, and the result is |