to perceive and acknowledge. I have however not rested upon such arguments, because their strength depends to a great extent upon taste and feeling; whereas I have desired to shew that the necessity and excellence of public worship depend upon nothing of the kind, but rather upon the first elementary principles upon which the Church of Christ is founded.

Many practical conclusions manifestly follow from the view of public worship which has been given; and much neglect of public worship, and abuse of the privileges which people enjoy in the possession of a Parish Church, would probably be avoided, if the principles which have been expounded were generally received and consistently acted upon.

For example, persons somewhat deaf and who have consequently a difficulty in hearing the sermon would not on that account absent themselves from the Parish Church, and imagine their presence to be useless. Common Prayer and Common Sacraments remain, even when the advantage of the Sermon is lost. A deaf old woman, who was a very regular Churchgoer, and was asked why she went to Church when she could hear nothing that went on, hit the right nail on the head, when she replied, pointing upwards, "He knows that I am there!"

Again, persons who take the right view of

public worship will not run about from one Church to another, seeking the stimulus of a new preacher. This little book professes to be a Guide to the Parish Church; but it is impossible not to perceive that in many large towns, and especially in London, the position of the Parish Church as such, and the parochial feeling of attachment to it, have been very much broken down in recent years, chiefly by the multiplication of Churches and the variety of the tone of service adopted in them. Hence in large towns it is not easy to speak of the overwhelming claims of the Parish Church, as it is in country places: but under all circumstances "itching ears" are evil things1, and the habit of gadding about from one Church to another, either to hear a new preacher or in search of any other kind of religious excitement, is unfavourable to the development of the true Christian character, and will be avoided by those who take a really sound view of the meaning and principles of public worship.

Once more, persons who take this sound view will feel disposed, after leaving Church, not so much to criticize the sermon or the music or the ritual, as to inquire how far they have themselves worshipped God in spirit and in

1 See Chapter XIX.

truth. It is a matter for solemn reflection, whether the growth of true vital godliness amongst us has at all kept pace in recent years with the increase of the abundance and variety of the public means of grace. Judging from the increased number and beauty of our Churches, the improved character of our services, and the place which public worship occupies in the minds of Church people as compared with that which it occupied in years gone by, we might conclude that practical religion was also very much increased and strengthened. It is sincerely to be trusted that it is so; but it must not be forgotten that every age has its peculiar difficulties, and the Churchgoer in our own days has probably especial reason for inquiring whether his religion is one of external observance or one of heart-felt practical piety.

Many other conclusions may be drawn from the principles which I have endeavoured to expound, concerning the duties connected with public worship; the preceding are only specimens. I sincerely trust that the reader of this book will agree with me that the view given of public worship and its duties is the true one; otherwise he will not be able to sympathize with his Guide in the greater part of that which is to follow.

CHAPTER III.

PRAYER BEFORE DIVINE SERVICE.

"Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Exod. iii. 5.

THERE is a custom so prevalent in English Churches as to be almost universal, and a very excellent custom too, namely, that of offering up a private prayer immediately upon assuming a place in the Church. I believe that in almost all Churches a person who should take his seat without first appearing at least to offer a prayer would be regarded as ignorant and rude, if not something worse.

Nevertheless, as in many other cases, there would sometimes appear to be too much of custom and too little of reality in the practice; and not unfrequently a man seems as if he were reading in the crown of his hat, which he holds before his face, rather than as if he were engaged in prayer. But the practice itself is a

most wise and holy one, and commends itself to our judgment as appropriate and decent, not to say necessary. For the success of public worship depending (as it does) upon the present help of God's Holy Spirit, we cannot too soon after our entrance into God's House ask His blessing upon the work, which we are about to take in hand; soon we shall have to join with others in the public expression of prayer and praise, and in order that we may not be left behind in zeal and spirit by our fellow-worshippers, it is well to seek God's preventing grace, and that right early.

Moreover, if we could fully realize the character of a Church as being the presence-chamber of the Most High, the place where His honour dwelleth, the house where He has been pleased to put His name, the guest-chamber where Christ meets His disciples and sups with them, we should also feel that a posture of reverence befitted a suitor in this presencechamber. It is no superstition but a wholesome and reasonable feeling, I would almost call it a human instinct, which invests Churches with a solemn character, and which would teach us to fall down and ask God's mercy whenever we are called upon to enter them. A Church is no doubt most emphatically the presence-chamber of God, when the members of the living