military authority. The present Patriarch, who exults in being accounted the lineal successor of St. Mark, as much as the present Pope in being regarded the lineal successor of St. Peter, was actually conveyed from the Convent to the chair of the Evangelist by the soldiery of Mahomed Ali! From such a source and mode of election, what else, except ignorance, superstition, and bigotry would be anticipated? Accordingly, as an amusing illustration of the ignorance and unthinking credulity of the existing successor of St. Mark, it may be stated, that he firmly believes the original Pharos, or lighthouse of Alexandria, to have been so lofty, that, from the summit thereof every harbour in Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, France, and England, could be distinctly espied,—that intelligence of any hostile fleet or armament, fitting out on any of these shores, could thus have been communicated to the Egyptian authorities, weeks and months before their possible arrival, and that to the destruction of this famous tower is to be attributed much of the misery and degradation of modern Egypt; inasmuch as the fleets and armies of invaders ever since can pounce upon its coasts and borders, without any seasonable warning or premonition to sound the note of preparation!

Roused by recollections of faded glory we felt moved with a burning desire to know how life could be rebreathed into the shrivelled skeleton of so fruitful and so noble a Mother of churches. Various plans suggested themselves in the abstract, which, on examination, could not abide the test of practicability. It is easy to be ingenious in theory, and comprehensive on paper. It is not so easy to be ingenious in practice, or comprehensive amid the complexities of the real field of labour. Given the length and breadth and general outlines of the surface of a country, the most scientific plan by far of a projected campaign might be delineated on a map. But the impediment of some small streamlet, or narrow ravine, or obscure marsh, which had escaped unnoticed amid the striding outlines of an average description, may often be found to transmute the theoretically best into the practically worst. So, in the grand campaign against the powers of error and the principalities of sin in a hitherto uncharted moral territory! Our scheme, composed of sweeping generalities, however skilfully arranged, may be utterly frustrated by the untoward uprising of certain latent points, which may have eluded the eye of speculation-certain minute peculiarities of time, place, and circumstance, which, from being unprovided for, may dislocate the best laid plans, and convert the theoretic wisdom which projected them into practical folly. In the case of the Copts, however, we were not

left without the guidance of experience. At Cairo, there are two Missionaries of the Church of England-Messrs. Leider and Krusé with their wives-admirably fitted to occupy a position, in many respects so unique. Mr. Leider, in particular, is a man of energy, enterprise, and high literary accomplishments; and Mrs. Leider has been honoured, as an able and prudent instructress, in securing an influence over the females of the Pasha's Harem which, in our day, is without a precedent or a copy. As it is no part of Egyptian "regeneration" to allow the liberty of publicly preaching the gospel to the faithful, or to repeal the stern law which dooms to death an apostate from the creed of the Koran, these Protestant Missionaries have been compelled to restrict their labours mainly to the Coptic population. At first, even by this class, they were suspected, avoided, or repelled. But, by acts of kindness and conciliation beyond all praise, they have at last succeeded in gaining the confidence of many of the laity and priesthood; and eventually of the Patriarch himself. Their gradual rise, in the esteem and good opinion of the latter, was progressively manifested by the different and significant ways in which he addressed them. At first, when any of them had occasion to visit him, his way of address was,- "O my son!"-some years later, "O my brother!"--and, last of all, as the highest mark of respect, "O my father!" Due advantage has been taken of this footing of reciprocal friendship. Elementary schools have been opened for the young. Hundreds of Coptic children, male and female, are permitted to attend them-while a system of private reading and conversation has been maintained with not a few of the parents. All this is well; and, so far as it goes, highly encouraging. Still, when the problem is, How most effectually to revivify the withered form of a church so fallen and corrupt as the Coptic?-it does admit of a serious question, Whether there ever can be a real revival, by a process of slow, creeping, climbing renovation ?-or, Whether such revival is not rather to be expected, as the result of a process of rebuke and chastisement on the part of God, and of heartfelt penitence and humiliation on the part of man? Since, however, it is our duty to leave no legitimate means untried, it seemed desirable, -seeing that elementary education had been accepted of at the hands of the English Missionaries,-to ascertain, how far it might be practicable to found a higher Seminary, under their superintendence, for the instruction of those destined for the office of the Holy ministry? In the extreme desirableness of such an object the Missionaries at once concurred. Indeed, the idea of some such measure had often suggested itself to their own minds. But no steps even of a preliminary nature

could be taken without the full knowledge and sanction of the Patriarch; whose voice is absolute with the whole crowd of ignorant and superstitious adherents. We were determined, therefore, if possible, to discover his sentiments on the subject; and, for this end, solicited an interview which was kindly and promptly granted.

Accordingly, accompanied by the Missionaries, and Mr. Grimshaw, a revered clergyman of the church of England, then travelling in Egypt on account of his health, we proceeded through the Frank department of the city, to the Patriarchal residence. Entering from a mean and narrow street or lane of sombre high-walled houses, by a small wicket, in the centre of a huge and massive gate, we found numbers of priests assembled in the passages and ante-rooms. To the audience-chamber we were conducted by the bishop of Jerusalem-a man of noble mien and of a singularly intellectual cast of countenance. There, the Patriarch, a dark-complexioned, placid, goodnatured, venerable old man, clad in his pontificals, was seated on the durbar in oriental style to receive us. After the ordinary salutations and the ceremonial of drinking coffee, &c. small cushions were brought; and on these, laid down on the floor close by "his Holiness," we were beckoned to be seated. Of statements, inquiries, and replies which occupied altogether nearly two hours, it is impossible to furnish even an epitome. Suffice it to set forth one or two of the results. Having explained the anti-popish character of the doctrines of the churches of England and of Scotland, as well as of other Protestant denominations; and having referred at some length to the original prosperity and subsequent decline and persecution of the church of Egypt, we expressed our deep regret at the obscuration of their light, our sympathy for their past and present sufferings, and our earnest concern for their restoration to more than primitive excellence. The Patriarch admitted that many grievous errors had formerly crept in-that much deadness still continued to benumb, and much darkness to overshadow them-and that there was need for the infusion of new life and new light. When, in making this admission, he pointedly referred to the sufferings of their martyred fathers, he seemed greatly moved, and melted into tears. What then was to be done towards a revival and a re-illumination? Might not, it was asked, might not the Bible be freely circulated, not in the Coptic which was a dead language studied by few, but in the Arabic, which, read by numbers, was understood and spoken by all? Without qualification or reserve the Patriarch declared, that it might;-adding, with emphasis, that whatever else might be alleged against his church, this at

least had never ceased to be one of its distinguishing characteristics, viz. that the Bible should be held as the ultimate standard of appeal in articles of faith; and that to it, through any intelligible medium, the laity and the priest should, all alike, have the right of unrestricted access. Again, it was asked, Whether, in order to aid in reviving and diffusing a knowledge of Christian doctrine, tracts or small books in the form of extracts or selections from the most celebrated Fathers of the Alexandrian school, who are still regarded with profoundest veneration by the Copts themselves, might not be compiled, translated, and distributed among the people, or introduced into seminaries of education? Without hesitation, the Patriarch-smiling with evident delight at our respectful recognition of names which have reflected honour on the Christian Churchreplied, that there could be no possible objection to such a measure, yea, that he would consider such tracts and books an invaluable boon. The subject of raising or rather newcreating a standard of instruction for the clergy next occupied the main part of conversation. Not to arouse the fears and suspicions of an ignorance so profound—not to tear up by the roots a plant so sapless and feeble by sudden stretches of innovation-it was asked in the first instance, Whether a seminary might not be established in which candidates for the ministry could pass through a systematic course of theological tuition-making the Bible itself the great text-book, and selections from the most venerated of the fathers, important auxiliaries-super-adding, with a view to the expansion of the mind by an enlargement of the range of ideas, a course of instruction in geography and general history, ancient and modernplacing the whole system under the patronage and supervi sion of a Committee composed of the Patriarch himself and other leading members of the Coptic community, together with the English Missionaries—and entrusting the latter with the entire practical and professorial duties of the proposed institution? After much initial explanation, the Patriarch eventually signified his own acquiescence in some such scheme. He, accordingly, announced his consent and sanction that Mr. Leider should forthwith prepare in writing a well-digested syllabus of the projected plan, to be submitted formally to himself and his council of bishops and presbyters for their united approval and ratification; and that, when approved of and ratified, an authenticated copy thereof, signed by the Patriarch and sealed with the Patriarchal signet, should be furnished to the Missionaries, to be by them forwarded for the satisfaction of the British churches, with a view to secure and guarantee their countenance and support. After replying to many other

questions relative to the present doctrines, discipline, and ceremonial of his church; and after thanking us for the interest which had been manifested in its re-invigoration and prosperity, the Patriarch rose up and solemnly pronounced his benediction,-subjoining, with tearful eyes and quivering lips which betrayed deep emotion, the simple but devout aspiration," If we should never meet again in time, my prayer is, that we may meet in heaven, before the throne of our common Lord and Saviour."

Whatever may be the practical result of this long and interesting interview, we shall ever feel grateful to God for the precious opportunity thereby afforded, of expatiating on the causes of a church's decline and fall, and on the only real sources of a church's restoration, in the presence of one who is revered by the remnant of Egyptian Christians as the successor and representative of the Evangelist Mark. Over the portals of a church, once the most celebrated in the world, may now be inscribed in largest characters :—

"Fallen, fallen, fallen,

Fallen from its high estate."

Still, in its unbounded admiration of many of the soundest of the ancient fathers; in its heart-stirring remembrances of bygone ages of persecution and martyrdom; and above all, in its profound reverence for the authority and majesty of the word of God-that mightiest of renovating instruments when wielded by an omnipotent spirit of grace-we cannot but discern rallying points of a revival, the possession of which, in the same proportionate degree, can scarcely be claimed by any other of the fallen churches of primitive times. Degenerated it has, into what is little better than an effete machine of external observances, evacuated of all spirit and of all life; but it has never formally or wholly apostatized from the faith. Even its monophysite error has long been a naked scholastic dogma rather than an operative principle of evil; and at no time did it lead the church, as such, to reject from its creed the divinity of the Saviour, or the all-sufficiency of his atonement as the sole ground of the sinner's justification. To it, perhaps, the apocalyptic description is still applicable, "Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." Oh that that word may speedily be armed with more than its wonted sharpness in piercing the hearts of sinners; and that name fraught with more than its wonted preciousness; and that "little strength," restored to more than its wonted plenitude!