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may be

The title seems a very

Year! The

old one, and many. of us

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a content just to glance at it, and turn over to the new story,

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"

or the little contribution of our own, for the appearance of which

we have been anxiously longing. And yet, after all, the New Year may give us a few thoughts more deeply interesting than all else in the Month's periodical, and if they be very old thoughts, and very commonplace, they may, for that very reason, be the more practical,

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Doubtless, as Churchmen, we began our year four weeks ago, and we keep the Circumcision rather than New Year's Day; and yet, the first of January brings with it a distinct idea of its own as a Festival.

We have to write a New Year's date on our first letter, and people greet us with New Year's wishes; then, it is often a day for children's !༆། 1:ut),! festivities, and so we mark it as a new era.

It may, indeed, be very new to many. Last New Year's Day may have found us bound by many family ties; this, may find us alone. Last New Year's Day we may have been rejoicing in the success of some cherished plan; this, may find us cast down and dispirited, and, in countless ways, we may feel a great change between this and last first of January.

Certainly, looking out upon the Church and the world, the prospect seems different. There is little doubt that there is a stronger undercurrent of antagonism between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil, than has been for some time. Men are beginning to see that they must take one side or another; that the time may be very near when they must have very definite opinions upon certain matters; that, however much they may wish to "hold the faith in unity of spirit and in the bond of peace," it is next to impossible. God forbid that, through partizanship or false zeal, any one should dare to begin the strife! The responsibility would be too awfully great; and yet God may so allow the course of events that even we may be obliged to fall into the ranks on, one side or the other.

At any rate, we must be prepared. Without going very deeply into matters which may be too hard for usmatters of detail and technical difficulty-we must make up our minds about such things as the Creeds, the Sacraments, and the Priesthood; not in the way of being able to understand every difficulty about them, which would place us nearly, if not quite, on the rationalistic side of the controversy, but with a view to establish our faith in them.

Let us be quite sure we know who Christ is, as well as what He has done for us. Let us be quite sure we can say the second part of the Catechism, which touches upon the Sacraments, with something like an intelligent faith. Let us be quite sure we recognise the Ordination Service in our Prayerbooks, and, in consequence, the delegated authority of our parish priest.

There ought to be nothing startling to us in the effort to be in truth, rather than in name, Churchmen; only let us take care that we are ready if the battle begin in earnest in our days. It has begun, in a measure, though it may not have reached us in our quiet country homes or busy lives. It may be that not one of us will be allowed to depart hence without joining in it.

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Thank God, there is much on the other hand to cheer. The Church is waking up. Deeds of self-devotion, munificent almsgiving, and lavish works of love are rife; [and though dark clouds hover over at times, the sun will break through and disperse them; meanwhile, as long as we have done each one his duty, as long as we have striven and kept alive the faith, the storm when it has passed away will have left no traces of harm. In sluggishness and indifference lies our danger. The New Year now breaks upon us. Let us be up, and be doing.]

Y.

THE JOURNEY OF THE THREE WISE MEN.

N lands remote from Palestine there lived
Three faithful men, to whom it was revealed,
That one was born the Son of God most high;
That to His birth-place they should be led on
By a bright star shining in the high heaven
· And pointing out the way. Swiftly the call
They did obey, and towards the Holy Land
Their faces set. They heeded not the heat
Of day, nor chilling vapours of the night;
They followed ever where that star did lead,
With stedfast faith, and love that knew no bounds.
The sky was studded o'er with stars, yet one
Alone they heeded, that one, brighter far
Than its compeers, moved ever on, and they
Most gladly followed. By the way they spake
Full oft of Him Who in His love and mercy
Had visited man; of Him their Father, Who
Had crowned their lives with goodness, and had now
To them made known a Saviour and a King.
Their land was rich in spices and in gold,
And in their hands they choicest offerings bring
Of purest spice, of richest gold; and yet
They deem them scarcely meet for Him they seek,
For are not all things His, Who made this world,

This beauteous world around, and starry sky?
At length they reach the Holy Land, and then
They seek Judea's Lord, of him they ask
Some tidings of the Infant King, Whose star,
Say they, hath in the Eastern land been seen;
On hearing this, the King was troubled sore,
And with him all his city, who had heard

Till now nought of these tidings, and now deemed
Them all unwelcome; then to council call'd

Chief Priests and Scribes, thinking they could declare

The birth-place of Messiah, Israel's King.

They knew it, but alas! in vain, for faith

Had in their hearts no place. They knew it well,
And thus they spake the King:

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Thou, Bethlehem, In Judah's land art not the least among

Its princes, for from thee a King shall come

To rule My people, Mine own Israel.”

Then Herod did of these wise men enquire

When first they saw the star, whose guidance they
Had followed faithfully. He charged them then
A careful search to make for the young Child,”
Whom having found, they should to him return,
That he might also worship and adore.
Upon their journey did these faithful men
Again set out. Who shall their joy describe
When the bright star, they in the East had seen,
Before them went still on with constant pace.
It stood at length, its course was done, it stood
Above the spot where the Redeemer lay.
Their hearts with rapture fill'd, they entered in
Where Mary with her Infant Son abode:
When Him they saw, upon their knees they fell
And worshipp'd. Then did they offer Him

Of their best gifts-gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
They offered to Him gold as King of all,

They incense to a Mediator brought,

And myrrh in token that His body blest

Should with it be embalmed. This done, in faith,
And purest love, they left that sacred spot,
And left it richly blest. They in a dream
Were warn'd not to return to Judah's King.
Behold them now taking their homeward way

With thankful and glad hearts. They have found Him,
Their soul's delight. What converse high was theirs!
How must their hearts have burn'd these tidings glad
To bear to their own land. That Infant Child,
Though born in low estate, they knew to be
The Lord of all, Who in His wondrous love
And pity for man's lost and hopeless state
Had left His glory, left His Father's throne,
And all the choirs of glorious angels bright
Who ceaseless do Him homage, sing His praise.

E. A. M.

CLEMENT FAUVEL; OR, THE LOYAL JERSEYMAN.

A STORY OF TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

(Continued from Vol. XIX., page 299;)