The Laft of the Old Squires at Church; His
Religious Views. The Parish Church.

"Though we pafs over our Time, without ever asking our own Consciences why we were fent hither. Though our Sins have hardened us against God, and done a harder Work than that, in hardening God against us,-yet though we have turned God into a Rock, there is Water in that Rock, if we ftrike it, if we folicit it, affect it with our Repentance. As in the Stone-font in the Church, there is Water of Baptifm, fo in the Corner-ftone of the Church, Chrift Jefus, whom we have hardened against us, there is a Tenderness, there is a Well of Water, fpringing up into everlasting Life."

ROM what has been faid in previous
Pages the Reader will have picked
up that THE LAST OF THE OLD

SQUIRES, though effentially a Squire, and alive
to all the Enjoyments of a Country-life, was a
ferious thinking Man. In his latter Days, in-
deed, with unfeigned Humility, he used to
regret that he had not redeemed the Time, as
he ought to have done, and he would fay that

"moft Men did but offer up the Dregs of an ill spent Life to the God of their Salvation." Grand, however, were his Hopes, and his Eyes, like old Simeon's, had feen how great Things God had done for him, and for all those who call upon his Name out of a pure Heart fervently! To have heard him discourse on the certainty of Salvation might have feemed to fome presumptuous,--but it was Nothing of the Kind, it was that fimple, child-like, confiding Faith, which apprehended Christ, and had no more Doubt of the Promises than of the Sun's uprifing or his going down!

And, with these his Views, we may be sure that he was regularly to be found in his Pew at the Parish-church. A retired Spot was that of the old Parish-church, and not easily forgotten. Than the Building itself Nothing could be more plain,-indeed it was almost unfightly. Of the original Fabric Nothing remained but the old east Window,—the Windows of the Nave had been filled up long ago, as Churchwardens use to fill them up, inserting Wood for the Stone-mullions as they fell out. And then the Exterior had been cafed with Brick, and a Stone Stair-case had been run up outside to get at the Gallery, above which was the little

shingled Tower containing two Bells-very small-one of which was cracked. The Porch was comparatively modern, but in the Corner, like as in a Baptiftery, was the original Font,a large old Norman Vafe, altogether without Pillars or any other Ornament. How much superior to any modern Font! Strange it was that THE LAST OF THE OLD SQUIRES fhould not have restored the Church which his Forefathers had neglected,—not out of Irreverence, but because their Day was " a Day of Small Zecb. iv. 10. Things," and the Restoration of Churches was lefs thought of,—yet he did not. All that he did, as a Thank-offering when his Children were put out in Life, was to restore the east Window, and to fill it with stained Glass. The Fact is, that he loved the old Church as it was, and the two old Bells with their hang-tag found were more melodious in his Ears than a Cathedral Peal.* But if the old Church itself was plain, almost to Meannefs, it was not, as was

"The three fmall Bells from the Church-tower were calling the Villagers to Prayer, with the gentlest Notes of Invitation and Perfuafion; not like the vehement and authoritative Power of Address thrown from the Steeple over the Streets of fome populous Town, but rather with Notes affectionate and almoft colloquial."

Prefton Church, Suffex. CHARLES TOWNSEND.

F

faid, eafily forgotten. It was furrounded entirely by Yew-trees-most of them hardly more than 180 Years old, - but one of great Antiquity. The Saxon might have cut his Bow from it to repel the Norman. Clofe upon the Roadfide, no Traveller paffed it by without pausing to comment on its reverend Shade. Beneath was the Country-brook, which murmured fweetly over the Pebbles, befpeaking Peace, and the little Foot-bridge leading to the Wood, than which Nothing could be more picturesque. On the other Side were high Banks, and it was from these that the Church looked fo beautiful. The little Tower peeped out with its Shingles from amongst the dark Foliage of the Yew-trees, and, in the Summer, Nothing broke the Silence that reigned around, fave the Voice of the Squealers-the Country-name for Swifts-as they wheeled at Will in leffening or widening Circles; or it might be fome Jackdaw, who perked and peered about to fee that his Abode was not taken from him by these flighty Vifitors of the Summer,-no fooner come than gone! Thickly tenanted was the Church-yard, and there lay those, hard by whofe duft he was in due Time to be laid-alas! is laid-in fure and certain Hope of the Resurrection to eternal

life! Then, wherefore say, Alas? HE IS NOT DEAD, BUT SLEEPETH!

To this, his Parish-church, it was that he came regularly as the Sunday came round. Here he came, bowed in Heart and Spirit, a Lover of Prayer at Home, and especially in the House of Prayer, where Unity is Strength. Here his clear fonorous Voice might be heard as he made the Responses, and the deep Solemnity of his AMENS told those less fo, how much he was in Earnest. Everybody knew that he, like Nehemiah of old, had a " great Work to do," when the Knee of his Heart was bent, and his every Thought was fuing to the Mercyfeat-ward! Ill-pleased was he with those who came late to Church and disturbed the Prayers of the Congregation, and finding him in earnest, the People for the most part became so too, and their Prayers did Good to their Souls, neither were they

"Like rank Corn that grows

On Cottages, that none or reaps or sows."

Neb. vi. 3.

MARLOWE. Hero and Leander. 3rd Seftyad.

The Devotion of THE LAST OF THE OLD SQUIRES was unmistakeably ferious. At the same Time, disliking puritanical Precision, he taught by Example how to ferve the Lord with Gladness! To him the Sunday was "A DE- Ifai. lviii. 13.