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A CHRISTIAN WEDDING.

WE are so accustomed to think with despondency of the mode in which the rites and ceremonies of the Church are performed in these days by too many of her anointed servants, that it is indeed a source of thankfulness when we can learn that, in any corner of this land, the sacred ordinances are reverently carried out in all the fulness of their intention. Still more favoured are those to whom it is given to witness such a practical interpretation of the mind of the Church, where the deep sacramental meaning of her offices is neither overlooked nor denied; and we cannot refrain from sharing with our readers the pleasure we experienced lately, in assisting at a ceremony which realised the highest wishes that could be formed in this respect.

It is now about two years since our pages contained an account of what we ventured emphatically to term "a Christian funeral," which took place in the parish Church of S. Thomas the Martyr, Oxford; where nothing was omitted of all those holy and beautiful solemnities, (so generally, alas! neglected,) wherewith the Church desires to render the burial of her baptized children a thankful and jubilant service, expressive throughout of the glorious hope with which she lays to rest their bodies, sacred through regeneration and sacramental gifts, to wait the resurrection call of their risen LORD. A detail was then given of all that took place on that occasion, when the false unhallowed gloom with which death is too often invested was chased away by sweet flowers and solemn music, and above all by the crowning feast, which so blessedly re-unites the departed and the living in one holy communion. And now it was in the same Church that, during this Easter-tide, another of the holy rites of our faith was celebrated, in such a manner as to cheer the drooping heart, if any be disposed to fear that Catholic teaching and practice are soon to be no more found among us.

This time it was the office of holy matrimony; and our thankfulness for a service exhibiting so fully the deep meaning of the Church, must be even greater in this case than in that of the burial of the dead. For this is, of all our holy ceremonies, perhaps the one most frequently and systematically profaned. In the ordinary acceptation of the matter, it seems to be considered as pertaining solely to this world, the riveting of bonds binding both soul and body more utterly to the fair things of this mortal life,- -a time for pleasure and reckless gaiety, when most of all the thought of death and a future state is driven

away, whilst the share that the Church takes in the solemn act is treated as a mere form, of a like importance only with the civil contract.

But he to whom was intrusted the particular ceremonial of which we speak, had not so learned CHRIST; and those members of his flock who were now to be united, had understood from his teaching, that the Church who would ever draw us up to the spiritual and heavenly, even by channels which seem the most earthly, has not only set forth in this ordinance the deep mystical type of CHRIST and His Church, but further designs thereby to convey a special sacramental grace to those who, by reason of their newly-imposed duties, do urgently require it. We shall best show, however, what the meaning of the Church is, by a simple detail of what was done on this occasion.

Two couples were to be united,-a brother and sister each to the respective object of their choice; the two young men being members of the choir, and all four, not only communicants, but constant attendants at the daily morning and evening prayer. They were, in short, zealous and conscientious sons and daughters of the Church; and there were perhaps none, amongst all his flock, on whom the Vicar could look with more heartfelt satisfaction, as bearing practical testimony to the efficacy of Catholic teaching; whilst they in their turn looked up to him with all the love and reverence due to their spiritual father. On the appointed morning,-one of the brightest and most sunny within the octave of Easter,-the bells rang at the accustomed hour for morning prayer, and the habitual worshippers assembled quietly and silently as usual. Within the Church there was little indication of any particular ceremony, except that the altar, where the Easter garlands still hung in undiminished beauty, was prepared for the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice, and that two veiled and white-robed figures were kneeling just without the chancel. The Vicar and his assistant Priest and Deacon took their places in the choir, without requiring any addition on this occasion, as they never fail to officiate in their full number at the daily worship, and the service proceeded as usual. Thus the four persons who were about to enter on a new era of life made the most fitting preparation for that solemn act, by joining in the general confession of sin, and receiving the absolution, which doubtless they desired should extend over all their past career. Morning prayer over, there was no delay in commencing the marriage ceremony; for none of those present left the Church, the greater part having been united with them day by day in the sacrifice of praise and prayer, and, with true Christian love desiring to join in the petitions now to be offered for them, and most chiefly in the blessed Sacrament, from

whence, in union with the office for holy matrimony, they hoped to receive a special grace and blessing for their new estate of life.

The two couples were now placed " in the body of the Church," below the step which leads into the chancel; while the Deacon, leaving his stall in the choir, came and stood immediately before them, but without descending into the nave. From this slight elevation he read the instructions concerning the objects of holy matrimony with which the service commences. The Vicar,

who was to perform the holy rite, then came forward to administer the vows severally to each couple, and pronounced them respectively man and wife, the Deacon remaining to assist; all present kneeling with, and testifying, by their hearty Amens how truly they gave their sympathy and prayers to these. their brethren. The blessing was then pronounced separately over each couple, and that in so reverential and impressive a manner, as to carry the conviction, with a deep sense of awe, to the soul of every hearer, that, through this sacramental act, the LORD did then actually convey to those persons the gifts of the Spirit for the due discharge of the married life. After a pause, during which they remained kneeling in silent prayer, the Vicar turned towards the altar, the assistant Priest and Deacon placed themselves behind him, and the new married couples followed, accompanied by the relations who attended on them. Thus in orderly procession they proceeded slowly up the chancel to the altar, chanting as they went the first Psalm appointed for that purpose. This was done antiphonally to one of the Gregorian tones; the Priests taking the first verse, accompanied by one side of the choir, and the other side taking up the

next.

It would be difficult fully to describe how beautiful was this procession of surpliced Priests and white-veiled brides going up towards the sanctuary, over the flowers which the children of the choir then flung beneath their feet, and accompanied by the time-honoured music of the Church. For we cannot resist remarking, in this place, that in no Church where it has been our lot to worship have we heard such effective chanting as in S. Thomas'; and as it is totally without an instrument of any kind, it is plain that the effect which is produced simply results from the choice of appropriate music, and from due attention being bestowed on the choir by the Clergy, and, above all, from the deeply reverential spirit which they have infused into their services.

Arrived at the steps of the sacrarium, the Clergy passed on into the holy place, leaving the bridal party kneeling without, and the choral service continued; the Vicar chanting the ver

sicles, the people in like manner, led by the choir, responding: then followed the final prayers and benediction.

As a sermon was duly to be given in the Communion office, the exhortation which may be substituted for it was not read; but the new married persons returned quietly to their places, and the celebration of the Holy Sacrament commenced. The text chosen by the preacher was, "This is a great mystery." The 66 mysteriousness" of this holy ordinance was shown, first, in the fact that, when it was found "not good for man to be alone," instead of creating another who in all respects should be his fellow and equal, it pleased GOD to give Adam as a partner one of weaker and frailer mould than himself, so that each should visibly and sensibly be dependent on the other. Then, too, the manner of Eve's creation was a "mystery:" she was taken from Adam while he slept, “bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh.” And next, when Eve so fatally defeated the purpose of her creation, by taking part with the tempter, behold the "mystery " increasing. The curse that was due to her was turned into a blessing: together with the pain of child-bearing that was then imposed, was joined the promise of a SAVIOUR to be born of woman. This primæval view of holy matrimony was subsequently confirmed under the Mosaic law by suitable religious ceremonies; but its true and highest character as a "mystery was of course only seen under the Gospel. The word mystery is the same as what is sometimes called sacrament; and the Homilies do not scruple to call holy matrimony a sacrament, meaning thereby that this service is a means of conveying grace (the operations of grace must of course be mysterious) —a grace necessary- not, like that of the two great sacraments of the Gospel, for all, but only for those who are purposing to enter into this intimate relation with each other. Further, it is a means of making man and wife to be no longer two, but one flesh; and so it is that the Apostle declares it to be a type of our LORD's mystical union with the Church, His bride. The discourse concluded, after some practical admonitions, with the words of Tertullian :-" Who shall suffice to describe the blessedness of that marriage which the Church authenticates, which is confirmed by prayer and the Holy Oblation, and sealed with the Benediction? it is announced by angels, and ratified in heaven."

This meagre outline must not be supposed in any sense to render a true idea of this exhortation, which, though restrained within limits suitable to the occasion, contained such deep and practical truths as were not likely to be easily forgotten by those who heard it. The Vicar then returned to the altar, and proceeded with the Celebration. After the first exhortation had

been read, the non-communicants went out in obedience to a sign from the Deacon; but these consisted chiefly of children, and some few strangers. The habitual frequenters of that Church remained to communicate with those among their brethren for whom the merits of CHRIST's sacrifice were this day to be specially pleaded. The wedding party received first, but in other respects the celebration differed no way from the ordinary rule of this Church on high festivals, when the glorious Eucharistic hymns, the Sanctus and the Gloria in Excelsis, have that life and expression given to them, which the ancient choral music of the Church alone is calculated to impart, and serve, conjointly with the appropriate ritual of the celebration, to testify the doctrine of CHRIST's real Presence, as felt at once by Priest and people.

One last fervent blessing terminated the whole ceremonial, and the newly married couples quietly departed to enter on their untried estate, with all its difficulties and temptations, fortified for the ordeal with the richest gifts of spiritual strength which the Church can bestow in the name of her LORD; instead of being, as is too often the case, hurried through this most important step of their career with but half a blessing, and with every distraction which worldly ideas and senseless gaiety can produce.

THOUGHTS FOR S. BARNABAS' DAY.

S. BARNABAS' day is a bright and a glad day. It is a joyous time in nature and in grace; a holiday of the world as well as of the Church. The face of nature smiles most beautifully, for she is arrayed in her richest colours. She scatters abroad her gay garlands and her sweet flowers, whilst the genial warmth of the June sky tells us that the winter is at last "over and gone." The natural frame is exhilarated, the spirits rise, and the whole man readily responds to the Church's call to "rejoice" to-day.

And if S. Barnabas' is a joyous day in nature, it is surely too a glad day in grace, for it speaks of an apostle and a martyr. It bids us meditate upon the heroic life and lingering death of one whom Holy Scripture especially calls "a good man, and full of the HOLY GHOST;" one who proved the sincerity of his conversion by the sacrifices which he made, and who ever after showed himself to be, in deed and in truth, that which his name implied,— "the son of consolation."

We do not purpose entering into his history; it is so well known, that this would be superfluous. We rather intend to suggest some thoughts which seem to us suitable to S. Barnabas' day. Reader, do you remember last S. Barnabas' day? Do you remember how brightly and beautifully it dawned upon hearts