SERMON II.

ST. ANDREW AN EXAMPLE OF UNDOUBTING FAITH, AND UNSELFISH ZEAL.

St. Andrew's Day.

ST. JOHN I. 40-42.

HE FIRST

ONE OF THE TWO WHICH HEARD JOHN SPEAK, AND FOllowed
HIM, WAS ANDREW, SIMON PETER'S BROTHER.
FINDETH HIS OWN BROTHER SIMON, AND SAITH UNTO HIM,
WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAS, WHICH IS, BEING INTER-
PRETED, THE CHRIST. AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS.

To one whose attention has been unavoidably drawn to the unhappy distractions in matters of discipline or doctrine which prevail amongst us; and upon whose harassed mind has been forced the miserable and petty contentions, which of late have been made to assume an undue aspect of importance; in the midst of clamour from without, and misgivings from within ; how pleasant is it to such an one to fall back upon the calm of other days, and recall the happy contrast which is afforded in the examples which Scripture and tradition give of the "joyful" and pleasant time, when 'the brethren dwelt together in unity!" How is his spirit refreshed by reverting to the godly discipline, and early customs of the Primitive Church, when the

SUN of Righteousness first arose, and the soft dews of the SPIRIT lay, as in the freshness of morning, upon every leaf and flower of all the spiritual creation, filling the blessed air with heavenly fragrance! How does all their intercourse breathe of "brotherly love and Christian charity one towards another;" how tender their regard, and how careful their solicitude for the living; how profound, how affectionate, their remembrance of the dead!

With respect to the latter, there is one custom to which I would especially allude as being not inappropriate to our present festival, and which, above almost all others, seems to have been prompted by the most heartfelt and affectionate interest. I mean the custom which perpetuated the memories of the Martyrs, when duly, year by year, the faithful were wont to meet at the graves of Martyrs, "to bless GOD for their pious examples, for their holy lives and their happy deaths, their palms and crowns." All who "suffered persecution for the Cross of CHRIST," and especially those who "counted not their lives dear unto themselves," were held in the most profound reverence and regard. It is recorded of St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John, and who suffered martyrdom at Smyrna, that "the Church gathered his bones, and reverently laid them up, as a treasure more precious than gems, in a place where they afterwards annually met, and celebrated this his birthday into everlasting life with joyful solemnities, in pious memory of those who had fought the good fight, and to the preparation and exercise of those who were to follow their example." St. Cyprian, writing to the "Presbyters and Deacons❞ respecting those who "to their confession in prison and in bonds, added the termination of death, by

which the glory of martyrdom was perfected," bids them "mark the days on which they depart, that they may celebrate their memories among the commemorations of the Martyrs:" and in another place, addressing some who were then suffering persecution, and who had been long in prison, he makes use of the following exalted language: "Your praises multiply with the days the increase of your deserts keeps pace with the revolutions of months. Let magis

trates then, consuls or proconsuls, march on in procession; let them, in the ensigns of their year's dignity and their twelve fasces, have their boast. Behold, a heavenly dignity is sealed in you by the brightness of a year's honours, and in the duration of its glorious victory has already surpassed the revolving circle of the returning year. The rising sun, and the waning moon, gave light to the world, but to you the Same Who made both sun and moon was a greater light in prison: and the brightness of CHRIST, shining in your hearts and minds, irradiated with that eternal and shining light, the, to others, horrible and deadly darkness of a place of punishment. The winter season passed through its changes of moons but ye, imprisoned, endured the season of winter in the winter of persecution. On Winter there came soft Spring, joyous amid her roses, and crowned with flowers; but ye had roses and flowers from the delights of Paradise, and heavenly garlands crowned your heads. Summer cometh, rich in the plenteousness of harvest, and the threshing-floors are full of corn; but ye, who have sowed glory, reap the fruit of glory, and, placed on the floor of the LORD, see the chaff burnt up with

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Epistles of St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage and Martyr.

inextinguishable fire-yourselves, as winnowed grains of wheat and precious corn, being now cleansed and laid up, ye account the abode of a prison your garner. Nor in Autumn is spiritual grace wanting to fulfil the offices of that season. Abroad the vintage is pressed, and the grape, the glory of the cups hereafter, is trodden in the presses. Ye rich clusters from the vineyard of the LORD, and branches with now ripened fruit, trodden on by the weight of worldly pressure, squeezed in the prison as your wine-press, pour forth blood for wine, and, strong in the endurance of suffering, drink gladly the cup of martyrdom. Thus with the servants of GOD the year rolls round. Thus is the change of seasons hallowed by spiritual welldoings and heavenly rewards. Blessed to the full are they "who from among you, travelling along these tracks of glory, have already left the world, and, their journey of courage and of faith ended, have reached the embrace and kiss of the LORD, the LORD HIMSELF rejoicing. But," he continues, "your glory is not less who, being still set in the conflict, and to follow the glory of your companions, long carry on the battle, and steadfast in unmoved and unshaken faith, daily in your noble deeds exhibit a spectacle before GOD. The longer your battle, the more exalted your

Numberless other passages might be adduced which show in what high reverential regard the early Church held those who endured grief, suffering wrongfully, and how carefully their memories were preserved, and handed down to succeeding generations.

It is in accordance with this custom that our own branch of the Catholic Church, guided by the simplicity of purer and better times, provides that the

memory of Saints and Martyrs shall be preserved and honoured, religiously observing the very days which from the first have been handed down through successive generations. And well has it been ordered that the first of these days in the ecclesiastical year is in memory of him who was the first to find the MESSIAH; the day of his martyrdom regulates the commencement of the Church's year, and duly as it comes round it seems to direct us ever afresh to the Advent of the CHRIST. Again, it seems as if his voice was sounding in our ears the glad tidings with which he saluted his own brother Simon-" We have found the MESSIAS." Again does he "bring us to JESUS." Let us, then, beseech God's blessing upon our meditations while we enlarge upon the somewhat scanty information afforded us in Holy Scripture of the character of the holy Apostle, inasmuch as it seems to hold up to our imitation an example of undoubting faith and unselfish zeal.

The time had arrived when the glorious prophecies, accumulated through a thousand years, respecting the deliverance of God's chosen people, should be accomplished; anxious hearts were " waiting for the Consolation of Israel;" not only in Judea, but throughout the world, a rumour, which amounted to conviction, had gone forth that a mighty Conqueror was now to arise, who should subdue all nations under his feet. Accustomed to behold the pomp and magnificence which usually attended victorious conquerors

-Where the gorgeous East with richest hand

Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,'

looking for earthly dominion, and dazzled by the splen