strongly recommended, 4s. 6d." Here, however, is the real marrow and fatness of the announcement, by which the advertiser hopes to convert all sorts of Presbyterians into immediate customers :

PULPIT GOWNS

:

Being now recognised as an appropriate and graceful part of Clerical Costume, the Subscriber has devoted special attention to the guidance of the growing taste for these garments, and the result has shown a striking appreciation of beautiful and stylish articles in this department. He has been favoured with orders from all parts of the country, as well as from many places abroad, and in every case, the most perfect satisfaction has been expressed.

In acknowledging the wide-spread and widening demand for his productions, he hopes that the Variety and Elegance of the Styles, a careful selection of the most approved Material, together with the finest Workmanship, will maintain for the Gowns of his Manufacture the high position in which, in the estimation of the public, they have already attained.

LADIES AND CONGREGATIONAL COMMITTEES,

who may take an interest in such matters, are respectfully invited to call and see the vari ons styles. Prices ranging from £3 38. to £12 12s. But if this be not convenient, a Box with a few Gowns can be sent on sight to any part of the United Kingdom, when requested.

Is this seriously intended, or is it a sarcastic hit at "stylish "ministers? There is no room to hope that it is meant as a sneer; it is an advertisement which is paid for, and which pays the trader who has issued it. Beyond a doubt there is at least a smattering of truth in it, but that truth is humiliating beyond description. Why does any Christian maga. zine insert such a libel on our begowned ministers, if libel it be? Is there not room to fear that the fact has become so familiar that it may be printed without animadversion? We do not believe that our Presbyterian brethren in Scotland are the men to indulge "a growing taste for "beautiful and stylish articles in this department;" but if not, why do they allow their names to be appended to such nonsense? John Knox would have protested fiercely enough if he had perceived the buddings of clerical foppery among his sons. How can the pulpit upbraid the pride and finery of the pew, if it be true that the style and material of his gown has been an object of consideration with the preacher. Graceful clerical costumes for the sons of the hunted and hardy Covenanters! No, it cannot be, it is not possible that lions have begotten lap-dogs and spaniels; the eagle's nest cannot have nurtured peacocks and butterflies. We hope that the tailor who has "much pleasure in stating that the new style of gown he introduced some time ago is giving universal satisfaction," will find it inconvenient to proclaim clerical follies so loudly; or else we pray that his announcements may shame his customers, and make them blush to have been advertised as having exhibited in their own persons all the vanity which it is their office to condemn, without the exeuse which gallantry might suggest for the sumptuous adornment so common among the ladies of their congregations. Winners of souls, preachers of eternal and solemn truths, servants of a crucified Master, these are not the times to allow such a scandal to be proclaimed upon the housetops, in journals meant for your families, your churches, and the world. Better far to give up the priestly vestment than to engender such frivolities. But enough concerning this

folly: our blows are kindly meant, and are not too severe for so glaring a fault.

AMANBE BOR OF

The remarkable article which is here engraved is. Now, reader, please make three guesses. A cullender? No; the foot forbids that idea. A silver cake-basket without handles ? No. A wash-hand basin? No. It is a wonderful invention, which would have saved Philip and the Eunuch very much inconvenience had they but known and appreciated its excellences. It is a silver pocket font, with an engraved inscription, having a dove in the centre, and it is carried by clergymen enclosed in a morocco case, lined with white satin, when they are called out on a sudden to make sick infants members of Christ and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. When the apostles took neither purse nor scrip, they were not forbidden to carry pocket fonts; and it would be very interesting if among the multitudes of relics, one such could be discovered. The engraving, we would remark, comes from no such ancient source, but is borrowed from the catalogue of a firm in London, which carries on a large trade in church furniture, and is constantly producing most tasteful articles for Episcopalian worship.

That all things may be in harmony, provision is also made for drying the pious hands of the clergyman in a holy manner. No common towel should be used after the operation, but one of the ornamental strips of which we give a copy. "MANIPLES are long narrow napkins, made of fair linen, used by the minister for wiping the hands after performing the rite of baptism." John the Baptist would have needed several dozen of these maniples to have wiped his dripping frame, but then he had not a pocket font, and entertained the old notion that much water was convenient; he frequented rivers and streams, rather than chambers and drawingrooms. There is something so refreshingly ludicrous in these things, that we dare not trust ourselves to say another word, but at once wipe our hands of the matter.

Brethren, baptized into Christ, we may smile at these novelties, but are we entering our solemn protest against the error from which they spring? Our forefathers endured bitter persecution from Papist and Protestant, from Lutheran and Puritan, but their testimony never ceased. Are we imitating their example, or are we meanly courting carnal commendation for charity when we ought to bear brave witness to a neglected ordinance? If the truth committed

to our keeping be worth anything, let us not be ashamed of it, but, stirred to action by the follies of the age, let us loudly and vehemently proclaim the word of God, and testify against the traditions of men. We are not delivered from complicity with evil until we have shaken off the dust of our feet against it.

THE LATE REV. CHARLES DE RODT, OF BERNE.

BY THE REV. J. WENGER.

MR. DE RODT was born, it is believed, in 1804. His father, an ornament of the aristocracy of Berne, distinguished himself, as a lieutenant of artillery, in the murderous struggle on the borders of the forest, called Grauholz, on the 4th (or 5th) of March, 1798, where the Bernese militia made its last vigorous but unsuccessful attempt to repel the French invading army. Unwilling to remain in his native land after it had been conquered by foreigners, he entered first the Prussian, and afterwards the English, military service, and was actively employed in the long defence of the island of Elba. After the peace of Amiens, however, he returned home, and in 1815 was appointed the first governor of the small district of Moutiers, in the bishopric of Bale, which had been assigned to the canton of Berne by the congress of Vienna,-a post which he held for the usual term of six years. He served his native country afterwards in various capacities, and, during the last years of his public life, held the important post of President of the Court of Appeal-the highest tribunal in the canton. After the revolution of 1831, which introduced a democratic order of things, he retired into private life, and thenceforth devoted himself principally to his favourite pursuit, the study of the military history of Switzerland; a subject on which his published works supply the most trustworthy information accessible to the general reader. The long life of this truly estimable man terminated about ten years ago; and it is a pleasing fact, that towards the close of it, notwithstanding his marked constitutional reserve, he gave expression to sentiments of humility and faith in Christ which afforded decisive evidence of a state of conversion.

His children lost their mother during their stay at Moutiers, about the year 1817, when Charles, the eldest of them, had entered upon the most important period of youth. Her place was admirably supplied by a sister, Miss de Graffenried, in whom ardent piety was combined with a fine intellect and a naturally energetic character. It is, under God, to her influence that the conversion of at least three of her sister's children* must be attributed; and not theirs only, but also that of several young ministers, among whom it is probably no mistake to mention Dr. Gobat, the present Bishop of Jerusalem.

Young Mr. de Rodt entered upon life under very favourable circumstances. To the advantages of birth and social position, enhanced by the distinguished merits of his father, he added many pleasing personal qualities, an unassuming yet dignified deportment, a winning address, a peculiar suavity of manners, a remarkable aptitude for public business, and, above all, a spotless character. My recollections of him go back to the year 1827, when he was an artillery officer, and secretary to one of the highest departments of Government. At that period he was a great favourite with his superiors, and the road to the * One of them eventually proceeded as a missionary to India, and died at Calcutta in

1843.

highest distinctions obtainable in a small country like Switzerland was open to him.

He had been a true believer for some years past, when, in 1828, his views on church government underwent a decided change; so that he felt it his duty to leave the national church, and join, as one of its first members, the Independent (i. e., dissenting) church at Berne. As soon as the formation of this church became known, the aristocratic government resolved to crush it. All its members were either expelled the canton or placed under the surveillance of the police. Mr. de Rodt's firm adhesion to it was regarded as a crime peculiarly heinous, from his being a member of the aristocracy, to whose ranks and principles he thereby appeared to become unfaithful. He had previously had to endure something like reproach for Christ's sake: on one occasion, the boys in the streets had run after him, shouting, "There goes a fellow who pretends to be saved by grace without works." But now he had to encounter severe persecution. As he steadfastly persisted in refusing to give a pledge that he would abstain from attending private meetings for prayer-even at a time when, unknown to his persecutors, there was only one person who had the courage to join him--the Government determined to make an example of him. He was incarcerated, not indeed in a common gaol, but still under ignominious circumstances; and when six weeks of solitary confinement had failed to shake his resolution, he was sentenced to perpetual banishment from the canton, a heavier punishment being averted only through the interposition of influential friends.

It may serve to show his pluck, that, on being ordered to give a solemn promise of adhesion to this sentence, he did so, but instantly added, "as a testimony against you" (or "this city ")-a comment which so enraged the authorities, that it might have led to very serious consequences, if he had not been hurried out of the way.

Being thus driven from home-a punishment which, in his case, involved private sacrifices of the most painful nature--he formed the resolution of devoting himself to the ministry. He studied for some time under the Rev. Dr. Malan, at Geneva, and afterwards at Montbeliard, in Alsace. In the meanwhile, the way for his return to his native city was being opened by Divine Providence. The July revolution in France led to the overthrow of the aristocratic government at Berne, which, apart from its persecuting character, was, perhaps, the best aristocratic government that ever existed. One of the last acts which it performed was the spontaneous and unanimous revocation of the sentences passed upon Mr. de Rodt and his fellow-sufferers. He did not, however, immediately take advantage of the liberty thus granted, but prosecuted his studies to the end; and in the spring of 1833 proceeded to London, where, after being baptized, he was set apart for the ministry at Mare Street Chapel, Hackney, by the late Rev. Dr. Cox and several other ministers of various denominations.

He returned to Berne early in the summer of 1833, and from that time to the day of his death continued to labour gratuitously and unremittingly for the advancement of true religion in his native land. The Lord honoured him with a very considerable measure of success, one proof of which was the necessity of erecting a chapel in the city of Berne. This object was accomplished last year, and the chapel opened January 13th, 1861. We shall presently advert again to this interesting event. In April last, Mr. de Rodt, accompanied by his eldest son, paid a brief visit to England, during which they resided under the hospitable roof of Jos. Gurney, Esq., at Putney. In the afternoon of Monday, the 22nd, they left London and returned home, viû

Havre and Paris. The change of scene appeared to have been beneficial to Mr. de Rodt's health; he resumed his customary labours with fresh vigour, fully expecting to be incessantly at work all the rest of the year. On Saturday evening, May 26th, being alone at home, whilst his family were spending a few hours with friends in the country, he retired to rest somewhat earlier than usual, with the intention of starting early in the morning for Thun, where he expected to preach. But his work was finished. In the morning he was found lifeless in his bed, the spirit having apparently fled only a few hours before. A post mortem examination proved that his sudden departure was caused by a diseased state of the heart.

At midnight came the cry,

"To meet thy God, prepare!"

He woke, and caught his Captain's eye;
Then, strong in faith and prayer,

His spirit with a bound

Left its encumbering clay :

His tent at sunrise on the ground,

A darkened ruin, lay.

Mr. De Rodt did not possess brilliant talents as a preacher, but he had other qualities of the highest value. His love to Christ and to all Christ's people was ardent, and manifested itself in his deportment. In him the power of meekness, a peculiar suavity of manner, unaffected humility, and childlike simplicity were combined with the soundest practical judgment and an unflinching courage. He was bold as a lion in rebuking dangerous error and reproving sin; but gentle as a lamb under personal provocation. Although in the daily habit of associating, on truly fraternal terms, with the humblest peasant or the poorest tradesman connected with his flock, he maintained his original position as a member of the higher ranks of society, and secured the esteem and confidence of the upper classes. His personal character effectually disarmed the prejudices of large numbers who once were fierce opponents of dissent. Evangelical ministers of the state church were constrained to acknowledge him as a man of God, and as the honoured instrument of numerous conversions. His itinerating labours, which before the introduction of railways were generally prosecuted on foot, were most abundant. When at home, his mornings were spent in his study, and there, except on the weekly market-day, he was engaged either in correspondence, or in writing for (or correcting proof-sheets of) his periodical, "The Christian," or in preparing for the pulpit. To this last point, artless as his discourses were, he attached great importance; because, as he said, "there will be nothing to put on the table, if cooking is neglected." His afternoons were almost invariably devoted to pastoral visits, including the superintendence of his schools, and occasional excursions to neighbouring villages.

At the opening of the new chapel, on the 13th of January, he supplied a brief retrospective statement* of the history of the church worshipping within its walls, from which the following particulars are gleaned.

"He who now addresses you returned in 1833, after going through a course of theological study at Geneva and in France, and receiving ordination in London at the hands of six ministers of various denominations. On that occasion he briefly stated his views on church government, the same which are held to this day by the Free Church of Berne. They are, the union of God's children, or of those who seriously profess the great doctrines of Christianity;

*It appeared in a two-fold form, French and German, both which languages he spoke with equal fluency: we select from the double store what appears most suitable for the present purpose.