I was at the same time forcibly impressed with another leading idea--that no where in the Scriptures have we any instance of a divinely regulated government, in which the worship of God did not occupy a chief place. I thought--I still think--that the same beneficent principle which makes Christianity a part of the common law of England, and of all her colonies, including the United States, should extend to the religious instruction of every soul in the community, gentle or simple, and more especially to what are called the off-scourings of society. Looking around me, I saw that of all the churches within my purview, the Church of England most completely met my ideal--that she was the Church by law established in my motherland--that she allowed the utmost latitude to individual opinion--in fine, that she held the Bible wide open to all her children, and did her best to extend its knowledge to all mankind. Had I been a native of Scotland, upon the same reasoning I must have become a Presbyterian, or a Lutheran in Holland or Germany, or a Roman Catholic in France or Spain. But that contingency did not then present itself to me. So I entered the Church of England; was confirmed by Bishop Strachan, at St. James's Cathedral, in the year 1839, if I remember rightly, and have never since, for one instant, doubted the soundness of my conclusions. On this occasion, as on many others, my emotions shaped themselves in a poetical form. The two following pieces were written for the _Church_ newspaper, of which I was then the printer, in partnership with the Messrs. Rowsell:-- HYMN FOR EASTER. "CHRIST IS RISEN."[14] "Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. "For since by man came death; by man came also the resurrection of the dead. "For as in Adam all die; even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Christ is risen! Jesu lives; He lives His faithful ones to bless; The grave to life its victim gives-- Our grief is changed to joyfulness. The sleeping Saints, whom Israel slew, Waking, shall list the joyful sound; He--their first fruits--doth live anew, Hell hath a mighty conqueror found. Paschal offering! spotless Lamb! For us was heard thy plaintive cry; For us, in agony and shame, Thy blood's sweet incense soar'd on high. By erring man came woe--the grave-- The ground accurs'd--the blighted tree-- Jesus, as man, for ransom gave Himself, from death to set us free. Christ is risen! saints, rejoice! Your hymns of praise enraptured pour-- Ye heavenly angels, lend your voice-- Jesus shall reign for evermore! Hallelujah! Amen. THE SINNER'S COMPLAINT AND CONSOLATION.