juncture, his enemies were completely out-manoeuvred by Dr. Barnes, prior of the Augustine Friars, whose church, being exempt from the jurisdiction of the bishop, was placed at the disposal of Latimer. Here he continued preaching for more than three years, fearlessly displaying the Gospel banner in the sight of all.

Besides preaching, Latimer devoted a large portion of his time to deeds of benevolence. He and his friend Bilney were companions in this delightful work. In the cell of the prisoner, in the garret of the pauper, and at the bedside of the sick, they were alike welcome as the certain harbingers of comfort and consolation. Thus Latimer laboured with a burning zeal for the good of souls. He was ever "about his Master's business." Many there were who tried to hinder him in his noble work, and among the number was Dr. Redman, a man of a mild disposition, but his mind was wholly enrapt in the superstition of that age. He was a man of great influence in the University of Cambridge at that time, and one who greatly disliked Latimer's boldness and honesty in preaching the truths of the Gospel. Consequently he thought it his duty to indite a letter to Latimer, asking him to alter his style of speaking in the pulpit. To this the Gospel champion returned the following laconic answer :

"Reverend Mr. Redman,-It is even enough for me that Christ's sheep hear no man's voice but Christ's; and as for you, you have no voice of Christ against me; whereas, for my part, I have a heart that is ready to hearken to any voice of Christ that you can bring me. Thus, fare you well, and trouble me no more from talking with the Lord my God."

During this period, which Latimer had turned to such good account, the Papists had been busily plotting for his removal from Cambridge. Complaint after complaint of the alarming proportions "heresy" was beginning to assume in the town and University of Cambridge were continually reaching the ears of the King and his courtiers, and Bilney and Latimer were specially mentioned as the two men who were directly responsible for the progress of the odious movement. Cardinal Wolsey was then at the head of affairs; and Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Tonstal, Bishop of London, were his chief advisers.

For some considerable time this trio of ecclesiastics treated the news from Cambridge with cool indifference. Wolsey, in fact, who was no persecutor, looked upon the matter as a jest, as a mere cry of jealousy on the part of a lazy and indolent set of priests. At length, however, action was taken, and a court was erected, with the Bishop of London as president, for the trial of the ringleaders of the "heretical" movement. Latimer, amongst others, was summoned to London. There the earnest Reformer

appeared, and, after acquitting himself with satisfaction before his judges, he again returned to Cambridge. Latimer, in nowise daunted, still continued his exertions for the propagation of the Gospel, and his words and deeds clearly proved that the tactics of his foes had neither cooled his ardour nor intimidated his courage. He was "at it again," to use the words of a modern writer hostile to the Reformation. About this time a proclamation was issued by the King, forbidding the use of the Bible in the English vernacular. This royal mandate incited the pen of Latimer to indite a letter to the monarch, expostulating with him upon the folly and unreasonableness of such a policy that would deprive his subjects of the only Book that would give stability to his throne and enjoin loyalty upon its readers. Henry VIII., with all his faults, could admire the genuine honesty of Latimer, whose letter he received in no unfavourable spirit.

Shortly after the publication of this appeal to the King, Latimer was appointed to the living of West Kingston, in Wiltshire. Here he was as diligent as ever, preaching and benevolence being his chief delights. In this part of the country, however, he was not free from enemies, who manifested their malice towards him by the constant circulation of reports that were not at all calculated to give him rest and peace. Letters were sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury complaining of the vicar of West Kingston and his preaching; and some neighbouring priests there were who, from their pulpits, loudly denounced Latimer as an enemy of "Mother Church" and an obnoxious "heretic." On January 29th, 1531, the noble man was ordered to appear before Warham, the Primate, to answer for his questionable assertions. Latimer appeared; and, in one of his sermons preached at Stamford in the year 1550, he has given a description of one of his examinations. "I was once in examination before five or six bishops," says the preacher, "where I had much trouble: thrice every week I came to examinations, and many snares and traps were laid to get something. Now, God knoweth I was ignorant of the law, but that God gave me wisdom what I should speak; it was God indeed, or else I had neve escaped them. At last I was brought forth to be examined intc a chamber hung with arras, where I was wont to be examined; but now at this time the chamber was somewhat altered. For whereas before there was wont always to be a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hung over the chimney, and the table stood near the fire-place. There was amongst the bishops who examined me, one with whom I had been very familiar, and took him for my great friend, an aged man, and he sat next to the table's end. Then, amongst other questions, he put forth a very subtle and crafty one, and such an one indeed as

I would not think so great danger in. And when I should make answer, one said, 'I pray you, Mr. Latimer, speak out, I am very thick of hearing, and here may be many that sit far off.' I marvelled at this that I was bid to speak out, and begun_to suspect, and give an ear to the chimney; and there I heard a pen writing in the chimney behind the cloth. They had appointed one there to write all mine answers, for they made sure that I should not start from them there was no starting from them. God was my Lord, and gave me answer; I could never else have escaped it." Thus, as he himself tells us, he was permitted to escape out of their hands, and there is every reason to believe that the bishops were restrained from carrying out their cruel designs by the influence of the King.

Anne Boleyn was now the King's consort, and Thomas Cromwell was at the helm of affairs. These two important personages, having a strong desire to promote the progress of the Reformation, induced their royal master to elevate Latimer to the episcopal bench as Bishop of Worcester. This promotion did not at all interfere with his honesty and zeal, for Bishop Latimer was the same sincere and indefatigable worker for Christ as he had been when merely spiritual overseer of a small rural parish. The oversight of the clergy he considered the chief branch of his duty, and all historians of that time pronounce him to have been remarkably zealous in inciting his subordinates to their duty as ministers of Christ. During the important Parliamentary session of 1536 the good bishop was summoned to London, when he opened the convocation of the clergy with an admirable sermon, in which he made a vigorous attack upon the errors and abuses of the day. During this session several important bills were passed that tended to the curtailment of Popish power and influence in this country; and a few months afterwards a royal proclamation was issued, permitting the people of England to read the Bible in their own language. How this event must have rejoiced the heart of Latimer, who for many years past had been striving, on behalf of the people, for this very privilege! (To be continued.)

OBITUARY OF ASHER BEVIS.

ON January 4th, 1877, Asher Bevis, of Swanwick, a member of the little church near Bursledon Bridge, entered into rest at the age of fifty-eight. He had been a hearer at the above chapel for thirty years, and, it appeared, for many years past his life evidenced that he was a partaker of grace. He was very regular in his attendance at the chapel and circumspect in his conduct.

Five years before his death he was afflicted with heart disease, and it was feared he would not be long in this world. He was very much tried respecting his state, because he could not clearly see his interest in the dear Redeemer. He feared he had been too worldly-minded, and his concern respecting his state was so great that at times he sunk very low in mind, and death appeared to him very terrific, so that he was plunged into great distress of soul. But the Lord was pleased partly to restore him to health again, and the affliction was greatly blessed to his soul. He became much more spiritually-minded, and the Gospel was brought home with unctuous power to his heart, whereby he was made willing to be baptized and join the Church, of which he became a very useful member.

But in September, 1876, he was taken ill again, when dropsy set in, and the doctor gave but little hope of his recovery. I visited him very frequently, and am happy to say that the Lord was very good to him all through his affliction. He was favoured at times with blissful views of the dear Redeemer, so that his fears and doubts respecting his state were removed, and his heart was filled with thanksgiving and praise for spiritual and temporal favours; so that at times it was found to be a pleasure to visit him. He underwent an operation five weeks before his death, but not a murmur escaped his lips. He was much favoured with a steadfast reliance on the Person, work, and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, and felt that the sting of death was taken away. He was down stairs the same day he died until past four o'clock, when he was helped up into his room, and his wife and large family gathered round his dying bed. He was perfectly sensible; and his wife, who is a partaker of grace, asked him about a quarter of an hour before his death how he felt in his soul, and his answer was, "Happy in the Lord," which were the last words he spoke; and at a few minutes past eight p.m. his happy soul took its flight into the realms of eternal day, where his " sun will no more go down, and the days of mourning are ended."

He left behind a widow, two sons, and six daughters to mourn the loss of a good husband and father. And we, as a Church, very much miss him as a useful member, and also as a teacher in the Sabbath-school; yet there is the consoling thought that our loss is his gain. GEORGE HARDING.

I USED to try to reconcile the friendship of the world and God's favour, but I found it would not do: "He that will not forsake all is not worthy of Me."-Tiptaft.

"WHEN thou hast not a mite to pay,

Thy debt is cancelled, go thy way.'

A NOTE OF WARNING.

THE NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC DIRECTORY.

SOME interesting facts respecting the hierarchy and priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church in these kingdoms are contained in the "Catholic Directory" for the new year, published by Messrs. Burns and Oates, under the auspices of Cardinal Manning and the rest of his episcopate. It appears from it that there are now six cardinal bishops, fifty cardinal priests, and fourteen cardinal deacons in the Sacred College at Rome, only one living member of which the Archbishop of Prague-owes his scarlet cap to Pope Gregory XVI.; fifty still live who were raised to the cardinalate by his successor, Pius IX.; and thirteen more have been created and proclaimed by Leo XIII. The name of John Henry Newman figures last but two among the cardinal deacons. Although there are only thirteen Roman Catholic Sees in England and Wales, and six more in Scotland, there are no less than twenty-eight bishops in Great Britain, those unaccounted for being mostly coadjutor and auxiliary bishops. The number of places in Great Britain which have churches or mission chapels and are served by resident clergy are about a thousand in all; and the clergy, secular and regular, amount to nearly 2,300; thus showing that the ministry of the Roman Catholic Church in this country has doubled itself in little more than a quarter of a century. The Roman Catholic members of the peerage in the three kingdoms are thirty-eight; the list runs as follows:-The Duke of Norfolk, the Marquises of Bute and Ripon; the Earls of Denbigh, Newburgh, Ashburnham, Westmeath, Fingall, Granard, Kenmare, Orford, and Gainsborough; Viscounts Gormanston, Netterville, Taaffe, and Southwell; and Barons Mowbray and Stourton, Camoys, Beaumont, Vaux of Harrowden, Braye, Petre, Arundell of Wardour, Dormer, Stafford, Clifford of Chudleigh, Ashford, Herries, Lovat, Louth, Ffrench, Bellew, De Freyne, Howard of Glossop, Acton, O'Hagan, Emly, and Gerard. No less than forty-seven baronetcies of the three kingdoms also are held by Roman Catholics, the youthful Sir Henry Tichborne standing at their head, and the last being Sir Maurice J. O'Connell. There are also seven Roman Catholic members of Her Majesty's Privy Council-Lords Ripon, Kenmare, Robert Montagu, Bury, Howard of Glossop, Emly, and O'Hagan. Throughout the world there are, it would appear, 173 archiepiscopal sees and 710 sees of bishops in communion with the see of Rome and acknowledging the Holy See as the mother and mistress of all Churches. But the total number of patriarchs, primates, archbishops, bishops, apostolic delegates, and bishops in