in this commemoration of Christ's precious death, and partaking of those good things thereby provided for them that love Him. And oh my young friends, just entering, as so many of you are, upon the serious trials of the battle of life, think what a privilege, what a comfort it must be to be allowed to fight that battle in the name and the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ, who says of Himself," Fear not; I am the First and the Last; I am He that liveth, and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and I have the keys of hell and of death." May you all steadfastly fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil; and, as was prayed for you at your baptism, 66 may you continue His faithful soldiers and servants unto your lives' end." And as looking upon each one of you, now presented to me for my prayers and my blessing, as mine own child, as being your spiritual father in God, and your Bishop, I would say to each individual amongst you, "O my lov'd child, thou object of my care, How shall I hide thee from the unpitying winds Of this rude world; and thy cheek so fair In the sweet innocence of unsoil'd minds, From that which, ah! too soon the spirit finds ? If I do love thee with a spirit's love, In this bad earth, where sin our vision blinds, How should I pray some Angel from above May guide thee from this world, and thy sure guardian prove."* * "The Baptistery." Image VI. Childhood at Self-examination. IN WHICH CONFIRMATIONS HAVE BEEN HELD, SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DIOCESE OF MONTREAL, IN 1850, WITH THE NUMBERS CONFIRMED ON EACH OCCASION. Of the above persons confirmed on these several occasions, 2590 were males, and 3592 were females. The Fifth Course is not yet completed, but I hope to visit the rest of the Diocese in the course of the ensuing summer; and if the same proportions of Candidates are presented as in those parishes already visited, there will be again an increase over the previous Course. According to returns received from the Clergy at this date, (January, 1865,) the number of Communicants in the Diocese are 4782, with about 45,000 members of the Church, generally. In the City Churches there were 1284, who attended at the Holy Communion on Easter Day, last year. In the Annual Reports of the Diocesan Church Society there are returns given from every Parish, of all money raised within the Diocese during the year, for Church purposes. I append to this account those in succession from 1855 to 1865. And while external aid has been gradually diminishing, these returns exhibit a progressive and considerable advance in the efforts making by our own people, for the extension of the Church and maintenance of the Clergy: who, since 1850, have been increased from 49 and 1 Catechist, to 73 and 5 Catechists. And during the same period, the Parsonages, with more or less Glebe attached, increased from 19 to 42. ANNUAL RETURNS OF MONIES RAISED FOR CHURCH PURPOSES. 1855 $34,496 1858 1856 35,484 1859 $40,228 1861 $44,764 1864 $69,504 45,636 1862 58,253 1865 80,763 1857 38,252 1860 51,288 1863 55,195 There have been, also, during the past year, $29,000 subscribed for the erection of St. James Church in this City, and which are not included in the above returns. |