THE

PASTOR'S ASSISTANT.

FEBRUARY 1, 1844.

PART FIRST.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PASTOR IN HIS STUDY.

THE CHRISTIAN'S CALENDAR.

PERHAPS there is no point of detail upon which a Pastor is more frequently asked to afford information, than with respect to the mode of conducting Scripture studies; and unless a systematic arrangement has been clearly laid down in his own mind, the Pastor finds it difficult to answer these inquiries. The experience of this has given rise to many plans for a regular division of the Scriptures for daily use; and amongst others, to the formation of THE CHRISTIAN'S CALENDAR. This is a collection of hints and suggestions for the carrying on of spiritual life, day by day, in such a manner as may tend to prevent the waste of time which too often takes place in considering what is the best thing to be done, or the next portion to be read, on each day throughout the year. It would be found very profitable, both to a pastor and his flock, if he were to attempt to form some such plan for himself, and communicate the portions of it, periodically, to his people. It is true that much difficulty would exist, in discovering an easy mode of such communication; but a sense of the advantages to be obtained, and a hearty desire to attain them, would be strong incentives to find the means of overcoming the difficulty.

Very much benefit has resulted from the arrangement of the Christian's Calendar, which has not only been found useful to

VOL. III.-NO. XXVI.

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individuals in assisting their private reading and devotion; but has been especially of use in interesting the members of a family in the mode of conducting family prayer. In the hope that it may be the means of suggesting to pastors some similar mode of benefitting their flocks, a specimen of this Calendar is subjoined, being that portion of it which relates to the third week of the present year, together with

THE EXPLANATION OF THE CHRISTIAN'S CALENDAR.* THE life of all men proceeds from day to day in a constant progress of events; and the well-being of each man's life very much depends upon the regular order and arrangement of his more important concerns, to insure which a systematic remembrance of times and seasons, for the performance of certain duties, is absolutely necessary. This has given rise to the arrangement of Almanacks, Calendars, and such like helps to the memory of man, concerning his outward affairs.

But there is another kind of life in every real christian, to which the outward life is but of secondary importance; the spiritual life,―the work of the Holy Ghost in the heart,—the beginning of that which springs up into life everlasting.

As results infinitely more important than any which belong to the things of this present world depend upon the right ordering and continued progress of that spiritual life in every christian, it would seem more necessary to make use of all possible helps, with respect to that inward life, than with respect to the outward and therefore, it cannot be but beneficial to take advantage of whatever suggestions and memoranda may be applicable to the former, even more than to the latter. reason a christian, sensible of the value of the things which promote spiritual life, and aware of the weakness of his nature, and the imperfections of his best resolutions, will be glad of such helps as may be systematically arranged in a manner suited to promote his advance in spiritual things. This is the object proposed in the Christian's Calendar.

For this

There are four means of promoting the progress of spiritual life in a christian, under the teaching of the Holy Ghost; leading

* The Christian's Calendar is printed every week, and circulated in the parish of the Clergyman who arranged it. But as many applications have been made for copies, by persons not belonging to the flock, it has been found necessary to allow its larger circulation. The printer, therefore, has permission to strike off every week, as many additional copies as are called for by persons residing in other parts of the country; and any one who desires to receive copies of this Calendar weekly, may communicate, by letter, with Mr. Shayler, Printer, Wonston, Andover-Road, Hants.

to two objects in the knowledge of which a christian must be continually increasing. He must increase in the knowledge of God; and he must increase in the knowledge of himself. To increase in the knowledge of God he must FIRST study the Scriptures; and, SECONDLY, hold intercourse with God in prayer. To increase in the knowledge of his own heart, he must, THIRDLY, examine himself; and, FOURTHLY he must cultivate the application of what he knows by recollectedness and meditation.

1. The first means of promoting the progress of spiritual life is the study of the Holy Scriptures. There may be three ways of doing this profitably. 1st, A regular course of reading through the whole Bible should be planned out, and adopted. To assist in this the Christian's Calendar will contain a daily arrangement of the whole Scriptures. A chapter in the Old Testament will be given for daily reading, on alternate mornings with a chapter in the New Testament; and as it is very useful to trace out the oneness of doctrine in these two divisions of God's word, a few texts will be suggested from the New Testament which throw light upon each chapter in the Old; and a few texts out of the Old which throw light upon each chapter in the New. The selection of these texts is principally taken from the Scripture Calendar, arranged some years ago by the Rev. Robert Daly, (the present Bishop of Cashel) for the use of his own parishoners at Powerscourt. According to this arrangement of the alternate daily reading, the chapters of the Old Testament will extend over a period of five years; the first year will carry the reader through the Pentateuch; the second will include from Joshua to the 1st book of Chronicles; the third from the 2nd book of Chronicles to Ecclesiastes, (omitting the Psalms); the fourth will be occupied by reading Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Lamentations; and the fifth, from Ezekiel to Malachi. The alternate morning reading of the New Testament will extend over two years; the first including the Gospels, the Acts, and the Revelation; and the second the Epistles. Besides this, as the clear understanding of our Lord's History and doctrine is of first importance to a christian, a course of Scripture reading will be suggested for every evening; giving a regular account of the gospel narrative in harmony, arranged in portions: to this will be added the Acts of the Apostles, and the book of the Revelation, similarly arranged in portions; and this course, containing the historical and prophetical books of the New Testament, will Occupy the evenings of a whole year. For the evening reading of a second year, the whole of the Epistles will be divided into small portions, one for each day. For this purpose they will be

taken, not in the order in which they stand in the Bible, but in the order of time according to the dates when they were written; and that chronology is followed which has been adopted by Gresswell. This evening reading will be arranged so that the historical portions will come in the year when the Epistles have been read in the morning; and the doctrinal portions in the year when the history has been read in the morning. This morning and evening arrangement of Scripture-reading for the christian in the calendar may be called the regular course of instruction: it will not however be suggested on Sundays; since, on that day, every person will have his scriptural instruction supplied by the regular ministry of the Church. As a memorandum of this, the division of the Calendar for the Lord's day will contain a short summary of the subjects of the instruction set forth in the prayerbook; together with the Scriptures appointed as the Epistles, and Gospels, and Lessons.

2ndly. The christian finds that his heart desires to gather the strength and refreshment, necessary for his personal requirements, from the spiritual application of special portions of God's word. The Book of Psalms is particularly suited to direct and spiritualize the varieties of feeling and experience in a christian's heart in order to facilitate this use of the Psalms, they are arranged, in the Calendar, so as to be read through in half the year. A brief statement of the subject of each will be given; and also some short heads to direct the mind in turning each portion into prayer. This arrangement of the Psalms might very profitably be gone through again during the latter half of each year; for which purpose the divisions made during the former half of the year may suffice: but for the use of those who might desire to vary the Scriptures for this personal spiritual application, the Proverbs will be divided into small portions for another halfyear's reading. With each portion a general head will be suggested, as the prominent point to which its directs attention; and to this will be added a reference to several texts, upon a careful consideration of which such examples will be brought before the mind as tend to illustrate the application of the Proverbs contained in the day's personal Scripture. Many of these illustrations are taken from an excellent little work, entitled, "The Book of Proverbs explained and illustrated," by the Rev. B. E. Nicholls.

3rdly. Besides this, single texts and small portions of Scripture may very profitably be made the means of suggesting such trains of thought as may connect our affections and our duties directly with heavenly and spiritual feelings. By these links of holy

words we may bind to our daily devotions the remembrance of such subjects as we desire to keep in mind. The Pastoral affection ought to be very strong in a christian; and, in order to recall the exercise of this feeling, a text will be given every day as a Pastoral portion, to be connected in the mind with the thought of the individual minister through whom spiritual instruction and means of grace are received. These were originally selected by a number of christian friends, to express a similar feeling towards a particular Pastor. Seven subjects may be pointed out, which every member of the universal Church of Christ ought habitually to keep in mind, and to consider prayerfully and practically: a text calculated to assist in recalling each of these subjects will be chosen, and placed in the Calendar, so that on every day in the week one will be brought before the mind. They will be arranged in an order leading us to consider on SUNDAY—the unity and purity of the Church of Christ. MoNDAY-the wants and value of Christ's ministers. TUESDAY-the

danger of Satan's devices, and a warning of the power and results of evil in the world. WEDNESDAY-the anticipation of the glorious Advent of Christ. THURSDAY-the religious education of the rising generation. FRIDAY-the extension of the Gospel by the preaching of Missionaries: and SATURDAY-(being the Jewish Sabbath), the prospects and condition of God's ancient people Israel.

As the ordinary course of scripture reading will be omitted on the Lord's day for the reason already given, there will be supplied in its stead, a small portion of Scripture calculated to prove the power of prayer, by placing some recorded petition in connection with the recorded answer. It is hoped that the reading of such a selection from the scriptures, before entering into the house of prayer, may be made a means of quickening the spirit of prayer in ourselves.

II. Under the second head-intercourse with God in prayer: so much must be secret and special, that less assistance can be afforded in the Christian's Calendar by suggestions sufficiently applicable to general use. The Thoughts for the Throne of Grace proposes daily subjects for prayer during the week; and this little tract should be considered as part of the calendar, as well as the heads for prayer now used by so many persons, in the "General Union for Private Prayer," of every Saturday. These, with the daily notes how to turn the Psalms into prayer, are suggestions under the second head. As the intercessions of christians are often apt to be limited to objects more immediately connected with personal affections, perhaps rather for want of