small utility and importance, and furnishing fine bodies of enthusiastic zealous men. On the following day came two smart sealing crews, under their respective captains, assisted by the crew of a third sealing steamer. These sealing men, or "sealers," as they are called here, have to-day delivered 'upon the ground as their final load (two heavy loads having been previously drawn by them) not less than from thirty to forty, if not more, tons of stone; no light weight to be drawn at once, and requiring able arms, strong muscles, and tough and welltried ropes to drag them. To-morrow night-work being still forbidden for fear of accident-other sealing crews, and the Society of United Fishermen, are to take the place of the sturdy fellows who did such noble work yesterday and to-day; and a third relay of hardy sealers have volunteered to finish the work on Monday; Wednesday morning being the time fixed for their departure on their perilous, but, when successful, profitable pursuit of seals among the northern icefields, which at this season lie off our coast, and so frequently sever us from all communication, save by "cable," with the outside world.

I suppose no other country could furnish such scenes as the town of S. John has witnessed during the present week; and that in no country, except Newfoundland, is church work of the kind this narrative refers to helped forward with more willingness and greater enthusiasm than has been shown by the noble fellows who have just given the work of finishing our cathedral so good an impetus with their strong arms and willing, helping hands. A remarkable feature in the work—indeed the remarkable feature, I should be inclined to call it has been the zeal with which Roman Catholics and Dissenters have vied with members of the Church, and refused to allow themselves to be outdone by our own people. No such scene have I ever witnessed before, although I was in S. John's when the existing portion of the building was erected. Then, though I do not say good-will was absent, Churchmen were left alone to do the work, which was at that time looked upon as theirs, and theirs only and alone. I suppose this week will have seen the united efforts of several thousands of the finest, healthiest, and most powerful and willing men that any country could produce from a similar population; Churchmen vying with Roman Catholics, and Dissenters with both, in helping forward the erection of the Cathedral of the Church of England. Feelings of the utmost delight have been manifested as each load reached its destination, the attempt being always made to make each

load bigger than the last, and each successful effort culminating in, and being acclaimed by, the heartiest hurrahs and cheers for the grand old Church of England; and in these shouts, Roman Catholics, of whom there are 15,000 in S. John's, Dissenters, and Churchmen all joined equally, and each strove earnestly in the general roar to outdo his fellow. The interest and picturesqueness, so to speak, of the scene were unique. Let us hope that the effect of the spirit thus shown, and the result of the good feeling called forth, and unanimity manifested, may not only promote good-will generally, and tone down asperities on account of differences of belief, but help towards religious unity in the bond of peace. Surely these great benefits can hardly fail thus to be promoted. Well, therefore, may I close the account with the pious words of David, as well suited to the occasion: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! they shall prosper that love thee." Surely the work has been a work of love, and done for Zion's sake; as such it cannot fail to receive a blessing. May the blessing follow speedily as well as surely !

Besides the work above recorded, nearly £7,000 sterling has been subscribed since the death of Bishop Feild, to whose memory it is proposed to dedicate the contemplated work. At this time authorised. collectors are canvassing the town, whose work is no doubt receiving a valuable impulse from the zeal and good-will shown by the humbler members of the community in the good work done by them, which in the foregoing account I have endeavoured to describe.

Postscript, March 8, 1880.

To-day has been a most lovely day, with good snow roads-one of those peculiarly clear beautiful blue skies and transparent atmospheres that from time to time occur, called here "pet days," or "weather breeders," as being supposed to precede stormy snowy changes. Be the morrow however what it may, the motto carpe diem has been fully acted on, and Saturday having been a lost day already through a snowdrift which lasted from morning till night, and this the very last day sealing crews can conveniently work, they turned out in great strength. Five noble crews, those of the steamships Ranger, Proteus, Eagle, Neptune, and Hector, have been at work, and the excitement has been even greater than on any of the previous days, and the numbers of men larger, for besides those crews under the command of their several captains, and the Society of United Fishermen, a strong and able band

of men, all cheered and inspirited with music and flags, numerous horses have been bringing loads all day. Nor has the enthusiasm been confined to men, for a crew of boys has also joined, and has worked with unflagging spirit; a labour of love which will result to them—I venture confidently to predict-in sound, because well-earned, sleep to-night.

The satisfactory result of the whole haul now stands thus: a thousand tons at least of heavy stones have been placed upon the ground which were not there a week ago, and the good intentions of the captains and crews of the "Panther" and " Wolf," who were to have turned out to-morrow for the purpose of hauling stone, at whatever inconvenience to themselves, have had to be declined because no more quarried stone remains, the whole quantity at present available having been swept, by the gallant crews that have been at work, from the various places where it had been deposited, into the cathedral yard. It has been great matter of regret, and one which the clergy who have each evening addressed the men at breaking off have dwelt upon, that the Bishop is now absent in Bermuda. No doubt the news will greatly cheer his heart, and assuredly his warmest and most grateful thanks will be accorded.

The wildest excitement prevailed at the close to-night of the men's successful labours. In the presence of, I suppose, not less than two thousand cheering, shouting fellows, whose voices broke out at the end of almost every sentence, as they stood listening with eager upturned faces to those who spoke to them from the vantage coign of the top of the churchyard wall, the difficulty was to gasp out between each roar the hearty thanks which the clergy and all members of the Church so deeply felt. The captains of eleven powerful steamships have either given or proffered their help with crews whose numbers range from 295 the largest, to 160 the smallest, giving an average of 220 men to each. A finer fleet, or one manned by finer men, has never been fitted out for this voyage. May the providence of GoD protect them in all peril, and may their return be crowned with the success which I trust it is not presumptuous to say their behaviour as above recorded has so far deserved !

More will no doubt be done, because, now that the sealing crews have left, others will go to work as soon as more stone can be procured. The local mail contractor, a Roman Catholic, to-day offered to put all his horses to work whenever they could be used to advan

tage. The value of the return of those now engaged in collecting subscriptions will also assuredly be largely enhanced by the strong feeling aroused, and the time for their being brought in will be looked for with interest. The result will no doubt be shortly known.

Reviews and Notices.

Mr. Davenport Adams is a writer from whom we hope much. Sound in the faith himself, he is disposed to deal' tenderly with the prejudices of others, and while his style is eminently popular, he has been careful to consult the best authorities for his biographies. On these principles he has given us a goodly volume of Heroes of the Cross, (Masters,) which ought to find a large circle of readers. From medieval times we have SS. Columba, Bernard, Francis, Catharine: the fifteenth century is represented by Savonarola, and the sixteenth by Xavier, Anne Askew, S. Francis de Sales, and S. Vincent de Paul; the eighteenth and nineteenth by Henry Martyn and Bishop Patteson.

The S. P. C. K. has published a series of several volumes detailing the conversion of the different Barbarian tribes, as we are wont to call them. The last is on The Slavs, and is written by Dr. Maclear, of King's College. The subject is one of great interest in these days when so much is said about nationalities, and it is exceedingly well done.

The rector of Shearsby, near Rugby, (the Rev. H. Buchanan,) is publishing a series of very short and effective Tracts. They are called Parish Tracts, explaining the principal doctrines and usages of the Church. We strongly recommend them.

The Bishop of Rangoon, who has been obliged to leave his diocese through family ties, has employed his leisure in writing Personal Recollections of British Burmah and its Church Mission Work, (Wells Gardner, Dalton, and Co.,) which will be found very interesting and instructive. Their general tone is humble and tolerant, though in one place we deeply regret a sentiment that the sight of Buddhist images in the road is "not more sad than those images of CHRIST and the Blessed Virgin which one often sees among the rocks and roadways in Roman Catholic countries!" Surely in a second edition this terrible opinion which seems to make Buddha as good as our LORD will be cancelled.

S. Helena, S. Denys, and the Church of England is the title of a sermon printed at the Warminster Mission House Press, and preached by the Bishop of Lincoln, at the Restoration of a church dedicated to S. Helena on the Feast of S. Denys, whom the Bishop considers to have been the Areopagite converted by S. Paul. It is a simple exposition of the value to be derived from the observance of the Church Festivals, which will be read with advantage by many. It is published by Skeffington.

Correspondence.

[The Editor is not responsible for the opinions of the Correspondents.]

To the Editor of the Churchman's Companion.