WYCKLIFFE.

WYCKLIFFE led the way to the English Reformation, and he has been called its "Morning Star;" and by his opinions and writings, he began to dispel the darkness in which the religion of England was involved, His name became, of course, odious in the highest degree to the partizans of the doctrines and jurisdiction of the Roman See; all his opinions adverse to these were formally condemned; and the Council of Constance executed a sort of impotent vengeance on him, by ordering his bones to be dug up many years after his death, and to be burnt. Nothing is more natural than to suppose that there might be some mixture of what was exceptionable among his opinions, when we consider the early period in which he lived, the unimproved state of all relgious and useful learning, and the newness of the ground on which he stood against such a host of formidable adversaries. But the vigour of his mind in seizing the great principles on which the Reformation of the Church in its more advanced state proceeded, and the courage with which he dared at that time to maintain them, placed him in the highest rank of merit, and entitle him to the respect and gratitude of all Protestant posterity.

"Tis Augustine's observation, that 'twas in respect of Christ, and for the propagation of the Church, that learning was ever suffered to travel out of Jewry.

Dr. Hammond.

We are crucified together with the Lord in His passion, raised to life in His resurrection, placed at the Father's right hand in His ascension; so in this, His birth, we are conjointly born with Him.-Leo.

HELP IN ADVERSITY;

OR,

THE HISTORY OF JANE WILLIS.

"IF YOU please, Mrs. Willis, here's a letter for you," said Ann Thompson, the postman's daughter, as she hastily opened the door of the little cottage where she lived; "father's just brought it from Allerton, and he told me to run on with it to you."

"THANK you kindly, Ann, I am sure I'm very much obliged to you for bringing it," replied Mrs. Willis, as she took the welcome packet from her hand, and proceeded to adjust her spectacles, that she might lose no time in perusing it.

AND welcome indeed it was, for sorrowful had been the widow's heart that morning, as she rose from her lowly couch,

to

pursue her tedious employment of straw-plaiting, in reflecting how very few more days there were before her rent-day would come round, and how greatly her purse was deficient towards meeting the demand. And even if she gave every farthing of the little she could earn by her work, it would go but a very little way towards making-up the required sum; and how then was she to pay for bread? But in her hour of trial she had not forgotten the words of the prophet-"Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust

in me."

"She had cast her burden upon the Lord," and he had

sustained her.

THE LETTER thus brought to her was from her dear Jane, and enclosed in it there was a post-office order for a sum quite sufficient to pay off all she owed to her landlord, even leaving a little over; and with deep gratitude she thanked her Heavenly Father, who had put it into the heart of her child thus to minister to the wants of her aged parent, in the hour of her deepest

need.

THIS IS a true tale, my dear readers, and therefore I think you will be interested in hearing a little further account of this poor woman and her dutiful daughter.

MRS. WILLIS was left a widow, with two children; but not wishing to beg for assistance from the parish while she was herself able to earn sufficient to support her family, she applied herself industriously to the work of straw-plaiting, in doing which, she found ample employment in working for the Luton and Dunstable markets. In this she was assisted by both her children; for though Jane, the youngest, up to the time of her father's death, had attended the day-school of the parish where they were resident, she was then obliged to leave it, to contribute her share at home towards the maintenance of her mother and sister. But though debarred from continuing to go to the -day-school, which had ever been a source of great pleasure to her, she seldom missed church or the Sunday-school, where her regular conduct attracted the attention of the clergyman. He, anxious to assist one so deserving of encouragement, shortly after procured her a situation as nursery-maid, in the family of a clergyman, a friend of his, with whom she would probably have remained longer than she did, but for his receiving an invitation from the (late) Bishop of Jerusalem, to join him in the Holy City, which obliged her to return home.

1

IT WAS soon after this that an important step was taken, which decided Jane Willis's future vocation. She was sent to an institution then recently opened in London, where young women wishing to become schoolmistresses, may receive the advantage of an education fitting them for the very important office of teachers. This is the Training School at Whitelands which has now been established between seven and eight years, and from whence, during that time, 186 teachers have been sent forth into the National Schools of this country. The usual period of training required there is two years; but Jane Willis being found competent to undertake the charge of the school where her benevolent employers wished to place her, after being

at Whitelands twenty months, she went to this situation at the expiration of that time, where she has remained ever since. It was a very sincere gratification to the kind friends who promoted her interest by placing her at Whitelands, to learn from the matron, that her conduct, while there, was so excellent, that her example had been most beneficial to her companions.

FROM HER first entering upon her new duties, she earned for herself the approbation of her employers, by the steady manner in which she applied herself to them; and it was while living in their house, her salary being then small, that she assisted her mother in the way I have told you, denying herself, that she might have it in her power to pay the rent for her widowed

parent.

WHEN SHE had had the charge of the school five years, during which time, as I have said, she lived in the house of the elergyman, the long-cherished wish of her heart was gratified, and a neat cottage being built for her adjoining the school, shə was permitted to take her mother to her home!

AND THERE she is still, conducting herself so as to secure the entire confidence of her pastor, and making herself beloved by the children under her care. It is a pleasing testimony of her gratitude, that she retains a deep feeling of attachment to the excellent superintendent at Whitelands, and the Training School, warmly expressing her thankfulness for the advantages she had received, when an opportunity was afforded her of visiting the institution a short time ago.

THUS HAS the Training Institution at Whitelands been the means, under God, not only of rescueing a deserving family from distress, but of providing for a village school a teacher every way fitted to "train up children in the way they should go,"-Jane Willis being humble and pious, dutiful and gentle, acting at all times on sound Christian principles, though without any claim to distinction on account of her cleverness or natural abilities.

M.

CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

THE following is the translation, as given by their own organ, the Tablet, of a Rescript of Pope Gregory XVI., and addressed to one of his Vicars here in England; and unblushingly published in the face of a Christian nation. We ask our readers whether the following is or is not idolatry?-

NICHOLAS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND FAVOUR OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE, BISHOP OF MELIPOTAMUS, VICAR APOSTOLIC OF THE LONDON DISTRICT.

Whereas, our predecessor, Thomas, Bishop of Olena, obtained from the Sovereign Pontiff, Gregory XVI., of blessed memory, a Rescript of the following terms, to wit:

"Most Holy Father-Thomas Griffiths, Bishop of Olena, Vicar Apostolic of the London District, being vehemently desirous that devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,should more and more be promoted and increased among the faithful people committed to his care, prostrate at the feet of your Holiness, most humbly supplicates that the aforesaid Vicariate may enjoy the privilege of saying in the Preface of the Festival of the Conception of the same Most Blessed Virgin, and in all the Octave of it, as well as in Votive Masses of the Conception, the words-et te in Immaculata ['and thee in thy immaculate (or sinless) conception']—and, moreover, of using that word Immaculata in the Office of the Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin, and also of adding, in the recitation of the Litany of Loretto, the versicles-" Regina sine labe originali concepta, ora pro nobis, &c., ['a queen conceived without original spot (or sin) PRAY FOR US'] wherefore," &c.

"At an audience of the Holy Father, held Dec. 17, 1843, our most Holy Lord, Gregory XVI., by Divine Providence Pope, at the instance of the undersigned, Secretary of the Holy Congregation of Propaganda, the premises being considered, gra