92 



to hear the Scriptures, as well as the popular 

 discourses upon them, and upon points of mora- 

 lity ; but it was not till after baptism, when those 

 converts becanfe Fideles, that they were allowed 

 to partake of the Lord's Supper. Another pri- 

 vilege was, to join with the ministers in all the 

 prayers of the church. More particularly, the 

 use of the Lord's Prayer was only permitted to 

 the Fideles ; it was considered an honour, to be 

 conferred only on the most perfect Christians, 

 to be allowed to use it ; and it Avas therefore 

 called, by some of the Fathers, " the prayer of 

 the believers." 



After my uncle had finished reading what I 

 have only written here from memory, we had 

 some conversation on the subject of early reli- 

 gious instruction ; for a lady was present who 

 disapproved extremely of not teaching the Lord's 

 Prayer to little children, as soon as they could 

 speak. "It is so pretty," said she, <f to hear 

 them lisp out prayer and praise." 



" Yes," said my aunt, " if they understand 

 what they lisp ; but if they do not, I consider it 

 as a sort of profanation." 



(i And would you not teach children to pray 

 while they are young?" 



" I do teach them to pray," replied my aunt, 

 " but only in the most simple manner, so that 

 their little minds may accompany their words, 

 and that they may not acquire an early habit of 



