language, and in words which we have constantly in our mouths, and
at most solemn times, it is certainly better to be right than wrong. In
the Litany we pray God that it would please Him, "to give and preserve
to our use the _kindly_ fruits of the earth". What meaning do we attach
to this epithet, "the _kindly_ fruits of the earth"? Probably we
understand by it those fruits in which the _kindness_ of God or of
nature towards us finds its expression. This is no unworthy explanation,
but still it is not the right one. The "_kindly_ fruits" are the
"_natural_ fruits", those which the earth according to its _kind_ should
naturally bring forth, which it is appointed to produce. To show you how
little 'kindly' meant once benignant, as it means now, I will instance
an employment of it from Sir Thomas More's _Life of Richard the Third_.
He tells us that Richard calculated by murdering his two nephews in the
Tower to make himself accounted "a _kindly_ king"--not certainly a
'kindly' one in our present usage of the word{204}; but, having put them
out of the way, that he should then be lineal heir of the Crown, and
should thus be reckoned as king _by kind_ or natural descent; and such
was of old the constant use of the word.

{Sidenote: '_Worship_'}

A phrase in one of our occasional Services "with my body I thee
_worship_", has sometimes offended those who are unacquainted with the
early use of English words, and thus with the intention of the actual
framers of that Service. Clearly in our modern sense of 'worship', this
language would be unjustifiable. But 'worship' or 'worthship' meant
'honour' in our early English, and 'to worship' to honour, this meaning
of 'worship' still very harmlessly surviving in the title of "your
worship", addressed to the magistrate on the bench. So little was it
restrained of old to the honour which man is bound to pay to God, that
it was employed by Wiclif to express the honour which God will render to
his faithful servants and friends. Thus our Lord's declaration "If any
man serve Me, him will my Father _honour_", in Wiclif's translation
reads thus, "If any man serve Me, my Father shall _worship_ him". I do
not say that there is not sufficient reason to change the words, "with
my body I thee _worship_", if only there were any means of changing
anything which is now antiquated and out of date in our services or
arrangements. I think it would be very well if they were changed, liable
as they are to