the motive of the whole proceeding is considered to have been simply the strengthening of the Establishment! To think of pillars of truth becoming mere props of error!

At Sion College, London, a fortnightly meeting was held, when Dr. Stanley, the Dean of Westminster, read a paper on "the Connection of Church and State," which was followed by addresses from Mr. E. Miall, the Bishop of London, the Rev. James Martineau, and others. A "new thing in the earth."

Mr. Hughes, M.P. for Lambeth, has moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law relating to selling and hawking goods on Sundays.-Mr. Hardy has introduced a Bill for carrying out capital punishment within prisons.

Mr. Gladstone's Compulsory Church Rates Abolition Bill passed a second reading without a division in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the 19th. The only opponents were Mr. Newdegate and Mr. Henley, and the opposition of the latter was based on grounds so imaginary as to appear ridiculous. Lord Cranbourne taunted him with his dangerous "all-ornothing policy." and refused to sanction it, as he had done in past years. He accepted the measure just for what it isa compromise, and said that those who rejected it might go farther and fare worse. If the thorough abolitionists can be induced to concur in the compromise, the settlement of the church rate question, on the proposed basis, may be confidently expected.

The United States Minister, Mr. Adams, has retired from his post in London, greatly respected by all parties. And our new ambassador to America has been well received by President Johnson. These relations, although political, are of vital interest to all Christians, as they involve the continuance of peace and good-will between the two nations. "A faithful ambassador is health."

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The Colonies of England have, for a long time past, been well-affected toward the mother country. But a royal visit to any one of them is a means of increasing this filial attachment. Prince Alfred, as Duke of Edinburgh, has elicited a large degree of loyal feeling in Australia, where he has been adapting himself to all scenes and circumstances, now attending a grand ball among nearly 3,000 guests,-now laying the foundation of a public edifice,-and now descending shafts, in the garb of a miner, to explore the underground wealth of the region. From Victoria colony he was expected to proceed to Tasmania, thence to Sydney and New Zealand, in which latter place it is hoped his presence and manners may exert equally beneficial influences. In Victoria there are 25,000 Chinese, who presented the Prince with an address full of loyalty, and expressed in the hyperbolical language peculiar to the "flowery nation." The address prays him to prolong his stay with them until all the customs of the people in every nook of their shores are inquired into and known: then all will be exhilarated with delight. "Following in your track sweet rains fall, making no noise. The blessings you confer are as the ocean!"

Dr. James L. Phillips, a Free-will Baptist missionary at Santipore, India, in a letter dated Nov. 1, 1867, reports such a flood as never in the memory of any living man inundated the districts on either side of the Ganges from Rajshaye to within forty miles of Calcutta. Whole villages have been swept away in the most populous part of Bengal, and the English Presbyterian Mission has suffered heavy loss in the utter destruction of its school and other buildings. He also mentions three violent typhoons in the Chinese seas, and a fearful hurricane at Hong Kong, which destroyed many junks and other craft, and a great number of lives.

The Supreme Court at Natal has decided that Bishop Colenso is the real ecclesiastical authority, and that the Bishop of Capetown's friends are intruders. The church property is decided to be vested in him as the representative and nominee of the Crown.

PAGE-WATTS.-Feb. 3, at White Friars Lane chapel, Coventry, by the Rev. H.

Cross, Mr. J. C. Page, of Coventry, to Miss Anne Watts, of Foleshill.

POXON.-Mrs. Thomas Poxon, youngest daughter of Henry and Hannah Millward, was born at Sawley, Derbyshire, on the 25th September, 1842. Her parents, though poor, were pious, and endeavoured to train up their children in the fear of the Lord. The subject of our obituary was a scholar of the Baptist Sunday school, to which, as she grew older, she became ardently attached, her young mind drinking in the lessons as they flowed from the teacher's lips. In early life she became religiously impressed. One day, a friend remarking on the joys connected with the Lord's Supper, said to her, "I wonder when we shall have the pleasure of seeing you with us;" to which she replied, " I hope before long :" and such was the case. She began to seek the Lord in earnest, but was some time before she could fully realize the forgiveness of her sins. She rejoiced with joy unspeakable when the burden of her sins was rolled away. On Sunday, September 27, 1857, she was baptized in the river Trent by Mr. Stenson, and the same day admitted into the church. Nor did she from this time shrink from her responsibilities. She laboured in tract distribution, and in other ways sought to bring glory to God's name. At eighteen she became a teacher in the Sabbath school. On Aug. 24, 1863, she was united in marriage to Mr. T. Poxon, a member of the same church; but soon her path became cloudy through bodily affliction. In 1865 she removed with her husband to Leeds, where they joined the church worshipping in Byron Street. Her health now seemed established, and she enjoyed the spiritual means. In December of the following year she became a mother, and the affliction connected with her confinement proved fatal. Her medical attendant one day informed her that human skill was unavailing information which she received without a murmur. She would have been happy for the sake of her husband and babe to be spared a little longer; nevertheless she said, "Not my will, O my Father, but thine be done." Her

bodily sufferings became intense, and seeing her friends weeping by her bedside, said, "Weep not for me; I shall soon be with Jesus, where all pain will cease." She gradually became worse, and on Jan. 31, 1867, her happy spirit ascended to

God. Her mortal remains were interred at Sawley on the 3rd February.

She stands upon the sea of glass,
Amid the white-robed throng;
She walks the golden streets, and sings
The everlasting song.

HENSHAW.-Nov. 20, at Kilburn, aged sixty-four, Mr. Henshaw, after nine days' severe suffering caused by an accident on the railway. He was baptized at Sawley in the river Trent about the year 1846. In 1856 he removed to Kilburn, where he was a consistent member of the General Baptist church till the Lord took him from the church militant to the church triumphant. His death was improved by Mr. G. Slack, of Derby, from Gen. v. 24, to a large and much affected congregation.

HARGREAVES.-Jan. 27, about ten o'clock in the morning, the Rev. O. Hargreaves, minister of the Baptist Chapel, Burnley Lane. The deceased gentleman was a native of Yorkshire, and was born in 1823, being forty-five years of age at his death. On completing his course of college instruction he was placed in charge of a congregation at Hinckley. His labours there extended through several years, and it was there he was married. Twelve years ago he removed from Hinckley to Burnley, where he has laboured ever since. His health had been declining for two years back. On Wednesday evening, Jan. 29, the Rev. R. Ingham, of Halifax, gave a funeral oration, and a large congregation assembled to hear it. At the conclusion of the service some hundreds of his flock went to take a last look at his remains. On Thursday morning the remains were taken to the Thornybank Station, and the hearse was accompanied by three mourning coaches, occupied by the officers of the chapel and a number of ministers resident in the district. The body was interred at Hinckley, and was accompanied by the members of his family and two of the officers of the chapel.

CHAPMAN.-Jan. 28, at Ripley, Derbyshire, Mrs. Chapman, relict of the late Mr. Thomas Chapman, Quorndon, Leicestershire, in the eighty-third year of her age. She was baptized and added to the church at Quorndon in September, 1805. For more than sixty-two years she has been a consistent member and a regular supporter of the General Baptist church, Quorndon, although during the last eight

years she has resided with her daughter at Ripley. Her privations during the last year or two were great, owing to the failure of her sight and hearing. But all this, with her gradual weakening and sickness, she bore with the most exemplary patience and Christian fortitude. Having expressed a desire that when she died she might be taken to Quorndon and laid in the Baptist burying-ground, her remains were interred there on Monday, February 3rd.

SLACK.-Jan. 30, at Derby, Mary Slack, aged seventeen, the youngest daughter of Mr. George Slack, after a short but severe illness which she bore with Christian patience and resignation, fell asleep in Jesus. She was a scholar of the Sabbath school connected with the General Baptist church at St. Mary's Gate from her infancy, and is much lamented by her relatives and a large circle of friends.

CHAMBERLAIN. - Feb. 13, at London, Isabella, wife of Mr. H. Chamberlain, aged sixty-four, formerly a member of the Carley Street church, Leicester, and recently of Borough Road, London, though,

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through severe and protracted affliction, she was latterly seldom able to attend a place of worship. She died trusting in Jesus.

BREWSTER. Recently, at his seat, Allerley House, near Melrose, Sir David Brewster. He was born at Jedburgh, Dec. 11, 1781, was educated for the Church of Scotland, and in 1800 took the degree of M.A. at the University of Edinburgh. Eight years afterwards he became editor of the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, and in the same year was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. During the succeeding years he devoted much of his time to the study of optics, and in 1816 he received the prize of 3,000 francs awarded by the Institute of France for two of the most important discoveries made in Europe in any branch of science during the two preceding years. That year he invented the kaleidoscope. He has probably done more than any other scientific man to popularize and perfect the stereoscope He has been a large contributor to scientific literature.

THE MINISTER'S MONITOR. PREACHERS SHOULD BE NEITHER PRATERS NOR PRATTLERS.-Some men rush into pulpits without preparation, presuming upon its being given them in that same hour what they shall speak. The consequence is that that comes out first which is uppermost; and whether they speak sense or nonsense they are but like horses running over hedge and ditch with empty carts. Jerome, in the earliest times, complained that the most ignorant were the most esteemed-that the most popular were those who excelled in boldness of front and volubility of tongue-that brow, not brain, carried the day. Archbishop Whitgift, speaking from his own experience, said that whoever took pains to write his sermons before preaching, would preach the better the older he became: but if any one trusted only to his reading and memory, his preaching in time would be nothing but prattling.

PREACHERS SHOULD BE PRACTISERS ALSO.-There was an old actor who pronouncing, "O cœlum" (O heaven), pointed with his finger toward the

ground, which when Polemo saw he could not stay in the place, but rushing out in a rage, said: "This fool hath 'made a solecism with his hand: he hath spoken falsely with his finger." And such are they who teach well but do ill: that have heaven at their tongue's end, and earth at the tip of their finger; that live not according to their teaching. If these men do not mend their actions, He that sits in the heavens will laugh them to scorn, and hiss them off the stage.

WHEN DO PREACHERS LIFT UP THEIR VOICES LIKE A TRUMPET ?-Isaiah is told to lift up his voice like a trumpetnot as the sea, which has a greater roar ; or as the thunder, which gives a louder clap. But why as a trumpet? Because a trumpeter blows his trumpet with his mouth, and holds it up with his hand. And so when the tongue is made God's advocate, and the hand the executor of God's will, then does a man truly lift up his voice like a trumpet.

SPEAKING IN SCRIPTURE-PHRASE.— It is very remarkable, says one, how God Himself, the maker and master of

speech, when He spoke from heaven at the transfiguration used three several texts of Scripture in one breath, as in Matthew xvii. 5. "This is my beloved

Sou" (Psalm ii. 7). "In whom I am well pleased" (Isa. xlii. 1.) "Hear ye Him" (Deu. xviii. 15). Happy is that minister who can aptly utter his mind in pure Scripture-phrase. It is not the froth of words, nor the ostentation of learning, nor strong lines that will draw men up to heaven, but strong arguments and convincing truths drawn from the treasury of God's word; as when a sermon is full of the bowels of Scripture, so that God and Christ may seem to speak in the preacher.

ANCIENT COUNSELS TO MODERN

CONGREGATIONS.

NEED OF MINISTERS.-As it is not enough to set or sow a garden with good herbs and seeds, and then let it alone, but there must be a gardener to oversee it-to dress it, and often to weed it; so it is not sufficient for a church to have the word planted and sown in it, but there must be diligent and laborious preachers and pastors continually to water and govern it, or else it will grow barren and fruitless.-Robert Cawdray, 1609.

NEED OF PREACHING.-As meat that is raw and fat may be called good, but is not to be eaten before it is made ready and dressed; so are the Scriptures read good, holy and pure, but not sufficient food for the people without preaching. As that fisher catches no fish who huddles his nets in heaps, and does not open them, so that minister who merely reads the Scriptures in the congregation wins no souls to God.-Ibid.

NEED OF THE SPIRIT'S INFLUENCE WITH THE PREACHING.-As the crowing of the cock was not sufficient to move Peter to repentance until Christ looked back upon him, even so ministers may preach to the people, but unless Christ open their hearts, and work by His Spirit in them, they will not receive profit by their preaching.-Ibid.

close-handed to their ministers. Hardest labourers have meat and drink and double wages. Among the Athenians, tragedians and comedians were said to labour in teaching the people, and therefore were highly honoured. But what were their pains to ours? yet we are begrudged a livelihood.-Trapp on 1 Cor. v. 18. 1656.

PREACHING AND PRAYER.-It is remarked by mariners that when they see the constellation of Castor and Pollux together, it is the happy omen of a successful voyage, but if either of them is seen alone, there is small hope of thriving. Thus it is with preaching and praying. When united, there is offered up that sacrifice which is acceptable to God, and profitable to the people. Praying without preaching will not edify the church, for where there is no vision the people perish. But preaching without praying does not fulfil the requirements of the church, which, as God's house, is "the house of prayer." Let there be sufficient preaching to teach men how to pray. Let there be more prayer to fit men to hear, and to call down a greater blessing on the word that is heard.

THE ENDING OF THE SERMON.-It is reported of a good man who was coming from a service and was asked by a person if the sermon were ended, that he gravely answered, "Ah! it is ended, but not done!" He answered well, for no sermon is really done till it be practised.

TUTORS AND TEXT BOOKS.-It is a slavish toil to learn any art by textbooks merely without the assistance of a tutor the written rule is of little use, is scarcely intelligible until we have seen it reduced to practice by one who can practise it easily and make its justice apparent. The ease and readiness of the master are infectious; the pupil, as he looks on, conceives a new hope, a new self-reliance: he seems already to touch the goal which before seemed removed to a hopeless distance. Such was the revival of spirit which the Jew experienced when he took the oath to Christ, and which he described by saying that he was no longer under the law but under grace.

He had gained a tutor instead of a text-book, a leader instead of a master, and when he learned what to do he learned at the same time how to do it, and received encouragement in attempting it.

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CHURCH DISCIPLINE IN DEVONSHIRE SQUARE. From the annals of an Old Meeting House in the Baptist Magazine we cull the following instances of the church discipline exercised in the Devonshire Square Society :-In 1644 a member was accused of frequenting Bishopgate Church and serving as a churchwarden. Persons were deputed to remonstrate with him, but as their remonstrances were unheeded, he was cut off. In 1666 the maidenly charms of a young woman attracted the notice of a youth, her inferior in social rank, who, to insure success, represented himself to be worth several hundred pounds. When the falsehood became known he, although he married the maiden, was suspended from church communion. In 1691 a young girl was excommunicated for 'keeping company with a parson of the Church of England." While improper marriages were strongly discountenanced, some were summarily separated for being "unequally yoked." Methodism arose the Calvinistic Baptist churches looked with suspicion on it, and its eminent founder; and those who assembled with the new sect were treated as "disorderly." Exclusions for attaching themselves to the Arminian preachers were very numerous !-As it regards gifts, these old Puritans considered themselves the truest judges of their quality. In 1704 a youth who aspired to the pastoral office was appointed to speak before the church. Though his oratorical effort was condemned as a failure, the aspirant continued to pour out his platitudes, and the indignant tribunal, finding its authority contemned, excluded him from fellowship, and did not re-admit him until he confessed that he had been "misled by Satan."

When

LOSING OLD FRIENDS.-There is a sad thing which we are all made to feel, as we are going on. It is, that we are growing out of things which we are sorry to outgrow. The firmest conviction that we are going on to what is better, cannot suppress some feeling of regret at the thought of what we are leaving behind. When I was a country parson, I used to feel very sorry to see a laurel or a yew growing out of the shape in which I remembered it, and which was associated with pleasant days. There was a dull pang at the sight. I remember well a little yew I planted with my own hand. It looks like yes

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terday since I held its top, while a certain man filled in the earth, and put the sod round its stem. For some time it appeared doubtful if that yew would live and grow; at last it was fairly established, and it began to grow vigorously the second year. For a year or two more, it was a neat, shaggy little thing; but then it began to put out tremendous shoots, and to grow out of my acquaintance. 1 felt I was losing an old friend. Many a time I had stood and looked at the little yew; I knew every brauch of it; and always went to look at it when I had been a few days away. No doubt it was growing better; it was progressing with a yew's progress; I was getting a new friend better than the old one, and yet I sighed for the old one that was gradually leaving me. You do not like to think that your little child must grow into something quite different from what it is now; must die into the grown-up man or woman; must grow hardened to the world, and cease to be loveable as now. You would like to keep the little thing as it is; when it climbs on your knee, and lays a little soft cheek against your own. Even in the big girl of seven, that goes to school, you regret the wee child of three that you used to run after on the little green before your door; and in the dawn of cleverness and thought, though pleasant to see, still you feel there is something gone which you would have liked to keep. But it is an inevitable law, that you cannot have two inconsistent good things together. You cannot at once have your field green as it is in spring, and golden as it is in autumn. You cannot at once live in the little dwelling which was long your home, and which is surrounded by the memories of many years, and in the more beautiful and commodious mansion which your increasing wealth has been able to buy. You cannot at once be the merchant prince, wealthy, influential, esteemed by all, though gouty, agueing, and careworn; and the hopeful, lighthearted lad that came in from the country to push his way, and on whose early aspirations and struggles you look back with a confused feeling as though he were another being. You cannot at the same time be a country parson, leisurely and quiet, living among green fields and trees, and knowing the concerns of every soul in your parish, and have the privilege and stimulus of