Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

upon, but may say that, in hope that I funds would be received, we agreed to print 37,500 of our standard tracts. A new tract, selected by Mr. Taylor from the manuscript of our late friend, Sebo Sahu, was presented, and was received with much pleasure and satisfaction. It is entitled, "The Wonderful Works of Christ," and is in verse. An edition of 2,000 copies was decided on. I may here say that the revised and enlarged edition of "Divine and Moral Songs for Children," has been published within the last few days, and I have no doubt that it will take well with our young people. And here let me remark that when what we do pleases God He may make it useful in distant ages, and in nations whose very name is to us unknown. Dr. Watts could never have heard of Orissa in his retired and happy home with the Abney family; but with deep emotion I have heard little Oriya children repeat that sublime song

"I sing the Almighty power of God
That made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad,
And built the lofty skies"-

A song in whose elevated strains an angel might celebrate the power of God, while its simple language is adapted to the understanding and capacity of a child.

I should add that the edition just published contains some original hymns composed by our gifted poet, Makunda Das. This native brother has also composed a "History of Joseph," in verse, which I shall rejoice if we be able to print. It was further decided to print a third edition of "Peep of Day," which was first translated by Mr. Stubbins more than twenty years ago, and very favourably received by our young people.

We were not favoured with a delegate from the brethren in Northern Orissa, but received a very pleasing letter written by brother J. L. Phillips on their behalf. They bave rejoiced during the last two or three years in seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; but have had, as must always be expected on earth, anxieties and trials mingled with their joys.

We reported, as usual, our labours, and the state of our respective churches. The additions by baptism have been small, but one circumstance is remarkably encouraging and hopeful. The desolating famine has placed as many

more precious souls under our care as we previously had, so that we have now twice as many more to care for. The number of native christians (including communicants and nominal christians) connected with our several stations before this afflictive visitation befell us was about 1,150. The number of famine orphans which have been committed to us to train for Christ and heaven must be more than 1250.* I have not the particulars at hand of the number at Berhampore; but at Cuttack, not including the orphan schools we previously had, there are nearly 800; and at Piplee, I believe, about 370. It is a weighty charge, but the prospect for the future is bright with hope.

I have not time or room to describe in detail the public services, but may briefly say that the usual sermons were preached on Lord's-day, November 10. Ghanushyam Naik preached in the morning, from 2 Cor. ii. 14-"Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ," &c.; and Mr. Goadby in the afternoon, from John i. 18-"No man hath seen God at

any time," &c. The English sermon was preached in the evening by the writer of this letter, from Hebrews xii. part of 2nd verse-"Who for the joy that was set before him," &c. On the following Lord's-day we enjoyed, as usual, the memorial of Christ's death, the Oriya address being delivered by myself, and the English one by Mr. Miller. The Native Missionary Meeting was held on Wednesday evening, Nov. 13, and was a particularly interesting service. The attendance, too, was as good as it has ever been. Babu Sudanund Jacheek presided, and brief, appropriate, and interesting addresses on well-selected topics were delivered by Damudar, Jagoo, Thoma, and Shem. The chairman's remarks were very suitable, especially in reference to the work to which they had committed themselves in supporting a minister and establishing a new station. The closing prayer by Donardun was very devout and earnest. It seemed to breathe the very spirit of an ancient

[blocks in formation]

pleader at the mercy-seat-"Oh, that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence!" It was very refreshing to my own mind to hear the noble sentiments to which our native brethren gave utterance, and not less so to listen to the evangelical and excellent discourse preached by Ghanushyam before the Conference. Such sentiments and such discourses from the lips of native converts show that there is LIFE. It has been a time of trial and visitation, but, thank God! the King is yet in Zion. "The best of all is, God is with us."

I have omitted in the proper place to say that Mr. Miller suitably presided over our sittings, and closed the Conference with solemn prayer. And now, remembering the rapid flight of time, the near approach of eternity, and with it our full redemption, let each of us afresh devote ourselves to the service of our Redeemer and our God, and say

"Thy ransomed servant, I

Restore to thee thine own;

And from this moment live or die,
To serve my God alone."

JOHN BUCKLEY.

"I AM THE WAY."

By the late Miss Crawford, Female Missionary
to the Nestorians in Persia.

THE way is dark, my child, but leads to light.
I would not always have thee walk by sight.
My dealings now thou canst not understand;
I meant it so; but I will take thy hand,
And through the gloom

Lead safely home,

My child!

The way is long, my child! but it shall be
Not one step longer than is best for thee;
And thou shalt know at last when thou shalt stand
Safe at the goal, how I did take thy hand,
And quick and straight

Led to heaven's gate,
My child!

The path is rough, my child! but oh, how sweet
Will be the rest for weary pilgrims meet,
When thou shalt reach the borders of that land
To which I lead thee, as I take thy hand,
And safe and blest

With me shalt rest,
My child!

The cross is heavy, child! yet there was one
Who bore a heavier for thee, my Son-
My well-beloved. For Him bear thine; and stand
With Him at last; and from thy Father's hand,
Thy cross laid down,

Receive a crown,

My child!

Foreign Letters Received.

CUTTACK-J. Buckley, Nov. 30; W. Miller, Jan. 13.
PIPLEE J. O. Goadby, Nov. 25.

Contributions

H. N. C.

RECEIVED ON ACCOUNT OF THE GENERAL BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, FROM JANUARY 20th, TO FEBRUARY 20th, 1868.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Subscriptions and Donations in aid of the General Baptist Missionary Society will be thankfully received by T. HILL, Esq., Baker Street, Nottingham, Treasurer; and by the Rev. J. C. PIKE and the Rev. H. WILKINSON, Secretaries, Leicester, from whom also Missionary Boxes, Collecting Books, and Cards may be obtained.

THE

GENERAL BAPTIST MAGAZINE.

APRIL, 1868.

THE PRESENT STATE OF THE GENERAL BAPTIST

DENOMINATION.*

BY THE REV. C. CLARKE, B.A., ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH.

[blocks in formation]

leaves our actual number about the same; though during the last thirteen. years the denomination has always gained by these changes. Every year from 1855 to 1867 (with the exception of one year, and that was only the difference of two on the other side) the received have always been greater than the dismissed. The total of received being 4,829, that of dismissed being 3,842; making a clear gain to the denomination of 987. So that it cannot be said that we have lost by dismission to other churches not belonging to our denomination. It is evident the increase of the denomination must be from baptisms. Our baptisms for the three years were 3,053; our deaths were 1,114; leaving us a gain of 1939. But this number was not sufficient to cover the loss of 2,513 by exclusions, withdrawals, and removals. In 1865 the loss from these three causes was 915; in 1866, 708; in 1867, 890. Our baptisms, after the reduction for deaths, failed to supply this loss by 574. The restorations of 251 were more than swallowed up by the loss of 277 through the extinction of churches.

* Paper read at the Midland Conference of General Baptist Churches held at Baxter Gate Chapel, Loughborough, Feb. 25, 1868, and inserted in the Magazine by request of the Conference.

VOL. LXX.-NEW SERIES, No. 16.

[ocr errors]

The decrease may be accounted for by the absence of more conversions, otherwise we might have had more baptisms; by a most lamentable lack of godliness, otherwise we might have had less exclusions; by most deficient attachment to our principles or local churches, otherwise we might have had fewer withdrawals; and by the very negligent conduct of losing sight of our members, otherwise we might have had fewer removals.

In the three years we have lost by removals 1099. What has become

of these persons? Why have we not watched them? Why have we not kept up a correspondence with them? Why have we not secured for them an introduction to the churches in the town to which they have gone, and then reported them as dismissions? If they were honourable members with us we ought not to have lost sight of them, if possible, till they had become members elsewhere. Bad management in this respect, a lack of communication with our non-resident members, partly accounts for our decrease. We win them by care, we lose them by neglect.

In the three years we have lost by exclusions 698. Was this partly our fault? Did we shepherd them as we ought to have done? Did the pastor's eye, made vigilant by an anxious heart, see their first wrong step; and did his ready feet go after the stray sheep when it was but a little way from the fold with a view to bring it back? Or, for the sake of figures and reports, did we

ever

stretch our charity and hope against our fear and hurry unsuitable persons into the church whom we have had to exclude? Though their own hearts were not right with God, and though their exclusion is their own disgrace and condemnation, yet we may ask ourselves, was our conduct right towards them, and if we had done our duty to Christ and to the

erring sheep, would not our exclusions have been less? Probably our young members form the majority of those excluded. While they are inquirers and candidates they receive special attention and care from both minister and people, but as soon as they become members their stability seems taken for granted, and they cease to receive the personal and religious attention of those who should train and nurture and establish them. Any plan by which our youth in the church would be more cared for and preserved would considerably lessen the number of our exclusions.

In the three years we have lost by withdrawals 716. Why have these persons withdrawn? Have we failed to instruct them; failed to do them good; failed to give them better spiritual provision than they could find elsewhere; failed to shew them sympathy; failed to forgive, to forbear, to love them; failed to make them love us and to be most at home

and happiest with us? There are many withdrawals, no doubt, from causes over which neither minister nor people have any control. There are more withdrawals from disaffection which ought not to have arisen in the household of faith.

In the three years we have baptized 3,053-say 1,000 per year; or, as we have about 280 chapels and preaching places (225 chapels and 55 preaching places) that is 3.16 persons for each place. Is this what even little faith might expect? We have cause for humility and heartsearching. Where is the power of the truth! Where, the might of the Spirit! Ah! where the promise of His coming to reign over a converted world! That a revival is needed in the churches there cannot be the slightest doubt. This will appear if we confine ourselves, as we have done, to the statistics of the three years. The number of our baptisms compares disadvantageously with the

number of our exclusions, withdrawals, and removals, during this period. But if we take a longer period we find this sad result, that the baptisms of 1867 compare disadvantageously with the baptisms of 1862. From 1855 to 1862 we had (save in one year) a gradual increase in the number of baptisms. In 1855 they were 875; in 1856, 1,013; in 1857, 1,155; in 1858, 1,115; in 1859, 1.340; in 1860, 1,431; in 1861, 1,439; in 1862, 1,597. The baptisms of 1862 exceeded those of 1855 by 722. But since 1862 we have had a gradual decrease without an exception to the present time. In 1862 our baptisms were 1597; in 1863, 1,180; in 1864, 1,132; in 1865, 1,074; in 1866, 1,001; in 1867, 978. The baptisms of 1867 fall short of those of 1862 by 619. For eight years we were gradually increasing, for the last six years gradually decreasing. What is the cause of this? Who can tell but the heart-searching God! We know there are ebbs and flows of success in most organisations-that there is seed-time as well as barvest. But after admitting all the palliating or explanatory reasons that could be assigned, the conclusion is inevitable that a revival is needed. And after the ministry shall have laid this fact to heart, and have resolved to seek the quickening Spirit that their personal godliness and ministerial efficiency may be increased, there yet remains one form in which a revival needs shew itself-that of individual work by church members. The special gift of each member should be engaged in its appropriate work. The work of the church cannot be done by proxy. 'Tis as unjust as it is useless to expect the minister to do everything. The plan adopted in our German churches of expecting every member to do something as a sine qua non to membership should to some extent be adopted amongst us. In conversion there are

both agent and instrument. God is the agent! A holy, spirituallyminded, praying, working church, teaching and living the truth, is the instrument. And if we had more active piety in our churches we should soon have more spiritual results in our congregations. Let us pray-O Lord! adjust the instrumentality and shew forth the might of converting power!

But now leaving this special case and all statistics, consider

II.-GENERAL CAUSES WHY WE

HAVE NOT A LARGER INCREASE.

In

1. The lack of an earnest Home Missionary spirit. Our Home Mission efforts are not worthy of us. This mission is amongst the least effective of our institutions. dividual churches may be doing something in their own neighbourhoods, but the denomination is slow to do a great work in places where great denominational results might be achieved. We are not forgetful of Coventry, Sheffield, and Leeds, and of what is now doing at Longton and Swadlincote; at Dewsbury and Denholme; at Holbeach, Whittlesea, and Lincoln; and at other places. But the gross income of the Home Mission in 1867-£276 10s.

-does not express an earnest, determined, and aggressive spirit on the part of the denomination. Indeed it would appear as if our liberality and cordiality towards other sections of the church existed at the expense of love to our own tenets and a determination to propagate them. If we loved our denomination with a quarter the fondness with which a well-beneficed rector loves his "branch of the civil service," we should shew more zeal in its extension.

2. The scale of ministerial remuneration. In this matter none will venture to prefer against us the charge of extravagance. If we had such an accuser we might surely

« EdellinenJatka »