1 Cor. xv., so wisely introduced into our solemn burial service, observed, that he had the pleasure of the acquaintance of the late H attended him on his deathbed, and might truly say, that our lamented brother's religious views were scriptural, experimental, and practical; embracing a deep sense of his own unworthiness before God, and a lively faith in the merits and mediation of his Redeemer, in whom he had found pardon and peace. Experimentally, his religion was not of yesterday, or a mere deathbed religion; he had evidently "known in whom he had believed" for many years; whilst, practically, his marked submission to the will of God, and patience through a long and tedious illness, evidenced that he was "looking unto Jesus." "Happy, leaning on the breast of Jesus," was the last effort of the expiring speech of one whose motto was, what he often expressed, "Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." I remain, dear sir, yours, A SISTER IN THE LORD, AND AN OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTOR WESLEY'S HYMNS. To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. SIR,-As a disinterested party, will you allow me to make a few remarks respecting Wesley's hymns as noticed in your last issue? From the commendation bestowed upon Mr. Sedgwick by Mr. Gadsby in his memoir of hymn-writers, as also by the American press,* it must have been a slip of the pen when in last month's number he writes thus: "It is known as a truth that John Wesley was less Arminian than his brother Charles, and that he often persuaded him to compose his hymns less Arminian than he usually did." We can only say, if Charles exceeded his brother John in Arminianism, what must Charles have been? and what ungrateful returns have been rendered to him by the Wesleyan body, as his individuality is lost sight of in the greater glory of his brother, who, after all, was "less Arminian ?" The Wesleyan connexion would little thank any vindicator who attempted to prove that their founder and leader wanted a Calvinist tone to be given to his hymns, and those doctrines made "less Arminian." The statement of "C," that the hymns of Charles were altered by John to suit his own views, is corroborated by Mr. Gadsby on the authority of Mr. Creamer.† (See p. 136.) That the two brothers differed widely and finally in their views of truth, the close and lasting adherence of Charles Wesley to the Calvinists of that day, after John had separated from them, plainly proves, without going into further details that our limits forbid. It is not likely the joint hymn-book of the brothers appeared in print * Vide the Independent of Feb. 14, 1867. From a pamphlet, entitled, "Two Lectures on the Wesleyan Hymn Book" (by the Rev. Jos. Heaton, minister), which, in the connexion, has reached the seventh thousand, some valuable information may be obtained. Mr. Heaton says: "Charles was the bard of Methodism. There are 626 hymns of Charles Wesley in one book. Only thirty-six hymns were contributed by John; some original, chiefly translations." Mr. Heaton adds: "His judgment was wonderful, and never displayed in greater perfection than in the censorship he exercised in the preparation of the large hymn-book. Not only over hymns purely Wesleyan did he exercise a sharp and unsparing censorship, but over all adopted by him for the use of his people." without the supervision of John; and, when it went forth from his hands it was in harmony with his doctrine of perfection, that the preface should declare, "None is able to mend the sense or the verse." Taken as a whole, the best part of the Wesleyan system is their hymnbook. Charles Wesley composed or translated the majority of the hymns that bear the name of "Wesley;" and the vein of rich unctuous and living experience that runs through them has cheered the heart and strengthened the faith of God's elect amongst that holy body, who, taught by the Spirit of God, are sound in heart though wrong in head. Without desire or intention of further controversy upon the subject, I remain, yours in God's eternal truth, W. M. "A WORD IN SEASON." To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. 30, Sparkenhoe Street, Leicester, Dec. 25, 1867. BELOVED IN THE LORD-and for His sake may grace, mercy, peace, truth, and strength equal to the day be abundantly granted to thee from Him that was, and is, and is to come, even Jesus, the sinner's stedfast and unchanging Friend!-that precious "Brother born for adversity," who is "touched with the feeling of all our infirmities,"-in an unusual way of late you have laid on my mind, when at the throne of grace; only very lately have I heard of the removal of your beloved companion. So it must be. "This is not our rest; here we have no continuing city," "And nightly pitch our moving tent More than eight years have elapsed since the death of my last invaluable wife, and, though I feel her loss to this day, I never have dared to wish her back. "A few more rolling suns at most' will terminate thine earthly career, and mine too. How many of the Lord's standard-bearers has He been pleased to call home within the last four years! Truly, the darkness thickens around our British Zion. Multitudes have the name of Christ on their tongues, but how few do we find who can in honesty and godly simplicity give a scriptural account of what God has done for their souls! What trash is set before the people in this sad time in which we live! The fine gold of the Puritan age is changed indeed, and base pinchbeck substituted in its stead. Still our God has a remnant who are sensibly taught to know their own sore, groan under the plague of their own deceitful hearts, and yet rejoice in the saving knowledge of Jesus, their Deliverer from the power and dominion of sin. I have seen a great beauty in the words lately, "Behold the Lamb of God, which TAKETH AWAY the sin of the world." What world? Not the world that wanders after the beast, not the world that hates those chosen out of it, not the world that lieth in wickedness, nor the world that neither knows nor receives the Comforter; but the elect world, to be gathered from all quarters of the globe, and for whom Jesus undertook, whose nature He assumed, whose every debt He paid, who are foreknown, predestinated, called, justified, and all of whom will be glorified; and this work solely is the work of God, which we do well to consider. From how many pulpits, in this once-highly-favoured land, do these sterling scriptural truths sound forth? The spirit of Pelagius has sadly overspread the land, and, as a celebrated Scotch divine has truly stated, "Man must be exalted, though God be abased. Man must be free, though God's throne should be subverted." Their language being tantamount to "Let us break His bonds, and cast His cords from us." Thousands, called Protestants, do not believe the Bible revelation respecting the fall of Adam and its effects. If they did, would they so ignorantly call on the spiritually dead in sin to arise and perform spiritual acts? After the great apostle of the Gentiles calls upon the saints of Ephesus to bless God for the blessings laid up in Christ for them, and declares that they were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, &c., he twice, at the beginning of the second chapter, declares that they (these highly-favoured ones) were DEAD in trespasses and sins; not injured a little by the fall only, but DEAD. Nor can anything short of the lifegiving voice of the Son of God arouse them from their spiritual slumber. How few are there in our British Zion like some of late removed! How few, if any, who are able to approach the Christ-exalting, soul-humbling, yet soul-cheering and precious teachings of the Holy Spirit, as traced out in all its varieties, as that master in Israel, the Gospel Cottage Lecturer, has done. Those gems will be a treasure to the Church of Christ to the end of time. How rarely do I glance over any of those pages but my soul seems to catch something of celestial fire! But he is gone homechanged places, but not company; for he loved, lived, and walked with Jesus here, and now enjoys uninterrupted communion with Him for evermore. One thing cheers me, my tribulated brother; it is this, "They, without us, cannot be made perfect." I have been wishing to write to you for some time past, but have had two falls, by both of which I sadly sprained my right shoulder, and, although much better, still it is painful when I write. The Lord God of Israel still be thy Support, Shield, and unfailing Refuge! spare and strengthen you a little longer to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ to lost and helpless perishing sinners, in which happy employment I hope to live, and fighting under whose banner I hope to die! We do not run at an uncertainty, blessed be God! and every day's experience teaches us to know that we have to combat with something more formidable than the air. I remain, thine truly in covenant love, T. S. AGED PILGRIMS' FRIEND SOCIETY. 10, Osborn Place, Blackheath. DEAR MR. EDITOR,-The late indefatigable and honorary secretary of the Aged Pilgrims' Friend Society (the lamented Mr. Box) bequeathed the sum of about £10,000 to that society for the purpose of endowing a new asylum, which is so much required for the aged and infirm of the Lord's family, but which legacy cannot be made available for building purposes. To accomplish this object, a piece of ground has been purchased in the very healthy locality of Hornsey Rise, in the parish of Islington, but the committee are wanting in funds to proceed with the building. Your readers generally may not be aware that the society is unsectarian, the only qualification required being that the recipients of its bounty are of the household of faith, needing the sympathy and benevolence of those to whom the Lord hath entrusted "the gold and the silver," and to whom this appeal is made-a gentleman being willing to subscribe the sum of £50, provided nine others will do the same, so as to raise a sum of £500 within six months in order to commence this laudable undertaking. I trust, Mr. Editor, that the claims of this society are such as to justify me in trespassing upon your time and space, feeling assured, from the love that you have shown for the society and the benefit it has received from your ministrations, that you have its interests at heart, and the watchword shall be "Jehovah-iireh." Thornton Vicarage, near Leicester, Jan. 21, 1868. MY DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER IN OUR BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR,— I was much grieved a few days since to hear of your great loss. I do assure you Mrs. A. and myself do most sincerely sympathise with you in this time of sorrow. Such visitations speak loudly to our hearts, and shake our frail tabernacles; but the Lord is a "very present help in trouble;" He is our Help and our Shield. We know she is ever with the Lord, and is taken from the evil to come. It is one mercy that "all they who have gone before cannot without us be made perfect." It is good, therefore, for us to say, with Job, "All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." "Are we not tending upward too, As fast as time can move?" &c. We may well have a desire to "depart, to be with Christ," for He is all our desire, hope, joy, crown, glory, righteousness, and salvation (Ps. lxxiii. 25). The doctrines of grace give us full assurance of faith; for what assurance have we, if anything depended upon ourselves? But we know everything was prepared, ordained, and settled before the foundation of the world, and all is finished now and complete in Christ. "With joy shall we lift up our heads." "Our Forerunner is for us entered within the vail, there to appear in the presence of God for us, and of all the Father gave Him." He will present us before Him, and declare He has lost none; no, not a hair of our head shall perish. I pray the Lord to support you under this heavy stroke with His blessed presence, with His everlasting arms, with His eternal love, and comfort you day by day with His "exceeding great and precious promises." May the Lord Jesus visit you, as He did His friends after the decease of their brother, with His life-giving words, "I am the Resurrection and the Life," &c.; and may the Holy Ghost the Comforter comfort your heart with the abundant consolation of the everlasting covenant, that you may be strengthened by His power in the inward man, and you may say, with humble Job, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." "It is but a little while, and He that shall come with His saints, will come for us;" wait, watch, and be ready, and blessed shall we be by Him who will say to us, "Come in, ye blessed of my Father." We may never meet again in the flesh-I am nearly seventy; but we shall meet face to face before the throne of God and the Lamb for ever. I remain, affectionately yours in the bonds of Gospel love, The Protestant Beacon. RITUALISM. THE following extracts are from the writings of a person named Le Geyt, allowed (at present) to officiate at St. Matthias, Stoke Newington, a church in the diocese of the Bishop of London. It is sincerely hoped that no true Protestant will, after perusing such pernicious stuff, rest content until this man and others of the same class be ignominiously expelled from the National Establishment, and prevented again serving within its sacred walls. If they be anxious to teach "erroneous doctrines and damnable heresies," let them, like honest men, secede, and no longer traffic on their high position as Church of England clergymen to do the work of Romanists. By silly pantomimic performances they bring our beautiful services to a level with ordinary dramatic entertainments, appearing to have no higher motive in view than to exalt priestcraft at the expense of burlesquing, if not blaspheming, the holy attributes of the Son of God : - "The Paten is for the reception of the consecrated bread, the body of Christ; and as it covers the top of the chalice, it was supposed by some to represent the stone which was rolled against the door of the sepulchre. Make the sign of the cross at the invocation of the blessed Trinity, at the absolution, benediction, and at the words, the life of the world to come, in the creed. Go to bed with a kind of holy and impatient joy to think that Jesus will come to you in the morning, that you will-you can hardly believe so great a thing for very gladness-that you will actually receive His body into your body the next day. I say, go to bed with a kind of holy and impatient joy. O dear, Ŏ blessed, Ŏ most holy Lord Jesus, can it be that I, a sinner, should rise up Sunday after Sunday, and that Thou shouldest come unto me, give Thyself into my hands, and enter into me?' And, behold, Thou art here present to me on the altar, my God, the Saint of saints, the Creator of men, and the Lord of angels. A wonderful thing it is, and worthy of faith, and transcending all human intelligence, that Thou, O Lord my God, true God and Man, art contained under a small form of bread and wine, art eaten by the receiver, and without being consumed. A priest clad in sacred vestments is Christ's vicegerent. He (the priest) weareth the cross before, that he may bewail his own sins, and behind, that, through compassion, he may lament the sins of others, and know that he is placed in the midst between God and the sinner. Oh, how great and honourable is the office of priest, to whom is given to consecrate with sacred words the Lord of majesty, to bless Him with their lips, to hold Him with their hands, and to receive Him with their own mouths, and to administer Him to others! Pure and lifted up to heaven should be the hands which are used to handle the Creator of heaven and earth. Imagine you see the blessed Virgin, St. Mary Magdalen, and the other Maries, going to Mount Calvary to behold Christ crucified; endeavour to stir up in your mind such thoughts as you may suppose those holy persons to have had in this sacred pilgrimage, as you are going to |