Christ is called the "Bread of Life," in reference to the constant spiritual nourishment which he gives to the soul for its daily improvement in every christian grace and duty.

Do you see what Helen's difficulty was ? One of her greatest faults of character was want of system-putting off things. Her mother had taken great pains to correct it; but much as a wise mother can do, real improvement can only spring from hearty endeavour in the child to improve herself; and this Mrs. Jones hoped now to find in her daughter, as one fruit of her christian faith. But Helen had not yet learned all that Christ required. She indeed loved to read her Bible, and good books, and attend meetings; but she had not begun to grapple with her faults, to reform her habits, to renovate, that is, make over new, her entire character according to the pattern given in the gospel.

"A great deal of our usefulness and our happiness," said her mother, "depends upon keeping our daily affairs in order, and not allowing duties to jostle against each other. Duties and employments, Helen, have their times, and they should be kept in time. Your morning work, for instance, is the care of your chamber. Do you give that time to it which is necessary? Are your drawers and closets as tidy as they should be? You must remember you are responsible to God for the way you manage those things put directly under your charge; and he expects order, and method, and faithfulness in the least thing as well as the greatest. The excellence of any reading will never excuse your neglect of your morning duties. As you run your eye over the day, you see it is your want of system, the want of foreseeing duty and preparing for it, which is the real origin of your troubles. This was always one of your prominent faults, Helen, and it is a great fault, essentially interfering with your usefulness and happiness, which you have never yet sincerely set about correcting. Now you really desire to correct it, and the first thing for you to do is to set earnestly about it. Carefully look over all your employments and duties, and systematize them; have a place and a time for everything, and everything in its time and place; faithful and vigorous efforts will correct your disorderly habits; not until they are corrected can you enjoy habitual serenity of mind, and become really happy."

THE THREE SCHOOLFELLOWS.

Grandpapa was sitting in his study one morning before breakfast, and Alfred was standing between his knees, looking up into his face, while little Emma, seated on the carpet, was trying to spell out some of the words from a large volume that was spread upon her lap. It was a bright summer morning, and the sunshine came in through the low casement, and made the very books look cheerful as they stood ranged upon the shelves; and the long sprays of honey-suckle outside danced in the light breeze, and threw moving shadows on the floor.

"I should like to be a great man," said Alfred; "when I am grown up as old as papa, I should like people to talk about me, and to have my name printed in the newspapers, and dukes and princes coming to see me."

"In short, you would like to be a second Alfred the Great," said grandpapa, with a smile.

"No, grandpapa; I do not want to be a king, but a great man; such as those gentlemen were talking of who were here last night. Oh, if I live to grow up, I will try to become a great man."

"Listen to a story," said grandpapa, "which, to please you, shall be about three great men, whom people at one time talked about very much, and whose names were often printed in the newspapers, and two of whom, at least, dukes and princes went to visit.

"Three boys were at school together, many years ago. They were close friends, keeping company out of school-hours, help

ing each other out of trouble, and having their pleasures and sports in common. They were nearly of an age, but there was a difference in their appearance, and still more in the dispositions and pursuits of each.

"The first was a heavy-looking boy, not quick to learn, but always plodding at his books, and sure to be master of his lesson, though making no great show of what he knew. He meant to be a lawyer; and his companions used to say that he was grave enough for a judge.

"The second was a lively lad, full of dash and spirit, with ability to learn whatever he chose. He was not idle, but he did not give himself up to study like the first, yet he meant to be a great man. He was an orphan, and his friends were poor; but his family had once been rich, and he was determined, by some means or other, to obtain great wealth, and buy again the estates which they had lost.

"The third was a shy and timid boy, pale and thoughtful, not strong in health, and fonder of reading than of study. He was gentle in disposition, and so kindhearted that he would not needlessly set his foot upon a worm. He, too, was meant for a lawyer; but the choice of his heart was a country life, with a garden and plenty of books."

"I like the second best of any, grandpapa," said Alfred, with a look of great interest.

Grandpapa fondly patted the head of his little boy, and then continued: "After the first boy left school, he still went on with his studies, and became a very learned man. He was a great lawyer, the greatest in the kingdom, and was made not only a judge, but Lord High Chancellor of England, which is the highest office that any lawyer can obtain."

"Well done, lawyer !" cried Alfred, clapping his hands.

"The second schoolboy went to India, and there gained great power and riches, so that in a few years he came back, and bought again his family estates. His greatness and his splendour were talked of from -one end of the kingdom to the other; his gold and his jewels were of more value than could be told. But the blessing of

God was not with him in his greatness. Troubles came heavily upon him; and having no higher comfort than this world could give, he was a careworn and unhappy

man.

"The third boy, after he left school, continued the study of the law for some time, but ill-health compelled him to give it up at last. He went to live in a small house in a country village, where no one knew him but a few chosen friends-chosen because they were God's people, and of one heart and mind as followers of Christ. There he lived from year to year, reading and writing, far from the busy world, with its vanities and sins, and almost forgotten by his former schoolfellows, whom he never met again."

"Dear grandpapa," exclaimed Alfred, in a tone of disappointment, "I do not call this last a great man at all! But what was his name ?"

"William Cowper; I consider him by far the greatest man of the three," said grandpapa, in reply.

"From this quiet dwelling he sent out to the world books that he had written, which will instruct and comfort the christian, when the names of his two companions are forgotten. His hymns have been uttered as words of prayer by many an humble, repentant sinner, seeking for a Saviour's mercy; his poems have expressed the language of many a pilgrim on his way towards heaven. The others were great for this world, and they had their reward in such honour and happiness as this world can bestow. He lived for eternity, and his highest ambition was to do good to the souls of others, and that his own name might be written in the Book of Life. And now that the grave is over them all, and they have done with the world for ever, whose object seems to have been the best worth living for? Whose recompense is the most valuable, and the most lasting?

man,

"You have my consent to be a great if you please," said grandpapa in conclusion; "but the only true greatness, to my mind, and as we are taught in the Bible, consists in loving God with our heart, and soul, and strength, and in doing all the good we can to others."

NOTES OF THE MONTH.

POLITICAL.

Very little of any great public interest has occurred since the publication of our last number. Parliament has been prorogued after perhaps the shortest session that there has been for many years; and the last few weeks have been occupied, as usual, in hurrying some measures, and in withdrawing more.

The American dispute may, we hope, be considered settled: at any rate the talk about war has ceased, and on both sides of the Atlantic men have begun to see the folly as well as the wickedness of allowing their differences to lead them into a quarrel. Italy, however, remains unsettled, and Spain has rushed inte disturbances almost amounting to revolution. Respecting France, too, it is said that all does not run as smoothly as the Emperor might wish. We hear of Secret Societies on an extensive scale, and the instances of repression which occasionally come to our ears, prove that Louis Napoleon sits by no means securely on his throne.

The last act of the war with Russia is completed. The Crimea has been completely evacuated by western troops, and not one soldier now remains on the territory of our late foe. By this time, too, most of the troops have arrived at home, where they have been received with the distinction that is due to the men who have served their country so faithfully. No wonder that they were welcomed with enthusiasm by those who remembered the names of Alma and of Inkermann, and who recollected how manfully the soldiers held their posts in the trenches before Sebastopol. The honour that was given to the survivors was meant also for those who had perished in the contest, and lay in a foreign grave.

Public hanging seems likely to become one of our daily excitements. Dove, the Leeds poisoner, has been convicted and sentenced; and no less than four other criminals lie, at the time we write, under sentence of execution. One of these, the Reading murderer, has, however, just been reprieved; and Dove is hardly likely to be executed, he having been recommended by the jury to mercy on the ground of "deficient intellect." It can hardly fail before long to suggest itself to our rulers, that as hanging seems to be so inefficacious, it is not unreasonable for society to ask that another experiment may be tried.

ECCLESIASTICAL.

The great ecclesiastical topic of the month has been the proposed retirement of the Bishops of London and Durham. Both being, on account of age and infirmities, unable any longer to discharge the duties of their office. They have proposed to retire on the small allowance (for a bishop): the former of six thousand, and

the latter of four thousand five hundred a-year.

The Church-Rate Bill of Sir W. Clay has been withdrawn, Sir William having found it impossible to carry the measure without the aid of the Government, and the Government having, after dividing Dissenters by their amendments, refused to aid in carrying it through. We must say that we rejoice in this result, which was, indeed, not unexpected by us. We regret, of course, that Church-Rates at this time of day are not abolished; but we cannot regret that the Government amendments have been overthrown. The circumstance, however, is well adapted to teach Nonconformists a lesson, which it is wonderful that, with their experience of the ways of governments, they have not learnt before. It is not the first time that a ministry has cajoled Dissenters into an inglorious alliance, and then deserted them, leaving them nothing but their humiliation. We believe that now there will be but one opinion as to the necessity of going with one Voice FOR TOTAL AND IMMEDIATE REPEAL.

BAPTIST COLLEGE, BRISTOL.

The Annual meeting of the Baptist College, Bristol, was held in Broadmead chapel, on Wednesday, June 25th. An address was delivered by the Rev. W. F. Burchell, of Rochdale; after which, Mr. Dennett, one of the senior students, read an essay on Nonconformity.". The other senior student was prevented from delivering his essay by an accident which he met with the preceding day. At the conclusion of the service the annual meeting of the friends and subscribers was held in the vestry, G. W. Anstie, Esq., of Devizes, in the chair. The report stated that the session just closed had commenced with nineteen students, three having been admitted for the usual term of probation after the printing of last year's report, viz., Messrs. Morrison, from Elgin, R. G. Moses, from Devonport, and T. K. Lea, from Coventry. Of these, eight (a larger number than usual) had, during the course of the session, left, or were now leaving the college :Mr. T. E. Fuller, who had been invited to take the pastoral charge over the church at Melksham; Mr. F. Edwards, in his fourth year, who having been in the college as a student on Dr. Ward's foundation, had proceeded to the University of Edinburgh under the patronage of the same fund, and Mr. S. B. Brown, a student of the same year, who through the kindness of a friend, had the opportunity of accompanying him; Mr. J. B. Little, a student in his third year, who having received an invitation to become pastor of the church at Southmolton, had been allowed to leave the college for that purpose at Christmas, and was now settled over that church.

Another student of the third year, Mr. W. S. Patterson, had requested permission to leave the college, which was granted, and proceeded to America, where he was now settled as pastor of the Baptist church at Barnstaple, Masachusetts. Mr. W, Bull and Mr. George W. Humphreys having completed their fifth session were leaving the college, but neither of them had as yet any immediate prospect of a settlement over a church. Five students had taken the degree of B.A. in the University of London, at the last examination,-Messrs. Isaiah Birt (who left the college in the preceding session), William Bull, G. W. Humphreys, S. P. Brown, and F. Edwards. Mr. Bull also underwent the subsequent voluntary examination in the Hebrew and Greek Text of the Scriptures and Scripture History, and obtained a prize of books of the value of £5, having passed in the first class. Three students had at present been received for the usual period of probation. The committee further reported that the income during the past year had very nearly met the expenditure, though the somewhat heavy debt due to the treasurer still remained. Several donations were acknowledged. The reports of the examiners, the Revs. John Burder, N. Haycroft, R Morris, F. Bosworth, H. Craik, W. E. Tayler, S. Griffith, S. Leonard, and D. Thomas, were very satisfactory.

LION STREET SUNDAY SCHOOL, WALWORTH.

The teachers and friends of this prosperous institution have lately celebrated their forty-seventh anniversary by their usual series of services and meetings. On Sunday afternoon, the 15th of June, the children (including the infants) were examined on the subject of "Prayer," from passages in the eleventh and eighteenth chapters of Luke. On the evening of the same day the annual sermon was preached by the Rev. S. Green. On Monday evening a special prayer-meeting was held in the school-room. On Tuesday evening about 150 of the parents of the scholars sat down to tea with the teachers, after which some very appropriate addresses were given. On Wednesday the children had their field treat in the ground attached to the house of the excellent treasurer of the institution, who afterwards very hospitably entertained the teachers and many friends. On the Thursday evening the public meeting was held, the Rev. W. Howieson, minister of the place, presiding. More than 200 sat down to tea, after which the room was crowded. The chairman having briefly introduced the business, called on the secretary to read the report, from which it appeared that there are upwards of 500 scholars on the books (there having been an accession of nearly 100, in consequence of the recent canvas), seven were added to the church during the year, one to a neighbouring church, and five from the select senior classes had become assistant teachers in this and other schools. £20 had been contributed by the

scholars to the support of their missionschool in Ceylon, and £5 towards the support of two orphan girls, under the care of Mrs. Saker, at Camaroons, Africa. About £8 had also been paid for bibles and hymn books. The meeting was then addressed by W. Gover, Esq., the Rev. J. George, the Rev. J. Oughton, and Joseph Payne, Esq. After a vote of thanks to the chairman and speakers, moved by J. Maitland, Esq., and seconded by Mr. Beal, the superintendent of the school, who took that opportunity of expressing the value set by the teachers and himself on the uniform kindness and help rendered by the pastor, this interesting anniversary gathering was brought to a close.

LEE, BLACKHEATH.

On Tuesday, July 1st, especial services were held in the Baptist chapel of this place. After introductory reading of the Scriptures and worship, conducted by Dr. Archer, the Rev. Newman Hall preached in the morning, from 1 Tim. ii. 5, a sermon of power, simplicity, and earnestness, on the need of a mediator for man, the vain efforts which he himself made to supply this need, and the divinely-authorised mediator, Jesus Christ. After the service, the company withdrew from the chapel to a tent in an adjoining field. Mr. W. E. Baxter, M.P., presided, and Messrs. Black, Crossley, Cheetham, and Pellatt, M.P.'s were also present. After dinner, Mr. Warmington read a report of the progress of the church and congregation during the first year of its history. It is now about eighteen months since the chapel was opened. The congregation remained but small, until the Rev. R. H. Marten, B.A., accepted an invitation to become the minister, when they considerably increased. In September last a church was formed, deacons were elected, and Mr. Marten was unanimously chosen pastor. Since that time the church has increased, and now numbers more than fifty members. The congregation has also steadily increased. The usual loyal toasts having been drunk, the chairman opened the proceedings with an appropriate address, expressing the pleasure he felt in presiding, and contrasting the past with the present state of Protestant nonconformity in this country. On his retiring from the chair, he was succeeded by Mr. Cheetham, M.P., who called upon Mr. Crossley, M.P. The Rev. Dr. Archer next spoke, and stimulated all present to works of usefulness. Mr. Adam Black, M. P., made some remarks upon the reciprocal influences of religion and education. Mr. Apsley Pellatt, M.P., adverted to the many advantages Dissenters had gained within the last twenty years. through the exertions of the liberal members of the House of Commons. The Rev. James Sherman eulogised the choice that had been made in selecting Mr. Marten as the minister. The Rev. George Duncan (Presbyterian) having delivered an address, upwards of £300 was collected for the chapel fund, which, however, is

insufficient for the purpose. Mr. Martin proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, and to the members of the House of Commons who had attended, and, after a brief response from Mr. Cheetham, the proceedings terminated. Several sums of money were promised towards the enlargement of the chapel, which was again filled in the evening by an attentive audience, to listen to the Rev. William Landels.

CANNON-STREET CHAPEL, BIRMINGHAM.

On Wednesday evening, July 16th, the services in connexion with the Jubilee of Cannon-street chapel, Birmingham, took place, this being the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the chapel. The church at Cannon-street is the oldest in the town, and the mother of the Dissenting churches in Birmingham. The occasion consequently excited considerable interest, and upwards of four hundred persons were present. After tea had been disposed of, the chair was taken by the venerable pastor of the church, the Rev. Thomas Swan, and addresses were delivered by Mr. J. W. Showell, the Rev. J. New, the Rev. J. Hammond, the Rev. J. J. Brown, the Rev. G. Cheatle, the Rev. T. Morgan, Mr. J. H. Hopkins, Mr. White, Mr. Room, and others. It appears that Mr. Swan has been pastor of the church for twenty-eight years; having, previously to his settlement in Birmingham, been engaged in missionary work in India. He has been instrumental in giving the hand of fellowship to above twelve hundred members, above a thousand of whom he has baptized. The church was formed on August 26th, 1737, of seven men and ten women; it now contains above seven hundred members. The Cannonstreet church sent forth to the world the first appeal on behalf of the Baptist Missionary Society, provided the first secretary in Mr. Pearce, formed the first auxiliary, and made the first public collection to its funds, about £70. To the liberality of the late Mr. Potts, one of the deacons of the church, Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Carey was indebted for the pecuniary means by which he sent forth to the world a pamphlet which was the precursor of the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society. We trust that the interesting facts which were stated at the meeting will be recorded in some form. Meantime, we congratulate the venerable pastor and the friends on their present position and prospects. "What hath God wrought ?"

CIRENCESTER.

The ceremony of laying the foundationstone of the new Baptist chapel in Coxwell Street, Cirencester, took place in the afternoon of Thursday, July 10th. The weather was peculiarly fine and agreeable, and the gathering was large and highly respectable. A little before four o'clock, the trustees of the chapel, the minister, deacons, and many of the members of the church, accompanied by Henry Tucker, Esq., and several

ministers and gentlemen from the surrounding district, proceeded from the Temperance Hall to the ground. Here some two hundred ladies and gentlemen had already assembled. The proceedings commenced by singing a hymn, after which the Rev. J. Larkins, of Bourton, Berks, read the Scriptures and offered prayer, The Rev. J. M. Stephens then, after having expressed in his own name and that of the congregation connected with the building, their thanks to H. Tucker, Esq., for his kindness in complying with their request, stated that in the stone was enclosed a bottle, containing a piece of parchment, on which was inscribed a statement of the circumstances under which the building was projected and commenced, the names of the minister, deacons, trustees, &c., and the estimated cost of the building, namely, £1,516. Henry Tucker, Esq., of Bourton House, Berkshire, then proceeded to lay the stone. The Rev. Thomas Winter, of Bristol, then delivered an able and earnest address, and the company, highly gratified with the proceedings of the afternoon, adjourned to the Temperance Hall to tea. After tea, the Rev. J. M. Stephens took the chair, when addresses, able, interesting, and effective, were delivered by the Revs. J. Stratford, T. Brookes, of Bourton-on-the-Water, J. Frize, of Fairford, Thomas F. Newman, of Shortwood, and Thomas Winter, of Bristol.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT.

On Sunday, June 29th, the Rev. William Jones preached his farewell sermons in Castlehold Baptist chapel, Isle of Wight. The text in the morning was Acts xx. 32, and in the evening, Heb. xiii. 8. On the following Tuesday evening, at six o'clock, a tea-meeting, numerously attended, was held in the vestry adjoining the chapel, to afford the church and friends an opopportunity of expressing to Mr. and Mrs. Jones their sentiments of regard prior to their departure for Nottingham. After tea R. M. Navell, Esq., M.D, one of the deacons, took the chair, and in a speech full of brotherly and christian feeling, presented to Mr. Jones, in the name of the church and friends, a copy of Dr. Bloomfield's "Annotations on the New Testament," eight volumes, neatly bound, together with a grateful acknowledgment of his earnest efforts to advance the kingdom of Christ, and for the many spiritual blessings which the Holy Spirit has, through his instrumentality, given to them. Captain G. Hall, Governor of Parkhurst Prisons, the Sunday-school superintendent, Thomas Upward, Fsq., and others, then added their warm and grateful acknowledgments. Mr. Jones, with the deepest feeling of gratitude, replied. Since Mr. Jones commenced his pastorate, about seven years since, most capacious vestries and school-rooms have been built and paid for, besides putting the church in a fair way to get rid entirely of an old debt of £500.