strong attachment existing between a pastor and those who have savingly profited by his appeals, is not to be measured by words nor to be readily dissolved. Mr. Carter and nineteen converts first met at the communion-table in a room opposite the Surrey Theatre. Soon after about two hundred were in communion, "and many of them," says he, "were greatly concerned about baptism. It is very difficult in London to baptize in the public baths, so I said to them, Now, my lads, if you will take up the flooring in the hall, and dig out the hole and build up the walls, I will buy the materials! They gladly acquiesced, and most willingly did they work. Some gave one day, others two days, many worked all night; so that within a week the baptistery was well built, and yet there was not a carpenter or a bricklayer among the converts who did the work." One regrets, however, that Mr. Carter should, on some occasions, have violated Scripture precept and the practice of ages by baptizing in the name of only one Person of the Trinity, inasmuch as such a singular course seriously involves the question of the validity of the ordinance. A few weeks since, upwards of 700 persons formed themselves into a church at Kennington in connection with the Victoria Hall. Members of other churches frequently wish to join this one, but I believe they are invariably refused, as it is Mr. Carter's desire that they should be shining lights in their own spheres. The services at the Victoria Theatre are of course of an unique character. Prior to the doors being opened, a venerable man addresses in a by-street those who are waiting for the commencement of the service inside. This person does not fail to be rather roughly answered by self-important sceptics and drunken wiseacres, who amuse bystanders by explaining their peculiar views of theology in general and morality in particular. The doors opened, the crowds surge in, the more respectable being anxious for a prominent position in the boxes or first gallery. The meanest clad women flock to the hatchways, where they are happy in being less observed than if they chose the open pit. Although plenty of buzzing, there is little else not to remind you of a respectable conventicle. There are no cat-calls, the so-called "gods" in the top gallery behave themselves with remarkable discretion, and it is only when the speakers enter on the platform that any signs of approbation or irreverence are manifested. Flauntily-dressed females, with the sinner's trade stamped heavily upon their otherwise interesting features, are scattered here and there; costermongers with their necks well bandaged by gaudy silk handkerchiefs (which are indispensable to the craft); fustianed labourers who only honour the Sabbath by using soap and water; poorly-clad ragamuffins who have crept in for a little warmthit is wet and chilly outside;-boys of various ages, who wriggle into innumerable shapes and quietly poke fun at each other until the speaker manages to arrest their attention; girls who manifest their interest in the proceedings by criticising the fashionable shortcomings of the betterdressed visitors; and decently-clad artisans and their homely wives make up the major portion of the assembly. Order reigns after the singing of the first hymn, although if the speaker's words are not afterwards distinctly heard, a repetition of the aforementioned buzzings occurs. Two assistants engage in prayer. The words are roughly spoken but they are appropriate; and when one of the suppliants begged the Saviour's special compassion on those present without homes, clothes or food, an undercurrent of sensitiveness or sympathetic feeling passed through the crowded theatre. A chapter was read, and partly expounded; and a short address was given by one who described himself as a very bad character before converted, and his looks did not belie his description of himself. He mentioned the case of a sceptic whom he saw that afternoon on his dying bed, and who two months before had threatened to cut his wife's throat for attending the meetings there. This sceptic had sent for him, had begged his prayers, and expressed in piteous wails his anxiety for pardon. A terrible instance of the results of following vicious courses during sixteen years, was also told with a simplicity and artlessness that were in themselves verifications of the story. These thrilling anecdotes are frequently interspersed with the addresses, and form their choicest power. I noticed too that the common phrases used in addressing more orderly assemblies, and which, alas! fall often without effect upon the dull hearts of Gospel-hardened unbelievers, produced a sensation amongst some who were at least terrified by the language employed. And in describing the power of Christ's blood to wash away the accumulated sins of years, a convicted thief, who had suffered in Newgate, and from the cat on board ship, but worse still from his own debauchery, gave force to his assertions, pointing to himself as a living witness of their truth. The charm of these speeches consists in their appropriateness. They amount to this. You see what I was before saved. You know how wretched you are without Christ. Why not be happy as I am; I am only a poor man, but I have a rich God to go to and you have not. I'll tell you how I was saved. Why by believing! I was told, on God's authority, that wHOSOEVER believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life-these words are capitalised by the speaker, and, repeated three or four times by a stentorian voice, they seem to shake the hearts of those previously affected by the appeals made. The singing is highly creditable to the congregation, well-known simple ditties being adapted to some suitable hymns with choruses attached. One chorus, as follows, was sung with great spirit and zest: "In Christ Jesus is salvation, yea, plenteous redemption, If you only now believe Him, there is heav'n for thee; There is heav'n for poor sinners, if they now believe in Jesus, An admirable feature in all these meetings is the visitation made by the с inquiry being made as to whether I knew the Lord or had rejoiced in His name," is a confession often heard. To the credit of Carter's young band it should be observed that the way in which they seek to converse with inquirers and thoughtless persons is such that none but querulous fools can withstand. I would that all Christians were as courteous and open-hearted. And though for the most part illiterate, half-orthodox and hard-working, these earnest preachers are engaged in a work that it were a worthy ambition to emulate. To be the instrument of saving one immortal soul is the noblest honour God can confer upon a Christian man, but to save hundreds ! Lest I indulge in an envious spirit I stop here, leaving my intended description of Mr. Carter's special mission among thieves, fallen women, costermongers, chimney sweeps, policemen, cabmen, and others for another occasion. Numbers of these semi-outcasts have been saved through his endeavours, and an account of their conversion will not fail to be interesting to the readers of this magazine. The Lord's Day: ITS DIVINE AUTHORITY AND PERPETUAL OBLIGATION. W HATEVER belongs specially to the Lord Jesus Christ should be held in high estimation by all his faithful followers. His name is as ointment poured forth; and all that is identified with it is perfumed with its divine fragrance. As believers in Christ, we ought to love his people, because they are his and bear his image. We should prize his Word because he is both its author and its theme. We are bound to honour his ordinances and institutions, because they are stamped with his authority, and, as symbols, set forth before our eyes the great fundamental truths of the gospel. Among those institutions, baptism, although without any inherent efficacy, is not less a privilege than a duty to the believer because, in addition to the sanction of his Master's command and example, it is a sign to him of his union and communion with his Lord in his death, burial, resurrection, and glory. The sacred supper is to be observed by the Church continually, with deep solemnity and holy joy, as a memorial of the Saviour's dying love till he come again. So the day which is sacred to his name should be loved and revered by every Christian above all other days, because it commemorates the resurrection of his Lord from the dead, and the completion of the glorious work of redemption. This day has various names. Some call it "Sunday," a name in my opinion decidedly objectionable, because it was so called by heathens as a day devoted to the worship of the sun. True, no such idea is now attached to the name, and we have heathen names for all the other days of the week; but, for the other days, we have no other names. For the day commonly called "Sunday," we have Scripture names; and, surely, Christians should prefer a scriptural name to one of heathen origin, though sanctioned by the world. This day is called in the Scriptures, "the Sabbath." Some object to this title on the ground that it is a Jewish name. What is the meaning.of the word "Sabbath?" REST. And is not the first day of the week a day of rest to the Christian as much as the seventh day was to the Jew? The name, however, which seems most expressive and appro priate is "The Lord's Day." This is the name given to it by divine inspiration in Rev. i. 10. This designation is very significant. It is peculiar in the original, and much more forcible than in our translation, although it may be impossible to give a better rendering. The particular form of expression occurs twice only in the sacred Scriptures. In Rev. i. 10, we have "Ev Tŷ Kupiakĥ ἡμέρᾳ, "On the Lord's Day; and in 1 Cor. xi. 20, we have, "Kupiakov δεῖπνον, φυχεῖν, ," "To eat the Lord's Supper." Now as all must admit that the Lord's Supper is so called because it was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ to commemorate his death, so it seems equally clear that the Lord's Day is so called because it was set apart by his authority to commemorate his resurrection. The designation of both the Day and the Supper would seem to convey the idea that these institutious belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, not merely as his property, but in a peculiar manner as though they partook in some sense of his own nature and attributes. This, of course, can be only in a figurative sense, or by association, not literally. In both cases, the noun "Lord" is put in the adjective form, qualifying "Day" and "Supper" respectively. The Greek language admits of such changes to a much greater extent than the English does. Even in English, we speak of "lordly mansions," and "kingly thrones;" and so we might speak perhaps of the "lordly Supper," and the "lordly Day," without doing violence to the original. This one Scripture passage, Rev. i. 10, compared with 1 Cor. xi. 20, seems of itself sufficient to establish the divine authority and perpetual obligation of the Lord's Day; but we are not without abundant proof besides, both from the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament proves the divine authority of the seventh day during the whole of that dispensation; and the New Testament proves that under the Christian dispensation, the first day of the week has been substituted for the seventh as a day of rest and worship. The question has often been discussed whether the fourth commandment is still in force, or whether it has been abolished? This question is resolvable into a wider one; namely, whether the moral law as a whole is still binding, or whether it has been entirely abrogated? Time and space will not permit us to enter fully upon the discussion of this part of the subject. We may, however, ask those who contend that the moral law has been abrogated, to point out, if they can, one sin forbidden by the moral law which the gospel gives licence to commit, or one duty commanded by the moral law which the gospel gives liberty to violate. Does the law say, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"? The gospel says, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matt. iv. 10.) Does the law say, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image"? The gospel says, "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John iv. 24.) Does the law say, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain"? The gospel says, "Swear not at all." (Matt. v. 34.) Does the law say, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy"? The gospel says, "The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." (Luke vi. 5.) Does the law say, "Honour thy father and thy mother"? The gospel says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord." (Eph. vi. 1.) Does the law say, "Thou shalt not kill"? The gospel says, "Murderers . . shall have 66 66 ... their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." (Rev. xxi. 8.) Does the law say, "Thou shalt not commit adultery"? The gospel says, Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Heb. xiii. 4.) Does the law say, "Thou shalt not steal"? The gospel says, "Let him that stole, steal no more." (Eph. iv. 28.) Does the law say, "Thou shalt not bear false witness"? The gospel says, "Putting away lying, speak every_man truth with his neighbour." (Eph. iv. 25.) Does the law say, "Thou shalt not covet"? The gospel says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have." (Heb. xiii. 5.) The sum and substance of the moral law is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, and our neighbour as ourselves. Does the gospel require less? Can it require more? 66 It is true, and a blessed truth it is, that believers are not under the law as a covenant, As the law cannot save sinners, so it cannot condemn believers; for "Christ hath redeemed " them "from the curse of the law, being made a curse for" them. In this sense, they are not under the law but under grace;" yet they are not without law to God but under law to Christ, as the apostle expresses it. Our Lord has, so to speak, transfused the spirit of the law, which is love, into his gospel. The law speaks to the Christian, not from Mount Sinai in a voice of thunder, accompanied by fire, darkness, and tempest, but from Mount Sion, in the still, small voice of love and mercy. It is not Moses that commands the believer, but Christ. What has all this to do with the subject in hand? "Much every way." If the spirit of the law is thus incorporated with the gospel, that of the fourth commandment is included. To say that the fourth commandment is merely ceremonial and temporary, whereas the other nine are moral and permanent, is without the least Scripture warrant. Our Lord said, "The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath;" and as "God is not the God of the dead but of the living," so Christ is not Lord of an obsolete Jewish festival, but of a day that still remains, and has a place in the dispensation of which he is the head. It might be proved, moreover, that even if the moral law had been entirely abrogated, it would not necessarily imply the abolition of the Sabbath, since the Sabbath was appointed and observed before the law was given from Sinai. Immediately after the record of creation, it is said, "God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it." That this was not a mere prospective sanctification of the day, but actually setting it apart on the completion of the work of creation, is evident from the frequent mention of weeks during the patriarchal ages. It is probable, indeed, that the Sabbath fell into disuse during the Egyptian bondage; for it is not likely that Pharaoh and his taskmasters would allow the Israelites to rest on that day to worship their God. Hence, perhaps, the reason why Moses explained to the elders of Israel the command to gather a double quantity of the manna on the sixth day. "This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." It may be objected that if this reasoning be correct, we are still bound to keep the Sabbath on the same day, and in the same manner in which the Jews kept it. To this it may be replied that, although the command to keep holy the Sabbath day was strictly moral, yet, in connection with its observance by the Jews there was much that was ceremonial, as their being forbidden to kindle a fire on that day, and the punishment of death |