representatives and friends, while this business has been progressing; and have but rarely heard the remark, "They are only reading the States," offered as an excuse for needless absence from the sittings of the Association. The reports from the Churches were very generally of a cheering character. The number baptized during the past year is unprecedentedly large; if we mistake not, upwards of fifteen hundred. One Church, Loughborough, had baptized one hundred and five; another, Heptonstall Slack, upwards of eighty; and several others had enjoyed a large, and, we trust, a healthy increase. Amongst the numbers dead, however, are to be reckoned five ministers; brethren Jarrom, of Wisbech; R. Ingham, of Belper; Hardstaffe, of Kirkby Woodhouse; Beardsall, of Manchester; and Gunning, of Downton. Of the latter brother we know but little; but each of the former was well known to many of our people. It is remarkable, that, during the course of the last few years, a large number of our chief standard-bearers have been called from earth to heaven. May those of age and experience, left to cheer and guide us, be long continued; and may all our ministers and people be guided by the counsels, and aided by the Spirit, of the Great Head of the Church!

In the course of Tuesday, the members of the Association appointed brother Wallis, of London, chairman, and brethren Butler, of Heptonstall Slack, and Burns, of London, moderators.

The public services of the Association were well attended. On Wednesday morning brother Wallis preached an excellent sermon, from Jude, 3rd verse, "Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." He was afterwards requested to insert it in the Repository.* The annual Missionary Meeting was held on Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday evening being devoted to committees, a kind of revival meeting was held in the chapel, for the benefit of the friends not so engaged. On Thursday evening brother Ayrton, of Chesham, preached a useful discourse, from Acts ix. 31, "Then had the Churches rest," &c. An important Missionary Committee Meeting was held on Wednesday morning, when the projected Mission to China, after due deliberation, was postponed for the present year. It was then understood that there is a deficiency of suitable applicants for missionary labour.

With the exceptions above mentioned, and the usual intervals for refreshment, the business of the Association engaged the attention of the brethren the whole of every day until Friday at two, when the meeting broke up.

Of the business transacted, it will be the province of the Secretary of the Association to give, in the Minutes, a full report. We may, however, in this notice of the meeting, state, that the Churches in Lyndhurst, Hampshire; and Colwell, Isle of Wight, were received into the Connexion. It was recommended, that the MSS. of our revered brother, Rev. James Taylor of Hinckley, containing very interesting statistics, historical sketches, &c., of the New Connexion, should be printed. The work, it is supposed, will make a volume which may be sold for 2s. or 2s. 6d. We do hope that this recommendation will be speedily carried into effect. It should be recollected, that the preparation of these interesting statistics, &c., is partly owing to the request of the Association held at Castle Donington, in 1835.

* The first part appears this month.-ED.

In many respects, the most interesting and important business of the Association, this year, arose out of the resignation of the Rev. J. Stevenson, of London, of his office as tutor of the Academy. Some notice of a committee meeting held at Leicester, in consequence of the receipt of this document, was given in our pages, in June last. Mr. Stevenson stated in his letter of resignation,

“As I have been led to believe, in consequence of the great and unceasing pressure of my responsible and anxious engagements, I have suffered a very serious failure of health and spirits; and now, under a deliberate conviction that consistently with a right and necessary regard to my health, I cannot longer sustain the weight of care, and efficiently discharge the duties, involved in the office I hold, I give it back into the hands of the Association, with every feeling of respectful gratitude for the confidence they have shewn in committing it to me," &c.

The committee held at Loughborough, on Wednesday evening, recommended the Association to request brother Stevenson to withdraw his resignation, and to grant him £50. per annum for classical and philosophical assistance.

In the Association it was resolved, by a majority of 143 against 45, that it was most desirable the Academy should be located in the midland district and nem. con., that Mr. Stevenson should be requested to continue his office as tutor. The question of place further occupied the attention of the brethren. Leicester, Nottingham, Loughborough, and Derby, were respectively named, and voted for; and the majority appearing to be for Nottingham or Leicester, the house was divided on the question, whether Nottingham or Leicester should be the locality of the Institution. The scene now became animated, and in order that the numbers might be taken accurately, the representatives, voting for each, were successively requested to retire into the vestry. The numbers were ;-for Nottingham, 72; for Leicester, 85. Leicester was therefore determined to be the most approved situation for the Institution. It having been ascertained that Mr. Stevenson declined removing into the midland district, the attention of the meeting was directed to the question, "Who should be appointed to the office of tutor?" with the proviso that the tutor should not continue in any pastoral charge, but should devote his whole energies to the training of the students. Three or four brethren were proposed as eligible; but the effect of the proviso, combined with the thorough conviction that brother Wallis, by his attainments as a classic, critic, and theologian, was eminently adapted for this office, led ultimately to an almost unanimous vote, that he should be invited to accept the office of tutor. In no previous election of a tutor, by the Association, has there been, apparently, a greater degree of unanimity and concurrence. The following is brother Wallis's acceptance of the office, presented at a subsequent sitting of the Association:

:

To the General Baptist Association, assembling at Loughborough, June 29th, 1843. DEAR BRETHREN,-I beg to acknowledge, with sentiments of great esteem, the high honour which you have conferred upon me, in electing me to fill the responsible office of Tutor of the Academy. The duties of this situation will, I know, be both numerous and very important; and 1 am deeply sensible that there is ample reason for me to exclaim, with the Apostle, "Who is sufficient for these things?" but considering that the invitation of so large a meeting was so nearly unanimous, I cannot but regard it as pointing me to to the sphere in which my heavenly Father would have me to move. I therefore respectfully accept of your invitation: and, in humble dependence on divine assistance, I intend to devote all my energies to the effective discharge of the task you have assigned me. Praying that an ample "portion of the Spirit" so liberally vouchsafed to my learned, amiable, and devoted predecessor, may rest upon me.

I am, dear brethren, yours very respectfully,
JOSEPH WALLIS.

The committee afterwards met, and resolved,—

"That we receive brother Wallis's answer with great satisfaction, and affectionately commend him to the sympathies, support, and prayers of the Churches.

They also resolved,—

To make trial of the plan pursued by several kindred Institutions, viz, Stepney, Bristol, Bradford, &c.. That the committee engage premises,* furnish them so far as may be required for the students, and defray the household expenses, &c., &c.

Brother Wallis expressed his concurrence with the arrangements then made, and brethren Noble, (Boston) Winks, and Hodgson, were appointed a sub-committee, to treat with Mr. Stevenson in reference to the moveable articles of Academy furniture.

The Association agreed to take these at cost price. Mr. Hodgson, of Hebden Bridge, was appointed Treasurer, and Mr. Goadby, of Leicester, Secretary, in lieu of Mr. T. Roberts, jun., and Mr. Wigg, (resigned). The discussions, both in the Association and the committee, relative to this exciting business, were conducted with much temper and forbearance. Indeed, when we call to mind the difficulty of the question itself, the strong feelings that some entertained respecting it, and the fears of many lest evil might arise out of its unavoidable agitation, we are constrained to acknowledge that there is abundant occasion for thankfulness that so much of what was kind, and christian, and honourable, in spirit and temper, was manifested, and conclusions so generally satisfactory and unanimous were secured. The writer cannot better express his own views and feelings than in the language of two brethren, (and it will not be a violation of confidence to say they were the two moderators) received since the meeting. One says, "I hope the Academy question is now set at rest for many years;' and the other, "I never reflected on the decisions of my brethren with more entire satisfaction than I have this midsummer."

Before concluding this unusually lengthened reference to the Association, it will not be improper to observe, that a Missionary Bazar, under the superintendance of the ladies, was open at the school-rooms in Wood-gate; that the friends provided a comfortable breakfast and tea, at a low rate, in the old chapel; that a respectable ordinary was provided at one of the Inns, where every attention was paid to our comfort; that a benevolent gentleman, not connected with our people, threw open his park grounds, for the convenience of those who wished to promenade at their leisure; and that the friends at Loughborough paid every kind and hospitable attention to the very numerous ministers, representatives, and visitors, who attended this largest Association ever held by the New Connexion of General Baptists.

**We have been favoured with the following summary, from the Secretary :-Total number of members, 17,048; Baptized, 1,510; Received, 314; Restored, 106; Dismissed, 194; Excluded, 207; Withdrawn, 210; Removed, 188; Dead, 289; Chapels, 200; Sabbath Scholars, 21,513; Teachers, 3,488. Clear increase of members, 811.

It may be important information to state, that, since the Association, most eligible premises have been engaged by the committee, at a very moderate rent, in Spa Place, Humberstone Road, Leicester.

At a committee meeting in Leicester, it was resolved, "That, though this Institution is located in Leicester, we do not consider it as connected with one of the Churches in preference to another, and that, therefore, we consider the choice of their respective places of worship as resting with the students only; but that they will be expected to commune with some one of the General Baptist Churches in the town."

J

THE PRODUCTIVENESS OF VILLAGE MISSIONARY MEETINGS. "Jesus said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments."

In the Missionary Observer for February, a short appeal is inserted from the writer, on the subject of village missionary meetings. In that article reference is made to ten or twelve missionary meetings to be held in three successive weeks, in the vicinity of this town. It has struck me to inquire of the general treasurer the amount of these meetings, and through your pages to address another appeal to the friends of the Mission in our "half tribe of Israel," demonstrating the productiveness of village missionary meetings. Yesterday I saw the treasurer, who informed me that the years' proceeds amounted to £64 7s. 8d., of which sum £18 15s. 7d. was raised by the principal town, leaving £45 12s. Id., the product of missionary contributions in eleven villages and hamlets. Thus, as the fragments were more than the original provision for the supply of our Lord's followers, so the villages raised more than twice the sum of the parent Church. I attended five of these meetings, and my friend, the Independent minister, attended four of them. I may also remark, that, when among our own people very recently, we had three missionary meetings after sermons on the Lord'sday. The active ministers of these numerous villages attended them, and rendered very effective assistance. "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." How important, that in every village and hamlet connected with our Churches a missionary meeting should be held. Is not this a principal source of the productiveness of some of the larger Missionary Societies? Have we one hundred and twenty Churches? Then have we not preaching in four or five hundred villages? "Gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost," to send the bread of life to India, and China, and Japan. "Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rocks sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands." -Isaiah xlii. 11, 12. There are several views of this subject which demand very serious attention.

Numerous villages are characteristic of a prosperous country. How pathetically Deborah depicts the state of Israel, through the ravages of war, affording a striking contrast to Great Britain and Ireland at the present time. "In the days of Shamgar, the son of Arath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through by-ways. The villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I, Deborah, arose, that I arose, a mother in Israel."-Judges v. 6, 7. What pious female reader of these lines does not feel her spirit stirred in her to become a mother in Israel, and to be a public blessing in Britain, and India, and China? The prophet Ezekiel thus describes the thoughts of Gog, the enemy of Israel. "Thou shalt think an evil thought: and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land."-Ezek. xxxviii. 11, 12. What can

be more delightful than to see countries studded with villages, inhabited by myriads, yea, by millions of people?

It is important that the resources of villages for the cause of God should be developed. "The king himself is served by the field." But the fields must be cultivated, or the extensive establishment of such a king as Solomon could not be served by the fields, and its flocks and herds. The Jews frequently called small places cities. Thus, when Naomi and Ruth returned, it is said, "When they were come to Bethlehem all the city was moved about them." The inhabitants of villages, from their comparative solitude, are easily excited and brought together, "to tell and to hear some new thing." How important the establishment of Sabbath-schools and the erection of chapels in the numerous villages of our country! Here opportunity would be afforded to engage the sympathies and efforts of the young and the old in the Bible, Missionary, and Tract Society operations, which are now causing the wilderness and the solitary places to be glad." Was it not in reference to the utility of such efforts that Mr. James, of Birmingham, has very eloquently observed, "The tear of penitence does not drop in a single instance in this land without being felt in some way or other at the antipodes ?"

The aggregate of these village efforts is very considerable, and may become more so. The facts stated here are very striking. The town, the little city set upon a hill, raises for the missionary cause in the year £18 15s.; eleven villages within four or five miles, lying east, and west, and north, and south, produce £45 12s. 1d. It would be an interesting inquiry, what proportion of the funds of our public institutions is obtained from villages? but it is presumed that it is very considerable, and would be much more so if the inhabitants of these romantic and often beautiful places were more regularly visited on behalf of the claims of the world. They are inhabited by men of like passions," and can rejoice in the progress of the cause of God, as well as the inhabitants of populous towns and cities. When the diabolical plot of Haman was defeated, not only did "the Jews that were in Shushan, the palace, assemble, and make it a day of feasting and gladness;" but "the Jews of the villages that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day, of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another."-Esther ix. 18, 19. Why should not every village have its "good day" on behalf of the different religious institutions of our country? Of the visit of Peter and John to Samaria, it is said, "When they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans."-Acts viii. 25. In their road home," says Matthew Henry, "they were itinerant preachers. As they passed through many villages of the Samaritans they preached the Gospel. Though the congregations there were nothing so considerable as in the cities, either for number or figure, yet their souls were as precious, and the apostles did not think it below them to preach the Gospel to them. God has a regard to the inhabitants of his villages in Israel; (Judg. v. xi.) and so should we."

Very numerous and efficient Churches are sometimes located in villages. This is evident in the history of the various tribes of the Lord, and our own history is highly confirmative of the fact. What, is Barton, "the mother of us all," in the midland counties? Not Barton upon the Humber, the Trent, or the Thames; but Barton Fabis, Barton among the Beans! And