brazilian sketches by rev. t. b. ray, d.d. educational secretary of the foreign mission board of the southern baptist convention. to my wife who shared the journey with me contents i. the country ii. the capital, rio de janeiro iii. a visit to a country church iv. two presidents v. the gospel withheld vi. saint worship vii. penance and priest viii. the gospel triumphant ix. jose barretto x. captain egydio xi. felicidade (felicity) xii. persecution xiii. the bible as a missionary factor xiv. the mettle of the native christian xv. the testing of the missionary xvi. the urgent call xvii. the last stand of the latin race appendix foreword. i was dining one day with a very successful business man who, although his business had extensive relations in many lands, was meagerly informed about the work of missions. i thought i might interest him by telling him something of the effects of missions upon commerce. so i told him about how the civilizing presence of missionary effort creates new demands which in turn increases trade. he listened comprehendingly for a while and then remarked: "what you say is interesting, but what i wish to know is not whether missions increase business--we have business enough and have methods of increasing the volume--what i want to know is whether the missionary is making good and whether christianity is making good in meeting the spiritual needs of the heathen. if ever i should become greatly interested in missions it would be because i should feel that christianity could solve the spiritual problem for the heathen better than anything else. what are the facts about that phase of missions?" these words made a profound impression on me, and since then i have spent little time in setting forth the by-products of missions, tremendously important and interesting though they are. i place the main emphasis on how gloriously christianity, through the efforts of the missionary, meets the aching spiritual hunger of the heathen heart and transforms his life into spiritual efficiency. since this is my conception of what the burden of the message concerning missions should be, it should not surprise anyone to find the following pages filled with concrete statements of actual gospel triumphs. i have endeavored to draw a picture of the religious situation in brazil by reciting facts. i have described some of the work of others done in former years and i have recorded some wonderful manifestations of the triumphant power of the gospel which i was privileged to see with my own eyes. these pages record testimony which thing, i take it, most people desire concerning the missionary enterprise. more arguments might have been stated and more conclusions might have been expressed, but i have left the reader to make his own deductions from the facts i have tried faithfully to record. no attempt has been made to follow in detail the itinerary taken by my wife and myself which carried us into brazil, argentina and chili in south america, and portugal and spain in europe. it is sufficient to know that we reached the places mentioned and can vouch for the truth of the facts stated. i have confined myself to sketches about brazil because i did not desire to write a book of travel, but to show how the gospel succeeds in a catholic field as being an example of the manner in which it is succeeding in other similar lands where it is being preached vigorously. i wish to say also that i have drawn the materials from the experiences of my own denomination more largely because i know it better and therefore could bear more reliable testimony. it should be borne in mind that the successes of this one denomination are typical of the work of several other protestant bodies now laboring in brazil. the missionaries and other friends made it possible wherever we went to observe conditions at close range and under favorable auspices. to these dear friends who received us so cordially and labored so untiringly for our comfort and to make our visit most helpful we would express here our heartfelt gratitude. we record their experiences and ours in the hope that the knowledge of them may bring to the reader a better appreciation of the missionary and the great cause for which the missionary labors so self-sacrificingly. richmond, va. chapter i. the country. we had sailed in a southeasternly direction from new york twelve days when we rounded cape st. roque, the easternmost point of south america. a line drawn due north from this point would pass through the atlantic midway between europe and america. if we had sailed directly south we should have touched the western instead of the eastern coast, for the reason that practically the entire continent of south america lies east of the parallel of longitude which passes through new york. after sighting land we sailed along the coast three days before we cast anchor at bahia, our first landing place. two days more were required to reach rio de janeiro. when we afterwards sailed from rio to buenos aires, argentina, we spent three and one-half days skirting along the shore of brazil. for eight and one-half days we sailed in sight of brazilian territory, and had we been close enough to shore north of cape st. roque, we should have added three days more to our survey of these far-stretching shores. brazil lies broadside to the atlantic ocean with a coast line almost as long as the pacific and atlantic seaboards of the united states combined. its ocean frontage is about , miles in length. this coast line, however, is not all the water front of brazil. she boasts of the amazon, the mightiest river in the world. this stream is navigable by ships of large draught for , miles from its mouth. it has eight tributaries from to , miles and four from , to , miles in length. one of these, the madeira, empties as much water into the larger stream as does the mississippi into the gulf. no other river system drains vaster or richer territory. it drains one million square miles more than does the mississippi, and in all it has , miles of navigable waters. the land connections of brazil are also extensive. all the other countries on the continent, save chili and ecuador, border on brazil. the guianas and venezuela, on the north; colombia and peru on the west; bolivia, argentina, paraguay and uruguay on the south--eight countries in all. it is indeed a vast territory. the united states could be placed within its borders and still there would be left enough brazilian territory to make a state as large as texas. almost from the time we sighted land until we rounded the cape near montevideo, we could see the mountains along the shore. the mountains extend far interior and up and down the length of the country. the climate of the tropical amazon valley is, of course, very hot, but as soon as the mountains are reached on the way south the climate even in the tropical section is modified. the section south of rio, on account of the mountains and other forces of nature, has a temperate climate, delightful for the habitation of man. each of these great zones, the tropical, the subtropical and the temperate, is marked more by its distinctive leading products than by climate. each of these sections yields a product in which brazil leads the world. the largest and most inexhaustible rubber supply in the world is found in the amazon valley region. the central section raises so much cocoa that it gives brazil first rank in the production of this commodity. the great temperate region produces three-fourths of all the coffee used in the world. of course, there is much overlapping in the distribution of these products. other products, such as cotton, farinha, beans, peas, tobacco, sugar, bananas, are raised in large quantities and could be far more extensively produced if the people would utilize the best methods and implements of modern agriculture. the mountains are full of ores and the forests of the finest timber, and the great interior has riches unknown to man. it has the most extensive unexplored region on earth. what the future holds for this marvelously endowed country, when her resources are revealed and brought to market, no one would dare predict. few countries in the world would venture a claim to such immense riches. chapter ii. the capital, rio de janeiro. the city of rio is the center of life in brazil. we entered the bay of rio after nightfall on the sixth of june. the miles and miles of lights in the city of rio on the one side, and of nietheroy on the other, gave us the impression that we were in some gigantic fair grounds. missionaries entzminger, shepard, maddox and mrs. entzminger came aboard to welcome us and bring us ashore. we were taken to the rio baptist college and seminary, where we were entertained in good old tennessee style by the shepards. this school building was built in by dom pedro ii. for a school which was known as the "boarding school of dom pedro ii." it accommodated two hundred students. the emperor supported the school. in the school was moved to larger quarters. dr. shepard is renting the property for our college, but our school like dom pedro's has outgrown these quarters and we are compelled to rent additional buildings some distance away to accommodate the increasing number of students. there are about three hundred students in all departments. as we studied the situation at close range, we had it driven in upon us that one of the greatest needs in brazil is the one dr. shepard and his co-laborers are trying to meet in this school. three-fourths of the population of brazil cannot read. we need, above all things now, educated leaders. what a call is there for trained native pastors and evangelists! some of the seminary students have been preaching as many as twenty-one times a month in addition to carrying their studies in the school. dr. shepard has been forced to stop them from some of this preaching because it was preventing successful work in the class room. the need is so great that it is very difficult to keep the students from such work. i must not go too far afield from the subject of this chapter, but i must take the time to say that nothing breaks down prejudice against the gospel more effectively than do the schools conducted by the various mission boards. one day a methodist colporter entered a town in the interior of the state of minas geraes and began to preach and offer his bibles for sale in the public square. soon a fanatical mob was howling around him and his life was in imminent peril. just as the excitement was at the highest two young men belonging to one of the best families in the place pressed through the crowd and, ascertaining that the man was a minister of the gospel, took charge of him and drove off the mob. they led the colporter to their home, which was the best in the town, and showed him generous hospitality. they invited the people in to hear him preach, and thus through their kindness the man and his message received a favorable hearing. it should be remembered, too, that these young men belonged to a very devout roman catholic family. what was the secret of their actions? they had rescued, entertained and enabled to preach a man who was endeavoring to propagate a faith that was very much opposed to their own. the explanation is that they had attended granberry college, that great methodist school at juiz de fora. they had not accepted protestant christianity, but the school had given them such a vision and appreciation of the gospel that they could never again be the intolerant bigots their fellow townsmen were. the college had made them friends and that was a tremendous service. first we must have friends, then followers. nothing more surely and more extensively makes friends for our cause than the schools, and it must be said also that they are wonderfully effective in the work of direct evangelization. the first baptist church commissioned deacon theodore teixeira and dr. shepard to pilot us over the city. the church provided us with an automobile and our splendid guides magnified their office. it is a magnificent city, indeed. the strip of land between the mountains and the seashore is not wide. in some places, in fact, the mountains come quite down to the water. the city, in the most beautiful and picturesque way, avails itself of all possible space, even in many places climbing high on the mountain sides and pressing itself deep into the coves. perhaps no city in the world has a more picturesque combination of mountain and water with which to make a beautiful location. it has about a million inhabitants, and being the federal capital, is the greatest and most influential city in brazil. most of its streets are narrow and tortuous and until recently were considered unhealthy. a few years ago the magnificent avenida central was cut through the heart of the city and one of the most beautiful avenues in the world was built. twelve million dollars' worth of property was condemned to make way for this splendid street. it cuts across a peninsula through the heart of the city from shore to shore, and is magnificent, indeed, with its sidewalks wrought in beautiful geometrical designs, with its ornate street lamps, with its generous width appearing broader by contrast with other narrow streets, with its modern buildings. there is another street, however, which is dearer to the brazilian than the avenida. he takes great pride in the avenida, but he has peculiar affection for the rua d'ouvidor. down the ouvidor flows a human tide such as is found nowhere else in brazil. no one attempts to keep on the pavement. the street is given over entirely to pedestrians. no vehicle ever passes down it until after midnight. in this narrow street, with its attractive shops filled with the highest-priced goods in the world, you can soon find anyone you wish to meet, because before long everyone who can reach it will pass through. in this street the happy, jesting, jostling crowd is in one continuous "festa". in passing through the city one is greatly impressed by the number of parks and beautiful public squares, and in particular with the wonderful beiramar, which is a combination of promenades, driveways and park effects that stretches for miles along the shore of the bay. what a thing of beauty this last-named park is! there is nothing comparable to it anywhere. when rio wishes to go on a grand "passeio" (promenade) nothing but the grand beiramar will suffice. one cannot help being impressed also by the prevalence of coffee-drinking stands and stores--especially if he meets many friends. these friends will insist upon taking him into a coffee stand and engaging him in conversation while they sip coffee. on many corners are little round or octagonal pagoda-like structures in which coffee and cakes are sold. the coffee-drinking places are everywhere and most of them are usually filled. the practice of taking coffee with one's friends must lessen materially the amount of strong drink consumed by the brazilian. nevertheless, that amount of strong drink is, alas, altogether too great. the greatest nuisance on the streets of rio, or any other city of brazil, is the lottery ticket seller. these venders are more numerous and more insistent than are the newsboys in the united states. there are all sorts of superstitions about lotteries. certain images in one's dreams at night are said to correspond to certain lucky numbers. dogs, cats, horses, cows and many other animals have certain numbers corresponding to them. for instance, if one should dream tonight about a dog, he would try tomorrow to find a lottery ticket to correspond in number with a dog. say the dog number was thirty-seven. this man would try to find a ticket whose number ends in thirty-seven. such a ticket would be considered lucky. the ticket sellers often call out as they pass along the street the last two numbers on the tickets they have to sell, and if a man hears the number called which corresponds to the animal he dreamed about last night, he will consider it lucky and buy. there are also many shops where only lottery tickets are sold. no evil has more tenaciously and universally fastened upon the people than has the evil of gambling in lotteries. there are federal lotteries, besides many others run by the various states. these lotteries receive in premiums the enormous sum of $ , , every month--about one dollar for every individual in brazil. a portion of the profits amassed by the lottery companies is devoted to charity, a portion to roman catholic churches and a portion goes to the government. even after these amounts are taken out, there is ample left for the enrichment of the companies' coffers to the impoverishment of many very needy working people. it is difficult to write temperately of rio de janeiro. there is such a rare combination here of the primitive and the progressive, of the oriental and occidental, that one is inclined to go off into exclamation points. on the avenida central one sees numbers of street venders carrying all kinds of wares on their heads and pulling all sorts of carts, making their way in and out among the automobiles, and handsome victorias pulled by mules. we note also all types of people. the latin features predominate, but the negro is in evidence, the indian features are often recognized, and mingled with these are seen faces representing all nations. one is impressed with the dress of the people. who is that handsomely-groomed, gentleman passing? from his fine clothes you think he must be a man of wealth and influence. who is he? he is a barber. that one over there is a clerk. but why these fine clothes? ah! thereby hangs the tale. appearance is worshiped. parade runs through everything, even in the prevailing religion, which, alas, is little more than form--parade. don't get the idea that everybody is finely dressed and that every handsomely-dressed man is a barber. many are able to afford such clothes and are cultured gentlemen. one notices most the dress of the lower classes, the most striking article of which is the wooden-bottom sandals into which they thrust their toes and go flapping along in imminent peril of losing the slippers every moment. the remainder of the clothing worn by these beslippered people consists often of only two thin garments. certainly this is a place of great contrasts. but somehow these contrasts do not impress one as being incongruous. they are in perfect keeping with their surroundings. rio is really a cosmopolitan city and is a pleasant blending of the old and the new. there are several places from which splendid views of the city can be had, but none of them is comparable to the panorama which stretches out before one when he stands on the top of mt. corcovado. the scene which greets one from this mountain is indescribable. the bay of rio de janeiro, with its eighty islands, sugar loaf mountain, a bare rock standing at the entrance, the city winding its tortuous way in and out between the mountains and spreading itself over many hills, the open sea in the distance and the wild mountain scenery to the back of us, constitute a panorama surpassingly beautiful. nictheroy lies just across the bay. we went over there one night and spoke in the rented hall where our church worships, and spent the night in the delightful home of the entzmingers. the next morning, before breakfast, dr. entzminger showed me over the city. nictheroy has forty thousand inhabitants and is the capital of the state of rio de janeiro. it is a beautiful city and offers a wide field for missionary work. its importance is apparent. we have a church in the populous suburb of engenho de dentro. we were present there at a great celebration when the church cleared off the remainder of its debt and burned the notes. the building was crowded to its utmost capacity. the people stood in the aisles from the rear to the pulpit. they filled the little rooms behind the pulpit and occupied space about the windows. there are about seventy members of the church. a far greater progress should be made now that the debt as well as other encumbrances have been removed. there are in rio the first, engenho de dentro, governors island and santa cruz churches, and twelve preaching places, four of which are in rented halls. missionary maddox utilizes many members of the churches in providing preaching at these missions. there are only a very few paid evangelists in this mission, but a great many church members are glad to go to these stations and tell the gospel story. besides our baptist work, the southern methodists are conducting a very prosperous mission. they have several churches and a station for settlement work. the presbyterians and the congregationalists have some excellent churches and the ymca is one of the most flourishing in south america. chapter iii. a visit to a country church. that i may give you a glimpse of the country life in brazil, and also some impression of country mission work, i invite you to take a trip with missionary maddox and myself to the little hamlet of parahyba do sul, in the interior of the state of rio. on monday, june th, we boarded a six am train for parahyba do sul, which we reached about ten o'clock. it is a charming town situated on the river by the same name. this river reminds one of the french broad, though the mountains are not so high and precipitous as the north carolina mountains. the mountains, too, in this section are not covered with trees, but with a tall grass, which, being in bloom, gave a beautiful purple color to the landscape. the railroad climbs up the mountain sides from rio in a very picturesque manner. the parahyba do sul church is three miles over the mountains from the station, in the house of mrs. manoela rosa rodrigues. the house is constructed with mud walls and a thatched roof. the floors are the bare ground, which is packed hard and smooth. there are two rooms, with a narrow hall between them and a sort of "lean to" kitchen. the largest room, which is about fifteen feet square, is devoted to the church. the most prominent piece of furniture in the house is the pulpit, which stands in this room. this pulpit is large out of all proportion to everything else about the place. it was covered over with a beautifully embroidered altar piece. the two chairs placed for brother maddox and myself were also entirely covered with crocheted brazilian lace. i hesitated to occupy such a daintily decorated seat. this church of forty-six members maintains three sunday schools in the adjoining country and six preaching stations, members of the church doing the preaching. every member gives to the college in rio reis (six cents) a month, and to missions, etc., reis (nine cents) per month. this is munificent liberality when we take into consideration their exhausting poverty. our coming was a great event with them. we were met at the station by a member of the church, who mounted us on a gray pony apiece and soon had us on our way. he walked, and with his pacing sort of stride he easily kept up with us. his feet were innocent of shoes. he says he does not like shoes because they interfere with his walking. underneath that dilapidated hat and those somewhat seedy clothes we found a warm-hearted christian, who serves the lord with passionate devotion. he often preaches, though he has very little learning. he is mighty in the scriptures, having committed to memory large sections of them, and has a genuine experience of grace to which he bears testimony with great power. we arrived at the church about eleven o'clock. we were received with expressions of great joy. mrs. manoela was so happy over our coming that she embraced us in true brazilian style. we were shown into our room, where we refreshed ourselves by brushing off the dust and bathing. how spick and span clean was everything in that room, even to the dirt floor! before we had completed our ablutions, the good woman of the house called maddox out and asked what she could cook for me. she thought i could not eat brazilian dishes. he told her, to her great relief, that i could eat anything he could. quite right he was, too, for we had been traveling all the morning on the sustenance furnished by a cup of coffee which we had taken at the rio station a little before six o'clock. we were in possession of an appetite by this time that would have raised very few questions about any article of food. soon we were seated at the breakfast table, which was placed in the church room with benches around it for seats. i was honored by being placed at one end of the table. what a meal it was! not only had mrs. manoela taxed her own larder, but the other members, who by this time had arrived in large numbers, had brought in many good things. i cannot tell what the dishes were, for the reason that i do not know. it is sufficient to say that every one was good--perhaps our appetite helped out our appreciation of some of them. there were as many as eight dishes the like of which i had never tasted before. how do you suppose i managed it when they served some delicious cane molasses, and, instead of bread to go with it, they served cream cheese? i asked maddox how i should work this combination. he replied by cutting up his cheese into his plate of molasses and eating the mixture. i did the same thing, and i bear testimony that it was fine. by the time the breakfast was concluded, i had scored a point with our good friends, for they thought that a stranger who could render such a good account of himself at a brazilian breakfast must be very much like themselves. (let us explain about brazilian meals: they take coffee in the early morning. bread and butter is served with the coffee. breakfast, which is a very substantial meal, is served about eleven o'clock. dinner, which is the chief meal of the day, is served about five o'clock in the afternoon. at bedtime light refreshments are served, which are often substantial enough to make another meal). after breakfast was over, and it was some time before it was over, for the crowd had to be fed, we assembled for worship. the congregation was too large for the little room, so the men built a beautiful arbor out of bamboo cane. when maddox told me we were to hold services under an arbor i was dissappointed, for somehow there had come over me a great desire to speak from that large pulpit in the little room. my dissappointment was short-lived, however, for when we reached the arbor there were the pulpit and the lace-covered chairs! it was a gracious service. the spirit of the lord was upon us. the sermon lost none of its effect from the fact that it had to be interpreted, because maddox interpreted it with sympathy and power. after preaching, four were received for baptism. they were not converted at this service, but had been expecting to come for some time. maddox baptized them in the spring branch, which had been deepened by a temporary dam being thrown across it. one of those baptized was a woman ninety years of age. our time was growing short now. maddox changed his clothes in a hurry. we had to catch the four o'clock train. we did stop long enough to drink a cup of brazilian coffee. such coffee! i will not attempt to describe it, because our friends in the states can not understand. there is nothing like it in this country. we took time, too, to say good-bye. the whole crowd lined up and we went the length of the line, bidding everyone a hearty godspeed. the brazilian not only shakes hands with you, but he embraces you heartily. yes, some of the good matrons embraced us. it was a novel experience for me, but a mere custom with them, and the act was performed with such modest restraint that any possible objectionable features were eliminated. having said good-bye to them all we mounted our gray ponies, and, led by our barefooted friend, rode away with thanks-giving in our hearts for the good fellowship with the saints of parahyba do sul. the tie of love for a common lord had bound our affections to them. their simple-hearted sincerity and devotion had helped us. their zeal had contributed to our faith. one incident touched me especially. just before breakfast a little girl about four years of age, led by her mother, brought to us a package containing some brazilian cakes. when we opened the package there lay on top a piece of folded paper on which was written: "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto zion, thy god reigneth' '(isa. : ). presented to our brother pastors, maddox and ray by archimina nunes." instantly there arose in my heart the prayer that god would speed the day when his swift-footed messengers shall publish the good tidings of peace to all this vast and needy land. chapter iv. two presidents. it was our good fortune while in rio to be received by the president of the republic, dr. nilo pecanha. missionaries shepard, langston and ginsburg and dr. nogueira paranagua escorted me. when we started i suggested that we take a street car. not so those brazilians! we must go in an automobile. we were very careful to wear our prince albert coats, too; for, above all things, the brazilian is a master in punctilious ceremonies. we were ushered into the waiting room by a doorkeeper, a finely-liveried mulatto with a large chain around his shoulders to indicate his authority. the waiting room was full of people, but we were not kept waiting long. we sent in our cards and soon we heard our names announced and we were led into the presence of the private secretary. after a few words of explanation by dr. paranagua, the secretary retired to ask the president if he would see us. he returned presently and showed us into the audience chamber, which was a large and tastefully decorated room. around the walls were several groups of chairs, placed in true brazilian style somewhat as follows: a cane-bottomed divan was set with its back to the wall, then several cane-bottomed chairs were placed at right angles to it in two rows facing each other, usually four in a row. the president guided me between these chairs and took a seat on the divan and motioned me to a seat by his side. he is a man of slight build, with a mild expression which wins confidence. he was most informal in his speech and spoke in a candid and unreserved manner which quickly put us at ease. i told him, through an interpreter, that we had come from a visit to the minister of the interior, with whom we had been in conference about the status of brazilian schools. the president expressed his great pleasure over our coming to see him and said that he had personal knowledge of what our denomination is doing and of some of the workers. he was satisfied that our object was altruistic and for the good of the country and people; that so far as depended upon him, he was ready to give us the full benefit of his official position. as proof of his wish to see absolute religious freedom, he cited an instance of how he had protected some monks in the amazon valley recently. these men were in straits and he had sent soldiers to liberate them, and then turning with a smile to ginsburg, he said that he also never abandoned his friend solomon when he was attacked. he refreshed our minds upon the fact that lately, when certain priests in the city of rio had attempted to resist the government over a disputed piece of property which had been granted them under the old regime, he gave them to understand that if they did not behave themselves, the door was open and they could leave the country. they soon came to terms. as to his successor, the president said that the incoming president was of the same party and would carry out the same policies, ideas and ideals. these policies meant absolute liberty of thought, conscience and speech, which is guaranteed by the constitution. before the interview closed, he again expressed his pleasure at receiving a representative of an american institution, convinced as he was that the propaganda of our schools, morals and ideals would draw the two nations closer together, and that he was ready to encourage us to that end. "we are following the ideals of the united states," he said, "which we recognize as our elder sister." he expressed peculiar pleasure over the prospect of our establishing a college and he assured us that the brazilian government would put no obstacle in the way of our purpose, but that it would do all in its power, on the other hand, to encourage us. while we are meeting presidents, i would like to introduce you to another one upon whom the salvation of brazil depends more largely than it does upon any occupant of the chair of chief magistrate. it is possible for the man who has been elevated by the ballots of his people to serve in a large way the moral good of his people and we thank god for all rulers who rule with justice and liberality in the interest of liberty and the common good. but far greater and far more serviceable than these are those choice spirits who, by embracing the gospel of christ, give themselves devoutly to bringing in his reign in the hearts of men. such spirits, by the sheer force of their characters, wield a far more abiding influence for the help of their fellows. the man i wish to introduce is dr. nogueira paranagua, the president of the brazilian baptist convention. he belongs to one of the oldest and most aristocratic families of the state of piauhy. he was governor of his state at the time of the institution of the republic. after the establishment of the republic, he was elected to the national congress for a term of four years. then he was elected to the senate and served nine years. he is a skilled physician and is married to a swiss lady of fine family. his family connections occupy one quarter of the state of piauhy. he is, at the present time, treasurer of the national printing concern, which does not occupy all of his time. the remainder of his time he devotes to the practice of his profession and to the preaching of the gospel. he is a deacon in the first church in rio. he is not an ordained minister--he is simply an humble man of god. he is an ardent patriot who believes that the salvation of brazil can be realized only through the gospel of christ, to which he gives his life and all. now i, for one, believe that the theory of dr. nogueira is the one that will finally lead brazil into the fullness of life and power it is capable of attaining. it is well to have written in the constitution the guarantee of religious and political liberty. it is well to have presidents who courageously carry into effect the provisions of this constitution, but the highest good is not attained until behind all documentary guarantees is a personal righteousness in the people. dr. nogueira's insistent advocacy of christ for brazil is the one thing that gives assurance of a genuine righteousness that will exalt the nation. he is the president of a remarkable body. it was our privilege to attend the brazilian baptist convention which met in sao paulo, june, . it was composed of sixty delegates, about one third of whom were missionaries. the remainder were natives. they came from all parts of brazil. one man from the madeira valley traveled three weeks on his journey to sao paulo. they represented churches, which had a total membership of , . these churches increased by baptism twenty-five per cent, last year. they maintain a boys' school and a theological school at pernambuco, a school for boys and girls at bahia, a boys' school at nova friburgo, a girls' school at sao paulo and the crown of the school system, the rio baptist college and seminary in the capital. they have a publication board to produce sunday school and other literature, a home mission board to develop the missionary work in the bounds of brazil, and a foreign mission board, which conducts foreign mission operations in chill and portugal. while their country is so needy, they believe in the principle of foreign missions so thoroughly that they gave last year for foreign missions as much per capita as did the churches in the bounds of the southern baptist convention. one night during the convention, i addressed them upon the subject of foreign missions, and after i had finished speaking one of the missionaries came forward and said he had thought that in as much as he had given his life to foreign mission work, he was not under any special obligation to contribute money to this cause, but now he saw his error and proposed to give as a means of grace and in order to discharge his duty to the larger cause. what a privilege it was to attend this convention! all of us took our meals at the girls' college and by this arrangement we had a most delightful time socially. it is a fine body full of good cheer, hope, faith, courage, consecration. to come to know them--missionaries and native christians alike--is to enter into fellowship with some of the choicest and most indomitable spirits that have ever adorned the kingdom of our lord. chapter v. the gospel withheld. when i went to south america i decided that i would spend little time upon the material aspects of the trip, but would, on the other hand, attempt to arrive at an understanding of the religious conditions and needs of the people. i consider that the religious needs are the abiding and vital interests of any people. i knew also that brazil is counted as being a roman catholic country and the consideration at once arose in connection with this fact as to whether this religion affected the life and thought of the people sufficiently to satisfy their religious needs. if it does, then let us be honest enough to recognize it, and if it does not, let us be courageous enough to assume our responsibility towards it for we must hold that the great justification for missionary effort is the evangelical and not the polemical one. if there is no greater reason for our entering a country than for the purpose of fighting the catholics, then i, for one, am frank to say that i do not think we ought to spend our energies in any such field. the question for us to settle is whether there is a real call for the preaching of the gospel in a given country. that question can be answered only by a candid consideration of the facts in the case and not by the bigoted notion that all who do not agree with us are to be driven from the face of the earth. what is the religious status of brazil? is there any call for protestant effort? i answer after giving serious study to this question, and after personal observation of the effects of the religious practices upon the people, that there is the same imperative call for missionary effort in brazil that comes from china or any other heathen country, viz., the gospel is not preached to the people. the priests hold services, to be sure, in the churches, but there are many churches in brazil in which there has been no pretense of preaching a sermon within five years. the priests do not preach. they say mass, read prayers and sing songs in latin, a language which is not understood by the people. occasionally, a catholic fraternity will invite a special orator to preach a sermon upon some great feast day. this visiting brother does not preach. his theme upon such an occasion would either be a discussion of the special saint whose day is being celebrated, or he would speak upon some civic question which had more or less to do with the moral or political life of the people. in the interior these special occasions occur only once every two to five years, so that even this semblance of a sermon comes rarely. in the cities these special addresses are made on one saint's day each year or on some special anniversary, or when some dignitary is making a visit. usually this dignitary will say a mass and not preach. when one of these special days occurs the preaching is not heard very extensively for the reason that the noise and commotion about the stalls for gambling, drinking and other attractions is sufficient to drown the voice of the speaker. these side-show attractions fill all available space about the building, giving it the appearance of a circus more than anything else. they are run by individuals who pay a tax to the church for the privilege. the preaching is not the feature of the day, the chief object seeming to be to furnish amusement for the people and money for the church. it cannot be said that on such days the gospel can possibly be preached successfully. occasionally there is held in the church what is called a special mission. this is conducted by visiting monks. we would expect that on such occasions the gospel would be preached, but such is not the case. they hear confessions in the morning. a special premium is placed upon the celebration of marriages during the mission, because these visiting monks will make a cheaper rate than the resident priests. for this reason the majority of the priests do not like to have these monks come in for special missions, and would not conduct them but for the fact that the bishop compels them to do so. the addresses delivered by the monks in these special missions are not sermons. they either upbraid the protestants, speak against civil marriage (the only legal marriage in brazil is that performed by a civil officer), inveigh against the republic, discourse upon the lives of the saints, assail luther and other reformers, or urge confession, penance and submission to the pope. furthermore, the bible is withheld from the people. the circulation of no book is so bitterly opposed as that of the bible. it is true that the franciscan monks are trying to introduce an edition of the new testament which contains special comments attacking protestants. these special editions are very expensive and difficult to secure. the person who wishes to buy one of these bibles must get permission from the vicar of his parish, and if the would-be purchaser is inclined towards protestantism, the vicar will refuse to grant permission. the priests are not very much in sympathy with the idea of circulating even this annotated edition of the new testament. in armagoza, near bahia, the franciscan monks held, three or four years ago, a mission and sold about , of these catholic scriptures. it seems that the protestants had also been circulating a testament which had the same general appearance as that sold by the franciscan monks. when the monks had sold out their supplies, they heard of what the protestants had done and inasmuch as the people could not distinguish between the true book and the false, they ordered the people to bring back all of the books to the monks, under the promise that they would examine them, eliminate the protestant book and return to the owners the authorized bible. the people brought back their books in good faith. the monks took them, but never returned them. neither did they return the money. on the nd of february, , there occurred a public burning of bibles in pernambuco. this was done in defiance of the protestant work with the evident purpose of intimidating the protestant workers and arousing a public sentiment against them. but having failed in this, their first effort, they decided to try another even more ostentatious. although it is illegal to burn any religious document publicly, yet the first burning passed unnoticed by the officials of the law. but not so the second. having incurred the censure and ill-will of many of the most thoughtful and liberal-minded, even of the catholics themselves, by the disgrace of february nd, the directors of the anti-protestant league decided to make a grand rally on the occasion of the league's first anniversary, september th. and to realize this, they published about two weeks beforehand a very extensive program. the program said that "there will be burned bibles, testaments, copies of the gospel of matthew, luke , john , mark and acts ", besides a great many other useful books. in the list also there were some three hundred copies of different religious protestant papers. according to the program the bishop was to preside. the public burning, however, was not performed. such pressure was brought to bear upon the officials that they interfered. it was even discussed in the national house of congress. but in spite of all opposition, not to be completely defeated, they burned the bibles in the back yard of the church. these examples are sufficient to demonstrate the attitude of the priests towards the scriptures, and we must concede that any church or set of men who by such methods withhold from the people the word of god cannot be said to preach the gospel. he is an enemy of the gospel who puts any restraint upon the circulation of the scriptures. it is wise indeed for the sake of their cause that these opponents of protestantism should oppose the circulation of the scriptures, for we shall cite numerous instances of how the bible unaided has broken down romish superstition and turned men from dark error into the light of the glorious gospel of jesus. chapter vi. saint worship. what is the real religion of the brazilians? it is more a saint worship than anything else. saint worship is at its core. mary is the chief saint. all prayers are made to her. she is the intercessor. the litany is all addressed to mary. it runs, "oh mary, hear us, etc." she is worshiped under different aspects--mary of the sailors, mary of the conception, mary of the candles, mary of the rosary, ad infinitum. even christ is worshiped as a saint. the patron saint of campos, for instance, is called sao salvador (st. savior). the city of bahia is called sao salvador. its patron saint is jesus. a saint is an intercessor between man and god. because of his holiness, he has favor with god, and therefore the people pray to him. very few consider the saint lower than god. they offer sacrifices, make prayers and burn candles to the saint. st. anthony of padua is a very hard-worked saint. he has placed upon him the double duty of furnishing suitors for all the young women and of leading the armies of the republic to victory. no wonder this overworked saint gets into trouble. young women place him in their rooms, burn candles and offer prayers before him. he is dressed up in the finest toggery and is given great honor. if, however, after awhile he does not bring along the suitor, he is given a sound beating, or he may be hung head downwards in a well or stood on his head under a table. these indignities are heaped upon him in order to force him to produce the suitor which the young lady very much desires. he is also the military saint. in the time of the empire, he was carried at the head of the army and had the rank of a colonel. even after the empire was abolished, he retained his rank for many years and received from the government the salary of a colonel. such an idol was in bahia and his salary was discontinued only five years ago. the money went, of course, to the priest in the church where the image was kept. every town, village and country seat has its protecting saint. in time of drouth they in many places carry the saint through the streets in procession. he is taken from his place in the church to some hut, maybe, where he is placed beneath the altar. this is done in order to cause him to bring rain. after the rain comes he is taken out and with great distinction is replaced in his original niche. they do this sometimes in the case of a scourge of insects or disease. late one evening, after missionary ginsburg and i had returned from a trip into the interior of the state of bahia, we arrived in the city of nazareth. it is a town of about , inhabitants. we were to wait here until the following morning for the boat which was to take us to bahia. as we went down the street we saw a great throng of people surging about an image which was being carried upon the shoulders of some men. two priests walked in front to direct the movements of the procession. more than half of the people in the city must have been in the procession. they paraded far out into the country, crossed to the opposite side of the river, wound themselves back and forth through the narrow streets until a late hour at night. at eleven o'clock just before we retired, we stood for some time watching the procession pass the hotel where we were stopping. it was a miserably ugly little image, gaudily decorated. it was being paraded through the streets for the purpose of staying the plague of smallpox, which at that time was scourging the town. when we saw the procession last it had been augmented by such numbers that it appeared as if the entire city was following this image. they seemed to believe that it could really charm away the smallpox. this is not an isolated case. it is typical. every patron saint has laid upon him at times the responsibility of breaking a drouth or the effects of a dreadful scourge which may be afflicting the people. it is the veriest sort of idolatry. one of the most pitiful exhibitions of superstition to be found in brazil is that in connection with the many shrines to which pilgrimages are made by thousands of people and at which places great miracles are supposed to be performed. in bahia there is a famous shrine called bom fim (good end). it is located on a hill in the suburbs of the city. years ago tradition has it, the image of san salvador was found on the summit of this hill. a priest took charge of the image and removed it to a church. on the following morning the image was missing, and upon going to the spot where he first found it, he discovered the image. again he took it to the church, and again on the following day, he found the image at the original place. the tradition was, therefore, started that the image had fallen from heaven to the top of the hill, and every time it was removed from this spot it, of itself, returned. so it was taken for granted that the image desired its shrine built on this spot. at first there was a little shrine constructed, and afterward was built the magnificent edifice which now shelters the image. to this place the thousands go annually upon pilgrimages. one of the most gruesome spectacles to be found anywhere is in a side room near the altar. from the ceiling are suspended wax and plaster of paris reproductions called ex-votos of literally every portion of the body--feet, hands, limbs, heads, all portions--the ceiling space is completely covered with these uncanny figures. the wall is hung with pictures, which portray all sorts of scenes, such as a man in shipwreck, a carpenter falling down a ladder, a child falling out of a second-story window, death chambers of various people, etc. these figures and pictures are intended to represent miracles. when these people were in their afflictions they prayed to the image of the good end and made a promise that if they should recover they would bring one of these votive offerings of the part affected, whether of man or beast, to the shrine. some of them came before the cure was effected, and with a prayer, left the image behind and the cures of their disease or afflictions were attributed to the image of bom fim. it is said that when this church is given its annual cleaning, just before the celebration of the saint's day, thousands of people congregate here, roll in the waters which are used to wash out the building, and drink the filthy stuff, deeming it to be holy. there is hardly a more revolting scene to be found anywhere, and all in the name of religion. until recently, when the police put an end to it, a most disgusting species of holy dance was observed on this annual day in which the most sensual practices were indulged. perhaps the most famous shrine in all brazil is in the far interior of the state of bahia on the san francisco river. it is the famous lapa. the image has its shrine in a cave in a very remarkable geological formation. one hundred thousand people make pilgrimages to this shrine every year from all of the states in brazil. the last emperor himself made a visit to this shrine. from june to august of last year $ , was collected from the pilgrims. our missionary, jackson, met a man who had been on the way six months. it required him a year to make this trip. the same missionary saw a family from the state of alagoas which had been on the journey six weeks. dr. z. c. taylor says he passed through sections that had been almost depopulated because the men had sold out their homes, horses and cattle in order to seek a miracle in their favor at this same shrine. fire destroyed the image in . protestants were accused of setting fire to it because a missionary was near at the time. (he was forty miles away.) in the controversy that arose the missionary noted that, inasmuch as the new image was sent by freight and not by ticket, it must be an idol and not a saint. suffice it to say, that a new image was placed and the people are worshiping it with the same zeal with which they worshiped the old, even though the new one came by freight and the old one was supposed to have fallen from heaven. it is believed to have miracle working power and to give great merit to one who makes the pilgrimage to it. in the daily paper called the "provinca," published in pernambuco, there was printed on august , , the following telegram from the city of rio, the capital of the republic. "the seculo (century) of today announces that on st. leopold street in andarahy (a suburb of rio) there was discovered a fountain of water in a hollow rock, in which a plebian found an image of a saint. "this image," adds the seculo, "although in water, did not present the least vestige of humidity. the news of this curious discovery was immediately circulated, and there was a great pilgrimage, including a reporter of the seculo, to this miraculous fountain in andarahy." it is very probable that this telegram heralds the advent of a new shrine, because it is in this fashion that these so-called miracle-working shrines are brought into existence. not all of these shrines are canonized, but nevertheless they have power over the people. as we were making a trip into the interior of the state of pernambuco we passed a station called severino. near the station we could see a splendid church building which had been constructed in honor of st. severino. this saint is not in the calendar, not recognized by the church nor the bishop, yet it is popular all over brazil. many people are named after him, and to this shrine are brought many of the same sort of things as were described in connection with the shrine of the good end. this idol is stuffed with sugar-cane pith. the head of it was found in the woods some time ago. a tradition was started that an image had fallen from heaven. the superstitious people believed the report and soon a shrine was in full operation, which today, even though it be not canonized, is exerting a far-reaching influence. the owner of the shrine gave up his farming and lives handsomely on the offerings the deluded bring to his private shrine. in one of the most magnificent churches in bahia is an image of a negro saint. this holy being won his canonization as a reward for stealing money from his master to contribute to the church. that is it: do anything you please, provided you share the spoils with the church. across the breast of the virgin's image in the church of our lady of penha in pernambuco, before which church the bibles were burned in , are written the following words: "one hundred days' indulgence to the person who will kiss the holy foot of the holy virgin." this pitifully expresses, perhaps, the thought behind saint worship. it is the hope that the aching of the sinful heart may find some assuagement through the worship of these gilded, gaudy images. it is claimed by the priests and some of the more intelligent that the image worshiped is only a concrete representation of the saint, and it contains symbolically the spirit of the saint. to be sure! this is exactly the reason the more intelligent fetish worshiper in africa assigns for worshiping his hand-made god. the etone or piece of wood is a representative of god and to a degree contains his spirit. such worship is condemned as being idolatry in the african. the thing which is idolatry in the african must be idolatry in the catholic. even the catholics will condemn the idol worship of the heathen, and yet this same catholic church has in scores of places in south america and in other heathen lands, taken the identical images worshiped by the heathen and converted them into catholic saints. in the city of braga, in portugal, is a temple which centuries ago was devoted to jupiter. it was afterward converted into a catholic church and dedicated to st. peter. the idol jupiter, with two keys in his hand, was consecrated into st. peter. in another part of the same city is a temple devoted to janus in roman times, which was turned into a temple dedicated to st. john. the idol which formerly was worshiped as janus is being now worshiped as st. john. in the same temple there is an image now consecrated as st. mark which was formerly the god mars. the saint worship in brazil is just as heathenish. in china buddhist idols were renamed jehosaphat by the jesuits and worshiped. their practices in brazil are in keeping with their methods in other lands. what is the difference between a worshiper who thus seeks indulgence through the worship of an image in brazil and a like worshiper with a like soul need bowing before a similar wooden image in africa or china? chapter vii. penance and priest. confession and penance play a large part in the religious life of the common people. the priests exercise great ingenuity to preserve the confessional. the better educated classes have long ago deserted the confessional, but it still holds sway over the common people and hangs like a dark shadow over the immoral deeds of the priests. along with it flourishes the performance of penance. these two hand-maidens in wrong-doing often thrive in an absurd way. in penedo, the capital of the state of alagoas, a new wharf was being built and the money granted by the government was not sufficient to complete the work. the contractors approached the two monks who were to hold a mission in the city during february, , and offered to pay them $ if they would instruct the people to, in penance, carry across the city the stones which had been brought from the interior. a large quantity of building material had been brought down by rail and needed to be transported across to the wharf. the monks agreed, gave instructions accordingly, and in one week the people carried these stones across the town to the wharf. the transfer of these stones would have cost $ , . at least , people engaged in this colossal act of penance. they came from two counties. thus the contractors, by a little skillful manipulation, made penance save them considerable money. in some of these penances the people wear crowns of thorns on their heads and cords about their necks and go barefooted through the streets of the city in their pilgrimages to the church. all, that through these means they may find some ease for the conscience which accuses them of evil. what shall i say of the priests? i believe i will say nothing. i declined steadily to soil the pages of my note book with the records of the immoral deeds of these men. i will let speak for me an educated brazilian, a teacher in an excellent school in pernambuco, who is not a professing christian, but who, like a great many of his class, admires christianity very sincerely. when mr. colton, international secretary of the young men's christian association, passed through pernambuco in june, , he was given a banquet by some of the leading men, which event offended so grievously the catholic authorities that they published in the "religious tribune," their organ, a bitter diatribe on the young men's christian association. the professor, to whom i referred, who is now one of the leading judges in the state, published the following answer to this attack. he is in far better position to speak authoritatively about the brazilian priests than i am. his article ran as follows: "fury unbridled." "the official organ of the diocese of olinda could not on this occasion control its great animus. it threw aside its old worn-out mantle of hypocrisy, it precipitated itself furiously and insolently against the y.m.c.a. it not only does not forgive, but does not fear to excommunicate the local and state authorities who appeared at the banquet nor the directory of the portuguese reading rooms who lent their hall to said y.m.c.a. "after affirming that the evangelization of brazil means its unchristianizing the clerical organ begins to call the members of the association and protestants in general wolves in sheep's clothing. "but we ask, to whom does this epithet apply better? to us who dress as the generality of men, thus leaving no doubt as to our sex and freeing our consciences from the ignominious roman yoke, direct ourselves by that straight and narrow way which leads to salvation; or to this black band which secretly and maliciously makes of a man its prey from the moment in which he sees the light of day until the moment in which he goes to rest in the bosom of the earth? to us, who having no thirst for dominion, seek to cultivate in man all the noble attributes given by the creator, to us who teach clearly and without sophistry and gross superstitions the plan of salvation as it is found in the word of god; or to this legion of corrupt and hypocritical parasites, corruptors of youth, whose character they seek to debase and villify by means of the confessional? "the only object of the wolf in dressing himself as a sheep is to devour the sheep. and these shaven heads know perfectly well why we cite the chronicles of the convents; they know from personal knowledge who are responsible for the greater part of the illegitimate children, and they have no doubt about the permanency and progress of prostitution. "but they have effrontery, these priests! "what has the priesthood done in brazil in about years? the answer is found in facts that prove the absence of all initiative of will, of strength, of energy and of activity. brazil has only been a field for torpid exploitation by these gain-hunting libertines. and what of the attacks against private and public fortunes? "happily, for some years, the public conscience has been awakening and the people are beginning to know that a priest, even the best of them, is worthless. "freed from an official religion, the brazilian people have really made progress in spite of the hopelessness of romanism that perverts all things and resorts to ail sorts of schemes to preserve its former easy position. "we, pirates? ah! deceivers. then we, who present ourselves loyally without subterfuge, proclaiming the divine truths, speaking logically, without artifices or superstitions, are pirates? you noble priests are noble specimens of christian culture, i must confess! you are such good things that france has already horsewhipped you out of the country, and spain, whose knightly race is regaining the noble attributes obliterated by the iron yoke of romanism, is about ready to apply to you the same punishment. "there is no doubt that the priest is losing ground every day. all their manifestations of hate and satanic fury are easily explained. "one easily recognizes the true value of the explosion of vicious egotism found in the official organ of the diocese of olinda. the priest this time lost his calmness and let escape certain rude phrases as if he were yet in the good old times when he could imprison and burn at his pleasure. console yourselves, reverend lord priests, everything comes to an end, and the ancient period of darkness and obscurity exists no more in brazil." what is the net result of such religious life as we have been portraying? the common and more ignorant people accept without very much questioning the teachings and practices which we have explained. the better educated people, especially the men, have lost confidence in the priesthood. scarcely an educated man can be found who believes in the moral uprightness of the priest. the chief hold the church has upon the better classes is a social and not a religious one. births, marriages, deaths, alike are great social events, and upon such occasions, because it is custom to have a priest, the better classes of people even call in the services of the priests, in whom they have no confidence. the effect upon the beliefs of these better classes is most distressing. spiritism, materialism and atheism are rampant, and one could well believe that these people set adrift without spiritual guides are in a worse condition than if they were still devout believers in the ancient practices of the roman church. they are far more difficult to reach because they have imbibed the philosophies of spiritism, materialism and atheism. an atheist in south america is just as difficult to approach as he is anywhere. the devout catholics are easier to reach with the gospel. the devout catholic has at least one element which must always be reckoned with in dealing helpfully with an immortal soul. he has reverence, which thing many of those people who have been swung away from their faith have not. i take no comfort in the fact that the people in large numbers are deserting the roman catholic church and are being set adrift without any form of religion. one could wish that they might be held to their old beliefs until we could reach them with the virile truths of the gospel of jesus. we come back to it--the gospel is not preached in brazil except as it is preached by the protestant missionary. the need is just as great for gospel preaching in this country as it is in china. one day after i had finished speaking to a congregation in castello, back in the interior from campos, an old english woman came up to me and expressed her great pleasure over having the privilege of hearing once more the gospel preached in english. i had spoken in english, and the missionary had interpreted what i had to say into portuguese. she had heard the sermon twice. she had been in brazil thirty-odd years. she and her husband had lived in the far interior. they had recently moved down to castello that they might be near the little church where they could have the opportunity of worshiping god. she told me that back in the town in which they had lived they had left two sons who were engaged in business for themselves. these two sons had been born in brazil, and yet in all their lives they had never heard a gospel sermon. yes, these people are without the gospel and this is our justification for carrying to them the message of life. for them christ died, and to them, because they have not heard, he has sent us that we might bring his precious message of eternal salvation, for "how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" chapter viii. the gospel triumphant. it is often claimed that the progress of the gospel is slower and more difficult in catholic countries than in outright heathen lands. such statements can be answered only by an appeal to the facts in the case. what are the facts? the foreign mission board of the southern baptist convention has been conducting operations in brazil for about thirty years. it has been doing work in china for more than sixty years. during all the time since work--was opened in brazil, the board has had about three times as many missionaries in china as it had in brazil, with the result that at the present time we have , members of our churches in brazil, as against , members of our churches in china. we have worked less than half as long in brazil and with one-third of the missionary force. last year with a missionary force one-third as large in brazil as it was in china, there were more baptisms in brazil than there were in china. there were , baptisms in china and , in brazil. the same sort of comparison between our work in italy and japan would make the same showing. this is not to make a prejudicial statement concerning the work in any field. we make it simply to show that the gospel does succeed remarkably in the catholic countries. the fact is, the rate of progress is far greater in the catholic country than it is in the heathen land. the gospel does succeed in catholic countries. what is said here of the work of this one board can be said just as truly of the others. it was our privilege to witness some remarkable demonstrations of the power of the gospel while we were in brazil. about : o'clock one afternoon we arrived in genipapo in the interior of the state of bahia, after having ridden since early morning upon the railroad train through a mountainous country which, with its tropical vegetation, held our keenest interest. we were met at the station by some members of our church, who escorted us to the home of polycarpo nogueira. mrs nogueira is a very devout christian. some years ago she learned that her mother had embraced christianity. mrs. nogueira set out upon a journey of miles on muleback to her mother's home for the purpose of taking out of her mother's heart her belief in the gospel. she succeeded in shaking her mother's faith and also the faith of her brother. she now determined to prepare herself to combat this baptist teaching which was spreading over the country. she marked passages of scripture which she proposed to use against the baptists. but when she used them she grew ashamed because she became conscious of the fact that she had misapplied the word which she then gave deeper study. the word of god took hold of her own heart and she in turn was converted. her first thought was concerning her mother and brother miles away. again she took the long journey on muleback in order to lead her loved ones to christ. she was able to re-establish her mother's faith, but to this day her deep regret is that her brother does not believe. we had a great service at the church that night. the crowd was so large that we held the services out in the open. seven stood to confess their surrender to christ. the good deacon of the church was so thoroughly in the spirit of the occasion and in such sympathy with me that he declared he could understand my english. he really seemed to catch it before the missionary could interpret it. on the following day we reached st. inez, the station at the end of the railway, and spent the night in a poor excuse of a lodging house called the commercial hotel. at o'clock on the following morning, which was sunday, we started on horseback for arroz novo, an excellent country church fifteen miles away. a young brother named john laringeiro (john orangetree) had brought horses for us. before his conversion he was an arch persecutor, and since he has become a christian he has been called upon to suffer even more bitter persecution than he ever inflicted upon others. he is struggling to care for his mother, and as the pastor of the church at rio preto, he is a most acceptable gospel preacher. it was a fine ride into the country, over hill and mountain and deeply-shaded valley. after we had ridden about half the length of our journey several brethren from arroz novo (new rice) met us to escort us to the church. a mile or two further we were met by another company, who swelled the number of our dashing cavalcade to about twenty-five. it was dashing, too, for they were hard riders. it was a very joyous and cordial reception committee. finally we rode into sight of the church, winch is located on a high hill commanding a grand panorama of the mountains. as we approached we saw two long lines of people standing facing each other in front of the church. the men were on one side and the women on the other--about of them. as we rode up the congregation sang a hymn to give us welcome. we dismounted when we reached the end of the two lines and walked down between them to the church. now it is the custom in brazil upon festal occasions to strew the meeting place with oleander and cinnamon leaves and to throw rose petals and confetti upon those they wish to honor. these good people observed this custom generously that day. a wide space of the ground in front of the church was strewed with leaves, and they showered such quantities of rose petals and confetti upon us that we were beautiful sights by the time we reached the door. we entered the very creditable church building into which the people now poured until every foot of space was occupied. there was hardly room left for me to make gestures as i spoke. it was ten o'clock. the people had been present since four engaged in a prayer meeting. we began the service immediately. the spirit of the lord was upon us to preach the gospel. afterward we called for those who wished to make confession of their faith in christ. we pushed back the people a little bit in the front and the space thus made vacant was immediately filled with those who wished to confess their lord and savior. we saw that others wanted to come, so we asked them to stand where they were. all through the audience they rose. then began the examination of these candidates. numerous questions were put to them by the missionary and the pastor of the church. sometimes as many as twenty-five or even more questions would be asked an individual so great was the care exercised in examining those who wished to become members of the church, and what impressed me most was the fact that after every question they could think of had been asked, they would ask if anyone present could endorse him. whereupon someone, if he could recommend the candidate would, after a brief speech of endorsement, make a motion to receive him. over to my right rose a young woman who was the most beautiful woman i saw in brazil. her name was elvira leal. she had been favorable to the gospel for some time and had suffered cruel persecution from her father. the tears streamed down her face as she spoke, saying, "you know my story and what i have been called upon to endure for the gospel's sake, but this morning i must confess the lord. i cannot resist the spirit longer." i learned that her father, in order to force her to give up her faith, had dragged her across the floor by her hair. he had brandished his dagger over her heart, threatening to take her life; he had forced her to break her engagement to be married to the young preacher, john larinjeiro, who had brought the horses for us; he had declared he would kill both of them rather than to allow them to marry, and at the time we were there she was compelled to live in the home of a neighbor, so violent had become her father in his opposition to her adherence to the gospel. that morning, however, she said though she knew it involved suffering, she would follow her savior at whatever cost. by the time the missionary had finished examining this woman, a man had crowded near to the front and indicated that he wished to say something. it was john larinjeiro's brother. he said that for two years he had been impressed with the gospel, but because of the persecution in his own home he had held back. when years ago his mother had been converted, he went to persuade her to give up her religion. persuasion failing, he persecuted her severely. she finally told him that his efforts were of no avail because she could not give up her faith in christ, yet if he would take the bible and show her where she was wrong, she would give it up. he secured a gospel circulated by the priest and also "the manual of instructions for holding missions" and both of these confirmed his mother's faith, and he had no more to say. the word impressed itself upon his heart and he became sympathetic to the gospel. then trouble arose. his father-in-law, he said, had threatened to take his wife and children from him and to put him out of his own home. his wife had persecuted him and declared she would leave him if he made the confession he desired to make. he said that he did not know what to do, but had come forward to ask us to pray for him. then the congregation fell upon its face, as far as such a thing was possible, and prayed. i could not understand all they said in the prayers because they were spoken in portuguese, but so mighty was the presence of the spirit and so irresistible was the appeal sent up to the throne of grace that i knew before the prayers ended what the result would be. as soon as the prayers were concluded, the man stood up and said, "news travels quickly in this country. it may be that when i reach home i shall find my wife and children gone, but whatever may be the cost, i cannot resist the spirit today. i must confess my lord and ask for membership in the church." of course, he was received. a letter received from the missionary some months later informed me that the father-in-law had carried out his threat and did take away the wife and children. numerous others stood to make confession, and the examination continued far past one o'clock, 'till twenty-one were received for baptism. this marvelous outpouring of the spirit of christ enabled us to see with our own eyes the power of the gospel demonstrated in the saving of souls in brazil. after the service we went to breakfast in a house near by. the crowd, according to custom, came into the dining room, as many of them as could, to hear the conversation while we sat about the table. the walls of the building were made of mud, the floor was the bare ground, in the corner of the room, surrounded by a mud puddle, stood a water jar, around which the chickens were picking. i kicked a pig out of my way, accidentally stepped on a dog, but nothing daunted, fell to with good will and ate, asking no questions. after a few hours' ride, upon our return journey in the afternoon, we reached the town of olhos d'agua (fountains of water) through which we had passed upon our outward journey in the early morning. there is a very good church at this place which has suffered cruel persecution. upon the doors of every protestant house in the town have been painted black crosses. they were placed there at night by the catholics to keep the devil from coming out. the black cross of derision has become a mark of honor in that community. we were greeted by a splendid audience that night and the gospel again was honored. more than a dozen people accepted christ and made confession of him. i was greatly interested in brother raymundo, who is the leading member of this church. formerly he was a great persecutor. he was an enemy to antonio barros, who is now a leading member in the church at arroz novo. barros was converted at lage, and when he met raymundo he greeted him, at which raymundo was greatly surprised. barros explained his action by saying that he had found christ and wanted to live at peace with all men. the fact that his enemy should embrace him and beg his pardon greatly impressed raymundo. upon the invitation of barros, raymundo attended the meeting that night. he was touched by the gospel and was converted. he now had to experience the same persecution he had inflicted upon others. his enemies wrote to the merchants in bahia and told them that he was out of his mind. so persistent was their persecution that he was compelled to give up his business. his credit was destroyed by these reports. he moved away from olhos d'agua, but when the native pastor left the place recently raymundo returned in order to hold the work together. he now makes his meager living by trading, and through great sacrifice leads the congregation in a very acceptable service. we returned to st. ignez by ten o'clock that night, tired and happy over what our eyes had seen and our hearts had felt. it had been a day of triumph for the gospel. on monday we started on our journey for santo antonio. when we passed through genipapo we found brother polycarpo nogueira at the station. he had come to ask about a passage of scripture i had pointed out to him on the night when we stayed in his home we had urged him to accept the gospel and he hesitated. i quoted to him, "everyone, therefore, who shall confess me before men, him will i confess before my father in heaven. but whosoever shall deny me before men, him, will i deny before my father who is in heaven." mat. : , . he told us about a wonderful meeting held in the church on sunday, in which one had been converted and many others were deeply interested. he himself was evidently moved upon by the spirit. may the word we gave him lead him to christ. some hours further on we passed through vargem grande, where we have another church. several people boarded the train to accompany us to santo antonio. one of them was fausto de almeida. when the ex-priest, ottoni, visited vargem guande some years ago to preach the gospel this man almeida, with a great crowd of boys equipped with tin cans, met him at the station. this troupe escorted ottoni to the church and stood outside making as much noise as possible. he offered the ex-priest a loaded cigar, which ottoni declined with kindly thanks. the minister's conduct was so gentle and kind that fausto, when he bethought himself, went home in a rage, became intoxicated, and in order to vent his wrath, went out into his back yard and fired his pistols. a little later one of his sisters was converted, and by her good testimony not long after that when she died, he was greatly impressed. another sister was converted and gave him a bible, which he read and in which he found the message of christ. he obeyed his lord, and in spite of violent opposition on the part of his wife, is today in a faithful and effective way, building up the church at vargem, grande. chapter ix. jose barretto. when we reached santo antonio de jesus at two p. m. we found a throng at the station to meet us. they gave us a royal welcome, receiving us literally with open arms. after this hearty greeting we formed a procession and marched two and two through the streets of the city to the church. they wished us to take the lead in the procession, but we declined the honor and finally took position about the middle of the line. they seemed to march through every street in the city, so eager were they to impress the population that there was somebody else in the world besides their religious persecutors. when we arrived at the church they showered us once more with rose petals and confetti. after prayer we were taken to the home of jose barretto to be entertained. now, this same jose barretto is a very remarkable character. he was formerly superintendent of the manganese mines near by and very active in politics. if any questionable work needed to be done in order to influence an election jose was called upon to do it. he is a great, strong fellow, more than six feet in height and weighs, perhaps, pounds. he was a violent man, fearless and desperate. i noted many scars on his face which were evidences of many dangerous encounters. he did not deign to steal the ballots, but would take possession of the ballot box, extract from it the proper number of votes, destroy them, seal the box and allow the count to be made. no one dared withstand him. he was just as violent in his opposition to the protestants. he declared that he would beat any protestant who should ever come into his house. well, one day his own brother-in-law came to see him. this brother-in-law was blind and also a christian. after a while jose and his wife were commiserating the brother over his blindness when he said, that though his eyes were clouded, his soul saw the light of life. his sister said to him, "you must be a protestant." he replied, "yes, thank god, i know jesus christ." she was so frightened that she fainted, because she had visions of her burly husband pouncing upon her blind brother and beating him to death. her husband resuscitated her and soothed her by saying, "i know i have said all of these things about what i would do to the protestants, but i hope i am not mean enough to strike a blind man and certainly i would not injure your brother." that night the brother asked them to read the scriptures. they had no bible, but did possess a book of bible stories, one of which the sister read, and then the brother asked permission to pray. jose barretto had always been reverential, and so he knelt in prayer. so earnest and childlike was the praying of the blind brother and so fully did he express the real heart hunger of the great, strong man that when the prayer was finished, jose barretto said very sincerely, "amen." he became deeply interested in the gospel. when the brother left, the spirit of god so impressed jose that he felt he must look up a new testament which he had taken from an employee some time ago. he had looked at this book which he had taken from the employee's hands, and finding no saints' pictures in it, concluded that it was that hated protestant bible the priests were trying to keep from being circulated, and had thrown it into a box in the corner of his office. now he went to this box, fished out the new testament, brushed the dust from its pages and read from it the word of life. the blind brother, in the meantime, had gone to santo antonio and told what had happened. the chief of police of the city, who was a christian and the president of the baptist young people's union, declared that he was going out to see jose. "i have been afraid to go," he said, "because jose has been so violently opposed to the gospel." he went and found the strong man poring over the pages of the book in his effort to find the way of life. he explained the gospel and barretto was soon converted, as was also his sister. his wife held on to her old faith. she would pray, but would use the crucifix. finally the husband and sister decided they would burn the idol, which they accordingly did. when the wife saw that no dreadful calamity befell the house she concluded that the idol was a powerless thing and gave her heart to christ. the life of jose barretto since that time has been a burning light. he has been as zealous in following christ as he ever was in following evil, though not so violent. his witness has been honored amongst his own family and relations especially. they have been forced to realize that there is something in christianity which can produce such a remarkable change in the life of such a violent man. when we were in his home we learned of a family of twenty-one, some distance out in the country, who were ready to make confession of their faith and be baptized. they were anxious for the missionary to come and baptize them and to organize a church in one of their homes. these people were the relatives of jose barretto. it is marvelous how the witness of his life is bearing fruit. he lost his position as superintendent by his acceptance of christ, but is now making a living as a coffee merchant. we had a remarkable service at the church that night. a great throng pressed into the building, and jose barretto was the chief usher. i have never seen a man who could crowd more people into a building than could he. after the house had been packed there still remained on the outside a crowd as large as that sandwiched into the building. i preached the gospel once more, speaking, of course, in all of these services through an interpreter. when i called for those who would confess christ i did not ask them to come forward because there was no room for them. they stood here and there over the audience until more than twenty expressed themselves as having accepted christ and desiring membership in the church. when one man stood amongst this number i noticed that jose barretto was very deeply moved. his great frame shook with emotion. i learned afterwards that the man who stood was a police sergeant, who in the old days had been jose's confederate in his political crookedness. that night this man stood acknowledging his sins and asking for membership in the church. jose's faithfulness had won him. once more we witnessed a marvelous victory of the gospel. on the very day on which we visited santo antonio and were entertained in the home of our good brother jose barretto, this great stalwart fellow who had been such a violent opposer of christianity and who had previously lived such a desperate life, was met on the street by one of his former schoolmates. his schoolmate chided him for becoming a christian and insinuated that jose's conversion was an act of weakness and also that he would not hold out very long. he went further to say many severe things in criticism of the cause of protestant christianity. jose barretto replied, "you ought to be ashamed of yourself for finding fault with the thing which has produced such a change in my life. you know the kind of character i have been in this community. you know how violent and sinful i have been and you know at this time how i am living. a religion which can produce such a change as this does not deserve ridicule." the man turned and slunk away. in the meantime, there had gathered around them a number of people, because they knew how serious a matter it was for anyone to oppose him, and they expected to see something violent take place that day. being emboldened by the mild answer which he gave to his persecutor, others began to ask questions. finally one of them asked him this question: "suppose someone should strike you in the face in persecution, what would you do?" and then the great, strong violent man who had been made meek and humble by his acceptance of jesus gave an answer which showed him to be genuinely converted to the spirit of jesus. he said: "i am not afraid of such a thing as that happening, for the reason that i propose to live in this community such a life for the help of my brothers that no one will ever desire to strike me in the face," and these others turned shame-stricken away from him. he threw down before that community the challenge of his life, and that is the thing that not only in brazil, but here in our own land, must finally win for our king the triumph which is his due. chapter x. captain egydio. what brought about the readiness of this territory in the interior of the state of bahia for the acceptance of the gospel? perhaps the brand of burning which did more than any other to shed light through the entire section over which we passed, was the person of captain egydio pereira de almeida. he was one of several brothers of a good country family which owned large possessions in the interior miles from the city of bahia. he was an intense catholic, but never a persecutor. at one time he was captain in the national guards. he was political boss of his community and protector for a small tribe of indians. he was a hard-working, law-abiding citizen. in order to know the story we must go back a little. in solomon ginsburg sold a bible to guilhermino de almeida on the train when he was going to armagoza. ginsburg had only one bible left and felt constrained to offer it to the stranger across the aisle. the man said he had no money and did not care to buy. the missionary pressed him and finally sold him for fifty cents a bible worth four times that amount. that night his fellow passenger heard the missionary speak in the theater in armagoza and seemed to enjoy especially the hymns the preacher sang. the missionary marked for him the ten commandments and other passages in the bible. when the man reached his home at vargem grande a few days afterward he told his brother marciano de almeida of his encounter with the missionary, of how he had bought the bible which he did not want and of the ten commandments the missionary had marked for him. he very willingly gave his bible to his brother. marciano read the book and was particularly impressed with the ten commandments. now, we must introduce into this narrative another character in the person of good brother madeiros. some time before this, having become interested in the gospel, he had gone to bahia and had been instructed by missionary z. c. taylor in the truth to such good purpose that he gave himself to the lord. his neighbors at valenca, his native town, on learning of his having accepted christ, drove him out, and he moved to vargem grande. but he found no rest in his new home, for his fellow townsmen so persecuted him that he was compelled to live in the outskirts of the town. he was the first believer in vargem grande. when marciano de almeida became interested in the scriptures he went to see madeiros and was instructed by him in the gospel. he told the persecuted saint that he would stand by him from now on, for marciano had experienced a marvelous conversion. on learning that his images were idols, marciano collected all immediately and burnt them, greatly to the disgust of his family and the whole town. he began at once to declare the word of god, and though he was as gentle as a lamb, he was also as bold as a lion in defending the gospel. when his brother, captain egydio de almeida, who lived sixty miles away, learned that marciano had become converted, he made the journey to take out of his brother's heart the false teaching which he had imbibed. he pitied his brother, thinking that marciano's mind had become unbalanced. when captain egydio arrived at his brother's in vargem grande, being a very positive man, he set about the business of straightening out his brother with dispatch and determination. he failed in his purpose, and then called in a priest. when he returned with the priest marciano asked the two to be seated. immediately the priest inquired, "what is this i am hearing about you, marciano?" he replied, "mr. priest, i am thirty-five years old and you never gave me the bible, god's holy law and as god ordered it. i came by it through the protestants whom you have always abused. you have taken my money all these years for mass, saying you would take the souls of our kin out of a purgatory that does not exist. you taught me to worship idols which god's word condemns. you sprinkle my children for money, marry them for money, and when they die you still demand money to save their souls from an imaginary purgatory. the bible teaches me, on the other hand, that god offers me a free salvation through jesus christ." the priest rose and said good-bye without offering a word of explanation. seeing the priest thus defeated, captain egydio turned to old brother madeiros, who happened to be present, and said: "if you continue to put these false doctrines in my brother's head i will send a couple of indians here to take off your head." "yes," replied madeiros, "you may cut off my head, but you cannot cut off my soul from god." captain egydio returned home breathing out plagues upon himself and his family. he drank heavily at every grog shop on his way and scattered abroad the news about his family's disgrace. he was a man of a kind heart, and though he did not embrace the truths of his brother's religion, he did show his brother great consideration and, being a political leader for that district, became his brother's protector. when his wrath had cooled down somewhat he began to recall many things marciano had told him about the bible, and as he looked upon his many expensive idols set here and there in niches about his home, he said to himself: "well, did marciano say these images do nothing. they neither draw water, cut wood nor pick coffee. they do not teach school, they do not protect our home, for there is one covered with soot. there is another the rats have gnawed, and recently another fell and was broken. how powerless they are." then he remembered the bible which a believer had given him years before. he began to examine it in a closed room. ag he read he prayed, "oh, god, if this religion of marciano be right, show it to me." he seemed to be making good progress. but about this time he received word that his brother and the missionary r. e neighbor were coming to see him. the priest had also heard of the approaching visit and had sent a letter to captain egydio's son warning him against the coming men, saying that they were emissaries of the united states and wished to lead the almeidas astray. the letter bearer was instructed to deliver the letter to the son and not let the father know anything about it, but he said, "i cannot do that because i must be true to my old captain," so he gave the letter to captain egydio. he wag greatly disturbed over the warnings the priest had given and tried to induce his children to give up the reading of the pamphlets and scriptures he had given to them, which thing they refused to do. his brother and the missionary came according to agreement and captain egydio, true to his word, went with them to the town of areia to protect them while they were engaged in conducting a gospel service in the public square. the priest of the town sent the police to prevent the protestants from conducting the meeting. the sergeant, who had been under captain egydio when he was captain in the national guards, was one of the detail sent to suppress the meeting. he declared that he would stand by his old captain, for the men knew that under the constitution the missionary had a perfect right to hold the meeting. the meeting was held, but under such unfavorable circumstances that the captain stood forth and said: "i have not declared myself a protestant, but from this time i shall be a protestant and propose to give my life to the spread of this faith." it happened that one day he was called to visit a boy who had been shot. as he rode along through the open fields he was burdened with prayer to god. suddenly he felt a strange feeling and he seemed to hear a voice saying, "you are saved." immediately he knew that the lord had visited him with his blessed salvation. he shouted as he rode along the way, "glory to god. i am redeemed." he rode on in this state to the home of the boy. seeing the boy could not live, he began to exhort him to look to christ for salvation, and just before the boy's spirit passed out from him, he made confession of his lord. the captain returned to his home overflowing with joy. he galloped his horse up to the door, shouting, "glory, hallelujah, i am saved." he embraced his wife and children and all stood back staring at him. finally the mother cried: "poor man! children, your father is mad. get the scissors and let us cut off his hair; let us rub some liniment on his head." "all right," he said, "only do not cut it too close," and he suffered them to rub the liniment also upon his head. seeing that there was no change in him, they also administered to him one of their homely medicines, a small portion of which he was willing to take to pacify them. their opinion of his sanity was not changed. not only his family, but his neighbors suspected him. as he engaged in business--and he was a very busy man--people were watching him to see if something was not dreadfully wrong. finally all realized that a great and beneficent change had taken place. he never became a preacher, but he did not allow to pass an opportunity to tell the story of his newly-found savior. his bible was constantly in his hands, and he read the marvelous news to all. his family soon became interested in the gospel and they, even to his son-in-law, became as crazy upon the subject as he. thirteen of them were baptized at one time. for activity in evangelization his equal was scarcely ever met. he kept for distribution boxes of bibles and tracts. while at business he witnessed for the gospel. he traveled extensively. some of his bosom friends became his worst enemies, but many of them he led to christ, or at least to a friendship, for the gospel. he did not preach, but invited many preachers to come to his community and was always ready to accompany them whenever they needed his presence. his life was the greatest sermon he could preach to the people. they had known him once in the old days when one of his sons fell sick he promised to carry his weight of beeswax to the miracle working saint of the lapa shrine, miles away on the san francisco river. the son recovered and the father kept his word. now they saw him discard his old superstitions for the truth in jesus. the gospel that could produce such a marvelous change as this had its effect upon his neighbors. he organized a church upon his own fazenda and it held its meetings in his own house at casca. he became deeply interested in the subject of education. he said one day to dr. z. c. taylor, our missionary at bahia: "while i was a catholic i had no desire to educate my children, but now i would give all of this farm to see them educated." dr. taylor told him of some of his own plans concerning a school, and captain egydio contributed the first money for the school, which dr. taylor afterward established, captain egydio's gift of a thousand dollars making it possible for this school to be organized. of the trials and persecutions which he endured for the gospel, we can cite only one or two. a priest paid two men sixty dollars to go and take the captain's life. they appeared one night at his door and asked for employment. he invited them in, saying he had plenty of work he could give them to do. the time soon arrived for family prayers and the men were invited to be present. the captain afterward told the family that while he was praying he received a distinct impression that the men had come to do him bodily injury and that in the prayer he had committed himself absolutely to the protection of god. the next day he took the two men out into the field to show them what to do. in the meantime he had been telling them of the love of jesus and how he had come to save to the uttermost those who would believe on him. one lingered behind to shoot, but his hand trembled too much. the other did not have the courage to do the man of god any injury. that night they said they would not stay longer. he paid them for the day's work, bade them godspeed and they departed. but he did not always escape suffering so easily. one afternoon as he was passing by the priest's home the priest accosted him and said: "captain, why is it you do not stop with me any more? you used to do so, but of late you have passed me by." he urged the captain so strongly that he decided to stay all night. they offered him wine to drink, which he refused. then they gave him coffee. that night he suffered agony and was sick for some time after reaching home. he was sure he had been poisoned. he suffered many persecutions from unsympathetic neighbors, not only from criticism, but sometimes from bodily injuries and from painful abuse, all of which he bore with an equanimity of spirit which would do credit to any martyr to the cause of christ. dr. z. c. taylor relates a trying experience through which he and captain egydio passed together. "the captain and i were together one day returning home from a preaching tour by a near cut, passing the door of our greatest persecutor, captain bernadino, who on seeing us, seized a stick, and running to us, beat back our hordes, crying, 'back, back, you cannot pass my house.' a plunge of my horse caused my hat to fall off, which he handed me and continued to force our retreat. we returned by way of the home of his son-in-law, who was a baptized believer, and while this brother was piloting us down a hill to another way home captain bernadino, jumping from behind a bush, caught my horse by the bridle. he had an assassin at his heels, with axe in hand, asking every minute what he should do. captain bernadino wore out his stick on my horse, planting the last stroke across my loins; then he struck me about a dozen times in the breast with his fist. i said to him, 'captain, why are you beating me, i believe in god; do not you also?' stopping and panting he said, 'do you believe in god, you rascal?' 'yes,' i said, 'and jesus also who came to save us sinners.' 'don't let up, don't let up, hit him, hit him,' cried his wife and children. he pulled the bridle from my hands, led my horse into a pond close by, and gathering mud, pelted me from foot to shoulder. then leaving my horse, he went after captain egydio, who was guarded by another assassin. on passing his son-in-law, kneeling, he struck him on the head, saying, 'get up, you fool!' leading the captain's horse into the water, he covered him with mud from foot to head. then, putting our bridles up, he beat our horses and told us to go, never to be seen in those parts any more. my bridle reins he crossed, which fact caused me when i passed his wife, who stood with a long stick upraised, to strike me, to turn my horse upon her instead of away from her, and the horse came near running over her. she struck and fell back, the stick falling across my horse's neck. such a pandemonium of mad voices, cursing and shouting as we left i never heard. it took us till night to reach home. the family took it as an honor, and smiling and laughing, we were spending the evening merrily, when at nine or ten o'clock a rap at the door caused us all to suspend our hilarity. it was that son-in-law of the persecutor, bringing his wife, asking to be baptized. she had witnessed the persecution her father gave us, and on her husband's return to the house, she told him the scene made her think of the apostles and that now she was determined to be baptized. at first i thought of bloodshed, for her father had threatened to kill her, her mother, captain egydio and the man who baptized her. but i had always taught them to obey christ and leave results with him, so we heard her experience and at midnight i baptized her. captain egydio did not complain of our treatment nor did i ever mention it to our consul. when he gave his heart to christ he gave his life and all. he followed where his conscience led. before his conversion he was a great smoker. the missionary asked him one day if he smoked for the glory of god. he took the cigarette from his mouth, threw it away and never smoked again. this was characteristic of his determination and his unfaltering devotion to what he esteemed to be right. the end came swiftly one night. he had an attack apparently of indigestion which carried him speedily away. the symptoms seemed to indicate that he had been poisoned. all that night he spent in prayer and in singing hymns. he died leaving his benediction upon his family and upon those brazilians who would give their hearts and their services to jesus christ. he was buried upon his own farm. as his family did not erect a cross over his grave, one of his neighbors who had persecuted captain egydio violently many times thought he would correct him in his grave, and so he set up a large cross over him. one night soon after, this cross was cut down. the violent neighbor instituted a suit for the violation of the law in tearing down a symbol of the roman catholic church. he also came with great pomp, accompanied by soldiers, and set up another cross. the law suit finally wore itself out and both parties were glad to drop it, each party sharing an equal amount of the costs. the persecution has been so bitter that the church which captain egydio organized in his own house was removed to pe da serra, three miles away, and from there it was driven by persecution to rio preto, where today it flourishes with a membership of about fifty people and is in a hopeful condition. the widow and her children have been compelled to move into the city of bahia. a recent letter informs me of the conversion of the two youngest girls. the witness of captain egydio has not been lost. it is marvelous how much he accomplished in his short career. he was converted october, , baptized february , , and died march th, , at fifty years of age. in these few years he sowed the country down with the gospel truth. we visited vargem grande, santo antonio, areia and genipapo churches, all of which had grown very largely out of the influence of this one man, and had we been permitted to go further, we might have visited several other churches for whose beginning the life of this valiant servant of god was in a great measure responsible. "he, being dead, yet speaketh." chapter xi. felicidade. one of the most fascinating phases of mission study is the tracing of the lines along which the gospel spreads. this is true because it brings us into touch with the native christian who is one of the greatest agencies for the spread of the gospel. as it was in the first century, so it is now--"they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the gospel." the history of those apostolic times repeats itself in every mission land. he who personally observes the work in brazil or any other mission field will have a keener appreciation and understanding of the acts of the apostles written by luke. the native christians must either witness for their lord or else betray him. there is no middle ground. a large percentage of the churches in brazil grew out of the fact that a believer moved into a community and began to tell the story of the love of jesus to his neighbors. he may have entered this community by choice or may have been driven into it by persecution. however, that may be, the truth is that many a poor, despised, often persecuted believer, has started a movement in a community which gathered to itself a large company of believers, and formed the nucleus of another one of those most wonderful institutions in all the world--a church of jesus christ. when i had entered the first baptist church in sao paulo, brazil, and stood for a moment looking about me, i heard someone exclaim, "oh, there he is! there he is!" and presently i found myself locked in the affectionate embrace of an apparently very happy old woman. she was about seventy years of age. she was the janitress of the church. she had looked forward to our coming with joyful pleasure, and gave to us as hearty a welcome as did anyone in brazil. her name was felicidade, which being translated means "felicity." several years ago she had come from pernambuco, in which city and state she had labored with great success for many years in behalf of the gospel. when a girl of ten or twelve years of age she heard her father talk about a book he had seen in the court-house upon which the judge had laid his hand as he administered the oath. she had the greatest desire to see this book. she was married in her thirteenth year and her husband died when she was eighteen. after his death she went from the country to the city of pernambuco, where she met some members of the congregational church and was led by them to attend the services. she saw the bible and heard a sermon preached from the text, "blessed are they that hunger and thirst," and soon afterward she gave obedience to jesus. from that time forth her whole conversation was upon the gospel and upon the subject of bringing other people to christ. one time when mrs. entzminger was away from the city of pernambuco she left her children in charge of felicidade. while felicidade was passing along the street with the children one day she was met by mrs. maria motta and her daughter, who stopped to admire the beautiful children. felicidade told who the children were and urged her new acquaintances to attend the church services. they accepted her invitation and soon became interested in the gospel, and before long were converted to faith in jesus christ. then their persecution began. they lost all their friends and endured many other hardships. they came from one of the best families in the city, and therefore felt the persecution more bitterly than might have some others. the girl, augusta, secured work in the english store. her mother took in fine ironing, and thus the two made their support. afterward augusta married augusto santiago, who at the present time is the pastor of our thriving church in the city of nazareth. she has been to him one of the greatest blessings in that she has done much to help him in his effort to prepare himself better for his work. when we visited nazareth we were entertained in the delightful home of augusto santiago and found it to be charming in every respect. when felicidade lived in pernambuco it was her custom to sell fruit for six months to make money enough to live upon for the remainder of the year. she would then go into the interior with tracts and bibles, sell them and in every way try to lead people to christ. one year she made it her aim to lead not less than twelve to her lord, and she was able to accomplish her purpose. her education is limited, but she knows any number of scripture verses, which she is able to quote with remarkable aptness. upon one of her visits into the interior she was found at nazareth by innocencio barbosa, a farmer who resided in the district of ilheitas. he lived about thirty miles from nazareth. he took felicidade home with him in order that she might teach the gospel to his family. meanwhile, his friend, hermenigildo, who lived in a distant neighborhood, bought a bible in limoeiro and told his friend innocencio of what he had done. innocencio told him of the presence of felicidade and suggested that his friend might take her home with him that she might explain the gospel to his family also. felicidade accordingly went into this other home and soon the entire family, including a son-in-law and some relatives, were led to jesus, and a church of about fifty members was organized in hermenigildo's house. thus the faithful witnessing of this humble, consecrated woman was so honored of the holy spirit that scores were led into the light of the gospel of jesus. out of her efforts grew churches which the violence of the oppressor could not destroy, because the work she did became immortal when it passed over into the hands of the lord of hosts, against whose church not even the gates of hell can prevail. chapter xii. persecution. some of the severest persecutions the saints have ever endured in pernambuco broke upon this new congregation in the ilheitas district. the houses of the believers were broken into and everything destroyed, some of the buildings were burned. the believers asked for police protection, but the police sent to protect them being under the domination of the priest, who was the political boss of that district, persecuted the believers even more than their neighbors had done. they drove the believers about, beating them with their swords, forcing them to drink whisky and in many ingenious ways heaped indignities upon them. after the success of the great persecution in bom jardim, of which we will speak later, the priest organized a large force of men to destroy everything belonging to the protestants in the ilheitas district and to drive them away. they burned all of the church furniture, as well as the household furniture belonging to hermenigildo, who was forced to flee for his life. they cut the cord to the hammock in which was lying his young baby. the fall broke the neck of the child. the mother was driven unclothed between two lines of soldiers and severely beaten. the other believers were so harrassed that most of them were compelled to leave the neighborhood. hermenigildo stayed away five months, when a change in police chiefs in pernambuco made it possible for him to return. the church was reorganized the following year. a new building was constructed on hermenigildo's farm and today, with a membership of , it is in a most prosperous condition. in the little city of nazareth the fury of persecution has been felt. not a great while after the church had been organized by dr. entzminger the farmers in the community and the priest combined to drive the protestants out of town. dr. entzminger heard of their purpose and went up to nazareth, accompanied by a number of soldiers whom the government had put at his disposal. a great throng was collected at the station to do violence to the missionary on his arrival, but when they saw the soldiers they took to their heels, and many came that night to the service to show that they were not in the mob. a year or two later another mob broke into the church, poured oil over the furniture and burned practically everything. the police saved the building. once after this, when missionary ginsburg was to hold an open-air meeting in this same town, a soldier was hired to take his life. the officers of the law left town in order that the deed might be done without hindrance. the soldier drank whisky in order to brace himself for the deed, and fortunately imbibed too much and became so intoxicated that he fell asleep. when he awoke the meeting had been held and he had missed his chance. these facts were confessed by the soldier to dr. entzminger after the soldier had been converted a year later. at the railway station at nazareth we met primo da fonseca, who had, for the sake of the gospel, lost all in a great persecution at bom jardim, which is not a great distance from nazareth. he was a reader of evangelical literature and preached the gospel all over that country, though he had not been baptized. a native missionary went into that region, began preaching and soon afterward gathered a congregation and organized a church in fonseca's home. the political boss of the community planned with the catholics to take men into bom jardim on the night of april th, , for the purpose of killing all the protestants who were in prayer at fonseca's house. the mob divided into two parties. one party was to approach the house from the front and the other from the opposite side. a gun was to be fired as a signal for the attack. the first party approached the house, which was near the theater. now in the theater at that time was gathered a great throng of people. when the news came to them of the approach of the mob the women thought it was a part of the band of bandits led by antonio silvino, who is perhaps the most famous outlaw of brazil. all were greatly frightened. the mayor went out to see if he could not do something to persuade the mob to leave the town. after some parleying they said that inasmuch as the mayor asks, we will turn back. someone at that time fired a shot and shouted, "viva santa anna" in honor of the patron saint of that city. this signal brought up the supporting party at once, who mistook their comrades for the believers and fired into them. in the melee twenty people were killed and about fifty wounded. all night they were carrying the dead away to burial in order that they might cover up the deed as far as possible. the municipal judge made out a case that the protestants had fired on the catholics. he pronounced nineteen as being implicated. several escaped, six were finally brought to trial. dr. entzminger in pernambuco sent lawyers and gave such assistance as he could. after about two years, missionary ginsburg having come also to help in the meantime, the men on trial were set free. fonseca lost all he had in this law suit, he being one of those arrested. he was in jail four months. he has been deserted by his family. when the disturbance occurred he was marshal of his town. today he lives in nazareth, poor, deserted, faithful. but what cares he for this suffering, poverty and desertion as he contemplates the fact that he has set a torch of eternal light in his community. the church which he finally established will bear faithful witness in spite of hardships long after all persecution has ceased, and he, himself, has gone home to god. it was our good fortune to visit the little town of cabo (which means cape), two hours' ride from pernambuco, where we have a small church, organized about two years ago. we were entertained in the home of a mechanic who superintends the bridge construction along the railroad which passes through the town. he takes his bible with him when he goes to work, and wherever he is he preaches the gospel. he told us of two station agents along the line who had recently accepted christ through his personal efforts. we had a delightful service that night in the church, a great throng of people being present, six of whom made public profession of their faith in jesus. after we had returned from the church we sat in the little dining room in the rear part of this man's house until a late hour. some of those who had suffered for the cause of the gospel came in to see us, and as we sat there in the dim light of the flickering candle, they told us of some of their sufferings for the gospel's sake. the scene reminded me of what must have taken place often in many a dark room in the early centuries when the christians gathered together for the sake of comforting each other in their trials. amongst those who were present in this little room was brother honofre, through whose efforts the church at cabo had been founded. several years ago he began to read a bible which had been presented to him by a man who was not interested in it. he became converted along with his household. there was a catholic family living opposite to him which he determined to reach with the gospel. after awhile this family accepted christ and the two families began to hold worship in their homes. soon they rented a hall, with the aid of a few others, and sent to pernambuco for a missionary to come and organize them into a church. this man has endured cruel hardships. he had to abandon his business as a street merchant because the people boycotted him. he rented a house, built an oven and began to bake bread. not long after that he was put out of this house. again and yet again he had the same experience until recently he has rented a house from the same man who provided for our church building. he can now make a living. the church has had experience similar to that of its founder. it was put out of three rented buildings at the instance of the vicar, who either forced the owners to eject or he, himself, bought the property. finally a man who is not a believer, but whose mother is, bought the present building and sold it to me church. he is permitting the church to pay for the building in installments of small sums. at last the church has a place upon which it can rest the sole of its feet and in two years has grown from ten to fifty members. on the occasion of our visit six more made public confession of christ before a large audience and were received for baptism. out on the cape is a fine lighthouse which we had admired as we came up the coast on the ship. may it be a symbol of the lighthouse which this church may become to the storm tossed in that section of brazil. of course, persecution is a painful thing for those who are called upon to endure it, but wherever i found those who had passed through afflictions they counted it all joy to suffer for the cause of christ, and whenever i attempted to comfort them because of their hardships, i came away more comforted than they, for the reason that their joyous willingness to suffer for his sake strengthened my own faith and assured me of the ultimate triumph of the gospel through the labors of such heroic people. persecution, while it may temporarily suspend work in a certain place, always defeats its own purpose, and instead of preventing the spread of the gospel, is one of the most helpful agencies in the growth of the truth. a most encouraging illustration of this fact occurred in pernambuco in . there had been a bitter persecution at cortez, a village not far from pernambuco. the chief instigator of the trouble was the parish priest. the believers were driven out of the town and their lives threatened. the missionary went and was also driven out, but returned under the protection of some soldiers and conducted gospel services through a whole week in order to give courage to the believers and to demonstrate that the protestants could not be driven out. a news account of this persecution was published in a daily paper in pernambuco. a boy cut this article out and gave it to his teacher, a priest in the silesian college. the teacher read the article and wrote a letter to missionary cannada and asked him to come to the college at midnight to explain the gospel. two letters were passed before the missionary finally went at midnight to hold a conference. the priest came out and discussed the gospel with the missionary and then returned to the college, taking with him a copy of the new testament. after a month the missionary went again at midnight to the college and the priest came away with him once for all. the priest went to the home of the missionary and for two months studied the bible, after which time he was converted. he at once began to preach the gospel to his friends as he would meet them on the streets. he also made a public declaration of his conversion in print. the president of the college from which he had gone obtained an interview with him and offered him every inducement to return. his parents disinherited him and many other trials came to him, but through all, he stood firm. he has just graduated from the southern baptist theological seminary, taking the th. d. degree and has been appointed to teach in the baptist college and theological seminary in rio. his name is piani. about a year after piani's conversion he induced another priest to leave the same college. this man spent a month in the missionary's house studying the bible, but was enticed back by the priests and hurried away to new york in order that he might escape the influence of piani. three months after reaching new york he was converted and joined the fifth avenue baptist church and is today a pastor of a baptist church in massachusetts. in no place where our people have endured persecution, even though it may have been severe enough to cost the lives of some, has the work been abandoned, but in every place the weak, struggling congregation which faced obliteration at the fury of its enemy, has in the end increased, and today enjoys the blessing of growth in numbers and in the sympathy of the people. persecution is a good agency in the spread of the gospel. chapter xiii. the bible as a missionary factor. the bible is a mighty factor in the spread of the gospel in brazil. in there came down to bahia a man named queiroz from two hundred and fifty miles in the interior. he came seeking baptism at the hands of dr. z. c. taylor. it appears that some six or eight years previous to that time an agent of a bible society had entered this man's community, preached the gospel and left behind him some copies of the scriptures. one of these bibles was found afterwards by queiroz, who studied it and was impressed with its truth. he began to bring the message of the word to the attention of his large circle of friends and kindred. having preached in several places, he was finally asked by the district judge to come to his house where he was given opportunity to meet a number of friends. the friends of queiroz, however, began to ask him whether it was right for him to be preaching thus before he had been baptized, whereupon he resolved to go to bahia to seek baptism. he made the journey and was baptized. a week after he had returned he wrote to dr. taylor, saying he had preached at deer forks and had baptized eight. during the next two weeks similar letters were sent, which gave the number he had baptized. the church at bahia was apprized of conditions, and it decided to send queiroz an invitation to come and receive ordination. he came with great humility and joy and was ordained, but before the ordination had taken place he had already baptized fifty-five people. the church, at bahia, after the ordination of queiroz, legalized the baptisms. five years after the baptism of this man dr. taylor was finally able to make the journey to conquista, where he found the church well organized, with a house of worship built at its own expense and with the pastor's home erected near by. the missionary says, "i now understand why god never permitted me to visit conquista during these five years. i believe it was for the purpose of showing me that the native christians can and will take care of themselves and the gospel if we will only confide in them. i wonder how many churches in the united states have built their own house and pastorium and sustained themselves from the start? not a cent from the board has been spent on the church and the evangelization done by brother queiroz." another example of the power of the bible in spreading the gospel is found in the way the gospel came to guandu, state of rio, and the country round about. one night in campos in , after the missionary had finished his sermon, a young woman approached him and said, "my father has been teaching us out of that same book you used. would you not like to go out in the country to visit him?" the missionary replied that he would, and then the girl explained how the bible came to this community. one evening a colporteur approached her father's door and asked for entertainment, saying he had been refused by several families along the way. to the host's inquiry as to why he had been refused entertainment for the night the colporteur said: "they declined because i am a protestant." the man replied. "come in and welcome." after the dinner mr. vidal (for that was the farmer's name) asked what this protestantism meant. the colporteur explained and preached the gospel to the best of his ability. when the time came to retire the colporteur said, "it is my custom to read the scriptures and to pray before i retire. if you have no objection i would like to do so tonight." mr. vidal answered, "i shall be glad for you to do so." the colporteur read and there in the dining hall before the curious onlookers knelt and poured out his heart to his heavenly father. he called down the blessing and the favor of god upon the family. the tears poured down his cheeks as he lifted his soul in this prayer. after he finished praying mr. vidal said, "i have never heard prayer like that. teach me how to do it. i have heard latin prayers repeated, but they did not grip me like that." the colporteur replied by explaining that prayer must be from the heart. he then took out a bible and said, "i want to make you a present of this book. you have been kind to me. read it, for it has in it the word of life." he went away the following morning. we do not know who he was--only the record on high will discover his person to us. the book left behind became a great light for mr. vidal. he read it and was so impressed with its teachings that he taught the word to his family and neighbors. his house became a house of prayer and teaching. when missionary ginsburg went out there, preached the word and explained about christ, he asked those who wished to follow the lord to stand. practically the whole company stood. they had been prepared, by mr. vidal the missionary went back a few times and soon a church of about forty members was organized and was called the church of guandu. the word spread up the country first amongst mr. vidal's relatives and friends. at santa barbara the station master, carlos mendonca, was converted, who is now pastor of our church at cantagallo. he first moved to rio bonito and founded a church there, the truth spread, in other directions also and so the light which the unknown colporteur left with this farmer has shed its rays of blessings upon a whole county. twenty-one years ago, a bible which belonged to a catholic priest, or rather a part of a catholic bible, fell into the hands of the old man, joaquim borges. through the reading of this bible, he abandoned idolatry and other practices of rome and put his trust solely in the lord jesus for his salvation. for sixteen years he resisted all attempts of priests and others to turn him back to rome, always giving a clear and firm testimony to the truth of the gospel. during all this time he never met with another believer. hearing of him, e. a. jackson wrote him to meet him in pilao arcado. he came miles and waited twelve days for the arrival of the missionary. as jackson had through passage to santa rita, he asked the captain to hold the steamer while he baptized mr. borges. before administering baptism jackson preached to the great crowd on the river bank and on the decks of the steamer. it was a solemn and beautiful sight to behold this man, seventy-seven years of age, following his lord in baptism at his first meeting with a minister of the gospel and before a multitude which had never witnessed such a scene. dripping from the river, jackson welcomed him into the ranks of god's children. the missionary embarked on the steamer and mr. borges went back to work among his neighbors. up till the present time not even a native minister has visited him, for the lack of workers and funds to send them. eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart to conceive the glorious things god has prepared for the man who will go to work for him among the neglected people of the interior of brazil. in the state of sao paulo is a boy, ramiro by name, now about thirteen years of age, the only son of parents who do not know a letter of the alphabet. indeed, he is the only one in a large connection that has been taught to read. the family lives about twenty miles from their market town, mogy das cruzes, to which they go to sell the meager fruits of their labors on the little farm. in this town they have some acquaintances, among whom is a believer whose faith had come through reading the bible. this believer one day came into possession of a bible which he didn't need, and so he gave it to ramiro, who was then about nine or ten years of age and was beginning to learn to read. the little fellow trudged home, twenty miles away, carrying his priceless present, and showed it joyously to his parents. this was the first book that ever entered their humble home, excepting, of course, ramiro's little school book. curious to know what the book contained, the father put ramiro to deciphering some of its pages. guided, no doubt, by the holy spirit, he fell upon the new testament and laboriously read on and on for months and months the neighbors--all ignorant alike--would come and listen to ramiro spell out sentence after sentence, he becoming more expert as the days went by. he would read, they would listen and discuss, the holy spirit, in the meantime, fixing the sacred truth in their hearts. this persistent reading of the word went on for two or three years to a time when the lord opened to dr. j. j. taylor, of sao paulo, a door of opportunity in mogy das cruzes. he found twelve people ready to follow on in the lord's ordinance. since that time even more abundant fruit has been gathered. dr. taylor at first baptized three of ramiro's cousins who hail from the same village twenty miles away and recently he baptized the uncle, aunt, some more cousins and ramiro himself. ramiro taught the words of many hymns to his family and neighbors. through him and his book his aged grandparents, ninety years old and bedridden, rejoice in the savior. how great must be the might of the word of god which can convert to salvation strong men through the faltering lips of a child and yet, after all, is not this the combination which alone is powerful in spreading the gospel--a simple, child-like heart, through which the word may speak forth? "a little child shall lead them," because it can be artless enough to give simple utterance to the word of god. oh, for more in all lands who will give unaffected voice to the word of god! that message has power in it if it can get sincere expression. we need to realize more than we do the transcendent importance of giving wide circulation to the bible in foreign lands. the illustrations given here of the wonderful success of the book should help us to reach a better appreciation of the value of the word of god in mission endeavor. certainly, there is marvelous power in it. its enemies fear its might; therefore, they fight desperately to prevent the circulation of it. would that we could have as keen a realization of the vitality of this book as do its enemies. surely then, we would do far more for the sowing of the scriptures beside all waters. chapter xiv. the mettle of the native christian. in , francisco da silva, soon after his conversion in bahia, went to victoria in the state of espirito santo to live. he went into the interior with some surveyors, and in addition to the work he was called upon to do, he found time to tell the story of jesus. eight people were converted and he wrote dr. z. c. taylor to come and baptize them. dr. taylor was not able to go immediately, and one of the men secured his baptism in a very unique way. he asked francisco to baptize him francisco replied that he could not because he was not ordained. the man returned home and examined his bible and came back a few days later and demanded again that francisco baptize him. francisco replied that in order to baptize, one must be ordained. "no," said the man, "i have looked in the bible and i do not find it necessary for one to be ordained in order to baptize." so catching hold of francisco, he pulled him along to a river near by, francisco through it all holding back the best he could and arguing with the man that he could not baptize him. but the man constrained him and forced him into the river. francisco seeing his zeal, performed the ceremony. some question afterward was raised about the validity of this baptism, and the man was baptized regularly by the same francisco, who had in the meantime received ordination. when he had finished with one party of surveyors another wanted to employ him, and they went to the first party to find out about him. the men said: "he has fine qualifications for the position, but there is one objection to him--he is a protestant." "ah," said the second party, "can't we with a little money get that out of him?" "no," replied the first, "it seems to be grown into him." he was taken by the second party, the chief of which and all his family soon became devoted christians. the desire to tell the story of jesus burned in francisco's heart so warmly that he gave up his lucrative employment with the surveying party, bought a mule and other necessities for his journey and started out to proclaim the unsearchable riches of christ to the people of that state. he was remarkably successful and soon gathered about him a little band of believers, who, because of their faithfulness to christ, were called upon to suffer severe persecution. they were compelled to flee into the distant mountains where missionary jackson afterward found them, organized them into a church and baptized seventy-five converts. later they were able to return to their homes, due to the fact that a more lenient administration was inaugurated in victoria. very soon afterward our faithful missionary, l. m. reno, was sent to this state, and the work from this good beginning has had remarkable prosperity. the pioneer missionary, da silva, after having gained the title of apostle to the state of espirito santo, was called in to his reward. from what we have been saying, you have no doubt made many inferences about the kind of christians these brazilians make. if you had seen them face to face, you would have been, as i was, impressed with their appearance. they were the best-looking people i saw. their countenances were clearer and there was a hopeful, resourceful look upon them that was not noticeable upon the non-believers. sin and fear always break the spirit of men, and though there may be a brave look assumed, yet there always hangs a cloud over the countenance of the sin-stained and fear-driven man, be he a religionist or atheist. this change in appearance is produced by a change in their way of living. when they are converted they cease drinking, gambling, sabbath-breaking, and often the men give up smoking and the women cease taking snuff. the fact is they sometimes are extreme upon this subject. i heard of one church that made the giving up of tobacco and another the laying aside of jewelry the test of fellowship. these people coming out from under the domination of a religion of fear into the light and liberty of the gospel are changed from glory to glory, having upon them the light of god's countenance. they are liberal givers. there is a much larger proportion of tithers among them than among the christians in the states. here, too, they often go to extremes. more than one church in brazil makes tithing obligatory upon its members. last year the brazilian baptists gave as much per capita for foreign missions as did the baptists in our southern states. they have set their aim this year higher than the southern baptists have. they sustain foreign mission work in chili and portugal. they engage in this foreign mission endeavor because the leaders think that the foreign mission principle is vital to the life and development of the churches. this giving to foreign missions is not to the neglect of their home enterprises. they have home and state mission boards which they support liberally. they have am education board to which they gave forty cents per capita last year and all of this giving out of such grinding poverty! here and there are people of larger means who are munificent in their gifts. it was the generous offer of $ , by captain egydio that made possible the founding of the collegio americano egydio, which school was established by the taylors in bahia. he paid $ the first installment upon the furniture, but his sudden taking off prevented the college from realizing the whole amount promised, because the family lost so heavily by persecution after the father had been taken away. col benj. nogueira paranagua, a rich cattleman, built a church, school and library building at corrente in the state of piauhy at his own expense and afterward paid the salary of a teacher for the school. when the church in san fidelis, which was established in the face of trying persecution, was considering how it could possibly build a meeting house, a coffee farmer, who was not yet a member, rose and said: "i am old and useless, but i want to do something for jesus and his church. i, therefore, offer to erect the church building and the church may pay me six per cent. annually until i die, and then the building will belong to the church as a legacy which i intend to leave." as the work on the house progressed he signified his desire to be the first one to be baptized in the baptistry. this was granted gladly and his thought of charging six per cent on the building until his death disappeared in the watery grave and he made the church a present outright of the beautiful chapel. not only this chapel has been built by an individual, but others have been built in the same way. usually, however, the churches are built out of the sacrificial offerings of the people. so well has this church building movement progressed that now about one-third of the baptist churches organized in brazil worship in their own buildings, and with a few exceptions, these buildings have been erected by the gifts of the people and not by the gifts of the foreign mission board. the presbyterians show a better proportion of buildings than this and the methodists quite as good. the subject of self-support is a live one. there has been good progress made in this matter, but, of course, it will require many years to teach the churches their full duty in this regard. many churches have reached the point where they take care of all local expenses. some of the missionaries go so far as to advocate not organizing any more churches until the congregations can be self-supporting. the south brazilian mission, in its recent meeting, adopted the rule that no church should be organized hereafter until it could pay at last per cent of its own expenses--these expenses to include the care of the house, the salary of the native pastor, etc. i have already cited instances of personal work. i wish to say more particularly that the great success which has attended the work in brazil must be in a large measure attributed to the fact that those who have been led to christ have been zealous in witnessing personally to others of the grace which had been bestowed upon them. one of the greatest laymen in brazil is our brother thomaz l. da costa. he is the superintendent of a very considerable business firm in bahia. he is a deacon in the first baptist church, one of the moving spirits upon the brazilian foreign mission board and practically superintends the work of the state mission board of bahia. years ago he was converted in rio through the agency of his washerwoman. this faithful woman is a member of the first baptist church. she decided she would attempt to lead thomaz to christ. so on saturday when she would bring his laundry she would invite him to come to her house on the following day for dinner. i might say by way of parenthesis, that there is not a steam laundry in brazil. all of the laundry work is done by hand. sometimes there is quite a considerable firm which employs many laundresses. thomaz, after declining the good woman's invitation many times, finally one day decided he would accept it. on sunday he appeared at her house for dinner. after the dinner was over she suggested that they, in company with several of her children, should take a stroll through some of the parks. they passed through the great park in the center of the city, and after a while they found themselves in front of a building in which they heard singing. the good woman suggested that they go upstairs into the hall from which proceeded the sounds of the music. they went in, thomaz not knowing what sort of place it was. dr. bagby, the first missionary of our board to brazil, was conducting a service and soon began a sermon which impressed thomaz very greatly. the sermon drew such a picture of his life that he accused the woman of having told dr. bagby about him. she had not done so, she declared, and this fact impressed thomaz even more. next saturday, when she brought his laundry, she invited him to take dinner with her again on sunday, but he was too shrewd for her and declined, saying that he understood her purpose. the message which he had heard in the sermon, however, stayed with him. on the following saturday the good woman again invited him to take dinner with her on sunday. he declined. when the third saturday came, before she had time to extend her usual invitation, he said: "i am coming to dinner with you tomorrow." he went according to promise, and after the meal had been finished, they did not take a round-about course, but went directly to the church, and there the man listened to the gospel again and gave himself to christ. he has not missed a service since unless providentially hindered. i asked him if he was sorry of the step he had taken and he replied: "no, indeed. it is as paul says, 'a salvation not to be repented of.'" there can be but one inevitable result to such faithful witnessing as this. one of the most hopeful signs in connection with the work in brazil is the fact that a large percentage of the members of the churches endeavor to lead others to christ in a personal way. a large percentage of them will conduct public services wherever the opportunity can be found. in the first baptist church in rio there are more than twenty men who will go out and conduct public services. they are not skilled preachers. they may have very limited education, but they can take the book, read it, explain its message through the light of their own individual experiences, and by this means of witnessing to the power of the saving grace of god in their own lives, they are able to lead many to jesus. is not this after all the kind of preaching our lord has sent us into the world to do? the severest persecution which these brazilian christians are called upon to endure is not that which comes to them when they are stoned, or when their property may be destroyed or when their business may be taken away from them through boycotts or when they may be turned into the streets through the bitter hatred of hard-hearted priests, but the most trying persecution is that which comes from the insinuating remark, the sneer of the supercilious and the doubt of the envious. the taunt of hypocrisy is often thrown into the teeth of native christians. their motives are frequently impugned. i was profoundly impressed with the answer they usually give to such persecutions. they reply by saying: "see how we live. note the difference between our careers now and our careers before we became christians." and this challenge of the life is the one which will finally answer the ridicule and doubt of all who assail them. chapter xv. the testing of the missionary. in thinking of the missionary, most of us dwell upon the heroic self-denial he practices and the bravery with which he faces the gravest dangers. certainly, the missionary in brazil is due a good share of such appreciation. he has been called upon to endure shameful indignities, painful personal dangers and the enervating perils of a hostile climate. our own missionaries have been beaten, stoned, thrown into streams, arrested and haled before courts, shot at and in many instances saved only by the most signal dispensations of providence. dr. bagby, our first missionary, in spite of stoning and arrest when he was baptizing converts in bahia, kept fearlessly on in his endeavor to lead the people to christ. dr. z. c. taylor traveled through the interior of bahia state in perils of robbers, in perils of fanatics, in perils of infuriated priests and in perils of bloodthirsty persecutors without fear or shrinking. in the spring of solomon ginsburg was set upon by a mob at itabopoana, which opened fire with such perilous directness that one bullet flattened upon the wall a few inches above his head. this same missionary in endured bitter persecutions when he attempted to open the work at san fidelis in the interior of the state of rio de janeiro. a mob of a thousand people threw stones, grass, corn and a great miscellany of other objects at him and his little band of worshipers. the howling of the mob prevented him from preaching. the best that could be done was to sing songs. finally, a stone having struck a girl in the congregation, he carried her out through the infuriated mob to a drug store across the street, where she was resuscitated, and he returned to his service of song. next morning he was called to the police headquarters and the officer forbade him to preach. he asked what the missionary was doing there, to which he replied, "to preach the gospel." the missionary was then prohibited from preaching in the province. he replied that he was sorry he could not obey, for he had superior orders. he could not accept orders from the police, nor the governor, nor even from the president of the republic. the officer asked who this superior authority was. the missionary replied it was god. god had told him to go preach the gospel in all the world to every creature; some of god's creatures were in san fidelis and he was there to preach according to the command of his lord. the police officer, after plying him with insulting epithets, kept him a prisoner of the state as a disturber of the peace. on the following day he was sent to the state prison at nictheroy, where he was confined for ten days. friends, through the solicitation of mrs. ginsburg, brought pressure to bear upon the government and the missionary was released. he was requested then as a personal favor not to return until after the naval revolt, which was then in progress, should be suppressed and a degree of quiet could be restored to the state. being thus requested, he remained away from san fidelis awhile. when the revolt was suppressed he returned to san fidelis and persecution arose again. he appealed to the chief officer of the state and fifty soldiers were sent to his relief. in choosing these fifty soldiers the officer asked for believers to volunteer. twenty-five responded. he asked then for sympathizers and twenty-five more volunteered. these were put under the command of the missionary, who instructed them not to appear armed at the church. they came unarmed, but when the mob began to thrown stones again and refused to respect the soldiers, they pounced upon the evil doers and there was a rough and tumble fight. several were bruised considerably and a number of limbs were broken, but after this conflict the persecution ceased. we relate these incidents for the purpose of making it clear that our missionaries have been called upon to suffer greatly for the cause of christ. every missionary who has been in brazil any length of time has felt the weight of personal, physical persecution, and all in the gravest dangers have conducted themselves as became the heroic character with which they are so splendidly endowed. and this suffering, we are sorry to say, is not yet over. for many years to come the desperate and despotic hand of rome, which could in the name of religion invent the horrible inquisition and organize the bloodthirsty order of jesuits, has not changed its attitude completely and will resist desperately to the last the inevitable progress of protestantism in brazil. let me hasten, however, to say that it is very easy to get the wrong impression of what the heroism of the missionary consists. it is easy for us to think it consists in his willingness to face personal danger. if such an idea should obtain amongst us permanently and alas, it has persisted altogether too long; it will rob the story of missions of its true interest and hazard appreciation of the enterprise upon the ability of the historian to find thrilling tales of adventure to gratify the appetite of the sensation-loving public. the most trying thing to the missionary is not the imminence of personal danger, but the ever-present chilling, benumbing indifference of the people to the gospel. even though here and there we find large numbers of people who are ready to accept the gospel, let us not deceive ourselves into the belief that all brazil is eagerly seeking to enter the kingdom of god. the macedonian call to paul did not come from a whole nation which was ready to accept his teaching, but from one man in a nation. most all macedonian calls are like that. the few, comparatively speaking, rise to utter such calls and these few are the keys of opportunity which may be used to unlock whole empires. the great body of the people in brazil (and this is especially true of the educated classes) are as indifferent to the gospel as people are most anywhere else. it is the weight of this stolid indifference which tries the endurance of the missionary. it fills the very atmosphere he breathes and hangs a dark cloud over his horizon, which only his faith in god and the winning of occasional converts graciously tinge with a silver lining. it is indifference, slowly yielding indifference that tests the temper of the missionary character. there are times when a bit of physical persecution would afford a positive relief to the fatigue of his exacting career. the days of the pioneer missionary, with their personal dangers, have in a measure passed. the yeans of the persecutor in the face of an increasingly more enlightened civilization are numbered. the probability of personal perils is growing steadily less. the missionary must now fight for a hearing before a public which is too often willing to let him alone. in many places it does not care enough for his message to persecute him for bringing it. it is ready to patronize him with an assumed air of liberality and resist the message which burns in his heart and upon his lips. they are willing for him to speak, but not willing to listen to what he has to say. he must fight for a hearing with this patronizing indifference. it is this that tries his spirit. it is this that bleeds his heart of its strength. it is this that calls out the heroic in him as never does the dart of the savage, the weapon of the fanatic or the fury of the mob. to hold on true to his purpose in the face of such soul-harrowing indifference is the crowning act of heroism upon the part of our missionaries. no one of them has ever drawn back and given up his work for fear of death at the hands of his persecutors, but it must be said for the sake of the truth that some have succumbed before the rigors of blasting indifference. the saints at home ought to support valiantly with their prayers our missionaries who at the front are engaged in a battle even unto death with indifferent souls unwilling to accept their message. there is another count in this subject of indifference to which we at home should give more prayerful consideration. it is the failure of the churches at home to send out an adequate number of missionaries to reinforce the workers at the front and make it possible for them to take advantage of the opportunities that have come to them already. what could take the spirit out of a man more quickly than the feeling that those who had sent him out do not care enough about him to give him support and reinforcements for his work? it is a shame upon us that we at home add another burden to our missionaries by failing to loyally support them. what must be a man's thoughts after he has toiled and sacrificed on a field for years and has unceasingly begged for a mere tithe of the helpers he really needs and which we fail to send? when that brave garrison of english soldiers were shut up in lady smith, south africa, during the boer war their courage to hold out against overwhelming odds and on insufficient rations through many weeks was kept up by the assurance that the patriotic english nation was doing its utmost to send relief, though the relief was long delayed. if the thought that their home people were not trying to send succor to them had ever taken possession of their minds, they would have surrendered forthwith. their line of communication was cut, but they knew help was coming, and so they held out with grim determination until relief came. how is it with our missionaries in brazil? their lines of communication are intact. they know their people at home are able to supply them with the help they need and yet the help does not come. what must be the conclusion forced upon, them and what must be the effect upon them? either the churches, though able, will not give the means to send out missionaries, or the men for reinforcement will not volunteer. it may be that both causes are at work. what is the matter when a pulpit committee of a prominent church can have sixty names suggested to it of men who might become its pastor, and a good percentage (save the mark) of these direct applications, when our small missionary force in brazil is pleading for only ten men to be sent out to relieve them in their strain? whatever explanation we may have to offer for these things, the fact remains that our indifference to the call of our men at the front adds an additional weight to their already too heavy load, and yet, in spite of it all, they are standing with unflinching heroism at their posts. something must be done to relieve this situation. counting all denominations, there are in brazil fewer missionaries today in proportion to the population than there are either in india or china. why this disparity of workers in brazil? is it because the work is not successful there? the facts show that, taking into consideration the number of workers, it is one of the most fruitful of all mission fields. is it because there is less need of the gospel? i believe i have shown that these people are bereft of the gospel, and because of their sin and idolatry are as needy as are to be found anywhere. no, there is no excuse to be offered. our workers at the front need help. we are trying their brave spirits by withholding the relief they have a right to expect, and yet we repeat they are holding on with a courage that stamps them as heroes of the finest type. god help us to see our obligation to send out recruits in sufficiently large numbers to relieve these brave soldiers and transform them from a besieged garrison into an aggressive army of conquerors. let us bear in mind that what is said about indifference both on the foreign field and among the churches at home is spoken of the people in the large. thank god, the light is breaking in many places at home and abroad. many individuals and churches are today seeing the larger vision and are assuming their larger responsibility in the support of the foreign mission cause. many are saying: "we will faithfully strengthen the hands of our brothers who toil so courageously at the front." in brazil (and in other mission fields, too,) there is in many places a marvelous breaking away from the old attitude of indifference. the little handful of missionaries we have on the field are straining every nerve to meet the opportunities that are pressing upon them. they are not discouraged. they are as busy as life trying to meet the increasing demands. they are looking to the future with the largest hope. they are a band of the most incurable optimists you ever saw. chapter xvi. the urgent call. this very breaking away in some places is piling up additional burdens and the pitifully inadequate force is called upon to meet demands that twice their number could hardly satisfy. if we had the same distribution of baptist ministers in our southern country that we have in brazil there would be only four ministers in texas, two in virginia, three in georgia and other states in like proportion. think of e. a. nelson, the only representative of our board in the amazon region, trying to spread himself over four states which comprise a territory five times as large as texas. passing down the coast, five days journey, we would find d. l. hamilton and h. h. muirhead, who have faced dangers as fearlessly as have any brave spirits who have enriched the annals of missionary history with courageous service. they, along with miss voorheis, are our sole representatives in the state of pernambuco and in the adjoining state of alagoas. c. f. stapp, solomon ginsburg and e. a. jackson are attempting to carry forward the work in the vast states of piauhy, goyaz, a part of minas geraes, and bahia, which last named state has in it one city as large as new orleans. e. a. jackson is located far in the interior of the state, three weeks' journey from bahia; all of the energies of stapp are consumed in caring for the school; ginsburg is forced to give his attention to the nurturing of the thirty-five churches and of evangelizing as far as his strength will go. in the state beyond them, going down the coast, stands l. m. reno, in the state of espirito santo. in the populous state of rio, in which is located the capital city with its , , inhabitants, we have entzminger, shepard, langston, maddox, cannada, christie, taylor and crosland. entzminger, in addition to conducting the publishing house, must also conduct the mission operations in nictheroy, a city of , ; shepard, taylor and langston have placed upon their shoulders the tremendous responsibility of conducting the college and seminary; cannada must give his energies to the flumenense school for boys, leaving only maddox, christie and crosland at liberty to do the wider evangelistic work and care for the many churches which the success of their labors have thrust upon them. crosland has been transferred recently to bello horizonte, in the great state of minas geraes. farther south, in sao paulo, the richest and most progressive state in the country, are bagby, deter and edwards, misses carroll, thomas and grove. bagby and wife and the young ladies just mentioned devote their time to the school, leaving only two to man a field which, because of its splendid railroad facilities, has in it scores of inviting locations for successful work. in paranagua in the next state to the south, have been located recently r. e. pettigrew and wife. far down to the south in rio grande do sul, a state as large as tennessee and kentucky combined, stands a single sentinel in the person of a. l. dunstan. what a battle line for twenty men to maintain! it is more than , miles in length. if you should place these men in line across our southern territory, locating the first one in baltimore, you would travel miles before you reach the second, miles before you reach the third, miles to the fourth, and in going toward the southwest, you would reach the twentieth man in el paso, tex. whereas, if you were to draw up the baptist ministers enrolled in the southern baptist convention territory along the same line and pass down it to make the count, by the time you had reached el paso you would have passed , men, for they would have been placed just one-fourth of a mile apart. why do we need ministers in this country to one in brazil? is it possible that we will grudgingly cling to our , ministers and decline to give even eight to reinforce our little handful in brazil? such a division of forces can neither be fair nor faithful. in drawing this picture i have practically stated the situation for the other denominations. the presbyterians occupy the same general territory as do the baptists with an equal number of missionaries. the methodists have somewhat more compactly stationed about the same number of missionaries as each of the other two, while the episcopalians, the congregationalists and the evangelical mission of south america combined add a number about equal to each of the three larger denominations. a total of less than ordained missionaries scattered over a territory larger than the united states of north america, which allows about four missionaries to each brazilian state. add to this number the wives of the missionaries, the thirty-seven unmarried women and the native workers and the entire missionary body, foreign and native, barely totals . how utterly inadequate is such a force in the presence of such vast needs! because this situation has in it a call so apparent and so inexpressibly urgent it is impossible to portray it in words. the ripeness of the state of piauhy for evangelization will illustrate the urgency of the opportunity all over brazil. as far back as dr. nogueira paranagua, who was at that time national senator from his state, urged dr. z. c. taylor to send a man into piauhy and promised to help pay the expenses. two years later col. benj. nogueira, the brother of the senator, gave a similar invitation, making a promise that he would sustain a missionary. it was not until that e. a. jackson was able to reach col. benjamin's home. he preached the gospel in this good man's house and also in corrente, the town near by. persecution, bitter and determined, arose. there were three attempts to take jackson's life in one day. once col. benjamin stepped in between the assassin and the missionary and thus saved the missionary's life. some months later, upon the return of the missionary, col. benjamin, who had been for so many years a friend to the gospel, gave himself to it and was baptized. in january, , the new house of worship at corrente was dedicated. it was built by col. benjamin at his own expense. he also built a school building and library, and afterward when the missionary was able to secure a teacher, this generous man paid all the charges. when we reached brazil last summer i received a message from judge julio nogueira paranagua, a nephew of col. benjamin, who is one of the circuit judges in the state of piauhy and who after a short while is to be retired upon his pension, according to the brazilian law. as soon as this takes place he expects to give himself entirely to the work of evangelizing his own people. the message ran: "the state of piauhy is open to the gospel. there is a fight on between the priests and the better classes. the better educated people, disgusted with romanism and priesthood, are drifting into materialism and atheism, but if a competent man could be situated at therezina, the capital, the whole state could easily be won to the gospel." his uncle, who is president of our brazilian convention, as we have already stated, whose family embraces in its immediate connection over a thousand people, in a letter written me after i left rio, reinforces this appeal. he says: "i come to call your attention to the state of piauhy, the field in brazil at present which seems to me to be the best prepared for evangelization. many things have contributed to bring this about. the masons, on the one hand, have done the most they possibly could against romanism; on the other hand, the propaganda sincere and fervent of a small church founded in the southern part of the state, which happily is receiving the greatest blessing from almighty god, is greatly contributing to the reception of the gospel throughout the state. my brother, col. benj. nogueira, the founder of that church, has passed away, but he has left sons who are spiritual and who continue to work. with the work developed there it will spread beneficently. in the adjoining townships there exist many believers, and a church will be founded soon in paranagua, a town situated on the beautiful lake by the same name. in the cities of jerumenha and floriano there are already small churches, which united to the others in assiduous labors, will powerfully contribute to the evangelization of the state, which is one of the most promising of northern brazil. my friend, senator gervazio de britto passo, strongly desires that a minister of the gospel come to the section where he is most influential. this senator greatly sympathizes with our cause and is convinced that his numerous and influential friends as soon as enlightened by a pastor as to what the religion of the baptists is, will unite with them, becoming evangelical. the best moment to move in that state is the present one, when so many causes concur for our evangelical development. the population of piauhy, which is over , , will increase considerably as well as its economic wealth. "i hope that you will not leave this field without pastors, where the gospel is being received as the greatest benefit to which the people can aspire for their civilization." it was my good fortune to meet the present senator from the state of piauhy aboard the ship as he went up the coast, and he, while not a protestant, urged upon me the importance of our heeding the call of this nogueira family and personally assured me that he would do his utmost to see that such a missionary would have the widest opportunity to preach the gospel to the people. this must be a macedonian call, which we hope to soon be able to heed. chapter xvii. the last stand op the latin race. there was a time in the life of the anglo-saxon race when it became necessary for at least a portion of it to go out into a new country in order that it might achieve the larger destiny it was to fulfill in the world. god was behind that exodus as truly as he was behind the transplanting of abraham into a new environment. here in our country, unfettered by despotic traditions and precedents, the anglo-saxon achieved religious and political liberty with a rapidity and thoroughness that could not have been possible in the old continent of europe. likewise also did god separate the latin race from continental oppression that it might grow a better manhood in the freer atmosphere of the western world. it is true that the latin movement was not prompted by the same motive that impelled the anglo-saxon. instead of the love of liberty, he was led out by the lure of gold. nevertheless, we must believe the final result will be the same or else disbelieve in the ultimate triumph of the guidance of god. we should not despair of the success of this providential movement. in south america is to be witnessed the last stand of the latin race. there god has given him one last chance to achieve a religious character which will honor his lord. it is the duty of his northern brother to sympathize with him and to believe in his ability to build up a character worthy of himself and god. if we cannot bring ourselves to such a belief it is useless for us to expect to be helpful, and it is unfaithful in us to expend money upon a people when we are confident it will be wasted. we must not forget that these people are the descendants of the caesars, of seneca, napoleon--the race that ruled the world for fifteen centuries. they surely have not lost all of their virility. it must be a case of wasted strength. we believe that this race has in it the possibility of rejuvenation. lavaleye, the great belgian political economist, very probably spoke the truth when he said that the latin race is equal to the anglo-saxon, the only difference being the gospel which the protestants preach and live. we shall be helpful in our effort to give him the proper sympathy if we remember the handicaps under which he has labored. he was satisfied with his old fossilized religion, which had taught him to believe that despotism is a virtue. he did not, therefore, come to america for liberty. the early settlers were the veriest adventurers of whom the gold lust made paragons of cruelty and crime. they brought with them the intriguing priest who would corrupt the kingdom of heaven in order to maintain his power. there was no intentional break with their old life. the light that guided them to america was the yellow light of gold and not the white light of righteousness. the first result was that there developed in the untrammeled west the most unreasoning despotism, the most unblushing robbery and the most shamelessly corrupt priestcraft. so this whole transplanted mass of the worst intolerance, most insatiable greed and the most corrupt priesthood that europe has ever produced, had to be taught from the beginning on the new soil, the elements of the higher manhood they so desperately needed. they had learned no first lesson in europe, and therefore their first lesson in america was to unlearn the very things that constituted their central life and thought in europe. what progress has this providential teaching of the latins in the new world made? so swiftly did they learn the lessons of liberty that hardly had the conflict which won complete freedom for the united states closed before the inevitable struggle for the same priceless heritage was in full swing in all latin-america. and be it said to their everlasting credit that this sacred cause, in spite of revolutions and reactions, which at times hazarded the whole scheme, has made steady advance, all critics to the contrary, notwithstanding. political liberty is potentially at least achieved in south america. it is written in the constitutions of the republics and in the purposes of the people. while many battles will be fought to establish it in detail, yet the principle is so well established that it will never be uprooted, provided we give the moral and educational aid we should render at this critical hour. we have come upon a time when we must give to our south american brothers unstinted support. they have attained political freedom, but they have not yet gained religious freedom. nothing can be more anomalous than a state with political freedom fostering a state religion that is desperately and unscrupulously intolerant. no genuine republic can support a state religion. the two will not live together. one or the other must go, as the history of france will abundantly substantiate. one result is inevitable--the people will eventually repudiate the despotic religion and drift into atheism and infidelity. indeed, such a thing is happening in south america today. the better educated classes are being set hopelessly adrift religiously and the more ignorant, the common people, are following idolatry. neither have the gospel preached to them. the bible is withheld. such a state of affairs is a loud call to us. if these people are left without a vital, character building religion they will, because of their volatile natures, degenerate into the grossest perversions of morality. in such an event the monroe doctrine itself would become a menace. unless we give these people the gospel it will be far better to annul the monroe doctrine and permit the stronger nations of europe to enter for the sake of good government and morality. we must either carry to our latin brothers the regenerating, uplifting, energizing gospel of jesus, or step out of the way and let england and germany interpose their strong arms to prevent one of the most colossal catastrophes of all time in the moral collapse of the , , latin-americans. surely, this must be the time when we, if we ever intend to do so, must reinforce our latin brothers. they have done well, they have made progress, but they have gone about as far as they can in the struggle upon the moral resources at their command. their very progress in education and civilization is widening the breach between them and their former religious teachers. a new life must come in, even the power of the gospel. this alone can save latin-america from inglorious failure. we should not deceive ourselves into believing this prevailing religion has lost its power, even though it is losing its religious hold upon the better classes. it still retains its social influence over these same educated classes, who despise its priests. this social power is a bulwark of strength that we shall experience great difficulty in breaking. then, too, we may be sure these latin lands will have reinforcement from the spanish priesthood, which fact assures a most astute clerical leadership. the spanish priest is today the most resourceful, alert and capable priest on the earth. i believe he is to be the last strong defender of the roman catholic organization. it is no accident that merry de val, the pope's prime minister, is a spaniard. his appointment to that office is a just recognition of the most virile priesthood in the roman realm. i was profoundly impressed with the spanish priest. he looks you in the eye. he is on the street, "hail fellow well met" with the people. it is evident that he is conscious of power and possesses the gift of leadership which he is eager to use. latin-america will feel the force of his capable leadership. the situation in brazil is complicated furthermore by the turn affairs have taken in portugal. there were riots in rio and public demonstrations against the local priests and against the exiled portuguese priests that would probably enter brazil after the establishment of the portuguese republic. but it appears that these portuguese clerics are to be admitted. this increases the gravity of the situation. we shall be forced to take account of these men. they are a part of the religious problem of south america. whether we wish to antagonize them or not, we shall be cognizant of their power. they will not let us alone. they will not give up south america to protestantism without a bitter struggle. now i do not say all of these things of the catholic phase of the religious problem in latin-america for the purpose of recommending that we should gird ourselves for a polemical mission to these countries. we should look the situation squarely in the face that we may be able to estimate properly every force with which we shall have to do. i think that if the sole purpose in conducting these missions is to fight the catholics, then we can find work to engage us more worthily. let us evermore keep before us the fact that the latin races have a real need of the gospel and the gospel is not being preached to them by the priests. if this is true, our duty is clear and our call is imperative. we must go and preach a positive, soul-saving gospel, avoiding conflict as far as possible and by satisfying the heart-hunger of the people with the bread of life, win them to christ and a new life in him. i want to enter a plea for these, our brothers to the south of us. god has separated them from their old soul-dwarfing environment in europe, and set them in this western world that they might learn of him. whether they realize it or not, they are making the last fight for salvation and character their race is ever to engage in. they have a need of the gospel as distressing as that of the grossest heathen. their religion itself is leading them further and further from their saving lord. their teachers, who should show them the light of life, are a beclouding hindrance. the little band of missionaries we have sent are hopelessly inadequate to the task and plead for reinforcements with a pathos that almost breaks our hearts. oh, do not some of us, as we have followed the portrayal of the needs of south america, like isaiah of old, hear the lord saying, "whom shall i send and who will go for us?" god grant that some of us may respond as he did, "lord, here am i. send me." the same deep longing for salvation that is in our hearts is in the latin heart. one day in the interior of brazil i stood with a missionary speaking with a man who had ridden to the railroad station to talk with us a few moments while the train was stopping. as we conversed a boy twelve years of age drew near to hear us. he was pitifully disfigured with leprosy. so moved was the missionary by the sight that he turned and said: "why do you not go somewhere and be treated." there flashed instantly in the boy's eye a hope that had long since died, and he quickly inquired, "where can i go?" the missionary could not tell him, and i watched the last ray of hope flicker for a second and then die out forever! ever since that day i have been hearing that pathetic question, "where can i go?" i seem to hear all latin-americans ask it out of depths of sin. and we know to whom they must go for healing and salvation. shall we tell them? "lord to whom shall we go--thou hast the words of eternal life." to whom shall latin-america go? only christ has for them the word of life which blessed truth they will never know unless we carry it to them. the end. appendix. summary of southern baptist work in brazil. i. missionaries-- . foreign, . ( ) men, . ( ) women, . . native, . ii. church statistics-- . churches, . . membership, , . . church buildings, . . outstations, . . sunday schools, . . sunday school scholars, , . iii. schools-- . primary schools, . . bagby school for girls in sao paulo. . fluminense school for boys in nova friburgo. . school for boys and girls in bahia. . school for boys and girls in pernambuco. . rio baptist college and seminary in rio. . total number of students, . . theological departments in connection with rio and pernambuco schools. iv. general-- . work begun in . . publishing house in rio. the baptist magazine for . the profits arising from the sale of this work are given to the widows of baptist ministers, at the recommendation of the contributors. vol. xxvii. (vol. x. third series.) speaking the truth in love.--eph. iv. . london: published by george wightman, , paternoster row. . london: j. haddon, printer, castle street, finsbury. preface. conducted by divine providence to the close of another annual period of their anxious labours, the editors of the baptist magazine would devoutly embrace the favourable opportunity thus afforded, for the purpose of brief retrospect, and the exercise of sincere thankfulness. during the months of the past year, they have been earnestly desirous that the pages of each succeeding number of their work should supply such a portion of religious instruction and denominational information as, from its design and extent, their most considerate readers would be led to expect; and, though fully sensible that they have not attained the standard of their own wishes, yet they deem it incumbent to acknowledge, that they have been strengthened in their progress by perceiving that their efforts have been candidly appreciated, and in many instances kindly commended. in prefacing the twenty-seventh volume of this publication, it is gratifying to be able to announce that, notwithstanding the frequent introduction of new and attractive periodicals, the baptist magazine continues to obtain an encouraging share of public patronage; and were it to derive from literary contributions, and an extended circulation, such support as the denomination to whose service it is principally devoted might easily afford, the satisfaction of this announcement would be greatly augmented. if, in addition to the many excellent communications now received, others were occasionally forwarded by writers to whom preparing such an article might prove an agreeable relaxation from the pursuit of severer studies, both the value of the work, and the interest of the writer in its prosperity, would be considerably increased. before concluding these remarks, the editors have much pleasure in distinctly and gratefully adverting to the assistance with which they have been favoured in bringing this volume through the press; in connexion with which the usual exercise of benevolence to the _widows_ of many of our departed brethren has been continued; and to perpetuate, and, if possible, increase which, the conductors of the baptist magazine have been invariably, and still remain, solicitous. the baptist magazine. january, . memoir of the late mrs. peggy waugh. recollections of departed excellence are always pleasant, often deeply interesting, and sometimes productive of the happiest effects. the delight we feel in tracing the successive stages of that pilgrimage by which the saints of the most high have "passed into the skies," is neither a faint nor fruitless emotion, but a healthful exercise of the moral sympathies. it purifies, while it elicits; the affections of the heart. as we trace the formation of their character, we are insensibly forming our own; and the observation by which we mark the development of their christian virtues, is among the most efficient means by which we are provoked to their imitation. hence the inspired volume is not more a book of doctrines than a record of the piety of ancient believers. that holy spirit, under whose inspiration it was written, knew how to touch the springs of human conduct, and therefore incites us to the highest attainments of character by the influence of example. the names of the righteous are enrolled in its imperishable leaves, and their memory, after the lapse of ages, is still fragrant as the breath of the morning. after the example of the sacred writers, every age of the church has preserved memorials of the wisdom and holiness of its own times. in some instances a service has thus been performed of inestimable value. patterns of faith, of patience, of zeal, have been rescued from oblivion to be a stimulus to christians in all succeeding periods of time. and in other instances benefits, though not equally extensive, yet substantial, have resulted from recording, in a brief memoir, the characters and actions of those who, not called to occupy prominent stations, have shed a sweet influence of piety upon the more retired walks of ordinary life. the following pages are intended to preserve some short account of a christian lady, who from youth to old age "walked in the truth;" and having become at length alike venerable in years and in piety, departed this present life with the glorious hope of a better. mrs. peggy waugh was born at wallingford, a. d. . at an early period of life her mind was brought under a divine influence; not, however, by the ordinary means of grace, nor by any solemn providence, but in a manner illustrating the force of scripture, and the sovereignty of that gracious spirit by whom it was originally inspired, and is still savingly applied. being present at a party where the evening was spent in festivity and worldly mirth, she was invited to join in the dance. this she had often done, for she was of a lively disposition, and her parents were gratified by her mixing in the gaieties of life; but in the present instance she felt herself unable to maintain the hilarity of her spirits. the cause of her dejection none imagined, and she was perhaps ashamed to acknowledge. while all was merriment around her, she became suddenly pensive. a passage of the word of god, pointedly in contrast with the spirit of the scene, had come with irresistible power to her recollection. it fastened upon her conscience:--it reached her heart. the music and dancing lost their charms; she sat in solitariness, though surrounded with company; the world's fascinations appeared in a light in which she had never before seen them, and the salutary impressions of that evening remained unerased from her mind through all her subsequent life. while she was yet young, her parents removed to reading. shortly after they had fixed their residence in that town, she was taken by a friend to the baptist meeting, where she heard the rev. mr. davis. she was much interested in his discourse, and sought for opportunities to attend frequently on his ministry. under the able instructions of that excellent man, her religious views became clearer and more definite, her principles more firm and decided, and it was evident that the spiritual change which had already commenced in her soul, was rapidly advancing to its completion. it was now that her trials began. the determinate and consistent form which her renewed character had assumed, was far from exciting any complacent feelings in the minds of her parents; and it became the more obnoxious to them from the preference she manifested for the preaching of mr. davis. they had brought up their family to the established church, and it distressed them exceedingly to see their daughter becoming a dissenter. but she had counted the cost, and was prepared to make any sacrifice, and to endure any hardship, rather than forego the privileges she now enjoyed in the house of god. hardships she had indeed to endure: such was the severity with which she was treated, that it was no uncommon thing, when she returned from the sanctuary, to find her father's door locked against her; and often has she walked in the fields without food during the intervals of public worship, rather than incur the displeasure that awaited her at home. this was a season of trial, and she came forth from it like refined gold. her filial attentions were not less respectful or affectionate than formerly; on the contrary, she watched both her temper and her conduct with more than wonted carefulness, and endeavoured to show them that she could bear with meekness the wrongs she suffered in so good a cause. nor did she wholly withdraw herself from the established church. reading was at that time favoured with the ministry of the rev. mr. talbot, the hon. and rev. mr. cadogan, and the rev. mr. eyre, his curate at st. giles's. the preaching of these faithful servants of the lord was distinguished by its truly evangelical character, and she found much benefit in occasionally hearing them. at their thursday evening lecture she was a constant attendant, both at this period and after she had joined the baptist church. her new principles had not contracted, but on the contrary enlarged, her mind. her views with regard to the ordinance of baptism, and on some other subjects connected with those parts of divine truth on which a difference of sentiment prevails, were conscientiously embraced; but they were held in the spirit of christian charity. as much as she could, without a sacrifice of conscience, she endeavoured to conciliate the prejudices of her parents; and at length her efforts were blessed beyond her most sanguine hope. it will a little anticipate the order of the narrative, but it may properly be added here, that she had the satisfaction, at a subsequent period, to know that her pious conversation and deportment had, under god, been the principal means of producing a saving change in her father, in her mother, and in two of her brothers. her parents, at an advanced age, departed in the faith, leaving no doubt on the minds of surviving friends that they had fallen asleep in jesus. it was the happiness of mrs. waugh to be united in marriage with a person of decided piety, whose sentiments on religious subjects were similar to her own. shortly after their marriage, they were both baptized, and thus commenced together that public and good profession which they ever afterwards maintained by the integrity, and adorned with the graces, of the christian life. on the morning of her baptism, a passage from the prophecies of isaiah, evidently suggested by the difficulties which had environed her early religious course, forcibly impressed her mind, and afforded her much encouragement: "i will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight; i will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron." "these words," she writes, "came sweetly to me, and my soul was on the wing for heaven and heavenly things." the duties of domestic life began now to demand her attention. in the relations of a wife, a mother, and a mistress, the excellence of those principles on which her character was formed, was habitually exemplified. for her children, she was supremely anxious to bring them in early life under the influence of divine truth, and to lead them into the love of god. it is in their recollection still, with what maternal affection she would take them into her chamber, and converse with them on those subjects, and then present them, in the exercise of faith and devotion, to the care of that tender shepherd who "gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom." indeed her deep interest in all young persons obliged her to press upon such as came within her reach a care for their everlasting happiness; with several, the result was most satisfactory, and they retain an affectionate remembrance of her solicitude on their behalf. with her servants also she would seize opportunities to speak of the value of their souls, and the improvement of their religious advantages; and sometimes she used to pray in secret with them. the afflictions which are inseparable from the lot of humanity, and those which parents only know, she endured with a meek and confiding resignation. her cup had its bitter infusions, and some of her trials were more than commonly severe; but under every mysterious and painful dispensation, she stayed herself upon her god, and in patience possessed her soul. by those who enjoyed her friendship, her pious conversation and correspondence were highly valued. she was no stranger in the habitation of the widow and the fatherless, or beside the dying bed. her sympathy in such scenes was a mitigation of sorrow, and her offices of christian love endeared her in the hour of distress. she gratified the benevolence of her heart by relieving the distresses of many; and some of her poor neighbours were pensioners on her bounty as long as they lived. her attendance on public ordinances, it need scarcely be said, was regular and devout; and by her consistent and blameless life, combined with her affectionate and peaceful walk among her fellow-members, she was a comfort to her pastor, and an honour to the church. thus for many years she moved in her orbit, as the celestial luminaries move in theirs; with a regular, uniform, and constant progression; deriving all their radiance from the sun, and reflecting his beams without noise or ostentation. but a severe trial awaited her. the conjugal relation was at length broken. by the death of mr. waugh she was deprived of the staff of her age, and left to travel alone through the last stages of her pilgrimage. she had however the unspeakable satisfaction of reflecting that he had walked with her in the ways of righteousness, and that although he had outstripped her in the course, and arrived first at the sepulchre, she should follow him into the world of reunion and eternal love. his decease was also eminently happy. he was favoured during his illness with much spirituality and elevation of mind, and departed in the "full assurance of hope." on being asked by one of his daughters, whether, if it were the will of god, he would like to return again into the world? "what," he exclaimed, "when christ bids me 'come up hither!'" it was the privilege of his faithful wife (for such she deemed it) to be with him through all his illness, and to witness the final scene. she would not delegate to other hands the discharge of any duty which she could perform herself; but the conflict being over, she retired from the chamber of death, and was found some time after, by her children, who had missed her, in her closet, and on her knees. the throne of grace was her refuge. to that hiding-place she was accustomed to flee, in every "cloudy and dark day;" and sweetly was the promise fulfilled in her experience, "thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." she felt deeply the stroke which had made her a widow; but, possessing an uncommon degree of self-command, it was a comfort to her children to observe her great calmness of spirit, and to hear the expressions of her confidence in god. her natural fortitude was sustained by divine grace, and her whole carriage under this bereavement afforded an edifying instance of the manner in which a christian both bends before the storm, and rises above it. about two years after this event, she left the neighbourhood of reading, to reside in the family of one of her daughters at tottenham. by this circumstance she was necessarily brought into new scenes both of domestic and social life; and they served still further to elicit the graces of her matured and now venerable character. for to the visitors, of all ranks, she recommended the religion of the bible; but with such propriety, that she never gave offence; and most tenderly and intimately did she participate in the diversified feelings of her grandchildren, evincing her affection for them, by her earnest and ardently expressed longing that christ might be formed in their hearts, the hope of glory. it was about this time, that the writer of this brief tribute to her memory had the happiness to form her acquaintance; and he well remembers the impression of respectful admiration which that first interview produced on his mind. she was now "well stricken in years." time had mellowed the naturally sweet expression of her countenance, without much impairing its vivacity. her silvery locks shaded a brow imprinted with the wrinkles of age, but intelligent and serene. her eyes were yet bright, and glanced upon her friends with benevolent complacency. her form was unbending and about the middle stature; her manners dignified, yet free; her conversation cheerful, affectionate, and eminently spiritual; her memory richly replenished with the word of god, and with hymns, which she recited with much emphasis and appropriate application; and her whole appearance and deportment that of a venerable christian lady. some time before this period she had become very deaf; but though she felt it to be a great trial, it made scarcely any perceptible abatement of her cheerfulness; nor did she allow it to prevent her attendance upon the house of god. in proportion as she was shut out from the pleasures of conversation, she seemed to find an increasing delight in secret devotion. "let us call those our golden hours," she says in a letter to a friend, "that are spent with god. may we be found much in that excellent duty of self-examination." and at a subsequent date she writes in her diary, "my hearing is in some measure restored; of which i can give no account from natural causes or medicinal art. o lord, my healer, thou canst do every thing. o the riches of immortal grace! if i outlive my senses, i cannot outlive my graces. o how beautiful, how honourable, how durable! i earnestly plead with god for his church and ministers, in faith and hope, for what i am not likely to live to see. dear lord, let me depart and join the holy society above. amen!" it is often observed, that as christians draw near to heaven, their desire increases to enter upon its holy joys. they present a delightful contrast, in this respect, to those unhappy persons whose old age is chilled with the infirmities of decaying nature, and never warmed into the glow of celestial aspirations by the presages of a blessed immortality. the natural desire of life is felt by both, and the uneradicated remains of our ancient and inveterate depravity will sometimes, even in aged christians, repress the risings of the soul towards her native skies. but the prevailing tendency of the desires will be upwards. "to live is indeed christ; but to die is gain." hence their conversation will take its complexion and character, rather from the things which are eternal, than from the transactions or interests of this present world. such was eminently the case with the subject of this memoir. she seemed to live much, in the secret exercises of her mind, upon the invisible glories of that region of blessedness towards which she was fast approaching. never was her countenance lighted up with a more cheerful beam of piety, than when, after she had been occupied awhile in silent musings, she would break forth in the joyful exclamation of the patriarch job, "i know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall i see god; whom i shall see for myself, and my eyes behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me." this was indeed a very favourite passage with her, and was selected by herself for her funeral text. but "the word of christ dwelt in her richly;" and it was sometimes equally astonishing and delightful to hear with what copiousness, accuracy, and animated expression, at more than years of age, she would pour forth, like a sparkling stream, a long series of beautiful quotations, her feelings at the same time kindling into celestial rapture, and the whole perhaps finished with that ecstatic verse of dr. watts. "haste, my beloved, fetch my soul up to thy bless'd abode; fly, for my spirit longs to see my saviour and my god." she had outlived nearly all her contemporaries. most of her friends had preceded her to their rest, and sometimes she would chide herself for still lingering in her upward flight, among the chilling clouds of these lower regions, when she thought her wings should have borne her more rapidly onward to join the company of the blessed. thus she expresses herself in one of her memorandums: "o lord, when i look around me, and feel i am bereaved of human joys, and behold the ravages which thou hast made among my dear, beloved friends and kindred in the flesh, i am astonished at the strength of that depravity, which leads me still to cling to this dying world. why, oh, why do i not rest my weary soul on the unchangeable realities of heaven? there shall i meet those very dear ones who sleep in jesus. animating hope! oh, then, let me march boldly on, nor faint in the day of rebuke; but may i be enabled to yield up all my earthly comforts when jesus calls and demands, that i may find my all in him." it was her privilege often to climb to the summit of pisgah; and when she descended again into the plain, how delightfully would she talk, and as in the very dialect of the country, of that land of fair and beauteous prospect which lies beyond the jordan. there were seasons when no other subject seemed welcome to her thoughts. she would sit at such times watching the countenances of her friends, and at a break in the conversation, which she could not hear, drop a short sentence full of the love and joy of heaven. she seemed to have an inward and divine light which shone through her soul, and made it a region of pure and celestial thoughts; no doubts were permitted to disturb the composure of her mind, no temptation to trouble and overcast the serenity of her cloudless sky. her days moved on in tranquil succession, each renewing and passing forward to the next, the sunshine of its predecessor. only, indeed, as her orb descended to the horizon, the light seemed more to concentrate and to soften; just as the evening sun gathers back into himself the radiance with which he had illuminated the world, and sets amidst the chastened splendours of his own accumulated glory. her tabernacle, which had been often shaken, was at length taken down. no fierce disease was commissioned to inflict the final stroke. till the last week she was permitted to continue in the society of her children. two of them reside at camberwell; and they reflect, with grateful pleasure, that some of her last days were spent with them. she left them on the monday, after having passed the whole of the preceding month in their company. it was not then apprehended that her end was so near, but her conversation was sweetly tinctured by a vein of ardent and elevated devotion. her mind was eminently spiritual; she seemed to be living in an element of prayer and love. it was the happiness of the writer to spend a short time with her during the last week; and in her pocket-book she has noted the comfort she derived from the devotional exercises in which they then engaged. the sabbath day was a season of great delight. she did not know that on the following her translation was to take place; but had she foreseen it, scarcely could she have passed the day in communications more fitted to her near approximation to eternal joy. the next day she returned to tottenham, not so well as she had been, yet there seemed no cause for immediate alarm; but in her last words, as she was taking leave of her daughters, there was something almost prophetic of the event which was soon to take place. clasping the hand of one of them, as she was about to step into the carriage, she turned to her, and said, "i shall soon mount on eagles' wings; i shall run and not be weary, i shall walk and not faint." on wednesday, her indisposition considerably increased, and her strength began rapidly to decline. it soon became impossible to hold any conversation with her beyond a few short and detached sentences at intervals. in reply to inquiries, she still expressed her faith in the lamb of god, and spoke of his preciousness to her soul. but the power of articulation failed, and this circumstance, joined with her deafness, precluded the further interchange of sentiment with the departing saint. she continued to lodge on the banks of the jordan a day or two longer, till about noon on lord's day, june , ; when she passed through the river with a gentle and quiet motion, and was lost to the sight of surrounding attendants, amidst the distant groves of eden, on the opposite shore. "no pain she suffered, nor expired with noise; her soul was whispered out with god's still voice: so softly death succeeded life in her, she did but dream of heaven, and she was there." _camberwell._ e. steane slavery in america. a letter from the baptist board of foreign missions in america, in answer to one from the board of baptist ministers in and near london, dated december , . (_see our last number, p. ._) _baptist missionary rooms,_ _boston, sept. , ._ dear brethren, your communication, dated london, december , , was received some time since, by one of the officers of the baptist general convention; but as the convention, to which it was chiefly addressed, will not convene till april, , the communication was, after some delay, presented to the baptist board of foreign missions, as the executive organ of the convention. the board referred it to a committee, and we now communicate to you a copy of their report, and of the resolutions adopted by the board.[a] we commend them to your candour, with a confident belief that you will do justice to the views and feelings of the board, encompassed as they are by difficulties which cannot be fully understood by persons in other countries. [a] the committee, to whom was referred a communication from "the members of the board of baptist ministers in and near london," directed to "the rev. spencer h. cone, president; the board of managers; and the delegates of the baptist triennial convention, united states, north america;" and addressed to "the pastors and ministers of the baptist denomination throughout the united states of america;" the principal object of which communication is, to express the views of the writers "respecting the character of negro slavery, and as to the course enjoined by religious principle on the household of faith;" present the following report:-- that they have examined the communication with much care, and have been gratified by the spirit of christian affection, respect, and candour, which it breathes. they receive it as a pleasing omen of a more intimate correspondence and a more endeared fellowship with our baptist brethren in great britain. the committee, however, are unanimously of opinion that as a board, and as members of the general convention, associated for the exclusive purpose of sending the gospel to the heathen, and to other benighted men not belonging to our own country, we are precluded by our constitution from taking any part in the discussion of the subject proposed in the said communication. they, therefore, recommend the adoption of the following resolutions:-- _resolved._ that the board reciprocate, with great pleasure, the assurances of respect and affection which our brethren, "the members of the board of baptist ministers, in and near london," have uttered in their communication. _resolved._ that the board earnestly desire a closer intimacy with their baptist brethren in england, believing that the cause of truth in both countries, and throughout the world, would be promoted, by a more cordial union and co-operation of the two great branches of the baptist family. _resolved._ that the board have viewed, with grief and anxiety, the calamities which have befallen the baptist mission in jamaica; and they rejoice that the mission has been resumed, with cheering prospects of success. _resolved._ that while, as they trust, their love of freedom, and their desire for the happiness of all men, are not less strong and sincere than those of their british brethren, they cannot, as a board, interfere with a subject that is not among the objects for which the convention and the board were formed. _resolved._ that the preceding resolutions be communicated to the "board of baptist ministers, in and near london," together with the subjoined letter, to be signed by the acting president, and the corresponding secretary of the board. (_signed_) daniel sharp, _first vice-president of the baptist board of foreign missions in the united states._ lucius bolles, _cor. sec._ it may assist you to form a more correct opinion of the whole subject, if we allude to a few of the circumstances which make slavery, in this country, a matter of peculiar difficulty, and which, consequently, require those who would promote the real welfare of the coloured race, to act with great caution. in the first place, the political organization of the united states is widely different from that of england; and this difference makes it impossible to adopt here a course similar to that which the british parliament have adopted in reference to slavery in the west indies. this country is not one state, with an unrestricted legislature, but a confederacy of states, united by a constitution, in which certain powers are granted to the national government; and all other powers are reserved by the states. among these reserved powers is the regulation of slavery. congress have no power to interfere with the slaves in the respective states; and an act of congress to emancipate the _slaves_ in those states would be as wholly null and void, as an act of the british parliament for the same purpose. the legislatures of the respective states cannot interfere with the legislation of each other. in some of the states, where laws forbidding emancipation exist, the _minority_ cannot, if disposed, give freedom to their slaves. you perceive, then, that the national government, and the people of the northern states, have no power, nor right, to adopt any direct measures, in reference to the emancipation of the slaves in the southern states. the slave-holders themselves are the only men who can act definitively on this subject; and the only proper and useful influence which the friends of emancipation in other states can use, consists in argument and entreaty. the existence of our union, and its manifold blessings, depends on a faithful adherence to the principles and spirit of our constitution, on this and on all other points. this view of the case exonerates the nation, as such, and the states in which no slaves are found, from the charge of upholding slavery. it is due, moreover, to the republic, to remember, that slavery was introduced into this country long before the colonies became independent states. the slave trade was encouraged by the government of great britain, and slaves were brought into the colonies against the wishes of the colonists, and the repeated acts of some of the colonial legislatures. these acts were negatived by the king of england; and in the declaration of independence, as originally drawn by mr. jefferson, it was stated, among the grievances which produced the revolution, that the king of england had steadily resisted the efforts of the colonists to prevent the introduction of slaves. soon after the revolution, several of the states took measures to free themselves from slavery. in , congress adopted an act, by which it was provided, that slavery should never be permitted in any of the states to be formed in the immense territory north-west of the ohio; in which territory, the great states of ohio, indiana, and illinois, have since been formed. there are now thirteen out of the twenty-four states, in which slavery may be said to be extinct. maryland is taking measures to free herself from slavery. kentucky and virginia will, it is believed, follow the example. we state these facts to show, that the republic did not originate slavery here; and that she has done much to remove it altogether from her bosom. she took measures earlier than any other country for the suppression of the slave trade, and she is now zealously labouring to accomplish the entire extinction of that abominable traffic. since then, from the character of our political institutions, the emancipation of the slaves is impossible, except with the free consent of the masters; it is necessary to approach them with calm and affectionate argument. they claim to be better acquainted with the real condition and the true interests of the negro, than other persons can be. multitudes among them freely acknowledge and lament the evils of slavery, and earnestly desire their removal, in some way consistent with the welfare of the slave himself, and with the safety of the whites. some persons among them, it is true, are not convinced that slavery is wrong in principle; just as many good men in england, half a century since, believed the slave-trade to be just and right. such individuals must be _convinced_, before they will act. in the next place, the number and character of the slaves form an appalling difficulty. it is not believed by many of the sincere friends of the slaves, that their immediate emancipation would be conducive to their own real welfare, or consistent with the safety of the whites. to let them loose, without any provision for the young, the feeble, and the aged, would be inhuman cruelty. slaves, who have regarded labour as an irksome task, can have little idea of liberty, except as an exemption from toil. to liberate them, without some arrangement for their subsistence, would produce starvation, or impel them to acts of lawless violence. emancipation must, therefore, as those friends of the slaves contend, be gradual and prospective. the british parliament have not decreed an _immediate_ emancipation, in the west indies; thus recognizing the principle, that the slaves must be _prepared_ for freedom by moral and intellectual culture. but this preparation must be commenced and conducted by the _masters_; and they must, of course, become the willing and zealous friends of emancipation, before it can be accomplished. we have thus shown, that the slaves in this country cannot be emancipated, except by the free consent of the masters; and that they cannot be prepared for freedom, without the voluntary and energetic co-operation of the masters. for both these reasons, it is necessary to adopt a kind and conciliating course of conduct towards the slave-holders. the british parliament might assume a peremptory tone towards the slave-holders in the west indies; because the power of parliament is not restricted like that of the american congress; and because the situation of the slaves in the west indies renders the preliminary preparation less necessary to the safety of the white population. in the british west indies, the slaves are dispersed among eighteen or twenty islands, where the military and naval power of the mother country might be easily applied to quell insurrections. in the united states, there are above two millions of slaves, spread over a part only of the surface of the union, with no large military force to overawe them, and no obstacle to a rapid combination of insurgents. we presume, that the people in england would feel somewhat differently on the subject of emancipation, if the slaves were among themselves, and the perils of this moral volcano were constantly impending over their own heads. besides these general considerations, there is one which affects the duty of the baptist general convention. there is now a pleasing degree of union among the multiplying thousands of baptists throughout the land. brethren, from all parts of the country, unite in our general convention, and co-operate in sending the gospel to the heathen. our southern brethren are liberal and zealous in the promotion of every holy enterprise for the extension of the gospel. they are, generally, both minister and people, slave-holders; not because they all think slavery right, but because it was firmly rooted long before they were born, and because they believe that slavery cannot be instantly abolished. we are confident, that a great portion of our brethren at the south would rejoice to see any practicable scheme devised for relieving the country from slavery. we have the best evidence, that our slave-holding brethren are christians, sincere followers of the lord jesus. in every other part of their conduct, they adorn the doctrine of god our saviour. we cannot, therefore, feel that it is right to use language or adopt measures which might tend to break the ties that unite them to us in our general convention, and in numerous other benevolent societies; and to array brother against brother, church against church, and association against association, in a contest about slavery. we have presented these considerations, dear brethren, as among the reasons which compel us to believe, that it is not the duty of the baptist general convention, or of the board of missions, to interfere with the subject of slavery. it ought, indeed, to be discussed at all proper times, and in all suitable modes. we believe, that the progress of public opinion in reference to slavery, is very rapid; and we are quite sure, that it cannot be accelerated by any interference, which our southern brethren would regard as an invasion of their political rights, or as an impeachment of their christian character. most earnestly praying that the father of lights will illuminate our path, and guide us all to the adoption of such measures as shall advance his glory, and secure the temporal and eternal happiness of all men, we are, dear brethren, your affectionate fellow-servants. lucius bolles, _cor. sec._ legislative enactments concerning the sabbath. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ it is some time since the christian public has heard of any measure intended to be proposed to the legislature in reference to the violation of the sabbath, and it is time, as it appears to me, that those who have such a measure at heart should be awake, and setting about their great work in earnest. whether the measure of which sir andrew agnew gave notice in the last session, be the same as his last bill or not, is at present unknown; but i trust, if it be not the same, it will be founded on the same principle, and equally comprehensive in its provisions. it is true, that upon this subject, the opinions, even of good men, are much divided; and there are not a few individuals, of undoubted piety, who think that a legislative remedy should extend to a part only of the acknowledged mischiefs at _first_; whilst others prefer making the different provisions of the whole measure the subject of several bills, to be simultaneously brought forward. the advocates of the former plan insist, that there is no chance of carrying the whole measure at once, while the attempt to do so is calculated to produce hostility; improvements in this, as well as in other matters, requiring to be gradual:--that the sense of the majority of the population is against the measure as a _whole_, to which popular sense, deference must be paid:--and, that sir andrew's former bills were lost entirely from their being too sweeping and comprehensive. to the first objection, which is nearly identical with the third, it may be answered: supposing it to be true, that there is no chance of _carrying_ the whole measure at once, this is no reason why the whole should not be _proposed_ at once. if of the whole measure so proposed only _a part_ should be carried, the carrying of that part would be a subject of thankfulness and rejoicing, just as much as if that part only had been proposed. those members of the legislature who would exhibit _hostility_ to the bill to the extent of rejecting it altogether, would doubtless exhibit _hostility_ to any portion of its provisions if brought forward as a distinct bill; because hostility to the whole of a measure acknowledged in _some part_ to be good and necessary, must arise from an evil principle. there is much difference between _hostility_ to the whole of the bill, and _opposition_ to some, nay, even the majority, of its provisions. those who would be hostile to the whole of the bill, must necessarily be so to any detached part; whereas many might oppose even the _larger part_ of its provisions, who would approve the rest; and it is conceived such would vote for the bill going into committee, where they might distinguish between the provisions they approved and those they condemned. that this would be the case appears from the experience of the last session, when members who were not prepared to support any clause of the bill, nevertheless voted for its second reading. it is true, that many who voted against it _alleged_ its comprehensiveness as the ground of their opposition; but when actually limited measures were brought forward, they were either crushed at once by the very same persons, or first reduced to nothing--and, indeed made worse than nothing, by repealing the provisions of existing statutes for protection of the sabbath, substituting nothing for them--and then ignominiously rejected. this answer may also be given to the allegation, that sir andrew's bills were lost from their comprehensiveness. as to the second allegation, that the sense of the majority of the population is against the measure brought forward by sir andrew's bill as a whole, it may be replied: in the first place, that this is an assertion which is incapable of proof. in the second place, it is not merely a _numerical_ majority of the whole population of the country to which the advocates of the measure ought to defer; but it is to a majority of that class of persons who are well informed upon, and have wisely considered, the whole subject, in connexion with all its consequences and results. in the third place, it is apprehended, that if the sense of the majority of such class were taken upon the several provisions of the bill, although it may be within the limits of possibility that the majority might be against the bill as a _whole_, yet there is scarcely a provision in it which the majority of such class would be found to reject; for in point of fact there is not one single clause in the bill which has not been the subject of petitions numerously signed in its favour. but even attaching some degree of weight to the above objections, which are, i believe, the whole that have been brought forward by those whose opinions are worth regarding, it is to be considered, whether there may not be set against these objections considerations which will operate so as greatly to turn the scale in favour of bringing in the whole measure at once, such as the following:-- . it recognizes one simple principle, on which every measure proposed to government for the remedy of existing abuses, in reference to the observance of the lord's day, must be based; and therefore, judging from the way in which the provisions of the bill have been already met, in and out of parliament, it is clear, that if _one_ part only out of the system of measures were brought forward at first, the objection would be, that the propounder of the measure, to be consistent with himself, should have extended it to other matters within its principle, and directed it against other evils requiring to be remedied by it. for instance, were a bill brought forward to restrain what is usually called trade in the necessaries of life, it might be urged that it would be inconsistent, while that which is equally a trade, the supplying of post horses, should be permitted: just as it has been insisted, in a determined spirit of hostility to the bill, that it was unfair to restrain labour in the field and permit it in the house; to prohibit the day-labourer from prosecuting his calling, and to allow the domestic servant to pursue hers. now an argument, which imputes inconsistency and unfairness to the propounder of a prohibitory measure, is one which it would be exceedingly difficult, and perhaps impossible, satisfactorily to answer. . the whole of the grievances, pertaining to every part of the subject, were fully entered into, in that comprehensive inquiry which took place in the select committee of the house of commons, previously to the introduction of sir andrew agnew's first bill, which elicited so much and such important and valuable information; and it follows as a consequence, that every mischief which was within the scope of the inquiry, should be within the scope of the enactment to be grounded upon the result of such inquiry. . it is difficult to guard against the inference to be drawn from the prohibition of one evil, and the leaving another unprohibited, that such latter evil is intended to be tolerated and sanctioned. . it is extremely probable, that if, under existing circumstances, the advocates of the proposed measure were to bring forward one of limited extent, it would be considered that they had no ulterior object, and that the limited measure, if conceded, should be taken in full of every thing to be expected from the legislature. this would be disingenuous. it is the most fair and honest mode of dealing, on the part of those who are of opinion that the exigency of the case calls for a comprehensive measure, to declare _at once_ what is the utmost extent of the objects they have in view, and what is the exact amount of the measure with which they would be satisfied; and it is considered that such a course is the most likely to attract the approbation and good opinion of right-thinking individuals, and, which is an infinitely higher consideration, to draw down the blessing of almighty god. . the different provisions of the measure are so connected, that it is very difficult to separate them. for instance, how could the provisions against trade be separated from the provisions against travelling, when travelling necessarily supposes the exercise of a species of trade? . with respect to the suggestion, that the whole measure should be the subject of several and distinct bills, the simple answer is, that every such bill must, in passing through the necessary stages, be exposed to a distinct ordeal, and that the difficulty of working the bill (to use a technical expression) would be at least multiplied to the extent of the number of bills proposed to be substituted for one simple and comprehensive enactment. theosibes. _london, dec. th, ._ liquidation of debts on chapels. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ having seen an article some months since in your magazine on the above subject, signed murus, and thinking the following plan an improvement upon murus's, i shall feel much obliged by your giving it insertion in your valuable and extensively circulated periodical. and i hope i shall not be too presuming in stating that, if it is put into operation in every county, in a very few years it will entirely liquidate all the debts now existing on chapels, without any increased exertions on the part of the friends. the plan, if entered into, which i humbly trust it will be, will do away entirely with _begging cases_, will not require the minister to leave his church, will lessen the calls on his people, will enable them to raise their ministers' incomes, and eventually confer much happiness on the churches, and relieve them from pressing difficulties; whereas the systems now adopted are very inefficient, and will take three times as long to get rid of the existing burdens. i would also suggest, for the prevention of debts being again accumulated, that no chapel be allowed to be erected without advancing half the money required for building it, nor be allowed to partake of the privileges arising from this plan until the whole of the present churches are out of debt. i would also recommend the churches who adopt this plan, to give no countenance to any church begging, as the same system can be adopted in every county with certain success. there is a difficulty in murus's plan in that of increased exertions, whereas in this, none are required. prop. . that all the churches make an annual collection, which shall be brought to the association, and that the total amount shall be applied to the liquidation of the debt _on one chapel_, as shall be then and there agreed. prop. . that the chapel whose debt is so paid off shall contribute the interest of its debt every year, till it amounts to half the sum paid off, when it shall not be required to pay its interest money, for so i will call it. prop. . that, in addition to the interest money of the chapel so paid off, it shall not contribute less than ten shillings for every £ . of debt, till the whole of the debts are paid off the chapels in the county; by which means the deficiency of ten shillings in the pound will be made up without distressing the churches. prop. . that any church whose lot it may fall to, at the association, to have its debt paid, who shall the next year pay the half of its debt, shall be considered to have fulfilled its agreement, and shall be liable only to its small contribution at the rate of ten shillings for every £ debt so redeemed. prop. . that every church whose debt shall be paid off, shall bring forward sufficient and satisfactory security for the fulfilment of its contract, which may be done by four or five persons joining together for that purpose. explanation. suppose the debt of a chapel which is paid off to be £ ; the responsible agents above referred to shall contribute annually, till it arrives to £ , half the debt, when they will have fulfilled their agreement. but they must, from the first payment of interest till all the chapels are out of debt, contribute ten shillings for every £ of debt, which sum, with the united exertions of the churches, will liquidate the other ten shillings in the pound. for instance: suppose the churches in one county to be thirty, an annual contribution of three pounds from each will produce £ ; this, added to the interest of the chapel so cleared, will make £ , to pay off the debt of another chapel, which shall also contribute to its interests, and small annual contribution; and so on, till all the churches are out of debt. this plan is similar to lending money without interest, as the interest paid clears the principal, and the principal they will only have to pay at ten shillings in the pound, the small annual contributions making up the deficiency. a list of the churches and their debts should be placed every year in the magazines, with an account of the debts so reduced. a baptist. _nov. , ._ p.s. since writing the above, i have seen an article in the magazine for this month, which only confirms my opinion that something must be done, and that speedily, to effect this _great_ and desirable object. remarks on a paper, entitled "on the use and abuse of the term moral." _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ the paper of w. n. in your november number, whilst it contains some very valuable remarks on the abuse of the term _moral_, appears to aim at overthrowing one particular instance of a very general abuse, and to strike at the branch, whilst it leaves the root to flourish with the same vigour as before. the expression "moral approbation and disapprobation" cannot be deemed an unnecessary application of the term _moral_, because approbation and disapprobation are frequently excited in the mind by _physical_ agents; and although dr. wardlaw, in the passage quoted above by w. n., refers the approbation and disapprobation to "_moral_ agents," yet the phrase in question precedes that application, and therefore the term "moral" renders the sentence more clear than it would be, were it needful for the reader to employ the conclusion of the sentence to explain the commencement. the instance quoted from the quarterly review is so gross an abuse of language, that little apprehension need be entertained of its repetition. the passage stands like the topmast of a ship-wrecked vessel, to warn others of the shoal on which she was stranded. all the other instances used as illustrations in w. n.'s paper are examples of the evil attendant upon a departure from one principle, viz.: that a simile should never be explained. of course, this principle presupposes another: that a simile should never require explanation. in the two first instances adduced--"the lord god is a sun and shield," and "jesus said, i am the door"--the beauty of the similes would be entirely destroyed by the use of the adjective _moral_, and the only reason why the fourth instance, "a _moral_ blight," is not so glaring an abuse of language as the two former is, that the term blight is so frequently used in a figurative sense, that, when it is so used, we are liable to forget that the expression is figurative. but for this circumstance, the ridiculous character of the phrase would be quite as obvious as the absurdity of speaking of a moral apple, or moral plum. another instance of the inelegance of explaining a simile is met with in the prayers of those who quote from the liturgy the passage "we have done that which we ought not to have done, and have left undone that which we ought to have done, and there is no health in us;" but distort the original to "there is no _spiritual_ health in us;" thus destroying at once the strength and harmony of one of the finest specimens of forcible and beautiful composition which decorates english literature. in this case also, as in that of "moral blight," health is so often used in a figurative sense, that we are apt to forget that the expression is a simile; or the phrase "_spiritual_ health" would sound as disagreeably as the commencement of the same portion of the liturgy, were it altered to "we have erred and strayed from thy _spiritual_ ways, like lost _spiritual_ sheep." all these inaccuracies in composition proceed from attempts to explain similes, an attempt which ought to be cautiously avoided; because a simile is an endeavour to explain or illustrate a subject by means of some analogy subsisting between it and another subject; and it is evident, that an explanation or illustration which requires a further explanation to make it intelligible, is much better omitted; and that an explanation of that which is already clear, is a glaring instance of tautology, and, therefore, a gross defect in style. a. _november th, _ the departure of another year. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ another year is gone! how solemn the reflection! how replete with instruction! times and seasons are passing away in rapid succession; and amid the cares and avocations of the present, we seem in a great measure insensible of our near approach to an eternal world. but we are assured that "_the day of the lord will come_." the purpose for which the world was created, and made the theatre of such mysterious and benevolent transactions, will be accomplished; the reign of grace, in the salvation of men, will terminate; the influences of the holy spirit in their regeneration will be no longer necessary; the preaching of the gospel, as the ordained means of conversion, shall for ever cease. then all mankind, that have lived from the beginning of the world, will enter on a state of endless and unchangeable existence: some, in the presence of god, will enjoy the most exquisite pleasures, and obtain "an eternal weight of glory;" while others will have their abode among unbelievers, and "suffer the vengeance of eternal fire." "seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness!" reader! the close of another year has brought you so much nearer the end of your probation on earth. in the space of a few months how many have perished under the stroke of death! young and old, rich and poor, small and great, have gone down to the grave, where "they rest together, and the servant is free from his master." before the close of , what multitudes, now in the prime of life, in the pursuit of pleasure, in the possession of riches, in the road to preferment, or having secured the object of worldly ambition, will have passed into the unseen state, and rendered their account to god. the flight of _time_ calls upon the careless and undecided to consider their ways, and turn unto the lord. the christian, too, should testify his gratitude to god for his continued goodness, and "lift up his head, for his redemption draweth nigh." with what seriousness and devotion should we attend to the duties of religion, so that "whether we live, we may live to the lord; or whether we die, we may die to the lord; that whether we live, or die, we may be the lord's!" let not this day come upon us unawares, and find us in a state of carnal security; but may our loins be girded, our lamps burning, and ourselves like servants waiting for their lord's return,--"looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great god and our saviour, jesus christ." "wherefore, beloved, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." t. p. poetry. new year's day. time, the mundane sphere revolving, brings another new year's day; orb of light, 'mid lengthened shadows, glance one soft and lingering ray, as we muse on days receding fast away. pledge of joys that may await us in our future pilgrimage, or of heavenly consolation that may coming griefs assuage, to believers promised in the sacred page. many trials now are ended; many painful conflicts o'er; chequered scenes withdrawn for ever that can please nor vex us more; memory only can the faded past restore. many dearest forms are sleeping in the lone forsaken grave; how we wept when them consigning to the hand outstretched to save, as they struggled through death's dark and gelid wave! many days of grace are ended, how improved has been the past? time's rich grains are softly falling, soon may drop for us the last. changing seasons warn us that we change as fast. o for happy preparation for the joys that never fade! for the everlasting mansion death and sin can ne'er invade! in the likeness of our lord we would be made. as each new successive period hastes that last mysterious one, do we shudder, so much dreading things invisible, unknown? faith reposes on the saviour's cross alone. sweet to meet our friends in glory, tears for ever wiped away by the guardian hand that leads us up the steep and narrow way, time's short circles lost in one eternal day! sarissa. the summons. "and i heard a voice from heaven."--rev. xiv. . a voice was heard; a voice was heard; it sounded from heaven's high throne; and the murmuring air breathed along the swift word till on earth its dark import was known. though it thrill'd not the ears that were list'ning around, nor was heard by the spirits bereaved, it conducted the soul from the region of death, to receive, through the saviour, the conqueror's wreath, from its sin-woven fetters relieved. a voice was heard; a voice was heard; the spirit its summons obeyed; and to sorrowing friendship still echoes the word while she weeps o'er the mouldering dead. not a tear can e'er start from those eyelids again; not a sigh can e'er heave from that breast:-- but reposing awhile on a pillow of clay, it will waken renew'd, and then, bounding away, will ascend to the realms of the blest. a voice was heard; a voice was heard; a whisper,--a whisper from god; and the soul caught with rapture the welcoming word as it enter'd its blissful abode. that voice that awoke from the death-sleep of sin, and whisper'd, "thou too art forgiven," stole again on the ear in the accents of love, reassur'd of a home with its father above, and then wafted the spirit to heaven. [greek: thômas] reviews. _russia: or miscellaneous observations on the past and present state of that country and its inhabitants. compiled from notes made on the spot, during travels at different times in the service of the bible society, and a residence of many years in that country._ by robert pinkerton, d.d., author of "the present state of the greek church in russia," and foreign agent to the british and foreign bible society.--seeley and sons; hatchard and son. a traveller, like a witness in court, should be competent and unexceptionable. both these qualifications are indispensable to secure the confidence of his reader, and the success of his work. dr. pinkerton has very strong claims on the attention of the british public. he resided in russia many years. he lived in moscow "the greater part of the years and , and left that city only forty-eight hours before the french entered it in ." he is the author of "the present state of the greek church in russia." his travels in the service of the british and foreign bible society have been extensive at different times. his being foreign agent to that society, has given him facilities of intercourse with the higher as well as the lower orders of the inhabitants. he is personally well known to many of the clergy and of the nobility, and his intimate acquaintance with the language has enabled him to converse with people of all ranks. the work before us has been compiled from notes made on the spot. of his competency, therefore, no one can entertain a doubt; and his high christian character renders him an unexceptionable witness. we anticipate for this volume a cordial welcome, especially among the friends of the bible society. the information dr. p. has given is clear, copious, and important. we shall transcribe a few extracts which cannot fail to gratify our readers. the territory of this vast empire has increased within the last years nearly twenty-fold. according to the last statistical accounts, the _population_ is upwards of fifty-four millions, of whom about thirty-six millions are native russians, speaking the same language, and belonging to the national or oriental church. the _military forces_ have also increased nearly ten-fold within the last hundred years; and at the present time are estimated at about , . the _spiritual academies_ and seminaries contain upwards of , young men preparing for the sacred profession. dr. p. says:-- "it is much to be regretted that those young men have so little time and opportunity, after finishing their academical course, for making further progress in studies suited to their profession. the cares of a family (for marriage must indispensably precede ordination in the russian church), their labours among their flocks, the scanty support which most of them receive, together with their isolated situation in country villages, where few traces of education and civilized life have yet entered, render this almost impracticable." the _jesuits_ were finally expelled from the empire in . at that time their number amounted to . "on their reaching the frontiers of the empire, the emperor alexander ordered them to be supplied with from thirty to forty ducats each, to bear their expenses to some other place of residence. but though this mighty force of papal agency was removed from the russian territories by one stroke of the autocratic pen, yet the influence which they had acquired was not so easily to be annihilated; and there is no doubt, that in the succeeding intrigues which were played off so successfully against the russian bible society, their powerful friends in the capital took a part." p. . _drunkenness._ on this painful topic, the author has given most melancholy information:-- "instead of restraining the use of brandy, the government, even of the present day, affords every facility to the people to obtain it, in order to enhance the gain derived from this iniquitous source; which _amounts to nearly one-fourth of the whole revenue of the empire_." from his calculation, it appears that there is "the enormous quantity of eighty-one millions of gallons of brandy alone drunk every year by the peasantry of this empire." pp. - . _baptism._ dr. p. says:-- "the cathedral church at odessa is a noble building, in the grecian style, with domes and crosses. one day i entered it, when the protopope, or dean, was baptizing an infant. the day was excessively cold, there being upwards of ten degrees of frost, and the water in the font almost freezing. after the ceremony was over, i expressed to the priest my surprise that they did not use tepid water, seeing the infant had to be three times immersed over head and ears in the icy bath. he smiled at my compassion, and exclaimed--'ah, there is no danger: the child is a russian.' indeed, such are the superstitious opinions of the people, that were the chill taken off the water, they would probably doubt the validity of the ordinance." p. . "in great russia, the child is baptized usually in the church, or in a private house; and the prayers, exorcisms, and ceremonies attending this ordinance, are long and complicated. the greeks and russians always use the trine immersion; the first, in the name of the father--the second, in that of the son--and the third in that of the holy ghost. when a priest cannot be obtained, they permit lay-baptism; and they never rebaptize on any account whatever." the duchobortzi sect has excited great attention:-- "they make the sacraments consist only in a spiritual reception of them, and therefore reject infant-baptism. their origin is to be sought for among the anabaptists, or quakers." it appears, however, that "in the ukraine, or little russia, it is customary also to baptize by sprinkling or pouring water upon the body. this change the little russians, many of whom are uniats, adopted from the roman catholics, when they were under the power of the polish government. however, in cases of necessity, even in great russia, baptism by sprinkling or pouring water on the body is practised, and held to be valid." in a note, dr. p. tells us he witnessed the baptism of an adult, in the case of the mongolian chief, badma, who died in . he was lying in bed, in a very weak state. prince galitzin was godfather. instead of immersion, water was poured on his head three times. immediately after baptism, he received the other sacrament: bread and wine, soaked together in a cup, and given with a spoon. the pious prince evidently felt much; and when the dying man partook of the holy communion, he shed many tears. he died on the third day after his baptism.--p. . _proverbs._ we can select only a few for the entertainment and instruction of the reader. sin requires no teaching. thieves are not abroad every night; yet every night make fast. praise not thyself, nor dispraise. thou wilt not see all the world by looking out at thy own window. a fool can cast a stone where seven wise men cannot find it. two hares at once, and you catch neither. his wealth is not on the barn-floor; it is in his brains. at home, as i like it; in company, as others will have it. they gave a naked man a shirt, and he says, 'how coarse it is!' hast thou a pie? thou wilt soon have a friend at table. the largest ass will not make an elephant. 'freedom,' says the bird, 'though the cage be a golden one.' every soldier would be general--every sailor, admiral. in travelling, and at their sports, men show what they are. a _greek_ speaks truth once in the year. the cow has a long tongue, but she is not allowed to speak. a golden bed will not relieve the sick. _russian bible society._ dr. p. speaks in the highest terms of the princess sophia mestchersky, who was among the first to encourage him to attempt, in , the formation of a bible society in moscow; which in two years was realized. "from this commencement in till my leaving russia, the princess had published ninety-three different pieces, amounting to upwards of , copies, on religious and moral subjects, which together form eight volumes, vo., and which were gratuitously distributed, or sold at low prices." among these are the principal publications of the london religious tract society. a very favourable account of the religious character of the late emperor alexander is given, chiefly from the communications of the illustrious princess above mentioned, and written by her at the time of his death. the russian bible society was founded in st. petersburg, on the rd of january, , and continued in full activity about twelve years under the patronage of alexander. during the last three years of his reign, he was powerfully counteracted by a strong party formed among the principal nobility and clergy. there were, too, conspirators forming diabolical plans against the peace of the empire, who misrepresented to the government the character and labours of the friends of religion and of bible institutions, to turn away attention from themselves, and their own wicked revolutionary designs. but the mind of alexander was not changed. when nicholas his brother came to the throne, the plots of the party above referred to were happily overthrown. but unhappily seraphim, the metropolitan, with several other prelates, and one or two fanatical monks, had for some years entertained unfriendly feelings towards the institution. the new emperor's ukaz was published in . it is gratifying, however, to find that on the th of march, , a new bible society, exclusively for the protestants in the russian empire, was formed at st. petersburg, with the sanction of the present emperor; and that the president is prince lieven, the minister for public instruction, "a protestant nobleman of true piety, who laboured in the cause with indefatigable zeal, during the whole period of the existence of the national institution." we have been surprised and delighted to observe dr. p. speaking of the present emperor as "wise, energetic, and humane," "who has begun a reform in the courts of justice;" "a man of penetration, energy, and benevolence; who has already given many pleasing proofs of his sincere desire to advance the spiritual interests of the russian people;" "the determined courage and wise management of the young emperor," &c.--pp. , , . surely, then, we may hope the national bible society will yet be restored. the appendix contains seven sermons, as specimens of the style of preaching among the russian clergy; and the plates, illustrative of the dress and amusements of the people, are from a collection of lithographic costumes which the author brought with him from russia. . _an examination of the practice of infant baptism, designed to prove that it is inconsistent with the principles of the new testament: respectfully proposed for the consideration of all those who are desirous of a scriptural reformation of the church; and who are prepared to follow truth wherever it may lead._ by a member of the church of england. pp. .--hatchard. . _a sermon on the nature and subjects of christian baptism._ by adoniram judson, d.d., burmah, p. .--wightman. before assent is yielded to the result of any "examination," it is important, besides cautiously considering the nature and amount of evidence which has been adduced in its favour, to reflect on the relative position which, as it respects the particular subject of investigation, the examiner has occupied in pursuing the object of his inquiry, and in relation to which he has now arrived to a conclusion he is anxious--on account (as he believes) of its accordance with divine truth--should influence the conduct of others. if it be undoubted that his education, his tastes, his connexions, and even his prejudices, were all on the side of that conviction which he professes to have derived from patient and persevering research, it seems not unreasonable to require a copiousness and strength of argument, in its support, which, were all the circumstances affecting his relation to it decidedly unfavourable, would, perhaps, scarcely be deemed necessary. when, however, we witness the comparatively rare occurrence of an individual, surrounded with almost every description of temptation to stifle conviction, and, by his silence at least, to perpetuate a corruption in the christian church, which for ages has been protected by legislative authority, popular favour, and implicit faith, not only nobly triumphing over every inducement to compromise the interests of truth by refusing to surrender himself to its acknowledged claims, but venturing forth, and assailing error in its most splendid fastness, and pursuing it to its final retreat; and that to, by the employment of arguments whose overwhelming force is partly derived from the peculiar suavity with which they are urged, we are unable to resist such an occasion for exclaiming, "this is the lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." the publications which have occasioned these reflections, whose titles are placed at the head of this article, appear to us to present more than ordinary claims to public consideration. the perspicuity of their style, the force of their arguments, and especially the thoroughly christian temper which pervades them throughout, cannot fail, if they be read, to secure commendation, even where they fail to convince. we can easily suppose it possible to find persons who may affect to despise what is thus, with every circumstance adapted to excite respect, urged upon their attention; but that any well-constituted mind, whatever be its ultimate conclusion on the subject, can treat these pamphlets with indifference, as though that to which they relate were unimportant, or that they were defective in truth and candour, is what we are extremely unwilling to believe. at the same time, we most frankly acknowledge that, owing to certain inconveniences, and, perhaps, even consequences, which we conceive might arise, in some instances at least, from a thorough and an impartial investigation of the evidence adduced by these respective and respectable writers in support of their principles, we are not altogether without apprehension, that by something approaching to a profound silence in certain quarters, or it may be by something even more beneath the dignity of christian criticism, the powerful, though eminently temperate, appeals of these luminous pages may obtain a perusal far less extensive than is consistent either with the interests of truth, or the merits of its advocates. deprecating such a result of these distinguished efforts, we enter upon a more particular notice of the first of these publications. the author designates himself "a member of the church of england;" and his design is "to prove that it is inconsistent with the principles of the new testament" to baptize unconscious infants. the work is divided into ten sections, prefaced by a most respectful but spirit-stirring letter "to the editor of the christian observer." from this admirable appeal we extract as follows:-- "this work is the result of many reflections, excited at different times, through a long series of years, by the reading of many articles and discussions in the christian observer. the practice of admitting infants to the sacrament of baptism, i apprehend, must appear to almost all reflecting persons, at some times, to be of a very dubious character; and if it shall appear that the fair tendency of those parts of your work which i refer to, is to render it still more so, then i am persuaded that you will allow that the publication is, without impropriety, thus offered to your notice." he adds:-- "the question respecting the propriety of admitting infants to the sacrament of baptism must, i conceive, before long, become a subject of grave discussion _within_ the church. then the real importance of the question will become manifest, and it will be found necessary that it should be more comprehensively considered in all its bearings, than it has hitherto been. with regard to the question, as it stands between the church and the antipædobaptist party, excepting the question--whether it is the duty of christian governors to promote christianity--this, respecting infant baptism, is of more real importance than _all others_ in dispute between the church and _orthodox_ dissenters. "the reading of the papers in an early volume of your work, on dr. taylor's key to the apostolical writings, first excited the reflections which led to my determination to offer, for the consideration of the christian public, some thoughts on the subject of infant baptism." again, in this introductory letter, we read:-- "never before, in any way, were so large a number of persons, so competent to the task, brought together for its consideration. in your volumes, men of the deepest piety, of fine talents, and with minds every way prepared for the consideration of the subject, have laboured to produce the scriptural elucidation of the baptismal grace. i am persuaded that i should not exaggerate, if i were to say that if all the divines in christendom had been assembled at the commencement of the present century, and had held as many sessions as the council of trent, for the purpose of settling this question, the controversy would not have been so happily conducted as it has been in your pages, nor pursued to a more satisfactory result. but what is the result? notwithstanding that nothing is so manifest as the effects of the operation of divine grace, for wheresoever it does operate the effects are 'known and read of all men,' yet in answer to the inquiry, 'what are the nature and consequences of the grace communicated by the holy spirit in baptism?' the christian observer, with all its voices united, declares, 'we cannot tell.' this issue of the matter is virtually avowed by yourself incidentally in a short sentence in the number for october, , where you say, 'the church of england certainly assumes far more than the _nudum signum_, though it does not go to the length of the _opus operatum_.' within these boundaries, then, it is admitted that the proper place of rest is not yet discovered." and yet once more: "i now, sir, with great humility, beg to submit that the church has made its utmost efforts in this inquiry--that every thing respecting it has been concentrated in your volumes; that the best christian talents have been bestowed upon it in vain, up to the conclusion of the first third part of the nineteenth century, and to the commencement of the fourth century of the reformation, and that, therefore, it is a fair conclusion that further inquiry is quite hopeless, the imagined baptismal grace for unconscious infants being manifestly an undiscoverable, non-existent thing. i wish here to add, that a reference to obvious facts leads inevitably to the same conclusion. in the all-wise providence of the great head of the church, the matter has been brought to the test of experiment, which has been going on upon a sufficiently large scale for more than two centuries in this country. two christian parties have conscientiously refrained from having their children baptized; so that, if the baptizing of infants were accompanied with any measure of the holy spirit's influence, the effects would have been rendered quite evident by the contrast. but what do facts declare! what spiritual advantages do baptized children discover themselves to be possessed of which unbaptized children do not possess, in cases where all other things are equal! surely all fair christian observers of the dispensations of the king of grace in his church, must be constrained to allow that the advantages are undiscernible, and therefore can have no existence." there is still another passage in this sensible and truly christian letter, which we must be allowed to present to our readers. "it may be assumed that i have come to a wrong conclusion; but, i presume, it will be admitted to be desirable that the question i have considered should be more satisfactorily settled than it is at present, and if, as i trust it will appear, that i have examined it under no influence but the love of truth, it may be allowed that the work may be useful in assisting others to come to a _right_ conclusion. every man who treats a subject honestly, does something to put it in a right point of view. i confess, i cannot now hope that, if i am wrong, i shall live to be convinced of it; but truly i feel no interest in error, and i take no pleasure in differing from ministers and brethren in christ; so that, if i were convinced of being wrong, i could renounce my present opinions with more ease than i can now divest myself of a garment." whether the able writer to whom these respectful and impressive appeals are made, will so far resist their influence as to make no reply, and attempt no vindication from the charge of a destructive error, so distinctly brought against the church of which he is a member, remains to be seen; yet, after reading the powerful pages to which the preceding extracts are prefixed, if it be expected that the scriptures _exclusively_ are to be admitted as evidence in repelling the accusation, we must confess ourselves utterly at a loss to conceive how it is possible that any satisfactory _answer_ should be given. but if our author cannot be answered, let him at least be heard. he says:-- "in the present day, no intelligent evangelical writer would think of advancing such things as hooker and some other eminent and good men have said on the subject of baptism. men of reflection and genuine christian character now perceive themselves here to be but in cloudy regions, where mighty minds have strangely bewildered themselves, and refrain from venturing distinct speculations and positive assertions. they do not come forward with anything like the confidence of their predecessors. they speak strongly against the _opus operatum_ of papists, and papistical protestants; and though they would not be thought to deny that grace is, in some way, connected with baptism in the case of infants, yet they frequently make it evident that they would rather escape from close discussion. there is a remarkable instance of this in the bampton lectures of the late dr. heber, bishop of calcutta. he says: 'both grace and comfort, if they are not necessarily inherent in the washing of regeneration, and the eucharistic bread and wine, may at least be attained by a proper use of those means.' surely this obscure and doubtful passage, on a subject simple and apprehensible enough in holy scripture, is something different to what ought to be expected from a profoundly learned ruler of the church. what christian ever thought of denying that grace and comfort might be attained by a proper use of these ordinances? on the other hand, are we to be driven to the mortification of supposing that, in the present day, others beside papists can be induced to suppose that grace and comfort can be _necessarily inherent_ in any thing material? upon the whole, i think it is evident to an observer, that there is some hesitation and want of confidence among thinking members of the church with regard to this view of baptism: yet the idea of a mysterious connexion between the _materiel_ (if i may use the word) of the ordinances and divine grace, has by no means lost its hold of the mind; which is in a great measure owing to the magic influence of imaginary sacred words. such terms as 'elements,' 'holy mysteries,' have a strange effect in causing men to feel as though it would be sacrilegious and presumptuous to open their eyes, and view those divine institutions in the light of scripture. "but the imagination, that the application of the ordinance of baptism to unconscious infants is a divinely appointed medium of grace to them, is so incompatible with real facts, that a philanthropic christian, who looks around, and has his heart affected by the real state of society, even in this country, if he could at that moment be brought closely to reconsider this opinion, which, at other moments, when facts are forgotten, raise delightful feelings in his mind, could not but have his eyes open to the fallacy:--the illusion would vanish at once. if baptism were a divinely appointed medium of spiritual good to the minds of infants, then its beneficial tendency must appear in the development of children in christian countries. if this manifestly appeared to be the case, all controversy would be at an end. but do the instructors of youth discover it? has the warmest advocate for the practice of baptizing children ever ventured such an assertion? and if infants grow up, believe, and are baptized, is it conceivable that their heavenly lot will be at all worse than that of those who were baptized in their infancy; or that, if they die unbaptized, without any fault of their own, they will in any wise suffer for the omission? now if all these questions be answered in the negative, as undoubtedly they must, what becomes of the imaginary paradise of blessings and privileges to which baptism is to introduce the millions of our infants? why should the holy lord god, our saviour, be represented as mocking his church by promises of mysterious, pompous nothings?" pp. - . thus it is that this author remonstrates with the members of his own communion. but does he neglect to extend the application of the argument to other pædobaptists? the reader shall be put in possession of the means of judging. "but if the church of england rests this practice on such insufficient grounds, how do the pædobaptist congregationalists support the practice? they appear to me to have scarcely any ground at all which they can acknowledge, consistently with their fundamental principles as congregationalists. they are supported in the practice wholly by clinging to custom, and by borrowing the arguments of the advocates of national churches just for an occasion. it is quite inconsistent with their principles to acknowledge such a visible church as infants are professedly introduced to by baptism. they recognise no such church, except on the occasion of baptizing their children. they admit of no officers, and allow no government, for such a church. they consider all apparently unconnected persons as belonging only to the world, and admit their own children to become members of their churches exactly in the same way as they would a stranger coming from a country not professing christianity; except that, in their case, they are saved the ceremony of baptizing, which is the divinely appointed way of admission into a visible church. national ecclesiastical establishments, which yet unavoidably resulted from the practice of infant baptism, they hold to be altogether anti-scriptural, and founded upon an anti-christian union of church and state. they have, therefore, no reasonable pretence for arguing for the practice from the appointment of circumcision, which can with consistency be used only by those who think that christianity was designed to have a secular, external character. some of them, indeed, seem ashamed of this obvious inconsistency, and have recourse to an imaginary distinction between the covenant of redemption and the covenant of grace; and instead of professing that by baptism they make their children members of the visible church, they assert that by doing so they place them visibly within the one covenant, though not within the other. but a serious refutation of such a notion can hardly be necessary; it may be classed with other unintelligible and unauthorized imaginations. "the members of the church, retaining their veneration for the notions respecting the sacraments established as catholic in the primitive ages, have some specious ground of hope that the administration of the ordinance to their infants will be accompanied with a communication of grace, in consequence of the imagined occult connexion between the 'elements' and the grace of the ordinance, they have, with something like a pretence of reason, expected that their children might thereby be made members of christ, children of god, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. they are persuaded that it is consistent with truth to speak of baptism for infants as 'the washing of regeneration,' the laver of regeneration--the well-spring of divine life, &c., &c., and that in this matter they rightly exercise christian submission in following 'the sacramental host of god's elect.' but the independents have no pretence of the kind for this application of a holy ordinance to infants. they expect their children to derive no benefit from it, other than what they would derive through their prayers, and from the blessing of god in bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the lord. they renounce all deference to catholic authority in matters of religion and conscience, and profess to believe that all the light which the case requires is to be found in the scriptures, and that it is dangerous to follow any other. they have also no more right to use the argument drawn from the baptism of households, than they have that drawn from circumcision: they are both founded on the same principle--an assumption that the doors of the christian visible church have been opened by our lord himself to the unconscious and unconverted, in diametrical opposition to the principles on which they found their opposition to the established church. surely it cannot be, that wise master-builders should much longer employ themselves in daubing this papal wall with untempered mortar." p. - . we are decidedly of opinion that whoever may take upon himself to reply seriously to these statements, will find the undertaking to be neither quite easy nor very agreeable. it may not be improper to state that this is a new and somewhat enlarged edition of a work, published several years ago, by the same author. dr. judson's sermon, which is also a reprint, is perspicuous, elaborate, and irrefragable. . _the management of bees, with a description of the ladies' safety hive: with forty illustrative engravings._ by samuel bagster, jun., pp. . bagster. . _spiritual honey from natural hives; or meditations and observations on the natural history and habits of bees: first introduced to public notice in ._ by samuel purchase, m.a. pp. .--bagster. the worthy editor of these volumes has, we think, exercised a sound discretion in publishing them separately. to the initiated in apiarian research, "the management of bees" cannot fail to be highly interesting. for our own part, we must confess that, if certain minute descriptions which may possibly offend a refined moral sensibility, could have been omitted, we should have considered the work more valuable on that account. perhaps our hint may prove available for a future edition. with this exception, we would most cordially recommend this production to the perusal of our readers generally; and to those who are engaged in the study of that part of natural history to which it refers, especially. the engravings are exceedingly creditable to the talent of the artist. as to the "meditations" contained in the other volume, they are altogether above our praise. they are eminently instructive and pious, admirably calculated to secure the attention even of the thoughtless, and to promote, in a very high degree, the pleasure and the profit of the considerate. in confirmation, we present our readers with the following specimen: "if the bee lights upon a flower where there is no honey (being wasted or gathered before), she quickly gets off, and flies away to another that will furnish her. let us not lose ourselves and forget our errand: our father, adam, lost our happiness, and we are sent to seek it; seek it where it is, and go handsomely to work; say, i am not for riches, they are made for me; i am not for creatures, they are made for me, and i am their master; therefore these cannot make me happy: i am made for eternity, for everlasting life and happiness; therefore, let me study that; mind that end beyond inferior ends. why do men seek wealth, but to be happy? why pleasures, why honours, but because they would be happy? if these things cannot bless and enhappy me, why should i burn daylight? why should i not off them, as the bee gets off the plants that yield her no honey, and once, at last, see where my happiness lies, in pursuing happiness, and where my happiness lies, in god's ways; the first step whereof is poverty of spirit?" p. . we hope these valuable reflections will be often reprinted. _poems on sacred subjects._ by maria grace saffery. hamilton and co.; darton and harvey. these poems are from the pen of the widow of the late rev. john saffery, of salisbury, whose name is still fragrant there, and in many other places; whose zealous labours of love in our bengal mission, and in the propagation of the gospel in ireland, will long be remembered. rich in scripture knowledge and in christian experience, with a lively imagination and a great command of language, the writer has poured out her melodious strains from the fulness of her heart. most of the subjects are taken from the old testament or the new, and the versification embraces a great variety of metres, with the ease and sweetness almost peculiar to female writers. the whole book of jonah is finely illustrated in a series of poems which cannot fail to please. this little volume is introduced by a modest preface, and a "sonnet inscribed to the memory of the rev. j. saffery," which is worth transcribing:-- "thou hadst a soul for melody to greet, when thou wert here, among the weary-hearted; and thoughts of thee are like sweet sounds departed, that visit time with echoes,--and repeat strains that were breath'd beside my pilgrim feet; as if i heard the voice of my past years, and thou wert singing in this vale of tears. but 'tis not in the desert we shall meet-- and who would wish thee where the world is weeping? thou hast a blessed minstrelsy on high. the lyre of praise, o'er which thy song is sweeping, hath not a pause like mine--a pause to sigh. harps strung for holiest themes to both are given; but mine is tun'd on earth--and thine, in heaven." many others are exquisitely sweet. we have been particularly pleased with one on jonathan's friendship, which concludes thus:-- "o chieftain! in thy life was seen that friendship in immortal mould, to which ambition's hope is mean, and woman's kindest thought is cold. "gilboa! let thy mountain-heath like jesse's gentle harp complain; there israel's beauty bow'd in death, there jonathan, the friend, was slain!" the work is very neatly got up, and we are glad to observe that the subscribers' names are numerous, and highly respectable. religious intelligence. an appeal to christian ladies, in behalf of female education in china, india, and the east. from the last census taken by the chinese government in , it appears that the population of that empire was then , , ; a population more than twenty times as great as that of greenland, labrador, the canadas, the west indies, the south sea islands, the cape, madagascar, greece, egypt, abyssinia, and ceylon,--_i.e._, more than twenty times as large as nearly the whole field of christian missions, india and the east being excepted. in , the missionary, dr. milne, calculated the population of cochin china, corea, loo-choo, japan, and other districts tributary to china, to be about , , . if there should be in those countries, with burmah and siam, only , , instead of , , , they form an important field of missionary labour. the british subjects of continental and ultra-gangetic india, are , , ; the population more or less under british influence in india, is , , ; making a total under british influence in india, of , , . of the millions of the chinese empire, probably millions are females; and among the millions of india there are about millions more; so that, in these two countries, there are millions of heathen females demanding our commiseration and christian care. the condition of the chinese women is thus described by the missionary gutzlaff:--"such a general degradation in religion makes it almost impossible that females should have their proper rank in society. they are the slaves and concubines of their masters, live and die in ignorance, and every effort to raise themselves above the rank assigned them, is regarded as impious arrogance. as long as mothers are not the instructors of their children, and wives are not the companions of their husbands, the regeneration of this great empire will proceed very slowly." as might be expected, suicide is a refuge to which thousands of these ignorant idolaters fly. "the unnatural crime of infanticide is so common among them, that it is perpetrated without any feeling, and even in a laughing mood. there is also carried on a regular traffic in females." the condition of the hindoo women is, if possible, worse. they are treated as slaves, may not eat with their husbands, and are expressly permitted by law to be beaten. degraded and despised, they naturally sink towards the level assigned them by public opinion. they have no mental employment whatever; and being very much excluded by the extreme jealousy of which they are the objects, from missionary instruction, it appears that their miserable condition must be perpetuated, till hindoo society undergoes a radical change, unless they be improved by christian schools. to meet these necessities, a society has been formed of ladies of various denominations, united together by christian piety, for the wretched female population whom they wish to elevate and bless. some of the objects to which the committee will direct their attention, are the following: . to collect and to diffuse information on the subject. . to prepare and send out pious and intelligent women, as trainers and superintendents of the native female teachers. . to assist those who may be anxious to form female schools in accordance with the rules of this society, by grants of money, books, and superintendence. what christian lady, to whom this appeal may come, will refuse her co-operation in so good a work! to aid the beneficent legislation of a paternal government in the improvement of so large a population committed to our care; to rescue the weak from oppression, and to comfort the miserable in their sorrow; to give to the infant population of india, and of china, the blessings of maternal wisdom and piety; to teach the men of those nations, that those who are now their degraded slaves, may be their companions, counsellors, and friends; to disgrace, by a knowledge of the rudiments of european science, those fabulous and polluted legends of their sacred books, which are at variance with geographical and astronomical facts; to make them acquainted with the bible, which now they cannot read; to place them under the instruction of the missionary, from whom they are at present excluded; to bring them to the knowledge of christ, and to prove that his grace can do more in a few years to bless them, than centuries of heathenism could do to degrade them;--these are the great objects which carried mrs. wilson to the children of hindostan, and miss wallace to those of china: but, while "the harvest truly is plenteous, the labourers are few." other women of equal capacity, and who can show the same perseverance springing from compassion and faith, must follow the good example. and if they offer themselves to this work of the lord, will not the christian women of this country, by sending them forth, and supporting them in their work, show to the continent and the world, that gratitude to god and to christ for the blessings of providence and grace, can kindle in their hearts an earnest and self-denying pity for those who, though they speak in other tongues, and are separated from us by half the earth's circumference, are yet as capable of joy and sorrow as ourselves, and are among those to whom our redeemer has commanded that the gospel should be preached? wives, who are happy in the affection and esteem of your husbands; mothers, who enjoy your children's reverence and gratitude; children, who have been blessed by a mother's example, and a mother's care; sisters, who have found in brothers your warmest friends; christian women, who feel that you can lend to society its charm, and receive from it a loyal courtesy in return; protected, honoured, and loved--impart your blessings to those who are miserable because they are without them. if your minds are intelligent and cultivated--if your lives are useful and happy--and if you can look for a blessed immortality beyond the grave, do not, for the love of christ, whose sufferings have been the source of all your blessings, and of all your hopes, do not refuse to make him known, that the degraded millions of the east may, like you, be "blessed in him," and, like you, may "call him blessed." those readers who desire further information may obtain it from mr. suter, , cheapside; by whom contributions will be thankfully received. extract from the forty-fifth quarterly register of the baptist home mission. the committee of this society desire, humbly and thankfully, to acknowledge the goodness of god for the many favourable openings which appear for the "_spread of the gospel at home_." whilst they deeply regret that, for want of means, they cannot employ more labourers, they gratefully record some unexpected supplies to their exhausted funds; they indulge the hope that many of their fellow christians will follow the example of their friend, mr. nice, and others, who have nobly come to the help of the lord in time of need. the following extract from the report of the auxiliary society for _exeter and north devon_ will, it is hoped, be acceptable as a specimen of that work which all true christians pray may prosper. "at _torrington_, our brother pulsford still continues to carry on the work of the lord with the true spirit of a laborious minister of the word, ever zealous in the work, and watching for the salvation of souls; and the great head of the church has again honoured him with the reward of his labours. possessed with heartfelt love for souls, he appears to have continually before him, as his motto, 'work while it is day; for the night cometh in which no man can work;' he is instant in season and out of season. from his letter of the th inst., we make the following extract:--'i have great pleasure in stating that the lord in his great mercy continues to bless our feeble instrumentality, thirty-two have been brought to the knowledge of the truth, and added to the church by baptism since october last; and we continue to carry the word of life into thirteen villages, in many of which the power and glory of god are seen and felt. glory be to his name. at _langtree_, we have long mourned the lack of room, but i am happy to state that a chapel which will contain about is nearly finished. at _langtree wick_ we want to do the same, and trust that the great head of the church will prepare the way for our doing so before long. at _st. giles_, we have added another room to the one we occupied; and at _hatherleigh_ we have baptized ten, and as many more appear to be converted to god, and will follow the lord in that delightful ordinance soon. our new place of worship at hatherleigh is covered in, and things wear a very pleasing aspect. o for the downpouring of the holy spirit, that the sacred fire may spread from village to village, and from town to town, till the whole world shall be full of the glory of god! nothing is wanting to obtain this, but the hearty co-operation of all our churches in the great work--the entering into religion with _all_ the heart, and _all_ the soul, each one laying himself or herself out for god, and the eternal welfare of their fellow-creatures. we have four sunday-schools, in which children are taught the word and way of god, and we trust will yield a future harvest to the church.'" the bishop of london and the dissenters. (_from the times._) a second edition of a "remonstrance addressed to the lord bishop of london, on the sanction given, in his late charge to the clergy of that diocese, to the calumnies against the dissenters contained in certain letters signed l. s. e.," has recently appeared, with the respectable name of mr. charles lushington. the letters referred to, which are addressed to a dissenting minister of the congregational denomination, and written, it appears, by a clergyman of the church of england, might well be mistaken for a subtle and refined ruse of a bitter enemy of that church. at a moment when the feelings of the dissenters are wrought up to intense excitement by a sense of wrong from grievances unredressed, an individual of that class who teach from the pulpit that a man who lacketh charity lacketh every thing, has had the daring effrontery to vomit forth a mass of rancorous scurrility against the whole dissenting body, especially its teachers, applying to them epithets proscribed in almost every species of polemical warfare, except that carried on by carlile and his party, detailing disgusting anecdotes thinly veiled in the decency of a latin translation, excluding them from the pale of christianity, and proclaiming that "the curse of god rests heavily upon them!" it is to be regretted that there are a few individuals of the letter-writer's class, men who have exchanged the sword for the gown, or who desire to transform the pen into the sword; but these intolerant zealots, so long as their acts are not countenanced by their superiors, do but little mischief. the letters in question, however, have been specifically recommended in a note appended to the late charge of the bishop of london, as "containing a great deal of useful information and sound reasoning, set forth with a little too much warmth of invective against the dissenters." mr. lushington, who avows himself a member of the church of england, has had the candour and manliness to step forward and publicly vindicate the dissenters from the effects of such a recommendation of such a work, suggesting, at the same time, "some political and christian considerations, which should operate to secure for those calumniated persons a little more conciliatoriness from their opponents, and a far greater measure of justice from their judges." he shows what the dissenters have done, and are doing, to supply the deficiencies of the established church; he disproves the accusation that the dissenters, as a body, seek to destroy that church, which would be repugnant to the system to which they owe their distinction as a religious body; and he suggests that, if the religious wants of the community are to be adequately supplied, it must be by one of three plans--either by the establishment and other sects, as at present; or by the establishment alone, all other sects being merged, comprehended, or put down; or by the episcopal church and other denominations, without an establishment. he assumes that the second is impracticable, inasmuch as the establishment could not be extended, on the basis of taxation, so as to meet the wants of the population, and the sects could not be merged or put down. the choice is, therefore, between the first, which renders the dissenters necessary as auxiliaries, and therefore to be conciliated; and the third, which would reduce the church of england to the dimensions of an episcopal, but non-established, church. such frenzied partisans as "l. s. e." would be more likely to bring about the third alternative than the second. extract from a correspondent's letter, addressed to the right rev. the lord bishop of london. my lord, in the notes appended to your lordship's charge, delivered at the last visitation, reference is made to a work, entitled, "letters to a dissenting minister, &c., by l. s. e." it is most prudently admitted, that the work contains "too much sharpness of invective against the dissenters;" your lordship has, however, added, "i recommend the publication as containing a great deal of useful information and sound reasoning." it was prudent in l. s. e. not to attach his name to a work that would give him a notoriety for impudence and slander which no future penitence could by any possibility remove. how far it was wise to sanction with the authority of your lordship's name, the work of an author who had not the rashness to reveal his own, remains for the effects it will produce upon society to determine. l. s. e. has stated in page , that "the late mr. abraham booth,[b] an eminent dissenting teacher in london, would never pray for the king (george the third) at all." allow me, therefore, to inform your lordship and the nameless individual who enjoys your patronage, that the assertion is entirely false. during the thirty-seven years in which he administered the ordinances and truth of jesus christ in prescot-street, he not only never refused, but made it his uniform practice, to pray for "our rightful sovereign the king, his royal consort the queen, and every branch of the royal family;" of this many living witnesses may be brought, who still remain the fruits of his exertions. much sympathy is due to your lordship on account of the present intensity of professional excitement; but the injunction laid by inspiration upon a bishop must not be forgotten, "lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be thou partaker in other men's sins: keep thyself pure." with sincere respect, i am, my lord, your lordship's humble servant, _hackney, dec. , ._ isaac booth. [b] my revered parent entered into his rest in . duties arising out of the present aspect of political affairs. at a meeting of the "deputies from the several congregations of protestant dissenters of the three denominations in and within twelve miles of london, appointed to protect their civil rights," held at the king's head tavern in the poultry, on friday, the th day of december, . henry waymouth, esq., in the chair. resolved, that this deputation cordially approves of the following resolutions of the united committee of protestant dissenters in london, passed on the th ult.; viz.-- "that, while this committee bows to the exercise of the royal prerogative, they have learned, with feelings of unfeigned and profound regret, the sudden dismissal from his majesty's councils of his late confidential advisers; entertaining, as they do, a cordial approbation of the general measures of their administration, and confiding in their principles as the sincere friends of civil and religious freedom. "that, while the committee cannot but express their disappointment and sorrow that the just claims of protestant dissenters have hitherto been postponed, they are convinced that such delay on the part of his majesty's late government arose chiefly from the obstructions to which they were subject, both from ecclesiastical and political opponents. the regret which this committee feels at the dismissal of the late administration is also greatly aggravated by the assurance that it has occurred at a moment when its members were preparing means of redress for the chief practical grievances of which dissenters complain. "that, in the probable event of a general election, this committee confidently anticipates, from the protestant dissenters throughout the empire, the most decided and uncompromising opposition to that political party who have avowed themselves the unflinching opponents of their interests, and whose speeches and votes on the bill for the admission of dissenters to the universities, ought never to be forgotten; and, in the event of such election, this committee relies also on all classes of dissenters for the immediate adoption of measures best calculated to ensure the return, as representatives to parliament, of men liberal and enlightened in their views, the tried friends of religious liberty, national improvement, and universal freedom. "that this committee pledges itself to persevere in seeking the full and immediate relief of the practical grievances of protestant dissenters upon the principles it has repeatedly avowed." that this deputation strongly urges upon its constituents the importance of promptly and vigorously acting upon the recommendations contained in the foregoing resolutions as to the choice of representatives in the ensuing parliament. that the declaration of the line of policy intended to be pursued by the administration of sir robert peel, as contained in his address to the electors of tamworth, is most unsatisfactory to dissenters, and affords no prospect of the adoption of liberal measures on the part of the cabinet of which he is the head. that this deputation cannot but record its total want of reliance on the granting of any effectual relief to dissenters by a political party which have ever been opposed to the affording to that numerous and important body their just and equal rights as subjects of the realm. that the foregoing resolutions be inserted in the "morning chronicle," "morning post," "morning advertiser," "globe," "standard," and "patriot" newspapers. resolutions occasioned by the letter from the american board of foreign missions[c] to the board of baptist ministers in and near london. [c] see page of the present number. at a meeting of the board of baptist ministers, specially convened at fen court, nov. th, , the rev. f. a. cox, ll.d. in the chair, the above communication having been read, the following resolution was adopted:-- resolved unanimously, "that we receive with much pleasure the expressions of esteem and attachment, and fully participate in the affectionate sentiments, contained in the letter of the american board of foreign missions, dated boston, sept. , ; and while we deeply regret that, in the judgment of the said board, it would violate the constitution of the triennial convention to entertain our communication of the st dec. , we hope that such of our american brethren as concur in the opinions of that communication, will adopt every means consistent with christian principles, to diffuse their sentiments, and thus secure the immediate and entire extinction of their slave system. "that the secretary be requested to transmit the above resolution to the vice president of the baptist board for foreign missions in the united states. "it having been reported to the board, that our brethren who have been requested by the baptist union to go as a deputation to our baptist brethren in america, having consulted their respective churches, have acceded to the wishes of the union;" resolved unanimously, "that this board, feeling the importance of the deputation to america appointed by the baptist union, earnestly recommends, that the churches in london and its vicinity collect, in what way they may severally think proper, towards the expenses of such an object." j. b. shenston, _secretary_. british voluntary church society. resolution passed by the board of baptist ministers at a meeting specially convened at fen court, dec. , , the rev. w. newman, d.d. in the chair. "that, approving the principles and objects of the british voluntary church society, this board strongly recommends the churches of our denomination to promote its operations by every means in their power; either by obtaining subscriptions, by lending their places of worship for the delivering of lectures, or by any other means which their judgment may suggest. "that the secretary be requested to transmit the above resolution to the secretaries of the british voluntary church society, and to send a copy for insertion in the baptist magazine." j. b. shenston, _secretary_. n.b. persons subscribing not less than _ s. d._ per annum, are members of this society.--ed. unicorn-yard chapel, tooley-street, southwark, erected, . from the decayed state of this place of worship, and for the safety of those persons who assemble therein, at the recommendation of several architects, a new wall has been erected, and the building generally having undergone a thorough repair, with additional sittings, and baptistry, &c. was re-opened for the worship of god, on thursday, november , , when three sermons were preached; that in the morning by the rev. dr. andrews, of walworth, from heb. ix. ; that in the afternoon, by the rev. thomas shirley, of seven oaks; and that in the evening, by the rev. j. h. evans, a.m., of john-street chapel, bedford-row, when upwards of thirty pounds were collected. the church now encouraged by considerable additions, and the regular attendance of an increasing congregation, take this opportunity of gratefully acknowledging the services of those good men who helped them in their low estate, and also to record the loving-kindness of the lord who has so graciously appeared in reviving us under the ministry of our present pastor, the rev. d. denham (late of margate), who was publicly recognized as our pastor, with three of our brethren as deacons, on monday, dec. , . the rev. g. comb, of oxford-st., delivered the introductory discourse, and asked the church and minister the usual questions. the rev. m. dovey, of rotherhithe, offered up the ordination prayer; and the rev. thomas shirley, of seven oaks, gave an affectionate charge to the pastor from cor. iv. , . the rev. j. smith, of shoreditch, explained the deacon's office, showing the qualification and grace required to fill it, and then in a most scriptural manner addressed the church from heb. xiii. . messrs. benson, bridgeman, moial, boddington, and hewlett, engaged in the other parts of the services. n.b. the expenses of general repairs and enlargement of the chapel (which will now seat about persons, including a number of free sittings) will rather exceed pounds; and as nearly _half that sum_ has been realized by the exertions of a few individuals, we trust our appeal will not be in vain to those christian friends to whom god has given the means of assisting us, and whose delight is to promote the cause of christ upon earth. donations, however small, will be thankfully received if forwarded to our treasurer, mr. richard edwards, , chester-place, old kent-road. notice. the next quarterly meeting of the london baptist association, will be held at devonshire-sq. chapel, on wednesday evening, january , , when a sermon will be preached by the rev. j. e. giles, on the duties of church members towards the unconverted. service to commence at seven o'clock. recent deaths. rev. dr. carey. in the philanthropist the event is thus noticed: "the rev. dr. carey died at serampore, after a protracted illness of nine months, on monday morning last, the th instant (june) in the rd year of his age." the same paper contains the following account, copied from another paper, [_the sumachar derpun_] published at serampore. "we have to communicate intelligence to-day, which will be received with general lamentation, not only throughout india, but throughout the world. dr. carey has finished his pilgrimage on earth, having gently expired early last monday morning, the th of june. for several years past his health has been very infirm, and his strength has gradually sunk, until the weary wheels of nature stood still, from mere debility, and not from disease. the peculiarly hot weather and rainy season of reduced him to such extreme weakness, that in september last he experienced a stroke of apoplexy, and for some time after his death was expected daily. it pleased god, however, to revive him a little. during the cold season he could again take a morning and evening ride in his palanquin carriage, and spend much of the day reclining in an easy chair with a book in his hand, or conversing cheerfully with any friend that called. as, however, the hot weather advanced, he sunk daily into still greater debility than before, and could take no nourishment. he lay helpless and speechless on his bed until his skin was worn off his body, and death was a merciful relief. his dearest friends could not but rejoice, that his sufferings were ended, although they mourn his loss to themselves and to mankind." for further particulars of this distinguished man, we refer our readers to the missionary herald. j. f. beard. at scarborough, yorkshire, november the th, after a short illness, james freeman beard, in the th year of his age. he was formerly, for many years, the respected pastor of the church of christ at worstead, norfolk, where his ardent labours in the surrounding villages will long be remembered. distribution of profits. the following sums, from the profits of this work, were voted to the widows whose initials follow, at the meeting of proprietors, on friday, the th ult. name recommended by e £ s. price. b j. edwards. f e. evans. i j. williamson. h t. howard. c j. puntis. p w. yates. i b. price. a s. green. w f. a. cox. d t. thomas. b j. carver. w h. w. holmes. t b. thomas. c w. copley. p m. thomas. d j. james. b w. l. smith. *** the widows will please to observe they cannot receive twice in the same year. irish chronicle. january, . the rev. s. davis, of clonmel, will come from ireland this month, for the purpose of collecting on behalf of the society in the west of england. our friends, that he may visit, especially our ministering brethren, are respectfully and earnestly requested to encourage his application to the utmost of their power; as, on the success of such efforts the continued operations of the society greatly depends. in the rev. wm. thomas's letter will be found a grateful reference to the committee of the tract society, and to a parcel which he has received from england, containing many useful articles for the children of the schools. and the secretary begs to acknowledge the receipt of a number of "magazines for ireland," from a female friend at hammersmith. _extract of a letter from_ rev. s. davis _to the_ secretary. _clonmel, nov. , ._ we are in the lord's hands, and he will finally accomplish the purposes of his own glory, and i am persuaded we cannot do better than steadily to pursue the purpose in which we are engaged, to make the people acquainted, as far as it is in our power, with the holy scriptures, which will undermine the power of antichrist, and promote happiness in proportion as they obtain an access to the heart. my son, at ardee, recently assisted in the public examination of adults in their knowledge of the irish scriptures, and he has given a very interesting account of the meeting in the last quarterly papers of the irish society. he was astonished and delighted to think, as i do also, that the teaching of the people in the irish scriptures, is one of the most important benefits that can be conferred upon the country. our society has had the honour to take the lead in this respect; and, however we may be looked down upon, and whatever may become of the institution, i have no doubt it has been a greater benefit to the country than words can express; it is a pity, therefore, that it should not be in more prosperous circumstances, and that your hands should not be held up more by those who have it in their power to afford us assistance; but when we have done what we could do we cannot reproach ourselves, and we must leave the event with him who will appreciate our good intentions, and forgive all our infirmities. s. davis. rev. w. thomas _to the_ secretary. _limerick, nov. , ._ my dear sir, you will have the kindness to excuse the brevity of these few lines, as i have only this moment arrived after a journey of preaching and inspecting some of the schools, and it is necessary that the readers' journals should go off by this day's mail, which will proceed immediately. i have, i trust, some interesting things to communicate, which, please providence, i shall shortly do; and also, offer my grateful thanks to the committee of the tract society, for a precious parcel of tracts, forwarded with a kind letter from their worthy secretary; and also my very grateful acknowledgments to an excellent lady, for a very acceptable parcel for the female children in the schools; this good lady says, they are "from one who wishes well to the cause of instructing the rising generation." the thimbles, bodkins, thread-cases, needle-books, work-bags, scissors, and five shillings, inclosed in the "old purse," shall be judiciously distributed: the five shillings we will apply to clothing some naked creatures. may the lord of glory clothe the dear lady's soul with the beautiful and glorious, the spotless and eternal, robes of the redeemer's righteousness, which will never wax old! with the kindest wishes for you, my dear sir, and all the dear friends of the society, ever most affectionately yours, wm. thomas. rev. j. bates _to the_ secretary. _sligo, nov. , ._ dear sir, through mercy i am spared to give you an outline of my imperfect labours during the month that is now past, and gone into eternity. when i think of the rapid flight of time, and view the condition of my fellow-sinners around me with regard to their religious circumstances and eternal prospects, i feel that my situation is such as should lead me to jesus, to seek more of his mind and more of his spirit, that "whatever my hand findeth to do, i may do it with my might." since my last letter, i have visited several villages in the country where i never went before. castledargin, corringuncor, drimnagooli, and ballindrist. there are a few brethren in the neighbourhood of corringuncor, and they feel rejoiced when any one pays them a visit. the congregation at that place was large and very encouraging. mr. berry is going on a missionary tour amongst them this next week. may the lord bless his own word to their everlasting welfare, and his own glory! ballindrist is an interesting little station, and, by the blessing of god, i trust good will result from the proclamation of his word; but at drimnagooli, there exists the greatest spirit of inquiry. i have only been in that neighbourhood three times, and i am happy to say that, each time, the congregation increased. they are continually saying, "visit us as often as you can." the clergyman in that neighbourhood has preached against baptism; but i have lately observed, where there is the most opposition, there is the greatest spirit of inquiry, and the largest congregations. since i have been in this superstitious island (and surely this is the place "where satan's seat is"), i have sometimes thought of what my affectionate pastor told me when he was living, just before i left england. calling me by my name, he said, "whatever others do, let it be your determination to preach jesus; wherever you take your stand, there let the cross be erected. dagon fell when the ark of god was set up in his presence; they set him up the second time, but behold, dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground and broken to pieces; so if you set up christ, with a single eye to his glory, antichrist must fall; 'my word shall not return unto me void.'" during the next month, if all is well, as i shall have a long journey inspecting the schools, i hope to have many opportunities of proclaiming the gospel to those that are now sitting in darkness. i pray that the lord may command a blessing, even life for evermore. j. bates. _to_ mr. thomas. _ballycar, nov. , ._ october . being asked by a roman catholic why i would not pray to the saints, and implore their intercession; i replied, because i have no authority in scripture for it. but on the contrary, st. paul says, "there is one god, and one mediator between god and men, the man christ jesus;" and the saviour himself says, in john xiv. , "i am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the father but by me;" and he also says, "whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, i will do it." now since all we ask the father, in the name of the son, is granted unto us, why should we address ourselves to other mediators? we also read in john ii. : "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, jesus christ the righteous." nov. . in quin, entering into a conversation with two persons, on the necessity of reading the scriptures, one of them replied, that their clergy would not permit them to read them. i asked him, which should he obey, his priest or god? he replied, god. "therefore you should read, and not only read but search, the scriptures; for christ himself says, 'search the scriptures;' and again he says, 'blessed are they that hear the word of god, and keep it:' and the apostle paul strongly commends the people of berea for reading the scriptures; he expressly says in acts xvii. : 'these were more noble than those in thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.' now if these people doubted the words of that eminent apostle, how much more should we search the scriptures in the present day, and see if the doctrine taught us be consistent with the scriptures or not!" after reading different passages of scripture, and reasoning for some time on this subject with these people, they replied that it appeared consistent with truth, that men should read the scriptures. nov. . entering into conversation with one person, on the immediate state of happiness of those who die in the lord; he replied, that no person can enter heaven, without being purged from their sins in purgatory. i asked him, did he not think that the blood of the lord jesus christ was sufficient to cleanse him? he replied, he was confident it was, but we must also suffer for some time in this place. i read to him different passages of scripture, to prove to him that the blood of the lord jesus cleanseth us from all sin, such as isaiah i. , john i. , prov. vii. , , , heb. i. , &c.. after reading this passage, the man took the book out of my hand, to see if the words were expressly the same as i read them; after seeing they were, from his conversation after, he seemed very much to doubt this doctrine. i read at intervals to the major's workmen, himself being in a delicate state of health, which renders him at different times unable to do it. he had been very ill this day or two past, but is now getting better. sir, i remain yours, samuel cross. _to_ rev. j. bates. _temple house, nov. , ._ rev. sir.--i feel happy to state to you that since my last i have been permitted to read the word of life for vast numbers of roman catholics and others who were ignorant of those precious truths which are revealed in it; and indeed many of them have heard the word with remarkable attention, and seemed to receive instruction. oct. . in the house of widow sweeny, where there were assembled about fifty roman catholics, the man of the house having got a sudden death; whilst i sat amongst them one of them said, "let us pray for the soul of the departed." then they all took off their hats and prayed; this they did every half hour, and in the interval talked of consecrated ground, &c., and of the benefits of being interred in consecrated ground. i was indeed much grieved on seeing and hearing such ignorance and superstition; and, addressing myself to one of the most respectable and well informed among them, i asked, "what reason have we to believe that either consecrated burial-ground or prayers for the dead, or any other office, can help the state of the departed soul?" two of them answered and spoke alternately. one said that no devil or evil spirit could come near consecrated ground; the other told me that they believed in the doctrine of purgatory, and that the prayers of the faithful are necessary for the relief of the souls in purgatory. i told them that it is written in the word of god, that "blessed are the dead which die in the lord," for they rest from their labours; that those who believe in jesus christ, "his blood cleanseth them from all sin," and that consequently they need no other purgatory. i referred to the words of the saviour in the rd of john, "he that believeth on the son bath everlasting life, but he that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of god abideth on him." one of the men above mentioned said, that he read in the scriptures that we are purged by fire. i showed, from peter iv., the fiery trial spoken of means persecutions and sufferings for christ's sake to be endured in this life. i also showed, from acts viii. that on the death of stephen there was not a word about consecrated burial-ground or prayer for the dead. all this time the people heard with most eager attention. i showed them from many parts of scripture that jesus is an all-sufficient saviour, and that all who believe in him are justified from all things, &c. on the th, went to the house of j. foley, where many were assembled visiting a sick person. while they talked of the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of being prepared for eternity, i endeavoured to show the need we have of a saviour, and the blessings of being interested in him. i proposed to read for the sick person, and was permitted; i read very many of the most suitable parts of scripture, showing that the saviour is a sure foundation to build our hopes on for salvation, and that there is no other. the people present were nearly all roman catholics; and seeing them so attentive, i continued nearly an hour reading. the sick person seemed to receive comfort from the word, and the people of the family were extremely thankful. on the following sabbath i again visited the same house. they told me they were rejoiced to see me enter their door. i read acts iii. , showing that peter, to whom they are in the habit of praying, directed the people to the saviour, telling them that there is not salvation in any other, and that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. robert beaty. _to_ rev. j. allen. _ardnaree, nov. , ._ rev. sir, i am happy to inform you that many instances present themselves in this part of the country, of persons forsaking their former wicked course of living, and giving themselves to the study of the scriptures, and that through the instrumentality of the baptist institution; persons who, if left to themselves, in all probability, would have lived and died ignorant of a saving knowledge of christ jesus. on the rd, ult., i went to the neighbourhood of castlebar, among our schools. in that part i read and talked to many of the inhabitants regarding the "one thing needful;" left the persons with whom i thus read and conversed, religious tracts as usual. m. m'kelvey, with whom i had several conversations regarding the ordinance of baptism, intends to offer himself as a candidate to the ballina baptist church soon. we have great cause for thankfulness that the lord is pleased to grant us so many favourable opportunities of reading and explaining his holy word to our countrymen and fellow-sinners, being aware that if they knew the truth the truth would make them free. in the neighbourhood of foxford, i have strove to be useful, particularly in shrakum, had a seasonable opportunity of reading applicable portions of the scriptures in the hearing of many persons, young and old, who answered their various questions respecting religion; we also joined in prayer. the people then present seemed to be satisfied with my answers to the questions which they asked on several occasions. there are three new places in which i frequently read the scriptures in this neighbourhood, namely, rakep, caltrough, and bunzee; in all those places i read portions both of the english and irish testament, diligently endeavouring to draw the serious attention of my various hearers, as usual, to the redemption that is in christ jesus. there is a man of the name o'donell in hill-street, ballina, to whom i have given a testament some time ago; he comes to your preaching, and does not care for either priest or pope, for so doing. on the th instant, went among our schools in the tyrarough district; remained in easkey two days; met and had conversation with many of our christian friends there. may they daily receive all needful grace and strength out of the fulness that is in christ jesus! there is a man and his wife that lately came to live in this town; she is a nominal protestant, but he is a papist, they frequently come to my house for the purpose of getting religious instruction. they were with me on saturday last, at which time i read several applicable portions of the scriptures to them, and also answered their questions respecting religion, from the criterion of truth. they both can read. i have given them several useful tracts, and a book entitled, "the errors of popery." i intend to visit them often, and they promised to attend your preaching. i hope these visits to my home, with the blessing of god, will be the means of directing them to the saviour, who alone is able and willing to save to the uttermost all that put their trust in him. roger mullarky. contributions. received by the treasurer:-- mr. baker's legacy, per j. ivimey, esq. a friend at c., by mr. goddard collection at the rev. e. steane's, camberwell, per w. b. gurney, esq. collected in surry, essex, and suffolk, by the rev. john franks a small new year's gift, intended as a thank-offering to the lord, to promote the furtherance of his gospel, from s. webb, langley £ omitted last month:--a friend _erratum_:--in the list of contributions last month _for_ "dover," _read_ down. subscriptions received by s. marshall, esq., , high holborn; mr. p. millard, bishopsgate street; messrs. burls, , lothbury; rev. g. pritchard, , york place, pentonville, gratuitous secretary; by messrs. ladbrokes and co., bankers, bank buildings; by mr. h. d. dickie, , bank street, and rev. mr. innes, frederick street, edinburgh; and p. brown, esq., cardigan. london: j. haddon, printer, castle-street, finsbury. missionary herald, containing intelligence at large of the _proceedings and operations_ of the baptist missionary society. ==================================================== cxciii. january, . ==================================================== subscriptions and donations in aid of this society will be thankfully received at the baptist mission house, no. , fen court, fenchurch street, london: or by any of the ministers and friends whose names are inserted in the cover of the annual report. #death of dr. carey.# since the publication of the last number, the secretary has received a communication from mr. jonathan carey, announcing the fact of his venerable father's decease, in the following terms:-- _calcutta, june th, ._ the lord has been pleased to afflict us very severely, in removing from us, by death, my much esteemed and venerable father. this lamented event took place on the th instant, at five in the morning, and his remains were interred in the cold grave early on the following morning, in the presence of a crowded assembly of mourning friends. much as i feel this heavy stroke, i trust i do not sorrow as those who have no hope. his was a life spent in the service of his redeemer, and the lord was pleased to make him an instrument of much usefulness; but notwithstanding all that he was enabled to do, he never ceased to exclaim that he was an unprofitable servant. in much humility and meekness of spirit he was zealous in the work of the lord of hosts, and the constant objects of his pursuits were the glory of god and the salvation of the heathen. his devotedness to the work to which he was called was evident in all his conduct. nothing would give him more pleasure than to hear of the prosperity of zion, and the downfall of idolatry. his heart was always much affected when speaking of the love of his dying redeemer. of the evil of idolatry he spoke with great warmth. he was active and faithful in the discharge of his duties as a minister and a translator; and was in his element in the study of botany and other scientific pursuits, but always humble in his views regarding his own abilities and acquirements. although constantly employed for the last forty-one years, he possessed a vigorous constitution, excellent health, and a good flow of spirits; but the last two or three years he suffered from debility, and latterly wasted away, and at length sunk from exhaustion of strength, and his spirit took its flight to the regions of eternal bliss to enjoy the rest provided for the people of god, and the reward promised to those who endure to the end. thus has my father finished his course, and has been removed from this scene of toil and labour. many will have reason to bless god for what he was enabled, by his grace, to perform for the welfare of the poor heathen. the following has appeared in several of the public papers as a transcript of the doctor's will. although no copy of this document has reached us direct from india, yet, as it carries internal evidence of its authenticity, and has been very widely circulated already, we do not hesitate to insert it in our pages. our readers will especially mark, in the direction given as to his epitaph, that deep humility which was so prominent a feature in the character of this great and good man. i, william carey, doctor of divinity, residing at serampore, in the province of bengal, being in good health, and of sound mind, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following:-- first--i utterly disclaim all or any right or title to the premises at serampore, called the mission premises, and every part and parcel thereof, and do hereby declare that i never had, or supposed myself to have, any such right or title. secondly--i disclaim all right and title to the property belonging to my present wife, grace carey, amounting to , rupees, more or less, which was settled upon her by a particular deed, executed previously to my marriage with her. thirdly--i give and bequeath to the college of serampore, the whole of my museum, consisting of minerals, shells, corals, insects, and other natural curiosities, and a hortus siccus. also the folio edition of hortus woburnensis, which was presented to me by lord hastings; taylor's hebrew concordance, my collection of bibles in foreign languages, and all my books in the italian and german languages. fourthly--i desire that my wife, grace carey, will collect from my library whatever books in the english language she wishes for, and keep them for her own use. fifthly--from the failure of funds to carry my former intentions into effect, i direct that my library, with the exceptions above made, be sold by public auction, unless it, or any part of it, can be advantageously disposed of by private sale, and that from the proceeds , rupees be paid as a legacy to my son jabez carey, a like sum having heretofore been paid to my sons felix and william. sixthly--it was my intention to have bequeathed a similar sum to my son jonathan carey, but god has so prospered him that he is in no immediate want of it. i direct that, if any thing remains, it be given to my wife, grace carey, to whom i also bequeath all my household furniture, wearing apparel, and whatever other effects i may possess, for her proper use and behoof. seventhly--i direct that, before every other thing, all my lawful debts may be paid; that my funeral be as plain as possible; that i may be buried by the side of my second wife, charlotte emilia carey; and that the following inscription, and nothing more, may be cut on the stone which commemorates her, either above or below, as there may be room; viz. "william carey, born august th, , died---- "a wretched, poor, and helpless worm, on thy kind arms i fall." eighthly--i hereby constitute and appoint my dear friends, the rev. william robinson, of calcutta, and the rev. john mack, of serampore, executors to this my last will and testament, and request them to perform all therein desired and ordered by me, to the utmost of their power. ninthly--i hereby declare this to be my last will and testament, and revoke all other wills and testaments of a date prior to this. (signed) william carey. (signed) w. h. jones, s. m'intosh. the following minute, in reference to this removal of dr. carey, has been entered on the records of the baptist missionary society. "the secretary having reported that intelligence had arrived of the death of dr. carey, at serampore, on monday, the th of june last, it was "_resolved_, "that this committee cordially sympathize, on this mournful occasion, with the immediate connexions of dr. carey, by whose death, not merely the missionary circle with which he was most intimately associated, but the christian world at large, has sustained no common loss. the committee gratefully record, that this venerable and highly-esteemed servant of god had a principal share in the formation of the baptist missionary society; and devoted himself, at its very commencement, to the service of the heathen, amidst complicated difficulties and discouragements, with an ardour and perseverance which nothing but christian benevolence could inspire, and which only a strong and lively faith in god could sustain. endowed with extraordinary talents for the acquisition of foreign languages, he delighted to consecrate them to the noble purpose of unfolding to the nations of the east the holy scriptures in their own tongue: a department of sacred labour in which it pleased god to honour him far beyond any predecessor or contemporary in the missionary field. nor was dr. carey less eminent for the holiness of his personal character. throughout life he adorned the gospel of god his saviour by the spirituality of his mind and the uprightness of his conduct; and especially, by the deep and unaffected humility which proved how largely he had imbibed the spirit of his blessed master. "in paying this brief and imperfect tribute to the memory of this great and good man, who was long their associate in missionary exertion, and whom they have never ceased to regard with feelings of the utmost veneration and respect, it is the anxious desire of the committee to glorify god in him. may a review of what divine grace accomplished in and by this faithful servant of the redeemer, awaken lively gratitude, and strengthen the devout expectation that he, with whom is the residue of the spirit, will favour his church with renewed proofs of his love and care by thrusting forth many such labourers into the harvest!" it is expected that mr. eustace carey will compile, from the materials in possession of the missionary committee, and from the correspondence maintained by the doctor with his relations in this country during the whole course of his residence in india, a memoir of his venerable relative. burmah. by a letter from mr. judson to dr. bolles, dated maulmein, december st, , we learn that a christian church has been formed at ava; the capital of the empire, where two converts, one the wife of kv h'lay, an old rangoon disciple, and the other a respectable inhabitant of the city, were baptized in the preceding month. this prosperous mission now comprises five churches, at maulmein, tavoy, mergui, rangoon, and ava; and the whole number who have received baptism at these several stations, is five hundred and ninety-seven. a month afterwards, mr. judson was favoured to complete his translation of the whole scriptures into the burman language. our readers will sympathize with the feelings which dictated the following entry made on this occasion in the journal of this devoted missionary. we are happy to add that, although mr. judson has felt it his duty to construct his version on the principle adopted by our calcutta brethren, this circumstance will not impede its circulation, the american bible society having rendered prompt and liberal assistance towards the printing. january st, . thanks be to god! i can now say, "i have attained." i have knelt down before him, with the last leaf in my hand, and, imploring his forgiveness for all the sins which have polluted my labours in this department, and his aid in future efforts, to remove the errors and imperfections which necessarily cleave to the work, i have commended it to his mercy and grace: i have dedicated it to his glory. may he make his own inspired word, now complete in the burman tongue, the grand instrument of filling all burmah with songs of praises to our great god and saviour jesus christ! amen. south africa. the following account of the second annual meeting of the auxiliary baptist missionary society, conducted by the rev. w. davies and his friends at graham's town, is extracted from the local newspaper, of the th of august last: on monday last the second annual meeting of the above society was held in the wesleyan chapel, and we are glad to say that it passed off in the most lively and satisfactory manner. it is ever a pleasing task to trace the progress of such associations--to view their first feeble efforts--to see them gradually acquiring strength and importance, until at length we behold them spreading themselves out to the farthest extremities of the habitable globe--like a perennial stream refreshing the parched desert, and dispensing the purest blessings on every hand. a very pleasing circumstance attending these meetings is, the concord and brotherly feeling which are produced amongst the different denominations of professing christians. here all minor differences are merged in one united effort to promote a common cause--and that the holiest and most beneficial that can employ intelligent beings. we regret that our limited space will not permit us to give the several addresses which were made on this occasion, more especially as some of them were of a high order, and would have been perused with much interest by many of our readers. the principal speakers were, the rev. mr. heaviside, clergyman of the episcopal church; rev. messrs. monro and robson (independents); rev. messrs. shrewsbury, young, and haddy (wesleyans); dr. minto, on the military staff, who has recently returned from india, and the rev. w. davies and mr. t. nelson (baptists). the report gives a general view of the state of the missions connected with this particular section of the christian church; and we are glad to find that the prospect, by the emancipation of the negroes, and other causes, is particularly cheering. it was also satisfactory to find that the amount collected by this infant society--only established rather more than a year ago at graham's town--has received in contributions during the past year no less a sum than nearly £ . nothing can be more creditable than this fact to the inhabitants of this frontier, and nothing can show more distinctly that they are not entirely undeserving of that prosperity with which providence has of late years favoured their efforts. we may add, as one symptom of the temporal prosperity thus adverted to, of this rising colony, that a great demand exists for industrious mechanics, especially of those classes employed in building. pious individuals, especially, we are assured, would be welcomed in the district, and labour, adequately recompensed, immediately provided for them. jamaica. we had fully expected, by this time, to hear of the arrival of our friend mr. knibb, at falmouth; but the mail, which has been due several days, is yet detained. we must therefore give a general summary of the recent intelligence from our various stations, and hope that, before this herald leaves the press, we may be able to add a postscript, announcing intelligence which many, we know, are anxious to hear. from _kingston_, under the date of september nd, mr. tinson writes: "our congregation in town is better by far than it has been, though not overflowing; for being composed chiefly of domestics and mechanics who reside in town, it is of course less affected by country people than some others. i spent yesterday at _yallahs_, received five candidates, on examination, for baptism, preached in the morning, and administered the lord's supper to about a hundred members in the afternoon. the congregation was such as to make the heat almost insupportable. there were nearly as many outside the house as within, and many more would come, but they cannot hear without exposure to the sun all the time. this however will, i hope, be remedied in a few months, as we have now commenced the chapel, and paid the builder £ towards it. i am begging from our people in hanover-street, and the city generally; but they plead poverty, and i know many of them are poor indeed." mr. gardner thankfully acknowledges that he has been repaid for all his exertions in visiting port royal, by the success with which it has pleased god to crown his labours there. "last sabbath week," says he, on the rd of september, "at daybreak, at that place, i baptized fifteen in the sea, on a profession of their faith in christ, and repentance towards god. many hundreds were present, who collected soon after four in the morning. after the administration of that ordinance we repaired to the chapel, which was well attended, and had a regular service. then i left for kingston, as there was no brother unemployed that could assist me. last lord's day i visited those friends again, and administered the ordinance of the lord's supper, when those who had been baptized were received into the church. it was an unusually solemn and gratifying season; many were greatly affected, and wept nearly all the time. this was to us a time of refreshing from the presence of the lord. may he often grant us such seasons!" mr. phillippo is busily engaged in building the new school-rooms at _spanish town_, towards which he obtained some pecuniary aid while in this country. "there are to be two schools; one for boys, the other for girls. they are to hold three hundred scholars. the situation is on a range with our premises, and is in every respect eligible; between the rooms there is to be a committee-room, so that the building will present a front of seventy-two feet in length. several gentlemen in the town and neighbourhood have declared themselves friendly towards the object, and have promised to assist in its support. as an instance, his honour the custos, member of assembly and island secretary, and price watkis, esq., the uncompromising advocate of negro emancipation in our colonial parliament, are to lay the foundation-stones on thursday next. the custos has moreover sent fourteen young women to the school to be educated as schoolmistresses, and to be completely under the charge of the resident schoolmistress, his intention being to employ them in the different estates for which he is attorney. this example i have reason to hope will be extensively followed. "we have still between three and four hundred children in attendance at our sabbath-school, and the library i brought out with me is in extensive circulation. every thing in connexion with our work appears prospering to an unexampled degree. god is indeed doing great things for us, whereof we are glad. what a change has been effected, also, on the moral aspect of society! sunday markets abolished, and all the etceteras of evil that followed in their train!" top hill, near the junction of the two parishes of st. ann's and st. thomas-in-the-vale, has been the scene of one of those cruel outrages on the helpless and unoffending, which have too often stained the page of colonial history. we give the account in the words of our missionary brother, mr. clarke. "on the evening of lord's-day, september th, as nine of my people were returning to their homes from worshipping god, they were stopped and turned back by a young coloured man, who has by the death of his father come to an estate before he knows how to act for his own interest, and is fast spending it in riotous living. these friends had no sooner quietly taken their way back to go home by a more distant road, than this man set his dog upon them, and with dr. b., a companion of his, pursued them about a half a mile. "dr. b. threw off his coat to enable him to run with the greater speed; an aged female who is highly respected by all around, fell: and dr. b. immediately fixed the dog upon her, which tore her leg severely in many places. her husband ran to lift her up, and to drive off the dog, when dr. b., seized him and attempted to throw him over a fearful precipice into a deep chasm, where he must have been dashed to pieces; but god enabled his servant to escape from the grasp of the persecutor, and all the party came back to the house where we had so recently joined together in the worship of god. i had travelled a considerable distance during the day, had got wet, preached twice, and performed various other duties; being fatigued, and having to journey home on the morrow, i had retired to rest. as soon as i heard what had taken place i arose, had the wounds of the poor female attended to, and bound up. i then conversed with the people, read to them the first twelve verses of the fifth of matthew, and again from the forty-third verse to the end; spoke to them on the duty of forgiveness, love to enemies, and patient suffering for christ's sake; prayed with them, first for the persecutors, next for themselves and for the church of god. they left me between nine and ten o'clock, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for righteousness' sake; before they left, they besought me not to carry the matter to a magistrate, but to leave it with god; promising that they would always afterward go and return by a road that did not lead them near the house of this man. i really admired their forgiving spirit, and their patient endurance of evil, especially that of the chief sufferer, and of her husband, who had suffered with her, and had narrowly escaped death in rescuing her. two of the nine have long been free, the others were apprentices. had the native feelings of the human heart been indulged, how easily could these people have resisted the assaults of their persecutors, and, as they were pursued about half a mile on the road that has been a common by-path for years, they might have turned upon their adversaries, and afterwards have argued that they had a right to pass without molestation, and when molested to act on the defensive, in forcing their way to their homes; but, except a few words at first, of calm entreaty, these quiet people did nothing, and gave no impertinent language, but turned to go back in peace, and were in the act of returning when they were thus assaulted." we mentioned, in our last number, that mr. coultart had encountered much annoyance in the neighbouring parish of st. ann's, the birth-place of the colonial church union, and disgracefully conspicuous for the blind and furious determination shown by several of its leading men, to prevent the spread of religious instruction among the negroes. humanly speaking, nothing but the wise, humane, and dignified conduct of the custos, the hon. s. m. barrett, saved this parish from the horrors of martial law. he applied to mr. coultart, requesting him to use all his influence with the negroes to quell the spirit of insubordination which had begun to show itself among them; and in addition to this, met them in person at ocho rios, gave them an excellent and animated address, explaining to them the nature of the new law, and expostulating with them, in the warmest and kindest manner. all present were much pleased with his kindness, and promised to do all they could to allay the existing evil. mrs. coultart, in a subsequent letter, adverting to the same subject, remarks, "the poor things were puzzled. they were told they were free on the first of august, had a general holiday, and rejoiced at the event; and then they were called to work again as before. 'free, no free at all; work like before-time.' many said, they would not work without a proper understanding, or some pay. i was present when a poor woman in the methodist society made a speech to the following effect: 'from the creation down to now we work, work, work. now, lord mulgrave and the king give we free, we take free, we happy; then master come, tell we work like before-time. no, me say, better take shot at one than make we fool so.' the minister's wife talked to her, and explained that this work for six years was to help pay the owner what the king could not afford to do, of the money that purchased her; and she seemed quite content, and said she would go to her work. if it were possible to speak to each thus, in the tone of a friend, they would believe; but their confidence in their owners is shaken--and who can wonder?" adverting to the necessity of additional aid to give instruction to the negroes and their children, mrs. c. remarks to her female correspondent, "i wish you could just come some saturday evening before the preaching sabbath at this bay, and see the numbers who come to our house, two miles farther, after having walked twenty and twenty-five miles already, just to read their letters, or to hear a few verses out of the bible, or watts's first catechism, or something that will shed a ray of light over their benighted minds. i have about thirty-five little ragged black children who meet me in the place hired for worship on the bay at four o'clock every evening. these i try to teach for two hours, and the only member of the church who can read sometimes meets me to assist. we are going soon, i believe, to remove from this house; it is considered unhealthy, there being marshes near, and then i shall be too far off to attend to the children daily. on the sabbath, only every third, is too unfrequent for progress to be made. could i see the means of support, i would, without loss of time, place a person at the bay to teach regularly, and then i trust some good would be done. the eagerness manifested for first spelling books with large alphabets is amusing and pleasing. i have purchased all i could get in kingston, and sold them again at the same price, which is three times as dear as if i had them from england. mr. c. has written to several english friends, to beg them to send us some, either to give away or sell. i hope they will, without loss of time, for it is distressing to be obliged to refuse such earnest requests. 'me want to learn, me good massa, that me may read out of the bible for meself.' this is just what we want for them, that they may not be led astray by every designing person, who may set himself up to instruct them." at _port maria_ mr. baylis had the pleasure of receiving _fifty-nine_ persons by baptism on the th of july last. he labours with great diligence, and is cheered, at each of his stations, by proofs of a divine blessing resting on his exertions. mr. whitehorne reports, from _mount charles_, that the same increase of congregation, and earnest desire to learn to read, exists in the several places where he maintains public worship, as at other stations; while from _montego bay_, and _falmouth_, our brethren abbott, dexter, and dendy, renew their earnest solicitations for further aid. we rejoice to learn that mr. burchell arrived in safety at kingston from new york, on the th of october; and we trust not only to be permitted to make the same announcement, in a few days, respecting mr. knibb, but to witness further accession, shortly, to the number of faithful and devoted labourers in this interesting portion of the missionary field. mr. harjette and his family have embarked for calcutta in the david clarke, capt. rayne, and sailed from portsmouth. a letter has been received from mr. george pearce, dated at sea, sept. th, in n. lat. °, w. long. °. mr. and mrs. p. were quite well, and had received much kind attention from the captain and their fellow-passengers. list of foreign letters lately received. east indies rev. henry beddy patna april . -- w. h. pearce calcutta . -- john lawrence digah june . jonathan carey, esq. calcutta . rev. wm. yates ditto july . -- george pearce madeira aug. . west indies -- t. f. abbott montego bay aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- j. coultart st. ann's bay aug. . ditto ditto sept. , & . -- w. dendy falmouth aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- j. m. phillippo spanish town aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- joshua tinson kingston aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- h. c. taylor spanish town aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- f. gardner kingston aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- j. clarke kenmuir aug. . ditto ditto sept. . -- kilner pearson nassau . -- edward baylis port maria . messrs. a. & j. deleon, savanna-la-mar . rev. w. whitehorne mount charles . -- j. kingdon manchioneal oct. . -- josiah barlow anotta bay . -- walter dendy falmouth . -- joshua taylor kingston . south america. -- joseph bourn belize july . south africa. -- w. davies graham's town . _contributions received on account of the baptist missionary society, from nov. , to dec. , , not including individual subscriptions._ naunton, by rev. j. acock newbury, collections and subscriptions, by rev. t. welsh norwich and norfolk auxiliary, by mr. j. culley, treasurer south devon auxiliary, on account, by mr. nicholson lincolnshire and suffolk, by rev. eustace carey:-- louth, rev. mr. cameron's horncastle eye bury diss stowmarket ipswich -------- chelsea, collections and sunday school, by mr. skerritt sutton on trent, by mr. mozley newark, by mr. lomax broseley, auxiliary society, by mr. weare, jun. huntingdonshire, society in aid of missions, on account, by mr. paul derbyshire, by rev. w. hawkins:-- derby burton on trent loscoe -------- reading, negro's friend society, by mrs. letchworth, (_for spanish town_) northamptonshire, independent association, by rev. mr. robertson:-- kettering, rev. t. toller harborough, rev. w. wild -------- downton, collection, &c. by rev. john clare haddenham (cambridgeshire), by mr. rose bath, collected by miss oliver legacy. mr. william baker, late of george street, hampstead road, (executors, messrs. henry welton and joseph ivimey) _the following contributions have been received, on account of the jamaica chapels and school rooms, since the list was printed off._ sidney gurney, esq. banff, mrs. nichols and friends _members of the society of friends._ william allen (s) john sanderson john kitching james foster cornelius hanbury thomas norton jacob hagen, jun. margaret wilson. scarborough, (_additional_):-- collection, aug. surplus of tea party christopher hill, esq. w. d. thornton, esq. w. dyson, esq. friend w. smith, esq. mrs. fox to correspondents. the thanks of the committee are returned to the rev. john cox, of woolwich, for a parcel of books and tracts for jamaica; and also to mrs. letchworth, and the committee of the reading ladies' negroes' friend society, for a box containing books and other useful articles for jamaica. our valuable correspondent at newbury is informed, that the friend about whom he inquires had made previous arrangements for his journey westward, which prevented his complying with the request sent him from n. in the list of contributions for rebuilding the jamaica chapels, there occurs a line, under the head of "prescot-street, rev. charles stovel," friends _for which, read_, cards, by miss amelia bradshaw:-- t. teape, esq. w. cooke, esq. a. jackson, esq. small sums ------- by miss martha bradshaw under the head of "lyme, dorset," there should have been entered, a donation of five pounds, from james edwards, esq.;--and at "caine, wilts," the account should stand thus:-- collection, by rev. w. lush mr. w. gundry, for schools j. f. gundry, do ------- j. haddon, printer, castle street, finsbury. [transcriber's notes: the typesetting on this was poor, especially with respect to punctuation. i have reconciled all of the mismatched single and double quotes with the images. i chose to leave the quotations hanging as printed, rather than forcing personal opinion on placement. due to the number of tables, this file would read better in a monospaced font.] the baptist magazine. march, . memoir of the late mr. boswell beddome, of weymouth. the highly respected subject of this memoir was the youngest son of mr. boswell brandon beddome, who for many years filled the office of a deacon at maze pond; and grandson of the rev. benjamin beddome, of bourton-on-the-water, whose sermons and hymns are still the admiration of the churches. the talents and amiability of mr. boswell beddome began very early to develope themselves. he is described by his surviving relatives as having been a most interesting boy; his intelligence, generosity, vivacity, and principle, inducing them to conclude that he would prove no common character in after life. the testimony given to his spirit and deportment at this early period, by his maternal guardian, is worthy of record, as it points to a striking and lovely example of filial obedience: "_he_ never gave me a moment's uneasiness; whatever perplexity was sometimes occasioned by the rest, i had no trouble with him; affection and a sense of duty invariably induced his cheerful obedience; and if childish disputes arose between any of the other juvenile members of the family, boswell was sure to be the peace-maker." he was educated at a school under the superintendence of the rev. s. palmer, of hackney, where he was distinguished for the readiness and accuracy with which he accomplished the exercises of his class, and for that general activity of mind which afterwards became one of his leading characteristics. when he was about fourteen years of age, a situation which promised well for his secular interests offering itself at a highly respectable mercantile establishment at dorchester, he was removed from school somewhat sooner than his friends had anticipated. his employers speedily became sensible of the worth of his talents and integrity, and as a reward for his services and a proof of their esteem, introduced him to a valuable business at weymouth, which happened to be at their command, two years before the legal term of his connexion with them would have expired. this movement had the most important bearing on his spiritual interests; and had he not been generous almost to a fault, would, in a few years, have been the means of procuring him a retiring competency. the family, to the full companionship of which he was thus early introduced at dorchester, was distinguished by its very zealous profession of unitarianism. there he saw the system under its most specious and delusive aspect: the sabbath was observed with the strictest decorum; family worship maintained with invariable regularity; habits of private devotion were strongly encouraged; and opportunities frequently occurred of association with some of the most intelligent and influential members of the party. under these circumstances, although matter of regret to the more judicious of his friends, it was none of surprise, that he espoused and became the ardent advocate of sentiments at total variance with those in which he had been previously trained. under the preaching of mr. rowe, the first pastor of the baptist church at weymouth, and afterwards under that of mr. flint, its second minister, he was gradually restored to the presumed scriptural faith of his venerated ancestors. the exercises of his mind on this important subject were often deeply distressing and protracted. after his suspicions respecting the correctness of his opinions were awakened, he became a most diligent, anxious, and prayerful student of the word of god; determined, by divine assistance, to follow conviction wherever it might conduct him; and profess, at whatever cost, what should eventually appear to be the truth. desirous of doing the will of god, after many painful mental conflicts he was permitted to know it; he made a public profession, by baptism, of his newly-adopted faith during the pastorship of mr. hawkins, now of derby; and about four years afterwards was invested with the office of a deacon, during the ministry of mr. hoby, at present of birmingham. that the sentiments of mr. beddome in after life, on some abstruse points, were not slightly modified by his previous notions, is not pretended; but that he decidedly embraced all that is fundamental in the calvinistic system, no doubt is entertained by those who had the most ample means of obtaining an accurate knowledge of his creed. he contemplated himself as a depraved, guilty, perishing, and helpless creature; the grand doctrine of justification by grace, through faith in the propitiation of christ, was his refuge and his solace; in the sense in which we should employ the words, he was "looking for the mercy of god unto eternal life through jesus christ our lord." [this article--as will be remembered by those who heard it--contains part of the funeral sermon preached for mr. b. at the baptist chapel, weymouth, by the minister of the place. hitherto the form of the discourse has not been adhered to; through the remainder of the article that form will be preserved.] psalm xxvi. , "lord, i have loved the habitation of thy house, &c." that our invaluable, but now, alas! departed, brother beddome cherished for this house of god an attachment peculiarly strong, unwavering, and devoted, is a fact too generally and distinctly known by you to require announcement from me. long before his religious sentiments underwent a decided alteration, he interested himself most seasonably in its welfare; and after his views of divine truth became, for the most part, consonant to those which are here professed, he was ever ready to engage in any practicable undertaking, and make any possible sacrifice, for its benefit. simply to affirm that he manifested his attachment in an ordinary way, by the regularity of his attendance, by the spirituality of his worship, and by contributing the general amount of pecuniary aid, would be but a feeble statement of the truth: he threw his whole soul into every department to which his influence could extend; every thing connected with the cause engaged his attention, solicitude, and activity; the interest of the chapel was the first and the last object of his thoughts. his solicitude for the _spiritual prosperity_ of the church and congregation was not that of a deacon only, but a pastor; on this behalf he constantly wrestled with god in private; and you know, brethren, how solemnly, how earnestly, how affectionately, he pleaded for it in your meetings for social prayer. you know also his readiness, as opportunity allowed, to prove himself a friend, a brother, a father to you all. he was ever disposed to hear, to sympathize, to advise, to aid; and even for those who, mistaking his motives, sometimes appeared to think of him unkindly, he was prepared, in the exercise of a truly christian spirit, to perform any act of generosity by which their well-being might be advanced. over the interests of your sabbath-school he watched with a tender solicitude. for many years he was its superintendent. during this period he prepared, with great diligence and judgment, a series of scripture questions for the use of the teachers, several volumes of which are still in existence; and after his official duties as a deacon, and the attention required by his family, compelled him to relinquish the direct superintendence of the school, he still contrived to make himself acquainted with all its movements, and promote, by his wise suggestions and decisions, the efficiency of its operations. the poor and the afflicted connected with this sanctuary feel that in losing him they have lost a tender benefactor, who was not only willing to relieve them in proportion to his means, but who knew how to render assistance doubly grateful by the considerate delicacy with which it was bestowed. many and fervent were the blessings which the sons and daughters of distress poured upon his head; and many and deep are the lamentations of the widow and fatherless now. by his removal the minister of this place has lost a counsellor eminent for his knowledge and prudence; a friend, truly generous and devoted, who was accustomed to assist him in many of his labours, to sympathize with him under all his trials, to anticipate, in a thousand ways, his wishes and his wants, and on every occasion of difficulty to consult his feelings, in a manner which proved him to possess an extensive acquaintance with human nature, and an amiability of disposition still more commendable. although the cause of christ in connexion with this sanctuary enjoyed the best affection and engaged the best energies of our departed brother, his walks of usefulness were not restricted to this circumscribed beat, but embraced a wider, a more ample range. he was, it is well known, the manager, the life, of almost every institution connected with the dissenting interest in this town and neighbourhood; and in various other societies, formed for civil, literary, and benevolent objects, he took an active part. such were his knowledge, diligence, and prudence, that, in general, our committees had to do little more than hear his report of the past, and assent to his plans for the future. with the utmost modesty he made his suggestions; with the utmost courtesy he invited discussion; but his suggestions were, in general, too wise to be improved; and discussion, after he had evidently examined the subject in all its bearings, appeared completely useless. how far such careful anticipations may in general be really serviceable to those who are thus saved the trouble of thinking and acting, may be questionable; but, certainly, the mind which is sufficiently benevolent and energetic to perform the part of our late invaluable friend, is worthy of no ordinary share of admiration. the pecuniary affairs of this place of worship were entirely committed to his management, which has been long and deservedly held as invaluable. he regularly attended the committees of the branch bible society, the dispensary, the young men's improvement society, and other local institutions of a general nature, where the weight of his talents and character were always felt. he was the president of one of the benefit societies, and the most valuable honorary member of another. to all this it must be added, that hundreds in this town and neighbourhood were accustomed to make him acquainted with their trials, and seek his prompt and valuable advice in difficulty. in general he wished to forego a very prominent part in politics; but in cases of emergency his opponents soon became sensible that he was in the field. during the contest on the reform question, he displayed powers, both of writing and speaking, of a superior order; nor have his most decided political enemies been backward in expressing their high respect for his commanding talents and unbending integrity. but we have not yet reached the limits of mr. beddome's sphere of usefulness. you are aware that he engaged as an occasional preacher. for a considerable period he lectured on alternate sabbath evenings at the neighbouring village of wyke, where his labours were highly acceptable. i never had the gratification of hearing him on such occasions; but judging, as well from the testimony of some of his friends, as from his mental capabilities, his extensive acquaintance with the word of god, his clear conceptions and consequently lucid statements on other subjects, in connexion with his fervent piety and habitual solicitude for the salvation of souls, i should conjecture that his addresses were characterized by their perspicuity, their judiciousness, their deep seriousness, and their manifest tendency to usefulness. respecting these and similar qualities, he was accustomed to express warm approbation whenever he witnessed their discovery by the stated ministers of truth; a class of men, for whom, on account of their sacred office, he cherished a deep respect. he magnified their office; obeying the apostolic injunction, he "esteemed them very highly, in love for their work's sake." in his conduct towards his own minister he was a model of excellence; the whole of that conduct being studiously regulated by the most christian principle and benevolence. his inclination, especially during the last few years of his life, to be wholly devoted to the work of the ministry, was sometimes exceedingly strong. had he been permitted to select his own employment, doubtless he would have chosen that of an ambassador of peace. but while he possessed many qualifications suited to the preacher and the pastor, and which would have secured him great respectability in the sacred profession, providence had richly endowed him also with certain other qualities, and had placed him in a sphere of action, which enabled him to be useful in a great variety of ways, not quite within the province of the stated minister. as it was, for some time he was contemplated by many as a kind of second pastor to this church and congregation; and his minister ever found in him a brother who, in many respects, could labour as well as sympathize with him, in conducting the oversight of this people in the lord. if, with the exception of wyke, and one or two similarly-situated places, he did not preach publicly, he most literally taught "from house to house." he appeared to seize every favourable opportunity of speaking for religion: the inquiring found in him a wise and kind director; he was a faithful reprover of sin; and when consolation was requisite, none knew better how it should be administered. while home engaged the first, it did not engross all, the energies of our departed friend. of the enviable power of producing charming epistles of friendship, with ease and rapidity, he possessed a remarkable share. this power he habitually made subservient to the interests of religion; considering a talent for epistolary correspondence as involving serious responsibility. could his numerous letters of remonstrance, advice, and christian sympathy be collected, i am persuaded they would constitute a volume of no ordinary interest and usefulness. as in common conversation he was accustomed to throw out useful hints to those around him; so in letters of business, he often took occasion to remind his friends that they were only probationers in a world "which passeth away," the inordinate love of which must ruin the soul inevitably and for ever. to his friends it has always been a mystery how he could discharge, with his proverbial correctness, the numerous and onerous duties which he imposed on himself; the management of his private concerns being always sufficient to engross the attention of any ordinary mind. his habits of extreme regularity doubtless afforded him great assistance; but had he not possessed an incessantly active and a master mind, no such habits could have enabled him to attempt one half of what he accomplished. as a man of business his motto was "dispatch;" and whatever he undertook for the interests of benevolence, he attempted with all his might, exemplifying that beautiful and comprehensive injunction of scripture: "be diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the lord." that a life so valuable should have been suddenly terminated, in the midst of usefulness, at the vigorous age of forty, is a providence, in many respects, deeply painful, and mysterious; especially when, surveying society at large, we behold the useless and the injurious permitted to prolong their earthly existence. there are, however, in this case, various modifying circumstances which demand observation and gratitude. if the days of our departed brother on earth were short, they were singularly _vigorous_ and useful. he had already acted his part both in civil and religious society: scarcely had the dew of his youth passed away when he performed many of the duties, and was invested with many of the honours, of age; and although the continuance of a judgment so mature, a disposition so benevolent, and habits of usefulness so self-denying and energetic, would have been an invaluable favour, comparing the amount of his speedily accomplished work, with what is ordinarily allotted to the servants of god, we ought not, perhaps, to be greatly surprised that he has been thus early admitted to his rest. yet who was prepared for the severe, the complicated trial which we are now summoned to sustain? who could have anticipated that the comparatively young, the vigorous, the active beddome, would have been so speedily and so suddenly called to go the way of all the earth? notwithstanding his occasional physical infirmities, we seemed to forget that he was mortal; so completely was he identified with our interests, so necessary did he appear to our welfare, that we never calculated that he could die! even after his medical attendants had repeatedly announced the impossibility of his recovery, many of you could not surrender the hope, that god would yet spare him, for the sake of his family and the church. but, alas! the stroke has come suddenly and irresistibly. we have buried our brother; we have heard the lamentations of all classes at his death; we are now paying our last public token of respect to his universally admitted worth; and yet, his removal appears like a dream. this day three weeks he came for a few minutes in the morning to witness the ordinance of baptism, but was too much indisposed to render his usual assistance. we conjectured, during that and the three following days, that he was suffering from a severe cold; but on the thursday it was manifest that a formidable disease had taken full possession of his frame. during the whole of thursday night he was very delirious, and so continued, under the influence of the fever which preyed upon his vitals, with scarcely an intermission, until death released him from his sufferings on the following thursday morning; when, at half-past one, his spirit departed to be with christ. from the moment he was thought to be dangerously ill, he had no opportunity of making statements respecting his spiritual prospects. such statements, however, were unnecessary to our sure and certain hope of his salvation. he had previously witnessed a good profession. his character had already been stamped for a happy immortality; and pleasing as might have been his dying testimony to the religion of the cross, it is not to be forgotten, that while he was called to forego the delight of giving, and we of receiving, such a testimony, he was spared the pang of separation from his beloved partner, and four interesting babes, for whose welfare he felt all the tender solicitude which the husband and the father could feel. during the former part of his illness, before it had assumed a dangerous aspect, i conversed with him respecting the importance of not leaving the concerns of religion to a moment when disease unfits the mind for reflection, and congratulated him on the fact of his having been enabled, through grace, to prepare in health for the solemnities of eternity. he devoutly acknowledged the mercy which, in this respect, he had received; but neither then, nor on the following day, when our respected independent brother, with whom he had long been on terms of closest intimacy, prayed with him, did he appear to have the conviction that his "sickness was unto death." about a week before this period, having occasion to consult him respecting some important business connected with the church, our conversation assumed a more than commonly serious tone. i was led to ask him several questions respecting his own experience in religion, and the motives by which he had been actuated in his singular devotedness to this particular interest; and such were his replies, and in so affecting a manner were they given, that i left him with the deepest conviction that he was eminently a man of god: and since his departure, i have considered the statements which he then made as an anticipatory dying testimony to the genuineness and vigour of his personal piety. there were public as well as private circumstances of a somewhat similar nature, which are now cherished in the memories of his friends. at the last monthly prayer-meeting at which he was permitted to attend, he manifested a most solemn and intense devotional spirit. when praying for the prosperity of the church, he was so greatly affected as to be scarcely able, for several minutes, to proceed, while sympathy made the exercise one of general weeping as well as of supplication. at the last sunday-school union prayer-meeting also, many of the teachers remarked at the time, how very earnestly he wrestled on their behalf; and since that period, they have very naturally dwelt much on the fact, that he concluded the engagement by giving out and setting the tune to the following expressive lines:-- "come, christian brethren! ere we part, join every voice and every heart," &c. having laboured for us ardently and efficiently, instead of repining at his removal, let us, by divine assistance, be grateful that a still more speedy termination was not put to his probationary career; and rejoice in his blissful possession of the "recompence of reward;" our loss being his imperishable gain. the triumph of principle over intolerance, illustrated in the life of the late mr. berridge, of everton _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ the following letter was written by the late mr. sutcliff of olney, and not having been extensively circulated, may perhaps be acceptable to some of the readers of the baptist magazine. it was published under mr. sutcliff's signature in a small collection of mr. berridge's letters, which i have in my possession, under the title of "cheerful piety, or religion without gloom," in the year . and if its insertion meets your approbation, i will give it in mr. sutcliff's own words. a constant reader. _harley place, bow._ about two years ago a friend of mine, wishing to enjoy an hour or two of mr. berridge's company, rode over to everton for that purpose. he was introduced by a dissenting minister in the neighbourhood, with whom mr. b. lived upon terms of friendship. when seated, my friend requested mr. b. if agreeable, to favour them with a few outlines of his life. the venerable old man began, and related several things as narrated in the first number of the evangelical magazine. but as some are there unnoticed, i have selected the following, which i think will not be uninteresting. soon after i began, said he, to preach the gospel of christ at everton, the church was filled from the villages around us, and the neighbouring clergy felt themselves hurt at their churches being deserted. the esquire of my parish, too, was much offended. he did not like to see so many strangers, and be so incommoded. between them both, it was resolved, if possible, to turn me out of my living. for this purpose they complained of me to the bishop of the diocese, that i had preached out of my own parish. i was soon after sent for by the bishop. i did not much like my errand, but i went. when i arrived, the bishop accosted me in a very abrupt manner: "well, berridge, they tell me you go about preaching out of your own parish; did i institute you to the livings of a----y, or e----n, or p----n?" no, my lord, said i, neither do i claim any of these livings, the clergymen enjoy them undisturbed by me. "well, but you go and preach there, which you have no right to do." it is true, my lord, i was one day at e----n, and there were a few poor people assembled together, and i admonished them to repent of their sins, and believe in the lord jesus christ for the salvation of their souls; and i remember seeing five or six clergymen that day, my lord, all out of their own parishes, upon e----n bowling-green. "poh!" said his lordship, "i tell you, you have no right to preach out of your own parish; and if you do not desist from it, you will very likely be sent to huntingdon." as to that, my lord, said i, i have no greater liking to huntingdon gaol than other people; but i had rather go there with a good conscience, than live at my liberty without one. here his lordship looked very hard at me, and very gravely assured me that i was beside myself, and that in a few months i should either be better or worse. then, said i, my lord, you may make yourself quite happy in this business; for if i should be better, you suppose that i shall desist from this practice of my own accord; and if worse, you need not send me to huntingdon gaol, as i shall be provided with an accommodation in bedlam. his lordship now changed his mode of attack: instead of threatening, he began to entreat: "berridge," said he, "you know i have been your friend, and i wish to be so still. i am continually teazed with the complaints of the clergymen around you; only assure me, that you will keep to your own parish; you may do as you please there. i have but little time to live; do not bring my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave." at this instant two gentlemen were announced, who desired to speak with his lordship. "berridge," said he, "go to your inn, and come again at such an hour, and dine with me." i went, and, on entering a private room, fell immediately upon my knees. i could bear threatening, but knew not how to withstand entreaty, especially the entreaty of a respectable old man. at the appointed time i returned. at dinner i was treated with great respect. the two gentlemen also dined with us. i found they had been informed who i was, as they sometimes cast their eyes towards me in some such manner as one would glance at a monster. after dinner, his lordship took me into the garden. "well, berridge," said he, "have you considered of my request?" i have, my lord, said i, and have been upon my knees concerning it. "well, will you promise me that you will preach no more out of your own parish?" it would afford me great pleasure, said i, to comply with your lordship's request, if i could do it with a good conscience. i am satisfied the lord has blessed my labours of this kind, and i dare not desist. "a good conscience!" said his lordship, "do you not know that it is contrary to the canons of the church?" there is one canon, my lord, i replied, which saith, "go, preach the gospel to every creature." "but why should you wish to interfere with the charge of other men? one man cannot preach the gospel to all men." if they would preach the gospel themselves, said i, there would be no need of my preaching it to their people; but as they do not, i cannot desist. his lordship then parted with me in some displeasure; and i returned home not knowing what would befall me, but thankful to god that i had preserved a conscience void of offence. i took no measures for my own preservation; but divine providence wrought for me in a way that i never expected. when i was at clare hall, i was particularly acquainted with a fellow of that college, and we were both upon terms of intimacy with mr. pitt, the late lord chatham, who was at one time also at the university. this fellow of clare hall, when i began to preach the gospel, became my enemy, and did me some injury in some ecclesiastical privileges which beforetime i had enjoyed. at length, however, when he heard i was likely to come into trouble, and to be turned out of my living at everton, his heart relented. he began to think, it seems, within himself, "we shall ruin this poor fellow among us." this was just about the time that i was sent for by the bishop. of his own accord he writes a letter to mr. pitt, saying nothing about my methodism, but to this effect: "our old friend berridge has got a living in bedfordshire, and i am informed he has an esquire in his parish that gives him a deal of trouble; has accused him to the bishop of the diocese; and, it is said, will turn him out of his living; i wish you would contrive to put a stop to these proceedings." mr. pitt was at that time a young man, and not choosing to apply to the bishop himself, spoke to a certain nobleman to whom the bishop was indebted for his promotion. this nobleman, within a few days, made it his business to see the bishop, who was then in london. "my lord," said he, "i am informed you have a very honest fellow, one berridge, in your diocese, and that he has been ill treated by a litigious esquire who lives in his parish; he has accused him, i am told, to your lordship, and wishes to turn him out of his living; you would oblige me, my lord, if you would take no notice of that esquire, and not suffer the honest man to be interrupted in his living." the bishop was astonished, and could not imagine in what manner things could have thus got round: it would not do, however, to object; he was obliged to bow compliance; and so i continued ever after in my sphere of action. the squire, having waited on the bishop to know the result of the summons, had the mortification to learn that his purpose was defeated; on his return home, his partisans in this prosecution fled to know what was determined on, saying, "well, have you got the old devil out?" he replied, "no, nor do i think the very devil himself can get him out." after this interesting narration was ended, which had alternately drawn smiles and tears from my friend and his companion, they requested him to pray with them one five minute's before they departed. "no," said the good old man to my friend, you shall pray with me. "well, but if i begin, perhaps you will conclude." he consented: after my friend had ended, he, without rising from his knees, took up his petitions, and with such sweet solemnity, such holy familiarity with god, and such ardent love to christ, poured out his soul, that the like was seldom seen. they parted, and my friend declares he thinks he shall never forget the savour of this interview to his dying day. j. sutcliff. religious revival meetings. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ i have been surprised and pained by the appearance of the paper, headed "on revivals in america," in the number of your magazine for the present month. though the paper is headed "revivals in america," mr. clarke has not confined his remarks to american revivals; he has animadverted with considerable freedom on revival meetings in england. as i, and several of my brethren in this part of the country, have sanctioned these meetings, i trust you will in justice allow me a little space in your next number, for a few remarks on his very singular production. mr. c. commences with some observations on revivals in america. on this subject, i think, he does not write very consistently. it is scarcely possible to give a more gloomy, disparaging description of the american revivals than that which he presents. he represents them as exerting a most pernicious influence on the churches, on the young, and on the enemies of religion, rendering "the character of christians undignified and uninfluential," and reducing them to a state of "contempt and ridicule." he says, "the good that they are occasionally the means of effecting is secured at the expense of the dignity, influence, and subsequent enjoyment of the church; and at the expense, too, of much that is lovely and permanent in the character of pure religion." now, if this account of american revival meetings be correct, they must be a very great evil, and ought to be entirely discountenanced by christians. yet mr. c. says, "revival meetings may do for america." "the system is their own, and is almost universally understood and recognized." he also says, "the correctness of the reports which have reached this country respecting their revivals, perhaps, ought not to be seriously questioned." but if the reports of american revivals which have reached this country be in general correct, i think the description of mr. c. must be very defective in that important quality; for there is a very wide difference between his description and those reports. if we doubt the correctness of his description, he has himself supplied us with an apology; for he says, "things are not always in reality what they appear to be to the persons who describe them. besides, truth is seldom naked, and its dress frequently makes an erroneous impression." mr. c. says, "it is not my intention to degrade our american brethren; indeed, i cannot." true. but i suppose they will not consider that he passes a very high compliment on them, by first describing their meetings as he has done, and then saying, "the system is their own, and is there almost universally understood and recognized." his remarks on the american revivals "are, no doubt well intended," but i believe it would be difficult for any one to say what good end they are calculated to answer. but i hasten to a consideration of the latter part of mr. clarke's paper, which contains some extraordinary strictures on "revival meetings in england." he admits that the revival meetings in england may be well intended, but says, "they appear to have originated in a wish to imitate the americans." i trust they originated in a sincere desire to glorify god, and to promote the salvation of immortal souls. mr. c. says, "religion cannot be imported." indeed! was not religion imported into this country? was it not imported into america? and has it not been imported into other countries by our missionaries? "revival meetings," says mr. c., "may do for america, but they will not do for england." how does he know they will not do for england? has he ever made the attempt? has he ever attended a revival meeting in england? if not, i think he ought to have been less hasty in his conclusion. but they will not do for england, "because the people here do not understand them, neither do they heartily approve them." i am not much surprised that people do not _heartily approve_ that which they do not _understand_. he says in america the meetings are "almost universally understood and recognized." hence it appears where they _are_ understood they _are_ approved, and that they are _not_ approved only where they are _not_ understood. this surely cannot be a very powerful argument against such meetings. another of mr. c.'s reasons why these meetings will not do for england is, "our country has long been inhabited, and distinguished for religious institutions." as to the length of time our country has been inhabited, that can have very little to do with the subject; and as to our being distinguished for religious institutions, i do not know that we have such a mighty advantage over the americans. some of our religious institutions, instead of diminishing, greatly increase our need of revival meetings. mr. c. next attempts to draw from the scriptures an argument against revival meetings. "besides," says he, "it is said, 'six days shalt thou labour,' and necessity makes many in england keep this commandment." and i should think necessity makes many in america keep it too. i suppose he does not mean to say that this commandment forbids persons from attending public worship on the "six days" if their circumstances will allow them to do so. and if he do not mean this, for what purpose can it be referred to? once more. he says, "the unconverted inhabitants of this country are far more likely to raise bitter persecutions where revivals are attempted, than to feel willing to engage in them." and suppose the wicked were to raise bitter persecutions, are they to deter the christian from doing that which he believes is for the glory of god? has not the saviour said, "blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you," &c.? but experience has proved to me that mr. c.'s assertion is far from correct; several revival meetings have been held in lincolnshire, each of which was attended by many unconverted persons, and at not one was there any persecution. "the slothful man saith, there is a lion without, i shall be slain in the streets." prov. xxii. . mr. c.'s feelings warm as he advances; and, if i be not greatly mistaken, they carry him very far beyond the bounds of christian charity in the following sentences: he says, "but, perhaps, the secret is this; these meetings in england look like a burlesque; they appear like a body without a soul, or like an orator without originality. we cannot, therefore, expect people to be charmed and benefited by them; for the mind cannot be wrought upon by what is felt to be a farce, nor will god bless what is not perfectly sincere." revival meetings in england, "not perfectly sincere!" but are "a farce!!" and "a burlesque!!!" really, mr. editor, i think this is "set forth with a little too much sharpness of invective," and i fancy all your readers, except mr. clarke, will think the same. as we proceed we find mr. c. attempting to describe "the views and feelings of our churches associated in the capacity of revivalists." i will not do our churches the injustice to believe that they would talk such nonsense as that which he puts into their lips; the language is much more befitting infidels than christians. i am quite sure the views and feelings of our churches in this country, respecting revival meetings, are as different as possible from what mr. c. states, and i believe many of our members are in no small degree disgusted by what he is pleased to say on the subject. if there be no more truth in what he says of the american revivals, than there is in his descriptions of revival meetings in england, he had better never given his "opinion" on the subject. mr. c. says, "i would advise an adherence to _ordinary services_; for these being evidently scriptural and reasonable," &c. it is a pity he does not tell us what _are_ the "ordinary services that are scriptural and reasonable." our lord "taught daily in the temple," luke xix. . the first converts at jerusalem "continued daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house," acts ii. . paul told the elders of the church at ephesus, "that by the space of three years he ceased not to warn every one night and day." acts xx. . these are scriptural services, and i suppose they are reasonable too. as to "ordinary services," they differ in different churches; some having one, and others having three or four, on the sabbath; some having no service, and others having several, during the "six days." it is frequently mentioned to the honour of whitefield and wesley, that they preached almost every day in the week. the services that were "ordinary" to these good men would be extraordinary to most of our churches and ministers. mr. c.'s advice to the churches is virtually, "continue to go on as you do; quicken not your pace; devise no liberal scheme different from what you have already in operation; if you hear of other churches doing a great deal of good, by employing different means from those which you employ, regard it not; 'no plan can prove serviceable that is learned only from hearsay.' above all things, carefully avoid whatever is extraordinary in the service of god." mr. c. would make an admirable reformer! a statement of a few facts will be the best reply to what mr. c. says about revival meetings in england. in this part of the country, six revival meetings have been held within the last nine or ten months, at four of which i have been present. none of the evils of which he speaks occurred at any of these meetings; they were attended by ministers and members of different denominations of christians, most of whom expressed, not merely their approbation of the services, but their gratitude to god for the great spiritual delight they experienced in attending them. i believe every church that has held one of these meetings feels anxious that it should be repeated. since they were held, some have been added to our churches, who state that it was whilst attending them that they first felt the importance of religion. last sabbath, three were added to the church at lincoln, to whom these meetings were greatly blessed; and i hope in a few weeks to baptize three others who can say the same. what are mr. c.'s flippant remarks when weighed in the balance with these facts? john craps. _lincoln, february, th, ._ widows' fund. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ observing in your magazine for last month a notice of the annual sermon to the society for the relief of the widows of protestant dissenting ministers, as intended to be preached at salters' hall meeting-house, cannon-street, on wednesday the st of april next, will you allow a well-wisher to that institution to occupy a small part of your pages to state a few particulars respecting that highly-valuable institution, as i apprehend many of your readers are but little acquainted with its origin and design. the proposed anniversary is the nd, it having been established in the year . it was founded on a broad and liberal scale; no theological basis was intended; but the necessitous widows of ministers of the denominations of presbyterians, independents, and baptists, were to be the recipients of its bounty. for these classes of protestant dissenters it was their aim to provide; and as our ancestors truly imagined that union was strength, their combined efforts were exerted to form this society. it is, however, but justice to say that, in the first instance, the interests of the society were greatly promoted by the exertions of our presbyterian friends. to dr. chandler, a minister of that denomination, it was indebted for its rise. it has, however, since that period, been liberally supported by the other denominations of dissenters, and diffused its blessings for more than a century "to the fatherless and the widow." the annual sermon has been preached alternately by a minister of each denomination; it was formerly at the meeting-house in the old jewry, where the writer of this has witnessed, with high satisfaction, a thronged assembly listening to the urgent and sympathizing strains of a fuller, a hall, a toller, and various others of different denominations. in the present year it falls to the baptists to provide a place and a preacher; and may it not be reasonably hoped that that denomination will give the meeting its countenance and support, when they are informed that they have near eighty widows in the english counties, who receive an annuity from its funds, from one to twelve pounds each; besides more than twenty widows in the principality of wales, who receive from seven to nine pounds of annual allowance. how creditable, mr. editor, would it be to the dissenters to revive this cause, which of late has been drooping! and the writer of this would fain entertain a hope that, whilst exertions are making amongst the friends of religion for so many important objects, ancient institutions will not be overlooked and forgotten; but that a spirit of revival will appear to the cause of the "widow and fatherless." _denmark hill._ j. guttridge. *.* we understand that the whole amount of subscriptions to this benevolent institution is under £ . the rev. l. s. e.'s publication. (copy of a letter addressed to a friend, a member of the establishment.) _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ dear sir, as you were so kind as to favour me with the loan of a publication, entitled "_letters to a dissenting minister, by l. s. e., containing remarks on the principles of the sect_," &c., and to request my opinion of its merits and tendency, i have put down what occurred to me on the perusal of some parts of its contents: to have toiled through the whole of it, was a task to which my patience was by no means equal. the first impression produced on my mind was, the total absence of that charity and forbearance so often enjoined in the holy scriptures. "_judge not, that ye_ be not judged," was one of the precepts delivered, in his first sermon, by our divine lord and master; and in accordance with this direction, when his disciples, instigated by a mistaken regard for his cause, came to him complaining that they had met with some who followed not with them, and inquiring whether they should forbid them, his reply was, "forbid them not, for he that is not against us is with us." the apostle paul recommended the same line of conduct towards weak and mistaken brethren, and in the first epistle to the corinthians, which abounds with directions as to the conduct of professing christians one towards another, he sums up the whole by a glowing description of _charity_, as superior to all other graces: "charity suffereth long, and is kind; thinketh no evil; hopeth all things; endureth all things." to me it appears utterly impossible to reconcile these expressions with the arrogant pretensions and sweeping censures of this writer, not only with respect to the overt conduct, but the _motives_, of those who differ from him, charging them with a sin more heinous than drunkenness, and with being under the influence of the devil, because they cannot see alike with him respecting some of the circumstantials of christianity, though they may agree as to the essentials. but the censorious language of the writer is not exhausted in the use of the most opprobrious epithets, and such as have hitherto been only appropriate to the vilest of characters; but it is diffused through the pages of his publication, by raking together and detailing anecdotes, with a view to degrade and vilify individuals, and the body of dissenters at large. that there are imperfections and inconsistencies to be found among the professors of religion, must be acknowledged; and has in every age been a source of lamentation to truly pious and devoted christians; but how different their feelings from those of this clergyman, who endeavours to expose to ridicule the failings of others; who dwells upon them with a kind of malignant pleasure, and thus affords a handle to the common enemies of christianity! as to many of the anecdotes contained in this publication, many are garbled and distorted, and some of them are, in many of their particulars, palpable falsehoods. the very quotations from the writings of his opponents--though it must be conceded that at this period of great excitement many unguarded expressions have been used by some individuals--are, some of them, so garbled and mangled as scarcely to bear any resemblance to the original, and calculated to convey a meaning very different from what was intended by the writer. not to dwell any longer on these statements, which occupy a considerable portion of the book, in the chapters on _the authority of the church_, and _the ordination of christian ministers_, much will be found so extravagant in its assumptions, as to throw the pretensions of the church of rome into the shades (within whose pale, if he had any regard for consistency, he ought certainly to have been), and calculated to undermine and overthrow the grounds of the protestant succession. they are indeed so full of absurdity as to amuse rather than offend, and exhibit in the clearest light the inability of l. s. e. to form a correct judgment, either as to matters of faith or practice. with all the consequence and arrogance which assumed infallibility can induce, he maintains that none ought to be teachers of religion but those who are _authorized_, or otherwise _specially inspired_ of god. according to his definition, an _authorized_ minister is one who has passed through the ordeal of episcopal ordination, and what constitutes that authority is, the _regular succession_ from the times of the apostles to the present period. in order to make this most important discovery of a regular succession, on which, in his estimation, so much depends, i have been employing myself for some time, in rummaging the different volumes of ecclesiastical history within my reach, and endeavouring to trace the succession, from the time of peter downwards; and upwards from the time of the reformation. in the former case, there is great confusion in the catalogue of bishops. few of these are alike; some names of persons are given, who, there is reason to believe, never existed; there are many periods entirely without names; and it is well known, that for some time there were rival popes, each claiming exclusive authority. in tracing these tainted and impure currents, where shall we discover, either before or after the saxon invasion, the perennial stream which will alone confer sanctity on the priestly office? in attempting to make discoveries in a retrograde movement, from the time of the reformation, we find the names of bonner, gardiner, &c.; those immaculate characters, who, of course, transmitted this divine authority, and afterwards committed those to whom they had given it to the flames. in this lack of information on so momentous a subject, l. s. e.--_alias_ the rev. augustus gathercole--will confer an invaluable benefit on the church to which he belongs, if he can produce, from his hidden stores, in the musty parchments which have been concealed for ages, the direct and unbroken line of succession, and append it to the next edition of his popular production. of course the dissenters can have no pretensions to be _authorized_ teachers on these grounds; and not more so, as having _a special inspiration from god_ to become teachers, which is represented by this writer as the only other ground of a call to this office. it is true that some enthusiasts, with whom, as a body, they have no connexion, have laid claim to this high prerogative; but the avowed sentiment of the nonconformist body is, that the supernatural powers connected with a _special inspiration_ from god ceased with the first ages of christianity. the holy spirit, in his ordinary and gracious operations, is promised to all good men, and especially to the ministers of the gospel, who, whether professing to be authorized teachers in the way before described or not, are insufficient in themselves for any good work, their sufficiency being of god, who alone can make them able ministers of the new testament. destitute of this, the hands of the bishop cannot confer any of the necessary qualifications. if none have any claim to the sacred office but those who have had episcopal ordination, or are specially inspired, not only the present race of teachers among different denominations, both methodists and regular dissenters, must be degraded to the rank of intruders, whatever success may have attended their labours; but the same will apply to the , ministers of whom the world was not worthy, the brightest ornaments of the church to which the reverend gentleman belongs, who were expelled from their situations by the act of uniformity. also the ministers of the presbyterian church in scotland, of which, as well as of the church of england, the king, by his representative, is the head, with many of the most eminent men who have flourished in these and foreign lands. whatever excellences the universal suffrage of the wisest and best of men, both churchmen and dissenters, have attributed to the writings and public labours of an owen, a howe, a charnock, a watts, a doddridge (the intimate friend of archbishop secker), a henry, with a long train of others that might be enumerated, they must now retire into the shades, and pass into oblivion, because this infallible judge has made it out that they were not _authorized teachers_. like their successors, they were incompetent to administer the ordinances aright; like them, to use his own language, they could not lay _claim to be considered as christians. they were without the pale of the visible church of god. as schismatics, who forsook the church, they ought to have been the very first persons to whom the church should have refused her burial service; the principles of independency, which they in general maintained, being those of depraved human nature instilled into man, and fostered in him by his great enemy the devil, who was the first dissenter._ whatever inconveniences or evils may attend the choice of their own teachers by each respective congregation, the imposition of teachers is far from being free from the most serious objections, and especially when the patronage is in the hands of persons, as it often is, regardless of the spiritual welfare of the flock, who are left in a starving condition, and too often feel no interest either in the preacher or his doctrine. but i forbear, and shall leave it to a discerning public to determine whether the contents of this unique publication--a specimen of which is now given, can do any service to the church of which the rev. a. gathercole prides himself as being a member, or do any credit to the judgment of the reverend clergymen and the lordly bishop, who have condescended to give it their sanction. for myself (and i can without hesitation say the same of those with whom i am connected), i have no wish to see the downfal of the venerable fabric of the church, though in its patronage, often improperly used, and in some of its formularies, particularly the baptismal service and others connected with it, i think i see much that calls for alteration. many of its ministers and members i respect, and wish to consider them as fellow-christians. to this however, in the estimation of the rev. a. gathercole, i have no right to lay a claim, and must not therefore presume to subscribe myself by any other name than that with which he designates every dissenter,-- a heathen man and a publican. on the propriety of instrumental music in dissenting chapels. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ i trust your candour will permit me, through the medium of your excellent publication, shortly to reply to some remarks that were made, and i think rather hastily, in your last number, relative to the introduction of instrumental music in dissenting places of worship. your correspondent, mr. wilkin, i am fearful, was not in the most composed frame of mind when he sat down to pen the communication alluded to. the sounds of the instrument which he states to have "greeted" him with its "hideous tones," must have been vibrating in his ears at the time, or he could not have expressed sentiments bearing so close an affity to those _discordant_ notes with which he professes to have been so much annoyed on his entering some baptist chapel. for my own part, i should deem no act inconsistent with the worship of god, in its simplest and purest form, which has a tendency to create a unison of voices which must tend so materially to produce a unity of feeling in the minds of those engaged in one of the most sublime parts of a religious service. i would only advocate the introduction of instrumental music into dissenting chapels to assist the singing, not when it merely offers an opportunity for the display of professional skill. with regard to the parts of scripture bearing upon the subject, there are no direct commands in the new testament, either for or against the practice. we read in the revelations of "the harpers harping with their harps before the throne of god," while, in the old testament, we also read of praising god on the high-sounding organ. surely, if praise was offered to god in this form with acceptance formerly, why shall it not be so in the present day? some of the psalms have titles signifying the author who was to set them to music, while others indicate the instrument it was to be played upon; clearly denoting that the accompaniment of music, when directed to god with pious feeling and sincerity of purpose, cannot be unacceptable, and consequently not inconsistent with the worship of the divine being; so that, so far from its being a departure from scripture, it appears to me to be an adherence to it. your correspondent states that, if he is wrong, he is open to correction. i trust, also, he is open to conviction, and sincerely hope he will not let early prejudices bias his mind to that extent as to pervert his judgment, or gain the ascendancy of his nobler and better feelings. musicus. _london, feb. , ._ poetry. pleading for mercy. when at thy footstool, lord, i bend, and plead with thee for mercy there, think of the sinner's dying friend, and for his sake receive my prayer. o think not of my shame and guilt, my thousand stains of deepest dye: think of the blood which jesus spilt, and let that blood my pardon buy. think, lord, how i am still thy own, the trembling creature of thy hand; think how my heart to sin is prone, and what temptations round me stand. o think how blind and weak am i; how strong and wily are my foes: they wrestled with thy hosts on high, and can a worm their might oppose? o think upon thy holy word, and every plighted promise there; how prayer should evermore be heard, and how thy glory is to spare. o think not of my doubts and fears, my strivings with thy grace divine: think upon jesus' woes and tears, and let his merits stand for mine. thine eye, thine ear--they are not dull; thine arm can never shortened be: behold me here!--my heart is full---- behold! and spare, and succour me. no claim, no merits, lord, i plead: i come a humbled, helpless slave: but, ah! the more my guilty need, the more thy o glory lord, to save. reviews. _revealed characteristics of god: in a series of essays._ by g. barrow kidd, minister of roe street, macclesfield.--westley and davis. who mr. kidd is we know not, but we have read his eighteen essays with great satisfaction; and we shall be greatly surprised if they do not contribute to make him far more widely known than he has been. the subjects are as follow: "on the divine nature--on the eternity of god, in contrast with the duration of man--on the act of concealment, as containing the divine glory--on god, as the dwelling-place of his people--on ezekiel's vision of the divine glory--on the equality of all periods in the sight of god--on the divinity [deity] of jesus christ--on the revealed representation of jesus christ's two natures--on the incarnation of the word of god--on the design of the death of christ--on the atonement of jesus christ--on god, as the original of man's love to his maker--on the supremacy of jesus christ--on the deity as in jesus christ, and in him alone--on the deity as in jesus christ, and in all believers--on the extent and surrender of jesus christ's administration--on the blessedness of jesus christ--on the worship of heaven." all these subjects are, it is obvious, important, evangelical, and interesting, in a very high degree, to those who believe in a divine revelation. the _spirit_ of these essays is eminently devotional; every essay is full of christ, and he is "all in all." the writer believes all the great articles of the gospel system, as they are commonly held by evangelical christians. nor does he make any affectation of novelty or paradox, though, probably while unconscious of it himself, he has given us many original and uncommon thoughts. there is no pompous announcement of something to be expected very new, and recondite, and far removed from the beaten track. a holy unction from above seems to have rested on the writer; and though he is very grave and serious throughout, the reader will find some lively and tender appeals to his conscience and to his heart, mixed with long trains of elevated sentiment, and chains of reasoning very close and compact. the _method_ is admirable for its simplicity. the _lucidus ordo_, which horace prescribes, he has uniformly observed. always anxious, first, to investigate the true sense of the scripture which he has selected for the foundation of his essay, some of his elucidations, without any display of critical apparatus, are singularly happy. as to _style_, we think his _forte_ is in strength and vigour. some long sentences (with parenthesis after parenthesis) involving thought within thought, have reminded us of the essays of our celebrated friend john foster. we have observed many passages of great sublimity and splendour; and there are many of great depth, in which he finds "fountains below fountains," to borrow his own words, when traversing the ocean of "the unsearchable riches of jesus christ." where mr. kidd studied, or to what school he belongs, we have never heard; but he is evidently a profound, original, independent thinker, writing out of his own mind. he has taken the thoughts, he says, "out of the mine of revealed truth." at the same time, it is pleasant to observe that he every where discovers a deep reverence for scripture authority. he is penetrated too with a strong conviction of the limits of all created minds. with chastened feelings he delights to soar aloft. he spreads his wings, and pursues a well-sustained upward flight, gazing with a strong and steady eye on the sun of righteousness, as the proper object of all human and all angelic contemplation. a few words from the "advertisement" may be acceptable to our readers. the author mentions "the fact, that no two persons in any world entertain precisely the same intellectual views; and that, consequently, every sincere contemplator of revealed beauty, whatever may be his capacity, has it in his power to make broader the reflected light of god's word; and that the utmost efforts of human beings on earth, however diversified, and however harmonious in their diversity, will be no more than an approximation to the revealed mind of god." the volume is neatly got up, and printed with remarkable care and accuracy. our limits will permit only a few extracts. "if nothing were forgotten, if a distinct impression were retained of all the words which he had ever spoken; of all the deeds which he had ever done; of all the thoughts which he had ever entertained; of all the places in which he had ever been; of all the persons whom he had at any time seen and conversed with; of all the words which he had ever heard; of all the pleasures which he had ever tasted and enjoyed; of every remonstrance from conscience; of every warning or invitation from god or man; and could he, moreover, have continually in his view these things in the precise order in which they all occurred; could he behold every cause and every effect; and every thing which he had been invisibly operating so as to prevent a manifest cause from producing the effect which might have been looked for as the usual one; and every thing, on the other hand, which had secretly assisted a cause apparently inadequate to produce a greater effect than could have been anticipated; how very different a thing from what it is would be human life! now, although this accurate remembrance from vivid impressions of the past is not man's prerogative on earth, yet it is easily conceivable that he might attain to this in a purer and brighter world. it cannot, indeed, be imagined that the angels do not remember every thing which has occurred during the whole of their wakeful being." pp. , . in another place, when referring to the messiah, he says,-- "he has, in one word, adapted himself to your circumstances. it was in all the defective and sinful parts of your history that he was likely to be the least capable of affording to you succour or supply. it was in the pity that your misery demanded; in the forbearance that your propensity to crime required; in the minute example that your dulness called for; in the suffering which was necessary for your deliverance; that there was apparently the greatest occasion to the sinner for apprehension and fear. but all these parts of the condition of the human fallen, their redeemer has met in a manner which bespeaks wisdom the most amazing, benevolence that defies adequate admiration. with the view that has been given of jesus christ, in this essay, we cannot reasonably allow ourselves to be subject to despondency; for finite, little, imperfect, diminutive, frail, occupying so small a portion of creation as we are, we cannot possibly despair of being complete in him, in whom dwells all the fulness of the godhead bodily. oh, let us then unite ourselves to him in the bond of a covenant which can never be dissolved." p. . towards the close of the th essay, he exclaims: "oh, what honour is accumulating in the world above! we inform them of a morning which is not to be succeeded by night; of a subjection which is more illustrious than all the victories that the universe will have ever before beheld; of a finite nature which is clothed with eternal and uncreated light; of the very last of all the complicated actions belonging to the redemption of the world; when jesus christ shall bring before his father the millions that he has saved from every species and degree of crime and degradation, for the purpose of introducing them to everlasting fellowship with jehovah; and when _he_ shall become subject, to whom perpetual supremacy belongs, in order that he may show to saints and angels what has been the greatness of his humiliation, and how unutterable is the grandeur of god; since when he has risen from infancy in bethlehem on earth, to a degree of strength, of lustre, of possession, and of renown, which all created capacity is inadequate to comprehend, the next degree of glory above this, is an act of voluntary subjection to his heavenly father; which the honours of the supreme throne, and the laws of infinite existence, require." p. . _dissent not schism. a discourse delivered in the poultry chapel, december th, , at the monthly meeting, &c._ by t. binney--robinson, , ludgate hill. very elaborate, acute, argumentative, instructive, and convincing. the term _schism_, mr. b. tells us, is literal, figurative, or ecclesiastical; but query, is not the ecclesiastical figurative? if so, the division is only twofold. dr. campbell's dissertations (art, heresy and schism) deserve to be consulted. mr. b., when referring to the three great forms of church government--episcopacy, presbyterianism, and congregationalism, has surprised us a little, by saying:-- "there is something in the record in favour of all; but the book is not the exclusive property of any. there is more, perhaps, in support of each than the thorough-going advocates of the others will admit. there is more of episcopacy than is quite palatable to the presbyterian and the independent; there is more of presbyterianism than the independent and the episcopalian can easily digest; and there is more of congregationalism than either the priest or the presbyter can manage to get rid of." p. . is this to be understood _cum grano salis_, or are we left to infer that the worthy author himself is not quite settled in his own mind as to the interpretation of the record? it might have been as well if mr. b. had confined himself to dissenters, _as such_; however, his animadversions on the methodists and the strict-communion baptists, pp. - , will do them no harm. his castigation of the present bishop of london, in the "notes," is not more severe than just. the bishop will remember it as long as he lives. we must make room for the concluding paragraph:-- "finally, let us all scrupulously attend to the nourishment and exercise of the catholic principle. let us impress upon our minds the necessity of 'keeping the heart with all diligence, for out of it' arise 'schisms' and 'strifes.' let us watch over ourselves, and guard against every circumstance that may diminish candour, pervert the judgment, or poison the affections. as christians, let us war with what separates man from god; as dissenters, with what separates christian from christian. let us seek the nearer approximation of church to church, and the ultimate recognition and union of all. let each of us so enter into the spirit of our faith, and so feel the propriety and understand the reasons of our ecclesiastical position, as to be able to say with boldness and truth, 'i am a dissenter, because i am a catholic; i am a separatist, because i cannot be schismatical; i stand apart from some, because i love all; i oppose establishments, because i am not a sectarian; i think little of uniformity, because i long for union; i care not about subordinate differences with my brother, for christ _has received him_, and so will _i_; thus, cultivating the spirit of universal love, i am hastening, i hope, that day when the world itself shall become the church, and preparing, i trust, for that world in which the church shall be one--one in faith, in feeling, and in worship; in a higher sense than can be witnessed here. while here, however, so far as the _spirit_ and _expression_ of affection is concerned, i am longing to witness and realize some approach to what i anticipate hereafter,--anticipate in that region where, amid the lustre and the loveliness of heaven, the jars and the jealousies of earth shall have passed away.' this, brethren, _ought_ to be the feeling and the consciousness of 'all who profess and call themselves christians.' it ought pre-eminently to be ours. may god make it to be so, and to be so universally, by pouring down upon his church the spirit from on high; and by diffusing and sustaining in every part of it the strength of love, and the meekness of wisdom! amen." _a memoir of the rev. james upton, late of church street, blackfriars; the addresses delivered at the interment, by the rev. g. pritchard and the rev. w. b. collyer, d.d., with the funeral sermons by the rev. dr. newman and the rev. j. davis, the present pastor._ in the november number of our last volume--which contains a brief memorial of this revered and beloved servant of christ--it is intimated as "probable, that some account of our departed friend will appear in another form." this account is contained in the small volume now before us. it has been prepared by the members of his family, by those who are engaged in proclaiming the truths of that blessed gospel which was the theme of his ministry, and the solace of his dying hour. hence the sorrows of the mourning relatives are alleviated by the most joyful anticipations, even while "with tears they cast this wreath of filial duty and affection on his tomb." we can, however, assure our readers that this tribute of natural esteem to the memory of a deceased parent--a feeling not always to be trusted in sketches of this description--has not produced in this instance an overcharged exhibition of his character. if filial affection has held the pencil, modesty and fidelity have guided its delineations. in a letter dated from st. alban's, , mr. w. upton thus writes:-- "i would just remark, that neither my dear brother nor myself, i am sure, pretend to eulogize our father as a faultless man, or a faultless minister. in him the effects of a depraved nature were seen as well as in others, but in him also were seen, to a far greater degree than in most, the counteracting and restoring influences of the gospel and the grace of god. we feel therefore bound to say--not indeed with any design to attribute unmerited honour to him, much less with a view to borrow splendour from his rays, but with a desire to glorify god, to encourage others, and to excite a holy emulation--that "he was a good man, and full of the holy ghost and of faith;" while by his instrumentality "much people was added to the lord." p. . in accordance with this sentiment, the elder brother, the principal writer of the memoir, observes: "now the head of the church has called him to his rest, it would be improper not to make the attempt to 'glorify god in him,' by gathering such facts respecting his early history and subsequent course, as our slender materials for such a purpose will furnish." the scantiness of the materials which the life of this excellent man has supplied to his biographer, though to his friends a matter of regret, will be none of surprise to those who knew him. modesty and diffidence seem to have been the native elements of his character; and humility, inducing a deep sense of his own unworthiness, constituted a characteristic feature of his renewed nature. to our departed brother, self had no attractions. it was not the idol of his idolatry; it was not even an object of his complacency. it was therefore scarcely to be expected that he should contribute much to perpetuate the memory of one of whom he habitually entertained so lowly an estimate. it appears, indeed, that mr. upton did at one time entertain the idea of preparing "a short narrative of his own life," urged so to do by the affectionate request of a friend; but the purpose was afterwards abandoned, probably, in part at least, from the cause to which we have adverted. humility is a beautiful garment; it is a lovely and attractive grace; but its tendency is to conceal from view the excellencies with which it is associated. hence men who are remarkably humble will be but imperfectly known. these plants of righteousness, not less than others, "have their fruit unto holiness;" but they are like those of the vegetable kingdom, whose richest products are often concealed beneath the broad foliage with which they are invested. mr. u. was, however, not only "a tree which the lord had planted," but he was like those "planted by the rivers of waters," he was eminently fruitful. a brief history of his connexion with the church over which he so long and so honourably presided, is modestly given by himself, in a letter to his son, dated november th, , to which we must refer our readers. it appears that from the date of to , including a period of ten years, persons were baptized and added to the church; and from to , more; and after all the changes produced by death and removals, the number of members at the time of his decease is stated to be probably above : on his first connexion with this pious people there were but members, and from to hearers. he was pastor of the church more than forty-eight years, and entered into his rest in the seventy-fifth year of his age. the contributions to the volume of the respected friends whose names are given in the title-page, cannot fail to add to its value. while they have attempted to magnify the grace of god in him, and to improve the event for the benefit of survivors, their concurrent testimony in relation to the deceased seems to have been, "behold an israelite indeed, in whom was no guile." _the reciprocal duties of church members. a sermon before the london baptist association._ by the rev. edward steane. pp. .--london: thomas ward and co. , paternoster row. we have read this sermon with considerable satisfaction, both on its own account, and on that of the association to which it is dedicated. an association must do good which calls for such clear, faithful, and instructive expositions of christian duty, as this sermon furnishes. mr. s. founds his discourse on john xiii. ; and, as we think, wisely selects as his chief topic of illustration, that mutual love which jesus christ enjoins upon all disciples, and out of which the reciprocal duties of church members will naturally flow, as "so many practical demonstrations of their obedience to the law of love." the nature of the love which our lord inculcates, as a new commandment, is first explained in the sermon before us; though we doubt whether the preacher has put all, or even the principal, reasons for its being so denominated. _new_, in the text as well as in several other passages--for instance, _new_ heavens and a _new_ earth--has always appeared to us to indicate especial excellence or paramount importance. this commandment is not, as mr. s. very properly observes, merely a revival, a vindication, or fresh enforcement of the spirit of the original law. "it is new," he says, "in relation to the parties commended to its exercise, the peculiarity of its nature, and the motive by which it is enforced. under the second of these particulars the remarks of the preacher are somewhat feeble. the discriminative differences of christian love are not clearly and forcibly drawn. we are told that it is "a spiritual principle--a supernatural endowment,--a property acquired in the process of that change by which christians are born from above." so is that love to our enemies which christianity requires us to cherish. we learn, further, that christian love is "something more than good will; it is not simple humanity; it is brotherly love; an affection having its seat, not in the sympathy of the feelings, but in the sincerity of the heart." the distinction between "sympathy of the feelings" and "sincerity of the heart" is not very obvious; but, passing this, mere friendship, apart from christianity, might be described in the same terms. mr. s. adds: christian love is "stronger than death; if needs be, it will lead a christian to that last act of a devoted and divine friendship, to lay down his life for the brethren." true: so also is the love, not christian, to which the apostle adverts, rom. v. ; and that of which, now and then, the idea and the precept is given; nay, and the example too, as mr. s. must have known, by those to whom christianity utterly unknown. mr. s. appears to us, at pp. , , to have somewhat too sweepingly intimated that an "exclusive principle in the constitution of our churches" is indicative of a deficiency of the principle inculcated in the text. he has gone out of his way for the observations introduced on this point; and, as nineteen twentieths of the christian world have always been, and are now, thus exclusive, it is somewhat daring to insinuate such a charge. if we take a narrower view of this subject, and regard only what are called _strict_ baptists, whom mr. s. appears to have had in his eye, we should be unwilling to pronounce judgment on the amount of the christian love of such men as kiffin, of olden time; fuller, kinghorn, and a host of others, of more modern date. in the second division of the sermon before us, the occasions and modes of fulfilling the new commandment of our lord are exhibited. if all that mr. s. has remarked upon are not strictly modifications of that mutual complacency in which he appears to think christian love consists, each is of such vast importance that it could be but ill spared. this commandment, we are told, will be obeyed by affording _each other mutual_ (redundant) countenance, in supporting the public means of grace; by embracing opportunities for social devotion and spiritual intercourse; by _mutual_ submission _to one another_, especially in cases where a difference of opinion exists; by treating offenders properly; by mutually sympathizing, interchanging kindly offices, and watching over one another in the spirit of meekness; and by a hearty co-operation with fellow-christians in whatever tends to promote the prosperity of the church, and the general interests of christianity in the world. these topics are respectively remarked upon with considerable propriety; as are also the motives enforcing this new commandment. these are, christ's love to us; our mutual love will afford one of the best evidences of personal piety; it will make known our character to the world; and it will exist for ever. we a little regret that mr. s. has fallen into the common error of supposing faith and hope excluded from heaven. "faith and hope," he says, "will expire; but love never dies." we need not say that scripture furnishes no ground for such a representation; neither is such ground involved in the nature of faith and hope, or in the views the bible opens to us of heaven. under some of their present modifications faith and hope will indeed be unknown there; but as much may be said of love. do not the spirits of the just made perfect now anticipate, with faith and hope, "the adoption; to wit, the redemption of the body?" and will not the glorified assembly around the throne of god be always anticipating large accessions to their knowledge, holiness, and joy? on the whole, however, notwithstanding these free remarks, we cordially recommend this sermon to our readers; and shall be glad, at any time, to meet with the author in a department of christian instruction for which his habits and experience have so well qualified him. brief notices of recent publications. _the soul's independence of death, and god's sovereignty in man's removal. a sermon occasioned by the decease of mr. e. bliss, aged , delivered on sunday, february st, at shortwood, by thomas fox newman. london, holdsworth and ball, ._--this is a valuable sermon; containing many striking reflections, conceived with vigour, and expressed with much force. the circumstances under which it was preached evidently exerted a powerful and solemn influence on the mind of the preacher, and he speaks throughout under a deep impression of the infinite importance of eternal things. the unexpected death of so estimable a young man as mr. bliss appears to have been, was calculated to excite the liveliest emotions of grief, although there was every thing in his character to allay anxiety respecting himself, and to give the assurance of his having entered, thus early, upon the joys of the blessed. it will afford us sincere pleasure if our brief notice shall aid the circulation of the sermon, and thus contribute to its usefulness. _a discourse occasioned by the decease of william maynard, esq., preached at the meeting-house, union street, southwark, nov. rd, . by john arundel. with the address delivered at the interment, bunhill fields. westley and davis; jackson and walford._--a very serious, suitable, evangelical discourse, which could not be heard without great interest, and will not be read, we trust, without profit. _the parent's book. a series of tales. by rosa edwena gordon, nos. and . baldwin and cradock, paternoster row._--very sensible, entertaining, elegant and pathetic; but where is the saviour, whom every parent should place before the eyes of his children? _the mother's magazine. reprinted from the american edition, no. . j. paul, paternoster row._ _illustrations of the bible from original paintings, by westall and martin, with descriptions by the rev. hobart caunter, b. d. part . churton, , holles street._--an admirable work for all our young readers. _primitive christianity, &c. by william cave, d.d. hatchard._--the introductory essay by mr. trollope is very respectable; but we lament to say, that in dr. cave's popular work, now reprinted under the especial patronage of her most gracious majesty the queen, there are many traditions, fables, and idle ceremonies of human invention, which "primitive christianity," or the religion of the first christians, was not encumbered with. but, alas! "in the first ages of the gospel," her fair form was corrupted and defiled. _the devotional psalter._ "there is not a page of the book of psalms in which the pious reader will not find his saviour, if he reads with a view of finding him." bishop horsley.--oliphant and sons, edinburgh. _bible lives. by b. h. draper, vols. westley and davis._--mr. draper's entertaining pen could not be better employed than in such a work as this, from which, we trust, hundreds and thousands of young persons will derive both pleasure and profit. _common scenes improved by the rev. james smith, late of ilford--christ precious--the temper of jesus, by dr. grosvenor--gilbert's last birth-day--christ the only foundation. ward and co._--all fit instruments for much usefulness. _the condensed commentary, &c. ward and co._--the commencement is promising. we hope to be able to notice this cheap and valuable work more at large in its progress. _bruce on sympathy, nd edition._--this respectable book we recommended several years ago, and we heartily do so again. _the british and foreign temperance advocate and herald. for january. price threepence._ _on the punishment of death. by john pell. hamilton and co._--this letter to the marquis of northampton, dated from yardley, hastings, in december last, is very powerfully written on evangelical principles; and deserves the most profound consideration on the part of our legislators--and indeed of all our countrymen. the object is to prove that the punishment of death is unlawful. _three tracts on public, secret, and social prayer. jackson and walford._--when the reader has heard that these tracts were written by mr. sheppard, of frome, he will not want any recommendation. _educational magazine, no . simpkin and marshall._--if this work proceeds as it has commenced, it will throw a flood of light upon the darkness of our own beloved country and of others. _the scriptural constitution of christian churches. a discourse delivered november th, , at the ordination of the rev. j. penman, a.m., to the pastorship of the congregational church, tunbridge, kent. by thomas james, woolwich. westley and davis._--a very sensible, clear, and candid discourse on a subject always interesting, and peculiarly so at the present time. the author, when referring to tim. iii. , "let the _elders_ that rule well," &c., remarks: "that the term _elder_ comprehends the office of deacon, is manifest from this:" but we confess it is not manifest to us. we have great satisfaction, however, in copying the following sentence in reference to the deacons: "and they should be sufficient in number to render unnecessary the many expedients to which some churches have resorted, in the appointment of managers, stewards, and committees, which are as unscriptural as the high sounding titles which are given to the multiplied officers of the national church." _james's anxious inquirer--morison's morning meditations--anecdotes (the young)--stephen morell's family memorial--case's mount pisgah._--of these it is sufficient recommendation to say that they are published or republished by 'the religious tract society.' obituary. mr. samuel warmington. mr. samuel warmington was the youngest of a numerous family. he had enjoyed many religious advantages from early childhood, and had grown up in the society of persons many of whom were distinguished for their prudence and piety. his early youth was strictly moral, and gave promising indications of future worth. he had much simplicity of purpose, with a remarkable freedom from those moral taints which many youths imbibe as they rise into manhood. he enjoyed no particular endowments of mind that might serve to distinguish or raise him above his fellows; but he possessed those more useful characteristics which attracted the respect and love of the circle by whom he was best known. naturally of a retiring disposition, he avoided many worldly dangers and temptations, and acquired a salutary acquaintance with his own heart in private. in due time, god, in infinite mercy, though by a very gradual process, created him anew in christ jesus. this change was seen and felt by himself and others, not so much in the outward conduct, as by the flow of feeling and affection towards subjects of the highest importance. he united himself to the church under the pastoral care of the rev. dr. newman, about three years since; and from that period has constantly maintained an exemplary christian deportment, though circumstances over which he had no control prevented his fulfilling his duties as a church member as he could have wished. he was soon subjected to the discipline of his heavenly father, who correcteth every son whom he receiveth. a tender attachment he had formed for a very accomplished and pious young lady was reciprocated and mutually cherished, till it became interrupted by her illness and death. the excitement consequent on the commencement and ripening of this affection, under circumstances so mournful, gave the first development of incipient disease. his friends observed its effects with concern, but not with alarm. in the meantime his mind had been acquiring both fortitude and dignity. the warmest sympathies of his heart had been drawn forth on behalf of his fading, dying friend; but, at the same time, he had been brought so near to the realities of the eternal world as never to lose the impression afterwards. the beneficial effects this trial had upon his character was evident to all who observed him. he mingled again amidst the busy scenes of life with feelings of heartfelt gratitude for the grace and mercy which had been manifested towards his late friend, and with renewed devotion to the god who had mingled so large a share of parental love with the affliction he had appointed him to endure. he likewise mingled in scenes of family affliction with much sensibility and a matured judgment. he did his part, with other brothers, in solacing a mother's dying pillow by his prayers and by other filial attentions. and thus it was that he became gradually prepared for the dissolution of the earthly house of his _own_ tabernacle. symptoms of disease were renewed and accumulated, so as to awaken apprehension as to their issue. he retired from the avocations of business with graceful submission to the divine will, and zealously applied himself to means for the recovery of health. testimonials of respect from his late employers, and his companions, frequently followed him into retirement, either at his father's house, or at some distant part of the country. the last journey he undertook was to dover, where his stay was short and distressing. he returned home much worse, and with slight alternations of disease, slowly sunk beneath its influence. under the paternal roof he enjoyed those soothing attentions his case required; and often mentioned, with touching emotion, his gratitude to god for giving him so kind a father, and such affectionate sisters, to alleviate his last affliction. one of these sisters, herself the subject of long affliction, was frequently detained with him from public worship, and on such seasons of sacred tranquillity, would read and converse with him. when too weak to bear either, he would lament his want of energy; but regarding it as a part of his affliction, desired to submit to it with acquiescence as the will of god. he would say, "i depend on the quiet, though powerful, teaching of the holy spirit; who will, himself, impress the truth on my mind." at other times he would say, "read one of those sublime chapters at the conclusion of the revelations, to draw my thoughts towards heaven." he was fond of the pilgrim's progress, and said of it, "in my weak state, it is the only book i can listen to with ease or profit, besides the bible." when he spoke of the providence of god, it was always with evident satisfaction: he would say, "i am quite helpless, unable to do any thing for my own maintenance, or for the benefit of others; but i am so perfectly satisfied to cast all my care on the kindness and wisdom of god, that i do not desire to have a choice if i might. if my health be restored, i know he can direct my pursuits; and for the present, all is infinitely better than i could have arranged." on another occasion, he said to one of his sisters, "i should like to know mr beale's opinion (his medical attendant) of my disorder: if he thinks it will terminate fatally, i hope he will tell me: i am not alarmed at the thought of death." and shortly afterwards, added, "what a mercy it is that i have not _now_ to seek the saviour, nor go to him now for the _first_ time: this is a season when i need the comfort and support of religion." on the evening of the same day, he enjoyed great composure of mind; and when referring to his departure, he said, "he trusted, as a family, we should all meet again: the separation would not be for long." he frequently requested to hear the rd psalm read, saying, "though i can repeat it, i like to hear it." a few days after confinement to his own room, he said to one of his sisters, "i shall never go down into the parlour again; i feel i am sinking; i can hardly describe my sensations of weakness." it was replied, that should it be so, it would be gain to him. he was asked if he felt any distress in the prospect, as to the actual pain of dying. he said, "no, my thoughts go beyond that; i endeavour to keep them fixed on the bright side--the glory that shall follow." on another occasion he was assisted to walk to the window of his apartment, and, looking out upon the garden, he said, "ah! there is the garden i used to enjoy, it looks very winterly now, and i shall never walk there again; but i am quite satisfied." when alluding to his departure, he said, "he hoped it might be like falling asleep. oh! to fall asleep, and wake in the likeness of jesus!" his bodily sufferings were often very severe; especially as he drew near his end. on one occasion, when suffering extreme agony, he asked, "if it was proper to pray for an object seemingly desirable to ourselves!" the answer implied, there was no restriction; that we might call upon god in the day of trouble, asking for any mercy in submission to his will. he rejoined, "oh! yes; _in submission to the will of god_, i do desire a little relief from pain; but," he added, "can you remind me of a _scripture_ example, where this has been done; for my mind seems so weak, i cannot think?" the words of the apostle paul were referred to: "for _this thing_ i besought the lord," &c. and also the words of jesus himself: "if it be possible, let _this cup_ pass from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done." he seemed earnestly to adopt this language, and became more composed. the same evening he requested his father to pray with him; and being asked what he most desired, he said, "that i may have patience, and bear this affliction to the glory of god." he appeared to spend much of his time in mental aspirations after spiritual support, and the presence of jesus. his oft-repeated request to his pious attendants was, "oh! pray for complete acquiescence, and for the presence of jesus." on one occasion, appearing to be greatly depressed, it was said to him, "though flesh and heart fail, god will be your strength and portion for ever:" he replied, "yes, he will; that is a mercy." after a pause, he said, "i am anxious to have the presence of jesus to the last:" and added, "does not bunyan describe christian as leaving his garments of mortality behind him, when he passed through the river? how delightful that will be!" at another time, when his hand had been lanced and dressed, he said, "i long to lay my poor hand in the dust; i long to be at rest." after a minute, he added, "there is a rest purchased and ready for me; and i shall be put in possession in god's own time." he was exceedingly grateful to those who attended him and administered to his necessities; telling them, he wished they might have the same support he felt, when they should be placed in circumstances similar to his. on an occasion of bodily infirmity, he very feelingly said, "the righteousness of christ will soon cover all our shame." he continued in a state of extreme debility and suffering for many days, waiting his departure in a condition of child-like dependance on the mercy and faithfulness of his heavenly father, reconciled to him, a guilty sinner, through the atonement of his blessed saviour. he longed to depart, and be with jesus; and would sometimes ask if it was wrong to pray for this blessing, hoping he might not be impatient or presumptuous. on his last sabbath on earth, his medical friend, having felt his pulse, said to him, "well, sir, i think you will soon be where there will be no more pain and suffering." he replied, "not on account of anything of my own; it is purchased by the blood of christ." soon after this, through weakness, his articulation became indistinct, and dissolution appeared hourly approaching. he lingered, however, till the following thursday morning, under the influence of much bodily anguish, but having his mind calm--often apparently quite happy--as he passed along the dark valley. it seemed as though a beam of heaven's glory illuminated his path, to assure his soul of her coming bliss. he had bid adieu to his affectionate relatives once before, deeming himself in the last struggle; but again, on the last morning, the mourning family were assembled around his bed, witnesses of his bodily distress; and to receive, more by expressive looks than by words, his final adieu. he faintly said, "pray for me; pray for the presence of jesus." afterwards, with more distinctness than he had spoken for several days, he added; "oh, blessed jesus! _once more_, i implore thy love." one of his sisters remarked, "you will soon _rest_ in his love," quoting an appropriate promise; to which he rejoined, expressively, "that is no mere speculation." he said no more, but apparently listened to that verse, commencing-- "jesus, i love thy charming name," and in a few minutes closed his eyes on all terrestrial scenes. he died on the th of december, , at his father's house, at plaistow, essex, aged twenty-seven years. religious intelligence. foreign. canada. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ dear sir, i send you the two following letters, as they tend to throw some light on the religious state of canada. the details of the first are chiefly statistical; and the extremely interesting communications in the other are illustrative of the important facts alluded to in the previous one. your insertion of these in the magazine as soon as possible, will much oblige yours sincerely, domesticus. _hamsterley, feb. th, ._ * * * * * _montreal, th nov. ._ my dear brother, the receipt of yours gave me great pleasure. i was happy to learn that you were so deeply interested in canada. it does appear to me the duty of our denomination to do something for it; and i have no doubt that, if it were properly advocated, something would be done. i am deeply convinced that to do good in this world, it is necessary to keep one object chiefly in view. now, my brother, suppose you keep canada before you, and introduce it frequently to the notice of our brethren on your side of the water, much good might be done. i have written several letters, this fall, to different individuals, soliciting their attention, and have now sat down to answer some of your queries. my remarks particularly apply to lower canada. . by the census in , the population of lower canada was , ; of these, more than , , were catholics. there are, at present, two catholic bishops in the province: the bishop of quebec, who resides at quebec; and the bishop of telemesse, who resides at montreal. the number of catholic clergymen is about . the influence of these is very great, and i hesitate not to say, very pernicious, both in a temporal and spiritual point of view. nothing has yet been done to evangelize this people. here and there, indeed, i have met with a person brought to know the lord, through reading the scriptures. be it observed, however, that few of them can read, and those that can are chiefly females. i am, happy, however, to state, that a missionary, mr. olivier, from the canton de vaud, has arrived, i hope good will result from his labours. . the episcopalians are, i suppose, the most numerous protestant body at present in the lower province. the two canadas compose one diocese, under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the hon. and right rev. charles stewart, d. d., lord bishop of quebec. the number of episcopal clergy in the province is twenty-eight. with a few happy exceptions, i fear vital godliness is not a prevailing article in this body. . presbyterians, of the church of scotland, by the census of , were about , . the number of ministers twelve: of these, six are in the cities of quebec and montreal. according to the report of this year, , they have increased to forty churches, and forty ministers. these are also said to be formed into five presbyteries. this, however, relates to both provinces. in regard to what may be termed the dissenting presbyterians, there are seven or eight churches, and five ministers in this province; and in the upper, there is a synod of the secession: but the number of presbyteries in connexion with it, and the number of churches and ministers in connexion with each of these, i have not as yet been able to ascertain. . in respect to the congregationalists, they have seven or eight churches, and four ministers. i do not know precisely what they have in the upper province; perhaps four or five more. . the methodists, in both provinces have , in society, and sixty preachers. they also print a paper, called "the christian guardian."[a] [footnote a: this, i was told lately by dr. matheson, of durham, is a most efficient instrument of usefulness in america. our people should try to get one up.] in fine, here, as to protestants in general, in the lower province, the greater part are not gathered into regularly organized congregations, no inconsiderable portion of them being scattered in the catholic settlements. to sum up, there are in the province about sixty ministers to , people. you could easier, however, supply , in england than , here, owing to bad roads, and the scattered state of the people. i am sorry to add, that i fear only twenty out of the sixty are efficient men. i now come to our own denomination. there is, however, much difficulty in collecting definite information concerning it. seldom able to leave my own church, personal observation is defective, and most of the information i have is through report. i begin with what are called the eastern townships. this is a district of country lying on the south of the st. lawrence, and bordering on the states. it is from to miles east of montreal; of which are occupied in passing what is called the french country. there are in it between and , inhabitants. the land is good, but the people in general are poor. most of these have emigrated from the states, where the means of grace were enjoyed by them. they are still disposed to have the gospel preached. i am credibly informed that there are among them twenty or thirty little baptist churches. they would be styled general baptists in england; here they are denominated free-will baptists. they are ill supplied with wholesome teaching. they are also rather wild in their meetings, being more disposed to consult their own feelings than the word of god. many of them, however, are decidedly good people. were our general baptist friends in england to send out a missionary or two into this district, they would confer, under god, a lasting benefit on this people. i wish very much the general baptists at home would take the matter into deep and serious consideration. it presents a fine field, for labour. but, in addition to these, there are, perhaps, from fifteen to twenty churches of our own denomination. these are miserably supplied with preachers, as not above three or four of the churches have regular pastors; the others have only occasional supplies. an itinerant here is much needed, would be of great service, and could be maintained at small expense. oh, my brother, if you can, by any means, get a good, humble, prudent man, send him into that field. i wish our denomination would take the subject into immediate consideration. i have visited some of these churches, and the people seemed exceedingly glad. could an itinerant be supported for a year or two, he would then, it is likely, not need further support. there are some young persons of good natural abilities who, with a little training, would be of immense service. i have met with such young men, and longed to be able to point out a seminary to them, whither they might have gone for a season.[b] i purpose, god willing, two months hence, to spend a week or two in this district, and shall transmit the result to you. itinerants are much wanted in this country, on account of the scattered population, bad roads, &c. i know one township in which there had not been preaching for seven years: a missionary paid them a visit, and the whole township turned out to hear. he visited them a year afterwards; but during the interval they had not heard a sermon. the main efforts have been made by a very pious and zealous young man of the name of hayt, who has been very active in establishing sunday-schools, and supplying families with copies of the scriptures. without missionaries, however, these schools will most assuredly languish and die. [footnote b: who, on the perusal of this, does not feel a desire to assist these young men to a seminary? and who that knows our brother gilmore, but will be led to conclude that he is the man who is most likely to become their tutor? i intend immediately to write to him to inquire how much it would require there to educate six young men; and shall then, if spared, appeal to the public in their behalf.] we shall now turn westward: and, proceeding up the ottawa, on its northern banks, about forty-five miles from montreal, there is a baptist church of nearly thirty members: they speak gallic, yet understand english; and have a high character as it regards moral conduct. they are without the regular ministrations of a pastor, but meet for mutual edification: they are, however, anxious to have regular preaching. about thirty miles from them, there is another highland settlement. about two years ago, a mr. fraser, a baptist minister, paid them a visit. it was the first sermon preached there, as supposed, from the foundation of the world. the people themselves had not heard a sermon for the five years they had been settled there. about seventy-five miles from montreal, in the same direction, is another baptist church, of about forty members: they have a good chapel, an excellent pastor, and, at this very moment, god is visiting them with a most refreshing shower; many are awakened to concern, and numbers have found peace, and are rejoicing in god our saviour. i have just been sent for to come and help, and set off to-morrow morning. again, twenty-five miles onward, in the same direction, is a baptist church of thirty members: they have a pastor. we have sent a missionary about twenty miles farther; he left my house yesterday morning: there are a few baptist families where he has gone, but no church has been organized; they have requested him to labour among them. about forty miles farther, there is another little baptist church, and after this, in that direction, they become rather plentiful; but they are then in the upper province, and my information respecting them is but scanty. a baptist minister, in the newcastle district, writes me as follows, in consequence of some queries i had put to him: "in the upper province there are four baptist associations, about sixty churches, and forty ordained ministers. i am sorry to say we labour under great disadvantages. our preachers are generally unlearned men, and destitute of useful books. there are many of them under the necessity of attending to secular employments to support themselves and families: this arises from our friends not feeling an inclination to fulfil the duty taught by paul, 'let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things.' i hope, however, that things will not long continue in this sad state. we have recently been endeavouring to form a convention, and appoint a minister in each of the associations to visit the churches, for the purpose of raising subscriptions to support itinerant preachers, and establish a printing press: how far the attempt will be attended with success is as yet uncertain." in addition to the statements of this gentleman, i may mention, that they had also a seminary in view: this, as yet, has not been carried into effect. as to academies, they are much wanted there, and might be established at a very small expense on the self-supporting principle. it is a little remarkable, that at the time you were writing your letter for the magazine, three of us, brother ministers, were engaged in prayer and consultation on the very subject of academies on the labour system. we have written to several influential gentlemen on the subject, and purpose giving it a more serious investigation, and will remit the result to you and others. one of our brethren was anxious to proceed to england to lay the matter before the british public; but i thought it would be better to say something about it first through the magazines. urge it then, my dear brother, on the attention of the public; do not let it sleep. i am glad to find, from a letter in the september number of your magazine, one hails yours of the preceding month. as a church, at montreal, we have been much favoured of god during the present year: not less than forty have been added to the number. mrs. g. joins in love to you and yours, hoping to hear from you soon. i remain yours in christ, john gilmore. *.* _we are compelled to defer the second letter to our next number._ the despiser of baptism baptized. the following is an extract of a letter from the rev. n. paul, of wilberforce settlement, upper canada, to a friend in england:-- "my dear sir, "amongst all the numerous tracts and publications that have been printed and circulated on the subject of baptism, i think there is no one that is more calculated to lead the honest inquirer after truth to a correct and scriptural decision upon that subject, than mr. pengilly's 'scripture guide to baptism.' it has been universally approved and circulated by the baptist churches in the united states of america, and i believe it has been the means of doing much good. a particular instance of this occurred under my own immediate observation, whilst pastor of a baptist church in the city of albany, state of new york. "a young lady, who was a member of an independent church, but who occasionally attended upon my ministry, was present with us one sabbath morning when i administered the ordinance in question. i endeavoured in my address to adduce reasons for differing from my pædobaptist brethren upon this subject, and to show that believers in christ were the only proper subjects, and immersion the only scripture mode of baptism. the young lady, who had taken her station close beside the baptistry, instead of being convinced by my arguments, was excited to a high degree of irritation, and allowed her temper so far to prevail over her better feelings as, in retiring, to express her contempt of our practice in a very unbecoming and offensive manner. "next day she called upon me in the same temper as when she left the chapel, and required to know, why i aimed to wound the feelings of those spectators who differed from myself upon the ordinance of baptism? i replied that i did not intend to wound the feelings of any one; i only aimed at the defence of the truth. after further conversation, i requested her candid perusal of the pamphlet above mentioned, with a copy of which i furnished her. she readily promised to comply with my request, and we parted. the result was, the ensuing month i again baptized twelve persons, _and this young lady was one of that number_! "yes, sir; by the blessing of god, accompanying the perusal of that pamphlet, she clearly saw the path that jesus had opened before his disciples--the path in which the apostles and primitive christians followed their lord--the path in which she promptly resolved to walk, without reluctance, fear, or shame. 'i do not,' said she, 'leave my former connexion because they are not christians, for as such i esteem and love them; but the pattern and authority of christ is more to me than all the world. it is his to lead and command, and it is mine to follow and obey.' truth, indeed, is mighty, and will prevail. "may all the faithful defenders of the truth as it is in jesus, be thus abundantly owned and blessed of god, in every work of faith and labour of love; and to his name be all the glory!" domestic. baptist building fund. at a special meeting of the board of baptist ministers, held at fen court, feb. th, to take into consideration a communication from the committee of the above institution, the rev. w. h. murch in the chair, it was resolved: that the members who compose this board, feeling the evils that attend the system of making personal application for liquidating the debts on country chapels, and the superior efficiency of the plan adopted in the building fund, resolve to sign no more cases, but to recommend them all in future to that society. that, in compliance with the request of the committee of the london baptist building fund, the members of this board do meet them at their rooms, no. , paternoster row, on friday evening, the th of march, at six o'clock precisely, to devise measures for increasing the efficiency of their fund, and rendering it still more extensively beneficial to the denomination. j. b. shenston, secretary. deputation to america. on thursday evening feb. th, a very numerous and interesting meeting was held in new park-street chapel, southwark, for special prayer, preparatory to the departure of our brethren, the rev. dr. cox and the rev. j. hoby, to represent the british baptists in the triennial convention, at richmond, virginia, on the th of april next. the rev. c. room presided. addresses were delivered by the rev. e. steane, _on the advantages arising from such a deputation_; the rev. c. stovel, _on the spirit which should distinguish the present undertaking_; and the rev. dr. cox, _on the manner in which the deputation proposed to discharge their duties_. prayers were offered by the rev. messrs. dyer, giles, thomas, and carey; and the hymns read by the rev. messrs. davis, overbury, shenston, rothery, room, and belcher. our brethren will sail in the "hibernia," from liverpool, on the first of march. baptist union. we are requested by the secretaries of the baptist union, to entreat our brethren in the country to forward, _during the present month_, their circular letters, and whatever other documents may assist in the preparation of the next report, addresed to the secretaries, at the missionary rooms, , fen-court, fenchurch-street. notice. the rev. christopher wollacott, late of westminster, has accepted the invitation of the church in little wild-street, to become their pastor. recent deaths. rev. dr. morrison. extract from a letter written by his son to the secretary of the london missionary society. _canton, august th, ._ "my dear sir,--how shall i tell you that my beloved father--that the father of the chinese mission--dr. morrison, is no more! scarce can the announcement come to you more suddenly than the event did to me. my dear father had, indeed, been long unwell, and was greatly debilitated by disease; but we had not, within an hour of his peaceful end, much apprehension that he was likely to be so soon taken away from us. the pallid cheek and glazed eye, quickly succeeded by failure of speech, were the first intimations to us that he had heard his saviour say, 'this night shalt thou be with me in paradise.' at about ten at night, on the st of the present month,[a] while yet in the hands of the physicians, who in vain endeavoured to restore warmth and pulsation, he gently breathed out his spirit, without a struggle or a groan. and oh! the recollection of the many preceding days, spent by him in pain and extreme weakness, compels me to rejoice, even amidst my utmost grief, that he has been released from sin and sorrow, has rested from his labours, and shall henceforth be for ever with the lord. in a letter, written not long before his death, he spoke of his apprehension that his work was finished, expressing his gratitude to god for what he had been permitted to accomplish for the redeemer's cause; adding, that he knew but of two surviving missionary seniors, drs. carey and marshman. i have this morning learned, with great sorrow, that about the time he wrote that letter, the venerable carey also was called home. [footnote a: _the first of august, _, that memorable day in the annals of our country, when the sun neither set nor rose upon a slave throughout all her vast dominions.] john broadley wilson, esq. (_from the patriot._) died, on monday evening, the th feb., at his house on clapham common, aged , john broadley wilson, esq. well known and universally esteemed as an eminently devout christian, and most liberal supporter of the cause of the christian religion in every section of the church. his illness was of very short duration; an attack of paralysis on saturday, the th, the effects of which no medical skill was permitted to remove, being the appointed messenger to convey him into the presence of the saviour he ardently loved, and in whose service it was his supreme delight to spend and be spent. mr. wilson was connected, more or less, with a great number of religious and charitable institutions; to the religious tract society, and the baptist missionary society, he stood in the relation of treasurer, and each of these valuable societies will have to mourn, not merely the loss of his munificent donations, but also of his judicious counsels and holy example. we trust some authentic account of this eminent philanthropist will be prepared, to edify the world which has sustained so great a loss by his removal; but we could not forbear inserting this hasty tribute of immediate respect to the memory of a man, whom to know was to love, venerate, and admire. rev. john mason. at exeter, on january th, after a protracted and painful illness of twelve months' duration, the rev. john mason, for years the beloved and eminently devoted and useful pastor of the baptist church in bartholomew-yard, in that city. his removal is felt throughout exeter as a public calamity. he died at the age of . we hope to be able to furnish our readers with a memoir of this excellent servant of christ. mrs. ann carroll. died on thursday, jan. th, in the th year of her age, at her residence, baalzephon-street, long-lane, bermondsey, mrs. ann carroll, after a protracted illness in which her exemplary piety and sterling faith proved the efficacy of those doctrines of which, during a long life, she had been the consistent and humble believer. her remains were interred in the family vault of st. john's, southwark: and it may, indeed, with truth be said, that in her the poor have lost a humane and benevolent friend; the baptist denomination, a consistent member; and the various christian charities of the metropolis, a worthy and generous benefactor. new publications. _just published._ mr. bagster has now ready for delivery the quarto edition of the treasury bible, which is elegantly printed on a fine writing paper of a new manufacture, being prepared with lines in the fabric of the paper for manuscript notes and remarks. the pocket edition was published in january. _preparing for publication._ in a few days, baptismal immersion defended by christians and churches of all denominations. in a letter to a pædobaptist. second edition. by w. newman, d.d. wightman, paternoster-row. price threepence. irish chronicle. march, . the committee would not be insensible to the many instances in which kind attention has been paid to their appeals under the pecuniary burden still resting upon the society. certainly, were it not for such benevolent assistance, the difficulties and discouragements connected with carrying on its operations, would be greatly increased. yet the arrear of debt, amounting to nearly, or quite, a _thousand pounds_, cannot fail to excite a considerable measure of solicitude in the minds of those who are principally concerned in the management of its affairs; but it is recollected that the silver and the gold are the lord's; and in the history of this society, many indeed have been the opportunities afforded for gratefully acknowledging the remarkably seasonable relief which he has been pleased to send, and in this time of exigence, it is hoped he will again appear. the rev. j. allen returned to ballina, after collecting for the chapel, the latter end of january. he wishes to acknowledge the kindness he experienced during his tour, and hopes to present, next month, an account of the contributions he has received. _to the rev._ jas. allen. i have been employed during the last quarter in this neighbourhood according to the ability that god hath given, in making known to my fellow-sinners the unsearchable riches of christ, the ignorance of which is the cause of all the wickedness, delusion, and error, in this or any other country. _oct. ._--visited a family in brook street, where i read the twenty-first chapter of job, and several other passages of scripture, i made some remarks as i read, the people frequently lifting up their eyes when the name of jesus was mentioned. those people have a form of religion, but they are destitute of the power. .--visited an old woman in bohunssup who is convinced of her sinful state by nature, and pointed out the saviour to her as plainly as i could; i told her i feared she would prefer a priest to the saviour in her last hours, and if so, she might as well deny him altogether, and in all his offices, as he alone is able to save from sin; and those who believe on him shall not come into condemnation. she declared she had no hope, no desire, to look to anything a priest could do for her. i prayed with this poor woman. .--visited a family this afternoon, named whalin, where i read several portions of god's word, and endeavoured to explain as i read. i prayed with them also. .--i had a conversation with an old roman catholic lady on the folly of those people who, she said, exposed their children to the fearful doom, should they die unbaptized, of being shut out from the light of heaven. i asked her if she did not read the new testament. she said she did. i asked her where she found any thing there that would lead her to suppose or believe that those unbaptized children were thus exposed. i said: i find no command to sprinkle infants; but the contrary, seeing no persons were admitted to that ordinance but those who were able to make a profession of faith, and this no infant could do; nor do we read of any but adults being received into the church. i showed her, from the new testament, the practice of the apostles, and our lord's commission to his apostles. then, why do protestants baptize their infants? said she. because, said i, instead of abiding by what is written they have thought proper to adopt the customs of those who teach the commandments of men for those of god. you mean to say, said she, that the church of rome do so? certainly, i replied. then she said she believed in the saviour alone, and through faith in him she hoped to be forgiven. you are a protestant then, said i. no; i detest your calvinistic doctrines, and i know no name sufficiently odious to brand them with. you may call me any name you please, said i. she pledged her honour that she always thought me an honest man and a good christian. i told her i was glad to hear her give another proof of her protestant principles; seeing she was more charitable than to believe all protestants must be damned. she said, no catholics held such an opinion. i told her what the council of trent said on that subject. she would not believe what i told her. she said she did not believe that she received the body and blood spiritually in the eucharist. i said she believed more. no, said she. i must not lengthen this subject, as the whole of our argument would fill my sheet; nor would i have gone so far, were it not to show how little roman catholics know what they believe. after running over most of the absurdities of her religion, some things she denied, others she never heard of before. this woman got a good education, if any can be so while the scriptures are left out. she is one of the strictest in this town for the last fifty years. _nov. ._--visited a family in garden street, named timlin, where i read several portions of scripture; but they would not hear of my praying with them; such is their fear of being spoken of. .--i had several conversations with people this day, one with an old man, named dowd, for whom i read many portions which i thought suited to his case, an old man on the verge of eternity, who never thought on those things. .--visited poor old f., with whom i read, conversed, and prayed. he is near his rest. he thanks god for having afflicted him; for before he was afflicted he went astray. i had a good opportunity to show some roman catholics, who were in the house, what the believer rests his hopes upon in the hour of trial. they listened with attention. .--visited a family in ardnaree, named gardner, where i read a chapter and prayed with the family: and i always make some remarks as i read, and propose questions, in order to arrest their attention. .--visited the staff, where i found some children reading the scriptures; i read with, and turned this little company into a class, by questioning them on what we read. i prayed with them, and promised to visit them again. _dec. ._--visited a family in hill street, named mcnautly, where i attempted to read, but was interrupted by a woman who said she did not want any thing out of protestant books. i reasoned with her for some time, when i referred to the testament for the truth of what i said; and as she seemed pleased with what i said, i continued to read, and explained as i read, without any further interruption. so we parted good friends. .--conversed with a young man named poots, who asked me my opinion of almost every article of the popish doctrines. he said, he was satisfied with any thing written in the scriptures, as he found very little difference between _ours_, as he called it, and _his_ testament. i need not enter into particulars, as this subject lasted more than two hours, without an angry feeling on either side. he at length exclaimed: there is so much mystery in our religion, and those things known only to the priests, that he did not know what to think; but, said he, if i could be properly convinced on the subject of transubstantiation and confession, i would not remain one day in the church of rome. .--visited an old woman in brook street, named brennan, who is confined to her bed. i read and conversed with her for about an hour: i prayed with her also. austin brennan. _ballina, jan. , ._ _to_ rev. j. bates. i am happy to inform you, that the work of the blessed redeemer is prospering in this part of his vineyard, though the wicked one has his secret agents in this place, as well as every other place, resisting the work of christ, and the gospel of the grace of god. on the th of july i went to read to the house of one james mcpartlin, near the town of drumahair. this poor man is ignorant and unlearned, although a great devotee in the church of rome. i read for this poor man and family several chapters in both english and irish; and the poor man was astonished to hear the words of eternal life in his native language. he asked me several questions concerning the sacrifice of the mass, and purgatory, and other doctrines taught by his church. i asked him: "what sacrifice is the mass?" he answered, in the words of his catechism, "an unbloody sacrifice." i then read for him the ninth and tenth chapters of hebrews, and showed him from the twenty-second verse of the ninth chapter, that without shedding of blood there is no remission, and consequently, as the mass was an unbloody sacrifice, there could be no remission in it. i again referred him and family to the ninth and tenth chapters of hebrews, to show that when _he_, the _lord_, by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high; and that by one offering _he_ hath perfected for ever all them that are sanctified. i read part of the epistle to the ephesians, and especially the st chap. th ver., "in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." i then read for him the st chapter of john, to show them that it is the blood of christ alone that cleanseth us from all sin. all the family seemed well satisfied to hear me read, and invited me to come and read for them as often as i could. i have often read for this family since, and i trust the lord has made his word a blessing to them. on the th of august, i read in the house of james mchugh the th and th chapters of john's gospel; and poor mchugh was so delighted that he said he had no greater comfort in the world than to hear his children read the testament. he said his daughter committed one hundred chapters at the drumahair female school; and he prayed for the prosperity and long continuance of the baptist irish society; "for," said he, "only for them my children would never get a word of learning." oh, that the word of the lord may run and be glorified! and may the boundaries of christ's fold be still more extended, until the whole number of his elect be accomplished! few days pass but i read at some place. it is all the pleasure i have, to be conversing with my poor neighbours about their eternal happiness. i wish i could afford to spend all my time in this blessed employment; but i thank god i would rather be a door-keeper in the house of the lord, than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. there are many inquiring what they must do to be saved. we direct them to believe on the lord jesus christ, and strive to point them to the lamb of god, that taketh away the sin of the world. adam johnson. _drumahair, september , ._ to rev. j. bates. since my last, i have visited more than twenty different places, and some of them are about twenty miles asunder. this, together with my occasional visits in this neighbourhood, has afforded me very many interesting opportunities of directing sinners to the saviour. in my visits to the night schools, i have been highly gratified in observing an increase of scriptural knowledge among those who attend. in j. monaghan's night school, i found many adult persons assembled together, some of them heads of families with their children, solely for the purpose of reading the scriptures and inquiring after their meaning, some of these being roman catholics, asked me several very important questions, to all which i endeavoured to give scriptural answers, with which they were highly gratified and thankful, and wished that i might soon visit them again. november th, visited the house of a poor tradesman in balli murray, read the rd of john, and pointed out the way of a sinner's acceptance with god. all who were in the house quitted their several employments, and drew around me. they all heard with eager attention, whilst i pointed out the dreadful nature of sin, showing that nothing but the blood of the saviour cleanseth from it. one of them told me, that the priest teaches that there is a purgatory, and that those who are not guilty of mortal sins are cleansed from venial sins in purgatory. i told them that there are no sins venial in the sight of god, for that it is written, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them;" that the blood of jesus christ cleanseth believers from all sin, and that there is no other purgatory. on the th inst. read the word near ballymote. a poor man, named rooney, told me of a sermon which he had heard from the priest on the last sabbath; the priest, he said, preached on the general judgment, and so terrified him that he was almost in despair. he told his hearers that not only for every evil action men must give an account, but also for every idle thought; and oh, said he, if you had heard the priest, you would be terrified. i asked him, did the priest tell him what he must do to be saved? but he was totally ignorant of this. i then endeavoured to bring to the understanding of this poor man the gospel plan of salvation, which seemed to be the only thing calculated to give him comfort and peace of mind. on the th visited killoran; met with a young man, a roman catholic, who is a hired servant; he told me that he had been studying on the subject of baptism; that when a school-boy he got a testament, which he had since kept very carefully; that in it he read that our saviour was baptized in the river jordan; that from this he was led to believe that immersion is the proper mode. i then read for him the account of the baptism of the eunuch by philip, also of lydia, and the jailor, &c. he heard with eager attention, and said that he was fully persuaded that believers were the proper subjects for baptism, and that immersion was the primitive mode. on the th march, travelled in company with several people with a hearse going to a burial. i told them that it is appointed unto all men once to die, and after death the judgment; and that it is of the highest importance for us to be prepared for judgment. i was sorry to learn that they did not know the saviour, nor their need of him. i made the best use i could of the short time i was with them. one of them said he was sorry i was leaving them, &c. robert beaty. _carintavy, dec. , ._ contributions. by rev. j. dyer. a friend, yorkshire mr. holleck, by rev. dr. fletcher j. chippendale, esq., uxbridge, by rev. a. g. fuller from profits of youth's magazine, per w. b. gurney from one who has tasted that the lord is gracious (per general post) collected by rev. s. davis. bristol mrs. holland bath bradford, wilts trowbridge bratten westbury frome bridgwater taunton collected by mr. lillycrop, exeter. sir john kennaway, bart. w. rouse, esq., tor mrs. rouse rev. j. mason rev. e. h. brewer miss salter mr. lillycrop miss booth miss pates, collected by mr. upham mrs. mason j. c. wilcocks, esq. mrs. lillycrop mrs. glyde mr. tanner mr. nichols mr. vinicombe mr. jeffery mrs. gregory miss beal mrs. cummin mr. wilson miss lee mr. rowse miss cole mr. s. davis mr. goodridge mr. mills mrs. higgs mrs. furze sunday-school, bartholomew chapel miss bury mrs. ford mr. hooker mrs. maynard mr. wright mrs. tanner ellen bridgeman by the treasurer. t. b., per mr. w. burls, jun. d. p., per mr. w. l. smith charles davis, wallingford rev. e. west, amersham sub. rev. w. nicholls, collingham, don. do. do. sub. mrs. fernie, of tottenham, and friends, for mary's philanthropic school, mount shannon, galway by the secretary. w. burls, esq., edmonton a. bose ans. sub. from mrs. burls and daughters, a valuable parcel for the poor children in the society's schools subscriptions received by s. marshall, esq., , high holborn; mr. p. millard, bishopsgate street; messrs. burls, , lothbury; rev. g. pritchard, , york place, pentonville, gratuitous secretary; by messrs. ladbrokes and co., bankers, bank buildings; by mr. h. d. dickie, , bank street, and rev. mr. innes, frederick street, edinburgh; and p. brown, esq., cardigan. london: j. maddon, printer, castle-street, finsbury. missionary herald. cxcv. march, . subscriptions and donations in aid of this society will be thankfully received at the baptist mission house, no. , fen court, fenchurch street, london: or by any of the ministers and friends whose names are inserted in the cover of the annual report. with feelings of deep sorrow we have to announce the decease of the excellent treasurer of this society, john broadley wilson, esq., which took place, after a very short illness, at his house on clapham common, monday evening, the th instant. his disease was palsy, rendering respiration difficult, and considerably affecting the organs of speech, but leaving his mental faculties in full vigour to the last. he died, rejoicing in the saviour, whom he had long loved, and whose example, through divine grace, he had been enabled so eminently to follow. never, perhaps, was there an individual of whom it might more justly be said, _when the ear heard him, then it blessed him; and when the eye saw him, it gave witness to him: because he delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon him; and he caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. he was eyes to the blind, and feet was he to the lame: he was a father to the poor, and the cause that he knew not he searched out._ "and i heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead which die in the lord from henceforth: yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." jamaica. a number of letters from our various stations in this island have reached us, containing information to the end of the year. we subjoin a few of the leading particulars. mr. tinson refers, with great satisfaction, to the growing thirst for instruction among the negro population. he had been under the necessity of opening an evening school, principally for adults, whose progress was very rapid, and a large proportion of them had been reported able to read the new testament. he expresses an earnest desire to establish a school at his country station at yallahs, situate in a parish (st. david's) containing , apprentices, without a single school of any description. twenty-three persons had been accepted for baptism at this station. "the brethren from the london missionary society (writes mr. t.) have arrived. they landed on tuesday, the rd inst. mr. and mrs. hodge suffered much from sea-sickness; in other respects they are all well. mr. woolridge brought a letter from mr. ellis, and one from yourself. they all took tea with us the evening after they landed, in company with brother and sister gardner, and an interesting meeting it was. we sang, before we knelt together around our domestic altar, i believe with unfeigned sincerity of heart, the hymn beginning, "kindred of christ, for his dear sake a hearty welcome here receive;" after which, brother gardner presented to the kind and gracious redeemer our united thanksgiving for their safe arrival, and solicited the divine guidance in reference to their future steps. brother woolridge preached a most delightful sermon in our chapel yesterday morning, and i expect to be helped next lord's-day by brother hodge. they will probably continue in town a week or two, and then proceed on a tour of observation. should one remain in kingston there is plenty to do, and i see no cause in the world for contention between us." mr. gardner has been tried by personal indisposition and by the loss of his eldest child, but has been enabled to resume his accustomed labours. mr. clarke has furnished us with the following tabular account of the stations under his superintendance: members. inquirers. average sabb. congreg. schs. constant spring to lucky valley retirement fairfield guy's hill of these stations, retirement is in the parish of st. john's, fairfield in st. ann's, and the other three in st. thomas-in-the-vale. the scene of violent outrage mentioned in our january number occurred at guy's hill. referring to that circumstance in a subsequent letter, mr. c. observes: "the persecution some of my people suffered there is at an end. the hand of god appeared so plainly against them parties on the following morning, that one of them declared we had been praying against them. their fear of us is such that their mistaken belief will prevent them, we think, from annoying us a second time." although the parish of st. ann's has formerly presented greater obstacles than any other part of the island to the progress of gospel truth, mr. coultart is favoured with great encouragement in his efforts. he supplies st. ann's bay, brown's town, ocho rios, and the pedroes, and at all these places has large and increasing congregations. in the three former, he is commencing to build places of worship in the room of those which were destroyed; and in the last, ground has been offered him for a similar purpose by parties who, a few weeks before, had shown the most violent hostility. more help is urgently needed in this, as well as in other parts of the island. from montego bay mr. dendy writes, under date th december: "our missionary friends, messrs. vine and alloway, of the london society, arrived at falmouth on the th instant, in pretty good health. on the th brother knibb baptized persons, and held public services in the chapel; on the th a further addition was made by the baptism of candidates; and on sabbath-day, the th, there were between and communicants sitting around the lord's table. mr. vine preached in the morning for brother knibb, and mr. alloway in the evening; the services of the day were peculiarly interesting." by the arrival of mr. burchell, mr. dexter will be left at liberty to visit rio bueno and stewart's town. for the present, however, some intermission seems needful both for him and for mr. dendy, as both have been labouring beyond their strength to supply the deficiencies occasioned by the absence of mr. abbott. this last named brother, having been released from confinement by the rising of the house of assembly on the th of december, had returned to his family; and through the mercy of god his health, instead of being impaired, had been improved by his temporary secession from active engagements. previously to his arrest he had enjoyed the pleasure of adding members to the church at montego bay, who were baptized on the st of november. of the return of mr. burchell to the people of his charge after so long a separation, we must give our readers an account in his own words. his letter is dated december rd:-- i shall commence my present letter by giving you some account of my journey from spanish town, and my reception at this place. we left spanish town on wednesday the th november, and reached brother coultart's the same evening, a distance of fifty miles; the following day we spent with our friends mr. and mrs. coultart, from whom we received the most interesting and gratifying accounts of the progress of the mission in the parish of st. ann's. in the evening i preached at st. ann's bay, and although there were but a few hours' notice, still the principal part of the chapel house was full. it was to me unspeakably delightful to witness such an assembly in such a notorious place. friday we proceeded on to falmouth (thirty-four miles), which place we reached about two o'clock; in the evening i preached for brother knibb to a very large congregation, the chapel was crowded, and one of the tents also, and many on the outside of the chapel-house. saturday morning we left our old companions for the eventful town of montego bay; when we were three miles distant from the town, we had to pull up to shake hands with some who were come out to meet us; as we proceeded onwards, the numbers and frequency of the groups of friends increased. it was almost more than we could bear. the poor people looked at us as though they could scarcely believe their own eyes, and then they clasped their hands, blessed god, and burst into tears. when we entered the town, a crowd of recollections burst upon my mind as i looked upon the situation where the blanche was anchored when i was first taken prisoner, &c.; but my attention was soon aroused from reflection, for as we passed along the streets, many of the inhabitants came to their doors and windows, congratulating us as we passed by. as we proceeded more into the town, the doors and windows became crowded, and many were the kind congratulations of our former townsfriends; some expressed their feelings by their remarks, some waved their handkerchiefs, and others their hats; as we entered the centre of the town we were recognised by one who had been a very staunch friend in our difficulties, he took off his hat and greeted us most cordially; this excited the attention of the negroes in the market, and one of them recognising us, exclaimed, "bless god, and him come for true. massa burchell, him come for true." others now joined him and began clapping their hands, when the whole multitude, consisting of three or four thousand, waving their hands and hats, set up their shouts, and made the whole town resound with their thundering huzzas. i now endeavoured to press on to our house, but the negroes leaving their baskets and the market followed us. i drove hastily forward, fearing they would surround us and take out our horse, which i have since found they would have done. when we reached the house we were immediately surrounded; the yard and the street were crowded. one of the friends took the child and carried her into the house, for she was completely frightened. it was a long time before we could get out of the gig (which had been lent us for the journey) for every one was trying to shake our hand, or lay hold of us in some way. when we alighted from the gig, mrs. b., who was nearly overcome, was carried in by the friends, and then the throng crowded upon me, some taking one hand, some the other, some threw themselves on the ground. indeed, the whole scene which followed was such that i cannot describe. it would not be possible to do it justice. the market square was almost vacated, except the baskets of provisions, &c., which were for sale; and yet many have since informed me, that when they returned to the market they found all as they had left it, nothing was lost. the whole of saturday, the nd, was spent in receiving the congratulations of the people, whose remarks were frequently affecting. many threw themselves down at my feet, and wept aloud. some looked at me, and then said: "hi, massa, and it you for true! and you for we, massa burchell! and me see you with me own eye! blessed god!" and then they burst into tears. after speaking to a party and shaking hands, i was compelled to request them to leave in order to give place to others. when one said: "no massa, me no go--me no able to believe yet--and is it massa burchell for true?" another one said: "now massa, me know dat god him true--him hear for we prayer--but him take him own time--and him work him own way--but him do every ting quite good." indeed, i could fill a sheet with their interesting sayings. one poor afflicted negress came down from the country (a distance of twenty miles) the next saturday, the th; and when she saw me, looking upon me, as the tears rolled down her face, she said: "massa, me hear you come--and me _hungry_ for see you--and me cry for see you--me take two day for walk for see you--and now me believe--god him too good--me now willing for die--for now me know me god him true." i had no idea whatever of such a reception, i knew my friends, and knew they would be truly glad to see me, but i had not the most distant idea of such a manifestation of feeling. it was far beyond any description that i can give. the following day, november , i again commenced my labours among my poor but dear people. there were at least persons present at the o'clock service. i preached out of doors. on sunday, november , the attendance was still greater. at our morning prayer-meeting at o'clock in the morning there were _full_ , present; and at o'clock, not less than ; but you must not be misled by this statement of numbers, as there was a union of the churches of montego bay, salter's hill, and gurney's mount, &c. we conclude our present article by an extract of a letter of somewhat less recent date from mr. hutchins. it relates to the station at lucea, and was addressed to a friend of the writer, who has kindly furnished it for our pages. a few sabbaths ago i had such a delightful day, that the recollection of it will, i have no doubt, be ever attended with feelings of peculiar pleasure. early in the morning we proceeded to the place of baptizing from lucea, where i baptized nine of my black brethren and sisters, nay nine of our black brethren and sisters in christ. the place was two miles from the bay. we arrived at break of day. it was not in the river jordan, but in a beautiful winding river in a most retired situation. we were covered by the majestic and graceful boughs of the bamboo, which, for grandeur of appearance and loveliness of shade, excels every other tree in the island, and is beautiful beyond description. the congregation consisted of about persons, all getting as near as possible to the banks of the river, while we arranged the candidates close to the border of the stream. the day now dawned upon us, and i felt as if compelled to commence by singing the verse: "sweet is the work, my god, my king, to praise thy name, give thanks, and sing; to show thy love by morning light, and talk of all thy truth at night." and indeed, if one may speak for others, it was truly sweet. i then engaged in prayer, and delivered an address to the various classes present; and judging from appearances, we cannot but hope that at some future period good results will be brought to light. the spirit of the most high seemed to rest upon us. persons whom i have seen trifling on other occasions, were overawed. others, who were anticipating with pleasure the time when they shall have a name and a place among the people of god, were seen with the tear silently rolling dawn their cheeks. while others, with their hands clasped and pressed on their bosoms, with their eyes raised towards heaven, seemed to be fervently engaged in the interesting service, and to enjoy in their minds something of that feeling which is peculiar to the christian, which the world can neither give nor take away. i then entered the stream and baptized them, singing two lines between each; after which i concluded, and thus ended one of the most interesting services i ever knew. we then repaired to lucea, and commenced our morning prayer-meeting at seven instead of six o'clock; we had a good congregation. at half-past ten the next service was to commence. at ten i saw people going away to seek for sittings at the kirk, for not one could be found here. our house is very commodious, being three stories high. the lower parts we use for the chapel, and in the top we reside. the whole of the chapel was crowded to excess. people coming from all parts of the bay with a chair from any person they could make their friend, filled the landings. the stairs leading up the whole of the three stories (which are carried up outside the buildings in this country) were occupied, by four persons on each. and then the poor creatures went into our hall, and laid their ears on the floor to listen from beneath. this is a congregation in jamaica; and often we have them standing in the streets exposed to the rays of a vertical sun! behind and before, on the right hand and on the left, we are surrounded, yea crowded, in every possible way. the result is, that on the evenings of the sabbath we wear a completely emaciated appearance. oh, say you, this is not right, you ought not to do so. i am fully aware that we ought not to do so, but the remedy is not with us. you may try, and try again, to overcome such feelings, but you cannot. i should pity that man who professed to have the welfare of souls at heart who would not be aroused by such overwhelming scenes as we have here. when persons have come from two to twenty or thirty miles to hear the word of eternal life, to disappoint more than can possibly be helped, is what i cannot, what i dare not, do. for as i value my own immortal soul, as i prize the joys of heaven and dread the miseries of hell, so in proportion i consider it my duty to let all, as far as in me lies, hear the truths of that gospel which is able through christ to raise poor perishing creatures from the degradation of sin to a life of righteousness and holiness by faith in him. pardon me, my dear brother, pardon me for giving vent to the flowing tear while i am again considering that the remedy is not with us. here is myself and there are my brethren with congregations which are enormous. we cannot refrain from shedding a tear again and again, because we are not able to do more for their thirsty souls. the remedy rests with friends at home. i often think that i must as i am now doing fall, very soon fall, a sacrifice to the cause in which i have embarked. through mercy i fear it not. i am happy, truly happy, in my work, and feel confident that should i be a martyr to the cause, i shall receive a martyr's reward. bahamas. since our last article respecting this station, we have received a variety of communications from our brethren burton and pearson. up to the date of the last, the tenor of these letters was uniformly pleasing. they showed with what diligence our dear brethren were prosecuting the work of god, not only at nassau, but at eleuthera, andros island, and other places scattered through that extensive group of islands. additions to the number of converts were made every month, and there was reason to hope that in a short time some of them would be found capable of taking an efficient part in the instruction of their countrymen. but the society has more recently been called to the exercise of patient submission under the loss of one who, though but recently entered on the missionary field, had afforded abundant evidence of holy devotedness to the cause of his saviour. we refer to mr. pearson, whose lamented decease is reported by mr. burton under date of the st december. that letter will close this article: as an appropriate introduction to it, we insert extracts from the last written to the secretary by mr. pearson himself. it was dated nassau, december , : in the course of last september, i and my family were invited to st. salvador, by mr. john armbrister. i rejoiced in so favourable an opportunity of communicating the glad tidings of salvation where they were so little known, and i felt grateful that on this occasion i could without aditional expense take my family with me, because our medical friend strongly recommended it, as the most likely means to renew my dear wife's health after her dangerous illness in august. we arrived at st. salvador, sabbath, oct. th, were kindly welcomed, and soon surrounded by an interesting congregation of about persons, to whom i preached twice on that day. on monday and tuesday i was fully engaged in the work of instruction among the children in the forenoon, and the adults in the evening. on wednesday i was expected to preach upon two properties; but having preached to a few persons at one estate, i was afflicted with such a violent head-ache that it was with great difficulty i managed to ride to the house of our friend, where, finding myself the subject of fever, i was compelled at once to exchange the exercise of preaching, for the exercise of submission upon a bed of sickness, under indescribably agonizing and protracted pain, which entirely precluded rest by night or day: under these circumstances my second sabbath at st. salvador was spent. my dear wife read the scriptures to many who were gathered together, and also a few pages of christian counsel which i had written for their benefit, and otherwise assisted them to worship god. on the following morning a conveyance offering to n. p., we availed ourselves of it, in order that i might obtain medical advice. we were glad to reach home on the following thursday; but with change of scene, we experienced an increase of affliction. my dear wife, the child's wet nurse, and our servant boy, were immediately subjected to the fever; and unable as we were to provide for our disconsolate babe, it required the exercise of faith cheerfully to acquiesce in the divine disposal of our concerns. we _were troubled_, but _not distressed_; and our compassionate god, who knew how much we could bear, and delights to bind up the wounds which in mercy he inflicts, almost entirely independent of our agency, sent us, that very night, a suitable nurse for our child, who has since proved to us a blessing. my dear wife was speedily restored to her former state of convalescence, and after a week i was permitted to rise from my bed, much reduced in body, yet, i would hope, strengthened in my resolutions to love and serve the saviour. my recovery was rapid, and on the th of october i again embarked with my family for st. salvador. the health of all was much promoted by the passage, and when i landed, monday, november , contrasting my bodily state with that under which i had left the island, i was filled with gratitude, my peace seemed like the beautiful canopy stretched over my head, unsullied with a cloud, and abundant as the waves of the sea. i was immediately put in possession of a house, unoccupied by its owner (mr. henry armbrister), on an estate called "freeman's hall:" where, unmolested, i could hold meetings whenever i was able; i adored the goodness of god who thus disposed the planters to aid and encourage me in my work, and longed for their salvation as well as that of their dependents. during the first week i laboured to the utmost of my ability, teaching the children, preaching to all i could gather around me from evening to evening, and holding inquiry meetings whenever opportunity offered; but i seemed to labour in vain: my hearers were attentive, but their hearts were hardened. i did not merely tell them that there was a god who made and upheld them, who knew all their ways, and would bring them to judgment. i did not merely endeavour to expose the evil of fornication, drunkenness, lying, stealing, &c. i told them of him who died for sinners. the doctrines of the total depravity of the human heart, the necessity of an atonement, the efficacy of the blood of christ, the loveliness and suitableness of jesus as an all-sufficient saviour, the exceeding sinfulness and awful consequences of rejecting him, justification by faith, and the reward of eternal life, as the _free gift_ of god for the sake of his dear son, were the themes which i most earnestly endeavoured to press home upon their consciences, but i could discover no evidences of relentings for sin, no meltings of heart at the recital of a saviour's sufferings, no emotions of gratitude for a saviour's love. their hearts were inaccessible. almost all were professed baptists, but taught by a man who could not decipher a letter, who appeared wholly ignorant of the truth, and whose life was at variance with it. after many conversations with him, in which he seemed impervious to the light, i affectionately warned him to desist from preaching, lest he should entail the curse so solemnly denounced gal. i. , . meeting with little encouragement in this part of the island, on the first friday after my arrival i rode to "golden grove," seven miles distant, where i preached, and returned the same day. at this place i had an opportunity of addressing persons, and, deeming it an important field for labour, i again rode thither early on the following sabbath. here i found some living sparks. an old man who had come over with his master at the american revolution, had been in the habit of reading his bible to all who would hear him, which he could do tolerably well; he had taught them to sing many of watts's hymns; and was accustomed to read to them from a good book written by guthrie, an old scotch divine. lydia, his daughter-in-law, at an inquiry meeting, answered the questions which were put to her very satisfactorily, and i thought her a suitable subject for baptism, when i found that her character was exemplary. the old man, i found, was overseer of the whole property, which was extensive, during his master's absence; and lydia was intrusted with the care of the proprietor's house, and much valuable property. what a proof that god's servants are the best servants! at that time i regarded my health as established, i was animated in spirit, and among this people i laboured on the sabbath until the evening, when suddenly, whilst preaching, i was taken ill, and was obliged immediately to seek the open air, abruptly closing the service in which we were engaged. i soon discovered that i was once more under the influence of violent fever, and after a restless night, though treated with the utmost attention, agreeable to the instructions of the proprietor, h. hunter, esq., i made the best of my way to "freeman's hall," where i remained an invalid thirteen days. i had no medical aid; but the medicines i had with me, and graham's popular work, proved invaluable. my stay at st. salvador from this period was indeed a season of suffering; the fever was intermittent, but would come on again and again with chilliness, succeeded by ardent and continued heat, throbbing of the temple, continued restlessness, unquenchable thirst, a distressing oppression at the chest, difficulty in breathing, and nausea. my illness, i am convinced, was protracted by the stagnant water, gathered from among the bushes, which we were compelled to drink, and which was deeply impregnated with putrid vegetable matter: there was, indeed, a spring one mile distant; but of this we were not informed until the eve of our departure, although we daily complained of the water we were using. my affliction was greatly increased by finding that my dear wife's exertions on my behalf brought on a periodical fever, the paroxysms of which would remain with her six or eight hours. the vessel by which we were to return to n. p. sailed on sunday, november , much to my grief, as i was then a little recovering, and hoped to preach; and so indeed i did, in much weakness, on the sea beach, to thirty or forty persons, whilst waiting for the boat. once more i exhorted them to repent and believe on the saviour. we arrived here november , again improved in health by the passage, and yesterday i superintended and taught in the sabbath-school two hours, and preached twice to our nassau crowded congregations. in the evening i endeavoured to improve the death of our late esteemed brother penney, who died of yellow fever, aged thirty-five years.[a] and now you will not be surprised when i assure you that i can adopt the language of david, "have mercy upon me, o lord, for i am weak." our best thanks are due to henry armbrister, esq., who has allowed us to make four passages in his vessel gratuitously, provided us with house, horses, &c., and afforded us every help in his power. how mysterious, that with such facilities coming from god, my lips should be sealed, and my repeated efforts for the good of these islanders apparently frustrated! but thus the great sovereign shows that he has no need of me; and that if he ever employ me, he is conferring a great and undeserved favour. it is indeed to me a great affliction to be prevented from labouring for my master. there is, i think, nothing which i so much dread, as the thought of being an unprofitable missionary, an incumbrance to the society and to the church. i feel that i need affliction, and i hope in the midst of it ever to desire its improvement, rather than its removal. i am aware also, that my sufferings bear no comparison with those of brainerd, zeisberger, and many others, who in the midst of great tribulation cheerfully bore the cross and scorned the shame; but when month after month passes away, with nothing done for christ, and no souls brought near to god by my instrumentality, i feel depressed in spirit. the lord knows how much of self and pride there is in all this; may he pardon and purify me! i can give you no cheering accounts of usefulness, but i can most sincerely assure you, if i know myself, i only desire to live actively, faithfully, and perseveringly; to serve christ with body, soul, and spirit. oh, pray for me, that i may not live in vain, but that i may acquit myself as a good soldier until death remove me from the field. [footnote a: our readers will rejoice to notice these kind references to other labourers in the vineyard, sent forth by a kindred society. elsewhere mr. p. mentions another christian missionary of the same body in terms which we gladly quote: "here i would most particularly mention the zeal and kindness of mr. horne, wesleyan missionary, by whose efforts the little flock (at turk's island) i united in church fellowship have been kept in order. he has read to them our pastoral letters, and in their own words 'has taken great pains with them.'"] it is affecting to think that, in sixteen days after the expression of these devout sentiments, the departure of our dear brother took place. (we are constrained by want of room to defer mr. burton's letter till next month). belize. a letter has reached us from this station announcing the safe arrival of mr. henderson, who writes as follows, under date of december th:-- through the gracious providence of our heavenly father we all arrived safely here on friday, nov. th, being eight weeks from the day of our departure from london. the passage, except when passing the bay of biscay a few days, and some squalls on our approach to the coast (which hindered us one day), was remarkably moderate, affording many pleasing testimonies to our minds that we had a compassionate god, and praying friends. the divine goodness has been especially displayed toward us in regard to bodily health, which has continued, with the exception of a little sea-sickness, as well as when we left england; indeed, rather better. we came to anchor off belize early in the forenoon, when i made it my business to see mr. bourn first alone; afterwards returned for mrs. henderson and child in the afternoon. i found mr. bourn himself well, but fatigued on account of the indisposition of mrs. b., who had been ill about a week previously. she is now recovered so as to attend to family matters, and we are living altogether as one family, as happy as they can make us. there is no vessel here at present by which mr. and mrs. b. can go to new york, but one is expected daily. for myself, i rather desire his stay a little time to have instructions relative to the state of the mission. it is almost our daily employment to visit some of the members at their homes. we are preparing to-day for a journey by water southward to stern creek, where mr. b. is in the habit of occasionally visiting; on our return we intend another journey about the same distance up the river. mr. henderson then states that he had been making arrangements for the immediate establishment of an infant school, which mrs. h. is well qualified to superintend, and of a boys' school for the children of the respectable inhabitants of the place. three sabbath-schools had been previously established by mr. bourn. _contributions received on account of the baptist missionary society, from jan. , , to feb. , , not including individual subscriptions._ graham's town (south africa) auxiliary society, by mr. kidwell, secretary wigan, by mr. w. park: collection, lord street chapel teachers and children of sabbath school -------- dunkeld missionary society, by rev. john black loughton missionary association, by rev. s. brawn twickenham, collected by mr. scott east essex and colchester auxiliary, by thomas blyth, esq. buchan bible society, for circulating the scriptures in india, by mr. boulton bristol, rev. f. clowes and friends, for school books to be sent to the rev. james coultart milton, (northamptonshire), by rev. w. gray legacy. further residue under the will of the late mr. thomas king, of birmingham, by messrs. fiddian and mumford donations. g. b. two friends, on perusing the tract 'amelia gale,' by mr. james jones, _manchester_ friend in _yorkshire_, by the secretary mr. hollick, by rev. dr. fletcher _on account of jamaica school rooms._ friends at _peel_ meeting, by mr. j. barrett we readily comply with the wishes of our kind friends at liverpool to insert the _particulars_, recently sent, of their collection by cards, for the jamaica chapels. _lime street, rev. j. lister._ mrs. hampton miss sarah bell elizabeth wilson misses lang ellen houghton mrs. billings baistow mrs. lister mrs. lister, jun. friend friends at grappend, by miss clare miss carpenter miss e. carpenter mr. ball mr. rushton, jun. mrs. godfrey mr. dobson, donation miss cunningham miss bayliss mr. maynard john minto miss pearce miss winstanley misses pryce james bolland john banks mrs. major miss edwards mr. fisher's friends, by mr. travenn miss lea miss eglington miss quick william jones mr. w. s. tyrer miss foxcroft eccleston john edwards mrs. page mrs. henton elizabeth briggs sarah briggs elizabeth copeland mr. hampton friend, by miss lacy miss ashcroft samuel cearnes misses dicker mr. sunderland friends ----------- friend ----------- ----------- collected by mrs. sutlow for the education of negro children _byram street, rev. s. saunders._ mr. john hodgkinson mrs. allcot misses haughtons miss cribbin miss m. smallshaw mrs. hindle miss julia hope miss m. l. hope miss walthew mrs. lewis mr. lewis a friend miss pritchard miss lyon miss edwards mr. whitehead mr. evans and the miss baynes's mr. cowper mrs. burkett miss saunders and mr. w. saunders mr. morrison miss emily and mr. w. jones mrs. john foster miss harsnett mrs. jackson miss helena meyer miss king miss dugard miss f. glover mr. edward cowper miss m'cullock mr. danson mr. joseph king ----------- mr. underhill, jun., edge hill ----------- to correspondents. a very valuable package of elementary school books for jamaica has been received, and forwarded to that island. the committee feel greatly indebted to those kind 'friends' at birmingham by whom they were presented. similar acknowledgments are respectfully offered to the rev. thomas gisborne, of yoxall lodge, staffordshire, and the worthy gentlemen associated with him, whose seasonable liberality has placed at the disposal of the committee, copies of 'selections from the old testament,' drawn up expressly for the emancipated negroes. the whole have been forwarded to various parts of the island. joseph fletcher, esq. and t. b. oldfield, esq. have laid the society under great obligations by permitting their vessels to convey, freight free, a large quantity of bricks and other articles for rebuilding the chapels in jamaica. parcels of magazines and other books are gratefully acknowledged from mrs. gillman, bank buildings, and from mrs. bryant and other friends at bath. mr. burchell (december ) requests that we would make an apology on his behalf to those private friends who may have been expecting to hear from him. continual occupation has hitherto prevented his writing, but he hopes soon to be able to do so. j. haddon, printer, castle street, finsbury. proofreaders an enquiry into the obligations of christians, to use means for the conversion of the heathens. in which the religious state of the different nations of the world, the success of former undertakings, and the practicability of further undertakings, are considered, by william carey. for there is no difference between the jew and the greek; for the same lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him. for whosoever shall call on the name of the lord shall be saved. how then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? paul. mdccxcii. introduction as our blessed lord has required us to pray that his kingdom may come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven, it becomes us not only to express our desires of that event by words, but to use every lawful method to spread the knowledge of his name. in order to this, it is necessary that we should become, in some measure acquainted with the religious state of the world; and as this is an object we should be prompted to pursue, not only by the gospel of our redeemer, but even by the feelings of humanity, so an inclination to conscientious activity therein would form one of the strongest proofs that we are the subjects of grace, and partakers of that spirit of universal benevolence and genuine philanthropy, which appear so eminent in the of god himself. sin was introduced amongst the children of men by the fall of adam, and has ever since been spreading its baneful influence. by changing its appearances to suit the circumstances of the times, it has grown up in ten thousand forms, and constantly counteracted the will and designs of god. one would have supposed that the remembrance of the deluge would have been transmitted from father to son, and have perpetually deterred mankind from transgressing the will of their maker; but so blinded were they, that in the time of abraham, gross wickedness prevailed wherever colonies were planted, and the iniquity of the amorites was great, though not yet full. after this, idolatry spread more and more, till the seven devoted nations were cut off with the most signal marks of divine displeasure. still, however, the progress of evil was not stopped, but the israelites themselves too often joined with the rest of mankind against the god of israel. in one period the grossest ignorance and barbarism prevailed in the world; and afterwards, in a more enlightened age, the most daring infidelity, and contempt of god; so that the world which was once over-run with ignorance, now _by wisdom knew not god, but changed the glory of the incorruptible god_ as much as in the most barbarous ages, _into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things_. nay, as they increased in science and politeness, they ran into more abundant and extravagant idolatries. yet god repeatedly made known his intention to prevail finally over all the power of the devil, and to destroy all his works, and set up his own kingdom and interest among men, and extend it as universally as satan had extended his. it was for this purpose that the messiah came and died, that god might be just, and the justifier of all that should believe in him. when he had laid down his life, and taken it up again, he sent forth his disciples to preach the good tidings to every creature, and to endeavour by all possible methods to bring over a lost world to god. they went forth according to their divine commission, and wonderful success attended their labours; the civilized greeks, and uncivilized barbarians, each yielded to the cross of christ, and embraced it as the only way of salvation. since the apostolic age many other attempts to spread the gospel have been made, which have been considerably successful, notwithstanding which a very considerable part of mankind are still involved in all the darkness of heathenism. some attempts are still making, but they are inconsiderable in comparison of what might be done if the whole body of christians entered heartily into the spirit of the divine command on this subject. some think little about it, others are unacquainted with the state of the world, and others love their wealth better than the souls of their fellow-creatures. in order that the subject may be taken into more serious consideration, i shall enquire, whether the commission given by our lord to his disciples be not still binding on us,--take a short view of former undertakings,--give some account of the present state of the world, consider the practicability of doing something more than is done,--and the duty of christians in general in this matter. an enquiry, &c. sect. i. _an enquiry whether the commission given by our lord to his disciples be not still binding on us._ our lord jesus christ, a little before his departure, commissioned his apostles to _go_, and _teach all nations_; or, as another evangelist expresses it, _go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature_. this commission was as extensive as possible, and laid them under obligation to disperse themselves into every country of the habitable globe, and preach to all the inhabitants, without exception, or limitation. they accordingly went forth in obedience to the command, and the power of god evidently wrought with them. many attempts of the same kind have been made since their day, and which have been attended with various success; but the work has not been taken up, or prosecuted of late years (except by a few individuals) with that zeal and perseverance with which the primitive christians went about it. it seems as if many thought the commission was sufficiently put in execution by what the apostles and others have done; that we have enough to do to attend to the salvation of our own countrymen; and that, if god intends the salvation of the heathen, he will some way or other bring them to the gospel, or the gospel to them. it is thus that multitudes sit at ease, and give themselves no concern about the far greater part of their fellow-sinners, who to this day, are lost in ignorance and idolatry. there seems also to be an opinion existing in the minds of some, that because the apostles were extraordinary officers and have no proper successors, and because many things which were right for them to do would be utterly unwarrantable for us, therefore it may not be immediately binding on us to execute the commission, though it was so upon them. to the consideration of such persons i would offer the following observations. first, if the command of christ to teach all nations be restricted to the apostles, or those under the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost, then that of baptizing should be so too; and every denomination of christians, except the quakers, do wrong in baptizing with water at all. secondly, if the command of christ to teach all nations be confined to the apostles, then all such ordinary ministers who have endeavoured to carry the gospel to the heathens, have acted without a warrant, and run before they were sent. yea, and though god has promised the most glorious things to the heathen world by sending his gospel to them, yet whoever goes first, or indeed at all, with that message, unless he have a new and special commission from heaven, must go without any authority for so doing. thirdly, if the command of christ to teach all nations extend only to the apostles, then, doubtless, the promise of the divine presence in this work must be so limited; but this is worded in such a manner as expressly precludes such an idea. _lo, i am with you always, to the end of the world._ that there are cases in which even a divine command may cease to be binding is admitted--as for instance, if it be _repealed_, as the ceremonial commandments of the jewish law; or if there be _no subjects_ in the world for the commanded act to be exercised upon, as in the law of septennial release, which might be dispensed with when there should be no poor in the land to have their debts forgiven. deut. xv. . or if, in any particular instance, we can produce a _counter-revelation_, of equal authority with the original command, as when paul and silas were forbidden of the holy ghost to preach the word in bythinia. acts xvi. . . or if, in any case, there be a _natural impossibility_ of putting it in execution. it was not the duty of paul to preach christ to the inhabitants of otaheite, because no such place was then discovered, nor had he any means of coming at them. but none of these things can be alledged by us in behalf of the neglect of the commission given by christ. we cannot say that it is repealed, like the commands of the ceremonial law; nor can we plead that there are no objects for the command to be exercised upon. alas! the far greater part of the world, as we shall see presently, are still covered with heathen darkness! nor can we produce a counter-revelation, concerning any particular nation, like that to paul and silas, concerning bythinia; and, if we could, it would not warrant our sitting still and neglecting all the other parts of the world; for paul and silas, when forbidden to preach to those heathens, went elsewhere, and preached to others. neither can we alledge a natural impossibility in the case. it has been said that we ought not to force our way, but to wait for the openings, and leadings of providence; but it might with equal propriety be answered in this case, neither ought we to neglect embracing those openings in providence which daily present themselves to us. what openings of providence do we wait for? we can neither expect to be transported into the heathen world without ordinary means, nor to be endowed with the gift of tongues, &c. when we arrive there. these would not be providential interpositions, but miraculous ones. where a command exists nothing can be necessary to render it binding but a removal of those obstacles which render obedience impossible, and these are removed already. natural impossibility can never be pleaded so long as facts exist to prove the contrary. have not the popish missionaries surmounted all those difficulties which we have generally thought to be insuperable? have not the missionaries of the _unitas fratrum_, or moravian brethren, encountered the scorching heat of abyssinia, and the frozen climes of greenland, and labrador, their difficult languages, and savage manners? or have not english traders, for the sake of gain, surmounted all those things which have generally been counted insurmountable obstacles in the way of preaching the gospel? witness the trade to persia, the east-indies, china, and greenland, yea even the accursed slave-trade on the coasts of africa. men can insinuate themselves into the favour of the most barbarous clans, and uncultivated tribes, for the sake of gain; and how different soever the circumstances of trading and preaching are, yet this will prove the possibility of ministers being introduced there; and if this is but thought a sufficient reason to make the experiment, my point is gained. it has been said that some learned divines have proved from scripture that the time is not yet come that the heathen should be converted; and that first the _witnesses must be slain_, and many other prophecies fulfilled. but admitting this to be the case (which i much doubt[ ]) yet if any objection is made from this against preaching to them immediately, it must be founded on one of these things; either that the secret purpose of god is the rule of our duty, and then it must be as bad to pray for them, as to preach to them; or else that none shall be converted in the heathen world till the universal down-pouring of the spirit in the last days. but this objection comes too late; for the success of the gospel has been very considerable in many places already. [footnote : see edwards on prayer, on this subject, lately re-printed by mr. sutcliffe.] it has been objected that there are multitudes in our own nation, and within our immediate spheres of action, who are as ignorant as the south-sea savages, and that therefore we have work enough at home, without going into other countries. that there are thousands in our own land as far from god as possible, i readily grant, and that this ought to excite us to ten-fold diligence in our work, and in attempts to spread divine knowledge amongst them is a certain fact; but that it ought to supercede all attempts to spread the gospel in foreign parts seems to want proof. our own countrymen have the means of grace, and may attend on the word preached if they chuse it. they have the means of knowing the truth, and faithful ministers are placed in almost every part of the land, whose spheres of action might be much extended if their congregations were but more hearty and active in the cause: but with them the case is widely different, who have no bible, no written language, (which many of them have not,) no ministers, no good civil government, nor any of those advantages which we have. pity therefore, humanity, and much more christianity, call loudly for every possible exertion to introduce the gospel amongst them. sect. ii. _containing a short review of former undertakings for the conversion of the heathen._ before the coming of our lord jesus christ the whole world were either heathens, or jews; and both, as to the body of them were enemies to the gospel. after the resurrection the disciples continued in jerusalem till pentecost. being daily engaged in prayer and supplication, and having chosen matthias, to supply the place of judas in the apostolic office, on that solemn day, when they were all assembled together, a most remarkable effusion of the holy spirit took place, and a capacity of speaking in all foreign languages was bestowed upon them. this opportunity was embraced by peter for preaching the gospel to a great congregation of jews and proselytes, who were from parthia, media, elam, mesopotamia, judea, cappadocia, the proconsular asia, phrygia, pamphylia, egypt, lybia, crete, arabia, rome, &c. and at the first effort god wrought so powerfully that three thousand were converted, who immediately after were baptized, and added to the church. before this great addition they consisted of but about _an hundred and twenty persons_, but from that time they continually increased. it was but a little after this that peter and john, going up to the temple, healed the lame man; this miracle drew a great multitude together, and peter took occasion while they stood wondering at the event, to preach jesus christ to them. the consequence was that five thousand more believed. this was not done without opposition; the priests and sadducees tried all the methods they could invent to prevent them from preaching the gospel. the apostles, however, asserted their divine warrant, and as soon as they were set at liberty addressed god, and prayed that a divine power might attend their labours, which petition was heard, and their future ministry was very successful. on account of their necessities who were engaged in this good work, those amongst them who had possessions, or goods, sold them, and devoted the money to pious uses. about this time a man and his wife out of great pretensions to piety, sold an estate, and brought part of the money to the apostles, pretending it to be the whole; for which dissimulation both he and his wife, were struck dead by the hand of god. this awful catastrophe however was the occasion of many more men and women being added to the church. the miracles wrought by the apostles, and the success attending their ministry, stirred up greater envy in the priests and sadducees, who imprisoned them; from which confinement they were soon liberated by an angel; upon which they went immediately as they were commanded and preached in the temple: here they were seized, and brought before the council, where gamaliel spake in their favour, and they were dismissed. after this they continued to prosecute their work, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of christ. by this time the church at jerusalem was so increased that the multiplicity of its temporal concerns was the occasion of some neglects, which produced a dissatisfaction. the apostles, therefore, recommended to the church to chuse seven pious men, whose office it should be to attend upon its temporal affairs; that _they might give themselves to prayer, and the ministry of the word_. seven were accordingly chosen, over whom the apostles prayed, and ordained them to the office of deacons by imposition of hands: and these things being settled the church increased more and more. one of these deacons, whose name was stephen, being a person of eminent knowledge and holiness, wrought many miracles, and disputed with great evidence and energy for the truth of christianity, which raised him up a number of opponents. these soon procured his death, and carried their resentment so far as to stir up such a persecution that the church, which till now had been confined to jerusalem, was dispersed, and all the preachers except the apostles were driven thence, and went every where preaching the word. a young man whose name was _saul_, was very active in this persecution; he had been educated under gamaliel, a member of the sanhedrim, was a person of promising genius, by profession a pharisee, and much attached to the jewish ceremonies. when stephen was stoned he appeared much pleased with it, and had the custody of the clothes of his executioners; and from that time was fired with such a spirit of persecution himself, that he went about dragging some to prison, and compelling others to blaspheme the name of the lord jesus. neither was he contented with exercising his rage at jerusalem, but went to the chief priests and obtained testimonials of authority to carry on the same work at damascus. but on his way, as he was almost ready to enter into the city, the lord changed his heart in a very wonderful manner; so that instead of entering the town to persecute, he began to preach the gospel as soon as he was able. this presently brought upon him the same persecution which he had designed to exercise upon others, and even endangered his life, so that the brethren found it necessary to let him down the city wall in a basket by night, and so he escaped the hands of his enemies. from thence he went to jerusalem where he preached the word, but being persecuted there, he went to cesarea, and from thence to tarsus. in the time of this trouble in the church, philip went and preached at samaria with great success, nay so great was the work that an impostor, who had deceived the people with legerdemain tricks for a long time was so amazed, and even convinced, as to profess himself a christian, and was baptized; but was afterwards detected, and appeared to be an hypocrite. besides him a great number believed in reality, and being baptized a church was formed there. soon after this the lord commanded philip to go the way which led from jerusalem to gaza, which he did, and there found an eunuch of great authority in the court of ethiopia, to whom he preached christ, who believed, and was baptized; after which philip preached at ashdod, or azotus. about the same time peter went to lydda, or diospolis, and cured eneas of a palsy, which was a mean of the conversion not only of the inhabitants of that town, but also of the neighbouring country, called saron, the capital of which was lasharon; and while he was there, a circumstance turned up which tended much to the spread of the truth. a woman of joppa, a sea-port town in the neighbourhood, dying, they sent to lydda for peter, who went over, and when he had prayed she was raised to life again; which was an occasion of the conversion of many in that town. peter continued there preaching for some time, and lodged at the house of a tanner. now another circumstance also tended to the further propogation of christianity, for a roman military officer who had some acquaintance with the old testament scriptures, but was not circumcised, was one day engaged in prayer in his house at cesarea, when an angel appeared to him, and bid him send for peter from joppa to preach in his house. before this the work of god had been wholly confined to the jews, and jewish proselytes, and even the apostles appeared to have had very contracted ideas of the christian dispensation; but now god by a vision discovered to peter that christianity was to be spread into all nations. he accordingly went and preached at the house of cornelius, at cesarea, when several were converted, and baptized, and the foundation of a church laid in that city. some of the dispersed ministers having fled to antioch in syria, began to preach to the greeks in that city about the same time, and had good success; upon which the apostles sent paul and barnabas, who instructed and strengthened them, and a church was formed in that city also, which in a little time sent out several eminent preachers. in the acts of the apostles we have an account of _four_ of the principal journies which paul, and his companions undertook. the first, in which he was accompanied by barnabas, is recorded in the xiii. and xiv. chapters, and was the first _attack_ on the heathen world. it was a journey into the lesser asia. in their way they passed over the island of cyprus. no sooner had they entered on their undertaking, than they met with great difficulty; for mark, whom they had taken as their minister, deserted them, and returned to jerusalem, where, it seems, he thought he should enjoy the greatest quiet. paul and barnabas however went forward; in every city they preached the word of the lord, entering into the jewish synagogues and first preaching christ to them, and then to the gentiles. they were heard with great candour and eagerness by some, and rejected by others with obstinacy and wrath, and cruel persecution. one while they had enough to do to restrain the people from worshipping them as gods, and soon after, paul was stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead. having penetrated as far as derbe, they thought proper to return by the way that they came, calling at every city where they had sown the good seed, and finding in most, if not all these places, some who had embraced the gospel, they exhorted and strengthened them in the faith, formed them into a church state, and ordained them elders, fasted and prayed with them; and so having commended them to the lord on whom they had believed, returned to antioch in syria, from whence they first set out, and rehearsed to the church all that god had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles. about this time a dispute arising in the churches concerning circumcision, paul and barnabas were deputed to go up to jerusalem, to consult the apostles and elders on the subject. this business being adjusted, they, accompanied with judas and silas, returned to antioch with the general resolution, and continued there for a season, teaching and preaching the word of the lord. paul now proposed to barnabas, his fellow-labourer, that they might visit their brethren in the places where they had been already, and see how they did. to this barnabas readily acceded, but a difference arising between them about taking _john mark_ with them, who had deserted them before, these two eminent servants of god were parted asunder, and never appear to have travelled together any more. they continued however each to serve in the cause of christ, though they could not walk together. barnabas took john, and sailed to cyprus, his native island, and paul took silas, and went through syria and cilicia to derbe and lystra, cities where he and barnabas had preached in their first excursion. here they found timothy, a promising young man, whom they encouraged to engage in the ministry. paul being now at lystra, which was the boundary of his first excursion, and having visited the churches already planted, and delivered to them the decrees of the apostles and elders relating to circumcision, seems to have felt his heart enlarged, and assayed to carry on the glorious work of preaching the gospel to the heathen to a greater extent. with silas and timotheus he in his second journey[ ] took a western direction, passing through phrygia, and the region of galatia. having preached the word in these parts with considerable success,[ ] he and his companions wished to have gone into the proconsular asia, and afterwards assayed to go into bythinia; but begin forbidden of the holy ghost, who seems to have had a special design of employing them elsewhere; passing by mysia they came down to troas on the sea-coast. here a vision appeared to paul, in which he was invited to go over to macedonia. obedient to the heavenly vision, and greatly encouraged by it, they with all speed crossed the egean sea, and passing through the island of samothracia, landed at neapolis, and went from thence to philippi, the chief city of that part of macedonia. it was here that paul preached on a sabbath day to a few women by a river side, and lydia, a woman of thyatira, was converted and baptized, and her household with her. it was here that a poor girl, who brought her employers considerable profit by foretelling events, followed the apostles, had her spirit of divination ejected, on which account her masters were much irritated, and raised a tumult, the effect of which was, that paul and silas were imprisoned. but even this was over-ruled for the success of the gospel, in that the keeper of the prison, and all his house, were thereby brought to believe in the lord jesus christ, and were baptized. [footnote : the account of this second journey into the heathen world begins at acts xv. . and ends chap. xviii. .] [footnote : see ch. xviii. . and gal i. .] from philippi they passed thorough amphipolis, apollonia, thessalonica, (now salonichi,) berea, athens, and corinth, preaching the gospel wherever they went. from hence paul took ship and sailed to syria, only giving a short call at ephesus, determining to be at jerusalem at the feast of the passover; and having saluted the church, he came to cesarea, and from thence to antioch. here ended paul's second journey, which was very extensive, and took up some years of his time. he and his companions met with their difficulties in it, but had likewise their encouragements. they were persecuted at philippi, as already noticed, and generally found the jews to be their most inveterate enemies. these would raise tumults, inflame the minds of the gentiles against them, and follow them from place to place, doing them all the mischief in their power. this was the case especially at thessalonica, berea, and corinth. but amidst all their persecutions god was with them, and strengthened them in various ways. at berea they were candidly received, and their doctrine fairly tried by the holy scriptures; and _therefore_, it is said, _many of them believed_. at other places, though they affected to despise the apostle, yet some clave unto him. at _corinth_ opposition rose to a great height; but the lord appeared to his servant in a vision, saying, _be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for i am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for i have much people in this city_. and the promise was abundantly made good in the spirit discovered by gallio, the proconsul, who turned a deaf ear to the accusations of the jews, and nobly declined interfering in matters beside his province. upon the whole a number of churches were planted during this journey, which for ages after shone as lights in the world. when paul had visited antioch, and spent some time there, he prepared for a third journey into heathen countries, the account of which begins acts xviii. . and ends chap. xxi. . at his first setting out he went over the whole country of galatia and phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples; and passing through the upper coasts came to ephesus. there for the space of three months, he boldly preached in the jewish synagogue, disputing, and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of god. but when the hardened jews had openly rejected the gospel, and spake evil of that way before the multitude, paul openly separated the disciples from them, and assembled in the school of one tyrannus. this, it is said, continued for the space of two years, _so that all they who dwelt in_ the proconsular _asia heard the word of the lord jesus, both jews and greeks_. certain magicians, about this time were exposed, and others converted, who burnt their books, and confessed their deeds. so mightily grew the word of the lord, and prevailed. after this an uproar being raised by demetrius, the silversmith, paul went into macedonia, visited the churches planted in his former journey, and from thence passed into greece. having preached up and down for three months, he thought of sailing from thence directly to syria; but in order to avoid the jews, who laid wait for him near the sea coast, he took another course through macedonia, and from thence to troas, by the way of philippi. there is no mention made in his former journey of his having preached at troas; yet it seems he did, and a church was gathered, with whom the apostle at this time united in _breaking of bread_. it was here that he preached all night, and raised eutychus, who being overcome with sleep, had fallen down, and was taken up dead. from hence they set sail for syria, and in their way called at miletus, where paul sent for the elders of the church of ephesus, and delivered that most solemn and affectionate farewell, recorded in the th chapter of the acts of the apostles. from hence they sailed for tyre, where they tarried seven days, and from thence proceeded to jerusalem. paul's fourth and last journey (or rather voyage) was to rome, where he went in the character of a prisoner. for being at jerusalem he was quickly apprehended by the jews; but being rescued by lysias, the chief captain, he was sent to cesarea to take his trial. here he made his defence before felix and drusilla, in such sort that the judge, instead of the prisoner, was made to tremble. here also he made his defence before festus, agrippa, and bernice, with such force of evidence that agrippa was almost persuaded to be a christian. but the malice of the jews being insatiable, and paul finding himself in danger of being delivered into their hands, was constrained to appeal unto caesar. this was the occasion of his being sent to rome, where he arrived after a long and dangerous voyage, and being shipwrecked on the island of melita, where he wrought miracles, and publius, the governor, was converted. when he arrived at rome he addressed his countrymen the jews, some of whom believed; but when others rejected the gospel, he turned from them to the gentiles, and for two whole years dwelt in his own hired house preaching the kingdom of god, and teaching those things which concern the lord jesus christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. thus far the history of the acts of the apostles informs us of the success of the word in the primitive times; and history informs us of its being preached about this time, in many other places. peter speaks of a church at babylon; paul proposed a journey to spain, and it is generally believed he went there, and likewise came to france and britain. andrew preached to the scythians, north of the black sea. john is said to have preached in india, and we know that he was at the isle of patmos, in the archipelago. philip is reported to have preached in upper asia, scythia, and phrygia; bartholomew in india, on this side the ganges, phrygia, and armenia; matthew in arabia, or asiatic ethiopia, and parthia; thomas in india, as far as the coast of coromandel, and some say in the island of ceylon; simon, the canaanite, in egypt, cyrene, mauritania, lybia, and other parts of africa, and from thence to have come to britain; and jude is said to have been principally engaged in the lesser asia, and greece. their labours were evidently very extensive, and very successful; so that pliny, the younger, who lived soon after the death of the apostles, in a letter to the emperor, trajan, observed that christianity had spread, not only through towns and cities, but also through whole countries. indeed before this, in the time of nero, it was so prevalent that it was thought necessary to oppose it by an imperial edict, and accordingly the proconsuls, and other governors, were commissioned to destroy it. justin martyr, who lived about the middle of the second century, in his dialogue with trypho, observed that there was no part of mankind, whether greeks or barbarians, or any others, by what name soever they were called, whether the sarmatians, or the nomades, who had no houses, or the scenites of arabia petrea, who lived in tents among their cattle, where supplications and thanksgivings are not offered up to the father, and maker of all things, through the name of jesus christ. irenaeus, who lived about the year , speaks of churches that were founded in germany, spain, france, the eastern countries, egypt, lybia, and the middle of the world. tertullian, who lived and wrote at carthage in africa, about twenty years afterwards, enumerating the countries where christianity had penetrated, makes mention of the parthians, medes, elamites, mesopotamians, armenians, phrygians, cappadocians, the inhabitants of pontus, asia, pamphylia, egypt, and the regions of africa beyond cyrene, the romans, and jews, formerly of jerusalem, many of the getuli, many borders of the mauri, or moors, in mauritania; now barbary, morocco, &c. all the borders of spain, many nations of the gauls, and the places in britain which were inaccessible to the romans; the dacians, sarmatians, germans, scythians, and the inhabitants of many hidden nations and provinces, and of many islands unknown to him, and which he could not enumerate. the labours of the ministers of the gospel, in this early period, were so remarkably blessed of god, that the last mentioned writer observed, in a letter to scapula, that if he began a persecution the city of carthage itself must be decimated thereby. yea, and so abundant were they in the three first centuries, that ten years constant and almost universal persecution under dioclesian, could neither root out the christians, nor prejudice their cause. after this they had great encouragement under several emperors, particularly constantine and theodosius, and a very great work of god was carried on; but the ease and affluence which in these times attended the church, served to introduce a flood of corruption, which by degrees brought on the whole system of popery, by means of which all appeared to be lost again; and satan set up his kingdom of darkness, deceit, and human authority over conscience, through all the christian world. in the time of constantine, one frumentius was sent to preach to the indians, and met with great success. a young woman who was a christian, being taken captive by the iberians, or georgians, near the caspian sea, informed them of the truths of christianity, and was so much regarded that they sent to constantine for ministers to come and preach the word to them. about the same time some barbarous nations having made irruptions into thrace, carried away several christians captive, who preached the gospel; by which means the inhabitants upon the rhine, and the danube, the celtae, and some other parts of gaul, were brought to embrace christianity. about this time also james of nisbia, went into persia to strengthen the christians, and preach to the heathens; and his success was so great that adiabene was almost entirely christian. about the year , one moses, a monk, went to preach to the saracens, who then lived in arabia, where he had great success; and at this time the goths, and other northern nations, had the kingdom of christ further extended amongst them, but which was very soon corrupted with arianism. soon after this the kingdom of christ was further extended among the scythian nomades, beyond the danube, and about the year , a people called the burgundians, received the gospel. four years after, that palladius was sent to preach in scotland, and the next year patrick was sent from scotland to preach to the irish who before his time were totally uncivilized, and, some say, cannibals; he however, was useful, and laid the foundations of several churches in ireland. presently after this, truth spread further among the saracens, and in , zathus, king of the colchians encouraged it, and many of that nation were converted to christianity. about this time also the work was extended in ireland, by finian, and in scotland by constantine and columba; the latter of whom preached also to the picts, and brudaeus, their king, with several others, were converted. about , adad, the king of ethiopia, was converted by the preaching of mansionarius; the heruli beyond the danube, were now made obedient to the faith, and the abasgi, near the caucasian mountains. but now popery, especially the compulsive part of it, was risen to such an height, that the usual method of propagating the gospel, or rather what was so called, was to conquer pagan nations by force of arms, and then oblige them to submit to christianity, after which bishopricks were erected, and persons then sent to instruct the people. i shall just mention some of those who are said to have laboured thus. in , austin, the monk, melitus, justus, paulinus, and russinian, laboured in england, and in their way were very successful. paulinus, who appears to have been one of the best of them, had great success in northumberland; birinnius preached to the west saxons, and felix to the east angles. in , amandus gallus laboured in ghent, chelenus in artois, and gallus and columbanus in suabia. in , egidius gallus in flanders, and the two evaldi, in westphalia. in , willifred, in the isle of wight. in , chilianus, in upper franconia. in , boniface, or winifred, among the thuringians, near erford, in saxony, and willibroad in west-friesland. charlemagne conquered hungary in the year , and obliged the inhabitants to profess christianity, when modestus likewise preached to the venedi, at the source of the save and drave. in , ansgarius preached in denmark, gaudibert in sweden, and about , methodius and cyril, in bohemia. about the year , the scythians over-run bulgaria, and christianity was extirpated; but about they were re-converted. poland began to be brought over about the same time, and afterwards, about or , the work was further extended amongst the poles and prussians. the work was begun in norway in , and in muscovy in , the swedes propagated christianity in finland, in , lithuania became christian in , and samogitia in . the spaniards forced popery upon the inhabitants of south-america, and the portuguese in asia. the jesuits were sent into china in . xavier, whom they call the apostle of the indians, laboured in the east-indies and japan, from to , and several millions of capauchins were sent to africa in the seventeenth century. but blind zeal, gross superstition, and infamous cruelties, so marked the appearances of religion all this time, that the professors of christianity needed conversion, as much as the heathen world. a few pious people had fled from the general corruption, and lived obscurely in the vallies of piedmont and savoy, who were like the seed of the church. some of them were now and then necessitated to travel into other parts, where they faithfully testified against the corruptions of the times. about wickliffe began to preach the faith in england, and his preaching and writings were the means of the conversion of great numbers, many of whom became excellent preachers; and a work was begun which afterwards spread in england, hungary, bohemia, germany, switzerland, and many other places. john huss and jerom of prague, preached boldly and successfully in bohemia, and the adjacent parts. in the following century luther, calvin, melancton, bucer, martyr, and many others, stood up against all the rest of the world; they preached, and prayed, and wrote; and nations agreed one after another to cast off the yoke of popery, and to embrace the doctrine of the gospel. in england, episcopal tyranny succeeded to popish cruelty, which, in the year , obliged many pious people to leave their native land and settle in america; these were followed by others in , who laid the foundations of several gospel churches, which have increased amazingly since that time, and the redeemer has fixed his throne in that country, where but a little time ago, satan had universal dominion. in , mr. elliot, of new-england, a very pious and zealous minister, began to preach to the indians, among whom he had great success; several churches of indians were planted, and some preachers and school-masters raised up amongst them; since which time others have laboured amongst them with some good encouragement. about the year , mr. david brainerd was sent a missionary to some more indians, where he preached, and prayed, and after some time an extraordinary work of conversion was wrought, and wonderful success attended his ministry. and at this present time, mr. kirkland and mr. sergeant are employed in the same good work, and god has considerably blessed their labours. in , the king of denmark sent a mr. ziegenbalg, and some others, to tranquebar, on the coromandel coast in the east-indies, who were useful to the natives, so that many of the heathens were turned to the lord. the dutch east-india company likewise having extended their commerce, built the city of batavia, and a church was opened there; and the lord's supper was administered for the first time, on the d of january, , by their minister james hulzibos, from hence some ministers were sent to amboyna, who were very successful. a seminary of learning was erected at leyden, in which ministers and assistants were educated, under the renowned _walaeus_, and some years a great number were sent to the east, at the company's expence, so that in a little time many thousands at formosa, malabar, ternate, jaffanapatnam, in the town of columba, at amboyna, java, banda, macassar, and malabar, embraced the religion of our lord jesus christ. the work has decayed in some places, but they now have churches in ceylon, sumatra, java, amboyna, and some other of the spice islands, and at the cape of good hope, in africa. but none of the moderns have equalled the moravian brethren in this good work; they have sent missions to greenland, labrador, and several of the west-indian islands, which have been blessed for good. they have likewise sent to abyssinia, in africa, but what success they have had i cannot tell. the late mr. wesley lately made an effort in the west-indies, and some of their ministers are now labouring amongst the caribbs and negroes, and i have seen pleasing accounts of their success. sect. iii. _containing a survey of the present state of the world._ in this survey i shall consider the world as divided, according to its usual division, into four parts, _europe, asia, africa_, and _america_, and take notice of the extent of the several countries, their population, civilization, and religion. the article of religion i shall divide into christian, jewish, mahometan, and pagan; and shall now and then hint at the particular sect of them that prevails in the places which i shall describe. the following tables will exhibit a more comprehensive view of what i propose, than any thing i can offer on the subject. _europe._ extent. countries. length breadth number of religion. miles. miles. inhabitants. great-britain , , protestants, of many denominations. ireland , , protestants and papists. france , , catholics, deists, and protestants. spain , , papists. sweden including , , the swedes are serious sweden proper, lutherans, but most gothland, shonen, of the laplanders lapland, bothnia, are pagans, and very and finland superstitious. isle of gothland , ---- oesel , ---- oeland , ---- dago , ---- aland ---- hogland denmark , lutherans of the helvetic confession. isle of zeeland , ditto. ---- funen , ditto. ---- arroe ditto. ---- iceland , ditto. ---- langeland , ditto. ---- laland , ditto. ---- falster , ditto. ---- mona ditto. ---- alsen ditto. ---- femeren , ditto. isle of bornholm , lutherans. greenland undiscovered , pagans, and moravian christians. norway , lutherans. faro isles , ditto. danish lapland , ditto, and pagans. poland , , papists, lutherans, calvinists, & jews. prussia[ ] , , calvinists, catholics, & lutherans. sardinia , papists. sicily , , ditto. italy , , ditto. united netherlands , , protestants of several denominations. austrian netherlands , , papists and protestants. switzerland , , papists and protestants. the grisons , lutherans and papists. the abbacy of st. gall , ditto. neufchatel , calvinists. valais , papists. piedmont , ditto, and protestants. savoy , ditto. geneva, city , calvinists. bohemia , , papists and moravians. hungary , , papists. germany , , ditto, and protestants. russia in europe , , greek church. turkey in europe , , greek christians, jews, & mahometans. budziac tartary , , greek christians, jews, & mahometans lesser tartary , , ditto. crim tartary , ditto. isle of tenedos mahometans. ---- negropont , ditto. ---- lemnos , ditto. ---- paros in compass. , greek christians. ---- lesbos, or miylene in compass. , mahometans and greeks. ---- naxia in compass. , greeks and papists. ---- scio, or chios in compass. greek christians, papists, & mahomet. ---- nio in compass. , ditto. ---- scyros in compass. , ditto. ---- mycone in compass. , ditto. ---- samos , mahometans. ---- nicaria in compass. , greek christians ---- andros in compass. , ditto. ---- cyclades, ditto. delos the chief. ---- zia in compass. , ditto. ---- cerigo or in compass. , ditto. cytheraea ---- santorin in compass. , ditto, and papists. ---- policandra in compass. ditto. ---- patmos in compass. ditto. ---- sephanto in compass. , greeks. ---- claros in compass. , mahometans. ---- amorgo in compass. , greek christians. ---- leros in compass. christians and mahometans. ---- therima in compass. , greek christians. ---- stampalia in compass. , ditto. ---- salamis in compass. , ditto. ---- scarpanta in compass. , ditto. ---- cephalonia in compass. , ditto. ---- zant in compass. , greek christians. ---- milo in compass. , ditto. ---- corfu in compass. , ditto. ---- candia, or crete , ditto, and mahometans. ---- coos, in compass. , mahometans and or stanchia christians. ---- rhodes , ditto. ---- cyprus , mahometans. [footnote : the rest of prussian dominions being scattered about in several countries, are counted to those countries where they lie.] _asia._ extent. countries. length breadth number of religion. miles. miles. inhabitants. turkey in asia , , mahometanism is most contains anatolia, prevalent, but there syria, palestine, are many greek, latin, diabekr, tutcomania eutychian, and and georgia armenian christians. arabia , , mahometans. persia , , ditto, of the sect of ali. great tartary , , mahometans and pagans. siberia , , greek christians and pagans. samojedia , , pagans. kamtschatcha , ditto. nova zembla undiscovered.thinly inhabit.ditto. china , , ditto. japan contains , , ditto. niphon isl. isle of ximo , , pagans. ---- xicoco , , ditto. ---- tsussima , ditto. ---- iki , ditto. ---- kubitessima , ditto. ---- matounsa , ditto. ---- fastistia , ditto. ---- firando , ditto. ---- amacusa , ditto. ---- awasi , ditto. india , , mahometans and pagans. beyond the ganges indostan , , ditto. tibet , , pagans. isle of ceylon , , pagans, except the dutch christians. ---- maldives in number. , mahometans. ---- sumatra , , ditto, and pagans. ---- java , , ditto. ---- timor , ditto, and a few christians. ---- borneo , , ditto. ---- celebes , , ditto. ---- boutam , mahometans. ---- carpentyn , christian protestants. ---- ourature , pagans. ---- pullo lout , ditto. besides the little islands of manaar, aripen, caradivia, pengandiva, analativa, nainandiva, and nindundiva, which are inhabited by christian protestants. and banca, madura, bally, lambeck, flores, solor, leolana, panterra, miscomby, and several others, inhabited by pagans and mahometans. the moluccas are, ---- banda , pagans and mahometans. ---- buro , ditto. ---- amboyna , christians;--the dutch have ch. ---- ceram , pagans and mahometans. ---- gillola , ditto. and pully-way, pullo-rin, nera, guamanapi, guilliaien, ternate, motir, machian, and bachian, which are inhabited by pagans and mahometans. the philippine islands are supposed to be about , ;--some of the chief are, isle of mindanao , pagans and mahometans. ---- bahol , ditto. ---- layta , ditto. ---- parragon , ditto. the calamines are sebu , papists. ---- mindora , pagans and mahometans. ---- philippina , ditto. ---- negroes isle , papists. ---- manilla , ditto, and pagans. the ladrone islands are inhabited by most uncivilized pagans. new holland , , pagans;-- or ministers are there. new zealand[ ] , , ditto. new guinea , , ditto. new britain , ditto. new ireland , ditto. onrong java a cluster of isles. ditto. new caledonia , ditto. new hebrides ditto. friendly isles in number. ditto. sandwich isles in number. , ditto. society isles in number. , ditto. kurile isles in number. , ditto. pelew isles pagans. oonalashka isle , ditto. the other south-sea islands. ditto. [footnote : two islands.] _africa._ extent. countries. length breadth number of religion. miles. miles. inhabitants. egypt , , mahometans and jews. nubia , , ditto. barbary , , mahometans, jews, and christians. biledulgerid , , mahometans, christians, and jews. zaara, or the desart , ditto. abyssinia , , armenian christians. abex , , christians and pagans. negroland , , pagans. loango , , ditto. congo , , ditto. angola , , ditto. benguela , , ditto. mataman , , ditto. ajan , , ditto. zanguebar , , ditto. monoemugi , , ditto. sofala , , pagans. terra de natal , , ditto. caffraria, or the , , ditto, and a few hottentots country christians at the cape. isle of madagascar , , pagans and mahometans. ---- st. mary , french papists. ---- mascarin , ditto. ---- st. helena in compass. , english and french christians. ---- annabon , portuguese papists. ---- st. thomas , pagans. ---- zocotora , mahometans. ---- comora isles in number. , ditto. ---- mauritius in compass. , french papists. ---- bourbon in compass. , french papists. ---- madeiras in number. , papists. ---- cape verd isles in number. , ditto. ---- canaries in number. , ditto. ---- azores in number. , ditto. ---- maltha , ditto. _america._ extent. countries. length breadth number of religion. miles. miles. inhabitants. brazil , , pagans and papists. paraguay , , pagans. chili , , pagans and papists. peru , , pagans and papists. country of the , , pagans. amazons. terra firma , , pagans and papists. guiana , , ditto. terra magellanica , , pagans. old mexico , , ditto, and papists. new mexico , , ditto. the states of america , , christians, of various denominations terra de labrador, , , christians, of various nova-scotia, denominations, but louisiana, canada, most of the north and all the country american indians are inland from mexico pagans. to hudson's-bay california, and from , , pagans. thence along the degrees south latitude, and so far inland as to meet the above article all to the north of unknown. pagans. degrees cape breton , christians. ---- newfoundland , protestants. ---- cumberland's isle , pagans. ---- madre de dios , ditto. ---- terra del fuego , ditto. all the islands in the vicinity of cape horn pagans. the bermudas extend , half english, and half slaves. the little antilles are aruba dutch, and pagan negroes. ---- curassoa , ditto. ---- bonaire ditto. ---- margaritta , spaniards, and pagan negoes. ---- st trinidad , ditto. the bahamas are ---- bahama , pagans. ---- providence , ditto. besides eluthera, harbour, lucayonegua, andross, cigateo, guanaliana, yumeta, samana, yuma, mayaguana, ynagua, caieos, and triangula-- pagans. the antilles are ---- cuba , , papists. ---- jamaica , english, and pagan negroes. ---- st. domingo , , french, spaniards, and negroes. ---- porto rico , spaniards and negroes. ---- vache, or cows i. , ditto. the virgin isles are in number, of which danes island is the principal--protestants. the carrirbees are ---- st. cruz , danish protestants. ---- anguilla , protestants, and negroes. ---- st. martin , ditto. ---- st. bartholomew ditto. ---- barbuda , ditto. ---- saba , ditto. ---- guardulope , catholics, and pagan negroes. ---- marigalante , ditto. ---- tobago , ditto. ---- defiada , ditto. ---- granada , english, and pagan negroes. ---- st. lucia , ditto, and native pagan caribbs. whites. negroes. ---- st. eustatia , , dutch, english, &c. ---- st.christopher , , english. ---- nevis , , ditto. ---- antigua , , ditto. ---- montserrat , , ditto. ---- martinico , , french. ---- st. vincent's , , the , are native caribbs. ---- barbadoes , , english. ---- dominica , ditto, , of them native caribbs. ---- st. thomas in compass. , danish protestants. this, as nearly as i can obtain information, is the state of the world; though in many countries, as turkey, arabia, great tartary, africa, and america, except the united states, and most of the asiatic islands, we have no accounts of the number of inhabitants, that can be relied on. i have therefore only calculated the extent, and counted a certain number on an average upon a square mile; in some countries more, and in others less, according as circumstances determine. a few general remarks upon it will conclude this section. first, the inhabitants of the world according to this calculation, amount to about seven hundred and thirty-one millions; four hundred and twenty millions of whom are still in pagan darkness; an hundred and thirty millions the followers of mahomet; an hundred millions catholics; forty-four millions protestants; thirty millions of the greek and armenian churches, and perhaps seven millions of jews. it must undoubtedly strike every considerate mind, what a vast proportion of the sons of adam there are, who yet remain in the most deplorable state of heathen darkness, without any means of knowing the true god, except what are afforded them by the works of nature; and utterly destitute of the knowledge of the gospel of christ, or of any means of obtaining it. in many of these countries they have no written language, consequently no bible, and are only led by the most childish customs and traditions. such, for instance, are all the middle and back parts of north america, the inland parts of south america, the south-sea islands, new holland, new zealand, new guinea; and i may add great tartary, siberia, samojedia, and the other parts of asia contiguous to the frozen sea; the greatest part of africa, the island of madagascar, and many places beside. in many of these parts also they are cannibals, feeding upon the flesh of their slain enemies, with the greatest brutality and eagerness. the truth of this was ascertained, beyond a doubt, by the late eminent navigator, cooke, of the new zealanders, and some of the inhabitants of the western coast of america. human sacrifices are also very frequently offered, so that scarce a week elapses without instances of this kind. they are in general poor, barbarous, naked pagans, as destitute of civilization, as they are of true religion. secondly, barbarous as these poor heathens are, they appear to be as capable of knowledge as we are; and in many places, at least, have discovered uncommon genius and tractableness; and i greatly question whether most of the barbarities practiced by them, have not originated in some real or supposed affront, and are therefore, more properly, acts of self-defence, than proofs of inhuman and blood-thirsty dispositions. thirdly, in other parts, where they have a written language, as in the east-indies, china, japan, &c. they know nothing of the gospel. the jesuits indeed once made many converts to popery among the chinese; but their highest aim seemed to be to obtain their good opinion; for though the converts professed themselves christians, yet they were allowed to honour the image of confucius their great law-giver; and at length their ambitious intrigues brought upon them the displeasure of government, which terminated in the suppression of the mission, and almost, if not entirely, of the christian name. it is also a melancholy fact, that the vices of europeans have been communicated wherever they themselves have been; so that the religious state of even heathens has been rendered worse by intercourse with them! fourthly, a very great proportion of asia and africa, with some part of europe, are _mahometans_; and those in persia, who are of the sect of _hali_, are the most inveterate enemies to the turks; and they in return abhor the persians. the africans are some of the most ignorant of all the mahometans; especially the arabs, who are scattered through all the northern parts of africa, and live upon the depredations which they are continually making upon their neighbours. fifthly, in respect to those who bear the christian name, a very great degree of ignorance and immorality abounds amongst them. there are christians, so called, of the greek and armenian churches, in all the mahometan countries; but they are, if possible, more ignorant and vicious than the mahometans themselves. the georgian christians, who are near the caspian sea, maintain themselves by selling their neighbours, relations, and children, for slaves to the turks and persians. and it is remarked, that if any of the greeks of anatolia turn mussulmen, the turks never set any store by them, on account of their being so much noted for dissimulation and hypocrisy. it is well known that most of the members of the greek church are very ignorant. papists also are in general ignorant of divine things, and very vicious. nor do the bulk of the church of england much exceed them, either in knowledge or holiness; and many errors, and much looseness of conduct, are to be found amongst dissenters of all denominations. the lutherans in denmark, are much on a par with the ecclesiastics in england; and the face of most christian countries presents a dreadful scene of ignorance, hypocrisy, and profligacy. various baneful, and pernicious errors appear to gain ground, in almost every part of christendom; the truths of the gospel, and even the gospel itself, are attacked, and every method that the enemy can invent is employed to undermine the kingdom of our lord jesus christ. all these things are loud calls to christians, and especially to ministers, to exert themselves to the utmost in their several spheres of action, and to try to enlarge them as much as possible. sect. iv. _the practicability of something being done, more than what is done, for the conversion of the heathen._ the impediments in the way of carrying the gospel among the heathen must arise, i think, from one or other of the following things; --either their distance from us, their barbarous and savage manner of living, the danger of being killed by them, the difficulty of procuring the necessaries of life, or the unintelligibleness of their languages. first, as to their distance from us, whatever objections might have been made on that account before the invention of the mariner's compass, nothing can be alledged for it, with any colour of plausibility in the present age. men can now sail with as much certainty through the great south sea, as they can through the mediterranean, or any lesser sea. yea, and providence seems in a manner to invite us to the trial, as there are to our knowledge trading companies, whose commerce lies in many of the places where, these barbarians dwell. at one time or other ships are sent to visit places of more recent discovery, and to explore parts the most unknown; and every fresh account of their ignorance, or cruelty, should call forth our pity, and excite us to concur with providence in seeking their eternal good. scripture likewise seems to point out this method, _surely the isles shall wait for me; the ships of tarshish first, to bring my sons from far, their silver, and their gold with them, unto the name of the lord, thy god._ isai. lx. . this seems to imply that in the time of the glorious increase of the church, in the latter days, (of which the whole chapter is undoubtedly a prophecy,) commerce shall subserve the spread of the gospel. the ships of tarshish were trading vessels, which made voyages for traffic to various parts; thus much therefore must be meant by it, that _navigation_, especially that which is _commercial_, shall be one great mean of carrying on the work of god; and perhaps it may imply that there shall be a very considerable appropriation of wealth to that purpose. secondly, as to their uncivilized, and barbarous way of living, this can be no objection to any, except those whose love of ease renders them unwilling to expose themselves to inconveniencies for the good of others. it was no objection to the apostles and their successors, who went among the barbarous _germans_ and _gauls_, and still more barbarous _britons_! they did not wait for the ancient inhabitants of these countries, to be civilized, before they could be christianized, but went simply with the doctrine of the cross; and tertullian could boast that "those parts of britain which were proof against the roman armies, were conquered by the gospel of christ"--it was no objection to an elliot, or a brainerd, in later times. they went forth, and encountered every difficulty of the kind, and found that a cordial reception of the gospel produced those happy effects which the longest intercourse with europeans, without it could never accomplish. it _is_ no objection to commercial men. it only requires that we should have as much love to the souls of our fellow-creatures, and fellow sinners, as they have for the profits arising from a few otter-skins, and all these difficulties would be easily surmounted. after all, the uncivilized state of the heathen, instead of affording an objection _against_ preaching the gospel to them, ought to furnish an argument _for_ it. can we as men, or as christians, hear that a great part of our fellow creatures, whose souls are as immortal as ours, and who are as capable as ourselves, of adorning the gospel, and contributing by their preaching, writings, or practices to the glory of our redeemer's name, and the good of his church, are inveloped in ignorance and barbarism? can we hear that they are without the gospel, without government, without laws, and without arts, and sciences; and not exert ourselves to introduce amongst them the sentiments of men, and of christians? would not the spread of the gospel be the most effectual mean of their civilization? would not that make them useful members of society? we know that such effects did in a measure follow the afore-mentioned efforts of _elliot_, _brainerd_, and others amongst the american indians; and if similar attempts were made in other parts of the world, and succeeded with a divine blessing (which we have every reason to think they would) might we not expect to see able divines, or read well-conducted treatises in defence of the truth, even amongst those who at present seem to be scarcely human? thirdly, _in respect to the danger of being killed by them_, it is true that whoever does go must put his life in his hand, and not consult with flesh and blood; but do not the goodness of the cause, the duties incumbent on us as the creatures of god, and christians, and the perishing state of our fellow men, loudly call upon us to venture all and use every warrantable exertion for their benefit? paul and barnabas, who _hazarded their lives for the name of our lord jesus christ_, were not blamed as being rash, but commended for so doing, while john mark who through timidity of mind deserted them in their perilous undertaking, was branded with censure. after all, as has been already observed, i greatly question whether most of the barbarities practiced by the savages upon those who have visited them, have not originated in some real or supposed affront, and were therefore, more properly, acts of self-defence, than proofs of ferocious dispositions. no wonder if the imprudence of sailors should prompt them to offend the simple savage, and the offence be resented; but _elliot_, _brainerd_, and the _moravian missionaries_, have been very seldom molested. nay, in general the heathen have shewed a willingness to hear the word; and have principally expressed their hatred of christianity on account of the vices of nominal christians. fourthly, _as to the difficulty of procuring the necessaries of life_, this would not be so great as may appear at first sight; for though we could not procure european food, yet we might procure such as the natives of those countries which we visit, subsist upon themselves. and this would only be passing through what we have virtually engaged, in by entering on the ministerial office. a christian minister is a person who in a peculiar sense is _not his own_; he is the _servant_ of god, and therefore ought to be wholly devoted to him. by entering on that sacred office he solemnly undertakes to be always engaged, as much as possible, in the lord's work, and not to chuse his own pleasure, or employment, or pursue the ministry as a something that is to subserve his own ends, or interests, or as a kind of bye-work. he engages to go where god pleases, and to do, or endure what he sees fit to command, or call him to, in the exercise of his function. he virtually bids farewell to friends, pleasures, and comforts, and stands in readiness to endure the greatest sufferings in the work of his lord, and master. it is inconsistent for ministers to please themselves with thoughts of a numerous auditory, cordial friends, a civilized country, legal protection, affluence, splendor, or even a competency. the flights, and hatred of men, and even pretended friends, gloomy prisons, and tortures, the society of barbarians of uncouth speech, miserable accommodations in wretched wildernesses, hunger, and thirst, nakedness, weariness, and painfulness, hard work, and but little worldly encouragement, should rather be the objects of their expectation. thus the apostles acted, in the primitive times, and endured hardness, as good soldiers of jesus christ; and though we living in a civilized country where christianity is protected by law, are not called to suffer these things while we continue here, yet i question whether all are justified in staying here, while so many are perishing without means of grace in other lands. sure i am that it is entirely contrary to the spirit of the gospel, for its ministers to enter upon it from interested motives, or with great worldly expectations. on the contrary the commission is a sufficient call to them to venture all, and, like the primitive christians, go every where preaching the gospel. it might be necessary, however, for two, at least, to go together, and in general i should think it best that they should be married men, and to prevent their time from being employed in procuring necessaries, two, or more, other persons, with their wives and families, might also accompany them, who should be wholly employed in providing for them. in most countries it would be necessary for them to cultivate a little spot of ground just for their support, which would be a resource to them, whenever their supplies failed. not to mention the advantages they would reap from each others company, it would take off the enormous expence which has always attended undertakings of this kind, the first expence being the whole; for though a large colony needs support for a considerable time, yet so small a number would, upon receiving the first crop, maintain themselves. they would have the advantage of choosing their situation, their wants would be few; the women, and even the children, would be necessary for domestic purposes; and a few articles of stock, as a cow or two, and a bull, and a few other cattle of both sexes, a very few utensils of husbandry, and some corn to sow their land, would be sufficient. those who attend the missionaries should understand husbandry, fishing, fowling, &c. and be provided with the necessary implements for these purposes. indeed a variety of methods may be thought of, and when once the work is undertaken, many things will suggest themselves to us, of which we at present can form no idea. fifthly, as to _learning their languages_, the same means would be found necessary here as in trade between different nations. in some cases interpreters might be obtained, who might be employed for a time; and where these were not to be found, the missionaries must have patience, and mingle with the people, till they have learned so much of their language as to be able to communicate their ideas to them in it. it is well known to require no very extraordinary talents to learn, in the space of a year, or two at most, the language of any people upon earth, so much of it at least, as to be able to convey any sentiments we wish to their understandings. the missionaries must be men of great piety, prudence, courage, and forbearance; of undoubted orthodoxy in their sentiments, and must enter with all their hearts into the spirit of their mission; they must be willing to leave all the comforts of life behind them, and to encounter all the hardships of a torrid, or a frigid climate, an uncomfortable manner of living, and every other inconvenience that can attend this undertaking. clothing, a few knives, powder and shot, fishing-tackle, and the articles of husbandry above-mentioned, must be provided for them; and when arrived at the place of their destination, their first business must be to gain some acquaintance with the language of the natives, (for which purpose two would be better than one,) and by all lawful means to endeavour to cultivate a friendship with them, and as soon as possible let them know the errand for which they were sent. they must endeavour to convince them that it was their good alone, which induced them to forsake their friends, and all the comforts of their native country. they must be very careful not to resent injuries which may be offered to them, nor to think highly of themselves, so as to despise the poor heathens, and by those means lay a foundation for their resentment, or rejection of the gospel. they must take every opportunity of doing them good, and labouring, and travelling, night and day, they must instruct, exhort, and rebuke, with all long suffering, and anxious desire for them, and, above all, must be instant in prayer for the effusion of the holy spirit upon the people of their charge. let but missionaries of the above description engage in the work, and we shall see that it is not impracticable. it might likewise be of importance, if god should bless their labours, for them to encourage any appearances of gifts amongst the people of their charge; if such should be raised up many advantages would be derived from their knowledge of the language, and customs of their countrymen; and their change of conduct would give great weight to their ministrations. sect. v. _an enquiry into the duty of christians in general, and what means ought to be used, in order to promote this work._ if the prophecies concerning the increase of christ's kingdom be true, and if what has been advanced, concerning the commission given by him to his disciples being obligatory on us, be just, it must be inferred that all christians ought heartily to concur with god in promoting his glorious designs, for _he that is joined to the lord is one spirit_. one of the first, and most important of those duties which are incumbent upon us, is _fervent and united prayer_. however the influence of the holy spirit may be set at nought, and run down by many, it will be found upon trial, that all means which we can use, without it, will be ineffectual. if a temple is raised for god in the heathen world, it will not be _by might, nor by power_, nor by the authority of the magistrate, or the eloquence of the orator; _but by my spirit, saith the lord of hosts_. we must therefore be in real earnest in supplicating his blessing upon our labours. it is represented in the prophets, that when there shall be _a great mourning in the land, as the mourning of hadadrimmon in the valley of megiddon, and every family shall mourn apart, and their wives apart_, it shall all follow upon _a spirit of grace, and supplication_. and when these things shall take place, it is promised that _there shall be a fountain opened for the house of david, and for the inhabitants of jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness_,--and that _the idols shall be destroyed_, and _the false prophets ashamed_ of their profession. zech. xii . .--xiii. . . this prophesy seems to teach that when there shall be an universal conjunction in fervent prayer, and all shall esteem zion's welfare as their own, then copious influences of the spirit shall be shed upon the churches, which like a purifying _fountain_ shall cleanse the servants of the lord. nor shall this cleansing influence stop here; all old idolatrous prejudices shall be rooted out, and truth prevail so gloriously that false teachers shall be so ashamed as rather to wish to be classed with obscure herdsmen, or the meanest peasants, than bear the ignominy attendant on their detection. the most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been in answer to prayer; and it is in this way, we have the greatest reason to suppose, that the glorious out-pouring of the spirit, which we expect at last, will be bestowed. with respect to our own immediate connections, we have within these few years been favoured with some tokens for good, granted in answer to prayer, which should encourage us to persist, and increase in that important duty. i trust our _monthly prayer-meetings_ for the success of the gospel have not been in vain. it is true a want of importunity too generally attends our prayers; yet unimportunate, and feeble as they have been, it is to be believed that god has heard, and in a measure answered them. the churches that have engaged in the practice have in general since that time been evidently on the increase; some controversies which have long perplexed and divided the church, are more clearly stated than ever; there are calls to preach the gospel in many places where it has not been usually published; yea, a glorious door is opened, and is likely to be opened wider and wider, by the spread of civil and religious liberty, accompanied also by a diminution of the spirit of popery; a noble effort has been made to abolish the inhuman slave-trade, and though at present it has not been so successful as might be wished, yet it is to be hoped it will be persevered in, till it is accomplished. in the mean time it is a satisfaction to consider that the late defeat of the abolition of the slave-trade has proved the occasion of a praise worthy effort to introduce a free settlement, at _sierra leona_, on the coast of africa; an effort which, if succeeded with a divine blessing, not only promises to open a way for honourable commerce with that extensive country, and for the civilization of its inhabitants, but may prove the happy mean of introducing amongst them the gospel of our lord jesus christ. these are events that ought not to be over-looked; they are not to be reckoned small things; and yet perhaps they _are_ small compared with what might have been expected, if all had cordially entered into the spirit of the proposal, so as to have made the cause of christ their own, or in other words to have been so solicitous about it, as if their own advantage depended upon its success. if an holy solicitude had prevailed in all the assemblies of christians in behalf of their redeemer's kingdom, we might probably have seen before now, not only an _open door_ for the gospel, but _many running to and fro, and knowledge increased_; or a diligent use of those means which providence has put in our power, accompanied with a greater blessing than ordinary from heaven. many can do nothing but pray, and prayer is perhaps the only thing in which christians of all denominations can cordially, and unreservedly unite; but in this we may all be one, and in this the strictest unanimity ought to prevail. were the whole body thus animated by one soul, with what pleasure would christians attend on all the duties of religion, and with what delight would their ministers attend on all the business of their calling. we must not be contented however with praying, without _exerting ourselves in the use of means_ for the obtaining of those things we pray for. were _the children of light_, but _as wise in their generation as the children of this world_, they would stretch every nerve to gain so glorious a prize, nor ever imagine that it was to be obtained in any other way. when a trading company have obtained their charter they usually go to its utmost limits; and their stocks, their ships, their officers, and men are so chosen, and regulated, as to be likely to answer their purpose; but they do not stop here, for encouraged by the prospect of success, they use every effort, cast their bread upon the waters, cultivate friendship with every one from whose information they expect the least advantage. they cross the widest and most tempestuous seas, and encounter the most unfavourable climates; they introduce themselves into the most barbarous nations, and sometimes undergo the most affecting hardships; their minds continue in a state of anxiety, and suspence, and a longer delay than usual in the arrival of their vessels agitates them with a thousand changeful thoughts, and foreboding apprehensions, which continue till the rich returns are safe arrived in port. but why these fears? whence all these disquietudes, and this labour? is it not because their souls enter into the spirit of the project, and their happiness in a manner depends on its success?--christians are a body whose truest interest lies in the exaltation of the messiah's kingdom. their charter is very extensive, their encouragements exceeding great, and the returns promised infinitely superior to all the gains of the most lucrative fellowship. let then every one in his station consider himself as bound to act with all his might, and in every possible way for god. suppose a company of serious christians, ministers and private persons, were to form themselves into a society, and make a number of rules respecting the regulation of the plan, and the persons who are to be employed as missionaries, the means of defraying the expence, &c. &c. this society must consist of persons whose hearts are in the work, men of serious religion, and possessing a spirit of perseverance; there must be a determination not to admit any person who is not of this description, or to retain him longer than he answers to it. from such a society a _committee_ might be appointed, whose business it should be to procure all the information they could upon the subject, to receive contributions, to enquire into the characters, tempers, abilities and religious views of the missionaries, and also to provide them with necessaries for their undertakings. they must also pay a great attention to the views of those who undertake this work; for want of this the missions to the spice islands, sent by the dutch east-india company, were soon corrupted, many going more for the sake of settling in a place where temporal gain invited them, than of preaching to the poor indians. this soon introduced a number of indolent, or profligate persons, whose lives were a scandal to the doctrines which they preached: and by means of whom the gospel was ejected from ternate, in , and christianity fell into great disrepute in other places. if there is any reason for me to hope that i shall have any influence upon any of my brethren, and fellow christians, probably it may be more especially amongst them of my own denomination. i would therefore propose that such a society and committee should be formed amongst the _particular baptist denomination_. i do not mean by this, in any wife to confine it to one denomination of christians. i wish with all my heart, that every one who loves our lord jesus christ in sincerity, would in some way or other engage in it. but in the present divided state of christendom, it would be more likely for good to be done by each denomination engaging separately in the work, than if they were to embark in it conjointly. there is room enough for us all, without interfering with each other; and if no unfriendly interference took place, each denomination would bear good will to the other, and wish, and pray for its success, considering it as upon the whole friendly to the great cause of true religion; but if all were intermingled, it is likely their private discords might throw a damp upon their spirits, and much retard their public usefulness. in respect to _contributions_ for defraying the expences, money will doubtless be wanting; and suppose the rich were to embark a portion of that wealth over which god has made them stewards, in this important undertaking, perhaps there are few ways that would turn to a better account at last. nor ought it to be confined to the _rich_; if persons in more moderate circumstances were to devote a portion, suppose a _tenth_, of their annual increase to the lord, it would not only correspond with the practice of the israelites, who lived under the mosaic oeconomy, but of the patriarchs abraham, isaac, and jacob, before that dispensation commenced. many of our most eminent fore-fathers amongst the _puritans_, followed that practice; and if that were but attended to now, there would not only be enough to support the ministry of the gospel at home, and to encourage _village preaching_ in our respective neighbourhoods, but to defray the expences of carrying the gospel into the heathen world. if congregations were to open subscriptions of _one penny_, or more per week, according to their circumstances, and deposit it as a fund for the propogation of the gospel, much might be raised in this way. by such simple means they might soon have it in their power to introduce the preaching of the gospel into most of the villages in england; where, though men are placed whose business it should be to give light to those who sit in darkness, it is well known that they have it not. where there was no person to open his house for the reception of the gospel, some other building might be procured for a small sum, and even then something considerable might be spared for the baptist, or other committees, for propogating the gospel amongst the heathen. many persons have of late left off the use of _west-india sugar_ on account of the iniquitous manner in which it is obtained. those families who have done so, and have not substituted any thing else in its place, have not only cleansed their hands of blood, but have made a saving to their families, some of six pence, and some of a shilling a week. if this, or a part of this were appropriated to the uses before-mentioned, it would abundantly suffice. we have only to keep the end in view, and have our hearts thoroughly engaged in the pursuit of it, and means will not be very difficult. we are exhorted _to lay up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal._ it is also declared that _whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap._ these scriptures teach us that the enjoyments of the life to come, bear a near relation to that which now is; a relation similar to that of the harvest, and the seed. it is true all the reward is of mere grace, but it is nevertheless encouraging; what a _treasure_, what an _harvest_ must await such characters as paul, and elliot, and brainerd, and others, who have given themselves wholly to the work of the lord. what a heaven will it be to see the many myriads of poor heathens, of britons amongst the rest, who by their labours have been brought to the knowledge of god. surely a _crown of rejoicing_ like this is worth aspiring to. surely it is worth while to lay ourselves out with all our might, in promoting the cause, and kingdom of christ. finis. [transcriber's notes: irregularities in spelling have been maintained, as did the typesetters when setting the numerous correspondences. the typesetting on this was poor, especially with respect to punctuation. due to the number of tables, this file would read better in a monospaced font. italics are designated with "_", small caps "=", bold "+".] the baptist magazine. ----------- june, . ----------- memoir of mr. isaac wyke, late of abergavenny. =mr. isaac wyke=, surgeon, late of abergavenny, was born at leominster, july th, . his parents were pious members of the baptist church in that town, then under the pastoral care of the late rev. joshua thomas. they, therefore, led him in early life to attend on the ministry of their worthy pastor, and trained him up in the nurture and admonition of the lord. thus privileged, the importance of religion was often pressed on his attention, and its excellence presented to his view; and he was thereby preserved from many of the snares, the follies, and the sins into which young persons, less favourably circumstanced, are often hurried. it was not, however, till his sixteenth year, that he appeared to be truly renewed by the grace of god. then he manifestly became a new creature in christ jesus. with his whole heart he now devoted himself to the lord, was baptized by mr. thomas, and received into the church. his subsequent disposition and conduct fully confirmed the sincerity of his profession, adorned the doctrine of god our saviour, and greatly endeared him to his pastor and fellow-members. the lively zeal he manifested in the prosperity of the church, his increasing spirituality, and his active diligence in promoting its interests, soon induced his brethren to choose him to the office of deacon, in connexion with his pious father, who had been previously called by the church to that important office. instead, however, of being unduly elevated with the honour of the post assigned him, his mind was solemnly impressed with a sense of its responsibility. with deep humility, therefore, faithfulness, and zeal, he applied himself to the discharge of its duties, to the full satisfaction of his brethren, and the manifest promotion of the peace and prosperity of the church, throughout the several years of his subsequent residence in leominster. in february, , as directed by divine providence, he removed with his family to abergavenny, where he spent the remainder of his life. here a new sphere was presented to engage his active zeal. many were his efforts to do good, nor were those efforts vain. in april, , he and mrs. w. (his now surviving widow), with three other persons, were formed into the first english baptist church, in abergavenny; the rev. m. thomas, who had recently resigned his charge at ryeford, being pastor, and mr. wyke, deacon--a feeble, but devoted band. his active zeal, pecuniary contributions, and strenuous efforts were put under cheerful requisition to foster this infant cause; and, through the blessing of heaven, sinners were successively converted, and the church was edified and increased. mr. wyke continued an honourable member and deacon of this church about twenty years. in , however, he and mrs. wyke, with several other members, withdrew from it; when they met for worship in a meeting-house which was kindly lent them in another part of the town. soon afterwards, circumstances transpired that induced them to withdraw from this place also; and to commence, in lion street, the bold undertaking of erecting a new house for the worship of god. mr. w. took the whole responsibility on himself; and in july, , a neat, substantial, and commodious meeting-house, with suitable vestry and burial-ground, was completed. the rev. dr. steadman, of bradford, who had been intimately acquainted with mr. wyke from his earliest days, and the rev. j. edwards, now of nottingham, a native of abergavenny, preached at the opening; and on the following lord's-day, a church of seventeen persons was organised, mr. w. set apart to the office of deacon, and the lord's supper administered by dr. steadman. the property was invested in trust for the public; a mortgage of £ only being left on it; and with the exception of this sum, the whole expense incurred was generously liquidated by mr. wyke. long as our worthy friend retained any capability of effort, he laid himself out to promote this interest; and both the material building, and the spiritual house, here cemented in christian love, present a striking monument of his liberality, and strenuous exertions to promote the cause of his god and saviour. his religion was evidently the effect of genuine principle; of principle the most salutary in its influence on his own mind, and therefore practically exemplified in all the lovely graces that beautify and adorn the christian character. his religious sentiments were truly evangelical. guided by heaven's bright lamp of inspired truth, he steered with the utmost caution the middle course, between the high daring of antinomian presumption on the one hand, and the delusive quicksands of arminian legality on the other. christ to him was the alpha and omega. the doctrines of grace he contemplated, not with a mere speculative faith, or as so many propositions to constrain the cold assent of his understanding; but as the wonderful disclosure of the unutterable grace of god, giving life as well as light to the soul. the cross of christ was his ever favourite theme; and when listening to discourses that strikingly portrayed the contrast of the moral wretchedness of man, and the unparalleled love of god his saviour, the most intense interest was plainly pictured on his countenance; the delight that pervaded his bosom constrained him to look around on his fellow-worshippers with beaming eyes, that seemed to say to them, "see how he loved us!" while his whole soul was manifestly absorbed in wonder, love, and praise. actuated by such views and feelings, as well as by a warm desire to do good, he preached occasionally for many years; principally in destitute villages, where, but for his disinterested efforts, there would have been no vision to direct perishing sinners to the saviour; but often also, with disinterested kindness for his own and other stated pastors, whenever his services were called for. the reputation of his character and the loveliness of his example, as well as his mental treasure of human and divine knowledge, secured him the most candid attention, and gave an interesting and edifying charm to his discourses. while he pointed to heaven, he also himself led the way. his profession of religion, extended as it was, to nearly half a century, was remarkable for its uniform consistency and unfailing constancy. as the disciple of jesus, he was spiritual, humble, and zealous. in his official capacity in the church, he was watchful, diligent, and active; condescending, affectionate, and kind to the poorest of the flock; loving to all his brethren, and much beloved by them. in all the relations of life he sustained, whether as a husband, parent, friend, or neighbour, the excellencies of his religion were developed with more than common lustre; and secured to him a well-deserved reputation, a most profound respect. that he had his imperfections we readily admit; and if, as astronomers inform us, there are dark spots even on the sun in the heavens, no wonder that feeble creatures, dwelling in dust, should present some shades of infirmity. but yet as the sun of nature, in spite of his spots, pours a constant flood of refulgent light upon surrounding worlds, so our esteemed friend, notwithstanding some manifest imperfections, presented to all who encircled him the light of an eminent example of religion, in the unyielding integrity of its principles, and in all the amiable loveliness of its practice. through the grace of god which was bestowed upon him, his path was truly as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day. here, however, he had no continuing city, and at length the time of his departure hence drew near. a paralytic stroke, in , had admonished him of his approaching change. though from that seizure he was soon, in part, mercifully recovered, and was still in a good degree active and useful; yet his mental powers then received a shock, in consequence of which they gradually became still more and more impaired; so that for the three or four last years of his life, his intellect resembled a magnificent structure, fallen and in ruins. as long, however, as any capability remained, he continued to attend the house of god with the liveliest interest; and for a long time was conveyed to it, when much enfeebled, in a bath chair. he had the happiness of seeing the last of his children received into the church, on profession of repentance towards god, and faith in our lord jesus christ. the last time he ever attended on the public means of grace, was with much difficulty, in october, , when his youngest son was baptized; and it was to him a most sacred season of unspeakable delight and joy. from this time he continued in a very feeble state, both of mind and body, though without much suffering; till monday, th july last, when he was assailed with the illness, that quickly manifested itself to be the harbinger of death. the conflict, however, was short, for on the following sabbath evening, aug. rd, , he was released, and his emancipated spirit took its soaring flight to his long desired and eternal rest. "precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints." his remains were interred on the following thursday, by the rev. john campbell, pastor of the church in lion street, who delivered an interesting, appropriate, and solemn address on the occasion. on the following lord's-day, aug. th, mr. williams of ryeford preached his funeral discourse, from isaiah lvii. , . may all who read this memoir be followers of our deceased brother, as he was of christ! w. w. r. the christian armour. the girdle. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ =amongst= other predictions of the messiah's character and fitness for the offices which he had undertaken, we read, isa. xi. , that "righteousness should be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins:" and the apostle reminds us that, if we would profit by the example of the captain of our salvation, and the armour which he hath provided for us, we must have our loins girt about with truth. the girdle was used chiefly to strengthen the loins, but was also of great service in uniting the different parts of the armour compactly together. if a body be loaded with armour hanging loosely, many wounds may be inflicted, unless they are fastened together by the belt or girdle: so the christian's graces may prove insufficient to preserve or fortify him, unless compacted by the girdle of sincerity. as the apostle had directed the posture in which the christian should maintain the fight, so he exhorts them to gird the loins, as the seat of bodily strength, which we are to understand spiritually, as "the loins of the mind," ( peter i. ,) to be girt about with truth. =truth= may be considered as opposed to error, or to insincerity; and as characterizing man's creed, or his conduct. there is truth in doctrine, and truth in duty; truth in principle, and truth in practice; and the _christian soldier_ is supposed to possess all these. we regard it here as synonymous with sincerity, and corresponding with the exhortation of joshua to the chosen tribes: "serve the lord in _sincerity_ and _truth_;" and of the apostle to the corinthians: "keep the feast with the unleavened bread of _sincerity_ and _truth_." in like manner we are to enter on the conflict with our spiritual adversaries with the utmost integrity, otherwise the greatest advantages will prove utterly unavailable. christian sincerity is too generally considered as nothing more than _good intention_, which may exist with great error in doctrine, and evil in practice; and has been found in the superstitious bigot, and the blood thirsty persecutor. but the sincerity required in a good soldier of jesus christ, implies an _honest endeavour to understand the will of god; a prompt obedience to the word of command; and an entire devotion to the cause of truth and righteousness_. sincerity may consist with very defective views of divine truth; but it will not consist with allowed deviations from truth or duty. the wisdom that is from above is "without partiality and without hypocrisy." it is allowed, that paul, before his conversion, "_verily thought_ that he _ought_ to do many things against the name of jesus;" but it does not appear that he took pains to examine the claims of christianity as he might have done; and, but for the abounding mercy of god through christ, his ignorance and unbelief would have formed no cloak for his sin. it could not be for want of opportunity that he did not attend the ministry of christ himself. why did he not first search the scriptures as the bereans did, to see whether things were as the apostles affirmed them to be? nathanael of galilee was the subject of a popular prejudice when he said, with an air of indifference and distrust, "can any good thing come out of nazareth?" yet he went to examine for himself; and when he saw, he believed with the heart, and confessed with the mouth, and obtained that honourable testimony that he was "an israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile." nor is it less essential to sincerity that the soldier yield a prompt obedience to the word of command. no intelligence, nor skill in armour, will make up for the want of integrity manifested by the disobedient. who does not see the insincerity of those jews who, it is said, believed in christ, but were afraid to confess him? or of that amiable youth who turned back from following him, rather than part with his possessions? or of him who would follow christ, but must wait for the death of his father? or those to whom he said, with a degree of severity not usual with the saviour, "why call ye me lord, lord, and do not the things that i say?" but added, "then are ye my disciples indeed, when ye do whatsoever i command you." the sincerity of paul, when converted, was evident to all, and remains as a model for every honest-hearted inquirer. observe, how inquisitive! "lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" what resolution to obey! "immediately i conferred not with flesh and blood." and what perseverance! "what mean ye, to weep and break my heart? i am ready, not only to be bound, but to die at jerusalem, for the name of the lord jesus." this decision of character cleared his course, and brought other disciples to a better mind; for it is added, "when he would not be persuaded, they ceased, saying, the will of the lord be done!" in the same interesting character we have exemplified that entire devotion of heart and life which demonstrated the sincerity of his profession, the purity of his motives, and the strength of his attachment to the author and finisher of his faith. on no occasion did he discover the feebleness usually attendant upon a divided heart, or the selfish pride which, under the garb of zeal for god, so often seeks its own glory:--not like jehu, who, it is admitted, exterminated the family of ahab at the command of god, yet was actuated by a spirit of vain-glory; and as what he did was not to please god, so the ambitious cruelty from which he acted was avenged on his posterity:--not as the jews, who, in keeping religious fasts and feasts, did it to themselves and not to god. the apostles could say, "whether we live, we live to the lord; and whether we die, we die to the lord." so that the one universal rule of action which gave simplicity to their aim and unity to their efforts, was, "whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of god." from the important nature of this branch of armour, we may infer its extensive usefulness. to compact together the various graces of the spirit; and to strengthen the soul under great and long-continued conflicts. thus the lord strengthened david, and prepared him for conflict, ps. xviii. : "thou hast girded me with strength to the battle." alluding to this, he expected preservation in the evil day, ps. xxv. : "let integrity and uprightness preserve me." in prophesying of the messiah, he employs a similar expression, ps. cxiii. : "the lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself." the worth of this may be learned by the want of it. how many "faint in the day of adversity," showing that "their strength is small!" for want of this, peter and luke were carried away with dissimulation; and were recovered by means of a painful exposure, and public rebuke. through insincerity the children of judah carrying bows turned back in the day of battle; and demas forsook the apostles, and returned to the bosom of the world. unhappy man! for a time he appeared to give up earth for the hope of heaven, then turned from the holy commandment for the sake of the world; and, for aught that appears, was finally cast away! contrast with these, others, fighting under the same banners, and who contended against similar foes, but were by nature equally insufficient of themselves; yet these were sincere, girded with truth. behold daniel and his three noble associates, who would neither relinquish, nor defer, nor even conceal their religion, but presented a firm crest to the insulting foe; and, having faith unfeigned, love without dissimulation, and a spirit without guile, no poisoned arrows could pierce them, no furious threatenings could divert them; and when they had passed through the furnace, "their clothes did not so much as smell of the fire." in like manner the apostles could say in the midst of much tribulation, "our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and _godly sincerity_, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of god, we have had our conversation in the world." let every christian soldier have "_his loins girt about with truth_," and "_the feeble shall be as david, and david as an angel of god!_" _clapham._ j. e. the late christopher smart. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ =a writer= in the april number of your miscellany, influenced by the genius displayed in the verses of mr. smart therein quoted, requested to learn more of the history of the poet. if the following particulars are considered worthy of insertion, i will also offer for your future pages the biography of another literary character. the present narrative of the incidents in the life of mr. christopher smart presents a great mind under the influence of a common but dangerous evil, and displays powerful arguments to call off the christian from that pernicious habit which brought ruin on him. this will be seen in the sequel. =christopher smart= was born at shipbourne, in kent, april , . his father was possessed of almost £ a year, from an estate in that neighbourhood. his mother was a miss gilpin, of the family of the celebrated reformer, bernard gilpin, by the father's side. his grandfather had been a prebendary of durham, in the reign of charles i., and was accounted by the puritan party as the proto-martyr in their cause, having been degraded and deprived of all his ecclesiastical preferments, fined £ , and imprisoned eleven years. when restored to liberty by the parliament, he appeared as a witness against archbishop laud: the libel for which he suffered was written in latin verse, and was published in . the family estate at shipbourne was, at the death of his father, sold at a considerable loss to pay his debts, and the widow and family were thus left destitute. his father was a man of liberal education, and probably communicated to his son a taste for literature; and to the same source may possibly be ascribed that train of pious reflections which appeared so conspicuous in many of his poetical pieces. smart was born earlier than the usual period of gestation, which might occasion a tenderness of constitution. his taste for poetry is said to have appeared when he was only four years old, in an extempore effusion which has not been preserved, but which is said to have indicated a relish for verse, and an ear for numbers. he was educated at maidstone until he was eleven years old, at which time his father died, and his mother was induced to send him to durham, where he might enjoy the advantages of a good school, change of air, and, what in his circumstances became desirable, the notice and protection of his father's relations. young smart was cordially received at raby castle by lord barnard, and also obtained the friendship of the hon. mrs. hope, and the more substantial patronage of the duchess of cleveland, who allowed him £ a year until her death in . it was probably owing to the liberality of lord barnard that, after he had acquired very considerable reputation at durham school, he was sent to cambridge in his seventeenth year, and admitted at pembroke hall october , . at college he was much more distinguished for his poetical effort and classical taste, than for an ambition to excel in the usual routine of academical studies, and soon became a favourite with such of his contemporaries as were gay and licentious. his imprudence involved him in difficulties; and his difficulties, not being quickly removed, induced an habitual neglect of pecuniary matters, which adhered to him throughout life. his pursuit of convivial enjoyments, and frequent excess, formed the chief blot in his character. in he was admitted to the degree of bachelor of arts: and july , , was elected a fellow of pembroke hall. in he took the degree of master of arts, and became a candidate for the seatonian prize, which was actually adjudged to him for five years, four of them in succession.[a] it is probable that he might have succeeded in the year that he failed, but his thoughts had been diverted from close attention by an important change in his situation. [footnote a: the subjects of these poems were: "the eternity--the immensity--the omniscience--the power--and the goodness of the supreme being." they were severally published from the year to .] in he quitted college, on his marriage with miss ann maria carnan, the daughter, by a former husband, of mary, wife of mr. john newbery, the bookseller, of st. paul's church-yard. smart's pleasing manners, and generally inoffensive conduct, procured him the friendship of dr. johnson, garrick, dr. james, dr. burney, and other literary men of eminence. the friendship of these scholars, and of lord delaval, to whom smart had been private tutor, were of great use to him when in distress. dr. johnson manifested much sympathy for poor smart, and in a time of need promptly lent him his aid. the notices of this feeling in boswell's life of johnson are very interesting; but with all literary men our poet was not in harmony, for so much rancour was manifested between smart and sir john hill, that the former began a work entitled _hilliad_, and the latter was equally pugnacious in a periodical, entitled _smartiad_. smart was injured by this war of obloquy with one, whom to conquer was to exceed in the worst part of his character. hill was a compiler of books and a hackneyed practitioner in the arts of that profession. he was beneath the notice of smart. "the hilliad," which is perhaps one of the most bitter satires ever published, would afford a very unfavourable opinion of our author's character, had it not been an attack on a man who had rendered himself ridiculous and contemptible by practising with unblushing effrontery every species of literary and medical quackery. in was published his "hymn to the supreme being," written on his recovery from a dangerous fit of illness _brought on by intemperance_. this illness continued through , and part of . who can think of the benumbing and debasing effect of spirits, and not shudder at the apathy with which the practice is viewed? he could write a hymn of gratitude to the supreme being, and yet not discover the cause of his illness, and depart from the practice. the constitution of mr. smart required the utmost care. his mind was easily excited. his disposition was naturally amiable and placid, but the use of spirits created so much mental irritability upon an imagination uncommonly fervid, that his powers gave way, and produced strange alienation of mind; and ignorant that the use of spirits thus withered and morbidly inflamed his powers, he sought assistance from the destroying enemy, and at last his paroxysms became so violent and continued, as to render confinement necessary. in this melancholy state, his family (for he had now two children) must have been much embarrassed in their circumstances, but for the kind friendship and assistance of mr. newbery. many others were forward to assist; and particularly dr. samuel johnson. your readers, mr. editor, after perusing this sketch of mr. smart's history, will doubtless be gratified by the account which mr. boswell narrates of a conversation with dr. johnson on the case of smart. the doctor observes: "madness frequently discovers itself merely by unnecessary deviation from the usual modes of the world. my poor friend smart showed the disturbance of his mind by falling upon his knees, and saying his prayers, in the street, or in any other unusual place. now although, rationally speaking, it is greater madness not to pray at all, than to pray as smart did, i am afraid there are so many who do not pray, that their understanding is not called in question. concerning this unfortunate poet, christopher smart, who was confined in a madhouse, he had, at another time, the following conversation with dr. burney: burney--'how does poor smart do, sir? is he likely to recover?' johnson--'it seems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the disease; for he grows fat upon it.' burney--'perhaps, sir, that may be from want of exercise?' johnson--'no, sir; he has partly as much exercise as he used to have; for he digs in the garden. indeed, before his confinement, he used for exercise to walk to the alehouse; but he was carried back again. i did not think he ought to be shut up. his infirmities were not noxious to society. he insisted on people praying with him; and i'd as lief pray with kit smart as any one else.'"--_boswell's life of johnson_, page , vol. i., edit. , vo. after his recovery, which was, as it appears by his conduct, not quite complete, he joined with rolt, to write for a magazine published by gardner,[a] which continued only two years. the contract was for ninety-nine years, and smart and rolt were to have a third of the profits. dr. johnson, with a friendly feeling, wrote some articles. [footnote a: mr. henry gardner, whom the writer of this note knew well, lived at the corner of melford lane, in the strand. he was a shrewd man, and probably made the contract for ninety-nine years to bind the services of two irregular men.] smart's madness, according to dr. johnson's account, discovered itself chiefly in unnecessary deviations from the usual modes of the world, in things that are not improper in themselves. he would fall upon his knees and say his prayers in the street, or in any unusual place, and insisted on people praying with him. these were regarded as the vagaries of an eccentric man, and not hallucinations of the mind arising from the effects of stimulating drinks; but some were wiser, and placed him in confinement, "to give his constitution a chance of recovering from the effects of intemperance." when his mind appeared to be in some measure restored, he took a pleasant lodging near st. james's park, and conducted his affairs for some time with prudence. he was maintained partly by his literary occupations, and partly by the generosity of his friends, receiving, among other benefactions, £ a year from the treasury, but by whose interest this favour was obtained is not known. in he published "a prose translation of the works of horace." from this performance he could derive but little fame. he thought that such a translation could be useful to those who are desirous of acquiring or recovering a competent knowledge of the latin tongue. the good or the evil of literal translations is yet a problem, and each side of the question has its advocates. though our poet was engaged on the one hand in translating the odes of horace into prose, on the other he successfully translated pope's ode to st. cecilia into latin verse, and thereby obtained the notice of mr. pope, with whom a correspondence ensued, of which mr. smart was not a little vain. in what manner he lived for some time after this, we are not told; but garrick, finding him in pecuniary distress, gave him the profits of a benefit at his theatre. in , he published "a song to david," in which there are some passages greatly to be admired, and which, mr. editor, as a man of taste, you have introduced to your readers; but there are some to be found of even more majestic animation; and it will surprise the reader when he is told that this piece was composed by him during his confinement; when he was debarred the use of pen, ink, and paper, and was obliged to indent his lines, with the end of a key, upon the wainscot. in the same year he published "poems," and at the conclusion betrays that irritability and self-conceit which are frequently observed to precede, and generally to accompany, derangement of mind. in all these poems his imagination, although occasionally fine, went often into wild excesses, and evinced that his mind had never recovered its _sober_ tone. in his intervals of health and regularity, he still continued to write. his "translation of the psalms of david" afford a melancholy proof of want of judgment and decay of powers. we find him at length an inmate of the king's bench prison. here he died after a short illness, occasioned by a disorder in his liver, may th, , leaving two daughters, who, with his widow, were long settled at reading, and by their prudent management of the bookselling trade, transferred to them by mr. john newbery, were enabled to maintain a very respectable rank in life. of his personal character, the following particulars yet remain to be added from the memoirs: "his piety was exemplary and fervent; it may not be uninteresting to the reader to be told, that mr. smart, in composing the religious poems, was frequently so impressed with the sentiment of devotion, as to write particular passages on his knees. he was friendly, affectionate, and liberal to excess; so as often to give that to others of which he was in the utmost want himself." in his religious poems on the supreme deity, written for the seatonian prize, the fault was perhaps in the expectation that such subjects can be treated with advantage. in the preface to pope's ode to st. cecilia, he allows that, "the choosing too high subjects has been the ruin of many a tolerable genius;" and dr. johnson, with majestic energy, remarks, that "whatever is great, desirable, or tremendous, is comprised in the name of the supreme being. omnipotence cannot be exalted; infinity cannot be amplified; perfection cannot be improved." =leumas.= a candid appeal to congregational christians. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ =of= all the divisions existing among the real servants of christ, there is none, i think, so remarkable, nor more injurious, than the separation of congregationalists into the two parties of pædobaptists and antipædobaptists. perfectly agreed as they are respecting the character of the new testament church, and occupying exactly the same position with regard to the ecclesiastical establishments of this country, it appears truly surprising that they should yet entirely disagree as to the qualifications entitling an individual to the sacred initiatory ordinance of the christian dispensation; and that, after the lapse of centuries, during which the finest talents on each side have been employed in the discussion of the subject, that they should yet remain as decidedly opposed upon it as at the first. perhaps both parties are equally culpable with regard to the spirit in which their respective positions may have been maintained; but it is evident that only one of them can be wrong with regard to the letter. christians of all parties are now entertaining the hope, that the day is drawing nigh when the spiritual vision of the members of christ shall be so improved as to enable them to avail themselves of the full light of the gospel to subdue their respective prejudices and antipathies; and when the love of christ shall be so shed abroad in all hearts, as to lead them into that blessed state of union, into which it is predicted the church is to be brought. and here i beg to ask, considering how simple is the nature of the question which divides the congregationalists into two parties, if this blessed movement ought not to begin with them? and what an honour it would be, to be the first in this glorious movement! and surely it may well animate us earnestly to desire this goodly precedence, when we consider how powerfully and influentially the example would act on all other christian parties, so as probably to lead all rapidly forward to the happy, long-desired consummation. in the meantime we may well bear with the errors of other parties, considering how many causes concur to keep them under the dominion of their prejudices, and that all of them are heightened by the spectacle of our own unnatural division, while we are calling upon them to submit themselves to the laws of the new testament. o that all controversial argumentation might for the future be conducted only in the spirit of love! that all might be prepared to lay aside censoriousness, and all appearances of contempt, to avoid all unseemly confidence, and sedulously to watch against a spirit of self exaltation, desiring that the lord alone may be exalted in the display and in the triumph of his truth! when the spirit of the lord shall be so poured upon his church, that the truth shall be sought in this way, errors will soon be detected, and the blessed union of saints be quickly accomplished. the church is not without the means. the cause of our differences is not the want of sufficient spiritual light. i have remarked above, that _one_ of the parties only on the subject of infant baptism can be wrong with regard to the letter; and here it is with real grief that i must appear in the character of a partisan; but i humbly submit to the candid consideration of my pædobaptist brethren whether what follows be not a fair representation of the principal grounds on which the advocates of the practice of baptizing infants found their arguments in support of the practice: _the covenant of grace, as it was revealed to abraham, discovers it to be the will of god, that the infants of believers in christ should be dedicated to god by baptism. that the practice was sanctioned by the apostles, and designed to be a blessing to children, and serviceable to the cause of the gospel._ the following queries are, with great christian respect and affection, offered for the consideration of the pædobaptist servants of christ. . does it not appear to be a fundamental principle in the new testament, and designed to have been constantly kept in view, that the churches of christ should, as far as human judgment and christian charity would allow, be exclusively voluntary associations of persons brought to desire the salvation of christ, and to be numbered as his servants? . is there any part of the new testament which will justify a church in recognizing any persons as the children of the promise, unless they appear to be partakers of the faith of abraham? on the contrary, does it not plainly appear that the new testament children of the father of the faithful should receive baptism as abraham received circumcision, a seal of the grace which they had being yet unbaptized? . were not circumcisions under the abrahamic covenant more extensive and indiscriminate than the circumcisions under the mosaic economy, and therefore more unlike new testament baptisms than the latter? wherefore, then, is the former covenant represented as affording the archetype of christian baptism? . under the old testament covenant the descendants of abraham, isaac, and jacob were by natural birth--whether partakers of spiritual faith or not--equal members of the commonwealth of israel. but is not the new testament covenant, in this respect, essentially different, the principles of the gospel not recognizing unions of the holy and the unholy, and the new testament containing no provisions for the government of such communities? . is not the new testament covenant peculiarly distinguished from the jewish, whether considered as abrahamic or mosaic (was the latter any thing more than a development of the former?) by its _unveiled_ spirituality, and by its respect for individual moral character? . does the new testament, in any part, appear to recognize the people of christ in a corporate capacity, except as they appear to be united by the spiritual principles of the gospel? . is not the remarkable fact, that pædobaptism obliges its advocates to retire back to the book of genesis in search of a covenant to justify them in their use of the _new testament_ ordinance of baptism, of itself nearly sufficient to evince that their practice is inconsistent with _the covenant of grace, as it is revealed in the gospel?_ and does it not become a certainty, when it appears that circumcision under _the abrahamic covenant_ was, in some important respects, an institution of a perfectly contrary character to the ordinance of baptism; the former exhibiting a _compulsory_ character, which rendered it imperative upon abraham to circumcise ishmael, and to _enforce_ it upon his whole household, whether bond or free; and to enjoin it for all their posterity, under the awful threatening of utter exclusion from the covenant and family of god? is there not here _a most striking contrast_ with the inspired records of the institution and administration of the ordinance of baptism? . if the views of the apostles on this subject had been coincident with those of antipædobaptist divines, could they have refrained from declaring them, when the conduct of the teachers of circumcision was such as to create continual occasions which called for a plain statement of the gospel doctrine of baptism? did not the state into which the infant church at antioch had been brought by these teachers particularly require that such statements should be made? would not a declaration on the part of the apostles, in their assembly at jerusalem, of the doctrine of pædobaptism, have tended at once to terminate the controversy? is it imaginable that they should have refrained, on this occasion, from informing the gentile converts that, by the substitution of baptism for circumcision, they and their children were exempted for ever from the claims of the circumcisers? . what law of the gospel is broken by those parents who, without baptism, prayerfully devote their children to christ? . are the children of antipædobaptists, if brought up in the nurture and admonition of the lord, less likely to become living members of christ than the children of pædobaptists; and is there any spiritual benefit conferred on these by the rite, of which those to whom it is not administered are deprived? . whenever a pious jew might have been asked the question, what benefits are secured to the children and nation of israel by the rite of circumcision? he could at once, by a reference to the appointment, and to the promises and threatenings connected with it, have given a clear and satisfactory answer to the question; but when a similar question is proposed to pædobaptists respecting their practice, are they able to give to it a like satisfactory answer? is there any agreement on the subject? is not every thing here vague, mystical, and incongruous? and wherefore is this? is it not simply because that, unlike the jew, they canot refer to "the law and to the testimony?" . is not the distinction existing in pædobaptist churches, between persons who are entitled to one only of the sacraments of the gospel, and those who are entitled to both; between unconsciously initiated members, and professed voluntary members, entirely without countenance from the new testament? . was not baptism in the apostles' days a special means of grace in the church; and was it not always designed to be so? but if it is not a means of grace to infants, does not the baptizing them plainly tend to nullify a gospel ordinance, depriving both them and the church of its benefits? . has not the practice of infant baptism, in all ages of the church, been a pernicious source of delusion? and is there any way of avoiding its injurious influence on the world, and regaining the benefit of the ordinance to the church, but by following up the principles of the new testament, and abandoning the practice of infant baptism? let these inquiries be seriously, impartially, and prayerfully considered, by all who are concerned for the purity and efficiency of the church, the unity of its members, and the glory of its author. =antipædobaptist.= on a missionary spirit. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ no period of the rolling year, perhaps, is received with more cordial feelings of joy than the one on which we have now entered. to the admirer of the works of nature--its smiling face--its verdant mantle--the exchange of the chilly blast of winter for etherial mildness and softer gales, cannot but afford pleasure and delight; for "lo, winter is past; the rain is over and gone; and the time of the singing of birds is come." to those that love to contemplate god, not only in the works of nature, but also in those of grace, the approach of this month cannot but be hailed with feelings of joy, on account of those delightful opportunities which are then afforded of hearing our missionary brethren, who have come from the east and the west to rehearse all that the lord has done for them, and how he has opened the door of faith unto the gentiles (heathen). it is, however, to be feared that, with many, the pleasure that is felt in attending these public meetings arises from the mere excitement of passion, not based upon or guided by any fixed principle; and therefore, like the morning cloud and early dew, soon passes away. if it be asked, what is the true spirit which every christian should possess in reference to the publication of the truth? it may be replied, _a missionary spirit_; which includes, . _a spirit of importunate prayer._ what single employment is there in which we may be engaged, or what enterprise can we undertake, that does not depend upon our maker for success? the merchant may freight his bark for a distant shore; but for its safe arrival into port, he must look to him who holds the waters in the hollow of his hand, and whom the winds and sea obey. the husbandman may prepare the soil, and implant the seed but from god alone can he expect the gentle showers of rain, and the congenial sunshine. and if the blessing of god is absolutely necessary for the success of undertakings relating to temporal affairs, how much more so in things that are spiritual! here, especially, paul may plant, and apollos water; but it is god alone that can give the increase. and in what way are we to seek it but by prayer? it is prayer that will open the windows of heaven, and cause the almighty to pour us out a blessing, so that there shall not be room to receive it. it will come down like rain on the new-mown grass--as showers that water the earth. in all the dwellings of jacob may prayer be heard ascending to the most high, for blessings to attend our meetings! . _a spirit of thanksgiving._ it is the distinguishing feature in a worldly man's disposition or character, that, however he may be inclined to pray for worldly prosperity, he is always backward in acknowledging the blessing bestowed; yea, the more god lavishes his favours upon him, the less does he recognize the hand of the giver. let us act as becometh christians. let our hearts overflow with gratitude for mercies received. let past mercies excite us to gratitude, and encourage us in our future labours. . _a spirit of rejoicing._ let not the interesting intelligence that may be afforded be read with cold indifference. what is the christian's joy and crown of rejoicing? is it not the salvation of the soul through his instrumentality? if there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, shall it not produce joy in our bosoms when we hear, not of one, but of many being brought to the knowledge of the truth? . _a spirit of active benevolence._ here is the test of our love to jesus. what is more diffusive or expanding, or constraining in its nature, than the principle of love? it has for the object of its aim the glory of god, and seeks in every way to promote it. the desire of such a soul is, that christ may be magnified in his body, whether it be by life or by death. may a _missionary spirit_ be the one which animates every reader! x. y. union is strength. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ =i have= seen a circular respecting the "baptist union." it is a very common remark, that "the independents and the wesleyan methodists are more united than the baptists." how is this, or why should it be? they are probably more numerous, and this may be owing to unity. let us look at the counties of surrey and sussex. is there any baptist interest between clapham and horsham? at the latter place there are some general baptists. again: are there any baptists between croydon and east grinstead? at brighton there are some; but take the road from brighton to portsmouth, and where will you find any? not at worthing, nor arundel, nor chichester, nor emsworth, nor havant. how is this? either the funds of the baptist home mission are deficient; or there is a want of exertion. again: from wandsworth to guildford, godalming, and onward to portsmouth, are there any baptists? if there are, it is unknown to me. again; if you could describe a circle of twenty miles circumference, making findon, near worthing, the centre of the circle, where will you find any baptists, if you except brighton and horsham? some twenty years since there were a few general baptists at chichester; but they have long been extinct. now, sir, if there really was that union of heart, of mental energy, of exertion, and of purse, _which there ought to be_, i might have been spared putting the questions which i have just asked. again: at leeds there is a population of nearly , , and, properly speaking, but _one_ baptist interest. there is ample room there for several; there is no lack of independents and methodists at leeds. i fear, sir, that this is only a very small sample of what might be given. i do not think that we so much lack preachers, _as funds to support them_. at some places, probably, the preachers might teach a school: although that is not the best way a preacher might be employed; yet, in an emergency, it might be adopted. the subject, however, _deserves_ serious consideration. we want "a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether;" and then something might be done. again: is there that union, and cordiality, and brotherly kindness, and christian affection, and personal intercourse, between the rich and the poor amongst us, which our master has enjoined and _commanded_? i trow not. until _this_ is effected, how can we expect prosperity and increase? do we not also want more prayer--secret prayer for each other; social prayer; and, when we pray, that we may love each other, ought we not _to do it_, "not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth?" =a baptist of the old school.= poetry. a broken heart. what makes me court seclusion's shade, and shun this vain world's gay parade, whose pleasures blossom but to fade? a broken heart. what makes me heave the deep-drawn sigh, and raise to heaven my weeping eye, and inly groan--i scarce know why? a broken heart. what makes me bend before god's throne, there all my guilt and misery own, and seek my help from christ alone? a broken heart. what makes the word of life so sweet, that i could sit at jesu's feet, and never quit that dear retreat? a broken heart. what makes the cross such charms to wear, that while i gaze and linger there, no room is left for dark despair? a broken heart. what is it mellows all my joy, weans me from every earthly toy, and leads to bliss without alloy? a broken heart. what spreads new rapture through the skies? 'tis when a soul for mercy cries, and angels see with wondering eyes a broken heart. what though the wounds of sin are sore, jesus, my lord, has balm in store; i'll use it, till i feel no more a broken heart. communion of saints. i love to hear the rising songs that celebrate the saviour's name attuned by kindred hearts and tongues, who think, and feel, and speak the same. no voice of discord there is heard; no thoughts unholy or unkind; no jarring, unharmonious word, to mar the melody of mind. no more the party-wall of pride, erected by one common foe, the hearts of brethren shall divide, while passing through the vale below. no more, secluded and unknown, in isolated paths they tread; nor speed their devious way alone, till numbered with the silent dead. one faith is beaming in their eye; one hope within their bosom glows; while hastening to the realms on high, the blissful region of repose. one is the heaven-born joy they feel; the holy peace and calm delight that each enraptured spirit seal, when calvary opens on their sight. one lord redeemed them with his blood, and rose triumphant from the tomb, to lead them to one father--god, whose smiles their darkest hours illume. one spirit breathes in every soul with life, and power, and love divine; diffusing radiance through the whole, till bright in holiness they shine. and in one home they all will meet, their dangers and their sorrows o'er; and one delightful theme repeat,-- united there to part no more. =eta.= reviews. _memoir of the life and writings of the rev. joseph ivimey, late pastor of the church in eagle street, london, and twenty years gratuitous secretary to the baptist irish society._ by =george pritchard=.--wightman. if there be a name which more than any other merits honourable mention in this periodical, it is unquestionably that of =joseph ivimey=. he was one of its earliest correspondents, contributed largely, in various ways, to bring it up from tiverton to london, and wrote frequently in all its departments. he was ever ready to cheer its friends, and to fight with its enemies; for the interest of our ministers' widows lay very near his heart, and in all his multifarious engagements in relation to this object, he was evidently stimulated by christian compassion. the name of mr. i. will be identified with all the great institutions connected with the denomination to which he thought it an honour to belong; and, more especially, in the list of ireland's benefactors he is certainly destined to hold a very distinguished place. our departed brother knew that words are cheaper than stones in the street; but it will be remembered that on one occasion, particularly, he devoted much time, and labour, and property, and influence, by which he encouraged the committee to send over ship-loads of necessary food to keep the poor irish alive from famine. mr. i. was born at ringwood, in hampshire, may nd, . it appears, from the interesting narrative before us, that he lived in ignorance and unbelief till he was years old. mr. thomas williams,[a] in the presence of his two maternal aunts, said to him one day, "young man, do you know any thing of these things?" with an honest promptitude, by which his whole life was characterized, he unhesitatingly replied, "i know nothing at all about them." but the arrow had gone deep into his heart; and nothing but the balm of gilead could save him. subsequently he derived much benefit from elisha cole's popular book on divine sovereignty, and from a sermon delivered by dr. steadman. he was baptized at wimborne, september th, , by the late rev. john saffery. in the following year he removed to lymington, and derived much instruction from the rev. james barnett, who still survives, and is in communion with the church at eagle street. [footnote a: afterwards an independent minister, at bradford.] he came first to london in april, , and communed with the church in keppel street, then under the pastoral care of the rev. j. martin. occasionally, also, he heard mr. swain at his lord's-day evening lecture, in devonshire square. "in taking the coach by which he was to depart, he silently said, 'i will never see this london again.' but the words of the prophet are greatly to be preferred: 'o lord, i know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.'" p. . in , he removed to portsea, and was married july th, . by this marriage he had two sons, and four daughters: one son and one daughter survive to lament the loss of their father. early in , when nearly thirty years of age, he was encouraged to preach by the church at portsea, to which he and his wife were united, under the care of joseph horsey and daniel miall, who were co-pastors. relinquishing secular business, in september, , he removed, with his wife and two children, to wallingford, and became assistant to mr. lovegrove. having occupied the station at wallingford nearly twelve months, he was invited to eagle street, in consequence of the resignation of the late rev. william smith. in july, , he removed to that same london of which, at an early period, he had thought so lightly; and there the remaining half of his life was happily, honourably, and usefully spent. he died february th, . but why should we further pursue the narrative? from the date of his settlement in london, he was "an epistle of christ, known and read of all men." the narrative is full of incidents, with which are interspersed many most judicious reflections; and in the "conclusion" we have a correct and complete delineation of mr. i.'s character. we are deliberately of opinion that it could not have been intrusted to better hands than those of his esteemed colleague in the gratuitous secretaryship of the irish institution, who has executed his task in a very pleasing and edifying manner, with great delicacy and fidelity; much to the credit of his own piety, judgment, and taste. we are happy to add that the work is very neatly got up, very correctly printed, and ornamented with a good likeness of our deceased brother. mr. i.'s ministry was greatly blessed from on high. the congregation was never before so large, new members were added continually, and the place of worship was considerably enlarged. "from the records of the church it appears that during his pastorate more than eight hundred were added to its fellowship. twenty young men were encouraged to give themselves to the work of the christian ministry, four of whom received missionary appointments, and two are at this time in ireland, zealously exerting themselves in the service of the baptist irish society." p. . and, in a letter dated in , mr. i. says, "the church now consists of more than members." p. . of the great labour of his life, "the history of the english baptists," in four large volumes, vo., we may venture to predict that it will be far more in demand before this century closes than it is now. the author, we believe, never received any thing like compensation while he lived; he will be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. mr. i. believed, as did also the late rev. james dore, that when a man ceases to be a strict baptist, there is no resting-place for his feet till he finds himself a strict papist. but it cannot be justly maintained that our zealous brother shut himself up within the narrow precincts of his own denomination. so far from it that he had free and open communion with christians of almost every name. soon after he came to london, he was elected a member of the committee of the religious tract society; and at the hospitable rooms of messrs. hardcastle and reyner, old swan stairs, near london bridge, he cheerfully mingled with churchmen, dissenters, and methodists, of every shade and every grade; all agreeing, however, to insist upon the leading doctrines of the gospel in all their publications. he was not, it is true, in the habit of going "to the house of god in company" with mr. taylor, the old presbyterian minister of carter lane, doctors' commons; nor with dr. winter, the congregationalist; nor with richard philips, of the society of "friends;" nor with mr. butterworth, nor dr. adam clarke, of the methodist connexion; but he often "took sweet counsel" with one or another of these eminent persons; and with these more frequently than with many others, because they were among his nearest neighbours while his residence was in harpur street; nor was there among them all a more resolute and determined advocate in the great cause of civil and religious freedom, or in any of the pious and charitable institutions which beautify and bless our native land. the excellent volume before us will show that our beloved brother, when most strenuously pleading for liberty, was quite alive to the claims of all lawful authority. he was for "laws and liberties combined," nor ever gave countenance to the daring and presumptuous schemes of any wild and unprincipled demagogues in this or in the sister island. his political creed, he has often been heard to say, was built upon the revolution of , and the "act of settlement." he knew as well as any man what the house of brunswick owes to the protestant dissenters; and what the protestant dissenters owe to the house of brunswick. let his printed funeral sermon for the princess charlotte, and another for the duke of kent, and another for george the third, be lasting monuments of the ardent and affectionate loyalty which he himself so deeply felt, and which he was assiduous to cherish in the ever-widening circle of his acquaintance. many of his constant hearers must have been aware that their pastor's heart and house were open to ministers and other friends from all parts of england; to many from wales, scotland, and ireland; and that his correspondence with north america was frequent. but very few of them probably could ever guess at the number of private applications that were made to him by letter for his advice and assistance. no man was more public; and yet, by early rising, and still more by a strong desire to be useful, he had formed himself to habits of promptitude and facility in the dispatch of business, that to ordinary minds were truly surprising. always alive and awake, he knew every thing that was done in _london_ to promote the cause of christ, or to hinder it. enjoying the confidence, and the occasional visits, of such men as saffery and steadman, and fuller and hinton, and kingborn and others, he was no stranger to whatever occurred in the _country_. may the amiable young pastor who succeeds, with all his brethren in office, and every other member of the much-favoured church in eagle street, long continue to flourish under the smiles of the great head of the church, without whose gracious influence nothing is strong, nothing is holy! we might have added that mr. pritchard has appended to the memoir a few abbreviated sermons of our lamented friend, which, no doubt, will be often read by those who heard them; and from which strangers may learn something of the spirit and style of the minister at eagle street, in his ordinary pulpit exercises on the lord's-day, and on week-days. if it be said, "mr. ivimey was sometimes wrong in temper, or wrong in his measures," the answer is, "this may be easily said, and justly, of every good man that breathes, who is in active life." but, after making every concession that could be extorted from candour and truth by the most jealous and jaundiced prejudice, we need not fear to assert that much, very much, will remain, to excite admiration, and gratitude to the great author of all good, in his sincerity, clear as crystal to the bottom; in his unquenchable zeal for the glory of god, and the best interests of mankind; in the labour, the energy, and unfainting perseverance with which he pursued his object; in the noble disinterestedness which he evinced on all occasions;--and these, all will admit, were the most prominent features of his character. if this work meets with only half the attention it deserves, it will be extensively read in this country and in america; and the zeal displayed in the full-length portrait of "a good minister of jesus christ," will provoke very many. we had marked several striking passages for quotation; but, on reconsidering the matter, deem it best to recommend the whole to all those of our readers who have not already seen it. * * * * * _scripture views of the heavenly world._ by =j. edmondson=, a.m. _pp._ .--mason. this work is written in a very serious, unpretending manner; and if it do not greatly augment our knowledge of heaven, either as a place or a state, yet it supplies such varied and valuable elements of thought, and exhibits so much to enkindle ardent desire, that, as a volume of piety, it deserves to rank high. we think, indeed, it is scarcely possible that any one, whose affections are in any degree set upon the things which are above, should read it without deriving considerable advantage. on the sublime subject of heaven, the venerable author (for so we understand we may denominate him) mentions twenty views:--"there is a heavenly world--scripture names of heaven--god is present in heaven--the presence of jesus in heaven--no sufferings in heaven--no death in heaven--no night in heaven--no war in heaven--heaven is a holy place--heaven is a happy place--heaven is a glorious place--happy employment in heaven--extensive knowledge in heaven--we shall know each other there--many ranks and orders in glory--the religion of heaven is love--the resurrection body in heaven--the pleasures of heaven are pure--the wicked are shut out of heaven--heaven is eternal." the preface contains some succinct and sensible observations on the immortality of the soul. among others, the following occurs:-- "ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, are planted in the human heart. and there is in good men, what might be in all, a continual cleaving and approximation to the deity. when sin is committed, it is followed by a sense of guilt and a fear of punishment, except in those hardened sinners who have debased themselves by a long course of disobedience. all these principles, when carefully cultivated, are accompanied with ardent longings after immortality; and they prove that man is connected with a higher order of beings than those who are around him here, and that he is designed for a higher state than that in which he now stands. for we perceive nothing of this kind among the inferior creatures of our world. they are not, nor ever will be, capable of knowing moral good and evil, much less of knowing the god who made them. and will man, with his superior powers, die for ever?" without pledging ourselves for the correctness of every sentiment or sentence in the pages of this useful work, we would earnestly recommend it to the attention of our readers generally. * * * * * _two years' residence in the new settlements of ohio, north america; with directions to emigrants._ by =d. griffiths=, jun. pp. .--westley and davis. the information and advice contained in this small volume must be very valuable to those, especially, who contemplate a transition to ohio, with the intention of making it the place of their permanent abode. the worthy author appears to have been a very diligent observer of men and things during his short sojourn in the new world, and to have faithfully recorded the result of his observations. reason and experience unite to testify that, in removing from place to place, little can be calculated upon besides an exchange of one class of difficulties for another; and in many more instances than are disclosed, it is highly probable that, could the former be resumed, it would be thankfully accepted. such, at least, has been our impression from all the accounts we have yet read of emigrants and emigration. for the edification of our readers we give the following extract:-- "it may surprise an englishman, if he be unacquainted with the american character, that farmers, who were well off in new england, should leave a comfortable home for the wild woods of ohio. the best explanation of this fact may be furnished, perhaps, by a comparison of the english and american character, given in an american publication, called 'the biblical repository,' although penned for another purpose. 'this is connected, no doubt, with a great feature of european character, which at once strikes americans, that all ranks and classes there have a far _greater enjoyment of the present_ than ourselves. our national character, so far as we have one, consists in a spirit of enterprise, excited by the desire of improving our condition. it may be shortly styled a _love of gain_--gain, not only of wealth, but also of reputation, of comfort, of happiness; gain of all that is supposed to be desirable. our enjoyment consists more in striving after this gain, in anticipations and in the very act of acquiring; theirs, in possession and quiet fruition.' local attachments, domestic comfort, and almost every kind of present temporal happiness, in the english sense of the term, give way to the love of gain. unquestionably, this was the principle which led many of the new englanders to ohio; and certainly the organ of acquisitiveness must be very prominent in the yankee cranium, for i never met with a farmer there, however long he had been settled, or however comfortably, but would, from this same love of gain, sell out, and move away." p. . more than eighty pages of this volume are devoted to the subjects of "temperance societies," and "religious revivals:" these should certainly obtain close attention from the reader. concerning the latter there will, no doubt, still be much difference of opinion; yet, if it be indulged with candour, and expressed with affection, it may be rather beneficial than injurious. * * * * * _twenty sermons._ by the late rev. =w. howels=, minister of long acre episcopal chapel. pp. .--shaw. it is to be lamented that the reputation of the deceased so often suffers from the defective prudence of the surviving. we have no doubt that these sermons were delivered from the pulpit by the respected individual whose name they bear, and that, by those who knew and valued him as a preacher, they may be read with pensive pleasure and real advantage. but we have also no doubt that, could mr. howels have been consulted, he would have refused his consent to their publication, till they had been submitted to his careful and severe revision. that they contain many admirable sentiments and sentences, we readily admit; but, unhappily, some of the most striking and valuable paragraphs are seriously injured by rash and inconsiderate expressions, which an extemporaneous and energetic speaker, in the fervour of oral communication, may be induced to utter, but through which, were he preparing his discourses for the press, and therefore for cooler inspection, his pen would be unsparingly drawn. without having said thus much, we could neither have discharged our duty to ourselves nor our readers; but with such cautionary intimation we can cordially commend them to their perusal. * * * * * _the domestic harp._ by =david ives=. pp. .--baynes. the worthy author of this small neat publication says, "a few of these pieces have appeared before, in a periodical, called 'the christian's pocket magazine.'" he remarks, also, in his short preface, "no glossary will here be required, but one member of a christian family may safely read them to another with the certainty at least of being understood; and, the author feels a satisfaction in adding, without the danger of offending the most sacred affection." the reader of these verses will find that, while the preceding commendation is fully sustained, the author might have gone even further. but as he has not, we will. these poetical effusions are not only plain and pious, they are sensible and instructive; and though they may not exactly range with the more lofty efforts of poetic genius, yet they contain passages and pieces which would not suffer by comparison with many which might be referred to in more splendid volumes, the product of illustrious names. the following specimen is selected, not on account of its superiority, but because it best suits our space. lines for an album. "when thinking on the ways of man, this little rule did rise,-- that he who lives without a plan, will die without a prize. reflection still to those who hear this further guide hath given,-- that the best plan is godly fear, and the best prize is heaven." * * * * * _the sacred classics. expositions on the creed, the lord's prayer, and the ten commandments; with two discourses on matthew xxii. - , and hebrews iii. . to which are added expository lectures on psalm xxxix._ by =robert leighton=, d.d., archbishop of glasgow. with an introductory essay, by =john pye smith=, d.d., pp. . hatchard. the distinguished names inscribed on the title-page of this volume of the "sacred classics" cannot be rendered more eminent by our commendation. the praise both of the deceased and the surviving is in all our churches; and their works, we doubt not, will continue to edify and adorn the human mind from generation to generation. brief notices of recent publications. _the works of william cowper, his life and letters, by william hayley, esq., now first completed by the introduction of cowper's private correspondence; edited by the rev. t. s. grimshawe, a.m., rector of burton, northamptonshire, and vicar of biddenham, bedfordshire; author of the life of the rev. legh richmond. saunders and otley._--we have received the early volumes of this admirable publication. the manner in which it is brought out is highly creditable to all the parties concerned in the undertaking; and we have no doubt of its being in very extensive demand by readers of almost every description. it is our purpose to watch its progress, and, at the close, to present our readers with a more enlarged account of its peculiar claims to their attention. _the posthumous letters of the rev. rabshakeh gathercoal, late vicar of tuddington; now first published, with explanatory notes, and dedicated to the lord bishop of london. p. . westley._--there are many passages in these letters which, in the keenness of their satire, and the pungency of their wit, cannot be exceeded by any thing in the writings of butler, south, or swift; with this further commendation, that their edge and point are directed exclusively against error and arrogance. on the subject of dissent we have seen no recent publication which can be compared with this in clearness, copiousness, and power; combining so many important facts of history with so much of interesting and practical influence. in the presence of such a writer the advocates of superstition and intolerance must quail; but the admirers of the uncorrupted christianity of the new testament, of every denomination, will hail him, in this labour of his hands, as the intrepid friend of freedom and religion. after all, we are praying and anxiously looking for a period, when works of this description shall have become obsolete; when ignorance shall be entirely dissipated, and the "true light" universally shine: for the knowledge of the lord shall have covered the earth, as the waters cover the sea; and man shall no longer say to his neighbour, know ye the lord: for then, all shall know him, from the least to the greatest. _the great case of tithes truly stated, clearly opened, and fully resolved. by anthony pearson, a justice of peace in westmoreland, in the time of the commonwealth. harvey and darton._--this very cheap and seasonable tract is no. , and is printed for the tract association of the society of friends. it cannot fail to excite attention. _suggestions on national education, with a view to the advantage, not only of the poor, but of all classes of society. by john smith, lecturer on education, liverpool. simpkin and marshall._--this very sensible writer maintains that government ought to do that which no individual has power to do, namely, to show the public what education really is, and the best modes of carrying it forward--that the teachers of the millions have yet to be created. he urges the necessity, the practicability, and the benefit of his plan. we hope ere long this great subject will have a free, full, and fair discussion in the house of commons. _reasons for dissenting from the church of england; showing that the ancient jewish theocracy is no authority for an ecclesiastical establishment, &c. &c. by a country farmer and minister of god's word and ordinances. simpkin and marshall_--though we dissent from this dissenter in various particulars, we think every reader will see that the "country farmer" is quite an overmatch for the clergyman who paid him a visit. _the life of the rev. jean frederic nardin, pastor of the church at blamont: translated from the french. by the rev. robert blessley. ward and co._--we have perused this little tract with the liveliest interest; and cordially thank mr. blessley for translating, and mr. t. lewis for recommending it. it contains an excellent example for pious young men; and especially for those of them who are students in divinity, pastors, itinerant preachers, and missionaries. _the spirit of holiness: four sermons. by james harrington evans, minister of john street chapel. pp. . griffiths._--these plain, evangelical sermons are entitled to serious perusal. we think them well calculated to instruct, to reprove, and to console. _memoir of the rev. basil woodd, m.a. by the rev. s. c. wilks, m.a._--an excellent memoir, published by the religious tract society. _puritan farm; or old ways kept up in new times. by a puritan family. ward and co._--a very entertaining little work. we hope it will be continued. the "spoundings" of the female labourer on the burial of christ are charming, and the character of the great dr. owen is developed with much judgment and taste. _a manual of english grammar, philosophical and practical, &c. &c. by the rev. j. m. mccullock, a.m., minister of kelsoe. second edition, revised. simpkin and marshall._--we are glad to see a reprint of this excellent "manual," the first edition of which we recommended to the public not many months since. _memoirs of a sergeant, late in the forty-third light infantry regiment, previously to and during the peninsular war; including an account of his conversion from popery to the protestant religion. pp. ._ mason.--of its kind, this is certainly a very respectable work; but the sieges, and battles, and wounded, and slain, are so many, that it was quite a relief to arrive at the end of the terrible detail. perhaps some would choose to call it interesting; and we do not mean to say that there are not connexions in which it may be properly so contemplated. the pious reader, however, cannot fail to have his mind so deeply affected, as his eye glances over these pages, by the consideration of that which is the cause of war, and of every other calamity which has desolated the earth, as greatly to qualify his gratification arising from martial sounds, glittering arms, or military evolutions. towards the close of the volume there are some observations which deserve attention from the members of the peace society; and all serious persons will read with pleasure the author's account of his conversion. we hope he may live long to fight the good fight of faith, and finally die more than a conqueror. _essay on the habitual exercise of love to god, considered as a preparation for heaven. by joseph john gurney. pp. . seeley & co._ no one whose mind is under a sacred influence, can rise from the perusal of these pages without a consciousness of having been admitted into privileged society. the principles, spirit, and tendency of this work, are eminently important. were they but permitted to exercise that practical dominion over the judgment and conduct of men generally, to which they are fully entitled, a change as marvellous as beneficial would be the result; in the evidence of which its divine nature and origin would be abundantly manifested. the work is divided into the following sections:--"general remarks on meetness for the heavenly state--on the contemplation of god in nature and providence--on the contemplation of god in redemption; the father, the son, the spirit--on communion with god--on submission to the will of god, and conformity to his attributes--on love towards man--conclusion." our sincere wish is that this work may obtain a very extensive circulation. _helen of coquetdale, or the fair bondager; a tale, in two cantos: with a few other fragments, in verse. by a late fellow of oriel college, oxford. pp. . oliphant._--the principal article in this small volume contains many pious and some excellent passages; yet, as a whole, we fear it is not destined to be a favourite. we scarcely know what to say as to public taste, in relation to poetry, in the present day, except that we are apprehensive it is too refined to be attracted with the versification, &c. of "helen of coquetdale." we were ourselves much more favourably impressed with two or three of the minor pieces. _illustrations of the bible, &c. part . churton._--the continuation of these admirable engravings is entitled to, and we hope is receiving, enlarged public attention and support. the following are the illustrations contained in the twelfth part: "belshazzar's feast--the peaceable kingdom--esther kissing the sceptre--death of absalom--solomon's charge--the death of sampson--jonah cast into the sea--hezekiah beholding the sun-dial." _ . fruits and flowers. by the author of the "wheatsheaf." pp. . darton._ _ . the garden. by the compiler of "fruits and flowers," and the "wheatsheaf." pp. . darton._--these elegant little volumes cannot but be highly acceptable, especially to our pious young readers; they contain such a selection of prose and verse, presented in a form so attractive, that we may fairly presume upon their becoming favourites to a very great extent. _sober views of the millennium. by the rev. thomas jones, of creaton, northamptonshire. seeley and burnside._--this little work answers to its title in a very great degree. let the millennarians be induced soberly to read and consider its contents. _the christian journal. conducted by members of the relief church._--no. , for march last, contains a review of mr. anderson's funeral sermon for dr. carey, and several other highly interesting articles. obituary. mr. h. h. freeman henry hawkins freeman was born at south sydenham, in devonshire, in the year , where he resided under the parental roof until he attained the age of sixteen, when he was placed as an apprentice to a ship-builder at plymouth, whom he faithfully served; during which time he occasionally, with worldly companions, sought pleasure on the lord's-day; but has declared he found no gratification therein: but on the contrary, his conscience witnessed against him when so engaged, and left him miserable. his cousin, mr. henry hawkins, baptist minister of stroud, gloucestershire, then residing at plymouth, exhorted him to attend the means of grace, and seek the salvation of his soul. while attending the baptist chapel, how's lane, under the pastoral care of the late philip gibbs (for whom he cherished a strong affection), the lord was pleased to meet with him. the sermon blessed to his conversion was from numb. xxiii. part of the th verse: "let me die the death of the righteous," &c. the observation of the preacher, that unless he lived the life, he could not die the death, of the righteous, fastened upon his mind. he felt he was a sinner before god, and was led to cry for mercy, which he obtained through christ. he united himself to the people of god, and, through divine grace, was enabled to walk consistently, so that the enemies of religion have acknowledged him to be a good man. he was a friend to peace, and possessed a meek and quiet spirit. for many years he filled the office of a deacon. in , he was removed by providence to honduras; and during his stay there, it may be said of him, "he was a light in a dark place." he felt much pleasure in directing the negroes to the lamb of god; and, although for four months at a time, in the interior of the country, and with no companions but the sons of africa and his bible, he was quite happy, and declared that "the word of the lord was precious to him in those days." towards the end of he returned to england, and united himself with the baptist church in little prescot street, london. in the kind affections of many of its members he still lives. he often rejoiced in spirit that god had called nearly all his children, and made them partakers with himself of like precious faith. the lord was pleased to remove by death, july , , the partner of his life, after a union of thirty-seven years, which he severely felt; from which period he rapidly declined. he was not fond of speaking of himself; but feeling a lively sense of love to his redeemer, he was constrained to speak of it, and would often say he could appeal to his saviour as peter did, "lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that i love thee." about a month before his decease, he observed to a minister, "though the earthly house of this my tabernacle be dissolved, i have a building of god," &c. he was seized with epileptic fits on tuesday, august , , while on a visit to his daughter at aylesbury. after the first fit, he became sensible for a few minutes, when a pious friend, sitting at his bed-side, asked him if he was happy. to which he replied, "yes." the friend expressed a hope that the gospel, which had been his support through life, would be his comfort in his extremity. to which he emphatically returned the same answer. on being asked if he would give up his hope for ten thousand worlds, he replied, "no, sir." on referring to a sermon he had heard on the sabbath previous, the good man said, "you know christ is an ever-present friend. he will not leave you now. i hope you will still look to him." he said, "there is no other refuge." these were his last words. a return of the fits came on; and, after lying until thursday morning, the th, at o'clock he fell asleep in jesus, to wake no more until the morning of the resurrection. he was removed to london, and interred in a vault under wycliffe chapel, september nd, and his funeral sermon was preached by mr. stovel the following sabbath, from the portion of sacred writ blessed to his conversion. religious intelligence. * * * * * foreign. canada. _extract of a letter from mr. john edwards. clarence, jan. , ._ in alluding to the work of grace in breadalbane referred to in mr. fraser's letter, inserted in april number, he says: "since (it began) the work has been progressing in a manner quite unprecedented in these parts. from august to november nine persons who had been in a backsliding state were restored, and eight new converts were baptized and added to the church. during last month (december) forty-one have also been baptized, making a total of fifty-eight, added since august. i left the settlement last friday, when mr. fraser assured me there were twenty-two, in addition to the above number, whom he had good reason to believe were converted characters; besides a number under convictions. among the subjects of this work is the man of grey hairs nearly eighty years of age, and the child of thirteen, and many younger, under deep convictions. the most astonishing feature in this work of grace appears amongst the youth at school. there are more than forty children attending it, and instead of vanity and trifling, sedateness and seriousness now mark their behaviour. when spoken to of divine things, they are all attention, and so eager to be instructed, that it is with difficulty they can be prevailed on to leave school. mr. f. told me, that when passing the school one evening at ten o'clock, he found a number of the boys holding a religious meeting; it was the second time they had met for this purpose, unknown to any body. he now devotes one evening of the week to their peculiar benefit. he farther assured me, that he was satisfied six of these dear youths had experienced a change of mind, and nearly all the scholars seem deeply concerned for the salvation of their souls. so general has been the awakening, that very few of the hearers remain unconcerned about their souls. referring to the means of this awakening, he says,--"they set apart a day for fasting and prayer: they humbled themselves before god, and he was entreated of them. in the month of november one of their number went to montreal, and told our brother the state of things. he immediately wrote to a devoted and worthy brother, who is pastor of the baptist church at fort covington, new york (near the boundary line). they met, the following week, at breadalbane, and spent four days faithfully and affectionately stating the truth. all secular affairs were laid aside, and one concern occupied the attention of old and young, which was the "one thing needful." of several interesting incidents connected with this work, i will mention one. mr. gilmore, on his way to the settlement, called on a pious lady, who lives fourteen miles from it, and told her of the intended meeting. her servant is the daughter of an irish catholic, who lives at breadalbane. the lady told her she must go to the meeting; and directed her to ask permission for her sister, who lives in a place of service adjoining, to accompany her. leave being granted, the lady took the girls into her room, and prayed for them most earnestly, that the means of grace they were about to enjoy might be blessed to their conversion. they attended during the meeting, and on going home from one of the services they were accompanied by one of their former associates, who had been lately converted; on their way she pressed on their minds, with much earnestness, the truths they had been hearing; and before parting with them, took them a little off the road, kneeled down on the snow, and prayed fervently for their conversion. this, to them, was an additional proof of the reality of the solemn truths they had just heard. before leaving the settlement, they called on mr. f., and told him the state of their minds, and he believes they returned to their places converted characters. * * * * * +domestic.+ public meetings. wesleyan methodist missionary society. the annual meeting of this society was held on monday, may th, in exeter hall. john hardy, esq., m.p., in the chair. the business of the day was opened, with singing and prayer, by the rev. j. taylor, chairman of the conference. the hall was crowded to excess, and hundreds sought admission in vain. the rev. dr. bunting read the report, which, though described as an abstract, was of very great length. it commenced by stating that the society had twenty-four missionaries and six scripture-readers in ireland. they had established schools, at which , children were receiving daily instruction, many roman catholic families preferring to send their children there rather than to schools of their own persuasion. in sweden, much good has been achieved, and much more might reasonably be expected, as schools had been established. a society had also been founded for the purpose of opposing the doctrine of the heathen; this society had received the royal sanction, as well as the support of the principal bishops, who employed a wesleyan missionary as their secretary. in germany also much progress had been made. there was one society, consisting of persons, and many others were in a state of probation. in france also the cause of true christianity was rapidly advancing. last year there was in one district a wesleyan society consisting of members, but this year it had increased to persons, of whom only were english. in paris seven schools had been established, and there was an ample opening for five more. there was also in paris an auxiliary society, by whom , french tracts have been circulated, in addition to which _l._ had been collected there. in spain also the circulation of the scriptures was making considerable progress. at gibraltar a chapel has been built on ground furnished by government, and was fully attended by the military. a school was likewise established, at which children attended daily. the missionary in spain wrote letters to the booksellers and others of the principal towns, calling upon them to become venders of the holy scriptures on commission. one bookseller replied that he should feel honoured by executing such a commission, not only in his own town, but on any part of the peninsula. the missionary having travelled into spain, described the moral condition of the great mass of the people as most deplorable, the light of the scriptures being altogether hid from them. in seville there were , roman catholics, , of whom attended neither mass nor confession. many of these had fallen back upon infidelity and free-thinking as a refuge from the mummeries of popery. one spanish prelate had distributed , spanish bibles in his district, observing that the battle was not now against luther or calvin, but against antichrist. protestants and catholics, he said, had an equal hope of salvation, as they both professed the essential doctrines of christianity. at malta, the society was progressing, but at alexandria the missionary was withdrawn for the present, it being quite hopeless for one person to make any progress, particularly when the ravages making by the plague were taken into consideration. in the south seas, particularly in new zealand and the friendly islands, the missionaries had made the most astonishing approaches to the general establishment of christianity. much good had also been effected both in southern and western africa, and the west indies; in the island of ceylon they had missionaries, and the scriptures were translated and circulated, and schools were established at which , children were receiving daily instruction. the prejudices of the people had been boldly met, and idolatry had been shaken to its foundation. in the west indies they had missionaries, but it was hoped they would be increased to , for whose labours there was an ample field. they were preaching god's holy word to , of their fellow-creatures just emancipated from that sin and shame and curse of the country--slavery. after some details, the report went on to say, there were missionaries divided between missionary stations. there were , members, and , children were educated by the body. the amount of the year's revenue was , _l._ _s._ _d._, being an increase on the former year to the amount of , _l._ _s._ _d._ this did not include the splendid legacy of horatio cock, of colchester, which was one-eighth of his whole fortune, amounting to , _l._; this, with special contributions, raised the year's revenue to , _l._ _s._ but the average would be about , _l._ lord mountsandford, sir andrew agnew, bart., the rev. j. clayton, the rev. theodore drury (vicar of keighley), the rev. j. dixon (of liverpool), the rev. dr. codman, (one of the deputation from america), the rev. professor tolock (of berlin), the rev. mr. williams (a missionary from the south seas), the rev. dr. humphry (president of amherst college, in the united states), the rev. w. reilly (of dublin), the rev. r. newton (who was loudly applauded), henry pownall, esq., w. g. scarth (of leeds), thomas palmer, esq., the rev. john mclean, the rev. r. alder, and the rev. m. wilson, addressed the meeting, which lasted from until a quarter past o'clock: after which thanks were voted to the chairman. * * * * * christian instruction society. the subscribers and friends to this institution held their tenth anniversary at finsbury chapel, on tuesday, the th of may. long before the time appointed for taking the chair, this spacious building was crowded by a most respectable audience. at six o'clock the earl of chichester took the chair, and the services were commenced by praise and prayer. the secretary read the report, from which it appeared that, during the past year, copies of the holy scriptures had been circulated, cases of distress had been relieved, and children had been induced to attend various schools. at the present time there were associations, having visitors, attending , families, and holding prayer-meetings. to supply the increasing appetite for religious and moral books apparent in the lower classes, the committee had provided a series of loan libraries. there were now fifty such libraries, each containing fifty volumes. several interesting facts, showing the benefit which had resulted from local prayer-meetings, the loan of tracts, and open-air preaching, were adduced. the mission to resident foreigners, announced at the last meeting, and conducted by dr. giustiniani, had been attended with the most salutary benefit. repeated attempts had recently been made, with considerable encouragement, to visit the jails and poor-houses. supplies of tracts and other publications had been granted to several country associations. thomas challis, esq., then stood forward and presented his accounts as treasurer, from which it appeared, that the balance due to the treasurer at the last anniversary was £ s. d.; the total receipts during the past year amounted to £ , s. d.; the expenditure to £ , s. d.; leaving the balance now due to the treasurer £ s. d. the rev. j. leifchild, t. binney, j. burnet, c. stovel, j. williams, t. morell, j. blackburn; also c. lushington, esq., m.p., and h. dunn, esq., in animating and appropriate speeches urged the claims of this society on the attention of the meeting. * * * * * ecclesiastical knowledge society. the sixth anniversary of the society for promoting ecclesiastical knowledge was held in finsbury chapel, moorfields, on wednesday evening, the th of may. dr. brown was in the chair. after prayer by the rev. a. fletcher, and some introductory remarks by the chairman, the rev. dr. bennett read a report, which consisted chiefly of an exposition and defence of the principles and operations of the society. it excited deep interest, and drew forth repeated expressions of applause. the receipts by subscriptions, donations, and collections, amounted to £ s. d.; and the sale of books, to dec. , , amounted to £ s. d. the disbursements were, printing, publication, paper, and copy-rights, £ s. d.; postages, advertisements, books for review, &c., £ s. d.; commission and advertisements for publications, £ s. d.; balance in hand, £ s. d. their new monthly publication, =the ecclesiastical journal=, had more than paid its expenses, and the society was not in arrears, either to printers, or to other tradesmen. the only arrear was the remuneration which, in honour, was due to those who had furnished important communications. the rev. c. stovel, t. scales, of leeds, mr. davis, blackfriars; also mr. brown, of wareham, d. wire, esq., h. thompson, esq., b. hanbury, esq., g. hadfield, of manchester, and a. pellatt, esq., severally defended the principles of the society, and showed the necessity for its existence. * * * * * british and foreign bible society. the thirty-first anniversary meeting of this society was held on wednesday, the th of may, at the great room of exeter hall, and was more numerously attended than any meeting since the formation of the society. long before the chair was taken, notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather in the morning, every part of the hall, save a few seats reserved on the platform, was so closely occupied, as in many instances to be inconvenient to the parties; but even with that inconvenient pressure, there was not sufficient room for all who claimed admittance. under these circumstances it was determined that the lower room should be opened for those who could not gain admission into the greater, and that after the report had been read to the large meeting, it should be taken down and read in the lower room, where the treasurer of the society, john thornton, esq., had consented to take the chair. several distinguished supporters of the society kindly acceded to the suggestions made to them, that they should deliver their addresses to the meeting in the lower room. amongst these were the hon. and rev. baptist noel, rev. c. daley, rev. g. clayton, and the rev. dr. morison. at eleven o'clock lord bexley, the president of the society, came on the platform. his lordship was accompanied on the platform by the marquis cholmondeley, the bishop of lichfield and coventry, lord lorton, lord mountsandford, lord teignmouth, rt. rev. the bp. of ohio, the rev. archdeacon corrie, the rev. j. w. cunningham, mr. plumptre, m.p., mr. hardy, m.p., mr. lushington, m.p., and many other distinguished supporters of the society. the secretary, the rev. a. brandram, read the report, which gave statements and extracts from the communications of correspondents in various parts of the world, describing the progress of bible distribution in those places during the year. the distribution by the paris bible society had, in the year just closed, amounted to , bibles and testaments; the distribution of the previous year had not exceeded , . the accounts from paris contained also most gratifying intelligence of the progress of the society in switzerland, in some parts of which a distribution to the amount of , copies had been effected by two of the society's colporteurs. it appeared from extracts from dr. pinkerton's report of the distribution of bibles and testaments in the north of europe, that , copies had been distributed last year in the hebrew, greek, latin, german, polish, and other languages, and that a considerable number of these had found their way into the hands of roman catholics. after adverting to the satisfactory progress of bible distribution in other parts of germany, in sweden, and russia, the principal bible society of which latter place had already distributed , copies of the sacred scriptures, the report adverted to the state of portugal and spain. in the former country there was now no persecution for religious opinion, but every man was allowed to choose which religion he pleased, and to worship god according to the dictates of his own conscience. in the islands of the mediterranean and in greece, the distribution of the holy scriptures had gone on favourably, and the prospect was equally favourable in moldavia, wallachia, bucharest, and part of persia. in calcutta, and other parts of the east indies, there had been a much greater than ordinary distribution of bibles and testaments, and larger collections had been made to forward the objects of the society. the accounts from new south wales, and the islands of the pacific, were also most satisfactory. two translations of the new testament into the language of the different islands of the pacific had been brought to this country by the rev. mr. yate and the rev. mr. williams, and were now being printed by the society. after going into some details from the accounts from africa, which were on the whole favourable, the report observed that they were the reverse in the states of south america. the attention of the society had, during the last year, been greatly directed to the west indies, with the view of an extensive distribution of the scriptures to such of the newly emancipated negroes as could read. an extra subscription of £ , had been raised for the purpose of promoting that object without interfering with the general funds of the society. the report proceeded to give extracts from the communications from several islands, showing the earnest desire of the negroes to avail themselves of every opportunity to obtain religious instruction. it added that the first shipment made by the society to that part of the world consisted of , copies of the scriptures, the conveyance of which was given by the owners of the vessels without any expense to the society. from returns from the isle of france, it appeared that , negroes had received civil freedom, not one in ten of whom knew how to read; and the ignorance was, of course, great in proportion. adverting to the progress made by the north american bible society, the report stated that its receipts in the last year were , dollars; that its issue of bibles and testaments exceeded , copies, bringing up the whole distribution, since the commencement, to , , . the receipts of the past year amounted to £ , . s., being the largest amount ever received in one year since the society's first commencement. in that amount there were two items, which could not be included in the permanent income of the society. the first was a legacy of £ , . s. d. (less by the legacy duty), being a bequest of the late horatio cock, esq.; and the other a sum of £ , , voted exclusively for the negro fund. but when these were taken into account, the general subscriptions of the society would be found to be little less than those of the previous year. in these were included a sum of £ , . s. d., being the amount of free donations from auxiliaries to the parent society. the expenditure within the year was £ , . s. d., leaving a balance exceeding £ , ; but the engagements of the society amount to above £ , . the distribution by the society in the past year amounted to , bibles and testaments, and portions of the holy scriptures, including those sent to the west indies, &c.; but even after deducting the latter, it would be found that there had been a considerable increase of the issues in the last year as compared with the previous years. the report, after again adverting to the exertions made for the west indies, and the prospect held out that those exertions would, under the divine blessing, be attended with complete success in the religious instruction of the negro, proceeded to state that the present year, , was the third centenary anniversary of the first printing of an english bible. it then contrasted the state of society, and of england generally of that day with those of the present, and deduced the moral greatness of england now, compared with what it was then, to its exertions to promote the free circulation of the holy scriptures. at that time the number of copies in circulation was very small; the extent of the demand in the present day, as contrasted with that, might be judged of from this fact, that in one day last month orders had been given for , copies of new editions. amongst the speakers were the distinguished individuals whose names have been already mentioned, to which may be added, the rev. dr. spring (representative of the american bible society), j. leifchild, w. yate, of the church missionary society, mr. williams, and hugh stowell. * * * * * british and foreign school society. the thirtieth anniversary of this institution was held at exeter hall, on monday, the th of may. on no former occasion have we witnessed a more numerous attendance. at twelve o'clock lord brougham appeared on the platform, and was received with long continued cheers. edward dunn, esq., the secretary, read the report, which commenced by noticing the death of the late j. b. wilson, esq., who had been a warm supporter of this institution. by his will he had bequeathed to it the reversion of £ , three per cents. it went on to state, that the society's premises had been altered and completed in a most satisfactory manner, but the expense had exceeded that for which provision was made. the model school carried on under the direction of mr. crosswell continued to maintain its high character, and was a source of the greatest satisfaction to the committee. there had been scattered in the country young persons, who had received assistance from this society, without which they could not have been introduced to spheres of active usefulness. persons of various dissenting denominations, and members of the established church, had taken advantage of the institution, and had manifested in their conduct towards each other that unity which bound all christians together in the love and service of their divine master. a number of new schools had been opened with considerable prospects of success. since the last anniversary, government had made a second grant of £ , towards promoting education, which had been accompanied by a difference in the mode of distribution, so that the schools conducted on this system had obtained only £ , of it. the committee felt that whatever was done should be on broad and general principles. grants of slates, lesson books, and other materials, had been made during the year. fifty-nine schools, educating , children, had been aided during the same period. the report then reverted to the society's foreign operations, and particularly noticed the desire for instruction manifested by the negroes in the west indies. it concluded by adverting to the benefits which the institution had conferred on the country. william allen, esq., presented his accounts, as treasurer, from which it appeared that the total receipts during the year were £ , s.; the expenditure amounted to £ , s. d.; showing a deficiency upon the general statement of the year of £ s. d. those reports, he observed, only showed the receipts and expenditure of the current year; perhaps, on a future occasion, it would be advisable to give a statement of the society's assets, and carry on the balance. the principal speakers on the occasion were, mr. ainsworth, m.p., mr. pease, m.p., h. pownall, esq., mr. hume, m.p., c. lushington, m.p.; rev. messrs. g. clayton, j. burnet, dr. humphreys, j. williams, and professor vaughan; besides the noble chairman, whose opening and closing address imparted no ordinary interest to the meeting, and were listened to with marks of the warmest approbation. * * * * * protestant society for the protection of civil and religious liberty. the twenty-fourth anniversary of this important institution was held at the city of london tavern on saturday, the th of may. on no former occasion have we ever witnessed greater interest excited. at an early hour every part of the large room was crowded, and hundreds retired, unable to gain admission. on the platform we observed mr. brotherton, m.p.; mr. alderman wood, m.p.; mr. ewart, m.p.; d. w. harvey, m.p.; mr. r. potter, m.p.; mr. j. scholefield, m.p.; mr. c. lushington, m.p.; mr. j. parrat, m.p.; dr. brown, and several dissenting ministers. at twelve o'clock the arrival of lord brougham, who had been appointed to preside on the occasion, was announced, and called forth the repeated acclamations of the assembly. his lordship immediately took the chair, supported by john wilks, esq. on his right, and mr. alderman wood on his left. and here we cannot help expressing regret that our limits will not allow us to present our readers either with the opening or closing address of the noble chairman on this occasion. without pledging ourselves to the correctness of every sentiment that was uttered, we have no hesitation in affirming,--which is perhaps the highest eulogium in the fewest words,--that these eloquent appeals were every way worthy of the liberal, the enlightened, the energetic =henry brougham=; a name which, whatever lustre it may derive from the title appended to it, will ever be indebted for its highest and most gratifying honours, to the heart, the intellect, and the character of the man. for these speeches, together with those of mr. o'connell, dr. brown, j. wilks, c. lushington, d. w. harvey, the rev. messrs. stowell, hoppus, sibree, morell, dr. morison, &c., &c., we must refer our readers to the patriot of the th ult., whose ample columns will afford them a gratifying report of the meeting. the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:-- . that to the great and benignant principles of religious freedom, =this society=, including many hundred congregations of protestant dissenters of different denominations, in england and wales, continue firmly attached: that they must alway regard every interference with the rights of conscience as offensive and unjust--as detrimental to general happiness--and as calculated to produce those hypocrisies or martyrdoms which wisdom and goodness abhor: and that such interference exists in every age when perfect social equality, irrespective of religious opinions and modes of worship, is not enjoyed; and in every country where any civil advantage is bestowed, or prejudice inflicted, in consequence only of religious opinions entertained, or modes of worship preferred. . that such principles should be avowed by =this society=, if they were but humble and unconnected individuals, or if they constituted a small minority in the state; but may be more confidently cherished, and more boldly proclaimed, when dissenters from the established church are great in numbers, information, independence, activity, influence, and wealth--when experience has demonstrated the wide and deep injuries which other principles and practice produce--when the energies and benefits of the _voluntary_ principle have been felicitously evinced--and when the situation of other countries proclaims that religion and religious freedom best prosper together--and that no secular alliances are needful to promote the happiest influences of piety, or the progress of truth: and that, to disregard, or to insufficient attention, to these principles, =this meeting= mainly attribute the numerous grievances which yet peculiarly affect protestant dissenters, and the inadequate progress made by the legislature and successive administrations towards their redress. . that among those grievances =this meeting= include the continuance of =church rates=, which they had hoped, ere now, would have ceased;--and to which they object because these church rates press specially on peculiar portions of the people--because they might be averted by a just appropriation of property belonging to the church--because they occasion extensively irritating feuds, and local litigation--and because they are peculiarly obnoxious to those parishioners who, conscientiously dissenting from church establishments, erect and maintain their own places of worship--and support their ministers--relieve the necessitous of their communion--educate the young--and defray every congregational expense, without asking or desiring assistance from the state, and at their own spontaneous and voluntary charge. that in connexion with this object, =this meeting= sincerely express their condolence with =mr. john childs=, of bungay, in the imprisonment he is now enduring in the county gaol at ipswich, on account of his conscientious objection to the payment of church rates--and also its abhorrence of the system which has subjected to such cruel and unmerited sufferings, an individual who has conferred great benefits on the cause of religion and morality by means of the press. . that =this meeting= also object to the continuance of =the marriage laws=, which for the solemnization of marriage, drag protestant and catholic dissenters, in defiance of their conscientious aversion, or doctrinal opinions, to the altars of the established church--and regret that their sound principles have not been regarded in the measures propounded by the last and preceding government, for their relief. and while they acknowledge the courtesy their claims have received, they express their belief that satisfaction will never ensue till all classes have the option to consider marriage as a religious solemnity, or as a civil contract--and to have the religious solemnity celebrated by the ministers of the congregations or denomination to which they belong--nor till marriages may be registered by a civil officer with safety and facility, and on economical terms. . that the want of a =national civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths=, is also among the wrongs which =this society= have exposed and deplore. that whilst they know that much-needed and incalculable benefits would result to _the whole empire_ by the improvement required--that valuable statistical information would be supplied, and all property become more secure--yet that the imperfections of the present system are peculiarly oppressive and vexatious to dissenters from the church, and that the evils they suffer must induce them to urge for an efficient and immediate remedy with universal, anxious, and unslumbering zeal. . that whilst =this meeting= acknowledge the efforts made by a former administration, who have now succeeded to the government, and by liberal members of the legislature to remove the impediments which prevent dissenters from sharing the benefits and honours of our =national english universities=--they have yet to complain that the spirit of intolerance, and of selfish and sectarian exclusion, has been triumphant; and that even the charter to the london university, founded on expansive and wise principles, has been deferred: and especially as on the survey of europe and america, and even of scotland, they discover that colleges and universities, with powers of conferring degrees, have been numerously and usefully established--and as they believe that the prevalence in england of similar liberality would improve our national destinies, and give cause both for science and religious liberty to rejoice. . that many other matters prejudicial to dissenters require interposition and relief--as, . the absurd jurisdictions of the ecclesiastical courts, and their powers to enforce by penance and indefensible punishment the decrees they pronounce. . the liability of dissenters to provide substitutes if chosen church-wardens. . the heavy charges arising from the want of some summary means of perpetuating the trusts of their chapels, without the enormous tax from frequent conveyances at present sustained. . the non-extension to them of the remission of duties chargeable on the materials used in the erection of their places for worship, which is allowed in favour of the churches and chapels of the established church. . the powers of the clergy to prohibit the tolling of the bell on the death or funeral of dissenting parishioners, and to refuse the admission of their corpses into the church, and to read the burial service over those who die unbaptized, though interred in the parish church-yard. . the exclusion of dissenting ministers from officiating (as is permitted in ireland) in church-yards at the interment of friends. . the difficulty of punishing, summarily, the interruptions of public worship by the persecuting or profligate. and . the right of clergymen, however prejudiced, incompetent, and unpopular, officially to preside at vestries of parishioners; as well as other matters, diversified and vexatious, which chiefly arise from the peculiar favour manifested to the established church, and the withholdment of that perfect equality as to civil rights between religionists of every class, for which =this society= will ever contend. . that with such various grievances, urgent and unredressed--and regarding the dispositions manifested, by high ecclesiastical authorities and parties proud in rank and power, to agitate the people and the parliament by alarms for the established church, and to resist even the reasonable concessions so justly required--and believing that a crisis has arrived or is approaching, on which the early triumph or temporary retrogression of the rights of conscience may depend--=this meeting= would urgently invoke dissenters and methodists, and all friends to liberal principles, throughout the empire, to be up and stirring--to prepare for new strifes and elections--to nominate and the return to the house of commons only such representatives as will vindicate those rights firmly and with zeal--and to afford to the present administration the countenance and cooperation merited by their sacrifices and efforts for freedom and reform, and which may enable them to do justice to ireland and great britain, by promptly correcting every ecclesiastical and corporation abuse.--and that =this meeting= regard with decided approbation and gratitude the strenuous efforts now making in and out of parliament to remove the taxes upon knowledge, satisfied that there is no greater obstacle than such taxes to religious liberty, as well as to religious instruction. . that the following ministers and gentlemen of different denominations constitute the committee of the society, with power to add to their numbers, and appoint all other officers: rev. f. a. cox, ll. d. ---- w. b. collyer, d.d. f.a.s. ---- george collison ---- alexander fletcher, a.m. ---- thomas jackson ---- thomas lewis ---- john morison, d.d. ---- thomas russell, a.m. mr. edward ashby william bateman, esq. james esdaile, esq. martin prior, esq. thomas wilson, esq. matthew wood, esq. m.p. john wilks, esq. m.p. james young, esq. that cordial thanks be rendered to those by whom the duties of the office have heretofore been fulfilled--and that james b. brown, esq., ll. d., be requested to become treasurer to this institution. . that the meeting avail themselves gladly of another opportunity to reiterate their grateful expressions to john wilks, esq., m.p., the honorary secretary of the society from the formation, for the zeal and prudence he has displayed--and for the devotedness and ability with which he has often resisted intolerance and persecution, and struggled for that vital and glorious liberty, to which he has long proved himself to be entirely attached. . that the society cheerfully offer their acknowledgments to those members of the legislature who have presented their petitions and laboured on their behalf; and hailing with gratification the presence at this meeting of =joseph brotherton=, esq., m. p., =william ewart=, esq., m. p., =daniel whittle harvey=, esq., m. p., =charles lushington=, esq., m. p., =daniel o'connell=, esq., m. p., =richard potter=, esq., m. p., =joseph scholefield=, esq., m. p., =t. thornely=, esq., m.p., and =matthew wood=, esq., m.p., they hope during future efforts to receive their unabated support. . that this meeting are also rejoiced by the presence of the rev. dr. codman, the rev. dr. humphrey, the rev. dr. spring, and the rev. mr. baird from america--and congratulate them and the world on the proofs supplied by their interesting, enlightened, and prosperous country in favour of the voluntary principle in matters of religion, and which demonstrate that her grace and glories may be well and widely diffused without alliance to the state. brougham, (chairman.) . that =this society=, who have hailed as chairmen at preceding anniversaries some of the most distinguished royal and noble advocates for civil and religious liberty, feel peculiar pleasure in expressing their gratitude and delight that =the rt. hon. lord brougham= has presided at their meeting this day. assured of the cordiality and success with which for many years, he has dedicated his intellect, eloquence, and vast attainments, to the cause of education--to the abolition of slavery--to the accomplishment of legal, corporate, and public reforms--and to the general amelioration of his country and the world--=the meeting= are cheered by the interest he has manifested in the claims and wrongs of the hundreds of thousands of their countrymen whom they represent--and anticipate from the powerful support he can supply that ere long victory will smile on their efforts, and that knowledge, truth, and liberty will for ever prevail. * * * * * the leicestershire baptist association. the baptist churches in leicestershire, formerly connected with the northamptonshire association, which embraced most of the churches in the counties of derby, rutland, leicester, nottingham, lincoln, buckingham, bedford, and northampton, impressed with a conviction that its efficiency was considerably impaired by its extent, thought it desirable to form a separate association, which should be more limited in its range, and more definite end concentrated in its efforts. in pursuance of this object, a meeting of ministers and deacons, with their friends, was convened in the school-room of the harvey lane chapel, leicester, on monday, november the th, ; when the following resolutions were unanimously passed:-- . that the churches of the calvinistic baptist denomination, assembling at arnsby, appleby, husband's-bosworth, loughborough, harvey-lane, leicester, monk's-kirby, oadby, sheepshead, and sutton-in-the-elms, do now form themselves into a union, to be called "=the leicestershire baptist association=." . that the great design of this union be the promotion of the kingdom of jesus christ; by holding meetings for mutual exhortation and united prayer;--by affording opportunities for the cultivation of brotherly love between the ministers and members of the several churches; by endeavouring to advance the cause of the redeemer throughout the county. . that this association hold its meetings twice a year--on the tuesday in easter week, and on the first tuesday in november: and that they be holden at each place connected with the union in its turn; each minister being expected to preach in his course. and that at the spring meeting a report of the state of the churches be received, and the business of the association transacted. . that with a view to the relief of cases of ministerial distress, to assist in carrying the gospel into neglected villages, and to defray the necessary expenses of the association, a fund be established, sustained by collections at the half-yearly meetings, as well as by private subscriptions. and that a committee of management be formed, composed of the ministers and deacons of the churches. . that all churches in the county or its vicinity, wishing to unite with the leicestershire association, be requested to convey their sentiments, either by letter or otherwise, through some member of the union, at one of its regular meetings; and that such applications be attended to without delay. . that mr. new, of arnsby, be requested to act as secretary, and mr. c. b. robinson, of leicester, as treasurer, for the first year; and that the secretary be desired to give a fortnight's notice of each meeting to the ministers or deacons of the churches. the association held its first meeting at arnsby, on easter tuesday, april . the services commenced, in the morning, at half-past ten o'clock, when communications were received from different churches; in the afternoon mr. aveline, of loughborough, preached from acts xvi. , "_on the present state of religion in the churches, and the best means of promoting its improvement:_" in the evening mr. mursell, of leicester, preached from cor. xv. . the services were numerously attended, and left a very gratifying impression; from which it is hoped, that the union may be productive of considerable good. the next meeting of the association will be held at the harvey lane chapel, leicester, on the first tuesday in november. it is to be regretted that, from some misunderstanding, no numerical report was received from many of the churches; consequently, the results of the past year cannot be accurately recorded. =j. new=, _secretary_. * * * * * wells, somersetshire. the following important and interesting case of the baptist church in the city of wells, is respectfully submitted to the consideration of the friends of zion. in the year a few persons, desirous of advancing the cause of christ in this populous city, opened a room for the preaching of the gospel, which, being well attended, led to the purchase of some freehold property, that was converted into a chapel and burial-ground, the cost of which was £ . this case received the sanction of the ministers in the neighbourhood, among whom were the rev. messrs. ryland, roberts, murch, saunders, and tidman. subsequent to the removal of the first minister, the rev. j. p. mursell fixed his residence among them, and it pleased the great head of the church to bless his labours to such a pre-eminent degree, that it became absolutely necessary to build the present commodious chapel, which was opened in october, , by the rev. robert hall. the cause, from that period, has been growing, until the rev. mr. groser, their late pastor, embraced the _sentiments_ of mr. irving, and renounced _believers' baptism_. having given up his pastoral office over this church, and opened another place of worship in the city, many of the church and congregation followed him, which has placed this once flourishing interest in peculiar difficulties with regard to the finances. the sum expended in building the present chapel, including the debt remaining on the first purchase, is as follows:-- purchase, building, &c. subscriptions and contributions ---------- balance due ---------- the ministers in the neighbourhood have kindly afforded their aid, and view this interest as one of no ordinary importance, since it presents an extensive field for the exercise of genuine benevolence. the deacons and friends, having the fullest confidence in the liberality of the christian public, respectfully solicit _early donations_, that they may be freed from the payment of interest money, by the present debt being liquidated, and thereby be enabled to give all their support to a faithful minister of the everlasting gospel. this hope is greatly strengthened by the consideration, that, through the blessing of god, the congregation is increasing, and the prayer-meetings are well attended. the following ministers will cheerfully receive contributions for the above case:--rev. s. summers, t. s. crisp, and t. winter, bristol; j. jackson, bath; t. clarke, paulton, near bath; j. mason, norton st. philip's, near bath; j. p. mursell, leicester; t. price, london; j. s. bunce, devizes; w. jones, and j. dyer, frome; and mr. c. tyte, watchmaker, wells. * * * * * chapels opened. keynsham, near bristol. in the autumn of the last year it was found necessary to take down the old meeting-house, its dilapidated state having rendered it unsafe to worship in. a new one is erected on the same site, the internal arrangements of which are much more commodious than those of the former. it was opened for divine worship on tuesday, the st of april; on which occasion, mr. summers, of broadmead, bristol, preached in the morning, from cor. xiii. ; mr. winter, of counterslip, bristol, in the afternoon, from matt. xiii. , ; and mr. lucy, of lady huntingdon's, bristol, in the evening, from pet. iii. . the devotional services were conducted by messrs. john jackson and james jackson, of bath, probert, of bristol, and fuller, of hallen; mr. ayres, the pastor of the church, closing the services of the day with prayer and thanksgiving. the collection amounted to £ . the whole cost will be £ ; about £ remaining yet to be liquidated. the church and congregation, by no means opulent, have exerted themselves to the utmost, and would feel particularly grateful for such assistance from their christian brethren as should render it unnecessary for their pastor to leave them for the purpose of soliciting contributions. they trust this new period in their history will be the commencement of a brighter day than any which has yet dawned upon them. * * * * * thoverton, devon. a new baptist chapel was opened for divine worship at thoverton, october nd, ; when the rev. s. nicholson, of plymouth, preached in the morning; and the rev. j. baynes, of wellington, in the evening. mr. hoskins, minister of the place, was publicly ordained and recognized as pastor of the church in the afternoon, when the rev. p. anstie, of exeter, described the nature of a christian church; the rev. s. s. hatch, of honiton, asked the usual questions; the rev. c. sharp offered the ordination prayer; the rev. dr. payne (indep.), of the western academy, gave the charge; the rev. messrs. w. blaudy (indep.), c. bushby, and r. pyne, took part in the devotional services, which were numerously and respectably attended. this neat and substantial chapel, measuring ft. by ft., including two school-rooms, a small burying-ground, and expenses of writings, &c., cost only £ . nearly one-third of the amount has been already obtained; for the remainder mr. hoskin is now soliciting the christian public. the previous destitute state of this neighbourhood, and its present promising appearance, give it peculiar claims on their attention. * * * * * shrewton, wilts. a new chapel was opened at shrewton, wilts, november , . the rev. p. saffery, of salisbury, was to have preached the morning sermon, but in consequence of illness, his place was kindly supplied by the rev. c. williams, independent minister of salisbury. the afternoon and evening sermons were preached by the rev. messrs. day, of wincanton, and winter, of bristol. the services were interesting and impressive. the pastor of the church at shrewton, the rev. j. gunning, is about to appeal to the christian public to aid his poor but zealous flock in liquidating the debt which remains on their new place of worship; and it is hoped that he will meet with kind and liberal encouragement. * * * * * hatherleigh, devon. on thursday, the th of march last, the new baptist chapel at hatherleigh, devon, was opened for divine worship. in the morning, brother veysey, of torrington, read and prayed; and brother nicholson, of plymouth, preached from matt. xiii. ; and brother pyne, of bideford, closed in prayer. in the afternoon, brother pyne read and prayed; and brother may, of croyde, preached from acts viii. . in the evening brother pulsford, of torrington, read and prayed; and brother nicholson preached from john vi. , , and closed in prayer. though the rain was tremendous all the forenoon, yet the place was crowded, and great numbers were prevented coming by the waters which overflowed the roads. this is a cause commenced by the baptist friends of torrington, and at present promises to be successful, far beyond the most sanguine expectations of its warmest friends. a gallery appears to be much needed already. may the friends of the redeemer be ready cheerfully to aid this poor but pious people in this good and very desirable work! the present erection is ft. by ft., and has cost about £ ., of which not more than £ . has been raised. here is a fine field for a home missionary. if a holy, active man could be placed there, there is good ground to expect a most abundant harvest. * * * * * +ordinations.+ chatham, kent. on thursday, february th, the rev. f. overbury was publicly recognized as the pastor of the baptist church meeting in providence chapel, chatham. the rev. r. w. overbury, of london, commenced the service with reading and prayer. the rev. t. price, of devonshire square, delivered the introductory discourse, asked the usual questions, and received mr. overbury's confession of faith. the rev. w. g. lewis, of chatham, offered the ordination prayer. the rev. w. h. murch, president of stepney college, gave the charge, from col. i. ; and the rev. j. smith, of london, preached to the people, from phil. i. . the rev. p. thompson, a.m. (indep.), concluded the interesting service with prayer. * * * * * artillery-street, london. on wednesday, may , the rev. c. bathurst woodman was publicly recognized as the pastor of the church assembling in artillery-street, bishopsgate without. the rev. j. b. shenston commenced the service by reading the scriptures and prayer; rev. n. m. harry, of broad-street, delivered the introductory discourse; the rev. j. belcher asked the usual questions; the rev. a. tidman, of barbican, offered the designation prayer; and the rev. j. e. giles, of salters' hall, delivered the charge to the minister. on the following evening, the rev. t. price, of devonshire square, preached to the people; the rev. messrs. murch, president of stepney college, davies, of aldermanbury, peacock, of spencer place, &c., conducted the other parts of the service. the interest of the meeting on wednesday was greatly increased by the presence of the venerable isaiah birt, who, though too ill to officiate, attended for the purpose of expressing his deep and affectionate interest in the welfare of his young friend, mr. woodman, and of the church assembling in artillery-street chapel. * * * * * evesham, worcestershire. the rev. j. blakeman, late of crayford, has accepted the unanimous invitation of the second baptist church, evesham, worcestershire (late rev. c. room, removed to new park street, london), and entered on his stated pastoral labours the first sabbath in april last. * * * * * deputation to america. the secretaries of the baptist union have received a letter from dr. cox and mr. hoby, dated new york, april . we are happy to learn that our esteemed brethen reached the shores of america the preceding day in safety, and were then preparing to enter upon their arduous duty. * * * * * +notices.+ the first meeting of the east kent particular baptist association will be held (providence permitting) at dover, on tuesday and wednesday, june the th and th. the brethren, t. cramp, of st. peter's, and steadman, of ramsgate, to preach. on wednesday evening a public meeting will be held, in order to form an auxiliary baptist misssionary society for east kent and its neighbourhood. the rev. eustace carey is expected to be present. * * * * * the annual meeting of the lancashire and yorkshire association of baptist churches will be held on tuesday and wednesday in whitsun week, in george-street chapel, manchester. brethren godwin, steadman, of bradford, and stephens, are to preach. in case of failure, brethren acworth, of leeds, harbottle, of accrington, and larom. accommodation will be provided for such friends as may come from a distance. * * * * * the annual meeting of the bristol education society will take place on thursday, the th of june instant, at the vestry of broadmead meeting, bristol. the sermon will be preached by the rev. james acworth, of leeds, at broadmead meeting, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon. * * * * * the annual meeting of the =baptist union= will be held at new park street chapel, on wednesday morning, june . breakfast at six o'clock. the chair to be taken precisely at seven. a preparatory meeting of the ministers and representatives will be held at salters' hall chapel, on monday, june th, precisely at five o'clock in the afternoon; when it is earnestly hoped the brethren, especially those from the country, will attend. * * * * * the annual sermon for the baptist building fund will be preached by the rev. j. j. davies, of tottenham, on sunday evening, june th, at maze pond chapel. service to commence at half-past six. the annual meeting will be held on monday evening, june nd, at eagle-street chapel, red lion square; the chair to be taken by joseph fletcher, esq., at half-past six. recent deaths. mrs. mary middleton. died, on the th of april, in the eighty-fifth year of her age, mary, relict of the rev. j. d. middleton, the first pastor of the baptist church, lewes, sussex. for upwards of fifty years she honourably sustained the christian character, and "came to her grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season." * * * * * mr. nicholas mehl. died, on may nd, , mr. nicholas mehl, of chiswick, a deacon of the baptist church at hammersmith, in his nd year. he was a native of strasburg, in germany, and left that country for england at the age of ; was baptized by the rev. j. uppadine in the year . he was one of the warmest friends to the baptist cause at hammersmith, and his unassuming simplicity of manners, purity of conduct, and marked benevolence of character, made him beloved by all who knew him. it may, with truth, be said, he devoted his time to the cause of god, paid much attention to the poor, and in promoting their comfort seemed to find his own happiness. may his aged widow, and the church with whom he has been so long connected, trace his footsteps, and follow him as far as he followed christ. his remains were deposited in the vault beneath the school-room, attached to the baptist meeting-house, on thursday, the th of may, there to repose until the resurrection morn. the rev. j. uppadine improved his removal the following sabbath morning, from rev. vii. , to the end. * * * * * the rev. samuel saunders. on tuesday morning, may , at half-past one o'clock, died, suddenly, of a fit of apoplexy, in the th year of his age, the rev. samuel saunders, for nine years pastor of the baptist church assembling in byrom-street, liverpool. by this sudden and painful stroke the church is clad in mourning, and a deep and solemn impression is made in the town at large. a memoir of the deceased may soon be expected. new publications. _just published._ the just cause; or, the claims of the dissenters expounded, and their conduct vindicated. an appeal to the legislature and the nation, upon the unconstitutional character and irreligious tendency of an ecclesiastical establishment, united with the civil government. by a. z. strict communion vindicated. an answer to the question, "why are you a strict baptist?" by john bane, minister of the gospel, aylsham. * * * * * =errata.=--in our last number, at page , for "tracts" of elias hicks, read "tenets." and in p. , after "bold," read "that of" the apologist. irish chronicle. june, . an esteemed correspondent, in forwarding recently a valuable contribution to the funds of the baptist irish society, most justly remarks, "the society has walked, perhaps more than any other, 'by faith, and not by sight.'" and, perhaps, whatever difficulties may have attended its walk, no society has received greater encouragement calmly to pursue "the even tenor of its way," or to "walk by the same rule," and to "mind the same thing." at the same time, it may not be improper to remind the considerate and generous benefactors of the institution, that "the administration of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto god." it is intended, providence permitting, to hold the approaching annual meeting of the society at the city of london tavern, bishopsgate street, on friday morning, the th instant. breakfast at six o'clock, and the chair to be taken at seven precisely. it is expected that the rev. william thomas, of limerick, one of the society's earliest agents, will be present, and communicate to the meeting much interesting intelligence. on the previous monday, the th instant, the claims of the society will be advocated, at the rev. j. e. giles's chapel, salters' hall, by the rev. e. steane, of camberwell, who has kindly consented to preach the annual sermon. service to commence at half-past six in the evening. * * * * * _to the_ =secretary=. _limerick, april th, ._ my dear sir, having only returned to this from various places where i have been visiting the schools and preaching as usual, and must go off in the morning to preach at castle connell and o'briens bridge, and trying to grasp every thing, i have only time to write a few lines, and with them send the readers' journals, as they must go off by the next post, to be in time. i was much delighted with the bristol and keppel street schools, which i have just seen, though in different directions. i trust i was very useful at ballycar, where a young lady, twenty years and two months old, was called in a few hours into eternity, the niece of major colpoys, and daughter of alderman abbott of dublin; she died in the lord, and left several unquestionable testimonies. purged in the flood which flowed from jesu's side, she lived a christian, and a christian died. i attended her funeral, and gave several lectures at ballycar, which i trust tended to instruct and comfort: several were much affected. i wrote since a letter, which i hope may be accompanied with a blessing to her amiable family in dublin. i have been since my return preaching at castle connell and at cloughjordan, and have been this week to maththeal, to try to get a place of our own in that town for preaching; it is much wanted, and it is the next town (though poor and yet populous) in consequence to limerick in the county. good mr. finch took me in his gig from finchly, there and back; i lectured there, and he gave me £ . for the society, and promised me another pound. he and his truly pious and worthy lady treated me with great kindness. your's, &c. =w. thomas.= * * * * * _to the_ =secretary=. _coolany, april th, ._ dear brother, notwithstanding all the opposition that is made to some of our schools in this district, still there is every reason to believe that this opposition is useless, and, instead of the enemy accomplishing what he desires, it will by the blessing of god have a direct tendency to further the object it wishes to suppress, and strengthen the cause it aims to destroy. it appears to me that ignorance is already so far removed from the bulk of the peasantry, that every attempt to keep them from seeking instruction will prove a failure. it is evident to every one that makes a little observation, education is removing ignorance; and every attempt to stop its advancing progress will prove abortive, and from whatever persons it may proceed, will expose them to infamy and shame. however numerous may be our opposers, so long as we are pursuing the welfare of man in accordance with the principles of divine truth, whatever difficulties we may have to contend with, we need not be held in suspense with regard to the issue. may it be our concern to pursue our course in the spirit of christians, then our feeble exertions will have the approbation and blessing of god! "and who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?" with this you will also receive the journals of the inspectors and sabbath readers. i hope that the lord is blessing their labours in leading sinners to the knowledge of the truth, in promoting the doctrines of the gospel, and the advancement of his own glory. many of the people are beginning to feel anxious to read the scriptures for themselves, and to feel the importance of taking them as their only guide; and, whilst there are some that implicitly lean to the authority of the priest, there are others who reject the traditions of men, and claim the indisputable right of judging for themselves in matters that relate to the salvation of the soul, and the glory of god. during the present month, besides supplying at ballina on the sabbath during mr. allen's absence, i have visited several places in the country, and hope to visit them as often as i possibly can. the preaching of the gospel, accompanied by the blessing of god, like the waters of a mighty river, bears down all before it; and jehovah has promised that it shall rise and expand, like the waters of the deluge, until it cover the whole earth, and universally prevail. a few roman catholics have attended preaching since i came to reside in this village. may the lord give me wisdom and understanding that i may be wise to win souls to christ, and more grace that i may be more devoted to his service! your's &c. =j. bates.= * * * * * _to the_ rev. =j. bates=. _easky, mar. , ._ since my last letter i travelled through parts of the counties of latrun and sligo, earnestly endeavouring as usual, by reading, conversation, and expounding the scriptures, to promote the design of our institution among my friends and acquaintances. within one mile of dromahare, i entered the house of an old woman of ninety-eight years, with whom i had often-times before conversed, on the doctrine of justification by faith; when she understood i had arrived, she sent for me, stretched out her hand, and said she was happy to see me before death would call her away. i told her i was sorry to see her so low, but as it was the will of the lord, we ought to be resigned to his will. i asked her what her dependance was? her reply was, in jesus christ alone, and that she had derived great comfort from reading some tracts i had left her, the last time i was with her; i said to her, "have you never done any thing to please god?" "o no, sir, i was too long of that opinion, and through hearing you, and reading the parts of the scriptures you pointed out to me, i am persuaded that all the power and the glory is the lord's." i was rejoiced to find so great a change in this poor woman, and endeavoured to point out to her the lamb of god, who taketh away the sins of the world. i read several chapters of the word of god, and prayed with her. i conversed and read with many protestants and roman catholics during my journey, as well as in the neighbourhood in which i live; many of them will pay great attention, while others think they are not safe to hear me read the scriptures. =f. irwin.= * * * * * _to the_ rev. =w. thomas=. _ballycar, april , ._ i forward you an account of my labours, during the past month. march th. in crussagh, i read matt. xxv. to four persons, pointing out to them, from the parable of the ten virgins, the absolute necessity of watchfulness, and of being prepared to meet our lord when he doth come. march nd. in newmarket, i read cor. v. to two persons, pointing out to them the full assurance which the apostle paul had of the immediate happiness, in eternal felicity, after death, when he could say, "we know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of god, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." one of these persons said he could not be convinced that any poor sinner could be good enough to enter heaven, or appear in the presence of god, without being cleansed from his sins in purgatory. as to goodness, our lord declares, "after all we have done, we are unprofitable servants." and he says of the unprofitable servant, "take and bind him, hand and foot, and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." again, we read in eph. ii. . "by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of god; not of works, lest any man should boast." again in titus iii. , "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy ghost." after reading different passages of scripture to these persons, proving that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of god eternal life through jesus christ," i endeavoured to convince them, from different passages of scripture, that christ, after having purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. march th. in drumline, i read john v. endeavouring to impress on the minds of three persons the necessity of reading the scriptures, and of obeying that direct command of our lord's, who says, "search the scriptures." one of these persons replied, that the scriptures ought to be read by every person, and he was convinced any person preventing others from reading them, had a great deal to answer for. april nd. i read to two persons matt. vi. pointing out to them the crime of persons who repeat the lord's prayer, who have the smallest enmity to others, showing them they were not calling upon god to forgive them, but they were calling upon him to condemn them, as long as such a spirit of hatred existed in their minds. these persons never seemed to have considered this before, and seemed much alarmed at the idea of it. april . in quin, i read luke xi. to five persons, pointing out to them the great inducement which our lord gives to prayer, when he says, "if a son ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him!" april . in granahan, i read acts v. to four persons, pointing out to them the dreadful visitation of god's judgment on ananias and sapphira, in consequence of a lie, showing them from different portions of scripture, that liars are set down with murderers. =samuel cross.= * * * * * _to_ =rev. j. allen=. _ballina, april , ._ dear sir, it is now about twelve months since i entered on the active duties of my station at easky. on beholding opposition directed against the cause of christ from various quarters, and conscious of my own weakness, i commenced my labours with a trembling heart. in humble dependence on him who can do infinitely more than short-sighted mortals can comprehend, i entered the field, and, the lord's name be praised, experienced that "the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong;" and though "there are many devices in man's heart, nevertheless, the counsel of the lord shall stand." in the commencement, roman catholics and nominal protestants were unwilling to come under the preaching of the gospel; but at present roman catholics, as well as protestants, are regular in their attendance at preaching; and the spirit of inquiry, that prevails among both parties, exceeds any thing that i have hitherto witnessed. may not the friends of christ hail with rapture the approach of that period, when their exertions on behalf of ireland will be rewarded, and their hopes realized? yes: there is at present much cause of thankfulness, that their labours have been already abundantly owned, and the word of the lord is gone forth, and is daily prospering in the things whereunto it was sent. during the spring, as the people can come a longer distance, the congregations, on the sabbath-days, are larger than in winter, but on the week-days not so well attended in the villages, as the people are employed in the fields. however, i endeavour to meet them at their work, for the purpose of speaking to them about the salvation of their souls; and on these occasions i find the irish language very useful, as the most inveterate opposers of religion, when addressed in their own tongue, are ready to hearken with attention. the conversations that occur from time to time are often very interesting. =m. mullarky.= contributions. received by the treasurer:-- £ s. d. r. g., per w. l. smith, esq. legacy of the late mrs. bailey, of brixton t. stephens, esq., ramsgate mrs. john gale, bedford mrs. gamby, ditto received by the rev. j. dyer:-- rev. j. b. burt (beaulieu) and friends sylvanus fox, esq., wellington hetton, by mrs. greatrex manchester, york street sunday school, by mrs. giles. plymouth, by rev. s. nicholson john baylis, esq., ponders' end. rev. j. stuart, sawbridgeworth bewdley, friends, by rev. g. brookes edinburgh, friends, by rev. w. innes edinburgh, friend, by miss haldane rev. reynold hogg, kimbolton by the secretary:-- a friend to the baptist irish society, by the rev. c. elven, of bury w. paxon, esq., ann. subs. w. b. w. c. robson, berwick the baptist congregational missionary society, berwick collected by the rev. s. davis,-- at cheltenham, additional worcester, mrs. page birmingham liverpool bradford (yorkshire) rochdale manchester bolton warrington * * * * * subscriptions received by s. marshall, esq., , high holborn; mr. p. millard, bishopsgate street; messrs. burls, , lothbury; rev. g. pritchard, , york place, pentonville, gratuitous secretary; by messrs. ladbrokes and co., bankers, bank buildings; by mr. h. d. dickie, , bank street, and rev. mr. innes, frederick street, edinburgh; and p. brown, esq., cardigan. london: j. haddon, printer, castle street, finsbury. missionary herald. cxcviii. june, . baptist mission. the friends to this mission are respectfully informed, that the following arrangements have been made for the =annual meetings of the society=:-- tuesday, june . =morning, xi.=--the committee of the society will assemble at the mission house, fen court, when the company of all ministers of the denomination, who may be in town, is requested. wednesday, june . =morning, xi.=--sermon at the poultry chapel (rev. j. clayton's), by the rev. =samuel summers=, of bristol. =evening, vi.=--sermon at surrey chapel, blackfriars road, by the rev. =benjamin godwin=, of bradford, yorkshire. thursday, june . =morning, ix.=--meeting for prayer, at eagle street meeting house. some minister from the country is expected to deliver an address. =xi.=--annual meeting of the society, at finsbury chapel, =t. f. buxton=, esq., m.p., in the chair. foreign intelligence. colombo. we have much pleasure in communicating the following intelligence from this important station. the baptism of twenty-four native converts in less than a year, and the formation of another church composed of those who were lately heathens, are circumstances of great interest, and must be very encouraging to our worthy brother, who has been labouring so diligently among them. at nearly the conclusion of another year, i am reminded of my obligations to write to you. on surveying the events which have occurred in it, we have reason to sing both of mercy and judgment to our heavenly father. while much affliction has reigned around us, i have to bless god for the continuation of my own life and health to labour for him. each of the members of my own family have had to endure a large degree of sickness and debility; yet it has not come near to myself, except as the enervating nature of a tropical clime has produced a considerable degree of lassitude, connected with the labours of a missionary life. nor do i recollect that, during the year i have been obliged to suspend any public exercise through personal indisposition. this continuance of health has been rendered more valuable in consequence of the repeated illness of my colleague, brother siers, who has been many times laid aside from his work, so that i have been obliged in many instances, as far as i could consistently with my stated engagements, to take what devolves on him. as he is chiefly occupied in labouring among the portuguese, i have been under the necessity of cultivating an acquaintance with their language, and have now acquired a sufficiency of it to preach in it the glorious gospel of the blessed god. in the commencement of the year, things wore a distressing appearance, and we went forward with our work under many discouragements. but in the progress of the year i do not know of any part of the time since i have been here, in which a greater degree of the divine blessing appears to have rested on my labours, as far as the native population is concerned. twenty-three singalese, and one tamil man, after subjecting them to a considerable trial, and private as well as public instruction, have been baptized and added to the church, and they appear to continue to walk according to the vows they have made. sixteen of these live contiguous to the village called byamvillee, which i either supply myself or some of our friends, every sabbath-day; so that we have now a little church in that village of twenty-eight members, to whom the word of god is regularly preached, and the ordinances of his house duly administered. by the aid, too, of some of the members of our singalese church, we have been enabled, on a sabbath-day, to carry on a village itinerancy to a greater extent than before. so that, in addition to the singalese, portuguese, and english services, which are conducted in our regular places of worship in the grand pass, pettah, in the fort, and hanwella, we have seven places around colombo, or in the environs of it, where there is singalese preaching, either every sabbath or every other sabbath-day. these are independent of many places to which, on week days, we go to make known the name of the saviour. in consequence of the recent removals of the st and th regiments from colombo to other parts of the island, our english church has been almost entirely scattered; but a small number are now again collected, who have been regularly organized into a christian society. our schools, which at the commencement of the year were much diminished by the alarming prevalence of the small-pox, have again recovered to in general their former size; especially the female school in our own yard, conducted by my own family, which now numbers more than fifty scholars, who have made very rapid progress in reading and in needlework. i fear unless we can obtain further assistance in this school, it must for a time be renounced, as my eldest daughter appears, by a continued pain in her side, to labour under a liver complaint, which renders a relaxation of her labours indispensably necessary, even if a removal to a colder clime be not requisite to save her life. our schools, with the exception of one, which, on account of local circumstances, has for a time been lately discontinued, are the same in number as at the conclusion of the last year--and the number of attendants nearly the same. the inhabitants of this part of the island have been much afflicted lately by a dreadful flood, which no one living ever recollects to have been equalled. it came on suddenly and unexpectedly, at mid-night, like the judgment day. by it multitudes were roused from their slumbers, and obliged to fly for their lives. many were killed by it; the houses of others destroyed--and being near the approach of harvest, the injury done to the rice and other crops is incalculable. many of our members have suffered severely from it, in the loss of their little property, in the destruction of their houses, and in the bodily privations they have endured. i went on wednesday last to preach at a village where one of our members lives, and the account he gave me of the perilous condition in which he and his family were, was most heart-rending. the water rose as high as the shoulders of a tall man in his house. his dwelling was washed away. he and his son were obliged to ascend to the outside of the roof of a bungalow, where they remained two days without food; if they called no one could hear them, they could get near no one, nor any one near to them. there, amidst the pelting of the rain--the howling of the wind--the creaking of the trees--and the fear of the place on which they were sitting falling, they were obliged to continue. the government, with the most commendable diligence, sent boats laden with rice and dried fish, as far as they were able; and a subscription has been opened to afford relief to the sufferers, which has been liberally supported. i engaged persons, whom i supplied with money, to go among the most needy in and near to colombo, and give them food to prevent their dying with hunger. our meeting-house at hanwella has been entirely destroyed by the inundation; and, in the present state of things there, i do not think it expedient to build it again. a small bungalow will be erected for the accommodation of those who wish to hear the word of god; and i hope to obtain a sufficient quantity of timber from the wreck to erect a little place of worship at byamvillee, if i can obtain sufficient subscriptions for it. i have now my hands completely full in preparing an answer to a catholic priest's reply to a tract i published on saint and image worship. i believe i mentioned the original tract, entitled, "st. antonio," in my last, which has excited no small stir among the papists in this place. an abusive and crafty reply has been circulated by them, to which the tract society here has deemed a rejoinder requisite. as i was the person who began the assault, the burden of preparing it has fallen on me. the drift of the answer will be to disprove the authority of tradition--to destroy the claims of the roman catholic church--and show the vanity of the arguments by which they endeavour to support their soul-destroying idolatry. it will occupy, as far as i can judge, about pages, and is now nearly ready for press. indeed the first sheet is gone to it; but as the wesleyan press works very slowly, and they have two or three other works in hand, it may be some time before it makes its appearance. o that it may be the means of leading some of the multitudes of the deluded people by whom we are surrounded, to consult the bible for themselves! * * * * * seebpore. we are thankful to report that our friends mr. and mrs. penney, and their companions, arrived in safety at calcutta, about the end of september. two months afterwards, as our readers will perceive by the following letter, mr. and mrs. george pearce rejoined their missionary associates, with health mercifully recruited by their voyage. by the good providence of god my dear partner and i arrived once more in calcutta, in safety, about the end of november last, after a speedy and pleasant passage to the shores of india, of three months and twenty days. the voyage proved very beneficial to the health of us both, but particularly so to mrs. pearce, who landed here much stronger than she was when she left bristol. we had the happiness of finding all our immediate associates well; and that mr. penney, with his companions (with the exception of mrs. anderson, of whose lamented decease you have long ere this been apprised), had arrived in safety. i mentioned in my letter to you from madeira, that the captain of the st. george had requested me to conduct divine service on the lord's-day. this i continued to do till the close of the voyage, and i had the happiness to witness the regular attendance of most of the passengers, as well as the ship's company. we have to speak in the best terms of the treatment we received from the captain and officers of the ship, and also from the passengers. i should have written to you before this, but i was anxious to inform you at the same time of the station we are to occupy in future. that point is now settled, and seebpore, the place i mentioned to the committee when in england, is to be the place of my future labours. here i have already obtained a house, situated on the bank of the river, about a mile and a half below brother thomas's, at howrah, and am now residing in it. the spot will prove, i hope, a very eligible one for native work, as we are in the midst of a very dense and respectable hindoo population, with ready access to numerous villages a few miles in the interior. with the exception of one or two schools for teaching bengalee, under the patronage of the bishop's college, there is nothing being done here, for the instruction of the heathen in the knowledge of christ; and i believe of late years, nothing has been done. as far as i know of calcutta and its suburbs, there is no spot that i am aware of, that needs missionary efforts more than seebpore, and none more eligible. may the blessing of god attend the efforts now about to be made for their spiritual benefit! the brethren have requested me also to resume charge of the luckyantipore station, and to take the oversight of kharee also, as brother w. h. pearce is desirous of relinquishing it, in consequence of his increasing work in calcutta. this i have consented to do, not however without being in some measure sensible of the arduous nature of the work now devolving on me; especially as the number of people at the stations have considerably increased, and are greatly increasing. i would, however, humbly look to him who giveth strength according to our day. this department of my work will occasion my leaving home for days together several times in the year. the brethren have also considered it proper to divide the christian boarding school; and as mrs. ellis was desirous of some relief, owing to the increase of the schools, her weaker state of health, and the increasing cares of her family, mrs. pearce has been requested to take charge of the girls' department; which she has consented to do; and in the course of a few days expects to enter again on this interesting sphere of labour. i have little more to add, excepting just to mention that, about ten days after my arrival, i accompanied brother w. h. pearce on a journey to luckyantipore, where we had the pleasure of baptizing eight natives. a full account of this interesting journey you may soon expect. under date of the th of december, mr. anderson remarks:-- since i have no interesting intelligence to communicate respecting my own labours in this country, perhaps i may be privileged to speak of the good that has apparently resulted from the labour of others. and here i would refer to the native church, over which w. h. pearce presides as the pastor; it is impossible to contemplate but with feelings of interest and gratitude, upwards of sixty of your fellow-creatures, who were once in the darkness of heathenism, now uniting in rendering worship to the true god. there is an appearance too in many of them, that would indicate that they live very near to god--that they are none other than the meek and penitent followers of the lamb. i would not forget to mention the schools at chitpore, under the care and superintendence of my esteemed friend the rev. j. ellis; they speak highly of the diligence and devotedness of the labours both of himself and of his dear partner in life. having been requested to examine them in history, geography, and the scriptures, i complied, and the result was most satisfactory, and beyond all expectation. i would that i could say any thing to stir up the minds of the friends at home on behalf of these valuable institutions. in addition to the five youths, who have publicly professed their faith in christ by baptism, and who afford unequivocal proof of a change of heart, there are two others, who will speedily follow their example. we bless god for these fruits, which we hope are but the earnest of a future glorious harvest. * * * * * digah. we learn, by a letter from mr. lawrence, dated the nd of november, that he was about to remove from this station to allahabad. at that large and populous city, which, it is expected, will be the seat of the new presidency, he will be joined by mr. anderson, and both will labour in conjunction for the benefit of the native population of allahabad and its neighbourhood. the reasons for taking this step have been explained at length to the committee, who concur in the arrangement, and trust it will promote, in an increased degree, the great object in view. * * * * * jamaica. the tenor of recent letters from this island is, on the whole, highly satisfactory. our brethren on the north side are actively engaged in rebuilding their chapels. mr. knibb writes from falmouth, under date of the th of february:-- my church is, i hope, in a prosperous state; most of the backsliders have returned with weeping and supplication, while the inquirers are pressing forward to the kingdom of god. since my return rather more than have been baptized; their experiences have delighted me; i do believe that the lord has been with them of a truth: full are now waiting for examination. i shall proceed slowly and prayerfully with them, and i hope shall receive assistance from above. most of those who have been baptized were praying for five years, during which time, their conduct, as far as we are able to discover, has been consistent. my plan is this, i examine each one privately, mrs. k. talking with the females. the deacons are appointed to examine into their conduct, and i get them to talk with them. i then call a church-meeting, read over the names of those whom i have examined, and of whom i think favourably, and request any member present to mention any thing they know against any one. if nothing is said, i receive them for baptism. i speak as plainly as i can, and i feel that, if they are deceived, i am clear of their blood. on february the th, the corner-stone of the new chapel was laid, and a glorious day it was. being saturday, the country friends could be with us, and they came from various distances of ten to fifteen and twenty miles round. about half-past three the service commenced. we had erected half our useful tent, and had provided a temporary platform under it. brother hutchins commenced by giving out the nd psalm: let zion and her sons rejoice, behold the promised hour; her god hath heard her mourning voice, and comes t' exalt his power. brother burchell read several short and very appropriate portions of the word of god, and engaged in prayer. brother tinson gave a short address; when he and brother dendy, with myself, proceeded to lay the stone, which had previously been prepared, and a cavity made, in which was placed a bottle containing a short account of the formation and the history of the church and the laying of the stone, with the coins of his present majesty in it. after reading aloud the inscription, i placed the _medal_ struck in commemoration of the abolition of slavery, presented to me on the th of august at the city of london tavern. when this part of the ceremony was completed, which excited intense interest, brother dendy gave a most appropriate address for about fifteen minutes, and we sang, now let the slumbering church awake, and shine in bright array; thy chains, o captive daughter, break, and cast thy bonds away. the collection was then made, which amounted, with the one on lord's day for the same object, to £ . s., of our money. i then addressed the multitude assembled, urged upon those who were emancipated an attention to their duties, and having, as i thought, a fit opportunity, as two or three magistrates were present, assured them that i was still the foe of slavery, and the friend of the oppressed; and that, while they acted right, i would defend them, let the consequences to myself be what they might. another hymn being sung, brother dexter concluded in prayer. though nearly persons were crowded together, the utmost order prevailed, while to me it was truly a happy day. on the sabbath-morning (the fifth anniversary of my recognition as their pastor), the ordinance of baptism was administered to seventy-two persons. the place selected was the sea, at the point of a beautiful cove; full persons were assembled, no unseemly noise was made, or gazing curiosity manifested. we commenced by singing and prayer. brother burchell administered the ordinance; it was one of the most solemn seasons i ever had the pleasure to witness. on returning home numerous were the greetings we received from our happy friends; the narrow road was lined for nearly half a mile with them--truly it was a scene i longed that you should behold. brother burchell preached in the morning; i received the new members by the right hand of fellowship in the afternoon, and administered the ordinance of the lord's supper, which was a solemn season, and rendered additionally so by its being the anniversary of my pastorate among them; which brought to their and to our minds our dear departed brother mann. at the conclusion i tried to sing the hymn we sung at his death, but they wept and sobbed aloud. oh, they did love him, they still love him, and he was every way worthy of their love. brother tinson preached in the evening; and, rather fatigued _in_ but not _of_ the exercises of the day, we closed our fifth anniversary. the first stroke of the foundation was struck on the th of february, the anniversary of dear mann's death; it was not done by design, but was purely accidental. the corner-stone was laid on the anniversary of my release from prison, being three years from that period. home proceedings. departure of missionaries. mr. and mrs. quant embarked for nassau, in the little catharine, captain kopp, on monday, may th; and mr. and mrs. shotton, for jamaica, in the witton castle, april th. list of foreign letters lately received. =east indies= rev. w. h. pearce calcutta dec. . ---- g. henderson berhampore dec. . ---- g. pearce seebpore jan. . ---- ebenezer daniel colombo dec. . =west indies= ---- h. c. taylor old harbour march . ---- j. clarke jericho march . ---- w. knibb falmouth march & . ---- t. burchell montego bay feb. , & march & . ---- f. gardner kingston march . ---- b. b. dexter montego bay march . ---- j. coultart sydenham march . ---- j. m. phillippo spanish town march . ---- joseph bourn belize feb. . ---- edward baylis port maria feb. & mar. ---- knibb, abbott, & dendy falmouth feb. . * * * * * _contributions received on account of the baptist missionary society, from april , , to may , , not including individual subscriptions._ _collected in scotland by_ messrs. =groser= _and_ =flood=. dunfermline: collection at baptist chapel mr. dewar -------- capar: collection at mr. watson's collected by mrs. sturrock bible class collected at the secession church, aug. , (for negro education) -------- kirkaldy coll. at the baptist church john fergus, esq. david landale, esq. -------- anstruther: auxiliary baptist society baptist church collection missionary box -------- st. andrews: collection miss wilson -------- auchtermuchty: collection at dr. taylor's perth: coll. at mr. newland's church do. at mr. thompson's do. at the independent do. perthshire bible society (t) -------- dundee: aux. society, by mr. a. low baptist meeting, seagate baptist meeting, baltic-street chapel shade penny-a-week society, by alex. doeg cards, by mr. james low collection at the public meeting at the rev. dr. russell's -------- forfar: friends at kerrimuir public meeting -------- brechin: society for missions, tracts, &c. collection at mr. blackader's church w.i.f. -------- montrose: secession church monthly prayer-meeting penny society, by mr. mudie a thank offering -------- arbroath: collection at mr. ramsay's aberdeen: collection at south silver-st do. at john-street, including £ . s. from a friend do. at mr. penman's do. at mr. spence's do. at mr. stirling's do. at mr. thompson's, sermon and public meeting donation from missionary society in mr. angus's congregation from female servant society from rev. mr. biggs' church, fraserburgh friends at fogyloan w.i.f. friends, per g. laing w.i.f. -------- elgin: coll. at mr. pringle's chapel baptist meeting -------- banff: coll. at mr. murker's chapel united prayer-meeting -------- pitgair: friends, by mr. j. farrier w.i.f. mill seat: collection at mr. morison's chapel glasgow: coll. at rev. dr. heugh's rev. mr. thompson's, hutcheson town public meeting rev. mr. paterson's wesleyan methodist chapel rev. mr. anderson's, relief ---- mr. macleod's ---- dr. wardlaw's ---- dr. beattie's ---- mr. oris, female assoc. subscriptions, by mr. swan do. do. for t. do. do. for s. do. for _jamaica school_ -------- huntley: collection at rev. mr. hill's missionary society youth's ditto -------- paisley: east relief church, dr. thompson's baptist church, by mr. watson mrs. dunn w.i.f. collection at dr. ferrier's do. at independent church -------- insch: collection at rev. mr. campbell's greenock: collection at baptist chapel do. union-st., secession church south parish church -------- edinburgh: collection at elder-st. chapel do. at the tabernacle do. at mr. johnston's chapel, nicholsons-street do. at dr. brown's, broughton place do. at mr. cleghorn's, north college-street do. at mr. m'gilchrist's, rose-street do. ditto. public meeting do. at mr. french's, south college-street do. at mr. wilkes, albany-st do. at the baptist church, pleasance do. at elder-street baptist church missionary society -------- remitted by mr. h. d. dickie, edinburgh: st. andrews missionary society ditto second donation -------- leith: leith auxiliary missionary society lochee society for propagating christianity at home and abroad dumfries and maxwelton penny-a-week society friends in edinburgh and leith ditto ditto t john turnbull hawick, esq., for chapels friends in aberdeen, viz.: dr. j. walker, lynturk mrs. j. wright, echt ditto for chapels in jamaica -------- collected by james dick ---------- £ to the above list we subjoin the following note from mr. groser to the editor: my dear brother, when you publish the recent contributions from scotland, i will thank you to acknowledge the kindness which mr. flood and myself experienced throughout our tour. at edinburgh, at glasgow, at dunfermline, at kirkaldy, at st. andrews, at dundee, at perth, at aberdeen, and at many other places; in short, every where that we went, we were received with the greatest cordiality. more pulpits were open to us than we had time or strength to occupy, and we were compelled to pass unvisited some towns and villages where we had reason to believe we should have found a hearty welcome. the thanks of the committee are especially due to the ministers of the seceding, independent, and relief denominations, for the readiness with which they admitted us to preach and collect in their congregations. among those churches also which are known technically as scotch baptists, we found much to admire and esteem; and nothing but more frequent intercourse with each other appears necessary to create between us and many of their ministers, entire communion an fraternal confidence. i am yours truly, =w. grosef=. boxmoor, friends, by miss church, (sunday-school £ ) reading, auxiliary society, on account, by mr. williams miss cadby's missionary box oakingham, collection and subscriptions, by rev. j. coles otley, (suffolk), by rev. j. sprigg hitchin, missionary association, by miss palmer poole, subscriptions, by rev. s. bulgin coate and bampton, by mr. huckvale, (for jamaica) ridgmount, friends, by miss cuttriss great shelford, subscriptions, by miss nutter suffolk, society in aid of missions, by shepherd ray, esq. bewdley, collection, &c., by rev. g. brookes missionary box at mr. day's, commercial-road exeter, balance of contributions, by mr. commins harlow, small subscriptions, by miss barnard hemel hempsted, collection, &c., by mr. ford bath, subscriptions, by rev. o. clarke sway, contributions, by rev. w. mursell st. alban's, collection and subscriptions, by rev. w. upton harpenden, do. do. kent, auxiliary society, on account, by rev. w. groser dunstable, collection and subscriptions, by mr. gutteridge, jun. lymington, &c., by rev. j millard canterbury, subscriptions by mr. christian collected by miss philpot and mrs. west -------- donations. edward giles, esq., _clapham common_ mrs. giles, _do._ john baylis, esq., _ponder's end_ b. l. ward, esq., _stanground_ mr. dunnicliff, _clifton_, near _ashbourne_, by rev. w. hawkins _widow and orphans' fund._ lady, by rev. john neave, _portsea_ * * * * * to correspondents. the thanks of the committee are returned to mr. b. l. ward, for twenty-four of his pamphlets "on the importance of missionary effort." to mr. j. e. mogridge, birmingham, for a parcel of books and pamphlets. to miss dafforne, camberwell, for magazines, and a parcel of small books and lesson boards. to mrs. risdon, and friends, pershore, for work bags, pincushions, needle-books, &c. to mrs. jacobs, of wingham, for a similar parcel. to friends, by rev. j. pilkington, for ditto. to a young friend, by rev. j. m. cramp, for pincushions, &c., prepared during long confinement in a sick chamber; and to ladies belonging to the baptist chapel at canterbury, for a box of useful and fancy articles for the schools in jamaica. j. haddon, printer, castle street, finsbury. transcriber's note: due to the number of tables, this file reads better in a monospaced font. the baptist magazine. may, . memoir of the late rev. r. morrison, d.d., &c. _missionary to the chinese empire._ by an intimate friend of the deceased.[a] [footnote a: a sermon has just been published, entitled, "a voice from china; a discourse, delivered at new windsor chapel, salford, on sunday, february , , to improve the lamented death of the rev. robert morrison, d.d., f.r.s., &c., &c.; with a sketch of his character and labours, principally compiled from his own correspondence. by john clunie, ll.d." of this discourse we are happy to avail ourselves, for the purpose of presenting our readers with a brief memorial of this distinguished servant of christ; still referring them to the sermon itself for some interesting extracts, and appropriate reflections, which we are unable to transfer to our pages.--ed.] the rev. dr. morrison was born at morpeth, jan. , , but was early removed to newcastle-upon-tyne. his parents, though in humble circumstances, were industrious and pious members of the scottish church; and they educated their family in the fear of the lord. when a boy, he was, with other young persons of the congregation, frequently catechised by the minister; and this has inadvertently led to an erroneous report, that he was originally a sunday school scholar. he was afterwards taught a mechanical trade, which he diligently followed till he left home. i believe he "feared the lord from his youth;" and that the pious instructions of his father's house, and the faithful ministrations of his pastor, were so blessed to him, that at the age of sixteen he solemnly devoted himself to god. when engaged in his secular calling, his mind, thirsting for knowledge, sought its own improvement, first by general reading, and, after a few years, by diligently acquiring the rudiments of latin. he used to steal hours from rest, and often to work with his book raised before him, so that his eye could cast a rapid glance on its pages, while his hands were actively employed at his daily labour. thus he at once prepared his lesson for the minister who kindly instructed him, and discovered the first indications of that diligence and talent for the acquisition of a foreign language, which laid the basis of his future fame. at this time, in consequence of his manifest love of study, and his ardent desire for usefulness, his mother entertained many fears, that she should soon be deprived of the object of her affections, by his removal from her: but her fears, so far as she herself was concerned, were groundless; for she was called to her rest, the year before he left home for the academy. thus she neither felt the pain of his anticipated absence, nor rejoiced in the participation of his subsequent honours. on entering hoxton academy, january, , i found that mr. morrison had arrived a few days before me; and as we both regularly attended, with our friends, the ministry of that eminent servant of god, the rev. a. (afterwards dr.) waugh, we were very soon intimately acquainted with each other: the result was an indissoluble friendship of nearly thirty-two years, during the whole of which period, we frequently interchanged our joys and our sorrows, and reciprocated our congratulations and our sympathies; while fidelity and affection mutually tendered, when necessary, admonition and reproof. his character was even then distinguished by those qualities which subsequently rendered him so illustrious--the most ardent piety, indefatigable diligence, and devoted zeal. his natural disposition was grave and thoughtful; so that, as his mind was often the subject of anxious and desponding views, especially of _himself and his attainments_, he probably occasionally appeared to some as gloomy and melancholy. but those who knew him best were fully convinced, that most of his anxieties arose from his deep sense of the importance of the work for which he was preparing, of his own utter incompetency for its faithful discharge, and of the consequent obligation under which he was laid, to exert himself to the utmost, to secure the _full benefit_ of every advantage placed within his reach. hence he was a most exemplary student, and always aimed at distinction, even in some branches of study for which he appeared very little adapted. but his chief reliance to secure success, was not on any effort of his _own_, however diligently and constantly exerted--but on the divine blessing. hence few ever entered more fully into the great luther's favourite axiom, _to pray well is to study well_; for of him it may be very justly said, that prayer was the element in which his soul delighted to breathe. his mind had long mourned over the deplorable state of the heathen world, to which he wished to publish "the unsearchable riches of christ;" though he then knew not _how_ it could possibly be accomplished. but after having attended two missionary anniversaries in london, he saw the door effectually opened before him, and instantly resolved to enter on the arduous task. the appeals of thorpe, bennet, dickson, and scott, the commentator, at the last of these anniversaries, were to him irresistible; and he "immediately conferred not with flesh and blood," but consecrated himself to the work of the lord among the heathen, saying, _here am i, send me_. no sooner, however, had he signified his intention, than every objection was made, and every difficulty thrown in his way; and when these failed, he was tempted by favour and honour, to remain at home; but all proved equally in vain. this opposition doubtless arose from a mistaken estimate of the superior claims of home; as it was manifested by some of the "excellent of the earth," who afterwards most cordially rejoiced in his success abroad. thus, while faithfully following his own convictions of duty, he not only exhibited that decision of character which he ever displayed, but eventually found the truth of that sacred declaration, "them that honour me i will honour; and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." after the usual examination, he was most cheerfully accepted by the missionary society; and, having been affectionately commended to the special grace of god, by his fellow-students, he left the academy at hoxton for that at gosport, to enjoy the missionary training of the venerable mr. (afterwards dr.) bogue. few students ever left the house more irreproachable in their conduct, or more generally respected, by all, for their real worth, and unfeigned piety; or more beloved by those who enjoyed the felicity of their faithful friendship. though it was little apprehended that he would so soon be called to fill one of the most arduous and important spheres which could be conceived; or, that he would ultimately rise to such an eminence in it, as to command the admiration of all classes of the christian church, and of the community in general; yet, it is impossible to reflect on his diligent and devoted course at hoxton, without clearly recognizing the _incipient elements_ of all his future success. others, indeed, possessed more brilliant talents,--a richer imagination, a more attractive delivery, or more graceful manners,--but, i trust i may be permitted to say, that there was _no one_ who more happily concentrated in himself the three elements of moral greatness already enumerated--the most ardent piety, indefatigable diligence, and devoted zeal in the best of all causes. thus devoted to the glory of god and the salvation of the heathen, he reached gosport. to show his feelings and sentiments at that important crisis, i shall quote his own words, from the first letter i ever received from him, dated gosport, june , : "dear ----, i expect that my brother would inform you of my safe arrival at gosport, on the evening of the day i left you. through the good hand of god upon me, in answer to the prayers of my relatives and christian friends, i am yet in comfortable circumstances, and enjoy something of the presence of god, and of the hope of glory." "my dear brother, i hope the conversation we had when we travelled together to leatherhead, will not soon be forgotten by you or me. let the sentiment dwell upon our hearts, that it is the great business of our lives, to testify the gospel of the grace of god. whether or not you and i have the happiness to labour together, as it respects place, we shall, i trust, have the happiness of pursuing the same end, seeking to promote the glory of god, the father, son, and holy spirit, in the salvation of men. o that this may be in truth our constant pursuit; so shall we have the happiness of god's approbation through life--at the hour of death--in the day of judgment--and be perfectly happy in his immediate presence through eternity." and again, july st, he thus writes: "my situation at gosport is agreeable, and the persons with whom i am connected are kind to me. the lord, who gives me favour in their eyes, continues me in health. my mind is comfortable, and resigned to the lord's pleasure concerning me. i, as formerly, have to 'fight with sins, and doubts, and fears.' such, i expect, will be my experience while i continue in this world." "my future destination is altogether unknown to me. it is in agitation to send a mission to china. mr. bogue seems quite fond of it. i have had some thoughts about going into the interior of africa, to tombuctoo. i give up my concerns to the lord. i hope he will open a door of useful missionary labour, in some part of the world, and give me souls for my hire." with such feelings, he said "he would have gone to _any_ quarter of the globe, where the people were as yet without a divine revelation." but china, most happily, was the sphere allotted to him by the directors of the missionary society. to that immense empire their attention had been directed by their first devoted treasurer, mr. hardcastle, who judged it highly important to attempt the acquisition of its difficult language, and the translation of the scriptures by some competent missionary. this, be it remarked, was at a time when it was quite uncertain, whether any briton would be allowed to go thither from england, or permitted to reside even on the borders of china, if he should be able to reach its shores. so strong then were the prejudices, in certain quarters, against attempting to evangelize the east, that the directors for a time avoided the use of the term _chinese mission_; and actually were obliged to send dr. morrison and others round by way of america. for this station, china, he was eminently adapted: as it was well remarked by the lamented dr. milne, that "talents rather of the _solid_ than the _showy_ kind, rather i adapted to accomplish important objects by a course of persevering labour, than to astonish by any sudden burst of genius, were the most proper for the first missionary to china: and such exactly were the talents which the giver of every good and perfect gift had conferred on him." but it was thought highly desirable that he should have a fellow-labourer, though subsequent events proved that this would _then_ have been quite impracticable in china. but every effort was made, especially by himself, to prevail on some kindred soul to accompany him. and here i must be excused slightly touching on one who was more than half-disposed to respond to the call; but who was ultimately prevented, by what appeared to him _imperative duty at home_. but he trusts his heart was ever with him: and whatever sympathy and encouragement might be, at any time, in his power to command, were most cheerfully rendered, and the act considered as his highest honour. what views dr. m. entertained both of the missionary and ministerial character, will best appear from what he desired for himself and his friend. in a letter dated march , , he thus writes:-- "i pray god that he may pour into my soul, in rich abundance, the daily washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy ghost. the gifts of the holy spirit, my brother, are radical qualifications in a minister, and in a missionary. oh that you and i may be blessed with large measures of them! let us keep in sight, my brother, our obligations to god our saviour, who has redeemed us from the lowest hell; the short term of service; and the ineffably glorious reward of grace, in the kingdom of heaven; and, animated by the prospect, let us 'spend and be spent' for the sake of our lord jesus. beloved, i wish that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. pray god to make me a good man and a good missionary." and again, may :-- "attend, my dear brother, very particularly, to the state of your own soul. instead of saying, _pray much_, as i was just about to say, be very careful that your prayers be spiritual--from the heart: live by faith on jesus christ. i would add, i mean examine yourself much on this point; for there is much danger of our--those of us whose concern it is constantly to attend to religious matters--i say there is much danger of our doing things, praying, and exhorting, and reading, &c., as matters of course, without entering into them spiritually and seriously. allow me to say--not because i am your master, but because i love you--study gravity, humility, and benevolence of deportment. consider we profess to be the messengers of jesus christ to the children of god, and to sinful, guilty man: let us always be grave and serious. you and i are young, and know but little; let us be humble, considering others better than ourselves. we are the followers of christ, and therefore should wish well to all, ever pleasing them for their good to edification." after spending about fifteen months at gosport, he came to london, to obtain some knowledge of medicine, and to study the elements of astronomy at the observatory, greenwich; from a misapprehension that these, especially the last, would be essential to his success in china. but however much they tended to expand his own mind, they were subsequently found almost superfluous in practice: nevertheless, another object was obtained by his residence for nearly eighteen months in the metropolis. an amiable chinese was found willing to reside with him, to assist him a little in the acquisition of the language, and in transcribing a chinese harmony of the gospels in the british museum, and a latino-chinese dictionary, borrowed from the royal society, both composed by some unknown roman catholic missionaries. it was with reference to him, while employed on the former, that an eminent individual afterwards remarked, that he then little thought, as he passed through the museum, that _that_ stripling sitting at the table transcribing an unknown tongue, would one day translate the scriptures into chinese! well may we exclaim, "who hath despised the day of small things?"--"man looketh on the outward appearance, but the lord looketh on the heart." when the time of his departure from his native shores drew nigh, as i was then at the university of glasgow, he thus took his affectionate leave of me by letter, january, -- "the period, my dear brother, has new arrived when i must bid an affectionate, and perhaps a last farewell. on thursday evening i was solemnly ordained to the ministry of the gospel of the lord jesus christ among the heathen. the service was at swallow street. rev. john townsend opened by prayer and reading the scriptures. rev. g. burder asked the questions. mr. waugh offered up the ordination prayer. mr. nicol gave a charge, and mr. buck closed the service by prayer. it was a very solemn and impressive opportunity. messrs. gordon and lee were ordained with me. we proceed on the th inst. in the remittance, captain law, to new york; from thence they take a ship to india, in all probability to madras; whilst i alone, in another vessel, sail for canton. if permitted, i intend to reside there; if not, i shall probably return to malacca. such, at present, my dear ----, are my external circumstances and prospects. with regard to success, i am not sanguine, nor am i depressed. i hope--_i believe_ i may safely take the comfort of our lord's words, 'lo, i am with you always, even to the end of the world;' and, with this persuasion, what have i to fear? if christ be with me, who can be against me? let me, my brother, have occasionally an interest in your fervent prayers. pray that i may not think it hard, if i fare as well as my master! farewell, my dear young brother; the god of peace be with you! my love to my dear brother hooper." thus inspired, he departed for china, _instructed_ by the directors to learn its difficult language, and, if possible, compose a dictionary of it, and, above all, to translate the scriptures into a language understood by a third part of the human race; and _counselled_ by a beautiful letter, officially signed, but evidently composed by my venerable father, dr. waugh. at new york he was very kindly received, and obtained a letter of introduction from mr. maddison, then secretary of state, to the american consul at canton, which proved highly beneficial to him there. he reached china, sept. , , after a speedy but rough passage and, being a perfect stranger, he landed at macao, with the mate of the ship, who left him next day. he was soon known to be a missionary, and became the object of suspicion to the roman catholic clergy there. during that season at canton, he lived in a cellar, in the most retired manner, and laboured incessantly at the language, with very little success, compared with what his subsequent efforts attained; for he then had only an _ignoramus_ for his tutor. but hear himself from canton, sept. th, addressed to my own beloved mother:-- "i daily converse with chinese, but dare not so much as hint that i desire to stay here, or what my intention for coming is. little merchants and tradesmen daily come to me, to know what i have got to sell, or what i wish to buy. i come to vend the pearl of great value, yet without asking money or price; but dare not tell my errand. i know that you will descend to the grave, praying for the success of your son in the faith of jesus." he subsequently resided in the factory of some american agents at canton, who showed him great kindness, and promoted his views to the utmost of their ability. at first he conformed to the chinese manners, both as to eating and dress, from an erroneous idea that this would recommend him to their kind notice; but when he discovered his error, he resumed the manners of a european. but so anxious was he to learn chinese, that he prayed even in secret in it, when he was but very imperfectly acquainted with its idioms. he quite secluded himself from society for months, till his health began to suffer; and the first time he ventured out into the fields was in a moonlight night, under the escort of two chinese. in the beginning of , he married miss morton, the eldest daughter of a medical gentleman there; and, accepted an appointment in the company's factory, as chinese translator, which unquestionably facilitated his perfect acquisition of the language, and added much to his domestic comfort. such diligence and perseverance could not fail of success. from macao, december , , he thus writes:-- "i believe i was in canton when i last wrote to you, via., the beginning of this year. i continued there till march, carrying on a discussion with the chinese government respecting the alleged murder of a chinaman. i obtained great eclât, by the public examination of witnesses. every body was astonished, that in two years i should be able to write the language, and converse in the mandarin and vulgar dialects. in consequence of that, three of the company's servants determined to begin the study of chinese; and i have during the summer been a regular chinese tutor. i pray that the lord may soon grant to me some from among the heathen, who will faithfully join in the promulgation of divine truth. i wish you had come with me to china: i want some humble, persevering fellow-labourer." he regularly spent six months alternately at macao and canton, in compliance with the requisition of the chinese policy, whose jealousy permits few foreigners to reside in the "celestial empire," as they proudly denominate it; but which, in consideration of an annual revenue, tolerates the portuguese settlement on the insignificant island of macao. in a letter dated december , , he states:-- "sir george staunton, who is very friendly to me, leaves the company's service this year; and i am appointed to his place, as chinese secretary. this will confine me in canton six months of the year. the missionary society judge it proper that i should be in this employment. it is far from being congenial with my taste or wishes, considered in itself. i greatly prefer entire devotedness to my missionary labours, and the perfecting, for future missionaries, a dictionary of the language." this appointment, however, greatly increased his comforts and influence, and enabled him to perform some of those noble acts of christian benevolence to be hereafter noticed. about this time, though he had before been turned out of a miserable house, because its owner said he had converted it into a chapel, he commenced his exercises on the lord's-day, by reading the "harmony of the gospels;" and afterwards continued it, by exhorting a few chinese who attended, principally from his own household. these humble efforts were rendered, under the divine blessing, the means of enlightening and converting several who are now actively engaged in the dissemination of christian knowledge among their pagan countrymen. in , he tried the practicability of printing the scriptures, by revising and publishing the acts of the apostles, which he had brought out with him; for printing which he had paid the large sum of a dollar per copy--the price at which the whole new testament has since been published--on account of the personal risk which those who engaged in it were supposed to run. yet he was encouraged; and next year he finished his grammar, and sent it to the press at serampore, where the east india company afterwards honourably defrayed the expense of its publication. about the same time he published his own translation of luke's gospel, and a tract which the missionary society had requested him to write, on "the redemption of the world," and a catechism for the use of the chinese. thus he proceeded, step by step, till, in , he finished his translation of the new testament, having thus successfully toiled six years alone at the most difficult language on earth, and done what was quite enough to immortalize his name. the whole expense of the mission and translation had hitherto been borne by the missionary society; but about this time, on the presentation of a copy, first of one of the epistles, and then of luke's gospel, translated into chinese, the british and foreign bible society twice voted £ . and soon after, on the presentation of the whole new testament, they voted the noble sum of £ ; and this was subsequently munificently repeated, at different times, till, on the completion of the whole bible, it amounted to the princely sum of £ , without which, the work of translating the entire scriptures would, probably, not have been accomplished. just before this, mr. milne rejoiced his heart and strengthened his hands by coming out from england and joining the mission; and having commenced under _very_ different circumstances, he soon acquired the language, and greatly assisted dr. m. in his subsequent translations and labours. but the jealousy of the portuguese very soon drove mr. milne from his embrace, and obliged him to retire, first to canton, and then to malacca. this, however, eventually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, by the establishment of the malayan mission, and thus preparing the way for the establishment of the anglo-chinese college there, for the instruction of chinese youths in the principles of christianity and the cultivation of chinese literature in general, which, by the numerous publications that have issued from its press, has proved of incalculable value to the populous nations around. from canton, december , , he thus writes:-- "the chinese receive with much readiness the books which i distribute among them. i can give but few with my own hands, as i am not admitted to the interior; nor could i give them openly in the streets. the method which i take is, to give them to the booksellers, who will not destroy them, but be induced to put them into the hands of persons, for the sake of what they can make by them." in , he happily completed the first part of his chinese dictionary; and the whole work was generously published at the expense of the east india company, in three thick quarto volumes. it was the first ever published in the english language; and it must remain a lasting memorial of his astonishing diligence. in , he went as interpreter with our ambassador, lord amherst, to the imperial court of pekin; and subsequently published an account of that unsuccessful embassy. he founded the anglo-chinese college, already mentioned, in , and liberally presented £ for its establishment, and £ per annum, for five years from its actual commencement. in , he completed the translation of the whole bible, having been assisted in several parts of the old testament by his late excellent colleague, dr. milne. with great propriety he once observed in conversation, "_i could have died_, when i had finished the bible."--on that memorable day he wrote a long memoir, in which he described the principles which he had adopted, and the plan which he had pursued, in its execution; and concluded thus: "to have moses, david, and the prophets--jesus christ and his apostles--declaring to the inhabitants of china, in their own language, the wonderful works of god, indicates, i hope, the speedy introduction of a happier era, in these parts of the world; and i trust that the gloomy darkness of pagan scepticism will be dispelled by the _day-spring from on high_; and the gilded idols of budh, and the numberless images which fill this land, will one day assuredly fall to the ground, before the force of god's word, as the idol dagon fell before the ark. it is painful to observe here, that during a considerable portion of his unwearied labours, he was visited by the heaviest afflictions. his own health suffered exceedingly at different periods, under a most painful disorder; his beloved wife also was, for several years, still more grievously afflicted; and just before he had the happiness of finishing his bible, the wife of his colleague was early taken away, leaving four fatherless children to mourn their unspeakable loss. as mrs. morrison's complaint appeared to baffle the medical skill there, and as it was quite impossible for dr. morrison to leave the sphere of his important labours, she was obliged, in , to visit england, accompanied only by her two children. having sojourned amongst us several years, and finding herself greatly improved in health and spirits, she returned with the same charge to china in , to his unspeakable delight. but the following year, she was suddenly removed, after an illness of a few hours, and he was once more, and for ever here, separated from "the wife of his youth." he had formerly lost his first-born, on the very day it saw the light; and the portuguese had cruelly refused permission to inter the child of a heretic in their consecrated ground. he was therefore obliged, under the shades of night, to carry his own babe under his arm, attended only by a servant; and to fee some of the chinese, to let him pass the brow of a hill which was behind his house; where he dug a grave, and buried his dead, purposing in future an occasional visit to the interesting spot. and now he wished to lay his beloved wife by the side of her babe; but the chinese threatened to oppose force, if he attempted it; and the roman catholics were as inveterate as ever. but that kind providence which had in so many instances appeared for him, roused the indignation of the gentlemen of the factory at macao; and they subscribed and purchased a plot of ground, just outside the walls, and devoted it as a perpetual protestant burial-ground. there he honourably buried her. next year, , he was deprived of his able and beloved colleague, dr. milne, who, on the nd of june, fell a sacrifice to his close and unwearied application, and left the anglo-chinese college, of which he was the principal, the mission in general, and dr. morrison in particular, to mourn his almost irreparable loss. having visited the college, and made every possible arrangement for its present emergencies; and having some time before fully accomplished the three great duties assigned him--either of which was almost enough for any ordinary man--to learn the language, to translate the bible, and to compose a dictionary, dr. m. felt himself now at perfect liberty to visit his native country, which he reached in the spring of . as dr. morrison had been so much and so deservedly anticipated by his fame, an intense anxiety was every where manifested to see and hear him. hence he was expected to appear at every public meeting of the missionary and bible societies: and to preach on almost every occasion. from the long prevalence of retired and studious habits, and i may add of asiatic manners, this was no easy or pleasant task for him; and it is not wonderful, if, on some occasions, he disappointed the expectations excited. but you, my christian friends, can testify the powerful appeals which he made here, and how much his soul was evidently inspired with zeal for china; wherever he was, this was his ruling passion. hence he wished all _to love china_, and to seek her evangelization by every means in their power; and not to mind silver or gold, friends or comforts, except as they might become the honoured means of promoting the redeemer's kingdom. and it is highly gratifying to state, that his visit was productive of considerable zeal and exertion on behalf of the same. the greatest attention and kindness were every where shown him, by all ranks of the community. he was honoured by being introduced at court, where he presented to his sovereign a copy of his chinese bible, which was most graciously received, as was also a large map of china, which he subsequently transmitted. he was elected a fellow of the royal society, and of several other literary institutions, both at home and abroad; and he had, some years before, in the most handsome manner, been created doctor in divinity by the university of glasgow, for his distinguished labours. he prolonged his stay in england a second year, in order to instruct some missionaries and others in chinese; and to promote the interests of oriental literature, in connexion with missionary efforts. about this time, he again entered into the marriage state, by leading to the altar miss armstrong, of liverpool, well known to many of you: in whose recent and unspeakable sorrows, i am fully convinced, you will most deeply sympathize. having sent to the press his "_parting memorial_," he left, for the last time, his native shores, with mrs. morrison, now his disconsolate widow, and an infant, and his two elder children, in january, , to return to china, "the land of his adoption," as he called it; with the intention of preparing a short commentary on certain portions of the scriptures, and such other elementary christian essays as appeared desirable for the right understanding of the word of god, now in extensive circulation there. these works he was enabled, to a very considerable extent, to accomplish before his decease. but i must read you an extract from his last letter to myself, which i received only eight days before his death, dated macao, february , :-- "my dear friend, "two days ago, your welcome letter, accompanied by a report of your kind association for our poor college, arrived and afforded me much joy; for i had several months been wondering at your silence. the death of milne and collie, and the removal of kidd and tomlin, were impediments to the prosperity of the institution. but i am happy to say that, judging from mr. evans's letters from the college, he will soon restore it to all that piety, learning, and zeal can do for it. i have been depressed about it of late, but my hopes now revive.--the american missionaries in canton are persevering in the good work, without any immediately great results. they are more zealously supported from america, than we are from england.--the church of christ on earth, and also in heaven, is from all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues. it should know nothing of earthly nationalities. the kingdom under the whole heaven belongs to christ, our blessed saviour, of which i hope, my dear--we are citizens. i love the land of my descent, 'canny scotland;' the land of my birth, 'old england;' and the land of my sojourn--my adoption, although not recognized by it--china. i would not set up one against the other. o that in point of fact (as in point of right they are) all the kingdoms of this world may soon become the kingdoms of our god and of his christ! at present i am engaged on notes on the gospels, with marginal references in chinese. my progress is but slow. my strength for labour has much diminished; and i have many calls on my time from various quarters. adieu. "my dear brother and faithful friend, ever yours affectionately, robert morrison." this was his last salutation: and the spirit of the whole is so truly worthy of him, that to offer any comment would only be to weaken that impression which i am convinced it has made so powerfully, as not soon to be forgotten by many--for _he, being dead, yet speaketh_. the particulars of dr. m.'s lamented decease, were announced in the canton gazette, and in an excellent letter from his son,[a] who long worshipped with us here, to the directors. [footnote a: an extract from this letter--supplying the melancholy part of this memorial--will be found in our number for march, p. .--ed.] he expired at his residence in the danish hong, on the st of august, . his remains were followed from thence to the river side by lord napier,[b] and all the europeans, americans, and asiatic british subjects in canton. the corpse was forwarded to macao, and attended to the grave by about forty european gentlemen, on tuesday evening, august th, and interred in the private protestant burial ground in that settlement. the service of the church of england was read by the rev. mr. stevens, seaman's chaplain in the port of canton, who was present at his decease, and affectionately ministered to his comfort in that trying hour. [footnote b: how singular, that he should so soon follow him to "the house appointed for all living," and earnestly request to be buried near him!] hear then the voice from _the tomb_: _be ye also ready!_ his work of faith and labour of love were ended. the day of jubilee to africa, was the day of mourning to china! then its first protestant missionary--its first translator of the sacred volume--its devoted apostle--not to say, he who unlocked the treasures of its literature to the western world, was summoned to his glorious rest--his eternal reward! then he was hailed by the voice of his saviour: "well done, good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy lord:" while he joined the chorus of the redeemed; "not unto us, o lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and thy truth's sake." only a month before, the venerable carey, the apostle of india, ascended to his glory; and with what rapture must they have embraced each other, in the presence of their common lord!--but, if no talents, no zeal, no labours, no usefulness, can elude the sentence of death--should not _we_ then "prepare to meet our god? the christian armour. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ how admirable is the candour and frankness of christianity! in other systems and pursuits it is usual to conceal difficulties and dangers, and to exhibit nothing, openly, but prospects of advantage. not so the captain of our salvation, and those who had learned of him. they call for self-denial, engage in a life of conflict, and glory in having the cross to bear. like an experienced general, the apostle, having rallied his fellow-soldiers to the onset, reminds them that they had to contend against no ordinary competitors: not against flesh and blood, (q. d.) not against them _only_, or _chiefly_, but against beings who were originally of a higher order, and _even now_, in their fallen state, are powerful, crafty, and malignant. whether we consider their nature, their number, or employments, they are formidable adversaries to man. _their nature._ they are wicked spirits, who once were in the presence and in the service of god; but "they kept not their first estate;" having fallen by rebellion, and being reserved for the judgment of the great day, they, like their prince, are "going about seeking whom they may devour." still they are angels that excel in strength, whose wisdom is corrupted into cunning and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. being _spirits_, they are invisible, and tempt without being tired. were they seen, they might be shunned: were they flesh and blood, they might become weary in their work; but these "rulers of darkness" have continued the work of wickedness ever since they were cast down from the heavenly places. their _number_ also renders them a terror to the children of men; and although under restraint, they are permitted to unite their counsels and force against us. if, in the days of our lord, seven had cutered the person of _one_ unhappy sufferer, and _legions_ into _another_, we may conclude the gross number greatly exceeds that of the human race. the devil and his angels are represented as a king and his subjects; whence we may infer that they act in concert, and that, whilst they sow discord among men, there is an awful concentration of power and of policy amongst themselves. their usurped _dominion_, and constant _employment_, are often referred to in the holy scriptures; and not an instance of extraordinary degradation of character, of disaster of condition, but is traced to the influence of the wicked one, who is emphatically called the "ruler of the dark ages of this world." he blinds the mind--hardens the heart--leads captive at his will--resists the prayers of the saints--stifles the cry of the sinner--and (as in the case of job) puts forth a dreadful power by the destructive elements of nature: and were it not for the restraints of divine providence, and the operations of grace, the history of man would be a record of continual crime, and consequent misery. we are here particularly admonished to "stand against the wiles of the devil." open violence might excite alarm, especially were it understood from whence it proceeded; but secret stratagem has proved more successful, both in drawing men into sin, and preventing their return to god. in presenting temptation, he diligently studies human character, and, observing the weakest side, and waiting the unguarded moment, obtains advantage over us without awakening suspicion. thus, in the case of eve, the only thing she could desire in paradise was more knowledge; of judas, more money; and of ananias, more honour; and for these objects, satan, by his wily representation, induced the first to eat the forbidden fruit; the second, to betray the lord of glory; and the third, to lie unto the holy ghost. hence the proud, the passionate, the polluted, the timid, and the melancholy, are easily approached through the medium of some common failing, or constitutional infirmity; and no one suspects that a devil is near them, till the iniquity is committed: and the deed once done, the tempter laughs at their calamity, and becomes their tormentor. the same policy may be observed in the _seasons_ selected by him to ensnare and overthrow the unwary. as a cunning adversary considers when the troops are fatigued, scattered, asleep, or intoxicated; so the devil assaulted the saviour when alone, after fasting forty days, and just before his crucifixion. as the pirate and the robber pass by and spare the empty vessels, and the poor, but watch for those that return laden with treasure; so this malignant foe resisted joshua at the throne of grace, sifted peter as he descended from the mount, and sent his messenger to buffet paul when he had been caught up into the third heavens. his wiles may be also seen in the _instruments_ employed: they are such as have authority, influence, or reputation; so that a man's deceiver shall be among his friends, "and his foes those of his own house." the artifice of this great adversary is not less manifest in _the means employed to prevent our return to god_. like a strong man armed, he keeps his palace, and his goods are in peace; and to secure the captive, he more frequently has recourse to fraud than to force, and succeeds rather by stratagem than by strength. to prevent alarm, he will suggest every mitigating circumstance respecting their guilt; represent that it is an easy matter to repent and obtain mercy at the last moment of life; or, if he cannot compose the alarmed conscience with such opiates, he will change his course, and represent their sins as peculiarly aggravated; their case as singular and desperate; their day of grace as past; and that, having committed the sin against the holy ghost, it is in vain for them to repent, or expect forgiveness! thus, from the pinnacle of presumption, he will precipitate them into the gulf of despondency. were it in his power to prevent it, there would be no more joy in heaven at the repentance of a sinner, and the light of hope, on earth, would be extinguished for ever. nor does he rest with having misrepresented the character and condition of the sinner to himself; he will distort and conceal the true character of god: at one time representing him as too merciful to punish any one eternally for such faults as theirs; at another, that the insulted majesty of heaven meditates vengeance, and his holiness and justice would be dishonoured if their multiplied and heinous offences were forgiven; diverting their attention from the peculiar discoveries of the gospel, he will, as in the conflict of our blessed lord, bring the scriptures themselves to confirm his wicked suggestions, and, by a false application of difficult and detached passages, hide from us the divine perfections, as harmonizing and glorified in our redemption by jesus christ. one other stratagem may be mentioned, which, for the subtlety of its nature, and the frequency of its use, requires especial notice. satan will often transform himself into an angel of light, and by means of some popular minister, or talkative professor, promise a speedy growth in divine life, but, in reality, will _divert from all proper thoughts of god, and of themselves_. he will draw the young convert into some matter of doubtful disputation, either of doctrine or discipline in the church. he will either explode some important truth, or carry it into an improper extreme, turning spirituality into mysticism, or liberty into licentiousness. having thus entangled the inexperienced in some labyrinth of error, satan cares not, if, under a profession of religion he can but lead away from the simplicity that is in christ; and substitute for the spirit of the gospel a spirit of pride, and of discord, in which all the angry passions find their element, and the souls of men are lost for ever, amidst furious contentions about religion. "where-fore, take unto you the whole armour of god." seeing you are placed in circumstances that will require the faithful use of every part of it, see that nothing be wanting to your steadfastness. the armour is chiefly of the defensive kind, by which we may maintain our standing in the christian warfare. there is an "helmet" for the head, a "breastplate" for the heart, "shoes" (or greaves) for the feet, a "girdle" for the loins, a "shield" that may be moved for the defence of every part that may require it, and a "sword" by which deadly wounds may be inflicted on the enemy. of these we cannot now speak particularly, but shall hereafter, if god permit. we close with three observations:-- . there is no preparation for the back: hence we are to understand that we are to face the foe; and should any think to flee for safety, they expose the unprotected part to the enemy, and become an easy prey. . no direction is given for those who shall use this armour aright, and yet be vanquished: from which we infer that such a case cannot occur. this is an armour _of proof_, which never has failed, and, if used in the strength of the lord, is sure to be effectual. let the christian army know that satan, with all his power and subtlety, shall never finally prevail against them. thus armed, _their head shall be preserved from error, their heart from iniquity, and their feet from falling_. . this is expressly god's armour, and we can receive it at the hands of no one but the captain of our salvation. as, when god decreed the destruction of babylon, we are told that "the lord opened his armoury, and brought forth the weapons of his indignation;" so, when christians are called to fight the good fight, to resist satan, and overcome the world, a suitable armour is provided, and we are directed to put it on, that we may war a good warfare,-- "till, crowned with victory, at his feet we lay our laurels down." _clapham._ j. e. the rev. j. berridge. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ in your last month's magazine i was not a little pleased to meet once more the signature of my late excellent friend, john sutcliff, of olney. the story, also, related by him concerning the pious mr. berridge, delighted me much; to see such zeal and firmness in his great master's cause, persevered in, even to the end; and to perceive how wonderfully the lord protected and delivered him, amidst the most inveterate enemies. is not here a striking display of a good master, and a faithful servant? on reading this pleasing and interesting anecdote, it immediately occurred to my mind, that a long time since i paid a visit to this excellent man, of a most pleasant kind; it was in the summer of , when on a journey from yorkshire to london, through st. neot's, where i stopped to supply the congregation of independents two sabbaths. everton being but a short distance from thence, i felt a strong inclination to take that opportunity of paying a visit to this good old man, who i had several times heard preach at the tabernacle in london, and for whom i felt no small degree of respect. consequently i rode over to everton, and was kindly invited by the old gentleman to dine with him; on this occasion, i well remember requesting him to inform me of his adventures as an itinerant preacher, for i knew he was employed in such services. the following case mr. berridge narrated to me: "i had been preaching in a village near cambridge, at a time when there was a strong opposition in that neighbourhood to preaching out of doors. having fixed upon the place, and being furnished with a little table for my pulpit, while i was engaged, i thought i felt something moving under me, but was not so much incommoded as to interrupt or hinder me in my work. having concluded the service, i retired, safely, from the crowd, into the cottage of a poor woman. i had not been there long, before some person came to the door, who wished to see me; but the poor woman was so alarmed, that she dared not at first open the door, for fear i should be ill-treated. i desired her immediately to open the door, and not be afraid. soon after a man came in, trembling, and most earnestly and humbly begged my pardon, for he fully intended to throw me down, but felt himself powerfully restrained from doing so." mr. berridge was not a little affected by his confession, and said to me, i had him under my table as my prisoner, for he dared not stir to hurt me: and he hoped this might be followed by happy results to this convicted culprit. as he rode upon a high horse, which he showed me, he was often discovered at a considerable distance: and the rude people commonly cried out, "here comes the old devil of everton!" on the top of mr. b.'s clock, this remarkable motto was written, "pay me short visits." this, i think, was no bad caution to his numerous visitants. to conclude my story: soon, soon all these oppositions to the invaluable gospel will cease, and the faithful labourer will enter upon his everlasting rest, when the truly wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that have turned many to righteousness (which, i doubt not, was the happy case of this faithful servant of god) shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. _k._ r. h. on the use of instrumental music in dissenting chapels. _to the editor of the baptist magazine._ two pieces have lately appeared in your excellent periodical on this subject. though the former considered the use of instrumental music, in dissenting chapels, inconsistent with the simplicity of our worship, the ground is fairly open, i conceive, for further investigation. believing that truth is promoted by free discussion, and that your magazine is friendly to both, i also rely upon your candour, for the admission of the following observations on the impropriety of instrumental music in the worship of god. it is, in my opinion, opposed to the spirituality of the new testament worship. when the christian dispensation took the place of the jewish, it swept away the load of carnal rites and ceremonies with which that nation was burdened. of these carnal ordinances it is universally agreed that instrumental music was a part: with them, therefore, it is finally abolished; nor do i see how we can reinstate it in the worship of god, without violating his kingly prerogative, and impairing the spirituality of his worship, by the introduction of grosser materials, which he has, by direct appointment, excluded. instrumental music appears to me to be a departure from the practice of the primitive church, as well as a soil upon the spirituality of the new testament worship. it has, from time immemorial, been the custom of innovators upon divine worship to construe the silence of the scriptures, concerning their innovations, into consent. every one who understands the principles of protestant dissenters knows that their silence in such a case is a loud condemnation. no better reason, i believe, can be assigned for banishing any thing from the worship of the sanctuary, than the fact, that it is not sanctioned by the command of the apostles, nor by the example of the early christians. where, allow me to ask, is instrumental music sanctioned in the worship of the christian dispensation? the apostle paul exhorts us to "teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." the same apostle, when in jail with silas at phillippi, "prayed and sang praises unto god." pliny, in his celebrated letter to trajan, a. d. , or , says of the christians in his time, that they were "accustomed, on a stated day, to assemble before sunrise, and to join together in singing hymns to christ, as to a deity." but where have the apostles sanctioned instrumental music, by precept or example? when and where did the primitive christians employ it in the worship of god? the truth is, as all who are acquainted with ecclesiastical records know, instrumental music is a piece of popish tinsel and show; and moreover a comparatively recent invention of popery itself. that musical instruments were not used, says the author of the biblical cyclopædia, even in the popish church, in thomas aquinas's time, about the year , appears from the passage in his questions: "in the old law, god was praised both with musical instruments and human voices; but the christian church does not use instruments to praise him, lest she should seem to judaize." if, mr. editor, there is any justness in these observations; if instrumental music is an inroad upon the spirituality of the new testament worship, and a departure from the example of the primitive church; then it is not its "tendency to create a unison of voices, which must tend so materially to produce a unity of feeling;" nay, it is nothing less than the direct command of god that can authorize its introduction into his worship. some may think this paper attaches too much importance to instrumental music, especially when discreetly and soberly used, in divine worship. but the use of it at all, involves a dangerous principle; and if the church of christ allows one erroneous form to encrust itself upon her, that will soon attract to itself other evils of the same kind, until the whole is degenerated into one common mass of corruption. anti musicus. poetry. stanzas. while, through the regions of the skies, unceasing alleluias rise, why are the songs on earth so few? and why not here unceasing too? o thou, whom there they praise, once slain, but, living, and shall ever reign, in copious streams thy spirit pour, and waken man from shore to shore; then universal joy shall rise, and earth shall emulate the skies. oh! the glad morning! when the song of heavenly praise shall flow along, from beauteous field, and hill, and dale! when cedar mount, and olive vale, shall burst in glorious singing forth; when east and west, and south and north, have but one theme, the lamb who died! the conqueror, though crucified! then rays from heaven on earth shall shine, and make these regions too--divine! _homerton._ james edmeston. reviews. _memoir of the late rev. joseph hughes, a.m., one of the secretaries of the british and foreign bible society._ by john leifchild. pp. .--ward. we are not aware that we can commence our notice of this instructing volume better than by citing the words with which it concludes: "the memory of the just is blessed." but then "memory" must be enriched and refreshed by the knowledge of facts which illustrate the principles and character of "the just;" and if, with such assistance, it becomes strengthened and sanctified to enlarge and perpetuate the exercise of practical piety, it must be "blessed" indeed. that the perusal, even of the most eminently pious biography, may have its disadvantages, we are prepared to admit; yet, judicious reflection, accompanied with progressive experience, will effect much towards preserving the considerate and devout reader from concluding that human excellence in the present state, however elevated, can be entirely detached from some qualifying alloy, or that the less distinguished may not be raised to the possession of "the best gifts," by that sovereign benevolence to which every creature, whether in earth or in heaven, is indebted, for whatever measure of natural superiority or moral greatness he may obtain. it remains, therefore, our unshaken conviction, that, upon the whole, the amount of benefit arising from a suitable regard to such works as this now before us, vastly preponderates over the influence of certain objections which, were they allowed to operate beyond suggesting a salutary caution to the reader, might deprive us of some of the most powerful _stimuli_ to noble enterprise, and some of the richest sources of sacred enjoyment. mr. hughes was born, we learn from his own account contained in this memoir, in london, jan. , . his father was a native of wales; his mother, of lancaster. a few months after his birth, he was put, for the benefit of country air, to mrs. edwards, a nurse residing at cuffley, on enfield chase, with whom he remained several years. afterwards his parents placed him under the instruction of an ancient matron, of the name of hudson. at a very early period he assumed a manner and appearance far above his years. "joseph," one said to him, "do you love play?" to which the grotesque little urchin, as he calls himself, demurely replied, "_i did, formerly!_" in his tenth year he was received as a pupil and boarder in the family of mr. smalley, minister of a presbyterian congregation at darwen, near blackburn, in lancashire. here he continued for a few of the most important years of his life. from darwen he was removed to a free school at rivington in the same county. he was baptized by the late dr. stennett, and a few months afterwards was placed upon dr. ward's trust as a theological student in the academy at broadmead, bristol. dr. caleb evans was president; mr. james newton, a.m., classical tutor. here he continued the usual term, with a view of completing his course in scotland. mr. hughes thus speaks for himself:-- "before quitting bristol for scotland, i enjoyed the advantage of hearing, as the assistant of dr. evans, robert hall, who also took part in the tuition of the students. the genius and attainments of the last individual would be ill pourtrayed by me. they command admiration wherever he is known; and if his pen had been as busy as his mind is capacious, ardent, and sublime, they would have commanded the admiration of distant ages. no one, before i had listened to him, had translated the classics in my hearing, with equal grace and spirit; no one had given me such an impression of intellectual nature: but he seems never to have formed the same lofty estimate of himself as he must have known that all his acquaintance held most tenaciously. the paucity of his publications must be ascribed to this. 'on what subject,' he has substantially said, 'can you recommend me to write, on which better things have not already appeared than it is in my power to produce?' hence we may account for his diffidence, amounting to anxiety, when he has espied among his public auditors, a parr, or a mackintosh. having been asked what he thought of the famed john henderson, he said, 'i felt myself to be a mere child in his presence.'" p. . in october, , mr. hughes set out for aberdeen, with his fellow-student, mr. (afterwards dr.) john evans. here his literary acquisitions were enriched, and his religious character much improved. some attachments and friendships were formed, which, in following years, were ripened to maturity. having taken his degree, he spent one session at edinburgh, where he was most affectionately received by the venerable dr. erskine. in , he was solemnly called to the ministry, by the church at wild street, and invited to fill the situation of classical tutor at the bristol academy. dr. evans dying in august this year, mr. h. continued to preach at broadmead during the remainder of that and nearly the whole of the following year. about this time he renewed an attachment formed while a student at bristol, between himself and miss esther rolph, youngest daughter of george rolph, esq., a respectable solicitor at thornbury: who afterwards became his wife, and who lives to lament her loss. in december, , mr. hughes accepted the office of assistant minister at broadmead; mr. (afterwards dr.) ryland, having become the pastor and president of the academy. in this connexion, however, after a time, mr. h. encountered difficulties and discouragements which at length terminated in his removal to battersea in july, . in the following year, he was ordained: the service was attended to in the independent chapel, at clapham. mr. josiah thompson, his early patron, delivered the charge, and mr. dore preached to the people. other parts were taken on the interesting occasion by mr. liddon, of hemel hempstead, and dr. rippon, who has survived them all. the "religious tract society" was instituted in , of which mr. hughes was appointed secretary, and which office he retained to the period of his death. but it was as the secretary of the "british and foreign bible society" that he was universally known and admired. this noble institution, which he seems, in conversation with the rev. t. waters, of worcester, to have admitted originated in a suggestion from himself, was publicly formed march th, , at the london tavern, cheapside; granville sharp, esq., in the chair. to the discharge of the delightful but onerous duties of this honourable office, he consecrated his distinguished talents and eminent piety, during nearly the last thirty years of his life. towards the close of his life, in consequence of some trying occurrences at battersea, certain efforts were made to remove him into the metropolis. this movement, however, called forth renewed feelings and expressions of mutual attachment between himself and the persons who had so long enjoyed his ministration; and he respectfully declined the overture which had been made to him from london. for a considerable time before his death, mr. hughes had been afflicted with a pain in one part of his foot. this did not at first occasion any alarm; but early in july , having set out on a long journey to wales, and other places, on behalf of the bible society, the affection in his foot so increased, and, by the necessary exertion in prosecuting the object of his journey, became so aggravated, that he was obliged to retire to the house of a friend in the vale of abbey tintern, and give up what remained of his projected tour. this sickness was to be unto death; rest and retirement did not mitigate the symptoms of his complaint. amidst great suffering he was removed to bath; and when it was found that little hope remained of a cure being obtained, he was conveyed in an invalid carriage from bath to the house of his son, where, after continuing a few days, he was taken to his own residence. throughout his affliction, though his sufferings appear often to have been exceedingly acute, he discovered the most exemplary patience and resignation; the frame of his mind seems to have been uniformly devout and serene, and his confidence in the person and work of the divine redeemer, strong and unwavering. at length, the time of his departure arrived. on the evening of october the rd, , in the sixty-fifth year of his age, he peacefully left these mortal shores. the character of his mind, of his studies, of his conversation, of his oratory on the platform, and of his sermons from the pulpit, mr. leifchild has delineated with the hand of a master, having possessed all the advantages of personal and confiding friendship. the mental and moral excellences of mr. hughes were unquestionably very exalted; but his communications often appeared to suffer from what, perhaps, might not improperly be denominated, a constitutional coldness of manner, which seemed to impose a sort of reluctant constraint on his own feelings. we remember a gentleman of the tract committee remarking, "i admire mr. hughes--i hear him,--i see him--i want to _feel_ him." it was evident that, in himself, he felt intensely here; and, doubtless, he now burns with all the holy ardour of a seraph in the celestial world. were it practicable, we should have peculiar satisfaction in gratifying our readers, and enriching our columns, with lengthened extracts from this interesting volume; but we must confine ourselves to two, which, we are sure, both on account of what they contain, and the high respect in which the writers of them have been long and deservedly held, will be most acceptable to our readers. the first is from the pen of mr. jay. "mr. hughes was often and much at bath, formerly, supplying several years at argyle chapel, for six weeks together, while i was in town. i have been intimately acquainted with him for upwards of forty-three years, and have exchanged more mind with him than with any man i ever knew, except my friend and tutor, cornelius winter. with regard to religious things, we only differed as to baptism; and if we did not love each other the more for this difference, i am sure we did not love each other the less. we disagreed, too, a little with regard to composition and preaching: he too squeamish, and i too careless; he labouring for correctness, and i for impression (in grasping which i sometimes erred); he too satisfied if he could abide criticism, and i too careless of critical judgement, if i could secure effect. yet, though he was often kindly finding fault with me when we were alone, he was always seeking opportunities to hear me; and i cannot be ignorant how much i shared his commendation, as an author and a preacher. i am thankful for my intimacy with him. my esteem of him always grew with my intercourse. _i never knew a more consistent, correct, and unblemished character._ he was not only sincere, but without offence, and adorned the doctrine of god our saviour in all things. "his mind was full of information; his conversation, singularly instructive, and very edifying; and while others _talked_ of candour and moderation, he _exemplified_ them. in his theological sentiments he was firm, yet sober and liberal, and not too orthodox (as i have often known this,) to be evangelical. but why do i write this? you know it as well as i, and will describe it better." p. . thus mr. jay, concerning the lamented mr. hughes. but now we introduce mr. foster's letter, addressed to him while languishing into death. "the letter referred to," says mr. leifchild, "as forwarded to him by his friend, mr. foster, the editor is happy in being permitted to subjoin;--a letter which leaves it hard to determine, whether the feelings of the writer, or of the receiver, were most to be envied." "_stapleton, september , ._ "in conveying a few sentences for the last time to my dear old friend, i wish to be allowed to say why such a token of sympathy and affection is so late. "returning from a long excursion in north wales, very near the time of your removal to london, i was surprised and grieved at the report of your seyerely afflicted situation at bath. my impulse to go thither was repressed by the information that no one was admitted to see you. after hearing successive accounts, i wrote a few lines of inquiry to mr. evill; and was answered that you had just been removed to london,--with a promise of sending me the information they should receive; which has been done. during the subsequent time, i have withheld from writing to you, partly by information that your great weakness rendered every unusual intervention painful to you, and partly by a report confidently affirming that you had left this world. but at last, and previously to receiving yesterday a message from you through the hands of mr. r. cottle, i had determined to write to mr. george, and put it at his discretion whether to show you the letter. "the thought of my dear and ever faithful friend as now standing at the very verge of life, has repeatedly carried me back in memory to the period of our youth, when, more than forty years since, we were brought into habitual society, and the cordial esteem and attachment which have survived, undiminished, through so long a lapse of time, and so much separation. _then_ we sometimes conjectured--but in vain--what might be the course appointed us to run; and how long; and which might first come to the termination. _now_ the far greater part of that appointment has been unfolded and accomplished. to me a little stage further remains under the darkness; you, my dear friend, have a clear sight almost to the concluding point. and while i feel the deepest pensiveness in beholding where you stand, with but a step between you and death, i cannot but emphatically congratulate you. i have often felt great complacency in your behalf, in thinking of the course through which providence has led you,--complacency in regard to the great purpose of life, its improvement, its usefulness, and its discipline and preparation for a better world. you are, i am sure, grateful to the sovereign disposer in the review of it. you have had the happiness of faithfully and zealously performing a great and good service, and can rejoice to think that your work is accomplished, with a humble confidence that the master will say, "well done, good and faithful servant," while you will gratefully exult in ascribing all to his own sovereign mercy in jesus christ. "but, oh, my dear friend, whither is it that you are going? where is it that you will be a few short weeks or days hence? i have affecting cause to think and to wonder concerning that unseen world; to desire, were it permitted to mortals, one glimpse of that mysterious economy; to ask innumerable questions to which there is no answer: what is the manner of existence--of employment--of society--of remembrance--of anticipation--of all the surrounding revelations to our departed friends. how striking to think that _she_[a] so long and so recently with me here, so beloved, but now so _totally_ withdrawn and absent--that she experimentally knows all that i am in vain inquiring! [footnote a: mrs. foster.] "and a little while hence, you, my friend, will be an object of the same solemn meditations and wondering inquiries. it is most striking to consider--to realize the idea--that _you_, to whom i am writing these lines, who continue yet among mortals, who are on this side of the awful and mysterious veil--that you will be in the midst of these grand realities, beholding the marvellous manifestation, amazed and transported at your new and happy condition of existence, while your friends are feeling the pensiveness of your absolute and final absence, and thinking how, but just now as it were, you were with them. "but we must ourselves follow you to see what it is that the emancipated spirits, who have obtained their triumph over death and all evil through the blood of the lamb, find awaiting them in that nobler and happier realm of the great master's empire; and i hope that your removal will be, to your other friends and to me; a strong additional excitement, under the influence of the divine spirit, to apply ourselves with more earnest zeal to the grand business of our high calling. "it is a delightful thing to be assured on the authority of revelation, of the perfect consciousness, the intensely awakened faculties, and all the capacities and causes of felicity of the faithful in that mysterious separate state and on the same evidence, together with every other rational probability, to be confident of the re-union of those who have loved one another and their lord on earth. how gloomy, beyond all expression, were a contrary anticipation! "my friend feels, in this concluding day of his sojourn on earth, the infinite value of that blessed faith which confides alone in the great sacrifice for all the sole medium of pardon and reconcilement, and the ground of immortal hope. this has always been to you the very vitality of the christian religion: and it is so--it is emphatically so--to me also. "i trust you will be mercifully supported,--the heart serene, and, if it may be, the bodily pain mitigated, during the remaining hours, and the still sinking weakness of the mortal frame; and i would wish for you also, and in compassion to the feelings of your attendant relatives, that you may be favoured so far as to have a gentle dismission; but as to this, you will humbly say, 'thy will be done.' "i know that i shall partake of your kindest wishes and remembrance in your prayers--the few more prayers you have yet to offer before you go. when i may follow you, and, i earnestly hope, rejoin you in a far better world, must be left to a decision that cannot at the most be very remote; for yesterday completed my sixty-third year. i deplore before god my not having lived more devotedly to the grand purpose; and do fervently desire the aid of the good spirit, to make whatever of my life may remain much more effectually true to that purpose than all the preceding. "but you, my friend, have accomplished your business--your lord's business--on earth. go, then, willing and delighted, at his call. "here i conclude, with an affecting and solemn consciousness that i am speaking to you for the last time in this world. adieu, then, my ever dear and faithful friend. adieu--for a while! may i meet you, ere long, where we shall never more say, farewell! "j. foster." _a beacon to the society of friends._ by isaac crewdson.--hamilton, adams, and co. pp. . mo. _a defence of the doctrines of immediate revelation, and universal and saving light: in reply to some remarks contained in a work, entitled "a beacon to the society of friends."_ by thomas hancock, m. d. pp. . mo. the beacon ought to be read with serious attention, and with an honest desire to know "what is truth," by every member of the society, to whom it is addressed. members of that society cannot need to be informed by us of the absurd and impious vagaries, advocated with an air of solemnity, as shocking as it is ridiculous, by certain members of their body in america, the leader of whom was elias hicks, a man of considerable acuteness and energy, but who evinced a degree of mental perversity truly appalling. members of other societies cannot be expected to feel any great interest in the sentiments,--if sentiments they can be called,--avowed with so much complacency by that fanatic, or even in the rapid progress which they made in america. it were wholly unnecessary, therefore, even if our limits allowed it, to furnish our readers with any account of the ultra-mystic theology of hicks. it will suffice to say, that there is scarcely a doctrine of revelation which it does not discard or explain away. the peculiar tenets of this sect were publicly denounced by the english quakers at their yearly meeting, held in london, may, ; but we hesitate not to affirm--what we can easily prove--that the tracts of elias hicks are clearly deduced from the fundamental principles of quakerism; that many of his statements bear a very close resemblance to those of the early friends; and that, however they may be opposed to those writings which possess divine authority, they are fully borne out by others, which are of _almost_ equal authority in the estimation of some members of the society of friends, and which, although that sect acknowledges no creed, are generally regarded amongst them as standards of religious doctrine. let us illustrate this: elias hicks speaks with great apparent devoutness, as well as energy, of a way of salvation, which christians in general would imagine peculiarly his own, of which the most assiduous and prayerful student of the scriptures would have no conception, and which, as far as we can learn, never entered the minds of paul, and peter, and john. he says, "it is only by gathering to this light (the light within) that we can gain a place in his favour; and by endeavouring that all our actions should proceed from the movings of this life in the immortal soul; and as this comes to be our case, _we gain reconciliation_ with the father." this short sentence will appear to our readers to contain a sufficient quantity of mysticism for any purpose, and what is worse, a capital error on a point of vital importance. the scriptures represent, _not the light within_, but christ, "who was delivered for our offences, and rose again for our justification;" as "our peace, who hath made both (jews and gentiles) one," and hath "reconciled both unto god in one body by the cross." when the apostles were asked, by an awakened sinner, "what shall i do to be saved?" they, without any hesitation, replied, "believe on the lord jesus christ, and thou shalt be saved." they always directed men to jesus christ for salvation, for pardon, and for purity, for light and for life; they believed that christians are complete in him; but that, separated from him, they can do nothing. they affirmed that "there is salvation in none other; neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." but, if elias hicks were asked by a poor sinner, conscious of his pollution and guilt, but ignorant of the hope set before us in the gospel, "what shall i do to be saved?" he would reply, "it is only by gathering to the light--this saving light that is within us all, that we gain a place in his favour." he never thought of directing sinners to jesus christ for salvation; his directions uniformly pointed another way: "oh, then, let us be individually endeavouring to gather to the light, and wait on the lord, that we may see his counsel." but this _anti-christian_ statement, this opposition to the word of the truth of the gospel, is in perfect accordance with the avowed and acknowledged principles of quakerism. one of the fundamental principles of the system is, "that there is an evangelical and saving light and grace in all," and that "this light enlighteneth the hearts of all in a day, in order to salvation, if not resisted; nor is it less universal than the seed of sin, being the purchase of his death, who _tasted death for every man; for as in adam all die, even so in christ shall all be made alive_." this is the language of robert barclay, the able apologist of quakerism; and, perhaps, some of the friends may tell us, how many degrees _below_ the authority of paul and jesus they hold the apologist. it must be evident to every one, at all conversant with the past history and the present state of the society, that the friends have ever been, and are still, in many instances (by far too many), accustomed to direct men, not to jesus christ, who is able to save unto the uttermost all that come to god by him: but to the principle of light and life within, which "enlighteneth the hearts of all in a day, in order to salvation, if not resisted." closely connected with the doctrine of inward light, is that of immediate revelation. but the veneration of men for the authority of scripture decreases in exact proportion to their zeal for immediate revelation. elias hicks received revelations quite as important in their nature, as abundant in their measure, and as immediate in their mode of communication, as any with which the apostle paul was favoured. he is therefore entitled to disregard the authority of scripture! he has in himself a higher authority! and he is commissioned to direct men to a better, in every respect a better, guide, than that sure word of prophecy to which the first christians were exhorted to take heed, as to a light shining in a dark place! this is his language: "it is through this comforter that _all our_ knowledge of god must come; and all that ever was among rational beings under heaven, came through this medium, and none other. but, by our believing that we can help ourselves to heaven by the aid of the scriptures, _a mere written book_, at the same time that we understand it so diversely, sets us to warring and quarrelling. has not this been long enough the case, for every rational being to be instructed and to see, that _instead of its being a sufficient rule of faith, and practice, it is the reverse, for while it is depended on as such, it hinders from coming to the truth_. the scriptures never told us that they were a sufficient rule, but they recommend us to that from which they themselves bad their origin--the spirit of truth." if this be not infidelity, we really know not what is. hicks does not even speak of the sacred scriptures with that decent respect which one would consider due to the writings of a _brother_ prophet: "the scriptures a mere written word, which, instead of being a sufficient rule of faith and practice, is the reverse, and hinders from coming to the truth!" such language must draw a sigh from every christian breast. but is such language utterly strange in the annals of quakerism? is it unusual in that society to speak of the scriptures in terms of disparagement, compared with the teaching of the spirit, and immediate revelation? barclay affirms, that "the _scriptures_, '_being outwardly written_,' are the law which brings _condemnation_, and _kills_; but that the _gospel_ is the _inward_ spiritual law which _gives life_." he affirms, that "inward, immediate, objective revelation is the only sure, certain, and immovable foundation of all christian faith;" and that "the principal rule of christians under the gospel is not an outward letter, but an inward spiritual law; therefore the letter of scripture is not, nor can be, the chief or principal rule of christians:" and our good friend, dr. hancock, represents those in the society, who "are turning the eye of the mind outward instead of inward;" that is to say, who are looking to the scriptures, instead of to the light within; as "after beginning in the spirit going back to the letter," and thus "leaving the fountain of life itself, and 'hewing out to themselves _broken cisterns_, that can hold no water?'" are these the words which are able to save our souls, to make us wise unto salvation through faith in christ jesus? or are these the terms which a christian feels himself authorized to apply to those words? much might be said, and most justly, of the evil tendencies, and the pernicious fruits, of this capital error, respecting immediate revelation, and the consequent disparagement of the living oracles of god; but we can now simply advert to that grand axiom, which is in the mouth of all orthodox friends, and which, they fancy, renders their notion of the scriptures as stable as the pillars of the creation, and as clear as the light of heaven. the axiom, in simple terms, is this: "the author is greater than his work; the spirit which gave the scriptures is greater than the scriptures which he gave; therefore the spirit, and not the scriptures, is the first and chief foundation of truth, ground of faith, and rule of conduct." this would seem all very plain; but it is very fallacious. the author is greater than his work: very true; but when you (if we may for a moment address ourselves to friends), when you plead for "immediate revelation," as the surest foundation of all christian faith, and "the principal rule" of christian conduct, you are not placing the author above his work, but _one work_ of the author above _another_ of the works of the same author; you are not placing the spirit above the scriptures, but you are placing the private and personal revelations of the spirit to you, above those revelations of the same spirit which he gave to apostles and prophets, for the instruction and salvation of the human race. it is generally admitted by you, that the "scriptures were given by inspiration of god;" that they are a revelation from god to man; that they are words which "holy men of god spake and penned as they were moved by the holy spirit." though we were to admit, therefore, that you have in reality--we believe no such thing--revelations from the spirit of truth, it would be absurd to say, that because the author is greater than his work, these private revelations are a firmer foundation of faith, and a more certain rule of conduct, than the revelations contained in the inspired volume: it is not the spirit which you have, but, at best, a revelation from the spirit; and this revelation you place above the scriptures, which you acknowledge to be divine--which you admit to be a revelation from god to man. it may be vain in us, but we think this remark worthy the attention of friends: if we are mistaken in our view of this subject, we should be happy to be put right; but if we are correct, the main pillar of quakerism is overthrown, and the edifice must, as in that case it would deserve to, fall. of dr. hancock's work, it may, perhaps, be enough to say, that it affords a poor defence of notions which many of our readers will believe do not merit a better. like some other "defenders of the faith," the doctor makes up for a lack of argument, not indeed by an exhibition of the sword, or the stake, but by positive assertions, by dogmatism, and by a condemnatory spirit. the unfortunate author of "the beacon" appears, in dr. h.'s opinion, to have committed an almost unpardonable offence against the society, and, in this opinion, we are sorry to find the doctor is by no means singular. it is melancholy to witness the bitter spirit of intolerance and persecution, which the well-intended effort of mr. crewdson has raised in the society of friends--the peaceable, the nonresisting friends. it is questionable, even now, whether the publication of his little volume may not lead--in violation of one of the fundamental principles of the society, as stated and advocated by william penn, in his address to protestants, and in contempt of the spirit of religion, and, happily, of the age in which we live,--to the exclusion of mr. crewdson from the society of friends. alas for poor human nature! whatever else may change, this is always the same--the same, whether under a bishop's mitre, or a quaker's broad-brim. the "defence" may certainly appear a powerful thing to those who entirely agree with the author: those who differ from him will probably be of another mind. a few short extracts will suffice to show the _clearness_ and _consistency_ of the author's statements. in page , he says, "i consider every opinion which has not their (the scriptures') support must fall to the ground;" but in page he says, "if nothing of divine influence, in the days of fox and penn--nothing, i say, but the light and knowledge of scripture, had operated on the minds of men, then, i believe, _our religious society would never have had existence_, for they were taught immediately _by_ christ, and they directed all _to_ christ." every opinion not supported by scripture must fall to the ground: then quakerism must necessarily sink; for, according to the doctor's own showing, that system owes its very existence, not to the scriptures, but to something else--to immediate revelation. in page , he says, "_neither the opinion of robert barclay, nor that of any other man, would weigh with me_, if i did not consider that it was founded on a correct and enlarged view of scripture doctrine:" very good; but then, in the very next sentence, he adds, "i quote the apology of robert barclay, concluding, that one who is now _a minister_ (mr. crewdson), _in outward fellowship in the same society with myself, can hardly be supposed_ to have thrown off the authority of a work _so justly esteemed as it is amongst us_; for this would imply, that his _departure from the ground of our testimonies_ was greater than i am yet willing to believe it to be." the opinion of barclay has no weight: yet no man in the society of friends can be supposed to have thrown off the authority of barclay's apology! we cordially congratulate the society of friends on the appearance of the "beacon;" and sincerely pray, that a spirit of inquiry may be universally excited, and that the divine authority of the scriptures, as the sole and sufficient rule of faith and practice, may eventually, and even speedily, be established in the mind of every individual amongst them. of dr. hancock we know nothing; and of that gentleman, personally, we cannot, and will not, say anything bordering on disrespect; but we heartily wish the mystics and quietists all the joy, to which they are _fairly entitled_ from his defence. obituary rev. r. compton. the rev. robert compton, late minister of the general baptist church and congregation, at isleham, cambridgeshire, was born at withybrook, near monk's kirby, in warwickshire, on the st of february, . he had the unspeakable privilege of being the son of parents decidedly pious. his father died more than thirty years ago; but his mother, whom he visited for the last time in august, , survived until some time early in the spring of the last year; when, in a good old age, she slept in jesus, and entered into her rest, preceding her son to glory only a few months. mrs. compton, lik eunice, possessing "unfeigned faith," discovered great concern for the spiritual welfare of her children, not only praying for them, but conversing with them on the most important and deeply interesting subject that can engage the thoughts of young persons,--the way in which mercy is extended to sinners. her anxiety that her children might walk in the paths of peace led her, in conversation with christian friends, freely to express her views in reference to their religion. when about seventeen years of age, our late friend overheard his mother telling a person that she had some hopes of the piety of her son george, but had none respecting her son robert. this, connected with the circumstance of his brother john, about the same time, becoming decided for the lord, very powerfully wrought upon his mind, and he could not dislodge the thought--"if my brothers should go to heaven, and i should perish!" from this time he began to seek the lord by prayer, and reading the holy scriptures with a new and peculiar delight. before he was eighteen years old, he made a public profession of his repentance and faith, being baptized in company with his brother john, and several other persons; and became a member of the general baptist church at hinckley, in leicestershire. having now found a saviour suited to his own circumstances as a guilty ruined sinner, he was anxious to direct other guilty and ruined sinners to the same refuge; and being encouraged by his friends, he began to preach the gospel in the neighbouring villages. a few years after mr. compton began to explain the scriptures in the vicinity of his native place, he removed into cambridgeshire, residing first at harston, then at sawston; and preaching frequently to the congregations at ashwell, in hertfordshire, and at the latter mentioned place of his residence. from sawston, he came to reside at isleham, in the year , and was ordained pastor over the general baptist church and congregation here, october the th, , where, with fidelity and great affection, he continued to labour almost to the time of his death. soon after mr. compton came to isleham, he was called to mourn under a sudden and most painful stroke, in the death of his kind and endeared companion, who left behind her five children, at an age when they were almost unconscious of their loss. a kind providence, however, soon repaired his loss, by leading him to contract a second marriage with the highly esteemed lady who survives him. mr. compton was, a few years ago, a strong man; formed as if for vigorous, persevering, and unwearied effort. a little more than three years since, evident symptoms of consumption appeared; and in each succeeding spring they increased, and threatened to put an end to his faithful and successful labours. during the spring and summer of , he appeared fast hastening to the grave. his emaciated countenance, his feeble and almost inaudible voice, and his increasing debility, clearly indicated the near approach of death. not only did his weakened frame show the nearness of the last enemy, but the detachment of his mind from the world--the calm and serene composure of soul which he enjoyed--the strength and firmness of his hope and confidence in the righteousness of jesus christ, gave satisfying evidence that he was ripening for glory. he did not attempt to preach for some weeks before he died, but was not prevented; the whole of any lord's-day during his affliction, from going to the meeting-house. only two days previous to his death, he administered the solemn and interesting, but too much neglected, ordinance of the lord's supper to his beloved people. oh! it was a time not to be forgotten, when he took his affectionate farewell of all the members of the of the church who were present! the writer of this memorial well remembers seeing several of mr. c.'s friends returning home from the meeting-house on this occasion, whose countenances evidenced a strong persuasion that they should never see the face or hear the voice of their beloved pastor again in this world. the pleasing and delightful state of his mind, in the last days of his life, will be discovered in the following communication to the writer of this sketch from the pen of a near relative. "during the whole of his illness he maintained the greatest calmness and composure; the enemy was not once permitted to disturb his peace, or to shake his confidence in god. on one occasion, a short time before his departure, he said to a friend, 'the lord is very kind to me; for while he afflicts me with one hand, he supports me with the other; yes, he _always_ has been good to me, he _never_ has forsaken me;' and with his characteristic energy added, 'and nobody shall make me believe that he will ever forsake me now.' when conversing with another friend on the bright and glorious prospect he had of future bliss, he said, 'i am very ambitious, for i am striving for a crown; and it is one which will never fade away.' his family did not perceive him to be materially worse, until the saturday previous to his death; but from the evident change which then took place, they urged his staying at home on the sabbath-day; to this he replied, 'i have a great wish to go, perhaps, for the last time.' his wish was complied with, and, propped up with pillows in an easy chair, he, for the last time, distributed to his weeping church the memorials of the saviour's death; and, with wonderful composure, although with feeble steps, he walked round the aisles of the chapel, and took leave of all the persons present. on the monday he appeared fast sinking into the arms of death; and, on a friend saying to him, 'the conflict will soon be over,' he replied, 'do you think so?--i'm afraid not.' the restlessness of death was evidently now upon him, and on being assisted up stairs, a distressing fit of coughing came on, accompanied by difficulty of respiration, and the loss of all power to expectorate: this continued with but little cessation during the night. a highly esteemed friend visiting him early in the morning of tuesday (the day on which he died), he said, 'well, madam, we have often talked together about heaven, i hope i shall soon be there,' adding, 'but, perhaps, you will pray with me once more on earth?' this was most kindly complied with. my mother asked what passage of scripture she should read; he promptly replied, 'the th psalm;' many parts of which were strikingly and beautifully adapted to his own circumstances at that moment. after prayer, he said to the same friend, 'if i get safe to heaven, and should hear that you are coming (and am permitted) i will welcome you there.' on being asked if christ was precious to him, he said, 'more than any thing else; the world is nothing to me now; death has lost its sting, and the grave has no terrors.' repeatedly, during the day, he said, 'oh! how gladly could i lie down and die!--o that i had wings like a dove!' &c. to his highly esteemed brother, mr. reynolds, he said, 'well, sir, when i am gone, i shall want you to bury me;--do not say much about me, preach to the people, and tell them to be stedfast,' &c. on one of his family coming to his bedside, he said: 'love not the world, nor the things that are in it; set your affections on things that are above, and trust in the lord at all times.' to another, 'live near to god, put your trust in him, and he will carry you through.' to his youngest daughter he affectionately said, 'remember your creator, my dear betsy, in the days of your youth, perhaps you may not live to be old.'--his end was peace: he was not the subject of ecstasies; but he possessed a stable confidence, of which the approach of the last enemy could not deprive him." at the comparatively early age of fifty-four years, this devoted servant of christ left this transitory world, about five o'clock in the afternoon of tuesday, the th day of august, ; calmly and serenely falling asleep in jesus. on monday, the th, his mortal remains were conveyed to the burying-ground belonging to the meeting-house, and there interred and left to moulder into dust, until the voice of the archangel and the trump of god shall raise them. agreeably to the request of our departed brother, mr. saunders, of barton-mills, delivered an address at the grave; and the people then assembled in the meeting-house to hear the funeral sermon, which, at the request of his beloved brother, was preached by the particular baptist minister residing in the same village, from cor. xv. : "therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast;" &c. prayer was offered at the grave by the rev. j. jarrom, of wisbeach; and the brethren mays, of fordham, and buckpitt, of burwell, prayed in the meeting-house. as an evidence of the high esteem in which mr. compton was deservedly held, these services were numerously attended from the neighbouring congregations, although it was in the midst of harvest, when every hour is of great importance. there was in mr. compton, a combination of excellences; a happy temperament of mind, a cheerfulness of disposition, and a great flow of animal spirits; these being under the influence and regulation of divine grace, he was calm and unmoved by events that would have overwhelmed many other men. as a neighbour, benignity and kindness emanated from his heart, dwelt upon his countenance, and were expressed in his words and actions. as a christian, integrity and uprightness, consistency of character, deep humility, fervent devotion, liberality of feeling and conduct towards those who differed from him on some points of doctrine, an ardent love to jesus christ, to his word, and to his people, were features by which he was eminently distinguished. zeal for his master's cause, love to the souls of men, active, persevering, and laborious efforts to make known the word of life to his perishing fellow-creatures, characterized the public ministry of our departed friend. as a pastor, he was diligent, faithful, and affectionate. as a husband and a father, his worth was known and appreciated by his bereaved widow and children. mr. compton had the unusual pleasure and satisfaction to know, before he left this world, that all his children were walking in the fear of the lord. six of his own, and five others, for whose spiritual and eternal well-being he most deeply felt and most fervently prayed, were all devoted to the lord! o ye christian parents! let this encourage you to pray earnestly and constantly for your children. the above is, much of it, extracted from the funeral sermon, the preacher of which did not know, when he referred to six of mr. c.'s children as walking in the fear of the lord, that his eldest daughter had entered into heaven more than three weeks before her father, and was then with his glorified spirit in the presence of jesus, where hope and fear had issued in never ending fruition. mrs. mary ann goadby, eldest daughter of our departed brother, and wife of the rev. j. goadby, general baptist missionary at cuttack, in orissa, left england, with her husband, in july, , and landed in india some time in the month of december. during the months of may and june last year, she experienced great languor and debility from the influence of the climate, and on the th of july her deathless spirit took its flight into the presence of jesus, there in triumph to welcome the arrival of her father's on the th of august. j. r. religious intelligence. anti-slavery deputation, from the united states to europe. we have great pleasure in informing our readers, that the rev. dr. cox, professor of theology at auburn seminary, in the state of new york, has been deputed by the executive committee of the american anti-slavery society to visit europe, in conjunction with the rev. joshua leavitt, the talented editor of the new york evangelist, _for the purpose of effecting a union of the abolitionists of the two continents, in efforts to extinguish slavery and the slave trade throughout the world_. dr. cox is already well known to the christian public of this country by his previous visit. his distinguished companion enjoys the reputation among christians of all denominations in the united states. the paper he so ably conducts stands first among the religious journals of his country. these gentlemen are expected in london the beginning of this month; and we are informed that, as soon after their arrival as possible, the committee of the $ will convene a public meeting to receive them, of which due notice will be given. to the christian philanthropist it will afford the greatest satisfaction to learn, that the glorious cause of emancipation is rapidly advancing to its consummation in the united states. "the people are rousing--the pulpits are opening--the cities are shaking--the press is speaking--the congress is acting; and, soon, the topic of slavery will be the text of the clergyman--the theme of the patriot--and the subject of prayer and exertion of the philanthropist and the christian." thus writes a distinguished individual from america, whose labours have been eminently blessed in this field of christian benevolence. may the lord hasten the time when every yoke shall be broken, and the oppressed in every land shall go free! * * * * * premium offered for a prize essay on the love of money. it is the opinion of many of the wisest and best of men, that the besetting sin of professors of christianity is _the love of money_; and yet, there is no subject on which so little has been written well. the late andrew fuller says, "it will, in all probability, prove the eternal overthrow of more characters among professing people, than any other sin; because it is almost the only crime which can be indulged, and a profession of religion at the same time supported." _one hundred guineas_, besides the profits of its publication, will be presented to the author of the best essay on this subject. preference will be given to the most spiritual, poignant, and affectionate appeal to the judgment and consciences of those who professedly recognize the authority of revelation, on avaricious hoarding, and unchristian-like expenditure, to gratify the lust of the eye, and pride of life, whilst they avow their obligations to redeeming mercy, and profess that themselves, and all they have, is not their own, but belongs, and must be accounted for, to him who has said, "occupy till i come," and then "give an account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer steward." the work wanted, is one that will bear upon selfishness, as it leads to live to ourselves, and not for god and our fellow-men. it is requested that reference may be made to the different estimates of man who blesseth, and of god, who abhorreth, the covetous (ps. x. ); and to the tremendous consequences of this sin, which is associated with the vilest of crimes which exclude from the kingdom of heaven. (eph. v. .) the manuscript is to be sent to dr. conquest, , finsbury square, on or before the st of november, ; with a sealed letter, containing the address of the writer. the hon. and rev. baptist noel and the rev. dr. pye smith have kindly engaged to be the arbitrators. the reward will be adjudged on the st of may, . * * * * * brief history of the baptist church, keighley, yorkshire. the baptists were first introduced into keighley by a mr. john town, who was a member of the baptist church at haworth, under the care of the venerable and rev. miles oddy. keighley was at that time beginning to be a large and populous place. the clergyman in the establishment was an irreligious character, and the independent church and congregation were nearly extinct. at first the ministers were permitted to preach in the independent meeting-house; but after some time a mrs. sunderland offered her house, until mr. town could fit up a room for constant worship. the ministers who kindly assisted in the formation of the infant cause were, messrs. steadman, d. d., shuttleworth, trickett, and shaw. in the year , or , four persons were baptized by mr. shuttleworth, pastor of the church at cowlinghill: and on the third of june, , a large upper room in the house of mr. town was opened for worship by mr. shepherd, from bradford, who preached on this occasion from solomon's song, vi. . the congregation increased; others were baptized; and in the year the church was formed. in it was deemed necessary to erect a chapel. a piece of ground was provided by mr. town; and on easter monday, , the first stone was laid; but the chapel was not opened until the th of march, ; when mr. lister, of liverpool, mr. stephens, of rochdale, and the venerable dr. steadman, of bradford, were engaged. at this period the church consisted of eighteen members. the chapel cost something more than £ ; and will seat about persons. the first pastor of the church was mr. joseph shaw, who came to keighley in . during the years , , and , little is said: but in the members amounted to ; and some uneasiness originating with a part of the church and the minister, a separation took place, and a new chapel was erected by the party attached to mr. shaw, at slacklane, from two to three miles from keighley. this circumstance left the church at keighley very small, and greatly diminished the congregation. in mr. thomas blundell took the oversight of the people in the lord. the members again numbered . in a large portion of the debt was removed; soon after which, the pastor was taken ill, and on july st, , resigned his spirit into the hands of him who gave it. during this year four members were also removed to the world of spirits; among whom were mr. town and his wife, who died within ten days of each other; and whose remains were deposited in the burial-ground adjoining the chapel; and to whose memory a handsome tombstone has been erected by the family. these strokes of mortality appear to have been sanctified--a spirit of prayer has been excited--and a morning prayer-meeting established to seek divine direction in the choice of a pastor. and on sunday, aug. th, , the present pastor, mr. abraham nichols, then under the care of dr. steadman, and a member of the church at rawden, under the care of mr. hughes, preached his first sermons at keighley, and baptized two persons at turkeymill. from this time his visits to keighley became frequent; and on the first of november, he received an invitation to become pastor. on the th of january, , he accepted the invitation, and preached from rom. xv. , to the end. things now began to wear rather an animating appearance. some gentlemen were at the expense of fitting up a baptistry; and mr. jos. town, youngest son of the above-mentioned mr. town, presented the minister with a bible and hymn book for the pulpit. this gentleman is a deacon of the baptist church at leeds, under the care of the rev. j. acworth, a.m. a subscription was also entered into for the liquidation of the debt upon the chapel; and on the th of december, , the friends, at the close of two sermons by mr. stephens of rochdale, realized the sum of £ s. d., including £ each from the two mr. towns, £ from a sister, and £ from a brother-in-law; with many other equally noble sums, according to the ability of the parties. on the th of august, , mr. nichols was ordained, when mr. mann, late of mazepond, london, stated the nature of a gospel church; mr. hughes offered the ordination prayer; dr. steadman delivered the charge, from sam. x. ; and mr. godwin addressed the church, from thess. v. , . in the singing gallery was altered, and the bottom of the chapel pewed; also, a very substantial and convenient house was built for the minister, which cost about £ , towards the expense of which there was £ (duty off) left as an endowment by j. holmes, esq., of stanbury, near haworth, and which could be appropriated to no purpose but for the advantage of the minister. in , the burial-ground having been enlarged on each side, a portion of the debt was removed. in and , the ground was again enlarged, by the addition of yards; and a new school-room erected, towards which, including a grant through the british and foreign school society, the subscriptions and collections, &c., have amounted to about £ . the sabbath-school contains near children; the congregation, including families or parts of families, will average from to ; the number of members, near . the following persons have been deacons of the church, viz.: john beadley, who died july th, ; funeral sermon from cor. vii. , . jonas rhodes, who died oct. th, . samuel clapham, who died march th, . (there is a short account of each of the two latter in the baptist tract magazine, for .) joseph milner, who died april, ; and who had been deacon from the formation of the church. the present deacons are,--mr. john town, turkey-mills; mr. joseph laycock, knowl; and mr. joseph hall, north-street. * * * * * state of the baptist interest at lynn. from our personal knowledge of mr. poile, and of the circumstances of the following case, we respectfully recommend the perusal of it to all who feel the necessity, and who are in any measure enabled to assist in the support of a sound evangelical exhibition of the unsearchable riches of christ. w. h. murch, stepney college. w. brock, st. mary's, norwich. it is extensively known that the baptist interest at lynn regis has been for many years in a depressed condition--a fact which has been much deplored by the friends of the denomination on the spot, and by those who have been acquainted with the circumstances of the case. in presenting it to the notice of the friends of the redeemer, with the hope of securing their christian sympathies and assistance, a brief outline of the case will not be deemed unnecessary. the baptist church at lynn appears to have been formed about the year , by mr. chesterton, who was succeeded in the pastoral office by the rev. w. richards, m.a., and afterwards by mr. durrant, who gratuitously laboured among the people for several years. the place of worship, occupied until nearly the close of mr. durrant's ministry, was a small hired chapel in broad-street, which was afterwards purchased. about this time it was deemed advisable by the friends to erect a new meeting-house; and for this purpose a piece of land was bought adjoining the old place. the purchase of the ground and the erection of the building, capable of seating persons, amounted to £ s.; to the reduction of which, messrs. durrant and brindley gave £ each; £ s. were collected in lynn; leaving a debt on the place of £ s. the pulpit having been occupied for a short period by different ministers, the church was induced to invite one of respectable talents to become their pastor, whose connexion with them, in consequence of his adoption of doctrinal errors, extended to no longer a period than twelve months. during that period a large and respectable congregation was attracted; the greater part of whom, however, having imbibed the errors which have been referred to, left the place with the minister, and erected a socinian chapel; thus giving occasion for regret, not only that error was propagated, but by those to whom the baptist cause was looking for support. from that period to the present many efforts have been made to revive the cause; and the debt, in , by means of an appeal to the friends at lynn, dereham, yarmouth, and norwich, was reduced to £ s. a great variety of ministers have laboured, with more or less success, some of whom are now occupying important stations in different parts of the country. a combination of causes occasioned the removal of many, apparently well suited to raise the interest; but that which seems more than any thing else to have deprived the church and town of the labours of devoted servants of christ, was the _legal_ and _pecuniary_ embarrassments of the place. it will easily be conceived that, amidst events thus adverse, the church was frequently threatened with extinction, and the cause nearly given up for lost by those who hoped even against hope. in september, , the writer of this article acceded to the request of the church to pay them a visit, by the advice of his tutors, and received, at the expiration of a month, an unanimous invitation to spend a longer period, with a view to a settlement. an assurance that the legal difficulties would speedily be settled, and the hope that his labours might be blessed, induced him to comply. various efforts were made to hasten this, without avail, until july, , when it was thought by the friends generally, that it would be much to the advantage of the cause if a new place could be erected in a more eligible part of the town; and it was determined, by the advice of the rev. w. h. murch, president of stepney college, to ascertain its practicability. the smallness, however, of the resources at home, and the promises from abroad, rendered such an attempt unjustifiable; so that nothing could be done, but either to use every effort to secure the old place, or to give up the cause entirely. the former step was finally decided on; and the writer consented to struggle, with the church, until a faithful god should answer the prayers of his people. after much trouble and anxiety, the _legal_ business was settled on february th, , and £ was paid, which had been collected in the town. lord's-day, st, was held as a day of thanksgiving, and the season improved by sermons from ps. cxv. , and ps. cxviii. . it was a day that will long be remembered by many present. the number in the church in was ; since that time have been baptized, to whom several others expect shortly to be added, who are affording proofs that they have given themselves to the lord. the congregation is now good, and harmony prevails in the church. there is a sunday school of children, an adult class, two bible classes, and an ecclesiastical history class. on friday, march , the foundation-stone of a sunday school-room, ft. by ft. (to be used also as a day-school), was laid by mr. wilson, missionary of the sunday school union. the cost of the building will be £ , of which £ have been collected, principally in lynn; and it is earnestly hoped that the friends of scriptural education will give their generous aid towards so desirable an object amidst , inhabitants. the necessity of repairing and cleaning the chapel, to make it _tenantable_, will be obvious when it is stated, that scarcely any thing has been done to it since it was built, years ago. to do this, and render it commodious, will require upwards of £ . the debt which the friends will be obliged to remove as speedily as possible, so as to be able to carry on the cause, is £ , leaving a mortgage on the place of £ , at per cent., the interest of which the rents of property will nearly meet. as nothing now appears needful to render the baptist cause at lynn, under the divine blessing, a useful and respectable interest, but the united aid of the friends of the redeemer, it is earnestly hoped that a faithful statement of facts will not only meet the eye of those who have it in their power to assist, but that the evil _so much_ and _so greatly_ to be deprecated--a minister leaving his people to travel for money, may in this case be dispensed with; and that, instead of the cause at lynn being a matter of deep regret to the christian church, it may become a praise in the earth. w. f. poile. associations. the half-yearly west hants. ministers' meeting was held at bewley, april th, . the afternoon was spent by the brethren in conference and prayer. the public service took place in the evening. brother burt, the pastor, began by solemn prayer. brother turquand read the scriptures, prayed, and spoke on "perseverance in doing good." brother burnett followed him in prayer, and mentioned some of "the principal sources of encouragement and consolation." brother yarnold succeeded him in prayer, and illustrated "the practical influence of the gospel." brother ford addressed the divine majesty, and made some remarks "on the importance of growing in grace." brother adams, also, offered supplication, and showed the intimate connexion between doctrinal and practical godliness. and brother draper closed the protracted but interesting services of the evening, by prayer, and a brief address "on the blessings entreated for the ephesians by the apostle,--that they might 'know the love of christ, which passeth knowledge; and be filled with all the fulness of god.'" the next meeting to be held, by the divine blessing, at romsey, wednesday, sept. th, . * * * * * london baptist association. the annual meeting of this association was held on wednesday, april , at the rev. mr. overbury's chapel, in eagle-street, red lion square. letters from the associated churches were read by their respective pastors, detailing their circumstances during the past year; after which a circular letter, drawn up by the rev. mr. steane, was read, approved, and ordered to be printed for the use of the churches. the rev. j. e. giles was chosen secretary, and t. pewtress, esq., treasurer, for the year ensuing. in the evening, a public service was held in the same place; when the rev. mr. price delivered a serious and practical sermon, "on the duties of church members towards the young." the next quarterly meeting to be held at camberwell, july rd. mr. davies, of tottenham, to preach. notices. the southern association of hants. will take place this year in meeting house alley, portsea, june the th and th. on tuesday evening the letters from the churches will be read; and brother hancock, of yarmouth, will preach. wednesday morning, brother millard is expected to preach; and some other brother in the evening. t. tilly, secretary. _portsea, april , ._ * * * * * the annual meeting of the bedfordshire association of baptist churches will be held at the old baptist meeting, rushden, in northamptonshire, on tuesday, may th; on which occasion the rev. messrs. s. fordham, of hale weston, j. upton, of london, and j. jenkinson, of kettering, are engaged to preach. the ministers and messengers of the churches are requested to meet at half-past nine o'clock. * * * * * the association of baptist congregational churches, in oxfordshire and adjacent counties, will hold their next annual meeting at cirencester, instead of fairford, on tuesday and wednesday in the whitsun week, june th and th. the letters from the churches will be read on the tuesday evening, at half-past o'clock. * * * * * the next meeting of the northamptonshire association will be held at kettering, on the tuesday and wednesday in whitsun week. the services will be conducted as usual, commencing at o'clock on the tuesday evening, when the letters from the churches will be read. mr. gray, of northampton, and mr. craps, of lincoln, have engaged to preach. put up at the white hart (not the white horse, as misprinted in the last year's circular letter). * * * * * the churches connected with the bristol association are respectfully informed, their next meeting will be held at counterslip, bristol, on the tuesday and wednesday in whitsun week, june th and th, (instead of wednesday and thursday), in consequence of the annual meeting of the bristol education society, on thursday, th of june. brother jones, of frome, to preach the association sermon. brethren saffery, of salisbury, and newman, of shortwood, to be the other preachers. brother summers to write the circular letter; the subject, _the second coming of christ_. * * * * * the fifty-sixth anniversary of the kent and sussex association of baptist churches will be held (providence permitting), at lewes, sussex, on tuesday and wednesday, june nd and rd. the brethren rogers and matthews to preach. the annual meeting of the kent auxiliary baptist missionary society will be held on wednesday evening. put up at the crown inn, market street. * * * * * the anniversary of the baptist chapel at staines, middlesex, will be held (d.v.) on wednesday, the th of may. the rev. t. binney stands engaged to preach in the morning; the rev. edw. steane in the afternoon; and the rev. j. smith in the evening. * * * * * the next anniversary meeting of the bedfordshire union of christians will be held at bedford, on wednesday, may th; when the rev. j. j. davies, of tottenham, is expected to preach in the morning; and the rev. g. b. phillips, of harrold, in the evening. * * * * * the annual meeting of "the protestant society for the protection of religious liberty" will be held at the city of london tavern, on saturday, may th, at o'clock precisely. some distinguished peer is expected to preside. * * * * * on wednesday, the th of may, the rev. c. b. woodman will be set apart to the pastoral office over the church assembling in artillery-street chapel, bishopsgate, london. the rev. messrs. isaiah birt, thomas price, of devonshire square, j. e. giles, of salter's hall, with other ministers, have engaged to officiate on the occasion. service to commence at o'clock in the evening. recent death. rev. j. wheeler. died, on friday, the th of march, aged , the rev. j. wheeler, pastor of the baptist church, bugbrook, northamptonshire. his funeral took place on wednesday, the st of april. the rev. t. wake, of thislingbury, read a suitable portion of the scriptures, and prayed; the rev. w. gray, of northampton, delivered the address, and on the following sabbath, to a crowded congregation, preached the funeral sermon, from jude : "looking for the mercy of our lord jesus christ unto eternal life." a text expressly chosen by the deceased. mr. wheeler had been settled with his people for nearly years; and it is pleasing to notice, that some of the last years of his ministry were the most successful. twelve months he was laid aside from his public labours; and in the sick room, and on the bed of pain, illustrated and magnified those principles which, for successive years, he had preached to others. new publications. _just published._ memoir of the life and writings of the rev. joseph ivimey, late pastor of the church in eagle-street, london, and twenty years gratuitous secretary to the baptist irish society. by rev. george pritchard. parts i. to vi. of the biographical sketch of the rev. edward irving. edited by william jones, m.a. to which is added, thirty sermons, preached by mr. irving, during the first three years of his residence in london. in mo. a memoir of j. howard hinton, who died at reading, jan. , , aged thirteen years and seven months. by his father. _in the press._ reminiscences relating to the rev. john ryland, a.m., of northampton, the father of the late rev. dr. ryland, of bristol. by william newman, d.d. _preparing for publication._ the history of protestant nonconformity in england, from the reformation, under henry viii., to the accession of the house of hanover. in two volumes, vo. by thomas price. the work will be founded on an extensive and careful investigation of original authorities, and will be designed to exhibit the progress of opinion as well as the course of events. * * * * * erratum: p. , l. , for _a final_ read _an efficient_. irish chronicle. may, . at the particular request of the rev. j. allen, and for the satisfaction of those friends who have kindly and liberally assisted towards defraying the debt incurred by the erection of the chapel at ballina, the statement of the entire account, and the several sums contributed, appear in this number of the chronicle. as the funds of the society are not at all applicable to the building of places of worship, but as their erection has, in more instances than one, become indispensable, and such necessity, it is hoped, may recur again and again; it is certainly due to those liberal persons, who thus aid the cause of the redeemer, distinctly and gratefully to acknowledge their christian benevolence. _to the_ secretary. _ballina, march , ._ my dear brother, in this packet, i beg to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favour of the th instant, and herewith forward to you the journal of the readers for the past month, as also the account of schools, &c., for the present quarter. i have also to acknowledge the receipt of several sums of money, towards the liquidation of the debt upon the meeting-house in this town, which you will find upon another part of this sheet. the sum actually expended is now £ s., and the contract for finishing, £ s., making in all £ . of this i have received, clear of expenses, £ , for which, as well as for the acts of personal kindness shown to me when in england, i beg, through the medium of the chronicle, to present my warmest thanks. i had hoped to have heard, ere this, what sum the building fund, on which this case has been admitted, was likely to produce. my best thanks are due to mrs. holland, of bristol, especially, who kindly, and without any solicitation, forwarded us £ . if some of our wealthy friends in england, bearing in mind how injurious it must be for an individual to be absent for any length of time from a missionary station, and an infant cause, would imitate her example, it would not only confer a personal favour, but essentially serve the interests of the redeemer's kingdom in this place. the trust deed, by which the property has been made over to the baptist denomination, has been examined by the respectable solicitor of the london building fund, and is approved. it is in your recollection, probably, that the late government ordered, some time before they left office, a new census of the population of ireland; in which was to be shown the relative numbers of protestants, roman catholics, and dissenters; as also the number and kind of schools in each union or parish. one of the commissioners was here on tuesday last, and, as a proof of the awful extent to which superstition prevails, it appeared, soon after an amended census had been produced and sworn to, by the protestant clergyman, that not more than one out of thirty, in this large union, can be considered even as nominal protestants. and, in a conversation with the priest, on the following day, as a confirmation of what i have frequently stated, "i am perfectly sure," said he, "that if you go round any day to all your schools, and ours, and the minister's, you will not find in the whole of them poor protestant children." in the examination of our schools, before the commissioners, though we have invariably insisted upon the introduction of the scriptures, yet they were scarcely inferior to any, and, in the general, superior to most, both in numbers and regular attendance. let it not be said in future, then that the roman catholics, the children of whom compose the bulk of our scholars, would not, unless violently opposed by the priesthood, be anxious to possess and study the word of god. and let our friends, whilst they have it upon the testimony of the priest himself, that it is his flock we are educating in our schools, be more earnest and zealous in this good cause; hoping and praying thatthrough the instrumentality of these schools, the present race of children may be delivered from the superstition of their fathers. i have, since my return, preached at easky, mullifarry, and crossmolina; at the two former places to large and attentive audiences. the people on all sides are exceedingly desirous to hear. on sunday last, i again administered the ordinance of baptism in ballina. the lord, i trust, is preparing others to submit to the dictates of his blessed word. oh that he would make us, who are engaged in this blessed work, more humble, circumspect, watchful, and zealous! and then we might hope for larger and more extensive success. pray for us, that the word of the lord may have free course and be glorified. i am, dear sir, affectionately your's, james allen. * * * * * _to the_ secretary of the baptist irish society. _limerick, march th, ._ my dear sir, i just returned from croagh, about sixteen miles from here, in the county of limerick, to inspect the koppel-street school; the poor children were delighted to see me, and i was greatly pleased to see them go through their school discipline with such precision and order. they spelled remarkably well in three different ways. i am not aware that you are acquainted with the plan of spelling and reading, particularly spelling, which i have devised long since, which arrests the undeviating attention of the children, and almost wonderfully facilitates their progress. a fine testament class of got up and read, in general, very well, and repeated chapters, which they committed to memory since the last quarterly inspection. there are on the list, spelling, reading the scriptures, protestants and reformed, who are the master's children, of whose attention to his school, and good conduct, i cannot say too much; he is also a sabbath reader, and, i believe, very useful. a number of the girls got before me to the door, and requested a female school; they showed me some very nice work, taught them by the master's daughter. i said i would lay their request before their friends in england. the progress some of them made in writing and figures rather surprised me: the little premiums i gave them the last time had a great effect upon them, in removing prejudice, and convincing them who their real friends are, and in winning their affections to the love of the truth, in spite of priestly influence. the countenances of the children, in all the schools, brighten up, and smile, when they see me. i lectured in the evening, at finchley, the seat of their worthy and pious patrons, mr. and mrs. finch, who pay for a good school-house for them, and subscribe to the society. the society has done inconceivable good. how much more if it had sufficient means! i was going to say, the bristol school, at balleycar, county of clare, sixteen miles north west from limerick, is a tremendous one. i went there immediately after my last communication; gave several lectures to roman catholics and protestants, in the house of our afflicted friend, major colpoys; i tried to comfort and encourage his mind in the prospect of eternity--he is "looking unto jesus." the school is in a very flourishing state; on the list, present, spelling, reading the scriptures; about committed to memory, and repeated chapters this quarter: they made great progress also in writing and figures, which they are very fond of learning. there are only two or three protestant children in this school. it often excites the warmest gratitude in my heart to god, that has put it into the hearts of his people, to afford such great and important blessings to those who would perish in ignorance and superstition. oh what a mercy to see so many children rise to read the word of life, and to commit it to memory, and read it in the hearing of their poor benighted parents! at the close of the examinations i give a little lecture on the advantages of a scripture education, on the love of god, on the sufferings of the saviour, and on the influence of the holy spirit, to bless all to their present benefit, and eternal salvation. i find i can say a great deal, and go a great length, without endangering the schools, which i know, and am informed, would not be borne with from others. i try, also, to impress their minds with gratitude to their kind friends in england, and they appear very grateful and pray for them. the seven oaks school, at bushy park, county of tipperary, about thirty-five english miles north east from limerick is in a prosperous state: the number of chapters the children repeat from memory frequently surprises me: the children of a poor baptist brother there, near burris o' kane, are mighty in the scriptures. the school discipline gave me great satisfaction, and the spelling, reading, writing, and figures, very pleasing: on the list, present; spelling, reading the testament, and repeated chapters from memory. the master is a very inoffensive and attentive man; i trust, truly pious. in the mary's philanthropic school, mount shannon, county of galway, about thirty-five english miles from limerick, north north east, there are on the list; present, spelling, reading the testament, and repeated from memory this quarter chapters: always a good school, having more very poor protestants in that village and neighbourhood than many others, and not so subject to vary from priestly attacks as some others. in the norwich school, at birr, fifty english miles east from limerick, gross; spelling, reading the testament; they repeated chapters from memory. it was not so numerous this quarter as usual, from the extreme severity of the weather, and the nakedness and want of the children, still it is a good school, and taught by a worthy, pious, poor woman, with a large family. the cardigan school, at kilbaron, is doing as well as could be expected, from the unceasing exertions of the priest there, more than usually excited in consequence of obtaining a complete victory over his champion in controversy, in presence of a number of people. the master was a very intelligent, clever man. my dear sir, your time and mine would not admit of my writing an account of each school under my superintendence. i send the quarterly statement, in which you see them with one view. the above i send for the satisfaction of those kind friends who support or contribute to the congregational schools. i also want time, and, indeed, inclination, to give any statement of my own humble labours. though the weather has been extremely severe, since the st of february, i have been out the greater part of the time, and preached in very distant places, and in various counties, and sometimes under very trying circumstances. i preached at benagher, king's county, sixty miles from limerick, twice to the house full, at walshpark, after travelling fifty miles, and preaching and administering the ordinance at cloughjordan; gave a lecture at ormandview, county of galway; preached at o'brien's bridge, and several times at castle connell. ever yours, most affectionately, william thomas. * * * * * _to the_ secretary. _ballina, march th, ._ my dear sir, i shall feel obliged to you, at your earliest convenience, to acknowledge the receipt of the following articles, kindly sent for the schools in this district. a box of articles collected by mrs. thomas allen, birmingham, containing two packets of books from mr. groom; some tracts, workbags, &c. from mrs. glover and miss mansfield, spring hill; books, rug-worsted, and patterns, from mrs. s. cocks, camp hill; a small round stand, from ann husband; pin-cushions, from mrs. rogers, bull-street; canvass, from mrs. johnson, deritend; cotton-balls, from mrs. warner; patchwork, from mrs. white; a blue bag, from miss r. simmons; a number of small books, from a "well-wishing friend to ireland;" and numerous little rewards, from mr. thomas allen and family; and from rev. j. smith and sons, astwood, needles. since the above articles were kindly forwarded to me, mr. allen has received a parcel from mr. west, containing some useful books, from "dorcas," for the library at ballina; a parcel of books from mrs. hawkins, stroud; and a number of pin-cushions, balls of rug-worsted, and a few workbags, and boxes of little fancy articles. n. b. i regret to say, that in the last acknowledgment of articles from birmingham, i omitted to mention some poetical cards, kindly sent by mr. f. deakin. the pair of six-inch globes, kindly offered by mr. mogridge, and the patchwork by mrs. white, will be very acceptable; and if sent to rev. j. west, , little james's street, dublin, will be forwarded by him to ballina as soon as he has an opportunity of sending them. wishing you every blessing, both of a spiritual and temporal nature, i remain, my dear sir, yours very respectfully, a. cave. contributions. by rev. j. dyer: £ s. d. haworth, first church, by rev. jas. flood friend in somersetshire by the secretary: "a friend to missions," by the general post "a small per centage, upon last year's profits," do. by the treasurer: e. d., by w. cozens, esq. for the rye school, by mrs. crosskey, treasurer collected by the rev. s. davis, for the society: at devizes downton romsey stockbridge andover whitchurch newbury abingdon farringdon fairford circencester tewkesbury cheltenham 	 * * * * * ballina baptist chapel. _an account of money collected for this purpose, by mr. allen, in , , and ._ £ s. d. ballina sligo dublin birmingham st. albans london arnsby oadby guilsborough naseby clipstone theddinworth bugbrook kettering cambridge market harborough st. ives thrapstone leicester coventry leamington stratford-on-avon alcester astwood pershore worcester, with friends from bourton bilston coseley dudley bradford leeds middleton teesdale hamsterley, rev. mr. d. romalkirk barnard castle stockton darlington manchester saladine nook liverpool bristol, mrs. holland, per rev. s. davis subscriptions received by s. marshall, esq., , high holborn; mr. p. millard, bishopsgate street; messrs. burks, lothbury; rev. g. pritchard, york place, pentonville, gratuitous secretary; by messrs. ladbrokes and co., bankers, bank buildings; by mr. h. d. dickie, bank street, and rev. mr. innes, frederick street, edinburgh; and p. brown, esq., cardigan. london: j. haddon, printer, castle-street, finsbury. missionary herald. cxcvii. may, . the treasurers of auxiliary societies, and other friends who may have monies in hand on account of the society, are respectfully reminded that the treasurer's account for the year will close on the st instant, which renders it necessary that all payments intended to appear in the appendix to the next report, should be made in the course of the present month. it is requested, therefore, that the respective accounts may be sent, properly balanced, to the secretary, no. , fen court, fenchurch street, accompanied by the list of subscribers, &c., in alphabetical order. _particular attention is solicited to this notice; for as all the society's accounts for the year are examined and audited, by the gentlemen appointed for that purpose, in the first week in june, and the report will, it is expected, leave the press in a few days after the annual meeting, it is clearly impossible that payments can be included, or lists of particulars inserted, which come to hand after the time specified._ the committee have pleasure in stating that their esteemed brethren, the rev. samuel summers, of bristol, and the rev. benjamin godwin, of bradford, have engaged to preach the sermons at our next annual meeting. full particulars, as usual, may be expected in our next number. foreign intelligence. cutwa. from mr. william carey to the secretary, dated cutwa, october , . i am sorry to find that it is a long time, and much longer than it ought to have been, since i wrote to you last. the only reason is, that i have had to go through much affliction. mrs. carey has been very ill at times, and i have not been well. our beloved father has also been removed to a better state, and one or two others connected with the family. in such things, and at different times, has the lord seen fit to afflict us; but the lord is good, and his strokes are lighter than we have deserved; yea, all his ways are mercy. i am happy to say that since i wrote last the work of the lord has been going on as usual. i think i have baptized eleven persons, some belonging to the christian families, and some from the heathen. the mella's have also been visited, and the surrounding villages as usual; great numbers of tracts and books have been distributed; people upon the whole have been very attentive. the native preachers are out almost every day, and are well received. i have now two inquirers; an hindoo woman and a mussulman man; how they may turn out i cannot say. soory. from mr. williamson to mr. dyer, dated soory, october , . you will be gratified to hear that we have been meeting with some little more encouragement of late. a short time ago i had the pleasure of baptizing seven persons; three young men, and four young women. they are all of christian parentage. one young woman (a miss w.) is the daughter of the head english writer at this station. after finishing her education in calcutta, she returned with us to beerbhoom, about three years ago; and was then a very thoughtless girl, but for some time past she seems to have undergone a decided change of mind. she has been in the habit of attending our english worship on lord's day and thursday evenings; and occasionally at other times. these opportunities, together with reading of religious books and tracts, and occasional converse with us, appear to have been blessed to her. i trust she has made a sincere profession of faith in the lord jesus christ, and that she will continue to walk in him. all the others belong to our native christians, and have given us reason to hope well concerning them. two of the young men having received a superior education, may therefore be expected to be of more eminent service in this land of darkness. you will also be happy to learn that one of the highest or monitor class girls of the central school, from conviction of the christian being the only true religion, has given up her caste as a thing in her estimation of no value, and cast in her lot with the followers of christ. a short time ago, when she first made known her intention, mrs. w. examined her respecting her motives; she said that our shasters were good, and our people were good; and that she could not live among her relations, who were idolaters and drunkards, &c. when mrs. w. again asked her whether she thought she would be better off by becoming a christian, the girl replied that she was already sufficiently well provided for, and that her sole intention in becoming a christian was to obtain salvation. the first time she came with the intention of giving up her caste (which was just as the noise of the doorga pooja commenced), her parents dragged her away, and watched her narrowly for a few days, during which period she had no opportunity of making her escape; but as soon as their vigilance relaxed a little, she improved the first opportunity granted her of regaining her liberty. her father threw away all her books and tracts, and is highly displeased with me for having betrayed the trust he had reposed in me. the girl is about sixteen years of age, and is pretty well versed in the gospels and scripture history. she has been latterly under a christian teacher, and was employed as a monitor, which accounts, in part, for her having remained so long in the school. another girl, belonging to the same class has a good mind, we hear, to follow her example, but has not as yet been able to muster sufficient resolution. may the lord draw her and many others to himself, with the cords of his divine love! our three schools (bengalee boys', bengalee girls', and english school) were all lately examined by the ladies and gentlemen of the station, who, i am happy to inform you, expressed themselves highly gratified with the progress the children and youth had made during the year; particularly with that of the higher classes of the english school: one class, in the course of six months only, having made themselves perfectly masters of the principles of english grammar. i am inclined to hope much from the english school. as for the two bengalee schools, on account of what has lately taken place, i am afraid they will be much diminished for some time, especially the girls' school. to aid me in the great work of preaching the gospel among the heathen, i have now four native assistants, for whom i draw rs. in addition to my salary of rs. per month. they are out daily, morning and evening, in the neighbouring villages, preaching and distributing tracts. they tell me that prejudice is fast declining, and that they have had repeated proofs of the tracts they give away having been read. i always take one of them with me, in my daily visits to the bazar of this place, when we have generally a pretty good congregation of attentive hearers. the season for our more distant excursions is now approaching, and will allow us to extend on all sides our hitherto confined labours. may the lord assist us faithfully and fully to make known his glorious gospel among those who are perishing for lack of knowledge, and make us the savour of life unto life, unto many precious souls! "the harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few." java. in the following extract of a letter from mr. bruckner, dated samarang, november , , our readers will observe an affecting allusion to the massacre of two missionaries from the american board, who lately fell victims to the revenge or the suspicions of the battas, in the northern parts of sumatra. when our late friend, mr. burton, resided, for many months, among the same people, he felt quite secure, and made long journeys into the interior of the country. but the power is now wielded by other than british hands; and we greatly fear the change will operate as a very serious obstruction to the cause of the gospel in these beautiful islands for many years to come. but we rejoice in the assurance that every obstacle must in the end be surmounted; and in the belief that events, in different parts of the world, are concurring to hasten onward that blessed event. since i wrote you last, i have drawn up another tract in javanese, under the title, "the son of god in the world." copies have been printed of it, as we had no more paper for a larger edition. a translation of this tract has been sent to the committee of the tract society. it is true the prohibitions, as to a free circulation of tracts among the native inhabitants of this island, have not yet fully been removed, although several applications have been made on this subject to the men in power. and this is rather a disappointment and an impediment to a more extensive communication of the principles of the gospel at large; yet a goodly number of tracts have found their way, notwithstanding, among the people. the power of darkness in this country appears so great, that it would quite dishearten me, were it not for him who is with and in us, who is more powerful than he that is in the world. when i shall have the pleasure to see that this general darkness of ignorance as to divine things, and of superstition and sinful lusts, shall give way to the light of truth and godliness, is not for me to say; under present circumstances, this period seems to be still afar off. it would seem, however, as if the truth of the gospel was gaining ground: now and then instances appear of this. last sunday, when i went out among the natives, to take a new testament to one who had asked me for it,--and when i had preached the gospel to two small companies of people, and was still walking about for some more,--i came to a house in which i saw several persons sitting together. i entered, and began a conversation on religion. one of them expressed soon his mussulman sentiments, on the power and glory of mahomed; that he was the person to whom we had to look, as he bore all things. i asked him, in return, if mahomed were so powerful, how it came that he, even at this moment, was still lying in the dust? from which it was evident, added i, that he was no more than any common man. a young man who was present, and who had read some of the tracts, then took up the subject with him, and told him that jesus was the all-powerful, which was evident from his having left the grave, and ascended to heaven, and would come again at the last day to raise all the dead from their graves. i wanted to apply the subject further to the consciences of the hearers, particularly to that of the first man, by proving that all men are in a most lamentable condition on account of their sins, and needed therefore an almighty saviour to save them. but this man had so much to tell, like one of old, of his own goodness, that all further reasoning with him on the subject seemed to be in vain. with all the weakening effects of the climate on my constitution, and which i have particularly felt already for some time on my lungs, god has enabled me to go out four or five times every week into the native villages; and although my endeavours do not produce the desired effects, yet i cannot persuade my mind that all the precious seed sown in this way will be lost. you will perhaps have heard of the dreadful event, before this, which has happened to two american missionaries, messrs. manson and lyman, in sumatra, among the battas, now about two months ago. these good men went thither to explore the country. they fell in with a troop of wild battas, on one of their excursions, who fired at them, and over-powered them. mr. lyman was wounded by a shot. they then began to cut off his arms and his legs, and ate him up. while they were doing this, he petitioned the cannibals to spare his brother manson alive; but the following day he was cut to pieces and eaten, as also the interpreter whom they had brought with them. their wives were still at batavia when the news of their husbands arrived. sumatra is still in a state of war; yet padang, where mr. ward lives, seems to have been always safe. i have not had any letters from mr. ward for a considerable time: as far as i can hear, he is still well. * * * * * jamaica. mr. tinson, having met the other brethren at falmouth early in february, writes as follows on his return to kingston. we are persuaded our readers will be gratified by the deliberate and candid opinions expressed by this experienced missionary. his letter is dated feb. th, . since i last addressed you i have seen more of our mission field than i had ever before an opportunity of visiting. we found it not only gratifying, but profitable, thus to visit our brethren, who all appear to be faithfully labouring in the vineyard of christ. from them we received much kindness, and returned home, after an absence of six weeks, with improved health and increased desire to labour for god, from witnessing what he is doing by his servants. such intercourse, occasionally enjoyed, could hardly fail to promote brotherly love, stimulate to exertion, and strengthen our confidence in god, as we behold the triumphs of his truth. in my last i mentioned the desire manifested by many in mr. knibb's congregation to obtain the scriptures, and the large attendance on religious worship. the same may be said of montego bay, and, in proportion, of other stations i had the privilege of visiting. i spent one sabbath at lucea, and intended going to savannah la mar, but was prevented by the rain. of the interesting services at montego bay and falmouth, which took place on the th and th of this month, on laying the corner-stones of the new chapels, i need not write, as our brethren at those stations will send you all the particulars. on our way home we passed through stewart town, brown's town, and called at jericho, brother clarke's residence and principal station. i should have mentioned that we spent a night with brother coultart; and in every place we were refreshed in seeing or hearing of the grace of god. i have more than once expressed my conviction that god is about to do some great work in this land. in this opinion i am confirmed by what he is doing. we know that he does nothing in vain; therefore to any person at all observant of divine providence, it must manifestly appear, that god's thoughts are thoughts of good and not of evil concerning the inhabitants of this country. look at the noble gift of his word which he has recently sent to the people! upwards of , copies of the new testament and psalms, now circulating, like so many streamlets of the water of life, through the whole length and breadth of the land! then there is the desire to read, and to possess the word of god; the spirit of hearing, which prevails in almost every part of the island; the great accession of spiritual strength in the arrival of new missionaries--episcopal, methodists, baptists, and independents; and the preservation and increase of good men on the island. mr. s., the rector of lucea, mentioned a fact worth recording: that, during his residence in the colony of sixteen years, he had not lost, by death, one of his evangelical friends, which was the same as saying that not one had died; for he is a truly pious man himself, and consequently is acquainted with all the good men in the church throughout the island. he further stated, that several clergymen, who had never before manifested any concern for the spiritual welfare of the people, were now coming out as active and laborious helpers in the good cause. surely, my dear sir, these are signs of the times not to be overlooked. * * * * * south africa. we adverted, in our last number, to the unexpected calamity which had befallen the british possessions to the north-east of the cape, towards the end of last year, by a violent irruption of the caffres. the measures promptly taken by the governor have, we trust, proved effectual to the preservation of graham's town; but the loss of life and property in the surrounding district has been very serious. we have been favoured with a communication, sent from a lady at graaff reinet to her mother in this country, under date of th january last, which conveys a striking picture of the scene; and as many of our readers are interested in that colony, we avail ourselves of the permission to insert it for their information. _graaff reinet, january , ._ my dear mother, as i cannot help thinking, that when news from this colony arrives in england, you will feel some anxiety about our state, i must tell you that we are plunged into the greatest distress and trouble by internal war. the caffres have made an attack on the whole line of frontier, burning and destroying every thing before them, and murdering, in the most barbarous manner, the unhappy residents. they have done incalculable mischief; and should they not soon be stopped, the destruction of the colony is inevitable. on the th of december, , we were made uneasy by a commando being called out to assist against the caffres. but this was soon followed by the most distressing accounts i ever read. they first proceeded to murder all the men (and in some cases whole families), to plunder all the cattle, and burn the dwellings. on the th, news arrived from my dear children in graham's town, viz. a----, my eldest son, and g----, who, with her husband (mr. d. mahoney), were in the utmost anguish, his father and brother-in-law having been murdered under the following melancholy circumstances:--mr. mahoney, sen., had a fine farm near graham's town. his son-in-law, mr. henderson (a truly respectable young scotchman, married to mr. m.'s only daughter), had gone out with his wife and sweet family to spend the christmas at the farm, and were to have been joined by my dear children and mr. d. mahoney. on the monday preceding christmas-day, major o'reilly advised mr. m. sen., rather to bring his family into graham's town, as some cattle had been stolen, and the caffres appeared in a disturbed state. he determined to follow this advice, and on wednesday morning started for graham's town with his wife, their two grandchildren, mr. henderson, and a slave servant, mr. m. sen. following the waggon himself on horseback. they had not gone more than a mile, when they were attacked by about twenty caffres, who began stabbing poor henderson: he had fifty assagais in his body! and the poor father shared the same fate. the old lady escaped with one child, and the slave woman with the other; and after wandering about, separately, thirty-one hours on foot, without food or water, having lost their way, they at length met at graham's town. this was only the beginning of sorrows; for every day's tidings are more dreadful. graham's town is totally surrounded, and every farm either destroyed or deserted. the most barbarous murders are continually committed. january nd. our tidings are truly appalling. my poor children cannot come out to us. e---- is now near her confinement. her dear little babe, with my son ----, are obliged to sleep in the church, or in flat-roofed houses near it, as they all concentrate, in order to be the better protected. all the men are under arms. this village has been stripped also. the few who remain are formed into patrols. the caffres have extended themselves over the whole line of frontier from uitenhage to the winter field. somerset has been also in the same state of danger. fort beaufort, wiltshire, caffer's drift, gualana, bathurst, and salem, have been left to their mercy, having remained as long as resistance was of any avail. those who are spared have escaped only with life: in short, i can give you no adequate description of our present distress. the outcry for provisions is grievous: no supplies can be sent in by the farmers; they have it not, nor could they send it in if they had. we have had no market here since december . the bay, i believe, has as yet escaped. we hear that the governor and troops are on their way to the frontier. may god grant them success! on sunday, jan. , all the places of worship were closed till o'clock at night. in st. george's church, the galleries being filled with women and children, and the body with the men (under arms), the minister read the thirty-seventh of isaiah, and commented upon the most striking passages. i assure you my spirits sink within me when i reflect on the probable consequences. oh, how much you have to be thankful for in happy england! pray for us, that, amidst all the wreck of time and fortune, our minds may be stayed upon god. believe me, without the consolations of religion i should be totally cast down; but although clouds and darkness are round about us, yet it is the lord that reigneth. true, indeed, these dispensations of his providence are dark and mysterious. why so many valuable lives are cut off, and such a dreadful blow is given to our poor countrymen, after fifteen years' hard labour, we know not. many of the missionaries have been in the greatest danger. we have not heard of the murder of any of them; but all the english who lately traded with the caffres have been murdered but one, who came out, and told the fate of the rest. he states that one who was sitting at breakfast with a missionary was dragged out and killed before his eyes. they have told the missionaries they may go if they will: they do not appear to intend to destroy them. the cattle they have already captured is beyond all belief. i wish we could get away as far as cape town: i shall never feel at peace on the frontiers again. my school had been very good, and i fondly hoped to be a little more comfortable; but we are again reminded that this is not our rest. the reflection on my last birthday was, "hitherto the lord hath helped me." on the retrospect i have much to be thankful for, and much cause to be humbled under his mighty hand. as to _ourselves_, we have not much reason to wish many days to be added to our lives; but we have still a large family dependant on our exertions, having yet seven to provide for. at all events, i trust i shall be resigned to the lord's will. since writing the above, another post has arrived. we have received news of the arrival of colonel smith. the governor and troops have embarked for algea bay. he has placed us under martial law. are you aware what that entails? no lights after o'clock. if any disregard be paid to orders, or disaffection evinced, you must be tried by court-martial--flogged--or even shot! our little village is as yet unattacked. our streets are regularly patrolled. no shops are open but butchers' and bakers'--provisions are dreadfully dear--no money to be obtained--no courts of law open--no licenses have been granted this year, so neither beer, nor wine, nor spirits can be sold--and in the midst of all this distress my dear husband's health is visibly wasting. if, in addition to all my other troubles, he is to be removed, i know not how i shall be able to bear up, as i shall be totally destitute. oh, that i was near enough to hear one word of consolation from your lips! i do now feel bitterly where i am--truly banished. farewell, my dearest mother, pray for your afflicted daughter. list of foreign letters lately received. east indies rev. w. h. pearce calcutta oct. . a. leslie monghyr oct. . j. williamson soory oct. . w. carey cutwa oct. . john lawrence digah nov. . g. bruckner samarang nov. . west indies h. c. taylor spanish town feb. . j. clarke jericho feb. . t. f. abbott lucea feb. . john kingdon manchioneal feb. . w. knibb falmouth feb. . t. burchell montego bay feb. . walter dendy salter's hill feb. . joshua tinson kingston feb. , & march . f. gardner ditto feb. , & march . joseph burton nassau, n. p. march . joseph bourn belize feb. . home proceedings. in consequence of the lamented decease of our missionary brother, mr. pearson, the committee have determined to send mr. ebenezer quant to the bahamas, instead of jamaica, as previously designed. mr. quant, who is a native of bury st. edmunds, and has for some time been engaged in ministerial labour in connexion with the church under the pastoral care of the rev. cornelius elven, was designated to foreign service at the chapel in that town on tuesday, march th. this commodious place of worship, which will seat more than a thousand persons, was crowded in every part, and the service of the evening proved deeply interesting. rev. w. reynolds, of sudbury, began with reading the scriptures and prayer. mr. quant then gave an account of his own religious experience, and a brief statement of his doctrinal views; at the close of which his respected pastor gave him the right hand of fellowship, and congratulated him on his entrance into the office of a christian missionary. mr. ellington, of west row, offered up the designation prayer; the charge was delivered by mr. elven, from tim. iv. ; and the service of the evening was closed in prayer by mr. fuller, of harston, nephew of the revered andrew fuller, of kettering, and himself uncle to our young missionary brother. a passage to nassau has been engaged for mr. and mrs. quant, by the little catherine, captain kopp, and they are expected to sail in a few days. mr. william shotton, late of darlington, is also about to sail to kingston, with a view to take charge of the school at spanish town, under the direction of mr. phillippo, and mr. john clark, a member of the church at devonshire square, has been accepted as an assistant missionary for the same colony, and will probably be engaged in connexion with mr. coultart, in the parish of st. ann's. these new efforts, as well as all preceding operations of the society, are earnestly commended to the supplications of all our christian friends. * * * * * _contributions received on account of the baptist missionary society, from march , , to april , , not including individual subscriptions._ mitcham, collected by mrs. pratt princes risborough, missionary association, by mr. hughes perth, for female education, by rev. r. thompson harpole, collected at prayer-meeting, by rev. w. gray cambridge, ladies, by mrs. foster, female education gosley, rev. b. hall and friends leeds, ladies, by rev. j. acworth, for female education wilts. and east somerset auxiliary, by mr. anstie:-- bratton devizes do. by miss blackwell bradford westbury warminster, by miss jutson frome beckington laverton corsham crockerton melksham chippenham ---------- hunts. auxiliary, by mr. t. d. paul:-- st. neot's huntingdon st. ives bluntisham somersham ramsey swavesey ---------- previously remitted, &c. ---------- hull and east riding auxiliary, by j. thornton, esq.:-- hull beverley bishop barton hedon burlington cottingham skidby driffield ---------- beaulieu, rev. j. b. burt and friends, by rev. b. h. draper leighton buzzard, friends, by mr. t. matthews bath, collection at york-street, by rev. e. carey north of england auxiliary, by rev. r. pengilly:-- berwick and tweedmouth workington sunderland hetton newcastle, sundries ---------- manchester, york-street sabbath school, for _west indies_ _schools_ yorkshire, collected on a journey, by rev. james flood:-- stanningley rawden horsforth bramley bradford gildersome salendine nook bingley keighley haworth, st church do. nd do. batley, j. burnley, esq. ---------- donations. rev. r. w. sibthorp, _ryde_, for mrs. coultart's school ---- jaques, esq. do. for do. miss rust and friends, _greenwich_, for mr. phillippo's school friend at _leicester_, by mr. collier s. p. _on account of jamaica chapels._ farnham, friends, by mr. bird to correspondents. the thanks of the committee are presented to mr. winks, of leicester, editor of the baptist tract magazine, for a valuable packet of elementary books for jamaica: as also to mr. carpenter, of greenwich, and mr. morris, of morton pinkney, for magazines, and other books. the work-bags, &c., kindly forwarded by esther w----, have been sent to their destination, and will no doubt prove acceptable. j. haddon, printer, castle street, finsbury. [transcriber's notes: typesetting on this book was poor, especially with respect to punctuation. all inconsistencies are as in the original.] transcriber's notes: italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. blank pages have been eliminated. variations in spelling and hyphenation have been left as in the original. a few typographical errors have been corrected. _funk & wagnalls' important publications._ the science of politics. by walter thomas mills, secretary of the national intercollegiate association. a timely work for every citizen. the book is wholly practical and untechnical and is directly suited to the needs of every citizen. mo, cloth, pages. price, $ . . pres. julius h. seelye, of amherst college, says: "with its clearness and force i am much pleased." frances e. willard says: "mr. mills has done an important service to the cause of good government by setting in a clear light before the citizen his personal relation to government by a political party. may his book have a million readers." public opinion, washington, d. c., says: "the book is interesting and instructive, and the style is vigorous and refined." foundation of death. by axel gustafson, the celebrated english reformer. a practical study of the drink question. mo, cloth, $ . . the boston transcript: the entire subject is handled in a most judicious manner, and we recommend the book as one of exceptional value in these times of alcoholic discussions. no advocate of temperance can do without it, for it is a compendium of the world's experience and the world's opinions. nobody knows. by "a nobody." a treatise on applied christianity under the guise of fiction. an original, interesting work. mo, cloth, $ . . a book of great directness and earnestness, in which the hero brings about a moral and social reformation by a reconciliation between employer and employee, between the church and the masses. a model of terse epigrammatic english. not a dull line in it. talks to farmers. by rev. charles h. spurgeon. new york: funk & wagnalls, publishers, and astor place. . table of contents. page the sluggard's farm, the broken fence, frost and thaw, the corn of wheat dying to bring forth fruit, the ploughman, ploughing the rock, the parable of the sower, the principal wheat, spring in the heart, farm laborers, what the farm laborers can do, and what they cannot do, the sheep before the shearers, in the hay-field, the joy of harvest, spiritual gleaning, meal-time in the cornfields, the loaded wagon, threshing, wheat in the barn, talks to farmers. the sluggard's farm. "i went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. then i saw, and considered it well: i looked upon it, and received instruction."--proverbs : - . no doubt solomon was sometimes glad to lay aside the robes of state, escape from the forms of court, and go through the country unknown. on one occasion, when he was doing so, he looked over the broken wall of a little estate which belonged to a farmer of his country. this estate consisted of a piece of ploughed land and a vineyard. one glance showed him that it was owned by a sluggard, who neglected it, for the weeds had grown right plentifully and covered all the face of the ground. from this solomon gathered instruction. men generally learn wisdom if they have wisdom. the artist's eye sees the beauty of the landscape because he has beauty in his mind. "to him that hath shall be given," and he shall have abundance, for he shall reap a harvest even from the field that is covered with thorns and nettles. there is a great difference between one man and another in the use of the mind's eye. i have a book entitled, "the harvest of a quiet eye," and a good book it is: the harvest of a quiet eye can be gathered from a sluggard's land as well as from a well-managed farm. when we were boys we were taught a little poem, called, "eyes and no eyes," and there was much of truth in it, for some people have eyes and see not, which is much the same as having no eyes; while others have quick eyes for spying out instruction. some look only at the surface, while others see not only the outside shell but the living kernel of truth which is hidden in all outward things. _we may find instruction everywhere._ to a spiritual mind nettles have their use, and weeds have their doctrine. are not all thorns and thistles meant to be teachers to sinful men? are they not brought forth of the earth on purpose that they may show us what sin has done, and the kind of produce that will come when we sow the seed of rebellion against god? "i went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding," says solomon; "i saw, and considered it well: i looked upon it, and received instruction." whatever you see, take care to consider it well, and you will not see it in vain. you shall find books and sermons everywhere, in the land and in the sea, in the earth and in the skies, and you shall learn from every living beast, and bird, and fish, and insect, and from every useful or useless plant that springs out of the ground. _we may also gather rare lessons from things that we do not like._ i am sure that solomon did not in the least degree admire the thorns and the nettles that covered the face of the vineyard, but he nevertheless found instruction in them. many are stung by nettles, but few are taught by them. some men are hurt by briers, but here is one who was improved by them. wisdom hath a way of gathering grapes of thorns and figs of nettles, and she distils good from herbs which in themselves are noisome and evil. do not fret, therefore, over thorns, but get good out of them. do not begin stinging yourself with nettles, grip them firmly, and then use them for your soul's health. trials and troubles, worries and turmoils, little frets and little disappointments, may all help you if you will. like solomon, see and consider them well--look upon them, and receive instruction. as for us, we will now, first, consider _solomon's description of a sluggard_: he is "a man void of understanding"; secondly, we shall notice _his description of the sluggard's land_: "it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof." when we have attended to these two matters we will close by _endeavoring to gather the instruction which this piece of waste ground may yield us_. first, think of solomon's description of a slothful man. solomon was a man whom none of us would contradict, for he knew as much as all of us put together; and besides that, he was under divine inspiration when he wrote this book of proverbs. solomon says, a sluggard is "a man void of understanding." the slothful does not think so; he puts his hands in his pockets, and you would think from his important air that he had all the bank of england at his disposal. you can see that he is a very wise man in his own esteem, for he gives himself airs which are meant to impress you with a sense of his superior abilities. how he has come by his wisdom it would be hard to say. he has never taken the trouble to think, and yet i dare not say that he jumps at his conclusions, because he never does such a thing as jump, he lies down and rolls into a conclusion. yet he knows everything, and has settled all points: meditation is too hard work for him, and learning he never could endure; but to be clever by nature is his delight. he does not want to know more than he knows, for he knows enough already, and yet he knows nothing. the proverb is not complimentary to him, but i am certain that solomon was right when he called him "a man void of understanding." solomon was rather rude according to the dainty manners of the present times, because this gentleman had a field and a vineyard, and as poor richard saith, "when i have a horse and a cow every man biddeth me good morrow." how can a man be void of understanding who has a field and a vineyard? is it not generally understood that you must measure a man's understanding by the amount of his ready cash? at all events you shall soon be flattered for your attainments if you have attained unto wealth. such is the way of the world, but such is not the way of scripture. whether he has a field and a vineyard or not, says solomon, if he is a sluggard he is a fool, or if you would like to see his name written out a little larger, he is a man empty of understanding. not only does he not understand anything, but he has no understanding to understand with. he is empty-headed if he is a sluggard. he may be called a gentleman, he may be a landed proprietor, he may have a vineyard and a field; but he is none the better for what he has: nay, he is so much the worse, because he is a man void of understanding, and is therefore unable to make use of his property. i am glad to be told by solomon so plainly that a slothful man is void of understanding, for it is useful information. i have met with persons who thought they perfectly understood the doctrines of grace, who could accurately set forth the election of the saints, the predestination of god, the firmness of the divine decree, the necessity of the spirit's work, and all the glorious doctrines of grace which build up the fabric of our faith; but these gentlemen have inferred from these doctrines that they have to do nothing, and thus they have become sluggards. do-nothingism is their creed. they will not even urge other people to labor for the lord, because, say they, "god will do his own work. salvation is all of grace!" the notion of these sluggards is that a man is to wait, and do nothing; he is to sit still, and let the grass grow up to his ankles in the hope of heavenly help. to arouse himself would be an interference with the eternal purpose, which he regards as altogether unwarrantable. i have known him look sour, shake his aged head, and say hard things against earnest people who were trying to win souls. i have known him run down young people, and like a great steam ram, sink them to the bottom, by calling them unsound and ignorant. how shall we survive the censures of this dogmatic person? how shall we escape from this very knowing and very captious sluggard? solomon hastens to the rescue and extinguishes this gentleman by informing us that he is void of understanding. why, he is the standard of orthodoxy, and he judges everybody! yet solomon applies another standard to him, and says he is void of understanding. he may know the doctrine, but he does not understand it; or else he would know that the doctrines of grace lead us to seek the grace of the doctrines; and that when we see god at work we learn that he worketh in us, not to make us go to sleep, but to will and to do of his own good pleasure. god's predestination of a people is his ordaining them unto good works that they may show forth his praise. so, if you or i shall from any doctrines, however true, draw the inference that we are warranted in being idle and indifferent about the things of god, we are void of understanding; we are acting like fools; we are misusing the gospel; we are taking what was meant for meat and turning it into poison. the sluggard, whether he is sluggish about his business or about his soul, is a man void of understanding. as a rule we may measure a man's understanding by his useful activities; this is what the wise man very plainly tells us. certain persons call themselves "cultured," and yet they cultivate nothing. modern thought, as far as i have seen anything of its actual working, is a bottle of smoke, out of which comes nothing solid; yet we know men who can distinguish and divide, debate and discuss, refine and refute, and all the while the hemlock is growing in the furrow, and the plough is rusting. friend, if your knowledge, if your culture, if your education does not lead you practically to serve god in your day and generation, you have not learned what solomon calls wisdom, and you are not like the blessed one, who was incarnate wisdom, of whom we read that "he went about doing good." a lazy man is not like our saviour, who said, "my father worketh hitherto, and i work." true wisdom is practical: boastful culture vapors and theorizes. wisdom ploughs its field, wisdom hoes its vineyard, wisdom looks to its crops, wisdom tries to make the best of everything; and he who does not do so, whatever may be his knowledge of this, of that, or of the other, is a man void of understanding. why is he void of understanding? is it not because _he has opportunities which he does not use_? his day has come, his day is going, and he lets the hours glide by to no purpose. let me not press too hardly upon any one, but let me ask you all to press as hardly as you can upon yourselves while you enquire each one of himself, am i employing the minutes as they fly? this man had a vineyard, but he did not cultivate it; he had a field, but he did not till it. do you, brethren, use all your opportunities? i know we each one have some power to serve god; do we use it? if we are his children he has not put one of us where we are of necessity useless. somewhere we may shine by the light which he has given us, though that light be only a farthing candle. are we thus shining? do we sow beside all waters? do we in the morning sow our seed, and in the evening still stretch out our hand? for if not, we are rebuked by the sweeping censure of solomon, who saith that the slothful is a "man void of understanding." having opportunities he did not use them, and next, _being bound to the performance of certain duties he did not fulfil them_. when god appointed that every israelite should have a piece of land, under that admirable system which made every israelite a land owner, he meant that each man should possess his plot, not to let it lie waste, but to cultivate it. when god put adam in the garden of eden it was not that he should walk through the glades and watch the spontaneous luxuriance of the unfallen earth, but that he might dress it and keep it, and he had the same end in view when he allotted each jew his piece of land; he meant that the holy soil should reach the utmost point of fertility through the labor of those who owned it. thus the possession of a field and a vineyard involved responsibilities upon the sluggard which he never fulfilled, and therefore he was void of understanding. what is your position, dear friend? a father? a master? a servant? a minister? a teacher? well, you have your farms and your vineyards in those particular spheres; but if you do not use those positions aright you will be void of understanding, because you neglect the end of your existence. you miss the high calling which your maker has set before you. the slothful farmer was unwise in these two respects, and in another also; _for he had capacities which he did not employ_. he could have tilled the field and cultivated the vineyard if he had chosen to do so. he was not a sickly man, who was forced to keep his bed, but he was a lazy-bones who was there of choice. you are not asked to do in the service of god that which is utterly beyond you, for it is expected of us according to what we have and not according to what we have not. the man of two talents is not required to bring in the interest of five, but he is expected to bring in the interest of two. solomon's slothful was too idle to attempt tasks which were quite within his power. many have a number of dormant faculties of which they are scarcely aware, and many more have abilities which they are using for themselves, and not for him who created them. dear friends, if god has given us any power to do good, pray let us do it, for this is a wicked, weary world. we should not even cover a glow-worm's light in such a darkness as this. we should not keep back a syllable of divine truth in a world that is so full of falsehood and error. however feeble our voices, let us lift them up for the cause of truth and righteousness. do not let us be void of understanding, because we have opportunities that we do not use, obligations that we do not fulfil, and capacities which we do not exercise. as for a sluggard in soul matters, he is indeed void of understanding, for _he trifles with matters which demand his most earnest heed_. man, hast thou never cultivated thy heart? hast the ploughshare never broken up the clods of thy soul? has the seed of the word never been sown in thee? or has it taken no root? hast thou never watered the young plants of desire? hast thou never sought to pull up the weeds of sin that grow in thy heart? art thou still a piece of the bare common or wild heath? poor soul! thou canst trim thy body, and spend many a minute at the glass; dost thou not care for thy soul? how long thou takest to decorate thy poor flesh, which is but worm's meat, or would be in a minute if god took away thy breath! and yet all the while thy soul is uncombed, unwashed, unclad, a poor neglected thing. oh it should not be so. you take care of the worse part and leave the better to perish through neglect. this is the height of folly! he that is a sluggard as to the vineyard of his heart is a man void of understanding. if i must be idle, let it be seen in my field and my garden, but not in my soul. or are you a christian? are you really saved, and are you negligent in the lord's work? then, indeed, whatever you may be, i cannot help saying you have too little understanding; for surely, when a man is saved himself, and understands the danger of other men's souls, he must be in earnest in trying to pluck the firebrands from the flame. a christian sluggard! is there such a being? a _christian_ man on half time? a christian man working not at all for his lord; how shall i speak of him? _time_ does not tarry, death does not tarry, hell does not tarry; satan is not lazy, all the powers of darkness are busy: how is it that you and i can be sluggish, if the master has put us into his vineyard? surely we must be void of understanding if, after being saved by the infinite love of god, we do not spend and be spent in his service. the eternal fitness of things demands that a saved man should be an earnest man. the christian who is slothful in his master's service _has no idea what he is losing_; for the very cream of religion lies in holy consecration to god. some people have just enough religion to make it questionable whether they have any or no. they have enough godliness to make them uneasy in their ungodliness. they have washed enough of their face to show the dirt upon the rest of it. "i am glad," said a servant, "that my mistress takes the sacrament, for otherwise i should not know she had any religion at all." you smile, and well you may. it is ridiculous that some people should have no goods in their shop, and yet advertise their business in all the papers; should make a show of religion, and yet have none of the spirit of god. i wish some professors would do christ the justice to say, "no, i am _not_ one of his disciples; do not think so badly of him as to imagine that i can be one of them." we ought to be reflections _of_ christ; but i fear many are reflections _upon_ christ. when we see a lot of lazy servants, we are apt to think that their master must be a very idle person himself, or he would never put up with them. he who employs sluggards, and is satisfied with their snail-like pace, cannot be a very active man himself. o, let not the world think that christ is indifferent to human woe, that christ has lost his zeal, that christ has lost his energy: yet i fear they will say it or think it if they see those who profess to be laborers in the vineyard of christ nothing better than mere sluggards. the slothful, then, is a man void of understanding; he loses the honor and pleasure which he would find in serving his master; he is a dishonor to the cause which he professes to venerate, and he is storing up thorns for his dying pillow. let that stand as settled--the slothful, whether he be a minister, deacon, or private christian, is a man void of understanding. now, secondly, let us look at the sluggard's land: "i went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof." note, first, that _land will produce something_. soil which is good enough to be made into a field and a vineyard must and will yield some fruit or other; and so you and i, in our hearts and in the sphere god gives us to occupy, will be sure to produce something. we cannot live in this world as entire blanks; we shall either do good or do evil, as sure as we are alive. if you are idle in christ's work, you are active in the devil's work. the sluggard by sleeping was doing more for the cultivation of thorns and nettles than he could have done by any other means. as a garden will either yield flowers or weeds, fruits or thistles, so something either good or evil will come out of our household, our class, or our congregation. if we do not produce a harvest of good wheat, by laboring for christ, we shall grow tares to be bound up in bundles for the last dread burning. note again that, if it be not farmed for god, _the soul will yield its natural produce_; and what is the natural produce of land if left to itself? what but thorns and nettles, or some other useless weeds? what is the natural produce of your heart and mine? what but sin and misery? what is the natural produce of your children if you leave them untrained for god? what but unholiness and vice? what is the natural produce of this great city if we leave its streets, and lanes, and alleys without the gospel? what but crime and infamy? some harvest there will be, and the sheaves will be the natural produce of the soil, which is sin, death, and corruption. if we are slothful, _the natural produce of our heart and of our sphere will be most inconvenient and unpleasant to ourselves_. nobody can sleep on thorns, or make a pillow of nettles. no rest can come out of an idleness which lets ill alone, and does not by god's spirit strive to uproot evil. while you are sleeping, satan will be sowing. if you withhold the seed of good, satan will be lavish with the seed of evil, and from that evil will come anguish and regret for time, and it may be for eternity. o man, the garden put into thy charge, if thou waste thy time in slumber, will reward thee with all that is noisome and painful. "thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee." _in many instances there will be a great deal of this evil produce_; for a field and a vineyard will yield more thistles and nettles than a piece of ground that has never been reclaimed. if the land is good enough for a garden, it will present its owner with a fine crop of weeds if he only stays his hand. a choice bit of land fit for a vineyard of red wine will render such a profusion of nettles to the slothful that he shall rub his eyes with surprise. the man who might do most for god, if he were renewed, will bring forth most for satan if he be let alone. the very region which would have glorified god most if the grace of god were there to convert its inhabitants, will be that out of which the vilest enemies of the gospel will arise. rest assured of that; the best will become the worst if we neglect it. neglect is all that is needed to produce evil. if you want to know the way of salvation, i must take some pains to tell you; but if you want to know the way to be lost, my reply is easy; for it is only a matter of negligence:--"how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" if you desire to bring forth a harvest unto god, i may need long to instruct you in ploughing, sowing, and watering; but if you wish your mind to be covered with satan's hemlock, you have only to leave the furrows of your nature to themselves. the slothful asks for "a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep," and the thorns and thistles multiply beyond all numbering, and prepare for him many a sting. while we look upon the lazy man's vineyard let us also peep into the ungodly sluggard's heart. he does not care about repentance and faith. to think about his soul, to be in earnest about eternity, is too much for him. he wants to take things easy, and have a little more folding of the arms to sleep. what is growing in his mind and character? in some of these spiritual sluggards you can see drunkenness, uncleanness, covetousness, anger, and pride, and all sorts of thistles and nettles; or where these ranker weeds do not appear, by reason of the restraint of pious connections, you find other sorts of sin. the heart cannot be altogether empty, either christ or the devil will possess it. my dear friend, if you are not decided for god, you cannot be a neutral. in this war every man is for god or for his enemy. you cannot remain like a sheet of blank paper. the legible handwriting of satan is upon you--can you not see the blots? unless christ has written across the page his own sweet name, the autograph of satan is visible. you may say, "i do not go into open sin; i am moral," and so forth. ah, if you would but look, and consider, and search into your heart, you would see that enmity to god and to his ways, and hatred of purity, are there. you do not love god's law, nor love his son, nor love his gospel, you are alienated in your heart, and there is in you all manner of evil desires and vain thoughts, and these will flourish and increase so long as you are a spiritual sluggard, and leave your heart uncultivated. o, may the spirit of god arouse you; may you be stirred to anxious, earnest thought, and then you will see that these rank growths must be uprooted, and that your heart must be turned up by the plough of conviction, and sown with the good seed of the gospel, till a harvest rewards the great husbandman. friend, if you believe in christ, i want to peep over the hedge into _your heart_ also, if you are a sluggish christian; for i fear that nettles and thistles are threatening you also. did i not hear you sing the other day-- "'tis a point i long to know"? that point will often be raised, for doubt is a seed which is sure to grow in lazy men's minds. i do not remember reading in mr. wesley's diary a question about his own salvation. he was so busy in the harvest of the master that it did not occur to him to distrust his god. some christians have little faith in consequence of their having never sown the grain of mustard-seed which they have received. if you do not sow your faith by using it, how can it grow? when a man lives by faith in christ jesus, and his faith exercises itself actively in the service of his lord, it takes root, grows upward, and become strong, till it chokes his doubts. some have sadly morbid forebodings; they are discontented, fretful, selfish, murmuring, and all because they are idle. these are the weeds that grow in sluggards' gardens. i have known the slothful become so peevish that nothing could please them; the most earnest christian could not do right for them; the most loving christians could not be affectionate enough; the most active church could not be energetic enough; they detected all sorts of wrong where god himself saw much of the fruit of his spirit. this censoriousness, this contention, this perpetual complaining is one of the nettles that are quite sure to grow in men's gardens when they fold their arms in sinful ease. if your heart does not yield fruit to god it will certainly bring forth that which is mischievous in itself, painful to you, and injurious to your fellow-men. often the thorns choke the good seed; but it is a very blessed thing when the good seed comes up so thick and fast that it chokes the thorns. god enables certain christians to become so fruitful in christ that their graces and works stand thick together, and when satan throws in the tares they cannot grow because there is no room for them. the holy spirit by his power makes evil to become weak in the heart, so that it no longer keeps the upper hand. if you are slothful, friend, look over the field of your heart, and weep at the sight. may i next ask you to look into _your own house_ and home? it is a dreadful thing when a man does not cultivate the field of his own family. i recollect in my early days a man who used to walk out with me into the villages when i was preaching. i was glad of his company till i found out certain facts, and then i shook him off, and i believe he hooked on to somebody else, for he must needs be gadding abroad every evening of the week. he had many children, and these grew up to be wicked young men and women, and the reason was that the father, while he would be at this meeting and that, never tried to bring his own children to the saviour. what is the use of zeal abroad if there is neglect at home? how sad to say, "my own vineyard have i not kept." have you never heard of one who said he did not teach his children the ways of god because he thought they were so young that it was very wrong to prejudice them, and he had rather leave them to choose their own religion when they grew older? one of his boys broke his arm, and while the surgeon was setting it the boy was swearing all the time. "ah," said the good doctor, "i told you what would happen. you were afraid to prejudice your boy in the right way, but the devil had no such qualms; he has prejudiced him the other way, and pretty strongly too." it is our duty to prejudice our field in favor of corn, or it will soon be covered with thistles. cultivate a child's heart for good, or it will go wrong of itself, for it is already depraved by nature. o that we were wise enough to think of this, and leave no little one to become a prey to the destroyer. as it is with homes, so is it with _schools_. a gentleman who joined this church some time ago had been an atheist for years, and in conversing with him i found that he had been educated at one of our great public schools, and to that fact he traced his infidelity. he said that the boys were stowed away on sunday in a lofty gallery at the far end of a church, where they could scarcely hear a word that the clergyman said, but simply sat imprisoned in a place where it was dreadfully hot in summer and cold in winter. on sundays there were prayers, and prayers, and prayers, but nothing that ever touched his heart; until he was so sick of prayers that he vowed if he once got out of the school he would have done with religion. this is a sad result, but a frequent one. you sunday-school teachers can make your classes so tiresome to the children that they will hate sunday. you can fritter away the time in school without bringing the lads and lasses to christ, and so you may do more hurt than good. i have known christian fathers who by their severity and want of tenderness have sown their family field with the thorns and thistles of hatred to religion instead of scattering the good seed of love to it. o that we may so live among our children that they may not only love us, but love our father who is in heaven. may fathers and mothers set such an example of cheerful piety that sons and daughters shall say, "let us tread in our father's footsteps, for he was a happy and a holy man. let us follow our mother's ways, for she was sweetness itself." if piety does not rule in your house, when we pass by your home we shall see disorder, disobedience, pride of dress, folly, and the beginnings of vice. let not your home be a sluggard's field, or you will have to rue it in years to come. let every deacon, every class-leader, and also every minister enquire diligently into the state of the field he has to cultivate. you see, brothers and sisters, if you and i are set over any department of our lord's work, and we are not diligent in it, we shall be like barren trees planted in an orchard, which are a loss altogether, because they occupy the places of other trees which might have brought forth fruit unto their owners. we shall cumber the ground, and do damage to our lord, unless we render him actual service. will you think of this? if you could be put down as a mere cipher in the accounts of christ, that would be very sad; but, brother, it cannot be so, you will cause a deficit unless you create a gain. oh that through the grace of god we may be profitable to our lord and master! who among us can look upon his life-work without some sorrow? if anything has been done aright we ascribe it all to the grace of god; but how much there is to weep over! how much that we would wish to amend! let us not spend time in idle regrets, but pray for the spirit of god, that in the future we may not be void of understanding, but may know what we ought to do, and where the strength must come from with which to do it, and then give ourselves up to the doing of it. i beg you once more to look at the great field of _the world_. do you see how it is overgrown with thorns and nettles? if an angel could take a survey of the whole race, what tears he would shed, if angels could weep! what a tangled mass of weeds the whole earth is! yonder the field is scarlet with the poppy of popery, and over the hedge it is yellow with the wild mustard of mahometanism. vast regions are smothered with the thistles of infidelity and idolatry. the world is full of cruelty, oppression, drunkenness, rebellion, uncleanness, misery. what the moon sees! what god's sun sees! what scenes of horror! how far is all this to be attributed to a neglectful church? nearly nineteen hundred years are gone, and the sluggard's vineyard is but little improved! england has been touched with the spade, but i cannot say that it has been thoroughly weeded or ploughed yet. across the ocean another field equally favored knows well the ploughman, and yet the weeds are rank. here and there a little good work has been done, but the vast mass of the world still lies a moorland never broken up, a waste, a howling wilderness. what has the church been doing all these years? she ceased after a few centuries to be a missionary church, and from that hour she almost ceased to be a living church. whenever a church does not labor for the reclaiming of the desert, it becomes itself a waste. you shall not find on the roll of history that for a length of time any christian community has flourished after it has become negligent of the outside world. i believe that if we are put into the master's vineyard, and will not take away the weeds, neither shall the vine flourish, nor shall the corn yield its increase. however, instead of asking what the church has been doing for this nineteen hundred years, let us ask ourselves, what are we going to do now? are the missions of the churches of great britain always to be such poor, feeble things as they are? are the best of our christian young men always going to stay at home? we go on ploughing the home field a hundred times over, while millions of acres abroad are left to the thorn and nettle. shall it always be so? god send us more spiritual life, and wake us up from our sluggishness, or else when the holy watcher gives in his report, he will say, "i went by the field of the sluggish church, and it was all grown over with thorns and nettles, and the stone wall was broken down, so that one could scarcely tell which was the church and which was the world, yet still she slept, and slept, and slept, and nothing could waken her." i conclude by remarking that there must be some lesson in all this. i cannot teach it as i would, but i want to learn it myself. i will speak it as though i were talking to myself. the first lesson is, that _unaided nature always will produce thorns and nettles, and nothing else_. my soul, if it were not for grace, this is all thou wouldst have produced. beloved, are you producing anything else? then it is not nature, but the grace of god that makes you produce it. those lips that now most charmingly sing the praises of god would have been delighted with an idle ballad if the grace of god had not sanctified them. your heart, that now cleaves to christ, would have continued to cling to your idols--you know what they were--if it had not been for grace divine. and why should grace have visited you or me--why? echo answers, why? what answer can we give? "'tis even so, father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." let the recollection of what grace has done move us to manifest the result of that grace in our lives. come, brothers and sisters, inasmuch as we were aforetime rich enough in the soil of our nature to produce so much of nettle and thistle--and god only knows how much we did produce--let us now pray that our lives may yield as much of good corn for the great husbandman. will you serve christ less than you served your lusts? will you make less sacrifice for christ than you did for your sins? some of you were whole-hearted enough when in the service of the evil one, will you be half-hearted in the service of god? shall the holy spirit produce less fruit in you than that which you yielded under the spirit of evil? god grant that we may not be left to prove what nature will produce if left to itself. we see here, next, _the little value of natural good intentions_; for this man, who left his field and vineyard to be overgrown, always meant to work hard one of these fine days. to do him justice, we must admit that he did not mean to sleep much longer, for he said--"yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep." only a little doze, and then he would tuck up his sleeves and show his muscle. probably the worst people in the world are those who have the best intentions, but never carry them out. in that way satan lulls many to sleep. they hear an earnest sermon; but they do not arise and go to their father; they only get as far as saying, "yes, yes, the far country is not a fit place for me; i will not stay here long. i mean to go home by-and-by." they said that forty years ago, but nothing came of it. when they were quite youths they had serious impressions, they were almost persuaded to be christians, and yet they are not christians even now. they have been slumbering forty years! surely that is a liberal share of sleep! they never intended to dream so long, and now they do not mean to lie in bed much longer. they will not turn to christ at once, but they are resolved to do so one day. when are you going to do it, friend? "before i die." going to put it off to the last hour or two, are you? and so, when unconscious, and drugged to relieve pain, you will begin to think of your soul? is this wise? surely you are void of understanding. perhaps you will die in an hour. did you not hear the other day of the alderman who died in his carriage? little must he have dreamed of that. how would it have fared with you had you also been smitten while riding at your ease? have you not heard of persons who fall dead at their work? what is to hinder your dying with a spade in your hand? i am often startled when i am told in the week that one whom i saw on sunday is dead--gone from the shop to the judgment-seat. it is not a very long time ago since one went out at the doorway of the tabernacle, and fell dead on the threshold. we have had deaths in the house of god, unexpected deaths; and sometimes people are hurried away unprepared who never meant to have died unconverted, who always had from their youth up some kind of desire to be ready, only still they wanted a little more sleep. oh, my hearers, take heed of little delays, and short puttings-off. you have wasted time enough already, come to the point at once before the clock strikes again. may god the holy spirit bring you to decision. "surely you do not object to my having a little more sleep?" says the sluggard. "you have waked me so soon. i only ask another little nap." "my dear man, it is far into the morning." he answers, "it is rather late, i know; but it will not be much later if i take just another doze." you wake him again, and tell him it is noon. he says, "it is the hottest part of the day: i daresay if i had been up i should have gone to the sofa and taken a little rest from the hot sun." you knock at his door when it is almost evening, and then he cries, "it is of no use to get up now, for the day is almost over." you remind him of his overgrown field and weedy vineyard, and he answers, "yes, i must get up, i know." he shakes himself and says, "i do not think it will matter much if i wait till the clock strikes. i will rest another minute or two." he is glued to his bed, dead while he liveth, buried in his laziness. if he could sleep forever he would, but he cannot, for the judgment-day will rouse him. it is written, "and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torment." god grant that you spiritual sluggards may wake before that; but you will not unless you bestir yourselves betimes, for "now is the accepted time"; and it may be now or never. to-morrow is only to be found in the calendar of fools; to-day is the time of the wise man, the chosen season of our gracious god. oh that the holy spirit may lead you to seize the present hour, that you may at once give yourselves to the lord by faith in christ jesus, and then from his vineyard-- "quick uproot the noisome weeds, that without profit suck the soil's fertility from wholesome plants." the broken fence. "i went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and _the stone wall thereof was broken down_. then i saw, and considered it well: i looked upon it and received instruction."--proverbs : - . this slothful man did no hurt to his fellow-men: he was not a thief, nor a ruffian, nor a meddler in anybody else's business. he did not trouble himself about other men's concerns, for he did not even attend to his own--it required too much exertion. he was not grossly vicious; he had not energy enough to care for that. he was one who liked to take things easily. he always let well alone, and, for the matter of that, he let ill alone, too, as the nettles and the thistles in his garden plainly proved. what was the use of disturbing himself? it would be all the same a hundred years hence; and so he took things just as they came. he was not a bad man, so some said of him; and yet, perhaps, it will be found at last that there is no worse man in the world than the man who is not good, for in some respects he is not good enough to be bad; he has not enough force of character about him to serve either god or baal. he simply serves himself, worshipping his own ease and adoring his own comfort. yet he always meant to be right. dear me! he was not going to sleep much longer, he would only have forty winks more, and then he would be at his work, and show you what he could do. one of these days he meant to be thoroughly in earnest, and make up for lost time. the time never actually came for him to begin, but it was always coming. he always meant to repent, but he went on in his sin. he meant to believe, but he died an unbeliever. he meant to be a christian, but he lived without christ. he halted between two opinions because he could not trouble himself to make up his mind; and so he perished of delay. this picture of the slothful man and his garden and field overgrown with nettles and weeds represents many a man who has professed to be a christian, but who has become slothful in the things of god. spiritual life has withered in him. he has backslidden; he has come down from the condition of healthy spiritual energy into one of listlessness, and indifference to the things of god; and while things have gone wrong within his heart, and all sorts of mischiefs have come into him and grown up and seeded themselves in him, mischief is also taking place externally in his daily conduct. the stone wall which guarded his character is broken down, and he lies open to all evil. upon this point we will now meditate. "the stone wall thereof was broken down." come, then, let us take a walk with solomon, and stand with him and consider and learn instruction while we _look at this broken-down fence_. when we have examined it, let us _consider the consequences of broken-down walls_; and then, in the last place, let us try to _rouse up this sluggard that his wall may yet be repaired_. if this slothful person should be one of ourselves, may god's infinite mercy rouse us up before this ruined wall has let in a herd of prowling vices. i. first let us take a look at this broken fence. you will see that in the beginning it was a very good fence, for it was a stone wall. fields are often surrounded with wooden palings which soon decay, or with hedges which may very easily have gaps made in them; but this was a stone wall. such walls are very usual in the east, and are also common in some of our own counties where stone is plentiful. it was a substantial protection to begin with, and well shut in the pretty little estate which had fallen into such bad hands. the man had a field for agricultural purposes, and another strip of land for a vineyard or a garden. it was fertile soil, for it produced thorns and nettles in abundance, and where these flourish better things can be produced; yet the idler took no care of his property, but allowed the wall to get into bad repair, and in many places to be quite broken down. let me mention some of the stone walls that men permit to be broken down when they backslide. in many cases _sound principles were instilled in youth_, but these are forgotten. what a blessing is christian education! our parents, both by persuasion and example, taught many of us the things that are pure and honest, and of good repute. we saw in their lives how to live. they also opened the word of god before us, and they taught us the ways of right both toward god and toward men. they prayed for us, and they prayed with us, till the things of god were placed round about us and shut us in as with a stone wall. we have never been able to get rid of our early impressions. even in times of wandering, before we knew the lord savingly, these things had a healthy power over us; we were checked when we would have done evil, we were assisted when we were struggling toward christ. it is very sad when people permit these first principles to be shaken, and to be removed like stones which fall from a boundary wall. young persons begin at first to talk lightly of the old-fashioned ways of their parents. by-and-by it is not merely the old-fashionedness of the ways, but the ways themselves that they despise. they seek other company, and from that other company they learn nothing but evil. they seek pleasure in places which it horrifies their parents to think of. this leads to worse, and if they do not bring their fathers' gray hairs with sorrow to the grave it is no virtue of theirs. i have known young men, who really were christians, sadly backslide through being induced to modify, conceal, or alter those holy principles in which they were trained from their mother's knee. it is a great calamity when professedly converted men become unfixed, unstable, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. it shows great faultiness of mind, and unsoundness of heart, when we can trifle with those grave and solemn truths which have been sanctified by a mother's tears and by a father's earnest life. "i am thy servant," said david, "and the son of thy handmaid": he felt it to be a high honor, and, at the same time, a sacred bond which bound him to god, that he was the son of one who could be called god's handmaid. take care, you who have had christian training, that you do not trifle with it. "my son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck." protection to character is also found in the fact that _solid doctrines have been learned_. this is a fine stone wall. many among us have been taught the gospel of the grace of god, and they have learned it well, so that they are able to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. happy are they who have a religion that is grounded upon a clear knowledge of eternal verities. a religion which is all excitement, and has little instruction in it, may serve for transient use; but for permanent life-purposes there must be a knowledge of those great doctrines which are fundamental to the gospel system. i tremble when i hear of a man's giving up, one by one, the vital principles of the gospel and boasting of his liberality. i hear him say, "these are my views, but others have a right to their views also." that is a very proper expression in reference to mere "views," but we may not thus speak of _truth_ itself as revealed by god: that is one and unalterable, and all are bound to receive it. it is not your view of truth, for that is a dim thing; but the very truth itself which will save you if your faith embraces it. i will readily yield my way of stating a doctrine, but not the doctrine itself. one man may put it in this way, and one in another; but the truth itself must never be given up. the spirit of the broad school robs us of everything like certainty. i should like to ask some great men of that order whether they believe that anything is taught in the scriptures which it would be worth while for a person to die for, and whether the martyrs were not great fools for laying down their lives for mere opinions which might be right or might be wrong. this broad-churchism is a breaking down of stone walls, and it will let in the devil and all his crew, and do infinite harm to the church of god, if it be not stopped. a loose state of belief does great damage to any man's mind. we are not bigots, but we should be none the worse if we so lived that men called us so. i met a man the other day who was accused of bigotry, and i said, "give me your hand, old fellow. i like to meet with bigots now and then, for the fine old creatures are getting scarce, and the stuff they are made of is so good that if there were more of it we might see a few men among us again and fewer mollusks." lately we have seen few men with backbone; the most have been of the jelly-fish order. i have lived in times in which i should have said, "be liberal, and shake off all narrowness": but now i am obliged to alter my tone and cry, "be steadfast in the truth." the faith once delivered to the saints is now all the more attractive to me because it is called narrow, for i am weary of that breadth which comes of broken hedges. there are fixed points of truth, and definite certainties of creed, and woe to you if you allow these stone walls to crumble down. i fear me that the slothful are a numerous band, and that ages to come may have to deplore the laxity which has been applauded by this negligent generation. another fence which is too often neglected is that of _godly habits which had been formed_: the sluggard allows this wall to be broken down. i will mention some valuable guards of life and character. one is the habit of _secret prayer_. private prayer should be regularly offered, at least in the morning and in the evening. we cannot do without set seasons for drawing near to god. to look into the face of man without having first seen the face of god is very dangerous: to go out into the world without locking up the heart and giving god the key is to leave it open to all sorts of spiritual vagrants. at night, again, to go to your rest as the swine roll into their sty, without thanking god for the mercies of the day, is shameful. the evening sacrifice should be devoutly offered as surely as we have enjoyed the evening fireside: we should thus put ourselves under the wings of the preserver of men. it may be said, "we can pray at all times." i know we can: but i fear that those who do not pray at stated hours seldom pray at all. those who pray in season are the most likely persons to pray at all seasons. spiritual life does not care for a cast-iron regulation, but since life casts itself into some mould or other, i would have you careful of its external habit as well as its internal power. never allow great gaps in the wall of your habitual private prayer. i go a step farther; i believe that there is a great guardian power about _family prayer_, and i feel greatly distressed because i know that very many christian families neglect it. romanism, at one time, could do nothing in england, because it could offer nothing but the shadow of what christian men had already in substance. "do you hear that bell tinkling in the morning?" "what is that for?" "to go to church to pray." "indeed," said the puritan, "i have no need to go there to pray. i have had my children together, and we have read a passage of scripture, and prayed, and sang the praises of god, and we have a church in our house." ah, there goes that bell again in the evening. what is that for? why, it is the vesper bell. the good man answered that he had no need to trudge a mile or two for that, for his holy vespers had been said and sung around his own table, of which the big bible was the chief ornament. they told him that there could be no service without a priest, but he replied that every godly man should be a priest in his own house. thus have the saints defied the overtures of priestcraft, and kept the faith from generation to generation. household devotion and the pulpit are, under god, the stone walls of protestantism, and my prayer is that these may not be broken down. another fence to protect piety is found in _week-night services_. i notice that when people forsake week-night meetings the power of their religion evaporates. i do not speak of those lawfully detained to watch the sick, and attend to farm-work and other business, or as domestic servants and the like; there are exceptions to all rules: but i mean those who could attend if they had a mind to do so. when people say, "it is quite enough for me to be wearied with the sermons of the sunday; i do not want to go out to prayer-meetings, and lectures, and so forth,"--then it is clear that they have no appetite for the word; and surely this is a bad sign. if you have a bit of wall built to protect the sunday and then six times the distance left without a fence, i believe that satan's cattle will get in and do no end of mischief. take care, also, of the stone wall of _bible reading_, and of speaking often one to another concerning the things of god. associate with the godly, and commune with god, and you will thus, by the blessing of god's spirit, keep up a good fence against temptations, which otherwise will get into the fields of your soul, and devour all goodly fruits. many have found much protection for the field of daily life in the stone wall of _a public profession of faith_. i am speaking to you who are real believers, and i know that you have often found it a great safeguard to be known and recognized as a follower of jesus. i have never regretted--and i never shall regret--the day on which i walked to the little river lark, in cambridgeshire, and was there buried with christ in baptism. in this i acted contrary to the opinions of all my friends whom i respected and esteemed, but as i had read the greek testament for myself, i felt bound to be immersed upon the profession of my faith, and i was so. by that act i said to the world, "i am dead to you, and buried to you in christ, and i hope henceforth to live in newness of life." that day, by god's grace, i imitated the tactics of the general who meant to fight the enemy till he conquered, and therefore he burned his boats that there might be no way of retreat. i believe that a solemn confession of christ before men is as a thorn hedge to keep one within bounds, and to keep off those who hope to draw you aside. of course it is nothing but a hedge, and it is of no use to fence in a field of weeds, but when wheat is growing a hedge is of great consequence. you who imagine that you can be the lord's, and yet lie open like a common, are under a great error; you ought to be distinguished from the world, and obey the voice which saith, "come ye out from among them, be ye separate." the promise of salvation is to the man who with his heart believeth and with his mouth confesseth. say right boldly, "let others do as they will; as for me and my house, we will serve the lord." by this act you come out into the king's highway, and put yourself under the protection of the lord of pilgrims, and he will take care of you. oftentimes, when otherwise you might have hesitated, you will say, "the vows of the lord are upon me: how can i draw back?" i pray you, then, set up the stone wall, and keep it up, and if it has at any corner been tumbled over, set it up again, and let it be seen by your conduct and conversation that you are a follower of jesus, and are not ashamed to have it known. keep to your religious principles like men, and do not turn aside for the sake of gain, or respectability. do not let wealth break down your wall, for i have known some make a great gap to let their carriage go through, and to let in wealthy worldlings for the sake of their society. those who forsake their principles to please men will in the end be lightly esteemed, but he who is faithful shall have the honor which cometh from god. look well to this hedge of steadfast adherence to the faith, and you shall find a great blessing in it. there is yet another stone wall which i will mention, namely, _firmness of character_. our holy faith teaches a man to be decided in the cause of christ, and to be resolute in getting rid of evil habits. "if thine eye offend thee"--wear a shade? no; "pluck it out." "if thine arm offend thee"--hang it in a sling? no; "cut it off and cast it from thee." true religion is very thorough in what it recommends. it says to us, "touch not the unclean thing." but many persons are so idle in the ways of god that they have no mind of their own: evil companions tempt them, and they cannot say, "no." they need a stone wall made up of noes. here are the stones "no, _no_, no." dare to be singular. resolve to keep close to christ. make a stern determination to permit nothing in your life, however gainful or pleasurable, if it would dishonor the name of jesus. be dogmatically true, obstinately holy, immovably honest, desperately kind, fixedly upright. if god's grace sets up this hedge around you, even satan will feel that he cannot get in, and will complain to god "hast thou not set a hedge about him?" i have kept you long enough looking over the wall, let me invite you in, and for a few minutes let us consider the consequences of a broken-down fence. to make short work of it, first, _the boundary has gone_. those lines of separation which were kept up by the good principles which were instilled in him by religious habits, by a bold profession and by a firm resolve, have vanished, and now the question is, "is he a christian, or is he not?" the fence is so far gone that he does not know which is his lord's property and which remains an open common: in fact, he does not know whether he himself is included in the royal domain or left to be mere waste of the world's manor. this is for want of keeping up the fences. if that man had lived near to god, if he had walked in his integrity, if the spirit of god had richly rested on him in all holy living and waiting upon god, he would have known where the boundary was, and he would have seen whether his land lay in the parish of all-saints, or in the region called no-man's-land, or in the district where satan is the lord of the manor. i heard of a dear old saint the other day who, when she was near to death, was attacked by satan, and, waving her finger at the enemy, in her gentle way, she routed him by saying, "chosen! chosen! chosen!" she knew that she was chosen, and she remembered the text, "the lord that hath chosen jerusalem rebuke thee." when the wall stands in its integrity all round the field, we can resist the devil by bidding him leave the lord's property alone. "begone! look somewhere else. i belong to christ, not to you." to do this you must mend the hedges well so that there shall be a clear boundary line, and you can say, "trespassers, beware!" do not yield an inch to the enemy, but make the wall all the higher, the more he seeks to enter. o that this adversary may never find a gap to enter by! next, when the wall has fallen, _the protection is gone_. when a man's heart has its wall broken all his thoughts will go astray, and wander upon the mountains of vanity. like sheep, thoughts need careful folding, or they will be off in no time. "i hate vain thoughts," said david, but slothful men are sure to have plenty of them, for there is no keeping your thoughts out of vanity unless you stop at every gap and shut every gate. holy thoughts, comfortable meditations, devout longings, and gracious communings will be off and gone if we sluggishly allow the stone wall to get out of repair. nor is this all, for as good things go out so bad things come in. when the wall is gone every passer-by sees, as it were, an invitation to enter. you have set before him an open door, and in he comes. are there fruits? he plucks them, of course. he walks about as it were a public place, and he pries everywhere. is there any secret corner of your heart which you will keep for jesus? satan or the world will walk in; and do you wonder? every passing goat, or roaming ox, or stray ass visits the growing crops and spoils more than he eats, and who can blame the creature when the gaps are so wide? all manner of evil lust and desires, and imaginations prey upon an unfenced soul. it is of no use for you to say, "lead us not into temptation." god will hear your prayer, and he will not lead you there; but you are leading yourself into it, you are tempting the devil to tempt you. if you leave yourself open to evil influences the spirit of god will be grieved, and he may leave you to keep the result of your folly. what think you, friend? had you not better attend to your fences at once? and then there is another evil, for _the land itself will go away_. "no," say you; "how can that be?" if a stone wall is broken down round a farm in england a man does not thereby lose his land, but in many parts of palestine the land is all ups and downs on the sides of the hills, and every bit of ground is terraced and kept up by walls. when the walls fall the soil slips over, terrace upon terrace, and the vines and trees go down with it; then the rain comes and washes the soil away, and nothing is left but barren crags which would starve a lark. in the same manner a man may so neglect himself, and so neglect the things of god, and become so careless and indifferent about doctrine, and about holy living, that his power to do good ceases, and his mind, his heart, and his energy seem to be gone. the prophet said, "ephraim is a silly dove, without heart:" there are flocks of such silly doves. the man who trifles with religion sports with his own soul, and will soon degenerate into so much of a trifler that he will be averse to solemn thought, and incapable of real usefulness. i charge you, dear friends, to be sternly true to yourselves and to your god. stand to your principles in this evil and wicked day. now, when everything seems to be turned into marsh and mire and mud, and religious thought appears to be silently sliding and slipping along, descending like a stream of slime into the dead sea of unbelief--get solid walls built around your life, around your faith, and around your character. stand fast, and having done all, still stand. may god the holy ghost cause you to be rooted and grounded, built up and established, fixed and confirmed, never "casting away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward." lastly, i want, if i can, to wake up the sluggard. i would like to throw a handful of gravel up to his window. it is time to get up, for the sun has drunk up all the dew. he craves "a little more sleep." my dear fellow, if you take a little more sleep, you will never wake at all till you lift up your eyes in another world. wake at once. leap from your bed before you are smothered in it. wake up! do you not see where you are? you have let things alone till your heart is covered with sins like weeds. you have neglected god and christ till you have grown worldly, sinful, careless, indifferent, ungodly. i mean some of you who were once named with the sacred name. you have become like worldlings, and are almost as far from being what you ought to be as others who make no profession at all. look at yourselves and see what has come of your neglected walls. then look at some of your fellow-christians, and mark how diligent they are. look at many among them who are poor and illiterate, and yet they are doing far more than you for the lord jesus. in spite of your talents and opportunities, you are an unprofitable servant, letting all things run to waste. is it not time that you bestirred yourself? look, again, at others who, like yourself, went to sleep, meaning to wake in a little while. what has become of them? alas, for those who have fallen into gross sin, and dishonored their character, and who have been put away from the church of god; yet they only went a little farther than you have done. your state of heart is much the same as theirs, and if you should be tempted as they have been, you will probably make shipwreck as they have done. oh, see to it, you that slumber, for an idle professor is ready for anything. a slothful professor's heart is tinder for the devil's tinderbox; does your heart thus invite the sparks of temptation? remember, lastly, the coming of the lord jesus christ. shall he come and find you sleeping? remember the judgment. what will you say to excuse yourself, for opportunities lost, time wasted, and talents wrapped up in a napkin, when the lord shall come? as for you, my unconverted friend, if you go dreaming through this world, without any sort of trouble, and never look to the state of your heart at all, you will be a lost man beyond all question. the slothful can have no hope, for "if the righteous scarcely are saved," who strive to serve their lord, where will those appear who sleep on in defiance of the calls of god? salvation is wholly and alone of grace, as you well know; but grace never works in men's minds toward slumbering and indifference; it tends toward energy, activity, fervor, importunity, self-sacrifice. god grant us the indwelling of his holy spirit, that all things may be set in order, sins cut up by the roots within the heart, and the whole man protected by sanctifying grace from the wasters which lurk around, hoping to enter where the wall is low. o lord, remember us in mercy, fence us about by thy power, and keep us from the sloth which would expose us to evil, for jesus' sake. amen. frost and thaw. "he giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. he casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? he sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow."--psalm : - . looking out of our window one morning we saw the earth robed in a white mantle; for in a few short hours the earth had been covered to a considerable depth with snow. we looked out again in a few hours and saw the fields as green as ever, and the ploughed fields as bare as if no single flake had fallen. it is no uncommon thing for a heavy fall of snow to be followed by a rapid thaw. these interesting changes are wrought by god, not only with a purpose toward the outward world, but with some design toward the spiritual realm. god is always a teacher. in every action that he performs he is instructing his own children, and opening up to them the road to inner mysteries. happy are those who find food for their heaven-born spirits, as well as for their mental powers, in the works of the lord's hand. i shall ask your attention, first, _to the operations of nature spoken of in the text_; and, secondly, _to those operations of grace of which they are the most fitting symbols_. i. consider, first, the operations of nature. we shall not think a few minutes wasted if we call your attention to the hand of god in frost and thaw, even upon natural grounds. . observe the _directness_ of the lord's work. i rejoice, as i read these words, to find how present our god is in the world. it is not written, "the laws of nature produce snow," but "he _giveth snow_," as if every flake came directly from the palm of his hand. we are not told that certain natural regulations form moisture into hoarfrost; no, but as moses took ashes of the furnace and scattered them upon egypt, so it is said of the lord "he _scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes_." it is not said that the eternal has set the world going and by the operation of its machinery ice is produced. oh, no, but every single granule of ice descending in the hail is from god; "he _casteth forth his ice like morsels_." even as the slinger distinctly sends the stone out of his sling, so the path of every hailstone is marked by the divine power. the ice is called, you observe, _his_ ice; and in the next sentence we read of _his_ cold. these words make nature strangely magnificent. when we look upon every hailstone as god's hail, and upon every fragment of ice as his ice, how precious the watery diamonds become! when we feel the cold nipping our limbs and penetrating through every garment, it consoles us to remember that it is _his_ cold. when the thaw comes, see how the text speaks of it:--"_he sendeth out his word_." he does not leave it to certain forces of nature, but like a king, "_he sendeth out his word and melteth them: he causeth_ his _wind to blow_." he has a special property in every wind; whether it comes from the north to freeze, or from the south to melt, it is _his_ wind. behold how in god's temple everything speaketh of his glory. learn to see the lord in all scenes of the visible universe, for truly he worketh all things. this thought of the directness of the divine operations must be carried into providence. it will greatly comfort you if you can see god's hand in your losses and crosses; surely you will not murmur against the direct agency of your god. this will put an extraordinary sweetness into daily mercies, and make the comforts of life more comfortable still, because they are from a father's hand. if your table be scantily furnished it shall suffice for your contented heart, when you know that your father spread it for you in wisdom and love. this shall bless your bread and your water; this shall make the bare walls of an ill-furnished room as resplendent as a palace, and turn a hard bed into a couch of down;--my father doth it all. we see his smile of love even when others see nothing but the black hand of death smiting our best beloved. we see a father's hand when the pestilence lays our cattle dead upon the plain. we see god at work in mercy when we ourselves are stretched upon the bed of languishing. it is ever our father's act and deed. do not let us get beyond this; but rather let us enlarge our view of this truth, and remember that this is true of the little as well as of the great. let the lines of a true poet strike you:-- "if pestilence stalk through the land, ye say the lord hath done it-- hath he not done it when an aphis creepeth upon the rosebud? if an avalanche tumbles from its alp, ye tremble at the will of providence-- is not that will as much concerned when the sere leaves fall from the poplar?" let your hearts sing of everything, jehovah-shammah, the lord is there. . next, i beg you to observe, with thanksgiving, the _ease_ of divine working. these verses read as if the making of frost and snow were the simplest matter in all the world. a man puts his hand into a wool-pack and throws out the wool; god giveth snow as easily as that: "he giveth snow like wool." a man takes up a handful of ashes, and throws them into the air, so that they fall around: "he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes." rime and snow are marvels of nature: those who have observed the extraordinary beauty of the ice-crystals have been enraptured, and yet they are easily formed by the lord. "he casteth forth his ice like morsels"--just as easily as we cast crumbs of bread outside the window to the robins during wintry days. when the rivers are hard frozen, and the earth is held in iron chains, then the melting of the whole--how is that done? not by kindling innumerable fires, nor by sending electric shocks from huge batteries through the interior of the earth--no; "he sendeth forth his word, and melteth them; he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow." the whole matter is accomplished with a word and a breath. if you and i had any great thing to do, what puffing and panting, what straining and tugging there would be: even the great engineers, who perform marvels by machinery, make much noise and stir about it. it is not so with the almighty one. our globe spins round in four-and-twenty hours, and yet it does not make so much noise as a humming-top; and yonder ponderous worlds rolling in space track their way in silence. if i enter a factory i hear a deafening din, or if i stand near the village mill, turned by water dropping over a wheel, there is a never-ceasing click-clack, or an undying hum; but god's great wheels revolve without noise or friction: divine machinery works smoothly. this ease is seen in providence as well as in nature. your heavenly father is as able to deliver you as he is to melt the snow, and he will deliver you in as simple a manner if you rest upon him. he openeth his hand, and supplies the want of every living thing as readily as he works in nature. mark the ease of god's working--he does but open his hand. . notice in the next place the _variety_ of the divine operations in nature. when the lord is at work with frost as his tool he creates snow, a wonderful production, every crystal being a marvel of art; but then he is not content with snow--from the same water he makes another form of beauty which we call hoarfrost, and yet a third lustrous sparkling substance, namely glittering ice; and all these by the one agency of cold. what a marvellous variety the educated eye can detect in the several forms of frozen water! the same god who solidified the flood with cold soon melts it with warmth; but even in thaw there is no monotony of manner: at one time the joyous streams rush with such impetuosity from their imprisonment that rivers are swollen and floods cover the plain; at another time by slow degrees, in scanty driblets, the drops regain their freedom. the same variety is seen in every department of nature. so in providence the lord has a thousand forms of frosty trials with which to try his people, and he has ten thousand beams of mercy with which to cheer and comfort them. he can afflict you with the snow trial, or with the hoarfrost trial, or with the ice trial, if he will; and anon he can with his word relax the bonds of adversity, and that in countless ways. whereas men are tied to two or three methods in accomplishing their will, god is infinite in understanding and worketh as he wills by ways unguessed of mortal mind. . i shall ask you also to consider the works of god in nature in their _swiftness_. it was thought a wonderful thing in the days of ahasuerus that letters were sent by post upon swift dromedaries. in our country we thought we had arrived at the age of miracles when the axles of our cars glowed with speed, and now that the telegraph is at work we stretch out our hands into infinity; but what is our rapidity compared with that of god's operations? well does the text say, "he sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly." forth went the word, "open the treasures of snow," and the flakes descended in innumerable multitudes; and then it was said, "let them be closed," and not another snow-feather was seen. then spake the master, "let the south wind blow and the snow be melted": lo, it disappeared at the voice of his word. believer, you cannot tell how soon god may come to your help. "he rode upon a cherub and did fly," says david; "yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind." he will come from above to rescue his beloved. he will rend the heavens and come down; with such speed will he descend, that he will not stay to draw the curtains of heaven, but he will rend them in his haste, and make the mountains to flow down at his feet, that he may deliver those who cry unto him in the hour of trouble. that mighty god who can melt the ice so speedily can take to himself the same eagle wings, and haste to your deliverance. arise, o god! and let thy children be helped, and that right early. . one other thought: consider the _goodness_ of god in all the operations of nature and providence. think of that goodness negatively. "who can stand before his cold?" you cannot help thinking of the poor in a hard winter--only a hard heart can forget them when you see the snow lying deep. but suppose that snow continued to fall! what is there to hinder it? the same god who sends us snow for one day could do the like for fifty days if he pleased. why not? and when the frost pinches us so severely, why should it not be continued month after month? we can only thank the goodness which does not send "his cold" to such an extent that our spirits expire. travellers toward the north pole tremble as they think of this question, "who can stand before his cold?" for cold has a degree of omnipotence in it when god is pleased to let it loose. let us thank god for the restraining mercy by which he holds the cold in check. not only negatively, but positively there is mercy in the snow. is not that a suggestive metaphor? "he giveth snow _like wool_." the snow is said to warm the earth; it protects those little plants which have just begun to peep above the ground, and might otherwise be frost-bitten; as with a garment of down the snow protects them from the extreme severity of cold. hence watts sings, in his version of the hundred and forty-seventh psalm-- "his flakes of snow like wool he sends, and thus the springing corn defends." it was an idea of the ancients that snow warmed the heart of the soil, and gave it fertility, and therefore they praised god for it. certainly there is much mercy in the frost, for pestilence might run a far longer race if it were not that the frost cries to it, "hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther." noxious insects would multiply until they devoured the precious fruits of the earth, if sharp nights did not destroy millions of them, so that these pests are swept off the earth. though man may think himself a loser by the cold, he is a great ultimate gainer by the decree of providence which ordains winter. the quaint saying of one of the old writers that "snow is wool, and frost is fire, and ice is bread, and rain is drink," is true, though it sounds like a paradox. there is no doubt that frost in breaking up the soil promotes fruitfulness, and so the ice becomes bread. thus those agencies, which for the moment deprive our workers of their means of sustenance, are the means by which god supplies every living thing. mark, then, god's goodness as clearly in the snow and frost as in the thaw which clears the winter's work away. christian, remember the goodness of god in the frost of adversity. rest assured that when god is pleased to send out the biting winds of affliction he is in them, and he is always love, as much love in sorrow as when he breathes upon you the soft south wind of joy. see the lovingkindness of god in every work of his hand! praise him--he maketh summer and winter--let your song go round the year! praise him--he giveth day and sendeth night--thank him at all hours! cast not away your confidence, it hath great recompense of reward. as david wove the snow, and rain, and stormy wind into a song, even so combine your trials, your tribulations, your difficulties and adversities into a sweet psalm of praise and say perpetually-- "let us, with a gladsome mind, praise the lord, for he is kind." thus much upon the operations of nature. it is a very tempting theme, but other fields invite me. ii. i would address you very earnestly and solemnly upon those operations of grace, of which frost and thaw are the outward symbols. there is a period with god's own people when he comes to deal with them by _the frost of the law_. the law is to the soul as the cutting north wind. faith can see love in it, but the carnal eye of sense cannot. it is a cold, terrible, comfortless blast. to be exposed to the full force of the law of god would be to be frost-bitten with everlasting destruction; and even to feel it for a season would congeal the marrow of one's bones, and make one's whole being stiff with affright. "who can stand before his cold?" when the law comes forth thundering from its treasuries, who can stand before it? the effect of law-work upon the soul is to bind up the rivers of human delight. no man can rejoice when the terrors of conscience are upon him. when the law of god is sweeping through the soul, music and dancing lose their joy, the bowl forgets its power to cheer, and the enchantments of earth are broken. the rivers of pleasure freeze to icy despondency. the buds of hope are suddenly nipped, and the soul finds no comfort. it was satisfied once to grow rich, but rust and canker are now upon all gold and silver. every promising hope is frost-bitten, and the spirit is winter-bound in despair. this cold makes the sinner feel how ragged his garments are. he could strut about, when it was summer weather, and think his rags right royal robes, but now the cold frost finds out every rent in his garment, and in the hands of the terrible law he shivers like the leaves upon the aspen. the north wind of judgment searches the man through and through. he did not know what was in him, but now he sees his inward parts to be filled with corruption and rottenness. these are some of the terrors of the wintry breath of the law. this frost of law and terrors only tends to harden. nothing splits the rock or makes the cliff tumble like frost when succeeded by thaw, but frost alone makes the earth like a mass of iron, breaking the ploughshare which would seek to pierce it. a sinner under the influence of the law of god, apart from the gospel, is hardened by despair, and cries, "there is no hope, and therefore after my lusts will i go. whereas there is no heaven for me after this life, i will make a heaven out of this earth; and since hell awaits me, i will at least enjoy such sweets as sin may afford me here." this is not the fault of the law; the blame lies with the corrupt heart which is hardened by it; yet, nevertheless, such is its effect. when the lord has wrought by the frost of the law, he sends _the thaw of the gospel_. when the south wind blows from the land of promise, bringing precious remembrances of god's fatherly pity and tender lovingkindness, then straightway the heart begins to soften and a sense of blood-bought pardon speedily dissolves it. the eyes fill with tears, the heart melts in tenderness, rivers of pleasure flow freely, and buds of hope open in the cheerful air. a heavenly spring whispers to the flowers that were sleeping in the cold earth; they hear its voice, and lift up their heads, for "the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." god sendeth his word, saying, "thy warfare is accomplished, and thy sin is pardoned;" and when that blessedly cheering word comes with power to the soul, and the sweet breath of the holy spirit acts like the warm south wind upon the heart, then the waters flow, and the mind is filled with holy joy, and light, and liberty. "the legal wintry state is gone, the frosts are fled, the spring comes on, the sacred turtle-dove we hear proclaim the new, the joyful year." having shown you that there is a parallel between frost and thaw in nature and law and gospel in grace, i would utter the same thoughts concerning grace which i gave you concerning nature. . we began with the directness of god's works in nature. now, beloved friends, remark the _directness of god's works in grace_. when the heart is truly affected by the law of god, when sin is made to appear exceeding sinful, when carnal hopes are frozen to death by the law, when the soul is made to feel its barrenness and utter death and ruin--this is the finger of god. do not speak of the minister. it was well that he preached earnestly: god has used him as an instrument, but god worketh all. when the thaw of grace comes, i pray you discern the distinct hand of god in every beam of comfort which gladdens the troubled conscience, for it is the lord alone who bindeth up the broken in heart and healeth all their wounds. we are far too apt to stop in instrumentalities. folly makes men look to sacraments for heart-breaking or heart-healing, but sacraments all say, "it is not in us." some of you look to the preaching of the word, and look no higher; but all true preachers will tell you, "it is not in us." eloquence and earnestness at their highest pitch can neither break nor heal a heart. this is god's work. ay, and not god's secondary work in the sense in which the philosopher admits that god is in the laws of nature, but god's personal and immediate work. he putteth forth his own hand when the conscience is humbled, and it is by his own right hand that the conscience is eased and cleansed. i desire that this thought may abide upon your minds, for you will not praise god else, nor will you be sound in doctrine. all departures from sound doctrine on the point of conversion arise from forgetfulness that it is a divine work from first to last; that the faintest desire after christ is as much the work of god as the gift of his dear son; and that our whole spiritual history through, from the alpha to the omega, the holy spirit works in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure. as you have evidently seen the finger of god in casting forth his ice and in sending thaw, so i pray you recognize the handiwork of god in giving you a sense of sin, and in bringing you to the saviour's feet. join together in heartily praising the wonder-working god, who doeth all things according to the counsel of his will. "our seeking thy face was all of thy grace, thy mercy demands, and shall have all the praise: no sinner can be beforehand with thee, thy grace is preventing, almighty and free." . the second thought upon nature was _the ease with which the lord worked_. there was no effort or disturbance. transfer that to the work of grace. how easy it is for god to send law-work into the soul! you stubborn sinner, _you_ cannot touch him, and even providence has failed to awaken him. he is dead--altogether dead in trespasses and sins. but if the glorious lord will graciously send forth the wind of his spirit, that will melt him. the swearing reprobate, whose mouth is blackened with profanity, if the lord doth but look upon him and make bare his arm of irresistible grace, shall yet praise god, and bless his name, and live to his honor. do not limit the holy one of israel. persecuting saul became loving paul, and why should not that person be saved of whose case you almost despair? your husband may have many points which make his case difficult, but no case is desperate with god. your son may have offended both against heaven and against you, but god can save the most hardened. the sharpest frost of obstinate sin must yield to the thaw of grace. even huge icebergs of crime must melt in the gulf-stream of infinite love. poor sinner, i cannot leave this point without a word to you. perhaps the master has sent the frost to you, and you think it will never end. let me encourage you to hope, and yet more, to pray for gracious visitations. miss steele's verses will just suit your mournful yet hopeful state. "stern winter throws his icy chains, encircling nature round: how bleak, how comfortless the plains, late with gay verdure crown'd! the sun withdraws his vital beams, and light and warmth depart: and, drooping lifeless, nature seems an emblem of my heart-- my heart, where mental winter reigns in night's dark mantle clad, confined in cold, inactive chains; how desolate and sad! return, o blissful sun, and bring thy soul-reviving ray; this mental winter shall be spring, this darkness cheerful day." it is easy for god to deliver you. he says, "i have blotted out like a thick cloud thy transgressions." i stood the other evening looking up at a black cloud which was covering all the heavens, and i thought it would surely rain; i entered the house, and when i came out again the sky was all blue--the wind had driven the cloud away. so may it be with your soul. it is an easy thing for the lord to put away sin from repenting sinners. all obstacles which hindered our pardon were removed by jesus when he died upon the tree, and if you believe in him you will find that he has cast your sins into the depths of the sea. if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. . the next thought concerning the lord's work in nature was the _variety_ of it. frost produces a sort of trinity in unity--snow, hoarfrost, ice; and when the thaw comes its ways are many. so it is with god in the heart. conviction comes not alike to all. some convictions fall as the snow from heaven: you never hear the flakes descend, they alight so gently one upon the other. there are soft-coming convictions; they are felt, but we can scarcely tell when we began to feel them. a true work of repentance may be of the gentlest kind. on the other hand, the lord casteth forth his ice like morsels, the hailstones rattle against the window, and you think they will surely force their way into the room, and so to many persons convictions come beating down till they remind you of hailstones. there is variety. it is as true a frost which produces the noiseless snow as that which brings forth the terrible hail. why should you want hailstones of terror? be thankful that god has visited you, but do not dictate to him the way of his working. with regard to the gospel thaw. if you may but be pardoned by jesus, do not stipulate as to the manner of his grace. thaw is universal and gradual, but its commencement is not always discernible. the chains of winter are unloosed by degrees: the surface ice and snow melt, and by and by the warmth permeates the entire mass till every rock of ice gives way. but while thaw is universal and visible in its effects you cannot see the mighty power which is doing all this. even so you must not expect to discern the spirit of god. you will find him gradually operating upon the entire man, enlightening the understanding, freeing the will, delivering the heart from fear, inspiring hope, waking up the whole spirit, gradually and universally working upon the mind and producing the manifest effects of comfort, and hope, and peace; but you can no more see the spirit of god than you can see the south wind. the effect of his power is to be felt, and when you feel it, do not marvel if it be somewhat different from what others have experienced. after all, there is a singular likeness in snow and hoarfrost and ice, and so there is a remarkable sameness in the experience of all god's children; but still there is a great variety in the inward operations of divine grace. . we must next notice the _rapidity_ of god's works, "his word runneth very swiftly." it did not take many days to get rid of the last snow. a contractor would take many a day to cart it away, but god sendeth forth his word, and the snow and ice disappear at once. so is it with the soul: the lord often works rapidly when he cheers the heart. you may have been a long time under the operation of his frosty law, but there is no reason why you should be another hour under it. if the spirit enables you to trust in the finished work of christ, you may go out of this house rejoicing that every sin is forgiven. poor soul, do not think that the way from the horrible pit is to climb, step by step, to the top. oh no; jesus can set your feet upon a rock ere the clock shall have gone round the dial. he can in an instant bring you from death to life, from condemnation to justification. "to-day shall thou be with me in paradise," was spoken to a dying thief, black and defiled with sin. only believe in the atoning sacrifice of jesus christ, and thou shalt be saved. . our last thought upon the operation of god was _his goodness_ in it all. what a blessing that god did not send us more law-work than he did! "who can stand before his cold?" oh! beloved, when god has taken away from man natural comfort, and made him feel divine wrath in his soul, it is an awful thing. speak of a haunted man; no man need be haunted with a worse ghost than the remembrance of his old sins. the childish tale of the sailor with the old man of the mountain on his back, who pressed him more and more heavily, is more than realized in the history of the troubled conscience. if one sin do but leap on a man's back, it will sink the sinner through every standing-place that he can possibly mount upon; he will go down, down, under its weight, till he sinks to the lowest depths of hell. there is no place where sin can be borne till you get upon the rock of ages, and even there the joy is not that _you_ bear it, but that jesus has borne it all for you. the spirit would utterly fail before the law, if it had full sway. thank god, "he stayeth his rough wind in the day of his east wind." at the same time, how thankful we may be, that we ever felt the law-frost in our soul. the folly of self-righteousness is killed by the winter of conviction. we should have been a thousand times more proud, and foolish, and worldly, than we are, if it had not been for the sharp frost with which the lord nipped the growths of the flesh. but how shall we thank him sufficiently for the thaw of his lovingkindness? how great the change which his mercy made in us as soon as its beams had reached our soul! hardness vanished, cold departed, warmth and love abounded, and the life-floods leaped in their channels. the lord visited us, and we rose from our grave of despair, even as the seeds arise from the earth. as the bulb of the crocus holds up its golden cup to be filled with sunshine, so did our new-born faith open itself to the glory of the lord. as the primrose peeps up from the sod to gaze upon the sun, so did our hope look forth for the promise, and delight itself in the lord. thank god that spring-tide has with many of us matured into summer, and winter has gone never to return. we praise the lord for this every day of our lives, and we will praise him when time shall be no more in that sunny land-- "where everlasting spring abides, and never withering flowers. a thread-like stream alone divides that heavenly land from ours." believe in the lord, ye who shiver in the frost of the law, and the thaw of love shall soon bring you warm days of joy and peace. so be it. amen. the corn of wheat dying to bring forth fruit. "and jesus answered them, saying, the hour is come, that the son of man should be glorified. verily, verily, i say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. he that loveth his life shall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."--john : - . certain greeks desired to see jesus. these were gentiles and it was remarkable that they should, just at this time, have sought an interview with our lord. i suppose that the words "we would see jesus" did not merely mean that they would like to look at him, for that they could have done in the public streets; but they would "see" him as we speak of seeing a person with whom we wish to hold a conversation. they desired to be introduced to him, and to have a few words of instruction from him. these greeks were the advanced guard of that great multitude that no man can number, of all nations, and people, and tongues, who are yet to come to christ. the saviour would naturally feel a measure of joy at the sight of them, but he did not say much about it, for his mind was absorbed just then with thoughts of his great sacrifice and its results; yet he took so much notice of the coming of these gentiles to him that it gave a color to the words which are here recorded by his servant john. i notice that the saviour here _displays his broad humanity_, and announces himself as the "son of man." he had done so before, but here with new intent. he says, "the hour is come, that the son of man should be glorified." not as "the son of david" does he here speak of himself, but as "the son of man." no longer does he make prominent the jewish side of his mission, though as a preacher he was not sent to save the lost sheep of the house of israel; but as the dying saviour he speaks of himself as one of the race, not the son of abraham, or of david, but "the son of man": as much brother to the gentile as to the jew. let us never forget the broad humanity of the lord jesus. in him all kindreds of the earth are joined in one, for he is not ashamed to bear the nature of our universal manhood; black and white, prince and pauper, sage and savage, all see in his veins the one blood by which all men are constituted one family. as the son of man jesus is near akin to every man that lives. now, too, that the greeks were come, our lord _speaks somewhat of his glory_ as approaching. "the hour is come," saith he, "that the son of man should be glorified." he does not say "that the son of man should be crucified," though that was true, and the crucifixion must come before the glorification; but the sight of those first-fruits from among the gentiles makes him dwell upon his glory. though he remembers his death, he speaks rather of the glory which would grow out of his great sacrifice. remember, brethren, that christ is glorified in the souls that he saves. as a physician wins honor by those he heals, so the physician of souls gets glory out of those who come to him. when these devout greeks came, saying, "sirs, we would see jesus," though a mere desire to see him is only as the green blade, yet he rejoiced in it as the pledge of the harvest, and he saw in it the dawn of the glory of his cross. i think, too, that the coming of these greeks somewhat _led the saviour to use the metaphor of the buried corn_. we are informed that wheat was largely mixed up with grecian mysteries, but that is of small importance. it is more to the point that our saviour was then undergoing the process which would burst the jewish husk in which, if i may use such terms, his human life had been enveloped. i mean this: aforetime our lord said that he was not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of israel, and when the syrophenician woman pleaded for her daughter he reminded her of the restricted character of his commission as a prophet among men. when he sent out the seventy, he bade them not to go into the cities of the samaritans, but to seek after the house of israel only. now, however, that blessed corn of wheat is breaking through its outer integument. even before it is put into the ground to die the divine corn of wheat begins to show its living power, and the true christ is being manifested. the christ of god, though assuredly the son of david, was, on the father's side, neither jew nor gentile, but simply man; and the great sympathies of his heart were with all mankind. he regarded all whom he had chosen as his own brethren without distinction of sex, or nation, or the period of the world's history in which they should live; and, at the sight of these greeks, the true christ came forth and manifested himself to the world as he had not done before. hence, perhaps, the peculiar metaphor which we have now to explain. in our text, dear friends, we have two things upon which i will speak briefly, as i am helped of the spirit. first, we have _profound doctrinal teaching_, and, secondly, we have _practical moral principle_. first, we have profound doctrinal teaching. our saviour suggested to his thoughtful disciples a number of what might be called doctrinal paradoxes. first, that, _glorious as he was, he was yet to be glorified_. "the hour is come, that the son of man should be glorified." jesus was always glorious. it was a glorious thing for the human person of the son of man to be personally one with the godhead. our lord jesus had also great glory all the while he was on earth, in the perfection of his moral character. the gracious end for which he came here was real glory to him: his condescending to be the saviour of men was a great glorification of his loving character. his way of going about his work--the way in which he consecrated himself to his father and was always about his father's business, the way in which he put aside satan with his blandishments, and would not be bribed by all the kingdoms of the world--all this was his glory. i should not speak incorrectly if i were to say that christ was really as to his moral nature never more glorious than when throughout his life on earth he was obscure, despised, rejected, and yet the faithful servant of god, and the ardent lover of the sons of men. the apostle says, "the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth," in which he refers not only to the transfiguration, in which there were special glimpses of the divine glory, but to our lord's tabernacling among men in the common walks of life. saintly, spiritual minds beheld the glory of his life, the glory of grace and truth such as never before had been seen in any of the sons of men. but though he was thus, to all intents and purposes, already glorious, jesus had yet to be glorified. something more was to be added to his personal honor. remember, then, that when you have the clearest conceptions of your lord, there is still a glory to be added to all that you can see even with the word of god in your hands. glorious as the living son of man had been, there was a further glory to come upon him through his death, his resurrection, and his entrance within the veil. he was a glorious christ, and yet he had to be glorified. a second paradox is this--that _his glory was to come to him through shame_. he says, "the hour is come, that the son of man should be glorified," and then he speaks of his death. the greatest fulness of our lord's glory arises out of his emptying himself, and becoming obedient to death, even the death of the cross. it is his highest reputation that he made himself of no reputation. his crown derives new lustre from his cross; his ever living is rendered more honorable by the fact of his dying unto sin once. those blessed cheeks would never have been so fair as they are in the eyes of his chosen if they had not once been spat upon. those dear eyes had never had so overpowering a glance if they had not once been dimmed in the agonies of death for sinners. his hands are as gold rings set with the beryl, but their brightest adornments are the prints of the cruel nails. as the son of god his glory was all his own by nature, but as son of man his present splendor is due to the cross, and to the ignominy which surrounded it when he bore our sins in his own body. we must never forget this, and if ever we are tempted to merge the crucified saviour in the coming king we should feel rebuked by the fact that thus we should rob our lord of his highest honor. whenever you hear men speak lightly of the atonement stand up for it at once, for out of this comes the main glory of your lord and master. they say, "let him come down from the cross, and we will believe on him." if he did so what would remain to be believed? it is on the cross, it is from the cross, it is through the cross that jesus mounts to his throne, and the son of man has a special honor in heaven to-day because he was slain and has redeemed us to god by his blood. the next paradox is this--_jesus must be alone or abide alone_. notice the text as i read it: "except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die," and so gets alone, "it abideth alone." the son of man must be alone in the grave, or he will be alone in heaven. he must fall into the ground like the corn of wheat, and be there in the loneliness of death, or else he will abide alone. this is a paradox readily enough explained; our lord jesus christ as the son of man, unless he had trodden the winepress alone, unless beneath the olives of gethsemane he had wrestled on the ground, and as it were sunk into the ground until he died, if he had not been there alone, and if on the cross he had not cried, "my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me?" so that he felt quite deserted and alone, like the buried corn of wheat--could not have saved us. if he had not actually died he would as man have been alone forever: not without the eternal father and the divine spirit, not without the company of angels; but there had not been another man to keep him company. our lord jesus cannot bear to be alone. a head without its members is a ghastly sight, crown it as you may. know ye not that the church is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all? without his people jesus would have been a shepherd without sheep; surely it is not a very honorable office to be a shepherd without a flock. he would have been a husband without his spouse; but he loves his bride so well that for this purpose did he leave his father and become one flesh with her whom he had chosen. he clave to her, and died for her; and had he not done so he would have been a bridegroom without a bride. this could never be. his heart is not of the kind that can enjoy a selfish happiness which is shared by none. if you have read solomon's song, where the heart of the bridegroom is revealed, you will have seen that he desires the company of his love, his dove, his undefiled. his delights were with the sons of men. simon stylites on the top of a pillar is not jesus christ; the hermit in his cave may mean well, but he finds no warrant for his solitude in him whose cross he professes to venerate. jesus was the friend of men, not avoiding them, but seeking the lost. it was truly said of him, "this man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." he draws all men unto him, and for this cause he was lifted up from the earth. yet must this great attractive man have been alone in heaven if he had not been alone in gethsemane, alone before pilate, alone when mocked by soldiers, and alone upon the cross. if this precious grain of wheat had not descended into the dread loneliness of death it had remained alone, but since he died he "bringeth forth much fruit." this brings us to the fourth paradox--_christ must die to give life_. "except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit": jesus must die to give life to others. persons who do not think confound dying with non-existence, and living with existence--very, very different things. "the soul that sinneth it shall die:" it shall never go out of existence, but it shall die by being severed from god who is its life. there are many men who exist, and yet have not true life, and shall not see life, but "the wrath of god abideth on them." the grain of wheat when it is put into the ground dies; do we mean that it ceases to be? not at all. what is death? it is the resolution of anything possessing life into its primary elements. with us it is the body parting from the soul; with a grain of wheat it is the dissolving of the elements which made up the corn. our divine lord when put into the earth did not see corruption, but his soul was parted from his body for a while, and thus he died; and unless he had literally and actually died he could not have given life to any of us. beloved friends, this teaches us where the vital point of christianity lies, _christ's death is the life of his teaching_. see here: if christ's preaching had been the essential point, or if his example had been the vital point, he could have brought forth fruit and multiplied christians by his preaching, and by his example. but he declares that, except he shall die, he shall not bring forth fruit. am i told that this was because his death would be the completion of his example, and the seal of his preaching? i admit that it was so, but i can conceive that if our lord had rather continued to live on--if he had been here constantly going up and down the world preaching and living as he did, and if he had wrought miracles as he did, and put forth that mysterious, attracting power, which was always with him, he might have produced a marvellous number of disciples. if his teaching and living had been the way in which spiritual life could have been bestowed, without an atonement, why did not the saviour prolong his life on earth? but the fact is that no man among us can know anything about spiritual life except through the atonement. there is no way by which we can come to a knowledge of god except through the precious blood of jesus christ, by which we have access to the father. if, as some tell us, the ethical part of christianity is much more to be thought of than its peculiar doctrines, then, why did jesus die at all? the ethical might have been brought out better by a long life of holiness. he might have lived on till now if he had chosen, and still have preached, and still have set an example among the sons of men; but he assures us that only by death could he have brought forth fruit. what, not with all that holy living? no. what, not by that matchless teaching? no. not one among us could have been saved from eternal death except an expiation had been wrought by jesus' sacrifice. not one of us could have been quickened into spiritual life except christ himself had died and risen from the dead. brethren, all the spiritual life that there is in the world is the result of christ's death. we live under a dispensation which shadows forth this truth to us. life first came into the world by a creation: that was lost in the garden. since then, the father of our race is noah, and life by noah came to us by a typical death, burial, and resurrection. noah went in unto the ark, and was shut in, and so buried. in that ark noah went among the dead, himself enveloped in the rain and in the ark, and he came out into a new world, rising again, as it were, when the waters were assuaged. that is the way of life to-day. we are dead with christ, we are buried with christ, we are risen with christ; and there is no real spiritual life in this world except that which has come to us by the process of death, burial, and resurrection with christ. do you know anything about this, dear friends?--for if you do not, you know not the life of god. you know the theory, but do you know the experimental power of this within your own spirit? whenever we hear the doctrine of the atonement attacked, let us stand up for it. let us tell the world that while we value the life of christ even more than they do, we know that it is not the example of christ that saves anybody, but his death for our sakes. if the blessed christ had lived here all these nineteen hundred years, without sin, teaching all his marvellous precepts with his own sublime and simple eloquence, yet he had not produced one single atom of spiritual life among all the sons of men. without dying he brings forth no fruit. if you want life, my dear hearer, you will not get it as an unregenerate man by attempting to imitate the example of christ. you may get good of a certain sort that way, but you will never obtain spiritual life and eternal salvation by that method. you must believe on jesus as dying for you. you have to understand that the blood of jesus christ, god's dear son, cleanses us from all sin. when you have learned that truth, you shall study his life with advantage; but unless you recognize that the grain of wheat is cast into the ground, and made to die, you will never realize any fruit from it in your own soul, or see fruit in the souls of others. one other blessed lesson of deep divinity is to be learnt from our text: it is this--_since jesus christ did really fall into the ground and die, we may expect much as the result of it_. "if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." some have a little christ, and they expect to see little things come of him. i have met with good people who appear to think that jesus christ died for the sound people who worship at zoar chapel, and, perhaps, for a few more who go to ebenezer in a neighboring town, and they hope that one day a chosen few--a scanty company indeed they are, and they do their best by mutual quarrelling to make them fewer--will glorify god for the salvation of a very small remnant. i will not blame these dear brethren, but i do wish that their hearts were enlarged. we do not yet know all the fruit that is to come out of our lord jesus. may there not come a day when the millions of london shall worship god with one consent? i look for a day when the knowledge of the glory of god shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, when kings shall fall down before the son of god, and all nations shall call him blessed. "it is too much to expect," says one; "missions make very slow progress." i know all that, but missions are not the seed: all that we look for is to come out of that corn of wheat which fell into the ground and died: this is to bring forth much fruit. when i think of my master's blessed person as perfect son of god and son of man; when i think of the infinite glory which he laid aside, and of the unutterable pangs he bore, i ask whether angels can compute the value of the sacrifice he offered. god only knows the love of god that was manifested in the death of his son, and do you think that there will be all this planning and working and sacrifice of infinite love, and then an insignificant result? it is not like god that it should be so. the travail of the son of god shall not bring forth a scanty good. the result shall be commensurate with the means, and the effect shall be parallel with the cause. the lord shall reign for ever and ever. hallelujah! ay, as the groanings of the cross must have astounded angels, so shall the results of the cross amaze the seraphim, and make them admire the excess of glory which has arisen from the shameful death of their lord. o beloved, great things are to come out of our jesus yet. courage, you that are dispirited. be brave, you soldiers of the cross. victory awaits your banner. wait patiently, work hopefully, suffer joyfully, for the kingdom is the lord's, and he is the governor among the nations. thus have i spoken upon profound divinity. i close with a few words upon practical instruction. learn now that what is true of christ is in measure true of every child of god: "except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." this is so far applicable to us, as the next verse indicates--"he that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." first, _we must die if we are to live_. there is no spiritual life for you, for me, for any man, except by dying into it. have you a fine-spun righteousness of your own? it must die. have you any faith in yourself? it must die. the sentence of death must be in yourself, and then you shall enter into life. the withering power of the spirit of god must be experienced before his quickening influence can be known: "the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the lord bloweth upon it." you must be slain by the sword of the spirit before you can be made alive by the breath of the spirit. next, _we must surrender everything to keep it_. "he that loveth his life shall lose it." brother, you can never have spiritual life, hope, joy, peace, heaven, except by giving everything up into god's hands. you shall have everything in christ when you are willing to have nothing of your own. you must ground your weapons of rebellion, you must drop the plumes of your pride, you must give up into god's hand all that you are and all that you have; and if you do not thus lose everything in will, you shall lose everything in fact; indeed, you have lost it already. a full surrender of everything to god is the only way to keep it. some of god's people find this literally true. i have known a mother keep back her child from god, and the child has died. wealthy people have worshipped their wealth, and as they were god's people, he has broken their idols into shivers. you must lose your all if you would keep it, and renounce your most precious thing if you would have it preserved to you. next, _we must lose self in order to find self_. "he that hateth his life shall keep it unto life eternal." you must entirely give up living for yourself, and then you yourself shall live. the man who lives for himself does not live; he loses the essence, the pleasure, the crown of existence; but if you live for others and for god you will find the life of life. "seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." there is no way of finding yourself in personal joy like losing yourself in the joy of others. once more: if you _wish to be the means of life to others, you must in your measure die yourself_. "oh," say you, "will it actually come to death?" well, it may not, but you should be prepared for it if it should. who have most largely blessed the present age? i will tell you. i believe we owe our gospel liberties mainly to the poor men and women who died at the stake for the faith. call them lollards, anabaptists, or what you will, the men who died for it gave life to the holy cause. some of all ranks did this, from bishops downward to poor boys. many of them could not preach from the pulpit, but they preached grander sermons from the fagots than all the reformers could thunder from their rostrums. they fell into the ground and died, and the "much fruit" abides to this day. the self-sacrificing death of her saints was the life and increase of the church. if we wish to achieve a great purpose, establish a great truth, and raise up a great agency for good, it must be by the surrender of ourselves, yea, of our very lives to the one all-absorbing purpose. not else can we succeed. there is no giving out to others, without taking so much out of yourself. he who serves god and finds that it is easy work will find it hard work to give in his account at the last. a sermon that costs nothing is worth nothing; if it did not come from the heart it will not go to the heart. take it as a rule that wear and tear must go on, even to exhaustion, if we are to be largely useful. death precedes growth. the saviour of others cannot save himself. we must not, therefore, grudge the lives of those who die under the evil climate of africa, if they die for christ; nor must we murmur if here and there god's best servants are cut down by brain exhaustion: it is the law of divine husbandry that by death cometh increase. and you, dear friend, must not say, "oh, i cannot longer teach in the sunday-school: i work so hard all the week that i--i--i"--shall i finish the sentence for you? you work so hard for yourself all the week that you cannot work for god one day in the week. is that it? "no, not quite so, but i am so fagged." very true, but think of your lord. he knew what weariness was for you, and yet he wearied not in well-doing. you will never come to sweat of blood as he did. come, dear friend, will you be a corn of wheat laid up on the shelf alone? will you be like that wheat in the mummy's hand, unfruitful and forgotten, or would you grow? i hear you say, "sow me somewhere." i will try to do so. let me drop you into the sunday-school field, or into the tract-lending acre, or into the street-preaching parcel of land. "but if i make any great exertion it will half kill me." yes; and if it shall quite kill, you will then prove the text, "if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." those who have killed themselves of late in our lord's service are not so numerous that we need be distressed by the fear that an enormous sacrifice of life is likely to occur. little cause is there just now to repress fanaticism, but far more reason to denounce self-seeking. o, my brethren, let us rise to a condition of consecration more worthy of our lord and of his glorious cause, and henceforth may we be eager to be as the buried, hidden, dying, yet fruit-bearing wheat for the glory of our lord. thus have i merely glanced at the text; another day may it be our privilege to dive into its depths. the ploughman. "doth the ploughman plough all day to sow?"--isaiah : . unless they are cultivated, fields yield us nothing but briers and thistles. in this we may see ourselves. unless the great husbandman shall till us by his grace, we shall produce nothing that is good, but everything that is evil. if one of these days i shall hear that a country has been discovered where wheat grows without the work of the farmer, i may then, perhaps, hope to find one of our race who will bring forth holiness without the grace of god. hitherto all land on which the foot of man has trodden has needed labor and care; and even so among men the need of gracious tillage is universal. jesus says to all of us, "ye must be born again." unless god the holy spirit breaks up the heart with the plough of the law, and sows it with the seed of the gospel, not a single ear of holiness will any of us produce, even though we may be children of godly parents, and may be regarded as excellent moral people by those with whom we live. yes, and the plough is needed not only to produce that which is good, but to destroy that which is evil. there are diseases which, in the course of ages, wear themselves out, and do not appear again among men; and there may be forms of vice, which under changed circumstances, do not so much abound as they used to do; but human nature will always remain the same, and therefore there will always be plentiful crops of the weeds of sin in man's fields, and nothing can keep these under but spiritual husbandry, carried on by the spirit of god. you cannot destroy weeds by exhortations, nor can you tear out the roots of sin from the soul by moral suasion; something sharper and more effectual must be brought to bear upon them. god must put his own right hand to the plough, or the hemlock of sin will never give place to the corn of holiness. good is never spontaneous in unrenewed humanity, and evil is never cut up till the ploughshare of almighty grace is driven through it. the text leads our thoughts in this direction, and gives us practical guidance through asking the simple question, "doth the ploughman plough all day to sow?" _this question may be answered in the affirmative_, "yes, in the proper season he does plough all day to sow;" and, secondly, _this text may more properly be answered in the negative_, "no, the ploughman does not plough every day to sow; he has other work to do according to the season." i. first, our text may be answered in the affirmative--"yes, the ploughman does plough all day to sow." when it is ploughing time he keeps on at it till his work is done; if it requires one day, or two days, or twenty days to finish his fields, he continues at his task while the weather permits. the perseverance of the ploughman is instructive, and it teaches us a double lesson. when the lord comes to plough the heart of man he ploughs all day, and herein is his patience; and, secondly, so ought the lord's servants to labor all day with men's hearts, and herein is our perseverance. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" _so doth god plough the heart of man, and herein is his patience._ the team was in the field in the case of some of us very early in the morning, for our first recollections have to do with conscience and the furrows of pain which it made in our youthful mind. when we were little children we woke in the night under a sense of sin; our father's teaching and our mother's prayers made deep and painful impressions upon us, and though we did not then yield our hearts to god, we were greatly stirred, and all indifference to religion was made impossible. when we were boys at school the reading of a chapter in the word of god, or the death of a playmate, or an address at a bible-class, or a solemn sermon, so affected us that we were uneasy for weeks. the strivings of the spirit of god within urged us to think of higher and better things. though we quenched the spirit, though we stifled conviction, yet we bore the marks of the ploughshare; furrows were made in the soul, and certain foul weeds of evil were cut up by the roots although no seed of grace was as yet sown in our hearts. some have continued in this state for many years, ploughed but not sown; but, blessed be god, it was not so with others of us; for we had not left boyhood before the good seed of the gospel fell upon our heart. alas! there are many who do not thus yield to grace, and with them the ploughman ploughs all day to sow. i have seen the young man coming to london in his youth, yielding to its temptations, drinking in its poisoned sweets, violating his conscience, and yet continuing unhappy in it all, fearful, unrestful, stirred about even as the soil is agitated by the plough. in how many cases has this kind of work gone on for years, and all to no avail. ah! and i have known the man come to middle life, and still he has not received the good seed, neither has the ground of his hard heart been thoroughly broken up. he has gone on in business without god; day after day he has risen and gone to bed again with no more religion than his horses: and yet all this while there have been ringing in his ears warnings of judgment to come, and chidings of conscience, so that he has not been at peace. after a powerful sermon he has not enjoyed his meals, or been able to sleep, for he has asked himself, "what shall i do in the end thereof?" the ploughman has ploughed all day, till the evening shadows have lengthened and the day has faded to a close. what a mercy it is when the furrows are at last made ready and the good seed is cast in, to be received, nurtured, and multiplied a hundred fold. it is mournful to remember that we have seen this ploughing continue till the sun has touched the horizon and the night dews have begun to fall. even then the long-suffering god has followed up his work--ploughing, ploughing, ploughing, ploughing, till darkness ended all. do i address any aged ones whose lease must soon run out? i would affectionately beseech them to consider their position. what! threescore years old and yet unsaved? forty years did god suffer the manners of israel in the wilderness, but he has borne with you for sixty years. seventy years old, and yet unregenerated! ah, my friend, you will have but little time in which to serve your saviour before you go to heaven. but will you go there at all? is it not growing dreadfully likely that you will die in your sins and perish for ever? how happy are those who are brought to christ in early life; but still remember-- "while the lamp holds out to burn, the vilest sinner may return." it is late, it is very late, but is not too late. the ploughman ploughs all day; and the lord waits that he may be gracious unto you. i have seen many aged persons converted, and therefore i would encourage other old folks to believe in jesus. i once read a sermon in which a minister asserted that he had seldom known any converted who were over forty years of age if they had been hearers of the gospel all their lives. there is certainly much need to caution those who are guilty of delay, but there must be no manufacturing of facts. whatever that minister might think, or even observe, my own observation leads me to believe that about as many people are converted to god at one age as at another, taking into consideration the fact that the young are much more numerous than the old. it is a dreadful thing to have remained an unbeliever all these years; but yet the grace of god does not stop short at a certain age; those who enter the vineyard at the eleventh hour shall have their penny, and grace shall be glorified in the old as well as in the young. come along, old friend, jesus christ invites you to come to him even now, though you have stood out so long. you have been a sadly tough piece of ground, and the ploughman has ploughed all day; but if at last the sods are turned, and the heart is lying in ridges, there is hope of you yet. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" i answer--yes, however long the day may be, god in mercy ploughs still, he is long-suffering, and full of tenderness and mercy and grace. do not spurn such patience, but yield to the lord who has acted toward you with so much gentle love. the text, however, not only sets forth patience on god's part, but it teaches _perseverance on our part_. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" yes, he does; then if i am seeking christ, ought i to be discouraged because i do not immediately find him? the promise is, "he that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." there may be reasons why the door is not opened at our first knock. what then? "doth the ploughman plough all day?" then will i knock all day. it may be at the first seeking i may not find; what then? "doth the ploughman plough all day?" then will i seek all day. it may happen that at my first asking i shall not receive; what then? "doth the ploughman plough all day?" then will i ask all day? friends, if you have begun to seek the lord, the short way is, "believe on the lord jesus christ, and thou shalt be saved." do that at once. in the name of god do it at once, and you are saved at once. may the spirit of god bring you to faith in jesus, and you are at once in the kingdom of christ. but if peradventure in seeking the lord, you are ignorant of this, or do not see your way, never give up seeking; get to the foot of the cross, lay hold of it, and cry, "if i perish i will perish here. lord, i come to thee in jesus christ for mercy, and if thou art not pleased to look at me immediately, and forgive my sins, i will cry to thee till thou dost." when god's holy spirit brings a man to downright earnest prayer which will not take a denial, he is not far from peace. careless indifference and shilly-shallying with god hold men in bondage. they find peace when their hearts are roused to strong resolve to seek until they find. i like to see men search the scriptures till they learn the way of salvation, and hear the gospel till their souls live by it. if they are resolved to drive the plough through doubts, and fears, and difficulties, till they come to salvation, they shall soon come to it by the grace of god. the same is true in seeking the salvation of others. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" yes, when it is ploughing-time. then, so will i work on, and on, and on. i will pray and preach, or pray and teach, however long the day may be that god shall appoint me, for-- "'tis all my business here below the precious gospel seed to sow." brother worker, are you getting a little weary? never mind, rouse yourself, and plough on for the love of jesus, and dying men. our day of work has in it only the appointed hours, and while they last let us fulfil our task. ploughing is hard work; but as there will be no harvest without it, let us just put forth all our strength, and never flag till we have performed our lord's will, and by his holy spirit wrought conviction in men's souls. some soils are very stiff, and cling together, and the labor is heart-breaking; others are like the unreclaimed waste, full of roots and tangled bramble; they need a steam plough, and we must pray the lord to make us such, for we cannot leave them untilled, and therefore we must put forth more strength that the labor may be done. i heard some time ago of a minister who called to see a poor man who was dying, but he was not able to gain admittance; he called the next morning, and some idle excuse was made so that he could not see him; he called again the next morning, but he was still refused; he went on till he called twenty times in vain, but on the twenty-first occasion he was permitted to see the sufferer, and by god's grace he saved a soul from death. "why do you tell your child a thing twenty times?" asked some one of a mother. "because," said she, "i find nineteen times is not enough." now, when a soul is to be ploughed, it may so happen that hundreds of furrows will not do it. what then? why, plough all day till the work is done. whether you are ministers, missionaries, teachers, or private soul-winners, never grow weary, for your work is noble, and the reward of it is infinite. the grace of god is seen in our being permitted to engage in such holy service; it is greatly magnified in sustaining us in it, and it will be pre-eminently conspicuous in enabling us to hold out till we can say, "i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." we prize that which costs us labor and service, and we shall set all the higher value upon the saved ones when the lord grants them to our efforts. it is good for us to learn the value of our sheaves by going forth weeping to the sowing. when you think of the ploughman's ploughing all day, be moved to plod on in earnest efforts to win souls. seek-- "with cries, entreaties, tears to save and snatch them from the fiery wave." doth the ploughman plough all day for a little bit of oats or barley, and will not you plough all day for souls that shall live for ever, if saved, to adore the grace of god, or shall live for ever, if unsaved, in outer darkness and woe? oh, by the terrors of the wrath to come and the glory that is to be revealed, gird up your loins, and plough all day. i would beg all the members of our churches to keep their hands on the gospel plough, and their eyes straight before them. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" let christians do the same. start close to the hedge, and go right down to the bottom of the field. plough as close to the ditch as you can, and leave small headlands. what though there are fallen women, thieves, and drunkards in the slums around, do not neglect any of them; for if you leave a stretch of land to the weeds they will soon spread among the wheat. when you have gone right to the end of the field once, what shall you do next? why, just turn round, and make for the place you started from. and when you have thus been up and down, what next? why, up and down again. and what next? why, up and down again. you have visited that district with tracts; do it again, fifty-two times in the year--multiply your furrows. we must learn how to continue in well doing. your eternal destiny is to go on doing good for ever and ever, and it is well to go through a rehearsal here. so just plough on, plough on, and look for results as the reward of continued perseverance. ploughing is not done with a skip and jump; the ploughman ploughs all day. dash and flash are all very fine in some things, but not in ploughing; there the work must be steady, persistent, regular. certain persons soon give it up, it wears out their gloves, blisters their soft hands, tires their bones, and makes them eat their bread rather more in the sweat of their face than they care for. those whom the lord fills with his grace will keep to their ploughing year after year, and verily i say unto you, they shall have their reward. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" then let us do the same, being assured that one day every hill and valley shall be tilled and sown, and every desert and wilderness shall yield a harvest for our lord, and the angel reapers shall descend, and the shouts of the harvest-home shall fill both earth and heaven. ii. but, now, somewhat briefly, the text may be answered in the negative. "doth the ploughman plough all day to sow?" no, he does not always plough. after he has ploughed he breaks the clods, sows, reaps, and threshes. in the chapter before us you will see that other works of husbandry are mentioned. the ploughman has many other things to do beside ploughing. there is an advance in what he does; this teaches us that there is the like on god's part, and should be the like on ours. first, _on god's part, there is an advance in what he does_. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" no, he goes forward to other matters. it may be that in the case of some of you the lord has been using certain painful agencies to plough you. you are feeling the terrors of the law, the bitterness of sin, the holiness of god, the weakness of the flesh, and the shadow of the wrath to come. is this going to last forever? will it continue till the spirit fails and the soul expires? listen: "doth the ploughman plough all day?" no, he is preparing for something else--he ploughs to sow. thus doth the lord deal with you; therefore be of good courage, there is an ending to the wounding and slaying, and better things are in store for you. you are poor and needy, and you seek water, and there is none and your tongue faileth for thirst; but the lord will hear you, and deliver you. he will not contend forever, neither will he be always wroth. he will turn again, and he will have compassion upon us. he will not always make furrows by his chiding, he will come and cast in the precious corn of consolation, and water it with the dews of heaven and smile upon it with the sunlight of his grace; and there shall soon be in you, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear, and in due season you shall joy as with the joy of harvest. o ye who are sore wounded in the place of dragons, i hear you cry, doth god always send terror and conviction of sin? listen to this: "if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land," and what is the call of god to the willing and obedient but this: "believe on the lord jesus christ and thou shalt be saved." thou shalt be saved now, find peace now, if thou wilt have done with thyself and all looking to thine own good works to save thee, and wilt turn to him who paid the ransom for thee upon the tree. the lord is gentle and tender and full of compassion, he will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever. many of your doubts and fears come of unbelief, or of satan, or of the flesh, and are not of god at all. blame him not for what he does not send, and does not wish you to suffer. his mind is for your peace, not for your distress; for thus he speaks: "comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your god. speak ye comfortably to jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned." "i have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for i have redeemed thee." he has smitten, but he will smile; he has wounded, but he will heal; he has slain, but he will make alive; therefore turn unto him at once and receive comfort at his hands. the ploughman does not plough for ever, else would he reap no harvest; and god is not always heart-breaking, he also draws near on heart-healing errands. you see, then, that the great husbandman advances from painful agencies, and i want you to mark that he goes on to _productive work_ in the hearts of his people. he will take away the furrows, you shall not see them, for the corn will cover them with beauty. as she that was in travail remembers no more her sorrow for joy that a man is born into the world, so shall you, who are under the legal rod, remember no more the misery of conviction, for god will sow you with grace, and make your soul, even your poor, barren soul, to bring forth fruit unto his praise and glory. "oh!" says one, "i wish that would come true to me." it will. "doth the ploughman plough all day to sow?" you expect by-and-by to see ploughed fields clothed with springing corn; and you may look to see repentant hearts gladdened with forgiveness. therefore, be of good courage. you shall advance, also, to a _joyful experience_. see that ploughman; he whistles as he ploughs, he does not own much of this world's goods, but yet he is merry. he looks forward to the day when he will be on the top of the big wagon, joining in the shout of the harvest home, and so he ploughs in hope, expecting a crop. and, dear soul, god will yet joy and rejoice over you when you believe in jesus christ, and you, too, shall be brimful of joy. be of good cheer, the better portion is yet to come, press forward to it. gospel sorrowing leads on to gospel hoping, believing, rejoicing, and the rejoicing knows no end. god will not chasten all day, but he will lead you on from strength to strength, from glory unto glory, till you shall be like himself. this, then, is the advance that there is in god's work among men, from painful agencies to productive work and joyful experience. but what if the ploughing should never lead to sowing; what if you should be disturbed in conscience, and should go on to resist it all? then god will make another advance, but it will be to put up the plough, and to command the clouds that they rain no rain upon the land, and then its end is to be burned. oh! man, there is nothing more awful than for your soul to be left to go out of cultivation; god himself giving you up. surely that is hell. he that is unholy will be unholy still. the law of fixity of character will operate eternally, and no hand of the merciful one shall come near to till the soul again. what worse than this can happen? we conclude by saying that _this advance is a lesson to us_; for we, too, are to go forward. "doth the ploughman plough all day?" no, he ploughs to sow, and in due time he sows. some churches seem to think that all they have to do is to plough; at least, all they attempt is a kind of scratching of the soil, and talking of what they are going to do. it is fine talk, certainly; but doth the ploughman plough all day? you may draw up a large programme and promise great things; but pray do not stop there. don't be making furrows all day; do get to your sowing. i fancy that those who promise most perform the least. men who do much in the world have no programme at first, their course works itself out by its own inner force by the grace of god; they do not propose but perform. they do not plough all day to sow, but they are like our lord's servant in the parable of whom he saith, "the sower went forth to sow." let the ministers of christ also follow the rule of advance. _let us go from preaching the law to preaching the gospel._ "doth the ploughman plough all day?" he does plough; he would not sow in hope if he had not first prepared the ground. robbie flockart, who preached for years in the edinboro' streets, says, "it is in vain to sew with the silk thread of the gospel, unless you use the sharp needle of the law." some of my brethren do not care to preach eternal wrath and its terrors. this is a cruel mercy, for they ruin souls by hiding from them their ruin. if they must needs try to sew without a needle, i cannot help it; but i do not mean to be so foolish myself; my needle may be old-fashioned, but it is sharp, and when it carries with it the silken thread of the gospel, i am sure good work is done by it. you cannot get a harvest if you are afraid of disturbing the soil, nor can you save souls if you never warn them of hell fire. we must tell the sinner what god has revealed about sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. still, brethren, we must not plough all day. no, no, the preaching of the law is only preparatory to the preaching of the gospel. the stress of our business lies in proclaiming glad tidings. we are not followers of john the baptist, but of jesus christ; we are not rugged prophets of woe, but joyful heralds of grace. be not satisfied with revival services, and stirring appeals, but preach the doctrines of grace so as to bring out the full compass of covenant truth. ploughing has had its turn, now for planting and watering. reproof may now give place to consolation. we are first to make disciples of men, and then to teach them to observe all things whatsoever jesus has commanded us. we must pass on from the rudiments to the higher truths, from laying foundations to further upbuilding. and now, another lesson to those of you who are as yet hearers and nothing more. i want you to go from ploughing to something better, namely, _from hearing and fearing to believing_. how many years some of you have been hearing the gospel! do you mean to continue in that state for ever? will you never believe in him of whom you hear so much? you have been stirred up a good deal; the other night you went home almost broken-hearted; i should think you are ploughed enough by this time; and yet you have not received the seed of eternal life, for you have not believed in the lord jesus. it is dreadful to be always on the brink of everlasting life, and yet never to be alive. it will be an awful thing to be almost in heaven, and yet forever shut out. it is a wretched thing to rush into a railway station just in time to see the train steaming out; i had much rather be half-an-hour behind time. to lose a train by half-a-second is most annoying. alas, if you go on as you have done for years, you will have your hand on the latch of heaven, and yet be shut out. you will be within a hair's-breadth of glory, and yet be covered with eternal shame. o beware of being so near to the kingdom, and yet lost; almost, but not altogether saved. god grant that you may not be among those who are ploughed, and ploughed, and ploughed, and yet never sown. it will be of no avail at the last to cry, "lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. we had a seat at the chapel, we attended the services on week-nights as well as on sundays, we went to prayer-meetings, we joined a bible-class, we distributed tracts, we subscribed our guinea to the funds, we gave up every open sin, we used a form of prayer, and read a chapter of the bible every day." all these things may be done, and yet there may be no saving faith in the lord jesus. take heed lest your lord should answer, "with all this, your heart never came to me; therefore, depart from me, i never knew you." if jesus once knows a man he always knows him. he can never say to _me_, "i never knew you," for he has known me, as his poor dependant, a beggar for years at his door. some of you have been all that is good except that you never came into contact with christ, never trusted him, never knew him. ah me, how sad your state! will it be always so? lastly, i would say to you who are being ploughed and are agitated about your souls, go at once to the next stage of believing. oh! if people did but know how simple a thing believing is, surely they would believe. alas, they do not know it, and it becomes all the more difficult to them because in itself it is so easy. the difficulty of believing lies in there being no difficulty in it. "if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it?" oh, yes, you would have done it, and you would have thought it easy too; but when he simply says, "wash, and be clean," there is a difficulty with pride and self. if you can truly say that you are willing to abase your pride, and do anything which the lord bids you, then i pray you understand that there is no further preparation required, and believe in jesus at once. may the holy spirit make you sick of self, and ready to accept the gospel. the word is nigh thee, let it be believed; it is in thy mouth, let it be swallowed down; it is in thy heart, let it be trusted. with your heart believe in jesus, and with your mouth make confession of him, and you shall be saved. a main part of faith lies in the giving up of all other confidences. o give up at once every false hope. i tried once to show what faith was by quoting dr. watts's lines: "a guilty, weak, and helpless worm, on thy kind arms i fall. be thou my strength, and righteousness, my jesus and my all." i tried to represent faith as falling into christ's arms, and i thought i made it so plain that the wayfaring man could not err therein. when i had finished preaching, a young man came to me and said, "but, sir, i cannot fall upon christ's arms." i replied at once, "tumble into them anyhow; faint away into christ's arms, or die into christ's arms, so long as you get there." many talk of what they can do and what they cannot do, and i fear they miss the vital point. faith is leaving off can-ing and cannot-ing, and leaving it all to christ, for _he_ can do all things, though you can do nothing. "doth the ploughman plough all day to sow?" no, he makes progress, and goes from ploughing to sowing. go, and do thou likewise; sow unto the spirit the precious seed of faith in christ, and the lord will give thee a joyous harvest. ploughing the rock. "shall horses run upon the rock? will one plough there with oxen?"--amos : . these expressions are proverbs, taken from the familiar sayings of the east country. a proverb is generally a sword with two edges, or, if i may so say, it has many edges, or is all edge, and hence it may be turned this way and that way, and every part of it will have force and point. a proverb has often many bearings, and you cannot always tell what was the precise meaning of him who uttered it. the connection would abundantly tolerate two senses in this place. an ancient commentator asserts that it has seven meanings, and that any one of them would be consistent with the context. i cannot deny the assertion, and if it be correct it is only one among many instances of the manifold wisdom of the word of god. like those curiously carved chinese balls in which there is one ball within another, so in many a holy text there is sense within sense, teaching within teaching, and each one worthy of the spirit of god. the first sense of the text upon which i would say just a word or two is this: the prophet is expostulating with ungodly men upon their _pursuit of happiness where it never can be found_. they were endeavoring to grow rich and great and strong by oppression. the prophet says, "ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock." justice was bought and sold among them, and the book of the law was made the instrument of fraud. "yet," says the prophet, "there is no gain to be gotten in this way--no real profit, no true happiness. as well may horses run upon a rock, and oxen plough the sand; it is labor in vain." if any of you try to content yourselves with this world, any hope to find a heaven in the midst of your business and your family without looking upward for it, you labor in vain. if you hope to find pleasure in sin, and think that it will go well with you if you despise the law of god, you will make a great mistake. you might as well seek for roses in the grottoes of the sea, or look for pearls on the pavements of the city. you will find what your soul requires nowhere but in god. to seek after happiness in evil deeds is to plough a rock of granite. to labor after true prosperity by dishonest means is as useless as to till the sandy shore. "wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not?" young man, you are killing yourself with ambition; you seek your own honor and emolument, and this is a poor, poor object for an immortal soul. and you, too, sir, are wearing out your life with care; your mind and body both fail you in endeavoring to amass riches, as if a man's life consisted in the abundance of the things which he possesses; you are ploughing a rock; your cares will not bring you joy of heart or content of spirit; your toil will end in failure. and you, too, who labor to weave a righteousness by your works apart from christ and fancy that with the diligent use of outward ceremonies you may be able to do the work of the holy spirit upon your own heart, you, too, are ploughing thankless rock. the strength of fallen nature exerted at its utmost can never save a soul. why, then, plough the rock any longer? give over the foolish task. so far, i believe, we have not misread the text, but have mentioned a very probable meaning of the words; still another strikes me, which i think equally suitable, and upon it i shall dwell, by god's help. it is this. _god will not always send his ministers to call men to repentance._ when men's hearts remain obdurate, and they do not and will not repent, then god will not always deal with them in mercy. "my spirit shall not always strive with man." there is a time of ploughing, but when it is evident that the heart is wilfully hardened, then wisdom itself suggests to mercy that she should give over her efforts. "shall horses run upon the rock? will one plough there with oxen?" no, there is a limit to the efforts of kindness, and in fulness of time the labor ceases, and the rock remains unploughed henceforth and for ever. i. taking that sense, we shall speak upon it, and remark, first, that ministers labor to break up men's hearts; the wise preacher tries by the power of the holy ghost to break up the hard clods of the heart, so that it may receive the heavenly seed. many truths are used like sharp ploughshares to break up the heart. men must be made to feel that they have sinned, and they must be led to repent of sin. they must receive christ, not with the head only, but with the heart; for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. there must be emotion; we must cut into the heart with the ploughshare of the law. a farmer who is too tender-hearted to tear and harrow the land will never see a harvest. here is the failing of certain divines, they are afraid of hurting any one's feelings, and so they keep clear of all the truths which are likely to excite fear or grief. they have not a sharp ploughshare on their premises, and are never likely to have a stack in their rickyard. they angle without hooks for fear of hurting the fish, and fire without bullets out of respect to the feelings of the birds. this kind of love is real cruelty to men's souls. it is much the same as if a surgeon should permit a patient to die because he would not pain him with the lancet, or by the necessary removal of a limb. it is a terrible tenderness which leaves men to sink into hell rather than distress their minds. it is pleasant to prophesy smooth things, but woe unto the man who thus degrades himself. is this the spirit of christ? did he conceal the sinner's peril? did he cast doubt upon the unquenchable fire and the undying worm? did he lull souls into slumber by smooth strains of flattery? nay, but with honest love and anxious concern he warned men of the wrath to come, and bade them repent or perish. let the servant of the lord jesus in this thing follow his master, and plough deep with a sharp ploughshare, which will not be balked by the hardest clods. this we must school ourselves to do. if we really love the souls of men, let us prove it by honest speech. the hard heart must be broken, or it will still refuse the saviour who was sent to bind up the broken-hearted. there are some things which men may or may not have, and yet may be saved; but those things which go with the ploughing of the heart are indispensable; there must be a holy fear and a humble trembling before god; there must be an acknowledgment of guilt and a penitent petition for mercy; there must, in a word, be a thorough ploughing of the soul before we can expect the seed to bring forth fruit. ii. but the text indicates to us that at times ministers labor in vain. "shall horses run upon the rock? will one plough there with oxen?" in a short time a ploughman feels whether the plough will go or not, and so does the minister. he may use the very same words in one place which he has used in another, but he feels in the one place great joy and hopefulness in preaching, while with another audience he has heavy work, and little hope. the plough in the last case seems to jump out of the furrow; and a bit of the share is broken off now and then. he says to himself, "i do not know how it is, but i do not get on at this," and he finds that his master has sent him to work upon a particularly heavy soil. all laborers for christ know that this is occasionally the case. you must have found it so in a sunday-school class, or in a cottage meeting, or in any other gathering where you have tried to teach and preach jesus. you have said to yourself every now and then, "now i am ploughing a rock. before, i turned up rich mould which a yoke of oxen might plough with ease, and a horse might even run at the work; but now the horse may tug, and the oxen may wearily toil till they gall their shoulders, but they cannot cut a furrow; the rock is stubborn to the last degree." there are such hearers in all congregations. they are as iron, and yet they are side by side with a fine plot of ground. their sister, their brother, their son, their daughter, all these have readily felt the power of the gospel; but _they_ do not feel it. they hear it respectfully; and they so far allow it free course that they permit it to go in at one ear and out at the other, but they will have nothing more to do with it. they would not like to be sabbath-breakers and stop away from worship; they therefore do the gospel the questionable compliment of coming where it is preached and then refusing to regard it. they are hard, hard, hard bits of rock, the plough does not touch them. many, on the other hand, are equally hard; but it is in another way. the impression made by the word is not deep or permanent. they receive it with joy, but they do not retain it. they listen with attention, but it never comes to practice with them. they hear about repentance, but they never repent. they hear about faith, but they never believe. they are good judges of what the gospel is, and yet they have never accepted it for themselves. they will not eat; but still they insist that good bread shall be put on the table. they are great sticklers for the very things which they personally reject. they are moved to feeling; they shed tears occasionally; but still their hearts are not really broken up by the word. they go their way, and forget what manner of men they are. they are rocky-hearted through and through; all our attempts to plough them are failures. now this is all the worse, because certain of these rocky-hearted people have been ploughed for years, and have become harder instead of softer. once or twice ploughing, and a broken share or two, and a disappointed ploughman or two, we might not mind, if they would yield at last; but these have since their childhood known the gospel and never given way before its power. it is a good while since their childhood now with some of them. their hair is turning gray, and they themselves are getting feeble with years. they have been entreated and persuaded times beyond number, but labor has been lost upon them. in fact, they used to feel the word, in a certain fashion, far more years ago than they do now. the sun, which softens wax, hardens clay, and the same gospel which has brought others to tenderness and repentance has exercised a contrary effect upon them, and made them more careless about divine things than they were in their youth. this is a mournful state of things, is it not? why are certain men so extremely rocky? some are so from a _peculiar stolidity of nature_. there are many people in the world whom you cannot very well move, they have a great deal of granite in their constitution, and are more nearly related to mr. obstinate than to mr. pliable. now, i do not think badly of these people, because one knows what it is to preach to an excitable people, and to get them all stirred, and to know that in the end they are none the better; whereas some of the more stolid and immovable people when they are moved are moved indeed; when they do feel they feel intensely, and they retain any impression that is made. a little chip made in granite by very hard blows will abide there, while the lashing of water, which is easy enough, will leave no trace even for a moment. it is a grand thing to get hold of a fine piece of rock and to exercise faith about it. the lord's own hammer has mighty power to break, and in the breaking great glory comes to the most high. worse still, certain men are hard because of their _infidelity_--not heart-infidelity all of it, but an infidelity which springs out of a desire not to believe, which has helped them to discover difficulties. these difficulties exist, and were meant to exist, for there would be no room for faith if everything were as plain as the nose on one's face. these persons have gradually come to doubt, or to think that they doubt, essential truths, and this renders them impervious to the gospel of christ. a much more numerous body are orthodox enough, but hard-hearted for all that. _worldliness_ hardens a man in every way. it often dries up all charity to the poor, because the man must make money, and he thinks that the poor-rates are sufficient excuse for neglecting the offices of charity. he has no time to think of the next world; he must spend all his thoughts upon the present one. money is tight, and therefore he must hold it tight; and when money brings in little interest, he finds therein a reason for being the more niggardly. he has no time for prayer, he _must_ get down to the counting-house. he has no time for reading his bible, his ledger wants him. you may knock at his door, but his heart is not at home; it is in the counting-house, wherein he lives and moves and has his being. his god is his gold, his bliss is his business, his all in all is himself. what is the use of preaching to him? as well may horses run upon a rock, or oxen drag a plough across a field sheeted with iron a mile thick. with some, too, there is a hardness, produced by what i might almost call the opposite of stern worldliness, namely, a _general levity_. they are naturally butterflies flitting about and doing nothing. they never think, or want to think. half a thought exhausts them, and they must needs be diverted, or their feeble minds will utterly weary. they live in a round of amusement. to them the world is a stage, and all the men and women only players. it is of little use to preach to them; there is no depth of earth in their superficial nature; beneath a sprinkling of shifting worthless sand lies an impenetrable rock of utter stupidity and senselessness. i might thus multiply reasons why some are harder than others, but it is a well-assured fact that they are so, and there i leave the matter. iii. i shall now ask everybody to judge whether the running of horses upon a rock and the ploughing there with oxen shall always be continued. i assert that it is unreasonable to expect that god's servants should always continue to labor in vain. these people have been preached to, taught, instructed, admonished, expostulated with, and advised; shall this unrecompensed work be always performed? we have given them a fair trial; what do reason and prudence say? are we bound to persevere till we are worn out by this unsuccessful work? we will ask it of men who plough their own farms; do they recommend perseverance when failure is certain? shall horses run upon the rock? shall one plough there with oxen? surely not for ever. i think we shall all agree that labor in vain cannot be continued for ever if we consider _the ploughman_. he does not want to be much considered; but still his master does not overlook him. see how weary he grows when the work discourages him. he goes to his master with, "who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed?" "why hast thou sent me," says he, "to a people that have ears but hear not? they sit as thy people sit, and they hear as thy people hear, and then they go their way and they forget every word that is spoken, and they obey not the voice of the lord." see how disappointed the preacher becomes. it is always hard work when you appear to get no forwarder, although you do your utmost. no man, whoever he may be, likes to be set upon work which appears to be altogether a waste of time and effort. to his own mind it seems to have a touch of the ridiculous about it, and he fears that he will be despised of his fellows for aiming at the impossible. shall it always be the lot of god's ministers to be trifled with? will the great husbandman bid his ploughmen spill their lives for nought? must his preachers continue to cast pearls before swine? if the consecrated workers are so bidden by their lord they will persevere in their painful task; but their master is considerate of them, and i ask _you_ also to consider whether it is reasonable to expect a zealous heart to be for ever occupied with the salvation of those who never respond to its anxiety? shall the horses always plough upon the rock? shall the oxen always labor there? again, there is _the master_ to be considered. the lord--is he always to be resisted and provoked? many of you have had eternal life set before you as the result of believing in jesus; and you have refused to believe. it is a wonder that my lord has not said to me, "you have done your duty with them; never set christ before them again; my son shall not be insulted." if you offer a beggar in the street a shilling and he will not have it, you cheerfully put it into your purse and go your way; you do not entreat him to have his wants relieved. but, behold, our god in mercy begs sinners to come to him, and implores them to accept his son. in his condescension he even stands like a salesman in the market, crying, "ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." in another place he says of himself, "all day long have i stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gainsaying generation." if the lord of mercy has been refused so long in the sight of you who reverence him, does not some indignation mingle with your pity, and while you love sinners and would have them saved, do you not feel in your heart that there must be an end to such insulting behavior? i ask even the careless to think of the matter in this light, and if they do not respect the ploughman, yet let them have regard to his master. and then, again, there are so many _other people_ who are needing the gospel, and who would receive it if they had it, that it would seem to be wise to leave off wearying oneself about those who despise it. what did our lord say? he said that if the mighty things which had been done in bethsaida and chorazin had been done in tyre and sidon, they would have repented. what is more wonderful still, he says that if he had wrought the same miracles in sodom and gomorrah which were wrought in capernaum, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. does it not occur to us at once to give the word to those who will have it, and leave the despisers to perish in their own wilfulness? does not reason say, "let us send this medicine where there are sick people who will value it?" thousands of people are willing to hear the gospel. see how they crowd wherever the preacher goes--how they tread upon one another in their anxiety to listen to him; and if these people who hear him every day will not receive his message, "in god's name," saith he, "let me go where there is a probability of finding soil that can be ploughed." "shall horses run upon the rock? will one plough there with oxen?" must i work always where nothing comes of it? does not reason say, let the word go to china, to hindostan, or to the utmost parts of the earth, where they will receive it; for those who have it preached in the corners of their streets despise it? i shall not lengthen this argument, but shall solemnly put the question again. would any of you continue to pursue an object when it has proved to be hopeless? do you wonder that when the lord has sent his servants to speak kind, gracious, tender words, and men have not heard, he says to them, "they are joined unto their idols; let them alone"? there is a boundary to the patience of men, and we soon arrive at it; and assuredly there is a limit, though it is long before we outrun it, to the patience of god. "at length," he says, "it is enough. my spirit shall no longer strive with them." if the lord says this can any of us complain? is not this the way of wisdom? does not prudence itself dictate it? any thoughtful mind will say, "ay, ay, a rock cannot be ploughed for ever." iv. fourthly. there must be an alteration, then, and that speedily. the oxen shall be taken off from such toil. it can be easily done, and done soon. it can be effected in three ways. first, the unprofitable hearer can be removed so that he shall no more hear the gospel from the lips of his best approved minister. there is a preacher who has some sort of power over him; but as he rejects his testimony, and remains impenitent, the man shall be removed to another town, where he shall hear monotonous discourses which will not touch his conscience. he shall go where he shall be no longer persuaded and entreated; and there he will sleep himself into hell. that may be readily enough done; perhaps some of you are making arrangements even now for your own removal from the field of hope. another way is to take away the ploughman. he has done his work as best he could, and he shall be released from his hopeless task. he is weary. let him go home. the soil would not break up, but he could not help that; let him have his wage. he has broken his plough at the work; let him go home and hear his lord say, "well done." he was willing to keep on at the disheartening labor as long as his master bade him; but it is evidently useless, therefore let him go home, for his work is done. he has been sore sick, let him die, and enter into his rest. this is by no means improbable. or, there may happen something else. the lord may say, "that piece of work shall never trouble the ploughman any more. i will take it away." and he may take it away in this fashion: the man who has heard the gospel, but rejected it, will die. i pray my master that he will not suffer any one of you to die in your sins, for then we cannot reach you any more, or indulge the faintest hope for you. no prayer of ours can follow you into eternity. there is one name by which you may be saved, and that name is sounded in your ears--the name of jesus; but if you reject him now, even that name will not save you. if you do not take jesus to be your saviour he will appear as your judge. i pray you, do not destroy your own souls by continuing to be obstinate against almighty love. god grant that some better thing may happen. can nothing else be done? this soil is rock; can we not sow it without breaking it? no. without repentance there is no remission of sin. but is there not a way of saving men without the grace of god? the lord jesus did not say so; but he said, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." he did not hint at a middle course or hold out a "larger hope;" but he declared "he that believeth not shall be damned," _and so he must be_. dream not of a back door to heaven, for the lord has provided none. what then? shall the preacher continue his fruitless toil? if there is only half a hope left him, he is willing to go on and say, "hear, ye deaf, and see, ye blind, and live, ye dead." he will even so speak this day, for his master bids him preach the gospel to every creature; but it will be hard work to repeat the word of exhortation for years to those who will not hear it. happily there is one other turn which affairs may take. there is a god in heaven, let us pray to him to put forth his power. jesus is at his side, let us invoke his interposition. the holy ghost is almighty, let us call for his aid. brothers who plough and sisters who pray, cry to the master for help. the horse and the ox evidently fail, but there remains one above who is able to work great marvels. did he not once speak to the rock, and turn the flint into a stream of water? let us pray him to do the same now. and, oh, if there is one who feels and mourns that his heart is like a piece of rock, i am glad he feels it; for he who feels that his heart is a rock gives some evidence that the flint is being transformed. o rock, instead of smiting thee, as moses smote the rock in the wilderness and erred therein, i would speak to thee. o rock, wouldst thou become like wax? o rock, wouldst thou dissolve into rivers of repentance? hearken to god's voice! o rock, break with good desire! o rock, dissolve with longing after christ, for god is working upon thee now. who knows but at this very moment thou shall begin to crumble down. dost thou feel the power of the word? does the sharp ploughshare touch thee just now? break and break again, till by contrition thou art dissolved, for then will the good seed of the gospel come to thee, and thou shalt receive it into thy bosom, and we shall all behold the fruit thereof. and so i will fling one more handful of good corn, and have done. if thou desirest eternal life, trust jesus christ, and thou art saved at once. "look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth," says christ, "for i am god, and beside me there is none else." he that believeth in him hath everlasting life. "like as moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." o lord, break up the rock, and let the seed drop in among its broken substance, and get thou a harvest from the dissolved granite, at this time, for jesus christ's sake. amen. the parable of the sower. "and when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: a sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. and some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. and some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. and other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. and when he had said these things, he cried, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear."--luke : - . in our country, when a sower goes forth to his work, he generally enters into an enclosed field, and scatters the seed from his basket along every ridge and furrow; but in the east, the corn-growing country, hard by a small town, is usually an open area. it is divided into different properties, but there are no visible divisions, except the ancient landmarks, or perhaps ridges of stones. through these open lands there are footpaths, the most frequented being called the highways. you must not imagine these highways to be like our macadamized roads; they are merely paths, trodden tolerably hard. here and there you notice by-ways, along which travellers who wish to avoid the public road may journey with a little more safety when the main road is infested with robbers; hasty travellers also strike out short cuts for themselves, and so open fresh tracks for others. when the sower goes forth to sow he finds a plot of ground scratched over with the primitive eastern plough; he aims at scattering his seed there most plentifully; but a path runs through the centre of his field, and unless he is willing to leave a broad headland, he must throw a handful upon it. yonder, a rock crops out in the midst of the ploughed land, and the seed falls on its shallow soil. here is a corner full of the roots of nettles and thistles, and he flings a little here; the corn and the nettles come up together, and the thorns being the stronger soon choke the seed, so that it brings forth no fruit unto perfection. the recollection that the bible was written in the east, and that its metaphors and allusions must be explained to us by eastern travellers, will often help us to understand a passage far better than if we think of english customs. the preacher of the gospel is like the sower. he does not make his seed; it is given him by his divine master. no man could create the smallest grain that ever grew upon the earth, much less the celestial seed of eternal life. the minister goes to his master in secret, and asks him to teach him his gospel, and thus he fills his basket with the good seed of the kingdom. he then goes forth in his master's name and scatters precious truth. if he knew where the best soil was to be found, perhaps he might limit himself to that which had been prepared by the plough of conviction; but not knowing men's hearts, it is his business to preach the gospel to every creature--to throw a handful on the hardened heart, and another on the mind which is overgrown with the cares and pleasures of the world. he has to leave the seed in the care of the lord who gave it to him, for he is not responsible for the harvest, he is only accountable for the care and industry with which he does his work. if no single ear should ever make glad the reaper, the sower will be rewarded by his master if he had planted the right seed with careful hand. if it were not for this fact with what despairing agony should we utter the cry of esaias, "who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed?" our duty is not measured by the character of our hearers, but by the command of our god. we are bound to preach the gospel, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear. it is ours to sow beside all waters. let men's hearts be what they may the minister must preach the gospel to them; he must sow the seed on the rock as well as in the furrow, on the highway as well as in the ploughed field. i shall now address myself to the four classes of hearers mentioned in our lord's parable. we have, first of all, those who are represented by the _way-side_, those who are "hearers only"; then those represented by the _stony ground_; these are transiently impressed, but the word produces no lasting fruit; then, those _among thorns_, on whom a good impression is produced, but the cares of this life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of the world choke the seed; and lastly, that small class--god be pleased to multiply it exceedingly--that small class of _good ground_ hearers, in whom the word brings forth abundant fruit. i. first of all, i address myself to those hearts which are like the way-side: "some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it." many of you do not go to the place of worship desiring a blessing. you do not intend to worship god, or to be affected by anything that you hear. you are like the highway, which was never intended to be a cornfield. if a single grain of truth should fall into your heart and grow it would be as great a wonder as for corn to grow up in the street. if the seed shall be dexterously scattered, some of it will fall upon you, and rest for a while upon your thoughts. 'tis true you will not understand it; but, nevertheless, if it be placed before you in an interesting style, you will talk about it till some more congenial entertainment shall attract you. even this slender benefit is brief, for in a little season you will forget all that you have heard. would to god we could hope that our words would tarry with you; but we cannot hope it, for the soil of your heart is so hard beaten by continual traffic, that there is no hope of the seed finding a living root-hold. satan is constantly passing over your heart with his company of blasphemies, lusts, lies, and vanities. the chariots of pride roll along it, and the feet of greedy mammon tread it till it is hard as adamant. alas! for the good seed, it finds not a moment's respite; crowds pass and repass; in fact, your soul is an exchange, across which continually hurry the busy feet of those who make merchandise of the souls of men. you are buying and selling, but you little think that you are selling the truth, and that you are buying your soul's destruction. you have no time, you say, to think of religion. no, the road of your heart is such a crowded thoroughfare, that there is no room for the wheat to spring up. if it did begin to germinate, some rough foot would crush the green blade ere it could come to perfection. the seed has occasionally lain long enough to begin to sprout, but just then a new place of amusement has been opened, and you have entered there, and as with an iron heel, the germ of life that was in the seed was crushed out. corn could not grow in cornhill or cheapside, however excellent the seed might be; your heart is just like those crowded thoroughfares; for so many cares and sins throng it, and so many proud, vain, evil, rebellious thoughts against god pass through it, that the seed of truth cannot grow. we have looked at this hard roadside, let us now describe what becomes of the good word, when it falls upon such a heart. it would have grown if it had fallen on right soil, but it has dropped into the wrong place, and it remains as dry as when it fell from the sower's hand. the word of the gospel lies upon the surface of such a heart, but never enters it. like the snow, which sometimes falls upon our streets, drops upon the wet pavement, melts, and is gone at once, so is it with this man. the word has not time to quicken in his soul; it lies there an instant, but it never strikes root, or takes the slightest effect. why do men come to hear if the word never enters their hearts? that has often puzzled us. some hearers would not be absent on the sunday on any account; they are delighted to come up with us to worship, but yet the tear never trickles down their cheek, their soul never mounts up to heaven on the wings of praise, nor do they truly join in our confessions of sin. they do not think of the wrath to come, nor of the future state of their souls. their heart is as iron; the minister might as well speak to a heap of stones as preach to them. what brings these senseless sinners here? surely we are as hopeful of converting lions and leopards as these untamed, insensible hearts. oh feeling! thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason! do these people come to our assemblies because it is respectable to attend a place of worship? or is it that their coming helps to make them comfortable in their sins? if they stopped away conscience would prick them; but they come hither that they may flatter themselves with the notion that they are religious. oh! my hearers, your case is one that might make an angel weep! how sad to have the sun of the gospel shining on your faces, and yet to have blind eyes that never see the light! the music of heaven is lost upon you, for you have no ears to hear. you can catch the turn of a phrase, you can appreciate the poetry of an illustration, but the hidden meaning, the divine life, you do not perceive. you sit at the marriage-feast, but you eat not of the dainties; the bells of heaven ring with joy over ransomed spirits, but you live unransomed, without god, and without christ. though we plead with you, and pray for you, and weep over you, you still remain as hardened, as careless, and as thoughtless as ever you were. may god have mercy on you, and break up your hard hearts, that his word may abide in you. we have not, however, completed the picture. the passage tells us that the fowls of the air devoured the seed. is there here a wayside hearer? perhaps he did not mean to hear this sermon, and when he has heard it he will be asked by one of the wicked to come into company. he will go with the tempter, and the good seed will be devoured by the fowls of the air. plenty of evil ones are ready to take away the gospel from the heart. the devil himself, that prince of the air, is eager at any time to snatch away a good thought. and then the devil is not alone--he has legions of helpers. he can set a man's wife, children, friends, enemies, customers, or creditors, to eat up the good seed, and they will do it effectually. oh, sorrow upon sorrow, that heavenly seed should become devil's meat; that god's corn should feed foul birds! o my hearers, if you have heard the gospel from your youth, what wagon-loads of sermons have been wasted on you! in your younger days, you heard old dr. so-and-so, and the dear old man was wont to pray for his hearers till his eyes were red with tears! do you recollect those many sundays when you said to yourself, "let me go to my chamber and fall on my knees and pray"? but you did not; the fowls of the air ate up the seed, and you went on to sin as you had sinned before. since then, by some strange impulse, you are very rarely absent from god's house; but now the seed of the gospel falls into your soul as if it dropped upon an iron floor, and nothing comes of it. the law may be thundered at you; you do not sneer at it, but it never affects you. jesus christ may be lifted up; his dear wounds may be exhibited; his streaming blood may flow before your very eyes, and you may be bidden with all earnestness to look to him and live; but it is as if one should sow the sea-shore. what shall i do for you? shall i stand here and rain tears upon this hard highway? alas! my tears will not break it up; it is trodden too hard for that. shall i bring the gospel plough? alas! the ploughshare will not enter ground so solid. what shall we do? o god, thou knowest how to melt the hardest heart with the precious blood of jesus. do it now, we beseech thee, and thus magnify thy grace, by causing the good seed to live, and to produce a heavenly harvest. ii. i shall now turn to the second class of hearers: "and some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture." you can easily picture to yourselves that piece of rock in the midst of the field thinly veiled with soil; and of course the seed falls there as it does everywhere else. it springs up, it hastens to grow, it withers, it dies. none but those who love the souls of men can tell what hopes, what joys, and what bitter disappointments these stony places have caused us. we have a class of hearers whose hearts are hard, and yet they are apparently the softest and most impressible of men. while other men see nothing in the sermon, these men weep. whether you preach the terrors of the law or the love of calvary, they are alike stirred in their souls, and the liveliest impressions are apparently produced. such may be listening now. they have resolved, but they have procrastinated. they are not the sturdy enemies of god who clothe themselves in steel, but they seem to bare their breasts, and lay them open to the minister. rejoiced in heart, we shoot our arrows there, and they appear to penetrate; but, alas, a secret armor blunts every dart, and no wound is felt. the parable speaks of this character thus: "some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth." or as another passage explains it: "and these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended." have we not thousands of hearers who receive the word with joy? they have no deep convictions, but they leap into christ on a sudden, and profess an instantaneous faith in him, and that faith has all the appearance of being genuine. when we look at it, the seed has really sprouted. there is a kind of life in it, there is apparently a green blade. we thank god that a sinner is brought back, a soul is born to god. but our joy is premature; they sprang up on a sudden, and received the word with joy, because they had no depth of earth, and the self-same cause which hastened their reception of the seed also causes them, when the sun is risen with his fervent heat, to wither away. these men we see every day in the week. they come to join the church; they tell us a story of how they heard us preach on such-and-such an occasion, and, oh, the word was so blessed to them, they never felt so happy in their lives! "oh, sir, i thought i must leap from my seat when i heard about a precious christ, and i believed on him there and then; i am sure i did." we question them as to whether they were ever convinced of sin. they think they were; but one thing they know, they feel a great pleasure in religion. we put it to them. "do you think you will hold on?" they are confident that they shall. they hate the things they once loved, they are sure they do. everything has become new to them. and all this is on a sudden. we enquire when the good work began. we find it began when it ended, that is to say, there was no previous work, no ploughing of the soil, but on a sudden they sprang from death to life, as if a field should be covered with wheat by magic. perhaps we receive them into the church; but in a week or two they are not so regular as they used to be. we gently reprove them, and they explain that they meet with such opposition in religion that they are obliged to yield a little. another month and we lose them altogether. the reason is that they have been laughed at or exposed to a little opposition, and they have gone back. and what, think you, are the feelings of the minister? he is like the husbandman, who sees his field all green and flourishing, but at night a frost nips every shoot, and his hoped-for gains are gone. the minister goes to his chamber, and casts himself on his face before god, and cries, "i have been deceived; my converts are fickle, their religion has withered as the green herb." in the ancient story orpheus is said to have had such skill upon the lyre, that he made the oaks and stones to dance around him. it is a poetical fiction, and yet hath it sometimes happened to the minister, that not only have the godly rejoiced, but men, like oaks and stones, have danced from their places. alas! they have been oaks and stones still. hushed is the lyre. the oak returns to its rooting-place, and the stone casts itself heavily to the earth. the sinner, who, like saul, was among the prophets, goes back to plan mischief against the most high. if it is bad to be a wayside hearer, i cannot think it is much better to be like the rock. this second class of hearers certainly gives us more joy than the first. a certain company always comes round a new minister; and i have often thought it is an act of god's kindness that he allows these people to gather at the first, while the minister is young, and has but few to stand by him; these persons are easily moved, and if the minister preaches earnestly they feel it, and they love him, and rally round him, much to his comfort. but time, that proves all things, proves them. they seemed to be made of true metal; but when they are put into the fire to be tested, they are consumed in the furnace. some of the shallow kind are here now. i have looked at you when i have been preaching, and i have often thought, "that man one of these days will come out from the world, i am sure he will." i have thanked god for him. alas, he is the same as ever. years and years have we sowed him in vain, and it is to be feared it will be so to the end, for he is without depth, and without the moisture of the spirit. shall it be so? must i stand over the mouth of your open sepulchre, and think, "here lies a shoot which never became an ear, a man in whom grace struggled but never reigned, who gave some hopeful spasms of life and then subsided into eternal death?" god save you! oh! may the spirit deal with you effectually, and may you, even you, yet bring forth fruit unto god, that jesus may have a reward for his sufferings. iii. i shall briefly treat of the third class, and may the spirit of god assist me to deal faithfully with you. "and some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it." now, this was good soil. the two first characters were bad; the wayside was not the proper place, the rock was not a congenial situation for the growth of any plant; but this is good soil, for it grows thorns. wherever a thistle will spring up and flourish, there would wheat flourish too. this was fat, fertile soil; it was no marvel therefore that the husbandman dealt largely there, and threw handful after handful upon that corner of the field. see how happy he is when in a month or two he visits the spot. the seed has sprung up. true, there's a suspicious little plant down there of about the same size as the wheat. "oh!" he thinks, "that's not much, the corn will outgrow _that_. when it is stronger it will choke these few thistles that have unfortunately mixed with it." ay, mr. husbandman, you do not understand the force of evil, or you would not thus dream! he comes again, and the seed has grown, there is even the corn in the ear; but the thistles, the thorns, and the briers have become inter-twisted with one another, and the poor wheat can hardly get a ray of sunshine. it is so choked with thorns every way, that it looks quite yellow; the plant is starved. still it perseveres in growing, and it does seem as if it would bring forth a little fruit. alas, it never comes to anything. with it the reaper never fills his arm. we have this class very largely among us. these hear the word and understand what they hear. they take the truth home; they think it over; they even go the length of making a profession of religion. the wheat seems to spring and ear; it will soon come to perfection. be in no hurry, these men and women have a great deal to see after; they have the cares of a large concern; their establishment employs so many hundred hands; do not be deceived as to their godliness--they have no time for it. they will tell you that they must live; that they cannot neglect this world; that they must anyhow look out for the present, and as for the future, they will render it all due attention by-and-by. they continue to attend gospel-preaching, and the poor little stunted blade of religion keeps on growing after a fashion. meanwhile they have grown rich, they come to the place of worship in a carriage, they have all that heart can wish. ah! now the seed will grow, will it not? no, no. they have no cares now; the shop is given up, they live in the country; they have not to ask, "where shall the money come from to meet the next bill?" or "how shall they be able to provide for an increasing family." now they have too much instead of too little, for they have _riches_, and they are too wealthy to be gracious. "but," says one, "they might spend their riches for god." certainly they might, but they do not, for riches are deceitful. they have to entertain much company, and chime in with the world, and so christ and his church are left in the lurch. yes, but they begin to spend their riches, and they have surely got over that difficulty, for they give largely to the cause of christ, and they are munificent in charity; the little blade will grow, will it not? no, for now behold the thorns of pleasure. their liberality to others involves liberality to themselves; their pleasures, amusements, and vanities choke the wheat of true religion; the good grains of gospel truth cannot grow because they have to attend that musical party, that ball, and that soirée, and so they cannot think of the things of god. i know several specimens of this class. i knew one, high in court circles, who has confessed to me that he wished he were poor, for then he might enter the kingdom of heaven. he has said to me, "ah! sir, these politics, these politics, i wish i were rid of them, they are eating the life out of my heart. i cannot serve god as i would." i know of another, overloaded with riches, who has said to me, "ah! sir, it is an awful thing to be rich; one cannot keep close to the saviour with all this earth about him." ah! my dear readers, i will not ask for you that god may lay you on a bed of sickness, that he may strip you of all your wealth, and bring you to beggary; but, oh, if he were to do it, and you were to save your souls, it would be the best bargain you could ever make. if those mighty ones who now complain that the thorns choke the seed could give up all their riches and pleasures, if they that fare sumptuously every day could take the place of lazarus at the gate, it were a happy change for them if their souls might be saved. a man may be honorable and rich, and yet go to heaven; but it will be hard work, for "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." god does make some rich men enter the kingdom of heaven, but hard is their struggle. steady, young man, steady! hurry not to climb to wealth! it is a place where many heads are turned. do not ask god to make you popular; they that have popularity are wearied by it. cry with agur, "give me neither poverty nor riches." god give me to tread the golden mean, and may i ever have in my heart that good seed, which shall bring forth fruit a hundredfold to his own glory. iv. i now close with the last character, namely, the good ground. of the good soil, as you will mark, we have but one in four. will one in four of our hearers, with well-prepared heart, receive the word? the ground is described as "good"; not that it was good by nature, but it had been made good by grace. god had ploughed it; he had stirred it up with the plough of conviction, and there it lay in ridge and furrow as it should lie. when the gospel was preached, the heart received it, for the man said, "that is just the blessing i want. mercy is what a needy sinner requires." so that the preaching of the gospel was the thing to give comfort to this disturbed and ploughed soil. down fell the seed to take good root. in some cases it produced fervency of love, largeness of heart, devotedness of purpose of a noble kind, like seed which produces a hundredfold. the man became a mighty servant for god, he spent himself and was spent. he took his place in the vanguard of christ's army, stood in the hottest of the battle, and did deeds of daring which few could accomplish--the seed produced a hundredfold. it fell into another heart of like character; the man could not do the most, but still he did much. he gave himself to god, and in his business he had a word to say for his lord; in his daily walk he quietly adorned the doctrine of god his saviour--he brought forth sixtyfold. then it fell on another, whose abilities and talents were but small; he could not be a star, but he would be a glow-worm; he could not do as the greatest, but he was content to do something, however humble. the seed had brought forth in him tenfold, perhaps twentyfold. how many are there of this sort here? is there one who prays within himself, "god be merciful to me a sinner"? the seed has fallen in the right spot. soul, thy prayer shall be heard. god never sets a man longing for mercy without intending to give it. does another whisper, "oh that i might be saved"? believe on the lord jesus christ, and thou, even thou, shalt be saved. hast thou been the chief of sinners? trust christ, and thy enormous sins shall vanish as the millstone sinks beneath the flood. is there no one here that will trust the saviour? can it be possible that the spirit is entirely absent? that he is not moving in one soul? not begetting life in one spirit? we will pray that he may now descend, that the word may not be in vain. the principal wheat. "the principal wheat."--isaiah : . the prophet mentions it as a matter of wisdom on the part of the husbandman, that he knows what is the principal thing to cultivate, and makes it his principal care. the text, with the connection, runs thus: "does not the husbandman cast in the principal wheat?" he does not go to the granary and take out wheat, and cummin, and barley, and rye, and fling these about right and left, but he estimates the value of each grain, and arranges them in his mind accordingly. he does not think that cummin and caraway, which he merely grows to give a flavor to his meal, are of half such importance as his bread-corn; and, though rye and barley have their values, yet he does not reckon that even these are equal to what he calls "the principal wheat." he is a man of discretion, he arranges things; he places the most important crop in the front rank, and spends upon it the most care. here let us learn a lesson. do keep things distinct in your minds--not huddled and muddled by a careless thoughtlessness. do not live a confused life, without care and discretion, running all things into one; but sort things out, and divide and distinguish between the precious and the vile. see what this is worth, and what the other is worth, and set your matters in rank and order, making some of them principal, and others of them inferior. i suggest to you young people especially that, in starting life, you say to yourselves, "what shall we live for? there is a principal thing for which we ought to live, what shall it be?" have you turned over that question, or have you gone at it hit or miss? what are you living for? what is your principal aim? is it going to be that of the old gentleman in horace who said to his boy, "get money: get it honestly, if you can; but, by all means, get money." will you be a money-spinner? shall coin be your principal corn? or will you choose a life of pleasure--"a short life and a merry one," as so many fools have said to their great sorrow? is it in dissipation that your life is to be spent? are thistles to be your principal crop? because there is a pleasure in looking at a scotch thistle, do you intend to grow acres of pleasurable vice? and will you make your bed upon them when you come to die? search and see what is worthy of being the principal object in life; and, when you have found it out, then beseech the holy spirit to help you to choose that one thing, and to give all your powers and faculties to the cultivation of it. the farmer, who finds that wheat ought to be his principal crop, makes it so, and lays himself out with that end in view; learn from this to have a main object, and to give your whole mind to it. this farmer was wise, because _he counted that to be principal which was the most needful_. his family could do without cummin, which was but a flavoring. perhaps the mistress might complain, or the cook might grumble, but that did not signify so much as it would do if the children cried for bread. they certainly must have wheat, for bread is the staff of life. it is bread that strengtheneth man's heart, and therefore the farmer must grow wheat if he does not grow anything else. that which is necessary he regarded as the principal thing. is not this common sense? if we were wisely to sit down and estimate, should we not say, "to be forgiven my sins, to be right with god, to be holy, to be fit to live eternally in heaven, is the greatest, the most needful thing for me, and therefore i will make it the principal object of my pursuit"? a creature cannot be satisfied unless he is answering the end for which he is created; and the end of every intelligent creature is first, to glorify god, and next, to enjoy god. what a bliss it must be to enjoy god himself for ever and ever! other things may be desirable, but this thing is needful. a competence of income, a measure of esteem among men, a degree of health--all these are the flavoring of life, but to be saved in the lord with an everlasting salvation is life itself. jesus christ is the bread by which our soul's best life is sustained. oh, that we were all wise enough to feel that to be one with christ is the one thing needful; that to be at peace with god is the principal thing; that to be brought into harmony with the most high is the true music of our being. other herbs may take their place in due order, but grace is the principal wheat, and we must cultivate it. this farmer was wise, because _he made that to be the principal thing which was the most fit to be so_. of course, barley is useful as food, for nations have lived on barley bread, and lived healthily too; and rye has been the nutriment of millions; neither have they starved on oats and other grains. still, give me a piece of wheaten bread, for it is the best staff for life's journey. this farmer knew that wheat was the most fitting food for man, and so he did not put the inferior grain, which might act as a substitute, into the prominent place; but he gave his wheat the preference. he did not say, "the principal barley," or "the principal rye," much less "the principal cummin," or "the principal fitches," but "the principal wheat." and what is there, brethren, that is so fit for the heart, the mind, the soul of man, as to know god and his christ? other mental foods, such as the fruits of knowledge, and the dainties of science, excellent though they may be--are inferior nutriment and unsuitable to build up the inner manhood. in my god and my saviour, i find my heaven and my all. my soul sits down to a crumb of truth about jesus, and finds great satisfaction in living upon it. the more we can know god, and enjoy god, and become like to god, and the more christ is our daily bread, the more do we perceive the fitness of all this to our new-born natures. o beloved, make that to be your principal object which is the fittest pursuit of an immortal mind. "religion is the chief concern of mortals here below; may i its great importance learn, its sovereign virtue know! "more needful this than glittering wealth, or aught the world bestows: not reputation, food, or health, can give us such repose." moreover, this farmer was wise, because _he made that the principal thing which was the most profitable_. under certain circumstances, in our own country, wheat is not the most profitable thing which a man can grow; but, ordinarily, it is the best crop that the earth yields, and therefore the text speaks of "the principal wheat." our grandfathers used to rely upon the wheat stack to pay their rent. they looked to their corn as the arm of their strength; and though it is not so now, it always was so of old, and perhaps it may yet be so again. anyhow, the figure holds good with regard to true religion. that is the most profitable thing. i am told that rich men find it very hard to get hold of anything which yields five per cent, nowadays; but this blessed fear of the lord is an extraordinarily profitable investment, for it does not yield a hundred per cent, or a thousand per cent, but a man begins with nothing and all things become his by faith. being freely discharged of our sins, we are by overflowing grace greatly enriched, so that we number among our possessions heaven itself, christ himself, god himself. all things are ours. oh, what a blessed crop to sow! what a harvest comes of it! godliness is profitable for the life that now is, and for that which is to come. godliness is a blessing to a man's body, it keeps him from drunkenness and vice; and it is a blessing to his soul, it makes him sweet and pure. it is a blessing to him every way. if i had to die like a dog, i would like to live like a christian. if there were no hereafter, yet still, for comfort and for joy, give me the life of one who strives to live like christ. there is a practical everyday truth in the verse-- "'tis religion that can give sweetest pleasures while we live; 'tis religion must supply solid comfort when we die." only that religion must not be of the common sort; it must have for its root a hearty faith in jesus christ. see ye to it. our religion must be either everything or nothing, either first or nowhere. make it "the principal wheat," and it will richly repay you. ii. secondly, the husbandman is a lesson to us because he gives this principal thing the principal place. i find that the hebrew is rendered by some eminent scholars, "he puts the wheat into the principal place." that little handful of cummin for the wife to flavor the cakes with he grows in a corner; and the various herbs he places in their proper borders. the barley he sets in its plot, and the rye in its acre; but if there is a good bit of rich soil--the best he has--he appropriates it to the principal wheat. he gives his choicest fields to that which is to be the main means of his living. now, here is a lesson for you and for me. let us give to true godliness our principal powers and abilities. let us give to the things of god our best and _most intense thought_. i pray you, do not take religion at second hand from what i tell you, or from what somebody else tells you; but think it over. read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the word of god. the thoughtful christian is the growing christian. remember, the service of god deserves our first consideration and endeavor. we are poor things at our prime, but we ought to give the lord nothing short of our best. god would not have us serve him heedlessly, but he would have us use all the brain and intellect and mind that we have in studying and practising his word. "acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace." "meditate upon these things. give thyself wholly to them." if your mind is more clear and active at one time than at another, then sow the principal wheat. if you feel more fresh and more inclined to think at one time of the day than at another, let your mind then go towards the best things. be sure, also, to yield to this subject _your most earnest love_. the best field in the little estate of manhood is not the head, but the heart; sow the principal wheat there. oh, to have true religion in the heart; to love what we know--intensely to love it; to hold it fast as with the grip of life and death--never to let it go! the lord says, "my son, give me thy heart," and he will not be contented with anything less than our heart. oh, when your zeal is most burning, and your love is most fervent, let the warmth and the fervency all go towards the lord your god, and to the service of him who has redeemed you with his precious blood. let the principal wheat have the principal part of your nature. towards god and his christ also turn your _most fervent desires_. when you enlarge your desire, desire christ; when you become ambitious let your ambition be all for god. let your hunger and your thirst be after righteousness. let your aspirations and your longings be all towards holiness, and the things that shall make you like to christ. give to this principal wheat your principal desires. then let the lord have _the attentive respect of your life_. let the principal wheat be sown in every action. if we are truly christians we must be as much christians outside the church as in it. we shall try to make our eating and our drinking, and everything we do, tend to the glory of god. draw no line between the secular and the religious part of your conduct, but let the secular be made religious by a devout desire to glorify god in the one as much as in the other. let us worship god in the commonest duties of life, even as they do who stand before his throne. so it ought to be. let us sow the principal wheat in all the fields of our conversation, in business, in the family, among our friends, and with our children. may we each one feel, "for me to live is christ. i cannot live without christ, or for anything but christ." let your whole nature yield itself to jesus, and to none else. we should give to this principal wheat _our most earnest labors_. we should spend ourselves for the spread of the gospel. a christian man ought to lay himself out to serve jesus. i hate to see a professing man zealous in politics and lukewarm in devotion; all on fire at a parish vestry, and chill as winter when he comes to a prayer-meeting. some fly like eagles when they are serving the world, but they have a broken wing in the service of god. this should not be. if anything could rouse us up, and make the lion within us roar in his strength, it should be when we confront the foes of jesus or fight in his cause. our lord's service is the principal wheat, let us labor most in connection with it. this, i think, should also take possession of us so as to lead to _our greatest sacrifices_. the love of christ ought to be so strong as to swallow up self, and make sacrifice our daily joy. for christ's name's sake we should be willing to endure poverty, reproach, slander, exile, death. nothing should be dear to a christian in comparison with christ. now, i will put it to you whether it is so or no. is the love of jesus the principal wheat with us? are we giving our religion the chief place or not? i am afraid some people treat religion as certain gentlemen treat an off-hand farm; they put a bailiff into it, and only give an eye to it now and then. their minister is the bailiff, and they expect him to see to it for them. these off-hand farms are losing concerns. look at these half-and-half brethren. they have religion? certainly. but they are like the man of whom the child spoke at the sunday-school. "is your father a christian?" said the teacher. "yes," said the child, "but he has not worked much at it lately." i could point out several of this sort, who are sowing their wheat very sparingly, and choosing the most barren patch to sow it in. they profess to be christians, but religion is a tenth-rate article on their farm. some have a large acreage for the world, and a poor little plot for christ. they are growers of worldly pleasure and self-indulgence, and they sow a little religion by the roadside for appearance sake. this will not do. god will not thus be mocked. if we despise him and his truth we shall be lightly esteemed. o come let us give our principal time, talent, thought, effort to that which is the chief concern of immortal spirits. may we imitate the husbandman who gives the principal wheat the principal place in his farm. iii. let us learn a third lesson. the husbandman selects the principal seed-corn when he is sowing his wheat. when a farmer is setting aside wheat for sowing, he does not choose the tail corn and the worst of his produce, but if he is a sensible man he likes to sow the best wheat in the world. many farmers search the country round for a good sample of wheat for sowing, for they do not expect to get a good harvest out of bad seed. the husbandman is taught of god to put into the ground "the principal wheat." let me learn that if i am going to sow to the lord and to be a christian, i should sow the best kind of christianity. i should try to do this, first, _by believing the weightiest doctrines_. i would believe not this "ism," nor that, but the unadulterated truth which jesus taught; for a holy character will only grow by the spirit of god out of true doctrine. falsehood breeds sin: truth begets and fosters holiness. you and i therefore ought to select our seed carefully, and cast out all error. if we are wise we shall think most of the most important truths, for i have known people attach the greatest importance to the smallest things. they fight over the fitches, and leave the wheat to the crows. as for me, those who will may dispute over vials and trumpets, i shall mainly preach the doctrine of the precious blood and the glorious truths of substitution and atonement. these doctrines are the principal wheat, and therefore these shall have my choice. next to that, we ought to sow _the noblest examples_. many men are dwarfed because they choose a bad model to start with. they imitate dear old mr. so-and-so till they grow wonderfully like him with the best of him left out. a minister happens to be of a gloomy turn of mind, and he preaches the deep experience of the children of god, and in consequence a band of good people think it their duty to be melancholy. why need they fall into a ditch because their leader has splashed himself? we should never copy any man's infirmities. to be like paul there is no need to have weak eyes; to be like thomas there is no necessity to doubt. if you copy any good man, there is a point at which you ought to stop short. if i must have a human model, i would prefer one of the bravest of the saints of god; but oh how much better to follow that perfect pattern which you have in christ jesus! we should sow the best wheat by seeing that we have _the purest spirit_. alas! how soon do spirits become soiled by self or pride, or despondency or sloth, or some earthly taint. but what a grand thing it is to live in the spirit of christ! may we be humble, lowly, bold, self-sacrificing, pure, chaste, and holy. and, then, there is one more mode of sowing selected seed. we should endeavor to live in _the closest communion with god_. a dear brother prayed just now that we might have as much grace as we were capable of receiving, and that god would bring us into such a state that we might not hinder him in anything which he willed to do by us. this is a good prayer. it should be our desire to rise to the highest form of spiritual life. if you sow this principal wheat, get the best sort of it. there is a spirit and a spirit; and there are doctrines and doctrines; the best is the best for you. o young men, if you mean to have piety, go in for it thoroughly. do not sneak through the world as if you were ashamed of your lord. if you are christ's, show your colors. rally to his banner, gather to his trumpet call, and then stand up, stand up for jesus. if there is any manhood in you, this great cause calls for it all; exhibit it, and may the spirit of god help you so to do. iv. fourthly, the husbandman grows the principal wheat with the principal care. some critics say that the proper translation is that the husbandman plants his wheat in rows. it is said that the large crops in palestine in olden time were due to the fact that they planted the wheat. they set it in lines, so that it was not checked or suffocated by its being too thick in one place, neither was there any fear of its being too thin in another. the wheat was planted, and then streams of water were turned by the foot to each particular plant. no wonder, therefore, that the land brought forth abundantly. we should give our principal care to the principal thing. our godliness should be carried out with discretion and care. brethren, are we careful enough as to our religious walk? have you ever searched to the bottom of your profession? why do you happen to be members of a certain church? your mother was so. well, there is some good in that reason, but not enough to justify you in the sight of god. i pray you judge your standing. if any christian minister is afraid to urge you to this duty, i stand in doubt of him. i am not at all afraid. i beg you to examine all that i teach you, for i would not like to be responsible for another man's creed. like the bereans, search and see whether these things be according to scripture or not. one of the greatest blessings that could come upon the church would be a searching spirit which would refer everything to the holy scriptures. if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them. do your service to god as carefully as the eastern farmer planted his wheat, when he set it in rows with great orderliness and exactness. you serve a precise god, therefore serve him precisely. he is a jealous god, therefore be jealous of the least taint of error or will-worship. take care, also, that you water every part of your religion, as the farmer watered each plant. pray for grace from on high that you may never be parched and dried up. perform to your faith, to your hope, to your love, and to all the plants that are in your soul every other service which the husbandman renders to his wheat. give grace your principal care, for it deserves it. v. with this i close. do this, because from this you may expect your principal crop. if religion be the principal thing, you may look to religion for your principal reward. the harvest will come to you in various ways. you will make the greatest success in this life if you wholly live to the glory of god. success or failure must much depend upon the fitness of our object. it is of no use _my_ attempting to sing, for i shall never be able to conduct a choir. i could not succeed in that, but if i preach, i may succeed, for that is my work. now you, christian man, if you try to live to the world you will not prosper, for you are not fitted for it. grace has spoiled you for sin. if you live to god with all your heart you will succeed in it, for god has made you on purpose for it. as he made the fish for the water, and the birds for the air, so he made the believer for holiness, and for the service of god; and you will be out of your element, a fish out of water, or a bird in the stream, if you leave the service of god. the eastern farmer's prosperity hinges on his wheat, and yours upon your devotion to god. it is to godliness that you must look for your joy. is there any bliss like the bliss of knowing that you are in christ, and are the beloved of the lord? it is to your religion that you must look for comfort on a sick and dying bed, and you may be there very soon. in the world to come what a crop, what a harvest will come of serving the lord! what will come out of all else? what but mere smoke? a man has made a million of money, and he is dead. what has he got by his wealth? a man's fame rings throughout the earth as a great and successful warrior, and he is dead. what has he as the result of all his honors? to live to the world is like playing with boys in the street for halfpence, or with babes for bits of platter and oyster shells. life for god is real and substantial, but all else is waste. let us think so, and gird up our loins to serve the lord. may the divine spirit help us to sow "the principal wheat," and to live in joyful expectation of reaping a happy harvest according to the promise, "they that sow in tears shall reap in joy." spring in the heart. "thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof."--psalm : . though other seasons excel in fulness, spring must always bear the palm for freshness and beauty. we thank god when the harvest hours draw near, and the golden grain invites the sickle, but we ought equally to thank him for the rougher days of spring, for these prepare the harvest. april showers are mothers of the sweet may flowers, and the wet and cold of winter are the parents of the splendor of summer. god blesses the springing thereof, or else it could not be said, "thou crownest the year with thy goodness." there is as much necessity for divine benediction in spring as for heavenly bounty in summer; and, therefore, we should praise god all the year round. spiritual spring is a very blessed season in a church. then we see youthful piety developed, and on every hand we hear the joyful cry of those who say, "we have found the lord." our sons are springing up as the grass and as willows by the water-courses. we hold up our hands in glad astonishment and cry, "who are these that fly as a cloud and as doves to their windows?" in the revival days of a church, when god is blessing her with many conversions, she has great cause to rejoice in god and to sing, "thou blessest the springing thereof." i intend to take the text in reference to individual cases. there is a time of springing of grace, when it is just in its bud, just breaking through the dull cold earth of unregenerate nature. i desire to talk a little about that, and concerning the blessing which the lord grants to the green blade of new-born godliness, to those who are beginning to hope in the lord. i. first, i shall have a little to say about the work previous to the springing thereof. it appears from the text that there is work for god alone to do before the springing comes, and we know that there is work for god to do through us as well. _there is work for us to do._ before there can be a springing up in the soul of any, there must be _ploughing_, harrowing, and sowing. there must be a ploughing, and we do not expect that as soon as ever we plough we shall reap the sheaves. blessed be god, in many cases, the reaper overtakes the ploughman, but we must not always expect it. in some hearts god is long in preparing the soul by conviction: the law with its ten black horses drags the ploughshare of conviction up and down the soul till there is no one part of it left unfurrowed. conviction goes deeper than any plough to the very core and centre of the spirit, till the spirit is wounded. the ploughers make deep furrows indeed when god puts his hand to the work: the soil of the heart is broken in pieces in the presence of the most high. then comes the _sowing_. before there can be a springing up it is certain that there must be something put into the ground, so that after the preacher has used the plough of the law, he applies to his master for the seed-basket of the gospel. gospel promises, gospel doctrines, especially a clear exposition of free grace and the atonement, these are the handfuls of corn which we scatter broadcast. some of the grain falls on the highway, and is lost; but other handfuls fall where the plough has been, and there abide. then comes the _harrowing_ work. we do not expect to sow seed and then leave it: the gospel has to be prayed over. the prayer of the preacher and the prayer of the church make up god's harrow to rake in the seed after it is scattered, and so it is covered up within the clods of the soul, and is hidden in the heart of the hearer. now there is a reason why i dwell upon this, namely, that i may exhort my dear brethren who have not seen success, not to give up the work, but to hope that they have been doing the ploughing, and sowing, and harrowing work, and that the harvest is to come. i mention this for yet another reason, and that is, by way of warning to those who expect to have a harvest without this preparatory work. i do not believe that much good will come from attempts at sudden revivals made without previous prayerful labor. a revival to be permanent must be a matter of growth, and the result of much holy effort, longing, pleading, and watching. the servant of god is to preach the gospel whether men are prepared for it or not; but in order to large success, depend upon it there is a preparedness necessary among the hearers. upon some hearts warm earnest preaching drops like an unusual thing which startles but does not convince; while in other congregations, where good gospel preaching has long been the rule, and much prayer has been offered, the words fall into the hearers' souls and bring forth speedy fruit. we must not expect to have results without work. there is no hope of a church having an extensive revival in its midst unless there is continued and importunate waiting upon god, together with earnest laboring, intense anxiety, and hopeful expectation. _but there is also a work to be done which is beyond our power._ after ploughing, sowing, and harrowing, there must come the shower from heaven. "thou visitest the earth and waterest it," says the psalmist. in vain are all our efforts unless god shall bless us with the rain of his holy spirit's influence. o holy spirit! thou, and thou alone, workest wonders in the human heart, and thou comest from the father and the son to do the father's purposes, and to glorify the son. three effects are spoken of. first, we are told _he waters the ridges_. as the ridges of the field become well saturated through and through with the abundant rain, so god sends his holy spirit till the whole heart of man is moved and influenced by his divine operations. the understanding is enlightened, the conscience is quickened, the will is controlled, the affections are inflamed; all these powers, which i may call the ridges of the heart, come under the divine working. it is ours to deal with men as men, and bring to bear upon them gospel truth, and to set before them motives that are suitable to move rational creatures; but, after all, it is the rain from on high which alone can water the ridges: there is no hope of the heart being savingly affected except by divine operations. next, it is added, "_thou settlest the furrows_," by which some think it is meant that the furrows are drenched with water. others think there is an allusion here to the beating down of the earth by heavy rain till the ridges become flat, and by the soaking of the water are settled into a more compact mass. certain it is that the influences of god's spirit have a humbling and settling effect upon a man. he was unsettled once like the earth that is dry and crumbly, and blown about and carried away with every wind of doctrine; but as the earth when soaked with wet is compacted and knit together, so the heart becomes solid and serious under the power of the spirit. as the high parts of the ridge are beaten down into the furrows, so the lofty ideas, the grand schemes, and carnal boastings of the heart begin to level down, when the holy spirit comes to work upon the soul. genuine humility is a very gracious fruit of the spirit. to be broken in heart is the best means of preparing the soul for jesus. "a broken and a contrite heart, o god, thou wilt not despise." brethren, always be thankful when you see high thoughts of man brought down; this settling the furrows is a very gracious preparatory work of grace. yet again, it is added, "_thou makest it soft with showers_." man's heart is naturally hardened against the gospel; like the eastern soil, it is hard as iron if there be no gracious rain. how sweetly and effectively does the spirit of god soften the man through and through! he is no longer towards the word what he used to be: he feels everything, whereas once he felt nothing. the rock flows with water; the heart is dissolved in tenderness, the eyes are melted into tears. all this is god's work. i have said already that god works through us, but still it is god's immediate work to send down the rain of his grace from on high. perhaps he is at work upon some of you, though as yet there is no springing up of spiritual life in your souls. though your condition is still a sad one, we will hope for you that ere long there shall be seen the living seed of grace sending up its tender green shoot above the soil, and may the lord bless the springing thereof. ii. in the second place, let us deliver a brief description of the springing thereof. after the operations of the holy spirit have been quietly going on for a certain season as pleaseth the great master and husbandman, then there are signs of grace. remember the apostle's words, "first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear." some of our friends are greatly disturbed because they cannot see the full corn in the ear in themselves. they suppose that, if they were the subjects of a divine work, they would be precisely like certain advanced christians with whom it is their privilege to commune, or of whom they may have read in biographies. beloved, this is a very great mistake. when first grace enters the heart, it is not a great tree covering with its shadow whole acres, but it is the least of all seeds, like a grain of mustard seed. when it first rises upon the soul, it is not the sun shining at high noon, but it is the first dim ray of dawn. are you so simple as to expect the harvest before you have passed through the springing-time? i shall hope that by a very brief description of the earliest stage of christian experience you may be led to say, "i have gone as far as that," and then i hope you may be able to take the comfort of the text to yourselves: "thou blessest the springing thereof." what then is the springing up of piety in the heart? we think it is first seen in _sincerely earnest desires after salvation_. the man is not saved, in his own apprehension, but he longs to be. that which was once a matter of indifference is now a subject of intense concern. once he despised christians, and thought them needlessly earnest; he thought religion a mere trifle, and he looked upon the things of time and sense as the only substantial matters; but now how changed he is! he envies the meanest christian, and would change places with the poorest believer if he might but be able to read his title clear to mansions in the skies. now worldly things have lost dominion over him, and spiritual things are uppermost. once with the unthinking many, he cried, "who will show us any good?" but now he cries, "lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me." once it was the corn and the wine to which he looked for comfort, but now he looks to god alone. his rock of refuge must be god, for he finds no comfort elsewhere. his holy desires, which he had years ago, were like smoke from the chimney, soon blown away; but now his longings are permanent, though not always operative to the same degree. at times these desires amount to a hungering and a thirsting after righteousness, and yet he is not satisfied with these desires, but wishes for a still more anxious longing after heavenly things. these desires are among the first springings of divine life in the soul. "the springing thereof" shows itself next in _prayer_. it _is_ prayer now. once it was the mocking of god with holy sounds unattended by the heart; but now, though the prayer is such that he would not like a human ear to hear him, yet god approves it, for it is the talking of a spirit to a spirit, and not the muttering of lips to an unknown god. his prayers, perhaps, are not very long: they do not amount to more than this, "oh!" "ah!" "would to god!" "lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner!" and such-like short ejaculations; but, then, they _are_ prayers. "behold he prayeth," does not refer to a long prayer; it is quite as sure a proof of spiritual life within, if it only refers to a sigh or to a tear. these "groanings that cannot be uttered," are among "the springings thereof." there will also be manifest _a hearty love for the means of grace_, and the house of god. the bible, long unread, which was thought to be of little more use than an old almanac, is now treated with great consideration; and though the reader finds little in it that comforts him just now, and much that alarms him, yet he feels that it is the book for him, and he turns to its pages with hope. when he goes up to god's house, he listens eagerly, hoping that there may be a message for him. before, he attended worship as a sort of pious necessity incumbent upon all respectable people; but now he goes up to god's house that he may find the saviour. once there was no more religion in him than in the door which turns upon its hinges; but now he enters the house praying, "lord, meet with my soul," and if he gets no blessing, he goes away sighing, "o that i knew where i might find him, that i might come even to his seat." this is one of the blessed signs of "the springing thereof." yet more cheering is another, namely, that the soul in this state has _faith in jesus christ_, at least in some degree. it is not a faith which brings great joy and peace, but still it is a faith which keeps the heart from despair, and prevents its sinking under a sense of sin. i have known the time when i do not believe any man living could see faith in me, and when i could scarcely perceive any in myself, and yet i was bold to say, with peter, "lord, thou knowest all things, _thou_ knowest that i love thee." what man cannot see, christ can see. many people have faith in the lord jesus christ, but they are so much engaged in looking at it that they do not see it. if they would look to christ and not to their own faith, they would not only see christ but see their own faith too; but they measure their faith, and it seems so little when they contrast it with the faith of full-grown christians, that they fear it is not faith at all. oh, little one, if thou hast faith enough to receive christ, remember the promise, "to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god." poor, simple, weak-hearted, and troubled one, look to jesus and answer, can such a saviour suffer in vain? can such an atonement be offered in vain? canst thou trust him, and yet be cast away? it cannot be. it never was in the saviour's heart to shake off one that did cling to his arm. however feeble the faith, he blesses "the springing thereof." the difficulty raises partly from misapprehension and partly from want of confidence in god. i say misapprehension: now if like some londoners you had never seen corn when it is green, you would cry out, "what! do you say that yonder green stuff is wheat?" "yes," the farmer says, "that is wheat." you look at it again and you reply, "why, man alive, that is nothing but grass. you do not mean to tell me that this grassy stuff will ever produce a loaf of bread such as i see in the baker's window; i cannot conceive it." no, you could not conceive it, but when you get accustomed to it, it is not at all wonderful to see the wheat go through certain stages; first the blade, then the ear, and afterwards the full corn in the ear. some of you have never seen growing grace, and do not know anything about it. when you are newly converted you meet with christians who are like ripe golden ears, and you say, "i am not like them." true, you are no more like them than that grassy stuff in the furrows is like full-grown wheat; but you will grow like them one of these days. you must expect to go through the blade period before you get to the ear period, and in the ear period you will have doubts whether you will ever come to the full corn in the ear; but you will arrive at perfection in due time. thank god that you are in christ at all. whether i have much faith or little faith, whether i can do much for christ or little for christ, is not the first question; i am saved, not on account of what i am, but on account of what jesus christ is; and if i am trusting to him, however little in israel i may be, i am as safe as the brightest of the saints. i have said, however, that mixed with misapprehension there is a great deal of unbelief. i cannot put it all down to an ignorance that may be forgiven: for there is sinful unbelief too. o sinner, why do you not trust jesus christ? poor, quickened, awakened conscience, god gives you his word that he who trusts in christ is not condemned, and yet you are afraid that you are condemned! this is to give god the lie! be ashamed and confounded that you should ever have been guilty of doubting the veracity of god. all your other sins do not grieve christ so much as the sin of thinking that he is unwilling to forgive you, or the sin of suspecting that if you trust him he will cast you away. do not slander his gracious character. do not cast a slur upon the generosity of his tender heart. he saith, "him that cometh to me i will in no wise cast out." come in the faith of his promise, and he will receive you just now. i have thus given some description of "the springing thereof." iii. thirdly, according to the text, there is one who sees this springing. thou, lord--_thou_ blessest the springing thereof. i wish that some of us had quicker eyes to see the beginning of grace in the souls of men; for want of this we let slip many opportunities of helping the weaklings. if a woman had the charge of a number of children that were not her own, i do not suppose she would notice all the incipient stages of disease; but when a mother nurses her own dear children, as soon as ever upon the cheek or in the eye there is a token of approaching sickness, she perceives it at once. i wish we had just as quick an eye, because just as tender a heart, towards precious souls. i do not doubt that many young people are weeks and even months in distress, who need not be, if you who know the lord were a little more watchful to help them in the time of their sorrow. shepherds are up all night at lambing time to catch up the lambs as soon as they are born, and take them in and nurse them; and we, who ought to be shepherds for god, should be looking out for all the lambs, especially at seasons when there are many born into god's great fold, for tender nursing is wanted in the first stages of the new life. god, however, when his servants do not see "the springing thereof," sees it all. now, you silent, retired spirits, who dare not speak to father or mother, or brother or sister, this text ought to be a sweet morsel to you. "_thou_ blessest the springing thereof," which proves that god sees you and your new-born grace. the lord sees the first sign of penitence. though you only say to yourself, "i will arise and go to my father," your father hears you. though it is nothing but a desire, your father registers it. "thou puttest my tears into thy bottle. are they not in thy book?" he is watching your return; he runs to meet you, and puts his arms about you, and kisses you with the kisses of his accepting love. o soul, be encouraged with that thought, that up in the chamber or down by the hedge, or wherever it is that thou hast sought secrecy, god is there. dwell on the thought, "thou god seest me." that is a precious text--"all my desire is before thee;" and here is another sweet one, "the lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy." he can see you when you only hope in his mercy, and he takes pleasure in you if you have only begun to fear him. here is a third choice word, "thou wilt perfect that which concerneth me." have you a concern about these things? is it a matter of soul-concern with you to be reconciled to god, and to have an interest in jesus' precious blood? it is only "the springing thereof," but he blesses it. it is written, "a bruised reed he will not break, and the smoking flax he will not quench, till he bring forth judgment unto victory." there shall be victory for you, even before the judgment-seat of god, though as yet you are only like the flax that smokes and gives no light, or like the reed that is broken, and yields no music. god sees the first springing of grace. iv. a few words upon a fourth point: what a misery it would be, if it were possible, to have this springing without god's blessing! the text says, "thou _blessest_ the springing thereof." we must, just a moment, by way of contrast, think of how the springing would have been without the blessing. suppose we were to see a revival among us without god's blessing. it is my conviction that there are revivals which are not of god at all, but are produced by excitement merely. if there be no blessing from the lord, it will be all a delusion, a bubble blown up into the air for a moment, and then gone to nothing. we shall only see the people stirred, to become the more dull and dead afterwards; and this is a great mischief to the church. in the individual heart, if there should be a springing up without god's blessing, there would be no good in it. suppose you have good desires, but no blessing on these desires, they will only tantalize and worry you; and then, after a time, they will be gone, and you will be more impervious than you were before to religious convictions; for, if religious desires are not of god's sending, but are caused by excitement, they will probably prevent your giving a serious hearing to the word of god in times to come. if convictions do not soften they will certainly harden. to what extremities have some been driven who have had springings of a certain sort which have not led them to christ! some have been crushed by despair. they tell us that religion crowds the madhouse: it is not true; but there is no doubt whatever that religiousness of a certain kind has driven many a man out of his mind. the poor souls have felt their wound but have not seen the balm. they have not known jesus. they have had a sense of sin and nothing more. they have not fled for refuge to the hope which god has set before them. marvel not if men do go mad when they refuse the saviour. it may come as a judicial visitation of god upon those men who, when in great distress of mind, will not fly to christ. i believe it is with some just this--you must either fly to jesus, or else your burden will become heavier and heavier until your spirit will utterly fail. this is not the fault of religion, it is the fault of those who will not accept the remedy which religion presents. a springing up of desires without god's blessing would be an awful thing, but we thank him that we are not left in such a case. v. and now i have to dwell upon the comforting thought that god does bless "the springing thereof." i wish to deal with you who are tender and troubled; i want to show that god _does_ bless your springing. he does it in many ways. frequently he does it by the cordials which he brings. you have a few very sweet moments: you cannot say that you are christ's, but at times the bells of your heart ring very sweetly at the mention of his name. the means of grace are very precious to you. when you gather to the lord's worship you feel a holy calm, and you go away from the service wishing that there were seven sundays in the week instead of one. by the blessing of god the word has just suited your case, as if the lord had sent his servants on purpose to you: you lay aside your crutches for awhile, and you begin to run. though these things have been sadly transient, they are tokens for good. on the other hand, if you have had none of these comforts, or few of them, and the means of grace have not been consolations to you, i want you to look upon that as a blessing. it may be the greatest blessing that god can give us to take away all comforts on the road, in order to quicken our running towards the end. when a man is flying to the city of refuge to be protected from the man-slayer, it may be an act of great consideration to stay him for a moment that he may quench his thirst and run more swiftly afterwards; but perhaps, in a case of imminent peril, it may be the kindest thing neither to give him anything to eat or to drink, nor invite him to stop for a moment, in order that he may fly with undiminished speed to the place of safety. the lord may be blessing you in the uneasiness which you feel. inasmuch as you cannot say that you are in christ, it may be the greatest blessing which heaven can give to take away every other blessing from you, in order that you may be compelled to fly to the lord. you perhaps have a little of your self-righteousness left, and while it is so you cannot get joy and comfort. the royal robe which jesus gives will never shine brilliantly upon us till every rag of our own goodness is gone. perhaps you are not empty enough, and god will never fill you with christ till you are. fear often drives men to faith. have you never heard of a person walking in the fields into whose bosom a bird has flown because pursued by the hawk? poor, timid thing, it would not have ventured there had not a greater fear compelled it. all this may be so with you; your fears may be sent to drive you more swiftly and more closely to the saviour, and if so, i see in these present sorrows the signs that god is blessing "the springing thereof." in looking back upon my own "springing" i sometimes think god blessed me then in a lovelier way than now. though i would not willingly return to that early stage of my spiritual life, yet there were many joys about it. an apple tree when loaded with apples is a very comely sight: but give me, for beauty, the apple tree in bloom. the whole world does not present a more lovely sight than an apple blossom. now, a full-grown christian laden with fruit is a comely sight, but still there is a peculiar loveliness about the young christian. let me tell you what that blessedness is; you have probably now a greater horror of sin than professors who have known the lord for years; they might wish that they felt your tenderness of conscience. you have now a graver sense of duty, and a more solemn fear of the neglect of it, than some who are further advanced. you have also a greater zeal than many: you are now doing your first works for god, and burning with your first love; nothing is too hot or too heavy for you: i pray that you may never decline, but always advance. and now to close. i think there are three lessons for us to learn. first, _let older saints be very gentle and kind to young believers_. god blesses the springing thereof--mind that you do the same. do not throw cold water upon young desires: do not snuff out young believers with hard questions. while they are babes and need the milk of the word, do not be choking them with your strong meat; they will eat strong meat by-and-by, but not just yet. remember, jacob would not overdrive the lambs; be equally prudent. teach and instruct them, but let it be with gentleness and tenderness, not as their superiors, but as nursing fathers for christ's sake. god, you see, blesses the springing thereof--may he bless it through you! the next thing i have to say is, _fulfil the duty of gratitude_. beloved, if god blesses the springing thereof we ought to be grateful for a little grace. if you have only seen the first shoot peeping up through the mould be thankful, and you shall see the green blade waving in the breeze; be thankful for the ankle-deep verdure and you shall soon see the commencement of the ear; be thankful for the first green ears and you shall see the flowering of the wheat, and by-and-by its ripening, and the joyous harvest. the last lesson is one of _encouragement_. if god blesses "the springing thereof," dear beginners, what will he not do for you in after days? if he gives you such a meal when you break your fast, what dainties will be on your table when he says to you, "come and dine"; and what a banquet will he furnish at the supper of the lamb! o troubled one! let the storms which howl and the snows which fall, and the wintry blasts that nip your springing, all be forgotten in this one consoling thought, that god blesses your springing, and whom god blesses none can curse. over your head, dear, desiring, pleading, languishing soul, the lord of heaven and earth pronounces the blessing of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit. take that blessing and rejoice in it evermore. amen. farm laborers. "i have planted, apollos watered; but god gave the increase. so then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but god that giveth the increase. now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. for we are laborers together with god: ye are god's husbandry."-- corinthians : - . i shall begin at the end of my text, because i find it to be the easiest way of mapping out my discourse. we shall first remark that _the church is god's farm_: "ye are god's husbandry." in the margin of the revised version we read, "ye are god's tilled ground," and that is the very expression for me. "ye are god's tilled ground," or farm. after we have spoken of the farm we will next say a little upon the fact that _the lord employs laborers_ on his estate: and when we have looked at the laborers--such poor fellows as they are--we will remember that _god himself is the great worker_: "we are laborers together with god." i. we begin by considering that the church is god's farm. the lord has made the church his own by his sovereign _choice_. he has also secured it unto himself by _purchase_, having paid for it a price immense. "the lord's portion is his people; jacob is the lot of his inheritance." every acre of god's farm cost the saviour a bloody sweat, yea, the blood of his heart. he loved us, and gave himself for us: that is the price he paid. henceforth the church is god's freehold, and he holds the title deeds of it. it is our joy to feel that we are not our own, we are bought with a price. the church is god's farm by choice and purchase. and now he has made it his by _enclosure_. it lay exposed aforetime as part of an open common, bare and barren, covered with thorns and thistles, and the haunt of every wild beast; for we were "by nature the children of wrath, even as others." divine foreknowledge surveyed the waste, and electing love marked out its portion with a full line of grace, and thus set us apart to be the lord's own estate forever. in due time effectual grace came forth with power, and separated us from the rest of mankind, as fields are hedged and ditched to part them from the open heath. hath not the lord declared that he hath chosen his vineyard and fenced it? "we are a garden wall'd around, chosen and made peculiar ground; a little spot, enclosed by grace out of the world's wide wilderness." the lord has also made this farm evidently his own by _cultivation_. what more could he have done for his farm? he has totally changed the nature of the soil: from being barren he hath made it a fruitful land. he hath ploughed it, and digged it, and fattened it, and watered it, and planted it with all manner of flowers and fruits. it hath already brought forth to him many a pleasant cluster, and there are brighter times to come, when angels shall shout the harvest home, and christ "shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." this farm is preserved by the lord's continual _protection_. not only did he enclose it, and cultivate it by his miraculous power, to make it his own farm, but he continually maintains possession of it. "i the lord do keep it; i will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, i will keep it night and day." if it were not for god's continual power her hedges would soon be thrown down, and wild beasts would devour her fields. wicked hands are always trying to break down her walls and lay her waste again, so that there should be no true church in the world; but the lord is jealous for his land, and will not allow it to be destroyed. a church would not long remain a church if god did not preserve it unto himself. what if god should say, "i will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down"? what a wilderness it would become. what saith he? "go ye now unto my place which was in shiloh, where i set my name at the first, and see what i did to it for the wickedness of my people israel." go ye to jerusalem, where of old was the city of his glory and the shrine of his indwelling, and what is left there to-day? go ye to rome, where once paul preached the gospel with power: what is it now but the centre of idolatry? the lord may remove the candlestick, and leave a place that was bright as day to become black as darkness itself. hence god's farm remains a farm because he is ever in it to prevent its returning to its former wildness. omnipotent power is as needful to keep the fields of the church under cultivation as to reclaim them at the first. inasmuch as the church is god's own farm, _he expects to receive a harvest from it_. the world is waste, and he looks for nothing from it; but we are tilled land, and therefore a harvest is due from us. barrenness suits the moorland, but to a farm it would be a great discredit. love looks for returns of love; grace given demands gracious fruit. watered with the drops of the saviour's bloody sweat, shall we not bring forth a hundredfold to his praise? kept by the eternal spirit of god, shall there not be produced in us fruits to his glory? the lord's husbandry upon us has shown a great expenditure of cost, and labor, and thought; ought there not to be a proportionate return? ought not the lord to have a harvest of obedience, a harvest of holiness, a harvest of usefulness, a harvest of praise? shall it not be so? i think some churches forget that an increase is expected from every field of the lord's farm, for they never have a harvest or even look for one. farmers do not plough their lands or sow their fields for amusement; they mean business, and plough and sow because they desire a harvest. if this fact could but enter into the heads of some professors, surely they would look at things in a different light; but of late it has seemed as if we thought that god's church was not expected to produce anything, but existed for her own comfort and personal benefit. brethren, it must not be so; the great husbandman must have some reward for his husbandry. every field must yield its increase, and the whole estate must bring forth to his praise. we join with the bride in the song in saying, "my vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, o solomon, must have thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred." but i come back to the place from which i started. this farm is, by choice, by purchase, by enclosure, by cultivation, by preservation, entirely the lord's. see, then, the injustice of allowing any of the laborers to call even a part of the estate his own. when a great man has a large farm of his own, what would he think if hodge the ploughman should say, "look here, i plough this farm, and therefore it is mine: i shall call this field hodge's acres"? "no," says hobbs, "i reaped that land last harvest, and therefore it is mine, and i shall call it hobbs's field." what if all the other laborers became hodgeites and hobbsites, and so parcelled out the farm among them? i think the landlord would soon eject the lot of them. the farm belongs to its owner, and let it be called by his name; but it is absurd to call it by the names of the men who labor upon it. shall insignificant nobodies rob god of his glory? remember how paul put it: "who then is paul, and who is apollos?" "is christ divided? was paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of paul?" the entire church belongs to him who has chosen it in his sovereignty, bought it with his blood, fenced it by his grace, cultivated it by his wisdom, and preserved it by his power. there is but one church on the face of the earth, and those who love the lord should keep this truth in mind. paul is a laborer, apollos is a laborer, cephas is a laborer; but the farm is not paul's, not so much as a rood of it, nor does a single parcel of land belong to apollos, or the smallest allotment to cephas; for "ye are christ's." the fact is that in this case the laborers belong to the land, and not the land to the laborers: "for all things are yours; whether paul, or apollos, or cephas." "we preach not ourselves, but christ jesus the lord; and ourselves your servants for jesus' sake." ii. we have now to notice, as our second head, that the great husbandman employs laborers. _by human agency god ordinarily works out his designs._ he can, if he pleases, by his holy spirit get directly at the hearts of men, but that is his business, and not ours; we have to do with such words as these: "it pleased god by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." the master's commission is not, "sit still and see the spirit of god convert the nations;" but, "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." observe god's method in supplying the race with food. in answer to the prayer, "give us this day our daily bread," he might have bidden the clouds drop manna, morning by morning, at each man's door; but he sees that it is for our good to work, and so he uses the hands of the ploughman and the sower for our supply. god might cultivate his chosen farm, the church, by miracle, or by angels; but in great condescension he blesses her through her own sons and daughters. he employs us for our own good; for we who are laborers in his fields receive much more good for ourselves than we bestow. labor develops our spiritual muscle and keeps us in health. "unto me," says paul, "who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that i should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable riches of christ." our great master means that every laborer on his farm should receive some benefit from it, for he never muzzles the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. the laborer's daily bread comes out of the soil. though he works not for himself, but for his master, yet still he has his portion of food. in the lord's granary there is seed for the sower, but there is also bread for the eater. however disinterestedly we may serve god in the husbandry of his church, we are ourselves partakers of the fruit. it is a great condescension on god's part that he uses us at all, for we are poor tools at the best, and more hindrance than help. the laborers employed by god are all _occupied upon needful work_. notice: "i have planted, apollos watered." who beat the big drum, or blew his own trumpet? nobody. on god's farm none are kept for ornamental purposes. i have read some sermons which could only have been meant for show, for there was not a grain of gospel in them. they were ploughs with the share left out, drills with no wheat in the box, clod-crushers made of butter. i do not believe that our god will ever pay wages to men who only walk about his grounds to show themselves. orators who display their eloquence in the pulpit are more like gypsies who stray on the farm to pick up chickens, than honest laborers who work to bring forth a crop for their master. many of the members of our churches live as if their only business on the farm was to pluck blackberries or gather wild flowers. they are great at finding fault with other people's ploughing and mowing; but not a hand's turn will they do themselves. come on, my good fellows. why stand ye all the day idle? the harvest is plenteous, and the laborers are few. you who think yourselves more cultivated than ordinary people, if you are indeed christians, must not strut about and despise those who are hard at work. if you do, i shall say, "that person has mistaken his master; he may probably be in the employ of some gentleman farmer, who cares more for show than profit; but our great lord is practical, and on his estate his laborers attend to needful labor." when you and i preach or teach it will be well if we say to ourselves, "what will be the use of what i am going to do? i am about to teach a difficult subject; will it do any good? i have chosen an abstruse point of theology; will it serve any purpose?" brethren, a laborer may work very hard at a whim of his own, and yet it may be all waste labor. some discourses do little more than show the difference between tweedle-_dum_ and tweedle-_dee_, and what is the use of that? suppose we sow the fields with sawdust, or sprinkle them with rose-water, what of that? will god bless our moral essays, and fine compositions, and pretty passages? brethren, we must aim at usefulness: we must as laborers together with god be occupied with something that is worth doing. "i," says one, "have planted": it is well, for planting must be done. "i," answers another, "have watered": that also is good and necessary. see to it that ye can each bring in a solid report; but let no man be content with the mere child's-play of oratory, or the getting up of entertainments and such like. on the lord's farm _there is a division of labor_. even paul did not say, "i have planted and watered." no, paul planted. and certainly apollos could not say, "i have planted as well as watered." no, it was enough for him to attend to the watering. no man has all gifts. how foolish, then, are they who say, "i enjoy so-and-so's ministry because he edifies the saints in doctrine; but when he was away the other sunday i could not profit by the preacher because he was all for the conversion of sinners." yes, he was planting; you have been planted a good while, and do not need planting again; but you ought to be thankful that others are made partakers of the benefit. one soweth and another reapeth, and therefore instead of grumbling at the honest ploughman because he did not bring a sickle with him, you ought to have prayed for him that he might have strength to plough deep and break up hard hearts. observe that, on god's farm, _there is unity of purpose_ among the laborers. read the text. "now he that planteth and he that watereth are one." one master has employed them, and though he may send them out at different times, and to different parts of the farm, yet they are all one in being used for one end, to work for one harvest. in england we do not understand what is meant by watering, because the farmer could not water all his farm; but in the east a farmer waters almost every inch of his ground. he would have no crop if he did not use all means for irrigating the fields. if you have ever been in italy, egypt, or palestine, you will have seen a complete system of wells, pumps, wheels, buckets, channels, little streamlets, pipes, and so on, by which the water is carried all over the garden to every plant, otherwise in the extreme heat of the sun it would be dried up. planting needs wisdom, watering needs quite as much, and the piecing of these two works together needs that the laborers should be of one mind. it is a bad thing when laborers are at cross purposes, and work against each other, and this evil is worse in the church than anywhere else. how can i plant with success if my helper will not water what i have planted; or what is the use of my watering if nothing is planted? husbandry is spoiled when foolish people undertake it, and quarrel over it; for from sowing to reaping the work is one, and all must be done to one end. let us pull together all our days, for strife brings barrenness. we are called upon to notice in our text that _all the laborers put together are nothing at all_. "neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth." the workmen are nothing at all without their master. all the laborers on a farm could not manage it if they had no one at their head, and all the preachers and christian workers in the world can do nothing unless god be with them. remember that every laborer on god's farm has derived all his qualifications from god. no man knows how to plant or water souls except the lord teaches him from day to day. all these holy gifts are grants of free grace. all the laborers work under god's direction and arrangement, or they work in vain. they would not know when or how to do their work if their master did not guide them by his spirit, without whose help they cannot even think a good thought. all god's laborers must go to him for their seed, or else they will scatter tares. all good seed comes out of god's granary. if we preach, it must be the true word of god, or nothing can come of it. more than that, all the strength that is in the laborer's arm to sow the heavenly seed must be given by the master. we cannot preach except god be with us. a sermon is vain talk and dreary word-spinning unless the holy spirit enlivens it. he must give us both the preparation of the heart and the answer of the tongue, or we shall be as men who sow the wind. when the good seed is sown the whole success of it rests with god. if he withhold the dew and the rain the seed will never rise from the ground; and unless he shall shine upon it the green ear will never ripen. the human heart will remain barren, even though paul himself should preach, unless god the holy ghost shall work with paul and bless the word to those that hear it. therefore, since the increase is of god alone, put the laborers into their place. do not make too much of us; for when we have done all we are unprofitable servants. yet, though inspiration calls the laborers nothing, it says that _they shall be rewarded_. god works our good works in us, and then rewards us for them. here we have mention of a personal service, and a personal reward: "every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." the reward is proportionate, not to the success, but to the labor. many discouraged workers may be comforted by that expression. you are not to be paid by results, but by endeavors. you may have a stiff bit of clay to plough, or a dreary plot of land to sow, where stones, and birds, and thorns, and travellers, and a burning sun may all be leagued against the seed; but you are not accountable for these things; your reward shall be according to your work. some put a great deal of labor into a little field, and make much out of it. others use a great deal of labor throughout a long life, and yet they see but small result, for it is written, "one soweth, and another reapeth": but the reaping man will not get all the reward, the sowing man shall receive his portion of the joy. the laborers are nobodies, but they shall enter into the joy of their lord. _unitedly_, according to the text, _the workers have been successful_, and that is a great part of their reward. "i have planted, apollos watered; but god gave the increase." frequently brethren say in their prayers, "a paul may plant, an apollos may water, but it is all in vain unless god gives the increase." this is quite true; but another truth is too much overlooked, namely, that when paul plants and apollos waters, god does give the increase. we do not labor in vain. there would be no increase without god; but then we are not without god: when such men as paul and apollos plant and water, there is sure to be an increase; they are the right kind of laborers, they work in a right spirit, and god is certain to bless them. this is a great part of the laborer's wages. iii. so much upon the laborers. now for the main point again. god himself is the great worker. he may use what laborers he pleases, but the increase comes alone from him. brethren, you know it is so in natural things: the most skilful farmer cannot make the wheat germinate, and grow, and ripen. he cannot even preserve a single field till harvest time, for the farmer's enemies are many and mighty. in husbandry there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip; and when the farmer thinks, good easy man, that he shall reap his crop, there are blights and mildews lingering about to rob him of his gains. god must give the increase. if any man is dependent on god it is the husbandman, and through him we are all of us dependent upon god from year to year for the food by which we live. even the king must live by the produce of the field. god gives the increase in the barn and the hay-rick; and in the spiritual farm it is even more so, for what can man do in this business? if any of you think that it is an easy thing to win a soul i should like you to attempt it. suppose that without divine aid you should try to save a soul--you might as well attempt to make a world. why, you cannot create a fly, how can you create a new heart and a right spirit? regeneration is a great mystery, it is out of your reach. "the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the spirit." what can you and i do in this matter? it is far beyond our line. we can tell out the truth of god; but to apply that truth to the heart and conscience is quite another thing. i have preached jesus christ with my whole heart, and yet i know that i have never produced a saving effect upon a single unregenerate man unless the spirit of god has opened the heart and placed the living seed of truth within it. experience teaches us this. equally is it the lord's work to keep the seed alive when it springs up. we think we have converts, and we are not long before we are disappointed in them. many are like blossoms on our apple trees; they are fair to look upon, but they do not come to anything; and others are like the many little apples which fall off long before they have come to any size. he who presides over a great church, and feels an agony for the souls of men, will soon be convinced that if god does not work there will be no work done: we shall see no conversion, no sanctification, no final perseverance, no glory brought to god, no satisfaction for the passion of the saviour, unless the lord be with us. well said our lord, "without me ye can do nothing." briefly i would draw certain practical lessons out of this important truth: the first is, if the whole farm of the church belongs exclusively to the great master worker, and the laborers are worth nothing without him, _let this promote unity among all whom he employs_. if we are all under one master, do not let us quarrel. it is a miserable business when we cannot bear to see good being done by those of a different denomination who work in ways of their own. if a new laborer comes on the farm, and he uses a hoe of a new shape, shall i become his enemy? if he does his work better than i do mine, shall i be jealous? do you not remember reading in the scriptures that, upon one occasion, the disciples could not cast out a devil? this ought to have made them humble; but to our surprise we read a few verses further on that they saw one casting out devils in christ's name, and they forbade him because he followed not with their company. _they_ could not cast out the devil themselves, and they forbade those who could. a certain band of people are going about winning souls, but because they are not doing it in our fashion, we do not like it. it is true they have odd ways; but they do really save souls, and that is the main point. instead of cavilling, let us encourage all on christ's side. wisdom is justified of her children, though some of them are far from handsome. the laborers ought to be satisfied with the new ploughman if their master smiles upon him. brother, if the great lord has employed you, it is no business of mine to question his choice. can i lend you a hand? can i show you how to work better? or can you show me how i can improve? this is the proper behavior of one workman to another. this truth, however, ought to _keep all the laborers very dependent_. are you going to preach, young man? "yes, i am going to do a great deal of good." are you? have you forgotten that you are nothing? "neither is he that planteth anything." a divine is coming brimful of the gospel to comfort the saints. if he is not coming in strict dependence upon god, he, too, is nothing. "neither is he that watereth anything." power belongeth unto god. man is vanity and his words are wind; to god alone belongeth power and wisdom. if we keep our places in all lowliness our lord will use us; but if we exalt ourselves he will leave us to our nothingness. next notice that _this fact ennobles everybody who labors in god's husbandry_. my soul is lifted up with joy when i mark these words, "for we are laborers together with god": mere laborers on his farm, and yet laborers _with him_. does the lord work with us? we know he does by the signs following. "my father worketh hitherto, and i work," is language for all the sons of god as well as for the great firstborn. god is with you, my brethren, when you are serving him with all your heart. speaking to your class concerning jesus, it is god that speaks by you; picking up that stranger on the way, and telling him of salvation by faith, christ is speaking through you even as he spoke with the woman at the well; addressing the rough crowd in the open air, young man, if you are preaching pardon through the atoning blood, it is the god of peter who is testifying of his son, even as he did on the day of pentecost. but, lastly, _how this should drive us to our knees_. since we are nothing without god, let us cry mightily unto him for help in this our holy service. let both sower and reaper pray together, or they will never rejoice together. if the blessing be withheld, it is because we do not cry for it and expect it. brother laborers, come to the mercy-seat, and we shall yet see the reapers return from the fields bringing their sheaves with them, though, perhaps, they went forth weeping to the sowing. to our father, who is the husbandman, be all glory, for ever and ever. amen. what the farm laborers can do and what they cannot do. "and he said, so is the kingdom of god, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. for the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. but when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come."--mark : - . there is a lesson for "laborers together with god." it is a parable for all who are concerned in the kingdom of god. it will be of little value to those who are in the kingdom of darkness, for they are not bidden to sow the good seed: "unto the wicked god saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes?" but all who are commissioned to scatter seed for the royal husbandman, will be glad to know how the harvest is preparing for him whom they serve. listen, then, ye that sow beside all waters; ye that with holy diligence seek to fill the garners of heaven--listen, and may the spirit of god speak into your ears as you are able to bear it. i. we shall, first, learn from our text what we can do and what we cannot do. let this stand as our first head. "so is the kingdom of god, as if a man should cast seed into the ground:" this the gracious worker can do. "and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how:" this is what he cannot do: seed once sown is beyond human jurisdiction, and man can neither make it spring nor grow. yet ere long the worker comes in again:--"when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle." we can reap in due season, and it is both our duty and our privilege to do so. you see, then, that there is a place for the worker at the beginning, and though there is no room for him in the middle passage, yet another opportunity is given him further on when that which he sowed has actually yielded fruit. notice, then, that _we can sow_. any man who has received the knowledge of the grace of god in his heart can teach others. i include under the term "man" all who know the lord, be they male or female. we cannot all teach alike, for all have not the same gifts; to one is given one talent, and to another ten; neither have we all the same opportunities, for one lives in obscurity and another has far-reaching influence; yet there is not within the family of god an infant hand which may not drop its own tiny seed into the ground. there is not a man among us who needs to stand idle in the market-place, for work suitable to his strength is waiting for him. there is not a saved woman who is left without a holy task; let her do it and win the approving word, "she hath done what she could." we need never quarrel with god because we cannot do everything, if he only permits us to do this one thing; for sowing the good seed is a work which will need all our wit, our strength, our love, our care. holy seed sowing should be adopted as our highest pursuit, and it will be no inferior object for the noblest life. you will need heavenly teaching that you may carefully select the wheat, and keep it free from the darnel of error. you will require instruction to winnow out of it your own thoughts and opinions; for these may not be according to the mind of god. men are not saved by our word, but by god's word. we need grace to learn the gospel aright, and to teach the whole of it. to different men we must, with discretion, bring forward that part of the word of god which will best bear upon their consciences; for much may depend upon the word being _in season_. having selected the seed, we shall have plenty of work if we go forth and sow it broadcast everywhere, for every day brings its opportunity, and every company furnishes its occasion. "in the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand." "sow beside all waters." still, wise sowers discover favorable opportunities for sowing, and gladly seize upon them. there are times when it would clearly be a waste to sow; for the soil could not receive it, it is not in a fit condition. after a shower, or before a shower, or at some such time as he that hath studied husbandry prefers, then must we be up and doing. while we are to work for god always, yet there are seasons when it were casting pearls before swine to talk of holy things, and there are other times when to be silent would be a great sin. sluggards in the time for ploughing and sowing are sluggards indeed, for they not only waste the day, but throw away the year. if you watch for souls, and use hours of happy vantage, and moments of sacred softening, you will not complain of the scanty space allowed for agency. even should you never be called to water, or to reap, your office is wide enough if you fulfil the work of the sower. for little though it seem to teach the simple truth of the gospel, yet it is essential. how shall men hear without a teacher? servants of god, the seed of the word is not like thistle-down, which is borne by every wind; but the wheat of the kingdom needs a human hand to sow it, and without such agency it will not enter into men's hearts, neither can it bring forth fruit to the glory of god. the preaching of the gospel is the necessity of every age; god grant that our country may never be deprived of it. even if the lord should send us a famine of bread and of water, may he never send us a famine of the word of god. faith cometh by hearing, and how can there be hearing if there is no teaching? scatter ye, scatter ye, then, the seed of the kingdom, for this is essential to the harvest. this seed should be sown often, for many are the foes of the wheat, and if you repeat not your sowing you may never see a harvest. the seed must be sown everywhere, too, for there are no choice corners of the world that you can afford to let alone, in the hope that they will be self-productive. you may not leave the rich and intelligent under the notion that surely the gospel will be found among them, for it is not so: the pride of life leads them away from god. you may not leave the poor and illiterate, and say, "surely they will of themselves feel their need of christ." not so: they will sink from degradation to degradation unless you uplift them with the gospel. no tribe of man, no peculiar constitution of the human mind, may be neglected by us; but everywhere we must preach the word, in season and out of season. i have heard that captain cook, the celebrated circumnavigator, in whatever part of the earth he landed, took with him a little packet of english seeds, and scattered them in suitable places. he would leave the boat and wander up from the shore. he said nothing, but quietly scattered the seeds wherever he went, so that he belted the world with the flowers and herbs of his native land. imitate him wherever you go; sow spiritual seed in every place that your foot shall tread upon. let us now think of what you cannot do. _you cannot, after the seed has left your hand, cause it to put forth life._ i am sure you cannot make it grow, for you do not know how it grows. the text saith, "and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how." that which is beyond the range of our knowledge is certainly beyond the reach of our power. can you make a seed germinate? you may place it under circumstances of damp and heat which will cause it to swell and break forth with a shoot, but the germination itself is beyond you. how is it done? we know not. after the germ has been put forth, can you make it further grow, and develop its life into leaf and stem? no; that, too, is out of your power. and when the green, grassy blade has been succeeded by the ear, can you ripen it? it will be ripened; but can _you_ do it? you know you cannot; you can have no finger in the actual process, though you may promote the conditions under which it is carried on. life is a mystery; growth is a mystery; ripening is a mystery: and these three mysteries are as fountains sealed against all intrusion. how comes it that there is within the ripe seed the preparations for another sowing and another growth? what is this vital principle, this secret reproducing energy? knowest thou anything about this? the philosopher may talk about chemical combinations, and he may proceed to quote analogies from this and that; but still the growth of the seed remains a secret; it springs up, he knoweth not how. certainly this is true of the rise and progress of the life of god in the heart. it enters the soul, and roots itself we know not how. naturally men hate the word, but it enters and it changes their hearts, so that they come to love it; yet we know not how. their whole nature is renewed, so that instead of producing sin it yields repentance, faith, and love; but we know not how. how the spirit of god deals with the mind of man, how he creates the new heart and the right spirit, how we are begotten again unto a lively hope, we cannot tell. the holy ghost enters into us; we hear not his voice, we see not his light, we feel not his touch; yet he worketh an effectual work upon us, which we are not long in perceiving. we know that the work of the spirit is a new creation, a resurrection, a quickening from the dead; but all these words are only covers to our utter ignorance of the mode of his working, with which it is not in our power to meddle. we do not know how he performs his miracles of love, and, not knowing how he works, we may be quite sure that we cannot take the work out of his hands. we cannot create, we cannot quicken, we cannot transform, we cannot regenerate, we cannot save. this work of god having proceeded in the growth of the seed, what next? _we can reap the ripe ears._ after a season god the holy spirit uses his servants again. as soon as the living seed has produced first of all the blade of thought, and afterwards the green ear of conviction, and then faith, which is as full corn in the ear, then the christian worker comes in for further service, for _he can reap_. "when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle." this is not the reaping of the last great day, for that does not come within the scope of the parable, which evidently relates to a human sower and reaper. the kind of reaping which the saviour here intends is that which he referred to when he said to his disciples, "lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." after he had been sowing the seed in the hearts of the samaritans, and it had sprung up, so that they began to evince faith in him, the lord jesus cried, "the fields are white to harvest." the apostle saith, "one soweth, and another reapeth." our lord said to the disciples, "i sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor." is there not a promise, "in due season we shall reap, if we faint not"? christian workers begin their harvest work by watching for signs of faith in christ. they are eager to see the blade, and delighted to mark the ripening ear. they often hope that men are believers, but they long to be sure of it; and when they judge that at last the fruit of faith is put forth, they begin to encourage, to congratulate, and to comfort. they know that the young believer needs to be housed in the barn of christian fellowship, that he may be saved from a thousand perils. no wise farmer leaves the fruit of the field long exposed to the hail which might beat it out, or to the mildew which might destroy it, or to the birds which might devour it. evidently no believing man should be left outside of the garner of holy fellowship; he should be carried into the midst of the church with all the joy which attends the home-bringing of sheaves. the worker for christ watches carefully, and when he discerns that his time is come, he begins at once to fetch in the converts, that they may be cared for by the brotherhood, separated from the world, screened from temptation, and laid up for the lord. he is diligent to do it at once, because the text saith, "immediately he putteth in the sickle." he does not wait for months in cold suspicion; he is not afraid that he shall encourage too soon when faith is really present. he comes with the word of promise and the smile of brotherly love at once, and he says to the new believer, "have you confessed your faith? is not the time come for an open confession? hath not jesus bidden the believer to be baptized? if you love him, keep his commandments." he does not rest till he has introduced the convert to the communion of the faithful. for our work, beloved, is but half done when men are made disciples and baptized. we have then to encourage, to instruct, to strengthen, to console, and succor in all times of difficulty and danger. what saith the saviour? "go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you." observe, then, the sphere and limit of agency. we can introduce the truth to men, but that truth the lord himself must bless; the living and growing of the word within the soul is of god alone. when the mystic work of growth is done, we are able to garner the saved ones in the church. for christ to be formed in men the hope of glory is not of our working, that remains with god; but, when jesus christ is formed in them, to discern the image of the saviour and to say, "come in, thou blessed of the lord, wherefore standest thou without?" this is our duty and delight. to create the divine life is god's, to cherish it is ours. to cause the hidden life to grow is the work of the lord; to see the uprising and development of that life and to harvest it is the work of the faithful, even as it is written, "when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come." this, then, is our first lesson; we see what we can do and what we cannot do. ii. our second head is like unto the first, and consists of what we can know and what we cannot know. first, _what we can know_. we can know when we have sown the good seed of the word that it will grow; for god has promised that it shall do so. not every grain in every place; for some will go to the bird, and some to the worm, and some to be scorched by the sun; but, as a general rule, god's word shall not return unto him void, it shall prosper in the thing whereto he hath sent it. this we can know. and we can know that the seed when once it takes root will continue to grow; that it is not a dream or a picture that will disappear, but a thing of force and energy, which will advance from a grassy blade to corn in the ear, and under god's blessing will develop to actual salvation, and be as the "full corn in the ear." god helping and blessing it, our work of teaching will not only lead men to thought and conviction, but to conversion and eternal life. we also can know, because we are told so, that the reason for this is mainly because there is life in the word. in the word of god itself there is life, for it is written--"the word of god is quick and powerful," that is, "living and powerful." it is "the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth for ever." it is the nature of living seeds to grow; and the reason why the word of god grows in men's hearts is because it is the living word of the living god, and where the word of a king is there is power. we know this, because the scriptures teach us so. is it not written, "of his own will begat he us by the word of truth"? moreover, the earth, which is here the type of the man, "bringeth forth fruit of herself." we must mind what we are at in expounding this, for human hearts do not produce faith of themselves; they are as hard rock on which the seed perishes. but it means this--that as the earth under the blessing of the dew and the rain is, by god's secret working upon it, made to take up and embrace the seed, so the heart of man is made ready to receive and enfold the gospel of jesus christ within itself. man's awakened heart wants exactly what the word of god supplies. moved by a divine influence the soul embraces the truth, and is embraced by it, and so the truth lives in the heart, and is quickened by it. man's love accepts the love of god; man's faith wrought in him by the spirit of god believes the truth of god; man's hope wrought in him by the holy ghost lays hold upon the things revealed, and so the heavenly seed grows in the soil of the soul. the life comes not from you who preach the word, but it is placed within the word which you preach by the holy spirit. the life is not in your hand, but in the heart which is led to take hold upon the truth by the spirit of god. salvation comes not from the personal authority of the preacher, but through the personal conviction, personal faith, and personal love of the hearer. so much as this we may know, and is it not enough for all practical purposes? still, there is _a something which we cannot know_, a secret into which we cannot pry. i repeat what i have said before: you cannot look into men's inward parts and see exactly how the truth takes hold upon the heart, or the heart takes hold upon the truth. many have watched their own feelings till they have become blind with despondency, and others have watched the feelings of the young till they have done them rather harm than good by their rigorous supervision. in god's work there is more room for faith than for sight. the heavenly seed grows secretly. you must bury it out of sight, or there will be no harvest. even if you keep the seed above ground, and it does sprout, you cannot discover _how_ it grows; even though you microscopically watched its swelling and bursting, you could not see the inward vital force which moves the seed. thou knowest not the way of the spirit. his work is wrought in secret. "explain the new birth," says somebody. my answer is, "experience the new birth, and you shall know what it is." there are secrets into which we cannot enter, for their light is too bright for mortal eyes to endure. o man, thou canst not become omniscient, for thou art a creature, and not the creator. for thee there must ever be a region not only unknown but unknowable. so far shall thy knowledge go, but no farther; and thou mayest thank god it is so, for thus he leaves room for faith, and gives cause for prayer. cry mightily unto the great worker to do what thou canst not attempt to perform, that so, when thou seest men saved, thou mayest give the lord all the glory evermore. iii. thirdly, our text tells us what we may expect if we work for god, and what we may not expect. according to this parable _we may expect to see fruit_. the husbandman casts his seed into the ground: the seed springs and grows, and he naturally expects a harvest. i wish i could say a word to stir up the expectations of christian workers; for i fear that many work without faith. if you had a garden or a field, and you sow seed in it, you would be very greatly surprised and grieved if it did not come up at all; but many christian people seem quite content to work on without expectation of result. this is a pitiful kind of working--pulling up empty buckets by the year together. surely, i must either see some result for my labor and be glad, or else, failing to see it, i must be ready to break my heart if i be a true servant of the great master. we ought to have expected results; if we had expected more we should have seen more; but a lack of expectation has been a great cause of failure in god's workers. _but we may not expect to see all the seed which we sow spring up the moment we sow it._ sometimes, glory be to god, we have but to deliver the word, and straightway men are converted: the reaper overtakes the sower, in such instances; but it is not always so. some sowers have been diligent for years upon their plots of ground, and yet apparently all has been in vain; at last the harvest has come, a harvest which, speaking after the manner of men, had never been reaped if they had not persevered to the end. this world, as i believe, is to be converted to christ; but not to-day, nor to-morrow, peradventure not for many an age; but the sowing of the centuries is not being lost, it is working on toward the grand ultimatum. a crop of mushrooms may soon be produced; but a forest of oaks will not reward the planter till generations of his children have mouldered in the dust. it is ours to sow, and to hope for quick reaping; but still we ought to remember that "the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain," and so must we. we are to expect results, but not to be dispirited if we have to wait for them. we are also to expect to see the good seed grow, but _not always after our fashion_. like children, we are apt to be impatient. your little boy sowed mustard and cress yesterday in his garden. this afternoon johnny will be turning over the ground to see if the seed is growing. there is no probability that his mustard and cress will come to anything, for he will not let it alone long enough for it to grow. so is it with hasty workers; they must see the result of the gospel directly, or else they distrust the blessed word. certain preachers are in such a hurry that they will allow no time for thought, no space for counting the cost, no opportunity for men to consider their ways and turn to the lord with full purpose of heart. all other seeds take time to grow, but the seed of the word must grow before the speaker's eyes like magic, or he thinks nothing has been done. such good brethren are so eager to produce blade and ear there and then, that they roast their seed in the fire of fanaticism, and it perishes. they make men think that they are converted, and thus effectually hinder them from coming to a saving knowledge of the truth. some men are prevented from being saved by being told that they are saved already, and by being puffed up with a notion of perfection when they are not even broken in heart. perhaps if such people had been taught to look for something deeper they might not have been satisfied with receiving seed on stony ground; but now they exhibit a rapid development, and an equally rapid decline and fall. let us believingly expect to see the seed grow; but let us look to see it advance after the manner of the preacher--firstly, secondly, thirdly: first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. we may expect also to see the seed ripen. our works will by god's grace lead up to real faith in those he hath wrought upon by his word and spirit; but _we must not expect to see it perfect at first_. how many mistakes have been made here. here is a young person under impression, and some good, sound brother talks with the trembling beginner, and asks profound questions. he shakes his experienced head, and knits his furrowed brows. he goes into the corn-field to see how the crops are prospering, and though it is early in the year, he laments that he cannot see an ear of corn; indeed, he perceives nothing but mere grass. "i cannot see a trace of corn," says he. no, brother, of course you cannot; for you will not be satisfied with the blade as an evidence of life, but must insist upon seeing everything at full growth at once. if you had looked for the blade you would have found it; and it would have encouraged you. for my own part, i am glad even to perceive a faint desire, a feeble longing, a degree of uneasiness, or a measure of weariness of sin, or a craving after mercy. will it not be wise for you, also, to allow things to begin at the beginning, and to be satisfied with their being small at the first? see the blade of desire, and then watch for more. soon you shall see a little more than desire; for there shall be conviction and resolve, and after that a feeble faith, small as a mustard seed, but bound to grow. do not despise the day of small things. do not examine the new-born babe to see whether he is sound in doctrine after your idea of soundness; ten to one he is a long way off sound, and you will only worry the dear heart by introducing difficult questions. speak to him about his being a sinner, and christ a saviour, and you will in this way water him so that his grace in the ear will become the full corn in the ear. it may be that there is not much that looks like wheat about him yet; but by-and-by you shall say, "wheat! ah, that it is, if i know wheat. this man is a true ear of corn, and gladly will i place him among my master's sheaves." if you cut down the blades, where will the ears come from? expect grace in your converts; but do not look to see glory in them just yet. iv. under the last head we shall consider what sleep workers may take, and what they may not take; for it is said of this sowing man, that he sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed springs and grows up he knoweth not how. they say a farmer's trade is a good one because it is going on while he is abed and asleep; and surely ours is a good trade, too, when we serve our master by sowing good seed; for it is growing even while we are asleep. but how may a good workman for christ lawfully go to sleep? i answer, first, he may sleep the sleep of _restfulness_ born of confidence. you are afraid the kingdom of christ will not come, are you? who asked you to tremble for the ark of the lord? afraid for the infinite jehovah that his purposes will fail? shame on you! your anxiety dishonors your god. shall omnipotence be defeated? you had better sleep than wake to play the part of uzzah. rest patiently; god's purpose will be accomplished, his kingdom will come, his chosen will be saved, and christ shall see of the travail of his soul. take the sweet sleep which god gives to his beloved, the sleep of perfect confidence, such as jesus slept in the hinder part of the ship when it was tossed with tempest. the cause of god never was in jeopardy, and never will be; the seed sown is insured by omnipotence, and must produce its harvest. in patience possess your soul, and wait till the harvest comes, for the pleasure of the lord must prosper in the hands of jesus. also take that sleep of _joyful expectancy_ which leads to a happy waking. get up in the morning and feel that the lord is ruling all things for the attainment of his own purposes, and the highest benefit of all who put their trust in him. look for a blessing by day, and close your eyes at night calmly expecting to meet with better things to-morrow. if you do not sleep you will not wake up in the morning refreshed, and ready for more work. if it were possible for you to sit up all night and eat the bread of carefulness you would be unfit to attend to the service which your master appoints for the morning; therefore take your rest and be at peace, and work with calm dignity, for the matter is safe in the lord's hands. is it not written, "so he giveth his beloved sleep"? take your rest because you have consciously resigned your work into god's hands. after you have spoken the word, resort to god in prayer, and commit the matter into god's hand, and then do not fret about it. it cannot be in better keeping, leave it with him who worketh all in all. but do not sleep the sleep of unwatchfulness. the farmer sows his seed, but he does not therefore forget it. he has to mend his fences, to drive away birds, to remove weeds, or to prevent floods. he does not watch the growth of the seed, but he has plenty else to do. he sleeps, but it is only in due time and measure, and is not to be confounded with the sluggard's slumbers. he never sleeps the sleep of indifference, or even of inaction, for each season has its demand upon him. he has sown one field, but he has another to sow. he has sown, but he has also to reap; and if reaping is done, he has to thresh and to winnow. a farmer's work is never done, for in one part or the other of the farm he is needed. his sleep is but a pause that gives him strength to continue his occupation. the parable teaches us to do all that lies within our province, but not to intrude into the domain of god: in teaching to the era we are to labor diligently, but with regard to the secret working of truth upon man's mind, we are to pray and rest, looking to the lord for the inward power. the sheep before the shearers. "as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."--isaiah : . our lord jesus so took our place that we are in this chapter compared to sheep: "all we like sheep have gone astray," and he is compared to a sheep also--"as a sheep before her shearers is dumb." it is wonderful how complete was the interchange of positions between christ and his people, so that he became what they were in order that they might become what he is. we can well understand how we should be the sheep and he the shepherd; but to liken the son of the highest to a sheep would have been unpardonable presumption had not his own spirit employed the condescending figure. though the emblem is very gracious, its use in this place is by no means singular, for our lord had been before isaiah's day typified by the lamb of the passover. since then he has been proclaimed as "the lamb of god which taketh away the sin of the world;" and indeed even in his glory he is the lamb in the midst of the throne. i. in opening up this divine emblem i would invite you to consider, first, our saviour's patience, set forth under the figure of a sheep dumb before her shearers. our lord was brought to the shearers that he might be shorn of his comfort, and of his honor, shorn even of his good name, and shorn at last of his life itself; but when under the shearers he was as silent as a sheep. how patient he was before pilate, and herod, and caiaphas, and on the cross! you have no record of his uttering any exclamation of impatience at the pain and shame which he received at the hands of these wicked men. you hear not one bitter word. pilate cries, "answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee"; and herod is wofully disappointed, for he expected to see some miracle wrought by him. all that our lord does say is in submissive tones, like the bleating of a sheep, though infinitely more full of meaning. he utters sentences like these--"for this purpose was i born, and came into the world, that i might bear witness to the truth," and, "father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." otherwise he is all patience and silence. remember, first, that our lord was dumb and opened not his mouth _against his adversaries_, and did not accuse one of them of cruelty or injustice. they slandered him, but he replied not; false witnesses arose, but he answered them not. one would have thought he must have spoken when they spat in his face. might he not have said, "friend, why doest thou this? for which of all my works dost thou insult me?" but the time for such expostulations was over. when they smote him on the face with the palms of their hands, it would not have been wonderful if he had said, "wherefore do you smite me so?" but no; he is as though he heard not their revilings. he brings no accusation to his father. he needed only to have lifted his eye to heaven, and legions of angels would have chased away the ribald soldiery; one flash of a seraph's wing and herod had been eaten by worms, and pilate had died the death he well deserved as an unjust judge. the hill of the cross might have become a volcano's mouth to swallow up the whole multitude who stood there jesting and jeering at him: but no, there was no display of power, or rather there was so great a display of power over himself that he restrained omnipotence itself with a strength which never can be measured. again, as he did not utter a word against his adversaries, so he did not say a word _against any one of us_. you remember how zipporah said to moses, "surely a bloody husband art thou to me," as she saw her child bleeding; and surely jesus might have said to his church, "thou art a costly spouse to me, to bring me all this shame and bloodshedding." but he giveth liberally, he openeth the very fountain of his heart, and he upbraideth not. he had reckoned on the uttermost expenditure, and therefore he endured the cross, despising the shame. "this was compassion like a god, that when the saviour knew, the price of pardon was his blood, his pity ne'er withdrew." no doubt he looked across the ages; for that eye of his was not dim, even when bloodshot on the tree: he must have foreseen your indifference and mine, our coldness of heart, and base unfaithfulness, and he might have left on record some such words as these: "i am suffering for those who are utterly unworthy of my regard; their love will be a miserable return for mine. though i give my whole heart for them, how lukewarm is their love to me! i am sick of them, i am weary of them, and it is woe to me that i should be laying down my heart's blood for such a worthless race as these my people are." but there is not a hint of such a feeling. no. "having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end," and he did not utter a syllable that looked like murmuring at his suffering on their behalf, or regretting that he had commenced the work. and again, as there was not a word against his adversaries, nor a word against you nor me, so their was not a word _against his father_, nor a syllable of repining at the severity of the chastisement laid upon him for our sakes. you and i have murmured when under a comparatively light grief, thinking ourselves hardly done by. we have dared to cry out against god, "my face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure." but not so the saviour; in his mouth were no complaints. it is quite impossible for us to conceive how the father pressed and bruised him, yet was there no repining. "my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me?" is an exclamation of astonished grief, but it is not the voice of complaint. it shows manhood in weakness, but not manhood in revolt. many are the lamentations of jeremiah, but few are the lamentations of jesus. jesus wept, and jesus sweat great drops of blood, but he never murmured nor felt rebellion in his heart. behold your lord and saviour lying in passive resignation beneath the shearers, as they take away everything that is dear to him, and yet he openeth not his mouth. i see in this our lord's _complete submission_. he gives himself up; there is no reserve about it. the sacrifice did not need binding with cords to the horns of the altar. how different from your case and mine! he stood there willing to suffer, to be spit upon, to be shamefully entreated, and to die, for in him there was a complete surrender. he was wholly given to do the father's will, and to work out our redemption. there was _complete self-conquest_ too. in him no faculty arose to plead for liberty, and ask to be exempted from the general strain; no limb of the body, no portion of the mind, no faculty of the spirit started, but all submitted to the divine will: the whole christ gave up his whole being unto god, that he might perfectly offer himself without spot for our redemption. there was not only self-conquest, but _complete absorption in his work_. the sheep, lying there, thinks no more of the pastures, it yields itself up to the shearer. the zeal of god's house did eat up our lord in pilate's hall as well as everywhere else, for there he witnessed a good confession. no thought had he but for the clearing of the divine honor, and the salvation of god's elect. brethren, i wish we could arrive at this, to submit our whole spirit to god, to learn self-conquest, and the delivering up of conquered self entirely to god. the wonderful serenity and submissiveness of our lord are still better set forth by our text, if it be indeed true that sheep in the east are even more docile than with us. those who have seen the noise and roughness of many of our washings and shearings will hardly believe the testimony of that ancient writer philo-judæus when he affirms that the sheep came voluntarily to be shorn. he says: "woolly rams laden with thick fleeces put themselves into the shepherd's hands to have their wool shorn, being thus accustomed to pay their yearly tribute to man, their king by nature. the sheep stands in a silent inclining posture, unconstrained under the hand of the shearer. these things may appear strange to those who do not know the docility of the sheep, but they are true." marvellous indeed was this submissiveness in our lord's case; let us admire and imitate. ii. thus i have feebly set forth the patience of our beloved master. now i want you to follow me, in the second place, to view our own case under the same metaphor as that which is used in reference to our lord. did i not begin by saying that because we were sheep he deigns to compare himself to a sheep? let us look from another point of view; our lord was a sheep under the shearers, and as he is so are we also in this world. though we shall never be offered up like lambs in the temple by way of expiation, yet the saints for ages were the flock of slaughter, as it is written, "for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter!" jesus sends us forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, and we are to regard ourselves as living sacrifices, ready to be offered up. i dwell, however, more particularly upon the second symbol: we are brought as sheep under the shearers' hands. just as a sheep is taken by the shearer, and its wool is all cut off, so doth the lord take his people and shear them, taking away all their earthly comforts, and leaving them bare. i wish when it came to our turn to undergo this shearing operation it could be said of us as of our lord, "as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." i fear that we open our mouths a great deal, and make no end of complaining without any apparent cause, or with the very slenderest reason. but now to the figure. first, remember that _a sheep rewards its owner for all his care and trouble by being shorn_. there is nothing else that i know of that a sheep can do. it yields food when it is killed, but while it is alive the one payment that the sheep can make to the shepherd is to yield its fleece in due season. some of god's people can give to christ a tribute of gratitude by active service, and they should do so gladly every day of their lives; but many others cannot do much in active service, and about the only reward they can give to their lord is to render up their fleece by suffering when he calls upon them to suffer, submissively yielding to be shorn of their personal comfort when the time comes for patient endurance. here comes the shearer; he takes the sheep and begins to cut, cut, cut, cut, taking away the wool wholesale. affliction is often used as the big shears. the husband, or perhaps the wife, is removed, little children are taken away, property is shorn off, and health is gone. sometimes the shears cut off the man's good name; slander follows; comforts vanish. well, this is your shearing time, and it may be that you are not able to glorify god to any very large extent except by undergoing this process. if this be the fact, do you not think that we, like good sheep of christ, should surrender ourselves cheerfully, feeling, "i lay myself down with this intent, that thou shouldst take from me anything and everything, and do what thou wilt with me; for i am not mine own, i am bought with a price"? notice that the sheep is itself _benefited by the operation of shearing_. before they begin to shear the sheep the wool is long and old, and every bush and brier tears off a bit of the wool, until the sheep looks ragged and forlorn. if the wool were left, when the heat of summer came the sheep would not be able to bear itself, it would be so overloaded with clothing that it would be as uncomfortable as we are when we have kept on our borrowed wool, our flannels and broadcloths, too late. so, brethren, when the lord shears us, we do not like the operation any more than the sheep do; but first, it is for _his glory_; and secondly, it is for _our benefit_, and therefore we are bound most willingly to submit. there are many things which we should have liked to have kept which, if we had kept them, would not have proved blessings but curses. a stale blessing is a curse. the manna, though it came from heaven, was only good so long as god's command made it a blessing, but when they kept it over its due time it bred worms and stank, and then it was no blessing. many persons would keep their mercies till they turn to corruption; but god will not have it so. up to a certain point for you to be wealthy was a blessing; it would not have been a blessing any longer, and so the lord took your riches away. up to that point your child was a boon, but it would have been no longer so, and therefore it fell sick and died. you may not be able to see it, but it is so, that god, when he withdraws a blessing from his people, takes it away because it would not be a blessing any longer. before sheep are shorn _they are always washed_. were you ever present at the scene when they drive them down to the brook? men are placed in rows, leading to the shepherd who stands in the water. the sheep are driven down, and the men seize them, throw them into the pool, keeping their faces above water, and swirl them round and round and round to wash the wool before they clip it off. you see them come out on the other side frightened to death, poor things, wondering whatever is coming. i want to suggest to you, brethren, that whenever a trial threatens to overtake you, you should entreat the lord to sanctify it to you. if the good shepherd is going to clip your wool, ask him to wash it before he takes it off; ask to be cleansed in spirit, soul, and body. that is a very good custom christian people have of asking a blessing on their meals before they eat bread. do you not think it is even more necessary to ask a blessing on our troubles before we get into them? here is your dear child likely to die; will you not, dear parents, meet together and ask god to bless the death of that child, if it is to happen? the harvest fails; would it not be well to say--"lord, sanctify this poverty, this loss, this year's bad harvest: cause it to be a means of grace to us." why not ask a blessing on the cup of bitterness as well as upon the cup of thanksgiving? ask to be washed before you are shorn, and if the shearing must come, let it be your chief concern to yield clean wool. after the washing, when the sheep has been dried, it actually _loses what was its comfort_. the sheep is thrown down, and the shearers get to work; the poor creature is losing its comfortable fleece. you also will have to part with your comforts. will you recollect this? the next time you receive a fresh blessing call it a loan. poor sheep, there is no wool on your back but what will have to come off; child of god, there is no earthly comfort in your possession but what will either leave you, or you will leave it. nothing is our own except our god. "why," says one, "not our sin?" sin was our own, but jesus has taken it upon himself, and it is gone. there is nothing our own but our god, for all his gifts are held on lease, terminable at his sovereign will. we foolishly consider that our mercies belong to us, and when the lord takes them away we half grumble. a loan, they say, should go laughing home, and so should we rejoice when the lord takes back that which he had lent us. all our possessions are but brief favors borrowed for the hour. as the sheep yields up its wool and so loses its comfort, so must we yield up all our earthly properties; or if they remain with us till we die, we shall part with them then, we shall not take so much as one of them across the stream of death. the shearers _take care not to hurt the sheep_; they clip as close as they can, but they do not cut the skin. if possible, they will not draw blood, even in the smallest degree. when they do make a gash, it is because the sheep does not lie still; but a careful shearer has bloodless shears. of this thomson sings in his "seasons," and the passage is so good an illustration of the whole subject that i will adorn my discourse with it: "how meek, how patient, the mild creature lies! what softness in its melancholy face, what dumb complaining innocence appears! fear not, ye gentle tribes! 'tis not the knife of horrid slaughter that is o'er you waved; no, 'tis the tender swain's well guided shears, who having now, to pay his annual care, borrow'd your fleece, to you a cumbrous load, will send you bounding to your hills again." it is the kicking and the struggling that make the shearing work at all hard, but if we are dumb before the shearers no harm can come. the lord may clip wonderfully close; i have known him clip some so close that they did not seem to have a bit of wool left, for they were stripped entirely, even as job when he cried, "naked came i out of my mother's womb, and naked shall i return thither." still, like job, they have added, "the lord gave, and the lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the lord." notice that the shearers always _shear at a suitable time_. it would be a very wicked, cruel, and unwise thing to begin sheep-shearing in winter time. there is a proverb which talks about god "tempering the wind to the shorn lamb." it may be so, but it is a very cruel practice to shear lambs while winds need tempering. sheep are shorn when it is warm, genial weather, when they can afford to lose their fleeces, and are all the better for being relieved of them. as the summer comes on sheep-shearing time comes. have you ever noticed that whenever the lord afflicts us he selects the best possible time? there is a prayer that he puts into his disciples' mouths, "pray that your flight be not in the winter;" the spirit of that prayer may be seen in the seasonableness of our sorrows. he will not send us our worst troubles at our worst times. if your soul is depressed the lord does not send you a very heavy burden; he reserves such a load for times when you have joy in the lord to be your strength. it has come to be a kind of feeling with us that when we have much delight a trial is near, but when sorrow thickens deliverance is approaching. the lord does not send us two burdens at a time; or, if he does, he sends double strength. his shearing time is chosen with tender discretion. there is another thing to remember. it is with us as with the sheep, _there is new wool coming_. whenever the lord takes away our earthly comforts with one hand, one, two, three, he restores with the other hand six, a score, a hundred; we are crying and whining about the little loss, and yet it is necessary in order that we may be able to receive the great gain. yes, it will be so, we shall have cause for rejoicing, "joy cometh in the morning." if we have lost one position, there is another for us; if we have been driven out of one place, a better refuge is prepared. providence opens a second door when it shuts the first. if the lord takes away the manna, as he did from his people israel, it is because they have the old corn of the land of canaan to live upon. if the water of the rock did not follow the tribes any longer, it was because they drank of the jordan, and of the brooks. o sheep of the lord's fold, there is new wool coming: therefore do not fret at the shearing. i have given these thoughts in brief, that we may come to the last word. iii. let us, in the third place, endeavor to imitate the example of our blessed lord when our turn comes to be shorn. let us be dumb before the shearers, submissive, quiescent, even as he was. i have been giving, in everything i have said, a reason for so doing. i have shown that our shearing by affliction glorifies god, rewards the shepherd, and benefits ourselves. i have shown that the lord measures and tempers our affliction, and sends the trial at the right time. i have shown you in many ways that it will be wise to submit ourselves as the sheep does to the shearer, and that the more completely we do so the better. we struggle far too much, and we are apt to make excuses for so doing. sometimes we say, "oh, this is so painful, i cannot be patient! i could have borne anything else but this." when a father is going to correct his child, does he select something pleasant? no. the painfulness of the punishment is the essence of it, and even so the bitterness of our sorrow is the soul of our chastening. by the blueness of the wound the heart will be made better. do not repine because your trial seems strange and sharp. that would in fact be saying, "if i have it all my own way i will, but if everything does not please me i will rebel;" and that is not a fit spirit for a child of god. sometimes we complain because of our great weakness. "lord, were i stronger i would not mind this heavy loss; but i am frail as a sere leaf driven of the tempest." but who is to be the judge of the suitability of your trial? you or god? since the lord judges this trial to be suitable to your weakness, you may be sure that it is so. lie still! lie still! "alas," you say, "my grief comes from the most cruel quarter; this trouble did not arise directly from god, it came through my cousin or my brother who ought to have treated me with gratitude. it was not an enemy; then i could have borne it." my brother, let me assure you that in reality trial comes not from an enemy after all. god is at the bottom of all your tribulation; look through the second causes to the great first cause. it is a great mistake when we fret over the human instrument which smites us, and forget the hand which uses the rod. if i strike a dog, he bites my stick; poor creature, he knows no better; but if he could think a little he would bite _me_, or else take the blow submissively. now, you must not begin biting the stick. after all, it is your heavenly father that uses the staff; though it be of ebony or of blackthorn, it is in his hand. it is well to have done with picking and choosing our trials, and to leave the whole matter in the hand of infinite wisdom. a sweet singer has put this matter very prettily; let me quote the lines: "but when my lord did ask me on what side i were content, the grief whereby i must be purified, to me was sent, "as each imagined anguish did appear, each withering bliss before my soul, i cried, 'oh! spare me here, oh, no, not this!' "like one that having need of, deep within, the surgeon's knife, would hardly bear that it should graze the skin, though for his life. "nay, then, but he, who best doth understand both what we need, and what can bear, did take my case in hand, nor crying heed." this is the pith of my sermon: oh, believer, yield thyself! lie passive in the hands of god! yield thee, and struggle not! there is no use in struggling, for our great shearer, if he means to shear, will do it. did i not say just now that the sheep, by struggling, might be cut by the shears? so you and i, if we struggle against god, will get two strokes instead of one; and after all there is not half so much trouble in a trouble as there is in kicking against the trouble. the eastern ploughman has a goad, and pricks the ox to make it move more actively; he does not hurt it much by his gentle prodding, but suppose the ox flings out its leg the moment it touches him, he drives the goad into himself, and bleeds. so it is with us, we shall find it hard to kick against the pricks; we shall endure much more pain by rebelling than would have come if we had yielded to the divine will. what good comes of fretting? we cannot make one hair white or black. you that are troubled, rest with us, for you cannot make shower or shine, foul or fair, with all your groaning. did you ever bring a penny into the till by fretting, or put a loaf on the table by complaint? murmuring is wasted breath, and fretting is wasted time. to lie passive in the hand of god brings a blessing to the soul. i would myself be more quiet, calm, and self-possessed. i long to cry habitually, "lord, do what thou wilt, when thou wilt, as thou wilt, with me, thy servant; appoint me honor or dishonor, wealth or poverty, sickness or health, exhilaration or depression, and i will take all right gladly from thy hand." a man is not far from the gates of heaven when he is fully submissive to the lord's will. you that have been shorn have, i hope, received comfort through the ever blessed spirit of god. may god bless you. oh that the sinner, too, would humble himself under the mighty hand of god! submit yourselves unto god, let every thought be brought into captivity to him, and the lord send his blessing, for christ's sake. amen. in the hay-field. "he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle."--psalm : . at the appointed season all the world is busy with ingathering the grass crop, and you can scarcely ride a mile in the country without scenting the delicious fragrance of the new-mown hay, and hearing the sharpening of the mower's scythe. there is a gospel in the hay-field, and that gospel we intend to bring out as we may be enabled by the holy spirit. our text conducts us at once to the spot, and we shall therefore need no preface. "he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle"--three things we shall notice; first, that _grass is in itself instructive_; secondly, that _grass is far more so when god is seen in it_; and thirdly, that _by the growth of grass for the cattle, the ways of grace may be illustrated_. i. first, then, "he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle." here we have something which is in itself instructive. scarcely any emblem, with the exception of water and light, is more frequently used by inspiration than the grass of the field. in the first place, the grass may be instructively looked upon as _the symbol of our mortality_. "all flesh is grass." the whole history of man may be seen in the meadow. he springs up green and tender, subject to the frosts of infancy, which imperil his young life; he grows, he comes to maturity, he puts on beauty even as the grass is adorned with flowers; but after a while his strength departs and his beauty is wrinkled, even as the grass withers and is followed by a fresh generation, which withers in its turn. like ourselves, the grass ripens but to decay. the sons of men come to maturity in due time, and then decline and wither as the green herb. some of the grass is not left to come to ripeness at all, but the mower's scythe removes it, even as swift-footed death overtakes the careless children of adam. "in the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. for we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled." "as for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more." this is very humbling; and we need frequently to be reminded of it, or we dream of immortality beneath the stars. we ought never to tread upon the grass without remembering that whereas the green sod covers our graves, it also reminds us of them, and preaches by every blade a sermon to us concerning our mortality, of which the text is, "all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field." in the second place, grass is frequently used in scripture as _an emblem of the wicked_. david tells us from his own experience that the righteous man is apt to grow envious of the wicked when he sees the prosperity of the ungodly. we have seen them spreading themselves like green bay trees, and apparently fixed and rooted in their places; and when we have smarted under our own troubles, and felt that all the day long we were scourged, and chastened every morning, we have been apt to say, "how can this be consistent with the righteous government of god?" we are reminded by the psalmist that in a short time we shall pass by the place of the wicked, and lo, he shall not be; we shall diligently consider his place, and lo, it shall not be; for he is soon cut down as the grass, and withereth as the green herb. the grass withereth, the flower thereof fadeth away, and even so shall pass away forever the glory of those who build upon the estate of time, and dig for lasting comfort in the mines of the earth. as the eastern husbandman gathers up the green herb, and, despite its former beauty, casts it into the furnace, such must be your lot, o vainglorious sinners! thus will the judge command his angels, "bind them in bundles to burn." where now your merriment? where now your confidence? where now your pride and your pomp? where now your boastings and your loud-mouthed blasphemies? they are silent for ever; for, as thorns crackle under a pot, but are speedily consumed, and leave nothing except a handful of ashes, so shall it be with the wicked as to this life; the fire of god's wrath shall devour them. it is more pleasing to recollect that the grass is used in scripture as _a picture of the elect of god_. the wicked are comparable to the dragons of the wilderness, but god's own people shall spring up in their place, for it is written, "in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes." the elect are compared to grass, because of their number as they shall be in the latter days, and because of the rapidity of their growth. you remember the passage, "there shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains: the fruit thereof shall shake like lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth." o that the long expected day might soon come, when god's people shall no longer be like a lone tuft of grass, but when they shall spring up as among the grass, as "willows by the water-courses." grass and willows are two of the fastest growing things we know of; so shall a nation be born in a day, so shall crowds be converted at once; for when the spirit of god shall be mightily at work in the midst of the church, men shall fly unto christ as doves fly to their dovecots, so that the astonished church shall exclaim, "these, where had they been?" o that we might live to see the age of gold, the time which prophets have foretold, when the company of god's people shall be innumerable as the blades of grass in the meadows, and grace and truth shall flourish. how like the grass are god's people for this reason, that they are absolutely dependent upon the influences of heaven! our fields are parched if vernal showers and gentle dews are withheld, and what are our souls without the gracious visitations of the spirit? sometimes through severe trials our wounded hearts are like the mown grass, and then we have the promise, "he shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth." our sharp troubles have taken away our beauty, and lo, the lord visits us, and we revive again. thank god for that old saying, which is a gracious doctrine as well as a true proverb, "each blade of grass has its own drop of dew." god is pleased to give his own peculiar mercies to each one of his own servants. "thy blessing is upon thy people." once again, grass is comparable to _the food where-with the lord supplies the necessities of his chosen ones_. take the twenty-third psalm, and you have the metaphor worked out in the sweetest form of pastoral song: "he maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." just as the sheep has nourishment according to its nature, and this nourishment is abundantly found for it by its shepherd, so that it not only feeds, but then lies down in the midst of the fodder, satiated with plenty, and perfectly content and at ease; even so are the people of god when jesus christ leads them into the pastures of the covenant, and opens up to them the precious truths upon which their souls shall be fed. beloved, have we not proved that promise true, "in this mountain shall the lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined"? my soul has sometimes fed upon christ till i have felt as if i could receive no more, and then i have laid me down in the bounty of my god to take my rest, satisfied with favor, and full of the goodness of the lord. thus, you see, the grass itself is not without instruction for those who will incline their ear. ii. in the second place, god is seen in the growing of the grass. he is seen first as a worker, "he _causeth_ the grass to grow." he is seen secondly as a caretaker, "he causeth the grass to grow _for the cattle_." . first, as a _worker_, god is to be seen in every blade of grass, if we have but eyes to discern him. a blind world this, which always talks about "natural laws," and "the effects of natural causes," but forgets that laws cannot operate of themselves, and that natural causes, so called, are not causes at all unless the first cause shall set them in motion. the old romans used to say, _god_ thundered; _god_ rained. we say _it_ thunders; _it_ rains. what "it"? all these expressions are subterfuges to escape from the thought of god. we commonly say, "how wonderful are the works of _nature_!" what is "nature"? do you know what _nature_ is? i remember a lecturer in the street, an infidel, speaking about nature, and he was asked by a christian man standing by whether he would tell him what nature was. he never gave a reply. the production of grass is not the result of natural law apart from the actual work of god; mere law would be inoperative unless the great master himself sent a thrill of power through the matter which is regulated by the law--unless, like the steam engine, which puts force into all the spinning-jennies and wheels of a cotton mill, god himself were the motive power to make every wheel revolve. i find rest on the grass as on a royal couch, now that i know that my god is there at work for his creatures. having asked you to see god as a worker, i want you to make use of this--therefore i bid you to see god in _common things_. he makes the grass to grow--grass is a common thing. you see it everywhere, yet god is in it. dissect it and pull it to pieces; the attributes of god are illustrated in every single flower of the field, and in every green leaf. in like manner see god in your common matters, your daily afflictions, your common joys, your everyday mercies. do not say, "i must see a miracle before i see god." in truth everything teems with marvel. see god in the bread of your table and the water of your cup. it will be the happiest way of living if you can say in each providential circumstance, "my father has done all this." see god also in _little things_. the little things of life are the greatest troubles. a man will hear that his house is burned down more quietly than he will see an ill-cooked joint of meat upon his table, when he reckoned upon its being done to a turn. it is the _little_ stone in the shoe which makes the pilgrim limp. to see god in little things, to believe that there is as much the presence of god in a limb falling from the elm as in the avalanche which crushes a village; to believe that the guidance of every drop of spray, when the wave breaks on the rock, is as much under the hand of god, as the steerage of the mightiest planet in its course; to see god in the little as well as in the great--all this is true wisdom. think, too, of god working among _solitary things_; for grass does not merely grow where men take care of it, but up there on the side of the lone alp, where no traveller has ever passed. where only the eye of the wild bird has beheld their lonely verdure, moss and grass display their beauty; for god's works are fair to other eyes than those of mortals. and you, solitary child of god, dwelling, unknown and obscure, in a remote hamlet; you are not forgotten by the love of heaven. he maketh the grass to grow all alone, and shall he not make you flourish despite your loneliness? he can bring forth your graces and educate you for the skies in solitude and neglect. the grass, you know, is a thing we tread upon, nobody thinks of its being crushed by the foot, and yet god makes it grow. perhaps you are oppressed and down-trodden, but let not this depress your spirit, for god executeth righteousness for all those that are oppressed; he maketh the grass to grow, and he can make your heart to flourish under all the oppressions and afflictions of life, so that you shall still be happy and holy though all the world marches over you; still living in the immortal life which god himself bestows upon you, though hell itself set its heel upon you. poor and needy one, unknown, unobserved, oppressed and down-trodden, god makes the grass to grow, and he will take care of you. . but i said we should see in the text god also as a great _caretaker_. "he causeth the grass to grow _for the cattle_." "doth god take care for oxen? or saith he it altogether for our sakes?" "thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn," shows that god has a care for the beasts of the field; but it shows much more than that, namely that he would have those who work for him feed as they work. god cares for the beasts, and makes grass to grow for them. then, my soul, though sometimes thou hast said with david, "so foolish was i, and ignorant: i was as a beast before thee," yet god cares for thee. "he giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry"--there you have an instance of his care for birds, and here we have his care for beasts; and though you, my hearer, may seem to yourself to be as black and defiled as a raven, and as far from anything spiritually good as the beasts, yet take comfort from this text; he gives grass to the cattle, and he will give grace to you, though you think yourself to be as a beast before him. observe, he cares for these beasts who are _helpless_ as to caring for themselves. the cattle could not plant the grass, nor cause it to grow. though they can do nothing in the matter, yet he does it all for them; _he_ causeth the grass to grow. you who are as helpless as cattle to help yourselves, who can only stand and moan out your misery, but know not what to do, god can prevent you in his loving-kindness, and favor you in his tenderness. let the bleatings of your prayer go up to heaven, let the meanings of your desires go up to him, and help shall come to you though you cannot help yourselves. beasts are _dumb, speechless things_, yet god makes the grass grow for them. will he hear those that cannot speak, and will he not hear those who can? since our god views with kind consideration the cattle in the field, he will surely have compassion upon his own sons and daughters when they desire to seek his face. there is this also to be said, god not only cares for cattle, but _the food_ which he provides for them is fit food--he causeth _grass_ to grow for the cattle, just the sort of food which ruminants require. even thus the lord god provides fit sustenance for his people. depend upon him by faith and wait upon him in prayer, and you shall have food convenient for you. you shall find in god's mercy just that which your nature demands, suitable supplies for peculiar wants. this "convenient" food the lord takes care to reserve for the cattle, for no one eats the cattle's food but the cattle. there is grass for them, and nobody else cares for it, and thus it is kept for them; even so god has a special food for his own people; "the secret of the lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant." though the grass be free to all who choose to eat it, yet no creature careth for it except the cattle for whom it is prepared; and though the grace of god be free to all men, yet no man careth for it except the elect of god, for whom he prepared it, and whom he prepares to receive it. there is as much reserve of the grass for the cattle as if there were walls around it; and so, though the grace of god be free, and there be no bound set about it, yet it is as much reserved as if it were restricted. god is seen in the grass as the worker and the caretaker; then _let us see his hand in providence at all times_. let us see it, not only when we have abundance, but even when we have scant supplies; for the grass is preparing for the cattle even in the depth of winter. and you, ye sons of sorrow, in your trials and troubles, are still cared for by god; he will accomplish his own divinely gracious purposes in you; only be still and see the salvation of god. every winter's night has a direct connection with the joyous days of mowing and reaping, and each time of grief is linked to future joy. iii. our third head is most interesting. god's working in the grass for the cattle gives us illustrations concerning grace. i will soliloquize, and say to myself as i read the text, "he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle. in this i perceive a satisfying provision for that form of creature. i am also a creature, but i am a nobler creature than the cattle. i cannot imagine for a moment that god will provide all that the cattle need and not provide for me. but naturally i feel uneasy; i cannot find in this world what i want--if i were to win all its riches i should still be discontented; and when i have all that heart could wish of time's treasures, yet still my heart feels as if it were empty. there must be somewhere or other something that will satisfy me as a man with an immortal soul. god altogether satisfies the ox; he must therefore have something or other that would altogether satisfy me if i could get it. there is the grass, the cattle get it, and when they have eaten their share, they lie down and seem perfectly contented; now, all i have ever found on earth has never satisfied me so that i could lie down and be satisfied; there must, then, be something somewhere that would content me if i could get at it." is not this good reasoning? i ask both the christian and the unbeliever to go with me so far; but then let us proceed another step: the cattle do get what they want--not only is the grass provided, but they get it. why should not i obtain what i want? i find my soul hungering and thirsting after something more than i can see with my eyes or hear with my ears; there must be something to satisfy my soul, why should i not find it? the cattle pasture upon that which satisfies them; why should not i obtain satisfaction too? then i begin to pray, "o lord, satisfy my mouth with good things, and renew my youth." while i am praying i also meditate and think--god has provided for cattle that which is consonant to their nature; they are nothing but flesh, and flesh is grass, there is therefore grass for their flesh. i also am flesh, but i am something else beside; i am spirit, and to satisfy me i need spiritual meat. where is it? when i turn to god's word, i find there that though the grass withereth, the word of the lord endureth for ever; and the word which jesus speaks unto us is spirit and life. "oh! then," i say, "here is spiritual food for my spiritual nature, i will rejoice therein." o may god help me to know what that spiritual meat is, and enable me to lay hold upon it, for i perceive that though god provides the grass for the cattle, _the cattle must eat it themselves_. they are not fed if they refuse to eat. i must imitate the cattle, and receive that which god provides for me. what do i find provided in scripture? i am told that the lord jesus came into this world to suffer, and bleed, and die instead of me, and that if i trust in him i shall be saved; and, being saved, the thoughts of his love will give solace and joy to me and be my strength. what have i to do but to feed on these truths? i do not find the cattle bringing any preparation to the pasture except hunger, but they enter it and partake of their portion. even so must i by an act of faith live upon jesus. lord, give me grace to feed upon christ; make me hungry and thirsty after him; give me the faith by which i may be a receiver of him, that so i may be satisfied with favor, and full of the goodness of the lord. my text, though it looked small, grows as we meditate upon it. i want to introduce you to a few more illustrations of divine grace. _preventing grace may here be seen in a symbol._ grass grew before cattle were made. we find in the first chapter of genesis that god provided the grass before he created the cattle. and what a mercy that covenant supplies for god's people were prepared before they were born. god had given his son jesus christ to be the saviour of his chosen before adam fell; long before sin came into the world the everlasting mercy of god foresaw the ruin of sin, and provided a refuge for every elect soul. what a thought it is for me, that, before i hunger, god has prepared the manna; before i thirst, god has caused the rock in the wilderness to send forth crystal streams to satisfy the thirst of my soul! see what sovereign grace can do! before the cattle come to the pasture the grass has grown for them, and before i feel my need of divine mercy that mercy is provided for me. then i perceive an illustration of free grace, for _when the ox comes into the field he brings no money with him_. so i, a poor needy sinner, having nothing, come and receive christ without money and without price. the lord maketh the grass to grow for the cattle, and so doth he provide grace for my needy soul, though i have now no money, no virtue, no excellence of my own. and why is it, my friends, why is it that god gives the cattle the grass? the reason is, _because they belong to him_. here is a text to prove it. "the silver and the gold are mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." god provides grass for his own cattle, and grace is provided for god's people. of every herd of cattle in the world, god could say, "they are mine." long before the grazier puts his brand on the bullock god has set his creating mark upon it; so, before the stamp of adam's fall was set upon our brow, the stamp of electing love was set there: "in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." god also feeds cattle because _he has entered into a covenant with them to do so_. "what! a covenant with the cattle!" says somebody. ay! truly so, for when god spake to his servant noah, in that day when all the cattle came out of the ark, we find him saying, "i establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of _the cattle_, and of every beast of the earth with you." thus a covenant was made with the cattle, and that covenant was that seed-time and harvest should not fail; therefore the earth brings forth for them, and for them the lord causeth the grass to grow. does jehovah keep his covenant with cattle, and will he not keep his covenant with his own beloved? ah! it is because his chosen people are his covenanted ones in the person of the lord jesus, that he provides for them all things that they shall need in time and in eternity, and satisfies them out of the fulness of his everlasting love. once, again, god feeds the cattle, and then _the cattle praise him_. we find david saying, in the hundred and forty-eighth psalm, "praise the lord ... ye beasts and all cattle." the lord feeds his people to the end that their glory may sing praise unto him and not be silent. while other creatures give glory to god, let the redeemed of the lord especially say so, whom he has redeemed out of the hand of the enemy. nor even yet is our text exhausted. turning one moment from the cattle, i want you to notice the grass. it is said of the grass, "_he causeth_ the grass to grow": here is a doctrinal lesson, for if grass does not grow without god's causing it to grow, how could grace arise in the human heart apart from divine operations? surely grace is a much more wonderful product of divine wisdom than the grass can be! and if grass does not grow without a divine cause, depend upon it grace does not dwell in us without a divine implantation. if i have so much as one blade of grace growing within me, i must trace it all to god's divine will, and render to him all the glory. again, if god thinks it worth his while to make grass, and take care of it, much more will he think it to his honor to cause his grace to grow in our hearts. if the great invisible spirit, whose thoughts are high and lofty, condescends to look after that humble thing which grows by the hedge, surely he will condescend to watch over his own nature, which he calls "the incorruptible seed, which liveth and abideth for ever!" mungo park, in the deserts of africa, was much comforted when he took up a little piece of moss, and saw the wisdom and power of god in that lonely piece of verdant loveliness. so, when you see the fields ripe and ready for the mower, your hearts should leap for joy to see how god has produced the grass, caring for it all through the rigorous cold of winter, and the chill months of spring, until at last he sent the genial rain and sunshine, and brought the fields to their best condition. and so, my soul, though thou mayest endure many a frost of sorrow and a long winter of trial, yet the lord will cause thee to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our lord and saviour jesus christ; to whom be glory for ever. amen. the joy of harvest. "they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest."--isaiah : . the other day i kept the feast with a company who shouted "harvest home." i was glad to see the rich and poor rejoicing together; and when the cheerful meal was ended, i was glad to turn one of the tables into a pulpit, and in the large barn to preach the gospel of the ever-blessed god to an earnest audience. my heart was merry in harmony with the occasion, and i shall now keep in the same key, and talk to you a little upon the joy of harvest. londoners forget that it is harvest time; living in this great desert of dingy bricks we hardly know what a wheat-ear is like, except as we see it dry and white in the window of a corn dealer's shop; yet let us all remember that there is such a season as harvest, when by god's goodness the fruits of the earth are gathered in. what is the joy of harvest which is here taken as the simile of the joy of the saints before god? i am afraid that to the mere selfish order of spirits the joy of harvest is simply that of personal gratification at the increase of wealth. sometimes the farmer only rejoices because _he sees the reward of his toils_, and is so much the richer man. i hope that with many there mingles the second cause of joy; namely, gratitude to god that an abundant harvest will give bread to the poor, and remove complaining from our streets. there is a lawful joy in harvest, no doubt, to the man who is enriched by it; for any man who works hard has a right to rejoice when at last he gains his desire. it would be well if men would always recollect that their last and greatest harvest will be to them according to their labor. he that soweth to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, and only the man that soweth to the spirit will of the spirit reap life everlasting. many a young man commences life by sowing what he calls his wild oats, which he had better never have sown, for they will bring him a terrible harvest. he expects that from these wild oats he will gather a harvest of true pleasure, but it cannot be; the truest pleasures of life spring from the good seed of righteousness, and not from the hemlock of sin. as a man who sows thistles in his furrows must not expect to reap the golden wheatsheaf, so he who follows the ways of vice must not expect happiness. on the contrary, if he sows the wind he will reap the whirlwind. when a sinner feels the pangs of conscience he may well say, "this is what i sowed." when he shall at last receive the punishment of his evil deeds he will blame no one but himself; he sowed tares and he must reap tares. on the other hand, the christian man, though his salvation is not of works, but of grace, will have a gracious reward given to him by his master. sowing in tears, he shall reap in joy. putting out his talents to interest, he shall enter into his master's joy, and hear him say, "well done, good and faithful servant." the joy of harvest in part consists of the reward of labor; may such be our joy in serving the lord. the joy of harvest has another element in it, namely, that of _gratitude to god for favors bestowed_. we are singularly dependent on god; far more so than most of us imagine. when the children of israel were in the wilderness they went forth every morning and gathered the manna. our manna does not come to us every morning, but it comes once a year. it is as much a heavenly supply as if it lay like a hoarfrost round about the camp. if we went out into the field and gathered food which dropped from the clouds we should think it a great miracle; and is it not as great a marvel that our bread should come up from the earth as that it should come down from the sky? the same god who bade the heavens drop with angels' food bids the dull earth in its due season yield corn for mankind. therefore whenever we find that harvest comes, let us be grateful to god, and let us not suffer the season to pass over without psalms of thanksgiving. i believe i shall be correct if i say that there is never in the world, as a rule, more than sixteen months' supply of food; that is to say, when the harvest is gathered in, there may be sixteen months' supply; but at the time of harvest there is not usually enough wheat in the whole world to last the population more than four or five months; so that if the harvest did not come we should be on the verge of famine. we live still from hand to mouth. let us pause and bless god, and let the joy of harvest be the joy of gratitude. to the christian it should be great joy, by means of the harvest, _to receive an assurance of god's faithfulness_. the lord has promised that seed-time and harvest, summer and winter, shall never cease; and when you see the loaded wain carrying in the crop you may say to yourself, "god is true to his promise. despite the dreary winter and the damp spring, autumn has come with its golden grain." depend upon it, that as the lord keeps this promise he will keep all the rest. all his promises are yea and amen in christ jesus; if he keeps his covenant to the earth, much more will he keep his covenant with his own people, whom he hath loved with an everlasting love. go, christian, to the mercy-seat with the promise on your lip and plead it. be assured it is not a dead letter. let not unbelief cause you to stammer when you mention the promise before the throne, but say it boldly--"fulfil this word unto thy servant on which thou hast caused me to hope." shame upon us that we so little believe our god. the world is full of proofs of his goodness. every rising sun, every falling shower, every revolving season certifies his faithfulness. wherefore do we doubt him? if we never doubt him till we have cause for it we shall never know distrust again. encouraged by the return of harvest, let us resolve in the strength of the spirit of god that we will not waver, but will believe in the divine word and rejoice in it. once more. to the christian, in the joy of harvest there will always be _the joy of expectation_. as there is a harvest to the husbandman for which he waiteth patiently, so there is a harvest for all faithful waiters who are looking for the coming and the appearing of our lord and saviour jesus christ. the mature christian, like the ripe ear of corn, hangs down his head with holy humility. when he was but green in the things of god he stood erect and was somewhat boastful, but now that he has become full of the blessing of the lord he is humbled thereby, and bows himself down; he is waiting for the sickle, and he dreads it not, for no common reaper shall come to gather christ's people--he himself shall reap the harvest of the world. the lord leaves the destroying angel to reap the vintage and to cast it into the wine-vat to be trodden with vengeance; but as for the grain which he himself has sown, he will gather it himself with his own golden sickle. we are looking for this. we are growing among the tares, and sometimes we are half afraid lest the tares should be stronger than ourselves and choke the wheat; but we shall be separated by-and-by, and when the corn is well winnowed and stored in the garner, we shall be there. it is this expectation which even now makes our hearts throb with joy. we have gone to the grave with precious sheaves that belonged to our master, and when we were there we thought we could almost say, "lord, if they sleep they shall do well. let us die with them." our joy of harvest is the hope of being at rest with all the saints, and for ever with the lord. a view of these shadowy harvests upon earth should make us exceedingly glad, because they are the image and foreshadowing of the eternal harvest above. so much about the joy of harvest; but i hasten onward. what joys are those which to the believer are as the joy of harvest? it is a common notion that christians are an unhappy people. it is true that we are tried, but it is false that we are miserable. with all their trials, believers have such a compensation in the love of christ that they are still a blessed generation, and it may be said of them, "happy art thou, o israel." one of the first seasons in which we knew a joy equal to the joy of harvest--a season which has continued with us ever since it commenced--was _when we found the saviour_, and so obtained salvation. you recollect for yourselves, brethren and sisters, the time of the ploughing of your souls. my heart was fallow, and covered with weeds; but on a certain day the great husbandman came and began to plough my soul. ten black horses were his team, and it was a sharp ploughshare that he used, and the ploughers made deep furrows. the ten commandments were those black horses, and the justice of god, like a ploughshare, tore my spirit. i was condemned, undone, destroyed, lost, helpless, hopeless--i thought hell was before me. then there came a cross ploughing, for when i went to hear the gospel it did not comfort me; it made me wish i had a part in it, but i feared that such a boon was out of the question. the choicest promises of god frowned at me, and his threatenings thundered at me. i prayed, but found no answer of peace. it was long with me thus. after the ploughing came the sowing. god who ploughed the heart made it conscious that it needed the gospel, and the gospel seed was joyfully received. do you recollect that auspicious day when at last you began to have some little hope? it was very little--like a green blade that peeps up from the soil; you scarce knew whether it was grass or corn, whether it was presumption or true faith. it was a little hope, but it grew very pleasantly. alas, a frost of doubt came; snow of fear fell; cold winds of despondency blew on you, and you said, "there can be no hope for me." but what a glorious day was that when at last the wheat which god had sown ripened, and you could say, "i have looked unto him and have been lightened; i have laid my sins on jesus, where god laid them of old, and they are taken away, and i am saved." i remember well that day, and so no doubt do many of you. o sirs! no husbandman ever shouted for joy as our heart shouted when a precious christ was ours, and we could grasp him with full assurance of salvation in him. many days have passed since then, but the joy of it is still fresh with us. and, blessed be god, it is not the joy of the first day only that we look back upon; it is the joy of every day since then, more or less; for our joy no man taketh from us; still we are walking in christ, even as we received him. even now all our hope on him is stayed, all our help from him we bring; and our joy and peace continue with us because they are based upon an immovable foundation. we rejoice in the lord, yea, and we will rejoice. the joy of harvest generally shows itself by the farmer giving a feast to his friends and neighbors; and, usually, those who find christ express their joy by telling their friends and their neighbors how great things the lord hath done for them. the grace of god is communicative. a man cannot be saved, and always hold his tongue about it; as well look for dumb choirs in heaven as for a silent church on earth. if a man has been thirsty, and has come to the living stream, his first impulse will be to cry, "ho! every one that thirsteth!" do you feel the joy of harvest, the joy that makes you wish that others should share with you? if so, do not repress the impulse to proclaim your happiness. speak of christ to brothers and sisters, to friends and kinsfolk; and, if the language be stammering, the message in itself is so important that the words in which you couch it will be a secondary consideration. tell it, tell it out far and wide--that there is a saviour, that you have found him, and that his blood can wash away transgression. tell it every where; and so the joy of harvest shall spread o'er land and sea, and god shall be glorified. we have another joy which is like the joy of harvest. we frequently have it, too. it is _the joy of answered prayer_. i hope you know what it is to pray in faith. some prayer is not worth the words used in presenting it, because there is no faith mixed with it. "with all thy sacrifices thou shalt offer salt," and the salt of faith is needful if we would have our sacrifices accepted. those who are familiar with the mercy-seat know that prayer is a reality, and that the doctrine of divine answers to prayer is no fiction. sometimes god will delay to answer for wise reasons; then his children must cry, and cry, and cry again. they are in the condition of the husbandman who must wait for the precious fruits of the earth; and when at last the answer to prayer comes, they are then in the husbandman's position when he receives the harvest. remember hannah's wail and hannah's word. in the bitterness of her soul she cried to god, and when her child was given to her she called it "samuel," meaning, "asked of god;" for, said she, "for this child i prayed." he was a dear child to her, because he was a child of prayer. any mercy that comes to you in answer to prayer will be your samuel mercy, your darling mercy. you will say of it, "for this mercy i prayed," and it will bring the joy of harvest to your spirit. if the lord desires to surprise his children he has only to answer their prayers; for the most of them would be astonished if an answer came to their petitions. i know how they speak about answers to prayer. they say, "how remarkable! how wonderful!" as if it were anything remarkable that god should be true, and that the most high should keep his promise. oh for more faith to rest upon his word! and we should have more of these harvest joys. we have another joy of harvest in ourselves _when we conquer a temptation_. we know what it is to get under a cloud sometimes; sin within us rises with a darkening force, or an external adversity beclouds us, and we miss the plain path we were accustomed to walk in. a child of god at such times will cry mightily for help; for he is fearful of himself and fearful of his surroundings. some of god's people have been by the week and month together exposed to the double temptation, from without and from within, and have cried to god in bitter anguish. it has been a very hard struggle; the sinful action has been painted in very fascinating colors, and the siren voice of temptation has almost enchanted them. but when at last they have got through the valley of the shadow of death without having slipped with their feet; when, after all, they have not been destroyed by apollyon, but have come forth again into the daylight, they feel a joy unspeakable, compared with which the joy of harvest is mere childish merriment. those know deep joy who have felt bitter sorrow. as the man feels that he is the stronger for the conflict, as he feels that he has gathered experience and stronger faith from having passed through the trial, he lifts up his heart, and rejoices, not in himself, but before his god, with the joy of harvest. brethren beloved, you know what that means. again, there is such a thing as the joy of harvest _when we have been rendered useful_. the master passion of every christian is to be useful. there should be a burning zeal within us for the glory of god. when the man who desires to be useful has laid his plans and set about his work, he begins to look out for the results; but perhaps it will be weeks, or years, before results will come. the worker is not to be blamed that there are no fruits as yet, but he is to be blamed if he is content to be without fruits. a preacher may preach without conversions, and who shall blame him? but if he be happy, who shall excuse him? it is ours to break our own hearts if we cannot by god's grace break other men's hearts, if others will not weep for their sins it should be our constant habit to weep for them. when the heart becomes earnest, warm, zealous, god usually gives a measure of success, some fiftyfold, some a hundredfold. when the success comes it is the joy of harvest indeed. i cannot help being egotistical enough to mention the joy i felt when first i heard that a soul had found peace through my youthful ministry. i had been preaching in a village some few sabbaths with an increasing congregation, but i had not heard of a conversion, and i thought, "perhaps i am not called of god. he does not mean me to preach, for if he did he would give me spiritual children." one sabbath my good deacon said, "don't be discouraged. a poor woman was savingly impressed last sabbath." how long do you suppose it was before i saw that woman? it was just as long as it took me to reach her cottage. i was eager to hear from her own lips whether it was a work of god's grace or not. i always looked upon her with interest, though only a poor laborer's wife, till she was taken away to heaven, after having lived a holy life. many since then have i rejoiced over in the lord, but that first seal to my ministry was peculiarly dear to me. it gave me a sip of the joy of harvest. if somebody had left me a fortune it would not have caused me one-hundredth part of the delight i had in discovering that a soul had been led to the saviour. i am sure christian people who have not this joy have missed one of the choicest delights that a believer can know this side heaven. in fact, when i see souls saved, i do not envy gabriel his throne nor the angels their harps. it shall be our heaven to be out of heaven for a season if we can but bring others to know the saviour and so add fresh jewels to the redeemer's crown. i will mention another delight which is as the joy of harvest, and that is _fellowship with the lord jesus christ_. this is not so much a matter for speech as for experience and delight. if we try to speak of what communion with christ is, we fail. solomon, the wisest of men, when inspired to write of the fellowship of the church with her lord, was compelled to write in allegories and emblems, and though to the spiritual mind the book of canticles is always delightful, yet to the carnal mind it seems a mere love song. the natural man discerneth not the things that be of god, for they are spiritual, and can only be spiritually discerned. but, oh, the bliss of knowing that christ is yours, and of entering into nearness of communion with him. to thrust your hand into his side, and your finger into the print of the nails; these be not everyday joys; but when such near and dear communings come to us on our highdays and holydays, they make our souls like the chariots of ammi-nadib, or, if you will, they cause us to tread the world beneath our feet and all that earth calls good or great. our condition matters nothing to us if christ be with us--he is our god, our comfort, and our all, and we rejoice before him as with the joy of harvest. i have no time to enlarge further; for i want to close with one other practical word. many of us are anxiously desiring a harvest which would bring to us an intense delight. of late, divers persons have communicated to me in many ways the strong emotion they feel of pity for the souls of men. others of us have felt a mysterious impulse to pray more than we did, and to be more anxious than ever we were that christ would save poor perishing sinners. we shall not be satisfied until there is a thorough awakening in this land. we did not raise the feeling in our own minds, and we do not desire to repress it. we do not believe it can be repressed; but others will feel the same heavenly affection, and will sigh and cry to god day and night until the blessing comes. this is the sowing, this is the ploughing, this is the harrowing--may it go on to harvesting. i long to hear my brethren and sisters universally saying, "we are full of anguish, we are in agony till souls be saved." the cry of rachel, "give me children, or i die," is the cry of your minister this day, and the longing of thousands more besides. as that desire grows in intensity a revival is approaching. we must have spiritual children born to christ, or our hearts will break for the longing that we have for their salvation. oh for more of these longings, yearnings, cravings, travailings! if we plead till the harvest of revival comes we shall partake in the joy of it. who will have the most joy? those who have been the most concerned about it. you who do not pray in private, nor come out to prayer-meetings, will not have the joy when the blessing comes, and the church is increased. you had no share in the sowing, therefore you will have little share in the reaping. you who never speak to others about their souls, who take no share in sunday-school or mission work, but simply eat the fat and drink the sweet--you shall have none of the joy of harvest, for you do not put your hands to the work of the lord. and who would wish that idlers should be happy? rather in our zeal and jealousy we feel inclined to say, "curse ye meroz, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not up to the help of the lord, to the help of the lord against the mighty." if you come to the help of the lord by his own divine spirit, you shall share the joy of harvest. perhaps none will have more of that joy than those who shall have the privilege of seeing their own dear ones brought to god. some of you have children who are a trial to you whenever you think of them; let them be such a trial to you that they drive you to incessant prayer for them, and, if the blessing comes, why should it not drop on them? if a revival comes, why should not your daughter yet be converted, and that wild boy of yours be brought in, or even your gray-headed father, who has been sceptical and unbelieving--why should not the grace of god come to him? and, oh, what a joy of harvest you will have then? what bliss will thrill through your spirit when you see those who are united to you in ties of blood united to christ your lord! pray much for them with earnest faith, and you shall yet have the joy of harvest in your own house, a shout of harvest home in your own family. possibly, my hearer, you have not much to do with such joy, for you are yourself unsaved. yet it is a grand thing for an unconverted person to be under a ministry that god blesses, and with a people that pray for conversions. it is a happy thing for you, young man, to have a christian mother. it is a great boon for you, o unconverted woman, that you have a godly sister. these make us hopeful for you. while your relations are prayerful, we are hopeful for _you_. may the lord jesus be yours yet. but, oh! if you remain unbelieving, however rich a blessing comes to others, it will leave _you_ none the better for it. "if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land;" but there are some who may cry in piteous accents, "the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." it has been remarked that those who pass through a season of revival and remain unconverted are more hardened and unimpressed than before. i believe it to be so, and i therefore pray the divine spirit to come with such energy that none of you may escape his power. may you be led to pray, "pass me not, o mighty spirit! thou canst make the blind to see; witnesser of jesus' merit, speak the word of power to me, even me. "have i long in sin been sleeping, long been slighting, grieving thee? has the world my heart been keeping? oh forgive and rescue me, even me." oh for earnest, importunate prayer from all believers throughout the world! if our churches could be stirred up to incessant, vehement crying to god, so as to give him no rest till he make zion a praise in the earth, we might expect to see god's kingdom come and the power of satan fall. as many of you as love christ, i charge you by his dear name to be much in prayer; as many of you as love the church of god, and desire her prosperity, i beseech you keep not back in this time of supplication. the lord grant that you may be led to plead till the harvest joy is granted. do you remember one sabbath my saying, "the lord deal so with you as you deal with his work during this next month." i feel as if it will be so with many of you--that the lord will deal so with you as you shall deal with his church. if you scatter little you shall have little, if you pray little you shall have little favor; but if you have zeal and faith, and plead much and work much for the lord, good measure, pressed down and running over, shall the lord return into your own bosoms. if you water others with drops you shall receive drops in return; but if the spirit helps you to pour out rivers of living water from your own soul, then floods of heavenly grace shall flow into your spirit. god bring in the unconverted, and lead them to a simple trust in jesus; then shall they also know the joy of harvest. we ask it for his name's sake. amen. spiritual gleaning. "let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not."--ruth : . country friends need no explanation of what is meant by gleaning. i hope the custom will never be banished from the land, but that the poor will always be allowed their little share of the harvest. i am afraid that many who see gleaning every year in the fields of their own parish are not yet wise enough to understand the heavenly art of spiritual gleaning. that is the subject which i have chosen on this occasion, and my text is taken from the charming story of ruth, which is known to every one of you. i shall use the story as setting forth our own case, in a homely but instructive way. in the first place, we shall observe that there is _a great husbandman_; it was boaz in ruth's case, it is our heavenly father who is the husbandman in our case. secondly, we shall notice _a humble gleaner_; the gleaner was ruth in this instance, but she may be looked upon as the representative of every believer. and, in the third place, here is a _gracious permission given_ to ruth: "let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not," and the same permission is spiritually given to us. i. in the first place, the god of the whole earth is a great husbandman. this is true in _natural_ things. as a matter of fact all farm operations are carried on by his power and prudence. man may plough the soil, and sow the seed; but as jesus said, "my father is the husbandman." he appoints the clouds and allots the sunshine; he directs the winds and distributes the dew and the rain; he also gives the frost and the heat, and so by various processes of nature he brings forth food for man and beast. all the farming, however, which god does, is for the benefit of others, and never for himself. he has no need of any of our works of husbandry. if he were hungry, he would not tell us. "the cattle on a thousand hills," says he, "are mine." the purest kindness and benevolence are those which dwell in the heart of god. though all things are god's, his works in creation and in providence are not for himself, but for his creatures. this should greatly encourage us in trusting to him. in _spiritual_ matters god is a great husbandman; and there, too, all his works are done for his children, that they may be fed upon the finest of the wheat. permit me to speak of the wide gospel fields which our heavenly father farms for the good of his children. there is a great variety of these fields, and they are all fruitful; for "the fountain of jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew." deut. : . every field which our heavenly father tills yields a plentiful harvest, for there are no failures or famines with him. . one part of his farm is called _doctrine field_. what full sheaves of finest wheat are to be found there! he who is permitted to glean in it will gather bread enough and to spare, for the land brings forth by handfuls. look at that goodly sheaf of election; full, indeed, of heavy ears of corn, such as pharaoh saw in his first dream--ears full and strong. there is the great sheaf of final perseverance, where each ear is a promise that the work which god has begun he will assuredly complete. if we have not faith enough to partake of either of these sheaves, we may glean around the choice sheaves of redemption by the blood of christ. many a poor soul who could not feed on electing love, nor realize his perseverance in christ, can yet feed on the atonement and rejoice in the sublime doctrine of substitution. many and rich are the sheaves which stand thick together in doctrine field; these, when threshed by meditation and ground in the mill of thought, furnish royal food for the lord's family. i wonder why it is that some of our master's stewards are so prone to lock the gate of this field, as if they thought it dangerous ground. for my part, i wish my people not only to glean here, but to carry home the sheaves by the wagon-load, for they cannot be too well fed when truth is the food. are my fellow-laborers afraid that jeshurun will wax fat and kick, if he has too much food? i fear there is more likelihood of his dying of starvation if the bread of sound doctrine is withheld. if we have a love to the precepts and warnings of the word, we need not be afraid of the doctrines; on the contrary, we should search them out and feed upon them with joy. the doctrines of distinguishing grace are to be set forth in due proportions to the rest of the word, and those are poor pulpits from which these grand truths are excluded. we must not keep the lord's people out of this field. i say, swing the gate open, and come in, all of you who are children of god! i am sure that in my master's field nothing grows which will harm you. gospel doctrine is always safe doctrine. you may feast upon it till you are full, and no harm will come of it. be afraid of no revealed truth. be afraid of spiritual ignorance, but not of holy knowledge. grow in grace and in the knowledge of your lord and saviour jesus christ. everything taught in the word of god is meant to be the subject of a christian's study, therefore neglect nothing. visit the doctrine field daily, and glean in it with the utmost diligence. . the great husbandman has another field called _promise field_; of that i shall not need to speak, for i hope you often enter it and glean from it. just let us take an ear or two out of one of the sheaves, and show them to you that you may be induced to stay there the live-long day, and carry home a rich load at night. here is an ear: "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed." here is another: "when thou passest through the waters, i will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." here is another; it has a short stalk, but a heavy ear: "my strength is sufficient for thee." another is long in the straw, but very rich in corn: "let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in god, believe also in me. in my father's house are many mansions: if it were not so i would have told you. i go to prepare a place for you; and if i go and prepare a place for you i will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where i am, there ye may be also." what a word is that!--"i will come again." yes, beloved, we can say of the promise field what cannot be said of a single acre in all england; namely, that it is so rich a field that it could not be richer, and that it has so many ears of corn in it that you could not insert another. as the poet sings: "what more can he say, than to you he hath said,-- you who unto jesus for refuge have fled?" glean in that field, o ye poor and needy ones, and never think that you are intruding. the whole field is your own, every ear of it; you may draw out from the sheaves themselves, and the more you take the more you may. . then there is _ordinance field_; a great deal of good wheat grows in this field. the field of baptism has been exceedingly fruitful to some of us, for it has set forth to us our death, burial, and resurrection in christ, and thus we have been cheered and instructed. it has been good for us to declare ourselves on the lord's side, and we have found that in keeping our lord's commandments there is great reward. but i will not detain you long in this field, for some of our friends think it has a damp soil: i wish them more light and more grace. however, we will pass on to the field of the supper, where grows the very best of our lord's corn. what rich things have we fed upon in this choice spot! have we not there tasted the sweetest and most sustaining of all spiritual food? in all the estate no field is to be found to rival this centre and crown of all the domain; this is the king's acre. gospel gleaner, abide in that field; glean in it on the first day of every week, and expect to see your lord there; for it is written, "he was known of them in the breaking of bread." . the heavenly husbandman has one field upon a hill, which equals the best of the others, even if it does not excel them. you cannot really and truly go into any of the other fields unless you pass into this; for the road to the other fields lies through this hill farm; it is called _fellowship and communion with christ_. this is the field for the lord's choicest ones to glean in. some of you have only run through it, you have not stopped long enough in it; but he who knows how to stay here, yea, to live here, shall spend his hours most profitably and pleasantly. it is only in proportion as we hold fellowship with christ, and communion with him, that either ordinances, or doctrines, or promises can profit us. all other things are dry and barren unless we are enjoying the love of christ, unless we bear his likeness, unless we dwell continually with him, and rejoice in his love. i am sorry to say that few christians think much of this field; it is enough for them to be sound in doctrine, and tolerably correct in practice; they care far less than they should about intimate inter course with christ jesus, their lord, by the holy ghost. i am sure that if we gleaned in this field we should not have half so many naughty tempers nor a tenth as much pride, nor a hundredth part so much sloth. this is a field hedged and sheltered, and in it you will find better food than that which angels feed upon; yea, you will find jesus himself as the bread which came down from heaven. blessed, blessed field, may we visit it every day. the master leaves the gate wide open for every believer; let us enter in and gather the golden ears till we can carry no more. thus we have seen the great husbandman in his fields; let us rejoice that we have such a great husbandman near, and such fields to glean in. ii. and now, in the second place, we have a humble gleaner. ruth was a gleaner, and may serve as an illustration of what every believer should be in the fields of god. . the believer is a favored gleaner, for he _may take home a whole sheaf if he likes_; he may bear away all that he can possibly carry, for all things are freely given him of the lord. i use the figure of a gleaner because i believe that few christians ever go much beyond it, and yet they are free to do so if they are able. some may say, why does not the believer reap all the field, and take all the corn home with him? i answer that he is welcome to do so if he can; for no good thing will the lord withhold from them that walk uprightly. if your faith is like a great wagon, and you can carry the whole field of corn, you have full permission to take it. alas, our faith is so little that we rather glean than reap; we are straitened in ourselves, not in our god. may you all outgrow the metaphor, and come home, bringing your sheaves with you. . again, we may remark, that the gleaner in her business _has to endure much toil and fatigue_. she rises early in the morning, and she trudges off to a field; if that be closed, she hastens to another; and if that be shut up, or gleaned already, she hurries farther still; and all day long, while the sun is shining upon her, she seldom sits down to refresh herself, but still she goes on, stoop, stoop, stoop, gathering the ears one by one. she returns not to her home till nightfall; for she desires, if the field is good, to do much business that day, and she will not go home until she is loaded down. beloved, so let each one of us do when we seek spiritual food. let us not be afraid of a little fatigue in the master's fields; if the gleaning is good, we must not soon weary in gathering the precious spoil, for the gains will richly reward our pains. i know a friend who walks five miles every sunday to hear the gospel, and has the same distance to return. another thinks little of a ten miles' journey; and these are wise, for to hear the pure word of god no labor is extravagant. to stand in the aisle till ready to drop, listening all the while with strained attention, is a toil which meets a full reward if the gospel be heard and the spirit of god bless it to the soul. a gleaner does not expect that the ears will come to her of themselves; she knows that gleaning is hard work. we must not expect to find the best field next to our own house, we may have to journey to the far end of the parish, but what of that? gleaners must not be choosers, and where the lord sends the gospel, there he calls us to be present. . we remark, next, that _every ear the gleaner gets she has to stoop for_. why is it that proud people seldom profit under the word? why is it that certain "intellectual" folk cannot get any good out of our soundest ministers? why, because they must needs have the corn lifted up for them; and if the wheat is held so high over their heads that they can hardly see it, they are pleased, and cry, "here is something wonderful." they admire the extraordinary ability of the man who can hold up the truth so high that nobody can reach it; but truly that is a sorry feat. the preacher's business is to place truth within the reach of all, children as well as adults; he is to let fall handfuls on purpose for poor gleaners, and these will never mind stooping to collect the ears. if we preach to the educated people only, the wise ones can understand, but the illiterate cannot; but when we preach in all simplicity to the poor, other classes can understand it if they like, and if they do not like, they had better go somewhere else. those who cannot stoop to pick up plain truth had better give up gleaning. for my part, i would be taught by a child if i could thereby know and understand the gospel better: the gleaning in our lord's field is so rich that it is worth the hardest labor to be able to carry home a portion of it. hungry souls know this, and are not to be hindered in seeking their heavenly food. we will go down on our knees in prayer, and stoop by self-humiliation, and confession of ignorance, and so gather with the hand of faith the daily bread of our hungering souls. . note, in the next place, that what a gleaner gets _she wins ear by ear_; occasionally she picks up a handful at once, but as a rule it is straw by straw. in the case of ruth, handfuls were let fall on purpose for her; but she was highly favored. the gleaner stoops, and gets one ear, and then she stoops again for another. now, beloved, where there are handfuls to be got at once, there is the place to go and glean; but if you cannot meet with such abundance, be glad to gather ear by ear. i have heard of certain persons who have been in the habit of hearing a favorite minister, and when they go to another place, they say, "i cannot hear anybody after my own minister; i shall stay at home and read a sermon." please remember the passage, "not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is." let me also entreat you not to be so foolishly partial as to deprive your soul of its food. if you cannot get a handful at one stoop, do not refuse to gather an ear at a time. if you are not content to learn here a little and there a little, you will soon be half starved, and then you will be glad to get back again to the despised minister and pick up what his field will yield you. that is a sorry ministry which yields nothing. go and glean where the lord has opened the gate for you. why the text alone is worth the journey; do not miss it. . note, next, that _what the gleaner picks up she keeps in her hand_; she does not drop the corn as fast as she gathers it. there is a good thought at the beginning of the sermon, but the hearers are so eager to hear another, that the first one slips away. toward the end of the sermon a large handful falls in their way, and they forget all that went before in their eagerness to retain this last and richest portion. the sermon is over, and, alas, it is nearly all gone from the memory, for many are about as wise as a gleaner would be if she should pick up one ear, and drop it; pick up another, and drop it, and so on all day. the net result of such a day's work in a stubble is a bad backache; and i fear that all our hearers will get by their hearing will be a headache. be attentive, but be retentive too. gather the grain and tie it up in bundles for carrying away with you, and mind you do not lose it on the road home. many a person when he has got a fair hold of the sermon, loses it on the way to his house by idle talk with vain companions. i have heard of a christian man who was seen hurrying home one sunday with all his might. a friend asked him why he was in such haste. "oh!" said he, "two or three sundays ago, our minister gave us a most blessed discourse, and i greatly enjoyed it; but when i got outside, there were two deacons discussing, and one pulled the sermon one way, and the other the other, till they pulled it all to pieces, and i lost all the savor of it." those must have been very bad deacons; let us not imitate them; and if we know of any who are of their school, let us walk home alone in dogged silence sooner than lose all our gleanings by their controversies. after a good sermon go home with your ears and your mouth shut. act like the miser, who not only gets all he can, but keeps all he can. do not lose by trifling talk that which may make you rich to all eternity. . then, again, the gleaner _takes the wheat home and threshes it_. it is a wise thing to thresh a sermon, whoever may have been the preacher, for it is certain that there is a portion of straw and chaff about it. many thresh the preacher by finding needless fault; but that is not half so good as threshing the sermon to get out of it the pure truth. take a sermon, beloved, when you get one which is worth having, and lay it down on the floor of meditation, and beat it out with the flail of prayer, and you will get bread-corn from it. this threshing by prayer and meditation must never be neglected. if a gleaner should stow away her corn in her room, and leave it there, the mice would get at it; but she would have no food from it if she did not thresh out the grain. some get a sermon, and carry it home, and allow satan and sin, and the world, to eat it all up, and it becomes unfruitful and worthless to them. but he who knows how to flail a sermon well, so as to clear out all the wheat from the straw, he is it that makes a good hearer and feeds his soul on what he hears. . and then, in the last place, the good woman, after threshing the corn, no doubt _winnowed it_. ruth did all this in the field; but you can scarcely do so. you must do some of the work at home. and observe, she did not take the chaff home; she left that behind her in the field. it is a prudent thing to winnow all the discourses you hear so as to separate the precious from the vile; but pray do not fall into the silly habit of taking home all the chaff, and leaving the corn behind. i think i hear you say, "i shall recollect that queer expression; i shall make an anecdote out of that odd remark." listen, then, for i have a word for you--if you hear a man retail nothing about a minister except his oddities, just stop him, and say, "we have all our faults, and perhaps those who are most ready to speak of those of others are not quite perfect themselves: cannot you tell us what the preacher said that was worth hearing?" in many cases the virtual answer will be, "oh, i don't recollect that." they have sifted the corn, thrown away the good grain, and brought home the chaff. ought they not to be put in an asylum? follow the opposite rule; drop the straw, and retain the good corn. separate between the precious and the vile, and let the worthless material go where it may; you have no use for it, and the sooner you are rid of it the better. judge with care; reject false teaching with decision, and retain true doctrine with earnestness, so shall you practise the enriching art of heavenly gleaning. may the lord teach us wisdom, so that we may become "rich to all the intents of bliss;" so shall our mouth be satisfied with good things, and our youth shall be renewed like the eagle's. iii. and now, in the last place, here is a gracious permission given: "let her glean among the sheaves, and reproach her not." ruth had no right to go among the sheaves till boaz gave her permission by saying, "let her do it." for her to be allowed to go among the sheaves, in that part of the field where the wheat was newly cut, and none of it carted, was a great favor: but boaz whispered that handfuls were to be dropped on purpose for her, and that was a greater favor still. boaz had a secret love for the maiden, and even so, beloved, it is because of our lord's eternal love to us that he allows us to enter his best fields and glean among the sheaves. his grace permits us to lay hold upon doctrinal blessings, promise blessings, and experience blessings: the lord has a favor toward us, and hence these singular kindnesses. we have no right to any heavenly blessings of ourselves; our portion is due to free and sovereign grace. i tell you the reasons that moved boaz's heart to let ruth go among the sheaves. the master motive was _because he loved her_. he would have her go there, because he had conceived an affection for her, which he afterward displayed in grander ways. so the lord lets his people come and glean among the sheaves, because he loves them. didst thou have a soul-enriching season among the sheaves the other sabbath? didst thou carry home thy sack, filled like those of joseph's brothers, when they returned from egypt? didst thou have an abundance? wast thou satisfied? mark; that was thy master's goodness. it was because he loved thee. look, i beseech thee, on all thy spiritual enjoyments as proof of his eternal love. look on all heavenly blessings as being tokens of heavenly grace. it will make thy corn grind all the better, and eat all the sweeter, if thou wilt reflect that eternal love gave it thee. thy sweet seasons, thy high enjoyments, thy unspeakable ravishments of spirit are all proofs of divine affection, therefore be doubly glad of them. there was another reason why boaz allows ruth to glean among the sheaves; it was because he was her _relative_. this is why our lord gives us choice favors at times, and takes us into his banqueting-house in so gracious a manner. he is our next of kin, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. our redeemer, our kinsman, is the lord jesus, and he will never be strange to his own flesh. it is a high and charming mystery that our lord jesus is the husband of his church; and sure he may well let his spouse glean among the sheaves; for all that he possesses is hers already. her interests and his interests are one, and so he may well say, "beloved, take all thou pleasest; i am none the poorer because thou dost partake of my fulness, for thou art mine. thou art my partner, and my choice, and all that i have is thine." what, then, shall i say to you who are my lord's beloved? how shall i speak with a tenderness and generosity equal to his desires, for he would have me speak right lovingly in his name. enrich yourselves out of that which is your lord's. go a spiritual gleaning as often as ever you can. never lose an opportunity of picking up a golden blessing. glean at the mercy-seat; glean in private meditation; glean in reading pious books; glean in associating with godly men; glean everywhere; and if you can get only a little handful it will be better than none. you who are so much in business, and so much penned up by cares; if you can only spend five minutes in the lord's field gleaning a little, be sure to do so. if you cannot bear away a sheaf, carry an ear; and if you cannot find an ear, pick up even a grain of wheat. take care to get a little, if you cannot get much: but gather as much as ever you can. just one other remark. o child of god, never be afraid to glean. have faith in god, and take the promises home to yourself. jesus will rejoice to see you making free with his good things. his voice is "eat abundantly; drink, yea, drink abundantly, o beloved." therefore, if you find a rich promise, live upon it. draw the honey out of the comb of scripture, and live on its sweetness. if you meet with a most extraordinary sheaf, carry it away rejoicing. you cannot believe too much concerning your lord; let not satan cheat you into contentment with a meagre portion of grace when all the granaries of heaven are open to you. glean on with humble industry and hopeful confidence, and know that he who owns both fields and sheaves is looking upon you with eyes of love, and will one day espouse you to himself in glory everlasting. happy gleaner who finds eternal love and eternal life in the fields in which he gleans! meal-time in the cornfields. "and boaz said unto her, at meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. and she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left."--ruth : . we are going to the cornfields, not so much to glean, as to rest with the reapers and gleaners, when under some wide-spreading oak they sit down to take refreshment. we hope some timid gleaner will accept our invitation to come and eat with us, and will have confidence enough to dip _her_ morsel in the vinegar. may all of us have courage to feast to the full on our own account, and kindness enough to carry home a portion to our needy friends at home. i. our first point of remark is this--that god's reapers have their meal-times. those who work for god will find him a good master. he cares for oxen, and he has commanded israel, "thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn." much more doth he care for his servants who serve him. "he hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant." the reapers in jesus' fields shall not only receive a blessed reward at the last, but they shall have plenteous comforts by the way. he is pleased to pay his servants twice; first in the labor itself, and a second time in the labor's sweet results. he gives them such joy and consolation in the service of their master that it is a sweet employ, and they cry, "we delight to do thy will, o lord." heaven is made up of serving god day and night, and a foretaste of heaven is enjoyed in serving god on earth with earnest perseverance. god has ordained certain meal-times for his reapers; and he has appointed that one of these shall be _when they come together to listen to the word preached_. if god be with ministers they act as the disciples did of old, for they received the loaves and the fishes from the lord jesus, and then they handed them to the people. _we_, of ourselves, cannot feed one soul, much less thousands; but when the lord is with us we can keep as good a table as solomon himself, with all his fine flour, and fat oxen, and roebucks, and fallow-deer. when the lord blesses the provisions of his house, no matter how many thousands there may be, all his poor shall be filled with bread. i hope, beloved, you know what it is to sit under the shadow of the word with great delight, and find the fruit thereof sweet unto your taste. where the doctrines of grace are boldly and plainly delivered to you in connection with the other truths of revelation; where jesus christ upon his cross is always lifted up; where the work of the spirit is not forgotten; where the glorious purpose of the father is never despised, there is sure to be rich provision for the children of god. often, too, our gracious lord appoints us meal-times _in our private readings and meditations_. here it is that his "paths drop fatness." nothing can be more fattening to the soul of the believer than feeding upon the word, and digesting it by frequent meditation. no wonder that men grow so slowly when they meditate so little. cattle must chew the cud; it is not that which they crop with their teeth, but that which is masticated, and digested by rumination, that nourishes them. we must take the truth, and turn it over and over again in the inward parts of our spirit, and so shall we extract suitable nourishment therefrom. my brethren, is not meditation the land of goshen to you? if men once said, "there is corn in egypt," may they not always say that the finest of the wheat is to be found in secret prayer? private devotion is a land which floweth with milk and honey; a paradise yielding all manner of fruits; a banqueting house of choice wines. ahasuerus might make a great feast, but all his hundred and twenty provinces could not furnish such dainties as meditation offers to the spiritual mind. where can we feed and lie down in green pastures in so sweet a sense as we do in our musings on the word? meditation distils the quintessence of joy from the scriptures, and gladdens our mouth with a sweetness which excels the virgin honey. your retired periods and occasions of prayer should be to you refreshing seasons, in which, like the reapers at noonday, you sit with the master and enjoy his generous provisions. the shepherd of salisbury plain was wont to say that when he was lonely, and his wallet was empty, his bible was to him meat and drink, and company too; he is not the only man who has found a fulness in the word when all else has been empty. during the battle of waterloo a godly soldier, mortally wounded, was carried by his comrade into the rear, and being placed with his back propped up against a tree, he besought his friend to open his knapsack and take out the bible which he had carried in it. "read to me," he said, "one verse before i close my eyes in death." his comrade read him that verse: "peace i leave with you, my peace i give unto you: not as the world giveth, give i unto you;" and there, fresh from the whistling of the bullets, and the roll of the drum, and the tempest of human conflict, that believing spirit enjoyed such holy calm that ere he fell asleep in the arms of jesus he said, "yes, i have a peace with god which passeth all understanding, which keeps my heart and mind through jesus christ." saints most surely enjoy delightful meal-times when they are alone in meditation. let us not forget that there is one specially ordained meal-time which ought to occur at least once in the week--i mean _the supper of the lord_. there you have literally, as well as spiritually, a meal. the table is richly spread, it has upon it both bread and wine; and looking at what these symbolize, we have before us a table richer than that which kings could furnish. there we have the flesh and the blood of our lord jesus christ, whereof if a man eat he shall never hunger and never thirst, for that bread shall be unto him everlasting life. oh! the sweet seasons we have known at the lord's supper. if some of you knew the enjoyment of feeding upon christ in that ordinance you would chide yourselves for not having united with the church in fellowship. in keeping the master's commandments there is "great reward," and consequently in neglecting them there is great loss of reward. christ is not so tied to the sacramental table as to be always found of those who partake thereat, but still it is "in the way" that we may expect the lord to meet with us. "if ye love me, keep my commandments," is a sentence of touching power. sitting at this table, our soul has mounted up from the emblem to the reality; we have eaten bread in the kingdom of god, and have leaned our head upon jesus' bosom. "he brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love." besides these regular meal-times, there are others which god gives us, _at seasons when, perhaps, we little expect them_. you have been walking the street, and suddenly you have felt a holy flowing out of your soul toward god; or in the middle of business your heart has been melted with love and made to dance for joy, even as the brooks, which have been bound with winter's ice, leap to feel the touch of spring. you have been groaning, dull, and earth-bound; but the sweet love of jesus has enwrapped your heart when you scarce thought of it, and your spirit, all free, and all on fire, has rejoiced before the lord with timbrel and dance, like miriam of old. i have had times occasionally in preaching when i would fain have kept on far beyond the appointed hour, for my overflowing soul has been like a vessel wanting vent. seasons, too, we have had on our sick beds, when we would have been content to be sick always if we could have had our bed so well made by tender love, and our head so softly pillowed on condescending grace. our blessed redeemer comes to us in the morning, and wakes us up by dropping sweet thoughts upon our souls; we know not how they came, but it is as if, when the dew was visiting the flowers, a few drops had taken pity upon us. in the cool eventide, too, as we have gone to our bed, our meditation of him has been sweet; and, in the night watches, when we tossed to and fro, and could not sleep, he has been pleased to become our song in the night. god's reapers find it hard work to reap; but they gain a blessed solace when in one way or another they sit down and eat of their master's rich provisions; then, with renewed strength, they rise with sharpened sickle, to reap again in the noontide heat. let me observe that, while these meal-times come we know not exactly when, there are _certain seasons when we may expect them_. the eastern reapers generally sit down under the shelter of a tree, or a booth, to take refreshment during the heat of the day. and certain i am that when trouble, affliction, persecution, and bereavement become the most painful to us, it is then that the lord hands out to us the sweetest comforts. we must work till the hot sun forces the sweat from our faces, and then we may look for repose; we must bear the burden and heat of the day before we can expect to be invited to those choice meals which the lord prepares for true laborers. when thy day of trouble is hottest, then the love of jesus shall be sweetest. again, these meal-times frequently occur _before_ a trial. elijah must be entertained beneath a juniper tree, for he is to go a forty days' journey in the strength of that meat. you may suspect some danger nigh when your delights are overflowing. if you see a ship taking in great quantities of provision, it is probably bound for a distant port, and when god gives you extraordinary seasons of communion with jesus, you may look for long leagues of tempestuous sea. sweet cordials prepare for stern conflicts. times of refreshing also occur _after_ trouble or arduous service. christ was tempted of the devil, and _afterward_ angels came and ministered unto him. jacob wrestled with god, and afterward, at mahanaim, hosts of angels met him. abraham fought with the kings, and returned from their slaughter, and then it was that melchisedec refreshed him with bread and wine. after conflict, content; after battle, banquet. when thou hast waited on thy lord, then thou shalt sit down, and thy master will gird himself and wait upon thee. let worldlings say what they will about the hardness of religion, we do not find it so. we own that reaping for christ has its difficulties and troubles; but still the bread which we eat is of heavenly sweetness, and the wine which we drink is crushed from celestial clusters: "i would not change my bless'd estate for all the world calls good or great; and while my faith can keep her hold, i envy not the sinner's gold." ii. follow me while we turn to a second point. to these meals the gleaner is affectionately invited. that is to say, the poor, trembling stranger who has not strength enough to reap, who has no right to be in the field except the right of charity the poor, trembling sinner, conscious of his own demerit, and feeling but little hope and little joy, is invited to the feast of love. in the text _the gleaner is invited to come_. "at meal-time _come_ thou hither." we trust none of you will be kept away from the place of holy feasting by any shame on account of your dress, or your personal character, or your poverty; nay, nor even on account of your physical infirmities. "at meal-time come thou hither." i knew a deaf woman who could never hear a sound, and yet she was always in the house of god, and when asked why, her reply was that a friend found her the text, and then god was pleased to give her many a sweet thought upon it while she sat with his people; besides, she felt that as a believer she ought to honor god by her _presence_ in his courts, and by confessing her union with his people; and, better still, she always liked to be in the best of company, and as the presence of god was there, and the holy angels, and the saints of the most high, whether she could hear or no, she would go. if _such_ persons find pleasure in coming, we who _can_ hear should never stay away. though we feel our unworthiness, we ought to be desirous to be laid in the house of god, as the sick were at the pool of bethesda, hoping that the waters may be stirred, and that we may step in and be healed. trembling soul, never let the temptations of the devil keep thee from the assembly of worshippers; "at meal-time come thou hither." moreover, _she was bidden not only to come but to eat_. whatever there is sweet and comfortable in the word of god, ye that are of a broken and contrite spirit are invited to partake of it. "jesus christ came into the world to save _sinners_"--sinners such as you are. "in due time christ died for the _ungodly_"--such ungodly ones as you feel yourselves to be. you desire to be christ's. you _may_ be christ's. you are saying in your heart, "o that i could eat the children's bread!" you _may_ eat it. you say, "i have no right." but the lord gives you the invitation. come without any other right than the right of his invitation. "let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream." but since he bids you "come," take him at his word; and if there be a promise, believe it; if there be an encouraging word, accept it, and let the sweetness of it be yours. note further, that she was not only invited to eat the bread, but to _dip her morsel in the vinegar_. we must not look upon this as being some sour stuff. no doubt there are crabbed souls in the church, who always dip their morsel in the sourest imaginable vinegar, and with a grim liberality invite others to share their misery with them; but the vinegar in my text is altogether another thing. this was either a compound of various juices expressed from fruits, or else it was that weak kind of wine mingled with water which is still commonly used in the harvest-fields of italy and the warmer parts of the world--a drink not exceedingly strong, but good enough to impart a relish to the food. it was, to use the only word which will give the meaning, _a sauce_, which the orientals used with their bread. as we use butter, or as they on other occasions used oil, so in the harvest-field, believing it to have cooling properties, they used what is here called "vinegar." beloved, the lord's reapers have sauce with their bread; they have not merely doctrines, but the holy unction which is the essence of doctrines; they have not merely truths, but a hallowed delight accompanies the truths. take, for instance, the doctrine of election, which is like the bread; there is a sauce to dip it in. when i can say, "he loved _me_ before the foundations of the world," the personal enjoyment of my interest in the truth becomes a sauce into which i dip my morsel. and you, poor gleaner, are invited to dip your morsel in it too. i used to hear people sing that hymn of toplady's, which begins-- "a debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy i sing; nor fear, with thy righteousness on, my person and offering to bring." the hymn rises to its climax in the lines-- "yes, i to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is given; more happy, but not more secure, the glorified spirits in heaven." i used to think i should never be able to sing that hymn. it was the sauce, you know. i might manage to eat some of the plain bread, but i could not dip it in that sauce. it was too high doctrine, too sweet, too consoling. but i thank god i have since ventured to dip my morsel in it, and now i hardly like my bread without it. i would have every trembling sinner partake of the _comfortable_ parts of god's word, even those which cavillers call "high doctrine." let him believe the simpler truth first, and then dip it in the sweet doctrine and be happy in the lord. i think i see the gleaner half prepared to come, for she is very hungry, and she has nothing with her; but she begins to say, "i have no right to come, for i am not a reaper; i do nothing for christ; i am only a _selfish gleaner_; i am not a reaper." ah! but thou art invited to come. make no questions about it. boaz bids thee; take thou his invitation, and approach at once. "but," you say, "i am such a _poor_ gleaner; though my labor is all for myself, yet it is little i win by it; i get a few thoughts while the sermon is being preached, but i lose them before i reach home." i know you do, poor weak-handed woman. but still, jesus invites thee. come! take thou the sweet promise as he presents it to thee, and let no bashfulness of thine send thee home hungry. "but," you say, "i am _a stranger_; you do not know my sins, my sinfulness, and the waywardness of my heart." but jesus does, and yet he invites you. he knows you are but a moabitess, a stranger from the commonwealth of israel; but he bids you come. is not that enough? "but," you say, "i owe so much to him already; it is so good of him to spare my forfeited life, and so tender of him to let me hear the gospel preached at all; i cannot have the presumption to be an intruder, and sit with the reapers." oh! but he _bids_ you. there is more presumption in your doubting than there could be in your believing. he bids you. will you refuse boaz? shall jesus' lips give the invitation, and will you say him nay? come, now, come. remember that the little which ruth could eat did not make boaz any the poorer; and all that thou wantest will make christ none the less glorious or full of grace. are thy necessities large? his supplies are larger. dost thou require great mercy? he is a great saviour. i tell thee that his mercy is no more to be exhausted than the sea is to be drained. come at once. there is enough for thee, and boaz will not be impoverished by thy feasting to the full. moreover, let me tell thee a secret--jesus _loves_ thee; therefore is it that he would have thee feed at his table. if thou art now a longing, trembling sinner, willing to be saved, but conscious that thou deservest it not, jesus loves thee, and he will take more delight in seeing thee eat than thou wilt take in the eating. let the sweet love he feels in his soul toward thee draw thee to him. and what is more--but this is a great secret, and must only be whispered in your ear--_he intends to be married to you_; and when you are married to him, why, the fields will be yours; for, of course, if you are his spouse, you are joint proprietor with him. is it not so? doth not the wife share with the husband? all those promises which are "yea and amen in christ" shall be yours; nay, they all _are_ yours now, for "the man is next of kin unto you," and ere long he will take you unto himself forever, espousing you in faithfulness, and truth, and righteousness. will you not eat of your own? "oh! but," says one, "how can it be? i am a stranger." yes, a stranger; but jesus christ loves the stranger. "a publican, a sinner;" but he is "the friend of publicans and sinners." "an outcast;" but he "gathereth together the outcasts of israel." "a stray sheep;" but the shepherd "leaves the ninety and nine" to seek it. "a lost piece of money;" but he "sweeps the house" to find thee. "a prodigal son;" but he sets the bells a-ringing when he knows that thou wilt return. come, ruth! come, trembling gleaner! jesus invites thee; accept the invitation. "at meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar." iii. now, thirdly--and here is a very sweet point in the narrative--boaz reached her the parched corn. she did "come and eat." where did she sit? note well that she "sat beside the reapers." she did not feel that she was one of them. just like some of you who do not come to the lord's supper, but sit and look on. you are sitting "beside the reapers." you fear that you are not the people of god; still you love them, and therefore sit beside them. if there is a good thing to be had, and you cannot get it, you will sit as near as you can to those who _do_ get it. "she sat beside the reapers." and while she was sitting there, what happened? did she stretch forth her hand and take the food herself? no, it is written, "he reached her the parched corn." ah! that is it. none but the lord of the harvest can hand out the choicest refreshments of spiritual minds. i give the invitation in my master's name, and i hope i give it earnestly, affectionately, sincerely; but i know very well that at my poor bidding none will come till the spirit draws. no trembling heart will accept divine refreshing at my hand; unless the king himself comes near, and reaches the parched corn to each chosen guest, none will receive it. how does he do this? by his gracious spirit, he first of all _inspires your faith_. you are afraid to think that it can be true that such a sinner as you are can ever be "accepted in the beloved"; he breathes upon you, and your faint hope becomes an expectancy, and that expectation buds and blossoms into an appropriating faith, which says, "yes, my beloved is _mine_, and his desire is toward _me_." having done this, the saviour does more; _he sheds abroad the love of god in your heart_. the love of christ is like sweet perfume in a box. now, he who put the perfume in the box is the only person that knows how to take off the lid. he, with his own skilful hand, opens the secret blessing, and sheds abroad the love of god in the soul. but jesus does more than this; he reaches the parched corn with his own hand, when he _gives us close communion with himself_. do not think that this is a dream; i tell you there is such a thing as speaking with christ to-day. as certainly as i can talk with my dearest friend, or find solace in the company of my beloved wife, so surely may i speak with jesus, and find intense delight in the company of immanuel. it is not a fiction. we do not worship a far-off saviour; he is a god nigh at hand. his word is in our mouth and in our heart, and we do to-day walk with him as the elect did of old, and commune with him as his apostles did on earth; not after the flesh, it is true, but after a real and spiritual fashion. yet once more let me add, the lord jesus is pleased to reach the parched corn, in the best sense, when _the spirit gives us the infallible witness within, that we are "born of god_." a man may know that he is a christian beyond all question. philip de morny, who lived in the time of prince henry of navarre, was wont to say that the holy spirit had made his own salvation to him as clear a point as a problem demonstrated in euclid. you know with what mathematical precision the scholar of geometry solves a problem or proves a proposition, and with as absolute a precision, as certainly as twice two are four, we may "know that we have passed from death unto life." the sun in the heavens is not more clear to the eye than his present salvation to an assured believer; such a man could as soon doubt his own existence as suspect his possession of eternal life. now let the prayer be breathed by poor ruth, who is trembling yonder. lord, reach me the parched corn! "show me a token for good." "deal bountifully with thy servant." "draw me, we will run after thee." lord, send thy love into my heart! "come, holy spirit, heavenly dove, with all thy quickening powers, come, shed abroad a saviour's love, and that shall kindle ours." there is no getting at christ except by christ revealing himself to us. iv. and now the last point. after boaz had reached the parched corn, we are told that "she did eat, and was sufficed, and left." so shall it be with every ruth. sooner or later every penitent shall become a believer, every mourner a singer. there may be a space of deep conviction, and a period of much hesitation; but there shall come a season when the soul decides for the lord, and cries, "if i perish, i perish. i will go as i am to jesus. i will not play the fool any longer with my _buts_ and _ifs_, but since he bids me believe that he died for me, i _will_ believe it, and will trust his cross for my salvation." whenever you shall be privileged to do this, you shall be "_satisfied_." "she did eat, and was sufficed." your _head_ shall be satisfied with the precious truth which christ reveals; your _heart_ shall be content with jesus, as the altogether lovely object of affection; your _hope_ shall be filled, for whom have you in heaven but christ? your _desire_ shall be satiated, for what can even your desire hunger for more than "to know christ, and to be found in him." you shall find jesus charm your _conscience_, till it is at perfect peace; he shall content your _judgment_, till you know the certainty of his teachings; he shall supply your _memory_ with recollections of what he did, and gratify your _imagination_ with the prospects of what he is yet to do. "she was sufficed, and left." some of us have had deep draughts of love; we have thought that we could take in all of christ, but when we have done our best, we have had to leave a vast remainder. we have sat down with a ravenous appetite at the table of the lord's love, and said, "nothing but the infinite can ever satisfy me," and that infinite has been granted us. i have felt that i am such a great sinner that nothing short of an infinite atonement could wash my sins away, and no doubt you have felt the same; but we have had our sin removed, and found merit enough and to spare in jesus; we have had our hunger relieved, and found a redundance remaining for others who are in a similar case. there are certain sweet things in the word of god which you and i have not enjoyed yet, and which we cannot enjoy yet; and these we are obliged to leave for a while, till we are better prepared to receive them. did not our lord say, "i have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now"? there is a special knowledge to which we have not attained, a place of intimate fellowship with christ which we have not yet occupied. there are heights of communion which as yet our feet have not climbed--virgin snows of the mountain of god untrodden by the foot of man. there is yet a beyond, and there will be for ever. a verse or two further on we are told what ruth did with her leavings. it is very wrong, i believe, at feasts to carry anything home with you; but _she_ was not under any such regulation, for that which was left she took home and gave to naomi. so it shall be even with you, poor tremblers, who think you have no right to a morsel for yourselves; you shall be allowed to eat, and when you are quite sufficed, you shall have courage to bear away a portion to others who are hungering at home. i am always pleased to find the young believer beginning to pocket something for others. when you hear a sermon you think, "my poor mother cannot get out to-day; how i wish she could have been here, for that sentence would have comforted _her_. if i forget everything else, i will tell her that." cultivate an unselfish spirit. seek to love as you have been loved. remember that "the law and the prophets" are fulfilled in this, to love the lord your god with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. how can you love your neighbor as yourself if you do not love his soul? you _have_ loved your own soul; through grace you have been led to lay hold on jesus; love your neighbor's soul, and never be satisfied till you see him in the enjoyment of those things which are the charm of your life and the joy of our spirit. take home your gleanings for those you love who cannot glean for themselves. i do not know how to give you an invitation to christ more pleasantly, but i would with my whole heart cry, "come and welcome to jesus." i pray my lord and master to reach a handful of parched corn of comfort to you if you are a trembling sinner, and i also beg him to make you eat till you are fully sufficed. the loaded wagon. "behold, i am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves."--amos : . we have been into the cornfields to glean with boaz and ruth; and i trust that the timid and faint-hearted have been encouraged to partake of the handfuls which are let fall on purpose for them by the order of our generous lord. we go to-day to the gate of the harvest-field with another object--to see the wagon piled up aloft with many sheaves come creaking forth, making ruts along the field. we come with gratitude to god, thanking him for the harvest, blessing him for favorable weather, and praying him to continue the same till the last shock of corn shall be brought in, and the husbandmen everywhere shall shout the "harvest home." what a picture is a wagon loaded with corn of you and of me, as loaded with god's mercies! from our cradle up till now, every day has added a sheaf of blessing. what could the lord do for us more than he has done? he has daily loaded us with benefits. let us adore his goodness, and yield him our cheerful gratitude. alas! that such a sign should be capable of another reading. alas! that while god loadeth us with mercy, we should load him with sin. while he continually heapeth on sheaf after sheaf of favor we also add iniquity unto iniquity, till the weight of our sin becomes intolerable to the most high, and he cries out by reason of the burden, saying, "i am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." our text begins with a "_behold!_" and well it may. "beholds" are put in the bible as signs are hung out from houses of business, to attract attention. there is something new, important, deeply impressive, or worthy of attention wherever we see a "behold" in sacred scripture. i see this "behold!" standing, as it were, like a maiden upon the steps of the house of wisdom, crying, "turn in hither, o ye that are wise-hearted, and listen to the voice of god." let us open our eyes that we may "behold," and may the spirit make a way through our eyes and ears to our hearts, that repentance and self-abhorrence may take hold upon us, because of our evil conduct towards our gracious god. it is to be understood before we proceed farther, that our text is only a figure, since god cannot actually be oppressed by man; all the sin that man may commit can never disturb the serenity of the divine perfection, nor cause so much as a wave upon his everlasting calm. he doth but speak to us after the manner of man, and bring down the sublimities and mysteries of heaven to the feebleness and ignorance of earth. he speaketh to us as a great father may talk to his little child. just as a cart has the axles bent, and as the wheels creak under the excessive load, so the lord says that under the load of human guilt he is pressed down, until he crieth out, because he can bear no longer the iniquity of those that offend against him. we shall now turn to our first point; may the holy ghost make it pointed to our consciences! the first and most apparent truth in the text is, that sin is very grievous and burdensome to god. be astonished, o heavens, and be amazed, o earth, that god should speak of being pressed and weighed down! i do not read anywhere so much as half a suggestion that the whole burden of _creation_ is any weight to the most high. "he taketh up the isles as a very little thing." neither sun, nor moon, nor stars, nor all the ponderous orbs which his omnipotence has created, cost him any labor in their sustenance. the heathen picture atlas as stooping beneath the globe; but the eternal god, who beareth up the pillars of the universe, "fainteth not, neither is weary." nor do i find even the most distant approach to a suggestion that _providence_ fatigues its lord. he watches both by night and day; his power goeth forth every moment. 'tis he who bringeth forth mazzaroth in his season and guideth arcturus with his sons. he beareth up the foundations of the earth! and holdeth the cornerstone thereof. he causeth the dayspring to know its place, and setteth a bound to darkness and the shadow of death. all things are supported by the power of his hand, and there is nothing without him. just as a moment's foam subsides into the wave that bears it and is lost for ever, so would the universe depart if the eternal god did not daily sustain it. this incessant working has not diminished his strength, nor is there any failing or thought of failing with him. he worketh all things, and when they are wrought they are as nothing in his sight. but strange, most passing strange, miraculous among miracles, _sin_ burdens god, though the world cannot; and iniquity presses the most high, though the whole weight of providence is as the small dust of the balance. ah, ye careless sons of adam, ye think sin a trifle; and as for you, ye sons of belial, ye count it sport, and say, "he regardeth not; he seeth not; how doth god know? and if he knoweth he careth not for our sins." learn ye from the book of god, that so far from this being the truth, your sins are a grief to him, a burden and a load to him, till, like a cart that is overloaded with sheaves, so is he weighed down with human guilt. this will be very clear if we meditate for a moment upon what sin is, and what sin does. _sin is the great spoiler of all god's works._ sin turned an archangel into an archfiend, and angels of light into spirits of evil. sin looked on eden and withered all its flowers. ere sin had come the creator said of the new-made earth, "it is very good"; but when sin had entered, it grieved god at his very heart that he had made such a creature as man. nothing tarnishes beauty so much as sin, for it mars god's image and erases his superscription. moreover, _sin makes god's creatures unhappy_, and shall not the lord, therefore, abhor it? god never designed that any creature of his hand should be miserable. he made the creatures on purpose that they should be glad; he gave the birds their song, the flowers their perfume, the air its balm; he gave to day the smiling sun and to night its coronet of stars; for he intended that smiles should be his perpetual worship, and joy the incense of his praise. but sin has made god's favorite creature a wretch, and brought down god's offspring, made in his own image, to become naked, and poor, and miserable; and therefore god hateth sin, and is pressed down under it, because it maketh the objects of his love unhappy at their heart. moreover, remember that _sin attacks god in all his attributes_, assails him on his throne, and stabs at his existence. what is sin? is it not an insult to god's _wisdom_? o sinner, god biddeth thee do his will; when thou doest the contrary it is because thou dost as much as say, "i know what is good for me, and god does not know." you do in effect declare that infinite wisdom is in error, and that you, the creature of a day, are the best judge of happiness. sin impugns god's _goodness_; for by sin you declare that god has denied you that which would make you happy, and this is not the part of a good, tender, and loving father. sin cuts at the lord's wisdom with one hand, and at his goodness with the other. sin also abuses the _mercy_ of god. when you, as many of you have done, sin with the higher hand because of his long-suffering toward you; when, because you have no sickness, no losses, no crosses, therefore you spend your time in revelry and obstinate rebellion--what is this but taking the mercy which was meant for your good and turning it into mischief? it is no small grief to the loving father to see his substance spent with harlots in riotous living; he cannot endure it that his child should be so degraded as to turn even the mercy which would woo him to repentance into a reason why he should sin the more against him. besides, let me remind the careless and impenitent that every sin is a defiance of divine _power_. in effect it is lifting your puny fists against the majesty of heaven, and defying god to destroy you. every time you sin, you defy the lord to prove whether he can maintain his law or no. is this a slight thing, that a worm, the creature of a day, should defy the lord of ages, the god that filleth and upholdeth all things by the word of his power? well may he be weary, when he has to bear with such provocations and insults as those! mention what attribute you will, and sin has blotted it; speak of god in any relationship you choose, and sin has cast a slur upon him. it is evil, only evil, and that continually; in every view of it must be offensive to the most high. sinner, dost thou know that every act of disobedience to god's law is virtually an act of _high treason_? what dost thou do but seek to be god thyself, thine own master, thine own lord? every time thou swervest from his will, it is to put thy will into his place; it is to make thyself a god, and to undeify the most high. and is this a little offence, to snatch from his brow the crown, and from his hand the sceptre? i tell thee it is such an act that heaven itself could not stand unless it were resented; if this crime were suffered to go unpunished, the wheels of heaven's commonwealth would be taken from their axles, and the whole frame of moral government would be unhinged. such a treason against god shall certainly be visited with punishment. to crown all, _sin is an onslaught upon god himself_, for sin is atheism of heart. let his religious profession be what it may, the sinner hath said in his heart, "no god." he wishes that there were no law and no supreme ruler. is this a trifle? to be a deicide! to desire to put god out of his own world! is this a thing to be winked at? can the most high hear it and not be pressed down beneath its weight? i pray you do not think that i would make a needless outcry against sin and disobedience. it is not in the power of human imagination to exaggerate the evil of sin, nor will it ever be possible for mortal lips, though they should be touched like those of esaias with a live coal from off the altar, to thunder out the ten-thousandth part of the enormity of the least sin against god. think, dear friends! we are his creatures, and yet we will not do his will. we are fed by him, the breath in our nostrils he gives us, and yet we spend that breath in murmuring and rebellion. once more, we are always in the sight of our omniscient god, and yet the presence of god is not enough to compel us to obedience. surely if a man should insult law in the very presence of the lawgiver, that were not to be borne with; but this is your case and mine. we must confess, "against thee, thee only, have i sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." we must remember also, that we offend, knowing that we are offending. we do not sin as the hottentot, or the cannibal. we in england sin against extraordinary light and sevenfold knowledge; and is this a light thing? can you expect that god shall pass by wilful and deliberate offences? oh, that these lips had language, that this heart could burn for once! for if i could declare the horrible infamy of sin it would make the blood chill in even a haughty pharaoh's veins, and proud nebuchadnezzar would bow his head in fear. it is indeed a terrible thing to have rebelled against the most high. the lord have mercy upon his servants and forgive them. this is our first point, but _i_ cannot teach you it, god himself must teach it by his spirit. oh, that the holy ghost may make you feel that sin is exceedingly sinful, so that it is grievous and burdensome to god! secondly, some sins are more especially grievous to god. the connection of our text will help you to see the force of this observation. there is no such thing as a little sin, but still there are degrees of guilt, and it were folly to say that a sinful thought hath in it the same extent of evil as a sinful act. a filthy imagination is sinful--wholly sinful and greatly sinful, but still a filthy act has attained a higher degree of provocation. there are sins which especially provoke god. in the connection of the text we read that _licentiousness_ does this. the jewish people in the days of amos seem to have gone to a very high degree of fornication and lechery. this sin is not uncommon in our day; let our midnight streets and our divorce courts be the witness. i say no more. let each one keep his body pure; for want of chastity is a grievous evil before the lord. _oppression_, too, according to the prophet, is another great provocation to god. the prophet speaks of selling the poor for a pair of shoes; and some would grind the widow and the orphan, and make the laborer toil for nought. how many business men have no "bowels of compassion." men form themselves into societies, and then exact an outrageous usury upon loans from the unhappy beings who fall into their hands. cunning legal quibbles and crafty evasions of just debts often amount to heavy oppression, and are sure to bring down the anger of the most high. then, again, it seems that _idolatry_ and _blasphemy_ are highly offensive to god, and have a high degree of heinousness. he says that the people drank the wine of false gods. if any man sets up his belly, or his gold, or his wealth as his god, and if he lives to these instead of living to the most high, he hath offended by idolatry. woe to such, and equal woe to those who adore crosses, sacraments, or images. specially is _blasphemy_ a god-provoking sin. for blasphemy there is no excuse. as george herbert says, "lust and wine plead a pleasure;" there is gain to be pleaded for avarice, "but the cheap swearer from his open sluice lets his soul run for nought." there is nothing gained by profane talk; there can be no pleasure in cursing; this is offending for offending's sake, and hence it is a high and crying sin, which makes the lord grow weary of men. there may be some among you to whom these words may be personal accusations. do i address the lecherous, or the oppressive, or the profane? ah, soul, what a mercy god hath borne with thee so long; the time will come, however, when he will say, "ah, i will ease me of mine adversaries," and how easily will he cast you off and appoint you an awful destruction. again, while some sins are thus grievous to god for their peculiar heinousness, many men are especially obnoxious to god because of the _length_ of their sin. that gray-headed man, how many times has he provoked the most high! why, those who are but lads have cause to count their years and apply their hearts unto wisdom because of the length of time they have lived in rebellion; but what shall i say of you who have been half a century in open war against god--and some of you sixty, seventy, what if i said near upon eighty years? ah, you have had eighty years of mercies, and returned eighty years of neglect: for eighty years of patience you have rendered eighty years of ingratitude. o god, well mayest thou be wearied by the length and number of man's sins! furthermore, god taketh special note and feeleth an especial weariness of sin that is mixed with _obstinacy_. oh how obstinate some men are! they _will_ be damned; there is no helping them; they seem as if they would leap the alps to reach perdition, and swim through seas of fire that they may destroy their souls. i might tell you cases of men that have been sore sick of fever, ague, and cholera, and they have only recovered their health to return to their sins. some of them have had troubles in business, thick and threefold: they were once in respectable circumstances, but they spent their living riotously, and they became poor; yet they still struggle on in sin. they are growing poorer every day, most of their clothes have gone to the pawnshop; but they will not turn from the tavern and the brothel. another child is dead! the wife is sick, and starvation stares the family in the face; but they go on still with a high hand and an outstretched arm. this is obstinacy, indeed. sinner! god will let thee have thine own way one of these days, and that way will be thine everlasting ruin. god is weary of those who set themselves to do mischief, and, against warnings, and invitations, and entreaties, are determined to go on in sin. the context seems to tell us that _ingratitude_ is intensely burdensome to god. he tells the people how he brought them out of egypt; how he cast out the amorites; how he raised up their sons for prophets, and their young men for nazarites; and yet they rebelled against him! this was one of the things that pricked my heart when i first came to god as a guilty sinner, not so much the peculiar heinousness of my outward life, as the peculiar mercies that i had enjoyed. how generous god has been to some of us--some of us who never had a want! god has never cast us into poverty, nor left us to infamy, nor given us up to evil example, but he has kept us moral, and made us love his house even when we did not love _him_, and all this he has done year after year: and what poor returns we have made! to us, his people, what joy he has given, what deliverances, what love, what comfort, what bliss--and yet we have sinned to his face! well may he be as a cart that is pressed down, that is full of sheaves. let me observe, before i leave this point, that it seems from our text, that the lord is so pressed, that _he even crieth out_. just as the cart when laden with the sheaves, groaneth under the weight, so the lord crieth out under the load of sin. have you never heard those accents? "hear, o heavens, and give ear, o earth: for the lord hath spoken, i have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me!" hear again: "turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, o house of israel?" better still, hear the lament from the lip of jesus, soft and gentle as the dew--"o jerusalem, jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would i have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" sinner, god is cut to the heart by thy sin; thy creator grieves over that which thou laughest at; thy saviour crieth out in his spirit concerning that which thou thinkest to be a trifle--"o do not this abominable thing which i hate!" for god's sake do it not! we often say "for god's sake," without knowing what we mean; but here see what it means, for the sake of god, that ye grieve not your creator, that ye cause not the eternal one himself to cry out by reason of weariness of you. cease ye, cease ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, o house of israel? i now leave those two points to pass on very briefly to the next. while it is true that sin is grievous to the lord, it magnifies his mercy when we see that he bears the load. as the cart is not said to break, but is pressed only, so is he pressed, and yet he bears. if you and i were in god's place, should we have borne it? nay, within a week we should have burned the universe with fire, or trodden it to powder beneath our feet. if the law of heaven were as swift to punish as the law of man, where were we? how easily could he avenge his honor! how many servants wait around him ready to do his bidding! as the roman consul went out, attended by his lictors carrying the axe, so god is ever attended by his executioners, who are ready to fulfil his sentence. a stone, a tile from a roof, a thunderbolt, a puff of wind, a grain of dust, a whiff of gas, a broken blood-vessel, and all is over, and you are dead, and in the hands of an angry god. indeed, the lord has to restrain the servants of his anger, for the heavens cry, "why should we cover that wretch's head?" earth asks, "why should i yield at harvest to the sinner's plough?" the lightnings thunder, and say, "let us smite the rebel," and the seas roar upon the sinner, desiring him as their prey. there is no greater proof of the omnipotence of god than his long-suffering; for it shows the greatest possible power for god to be able to control himself. sinner, yet jehovah bears with thee. the angels have been astonished at it; they thought he would strike, but yet he bears with you. have you ever seen a patient man insulted? he has been met in the street by a villain, who insults him before a mob of boys. he bears it. the fellow spits in his face. he bears it still. the offender strikes him. he endures it quietly. "give him in charge," says one. "no," says he, "i forgive him all." the fellow knocks him down, and rolls him in the kennel, but he bears it still; yes, and when he rises all covered with mire, he says, "if there be anything that i can do to befriend you, i will do it now." just at that moment the wretch is arrested by a sheriff's officer for debt; the man who has been insulted takes out his purse and pays the debt, and says, "you may go free." see, the wretch spits in his face after that! "now," you say, "let the law have its way with him." is there any room for patience now? so would it have been with man; it has not been so with god. though like the cart he is pressed under the load of sheaves, yet like the cart the axle does not break. he bears the load. he bears with impenitent sinners still. and this brings me to the fourth head, on which i would have your deepest attention. some of you, i fear, have never seen sin in the light of grieving god, or else you would not wish to grieve him any more. on the other hand some of you feel how bitter a thing evil is, and you wish to be rid of it. this is our fourth head. not only doth god still bear with sin, but god, in the person of his son, did bear and take away sin. these words would have deep meaning if put into the lips of jesus--"i am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." here stood the great problem. god must punish sin, and yet he desired to have mercy. how could it be? lo! jesus comes to be the substitute for all who trust him. the load of guilt is laid upon his shoulders. see how they pile on him the sheaves of human sin! "my soul looks back to see the burdens thou didst bear, when hanging on the cursed tree, and hopes her guilt was there." "the lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." there they lie, sheaf on sheaf, till he is pressed down like the wain that groaneth as it moves along. "he is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." see him, he did "sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground." herod mocks him. pilate jeers him. they have smitten the prince of judah upon the cheek. "i gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: i hid not my face from shame and spitting." they have tied him to the pillar; they are beating him with rods, not this time forty stripes _save one_, for there is no "save one" with him. "the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." see him; like a cart pressed down with sheaves traversing the streets of jerusalem. well may ye weep, ye daughters of jerusalem, though he bids ye dry your tears! abjects hoot at him as he walks along bowed beneath the load of his own cross, which was the emblem of our sin. they bring him to golgotha. they throw him on his back, they stretch out his hands and his feet. the accursed iron penetrates the tenderest part of his body, where most the nerves do congregate. they lift up the cross. o bleeding saviour, thy time of woe is come! they dash it into the socket with cruel force, the nails are tearing through his hands and feet. he hangeth in extremity, for god hath forsaken him; his enemies persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him. they mock his nakedness; they point at his agonies. they look and stare upon him. with ribald jests they insult his griefs. they make puns upon his prayers. he is now indeed a worm, and no man, crushed till you can scarcely think that divinity dwells within him. fever parches him; his tongue is dried up like a potsherd, and he cries, "i thirst!" vinegar is all they yield him. the sun refuses to shine, and the dense midnight of that awful mid-day is a fitting emblem of the tenfold darkness of his soul. out of that all-encompassing horror he crieth, "my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me?" then, indeed, was he pressed down! there was never sorrow like unto his sorrow. all mortal griefs found a reservoir in his heart, and the punishment of human guilt spent itself upon his body and his soul. shall sin ever be a trifle to me? shall i laugh at that which made my saviour groan? shall i toy and dally with that which stabbed him to the heart? sinner, wilt thou not give up thy sins for the sake of him who suffered for sin? "yes," sayest thou, "yes, if i could believe that he suffered for my sake." wilt thou trust thy soul in his hands at once? dost thou do so? then he died _for thee_ and took _thy_ guilt, and carried all _thy_ sorrows, and thou mayest go free, for god is satisfied, and thou art absolved. christ was burdened that thou mightest be lightened; he was pressed that thou mightest be free. i would i could talk of my precious master as john would speak, who saw him and bare witness, for he could tell in plaintive tones of the sorrows of calvary. such as i have i give you; oh that god would give you with it the power, the grace to believe on jesus at once. v. for if not, and here is our last point, god will only bear the load of our provocation for a little while; and if we are not in christ when the end shall come, that same load will crush us forever. my text is translated by many learned men in a different way from the version before us. according to them it should be read, "i will press you as a cart that is full of sheaves presseth your place." that is, just as a heavy loaded wagon pressed into the soft eastern roads and left deep furrows, so will i crush you, saith god, beneath the load of your sin. this is to be your doom, my hearer, if you are out of christ: your own deeds are to press upon you. need we enlarge upon this terror? i think not. it only needs that you should make a personal application of the threatening! divide yourselves now. divide yourselves, i say! answer each one for himself--dost thou believe on the lord jesus christ? then the threatening is not thine. but if thou believest not i conjure thee listen to me now as if thou wert the only person here. a christless soul will ere long be a castaway; he that believeth not in christ is condemned already, because he believeth not. how wilt thou escape if thou wilt neglect so great salvation? thus saith the lord unto thee, "consider thy ways." by time, by eternity, by life, by death, by heaven, by hell, i do conjure thee believe in him who is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto him; but if thou believest not in christ thou shalt die in thy sins. after death the judgment! oh! the judgment, the thundering trumpet, the multitude, the books, the great white throne, the "come, ye blessed," the "depart, ye cursed!" after judgment, to a soul that is out of christ, hell! who among us? who _among us_ shall abide with the devouring flame? who among us? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? i pray that none of us may. but we _must_ unless we fly to christ. i beseech thee, my dear hearer, fly to jesus! i may never see thy face again; thine eyes may never look into mine again; but i shake my skirts of thy blood if thou believest not in christ. my tears entreat thee; let his long-suffering lead thee to repentance. he willeth not the death of any, but that they should turn unto him and live: and this turning lies mainly in trusting jesus with your soul. wilt thou believe in christ? nay, i know thou wilt not unless the spirit of god shall constrain thee; but if thou wilt not, it shall not be for want of pleading and entreating. come, 'tis mercy's welcome hour. i pray thee, come. jesus with pierced hands invites thee, though thou hast long rejected him. he knocks again. his unconquerable love defies thy wickedness. he begs thee to be saved. sinner, wilt thou have him or no? "whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely." god help you to come, for the glorious redeemer's sake. amen. threshing. "for the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen."--isaiah : , . the art of husbandry was taught to man by god. he would have starved while he was discovering it, and so the lord, when he sent him out of the garden of eden, gave him a measure of elementary instruction in agriculture, even as the prophet puts it--"his god doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him." god has taught man to plough, to break the clods, to sow the different kinds of grain, and to thresh out the different sorts of seeds. the eastern husbandman could not thresh by machinery as we do; but still he was ingenious and discreet in that operation. sometimes a heavy instrument was dragged over the corn to tear out the grain. this is what is intended in the first clause by the "threshing instrument," as also in that passage, "i have made thee a sharp threshing instrument having teeth." when the corn-drag was not used, they often turned the heavy solid wheel of a country cart over the straw. this is alluded to in the next sentence: "neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin." they had also flails not very unlike our own, and then for still smaller seeds, such as dill and cummin, they used a simple staff, or a slender switch. "the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod." this is not the time or place to give a dissertation upon threshing. we find every information upon that subject in proper books; but the meaning of the illustration is this--that as god has taught husbandmen to distinguish between different kinds of grain in the threshing, so does he in his infinite wisdom deal discreetly with different sorts of men. he does not try us all alike, seeing we are differently constituted. he does not pass us all through the same agony of conviction: we are not all to the same extent threshed with terrors. he does not give us all to endure the same family or bodily affliction; one escapes with only being beaten with a rod, while another feels, as it were, the feet of horses in his heavy tribulations. our subject is just this. _threshing_: all kinds of seeds need it, _all sorts of men need it_. secondly, _the threshing is done with discretion_, and, thirdly, _the threshing will not last forever_; for so the second verse of the text says: "bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horseman." i. first, then, we all need threshing. some have a foolish conceit of themselves that they have no sin; but they deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them. the best of men are men at the best; and being men, they are not perfect, but are still compassed about with infirmity. what is the object of threshing the grain? is it not to separate it from the straw and the chaff? _about the best of men there is still a measure of chaff._ all is not grain that lies upon the threshing-floor. all is not grain even in those golden sheaves which have been brought into our garner so joyfully. even the wheat is joined to the straw, which was necessary to it at one time. about the kernel of the wheat the husk is wrapped, and this still clings to it even when it lies upon the threshing-floor. about the holiest of men there is something superfluous, something which must be removed. we either sin by omission or by trespass. either in spirit, or motive, or lack of zeal, or want of discretion, we are faulty. if we escape one error, we usually glide into its opposite. if before an action we are right, we err in the doing of it, or, if not, we become proud after it is over. if sin be shut out at the front door, it tries the back gate, or climbs in at the window, or comes down the chimney. those who cannot perceive it in themselves are frequently blinded by its smoke. they are so thoroughly in the water that they do not know that it rains. so far as my own observation goes i have found out no man whom the old divines would have called perfectly perfect; the absolutely all-round man is a being whom i expect to see in heaven, but not in this poor fallen world. we all need such cleansing and purging as the threshing-floor is intended to work for us. now, _threshing is useful in loosening the connection between the good corn and the husk_. of course, if it would slip out easily from its husk, the corn would only need to be shaken. there would be no necessity for a staff or a rod, much less for the feet of horses, or the wheel of a cart to separate it. but there's the rub: our soul not only lieth in the dust, but "cleaveth" to it. there is a fearful intimacy between fallen human nature and the evil which is in the world; and this compact is not soon broken. in our hearts we hate every false way, and yet we sorrowfully confess, "when i would do good, evil is present with me." sometimes when our spirit cries out most ardently after god, a holy will is present with us, but how to perform that which is good we find not. flesh and blood have tendencies and weaknesses which, if not sinful in themselves, yet tend in that direction. appetites need but slight excitement to germinate into lusts. it is not easy for us to forget our own kindred and our father's house even when the king doth most greatly desire our beauty. our alien nature remembers egypt and the flesh-pots while yet the manna is in our mouths. we were all born in the house of evil, and some of us were nursed upon the lap of iniquity, so that our first companionships were among the heirs of wrath. that which was bred in the bone is hard to get out of the flesh. threshing is used to loosen our hold of earthly things and break us away from evil. this needs a divine hand, and nothing but the grace of god can make the threshing effectual. something is done by threshing when the soul ceases to be bound up with its sin, and sin is no longer pleasurable or satisfactory. still, as the work of threshing is never done till the corn is separated altogether from the husk, so chastening and discipline have never accomplished their design till god's people give up every form of evil, and abhor all iniquity. when we shake right out of the straw, and have nothing further to do with sin, then the flail will lie quiet. it has taken a good deal of threshing to bring some of us anywhere near that mark, and i am afraid many more heavy blows will be struck before we shall reach the total separation. from a certain sort of sins we are very easily separated by the grace of god early in our spiritual life; but when those are gone, another layer of evils comes into sight, and the work has to be repeated. the complete removal of our connection with sin is a work demanding the divine skill and power of the holy ghost, and by him only will it be accomplished. threshing becomes needful for the sake of our usefulness; for the wheat must come out of the husk to be of service. we can only honor god and bless men by being holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. o corn of the lord's threshing-floor, thou must be beaten and bruised, or perish as a worthless heap! eminent usefulness usually necessitates eminent affliction. unless thus severed from sin, we cannot be gathered into the garner. god's pure wheat must not be defiled by an admixture of chaff. there shall in nowise enter into heaven anything that defileth, therefore every sort of imperfection must come away from us by some means or other ere we can enter into the state of eternal blessedness and perfection. yea, even here we cannot have true fellowship with the father unless we are daily delivered from sin. peradventure some of us to-day are lying up on the threshing-floor, suffering from the blows of chastisement. what then? why, let us rejoice therein; for _this testifies to our value in the sight of god_. if the wheat were to cry out and say, "the great drag has gone over me, therefore the husbandman has no care for me," we should instantly reply--the husbandman does not pass the corn-drag over the darnel or the nettles; it is only over the precious wheat that he turns the wheel of his cart, or the feet of his oxen. because he esteems the wheat, therefore he deals sternly with it and spares it not. judge not, o believer, that god hates you because he afflicts you; but interpret truly and see that he honors you by every stroke which he lays upon you. thus saith the lord, "you only have i known of all the nations of the earth, therefore i will punish you for all your iniquities." because a full atonement has been made by the lord jesus for all his people's sins, therefore he will not punish us as a judge; but because we are his dear children, therefore he will chastise us as a father. in love he corrects his own children that he may perfect them in his own image, and make them partakers of his holiness. is it not written, "i will bring them under the rod of the covenant"? has he not said, "i have refined thee, but not with silver, i have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction"? therefore do not judge according to the sight of the eyes or the feeling of the flesh, but judge according to faith, and understand that, as threshing is a testimony to the value of the wheat, so affliction is a token of god's delight in his people. remember, however, that as threshing is a sign of the impurity of the wheat, so is _affliction an indication of the present imperfection of the christian_. if you were no more connected with evil, you would be no more corrected with sorrow. the sound of a flail is never heard in heaven, for it is not the threshing-floor of the imperfect but the garner of the completely sanctified. the threshing instrument is therefore a humbling token, and so long as we feel it we should humble ourselves under the hand of god, for it is clear that we are not yet free from the straw and the chaff of fallen nature. on the other hand, the instrument is _a prophecy of our future perfection_. we are undergoing from the hand of god a discipline which will not fail: we shall by his prudence and wisdom be clean delivered from the husk of sin. we are feeling the blows of the staff, but we are being effectually separated from the evil which has so long surrounded us, and for certain we shall one day be pure and perfect. every tendency to sin shall be beaten off. "foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." if, we being evil, yet succeed with our children by our poor, imperfect chastening, how much more shall the father of spirits cause us to live unto himself by his holy discipline? if the corn could know the necessary uses of the flail, it would invite the thresher to his work; and since we know whereunto tribulation tendeth, let us glory in it, and yield ourselves with cheerfulness to its processes. we need threshing, the threshing proves our value in god's sight, and while it marks our imperfection, it secures our ultimate cleansing. ii. secondly, i would remark that god's threshing is done with great discretion; "for the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument." the poor little fitches, a kind of small seed used for flavoring cakes, were not crushed out with a heavy drag, for by such rough usage they would have been broken up and spoiled. "neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin;" this little seed, perhaps the carraway, would have been ground by so great a weight; it would have been preposterous to treat it in that rough manner. the fitches were soon removed from the stalks by being "beaten out with a staff," and the cummin needed nothing but a touch of a rod. for tender seeds the farmer uses gentle means, and for the hardier grains he reserves the sterner processes. let us think of this, as it conveys a valuable spiritual lesson. reflect, my brother, that your threshing and mine _are in god's hands_. our chastening is not left to servants, much less to enemies; "we are chastened of the lord!" the great husbandman himself personally bids the laborers do this and that, for they know not the time or the way except as divine wisdom shall direct; they would turn the wheel upon the cummin, or attempt to thresh wheat with a staff. i have seen god's servants trying both these follies; they have crushed the weak and tender, and they have dealt with partiality and softness with those who needed to be sternly rebuked. how roughly some ministers, some elders, some good men and women will go to work with timid, tender souls; yet we need not fear that they will destroy the true-hearted, for, however much they may vex them the lord will not leave his chosen in their hands, but will overrule their mistaken severity, and preserve his own from being destroyed thereby. how glad i am of this; for there are many nowadays who would grind the tender ones to powder if they could! as the lord has not left us in the power of man, so also he has not left us in the power of the devil. satan may sift us as wheat, but he shall not thresh us as fitches. he may blow away the chaff from us even with his foul breath, but he shall not have the management of the lord's corn: "the lord preserveth the righteous." not a stroke in providence is left to chance; the lord ordains it, and arranges the time, the force, and the place of it. the divine decree leaves nothing uncertain; the jurisdiction of supreme love occupies itself with the smallest events of our daily lives. whether we bear the teeth of the corn-drag or men do ride over our heads, or we endure the gentler touches of the divine hand, everything is by appointment, and the appointment is fixed by infallible wisdom. let this be a mine of comfort to the afflicted. next, remark that _the instruments used for our threshing are chosen also by the great husbandman_. the eastern farmer, according to the text, has several instruments, and so has our god. no form of threshing is pleasant to the seed which bears it; indeed, each one seems to the sufferer to be peculiarly objectionable. we say, "i think i could bear anything but this sad trouble." we cry, "it was not an enemy, then i could have borne it," and so on. perhaps the tender cummin foolishly fancies that the horse-hoofs would be a less terrible ordeal than the rod, and the fitches might even prefer the wheel to the staff; but happily the matter is left to the choice of one who judges unerringly. what dost thou know about it, poor sufferer? how canst thou judge of what is good for thee? "ah!" cries a mother, "i would not mind poverty; but to lose my darling child is too terrible!" another laments, "i could have parted with all my wealth, but to be slandered cuts me to the quick." there is no pleasing us in the matter of chastisement. when i was at school, with my uncle for master, it often happened that he would send me out to find a cane for him. it was not a very pleasant task, and i noticed that i never once succeeded in selecting a stick which was liked by the boy who had to feel it. either it was too thin, or too stout; and in consequence i was threatened by the sufferers with condign punishment if i did not do better next time. i learned from that experience never to expect god's children to like the particular rod with which they are chastened. you smile at my simile, but you may smile at yourself when you find yourself crying, "any trouble but this, lord. any affliction but this." how idle it is to expect a pleasant trial; for it would then be no trial at all. almost every really useful medicine is unpleasant: almost all effectual surgery is painful! no trial for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, yet it is the right trial, and none the less right because it is bitter. notice, too, that god not only selects the instruments, _but he chooses the place_. farmers in the east have large threshing-floors upon which they throw the sheaves of corn or barley, and upon these they turn horses and drags; but near the house door i have often noticed in italy a much smaller circle of hardened clay or cement, and here i have seen the peasants beating out their garden seeds in a more careful manner than would naturally be used toward the greater heaps upon the larger area. some saints are not afflicted in the common affairs of life, but they have peculiar sorrow in their innermost spirits; they are beaten on the smaller and more private threshing-floor; but the process is none the less effectual. how foolish are we when we rebel against our lord's appointment, and speak as if we had a right to choose our own afflictions! "should it be according to thy mind?" should a child select the rod? should the grain appoint its own thresher? are not these things to be left to a higher wisdom? some complain of the time of their trial; it is hard to be crippled in youth, or to be poor in age, or to be widowed when your children are young. yet in all this there is wisdom. a part of the skill of the physician may lie, not only in writing a prescription, but in arranging the hours at which the medicine shall be taken. one draught may be most useful in the morning, and another may be more beneficial in the evening; and so the lord knows when it is best for us to drink of the cup which he has prepared for us. i know a dear child of god who is enduring a severe trial in his old age, and i would fain screen him from it because of his feebleness, but our heavenly father knows best, and there we must leave it. the instrument of the threshing, the place, the measure, the time, the end, are all appointed by infallible love. it is interesting to notice in the text the limit of this threshing. the husbandman is zealous to beat out the seed, but he is careful not to break it in pieces by too severe a process. his wheel is not to grind, but to thresh; the horses' feet are not to break, but to separate. he intends to get the cummin out of its husk, but he will not turn a heavy drag upon it utterly to smash it up and destroy it. in the same way the lord has a measure in all his chastening. courage, tried friend, you shall be afflicted as you need, but not as you deserve; tribulation shall come as you are able to bear it. as is the strength such shall the affliction be; the wheat may feel the wheel, but the fitches shall bear nothing heavier than a staff. no saint shall be tempted beyond the proper measure, and the limit is fixed by a tenderness which never deals a needless stroke. it is very easy to talk like this in cool blood, and quite another thing to remember it when the flail is hammering you; yet have i personally realized this truth upon the bed of pain, and in the furnace of mental distress. i thank god at every remembrance of my afflictions; i did not doubt his wisdom then, nor have i had any reason to question it since. our great husbandman understands how to divide us from the husk, and he goes about his work in a way for which he deserves to be adored for ever. it is a pleasant thought that god's limit is one beyond which trials never go-- "if trials six be fix'd for men they shall not suffer seven. if god appoint afflictions ten they ne'er can be eleven." the old law ordained forty stripes save one, and in all our scourgings there always comes in that "save one." when the lord multiplies our sorrows up to a hundred, it is because ninety-and-nine failed to effect his purpose; but all the powers of earth and hell cannot give us one blow above the settled number. we shall never endure a superfluity of threshing. the lord never sports with the feelings of his saints. "he does not afflict willingly," and so we may be sure he never gives an unnecessary blow. the wisdom of the husbandman in limiting his threshing is far exceeded in the wisdom of god by which he sets a limit to our griefs. some escape with little trouble, and perhaps it is because they are frail and sensitive. the little garden seeds must not be beaten too heavily lest they be injured; those saints who bear about with them a delicate body must not be roughly handled, nor shall they be. possibly they have a feeble mind also, and that which others would laugh at would be death to them; they shall be kept as the apple of the eye. if you are free from tribulation never ask for it; that would be a great folly. i did meet with a brother a little while ago who said that he was much perplexed because he had no trouble. i said, "do not worry about _that_; but be happy while you may." only a queer child would beg to be flogged. certain sweet and shining saints are of such a gentle spirit that the lord does not expose them to the same treatment as he metes out to others; they do not need it, and they could not bear it; why should they wish for it? others, again, are very heavily pressed; but what of that if they are a superior grain, a seed of larger usefulness, intended for higher purposes? let not such regret that they have to endure a heavier threshing since their use is greater. it is the bread corn that must go under the feet of the horseman and must feel the wheel of the cart; and so the most useful have to pass through the sternest processes. there is not one among us but what would say, "i could wish that i were martin luther, or that i could play as noble a part as he did." yes; but in addition to the outward perils of his life, the inward experiences of that remarkable man were such as none of us would wish to feel. he was frequently tormented with satanic temptations, and driven to the verge of despair. at one hour he rode the whirlwind and the storm, master of all the world, and then after days of fighting with the pope and the devil he would go home to his bed and lie there broken-down and trembling. you see god's heroes only in the pulpit, or in other public places, you know not what they are before god in secret. you do not know their inner life; else you might discover that the bread corn is bruised, and that those who are most useful in comforting others have to endure frequent sorrow themselves. envy no man; for you do not know how he may have to be threshed to make him right and keep him so. brethren, we see that our god uses discretion in the chastisement of his people; let us use a loving prudence when we have to deal with others in that way. be gentle as well as firm with your children; and if you have to rebuke your brother do it very tenderly. do not drive your horses over the tender seed. recollect that the cummin is beaten out with a staff and not crushed out with a wheel. take a very light rod. perhaps it would be as well if you had no rod at all, but left that work to wiser hands. go you and sow and leave your elders to thresh. next let us firmly believe in god's discretion, and be sure that he is doing the right thing by us. let us not be anxious to be screened from affliction. when we ask that the cup may pass from us let it be with a "nevertheless not as i will." best of all, let us freely part with our chaff. the likeliest way to escape the flail is to separate from the husk as quickly as possible. "come ye out from among them." separate yourselves from sin and sinners, from the world and worldliness, and the process of threshing will all the sooner be completed. god make us wise in this matter! iii. a word or two is all we can afford upon the third head, which is that the threshing will not last forever. the threshing will not last all our days even here: "bread corn is bruised, but he will not always be threshing it." oh, no. "for a small moment have i forsaken thee, but with great mercies will i gather thee." "he will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever." "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." rejoice, ye daughters of sorrow! be comforted, ye sons of grief! have hope in god, for you shall yet praise him who is the health of your countenance. the rain does not always fall, nor will the clouds always return. sorrow and sighing shall flee away. threshing is not an operation which the corn requires all the year round; for the most part the flail is idle. bless the lord, o my soul! the lord will yet bring home his banished ones. above all, tribulation will not last forever, for we shall soon be gone to another and better world. we shall soon be carried to the land where there are neither threshing-floors nor corn-drags. i sometimes think i hear the herald calling me. his trumpet sounds: "up and away! boot and saddle! up and away! leave the camp and the battle, and return in triumph." the night is far spent with you, but the morning cometh. the daylight breaks above yon hills. the day is coming--the day that shall go no more down forever. come, eat your bread with joy, and march onward with a merry heart; for the land which floweth with milk and honey is but a little way before you. until the day break and the shadows flee away, abide the great husbandman's will, and may the lord glorify himself in you. amen. wheat in the barn. "gather the wheat into my barn."--matthew : . "gather the wheat into my barn." then the purpose of the son of man will be accomplished. he sowed good seed, and he shall have his barn filled with it at the last. be not dispirited, christ will not be disappointed. "he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." he went forth weeping, bearing precious seed, but he shall come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. "gather the wheat into my barn;" then satan's policy will be unsuccessful. the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, hopeful that the false wheat would destroy or materially injure the true; but he failed in the end, for the wheat ripened and was ready to be gathered. christ's garner shall be filled; the tares shall not choke the wheat. the evil one will be put to shame. in gathering in the wheat, good angels will be employed: "the angels are the reapers." this casts special scorn upon the great evil angel. he sows the tares, and tries to destroy the harvest; and therefore the good angels are brought in to celebrate his defeat, and to rejoice together with their lord in the success of the divine husbandry. satan will make a poor profit out of his meddling; he shall be baulked in all his efforts, and so the threat shall be fulfilled, "upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat." by giving the angels work to do, all intelligent creatures, of whose existence we have information, are made to take an interest in the work of grace; whether for malice or for adoration, redemption excites them all. to all, the wonderful works of god are made manifest; for these things were not done in a corner. we too much forget the angels. let us not overlook their tender sympathy with us; they behold the lord rejoicing over our repentance, and they rejoice with him; they are our watchers and the lord's messengers of mercy; they bear us up in their hands lest we dash our foot against a stone; and when we come to die, they carry us to the bosom of our lord. it is one of our joys that we have come to an innumerable company of angels; let us think of them with affection. at this time i will keep to my text, and preach from it almost word by word. it begins with "but," and that is a word of separation. here note that the tares and the wheat will grow together until the time of harvest shall come. it is a great sorrow of heart to some of the wheat to be growing side by side with tares. the ungodly are as thorns and briers to those who fear the lord. how frequently is the sigh forced forth from the godly heart: "woe is me, that i sojourn in mesech, that i dwell in the tents of kedar!" a man's foes are often found within his own household; those who should have been his best helpers are often his worst hinderers; their conversation vexes and torments him. it is of little use to try to escape from them, for the tares are permitted in god's providence to grow with the wheat, and they will do so until the end. good men have emigrated to distant lands to found communities in which there should be none but saints, and, alas! sinners have sprung up in their own families. the attempt to weed the ungodly and heretical out of the settlement has led to persecution and other evils, and the whole plan has proved a failure. others have shut themselves away in hermitages to avoid the temptations of the world, and so have hoped to win the victory by running away; this is not the way of wisdom. the word for this present is, "let both grow together;" _but_ there will come a time when a final separation will be made. then, dear christian woman, your husband will never persecute you again. godly sister, your brother will heap no more ridicule upon you. pious workman, there will be no more jesting and taunting from the ungodly. that "but" will be an iron gate between the god-fearing and the godless; then will the tares be cast into the fire, _but_ the lord of the harvest will say, "gather the wheat into my barn." this separation must be made; for the growing of the wheat and the tares together on earth has caused much pain and injury, and therefore it will not be continued in a happier world. we can very well suppose that godly men and women might be willing that their unconverted children should dwell with them in heaven; but it cannot be, for god will not have his cleansed ones defiled nor his glorified ones tried by the presence of the unbelieving. the tares must be taken away in order to the perfectness and usefulness of the wheat. would you have the tares and the wheat heaped up together in the granary in one mass? that would be ill husbandry with a vengeance. they can neither of them be put to appropriate use till thoroughly separated. even so, mark you, the saved and the unsaved may live together here, but they must not live together in another world. the command is absolute: "gather the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: _but_ gather the wheat into my barn." sinner, can you hope to enter heaven? you never loved your mother's god, and is he to endure you in his heavenly courts? you never trusted your father's saviour, and yet are you to behold his glory for ever? are you to go swaggering down the streets of heaven, letting fall an oath, or singing a loose song? why, you know, you get tired of the worship of god on the lord's day; do you think that the lord will endure unwilling worshippers in the temple above? the sabbath is a wearisome day to you; how can you hope to enter into the sabbath of god? you have no taste for heavenly pursuits, and these things would be profaned if you were permitted to partake in them; therefore that word "but" must come in, and you must part from the lord's people never to meet again. can you bear to think of being divided from godly friends for ever and ever? that separation involves an awful difference of destiny. "gather the tares in bundles to burn them." i do not dare to draw the picture; but when the bundle is bound up there is no place for it except the fire. god grant that you may never know all the anguish which burning must mean; but may you escape from it at once. it is no trifle which the lord of love compares to being consumed with fire. i am quite certain that no words of mine can ever set forth its terror. they say that we speak dreadful things about the wrath to come; but i am sure that we understate the case. what must the tender, loving, gracious jesus have meant by the words, "gather the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them?" see what a wide distinction between the lot of the lord's people and satan's people. burn the wheat? oh, no; "gather the wheat into my barn." there let them be happily, safely housed for ever. oh, the infinite distance between heaven and hell!--the harps and the angels, and the wailing and gnashing of teeth! who can ever measure the width of that gulf which divides the glorified saint, white-robed and crowned with immortality, from the soul which is driven forever away from the presence of god, and from the glory of his power? it is a dreadful "but"--that "but" of separation. i pray you, remember that it will interpose between brother and brother--between mother and child--between husband and wife. "one shall be taken and the other left." and when that sword shall descend to divide, there shall never be any after union. the separation is eternal. there is no hope or possibility of change in the world to come. but, says one, "that dreadful '_but_'! why must there be such a difference?" the answer is, because there always was a difference. the wheat was sown by the son of man; the false wheat was sown by the enemy. there was always a difference in character--the wheat was good, the tares were evil. this difference did not appear at first, but it became more and more apparent as the wheat ripened, and as the tares ripened too. they were totally different plants; and so a regenerate person and an unregenerate person are altogether different beings. i have heard an unregenerate man say that he is quite as good as the godly man; but in so boasting he betrayed his pride. surely there is as great a difference in god's sight between the unsaved and the believer as between darkness and light, or between the dead and the living. there is in the one a life which there is not in the other, and the difference is vital and radical. oh, that you may never trifle with this essential matter, but be really the wheat of the lord! it is vain to have the name of wheat, we must have the nature of wheat. god will not be mocked; he will not be pleased by our calling ourselves christians while we are not so. be not satisfied with church membership; but seek after membership with christ. do not talk about faith, but exercise it. do not boast of experience, but possess it. be not _like_ the wheat, but be the wheat. no shams and imitations will stand in the last great day; that terrible "but" will roll as a sea of fire between the true and the false. oh holy spirit! let each of us be found transformed by thy power. ii. the second word of our text is "gather"--that is a word of congregation. what a blessed thing this gathering is! i feel it a great pleasure to gather multitudes together to hear the gospel; and is it not a joy to see a house full of people, on week-days and sabbath-days, who are willing to leave their homes and to come considerable distances to listen to the gospel? it is a great thing to gather people together for that; but the gathering of the wheat into the barn is a far more wonderful business. gathering is in itself better than scattering, and i pray that the lord jesus may ever exercise his attracting power in this place; for he is no divider, but "unto him shall the gathering of the people be." has he not said, "i, if i be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me"? observe, that the congregation mentioned in our text is selected and assembled by skilled gatherers: "the angels are the reapers." ministers could not do it, for they do not know all the lord's wheat, and they are apt to make mistakes--some by too great leniency, and others by excessive severity. our poor judgments occasionally shut out saints, and often shut in sinners. the angels will know their master's property. they know each saint, for they were present at his birthday. angels know when sinners repent, and they never forget the persons of the penitents. they have witnessed the lives of those who have believed, and have helped them in their spiritual battles, and so they know them. yes, angels by a holy instinct discern the father's children, and are not to be deceived. they will not fail to gather all the wheat and to leave out every tare. but they are gathered under a very stringent regulation; for, first of all, according to the parable, the tares, the false wheat, have been taken out, and then the angelic reapers gather nothing but the wheat. the seed of the serpent, fathered by satan, is thus separated from the seed of the kingdom, owned by jesus, the promised deliverer. this is the one distinction; and no other is taken into consideration. if the most amiable unconverted persons could stand in the ranks with the saints, the angels would not bear them to heaven, for the mandate is, "gather the wheat." could the most honest man be found standing in the centre of the church, with all the members round about him, and with all the ministers entreating that he might be spared, yet if he were not a believer he could not be carried into the divine garner. there is no help for it. the angels have no choice in the matter; the peremptory command is, "gather _the wheat_," and they must gather none else. it will be a gathering from very great distances. some of the wheat ripens in the south sea islands, in china, and in japan. some flourishes in france, broad acres grow in the united states; there is scarce a land without a portion of the good grain. where all god's wheat grows i cannot tell. there is a remnant, according to the election of grace, among every nation and people; but the angels will gather all the good grain to the same garner. "gather the wheat." the saints will be found in all ranks of society. the angels will bring in a few ears from palaces, and great armfuls from cottages! many will be collected from the lowly cottages of our villages and hamlets, and others will be upraised from the back slums of our great cities to the metropolis of god. from the darkest places angels will bring those children of sweetness and light who seldom beheld the sun, and yet were pure in heart and saw their god. the hidden and obscure shall be brought into the light, for the lord knoweth them that are his, and his harvestmen will not miss them. to me it is a charming thought that they will come from all the ages. let us hope that our first father adam will be there, and mother eve, following in the footsteps of their dear son abel, and trusting in the same sacrifice. we shall meet abraham, and isaac, and jacob, and moses, and david, and daniel, and all the saints made perfect. what a joy to see the apostles, martyrs, and reformers! i long to see luther, and calvin, and bunyan, and whitefield. i like the rhyme of good old father ryland: "they all shall be there, the great and the small, poor i shall shake hands with the blessed st. paul." i do not know how that will be, but i have not much doubt that we shall have fellowship with all the saints of every age in the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. no matter when or where the wheat grew, it shall be gathered into the one barn; gathered never to be scattered; gathered out of all divisions of the visible church, never to be divided again. they grew in different fields. some flourished on the hillside where episcopalians grow in all their glory, and others in the lowlier soil, where baptists multiply, and methodists flourish; but once the wheat is in the barn none can tell in which field the ears grew. then, indeed, shall the master's prayer have a glorious answer--"that they all may be one." all our errors removed and our mistakes corrected and forgiven, the one lord, the one faith, and the one baptism will be known of us all, and there will be no more vexings and envyings. what a blessed gathering it will be! what a meeting! the elect of god, the _élite_ of all the centuries, of whom the world was not worthy. i should not like to be away. if there were no hell, it would be hell enough to me to be shut out of such heavenly society. if there were no weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, it would be dreadful enough to miss the presence of the lord, and the joy of praising him forever, and the bliss of meeting with all the noblest beings that ever lived. amid the needful controversies of the age, i, who have been doomed to seem a man of strife, sigh for the blessed rest wherein all spiritual minds shall blend in eternal accord before the throne of god and of the lamb. oh that we were all right, that we might be all happily united in one spirit! in the text there is next a word of designation. i have already trespassed upon that domain. "gather _the wheat_." nothing but "the wheat" must be placed in the lord's homestead. lend me your hearts while i urge you to a searching examination for a minute or two. the wheat was sown of the lord. are you sown of the lord? friend, if you have any religion, how did you get it? was it self-sown? if so, it is good for nothing. the true wheat was sown by the son of man. are you sown of the lord? did the spirit of god drop eternal life into your bosom? did it come from that dear hand which was nailed to the cross? is jesus your life? does your life begin and end with him? if so, it is well. the wheat sown of the lord is also the object of the lord's care. wheat needs a deal of attention. the farmer would get nothing from it if he did not watch it carefully. are you under the lord's care? does he keep you? is that word true to your soul, "i the lord do keep it; i will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, i will keep it night and day?" do you experience such keeping? make an honest answer, as you love your soul. next, wheat is a useful thing, a gift from god for the life of men. the false wheat was of no good to anybody; it could only be eaten of swine, and then it made them stagger like drunken men. are you one of those who are wholesome in society--who are like bread to the world, so that if men receive you and your example and your teaching they will be blessed thereby? judge yourselves whether ye are good or evil in life and influence. "gather the wheat." you know that god must put the goodness, the grace, the solidity, and the usefulness into you, or else you will never be wheat fit for angelic gathering. one thing is true of the wheat--that it is the most dependent of all plants. i have never heard of a field of wheat which sprang up, and grew, and ripened without a husbandman's care. some ears may appear after a harvest when the corn has shaled out; but i have never heard of plains in america or elsewhere covered with unsown wheat. no, no. there is no wheat where there is no man, and there is no grace where there is no christ. we owe our very existence to the father, who is the husbandman. yet, dependent as it is, wheat stands in the front rank of honor and esteem; and so do the godly in the judgment of all who are of understanding heart. we are nothing without christ; but with him we are full of honor. oh, to be among those by whom the world is preserved, the excellent of the earth in whom the saints delight; god forbid we should be among the base and worthless tares! our last head, upon which also i will speak briefly, is a word of destination. "gather the wheat _into my barn_." the process of gathering in the wheat will be completed at the day of judgment, but it is going on every day. from hour to hour saints are gathered; they are going heavenward even now. i am so glad to hear as a regular thing that the departed ones from my own dear church have such joy in being harvested. glory be to god, our people die well. the best thing is to live well, but we are greatly gladdened to hear that the brethren die well; for, full often, that is the most telling witness for vital godliness. men of the world feel the power of triumphant deaths. every hour the saints are being gathered into the barn. that is where they want to be. we feel no pain at the news of ingathering, for we wish to be safely stored up by our lord. if the wheat that is in the field could speak, every ear would say, "the ultimatum for which we are living and growing is the barn, the granary." for this the frosty night; for this the sunny day; for this the dew and the rain; and for this everything. every process with the wheat is tending toward the granary. so is it with us; everything is working toward heaven--toward the gathering place--toward the congregation of the righteous--toward the vision of our redeemer's face. our death will cause no jar in our life-music; it will involve no pause or even discord; it is part of a programme, the crowning of our whole history. to the wheat the barn is the place of security. it dreads no mildew there; it fears no frost, no heat, no drought, no wet, when once in the barn. all its growth-perils are past. it has reached its perfection. it has rewarded the labor of the husbandman, and it is housed. oh, long-expected day, begin! oh, brethren, what a blessing it will be when you and i shall have come to our maturity, and christ shall see in us the travail of his soul. i delight to think of heaven as _his_ barn; _his_ barn, what must that be? it is but the poverty of language that such an expression has to be used at all concerning the home of our father, the dwelling of jesus. heaven is the palace of the king, but, so far, to us a barn, because it is the place of security, the place of rest for ever. it is the homestead of christ to which we shall be carried, and for this we are ripening. it is to be thought of with ecstatic joy; for the gathering into the barn involves a harvest home, and i have never heard of men sitting down to cry over an earthly harvest home, nor of their following the sheaves with tears. nay, they clap their hands, they dance for joy, and shout right lustily. let us do something like that concerning those who are already housed. with grave, sweet melodies let us sing around their tombs. let us feel that, surely, the bitterness of death is passed. when we remember their glory, we may rejoice like the travailing woman when her child is born, who "remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world." another soul begins to sing in heaven; why do you weep, o heirs of immortality? is the eternal happiness of the righteous the birth which comes of their death-pangs? then happy are they who die. is glory the end and outcome of that which fills our home with mourning? if so, thank god for bereavements; thank god for saddest severings. he has promoted our dear ones to the skies! he has blessed them beyond all that we could ask or even think; he has taken them out of this weary world to lie in his own bosom for ever. blessed be his name if it were for nothing else but this. would you keep your old father here, full of pain, and broken down with feebleness? would you shut him out of glory? would you detain your dear wife here with all her suffering? would you hold back your husband from the crown immortal? could you wish your child to descend to earth again from the bliss which now surrounds her? no, no. we wish to be going home ourselves to the heavenly father's house and its many mansions; but concerning the departed we rejoice before the lord as with the joy of harvest. 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