in

Broadmead, Bristol. 1640-1687. Edited for the Hanserd Knollys Society, with an Historical Introduction, by Edward Bean Underhill. London: 8vo. pp. 526. If the Council of the Hanserd Knollys Society do not receive thanks by acclamation at the next annual meeting, their constituents will expose themselves to the suspicion of being deficient either in discernment or in gratitude. The thanks of a much larger body than the body of subscribers have been fairly earned by the publication of a work so thorough adapted to do good to the present generation as the handsome What is wanted in volume before us.

excellent the book, the more desirable it | The Records of a Church of Christ, meeting is that inadvertencies and defects should be pointed out; that the reader should be put on his guard against the reception of impressions which the author did not intend to convey, and that hints should be given which may be advantageously kept in mind during the perusal of the volume. We joyfully anticipate for it a large circulation, and a permanent place among our standard religious literature. Happy is it for hundreds of thousands that William Knibb lived. Happy will it be for many yet unborn that his biography has been so well written. We are not inclined to give extracts from a book which will find its way so generally into the hands of our readers as this, but the concluding page is so just in respect to Knibb, and so practically important, that we must commend it to universal attention.

“If there is one reflection which, more than others, presses itself on my mind in concluding this sketch, it is this:-Of how few and of what simple elements may an eminently useful character be formed! Kuibb is now regarded as one of the great men of his age. But what was be? Let the reader invert this question, and ask how many things he was not. He was not a man of original genius. He was not a man of lofty intellect. He was not a man of literary taste. He was not a man of finished education. He was not a man of scientific attainments. He was not a metaphysician, not a philosopher, not a poet, not even a theologian. So many things that he was not, again I ask, what was he? He was kind, just, firm, active, and fearless. He had good sense, strong nerves, simple speech, a warm heart, and lively piety. What common-place qualities are these! Yet they made an extraordinary man. They made a man who, by active sympathy with its griefs, bas left the world better than he found it; while too often men of genius and profundity, soaring listlessly above it, have after a passing look of pity or contempt, left it as it was. The latter may perhaps be compared to meteors, which beautify the night; while Knibb, and the class to which he belongs, may be said to resemble the sun, which cheers and animates the day, Happily for our race, for one who possesses the loftier qualities there are a thousand who possess the more useful; and the example of Knibb will have been exhibited in vain, if it do not at once suggest and encourage imitation.

"To God, the giver of all good, be the glory of what he was, and of what he accomplished "

From

our time is firm adherence to important
principles. Correct thinking is more
common now than it was two hundred
years ago, and a disposition to deal
justly with those who differ from us is
influence of fashion, and readiness to
more general than it was then; but the
surrender convictions to the prospect of
worldly advancement, are lamentably pre
noble instances of adherence to principle
valent. We have occasionally met with
among the poorer classes of the com-
munity, but many of the ladies and
gentlemen of the present age need to be
taught what adherence to principle cost
some of their ancestors. We rejoice
that this volume will go into many
genteel families, and we hope that where
it goes it will be generally read.
the death of King Charles I. to the
abdication of King James II. is of all
periods in the history of dissent the
most interesting; and this volume con-
taining an account of a single church,
and a very large proportion of it by
one of the chief actors in the scene, has
much of the charm of autobiography,
The reader cannot help feeling before
he gets half way through it as among
old friends, for whose extrication from
perils he is deeply concerned. The
manoeuvres of the persecutors and the
ways in which they were often baffled,
the instances in which they defeated
themselves, and the expedients by which
the good people defeated them, are
highly amusing. One of the most com-
mon plans, when meetings for worship
were in danger of interruption, was to
agree at the commencement of the service
on a psalm to be sung as soon as the
informers or constables appeared. The
approach of the unwelcome visitors.

being notified, the whole congregation | these people religion was a serious thing, and that a lovely spirit of docility accompanied their firmness and manly independence.

with one accord began singing; no one was found preaching, or praying, or parcelling out the lines, or in any respect acting as leader, but all were singing, and all continued to sing till the disappointed huntsmen being weary of their unprofitable occupation withdrew. In some cases a curtain parted off those who preached or prayed from the rest of the congregation, so that they might be heard and not seen, and when the officers arrived, suddenly retire. In other cases a convenient trap-door in the floor, allowed the sudden descent of the minister into an apartment below, so that the intruders, after having made their way through the crowd of women purposely placed so as to obstruct their entrance, might search the room in vain for the man whose voice they had heard while ascending the stairs. Yet, heavy fines and long imprisonments were of common occurrence; many died in jail, and others fell sacrifices to the ill treatment they received. Punishments which at first were confined to the teachers were afterwards inflicted on all who were present to hear, or to join in the worship. Wonderful constancy was displayed With all due respect for our contemporaries, we fear that in some places the attendance at a church-meeting in our days would be small, if one of the minutes was likely to be as follows:-" And considering what is above, and that writs are daily expected to levy £20 a month, £240 per annum a man, upon us, for not coming to church, or imprison us if it be not paid, there being thirteen brethren present, we agreed to have circular meetings at five places, where the brethren were to exercise their gifts, and twice in a day, at nine in the morning, and at one in the afternoon," page 482.

In the internal arrangements of the church, many things will be observed differing materially from the usages of the churches now. Some of these we should be sorry to see revived, though there are others, the want of which is in some churches seriously felt. In addition to the pastor, we find frequent mention of "ruling elders;" and in addition to the deacons, there were "deaconesses," whose duties are explicitly described, and of whose election there are details. A great number of pastoral letters, and letters relating to matters of discipline, will also be found, all showing that with

Of the Historical Introduction by Mr. Underhill, we need only say that it is a worthy continuation of that which was prefixed to the former volume of the Hanserd Knollys Society's publications, the "Tracts on Liberty of Conscience and Persecution." It relates to the reign of the true daughter of Henry VIII., whom we read of elsewhere as "Good Queen Elizabeth," and contains, among other things, memorials of baptists whom that tender-hearted lady burned at the stake, and of others to whom, in her clemency, she assigned the milder penalty of banishment. The last chapter contains a triumphant vindication of the position that the first Englishmen who argued for religious liberty "in the entire breadth of it" were baptists.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Approbed.

An Analysis and Exposure of the New Government Scheme of Education; showing its Precise Nature, its Objectionable Character, and its Mischievous Tendencies. By JOHN MIDDLETON HARE, Author of "The Analytical Digest of Sir James London: 8vo. Graham's Factories Education Bill." pp. 40. Price 18.

A Letter to the Most Noble the Marquis of Lansdowne, President of the Council, on the Govern

ment Plan of Education. With an Appendix, con

taining the Minutes of the Committee of Council on Education, in August and December, 1846, pre

sented to both Houses of Parliament, Feb. 5, 1847. By EDWARD BAINES, jun. London: 18mo. pp. 24. Price 2d.

The Standard Edition of the Pictorial Bible. hundred Woodcuts, and thirteen Engravings on Edited by JOHN KITTO, D.D., F.S.A. With many Steel. To be Published in thirteen Monthly Parts, at Four Shillings; and fifty-two Weekly Numbers, at One Shilling. Part V. London: 8vo. pp. 112.

The Importance of Perseverance in Christian Efforts. The Substance of a Circular Letter addressed to the Ministers and Messengers and Churches of the Northamptonshire Association, assembled at Luton, on the 24th and 25th of May, 1825. By the Rev. JAMES CLARK. Edinburgh: 8vo. pp. 23. Price 4d.

A Glimpse of Heaven; or, The Home of the Just. A Sermon occasioned by the Death of the Rev. George Collison of Hackney, preached in Bethnal Green Meeting, on the 14th February, 1847. By JOSIAH VINEY. Published at the Request of the Congregation. London: 12mo. pp. 23. Price 6d.

The Eclectic Review. March. 1847. London: 8vo. pp. 403. Price 2s. 6d.

The Juvenile Missionary Herald for 1846. London: 24mo. pp. 284. Price 18. half bound.

INTELLIGENCE.

AMERICA.

SYMPATHY FOR IRELAND.

committee first direct attention to Paris. Their esteemed friend, the Rev. N. Bosworth, F.R.A.S., labours there with his accustomed

The New York Recorder of Feb. 17th, assiduity, and enjoys gratifying indications of contains the following paragraphs:

"We have already apprised our readers that at a meeting of pastors and brethren, held on Monday, the 8th inst., the Rev. Dr. Dowling in the chair, and the Rev. H. Davis, secretary, the following preamble and resolutions were passed :—

"Whereas, affecting and imperative appeals for relief, from the suffering inhabitants of Ireland generally, and particularly from our baptist brethren, have been addressed to the favoured inhabitants of this country; therefore,

"Resolved, That in our view, immediate measures should be taken for obtaining money and provisions in answer to these appeals, and that we do most earnestly recommend collections and contributions in baptist churches and congregations.

"Resolved, That a committee be appointed to secure the services of trustees and a treasurer, known to the churches as responsible business men, to receive and disburse the money and provisions which may be gathered."

"In pursuance of this movement, William Colgate, Esq., No. 6, Dutch Street, has been appointed treasurer, and the following gentlemen have consented to act as trustees, viz., Ephraim Corning, John Bowen, Garrat N. Bleecker, Nathan C. Platt, and Palmer Townsend, Esqrs., and Captain Edward Richardson, all well known to our churches and worthy of all confidence as business men. A letter has been addressed to a gentleman in New Jersey, requesting him to serve as trustee, but he has not yet been heard from. We are happy to learn that the collection taken on Sunday last at the first baptist church, Brooklyn, amounted to 250 dollars. A collection will be taken on Sunday next at the South Baptist Church, Brooklyn. Indeed, we believe that collections will be quite general."

CANADA BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The Montreal Register of Feb. 11 contains an account of the tenth annual meeting of this society, with the Report read on that occasion, of which the following is an ab

stract :

General Missionary Operations. Beginning with Canada West, where a wide field of usefulness presents itself, the

the divine blessing. His ministry is attended
school contains 100 children.
by a numerous congregation. The Sunday

district which your committee would have
willingly aided had they possessed the means.
They were only able to vote a small grant to
the Rev. J. Winterbotham of Brantford,
whose active and self-denying efforts are
rewarded with a pleasing degree of success.
The church under his care is in a prosperous
state. Connected with it is a large and
efficient Sunday-school, which is provided
with a good library.

There are other stations in the same

At Drummondville the Rev. A. Cleghorn has been favoured with manifestations of divine goodness. It has pleased God to bless the preaching of the gospel, and the other efforts employed by his servant. A church has been formed, which now consists of twentyseven members. Several persons have been baptized on profession of faith. A neat and commodious place of worship has been erected on a lot of ground kindly given for the purpose by James Buchanan, Esq., formerly Britannic Consul at New York, who also on the day of opening presented forty bibles for the use of the congregation, and takes a lively interest in the cause. The committee hope that baptists who visit Niagara Falls will encourage this infant church by their presence and aid.

The committee next advert with much pleasure to St. Catherine's, in which place the Rev. W. Hewson proclaims the glad tidings and otherwise labours, cheered by those tokens of mercy which animate the ministers of Christ, and sustain them under discouragements. The church over which he presides contains seventy-six members; there are forty-five children and nine teachers in the sabbath-school, and 150 volumes in its library. Two bible classes, comprising thirty-five young persons, enjoy the benefit of Mr. Hewson's constant instruction. Peace is experienced. May large prosperity be added!

The Rev. R. A. Fyfe, pastor of the church at Toronto, has communicated interesting information to your committee respecting the state of religion in that important city. Notwithstanding the inconvenient location of the baptist chapel, it is well filled with attentive hearers. The church is very much united,