thorowith When proving that t longer standing than t Wesleyan Methodists, present body founded Storck and Muncer, i A. D. 1525; and whe prove that they existed he takes the Novatians the Baptists! Of such reasoning on "Parturient montes, nasci Trusting that you favour of publishing th number, I beg to subscr Sir, your A Exeter, January, 185 Last month, at pag why we refused to ins which the above is a c cause it was anonymous we received another no also furnish a copy : To the Editor of the Ba SIR,-The copy of y for last month was the saw, consequently I wa your regulation respectin correspondent being requ saw no name to the arti letter refers; however, slightest wish to withh therefore at the end of find it; and but for th bookseller in procuring this month, which I hav to-day, it should have be you before now. I flatter myself that read my letter through quite to the purpose, civil for your pages. appealing to your hones I considered your periodi sided one, and that you w scruple to publish any other side of the subject. I had no idea of my le the proper weight for one enclose two stamps to ind the extra charge to wh subjected. I am, sir, you Mint Street, Exeter, Feb. 10, 1853. The writer of these epi perhaps, be disposed to baptist Editor can be b and fearless. With rege aw no name to the article to letter refers," if he turns to the January number be will e extracts from the discourse I by the following paragraph: we sat down we only thought a few lines to introduce two a printed discourse from st,' Matt. iii. 1, 'delivered at upon-Tyne, May 31, 1852, moration of the planting of ches in the North of England ed years ago. By Richard Lancaster. Printed at the esteemed friends. London: n." mer singular that so full a def the writer of the discourse ld have escaped Mr. Fryer's owever even that may pass. th we dare promise him, if ence of the writer of the dispermit, a reply in full to the e has ventured to indulge. CHURCH RATES. fish to fry" at present, than bestow one thought or effort on the removal of this grievance. The fact is, the dissenters must bestir themselves, or the thing will yet go on for an indefinite period. In large places we can manage to baffle the rate party, but in many smaller places the most gross injustice prevails, causing the most violent ill feeling among neighbours who might otherwise dwell together in peace. Here is an instance from a midland small town.— "In this town there is a pious woman and her family who attend a dissenting place of worship, and in consequence of their refusing to pay a church rate, they were visited by the officers for that establishment, who took out of her house two tables, six chairs, and the Family Bible, to be sold to pay that unrighteous demand. Yet these very persons pretend to believe and obey that blessed book which they took away, and which says, Thou shalt not steal!' When, oh! when will such abominations cease in England? How can such men who enforce such an unjust law pretend to be the followers of Him who said, 'Love thy neighbour;' or the successors of him who said, 'I seek not your's, but you.' Surely such men seek the fleece and not the flock; and if they were to speak the truth must say, 'We seek not you, but your's.' May these practises of priests and fragments of popery soon be for B. D. S." T has met, and Lord John leader of the House of Comstated what measures the new at design to introduce during it session, among which we ention of these obnoxious and imposts. To use a homely rd John seems to have "other ever abolished! Christian Activity. DIERS' FRIEND SOCIETY. viewing their employment in favourable light, may be rea vast organized police-force -urity and defence of the nation. gest objections to a standing that it may be used for tyranggressive purposes, and is calo excite apprehension both at I among neighbouring nations, tendency of such a system is to ze both the men themselves and unity at large, and that a great stained by the country in withso many able-bodied men from ful pursuits of honest industuse The very engagement appears to us to be incompatible with the christian profession, and we would ever earnestly pray that the days, long predicted, may hasten their coming, when men shall learn war no more. So long, however, as we have soldiers, we ought not to forget that they are men, progressing, like ourselves, to a boundless eternity; who being exposed, more than others, to immediate death, ought ever to be prepared, so far as may be, for that solemn event. We have known soldiers who were decidedly pious, and have often seen some of them, in pluco, where they wove - and decorum. Others we have heard engage in social devotion with serious earnestness. Yea, we have been told by survivors of Waterloo, that on the night before that dreadful encounter, many prayer-meetings were held in the British regiments. We welcome, therefore, a "Statement" and "Report" of this Society, of which we form a favourable opinion, as we find that Mr. Peto is president, and Mr. W. A. Blake, secretary, with a considerable number of well-known London ministers and gentlemen of various evangelical denominations as vice-presidents, or acting on the committee, with corresponding members in the provinces. We give an extract of the "Statement:" "The object of this Society is to spread the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ among the British army. It is the only Society that specially directs its attention to their religious requirements, which are very little thought of,- the only provision made for them being one morning service on Sundays; and this they are not able always to attend. To supply in some measure this deficiency, the Society employs missionaries, who are continually visiting the barracks and stations where the soldiers are located; distributing among them large quantities of the tracts published by the Religious Tract Society, also a periodical written expressly for them, entitled the "Christian Sentinel," which is published quarterly; and which are sent for distribution among the soldiers, to the various barracks in England, and also to Ireland and the colonies. Special services are also held for them whenever opportunity serves. The labours of the missionaries have been abundantly blessed, and many pleasing instances of the usefulness of the Society have the Committee been favoured with. One instance or two they briefly notice: A soldier, whose former character was not in accordance with the requirements of the gospel, has recently become a member of a christian church, and promises to be very useful in the cause of God, having already induced many of his comrades to attend upon the means of grace. Another soldier, brought to a knowledge of the truth through the labours of the London City Mission, is taking an active part in the cause of the Society, has written in two numbers of the "Christian Sentinel ;" and is labouring among his comrades Another soldier, on hearing one o who was addressing the was so troubled, that at service he sought an in missionary has since re esting letters from hin couraging nature, showin converted to God. Sev also to be seen on the sa the places of worship nea YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIA THESE associations are a useful and hopeful of ou tutions. In the metropol ducted with great effic public lectures are deliv first-rate talent, and atten listening crowds of youn rejoice that associations character are now in the tion in our large provin friend has sent us the report of a lecture in E the Hon. and Rev. B. W. day evening, Feb. 8, in Town Hall, when from persons were present. presided. After prayer b Landels, Mr. Noel procee a lecture on The import ing religious convictions convictions should be base truth as revealed in the sa This is the only safe foun upon for time and eternity the absurdity of atheism and strongly condemned and anti-christian conduct of Rome, particularly in and barbarous proceedings party in Tuscany in their tion of the Madiais. He argumentative and eloque an impressive appeal to y be upon their guard agai and the proud and despotic Church of Rome. We hope soon to hear of ciations in populous places. sible means should now and skilfully employed to rising youth, not only from tions which are in the world but from the specious and zea which both infidels and papis alike enemies of the Bil off the reverence of the you Word of the Living God Narratives and Anecdotes. | REMARKABLE INCIDENT. eks ago, when attending misrvices in one of our midland Independent minister residing e, who had attended our pubthat evening as usual, related, er, the following thrilling incibrother of his, also an 1ndeinister in a neighbouring town, watering place in North Wales , and there met with a wellotist minister from Liverpool. ng the baptist minister, walkwith his son along the shore, vhat appeared to be an opening ff, partly shaded by foliage. s son to go in and see what was, the boy returned, saying, was so dark that he did not oceed. Taking his son by the hen went in himself, but had ced far before it became sud-k. He then hesitated, and a large stone, hurled it fort heard it not when it should en; in a moment or two he s if falling down a steep place, a splash. Alarmed, he stooped down and felt with his hand, he found himself standing feet partly over the edge of a other step, and both father and I have been precipitated into it, ld probably never have been The baptist minister waited proprietor of the land, residing ighbourhood, who was ignorant istence, and it was afterwards ed that it was a mineral pit of d sunk in former ages, perhaps ys of Roman occupation, and not f in the neighbourhood before rkable and perilous discovery of ☛ providential! that father and ENGLAND A WAR-LOVING COUNTRY.ot take one step more.-J. F. W. We have been the most combative and Young German—HIS CONVER- aggressive community that has existed D THE RESULTS.-A friend has since the days of the Roman dominion. the following relation, which, if Since the revolution of 1688, we have rrect, and we have no means of expended more than fifteen hundred , is very remarkable. "A resmillions of money upon wars, not one of mechanic, a deacon of a christian which has been upon our own shores, or near London, and his wife, were in defence of our hearths and homes. for simple piety, fervent devo-"For so it is," says a not unfriendly 1 quiet, untiring zeal. They had foreign critic, "other nations fight on or all talents, but much religion. near their own territory; the English also a mechanic, of foreign birth, but then pursuing his calling in London. He knew nothing of religion, but was amiable and obliging, and greatly devoted to worldly pleasure as the source of his happiness. For some time after he began to live with them, when the Bible, morning and evening, was laid on the table, indicative of family worship, it was a signal for his leaving the room; but after a short time, influenced by the amiable spirit and manners of the worthy deacon and his wife, he occasionally stayed to observe this solemnity. One evening he came home to dress, that he might visit a place of amusement, when the good deacon said, 'I think you had better go with me, and enjoy pleasure greater than that which you are going to. Where are you going?' was the enquiry of the young man. 'To the prayer-meeting at our church,' replied the good deacon. A prayer-meeting; what is that?' 'Why, we meet to sing hymns, read the Scriptures, and to ask God to bless us.' The young man hesitated. 'You had much better go,' said the good old lady, in her usual kind tone. 'So I will,' was the reply. He went, and in that meeting of some dozen persons, did God open and soften his heart, and excited feelings which led him to the Saviour of sinners for pardon." And who does the reader imagine this young man was? He was no other than John G. Oncken, of Hamburg, the baptist apostle of Germany! We should be glad to have this relation confirmed; and if found to be quite correct, it would furnish another powerful reason for personal effort, and induce the faithful follower of Christ never to forsake the prayer-meeting! | to the value of £408,38 stationary includes bes miscellaneous articles as scrapers, rulers, ink, ink pounce-not forgetting our possessions in In written long paragrap triplicate, and even qu off above a fourth part o £112,995 worth. Er short, instead of being 1 tons and cutlery, the world, is so expensive, Indian newspapers, an our Indian books, are cheap and inferior paper export of printed books i to the declared value of and not a farthing mor value of the literature nation has furnished millions of people, Eu and African, speaking t guage beyond the boun country. The paper d treated as Sir Robert 1 glass duty. A clean s made of the entire nuisan CHURCH AND STATE I Dr. Campbell, at a recen "Colonial Missionary S the purpose of sending o dent missionaries to Aust "At the present moment lian colonies, episcopacy ceiving from government bers, £22,000; popery, fo an archbishop, two suffrag thirty-three priests, £8, 1 of which history recorde was glorious and noble, a ple, even now, displayed thought it worth while to ministers, £850. Yes, did this although it was a to a people who were an sum of £100,000 for the ca and the colonies came wi of their operations. T Scotch church, with its se ters, and received £3,378 the matter of education, sects received aid from the schools. The Episcop £4,020, the Presbyterian Wesleyans £570, and t £1,800." Baptists and receive nothing; not beca not, but they will not. |