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eternity, regardless alike of the threatenings of God and the admonitions of men.

Intemperance retards the progress not only of home mission, but also of foreign mission work. It prejudices the minds of the heathen against the reception of the Gospel, and as amongst ourselves, unfits them for receiving it. It tends also to the most deplorable backsliding on the part of those who have made a profession of the faith. Innumerable testimonies as to the evil effects of drunkenness amongst the heathen might be easily adduced. One missionary informs us that it is common for Mahommedans, on seeing one of their number drunk, to say, "That man has left Mahommed and gone over to Jesus." Another says " It has spread its deadly influence far and wide, and presents an obstacle of no trifling importance to the extension of the Gospel." A naval officer, speaking of Tahiti, said—“The natives are nearly all drunken. Three years ago they were quiet and orderly, their houses were clean and neat. Had you walked on a Sabbath, you might have heard the old men and women reading their Bibles or singing their hymns, but the picture is different now." The late Archdeacon Jeffries of Bombay, who was intimately acquainted with the state of India, once said-"If the English were driven out of India to-morrow, the chief traces of their having ever been there would be the number of drunkards they have left behind." From these testimonies and many others that might be given it is evident that strong drink produces many disastrous results among the heathen, and shall we as a nation patronize intoxicating drinks, and thus raise a very serious obstruction between our sable brethren and the gates of Zion, and confirm them in their hatred and opposition to the religion of the Cross? As intemperance is a wide-spread, yea a national sin, and carries destruction from the centre to every ex tremity of the empire, it is the duty of the nation to rise en mass against it. Short of this, every thing which can be done will be bu the application of temporary expedients. We should all feel that solemn responsibility rests upon us with respect to this matter. S long as those customs which inevitably lead to intemperance ar countenanced and encouraged by the church and her members so lon will this noxious vice continue and increase. The seasons are no more sure to revolve, the sun to shine, or the rivers to flow, than th present enormous consumption of strong drink is sure to hinder th progress of the Gospel both at home and abroad, and militate again the highest and best interests of the nation.

It is matter of thankfulness that the cause of temperance no awakens a deeper interest in the breasts of multitudes than it former did. The different sections of the Church are wakening up to s

the necessity of something being done to roll back the rising tide of intemperance, which is threatening to deluge the land. A very strong temperance sentiment prevails in the United Presbyterian Church. It is growing in the Established Established Church, and in the Free Church; and our Reformed Presbyterian brethren are anxious to disseminate sound principles on the point. A very interesting discussion took place on the subject at the last meeting of the Free Church General Assembly, from which it appeared, that advances in the direction indicated have been made. For some years past members of this Assembly have endeavoured to get the principle of total abstinence recognised as a means of reclaiming the intemperate; but such attempts have always been unsuccessful. Last year, however, it was observable that a much larger number voted in favour of the recognition of this principle as a means of removing drunkenness and the temptations to it than on any former year. The number of those who voted against the recommendation of abstinence on the ground of Christian expediency was 139; the number in favour of it was 106. Thus the majority against the recognition of abstinence was only 33, whereas in the former year it was 100, the number of votes being about the same on both occasions. Crossing the channel we find that the subject of temperance entered largely into the discussions and deliberations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, from whose report on temperance it appears that 21 out of 34 Presbyteries who made returns to the Assembly on the subject, gave a decided opinion in favour of total abstinence as a course required by Christian expediency in present circumstances; and this is a course which so far as we can see, is warranted from Scripture, the one great and infallible standard by which we should be actuated and governed. The General Assembly in Ireland has thus taken the lead among our Ecclesiastical Courts in recognising the principle of total abstinence, and in commending it to the consideration and adoption of their people. It might be well for the Synod to consider the practicability of establishing juvenile and adult Temperance associations in Congregations. Such societies Eave unquestionably been blessed for preventing many from forming intemperate habits, and for reclaiming others who had deviated from the paths of sobriety. Here we may take occasion to notice that ministers, and elders, and Sabbath School teachers cannot overestimate the importance of guarding the young against intemperance and the causes that lead to it. Youth is the best time to form habits of sobriety and all other good habits. They are more easily formed then, acquire a stronger power over us, and are the means of affording us more pleasure. If the young would form good habits

they must have good companions. They cannot enter into bad company without being more or less injuriously affected by it.

The legislative action that is being taken regarding the liquor traffic plainly shows the growing feeling that something must be done to restrain the causes of intemperance. No fewer than nine Bills have been introduced into the House of Commons on the liquor question during the past year. Prominent among these are Sir Robert Anstruther's Bill, the leading provision of which is to limit the number of licensed houses to the proportion of one to 500 of the population; and Professor Smyth's Bill, the object of which is to close public houses in Ireland on the Lord's day, as the Forbes Mackenzie Act does in this country. Sir Robert moved without comment the second reading of his Bill on Wednesday, the 14th of March last. A long and animated debate ensued, in which several leading members of Parliament took part. On a division 90 voted for, and 253 against the second reading. It was opposed by the Government, and Mr. Cross assigned as a reason for opposing it, that "the Publicans Certificate's Act of last Session had not yet been tried, and that there was nothing to prevent magistrates in terms of its provisions to refuse all new applications till the number of licensed houses was reduced to 1 to 500 of the population," which we hope the magistrates will do. The other Bill to which we have alluded for the closing of public houses in Ireland on the Sabbath, passed its second reading some time ago; and is thus making progress in the right direction. It has been remitted to a Parliamentary Committee, who have been examining witnesses for several weeks, the last of whom, Mr. Alderman Freeman of Waterford city, was examined on Friday 27th ult. ; and he, along with the others who have been examined, strongly favours total closing on Sabbath. The measure under review is a truly patriotic one, and we trust the time is not far distant when it will become the law of the land. There cannot be a doubt that great blessings would result to the sister isle from its operation, just as great blessings have resulted to Scotland from the operation of the Mackenzie Act. Previous to the passing of the latter Act, the most disgraceful scenes were witnessed in all our large towns and cities on the Lord's day. The peace and quiet of the holy Sabbath were ruthlessly and unblushingly interrupted. How could it be otherwise when over 40,000 visits were paid on each returning Sabbath to the open dram-shops of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Facts like these indisputably prove that the tendency of intemperance is to deprive us of the day of rest altogether-the day which has been specially set apart for the worship and service of our God, and by means of which His believing people are, in a pre-eminent degree.

prepared for the enjoyment of that unending Sabbath of rest which is in store for them in the future glorious world. Let us scrupulously guard against any thing that would rob us of this inestimably precious Christian privilege; and let us hail with satisfaction any measure that would ensure its better observance either in our own or in other lands.

Last year your Committee suggested that a special sermon should be preached towards the close of the year, and they hope the suggestion has been carried out. For this year they venture to make the same suggestion, and it would be well for Presbyteries to inquire as to its having been carried out, and to use every laudable means for the suppression of intemperance within their bounds. We should all consider our duty with respect to the drinking customs of society, and seek to set before those with whom we come into contact an example which they can, with perfect safety, follow. Notwithstanding all that has been done a long and painful struggle is yet, in all likelihood, before the country, ere it is delivered from the fearful curse of intemperance under which it writhes and groans; but let us not be discouraged, but rather incited to make greater and yet greater efforts for the attainment of the very desirable object we have in view. And let all our efforts be accompanied with earnest prayer to the God of all grace, who alone can crown our labours with success.-By order of Committee,

A. J. YUILL, Convener.

THE RECENT SYNODS AND ASSEMBLIES.

Nor often have the sittings of these supreme Ecclesiastical Courts been looked forward to and watched with such intense interest and anxiety, by all parties, as they were on the occasion of their late meeting. It was well known that questions of a very grave and important character, which had been stirring the churches and the country for many months before, would be brought up and in all probability keenly discussed. Those consequently who were concerned for the prosperity of Zion and for the cause of Bible truth, anticipated and took part in, or viewed as onlookers, the proceedings of the different Courts with feelings of no ordinary solicitude-the hearts of not a few throughout the land trembling like Eli's for the ark of God. Now that the meetings are over, and comparative calm has ensued, one finds it somewhat difficult, on a review of all that transpired, to form a satisfactory estimate of the significance and bearing of some of the discussions, and of the decisions come to, and still more difficult to forecast their probable issues. That there

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was much both said and done fitted to gladden and make grateful the hearts of all lovers of sound doctrine and ecclesiastical consistency, must be readily and cordially acknowledged. At the same time there was not a little to be deplored as sadly indicative of a growing impatient desire to deviate more and more from those things whereunto as a Church and as a land we have attained-an indication which cannot but be regarded in many quarters as ominous for the future. While there were things calculated to encourage such as desire and are resolved to hold fast what they have, until at least they discover something better to put in its place, there was little, if anything, fitted to allay their apprehensions for the time to come, and lead them to entertain the hope of being soon permitted to lay aside their weapons and cease contending for the truth. On the contrary all appearances go to indicate that the Churches in our land are but entering upon a life and death conflict around the very citadel of our common faith the results of which none can foretell. And in prospect of this it becomes all to look well to themselves, and to prepare for giving a clear and decided response to the appeal which rang of old through the rebellious camp of Israel, and which is even now being virtually sounded in our ears-"Who is on the Lord's side ?"

THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

UNDER the moderatorship of the Rev. William France, of Paisley, this Synod held its meeting this year in Glasgow. It is twenty-three years since it met there before, and during that period the Church has made remarkable progress both numerically and financially. In 1854 the Church's total income was £158,000, while in 1875 it was £419,965. For the last year it is not so much, owing to the loss of nearly a hundred congregations in England, which have united with the English Presbyterian Church; but making allowance for this, there has been the large increase of £16,870. Ten years ago the average stipend in this Church was £186; this year it is £254; while the minimum stipend has reached the comparatively high figure of £200.

Notwithstanding the progress made, however, the increase in the membership over the whole Church is represented as having been of late years inadequate, and a Committee reporting on the subject assigned several probable reasons for this state of things, and suggested certain means to be employed with a view to remedying the evil. Prominent among these means was the proposal to issue a small, popular manual of the distinctive principles of the Church, for the instruction specially of the young. Complaints were freely made that the Church's voluntaryism was not so prominently brought forward as it should be, and that the rising generation are certainly not being made aware of the distinctive principles of the denomination as they ought to be. On reading this we confess we were rather startled, and we felt that one thing at all events is pretty certain, viz, that if ministers are neglecting to inculcate voluntaryism from the pulpit and

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