Give me on thee to wait, PRESBYTERIANISM IN DARLINGTON. Ir will be admitted that the Presbyterian Church in England is not intended to be merely, as it were, a house of refuge for Scotch Presbyterians. Though that in itself may be one reason for our existence, it cannot be anything but a minor one. It will be further admitted that it possesses within itself the capabilities for becoming a great power for good in England, that its constitutional form of Church government, its comprehensive and clearly defined and orthodox tenets, and the highly-cultivated intellects that it brings into its pulpits, must powerfully recommend it to the favourable regard of the intelligent mass of the English people, if these qualities are only well and industriously placed before them. It must be a source of satisfaction to every lover of Presbyterianism, that our Church is at present displaying so much energy in its efforts to extend the knowledge of its principles, and to enlarge its base of operations, by the planting and nourishing of new congregations in various towns. These efforts have been crowned with more or less success. Some of the new congregations are established, as we hope, immovably, and have acquired stability, while others, though in a healthy and promising condition, still claim our watchful care, and assistance, and encouragement. We propose in this paper to give a short account of the movement in Darlington, its rise, progress, and present condition, and to add an appeal to the Church at large on behalf of the infant congregation in that town. About ten years ago Darlington was a little quiet country town with a population of about 10,000 inhabitants, and possessing as few signs of vitality as little humdrum country towns usually do. Since then, however, the discovery of ironstone in rich abundance in the neighbouring Cleveland Hills has brought about a complete revolution in this respect. Huge ironworks and blast furnaces have sprung up, as if by magic, on all hands, with their accompaniment of a thriving population, and Darlington is now the busy centre of a busy manufacturing district. The population numbers now about 26,000 souls. As may be expected, it has much changed in character, and the original semi-rural population is almost swamped by the comparatively recent industrial class. A consider able portion of the new arrivals is made up of Scotch, Irish, and Welsh settlers, many of whom are Presbyterians. As a rule, the Scotch are Presbyterian, and a number of the Irish are, while the great body of Welsh belong, nominally at any rate, to the Welsh Presbyterians, or, as they are sometimes called, Calvinistic Methodists. Here, then, certainly was a promising field for the establishment of a Presbyterian Church; and about two years ago the Presbytery of Newcastle took the necessary steps and opened a station. At the commencement the movement was most promising and successful, and if everything had gone on harmoniously, we might before this have been able to declare the Darlington church not only out of all danger, but prosperous and vigorous. Unfortunately, dissensions arose; unseemly disputes about the veriest trifles were carried on with acrimony, and with a total disregard to consequences. Discussions as to the propriety of standing or sitting during singing were allowed to usurp the place of weightier affairs; and, as might be expected, the quiet and orderly of the congregation were driven to seek refuge from the disturbances in other congregations, the public looked with suspicion and distrust on a body composed of such unhappy and discordant elements, a flourishing Sabbath-school was allowed by mismanagement to dwindle down to a mere shadow, and the Darlington mission appeared to be on the point of dissolution. Such, however, we are thankful to say, was not the result. The promoters and abettors of disunion were happily removed, the Presbytery took vigorous action to re-establish things on their old footing, and the congregation, though still suffering from the evil effects of strife, is once more in a healthy and harmonious state. Within the last twelve months the numbers have more than quadrupled; and seeing clearly that the best and surest way to guard against a return of the old enemy, Dissension, was to have a permanent head-a minister to go in and out among them continually, and to have the acknowledged authority in Church matters-they wisely determined to make the effort to obtain and support a pastor among them. The Presbytery of Newcastle cordially seconded their efforts and encouraged them in this matter; the Home Mission seconded them with a grant of £50, £40, and £30, for three successive years; and the congregation thus felt themselves justified in offering a stipend of £150 per annum to their minister. The unanimous call of the congregation was given to the Rev. W. A. P. Johnman, M.A., of Stirling, a young minister of great promise, and was accepted by him. The ordination, an account of which will be found in our September and October numbers for 1865, took place on the 18th August, 1865, since which time Mr. Johnman has continued to labour most acceptably among the congregation, and, we have reason to believe, has made a reputation among the community at large. It may be considered now, that the career of the congregation has only since that event fairly begun, and never more than now have they had claims on our assistance and encouragement. It is their ambition to become essentially a mission church to the surrounding masses. As may be expected, the influx of such a large working population has brought with it its unfailing attendants, vice and misery; and both minister and people earnestly desire to be able to take an effective part in the work of evangelization. They have, in addition to their ordinary morning and evening diets of worship, and the Sabbath-school connected with the church, and in addition to a weekly lecture, fortnightly district prayer-meetings, and frequent services held by Mr. Johnman in the neighbourhood, a mission school in Whesson Lane, in the midst of a numerous population of the humbler classes, far removed from the ordinary means of grace. The school, although only established about three months, numbers already considerably over sixty children, and the two small rooms rented for the purpose are found to be much too small for the efficient working of the mission. Besides the school in the afternoon, there is regular worship held in the same place every Sunday evening, and although this is as yet only thinly attended by the grown-up, it is sufficiently evident that there exists a desire among the people for the service, and both minister and people feel that one of their most pressing wants is that of a suitable mission building, and that if that could be obtained, the most gratifying results would follow. Every week increases the number of the little ones who crowd eagerly to the school and receive attentively the instruction imparted to them, and the fact of the accommodation being so small greatly cramps the movement, and might ultimately cripple it. Then an object of at least equal importance is the erection of a suitable and respectable permanent place of worship. Worshipping, as they do, in a cold, comfortless hall, with ugly deal benches, the friends of the movement feel that it places them under serious disadvantages; and they are, at the same time, unwilling to act prematurely, and erect a shabby building in some back street, which would immediately stamp them with obscurity, and bring discredit on the Church. They therefore most anxiously desire three things: To erect very shortly a mission school, which would be most valuable as a feeder to the congregation, and as a stimulus to activity and spiritual life; to erect a place of worship, in order to escape the benumbing influence arising from the use of a hired hall, and the anomalies connected therewith, and to do it respectably; to secure a good site, and erect thereon a handsome building, which shall be seemly and creditable. Now all this will cost much money. Building land has risen enormously in Darlington, consequent on the great and increasing demand, and land that could at one time have been bought for four or five shillings per yard, cannot now be had under four times that price. They are at present negotiating for a very suitable site in the leading thoroughfare, the Heath Road, which will cost over £600. Then the church itself cannot, at the most moderate computation, cost less than £2,200 to £2,500; and the mission school at Whesson Lane would involve a further expenditure of perhaps £400. These may seem large sums, but building operations have risen about thirty per cent. in cost in that neighbourhood (we have said how expensive land is), and it would make all the difference between stultifying or rendering successful the movement, the building of a shabby or a respectable church. We cannot expect the congregation, who are at present comparatively a small folk, to contribute much to this end themselves. Their resources will for a few years be taxed sufficiently to meet current expenses, and to carry out the evangelistic spirit of the movement. We believe that if they attain the objects they are striving for, and which we have set forth, they will, please God, and under his providence and blessing, become strong, and in time a help to our cause in England, and we would urge their case as one claiming our hearty support and encouragement. R. L. LIGHT REFLECTED; OR, THE WORD ITS OWN INTERPRETER. II. In our former paper we stated that, in the midst of our ever-changing world, the word of God remains unchanging and unchanged; and that it is incapable of improvement, simply and solely because it is the word of God. We also observed, that in showing how it becomes its own interpreter, we have not to deal directly with infidels, but with professors of religion: that they are called on to receive the kingdom of God as little children, and that their highest authority should be, "Thus saith the Lord." The Bible takes for granted the existence of a personal God. It assumes his being as an evident truth, and deigns not to enter on a demonstration. No direct proof from it is needed; and therefore it comes forth, in its opening page, with the simple but sublime declaration, "Berayshith bara Elohim,' "in the beginning God created." To attempt a proof of God's existence, for one standing in the midst of his works, is almost as superfluous as to hold up a rushlight that we might behold the sun. To a person standing in a temple erected by the skill of some distinguished architect, and inquiring for his monument, we say, " Si monumentum quæris circumspice," "If you seek for a monument, look around you." And to the person standing in the midst of the glorious temple of nature, and asking a proof of the existence of the great Architect, of the Omniscient Mind that planned it, and the Almighty Spirit that called all into being, we say, "Si documentum quæris circumspice,' "If you want a proof look around you." Such a mode of demonstration appears to have been sufficient even for Hume. Adam Ferguson said that, on a fine night, walking with the sceptic, he stopped, looked up to the starry sky, and exclaimed, "Can any one contemplate the wonders of that firmament, and not believe that there is a God ?" The Bible, therefore, does not condescend to an argument on behalf of God's existence. It presupposes his existence. Bacon says, "God never wrought a miracle to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it." If there be a man, and wherever there may be a man, who believes that there is no God, he must be inferior to him who believes that there is a God. For as Bacon again says, " A dog that has no master is inferior to the dog that has." The pariah dogs of India are generally without a master; and they are a wretched race, a vagabond and spiritless race, compared with our dogs, which have their master and acknowledge him. And the man that has no God, acknowledged as his Master, is, in everything great and glorious, inferior to him that has one; he is inferior in the views entertained of his own being and destiny; inferior in his hopes and aspirations; and inferior in his objects of pursuit, as well as in the motives from which he pursues them. The great Roman orator and moralist declares that, "While no animal save man has any knowledge of God, yet there is no nation so savage as not to know that there is a God, although it may not know what kind he is, and what kind of worship becomes him. And seeing that the firm consent of all nations, in anything, is the voice of nature and the argument of truth, all must acknowledge that there is a Divine being." The sweet singer of Israel teaches us that the contemplation of God's works should lead man, not only to the fullest belief in his existence, but also to humble and adoring gratitude before him. "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the Son of Man, that thou visitest him ?" And in another place he says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork." See, now, how the New Testament understands this doctrine; and how the Word becomes its own interpreter. Paul-we will not say throws light on, or illustrates it, for it cannot be made clearer, and needs no illustration-takes God's existence for granted-does not set about a proof, but says, "The invisible things of God," the things which no eye hath seen or can see, even his eternal power and godhead, are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that are made, so that they are without excuse who say that there is no God. It is, then, we may presume, generally, nay almost universally, admitted, that the glory of God, impressed on his works, shows his existence and many of his perfections. "He that cometh to God believes that he is." His existence is proclaimed by his works, as with ten thousand tongues. It is demonstrated with a clearness that leaves man without a shadow of apology; and it finds an acknowledgment in almost every understanding, a response in almost every heart. The works of God, however, speak of only one Jehovah. There are in them, numerous and wide-spread though they be, no traces of another Divinity. No traces are seen in them of a second Deity, whether friend or rival. Move among them as you please, and yet you never travel into the dominions of another Sovereign. In passing through earthly principalities you often find that the boundary is crossed, that you have got into the realms of another king, and that consequently you are under a different system of regulations and laws; but in passing through Jehovah's boundless empire you never find that you have got into the dominions of another Sovereign. There is a unity or oneness in the works that proclaims the unity or oneness of God. In the early day of their history, monotheism, a belief in one personal God, was the creed of all the great nations of antiquity, whether descended from Shem, Ham, or Japhet. Canaan, where sin first culminated, after the dispersion from Babel, and some of whose cities were first ripened for judgment, was monotheistic in the days of Abraham. Melchizedek, king of the old city of Salem, was a priest of the Most High God. Abimelech, king of Gerar, believed in and worshipped the same one God as Abraham; though not with the same grasp of faith, nor perhaps with the same purity of worship. Egypt was monotheistic in the days of Joseph. He married the daughter of Potipher, a priest of On. There is no mention made of idolatry in the house of her father; though, I doubt not, picture or image worship was commencing. When Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, there is no appearance of polytheistic views in the recorded language of the king of Egypt. "He said unto Joseph, God hath showed thee all this; and he said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is ?" The natives inhabiting the Arabian peninsula were monotheistic at the time when Moses visited that land. His father-in-law was a priest of Midian, and a worshipper of the true God. We are told that, "he rejoiced for all the goodness that the Lord had done to Israel ;" and that he "took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God." The creed of the Hindoo race was, in their earliest days, a monotheism, as appears from the first written portions of their vedas, or sacred books. One expression of adoration in them to Vranne, their name for one personal God, is, "Thou, O wise God, art Lord of all, of heaven and earth." The monotheism of Persia may be faintly traced down to a very late period in its history. Among other monumental inscriptions we read the following, "A great God is Auramaeda," their name for one personal God, "who made the earth, who made the heavens, who created men, and provided blessedness for them, who made Darius king, the sole king over many." And that it had not wholly died out in the breast of Cyrus, the restorer of Jewish liberty, appears from the language of his decree," The God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth." "Instead of beginning," says a writer in the Evangelical Review, No. 54, p.. 794, "with the worship of various objects in nature, and gradually rising to the idea of one all-powerful God, it appears that mankind at first held a monotheistic creed, and that subsequent progress was in "the opposite direction." Probably the first falling off from monotheism might be found in the country from which Abraham was called, and among the Assyrians and Babylonians. Joshua, in his closing address to Israel, reminds them that, |