Page images
PDF
EPUB

But it is urged by some that under the Christian dispensation no tithes are appointed, and therefore no such support is required now for the ministry. I reply, tithes could not be appointed for Christian ministers, because they were to go out into heathen countries, where the governments were hostile to the Gospel, and were persecutors of its ministers. But if he did not appoint tithes, he provided for their support, and so soon as Christian churches were formed, the members were taught the duty of supporting their ministers, if not by tithes, yet by giving them an adequate maintenance. Paul plainly teaches the Corinthian Church this duty when he says “ Who goeth a warfare at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar ?" And now, mark the next words-"Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel" (1 Cor. ix. 7—14). This, then, is the ordinance of God under the Christian dispensation, and it both exempts the minister from a secular occupation, and provides for his subsistence, and that of his family. Nor is he to be provided with a mean, poor, shabby living, subjecting him to hard shifts, and pinching poverty, like that which grinds down hundreds and thousands of worthy ministers of the present day; but he is to have a good, comfortable living, furnishing to him the means of educating his children, and buying good books; of using hospitality, and helping the poor. Anything short of this is a sin, where the people have the God himself, speaking of these latter days, says to the Church-" And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for those that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing" (Isa. xxiii. 18).

means.

QUERIES ANSWERED BEFORE.

See

W. PANCOTT.-On Saul. How could he kill himself if the Amalekite slew him? (1 Sam. xxxi. 4, and 2 Sam. i. 10). Volume of Explanations, page 84.

H. F. RAVENSTHORPE.-On there not being a just man upon

JUVENILE MISSIONARY MEETINGS.

51

earth (Eccles. vii. 10, and Rom. iii. 10, 23). See Volume of Explanations, page 137. "All men are sinful by nature, but converted men are made righteous by God's pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace.”

We have some queries on subjects quite irrelevant, and some which our friends should refer to their own ministers. Other queries are in type for the next month.

Juvenile Missionary Department.

ATTERCLIFFE, SHEFFIELD NORTH CIRCUIT.-We held our Juvenile Missionary Meeting on Lord's Day, November 23, 1868, and it was a very wet day, but the chapel was well filled. Our beloved minister, the Rev. W. J. Wallis, presided, and gave us a deeply interesting address on missionary work. The report was read by Mark Turner, and it was a most pleasing one. It showed to us what the Lord is doing in a far-off land, and also at home; and the congregation shouted, "Praise the Lord." Good and effective addresses on the missions and missionary work were given by brothers G. H. Elvidge, T. Wilby. J. Cooper, and the writer. Pieces and dialogues were recited by Christiana Backhouse, Louisa Elvidge, Clara Sanderson, William Willey, and Edwin Rowley, The children, assisted by the choir, sung the mission hymns in thorough good old Methodist style. Amount collected-T. Wilby, 17s. 9d.; J. Banner, 3s.; G. H. Elvidge, 4s.; Ada L. Cooper, 12s.; Juvenile Entertainment, £1 1s. 14d; Meeting, £1 7s. 8d. Total, £4 5s. 6d. It is one-third more than last year, which is very good, considering the many applications that have been made during the year for our new chapel and schools. God has owned our labours this year. We have sixty-seven scholars and twelve teachers increase. Our cry is now, "O Lord, revive thy work!"— Yours truly, SAMUEL WATKINSON.

LEEDS FIRST CIRCUIT.-On Sunday afternoon, Jan. 3rd, 1869, we held our Annual Juvenile Missionary Meeting in our little chapel, Zion Street Bank. At two o'clock the chair was taken by our good friend, Mr. Councillor Dixon, who, after delivering a short but interesting speech, called upon Mr. Henry Hemsworth to read the report, from which it appeared that about one-third more had been collected by the children than last year. Afterwards the meeting was addressed by Rev. W. Eddon, Mr. J. Clegg, Mr. G. Walker, Mr. J. Bradford, Mr. W. Malthouse, and Mr. J. Walker. Miss Ackroyd, one of our senior scholars, gave a very interesting recitation. The collection was some little in excess of our previous one. On the motion of Mr. Butler, seconded by Mr. J. Galligher, a very cordial vote of thanks was passed to our esteemed chairman. The meeting, which had been a very interesting one, was brought to a close by the pronouncing of the benediction. JOSEPH WALKER.

52

JOHN HALL.

Biography.

"I asked them whence their victory

came?

They with united breath,
Ascribed their conquest to the Lamb,
Their triumph to his death."

SUCH was the experience of one who, though a child, enjoyed the converting grace of God, and showed the fruit of the Spirit under the various phases of boyhood life for three years. All who knew him testify that in his life was Christ's power shown; at school and in the evening hours, on week-days and on Sabbathdays, in God's house and at home, he was ever a Christian.

John Hall was the son of Charles Hall, one of our leaders at Broomhedge, and was born on the 3rd of March, 1854. He was much as other boys, except, perhaps, rather quieter than most, till eleven years of age, and little was known of his inner life till on the 29th of Sept., 1865. After returning from the field the family were seated round the fire, and the children began to say what each one would like; when it came round to John he said, "I wish my sins were pardoned." No notice was taken of this at the time, but as the conversation continued, and each one expressed his or he ambition, John repeated his with such earnestness that his mother's attention was aroused, and she, upon speaking to him, found him under deep conviction for sin.

His

father was called, and that night, bowed with his parents before the Lord Jesus, John found his great desire, and enjoyed a clear sense of the favour of God.

There were those who feared that one so young could hardly keep religion, but the Saviour declared his power in the beloved John, in such a way as to make it plain to all around that Christ can live in the heart of a child.

John Hall loved, and read much in, his Bible; he might literally be said to live upon it. Compared with the other children of the same family, he seemed rather duller, and yet last year he obtained the first boys' prize, for good answering in our Sabbathschool at Broomhedge, having had to compete with boys more advanced in age and general education than himself, and this I entirely attribute to his intense study of the Scriptures. Often during his illness, when he could not see to read, and I have been reading or repeating some Scripture to him, he would anticipate me in the words, and finish almost every sentence as I began it: especially was he thus familiar with the promises, repeating

them often.

Young as he was he devoted much time to private prayer. On Sabbath, after returning from preaching, he often refused dinner till he had spent half an hour or so in prayer,and on week-days, behind the hedges round his father's land, or, when the weather was wet, in the barn or one of the out-houses, John would spend hours in prayer. This was the secret of his strength. In public there was neither forwardness nor too great backwardHe was ever ready in the love-feast to bear testimony for Christ, and if called upon would

ness.

"" BEWARE OF

lead in prayer, and not only in meetings but everywhere he would speak of his Saviour. He loved to visit the sick, and sing a hymn, read a portion of the Scripture and pray; and aged pilgrims have been encouraged and strengthened by him when their faith had begun to waver. Class-meeting, while health would at all permit, he never missed, and while his young voice would rise with all his heart in singing or prayer, or telling of a Saviour's love, those who heard were led to glorify God in him. In every department of the church John Hall was anxious to be useful; hence he was an earnest missionary collector, and for some years his name always appeared in our report, doing what he could.

Yet there was no forwardness or egotism in John Hall. He spent too much time in the company of the meek and lowly Jesus to be anything but meek and lowly himself-he gazed upon his Master till he partook of his image.

Thus was his life spent till about Christmas, 1867, when he fell into bad health, and gradually sank till he died. During this long affliction he suffered fearfully, especially in his head, and at times his moaning, which he could not help, would be heard at a distance from the house. He lost his sight and became quite

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

blind. He was utterly helpless, and could not walk across the room, yet his patience and quietness of spirit were remarkable. He never expressed in my hearing an impatience to be gone, or a wish that his suffering should be less. He loved to talk of his confidence in Jesus, and assured me fear was entirely gone. He was very anxious to understand entire sanctification, and was fearful lest he did not possess this blessing. I one day explained it as best I could, giving him my own experience; and that night, while in prayer with his mother, his joy seemed complete, and though blind and helpless, and at times in agony, the efficacy of the blood of Jesus applied to his heart was such, that joy, deep and strong, filled his soul.

As he sank the mind got weaker, and during the last week of his life he seemed little inclined to talk, but was always glad to hear God's word read or unite in prayer. He quietly fell asleep on Saturday, the 19th of September, 1868. The Sabbath-school teachers and scholars followed his remains to the old churchyard at Trummery, and sung the hymns he used to love"Around the throne of God in heaven," and "For ever with the Lord." They were joined by many friends who loved and will long remember John Hall.

Our Children's Portion.

BEWARE OF THE BAR." ACTIONS, things, measures, and objects of all kinds, present themselves to the eye and mind of man in such a variety of lights, that it is impossible to muse on or

think of all at the same time. The mere sight of some suggests to the mind heart-sickening thoughts and truths, and among the most prominent of those grief-suggesting ones, is the word

"Bar," seen conspicuous on thousands of doors, transparent lights, and globes, denoting, as Addison says: "The enclosed place of a tavern or inn, &c., where the landlord or his servant delivers out liquor, and waits upon his customers."

There is scarcely a word (not even the word "Death," unless it be the death of an unrepentant sinner) in the English language that is so suggestive of sorrow. The "Bar" is not only a place where "liquor is delivered out," but

A Bar to Respectability,

A Bar to Honour,

A Bar to Happiness,

A Bar to Domestic Felicity, A Bar to Heaven! Thousands have found it to be the bar which debarred them from all that was once good and noble. To many it has been, and to many it still is, the starting point of

The Road to Degradation,
The Road to Vice,

The Road to the Gambling Hell,

The Road to the Brothel,

The Road to Poverty and Want,
The Road to Wretchedness,
The Road to Robbery,
The Road to Murder,
The Road to Prison,

The Road to the Gallows, and thence through the dark regions to Eternal Darkness and Eternal Death.

Thousands of hearts, made sad and desolate by those who have commenced and are pursuing their career of wickedness at the "Bar," are weeping tears of blood. Many, many are the destitute and suffering wives and children, who are even now weeping over the wreck of what was once a noble, kind, affectionate, and loving husband

and father, trying to reclaim him from the highway which leads and speeds him on to certain destruction.

Oh, let all who have seen (and who has not ?) the nobleness of man thus abused, aid in trying to reclaim the sin-charmed host. Let us all

"Pity the fallen,

They are peerless in woe;
Let us not spurn them,
Let us not turn them
Away from the door."
"Let us

Snatch from damnation
Those that God made,
Win to salvation

Those that have strayed!
Do not upbraid them,
Pity them, aid them-
So life-sick and lonely!"

KEEP GOOD COMPANY.

I

My dear young Friends, -This motto I used to write in my copybook when a boy; and I thank God that I have always endeavoured to avoid bad company. Tell me what company you keep, and I will tell you what you are. hope all my young friends will shun the company of the swearer, the liar, the rejecter of God's holy book, the Bible, and the drunkard. You have great reason to beware of all these characters. There are various ways in the world to tempt young people to do that which is sinful. Many, like you, have begun with good intentions, and promised to walk in the paths of temperance and religion; but they began trusting in their own strength, and what has been the consequence ? Why, they have been overcome by bad companions, through the agency of the devil. "Keep good company," or you will soon learn to tell lies, to smoke, and drink intoxicating liquors.

My dear young friends, you

« PreviousContinue »