Northamptonshire, was born in the year 1805, at Snienton, near Nottingham. She was the subject of very early religious impressions, and at the age of nine years was united to the Christian church on earth, from which she was never separated, until she went to join the church of the First-born in heaven. Her life was one of usefulness and perseverance. While under the paternal roof she met with much opposition in her Christian course; but her aim was steady, and her faith in God was strong. She loved the "habitation of God's house, and the place where his honour dwelleth," nothing could deter her from being often there. Even when her temporal duties have rendered it difficult to be at the evening lectures, or the meeting for prayer, then would she be at those duties early and late, and walk more than a mile to fill her place at the house of God. Her delight was with the saints, the excellent of the earth. She loved the ministers of Jesus Christ, and to serve them found many opportunities. She was the means of introducing the gospel into her native village, and chiefly sustaining it while she resided there; and not unfrequently has she been seen going from house to house inviting her neighbours and friends to attend the means of grace; and there is reason to hope that several persons, through those means, have reached the realms of everlasting glory, and ere this have hailed her welcome there. On one occasion, in connexion with another female friend or two, she bought a number of tracts, and commenced a loan tract society, which grew up into an important auxiliary. In the year 1830 she became the wife of her now bereaved husband, when she continued to pursue, unassumingly, the same track of usefulness, aiding in every possible way the labours of her husband-by visiting the flock and those that were out of the way, urging them to attend the house of God. Her longings for the salvation of precious souls, and the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, were constant. She would at any time give up her own seat to one on whom she could prevail to attend the means of grace. She never was so happy as when she could minister some relief to the afflicted and needy, but would always do it as secretly as possible even without naming it to her husband. Her last illness, which was long and painful, she bore with exemplary fortitude and resignation to the divine will; often saying, "My heavenly Father knows the best what to do with me." Three or four hours every day for more than nine months her sufferings were excruciating, yet she never murmured against that Hand which laid them on; but frequently said, "What are my sufferings to those of my dear Lord ?" On one occasion, Dec. 15, Mr. Clements said to her, "Do you think you must die of this affliction ?" She answered, "I sometimes think I cannot recover.' He said, "You do not seem to think much about leaving me in this wilderness;" when she said, "I love you as much as ever I did, but I cannot trouble about you; that would spoil my divine enjoyments. I did not think at one time that I could obtain such power to leave you, but my heavenly Father does all things well." In the same conversation she said, "In the early part of my illness, do you not recollect saying to me, 'You seem very dull,' I did not then tell you the cause, but I had an impression that I should die, and I was seriously examining myself if I were ready; and was very much tempted to doubt. But I came to the conclusion, that I had loved and do love the Lord supremely, and had devoted my life to his service in the best manner I could; and that I had a faithful High-priest touched with the feelings of my infirmities, and whose intercessions are ever availing on my behalf; I could not doubt of his love being unchanging, so Satan fled from me, and has not been permitted to trouble me since, although he has variously tried." After fourteen months' severe affliction she fell asleep in Jesus, without a sigh or groan, Feb. 6, 1850, aged forty-eight years. Her death was improved by the Rev. Joseph Pywell to a crowded congregation, from a text chosen by herself, Ps. cxix. 174, "I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy law is my delight." MISS STONE. The death of Mrs. Stone, of Hurn, near took place on the 3rd of February, was folParley, recorded in the last Magazine, which lowed by the death of her daughter on the 13th, and her son, aged eight years, on the 27th of the same month, all falling victims to typhus fever. Miss Eliza Stone, a fine young woman, sixteen years of age, had lately been deeply impressed with her state as a sinner, under an address delivered at a prayer-meeting, by her pastor, Mr. Alcock, who improved these afflictive events on the 17th of March, in a sermon to the young, delivered to a crowded congregation. MISCELLANEA.' YORKSHIRE BAPTISTS TO AMERICAN BAPTISTS. The Committee on Civil Questions of the Yorkshire Association have requested the insertion of the following letter which they intend to lay before the associated baptist churches of the West and North Ridings of Yorkshire, with a view to its transmission to their brethren of the same faith and order in | Asher's case, we must beg to remind you of the free states of North America. "DEAR BRETHREN,-A coloured brother and minister of Christ from amongst you, Mr. Jeremiah Asher, has visited us, to solicit contributions towards discharging the debt on his chapel. Cordially responding to your highly respectable recommendation, and to the claims of his case, we have contributed, as we trust you will think, liberally towards it. We feel constrained, however, to embrace this opportunity of remonstrating with you, our brethren in Christ, on the strange inconsistency of the treatment which our and your coloured brethren receive at your hands, and the strange difference between their treatment here in England, and in the free states of the Union. We have listened with interest to his preaching, and he has been gladly welcomed everywhere, both to our pulpits and to the firesides of every class of society. We think that you, brethren, must agree with us that we owe a debt to our coloured brethren, which it is not only our duty but highly to our honour to discharge; and that in no way can we better discharge it than by showing to them our love as brethren in Christ, and by avoiding every word or deed, and even suppressing every feeling, which could make them painfully sensible of the grievous wrong which our progenitors have done to them. "Brethren, we are confident that you must as Christians often feel that you bring no small guilt on your consciences in allowing yourselves to concur with the children of this world in keeping your most injured brethren | in Christ at so great a social distance, and in so depressed a condition. If the world can without compunction refuse them equal social intercourse, and practically hold them down to SERVITUDE, though not in slavery, it must violate, brethren, your conscience and every Christian feeling, to do likewise. "Brethren, we earnestly exhort you to break through these merely conventional yet sinful habits, and to honour your Master by your treatment of his servants. Be not ashamed of the brethren of Christ because the world is so, but let your light on this subject shine before men worthily of your profession. Happy indeed should we be to see our baptist brethren foremost in America, not only in the emancipation of the coloured people from personal slavery, but in the emancipation of free men of colour from social degradation, in educating them and elevating them by every possible expedient; and foremost, too, in emancipating them selves from a species of pride so irrational, so vulgar, and so unchristian, as that of pride in difference of colour! "Although, brethren, you assign your liberality to voluntary emigrants from Europe as the cause of your inability to aid Mr. VOL. XII.-FOURTH SERIES. two things; first, that coloured men now in America are in the land of their birth, therefore in their home, and that charity should begin at home;' and next, that their colour attests that they are the children of compulsory emigration, whose ancestors were dragged by yours from their fatherland, and that your fathers' heavy debt to those unhappy emigrants it is surely a sacred duty on your part to repay to their children. "We trust, therefore, that our heartily expressed sympathy with Mr. Asher will not induce you to send to us other coloured brethren on a similar errand. It would assuredly lead to disappointment. We hope, on the contrary, it will only stimulate you to contribute yourselves in aid of your coloured fellow countrymen's spiritual wants, and also to elevate yourselves to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,' by elevating these, His brethren and your brethren, to your own social standing." TRUST DEEDS. On the 14th of March, in the House of Commons, Mr. Peto obtained leave to bring in a Bill, which, if it pass through Parliament, will afford great relief to Dissenting Congregations and Public Schools. It is entitled, "A Bill to render more simple and effectual the Titles by which Congregations or Societies, for purposes of Religious Worship or Education in England and Wales, hold preperty required for such purposes.' " [NOTE.-The words printed in italics are proposed to be inserted in the Committee.] Whereas it is expedient to render more simple and effectual the titles by which congregations or societies associated together for the purposes of maintaining religious worship, or promoting education in England and Wales, may hold the property required for such purposes; be it therefore enacted by the queen's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that wherever freehold, leasehold, or copyhold property in England or Wales has been or may hereafter be acquired by any congregation, or society, or body of men, associated for religious purposes, or for the promotion of education, as a chapel, meeting-house, or other place of worship, or as a dwelling-house for the minister of such congregation, with offices, garden, and glebe for his use, or as a school-house, with schoolmaster's house, garden, and playground, or as a college, academy, or seminary, or as a hall or rooms for the meeting or transaction of the business of such congregation, or society, or body of men, and wherever the convey 2 н ance, assignment, or other aussrance of such property has been or may be taken to or in favour of trustees to be from time to time appointed, or of any party or parties named in such conveyance, assignment, or other assurance, in trust for the congregation or society or body of men, or of the individuals composing the same, such conveyance, assignment, or other assurance shall not only vest the freehold, copyhold, or leasehold property thereby conveyed or otherwise assured in the party or parties named therein, but shall also after the death or resignation or removal from office of such party or parties, or any of them, effectually vest such freehold, copyhold, or leasehold property in their successors in office for the time being, chosen and appointed in the manner provided in such conveyance, assignment, or other assurance, or if no mode of appointment be therein set forth or prescribed, then in terms of the rules or regulations of such congregation or society or body of men, subject to such and the like trusts, and with and under the same powers and provisions, as are contained in such conveyance, assignment, or other assurance, and that without any transference, assignment, conveyance, or other assurance whatsoever, anything in such conveyance, assignment, or other assurance contained to the contrary notwithstanding. II. And be it enacted, that where such property be of copyhold tenure, and liable to the payment of any fine, on the death or alienation of the tenant or tenants thereof, it shall be lawful for the lord or lady of the manor of which such property shall be holden, at the death or deaths of the existing tenant or tenants thereof, and at the expiration of every period of twenty-five years thereafter, so long as such property shall belong to or be held in trust for such congregation, or society, or body of men, or other party or parties to whom such property may have been or shall be conveyed for their benefit, a sum corresponding to the fine which would have been payable by law, upon the death or alienation of the tenant or tenants thereof; and such payments shall be in full of all fines payable to the lord or lady of the manor of which such property is holden while the same shall remain the property or be held in trust for such congregation, or society, or body of men, and the lord or lady of such manor shall have all such powers for the recovery of such sums as such lord or lady could have had in the event of the tenant or tenants having died or having alienated the same: Provided always, that where such fine shall not be fixed by the custom of the manor at a certain sum, and the property so held shall not be situated in a town or village, or in the immediate vicinity thereof, the fine payable on account thereof shall be estimated at the annual rent or annual value of the land so held, if let for agricultural purposes at the time when such fine shall become due and payable in virtue of this act. III. And be it enacted, that wherever any sum or sums of money shall have been or shall be invested on any security in England or Wales, for the benefit of any such congregation or scciety, or body of men as aforesaid, for the purposes aforesaid, or of any religious, educational, or charitable object, under their administration and management, the bond or other deed whereby such sum or sums of money has, or have been, or may be secured, shall not only effectually vest the said sum or sums of money in the party or parties named in such bond or other deed, but shall also, after the death or resignation or removal from office of such party or parties, or any of them, effectually vest the said sum or sums of money in their successors in office for the time being, chosen and appointed in the manner provided in such bond or other deed, or if no mode of appointment be therein set forth or prescribed, then in terms of the rules of such congregation or society or body of men, subject to the same trusts, and with and under the same powers and provisions as are contained in the bond or other deed given and granted to the parties therein, and that without any transference, assignment, conveyance, or other assurance whatsoever, anything in such bond or other deed to the contrary notwithstanding. IV. And be it enacted, that this act may be amended or repealed by any act to be in the present session of parliament. SCHOOL FOR MISSIONARIES' DAUGHTERS. We are requested to inform our fair friends that all goods intended for the bazaar in aid of the Institution for the Education of the Daughters of Missionaries at Walthamstow, must be sent addressed for the Mission School, Walthamstow, either to the London or Baptist Missionary Societies, not later than Wednesday, May 1st, and they are requested to put a moderate price upon each article upon which no reduction will be made. All goods not disposed of will be sent to those missionary stations whence the children in the mission school come. This circumstance may act as a stimulus to those ladies who are working, and induce other friends of missions to engage in it without delay. It is suggested to the ladies that they will do good service by calling upon their friends who are manufacturers, and soliciting their aid. Almost every manufactured article will sell if it be useful in families, or if it be not too large as an ornament. Christian manufacturers in Sheffield, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, Manchester, Worcester, Kidder minster, Leeds, &c., will not forget that they can afford help, and the conductors of the school doubt not that in these prosperous times they will, thus not only aiding the Interesting services have been held in the baptist chapel, Bilston, Staffordshire, to commemorate the jubilee of the congregation worshipping in it. The chapel originally belonged to the independents, but in the year 1799, a few friends from the Darkhouse chapel, Cosely, lamenting over the spiritual destitution in the town, entered into an agreement to purchase the chapel for the use of the baptist denomination, which was ratified in 1800, and a church formed of eight individuals. Since that period it has gradually advanced, though it has had to contend against many adverse occurrences. But during the last few years things have worn a more cheering aspect; the church has increased, the chapel freed from debt, and two new school rooms have been erected, which are also free; and with the present services they have commenced a fund to be devoted towards the erection of a house for the resident minister for the time being, which already amounts to nearly £70. The Rev. B. Evans of Scarborough (who was at one time a scholar in the sabbath school and member of the church) preached on Lord's day, March the 10th, to large and attentive congregations; and on Tuesday evening, March the 12th, upwards of six hundred took tea together, Mr. T. Kemp, minister of the place, in the chair. Mr. W. H. Baylis of Bilston gave a brief outline of the history of the church, and the Revs. Messrs. D. Wright of Darkhouse, J. Williams of Walsall, J. Voller of Prince's End, B. Evans of Scarborough, and J. Blakeman of Hook Norton, Oxon, delivered suitable and interesting addresses. The choir, aided by some neighbouring vocalists, enlivened the meeting by singing several choruses in a very efficient manner. The tables were nearly all furnished gratuitously by the ladies of the congregation. DR. ACHILLI. Exeter Hall was thronged on the 7th of March by an assembly convened to welcome Dr. Achilli, who had arrived in safety, with his wife, a few days before. He addressed the meeting through an interpreter very acceptably, and is evidently an accomplished orator. We trust that he will be usefully employed among the many Italians who reside in London, or occasionally visit it. RESIGNATIONS. The Rev. Thomas Thomas of Astwood Bank, Worcestershire, is about to close his engagements with the baptist church at that place, and would feel happy to supply any destitute church where there is a prospect of usefulness. The Rev. John Jones of Gladestry near Kington, Radnorshire, desiring to remove to another sphere of labour, would be happy to visit a destitute church to whom his services might be desirable. He spent three years at Pontypool Academy before he entered on his public work, and has been nearly three years pastor of two small churches meeting at Gladestry and Evanjabb. The Rev. John Gibson has supplied the pulpit of the baptist chapel, West Drayton, three months, with acceptance and a view to settlement, but some providential circumstances on his part prevent his accepting the cordial and unanimous invitation of the church, which in consequence is still without a minister. The station presents an important sphere of usefulness to an acceptable pastor, of moderate sentiments, not entirely dependent on the people. The deacons would be happy to answer inquiries. On March 18th, 1850, a service was held in the baptist chapel Minehead, Somerset, to take farewell of the Rev. C. Elliott the minister, who is leaving for America after a pastorate of seventeen years. An address was delivered to Mr. Elliott by Mr. Sutton of Watchet, and prayer offered by Messrs. Standerwick, independent, and Boynes, methodist. The deep sympathy and regard of the people to Mr. Elliott was manifested by the largeness of the attendance, and by the presentation of a purse of fifty-four sovereigns. COLLECTANEA. THE SABBATH AND THE POST-OFFICE. Yesterday an important deputation waited, ricarde, in reference to the entire cessation of by appointment, on the Marquis of Clanpostal labour on the sabbath. In reply to the statements of the deputation, the noble marquis avowed that he was not opposed to the rest of the Lord's day being given to the servants of the post-office; on the contrary, it would be more agreeable to him. He fully admitted the numbers, respectability, and influence of those who were in favour of entire cessation, and the practicability of carrying out the proposed arrangement, adding, that the government were prepared to do so, if such appeared to be really and truly the wish of the country. The impression made upon the deputation was of the most favourable character. The number of petitions presented to the House of Commons, in favour of the entire cessation of postal labour on the Sunday, up to the 14th instant, were 1,547, signed by 231,784 persons. Since then 147 have been presented, considerably increasing the number of signatures. The strong and united expression of pub lic opinion on this important question, was never more necessary than at the present moment. The provinces have set a noble example: we hope soon to see the metropolis manifesting an equal degree of energy; indeed we have been informed that measures are in progress for the purpose of convening an aggregate meeting of the metropolitan boroughs upon the subject.-Christian Times, March 22. CORRESPONDENCE. ON THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTITUTION FOR To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. DEAR SIR, By your last number I perceive our friends Pryce and Mursell do not give up their intention of urging forward their proposal for a new constitution for the Baptist Mission; though I had hoped more mature thought and ampler time for discussion would have shown them the inexpediency of such an attempt. Having suggested a few of the many objections to such a project in your pages for July last, of which not the least notice has been taken, I scarcely think it necessary to add to what already is before the public. One or two suggestions, however, have been made by friends since that letter was printed, to which I may be permitted to solicit the attention of your readers. It is to be regretted that the proposed change has not been more amply discussed in the pages of our denominational organ, before being brought to a general meeting. This assembly can only comprise a comparatively small portion of the friends of the mission. It is possible that measures might be so energetically and eloquently pleaded as to carry the votes of such a meeting, contrary to the good sense of its absent contributors, and thus inflict a serious injury where nothing but a benefit was intended. The object of the proposed change, as I understand it, is virtually to make the churches the society, and deputations from the churches its executive; and the reason given, to unite the society more closely with the churches, and to make it strictly a religious institution. This, in few words, I take to be both the object and the motive; and it is the duty of every one connected with the churches or the society, and especially those who belong to both, to consider whether such a change is necessary, or expedient, or desirable; what would be its certain or probable consequences upon each, and how these separate institutions would work, if brought into such close contact and mutual dependance on each other. It is conceivable, that objections to this alteration in the constitution of the society may arise from both sources; from its imposing upon the church duties which do not scripturally and properly belong to it; and encumbering the society with a controlling power injurious to its beneficial working. Ă New Testament church, with its appropriate office-bearers, is complete in itself. It has no authority, no sphere of control beyond itself. The duty of spreading the gospel is imperative on every individual member; but as a church it has no commission to elect members to form a missionary establishment, and hand over the duty of diffusing the gospel to that distant body. The plan suggested by my friend Pryce, if fully and extensively carried out, would infringe upon what we as dissenters have long prized, the congregational and independent character of our churches. On the other hand, a missionary society, with its well-appointed officers, is complete in itself. It is the social principle, applied to a great and noble object, the spread of the gospel to all the nations of the earth. It is aiming to effect that by union and combination to which private and individual effort is inadequate. But it is no more essentially connected with Christian churches than is an Anti-Slavery Society, or a Peace Society, or a Temperance movement. These almost invariably arise from the members of our churches, but are and ought to be separate institutions, regulated by their own laws, and with which Christian churches have only an indirect relation. Objections are taken by many against the projected alterations from their purely sectarian character. There have been, and doubtless are, many subscribers to our Mission belonging to other denominations of Christians whose position towards the Society would be affected by adopting the proposed changes. To say to an Independent or Wesleyan, you may give us your money, if you please, but we now, |