chair. Prayer having been offered, and some meeting of the Board, to remove, for suffipreliminary items of business having been cient cause, the officers appointed by it, attended to, Dr. Cone offered a few eloquent being responsible for such an act to the remarks, introducing the following resolu- Board itself, and to fill up vacancies. All tions ;

Resolved, That this convention regard it as a special occasion for gratitude to the God of all grace, that He has so long preserved the life of our Senior Missionary, the Rev. Adoniram Judson, and has strengthened him to perform services of inestimable value for the perishing heathen.

members of the Board of Managers, and all officers and members of these committees, to be members in good standing of regular Baptist churches. Money given for specified objects to be appropriated according to the will of the donors, if not contrary to rule, and if so, the money to be returned. To avoid needless discussion, alterations to be Resolved, That the President be requested made only upon the recommendation of the to express to our Brother Judson, assurances Board of Managers at an annual meeting, of the pleasure with which we welcome him and by a vote of two-thirds of the members to his native land; and of our heart-felt present. sympathy with him in the painful circumstances which have withdrawn him, as we hope only for a season, from the field of his missionary labours,

Needless objection seems to us to have been made to the adoption of a resolution calling on the churches to regard themselves as missionary societies appointed by our Dr. Wayland then made a most affec- Lord, and to support their own missionaries, tionate address to Dr. Judson, to which Dr. remitting the necessary funds through the Judson briefly and with much feeling re- officers of the Union. Dr. Judson, Mr. plied. The attendance at the convention Kincaid, and the American Baptist miswas large. The Committee appointed by sionaries in general, were said to wish for the Board at Philadelphia to revise the Con- this. Dr. Judson remarked to Mr. Hague, stitution made a unanimous report. who brought the resolution forward very

The sittings of the Convention lasted judiciously, that it embodied the principle three days. It was resolved, (on condition they needed, a principle recognised by our of obtaining the necessary legal enactments) Lord, and to which the convention would to alter the name and constitution. The have to come though perhaps by degrees. new constitution is comprised in twenty-four Even Dr. Cone who opposed the motion, adarticles; of which the following are the mitted that this was the primitive plan. chief provisions. Its name to be "THE The Convention was 41,500 dollars in debt; AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION ;" and it was necessary to remove this in order its object to be "to diffuse the knowledge of to adopt the proposed changes. 30,000 the religion of Jesus Christ, by means of dollars, however, had already been collected missionaries, throughout the world;" its in New England, 2300 in Albany, and 8000 members to be life members, constituted by in New York; only 10,000 still remained, paying 100 dollars at one time; such payment and on an appeal being made to the brethren being the sole qualification. Its meetings present, between 15,000 and 16,000 dollars to be annual, on the third Thursday in May. were received in life memberships and conA Board of Managers consisting of 75 mem-tributions. Many missionaries were made bers was appointed at this meeting, one life-members, and the chinese commissioner third of whom are to go out annually, and Keying, received this honour. successors to be appointed by ballot. All mem- DR. JUDSON, left New York for Boston on bers to be able to attend the meetings of the Nov. 26, intending to sail for Burmah in Board of Managers, and deliberate with about ten days. The deposition of the them, but not to vote. Immediately after king, of which intelligence has just arrived the meeting of the Union, the Board is to meet in England, will probably be favourable to and appoint a Treasurer, and, Correspond- the spread of the gospel there. ing Secretaries, by ballot; to determine their In consequence of the remarkable harmony salaries, to appoint an executive committee pervading these meetings, and the reviving of nine, not more than five being ministers missionary spirit evinced, it was resolved, to of the gospel, to give them such instructions abandon for the present all thoughts of as to plans of action as they may think fit, and abridging their stations, and that God was to appoint also an auditing committee. The calling them to reinforce and even enlarge Board to meet again at least two days before them. These results dissipated many gloomy the meeting of the Union, and receive re- forebodings, and gave quite a new tone to ports from the Treasurer and the above the feelings of the brethren present. The committees, to examine them, and submit subject of slavery was mentioned, but as it the result to the Union. The Executive was believed that a slave-holder would not Committee to have power to call a special now be appointed a missionary, no clause

VOL. III.-NO. XXV.

E

was inserted in the constitution to prevent it. The following night I slept at BONDA, where We regret to see the term "clergy," ap- the status quo remains, and the following plied to those who are chiefly or wholly oc- night I slept with a dear brother at Peyelet, cupied in preaching the gospel. All church- a deacon of the church at GASSELTER NIEUWmembers are authorised to preach it, but VEEN. The following day I reached brother this term conveys, by customary use, a deniai Feisser at the latter place, with whom I reof that authority. Pastors have an autho-mained three happy days. As he was very rity which the people have not, but this word sickly, I baptized his dear wife, and two by representing them as the "heritage" of God, in distinction from the church, which Peter so calls, 1 Pet. v. 3, ascribes to them exclusively what is said of the church as a whole.

MR. ONCKEN'S VISIT TO HOLLAND.

other converts, and on the evening of that day, joined the little band in commemorating the Lord's feast. Brother Feisser is, of a truth, one of the humblest brethren I have as yet met with. Picture to yourself a beautiful large manse, with fine garden ground, &c. &c,, and no inconsiderable tractement [stipend,] and a people passionately fond of him, so that every wish he uttered was promptly complied with, as the situation THE following is an extract from a letter once enjoyed by our brother; and then, look by Mr. Oncken, dated "Hamburgh, Nov. on his present position, despised, and rejected, 17th," addressed to Mr. Lehmann, in Eng-forsaken by nearly all except a few poor land. "You will participate in my joy, when persons, without a servant, so that he carries I now proceed to give you a brief sketch of water and turf, and plants and gathers his my last missionary tour to HOLLAND. Our own potatoes, and this, all without any comdear brother Bonk and brother Coers, a plaint, and you may form some small idea, weaver, were baptized at Leer, [in East that a heart must have made some profiFriesland.] on the evening of Oct. 11th. ciency in the loveliest of all christian graces, Three or four other dear brethren witnessed before it can stoop to measures so humiliatthe solemn ordinance, and all his four bro- ing to flesh and blood. Our dear brother thers-in-law were also present. I told br. accompanied me to ZUTPHEN, [in GuelderB. directly, that we might expect some un-land, Holland,] as I was anxious to form a pleasantness the next day, and proposed to brotherly connection with the church, in leave early on the sabbath morning for which you will remember, dear brother Wener, and return in the evening to break Köbner did not succeed. The Lord heard bread together. But our dear brother, who my prayer, and gave me my heart's desire, is not yet up to the animosity of the priests, and we formed a sweet brotherly union, assured me that my fears were quite un-which I trust, neither time nor eternity will founded, and I acquiesced, though reluc- impair. The church at Zutphen was then tantly to remain. At ten o'clock in the composed of eighteen baptized members. morning I was summoned by the police Brother De Pinto formerly physician at the to the Town Hall, where, contrary to my Hague, is one of those to whom the apostle expectations, I was treated much better than refers Rom. xi. 25. ["God hath not castaway I had anticipated. I was either to bind my- his people whom he foreknew, &c. Even self not to perform any religious act, or so then, at this present time also, there is a quit the town; I preferred the latter, and remnant according to the election of grace."] went that evening, accompanied by a young Well, this dear brother has time, property man from Wener, to that place. On my and talent to take the oversight of the way I was permitted to instruct my com- flock, and though not yet ordained, he occupanion, I trust a lamb in Christ's fold, more pies this interesting place in the church. perfectly in the things of God. I spent the We spent a blessed day of rest at Zutphen, evening with our dear friend, Hesse Junr, and were greatly refreshed in our spirits. who is still deeply attached to you, is per- The church breaks bread every first day in fectly convinced of the truth, and wished the week. Brother Feisser becoming very that a church might be formed in that place. ill, brother De Pinto kindly accompanied Poor dear brother, his connections in the me to AMSTERDAM. Here we remained world, are such, that it will require more three days with the little band, as yet only than ordinary grace to enable him to follow consisting of four in number, but which the Lord, and the dictates of his conscience. will soon I trust, multiply. Our visit was Let us plead for him with the Lord, and when you return, you must by every means, make your journey via Wener and Leer. I had no time to call on the Separatists in this place, and intended to do so on my return.

mutually blessed. At Amsterdam I parted from brother De Pinto, and proceeded to HASEN near GRÖNINGEN, where I baptized, and constituted a church. I trust that here also, we shall have additions ere long. I

then returned via Bonda and Wener to road to the same church, and on arriving I LEER, where I got safely through, with the found the walls by the roadside, and the necessary precaution. I remained only a wooden rails well lined with men and women few hours at the house of the Stadt Barbier, in Sunday garb, waiting the arrival of the a pious man, where brother Bonk and wife, minister. I sought out a shady spot under and brother Coers and wife, were assembled. an ancient chesnut, where leaves waved all With the two brethren I broke bread, and above and around, and the grass covered we had all of us a glorious evening. The slopes sank in gentle undulations, and lost brethren have since been before the magis- themselves in foliage below my feet. Above trate, but nothing of importance has trans- rose the mountains, the green pyramids, pired; except that the whole town is in a the snowy peaks. Groups of men, and terrible commotion. At five next morning groups of women all neatly attired continued I was off, and reached OLDENBURGH in the to arrive from La Serre, and at last, without evening. I visited JEVER, preached twice, any call of bell, or any sign, the chapel and joined the church at the Lord's-table. opened, and service commenced." Their [The_day] following, in company with bro- Bible and Liturgy are in French; the serther Remmers [held a] missionary meeting mon also was in French, and though only at VAREL, visited the brethren at OLDEN- the more educated speak French, they said BURG, and proceeded to BREMEN, [one of the all could understand discourses in that lanfree cities of Germany, situated on the guage. "Their liturgy is very different Weser, in the kingdom of Hanover,] where from the Roman and Anglican liturgies, the greatest excitement has been occasioned and is much such an one as might be made by having baptized seven persons and con- up out of some book of family prayers of stituted a church. Last Lord's-day even- the shortest and, simplest kind. The suping-week, we surrounded the sacred board plications are few, and confined to the most with fifteen dear christians in that town." general ideas of sin, penitence, grace, and It appears therefore that three baptized pardon. The profession of faith is very churches have been formed by brother decidedly Calvinistic. On original sin, Oncken during this journey, one at ZUTPHEN, one at LEER, and one at BREMEN.

THE VAUDOIS, VALLEY OF ANGROGNA, PIED-
MONT.

free grace, and election, it is positive and unequivocal. The forms for the Lord'ssupper adopt our Lord's language, but might be used by an advocate of the real presence, without one shade of objection. Even the language about the effect of the participation of these elements is ambiguous. In the ceremony for the re-admission of a DR. HENDERSON's recently published work brother who has been excommunicated, the on the Vaudois, has awakened an interest minister pronounces positively that the sin is which will be gratified with the following forgiven by God; however, the prayer that particulars from another source. "It was a follows intreats him to 'ratify' in heaven fine Sunday morning, the 22nd of June what has been done on earth, and asks 1845, when I started from my inn for the grace for the penitent more and more to chapel or church at Angrogna. It had been believe that he is forgiven, that he may enjoy clear, but, as usual, cumuli, with their sun- the peace of believing. The burial service lit fleeces, gathered on the mountain tops. consists almost entirely of scripture. There The sky was blue, and the light and shade are prayers for morning and evening in the were of that gay and playful sort that is so family, which I am told are constantly used. favourable to mountain scenery. I soon There seems to be no such thing as extementered among the chesnuts; some young, pore prayer; people commit the prayers to light, and airy; some mighty trees of fifteen memory, and so dispense with the book, but feet girth, and more than one hundred feet they seem to have no idea of free prayer. high; all now rich in bloom. Even the To return. A portion of scripture was read walnut here is a handsome tree, the poverty from the Old and New Testaments, with of its foliage which makes it so miserable on Osterwald's Commentary, by the clerk. the plain, is even an advantage when After that, two verses of a hymn were mingled with other trees on the mountain sung, one or two short prayers followed, and side. All was calm as heaven; no labour then came the sermon, the subject of which here; no violation of the sacred day; but was, the study of perfection, as characterissong birds warbled, and the breeze gently tic of christianity;" Walk in love." From stirred the leaves, while rippling murmur- some remarks in the sermon, it appears ing rivulets ran gurgling by. All was that the preacher's views incline to general sweet, and rich, and fair. I saw a few redemption, and that he questions whether peasants wending their way along the same even the heathens are hopeless. "The

people are cleanly in their persons compared | albeit the Protestants are almost everywhere with other Piedmontese, have a sensible cast the more numerous, there are Catholics in of countenance, and are almost free from every village. any traces of brutality; but I have no idea "A short prayer for the royal family, that they are a pious people in our sense of another in conclusion, and a notice or two the word; that the mass of them are so finished the service, and once more the road I cannot believe, and I could not under- was seen thronged with women's white caps, stand that they have any discipline or usage and the rather pale blue coats and trousers of which distinguishes the pious from the in- the men, some in black hats, some in dark different. They bear a high character for caps. They sit separately in the church. honesty. But men who talk proudly of their The general continental idea seems to be, religion and their history use coarse lan- that it is not consistent with public decency guage and oaths, and yet pass for very re- for men and women to sit promiscuously spectable men, and in many cases appear to together. be so. I met with more than one whose "After the service, I sauntered on to La word was worth nothing. The master of Serre, and turned left down a retired path the hotel has a billiard table, where there is among some meadows. I discovered a spot much noise and gambling, yet he goes to with a delicious view, and a felled tree on church on Sunday, &c. The minister says which I could sit, and there I stopped. It is there is no drunkenness, and after all deduc- a place where the meadow sinks from your tions, I quite think the people deserve a feet in sweet undulations; here fresh green high character. The little hovels in which after the scythe, and here covered with long they live, built of the brown rock of the grass, thick spangled with wild flowers. A rivuvalley, with rough roofs and balconies, let gurgled by; lofty chesnut trees mingled in the Swiss way, are pretty landscape with the pale scattered foliage of the walnut, objects, but alas, inside! The little case- and the light feathers of the ash waved over ment is something covered with oil paper, head, and spread a gay leafy pattern between mostly much torn; no glass, and often me and the deep blue sky and yellow clouds nothing at all. The rooms are so dark that above. Before me, looking up the vale, you can scarcely see in broad daylight, and was an opening hedged in by waving leaves you find only the coarsest utensils, and of ash and walnut, backed on either side by black rye bread. The houses are by no chesnut and other wood, further and further, means cleanly, and although every one mingling and retiring, screen after screen. appears neatly clad on Sunday, yet you see And there, far below, lay the narrow vale many in sad rags and tatters, particularly with the torrent dashing down its rocky small children on the working days. They path. On either side rose the mountain certainly have to struggle with want and slopes, vested in green, with meadow grass poverty. Their valley produces nothing but and robe of foliage, the trees almost reduced a little rye, hemp, and potatoes, besides the to a microscopic woolly dress. Over the grass, hay, and chesnuts, and the pasturage first slopes lapped others more remote, on the higher mountains, which are very more dark, more indistinct, crossing alterrich, and support a considerable number of nately, and then above them all, the rocky cattle. They appear to be perfectly con- crest, with its pointed outline and snowtent with their mode of life, although very dappled sides. A shower had fallen, and all sensible of the value of money, and inclined was fresh and moist as with the morning to beg sometimes of a passing stranger. dew, and bright with the brightest ray of heaVery few people visit their valleys, and the ven. No sound save some scarce-heard voice occasion is seldom given. They beg directly of nature's melody, the chirping gri-gri or a only by their children, and indirectly by few notes of some nightingale. The hedgecontrivances to sell you something, hoping for row and the stream, bank and mead, all handsome pay. Their anxiety cannot be decked with England's home flowers. Yes, attributed to any other motive, it is quite every blossom that smiles in my own plain that it is not generosity; yet there country's hedge-rows and meads, and that prevails throughout, a kindliness and civility is fair and beautiful, smiles here; every of manners in the valley of Angrogna flower that poetry of highest bards has sancwhich is delightful. Every one salutes tified with sweetest thoughts and dearest you in Patois or French, always with ci- sentiments, grows here, and fairer, and vility, and mostly with a smile. Catholics brighter, and fresher, than at home; its and genuine Protestants can never be on petals more expanded, and its tints more very good terms, and I think a religious rich and deep than under England's sun; struggle will ultimately arise in these val- and others that bloom only in our gardens, leys. Everywhere the Catholic church more brilliant perhaps, but not so dear. stands near the Protestant church, and And here the same God, adored with the

same simple rites, and (be it hoped), with faith and hope and purity. I sung a verse or so of a hymn or two that came to mind, with none to hear but God above, and I felt as if I could weep. It seemed a kind of paradise, and thoughts of change and immortality came unbidden, and asked in a still small voice that seemed to swell within the breast, and heave with energy,- And all this made to die and come to nought? Can our eyes for one hour dwell on scenes like this, and our hearts feel such emotions, and the next lie cold, and dead, and hopeless in the grave? Surely this is the voice of God which speaks to me of immortality, -bliss to come.' Never have I seen a vale so rich, so sweet as this; nor do I expect to see another where every circumstance so combines to fill the soul of an Englishman with deep and sweet emotions, And oh! if there be an elysium on earth, it is this! it is this!"

SPECIAL PRAYER BY ROMAN CATHOLICS FOR

tional Church to read a political proclamation in defence of the new constitution, about forty of them refused. They were charged by the government with rebellion against its authority, and at a meeting of the clergy held at Lausanne, at which nearly 180 were present, about 160 sent in their resignation. Since that time it is said that at least 30 or 40 have withdrawn their resignation. The past submission of these clergy to the state will not render it surprising if others do so to, but there seems to be at least the basis of an important movement in favor of the emancipation of religion from civil bondage.

MORTALITY IN EAST PRUSSIA.

THE Augsburgh Gazette states that the mortality in East Prussia has been double that of preceding years, and greater in country districts than during the time of the cholera morbus. Gastro-nervous fevers engendered by want of sufficient nourishment and other privations consequent on the

THE ENTIRE CONVERSION OF ENGLAND TO high price of food, are the cause of this

POPERY.

mortality. The potatoes are rotting in the places where they have been stored for pre

PREPARATION OF BRETHREN FOR THE

MINISTRY.

THE Constitutionel states that the follow-servation. ing notice was posted in all the churches in Paris, on Monday, Dec. 8. "At the request of the Catholic Bishops of England, expressed to his Lordship the Archbishop of Paris, prayers will be said in all the churches for eight consecutive days, to reckon from to-day, (being the fête of the immacu- THE importance of this movement is yet late conception of the Holy Virgin Mary) | but imperfectly appreciated by our churches, for the return of the entire British nation if we may judge from the manner in which to the Roman Catholic faith." The Bishop they have responded to our appeals on its of Nantes, at the suggestion of Dr. Wiseman, behalf. And yet it would be scarcely possihas also prescribed nine days of prayer for ble to exaggerate by any statements that we the same object. It has been stated that might make, the vitality of its connection the number of recent seceders to Rome with the future purity and prosperity of our amounts to 70, of whom 30 are clergymen of churches. Where are we to look for the the Church of England. future pastors of those of our churches which still remain strict in their communion and orthodox in their doctrinal views? Alas! if we direct our attention to present institutions, we shall find that, generally speaking, they send out men who spare no pains to open the churches over which they are settled, should those churches happen to be strict. And unfortunately too many strict churches are compelled to choose open communion pastors because they cannot meet with men holding strict views who are qualified by sufficient education and discipline to take the oversight of them in the Lord. We are anxious to alter this state of things, and to train up a body of men who shall be competent, through the divine blessing on our labours, to take important pastoral charges. At the same time

SPAIN.

THE speech of the Queen of Spain in opening the Cortes, contains the following sentence. "My government will also present to you a project of law with the important object of endowing, in a permanent and solid manner, public worship and the clergy."

SWITZERLAND.

THE government of the Canton de Vaud having required the ministers of the Na