MEADER, who have for a number of years given evidence of piety, maintained a consistent conduct, and manifested a commendable zeal, as local preachers in the Farnham Mission. "In the presentation of this Holy Book we have been prompted, more especially, by the consideration that W. Meader was the first Missionary sent by the Bible Christian Missionary Society to open this Mission. Twentyfive years have rapidly passed away since then, and we deplore that more good has not been effected; but in looking to our Chapels-Sabbath Schools -congregations-happy deaths-mem bers of society, and the numbers who have emigrated to other parts, and are still retaining and diffusi ig the religion of the Bible, we gratefully exclaim, "What hath God wrought! "And as Br. Meader, wife and family, are on the eve of emigrating to Australia, we sincerely pray that they may be favoured with a safe, speedy, and happy voyage; be prosperous in temporal and spiritual matters in the land of their adoption; and when mortal lives shall terminate, be triumphantly received to A better country, that is an heavenly." JOHN HICKS. EDITORIAL REMARK S. PROSPERITY OF THE WORK, A prosperous state of religious interests is at all times gratifying to the devout and intelligent christian; and is the more so just now, because of the apparent spiritual apathy that has for some time past so generally prevailed. It is truly refreshing after so long a season of spiritual drought to witness the copious descent of the "showers of blessings," and the bright shining forth of the "Sun of Righteousness" to fertilize the barren soil of this world's wilderness; and to make it like the garden of the Lord. In addition to the deeply interesting communications on this subject which have appeared in the last few numbers of this Periodical, we have received se veral cheering statements and brief intimations of revivals in progress; and from a conviction that our readers will share in the delight we have felt while reading them, we venture to insert some that have not been addressed to us in our Editorial capacity: Br. Matthew Robins writes under date of February 15th," In the Magazine for this month you kindly inform us that the work is reviving on several stations which you have named; but had you known it you might have added several other circuits to the list. In every circuit in this District God is at work, and in some instances, in a remarkable manner. I have been laid up with influenza for about a fortnight, consequently have not been able to supply my appointments for that time; but I hear of the progress of the good work from time to time; and last night I heard that 11 were converted in one chapel on Sunday; 27 more on Monday; and 20 more on Tuesday. Praise God. At another place where the work began with the Sunday School children -scores of whom were converted-it extended upwards from class to class till the parents were down crying for mercy, and their children, in some cases, exhorting them to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! The work still spreads; and what is very pleasing, is shared in by the Wesleyans and Primitives as well as ourselves. I cannot say how many have been converted in one of our chapels; but from reports that have reached me, I should think not much short of 200. Many of the Wesleyan Sunday School children were among the number, and through their influence the work spread to the Wesleyan chapel. As yet St. Austell has not been visited to any great extent; but we are living in hope." Br. Woolcock writes:-"I am hap py to inform you that God has graciously visited several places in this circuit with showers of blessings. The good work commenced with the New Year, and has continued with scarcely any intermission until now. We have held and still are engaged in holding "Special services" to promote a revival, and upwards of forty persons have professed to find "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." I was glad to learn through the pages of the Magazine for the present month, that God is reviving his work on several of the home stations. May not this be the result of the solemn and earnest inquiries made at the last Conference? May not these inquiries have led to deep searchings of heart and humiliation of spirit in prayer before God? I hope these are only the beginnings of more extensive good." BIBLE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE. MAY, 1856. DIVINITY. HOPE DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED. "And now abideth hope."-1 Cor. xiii. 13. In our last paper we described Faith, in its nature and characteristics in this we intend to consider Hope, as being next in order of the three graces spoken of by Paul; and in doing so our object will be merely to define and illustrate that which is of so much value and comfort to the christian. We do not now mean to speak of Hope as an essential element or principle of human nature-as an inbred sentiment, an original power of the soul, forming as truly a part of the soul as the eye, or ear, or hand, or any other member forms a part of the body-sometimes proving a friend, and at other times an enemy to man; nor do we now mean to speak of the hope of the agriculturist, or the mariner, or the philosopher, or the warrior, or the politician, or the man of literature, considered merely as such; but we mean to consider the Hope of the child of God-the heir of a glorious immortality, the subject of a new birth, the partaker of a new nature, the aspirant for substantial, spiritual, heavenly, undying joys-in a word, the hope of the christian. Every true christian is the subject of religious hope. As truly as the instinct, or power, or emotion of hope is an essential principle or element in the human nature of man, so truly is religious, spiritual hope a part of the spiritual nature of the christian; and whilst he retains that, he retains this. The christian loses not his religious hope till he loses his spiritual nature; for it forms a part of the new creation which has been wrought within him by the Spirit and grace of God: and he has this hope as the result of his believing in Jesus to the saving of the soul; as the effect of his spiritual union with the Saviour by Faith. Religious Hope does not precede pardon, but comes to the christian with pardon. Before pardon is sealed on the conscience there is a sense of guilt, an impression that God is offended, so that the sinner is almost overwhelmed VOL. XXI. THIRD SERIES. Ο دو with a feeling of despair; and until this sense of guilt is removed, the assurance of the pardon of all past sins given to the conscience, and a consciousness inspired that the soul is reconciled to God, there can be no Hope. But the propitiatory work of Christ secures pardon for the guilty; the penitent believes in the efficacy of that work, and its adaptation to his own case, and with the Apostle Paul joyfully exclaims, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Hope now becomes a part of his spiritual nature, keeping the face of the soul ever towards the future, nay carrying it ever into the future, and giving it there a happy and blissful life. Hope has reference only to the future; it grasps and feasts on "things to come.' Its objects are therefore more limited than those of Faith. Faith comprehends things past, and present, as well as things future; but Hope soars away to the regions of futurity, and revels among things that are yet to come. Hope, however, has not only a relation to the future, but to things good in the future. It is the expectation of future good. Faith comprehends things bad as well as good; we believe in the existence of a devil as well as of a God, in hell as well as heaven, in everlasting torments and miseries, as well as everlasting happiness and immortal blessedness: but Hope respects things good only. Faith is a belief in the existence and reality of things good; Hope is an expectation of their realization and enjoyment. Hope may therefore be called expectant desire. It is not mere desire; for we frequently desire things which we have no reason whatever to expect: nor is it mere expectation; for we expect many things which we do not desire or hope for— such as affliction, trouble, disappointment, &c. We sometimes expect what we dread and would avoid; and sometimes desire what we despair of obtaining; but we hope for those things which we desire and expect. Hope is therefore a compound of desire and expectation. The objects of the Christian's hope are the same as the objects of his affections, esteem, and joy. They are not carnal, earthly, sublunary, temporal things, but spiritual, celestial, and eternal things. The Christian is already in Christ, and therefore pardoned, accepted, and adopted; the attainment of these things, consequently, is not properly the object of his hope, for they are already possessed, and "what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" Being then a child of God,though perhaps now but a babe in Christ-he hopes to become a young man and father, to attain "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;" "to grow up into Him in all things which is the head, even Christ." He hopes that the shield of Divine Providence will be thrown over him, to avert from him all evil, that the eye of God will watch over him continually for good, and that all his real wants will be amply, freely, and seasonably supplied from God's fulness; he hopes to be guarded in the hour of temptation, defended in the time of danger, comforted in the time of trouble, solaced in the hour of distress, guided and counselled in the season of difficulty and intricacy, supported in the time of weakness, succoured and encouraged in the hour of persecution, and to have "grace to help in every time of need;" he hopes for perfect holiness, and meetness for heaven—a state of moral purity consisting in the Divine original being stamped upon the soul so that the Divine effulgence is reflected again by the human spirit; he hopes for perseverance in grace until his probation ends, for light, comfort, and victory in death's dark vale, for a glorious resurrection from the dead, and an eternal participation in the honours, and glories of the Redeemer in the kingdom of Heaven. These being among the objects of the Christian's hope, we at once perceive that his hope lays hold, not on perishing trifles, empty bubbles, evanescent shadows, the foolish vanities of this world; but on substantialities, spiritual, hallowing, ennobling blessings, and on life eternal! Such being the character of the christian's hope, it must be of immense value to him whilst passing through this wilderness world. Without it, he would be destitute of support, of joy, and of pleasure amid the trying and conflicting circumstantials of his pilgrimage; but with it, is buoyant, courageous, cheerful, and happy. Though storms and tempests, clouds and darkness, sorrow and sadness, are things with which the Christian has to do, and through which he has to travel whilst here below, Hope bears away the spirit into the future, where all is tranquillity, calm serenity, brightness and glory! He is carried on the wings of Hope to a "region where all is sunshine, flower, and fruit; where withering blight and furious storm never sweep the lovely landscape and where suns and stars are never dimmed by cloud nor mist." He may be the subject of extreme poverty, or oppression, or excruciating agony and pain, so that it is impossible for him to derive comfort from his circumstances on earth see him! he looks above this present scene-his faith pierces the unseen world, and beholds there glorious things stretched before its vision; he feels within the assurance that he is "accepted in the beloved," that he is a "child of God, an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ," and that in a short time all these glories he will be called to share; his soul is now fired with holy love and ardent desire; his heart is cheerful and glad, and with the poet he sings— "What are all my sufferings here? &c., or with the apostle he calculates, "that the sufferings of this time are not to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us." Thus we see the hope of the Christian beaming and shining in his tears. The child of God may be exhausted and wearied by the toils and conflicts of his pilgrimage, sorrowful through means of bitter disappointment and grief, and despondingly sigh, "Oh! where shall rest be found?" Hope points him to a scene beyond the grave, and sweetly whispers, "There remaineth a rest for the people of God." All this, and more than this, being true of the hope of the Christian, we shall not err, if we say that Evangelical Hope is 1st. A rich and never-failing source of joy; in that it brings us into a blessed and beautiful realm, where we may bathe our weary souls in seas of imaginary bliss and delight. 2nd. A principle of support under the troubles and trials of life. It buoys us up beneath the load; it lightens our sorrows, and nerves us with vigour and energy, by the thoughts it borrows from the future; and keeps us firm and immoveable amid the surges and gales of life, by whispering sweet promises of help and deliverance. 3rd. A mighty incentive to action. The great and glorious things promised to the Christian in the Bible, are promised to those "who overcome," who are "faithful," who "endure to the end," who "take up the cross and deny themselves," who "endure hardness," &c. Much of the labour and work of the Christian consists in a preparation for the future. He works and toils, not so much for present results, as for the sake of what hope promises him in the future. Thus prospective honours and glories stimulate him to action, even amid present discouragement, opposition, and distress. Take from the Christian his hope of heaven and future glory, and his religious zeal and energy die, the springs of his religious life are weakened, and his soul sinks into a state of spiritual quiescence and languor. "If in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." The HOPE of heavenly glory, and of seeing Jesus as He is, "like the tide in the ocean, it throbs through every part, and keeps the whole in motion." 4th. It promises patience and purity. The former, by assuring us that the richness, grandeur, splendour, and glory of the things that are to be revealed at the appearing of Jesus infinitely transcend the things of time, and will amply reward the Christian for his trials and afflictions below; thus destroying selfishness from the will, bringing it into sweet subjection to the will of God, silencing and hushing every murmur, and leading him to say: "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." The latter, by impressing the soul with the truth that God is "glorious in holiness," that Jesus is unsullied purity, that the angels of God are holy, that heaven is a sinless world, that holiness is the essential meetness for an admission |