derstood, a practicable, and a vigo. rous policy, in the pursuit of which they are undisturbed by internal discord. That the fact is recognised outside our own circle is evident, from a recent article in the Nation, which, judging from its mode of treating Mr. Miall's motion, is not influenced by feelings of regard for the English voluntaries. In a recent article, in which opposition to the Whigs is insisted on with great elaboration, we find among the results stated to be likely to follow the expulsion of the Whigs, "the advent to power of a party which is not yet in the field as a candidate for office, but the elements of which are every day growing more numerous, and assuming greater consistency. No man can watch the language and tendencies of the men, whose youth, talents, and position point them out as future leaders of the country, without seeing that the olu ideas and party words have lost all meaning with them. The party of the future will govern England. There will be a large extension of popular rights, a destruction of antiquated abuses. The Church of Ireland will be swept away; and that the Church of England will retain its character of a branch of the State, of a department of Government, with all the temporal prerogatives and advantages it now enjoys, is to the last degree improbable. In the way of this, the Whigs are at present the obstruction, but it is impossible that it should be so long." We shall be glad to see the Nation and the party whom it represents, labouring to realize this prediction. A CONTRAST. A Dissenting minister in Wales, who is threatened with a seizure for church-rates, writes, "I preach every Sabbath to eight or nine hundred colliers, miners, and labourers, and they willingly contribute about one hundred pounds a year tooards my support. The rector rads a sermon to some ten or fifteen persons every Sabbath, and receives six or seven hundred pounds a year for his services, and yet it seems that I must be prosecuted for not supporting his cause. This is rather a hard case!" BURIAL BOARDS AND THE CLERGY. The parish of Liverpool has just elected a burial board, the majority of which are Dissenters. An effort to place the rector on the board was resisted, on the ground of the pecuniary interest he has in the matter, but on a poll he was rejected by a considerable majority. 66 66 A BISHOP CRISIS. The present is a great crisis," says the Record, the occasion of anxiety being the approaching appointments to the sees of London and Durham. It urges prayer "that He who has all hearts at his disposal may provide for the vacant dioceses faithful men, hating covetousness, and able to rule wisely and in the fear of God;" but at the same time is obliged to acknowledge that the issue is dependent on Lord Palmerston, and so, while 'hopeful for the future," it "rejoices with trembling." But surely these groanings of the Evangelical party are neither consistent nor dignified. The High Church section denounce the present mode of appointing bishops in good set terms while the Record, which complains of the bishops thus appointed more than any other Church journal, sedulously labours to keep things as they are. Surely it is ridiculous to insist on having the "mixture as before," and to continue to whine at the bitterness of the potion. We observe that the "election" of the new bishop of Gloucester and Bristol was on . this occasion made by the Dean and chapter of the cathedral church of Bristol, pursuant to the provisions of an order in council, which directs that, in the case of a united see, the election shall be made by the Dean and Chapter of either cathedral church alternately." Was there ever such pertinacity in the keeping up of a sad farce? The election of a bishop by the capitular body is, as we all know, a melancholy sham! and yet, to keep up the aspect ofa privilege and a duty, the forms of appointment are gone through by the two bodies alternately! TEETOTALISM. TO THE RICH AND MIDDLE CLASSES. Do you think you have done your duty in reference to the temperance reformation ? You complain sorely about the intemperance of the working class, and the drunkenness of society at large. Now, what have you done to check it? Nay, what have you not done to continue and enlarge it? Strong drink produces more poverty, more misery, crime, disease, and death than anything besides, and yet you keep this drink in your houses, bring it upon your tables, offer it to your friends, speak of it, buy it, pay for it, and swallow it, as one of the best articles! You are constantly sowing the seeds of intemperance in your false hospitality and in your social intercourse with society. You have had children or friends who turned out drunkards; did you ever inquire how much you had done to produce this ? You conform constantly to the drinking fashion of the times, and bow almost daily at the shrine of Bacchus! You speak in favour of sobriety, but you act in favour of drinking. You wish the teetotal cause God speed, but condemn its principles in your own practice, and invite the world by your example to cast it out. At dinner, at supper, when friends call, you add additional fire to that burning mountain of intemperance which is destroying the beauties and moral verdure of our land. The oceanof intemperance is swollen even by those hands that are uplifted in prayer for the progress of God's kingdom of righteousness and peace on the earth! Oh shame! ye rich and middle class! to be found leagued with England's greatest foe! If you wish to do right, banish drink from your homes: abstain yourselves, and teach your families and others to do the same! you will then act a consistent part, and be a blessing to your country. THE SLAVERY OF DRINKING. How many thousands know that drink does them an immense injury, and is inflicting the direst curse, who yet continue to tamper with the intoxicating cup! Never was there a more cruel slavery than that imposed by the drinking system. Men are enchained to the fashions and usages of the day, and they rivet their fetters by their own love for the liquor. They constantly drink against their own judgment, their own reason, and their own interest. The slave trade in all its horrors, never killed, and maimed, and tortured a tithe of the number that strong drink is doing every year. The cost of this social slavery is nearly sixty millions a year, and among its patrons and supporters are found princes and peasants, clergy and laity, rulers and ruled, rich, poor, old, young, male, female, all crying out words against its horrors, and yet, in deeds, supplying it with ways and means, and voluntary victims ! OBITUARY. DIED, August 10th, 1856, JANE NAPEAN. Like others who have not been made the partakers of divine grace, she had no delight in the things of God; and when urged to attend to the welfare of her soul, she answered that it was ás yet sufficient time. At length she became the subject of affliction, and it was soon discovered that it was very likely that she would in be borne away by that prevalent disease-consumption. When the disease began to make its inroads, she came to our chapel at Launceston. The time was a favoured one; a few had been seeking the Lord, and many fervent prayers were made that God would extend his work. Jane felt her need of the Saviour, and began earnestly to seek the Lord. A few days after, she was brought into a sweet sense of peace and love to God. She believed that her sins were all pardoned, and, that should she depart hence, she should be with the Lord forever. She now evinced her love to the means of grace by attending as often as her strength would permit. She had a peculiar regard for her fellow believers ; and she continued to give eminent displays of supreme love to God. She thus became prepared to sustain her affliction, and to have a source of the most unspeakable comfort in the hour of dissolution. When confined to her bed, she continued to hold on her faith in Christ. At times her joys much abounded, and she always submitted to her Saviour, and rested upon him with a strong confidence. She prized the visits of the pious, exhorted her parents to seek the Lord, and meet her in heaven, and warned the careless; and just before her last, said, "I am waiting for my Saviour to come for me." Thus she fell asleep RELIGIOUS : A request being made that I and Mr. Maxstead, the Town Missionary, should attend the funeral, we attended, and endeavoured to improve the time in useful conversation. On Lord's day August 30th, I endeavouredto improve the event by a suitable discourse, and by showing that it was the privilege of all to be prepared for death by being holy and that God favours his own people with peculiar support in that solemn period. The poor were invited to have the true riches-the young, to offer Christ an acceptable sacrificethe afflicted to have God for their portion, and all to become the subjects of renewing grace, in order to become prepared for the important change. The congregation was good, the chapel being comfortably filled; and the influence was such, as to demand thankfulness for the help, and comfort, and edification realized. Will the reader, who knows not the Lord, secure the friendship of Jesus against the time of need? E. J. TRIBLE. INTELLIGENCE. BIBLE CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. THE following Resolutions of the last Conference, which were inadvertently omitted from the printed Minutes, are inserted here by order of the Connexional Committee. "RESOLVED:-That the Superintendent of each District be expected to copy from the District Book the annual Resolution on the spiritual state of the District, and transmit the same to the President of the Conference as early as possible after the District Meeting. 66 CANADIAN CONFERENCE. "RESOLVED:-That we receive with pleasure and gratitude the Report of the Canadian Conference, and record for the information of our friends the following paragraph extracted therefrom: "That with devout gratitude we desire to record the mercies of God towards us during the past year: also for the measure of divine influence which has attended all the Religious services which have been held during the Conference, especially while the Brethren were relating their christian experience. And although we have not realized that amount of success we could desire, yet we are resolved to unite heart and hand to prosecute our work of faith and labour of love.' Q. Who are the President and Secretary of the Canadian Conference? "A. PAUL ROBINS, President. "GEORGE HAYCRAFT, Secretary. ANNUAL ADDRESS. "RESOLVED ;-That the Pastors are required to read, or see that their Colleague read, to the several Societies on their respective stations, either on a Sunday or week-night, the Annual Address of the Conference, accompanying it with such remarks as may be necessary to impress its leading features on the minds of the friends. "SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE CONNEXION. RESOLVED;" That upon a general review of the spiritual state of the Connexion, we have great reason to feel and to express the most sincere emotions of gratitude and praise to the God of all our mercies for the blessed tokens of his kindness and grace towards us during the past year. While on some stations we have to mourn over a want of that prosperity which our hearts desire, upon many others we have had the most pleasing indications of the presence of God with us, and of his blessing upon our labours. It is highly gratifying to us that we have an increase of 2,229 in Church fellowship, being one-eighth more than were in the Connexion last year; and that in all the departments of the work of God among us there is a progressive improvement. Greatly revived and encouraged by the improved appearance of our Zion, we are resolved to consecrate ourselves to God, and to proceed more vigorously than ever by the adoption of every proper means to promote the prosperity of his kingdom in the earth. May the Lord of hosts remember us for good. AMENDMENT OF OUR RULES. "RESOLVED ;-That as it is desirable more clearly to express whose prerogative it is to retain or reject members of society among us, the following shall be inserted in our Rules-under the head ing, Elders' Meetings, sect. 3, after the words, according to our Rules,' namely,' and to decide who shall be received, and who shall be discontinued as members of society; but in cases where there is no Elders' meeting, these matters shall be determined by the members of the respective societies in conjunction with the Pastor.' CHAPEL ACCOUNTS. "RESOLVED ;-That as it is highly important to have the accounts of the Chapels correctly kept, the Superintendents of Districts shall annually inquire of each Pastor in their District Meeting, whether the accounts of the Chapels are properly made up and presented to the Quarterly Meetings, and report thereon to the Conference. In this matter the Trustees and Friends are earnestly requested to co-operate with the Pastors. PORTRAIT. "RESOLVED ;-That the Portrait of Br. J. B. Tapp, the Ex-President of the Canadian Conference, appear in the Bible Christian Magazine for the year 1857." MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. · OCTOBER, 1856. AUSTRALIA. Br. T. Hillman's Journal concluded from page 404. Jan. 14th. On Saturday last we had a gale of wind. It began to blow fresh on Friday evening, and continued to increase till Saturday noon, at which time we were in the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope. I had many times heard of the sea running "mountains high," and fancied I had seen it at home; but I found by experience that the mountains in the English channel, and the mountains off the Cape, when blowing a gale, are very dissimilar. A sight so awfully grand as this I never had before. In the afternoon the wind fell a great deal, but the ship rolled much more than she did in the height of the gale. Night came on, and several were preparing to lie down, when suddenly a heavy sea struck our ship broadside, broke in, I suppose, full 20 feet of our bulwarks, and came streaming down the fore and main hatchways till some were nearly knee deep in water. None I VOL. XXI. THIRD SERIES. think had so little water in their cabins as the Bible Christian Preachers. I am thankful to state that the damage done below was trifling. Thinking that some notice ought to be taken of our many providential deliverances, the writer made some remarks on the Sabbath evening following, from Psa. cvii. 23— 31. Many were present to hear. 17th. Early this morning the wind began to blow strong, and was attended with a heavy fall of rain. The latter poured almost incessantly till about noon, when it ceased; the angry clouds disappeared and the sun again peeped out smilingly upon us. The wind, till the rain ceased, blew on our port side, it then shifted right aft, and became less violent. There is every probability of our having a good rocking to-night. 18th. Our ship last night would have presented rather an eccentric appear 2 L "All joined to Christ, we're as one soul, I have thought much within the last few days about our dear afflicted Br. Gilbert. I could have given almost any thing to know how he is getting on, and whether it is likely he will soon be able to resume his ministerial work. Though many thousands of miles lie between us, my sympathy for him and his beloved wife is as strong as when we were together in London. I pray that his consolations may greatly abound. We have now spent twelve Sundays at sea, and three more at least we expect to spend. The people were addressed to day from Rev. xxii. 14. 25th. In four days we have been wafted over 820 miles of these mighty waters; this is the best run we have had since we left England. I am both delighted and thankful. Lat. 43o 0' S. Long. 63° 43′ E. 26th. Our good breeze still continues, though hardly so strong as it was. Thank God we are come so far in safety. 28th. Our ship in seven days has dashed her way through 1480 miles of water; this in my opinion is very excellent for a vessel drawing 18 feet of water. If the wind continues favourable we expect to gain our port in about two weeks. All hail the day! Brother Lee spoke yesterday from Zech. ii. 4. Thank God, we often feel a sweet assurance that our anchor is cast within the vail, and that our efforts however humble will not be in vain. "The smallest effort is not lost, 31st. Nothing of particular interest has occurred since I wrote last. In examining myself I find I want a softer heart, a heart overflowing with devout gratitude to God for the daily mercies, daily succours, and daily deliverances, He vouchsafes to such an unworthy worm. What are all our pretensions to, and professions of religion, if this sweet innocence arises not from the inmost soul? Blessed Spirit! strike in my breast a spark of that pure flame which seraphs feel: then I shall pray, and long, and labour, for the jubilee of the world. February 2nd. We are daily advancing towards the land I long to see. The wind, though not so strong as last week, is still in our favour. Some are prophesying that we shall sight Kangaroo Island next Saturday. God only knows what reverses we may experience in a week. Lat. 42° 10′ S. Long. 1028 43' E. 4th. It began to blow hard last evening a little before we commenced our worship, and orders were given to shorten sail. I had some fears that the running to and fro, the pulling of ropes, and the cry, of "Eb, Hoy, &c." would sadly disturb us, but it was soon over, and Br. Lee made some timely remarks from 1 Chron. xxix 15. 7th. Some Jews on board are beginning to evince a spirit of jealousy and discontent. O what bitter weeds grow in the human heart before the Gospel is implanted! God grant that these dupes of Satan may soon change masters. Lat. 41° 20′ S. Long. 118° 2′ E. 9th. We have not passed over so many miles in the past week as in several previous ones; the wind is getting higher, and more variable, but the best is made of what we get. I hope the approaching Sabbath will be our last at sea. 11th. Some plain remarks were made to the people last evening from Jer. ix. 23, 24. I pray that the divine blessing may be given to this and to all the services we have held since we left our native shores. I have had much heaviness and sorrow of heart on account of the spiritual state of the people on board our ship. Truly, "the god of this world hath blinded their minds," lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them; that gospel they have now heard: may they take heed to it till the day star arise in their heart. To-day we are completely becalmed, which is to me more tiresome than a head wind. Lat. 39° 53′ S. Long. 128° 48' E. |