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In the day of eternity, how much more joyful it will be to have done a little good in the world, than to have flattered princes and have lived in their smiles! My father I found very low, and more reduced than I could have thought possible in the time. By his bedside, silent and still, I took a lesson on human nature. Comparing him with what he was as far back as my memory has identity, I anticipated the same to myself, when thirty years, should I live so long, shall have written their marks honestly on my face. Truly, all flesh is as grass." Teach us, O Lord, to number our days, and to apply our hearts unto wisdom.

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The meeting in Chester next occupied my thoughts, and bidding my relations farewell, I was round by Crewe to the ancient city with the despatch of steam. Here we met many loyal hearts and true, drawn together by the cords of love, from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Of course it belongs to others to give a narrative of that meeting, rather than to me, and therefore I shall content myself by saying, that I never visited a similar meeting in the United States at which more unanimity of feeling, and more cordial love for the truth, were manifested. I love to think about it, as the triumph of Christian benevolence over squeamish and unscriptural conscientiousness. May the results be as concentrated and as powerful as the warmth that quickened their causes into birth! Our next move was to Liverpool, from whence we were to take our departure for our homes in the new world. Here was to wind up our labours in the land of our fathers. I thank God that I have realized a desire long since formed, and under prospects so propitious for the truth. Our visit will form an era in the history of reformation in Great Britain. We shall look back upon our travel with sweet delight as long as memory remains, and the brethren in the Lord will live verdant in our affections until these eyes grow dim in death.

It is idle to pretend to express our feelings at that memorable adieu in the Mersey! Until the last bell summoned them from our proud Atlantic steamer, the brethren and sisters hung on to speak the last word and take the last look. Alas! to me, how sweet are meetings, the tender buds of coming and growing acquaintance; but oh how mournfully sad is it to say farewell and turn my back on them I love! A home in the heavens is wanted-a large house, in which all the children of God may live for ever! Hosanna to the name of Jesus. His people will live together through eternity,

After firing several guns, and getting the mail snugly on board, we put our paddles in motion, and soon lost England in the mist, and were in the British Channel speedily. For several days both brother Campbell and myself were very sick, and for three days we were in a heavy gale, which for twenty-four hours was very severe. It was said to be much the severest gale the Cambria was ever in. It sprung and cleared away our bowsprit with the noise of thunder. No terror, however, disturbed our equanimity, because we trusted in Him, who plants his footsteps in the seas and rides upon the storm." We are now on the banks of Newfoundland, where I was nearly twenty years ago, a passenger in the Philip Tab, bound for

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Baltimore. Surely it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Thus, my dear brother, ends the short chapter of our visit; and whether we shall come again, and if so, how soon, we leave with the Lord to direct. To his name be all the glory of our salvation. Wishing the brethren all happiness for time and for eternity, I subscribe myself their unworthy brother, JAMES HENSHALL.

DEATH OF WICKLIFFE E. CAMPBELL.

[From the Millennial Harbinger, September, 1847.]

It is our melancholy task to record, in the death of WICKLIFFE E. CAMPBELL, the saddest bereavement it has ever fallen to our lot to witness. He was the second son of our beloved father, ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, just past 10 years of age, and full of promise, both in body and mind, when he was suddenly and providentially taken from our midst for ever. In company with two other little boys, on Saturday afternoon, the 4ult, he had repaired to the creek, about of a mile from the Bethany House, to bathe; and, while engaged in this exercise, met his untimely end. It was in a deep pool, washed by the falling of the water over a mill-dam. A sort of shoot or apron, attached to the lower side of the dam to break the fall of the water, descended in an inclined plane from the top and dipped into the water beneath. Upon this the bow of a boat was drawn and fastened to the top of the dam, which at the same time was dry. From this boat the little boys entered the water; and, after bathing some time, they concluded to let themselves down on one side of the boat, till they would sink below the level of its bottom, and then, swimming underneath, to come up on the other side. This they had frequently done before without accident. But it was decreed to be otherwise now. His two companions who preceded him, swam under and rose up safely on the other side; but Wickliffe unfortunately missed his course; and, instead of rising in the usual direction, became involved under the projecting apron of the dam; and there, unobserved by his companions and despite of his fruitless struggles, was drowned.

The alarm was given immediately, and relief was at hand in time to have saved him; but he could not be found. In his efforts to extricate himself, he had struggled farther and farther under the apron of the dam; and it was only through a crack between the boards, that he was at last discovered. The board was instantly torn away-and there he lay, clinging with the energy of a last grasp, to the bottom, in water less than three feet deep, and his head within six inches of the surface, a lifeless corpse. There was space enough between the surface of the water and the boards above for him to have held his head out of the water; but he did not know it. A full half hour or more had elapsed, and his anxious mother was among the first to receive him, as he was drawn from the watery grave. Every exertion, which science could suggest or affection urge, was promptly and perseveringly made; but four hours of unaviling effort proved that God had taken his spirit to himself—and even parental anxiety was compelled to acknowledge him dead.

WICKLIFFE was a boy of remarkable and peculiar character, and had given many evidences of a precocious piety, which made him the object of special hope. The moral influence of these make them well worthy of narration, and we only postpone their insertion for want of room. His mother is left disconsolate,-bowed down under the mighty hand of God. His father, unconscious of his fate, is labouring in a distant land. The stroke which has fallen upon her, and which awaits him, is one of more than ordinary bereavement ; and will not a common brotherhood unite in asking the God of all consolation to give them both strength to bear and resignation to suffer the calamity that has befallen them? W. K. P.

PROVIDENTIAL COINCIDENCE!

Was it on Saturday 4th September that Mr. Campbell became, in point of fact, a prisoner in Glasgow; when his persecutors, by their Secretary, decided that—to prison he should go? And was it not on the same day and probably the same hour that Mr. Campbell's most dear son Wickliffe was drowned at home, almost in the presence of Mrs. Campbell!

Was the body of that very promising youth committed to the tomb on Monday the 6th September? It was also on the 6th that his reverend father was, 'for the testimony of Jesus' committed to the gloomy cells of Glasgow prison!

Was it not the remainder of that week one of mourning to hundreds of thousands throughout the states, in sympathy for the soulpierced mother, and in anticipation of the grief of the absent father? And does the oldest disciple of Jesus in Great Britain and Ireland recollect deeper dismay than in that week smote each heart when told "Mr. Campbell is in prison at Glasgow."!

LETTER FROM A BAPTIST MINISTER.

J. D.

Upper Swainswick, Somersetshire, Nov. 17th, 1847.

THE account you have given of the labours. and sufferings of Mr. A. Campbell, in his recent visit to this country, have greatly heightened my affection and esteem for this veteran in the cause of truth and righteousness.

If, like other reformers, he has found "old Adam" yet strong in the persons of "reverend gentlemen,"-retainers for measures which have their foundation in fallacy, whose "root is rottenness, and whose blossom shall go up as dust,"-what of this? "A few more such victories, and they are undone."

I have just read "The Design of Baptism," in this month's Messenger, from the pen of Mr. Campbell. I consider it to be the most valuable paper of the kind that ever fell into my hands, and I have studied this subject closely for more than a quarter of a century past. What the late Mr. M'Lean said of Mr. M'Lawrin's sermon, on glorying in the cross of Christ," might be applied to this "No.

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11 of the Tracts for the People :"-Every sentence might serve as a text to preach from. Yours truly and gratefully,

AN OBSCURE BAPTIST MINISTER.

NOTE. We feel obliged for the favourable and benevolent testimony of our good Baptist brother. A better, more enlarged, and comprehensive understanding of the Christian system is yet to be looked for in the true church of Christ. The members of that one body will yet come closer together in faith, in unity, and in love, and may our good Lord hasten that blessed period.-J. W.

EFFECTS OF THE SCRIPTURES.

How comes it that this little volume, composed by men in a rude age, when art and science were but in their childhood, has exerted more influence on the human mind, and on the social system than all other books put together? Whence comes it that this book has achieved such marvellous changes in the opinions and habits of mankind-has banished idol worship-has abolished infanticide has put down polygamy and divorce-exalted the condition of woman-raised the standard of public morality-created for families that blessed thing, a Christian home-and crowned its other triumphs, by causing benevolent institutions to spring up as with the wand of enchantment? What sort of book is this, that even the winds and waves of human prejudice obey it? What other engine of social improvement has appeared so long, and yet lost none of its virtues? Since it appeared many boasted plans of amelioration have been tried and failed; many codes of jurisprudence have arisen, and run their course and expired; empire after empire have been launched on the tide of time and gone down leaving no trace on the waters. But this book is still going about doing good-leavening society with its holy principlescheering the sorrowful with its consolations-strengthening the tempted-encouraging the penitent-calming the troubled spirit, and soothing the pillow of death. Can such a book be the offspring of human genius? Does not the vastness of its effects demonstrate the excellency of the power to be of God? DR. M'C CULLOCH.

DR. RICHARDSON:

Queries and Replies.

James City, 26th July, 1847.

Dear Sir,-TALKING a short time since (as I believe) with a most conscientious gentleman of the Baptist church, and one that I had heard in a church meeting make an excellent argument upon the plurality of Elders, I was surprised to find his views so radically changed by learning that Macknight has decided that the term Elder

comprehends other and different officers in the church than Bishop, Overseer, Pastor, &c., and includes minor officers, as Deacons, &c., and that when it is said they ordained Elders in every church, it means they ordained an Elder and a Deacon in every church, and not necessarily a plurality of Bishops in every church; but refers to all the officers of the church or congregation.

-."

Again, it is said, "They cast lots, and the lot fell on How were those lots cast? Was it an intelligent viva voce vote, or drawing by chance from a hat or other place?

Your attention to this will oblige me much. Fraternally yours,

REMARKS.

INQUIRER.

WITH regard to the ancient application of the word rendered Elder, Dr. M'Knight does indeed say as follows: "In the first age it was given to all who exercised any sacred office in the church, as is plain from Acts xx. 28, where the persons are called bishops, who, verse 17, are called elders. The same thing appears from Titus i. v., where those are called elders, who, verse 7, are named bishops; and from 1 Tim. iv. 14, where collectively all who held sacred offices in Lystra, are called the presbytery or eldership, and are said to have concurred with the apostle in setting Timothy apart to the ministry." Dr. M'Knight, however, is not to be depended on as a critic when his party tenets are in question, and we could not well have a more glaring instance of this, than in the above quotation, in which we have nothing but assertion without proof, and the substitution of one question for another. Acts xx. 17, 28, and Titus i. 6, 7, do indeed prove that the term Elder and Bishop were used interchangeably, but they do not shew that "all who exercised any sacred office in the church" were called elders. To shew that different names are applied to the same class of officers is one thing, but it is quite a different matter to prove that all the different classes of officers are included under these names. The latter he has not attempted; and the former, a totally different question, is not denied. He quotes also 1 Tim. iv. 14, and asserts that all who held offices in Lystra are called the presbytery or eldership; but he does not inform us upon what authority he makes the assertion. Certainly it has not the slightest foundation in the word of God.

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With respect to the manner of casting lots, nothing is said in scripture, except a slight allusion in Prov. xvi. 33, where it is said the lot is cast into the lap." The word lap here may signify vase or urn into which the pebbles were usually cast in order to be shaken. There was no voting of any kind in such cases. It was a direct reference of a matter, usually of solemn and sacred importance, to the Lord for decision. In the case of Matthias, therefore, the Apostles prayed, "Lord, show which of these two thou hast chosen." Acts i. 24.

Query. What is the meaning of the 17th verse of the fourth chapter of 1st Peter-" For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of those who obey not the gospel of God?"

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