metropolis. My sermons chiefly consisted of exhortations to my hearers to mend their lives, and come to Jesus Christ directly. Some of my sermons having been spoken favourably of to Mr. S▬▬ he desired me to write out two or three for his inspection, which I did; after reading them he signified his approval of them, and intimated a wish that I should go to Cheshunt college to study for the ministry. This plan with which I fell in most readily, was frustrated by two circumstances, which I shall relate in the proper place. I now gave myself to the study of theology as taught in the colleges, the works of Payne, Wardlaw, Jenkyn, till my mind was saturated with it ; I found a special pleasure I remember in confuting and ridiculing what I was pleased to call, the narrow and bigoted views of the Particular Baptists. I used sometimes to accompany my parents who belonged to that body, to hear some of its ministers, but always with the object of ridiculing their ignorance, and censuring their bigotry. I found a malicious pleasure too in arguing with my poor old parents on disputed points of doctrine, such as particular redemption, personal election, and final perseverance; and though they could not always reply to my arguments, they had a living witness within, (which I had not) whose testimony none of my arguments could shake. God bless them and forgive me, they are in heaven now. Whenever they spoke of vital godliness, or experimental religion, I felt the sneer curl my lips, and the enmity rise in my heart; when I have heard them speak of what "the Lord had done for their souls," I have said within myself, "Cant! What has the Lord done for your soul more than for any one else's?” I had my plan of salvation cut and dried in the most approved fashion; Christ had died for every member of the human family, whether in heaven, earth, or hell; the elect certainly would be saved, and all the rest might if they liked. A scheme which of course ignores the existence and agency of the Holy Spirit altogether, and transfers his powers, and assigns his work to the sinner, making free grace stand as a dutiful lacquey behind the chair of lord free-will; man walking in front as a sovereign Lord, and the great God bringing up the rear like an hired servant. I believed then with the author of "Mammon," that the church is responsible for the conversion of the world.* my * Such is the teaching of "Mammon; a prize essay," by the late Dr. Harris. Let the reader remember, too, that it was a prize essay, adjudged worthy of the prize awarded to it, by the leading divines of the Congregational body. Let him remember that it had an immense sale and an unbounded popularity, and may, therefore, be regarded as a fair representation of the denomination by which it was issued. Besides, these sentiments, now are repeated ad nauseam upon every missionary and evangelical platform, and from thousands of pulpits through the land. The Church responsible for the salvation of the world! Where is the Scripture for this assertion? Let us reduce this statement to a simple question of arithmetic, and then see how it looks. The population of the world is about one thousand millions. Now supposing the church to consist of fifty millions-which is far beyond what we have any just reason to believe she is responsible for the salvation of the other nine hundred and fifty millions. Now, as the Church" is but an aggregate of individuals, it follows that every individual member of the chuurch is responsible for the salvation of nineteen souls. How terrible, how Christ-dishonouring the thought! Has each of the reverend writers and speakers who hold this sentiment saved the nineteen souls, whose eternal destinies are thus placed in his hands? If not, what is the penalty for failure? Or has this terrible responsibility no penalty annexed to its violation? This MR. JAMES WELLS'S FIRST AFTER preaching at the Surrey Tabernacle on Wednesday evening, February 5th, a friend referred to the sermon by Mr. Wells the previous Sunday morning in such terms as made us anxious to read it. The next day we obtained a copy, and eagerly and carefully perused it. The most precious testimony which Mr. Wells therein gives of the Lord's indulging, confirming, and comforting him, exceeds anything we have read in modern times. The report was very current for some few days that Mr. Wells was really gone to heaven. As far as we could we contradicted that report; but when we read of that spiritual baptism into the holy light and heavenly love of the glorious New Covenant with which our brother was favoured, the secret whisper would arise within, "Is this the chariot of fire to fetch him home?" For the Church's sake, we hope not; may the Lord restore and re-build him with greater physical strength for years to come, and may the harvest time of his ministry be most abundant both in the quantity and the quality of the increase to Zion which shall yet be effected through his instrumentality. We are, perhaps, over-zealous and too anxious to publish EVERYWHERE the testimonies to the Lord's grace and goodness which the Lord's servants often bear. When we read Mr. Wells “Bright Cloud," we could not resist the temptation of asking him to allow us to insert the record of his own experience in "Cheering Words" for March. We most intensely enjoyed the testimony ourselves; and if we could get the thousands who profess the Gospel, but who are taught to believe that Mr. Wells holds some strange doctrines, and that he preaches some dangerous errors; we felt, we repeat, if we could get them to read this precious un- DEAR BROTHER IN THE LORD,-I am much obliged by your kind note of this morning, and I feel much indebted to you for your great kindness in preaching so many times at the Surrey Tabernacle during my illness, and pleased I am that you have been so well received. Now as to the humble testimony I was enabled to give last Sunday morning, do by all means what you please with it, as I need not say you are welcome to do with any or all of my sermons. I am in a great measure recovered from my hoarseness, but I still feel very weak about the chest. How are you getting on with the new Tabernacle? If the ability of all your friends in town and country could be CONCENTRATED something might soon be done, but your forces are so scattered: just a few here and a few there, but amounting in all to a large number; and if they could be concentrated two or three chapel, which I should greatly rejoice to years would give you a nice little 3000 Yours gratefully and truly in the J. WELLS. see. truth, Mr. C. W. Banks. 2, Ampthill-place, North Brixton. LETTERS FROM THE HEART. 66 I never I FEEL greatly obliged to you for 'Cheering Words," &c. Having been seventeen years a member of the Church of England, to many of the Baptists I am as yet comparatively a stranger; but time and patience will bring all things to pass. shall be able to express the intense gratitude I feel to my heavenly Father for giving me an opportunity to unite with a people whose views always coincided with my own. I was kept from joining them sooner because there was formerly a mixture stereotyped falsehood has, within the last twelvemonth, been circulated again through the length and breadth of the land in a pamphlet, which the "greatest preacher of the age" has publicly recommended. It is entitled "Words to the Winners of Souls." On the twenty-ninth page of the seventeenth edition, which is now lying before us, are these words "What a mystery! The soul and eternity of one man depends upon the voice of another !" of unitarianism in the Church. Thank God He has sent a faithful preacher amongst us! We have in Mr. W. Wilson all we could desire, and I doubt not the Lord will bless his labours. He has said, "In every place where I record My name, there will I meet with thee, and will bless thee." He has frequently met with us, and graciously manifested Himself to us, and He will never forsake the work of His own hands. Sooner shall heaven and earth pass away than one of His promises fail. It is very sweet to withdraw from the world, and commune with One who understands all our trials and sorrows and temptations, and who is able not only to sympathise with us, but to support us under them. It is sweet to realise that when we are bowed down with anguish either of body or mind, that the Saviour's own shoulder is sustaining the burden, that our feet are on the Rock of Ages, which can never be moved; sweet to know that His covenant is 66 ordered in all things and sure,' " and that "neither death nor life, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God." [We hope to give some experimental papers from this correspondent.] THE DEATH OF MR FRIEND OF GEELONG. MY DEAR MR. EDITOR,-I wrote you a few lines, which were published on the cover of the VESSEL, for January, relative to my very great loss, the loss of one of the most faithful brothers in Christ I have ever known. For fifteen years we have walked and worked together in unbroken friendship; he ever was to me a true friend, a dear loving brother in the Gospel. I have just received by the mail, some particulars of his happy death, written by my very dear friend and brother Stephens, of Melbourne. I shall feel obliged by your publishing the enclosed letter, which I have no doubt will be read with great interest by the Lord's people. Yours in the Lord, JOHN BUNYAN M'CURE. 6, Heygate street, Walworth road, London. My dear brother,—I have to inform you of the death of our very dear Mr. Friend. You know how he was when you saw him last; he only came to Melbourne twice after; and the last time was so weak could scarcely walk; he was only from our house four hours at business, when he returned, I never saw him so much knocked up. He said, "This is the last time, my brother S-, I shall ever be in town," and I thought the same. I went with him next morning towards the station; after that he was but a few times able to go to business in Geelong. He was nineteen days in bed. The first Scripture he preached from was, 66 Charity never faileth." Mrs. Stephens happened to be there; and said to others The this is the Lord's sermon ;" many others thought the same. The Lord blessed the word. I heard some say they were afraid to speak; they never felt so under the word before. fourth day after taking to his bed, he sent for us to come and see him once more. My dear partner went at once, and found he was fast sinking; but thought he would last a week. On the following Wednesday, I received a telegram to come at once. I got the first train. He had rallied a day or two before; a great many of the friends went to see him; to each one he gave his dying testimony for truth, showing them that the Gospel which he preached was now his stay; and the heavenly witness he gave they will never forget. Brother Cakebread told me that he put him to the blush, such a meeting he never experienced, and shall never forget the heavenly manner and glorious way in which he spoke. Mr. Strickland told me than his meeting with him was delightful; and he had lost one of his dearest brethren on earth; his love was so great to the Lord's children, that on parting, he embraced them in his poor arms, and kissed them like a loving wife. When I got there, he was suffering much. When better, he said, "Oh, if the Lord will raise me, I will not go to the law, but will give myself to the preaching of the Gospel; and proclaim Jesus, my blessed Lord to his people." I was with him till Lord's-day week before he died; it was blessed to hear him, he said, “I am happy on the rock!" He said, "My dear brother, tell all the church of Christ that the same truths I have preached are now my comfort, and stay in the valley; and I know they will carry me through Jordan." At another time he said, "O that blood! the preciousness of it, I now enjoy! O the blood of my Jesus!" The next day, he was very low, I was sitting one side of his bed, and Mrs. Stephens the other; he lifted up his arms, and said looking up, "I can see the pearly gates! O my dear brother I can. I said "By faith?" "No! (he said) I can see them." Some time after the same day, he said, "Read a psalm." I said "Which?" he said, 66 Any one. I read the 166th. As soon as I had finished he said, "Amen, amen, glory be to God, so be it." On the next day, Saturday, he was so faint he said, "It is all right, dear Lord, dear Lord, I have perfect peace, my standing is on him.” Getting lower he looked up and said, "O Father, why are thy chariot wheels so long coming to fetch thy servant home? He was continually saying, "Come! come, quickly," then he said, "Pardon me, Father;" give me patience." On Lord's-day morning, I left him, I went to say "good bye," he held me in his arms, and said, "Well, I have. embraced I will let you go." you; This was the last time I saw him alive, this was a week before he died. After I left him, Mrs. Stephens and Mrs. Friend never left him. He said to Mrs. Stephens, lifting up his hands, "Glory! glory! I can see my glorified Jesus O the glory! millions of angels. Don't you see them?" Mrs. S- said "No, my brother, sin hinders me;" he said, 66 Oh, but you will;" the sight continued for some time. A few days before he died, Mrs. Stephens was with him; he looked up, and said, "Glory! glory! I see my son Paul, grandma, and thousands of spirits; oh, what glory!" On Wednesday before his death, like Jacob, he had all his children in to take leave, and bless them; he took them separately, and you know what a father he was. Mrs. Ssaid, "It was one of the most exciting scenes she ever witnessed, especially his ad 66 dress to his eldest son, Burnham, he believed him to be one that God had designed to preach the Gospel, and may it prove so. And to his dear wife he said, My dearest, sweetest wife, we shall meet again. To her his language was sublime, for he told me he was sure she was in the covenant, one with us; and I believe so too; for her concern was so great for his happiness, continually asking him "Are you still happy?" On Saturday he asked my partner to read the 1012th hymn in Denham's Selection. Seven times that day his very soul drank into the spirit of it; and on that day often he said, "Come magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." The last Scripture was Job xix. 25th and 27th verses. There was no change till a few minutes before he died, he said, "I feel faint, give me some cologne," his dear wife wetted his temples, and he gave two or three long breaths and fell asleep in Jesus at half-past six, Sunday morning, 20th, just forty-six years and three days old. His funeral was on Wednesday; a very long train of carriages and horsemen followed; the mayor and council joined about half way. Mr. Strickland spoke first in his drawing room, then at the grave, and was very good. I have given you the fullest account in a letter, if I could tell you all he said, it would fill many pages. I have been requested to put it in the VESSEL, but I thought you could do it better than I can. My nephew Frank, of Ballarat, was in consumption, stayed at our house six weeks, he was a babe in grace; our brother Friend was with him, and was made a great blessing to him; the Lord took him home about six weeks before, they are both now before the throne, praising in that happy kingdom where I hope we shall ere long join. We are both well in health as usual, hope you are the same; give our love to all friends, especially Mr. and Mrs. Wyard. I should like you to bring out the book he has published when you come. Yours in the Lord, W. STEPHENS. 122, Gore street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, Oct., 1867. NEW BOOKS. RELIGION: ITS OBJECT, TRIAL, JOY, AND The Christian Man's Calling is the title of a new volume sent out from Edinburgh last month by Mr. John Nichol, being the first of the “Complete Works of George Swinnock," one of the Puritan Divines. It certainly must be a happy family where Christianity is realised, maintained, and practised according to the instructions and scriptural expositions given by the ancient and excellent George Swinnock. For ourselves, for our readers, for all believers in the Gospel, we could desire nothing for this life, more blessed, than to have such a measure of the grace of God as to enable us all to adorn the doctrines of the Gospel, and to wear the badge of true discipleship so faithfully and consistently as is enforced in the several chapters given by this venerable servant of Christ, under the heading of the "Christian Man's Calling.” We have thought to present this volume of Swinnock's Cautions, Exhortations, and illustrative quotations of the duties and doings of the Christian man, to young people just entering upon a profession of religion, might be a service of much value. But to many of us who have been thrown about upon the troublesome sea of this world, never having such an instructor nor guide, Swinnock's words become like arrows to pierce, censure, and condemn. The perusal of some parts of his writings led us to reflect upon the expressive words of the Church in the Canticles. When she found Him whom her soul loved, she says, "I HELD HIM, AND WOULD NOT LET HIM GO." There is a beautiful and useful example; and the connection furnisheth the four parts of that real religion of the heart which every one who has the saving grace of God in him must know something of. First, the Object. The living soul seeketh after Christ. It was nighttime; it might be a sense of great distress and desertion, but then the Church says, "I sought him whom my soul loveth." This is the purpose of God: "Unto Him shall men come; and though the search may be long and painful, it cannot be in vain. in the soul, is next expressed, “I Second. The great trial of religion found Him not." Many sigh and cry, and wait, and sometimes wrestle, but they cannot find Him-neither in the Word-nor in the Gospel-nor in prayer-nor in providence. No evidence of His nearness to them can they discover. This is a trial severe indeed to all who can truly say, "Him whom my soul loveth.” Thirdly. The joy of religion arises from the finding Him. Oh, there have been seasons on this earth when the glory of the Lord hath shone in upon our souls! Through the medium of the Word, and by the illuminating power of the HOLY SPIRIT, we have found His presence to be life and joy And could we have holden fast by most pleasant and heavenly indeed. Him, lived far more, and for nothing but Him, it must have been well. Alas! with many it has not been so. Lastly. There will be the manifestation of this religion. The true believer comes into the Church; brings the Spirit of Christ and testimony concerning his grace and mercy, and with a heart to love and serve Him, there to abide until from the | chamber of communion to the kingdom of glory such an one is caught up to be for ever with the Lord. Of this religion may we be the vital partakers, and then (although good Mr. Swinnock's holy instructions may cause us much sorrow of heart), proving Ralph Robinson's doctrine true, that Jesus Christ is a good and unfailing Physician, our souls shall by His blood and righteousness be saved; while "Loudest of the crowd we'll sing, With shouts of sovereign grace." THE DOCTRINE NOT THE DRESS OF THE RITUALISTS. AN octavo volume containing one hundred and seventy pages, has been printed and published by George Waters and Son, of Cranbrook, in Kent; and will be sent post free for ninepence. The Rev. Thomas 0. |