Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." To what are we to ascribe the conversion and salvation of these; their repentance, reconciliation to God, and everlasting hap piness? Not to themselves; for that cruel mind which, in all, is enmity against God, would never have moved them to return: and we have daily evidence, that this heart can resist the great salvation, though urged by the entreaties and warnings of God. The sole reason why they are saved, while many are allowed to continue in a wilful rejection of the Gospel, is, that the same rich and overflowing mercy which sent them a Saviour, follows them in its fulness till it has melted into contrition their impenitent hearts, and has brought them to the foot of the cross, to have proclaimed through its sacrifice the remission of all their sins.

It is the God against whom all these sins were committed who saith, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."-Dr. Dewar."

JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER."One day, at an atheistical meeting at a person of quality's, I undertook," said the Earl, "to manage the cause, and was the principal disputant against God and piety, and for my performances received the applause of the whole company; upon which my mind was terribly struck, and I imme'diately replied thus to myself. Good God! that a man that walks upright, that sees the wonderful works of God, and has the use of his senses and reason, should use them to the defying of his Creator! But though this was a good beginning towards my conversion, to find my conscience touched for my sins, yet it went off again; nay, all my life long, I had a secret value and reverence for an honest man, and loved morality in others. But I had formed an odd scheme of religion to myself, which would .solve all that God or conscience might force upon me, yet I was not over well reconciled to Christianity, nor had I that reverence for the Gospel of Christ which I ought to have had, until the 53rd chapter of Isaiah was read to me." "Then it was," says the divine who preached his funeral sermon, "when he heard that, with some other portions of Scripture, brought with power and efficacy to his mind by the Holy Spirit, that that joy and admiration possessed his soul which was remarkable to all about him, and he had so much delight in the di.vine testimonies, that in my absence he begged his mother and lady to read the same to him frequently, and was not satisfied (notwithstanding his great pains and weakness), until he had learned especially the 53rd of Isaiah without book."-Sermon at the Funeral of John, Earl of Rochester.

MARVELLOUS GRACE.-There is a sinless world, perhaps there are many, but we are sure there is one. In it holy angels dwell,

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and behold the face of our heavenly Father. There is a sinful world, and we are living in it. We hope there is no other like it amidst all those with which the universe is filled. God looked upon this world, and said, they are all gone out of the way, they are all become abominable." Every mouth then must be stopped, and all should smite upon their breasts, and cry, "unclean, unclean!" But in heaven, millions of holy beings may stand before the throne and say without pride or boasting, "neither transgress I at any time thy commandment." There is a passage of Scripture which de clares" the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, it would appear very reasonable that the two parts of the text should be applied to these two worlds. Reason and justice would say, as in the one world all are sinners, let all have death. In the other world all are holy, these and only these can have life. But it is not so. It would, it must have been so, but for the closing words of this wondrous text, "through Jesus Christ our Lord." Ah, this changes the sense, and alters the case. Jesus is the sinner's friend, we can here be disinherited of death and endowed with life. Believers in Him can joyfully sing," He took our na ture, He came into our world,-He bare our sins,-He pleads our cause. We have earned death, He hath abolished it, and brought life and immortality to light. Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." -J. Cox.

FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.-Are we living Abel's life of faith? Is the blood of the sacrifice that which speaks to us the "better things," so that each misgiving of our troubled hearts forthwith passes off, when it appears like mist before the risen sun? Is the sight of that blood all we need to call us back to peace, when sin or doubt has come between us and God? Is the knowledge of its infinite value enough to give us at all times the complete assurance that there is no sin of ours, however great, which it cannot at once wash away, so that "being once purged we have no more conscience of sin ?" (Heb. x. 2.) Does one look at that blood re-assure our hearts when the cloud of guilt spreads darkly over us? And does that one look comfort us unspeakably more than the whole sum of our evidences, the whole register of our graces? Does it so entirely satisfy us, as that while on the one hand it makes us no longer afraid to look down into the depths of our guilt, so on the other it frees us from every wish to know ourselves or to be known of God, as anything but the "chief of sinners?" Does the security which that blood is designed to give us, of acceptance with God, appear to us so certain and so strong, that, with nothing else to recommend us or answer for us but the blood alone, we can go to God as trustfully and simply as Adam did, ere sin had broken his confidence and cast him out from the presence of the Lord?H. Bonar.

YOUNG MEN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION, IN AID OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

This Association was formed in London, August 16th, 1848. We have been favoured by the Secretary with a circular, the whole of which our space renders it impossible that we should insert, desiring us to explain briefly the objects of the Association, and to request the co-operation of friends.

The importance of systematic and intelligent effort on behalf of Missions, is acknowledged on all hands. God has eminently blessed them, and added the encouragement of success to the obligation of positive command.

In connexion with all evangelical denominations, the exertions of the Young in this work have been peculiarly cheering, both from their results, and from the promise they give of being continued for years to come. The young are, in one sense, the hope of the church, and to them in succession must be entrusted the work of diffusing the gospel.

There is needed among the friends of Missions a more vivid impression of the wants of the world. We must therefore contemplate them. It was when our Lord beheld the city that he wept over it. It was when Paul saw Athens wholly given to idolatry that his spirit was stirred. It was on reading Carey's letters that Henry Martyn first thought of the claims of India, and resolved to devote his life to that field. Andrew Fuller's description of the heathen without the gospel, was blessed to at least one hearer; and Richard Watson consecrated himself at home to the same work. Another appeal of the same advocate changed the pursuits of Thomas Wilson, and blessed the church with a life of benevolent effort on behalf of our own country. Similar information might lead to similar results, and would certainly lead, under God, to the exercise, though perhaps in other forms, of the same spirit.

There is needed too, among the friends of Missions, a clearer conviction of the pecuniary resources and duties of the churches. All recent experience has shown what may be done by systematic effort, by continuous giving and collecting. Single Juvenile Associations raise by system as much as whole counties without it. The Sunday scholars connected with Baptist churches would gather, by collecting each a shilling a year, more than one-third of the present income of the Baptist Mission. One penny a week from each member of every Baptist church in England, would alone amount to more than £26,000 a year: a sum amply sufficient to support the present operations of the Society, and greatly to extend them.

To create a deeper conviction, especially among the young, of the misery of the heathen, and of the power and responsibilities of Christians, and to guide to effort consis

tent with this conviction, is the object of this Association. In prosecution of these objects, a course of Lectures on Christian Missions will be delivered in the Library of the Mission House, MoorgateStreet, London, on the third Wednesday in the months of October, November, December, January, February, and March. The Revs. C. M. Birrell, Dr. Cox, J. Angus, J. Aldis, J. Branch, and F. Tucker have engaged to deliver Lectures. A Meeting of Members will also be held for prayer, and for conversation on topics connected with Missions, on the fourth Wednesday of the same months.

The Secretaries are Messrs. J. E. Tresidder, 4, Rockingham-Row East, New-KentRoad; and Wm. Taylor, 5, Grove-Street, Hackney.

"THE UNIVERSE" AND "THE CHRISTIAN TIMES."

A paragraph went the round of the papers, that "The Universe has expired!" They should have added to this portentous announcement, the happy tidings, that it vanished away, or came forth quite new, in the Christian Times. Several numbers of this paper, the property of Sir Culling E. Smith and J. Henderson, Esq. of Glasgow (who bought the Universe!), have been kindly forwarded to us by the editors. We are highly and increasingly gratified with the numbers sent us, and are indebted to them in our little periodicals. The Christian Times has quite a distinct character among its contemporaries, and a very interesting one. Thoroughly liberal and Anti-Statechurch, it is especially marked by a devout and religious, yet manly tone. Its continental articles, and religious information from abroad, will be much prized. It is strongly Anti-Popish, but on thoroughly sound grounds, and its information in this department, too, is of much value. We cordially wish it success. It is a valuable addition to our religious journals.

RECOGNITION SERVICES-SALENDINE NOOK.

On Monday afternoon, the 14th August, the Baptist church of Christ worshipping in Salendine Nook chapel, near Huddersfield, met for the purpose of recognizing the Rev. J. Stock, late of Chatham, as their pastor, and commending him to God by united prayer and supplication. Mr. Samuel Kenworthy, the senior deacon, presided. The chairman commenced the proceedings by giving out a hymn, and reading the 3rd chapter of 1 Timothy, after which one of the brethren engaged in prayer. Mr. J. Haigh, who had acted as secretary to the church during its destitution of a pastor, then read, at the request of the chairman, the minutes from the church-book which had reference to Mr. Stock's call. When this was done, the chairman remarked, that the members were not then assembled to elect a pastor,

but to recognize one whom they had already chosen, and to commend him to God by fervent prayer. He would therefore simply ask them to confirm, in the usual way, the minutes just read, as a correct record of their solemn, deliberate, and free choice of Mr. Stock to become their pastor. This was done by the meeting unanimously. Mr. Stock was asked to give a similar sign of his approval of the minutes, so far as they were a record of his proceedings in the business; with which request he immediately complied. Each of the deacons then gave the newlyelected pastor the right hand of christian fellowship, and accompanied the act with a brief, but very affectionate address of congratulation, encouragement, and exhortation. After this, another member engaged in prayer, a hymn was sung, and Mr. Stock at the request of the chairman, gave the church an account of his conversion to God, his call to the ministry, and his doctrinal views. Another hymn was then sung, and the chairman closed the service with prayer. At the termination of this meeting, the members all partook of tea together in the vestries. In the evening they again assembled in the chapel, when Mr. Stock presided. After two brethren had engaged in prayer, the chairman delivered a discourse, containing an exposition of the nature of a gospel church, and the duties binding upon its members. One of the deacons then offered up the concluding prayer, and the pastor pronounced the benediction.

Thus ended these hallowed solemnities, which will long be remembered by all who took part in them. None but members

of the church were present throughout the day. The competency of each christian church to elect, and to set apart, its own deacons and pastors (a principle which lies at the basis of Congregationalism and Independency), was thus practically and consistently asserted.

We are requested to add, that the confession of faith, and the discourse on the nature of a gospel church, delivered on this occasion, will shortly be published in a cheap form, by the solicitation of the church.

FORMATION OF A SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH, LEEDS.

On Thursday evening, Oct. 12, 1848, the services connected with the formation of a Second Baptist Church in this large and important town, were held in the room (179, Park-Lane) in which the church at present meets. The Rev. J. Acworth, LL.D. president of Horton-College, took the chair; the Rev. J. Foster of Farsley, read the scriptures and prayed; the Rev. B. Godwin, D.D. gave an address on the nature of

christian church; and after the eightyeight members of which the church is constituted, had given to each other the right hand of fellowship, and publicly and unanimously recognized the Rev. Robert Brewer as their pastor, prayer was offered up for the newly-constituted church by the Rev. J. E. Giles. Dr. Acworth then addressed

the newly-formed society, in a brief and affectionate, manner. The services at this place of worship have hitherto been very numerously attended, and the interest has been carried on with the most encouraging prospects of success.

EARLS COLNE.

On Tuesday, July 11th, 1848, services were held in connection with the settlement of the Rev. Chas. Short, A.M. as pastor of the church at Earls Colne. The Rev. J. Acworth, LL.D. delivered an able and interesting introductory discourse, "On the Nature of a Christian Church." After the usual questions had been satisfactorily answered, the Rev. C. Rust of Colchester, offered the ordination prayer, and the charge to the minister was delivered by the Rev. Maurice Jones of Leominster, Mr. Short's former pastor. The address, which was founded on the 2nd of Timothy, 4th chap. 5th verse, "Make full proof of thy ministry," was a discriminating and forcible exposition of ministerial duty. In the evening the Rev. John Reynolds of Halsted preached to the church, and inculcated, in a very impressive style, the duty of prayer on behalf of the minister. The remaining devotional services were conducted by the Revs. Messrs. Anderson of Bures, Higgs of Sudbury, Johnson of Halsted, Langford of Colchester, and Kaye of Coggeshall.

WHITCHURCH.

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, 1848, the services connected with the recognition of the Rer. W. Bontems (late of Horton College, Bradford) to the pastorate of the Baptist church, Whitchurch, were held in the Baptist chapel, Green End. The Rev. W. Tyler commenced the service by reading and prayer; the Rev. J. Sprigg, M.A. of Ipswich addressed the minister; the Rev. J. Clare of Wrexham addressed the members of the church; and the Rev. W. P. Williams of Salisbury, the congregation. We are glad to hear that the church here is improving.

ROTHERHAM.

The Rev. Amos Dyson of Whitby, Yorkshire, has received, and accepted, a unanimous invitation to the pastorate of the Baptist church, Westgate, Rotherham, and commenced his labours there on Sunday, October 8th.

DAWLEY, SHROPSHIRE.

Mr. W. Wrigley, late of the Baptist college, Accrington, having accepted an invitation to the pastoral office from the church at Dawley, Shropshire, commenced his labours there on the first Sabbath is October.

UPTON-ON-SEVERN.

Mr. Freer, pastor of the Baptist church, Upton-on-Severn, was presented with a purse at a tea-meeting, to which he was invited August 1st, upon his resignation of the pastoral office, which he has held for sixteen years, during which time he has baptized eighty-three persons.