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The collections amounted to something more than £72, apart from all donations sent by friends on the occasion.

ABBOTSHAM, DEVON.

On Monday, April 26th, the foundation stone of a new baptist chapel was laid at Abbotsham. Mr. C. Windeatt implored the divine blessing on the undertaking, and Mr. Arthur read suitable portions of scripture; and after giving a short address proceeded to lay the foundation stone. A psalm was sung, and Dr. Prince offered up the concluding prayer.

The chapel will be thirty-seven feet by twenty-three. Notwithstanding the great opposition that was raised against the introduction of the gospel into this place, the Lord has greatly blessed his word, and the people are greatly delighted with having, for the first time, a chapel in their village.

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ABERDARE, GLAMORGANSHIRE.

The services connected with the opening of this chapel were held on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 4th and 5th, when sermons were preached by the several brethren. The congregations were very large and attentive, and the collections were good, amounting to £110 4s. 6d.

The size of the new chapel is sixty feet by forty feet inside the walls, together with large and commodious vestry for school purposes; and the total cost, including everything inside and out, is £1,374 15s. 6d.

The old chapel is now in the occupation of the new English church under the pastorate of the Rev. James Cooper, late of Soham.

LEDBURY, HEREFORDSHIRE.

The Rev. C. E. Pratt, late of St. Austell, Cornwall, having received a very cordial and unanimous invitation from the baptist church, Ledbury, Herefordshire, to become their pastor, entered upon his stated labours there the fourth sabbath of May.

STEPNEY COLLEGE.

During the Session now closing students have settled as pastors of various churches. Mr. Samuel Cox, at Southsea, Hants; Mr. Thomas Peters at Rayleigh, Essex, as venerable brother, Mr. colleague of our Pilkington, and Mr. Isaac Haycroft, B.A., at Wisbeach, as successor of Rev. C. Pike. The prospects of usefulness in each of these places are very cheering.

Other students are supplying elsewhere with a view to settlement.

The examinations of the session will be held at the close of June, and the next session will commence as usual in September.

HANSERD KNOLLYS SOCIETY.

The sixth annual meeting of this society was held at the Baptist Mission House, Moorgate Street, on the 29th of April, Charles Jones, Esq., in the chair. The attendance was more numerous than it has

been for several years past.

The literary report read by E. B. Underhill, Esq., stated that at the commencement of last year, the society had issued Dr. Du Veil's Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, and would ere this have published the second volume to complete the fourth issue, but were unwilling to incur further liabilities until the cost of the present volume should be discharged. The Council were desirous of completing the first series of their works in twelve volumes, but the extent the amount of support in the form of subto which it shall be carried must depend upon scriptions which they may receive. The Council believe that the records of former days are well calculated to stimulate the ardour of the present, to direct its energies, and to revive that fervent faith and trust in God which wrought on the holy men of old, who under the heaviest burdens laboured to advance the religious interests of their fellowmen, and laid down their lives as a testimony to the word of God; and they, therefore, could not think that the interest of the baptist denomination in this important work had declined.

Resolutions were moved and seconded by the Revs. W. Groser, W. Walters, J. T. Wigner, R. Morris, Dr. Hoby; Shem Evans, J. Low, and W. H. Watson, Esqrs. A long and interesting discussion took place on various points connected with the interests of the society, and several suggestions were made with the view of increasing the circu

lation of the society's works. One of these we would especially commend to the practical regard of the deacons and other members of our churches; a suggestion which has already been acted on to some extent, and the general and prompt adoption of which would speedily place the society beyond all pecuniary difficulty, viz., That a complete set of the society's works should be presented to the pastor of every baptist church who does not already possess them. The Rev. B. Evans closed the proceedings with prayer.

ENGLISH VERSION OF NEW TESTAMENT. We are informed that brethren in England and America are ena number of gaged in the attempt to present our common translation of the New Testament, with all its substantial excellences unimpaired, in a form of as much accuracy and conformity to the original, in points in which it is acknowledged to be defective, as their combined labour may, by the blessing of God, be able to attain. The importance of the work, and its dependence for success in so eminent a degree on divine help, have led the friends of the object to request that the prayers of their brethren may be specially presented on its behalf.

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usual, and awoke about five o'clock on the following morning stating that she had slept this she was seized with a fit of apoplexy, well during the night. A few minutes after and expired a little before six. She was the widow of the late John Woodrow who was known here as the peace-making deacon, and able supporter of the baptist church in this neighbourhood. Previous to the decease of her husband she did not manifest much into have fallen upon her, and much of his terest in the cause; his mantle however seems spirit and interest was manifested by her after his decease. Her house was always a home and a place of retreat for the Lord's servants. She was interred by the side of her husband in the burial ground connected with the baptist meeting house in Carleton Rode.

REV. G. WOODROW.

the Rev. George Woodrow baptist minister of Died, May 16th, at the age of fifty-one, Gloucester. twelve months declined so as to prevent his His health had for upwards of engaging in his beloved work, but hopes were ultimately recover. He, however, who fixes nevertheless entertained that he would the bounds of our habitation determined otherwise by calling him to his heavenly home. His remains having been borne to the neat and commodious chapel, Parker's Row, erected by his zeal and perseverence, the Rev. W. G. Lewis of Cheltenham read the scriptures and prayed, after which a hymn minister, delivered an appropriate address. was sung, and the Rev. J. Hyatt, independent The body was then conveyed to the cemetery, where prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. Roberts of Lady Huntingdon's connexion.

CORRESPONDENCE.

NATIVE AGENCY IN INDIA. 1

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. MY DEAR BROTHER,-From the frequency with which native agency and the native pastorate, as connected with our eastern mission, have of late been presented to the Christian public, it is not improbable that some friends may be disposed to ask, whether the missionaries, for these many years, have never perceived the importance of this subject? or, if they have perceived it, whether they have failed in any great measure to carry out their convictions? Or, granting the importance of the subject, and that the brethren have perceived it, and have not omitted to act upon their just impressions, may there not be some aspects of the subject, which, if understood and duly regarded, would qualify the views now entertained, and moderate our expectations of the results of the changes, if any are in contem

plation, in the practical operations of the
mission. I beg a courteous attention therefore
the subject.
to a few brief paragraphs upon each branch of

helping to evangelize the heathen, from the
Upon the employment of native converts in
very beginning of our labours in India, and
from the first instance of their success until the
present time, there has been but one sentiment
entertained and but one course pursued. So
that, I have the firmest persuasion, that no
native brother has ever been united to our
churches in India, possessing competent know-
ledge of the simple elements of truth, and the
most moderate power of verbal utterance, whom
the missionaries have not engaged to preach
the gospel near and afar off.
with respect to some departments of labour and
some modes of operation, there have been differ-
of feeling, but, upon this, a perfect unanimity
ences of opinion and corresponding dissonance

Sometimes, and

have proceeded in the right and desired direction so far, and have effected so much, and not to seeming rebuke and chilling implications of censure that they have attempted and accomplished so little.

If the missionaries have encouraged and engaged the native brethren always and to so great an extent in proclaiming the gospel, it ought to be presumed that they have been inclined to discover and to pursue the right course as to the native pastorate, and that, if all the circumstances attending the case were known and were justly considered, it would be allowed by candid persons, that the brethren have been solicitous to discern and to do, and perhaps have actually done, the best, and all, that was practicable in their circumstances and the sphere in which the Divine hand has placed them that they are as thankfully the devoted friends of the cause at home could wish them to be, to the advancing and meliorating state of things around them, and which will enable them more widely to accomplish their own desires and those of their friends at home, in both enlarging and perfecting the churches they are founding.

of sentiment has prevailed, and only one line of conduct has been pursued. The senior brethren, so designated in relation to those of us who were recently sent to the field, when writing upon a point then in controversy between us, remark, "Have we not sent out to the work every brother who was at all fit for the work, yea, and some who were not fit?" the last expression, to be taken, of course, with due allowance. Our honoured brother Chamberlain in the several stations he founded and occupied, and in all his painful itineraries did the same. Mr. Robinson, now of Cuttak, and Mr. William Carey, of Cutwa, missionaries now of forty years' standing, have always followed the same course, as we also did, who were united in Calcutta, both in the city and through the neighbourhood. A day seldom passed, when, if illness or other unavoidable cause did not interpose to prevent, we were not seen in strect or lane, or native chapel, yoked with a native brother in preaching the gospel and other kindred exercises. Happy are the recollections of such scenes, and happier still would they be, were not all hope of their renewal cut off. The names of Krishnoo Paul, Petumber Sing, Labuck Ram, Loobhoo, Kangalee, Brindubundh, If the question, however, be asked, Why, Ingarnisser, and Paunchoo, connected with then, have not the missionaries ordained native former days, recur with interest to the mind; pastors, and left them to an independent nor less worthy of regard are Soojatalee and course and to their own unaided strength and others now devotedly employed in advancing resources ? two or three brief replies may the blessed work of evangelization, all, with be given. As, in the first place, the churches, only two exceptions, known to me, and who, and the members of them respectively, have from the competent knowledge they possess of been few-they commenced and continued to the gospel economy, their general character grow up, for the most part, in the vicinity of and deportment, the good sense and shrewdness the missionaries' own residence-it was natural some, the fluency and acceptable clocution that the converts should seek contiguity to of others, together with the cheerfulness with their spiritual benefactors, for edification and which they generally devoted themselves to the Christian counsel. Often they have done so to good work, may with thankfulness be referred obtain protection from persecution, and to be to as a source of strength and of honour to our sheltered from domestic and social violence and mission, of almost inappreciable extent. And wrong. Some have been ejected from their I detract nothing from this just encomium, home, have been utterly repudiated by their when I yet say, that, the efficiency of these relations and friends, have been despoiled of all brethren was in a great degree attributable to their little substance, expelled from the circle the fact, that the European brethren who were in which they moved, every avenue to labour the instruments of their conversion generally and to moderate respectability cut off, the accompanied them in their journeys, and worked common elements of subsistence and even side-by-side with them, as, no doubt, is the case residence absolutely denied, and existence conwith our brethren at present. In proof of the verted into a withering and immitigable blank. extent to which this instrumentality has been In cases not a few, the converts have been from made availing, I need only refer to a paper of the Byragee or religious class. Their temporal statistics furnished to ministers for their use and their professed religious life are absolutely in pleading the cause of the mission in the identified. Upon their conversion, they are metropolitan churches on the sabbath preced- entirely destitute. Employment they never ing the annual meeting. By that document it had; and food and clothing, and residence, for is made to appear that there are at present 87 a time, must be supplied, or they perish; or, native assistants and preachers. A number, it they are driven back into dark and horrid must be confessed of no discouraging extent, superstition. In such cases, what is a missionand affording no unequivocal proof that our ary brother to do? Is he, before he gives that mission brethren are sensibly alive to the im- which is needful to the brother who wants food portance of this instrumentality in the pro-and raiment, to stop and speculate upon the secution of their work, that, between them and the Committee and friends of the mission at home, there exists no material difference of judgment, perhaps, no difference at all, and, that, when reference is made to this subject, it should be with congratulation, that the thing, justly deemed desirable, has been always done, is doing to greater and greater extent; and, the brethren abroad should be deemed entitled to commendation, that, by the divine favour, they

of

advantage that might accrue to the convert from his being resigned to suffer, and to learn the value of his convictions by the trials he is called to endure?-or, shall he not rather be guided by the philosophy which enjoins us to remember them that are in bonds as bound with them, and them who suffer adversity as being ourselves also in the body? Such femporary relief as we are thus necessitated to supply, it is confessed may be, and has been,

abused. But after a little experience and a measure of practical wisdom is attained, and it takes no great length of time to acquire it, the loss sustained will be but to a small amount. The minimum of relief is generally given; and those who are not sincere have little temptation to continue with us; and finding that to be the case, they go, and we derive from the unwelcome event a trifling accession to the wisdom so valuable to our work. Those who are found "faithful" fare joined to the Christian fellowship; and, if they are deemed suitable, are engaged to help us in missionary labour. They accompany us daily in our public exercises, help us in our psalmody, pray occasionally; and, as they are able, begin to speak, dispute, and preach. So employed, they are deemed entitled to support. This has been accorded with strict economy. If, as the consequence of this, the heathen reproach and accuse our native brethren of worldly motives, we know well enough, after a little practice, how to understand them. It is often mere affectation. If otherwise, their motives are easily enough detected, and their taunts go for what they are worth. Their levity or their malice little to be regarded in resolving the deportment of a missionary.

The printing establishments of Serampore and Calcutta have been of great providential advantage in supplying labour and the needful subsistence to many native brethren in their emergency, and have spared them from destitution, and the missionary brethren from much pain and anxiety.

When converts become numerous, as, we trust, they soon will do, the Christian and the other branches of society will properly and of necessity adjust themselves to each other, as they do in other parts of the world. The recent order in council, setting aside the former legal consequences incurred by breaking caste will concur greatly with other causes sensibly at work to accelerate a glorious and beneficial change in native society, both social and religious, throughout the multitudinous millions of India.

The candid reader of the above remarks will, therefore, perceive that the gathering of the native converts into the same localities in which the missionaries dwelt, arose from no purpose of the latter to acquire or retain preeminence and presidency; but rather and most truly from the natural order of events and providential arrangement. Where the missionary resided, thither the converts resorted. There the church was formed-there the ordinances were administered; and, as matter of course, the missionary would preside. If, as is alleged, such presidency may induce sycophancy and parasitical dependence, it may be replied, that the same dangers are incident to the same relations at home. The sole difference is resolvable into the difference of Hindoo and English society; that there is a comparative feebleness in the intellectual character and mental habitudes of Hindoo, perhaps of all Asiatic character, and a corresponding unstayedness and imperfection of deportment as compared with the European inhabitants of the world, is not matter of debate, but of fact. That such characteristics as are indigenous to climate and so rare will present themselves in

361

society, is reasonable to suppose. And, if there the Christian as well as other members of has been a seeming reluctance to introduce native brethren to the pastorate, and somewhat than could have been desired, or may have been more delay shall have taken place in doing so, expected, it is justly to be ascribed to such causes as have been above referred to, rather missionaries disposing them to keep the native than to any high bearing on the part of the brethren in dependence, and to withhold them exercise of their talents to the utmost extent to from the enjoyment of their privileges or the which they are available. It is said that the Hon. Company employ many respectable natives in their service, and why cannot the Company, it may be replied, employ in their missionaries do so in their work? The Hon. service those whom they believe best qualified for its performance. Our missionary brethren have pursued the same course. There has always been a portion of the native population educated and trained to business, and the choicest of them are at the command of the government, the emoluments of the public service being greater than can clsewhere be lectual culture of the native population are procured. The general character and the intelrapidly advancing, and the Company are employing them in more responsible situations. lower conditions of life; but in the progress Our native brethren have ordinarily been of the of things, we may hope the Christian disciples may sometimes be of a higher status and character, either evangelists or pastors. and that no difficulty will exist to their being Mongyr was of respectable connections and Ingarnisser of Soojatalee of Calcutta. excellent abilities, and such is our brother Krishnoo Faul was both missionary and pastor Forty years ago in the district of Malda, Petroos in Jessore, and Peters in Orissa. After some two or three years the senior brethren thought it proper to withdraw them, and the stations were discontinued.

Such disappointments we may hope future; and reference is made to the past, only will not be experienced to any great degree in to assure the friends of the mission at home, that this important part of the design has not been neglected by the brethren whom they have sent forth to effectuate their benevolent required to induce the belief, that brethren desires abroad. Strong evidence would be Leslie, Lawrence, Parsons, and George Pearce and others, are not apprecient of the importance of this as of other branches of labour; or that, being so, they should be averse to its adoption. The last named brother has written an able letter in favour of the native pastorate. This letter is an undoubted proof of our brother's candour, since for twenty years he held an opinion different from that which he now advocates: and the fact that so many brethren, members of the association to which he refers, may indicate that a felicitous state of things is entertain sentiments in unison with his own, approaching: and, yet, that half the assembled be allowed to moderate our confidence and cur missionaries were of another persuasion, may expectations for the future; whilst yet it may which the brethren of all denominations have assure every candid person that the course

hitherto pursued has been from what they considered to be the soundest wisdom.

Comparisons are instituted between the labours of the apostles and the economy which they practised in the churches which they raised, and that incumbent upon modern missionaries. Such comparisons are to be conceived of with some limitation and with a sound discretion, or we get into perplexity by attempting to urge them where similitudes fail, and where imitation would be impracticable or absurd. Precedents bind, when circumstances, as time, place, persons, and occasions definitively coincide: not otherwise, except in limited degree which Christian wisdom must discern and Christian piety apply and carry into effect. It is granted that the spirit in which we are to labour, the objects of our labour, and the final ends of it, are in perfect and perpetual affinity. From the history of the apostles' labours we may likewise derive much instruction as to the manner of pursuing our great design and solemn incitations to holy affections. Beyond this the parallel will fail. The distinction between the apostles and missionaries is not exhausted when it is allowed that the former were inspired, that they worked miracles and spake with tongues. It is presumed that in some super-eminent sense it devolved upon them to penetrate into every place, to which by any physical possibility they could gain access, they being the chosen and sole depositaries of the laws upon which the new dispensation was to be founded. For them to have rested long in one locality would seem, except under special divine monition, incompatible with their distinct function. The trust and the correlative duty between the apostles and others is entirely commensurate in this view of the case. The apostles, again, were under direct instructions often, if not always so, as imperatively to determine the places to which they should journey, and in which and for what time to rest. But such specific and divine guidance is not vouchsafed to our brethren, The grand purpose to which their life is consecrated, is to diffuse the gospel through as wide a compass as their strength and their circumstances will allow. But what shall be the proportion of time they shall devote to travelling or comparative repose, and to what precise extent they shall make the gospel known in any place, whether so as to give a moderate hope, that the greater part of its inhabitants may have derived an opportunity of becoming acquainted with its import; or whether they must prolong their stay, until literally every one shall have been instructed, must be left to circumstances and the missionary's own conviction of duty to determine. No committee, it is hoped and believed, will ever attempt to interpose a special directive authority respecting such details; and, least of all, can such interference be apprehended from such a body of Christian persons, when it is remembered that the greater number of them consist of the ministers of Christ, who may naturally be sup posed to be too sensibly alive to the value of their own liberty in the service of Christ, to encroach wilfully on that of their fellow servants, who, with like responsibilities, are called to labour in another part of his vineyard. The conduct of the apostles in ordaining

elders and pastors over the churches they formed is referred to as an authoritative example to regulate the proceedings of missionaries. We grant the correctness of the general principle; only desiring that its application may be made under their own direction; for it is supposed their own conduct and the instructions they gave upon the same subject would be in harmony. The things which Timothy had heard of the apostle he was to deliver to faithful men who should be able to teach others als). (2 Tim. ii. 2.) "He was not to lay hands suddenly on any, lest he should be partaker of other men's sins." (1 Tim. v. 22.) (See also, the first Epistle of Timothy, chap. iii. where the qualifications of bishops, or pastors, are specified.) No society could desire, from motives of economy or zeal, so to hasten the progress of the work, that our brethren should collate to the pastoral office persons glaringly deficient in the attributes described in the passages above referred to; and, in cases where they are possessed to any moderate extent, there can be no reason to suppose that the brethren can be long ignorant of their existence, or designedly averse to their appropriate application and their fullest development in accomplishing the great work to which their own lives are devoted. That the benevolent anxieties of the Committee and of the Christian public at home should be alive in the same direction, is, both reasonable and proper. There can be no just cause for collision, nor for any great divergency of judgment upon these subjects; and if due candour be exercised towards the proceedings of our brethren abroad, and just regard be paid on their part to the benevolent wishes of the Committee and friends at home, and if we all mingle patience with our zeal and love, whilst we wait and labour for the "coming and kingdom" of our Lord, much good may result to the mission from the attention these subjects are now receiving. To aid in the just conception of them, and so to contribute in some slight measure to that good, has been my inducement in offering these remarks to the courteous attention of our friends and the Christian public.

Believe me, dear Mr. Editor,

Yours, with due esteem and affection, May 18, 1852. EUSTACE CAREY.

THE BAPTIST UNION.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.

May 13, 1852.

The proceedings of the late Annual Session of the Baptist Union have made the public acquainted with the fact that this body is in considerable financial difficulties, so considerable, indeed, as to threaten the existence of the Union itself. It is true that this issue has been staved off for the moment by the liberality and public spirit of the brethren then assembled, by whom guarantees were given of the payment, within two months, of sums adequate to the liquidation of the adverse balance; but this serves only for the moment, and the difficulty will quickly, it should rather be said, will immediately recur, unless a different system can be pursued.

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