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in making suggestions for the still more efficient working of the Union's affairs, and at the close notice was given of proposing that two new Presbyterian Societies be admitted to the Union. After a few words of prayer conducted by the new President, Mr. Bruce, the meeting separated.

formal business, Mr. Duncan, one of the secretaries, read the Annual Report, from which it appears that the Union in all its branches has shown more than usual promise of life and success during the past year. Most of the Societies united in this Association are flourishing and active, two new ones have been added to their num- TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEW ber, and the Societies in Regent Square and BRIDGE STREET, NEWCASTLE.-SABBATH River Terrace give an unusually high ave- SCHOOLS ANNIVERSARY.-On the forenoon rage attendance throughout the past year, of Christmay-day, 1865, the Rev. T. W. 39 and 28 respectively. The total number Brown, pastor, preached a sermon to the of members on the rolls of the different children attending the Parent Sabbath Societies is 369, and the aggregate average School, and also those of the District Misattendance at the weekly meetings is 183. sion School, held in the Royal Jubilee The average attendance at the four general School, New Road, in connection with meetings of the Union has been 119. At the church. The total number present these meetings a lecture is delivered, or amounted to upwards of 400. On leaving paper read and discussed; and among the church each scholar was presented those who have thus given an interest to with an orange, the gift of Mr. Alexander the meetings are the Rev. Thomas Alex- Laing. In the evening the anniversary ander and Dr. Leone Levi. The Union's meeting of the Parent Sabbath School was great scheme for reaching and assisting to held in the school-room, under the church, lodgings and companionships youths arriv- where the children were regaled with tea, ing from Presbyterian congregations in fruit-cakes, buns, &c. Addresses were deother parts of the land has had more suc- livered by the chairman (Rev. T. W. cess during the past year than on any Brown), Mr. Councillor Coulson, of Edinformer occasion, and measures are still burgh, Mr. G. Hudson, superintendent, being devised for more successfully spread- and Mr. John Thompson. Robert Wiling the knowledge of the scheme through lism Archer, William Thompson, Edward the Presbyterian Churches of the land. H. Scott, James Mills, Anthony McBride, The young men desiring to avail them- William Frater, and James G. Brown selves of the advantages thus held out to (scholars), gave recitations; and Mr. Freethem should write to the secretaries* before man, jun., concluded the proceedings by leaving home, so that rooms may be ready the exhibition of a Magic Lantern. On for them on their arrival. They should Wednesday evening, December 27, about bring with them also as proofs of their 300 children, who attend the District Misrespectability a letter from the minister sion School of the church, with upwards of whom they are leaving. The Report ap- 100 of the congregation and friends of the peals to these ministers for their co-opera- mission, partook of a substantial tea in the tion in this work, as it is useful, not Royal Jubilee School, New Road, which merely to the young men, but, by keeping was tastefully decorated with evergreens, them true to their creed, to the Presby- devices,. &c. The Rev. T. W. Brown preterian Church in the land. In moving the sided; and with Messrs. Coulson and adoption of the Report, Mr. George B. Thompson, and Mr. A. McBride, superinBruce, of St. John's Wood, took occasion tendent of the school, delivered interesting to remark that he had not till this evening addresses. A Drum and Fife Band, which had any idea of the extent of the aims of has lately been established in connection this Union, which were so far beyond the with the school, attended and played seveusual literary ones of Young Men's So- ral airs in a very creditable manner. cieties. He wished it every success; and Christmas Tree, provided by the lady spoke at large on many of the different teachers of the school, formed an importpoints brought up in the Report. After ant feature in the evening's entertainment several other speeches, the following office--the distribution of the articles which bearers were in due form elected for 1866: adorned it, together with the repayment of President, George B. Bruce, Esq.; Vice- the amounts collected in the Children's President, Robert Bell, Esq.; Secretaries, Savings Fund, and the band playing the Messrs. Henry R. Duncan and Robert National Anthem, brought the proceedings White; Treasurer, Mr. Allan Rankin, to a close. The Annual Congregational The remainder of the evening was occupied Soirée (the proceeds of which are approThe secretaries are at all times willing to priated to the Sabbath Schools) was held assist Presbyterian youths in the way mentioned on Wednesday evening, January 10, 1866, above. Their addresses are, Mr. Henry R. in the school-room under the church, Duncan, 49, Great Percy Street, Pentonville, which was decorated with evergreens for W.C.; and Mr. Robert White, 84, St. Paul's Road, N. the occasion. The following ladies pre

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sided at the tea-tables:-Misses Mont- morning and evening, by the Rev. Mr. gomery, Turnbull, Walker, Archer, Clark, Davidson. Bell, Thorburn, Reed, Lewins, Nichol, ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Boston, and Wood. About 200 sat down SHEFFIELD. The annual congregational to an excellent tea. The Rev. T. W. tea-meeting was held on the evening of Brown, pastor of the church, occupied the New Year's Day. There was a large atchair at the subsequent meeting, and in a tendance of members and friends of the few prefatory remarks, congratulated the congregation, the spacious school-room being church and congregation upon the con- completely filled. After tea the Rev. J. tinued prosperity they enjoyed. Mr. Isaac Breakey presided, and, in the course of his Freeman, the treasurer, in reading the opening speech, stated that the year which annual Report, remarked that the present had just passed away had been signalised was the twelfth year of his having done so, to them by the extinction of the debt on and he was glad to say that this year it was the church. At the commencement of an eminently satisfactory one. Mr. J. 1865, the whole debt amounted to nearly Nesbit, in the course of a short address, £800. He had received a grant of £150 alluded to the increased number of sittings from a fund connected with the English let during the year. Mr. Hudson, super- Presbyterian Church, on condition that intendent of the Sabbath School, also the remainder would be raised. Of subspoke, and urged the formation of a scribers outside the congregation he would psalmody class amongst the scholars. now specify the present mayor, William E. Addresses were likewise delivered during Laycock, Esq.; John Brown, Esq., Winthe evening by Mr. D. D. Main, on gerworth Hali; T. North, Esq., Basford "Psalmody; "Mr. W. Sutton, on "The Hall; Isaac Burkhill, Esq., Chapel AllerChurch Debt;" Mr. McBride, on "The ton Hall; Robert Barbour, Esq., BolesDistrict Schools; "" Mr. Hepburn, on worth Castle; John Stuart and George "Mission Work; 39 Mr. Sweeney, "On Stewart, Erqs., Manchester; and John Mutual Improvement; " Mr. Wilson, on Brown, Robert Younge, Mark Firth, Henry The Sabbath Question;" and by Messrs. Wilson, F. E. Smith, and F. Hoole, Esqs., Crofton, Pritchard, Pimlott, Gaul, Nichol, Sheffield. The report of the Dorcas SoThompson, &c. The Drum and Fife Band ciety was given to the meeting. The report connected with the District Schools was in of the Sabbath-school was read by the attendance, and enlivened the proceedings secretary, Mr. Gill. The meeting was by playing several airs at intervals. Votes afterwards addressed in able and entertainof thanks to the ladies, chairman, and ing speeches by the Revs. Brewin Grant, speakers, brought the meeting to a close. R. M. Macbrair, and Stanton, Independents; and by J. P. Campbell, Baptist; and J. Flather, New Connexion Methodist; and also by Captain Ferrier, Mr. G. V. Naylor, and Mr. Corrie. The choir, conducted by Mr. Barton, sang several pieces during the evening. On the following evening, the children of the Sabbath-school received their annual tea. Many beautiful and valuable books (about 60) were presented by the Rev. J. Breakey, in the name of the superintendent and teachers, to those who by their diligence and good conduct merited them. The remainder of the evening was spent in singing and recitations by the children. Another entertainment by the minister was given to the children on Wednesday evening.

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ANNIVERSARY SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH BROAD STREET CHURCH, BIRMINGHAM. The annual tea-meeting of Dr. Mackenzie's congregation was held on the 28th ult., and was attended by a large and respectable congregation. On the platform, besides the Rev. Dr. Mackenzie, who presided, were the Rev. Dr. Gordon, of Walsal; the Rev. J. Thain Davidson, of Islington; the Rev. George Lewis, of Dudley; and W. Crole, of Stafford. After the introductory chorus had been sung, which was ably sustained by Mr. Sutton and several musical friends, the chairman at some length reviewed the history of the past year, and in eloquent terms deduced the national and social lessons therein taught. The Rev. G. Lewis addressed the company on the relation between cheerfulness and godliness; and was followed by the Rev. Mr. Crole in an interesting and amusing speech. The Rev. J. Thain Davidson, of London, and the Rev. Dr. Gordon, of Walsal, also gave suitable addresses, the former pointing out the elements of congregational prosperity, and the latter giving a racy description of a visit recently paid to the Eternal City. On Sabbath, January 21st, the anniversary sermons were preached,

YOUNG MEN'S SOCIETY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BROAD STREET, BIRMINGHAM.-The fifth annual meeting of the members of the above Society was held on the evening of the 12th ult. in the lecture-room of the church, Mr. Thomas Allsop_(Vice-President) occupying the chair. The annual report stated that during the year forty-eight meetings had been held, with an average attendance of sixteen, the average for the second half of the year being nineteen. Twenty-three original

yielded to death, and some of these when far away from Birmingham-one coming to an untimely end while engaged in a whaling vessel in South Greenland. In addition to the above, former members of the Society may now be found in the principal cities and towns of the United Kingdom.

essays, four debates, and a series of thirteen parts of the world. Several, too, have readings, were given by the members, and four lectures by friends of the Society. The number of subscribing members for the year was thirty-eight, and the subscriptions had been sufficient to defray all necessary expenses. The report then proceeded to trace the whereabouts of the early members of the Society, and showed forcibly how a few years will scatter and separate a band of young men. The first secretary of the Society now labours as a medical missionary in the island of Formosa; another member holds a high official position in India; a third is in Canada; a fourth is in the Bahamas; and many others in different

WARRINGTON.-The annual meeting of the congregation was held on the 18th of December. It was addressed by the Rev. J. B. Johnstone, pastor, and by a deputation from the Presbytery, consisting of the Rev. R. H. Lundie and Dr. Henderson. The meeting was large, numerous, and encouraging.

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Notices of Books.

The Christian in Complete Armour. By great Allegory, has been more read or

WM. GURNALL, M.A. With a Biogra-
phical Introduction by the Rev. J. C.
RYLE, B.A. In Two Vols. London:
Blackie & Son.

Bible, he dared say Gurnall's Christian
Armour' would be his choice."
The Children's Catechism.
By H. D.
BROWN. London: James Blackwood &
Co., Paternoster Row.

Mr.

exercised a greater influence on subsequent times. Its fulness of doctrine, its richness in illustration and epigram, its close dealings with the heart, and its intensely We welcome this new and beautiful practical applications of the truth, make it edition of a work so well known, and so one of the most precious treasure-houses highly esteemed as Gurnall's "Christian in to which human language has given birth Complete Armour." The printer has done for all classes and conditions in the Chrishis best, and Mr. Ryle has prepared as full tian commonwealth. It is enough, though and satisfactory a sketch of the Lavenham many other testimonies to its value might Rector's life as could be expected, con- be adduced, that "John Newton said that sidering the singularly scanty materials if he was confined to one book beside the which exist for such a work. The biography is remarkable rather for its forced omissions-its confessions of ignorance, than for the facts which it lays before us. Yet it is interesting, for anything about Gurnall must be interesting, and then the times in which he lived are surpassingly interestThis little work admirably supplies a ing. Mr. Ryle has clearly made long and want which, as Mr. Brown remarks, has pains-taking research after such materials been much felt by Sabbath-school teachers. as could be found, and meagre as the re- It is intended and fitted for the very sults of his labour are, the Christian public youngest children, who find even the will heartily thank him for them. He "Mother's Catechism" too difficult. strives hard to more than justify what has Brown, as superintendent of the Missionary been considered by many the one blot in School, maintained by the Presbyterian Gurnall's life, his submission, though up congregation, St. John's Wood, in Lisson to that time apparently sympathizing and Grove, has had many years practical expeacting with the Puritans, to the celebrated rience as a teacher. And, as the fruit of Act of Uniformity; but, in our opinion, such experience, he has produced in this with little success. Certain facts and hints Catechism an elementary manual of reliwhich he gives in the course of the bio-gious instruction which, in point, simgraphy, but which he does not seem to give their full value in the argument, lead us to conclude that Gurnall was wholly unfitted for public life in so unsettled a period-that he was by nature timid, extremely cautious, and somewhat timeserving. It is painful to form such a judgment of such a man; yet it should not be allowed to diminish our admiration either of his truly noble writings, or of the simple beauty of his ministerial life at Lavenham. Take him all in all, few characters, even among the ejected Puritans, will so well bear scrutiny. Had he lived in more peaceful times, he would, undoubtedly, even in spite of his retiring disposition, have taken a foremost place amongst the leaders of Christian thought and life, and have left behind him not only an unchallenged reputation, but one that would stand out from the canvas of English Church history as, in a peculiar measure, saintly and Christlike; we should then also have known much more about him than we now do. Concerning his great legacy, "The Christian in Complete Armour," we need say little. Probably no work of the Puritan age, with the exception of Bunyan's

plicity, comprehensiveness, and soundness,
is all that could be desired. We cordially
recommend it to the attention of parents
and Sabbath-school teachers.

The Shepherd and His Flock. By J. R.
MACDUFF, D.D. London: J. Nisbet &
Co.

Dr. Macduff has "the pen of a ready writer." For many years past volume after volume has come forth in his name, and still the stream flows as steadily and briskly as ever. His writings evidently suit the popular Christian taste, and so long as there is such a demand for them, Dr. Macduff can hardly be blamed for doing his best to supply it. Nor are there any symptoms of the spring failing. There may be no floods, but there is no appearance of drought. There may be no swellings of genius, but there are no signs of present or coming vacuity. The Doctor seems at first to have pitched on a pleasant and workable level, and ever since he has pursued the "even tenour of his way." Never profound, he is always elegant, always sensible, and always sweettempered. Except in his titles, for which

he may not be altogether responsible, he carefully avoids vulgar sensationalism. What there is of this element in his writings is of a subtle and refined sort, running in the line of sentiment. His books may not live long, but they answer a good purpose in the present, affording profitable reading to thousands, and, doubtless, carrying light and comfort into many Christian circles.

"The Shepherd and His Flock" is a handsome volume, containing a series of short discourses on Scripture passages, in which the Saviour and his people are represented as occupying the relative positions of shepherd and sheep. This is a subject suited to the author's peculiar talents, and with much beauty of sentiment and warmth of colouring and earnestness of application, he pursues the various ideas that are suggested by it. We recommend his book to the Christian public as being quite up to the standard of his former

works.

Bible Hours. Being Leaves from the NoteBook of the late MARY BELL DUNCAN. London: J. Nisbet & Co.

We have here the private meditations of a truly pious and gifted soul. During a period of illness, which terminated in her death, Mrs. Duncan spent much of her time in studying the Bible, and acquired the habit of writing short papers on such passages as in any way peculiarly impressed her mind. These papers are now given to the public in the hope that they may lead some, "especially among those who, like her, are called to an invalid life, to a deeper love for the Bible, and for Him of whom the Bible testifies." They are very thoughtful and devout, and we trust that the object of their publication may be attained, the author, though dead, yet speaking words of comfort and hope to many who are in the furnace.

Apologetic Lectures on the Fundamenta? Truths of Christianity By CHR. ERNST LUTHARDT. Translated by SOPHIA TAYLOR. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. The title of this book sufficiently explains its character and object. It is a book which the exigencies of the times have called into existence; and it shows us how orthodox Christians are everywhere bestirring themselves in defence of those Bible truths which it is becoming so fashionable to assail. Though thoroughly German in character, it is neither too profound to be understood by the common mind, nor too diluted to be acceptable to the cultivated. We deem it a valuable contribution to Christian apologetics. The author's piety seems equal to his learning, and we are not surprised to learn that his lectures have had a rapid and extensive sale in

Germany. The translation, so far as we can judge, seems all that can be desired. May it meet with a large circle of English readers! Few recent works are so well fitted to counteract the freethinking tendencies of the day, to guide safely the earnest inquirer, and to confirm the faith of the assaulted Christian.

Voices of the Soul answered in God. By the Rev. JOHN REID. London: J. Nisbet & Co.

Though the title of this book is vague and unsatisfactory, the book itself is unusually excellent. In a systematic way it shows how God in Christ alone meets all the wants of the human soul. There is nothing misty or transcendental in it as the title might suggest. It is a clear and robust statement of truth giving evidences throughout of learning, thoughtfulness, and literary power. The reader feels that he is in the presence of a man who has something to say and who knows how to say it, and cannot but admire the thorough ease and the calm earnestness with which the loftiest truths are handled. Let all who value just thinking happily expressed, needed at the present day. secure this volume; it is a work much

The Irish Orphan in a Scottish Home. By the Author of "The Way Home," &c. London: J. Nelson & Sons.

A most affecting narrative written with all the freedom, and force, and finish that mark the style of the Author of "The Way Home," to which well-known little work, indeed, it may be regarded as a sequel. The Irish orphan was the son of the Irish nurse who, with her precious charge, was killed by that fatal accident which gave birth to The Way Home;" and very beautifully told is the story of his youthful piety and early death. This is another little messenger sent forth by the author to scatter the seeds of life amongst the weary and the dead.

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