have hitherto done nothing, come up to the work and do their full share; let those who have been accustomed to give even liberally and cheerfully, make arrangements at once to increase, if need be, very much increase, their donations; and let the rich stand ready with their abundance, to make up all deficiencies; and the revenues of the Board, during the current financial year, cannot be less than FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOllars,

Some, however, may be disposed to inquire, whether the Committee, after all, really expect that this will be done.

In reply, it may be said, that will depend on the amount of piety in the churches, and the measure in which the Spirit of Christ shall be shed down upon them. If they shall understand the wretched condition of the heathen; if they shall see and confess their obligations to Christ; if they shall be made to know his will, and are in truth his friends and followers; may they not be expected to do it? Certainly this will be their aim. To say otherwise respecting them, would be an impeachment of Christianity itself. Christ has declared his friends and followers to be those "who do his will "-who "keep his commandments." Spread before the minds of these 335,000 professed Christians the darkness and the doom of 500 millions of their kindred in the realms of pagan night; show them the command of Christ, in letters of light and love, in the closing paragraph of his Gospel; and who is authorized to say that they will not obey it, but will act like aliens and enemies? If the love of Christ be in them, it constrains them.

The Committee, certainly, do expect a very decided advance in the revenues of the Board, during the current financial year; and they confidently expect, that at a not distant day, its annual receipts will not be less than half a million. The country is in a state of perhaps unparalleled prosperity. A tide of wealth is rolling in upon it. If the Spirit be poured upon us from above, what may not be expected? If the members of this Board, corporate and honorary, its officers, the district secretaries, and agents, the pastors of churches, and all the truehearted friends of this cause, shall do their duty in some good measure, the results that will be disclosed at the next annual meeting will both astonish and delight us.

In the course of the discussion which followed, Dr. Beaman spoke at length, intimating his entire conviction of a possibility of raising 500,000 dollars. He thought it might even be done with ease, since, on an average, a dollar a head was a small sum. The rich, he thought, might be giving that now; and truly, if so, it is a wonderful contribution! But the Doctor said:

The rich, it may be, give this sum-perhaps, as a class, the professors of religion who possess property give all they ought, though he did not believe it. But there is a very large class of professed disciples who do not yet give anything. If we can devise a system to reach all the members of the Church; if something, it hardly matters how small, be given systematically and steadily by all who sit at the communion-table, this sum, and a much larger one, would at once be obtained.

Dr. Humphrey, ever sound in practical sense, declared himself as follows:

He trusted no such inference would be drawn as this, that a dollar a head is all that will be required of us for the great missionary work. A dollar a year is not the grade for every one, especially for the smaller number who are now accustomed to give. In talking about this average of the Church at large, let us not forget that the great majority of Church-members, as yet, give a far less sum than this, and that to reach the average of a dollar a head, a very large deficit is to be made up by those who are accustomed to give. Do all they can, many pastors will probably find that they will be unable to reach this average; and what shall be said of the far-off churches, as yet accustomed to give nothing? To attain an average of a dollar a head for all the Church-members, will require not only a greatly increased number of contributors, but greatly increased amounts from those who undertake to supply the deficiencies.

Dr. Wisner was not enamoured of any settled standard, and deemed a dollar a head, as an average, by no means a satisfactory system. He maintained the obligation was, for all to give as "God has prospered them;" after which he uttered the following important views:

If every pastor would make it a part of his ministerial duty to see that every Church-member gives something-to see that no one of his flock habitually lives disobedient to this grand law of beneficence-they would not only incomparably promote the spirituality of their churches, but would do more for this desired result than by any other means. He believed that few churches could be found accustomed to obey this rule, in its full and just extent-even of those who give the most liberally. Yet it ought to be done; we ought not to be satisfied till this rule becomes the rule of practical Christian life. If done, our treasuries would be full.

Judge Darling next stood forth to address the Board on the subject, stating his conviction that there was abundance, without any great self-denial, to raise so insignificant a contribution for a work so great; and that for amusement, for self-gratification, abundant means were always at hand. "If it is necessary to

raise 150,000 dollars to induce a distinguished singer to cross the Atlantic to delight the ears of our countrymen, the money is forthcoming. So, too, religious objects, when fully determined on, never long want the means of carrying them out.' The Judge wisely said, that every Church-member should be made to feel an individual responsibility in this work. "Yet, taking these for granted, the question how this ability is to be made available still remains to be solved.

We are apt to roll these obligations upon the Church at large; and in so doing, the individual Christian the escapes pressure. If, however, every man, woman, and child felt that this much was his work, then there would be a much better standard of giving." The Judge thought a great deal too much was required of pastors, and that a committee ought to be appointed "to take charge of the subject, whose duty it should be to visit not only every member of the Church, but of the congregation, that a more systematic, and therefore more efficient, method might be secured." He declared his conviction, that the amount "is hardly a tithe of what might be realized," if the young were trained to full systematic style of contribution." The Judge declared that enough was known of human nature, to understand that few would give unsolicited, but that very few would uniformly refuse, if asked so to do. The subject is one of incalculable moment; and it is cheering to find our American brethren going to it in right earnest.

66

a

WHAT A CHURCH MAY ACHIEVE BY UNITED EFFORT.

IN the CHRISTIAN WITNESS for 1847, page 533, there is a brief history of the Church of Christ now assembling in the New Independent Chapel, Pendleton, Manchester, under the pastoral care of the Rev. A. E. Pearce, which, as will be seen by a reference, had its origin in the devoted efforts of an individual, then a member of a neighbouring Church, and who, attracted by the destitute condition of the people in a populous part of the township of Pendleton, commenced some most vigorous efforts to evangelize them; and succeeded in establishing a Sunday-school, and Sunday and week-evening services, first in cottages, then in a room hired for the purpose, and subsequently in spacious school-rooms, erected by voluntary subscriptions from friends in Manchester. These efforts resulted, in 1836, in the formation of a Christian Church, consisting of nine members, of which a neighbouring pastor took the oversight for several years, in connection with his own charge. In 1843 the present pastor was induced to settle here, under the impression that the sphere of labour was one of considerable promise, and that, eventually, a more commodious sanctuary than that in which the Church then assembled might be erected in a more eligible part of the township. Very shortly after his settlement a new sanctuary was projected, the generous founder of the cause promising the munificent sum of £500 towards it, and his father-in-law, Sir E. Armita ge, promising the same amount. A new and beautiful sanctuary was, in consequence, erected in 1847, the particulars of which are given in the article referred to, together with the history of the Church up to that time, showing the re

sult of individual effort when wisely and perseveringly employed.

A recent effort of the people, which it is the special object of this paper to record, affords a striking illustration of the power of united effort, and shows what a comparatively feeble congregation may achieve when any local object commands their entire energies, and "the people" have "a mind to work." At the time of the opening of the chapel, the cost of which was nearly £3,800, a debt of about £1,700 remained. During the three years and a half which have elapsed, the congregation, which has been gradually increasing, had paid the interest of the debt, and a small portion of the principal, besides meeting the ordinary expenses, which have been considerable. About six months ago the pastor of the Church, at a meeting of a few friends specially convened, suggested the desirableness of making a vigorous effort to remove the debt, and proposed a plan which he had been revolving in his mind for some time, and which contemplated its entire liquidation in six months. He proposed that three-fourths of the amount, including a liberal donation from an aged female member of the congregation, lately deceased, should be raised among themselves, and that an appeal should then be made to other Christian friends for assistance. He ventured to state the respective amounts which he thought their principal friends might be induced to contribute. His proposal was most cheerfully responded to; and in the course of a week nearly £1,200 was promised, on condition that the entire sum was raised; viz., Mrs. Bullock, £365; Sir E. Armitage, £250; Mr. John Hewitt, £250; Rev. A. E. Pearce, £50; and £250 from other friends in the congregation. The pastor then pledged himself to secure the remainder, by soliciting donations from members of other Churches (who have cheerfully and liberally responded to his appeal), and by closing services in March.

The

On Tuesday evening, March 25th, Dr. Raffles preached in the chapel, when a collection was made in aid of the object. On the following evening a large party of friends assembled in the school-room to celebrate the event. room, which was tastefully decorated, was filled to overflowing, and more than four hundred sat down to tea. The trays were generously contributed by the ladies who presided at them, in order that the entire proceeds of the tickets might be devoted to the liquidation-fund. James Sidebottom, Esq., was called to the chair, and made an appropriate reference to the circumstances under which the nucleus of the congregation was gathered in a small cottage in a neglected district about eighteen years ago, and congratulated the pastor and people on the happy results of their labours. The pastor briefly detailed the history of the Church during the seven years of his connection with it, and congratulated the people on the success of their efforts, first to erect the beautiful edifice in which they worshipped, and now to liquidate the heavy debt, which threatened, if unremoved, greatly to repress and enfeeble their energies. He read some appropriate verses which a member of the congregation had composed to commemorate the services of the evening, and hoped, ere they closed, they would be enabled to join in singing the last verse, which was as follows:

"Then down the ong aisle let the deep anthem pour,

While in pray'r and in praise we unite; And we'll add to our hymn this single line more, There's no debt on our Chapel to-night." The Rev. John Raven addressed the meeting in an animated strain, and referred with pleasure to his intimacy with the pastor, when a fellow-labourer with him at Birmingham, and to the fact of his having been instrumental in introducing him to his important sphere of labour. The Revs. Dr. Halley, Dr. Clunie, James Griffin, R. Fletcher, D. E. Ford, and J. L. Poore, also addressed the meeting, and rejoiced in the success which had attended their efforts in connection with the new sanctuary. From the Treasurer's account, which was presented, it appeared that about £100 was wanted to complete the effort, which was promptly contributed in the course of the evening; and thus the whole amount was raised, and the meeting separated, highly gratified with the successful termination of their efforts.

Here, then, is a new and commodious sanctuary, erected at a cost of nearly £4,000, contributed chiefly by the friends gathered together within its walls; and in less than four years after its erection, the last vestige of incumbrance, in the shape of debt, is removed. The prospects of the people are most encouraging. The Church which, a few years ago, consisted The conof nine members, now numbers 120. The gregation has increased in proportion. Sunday-schools comprise more than 800 scholars, including a considerable number of adults. There are also connected with the place day and evening schools, loan libraries, a Missionary Auxiliary which is yearly becoming more efficient, and kindred institutions, all of which owe their origin, under God, to the patient and persevering labours of a single individual.

It is hoped that these facts may stimulate some of the influential members of our Churches to originate similar movements to those which have thus resulted so favourably. And it is farther hoped that the recent praiseworthy efforts of the united Churches of this district, whose combined resources are being brought to bear on the great work of chapel extension in the manner detailed by the Rev. J. L. Poore, in the BRITISH BANNER, may serve as a stimulus to the Churches in other large towns. We have many examples of what may be achieved by the sanctified energies of individual Christians and single Churches; but it remains to be seen what the associated Churches of a given district may accomplish. There is quite enough of energy, and talent, and treasure in our Churches, to accomplish, with God's blessing, tenfold more than is accomplished. May God give them the heart to use them! Pendleton, Manchester.

A. E. PEARCE.

this has not been the case. Parents, for some time past, have been given to understand that their children would be refused interment should they be baptized by ministers not lawfully ordained; by which is meant, not ordained by the Bishop. After many threatenings of this kind, an attempt has at last been made to carry them into effect. A child, which died recently, and which had been baptized by the Independent Minister, was refused burial with the customary service by one of the curates, on the ground that such baptism had not been performed by a lawfully ordained minister. He was waited upon and apprised of the course which would be taken, should he persist in his refusal. He stated that he was acting according to the instructions which he had received from his rector, and, therefore, could not officiate. As the latter gentleman had left home for some days, he could not be personally appealed to, and, therefore, application was made to the bishop of the diocese. His lordship promptly replied, intimating that he had written by the same post to the curate whose refusal was complained of, and expressing a hope that he would no longer delay the burial. Had this gentleman, on discovering that his conduct was illegal, consented, personally, to officiate at the interment, there would have been an end of the matter. But instead of this, the rector, who kept out of the way, ordered his other curate to officiate, and although the burial of the child had already been unduly It was postponed, another day was added. considered that the man who had offered the affront, and done the wrong, was the proper person to acknowledge his error by officiating himself; and that he ought not to be permitted to evade a duty, which, under the circumstances, could not be very agreeable. This he refused to do, under the direction of the rector, and, therefore, the services of the other curate were not accepted, although he was at the church ready to perform the service. Another appeal was made to the Bishop, who, as having power to grant or withdraw his licence from any curate in his diocese, certainly has power to enforce obedience to his commands. His lordship, however, declined to interfere with the right of the rector appointing which of the curates should officiate. The child, after the delay of a week beyond the time when its interment should have taken place, was buried in a zinc coffin, which was found necessary, owing to the length of time consumed in the contest.

Would not the rector of B- have acted a more manly part, had he appeared personally in this business, instead of devolving it upon two inexperienced young men? And does it not seem strange that a rector of his age and standing should be ignorant of the laws of his country in relation to such cases? or if not ignorant that he should presume to give directions to any who serve under him to refuse compliance with them? As churchyards are national property, and the clergy are maintained from national funds, and the various classes of Dissenters are rated and taxed, in common with the Episcopalians, for repairing churches and enlarging churchyards, &c., it is only reasonable, as it is also according to law, that they should have the option of having their dead buried in the parish burial-ground, especially as many Dissenting chapels are unprovided with such accommodation.

We entirely concur with the worthy writer in all his views, as here expressed. We have repeatedly, in the BRITISH BANNER, touched on this matter, and must here reiterate our opinions. The right of the parishioner to sepulture in the parochial grounds is undoubted; the duty of the Incumbent, in person, or by deputy, to bury, is equally clear; but we cannot see the consistency of Dissenters in demanding, or even in accepting when tendered, the services of the Parochial Minister at the grave. We have, we think, on former occasions, demonstrated this point, and shown that the Dissenter ought, in justice, to demand, throughout every parish in the kingdom, the RIGHT to have the services of his own minister in this most delicate and touching matter of social life. Every man should be at liberty to use what service he may choose, and to employ, for performing it, whom he may please, or, if he think good, to have, at the ground, no service at all. Thus it is in Scotland; why should it not be thus in England? Is it not with a very bad grace that the Dissenters refuse Baptism and the Lord's Supper at the hands of the Parochial Clergy, and continue to demand burial? There ought to be, out and out, an entire separation. They ought to take all, or decline all!--EDITOR.

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

SIR, The equal of this peaceful exhibition the world may not see again. Its advantages, its possible disadvantages, are all in the future. Expectation bids us say the east and the west, the north and the south will add their portions to the enormous profusion. All tribes and languages will meet to dedicate a temple, not like Babel's, to rival Heaven, but whose fame shall be the glorification of earth and the elevation of man. Africa, with its ivory, gold-dust, and precious gems, will be there; Asia will contribute of her indigenous magnificence; America, as the infant Hercules of nations, will send gigantic specimens of Titanic achievements; and Europe-enterprising, Christian Europewill astonish the world, not by barbaric opulence, nor with oriental splendour, but by the varied combinations of elemental matter. Fire, water, earth, air, by her skill, have been rendered handmaids to science in her most profound discoveries, and genius has been so successful that fact places fiction in the shade, and gives to reality a height of which imagination never dreamed. Yet how tame the conclusion if contemplation stopped here! but far beyond the crystal cope soul seeks an ampler range.

Miserable will be the disappointment, if, "with a soul of vast desires," man grubs merely on gorgeous wealth, or burrows only 'midst riches which the rust will eat, the moth or worm will consume; but from the soul,

"Burning within with restless fires,"

in pacing the galleries of this emporium, will arise a thought that the stupendous grandeur is but an insignificant part of that creation

"Whose temple is all space;"

VOL. VIII.

and as it meditates man's ingenuity, it will remember, however diversified the manipulations, they are but copies, fragile, of designs, eternal. And while all honour should be paid to the creature of a day, who has done something beyond the common mind for his fellow's good, yet (and this thought, while it excites hope, should humble pride) know, O man, Art's speaking marble, or its breathing canvass, is but the mimicry of Nature, and Science but echoes "the breath of His mouth," or makes transcriptions from the autographs of His hand-THE GREAT ORIGINAL!

The following lyric, in connection with the coming Exhibition, was the result of a home musing. The rhyme will tell its own tale:

I musing stood upon the hill,
Where, erst in early day,
With mates forgotten, cold and still,
We merry games would play.
The snug retreat, the rough-thatch'd barn,
Where we in covert lay,

Each on the memory did return,
And held a moment's sway.
Upon the selfsame hill I stood-
Behold the change of Time !-
And as I gathered mental food,
Digested it to rhyme.

A steed* I saw a child might rein,
Yet Titan snortings told;
The hands of Hercules were vain,

This unrein'd horse to hold.
Beside me stood the artizan;

And while I peered around,
The inward vision of the man
Some secret, lo! had found.

I traced him all his uphill course,
The struggles of his lot;
And then five letters fell with force,
Nor let them be forgot:

I will is soul's imperial range,

No power can it arrest;
Time-fettered, still it waits Time's change,
With glory to invest.

One wish sincere-may Woburn's skill
'Neath London's transept find,
'Midst the world's store approval still,
To cheer inventive mind.

But Fame, uncertain, may not sound,
Yet in th' adventure see

Ambition, noble, still is found,

A peaceful rivalry;

And in this contest, 'midst a world's renown, These engines may commend this hill of Woburn town.

Woburn, Beds, March 29, 1851.

CHURCH ORDER.

G. C.

SIR,-Permit me to express my thanks for the Article on "Church Order," in the WITNESS for April. This is a matter which seems to have been too generally overlooked or misunderstood. The relation of individual Church members to the whole Church, and of individual churches to other churches, needs to be enforced upon public attention; and since, as Independents, we are bound by the trammels of no human system but are free to conform in all things to the Word of God, I see no insuperable difficulty in the way of amendment.

I may have taken a liberty, but Addison will help me :

"Who, like our active African, instructs
The fiery steed."

Surely a steam locomotive is a fiery steed.

Q

Many members go to reside elsewhere, and we hear no more of them. Others remove, but seek a recommendation to fellowship with a church in the place to which they go, and these persons continue, perhaps for years, members, in effect, of two churches at once. They act, commune, and have influence where they reside, and, if any business of importance arises in the church from which they first came-the election of a minister for instance, their vote and influence are both employed. This is a sore evil under the sun.

Some remove their residence, and perhaps return after years, during which they have been unheard of, and resume their place, as if they had not been away a week.

Others go, and, after two or three years, send for a recommendation to another church. Lately, a person, who had been away three years and a month (during which time she, on the one hand, had been out of sight, and, on the other hand, a new minister had been elected), sent for a recommendation of this kind, and desired "dismission." The truth was stated, but a formal dismission refused.

There is another class of cases to which I would direct your attention for one momentcases of discipline. These, alas! have been too common, because too necessary. It appears to

me that when an individual is convicted of some breach of order or dereliction of duty, there are three courses only open to us, if we follow the Scriptures::

1. If the party has forfeited his Christian character, he must be expelled.

2. If he has acted imprudently, and not from malice prepense, or if he has repented and given proof thereof, he must only be admonished or reproved.

3. If he be cleared, he must be left in possession of his privileges, and be regarded in all things as the same, but an injured man.

It will appear that I think "suspension" not founded upon Scripture. There is no instance of it recorded. As a judicial act, it seems merely a substitute either for reproof or expulsion, and is so because it requires less decision, and appears less formidable.

When a member sins, rebuke or exclude him according to circumstances, but never suspend him. If excluded, re-admit him on profession of repentance, but not otherwise. Much more might be said, but I hope you will -touch upon the subject again.

I remain, Sir, Your's truly,

B. H. CowPER.

Moreton-in-Marsh, April 11th, 1851.

THERE is a class of men in the churches whose claims, it appears to me, are often much greater than their reward. Those individuals are generally found either amongst Sabbath-schcol Teachers or in the Diaconate, and in a vast majority of instances they are in humble circumstances a fact which is intimately connected with the very usefulness of which I speak. Their position is in various ways favourable to their piety and their leisure for works of faith and labours of love. They escape a world of temptations which overtake men of opulence, wasting alike their means and their time, in addition to proving injurious to their spirituality. From such evils, the men of whom I speak are free. Dinner parties and great occasions in winter; summer absences and vacation tours, never detain them from the sphere of their spiritual action. Be missed who may, they are at home, and at their post; but I refer simply to those of reduced means-men distinguished by much zeal, great effort, and lengthened service. Many of these worthy men finished their lives and their labours together, and realised the wish of the poet

"To cease at once to work and live;" and so end as they began. Through life, they have all along ate their own bread, while their shroud, their coffin, and their tomb are the fruit of their own provident forethought. But there

is a portion of them to whom a different lot is assigned; after their strength is gone, they linger on the field; wearisome days and nights are appointed to them, and they are not seldom hungry and hard bestead. These are the men for whom I venture to speak a word; I submit that they have claims on the Church; on the score of past services, and that these claims should be specially considered. As to the wisest method of accomplishing this, it is not for me to speak, beyond simply saying, that it should ever be done with the utmost delicacy, and with due regard to the feelings of the individuals. Such men, I think, should not be classed with common paupers. The idea of pauperism should be wholly discarded from the business. Whatever allowance is made, it should be considered as purely honorary. Sometimes it happens that churches have certain funds arising from testamentary bequests, available for such objects. Where such is the case, which, however, is but seldom, the way is simple. Failing this, there are two methods by which it may be done; it may be drawn from the funds of the Church, or derived from sacramental and other collections for the poor. There is another and a very graceful way which I have known to be adopted; a few members in moderate or opulent circumstances meet and talk over the case. Having first ascertained