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The shops were all kept open upon the Sabbath, and business carried on during the sacred day the same as upon any other day of the week; and as Mr. Aikman's partner could not be persuaded to form an exception, Mr. A. determined to give no countenance to such profanation, ordered a separate book to be kept for Sabbath traffic, during the short time he remained in the concern, and when it was wound up, he would not receive one farthing of the unholy gains, although they amounted to no inconsiderable sum. Soon after his return home he married, and, having a desire to preach the Gospel, he went to the classes in the College of Edinburgh preparatory to entering the Divinity Hall.

It was at that time that I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with him. I remember him showing me the first exercise prescribed to him by the late Dr. Hunter, Professor of Divinity, which was an exposition of the first Psalm. How long he continued at the Divinity Hall I do not remember. Very soon he felt the importance of preaching the Gospel immediately, without waiting longer for the completion of the period required by ecclesiastical authority for previous study, and without submitting to be confined to the walls of a chapel or a parish church.

In Scotland, for some years previous to this, all religious parties seemed still and at rest. The Seceders, after their various struggles, had sunk into repose, and the Moderates (as they misnamed themselves) obtained a complete ascendancy in the Established Church, while the Evangelicals appeared willing to succumb or compromise matters for the sake of peace; and the Gospel trumpet, from a great part of the pulpits, whence it was professed to be preached, uttered a very uncertain sound.

With the view of benefiting the souls of his fellow-men, Mr. Aikman united with Mr. James Haldane, in preaching on Sabbath evenings at Gilmerton, near Edinburgh. This was the commencement of much Gospel preaching in that village, of their improvement of which its inhabitants will have to give an account in the great day. From villagepreaching, the attention of those fellowlabourers was turned to itinerant preaching. This issued in a journey, in company with a third fellow-labourer; an interesting account of which many have read in a "Journal of a Tour through the Northern Countries of Scotland, and the Orkney

Isles, in autumn 1797, undertaken with a view to promote the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by Messrs. James Haldane, Aikman, and Rate," published in 1798. Before setting out they were solemnly commended to the Lord at a prayer-meeting held in the house of the late excellent Mr. David Black, minister of Lady Yester's, at which he presided. Since the days of Whitefield, this was a new undertaking. But it was faithfully executed, and remarkably blessed; and was perhaps more extensive than any other journey of the kind in this country, except by the same persons, or some of their immediate brethren. Mr. Aikman having bruised his leg on his return from Orkney to Caithness, the labours of the party were prolonged in the North; and besides much good which followed in other places, this one journey was the means which led to the formation of several of the churches of the Congre gational Union in Orkney and Caithness, and elsewhere-nine churches, I am told, in all. It also gave rise to many similar journeys, attended with similar consequences, in various parts of the United Kingdom.

In summer 1798, Mr. Aikman and Mr. James Haldane went through the South of Scotland. At Hawick they met Mr. Rowland Hill on his way to Edinburgh, to preach in the Circus, and before his return to England they had completed their tour, having preached in most of the towns in the South of Scotland. Soon afterwards a church was formed, which met in the Circus till the Tabernacle was built. In 1799 Mr. Aikman and Mr. James Haldane again visited the North. They were accompanied by Mr. Innes, who had left the Established Church. Mr. Aikman remained in Orkney, while Mr. Innes and Mr. Haldane went on to Shetland, where they spent some time, and where also the effects of their labours remain to the present day.

Mr. Aikman was, from this time, statedly engaged in preaching in Edinburgh, in the Circus. The church assembling in the Circus having increased, and it being considered advisable that another church should be formed, he was honoured to gather the church which called him to the pastoral office. erected the chapel, North College-street, entirely at his own private expense, preached in it gratuitously for a long course of years, to the end of his life, and finally bequeathed it in perpetuity to the members of the church. He never

He

received, in any place, one farthing for his faithful, diligent, and acceptable labours. At the same time he disclaimed all boasting on this account. He conceived that, in his circumstances, he was only doing that which it was his duty to do; and he felt that, in doing it, he was, in reality, favoured to enjoy a high privilege. Under this impression, I have no doubt, it was that (as I have been told) the subject of his first sermon, in entering on his pastoral labours, was 1 Cor. ix. 16: "For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel."

Although the state of his health made it necessary for him to have frequent assistance, and particularly to obtain regular help, first from the late excellent Mr. Cowie, and then from Mr. Cleghorn, who for many years was his colleague in the work of the ministry, yet he was always ready to exert himself to the utmost of his strength in doing good, whether in the ordinary course of duty or not.

Thus, besides his pastoral charge, he lectured for a time to the students of the Theological Academy, which was then taught in Edinburgh. Some of these lectures, on the important subject of the nature of the Sinai covenant, I have seen; they were carefully and ably drawn up, and the whole course was much esteemed by those who heard it.

Again, being acquainted with the French language, he often visited, during the war with France, the French prisoners, both in the Castle of Edinburgh and in different depôts in the country. He not only conversed with them, but preached weekly to those who were willing to hear him, in the depôt at Pennycuik, and persevered in doing so regularly for a considerable time, although it cost him much labour to write out at large his discourses in a foreign language, as well as expense in travelling to the depôt, and although few of the prisoners solicited his labours, or were disposed to embrace his doctrine. What might be the effect is not known. At the peace, however, some of their officers, as they passed through Edinburgh, called on Mr. Aikman to thank him for his attention; and he had the satisfaction of knowing that all the prisoners who would receive them were supplied with copies of the Scriptures in their own language, after they were on board the transports to be sent home.

Some time after this period, our dear

brother paid a visit to Hamburg, along with Mr. Francis Dick, well known in all our churches as a willing and faithful labourer in the Gospel. Mr. Aikman's knowledge of the German language was here of service to him in conversing with some pious natives whom he met with in Hamburg and Altona; and he and his fellow-traveller were so successful in preaching in English, that their visit proved the occasion of forming an English church in Hamburg on Congregational principles.

For several successive summers he preached on Sabbath evenings at the head of Bruntsfield Links, where many were brought to hear the Word with deep attention, and there is reason to believe much good was done. He often undertook journeys for preaching the Gospel in various parts of Scotland and England; and laboured abundantly, and with such zeal and pleasure, that his health seemed to improve in proportion to his exertions, when it might rather have been thought that he needed repose. In 1817 he visited the South of Scotland and the

North of England. I am sorry I am not acquainted with the particulars of this excursion. I believe it is the same which he made in company with the late Mr. Orme; the incidents of which, and the impression made by it, I have heard more than one speak of with great interest. In July, 1823, he itinerated in Dumfriesshire, Galloway, and Ayrshire, in company with Mr. Cullen. In the

summer of 1828 he itinerated in Fifeshire along with Dr. Patterson. His last journey he made by sea to Devonshire, in the south of England, only last autumn, for the benefit of his health; and, though very unable to do it, I believe frequently preached; and it appears from a printed account, he presided in Torquay at a public meeting.

Soon, however, after his return, it be came evident that he had derived no benefit to his health from this journey, but was, on the contrary, much debilitated. He was able to preach, for the last time, about three weeks before his death. At the conclusion of the service he was greatly exhausted. He suffered much during his last illness; but his mind was directed to Jesus, in whom he had found rest. An esteemed correspondent, who witnessed his departure, favoured me with the following brief but affectionate account of it:

"About seven in the evening he sweetly fell asleep, almost without a

struggle. During the whole time of his illness he has had perfect peace. Not a doubt ever troubled his mind. The glories of the eternal world occupied all his thoughts, even when wandering. Thus, my dear brother, a great and good man has fallen in Israel. He was one of the little band which, more than thirty years ago (now more than fifty years ago, 1851), went forth over the breadth and length of the land, to proclaim to their fellow sinners the unsearchable riches of Christ; and he has been the first who has been called to his reward. His loss will be severely felt. Christ liveth, and that is our comfort and the confidence of the church."

Mr. Aikman died on the 6th of February, 1834, in the sixty-fourth year of his age, and thirty-seventh of his ministry. On the 13th he was buried under the communion-table in the chapel which he had built. Mr. James Haldane, at the request of the church and the relatives of the deceased, delivered on the occasion, from 1 Thess. iv. 13-18, an able, solemn, and Scriptural address, to the large company and congregation of mourners; in the course of which he bore a just and honourable testimony to the faithful companion of his early labours, and which was heard with the deepest attention by all present.

Mr. Aikman's character was strongly marked,

1st, By generosity. The Lord had given him the means, and the heart to use them. He remembered the poor. He used hospitality without grudging. He did faithfully whatsoever he did to the brethren and to strangers, who have borne witness of his love before the church. While delicate even to scrupulosity in pressing for contributions from others, he was not only willing to bear his own share of any common burden, but ready to be burdened himself the more heavily, if he might thereby be excused from importuning his brethren. The Lord, who loveth a cheerful giver, enabled him to illustrate the blessed maxim, foretold as characterizing the reign of Christ, "the liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand."

2nd, By Christian cheerfulness. His delicate state of health must have been very discouraging to one of his ardent zeal and active habits; yet he never seemed to be much depressed by it. Some of his preaching tours were undertaken when he was apparently far from being equal

to much exertion; but his health almost always improved as he went on, espe cially when he saw a blessing attending his labours. Although the night air was hurtful to his eyes, and he could hardly bear the glare of the lights in the place of worship, he was very loath to forego the pleasure of preaching on the Sabbath evenings to a large and mixed congregation. He persevered in writing many sermons, with great neatness, care, and accuracy, when his eyes were so weak that he was obliged to write on darkcoloured paper. But what surprised me most of all was, that, when confined all day long in a dark room, with the window-shutters closed-as he sometimes was for weeks together, his eyes being unable to bear a single ray of lightwhen a friend called on him, his conversation was as sprightly as if he had no experience of any privation; or rather his spiritual joy seemed to increase in proportion to his trying situation.

3rd, By devotional habits. eminently a man of prayer.

He was

He not

only excelled in this exercise to the edification of his church, and of all serious persons who had an opportunity of join ing with him in it, whether in public or private; but he at all times was remarkable for manifesting a sense of its importance. "Pray for me, my brother," was not only the appropriate request in affliction, and particularly in his last illness; it was habitual with him, at meeting and parting, through life. He would hardly ever discuss any subject of deliberation without, first or last, or both, proposing prayer for Divine direction. If anything seemed to be going wrong, he would say, "Ah! there has been too little prayer about this business." He was also most exemplary for the solemnity of his prayers on all occasions, however familiar from custom, or brief. There was never any semblance of careless formality when he gave thanks at meals, which is often lamentably the case even among undoubted Christians. On the contrary, his tender sense of unworthiness, his unfeigned gratitude, his moderation, his conscientious vigilance to avoid giving offence, his endeavour to be use ful in conversation, the genuine kindness of his hospitality, and his desire that his friends might, with himself, enjoy better blessings than those which perish with the using; in short, his whole behaviour at table, and everywhere, showed his sacred regard to the apostolic injunction, "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or

whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

4th, By love to all saints. While decided in the choice of his Christian fellowship, he never ceased to cherish the apostolic sentiment, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." Not to name living characters, John Newton, of the Church of England, David Black, of the Church of Scotland, the Methodists who proved such a comfort to him in Jamaica, the Moravians whom he met with in going to, or returning from their distant missions; and of the Baptists, Andrew Fuller, John Ryland, and above all, Dr. Charles Stuart, who attended him in his illness in this country, when he first came home from Jamaica, with whom he corresponded after his return to that island, and with whom he always lived on terms of intimacy and friendship, from the time he settled in Edinburgh, to the end of the doctor's life.

5th, By courage and decision. He was naturally acute, and "the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord, made him," after the likeness of his Master, "of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord." In questions between truth and error, duty and sin, he was never slow to answer to the call, "Who is on the Lord's side?" To false brethren he "would give place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you." He had no sympathy with those who are not valiant for the truth upon the earth. On the contrary, when he felt it to be needful, he would exhort that we should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Notwithstanding a quick temper, he was taught by grace to exemplify James iii. 17, 18: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

Mr. Aikman was servant of all for Jesus' sake. His many infirmities often prevented him from performing duties on which his heart was set; but he possessed a vigorous and capacious mind, richly endowed with every accomplishment calculated to attract and benefit all

men, and especially to establish the people of God in the faith and hope of the Gospel. For more than forty years he maintained, through grace, an unblemished profession of the truth; and lived in the expectation of the coming of the Son of man. But he greatly disapproved of the erroneous sentiments entertained by many, of Christ's personal reign on earth, and showed the absurdity of supposing that he would be reigning personally in Jerusalem with his saints, while the ordinary business of this world was being carried forward in other parts of the earth.

During the whole course of his ministry, he showed the greatest anxiety for the extension of Messiah's kingdom-a feeling which he strongly evinced to the last. Accordingly at his death, he directed a considerable part of his property to be devoted, after Mrs. Aikman's decease, to the spread of the Gospel; but, by mismanagement, his wishes have been unhappily frustrated.

It was allowed that he excelled in expository lectures. There are still living those who remember his instructive lectures on Genesis and Exodus,-likewise those on the two Epistles to the Corinthians, the delineations of the character of the Apostle Paul, and the exposition of most of the minor epistles. It is deeply to be regretted that the many volumes of discourses which he left in MS. are unreadable- being in shorthand - by those into whose hands they fell.

His sermons were purely evangelical. To believers they were edifying, and the careless they were calculated to arouse to concern. Being methodical, they were easily remembered by his hearers. Their style was chaste and simple, and they were delivered with seriousness, and with a considerable degree of energy.

The only publication to which he ever gave his name was, "Observations on Exhortation," &c. This treatise was useful in allaying the agitation which had been excited on the subject; but he occasionally wrote articles which appeared in the Missionary Magazine, under the signature "Philalethes."

His work is done. He has entered into rest. By his instrumentality many were added to the Lord, who will be "the crown of his rejoicing in the day of Christ."

Church Economics.

ANNUAL ELECTION OF DEACONS.

To the Editor of the Christian Witness. SIR,-Reading your remarks in the CHRISTIAN WITNESS for this month (p. 381), on the working of Independency in England, revived in me the thoughts and desires which were conceived some seven or eight years ago, and which then prompted me to write and publish a pamphlet upon the same subject in its several aspects. I believe, that the church government exemplified in the New Testament is Congregational Independency; I hold, consequently, that there is no imperfection in Independency. That there is much imperfection in man is another and quite a different thing; though, strange to say, seldom distinguished by opponents to that polity. But though it is affirmed to be absolutely perfect as a principle of ecclesiastical government, it is admitted to be a very general principle,-that it does in nowise supersede the exercise of wisdom and prudence in the organisation and outworkings of the churches, but, on the contrary, facilitates their development, and brings them into regular requisition, and, is moreover, and accordingly, perfectly compatible with much circumstantial variety in practical operation. Indeed, it is actually carried out by the churches distinguished by that designation with modes and details of some dissimilarity. Independence of individual churches and independence of individual persons are a contrast. Episcopacy gives independence to lord bishops and priests, so called, and Wesleyanism to preachers, not to congregations; and, on the other side, whilst many churches, having a Scriptural constitution-with proper offices, properly, because scripturally, designated-glory in the liberty they possess of electing their own officers, the bishops, or pastors, and deacons; yet it sometimes turns out, that in the very act of exercising that liberty, and performing that duty, they part with their prerogative of self-governance, and are henceforward the reduced subjects of a mixed, mitigated despotism. Either the pastors, or, which is more common, the deacons, have vested in them the sole power of rule, with irresponsibility, and so in each case there is no longer an Independent church, but over it there presides a minister, who, instead of being, as he should be, the minister of an Independent Christian church, is practically, nominally, and in fact, an independent minister,-a difference which distinguishes ecclesiastical Independency from ecclesiastical despotism; or it has deacons who arrogate and vaunt undue authority, and are wont to lord it over God's clergy-the church which He hath purchased with his own precious blood; and instead of being an Independent church in reality, it is a church with independent deacons, who, instead of being the servants of the church in brotherly love and humility, are of masterful behaviour towards minister and people,-the evil consequence of being invested with absolute, irresponsible power, of which, indeed (for their vindication be it alleged) they are the victims. This has been the cause of very many removals of ministers, the frequent occurrence of which you justly decry as a grievance. Periodical election of Deacons, annual or biennial, is the proved remedy.

Again, with respect to the number of small churches, struggling in the exercise of their rights, privileges, and duties, as Independents, to support, each for itself, a stated pastor. Here, I believe, is an egregious error, which has disheartened very many in their attachment to their principles. I have long seen it to be a blunder in the exercise of a just and proper freedom; and have ardently longed to see the trial of a plan, which I have heard has been executed with great success in Wales, viz., the union of two or three small neighbouring churches, each retaining its perfect independency, in the support of one efficient stated pastor, the lack of service to be supplied by the brethren. I have no doubt, that this would remedy the ostensible defects in the working of our church polity in the thinly-populated districts of our country. It would prevent that depressing sense of weariness which the unrelieved monotony of one voice, one style of delivery, and one countenance (albeit a loved one) invariably, to some extent, sooner or later, induce in the people,— an evil peculiar to poor churches in the country. Some of these never see but one countenance in their respective pulpits for several years at a stretch. Would the congregations at Surrey Chapel, and at the Tabernacle, Moorfields, have been as numerous and as lively as they are had it been so with them? I trow not. Monotony depresses.

This line of remark comports with the most strenuous advocacy of a stated pastorate, and is designedly projected to deprecate frequent ministerial removals. More especially, it would obviate the anxiety which many good deacons feel respecting the contributions of the church and the salary of the loved pastor; and the still greater anxiety of the pastor whose utmost skill is in perpetual requisition fairly to eke out a salary of £40 or £50 a year, and to provide things necessary and becoming honesty to all men, an anxiety augmented by a consciousness of the pecuniary difficulties of the church of his care. So obvious a means of redress as that now suggested should speedily be resorted to. As pastors of such churches remove, or are removed, let these look to churches of nearest propinquity, and unite, organise, and work. This is a simple dictate of prudence and propriety, and that which we can do. And what we can do for ourselves God will not do for us. It is when we are insufficient in the exercise of the faculties and powers which God has given us, that we may rationally expect to find that "our sufficiency is of God."

It is the revealed will of the Head of the Church that all Christians, as such, in respect to their church rights and privileges and duties, should be upon a par: Lordship amongst Christians is repeatedly and peremptorily interdicted. How some parties will give account of their contrary walking in regard to Christ's own express rules for the government of his church, let them consider in time. The judgment of societies is not reserved unto the great day. Then, every one of us-"one by one "-shall give account of himself to God. Let certain parties take care;-let them read the signs of

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