the church then had in it no James Everett, to propose the excommunication of those dreadful Apostles, who taught the disciples all to speak the same things, and to be joined together in the same judgment, and who designated divisions carnal- thus opposing what God delights in. Alas, alas! In that dark age there were no Wesleyan Reformers. But while Mr. Everett is rejoicing in his shame, good people in Birmingham are wanting a revival, and cannot get it on account of that division in which he glories. The following appeared a few days back in the Daily Post. But how uncertain is life! The writer of it is now no more. " 'Sit-It is a joy to believe that the world is becoming wiser and bettercroakers and modern prophets notwithstanding--but there is room for great improvement, and few thoughtful men will be found who will not admit that all true wisdom comes down to man in answer to prayer. "Within the past twenty years many attempts have been made to establish daily or weekly united prayer meetings. None of these have succeeded as they ought to have done, and the best of them have survived but one Summer and Winter. Now we may ask wherefore? "I address all serious and praying people through you in stating my views, which are the result of observation and some little experience. I have not an unkind word to say of the clergy and other ministers of religion, but I fear the difficulty there is in settling questions of precedence and position, have had much to do with the failure of wellmeant efforts. I speak to earnest Christian men of all grades, and of all denominations-Why cannot we take a commodious room quite unconnected with any church or chapel; fix upon one or two nights in the week (mid-day as well, or alternately, if thought desirable) and let it be conducted by persons who happen to be present, whether ministers, laymen, rich, or poor? I think many clergymen could be found to meet on such neutral ground, and no doubt ministers of religion of all evangelical denominations would aid the movement, which would be popular, and probably extensively useful. "If my fellow townsmen agree with me in thinking such a movement desirable, and will write to that effect through the medium of your paper, we could have a meeting to make arrangements for commencing at once. "I do not urge this on my fellow townsmen because prayer meetings are becoming one of the great facts of the age, but because Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, I am, Sir, yours truly, Here then it seems that for twenty years, all attempts to pray together for a revival have broken down, through what Mr. E. terms a delightful variety in grace. To those who admire Mr. Sturges' letter, we suggest the plan adopted by various ministers of several denominations in Philadelphia. Their call is 46 TO CHRISTIANS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS. PRAYER FOR THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT. "Dear Brethren,-The thoughtful reader of our Lord's intercessory prayer must mark with deep interest the earnestness with which He prays for oneness among His disciples. "No less than four times, in that prayer, (John xvii.) does our blessed Lord offer the request (each slightly varying in phraseology) that they may be one,' showing how near to His holy heart was this unity among His followers. "The Apostle Paul, guided by the Holy Ghost, presses upon the Christians at Rome, (xii. 5) Corinth, (i. 10, xii. 12, of 1st Epis.) Galatia, (iii. 28) Ephesus, (iv. 3, 6) Philippi, (ii. 2) and Colosse, (iii. 11, 14) the same unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. "Assured that all believers in Christ heartily desire that His prayer might be answered, and the Apostle's injunctions obeyed, and that those needless divisions among Christians, which are so opposed to the divine will, and which so obstruct the progress of the pure gospel, may be done away, the undersigned respectfully suggest that one day be annually set apart for special prayer, that God would grant that his believing children may be made perfect in one, and that by the operation of the Holy Ghost, all Christians may be so joined together in unity of spirit and in the bond of peace, that they may be a holy temple acceptable unto him. "Thus humbly approaching the throne of grace, united in heart, with a request so consonant to the expressed will of God, we may believe that the Great Head of the Church, answering the prayer for increased UNITY OF SPIRIT, will Himself lead that church into some measures for the accomplishment of outward union as shall most redound to His glory. "We beg leave to designate the first Monday in October as the day for such special prayer, and invite our Christian brethren generally to unite in these solemn supplications." Now these are union-loving men. They are at fault on one important point. Why do they pray for the Spirit to lead them to some measure for the accomplishment of outward union, when the Bible is sufficient-when apostolic examples and teaching are all they need; when, in fact, to neglect the one and all sufficient platform given in the Scriptures, is to neglect what the Spirit has given? Several letters, consequent upon the appearance of that by Mr. Sturges, have been inserted in the Post. One of these will shew what, to our knowledge, more than a few think upon the subject. "Sir,-Your correspondents on this subject generally assume that the way to produce a revival is to hold prayer meetings. Undoubtedly the prayers of Christian people for the conversion of men, are acceptable to God. By all means, then, let Christians meet, at morn, noon, or evening, to pray. "But how is it that little or nothing is said about other means-about the means? I read, 'It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe.' And again,The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation." Can we improve upon God's way? Why is there not a greater readiness to go into the highways, to the lanes, to the poor, even to the ragged and the shabby, to bring them to the hearing of the gospel? And if the poor are really wanted at our churches and our chapels, why not give up what is too near an approach to the system of box, 2s.; pit, 1s.; and gallery, 6d. -the system of pew rents, I mean. "Let us see what was the Saviour's idea of the way in which the world might be induced to listen to gospel tidings, and to believe. Neither pray I,' he said, for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they, also, may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.' According to him, the union of his disciples is essential to the world's believing. And yet your corres. pondents talk of the members of all Christian sects. And perhaps they suggest union in prayer without union in preaching, knowing that in preaching there coull be no union, unless the preacher of each sect agreed to hold in abeyance for the time what he held to be important truth-yea, truth important enough, in his estimation, to justify his being part and parcel of a sect. Many of Paul's admonitions have now become quite obsolete; and among the many accounted impracticable things he said, is this: 'Now, I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.' No divisions! No sects! Why, our wise men now-a-days, are telling us of the ad vantages of divisions and sects! "Once more; the meeting together to cantile pursuits' will be of little use, if pray of those who are engaged in mer there be not consistency of conduct when they go back to the shop, the warehouse, or the factory. A mid-day half-hour prayer meeting will not rub off a ten hours' ungodly grasping after money; money, ho nestly got if it can be; dishonestly if it can't. Tradesmen will only get laughed at by those in their employ for going to the meeting, if these see that they can defraud, oppress, and over-reach in their way of trade. We want a revival, but the revival must begin at home. Let those who go to pray look to it, that they don't hinder religion a great deal more than they advance it, by their neglect of 'good works.' "Your readers, Sir, can take this letter for what it is worth. If it be the truth, they need not revile the writer for writing it. If it be not the truth, they need not have their serenity disturbed thereby.-I am, Sir, yours very respectfully, "A PLAIN SPEAKER." That a daily paper, of large circulation, should almost daily contain something on this important subject, is at least deserving of thanks. The truth will out. THE FAITH & ORDER ACCEPTED BY AN ENTIRE CHURCH. THE church in Bond-street, Birming ham, long known as a Baptist Church, and now consisting of about two hundred members, has declared in favor of the faith and order, once for all delivered to the saints. The following has appeared in the Freeman, and also in the Birmingham Daily Post : - BOND-STREET CHAPEL.-At special churchmeetings it has been resolved to have a plurality of elders baptism without delay to every penitent believer who to take the oversight of the church to administer requests it, on his confessing that Jesus the Christ is the Son of the living God-to afford an opportunity, at the breaking of bread every Lord's day, for mu tual teaching to cease to sanction the singing of praise on the part of unbelievers to renounce all human creeds-to give up pew-rents and public col signa ion church of Christ meeting," &c. for that lections for church funds and to substitute the deof Baptist church." In each instance the church was first asked, "Do you consider this according to the teaching of the New Testament?" and secondly, If so, are you willing to adopt it ?" Mr. Chew has requested that the members of the church and others would cease to style him "reverend." Subsequently, the annexed resolution was unanimously passed That it is our duty as a Christian church to unite and co-operate with all Christian churches in every place, having as their guide and rule of faith the Word of God only; and that with a view to the furtherance of this end, a communication be sent to the Evangelist Committee at Nottingham, requesting to be recognised by all other Christian churches of the same faith and order. This event at least makes good such of our former notices of progress in Birmingham, as have intimated, that additions to the church in Cherry-street, ought not to be taken as indicating the measure of truth's progress in this locality. In the morning the seed has been scattered, in the evening the hand has not been held back. Time must reveal the result. As we formerly said, Cherry-street is not the measure of it" Dow we say Cherry-street and Bond-street together do not exhaust its results-the harvest is not yet. Mr. Chew remains at Bond-street as an evangelist, and will coöperate with us to act upon neighbouring localities. On Monday, the 22nd, a tea meeting was held in Bond-street chapel, when between 300 and 400 persons, chiefly members of the Bond-street church and of that in Cherry-street, enjoyed the repast. After tea a public meeting was addressed by S. J. Chew, D. King, Mr. Eggington, and Mr. Gilbert-deacons at Bond-street and briefly by two brethren from Cherry-street. In the course of the evening, the following address was read by Bro. Fraser : TO THE CHURCH IN BOND-STREET, BIRMINGHAM. Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all. Dear Brethren,-The church in Cherry-street having been informed of several important Resolutions passed by you, having reference to a return to the order of the Primitive Churches, desires to express its hearty approval of your determination, and at the same time to give thanks to Almighty God for His great goodness in granting to you those favoring circumstances which have tended to your clearer apprehension of the faith and order once for all delivered to the saints. The meetings you have held, the ques tions you have considered, and the conclusions you have arrived at, produce in the hearts of all enlightened Christians feelings of profound joy and gratitude. By thus acting you honor Him whom God has exslted, to whom He has given a name above every name, and who has received all authority in heaven and on earth. You honor him! Yes. By answering only to that name, derived from his, and first called upon the disciples at Antioch. Not that by this you value baptism less rather may it be said that only thus can you truly honor it. How received you the name of Christ? You were baptized into it, and therefore acknowledge as churches of the Lord, only congregations of baptized believers; while many who answer to the appellation Baptist, degrade the institution to a useless ceremony, by admitting to their fellowship, and acknowledging as members, those whom they declare unbaptized. Again, you honour the Saviour by resolving to ho or his laws, given by him and his apostles, and re corded in his one blessed volume. You have made the alteration, not for the sake of change-not because of expediency; but because you would be led by the Holy Spirit through the examples recorded for your imitation, and by commands handed down for your obedience. You thus practically declare, that just as the world by its wisdom could not find out God, and that the knowledge of Him depended upon His Prophets and Apostles-so the Papacy and Protestantism have by their wisdom been unable to discover a basis for Christian union, or a polity meeting the demands and requirements of the age; but, themselves bearing witness, after many centuries of exthat the Divine order of things, which has the saneperiments, they have utterly failed: thus conceding tion of Christ and His Apostles, is alone acceptable, worthy, and efficient. While we rejoice that you have thus resolved, we confess that our joy is damped by the consideration, that the churches professing Christianity are walking generally after their own ways, thereby dishonoring the Head of the Church, and failing in the great work for which the Lord desires to use them. is a sad one, that instead of looking for their coIf you are right, they are wrong, and the thought operation in the assault upon the world, we have a mission to them: we have to call them to obedience -to teach them to substitute the BIBLE for all human creeds-FACTS for inferences-THINGS for wordsUNITY OF FAITH for unity of opinion -THE POSITIVE COMMANDS OF GOD for human legislation and tradition. Sadder still the thought, not an offspring of uncharitableness, but which rests upon undeniable facts-that those who should lead to right positions, in various ways, stand in the path of progress-labor to build up sectarian interests, rather than to promote Christian union; and to sustain the cause restoration of the Divine order. (their own) rather than devote themselves to the After thus speaking of joy and sadness, we express our confidence as to the issue of efforts made in order to a return to the old ways. We hope that the day is not distant when there will be, as there once was, but one body, one faith, and one baptism, as there is but one Lord, one Spirit, and one God. Our confidence is based upon the immutability of the counsels of God. We call to mind the heart-strivings and acknowledged helplessness of the sects, as well as upon the fact that, under the Divine blessing, nearly one hundred churches in Great Britain co-operate to this end, that in the United States upwards of 300,000 brethren long and labour for its approach that in Australia, Sydney, and New Zealand churches of the one faith plead the one order. In Germany and Italy many churches honor the Lord and his apostles. Ethiopia stretches forth her hands; and that everywhere, throughout the world, the hand of God may be seen working out His own great purposes. The church now addressing you will add, in conclusion, that in extending to the church in Bondstreet the hand of fellowship, and in declaring not only its willingness, but its earnest desire, that the two churches should co-operate in all possible efforts, in order to the end in view, it does so not on the supposition that your church has become part of a denomination to which the Church in Cherry-street is attached- for it belongs to no denomination, but holds denominationalism and nonconformity as no thing less than treason against the Lord. In this ing the one faith, and observing (the one order, is a view every congregation of baptized believers, holdsister church, whom it is our duty to acknowledge, and with whom it is our privilege to co-operate. Trusting that by the Divine blessing efficient means may be devised by which this important Midland town and the surrounding localities may be acted "pon to their advantage and to the glory of God, we remain, dear brethren, on behalf and by request of the church in Cherry-street, your's in the hope of eternal life, DAVID KING-ED. FRASER. ITEMS OF NEWS. SWANSEA. Our brethren here have to contend against prejudice and opposition. The press of the town will not favor us in the least. The conductors of the Journal promised to publish Bro. Milner's Letters to the People, but owing to some cause or other, they were rejected in a very uncourteous manner. We therefore had 12,000 one-page tracts on 24 subjects, forwarded from Edinburgh, and also 300 on each of the subjects suggested at the Annual Meeting. These we distribute every Lord's day. We conduct seven meetings during the week; one of these is held in the Infirmary, where the afflicted assemble in one ward to hear the Scriptures read and expounded. We have had three additions since I came here, two by immersion, and one restored. We solicit earnestly the prayers of the brethren in our behalf. There are at least 20,000 persons in this town who do not attend a place of worship. Our meeting-room is in the centre of the town, and is comfortably fitted up to seat about 150. If Bros. King and Milner could spend three or four weeks here in the Summer, we should witness results worth their coming. Our Welsh brethren sent me £1 to aid in paying for the tracts, for which we thank them.-The Wrexham brethren are about opening a meetingroom at Moss, near that town. Will they furnish some information respecting it in your next number?--E. EVANS. WIGAN. Since our last month's report, one believer has been united to Christ by baptism, and added to the church here. J. S. WALKER, NEWTOWN, SYDNEY.-Since writing last we have received five into the church, viz.: a brother and his daughter, a sister from India, and three females by immersion. We do not make much progress, most of the people being either very much prejudiced or very apathetic. In the church we have great peace and love. Our meeting on Lord's day evenings is very well attended. One of the brethren is chairman, another notes the time, and a third opens the subject for discussion, being allowed 20 minutes, and each subsequent speaker 10 minutes. We have thus discussed many of the leading principles of Christianity. We have had a visit from Bro. E. M. Pryce, who is on his way from New Zealand to England. T. GOODIN. OBITUARY.-We have to announce the not unexpected departure of our aged and truly venerable sister in Christ, MARGARET MERCER, relict of our de ceased brother, Joseph Mercer. Our dear sister was the oldest member in the church, being in her 83rd year. She had been a member of the church for upwards of fourteen years, during which time, and until within a short period of her death, she had been a constant attendant on the means of grace, her place among the children of God being rarely vacant. She peacefully fell asleep in Jesus on Lord's-day morning, Nov. 20, 1859. J. S. WALKER. CONCLUDING THE labors of another year terminate with our present number, which completes the twenty-fourth volume of a periodical originated in 1837 with the object of advocating a return to the purity and simplicity of Bible Christianity, That much good has been accomplished by it, does not admit of doubt; but a great work still remains to be accomplished. We hope, therefore, with the Divine permission, to commence ano REMARKS. ther volume with the New Year, for which we bespeak the sympathy and increased support of our subscribers and the brethren at large. In this work, which we regard as auxiliary to the labors of proclaiming and teaching the truth, we shall again have the hearty support and coöperation of those gifted brethren among us, whose contributions have enriched the pages of the HARBINGER during the past year. J. W. |