While speaking on the subject of union, desirous as he was not to trespass longer than was necessary on their attention, he would remind the brethren present of the immense importance of a still closer and closer and more compact union among themselves. It was only in proportion as they were united among themselves, that they could be prepared for compactly uniting with others. He was an Independent; but he was not the advocate of that rampant independency which, while it resisted authority, despised advice and co-operation. He was not an advocate of that rampant independency which, in the obstinacy of self-will, would refuse, on any occasion, to allow individual decision to be in some measure guided and influenced by collective wisdom and experience; and he repeated, he felt sure, that in proportion as, on scriptural grounds, they united among themselves, they might hope for a closer and more compact union with other sections of the Christian church. Had nothing else been done by the Congregational Union of England and Wales, than to bring about the meeting held in London on the first of June, much would have been accomplished; but a lively hope might be entertained that much more would yet be done. Perhaps they had made a mistake in first appealing to the people before they had solicited a general union of the ministers and officers of churches. They were, however, now looking forward to a general convention of the whole body of Protestant Christians throughout the world; and no one could look at the aspect of the times, or contemplate what was passing before him, without being convinced that Protestants, of every name, in every part of the world, must be more closely united with each other.

The Rev. THOMAS STRATTEN, of Hull, seconded the resolutions. He congratulated the meeting that the movement in favour of union had now got beyond their own denominational enclosure; that other influential bodies, which had hitherto stood aloof from them, were beginning to feel that there were great and essential links which bound them together, and that there was ground which they might take in common. This question had now got a fair start, and who could tell where its career would end? It must go on until the prayer of their Lord, offered whilst he was still in his state of humiliation, and just on the eve of his suffering, should be answered, and the church should be one, as the Father and the Son are one. He was accordingly rejoiced to find by these resolutions, that the cause was progressing in a manner of which he had had no previous conception, and that there was in contemplation a convention of delegates from the great Protestant bodies of evangelical Christians. He confessed that he liked the term "evangelical" better than "Protestant." "Protestant" implied that there was something which they had to stand against. He thought that "evangelical" was the more comprehensive, and, therefore, the more proper term to connect with this project. At all events, the object was one in which he most cordially rejoiced.

The following resolutions were then put and carried unanimously:

1. That this Meeting recognises with great joy, in the Meeting for Christian Union held in Exeter Hall, on the first of June last, and in those held in Edinburgh in July last, for celebrating the Bicentenary of the Meeting of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, as now reported, renewed proofs of the essential unity of the evangelical churches of the Protestant Reformation; as well as of an evidently growing disposition among the various evangelical denominations, to cultivate the harmony and co-operation so urgently required for maintaining the great Protestant cause in these remarkable times.

2. That this Meeting hopes to see the course thus auspiciously commenced, carried forward on a wider range, and to more practical results; and the Meeting feels a full persuasion that the churches and pastors of the Congregational Union of England and Wales will be prepared to sustain and assist in a general convention of delegates from

evangelical churches in various parts of the world, for united counsel and action in defence of the essential truths and principles common to them all, whenever Providence may prepare the way for so important a movement; or in any other less extended movements of a similar character and design.

FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

The Rev. R. FLETCHER, of Manchester, proposed the adoption of the following resolutions :

1. That the brethren present feel themselves, as the inheritors of the cause and the principles of the two thousand confessors of the memorable Bartholomew Day, 1662, especially called upon to express their warm Christian sympathy with the noble band of four hundred and seventy brethren who, on a like call of truth and conscience, abandoned their stations and livings in the Established Kirk of Scotland, by withdrawing from its General Assembly, on the 18th of May, 1843,—a day to be henceforth, like the 24th of August, 1662, illustrious in the annals of Christian constancy and religious liberty.

2. That this Meeting witnesses with delight, the zeal and energy with which these brethren are, in the midst of great difficulties, proceeding to establish their “free protesting Presbyterian church,”—their enlarged views of Christian liberality towards other evangelical communities,-and the great pecuniary sacrifices and contributions by which both ministers and people are vindicating the energy of the voluntary principle for supplying the funds necessary for Christian churches; while fidelity requires of this Meeting to add, that its satisfaction will be still higher, and more complete, when it learns that the church-fellowship of this emancipated and independent body has been regulated by principles of scriptural and spiritual discipline.

He said it was quite unnecessary that he should trouble the Meeting with any remarks in support of this expression of sympathy with their brethren, who had seceded from the Scotch establishment. He could not but think that, in many respects, the movement which had taken place would have a most beneficial effect. Some of his brethren felt, as he was assured, an inability to sympathise, so fully, at least, as they otherwise would do, with the seceders from the Scotch church, because they still adhered to the principle of an establishment. He confessed, that to him that circumstance was rather encouraging than otherwise. If they had gone over all at once to voluntary principles, he believed that they would not have had so clear and practical a demonstration of the incompatibility of the independence of the church with a state connexion. They still clung to their old theory, but he believed it would not be long before they renounced it, and adopted the principles of voluntary Christianity.

The Rev. JONATHAN GLYDE, of Bradford, seconded the resolution, and after a verbal alteration, suggested by the Rev. R. W. HAMILTON, was agreed to, and the resolutions were cordially adopted by the Meeting.

FINANCES OF THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

The following document was then read by the Chairman :

Memorial on the Financial Position of the Congregational Union of
England and Wales.

The financial position of the Union is not satisfactory: it is, on the contrary, one of serious difficulty. Yet if the following suggestions are approved, and acted on with unanimity and vigour by its friends, all difficulties may be easily overcome and removed.

At present the Union is in arrear, or under liability, to the amount of at least five hundred pounds.

From the commencement of the Union, its charges have been met chiefly from the profits of its publications. This was never deemed a desirable application of those funds. It has of course lessened the necessity for appeals for contributions on the part of its Committee, and has removed from the minds of its friends the strongest motives for liberality in its support. Besides which, it is in principle an objectionable source of revenue. It is not well that the Committee of such a body as this Union should be sustained by, and administer for its management, funds not voluntarily contributed for that specific purpose; and therefore stand in any degree independent of the popular control of a body of subscribers. It is true, the profits of the publications of the Union have not yet been large, and the smallness of the sums so derived and employed has hitherto kept the matter very much out of view. Still in principle it is not well that the management of the Union should be provided for by the profits of its publications; and were these to become ample, it might in practice be found injurious. It is therefore thought that it would be a great and very desirable improvement, to obtain by subscriptions the not large annual income necessary to meet the charges of the Union, and to devote all clear profits derived from its publications to some benevolent purpose. The present is also deemed a favourable opportunity to propose and attempt this change.

Church contributions for such purposes have not been found to work well. The churches possess no general fund from which such small payments can be made. It is very natural that individuals should feel unwilling to pay for the church a contribution understood to be made by the body; and it is found very difficult to secure the collection of small sums to make up an annual church subscription. The Committee would therefore recommend an appeal for personal subscriptions.

The Committee therefore asks the sanction of the Meeting for the three following proposals :

First, That an appeal be forthwith made to the churches connected with the Union through their deacons for contributions--say of two, five, or ten pounds each, according to their several ability-to meet the present arrears and liabilities of the Union, now reported as amounting to five hundred pounds or upwards.

Second, That an appeal be also forthwith made to the friends of the Union in town and country, for personal subscriptions, to meet the annual charges of management, reported as amounting to about three hundred pounds.

[Third, That should these appeals prove successful, then that from and after the next Annual Assembly of the Union, all clear profits derived from its publications shall be devoted to a fund for the assistance of aged ministers, under such modes and regulations as may be hereafter agreed on.]

T. PIPER, Esq., of London, moved the adoption of the above memorial. He said he felt exceedingly sorry that the proceedings of the Union should have been embarrassed, as it appeared they had been, by the want of funds; and he thought it behoved them to endeavour, in this respect, to place the Union upon a far better footing than it had already stood. He was not sure whether any regular application had been made to the churches hitherto for annual subscriptions, but he would venture to pledge himself that there should in future be a contribution from the Weigh House, proceeding either from the church as such, or from those who wished to have the credit of the subscription. He felt it to be his duty to make known, as much as possible, the pecuniary wants of the Union; and many others, he had no doubt, would share in that feeling, when they learned the position in which the Union was placed.

G. HADFIELD, Esq., of Manchester, in seconding the resolution, said he hoped that a very slight effort would raise the Union from its present position, and that that effort would not be wanting. It was very unworthy of them, he considered,

that they could not meet together without being necessarily involved in such a discussion as that. He would engage that the town of Manchester should subscribe towards the funds of the Union, and he hoped that other towns would do their duty. They were arrived at a crisis in which they would have to discuss very great principles affecting the church of Christ generally; and it was therefore of the utmost importance that their attention should not be distracted on an occasion like that, by a question which wanted nothing but a general effort to secure its satisfactory settlement.

A discussion ensued as to the application of the funds to be derived from the proposed plan. It was ultimately agreed that the third proposal in the memorial should be omitted; and with this alteration it was adopted.

At this stage of the Meeting, the Chairman was compelled, by another engagement, to vacate the chair, and requested the Rev. JOHN ELY, of Leeds, who had not yet joined the Union, to act as his substitute. The latter gentleman acceded to the request, and his so doing was the immediate occasion of reiterated cheers and laughter. When these had subsided, the rev. gentleman said, that having been betrayed into this anomalous position, he supposed he had now no other resource than to give in his adhesion to the Union, which was received with loud cheers.

ADHERENCE TO EVANGELICAL TRUTH.

The Rev. A. WELLS then read, as preparatory to discussion, the Declaration, &c., that we have inserted at page 857, which, he said, were prepared by the Committee. The Rev. THOMAS SMITH, M.A., of Sheffield, said he felt peculiar diffidence in moving the adoption of this declaration, on account of the peculiar nature and interest of the subjects which it brought under their view; but he could not avoid referring to some of the points which it presented for consideration. He must first observe that he thanked and praised God, as he had no doubt that his brethren also did, that, among many mercies shown to the Union, it had pleased Him to give them a secretary who was gifted with a felicity of expression, and a clearness, candour, and devoutness of sentiment, which gave to the papers and resolutions of that society a very unusual character. Nor was this limited, he was bound to say, to their public documents. In the correspondence which was carried on with the brethren and friends in the various departments of labour, there was a spirit of kindness breathed which bound more and more to the Union every man who had been engaged in communication with their secretary. He would now turn to the paper before them. He had not been an inattentive observer of the great movements referred to in the introductory paper, and especially those of revivals in America; nor of the book which had possessed such a notoriety, and had been recommended to them by some of their excellent brethren present. He acknowledged he never could fully sympathise with that book, nor could he approve of the arrangements and plans in reference to revivals which it detailed. It was, he conceived, of the utmost importance that they should not take an insulated or partial view of the doctrines of the Gospel, or the mode of enforcing them, but that they should endeavour, like the holy apostles of their Lord, to give to all portions of truth their due prominence; and he rejoiced, therefore, that they were about to send forth a document containing wise, sober, and comprehensive views, both of the Gospel itself and of the ministry of the word. To advert to another point, he must say that he had not felt such alarm as some had done in reference to the doctrines of Puseyism. Remembering that the church of England had so often left the great body of the people who belonged to her pale, ignorant of the principles of the Gospel, he had considered that it did not greatly matter whether Puseyism or the papacy attached to that church in her orthodox capacity. He now acknowledged that he had been in error, in not feeling

greater alarm at the doctrines of the Tractarians, and he perfectly agreed in the necessity which was here stated for doing all in their power to counteract them. It was a delightful fact that they had made but little progress among their own people; indeed he was not aware of a single case in which a member of their body had been infected with these views. Their own denomination possessed peculiar advantages as respected the defence of the Gospel. Who could read Dr. Bennett's work on Justification by Faith, or Dr. Payne's Lectures, without seeing that they had a capacity and facility for defending their views of the doctrines of the Gospel which could hardly be enjoyed by those who were fettered with creeds and confessions? He cordially concurred in what was said in this document as to the necessity of preaching the Gospel in a fervent, earnest, and affectionate manner. They must not merely preach with doctrinal accuracy-in which perhaps they were inferior to no order of Christian ministers—but must make an earnest and fervent application of the Gospel to the heart and soul of their hearers. Let them proceed upon the basis of sound doctrine, elucidate the Scripture in its native and proper meaning, and with ali fervour and ardour and unction, endeavour to impress it on the heart. They wanted what Mr. Jay had so happily described in a letter, where he said that by placing old truths in new connexions they would give to oldness or sameness the effect of novelty. Here it was that all the powers of taste and elegance and style were required to place the Gospel in an interesting aspect. There was one very important point to which he must refer, though he did it with some hesitation, namely, the instructions which were given by tutors to the rising ministry under their care. He was happy to be able to state his belief that there was no failure in this important particular. Having laboured six-and-twenty years in this department at Rotherham College, he had ever made it his chief endeavour to instruct his younger brethren directly from the Scriptures. There were probably nearly a hundred brethren then labouring in the ministry of the Gospel, who were experiencing whatever advantages his instructions could confer. He believed that the same course had been pursued generally by those who had been entrusted with the office of tutor. With regard to social prayer amongst the ministers of the Gospel, which had been touched upon with such tact, skill, and impressiveness by the brother who had addressed them from the pulpit on Tuesday evening, he thought its importance could not possibly be overrated, seeing that the success of their ministry must be derived in so great a measure from the tone and temper of their own minds. They might expect that the Holy Spirit would be communicated, and that their zeal as ministers would be called into lively, active, and vivid action, by the exercises of devotion; and the connexion between the two could not be too constantly borne in mind. For himself, having been so long engaged in the work of training the ministers of the Gospel, he could not but rejoice in the spectacle which he beheld. He felt a confident hope that sound doctrine would be preserved by those who had the care of the churches; and that pure morals would be exemplified and inculcated by eminent men who would be the ornament of literature, and the guides of the church. Notwithstanding the storms and tempests by which they were agitated, there rose in the vista a brighter prospect―the prospect of a day when “the kingdoms of this world should become the kingdoms of their Lord and of his Christ."

The Rev. R. W. HAMILTON, of Leeds, said-I quite sympathise in the regret of the mover of this resolution in being called upon to second its adoption; but I have been requested to undertake this, in circumstances which forbade all refusal. I know not why I, in particular, have been called to this position, save that he who did so invoke me was, perhaps, a little privy to certain correspondence which has passed upon periodical views of Christianity. I shall express myself in no more tangible shape. I do think that there have been presented, in some of our periodical organs,