needed so much as on matters which lie out of the ordinary track, and with respect to which it is well known that men are largely under the influence of prejudice and error. You do a man no good, however much you may minister to his vanity, by telling him what he already knows; but if you have some great truth with which he is not familiar or to which he is averse, and can bring this before him, with the evidence on which it rests, you have done more to benefit him as a rational and moral being than you could have done by the most eloquent repetition of hackneyed topics respecting which he had not been in error previously, though in the one case you might have flattered and in the other you have offended his self-love. It is notorious that every new and great impulse which has been given to the cause of truth in the world, whether it be that of scientific, political, theological, or any other, has emanated from men who have had courage enough to think for themselves, and daring enough to announce their discoveries, notwithstanding their knowledge at the time that the announcement would be a formal contradiction of all the prevalent notions on the subject, and the signal for a general discharge of all kinds of abuse and obloquy upon the devoted heads of the discoverers. From an excellent Circular Letter on the Obligation of Dissenters to diffuse their Principles, from the Berks and West Middlesex Association. Entelligence. BAPTIST FOREIGN MISSIONS. STATE OF THE FUNDS, AND NECESSITY FOR INCREASED EFFORT. [We have been desired to insert the following article from the Baptist Missionary Herald for July. We have much pleasure in doing so; and shall be glad if it be the means of drawing attention to the great importance of the Society being favoured with increased support]: The state of the funds, and the fear of stations being abandoned and missionaries withdrawn, have called forth several letters to the Editor, expressing very strongly feelings in which we would express our entire concurrence, and at the same time our confident belief that if the suggestions contained in those letters were fully and earnestly carried out, not only would curtailment be unnecessary, but the sphere of usefulness may be considerably extended; and if the motto of the Pope is "NOT A STEP BACKWARDS," let not the Protestant relax in his efforts to fulfil the gracious commission of the Redeemer to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. One friend (D. J. E.), after the suggestion of measures for the consideration of the Committee as to communication with the pastors of the churches and the officers of the auxiliaries, urges the desirableness of each pastor convening a meeting for solemn consultation and earnest prayer within a short period, in order to avert the lamentable result that would ensue if stations should be abandoned or missionaries withdrawn, and expresses the hope that by the matter being presented as a personal question to the members of our churches, a large augmentation of income may be secured. Another correspondent (R. S.) remarks feelingly on the feeble efforts that are put forward for the fulfilment of the Saviour's great commission, and enforces the duty of immediate steps being taken to double, which he considers possible, the income of the Society, urging on every member of the church, in addition to that now given, to subscribe one penny weekly, and stating that some of the young members of the church with which he is connected have begun collecting on that principle. A third, under the appropriate motto, "Go forward," prays "that we may all think more of the love of our divine Redeemer, who, being rich, for our sakes became poor, and feel an increased interest in the promotion of his cause," and he sets an example which we shall be happy to see more generally followed, by enclosing five pounds in addition to his annual subscription. Surely if the principle enforced in our March number, under the title of "Divine Method of Giving," were generally followed out, that is to say, if every one who can, gave something, and that on the first day of every week, and each gave as the Lord had prospered him, the Society would be at once relieved from all embarrassment. There are probably many young persons who do not contribute, and we trust that juvenile associations will be multiplied, and that in them all such will be included. The youthful Josiah never thought when he set about a work for God, what a blessing God was about to confer on him, and it may be that our children, when brought to feel an interest in the salvation of the heathen, may, under the Divine blessing, be led to seek for themselves that which they would confer upon others. Those in humble circumstances, if they can be induced to put aside with regularity even the smallest sum, will by their numbers raise a large amount; but if we may venture an opinion, it is, that the poor members of our churches have borne their proportion of that which has been done. When we look back to the lists of subscribers for twenty years, and see the same individuals with the sum of one pound one shilling annually appended to their names, while it is acknowledged that their income has, under a Divine blessing on their exertions, been increased tenfold, and that their style of living has been in comparison with that, the conclusion is manifest that they have not given as the Lord has prospered them. It may be that they have added some six or eight guineas to their subscription list, and perhaps advanced somewhat in their contribution to the support of their minister; but, alas, how small a proportion does the whole together bear to that of which God in his providence has made them stewards! Who amongst us, except the poor widow, has ever made a sacrifice? While a tenth may be a due proportion for one man, a fourth, or even a half, may be as unquestionably that for another. We feel no doubt that an adherence by all to the scriptural method of giving would at once double the income of the Society. May the Lord enable each of us to feel it a privilege to do all we can for the promotion of His cause. After the above was in print, a letter came to hand from W. H., expressing the feeling which had been created by the Missionary Herald for the last month, which he describes as "a most thrilling one, calculated to excite the most fervent gratitude for the conversion of souls, and a deep sympathy with the Committee of the Society under its present difficulties." He expresses his earnest desire that each may arise and shew himself strong on behalf of Christ's cause; each according to his power and his responsibility. He states, that his reading parts of the Missionary Herald at the prayer-meeting had produced immediately a donation of £5, and urges an effort to pay off the debt; but we would remind our excellent friend that this is not all we require. Our expenditure is, year by year, greater than our income, and we must have an increase of regular annual income, or the effort will have to be repeated; and such efforts often repeated have an injurious effect on the Society. As we have expressed above, if every one does what he can, the income will be more than sufficient, and we feel that it will be a reproach to us if, that being the case, the Committee shall be compelled to diminish its means of usefulness. THE MECHANISM OF LABOUR. My dear Mr. Editor, In the last number of "The Church," you speak of our Societies as "too mechanical." Is it not nearer the truth to describe them as not sufficiently spiritual? and am I not right in thinking that this is your meaning? "Order is heaven's first law." That machinery which works so perfectly, that you notice neither the movement nor the noise, is not too mechanical. If you hear the one and see the other, the machinery is not mechanical enough. Make your system complete, and it will require less attention and thought than if it were imperfect or broken. Of course, in either case, the great thing is to cherish a feeling of dependence on spiritual agency and spiritual motives, and to remember that, in spiritual matters, all machinery, good or bad, is of itself useless; and that it is mighty in proportion only to its scripturalness, and the holy fervour with which men work it. I am quite willing to say, I think less of your machinery, and more of the spirit of your labours; but surely it is equally true, and the truth needs at least as frequent enunciation, keep your machinery in clean working order, and so reserve your anxiety and time for the cultivation of a holy devoted frame. Depend upon it, the man who hates being "too mechanical," and works by fits and starts, is not the man in whom you will find the spirit which God honours with success. I think that I know enough of your mind to anticipate your concurrence in these views, and doubt whether you meant, by the expression which I criticise, to question them. But as you have been quoted against them, let me anticipate your explanation by my own. Your constant Reader, J. A. [It is impossible to refuse cordial assent to the statement of our valued correspondent. We may explain in one word what we meant, by accommodating our Lord's explanation of his assertion respecting the rich; and say, "how hard is it for those who trust in mechanical arrangements to advance really the kingdom of God." We do think the tendency of the age is to trust in them too much. Hence for every thing we must have a committee, treasurer, secretary, public meeting, formal resolutions, chairman, platform, &c. All the greatest movements in the world have been accomplished by the zeal of individuals arousing their fellow-men. The zeal has been put into systematic form, and it has died. We do not say that it would not have died from the very tendency of human excitement to subside; yet we are inclined to think that a well looking system has too often diverted the attention and reliance to itself, which should have been given to heaven and the heart. We freely own that this is not a necessary consequence. We are glad, however, that the subject should attract attention; but had no thought that we should be honoured by being "quoted " as an authority.] REMOVALS. The Rev. Thomas Pottenger, late of Bradford, has accepted the invitation of the church at Tuthill-Stairs, Newcastle, to become their pastor; the Rev. W. Howieson, of Keighley, that of the church at Zion-Street, Walworth, London; the Rev. G. Gould, of Exeter, that of the church at St. Mary's, Norwich; the Rev. J. J. Davies, that of the church at Luton; and the Rev. James Fyfe of Shotley-Bridge, that of the church at Darlington. It is with pleasure we add, that the calls in every one of these cases have been both cordial and unanimous. THE CHURCH. "Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone."-Eph. ii. 20. SEPTEMBER, 1849. BAPTISM OF THE HON. AND REV. BAPTIST W. NOEL, M.A. OUGHT A PROFESSOR OF LONG STANDING TO BE BAPTIZED? Most of our readers have already heard that since the publication of our last Number Mr. Noel has been baptized. We cannot but regard Mr. Noel's decision with pleasure, in every point of view. While it can add nothing to the evidence for the truth of our views, it can, and it will, secure a candid attention to them from thousands who will think, and justly think, that his adoption of them is a call on them also to re-examine the baptismal question. It is a very different thing to ask, "Have any of the rulers believed ?" and to enquire, "Have any of those whose integrity and piety, intelligence and candour, we have long respected, believed?" When persons of the latter class embrace any doctrine, in opposition to early and long-cherished prepossessions, it is properly regarded by all good men who have held the same views, as a summons to consider those views afresh. The light of Mr. Noel's example must be like "a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid." We hope Baptists are above deeming Knights, Baronets, et hoc genus omne, an accession, as such, to their body. But they are not above rejoicing in the honour done to truth by the homage of christian worth, when offered in the face of every temporal inducement to withhold it. We are gratified, too, with no merely denominational feeling, by the consistent light in which this act will place Mr. Noel before the public; and the enhancement thereby of the value of his Anti-State-church tes timony. Our earnest Anti-State-church brethren of Pædobaptist views, will rejoice with us in this, as they will have felt from reading his book, as we have done, that the open adoption of Baptist principles appeared a necessary corollary to the opinions on the subject expressed in his work. May it lead many of them to see, that a thorough voluntary ought, for consistency's sake, to reject involuntary baptism, and thereby to close, so far as in him lies, the chief door into the State-churches of Christendom. Dissenters themselves have much to learn on this point, and on others too, from the Anti-State-church principle. We are gratified, also, that he has discouraged by his example another error, as we deem it. We were informed that he had fully adopted Bap VOL. III. K tist views, but did not intend to be baptized, on the ground, that baptism is confessed to be the rite of initiation, that it is therefore appropriate only to the commencement of our christian profession,-that if, therefore, it has been unintentionally omitted at the commencement of our christian course, it cannot be properly performed at an advanced stage of it.* Now, we have happened to know of this argument having been urged upon many who have embraced our views,-urged we believe in good faith; but happily in no case, so far as we are aware, successfully. We own that it has a very plausible appearance; it does not attack the truth of our views, and it would often save the party recently convinced of their truth, the cross of exposing himself to remark and censure, even from those who ought to commend his readiness to "confess Christ before men;" but however plausible, it is very unsatisfactory, we think, to a mind anxious to obey, not in word only, but in deed and in truth. First, most unsophisticated minds feel the consideration to be overpowering, that Christ has commanded believers to be baptized; that they as believers have never been baptized, and that therefore that duty has yet to be done. Such "honest and good ground hearers," revolt from nice distinctions and subtleties; their feeling is, "It is plain that Christ had some useful end to serve in his kingdom by appointing this ceremony. I can perceive many advantages to the church from its being performed on believers as a 'reasonable service;' my Lord may perceive many more; and I will not hazard withholding the contribution to his cause of my open homage to his laws. Even if it be superfluous, all men will behold in it an act of obedience to my Lord, and my evident motives will honour him before them. I had rather do more than I need for Christ, than run the hazard of leaving deliberately any part of his will undone." He who reasons thus reasons safely, to say the least. Secondly, we have heard the illustration strongly pressed, that the law of our land holds, in many cases, a marriage valid in which the contracting parties were not guilty of intentional irregularity, although a technical error had been committed in the ceremony, and does not represent the marriage as illegitimate by requiring the ceremony to be performed anew; that so we ought not to represent the former profession of a christian of long standing as invalid, by performing on him the initiatory rite. Now, without mooting the question of the validity of the unbaptized profession, since such christians rarely if ever doubt the reality of their former profession, and few are prepared to deny it, we think the comparison is not a quite happy one. The question is one not of technical mistake, but of entire oversight, or neglect. He who believes with Peter that the essence of baptism is "the answer of a good conscience towards God," believes that the baptismal ceremony has never in his case been performed at all; he is conscious of his, former sincerity, conscious that he has been long a believer, but equally conscious that he has been and is an unbaptized believer. The appeals of Paul to baptized believers, he feels are not addressed to him. "Baptism," observes Mr. Noel beautifully (p. 410 of his book) 'was the uniform of Christ put upon those who had enlisted as his soldiers;" and in accordance with this apt and scriptural illustration, a believer, who knows that he did, not enlist till years of consciousness, who knows that then he did not put on this uniform, cannot but feel unwilling to appear longer in the ranks of his Great Captain without his prescribed uniform: or even suppose a Since writing the above, we have seen the substance of the address delivered by Mr. Noel at his baptism. It is inserted page 255. Our readers will perceive that he has very beautifully adverted to this subject. volunteer had, through some defect of vision (like that which confounds colours), not put on a uniform of the right colour, and although told of it by his fellow-soldiers, not being able to see that his colour was a wrong one, suppose, too, that he afterwards acquired the faculty of distinguishing the colours which before he confounded, would not such a volunteer at once conform to the prescribed colour? would he not, at almost any attainable cost, rectify even this unintentional mistake? We need not apply the illustration. Thirdly, but we have one remark more; for though we deem either of the above representations conclusive, and their united force irresistible, yet different arguments impress different minds with varied force;—it is this, that if any weight be allowed to the irregularity of baptizing midway in a christian profession, as a reason against doing it, still greater weight must be allowed to the necessity, in the view of a Baptist, of testifying in the most marked way to the mischievous irregularity of baptizing unregenerate babes, and the consequent irregularity of a believer's neglecting baptism on becoming a believer. When wrong views and practice in regard to the ordinance are so prevalent, there is great need to bear the strongest testimony against them. Granting, then, that baptizing in the midst of a christian profession is an irregularity, remaining unbaptized is also an irregularity; but by the former irregularity I clothe myself "in Christ's uniform," and bear testimony against error,-by the latter, my example is likely to be interpreted as sanctioning what I hold to be a dangerous relic of Popery. An independent minister of great intelligence and candour, who had urged the views now canvassed rather strongly on the writer, confessed that the representation just given ought to have great weight with any one convinced of the correctness of Baptist sentiments. F. CLOWES. IDOLATROUS WORSHIP CONTINUED. "Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places."-2 Kings xiv. 4. In examining the brief notices, or mere records, of the principal acts of the kings of Israel and Judah in the scriptures, there are some things which irresistibly strike one as deserving of particular attention. Amongst them is to be found the greatest diversity of human character. The thrones of these kingdoms were occupied by some who had sold themselves to work iniquity, and who followed with greediness every species of abomination; by others, who could be moved by worldliness, or religion, or both, as their policy required; and by some few whose uniform endeavour was to "walk before God with a perfect heart." What a mighty influence did their individual character exert over the nation at large ! It gave a kind of cast to the times. When the king was irreligious and profligate, the times were distinguished by a general neglect and contempt of the temple and its worship, an awful desecration of the ordinances of God, and the substitution for godliness of idolatry and iniquity. When the sovereign was pious and accustomed to enquiring of the Lord, the temple was repaired, the priests were sanctified, the service of God was restored, idolatry was put under immediate check, and a powerful restriction was laid upon all sin. The rich and the poor, the learned and the rude, the sovereign and the people, set their hearts upon humiliation and reformation. In these days their enemies declined, their |