Robert Ainslie, City Mission. A. F. Lacroix, from India. John Arundell, London Missionary Society. H. F. Burder, D.D., Hackney. John Cumming, M.A., Scotch Church, J. Hamilton, M.A., Scotch Church, Regent square. J. Campbell, D.D., Tabernacle. J. H. Hinton, M.A., Devonshire-square. J. Pye Smith, D.D., F.R.S., Homerton. J. A. James, Birmingham. Algernon Wells, Congregational Union. Edward Steane, D.D., Camberwell. Samuel Brown, Loughton. J. C. Burns, A.M., Scots' Church, Londonwall. Alexander M'Glashen, M.A., Scots' Church. R. Vaughan, D.D., Kensington. Thomas Jackson, Abney House, Stoke Newington. Thomas Aveling, Kingsland. John Blackburn, Christian Instruction Society. Edward Mannering, Holywell-mount. G. E. Farrar, Liverpool. John Broad, Hitchen. William Gregory, Clifton. John T. Paterson, D.D., Sunderland. George Redford, D.D., Worcester. B. Godwin, D.D., Oxford. Thomas Raffles, LL.D., Liverpool. Peter Lorimer, A.M., Scots' Church, Islington. Thomas Haynes, Bristol. J. E. Richards, Wandsworth. R. Waddy, York. James Edwards, Nottingham. John Hunt, Brixton, The Committee have been greatly encouraged to proceed by the general approbation with which the announcement of the object has been received by ministers and members of all the leading Evangelical denominations. They regret it has not been found practicable to send the resolutions to all the honoured brethren who would gladly have signed them; but they hereby invite the co-operation of all Evangelical ministers and members of Christ's universal Church; and entreat their prayers that the present movement may be sanctioned by an outpouring of his Spirit, to render it a step in the furtherance of that union for which he prayed, and which is the forerunner of the conversion of the world. JAMES SHERMAN, Secretary pro tem. SETTLEMENT OF THE REV. SAM. MARTIN, AT WESTMINSTER CHAPEL. This gratifying service took place on Thursday, March 23. The attendance was large and encouraging, affording pleasing evidence of the impression produced by the faithful ministry of our young friend. The morning service was very solemn and instructive. Mr. Sherman, of Surrey Chapel, read suitable portions of Scripture, and implored the Divine blessing on the engagements of the day. Dr. Vaughan then delivered a luminous and spirit-stirring discourse in defence of the polity of Congregational churches. Mr. Thomas James received from the church and its newly elected minister, a statement of the circumstances connected with the call and settlement of Mr. Martin. Both the account of the church and that of the pastor greatly interested the audience. Mr. Binney then commended the minister to the divine blessing, and Mr. Blackburn the flock. In the evening, Mr. Jeula read the Scriptures and prayed; Dr. Leifchild counselled the church and the pastor; Dr. Morison, the general hearers; and Mr. Martin closed the refreshing services of the day with prayer. The following Ministers attended the settlement of Mr. Martin: Drs. Campbell and Jenkyn; and Messrs. R. H. Shepherd, G. Sith,J. Mather, T. Archer, H. Townley, J. Robinson, J. Burnet, T. Russell, W. Richardson, E. Smith, N. Jennings, R. Hammond, H. Cook, and H. Quick. May the adored Head of the church smile on this auspicious union! BAXTER'S PORTRAITS OF THE REV. JOHN WILLIAMS AND THE REV. R. MOFFAT. These exquisite works of art, both in oils and mezzotinto, are now completed; and we cannot withhold, from Mr. Baxter, the testimony of our approbation to his very suc cessful efforts. The likenesses are unexceptionably good, particularly Mr. Moffat's, and the style of workmanship is a credit to the genius and enterprize of the artist. YORK ROAD CHAPEL, LAMBETH. It affords us much pleasure to learn that the pulpit of this sanctuary is about to be statedly occupied by a much-esteemed minister of Christ, whose education, evangelical views of truth, and ministerial standing, fit him, in a remarkable manner, for so important a sphere. We refer to the Rev. Richard Alliott, LL.D., of Nottingham, who has received and accepted an unanimous call from the Christian church assembling in York Road Chapel, and who expects to enter upon his new pastorate on the first Lord's-day in this month. Though we regret the loss of his labours to the cause at Nottingham, we most heartily congratulate our Lambeth friends on their very judicious selection of one to preside over them in the Lord. May the Divine benediction rest largely on the auspicious union! HOPE-STREET CHAPEL, SPITALFIELDS. On Tuesday, the 29th of March, 1842, the Rev. W. Tyler was ordained to the pastoral care of the (only Independent cause in Spitalfields) church assembling in Hopestreet chapel, Spitalfields. The service, one of deep interest and long to be remembered by those who attended on that solemn occasion, was conducted in La Patente Chapel, Brown's-lane, Spitalfields, being much more commodious than Hope-street chapel, which was crowded to an overflow. The Rev. E. Mannering opened the service with reading and prayer; the late Rev. N. M. Harry addressed the congregation on the nature of a Christian church from Ps. xlviii. 12-14; the Rev. L. Drummond asked the usual questions; the Rev. C. Hyatt, sen., offered the ordination prayer; the Rev. A. Reed, D.D., delivered an affectionate and faithful charge on the following topics: "Take heed to thyself, take heed to thy ministry, take heed to thy flock;" and the Rev. B. Wood yard concluded with prayer. In consequence of the lateness of the hour, the address to the church was deferred to April the 8th, in the same place, when the Rev. C. J. Hyatt, jun., opened the service with prayer and the Rev. B. Woodyard preached to a deeply attentive people. The church has been gathered by the instrumentality of the newly-ordained minister, after a close and successful labour of between five and six years. The Sabbath after the before-named service, about eighty persons communed at the table of the Lord, many of whom had been brought from the lowest grades of vice to the feet of Jesus since the re-opening of this house of prayer. The interest felt by the church with reference to the above service, induced them to wish that former impressions might be revived and increased, and proposed holding a special service on the anniversary, which was held on Tuesday, the 28th of March, by a communion service, at which the Rev. A. Reed, D.D. presided; the Rev. J. Young, M.A., and the Rev. C. J. Hyatt addressed the church and spectators; other ministers engaging in the devotional parts of the service of the evening. The prayers of the churches are entreated for this infant cause, surrounded as it is by a greater amount of sin and poverty than exists in any district of London. It is a fact, that more prisoners are sent to our metropolitan jails from this district than from any other. THE BIBLE AGAINST SLAVERY. To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine. DEAR SIR,—In an Appendix to Joseph Sturge's "Visit to the United States," there is a long quotation from a pamphlet by Theodore D. Weld, on the subject of slavery; and Mr. S. remarks of it: " Nobly has the writer of the Bible against Slavery' vindicated the ways of God to men, by proving that the peculiar servitude which is found in the Mosaic Institutions bears the characteristic impress of the Divine benevolence, and is as far removed from slavery as the east from the west. The one system is from above, the other from beneath." believing, Mr. Editor, that most of the statements may be new to many of your readers, who have their doubts as to the nature of the Hebrew slavery, I shall proceed with the quotation, begging of inquisitive and attentive readers to turn to the passages in the Bible, and which will afford them ample satisfaction, as they have to, Yours truly, April, 1843. And J. R. "The general object of the laws defining the relations of master and servant, was the good of both parties, more especially the good of the servants. While the masters' interests were guarded from injury, those of the servants were promoted. These laws made a merciful provision for the poorer classes, both of the Israelites and strangers, not laying on burdens, but lightening them; they were a grant of privileges and favours. 1. No servant from the strangers could remain in the family of an Israelite, without becoming a proselyte. Compliance with 46 this condition was the price of the privilege. Gen. xvii. 9; xiv. 23, 27. "2. Excommunication from the family was a punishment. Gen. xxi. 14; Luke xvi. 2, 4. "3. Every Hebrew servant could compel his master to keep him after the six years' contract had expired. This shows that the system was framed to advance the interests, and gratify the wishes of the servant quite as much as those of the master. If the servant demanded it, the law obliged the master to retain him, however little he might need his services. Deut. xv. 12-17; Exod. xxi. 2-6. "4. The rights and privileges guaranteed by law to all servants. "(1.) They were admitted into covenant with God. Deut. xxix. 10-13. (2.) They were invited guests at all the national and family festivals. Exod. xii. 43, 44; Deut. xii. 12, 18; xvi. 10-16. (3.) They were statedly instructed in all morality and religion. Deut. xxxi. 10— 13; Josh. viii. 33-35; 2 Chron. xvii. 8, 9. 46 (4.) They were released from their regular labours nearly one-half of the whole time; during which they had their entire support, and the same instruction as others. (a.) The law secured to them the whole of every seventh year; Lev. xxv. 3-6; thus giving to servants, during the entire period between the jubilees, eight whole years, including the jubilee year of unbroken rest. (b.) Every seventh day. This, in forty-two years, the eight being subtracted from the fifty, would amount to just six years. (c.) The three annual festivals. The Passover, which commenced on the 15th of the first month, and lasted seven days. Deut. xvi. 3-8. The Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks, which began on the 6th day of the third month, and lasted seven days. Deut. xvi. 10, 11. The Feast of Tabernacles, which commenced on the 15th of the seventh month, and lasted eight days. Deut. xvi. 13-15; Lev. xxiii. 34-39. If we assign three weeks for each festival, including the time spent on the journeys, and the delays before and after the celebration, together with the festival week, it will be no small allowance for the cessation of their regular labour. As there were three festivals in the year, the main body of the servants would be absent from their stated employments at least nine weeks annually, which would amount, in forty-two years, subtracting the Sabbaths, to six years and eighty-four days. (d.) The new moons. The Jewish year had twelve: Josephus says, that the Jews always kept two days for the new moon. See Calmet and Horne's Introduction; also 1 Sam. xx. 18-27. This, in forty-two years, would be two years, two hundred and eighty days. (e.) The Feasts of Trumpets. On the first day of the seventh month, and of the civil year. Lev. xxiii. 24, 25. (f.) The Atone ment-day. On the 10th of the seventh month. Lev. xxiii. 27, 28. "Thus it appears, that those who continued servants during the period between the jubilees, were released by law from their labour, twenty-three years and sixty-four days out of fifty years, and those who remained a less time, in nearly the same proportion. In this calculation, besides making a donation of all the fractions to the objector, we have left out those numerous local festivals to which frequent allusion is made, Judges xxi. 19; 1 Sam. ix., &c., and the various family festivals, such as at the weaning of children, at marriages, at sheepshearings, at circumcisions, at the making of covenants, &c., to which reference is often made, as in 1 Sam. xx. 28, 29. Neither have we included the festivals instituted at a later period of the Jewish history, as the Feast of Purim, Esther ix. 28, 29; and of the Dedication, which lasted eight days, John ii. 22. And thus the Mosaic system secured to servants an amount of time which, if distributed, would be almost one half of the days in each year. Meanwhile they were supported, and furnished with opportunities of instruction; and thus they would have, if their time were so distributed, nearly one-half of each day. And this is a regulation which is claimed by slave-holders, as the prototype of American slavery. "5. The servant was protected by law equally with other members of the community. 'Ye shall have one manner of law, Ye shall as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country,' Lev.x xiv. 22. 'Judge righte ously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great.' Deut. i. 16, 17. 'Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger.' Deut. xxvii. 19. "6. The Mosaic system enjoined the greatest affection and kindness towards servants, foreign as well as Jewish. 'The stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.' Lev. xix. 34. 'Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him,' Exod. xxii. 21. If thy brother be waxen poor, thou shalt relieve him, yea, though he be a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with thee, take thou no usury of him or increase, but fear thy God,' Lev. xxv. 35, 36. And much more follows in this chapter, about the rights of bond and hired servants. Could the strangers or servants be taken by one that feared God, and held as a slave, and robbed of time, earnings, and all his rights? 7. Servants were placed upon a level with their masters in all civil and religious rights. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations, as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord,' Num. xv. 15, 16; ix. 14; Deut. i. 16, 17; Lev. xxiv. 22. "But the next important question is, Did persons become servants voluntarily? After elucidating the terms 'buy,' and 'bought with money,' the author proceeds with his reply. "1. The persons 'bought,' sold themselves, and of their own accord. "2. Obtaining permanently the services of those persons, or even a portion of them, is called buying' those persons. No instance is recorded, in which a master sold his servant. That servants who were bought' sold themselves, is a fair inference from various passages of Scripture. We argue that they became servants of their own accord: "1. Because, to become an Israelitish servant was to abjure idolatry, to enter into covenant with God, to be circumcised in token of it, to be bound to keep the Sabbath, the Passover, the Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, and to receive instruction in the moral and ceremonial law. "2. We argue the voluntariness of servants from Deut. xxiii. 15, 16: Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee,' &c,' i. e., 'You shall not force him back, and thus recognise the right of the master to hold him when he flees to others for protec. tion.' 3. Abraham's servants are an illustration of their voluntary servitude. "4. They must be voluntary servants, as there is no instance of an Israelite selling a servant. Abraham had vast numbers of servants, but seems never to have sold one. And thus of Isaac and Jacob, the same may be asserted; and in the presents that Jacob sent to Esau, there were no servants, though he sought as much variety as possible. So Jacob, when he went into Egypt, took his flocks and herds, but no servants, Gen. xlv. 10; xlvii. 16. They, doubtless, chose to stay in their own country. 5. The Hebrew servant was voluntary, both in his commencing, and in the continuance of his service. At the year of release, if the servant's choice was to remain, his ear was to be bored by the judges, and the master was compelled to keep him. "6. The method of procuring servants was, by an appeal to their choice. The Israelites could neither seize them, nor frighten, nor wheedle, nor borrow, or beg them; but they were commanded to buy them; that is, they were to recognise the right of the individual to dispose of his own services, and to refuse all offers, obliging those who made them to do their own work. For suppose all, with one accord, had refused becoming servants, what provision did the Mosaic law make for such an emergency? None. 66 Proprietors of servants never held them as legal property. For servants were never taken in payment of their master's debts. Servants were never given in pledges, though property of all sorts were so given. All lost property was to be restored; but servants were not. The Israelites never gave away their servants as presents. "Again: the condition and treatment of servants make the doctrine, that they were mere commodities, an absurdity. St. Paul's testimony, Gal. iv. 1, shows their real condition: Now I say unto you, that the heir, so long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.' The worthy author, after having given abundant proofs of all these particulars, proceeds to give a description of the bondage of the Hebrews in Egypt, and then to contrast it with American slavery. "The Israelites, under the bondage of Egypt, enjoyed all their rights and privileges. True, 'all the service wherein they made them serve was with rigour.' But what was this, when compared with the incessant toil of American slaves, the robbery of all their time and earnings, or even the power to own anything, or to acquire anything? A quart of corn a day, the legal allowance of food, their only clothing for one half of the year, one shirt, and one pair of pantaloons! two hours and a half only for rest and refreshment in the twenty-four! their dwellings hovels, with but one apartment, where both sexes and all ages herd promiscuously at night, like the beasts of the field! Add to this, the ignorance and degradation; the daily separations of kindred, the revelries of lust, the lacerations and baptisms of blood, sanctioned by law, and patronized by public sentiment. was the bondage of Egypt when compared with this? And yet for her oppression of the poor, God smote her with plagues, and trampled her as the mire, till she passed away in his wrath, and the place that knew her in her pride, knew her no more. 'Ah, I have seen the afflictions of my people, and I have heard their groanings, and am come down to deliver them.' He did come, and Egypt sank a ruinous heap, and her blood closed over her. If such was God's retribution for the oppression of heathen Egypt, of how much sorer punishment shall a Christian people be thought worthy, who cloak religion with a system, in comparison with which the bondage of Egypt dwindles into nothing?" What We assume that the author, in this horrid description, refers to many of the extreme cases in the slave-holding states. 46 In reply to objections, the author gives a masterly display of argument and criticism. And here he happily shows the distinction between bought and hired servants. They might, in each case, be Hebrews or strangers. 1. Hired servants were paid duly at the close of their work, Lev. xix. 13; Deut. xxiv. 14, 15, &c. Bought servants were paid in advance, (a reason of their being called bought,) and those that went out at the seventh year, received a gratuity, Deut. xv. 12, 13. 2. The hired' were paid in money; the bought' received their gratuity, at least, in grain, cattle, and the product of the vintage, Deut. xxiv. 15. 3. The 'hired' lived in their own families; the 'bought' were a part of their masters' families. 4. The hired' supported themselves and families out of their wages; the 'bought' and their families were supported by the master, besides their wages. The 'bought' servants were a superior class to the ' hired,' were more trustworthy, had greater privileges, and occupied a higher station in society. (1.) They were guests at family festivals and social solemnities. (2.) They were often, actually, or prospectively, heirs of their masters' estates, when there were no sons, &c. (3.) Marriages took place between servants and their mast ers' daughters. (4.) Bought servants and their descendants were treated with the same affection and respect as the other members of the family. The treatment of Abraham's servants and that of many more eminent masters, are abundantly clear, from many passages of Scripture, as quoted by the able author." But further citation is unnecessary here; and indeed our space does not admit of more. "Servitude," says Mr. Sturge, "was the poorlaw of the Mosaic code, affording not only permanent relief to the impoverished Israelite, but placing in his hands the means of restoring himself to his landed patrimony. On the other hand, the law of servitude for the stranger was a beneficent appointment of means for extending the knowledge of the only true God, and the blessings of the ⚫ covenant to the surrounding heathen." Thus, as the author eloquently remarks, "The whole arrangement beautifully illustrates that wise and tender regard for the interests of all parties concerned which arrays the Mosaic system in robes of glory, and causes it to shine as the sun in the kingdom of our Father."-STURGE'S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES, APPENDIX I. pp. 74-87. General Chronicle. FRENCH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY. The following are extracts from some of the Journals of the agents of this important institution, and will show how diligently they are pursuing "their work of faith, and labour of love :" In one of the most humble stations of the Evangelical Society, religious meetings have been for some time presided over by a Christian of very humble condition, ignorant indeed according to the estimation of the world; but sufficiently instructed, however, to be able to speak with clearness, and, under the Divine blessing, with effect, to the poor and the simple, who listen to him, while he speaks to them of that Jesus crucified whom it is alone necessary they should know, and whom in his discourses, like Paul, he is alone desirous to know himself. As is frequently the case, these meetings raised up a host of adversaries, and there is no invective or blasphemous expression, that such opposers could, in their rude language, employ, that was not directed against them. Several heads of families prohibited their wives, whose hearts had been opened, to attend to the things spoken by our despised evangelist, in the most absolute manner, from holding any connexion with those who heard him. These faithful servants of God submitted to the orders of their husbands; but their gentleness and kindness soon gained on the enmity of their masters, and two of them have been so happy as to see their husbands uniting with them in the same forbidden worship, and attached to the cause they love. A third consented also, as she thought it to be her duty, to abstain from frequenting the religious service, but though she refrained from listening to the words of man, she felt the more strongly, that she ought to hold to the word of God. She could not read, but if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, said our Divine Master, all things will be possible. Full of faith, the poor wife had recourse to the most ingenious expedients to learn to read, and in a short time she so far succeeded, as to compensate by her private meditations in the Scriptures, the privation of public instruction and communion. Her husband, rendered less severe and hostile by the obedience and meekness of his wife, sometimes assisted her in the perusal and study of the New Testament. The good woman availed herself of this circumstance to draw his attention to particular passages, calculated to make an impression on his heart; her Christian patience and kindness have already produced happy results, and there is reason |