reason. 3. To begin, those of us who are present, exactly at the hour, with singing and prayer. 4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, and the temptations we have felt since our last meeting. 5. To end every meeting with prayer, suited to the state of each person present. 6. To desire some person among us to speak his own experience first, and then to ask the rest concerning their state, sins, and temptations. Some of the questions proposed to every one before he is admitted among us may be to this effect 1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins? 2. Have you peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ? 3. Have you the witness of God's spirit with your spirit, that you are a child of God? 4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? 5. Has any sin, inward or outward, dominion over you? 6. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home? 7. Is it your desire and design to be on this, and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak without disguise, and without reserve? Thus it will be seen that our African friends require experience and practice, as well as profession, in those who become members of their societies. ORDINATION OF THE FIRST COLOURED The Rev. John Marrant, a man of colour, was converted under the preaching of the Rev. G. Whitfield, at Charlestown, South Carolina, in the United States of America. After passing through many changes and meeting with many romantic adventures in his early life he came to England, was introduced to Lady Huntingdon, and preached occasionally in some of her chapels. A letter, written by his brother, requesting that missionaries might be sent to Nova Scotia, fell into the hands of Lady Huntingdon, who, being always anxious to avail herself of every opening for usefulness, arranged at once for Marrant and others to go thither. Previous to his departure he was set apart to the work of the christian ministry at the Countess' chapel in the city of Bath. The Rev. Thomas Wills, one of her Ladyship's chaplains, took a prominent part in the important service, but we are not now able to state what other ministers were engaged with him on the solemn and interesting occasion. The following is a verbatim copy of the original certificate of Mr. Marrant's ordination, which is in the hand-writing of the chaplain, and which was enclosed in a letter addressed by him to Mr. Wm. Hodson, 43. Lothbury, London. The letter is dated Worcester, June 19th, 1785. "This is to certify that the Reverend John Marrant was publicly ordained to the work of the ministry in the Right Honourable the Countess of Huntingdon's chapel at Bath, in England, on the Lord's day, viz.: the fifteenth day of May, 1785, in consequence of a call from Nova Scotia, where he is immediately to enter on his ministry. "Given under my hand at Worcester, June the nineteenth, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five." Chaplain to the Countess of Huntingdon. (Signed) THOMAS WILLS, It was from under the ministry of Mr. Marrant and his coadjutors that a considerable number of our sable brethren first went to Sierra Leone, and, as our readers are aware, were instrumental in raising those churches of the Connexion, of which a general account was given in our last number. We are happy to state, that, during the past month our New Hymn Book has been introduced at the Countess' Chapel in Canterbury. We hope before long, this will be the case at every chapel bearing the name of the Countess, especially as the Book has the sanction and approval both of the Conference and Trustees of the Connexion. We are much gratified at the success which has attended the spirited proprietors of this valuable book. We understand the seventh thousand is now being printed; also that application has been made with a view to its introduction among the Welch Calvinistic Methodists. these days of "New Hymn Books," it is not a little privilege to claim, as our own, a book so Scriptural and Evangelical. We have been pained to find a small volume, published for use in congregations, &c., called, "The Rivulet," commended by the pastors of Surrey Chapel, Union Chapel, Islington, and several other ministers, which the editor of the British Banner designates "the most unspiritural pubication of the kind in the English tongue,-crude, disjointed, unmeaning, unchristian, ill-rhymed rubbish." In We have to record this month the death of an highly esteemed minister of the Connexion, the Rev. JAMES POOLE, which took place at Worcester, on Thursday, April 3rd, in the 64th year of his age. His remains were interred at St. Oswald's Cemetry, and his death improved at the Countess' Chapel, by the Rev. T. Dodd, from a text chosen by himself, "this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." We hope to furnish a memoir of our departed friend in next month's Harbinger. Lutice. TO AUXILIARIES. monies intended for this year's account It is porticularly requested that all be remitted by Tuesday, the 17th of June, with the various items composing the whole amount received during the office order made payable, to Mr. Fredyear. Money to be remitted, or post erick William Willcocks, 98, Goswell Street, London. CHESHUNT COLLEGE.-The Anniversary of the College is fixed for Thursday, June 26th, when the Rev. Henry Allon will preach. SION CHAPEL, LONDON.-We understand the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon will preach on Thursday, May 1st, at eleven in the morning, in aid of the funds of the above chapel COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON'S MISSIONARY SOCETY. The Rev. E. S. Hart, M. A., of St. Ives, Cornwall, has kindly undertaken to arrange for our annual missionary sermons in the west of England. We hope all our churches in that district will kindly aid our good brother in carrying out the wishes of the Committee. Among others who have kindly promised to receive him, is the Association Wesleyan Chapel, at Redruth. We understand we are greatly indebted to H. Grylls, Esq., of Moreton House, for this kind and fraternal feeling towards our society. 6 Income Tax) ditto H. F. Stroud in Account with the Trustees of the late Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. Dividends on Dr. FORD's Bequest: To 6 Months' Dividend on £22,148 14s. 10d., new 3 per cents. (less Cr. ₤ s. d. 1855, By Payments from 1854 £ s. d. 55 15 0 Grants in aid of Sion Chapel, London (including Rent, £130).. Grants in aid of Ministers' Salaries ..... ditto (less increased Income Tax).... 310 1 8 " Grants towards Repairs of Chapels, &c. 50 19 10 Income Tax returned to 5th April, 1855 39 15 10 Interest on Loans ..... Balance from Hymn Book Account One Year's Rent of Cottages and Land connected with SUTTON Treasurer, in advance £896 19 11 Solicitor's Charges in 1854 4 18 0 Travelling expenses ............. 8 1 6 TRAVELLING FUND. 1855. To Balance from 1854 22 15 5 1855. By Paid Travelling Expenses of Ministers 82 3 10 ,, Proportion of 12 Months' Rent of the Cobham Row Estate Treasurer, in advance 12 Months' Dividend on £1,084 15s. 1d., 3 per cents, reduced 32 10 10 1855, By Grants in aid of the Stations at COPTHORN, TURNER'S HILL, AND HOATHLEY Balance to 1856 35 0 0 12 17 0 PROVIDENT FUND ACCOUNT.-From 30th June, 1854, to 30th June, 1855. To 6 Months' Dividend on £10,550, 34 per cents. Stock standing in the Books of the Bank of England on the 30th June, 1855, in the names of STROUD, TRUEMAN, TAYLOR, and COOMBS, £10,550, new 3 per cents, THE HARBINGER. JUNE, 1856. MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. JAMES POOLE, OF WORCESTER. Our beloved brother, the Rev. James Poole, was a native of the city of Worcester, in which place he received an education suitable to business for which he was destined by his parents. Little indeed can be learned of his boyhood more than that he was blessed with a pious mother and a gentle, calm spirit, and that his general conduct was much the same as most other children's, who possess such parental and constitutional advantages. His widow writes, "I remarked one day, that he was in temper always serene and calm, and enquired whether this had been natural to him from his childhood. He replied that he was much like other boys, but that he had the advantage of a pious mother who carefully watched over him. When he was about eight or nine she observed him engaged in some trifling quarrel with his playfellows, for which she reproved him, and told him to ask Jesus to forgive him, and keep him from giving way to passion: he then retired to his room, and, on his knees confessing his sin and asking pardon : from that time he did not remember ever being in a passion, and he became regularly a boy of prayer. After this, however, his greatest amusement was to see people dance, and to attend village wakes and witness their rustic sports." At the early age of fourteen it pleased the God of all grace to raise our friend to a higher school of instruction, and to the enjoyment of better pleasures than those which wakes and dances can furnish, and thus to crown a constitutional calmness of temper with the peace of God that passeth all understanding. The simple, affectionate and earnest preaching of the late respected ministerial trustee of the Connexion, the Rev. John Finley, was the instrument in the Divine hand of bringing him to abandon these follies and to give up himself to the Lord and to his church, and thus became his spiritual father. Mr. Finley, in his sermon to the young delivered at Birdport Chapel, Worcester, told his youthful hearers never to go where they could not take God with them. This short sentence, by no means original, came F with such power to the conscience and heart of the subject of this Memoir, that the lady before quoted says, "He told me it made him very unhappy, and he felt that he had greatly sinned in frequenting places where God was not! He suffered much, knowing he must have offended God: he never went to any place of the kind afterwards, and earnestly implored the Lord to pardon him, and from that time, when only fourteen, he gave up the world and walked decidedly in the ways of holiness, proving her ways to be ways of pleasantness and all her paths to be peace.' O that these lines may reach the heart of any of our youthful readers, and convince them of the possibility, the necessity and the advantage of early piety. They recall to memory, in him who transcribes them, with thrilling interest, the age and the feelings of a boyhood in sympathy with James Poole's. We imagine also we trace the strong desire of our friend, through life, to visit scenes of dissipation, for the purpose of throwing, in the form of tracts, grains of salt into these brackish waters. No sooner had our youth become a christian, tasting that the Lord is gracious, than, like Philip with Nathaniel, he tried to bring his brother to Jesus. "This brother, six years older than himself, resident in the same maternal house, was dissipated and thoughtless, and when he found James reading his Bible, scoffed at and ridiculed him, calling him 'the young Methodist.' Edward however with all his faults was fond of his mother, and when James was sixteen years of age, the mother dying, took his elder brother to see her in the coffin. Edward seemed much impressed, and said, 'James, I perhaps may go next, and what will become of me? I am not fit to die! James told him he had the same God and Saviour to go to, and that in them he must seek an interest. 'James,' said his brother, ' will you pray with me now, and explain the Bible to me?' The brothers retired to their room, to pray, and, as long as they remained together, the younger was the constant teacher of the elder, and the blessing of God seemed to accompany them." It is well when christian zeal, like charity, begins at home. There are few better omens of ministerial usefulness than early success in the domestic circle. Let it likewise be borne in mind that if Mr. Finley was the preacher who first led him to decision, Mr. Lake, the pastor of Birdport Chapel, so long and with so much popularity and success, was his friend and minister,-a man who, to pulpit talent and earnestness, added great power in truly religious conversationa gift rendered eminently useful to many in the highest circles as well as to the classes in his congregation, and especially to young men. He knew how to be "instant in season and out of season:" so that our brother had peculiar advantages in his religious instruction as well as in his father in Christ Jesus. The writer well remembers Mr. Poole's visit to him on his way to London in the year 1812, as a candidate for a student's privileges in Cheshunt College. That Institution was at that time, and for nearly 30 years after, answering its original purpose in chiefly training young men for the christian ministry in the Connexion of the noble lady whose name it bears. Mr. Poole on that, as well as on subsequent interviews, impressed us with the idea of a good and spiritually-minded young man of a tranquil and humble spirit, of moderate talent and ardent love to Jesus |