from our sentences until they are too smooth for any mind to hold? It will do us good to read occasionally such a work as Baxter's Reformed Pastor. He says in one part of that soul-stirring book—" Many a time have I known that I had some hearers of higher fancies that looked for rarities and were addicted to despise the ministry if I told them not something more than ordinary; and yet I could not find it in my heart to turn from the necessities of the impenitent for the humouring of them; nor even to leave speaking to miserable sinners for their salvation in order to speak so much as should otherwise be done to weak saints for their confirmation and increase in grace. He that will let a sinner go down to hell for want of speaking to him doth set less by souls than did the Redeemer of souls. Therefore, brethren, whomsoever you neglect, neglect not the most miserable. Whatever you pass over forget not poor souls that are under the condemnation and curse of the law, and who may look every hour for the infernal execution, if a speedy change do not prevent it. O! call after the impenitent, and ply this great work of converting souls whatever else you leave undone." I will not too much anticipate the Report of our several Institutions, but as it has a direct bearing on "the present truth" I shall be pardoned if I refer to the state of our College. Your most anxious consideration is due to the filling up of the vacancy created by Professor Stowell's resignation of the theological chair. As yet no successor has been found. Much, unspeakably much will depend on the next appointment. It may tend to unite the Institution more closely with us, or irretrievably to alienate it. If a man of God can be found in whom this Connexion and the spiritual, thoroughly-evangelical members of the church of Christ have confidence as a holy man and a sound theologian, a man of catholic spirit, Connexional preferences, and full of the Holy Ghost, then both the College and ourselves will become enlarged, the grain of mustard seed will speedily become a tree in whose wide spread branches the birds of the air—now fluttering for a resting place-will lodge. Let this subject engage your most zealous and prayerful attention. We are not the College committee, but we may, we shall influence that committee, If we know the man suited to the office let us speak, and we shall be heard. We have it very much in our own hands-and so we ought to have, for the legitimate successors of the Countess we are. Other pretenders there may be, but they are "not sons." And then more than a Theological Tutor is wanted, students are wanted. They are reduced to "few, that is eight souls." One is leaving -to his dishonour let it be recorded-without the approbation of the Committee, having been only two years in the College. Two more will be leaving at Christmas. Brethren, have we not in our congregations young men on whom we might and should lay our hands-young men baptized with fire, in sympathy with us, and quite as well qualified for candidates as many that present themselves from the ends of the earth. The number of candidates for the ministry seems to be diminishing, and of those who enter and leave our Colleges not a few fall back into secular life. This is no good sign. It is a remark of Isaac Taylor that “ a religious body within which there is vitality will ordinarily supply itself with an adequate proportion of ministers." A young convert takes the type of piety from the church into which he is first introduced. If that is spiritual, earnest, zealous of good works, he will be so too. If the reverse he usually sinks to the same level. It is the measure of holy love in the soul that determines to a great extent the question of consecrating one self to the work of the ministry-for the ministerial spirit is only the christian spirit under a peculiar form. Were there depth and force in the piety of our young men, no attractions would divert them from this great service, no difficulties be thought insurmountable. A stream that is full and rapid in its current is not readily diverted from the deepened channel. I know some attribute this lack of candidates to the inadequate support rendered to the ministry-as if a bribe were necessary, or at least a bounty to obtain recruits for the Lord's army. Nay, my brethren, nay; the cause lies deeper. It is the want of a self-renouncing piety-a piety that will say, "If the Lord will give me bread to eat and raiment to wear, then the Lord shall be my God." For the Master hath said, "If any man will come after me he must deny himself." The Redemptorists, a corps of young Romish priests, among all their errors adopted this excellent rule for their daily life, "O my Jesus, all for Thee-all for Thee !" And when Xavier was preparing to go on a mission through the East, his friend, Rodriquez, who shared his appointment in the hospital of Rome, was awakened in the night by his earnest exclamations. He heard him tossing restlessly on his couch, and, at times, there came from the lips of the sleeping man this agitated appeal-"Yet more, O my God! yet more!" Many months elapsed ere the vision was revealed. He had seen in his slumber the wild and terrible future of his career spread out before him. Barbarous regions, mighty empires to win to his faith. He saw storms sweeping around him-hunger and thirst were everywhere, and death in many a fearful form. Yet he shrank not. He was willing to endure all. Nay, he yearned for wider fields, and with an absorbing passion that filled every faculty of his nature and haunted his slumbers, he cried"Yet more, O my God! yet more!" It is lawful to learn from earnest men of another creed. We have a nobler mission, mightier motives, and a more sure reward. "Whom shall we send, and who will go for us?" It is Gideon's army that we want, though provided only with pitchers and lamps, if so be the men do not 'lay themselves down to drink." Yea, saith God, "by the three hundred men that lapped will I save you." 66 MEETINGS AND BUSINESS OF THE CONFERENCE. On Monday evening, June 23, several brethren assembled at the vestry of Islington chapel, at which tea was provided, After singing a few verses the Rev. W. Hines, of Kidderminster, offered thanks for journeying mercies and prayer for the presence of God during the sittings of Conference. The President of Conference, the Rev. B. S. Hollis, offered a few words of address, and was succeeded by the Secretary, F. Willcocks, Esq., Rev. T. Anderson, J. Jones, and others. On the Tuesday morning at half-past 7 a meeting for prayer was held at Spa Fields chapel. The Rev. Thomas Dodd delivered an address from the words "The apostles and elders came together *W. BONE.. for to consider of this matter." Acts xv. 6. | Rev. J. BRACE At 10 o'clock the following members The President gave out the 187 hymn, commencing Jesus, thou everlasting King, The Rev. L. J. Wake offered prayer; Rev. W. ALDRIDGE Hereford J. BLOMFIELD.... Canterbury J. BRIDGMAN GEORGE JONFS Clifton Rochester .. Sierra Leone St. Ives, Cornwall Streetly Terling, Witham J. J. J. KEMPSTER.. Norwich C. LEE....... E. C. LEWIS A. L. MITCHELL .Leigh Sinton Rochdale .Great Yarmouth .Exeter F. R. MOORE ...... Colchester R. NEWMAN, Á.M...Congleton A. H. NEW. J. OWEN J. REYNOLDS .Haverstock Hill Leamington Bath Bath . Clare, Suffolk THOMAS ROBERTS..Gloucester .Brighton A. T. SHELLEY J. TROTTER. . Purleigh Wiveliscombe .Spa Fields . Sion Ch., London Brighton Bradford, Wilts Avebury Ashford .Horsham Rev. L. J. WAKE W. WILSDON .... Cheltenham .Horwich W. WOODHOUSE....Adelphi Chapel The Rev. Thomas Dodd read the Report of the Executive Committee, the substance of which was ordered to be printed for circulation. A Paper on the state of the Sunday Schools associated with the Connexion, was read by the Rev. R. S. Short, for which he received the thanks of the brethren, and was requested to insert the substance of it in the Harbinger, and to kindly obtain additional information present at the next Conference. At three o'clock the brethren adjourned to the Committee Room for dinner, and at the invitation of the managers of Sion Chapel met in the Committee Room of that ancient edifice to tea at five o'clock, after which they engaged in the solemn service of of Christ. The hymns were given out by the Revs. French, Soden, Tyler, and Dodd; and the interesting service was concluded by the Rev. E. S. Hart, M.A., of St. Ives, by prayer and the benediction. On Wednesday morning, June 25th, a meeting was held at Spa Fields Chapel at half-past seven, when the Rev. J. Jones and J. G. Carpenter prayed, and an address was delivered by the Rev. E. S. Hart, M.A.. At 10 o'clock the business of the Session was resumed, when a resolution expressing the thanks of the body was presented to the Executive Committee for their services during the past year, and the following were elected for the year ensuing :-Rev. T. E. Thoresby, President; Mr. F. W. Willcocks, Treasurer; Rev. T. Dodd, Secretary. Members:-The Revs. J. Wood, L. J. Wake, G. Fowler, B. S. Hollis, J. Jones; and Messrs. Blundell, J. Powell, J. Davenes, W. Jones, with power to add to their number. It was THE ORDINATION OF THE REV. also resolved that the President, Trea- This interesting service took place at Sion Chapel, (to which Mr. Thomas has recently been appointed) in the presence of a large number of ministers, and a numerous - congregation. The service commenced by singing a hymn, after which suitable portions of scripture were read by the Rev. J. Bridgman, of Chester. A brief history of the Connexion and the views it maintains respecting ordaining of ministers not so much over particular churches as to the work of the ministry, was then delivered by the Rev. J. Jones, of Birmingham. The usual questions were proposed to Mr. Thomas by the Rev. B. S. Hollis; the ordination prayer was offered by the Rev. J. Wood, of London; and an affectionate and faithful charge delivered by the Rev. J. Sherman, of Blackheath, selecting as the subject of his discourse the words of St. Paul-1 Tim. iv. 6., "A good minister of Jesus Christ," from which was clearly and forcibly pointed out that a good minister of Jesus Christ is one who is commissioned by the authority of Christ -fully preaches the doctrines of Christ diligently labours in the cause of Christ --daily seeks communion with Christcopies the example of Christ and looks for the reward and approbation surer, and Secretary of the Executive Committee for the time being be the Trustees for all monies presented or bequeathed to the Connexion The Chapels at Ashby de la Zouch, Maidstone, Southampton, and the erection of a new church at Sandown, Isle of Wight, were all referred to the immediate attention of the Executive Committee. A Sub Committee having been appointed on the previous day to consider the grants to be made during the present year, it was resolved to aid the following places, viz:-Ashby de la Zouch, Leamington, Avebury, Maidstone, Walworth, Wormley, Sandown and Cradley at home; and Turkey and Africa abroad. It having been stated that no monument at present exists in the Church at Ashby de la Zouch, where the Countess of Huntingdon was buried, the Conference approved of a memorial being erected, to be defrayed by a general subscription of not more than one shilling. The management of the Educational Society was referred to the subscribers, and Messrs. J. Jones and E. S. Hart were appointed the auditors. It was suggested that the Hymn Book proprietary should add 50 hymns to the present Hymn Book for the special use of children in Sunday Schools. The thanks of the assembly were presented to the Rev. B. S. Hollis for his services as editor of the Harbinger, and the Reys. A. H. New and T. Dodd were requested to be the Editorial Committee | for the year.-A deeply interesting communication having been received respecting the openings for the gospel in Turkey and the willingness of the Turkish Mission Aid Society to aid the Connexion in sending out missionaries, and the Rev. J. Reynolds having for some time desired to be so engaged, the Conference could but view this as an opening of divine providence for the preaching of the gospel in that country, and having satisfied themselves of Mr. R. qualifications, resolved to adopt immediate measures to send him forth as a missionary to Turkey. The thanks of the Conference were presented to the friends throughout the Connexion who so liberally responded to the appeal in behalf of the Bazaar, and especially to the friends at Worcester for their exertions in conducting the same, and that the Rev. L. J. Wake be kindly requested to arrange at Cheltenham for the sale of the remaining articles during the present summer. A resolution was adopted requesting the Trustees of the Connexion to produce for the inspection of the Conference the deed under which they claimed Dr. Ford's property, for which previous application had been made. The Conference having heard that a proposal had been made to amalgamate Cheshunt College with another similar Institution, expressed its earnest hope that it will be preserved in its original integrity for Connexional purposes, and pledged itself to offer to any such proposition its most determined opposition, and that the following gentlemen be the representatives from this Conference on the College Committee for the ensuing year, viz:-The Rev. T. E. Thoresby, B. S. Hollis, J. Wood, J. Thomas, B.A. and Messrs. F. W. Willcocks, J. Blundell, and J. Powell. The sympathy of the Conference was expressed with those brethren who by age or affliction are incapacitated for preaching the gospel, and also with the widows of the late Revs. J. Williams and J. Poole. The thanks of the assembly were presented to the Minister and Managers of Spa Fields Chapel for the accommodation and also to the President for his very efficient services during the sittings of Conference. On Wednesday evening, June 25th, a public tea meeting was held in Spa Fields New School, when many of the Congregation assembled with the Ministers; after which the annual meeting of the Countess's Missionary Society was held and an abstract of the Report read. Had time permitted, it was intended to have proposed a plan for defraying the travelling expenses of our ministers, which would doubtless be the means of increasing our numbers on this annual occasion. CHESHUNT COLLEGE. The anniversary of the College was held on Thursday, June 26th. A lovely day, and the great interest always manifested towards the Institution, attracted a numerous assembly of ministers and ladies and gentlemen. The services commenced with the liturgy, which was read by the Rev. J. Jones, of Birmingham; after which two essays were delivered by two of the senior students, on "The Scriptural Doctrine of Sin," by Mr. Eastmead, and on "The Scriptural Doctrine of the Atonement," by Mr. Key. They were delivered from the spot familiarly known among the collegians as "the place of execution," that is at a window of the chapel which looks out on a spacious green sward, where a large company was assembled, shaded by a large awning hung from the top of the chapel. The sermon was preached by. the Rev. Henry Allon, who gave a masterly exposition of the great doctrine of the incarnation, urged upon the students to preach the historical facts of Christ's life and death, and reminded them that they might preach a great deal about Christianity without preaching Christ. He congratulated the College upon the faithful adherence to evangelical truth, which its students had always exhibited, and concluded by urging upon the audience the pecuniary claim of the Institution to their liberality. The anniversary dinner was held in the hall and the library of the College. Mr. Barnes, M.P., presided in the former, and Samuel Lewis, Esq., in the latter; and about 170 persons were present. The annual meeting was held at three o'clock in the chapel and on the green, under the presidency of Mr. Barnes; and the speakers addressed the audience from the platform in the window. The Chairman said, he felt deeply grateful to the gentlemen who had done him the honour to ask him to preside on so interesting an occasion. He had often heard of the College, and was greatly interested in its progress and welfare. |