and I have often wished, often expected, that some one would speak to me, but have been disappointed, and I have been ready to conclude that "no man cared for my soul.'

I think I may venture to say, on behalf of the Leeds circuit, that some of the officers and members of our church are becoming more awake and alive to the importance of practical attention to the subject in question. Not only are they desiring, praying, and labouring for the salvation of "the sinners in Zion," but are also deeply concerned for those who are entirely without; willing to go forth, in order to seek and save "them that are lost, and ready to perish." Our beloved and zealous minister, Mr. Guttridge, accompanied by a number of the friends, has recently, in several instances, just before the time of public service, gone out into the highways and given a general Gospel invitation to all classes and grades of sinners; by this means some have been induced to go to the house of prayer, who, perhaps, never would have gone at all. And there is reason to believe that this plan has been crowned with considerable success; and we hope that it will, especially when the weather is favourable, be more generally adopted. It must, if we would tread in the footsteps, and obey the command of Him "who went about doing good," and in his boundless compassion, his infinite love, said to his servants then, and to his servants now, 66 Go out into the streets and lanes of the city, into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."

Another plan that might be adopted, and from which I feel persuaded much good would result, is that of the members of our Societies endeavouring to obtain an accession to our numbers. Who can tell how much might be done in this way? If each and every one of those belonging to our church resolves that during the present connexional year, they will strive to bring one poor sheep into the fold of Christ, and that this work shall be commenced in a spirit of perseverance which is determined not to stop short of success, the consequence would be most animative and cheering. It is possible and practicable to do this, in short it is what ought to be done.

For my own part I intend, should God spare my life, to adopt and carry out what I recommend as worthy the attention of every true Christian, and would say to all who profess to be labouring in the vineyard of our Lord, "Go ye and do likewise."

The principle to be established and acted upon is, that we are bound by our relation to Christ as his obedient servants, to do good in every possible way, and to the uttermost of our power. Bound to countenance and support by our time, our influence, our property, our prayers-every means calculated to advance the interests of the church, and bless the world. We ought also to act with promptitude, for, be it remembered, whilst we are hesitating, while we are delaying, time is flying, and souls are perishing. O that all who read these remarks may be led to serious reflection, see their duty and feel their responsibility. The vows of the Lord are upon us-the performance of which is solemnly required at our hands. Our fast day services, appointed by the Annual Assembly, have just been held. At our meeting in Leeds, the melting and hallowing influences of the Holy Spirit, were felt to a degree more than ordinary. Impressions were made-convictions were produced, but then impressions and convictions may-in consequence of their familiarity to the mind-cease to exert any influence; therefore, instead of resting in them, we should betake ourselves to immediate action, be up and at it, one and all; nor must we think any labour too hard, any sacrifice too great, by which we can help forward the ark of the Lord, and hasten the latter day of glory.

And what are the considerations which ought to operate as motives to beckon us onward in our glorious enterprise? By the sighs and tears, the agonies and groans of a once dying but now risen and exalted Saviour,

"who is for ever sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." By the unspeakable, the infinite value of thousands and millions of ransomed spirits fast hastening to the regions of hopeless despair and inconceivable woe. By the shortness of time, the approach of death, and the appearing of the righteous Judge: by these considerations, and many more, are we called upon to be increasingly valiant and jealous for the Lord of Hosts. "Who then is willing to consecrate his services afresh unto the Lord?" Who will dare to be singular in the cause of Christ, and, if need be,"resist unto blood striving against sin ?" Neutral we cannot be, if we are not accelerating the progress of the Gospel chariot we are impeding its progress. Think of this ye men of Israel, who are called "the lights of the world," "the salt of the earth." Bear it in mind that every moment of your lives you are exerting an influence of good or evil, which shall affect the destines of men in time, and, when time shall be no more.

After what had been said, I would not forget to observe that all our attempts at usefulness, however numerous and well-directed, will be altogether vain, unless they are sanctioned and prospered of God, without whose blessing "nothing is wise, or strong, or good." Hence, how important that we should present the petition of the psalmist, "Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of hands, establish thou it." There are also certain qualifications indispensable to our success; one is inward holiness, and this may be said to involve nearly all the rest. Holiness invests its possessor with a moral, a spiritual power, which is almost irresistible and all but omnipotent. It is when filled with the spirit of holiness that the sacramental host of God's elect shall go forth, bright as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners." Let then our earnest and believing prayer be, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted."

To conclude. If "by patient continuance in well-doing," we endure to the end, we shall have our reward, and although on earth our names may be cast out as evil, our humble efforts to do good misrepresented, despised or forgotten, yet our record shall be on high, our names and doings indelibly written in the chronicles of heaven. Yes! when the heroes of earth have passed away, when the very stones which record their mighty deeds of fame, shall have crumbled into dust, the holy and laborious Christian shall live, his memory shall be blessed, and his work of mercy shall encircle him with an halo of glory, which shall survive the duration of time, and be co-eval with eternity. For "they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." Leeds. T. SWALLOW.

CARE FOR THE POOR.

TO THE EDITOR-DEAR SIR,

I Do not know what may be your opinion on the subject, but it has often forcibly struck me, that the Methodists generally of the present day do far less for the poor members than they ought to do, considering the vast sums of money that are raised for other good purposes. Concern for the poor was an eminent trait in the character of the founder of Methodism.

I have lately thought that the funds of the poor stewards might be considerably assisted, if the following method were adopted by our friends in moderate and affluent circumstances. It is well known that if children are taken to the Parish Churches to be baptized, or if females go there to be "churched," they are usually expected to pay a fee. Why should not our friends who come to our chapels for those purposes lay such a tax upon themselves and give some

thing to the poor? Let it be recollected, that on such occasions, under the Old Testament dispensation, offerings were required suitable to the circumstances of the individuals. I think also that every chapel ought to have a Poor Box, (as is customary even in some churches,) so placed that individuals might act in a voluntary way, and not let their "left hand know what their right hand doeth."

As the London Circuit of the Association, much to its credit, has established a "Beneficent Institution," affording an asylum and support for a certain number of its aged poor, I think it might not be amiss if each of its chapels had a box specifically for this Institution, placed so that individuals on the forementioned occasions might bestow their munificence. I will, on this occasion, beg leave to say, that this Institution reflects great honour on the Association; at the same time it reflects great discredit and shame on another body of Christians, who can collect their hundreds of thousands for good purposes, no doubt, but cannot spare a trifle out of such enormous sums to make provision for their aged, infirm, or necessitated local preachers and officers of the societies who have borne the burden and heat of the day, and shewn in their prosperity their generous hospitality; but who in the time of necessity are nearly, if not wholly, neglected—not to say anything about their poor in general.

MISSIONARY COLLECTING CARDS.

S. ROSE.

THE Card referred in the Liverpool communication, inserted in pages 445 and 446, is 4 inches by 3; and is arranged as follows:

"Wesleyan Methodist Association Home and Foreign Missions.

Sunday School Juvenile Branch.

'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.'

The Bearer is authorised to receive Subscriptions and Donations, on behalf of the above mentioned Missions." Signed,

There are sixty squares for marking the money received, and the following:"N.B. For every halfpenny the collector will make one hole in each square, for every penny two holes."

The verses on the card, of which we gave a copy last month, were taken from the Juvenile Missionary Magazine.

We have resolved to print Collecting Cards, and our friends can be supplied through their Itinerant preachers.

TO THE EDITOR,-DEAR SIR,

I was pleased with your notice and observation on the Missionary Card, of which I sent you a specimen, and agree with you, that it is "a plan likely to be productive of considerable benefit to the mission fund. In proof of which I may say that more than a hundred have already been brought to me filled; that is, a sixth part of the scholars in this circuit have filled up cards.

If but a sixth part of the scholars in the schools in our Connexion follow this example, in two years a sum equal to the present connexional debt would be realized, and the Connexion be unincumbered. But I expect that more will be done in this circuit. With the juvenile missionary meetings which we intend to hold in every school, and the cards which will be yet filled, I expect £5 at least will be realized; a sum equal to a third of the scholars filling cards. This will, I expect, double the amount of mission money this year, as compared with the last. The filling up the cards has been entered upon with great spirit by the scholars. Some have filled two, others three, and some even five. The conclusion to which I have now come, after giving the thing a trial, is, that if we do not raise a considerable sum, through the Sunday-school scholars, the fault will be ENTIRELY our own. B. GLAZEBROOK.

444

FEUDAL SUBJECTION IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. Copy of the Petition of a Widow for License to Marry again, with the Answer which was given.

"To the Right Honourable Ann Countess of Cu'berlande,

Humblely shewethe unto yo'r honor, yo'r poore supplyantis Jean Lawson, widowe of Lodge, wi'th consente of hir children's frends, most humblie beseching y'r honor to grant lycens unto hir y'or said suppliantis to tayke a husbande, and marrye to the tenem't that was hir husbande's during the minoritie of the said children; that shee maye be the more able to occupye the said ten't, and alsoe to agre with the Lorde touchinge the fyne when tyme serirth, which thynge to doe w'thoute y'r hon'rs favor and lycens she is not able, but rather to goe a begginge.

Thus craveing y'r hon'rs favorable answer as the cause nedefullye requetethshee shal dailye praye unto God for yo'r good p'servation of yo'r honor, and all yor's in high felicitie longe to endure.'

Answer.

"Touching theys marradg, hir la' wyll not be agaynst: but shee wyll not gyve leave that they shall marry to the fermald."

Those acquainted with the unbending character of the Countess, will not be surprised at the above answer, which gave the poor widow license to marry, but turned her out of house and home. In the present day we can form but a very inadequate conception of that thraldom in which the working class of the people were held scarcely a century since; the Gospel in diffusing its ameliorating influence, and in promoting the improvement of the mind, has raised the lower classes of society from their former low, abject, and in many respects brutalized condition, and given them that importance and power in society which was totally unknown, and little expected, when the domestic comforts of the tenant were thus subject to the capricious will of the superior.

Carlisle.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

CARRICKFERGUS.

TO THE EDITOR,-DEAR SIR,

HAVING had the happiness and honour of being the first Wesleyan Methodist Association Missionary to Ireland, I felt an unutterable thrill of joy on reading, in the Magazine for October, the judicious and practicable plan, and liberal offer of your Wetherby correspondent, relative to the erection of a small chapel in Carrickfergus, in order to obtain permanent footing in Ireland. I am heartily sorry it is not in my power to respond to his call, with five sovereigns, instead of one, but I will give one, and would give more, if it were in my power, for I know the position of our Mission there so well, and felt so deeply the need of a chapel, during the last eighteen months of my residence in Carrick, that if I had pos

C.

sessed the means, I should most cer-
tainly have built one at my own cost,
and presented it to the Connexion.
I am certain that many persons who
highly approved of our principles,
would then have united with us,
and have strengthened Our cause.
Until we have a chapel in Carrick,
our Irish friends will not think we
have right hold of them, or they of
us, but let them see the evidence of
our fixed determination to abide by
them, in the erection of a chapel; then
they will give us their fixed confidence,
their fervent affections, devoted la-
bours, ardent friendship, and money
to the amount of their ability.

And now, Sir, that this subject, so dear to me, is before the Connexion, in your excellent periodical, I hope and pray that it may never be suffered to rest, until this very needful and desirable object is accom