The Christian Cabinet.

THE NIGHTLESS WORLD.

WHAT a bright and lovely world must heaven be, from which all darkness is for ever excluded, and where the light shines without either variation or intermission ! If the ancients believed that the wandering planets occupied the seven lower heavens, and that the eighth was the dwelling of eternal light, up to this highest height are we at once conducted by our Christian Revelation. By means of its sublime discoveries, we see heaven open, and entering the immediate abode of the Godhead, we find ourselves amid the effulgence of uncreated glory. It is this glory which illumines all that higher world, for it resolves itself into the concentration and fulness of eternal light. Whatever may be our conceptions of the Divine Nature, light is the only adequate term by which to express that pure and invisible essence. God is light; and in light He dwells. But it is too bright to be approached, or even to be fully revealed. It is only as it is mellowed and modified in the Saviour that it becomes adapted to created vision. Flowing through Him, thus softened and subdued, it makes heaven one sphere of unclouded brightness and unfading beauty. There being no darkness in the Divine Nature, and that Nature being unchangeably and for ever the same, in heaven there will be nothing but high eternal noon. The orb of that world will ever be in its meridian, and will know of no decline. Every ray is a co-existing beam of the Eternal-an emanation from the Infinite and Immutable; and since He is subject to neither mutation nor exhaustion, His presence cannot but create everlasting day. Any change in the light of that world would involve a change in Him; and were this possible, there would come a night whose darkness would indeed be felt. It is the immutability of His being which gives perpetuity to all that heaven is to its light, and life, and blessedness. If, after describing the sun of our little system, as coming forth in his awful beauty; and, while the stars hide themselves in the sky, and the moon, cold and pale, sinks in the western wave, moving alone, in his glorious path-if, after representing him as without a companion in his walks of light-if, after pointing to him, as rejoicing in the brightness of his course, and as for ever the same, though the oaks of the mountains fall, though the mountains themselves decay with years, though the ocean shrinks and never grows again, though the moon herself fades and disappears from her starry path in the heavens-if, after telling us that he looks in his beauty from the clouds while the world is dark with tempest, and even smiles at the storm while the thunder rolls and the lightnings flash,—if, after all this, the poet cannot free his mind from the sad impression that the central body exists perhaps only for a season, that his years may have an end, and that he may sleep in his clouds, careless of the voice of morning, we have no such apprehension in reference to the Everlasting Brightness. The hour will never come to watch the setting of this Sun; and in His beauteous beams we shall walk forth for ever. Night will never be on the hills. The daylight of heaven cannot fail; and the glory shall never recede from the eye.

It is this everlasting sunshine that will give to the future world all its beauty. The light invests every object, and impresses it with unfading loveliness.

What are all the tints, and hues, and colours, which we see around us in this earthly creation, but the impression of the sun's interior glory? And what is all the splendour of the seraphim, as they glow and burn before the throne, but so many folds of the eternal light enrobing their beauteous forms? There are thousands of objects in this world which absorb every ray that falls upon them, and which, but

for the light that is reflected from other and surrounding bodies, would never be seen; but there every individual thing will reflect the uncreated [glory. Heaven will be one pure and perfect mirror, in which God himself will be for ever imaged, and for ever seen.

As the stars in our firmament are so many points of light, there every spirit will be the reflection of still higher brightness. A world all light must be a world all lovely; and, in proportion to the pureness and the fulness of the light, must be the depth and perfection of the loveliness. If there be such a thing as beauty, it must exist in the Divine Nature; and if the effluence of God's glory-the everlasting flowing forth of that ineffable splendour in which He dwells-be that which lights up the heavenly world into perfect day, then lovely and attractive must that world be, beyond the force of words to express, and the power of imagination to conceive. One spot on the sun of that world would create an everlasting cloud, fand one shade over its fair scenes would mar and blemish them for ever. All other worlds may be in darkness, but here the sun is ever high, and all life blooms with beauty.

THINGS SEEN AND UNSEEN.

"Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth."-Coloss. iii. 2. WHO has not felt how brief the stay

Shoreham.

Of earthly things, that pass away;
And found from Friendship's golden chain
Links rudely torn, till few remain?

Who has not felt, as by the bier
Of those who were his treasures here,
From Life's rough way the brightness fade,
As died the bliss their presence made?

Who has not felt the aching heart
Yearn for the things that ne'er depart-
For deathless friends, for endless day,
And joys that never pass away?

Who has not felt, when Christ appeared,
And touched the heart by sorrow seared,
A peace and strength become its stay,
Earth could not give or take away?

Who has not felt, when through his tears
The glorious, heavenly land appears,
All earthly sorrows melt away,

As darkness at the dawn of day?

And when is gained that region, blest,
Of perfect and perpetual rest,

Who will not feel God's truth and love,
Led to that better world above?

MRS. C. KNOWLES.

The Free Church of England.

UNITY of counsel, distinctness of purpose, and integrity of action, are indispensable to the success of any enterprise. The absence of these high qualities, or their presence in diminished life and force, has proved fatal to many a scheme, otherwise good and promising in itself. If it be "good to be zealously affected always in a good thing," it must yet be kept in mind that this zeal, even if it rise into flame, will avail but little, if in the prosecution of the object there be difference and division. If a house divided against itself cannot stand, much less can a Church or Ecclesiastical Community. Hence the stress laid by the Saviour in His intercessory prayer on the oneness of His disciples and followers-not so much oneness of judgment and opinion, as oneness of heart and object. Unity is strength; but whatever impairs that unity, or tends to relax its bond, becomes an element of weakness, and will ultimately prove disastrous to any undertaking.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL.

The thought and time of the Council were chiefly occupied with the subject of Finance. Money is a sine quâ non to the conduct of the Free Church movement; and can it be denied that the Church has within herself resources equal to the work which God is calling her to do? How much wealth is there yet untouched in the possession of our Christian people! How much hoarded treasure is yet locked up in chests and coffers, sealed as with seven seals! The setting free of this imprisoned gold would be like the breaking of some alabaster box of precious ointment, which fills the air with some richer fragrance.

It appeared that the Council are in possession of a subscription list which expresses in promises more than 1,000l., but not much more than one-third of the amount has yet been paid, and it was suggested that all arrears should be at once applied for; and it is hoped that no one will fail to fulfil his promise.

It was also resolved that a statement of receipts and disbursements be prepared, audited, and presented, first to Council, and then to Convo

cation.

The question was mooted whether it would not be the part of wisdom to save the expense involved in the publication of the Magazine, by discontinuing such an organ altogether; and it was left an open question.

A report was presented of the Free Church movement at Notting-hill, and measures proposed for the future carrying on of Divine Service there in conformity with the constitution and provisions of the Church.

ST. LUKE'S FREE CHURCH, NORTH KENSINGTON. GOLBOURNE LECTURE HALL. This plied by Rev. H. Thomas, B.A., and place has been opened for Divine wor- other ministers. The Services are conship. The neighbourhood is new and ducted regularly on Lord's-day morning unformed as yet, but there is a large and at eleven, and evening at seven o'clock. increasing population greatly needing There is also service on Thursday evening these Services. On Sunday, January at half-past seven; and a Sunday-school 29th, the opening services were has been commenced on Sabbath afterducted by Rev. T. E. Thoresby in the noons. By the help of a very efficient morning, and Rev. J. Sugden, B.A., in volunteer choir, the services have been the evening, and on the Tuesday evening remarkably well rendered. May He following, the Rev. N. Hall kindly at- who is Head over all things to His tended and preached to the people. Church vouchsafe His blessing to this Since that time the pulpit has been sup

con

movement!

TRINITY CHURCH, NEW MALDEN.

The Rev. S. J. C. Dicksee, of Catford, Kent, has accepted the invitation of the trustees and congregation to become the Incumbent of this church, and preached his inductory sermons on Sunday, the 12th ult.

The sermons, which were eloquent and delivered extempore, were especially interesting, as being a frank, open declaration of his views of the duties and relation of the church to the minister, and the minister to the church.

In the morning he took for his text Acts ii. 41, and dwelt with much solemnity upon the doctrines which should bind them together as a church, and put forth an earnest appeal for that Christian love and sympathy and mutual help which could alone make their union as minister and people happy and beneficial.

In the evening the text was, 1 Cor. ix. 16:

"For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel." He wished, that evening (he said), to explain, feebly it might be, but humbly and faithfully, the duties of the Christian minister. It was well, at this commencement of the solemn relationship thus cemented between them that there should be an open and perfect understanding as to the footing upon which that relationship was to exist. When he was first introduced among them, the thought of

such an official connexion as commenced that day had not entered his mind. His own interest in them and their work had therefore grown almost against his own desire, but every step, every event which had brought about this union, he could now trace as the providential ordering of Him who knoweth best; therefore the tie was the more sacred, the more holy; and may He sanctify it to His glory. From what he had heard, and from what he had seen of the neighbourhood, there was, without at all interfering with the work of another, plenty to do. Let every member of the church give his prayers, his sympathies, and his co-operation, and God would surely bless them. There was, he was sure, an effectual door opened here for good. So far, he believed, God had guided and blessed them. He felt that with earnestness and unity among themselves, with peace within, and a kindly bearing towards those without, there was a cheering promise of much fruit. He trusted that they would not feel that, because they had secured their incumbent, they were to sit down, feeling that their work was done, and was now to be left to him alone. No; it must henceforth be a work of co-operation. desired that whilst they shared the work they should also share the joys and privileges. Let us all work and pray that our church may be a blessing to the village, and a centre of life and power.

He

ECCLESIASTICAL REGISTER.

THE FREE CHURCH OF ENGLAND meeting of which he would have no

IN WOLVERHAMPTON.-The inaugural Tea Meeting, to celebrate the opening in Wolverhampton of a branch of the Free Church of England, took place last month. It was attended by about 200 persons, and the Mayor (J. Walker, Esq.) presided, supported by the Revs. J. Dunning, resident minister, and J. Pyle (West Bromwich), Councillor Walsh, Messrs. E. Hyatt, Groome, Skett, G. B. Mitchell, Tucker, Parnell, etc.

The MAYOR, in addressing the company, said he was pleased to be present and to see so good a company, and he hoped and trusted they might have many more such meetings, for nothing was more conducive to good-fellowship among a body of Christian people like themselves than meeting frequently on a social occasion like that. He attended as a matter of duty. He considered that it was the duty of persons engaged in the government of the town to countenance all meetings of that kind, and to encourage everything which had a tendency to improve the moral and social condition of the people over whom they presided.

The Rev. J. DUNNING then delivered an instructive and amusing lecture on "The Tongue-its use and abuse."

cause to be ashamed. The Free Church of England was not a sham'; it was no bastard kind of religion, and it was not formed in opposition to the Church of England, for the clergy of the Free Church were required to take the Thirty-nine Articles as their rule of faith. They were also bound to regard the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the final standard of appeal in doctrine and Christian morality. Let it be distinctly understood, that their only object was to secure the maintenance of sound doctrine, the progress of Divine truth, the salvation of men, and the honour and glory of the Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The. Rev. J. DUNNING, alluding to the position of the Free Church in Wolverhampton, said, "So far as Christian principle and sympathy and charity are concerned, we extend the right hand of fellowship, and say-God speed the church and steeple and all, and bells and all, if they will do good."

Subscriptions were invited towards the expenses of opening and carrying. on the church, and, including a donation from the Mayor, nearly 201. were obtained.

The choir, which had rendered several pieces of music in the course of the evening, brought the proceedings to a close by singing the Hallelujah Chorus.

The Rev. J. PYLE, in addressing the audience, said, the presence of the Mayor had put a stamp on that ENTERTAINMENT TO AGED PEOPLE AT TOTTINGTON.

An exceedingly interesting gathering of aged people took place at Tottington, on January 21st, in connexion with the congregation of St. John's Free Church, who thought

that a great deal of good might be. done by bringing the patriarchal portion of the inhabitants together at least once a year, and addressing to them words of encouragement and