the applicants for admission became so numerous, that the house could not hold them. Her great object was to place the crown on her Saviour's head, whom she loved better than life. In 1821 she, with her husband and two children, removed to Sand Point, Carlton, where she continued to recommend the truths of the gospel, and "to walk as a bright and shining light," till God took her to that better world where no sin nor sorrow reigns. More than twenty years ago, she and brother Bond were both baptised by the late lamented Mr. F. G. Miles, in this place; after which she still publicly preached and taught the great salvation, with increasing zeal and usefulness; the Lord blessing the word spoken by her to the souls of many. In this place a Sabbath school was instituted many years ago; perhaps the first in the province, taught by sister Bond. Many will never forget the instructions received there. Many souls, through its instrumentality, were brought to Jesus, the Sinner's Friend. She studied continually the Bible, and became fully acquainted with its inspired contents. Her mind was richly stored with religious and other useful knowledge, which she gathered from her extensive and valuable library; perhaps the largest private one in the province; including the most voluminous works of the greatest divines, historic, and other writers, from the fifteenth century to the present. Her principal topics of discourse, were, the sovereignty of Jehovah, the total depravity of Adam's race, God's eternal, electing love, redemption by Jesus Christ, justification according to the riches of his grace, sanctification by the Holy Spirit. About two years and a-half ago, the Lord removed her partner, brother Bond, to the heavenly world, since which she felt herself fast declining in body, and was deeply impressed with the necessity of the organization of a Christian church, where she long laboured and preached the unsearchable riches of Christ. She realised this about three months ago; and became a member of the infant church herself. O, how she labored for the Master! Truly, it may be said of her, as of one of old, "She hath done what she could." In the decease of this mother in Israel, the church has lost its most valued member; the fatherless and widow, a kind and generous benefactress; the world, a friend and instruc tor. Towards the end of her mortal career, I stood by her dying couch, and heard such language as none other than a blood-bought soul could utter. She would exclaim, "Õh, that is precious! that is efficacious to cleanse so vile a sinner as I! Glory to God! for its saving, sanctifying power." The night before she fell asleep in Jesus, as an aged saint sat by her dying pillow, she would exclaim, "Don't you hear the rumbling of the chariot wheels a-coming?" Thus this woman of God experienced much of his goodness during her last moments on earth. For about 33 years she lived in Sand Point, and was much esteemed, loved, and respected, by all who had the pleasure of her acquaint ance. Her last sickness and death cast a gloom over the community at large. Every one felt that a great woman had fallen in Israel. On Wednesday, 26th July, she ended her pilgrimage on earth, in her 74th year. Her spirit was borne by angel companies to the habitation of God and the Lamb. It is true, we have suffered a loss in her death; but it is her infinite gain. In this solemn, painful bereavement, the church here submits to the wise hand of a loving Father, praying the loss we have sustained may in some humble measure be made up, and sanctified to God's dear people. Her funeral sermon was preached last Lord's-day, at 3 o'clock, at her chapel, at Sand Point, by Mr. Robinson, pastor, of Busel's Street Baptist Church, St. John, from Psalm xvii. 15, to a vast concourse of people. The discourse was blessed, I trust, to many souls-" From henceforth, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord: yea, saith the Spirit, they rest from their labours and their works do follow them." I remain your's, in the hope of eternal life, GEORGE SEALY. Samuel MAY DEACONS ADMINISTER ORDINANCES? (To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel.) SIR-Is it not out of order for a Strict Baptist Church to partake of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, without a minister to of ficiate? J. A. very high authority in our churches, says[We certainly think it is out of order. A none but THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH should administer, except the church, in a body, see it right to authorise a deacon to do it of necessity. The office of the pastor is a sacred office, and must not be made a mere matter of convenience: the work of the pastor is a solemn work, and should not lightly be infringed upon the administration of ordinances, is pastoral work; and the Scriptures nowhere authorise unauthorised or unrecognised persons to administer. Dr. Gill says-] ther, or private member of a church, may be "A question may be put, Whether a brodeputed by the church, to administer the ordinance of the Lord's Supper? The ordinance of the Supper cannot be administered authoritatively but by an officer, since it is tered in the name of Christ, by one as a suban act of office-power, and must be adminisstitute of him; and if the church may delegate and substitute others for the discharge of all ordinances whatsoever, without elders or pastors, then it may perfect the saints, and complete the work of the ministry without them; which is contrary to Eph. iv. 11, 12; and, as Dr. Owen further observes, it would render the ministry only convenient, and not absolutely necessary to the church, which is contrary to the institution of it; and such a practice would tend to make a church content without a pastor, and careless and negligent of seeking after one when without one." Kruiems. SPIRITUAL LIFE-GOSPEL TRUTH, AND THE FRUITS OF GRACE! THE words which head this brief notice represent the essential blessings so greatly needed in our day. Undisciplined youths-whose zeal is young and hot, may tell us, "all is right:" that the state of the church is good, and that things are going on well-but we pass by such empty and unsound expressions, and reflect seriously on the painfully manifest want of VITALITY, of GOSPEL HARMONY, and of PERSEVERING PRACTICAL ZEAL in the midst of our churches-in the consciences and ministrations of many of our pastors-and in what should be the devoted lives of our believing brethren, and professing friends. We have, of late, made it one distinct part of our business to look somewhat carefully into the most widely circulating Scottish Christian periodicals, and literary Scottish Church productions. What is the result? Would we be uncharitable? No; not we. Would we not rejoice to find a holy Scottish fire-a fire evidently of Heavenly origin—a penetrating fire-an illuminating flame-a purifying power-developing the amazing glories of the Covenant, the Cross, and the Crown; and expressive of the great mysteries of SALVATION as wrought in the inmost souls of saved sinners ?-Yes! yes!! indeed. We would rejoice to find it. But we cannot. Neither in Scotland, nor in Ireland; neither in America, nor in Germany; neither in the Colonies, nor on the Continent, can we discover that there is any special measure of that Almighty energy, which throws Saul of Tarsus to the ground; reveals Christ in the soul; compels him to deny himself, and at all hazards, at all costs, in a determined spirit, conferring in no sense with flesh and blood, to go forth extolling the Lamb of GoD with all his holy, heaven. born powers. No! England-with all thy faults-thou standest almost unrivalled in this -"thou hast a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments." To you-to the true church of God with in you -we say, and with all the honesty and earnestness of a soul baptised in gospel love and zeal for Christ's glory, we say to you-" HOLD FAST THAT THOU HAST: THAT NO MAN TAKE THY CROWN." We know the covenant is ordered in all things, and sure;" we know the Lord's "counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure:" we know the GREAT HIGH PRIEST in Heaven prevails-and THE ETERNAL SPIRIT on earth is potent, powerful, and never finally resisted or hindered in his work in giving life to the uncalled elect-in making the gospel the power of God unto the salvation of the redeemed; and in restoring and strengthening them that have believed. We know that some churches flourish, because they have gifted labourious ministers, but many churches are declining, because there is neither dew, power, light, freshness, nor edification in the ministry. Hence the constant shiftings; the frequent The volume before us, "PROFESSION AND complainings-the numberless dividings, and PRACTICE," is a pungent and practical esa host of the evils which we stay not minutely say on the general aspect of the churches. It to look at. We say, the want of SPIRITUAL may be useful to us on this side of the Tweed, UNION,-of SELF-DENIAL,-of HARMONIOUS to listen to this evidently wise-hearted WORKING,- and of real CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY, in our Churches, is producing a state of weakness, and barrenness, fearful to contemplate. If positive proof be required, we will endeavor to give it. The exposition would call for sacrifices, which if the cause of God, a good conscience, and the benefit of the churches, demand- -we would willingly make. Preceding that, let us say, Brethren, look deeply, frequently, prayerfully into your own states of soul-into the real spiritual condition of your churches:-bring the Word of God wherewith to guage, to test, and to try the whole; and then, answer us, when we ask, “Do we, without cause, assert these things?" "PROFESSION AND PRACTICE!" is the title of a volume now before us. It has driven us to write the foregoing brief remarks. The volume contains "Thoughts on the Low State of Vital Re- Scotchman. We simply introduce the author this month; a few short notices shall be given, as month after month rolls on. The great fact which our author sets out with, is given in words like these-“It is a melancholy fact, that a very large proportion of our professedly Christian population do really afford but too palpable evidence, that however sovereign and infallible may be the gospel, they have derived but little, if any, real, vital, soul-renewing, heart-constraining cure therefrom." To attempt to hide, or deny this, would be a species of false charity never to be tolerated by honest men. To point out the evils-and to speak of the remedies for those evils, is Mr. Macculloch's work. How he does it, we wish to shew our readers; and to do so fairly, we must have more time, and more space, than falls to our lot this short, cold month of February. Suffice it to say, "THE MINISTRY" is the first subjectand "the multitude of men-made preachers;" and self-elated pastors, come in for no small share of this Scotchman's criticism. Let the host of hirelings beware! Let the immense mass of pulpit plaguers, and petty-praters begin to tremble; for Mr. Macculloch most fully declares that with the ministry-as an instrumentality-lays the blessedness of Zion's prosperity, or the badness of the Church's condition. We must de fer opening the budget until next month. Our continuation, (D.V.) will be found under the same heading. SIX SIGNS OF GOSPEL PROSPERITY. MR. JOHN CORBITT, Pastor of the Baptist Chapel, New London Road, Chelmsford, has issued an address to his church and congregation. It is original, affectionate, faithful, and encouraging. He calls it "an acknowledgment of the Lord's abundant goodness, in establishing peace, union and prosperity" amongst them. There certainly are some most searching and useful questions put to the consciences of the people. We rejoice to find our Bedfordshire brother more successful in Essex, than he has hitherto been. We venture to say (our brother John must forgive us)-let young ministers look at JOHN CORBITT, if they are discouraged because of the roughness of the way. In the first place, he is dandled on the knees, at Biggleswade; there the Lord evidently favored and honored him in every sense. But, John Corbitt must go into the furnace, or his usefulness in the ministry will be very limited. Our brother James Wells is, therefore, commissioned by heaven (we dare not dispute this) to send his brother John Corbitt down to Manchester. There John has such trials to endure as almost break his heart:-but, now, in "the wealthy place now, "beside the still waters," now, when Job's prophecy has been fulfilled-("He knoweth the way that I take, and when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold:" now,) he sits down in his quiet study, and gratefully chaunts, with Paul, that beautiful new covenant anthem-"And, WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS (both in Biggleswade and Manchester) WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD," &c. &c. In the most secret and sincere feelings of our soul, do we pray, that in Chelmsford our brother may abound yet more and more; and there, after many years, finish his course with joy. From Mr. Corbitt's pamphlett, entitled "A Gospel Trio "-with "Original Proverbs," "Scriptural Hints" -and "An Original Poem, for the Tried and Tempted Christian"-we quote the following: "The question is-what is it to have the Divine approbation in a Christian church and people? Some things, that I believe, are as follow:-First. When the minister is enabled to stand constantly and unflinchingly declaring the plain gospel of Christ in all godly simplicity, unmoved either by applause, threatening, censure, or division. Secondly. When the congregation of attentive hearers are increased. Thirdly, When scattered sheep are gathered to the fold. Fourthly. When union is manifested in a continual increase and constant attendance at prayer meetings. Fifthly. When sinners are convinced under the Word and brought to forsake their former ways and companions, and made to tell how the Lord had delivered them from the law and made them willing to walk with his people in all his holy commandments. Sixthly. When a sympathetic and liberal spirit is manifested towards one another in affliction and distress. These six evidences we have; therefore we have so much right to rejoice and say the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.' Psal. xlvi. 7.) "Our congregation has increased in two years and three months at least two-thirds; the church has increased from 26 to 66; 13 of which have been admitted by baptism, and the others have, by the good hand of the Lord, been gathered from other quarters, and all admitted by the relation of their experience; so that you have often been cheered by hearing them tell what God had done for their souls; three have been removed death, one has emigrated to Australia, and one has been separated; besides this, more than £50 have been paid off the chapel debt, and the rest of the money advanced by the Baptist Buildind Fund London, will be paid by half-yearly instalments, without interest: so that now no heavy burden clogs your energies, and a little more exersion will make the remaining debt move off easily. I hope that the wise and liberal will take this hint. Tracts for Sailors and Soldiers.-London: Mr. Brown, 14, Burton Street, Eaton Square. The titles of these tracts are very striking: Christ in the Camp, before Sebastopol; or Grace triumphant in the Trenches, on the field of Battle, and in the Hospital, is one which contains many interesting facts confirmatory of the truth of the title, "Dying in Jesus," &c. These tracts might be usefully given away by Christian travellers. They speak well of the importance of a saving knowledge of the Saviour. "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.” A translation from the German. London : Ward & Co. From this volume, we hope to draw some cautions and consolations next month. "The Sabbath-the Working Man's Charter. Thoughts for Working Men," &c., &c. By JOSEPH KINGSMILL, M.A. Chaplain, &c. London: Longman. We would say to all working men who fear God-read this pamphlet to your fellow-labourers, assemble them together and read it Here for them. Sunday School Teachers! are some stirring hints for you. "The Brighton Pulpit.-No. 69, Price 2d. Published by Charles E. Verral, Nile Street, Brighton. "Christ precious to believers," is the title of the Sermon. It is a funeral sermon for the late Mrs. Simmonds; preached in Bond Street Chapel, Brighton. By Mr. George Isaac. Very judiciously, and with a wise precision, the preacher leaves the saint to extol the Saviour; and although we have almost looked in vain for the dying testimony of the departed, we have not sought in vain for a good report of the loving and ever reigning Daysman, Redeemer, and Friend, who is indeed, precious to his own dear sheep, when in their souls he is revealed; and when his presence they enjoy. THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE SAVIOUR AT JERUSALEM; OR, MILLENARIAN VIEWS FAIRLY CONSIDERED. To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel. SIR,As Mr. Palmer, Baptist Minister, of Homerton Row, in his address at Meard's Court Chapel, on Tuesday, February 5th, on the occasion of Mr. Bloomfield's pastorate anniversary, made use of language, which you state in your periodical "was listened to with breathless attention," but which was nevertheless a misrepresentation of Millenarianism; I trust, therefore, in fairness, you will allow me space in your valuable miscellany to meet the charges he has brought against us, and thereby give me an opportunity to contend for truths which, I am happy to say, are gaining ground in the present day, but which still require winnowing, in order that the wheat may be separated from the chaff. I beg, therefore, to say, in the onset, that Mr. Palmer's assertions respecting Millenarianism are no more the doctrines which we believe than Fullerism or Mormonism are faithful representations of sound Calvinism; and Mr. P. is no more justified in the remarks which he has made than would a Churchman be who should take the doctrines of the Book of Mormon and hold them up as a specimen of the creed of Dissenters, because they come under the general head. Modern Millenarianism, says Mr. Palmer, I hold to be a delusion. Now had he said mongrel Millenarianism, such as has been palmed upon the world by several writers of our day, I should not have been so much surprised; because much which has been written by Dr. Cumming, Messrs. Molyneux, Cox, and others, is mixed and confused, and therefore will not bear the test of God's Word. But I beg to tell Mr. Palmer that modern Millenarianism is a revival of primitive Millenarianism, which was held dear and sacred by the apostles of our Lord, and also by the churches up to the closing part of the third century. A recent writer observes, that in the third and fourth centuries, Chiliasm, or Millenarianism, fell into disrepute, in consequence of a vicious and most dangerous system of Biblical interpretation being encouraged. The Therapeatae-a sect of Jews in Egypt-excited the attention of men at a very early period in the Christian era, and among their peculiar notions which they maintained, taught that the Scriptures should be contemplated as having a mystic or hidden sense. They expound the Sacred Writings, observed Philo Judæus, by obscure, allegorical, and figurative expressions; XII.-No. 134. for the whole law appears to these persons like an animal, of which the literal expressions are the body, but the invisible sense that lies enveloped in the expressions, the soul. This sense was first pre-eminently studied by this sect, discerning, as through a mirror of names, the admirable beauties of the thoughts reflected. Origen, a famous Christian writer of the third century, cordially embraced this rule of exposition; and as his mental endowments were of no ordinary cast, he successfully instilled his principles into the minds of his disciples. With what caution we should imbibe his sentiments may be gathered from the following specimens of his teaching:-"The source of many evils, he declares, lies in adhering to the carnal or external part of Scripture: those who do so shall not attain to the kingdom of God. Let us, therefore, seek after the spirit and the substantial fruit of the Word, which are hidden and mysterious." The Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written under the shelter of this latitudinarian canon: it was easy to palm any notion upon the world, and as easy to obscure and pervert every truth. The meaning of the Bible depended not on the stringent rules of grammar-the only safe criterion whereby the signification of language can be tried--but on the fertility of genius in the person of the interpreter, whose imagination, rather than the powers of his understanding, was invoked and obeyed. This learned father turned the artillery of his talents and erudition against the cause of the Chiliasts (a name by which they were designated by their opponents). Long before this period (says Mosheim, treating of the third century) an opinion had prevailed that Christ was to come and reign a thousand years among men, before the entire and final dissolution of this world: this opinion, which had hitherto met with no opposition, was differently interpreted by different persons; nor did all promise themselves the same kind of enjoyments in that future and glorious kingdom. But in this century its credit began to decline, principally through the influence and authority of Origen, who opposed it with the greatest warmth, because it was incompatible with some of his favourite sentiments. Nepos, an Egyptian bishop, endeavoured to restore this opinion to its former credit, in a book written against the allegorists, for so he called, by way of E contempt, the adversaries of the Millenarian system. This work, and the hypothesis it defended, was extremely well received by great numbers in the canton of Arsinoe, and, among others, by Colacion, a Presbyter, of no mean influence and reputation. But Dionysius of Alexandria, a disciple of Origen, stopped the growing progress of this dec trine, by his private discourse, and also by two learned dissertations concerning the Divine promises. We perceive, then, a cause why Chiliasm declined; and we may judge for ourselves whether the novelty introduced by such an expounder as Origen should supersede the unanimous testimony of the two preceding centuries. Origen, then, was the founder of Mr. Palmer's creed, and to Origen must be attributed all the mist, confusion, and darkness which prevails in his mind. Mr. P. says, he objects to a visible descent of the Saviour at Jerusalem, because we Mille. narians (as he asserts) have nothing scarcely to guide us but a book of symbols, which, he is pleased to say, is a book which the most learned and devout have instinctively shrunk from; but I beg to inform him that he is not correct in this matter. We have more in the books which bear the names of the prophets, and also of others of the apostles beside John, than he is aware of. I would ask him what he thinks of the following passages, which we think have a direct bearing upon the subject in hand, namely, the personal appearance of the Saviour at Jerusalem: "Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain," Zech. viii. 3. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord, and many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee, and the Lord shall inherit Judah bis portion in the Holy Land, and shall choose Jerusalem again," Zech. ii. 10-12. "Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem, the Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy, The King of Israel even the Lord, is in the midst of thee, thou shalt not see evil any more," Zeph. iii. 14. "In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not, and to Zion, Let not thy hands be slack, the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty. He will save, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing, Zeph. iii. 16, 17. "And David my servant shall be king over them, and they all shall have one shepherd, they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them, and they shall dwell in the land that I have given un to Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their children's children for ever, and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever," Ezek. xxxvii. 24, 25. Now I contend that these passages of holy writ have not yet been accomplished, or that Mr. Palmer's ingenuity will never be able to spiritualize them. That they are yet future, and shall have a literal fulfilment. I will now simply call his attention to the following scripture as recorded in the book of the prophet Zechariah xiv. 1—5 "Behold the day of the Lord cometh and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee, for I will gather all nations to battle, and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished, and half of the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle, and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the cast, and towwrds the west, and there shall be a very great valley, and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south, and ye shall flce to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal, yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee." All Now I ask, is this language to be understood figuratively or literally? To spiritualize it or to attempt to make it apply to the church of Christ, or to endeavour to prove that it has been accomplished in the past history of the Jews, is altogether futile. nations have never yet been gathered against Jerusalem, nor has the Lord ever fought against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle, that is, when he overthrew Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea. Again, it is said that "his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the cast, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof " &c., "and he shall flce like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah." Now what language can be plainer than this? Was there an earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah? turn to Amos, i. and you will find it there recorded. Was this a literal earthquake? No man who professes to believe the Bible will attempt to deny it. Then, I ask, on what authority can this earthquake be controverted when we are expressly told that the second shall be like unto the first. I think if we were to attempt to prove that this chapter is to be taken figuratively or spiritually, it would be something like hand |