ers of the gospel stndy their commission, and seek to fulfil their ministry. Then it will be "a very small thing for them to be judged of man's judgment." And they will be anxious ever "to speak, not as pleasing men, but God who trieth the heart."

SKETCHES OF THE RELIGIOUS HISTORY of the Sclavonic Nations. By Count B. Krasinski.

The following letter from Sir C. E. Eardley, Bart. will be explanatory of the work.

Dear Count Krasinski,

I have the greatest pleasure in recommending your work. You are actuated by the most patriotic motives, in desiring to induce in this country an increased interest in your Sclavonic race, and I heartily wish you God speed.

The work is well calculated to be of service to the cause of religious truth; 1st, by affording a most valuable lesson of the fatal effects of disunion among true Christians, and 2ndly, by directing the attention of British Protestants to an important part of the Continent, where a most promising revival of true Christianity is now taking place.

I sincerely hope that those who may not purchase your book themselves may be able to get it into Book-clubs and Circulating Libraries.

I am, dear Sir,

Faithfullly yours,
C. E. EARDLEY.

To Count Krasinski.

IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. A Sermon preached at Tyldesly Chapel, Lancashire, by the REV. T. R. POTTER. Halliwell, Leigh. p.p. 8.

This is a clear statement of a most important doctrine, and might be very useful to young and old persons enquiring after the truth.

The following is a fair specimen of the author's style.

"He bare our sins in his own body on the tree. The imputation of our sins to Christ, however, does not constitute him, personally, a sinner. Such statements as this have been made, both in the pulpit, and from the press; but those who make them, understand not what they say, nor whereof they affirm. It is well, indeed, that such statements as these proceed from ignorance, otherwise they would be the

height of blasphemy. The persons who make them are so hopelessly ignorant that they will not learn, even from the word of inspiration itself, which declares that 'He knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;' that he was 'Holy, harmless, and separate from sinners.'

THE KINGDOM OF GOD. A Sermon preached at St. John's Chapel, Warrington, by the REV. EDWIN J. HARTFurnival, Warrington. pp. 24.

LAND.

This is a beautiful, scriptural, and comprehensive discourse; we have turned from its perusal instructed, refreshed, and invigorated. We have seen nothing upon the subject, in so small a compass, so well adapted to inform and impress the mind. We commend it especially to the prayerful study of the intelligent youth of our churches.

The following extracts will justify our remarks.

"The kingdom of God, for the estab lishment of which Christ had come into our world, was a spiritual and immaterial kingdom; men were to become members of it, not by outward observances but by inward grace; its subjects were to be, not the bodies but the souls of men, its laws were not to be external requirements, but living principles within, and though its existence was to be developed outwardly in the deportment and association of its subjects, yet in itself-in its authority and rule-it was to be hidden and spiritual'the kingdom of God is within you.'"

"If the kingdom of God in the heart of a man be a spiritual kingdom, its external development in the association of those who are its subjects, must be spiritual also. Its bonds of union must be spiritual, its laws spiritual, in short 'the kingdom of God' in the world must be, (if I may so speak) a spiritual corporation, having a spiritual head only, and all its relations and functions agreeing with its spiritual nature. Political station is utterly inconsistent with its character; physical power is alien from its real nature; temporal influence and authority are adverse to its well-being and prosperity. Its only power should be that of truth, of love, of the Spirit of God; its only laws those of its great Redeemer and head."

"In conclusion,-let me again most affectionately remind you, my brethren, that outward ceremonies and observances can neither constitute us the subjects of the 'kingdom of God, nor form any evidence of

our participation in its provisions and blessings. We have already seen that they cannot; but how prone are we to forget this important truth. There are great multitudes, whose only participation in religion, the only evidences of whose thoughts or feelings respecting it, are comprised in a somewhat irregular attention to its outward ordinances, and there are not a few who imagine that these ordinances constitute the vital part of Christianity. Nay, there are some of you who worship with us at the same altar, who join with us constantly in the same solemn words of supplication, and who celebrate with us the glories of the same Saviour, in whose conduct we look in vain for those developments of the spiritual and Divine life we could desire. I would not have you to deceive yourselves: at my hand would your blood be required were I faithless to you in this matter, while you might perish in the delusion. This outward attention to religious duties, will not, cannot save you. You may be most punctilious here, and yet be lost for ever. Christian parents may have dedicated you to God in baptism, and may carefully have instructed you in the principles of our holy religion; you may have professed yourself a disciple of Christ, and at His table commemorated His dying love; but if this be all your piety, all your Christianity, if there be no Divine life within, no regeneration of the heart, it will all be in vain; everlasting condemnation must be your portion. We have known men, of no ordinary intelligence in other matters, of an extensive and profound knowledge of the world and of science, who, in conversation, though they would have indignantly abjured the doctrine of sacramental efficacy; yet in their hearts have leaned upon these outward observances; so subtle and deceptive is the error. Oh! be not you deceived by it! Salvation and religion are spiritual realities, and as the kingdom of Christ is a spiritual kingdom, so the great judgment will be a spiritual judgment. All outward professions and appearances, which are not the natural development of inward feelings and realities, will fall before the first glance of that all-seeing, all-piercing eye, and we shall stand at the bar of God, not as we seem to be, but as we are. Oh! how fearful to have been deluding ourselves here with sacramental and ceremonial observances, and then to learn, only at the bar of God, that in themselves they are worthless; that we had perverted their design; and that they had been thus the occasion of our

ruin, instead of the means of our salvation Be warned in time my brethren. Venture not, on such a foundation, to the judgment seat; or amidst all the conflicting emotions produced by the solemn transactions there, your delusive hope may impart the keenest intensity to your anguish, as you receive the curse, depart,' 'depart.'

NOTES

ON THE PRophecies OF THE APOCALYPSE. By HENRY FOSTER BURDER, D.D. Ward & Co., pp. 267.

This book has already taken its proper place, in the first rank of works upon this subject and we doubt not will continue to hold it. It is distinguished by the esteemed author's well known carefulness and discrimination. The opinions it contains, are the author's own-they are neither borrowed, nor stolen.

That is more than can be said of some other apocalyptic books, of very considerable pretensions. One author uuhesitatingly says "I tell you candidly that I shall beg and borrow from the book of Mr. Elliott all I can." If the man had not afterwards made a book of what he had thus begged and borrowed, and then sold it, at a somewhat rare price, as books now go, we should not be so much disposed to complain. As it stands, the morality of the process appears to us somewhat questionable. Whenever we recur to it we cannot help thinking of going into a shop, personally appropriating the goods, selling them outside, and justifying the theft by a public profession of it. It may be well, even in interpreting "the Revelation," to pay some attention to a plain precept which is written in a formerpart of the New Testament, All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

One chief recommendation of these notes, modestly so called, is a remark in the preface to them. "Among the delusive hypotheses to which many are now inclined, I cannot hesitate to include that millenarian scheme of interpretation, according to which the second advent of Christ may be almost immediately expected, as introductory to his personal and visible reign upon earth." This theory appears to the venerable author "to mislead some of our most learned and most talented expositors of the apocalypse, so as essentially to damage and to vitiate their interpretations of the latter part of the book, and to render them, notwithstanding their high attainments and their

earnest piety, unsafe guides in the study of 'The Revelation.' The reasons for the opinion thus expressed are fully assigned in the course of the following pages."

We heartily recommend the volume.

THE

DIVINE TESTIMONIES : THEIR WONDERFUL CHARACTER. A sermon, preached in Exeter Hall, June 1st, 1851. By THOMAS ARCHER, D. D. London: Snow.

This is an excellent sermon, on the subject, and adapted to the audience who listened to it, and to this age of sceptical tendencies. We can only select one of the preacher's illustrations, taken from his Tutor, the late Dr. Chalmers.

"One branch of evidence, however, may be more popular and readily felt-the heart-felt, self-evidential character of Scripture, of which no more forcible illustration occurs to my memory than the following of Dr. Chalmers. Suppose a supernal canopy were to descend on the earth, exactly fitting it,-a hollow on the earth, a corresponding projection in the canopy,-a protuberance on the earth and a corresponding hollow in the canopy,-in short, precise adjustment in both-who would not conclude, that who formed that canopy, and let it down on the earth, knew clearly the relations of both,-in other words, was God? Now, in this book I have a canopy that meets every part of my nature: every want it supplies,-every sin it forgives,-every power it elevates. Who then can doubt that He who made me, gave me this book? Christian! ask your own experience ;-does not the spirit bear witness with your own spirit there? Is there one grief for which you could not find relief here?-one imperfection which you could not here overcome?-one disease for which you could not here find a remedy? Examine Scripture,-analyse your own heart; and the more you do so, the more you will find a complete correspondence between the written thing without, and the felt thing within."

of sabbath evenings at the close of the past year, and are published, with some enlargement and occasional notes, in the hope that they may be found useful beyond the immediate neighbourhood of the village for which they were originally designed. This hope we think well founded. The book is well written, and the interest sustained throughout. Accurate information among the rural population of our country is very much needed; that supplied by the present volume will enable our villagers to identify the Puseyism which teems from thousands of the pulpits in the rural districts with its only prototype, genuine authentic Popery. And if we mistake not, they will find in these unpretending but valuable lectures, sufficient reasons for the rejection of both.

Let it not be supposed the book is adapted to village circulation only; it is well worthy the attentive perusal of the better informed inhabitants of the towns.

The description of the performance of the Mass, which the author witnessed in company with Dr. Harris, of the New College, London, will interest the reader, and present a fair specimen of the writer's style.

THE MAN OF
GOD; or Manual for
Young Men contemplating the Christian
Ministry. By JOHN TYNDALE. Ward
& Co., pp. 342.

This manual has come to hand rather late, but not too late to prevent our sincerely recommending it to the careful perusal of all who are interested in the Christian Ministry. We remember the time when we should have esteemed its wise counsels invaluable. In our present number we must refrain from a inore ample notice, with the hope of referring to it again. This we the more readily do, because the volume is not of transient, but permanent value.

MEDITATIONS ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. Ward & Co., pp. 32.

A little book explanatory of a great subject-written in an earnest, devotional spirit. To those who have merely said the Lord's prayer, and to those who are ignorant of its comprehensive import,-these meditations will prove very useful.

SIERRA LEONE.

THE friends throughout the Connexion will be much gratified to find, that our Brother from Sierra Leone has safely arrived at home, and they will peruse the official letter herewith inserted, with much interest. In addition to this letter, several private letters have been received from Mr. J. B. Elliott, his wife, and his brother, each of which is full of gratitude for his safe return, and for the acts of kindness shewn toward him, and expressive of great delight at the assurance that some permanent good will be effected for Africa. us not, after having raised such hopes, by any apathy discourage our friends, in the execution of their plans in endeavouring to evangelise their heathen neighbours.

Let

Mr. Elliott has been appointed one of a Deputation of four to visit King Canrabah, to whom he has taken "The Beautiful Robe," &c., presented by the ladies in England; the enterprise having first been commended to God by a Special Prayer Meeting.

Two persons also were to be named in a few days who will proceed to England, to receive instructions, and full particulars will doubtless be given in the next number.

The letter from Mrs. J. B. Elliott is exceedingly interesting, its style and composition are seldom exceeded by the "Women of England." She says " He, (J. B.E.) is loud in expressing the high gratification he feels that he has been amongst the friends of Africa, and received the promise of assistance to carry the gospel into the interior; and he is lavish in praise of the benevolence and high Christian character of the Ministers of the Churches in England, by whom he was received as a man and a brother." To tell you the innumerable things he has mentioned respecting the hospitality and kindness of the people he met with in his peregrinations in different parts of England, and other matters, would fill up pages.

It is worthy of notice that these Christian Brethren do not ask us to support their own places of worship. They do what they can for themselves, and are desirous of extending the blessings of the gospel around them, and they ask us to help them to fulfil Christ's command, to make known to "every creature that his blood cleanseth from all sin."

"Shall we, whose souls are lighted
With Wisdom from on high,
Shall we, to men benighted,
The lamp of life deny ?"

Shall we not rather cause "The New
Year" to be a "beginning of years;" to
let our past indifference suffice us, and by
God's help make a fresh consecration of
our own selves,-our services,-our talents,
-our possessions,-to Him who has
crowned another of "our years with his
goodness."
F. W. W.

Zion Chapel, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 21st November 1851.

To the Executive Committee of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion in England. Dear Christian Brethren,

Your letter forwarded by the late deputation, dated, Spa Fields Chapel, London, October 14th, 1851, with its enclosure, was duly received, and at a general meeting of the Trustees, &c., held for the purpose of receiving Mr. Elliott's report as to his proceedings in England, the above correspondence was publicly read, and with much satisfaction and encouragement, we learnt your sentiments regarding Mr. Elliott's intelligence, devotedness and punctuality.

Mr. Elliott has mentioned in the highest terms of praise and gratitude, all particulars relative to the kind reception he met with, the kind treatment he received wherever he went, and the great Christian friendship shown him by the Rev. Mr. Thoresby and Mr. Willcocks, the present secretaries, and other worthy members of the Society.

We rejoice to find that Mr. Elliott's late visit to England is about resulting to some good being done for Africa, from the measures that have been adopted by you to promote the cause of Christ, all which have the tendency to carry out that most important and ever desirable end, "The extending of the Gospel into the interior of Africa," and verify the assertion of the sacred psalmist, that " Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."

The Narrative Mr. Elliott has published has added to our joy, and it has in all points met with our entire approval, from the indisputable statements it contains.

The Meeting is highly pleased at all the plans proposed at the late Conference, and other meetings in England, and the resolutions therein passed for educating some of our people for the benefit of the Society here, and we beg to say that this matter is now under consideration.

We propose having an Executive Committee formed, to manage the affairs of the Mission in the interior, which is to consist of seventeen Brethren, who are to be chosen out of the chapels in Freetown and the villages, and we wish to have it on the same principles as yours; we therefore would be favoured by your forwarding us the necessary rules and instructions for our guidance.

Information respecting the proceedings of the Brethren to visit King Canraba, of the Sherbro Country, to carry out the purposes of the Mission, will be forwarded by Bext conveyance.-We are, however, glad to say that matters are going on successfully, and as yet every thing has accorded with our views-the Brethren have been kindly and hospitably received by the king.

We have the painful task to inform you

of the death of our beloved brother, the late Mr James Strapnell. His dissolution took place on Sunday last, 16th inst., immediately on his return home, after conducting the morning service, and preaching the Word of God to a great congregation in Zion Chapel-we trust he is now at rest, and is asleep in the arms of Christ.Brother Strapnell has been in the Society for upwards of thirty years, and it can be truly said of him that he was a diligent, zealous and pious Christian.-His services were highly valuable as a preacher and elder of the Church, and he was the next senior to our beloved pastor, Rev. A. Elliott. Finally Brethren, farewell, be strong in the Lord, and cease not your efforts and prayers in behalf of poor needy Africa.

We, remain,

Dear Christian Brethren,

Yours in the Gospel of Christ,
A. ELLIOTT,
SCIPIO WRIGHT.

In behalf of the Trustees, &c., of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion in Africa.

DURING the visit of our African brother, Mr. J. B. Elliott, to this country, much interest was excited on behalf of his sable race; many kind friends welcomed him on every hand, and many resolutions were formed of devoted, continuous, prayerful exertion. And now he has returned to gladden the hearts of his people with the hope that the sympathy enkindled by his touching narrations will be followed by patient, persevering, systematic action. Special efforts were made in many congregations, and in some instances these have been followed by the formation of auxiliaries in aid of the Society in connection with which the native agency will be supported. Mr. Elliott has been empowered by the Executive Committee at once to appoint four missionaries to their respective stations, and to select four individuals, who will be sent to this country for education. The expenses of the Mission will therefore be great during the coming year, and increasing in each successive one, by the continual enlargement of the sphere of labour. Remarkable interpositions of Divine Providence have been manifest in the circumstances connected with the visit of Mr.

46

Elliott to this country. Many difficulties have been removed: and it only remains for us, with the simple faith and earnest prayer of the early Moravian Missionaries, ever to remember, If God be for us, who can be against us?" In several of our congregations nothing has as yet been done. Many are poor, and could do but little; but in all an interest might be excited in the minds of the young, which would re-act on those more advanced in life, and tell powerfully in future days. It has been thought, that an outline of the various plans that have been proposed during the last few months might be desirable at this time; and it is hoped that, in every congregation, some one method will be adopted of aiding the Society. The following plans might be easily modified, to suit the circumstances of each locality. In one, a Juvenile Congregational Auxiliary might include the Sabbath-school as well as the congregation; while in another a Children's Working Party might be all that could be attempted. Where a regular Auxiliary cannot, as yet, be formed, a few missionary boxes, or collecting cards, might be distributed, and a sermon preached.