impress on the public mind, if we can but get our christian brethren to believe, that they actually may save souls from death if they will only work for God, I am persuaded that great good will result. It is high time for our churches to learn the fact, that they are not converted to God

"To sit and sing themselves away

To everlasting bliss."

It is quite time for them utterly to disavow such a principle, and to come forward as missionaries to their fellow men. I thank God that, on a small scale, I have seen what may be done by activity. I have seen families brought to God by plain men, who just knew the way to heaven, and were just capable of telling others about the Saviour of the world. I had a young man in my congregation who spent the greater part of his leisure time in wandering about our forest as a missionary; and, in the course of his visits, he actually found an intelligent man who had never heard of the scheme of redemption at all. On conversing with him, the man burst into tears, and said, “Is it possible that God Almighty has ever been so kind?" I have seen, by the same instrumentality, one whole family brought to God; and the agent, brethren, is a journeyman, working often from five in the morning until nine in the evening. He makes the Sabbath, not a day of leisure, but a day of holy activity, contenting himself with one sermon, and then devoting the remainder of its hours to holy labour for God. If all the churches of our country would imitate this example, we should soon see the wilderness and the solitary place blossom as the rose. I have sometimes frightened Christians by asking them how many people they have brought to God? It has grieved me to hear them reply, "I fear not one." "Why, what," I have said, "what have you been doing for Christ?" I know scores, yea hundreds of churches, who never put forth the slightest energy for the salvation of souls. Among the topics touched upon in this paper is that of prayer-meetings. I think it would be an improvement to suggest something as to the classification of the persons by whom these meetings should be conducted. In the small congregation in which I labour, we find this practice attended with very pleasing and beneficial results. Our hopeful young men have a prayer-meeting to themselves, and that prayer-meeting has worked well for many years. Some of my brethren said it was a rather dangerous experiment: I can only say that I have never found it so. Many of those young men are now most valuable members of my church: not one has occasioned me uneasiness, and one of them is now a devoted minister in the north of England. It has been simply a meeting of young men. Every Lord's day evening they have met by themselves, without interruption, and without the presence of older brethren; and thus they have improved each other's gifts in prayer, and strengthened each other's hands. I hope, Sir, you will not think me very far gone in Methodism, if I allude, for one moment, to female prayer-meetings. In the church where I labour we have adopted the practice of holding such meetings, and we find them attended with unmixed benefit. Again, we have prayermeetings for the little children, which are held once a week in private houses, and conducted by the teachers. On these occasions mere babes are permitted to pray. We must, if we would come to "the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty," we must exert ourselves in every possible manner. I am sure that many souls have perished whilst we have slumbered at our posts. There is another mode of doing good which is not referred to in this paper. I have in my congregation some very pious and devoted sailors, and every Sunday morning they scour the quay, and bring to the house of God as many shipmates and others as they can prevail upon to enter. I really wish that this was carried out in all our churches. Let us have a press-gang to scour our villages and the back streets of our towns, and to bring the poor benighted people to the house of God. I am persuaded that even more good might be done in this way than by having services among them. They will think themselves a degraded and unwelcome class, unless we take them by the hand, and bring them to the sanctuary. Our dear friend from Westbromwich

has anticipated what I had to say about Sabbath-schools, and therefore I will not touch upon that matter, unless it be to express a hope that I may live to see the day when Sabbath Schools shall have for their object simply and solely the conversion of children. When God began, in a remarkable manner, to pour down his blessing on the church over which I preside, I mentioned this subject to the teachers of the school. They owned that there was a deficiency in the school, and I believe many sincere tears were shed on that occasion. À very short time afterwards there was an evident alteration; some of our Sabbath School children were brought to God; others were under hopeful impressions; and I believe I can say, that we have not at present one unconverted teacher, and not one who does not make it his or her daily prayer, that all the children committed to their charge may be brought to God. According to the old system, the children, when they grew up into life, soon forgot all that they had learnt at school. I must apologize for these rambling remarks; and I second the resolution with all my heart, and I pray that God will visit our churches, and that his Spirit may descend upon us in a large and copious effusion.

The Rev. J. BARFITT, of Salisbury, wished to support the resolution. His object was to corroborate what the last speaker had said in reference to lay preaching. There was a time when he (Mr. Barfitt) had some doubts upon this subject, at least with reference to the particular agencies which were sometimes employed. But he would state to the meeting a case in which it had been attended with great success. There was a village, about six miles from the city of Salisbury, containing a population of six hundred souls, where the gospel had not been preached for many years. Efforts had been made to get it introduced, but for a long time, through the opposition it was always met with, every application, by whomsoever made, had proved unsuccessful. At last the way was prepared, and at that time there was a very interesting chapel in that village, which was principally supplied by lay brethren connected with the churches in the neighbourhood. There was amongst them one individual, humble in talent, and humble in circumstances, yet a man of deep piety, who was enabled now and then to speak of what he had tasted and handled himself; and this individual, as they had every reason to believe, had been made the instrument in the conversion of no less than ten persons within two years of his labours. He (Mr. Barfitt) was called to improve the death of three individuals who were brought to the knowledge of the truth through that person's instrumentality, and who, he doubted not, were now in glory.

The motion having been agreed to, the meeting proceeded to discuss the several clauses of the paper seriatim. As our space will not admit of entering into the discussions at length, we shall only give those points which possess the greatest and most general interest.

In the discussion of Bible Classes, the Rev. J. Sibree, of Coventry, inquired if the brethren could recommend any particular book for the use of Bible classes? The Rev. J. BLACKBURN stated that he had tried several of the works published, with a view to assist the Bible classes, but he had found most of them very much like the corks which boys use to help them to swim, by which they are in great danger of being drowned. He thought it was a duty ministers owed to themselves to study the word of God critically, and that if brethren would prepare for the Bible class with labour and study, they would derive from the exercise great advantage themselves as well as confer it on their pupils.

The Rev. J. REYNOLDS had introduced into his Bible class, he believed with great advantage, the printed declaration of the faith and order of their churches. His plan was to take the articles of faith seriatim, requiring scriptural proof in support of each. Having gone through the faith, they were then about to commence with the order of the churches. He hoped thus to promote sound instruction, both in scriptural and in congregational principles. His class of young men, thirty in number, attended him once a fortnight, and afforded him great encouragement by the intelligence and diligence which they manifested.

The Rev. Dr. MATHESON trusted that the remarks which had been thrown out would convince all present of the great importance of teaching the young the peculiar and distinctive principles of our churches. He wished to remark, respecting books for the classes, that he (Dr. Matheson) had found those the best which contained questions only, and left the young people to find their own answers, by which their interest is kept awake.

The Rev. FERNIE, of Frome, stated that the book which, in connection with the Bible, he had used with the greatest success, was the Pilgrim's Progress. He had also used the marginal references, and by this means an astonishing amount of scriptural instruction had been conveyed to the minds of the young people in his class. He had never been able to follow the plan of any book which had been published.

The Rev. J. HILL said it was exceedingly important that the conductors of the classes should always enter upon the duty in a right state of mind. He was afraid that they often engaged in the work without being deeply impressed with the magnitude of the object. Let it be remembered that the object to be kept constantly in view was the conversion of every person entrusted to their care, that their hearts might burn with love, and be filled with an intense desire for the salvation of their souls.

Rev. Dr. MATHESON referred to maternal associations, as important means of usefulness; though he admitted that they required the most prudent management, yet they had in many places been attended with the most beneficial results. He thought they were well worthy of consideration.

Persons

The Rev. J. BLACKBURN said, that that plan of usefulness was before the mind of the author of the paper, but the objections to it were such that it was omitted. HENRY WILLS, Esq., of Bristol, felt very great pleasure in bearing his testimony to the efficiency of cottage prayer-meetings, as a means of bringing those forward to pray who would not engage in public meetings, and of benefiting those who are not sufficiently well attired to come into our chapels. of that description were thus induced first to hear prayer and afterwards to engage in it, and they had had the pleasure of admitting several into the churches who were first of all brought under the influence of the gospel through cottage prayer-meetings. They had four such meetings every Sabbath-day, and not only had numbers by this means been added to the church, but a vast number of their young members had begun to pray, and now more than three-fourths of the lay-members, amounting to eighty, engage in prayer.

On the subject of Congregational Libraries,

Rev, R. GILL, of Charmouth, said he wished to put ministers on their guard against an insidious practice of some socialists, who have actually sent their books as presents for Congregational libraries, which, for want of examination, have actually got into circulation before their character was detected.

The Rev. G. STEVENS, of Totton-And for want of the same examination, a publication was circulated containing five-and-twenty reasons why I ought not to be a dissenter.

On the Education of the Young,

Dr. MATHESON observed, that the time was now come when our denomination was called upon to put forth some recommendation respecting the instruction of the young throughout the week. It was now essential, if not to their existence, yet to their progress, and to their respectability, that wherever it was practicable, there should be a week-day school in connexion with their churches. They could not but be aware, that attempts were then making, he would not say to destroy, but to impede what they all considered to be the progress of true christian liberty. Such attempts were both numerous and powerful, and he was afraid they would also be efficient, unless some adopted to counteract them. He was afraid that even their Sunday-schools might suffer from these causes, and he would therefore recommend that a few lines should be inserted in the paper upon that subject.

means were

The CHAIRMAN said he felt the importance of the remarks which had fallen 5 H

N. S. VOL. IV.

from Dr. Matheson, and had no doubt that any suggestion upon the subject from the Congregational Union would have great weight. In reference to bis own place, they had a weekly school for boys and girls, though in their Sabbathschool they were separate.

The Rev. R. SLATE, of Preston, observed that he knew a town where there were fifty thousand inhabitants, and there was not in that town a single day school that was unsectarian.

The Rev. J. BARFITT said that in Salisbury they were continually losing Sabbath-school children, not by any direct open attacks, but by just that system of proceeding which he wished from his heart were adopted by themselves.

The Rev. J. EDWARDS, of Brighton, thought that many were deterred from taking any part in the establishment of day-schools, by the idea that they would not be able to sustain the expenses. In his own neighbourhood they had a most efficient master, and very much depended upon this. They gave that master £120 a-year, and the children gave three halfpence, or two-pence if they were taught to write. That brought in from £2. 12s. to £2. 14s. a-week; so that the school was supported principally by the pence of the children. Let there only be a good master, and success was almost certain.

The Rev. J. BLACKBURN put it to the meeting whether they would refer in the paper to the assistance cheerfully afforded by the Government in aid of the building of school-houses.

HENRY WILLS, Esq. observed, that if they allowed themselves to take money for the purpose of scriptural education, they must allow the Catholic, the Socinian, and all other denominations to have the same assistance in disseminating their sentiments. He hoped, on this account, that no such recommendation would be inserted.

It was observed by several gentlemen that this was a controverted point, and the subject then dropped,

H. WILLS, Esq. proposed to insert a recommendation to parents to bring their children more frequently to the house of God. In many places of worship they would see nearly all the pews filled with adults, and scarcely a child in them. He thought this one of the most important things connected with education.

An interesting conversation took place on the importance of making provision for the poor of the churches; but no addition to the paper was proposed upon the subject.

THOMAS CHALLIS, Esq. of London, then rose to move "That the Paper on the Home Missionary Duties of Churches be approved and adopted by this Meeting, subject to such improvements, as have been suggested in the course of the preceding discussion with evident approval. That the Committee of the Union be entrusted with the revision of the document, in accordance with this Resolution, and that when revised it be inserted in the printed minutes of this meeting," and spoke as follows:-There are two features, Sir, in the discussion that has taken place upon this docuinent, which have certainly occasioned in my mind deep interest and anxiety; the first is this: It has been recommended by some of our friends, in their deep anxiety to disseminate our distinctive principles, that they should be mixed up with the means employed to disseminate religious instruction. I was delighted to hear one gentleman say that the pian he had adopted was to keep them distinct. I hope this will always be done; that it will always be remembered, that however important they may be in themselves, they ought not to be mixed up with spiritual things. The great secret of our success in Bible classes, and I have had some experience in this way; out of eighteen or twenty young men connected with a Bible class, I have seen seventeen or eighteen join the church within a year after its formation; the great secret, I say, of their success lies in keeping such matters distinct; and I am quite sure that we shall spoil both objects if we attempt to mix them up in the way that has been suggested. The other remark I have to make is, that while you are studying to devolve upon the members of your churches all

those auxiliary duties which they are capable of performing in connection with the minister, you ought to be exceedingly careful that you do not lower the estimate of the preaching of the gospel in the minds of young people. There is some danger, that if you attach too great importance to lay agency, the individuals employed will become of more consequence than it is desirable that they should be; that they will, in short, feel their own labours to be of equal importance with the preachers of the gospel. Now a greater error could not be introduced into our churches. He (Mr. Challis) should be borne out by all his lay friends present, that it was their wish, in all their engagements, to be impressed with the value of the preaching of the gospel, and not to set up any separate means in its place.

The Rev. G. SMITH, of Plymouth, on rising to second the motion, said, I exceedingly rejoice that so valuable a paper has passed through discussion; that the whole of the principles set forth meet with the unanimous approval of this meeting; and that the document embodying those principles, will go forth to the world and be made to tell, as I hope it will, efficiently on our churches. There is a recognition in this paper of a very important and affecting fact, namely, that our country has a deep, powerful, and growing claim upon the efforts of our churches. We would not be unmindful of what other denominations are doing for the world; we would not be unmindful of what they are doing for our country, but we ought to bear prominently and perpetually in mind, that our country has a strong claim upon our own denomination. Let every other church arouse itself, and do what is absolutely needful in its own judgment to meet the necessities of the country; but let us remember, that there is a very solemn and responsible duty resting upon us in reference to the evangelization of Britain. If it be our duty to circulate the Bible in China, to preach the gospel in India; if it be our duty to circulate tracts in Africa, and to instruct the various tribes of our world, it is certainly pre-eminently our duty to do all this in behalf of our own population; and whilst I am greatly interested in the London Missionary Society, and in all its operations, and would not have a single farthing subtracted from the funds of that society, I do feel that there has been nothing done yet that is adequate to the extension of the gospel in our own country. I do, therefore, feel delighted, I am under the influence of a joy and satisfaction to which I could not give utterance-that this Congregational Union has taken up in a decided manner the work of Home Missions, the work of evangelizing our own country. The mere fact that attention has been called to it for successive years; the mere fact that hundreds of brethren journeyed from different parts of the country to be present at the meeting in Birmingham last year, and that we have now as large an attendance, is to me a sufficient pledge, a delightful earnest that the good work in which we have engaged will go on. (Cheers.) Then there is a recognition in this paper of the fact that we are prepared, as Congregational churches, to do something in order to meet the necessities of the growing population of our land. I have not a great deal of sympathy, Sir, with the remark put forth to-day, implying that the Wesleyan body have more power and are in a more useful state than our denomination. I do believe, that no denomination in the length and breadth of Britain, is at the present moment putting forth such an amount of holy and combined effort for the welfare of the land. It is impossible to refer to that book entitled "Our Country"-and I would refer to it in terms of great commendation, if the author were not present-without feeling that our denomination is in a most healthful and hopeful condition. We have wealth, Sir; we have intelligence; we are free; we are untrammelled; we have no fetters to bind us; we are under no domineering power; the world is before us; the country is before us; every part of Great Britain is our parish; and we have no limit whatever put upon our operations, but the means placed within our reach and the necessities of the people who supplicate our aid. And then, I think there is very much in the spirit of the times which is pre-eminently favourable to a renewed and aggressive effort upon the Our prinmass of ignorance, darkness, and degradation found in our land. 5 II 2