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$2.50 PER ANNUM, Invariably in Advance. VOLUME XXXVIII. NO. 44. fotfrl- Answered. Not in my way nor at my time My heart’s petitions answer gain; I ask, and all my days are foil Of longing that I may attain. “This time,” I cry; “do not delay; Give me the boon I ask to-dav.” But opportunity goes by, And while I pray my lips are fed With something teat I have not asked, Nay, what 1 wants and not, insttad. But still, the food is sweet I find, And leaves no taste of gall behind. The Master’s hand has blessed the gift, And so it must be good for me; And yet my heart goes sighing still For that wbieli 1 had hoped to see. No paio or labor would I spare If he would only grant this prayer. I see the hands of others tilled With that which I have been denied; And they care not, but scorn perchance, Because they are so well supplied. I see and pray (whate’er my quest), “Lord let me know when 1 am blest!” I wander on, nor e’er foiget The treasure that I crave the most, And think “Perhaps it is too late, All opportunity is lost;” When lo! I Fee the blessing swiet Is lying, fair, beneath inv feet! —Jielle \V. Cooke, in the Independent. Conirilmtions. Exclusive Apostolical Succes sion—No. IX. BY A DEACON. “Avoid foolish questions and genealogies.”— Titus iii: 9. What is it —what can it be—as to order, that distinguishes a bishop from a pres byter—a ruling eider? A eloee search of the inf piled word of God has disclosed the truth that bishops and presbyters were the same— one order of the ministry. Those ministers of the first churches no where lay claim to the spostolate of “the twelve.” LHtring the lives of “the twelve apostles,” no one was admitted into their number, to fill the vacancies that rapidly recurred, except Matthias to take the place of Judus, in fulfillment of prophecy. Disciples sent on any mission of the Church, were indiscriminately called “apostles,” but not in the sense, of im mediate vocation, in which “the twelve” were so named hy the Saviour. No dis tinction or superiority by divine right, as to orde r—grade, rank—is made in Scrip ture between bishops and presbyters, or by the earliest ecclesiastical fathers. Down through a series of centuries, “ihe fathers” uniformly declare that bishop i.nd presbyter were originally Ihe same order and office, the only thing, in a later age of the Church, distinguishing one from the rest, being bis election to sit in “a higher chair ' and preside over ihe deliberations of the bresbytery,—and thenee, called the chief cr highest pres byter—the bishop, overseer or president, of the assembly According to the 35ih canon of the 4th Council of Carthage, when the bishop was not actually presiding in assembly, he bad no superiority. “In other places," speaks the law, “let him know that he is truly a colleague of the presbytery. “The 13th canon of the Council of Ancyra, shows an ecclesiastical chauge and regulation, (al lude el to in those passages of the history of the Church before extracted from Mosht im ) That canon declares that “Tis not allowed to village bishops (chnrepiscopi) to oudain presbyters or dea cons; nor is it allowed even to city pres byters to do this in another diocese with out the license of the bishop,”—all pru dential arrangements, not so much as hinted at in Scripture history. But the canon is a plain admission that in the fourth century, presbyters still had authori ty to ordain presbytersaLd deacons, with in the dioceses of their own bishops. About seventy years before the meeting of the Council of Ancyra, Firmilian, bishop of Cesaiea in Cappadocia, wrote, that, “Ail power and grace is in the Church, in which presbyters preside, and have the power c>f baptizing, confirm ing, and ordaining ” This declaration fully confirms the truth of the statement of Jerome, viz., “After the apostles times, one presbyter was placed over U e rest as a remedy against schism,” [a human device). “For at Alexandria, from the evangelist Mark up to the bishops Heraclas and Dionysius, (about A. D. 250), the pres byters always elected one from among themselves, and placed him in the higher chair; and they, the presbyters, gave him the name of bishop,—in the same manner as an army may make its general; or as deacons elect one of themselves, whose industry they know, and cull him arch deacon. For what does a bishop do,” (that is, now. he me ins, about A. D. 400), except ordination, which a presbyter may not do?” The Council of Nice, (A. D. 325) had taken the step, f ruling the ex ception made by Jerome, and showing the regul .r and systematic encroachments of the bishops on the ar.eient spiritual rights of presbyters. It was that council which proscribed the rule that bishops alone should constitute a bishop. (See Powell on ail the fc-regoii g passages from the fathers.) The evidence adduced in these papers makes it palpable, that the ecclesiastical arrangements, viz., the electing a worthy presbyter to preside over the council of presbyters,—the distinguishing him by the name of bishop,—the restriction of the original poweis of presbyters,—the transfer and confinement of their general powers to those called bishops, and the clothing bishops with the exclusive authority to ordain bishops,—all these were mere human arrangements, having no support from Scripture and possessing no claim whatever to divine appointment By divine right, if there is any special saving grace in the act or form of admin istration conveyed by the successive ad ministrators of the rites, sacraments, and ordinances of the Lord’s house, all that special and saving efiicacy flows throngb the order of presbyters, by virtue ot their original appointment and authority to preach the word, rule in the Church with the concurrence of the members, baptize, consecrate the elements of the Lord’s supper, and ordain associates and successors, to the end of time. The duty and the office and prerogatives having been imposed upon them by the only competent authority, they could not be taken away by any merely human power. We should prefer, therefore, to take orders from the order of presbyters— elders—through which |“the indelible Whmtim character of the priesthood” may be im pressed; and to receive the sacraments from the same worthy hands. I repeat, if the form of the rite and the grace con tained in it, can alone be (ffeotually said and conveyed by a minister having a divine right, through “an unbroken de scent from the apostles,” to pronounce the appropriate words over and impose his hands upon the subject, that accredit ed legate of Jesus Christ is a preybyter, ordained by presbyters, to perform this function in his Church. The following quotations show the view taken by our Eagliih “fathers” ou the question: “The reformers of the im,.l did not even appoint the act of consecration to office of a bishop from that of the words that now distinguish them weflj e.dded in later times.” “The bishops' in' the Connci! of Nice, ventured at length, not indeed to prohibit presbyters from ordaining presbyters, but to make a law that bishops alone should ordain bishops. .... Yet Ambrose expressly declares that the bishops and presbyters had ‘one ordination,’ that is, really such; as the consecration of bishops is only a cere mony.” “Imposition of hands is common to the ordination of a presbyter as well as that of a bishop; it cannot be common to both, and yet essentially distinguish the ore from the other.” “If, then, the con secration of bishops is a mere human cere mony, it is impossible that the act of bishops, as bishops, in ordination, can have any divine iflicaey or authority above that of presbyters.” “The English Re formers maintained that bishops and pres byters are, by divine right, the same order.” “The Reformers ot the Church of England appointed presbyters to perform the imposition of hands in ordaining pres byters, along with the bishops. . . . Presbyters then are actually ordaineis in all the scriptural ordinations that ever have taken place in the Church of Eng land. Several acts of parliament (!) have ratified the ordination of snch as were ordained by presbyters only.” “Every true minister is a Scriptural bishop. Every modern bishop is a mere superintendent by the right of human authority Episcopacy by divine right is a modern in vention; it has been the source of much oppression. The personal succession scheme is a scheme adopted at present by bigots for the purpose of persecution.” (Powell.) Tie langnage of Jerome will form an appropriate conclusion to this paper. He exclaims: “Behold, I declare that pres byters have the power to perform the sacraments, even while their own bishops are standing at the altar. Bat, seeing it is written, Let the prt sbyters be honored with double honor, especially snch as labor in the word of God,’ it is the duty of presbyters to preach; their blessing ed ifies (lie people; confhmotion by them is suitably performed; it is proper for them to givo the communion; it is necessary that they should visit the sick, pray for the weak, and and perform all ihe sacra ments which God has given Let him who forbids the j resbyters what God has commanded them, tell me, who is greater than Christ? or what is to be preferred to his body and to his blood? If Ihe | rssbyter consecrates Christ [the EncharistJ when he pronounces the bless ing upon the sacrament [elements] on the altar of God; is not he worthy to bless the people. . . . We read, that, in the beginning, j resbyters were commanded to rule in the affairs of the Church. . . . presbyters themselves, as we read, were called bishops. . . . But proud bishops, [high churchmen] do not approve of what Christ approved, who washed the feet of the disciples—who.was baptized by John_ though John txelaimed that he needed to be baptized by him. I write these things for this purpose, that if the error of fast time cannot be remedied, humility at least may at present be preserved, that presbyters may perform those things in thßir churches, which are done at Rome, in the East, in Italy, in Crete, in Cyprus in Africa, in liljricnm, in Spain, in Bri tain, and even in part of Gaul; and which is done in every place where that humility continues which takes place in heaven, (a matter still higher,) where the seats of angels have their due order.” Modal Baptism—'My Reply. Mr. Editor; I see in the Christian Index of October 14th, an article—editorial, I suppose—headed “Modal Baptism,” and intended, as I understand it, to accom plish two very clever purposes. First, assure me that the Baptists care as about mode—aa mode—in baptiagfl do. Of course, he believes so. he reaches this conclusion, I am to see. I do not believe then is specified mode of baptism—as a mode— taught in the Scriptures. He, and all his Church, believes that immersion is the di vinely ordained mode of baptism, so that where immersion is left out, baptism is not compassed ; while I believe baptism can be consummated in its scriptural sense and design, in either of three modes—by immersion, by pouring, or by sprinkling, after the very significant man ner of Jewish devotions and dedications. In a word, it must be evident to all, that in whatever way baptism can be done, it must have a mode, or manner of being done, without which it cannot be done in that way. If by sprinkling, as an or dained mode, it most be done by sprink ling ; cannot be done in any other way. So, also, if ponring on water in baptism was an ordained mode, or manner of doing it, then it would be a modal ordinance, and not a Christian rite; and, as an artiole or object of faith, in its modality would be its vitality, for, being an ordained mode, it conld not be acceptably done only in compliance with its letter; and what we mean by spirituality in an action, cannot co-exist in it where literality is the proximate obligation. And this is obliged to be so, whenever the subjective reason, and the objective end of an aotion, is compliance with the letter of an or dained mode, in which to do the deed. Excuse me when I say there is not a Baptist in Georgia, whether as an admin istrator or as a subject of immersion, that dots not derive his, or her, chief pleasure from the immersion idea. This is obliged to be so, in every complementary action in a religions service. And every action in a religions service that is done just so, to fulfill to the letter an ideal of a divine formula, is, in spite of all precaution, PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & COMPANY, FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. MACON, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1875. done as a complement—l mean as a thing exactly finished. This was the religions status of all services performed in obedi enoe to a law of commandments contained in ordinances ; and, of course, only in ordinances—not at all in the body and spirit of moral laws. Hence, when the time oame that God was to be worshiped in the spirit, and not in the letter, every mannerism in worship which had been oommanded in a law of ordinances, was forever eliminated from practical Chris tianity. And it was done because it is impossible to do anything, both in the in the. spirit. If we are im- Rgk’ ourselves upon the square v.' ere our obt end'.” Wo arc im ■Rblflll the command ; to be having assumed that we do not believe in any mode of baptism, because baptism is immersion, and we are oom manded to be bapt'zod—that is, immersed; and as there is no baptism bat by immer sion, I, and we, disclaim believing in any thing like mode. I, and we, believe in baptism, and that immersion is the mode of baptism ; but as to believing in its mode, this we deny.” This is anew order of logic to me, for if I was in the same category of issues with my reviewer, I should feel that I really believed in noth ing essential to baptism, but its mode, because, without its presi-ribed, or or dained mode, as I think he himself allows, it is not baptism. Consequently, I can not believe in baptism, because it is an ordained rite in the Church, but I believe in it because it is au ordained mode. If immersion is the onLiued mode of bap tism, my reviewer must believe in mode a great deal more than I do, for I deny that there is any mode of baptism ordained so as to make its divine nse and end de pend on its mode. But my Baptist breth ren do make all of its divine cuds and issues depend on its prescribed modality. With out this, it supplies no divine rite. One more on close communion. ~i. Pierce. The First Missionary to the Ne groes in Georgia. While the Trustees had control of the Geoigia Colony the importation of ne groes was forbidden. In 1757 they sur rendered the charter to the crown, and at the urgent reqnest of Mr. Whitfi-.ld, the Colonial Legislature permitted thj slave trade. In 1709 Mr. Whitfield brought over from England Cornelius Winter as a catechist. Cornelius Winter had been a very poor, and to a considerable extent, a profligate young man. Ho was converted under Mr. Whitfield's preaching, and ordering into his family, was one of his laj. preach ers. After remaining with him fur some years, Mr. Whitfield invited him to come to Georgia ns missionary to the negroes. Mr. James Habersham, one of the Church of England, in Swannah, ami a Calvinistio Me'hodist, received Winter and gave him encouragement; and an Episcopal clergyman, whose name I can not give, who had large plant ations near Savannah, sent him to his slaves. He found the negroes very degraded, and as they confounded the mit-sionary with the master, they were more anxious for better food and clothing, and milder treatment, than for the gospel. He tried to teach them, but found them ueariy all asleep while he expounded the catechism The owners of thu slaves wera most of them very much opposed to his efforts, and when he attemped Sunday evening lectures to the whites he found Mr. Frink the Rector, and Mr. Zivly tha Prisbyte rian pastor, alike opposed to him. Mr. Whitfield died ou his way back to Eng land, and Winter went back to Lindon to secure ordination from the Bishop. His Lordship, however, who hud been ad vised by Mr. Frink, refused to ordaiu a man from the humbler ranks of society, and especially one who had been with Whitfield —and Winter never returned to America. Ho became in after time a most ureful and influential Noa-conform ist, and was the spiritual father and early patron of the son of an English brick mason, Wm. Jay, who prepared his biog raphy. This was the first attempt to introduce the Gospel in the rice plantations aud the Sea Islands. A more successful effort was made over sixty years after this time by another class of Methodists. G. G. Smith jAuLoiie aud Snort Articles. i/- ; .- Tue manifold difficul- eonfound editorial tripod. to the writer. I per- Hpßnatyon are not exempt from the fate of editors in general. You have a multitude of readers who can advise ad mirably, but do nothing to help you. “Timothy” is saicastio on loDg winded contributions. Does ha send you a sparkling ehor article every week, or month, or year, with which every one of your thousands of readers would be de lighted ? “ Brevis” tries out for “ brief, pnngent, racy articles, on living subjects— articles with a thought in every sentence.” How the editor’s scnl faints for lack of such con’ribntionsl Mayhap, even “Bre vis” has been so heartless as not to regale your readers onc= a quarter. lam ready to confess that an article, snch as he com mend*, from his pen,would fully compen sate all the readeis of the Advocate for a dozen “long articles and serials.’.’ And if any respectable number of the critics wonld engage to Eupply yon with such contributions evrry month, with what promptness and satisfaction these “ long articles and serials” wonld be plnnged into the deepest recess of the waste bas ket. Commend me to the critic who will give the editor aid with his advice. The responsible, imperative, duty rests on this class of your devoted nnd sympathizing friends to revive the fainting Advocate, and send it forth a live paper. Yes, sir; we mnst have a live paper. It mnst no loDger be said by the most indif ferent and worldly-inclined subscriber, “I don’t read anything in the Advocate bnt the editorials and the notices.” In be half of suoh I respectfully beg yon to leave ont ot the paper everything bnt “the editorials and the notices.” No more “sermons and fragments of ser mons,” for the rest. As no other religious paper on whioh you nse your “ scissors,’’ publishes snob distastefnl literature, you may freely use your implement with the certainty of increasing patronage. No, dear Advocate, if there is any fault iness in your editorial conduct, it lies at the doors of the hundreds of profound and brilliant men in and out of the Southern Methodist pulpit, who are con tent to let the editor straggle through his hard weekly task, with less satisfaction himself than to the most They can make our Church papei. with gems of thought. They can it the ablest and most sought-after rmH gions paper in America. If they come to the reecue, the whole tribe long-winded bores will find a tomb in the waste-basket. It gratifies some people to stumble on a cause of complaint. Many are fault finders constitutionally. They are Ekillfnl in Ihe art of pulling things into shreds, but never undertake to fashion them into beaufifa! or useful articles. Having tornj them to pieces, to the discomfort of evrijM one else, so they leave them. Even “T.’ r ß othy” and “Brevis” do not suggest topics which would delight much lees announce that they will socß make the Advocate a “readable” paper, bffl furnishing “ brief, pungent, racy articles on living subjects -articles with a thought in every sentence.” How provoking they err, to assure us readers and occasional contributors, that we might sit down to a rich intellectual feast every week—if som-budy would only supply the required articles Perhaps, good, patient, “ long suffering ” editor, you could give the critics a passable article yourself every week on some “ living subject” suggested by them, aud by this substitution tor “articles miha thought in every sentence,” sivetbe Advocate from a too sudden de cease. Daniel Tlic Advocate Auxiliary to Bible Sillily. Mr Editor: In every age of the Chris tian era, ignorance of the Bible has been an evii in the Church. Since it cannot be understood without much prayerful thought and rrflection, and the blessings and comfort it gives cannot be enjoyed aniens they arc known, the injunction to “8 arch the Scriptures” is imperative. Chriitians in our day cannot hope to es cape the responsibility imposed by their superior advantages, to study the Bible and teach it to others. No reform rtion is possible unless its necessity is fully realized and the evils that necessitate it are known. It will not be denied that there is a deplorable degree of ignorance of the Bible, among Chris tian people in this enlightened day ; that to a great extent it is wilful ; and lastly, that it is not only a curse, but a fearful sin of omission. This evil would be partially, if not wholly removed, if Christians would only read the Bible daily aud think ou what they read. The great difficulty is to induce them to read and think. To think is hard work for well trained minds, and to minds never trained to think consecutively, it is most difficult. The great question foronrChurch is how to secure this end aud have its mem btrs to “Search the Scriptures.” To overeomo the vis enerlia of human natnro thereward must be thought greater than the sacrifice neci 3 ary to attain it, since every success mast offer its own pe culiar sacrifices on the altar of victory. Duty performed by the Christian always secures a satisfactory reward, but duty cannot be known fully, without making the necessary physical and mental effort to acquire a taste for reaiing the Bible, and the habit of thinking on what is read. The Bibie is the most profound book tha ever was or ever wilt be written, and it is simply impossible for any one to read aud comprehend its truths before acquir ing a taste for reading The Sunday school is doing a grout work, and un earthing a degree of ignorance of the Bible wholly unknown before, and is un doubtedly a powerful auxiliary to the Pulpit; and yet both together oannot fully remedy this evil. The writer does not hope to offer an infdlible remedy, nor do more than probe an underlying or seemingly dormant con science in onr Church on this subject. AH mm of thought have realized H fact by experience or observation, newspapers p-operly edited, rank amH the greatest e ducators and civilizers fl onr age. Any carnal observer is aware M another important fact—that people uni versally in this country read newspapers before they read auy other literature; and it may be safely assumed, that a people who do not read newspapers read nothing and think to little profit. With this state inent of known facte, the conclusion nat nrally follows,that a Christian people whm fail to read their Church paper, negleH to read the Bible. If the assertion is universally iru j , it is so to an alar extent Assnming this to be only tial test, arc the Methodist people4||H four patronizing Conferences of our a reading and thinking people ? There are reported over 125,000 members, about 35 000 families, and leas than 9,000 fami lies read our Church paper—leaving about 26 000 families who never see it, and prob ably many of them ha- e never heard of it. Admitting this to be a very partial test, the answer is as eonc-usive as the unyield ing figures; and who then can be “ at ease in Zion.” The first great difficulty to be overcome, is evidently to get the people to read, and tho proposed refor mation is wholly dependant on this —since by reading alone a taste for read ing can be acquired, and the mind grad ually trained to think consecutively. A non reading people will generally read to gain such information as they seek to ac quire in conversation, and it is violent presumption to conclude they would read to gain information they care so little to know as not to talk about. This class of Christians usually talk about Church affairs generally, and especially revivals of religion. This information is given in onr Church paper, and these good people would read it, if they had the paper. I mean to make the assertion emphatic. Oar paper should be in every family, and I would that every subscriber could feel the necessity, and realize the resnlt. To “search the ecriptores” and profit by their teaching, is the all-important work of life, and it is the first and greatest duty of the Church to aid its members to fit themselves by education for this work. Is it practical ? M. H. Talbot. Our Irish Letter. Dean Stanley is one of the foremost men in England. He is as much at home, apparently, amongst a Eumber of Non oomformist clergy, as he is at court. A to the memory of Richard Baxter wa; Jfc,veiled the other day at Kidder by the Bishop of Worcester. Richard is represented in of the seventeenth HT.'tt,! the act of exhorting a HR’-s right hand uplifted in while the other reds on The pedestal bears ■To inscription : “ Between the Hi and 1660, this town was the Hi the labors of Richard Baxter, med equally for his Christian learu- ing and his pastcrul fidelity. In this stormy and divided age, he advocated uniVMind comprehension, pointing the w everlasting rest. Churchmen tnformists united to raise this 8,D., 1875.” Why Chureh ? Snch phraseology HRsion to the sacerdotalism which should never be Hin the far future, when the Church, as such, will exist only the inscription on the statne of flßter will bo read with wonderment, Deaa Stanley said it might be in the re collection of some present that he assisted at a like oelebration at Bedford last year. It was difficult to conceive a greater con trast than between John Banyan and Richard Baxter—between the stout, lively yonth, who played on the green at Hel stone, and the pale, dyspeptic student, who oama there from the banks of the Severn. Unlike Banyan, Baxter lived not in the bye-ways or corners of English history, but in the very thick of the crowded and eventful conflict of the seven teentu century. Known, feared, hated, beloved throughout the realm, he was one of those who, without occupying the front place among men of letters, or men of action, occupied a conspicuous place. For deeds and words together, there was none who could stand comparison with Richard Baxter. Let them look at his labors in that town. There were three or four parishes which had been raised by their pastor’s work to national, almost to world wide fame. Of those, the more con spicuous was Kidderminster. Baxter, without Kidderminster, would have been nothing at all, bat they gave him a place from*which be moved the world, and ho gave them a fame which had brought hither representatives of all classes even from beyond the Atlantic. His death be longed to that place, but his words bo le s. ,and to all mankind. Bishop Burnet was right in saying that Baxter meddled with too many things, and was too subtle and metaphysical in everything; but it was this very species of contradictory labor and unprofitable stuff in which, if he might borrow a figure from the world famous manufacture, there were golden threads and solid strings which redeemed the most obscure parts from ignominy, and were woven at times into bits of glo rious splendor. Dr. John Stoughton and others, followed with addresses. Although a Pablic Worship Regulation Law is now in foroe to pat down Ritualism, the activity of the Ritualists has not les sened, bnt rather increased. Their organ, the Church Herald, has a somewhat vol uminous correspondence on the subject. One writer argne3 that as the “Ave Maria” and the “Angelas” has never been forbidden by the Church, they might be resumed with advantage, and he sug gests that a society bo founded with the view of encouraging the recital of those forms and the “ nse of the rosary for the honor of oar Lord and His Holy Mother.” Another writer urges the necessity of forming a society to “spread among Aug iicans the doctrine regarding Oar Lady, which our ablest divines maintained.” A third asks the society of St. Joseph to form a branch whose object will be to “enlist those who desire to revive devo tion to the Sweet Mother of Mercy, the the Sea.” A fourth one, pleading tflhe worship of Mary, says that though expect bitter persecution, yet faki time put to flight tho “ boats HLa," and soon the “Angelas Wy-.v i all over the land, anil tho become a part of tho de mi every pious household, And are expressed by men ministers in a Protestant Church I Capel said the other day in a sermon, tnat the Church of Ragland was shaken to its foundations. It is being RMiauised with alarming rapidity, and must, ceise to lie regarded as in hds'j a Protest mt Church. The of the nation need not support from that Cbnrch and lias often been boast Hat,e,d its bulwark and dfcf< no?. ffm is d-parting before the seu- HjjUhe life of the Established and extinguished by of a rank and rampant ssmi iSmish formalism, and the ; dhatic sen timentalism of rationalising teachers. The Christian Holiness movement is extending itself. The experiences are stereotyped and may be expressed thus, “I am entirely saved now, and I know it. This entire salvation I obtained at th e meeting, and the fact was revealed or communicated to my consciousness by the Spirit of God.” At one of these meetings, certain statements were made. Oae min ister, a man of culture and large and strong intellectual grasp, not likely to err on the side of fanaticism and mere sensa tion, said, “ I attended the Brighton Con vention, and there is one difference be tween my experience now and before. It is in one little ‘ s.’ I used to say, ‘ Jesus save me now.’ I can put au ‘s’ in and say, ‘Jesus saves me now.’ Sitan might say ‘it was a delusion,’ but here was the answer, ‘Sin shall not have dominion over yon.’ A p-nfect Christian character is an edification, a building, bnt every one may claim the promise, ‘ I will heal thee of thy backslidings.’” The salvation of Jesus Christ is not salvation by piecemeal. His work is perfect, and the work of the Holy Ghost is perfect also. The new birth is a perfect work. As there is bnt one natural birth in the life time of au indi vidual, so is there bnt one spiritual birth. When born, the child grows into a man I when born again the spiritual babe grows into a perfect man in Christ Jesns. Another minister of high standing, said one night after a conversation with a friend, he retired “feeling Jesns very near,” and after realizing tho truth of the lines— “l cannot wash my heart, But by believing thee,” his “ legal years ” were ended. Now, snch experiences are common to all real Chris tians—not peculiar at all to a class of sano tificationists who claim a monopoly of them, and deny them to all those who do not claim to bo lifted into a higher life. St. Paul said, (and I fanoy he was as far advanced in the divine life as the best of these modirn apostles and advocates of holiness), “Hive and yet not I. Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now in the flesh is a life of faiih in the God.” It was by faith that with God ; it was by faith that went forth in practical obedience to tmr same command. The Christian life is not inert and inactive contemplation. It does net expend itself in moods and feelings, but in following Him who went about doing good. The Rev. Gervaso Smith, A. M., was elected President of the late Wesleyan Methodist Conference at Sheffield, by a large majority over the other candidates. No one conld have succeeded Dr. Pun shon more creditably, and to no one conld tho Doctor have given his seals of offioe with more pleasure. The President and ex-Preeident have been life-long friends. The Rev. H. W. Williams, D. D., was chosen Secretary. Dr. Williams was one of tho Assistant Secretaries, and has earned the high distinction to which he was raised. Lay Representation was earnestly and lengthily discussed. It is referred to two committoes —one ministerial and the other mixed. The older members of the Con ference see that the demands of the laity for representatives must bo respected, but they are determined that the constitution of the Legal Conference will remain as it is. This subject has caused several di visions in Methodism. It may yet pro duce another. Dr. Curry and Bishop Simpson were prt sent at the Conference as visitors. The R?V3. Jas. H. Rigg, D. D., and W. B. Pope have been appointed representa tivi s to tho next General Conference of Methodist Episcopal Church, North. Pen HOLDER, September 10 th y 1875. A Word Spoken in Season. A TRUE INCIDENT. In the quiet church stood the table, covered with its snowy cloth and upon it warn the bread aud wine, emblems of onr Saviour’s broken body and shed blood. The hearts of those who gathered together to obey their dear Lord’s dying commands had been touched, as with fire from the altar, as they had listened to the glorious words of prophecy, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions,’ and to the precious words of fulfillment, ‘lt is finished,’ and as they had sung together, O, happy clay, lliat fixed my choice On thee, my Saviour and my God — all felt a thrill of gratitude for the light of the Spirit which had been let in upon tho darkness of their hearts, and enabled them to see the Crucified One bearing the punishment due to them. Among those who obeyed the Saviour’s in junction to remember his death until he came, was a young girl who was longing to do something which should prove to her Saviour that she was in earnest in her thanksgiving. ‘What shall I render?’ was her cry, her prayer, as she bowed her head after partaking of the oread. She felt a peculiar desire to do something then and there—to mark tue day by some special effort to bring withiu the fold one stray lamb as jet unclaimed. She had taught her class in the Sabbath-scbool that morn ing; but now she felt this absorbing wish to influence some individual. As she raised her hoad, she saw in tho gallery a young girloi her acquaintance— not a near friend, though one who had attracted her in many ways. It seemed to her that the face had a thoughtful, wistful expression—that there was a look as if she were not satisfied to be there, apart from those who openly declared themselves on tha Lord’s side. The thought struck her at once. ‘Can I do anything to help her? Has the Spirit a word for her, of which I am to be the privileged bearer?” Though she did not glanca toward the gallery again, the face was before her till the service closed, o.nd the constant under tone of her communion prayer was lor that young soul. At tii6 conclusion of llie service the thought had complete popsession of her: ‘Shall I speak to her? But what shall I say ? Probably I may not come across her, and if £ do, I do not know what state of mind she is in. Ido not know whether she cares for snch things nt all. Perhaps she is a Ghrittian, and does not need any help from mo.’ With these thoughts she went slowly down the long aisle, and mingled witjL these came others: ‘You may inst-eRd of good. She iutmriva. Y.-n hardly right have you to pry into feelings?’ This was Satan’s whisper ha overshot his ma. k that time as he will do sometimes. Terrified tuat he should be near her there in the very presence of the Mister’s table, the young communi cant thrust him from her, with a quiet beseeching prayer to Him who is mightier than the mighty, and reached the door to find herseli face to face with the yonng girl from the gallery. There was no longer time for coueideration or plan; the opportunity must bo seized or allowed to pass—perhaps forever. She dared not refuse it, and the words—heaven-sent—' flashed upon her mind; It shall be given you what ye shall say.’ She passed her arm withiu that of her friend, with— ‘l am glad to meet you: I have been thinking of von all through the service.’ Oimt? Thinking of me? Why?’ ‘I don’t know why. I could not help il; only I wish you would come to Christ.’ The last word was almost a whisper, and the throng parted the two just then, though not until the speaker had been rewarded by a responsive glance, which made her sure that she had not done harm, nor spoken to an unwilling hearer. Bnt as she went away it seemed so little that she had said, she thought of so many other word3 which seemed as if they wonld have been better chosen—Bible words, which might have been ‘the sword of the Spirit.’ What conld she do? In her own room that, evening she laid (ho case fully at Christ’s feet, and be sought him to accept ths service she had tried to reader. Monday, aud Tuesday, and Wednesday came, -and her friend’s name was ever in her prayers. Wednes day evening, there was a meeting of teach ers and older scholars to make prepara tions for the coming Christmas festival— an informal gathering, where fingers were busy with hemlock and laurel and holly, and tongues were not restricted. Both girls were there, but the older one shrank from seeming to seek her friend and lin gered with another group. Suddenly she felt someone behind her, and beard a whisper: ‘Come with me, wont yon, please?’ They sauntered down the long room and in a quiet corner the younger girl said: F. M. KENNEDY, D. D., Editor. .1. W HIIRKE \9slsuuit Editor. A. G. lIAYGOOD, D. D., Editorial Correspondent. ‘I want to thank yon. I conld not on Sunday; bnt I was so glad someone cared. I do not think I have found the Saviour, and I want to be down stairs next time. I shall love yon always. I did not know any one was thinking about me. It has helped me so much.’ Again they were separated; but was not the heart of the one who had tried very, very full? Every word of this is true. It happened years ago; bnt it never can be forgotten. The paths of the two girls diverged. They seldom meet each other now, bnt when they do, it is with a warmth of feeling, though they have never referred to this scene since that day, each one doubtless traces to that isolated exchange of confi dence^^ this with one only aim—to ■Btng Christians to help others It is hard lo speak the BjSElt it is one way of serv- HRe difficulty we often make Hf Somebody says that wlu n- person is brought be fore yonr mind, and yon are impelled to pray for him or her, it is a pretty strong indication that the Spirit means yon to speak ‘the word in season. And Ido be lieve the ground is more often ready for the sowing than we think. For once that you are repulsed when yon do make tho effort, are you not ten times welcomed? And if outwardly repulsed, how dare you limit God to time, and think that your seed has fallen on the wayside because the harvest does not come cut at onco. ‘The word’ is pretty surely to be ‘in sea son’ if it is spoken tenderly, lovingly, sin cerely, and accompanied and followed by prayer. And, moreover, we are to be ‘instant in season and out of season.’ Dorr friends, young Christians or old, the word to you and to me is, ‘Let him that heareth, say, Come.’ It is so selfish to keep our Saviour all to ourselves! Tlie Bridge of Life. Across the rapid stream of seventy years, The slender bridge of human life is thrown: The past and future form its mouldering piers; The present moment is its frail keystone. From “dust thou art” the arch begins to rise, “To dust” the fashion of its form descends, “Shalt thou return,” the highest curve implies, In which the lirst to the last lowness bends. Seen by youth’s magic light upon that arch, How lovely does each far-off scene appear! But ah! how changed when on the onward march, Our weary footsteps bring the vision near! ’Twaa fabled that beneath the rainbow’s foot A treasure lay, the dreamer to be witch; And many, wasted in the vain pursuit The golden years that would have made them rich. So where life’s arch of many colors leads, The heart expects rich wealth of joy to llnd: But in the distance the bright hope recedes, And leaveß a cold gray waste of care behind. A sunlit stream upon its bosom takes The inverted shadow of a bridge on high And thus the arch in air and water makes One perfect circle to the gazer’s eye. So ’tis with life; the things that do appear Are fleeting shadows on time’s passing tide Cast by the sunshine of a higher sphere From viewless things that changelessiy abide. The real is bnt the half of life; it needs The ideal to make a perfect whole: The sphere of sense is in complete, and pleads For closer union with the sphere of soul. All things of nse are bridges that conduct To tilings of faith, which give them truest worth; And Christ’s own parables do us instruct That Heaven is but the counterpart of earth. The pier that rests upon this shore’s the same As that which stands upon the further hank; And fltni es for our duties here will frame A litness for the joys of higher rank. Oh! dark were life without Heaven’s sun to show The likeness of tho other world in this; And bare and poor would be our lot below Without the shadow of a world of bliss. Then let us, passing o’er life’s fragile arch; Regard it as a means, and not au end. As but the path of faith on which we march, To where all glories of our being tend. —Good Words, Troubles. These are home-made or God-sent, And of the two let ns have the latter ; for with David we may well choose rather to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of a man. Home-made troubles are either wholly imaginary, having no other foun dation than our own disordered fancies, or they era the consequences of our sins, which God allows to plague us for onr good. This latter kind are called home made, ts our sins caused them to be sent, but they are also G oA-sent, inasmuch as He dispenses them as correctives of onr evils. We have now a word or two to say of the trouble which Gad sends upon us, whether they be dispensed because of sins committed, or for some other of God’s manifold .reasons. And that troubles are often sent which are not the conseqnences of previous sine, the history of Job abundantly proves. God said of him, “ there is none like him in the earth, a perfect man aud an up right man, one that feareth God and es obeweth evil.” Here was a man of most exalted character, and yet where was there even a man more sorely tried. Ho suffered in body, mind, family and estate, while his friends regarded him as a hypocritical person from whom God had stripped off all disguises, and punished with His wrath. Surely this man’s cup of trouble overflowing, and perhaps bo being that ever lived was min so lull and so bitter a cup. this ? Was the chief Church to judge just have to suffer ail these sore we might learn to restrain judgments, and not to regard the sorely tried as deeply sinniDg ? If this be so, then the first lesson we are to learn from Jacob’s troubles is, how censo rious is the Church of God when an inno cent man had so to suffsr to teach it charity. And if we are not much mistaken, there is no one corrective influence of troubles sent upon us more marked aud blessed than the taking away of that bitter spirit which disparages goodness and passes harsh judgments on the hearts and lives, words and deeds of others. There is no sweetener of the temper like the endur ance of trouble. Wheu God’s billows pass over the soul, it is brought into snch near contact with the Divine Dispenser, and gets such a sense of dependence upon Him, that all the evils which cluster around self confidence go with it when it departs. Indeed, all good characteristics aocompany and follow hnmble dependence on God, and all evils cluster around and find nourishment in self-confidence. Bat when God’s heavy hand comes down upon the Christian, he is soon driven ont from all refuge of lies. There is no refuge for him bat the seoretplace of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of His protec tion. Now, pride and self-confidence, haughtiness and harsh judgment take themselves away for a time at least, and indeed are never again to live and rule in his heart as before them did. Nor is there any aspect in which the snbject can be viewed, which does not show that the troubles which God sends upon His children always do them good. They may be painfnl at the time, and they may continue to smart for a very long time, but nevertheless they are so profit able, that whoever comes ont of them bears a willing testimony to the goodness of God, even when He oasts His children into the furnace of affliction. —Christian Intelligencer. Alas! how many sorrows, sharp thorns of trouble that we think the pierced hands or bleeding feet can never be accustomed to, have to be aocepted as a part of onr daily lives. —Grace Wyatt. WHOLE NUMBER 1968 Summer Religion. Warm weather piety is regulated by the thermometer. The standard it goes by is not the warmth of inward love for Christ, bnt the warmth of the atmosphere. Its zeal cools in proportion as the weather grows hot. When the glass gets above ninety, the inward emotions are congeal ed, and pity is “past feeling.” The leads Christian professors to spend the Sabbath hours fanning themselves on their piazzis when their pastor goes by on his way to his and their sanctuary. It is not too warm to preach, but it is too warm for them to listen. He has toiled throngh one or two severe summer days to prepare a discourse for their souls; they are un willing to go and sit for half an hour as the recipients of tho “truth as it is in Jesnel” What mnst the world thnik of suoh a religion? For cn the very next day these self-codding Christians are off to their stores and shops, through the broiling sunshine, or else are hard at work in their own dwellings. It is “too hot” to worship God for two hours on the Sab bath, bnt it is never too hot to toil for mammon six days during the week. If the world wonders at snch a “form of godliutsi,” what mnst the Master think of it? The ingenuous argument of the Hnmes or the Huxleys, do not do one tythe of the misohief in shaking onr faith in Christianity that professed Christians do when they make a paltry physical grati fication of more account than their eternal welfare. We are not so often tempted to skepticism by the depth of infidel argu ments as we are by the shallowness of Chiistianity exhibited by many of its pro fessors. It is the want of its hold on Christians, that gives the Gospel so little hold on society. We must not connt the matter of shirk ing the claims of God to gratify bodily comfort, a small thing. It is far other wise. Christ held it a substantial evi dence of the genuineness of the faith that many of his early followers cheerfnlly en dured physical privations and even tor tares. Bat just imagine Aqnila of Pris cilla renouncing their religion bcoanse the weather was hot! It is said that lay Christians are excused from church and prayer-meetings beoanse some hard-worked pastor takes a six weeks’ necessary vacation in the mid-snm mer. Bnt these pastors get no Sunday rest during the remainder of the year; and it is established that the Spurgeons and Newman Hall must have a let up daring the year, or they soon break in physical aud mental force. There is no parallel between the cases. One of the lamentable effeots of “warm weather” religion is detected in the loose morals of many professors daring their summer absences from home. They have evidently left their consciences behind them. For they are oftener seen in the dance, or games of pleasure, than they are in Christian service in the neighborhood. “Nobody knows ns here,” is not at excuse that passes master with God.— Evangelist. “The Night is Coming on, andl am a Stranger.” As we were passing down the street from onr homo on the lull, to the little village below, in the gloaming, we were met by a man of foreign birth, who stopped sud denly, nnd inquired of ns the way to a village fonr miles distant. A sister in c impany with ns, began to give him di rections relating to the ronte—when we interposed by saying, “There is a muoh more direct way—the new road, yon know.” In a twinkling he tnrnid fall upon as, and, with coantenance expressive of the most intense anxiety we ever witnessed, said, “Madam, tell me the best and straightest way, for the night is coming on, and I’m a stranger.” The words were so earnest, the mannef and expression so impressive, that we trembled with fear lest we should fail in making the way plain before him, and we, at the moment, really regretted that we had not noted every turn in the ronte whioh led to that village by the way of “the new road.” The stranger hasted on—we direoted onr steps to oar oharoh vestry to partici pate in an entertainment given by onr people to assist in defraying ohnroh ex penses ; bnt, at intervals, amid the good cheer that greeted ns on every side, would sonnd those thrilling words, “ Tell me the best and slraightest way, for the night is coming on, and I'm a stranger.” We could bnt think of the day, that dreadful day, whioh we mast all meet, how lost, benighted souls, with terror depicted upon every face, would rush through the assembled multitudes, and in words of dreadful despair, implore the redeemed to tell them the way to become reconciled to God—the straightest way to the “City of Refuge,” for the night of thick darkness has come on, and they are strangers to God, strangers amid blackness and eternal darkness. Ah 1 Christian worshipers, knowing the tenors of God, why do we not more earnestly persuade men—and improve every opportunity to direct them into the sure way, that the night may not overtake them, before their goings are well estab lished in the new and better way ?—Chris tian Weekly. Christ, Not Faith, the Saviour. In saving faith, the object—the Lord Jesus—is everything. I believe that near ly one-half the difficulties of incipent and hazy Christians is found just here. They do not see clearly that the right object makes the right faith—the Saviour the saving faith. Yon ask a neighbor if be has a “good hope through grace,” and likely he is silent, or says “ No.” You ask him further if he is trusting in Jesus and His word, and he says, “Yes.” If he believes that He will save all who pnt their faith in Him, and he again says, “ Yes.” He is trusting in Him, it seems, and yet he can not say he has a clear hope of peaoel Suppose you now pnt the further question: “Why have you not such hopo of peace ?” the answer is, “Oh! my faith is so weak ; it is not strong enongb, not good enough, not perfect enough.” And there is just the point. Such people are looking for the excellence of their faith to save them, or at least to contribute something to their salvation. If their faith were better and stronger, then they would be safe and at peace; that is, they are trusting for salvation rather to the excellence of their faith than solely to the excellence of Jesns. Bat this is pure eeif-righteonsness, and they might us well trust to their feelings or their works. Gar faith is just as imper fect as everything else about us, and needs to be sprinkled with blood, just like everything else. The qnestion should be, not “Is my faith strong enough or excellent enough?” but. “Is it clearly and only directed to Jesns?” If so, then it is the right faith, however feeble it may be. It is saving faith; for it is not the excel lence of onr faith that saves ns, but the excellence of Jesus; not the strength of onr faith, bnt the strength of Jesns; not the p. rfection of onr fasth, bnt the perfection of Jesus. You should deter mine, then, never to moot the self-right eons question at all about the strong or weak faith, but just look straight to Je sus; and looking to Him yon are safe, be cause He saves yon. Look at the text again, and you will see that Jesus, the object, is everything. — Earnest Worker. Many readers judge of the power of a book by the shock it gives their feelings, as some savage tribes determine the power of their mnskets by their recoil; that be ing considered best which farly prostrates the purchaser. It was the ory of a dying man, whose life had been, sad to say, poorly speat> “O, that my influence could be gathered up and buried with mel”