scribe those that are divine. If there is to be a revelation made at all to human beings, it must be made through the media of communication which such beings use-media adapted to what they see among themselves, and necessarily inadequate to express ideas above their natural conceptions. God condescends to use our language. Thus he tells us that he repents: he speaks of his hand, of his eye, of his mouth. We know perfectly well that these expressions are not literally exact; and no man is deceived by them, no There is a point, too, which must not be lost sight of. The revelation of the gospel, such as we find it, is of expanding character. As ages roll on, more and more light beams upon it; and thus the bible is seen to be the book not of untutored nations only, but of those farthest advanced in civilization; not merely of the world in its infancy, but of the world come to maturest age. Other books are exhausted; all that can be known of them is speedily discovered, and they are laid aside, the wonder as perhaps they were of one generation, to be neglected and super-man seriously argues from them that the Deity seded in another. It is far otherwise with God's word. Its depths the labours of ages have not fully explored nor exhausted all its stores, and what was marvellous and incomprehensible heretofore has often become at length most luminous and plain. Take, for example, the prediction of our Lord as uttered by Isaiah, that he should "make his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death". It was either passed by, or peradventure carped at, as men carp at the doctrine of the Trinity now, and said to be contradictory. But it was proved to be fact, fact literally, and to the extreme of nice fulfilment; and thus another proof was added that the revelation which contained it came from God. has parts and passions such as we have. Then I say it is unfair, when, in describing the relation which the Persons in the Godhead bear to each other, human terms are used, to forget that they are used as approximations-the best our imperfect tongues can furnish, but approximations only-to the truth. It is unfair to the last degree to question the truth that is revealed on this account, excogitating objections which exist nowhere save in the deficiencies of ourselves and of all that belongs to us. The terms Father and Son, as applied to the first and second Persons, must not be sifted with bold irreverence, but meekly and humbly accepted as the mode in which Jehovah has seep fit to speak to us. And this temper best befits the mind at all times, that would profitably study the divine word. It is with deep devotion, it is with childlike simplicity, it is with solemn awe, that its disclosures must be received. So only shall we be likely to be made therefrom wise unto salvation. The humble spirit will find abundant instruction in that which the proud understanding rejects to its ruin. But in all those things to which I have adverted there is food, spiritual food, for the humble mind. And, when such a one finds depths that are unfathomable beyond the plumb-line of prying human wisdom, it perceives more evidently the delineation of that glorious Form, whom no one by searching can find out unto perfection. It will be employment for eternity to gaze upon his face, to see his wondrous ways unfold themselves, to gain a clearer view of his subsistence, to perceive the clouds that dimmed our vision here pass like the vapours of the morning, in that happy land where God shall indeed dwell with his people, and let them know-O marvellous attainment! even as they are known. The full develop-ledge that an infinite ransom only could ment of God's mysteries must patiently be waited for. Herein are some of the good things which he has prepared for those that love him. It is time to draw the subject to a close. I will merely suggest one or two of those considerations for your more particular reflection which seem naturally to rise from it. 1. There is an unfair use frequently made of human language by those who reject the doctrine of the Trinity. Language is always imperfect; more especially so when, by terms taken from human things, it is used to de 2. But, after all, the best knowledge is a practical knowledge. And this we should strive to attain, especially in respect to such deep things of God. No one will stumble at the doctrine of the Trinity who, enlightened and quickened by the Spirit, comes to the Father by the Son. He that has felt that he has sinned against his heavenly Parent will acknow atone for his transgressions. He that has grieved for the corruption of his nature will confess that a divine working is needful to new-create his heart and sanctify his affec as we become acquainted with what each tions. Vain speculations will be cast aside, blessed Person in the Godhead has done, and is doing, for us. In this way, brethren, seek to know the Triune God. The Father's love, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, experi mentally known and powerfully influencing heart and life, will be sure to be the Christian's stable foundation and his richest joy. Let us taste the blessing offered to us here. | MISSIONARY RECORDS. No. LXXXIV. roomy dwelling, with a large garden, barn, farmyard, and twenty acres of ground. The price was fixed at 4,000 dollars (about £600); so I bought it for the service of God, in the faith that he would supply with the means, for I had none of moment at my disposal. I continued instant in prayer; and he, who answereth prayer, never failed to provide me with funds, in proportion as the quotas of payment became due: my parishioners came forward with voluntary loans, refusing to accept any interest for them, or even an acknowledgment of the debt. We required a teacher; and my brother Thomas, who had been educated for orders, and was eminently qualified for the task both in heart and mind, at once obeyed my call, as from the Lord, and gave up a tutorship. I made a beginning in October 1849, collected my twelve pupils in the church, dedicated them to their intended vocation at the communion-table, and then conducted them to the mission-house, in which they have ever since continued to labour cheerfully and sedulously." Some are of the agricultural, and others of the mechanical class. The consistory of the district has taken the institution under its protection, and sends visitors to inspect and report the progress of the seminary once a year. "It is our heart's desire that the Lord should be our Governor in all things we have no written code of rules, for a good Christian life is the only law necessary. My brother considers himself the father of his youthful inmates. The day is begun and closed with divine worship. Over the door is a plain cross, with the device, In hoc signo vinces;' and up to this hour it has triumphed over every hindrance that has crossed our path. Unity, love, and reciprocal regard and confidence have reigned throughout; and, in the Spirit's might, sin has lost its dominion. As a relief to their studies, the pupils cultivate the garden and fields, and prepare whatever new ground we are enabled to purchase: the health both of mind and body are thus promoted. The whole expense of the establishment does not exceed £150 a year, independently of the presents made to it of wood, peat, &c.; among the latter are three cows, five swine, about a score of sheep, geese, and other poultry, linens, potatoes for planting, &c." "Is God love? The true Christian would be love also: he would act nothing but love, and breathe nothing but love. O noble ambition! blessed object! sweet end of life! What a heaven would earth be, if all were of this mind and spirit! Come, beloved, and rise to the occasion."-REV. C. SIMEON. THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT.-In many parts of the kingdom of Hanover much zeal in the cause of missions is manifested; but in no place is it so marked as in the district of Hermansburg, under the active leading of the rev. Mr. Harms, the incumbent of that spot. In a local report, he observes: "We have no such thing as any missionary association here; but all my people, with very slight exceptions, are naturally inclined to make common cause with me, and feel as much joy and concern in the conversion of the heathen as they do in cultivating the grace given them of love for the word of God. Hence prayers are offered up for the salvation of the heathen, not only in our sabbath services used in the weekly congregation, but there is scarcely a family in whose domestic worship the spiritual need of those who know not God is not daily remembered. Hence, too, both the old and the young are accustomed to pray for them, irrespective of any admonition from myself; and I am bound to notice with peculiar thankfulness that no rite of the church is performed without some offering being made in aid of missions to the heathen by those who are the objects of the rite, whether it be at a baptism, a marriage, a JERUSALEM.-"The establishment of a profuneral, a confirmation, a communion, or a church-testant bishop in this city has been blamed in ing after childbirth; and the mite is accompanied many quarters, and even treated with scorn and by some such expression as this: Here is a trifle derision. Now I have myself been for many years for the good of the heathen; may they soon be a personal observer of the progress of religious made as glad as we are!' Many, indeed, are per- matters in the east; I have visited the whole sonally so anxious on this point, that they desire to country lying between the Mediterranean and the go themselves as missionaries among the idolaters; alpine regions of Kurdistan and Persia; and I and I can testify that, after setting aside such as venture to affirm that the gainsayers, blinded by have no suitable gift for the office, so many unex- the mist that pervades their libraries, have taken ceptionable individuals offer themselves, that I far too narrow, if not too one-sided a view of the cannot refrain from hoping and praying the Lord question. The Christians of the north have would make an opening for their employment. I acquired a firmer footing on mount Zion. The cannot afford the expense of placing the young exertions of the protestant mission to the Jews, candidates in a missionary institution: besides they however insignificant they may seem to have are loath to remove from under my eye, and have been, have imparted life to the bishopric: it is often expressed their anxious desire to be trained now aided by newly-organized institutions, which on the spot. Dear sir,' they have frequently have greatly increased its efficiency: among these asked, cannot we have a missionary school of are an excellent hospital for the Jews, a school our own? We shall be very glad to work for our of industry for the converts, another school for the board and training.' The Lord has shown us the children of English, German, and Arab parents, way. We had an opportunity of purchasing a as well as those of other natious, being Christians; the rapidly advancing institution for protestant deaconesses, which has a sick-asylum, a children's home, and a boarding-establishment attached to it; and, lastly, the 'Jerusalem Literary Society,' which was founded in 1849, holds weekly meetings, has already a library of no mean extent, and an infant museum. The object of the society is to inquire into and illustrate all subjects connected with the physical or historical memorabilia of the Holy-land. Our protestant flock has experienced a notable increase of members in the persons of the rev. Messrs. Hodges, Daniel, and Richard, missionaries, and Mr. Sandersky, who has come from Smyrna under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society in London. At Christmas we were visited by a throng of pilgrims from various quarters. I hear that the Romanist patriarch is about to remove a college from mount Lebanon to Jerusalem, and take an active part himself in its direction. It appears by a statement made by the late Prussian consul, M. Schultz, that the Turkish government, about two years ago, incorporated a provincial and municipal council here, in which Christians and Jews are allowed to have seats. I hope that this may be the token of more extensive improvements in its domestic policy it manifests, at all events, a marked decline in moslem intolerance. Another novelty is the recent census of the population of the eight districts, comprising the pashalik of Jerusalem; but it does not extend beyond the taxable male inhabitants their numbers are 135,000 Mohammedans, 12,462 Christians, and 1,079 Jews. The 'holy city' itself contains 23,000 inhabitants, among whom we find 7,488 Christians, 3,580 Jews, and about 2,000 foreigners" (Private letter from a German resident). RUSSIA. The number of converts baptized into the Greek church during the year 1850 consisted of 2,078 pagans, 1,274 Jews, and 672 Mohammedans. The missionaries to the heathen in the territory of Jakee have been greatly assisted in their labours by two movable chapels. One of them was in constant requisition for a space of eight months, and traversed no less than 7,400 versts (about 4,930 miles) in that interval: it went from one nomadic native encampment to another, where the presence of a minister had not been seen for many a year, and consequently afforded an opportunity to baptize numbers of adults. The superintendents of these movable chapels, who are ecclesiastical supervisors (or deacons of the Greek church), inspect all the churches on their way, and excite their converts to erect places of worship, which may afterwards be consecrated as churches. The dedication of such chapels as had been previously built was celebrated by the natives with great rejoicings. The bishop of Tomsk reports that the Christian civilization of his people is advancing satisfactorily. In Kamtschatka itself every adult is able to repeat the ten commandments; and this is the case too in the islands of Unalashka and Achta. total ignorance of scripture geography, history, and chronology, and of God their Creator, their su preme devotion to the world, and their natural aversion to things holy, spiritual, and heavenly. Like other men, they are supremely selfish; and they seek their gratification in things earthly and sensual. Their own religion they love, baseless and false as it is, because of the glitter and splendour of its ceremonies, its intimate association with their earliest and fondest recollections, and its thorough adaptation to minister to their pride, and to their social and animal appetites and passions. Perhaps there are no people on earth who have more of self-complacency and less sense of sin than the Chinese. In their minds death seems in a peculiar degree stripped of its solemnity. In re spect to their future well-being, as affected by their moral conduct in the present life, they give themselves but little anxiety. Suicide is very fre. quent. For thousands of years, in successive gene rations, the Chinese have been, in a moral and religious respect, essentially what they now are; and consequently their habits of feeling and think ing and action must be deeply rooted. Antiquity imparts sanctity to their religious notions and ceremonies, and gives them a strong hold upon their affections. In view of their attachment to ancestral worship, and the hope of being themselves hereafter worshipped by their descendants, they must feel a strong opposition to a religion that utterly forbids such worship, and teaches them to regard their venerated ancestors, as well as themselves, as sinners exposed to the endless wrath of a holy God. Their literature is in the highest degree adapted to flatter human pride, adopting, as it does, the innate purity of man's nature as a fundamental principle in all moral reasoning, and maintaining his perfect ability, after having become vitiated by the influence of evil example or the force of temptation, to restore himself to his original purity, unaided by a su perior power. But, limited as has hitherto been the success of Christian efforts in China, in proportion to the means employed, measured by the number of hopeful conversions, and numerous and great as are the obstacles to the triumph of the gospel in this empire, still, in view of the promises of God's word regarding the kingdom of his Son, we hope and we expect that China will yet become obedient to Christ. But before that glorious consummation, the faith and patience of the churches, as of their missionaries also, seen destined to undergo a severe trial; and many precious lives must be laid upon the altar" (From an American missionary at Fuhchan). .... BOMBAY." Here, as in the other presidencies, there do not lack intimations that a great preparatory work is going forward, which must in God's providence sooner or later produce its results. As the stream winds round the curving banks on either side, it is silently sapping their foundations. A conviction of the folly and inpotence of idol-worship is evidently diffusing itsell THE CHINESE." There are comparatively over the district. Missionary light ra few who are really intelligent readers of Christian diates far. Three persons arrived, in November books; a fact which is not attributable solely to last, at Mulligaum, the most distant outpost of our limited literary attainments, but in a great mea- mission, 80 miles N.E. of Bombay, having them sure to the blindness of their minds, already pre-selves travelled upwards of 100 miles thither to occupied with error, their mental apathy, the present themselves for baptism. The instrument strangeness to them of the gospel message, their of their conversion was a native, who had himself been baptized only three years before, by our missionary, the rev. C. W. Isenberg, and had come with some Christian books to reside in their village, and instructed all who would resort to him. So true is it that those who have tasted for themselves that the Lord is gracious' will at once evince their possession of the new spiritual life by bidding others to share in the same gospel feast. These pilgrims in search of the true riches were baptized in our mission church by the native deacon, the rev. James Buntur, and returned at once, rejoicing, like the Ethiopian eunuch, the one hundred miles that had conducted them there, and were to lead them home again; leaving word, however, that five others of their neighbours were preparing to follow their example. Are we to send to these people a messenger of the glad tidings that they have already learnt to love? Or are we to make to them, for want of men willing to offer themselves for the work, the same answer which we were forced last year to return to the application from Jubbulpoor: We have no men'? Let the church at home reply. We are trustees only for what is committed to us. With her rests the responsibility of refusal" (Church Missionary Intelligence). WESTERN AFRICA.-We are thankful to be enabled to state that by the latest accounts from Badagry, Mr. White, a native catechist from Sierra Leone, has been sent up to Lagos, by the rev. J. Gollmer, agent of the Church Missionary Society, and has met with the most encouraging reception from the restored king and his people. The preaching and reception of the gospel in this place, so lately the great market town for wretched captives and the nursery of Brazilian bondage, will crown the triumph of Christian civilization over pagan barbarism. Mr. White had already prevailed upon the king to have the desecrations of the sabbath partially removed, and the king had attended Sunday services with two hundred of his lieges in an open space within his palace, Mr. W. availing himself of the occasion to speak faithfully to both sovereign and people on the subject of their relative duties, as flowing especially out of a spirit of thankfulness for their late deliverances and mercies. Nearly all the chiefs in that quarter, who had joined the bloodthirsty king of Dahomey in his late assault upon and still projected destruction of Abbeokuta, had concluded terms with Capt. Forbes, whom Lord Palmerston had so providentially despatched to protect the Yoruba mission, pledging themselves to renounce the slave trade and the miserable wars by which it has been nourished. Capt. F. was at Dahomey, not without the hope of inducing the king of Dahomey" to do likewise." H.S. MEDITATION UPON PLEASURES*. MANY, many are the pleasures that thou, O my God, hast given unto me. Firstly, I possess my beloved parents, and in them abundance of wisdom, profitable for instruction, for guidance, and for sweet companionship. My brother, who is From "Quiet Moments: a four weeks' course of Thoughts and Meditations"; by lady Charlotte-Maria Pepys. London: Wertheim and Co. 1852. A pleasing devotional spirit runs through this book.-ED. with me as a friend indeed, with whom to hold sweet converse. My sister and her husband, her beloved little ones, that fill my heart with all the thousand joys that thou hast so wonderfully and so mysteriously bound up within us, in the power of loving. My brother and the sister he has given me, who make my home better and happier and dearer still; and all these are so blessed of thee, that to love them draws me nearer unto thee, my chief Friend, who is unto me as a very lovely song of one who hath a pleasant voice; and many, many older friends and cousins and relations, whom to love is pleasure, and to be loved of them joy. I have also pleasure in my daily life-much pleasure, and of a kind that draws my heart to praise thee. Duties, performed either with or for those dear companions of my daily life, are so pleasant, that I am often tempted to forget that they are duties, and to seek for others. It is, indeed, well to find out more and more ways of consecrating time and talents to God's service; but, at the same time, there are several reasons why I should not disregard the fact that these agreeable duties are duties nevertheless. In the first place, God places me in the midst of ters, our mutual influence, my position in this these dearly-loved ones: therefore their characfamily, are not happy accidents, but distinct features of their lives and mine; therefore I owe my duties to them, unto God? Do I so regard them? Am I dutiful, obliging, cheerful, because it is God's will that I should be so? Secondly, as they are not perfect, and as I am not perfect, some degree of self-denial, of energy, of principle, is what is needed to enable me to bewhatever my own mood-always ready to give my aid, my company, my unselfish sympathy, or unhesitating obedience, whenever needed; and this, unaided, I can not do. My nature is to be full of generous alacrity at one time, but inactive, or inert, or pre-occupied, at another; to let jealousy dim the fruits of my affections, and inclination regulate my exertions. Therefore, if I love and serve God in these "pleasant duties," as well as my family, I shall be to them a more efficient and unfailing aid, comfort, and solace, a better friend and counsellor, and a more dutiful daughter. And I shall be proving my love to God as well as my love to man. Do I thus regard the duty of being courteous, and full of gentleness? Is it thus I wake up my energies, and throw myself into the interests of those about me? Are cheerfulness with my brethren, and duteous love to my parents, thus the expression of my continual thanksgiving towards him who gives them to me? Thirdly, by thus making sweet increase of my daily pleasant duties I destroy in myself the low idea about duty-that it must be something disagreeable, and that would not be done unless it were duty; an idea totally at variance with the longing of a Christian to know more and more of God's will and pleasure, until his every breath might be an act of grateful love towards his Saviour. The blessing of God rests upon my best joys; and they are the less likely to be reft from me, if being regarded as held from God, and Let me never think, O Lord, that thou willest not our pleasure. Thou, that art the God of the living, hast bid us to "rejoice." Only let not mine heart be filled with anything but thyself. Only reign thou, only thou; and teach me to and natural. The ministry and baptism of John called to national reformation. It was the clear, bounden, righteous duty of every Jew to obey this call; and Jesus was forward to fulfil this, as well as every other particular of perfect righteousness, as man. This explains also why the followers of Jesus, Seeing his miracles, hearing his discourses, believing as well as the followers of John, were baptized. his divine mission, feeling their own uncleanness, and called to a new and devoted service of God, they entered upon it by water of separation. They were baptized.-Rev Hugh M'Neile, D.D. Poetry. bring every pleasure to thy feet, and bless thee HYMNS FOR THE SUNDAYS IN THE YEAR for it, and to seek thy will concerning it. If I cannot find, and need not, a duty in every plea BY JOSEPH FEARN. sure, yet let me seek and prize the pleasure that (SUGGESTED BY SOME PORTION lies in every duty; not of merit, not of faith- DUTIES BRINGING PLEASURE. Visiting the unhappy or afflicted. Duty to servants and dependants. PLEASURES BRINGING DUTIES. Love of parents. Love of brothers and sisters. Love of society. Friendship. THE NATURE AND IMPORT OF "JOHN'S BAPTISM."-We learn the existence of a practice of ceremonial separation, or consecration, to God's service, by the washing of water. These washings are called by the evangelist "baptisms" (Barrieμovç). The Jews considered themselves, on their return from the market, unclean until they were baptized. These washings were baptisms; and hence the obvious and ready connexion between any peculiar call to sanctity and some special baptism. When John the Baptist came, exposing the iniquity of the nation, and calling men to repentance, his ministry proved effectual to make multitudes feel their uncleanness. And, an impression going abroad that he was Messiah, at whose coming they expected a call to peculiar sanctity, it became their obvious course to seek at his hands a water of separation, a washing, or sprinkling, or baptism, of peculiar efficacy. This renders the history of John, as narrated by the evangelists, perfectly easy VICE FOR THE DAY). OF THE SER (For the Church of England Magazine). TRINITY SUNDAY.. "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again -JOHN iii. 7. WHEN Nicodemus sought the Lord, "Twas in the silent night: And in that quiet midnight hour The Saviour breathed the strain, Which smote the rabbi with its power, "Ye must be born again." The Jew sought evidence to show The wind thou hearest as it blows, But who its secret birth-place knows? "That which is born of flesh is flesh :" How solemn is the Saviour's word! But, O! this sceptic heart of mine, Its meaning could not see;} Say, "How can these things be?" Hast breathed that solemn strain: HUGHES, 12, Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be PRINTED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD, |