right of vote purchasable by any person whatever his religious or moral character may be. The Committee of the North Wilts and East Somerset Auxiliary is formed on the plan now suggested.

It may be said that we should still have a money qualification, nor can it be altogether denied; yet some act of adhesion must be required on the part of every church so represented, and as it would be the act of a number of Christian men, united in church fellowship, it is hardly to be put upon the same footing with the acquirement of a right to vote by the payment of a fixed sum by any individual who may be disposed to subscribe. Possibly some better mode of connecting the churches with the society may be devised.

II. Notice and Nomination Papers.

Let notice be sent from the Mission House to the secretaries of the district committees on the first day of January, requesting those committees to nominate on or before the first day of February, thirty-six persons to form the executive committee.

III. Lists of Nominations and Voting Papers.

Ön or before the first day of March, let a complete list of all the nomination papers be sent to each of the district committees for the election of thirty-six members; the voting papers to be returned to the Mission House on or before the first of April, signed by the chairman and secretary of each district committee; the thirty-six persons having the majority of votes from all the districts to constitute the executive committee of the society; the election to be declared at the general meeting of members.

Two objections may be made to this plan. 1st. The difficulty of forming districts. But this is an objection that may be urged against any plan of representation, and does not apply peculiarly to this. I do not think, however, that the difficulty would be so great as might be at first supposed.

2nd. The number of nominations that would be made, and the length of the list that would have to be compiled, printed, and forwarded to the districts. But we are not to suppose that the fifty or hundred districts that might be formed would supply so many different lists of thirty-six names. The nominations would be the result of deliberate counsel among a number of men as to persons best qualified to serve the society. They must not, therefore, be confounded with the individual nominations now made in the open meeting of subscribers. The probability is, that the majority of the men who have long served the society would be found in every nomination paper, and that the number of nominations over and above the thirty-six to be chosen would be comparatively small. But let the number of nominations extend

PROVISION FOR AGED AND INFIRM MINIS
TERS.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.

DEAR SIR,-On the first sabbath in the present month I was requested to preach for a neighbouring minister, who, after more than forty years of labour, as pastor of the same church, has been laid aside for many months from his ministerial work, with little hope of resuming it.

After the usual morning service, and the administration of the Lord's supper, the minister of the place, though extremely weak, intimated that the collection to be made at the table on that day was intended for the support of aged and infirm ministers in poor circumstances. It was an affecting sight to me, to witness a servant of Christ, worn with age, labour, and infirmities, thus necessitated to plead for himself and many of his brethren, especially when it was but too well known that the result of his appeal would be trifling.

The circumstance, however, revived thoughts which I had often entertained; viz. that if such a collection could be annually made in all our churches, it would lay the foundation of a fund for the relief of aged and infirm baptist ministers, more extensive and efficient than any at present in existence amongst us. Shall we say that there are 1000 churches of our own denomination in England and Wales; and is it too much to expect, that these churches would contribute, on an average, 27. each towards such an object? There is reason to believe, that if due notice were given, the sacramental collection for that day would be larger than usual, and a better provision would be made for our ministers in the season of age and infirmity.

The following is the outline of a plan which I have contemplated. I submit it to your consideration, in the hope that something may be accomplished.

Let each church resolve to devote one sacramental collection in the year to the sup port of aged and infirm baptist ministers.

Let this contribution be made on the same day throughout the denomination; viz. on

the first sabbath in January, or on any other day which may be deemed more eligible.

persons for whom they have been written, it will greatly rejoice, Mr. Editor,

Yours very sincerely,

EDW. A. CLAYPOLE.

APPRENTICESHIP SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.

DEAR SIR,-Will you kindly allow me a short space in your excellent magazine to plead the cause of a society which is neither so well known nor so well supported by the Christian public as it deserves to be. I mean

It would be necessary that a committee should be chosen, and, if possible, in London. The labour, however, devolving on them would not be great. By making the collections simultaneously, or nearly so, it would be known early in each year how much there would be to be distributed, and no large portion of time would be required in the distribution. The success of the scheme must, of course, depend on the energy with which ministers and churches will co-operate in carrying it into practice. But surely they will not be wanting here. It has long been felt and acknowledged, that some plan of the kind is greatly needed amongst us. Ministers need it. In most instances, their incomes, when in health and fitness for labour, are but scanty, and afford no means of making provision for old age or incapacity for work. Churches need such a plan. By means of it they would be relieved of ministers who are incapacitated for the cares and duties of the pastorate, from which they would themselves willingly retire, if they had any resources on which to rely for support. It is too bad to leave such men destitute. Surely the Christian dispensation was not intended to be more negligent in this matter than the Jewish.

It may be hoped that the more affluent members of our own body will render some assistance to such a fund by donations or legacies. I remember some years since mentioning to a friend, now dead, some of the particulars which I have specified in this letter, when he said, "Show me such a fund, and I will leave 10007. to it. It is just the institution which I have desired to see amongst us." Poor ministers are certainly a portion of the flock of Christ; and the poorer members of our churches, for whose benefit the sacramental collections are chiefly designed, would willingly share them with these aged and afflicted servants of the Redeemer.

Should you approve of these observations, perhaps you will insert them in the magazine; and if they should contribute in any way, however slender, to benefit the class of

children of Dissenting Ministers of evangelical sentiments." This benevolent society effects much good in a noiseless manner, at a small expense to its supporters, and with delicacy towards its beneficiaries. The trifling sum of five shillings annually entitles a subscriber to a vote at each half-yearly election of candidates; which excludes but few members of our churches, through want of means, from participating in this laudable method of showing kindness to the families of their pastors. The candidates are chosen by a majority of votes, so that young persons of the most sensitive feelings cannot find them wounded by being regarded as objects of any particular or individual charity, which upon all independent minds has the effect of at once weighing down the spirits, and paralyzing energy. On the contrary, being placed on a footing with other youths, by having had a premium paid at their apprenticeship, they feel they have an equal right with them to be taught the business they have chosen, without being under greater obligations to those to whom they are apprenticed than others; and having acquired the knowledge of a good business, it is their own fault if they do not equally get forward in life. Though it may be thought that ministers' sons ought to be able to take a higher position than to enter into trade, unless they give a decided proof of a literary taste or a call to the ministry, they would do well to gain a knowledge of a respectable business, which would enable them not only to support themselves and families but also to assist in carrying on the cause of Christ. It is generally conceded, that if, instead of devoting their time and talents to the work of the ministry, dissenting ministers had entered into business, or had pursued either of the professions, they could have made as good a provision for their families as others have done, and, therefore, when they are removed by death, their families have a claim upon the Christian public, and are entitled to the assistance which they too often need. It is a well known fact, that comparatively few dissenting ministers are able at their decease to leave their widows

and children in easy circumstances. Notwithstanding, those families of ministers who are well-conducted, right-minded persons, feel that they would much rather labour to support themselves than become burdensome to the friends of their deceased parents,— they can enjoy the bread of industry, but are oppressed by the bread of charity. And many, though the claim on the public might be kindly ceded to them, have too great a respect for the vocation of their departed relatives, and are too desirous of inheriting their spirit of self-denial, to be willing "to live of the gospel," when the service to the gospel ceases to be rendered. There cannot, then, be a greater kindness shown to the families of ministers than to enable them to support themselves; and if by the small contribution of five shillings or ten shillings annually, ministers can be assisted to apprentice their children to respectable occupations, it is an easy way of helping their families to help themselves.

Another reason which should recommend this society to the notice of the Christian public, is the entire absence of exclusiveness and denominational preference which characterizes it. The liberal minded, excellent individual with whom it originated, himself a pædobaptist, made it a fundamental rule of the society, that its benefits should be conferred on the families of "dissenting ministers of evangelical sentiments,” irrespective of their differences of opinion on minor points; and so strictly has that rule been observed, that by a reference to the annual reports of the society, it will be seen that baptists and pædobaptists have alike shared its bounty. It may not be generally known to your readers that the first meeting of this society was held at the house of a baptist minister, when the first candidate was elected the son of another baptist minister. This youth served his apprenticeship to a respectable trade, and settling in business became a subscriber to the society which assisted him to enter into active life. Nor is this by any means a solitary instance of the good effected by this society, which from its commencement may be said to have had an equal claim on the sympathy of both denominations; and so well have its affairs been conducted from its formation, a period of nearly twenty years, that it has in no way forfeited that claim. If any should think it a society not needed, and but little appreciated by ministers and their families, let them take up some of the half-yearly polling papers, and the short but touching statements they contain of the temporal circumstances of many in the ministry, will convince them that some of those who are dispensing "the bread of life" in the present day must learn to live themselves on faith. I could add much on the pecuniary difficulties experienced by ministers from private sources of information as well as from facts elicited by this society,

but delicacy forbids. It is sufficient to refer your readers to the annual report, and hoping many will be induced by its perusal to become contributors to the society, who may not hitherto have been acquainted with its merits, Believe me, dear Sir, Yours sincerely,

M. C. H.

EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.

A step has been taken by the Committee of Stepney College, the consequences of which may be very important. They have invited Mr. Angus to take the office of Resident Tutor. He has now to consider, on the one hand the claims of the institution of which he has been for several years the ess teemed secretary, and on the other the opportunity of devoting his attainments and experience to the training of ministers for the service of the coming age. Many of our readers will we trust unite with us in the prayer, that his mind may be so guided by Him who knows in every case what is most conducive to the interests of the church, that his de cision may be such as he will review with satisfaction when earthly illusions shall have for ever passed away.

Mr. Saunders, late of Sydney, being thoroughly restored to health by his return to Britain, is now open to an invitation from a destitute church. His address is at Edgbas ton, Birmingham.

Many of our friends have doubtless heard that alarming riots have taken place at Montreal, where the Governor-General has been pelted, the legislature attacked and dispersed, and the parliament house burnt down. The Montreal Register says, "the enormous guilt lies at the door of men high in social position and arrogating to themselves all the loyalty of the land, who style themselves Anglo-Saxons, but who in truth are de scended from the Goths and Vandals. They are the very men who would fasten on Canadian necks the galling yoke of a dominant prelatical church, who have resolutely opposed the reform of our public colleges, and who are pledged to perpetuate the crying wrongs done to the country in the matter of the rectories and the reserves. Yes, it is the Tories and high-churchmen of Montreal, who have taken the lead in insulting the Queen's representative, and hurrying things to their present pass."

*The treasurer is, T. Challis, Esq, Alderman ; the secretaries are, C. J. Metcalfe, Esq., Roxton House, St. Neot's, Huntingdonshire, and the Rev. J. Spong, Mortimer House, Mortimer Road, Kingsland. The office of the society is next door to the London Missionary Society's house, Blomfield Street, Finsbury.