and he sells eight hundred shares at a shilling a share, or perhaps two hundred shares at five shillings a share. If the man sells all the shares at this rate, he gets forty or fifty pounds for twenty pounds worth of goods; in other words, he defrauds or robs his brethren of twenty or twenty-five pounds. This may be done; it often is done in lotteries and raffles; and for a Christian to offer temptations, or furnish occasions for such fraud and dishonesty is wrong.

9. As for pretending to institute raffles or lotteries for charity, and attempting to justify the disposing of articles for more than their worth on that ground, it is worse than nothing. If a Christian is in want, he ought to make known his want to his Christian brethren, and seek help from them; and not to resort to a raffle or lottery: and if a man is wishful to show chaways

rity, he may find many better of doing it than buying shares in lotteries or raffles. I give it as my judgment, therefore, that raffles and lotteries are bad things altogether, and that a Christian should have nothing to do with them whatever, but, in a mild and loving spirit, constantly and steadily to oppose them.

INTELLIGENCE.

We have received some very interesting intelligence from the West of England. George Muller and

Craik, two Germans, have been labouring in Bristol, as ministers of Jesus Christ, for some years. What is the early history of those two friends, and when and how they commenced their pious labours at Bristol we do not exactly know, as the account we have received goes no farther back than the year 1837. At that time they had already two places of worship, and two congregations, besides two orphan houses, in which were no less than sixty-six orphans. They had also an institution called the "Christian Knowledge Institution," the object of which appears to be, by the establishment of schools of various kinds, and by visiting and the circulation of tracts and books, to spread the knowledge of the Gospel through the world. They have also a missionary institution, but what are its operations we

do not know. The missionary operations do, however, appear to be specially directed to Germany. The great principles on which these friends act, are, in our judgment, the principles of the Gospel of Christ; and it is on this account that we refer to them. They have no human creed, nor any human laws: their creed and their law book is the New Testament. The terms of membership are faith in Christ, such a faith as works by one. Every one who is considered a sincere Christian, is considered entitled to a place among them. At one time they were rather inclined to insist on water Baptism as a condition of membership, but they were led at length to adopt correcter views. Perhaps the following passage from a narrative of their proceedings published by G. Muller, will give our readers the best view of their principles and proceedings on this subject :

"Aug. 28, 1837. When Brother Craik and I began to labour in Bristol, and consequently some believers united with us in fellowship, assembling together at Bethesda, we began meeting together on the basis of the written word only, without having any church rules whatever. From the commencement it was understood that, as the Lord should help us, we would try every thing by the word of God, and introduce and hold fast that only which could be proved by Scripture. When we came to this determination on Aug. 13, 1832, it was indeed in weakness, but it was in uprightness of heart.-On account of this it was, that, as we ourselves were not fully settled as to whether only those who had been baptized after they had believed, or whether all who believed in the Lord Jesus, irrespective of baptism, should be received into fellowship, nothing was determined about this point. We felt free to break bread and be in communion with those who were not baptized, and therefore could with a good conscience labour at Gideon, where the greater part of the saints, at least at first, were unbaptized; but at the same time we had a secret wish that none but believers who were baptized might be united with us at Bethesda. Our reason for this was, that we had witnessed in Devonshire much painful

disunion, resulting from baptized and unbaptized believers being in fellowship. Without, then, making it a rule that Bethesda Church was to be one of close communion, we nevertheless took care that those who applied for fellowship should be instructed about baptism. For many months there occurred no difficulty, as none applied for communion but such who either had been already baptized, or wished to be, or who became convinced of the scriptural character of believers' baptism after we had conversed with them. After this time, however, three sisters applied for fellowship, none of whom had been baptized, nor were their views altered, after we had conversed with them. As, nevertheless, Brother Craik and I considered them true believers, and we ourselves were not fully convinced what was the mind of the Lord in such a case, we thought it right that these sisters should be received, yet so that it might be unanimously, as all our church acts then were done; for we knew by that time, that there were several in fellowship with us, who could not conscientiously receive unbaptized believers. We mentioned, therefore, the names of these three sisters to the church, stating that they did not see believers' baptism to be scriptural, and that, if any brother saw, on that account, a reason why they should not be received, he should let us know. The result was, that several objected, and that two or three meetings were held, at which we heard the objections of the brethren, and sought for ourselves to obtain acquaintance with the mind of God on the point. Whilst thus several days passed away before the matter was decided, one of those three sisters came to us and thanked us, that we had not received her before being baptized, for she now saw that it was only the fear of man and shame which had kept her back, and that the Lord had now made her willing to be baptized. By this circumstance those brethren, who considered it scriptural, that all ought to be baptized before being received into fellowship, were confirmed in their views; and as to Brother Craik and me, it made us, at least, still more question, whether those brethren might not be right, and we felt

therefore, that in such a state of mind we could not oppose them. The one sister, therefore, who wished to be baptized, was received into fellowship, but the two others not. Our consciences were the less affected by this, as all, though not baptized, might take the Lord's Supper with us, at Bethesda, though not be received into full fellowship; and that at Gideon, where there were baptized and unbaptized believers, they might be even received into full fellowship: for we had not then clearly seen that there is no scriptural distinction between being in fellowship with individuals and breaking bread with them. Thus matters stood for many months i. e. believers were received for the breaking of bread even at Bethesda, though not baptized, but they were not received to all the privileges of fellowship. In August of 1836 I had a conversation with Brother R. Chapman, of Barnstaple, on the subject of receiving the unbaptized into communion, a subject about which, for years, my mind had been more or less exercised. This brother put the matter thus before me: Either unbaptized believers come under the class of persons who walk disorderly, and, in that case, we have to withdraw from them (2 Thess. iii. 6), or they do not walk disorderly. If a believer be walking disorderly, we are not merely to withdraw from him at the Lord's table, but our behaviour towards him ought to be decidedly different from what it would be were he not walking disorderly, on all occasions when we have intercourse with him, or come in any way into contact with him. Now this is evidently not the case in the conduct of baptized believers towards their unbaptized fellow believers. Spirit does not suffer it to be so, but he witnesses that their not having been baptized does not necessarily imply that they are walking disorderly, and hence there may be the most precious communion between baptized and unbaptized believers. The Spirit does not suffer us to refuse fellowship with them in prayer, in reading and searching the scriptures, in social and intimate intercourse, and in the Lord's work; and yet this ought to be the case were they walking disorderly. This passage 2 Thess. iii, 6, to which Brother

The

R. Chapman referred, was the means of shewing me, what I had desired to know, even the mind of the Lord on the subject, which is that we ought to receive all whom Christ has received (Rom. xv. 7), irrespective of the measure of grace or knowledge which they have-Some time after this conversa. tion in May, 1837, an opportunity occurred, when we (for Brother Craik had seen the same truth) were called upon to put into practice the light which the Lord had been pleased to give us. A sister, who neither had been baptized, nor considered herself under any obligation to be baptized, applied for fellowship. We conversed with her on this as on other subjects, and proposed her for fellowship, though our conversation had not convinced her that she ought to be baptized. This led the church again to the consideration of the point. We gave our reasons, from Scripture, for considering it right to receive this unbaptized sister to all the privileges of the children of God; but a considerable number, one-third perhaps, expressed conscientious difficulty in receiving her. The example of the Apostles, in baptizing the first believers upon a profession of faith, was especially urged, which indeed would be an insurmountable difficulty had not the truth been mingled with error for so long a time, so that it does not prove wilful disobedience, if any one in our day should refuse to be baptized after be lieving. The Lord, however, gave us much help in the pointing out the truth to the brethren, so that almost daily the number of those, who considered that only baptized believers should be in communion, decreased. At last, only fourteen brethren and sisters out of above 180, after we had had much intercourse with them, thought it right this Aug. 28, 1837, to separate from us [I am glad to be able to add that even of these 14 several afterwards saw their error, and came back again to us, and that the receiving all who love our Lord Jesus into full communion, irrespective of baptism, has never been the source of disunion among us.]"-Muller's Narrative, 1-3-5.

The number of members in the churches are at present upwards of eight hundred, and, if I recollect right, the number of orphans up

:

wards of a hundred; the number of day-schools for adults, &c., eight; and their other concerns are in a similar state of prosperity. The two ministers are both supported as ministers, bnt they have no fixed salary: they labour freely, and what they receive in return they receive freely and their wants are well supplied. They have no collections, and they ask no one for subscriptions: if the funds are exhausted, they meet together to pray for supplies, but they make application to none but God, and they have never yet applied to God in vain. One year, in consequence of G. Muller's sickness and travels, from three to four hundred pounds were necessary, and yet it was supplied as it was needed. Sometimes five pounds were sent, sometimes fifty pounds, and sometimes five shillings. Sometimes cloth came, sometimes blan kets, and sometimes food: but there was always something, and always enough.

The following extract from G. Muller's narrative may show how God has helped these Christian friends in reference to their orphan houses, &c. :

"Dec. 9, 1837. Two years ago this day, I stated my intention of establishing an Orphan-House, if God should permit. What has God wrought since! 75 orphans are now under our care, and 21 more we can receive. Several more are daily expected. During the last twelvemonth the expenses have been about £740., and the income about £840. In addition to this about £400. have been expended upon the Schools, the circulation of the Scriptures, and in aiding Missionary purposes. More than £1,100 therefore we have needed, during the past year, and all our good Lord has supplied, without one single person having been asked for any thing."

The following extracts may show how God has provided for them in other respects:

"Dec. 12. To-day the hundred pairs of blankets arrived. How kind of the Lord to give to us the privilege of being instrumental in providing, in this respect, for some of the poor, both among the saints and in the world! This donation came in most seasonably, as, on inquiring into the circumstances of some of the poor,

"Dec. 14. To-day, a sister, who a short time since had given me £5.,

gave me another £5. How very kind is the Lord in providing so abundantly for us, and giving us far

more than we need."

"Dec. 26. To-day the same brother who sent me the hundred pairs of blankets, sent me £100., to purchase as many more blankets as satisfactorily distribute."

I can

The following are G. Muller's remarks at the end of the year 1837:

66 REVIEW OF THE YEAR 1837.

"I. There are now eighty-one children in the three Orphan-Houses, and nine brethren and sisters who have the care of them. Ninety, therefore, daily sit down to table. Lord, look on the necessities of thy servant! "II. The Schools require as much help as before; nay, more, particularly the Sunday School, in which there are at present about three hundred and twenty children, and in the Day Schools about three hundred and fifty.-Lord, thy servant is a poor man; but he has trusted in Thee, and made his boast in Thee, before

the sons of men: therefore let him not be confounded! Let it not be said, all this was enthusiasm, and therefore it is come to nought! "III. My temporal supplies have

been

"I have purposely given here again, as at the close of former years, a statement of the supplies which the during the past year, because I deLord has been pleased to send me light in shewing, both to the world and to the church, how kind a master I have served even as to temporal blessings, and how the Lord has shewn so plainly in my experience, not merely by providing the means for his work in my hands, but also by providing for the necessities of myself and family, the truth of that word, 'Whosoever believeth on Him

shall not be confounded." "

In 1838 there were three orphanhouses, still supplies were furnished. How they were furnished the following extracts from G. Muller's account will show :

day above three pounds was needed, "1838.-Nov. 17. Saturday. Toand as only fifteen shillings and sixpence had come in, we found it needful to determine to dispose of a few articles of furniture which we conveniently could do without. One of be sold, which she had bought some the labourers gave a good watch to months since, there being then no time-piece in one of the houses. In consideration of these articles to be sold, I took, for the present necessi ties of the Orphans, two pounds ten shillings of the money which had been put by for rent, to be replaced when these articles could be sold at a suitable opportunity. Thus we were helped to the close of one more week.

"Nov. 19. To-day we were again in great need. There had come in only seven shillings and sixpence for needle-work. The Lord had, however, given to one of the labourers a of which he money, shillings, by means of which we were helped through this day also.

little

gave

fifteen

Nov. 20. To-day our need was exceedingly great, but the Lord's help was great also. I went to meet with the brethren and sisters as usual. I found that twenty shillings would be needed to supply the necessities of to-day, but three shillings only had come in. Just when we were going to pray, one of the labourers came in, who, after prayer, gave ten shillings. Whilst we were praying, another labourer came in, who had received one pound. Thus we had thirty-three shillings, even more,

therefore, than was absolutely needed. "Nov. 21. Never were we so reduced in funds as to-day. There was not a single halfpenny in hand between the matrons of the three houses. Nevertheless there was a good dinner, and, by managing so as to help one another with bread, etc., there was the prospect of getting over this day also; but for none of the houses we had the prospect of being able to take in bread. When I left the brethren and sisters at one o'clock, after prayer, I told them that we must wait for help, and see how the Lord would deliver us this time. I was sure of help, but we were indeed straitened. When I came on Kingsdown, I felt that I needed more exercise, being very cold, wherefore I went not the nearest way home, but round by Clarence Place. About twenty yards from my house I met a brother who walked back with me, and after a little conversation gave me ten pounds to be handed over to the brethren, the deacons, towards providing the poor saints with coals, blankets, and warm clothing; also five pounds for the Orphans, and five pounds for the other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. The brother had called twice while I was gone to the Orphan-Houses, and had I now been one half minute later, I should have missed him. But the Lord knew our need, and therefore allowed me to meet him. I sent off the five pounds immediately to the matrons.

"Nov. 23. The above mentioned five pounds helped us through the expenses of yesterday, and, with an addition of eleven shillings and sixpence which had come in through this day also.

"Nov. 24. This again has been a very remarkable day. We had as little in hand this morning as at any time, and yet several pounds were needed. But God, who is rich in mercy, and whose word so positively declares, that none who trust in Him shall be confounded, helped us through this day also. While I was in prayer, about ten in the morning, respecting the funds, I was informed that a gentleman had called to see me. He came to inform me that a lady had ordered three sacks of potatoes to be sent to the Orphan-Houses. Never could they have come more

seasonably. This was an encouragement to me, to continue to expect help. When I came to the prayer meeting about twelve o'clock, I heard that two shillings had come in, also one pound for a guitar, which had been given for sale. Many weeks this money had been expected. It had been mentioned among us repeatedly, that it might come just at a time, when we most needed it: and oh! how true. Also the watch which had been given was sold for two pounds ten shillings. But with all this we could not have put by the rents for this week, amounting to thirty shillings. One of the labourers therefore gave his watch to the Orphan-fund under this condition, that should the Lord not enable us before Dec. 21 to make up this deficiency, it should be sold, but not otherwise, as he needs it in the Lord's service.-LA few days after the Lord gave the means to put by the thirty shillings, and thirty shillings besides for the next week's rents.] Thus the Lord helped us through this day, and with it brought us to the close of one week more.

"Nov. 25. Lord's day. The Lord kindly remembers us, before there is absolute need. A sister who is going to leave Bristol, called on me to bid me farewell, and gave me, in parting, thirty shillings for the Orphans. How remarkable it is that almost every donation within the last four months and thirteen days, since our funds have been low, has come from unexpected quarters, to make the hand of God so much the more manifest.

"Nov. 26. Though there had come in yesterday thirty shillings, yet that was scarcely the half of what was needed this day. But the Lord knew our circumstances, and, as He is wont to do, most unworthy as we are of it, remembered our need. There was given one pound this morning, and one shilling had been put anonymously into the box at Gideon Chapel, and a lamp, which had been given some time since, had been sold for ten shillings. Also one shilling and twopence came in for needlework. By means of these several little sums we could meet all the demands of this day.

"Nov. 27. Yesterday afternoon came in ten shillings, and this morn