with respect to these things!' But Paul's errors, in part, are to be attributed to James, so that they are not entirely his own. Even he himself,' says Mr. R.,' was on one occasion persuaded by James, and all the elders were present, Acts xxi. 18, to conform to the Jewish ritual, no doubt contrary to his own better judgment, as may be inferred from his epistles.' Referring to Acts xxi. 20-24, the same author adds, The indulgence of Paul to the rooted prejudices of others was certainly carried to the utmost verge of propriety, if not beyond it!'... ...' It is true that Paul was not permitted to complete the performance of that which was attempted to be imposed upon him by the weakness of others; for it was by the violence of the Jews that he was haled from a scene that evidently tended to the degradation of his ministry.' Inquiry, pp. 10, 28, 99.

"From this sad account of the weakness and indecision of the apostles Mr. R. infers, that no argument can be sustained, drawn from the example or practice only of the believers in the early times of Christianity, with respect to the observance of rituals,' p. 29. Mr. R. seems to be saying to himself, ‘I will call the apostles' believers ;' and from these believers' weakly yielding to the Jews, with respect to the abrogated rites of the Old Testament, I will deny their authority respecting the rites of the New Testament; and by this easy method I shall demonstrate the invalidity of all reasoning in behalf of the observance of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and thus carry my argument in triumph!'

"The apostles of Christ are here exhibited in a light which will not bear comment. I am confident in stating, that if this me hod of treating the

"But I must have another word with my respected friends before I quit this point, and then I will leave the subject to their mature reflections. If it were an error to observe the ordinance of baptism, the error does not seem wholly to rest with the apostles and disciples. Who sent Philip, with his views decidedly in favour of water-baptism, to go and meet the Eunuch? The angel of the Lord!' Who said to Philip, with such views, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot?' It was 'the Spirit' of God! Who sent Ananias to Paul, when the former was a zealous advocate for the rite of baptism? The Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto Paul!' Who directed Cornelius to send for Peter to instruct him and others, with such defective and obscure views upon this subject as Peter was known to have? 'An angel of God, who said, Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon......

HE SHALL TELL THEE WHAT THOU OUGHTEST TO DO!" So when he arrived Cornelius addressed him,' Now we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are COMMANDED thee of God;' and at the close of this happy interview, with the Holy Ghost richly shed upon them, Peter COMMANDED them to be baptised in the name of the Lord.' See from hence to whom the blame of sanctioning the observance of water-baptism (if blame there be) is to be attributed-not to the apostles-it is ungenerous to attach it to them; but it reverts from them to the Authorities by which they were sent on those solemn occasions."

The sixth and seventh Letters relate to the proper subjects of the baptismal

rite, and the mode of administration. While a large proportion of the Christian world are much divided in sentiment on these points, the author is one who embraces the view of adult baptism, to be administered on a profession of faith in Christ; and believes that immersion is the mode recorded as the practice of the early Christian church, and that the word baptise means simply to immerse.

While these points are not essential to salvation, it seems of the utmost importance, on both sides, to let Christian love abound; for each, if it must be, to maintain their views with meekness of wisdom, holding them in sincerity, as unto the great Head, and not unto man. In this way the bond of Christian brotherhood will not be broken, the separating feeling of sect and party will be kept down, and “the unity of the Spirit be preserved in the bond of peace."

Holding these sentiments, which we desire to see prevail more and more among Christian societies, we may be allowed to add, that we sympathise in the views entertained by our author on both these points. In taking the New Testament only for our guide, we must candidly allow that our convictions are in favour of immersion, as that which appears to have been practised by the apostles and first promulgators of the Gospel, and administered to those who believed the Gospel message. If so, we are at a loss to find authority for a change in the mode; at the same time being decidedly of the judgment it should occasion no ground of disunion among Christians. We refer our readers to the Letters for further arguments on the subject, which we think are cogent, well selected, and worthy of serious attention; and we conclude with the following remarks of the author on the spiritual benefit attending the ordinances, page 63 :

"If baptism does not spiritually profit the receiver, it is not the fault of the ordinance. The writer, at the age of

18, was baptised, before thousands of spectators. Many long years have passed away; but when, in thought, he can go back and stand beside that river, think of the ' many witnesses' that stood on the banks, and parents and brethren amongst the rest, beholding the voluntary dedication of a youth to the Three-one God, he feels impelled by the thought to endeavour to move on in the heavenward road, there and then publicly and avowedly commenced. He never can visit the banks of that river without feeling fully disposed to kneel down, as Paul did on the sea-shore, and implore aid from on high to help him to finish the Christian life worthy the beginning of it. So may it be! Let us not, dear brethren, blame the ordinances, but ourselves, if we profit not by them."

The Sentiments of the Quakers on the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, examined; with special reference to Prayer, Praise, and Silent Worship. By F. MILLer. Delivered in an Address at the Independent Chapel, Hobart Town, Van Dieman's Land.

The author well observes,

"The doctrine of Divine influence is one of deep interest and paramount importance, whether it be viewed in reference to the glory of God or the well-being of man. If the children of Adam be, as the Scriptures most distinctly teach us, universally and totally depraved, how can any among them be rescued from this degraded condition, except by a direct interposition on the part of the Creator? The sinner would never seek God, did not God first seek the sinner, and, by the exercise of omnipotent grace, turn him from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God."

This will be found a temperate, wellwritten piece. It is difficult to extract from it without injuring the connexion,

and we therefore would recommend the perusal of it entire to our serious inquirers; and they will find it in Part 173 of the interesting little work entitled The Pulpit.

We may, however, just remark, that the text, 1 Cor. xii.7, so much misapplied by Friends, is, as we conceive, interestingly set forth, in its true meaning; and the leading principle of Friends, according to J. J. Gurney, " that the operations of the Holy Spirit in the soul are not only immediate and direct, but perceptible," is brought, with happy effect, to the unerring test of Scripture; whilst he proves, by J. J. Gurney's own admissions of the tendency of the human imagination to delusion, the inconsistency and the injurious consequences which flow from holding such a principle.

On R. Barclay's doctrine, that—

"All true worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving of his own Spirit. We ought not to pray or preach when and where we will, but when and where we are moved thereto by his Spirit. All other worship, both praises, prayers, and preachings, which man sets about in his own will, and at his own appointment, which he can begin and end at pleasure, do or leave undone, as himself sees meet, are but superstitious will-worship, and abominable idolatries."

“Now,” says our author, " it is plain, from many passages of Scripture, that prayer is a duty of universal obligation, and a privilege from the enjoyment of which we are never debarred by God."

We extract the following, as due to many of our brethren in other societies, who are believers, and hold the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in a clear and scriptural sense :—

"It is, however, our privilege to know that Divine influence is not withheld; for, whenever we engage in the exercises of prayer and praise, we are

warranted to seek and expect the necessary aid of the Holy Spirit.

6

"We, as well as the Quakers, desire ever to remember that God is a Spirit,' and that they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.' We, as well as the Quakers, distinctly maintain that, to pray acceptably, we must pray in the Holy Ghost.' We daily feel that we know not what to pray for as we ought, and therefore rejoice that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us, according to the will of God; but we deny that the perceptible influence of the Spirit is essential to prayer, or, indeed, to any other act of obedience to the Divine will. We conceive that the Spirit prompts us to prayer, and aids us in it, not by sensible impulses, but by leading us to see our own necessities, and to discern the glorious provision for their supply revealed in the Scriptures, and the encouragement afforded us to 'ask that we may receive, to seek that we may find, and to knock, that to us the door may be opened.'

"Now, be it remembered, that the aid which we need in order thus to pray, that God who heareth prayer, and who is waiting to be gracious, can never be reluctant to impart. This we might conclude from his own mandate; for why should he command us to 'pray always, with all prayer and supplication, in the Spirit,' if he be not always willing to impart that Spirit to enable us thus to pray ? On this point, however, we are not left to simple inferences the recorded testimony of the faithful and true Witness meets the case; If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?' My brethren, weigh well this precious promise; remember the importance and the necessity of prayer, and then say, can there be a season or a place in which it can be impracticable to worship God in spirit and in truth? If, regarding the apostolic injunction,

'Let all things be done decently and in order,' we appoint stated hours for worshipping God, and a stated method of conducting our worship, what warrant has any man to affirm that our services are carnal, formal, and unprofitable? What is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? Is the promise of the Saviour falsified ? Has he not said, 'Where

two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them? ? " And if we meet together, trusting in his faithfulness, and imploring the promised aid of the Holy Spirit, will any dare to say that that aid may be withheld, and that our service may be mere will-worship?"

Contemplations on Primitive Conversions and Baptisms. By JOSEPH Jewell. Darton and Clark, Holborn-hill.

THIS little work commends itself to our esteem for its simplicity. The author, it will be evident, is an unlettered man, of most unflinching integrity of character, and endowed with a strong natural genius. He has risen from an obscure station in society to one of comparative opulence. He is known, no doubt, to many of our readers, to whom this little essay will be interesting, as showing that learning is not always essential in the search for scriptural truth, and how strong is the force of truth in overcoming the prejudices of an ingenuous, unsophisticated mind, earnestly desirous of receiving holy Scripture in its genuine simplicity.

In the commencement, which embraces the history of the birth of John the Baptist, at pages 22 and 23, there are remarks worthy the attention of

some who, in their zeal to uphold what they consider spiritual views, may have fallen into the error of overlooking or undervaluing the appointment of God.

The Practices of the Early Christians
considered. By H. BANNERMAN.
London, 1838. pp. 223.
THIS work comprises-

1. An exhibition of the First
Churches, by H. Grew, Hart-
ford, U. S.

2. Notes, containing objections to some of Mr. Grew's statements.

3. Letters on Baptism, containing strictures on the notes, by

H. Bannerman.

Our readers will find interesting information on the subjects above mentioned in this volume. Though we cannot, of course, pledge ourselves to coincide in all the statements of the authors of this and the preceding volume.

WE are compelled to defer, till next month, some interesting foreign intelligence, as also any details that may in

terest our readers relative to the discussion in the Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends. At this moment

the excitement in the public mind is so intense in relation to the critical aspect of the great question of the Abolition of the Negro Apprenticeship System, that other subjects are completely cast into the shade; and the full energies of our friends and correspondents, with very little exception, thrown into the work. Great events are on the wheel of time in relation to this cause, and another revolving month may probably determine their aspect.

BAPTISMS.

A CORRESPONDENT informs us of the public baptism, at the Tabernacle, in Bristol, by the Rev. J. Shearman, of one who had recently seceded from the Society of Friends. Much trial has been felt by this individual in regard to joining any other body of Christians, but she is fully satisfied in having left the Friends. And in regard to another, the remark is, "that he seems fully to have come out of bondage, and to be rejoicing in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free. I believe he is safely led, but little outward influence has swayed his steps; while the guidance of the Holy Spirit, sought in prayer and in the word, have evidently attended his movements; and he has been able to give an answer to those that have asked of him a reason of the hope that is in him.”

It is cheering to have to record an awakening in the minds of others, who have been led to consider more deeply the things relating to their eternal interests. "The controversy in the Society has brought them to consider and investigate ;" and, in one instance in particular, it is stated, that "the result has been a settled conviction of the errors of the system. Nor is this merely a conviction of the understanding; a work of Divine grace is evident by the deep sense felt in the need of regeneration; and the office and work of the Saviour have been opened to his mind by the Holy Spirit, through the pre

cious word, and by the ministry, of an honoured servant of Christ."

BIBLE CLASSES.

WE hear from one of our correspondents that the class established about two years since in his neighbourhood is still continued to advantage, to the benefit of those who associate: he observes, "There is no cause to suppose that the Friends have lost the interest they once felt in it, many have been times of instruction and refreshment, and the effect seems to be to unite us together in love and in the faith of the Gospel." One thing is much to be desired, and ought (as far as practicable) to be adopted, which is, that each member should look diligently over the subject previous to the Meeting; all would then be better prepared to come to the consideration of it with profit, when met together, and the interchange of well considered judgment upon it would be likely to develop its character with greater completeness.

We solicit intelligence of this character; it will be a likely means of encouraging others, in different parts of the country, and thus answer one of the objects in establishing our periodical.-EDS.

CANADA.

Extracts from a letter from a Missionary in Upper Canada, dated Melbourne, 5th February, 1838.

WE left home for the Indian village which lies at the mouth of the river St. Francis, between Port St. Francis and St. Antoine, distance from Melbourne fifty-three miles. It is an assemblage

of the best houses we have seen in this country. We were gladly received and hospitably entertained by the Indian missionary Peter. At his house we found Mr. Parker, a minister, with Mr. Flint and his daughter, and a Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, who had come from Danville,