me very pleasing. My younger sister made a scriptural confession, and was baptized on Saturday night. Others have expressed a wish to be baptized; and many members of the English Baptist congregation have stated their intention of being united to us. Thus, our prospects, upon the whole, are cheering. J. A. COCKburn.

Dundee, June 1st, 1844.

Ir is with some degree of pleasure that I can now give you information about the congregation here. Something of the nature of our recent anxieties and troubles you know, you will therefore be the better able to enter into our feelings, on being delivered from them. We are now blessed with truth and peace, and the brethren are therefore loving, united, and happy. When a stranger enters our assembly, we no longer fear lest he should be stunned with some vain and untaught speculation; for we endeavour to edify the disciples with wholesome doctrine, and to hold forth to the world the Word of Life. Already the good fruits of peace and love are seen. Within the last few weeks two amiable young men, from a neighbouring village, have been baptized into the Lord Jesus. An aged man-one who for eighty years has seen the vicissitudes of life-will be united to the congregation on the approaching Lord's-day. Tonight, the elders are to see a young woman, who desires to speak with them of the obedience of the gospel. O! how I rejoice to see sinners saved, and the name of the Lord glorified among us! I pray God that the light of his countenance may continue to shine on us; and that we may be the means of leading many to the Saviour. P. STEPHEN.

Middlesborough, June 12th, 1844.

INCLOSED is the amount of our contribution to the Evangelist Fund, which will no doubt be gladly received. I may just add that a visit by an evangelist would be of great benefit to us, being latterly deprived of our pastor; but we continue to worship and attend to the institution of the gospel. We have immersed into Christ about forty believers, principally by brothers Joseph Borman and John Harrison, still many have had to leave us, to seek the bread that perisheth. THOMAS Cook.

Dumfries, May 25th, 1844.

I HAVE to inform you that our beloved brother Greenwell is again amongst us, on his way from Carlisle to Edinburgh. He leaves here on Tuesday. We have been much refreshed by his visit in establishing us in the ancient faith and hope of the gospel: indeed I know of no one more qualified to do so great and glorious a work in comforting the brethren, and proclaiming heaven's message of pardon to his fellow men. I hope the committee, and also the congregations, will not give him up, or allow him to locate himself in any corner of Great Britain; but that his labours may be given to all the churches in the reformation, in England and Scotland. Since he came amongst us, six have confessed the Lord by a baptism into his death, and rising again to a new life. Three have been restored; and one

who had been baptized, but had never been amongst us, making in all an addition to our number, of ten. The church now numbers forty: all the brethren and sisters are walking together in peace and love; and we are still hoping for further accessions to our number. A. HUTCHINSON.

NOTE: Whether brother Greenwell, Reid, or Thomson, or any other brother who may hereafter be sent forth as an evangelist, shall locate in any corner of England, Scotland, or Ireland, is not for the committee, or stewards of the congregations to determine: this must remain with the evangelists individually, or the congregations collectively to settle. The former can do so by announcing to the world, to the brethren, and to the Lord, that it is not their intention any longer to labour for the conversion of sinners, or for the edification of saints, except in some particular locality; and the latter by ceasing to contribute their mite in support of men to proclaim the glorious gospel of the blessed God to a condemned and perishing world except in their own immediate vicinity. Such a course, we hope brother Hutchinson, will not be determined upon by either party; but on the contrary, a greater manifestation of that self-denying philanthropy and love which shone so conspicuously in the Saviour and his apostles, will be exhibited by all the disciples of Jesus. One thing must be obvious to all: the committee cannot, with justice, render assistance from a general fund for the support of any evangelist who may be thus located. As the contributions flow from all the congregations, the evangelists should be as much as possible the property of all; but especially of the unconverted.-ED.

Dr.

Pittsburg, March 1st, 1844. We have been two weeks in Pittsburg. The church in Allegheny has a membership of three hundred and seventy-five souls. Robinson, from the Western Reserve, has been labouring here for three weeks. The increase has been forty persons. Brother Robinson is a man of very popular talent, rather large and fleshy in his person, and has an excellent and strong voice. It would be very difficult for a certain kind of auditors to resist his matter and manner. He has an indomitable courage in the pulpit; shoots at everybody; fires off all kinds of matter from Genesis to Revelation; and, what is equally singular, he never misses. But to be serious: Dr. Robinson has only to pay attention to himself, and to be watchful least he be thrown off his guard by his great success, in order to make one of the most profitable, as he doubtless is already, one of the most acceptable of our labourers.-Evangelist.

Bedford, Ohio, January, 1844..

I HAVE just closed my year's evangelical labours, in which I have devoted my whole time. I have seen added to the saved six hundred and twenty by baptism during that time. May the Lord keep them safe to the day of his appearing. J. P. ROBINSON.

Wooster, Ohio, February 3, 1844. LAST week brother Cook baptized Mr. Fitch of Cleaveland, and thirty of his congregation. I had the pleasure of participating in the joy which prevailed among these converts to the truth. Wednesday evening January 31, I spoke to the first Congregational Church in Akron, where I remained until Saturday morning, when I left for Wooster; during which time I waited on sixty-eight who came out on the word-the word alone, and were immersed on profession of faith. Among them was their pastor, Mr. Pickauds, his wife, two daughters, and one son. The Lord be praised. J. P. ROBINSON.

QUERIES AND REPLIES.

Banff, May 20th, 1844.

In this month's, Christian Messenger you dispose of a query on drunkenness, in a manner which, under certain circumstances, all must be satisfied. Would you adopt the same course in a breach of any of those laws contained in 1. Cor. v. 11? Answer.—We are not at present, acquainted with any law of the New Testament which re. quires of a penitent to do penance for a single week before he be forgiven. Let the brethren consult all the passages which refer to the subject of forgiveness, and we think they will come to the same conclusions.

Query.-If the incestuous person, instead of being puffed up with pride, &c., had been humble, contrite, and penitent, like David, the prodigal son, or Peter, would Paul have commanded him to have been separated from the body? Answer.-We think not. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Let no Christian be so much engaged in looking after the crimes of others, as he is in guarding against their existence in himself.-ED.

CONTRIBUTIONS for the Evangelists' Fund have been received during the last month from Lanark, Mill of Crailstone, Frasensburgh, Banff, Middelsborough, and Bulwell.

CO-OPERATION MEETING.-On the cover of the May number of the Christian Messenger, we requested the views of the elders and evangelists respecting the propriety of holding a general Co-operation meeting some time in the current year. From the communications we have received, the general opinion seems to be that as there is now a probability of brother Campbell coming to England (see his letter, p. 341,) some time early in the next spring, the more desirable course to persue will be, to call a general meeting at that time, when he can be present with the brethren. This is also our own opinion of the matter. We have therefore decided to adopt this course, and shall wait for further information respecting the time of his arrival, and insert it in the Messenger accordingly.

This being the case, the Committee will have no opportunity of giving a statement of affairs connected with the evangelists, entrusted to their charge; we therefore take this opportunity of stating to our brethren, that we stand in need of their utmost liberality and support. JOHN FROST.

For the Committee,

Project of a Scriptural system of Church Organization and Co-operation, submitted to the candid consideration and criticism of all the intelligent and faithful everywhere. PREAMPLE-BEFORE any one offers a resolution to a deliberative assembly on any great question, political, moral, or religious, it is usual to pioneer a way for its favourable consideration by a few preparatory remarks. Now, as I am so often interrogated on the subject of a Scriptural Organization, and a project of some sort demanded; and as I wish to lay the matter before all the brethren, not "in common council assembled," but in their domestic and church associations, for their sedate and christian-like consideration and examination, I have resolved to comply with their wishes and to introduce the subject in the most plain and simple way I can imagine. For this purpose I will suppose a case illustrative of the nature and necessity of such an organization as has been asked by many brethren.

Suppose then, for example, an evangelist or two were sent into the island of Guernsey to publish the gospel and to plant the Christian standard there. They preach the gospel successfully, and in a few weeks one hundred converts are made. They continue with them for a year or two, until they are able to take care of themselves. A temporary

VOL. VIII.

2 N

administration of elders and deacons, by and with the consent of the congregation, is appointed by the evangelists. They then leave the church A, and, proceeding to another station, gather a second community, which is called B; and placing it in the same condition, they leave, and gather, in another place, a third, which they call C; and so on until they have thus got into existence the churches A, B, C, D, E, and F. Some five years were occupied on this first tour. After a little time they resolved to visit these infant churches, and see how they did. On this visit they spent some time in every community, setting things in better order, and finally, with consent of their brethren, ordained them bishops and deacons in every church. This they did with fasting, prayer, and the imposition of hands. They then commended them to God and the word of his grace and departed.

But as yet there was no understanding between these communities relative to any co-operation or organization. The communities A, B, C, D, E, and F, constituted the whole church of the island of Guernsey; but as yet they did not act as one church. None of these communities took cognizance of any matter beyond the threshold of its own immediate organization. Difficulties began to occur which were likely to vex and perplex the several communities in the island. Certain persons excluded from one community were received into another. Persons were sent out on public errands by one community, which were disallowed and repudiated by the others, and their acts were neither approved nor sanctioned. Objects were regarded as greatly desirable by one community, but being beyond their means and compass, and not needed by the others, were abandoned or attempted in vain. Finally, to prevent the utter extinction of the churches of Guernsey, and to combine all the means and energies of all the brethren in the accomplishment of every measure of public interest and importance, a co-operation and conferential meeting was called. After due deliberation thereon, all the elders and deacons of all the churches met at the church A, the oldest and most exemplary in the island.

After spending some time in social worship, the meeting was opened' by one of the seven elders, named Epaphras. After a clear and brief statement of the conditions of all the communities and the object of the meeting he proceeded to