the ministers ejected from the Establish- portion of personal and relative affliction, ment for Nonconformity, by the Bartholo- he pursued his course; nor did he retire mew Act. A small endowment left by from the work in which he faithfully lathis sufferer for conscience' sake has been boured, and the people whom he sincerely the means of perpetuating the preaching of loved, until the visitation of Providence inthe gospel in this retired spot, and though capacitated him for farther effort. Paralysis the Christian society there has experienced of the brain terminated his exertions as a many vicissitudes, yet it still exists, nor is minister, and caused a gradual declension it destitute of tokens of the divine favour. in his strength, until he entered on his Other churches, too, have arisen in the eternal rest. neighbourhood, whose origin must be traced to the little cause at Ryeford, which has shared largely in the respect of ministers and Christians around. The writer remembers many pleasant Sabbaths which he passed there, either in friendly exchanges of services, or when rendering aid to his afflicted friend and brother, after the progress of disease had incapacitated him for all public duties. The life of a minister in a situation so secluded, was not likely to afford much variety of incident, and the materials for a memoir of Mr. Williams are very brief. The testimony given of Hananiah was applicable to him: "He was a faithful man, and feared God above many." He possessed mental powers of no mean description. As a preacher he was sound in doctrine and serious in manner, uttering the great truths of the gospel as one who had felt their power, and was thoroughly in earnest in endeavouring to impress them on the minds of others. He was not accustomed to give to his hearers that which cost him nothing; but close and continued study preceded his appearance in the pulpit. "He was a workman that needed not to be ashamed." As a pastor he was diligent in visiting his flock, so far as his own health and their scattered situation would admit, and their welfare was always an important object with him. In the neighbourhood in which he lived he was greatly respected, and although his sentiments were not much understood nor appreciated by most around, those who felt no interest in him as a Dissenting minister were ready to acknowledge that he was an upright and truly good man. He was firm in his adherence to principle, and thoroughly transparent and unambiguous in all his actions; nor did anything excite in him stronger feelings of disgust and indignation than manœuvre or equivocation in persons who sought his acquaintance or friendship. Through forty years spent in seclusion, narrow circumstances, and amidst no small For a short time, after resigning his ministerial charge, Mr. Williams resided in Cheltenham, from which place he removed to Coleford, where, amongst friends whom he had long known, he died. His mind, during the latter part of his life, was almost uniformly tranquil. To a friend, who on one occasion inquired after his health, he replied, "There's a house not made with hands, And here my spirit waiting stands, "He knew in whom he had believed." No painful conflict agitated his last moments. He was quite aware when the hand of death was upon him, and he was prepared for the blow of the last enemy. He died on the 18th of June, 1857. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." If the state of Mr. Williams's health would have permitted him to occupy a large sphere, he possessed qualifications which must have secured for him more attention from the denomination to which he belonged. But from early life he was an invalid. For months together he was unable to enter the pulpit, and once at least he tendered his resignation to his flock, in consequence of continued and severe indisposition. They were, however, unwilling to receive it. Efforts, too, were made to induce him to remove to other situations, but he resolved to continue where Providence at first placed him. How far he was wise in this determination it is not for others to say. He believed that he was right, and this conviction sustained him to the end. Those who knew him best, cherish no doubt that he has received the approval of his 'great Master, and heard from him the cheering sentence, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." C. the apostles and first Christians were under the influence of enthusiastic feeling when they adopted the community of goods? If the apostles erred in this matter, to whom remembered his teachings and acted upon are we to look for guidance and direction? them with the sanction and concurrence of Instead of saying that they gave the autho- the apostles. To say that the apostles erred rity of their example to an impracticable in this, is to treat the oracles of truth and plan of Church government, I should Christianity with disrespect. The case of rather ascribe the failure of the attempt to Ananias and Sapphira proves how fundathe avaricious and covetous desires of the mental to the Christian Church the comhuman heart. Throughout the New Tes-munity of goods was held to be. tament the most tender regard is displayed Geographically and politically, Europe toward the poor and needy; "the love of and America are inhabited by Christians. money is the root of all evil," "covetous- But do not the lives of the people refute ness is idolatry." Christians are taught to their professions? Christianity has love put the most entire reliance for the supply-equal love of neighbour with oneselfof their daily necessities in God, without for its central law. Is not selfishness the whom not a sparrow falls to the ground. central and fundamental law of modern Together with this sympathy for the poor, Christian (?) society. "Each man for himcontempt of wealth, and faith in God, there self;" "Buy cheap, sell dear;" "Tricks in was to be the most perfect mutual love all trades," are the mottoes and proverbs of among all the members. Was not the Christendom. "It is more blessed to give establishment of Christian Socialism the than to receive," "Look not every man at carrying out of these principles ? his own things," "Give to him that hath need," are the mottoes and proverbs of Christianity. To give up houses and land for Christ is calmly set down as impossible. To love one another, as God in Christ has loved us, is denounced as impracticable. Christians now-a-days come short even of the example of Ananias and Sapphira. Instead of giving all, save a little which they keep back for themselves, they keep back all and only spare a part of the price for God. That the community of goods was gradually abandoned there can be no doubt. But so were many other institutions of undoubted divine origin. For centuries the Bible was a sealed book, and practices of a heathenish character usurped the place of the duties of Christianity. But the "Baptist Magazine should not pronounce Christian Socialism impracticable, because, like Christianity itself, it fell into disuse through human perversity and corruption. It, of course, like all that is peculiar to Christianity, is foolishness to the wise men of this world. The greedy, selfish, money-loving people of England and America reject and despise a religion which forbids us to lay up treasures on earth," and declares that "a camel can more easily go through a needle's eye than a rich man enter the kingdom of God." Yet these words cannot be blotted out from the page of Scripture, however much they may be frittered away. When the command is read, "Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor," men still go away disobedient to it, or exclaim in wonder and derision, "Who, then, can be saved ?" What wonder that the rich should conspire and plot His destruction, and that the poor should hear Him gladly when He taught such truths as these. But it is wonderful that those who receive him should remain blind to his teaching in this respect. Whilst there is so much in the personal ministry of Jesus which countenances the idea and practice of community of goods, is it not very probable that its adoption by the Church of Jerusalem had warrant from some unrecorded words remembered by the disciples and acted upon by them, though not written in the gospels? The first Christians adopted this practice, so far as we can see, without question or doubt. They needed no special command. They had seen the example of our Lord, they That God may raise up a man who would carry out the principles of Christian Socialism, preach the gospel of Jesus to the poor, and bring the outcasts of society within the pale of the Church, is the prayer of one who is himself AN OUTCAST OF SOCIETY. EFFECTIVE PREACHING. To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. DEAR SIR,-Our attention has lately been directed in various ways to the ministry of the gospel, its power and efficiency. I do not wish to raise a controversy, but to submit one or two questions for the solemn consideration of ministers and people. "If anything may fairly be expected to be the power of God unto salvation, it must assuredly be the truth of God, and the truth as it is in Jesus. In whatever measure this may be unfaithfully or defectively preached, it is but reasonable to expect deficiency of power; and where its vital element is wholly wanting, it is absurd to look for any power at all." So says Mr. Hinton. Baptist Magazine, page 402. If, as a body, the Particular Baptists have any standard of doctrine, I suppose it is the confession of faith adopted in 1689, which declares, " They who are elected are redeemed in Christ . . . neither are any other." The angel announced the birth of the Saviour, Christ the Lord, as good tidings of great joy to all people, Luke ii. 10; but according to the Assembly of Divines there is no redemption in Christ Jesus for any but the elect; and since it is not possible for any man whilst in his sins to know that he is of the elect, it seems that it would be unwarranted and presumptuous in him to trust in the death of Christ for salvation. Where is the foundation of a sinner's hope unless he can be assured that Christ died for him personally and individually? and where is the attraction of the cross? It will probably be said, that though we bear the name of Particular Baptists, and are supposed to be distinguished by our creed from the General Baptists, yet these hyper-Calvinistic sentiments are much modified, if not entirely abandoned, by many of our ministers and people. I rejoice to know that it is so but I submit whether, in the measure in which they prevail, they must not necessarily hinder the progress of the gospel. Mr. Fuller contended for the necessity of an almighty and invincible power to renew the heart. Now it is evident that this power does not operate upon all, and that no man can know that it is operating upon him before he is converted. What, then, must be the message of the gospel minister to the sinner upon this principle? Is it not this: "My fellow-sinner, God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoso ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' 'God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.' But as soon might God change the holiness of his nature, as a sinful man become holy without the operation of an almighty and invincible power. That power has graciously been applied to your neighbour's heart, has turned him from darkness to light, and made him a new creature in Christ Jesus; but its application is limited by the sovereignty of God to a certain number of certain persons, and all others are left to perish in unbelief, without help or hope: whether you are of this happy number God has not revealed, and no man can tell." Is this the glorious gospel of the blessed God, the message of God's love to his sinful creatures, to subdue the enmity of their hearts by the paternal tenderness of his own? A BAPTIST DEACON. [With the views advocated in the foreappealed to in the first fail to prove the going letters we cannot agree. The passages writer's position, and he entirely overlooks the fact that the experiment tried at Jerusalem was never repeated in any of the Apostolic Churches. The esteemed writer of the second unconsciously does injustice to the doctrines held by Andrew Fuller and those who follow him. We deem it right, however, to give them insertion.-ED.] Editorial Postscript. THE trustees have much pleasure in announcing that, notwithstanding the expenses incurred by recent endeavours to improve the circulation of the Magazine, they have been enabled, during the past month, to distribute £80 in the following classes, viz. £3 each to E. A., E. G., E. G., J. J., M. P., M. J. W., A. G., C. W., M. E., C. F., M. H., E. W. £2 to E. B., C. F., A. H., J. M., E. N., A. N., P. T., M. T., S. W., E. Y., J. C., J. F., A. H., M. W. £1 to C. B., A. D., B. H., M. U., E. J., E. B., E. C., E. J. E., H. E., J. G., J. G., N. H., P. K., I. M., A. P., J. T. The proprietors regret that they were not able to renew a small grant to all who were assisted last year, or to take on a single new case. Twickenham. JAMES HOBY, Secretary. Contributions in aid of the foregoing grants have been received from Mrs. Jackson, by Rev. Thomas Taylor, £5; Collection at Bromsgrove, £1; Stamps, 5s, and 2s. 6d; J. Harrison, Esq., £1. ; THE ANNIVERSARIES. THROUGH the goodness of God, the arrangements published in the last Herald have been carried through without any lapse or interruption. The attendance at the various assemblages was above the usual average, and at all of them there was enjoyed the spirit of harmony and devotion. It will be unnecessary to give in detail the particulars of the meetings; these have fully appeared in the usual weekly channels of information. The subscribers' meeting was one of unusual interest and importance. The action of the Committee, with respect to the question of a deputation to Jamaica, was fully approved, and they were authorised to incur the expense should such a deputation be deemed necessary. The following resolution was proposed by the Dr. Acworth, the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel, and the Rev. James Smith, and was both unanimously and warmly adopted by the assembled brethren. We trust that, in the coming year, its suggestions will not be suffered to remain a dead letter, but that it will usher in a united effort, throughout the denomination, to extend the mission in the eastern possessions of the British crown. The resolution was as follows: : That this meeting has heard the minutes of the proceedings of the Committee, in regard to the India Mission, with sincere satisfaction, and would express a very earnest hope that the Committee for the ensuing year will make a most vigorous effort to re-erect the destroyed mission-houses, chapels, and school-houses, and strengthen the Mission in the North-west Provinces, and to augment the Society's Mission in India. And with this view would earnestly entreat the pastors and churches throughout the country to promote the revival and formation of auxiliaries, the increase of subscriptions, and the adoption of measures by which every congregation, whether in towns or villages, may have the opportunity of contributing to this great work." We regret that no report exists of the excellent speeches made in support of this important resolution. In former years it has been usual to reprint in the Herald the report of the Annual Meeting at Exeter Hall. The wide circulation of The Freeman and other religious papers, seems to render this course to some extent unnecessary. We propose, therefore, only to present to our readers a few of the more important passages. INDIA: ITS GOVERNMENT AND CHRISTIANITY. Christian friends, what has occurred in India must have a deep and pervading influence upon the future conduct of that I will leave the question of India and all country. If we read anything in the hisconcerning it to-day in the hands of those tory of past events there, we see that God whom you will hear who have been per- has signally made known that that prophecy sonally associated with labourers there, and and promise both in one, "Them that honwhose instrumentality God has largely our me, I will honour," is specially made blessed in the extension of his kingdom in to be felt at the present moment as the inthat interesting country. But it is due from delible mark of all that has occurred in me to-day, that I should especially refer to India. We see in connection with the Gothe fact that we have suffered in the person vernment there in the earliest stages of our of our dear brother, Mr. Mackay, and of a mission that missionary exertion was predear Christian brother, Walayat Ali. At vented. We have seen, down to the present any rate the family of Mr. Mackay, assur- moment, that the idolatrous prejudices of edly should feel that his name is borne in the natives have been cherished. We have grateful remembrance by the denomination abundant means of showing that Christito which he was attached, and I believe by anity has not only been negatived and disthe whole Christian community. Dear, couraged, but as far as possible absolutely |