his best support, whose efforts, nevertheless, at any time, to purchase, or whose attempts to compel that support he has deemed himself obliged to reject and resist. Nay, he can, with great truth, add, that advantages in the most desirable forms have been offered him, and that he has refused them.

"Having thus established his independence during the several Administrations whose measures it has been his office to record, he will not omit the occasion which offers to declare that he equally disclaims all and any individual influence; and that, when he offers individual praise, it is from a sense of its being particularly due to the character which calls it forth."

Any Government venturing to stop the despatches of the Times in our day would simply be abolished by public censure.

Mr. Walter must sometimes have found it as difficult to manage his paper as some kings find it to manage a kingdom. Dr. Stoddart, when editor of the Times, was extremely virulent against Napoleon the First. So fiercely did he write that Mr. Walter remonstrated with him; but Dr. Stoddart persisted in penning such outrageous libels against "the Conquering Corsican" that Napoleon consulted legal authorities in England as to whether he could not bring actions against the paper. Dr. Stoddart was, however, dismissed, and was followed by Thomas Barnes, probably one of the greatest editors the Times ever had. Barnes had been a reporter on the paper; but had brought himself into notice by some word-pictures of some well-known public men in the Examiner. He sought out new and able contributors, and paid them handsomely. Soon did the writers of this great journal become famous, and the paper itself the leading journal of Europe.

The potency of the Times was strikingly seen in relation to the election of the notorious Alderman Harmer as Lord Mayor of London. He was the proprietor of the Weekly Dispatch, in which Publicola poured forth his infidel and blasphemous opinions. The Times-by one of its writers-opposed Alderman Harmer's election in twelve successive articles, and they so aroused public sentiment that he was passed over, and another alderman was chosen to the dignity of Lord Mayor. The sum paid for those twelve leading articles was two hundred pounds. Very liberal remuneration is paid for articles and reviews. A gentleman wrote a brief article on a matter of which he had special knowledge, and received five pounds for it. Another was given a cheque of £30 for a review which extended to three columns. We have heard of one eminent contributor who was paid £80 for each of his articles on a most important subject of which he possessed invaluable knowledge; and it is well known that an illustrious literary peer received £100 for an article which, by its splendid diction, revealed its illustrious writer. We advise General Baptist ministers to augment their scanty incomes by writing for the Times.

On November the 29th, 1814, the Times was printed by steam. This great achievement was thus announced in a leading article:

"Our journal of this day presents to the public the practical results of the greatest improvement connected with printing since the discovery of the art itself. The reader of this paragraph now holds in his hands one of the many thousand impressions of the Times newspaper which were taken off last night by a mechanical apparatus.

A system of machinery, almost organic, has been devised and arranged, which, while it relieves the human frame of its most laborious efforts in printing, far exceeds all human powers in rapidity and dispatch. That the magnitude of the invention may be justly appreciated by its effects we may inform

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the public that, after the letters are placed by the compositors and enclosed in what is called the 'form,' little more remains for man to do than to attend upon and watch this unconscious agent in its operations. The machine is then merely supplied with paper. Itself places the form, inks it, adjusts the paper to the newly-inked type, stamps the sheet, and gives it forth to the hands of the attendant, at the same time withdrawing the form for a fresh coat of ink, which itself again distributes, to meet the ensuing sheet, now advancing for impression; and the whole of these complicated acts are performed with such a velocity and simultaneousness of movement, that no less than 1,100 sheets are impressed in one hour."

However amazing this was at the time, it would now be regarded as very slow work. The present printing machines of the Times are the finest in the world, and can produce 22,000 copies in an hour!

Various estimates have been made of the vast sums of money expended in perfecting the mechanical means for printing the Times, and one writer declares that £80,000, at least, have been so invested, but few persons can affirm what the real cost has been. One thing is certain, the Times is the best printed journal in the world. The most popular newspapers in the United States are not to be compared with it, and it stands alone in Europe for material perfection and political power.

The sale of the Times has sometimes been simply wonderful. During the Russian War it one day reached 72,000 copies. When its account of the Prince Consort appeared, in December, 1861, it had a sale of 91,000 copies. This was surpassed when the Princess Alexandra entered London, for then it had a sale of 98,000 copies, and the number containing the description of her marriage sold to the extent (at fourpence halfpenny each) of 110,000 copies.

An ordinary issue of the Times takes about half a ton of ink to print it. For an advertisement extending throughout a whole column £22 is charged, and a competent authority has computed that its annual revenue for advertisements alone has been as much as £260,000. The present editor is Mr. John Delane, who entered upon his high position. when he was twenty-four years of age-an honour few men could obtain to in their early manhood, or, indeed at all.

THE PEACEFUL MIND.

DEAR Lord and Father of mankind,

Forgive our feverish ways; Reclothe us in our rightful mind; In purer lives Thy service find, In deeper reverence, praise.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!

O calm of hills above!

Where Jesús knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity
Interpreted by love!

With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown

The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace.
Breathe through the pulses of desire

Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb-its heats expire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind and
fire,

O still, small voice of calm.

-J. G. WHITTIER.

No. IX.-Minor Financial Work.

BY A "LIVE" DEACON.

THERE are certain duties connected with the management of Church Finance, apparently of trivial importance, upon which it seems necessary to say a few words. I say "apparently trivial," for every man who has discovered the secret of the perfect mastery of his business reckons nothing that is an actual part of it, however slight and insignificant it may be, really trivial. He knows how a trifling neglect may counter-work the success of a well-contrived plan, and a momentary inattention mar the peaceful working of an entire establishment. A speck of dust in the eye may spoil a day's pleasure; the escape of a three-inch pin make half a dozen holiday-seekers cripples; and a wrong entry made in a second may take hours of valuable time to discover; or a clerk's bungling delivery of a message, or forgetting a part of it, entail a loss of hundreds of pounds. So a church may have its peace disturbed, its reputation soiled, or its prosperity diminished, by an indifferent or thoughtless performance of certain slight but necessary works. And yet if anywhere the proverb applies-"What ever is worth doing at all is worth doing well"-it surely is in the case of work so sacred and so essential to the welfare of the world as the transaction of the financial affairs of the Church of the Lord Jesus.

I.

BOOK-KEEPING is a department of finance generally considered "trivial" enough, and therefore often done in a slipshod, inaccurate, and unsatisfactory manner, such as would be counted a serious discredit by a man of good business habits. I know not if it is true, but I have no difficulty in believing it possible, that a church, notably prosperous and happy for a long term of years, was suddenly thrown into wholesale disorder and general weakness by nothing more than the unfortunate issue of a demand for seat-rents already paid. Injury of a serious character is easily done by such untoward accidents. Even strongminded men are severely annoyed if asked to pay a bill twice, and are apt to think they do well to be " angry;" and, therefore, it is hardly surprising that "hearers" have been driven from worship, and "members" detached from their steadfastness and zeal by similar mistakes in seat-rents, weekly offerings, and the like. The church's book-keeping, in all its departments, should be a pattern of transparency, accuracy, and efficiency. Every item should be clearly entered. Every voucher filed. Memory should never be trusted to in financial matters. "Make a note of it" is a rule that has no exception as to monetary transactions. All accounts should be carefully audited, On the whole diaconate the responsibility of maintaining the financial reputation of the church is cast, and of working its finances without jar or friction; and as a body it should not shirk the duty of supervising, inspecting, and controlling, the methods of keeping accounts, and all relating thereto. The heads of a house of business know they must keep a watchful eye on their books, or the day will come when they will regret it. And if, unfortunately, mistakes in church finance do occur, it should never be forgotten that it is the privilege of the chief officers of a society, which is the home and safeguard of all the courtesies and amenities of life, immediately to acknowledge the error, and make every endeavour possible to soothe the slightest irritation of feeling the mistake has cccasioned.

II. PROMPT PAYMENTS.-A letter forwarded to me calls attention to the necessity that the pastor should always receive his stipend at the appointed time, because great discomfort and inconvenience are often caused by delay. My correspondent, who is, I imagine, a deacon, but not the treasurer of the church, does not say anything about "seat-rents that are behind-hand," and "weekly offerings not paid up." Probably the want of promptitude in the treasurer is caused by a prior want of promptitude on the part of the people; and that is, in nine cases out of ten, due to a want of thought and consideration of the relation of their delay to the comfort and well-being of their pastor. And so again the matter comes back to us, and suggests the necessity of keeping the members of the church well-informed as to their obligation, and the injury caused by any postponement of the day of discharge of such obligations. I cannot believe in

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the existence of a treasurer who would, out of mere caprice, or inattention, or reluctance to part with money, detain monies due to the pastor of the church. Certainly I have met with not a few who have regularly supplied out of their own purse the deficiencies of the church exchequer, so that the minister's salary might be promptly paid. But good as this is, the more excellent way is to form and develop the habit of prompt and regular contributions in the people.

III. PAYING THE "SUPPLIES" is another delicate subject often coming to the front. The pastor's holiday, or his sickness, or the want of a pastor for a brief period, makes "a supply" (what an odd word it is! Who invented it? Surely not a deacon!) a necessity. I have nothing here to say of the false and mistaken economy that suggests the election of supplies should be determined by the scale of fees, the cheapest being preferred. Money is only one of the considerations in the choice, and will have but a secondary place assigned it in the thought of those whose main solicitude is to maintain unimpaired the efficiency of the church's work, and to secure the largest measure of good in the world. But in the payment of "supplies” there is room for a suggestion. Different methods are adopted in different churches, and they are not all equally commendable.

In some cases the amount is fixed by the diaconate before hand, wrapped in paper, and given to the preacher along with a courteous acknowledgment of his services for the occasion. This is easily done. The assessment of the value of the service rendered, of the cost to the preacher, and of the ability of the church, is mostly a plain and simple process, and might as well be done beforehand as not. Courtesy is a Christian grace, and is never more seemly than when it is shown to those who have intended to confer a favour.

In an instance I shall never forget, and which I hope is not a sample, I overheard the following conversation :

Treasurer appears in the vestry, salutes the preacher, and says: "Well, what are we in your debt?"

Preacher: "Oh, I don't make any charge for my services. I leave the matter entirely to your judgment.

Treasurer: "What are your expenses then ?" Preacher: "You know the distance from Aeasily reckon them."

to B.

You can

Treasurer: Let's see, that's nine and sixpence, third class? I suppose (he said, without waiting for an answer) I must reckon third; so here's half a sovereign."

The interesting colloquy was ended; the preacher meekly took the money offered him, and glided at once to another topic of conversation, notwithstanding he had only sixpence given him to pay for his own "supply," and for a cab from his house to the station. But I have since been told-for this happened some years ago that though the minister has been asked several times to re-visit the scene of his self-sacrifice, he has hitherto hesitated to do so.

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Mentioning this incident to a "leading" minister of very different metal not long since, I asked him what he would have done. "Done!" said he, his eye flashing boldest defiance, Why, I should have returned it at once, and told them that I would have the credit of serving such a mean church for nothing, rather than that they should have been deluded with the idea that they had recompensed me for my pains." Looking doubtfully at this reply, he added, with convincing emphasis, "Indeed, I have done it. A wealthy church once gave me just half what I paid for my supply, and I sent it back by post the next morning, and told them I would take nothing from such a people."

These things can and ought to be better managed; and it is our duty, as deacons, to see that at least fairness, and courtesy, and gentlemanly feeling characterize the discharge of all such minor financial duties.

Other parts of this subject I must postpone to a future occasion.

GOD'S PROMISES.-Some people walk on God's promises as though they were all uncertain and could not be depended upon; just as shell-hunters tremblingly tread on those rocks of the sea-shore which are covered over with slimy slippery sea-weed. We should march unfearingly as on the hardest and safest road.

In regard to amusements, it has been thought that the attitude of the religious bodies has not been satisfactory. Man is a social being, and when not engaged with labour he must of necessity have social enjoyments of some kind, good, bad, or indifferent, and all are agreed as to the propriety of diversions of some kind, the difference being as to what kind of diversion is proper, the diversions of those who frequent the public-house being uncongenial, to say the least, to those who frequent the prayer-meeting.

As we look upon society we can see nothing like a successful rival to the public-house, which is open at almost every corner, and at all hours. The coffee house and the reading room are only for exceptional resort, while to visit the public is a regular thing. Of course also the influence, direct and indirect, of the varied religious or semi-religious agencies is considerable, as are other means employed for the purpose of weaning people from the public house, and its kindred associations; but after all there is but little of a permanently aggressive character instituted in competition with the public house; and with all our preaching and teaching there is scarcely a family to be found which has not to grieve over the ravages of drinking in connection with some one or other of its members; and it is as much as we can do to drive back the tide of intemperance, and there seems to be no sign of a much improved state of things. Merely negative efforts have failed, and will fail, to reform the drinking and collateral customs; therefore, other means must be tried, since on Christian people, perhaps more than on others, rests the responsibility of the present unsatisfactory state of things.

It may be well for a Christian man to take part in a week night religious service, but it may even be better for him to be serving on a committee of a Mechanics' Institute, or Working Men's Club, and be guiding an agency which shall afford social intercourse, rational recreation, and innocent amusement, apart from the vices of the public house. If Christian people can aid in the establishment of public houses without the drink, they ought to do so, for there is no other alternative but the public house in almost every town and village of our land; and if there is ever to be anything else Christian people will have to take the matter in hand, and stick to it. Cassell's Coffee, Epps' Cocoa, and Horniman's Tea, good as they are, could be improved upon; and there is a fine field for enterprise open to any who would back a competitor against beer. People who look with disfavour on beer have no good and convenient substitute for it, and the sooner we get one the better.

In getting up Sunday school treats and tea parties, Christian people are quite at home; but they surely make a mistake when they leave all the holiday amusements to the enterprise of the publican and his friends. Why should religious be inferior to secular enterprise?

There is scarcely a town or village in the land in which there are not Christian people enough to open and manage say a Working Men's Club, and on one or two of the bank holidays of engaging a band of music, providing a variety of sports and amusements, selling refreshments, including tea, and thereby securing a few pounds, and serving some good purpose as well. On a Whit-Monday or similar day numbers of people are committed to a holiday; and Christian people may as well turn it and them to good account as to leave such matters to the merely mercenary or worse.

G. L.

TWO MORE "PILGRIMAGES TO ROME”

ARE projected by our friend Mr. Thomas Cook, offering special facilities for ministers of all denominations for visiting the "eternal city" in September or October next. The fame of the recent pilgrimage, the opportunity of being present at the re-opening of Mr. Wall's Chapel, and of acquiring reliable and extensive information of all the efforts now being made for evangelizing and educating the people, and the extremely moderate character of the fares, will render these "tours" popular with both churches and pastors. This is a fine opportunity for the churches to recuperate the health and re-invigorate the preaching of their pastors.