Faith, and one of its Foes. The Ecclesiastes; that the prophets wrote the particular books which have for so many ages borne their respective names; that John was the writer of the fourth Gospel; and that certain apostles were the real authors of the letters long since attributed to them? Now supposing this denial could be shown to be well-grounded in every instance, the question to be determined is, whether such negative criticism vitally affects our faith? The five books in the beginning of our Bible are still parts of inspired Scripture, and lose none of their verity or value, whether or not it can be demonstrated that the Mosaic authorship of small or large portions of them must be given up. rare and royal experience revealed in the book of Ecclesiastes-its sagacious observations and moral lessons for the regulation of social and civil life-together with its reiterated, "this is also vanity," and " "all is vanity"—are not impaired, or greatly altered, by any successful attempt on the part of Ginsburg, or other critic, to substantiate the opinion of Hugo Grotius, expressed two hundred and fifty years ago, that Solomon was not its writer. And so we might affirm in relation to the other parts of the canon whose authorship is disputed. If we could no longer cite them as the sayings of Moses, or David, or Paul, we could still preface our quotations with the more approved formula, "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith" (Heb. iii. 7). As a clearsighted foreign theologian remarks, "the question of authorship is not a question of faith;" except, it should be added, in those cases where the genuineness of the book, or its internal testimony, may be impeached. If criticism should compel us, as it never will, to abandon one half of the whole volume, not one article of our faith would be sacrificed. What is called the Tübingen school of criticism has reduced all 195 the Pauline Epistles, probably fourteen, to four; the Romans, two Corinthians, and Galatians; but from this mutilated New Testament its disciples may still learn the way of salvation, the truths of the Gospel, and the nature of Christ's kingdom. Yet while this is acknowledged we must firmly withstand this mutilating movement; and tenaciously retain the complete catalogue of writings transmitted to us as the Divine Oracles. When Strauss first published his Life of Christ his countryman, Professor Hug, remarked, that it had then become common for any one who desired fame in the department of theology to bring into the market some striking and audacious attack on the monuments of our faith, and to out do all his predecessors in this kind of ware. "The audacity," said he, "supplies the place of solidity." Solid and sober criticisms can never damage the Scriptures, but must, on the contrary, strengthen their claims on human belief. When, therefore, we meet with a mode of treating them which tends to impair our confidence in them, let us beware of this as of an unmistakeable foe. And if we are incompetent to fight the foe with his own weapons, let us resort to something more effective, and more certain to secure for us the victory. The Scriptures are not addressed to the critical faculty only or chiefly. They speak to the conscience and the heart. Their voice must be heard and their force must be felt within. We must read them unceasingly-love them passionately obey them implicitly-acquire a thorough knowledge of them in the letter attain a true experience of them in their spirit-and live in them as our very element. So used and enjoyed our faith will be firm against all oppositions; calm amidst all commotions; and strong to overpower all adverse influences, however subtle and seductive! THE BEST MEANS OF PROMOTING THE SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY AND EXTENSION OF OUR DENOMINATION.* BY THE REV. WILLIAM TAYLOR. THE history of religion in the world appears to have been a history of revivals and declensions. Instead of advancing steadily and continuously, the tide of grace, like that of the ocean, has sometimes receded— always to return, however, with greater fulness and greater power. Thus the purity and zeal of apostolic times was succeeded by the darkness and corruption of the middle ages. The quickening of religious life which took place at the Reformation was followed by a season of decay and death. Then came the great revival of the last century, when Whitfield, Wesley, and their noble band of fellow-labourers aroused the slumbering churches of Great Britain, and were instrumental in gathering thousands into the fold of Christ. The blessed effects of this movement still continue, but the life and power of it have long since disappeared. A few years ago another glorious revival took place. Rising like a little cloud over the city of New York, it spread rapidly over a considerable portion of the American continent, and having poured down showers of blessings on the churches of that land, it passed over to our West Indian colonies, and thence to Europe and Great Britain, descending most copiously in the north of Ireland and in Wales, but vouchsafing also some most refreshing showers in various parts of England and Scotland. Since that period there have been several years of comparative drought, during which all denominations of Christians have suffered, but none probably more than our own. In times of general declension the smallest and feeblest bodies are almost sure to be the greatest sufferers. In the larger and wealthier communities there are other attractions besides those which are purely spiritual, such as stately edifices, imposing ceremonies, the learning and eloquence of their ministers, the worldly position and influence of their members, and in some instances a more elaborate ecclesiastical organization. By these means it is possible to keep up an appearance of prosperity, at least for a time, after religious life and feeling have very sensibly declined. But it is otherwise amongst us. We have but little of the influence which belongs to wealth, to numbers, or to organization. Without spiritual life, without serious piety, brotherly love, and practical holiness, we are nothing; strangers see nothing to induce them to cast in their lot with us, and so they go to other and more fashionable places; and even our own children are often strongly tempted to do the same. If, therefore, our denomination is to make headway-nay, if it is to continue to exist it is indispensable that there should be earnest piety amongst us. I do not say that this is wanting at present. For aught I can see to the contrary, there is as much spiritual vitality in our churches as there is in those of other denominations. But in my opinion common attainments will not suffice for us. Not only must we be equal to our brethren of other denominations as regards the vigour and fulness of our piety, we must be even superior to *Having already published two Conference papers on the State of the Denomination, setting forth its want of progress, and assigning the causes of its stagnation, we have pleasure in giving a third paper of a different character. This thoughtful and faithful essay deserves, and we hope will receive, a careful reading from our ministers and people, amongst whom, we believe, there is just now a general and most earnest desire for the spiritual prosperity of our denomination.-ED. The best means of promoting the Prosperity of our Denomination. 197 them, if we are to maintain our ground and make any considerable impression upon the masses of our countrymen. We must have living faith in Christ and in the great principles of His gospel. We must know and feel the quickening and transforming power of divine grace. We must have fellowship daily with the Father and with His Son. We must be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Religion with us must be a passion, an enthusiasm, a matter of constant and allabsorbing interest; and when that is the case, we shall have power; and notwithstanding the smallness of our numbers, and the limited nature of our resources, we shall prosper and prevail. Allow me, then, to specify a few particulars adapted to nourish our spiritual life, and at the same time to manifest and utilize it. Foremost among these I must place secret prayer. True religion has its source in God. He originates and He sustains it. The best way to obtain a revival, therefore, is not to attempt to galvanize ourselves into religious activity, but to put ourselves in communication with Him who is the fountain of our life and the source of our strength. "Without me," said Christ, "ye can do nothing." We need realize this, and humbly to avail ourselves of His offered help. As Luther said, "To pray well, is to work well." It is in the closet that the Christian must get up the steam, so to speak, which is to set the machinery of his spiritual life in motion, and carry him forward in the way of duty. If he neglect his closet, the fire of love will go out, the steam will evaporate, the engine will refuse to work, and the whole train quickly come to a standstill. "A A prayerless professor," says Dr. Winter Hamilton, even if he attempts to do anything, defeats his own efforts. When he enters the house of mourning, or 66 . sits down by the sick man's side, it is like a traveller coming in from a frosty atmosphere to the chamber of a nervous invalid. Though enveloped in broad cloth and fur, he brings enough of winter in his clothes to make the poor patient chatter. But the man of prayer carries with him a genial clime. Even in the dead season of the year, when frost is black and fields are iron, he carries summer in his person. All his garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia; for his closet is the ivory palace, the gay conservatory, where the flowers of Paradise are blooming all the year." If, then, we would be useful in the world, or maintain our spiritual life in a healthy state, we must be frequently in our closets, "praying always with all prayer and supplication, and watching thereunto with all perseverance." Next to secret prayer, more attention should be paid, I think, to public worship and to Christian fellowship. Christianity is eminently a social religion. Our Lord came, not simply to convert individuals, but to establish a kingdom. His plan was first of all to attach men to His own person, and having done this, to form them into a community on the basis of their attachment to Him. His followers were to be a peculiar people-separated from the world by baptism, and united among themselves, not only by the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in them, but also by the observance of divine ordinances, and the practical expression of Christian love. were not to forsake the assembling of themselves together, but were to meet frequently for communion and for worship. The first Christians did this. They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. They appear to have met not only on Sundays, but every day in the week. They continued daily with one accord in the temple; They and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. And this practice of theirs, I doubt not, contributed greatly to the prosperity and increase of the church. The Saviour was honoured by the devout observance of His own ordinances. The souls of the faithful were warmed and quickened by communion with God and with each other. Individual Christians were encouraged and strengthened by their union with the body. The devotion of each was stimulated by sympathy and the influence of numbers. The numerous meetings which were held, and the crowds who attended them, attracted the attention of the world. Men saw that, whether right or wrong, these Christians were in earnest that they believed what they professed. Religion with them was no mere creed, no idle sentiment. It was a living power; it kindled their affections; it moved them to action; it drew them away from the pursuit of pleasure and of wealth; it brought them frequently together; it led them to combine for mutual help, and for the promotion of the common cause. Men could not but be impressed with such a spectacle. They felt compelled to examine the new faith, and as a matter of course embraced it. Accordingly we are told that believers were held in favour by all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. But alas! how have times changed. There are many now who profess and call themselves Christians who are hardly ever seen at a week-night meeting. Even the services on the Lord's-day are shamefully neglected. Many persons never think of attending more than once in a day, and not a few absent themselves for weeks together. This, I hold, is a most lamentable state of thingsquite enough of itself to account for the decline of both churches and denominations; and unless it can be remedied I have no hope at all of a revival. Ministers may preach until heart and brain are alike exhausted, and no good will be effected so long as church members continue to act in this way. These cold and lifeless professors are a dead weight upon the churches. They chill the ardour of both ministers and people; they neutralize the testimony which is borne to divine things, and convey the impression to the world that religion is nothing but a name, and its professors shameless hypocrites. Would that these people would either exhibit a little of the power of godliness, or else that they would abjure the name; that they would fill up their places in the churches, or else withdraw from them altogether. In either case there would be hope for us; but as things are prosperity is out of the question. Another thing which seems to be required among us is a more enterprising and aggressive spirit. There seems to be an impression abroad that the General Baptists have done their work, and that nothing remains for them but either absorption into some other body, or else perpetual decline and ultimate extinction. Now to the former of these processes I personally should have no great objection, provided it could be accomplished without sacrifice of either truth or liberty. But to the latter process-that of decline and death, I have the strongest possible objection, and I do not believe for a moment that it is necessary. If it be true that our peculiar denominational work is done, I can only say, so much the better; the course is now clear for Christian enterprise in the broadest and truest sense. Relieved in some measure from controversy with Christian brethren, we can now devote ourselves with redoubled energy to the conversion of the ungodly. It cannot be said that there is no need of our efforts in Extension of our Denomination. this direction. The millions of our countrymen who are either ignorant of Christianity, or else opposed to it, require for their conversion the most strenuous exertion of all who love the Saviour. Every denomination, every church, every Christian, should in this matter come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. It is In this grand enterprise nothing is more important than individual effort; but to a great extent, I fear, this is wanting among us. matter of general complaint that what is done is done by a few, and that the majority of our members do little or nothing. This is both a sin and a shame. We Christians would do well to take a lesson from the apostate Jews in this particular. "Seest thou not," asks the prophet, "what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather the wood; and the fathers kindle the fire; and the women knead their dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven." So should it be with the servants of the true God-each one should have his work, and do it. The gospel, while it is a proclamation of mercy, is at the same time a call to duty. Its message is not simply, "Believe and be saved," but "Go work to-day in my vineyard." And the Spirit of God is promised to every believer to qualify him for this. "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams : and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy." The influences of the Spirit were no longer to be confined to a favoured few, but were to be vouchsafed to all the Lord's people, without distinction of sex, or age, or rank; and this for the express pur 199 pose that they might all become prophets, that they might understand and publish God's message of salvation. For this holy work, then, not ministers only, but all Christians, should seek to be endued with power from on high. In one capacity or another-by preaching the gospel, statedly or occasionally; by instructing the ignorant; by visiting the sick and those who are in trouble; by distributing tracts; by inviting persons to the house of God, or leading children to the Sunday school; by these or other methods, every Christian should be a witness for Jesus, and should endeavour to induce his neighbours to enrol themselves among His followers. And that this may be done effectually, we need, I think, in most of our churches, a better organization. It is not enough that the people have a mind to work, they must have something to do. Ministers and others who hold office in the churches should have a vigilant eye to the requirements of the times and localities in which they are placed, and should set themselves as far as possible to meet those requirements. For this purpose they should organize their forces-should provide a sphere of labour for each individual -place each in the position for which he is best adapted-taking care especially to lay hold of them at the beginning of their religious life, whilst they are in the glow and fervour of their first love. They should also appoint suitable persons to superintend the various departments of Christian work, while they themselves exercisea loving oversight of the whole, guiding and stimulating their brethren, not as those who have dominion over their faith, but as partakers of their labour and helpers of their joy. Were this done, many I doubt not would be induced to work for Christ who now do nothing. The talents and energies of the church would be |