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Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.'"

The lecturer then proceeds to trace this in detail, observing that there are three distinct bearings of the doctrine of Christ's divinity to be considered. It protects truths prior to itself, and belonging both to natural and revealed theology. Again, it illuminates the meaning of truths which are, humanly speaking, below it, and which can only be duly appreciated when they are referred to it as justifying and explaining them. Lastly, it fertilizes the Christian's moral and spiritual life, by supplying a motive to the virtues which are most characteristically Christian, and without which Christian ethics sink down to the level of a merely natural morality.

Expanding these three views, the author shews, first, the conservative force of the doctrine in protecting the idea of God in human thought, which idea is not guarded by Deism, and which is wholly destroyed by Pantheism. And still further, in securing the true dignity of man. In treating of the illuminating force of the doctrine, he states that it implies Christ's infallibility as a teacher-explains the atoning virtue of His death, and the supernatural power of the sacraments (the one flaw in the book), and irradiates the meaning of His kingly office. Under the ethical fruitfulness of the doctrine he first meets the objection, that a divine Christ is no standard for our imitation, and shews that an approximate imitation of Christ is secured by the reality of His manhood, and by His imparted grace. This is followed by proofs from the history of the Christian era, that a belief in Christ's Godhead has fostered and propagated virtues which were not promoted by paganism and naturalism.

The volume closes with several pages of notes, explaining and criticising works on our Lord's life and character, such as those of Strauss, Schenkel, Ewald, Keim, Renan, ending with Ecce Homo. In his estimate of the real nature of the latter work, he displays both acuteness and candour, and says that especial acknowledgment is due to the author of Ecce Homo for the emphasis with which he has insisted on the following truths: Christ's moral sublimity - Christ's

claim of supremacy-and Christ's success in His work. It is pleasing to find a writer who has so ably and thoroughly vindicated the divinity of our Lord speaking so fairly and favourably of a contemporaneous production, which some have severely condemned, but which commends itself to our judgment as one of the best works ever written on Christ's humanity. Until the author of Ecce Homo fulfils his purpose to follow it up with a second work, we may recommend that Mr. Liddon's lectures be read in connection with it. For the book entitled "Ecce Deus," as compared with either of these, is mere bathos and gasconade -an unpleasant mixture of verbosity and vehemence. We are not now reviewing that book; but any one familiar with the "Pulpit Analyst" will see a Parker's pen in many parts of it, especially in such sentences as this: "Life is not spheral; at first it is but an arc, and law assists in the extension of the periphery, and corrects, sometimes severely, every aberration of the unsteady or unwilling hand "!

RETROSPECT and FORECAST are titles of two sermons by the Rev. James Mursell, of Kettering, preached in October last. They relate to the missionary enterprise. One of the discourses takes a survey of the results of missionary work since 1792. The other considers the present position and probable prospects of the enterprise with a view to ascertain whether there be anything to awaken solicitude respecting it, and whether by any modification of existing plans of working greater prosperity may be gained in the future. Mr. Mursell thinks that a change is visible in the feeling and attitude of the churches towards the missionary societies which they continue to support; and that earnest thought respecting those societies is demanded by the state of debt which is repeatedly occurring on the one hand, and by the deficient supply of missionaries on the other. He therefore invites consideration to the spirit in which we engage in missionary work-to the scale and manner of contributing money to it-and to some revisal of our methods of foreign labour. He thinks missionaries should

restrict themselves more than they have done to evangelistic labours; that there should be more confidence in native churches, and a fuller employment of native agency; and that the growing costliness of missionary life and labour will demand the wisest thought that can be given to it. As Mr. Mursell is a successor, though a remote one, of the first secretary of the Baptist Mission, there was a propriety in his preaching these sermons in Fuller chapel, Kettering. And as the sermons deal with the subject without any dogmatism—in a spirit of warm attachment to the good causeand as they offer practical suggestions unaccompanied by any startling propositions, we think he has done wisely in committing his thoughts to the press. They are given in a neat volume, published by Mr. E. Stock, 62, Paternoster Row.

BRIEF NOTICES.

THE PROTESTANT DISSENTERS' ALMANACK AND POLITICAL ANNUAL contains ninety pages of closely printed matter, some of which is of general interest, but the larger portion of which is especially important to Nonconformists. We wish our readers would encourage such a publication, as it answers all the purposes of an almanack, and, in addition, keeps them well informed on points pertaining to those religious and political events with which they ought to be identified. Like all works of its class, this annual has some errors relating to names, which can only be avoided by the latest corrections. And it seems deficient in reference to the literature of Dissenters. But with these drawbacks it is worth far more than the sixpence it costs.

We take this opportunity of advising our readers, especially our pastors and deacons, to procure the forthcoming BAPTIST HAND-BOOK. We are astonished to find how little it is known in many Baptist circles, and how few, to whom it might be of great service, are willing to spend upon it the single sixpence which it costs. If we care to know our own people, ministers, churches and institutions, this Annual will supply our want, and give us most

of the information which is furnished by common almanacks besides.

THE HIVE is a new penny periodical intended to furnish material for working Sunday school teachers. Its first number promises, by the aid of able writers, to supply the earnest with wholesome stimulus to direct the searcher after truth where he may find his reward-and to enable the worker rightly to use the best material for his work. Besides short essays and illustrations of obscure texts, there are annotations on selected lessons for use in class, and something like skeletons of addresses for those who speak from the desk. Whether there is room for even this small "Hive" to stand amongst the other productions which are sustained by Sunday school teachers, we cannot foretell; but if it is found on examination to contain what is adapted to aid the most needy order of religious workers anywhere to be seen, it will no doubt gain adınission into circles where more costly publications cannot enter.

THE LIFE OF JESUS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE is dedicated to them by the editor, Mr. B. Clarke. Part I. con

tains thirty-two neatly printed and profusely illustrated pages. It cannot fail, where it is introduced, to become a favourite with the children in our families. The engravings are exquisite.

THE FREEMAN NEWSPAPER - the organ of our body-appeals for increased support as essential to its continuance. Will our General Baptist friends do their share in maintaining this valuable paper, which, under its present management, is in no respect inferior to its able contemporary, the Nonconformist? We know that many among our section of the body have a strong objection to its price, and we should be glad if its proprietors could see the wisdom of making it accessible to greater numbers by cheapening it. But to expect its issue at the small charge of one penny-the price of "The Christian World" and Christian Times" - is most sonable.

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We have received the Sunday Magazine The Scattered Nation - The Sword and Trowel-The Play Hour, &c., &c.

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MILK FOR POLITICAL BABES.
Communicated by the Writer.

THERE was once a Man whose name
was LOUIS. He had no house of his
own; but he was very keen to get
one. And so, one day, he crept into
a large Mansion which stood on the
other side the River, and was built in
the style of the French. The Master

of the House had gone for a ride in a Cab, and never came back. At first LOUIS said, he had only come in because some of the Servants had asked him, and because he wanted a Place. When the Servants were called, they said that though they had not asked

him in, they had known an Uncle of his, who was a very strong Man, and had been a great Butcher in his time. LOUIS was not very strong, but they thought he would do very well to sit at the top of the Servants' Table, and carve the Meat. So, by their kind word, LOUIS got his Place.

But when he had held it a little while, he began to fret because he was not Master, and could not call the House his own. At last his heart grew so hot in him that he began to plot with the Stable-Boys, who were great friends of his, how the Dogs that guarded the House might be won over to his side. These Boys knew all the tricks of the Stable, and they gave LOUIS tit-bits for the Dogs till the poor Brutes liked him better than any one else in the World. LOUIS Soon found that the upper Servants would have nothing to say to him or his Plot; that the Dogs and the Stable-Boys were all he could trust. And I think he would never have tried to seize the House, if some of the lads had not had more pluck than he, and kept him to his Plan.

One night, when it was very dark, LOUIS and these bad Boys out of the Stable armed themselves with pistols, let all the Dogs loose, and broke into the House. LOUIS, it is said, soon lost heart, and went and shut himself up in a little Green Closet where he was safe. But the Boys and the Dogs went into every Room. They shot or pulled down all the good Servants who did their duty. They robbed and packed off every member of the Family who did not run away, which most of them did. Many lives were lost, and the House smelt of blood for many a day.

LOUIS was now Master, and had a House of his own. He did his best to smother the smell of blood, and to wipe out its stains. He employed a great many Workmen to paint and adorn the House; and got up many pretty Shows to amuse them and the Servants. And though there were so many Dogs about the House already, He got together a still larger Pack, whose bark was very loud. Then, feeling that he was safe, he began to enjoy himself, and to ask his Neighbours to his Table. At first they were very shy of him, and would not take

the false cruel hand he held out to them. But when they found that he had married a charming Wife, and that he was getting very strong and rich, they began to relent. One after the other they went to see Him, to sit at his Table, and to look at the Dogs which barked so very loud. Even a nice motherly old Lady, who lived across the River, and whose name was BRITANNIA, went to visit that wicked Man, and let him kiss her cheek, although she hated his bad ways.

Now LOUIS's next door Neighbour on one side was a certain VICTOR, who had a nice large House to which he had lately added many new Rooms. But though his House was large and handsome, it had, as many Houses have, a Closet, in which there sat a Skeleton. This Skeleton was dressed like a Shepherd, and his Closet was the chief Room of the House. He, too, had many bad ways. If anybody did not do as he bade them, he would sit and swear at them till his tongue was black with curses. He swore so loud that the whole House was in an uproar, and his bad words were heard far and wide. Then he would not let VICTOR or any member of the Family so much as share the Room with him, though it belonged to them and not to him. If they tried to come in, he would begin to curse at them, and hark on to them a Pack of Curs who were always fawning or barking about his heels. Nay, this bad Shepherd would often turn Butcher; and, instead of laying down his life for the Sheep, would lay their lives down, as many as two thousand in one day, rather than move into any other House, or even into another Room.

VICTOR thought it was hard that he should have such a horrid Skeleton in his House, taking up the best Room in it, and keeping the whole Family restless and unquiet. So, to get well out of the scrape, he made up his mind to ask his neighbour LOUIS to come to his help. He had good cause to ask him, for LOUIS had helped him once before. One of the most ancient and beautiful Chambers in his House had long been haunted by a cruel German Ghost. This Ghost LOUIS, who was well up in all Dark Arts, had helped him to lay in the bottom of the Red Sea. So that it was very natural for VICTOR to hope

that LOUIS would aid him to be quit of the Skeleton which was now doing him so much harm. But LOUIS was afraid of the Skeleton, though he was not afraid of the Ghost, and would not help VICTOR to be rid of it. "I will try by myself, then," said VICTOR, "for I can't stand this any longer.' you shan't," said LOUIS; "I insist on your leaving the Skeleton alone." "But my House is not my own so long as he stays in it," pleaded poor VICTOR.

66

"No,

'I don't care for that," replied Louis, "there he is, and there he shall stay. Bless my soul, why he might come and disturb my House, if he were to leave yours."

But what was funniest of all was this LOUIS, as you have heard, had stolen into the house in which he lived, and made it his by violence and murder. Yet when VICTOR, whose House was his own, asked LOUIS to help him get hold of that best Room which had

been stolen from him, Louis pretended to be very much hurt. He said he hated all violent ways, and never could permit them. He who had done wrong by force would not hear of his Neighbour using force to get his right! To name such a thing to him was to insult him. To speak of it with bonhomiewhich is a French word, ard means that VICTOR had put on a "hail fellow, well met" air-was the worst insult of all. And then, to show how much he hated force, he used all his force to keep that wicked Skeleton in poor VICTOR'S house.

This is as far as the story has gone yet; but I dare say it will have a sequel some day. And, meantime, is it not strange how a Rogue forgets his tricks when they are past, and becomes so honest a man that he scents roguery even in the honest purpose of an honest Neighbour? LLENNARD.

Denominational.

Intelligence.

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The YORKSHIRE AND LANCASHIRE CONFERENCE assembled in Tetley Street chapel, Bradford, on Tuesday, Dec. 24, 1867.

At the morning service the Rev. W. Evans, of Stalybridge, read the Scriptures and prayed; and the Rev. N. H. Shaw, of Dewsbury, preached an earnest sermon on love to Christ from Luke x. 42-" But one thing is needful."

In the afternoon the Rev. B. Wood, pastor of the church, presided, and the Rev. R. Hardy, of Queensbury, offered up prayer. From the reports of the churches it appeared that thirty-nine had been baptized since the last Conference, and that forty-six remained as candidates for baptism and church fellowship.

E

After the doxology was sung, the chairman announced that we were favoured with the presence of the Rev. J. Bloomfield, minister of West Gate chapel, and invited him to come and take a seat on the platform. The rev. gentleman complied with the invitation, and at the close of the Conference expressed his gratification with what he had seen and heard, and his good wishes for the prosperity of our section of the Baptist denomination. It was also announced that the Rev. S. Pilling was present, a young gentleman who had till lately been a minister amongst the Free Church Methodists, but who, having changed his views on the subject of baptism, was baptized at Lineholme a short time since, and was now open to preach for any of the churches. At the invitation of the chairman he also took his seat on the platform.

The following business was then transacted. It was resolved

1. That the minutes now read be, and are hereby, approved and confirmed.

The Rev. Jas. Dearden having stated that the church at Lydgate, of which he is pastor, earnestly desired to be connected with this Conference and with the Association, it was resolved

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