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way in which quotations are introduced, and from their general character, we suspect the author to be either transatlantic, or a Beecherbitten English preacher.

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MY FIRST WHITE HAIR. A Story for Children. Translated from the German of Thecla von Gumpert. A. Sturges. London: E. Stock. THIS may be fitly called a story for children, because it was written by an old granny for her great great grandchild. But the story is so told that even 'the old and gray-headed" share in the pleasure of listening to it. It may be supposed that it is no trivial tale from the fact that the little book containing it is dedicated, by permission, to no less a lady than the Duchess of Sutherland. Let all who wish to give their children a cheap and good literary treat buy for them My First White Hair.

CONGREGATIONAL ANTHEMS. Edited by John Curwen. Also, THE TONIC SOL-FA EDITION. By the same. THERE was a time when it was dangerous for ministers to meddle with the musical department of public worship. Some good old brethren who ventured to suggest that the tunes were not in good taste, and that the execution of what was not in itself so execrable might be mended, were rudely requested to mind their own affairs. In recent times the singing

has been greatly reformed, and some of the most active and efficient reformers have been found amongst ministers. Some few of our brethren are eminent for their skill in this line, and probably none more so than Mr. Curwen. Both in the Sunday school and in the congregation his name is familiar as the promoter of a style and manner of singing which competent judges have generally commended. These anthems have won extensive favour by their intrinsic merits, and they are rendered accessible to all by their extremely moderate cost.

THE CHILDREN'S SAVIOUR. A Sermon to Children. By the Rev. H. Ribton Cooke. London: E. Stock. A SERMON to children may be less attractive than a tale for them; but we commend the minister who tries, by some special effort, to instruct those who "have often sat and listened patiently while he has preached to their fathers and mothers." Cooke prepared himself for this effort, and the sermon he took pains enough to make intelligible to the children of his own congregation he now publishes for more general benefit. This sermon ought to sell by thousands.

Mr.

MAGAZINES, &c., RECEIVED.--The Sunday Magazine The Sword and Trowel-The Scattered Nation-The Church-The Hive-Old JonathanThe Christian Times-The Philatelist -The Baptist Handbook, &c.

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Correspondence.

CHURCH DISCIPLINE.

TO THE EDITOR

Dear Sir,-Will you please allow space in the Magazine for a general discussion, if one can be raised, on the important subject of Church Discipline? I am trying to come to a right decision upon the following questions

1. If a member of a church who is known to have committed open sin requests, under the circumstances, to be allowed to withdraw from the fellowship of the church, is there any scriptural authority for refusing the application and excluding the individual instead?

Denominational.

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Intelligence.

LONDON.- New Church Street Chapel, St. Marylebone, of which Rev. Dr. Burns has been the minister for nearly thirtythree years, was crowded at the delivery of his twenty-eighth annual temperance discourse. The text chosen (Rom. xiv. 20, 21) was neither so terse nor so untrite as the

passages selected on some preceding occasions; but those who imagine that "expediency" teaching can alone be extracted from this portion of the Pauline epistles, would have found themselves mistaken had they listened to Dr. Burns' "opening up" of the matter. The injunction of St. Paul was not used, as is sometimes the case, in a slavishly literal sense, which is wholly untrue to difference of circumstances and times; but after an explanatory account of the original case, and of the moral principles applied to its solution, the preacher showed, with great variety and forcibleness of illustration, that the same principles, if now faithfully applied, could result in nothing else than the adoption of total abstinence from strong drink, and the discountenance of its use, by all the followers of Christ. BURTON-ON-TRENT. On Sunday and Monday, Jan. 26 and 27, services on behalf of the Orissa Mission were held in the General Baptist chapel. On Sunday the Rev. H. Wilkinson preached two sermons to large and attentive congregations. On Monday evening the annual missionary

Yours, &c.,

INQUIRER.

meeting was held, when addresses were delivered by Mr. Brooks, the Mission printer, the Revs. H. Wilkinson, E. Browning, W. Aston, and J. P. Tetley. Mr. Brooks gave an instructive and somewhat humorous account of the people, their manners and customs, &c., among whom he has lived and laboured for twenty-six years; and Mr. Wilkinson even excelled himself in the power and pathos of his eloquent appeals for help for the Mission. The total amount of collections, subscriptions, &c., is £55 7s. 9d.; of this the "Juvenile Missionary Society" has raised £30 12s. 10d., by the use of the Juvenile Collecting Books. Mr. Wilkinson very much gratified the young friends of the Mission in Burton by saying that they had raised more money by the little collecting books than any other Juvenile Society in the General Baptist denomination during the past year.

BIRCHCLIFFE. — On Saturday evening, Jan. 11, a meeting of a deeply interesting and useful nature was held in the schoolroom of this ancient church-the first of the kind, it is believed, ever held here. With a view to promote the interests of the Redeemer's cause, and to promote brotherly feeling and advance church work, the members of the church were invited to take tea together; and though the weather was exceedingly unfavourable on these hill sides, about one hundred and fifty assembled, and after an excellent tea, served by the ladies in their usual good style, a meeting for devotion and free conference was held, under the presidency of

the pastor, and a very pleasant evening was spent. All felt it good to be there. The members present were of "one heart and one soul," and one desire-the desire to be made more useful, seemed to pervade all; and it is believed that the benefit of this church gathering will be long felt and seen. No charge was made for the tea, but the cost was much more than met by a free collection during the evening. Our united prayer is, "Save now we beseech thee, O Lord. O Lord, we beseech thee, send now prosperity." W. G. B.

MACCLESFIELD.-On Thursday evening, Jan. 2, we held our annual congregational tea meeting in the school-room. After tea the friends adjourned to the chapel. Our pastor, the Rev. J. Maden, presided; by whom, and the Rev. J. Moffett, (Independent) addresses were given, interspersed with readings, recitations, and singing during the evening by various friends and the choir. The proceedings were brought to a late close by a hearty vote of thanks to all who by their services had contributed to the harmony of the evening. We are thankful to state that the proceeds to the church funds arising from the occasion exceed any former effort. -Our esteemed pastor will, to the regret of the church, close his labours amongst us about the end of March, having accepted a cordial invitation to the pastorate of the church at Shore. M. C.

GOSBERTON.-On Sunday, Feb. 16, two impressive sermons were preached to large congregations in the new Baptist chapel, by the Rev. J. R. Chappelle, of Boston, when collections were made towards the cost of two of Musgrave's No. 1 Patent Slow Combustion Stoves, which have been procured for warming the above place of worship. Collections, £5 1s. Od.

T. G. L.

REMOVAL.-The Rev. J. Batey, formerly of Burnley, and more recently assistant minister at Craven chapel, London, is expected to commence his labours as minister at Daybrook, a branch of the church in Broad Street, Nottingham. Our brother has good prospects of usefulness and comfort, and we heartily wish him

success.

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REGENT'S PARK CHAPEL. A purse of two hundred guineas and some minor gifts have been presented to Dr. Landels by Mr. Justice Lush, as an expression of esteem, and of thankfulness to God for his recovery from a dangerous sickness.

FACTS AND COUNTER-FACTS.-The Church Times announces that the Establishment is receiving large accessions from the ranks of the Independents, whose growing laxity of belief compels those who desire to preserve their faith to seek a place for its nurture in the Church of England. On the contrary, the English Independent, while pronouncing these secessions to be imaginary, says it is notorious that their chapels, in the metropolitan suburbs especially, are crowded with Churchmen, who, without professedly casting off their allegiance to the Church, yet continually worship with Dissenters.

RELIGIOUS ROBBERS.-The churchwardens of Sunderland, in order to meet a demand for church rates amounting to £9 7s. 6d. on Joshua Wilson Brothers, members of the Society of Friends, seized on goods of the value of £20 5s. Od. ! To call those who commit such spoliation Christians is as incorrect as to call any kind of robbers religious. CONVERTED JEWS. Sixty years ago there was scarcely one Jewish convert to Christianity in Great Britain. Now there are three thousand, one hundred of whom are ministers in the Church of England. On the continent there are twenty thousand, and in the University of Berlin twenty-eight of the Professors are converts from Judaism.

Notes on Public Events.

ONE of the leading themes of speakers and writers is the Irish Church and Land Question. It was discussed by Mr. Bright at Birmingham with his usual ability, and with so much moderation and fairness that his most bitter foes and carping critics could find in his speech but little to condemn. Earl Russell has made the question the subject of a letter. Mr. J. S. Mill, the member for Westminster, has published an elaborate pamphlet upon it, in which he says that liberal Englishmen now so well understand the injustice of endowing an alien Church that they have made up their minds that the endowment shall no longer continue. Messrs. Longmans' have just published an Essay on the condition of Ireland, by the late Count Cavour, in which he admits that if the abolition of the Established Church in Ireland could not be accomplished without a repeal of the Union, then repeal ought to be sought: while in reference to the land system he considered it to be "the fatal origin of the numberless evils which vitiate all the political and social institutions of Ireland."

A public meeting on the Irish Church question in Manchester, at which the leading dissenting ministers and liberal laymen, together with the new member, Mr. Jacob Bright, were the speakers, was disturbed by the violence of Church of England Sunday School Teachers, and the riff-raff of Manchester Churchism.-At Brighton a great meeting has taken place in the Pavilion, when Mr. Mason Jones delivered an eloquent address. This gentleman has devoted himself to the task of lecturing upon it in the metropolis, and in many of the principal cities and towns of the country.

The Education Question stands next in public attention, and meetings of an influential character continue to be called to discuss the best means of promoting the instruction of the people. Mr. R. Lowe, who it is said was offered the post of the Minister of Education, and who is a candidate for the representation of the London University, contends that education must be made accessible to all if we are to be either well-governed at home, or respected abroad and that this may be done by establishing secular schools supported by rates, wherever voluntary exertion fails.

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It may be remembered by some of our readers that the Baptist Union, at its last autumnal session, appointed a Committee on Popular Education. This Committee has met and drafted three resolutions, not as a final expression of opinion, but as indicating the general views of those who were present. They are to the effect that there is no valid objection to the support by Government of schools supplying secular education exclusively, leaving the religious part to the churches; that, preferring the undenominational system of the British and Foreign School Society, all denominational schools now receiving government aid should receive it only for the secular instruction given in them: and that in every school where religious instruction is an essential part of the system, some conscience clause should be rigorously enforced. The whole question, however, is referred to the forthcoming session of the Union for special consideration, on Monday, April 27th. Meanwhile the various members of the Committee are desired to communicate their individual views on several moot points to one of their number, the Rev. S. G. Green, B.A., of Rawdon College, who is requested to prepare a paper on the subject to be read at the next Session.

The Union of the Wesleyans with the Established Church was discussed at York, in the Church Convocation, when some bishops, deans, canons, and archdeacons, freely expressed their views and wishes. The most outspoken of those who opposed any efforts toward union was the Archdeacon of Chester, who said that the Wesleyans represent the largest and most fatal schism which the Church has known for the last two centuries. That they are guilty of the worst kind of sheep-stealing, lying in wait for young people who have been trained for confirmation and show signs of religious earnestness; and that they are of all others most obstructive to the parochial work of clergymen. He had found in them more dissimulation and hypocrisy than in any other denomination in the land. A resolution was ultimately passed to welcome any practical attempt to effect a brotherly reconciliation between the Wesleyan body and the Church but surely no thorough Methodist will feel flattered by the conclusion come to when

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