plated the closing of the place; but they made another effort, and, through the good hand of God upon them, and the kind assistance of friends, chiefly from Ilford, it was supplied from time to time.

In the beginning of 1846, six baptized believers agreed to form themselves into a church at the Heath, and partook of the Lord's Supper, which was administered by one of their number.

For some time past, Mr. Kendall's mind had been greatly exercised respecting the propriety of admitting unbaptized persons to the Lord's Supper, as was the custom at Romford; and as he ultimately came to the conclusion that it was an unscriptural practice, he honestly stated his change of sentiment to the church. This communication

created a great stir, and finally led to his resignation of the pastoral office, after labouring amongst them for more than eleven years with considerable success, the church consisting, at the time of his resignation, of forty members. The friends at the Heath were greatly surprised at the intelligence that Mr. K. had resigned, and they now indulged the hope that the Lord might direct him to preach among them the unsearchable riches of Christ. As soon, therefore, as Mr. K. had completed his engagement at Romford, they invited him to supply them again with the bread of life, and ultimately to unite with them in forming a church, and becoming their pastor.

*

In November, 1846, they met and agreed to dissolve their former association, and arrange for the formation of a church of baptized believers upon strict communion principles, and five persons were appointed to make the necessary arrangements. During the past spring, several were baptized, and these, with other friends, to the number of thirty-three, were formed into a church in June last, when Mr. Kendall was recognised as their pastor; Mr. Davis, successor to Mr. K. at Romford, taking part in the services. Mr. Hodgkins, of Bishop Stortford, very kindly presented them with a complete and handsome communion service for the Lord's Table. May the blessing of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, rest upon pastor and people!

BURY, LANCASHIRE.

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THE baptist interest in this populous manufacturing town originated with the Lancashire and Cheshire County Union in 1844. The following is a brief sketch A sub-committee was of its origin.

appointed, and the report given by these brethren was so encouraging, that it was unanimously agreed to open, as a place of worship, a large public hall, originally built for magisterial purposes,

and which will accommodate three hundred persons. Sermons were preached chell, and Harbottle. on that occasion by Messrs. Harvey, BurThe attendance

friends connected with the adjacent bapwas numerous, composed principally of tist churches and congregations. As the room was previously lighted and partially undertaking were comparatively inconseated, the expenses attendant on the siderable. Mr. Harvey has since laboured at this station with great assiduity and

success.

the church gained considerable acces It was thought desirable, till sions to its numbers, that it should be a branch of some neighbouring church; a the friends around him most cordially suggestion with which Mr. Harvey and complied, and made application to the baptist church meeting in West-street, Rochdale, for admission to their fellowship. To this request the friends unanimously agreed, and on March 21, public services were held to ratify the union, and to commend this infant cause to the care and benediction of the Head of the church. On that day also, two friends professed their faith in the Lord Jesus, by attention to his command in the ordinance of baptism, in the presence of a vast concourse of spectators; and four more were proposed for union with the church. It was an occasion of hallowed joy, and impressions then produced will not soon be effaced. Many brethren from the neighbouring churches convened, to testify their sympathy and earnest desire for the prosperity of the cause in this place. Several friends have since paid them occasional and brotherly visits, and given substantial proofs that they are deeply solicitous for their welfare. One lady kindly gave them a communion service; another friend presented them with a handsome pulpit bible. A sabbath school was soon formed, and two preaching stations opened. Since then several additions have been made by baptisms. May the little one become a thousand!

A SON OF ABRAHAM.

MR. S was born in Mecklenburg Strelitz, of orthodox Jewish parents. His early instructor, however, while he inculcated outward morality, disregarded religion. He said to him, "All that you have to observe is honesty to your fellowmen; you need mind nothing else." Whilst yet young, he was taken by his father to Berlin, where, in a new synagogue, he heard, for the first time, the prayers and sermons in his native tongue. The result was, that on his return home he was so much struck with the heartlessness of prayers read in a language which not one in ten could understand, that he refused any longer to attend the synagogue worship. At the age of fifteen be was apprenticed to an eminent merchant of infidel opinions, who led him to read Paine, Voltaire, and other like authors, and rewarded him for his diligence in business by introducing him to places of worldly amusement and dissipation. Mr. S lost his master suddenly; but having been taught that men were made simply to enjoy life as long as it lasted, the solemn warning was unheeded by him. He obtained another situation, and became a decided profligate; he ran all the lengths of sin, and devoured iniquity with greediness. His father sent for him home to assist him in his business, but he could not now bear the restraints of his paternal roof; and on receiving some property left him by a deceased relative, he went into partnership with a cousin, with whom he went to Hamburgh to chase goods. But neglecting the object for which they went, they resolved to see more of the world; and from thence travelled through the south of Germany, crossed the Alps, and visited Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, and England. Satan now took complete hold of him, and having returned to Paris, he was guilty of deeds which he could not afterwards think of without shuddering: his property was wasted, and at length he was thrown into prison. His parents sent him money to procure his release, and to enable him to return to his father's house; but though he had made many promises previous to his deliverance, he was unhumbled and unchanged. He kept away from home, and continued to pur

pur

sue the paths of sin and death. How dreadful is the fetter of sin when once the soul is enchained by it! It has not moral power to break it asunder, and no. thing can release it but the power of God. To avoid a second imprisonment, he enlisted in a French regiment, in which many sufferings were his portion, and especially after being ordered to Algiers, where, for two years, he could say with the patriarch Jacob, "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night."

Pestilential disease at length entered into the ranks, and in addition to those who died on the field of battle, hundreds were every week hurried into eternity. The subject of this narrative was seized with the prevailing sickness, and his sufferings were extreme: he was brought to the gates of death, and though too hardened to think of his sins against God, the reflection was exceedingly painful that he had brought all his troubles on himself, and grief and distress on his parents. He feels now what cause he has for gratitude. that, notwithstanding his hardness of heart, and the oaths and curses which, in the time of his affliction, he allowed himself to utter, his life was spared, and spared to become hereafter a monument of mercy. His kind parents again interposed on his behalf, and purchased his discharge. In accordance with their wishes he determined to return home by way of England, where he was cordially received by relatives in Norwich and Leeds.

Having obtained permission to remain for a time in this country, he entered into business, and, in conducting it, there was the same want of principle which had characterized him for years. He married at Manchester a professing christian, and at first permitted her to attend christian places of worship, but after a time would not suffer her to do so. When he had been married twelve months, it pleased God to lay him low on the bed of affliction, and he partially lost the use of one side, and the sight of one of his eyes. Two years passed away, and, as he could not labour, his temporal resources were daily diminishing. He repined at this; and what with his mental anxiety and bodily pain, he seemed to

have more laid on him than he was able to bear, and once was providentially rescued from self-destruction by the unexpected entrance of his wife.

But the Lord had purposes of mercy concerning him; and in the beginning of the year 1845, Mr. Naphtali, one of our Jewish missionaries, was led to visit him. He tried to awaken him to a sense of his own sinfulness, but he did not feel himself a sinner. He went on to show him bow unable the Jews were to keep the old covenant, and how salvation was provided for them in the new covenant, which was promised hundreds of years before the birth of Him who sealed it with his own blood. Mr. S said in reply, that he did not believe in the Old Testament; that he had never read the prophets or the New Testament; and that what he had heard of Jesus had led him to think that, like Moses, he was a very wise man, though he had no faith in the miracles said to have been wrought by either of them. The missionary left several tracts, and repeated his visits every day. He gave him a bible, and read with him through the prophecies, and showed that the idea of a saving Messiah is prominent in them all, and that every particular foretold of the Messiah was verified in Jesus of Nazareth. Mr. S. was surprised to find the New Testament so very different from what he had expected, and that instead of superseding the Old Testament, it confirmed it; and at length he was convinced of the oneness of these books, and the truth flashed upon his mind that the Holy Bible must be the word of God,

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and that the prophets must have written by inspiration from above.

He then set himself to study the bible with earnest desires for light and instruction, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit he became at length fully convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Messiah and Saviour, and that he was, did, and suffered all that Messiah was to be, to do, and to suffer. Now he felt deeply penitent on account of his past sinfulness, was filled with wondering love at the long-suffering goodness of God as manifested in his previous history, and was enabled to lay hold on the hope set before him in the gospel. Several christian friends visited him after this, in company with the missionary, and were much pleased with the state of his mind. The missionary took great pains in giving him further instruction, and, from time to time, was thankful to find him growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. In consequence of illness he now became an in-patient in the infirmary. There he experienced that it was good for him to be afflicted, and, when a little recovered, tried to make himself useful to his fellow-sufferers.

After he became convinced of the truth of christianity he wished to be baptized, and to make a public profession of his faith; and at length, having given full satisfaction as to the reality of his conversion to the Rev. J. Griffin and other christian friends, his wish was gratified, and on the sixth of July, 1846, he was publicly baptized by that esteemed minister.

had earnestly entreated permission to leave the country with his wife and children; but the bishop was inexorable.

Hendrik Terwoort was a man of good estate, five or six and twenty years of age, and a goldsmith by trade. He had been married about eight or ten weeks before his imprisonment. But neither domestic affection, nor the solicitations of his friends, nor the dread of death, weakened his resolution.

On Sunday, the 17th, tidings were brought them, that within three days they would be burnt, unless they desired delay. To this Terwoort replied, "Since

this your design must come to pass, so

with the matter, for we would indeed rather die than live, to be released from this frightful den." He, however, asked till Friday. We again quote the affecting narrative of their companion in tribulation. "Upon Tuesday, a stake was set up in Smithfield, but the execution was not that day. On Wednesday, many people were gathered together to witness the death of our two friends, but it was again deferred. This was done to terrify, and draw our friends and us from the faith. But on Friday, our two friends, Hendrik Terwoort and Jan Peters, being brought out from their prison, were led to the sacrifice. As they went forth, Jan Peters said, 'The holy prophets, and also Christ, our Saviour, have gone this way before us, even from the beginning, from Abel until now.'"

It was early morning when they reached the scene of their triumph. They were fastened to one stake, neither strangling nor gunpowder being used to diminish their torture. As defenceless sheep of Christ, following the footsteps of their master, resolutely, for the name of Christ, they went to die. An English preacher was present, to embitter, if possible, by his cruel mockings, the closing moments of their martyr-life and martyr-death. Before all the people he exclaimed, "These men believe not on God." Saith Jan Peters, "We believe in one God, our heavenly Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ his Son." While standing bound at the stake, the articles were again, for the last time, presented to them, and pardon promised on subscription. Peters again spake, "You have laboured hard to drive us to you, but now, when placed at the stake, it is labour in vain." One of the preachers attempted an excuse: "That all such matters were determined by the council, and that it was the Queen's intention they should die." But," said Peters, " you are the teachers of the Queen, whom it behoves you to instruct better, therefore shall our blood be required at your hands."

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And now with courage they entered on the conflict, and fought through the trial, in the midst of the burning flame; an oblation to the Lord, which they living offered unto him. Accepting not of deliverance, for the truth's sake, they counted not their lives dear unto them, that they might finish their course with joy.

victims of intolerance so dreadfully were guilty? Did they aim at the Queen's life? Did they assemble to plot the ruin of the state which sheltered them? Did they league with any whose glory is in their shame, to assassinate, to rob, to violate the rights of their neighbour? Let us hear them speak from their abyss of sorrow. "We, poor and despised strangers, who are in persecution for the testimony of Jesus Christ, entreat from God for all men, of every race and degree, that the Lord may grant perpetual peace and every happiness, and that we may live among them in peace and godliness, to the praise and glory of the Lord. Our fatherland, our friendships, our property, have we been compelled to for. sake, through great tyranny, and, as lambs before wolves, have fled, only for the pure evangelic truth of Christ, and not for uproars and seditions, as we are accused. .. We know that we follow no strange gods, neither have we an heretical faith, contrary to the word of Christ. But we believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of the heavens and the earth; in one Jesus Christ, his only beloved Son; who was conceived of

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the Holy Ghost, born of the undefiled Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and is sitting at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he will come again to judge the quick and the dead. We believe in the Holy Ghost. We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and man. We do not boast ourselves to be free from sin, but confess that every moment we are sinners before God. But we must abstain from wilful sins, if we would be saved; viz., from adultery, fornication, witchcraft, sedition, bloodshed, cursing, and stealing .. hatred and envy. They who do such things shall not possess the kingdom of God." Here we leave this noble evangelic confession of the martyr, Hendrik Terwoort. He hath fairly won the martyr's crown. Although despised, trampled upon, and his name held accursed among men, his is the palm-branch of victory, and the white robe, washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.-Introduction to Broadmead Records.

BIBLE AND NO BIBLE.-Dr. Adams, when addressing the New York Bible Society, beautifully illustrated the benign influence of the word of God, by contrasting those countries where it is perused, with those in which it is prohibited. Tell me, said he, where the Bible is, and where it is not, and I will write a moral geography of the world. I will show what, in all particulars, is the physical condition of that people. One glance of your eye will inform you where the Bible is, and where it is not. Go to Italy-decay, degradation, suffering meet you on every side. Commerce droops, agriculture sickens, the useful arts languish. There is a heaviness in the air, you feel cramped by some invisible but mighty power. The people dare not speak aloud-they walk slowly -an armed soldiery is around their dwellings the armed police take from the stranger his Bible before he enters