THE cry is coming up from end to end of the denomination-"Are you going to the Association ?"-"Of course we shall meet at the Association"-" Everybody will be at the Association." Our great annual "gossip" is about to take place again, and it is expected with as much delight and joy as if there would be no hard work to be performed, no difficulties to master, and no sorrows to bear. The joy of these occasions always overflows. The bliss of meeting as brothers and sisters engaged in a common toil, consecrated to the same service, and delighting in the leadership of the same Master and King, makes work welcome; difficulty succumb to patience, skill, and energy; and sorrow a source of chastened feeling and purer purpose. One question occurs to us amongst many. Is it possible that the "Echoes" of the last Association have ceased to be heard? From page 306 of last year's magazine some information may be obtained as to their character and meaning. Is the Railway "bell" purchased? Have the suggestions with regard to the Wednesday afternoon service had due consideration ? We doubt not all these things have been properly arranged. Leicester is a centre of business, is animated with a fine municipal spirit, and eager to do all things well and orderly, and will give us proof of its calibre in all the arrangements for our annual gathering. We have not a single misgiving. May we offer one suggestion? Last year we found the advantage of printing the "Agenda" of the business to be done at the sittings of the Association. It would be an additional convenience if a brief and summary statement of the work done on TUESDAY, with Committees appointed, their members' names and place of meeting, could be printed on Tuesday night, and in the hands of all members of Committees, and others specially interested, on Wednesday morning. This could easily be done in Leicester, and its advantages would be manifold. One fact will cause the profoundest regret. Our beloved brother Hester is unable, through illness, to discharge the duties of President. He has won so warm a place in all our hearts by his devotion to the welfare of the denomination, his glowing sympathy, and his force of character, that his absence will cause widespread sorrow. May the gracious Master succour and cheer our dear friend with His sympathetic presence, gladden his heart with His favour, and speedily bring back his health, is the hearty and earnest prayer of the tribes of our Israel. JOHN CLIFFORD. can. Home Mission Funds. DEAR READER, "gentle" or strong, have you sent a subscription or donation to the funds of the Home Mission for this year? If not, do not wait longer than the tenth of this month before doing it in the most liberal and cheerful way you Has the church of which you are "deaconess," or deacon, or pastor, forwarded a collection, or voted a contribution? If not, lose no time in having a real share in this good work, We are depending upon you. The heathenism of England cries aloud for the gospel. Christ your Master bids you go to the lost sheep of this house of England. Will you not respond, and respond now? All monies should be in the hands of the Treasurer, T. H. Harrison, Esq., Wardwick, Derby, on or before June 11th. THE GENERAL BAPTIST MAGAZINE for May.-"This is the liveliest of all the denominational magazines. It is brimful of life. The variety of articles is really wonderful, and not one of them is dull, which is more than we could honestly say of most of the religious periodicals. Perhaps the most interesting paper in the present number is one by J. Binns, giving an ancount of 'The New Member for Halifax.' 'On Choosing Books,' by Mr. Clifford, the editor, is a paper that will be relished by studious young men, and women too."-Greenock Daily Telegraph, 9th May. Our Political Crow's Nest. I. THE TROUBLE SIGNAL HOISTED AGAIN IN FRANCE.-The letter of Marshal MacMahon dismissing M. Jules Simon is the most deplorable event that has happened recently in France. The Republican party was rapidly winning its way to universal confidence under the patient and sagacious leadership of M. Gambetta. Characterized by forbearance, caution, and an English spirit of compromise, it had raised bright hopes for Republicanism in the minds of all who take an interest in the peace and progress of the French people. The rash and autocratic act of the President will strain these newlyborn qualities to the utmost: but we trust the tension will not be too great. Even this reverse, painful as it is, may work good for France if the Republicans will only give free sway to common sense, as well as boldness, and to temperate measures as well as vehement rhetoric, and will firmly hold together. They are fighting priests. Ultramontanism is against them, and it is a prodigious power, but trades on the weakness and failure of men, and fails before their self-possessed strength and manly and straightforward energy. What priest and Imperialist and Orleanist want is a break-down. Profit for the Papacy is impossible out of the peaceable working of Republicanism. We earnestly hope this disaster will be met with such selfrestraint and patience as will convert it into a victory for order and progress. II. THE BURIALS QUESTION. The Government, though full of apologies, are still bent on passing their unjust measure. They seek to conciliate clerical hostility, and will go miles in that direction rather than step an inch towards treating dissenters with justice. The Bill is bad in its substance, and incapable of such modification as will make it a fair and English law. To avoid doing what is right it proposes to incur a wasteful and ridiculous increase of the rates by closing the existing National Church-yards, and putting the parishes to the expense of providing two burying grounds, one consecrated and the other unconsecrated. Thus we are to have a new "Church Rate" for the sake of preserving pure the sacred sceptre of clerical intolerance. If ten persons in a parish of two hundred request a new burial ground apart from the parish ground, even though there is plenty of room in the church-yard, the new ground is to be bought. Let every church petition against this exasperatingly unjust action of our Tory Government. III. STATE-CHURCHISM in extremis.Mr. Tooth is back again as rebellious and as headstrong as ever. The delicate attentions to his martyr spirit in Horsemonger Lane Gaol have only whetted his desire for martyrdom. St. James's, Hatcham, has been forced, and a "stolen" service, of a highly Ritualistic character, has been celebrated. What will the State Church do now with its recalcitrant servant? Imagine an expelled post office servant forcing the door of the General Post Office and insisting upon discharging his former work. What would be his fate? What will the Ritualists do? Their threats are still in the air; but will they do more than threaten? The Ridsdale verdict is against them. Chasuble and alb may not be worn during the Communion Service of the English Church. The wafer is condemned. Crucifixes are not licensed. The eastward position is in nubibus. We condole with the aggrieved Ritualists. How inexpressibly sad it is that they can wear nothing more than a surplice; but then they can teach "Catholic Truth;" or, in other words, they can use their State-pay and Stateposition to "Romanize" the bulwark of Protestantism. And this they will do so long as Englishmen let them! IV. THE FRANCHISE IN THE COUNTY ought not to be long before it obtains the serious attention of the whole Liberal party and of Parliament. There are about four millions of people living in contiguity to parliamentary boroughs whose characteristics are essentially the same as the dwellers in those boroughs, and yet they are practically without a vote. Inside boroughs you have thirteen or fourteen millions of the people, outside eighteen or nineteen millions. Freeholders, it is well known, are few. Even the Tory returns (and they are full of errors in their favour), show that of the 52,000,000 of acres in Great Britain, 40,000,000 acres are in the hands of 12,000 persons, i.e., four-fifths of the land, peopled by thirty-three million inhabitants, are owned by less, much less, than 12,000 persons. The £12 rating, too, owing to the methods of estimating rates adopted in different parts of the country, makes a rental of £16 necessary in all cases, and in some of £22, in order to have a vote. Such facts show that the great bulk of the population are not yet represented, and call loudly for an assimilation of the franchise in counties and boroughs, and a redistribution of seats. THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. By General H. GOODWYN. Stock. WHAT the germ theory, v. spontaneous generation, is in natural science, that the Book of Revelation is in biblical hermeneutics. The controversy on the former problem has maintained itself in increasing vigour from the earliest dawn of inquiry, and is as vehement to-day in the hands of Pasteur, Tyndall, Sanderson, and Bastian, as it was in other hands thousands of years ago: and in like manner the mystery of this book excites as much reflection, and gives as abundant a crop of errors to-day as it did in the middle and early ages of the church. Nor does the parallel stop there. Scientific men are full of hope that they are at the door of the settlement of this question. They expect soon to conquer by the use of inductive investigation and patient experiment. So the workers in the interpretation of this book are confidently approaching the solution of their difficulties. May it be so in both cases! General Goodwyn has contributed to this result by his labours on the Book of Revelations. He dares to think for himself, and to pursue his own course; and though we cannot endorse all the results of his patient toil, yet we appreciate the spirit and originality and courage of his research, and commend the book to those who are interested in this painfully fascinating study. THE GLORY OF THE CROSS AS MANIFESTED BY THE LAST WORDS OF JESUS. By A. B. Mackay. Hodder & Stoughton. THE "seven last sayings of Jesus on the cross" receive a most sympathetic and forcible treatment in this volume. The exposition is often ingenious, always careful and well sustained, and is set in a style so easy and bright, limpid and pleasant, that the reader is allured from page to page as by a magic spell. An earnest spiritual purpose and a vigorous pressure of the truth on the conscience, give promise of a usefulness as large as the interest the book excites in the momentous theme is deep. This is a cheap edition, and costs only 2s. 6d. EDUCATION PROGRESSIVE THROUGH LIFE. Essays for Students. By Henry Trigg. Stock. A BOOK belonging to the class of Todd's Student's Guide, Smiles's Self Help, and Blackies Self-Culture. Though not equal in literary merit to any one of these three, yet its re-statement of the stimuli to mental discipline, the culture of taste, and the practise of religion, is fitted to accomplish the author's purpose in rousing the sleeping energies of those who have taken the deluding opiate of having "finished their education" because they have been through the curriculum of a school. THE CROSS AND ITS DOMINION. By Wm. Penn. Stock. A COGENT argument for the universality of redemption by the atonement of Jesus Christ, based upon a large and elaborate citation and exposition of the Scriptures. The first part of the work is so true, discriminating and helpful, that it is a pity the unsatisfactory and illogical treatment of the subject of baptism in the last chapter has been added. GUY FALCONER; or, Chronicles of the Old Moat House. S. S. Union. THIS story is written with a purpose, and achieves it. It is a "Protestant" story, and replete with good teaching, graphically set forth in characters of abiding interest. It deserves a place in every British home. THE VALLEY OF DEATH RAILWAY. A Dream. By an Old Traveller. Stock. CONVEYS some necessary and useful truths under the cover of an allegory, which is on the whole well constructed and effectively sustained. Many might be won by its setting to consider questions too much neglected. CHURCH REGISTER. THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. Stock. THIS facsimile edition of the "Pilgrim's Progress" is a cheap form of that published two years ago by Mr. Stock. The Illustrations from the earlier editions, and the conversation between Christian and Evangelist which were added to the first issue are now omitted. This absolute facsimile of the edito princeps published in 1678 ought to have a large circulation, and we trust it will. PAMPHLETS. Modern Amusements in their Influence on Church Life. By W. Chapman. Full 233 of wise and sensible counsels, well expressed.-A Burning Question, and a Cooling Answer. By T. Henson. (Marlborough.) A Tract for the Times. Well written, full of truth, and adapted for usefulness, is this answer to the inquiry, "Who will show us any good."—Is it the Duty of Believers to be Baptized. By E. MacLean. (Stock). An address to the crowds of dry Baptists in pedo-baptist churches. Necessary, good, and convincing. Three new Musical Services, Eva, Jonah, and Robinson Crusoe. (Weeks & Co.) These will be welcomed by our musical friends. Church Register. THE COLLEGE. Ar a recent meeting of the Chilwell College Committee applications were considered from eight candidates. Two of these candidates were received on the customary probation; two were not considered eligible; four were requested to submit to the usual tests in relation to preaching. The President and Classical Tutor made an encouraging report concerning the young men now in the house; their industry in study, and their ability in preaching, were spoken of in terms of warm commendation. The Treasurer will probably himself write concerning the Funds; but one thing may, perhaps, be said, viz., that the income of the College cannot be considered satisfactory until it has reached at least £1,000 a year. DERBY, Osmaston Road.-On Sunday, May 13, the anniversary sermons were preached by Rev. R. Younger Roberts, of Landport. Collections over £16. On the Monday following a tea meeting was held, and at its close a public meeting, under the presidency of Rev. T. Goadby. Addresses were delivered by the Chairman, Revs. W. Mirams, R. Y. Roberts, W. Wootton, and Mr. S. Smithard. The choir gave some excellent selections from the works of Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven. DERBY, Watson Street.-The anniversary sermons were preached May 13, morning and evening by the Rev. J. Stevenson, M.A., and in the afternoon by the Rev. Dr. Underwood. A tea and public meeting was held on the 14th, the Rev. J. Stevenson in the chair. Addresses were given by Dr. Underwood, Messrs. G. Slack, G. Wright, A. Andrews, and H. A. Blount. This cause was commenced by the Derby and Derbyshire Baptist Preachers' Association in August, 1867. The church now numbers over seventy, and there are 200 Sabbath scholars. The chapel will seat 200. There is a large piece of ground adjoining, on which a good sized chapel can be built. The ground and chapel cost over £500, and are now out of debt. LONDON, EAST FINCHLEY.-Retiring over three years ago from regular pastoral work, the Rev. J. Batey inaugurated last year in East Finchley (a district without Baptists) an effort to raise a G. B. church. The results are, an iron chapel to accommodate about two hundred persons, and a young but hopeful church. Mr. Batey has not formally assumed the pastorate, but gratuitously supplies the pulpit. About one half of the cost of the building has been raised by subscriptions and collections. The case was recommended at the last London Conference, and Commercial Road, New Church Street, Praed Street, Ford, and Hitchin, have contributed aid. The ground is secured in Mr. Batey's name, and that of R. Johnson, Esq., of Camden Town, Lon don. Will churches and friends help? TODMORDEN.-The chapel, which had been closed for a month for painting and decorating, was re-opened on Sunday, May 6, when sermons were preached by the Rev. H. Briggs and the Rev. J. K. Chappelle, pastor. The expenditure was £105; subscriptions and collections realized £131 17s. 2d., thus leaving a balance in hand of £26 17s. 2d. The annual church meeting was held in April, when the treasurer's account showed a balance in hand of £40, and several friends spoke of the increasing efficiency of the various organizations of the church. previous year. DENHOLME.-May 13. Preacher, Rev. R. Silby. Collections, £36 19s. 6d. LEICESTER, Friar Lane.-May 13, two sermons were preached by Rev. J. H. Atkinson, and another by Mr. S. D. Rickards, of London. Collections, £66. On the following day a tea meeting was held, after which between twenty and thirty of the senior scholars were presented with Bibles by the pastor, and dismissed into the young men's and young women's classes. Addresses were delivered by Revs. R. Caven, B.A., to parents, and W. Evans to children. Collec MARKET BOSWORTH. April 29th. Preacher, Rev. E. Stevenson. tions, £8 7s. NANTWICH.-April 29. Preached by the Rev. W. Durban, B.A., of Chester. NEWTHORPE, near Nottingham.—The forty-ninth anniversary was held April 29th. Preacher, Rev. J. Stevenson, M.A. 130 friends sat down to tea on Monday. The oratorio "Babylon" was performed by the choir, chair being taken by the Rev. Jabez J. Hayman. An address was given by the Rev. J. Wild, of Ilkeston. The collection and proceeds were satisfactory. WIRKSWORTH.-Preacher, the newly chosen pastor, W. E. Davies. Congregations excellent. Collections, £16 6s. 6d. MINISTERIAL. RIPLEY.-The church presented the Rev. E. H. and Mrs. Jackson with a beautiful silver-plated tea and coffee service, together with a purse of money value £20, on their leaving Ripley for Louth; the principal pieces of the service have engraved upon them a suitable inscription, recording the esteem in which the church holds Mr. Jackson as a minister, and his amiable partner as a minister's wife. BAPTISMS. BOSTON.-Four, by J. Jolly. BURNLEY, Enon.-Ten, by J. Turner. BURTON-ON-TRENT. - One, by Dr. Underwood; seven, by A. Underwood. DERBY, Osmaston Road.-Five, by W. R. Stevenson, M.A., two of them belonged to the Church of England. HOSE.-Three, by J. Thomas. LEICESTER, Carley St.-Five, by J. C. Forth. Commercial Rd.-Eleven, by J. Fletcher. LONG EATON.-Seven, by C. T. Johnson. NOTTINGHAM, Mechanics' Hall.-Eight, by G. H. Malins. NORWICH.-Four, by G. Taylor. OVERSEAL.-Nine, by S. Halfpenny. POYNTON.-One, by G. Walker. SHEEPSHEAD.-Two, by H. A. Blount. MARRIAGES. BEESON-HUBBARD.-April 9, at the Baptist Chapel, Kegworth, by Rev. T. Yates, assisted by the Rev. J. McTurk (Wesleyan) Mr. W. Beeson, to Miss Hubbard, both of Kegworth. MACHIN-REYNOLDS.-April 12, at the G. B. Chapel, Osmaston Road, by the Rev. J. W. Williams, Antony Joseph Machin, to Sarah Ann, second daughter of John Reynolds, all of Derby. REYNOLDS-TUNERCLIFFE.-April 9, at the G. B. Chapel, Osmaston Road, by the Rev. J. W. Williams, Frederick, only son of John Reynolds, Macklin Street, to Emma Tunercliffe, both of Derby. THIRLBY-HOLROYD.-April 13, at Lisbon, Kendall County, Illinois, U.S., Thomas, second son of Mr. Thos. Thirlby, Normanton-le-Heath, to Mary, third daughter of Mr. Benjamin Holroyd, of Lisbon, late of Elland, Yorkshire. THIRLBY-ILES.-May 16th, at St. Paul's Church, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, Mr. Frederick Thirlby, of Membland, South Devon, fourth son of Mr. Thomas Thirlby, of Normanton-le-Heath, Leicestershire, to Elizabeth, second daughter of the late Mr. Charles Iles, of the former place. |