Methodist), and the pastor. The proceeds of the day's sales were very satisfactory, and with goods sold afterwards exceeded the most sanguine expectations. In March it was found £100 had been raised. T. R. Hill, Esq., M.P., on hearing of the success, and having noticed the earnestness and self-sacrifice manifested, expressed his high appreciation at the work done, especially by the poorer members in the small sums, and promised £50 if the place could be freed from debt. The Connexional Committee generously encouraged the friends to attempt the further effort, and it was resolved to leave no stone unturned to accomplish the object upon which their hearts were set. E. J. McIntyre, Esq., Q.C., M.P., our junior Liberal member, kindly headed the list with £5, and many friends who had contributed to the first effort expressed their sympathy by again contributing, and in some instances doubling their donations. On February 25th the Pastor said he had great pleasure in stating the place was free from debt. Members of all Christian communities have been exceedingly kind, and generous assistance has been given by Episcopalians, Independents, Baptists, Presbyterians, Wesleyans, Lady Huntingdon's Free Church. Among the subscribers are T. R. Hill, Esq., M.P., E. J. McIntyre, Esq., Q.C., M.P., J. D. Allcroft, Esq., M.P., J. Corbett, Esq., M.P. (Droitwich), T. S. Townshend, Esq., Mayor of Worcester, and many aldermen and councillors. Thus in eighteen months this burden of many years has been removed. We thank God and take courage. MEMOIR. MR. ROBERT H. PLANT. UR dear brother was born June 17, 1848, of parents who loved to pray, and OUR who early dedicated him to God. At the age of 14 he was gently drawn to seek the Saviour under the ministry of Rev. B. Glazebrook, and entered a class led by Mr. C. Ilett. Soon after he left home for three years. On Lis return to Worksop he entered with diligence into business, and with fervour into religion. The house of God, the house of his fathers, was dear unto him, the well-being of the circuit lay near his heart, and he resolved that by God's help he would do all he could to raise the Church and make its influence felt in the town. About ten years ago he was elected to the office of circuit steward, which office he held until Christmas last; this placed him in a position of circuit influence and power, and enabled him to be liberal-privately-which was his loved way of giving. During my three years and half of friendship I was permitted to see and understand more of the workings of his inner life than most men. My conclusions are that he was great in soul, righteous in spirit, walking humbly with God, and charitable towards men. As a business man he was very clever and diligent. As a master open, free, candid, kind, sympathetic, and anxious that all that served him should be servers of God. At times irritable, but those who have any knowledge of physiology and of his afflictions (spinal derangements) wonder, greatly wonder, that he was not more irritable. Had he not cultivated counteracting qualities, hopefulness and patient cheerfulness by the grace of God, it must have been much worse. His medical attendant (a Roman Catholic) bore a noble testimony to the value of his total abstinence and religious principles, both before and after death, when he said, "His teetotalism and his religion prolonged his life." In private life he was conscientious, kind, and genial, a thoughtful son, a loving brother, and a most kind, tender, and affectionate husband. As a Christian he was liberal, without ostentation, ever ready to help any deserving cause. I was often made his almo n to the poor, but it was always given with a quiet reminder, "Don't tell." God knows that is enough, but the spirit of the work is so rare, that if I keep silence any longer the very stones must cry out. His charity was very near to Paul's "Thinketh no evil." If the well to do among us would furnish their ministers with funds for the poor, it would tend to strengthen their hands in their trying work among the suffering mass among whom they labour. It is easy to say, "Be ye warm," but where is the fire? Our dear brother often said, "Here, warm them." 66 As a suffering saint in the furnace of affliction he was patient and cheerful, hoping against hope, yet anxious that God's will should be done. To be restored to health (D.V.) was his prayer-in search of this he spent quite a fortune, but all in vain. On Sunday, January 23, it became evident that death was near; on the Wednesday following he appeared to be dying. On asking him, "Is Jesus precious?" his eyes brightened as they flashed back a joyful " Yes." On Thursday, 27, he was so much recovered as to wish for and take the Sacrament. To him it was a foretaste of heaven; he felt that the next draught of pure spiritual wine would be in glory. "Yes," he cried, "I am going to see my heavenly Father and my earthly father, then we meet to part no more." Many were the tears shed in that room. Oh, how near to God, to heaven. At the close he spoke to me about some Church matters, and then said, "Now all is in order, there is nothing more to be done." The next day or two passed away in patient endurance until Tuesday, February 1, when he sweetly fell asleep in Jesus. The Free Church in Worksop has lost in his death one of its best givers and the most earnest of its officers, one whose every thought and feeling and desire was for its good. For this he lived, thought, prayed, and when the circuit became strong enough to stand without Connexional aid, God took him. As a Christian he had his failings, but he carried them to Jesus, left them with Jesus, and Jesus forgave him, and purged him, and sanctified him, and fully saved him. When buried some thousands of people thronged the streets, and when the writer improved his death the chapel was filled to overflowing with a congregation full of sympathy with the Church and family bereft of so good and loving a member. “A good name is better than precious ointment." THOS. EDWARDS. MR DEATHS. R. JOHN PETCHELL, of North Somercotes, in the Louth Circuit, exchanged this life for an immortality of blessedness on the 23rd of April, aged 62 years. Converted in a cottage prayer-meeting more than 40 years ago, he has ever since maintained a steady and consistent life. He was an unostentatious, useful, Christian man, who discharged his duty faithfully to his family and his Church. Constitutionally delicate, his declining years were characterised by great feebleness. As he drew near the end of his journey he seemed ripe for the inheritance of the saints in light. He was strongly attached to Free Methodism, and will be greatly missed, especially by the preachers and officials of the circuit. He has left behind him a wife, son, and daughter, who are walking in the path which conducts to the city of God, where they are expecting again to enjoy the society of the now sainted husband and father. APRIL 26, SARAH, the third daughter of the Rev. R. D. Maud, in the 26th year of her age. She lived a bright, cheerful Christian life, and when the end came she was able to say, "I am not afraid to die." Her memory is fragrant. Ar Whittlesea, April 27, after a short but painful illness, Mr. THOMAS HOWITT, aged 65 years. He was a member of the Church 46 years, and also for many years a Sunday-school teacher. His loss is most seriously felt. Ar Whittlesea, Peterborough Circuit, April 16, Mr. JOHN BLESSED, aged 76 years. He was one of the oldest members, and had been a local preacher upwards of 55 years. A OCCASIONAL NOTES. The Methodist Ecumenical Conference. Let MEETING of the General Executive Committee, Eastern Section, was held at the Centenary Hall, Bishopsgate-street, London, April 27. ters from Australia were read, approving the holding of the Conference, and giving the names of representatives appointed to attend it. "On how to observe the Lord's Supper, and where,” there was some conversation. It is to be confined to the members of the Conference, and to be administered in Cityroad Chapel. A letter was read from the Lord Mayor, inviting the brethren to a reception at the Mansion House. The invitation was heartily accepted by the committee. Dr. George, in a letter, expressed the approval of the churches in America of the English plan of proceedings. It was decided that the addresses and essays read at the Conference shall be preserved in a volume, and that the admission of the public to the sittings shall be by ticket. Respecting the provincial meetings to be held during, or immediately after, the Conference, it was reported by the Rev. John Bond that Manchester, Hull, Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Hanley had arranged to hold meetings; Plymouth and Lincoln declined doing so. During the week-days four love-feasts will be held in London, one of them in our chapel, Poplar. The names of the Lord Mayor, the Rev. C. Worboys, and Rev. Marmaduke Osborne, were added to the Finance Sub-committee. Collections will be made at all the preaching services, on the first Sunday, where members of the Conference officiate. A Conference plan will be printed, the arrangement of services to be in the hands of a sub-committee, consisting of representatives of the different denominations; the Rev. Thomas Newton will represent the United Methodist Free Churches; the Rev. F. Bourne, editor of the Bible Christian Magazine, and ourself will sit as members of the Executive. There will be a Sunday-school gathering before the close of the Conference, and also a conversazione of ladies at Exeter Hall on Thursday, September 15. We had to leave the meeting where these arrangements were made before any decisions were arrived at as to essays and writers, but our Connexional Treasurer, Mr. H. T. Mawson, who was at the entire of the proceedings, has informed us that selections of men were made from all the denominations, but we are not sufficiently informed to give the names and the themes. Mr. Spurgeon at Exeter Hall. THE annual sermon of the Baptist Missionary Society was preached by Mr. Spurgeon on Wednesday, April 27, at the above hall. The place was crowded. We did not detect those evidences of feebleness and recent illness in the preacher to which we understand some of the papers have referred; he appeared to us hale and cheerful. He took the entire service. The second prayer, the one preceding the sermon, occupied twenty-three minutes, in which occurred the words:" Remember our villages, too often left under the darkness of priestcraft." From the text Isaiah li. 2nd and 3rd verses, a powerful and eloquent sermon was preached, the second verse being specially dwelt on. "Some persons," said Mr. Spurgeon, "fixed their eyes on the waste places till they knew all the ruins and dragons that dwelt there. This tendency to look at the wilderness was growing, and it was injurious, inasmuch as it led to discouragement and leakage of strength, and excused indifference and want of intensity." He exhorted them to be encouraged. 'Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people,' sounded like a silver trumpet in front of the hosts." The Young Women's Christian WE have never seen Exeter Hall look better than it did on the evening of the anniversary of this Association. It was well filled with a respectable and appreciative audience. The Earl of Shaftesbury, who presided, spoke with more than his usual force. He was most happy to see for the first time Exeter Hall filled by the young women of London. He expressed regret that the code of morals prevailing in many London business houses was such that young people had no alternative but to be dis honest or starve, and it was in these cruel circumstances that they were helped by Christian counsel and sympathy. Dr. H. Sinclair Paterson gave a stirring and thoughtful address, in which he held that this meeting was of even greater importance than that which was held at the re-opening of the hall. That represented the future business life of England; this represented the future home life of England. This was the fountain; the other was only as the streams. Dr. Paterson thought the young men and women of these Christian Associations ought in some way to be brought together. He spoke strongly in favour of total abstinence, assuring them that alcohol had no power to remove either weariness of body or irritation of mind. "Wine was a mocker," and no one knew that better than the physiologist. It removed the feeling of exhaustion, but not the fact. The only cure for overwork and worry was rest, and he challenged all the doctors in the world to prove that alcohol could do more for the body than rest could do. Mr. J. A. Denny gave a speech of much humour and sense. He could do with women, but he didn't know how to talk to ladies. They had got wrong notions. To be a lady's maid or a housekeeper in a good family was a far better thing than to be a shopwoman; "but whatever you are," said Mr. Denny, "be good of your kind." There was far too much extravagance and fondness for dress now-a-days. What would be thought of a man who went to live in Grosvenor. square on £1,000 a-year? But that was just what some women were trying to do with regard to dress. The shop-girl wanted to dress like the lady of fortune. All this cried for reform. And then he advised women to "beware of men,' who were no better than they ought to be, and not to be trusted too far. Young women must learn to take care of them. selves. He thought as much ought to be done for young women has had been done for young men; for what was sauce for the gander was sauce for the goose. We were pleased to learn from the report that in London there are eighteen institutes and homes, in connection with which there are fortynine branches within the postal district. In the provinces there are 263 branches, and the total membership in England is about 14,000, of whom 8,200 are members of the Prayer Union, and 1,828 are total abstainers. Victoria (Philosophical) Institute. A FULL meeting of this Society took place recently at its House, 7, Adelphiterrace, London, when a paper upon "Philosophy as advocated by Mr. Herbert Spencer" was read by the Rev. W. Ground. The aim of the paper was to show that the philosophy in question is hopelessly illogical, the "analysis" in direct contradiction to the "synthesis." This was attempted to be proved in the following way:-It was first shown that the existence and the immateriality of mind is a cardinal doctrine of Mr. Spencer's analytic system. Ample quotations were adduced in support, and the whole school of thought represented by Professors Tyndall and Huxley was shown to be in complete agreement. It was then shown that vast tracts of Mr. Spencer's synthetic system utterly ignore the existence of mind, and treat man as only a composition of solar force. Mr. Spencer's inconsistency was then shown incidentally in a twofold manner-1st, in that, although he proclaims a deliverance of consciousness to be an evidence transcending all others in validity, he yet rejects that evidence to the fact of our own personality, and persists in regarding man as only collected nervefibres; and, 2nd, in rejecting the authority of conscience, because he proves its genesis from lower elements of mind, whilst he accepts the authority of the logical laws, although their similar genesis he far more conclusively proves. The main position was then established by showing that when Mr. pencer attempts to pass from solar force to mind, he never proves this step to be possible, but only takes it for granted; yet he has stated there is a chasm between the two which no effort of ours can bridge! It was then shown that this illicit introduction of a factor to which he has no right marks his whole line of synthetic argument. Solar force might give him matter, but can never give mind, and hence, as he really claims to have shown the evolution of mind, he can show this only by committing a logical theft of all the mind required for the whole universe! Were he to restore that mind to which he has no manner of right, his whole synthetic system would be bereft thereof. Hence his philosophy is hopelessly destroyed, for the two parts, "analysis" and "synthesis," which ought to form a logical unity, have been proved to be irreconcilable contradiction. Mr. Edward Miall. THE Executive Committee of the Liberation Society have published a Special Minute, in which they express their sorrow at the desease of Mr. Miall, and their deep sympathy with his family. They "recall with grateful admiration the courage and self-sacrifice which led him to establish The Noncon. formist, and the ability with which he long conducted it. The formation of the Liberation Society was largely due to his efforts, and the Society owes much of its success to his sagacity and his labours. He rendered its cause signal service in Parliament, where the force and spirit of his advocacy won the respect of those who dissented from his views. He was animated by deep religious conviction. His treatment of opponents was marked by courtesy and candour; while he was free from selfassertivenesss, and displayed unwearied patience and unshaken faith. Though his last years had to be spent in privacy, he witnessed the success of most of the measures which he had contended for; |