nable sin, and thirty millions of dollars are expended in transporting them to their dreary abode!!! Shall not Christians, then, in this day of revivals, do every thing possible to diminish this host of drunkards, who are posting on to ruin? How much trouble and disgrace is brought upon our churches by this practice! Half the cases of discipline grow out of intempe. rance. It may be estimated that one in a hundred in our churches, is annually a subject of discipline, or ought to be, for this vice. Allowing one-twelfth of our population to be professors of religion, this would make ten thousand subjects of discipline for intemperance. If, then, ten thousand are disciplined annually for intemperance, and many of them excommunicated, and ten thousand in the church and out of it die every year, and go to the regions of wo, shall it be said that the members of our churches cannot be brought to use this poison only as a medicine? If the church of Christ could save but one of this ten thousand from damnation, by refusing to taste this liquid, ought they not to do it? Did Paul say, "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth;" and shall not Christians of the present day say, if abstaining from drinking this intoxicating liquid can save one of these ten thousand immortal souls from perishing for ever, we will drink no more while life shall last? 14. Let Bible classes be multiplied. These classes, when well conducted, have received the blessing of God, All the members of our churches should, if possible, attend upon such instruction. No means would be more effectual in leading them to grow in knowledge and in grace. Many old professors are so ignorant, that they are unfit to educate their children or to converse with a convicted sinner. But it may be asked, how shall biblical instruction be in this way imparted to all? Ministers feel as though. their burden were already more than they can bear. The elders and most respectable members of our churches ought to be teachers of Bible classes. There should be a class in every neighbourhood throughout our societies. Let it not be said this is impracticable; our elders and influential members can never be brought to do it. We can never accomplish great things if we do not attempt them. Much difficulty has been experienced in many places, for want of teachers, at the commencement of Sabbath school instruction. But when a few have persevered with becoming zeal, God has granted them aid by raising up teachers. These teachers are receiving as much benefit as their pupils, and many of them are thus preparing to be better members of the church, better parents, and better ministers, in future life. The talents of the church ought to be brought into requisition. Every church is a little army of christian soldiers, and each one ought to be stationed where his talents may be useful, and the whole moral and physical power of this little army. brought to bear upon the empire of darkness. Many of our elders are of little use. If they attend upon the stated meetings of Session, and vote to receive the members, and to discipline. the irregular, they feel as though they had done their whole duty. They ought to be "helps" in a far more important sense. Let ministers instruct a Bible class for the members of the church and others who will attend. Let the elders and others selected for the purpose, instruct each a class. At the meetings, let singing and prayers be intermixed with the instruction. Sometimes these meetings might be done. They will then be bet- be principally spent in conference 15. Let the members of our churches cast liberally of their substance into the treasury of the Lord. If professors have any true benevolence, frequent acts of christian liberality will strengthen it. Covetousness is the great sin of Christendom. The idols of the heathen we are in little danger of worshipping. But many a professor bows down to mammon, with great devotion. Let ministers exhibit the promises of God made to christian liberality, with as much frequency as they have in these revivals his promises to prayer; and let them as earnestly and perseveringly urge the members of their churches to prove their faith by liberal gifts, as by agonizing prayer, and good will inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession." To see men rolling in wealth, and professing to be followers of Him, who, though rich, yet for their sakes became poor, that they might be rich in heaven's treasures, is enough to make angels weep. These men of wealth think it is the duty of ministers to wear out in hard service; and if they have a bare subsistence, it is all they ought to expect. We do not object to this. But we ask, are not the talents of all other men, farmers, mechanics, merchants, physicians, lawyers, judges, and states men, the Lord's, as well as the ministers of the gospel? Will he not call them to account how they spend his treasures, as well as ministers how they preach his word and watch for souls? What right have men of wealth to hoard up for their children, when they have already more than will do them good? They ought to give their whole income to the Lord. Yea, they ought to be diligent in acquiring property by lawful means for this very purpose; and they ought to be as careful to bestow it where it may be most useful, as worldlings are where they can invest their capital to the best advantage. Let the wicked rage against the benevolent operations of the day. If any thing can save the American church and nation from the judgments of heaven, it will be a spirit of expansive benevolence, produced by the preaching of the gospel. No nation ever enjoyed greater advantages for wealth. And how have other nations fallen? In infancy they were hardy and industrious. As they advanced in wealth, luxury, extravagance, and vice increased. This produced effeminacy, and ended in ruin. There are several important benevolent societies in our country, under the direction of men of No. 36. N. S. piety and talents, which have the strongest claim to our charities, such as Bible Societies, Foreign and Domestic Missionary Societies, Tract Societies, Education Societies, and Societies for the reformation of Seamen. The most unexceptionable method of aiding these societies, by the great mass of our people, is through public contributions. We trust the time will come, when every member of the church of Christ will" lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him," and from Sabbath to Sabbath, cast in his free-will offering into the treasury of the Lord, for the conversion of the world. The first church that shall arrive at this eminence in christian liberality, will set an example, which may be as important to our world, as that of the man who first resolved to put an end to the slave trade, or who established the first Sabbath school. Until there is more of the spirit of Christ in our churches, such an attempt would be in vain. But we would suggest, whether a monthly contribution might not be regularly made on the Sabbath, to such of the great benevolent objects as should be agreed upon by the churches. 16. The stated meetings of ecclesiastical bodies ought to be more strictly religious. Meetings of our Sessions, of our Presbyteries, of our Synods, and even of the General Assembly, are mere meetings of business, and this business is too often done in the spirit of the world. Our pious people are uninterested, or grieved to see the ambitious and litigious spirit which too often prevails. Were He in whose name we act, to descend again, and appear in person, and witness our proceedings, could we expect his approbation? Were more time spent in prayer and other religious exercises, our business would be as soon done, and better done, and 4 N we should return with a 66 conscience more void of offence toward God and toward man." Thus, brethren, we have endeavoured to perform the duty assigned us, according to the best of our ability. We hope and pray it may not be in vain to our churches, nor to those into whose hands this pamphlet may fall. If it should excite one minister or church to seek the glory of God with becoming zeal, or save one soul from the dread sentence, "Depart ye cursed," we shall have cause of thanksgiving and praise, that we were permitted to perform the duty you imposed. We are confident, that if ministers and churches through our land could be brought to pursue with zeal the means suggested, from year to year, that the world would soon witness revivals more extensive and powerful than have ever been witnessed, compared with which what we have seen in this country would be almost nothing. Could our churches be brought habitually to pray for the influences of the Holy Spirit, they would be so filled with its fruits, that they would become terrible to opposition as an army with banners. And we would specially urge this upon our brethren in the ministry, and upon our churches. A large measure of this influence is all we want to make us in the highest degree useful. It would lead to the wisest and best use of all our powers. And there is no blessing for which we have greater encouragement to pray. We are furnished with every argument to plead with the God of all grace for the influences of his spirit. God will be glorified in us. These influences are the substance of all blessings which Christ has purchased by his death. There is no blessing promised more absolute.. ly, none which God takes greater delight in bestowing. Our Saviour teaches us that "our Heavenly Father is more ready to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him, than earthly parents are to give good gifts unto their children." He is the Sanctifier and the Comforter; and could the church be brought suitably to value this gift, which Christ purchased by his groans and his blood, she would be filled with love, and joy, and peace, which would pass all understanding. The fires of the Holy Ghost would descend and kindle revivals, which would spread through the land, burning up its filth and pollution, as fires spread and roar through the parched forests, consuming every thing they meet in their resistless course. JOHN FROST, MOSES GILLET, Committee. ་་་་་་ ON THE REGISTRY OF TRUST DEEDS. (To the Editors.) GENTLEMEN-Many of your readers have, doubtless, seen the pamphlet, on what was called the Manchester Controversy. The subject is Dissenters, and the occasion ought of great importance to Evangelical not to be suffered to pass, without some general attempt to prevent a recurrence of the nefarious conduct which that pamphlet discloses. There can be no doubt * President Edwards makes the follow ing remarks on these words :-" There is no blessing that we have so great encouragement to pray for, as the Spirit of God. The words imply that our Heavenly Father is especially ready to bestow his Holy Spirit on them that ask him. Of the more excellent nature any blessing is that we stand in need of, the more ready God is to bestow it in answer to prayer. The infinite goodness of God's nature is the more gratified, and the grand design and aim of the contrivance and work of our redemption is the more answered, and Jesus Christ the Redeemer has the greater success in his undertaking and labours; and those desires that are expressed in prayer for the most excellent blessings, sequently such as God most approves, and is most ready to gratify.” are the most excellent desires, and con of the moral and legal right of Trinitarians, to occupy the chapels erected by Trinitarians, before the passing of Mr. Smith's Act. But that Act has placed Socinians in a new situation. Before the passing of that Act their religion was proscribed by law-Very unjustly I admit, but such was the fact. It was, at that time, unlawful to erect and endow places for the promulgation of a religion which the state proscribed. This was the prima facie view the late Lord Chancellor took of the Wolverhampton case without entering into the merits of that particular case, his Lordship held, that Socinianism being proscribed by law at the time the place was erected and endowed, the presumption was, that a Socinian congregation had no right in the trust property; as the law did not then allow such trusts to be created. The passing of Mr. Smith's Act has removed the legal argument of the Lord Chancellor, as to places of subsequent erection. This consideration increases the necessity for greater caution, respecting trusts created by Evangelical Dissenters. That greater care is necessary both in making and keeping our Trust Deeds, is sufficiently apparent to all persons who have paid attention to the subject. In some cases the deeds of chapels have not been enrolled as the law requires. The Trust Deed is often left in the hand of a Trustee, or other individual; he dies, his family, or his executor, takes possession of his effects, and of the Trust Deed among them. The person into whose hand the deed falls, perhaps, knows nothing, and cares nothing about the chapel, and by and by the deed cannot be found. If it be known that an executor, a widow or a son, has possession of the deed, sometimes timidity, and sometimes a worse feeling, produces a disinclination to part with the deed, so that trouble and expense ensue. The Society of Friends have long set us an excellent example, and it is high time we began to follow it. The Trust Deeds of their meeting-houses, &c. are not left in the hands of an individual, but are generally deposited in an iron safe, at some principal town in each county; there are two locks to the safe; one key is kept by the clerk of the District Meeting, and the other by a person appointed for that purpose; so that the safe cannot be opened but in the presence of both these persons. The Society has likewise a printed list of questions; some of these refer to wills, legacies, trust deeds, and other secular interests of the society. These questions are di vided into four parts, and are read in succession at the quarterly meetings, so that the whole are read once a year, and written answers are returned to the yearly meeting in London. An attempt has been made to introduce something of this kind amongst the Congregationalists in one of the midland counties. The deeds belonging to their chapels are copied into a book kept by the Secretary of their Association. Another book is kept for the insertion of extracts from wills and other documents, in which any of their churches are interested; this book contains also the names of the trustees of the chapels within the county. From the latter book, at the annual meeting of the County Association, the Secretary reads over the names of the Trustees. If any Trustee has died during the year, it is immediately noticed, and a line is drawn through his name. Thus it is instantly seen how many Trustees still survive, and whether it be necessary to fill up the vacancies by the nomination of new Trustees. An example of each kind of entry is subjoined, to show how easily such a book may be kept in every county, and how little of the time of the Association is taken up in reading the names. |