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CORRESPONDENCE.

THE BATH SOCIETY FOR AGED MINISTERS.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. MY DEAR SIR.-I am glad to see the Society for the relief of Aged and Infirm Baptist Ministers kept before the attention of the denomination in the Magazine. That society has not the measure of support which it needs and deserves. By the foresight and caution of its founders it is so constituted that it must eventually become much more adequate to the support and comfort of its beneficiaries. If their number diminishes there will be the fewer to share its continually augmenting fund, and if they increase they enlarge the amount to be divided. What we earnestly desire to see is, a better immediate provision for our excellent brethren who, by their early and long continued subscriptions, have been providing for succeeding generations as much as for themselves. I expect very little from your correspondents' appeal for collection. That appeal will fail for many reasons, and chiefly, perhaps, because the society before us is not the only one for the same purpose. There are institutions in some of the counties which, though less securely based, yield a larger present result. We wish them success, and we cannot of course expect to share their resources. The comfort of Aged and Infirm Ministers is one of the objects of the Particular Baptist Fund, and the friends of our Bath Society will rejoice to know, that out of our twenty-six beneficiaries in the year 1848, (I cannot find my report for 1849), fifteen were aided with the amount of £152. Twelve of the London churches, at this season of the year, collect for the Baptist Fund, and collections for the Bath Society can therefore only be expected in London, from Dr. Cox and Mr. Russell and others who do not unite in this annual effort.

Will you allow me to express my own opinion, that the proposal to alter the laws of the institution for the sake of aiding those who are not its beneficiary members, is adapted to injure it. I think it will weaken the confidence and attachment of those who do belong to it, and diminish the number of those who will join it, by creating a vague hope that they may perhaps fare nearly as well without sparing the guinea that can so ill be spared. I think that persons from whom aid may be expected, will prefer subscribing to a definite plan for helping such as help themselves; whilst, on the other hand, the various efforts which have been made to

multiply the spheres of denominational action, show that there is little hope of finding the means of adding efficiently a new department of benevolence to our scheme. The best direction for our efforts, I am persuaded, is to give a vigorous impulse to the existing plan, by the increasing amount of the annual distribution, to draw a larger number of beneficiary members which would re-act upon the amount of income, and thus anticipate by several years that improved provision for which the foundation is laid, and which must ultimately come to be enjoyed. I earnestly hope that the anticipated meeting may produce some practical and hopeful effort, and Remain, my dear Sir, your's very truly, W. L. SMITH.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. DEAR SIR,-The following sentence from dear brother Lillycrop's appeal in the last Magazine, entitles me to say a word in explanation. "For example, a wealthy church which raised £110 for the Foreign mission this year, sent 30 shillings to the Aged Ministers' Fund! not because it was penurious in the cause of God, it is celebrated for its liberality; but on account of that devoted people being wholly unacquainted with the wants of the brethren." The figures identify the church referred to beyond mistake. For the eulogy, your readers must understand that brother Lillycrop has visited Trowbridge with a collecting book in his pocket, and met with a very kind reception. As to the 30 shillings, it is not a collection, but a slice of our yearly associational collection, and it is only the second time that we have made even this small apportionment to the Bath society. The fact is, that this society has been regarded as a benefit society, not as an eleemosynary fund; no appeal has been made in its behalf to my people, and it is quite true that they are "wholly unacquainted" with its claims. This wrong I hope to remedy; for I think that churches, whose ministers are beneficiary members, may very gracefully send contributions; but I greatly question if such members would sanction an indiscriminate appeal to the benevolence of the denomination; such an appeal if responded to largely or frequently would alter quite the character of the society. There are ministers in the society who entered it, not with a view of taking public alms, but of claiming, under certain honourable conditions, equitable dividends. The fund of course, like all funds established for the

benefit of disabled public men, may be fitly augmented beyond the amount of member's subscriptions, by legacies or purely voluntary contributions; but I am convinced that if the society should utter its collective sentiment, it would say, "To BEG I am ashamed." If a larger number of ministers would join the Bociety, and the opulent among the friends of such ministers would foster it, we should speedily see it become all that we wish.

Your's, Mr. Editor, very truly,
W. BARNES.

ON MINISTERIAL ATTENDANCE AT MIXED
MARRIAGES.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. DEAR SIR,-The case stated by a country pastor in your last number has occasioned perplexity to many ministers, and its frequent occurrence in our churches is greatly to be lamented; but I think, nevertheless, that he would be fully justified in conducting the marriage service and attending the consequent festivities.

As the command is given in general terms to marry "only in the Lord," the parties themselves must judge as to the evidence of this fact, and not the minister or the church with which either of them may be connected; and where partiality decides, a favourable opinion may be given with all sincerity when it would not be confirmed by any disinterested judge. Under such circumstances great allowance should be made for credulity. If the lady in question seriously thinks that the gentleman to whom she is engaged has the faith of the gospel, though it be as a grain of mustard seed, that is sufficient to justify her marriage with him, as far as the principles of the New Testament are involved, even though she may be mistaken in the judgment which she has formed; and, therefore, that is sufficient to justify the attendance of her minister on the occasion. If she was engaged to him previous to her own conversion, she may feel that her vow is still binding upon her, and that therefore it would be wrong in her to draw back. She may be mistaken or not, but still she fully believes that truth and faithfulness require the fulfilment of her promise, and therefore the minister may officiate with all propriety, feeling that the responsibility of deciding the case of conscience does not rest with him, and at the same time giving full credit for conscientiousness to his young friend.

If the responsibility of deciding whether a marriage is in conformity with the New Testament be not restricted to the parties themselves, but assumed also by others, a train of evils and inconsistencies will immediately arise. Whatever moral law is binding on one man is binding on another. If an action be sinful in a Christian minister it

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would be sinful in any private Christian, and if it is sinful in a Christian it would be sinful in any one else. If it be morally wrong in a minister to marry a couple when he thought them on scriptural grounds unequally yoked," it would be equally wrong in a Registrar to marry them if he had the same opinion, and if all men were to act upon these convictions of duty, and assume that it is their duty to judge for others, it would just come to this, that whenever any two were about to engage themselves to one another, they must first of all ascertain if the minister or registrar would have any conscientious scruples to marry them. Let no one say the registrar could not object, as he is obliged to perform the ceremony by virtue of his office, whatever may be his own opinion; for that is just saying that the mere circumstance of presiding at the ceremony does not necessarily imply an approval of it, and that if the minister had happened to be registrar he would have been justified in officiating; but if the registrar's officiating at a marriage does not imply that he considers it acceptable to God, why should a minister's officiating be so regarded unless he actually say so? However painful the service might be to his feelings, he might still conduct it without guilt on his own conscience.

If, however, neither of the cases supposed above meets the one in hand, but the minister fully believes that there is no error of judgment on the part of his young friend, but that she is fully convinced that her intended partner is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity, and yet wilfully and deliberately engages herself to him in opposition to her own belief of what the New Testament requires, then it is evident that the one is no better than the other, the only difference being that she makes a profession of religion and he does not, and therefore the sooner she withdraws from the church the better, and then the minister, if still requested to do so, may marry them with perfect consistency as worldly people.

I see no alternative. If there be sin in the marriage so that a minister feels he cannot be a partaker of it by his presence at it, then the party ought to be separated from the church as for any other wilful and deliberate sin; and if there be no sin, then the minister may officiate without hesitation at the service; but to keep aloof from a marriage on the ground that it is sinful, and yet pass over it in the church as if it was not sinful at all is surely the height of inconsistency.

Your correspondent states, that "the gentleman is of moral character though he gives no evidence of being a new creature." I can see no difference in the principle between marrying a moral and an immoral man, so long as he is evidently unconverted. The only difference is this, that his morality may make the lady more readily hope that he is after all really renewed; and that

persuasion will entitle her to be still regarded as a Christian; but if she should be deceived by his hypocrisy, or by her own credulity, she will hereafter reap the bitter fruits of her deception, even though she should be at last saved, yet so as by fire.

Stradbroke, Jan. 9, 1849. RESPOndent.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. SIR,-Having seen in your magazine for this month an article headed, Ministerial Attendance at Mixed Marriages, will you favour me by inserting a few lines, to direct attention to the evils arising from mixed marriages, which I am afraid are not sufficiently noticed by our dissenting churches. Such marriages operate injuriously in many ways. Light can have no fellowship with darkness, the converted and the unconverted can have no sympathy with each other on religious subjects, no spiritual converse in the seasons of trial and domestic affliction. If they have children the pious example of the one will probably be counteracted by the example of the other. When such alliances are formed, the piety of the one will be in danger of receiving damage from the influence of the other. I have lived long enough to see that we need all the helps we can obtain in our Christian journey and not hindrances. The tone of piety in our churches very much depends on individual and family piety, such unions are therefore adverse to their interests. I think also that all such unions are open violations of the commands of the word of God. To the Country Pastor I should say, "Be not partaker of other men's sins," "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord," "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." I beg to subscribe myself,

▲ MEMBER OF A BAPTIST CHURCH.

CAUTIONS TO CLERGYMEN SECEDING FROM
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

those gentlemen into irretrievable difficulties. If they should begin to follow Mr. Noel's example, they may perhaps follow him throughout, and so come to no better end than his. If, however, they do so after reading what I am about to write, they will not be able to plead that they never had fair warning.

Allow me, then, to caution these gentlemen against giving any attention whatever to the subject of baptism. It may seem to them quite natural when they are reviewing their opinions and practices in reference to other subjects, to review their procedure in reference to this. It may seem to them as though some of the principles which induce them to renounce compulsory pecuniary support should lead them to renounce also the compulsory administration of divine ordinances, especially of that ordinance which pledges its recipient to all the rest. But if once they begin to think on the subject, who can tell what the result will be? It is easy to go down hill,

"Facilis descensus averni."

There was a time when Mr. Noel himself was cautious, and kept out of the way of danger. "During my ministry in the establishment," he says, the conclusions at which I might arrive led an indefinite fear of me to avoid the study of the question of baptism."* course, how different might have been his Had he persevered in this judicious standing_among dissenters at the present hour! But, alas! he ventured, and the conthis good man, who had hitherto preserved sequences are notorious. Privately, at first, baptism. They were books on the pædobapan unblemished reputation, read books on tist side of the question, it is true, but how reckless was it to read on the subject at all! Had he never heard of the consequences that usually ensue when pædobaptist pastors introduce this topic into their pulpits? Had he not been apprised that of late years the discreet among them carefully avoid it? He conversed on the subject too with dissenting ministers. It is true, they were pædobaptist ministers; but why converse upon the subject with anybody? Baptism in its own place is important;" this we are told on very high authority; but how difficult it is for men who are superior to trifles to discover where that place is! Very graphically has the editor of the British Banner described Mr. Noel's case in one of his leading articles :"Oblivious of the advantages resulting from "his rank, his talents, his eloquence, his

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To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. MR. EDITOR,-It is confidently asserted that some ministers of the established church are dissatisfied with their present position, and apprehensive that they shall soon find themselves bound in conscience to leave it. In their critical circumstances, good advice may be of inestimable advantage to them; allow me therefore to offer to those of their number who are readers of your pages some important cautions for which I am not in-"fame, he withdrew from the arena into debted either to my own penetration or to anything which I have learned from you or your correspondents, but to the observations" which have recently been made on Mr. Noel's case by some distinguished pædobaptists. A false step at such a time as this may bring

VOL. XIII.-FOURTH SERIES.

"which he ought to have rushed, and spent "his time in holding meetings in the drawing-rooms of the aristocracy, to which num"bers of dissenting ministers in the metropolis,

*Noel's Essay on Christian Baptism; Preface.

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"him alone! He has at once changed the ground and the subject of controversy, and "also enlarged the number of his antagonists. "Let him alone, he will do our work for us "much better than we can do it for ourselves.' "The thought makes us sad, reminding us, that in all ointment there is a fly; with every rose a thorn; no good without a "mixture of evil; no wisdom without folly; "no expectation without disappointment."

"were from week to week invited, to discuss "with him the subject of infant baptism; "another step, which but too closely assimi"lated him to Cæsar in the only false step "he ever took in his career of conquest. "Had Mr. Noel understood his mission, he "would at these seasons have been holding" "meetings all over London, and elsewhere," "for discussions with churchmen, all and "sundry, who dared to meet him on the great "question of church and state. Baptism, in "its own place, is important, but, as compared with the headship of Christ, and the "spirituality of his kingdom, it is only as "dust in the balance-a thing which, in "Paul's estimation, was comparatively be"neath notice:-'I am not sent to baptize, "but to preach the gospel.'"*

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Ah, when will dissenting pædobaptist writers succeed in relieving their devout contemporaries from undue anxiety for correctness of sentiment and practice in reference to this institution! Paul himself, with what degree of consistency it is not for me to say, tells of his having baptized several persons at Corinth, and indeed admits that he had baptized so many at one place or other, that he could not be sure that he had baptized no more in that city, though he was certain that if he had done so he had not baptized them in his own name but in the name of Him who had sent him thither. But can those worthy men who think of seceding from the church contemplate without shuddering the consequences that will ensue, should they indeed become not almost but altogether such as Mr. Noel is? Let them think of the sorry figure which as baptists they must cut should they ever be called to vindicate dissent against churchmen. How can they contend that babes are not regenerated by baptism, while they maintain that no one ought to be baptized who is evidently unregenerate? Let them reflect on the disappointment and sadness which they will cause among congregational editors, compelling them to moralize on the vanity of human hopes and the admixture of folly with wisdom in the best specimens of our species. But no language of mine will be so impressive as that of the editor of the British Banner. Thus he proceeds: "How churchmen chuckled with "delight, the moment they heard of these "baptismal discussions ! And even Charles "James himself relaxed the habitual gravity "of his pontifical countenance, softly sighing "forth, in the bosom of his chiefs, All "danger is now over; Noel has plunged "chin deep into the baptismal controversy! "We have now no more to fear from him. "The next step in his course will furnish a "sufficient antidote to the last, and we shall soon have a book on baptism, which will extinguish his book on the church. Let

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British Banner, December 19, 1849.

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But he that would avoid a melancholy end, should avoid those courses which naturally lead to it. When an intelligent man begins to think for himself; to study the Scriptures carefully; to determine to make the New Testament his rule; to resolve to sacrifice prejudice to truth and interest to duty, who can tell how far he may go? Who will guarantee that he shall not become a baptist? I am sure that I would not. The Record, which assumes to be the organ of evangelical churchmen, represents the termination of his "movements, enquiries, and wanderings "which Mr. Noel has reached, as that "which most persons of discrimination have regarded from the first, as the most natural and probable one." It tells us, "that this is the ultimate settlement of clergymen who quit the church; that the baptist community rather than the independent or presbyterian, generally, receives such seceders, must have been often remarked by " its "readers."* The fact is thus attested by The Record; but for an explanation of the philosophy of the fact we are indebted again to the British Banner, "When Mr. Noel left the establishment," it tells us, "and published his great manifesto, he formed and avowed a design of retiring for twelve months to solitude for consideration and prayer." There is, I think, a slight mistake here; the time for which Mr. Noel determined to give himself to consideration and prayer before he committed himself to the course which he finally adopted was, I believe, not twelve months but six; but the principle is the same in either case: why give himself to consideration and prayer at all? Prayer, as we shall see, is good, if the word prayer be interpreted so as to include the idea of action; but consideration! How necessary it is in these days to beware of consideration! Consideration would transform some men strangely in less than six months. Who can guess what effect one month's consideration in retirement might have on the editor of the British Banner himself? Is it certain that were he to venture upon it, he would not himself become a baptist? But he knows better, it may be hoped, than to make so dangerous an experiment. There were persons who saw no evil in the adoption of this course by Mr. Noel; but they were not the sagacious. Men who knew the world, and were acquainted with

• Record, September 17, 1849.

the history of others who had become baptists, would naturally be startled by the announcement; whereas it is not easy to find words to describe the sensations which it would excite among the far-seeing few. Hear the British Banner once again: "When Mr. Noel left "the establishment, and published his great "Manifesto, he formed and avowed a design of ""retiring for twelve months to solitude, for "consideration and prayer.' The first authorised intimation of this resolve, fell upon us "like a sun-stroke or a thunderbolt. We well "remember, we instantly, and with anguish of "heart, pronounced that a spirit of infatuation "had descended upon him, that he had com"pletely misunderstood his mission, and that his work as a reformer was done. There "were not wanting, however, men-excellent men, but men more spiritual than wise-who "professed their admiration of this step as "exceedingly proper and praiseworthy. Such "men may be saints, but assuredly they are "not born to be reformers. Prayer is good, "but no prayer is equal to that which is "embodied in wise and well directed labours "to accomplish the thing for which the prayer "is made. While Moses prayed, the tribes "fought; and thus, too, it was with the "apostles. The triumphs of Christianity only "abated when men ceased to labour, and "retired into what was called religious houses, "that they might give their lives to idle "prayers."

Now, sir, I know what baptists will say to all this, for I was brought up among baptists myself, and I have often listened to their common-place arguments. They will say, that Christ's laws were made to be obeyed; that His will ought to be the rule of a Christian's conduct; that we are not at liberty to trifle with any one of His commands; that he who breaks the least of them, and teaches men so, whatever he may think of himself, is to be reckoned a small man, a very small man, (λaxoros) in the kingdom of heaven. Well, sir, let them say all this, and as much more of the same kind as they please; it is their vocation to say such things; it accords with their system, and if they do not say such things I know not who should; but I would caution clergymen who think of seceding from the establishment that if they give heed to notions of this sort, they may reduce themselves to the level of such men as Mr. Noel; that they must be content in that case to be reckoned among the men that are "more spiritual than wise;" that "they may be saints," but that it is impossible that any one of them should ever rise to the dignity of DirectorGeneral of Congregational Magnates.

I am, Mr. Editor, your's respectfully,
A DISSENTER.

* British Banner, December 19, 1849.

EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.

The demand for our January number was so much greater than our publishers had anticipated, that at the end of a week it was found that the whole impression was exhausted. Much of the type having been unfortunately distributed, no more copies could be printed till a considerable portion had been re-composed. In the interim many orders had been received which could not be fulfilled, and much disappointment must have been experienced. If any of our friends have not been supplied, however, we beg to inform them that the second edition, in every respect the same as the first, including the very satisfactory portrait of Mr. Noel, may now be readily obtained.

The early part of this number contains an article longer than is generally desirable, but one that will be highly valued by many of our readers who take a lively interest in the spread of the gospel in India, and are anxious to understand the practical working of our operations in that immense region. The author, one of our missionary brethren who has had ample opportunities for acquiring a knowledge of the subject on which he treats, wrote it for the Calcutta Christian Observer, a periodical supported by missionaries of different denominations. It was therefore designed in the first instance for local perusal, and certain to be tested by men of local knowledge; but Mr. Wenger rightly judged that its republication in this country might be useful, and hence we have the pleasure of laying it before our friends. We do so the more readily because the importance of carrying on our missionary operations in India with increased vigour is becoming more and more evident. India is the special field of labour which God in his providence assigned to us at first; and we should regard it as a delightful omen if the British public, calling to remembrance the vast amount of preparatory work which has been done during the last fifty years, were to determine to enter anew with becoming energy into its own labours, and with a wisdom acquired by experience, to turn to that account to which they might be turned the existing translations of the scriptures into the languages and dialects of the Asiatic millions. We have reason to believe that all Hindosthan is now ready for the sickle.

A few years ago, a banker who was reputed to be very rich and very penurious, taking his early walk one morning, found an inscription chalked on all the walls in his neighbourhood, announcing that he had given a man a shilling. That he had in reality performed this charitable action was doubted by those who knew him, and we never heard that it was satisfactorily ascertained; but

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