1. Do you believe that in the Old Testament Scriptures, God, by the mouth of his holy and inspired prophets, gives promise and forewarning of the coming of a great Deliverer, who was to redeem Israel from all iniquity?

2. Do you believe that this great Deliverer has now come, and accomplished the work of redeeming his people?

3. Do you believe that Jesus Christ, spoken of in the New Testament Scriptures, is this great Deliverer promised of old in the holy prophets?

4. Do you believe that this Jesus Christ is the eternal and only-begotten Son of God?

5. Do you believe that this Jesus, the Son of God, is the only Saviour of sinners, and that the sacrifice of himself upon the cross on Calvary was the great atonement for sin, which all the sacrifices in the law of Moses typified ?

6. Do you believe that all these typical sacrifices terminate and for ever cease by the atoning death of the Lord Jesus? 7. Do you, then, acknowledge and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Redeemer?

8. Do you receive the Old and New Testament Scriptures as the Word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and manners?

9. Do you purpose, in humble dependence upon Divine grace, to live by faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and to maintain by the same grace, a walk and conversation becoming the Gospel?

10. Do you desire, now, in obedience to the will of Christ, and in faith and hope of the blessing of the Spirit, to be received into the Christian Church by the ordinance of baptism?

To all these questions satisfactory answers having been given, prayer was offered up, and baptism administered. The whole service was very solemn, and seemed to be witnessed by the congregation with deep interest. The circumstance having been spoken of for some time before, a considerable number of strangers were present, and, we understand, it has produced considerable excitement in the Jewish quarter of the city. The two young men have been greatly indebted to the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, of Red Lion-square, whose interest in the seed of Israel has been long manifested. It is understood that there are some others who have expressed a wish

Mr. Nicolson is in communication. LONDON WALL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.-An evening meeting of the congregation of London-wall Church was held on Tuesday, the 8th ult., at the Guildhall Coffee House, the large room of which was completely filled. After refreshments, which were both excellent and ample, the Rev. Mr. Nicolson, who presided, delivered an address, announcing the course of proceedings for the evening, and very felicitously introducing the several speakers who were to address the meeting. These were the Revs. Messrs. Wilson, Carmylie, and Ferguson, Stepney; and Messrs. Nisbet and Ritchie, whose presence and assisttance on the occasion were much esteemed, and who spoke most effectively on subjects of general interest; while Professor Campbell, as Elder, and Messrs. M'Andrew, Marr, and Edward, Deacons, addressed themselves to matters more immediately connected with the congregation. From a statement read by the Treasurer, it appeared that the congregation had raised during the past year, for congregational and missionary purposes, nearly 700%., including 1187. for the distressed Highlanders; and although the Treasurer was a small sum in advance, yet there were outstanding seatrents which would nearly cover the amount; so that, free from debt, and with a revenue, at least, not diminishing, the financial position of the congregation is most satisfactory. The proceedings of the evening received an additional interest from the presentation of a purse of gold to their esteemed pastor, promoted chiefly by the ladies of the congregation. Mr. Marshall, one of the elders, in a few appropriate sentences, presented to Mr. Nicolson this testimonial of his people's attachment, which he acknowledged with much feeling, characteristic affection, and impressiveness; and dwelling on the many pleasurable associations arising out of the discharge of his various duties amongst the congregation, expressed an earnest desire that his labours might be more and more blessed for their spiritual improvement; that, by the preaching of the Word, the truths of the blessed Gospel might sanctify the hearts and adorn the life and conversation of all his hearers; and that, by continued harmony and increased co-operation, they might be fellowworkers together in the glorious cause

of establishing each other in the truth as it is in Jesus, and bringing careless sinners to the knowledge and love of a compassionate and all-sufficient Saviour. This is the third of a series of meetings of the kind which have been held of late by this congregation; and, judging from the marked enjoyment which the evening's proceedings afforded, impressions have been produced and deepened of that kindly feeling and sympathetic regard so essential to the prosperity of a Christian church, and conducive to the successful prosecution of any object which aims at the dissemination of Scripture truth, and the ingathering of wandering souls to the fold of the Redeemer. REGENT SQUARE CHURCH SOIREE. The annual meeting of this congregation was held at the Store-street Rooms on the evening of January 29. The early part of the evening was spent in conversation, and in arrangements which can be less conveniently discussed at an ordinary congregational meeting. After tea, the business of the evening commenced by an address from the Rev. Mr. Hamilton, who had previously conIducted the devotional exercises. The Annual Report was then read by Mr. James Robertson, in which it was stated that the collections and subscriptions during the year for the schemes of the Synod, and other Christian enterprises, amounted to above 1,6607. The Report was heard with great satisfaction, and on the motion of Captain Cook, seconded by Mr. Eglinton, was adopted by the meeting. Addresses were thereafter successively given by elders, deacons, and members of the Church on the following subjects on the Congregational-schools, by Mr. Wm. Hamilton; on the Sabbathschools, by Mr. Watson; on the Congregational Missions, by Mr. Sinclair, Missionary, and by Mr. Mackay; on the Home Mission of the Synod, by Mr. Gillespie; on the Foreign Mission, by Mr. Nisbet; on the Missions of the Free Church of Scotland, by Mr. H. Matheson; and on the Young Men's Association, by Mr. Hare. Mr. Thompson, of Banchory, also briefly addressed the meeting. After prayer, praise, and a concluding exhortation by the pastor, the meeting was dismissed with the benediction. There were about 300 present, chiefly members of the Church. The arrangements for the meeting were admirable, and the evening was enjoyed as a truly profitable season of Christian fellowship.

SEATON DELAVAL. ORDINATION SERVICE.-On Thursday, the 17th ult., the Rev. R. Henderson was ordained and set apart by the Presbytery of Newcastle to the pastoral charge of this church. The Rev. P. L. Miller, of Newcastle, preached an affectionate and able discourse from Ps. lxviii. 18, and Ephes. iv. 8-12, and offered up the ordination prayer. The Rev. G. J. Duncan, of North Shields, then faithfully exhorted the minister to the discharge of his duties in private as well as in public, impressing upon him the importance of holy living and prayerfulness. The people were no less faithfully addressed by the Rev. John Storie, of South Shields, and exhorted to wait on the ministrations of the pastor of their choice,-to stand by him, and to uphold him by their ready co-operation and daily prayers. In the evening addresses were delivered by the Rev. R. Henderson, on the importance of harmony and co-operation in a church; by the Rev. J. Storie, on family religion; and by the Rev. D. Lennie, of Glanton, on education. The Rev. J. Anderson, of Morpeth, brought the meeting to a close by many weighty counsels and encouragements. Both services drew together a large, respectable, and interested audience. Minister and people are alike animated by hopes of much blessing and usefulness. faith they desire to commit their way to God, who alone can command peace within their walls and prosperity within their palaces.

LETTER FROM MR. CHARTERIS

AT CORFU.

In

THE following extracts are from a letter of Mr. Charteris, dated Corfu, Jan. 6, 1848. Speaking of the Jewish Girls' School, he says:-"I wish it to be well consolidated under our new teacher, Miss Mackenzie, so that it may be open to inspection, and that the benefit of it may be apparent. We have been greatly thinned by sickness, but have rallied again to twenty,-this has been the case with all the schools; indeed there has been a severe influenza here, the effect of very cold damp weather, which lasted more than a month. The Lord High Commissioner has suffered severely, but, I am glad to say, is convalescent. Our dear friend, Mrs. Dickson, was also attacked; although suffering, we hope,

they ever held, and abide, in all respects, by the same discipline. They have sought no change in the days that are past, and they seek no change now. Nor did any change take place in this congregation in consequence of the disruption in the Established Church of Scotland. All worshipped in harmony as before. Sympathy with the Free Church was expressed, and aid was generously given-on a similar principle to that on which sympathy was recently expressed, by the Established Presbyteries of Edinburgh and Glasgow, with the Free Church in the Canton de Vaud; and on which aid would have been given to that Church by these Presbyteries, had not their own wants been so urgent. In the year 1843, a memorial was sent to the Presbytery of Glasgow, signed by four trustees, only one of whom sat in the Church, complaining of the words and acts of the minister in reference to the Free Church of Scotland. A letter was thereupon transmitted, by the clerk of that Presbytery, to Mr. Gardner, reciting the accusations, and calling upon him to say if he adhered to the seceding party, that is, to the Free Church. To this letter an answer was returned to the effect that the Presbytery of Glasgow had no jurisdiction in the case, and that Mr. Gardner belonged to the Presbyterian Church in England. Notwithstanding this distinct reply, the Presbytery of Glasgow did, in express violation of all the laws and usages of the Church of Scotland, declare Mr. Gardner no longer a licentiate of the Established Church.

Shortly after this period, Mr. Gardner received a legal notice, from parties in Liverpool, calling upon him to cease teaching and preaching in the Scotch Church, Conway-street, Bir kenhead. Several others were also served with legal notices as to giving up the property; and, in connexion with all these notices, there was intimation given of a suit in Chancery, were compliance not yielded. The parties in possession honourably offered to repay the subscriptions of all who were opposed to their holding the property; but this honourable and generous offer was declined. A bill was accordingly filed in Chancery, and proceedings in connexion with that bill have been going on for the last four years.

The Session at Birkenhead were thus reluctantly, most reluctantly, dragged into

law, and its consequent expenses. To show their most anxious desire for the termination of a suit, which was only calculated to do injury to all, in whatever way the ultimate decision should be given, the Session, within the last three months, offered to compromise the case, each party paying their own costs. But this offer-so fairly, so openly, and SO honourably made-was, like the former, rejected. There was therefore no alternative but to allow the case to go to a hearing, or a trial. The case was, on the first hearing, argued for two days; and, turning in favour of the Session, the opposite party, or those who had dragged them into court, were allowed to say whether or not they would carry it into a common Law Court: but this they have declined doing. At a subsequent period, the Court was occupied nearly two days in discussing the question of costs. After lengthened and able arguments by their counsel, with replies from the counsel for the Pursuers, it was decided-That the Pursuers should pay their own costs, and in addition, the costs of Robert Barbour, Esq., John Pollock, Esq., and part of the costs of Joseph Mallaby, Esq., solicitor. And that, on the part of the session and church at Birkenhead, the Rev. John Gardner, and Messrs. John Barbour, John Walker, and Walter Walker, should pay their own costs. The property has thus been preserved, and cannot again be touched by a suit in any Court; but still the expenses incurred in defending and securing the property are very heavy, being not less than 800. To meet their present difficulties, the congregation at Birkenhead are putting forth special efforts. have felt the law-suit to be a grievous burden. It has been a barrier in the way of improving all their institutions, and of carrying out their plans of usefulness as a congregation; but it has now ceased. Much, however, as the church at Birkenhead may, and will do, it cannot be expected that it should be able to meet all the present difficulties. The Session, then, would look for sympathy and aid from the other churches and congregations, throughout the bounds of the Presbyterian Church in England,as the struggle has been, not for one church, but for all. This is the only case as yet in which the question has been fairly tried, and in which a favourable decision has been given; and thus other churches may have rest through

All

our warfare and success. "Bear each other's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

[In publishing the foregoing appeal on behalf of the Session at Birkenhead, we beg simply to commend the case to the favourable regard of any who may be asked, or have it in their power, to render aid. We have seldom heard of more unworthy proceedings than this and other attempts that have been made to do injury to Christian men in England because of their expressing sympathy with the Free Church of Scotland. There being a considerable number of Scotchmen in Mr. Gardner's congregation, the disruption naturally excited much interest among them; and, with a few exceptions, the feeling was strong in favour of the Free Church. Mr. Gardner has acted in an honourable and straightforward way, as might be expected by those who knew him; and his Session and people have stood by him manfully to resist this attempt to expel them from their church. The Birken

head congregation is one of the best ordered in our Synod, contributing regularly to all the Schemes of the Church, and abounding in works of Christian usefulness. Being chiefly composed of persons in the middle and humble classes, we feel the greater sympathy with them in their present position.]

Notices of Books.

Passages in the Life of an English Heiress; or, Recollections of Disruption Times in Scotland. Richard Bentley, New Burling

street.

THE narrative of this work is founded on real life, and the characters are por. traits of individuals known to the accomplished writer. The events recorded are of public interest, and the representation of the principles and movements of the different parties is given with much fide; lity. The "Moderate" and "Evangelical" clergy of the Church of Scotland, the "" men of the North Highlands, the 'Edinburgh lawyers," and other classes of society, are well delineated. We could quote many graphic passages, did space permit; such as the scene at Edinburgh on the secession of the Protesting Assembly, p. 371; the forced settlement, p. 207; the visit to the moderate ranse, p. 117; the trial in the Court

66

66

*See "Messenger" for July, 1847, p. 458.

of Session, p. 249. Altogether, in spite of faults, this is a successful book, and is likely to be read and to be understood by many who would never enter upon more argumentative and didactic accounts of the Scottish disruption.

The Story of Grace. By the Rev. H. Bonar, Free Church, Kelso. Nisbet & Co., Berners-street.

fallen man.

UNDER a new title we have an old subject, the Gospel tidings of God's race to How the story of Divine goodness began to be told in Eden; how overruled man's interruption; how the man interrupted the story; how God story of the wonderful plan of grace unfolded itself; and the outline of the story, in simple and striking language, is given. Mr. Bonar has learning, judgment, and taste, as well as the higher requisites for undertaking some work of standard authorship; but probably he prefers present and visible usefulness to greater and more distant influence.

THE PAPACY.-The Papacy, that deepest conception and mightiest achievement of Satan, into which he hath admitted the whole canon of truth, and yet contrived that it should teach only error-into which he hath admitted the whole revelation of light, and yet contrived that it should breed only foul and pestilent darkness;-Oh, it is an ample net for catching men; a delusion and bondage made for the world. No partial error, like that of the Gnostics, framed out of mystic imaginations-or that of the Arians, framed out of the proud arguments of reason-or that of the Munster Anabaptists, framed out of the licentiousness of the will; but a stupendous deception and universal counterfeit of truth, which hath a chamber for every natural faculty of the soul, and an occupation for every energy of the natural spirit. Pagan Rome is Satan's work, constructed with his own materials of ambition, arms, policy, and knowledge; but Papal Rome is Satan's work, constructed with the materials of God revealed in his holy Word.-Rev. Edward Irving.

ANGER unfits for duty. A little jogging puts a clock or watch out of frame. So a little passion the heart. A cannot wrestle with God, and wrangle with his neighbour at the same time.

man

SHORT sins often cost us long sorrows.