small pecuniary payment to his family. The works of continental divines on Theology, Biblical Criticism, and Ecclesiastical History, formed the most valuable part of this collection, and hence the library, though containing now between four and five thousand volumes, is still very deficient in modern works-scientific, literary, and classical.

In 1817, in consequence of a gift of £1000 for that purpose, by T. Key, Esq. of Water-Fulford, near York, the premises now belonging to the society were purchased, a building having been rented till that period.

The year following a classical tutor was found absolutely necessary. Mr. J. Ryland, now of Northampton, filled the office three years, and, after temporary aid from Mr. Joseph Harbottle, Dr. Godwin, now of Oxford, occupied the post for fourteen years.

In 1836, Dr. Godwin having resigned the previous year to devote himself wholly to pastoral labours, and Dr. Steadman wishing to resign his post entirely on account of the infirmities of age,* the present tutors, Messrs. Acworth and Clowes, were invited to succeed them. Through the blessing of God, the College has been lately in a very efficient condition. Although the regular income of the society is not equal to its expenditure, yet by annual efforts in soliciting subscriptions and donations, it is at the present time not in arrears. The Report read at the Annual Meeting (Aug. 7th), stated that last session commenced with twenty-nine students. This number was, at the close of the session, reduced to twenty. One (Mr. Knight) was removed by death; another (Mr. Cooke), much to the regret of his tutors and all who knew him, was disabled by extreme ill health from continuing his studies; two have left to complete their studies in Universities; the remainder are either settled over churches, or supplying on probation. Out of eighteen candidates, the committee were able to find room for ten only, though the other applications were of a character which they felt unwilling to decline.

One hundred and sixty-seven ministers have been educated in the Institution, of

* For further particulars we must refer our readers to Dr. Steadman's life by his son. We are much indebted to it for this sketch.

whom thirty are dead, the rest are nearly all in the field.

The Report mentioned a splendid present from J. Brogden, Esq. of Bradford, of Boydell's Shakspeare, richly bound and beautifully illustrated, also of the Atlas of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, from the same gentleman.

It solicited special aid towards purchasing scientific apparatus, and modern books for the library. The Annual Meeting was unusually well attended and encouraging. The sermon on "Pastoral Duties," by Mr. Aldis of Maze-Pond, London, is, we are happy to learn, to be printed at the request and expense of several lay friends who were present.

THE DROPPED SUBJECT OF THE CIRCULAR LETTER.

The duty of Baptists in the present times.

Regret has been frequently expressed in the West-Riding, that the subject above named, which was appointed for the Circular Letter, was in no way discussed. All are aware that Mr. Giles was unable to do it through very dangerous illness, and it is with extreme diffidence, and only in consequence of Mr. G.'s request, as well as that of others, that the writer attempts in some measure to supply his lack of service, by a few brief observations.

As Baptists agree with all evangelical Dissenters in the most important articles of faith, and with Independents in adopting the scriptural, that is democratical, mode of church government, with bishops and deacons; they can act and ought to act, kindly and heartily with other Dissenters, so far as other Dissenters will go. In opposing, however, the most injurious errors of the day, scriptural sentiments on the ordinance of Baptism, give them an advantage beyond all other Dissenters, and they are surely bound to use it. The Society of Friends stands in this respect nearest to us: it has often been observed that persons conscientiously quitting that community commonly join the Baptists, while those who leave from worldly motives naturally join the compulsory Church: the obvious reason is, that like them we be

lieve in no unreasonable and magical ceremonies. Next to them we are the least ceremonial, and most free from Priestcraft, of all sects. Friends aim at an entirely spiritual worship by dispensing with ceremonies, Baptists by adhering to scriptural views of them, and admitting to the ordinances only those who obey them "with the spirit and the understanding."

Now, it is just our rejection of Infant Baptism and Tradition, and our abiding by the sufficiency of the Bible as the only authority in Religion, that qualifies us to attack State-churches and Puseyism with arguments which cannot be turned against ourselves. All sects which practise Pædobaptism, must appeal to other authority than that of the Bible. Puseyites and Papists have repeatedly asked, "Where can you find Infant Baptism but in tradition?" and they never have been answered, and never can be. The most eminent scholars on the Pædobaptist side, declare that it was unknown in the New Testament times, and for one hundred years after them. Now mark the consequence, the Baptists are the only body of christians who can wield against State-churches and Puseyism the invincible weapon of the immortal Chillingworth, that "the Bible and the Bible alone is the religion of Protestants;" it wounds every hand that uses it but a Baptist hand.

State-churches can never stand on the "bible alone," and State-churches never have stood, probably never could, without Infant Baptism. To annihilate Infant Baptism, is to disable them to claim as their members, all whom their clergymen sprinkle in unconsciousness, it is to destroy the very instrument by which national christians are manufactured. Even respectable Independent ministers claim as members of their churches, those whom they baptized as babies.

If by the physical act of baptism, without the intelligent consent of the baptized party, persons can be introduced into the church of Christ, if nothing spiritual be required, then it does seem difficult to shew why Governments, having so much physical force at their disposal, should not employ it in making men christians. If physical means can be conductors of an etherial element, then let Governments provide them.

Infant Baptism, also, is the very strength of the Puseyite, nor can any Pædobaptist successfully oppose him. The former can give a clear reason for his conduct: "I," he says, "regenerate the babe;" the latter gives all kinds of answers, differing from the Puseyite in degree only, not in principle; he thinks some good is done to the child, he cannot say exactly what good. The Puseyite says, "I do know." Puseyism has brought the controversy to this position, that Baptism must be administered either upon regeneration, or to regenerate. One or the other is intelligible, anything between is unmeaning, and wants even the semblance of scriptural support. Hence the Baptist alone can triumphantly meet the damnable superstition of Baptismal regeneration.

We might justly notice, also, that the Baptist is the only thorough voluntary in Religion; he alone rejects all compulsion; he alone deprives State-churchmen of the power to say, "you yourselves compel people to be members of a church whether they will or not." He baptizes no one unawares-no one by physical force. He baptizes no one into what he himself indeed believes, but what the baptized party does not, because it cannot, believe.

Baptists, then, are the Macedonian phalanx of the Dissenting army. It is theirs to sustain the lighter-armed divisions, and to bear down the foe. God has called them to the kingdom for such a time as this. With the utmost kindness towards. all evangelical christians, they must yet wield the sword of the Spirit as they have received it, without a speck of the rust of tradition. Other Dissenters will see the immense advantage which our adherence to Scripture alone and scriptural ceremonies, gives us in these controversies with the common enemy, and the best among them will begin to think that weapons so efficient against superstition and spiritual tyranny, must have truth and christian liberty for their essence.

We need not fear that we shall really injure our evangelical Pædobaptist brethren; they are not exposed to our direct fire, and will lose nothing from it, except some encumbering ivy which has adhered. to their defences ever since the times of Popery; but Puseyites and Churchmen will see their very foundations shivered to atoms.

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

TRIAL BY JURY-LIBERATION OF O'CONNELL.-We trust our readers have not forgotten to acknowledge, in their public and private thanksgivings, the merciful intervention of God on behalf of Trial by Jury. It is one of those safeguards against persecution which we cannot prize too highly. Lord Denman has been raised to his present position by a kind Providence to protect our dearest liberties, and his name will be remembered with delight by our children, when State prosecutions and State churches will have been consigned to eternal infamy. The prosecution of Mr. O'Connell for exclusively peaceful efforts to carry a political point, and his unprincipled trial by a jury of his religious and political enemies, unscrupulously packed for the purpose, made his cause the cause of every reflecting christian. Bitter must be the chagrin of the Ahitophels whose counsel the Lord has turned to foolishness, and deepfelt should be the gratitude of the christian patriots, whose prayers to that effect the Lord has answered.

TRUTH versus PARCHMENT.- - Mr. Trestrail, a Dissenter, from Cork, who attended the recent Anti-State - Church Meeting in London, mentioned that in a conversation he had with Father Mathew some time ago, the latter said to him, "I should very much like to know what are the general feelings of the body with which you stand connected. Do you not know that, without a single exception in all history, whenever Church and State have been connected together, either the State has corrupted the Church, or the Church has overturned the State?" He assured him that that was the opinion of all his brethren; when Father Mathew remarked, "Sir, if you Protestants, when you came over to Ireland, instead of putting your trust in acts of parchment had relied upon truth itself, and upon that God

whose truth you profess to declare, our relative position, and our relative numbers, and the whole social and moral position of Ireland, would have been the very reverse of what we now witness."

EFFECTS OF PUSEYISM.-The Record, a State-Church publication, speaking of Puseyism, says, "That the toleration of such anti-scriptural and soul-destroying doctrines in the Church, is leading not a few to consider of the possibility of the formation of a new Episcopal body in the country." The fact is, indeed, undeniable; for at Ware the Episcopalians have left the Puseyite Church, and opened the Town-Hall as a place of worship. Dr. Alder, a Wesleyan minister, officiated,— the prayers, forms, and psalms of the Establishment being used in the service.

SALENDINE-NOOK.-On Wednesday, Sept. 18th, 1844, Mr. Thomas Lomas was publicly set apart to the pastorship over the Baptist Church at this place. Mr. Dawson of Bacup, introduced the service by reading the scriptures and prayer; Mr. Acworth of Horton-College, stated the nature of a christian church and ministry, in special contrast with the profane assumptions of Establishments and Puseyism; Mr. Whitewood asked the usual questions, which were answered with unusual interest and pertinence by Mr. Lomas; Mr. Clowes offered the ordination prayer, declining the imposition of hands because, though allowable in itself, it has become in this country the symbol of a most impious lie; Mr. Pottenger, Mr. L.'s pastor, gave the charge from 2 Cor. iv. 2; Mr. Dowson preached to the church in the evening, from the cxxxii. Psalm. The services were very fully attended both morning and evening, and were attended to with unwearied interest throughout.

WAKEFIELD.-Mr. Boyce, on account of the state of his health, has been obliged to resign the pastorship of the Baptist church in this place.

NEW CHAPEL, FARSLEY.-It is expected that this place of worship will be opened towards the end of the present month.

Leeds:

PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY J. HEATON, No. 7, Briggate;

To whom all communications for the Editors are to be addressed, Post-paid.

No. 11.]

[PRICE 1D.

Of those who turn away from the simplicity of voluntary religion to the forms of "the Establishment," the greater part are either the very young and thoughtless, or persons who are entire strangers to godliness, and therefore take no pains to conceal the levity, vanity, or love of the world, by which they are influenced. But there are others, who endeavour to hide away the guilt of their apostacy under a variety of excuses; and among these none is more common, than that the priest whom they are going to hear, though in "the Establishment," is a "good man and preaches the Gospel." But how vain and frivolous such excuses will appear at the last great day, few words only can be requisite to shew; and happy shall we be, if they serve to tear the bandage from the eyes of the self-deceiver, and save him from the guilt of so wilful a departure from the word of God!

Is

In the first place, giving the persons who use this excuse, credit for sincerity, in believing it to be valid, does not the excuse itself suppose the fact, that in "the Establishment," a "good man who preaches the gospel," is an exception to the general rule, and something extremely rare? it not true, in point of fact, that for one evangelical minister, it contains ten who are blind leaders of the blind, and perverters of the gospel? How then can it be right for a christian to join himself, for the sake of an exception, to all this mass of ungodliness? Surely he would shew his love to the evangelical clergyman much more, by summoning him to come out from

Babylon, than by following him in his fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

Again, how is it possible that the love of good men, or a desire of hearing the gospel, should carry any person out of the ranks of evangelical Dissent? It is among the voluntary churches of the Redeemer, that good men and preachers of the gospel, have ever been most known to abound. Whatever, therefore, may be the motive which leads Dissenters to "the Establishment," to allege that it is the love of good men, or a desire to hear the gospel, is sheer hypocrisy or self-deception. such motives properly felt they would keep them where they are. Englishmen are to be found among the negroes; but were a man, in pretended quest of Englishmen, to leave England where they abound, and go to Africa where they are scarce, who could regard him as sincere?

Were

Let it, moreover, be remembered, that faithfully as the supposed clergyman may preach some parts of the gospel, he is a man solemnly bound by oath to deliver much besides. To all that is contained in the prayer-book, a most contradictory and dangerous book, he has declared on oath, his "unfeigned assent and consent." Now, this oath he either does or does not keep If he does not, he is not a good man, but one who swears one thing and does another. And if he does keep it, he is not a pure preacher of the gospel; but a preacher of episcopal ordination, priestly absolution, baptismal regeneration, and various other dogmas equally wicked and absurd. Whe

ther it be worse to break such an oath or keep it, is difficult to say; but this we know, that a christian should have nothing to do with a church, as it is called, in which such wicked oaths are administered.

Nor is this all, the very principle of an Establishment is opposed to the spirit and end of the gospel of Christ. The spirit of the gospel is love and good-will, that of the Establishment, compulsion and the sword. The established preacher, evangelical as he may be, lives on the bread of violence, on tithes, rates, and other revenues extorted from the people by the iron hand of law. Already has "the Establishment" robbed the Society of Friends of more than a million pounds, and other communities of sums untold. In many instances it has inflicted, in times past, not only fines and imprisonment, but death itself, and it continues to inflict fines and imprisonment still. When, therefore, Dissenters pass over from the ranks of the persecuted to that of the persecutors, and lend, however indirectly, their strength to that system, by means of which the devil has cast some of our brethren into chains, and perhaps will shortly cast many more, they are guilty of an apostacy which, however disguised, is a crime of no ordinary magnitude in the sight of God. Fashion, petulance, pride, the desire of worldly respectability or gain, or the hope of avoiding the frowns, or of gaining the favours of man, are the sordid motives out of which this kind of apostacy generally springs. But whatever the motive, to be guilty of such conduct, is "to make shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience." And if those who have been brought up in the "Establishment," are so solemnly exhorted in scripture to come out of her, lest they be partakers of her sins, and receive of her plagues, how fearful must be the doom of those who, in defiance of this warning, rush headlong from the truth as it is in Jesus, into a participation of her crimes! G.

IS ANY CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLE VIOLATED BY PAYING ECCLESIASTICAL TAXES ?

None but the unscrupulous can dismiss this question with a sneer. "Don't tell me of six-and-eightpenny martyrs," is

indeed the frequent exclamation of ignorance or want of principle, but the true believer "has not so learned Christ:" from Him he has learned, that "he who is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much." (Luke xvi. 10.) The religion and morality of actions can never be estimated by their pecuniary insignificance or importance. An act the most trivial in itself, may involve the most important principles. The sovereignty of God was denied by merely eating forbidden fruit; possibly, the sovereignty of his Son may be given up in paying the smallest ecclesiastical tax.

We will suppose the rate or tax to be quite legally demanded, and therefore capable of being legally enforced; are the rights of God and Christ compromised by the voluntary payment of such a rate? Surely no self-delusion can be greater than to justify payment, by the mere LEGALITY of the rate. Every believer in a God must be aware that he may not obey a human law, if it subverts the infinitely higher laws of God. Christians and Dissenters could never have existed at all, if they had obeyed the "law of the land." Roman law prohibited the existence of Christians,English law prohibited the existence of Dissenters, but Primitive Christians and Primitive- Dissenters, had not learned the pocket-saving doctrine,— "It. is law, I will therefore obey;" they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods. Unquestionably, we ought like them to endure the penalties of any law, by obeying which we should surrender the rights of God.

The only two arguments for paying ecclesiastical taxes worthy of serious notice are the following:

1st. We are commanded in Rom. xiii. 6, 7, "to pay tribute for conscience' sake," and "to render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due," &c. It will be seen at once that this objection assumes, that ecclesiastical taxes are due to civil governors, and that they can be conscientiously paid. But this is the whole question in dispute. I shall soon endeavour to shew that they are not "due" to Cæsar, and that for "conscience' sake" we may not pay them. Indeed the very fact, that a monster of Heathen iniquity (Nero) was