they should demand back from the State the Government pay which they renounced to become a Free Church. Another leader, Dr. Candlish, knew it would not do just now; but he descended to abuse the voluntary principle, as "false in principle and mischievous in practice, infinitely worse than he had thought it before the disruption." Yet this "false" principle had raised for the Free Church, according to a return presented, not less than £3,018,847 during the last ten years, an average of more than £300,000 per annum ! We suspect the cause of Dr. Candlish's rancour to be, that he finds power and pay go together. His priestly ambition writhed under the power of the State, but that was a distant power and seldom exercised. He now finds that the power of his fellow-christians who raise his salary, is ever present, ever ready to wince at over-strained priestly authority; and he would rather, therefore, work again in the harness of the State, than in that of a church of free and equal brethren. This is the same Dr. Candlish who ten years ago came into England, begging of Dissenters for his cause as a voluntary, evading, however, every close question on that subject; but who, when the begging was all over, sent them a contemptuous missive, scouting the principle to which he had appealed. The ministers of Synodical and Hierarchical churches are sure to degenerate into priests.

Church Rates have been debated in a manner which augurs well for their speedy abolition. Lord John Russell and Sir Harry Inglis were almost their only defenders in argument; for, of course, the Tories in great numbers joined Lord John in upholding them by vote. Hence they obtained a majority of twenty-two against Mr. Phillimore's bill, which provided, most righteously, that persons by registering themselves as Dissenters when called upon, should be relieved from liability to Church Rates. The most interesting circumstance is, that Lord Stanley (heir to the Derby title) published on the eve of the debate, and circulated amongst the Members, an able, manly, and generous pamphlet, advocating strongly Mr. Phillimore's plan, as demanded both by justice to Dissenters, and sound policy towards the Church itself. Lord John Russell attacked the arguments of Lord Stanley as fatal to an Establishment at all, and defended Church Rates as necessary for one! He did not know how his poor State-Church could raise £200,000 or £300,000 a-year to keep their places of worship water-tight! We hope Dissenters will duly estimate the ecclesiastical liberality of Lord John Russell. Toleration he understands; but it is plain he is utterly ignorant of, or, what is worse, utterly opposed to, full Religious Liberty.

It is very probable that the Government Bill for Education in Corporate Boroughs will be withdrawn, as the Corporations appear to shrink from adding to the causes of dissension in their proceedings, and several have petitioned against it. We call the attention of our readers, however, to a notice given by Mr. E. Miall. He is to

propose that, "in case a rate for education in boroughs be levied, each ratepayer who subscribes voluntarily to education, shall, on proof thereof, be entitled to deduct the amount of his subscription from the rate." This is but the same justice as Lord Stanley and Mr. Phillimore proposed in regard to Church rates, and Dissenters ought to petition in support of Mr. Miall's clause. Some Dissenters are State educationists, and like the plan of a Borough rate (though they would no doubt refuse to take the expenditure of the rate out of the hands of the Town Councils, and hand it all over to Lord John's snug Committee in Londen). Such Dissenters, however, will, we trust, strongly oppose coercing their brother Dissenters to pay for schools supported by compulsion, while they pay already voluntarily for the same object. It is indeed hard upon the Voluntaries, that they pay their share of the general Government grants; but it would be harder still if they had to pay, in addition, direct rates analagous to Church rates, for the National School Establishment.

We much regret to see that even the Mediation Movement amongst Wesleyans, intended to reconcile Reformers and the Conference, has failed, through the unchristian arrogance and priestly intolerance of the latter. The mediation brethren, under this discipline from the Wesleyan hierarchy, appear to be fast learning the lesson, that none have in Christ a right to get themselves called Rabbi, Rabbi, and that all christians are "brethren," not slaves to priests governing in right of a "poll deed," and in papal defiance of the church-rights of their fellow-believers.

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IN SECULAR matters, we notice with great pleasure the progress of the Ballot. It is such mere justice that conscientious voters should be protected against the intimidation of landlords, priests, mobs, customers, mortgagees, creditors, and every one having power unfairly to bias his neighbour, and the amount of intimidation is so great, especially in counties, that we think every good man ought to exert himself strenuously for this object. Small constituencies would, of course, be still purchaseable, on the principle, “no play, no pay;" but every Reformer would abolish them entirely, put them, consequently, out of the question. If, however, we cannot hinder corrupt voters from selling their virtue and honour for hire, we ought to protect the pure-minded from compulsory submission to the shame, which the debauched incur for pay. On this division, the vast majority of the Liberals, 172, including ten of the Ministry itself, voted for the Ballot; and Lord John was compelled to resist his reforming supporters by tory aid alone. Derbyites, Protectionists, Church bigots, sinecurists, and placemen of all sorts, helped him to a poor majority of twenty-two in so full a House; a division which the minority reasonably enough received with loud cheers.

On the Continent, things are troubled. The ambition of Russia to wind another boa constrictor coil around Turkey, and one

which would ultimately make it easy to swallow, is likely to be frustrated; but that huge semi-barbarous power appears halfdisposed to fight rather than relinquish its hoped-for morsel. The most pleasing and hopeful sign is, that the christian population of Russia appear to have no disposition to come under the iron heel of the Czar. The Mohammedan Sultan is disposed to give them far more real liberty than they would enjoy under the political murderer of Hungary. Nicholas probably counts on the impossibility of Austria or France sparing troops, except at the hazard of insurrection at home; while England, he thinks, would not fight alone. The Continent just now is one mass of insurrection, held down by a justly loathed military despotism. America is poisoned by slavery in the southern States, and guilty complicity in it in the northern ones. India is ground to the deepest poverty between the upper and nether millstones of a Board of Control and au East India Company, and involved in a foolish and costly war with Burmah. China is more than half covered with rebellion, of a mysterious character, part, however, of the mystery being like the "silver lining to the cloud." A somewhat gloomy prospect this over our political world. But "the Lord reigneth." Wars, and rumours of wars, must last till the Prince of Peace reigns in every heart. We have no faith even in the selfish peace of Free Trade. Christian self-control, and christian love ALONE, can give peace to the nations.

BAPTIST TRACT SOCIETY.

On Friday evening, April 22nd, 1853, the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Baptist Tract Society was held at Eagle Street chapel, Robert Lush, Esq. in the chair. The report, which was read by Mr. C. Woollacott, the secretary, was a very gratifying document; from it it appears the Society is growing in the esteem of the churches, and is honoured of God in promoting the eternal interests of men.

The

Society printed during the year 1852,105,750 tracts and handbills, and from its institution, 1,980,100. The publications of the Society, which are now becoming numerous, are circulated in Africa, America, the Australias, and India. Grants of tracts have been made by the Committee to every applicant with no niggard hand, and during the past year the sum total is considerably more than in any previous year. The cash account shewed the income of the year to be nearly £120, with a balance in the hands of the Treasurer of £8. The meeting was addressed by Messrs. G. Mitchell, of Bacup, Franklin, of Golcar, T. Dawson, of Liverpool, J. H. Betts, of Edinburgh, J. Webb, of Ipswich, W. H. Bonner, of Keppel Street, G. Wyard, of Soho Chapel, and B. Lewis, of Trinity Street. The devo

tional exercises were conducted by Messrs. J. Wills, of Ramsgate, D. Jennings, of Spencer Place, and Hawkins, of Bradford,

DUNDEE.

The Rev. James Blair being about to leave Dundee for the Bridge of Allen, the

Baptist church assembling in Rattray's court, Seagate, entertained him to a soirée, for the purpose of presenting him with a token of respect and affection, on Tuesday, the 22nd of March. The Rev. Robert Menzies occupied the chair, and the meeting was addressed by Messrs. W. Brown (Town Missionary), John Paton, J. Arthur, R. M'Lachlan, J. Rogers, and the chairman, who made the presentation. Mr. Blair acknowledged it in a feeling speech. -Another meeting of a similar character, but more general in its attendance, was held on the 30th of March, in Lamb's saloon. Provost Thomas occupied the chair, and several ministers and members of different denominations attended and spoke. Mr. Blair leaves with the respect and regret of all who know him.

SOHAM, CAMBRIDGESHIRE.

On Lord's-day, May 22nd, the Rev. M. W. Flanders, of Cottenham, preached the one hundred and first Anniversary Sermons of the Baptist cause in this place. On the Monday following, between two and three hundred persons sat down to an excellent tea; after which a Public Meeting was held, at which there was a still larger attendance; when the Rev. J. Smith, jun., the newly appointed pastor, was publicly recognized. The Rev. A. T. Shelly, of Soham (Independent), and the Revs. W. Jarrow, of Isleham (General Baptist), W. W. Cantlow, of Isieham, J. Richardson, of Barton Mills, W. C. Ellis, of West Row, and other ministers and friends, took part in the service. Collections were made after the services, which were deeply interesting, and augur well for the future of both pastor and people.

WAINSGATE, YORKSHIRE.

On Friday, March 25th, 1853, Mr. Thos. Vasey, who upwards of two years ago ac cepted the cordial invitation of the Baptist church at Wainsgate, was publicly recognized as its pastor. The Rev. J. Cookson, from America, described the nature and constitution of a christian church; the Rev. John Crook, of Hebden-Bridge, asked the usual questions, and offered the ordination prayer; the Rev. H. Dowson, of Bradford, delivered a solemn and impressive charge to the minister; and in the evening the Rev. John Stock, of Salendine Nook, preached an excellent and appropriate sermon to the church. Messrs. Fawcett, Goodman, Jackson, and Hanson, took part in the devotional exercises.

MALTON, YORKSHIRE.

Mr. John Bane, many years pastor of the Baptist church at Ayesham, in Norfolk, and late of Downham in the same county, having accepted a unanimous invitation to become the pastor of the Baptist church at Malton, Yorkshire, was set apart to that office on the 7th of June, when the Revs. B. Evans, of Scarborough, Oliver, of Sunderland, Thompson, of Hull, Morgan, of Bridlington, and J. P. Bane, son of the pastor, engaged in the services of the day.