The extremely high price of almost all kinds of provisions during the spring and summer of the present year, has placed many of them in the most awkward circumstances, and burdened their minds with worldly care and anxiety. Their hearts are sad; and, in some cases, this sadness is increased by the fact, that they can look around them on the sabbath, and fix their eyes upon members and friends who, although they sold a considerable quantity of wheat when it was making sixty or even seventy shillings per load, have neither increased their regular contributions for the support of the gospel, nor sought, by acts of more private liberality, to place their pastor and his family in circumstances of even usual comfort. Where it can possibly be avoided, such a reproach as this ought not to be permitted to rest upon our churches and congregations another day. Unless it is removed-wiped off by the gentle yet unsparing hand of Christian love, our village pastors must know more of the power of truth than falls to the share of many of their friends, or they will no longer be able to stand upon our missionary and other platforms and assert the absolute" efficiency of the voluntary principle." They must either be relieved of their embarrassments, or their adversaries will triumph in their weakness, and secretly say, "So would we have it." The cases are not few in which the object for which I plead could be accomplished without the least difficulty. Were those only who have been benefited as stated above, each to give the present price of but one load of wheat, as a special token of gratitude and affection, the thing would be done, and many a pastor's heart would leap for joy. And do I ask more than the divine law of ministerial maintenance warrants? But there is no need to confine this effort to the owners and occupiers of land. Indeed, it would be both unwise and unjust to do so. As the obligation to support the ministry is perfectly commensurate with the possession of capacity to do it, it is the duty of all to see that those who preach the gospel live of the gospel." In this case, therefore, all who can do it are solemnly bound to lend a helping hand. I do hope, sir, that this important subject will receive the serious and prayerful consideration of the leading members of our churches and congregations; and that they will make such arrangements during the month of December, as will enable them to remove the anxieties of their pastors on the first day of the new year. Under existing circumstances, such an act would be "an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God."" Yours in Jesus, A VILLAGE PASTOR. EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT. An excellent likeness of William Brodie Gurney, Esq., senior treasurer of the Baptist Missionary Society, will be prefixed to our number for January. A correspondent who has recently joined our denomination, and wishes to bring the ministerial experience he had previously acquired to bear on its interests, says, “I would recommend that on the third and fourth sabbaths in December, baptist ministers should advise their members and hearers to order your Magazine for the ensuing year. When in the United Secession I was always recomMy late hearers mending the periodicals. and members ordered upwards of two hundred copies of magazines, which they received monthly." If our brethren will generally act upon this suggestion, they will invigorate our efforts, and promote the good of their churches. The first and second articles in this number will furnish topics on which they will know how to enlarge. If the baptist penny magazine called "The Church" can obtain at the commencement of the year such an increase of sale as to warrant it, the intention of the proprietors is to give every month an additional number of pages. We readily embrace this opportunity to express our gratification at the efficient and respectable manner in which this small periodical is conducted. It is adapted to meet the taste and promote the improvement of a very large proportion of our congregations. Sentence was pronounced by the judges of the Court of Queen's Bench a few days ago, on a case which had been carried thither for their united decision, involving the question of the validity of a widower's marriage with the sister of his deceased wife. It cannot be too extensively known that according to this authoritative determination, as the law now stands, such a marriage, in this country, is absolutely null and void,--not merely voidable, but ipso facto void, so as to be no marriage for a single hour. Dr. Belcher, formerly one of the secretaries of the Baptist Union, has recently become pastor of a church in Philadelphia. During the last week or two influenza has been distressingly prevalent in all the eastern part of the metropolis. Should our readers discover blemishes which at other times they might ascribe to carelessness, perhaps they will attribute them in this instance to the unavoidable interruptions occasioned by general headache, nausea, cough, and debility, in a work which requires the combined activity of several persons accustomed to its different processes, all of whom must complete their labour by a certain day. Supplement. DECEMBER, 1847. PRINCIPAL BAPTIST SOCIETIES. Baptist Missionary Society. Formed 1792. OBJECT:-"The diffusion of the knowledge of the religion of Jesus Christ throughout the whole world, beyond the British Isles, by the preaching of the Gospel, the translation and publication of the Holy Scriptures, and the establishment of Schools." CONTRIBUTIONS towards the Special Grant of £6000 to Jamaica £28,190 19 7 26,899 2 0 3,711 9 11 £32 12 0 2054 14 1 Treasurers, WILLIAM BRODIE GURNEY, Esq., SAMUEL MORTON PETO, Esq., M. P. Secretary, Rev. JOSEPH ANGUS, M. A., Baptist Mission House, 33, Moorgate St. Committee. Cox, Rev. Francis A., D.D., LL.D., Hackney. Daniell, Rev. J. Mortlock, Birmingham. Pewtress, Thomas, Esq., Gravesend. Phillips, J. L., Esq., Melksham. In these numbers Jamaica is not included, the churches there, consisting of 30,000 persons, being no longer aided by the society. VOL. X.-FOURTH SERIES. 51 Baptist Home Missionary Society. Formed 1797. OBJECT: "To encourage the formation and growth of Baptist churches, both in the agricultural and manufacturing districts of Great Britain, particularly in large towns." ឌ INCOME, year ending March 31, 1847 EXPENDITURE BALANCE, against the society Treasurer, JOHN R. BOUSFIELD, Esq. £4717 19 0 5117 2 599 1 Secretary, Rev. STEPHEN JOSHUA DAVIS, 33, Moorgate Street. 990 OBJECT:-"The diffusion of the gospel of Jesus Christ principally by the employment of Missionaries and Readers in Ireland, the establishment of Schools, and the distribution of Bibles and Tracts." Treasurer, EDWARD SMITH, Esq., 60, Old Broad Street. Secretary, Rev. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL, 33, Moorgate Street. Average attendance about two-thirds. The average number in each school is above 70, and of these the children of Romanists are to those of protestant parents, as 5 to 2. Bankers, Messrs. Smith and Co., Derby; Messrs. Smith, Payne and Smith, London. The Report for the present year, we have not been able to obtain. Bible Translation Society. Formed 1840. OBJECT:-"To aid in printing and circulating those translations of the Holy Scriptures, from which the British and Foreign Bible Society has withdrawn its assistance on the ground that the words relating to the ordinance of baptism have been translated by terms signifying immersion; and further to aid in producing and circulating other versions of the word of God, similarly faithful and complete." Rev. George Francies, 61, Walnut Tree Walk, Lambeth; Rev. Manoah Kent, Shrewsbury. Particular Baptist Fund. Formed 1717. OBJECTS:-"For the relief of ministers and churches of the Particular Baptist Denomination in England and Wales; the education of young persons of the same persuasion for the ministry; donations of books to young students and ministers; and for any other charitable purpose (consistent with the general design) which the managers shall approve." Treasurers, WILLIAM LEPARD SMITH, Esq., Denmark Hill. General Baptist Fund. Formed 1726. OBJECTS:-Created in 1726, by the voluntary contributions of several churches and individuals as "a permanent fund for the Education of Students for the ministry among the General Baptists, and for the better support of Necessitous Ministers of that denomination throughout the country." INCOME, 1846-7 £142 2 8 130 17 8 Treasurer, T. W. DUNCH, Esq., 15, Stepney Causeway. Baptist Building Fund. Formed 1824. OBJECT:-"The assistance of congregations of the Particular Baptist Denomination in defraying the expenses of the building, repair, and enlargement of places of worship, after due examination of the propriety of the expenditure, the correctness of the Trust Deeds, and other particulars, showing that the case is deserving of approbation and aid.” Treasurer, JOSEPH FLETCHER, Esq., Union Dock, Limehouse. Secretary, Mr. JOHN EASTTY, 2, Victoria Terrace, Upper Grange Road, London. Solicitor, Mr. WILLIAM H. WATSON, Bouverie Street, Fleet Street. Auditors, Messrs. W. BowsER and N. EASTTY. Collector, Rev. C. WOOLLACOTT, 4, Compton Street East, Brunswick Square. |