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of our readers. Not on religious or sabbatarian grounds, for we do not think it right to appeal either to the people or to Parliament on ground the taking of which implies the right of the civil power to legislate in matters of religion: but simply for social and moral reasons, and because the opening of these houses on the Sunday leads to a vast amount of immorality and crime. At Leeds, a petition to Parliament for this object was carried in a meeting of from fifteen to twenty thousand persons. A committee appointed by the House of Commons is, also, making inquiries and receiving evidence on the subject. We are satisfied that if the end of those who are promoting the movement be gained, a vast source of crime will be stopped, and the happiness of the community be greatly increased.

We must not omit to record the opening of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham on the 10th ult. It was opened by the Queen and Prince Albert, surrounded by crowds of nobles, commoners, and people. When fully completed it will be for grandeur unequalled in any country or age, and will furnish opportunity for rational amusement to the masses of our countrymen, such as they never had before. We trust that it will be so directed as to promote at the the same time the interests of morality, and to advance the intelligence and elevation of the community in all respects.

WHITCHURCH, SALOP.

The Baptist Chapel, Whitchurch, Salop, was re-opened after extensive repairs and improvements, on Tuesday, the 23rd of May, when the Rev. J. P. Mursell, of Leicester, preached two sermons; and a tea meeting was held, attended by about three hundred and fifty persons. On the following Sunday, sermons were preached by the Rev. S. Manning, of Frome, and the Rev. R. H. Hare (Wesleyan), of Whitchurch. The chapel and school-room in their improved state seemed to give general satisfaction to the large congregations present at these services; and the proceeds of the collections and tea meeting amounted to one hundred pounds.

INSKIP.

In consequence of the congregation at this place of worship having of late considerably increased, it has been partially closed for a few months whilst alterations have been making for increased accommodation, and other improvements, which being effected, it was re-opened on Thursday last, on which occasion Professor Griffiths, of Accrington, occupied the pulpit. The Rev. J. Compston, of Inskip, and the Rev. J. Crook, of Hebden Bridge, took part in the introductory services. The collections exceeded the most sanguine expectations of all the parties interested in the proceedings.

RUSHDEN, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

On Thursday evening, June 8th, 1854, the public recognition of the Rev. G. Bailey (formerly of Haddenham, Isle of Ely, Cam

bridgeshire) as pastor of the Old Baptist church, Rushden, Northamptonshire, took place, when an address to the pastor and people was delivered by the Rev. J. Peacock, of London (a former pastor of the church), from Galatians v. 13: "By love serve one another." The devotional services were conducted by the Revs. T. Robinson, of Little Stemgleton, Beds, Thos. Baker, B.A., of Bristol College, and J. Whittemore, the late pastor, now of Eynsford, Kent.

PRESTON.

A second Baptist church was formally organized in this town on Tuesday, the 16th May, the Rev. A. Bernie, in accordance with the unanimous wish of the church, being recognised as the pastor. The Rev. J. Dawson, of Liverpool, delivered an address on the nature and constitution of a christian church. The Rev. G. Mitchell, of Bacup, addressed the pastor and people on their respective duties, after which the ordinance of the Lord's supper was administered. The church numbers seventy-seven members, and has great hopes of prosperity.

BOTESDALE, SUFFOLK.

The congregations at this place having of late increased, it was felt necessary to have enlarged accommodation for them by the erection of a gallery in the place of worship. Services were held in connection with the opening of it on the 21st and 22nd of May, when sermons were preached by the Revs. D. Rees, of Braintree, C. Elven, of Bury St. Edmunds, and Isaac Lord, of Ipswich; and the brethren, J. P. Lewis, of Diss, J. Upton, of Renninghall, and W. Warren (Independent), also took part in the services.

NEW MILL, TRING, HERTS.

On Whit-Tuesday, June 6th, 1854, the Rev. J. S. Warren was publicly recognized as pastor over the Baptist church at New Mill, after having laboured acceptably nearly a year and a half among the people. The Revs. E. Davis, of High Wycombe, W. Payne, of Chesham, W. Payne, Senr., and J. T. Wigner, of Lynn Regis, took part in the service. In the evening the friends took tea together, and a meeting was afterwards held, which was addressed by the Revs. W. Payne, W. Wood, E. Davis, and J. T. Wigner.

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THE CHURCH.

"Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone."-Eph. ii. 20.

AUGUST, 1854.

PETER AND JUDAS.

BY DR. F. A. G. THOLUCK. *

"A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked shall fall into mischief."-Prov. xxiv. 16.

"And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly."-Luke xxii. 61, 62.

"Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood."-Matt. xxvii. 3, 4.

In the christian life, the sun is often enveloped in mourning, and its pro gress lies through storms and tempests; but we have in the Holy Scriptures the most striking exemplifications of the truth, that we may fall, but not to our utter confusion, if only we know how we can be raised up again, and that it is to the most feeble of his children and the faithful hand of the Lord is especially turned. How many who are deplorably fallen, have drawn from Peter's example strength to rise up again. What a mighty and gracious blessing has God imparted to us, in preserving for us this portion of Peter's history.

He who has a nature like Peter's in the morning weak, in the evening bold, to-day flaming, to-morrow cold-may well despair, at first sight, of the possibility of God's forming a temple for his glory from such sorry materials. Yet it was to none but Peter that the Lord addressed these words: "Thou art Peter,+ and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Wonderful, indeed. Nor would we wonder the less did we know what poor materials the Lord possessed in the hearts of the rest of his disciples. How feeble their capacity for acquiring knowledge, or of understanding the plainest words of our Lord; and in their hearts how much impurity had grace to struggle with, the faithlessness of a Thomas, for instance, and the impure fire of a John. But there is one thing to be observed, they were children, and something can be made of children, children can be trained. And hence, notwithstanding all their spiritual poverty, their Lord was so certain of the result, that he could rejoice and praise his Father in heaven, saying, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."

I have often met with those who could not conceive how a man like Peter, after such words as these,-" Lord, whither shall we go? thou hast

*From "Stunden Christlicher Andacht."

VOL. VIII.

†The name signifies a rock.

I

the words of eternal life,"-could deny his Master, and swear, "I know not the man.'

Ah,

"Wind and weather have over night

Touched many a flower with a withering blight!"

If once a man fall, of course the whole world will run him down. But how do we estimate a false word? If that wall be once thrown down which should stand for ever between the christian heart and falsehood,— if between truth on the one hand, and falsehood on the other, what are called necessary lies can be allowed to introduce themselves, and if these can glide over the lips almost as freely as words of truth, what reason have we to think that in the hour of danger and trial many of those who now boast with Peter, "Although all be offended, yet will I never be offended," ,"* would not have fallen as that disciple fell?

But if none of us would have fallen on that night as Peter fell, how many of us, do we suppose, would have been found standing by his side when he testified in the very face of the judges of the crucified Jesus, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him "?+ How many would have continued at his side when he willingly received the stripes, and went forth from the council, "rejoicing that he was counted worthy to suffer shame for his sake "?÷ When his Saviour was dying on the cross, he was amongst the cowards; but when he was to verify the Saviour's words,-" Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me AFTERWARDS," henceforth we find him not among the cowards; henceforth we find him a witness of the suff Tugs of Christ; henceforth we find him following his Saviour indeed, röllowing him to the pillory and to shame, and at last entering upon a participation in his Saviour's cross. And how many of us who stand by and accuse him, would have followed? No, Peter, thou knewest what thou saidst when thou spakest to thy Saviour thus: 66 Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee."

In what more consolatory manner could this great truth have been presented to timid hearts, wavering still between heaven and earth,— our good Lord maketh his strength perfect in weakness? How often have I, when I felt my hands feeble and my knees weary, when I staggered hither and thither with uncertain steps, when I sighed, "Oh, shall the twilight never vanish, and I find entrance into the perfect light!"-how often have I, a fallen child, arisen by Peter's example!

Verily, it must have been long indeed before he was thoroughly imbued with the Spirit of the Saviour. Even after he had preached Christ, not only are we told that the new man Peter had to strive with the old, but that the old man was often victorious. When those zealous for the law came down from Jerusalem, he was afraid to eat any longer with his brethren contrary to the law. In this respect he feared man more than God; he acted contrary to his better knowledge, and for this he was reproved by his brother Paul. That the fear of man could conquer the better knowledge of an apostle, was shameful in the highest degree; but while it saddens us deeply to think of the greatness of human weakness, it leads us with still greater self-distrust to exclaim, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall," and to renounce all confidence in one's own strength. At the same time we have in this no small testimony † Acts iv. 19; v. 29-32.

* Matt. xxvi. 33.

Acts v. 41.

to the fact, that much grace and not a little weakness may co-exist for a long time in the human heart; while this testimony is enhanced by the reflection, that it was this very Peter who laid at Pentecost the first foundations of the christian church, who took joyfully scourgings and revilings for the name of Jesus, and who ultimately followed his Lord even to the cross. Patience, therefore, thou weak heart of mine,--patience with thyself, seeing God has so much long-suffering with thee!

But how has this child, who has so often fallen, been always raised up again? He fell but he never let go the hand which sustained him, and it was this hand which lifted him up again! The disciple spake no doubtful truth when he once said, "Whither shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life;" and again when he said, "Lord, thou knowest that I love thee;" and, therefore, no sooner did he fall than the tears of penitence sprung forth, and from these penitential tears, invigorated love. How beautifully is this depicted in the narrative of his denial. He was yet standing by the fire in the court of the high priest, when the doors of the inner apartment opened, and the Saviour stepped forth from the judicial examination. The cock crowed twice; "and the Lord turned to Peter, and Peter thought on the words of the Lord, which he said, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly." These tears were certainly bitter, and burning as aqua fortis; but just for that very reason they burnt out the blood-spots of his denial. Oh, that Judas could have wept such tears! Perhaps it was at this very time that he went to the high priests, and said, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood;" even then, perhaps, there was time to seek the Saviour of sinners himself. Oh, Judas, why wentest thou to those cold-hearted hypocrites, who flung thee back thy money with a "What is that to us? see thou to that"? Why didst thou not hasten to Him whose innocent blood thou hadst betrayed, and raise, even beneath the cross, thy hands in supplication? True, those arms, which were ever stretched forth to every seeking sinner, were now nailed upon the cross; but most assuredly those lips would not have said to thee, "See thou to that!" If he could no more stretch forth his arms to thee, would not his broken-hearted look at least have spoken forgiveness? But in that heart there was neither love nor faith! Severe, indeed, were the words pronounced over his betrayer by the meek and gentle Lamb of God: "The Son of Man goeth as it is written of him; but woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed; it had been good for that man that he had not been born."*

Have ye, who stumble at these words, ever cast a glance into the night of a human heart, in which the power to believe and to love has been lost? Have ye ever pierced into the black night of that heart in which avarice has torn up the roots of faith and love? A few lines is all that the Scripture gives to the detail of the black deed of treachery; but I think they are enough to account for that final fall on which there followed no recovery. "Judas was a thief, and had the bag, and+ bore what was put therein." And when the love of the young disciple, forgetting self, brought a sacrifice far exceeding her means, the thief steps forward in the guise of a friend to the poor, and says, Why was this waste? "why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"§ I think these few statements are sufficient to give us a glance into the night of Judas's heart. If Judas was at any period a godly man, it must have been with only half his heart; exemplifying

*Matt. xxvi. 24.

+ Or, perhaps, "took away from it what was given."
John xii. 6. § John xii.5.

the proverb, "He who is only half God's, is wholly the devil's." The lust of money is, in truth, a worse vice than almost any other; its poison kills every living affection,-it withers the soul. What must have been the inward state of that man, who could be constantly at the feet of Jesus, and be at the same time a thief of the money destined for the poor; who, beneath the eye of Jesus, could pretend to love the poor, and think the while only of his own advantage? Could there have been any communion with God, or any sincerity in prayer? Impossible. He who could act the hypocrite before Jesus' eyes, must have been a very hypocrite in the sight of God. Had there been one spark of love in that heart, how could it have risen in treachery at that very time when he who came from God, and was to return to God, arose to wash the disciples' feet, and even knelt down before a Judas? But no call of love could wake an echo in that heart; it was dead-dead as the metal for which it had sold itself. It is written, "When he had taken the sop, he went out; and it was night;" and as it was without, so it was within, his soul. Having ceased to guide himself in his daily walk by the hand of God-he fell; the divine hand held him not, and, therefore, he could not raise himself again after his fall. It is written, indeed, that Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself. But, unlike the repentance of Peter, this was a repentance without tears. It was the repentance of fear, not of contrition; the repentance which dreads punishment, not the repentance which would willingly suffer every punishment, if it could but retrieve the deed.

Consequently, he feared to meet God's face. Here the eye of God looked at him through his conscience, and because he could escape from conscience, he thought he could escape the eye of God!

Oh, threefold woe of the guilty one, to whom there remains only remorse, a repentance without tears! A tearless repentance seizes hold of the flesh and bones of a man, and consumes him like fire, and when it is burned up

SELF-MURDER, too often the last convulsive effort of a storm which has raged for years through the bodily frame ! Where it reveals its own peculiar nature, suicide is but the topstone of a life-long slavery to sin, in which the sinner springs into its opened jaws, merely because, over mountains and valleys, weary and worn, he has been lashed on by sin to this brink, where the last deed of his life is the culminating point of his sin, and in which he dies. Can there be ought more horrible than self-murder?

My Father and my God, one thing would I entreat: if in my great weakness I fall, O give me true contrition in my heart, and let not my repentance be without tears! Lo, I can say with Peter, "If thou takest me not up, I know not where to go." I can say with Peter, "Lord, I know, though I should fall ten times a day, yet, nevertheless, I love thee." Fall, I may; but thy hand I never will let go. And if I leave it not, thou wilt not let me lie in the dust, but wilt lift me up again; and when thou shalt have humbled me by all my stumblings, so that I wholly renounce dependence on myself, and seek my strength, my consolation, all in thee, then the hour will come when I shall no more tread with uncertain steps, but shall walk for ever in uprightness of heart before thy face!

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