gether, he speaks of final apostacy from the truth. A Scotch proverb says, that "apostacy begins at the closet door. A. CAMPBell. The above may be profitable in more ways than one. First, let the disciples remember the following nine items of proof that apostacy has commenced, and shun the indications of each : The Bible read less frequently. Days pass without meditation on the word. Experience less pleasure in the company of the brethren. Finding more fault with the brethren than before. Finding happiness in the company of the world. Infringing upon the Lord's Day for business purposes. Feeling dislike or displeasure when admonished upon these points. Less attention to prayer. By watching these points, the first dawning of a backsliding career will be discovered and destroyed. No one can be wandering from the fold and alive in these particulars. But vigilance on all these items is due from the church to all its members. Especially the pastors of a church must keep a sharp eye on some of these matters, and deal with the earliest indications. Some of the nine are not outwardly manifested, but on these points those who watch for our souls ought often to enquire. And pastors who make no enquiries on such subjects are far from doing their duty. ED. THE PRIMITIVE CHURCHES. The primitive churches were not mere assemblies of men who agreed to meet together once or twice a-week, and to subscribe for the support of an accomplished man who should on these occasions deliver lectures on religion. They were men gathered out of the world by the preaching of the cross, and formed into a society for the promotion of Christ's kingdom in their own souls, and in the world around them. It was not the concern of the ministers or elders only the body of the people were interested in all that was done; and, according to their several abilities and stations, took part in it. Neither were they assemblies of heady, high-minded, contentious people, meeting together to argue on points of doctrine or dicipline, and converting the worship of God into scenes of strife. They spake THE TRUTH, Eph. iv. 14, but it was in love. They observed dicipline : but, like an army of chosen men, it was that they might attack the kingdom of Satan to greater advantage. Happy were it for our churches if we could come to a closer imitation of this model ! A. FULLER. A PERFORMANCE. On Monday the 29th ult., a public tea meeting was held in Bromley chapel, Kent, to commemorate the eleventh anniversary of the ordination of the Rev. G. Perral. Our report states that a thanksgiving service on account of the whole of the debt being paid off was performed. Being anxious to know how these performances should be conducted, we became acquainted with the following particulars. The Rev. T Timpson, of Lewisham presided, and the meeting was opened with singing, reading and prayer. One of the deacons then read a report, showing that the cost for building the chapel which had been paid off amounted to 2,1421, 7s. After this a copy of "Townsend's Chronological arrangement of the Scriptures" was presented to the minister, of course elegantly bound, and at the same time, a Massive Silver Basket, of considerable value was given to Mrs. Perral. Two appropriate hymns written for the occasion were sung, and the company retired with mingled feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Thus we have a full description of a thanksgiving service. We can say nothing of above two thousand pounds being expended in building the chapel, because we know not its size. This we know, that a plain meeting house, fit for every christian purpose could in almost all instances be erected at half the cost. But then it must be adorned, it must be like other places, and thus the very building is dedicated to mammon, and mammon is the object of worship. In the case before us, when the age is one of infidelity, when no religious association of magnitude has been advancing-when poverty is extending, producing to millions suffering and death, for their Reverends to be giving and receiving Massive Silver Baskets is a demonstration that they either never were christians, or they have forgotten the sanctity of their calling, and are playing the harlot with the world. Such men christians! The supposition is an insult to common sense. They must be infidel. They are not ignorant; they write missionary and chapel building appeals-they describe the place and times, and working upon the feelings, cause the christian widow to give her last mite while they move with the age; maintain the necessity of keeping up a certain useless etiquette, and defy the world (which can only be converted by love and self-denial) to dis cover their superiority over other men of moral standing. We should not thus write if this was an unusual incident; so far from this being the case nearly every week brings some new instance. A newspaper now before us contains four cases approaching the same character. The fact is, if crime is to be prevented-if souls are to be saved-if the name of Christ is not to be blasphemed among the worldlings, these doings must be destroyed and an order, such as we have contended for must be substituted. ORIGINAL CHRISTIANITY must be restored. By the original order of things we not only mean the mutual teaching and exhortation of the church with the primitive dicipline in every point; but, the divine life manifested in those who revive these things, so that the form and power may go together. If all the sects were to adopt the precise order of the first churches, and still retain their present love for the things of the world, we should think the change but little worth, they would serve mammon, and therefore not Christ. Mammon, we have said, is a sorcerer as well as a despot; and so powerful is the witchery, that the most ardent devotees suspect not whom they serve. Thus it is with some who are called reformers. They are saved, but not from their selfishness and pride. These present no widow's mite-their contributions strip them of no useless adorning touches not their store reserved for “rainy days" and leaves them strangers to the feelings of those who suffer with those who suffer, and weep with those who weep. Come then! gaze upon the cross-catch its spirit-turn to the world and while its wants are great, its suffering big, strip self; away with the silver baskets of the sphere in which you move, and waste no single cent upon mere indulgences. Thus drinking in the spirit of him who gave himself, you shall haae treasure in heaven, and the end everlasting life. ED, ANNUAL INCOMES. British and Foreign Bible Society, £115,000; Church Missionary Society, £116,000; Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, £95,000; Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, £90,000; Society for Building, Enlarging, and Repairing of Churches and Chapels, £24,000; Church Pastoral Aid Society, £45,000; British and Foreign School Society, £15,000; Religious Tract Society, £57,000; Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, £116,000; London Missionary Society, £75,000; Baptist Missionary Society £28,000; London City Mission, £14,000; Methodist New Connexion Mission, £3,000; Newfoundland Schools Society, £4,000; London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, £28,000; British Society for Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Jews, £2,300; Colonial Church Society, £4,000; Foreign Aid Society, £5,250; Home Missionary Society, £8,000; Irish Evangelical Soeiety, £2,500; Colonial Missionary Society, £2,500; Christian Instruction Society, £600; Indigent Blind Visiting Society, £650; Protestant Association, £1,500; Sunday School Union, £1,600; Adult Deaf and Dumb Institution, £900; British and Foreign Sailors' Society, £1,200; British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, £1,850; Orphan Working School, £12,500; New Infant Orphan Asylum, £2,800; Clergy Orphan Corporation, £4,500; Friends of Foreigners in Distress, £2,500; Trinitarian Bible Society, £1,500.-The respective incomes are calculated upon an average of the last three years, During the years 1847-8, the receipts of nearly all the societies show a decrease as eampared with the preceding year,-a circumstance attributed to monetory pressure. REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION LOUISVILLE, March 14th, 1848, BROTHER CAMPBELL. I would know Dear Sir-Faith in Christ, repentance, and an immersion into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are prerequisites to the forgiveness of sins. if all sins are forgiven on these conditions. Now a case of this kind comes before the preacher. X. Y. Z. became involved in pecuniary difficulties; his securities lost to a considerable amount. Some widows are in the number, and much straitened in their circumstances. X. Y, Z. becomes prosperous, but pays not that which his securities lost. He becomes anxious about his salvation. Will it not be requisite to restore to his securities that which he caused them to lose? In the next place, I would know, whether usury is not near akin to extortion; and whether one who thus grinds the faces of the poor should be retained in the church. As I am at present instructed, I confess I should fear to immerse one who fills the character above described. BROTHER ANDERSON: H. T. ANDerson. BETHANY, Va., March 22d, 1848. My Dear Sir In response to your queries I would say, that, as you and I are taught from the Book of Life faith and repentance are essential to baptism. A profession of both is essential to justify a Christian teacher, in baptizing any applicant; but the possession is essential to the reception of any blessing from the profession. Now, as repentance is more than sorrow for the past, including in its evangelical import reformation of life, any one professing repentance without such reformation, is deceived or a deceiver. Hence he that is baptized on a profession of faith and repentance, and does not amend his ways, cannot enjoy any advantage from it whatever, In other words he was not sincere. Now in the case stated by you, the baptized can have no confidence in himself, who, knowing that he had in his hands the property of others, kept back by fraud, yet refuses to restore it. And if any one has not confidence in |