by which you manifest the concern | belonged; and besides perceiving you take in our little flocks in the the errors that were spread abroad North of France. For this reason in doctrine, in sentiment, and in I hasten to write to you, and to discipline, and that this church give you as exactly as possible the was any thing but christian; they information which you request. determined to form a church on the foundation and plan of the apostles. The beloved M. Pyt aided them in their resolutions, but left too soon. They had, at first, no pastor; only those who

There are, as you have been told, six churches in the department of the north, whose only desire it is to be perfectly conformed to the primitive churches, founded by the apostles of the Lord. They had received more light and more have no other hope, and no other gifts, devoted themselves to exhorconfidence than in the propitiatory tation, to teaching, and even to the victim, given by the Father in administration of the holy supper. Jesus his well beloved Son, sacri- In this state of things, seeing that ficed for the ransom of the guilty; a door was opened in these parts, no other discipline than that of the M. Pyt employed our brethren word of God; no other head than J. B. Ladam and Ubald Wacquier, Christ their Lord and Saviour; and to distribute the book of life in they baptize with water believers the villages of the department, and ouly, by immersion, and not accord to proclaim the Saviour to every ing to the custom of sprinkling-one willing to hear. not receiving infants to baptism.

One of these churches is situated at Nomain, near Orchies, one at Aix, near Nomain, one at Lannoy, near Lille, one at Baisieux, at the distance of a league from Lannoy, one at Saulzoir, near Valenciennes, and one at Reumont, near Cambresy. There is also a church at St. Vast, near Guievy, which I forgot, making seven.

It is not necessary to inform you how many methods Šatan employed to check the free progress of the Gospel, and to discourage those who were newly converted. The government, prejudiced by the pastors of the French church, wished to scatter them, but in vain; they were the objects of contempt, raillery, derision, and even of public hatred; but so far from being intimidated, they were emboldened, and saw only in the conduct of their adversaries an exact fulfilment of the words of their divine Master and Saviour.

With regard to their origin, I will begin with that of Nomain; for that was, if I may so express it, the fire whence it pleased the Lord to take many a spark to kindle the flame in the various places It was about eighteen months where churches now exist. This after the rise of this church, that church is the fruit of the evangeli- it pleased the Lord to draw me cal labours of the Rev. M. Pyt, from my reprobate state, as though minister of the Holy Gospel at he snatched a brand from the fire Bayonne; it took its rise from a that consumed it, and for this Protestant church fallen into de-purpose made use of dear Ubald cay, as many of the churches of Wacquier and Ladam. I had been France were at that time. Some having been affected with the word truth, and acknowledging the difference between the primitive churches and that to which they

seven years a Roman Catholic in a village in a small district of Nomain, and it was then I heard, for the first time, the Gospel of peace. I need not here give you a detail

of my conversion, but merely say, that about two years afterwards the question arose respecting the organization of this church of which I was pastor.

The two brethren, Wacquier and Ladam, having been interdicted from continuing their vocation of (Bible) hawkers, being encouraged by the Continental Society, devoted themselves to the preaching of the Gospel, both to Catholics and Protestants. It was through their ministry that the believers at Saulzoir were united into a church, part of whom were also the fruit of M. Pyt's labours.

Brother Ladam went to preach the Gospel at Reumont, and at the end of about two years a church was organized there; now, not the least flourishing in the north, but on the contrary, it is one of the most interesting for its zeal and for the number of its members. This church, like that of Saulzoir, derived its origin from the Protestant Church. During this period brother Wacquier visited and preached the Gospel in the various churches of M. Calany, in the department of L'aime; among others at Parfonderal, at Landouzy, and at St. Richomont, where there are many Christians, and some of them Baptists, but are not organized into a particular church. Afterwards brother Ladam and brother Wacquier preached the Gospel at St. Vast, where a Catholic family was converted to the Lord; and to this family have been added other Catholics, and many Protestants from Quiery; so that a church has existed there about a year.

my abode with a Protestant of the
latter place. At that time I had
leisure in the evenings, and preach-
ed the Gospel to all the Protest-
ants who were willing to frequent
our little daily meetings, for they
were almost every day; but it was
seldom that we could finish the
evening without having some dis-
cussions on the fundamental points
of salvation, such as justification
by faith alone, the free gift of the
grace of God, the total depravity
of the human heart, regeneration,
election, the sanctification of the
Holy Spirit, &c. I was also very
often attacked on the subject of
baptism, and the holy supper.
This continued for about a year
without any thing seeming to re-
sult; but at the end of that time,
I discovered with joy, that there
were some who loved the truth.

*

Up to this period, I returned every Saturday to spend the Sunday at Nomain; but at length, seeing a door was opened at Lannoy, we determined that I should spend one Sunday at Nomain and one at Lannoy, which I did; and with the consent of M. de Felice, pastor of that church, I established among them three meetings in the Temple; one on the Wednesday of each week, and two on the Sunday; one in the morning before the usual service, and one in the afternoon. In these meetings on the Sunday, I had verses of Scripture repeated, which I had given out for meditation during the week, and each one stated what he understood by them. This method continued about nine months, and I can say truly, that this kind of meeting has produced, under the blessing of the Lord, the At this time (it is now five years happiest results, so that the hearers ago) I was led by my secular vo- increase and strengthen in the cation, on which I entirely depend knowledge of the truth. After for a livelihood, to Boubaix, a some time, many of those who had town about three quarters of a * The term usually applied in France to league from Lannoy. I took up the Protestant places of worship.

believed, perceived the disorders | tunity. In this manner, being which prevailed in this church, fixed at Lannoy, I have continuand on Christmas-day in particu-ed to preach the gospel there, lar, when the pastor distributed aided by some brethren who are the supper, those who had been best able to do so; and as some of awakened, manifested their disap- them make excursions from time probation by not approaching the to time into the neighbouring viltable; upon which the pastor ex- lages to preach the gospel, this claimed with a loud voice from the church is almost doubled; and it pulpit, that they were sectaries, was not till after an interval of a year schismatics, mystics, &c. One and a half, that is, from the time of of the readers being a converted leaving the national temple, that man, suppressed the formularies of we were organized into a church. prayer, in order to pray extempo- The church of Baissieux is comraneously, and for sermons that posed of some Protestant families, were not evangelical substituted who also belonged to the national some that were; so that real be- congregation at Lannoy, and when lievers were at the point of di- the disturbance broke out with the recting the worship without any believers at Lannoy they declared interference of the worldly people, themselves more openly for the goswhen M. de Felice, being indig-pel, and then only sought for the nant at this, wrote against us to means of assembling together. As the prefect, in consequence of I was very much engaged with the which a prohibition was issued believers at Lannoy, the brethren under pain of forfeiture against Ladam and Ubald Wacquier beany individual who should fulfil any function in the church without an authority in writing from the pastor. The pious, seeing them selves deprived of their greatest means of edification, were constrained to withdraw from the multitude to unite together and edify each other. In this state of things, I married, and took up my residence at Nomain; and as I was forced to go to Boubaix, to improve my business, and being also unable to be as useful in the church of Nomain as I could have desired, whilst I was only at these places every fifteen days and that merely on Sunday, and moreover, perceiving how essentially useful I might be to the brethren at Lannoy, we determined, my wife and myself, to fix our dwelling there; to which the church of Nomain encouraged us, conceiving it was most advantageous for the general good. I continue to pay them a visit whenever I can snatch an oppor

stowed all their attention on the establishment of this church, and met there. After some months it was organized; I served it, and administered the holy supper every three weeks. A few Catholics have joined them.

The church of Aix, near Nomain, consists of Protestants who composed part of the national congregation of Nomain, and who were led by the Baptists of that place to the knowledge of the truth about two years ago. This church is not yet organized, the sacraments not being at present administered, nor any pastor chosen, only that some of the brethren, a little more gifted and pious, hold meetings together.

Such then, my dear brother, is the origin of the churches of the north, so far as I am acquainted with it. I have said more about that of Lannoy, because every thing passed under my own eyes.

With regard to the progress of

these churches, they are tolerably a chapter in a day, being superinsuccessful, though not so remark-tendant of 40 persons, for whom I ably so as could be wished: alto- am responsible, and having to argether, they are generally speaking increased one-half since their foundation, and I can assure you, that not a month passes, in which one or another of them does not reckon new converts. They have more over made great progress in knowledge; but I ought to say, we do not advance so much in love and holiness; still we are not entirely discouraged, and hope that He who has begun the good work, will complete it.

range my cotton weaving. All this occupies my whole time in such a manner, that I can scarcely dispose of one quarter of an hour for meditation. Judge then, dear brother, of my situation, how often I am barren and wretched; and how little inclination for going to nourish others on the Sunday. O could I but enjoy my evenings; but so far from it I labour till ten, and then, overcome with fatigue, I am little disposed to meditation. I have The spiritual condition of these been earnestly praying the Lord for churches is in some respects fa- these three years since I have been vourable, in others unfavourable. occupied in this manner, that he They enjoy the advantage of being would condescend to relieve me free, and able mutually to exhort, speedily from this slavery, and encourage, and edify one another. afford me the means of being useThey are delivered from every hu- ful to his church; and I hope this man yoke, and are perfectly at rest desired moment will arrive, for he with regard to the civil authorities. knows that it is the desire to gloBut the worst of it is, that the pas-rify him, that has induced me to tors who serve these churches are act as I have done: I trust thereall obliged by their temporal cir- fore, that he will devise the means cumstances, to employ their whole of fulfilling the wish of his servants, time in gaining a subsistence, and and that of his church. not one of them is able, without injury to his family, to spend a single day in visiting the families of his people to ascertain the state of each. And not only can they not visit, but what is still worse, they cannot study the word of God; and I know by my own experience how With regard to the temporal condistressing and painful it is to be dition of these churches, it is by no absorbed by the various concerns of means comfortable; on the contrary, life without the means of disengag- if that of Nomain is excepted, ing oneself, and being delivered up where there are some good farmers to all the anxieties that such a vo- who live at ease, all the other Chriscation imposes. I have no difficul- tians are in the departments of cotty in living, for my secular calling ton weaving, who, in consequence furnishes what is sufficient for the of the bad state of commerce, cansupport of my family, and I could not gain a living; for their earnings. even be at leisure one day in the are reduced one-half; so that it is week and maintain it; yet I may almost impossible to tax themselves tell you, that among all my bre- to aid their teachers. thren, no one is more of a slave Such, my very dear brother, is than myself. I can scarcely read the state of the churches in the

There are, in each of the churches, children in part poor, who are destitute of elementary education, having no other instruction than the Sunday school, which each pastor conducts if he can devote the time.

concern. The very desire of a revival is a hopeful sign. Where this is ardently experienced in the bosom of an individual, the blessing has, in some good degree, been obtained. And where churches are conscious of great and increasing concern for the extension of the Gospel, that very concern is a pledge that they shall assuredly realize the good which they seek.

north, so far as I am acquainted | the diffusion of true religion, should, with them; but as I have not had in every period of life and of time, leisure for the last three years to be matters of real and heartfelt visit either Saulzoir, Reumont or St. Vast, I cannot give you much information about them. I visit Nomain and Aix every three months, as they are only at the distance of a quarter of a league. These churches go on well. On the Monday of Whitsun-week I baptized at Nomain; and as a degree of indifference prevailed on this subject, I strenuously insisted on this commandment of our Lord. Since then Seasons of humiliation and prayer I have had the pleasure of baptizing are always beneficial to ourselves, ten persons from Lannoy and the and of course, in many points of neighbourhood. I conclude by re-view, to those who are around us; commending each of these little churches to your earnest prayers; and I entreat you to write to me. I shall always receive your counsels and encouragements with the greatest joy and gratitude. I trust" reaching towards the things that you will pardon any deficiencies of are before." There is yet very style, and consider that I have much land to be possessed;" there had no other opportunity of study are yet " heights and depths, and than meditation at the feet of the lengths and breadths" of that love, Saviour. which even the angels desire more fully to investigate, which are yet unknown to us.

I am, in the bonds of our common Master and Saviour, your servant and brother in Christ, DUSART, Pastor.

ON THE Revival of RELIGION.
In a Letter to a Friend.

for those who are thus blessed, become a blessing. And no one should be satisfied with his present knowledge or attainments in godliness. We should be always

It does, however, appear to me, my dear friend, from the Essays, Papers, and Sermons which I have seen on this subject, and with which on the whole, I have been much gratiMY DEAR FRIEND, fied, that there is some danger, lest It is pleasing to observe, that the what God has really done for his minds of real Christians are gene-church, should be overlooked and rally awakening to the importance forgotten. Surely this ought not of seeking after greater measures to be the case. God's great merof divine influence. A Revival cies to his British Israel ought not of Religion, Mr. James very pro- to be buried in forgetfulness, or perly remarks, in the January lost sight of amidst our humiliation Number of the Evangelical Ma- and complaints. Surely we ought gazine, means an increase in the to shun even the appearance of harnumber and in the piety of the monizing with the characters so righteous." To attain these great deservedly censured by the proobjects must, therefore, be the phet, who "regard not the work duty of the followers of the Lord of the Lord, neither consider the Jesus at all times. Their personal operation of his hands." Ought improvement in vital godliness, and we not rather, on the contrary,