ZION CHAPEL, DARTFORD.-On February | preached to a throng of people a sound and an 16th, the friends worshipping here were favored experimental discourse. In the evening, the with a visit from that highly honored servant chapel was overflowing, and the preacher, of Christ, Mr. Foreman, who preached an (C. W. B.,) poured us out a warm address from unctuous sermon from Dan. iv. 35-" None the words "Zion shall be redeemed with can stay his hand:" on which occasion many judgment." And on the following Lord's-day, friends from neighboring causes were present, he gave us three more sermons. Thus conincluding several ministers, among whom were cluded our third, and not least, interesting and Mr. Stringer, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Collins, and soul-reviving anniversary; leaving, as we others. 180 friends sat down to tea. On Good- trust, upon our minds, and the minds of many Friday, April 10th, a social tea meeting was of the Lord's people, deep and abiding im held, when Mr. Stringer preached in the after- pressions of the abundant cause we have for noon; and in the evening addresses were deli- thankfulness to the Great Head of the Church vered by Mr. Nichols and Mr. Neville. Mr. for directing the steps of our respected and Collins, offered prayer: this was also a refresh- highly esteemed pastor, Mr. W. Day, to this ing season from the presence of the Lord. The place, for the success which has attended his chair was taken by Mr. H. Hall, who has been ministrations amongst us; for the visits of laboring here for these eight months past, Christian ministers on former, as well as on during which time the cause has experienced the present, occasion; together with the peace a revival. The congregation has gradually and unity which is still among us as a church increased nine persons have been added to and people. To his dear name be all the the church. The Sabbath-school has also in- glory.-B. R. B. creased its numbers. A library for the children, and a Tract Society, have also been established. Under these circumstances, our brother has not seen his way clear to refuse the unanimous request of the church to labor statedly among them, but he has prayerfully acceded to their request, subject to the blessing of the Lord continuing to rest on his ministrations. Our brother is one of the old school in doctrine, and possesses a thorough missionary spirit. Well wishers of Zion, let this cause have an interest in your breathings before the throne.

BAPTIST CHAPEL, KINGSTON-ON-THAMES. -(From a Correspondent.)-Here God is working under the instrumentality of Mr. T. W. Medhurst, who has accepted the unanimous invitation of the church to supply their pulpit for 12 months. On Lord's-day, January 25th, nine were baptized; on Lord's-day, February 22nd, four; on Monday, the 23rd, six; Lord's-day, March 22nd, two; and on Monday, 23rd, four. On Monday, March 16th, the young members of the Bible Class presented Mr. T. W. Medhurst with a handsome pulpit bible and pencil case. To God be all the glory given, for he alone is the Author of good. The following is the substance of a sermon preached by our young brother. And as some have doubted the soundness of his faith, many wish it to be inserted.-Your's, in Christ, NEOPHYTE.

[We are compelled to keep the sermon until next month. Our little VESSEL is not large enough for the desires of our friends. ED.] SAXMUNDHAM. (From a Correspondent.) -In the small market town of Saxmundham, in the county of Suffolk, on Friday, the 10th of April, 1857, a scene, peculiarly interesting to the Christian observer, presented itself in the gathering together of the friends connected with the Baptist Church and congregation in this place, to celebrate the third anniversary of the formation of the church, on which occasion their esteemed friend, Mr. C. W. Banks, of London, favoured them with his usual annual visit; and after uniting with the assembly in fervent prayer and songs of praise, proceeded to deliver the message of his Master to a crowded audience that had assembled together to hear what the Lord would speak. In the afternoon, Mr. Gooding, of Halesworth,

HAVERHILL.-Mr. Editor,-For the information of your readers, and, I hope, the comfort of the Lord's people, I desire to record his goodness. A bill was put into my hand, announcing that on Good-Friday Mr. Wilson, of Saffron Walden, would preach at Haverhill morning and evening, and Mr. Pells in the afternoon: by the good hand of God, I was helped to go. I found the chapel a nice little place: it would have done your heart good to see the people flock to the sanctuary. Mr. Wilson spoke from-" And there they preached the gospel." He gave a clear testimony; many were blest. Mr. Wilson is, in my estimation, an able minister of the gospel of God; by grace he reflects much of the image of his Lord and Master; a very essential trait in ministers, but rarely to be seen. Mr. Pells came up in the afternoon, and gave us a very elaborate discourse from-"I have a baptism," &c., &c. He spoke truthfully and solemnly of the sufferings of Christ. I understood he is ministering at Clare, with some degree of success. There are some lambs bleating round the fold, and have bleated so loud, the church is of one mind to let them in through the ordinance of baptism; the only Scriptural entrance to the church of God. After tea, Mr. Wilson came up as a giant refreshed with wine, and spoke to a crowded congregation from Acts ii. 18. It was a most able, decided, clean, and solemn discourse. I hope it will be manifested that on that day there was bread cast upon the waters, to be found after many days. It was a Good-Friday to many. I hope it will prove a blessing to the cause of truth. There were several ministers. I understood that a Mr. Lay is the honored instrument (in the Lord's hand) of raising this cause it was very low. He has procured possession of the chapel, and it is invested in trust; and, by so doing, he has expended about £40, with an original debt of £30: making £70 debt altogether. I think it lays heavy upon him, especially as he is an afflicted man. Perhaps there are some who read this will think of him, and help him : ever so little will be thankfully received. Mr. Lay, with his beloved partner, came from Mr. Chislett's church, in London. Could not they help their offspring in time of need? Perhaps they will try. OBSERVER.

The Golden Bell and the Pomegranate.

OR,

THE JOY AND THE HEALING OF THE LORD'S PEOPLE. AN HOMILY FOR "THE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS."

Ir is quite certain that the tabernacle was free; and as our father Jacob said of one of made by Divine instructions; for said Jehovah his sons, so may it be said of us—“ Naphtali to Moses, "See that thou make all things is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly according to the pattern showed to thee in the words." There go the Babylonians, a numermount." And is it really so? Yes, really ous host, with their brass bell, which in 80. God, when he was with Moses on the appearance they have made to resemble, as Mount Sinai, showed him the plan of the near as possible, the golden bell of Israel; tabernacle; and so perfectly, and powerfully, and so well have they imitated it, that they impressed it upon his mind, that it was, when are deceiving, and taking captives, many of finished, all that he designed it should be. our nation. These Babylonians are very The offerings, the services, and the priesthood learned and elegant, and facinating; and, were all of God; and it is scarcely necessary withal, so clever at ringing their beautiful to state that Aaron, in his beautiful and brass bell, that it is often taken by Zion's "holy garments," was a brilliant type of the "little children," to be their own golden "High Priest of our profession-Christ bell. But we know them, and their brass Jesus." Of the garments worn by Aaron, bell too, having, in the days of our childhood, one was a long blue robe, called "the robe of been bound hand and foot, and carried away the ephod;" and there were "beneath, upon captive by them. God, however, hath dethe hem of it, pomegranates (artificial, of livered us out of their hands; and we know course,) of blue, and of purple, and of he will deliver all his people out of their scarlet; and bells of gold between them snare, though he suffer them to entangle, and round about. A golden bell and a pomegra- trouble, them for a season. But, now, who, nate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon and what see we? A multitude that we canthe hem of the robe round about." How not number, running to and fro in the earth many bells and pomegranates there were it is with their silver bell, ringing it upon every not for us to say. Some have supposed there hill, and in every valley-in every village, were twelve of each, which would be a bell town, and city, throughout the world. Some and pomegranate for each of the tribes of of them are dressed in white surplices, and Israel. Others have said there were seventy some of them in black surplices, and all of of each, according to the number of the them look as demure as possible. In their elders of Israel, which would be a bell and garments and manners they are alike; yet pomegranate for each of them. These, how- they are called by different names, such as ever, are mere conjectures; and as the Spirit Catholics, Puseyites, Churchmen, &c. has not given us the number, it is our wisdom will, however, unmask them, and give you to be silent, seeing it is not at all essential for their real name and character. They, are, us to know. We come now to the subject of then, Romanists; and all of them (we adthis address; and shall explain, first, the bell, mit an exception, say "one among a thouand then the pomegranate. "A golden sand,") enemies of the King of Israel, perbell and a pomegranate." We will, first, verters of his Gospel, and deceivers of the treat of the bell, which has been ordained of people; and they are so skilful, and cunning, God for gathering and leading Zion's sons in their movements, that they would, "if and daughters, all of whom must hear, and it were possible, deceive the very elect," for know, and rejoice in, its clear and full sound. whose peace and security he is responsible. Now, mark, men and brethren, it is not an iron bell; it is not a brass bell; neither is it a silver bell. These may be cast in the devil's foundry, and that they are very numerous it is evident, for wherever we go we are teased with their cracked and uncertain sounds. There are the Egyptians, with their iron bell, who would make us their slaves, and starve and work us to death; but, God be thanked, though we have been in bondage we are now at liberty. Jesus hath made us VOL. XIII.-No. 148.

We

We will now leave the iron bell of Egypt, the brass bell of Babylon, and the silver bell of Rome, and have a peal on the golden bell of Jerusalem, whose certain and "joyful sound," greatly delights her ministers and people.

By the golden bell we are to understand the gospel-the clear, the full, the precious, gospel of God. "But there be some who trouble you, and would pervert the gospel. But though we, or an angel from heaven,

H

being led captives by him at his will. How read we? The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." And again we read "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then, they who are in the flesh (whatever they may do) cannot please God." Thus the word of God fruitfully describes the state we are in by nature; and, because of this, it is the most valuable. 'Tis the golden bell, or the gospel, that "brings life and immortality to light." It proclaims the "way, the truth, and the life." It proclaims the everlasting love and mercy of the Great Father in electing, and ordaining unto eternal life, a multitude which no man can number." It proclaims the great Surety, who receives them of the Father, paid down, in obedience and blood, the price of their redemption; and is responsible to bring them all to heaven, and deliver them up to him in the last day, It is the gospel that declares the will of the great Spirit to gather, to teach, to defend, to comfort, and to lead to glory, all the elect for whom Jesus died, rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession." It is the gospel that declares the eternal love, the eternal choice, the eternal covenant, the eternal redemption, the eternal righteousness, and the eternal glory. In the gospel we read of the "all spiritual blessings in Christ" of the "sure mercies of David:" of the all things which are for the believers; namely, "riches of grace" in time, and "riches of glory" in eternity. Put all these things together, dear saints, and then you have another reason to rejoice in the gospel. What are the doctrines of men to the doctrines of God? Nothing. Truly, in comparison with the golden bell, all others are but iron, brass, and silver. As the light of a candle is to the light of the sun, as time is to eternity, as earth is to heaven, so are the book of men to the Book of God. This is gold; and only gold. We do not lightly esteem the writing of great and good men : they are valuable; and the more they resemble the gospel of God the more valuable they are; yet we say, the golden bell, the golden bell, there is none like it, for it is the most valuable of all. Thanks be unto God for this great gift, this good, this invaluable gift.

preach any other gospel unto you than that | ren of wrath, and the servants of the devil, which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." And accursed he shall be, as sure as he's a man, when the Lord shall come. The sound of the golden bell (the word of God) is mighty in its declarations concerning the ungodly. We give an example or two. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Again," Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." These are heavy words, and will, most certainly, be fulfilled. The sound of the golden bell is clear and decisive. It divides the seed of the woman from the seed of the serpent. It separates the elect from the reprobate. It severs the righteous from the unrighteous. It removes the precious from the vile. It takes out the saints from among the sinners. It gives a certain sound; and in this it is distinguished by Christ's sheep, from the uncertain sounds of the bells of iron, of brass, and of silver, with which the goats are so delighted, and so easily led. Do you seek for a proof? here it is; and it's unanswerable, too: "And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not (will not have) the voice of strangers." The hirelings, with their bells of iron, of brass, and of silver, may and do greatly delight the goats, that run after them in flocks, and prick up their ears at what they call," sounds of thunder which break the hearts of stone;" and "solemn warnings which awake and alarm the dead!" and, not unfrequently, "silver tongues, which win the fashionable and polite." The sheep, however, must be led by the clear, and certain, sounds of the golden bell; and by these only. Therefore the shepherds of the "Chief Shepherd" will ring this bell; (preach the gospel) and the sheep, who know its sound, will follow them into green pastures, " from which all the hirelings and goats are eternally excluded. The golden bell, in addition to being the most weighty, is the most valuable. Gold is the most valuable of all metals: the word of God is the most valuable of all books. The word of God asserts that all men are immaterial, and will live for ever, in happi- The golden bell is also the most durable. ness or woe. It asserts that they are fallen It never wears out, never decays, never and depraved; and that, unless born of the changes. Fire cannot destroy it. Let it Spirit, they cannot enjoy God in this world, be cast into the fire, and tried never nor in the world to come. It assert that all so much, it will lose nothing; the fiery men, in their first estate, are enemies to God; ordeal will tend only to reveal its strength that their carnal minds hate his laws and and purity. So it is with gold, and so ways; that they are in love with sin, child-it is with the Bible. Time has tried it.

the "

Age after age has rolled away; change after change has taken place; destruction after destruction has impaired and wasted; yet the Word of our God is the same. It is as clear, as full, as solid, as perfect, as ever; and onward to the end of time it shall endure, and be, what it now is, a light carried by the Spirit to lead, defend, and comfort all who believe. Kingdoms great and mighty have been built up and thrown down; cities of strength and glory have been founded and overturned; some have been turned to ashes; some have been swept away with overflowing floods; and some have been thrown down and swallowed up by earthquakes, and divers other calamities, their treasures and their people alike perishing with them. But the Bible has survived unhurt, untarnished. True, it has several times been in imminent danger, and seemed ready to perish. It did not perish; neither is it possible that it can perish. It is like Him from whom it came-indestructible. To destroy the gospel, earth and hell have combined; men and devils have united; but he who wrote it, and purposed it, shall live for ever, has laughed at them, held them in derision, blown upon them, and defeated them in the most signal manner, in all their designs and attempts. The gospel has wandered about the earth, guided by its unseen, but ever-watchful Author. It has been driven from kingdom to kingdom, city to city, town to town, thrust out as an enemy and usurper; yet accomplishing the will of God. It has been cursed, and burned, by infidels of every grade, of every nation, and of every age. In a word, it has passed through floods and flames, through earth and hell; that is, men and devils have raged against it, and done all in their power to annibilate it; but God, who is risen, and stronger than men and devils, has watched over and preserved it; and it would be as easy to annihilate him as the book he has written. While God lives the gospel cannot die! It is the book for eternity, and contains the songs of the redeemed in heaven. Believing this, we say, let infidels rage and scoff; let devils roar and persecute; in the grace that is in Christ Jesus we will meet them, we will fight them, we will conquer them.

through him who loved us." Fear not, dear Christians! you are mighty - "mighty through God," whose Word can never fail, can never pass away, but "endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." Oh, then, let us bless God for the gospel! the golden bell with which we are favoured, and in which we glory. Let them bave their prayer books, and waste time in reading and explaining their meaning. Let them have the writings of men, and waste time in reading them from paper and from memory; we will have God's Book, and redeem the time he gives us in reading and expounding this. Now we must not here be misunderstood. We are not speaking against the writings of our honoured and godly brethren. That be far from us. We thank God for them, and for their labours of love; yet we should be careful what, and how we read. Their works are valuable only because of the gold they contain; because they are faithful expositions of the Word of God, which is our standard of doctrine, of experience, and of practice. So much for the golden bell, the rich type, or lively figure, of the gospel.

To be concluded next month.

EPISTLES TO THEOPHILUS.

LETTER XXXIII.

MY GOOD THEOPHILUS.-In approaching the solemn scene of eternal judgment, I will here say a little more concerning your calling and election.

You are, then, as the apostle shews, to add to patience godliness. And if you are in the right path, this adding of godliness to patience will be sure to follow. For while your patience is being much tried, you will be glad to add more and more of the truth of the new covenant, especially the perfection of the Saviour's work, and the two immutabilities of God: namely, his counsel and his oath: and these will bring you more and more into fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And, then, with this godliness in works of brotherly kindness; and to this will come brotherly kindness. You will walk kindness comes the crowning excellencycharity or love. You will thus become rooted and grounded in the love of God; in the love of the truth; and in the love of the brethren : only, mind they must be brethren: such as, by the light of truth, stand manifest to your conWe'll put our hand upon the gospel, and, science; and you will not find such very strengthened by the God of our fathers, who thickly strewed over the land. Still, I hope did so valiantly, we'll love it, and preach it, not quite so few as the number to which and defend it, as we travel from knowledge Gideon's army was reduced; nor so few as to knowledge, from strength to strength, the number to which, as in the 6th of John, from victory to victory. Thank God for professed disciples were reduced; nor so few promised grace, and victory ensured. "In as the old world in Noah's day. But, I hope all things we are more than conquerors, there may be a seven thousand who do not

"Should vile blasphemers, with disdain,
Pronounce the truths of Jesus vain,
I'll meet the scandal and the shame,
And sing and triumph in his name."