MONTHLY RECORD OF PASSING EVENTS. the sway of one man-Mr. Spurgeonwho, like a sun is making his ministering brethren revolve round him as "planets round a central body. Mr. Spurgeon, in the "Sword and Trowel" for last month, repudiates the idea in toto, and suggests that another heavenly body would supply an apt emblem of Mr. White's erratic course. On the main question of the fusion desired by some between the Baptists and Independent bodies, Dr. Angus takes occasion to re-state his views. From a letter he addressed to the "Patriot" we gather that the ideal for which he pants is that of churches in which the question of Baptism should be entirely dissevered from church fellowship and church relations, and entirely ignored in the trust deeds, leaving it to be administered how, when, and by whom the individual members composing those churches shall prefer. Want of agreement about baptism is represented by Dr. A., not only as no bar to church-union, but as a positive advantage, since it would afford scope for the exercise of christian forbearance and charity not otherwise attainable." How far this system of "agreeing to differ" as to what is Christ's will on Baptism is in accordance with the Apostle's repeated exhortations to the first churches to "walk by the same rule, to mind the same thing," and to be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment," needs no degree of D.D. to perceive. THE BISHOPS AND RITUALISM.-At last it seems as if something would be done to check the inordinate growth of Romanism in the state church. A"case," contained in forty pages, octavo, has been submitted to the first law-officers of the day, Sir Roundel Palmer and Sir Hugh Cairns, as to whether the current practices of the Ritualists are in accordance with the law of the land; and, as we always supposed, the answers were decided as to their illegal character. Now the question arises, will the Bishops act upon this high legal opinion? As a body they stand in honour committed to give effect to it, by prosecuting the leading transgressors; but judging from the reception they gave to Lord Westmeath's motion on these ultra-ritualistic practices on June 12th, they are not very ready to do so. All but two absented themselves entirely from the house on the occasion, and Lord Ravensworth, commenting severely on their dereliction of duty, suggested that a motion for their compulsory and permanent absence from the House of 167 Lords could not well be met by any solid or conclusive argument. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN. BIBLE SOCIETY.-The foundation stone of the new building was laid by the Prince of Wales on June 11th. His speech on the occasion was carefully prepared by him, or for him, and presented many features of interest. He alluded to the fact that the two versions of the scriptures more widely circulated than any others-the German and the English-were in their origin connected with his family; Luther's translation being executed under the protection of the Elector of Saxony, the ancestor of Prince Albert, and Tyndale's version being introduced under the sanction of the Royal Predecessor of the Queen. THE EDUCATION OF MINISTERS' CHILDREN. -A board has been formed in connection with the Baptist Union, consisting of Dr. Angus, Dr. Evans, J. J. Brown, Č. Vince, J. Templeton, and many others, for the purpose of carrying out a plan whereby, on the payment of £10 per annum by their parents or friends, the children of Baptist ministers may obtain a good boarding-school education. Application for further information should be made to Dr. Evans, the secretary. HENRY WARD BEECHER, though a professed congregationalist, admisistered the ordinance of Baptism on May 9th, by immersing fourteen believers in the baptismal pool, at Brooklyn. Not only so, he dwelt at great length on the force and beauty of the ordinance as thus administered, and pointed out the important gospel truths which it emblematically represents. But on the following sabbath, he received a large number to church-fellowshp by touching their foreheads with a little water from a bowl! The contrast between the two services must have been itself a convincing sermon. The fact is, Mr. Beecher professes to regard baptism as a thing of personal choice, and will immerse or sprinkle at the wish of each one who applies to him. He becomes both to both parties, and thus gains both. THE WIDOW OF THE LATE WILLIAM KNIBB has recently passed away. She entered into rest in- Jamaica, where she resided, revered and beloved by all. A great company stood by the grave of William Knibb, opened to receive the remains of his widow, while the ransomed and released spirits of both were praising their Redeemer before the throne above. In connection with this event we may add that on Sunday morning, June 10th, the 168 MONTHLY RECORD OF PASSING EVENTS. widow of another devoted Jamaica patriot, a man as much devoted to the cause of the oppressed and the down-trodden as William Knibb himself, we allude to the murdered George William Gordon, was present at the morning services at Camden Road, Baptist Chapel, on which occasion Mr. Tucker, the minister, prayed for her with great earnestness. THE CASE OF MRS. NEWBURY has been again before the courts of law. It will be remembered that Mr. Cadell, a clergyman of Colchester, was appointed guardian of the children of the late Mr. Newbury, together with their mother. Some time ago he obtained an order in chancery that the children should be taken from Mrs. Newbury, who had adopted the views of the Plymouth brethren, that they might be brought up in the religion of their father and attend the church of England. Upon a further order obtained on June 10th, the children were taken from her by force, and she herself committed to prison for contempt of court, by Vice Chancellor Stuart. He has since refused an application made for her release, unless she pay the costs of the entire proceedings. BROAD CHURCH IN SCOTLAND.-Dr. Norman Macleod, editor of "Good Words," Principal Tullock, and Professor Lee, of Edinburgh, form a trio of leaders in the church of Scotland, who are agitating the questions of liturgical forms, organs in churches, greater freedom in sabbath observances, &c., and are, it appears, supported by many who would like to see the time-honoured system which has so long obtained in Scotland set aside or modified. NEGRO TESTIMONY.-As a proof of the growth of liberal feeling in the Southern States of America, a white man has been recently convicted and sentenced solely on the testimony of a negro, who saw the offence committed, This marks a new era in Southern life. A short time ago such an occurrence would have been impossible. THE BURIAL SERVICE AGAIN.-Lord Ebury has again attempted, but in vain, to procure a royal commission to consider the standing grievance of the church of England, with a view to its removal. In his speech in the House of Lords, June 11th, he suggested that by removing all reference to the actual condition of the departed, and making the confidence objected to, entirely general in its character, all difficulty would be removed. difficult to understand how a superior man It is like Lord Ebury can be blind to the fact, that the hope expressed respecting all the departed who have been baptized in the church of England, is a part of the very theory on which the church is based, just as is that of the regeneration by baptism. To alter the Baptismal service to meet evangelical views is to make a gap in a compact and consistent system, which regards all the baptized as brought "into a state of salvation." Deaths. CLOVER.-We have to record the death of our friend, Mrs. Clover, the beloved wife of our brother, Mr. Isaac Clover, of Buxhall Mills. This event occurred on the evening of Lord's day, 27th of May, after a protracted and unusually severe affliction of nearly three years. In our next issue it is intended to give a further account of our deceased sister, the character of her trying affliction, and the gracious experience with which she was favoured throughout the painful visitation, to its peaceful and happy termination in the confidence of a joyous faith. HINDLE.-Our valuable and much respected Brother Hindle, of Thwaite, has been taken from us. It appears that the Lord called him by His grace when about twenty years of age, and that he was baptized by Mr. Job Hupton, and continued a member of the Claxton Church until the year 1847, when he was dismissed to the Baptist Church at Bungay, and continued a most useful and honourable member till his Redeemer took him to the upper world. He was inainly instrumental in the building of the chapel in the year 1851, was chosen to be a deacon about four years since, and after suffering from a very painful disease for many weeks, died rather unexpectedly on Lord's day morning, June 10th, in the 60th year of his age. His end was peace and joy, so that we may safely conclude he was perfect in his Glorious Head, and that his immortal spirit now rests in His heavenly embrace, and that it will do so until all the ransomed are gathered in to "be for ever with the Lord." REGENERATION. In these days of religious inquiry and discussion much is said on almost every subject connected with Christian Theology. Every now and then I meet with something on this subject. I had supposed that it was generally very well understood, both in regard to what it is, and the means by which it is produced. But it seems that in this I have been mistaken. There is not uniformity of sentiment here even amongst Baptists. Some of our brethren confine the term in its meaning to the very first work of the Spirit in the process of conversion, while others extend it so as to include the entire process. The former exclude instrumentality in the work, while the latter recognize the truth as the great instrument employed in effecting it. Now, why this diversity of opinion? Is it because the Bible does not afford sufficient light to clear up the question? Or is it because we receive our notions from theologians who treat this, as well as every other subject, as a part of their system, and interpret it to suit ? It is, perhaps, too much for me to claim that I have ascertained the truth in regard to this subject, and ask the brethren to hear me as they would an oracle; but I will "show mine opinion." The term "regeneration" is used but twice in the New Testament: By the Saviour in Matthew xix. 28. "Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." And by Paul in Titus iii. 5. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." In the former of these examples it is difficult to tell precisely to what the term alludes. According to the punctuation in our version, it alludes to the renewing of the heavens and the earth at the coming of the day of God. But there are some who think that the comma should not be after the word "me," but after the word "regeneration," believing that the Saviour expressed by the term something in which the persons addressed already had followed him. I incline to the sense the punctuation gives it. If this is its sense, then the term cannot be confined to the very first act in the process of the renewal of the heavens and the earth; it must take into its meaning the whole process. When the work of regeneration is done the new heavens and the new earth stand out complete. In the latter passage the context sheds no light upon the meaning of the word. Paul simply states that God saves us "by the washing of regeneration," but we are left to study the meaning of the word from its own grammatical import. Regeneration is a compound word, made up of the word "generation" and the prefix "re." The word generation" is expressive of the work of producing or giving existence to a thing. Hence regeneration must signify the reproducing of a thing. This leads us back to the contemplation of the thing first produced. In other words, it leads us back to the contemplation of man as he came from the hands of his Maker. Well, the testimony of the Bible on this subject is, “God made man upright." (Ecc. vii. 29.) Hence God pronounced man, in common with everything else which he had made, "very good." (Gen. i. 31.) We view man then as he came from the hands of his Maker, as a holy beinginnocent in life and pure in heart. But man fell. In his fall he experienced an internal as well as an external change; and the internal preceded the external; the heart and the life both became corrupt. Therefore while the Bible so abundantly testifies that man's way is perverse before God," it as abundantly testifies to the corruption of the heart. Of man, as he was before the flood, it says; "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Gen. vi. 5.) Of man, since the flood, it says: "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." (Jer. xvii. 9.) It is in consequence of this that man is said to be "dead in trespasses and sins." With respect to the heart he is destitute of love, therefore of life; for love is life. (1 John i. 14, 15.) His mind is carnal, enmity to God; this enmity is identical with death. (Rom. viii. 6.) With respect to his life he is dead in law; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." (Gal. iii. 10.) As a condemned criminal he is bound over to death, and is obnoxious to the "wrath to come." Hence, in his regeneration, man is made alive in every respect in which he can be said to be dead. He is made alive with respect to his heart when the love of God is shed AUGUST, 1866. 8 170 CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL. abroad therein by the Holy Ghost. (Rom. v. 5.) Hence John says, "We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." The latter continues in the state out of which the former has passed. And he is made alive in law when the sentence of condemnation is revoked. The Apostle says: "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature;" of course, then, regenerated; but "there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ." (Rom. viii. 1.) I do not see anything in the Scriptures that will justify us in regarding any one as regenerated who is still in his sins and under condemnation. When the work of regeneration is finished the "new man "must stand out before us, and we must be able to say of the sinner, "he was dead but is alive again." Hence I am inclined to the belief that regeneration includes all that God does for us in making us his children. If it does, then it includes more than the mere beginning of the work-more than the mere vitalizing of the affections. It includes also our deliverance from the wrath to come. The whole work is expressed in the following passage of Holy Writ: "I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts. * * * I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. xxxi. 33, 34.) If the former part of this work, only, were done for a man, he would be alive with respect to his heart, but he would be still dead in law; for until his sins are forgiven he remains bound over unto death. If the latter part, only, of this work were done for him, he would be still dead in his affections. But, thank God, these two works always go together. They are the internal and the external of regeneration. When God creates in man a clean heart, and renews within him a right spirit, he also washes him thoroughly from his iniquity, and cleanses him from his sin. Hence Jesus, in his conversation with Nicodemus, expresses the whole work by "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God:" while he expresses both parts of it by "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit." Viewing the subject in this light, the work of regeneration is effected by two distinct efficient causes, the Holy Spirit, and the blood of Christ. The former producing the internal, and the latter effecting the external: while the Holy Ghost sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. A. P. W. Here I will close for the present, promising another number, in which I will consider the question of instrumentality. Cambridge, April 6, 1866. CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL. BY W. FRITH.-BEXLEY HEATH. Is this true? Is He "the Alpha and life." O how great that mercy! Who can calculate it? Ask that ransomed throng who are now "without fault before the throne" if they can estimate the "riches of his grace!" Will they not say, no? How much less then can we duly estimate the indescribable blessedness of having an interest in Christ! He is verily "all our salvation and all our desire.' There is enough in him as the fountain for every "vessel of the sanctuary." The lamp needs not be empty, while there is such abundance of "oil in the golden pipes." The flowers need not droop, while there is so much dew. "I will be as the dew unto Israel." Oh, Christian, you cannot be poor while he is rich. You may SEEM to be so; you may FEEL to be so; but you are rich. Hear what is "noted in the scriptures of truth." "He who was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich," Has he then become poor? Has THE CHURCH IN THE MARTYR-AGE. he bowed the heavens and come down, and "trod the wine press alone?" Has he, as our mediator, assumed our nature, paid our debt, and by a more condescending act of grace, veiled his glory under the cover of human flesh, and beccome so poor in the social circles of this world that, while "the foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, the Son of Man had not where to lay His head." Yes, even so.. And all this that "we might be made rich!" And are the "seed of Jacob" really enriched by this, his voluntary poverty? Undoubtedly they are. Then is He not our "all in all ?" He is our all in the great economy of redemption. All our pardon is "by the blood of His cross. All our righteousness is by the perfection of his obedience and the imputation of the same on our behalf. All our peace is through him, for "he is our peace, who hath made both one." All our hope, faith, joy, and comfort are from him; "to whom be glory in the church throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." "By him, and to him, and through Him, are all things." There is but one fountain, and that is "filled with all the fulness of God." Thousands have drunk of it, yet its fulness is not diminished. "The water of the well of Bethlehem is still "springing up to everlasting life." 0 ye thirsty soul, flee to "the fountain of living waters.' Stay not from the immediate participation. Nor should we forget that Christ is IN ALL. Yes, believer, he is in all his people as a spiritual life. "Christ in you the hope of glory." He is in them by the unction, power, love, and influence of his Spirit. They are all in the possession of an indissoluble 171 union to him. Hence he says, "I in them and thou in me.' O mysterious, but blessed, hallowed, and eternal union! Hear his sweet and tender address, "abide in me, and let my words abide in you." 'The branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me." And more than this, he is in all your sorrows, sweetening them. He is in all your ways, guiding them. He is in all your circumstances, sustaining and succouring you; for, "in all these afflictions he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them." Then, fear not. You cannot sink while he is in the vessel. You cannot starve while he has bread enough and to spare. You cannot die eternally, while he lives; for he says, "because I live, ye shall live also." You cannot be friendless, while you have " one that sticketh closer than a brother." Look up, then. All is well. He is still the "all in all" of his redeemed. There can be no exception. You may be tempted to exclude yourself, still the temptation alters not the fact. Do look away from self, my brethren, to Him who says, "look unto ME." "I am the Lord, and besides me there is no saviour." "I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Rest upon me, I am thy "all and in all." "In all thy ways acknowledge me, and I will direct thy steps." Look up, believer, "he is the same and his years shall not fail." "You are in him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ." What higher position can you desire? Hush that murmuring tongue. Silence that plaintive moan. "In time and in eternity THE CHURCH IN THE MARTYR-AGE. No. III. (Continued from page 151). THE brotherly love and brotherly help of the early Church were its chief characteristics in the sight of a gazing world. "See how these christians love one another!" was the remark drawn not from one, but from many an ancient heathen. This was the mysterious bond which kept them bound together as one man, both in life and in death. And not only towards each other, but in the places where they lived, they were, especially in times of public calamity, foremost in works of mercy and kindness. Towards christian prisoners they were especially attentive. Lucian, a Roman writer, who bitterly hated the christians, describes the case of one Peregrinus who was thrown into prison as a christian, and he tells how other christians came, deputed by the churches in Asia, to comfort and relieve and encourage him. "The care they bestow on such cases is, he says, incredible; they spare nothing. They sent therefore large sums to Peregrinus, by which he amassed great |