their own bloody laws, and they gave him an opportunity of redeeming his fame, and of writing his

worth of a man must be measured by his life, not by his failure under a single and peculiar trial."

name in the roll of martyrs. The

TO AMBITION IN

THE Commission to teach or disciple all nations, baptizing them, may be found in Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. From Mark xvi. 15, 16, we learn that believers only of the baptized shall be saved.

Does Jesus recognise the discipleship of children?

I. "Whosoever receiveth this child receiveth me."-Luke ix. 48. Jesus speaks of "this child" as He frequently spake of His disciples, but never of other persons. Thus: "He that receiveth you receiveth me." The expression "In my name," is explained by these words, "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink because ye belong to Christ." And what is meant by belonging to Christ, is evident from the following, "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple."

The lesson to be taught, and the motive adduced, require it. To receive a child, simply considered, is no proof of condescension; it were more so to receive an outcast from society. But to recognise and kindly receive a child as a fellow disciple would require the very disposition Jesus desired. And this

THE CHURCHES.

lesson is enforced by the connexion between Christ and His young disciples, "Whosoever receiveth this child in my name receiveth me." Otherwise, with as much propriety, the Lord might have taken a lamb, saying, "Whosoever receiveth this (lamb) receiveth me."

II. "Of such is the kingdom of God."- Mark x. 14. Now the children of Christian parents, born and brought up amidst Gospel privileges, do belong to the kingdom of God; much is given to them, and of them much will be required. In consequence, however, of that criminal neglect which the discipleship of children was intended to prevent, many "children of the kingdom

shall be cast out into outer darkness."

III. Household baptisms strengthen the claims of children to discipleship. According to some, every member of Lydia's household, and of the gaoler's, was savingly converted to God at the same time, and not a soul besides in the prayermeeting or prison. Else, why the baptism of the households was recorded, and that of individuals (perhaps masters and mistresses) was omitted, it were difficult to divine. But if it could be proved

that every individual of the household was truly converted and none besides, the case would not break down. A careful and prayerful examination of the narratives convinces me that the households were baptized as such, which is all the argument requires. If the apostles refused to baptize the children of converted Jews, thereby testifying against one family ordinance, is it credible that these same Jews would go about to establish circumcision, which is another family ordinance? (Acts xv.)

In our directory, the Acts of the Apostles, only two family baptisms are recorded; the one Jewish, and the other Gentile, sufficing for the world; and the head of the Jewish family was a female, whereby established ritual distinctions in favour of the male were set aside. Now "there is neither male nor female;" but there is parent and child.

IV. The baptism of Lydia's family was the example, the precept; for it is (1 Cor. vii. 14) where the apostle says that if one parent, through the mother, be a Christian, the children are "holy"-separated, dedicated to God by some religious rite. If Mr. Spurgeon objects, perhaps he will tell us in what sense his children are "holy." "But now are they holy:" as if the apostle had said, "The universal practice of baptizing children when only one parent is a Christian, shows that the Jewish or Pagan parent is so far, or in such sort, sanctified by the Christian parent, that 'If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman

which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.'"

V. Parents are commanded to bring up their children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;" and children so brought up are, in fact, disciples of Christ, as the Jews were accounted "Moses' disciples" from their infancy.

Does Jesus recognise the discipleship of children?

Evidence is before you, and there is none to the contrary. It is true (Matt. xviii. 6), Jesus says, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me." But even there, I have no doubt, the "little ones" referred to were mere children; for I cannot suppose that our Saviour, in reproving the Twelve for ambition, would call out -say Peter, and James, and Johndenominate them "little ones" compared with the rest, and solemnly warn the others not to 66 despise " them. No; the "little ones" were mere children, who believed what their parents had told them, that Jesus was the Christ-such children as those "crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David." The 18th of Matthew is the great charter of such young disciples.

Such passages as "Whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple," refer to approved disciples only.

Does Jesus recognise the discipleship of children? Then well may "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones."

we.

"AN OLD DISCIPLE,” Baptized by one of Dr. Doddridge's Students.

We must observe that these tables take no notice of other important parts of Romish agency, for instance, schools and reformatories, yet they are hot-beds of proselytism. We are grieved to say that these seminaries of Popery are amply supported by the Government of our Protestant country. Last year the grants to Roman Catholic schools amounted to £33,034, and those to Romish reformatories to £10,707, making a total of £43,741.

The great number of monasteries and nunneries demands our especial attention. Monastic institutions have ever been the mainstay of the church of Rome, the centre of her action, the source of her strength, and the nursery of all her plots and conspiracies against true religion and its professors. Romanists openly avow their intention of completely establishing and organising the monastic system in Great Britain.

We cannot contemplate the spread of these anti-scriptural, anti-national, and anti-social institutions without alarm. It is true that they are, by the Act of 1829 (commonly called the Emancipation Act) illegal, still they exist and increase, and furnish to Rome abundant means for attack and defence, and supply her with agents suited to every emergency, and soldiers adapted to every kind of warfare. Their existence is fraught with danger to any country wherein they may be established.

How necessary increased exertion is to counteract the insidious spread of Popery in London may be proved by the following consideration-During the last year, in the pretended Popish diocese of Westminster alone, there has been an increase of 31 priests, 21 chapels, 6 monasteries, and 8 convents; whilst in Great Britain 414 Romish schools are aided by Government.

golden images-the three precious Buddhas. Standing in the presence of their gods, an elderly gentleman, in a satin dress, rose and said, "Give an account of yourselves. Where do you come from? where are you going? what is your business? and what are your ancient family names ?" These questions were answered, and the people expressed themselves satisfied. I suppose they never saw a European before. The doctor said, "We bring with us a book which the great God, of whom you have some knowledge in your ancient writings, has given to us; and we are commanded, as His servants, to go into all the world, to carry the book, and make it known to every creature." The astonishment of the crowd I cannot describe. They all came closer to the place where we stood, to hear something more about this wonderful book. The book was opened. The doctor said, "If you will give attention to its contents, I will state them." In a quarter of an hour he gave a simple outline of the truths of Christianity. They listened with profound attention; and, though I have passed through many troubles and dangers, as I stood gazing on that vast crowd-many of them educated young men-and saw them listening to the great truths of the Gospel, I felt that it was a moment worth living for; it repaid me for all I had experienced. As soon as we had done, a shout arose from the crowd, "When will you come again, and tell us more?" We said, "We will wait on you in a month, but in the meantime, we have books to give away." We had a sack of tracts; we placed them near a wall, where we knew we could defend them if any attempt were made to steal them. Standing there, we distributed the tracts, allowing each one to come, and when he had received a tract, to pass away. I believe all had one or more; but as we were passing to the boat, we saw an elderly, well-dressed man come and bow down, and he begged us to receive a little book as a token of acknowledgment for giving him one.

On opening it we read something to this effect: "He that gives a good book is a good man; he that gives ten is a very good man; he that gives a hundred is a very very good man, and will be happy for ages; but he that gives a large number of good books must be regarded as a benevolent individual, and as а benefactor to his species, and will be inconceivably happy for ever." I mention this, to show the light in which the Chinese regard the distribution of tracts. Indeed, they have something like religious tracts of their own. It is not an uncommon thing, when a man has been successful in a commercial enterprise, for him to go to the priests of Confucius, and say, "I have been blessed in my undertaking; I am wealthy; I wish you to select some portions of the writings of Confucius, and I will be at the expense of the blocks by which they shall be printed." The selection is made, the terms proposed are published, saying, "The very honourable gentleman, So-andso, has been so benevolent as to have the blocks of Confucius cut, and he now calls on liberal gentlemen to aid him in the work." A subscription list is opened; one promises to pay for printing fifty copies, another twenty, and when the subscription list is closed, they employ a printer; a number of copies are struck off and given to each subscriber, in proportion to his subscription, and these are distributed to the poor, in the dwellings in which they live.

May I give you some idea with respect to the manner in which we carry on our work in Shanghae ? This spot is one of the five ports open to commercial intercourse. The resident population is not more than 200,000, but we have sometimes an influx of strangers from all parts of the empire, making a population of 600,000. I have never seen so truly a mercantile city as Shanghae. In this populous place, we have thirty district congregations in each week, and after the service is over we distribute tracts. Those who come from every part of the empire carry them to the interior, or to the archipelago