ployed; and that the worthy writer | not sufficient to say, that baptism concannot mean to convey the sentiments sists in immersion in water-that bap

which are embodied in her language. I will refer you to four only of the many passages which appear objection

able in sentiment.

tism denotes an internal ablution of the soul; but that unless I enter by faith into the great Antitype my soul is not washed from sin, although I be laid under the liquid element?

First passage: "Baptism is an ablution of the body, which denotes A second passage: "No more can an internal ablution, or washing of the bread and wine constitute the the soul from sin; without which, it is body and blood of Christ, except as we not baptism at all; for I may be im-apprehend, or lay hold of the submersed in water, yet not baptized. stance." Does the writer really mean Then, it is not the water alone, that to state that the bread and wine do, constitutes baptism, but faith in the under any circumstances, constitute thing signified; and, unless I enter by the body and blood of Christ? If so, faith into the great Antitype, I am not wherein does this doctrine differ from baptized, though I be laid under the transubstantiation ? liquid element." Does this language A third passage: "It is clear then, really express the writer's meaning that the. only subjects for baptism, are If so, I trust your readers will dissent those for whom Christ died; those, to from him. I conceive that if we put whom God the Holy Ghost hath revealany other meaning upon the termed the same." It is to the latter branch "baptism " than immersion; and upon of this sentence only that I offer an the phrase "christian baptism any objection. Does the revelation by the other meaning than the immersion in Holy Ghost that Christ died for me, water, in the name of the Father, Son enter essentially into that faith which and Holy Ghost, of a professed believer is the only scriptural pre-requisite of in Jesus, we give up the strongest baptism? did the confession of the argument against infant sprinkling, Eunuch, Acts viii. 37, involve the viz. the one derived from the simple revelation of the Holy Ghost that meaning of language; we contradict Christ died for him? Is there no plain scripture declarations; and open difference between the faith of rethe door for all the superstitious doc-liance and the faith of assurance? and trine and practices of popery and semipopery in reference to this rite. Did Simon Magus "enter by faith into the great Antitype ?" He evidently did not. Yet the scripture says he was baptized, Acts viii. 13.

does scripture, do the churches, require more than the former in order to baptism?

If it were objected that these observations are mere play upon words, I would reply;-words are the signs of things; and if our words do not represent the things present to our minds, or which we wish to make present to the minds of others, we may mystify, but we shall fail to edify our readers.

Further the language is self-contradictory. It affirms that immersion without "internal ablution, or washing the soul from sin," is not baptism at all yet in the same period states that "baptism is an ablution of the A fourth passage: "That baptism body which denotes an internal ablu- is immersion, and immersion the only tion, or washing of the soul from sin." mode for baptism, none who reads the How can baptism, if it necessarily word of God, being taught by God the comprise an internal ablution, denote Holy Ghost, dare dispute" and again, an internal ablution? can a thing de-"That believers are the only proper note itself? or symbolize itself? Is it subjects for this baptism, is self-evident;

and it is arrogance in the extreme to | workings of our own hearts; but why

question it." It is to the spirit of this that I object. Such language is, I conceive, more fitted for a papal bull, than for the columns of the "Gospel Herald."

should I pursue this train of thought! my dear friend is plagued enough with these things every day, and possibly by this time is beginning to say, I know these things to my sorrow, and want a more pleasing subject, one that will encourage my hopes, and carry my heart above them; see then, my dear friend, a star conspicuously fixed in the darkness, and casting its light over Bethlehem's gloomy plains, and moving W. KITCHEN. steadily onward to the place of the rising of Israel's sun and Saviour; here it stops, drawing the attention of

It is under the firm conviction that yourselves and your correspondents desire to edify the church of Christ, that I make these free but friendly animadversions.

Yours sincerely,

TO A FRIEND ON THE GREAT the wise men to the spot where the

WESTERN.

My Dear Friend,

infant Saviour was lying, at the sight of whom they rejoiced with exceeding What a world of changes and diffi-joy, falling down and worshipping him culties is this, how short-lived are our as their Lord, and their King; here earthly comforts, and how many are you and I too may gaze, wonder, and our disappointments; this we have adore; while we behold the mystery proved over and over again by many a of ancient prophecy developed; and painful lesson, and yet we are such the seed of the woman preparing for earthworms that we are continually the important work appointed him by cleaving to, and setting our affections the Father, and which in ancient coveupon those earthly and short lived nant he had agreed to perform; what a possessions, as though they would last change of scenery now presents itself for ever, and contained in them the to view; all the ancient types seem source of all our happiness; and when now to appear in ten-fold beauty, deprived of them we fret, kick, and while they lead us again forward to rebel as bad as poor Jonah when he behold their complete fulfilment and lost his gourd, or tried to flee to then retire from view, leaving us to Tarshish; alas ! what folly; one behold with wonder and delight the moment's proper consideration of his incarnate Saviour, while in strains of relative situation might, one would have purest devotion, and sounds of sweet thought, have convinced him of the and transporting melody, the air rings folly of this attempt; but this was not and the adoring angels sing, "glory te the time for calm reflection, he was God in the highest, and on earth peace, disappointed, and displeased, and like and good will towards men;" they seeing Ephraim his froward heart resolves on already the design and effects of his gratifying his depraved nature, and mission, as he appears in our nature, away he runs in the way of rebellion, fulfils all righteousness, and ascends the or sits down grumbling and distracted hill of Calvary with a load that would as though the source of his happiness have sunk us lower than the grave, had been dried up, and the work the bear it away; and once, and for ever Lord had called him to was an hard- satisfying divine justice, and purchas ship not to be endured; what a proof ing, and securing all spiritual blessings of the depravity of human nature, and for us; true, the cloud for a moment of the sad, very sad work we make of is black with darkness, and the storm it when permitted to follow the evil increases to an overwhelming, but

through it all he passes, and with pared with this, and how low, and little dauntless courage, endures the wrath the clemency of earthly kings, when of sin-avenging justice, until complete- compared with the inexpressible gift of ly satisfied, justice puts up his sword, love divine; what mercenary motives acand the surety of his church passes tuate the best of men; how pure, disthrough the grave to the mediatorial interested, and merciful, is the love and crown; it is now the gates of the celestial work of Jesus; from the covenant of love city fly open, and the King of glory, | divine, to the coming down of incarnate wearing on his breastplate the names love, love unbought, unsought, and unof his redeemed family, enters in; on deserved, shines with untold brightness; this breastplate the name of my friend and through the obedience and death stands in legible characters; of this the of Christ, righteousness and peace are Holy Spirit's work upon your heart seen in undissembled concord; through bears certain evidence, while the gos- divine revelation a beam of light and pel of his grace invites, encourages and glory shines, and in the gospel's joyful commands you to the fountain he has sound, inviting mercy speaks, and opened, and to the feast his love has sounds of unequalled melody fall on provided. O my brother, what the sorrowful and broken heart with mysteries, what wonders are here, powerful, and gladdening energy, wonders of grace and love, a sea while in the Holy Spirit's work the in which you, my brother, with flinty rock is broken, and melted down ; all the grace taught family have a the understanding enlightened, the will right to bathe; a sun, too, giving its brought into willing subjection, and light, and warming into meltings of the grovelling affections raised from love your and my too oft cold and earth to heaven; new views are impartcallous hearts; here is a fountain too, ed; new hopes inspired, and new open at all times, and opened for such motives and ways acted on, and purpoor, polluted, and filthy worms sued; a heavenly field of delights preas we are to wash in, a fountain sents itself, inviting us to its sweets, opened for sin and uncleanness; and alluring us by its attractions; the here is also a covering for the naked, a centre and sun of which, stands prerobe of perfect righteousness, prepared eminently forth as the altogether lovely, by the wisdom of God, and made over the chiefest among ten thousand. O my to the blood-bought bride, by a sove- brother, here is a source of attraction reign act of love and favour, and se- for poor guilty, sin-burdened, and lawcured by a will that cannot be set aside; condemned sinners, such as you and I what love is here, love unbought and are, presenting all we need, both for flowing of pure goodwill to sinners time, and eternity; here gaze, admire, exposed to, and in themselves deserving and adore; the Lord be with you, to condemnation; consider this my brother him I commend you. when satan and unbelief try to reason you out your hope and the comfort derived therefrom; how mean appear the H.. robes of earthly monarchs when com

Believe me, your's truly,

Oxfordshire,

Obituaries.

MR. JOHN MILLER.

WILLIAM.

in Wiltshire. His parents followed John Miller, the son of Daniel Miller, the farming business, and were in was born Oct, 23rd, 1781, at Highworth | middling circumstances, and according

to the custom of the age they went to church, attended to the duties of this life, and lived outwardly moral; but whether the Lord ever moved their hearts to fear him, the writer cannot say. One thing he is cognizant of, namely, that letters of a truly spiritual nature were sent by the deceased to his surviving mother, and it is hoped that they, through the Divine Spirit, proved a blessing to her never dying soul. The deceased had two brothers, (Thomas and James) who like Demas, loved this present evil world; but he being singled out as a trophy of redeeming grace and dying love, evinced in life and death a different spirit, for him to live was Christ and to die was gain.

words of the royal psalmist, and say, "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.' Moreover, he loved the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob; and where the truth was preached in all its purity and simplicity, there would he go; for nothing short of a complete, everlasting and finished salvation, would satisfy him. He had no heart for the religion of the day, neither would he go after its advocates; but in compliance with his Lord's command, he took heed as to what he heard, as well as how he heard; every sermon he heard he expected would be the last, and that for eternity, therefore, he preferred gospel fatness to the dry husks of Arminianism. Christ, and him crucified, was the great theme of his daily meditation; and although surrounded with the cares and anxieties of this life, nevertheless he was diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; few men have laboured with the hands as he has done, yet with all the excess of trade, his mind was not diverted from his Lord; but, as a good old soldier, he served him in his day and generation. He was a diligent enquirer after truth, and nothing short of "Thus saith the Lord," would satisfy him, for, like the Bereans, he received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether these things were so; and having felt the power and preciousness of divine truth, he could with the apostle say, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that

When quite a youth, John Miller came to London, and after having served his time at his trade, he was married to Grace Piercy, late of Liverpool, with whom he lived in the most christian-like manner to the day of his death; and it is hoped that upon her now rests a rich portion of that spirit which he was so blessedly endowed with, even the spirit and mind of Christ. The Lord knoweth them that are his, for when the Lord's set time to favour Zion was come, he was powerfully called under the preaching of an old divine then living in London; soon after he became a member of a Particular Baptist Church, assembling in Enon Chapel, Clement's Lane, and subsequently became a deacon of the same; here he was refreshed under the preaching of the respected pastor, the late Mr. William House, who was a faithful minister of Jesus Christ, and a steward of the mysteries of God; here he was conforted, edified and strength-believeth." What! ened, and according to the direction of his Lord, he went down into the watery element and was baptized in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. But after a few years, business called him into the country; and there he spent the greater part of his latter days, in the northern and eastern counties of England; but wherever he went, and in whatever circumstance he was placed, the Lord was at his right hand, and was a very present help in time of trouble. To no other fountain would he go for health and healing, but to the Lord's Christ, who was all his salvation, and all his desire. Oft did he take up the

"Ashamed of Jesus, that dear friend;

In whom my hopes of heaven depend." He was an earnest contender for the faith once delivered unto the saints, and through his instrumentality, the writer has to bless God for having his mind brought off his old Arminian sentiments, to embrace the truth as it is revealed in the word of God. Christ was his all in all; to him he was most precious, his name was as ointment poured forth, yea, he was chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely. Sin was his greatest burden; and while in this tabernacle, he groaned being burdened, so that with the apos

tle, he often cried out, "Oh, wretched daily experienced, for he was the subman that I am, who shall deliver meject of many heavy trials and crosses, from the body of this death?" he was a stranger to the absurd notion of perfection in the flesh, his language continually was, I need repentance every day, for sin is mixed with all I do and say. Often did he cite the hymns of the late Dr. Watts, Hart, and others, such as,

"Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove,
With all thy quickening powers," &c.
"Not all the blood of beasts,
On Jewish altars slain," &c.
"Jesus, and shall it ever be,

A mortal man ashamed of thee?" &c.

and other like precious hymns. When contending for the divinity of his master, he would take up the words of the sweet poet,

"What think ye of Christ as the test, To try both your state and your scheme, Ye cannot be right in the rest, Without ye think rightly of him." When speaking of God's faithfulness, and of his own security in Christ, he