conference it appears that this 'Brotherhood' is an importation from France, and named after some St. Vincent, a very epitome of charity,' who lived in France about two hundred years ago. It is composed of laymen who devote themselves to the care of the poor, but this pretext is made subservient to a very different purpose. Extracts from the General Report of the Parent Society in France, for 1844 : "Wonderful things seem to be in store for our conference in England, and it will be a sweet and pious consolation for us to think, that in the movement which is drawing the people of Great Britain back again into the bosom of unity, our dear Society will perhaps have assisted by our prayers and works, in the religious regeneration of that mighty country." The old town of Edinburgh is divided into six districts, each of them under the care of two or more brothers, Leith forms a district by itself." "The brotherhood rejoices to acknowledge that nearly a third part of its income has been received from persons separated from its members in faith, at least at the time that the donation of some of them was offered. N. B. Since then it has happened that more than one of the contributors have been rewarded with the inestimable gift of faith." "It is by these works that we gain access to the hearts of poor families, that we come to know them. thoroughly, that we draw out their sympathies,- and it is these works, moreover, which gain us most merit before God, because they offer most difficulties and contradictions, besides the consolations which they bring with them." "In the Right Reverend Bishop Gillis, you see the spiritual director of the conference of Edinburgh." "Some years ago it seemed impossible that a conference of St. Vincent of Paul could be established in Edinburgh. Bishop Gillis, regretted it to us, and now it is hardly formed when it is sure of stability, and success." HAMBURG. MR. Oncken in a letter dated 27th Nov. says, "If I was not compelled to spend part of my time at Hamburg, I should feel much inclined to devote the whole of it to visiting the churches in other parts and to missionary labour generally, as I greatly fear that ere long the now open doors will be again shut against us. In Hanover the imprisonment of brethren has already recommenced; and brother Straube was nearly murdered by an infuriated mob, led on by a Catholic priest in Silesia, without any redress from the authorities. The clergy of the State churches- those enemies of civil and religious liberty- are doing all in their power to regain their halflost ground, and from this quarter we cannot 23 expect any mercy. We must, therefore, now stretch every nerve, and labour with greater zeal and self-denial than ever before. The circumstances demand this;-pray for us, that the love of Christ may constrain us to it. "We have recently engaged again two brethren as missionaries, to be supported by the united Churches of our denomination in the North-West of Germany. One of these brethren is at Wismar, where he labours with success, the other is with us at Hamburg, where he receives some instruction, whilst at the same time he preaches twice and three times every week. "I immersed, a fortnight ago, eight converts at Wismar. Six were last Lord's day added to us by this solemn ordinance, and others have since applied. One hundred and twelve believers have been added to the church at Hamburg, by baptism, this year. But I trust we shall yet see greater things." Brother Oncken again recommends the cause to the liberality of English friends, "in as as our sphere of labour is much," he says, extending on every hand." แ SWEDEN. Br. Oncken says, Nov. 27, "I expect every day to hear that Br. Wilson, the pastor of the Baptist church in Sweden, has been banished from his native country. But blessed be God, if this takes place, the good seed has been sown there, and not less than 45 believers have been immersed into Christ's death." ITALY. THERE has been a great circulation of the Bible in Piedmont lately, and the Protes tants have been persecuted to some excirculated in Rome, and the Pope, by way tent. A great many tracts have been of assisting or counteracting, is about to distribute one among the French army there. It is entitled, "The Soldier's Treasure," and the author is the Pope himself. Dr. Achilli still continues in prison. Mr. Toma, secretary to the London Society for promoting the religious improvement of Italy, and Mr. Megruis, a French Protestant gentleman, have gone to Rome to assist him as personal friends. He claims the right of a British subject, having resided in Malta for several years, and returned in February, 1849, with an English passport. The Roman correspondent of the Times thinks, however, that he will have a difficulty in making good this claim. It is announced in the papers that the two deputies, who have gone to Rome, arrived there on the 21st Nov. Whether it be the two mentioned above, or not, we do not know. They had an interview with M. de Corcelles and General Baraguay de Hilliers. An investigation was made at Viterbo, which ended in completely clearing Dr. Achilli. The Roman authorities, it is said, now admit that he is imprisoned for peculiar opinions, and that all other charges are without foundation. BAPTISM.-On Friday, the 9th Nov. Mrs. Susannah Towne, the wife of Lieutenant Towne, R.N., of Grove Cottage, Bushey Heath, Herts., having but a short time since renounced Deistical views and " oppositions of science falsely so called," was immersed "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," upon a profession of her repentance and "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," at the Baptist Chapel, Trinity Street, Borough, which was kindly lent for the purpose. The Baptist Chapel, at Watford, which is the nearest to Mrs. Towne's residence, having been refused for prudential reasons, relating both to the Communion controversy, and to the domestic opposition manifested to this act. The ordinance was administered under circumstances of unusual interest, by Mr. R. Dunning, Elder of the Scotch Baptist Church meeting at Dorchester Hall, New North Road, Hoxton, and head master of the Home and Colonial Training Institution; who addressed the candidate in appropriate and affecting language, on the words, "What doth hinder me to be baptized." Mr. Dunning shewed,-First, that the candidate was scripturally qualified for the step she was taking, having first embraced the truth in the love of it. This he illustrated by referring to the inauguration of the Lord Mayor, at that moment proceeding in the city; and shewed, that whereas she had hitherto been a member of the church elect, and only nominated to its privileges and duties, now she was about to be prepared for a visible union of herself with the church and people of God. Having rendered obedience to the first great command to believe the gospel, there could be no just impediment to her taking the second step in the path of obedience, by professing her faith in the act of baptism. Secondly, he shewed this to be, not only allowed, but specially commanded. And, thirdly, he dwelt profitably upon the significance and some of the uses of this ordinance. Finally, he exhorted the young professor, as she had set out fair, though perhaps not softly, in the Christian race: and had manifested firmness and decision in it, she should look back upon her baptism as the starting point, which. far from concluding her obedience, was only the commencement of it, making it all the more incumbent upon her more than ever to cultivate personal holiness of heart and life, as well as constant activity and perseverance in well doing. And he very impressively warned her, by no means to regulate her own standard of purity and zeal, by the low toned piety and defective lives of the many, who, at the present day, make the same profession. Mr. Frederick Crowe, of Guatemala, brother of the candidate, conducted the devotional exercises, and Mr. James Oliver, a Deacon of the place, addressed some words of application to a small number of witnesses, who appeared much affected by what they saw and heard. The party, who, not without difficulty, threaded their way through the city to the place of worship, to wait upon God in his ordinance, felt that the scenes connected with the Lord Mayor's Show, which they encountered there, strongly contrasted with the errand upon which they were bent, and its attendant circumstances. And when apprised of the fact that the inauguration of the disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus had taken place almost within sound of the 'note of preparation,' sent forth by the erection of the scaffold at Horsemonger-lane Gaol, they were reminded of the existence of the extremes of crime as well as of vanity and folly. JUSTICE AND MERCY. SAID Justice, "Man I'd fain know what you weigh; Man smiled, and Justice owned "I'M SATISFIED." Errata. Page 14, line 19, for "under law," read "under the law." THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, AND Scotch Baptist Repository. FEBRUARY, 1850. ON PERSONAL ELECTION AND THE INVITATIONS OF THE GOSPEL. (Continued from page 10.) THE fact, then, of personal election, is not one of those secret things which belong to God, for it is revealed, and belongs to us; but the persons who are elected, and the reasons why they were so, are the secrets which belong to God. Yet not so secret, after all, but the persons may be known, and, to a certain extent, are known even in time, and known fully for all practical purposes. God has not told us the names of his election of grace, but he has most distinctly told us their characters, so that every one of them may read their own names written in the Lamb's book of life from the foundation of the world, thus "Put on therefore, as the elect of God," says Paul to the Colossians, "holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness; and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Here is the character of God's elect, and, O, what a lovely character it is! How much of God is in it-how much of Christ is in it-how much of heaven is in ithow much of holiness and happiness is in it. Come hither, ye speculative professors come here, and leave all your useless speculative theological difficulties, come hither, and look this lively, and lovely, and godlike character of God's elect full in the face, and take your own characters in juxtaposition with this, to the class of revelations, and read if you can your election of God. Take another portrait of the election of grace, as drawn by the divine pencil. "Knowing, brethren beloved," said Paul to the Thessalonians, "your election of God, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in E power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. For ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia; and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." From this last quotation it is manifest, that God had an election of grace in Thessalonica; that the Apostle knew their election from their receiving the gospel, not in word only, as all the other Thessalonians did, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; so that they turned from their idols, and joined the church. Thus we know the elect by their faith, and we know that God's elect put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another, even as Christ had forgiven them. Wherever we behold such characters, we may, as far as appearances go, fairly infer their election of God, for all these gracious qualities are the fruit of the Spirit, and the evidences of regeneration. If in addition to these, such a character be sustained through life, the evidences of their election are increased, and as a proof of this we shall quote only one other passage, exhibiting a full length portrait of a full grown Christian, drawn by the graphic pencil of Peter, and which is in perfect harmony with that of Paul on the very same subject. "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness and charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." This is the use, the scriptural use which all wise men will make of the doctrine of election. But, alas! how different is the use, or rather the abuse of this holy doctrine, to which it is turned by many foolish men to their own hurt. Many are the ways by which this gracious doctrine has been wrested from its proper place in the Holy Scriptures, but let only two of these be at present examined, namely, the awakened sinner, and the formal professor. The use too frequently made of it by the awakened sinner. Satan has in general, two modes of temptation for two different classes of sinners, the wakened and unawakened. He persuades the unawakened sinner to believe himself little or no worse than other men, and keeps him quite under an unefined hope in the general mercy of God. But when the Spirit of God wakens the sinner to a sight and sense of the spirituality of the law, and of his own deep depravity, Satan then changes his tactics, and persuades him believe that he is worse, yea, much worse than any other man; that his sins are too great to be forgiven; that he has committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, and that, in short, he is not one of God's elect. In the belief of is, the awakened sinner either stands still, or lies down in hopeless dispair. Satan keeps the stumbling doctrine of election so close to his eye that he Pannot see the calls and invitations of the Gospel. But who told him he was not one of God's elect? Not the spirit of truth in the Scriptures, but the spirit of falsehood in his own deceitful heart. He is looking at something seen, because unrevealed, and believing something that God has not testi ' fied; while he is overlooking that which is visible in the Scriptures, and disbelieving the testimony of God. He is presuming on a secret thing which belongs to God, and neglecting a revealed thing which belongs to himself, and thus, through the falsehood of Satan, and the deceitfulness of his own heart, he is reversing all the righteous arrangements of God. An atonement has been made for sin, and through this the door of heaven is opened to every man. He is invited and entreated to enter by this door. Let him take God at his word; let him come at God's call, and if God refuse to admit him, when he thus comes, let him then, but not till then, charge God with double dealing. The other abuse often made of the doctrine of election is by the high, or Hyper-Calvinist, who is the perfect antipode of the awakened sinner. Satan persuades the High Calvinist that he is one of heaven's favourites, one of Christ's sheep, whom no man can pluck out of his hands; one of God's elect, who can never fall from grace, and then puts the question, Who shall lay anything to my charge as one of the elect of God? It is God that justifies me, and who can condemn me. In this belief, he is incased as in triple brass, and all exhortations to self-examination and self-diffidence, he esteems as straw, or rather wood. Tell him to examine whether his character corresponds to that of the elect of God, and whether he be putting on bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, patience, longsuffering, forgiveness; and whether he be adding to his faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and thus making his calling and election sure, he will treat all such directions as distrustful of God's faithfulness, as dishonouring to God's grace; as legal stuff and self-righteousness. In a word, he is perfectly pursuing the very same course of falsehood as the awakened sinner; he is looking at something unseen, while he is overlooking the revealed character of the election of grace, and thus he perishes in his presumption, even as the awakened sinner does in his despair. In conclusion, the avowed object of the writer of these papers was to state facts, not to remove difficulties. All theological difficulties he has left just where he found them, unremoved, and, as he believes, in our present state, anremoveable. We know not better how to wind up the argument attempted in these papers, than by the following extract from a luminous writer of the present day, who had intensely studied the Calvinistic and Arminian subject of controversy, in all its ramifications, "It would be folly," says he, "to make a doctrine like this a test of religious communion.* The wisest and best of men have differed in opinion on it; and those who have most intensely studied it have been always most forward to acknowledge its difficulties. Our duty is to ponder the page of divine truth in all its branches, and to act on that portion of it which is laid down as a rule of action. It is not necessary that we should understand the nature of God's decrees, but very necessary that we should understand our position as rational and responsible agents. If we wish to attain near and clear views of God's infinite greatness, and sovereign righteous power, and of our own weakness and dependence, let us humbly contemplate the mysterious doctrine of God's predestination. If we wish to stir ourselves up to strenuous exertion in duty, let us consider our responsi "Two Such a latitudinarian sentiment we cannot but regard as extremely loose and unscriptural; communion between two such opposite parties can be only a counterfeit. cannot walk together except they be agreed."- Éd. C. A. |