THE BRITISH AND IRISH HOME MISSION ALSO steadily holds on its useful working way, and the subscription and general contribution list stands at some £200 increase on last year's. 240 agents are now employed. The Irish Churches in connection with this mission are reported as generally in a prosperous condition, the additions being on an average of eight to each. At more than 100 places is the gospel preached weekly, and it is well remarked-"Ireland with all its difficulties is a magnificent field for Christian work. It is one of the last places in the world in which the numerical strength of the churches can be taken as a test of the result of missionary labours. Among the two and half millions that have left her shores during the last quarter of a century, are thousands and tens of thousands of Christian people. In three years, twelve small congregations lost above a thousand persons-including children-by emigration. But if they are a loss to one country, they are a gain to others. They have carried their civilization and religion into savage and semi-barbarous territories, where they build cities, and sow the fields, and plant vineyards which may yield them fruits of increase."" THE BRITISH ANTI-STATE-CHURCH ASSOCIATION, NOW KNOWN AS THE LIBERATION OF RELIGION SOCIETY, HAS certainly become a power in the land, and its eighth Triennial Conference, just held, shewed this alike by the comprehensive report of work done and successes achieved as by the most influential body of earnest delegates assembled. Most of the fathers and founders of the association are now passed away: John Burnet, of Camberwell; Drs. Pye, Smith, Wardlaw, Campbell, and Price, with Robinson of Bristol, and Baines, and many other names will be remembered as men of the past, but whose fidelity to conscience and zealous working out of principle are still treasured, for the positive results of their service as well as their living witness abides. Amongst the veterans still in undiminished ardour, however, we have Edward Miall and J. P. Mursell, Howard Hinton, Charles Stovel, and not a few others who have helped them in the good work from its commencement; while a host of younger brethren, with many besides, whose convictions have been more recently settled on the righteousness, nobility, and profitableness of the cause, form a phalanx of determined hearts, hands, and intellects, which cannot fail by the blessing of God in eventually snapping the golden fetters which so dishonour and cramp that religion they are pretended to conserve-while we firmly believe the simplest and surest mode of resisting the inroad of Popery, will be the liberation of all religion from State patronage and control. The secular arm and the secular purse have been ever coveted by a false church and by false spirits in the true Church; but the gospel of God's grace was never other than hindered by a connection with these. AGED PILGRIMS' ASYLUM. On Thursday evening, May 14th, Dr. Doudney, who had been visiting London, paid a visit to the Aged Pilgrims' Asylum, Camberwell, by special arrangement. The beautiful weather brought together a large number of friends, who entirely filled the chapel. The occasion was made conducive to the interests of the proposed "New Asylum" at Hornsey Rise. After singing "Come we that love the Lord," the preacher read and made some sweet remarks on Psalm 27. Prayer followedanother song of praise-" Come let us join our cheerful songs," and then the Text announced, 1 Peter, i. 3rd to 9th verse. Dr. D. very experimentally spoke on the Father (v. 3); The "Begetting again;" "The Inheritance, &c.," and seemed to gain the earnest attention of all. Mr. Dodson, treasurer, gave a statement of present position of New Asylum Funds, and earnestly appealed for help. Mr. Jackson asked assistance by way of collecting books. Doxology and Benediction closed this profitable opportunity. Collection, £4 9s. 6d. ; a lady, £5 5s.; Mrs. Pearce, £1. Voetry. LYRICS FOR THE HEART. BY W. POOLE BALFERN. WILLING TO BE NOTHING. Make me willing to be nothing; I am nothing nothing can be ; Oh, may I be lost in Jesus, I am nothing; O how worthless! Naught I have that's good or holy--- Make me willing to be empty- Guilty, broken, fost, and needy, Make me real, Lord-make me humble True to light and thee; As I am, and thou dost call me, Gladly come to thee. Wherefore should I stand at distance, Lost I am, O Lord and Saviour; But dost thou not say to all such,- Many years myself I've pondered, Sure I am, through sin and sorrow, CATCHING THE SQUIRREL. Johnnie Ray had set a trap in the woodlands for squirrels. The "woodland" contained many acres of land, covered with beautiful trees, most of which were walnut. The squirrels loved that place. It was a home for a great many families of them. Johnnie thought he would like one of the sprightly little things for his own, and as it was spring, when there were no nuts on the trees, and when it might be supposed that the squirrels had eaten up all, or nearly all their winter store of provisions, he thought one of them might be tempted by a nice yellow ear of corn, to go into his box-trap. He set it on the woodland one fine afternoon, and having dropped a few of the bright grains of corn about it for "decoys," as he called them, left it there. A large rock stood near the place, and behind it he could creep quietly, now and then, to see if his trap were sprung. Two days passed, and no squirrel was was caught. On the third day Johnnie asked his sister Maud to go with him to look at his trap. They approached it very carefully, keeping behind the rock, and then Johnnie, taking off his cap, peeped cautiously through a crevice. An exclamation of joy almost escaped him, but he checked it, and with a motion of his hand pushed his sister, and beckoned her to come and look. A bushy-tailed little fellow was nibbling the scattered grains near the open mouth of the trap. They watched him almost breathlessly. He finished eating the " decoys," and lifting up his head, looked around. They could see his bright eyes. He gave a hop or two towards the trap, looked in and around seemingly in doubt whether it was safe to venture further. But at last he walked into the trap, nibbled at the ear of corn, the cover fell, and he was a prisoner. Now, before I tell you what became of him afterwards, I wish to say that I have seen more than one boy and girl who seemed to be very much like that squirrel. When I see a child beginning to be a little disobedient to its parents because he thinks it pleasanter to have his own way than to obey them; when I hear a boy using words which, though not the worst, perhaps, that might be spoken, are such as he would be unwilling his parents should hear; when I learn that a girl says or does things when out of sight of her mother which would grieve that mother's heart-then I think that girl, that boy, are picking up the "decoys which have been dropped by a being very different from little Johnnie Ray, for he did not wish to harm the squirrel; they are picking up the shining grains which the great trapsetter, who is the EVIL ONE, has made to look very inviting to the young and thoughtless, and strewn about the entrance to a place where he hopes to make these dear children his prisoners for ever! The little squirrel could hardly be blamed; for he could not think, as you can, and the corn was sweet to his taste. So the beginnings of sin may be sweet to you, but you know to what they lead. Johnnie took up his trap to home. He could hear the imprisoned squirrel scratching and struggling in his fright at being shut up in that strange, dark place; and before he reached home carry it he began to feel some misgivings about keeping the poor little fellow there. "I almost wish he were back in the woodlands," said Johnnie to his sister. Well, so do I," she replied "I am sorry that he should be there in that box, when he has been so happy all day long." "I mean to let him go." said Johnnie. "Oh, that will be nice," cried Maud, "but do you think he can find his way from here?" "I'm afraid not; but we can go back to the woodland gate." And back again they went. Johnnie set the trap down on the grass, and lifting up the door, the squirrel sprung up and was off in a twinkling, never stopping to look back till he was safely up in a walnut tree, and then he perched on one of the branches, giving his tail a whisk, as if he would say, "I will never be so caught again." But the great Trap-setter, of whom I have told you, is not so willing to let precious souls go out of his snare, when he has once caught them. Look out carefully and prayerfully for his DECOYS. He tries to make little sins appear quite harmless; he makes them very attractive, and thus he tempts one to go nearer and nearer to destruction. The voice of wisdom to every child is, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.' Monthly Notes on Passing Events. THE IRISH CHURCH has been the great topic of the past month, as our readers well know. The first of May, 1868, ought to be memorable in our country's annals, for on that day, just as morning dawned, the Commons of England-the real ruling power of the land-decided by a majority of 65 that the Irish Church should be disestablished, and the first legislative blow is given to the principle of Church-establishments in this kingdom! Into the details which preceded this great result we need not now enter, merely expressing a hope that our intelligent young people have followed them, since there is nothing more conducive to correct thought and settled convictions on political questions than a study of the speeches on both sides made by the leading speakers in the House of Commons. One thing however, demands special attention, viz., the fact that Mr. Gladstone was constrained to add to his three celebrated "Resolutions" on the subject, a fourth, having for its object the disendowment of Maynooth College, and the withdrawal of the Regium Donum grant. Thus, both Roman Catholic and Presbyterian endowments are to cease concurrently with the dis-establishment of the Irish Establishment. It now remains for Englishmen, and especially for Nonconformists, to see that no attempt is made to set up, in any insidious form, à Romanist Establishment on the ruins of the Irish Church. The Tory Government has expressed its desire to continue Maynooth and, in addition, to endow a Catholic University; and even its willingness, in order to a save the Irish Church, to "level up," by endowing the Catholic priests, so that it is very clear that the chief danger in this direction has, all along, rather been from those who would maintain, than from those who would abolish, the Irish Establishment, and that the "No popery" cry of the Tories has been but a hypocritical pretence. Mr. Gladstone's Suspensory Bill, which was founded on, and necessitated by, his "Resolutions," passed a second reading on Friday, May 23rd, by a majority of 54, notwithstanding the strenuous opposition of the Government. It remains to be seen whether the House of Lords will venture to reverse the decision thus arrived at. - THE RITUALISTIC COMMISSION has issued a second Report, in which it is declared that the use both of incense and lighted candles on the altar ought to be interdicted, as being contrary to the usages of the Church for the last three centuries, and that all subjects of complaint are to be referred by the parishioners to the Bishop, who is to be bound to hear and decide on the complaint thus made. The Report, however, is not unanimous, most of the High Church Commissioners dissenting from it either in whole or in part. ARCH DEACON SINCLAIR has determined this year, at least, not to conform to the usual practice of Bishops and Archdeacons in giving "charges" to the clergy, who generally appear to parody Watts' lines thus: "A charge I have to make, On the contrary, Archdeacon Sinclair discourses mainly on the condition of the working classes, and the hindrances to their reception of Christian truth and attendance on public worship. Publichouses and beer-shops, the sale of low and licentious publications, trades unions, filthy and crowded dwellings, all form topics on which he dilates with good sense and seriousness making one remark which we do not remember to have ever heard before, viz., that one reason of the religious indifference of the working classes in towns is to be found in their exclusive familiarity with the works of man, and their scanty acquaintance with the works of God. If this be so, agricultural labourers ought to be the most religiously inclined of our poorer population, but we know that they are often the most stolid and hardened of all. If this be true, also, the plea of the Sunday league is in part justified when they contend that Sunday excursions tend to lead the working classes up from nature to nature's God. THE GREAT CHURCH-MEETING at St. James' Hall, in the beginning of May, was an event unique in its way. When 4 archbishops, 19 bishops, 44 peers, and 81 M.P.'s are found collected together under one roof, there must be some extraordinary cause for the gathering. The cause lies in the old phrase, "The Church is in danger." It is something at least to have had the prelates and wealthy supporters of the Church of England brought for the first time face to face with the people, and compelled to justify its existence. The Liberation Society has done its first work in bringing Church grandees to argue, instead of denounce. Of course it was loftily contended that the State, and not the Church, would be the loser by their separation the one from the other; and we could not help observing that all the arguments employed to defend Church Establishments, if sound, would justify the re-enactment, not only of the Test and Coporation Acts of the present century, but even the "Five Mile" and other oppressive Acts of Charles the Second's reign! The Dean of Westminster was the only speakor who took lower ground; but he was out of place, and was made to feel it, for the clerical audience hissed and almost hooted him. We question whether this meeting, instead of aiding the Church of England, will not do much to injure its position in the eyes of the great mass of the people, as showing the poverty of argument by which it is defended by its leaders. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY'S Report is this year full of interesting particulars. It speaks of large distributions at the Paris Exhibition; of increased sales of the Scriptures all over the Continent-even to the remotest parts of the Russian empire; of bitter opposition, and yet encouraging progress, in Spain, Portugal, and Italy; of distributions to our soldiers in Abyssinia and to the natives all along their march; and of China and Japan asking for the Word of God. Truly the Society has "done great things, whereof we are glad." THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION. - The statistics of the Baptist churches reporting to the Baptist Union, comprising, we believe, the majority of the Baptist churches in England and Wales, are for the past year as follows:-The clear increase in church members, 7,759; the average rate of increase, 5 per churcha higher rate than any since 1860. In South Wales the average increase has been 23 per church (a significant fact, since the Welsh churches are almost universally strict in communion; number of new churches formed, 27; total number of churches reporting in the United Kingdom, 2,411; of chapels, 2,642; of members, 221,524.-From the Baptist Builing Fund Report we learn that 19 new Baptist chapels were built and opened in 1867, and 16 others enlarged and improved. During the past five years 157 new chapels have been built, providing 58,670 sittings. The addition to chapel debts during the past year has been £16,244. " The MISCELLANEOUS. The Government Education Bill is to be withdrawn for the present year.- -The Book Society has sold upwards of a quarter of a million copies of the cheap edition of "Foxe's Book of Martyrs.' The Prince of Wales has, it is said, presented a pair of altar candlesticks for use in Sandringham Church. A lady has given £10,000 for a new church in Somers Town. income of all the great religious societies has largely increased this year. The Bible Society, from £171,923 to £179,718; The Tract Society, from £110,775 to £113,092; The Church Missionary Society, from £150,356 to £157,288; The Wesleyan Missionary Society, from £148,410 to £149,371; The London Missionary Society, from £76,912 to £82,569; and the Baptist Missionary Society, from £30,105° to £34,912. |