faith in the gospel lies at the foundations of society, and its influence is diffused through all its ramifications, will the period arrive when the weapons of war shall be converted into implements of husbandry, and on earth there shall be peace, good will to men, and glory to God in the highest.

Christians, therefore, must still be at their post, as the lovers and benefactors of their fellow-men. But let them form their expectations wisely, that their efforts also may be judicious. Their hopes will assuredly be realised, but perhaps the end is not yet. What scenes may be witnessed first, who shall tell? Shall they not be scenes of terror and dismay? - Evangelical Christendom.

ROME.

As the year approaches its close, the period of the pope's return appears more remote. The bigoted party by whom he is surrounded persuade him that a coup d'état will shortly be struck in France which will alter all present relations, and materially ameliorate his position. In the meantime, the Spaniards have departed, and the Castle of Spoleto which they held is occupied by Roman infantry. Rome is in a state of entire tranquillity, but in every point it is in the full and visible possession of the French troops. Pio Nono would be a bold man to enter a

fortress so garrisoned, but if he does not return their tenure will evidently be permanent.-The Christian Times, Dec. 21.

DR. ACHILLI.

The case of Dr. Achilli requires now to be approached with decision and energy. He was seized by night by the familiars of the Holy Office, acting under the protection of the French authorities, and thrown into the

prison of the inquisition under false charges. A corporal and six men of a regiment of French chasseurs accompanied the sbirri, and waited below while he was arrested. The fallacy of the charges on the strength of which they obtained French permission to take him is now admitted. "Il est absous." As soon as Achilli's English friends instituted a determined inquiry on the spot, the accusation was given up, and it is now stated that they never made any such charge against him, and that they hold their prisoner purely on the ground of ecclesiastical offences-that he is prosecuted for religious opinions, professions, and acting. And this has been accomplished and is perpetuated by French authority. There is on the part of the French a want of straightforwardness. They protest against the prison door. They say by way of excuse, religious persecution, but they do not open

"We do not interfere with the acts of the

Roman government." Why are they there then? Why did they go there? Why did they take military possession of the city! Who are masters of Rome if they are not? At this moment the French troops stand sentry over the dungeons of St. Angelo. If the pope is in power why do they not obey him and go out? The fact is, they can and will do just what they please in Rome; and as they have known all through the case that Dr. Achilli was unjustly apprehended, and as they have had it in their power at any moment to have released him, they lie under the imputation of not dealing fairly with the prisoner and honestly with his friends. The power by which they retain the military tenure of Rome is power enough to redeem their character if they will for republican political consistency, and honest impartial adherence to liberal principles.-The Christian Times, Dec. 21.

SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. This truly benevolent society has never received from the Christian public that sympathy which it merits. The feeble list of subscribers which accompanies its report for 1849, fully proves this fact, for £26 6s. 6d. is all it receives under this head. Annual collections are made by several churches in aid of its funds; but these evidently testify that its claims have never been fully appre

£20 or £30 for a popular society, would never send twenty shillings to this! And yet twenty shillings is the average sum of the sixty-five churches which make collections on its behalf! For example, a wealthy church which raised £110 for the Foreign Mission this year, sent 30s. to the Aged Ministers' Fund! Not because it was penurious in the cause of God-it is celebrated for its liberality; but on account of that devoted people being wholly unacquainted with the wants of our brethren.

If the baptist denomination will take up the case in earnest, and make an annual collection as a new year's gift, though it were only sixpence each member, this would raise a very large income, and place the society in a position which it ought to enjoy.

The means now at the disposal of the committee of the society, enable them to give to the aged ministers connected with it, a pension of only about £9 or £10 a year; a sum obviously and altogether inadequate to meet the necessities of the case, while they have no power to assist ministers who may not have subscribed, however deserving or necessitous.

It is, therefore, recommended by the following ministers and brethren to the various churches of the baptist denomination, that the subject be brought before their congregations on the first Lord's day in January next; or to those to whom that time may be inconvenient, on the first sabbath in February, when a sum amounting to a thousand pounds, at least, may be realized. But should the case be generally taken up, most likely two thousand pounds would be poured into the treasury of the Lord; and this at the small sacrifice of sixpence for each member, exclusive of the congregations and some larger donations from the rich. Surely none would

feel this a loss, but all would enjoy the

pleasure.

It is also proposed, that a public meeting be held in London, in April or May next, to enlarge and strengthen the operations and benefits of this society; when it is earnestly requested, that all those who feel an interest in the promotion of a pastor's comfort, at a time when the infirmities of age have disabled him for the work of the ministry, will be present, to give their counsel and support to an undertaking which cannot fail to approve itself to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

It is also proposed, that the committee shall be empowered to dispose of the funds raised by voluntary contributions from persons who are not beneficiary members, or by churches which may make an annual collection, in the relief and assistance of any aged or infirm minister who, in their opinion, shall be thought deserving of the same. But that all contributions by beneficiary members and their churches, as well as the income of the funded property, shall be applied as heretofore.

"With great pleasure I subjoin my earnest recommendation of the extended plan for relieving our aged and necessitous ministers in general which is here proposed. "F. A. Cox.

"Dec. 6, 1849."

"I think it highly desirable that more ample and general provision should be made for aged and superannuated pastors of our churches.

"JAMES HOBY."

"The subject of assisting the ministers of Christ, when suffering from age or infirmity, is so important, that though I do not at present see how the last paragraph of the foregoing statement (drawn up by the Rev. S. Lillycrop), can be carried into effect by the Aged and Infirm Baptist Ministers' Society, as at present constructed, without the proposed alterations being sanctioned by two successive annual meetings of the society, according to Rule 19.

"Yet, I am so great an advocate for making the society known, and enlarging its beneficial operation, that I cordially approve the proposal of the public meeting in London,

in April or May next, and also earnestly recommend the general appeal to Christian churches for their assistance to so valuable an object in the early part of 1850.

"The sum to be raised by the proposed special appeal should, in my opinion, be distributed amongst ministers who are incapacito the present society or not, in which case tated by age or infirmity, whether belonging it would follow that the members of the society, when recipients, would receive their share of the special fund, in addition to their present incomes.

"I beg to refer to the Baptist Magazine for December, 1849, p. 786, for information as to the staff of the present society. The Rules will be sent to any one who may apply for them.

"J. L. PHILLIPS,

Treasurer of the Society for the relief of Aged and Infirm Baptist Ministers.

"Melksham, Dec. 12, 1849."

"The benefits of the society for the relief of aged and infirm baptist ministers, have hitherto been restricted to those ministerial

brethren, who, by its rules, have been regularly constituted members, and who have annually subscribed to its funds. The above proposal of Mr. Lillycrop, being for the assistance (as far as possible) of all necessitous baptist ministers in age, or infirmity, might in its general objects be expected to

"Very happy shall I be, if by any means, the claims of our infirm and superannuated pastors may receive the effectual and early support of the denomination.

"CHARLES DANIELL, "Secretary of the Society for the relief of Aged and Infirm Baptist

Ministers.

"Melksham, Dec. 12, 1849."

THE NEW YEAR BRIEFLY COMPARED WITH THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CENTURY.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. MY DEAR BROTHER.-The year 1850, upon which by the divine goodness we are now entering, will complete the first half, or the first jubilee of the nineteenth century. This has led me to revert to one of my earliest communications to a religious periodical, entitled, "Reflections on the close of the year 1801," which appeared in the Gospel Magazine for December in that year. The Baptist Magazine was not then commenced, Dr. Rippon's Baptist Register," which had been published at irregular periods since 1790 was being discontinued. The Evangelical Magazine, which had the assistance of Mr. Fuller, and others of our brethren, was started in 1793, but, while I heartily desired its success, I hailed with particular joy the prospectus of the Baptist Magazine, and procured for it full a dozen subscribers in Woolwich, where I then resided, before the appearance of its Brst nun ber, January 1st., 1809; and notwithstanding all the multitude of competitors for the public favour which distinguishes the present day, it is pleasant to observe that its vitality continues unimpaired; and it is still enabled to contribute, a modicum of gratifying sistance to a portion of the necessitous widows of our deceased ministers, many more of whom might indeed be very materially aided from its profits, if our brethren and friend's more generally imitated the painstaking of the methodists for the circulation of their magazine throughout their connexion. The year 1801 was particularly noticeable for a most abundant harvest, after years of very afflicting scarcity; and the preliminaries of peace were also sigred in it with France, after a most destructive conflict of nearly eight years continuance. Things appeared to promise the restoration of order amongst our neighbours, after the fearful horrors of their frenzied revolution. The extraordinary political character, the wonder of modern times, in comparison with whom the butchering monsters called heroes of antiquity sink almost into insignificance, had now succeeded in planting for himself over the republican volcano a chair of sovereignty, which was presently metamorphosed into a mushroom ephemeral empire, the sun of which most

VOL. XIII.-FOURTH SERIES.

came shorn of its fiery beams amidst the snows and frests of Russia, and soon afterwards went down for ever, in midnight, in the Atlantic ocean! In 1801 this was not contemplated, but appearances being favourable for the restoration of tranquillity, the British cabinet ventured upon the experiment, and never probably were illuminations more heartily exhibited in London than when the preliminaries of peace were publicly gazetted. A worthy quaker near where I then resided, even exhibited a transparency, with the following most appropriate scriptural inscription, "He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat!" and through the divine mercy, notwithstanding all our painful intermediate experience to the present hour, no portion perhaps of the divine oracles is more suitable to set forth the immediate circumstances of our beloved and highly favoured country. "O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men !"

What may be the events of the remaining half century must of course be left for the period itself to develope. We are certainly living in peculiarly eventful times; but the sceptre of universal sovereignty being in the hands of our Redeemer, his true servants cannot but experience security and consolation. We have indeed now particularly to adore the divine goodness for our individual preservation, and the relief our country has experienced from the recent awful visitation of cholera; but it is most certain, that very few that witnessed the commencement of the century will also witness its termination. Happy indeed are those that through trusting in Jesus are scripturally prepared for all the events in providence, in life, and in death, whether it may come earlier or later, suddenly, or by lingering disease; and though, if we do not misapprehend the instruction of the scriptures, there is every probability that a season of most afflicting darkness is before both the world and the professing church, we have no reason to be painfully apprehensive for the final consequences; "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning:" and next to our individual spiritual acquaintance with the gospel, there is nothing probably from which we may more reasonably encourage hope, than from our zealously carrying forward, both at home and abroad, our beloved Christ-glorifying missionary operations.

The year 1801 brought us acquainted with the first ripe fruits of our denominational efforts. The Baptist Missionary Society was formed in 1792; but it was not until Decemher 28, 1800, after the scriptures had begun to be circulated in Bengalee, that a single Hindoo could be prevailed upon to lose caste for the gospel. Five more were baptized in

G

1801; but at the close of 1818, when Mr. Ward left India to revisit England, he informs us in his "Farewell Letters," that from six hundred to seven hundred native converts had been baptized; the chief portion of whom were the fruits of the labours of native brethren, of whom about fifty were become in some degree missionaries! And now, through the divine blessing upon the labours of the missionaries of the different Christian denominations, the evangelization of the world is delightfully going forward in a great number of places; and in proportion as Christian servants act in character, and are diligent and prayerful in fulfilling his commission, he will beyond all question communicate the Holy Spirit, until we shall behold with joy, not merely the dawning, but the full blaze of the glorious long promised happy millennial day.

It has been the privilege of the writer to be engaged during thirty years of the last half century, from 1816 to 1846, in extensively ministering the gospel, and procuring funds, in the service of our society for Ireland; and although he is now from necessity become superannuated, others, younger in life, and with pre-eminent qualifications, have entered into his labours, and the cause is happily still progressing; nor can any hindrance that is existing, or may hereafter arise, be effectual to prevent eventually the complete regeneration of the whole human family; for to Jesus "every knee must bow, and every tongue confess." "He must increase," and he is to see "the travail of his soul," until not only himself, but his holy Father, and the Holy Spirit, and his whole redeemed church shall be most abundantly satisfied; and the reign of sin being terminated for ever, the reign of righteousness shall then become both universal and perpetual. Lord hasten the blessed period, Amen, and Amen.

THE STATISTICS OF THE BRISTOL BAPTIST COLLEGE.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. DEAR SIR,-Will you permit me to correct an error of some importance which appears in the Magazine for December relative to the statistics of the Bristol Baptist College. It is there stated, that the income of the college for the year ending June 26, 1849, was £2042 18s. 3d.; and the expenditure £2270 14s. 3d. The income is correctly given as to amount, but your readers are nevertheless likely to receive an erroneous impression from the statement. Any one

Of

who will refer to the Report will find that of this sum £1049 Os. 6d., was derived from legacies, so that the actual amount received from ordinary sources was under £1000. these legacies, two smaller ones amounting to £150, were applied as part of the funds of the year, whilst the generous legacy of Mr. Caddick of Tewkesbury, amounting to £1000 5 per cent. cons., was after payment of duty transferred into the name of the trustees, and added to the capital stock of the society. All this is clearly stated in the Report. In the treasurer's account, the net proceeds of this legacy, £899 0s. 6d., appear on each side, and of course are included in the totals. This sum has to be deducted, therefore, from both the income and the expenditure, in order to present a fair account,-from the income, because it has not been considered as available income and therefore has not been employed as such, much more from the expenditure, since in fact it has not been expended, but is still the property of the society. This deduction is not, however, the only one that is to be made from the expenditure. The compiler of the statistical account has no doubt intended to deduct from the total casting the balance due to the treasurer at the beginning of the year, viz. £104 68. 4d. But he has forgotten the £100, and has deducted only the odd money. The true account of income and expenditure will stand thus:

It would, perhaps, be hardly worth while to occupy so much time and space in pointing out this error, were it not that the statistics given in the Magazine may hereafter be referred to as authoritative with regard to a question about which much has been said and written, the great expense of our collegiate institutions. According to the statement in the Magazine, the expense per student would be more than £103. The real state of the case, however is that the expense of each student to the institution was under £58. This will be immediately seen by any one who will take the trouble to divide the expenditure as given in the Magazine, and as I have stated it above, by twenty-two, the actual number of students in the college during the last session. The mistake is the more unfortunate, inasmuch as the expense per student