number of Hindoos from any caste become Christians, and the rest will follow as a matter of course. If Satan's strongholds in India have not been abolished, the outworks have been attacked and are giving way. William Carey said, "I will go down the pit, if you in England will hold the rope. When he got to India he found that the pit was blocked up, and his first work was to prepare the necessary instruments to dig, and it was years before he got a single jewel. You who are holding the ropes, wondering that you have to hold so long, and why there is comparatively so small a return, must not forget that if many jewels are not found, a great part of the pit has been opened, and that you have only received an earnest of the fruit of the mine. May God hasten the great ingathering in His own good time! Rev. T. Evans. A LARGER INCOME TO BE OBTAINED. My heart was exceedingly gladdened the other day, on reading the account of your annual gathering in connection with the Baptist Union, to find some 1,200 churches in connection with your Union throughout the country. I cannot, therefore, see that you have got to the end of your possibilities with this £34,000 a-year. I believe that you are about in the same position with respect to the possibilities of your churches that England was with respect to the possibilities of Australia at the time when we were just getting wool from the sheep-walks. You have been getting the wool from the sheep-walks, but there is a mine of gold to be got at yet. I know a great many good things about Baptist churches in the country, but I do not know a better thing than the Baptist Missionary Society. I believe that some of your churches are not, perhaps, quite so much aware as they might be, how much the high esteem in which they deservedly stand before the public of this country is owing to the prestige of your noble institution. Who could despise one of your smallest country-side meetinghouses, when he remembered that Dr. Carey came from such a place as that? There are many outsiders who know very little about your doctrines, and nothing at all about your church order; but who is there that does not know something about your mission achievements? Who is there that does not know something about the galaxy of glorious names, second to none of any age or church, written in the rolls of this Baptist Missionary So ciety. I believe that this matter has only to be thoroughly brought before the churches to procure for your society an enormous increase of income. Queen Victoria would no more leave unpaid her armies, or put her crown jewels in pawn, than would your churches permit this society to be hampered with debt, or kept from going forward by difficulties about finance. Rev. S. Coley. CATHOLICITY OF MISSIONS. The missionary spirit is essentially the Christian spirit. It is a proper thing that we should keep up our denominational fences, but I think it would be a bad thing if we build them so high that we cannot look over them. We ought, however, all to do our part in these Christian enterprises. Some gas companies, you know, do not care about the world being lighted up, so long as they do not find the gas. For my part, I am sure there is plenty of room for every lamp which all the Church of Christ can light. Let us not trouble ourselves too much about minor differences. I kneel at the table, and you immerse at the font; but we are one for all that. There are greater unities than divergences. I do not want to put away our denominational differences; they are convenient at present-I do not say they always will be. There are differences, and therefore there is no harm to label them; but let them be watchwords, by which the men of each regiment can know their own men, but not war-cries, at the sound of which one battalion shall turn the sword against the other. Oh! no; the army is one. In my own church we are trying to cultivate this spirit; and I am come this morning willingly to speak just a few words of hearty love to you to tell you how we wish you good luck in the name of the Lord-how we rejoice in your successes as belonging to our common Christianity. You know the churches do get divided, and are half afraid of each other; something like the dew-drops in early morning, lying each drop separate from its sister drop, but by-and-by the sun exhales them, and they blend as they go up in vapour, and they are one in the clouds above us. (Cheers.) It is like that in the churches. Here they are separate, but as Christians are called up home they become one. Rev S. Coley. THE HUMAN SYMPATHY OF GREAT MEN. It must have struck us all in reading the biographies of great men, and of good men, that they are nearly all of them distinguished by what I may venture to call great humanness of feeling. Everything that concerns their fellows, interests them. They are ready to weep in all sorrow, and they are ready to rejoice in all joy. More is needed, indeed, to make a great man, and still more is needed to make a good man, than this spirit of universal sympathy. But without that spirit I believe that really great and really good men are never found. It is now, my lord, some twenty years since our brother, William Knibb, entered into his rest-a name it is impossible not to recall with a resolu tion in one's hand speaking of Jamaicaa man of indomitable energy and of strong and resolute will, but a man, above all, of tender and loving heart. Every missionary and every oppressed man found in him a friend, and every missionary found in his house a home. He was one of the largest-hearted men that God has ever given to the church. Three hundred years ago Martin Luther thundered through Europe, and shook even to its foundation the Papal throne; and yet through his love for his wife, his son, and his friends, we seem to know Kate Luther and little Hans Luther, and Justyn Jonas, and that brotherhood, as intimately as we know even Martin himself. Take away from that man his large human heart, and his power for usefulness is almost entirely gone. Rev. Dr. Angus. SOCIETIES AND INDIVIDUAL ACTION. I am aware that there has been for years among us, and probably there is still, a feeling of doubt about our So cieties-a preference for individual action and for church action; and among the grounds of this preference is the conviction or fear that Societies for the most part have no conscience and no heart; they excite no sympathy because they themselves feel none. Now, I am pre pared to-day to say not a single word against individual action, and, if possible, to say still less against church action; but I am as prepared to affirm also that I cannot give you, and I could'nt even conceive of, a single reason for church action, and for admiration of church action, that does not apply to a society of Christian men, constituted as I believe in fact ours to be. I say constituted in fact, because I am not prepared to defend forms and theories and phraseology; but all I maintain is that I believe our Baptist Missionary Society is practically an association of God-fearing men, and that we are resolved, in God's strength, to carry on this institution, recoguising, stage by stage, the teaching of His own word, and seeking supremely His own glory. I am bound to love the Christian church, and to work with it-I am bound to say Godspeed to the individual missionary that by such a church is sustained; but I see no distinction between a church of 500 members and an association of Christian men of 10,000; and I see no distinction between the two missionaries that may be sustained by a single church, and the hundreds of missionaries that are sustained in the same work by our beloved mission. Tell me why I am to sustain, and you tell me the very reasons (only I multiply them fiftyfold) why I am to sustain a Christian Missionary Society, as I believe ours to be. Rev. Dr. Angus. THE JAMAICA MISSION. It is more than twenty years since we held the jubilee of our Baptist Missionary Society. We have passed our threescore years and ten. Amongst the gifts placed in our treasury that year was a resolution from our churches in Jamaica, to the effect that they would meet their own expenses thenceforward, and carry on the cause of God among themselves, on the distinct understanding upon our side and theirs, that we were to use the fund that was spared from Jamaica in commencing missions in other destitute fields. It was my privilege and my misfortune to take part in carrying out that resolution. My privilege I shall ever deem it, for I believe it was one of the noblest resolutions ever passed by any body of brethren. A resolution unique in the history of the Christian church, that a large body of Europeans should give up the support they had been receiving from their brethren at home, and throw themselves absolutely for support on comparatively poor native churches-a resolution unique I believe, in that form, in the history of the church. I deem it my privilege also, because we forthwith commenced missions in Africa, in Hayti, in Trinidad, in Canada, and in France, absorbing within two years more than all the funds that we had previously spent in Jamaica. This is the bright side. And now let me say a word upon what I deem my mis Un fortune. Perhaps the resolution of these churches was premature perhaps they had formed an unwise association between the word jubilee and freedom-freedom for us, and freedom for them. doubtedly unforeseen circumstances did arise, and, in fact, after we had consecrated our contribution for Jamaica to other fields, we had appeals from that island, and were compelled out of kind ness and equity to borrow and to spend there besides, £10,000 or £12,000. That was our misfortune. Then we had another difficulty. There is, I suppose, throughout all our colonies a very high estimate of the exhaustless resources of the mother country. I believe that that estimate is overrunning and excessive, even when "the mother country" means the imperial treasury; and I am quite sure it is excessive when it means the Baptist Missionary Society. There had been for years an impression in Jamaica that the Baptist Missionary Society meant the Queen, both Houses of Parliament, the Bank of England, and the Lord Mayor. But in the end our brethren did learn the lesson generously, nobly, intelligently, and for the last fifteen years in the history of that mission, they have gone alone-a noble, generous child, the very image of its mother, I hope, in her best qualities, and certainly prepared to hope and attempt great things in our Master's cause. And because of what they have done and suffered and struggled, and are now doing and struggling, I commend them in the words of this resolution to your hearty sympathy. But I have one reason besides. It is fifty years since that mission was formed; and within twenty years after its formation slavery crossed its path, and in the form of white men burnt down its chapels. There, as else where, slavery struck the first blow. Slavery ceased in that island, and 300,000 slaves were made free. It is confessed on all sides, by friends and foes, that our brethren did their share in that work. Fifteen years later these churches declared their independence, and went alone; and in visiting that island some years since we had occasion to mark anew these facts, and these form the ground on which I rest this appeal. Rev. Dr. Angus. REFORM SOMETIMES REQUIRED. I have the profoundest respect for those politicians who would follow a Liberal course of reform in the government of our land, and I respect very greatly those Conservatives who sit down under the tree whose branches are nearly rotten, and sing "Woodman, spare that tree, There is something very beautiful and touching about this-so beautiful and touching that it never would be in my heart to speak a hard thing about that old Conservative tree. Again, there is something very beautiful about that youthful flash and fire that, to set all things right, would turn all things upside down; but for all that I would prefer to adopt a middle course. I would rather see in power those who would make reforms when necessary, and who would yet hold fast the constitutional principles, and even the items that grow out of these principles, as far as possible. True lovers of their country are to be found in both extreme roads, no doubt, but they are not to be thought less true to their country who take a middle position, and do not aspire to lead either side. And the true lovers of the Baptist Missionary Society may be those who would not have a word altered in its constitution, and yet cannot defend the phraseology; and they may be those who say, "No society;" but when I take my stand and say, Let us hold together in a great society, but at the same time let us be prepared to follow out more and more what we feel to be Scriptural revelation, I hold I am not less a friend to the Baptist Missionary Society than any man living. I do not believe there is any party who wish that there had been no society action. I believe that to have been a thorough misapprehension-not a misrepresentation, doubtless-for we have all said, God speed the Society! On our knees have we asked of God to show us what could make her more efficient-what could give her missionaries more spirit in the field, and her ministers more spirit in the cabinet. It is not a question whether there should be a society or not, but how far the churches of God should be recognised, and individual action be brought more fully into play. Rev. C. H. Spurgeon. PRINCIPLES OF ASSOCIATION. Now it has seemed to us that an association of good men working out God's purposes was a noble idea, and the outgrowth of the idea of a church; and we have therefore never said a word against it, but have, on the other hand, fondly cherished the hope that we might see such an association. We have not believed in an association composed of ten-and-sixpences. We have always said piety is an essential, and the profession of that piety before men. We have always thought that any connection with the world, merely on account of ten-and-sixpences, or even thousands of pounds, was almost as great an evil as uniting the Church with the State, which contains so many worldly elements; and therefore we have not spoken about words and phraseologies, but about what is to us a very solemn principle. We are prepared, as Christian men, to maintain in its fullest strength, this Society, but we are not prepared to work with any Society which either ignores the churches, or does not distinctly make itself a Christian Society, by having no members but those who profess to be Christians. We don't believe we could expect to have God's blessing unless we purge out the old leaven. We think that just as in the human body, if there is a piece of bone that is dead, there will be an ulcer and a swelling till the bone is cut out; so the admission, even in phraseology, of anything like a dead word, and the unrenewed nature of man into the working society of Christ, would only be to breed an ulcer in it, which would mar the whole body in its beauty and strength. Rev. C. H. Spurgeon. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. you cannot have without it. There is the WHAT CAN BE DONE. What we want to do in connection with the Society is this-could not some of you keep a missionary yourself, paying your money into the Society? At the same time inform that missionary that he depends upon you for support, and tell him that if he is ill, and wants a little extra help, to let you know, if things are not going well with him to let you know. A person sustaining a missionary in that way would be more likely to pray for him, and feel sympathy with him, than anybody else. There may be some friend To get the whole country into some here-a lady perhaps who has faith thing like dissatisfaction with the results enough, though poor, to believe that God hitherto obtained, would be one of the will enable her to support a missionary ; best ways towards making every man feel like a dear sister in Cheltenham, who more than it does its own individual re- supports an Evangelist in Paris. Well, I sponsibility. If you could see my heart, am quite sure, if she undertakes to do it, you would see nothing in it but the purest that it will have a most blessed effect on love to this Society, even when I say her soul. You see they are all now looksomething about its faults. It is because ing to this great Society; that, to a large I love the Society that I want to see a extent, takes off the responsibility from more thorough revival of the sense of in- the individual. We do not want to cut dividual responsibility. To whom did the rope that is holding the missionaries Christ give his commission? Not to a down below; but we want you to undersociety, but to individuals. If I understand that it is nothing but a rope, and stand the promise, it is given to each individual believer, who, feeling his own weakness, comes to God, and casts himself upon the Divine strength. And to whom is the reward given? Shall I, at the gate of heaven, hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful Society?" No; but "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." And mark, there are personal benefits to be derived from personal action which we must all have our share in holding it, and we must be recognised as having our share. If every man feels that the holding of the rope depends upon him, and that if he does not subscribe, the rope will not be held so well, depend upon it he will think twice before he lets go. Why, your debt has been a magnificent thing for the committee. The people have felt, why we must all do something. We should like to see knots of three or for wisdom that I would not say a word against wise people, but if by some strange freak there should come a rash period again—a little Quixotism shall I call it? if our brethren should go raving mad, and some of the subscribers should say they were like drunken men, I should not decry them. If our committee get on fire with enthusiasm, we will get water and pump on them, and do our share to save them from combustion, spontaneous or otherwise. Yea, if they should do any thing absurd, and be arraigned for attempting impossibilities and getting into debt, some of us will come and plead guilty side by side with them, for we shall feel too glad to find them offending-delighted to catch them falling into something like extravagance for God. Oh! for a circular all round to pray for a sevenfold blessing, setting forth the faith of the Society in her God-and then for immediate action, depending upon God. Go forward, brethren, and rely upon it there are some among us-and they are the vast majority, if not all-who have such faith in God, that if you have faith in Him they will not let you go too far. Rev. C. H. Spurgeon. As the meeting was about to close, the proceedings were interrupted by Mr. Alexander Innes. On the motion of the Rev. W. Brock, seconded by the Rev. C. Stovel, the meeting unanimously refused to hear him, on the grounds stated in the following language by Mr. Brock : The person who has caused this interruption is a dismissed missionary of this Society. We have gone into the whole matter that he desires to bring before you, and have pronounced against him. He has received from our hands the full discharge of his claim upon us, and we hold his receipt, and yet he has actually had the impertinence to demand his salary up to the present time, and hold us bound to pay him. Furthermore, he has sent a letter to one of our secretaries, claiming £1,000 for damage to his reputation, and a second letter to the other secretary, claiming from him by return £10,000 as compensation. This is not the man to get the ear of an Exeter Hall audience. He has gone further, and has declared that "as for Frederick Trestrail, he would not believe a word he might say—not even take his oath on any matter." Now, we would. Furthermore, he has written of A one of the brethren who was to have been here to-day, but could not because of illness, "as that worthless scoundrel Saker." And of the directors of the Society he dares to assert that "they are a set of impostors, and that lying and slander have been their weapons." That is my case in moving a distinct and definite resolution that this man be not heard. man who can first calumniate your secre tary, then go further, and defame one of the best missionaries we have ever had, and further consummate his rancour by traducing the whole body of your direc tors, is not the man to be heard by you even for a single moment. I beg, therefore, to move that Mr. Alexander Innes be not heard. The Rev. C. Stovel said: I beg to state that Mr. Innes himself supplied the facts on which his further services were de clined. The proceedings of these most interesting anniversary services were brought to a close by a large gathering of the friends of the Young Men's Missionary Association in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in the evening. The devout spirit in which they began was continued throughout. Amid |