regeneration,' and all the glorious mechanical holiness of Puseyite observances and forms, as the consequence, yes! the express and declared consequence and they may yet lose their souls as the ulterior consequence too! God is my witness, how keenly and with agony from the first, I and others have deprecated and condemned this enormous and wicked schism! But we did not make it, we wash our hands of it in the laver of the sanctuary, and look to God alone to reach the case with his own infinite and gracious compensations. We hope to be at last together in a city of more brotherly love than Philadelphia, where not two but just one only General Assembly shall be found, one in every sense, and harmonious for ever. S. H. C.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

CONCERT FOR PRAYER.-Another concert for prayer has been proposed and agreed upon. It is to commence on the first Sabbath of 1847, and to be conducted just as on former occasions, with this only difference, that its proposers wish that the subject of Intemperance should form a more prominent topic than heretofore,—that Christians would mourn over the sins of the land in this respect, and seek from God the removal of that bitter curse by the outpouring of his Holy Spirit upon the people.

EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.-Another step in this mighty movement has been taken. Many hundreds of Christ's ministers of every name and nation have met together, and given to each other the right hand of fellowship. The month of August last was the time when so many scattered members of God's one family drew near each other, and saw each other face to face. We are not among the sanguine as to the results of this alliance, but we welcome any approximation to unity-any desire among Christians to know each other better, and to love each other more.

EVANGELISTIC DEPUTATIONS.-These have now all returned from the fields to which they were sent forth in different parts of Scotland. We believe that they have had much encouragement, and that their labours have borne fruit. We trust that these home missionary tours, or evangelistic excursions, will be repeated. They are much needed, and they have been much blessed. We have good news from several quar

contradiction, and certification may be more copious in form without being less potential in nature, "the church" adjudges and enacts and holds, therefore, that, seeng things are so that by possibility they may involve somewhat that is defective or unsound, you should, as a thorough and true and regenerated churchman, in order to make assurance doubly sure, and to exclude all possibility of doubt and all temptation to despair, and to set an example of holy Episcopal order and piety, according to all the blessed apostles, receive baptism as an act from official hands, that are so certainly and by undoubted succession authorized to confer it, according to divine appointment. Then, my son, go down on thy knees- If thou hast not been baptized, I baptize thee, &c.'"

Thus the holy and most imposing act is performed hypothetically, the first word properly emphasized as the allowed basis of the whole transaction-" IF-IF-IF thou hast not," &c., Rom. xiv. 23, Rev. xvii. 1, 2, 18. Alas! I have too much reason, as a father, to abhor the paganizing enormity; and quite a number have I personally known and intensely deplored of respectable Presbyterian families, whose members have been infatuated to submit to this execrable humbug, and who have actually undergone the process-and enjoyed all the hypothetical advantages of the authorised manipulation from the fingers of mitred men, the veritable" successors of the apostles !!!"-S. H. C.

ters, symptoms of reviving, which we may surely regard as the forerunners of better and more blessed days.

STATE OF RELIGION.-The report upon the state of religion in our own Church is already before the public, so that we need not revert to it, nor extract from it. But the following report of the state of religion in the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, is not we believe known to any of our readers, at least to few. It is but recently published. It may both interest and stimulate us. "Your Committee, accordingly, on reviewing the history of the past year, can see much for which they have reason to thank God, and take courage. They have not, indeed, to record any remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, but they have found, in many quarters, a growing conviction and acknowledgement of her spiritual wants, and a strong desire to have these wants supplied. There are many of the people who are seeking the conversion of sinners, who are longing for the attainment of that blessing, who are taking counsel together, and forming plans for the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom. Prayer meetings have been established in various districts during the year; conferences have been held on the state of religion; the desire has been felt, and the determination made, to use more vigorous efforts than ever heretofore for the salvation of souls. But, to be more specific, there are three points essential to the great object proposed, to which the Committee would draw the attention of the Assembly:

"I. The awakening of the office-bearers of the Church to a deeper sense of their personal and official responsibility.

"II. The spiritual improvement of our congregations.

"III. The extension of the Gospel beyond the pale of the Church.

"1. With the view of quickening the office-bearers of the Church in the performance of their arduous duties, it was recommended in our last report that monthly conferences should be held by ministers dwelling in the same locality, and, if possible, by elders also, either in company with their ministers, or apart, for the purpose of prayer and mutual edification. This recommendation has been adopted by some of the Presbyteries, and they have expressed the high gratification they have found in such conferences. These meetings have led to a more enlarged knowledge of the word of God, and of its application to cases of ministerial experience, to a deeper sense of Christian obligation, to an increase of brotherly affection, and to more varied and vigorous measures for the conversion of sinners.

"Your Committee trust that these conferences will be kept up, and that they will be more generally adopted over the Church. In some cases they should be held by ministers exclusively; sometimes, again, by ministers and elders conjointly; and sometimes it would be found advantageous to invite the presence and counsel of others of the more experienced and judicious members of the Church. During the past year, Presbyteries have sometimes spent a portion of their usual day of meeting in devotional exercises; sometimes they have appropriated a special day to that exclusive object. The widely-separated residences of some of the members of the same Presbytery prevent them from coming together as often as they would wish. In these cases, sections of Presbyteries have made an arrangement for holding occasional conferences. For such a purpose, indeed, it is not necessary to adhere strictly to Presbyterial classification. When a few ministers, like-minded, reside in the neighbourhood, even though of different Presbyteries, let them come together to stimulate and comfort one another in this work of faith and labour of love. Though they be but two in number, they have the promise to cheer them, 'If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.'

"2. The Committee, in pursuing the correspondence with which they have been favoured since their appointment, are constrained to appeal to their brethren of the Eldership, and to remind them of the arduous and awful responsibility that attaches to the office to which they were solemnly and publicly ordained. We are accustomed, in expounding the constitution and discipline of our Church, to attach peculiar importance to the institution of the Ruling Elders, and to expatiate on the various and vast advantages accruing to the cause of truth and righteousness in any congre

gation in which the duties of the elder are adequately discharged. We take pains to show in our ordination services, how it cheers the heart and strengthens the hands of the pastor to have the sympathy and support of a pious and faithful eldership, who aid him with their counsel, and with their prayers, who share with him the visitation of the flock, who inform him of the result of his labours for the good of his people, and who suggest to him where his presence is required, and how his efforts may tell most directly and most powerfully on the spiritual necessities of his congregation. We explain how the elder is ordained to watch over the purity and efficacy of the Church as a witness for Christ—to guard its ordinances from the approach of the careless and the profane-to maintain an affectionate oversight of the conduct and character of its members-to exclude impenitent and contumacious offendersto set an example to the flock in his own person of all that is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. But if these duties are habitually disregarded-if elders are not themselves consistent and exemplary Christians-if they fail to rule their own houses well, and to keep their children in subjection with all gravity-if they are heedless of the interest of the Church in which they are appointed overseers-if they are indolent, or proud, or penurious, or absorbed by worldly engagements-then the office of ruling elder becomes a source of weakness and dishonour to the Church, instead of an ornament and a strength; and the eldership hangs as a dead weight upon any effort made to advance the interests of vital religion. The Committee would seek to impress upon elders no less urgently than upon ministers the importance of habitually considering, as before God, the important and influential position which they are called to sustain, and of exerting their official as well as their personal influence to help forward the work of the Lord.

"II. The spiritual improvement of our congregations.

"1. The plan has been adopted by some Presbyteries, during the past year, of giving lectures on the work of the Holy Spirit, in converting, sanctifying, and saving the souls of men. This subject was chosen, not only because of its own intrinsic importance, but because of its immediate connexion with the great object for which the Committee was appointed, and because there was reason to fear that this relation between the work of the Spirit and the work of the Son of God was but imperfectly understood by many of our people. These addresses have excited great interest, and have, in general, been numerously attended. So attractive have they proved to the people, that in some quarters the ministers have been urged to repeat them. Your Committee are therefore encouraged, by the very cordial reception which these lectures have obtained, to recommend a similar course and mode of instruction to the favourable consideration of their brethren.

"2. An interchange of ministerial services on these and other occasions has been frequently employed during the past year. The variety of gifts possessed by the ministers of the Gospel might doubtless be rendered, under God, much more efficient than heretofore for the conversion of sinners and the edification of saints. The very same truth, illustrated and enforced by a stranger, has been often found to come home to the heart and the conscience with a power unfelt before. The communities of the primitive Christians were not so exclusively confined to the ministrations of the same individual as the congregations of modern times. The instructions left on record by the inspired Apostles seem to contemplate a diversity of gifts, to be employed for teaching, exhorting, and edifying the Church. Your Committee would not, however, propose any measure of this kind to be authoritatively enjoined by the Assembly; but they would suggest to Presbyteries, whether they might not, with advantage to their people and to the cause of God, invite stranger ministers from a distance to officiate for a brief season within their bounds, with the view of directing attention to some specific department of evangelical truth, or of quickening to some specific work of Christian benevolence.

"3. But the preaching of the Gospel, however vigorous and faithful, is not adequate to meet the spiritual wants of our large congregations. It must be followed up by efforts to bring the truth of the Gospel home to the bosom of every individual, old and young, who is capable of receiving it. When it is remembered that a conside

rable number of the members of almost every congregation have been without the advantage of much religious or even intellectual training in their youth; that others are in a constant whirl of occupation from the beginning of the week till the end of it; that a large proportion of persons are unable or indisposed to follow with advantage any continuous train of thought; that many fail to apprehend the meaning of the terms employed by the preacher, or have their minds occupied by some irrelevant or comparatively insignificant matter, remote from the end and aim of the address delivered to them; and yet that these persons are mainly dependent on the ministrations of the Sabbath for whatever amount of religious knowledge they possess; it must be evident that, if we would meet the wants of our people, much instruction is needed in addition to that which is delivered from the pulpit. There is requisite the personal application of the Gospel, in order that the attention may be arrested, the understanding enlightened, the affections enlisted, misconceptions removed, the devices of the evil and treacherous heart exposed, and every individual be constrained to receive, decide on, or reject, the overtures of Divine grace. But how is this formidable task to be accomplished? How shall our ministers, with their numerous and multifarious engagements, be enabled to bring the message of the Gospel, not only to every family, but to every individual of their congregations ?— The resumption of the practice of public Catechising, which, it is to be feared, has in many congregations fallen into desuetude, would accomplish much; and the cooperation of a faithful eldership, employed with Christian wisdom, would secure that no house should be overlooked, and that no individual, old or young, should fail to receive a direct personal appeal on the things that concern our eternal peace. In some of our congregations this great object has been sought, and the very attempt has been acknowledged and blessed of God.

"The attention of your Committee has been called to the necessity of giving more diligent heed to the training up of candidates for the office of the holy ministry. The history of the Church of Christ, from the Apostolic age to the present time, teaches how closely connected is its welfare with the possession of a faithful ministry. Our Saviour commands us to pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth Labourers into His harvest. He thus at once intimates the paramount importance of the gift, and encourages us to hope for its bestowment. The experience, indeed, of every succeeding year furnishes an impressive commentary on these inspired words, serving, as it does, to fix more and more deeply on our hearts the conviction that, if we have men who are able ministers of the New Testament, we shall have all other things needful to the progress and prosperity of the Church. precious gift of Christ, the Lord of the harvest must be sought in prayer; still, in dependence on His grace, the Church must use the means for raising up a holy and effective ministry. And what are these means? Your Committee are of opinion that the Church should exercise a special oversight of young men looking forward to this sacred office, at three periods of their history.

For this

"First, previously to their entering college, the destination to the work of the ministry should not be left so exclusively as it is to the predilections of parents, or to the personal impulses of young men themselves, but should be regarded as a most serious and responsible duty devolving on the Church. It should be the care of Sessions and Presbyteries to watch over this matter. It often happens that young persons are thrust forward to prepare for this great work, before they have evinced any spiritual qualification whatever. Such persons should be restrained or prevented altogether. Others, again, are consigned for life to some secular occupation, whose gifts and graces eminently suit them for the ministerial office. Such youths should be sought out, and encouraged to devote themselves to the work to which the great Head of the Church appears to have called them. Much caution and Christian wisdom will be needed both in restraining and encouraging. If, however, our office-bearers would set themselves diligently and reverentially to observe the gifts of the Spirit diffused over the Church, and to follow up their inspection with appropriate counsels and exhortations, we might reasonably hope that a large accession of effective ministers would, under God, be speedily obtained.

"Secondly, whilst young men are pursuing their studies, some more adequate pro

vision should be made for their spiritual superintendence, both at college and during the period of the summer vacation. Your Committee do not wish to make any particular suggestions on this point, but merely to direct attention to it. They think that an affectionate intercourse should be maintained between students and the Sessions and Presbyteries with which they are more immediately connected; that sympathy should be felt and expressed for their peculiar circumstances and prospects; that prayer should be offered up on their behalf; that counsel should be administered; and that thus a reciprocal and most beneficial impression would be produced by the Church on the ministry, and by the ministry on the Church.

"Thirdly, after young men have obtained license, they might be profitably employed for a limited period, under the oversight of our more experienced ministers, in some missionary or domestic field of labour, previously to their induction into the pastoral office. The gifts of our licentiates would thus be kept in vigorous exercise, and under healthful control; the agency of our Home Mission would be indefinitely increased; the attention of our ministers and people would be habitually directed to the spiritual wants of our hitherto neglected population; and the reflex influence thus produced on the Church would be most advantageous in elevating its spirit, augmenting its resources, and enlarging the sphere of its influence.

"4. The importance of Sabbath-school instruction is now so well understood, and so universally acknowledged, that your Committee feel it unnecessary to dwell on the subject. They cannot, however, omit to remark how essential it is to the spiritual prosperity of the Sabbath-school, that the teachers should themselves be savingly impressed by the truths which they teach. So many helps are, in these days, afforded for the elucidation of the Scriptures, that it is possible for a person to give much valuable information to his class, and to feel a deep interest in the work, and also to impart this interest to his pupils, without any experimental acquaintance with the power of the Gospel in his own soul; and even the spiritually-minded teacher is often seduced by the facilities of Scripture exposition and illustration, which are now so abundantly supplied to him, from aiming directly and continuously at the hearts of the children, Hence the duty of the faithful pastor is to maintain a vigilant superintendence over his Sabbath-school, and to be ever reminding his teachers that the great end of their ministrations is to win souls to God.

"5. In connection with the Sabbath-school, your committee strongly recommend the establishment of two Bible classes in every congregation (where they do not already exist)—one for males and the other for females-for the special benefit of young persons whose age and attainments are advanced beyond the ordinary range of the pupils of the school. It is of vast importance thus to maintain upon the minds of the young the healthful impressions which have been received from the Sabbath-school, to train them, at a period of life which is usually impatient of control, in habits of attachment to the church in which they have been brought up, and to prepare them for definite objects of activity and usefulness in the service of God. In order that these classes may be made interesting and instructive, much preparation will be absolutely required on the part of the teacher; but what sphere of labour is more deserving of prayer and pains than this? In all cases where it is possible, the pastor himself should take charge of those classes; but if his other engagements will not permit him, the task should devolve on some experienced member of the church, in whose intelligence and Christian character he can place entire confidence. These classes, be it remembered, must soon exercise a mighty influence on the tone and spirit of the congregation.

"6. In their last report, your committee dwelt on the vital subject of Family Religion. They are impressed with the conviction, that the government of the young, as well as their religious instruction, is very much neglected in the families of multitudes of members of the church, in the present times. The young are not disciplined and controlled in these families as the Word of God requires. They are allowed to think and act for themselves from an early age. They are permitted to form opinions, to choose companions, and to spend their leisure hours as they like. They enjoy a liberty which often degenerates into licentiousness. There are many parents who seem to have given but little consideration to the numerous and emphatic warn