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seats in the chapels. I have noticed them,' said one old man, 'coming in their working clothes, almost ashamed, and dropping into the first empty seat. But they have improved and improved every Sunday, till I have had to show them their own seat in a pew upstairs. And so they get up and up, till they get up to heaven.'

"There are at present twelve Exhorters; and nine houses, in various localities, in which the people gather to hear the truth.

"The Eye Infirmary, in Steel-houselane, is a most interesting place. The attendance, we are sorry, in one sense, to say, has lately been larger than usual. All the patients who are not confined to bed are present in a room made very dark. Sometimes it is the Exhorter's lot, after there has been a general operation on the patients, to go up into the ward when it is so dark that he cannot see either the beds or those who occupy them; and the word only of the nurse, or the occasional groan of a sufferer, is the only evidence he has that living creatures are listening to the words he utters. This place offers a fine opportunity for doing good. The sinner, in many cases, is indeed drawn aside from the world, and shut in from its gaieties, so as to have solemn hours for reflection on spiritual and unseen things. And many instances have occurred which seem to show that God had brought

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"In Nelson-street we meet in a bakehouse. It is always full; and there sinners often receive the bread of life for the first time, and unite themselves to the neighbouring Society at Summer-hill.

"Hunter's-vale is a place opened about two years ago. A good work is going on there. Many of the earnest and zealous converts are devoting themselves to God's work. The class which was begun a year ago now numbers seventeen. All these have been converted on the spot. The services are always crowded; two rooms being quite full, and the Exhorter having to stand in the door-way between them."

These extracts are given as mere specimens from the Report; but they may serve to show that it is possible for many of our people to act for Christ and His church in the double capacity of recruiting-parties and pioneers; while they indicate the fact, that where Methodism is faithful to God, and true to herself, she is still equal to a large share in the work of evangelizing the masses.

I am yours truly,

S. W. CHRISTOPHERS.

To the Editor of the "Christian Miscellany."

Beligion and Morals.

"I CAN'T FIND IT IN THE
BIBLE."

SUCH is the reason often given by a parent for not having a child baptized. "I can't find it in the Bible: if I could see it there, I would have my child baptized at once." The answer to this objection is simple: "You may find it in the Bible, if you look for it in a teachable spirit. Only bring to the reading of God's word the same fairness and candour with which you are expected to treat the things of every-day life, and you will have no difficulty in the matter." If, for instance, some one were to write word to

you that Edward Clarke and his household were gone to Australia, and that William Jones and all his were gone with them, and that the household of Charles Evans had sailed in the same ship, you would at once understand that these three persons, their wives and all their children, old and young, had emigrated. You would never think of asking, "Have their children gone with them?" Yet, this is exactly what the Bible tells us about the baptism of three families in the days of the Apostles.

In Acts xvi. it is said of Lydia," She was baptized and her household;" and of

RELIGION AND MORALS.

the jailer, "He was baptized and all his;" and in 1 Cor. i. St. Paul says, "I baptized also the household of Stephanas." Now, what you would naturally infer in the case of the emigrant families, you should also infer in the case of the baptized families; and that is, that the children were included, whatever might have been their age. With regard to the jailer, when the Apostle said to him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house," he could not possibly know of what the jailer's house consisted. He clearly meant what he said to apply to all his children, even to the babe in arms, which he might have had. If it had been intended that the children should be left out in the above baptisms, it would, according to the usual plan of the Scriptures, have been so said. Thus, in the last chapter of Genesis, when "all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house," went up to bury his father, it is said, "Their little ones they left in the land of Goshen." The exception of the little ones is expressly mentioned. But there is nothing of the kind in the case of these baptisms.

Besides, the words "house" and "household" occur in many other passages of Scripture, where they signify the whole family, without respect to the age of its members.

Does the objection, "I can't find it in the Bible," mean that we have in the New Testament no direct command to baptize infants? Such a command was not necessary, and therefore was not to be expected. Infant baptism is taken for granted in the New Testament. The very fact of its not being forbidden is enough.

When the Crystal Palace was in London, at the time of the Great Exhibition, I took all my children to see it, and we were readily admitted. Since that time, this palace has been taken down and rebuilt in another place, much enlarged, and with increased attractions. The other day I went to see it again: not having heard of any prohibition of children, and therefore taking it for granted that all classes and all ages were still admissible, I had with me all my family, as on the former occasion. I need not say, that we were all gladly received. If, indeed, I had seen some such notice as this put

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up over the entrance, "No admission for little ones," I should have known that I ought not to have presented mine; but the very absence of any such notice was an assurance that my children were as much entitled to go in as myself. The principle which thus holds good in the common matters of life, applies also to baptism. Children were admitted into the church of God in its early days; the command to admit them has never been done away, and therefore they are to be admitted still.

Does an objector say, "Your reasoning goes upon the principle that the old Crystal Palace and the new Crystal Palace were the same buildings, only under different circumstances: prove to me that the Jewish and New-Testament church are one church, and I will allow your reasoning to apply." This is easily done. Look at that pear-tree standing in my orchard. It has been there for many years. Some time ago, finding it unproductive, I grafted upon it a different kind of pear, removing most of the old branches to make way for the graft. But it is still the old tree; still only one tree. No one would dream of calling it two trees. Now, this is the very kind of illustration which St. Paul employs in order to show the oneness of the Jewish church and the Gentile church. Read Romans xi., and you will find that the Apostle there represents the Jewish church as an olive-tree, putting forth branches, which, being unfruitful, are broken off; and the branches of a wild olive-tree, (that is, the Gentiles,) being grafted upon the old stock, take their place. But, after all, it is the old olive-tree. All along it has been, and still is, one and the same tree.

Look again at my house. It's of many years standing. Some time since, finding it unsuitable to my wants, I added to it a new wing, pulling down the partitionwall, and throwing it all under the same roof. But it has ever been, and still is, one dwelling. This, also, is in another of the Apostle's illustrations, by which he sets forth the oneness of the Jewish and Gentile churches. Thus, in Ephesians ii., speaking of Jesus, he says, "For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us."

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RELIGION AND MORALS.

Nay, we may go to a greater than the Apostle Paul, in proof of the oneness of the two churches. Our Lord once said to the Jews, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." From this threat of the Saviour, we learn that the church of the Jews ("the kingdom of God") was not to be done away-it was to be continued-but it was to be transferred to Christians. Still, it was only to

be a transfer. The thing transferred remained, in its elements and principles, the same. Sometimes now, when a borough has been proved to be corrupt, the right of sending a Member to Parliament is taken away from it, and transferred to some other town. But the same classes of persons who had this right in the one town, have it also in the other. Exactly in the same way, those parties, namely, children, as well as adults, who were admitted to a share in the privileges of the Old-Testament church, are entitled to a share of these privileges in the transferred or New-Testament church. The channels, or sacraments, by which these privileges are conveyed, are, indeed, changed, as the changed character of the Christian church required; the passover having given place to the Lord's supper, and circumcision to baptism; but the parties entitled to them remain unchanged. Is it said circumcision and baptism are two very different things, having no connexion with each other? The Apostle Paul teaches the contrary. In his Epistle to the Colossians, he mentions them together in such a way as clearly to prove their resemblance, blending them with each other, or rather merging the one in the other. The passage is this: "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ : buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead."

The argument, "I find no direct command in the Bible for infant baptism, and therefore I see no necessity to have my child baptized," proves too much. It goes upon the principle that we are to do nothing which the Bible does not literally and expressly command. Be it so.

Where do we find in the Bible any command not to baptize infants? There is not a single passage in which such a command is to be met with. So that those persons who keep their children from the font, because they find in the Bible no command to take them, act directly against their own principle.

The truth is, that the Bible sanctions, and indirectly enjoins, many things which it does not expressly command. There is no instance mentioned in Scripture of a female partaking of the Lord's supper; yet the most rigid Baptist would not on this account exclude women from the table. Neither is there any direct command to keep holy the first day of the week, instead of the seventh; but Baptists universally do this. Again, we are nowhere commanded to teach children to pray, or to send them to school; but no right-minded parent would plead this as an excuse for neglecting these

duties.

Thus far, I have supposed that there is no positive command in the Bible that infants should be baptized. But I am much mistaken if a remark made by our Lord about children does not amount to a command to baptize them. Some parents once brought their little ones to Jesus, in order that He might touch them, thinking that even a touch from Him would convey a blessing. The disciples, in the spirit of those who plead, "I can't find it in the Bible," supposing that the Saviour would not care to notice children, found fault with these parents, and bade them to go away. "But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." "Of such is the kingdom of God." This is the remark to which I allude. Its plain meaning is, "The church of God receives little children." Now, the only way in which little children can be received into the church is by baptism. So that in this remark of our Lord we have virtually a command to baptize them.

If a public hospital had this notice over its gate, "Children received here," it would be an invitation to take children there for relief. No parent of a sick child could say, "I don't find that my

THE HOUSEHOLD.

child can be admitted, and therefore it is of no use to apply."

Putting together all that has been said, it must, I think, be clear to every candid person that there is really no ground for the plea, "I can't find it in the Bible;" and that a parent who makes this a reason for neglecting the baptism of his child, is guilty of disobedience to God, and does a grievous wrong to that child's soul.

Hear the words of the Gospel written by St. Mark, in the tenth chapter, at the thirteenth verse :—

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"They brought young children to Christ, that He should touch them: and His disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them."

The Household.

WHO'S YOUR DRESSMAKER? "I CAN'T tell how you always look so well, Fanny: meet you where one will, people might think you had just come out of a band-box. Not that you are too smart or stiff, or the like of that, for everything about you appears quiet and easy enough; but, somehow, nobody ever catches you in a mess, nothing is ever out of place with you, and everything fits as if it had grown there. Who's your dressmaker?"

"Why, as to my dressmaker, Sarah, you must not think that I am like the folks who keep dressmakers always going; and who have nothing to do themselves but to be pleased with a dress to-day, and to get out of love with it tomorrow, because something else strikes their fancy, and then to pay their dressmaker's bill, without asking how many poor fingers have been kept at it night as well as day to meet their whims. I am sure dressmakers would get on quite as well, and perhaps better, both in body and soul, if such people would spend some of their money in helping their poor neighbours to get a garment or a bed-cover now and then, and think less of what they shall wear themselves. And I tell you what, Sarah, I think it is a shame to girls, such as you and I are, to be going to almost first-rate mantua-makers, and milliners, and to be spending so much of their gettings in order to be like other folks, or

because they will have what's 'just come out.' And, after all, who thinks the better of them? They only get laughed at for their would-be finery, and poor sort of pride. For my part, I would rather appear to be what I am. If one can be nothing more than decent, the decency should be real and thorough; something of which a body need never be ashamed; something that would put it out of people's power to make fun of us as they do of a puffing shopkeeper, who has little or nothing but what's in his window, and that more show than worth."

"Yes, yes; 'tis easy to talk like that, Fan; but what's the use of it? You would never have a girl rigged up like her grandmother one must go along with the times fashion is fashion all the world over."

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"Ah! there's the mischief, Sarah: people will make fools of themselves rather than be out of fashion. Fashion is fashion, you say, all the world over: now that brings to my mind what a young woman of my acquaintance told me the other day."

"What was that, Fan?"

"Well, I was going to say, the young woman a few years ago was taken by a lady across the water, and they stayed some time in France. She told me that in one part, I think it was somewhere in the south, all the girls looked so nice, though they dressed very much alike; only

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showing a little difference of fancy as to colour here and there; but the fashion was the same as it had been in their grandmothers' days. They never thought of changing; and, as she said, 'nobody that looked at them would ever wish them to change, they looked so well. It was quite a treat,' says she, 'to see them in the market. They wore a full petticoat or skirt of white woollen, with a red band above the hem; a light jacket of scarlet cloth, trimmed with black velvet or braid. Their apron was sometimes of a dark mulberry-colour, fastened, perhaps, with a pretty sash, and pinned up in front over their white stomacher. Ah!' says she, 'you should have seen their shoes and stockings-such pictures of tidiness; and the beautiful snow-white caps fitting so nicely over their plain hair.' I have often said, Sarah, that I should like to see them; they must be patterns, sure enough; and I can't help thinking that it must look a great deal more becoming, and be more comfortable, both for body and mind, to dress like that always, than to have so many tawdry, flimsy, fly-away things about one. I am sure I think sometimes that if the poor heathen people that we pity so, could but see us in our tip-top fashion, they would think that we were the real savages."

"But stop, Fanny: would you have us all dress alike, and never change? Why, what would become of the world?"

"It is not for me to say what would become of the world, Sarah; but I do think that the world is too fond of change; and as to going along with the times, as you say, why, it is enough to ruin a poor body to try to keep up with the times, they go so fast,-too fast for me a great deal. One has scarcely begun to feel at home in a dress, before it is 'gone out,' as the saying is, and you have to look out for something else, and to spend your last penny to keep yourself in the fashion. And when you have to be always getting something new, you can't have anything very good; at least, such as you and I can't."

"Well, but do tell me, Fanny, what one is to do. You seem to have your own notions of things: I should like to know how you manage. Now I think of it, you don't seem to change so often as some people, and yet you never appear to be so

much out of fashion as to look odd or dowdy-like. As I said before, I always like you, somehow. Come now, who's your dressmaker?"

"Wait a bit, and I'll tell you. 'Tis true I have my own notions about things, and everybody should; for if things are to be done well, they must be thought about, and one must have one's plans. I have my own way of managing my own little matters too, although I owe a great deal to my dear mother's example and teaching. Bless her! she is gone to a better world; but I never put on a new dress without thanking God for the lessons about tidiness, comfort, and proper care, which the dear saint used to give me. Ah, Sarah, we young folks think little of a mother's value while she is with us: we begin to find it out only when her loving eye becomes dim, and her gentle hand is cold. O, Sarah! it seems to me that my heart never felt all the music of my mother's voice, till death had silenced her precious lips. But I was going to say, as to my notion about dress. We may mind the fashion far enough to save ourselves from being laughed at, and yet never mind it so as to put on things that don't agree with one's look, or figure, or place. Why should I make a scarecrow of myself in order to be like people that, after all, I can't be like? If the fashion suits my looks or fits my figure, when I am really in want of anything, why, I take it as it comes; but you'll not catch me making my own face worse than it is, by hanging bad colours and ghastly shapes about it; nor will I ever make myself uncomfortable, or give up the right of judging for myself what I look best in,— no, not to please all the fashion-makers in the world. But let me say one thing,—a great deal more depends upon little tidy ways about ourselves than upon the clothes we get. I don't mean that anybody may be careless as to the colour or cut of their dress. What fits one may not suit another. A thing may be all the go,' as they say, and yet you or I might look frightful in it. We must learn to be a bit tasty, and know how to choose what is most becoming for ourselves. But I mean that, though everything we put on may agree exactly with the colour of our skin, and our size, and

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