22. 14. Alexander, born April 9, 1794; baptised April 13th." Not one of all the fourteen children of this record was over seven days old at the time of its baptism. Would there not be more such men as Thomas Chalmers, if we had more such parents as he had?

Specific times seem to be set apart for the administration of infant baptism, generally about the communion season. Thus naturally, but unintentionally, the idea is instilled into the minds of very many parents, that there is a fixed opportunity for their children's baptism, and that it cannot be attended to at other times. We know this impression is common in the Church, and very general in some districts. And thus parents, not being able to present their children at the specified time, suppose it cannot be done till the next communion season; and should anything be in the way at that time it is again postponed. Thus carelessness and neglect of the ordinance is engendered, and years roll around, when one, two, three, or six little ones added to the family, are without the seal of God's

favour.

7th. We also think that another fact, not yet mentioned, is deserving our notice. About the year 1830, there were, annually, some 3,000 adults and 12,000 infants baptised, and about 9,000 members were received on profession of faith. It was usually the case, about that time, that the whole number of persons received on examination was nearly equal to the number of infants baptised. But in the year 1832, the number of members received on examination was trebled, as was also the number of adults baptised; but the increase in the number of infants baptised, was only one twelfth-i. e. instead of having reported some 36,000 infants baptised, to 34,160 persons received on profession of faith, there were only 13,246 children thus admitted to this sealing ordinance. And so we find this state of things continued during the excitements in our churches from 1831 to 1836, which were of New England and Congregational origin. "New measures" were popular, and the old doctrine of infant baptism shamefully neglected. So that in three years, under the new system," there must have been received at least 40,000 or 50,000 members, besides the usual proportion of 40,000 more, who, from the beginning, entirely disregarded and ignored household baptism. This would indicate both indifference to this sacrament by church officers in receiving members, and a disregard of it on the part of the members received. We regard these facts as well deserving consideration, much more than we have time or space at present to devote thereto. The remarks already made in reference to the Congregational and New School statistics thus receive additional confirmation.

IV. What may be done to awaken the Church to a proper regard for the sacrament of baptism, the seal of God's favour towards his little ones?

On this point we will not now speak largely. Let brethren ponder well this whole subject. Let our Church judicatories, our pastors, and our ruling elders consider well the solemn responsibilities now respectively resting on them. We will now, however, very briefly suggest some things which, it seems to us, may and ought to be done. 1. Let pastors and sessions give more attention to the requirements of the Constitution as presented, particularly in the former part of this article. If this were done, much, if not all, of the neglect would thus be removed. 2. Let pastors more frequently preach in regard to the sacrament of baptism, and particularly point out the guilt of those who contemn or neglect it, since it is an ordinance of Christ himself. And let them also give proper attention to catechetical exercises amongst the youth. 3. Let Presbyteries and Synods inquire into the faithfulness with which pastors and sessions discharge their duties in this respect. Let an interest, a real interest, be manifested in regard to those admitted to the benefits of this sacrament, as well as those received to the Lord's Supper; and let this interest also manifest itself in the giving and receiving their annual reports. 4. Let Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synods insist more on family religion among their members, and they will learn highly to prize this seal of promise to the children of believers. 5. It may be well for the General Assembly to consider the propriety of overturing Presbyteries with reference to adding to the Constitution some of its own injunctions, above quoted; and of adding one or two sections, regarding the time when baptism is to be administered, the time and manner of the pastor's interview with parents, previous to the baptism of their children, the qualifications of parents, &c. And we would suggest that sessions be required to keep a register of all the children in their congregation, adding from time to time those born to their members, and the children of members received on certificate, and report the same annually; and that Presbyteries report the same to the Assembly. 6. Let the Assembly insist that the Presbyteries under her care do require all members within their respective jurisdictions to conform to the requisitions of our Confession of Faith and the teachings of the word of God. And, in particular, that they see to it that all their ministers, elders, and deacons, neither contemn nor neglect this holy ordinance. 7. Let the Assembly direct that baptised members be dismissed, and received as such on certificate, and that thus their being under the Church's care and inspection be regarded as a matter of fact; every church having a list of baptised members, and annually reporting the same to the higher judicatories.

ART. III.-The Evangelical Church Diet of Germany.

THE German Evangelical Church Diet has now been in existence since 1848, and has become one of the most important and encouraging facts in the history of modern Protestantism. A condensed account of its origin, history, influence, and prospects, based upon the official reports of its proceedings, as they were published from year to year, upon personal observations made at its seventh meeting at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, and upon intercourse and correspondence with its founders and leading members, must be both interesting and instructive to those who wish to become fully acquainted with the present state of theology and religion in the land of the Reformation.

The Kirchentag, or Church Diet, is a free association of pious professors, ministers, and laymen of Protestant Germany, for the discussion of the religious and ecclesiastical questions of the day, and for the promotion of the interests of practical Christianity, embraced under the term Inner Mission. It meets annually in one of the leading cities of Germany, and is at present by far the largest and most respectable representation of evangelical Christianity in that country. Its doctrinal basis is the Bible, as explained by the cecumenical symbols and in the evangelical confessions of the sixteenth century. It comprehends thus far four Protestant denominations, the Lutheran, German Reformed, United Evangelical (a union of the former two), and the Moravian Brotherhood, and holds intercourse, at the same time, with the foreign evangelical Churches of Switzerland, France, Holland, England, Scotland, and the United States, as far as they may choose to have themselves represented at its meetings, by official delegates on the above general Christian and positive Protestant basis. The Church Diet is no formal or official union of these denominations, but a free confederation simply of many hundreds and thousands of their ministerial and lay members, although it looks undoubtedly to a stronger consolidation and co-operation of the original Churches of the Reformation against their common enemies from without and from within. All parts of Germany, especially Prussia and Würtemberg, the two leading evangelical States, send delegates to this body, and amongst them their very best men. But the rationalists and semi-rationalists, as well as those rigid Lutherans who refuse to hold any ecclesiastical communion with the Reformed and the Unionists, oppose it, the former, because it is too orthodox and churchly for them; the latter, because it is not confessional and churchly enough, in their sectarian and exclusive sense of the terms.

This Assembly may be regarded as the practical fruit of that vigorous evangelical theology which, for the last twenty or thirty

years, has risen in successful opposition against the most learned and dangerous forms of infidelity. The leaders of that theology, as Tholuck, Nitzsch, Müller, Hengstenberg, Dorner, Ullmann, Hoffmann, Ebrard, Lange, etc., are also amongst the principal founders and supporters of the Kirchentag. But the war, victoriously waged in the field of science and literature, must now be carried into the congregations and the practical life of the people. This work must be continued and completed by the rising generation of ministers trained by orthodox and pious professors, by the various Church-governments, and by free associations, of which the one under consideration is by far the largest and most influential.

The German Church Diet took its rise in the eventful year 1848, when all the thrones of Europe-save those of England, Belgium, and Russia-trembled, and the very foundations of civil and religious society seemed to give way, to make room, as was to be feared, for a reign of rationalism, atheism, and Satanism. It appeared after the storms and earthquakes of revolution, as a rainbow of peace and promise, on the horizon of Germany, and has outlived the commotions and mushroom creations, the bright hopes and dark fears, of the memorable year of its birth.

It is true it was prepared long before by the pastoral conferences, which, since the days of a revival of religious life, assembled annually pious ministers and laymen in various parts of Germany; and also by the desire of many of the most distinguished divines, for a closer union and independent action of the national churches, held under the bondage of as many secular governments. But the imminent danger of an approaching dissolution of all order in that revolutionary year on the one side, and the labours of the Parliament of Frankfort for a political regeneration of Germany on the basis of unity and constitutional liberty, on the other, matured this desire and suggested the plan of a great meeting of all the true friends of Christianity, for mutual consultation on the present crisis of the country, and for forming a confederation of the Protestant churches without destroying their distinctive features or interfering with their internal affairs; in fine, a sort of evangelical defensive and offensive alliance against the growing flood of infidelity and destruction.

These ideas sprang up simultaneously, as with the instinct of historical necessity, in different minds, amongst which Dr Von Bethmann Hollweg of Berlin, Dr Dorner, then at Bonn, Dr Ullman and Hundeshagen of Heidelberg, Dr Wackernagel, then at Wiesbaden, Bonnet, Heller, and Haupt, in or near Frankfort, were the most active; and in several local pastoral conferences, especially one held at Bonn, on the 11th of May 1848, one at Berlin, on the 21st of June, and two at the Sandhof, near

Frankfort-on-the-Maine, on the 3d of May and 21st of June, of the same year.

At the last-mentioned meeting many perplexities arose, and doubts were started as to the success of such a serious undertaking, when a true Christian nobleman, Von Bethmann Hollweg, who was subsequently elected President of the Kirchentag, quieted their fears and reanimated the courage by pointing to the never-failing source of all true strength. "It is the Lord, my friends," he said, "who builds the church. Never forget this! Whether the assembly spoken of will accomplish what we desire and hope, no one can tell. Our resolution must be an act of faith. Like Peter, we shall have to walk on the sea; but we know also that the Lord does not suffer any one to perish who trusts in him. If we look merely upon ourselves and upon the scattered, distracted and weak members of the Church, we would have indeed to despair. But if we raise our eyes in faith to Him, who is the Lord, we may venture it."

Finally, the Sandhof Conference, after a session of nine hours, resolved to call a general free assembly of distinguished ministers and laymen of the Lutheran, German Reformed, and United Confession, to be held at Wittenberg, over the grave of Luther, for the purpose of consulting on the true interests of the evangelical church of Germany at the present crisis, on the basis of the evangelical faith. An invitation to this effect was issued, signed by nearly fifty names from all parts of Germany, well known for their high standing and excellent Christian character.

Accordingly the first Kirchentag, consisting of five hundred members, eminent divines and ministers, (Nitzsch, Müller, Heubner, Hengstenberg, Lehnardt, Sack, Sartorius, Krummacher, Ball, Wichern, etc.) statesmen and lawyers, (Von Bethmann Hollweg, Stahl, Von Gerlach, Götze, etc.) and plain Christians of all classes of society and parts of Germany, especially from Prussia, met as one brotherhood on the 21st of September 1848, in that venerable town so well known as the cradle of the Reformation, in that very church to whose doors its signal, the ninety-five theses, were once affixed; and on the tombstones of Luther and his friend, Melancthon, whose last desire and prayer was for the unity of distracted Christendom. The old lecturer's chair of the former University was used as the rostrum, adorned with the portrait of Luther and with the significant motto of the Reformation," Verbo solo-fide sola," (On the word alonethrough faith alone). A fervent prayer of the late venerable Dr Heubner, then President of the Theological Seminary at Wittenberg, and the singing of the celebrated war-and-victory hymn of the evangelical faith, written by Luther a year before the Diet of Augsburg, opened the proceedings. It faithfully expressed