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while the means by which, in the event of her husband's removal, she was fondly hoping to accomplish it, are snatched from her. It is gratifying to hear, that on making known her case to the BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS, his lordship signed it and gave a guinea, and his lady added her name with the same sum; other respectable inhabitants have followed ther example, which it is now hoped will be followed by the friends of humanity in every part of the kingdom. We have only to add that MR. JOHN WOODHILL, of Birmingham, has, with an intrepidity and zeal which reflect the highest credit upon him, volunteered his services in behalf of this destitute family, intending, if his life and health permit him, to devote some of the ensuing months to the laudable purpose of making a personal canvass in their behalf throughout the country. To such as know Mr. Woodhill, it is needless for us to say one word on the subject of his respectability; but as this appeal may possibly come under the inspection of some who do not know him so well as we do, it may not be improper to add, that he has been for many years, and still is a Deacon of the Baptist church in. Bond-street, Birmingham, a person of unimpeachable integrity, and, what every Christian ought to be, uniting in his character the highest sense of honour with ardent zeal for promoting the glory of God and the happiness of his fellow creatures. May success attend him!

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EDITOR.

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"THOUGH religion in Canada is at a low ebb, it is evidently upon the advance; and when the want of faithful labourers in different parts of the country is supplied, by the blessing of God, we may expect a great reformation to take place. The people are not so destitute of speculative knowledge, as of moral habits and religious principle. I have met with many of the old settlers, who have lived from twenty to forty years in the country, and who could talk fluently, and even correctly, in praise of religion, and yet they would drink, swear, profane the Sabbath, and neglect the duties of religion as much as the most ignorant of their neighbours. Occasional instruction will not suffice: there must be line upon line, and precept upon precept, before we can expect to see vice wither and religion flourish. Professing Christians must be collected into congregations, and superintended by pious, active and faithful ministers. But how is this to be effected? The people are neither able nor willing to support ministers at their own expense, and there is no provision of a general nature made for them, either by public authority or private exertions. The few ministers that are here are making every effort to disseminate the good seed of the word, but what are they

in such an extensive country? A hundred, or even two hundred ministers, might find ample employment in Upper Canada, had they the means of support. Previous to the late war, the number of ministers, of all denominations, was very small. Since 1815 they have greatly increased.

"The church of England claims an establishment here, and meets with a decided preference from the members of government. The bishop of Quebec has the over-sight of all the inferior clergy in both provinces. All the ministers belonging to that communion, in the two provinces, are missionaries from the Society for the propagation of the Gospel, and receive their salaries from the funds of that institution. You will be able to form a tolerably correct idea of the extent of their congregations, from the following extract from the Society's Report for the year 1821, which is the latest I have at hand.

"LOWER CANADA.-At fifteen stations there are fifteen missionaries; one has £215; thirteen have £200 each, and one £100. The visiting missionary (Hon. and Rev. Dr. Stewart) has £300 per annum, Marriages 87,-baptisms 266,-communicants 210,-burials 57.

"UPPER CANADA.-At seventeen stations there are seventeen missionaries: of whom, one at York has £275 sterling per annum, fifteen have £200 each, and one £50. The missionary at Ancaster has £20 in addition, as visitor to the Indians; and there is a schoolmaster to the Mohawks at £30, and a catechist at £10 per annum. Marriages 118,-baptisms 348,-communicants 118,-burials 57.

adheres to the doctrines, discipline, and "The Presbyterian church in Canada In the lower province there is one presmode of worship of the church of Scotland. bytery, but it has not, of late, held any regular meetings. In the upper province there are three presbyteries, which meet ber of the congregations in the lower proin general synod once a-year. The numvince, with which I am acquainted, is eight; namely, one in Quebec, which has been established many years, and is both numerous and respectable. The Rev. Dr. Sparks, their former minister, died in 1818. The Rev. Dr. Harkness, their present pastor, has been settled among them about four years.-Two in Montreal, the one Sommerville, the other under that of the under the pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. Rev. Mr. Easton. They have both been established a good number of years, but how many I have not learned. These three have all large and commodious churches, and support their ministers both respectably and comfortably. -St. Andrews, on the Ottwa, forty-five miles above Montreal, of which the Rev. Mr. Henderson is minister. The Rev. Mr. Taylor, formerly of Stenhouse, came out with me in 1817 as the minister of this congregation, but did not fix his residence among them. Mr. Henderson, their present pastor, (formerly of Carlisle) came out in the following year, and has laboured successfully among

ORDINATIONS-LITERARY NOTICES-QUERIES.

them ever since. The congregation meets in the school-house in the village, till a more commodious place of worship can be erected."

[To be continued.]

ORDINATION.

On the 25th of December last, Mr. WILLIAM LENG, Student from Bradford, was ordained Pastor of the Baptist Church at Stockton-on-Tees, Durham. Mr. Burton, of the same Academy, began with reading and prayer; Mr. Pemble, of Stockton, (Independent) delivered the Introductory Discourse, asked the questions, and received the confession of faith; Mr. Arbon, of Hull, Mr. Leng's Pastor, offered the ordination prayer; and Dr. Steadman his Tutor, addressed the Charge from 2 Cor. xii. 9. In the Evening Mr. Arban preached to the church, from Heb. xiii. 1; both the Sermons were animating and impressive. On the preceding Evening two Deacons were set apart, when Dr. Steadman preached from Acts vi. 7. These interesting services will be long remembered by those who had the pleasure of attending them.

CHAPEL OPENED.

THE new Baptist Meeting-house in Botolph-street, Norwich, built by the friends of Mr. Gibbs, was opened for Publie Worship on the 18th of December, 1823. Mr. Griffin, of London, and Mr. Cox, of Hackney, preached on the occasion.

LITERARY NOTICES.
In the Press.

A Biographical Portraiture of the late
Rev. James Hinton, A.M. of Oxford. By
JOHN HOWARD HINTON, M.A. of Reading.
With a Portrait.

Just Published,

A Sermon preached in the Parish Churches of Swineshead and Frampton, on occasion of the recent Trial of Thurtell and Hunt, for the Murder of Mr. Weare. By the Rev. W. Bolland, A.M. Vicar of Swineshead and Frampton, and Domestic Chaplain to the Right Honourable Lord Teignmouth. Second Edition. Price 3d. or fine paper, 4d.

On the 25th of March will be published, in Six handsome Volumes, 8vo. pr. 31. 12s. uniform with the Editions of Jeremy Taylor, Dr. Owen, and Lightfoot-The Complete Works of the Rev. PHILIP SKELTON, of Trinity College, Dublin, with Memoirs of his Life, by the Rev. S. Burdy, A.B. Edited by the Rev. ROBERT LYNAM, A.M. Assistant Chaplain to the Magdalen Hospital.

QUERY.

95

What reason can be assigned that Christians of the present day, almost universally, fall incomparably short of their forefathers of the primitive age in religious consolations, and that we now know little or nothing of rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory? And if this deficiency of comfort and joy be not owing to some advantage which the first Christians enjoyed, but which we are denied-how is the evil likely to be remedied? D. N. V.

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It is, Sir, as you know, customary in churches to receive persons into fellowship with them, or rather to the introductory ordinance of Baptism, by what is called a relation of their Christian experience. Besides which they generally institute an enquiry into their moral conduct; and even with all this, some good people are not satisfied, unless the candidate for christian privileges has been for several years, or at least for many months, the subject of faith in Christ; in order, that, as they say, we may have proof of the genuineness of his religion. Is this the order, and were these the feelings of the New Testament churches? Or, what was the rule acted upon by the primitive Christians; and is their conduct binding upon us? Yours truly,

A BAPTIST. The Editor is glad to see this question MR. WHITE has in the press, A Supple- proposed for discussion by an English ment to his Sacred Melodies, consisting of Baptist minister-it shews that the light Thirty-one Original Tunes, composed in a is spreading around us, and that we are very familiar manner for four voices, with beginning to think for ourselves in the conan accompaniment for the Organ, Piano-cerns of the kingdom of heaven! forte, &c. pr. 4s. hope some of our intelligent corresponMr. Jones's Biblical Cyclopædia, Part dents will furnish the desired answer to III. is published this day. it.

We

EDITOR,

96

Original Poetry.

[For the New Evangelical Magazine.]

A DEVOTIONAL ODE ON "GOD is love.”

WHILE Seraphim are singing,

Thy praises, Lord, on high,
And heaven's arches ringing
Above the starry sky;

On smiling vale and mountain
Thy mercies dews descend,
Drawn from the Sacred Fountain,
Still flowing without end.
Sun-beams the earth enlighten,

And shades of midnight go;
Thy smiles of love thus brighten
Life's darkest scenes below.

Man, beast, air, earth and ocean,
Beneath-around-above;
And seasons in their motion,

All, all are full of love.

With "God is love" each leaflet
1s written o'er and o'er;
I bless the mystic letters,
Iuwove with heav'nly lore.

But none of these can ease us,
Our guilt and sin subdue,"
Until the dying Jesus
On Calvary we view.

In him, the burning centre,

These scattered beams combine;
On thee-on thee, I venture,
Mirror of love divine.

When sadd'ning shades around me
Are falling from above,

And troubled thoughts confound me,
Oh, whisper, "God is love."

Thy love, O let me taste it,

When pangs of death are nigh,
And keep me like a bracelet,
Or apple of thine eye.

Soon gales divine shall fan иs,
In Paradise above;

Ob then with glad hosannahs,
We'll hail the God of love.

IOTA.

The following lines were written by particular desire, in Memory of a Youth, who exchanged time for eternity in the ninth year of his age. He had just entered on the stage of life, had performed the "muking and puking" part of infancy, and had commenced the more hopeful performance of " the school-boy," when the hand of death arrested his career, and removed his spirit from a perishable cottage to a city which hath foundations, BENEATH this venerable tree,*

Alas! a youth is laid;

Who from the snares of sin is free,
The debt of nature's paid.

He once was blooming here on earth,
How lovely then was he;

But now he's rais'd on high, in mirth
And sweet felicity.

Ye friends, who still remain to mourn,
Still grov'lling here below,
Watch, lest temptation overcome,

And lead you on to woe.

If e'er you chance to wander here,
Recline beneath the shade;
Respect demands the falling tear
For him you late survey'd.

Soon you must bid a long farewell
To worldly pleasures bere;
Prepare to meet where angels dwell,
In an exalted sphere!

T. S. A.

GOD THE CONFIDENCE OF HIS PEOPLE IN

AFFLICTION.

THO' dense are the mists that have gather'd around

me,

SPRING.

HAIL! Sweetest season of the year,
Thou all-reviving spring;
When ev'ry flower begins t' appear,
And ev'ry bird to sing.

The little warblers of the grove,
Their joyful tribute raise;
And all unite in mutual love,
To sing their Maker's praise.

Grateful for favours from above,
How they delight to sing;

How they proclaim his wondrous love,
And own him sov'reign King!

O what a pattern here for man-
Shall be ungrateful prove?
May we improve this little span,
And sing a Saviour's love.

And when this wint'ry life is past,
We leave this earthly ball,
May we receive a crown at last,
Where Spring encircles all!

Banks of the Isis.

T. S. A.

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* A majestic yew, whose darksome foliage overshadows a part of the Church Castle Abbey, Northampton.

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