Various

“ Here is the test of our love to Jesus. What is more diffusive or expanding, or constraining in its nature, than the principle of love? It has for the object of its aim the glory of God, and seeks in every way to promote it. The desire of such a soul is, that Christ may be magnified in his body, whether it be by life or by death. ”

“ In like manner the apostles could say in the midst of much tribulation, "Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." Let every Christian soldier have "his loins girt about with truth," and "the feeble shall be as David, and David as an angel of God!" ”

“ But yet as the sun of nature, in spite of his spots, pours a constant flood of refulgent light upon surrounding worlds, so our esteemed friend, notwithstanding some manifest imperfections, presented to all who encircled him the light of an eminent example of religion, in the unyielding integrity of its principles, and in all the amiable loveliness of its practice. Through the grace of God which was bestowed upon him, his path was truly as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day. ”

“ Without pledging ourselves to the correctness of every sentiment that was uttered, we have no hesitation in affirming,—which is perhaps the highest eulogium in the fewest words,—that these eloquent appeals were every way worthy of the liberal, the enlightened, the energetic Henry Brougham; a name which, whatever lustre it may derive from the title appended to it, will ever be indebted for its highest and most gratifying honours, to the heart, the intellect, and the character of the man. ”

“ I hope that the Lord is blessing their labours in leading sinners to the knowledge of the truth, in promoting the doctrines of the gospel, and the advancement of his own glory. Many of the people are beginning to feel anxious to read the Scriptures for themselves, and to feel the importance of taking them as their only guide; and, whilst there are some that implicitly lean to the authority of the priest, there are others who reject the traditions of men, and claim the indisputable right of judging for themselves in matters that relate to the salvation of the soul, and the glory of God. ”

“ Our national character, so far as we have one, consists in a spirit of enterprise, excited by the desire of improving our condition. It may be shortly styled a love of gain—gain, not only of wealth, but also of reputation, of comfort, of happiness; gain of all that is supposed to be desirable. ”

“ An esteemed correspondent, in forwarding recently a valuable contribution to the funds of the Baptist Irish Society, most justly remarks, "The Society has walked, perhaps more than any other, 'by faith, and not by sight.'" And, perhaps, whatever difficulties may have attended its walk, no society has received greater encouragement calmly to pursue "the even tenor of its way," or to "walk by the same rule," and to "mind the same thing." ”

“ Christians of all parties are now entertaining the hope, that the day is drawing nigh when the spiritual vision of the members of Christ shall be so improved as to enable them to avail themselves of the full light of the gospel to subdue their respective prejudices and antipathies; and when the love of Christ shall be so shed abroad in all hearts, as to lead them into that blessed state of union, into which it is predicted the church is to be brought. ”

“ May the amiable young pastor who succeeds, with all his brethren in office, and every other member of the much-favoured church in Eagle Street, long continue to flourish under the smiles of the Great Head of the church, without whose gracious influence nothing is strong, nothing is holy! ”

“ In the presence of such a writer the advocates of superstition and intolerance must quail; but the admirers of the uncorrupted Christianity of the New Testament, of every denomination, will hail him, in this labour of his hands, as the intrepid friend of freedom and religion.
After all, we are praying and anxiously looking for a period, when works of this description shall have become obsolete; when ignorance shall be entirely dissipated, and the "true light" universally shine: for the knowledge of the Lord shall have covered the earth, as the waters cover the sea ”

“ Since I have no interesting intelligence to communicate respecting my own labours in this country, perhaps I may be privileged to speak of the good that has apparently resulted from the labour of others. And here I would refer to the native church, over which W. H. Pearce presides as the pastor; it is impossible to contemplate but with feelings of interest and gratitude, upwards of sixty of your fellow-creatures, who were once in the darkness of heathenism, now uniting in rendering worship to the true God. ”

“ Let us act as becometh Christians. Let our hearts overflow with gratitude for mercies received. Let past mercies excite us to gratitude, and encourage us in our future labours.
3. A spirit of rejoicing. Let [Pg 223] not the interesting intelligence that may be afforded be read with cold indifference. What is the Christian's joy and crown of rejoicing? Is it not the salvation of the soul through his instrumentality? If there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, shall it not produce joy in our bosoms when we hear, not of one, but of many being brought to the knowledge of the truth? ”

“ And surely it may well animate us earnestly to desire this goodly precedence, when we consider how powerfully and influentially the example would act on all other Christian parties, so as probably to lead all rapidly forward to the happy, long-desired consummation. In the meantime we may well bear with the errors of other parties, considering how many causes concur to keep them under the dominion of their prejudices, and that all of them are heightened by the spectacle of our own unnatural division, while we are calling upon them to submit themselves to the laws of the New Testament. ”

“ That to the great and benignant principles of Religious Freedom, this Society, including many hundred congregations of Protestant Dissenters of different denominations, in England and Wales, continue firmly attached: That they must alway regard every interference with the rights of conscience as offensive and unjust—as detrimental to general happiness—and as calculated to produce those hypocrisies or martyrdoms which wisdom and goodness abhor: And that such interference exists in every age when perfect social equality, irrespective of religious opinions and modes of worship, is not enjoyed ”

“ Truth may be considered as opposed to error, or to insincerity; and as characterizing man's creed, or his conduct. There is truth in doctrine, and truth in duty; truth in principle, and truth in practice; and the Christian soldier is supposed to possess all these. We regard it here as synonymous with sincerity, and corresponding with the exhortation of Joshua to the chosen tribes: "Serve the Lord in sincerity and truth;" ”

“ Would not a declaration on the part of the apostles, in their assembly at Jerusalem, of the doctrine of Pædobaptism, have tended at once to terminate the controversy? Is it imaginable that they should have refrained, on this occasion, from informing the Gentile converts that, by the substitution of baptism for circumcision, they and their children were exempted for ever from the claims of the circumcisers?
9. What law of the gospel is broken by those parents who, without baptism, prayerfully devote their children to Christ? ”

“ One Spirit breathes in every soul With life, and power, and love divine; Diffusing radiance through the whole, Till bright in holiness they shine.
And in one home they all will meet, Their dangers and their sorrows o'er; And one delightful theme repeat,— United there to part no more. Eta. [Pg 225]
REVIEWS.
Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Rev. Joseph Ivimey, late Pastor of the Church in Eagle Street, London, and twenty years gratuitous Secretary to the Baptist Irish Society. ”

“ On the Sabbath-morning (the fifth anniversary of my recognition as their pastor) , the ordinance of baptism was administered to seventy-two persons. The place selected was the sea, at the point of a beautiful cove; full 2500 persons were assembled, no unseemly noise was made, or gazing curiosity manifested. We commenced by singing and prayer. Brother Burchell administered the ordinance; it was one of the most solemn seasons I ever had the pleasure to witness. ”

“ Burney—'How does poor Smart do, Sir? is he likely to recover?' Johnson—'It seems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the disease; for he grows fat upon it.' Burney—'Perhaps, Sir, that may be from want of exercise?' Johnson—'No, Sir; he has partly as much exercise as he used to have; for he digs in the garden. Indeed, before his confinement, he used for exercise to walk to the alehouse; but he was carried back again. I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him ”

“ The apostles could say, "Whether we live, we live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord." So that the one universal rule of action which gave simplicity to their aim and unity to their efforts, was, "Whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God."
From the important nature of this branch of armour, we may infer its extensive usefulness. ”

“ Long as our worthy friend retained any capability of effort, he laid himself out to promote this interest; and both the material building, and the spiritual house, here cemented in Christian love, present a striking monument of his liberality, and strenuous exertions to promote the cause of his God and Saviour. ”

“ Sincerity may consist with very defective views of divine truth; but it will not consist with allowed deviations from truth or duty. The wisdom that is from above is "without partiality and without hypocrisy." It is allowed, that Paul, before his conversion, "verily thought that he ought to do many things against the name of Jesus;" ”

“ The observation of the preacher, that unless he lived the life, he could not die the death, of the righteous, fastened upon his mind. He felt he was a sinner before God, and was led to cry for mercy, which he obtained through Christ. He united himself to the people of God, and, through divine grace, was enabled to walk consistently, so that the enemies of religion have acknowledged him to be a good man. ”

“ This work is written in a very serious, unpretending manner; and if it do not greatly augment our knowledge of heaven, either as a place or a state, yet it supplies such varied and valuable elements of thought, and exhibits so much to enkindle ardent desire, that, as a volume of piety, it deserves to rank high. We think, indeed, it is scarcely possible that any one, whose affections are in any degree set upon the things which are above, should read it without deriving considerable advantage. ”

“ Protestants and Catholics, he said, had an equal hope of salvation, as they both professed the essential doctrines of Christianity. At Malta, the society was progressing, but at Alexandria the missionary was withdrawn for the present, it being quite hopeless for one person to make any progress, particularly when the ravages making by the plague were taken into consideration. In the South Seas, particularly in New Zealand and the Friendly Islands, the missionaries had made the most astonishing approaches to the general establishment of Christianity. ”

“ It is evident to every one that makes a little observation, education is removing ignorance; and every attempt to stop its advancing progress will prove abortive, and from whatever persons it may proceed, will expose them to infamy and shame. However numerous may be our opposers, so long as we are pursuing the welfare of man in accordance with the principles of divine truth, whatever difficulties we may have to contend with, we need not be held in suspense with regard to the issue. ”

“ After adverting to the satisfactory progress of Bible distribution in other parts of Germany, in Sweden, and Russia, the principal Bible Society of which latter place had already distributed 717,977 copies of the Sacred Scriptures, the Report adverted to the state of Portugal and Spain. In the former country there was now no persecution for religious opinion, but every man was allowed to choose which religion he pleased, and to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. ”

“ No one whose mind is under a sacred influence, can rise from the perusal of these pages without a consciousness of having been admitted into privileged society. The principles, spirit, and tendency of this work, are eminently important. Were they but permitted to exercise that practical dominion over the judgment and conduct of men generally, to which they are fully entitled, a change as marvellous as beneficial would be the result ”

“ May a missionary spirit be the one which animates every reader!
X. Y.
UNION IS STRENGTH.
To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.
I have seen a circular respecting the "Baptist Union." It is a very common remark, that "the Independents and the Wesleyan Methodists are more united than the Baptists." How is this, or why should it be? They are probably more numerous, and this may be owing to unity. Let us look at the counties of Surrey and Sussex. Is there any Baptist interest between Clapham and Horsham? At the latter place there are some general Baptists. ”