taking name, and it is advertised as Bellevue or Paradise-place, Honey-hill or Mountpleasant; just as these ten reasons are by a Baptist Minister of nearly forty years' standing! How wonderful! How delightful! How rare, rich, and racy must these reasons be! Ten of them too; for the author has a special relish for decades, as some think, though the like may never occur again. His passion, just now, for the State-church reminds us of a celebrated artist who painted a sewer at Munich with allegorical frescoes, to which, without comparing the State-church to a sewer, the eccentric arabesques of Charles Waters Banks may be fitly likened. His sportive and recuperative genius has supplied the public with more articles of virtu, and other choice things, than the public knows what to do with; and yet the spout runs-runs freely too, and this time with wine instead of water!

The adroitness of some men is wonderful. Nor less astounding their not falling when balanced on a tight rope, than their sagacity in coming down to avoid falling, or their getting up when they have tumbled down. The issuing of these ten reasons would have disqualified any other man for the confidence of Dissenters, and the ministry of dissent. But Mr. Banks knows what he is about, it may be presumed. As a theological acrobat he has been so often balanced on the tightrope, had so many descents, and made so many experiments on the public as to have a greater insight of it than many of his opponents, who would reckon as a bad debt that which yields him a balance of profit. The Gospel Guide disappeared just at the upheaval of the Rock; and these "ten reasons in favour of Church and State" are published by the "NATIONAL PROTESTANT UNION," amid the excitements of a general election. So that as a speculation it may not have been wide of the mark, and as a matter of business may turn out different from that of Overend, Gurney & Co.

According to Mr. B. the State-church of this realm is Protestantism itself. It is not simply episcopacy, or a Protestant sect, but Protestantism in the abstract and in the concrete, to disestablish and disendow which would be to quench the coal of Protestantism, put out the lamp of Christianity, and expel the divine Shekinah from its

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earthly abode! This State-church is a defence," a "fortification," a "breakwater," and the "divine ark," which Mr. B. dissents from, but which we are to respect and reverence. Believing the author of ten reasons you might take the Establishment to be an institution based on a postulate of the divine will, or copied from the model church at Jerusalem. Happily the author's ideas are not creative of the future. They have no plastic power, no controlling energy. The ten reasons are little more than ten dummies in a hairdresser's shop, which no amount of artistic talent in a painter can invest with any other expression than that of vacuous complacency.

Transition animals are said to be extremely ugly, and the same may be said of transition periods, and transition measures. What the author thinks of the present era, and the disestablishment of the Irish Church, we know; what he thinks of himself, we do not know. At a public meeting, some years since, he was understood to say "he thought himself rather handsome. Whether he is of the same opinion now, or whether in his transition state he has undergone any change, for better or worse, we are not able to say; but we venture to suggest that a tinted photograph of him should be exhibited at Cheapside, in company with Mr. Disraeli, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and other State-church celebrities.

His new-born zeal for the Establishment is fearful. It puts in jeopardy the integrity of his person. He swears by his right hand, and resolves upon cutting it off rather than voting for the separation of Church and State. We hope neither his right hand nor his left will suffer by raking chesnuts out of the fire. Zeal in a good cause deserves applause; still {discretion is required. Phaeton undertook to drive the chariot of the sun, and by his rashness set the world on fire; what Mr. Banks' passionate ardour will effect if uncontrolled, it would be premature to say. But as Minerva is said to have put a golden bridle upon Pegasus lest he should fly too fast, so we advise the National Protestant Union, or the new Bishop of London, to bridle by some such means the erratic zealotism of their last convert, lest travelling much out of course, he should bring damage to the Establishment.

Denominational.

ing as a pledge that the past was forgotten. His labours in Bradford were

DEPTFORD.

MR. J. S. ANDERSON having received a cordial invitation to resume his charge over the church meeting as above, after an absence of twenty months at Bradford, recommenced his labours here, on Lord'sday, Jan. 10, 1869.

On the following Tuesday, a congratulatory Tea and Public Meeting was held: a larger number of friends being present, than we have seen at any previous gather. ing,-not less than 300 sitting down to tea, which was served in the spacious school rooms and vestries. The school was tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens, interspersed with appropriate mottoes.

The Public Meeting was held in the chapel, which was well filled in every part, Mr. Anderson presiding.

After singing Cowper's beautiful hymn, commencing,

"God moves in a mysterious way," Mr. Dann engaged in prayer. The Chairman then gave a brief account of the circumstances attending his removal, absence, and return. He said, In March, 1867, he was asked to supply the pulpit at Trinity Chapel, Bradford. He found a handsome, commodious chapel, more than twice the size of Zion, school-rooms, and offices, freehold and entirely free from debt.

The congregation was small, considering the size of the building, and the people low in doctrine. He preached two sermons, nailing his colours to the mast, and shrinking not from proclaiming the whole counsel of God.

To his surprise, he received soon after a unanimous invitation from the church and congregation to the pastorate. After much prayerful consideration he decided to go. He felt he had made a mistake in doing so, yet he had learned many lessons he never would have learned, had he not gone to Bradford. The people had been very kind to him, and did their best to make him comfortable, but he felt he was not in his right place. After struggling long against this conviction, he determined to resign. He had no right to expect the friends at Zion would receive him, as he felt he had wounded their love in leaving them as he did;

but he looked upon the present meet

had been told them as they had not heard it before, the good seed of the kingdom had been sown, and would, by God's blessing, bear fruit after many days. He went to Bradford with a "creed," and on the first Lord's day in 1869, he challenged his hearers from the pulpit, to show that he had swerved one iota from those principles he enunciated on going amongst them.

He brought that creed back with him, he would not like to live without it, and he certainly could not die without it. He hoped to live and labour amongst them for many, many years, and, if the will of the Lord to be made useful to them. If separation did occur, it would be because the people wanted to get rid of him, never again of his own accord.

Congratulatory addresses were delivered by the ministerial brethren Dickerson, Box, Maycock, Williamson, Griffith, and Thomas Jones. Mr. Alderson was to have spoken, but was absent through indisposi tion. Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies in acknowledgment of the time and talents expended in the decorations, and for their management of the tea; also to those ministers who had supplied the pulpit during Mr. Anderson's absence.

Thus Mr. Anderson has returned under brightest auspices to his former sphere of labour. The dark cloud which overshadowed Zion has parted, and we trust the time, the "set time" to favour her has

beyond all others noted for its wickedness and devotedness to idol worship,-two things which most frequently go together. Here he lived, an ungodly, idolatrous youth, until it pleased God to bring him, about five years ago, into connection with the Wesleyan Missionary Society's missionaries in the district where he resided. He now heard, for the first time, of the true God, and the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, and became, we believe, truly converted, not merely to a belief in the Christian religion, but to embrace Christ as his only hope as a guilty sinner before God. His parents were much enraged, and brought the Wesleyan missionaries before a court of law at Madras, as having influenced their son against them. But, as he was of full legal age to act for himself, the parents were defeated, and Coopoosawmy left father and mother, and even his intended wife, (to whom he was betrothed when a child according to Hindoo custom), to join the Christians, whom all his friends and relatives hated. But this was not all. About a year ago, he was brought into contact with some of the Strict Baptists at Madras; and finding that the Wesleyan teaching respecting the doctrines of the gospel and the ordinance of baptism was not according to the Scriptures, he determined, by the help of God, that, as he had left home and friends when a dark heathen, in order to follow the light of truth, so now he would follow the same light, and cast in his lot among the Strict Baptists, who, he satisfied himself, taught and practised only what Christ had commanded. This resolve was not carried out without great opposition and reproach; but God supported him through it, and he was last year immersed on a profession of his faith at Madras, and joined the church at Perambore, of which a highly beloved and esteemed native Baptist brother, Mr. Doss Anthravady, is the pastor. Here he was for a time employed by the railway company, but has now become one of our missionaries, having for his station the town of Perambore. His former friends, the Wesleyans, and his present pastor, Mr. Anthravady, both speak in the highest terms of his character and abilities. For himself he says, "From the beginning, my desire has been to consecrate my life to the service of the great King Jesus, preaching and teaching the gospel to my perishing fellow-countrymen; consequently I shall only be too happy to become your missionary." Perambore, where Coopoosawmy is appointed to labour, is in the midst of a thickly-populated district. "It abounds," says Mr. Doll, "in streets,

bazaars, highways, villages, hamlets, railway-lines and stations, workshops, military baracks, &c., &c., and is unoccupied by any other missionary." Here is, therefore, a wide field of usefulness. May God make it the scene of much spiritual instruction and saving power to the hearts of the dark heathen who reside in this locality.

Besides preaching and conversing with the natives, Coopoosawmy has already a day and Sunday-school in operation. In a recent report he says: "Colonel Innis, of the 41st Native Infantry, kindly offered me his bungalow for a school, which we thankfully received,-a good help in a good time-for the building we engaged was unfit, and needs repair. The boys are increasing daily; I bave now thirty-seven on the list. Scripture is the principal study. All the boys attend also the Sunday-school. The first and second classes repeat verses from the Psalms, which they commit to memory. The third and fourth classes are taught in Luke's Gospel in tlie vernacular. My wife teaches these two classes. After the Sunday-school, I give them a short address or interesting narrative, which they hear with great delight.

"Mrs. Colonel Innis visited the school yesterday morning, (July 14th), and examined the first class in arithmetic, &c. She was pleased with their answers. May God grant his blessing on the feeble labours of this past month."

We are sure the young friends in our Sabbath-schools in England will be pleased to hear of this little Christian school established among the heathen at Perambore.

Besides regular preaching at Perambore, Coopoosawmy visits the villages around, where he is received kindly. "Seeming convinced," he says, "that my object is to do them good, they do not oppose the truth, but would rather lose their souls than break caste. If Christianity would tolerate caste, they would at once profess Christianity." A service is also conducted amongst the native Drummers of the Regiment stationed at Perambore, who, he says, attend cheerfully, and some of them manifest great seriousness. We subjoin the following extract from his journal of August last:

"VILLAGE PREACHING. On Monday morning, while I was going to Madavapoorani, I found a crowd of people passing on the road. On enquiry, I learned that they were returning from a feast at Pariapolliam, a village about twenty miles from Madras, northwards. I determined to preach to these ignorant and benighted people, Christ, the true way of salvation. Under a large

shade, and near a small bridge, I read to those who collected about me, a portion of Scripture, and explained the folly of idolatry, and sinfulness of going to that feast. While explaining the true way of salvation, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the increasing multitude listened attentively, telling each other that what I say is nothing but true. But one of them, who was partly drunk, broke out with all sorts of bad language, and attempted to beat me, and seemed as if he would have put me to death; for he seemed to be so full of rage; but I entrusted myself in the hands of Him that sent me to proclaim his holy name. The drunken man followed me till I reached home, with abuses and threats."

The day and Sunday-schools appear to be attended with pleasing results, as the following extracts from his September journal testify.

"DAY SCHOOL.-This work is sweet to me, and Sunday-school work sweeter; and if Narrainsawmy, Soobamany, and Codandapa are converted and baptized, it will be sweeter still. These boys show an abhor rence to the worship of idols, and the superstitious ways of their heathen parents; they show a desire to become Christians, and they shed tears while I tell them of the dying love of Jesus. May they oe brought out of darkness into the marvellous light of Christ's gospel.

"SUNDAY-SCHOOL.-The boys seem to like the Sunday-school better than the day school. The first and second classes are taught by me, the third and fourth classes by my wife."

We are sorry to say that the school has been diminished by Colonel Innis leaving the district with his native regiment. We will, in some future number, give further particulars of other missionary work carried on by this Mission in other parts of India and Ceylon.

MR. BLOOMFIELD AND OPEN COMMUNION.

[We are requested by some influential friends of Mr. Bloomfield's, in the south, to publish the following letter.-ED.]

MY DEAR FRIEND,-I lose not a moment in replying at once to your kind note. I thank you most heartily for the interest you have taken in me for years past, and also I shall ever feel grateful to you for the many acts of kindness you have shewn me. Now respecting the report that I am an open communionist-I beg most distinctly to say there is not the shadow of truth in the report, nor is there the least disposition in my mind to become so. If my friends

con

had heard me opposing two ministers, only last week, on this very question, they would not have supposed the report to be true for a moment. I am a strict communionist, and believe I shall ever tinue so, in this life; I am able to say more than this through the sovereign grace of our covenant God,-I am not altered in any point of doctrine. The new covenant truth of God is more precious to me than ever; it is my comfort in sorrow, and my support amid the changes and trials of life. I am so thankful to you for writing, and I hope you will do me the justice to deny all such reports in the clearest and strongest way.

The doctrines of grace have been my comfort for many years, and the theme of my ministry ever since I began to preach Christ's gospel, and I believe they will ever be so.

I do sincerely desire you to deny in the most unreserved and unequivocal manner, any report of the kind named. with our

I sincerely trust you and friends, Mr. and Mrs. -, are quite well, and that you are living in the sweet enjoyment of all new covenant truths and blessings. I often wish I could see you to talk over matters; but this privilege is denied me in the providence of God. I seldom hear now from any of my old friends; but perhaps in some future time I may. I wish I had more life and power in my soul in divine things, and more savour and power in my ministry.

I often feel dry, barren, and dark; but this is my joy, that God remains the same in his will, love, power, and faithfulness.

The Lord comfort, guide and bless you and dear, and our friends, Mr. and Mrs. —, with all his people. Most affectionately remember me to Mr. and Mrs. and to Ever believe me, your affectionate friend,

JOHN BLOOMFIELD. 2, Hall Field-road, Bradford, Yorks., 29th Dec., 1868.

P.S.-I pray you may have a happy new year, in the best sense of the word.

General.

ROME.

THE Marquis of Bute, who recently attained his majority, has embraced the Roman Catholic faith. He has a princely income of £300,000 a-year. We hear he has already supplied Dr. Manning with a donation of £5,000 towards the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Westminster.