in the prospect of heaven, and the mother shedding tears of gratitude for the goodness and grace of God. When, before kneeling down, the question was again put, "Is there any thing you wish in particular to be prayed for ?" the reply, for the first time, was different: forgiveness had hitherto been her sole request; she was now assured of this, but she was very weak, the tenement was fast taking down: convulsions at one time, and then the incessant coughing, so that her request was very suitable. "Pray," she said, "pray that the Lord would give me patience and strength to bear my affliction!" "Do you think God deals hardly with you?" "No." "Do you wish to be released ?" "When he pleases."

On the Friday following she was again visited; calm and composed in mind, but weaker in her bodily frame, she could do little more than express her assent to any thing that was said; Death was nigh, but he had no terrors. The last visit had now been paid, the last prayer was about to be offered up, and for the last time she was asked what she would wish to be the prayer. She was just on the confines of heaven; in about six hours afterwards she ceased to breathe, the emancipated spirit took its flight, attended by guardian angels, to heaven; and, as if she felt her whole will resigned into God's, she replied, "What seems best." T. A.

ANTI-STATE-CHURCH CONFERENCE. "JESUS SHALL REIGN."

This Conference has now been held. In every respect it was worthy of its great and holy purpose. Nearly seven hundred delegates assembled from all parts of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The emancipation of the church of God from the yoke of Kings and Statesmen, and the restitution to citizens of their full religious rights, was its holy and patriotic object, and the blessing of God was felt to rest upon the assembly. The meetings were commenced by a solemn and interesting Prayer-Meeting, in Eagle-Street Baptist Chapel, and were continued, twice each day, through Tuesday, April 30th,

and the Wednesday and Thursday following. We cannot find room even for a sketch of six meetings, each of three or four hours' duration.

If

A series of Papers, previously drawn up with great care, by Drs. Wardlaw and Cox, Messrs. Massie, Miall (editor of the Nonconformist), a Barrister, and Mr. Mursel (Baptist Minister, Leicester), were read to the meeting, and resolutions founded upon them were passed with great unanimity. These papers will be speedily published, and we can most cordially recommend them to the attention of our churches, and deem them worthy a place in every Sunday School library. The time is come when not only adults but even children, should be taught the sinfulness of State churches; when the youngest and the most illiterate, should be guarded against the wiles of clerical seduction, by being thoroughly taught the wickedness of the principle which lies at the foundation of State churches. Dissent be not a matter of conscience, it is a sin; and if it be a matter of conscience, how can we answer before God, for allowing our children to become, without selfreproach, members of a State church? It requires little more than a child's understanding of the New Testament (unless, indeed, that understanding has been blinded by money, worldliness, or educational prejudice), to comprehend Christ's assertion, "my kingdom is not of this world," and its necessary consequence, that "his servants may not fight." To understand that his apostles directed wicked men to be expelled from the church, and that, therefore, for worldly kingdoms and governors to pay, and of course control, the church of Jesus, must be treason against Christ. Let our Sunday School teachers ponder their duty on this subject. One interesting fact was, that Dr. Cox, who had been a receiver and distributor of a contemptible annual grant to Dissenters, called the Regium Donum, announced that he for ever gave up the office, as involving the principle of receiving Government pay for the ministers of Christ.

We have only to add in conclusion, that the meetings were attended by such a

number of the very heart of Dissent, as must cheer the most timid, and were conducted in such a spirit, and adopted such practical measures, as must encourage all who love the spirituality of Christ's church, to join with heart and hand, and to help with prayer and contributions.

BAPTIST UNION.

We feel it to be important to put on permanent record in "THE CHURCH," the proceedings of the Thirty-second Annual Session of this body, which was held at the Baptist Library, Moorgate-Street, on Thursday, April 18th, 1844, at ten o'clock, and was attended by one hundred and two members and fifty-three visitors. The view which the Union took of the state of denominational affairs at home, as exhibited in the Report, was expressed in the following resolutions :

1. "That, while the Union learn with sincere gratitude, that the reported clear increase during the past year in 922 churches of the Baptist denomination in Great Britain and Ireland, has amounted to 5,246 members, affording reason to hope that, in the whole denomination (adopting the same ratio), there has been a clear increase within the year of about 9,600; they regard with regret the fact now elicited, that the average increase of the year has been somewhat less than six members for each church, being the smallest rate of clear annual increase since 1838."

2. "That the Union, without listening to any suggestions of despondency, or yielding to any feelings of discouragement, would seriously commend this state of things to the prayerful consideration of the churches, and engage them to renewed exercises of watchful zeal and fervent supplication."

The Report stated that 62 churches had, within the year, been added to the Union; and that the number it now comprehended was 923; also, that twenty new churches had been formed in the denomination, and forty-two chapels erected or enlarged. The number of deceased ministers and missionaries reported was 19. Reference was

made also to the completion of the library (a commodious and elegant apartment in the new Mission-house, 50 feet by 26), in which the Union was assembled; and a resolution passed requesting contributions to the Denominational library.

The Report entered at large into the Educational question, as it was left by the Factories' Bill of last Session. On this subject the views of the Union were subsequently expressed in several resolutions, to the effect that the Union rejoices in the defeat of the late Government measure, yet attaches the highest importance to education. That it maintains the adequacy of popular energies for education, and prefers co-operation with the scriptural system of the British and Foreign School Society to Denominational Schools, and that it recommends the abovementioned society to the cordial and liberal support of the denomination.

The Report further stated, that the foreign correspondence of the Union had, during the past year, been considerably enlarged; a statement which gave rise to the following expression of fraternal sentiment:-"That they take this opportu nity of gratefully acknowledging the interesting and important communications from their brethren, and of most cordially responding to the christian sympathy therein so warmly expressed."

The Report concluded with a reference to the funds. The income had been nearly £125; but the costliness of the last Report (which contained the amplest statistics of the denomination hitherto published), and the large quantity of general business, had created a heavy arrear, now amounting to £44. 7s. 8d.

On the resumption of business on Monday morning, April 22nd, the subject of the Parliamentary Grant was brought forward by the Committee, and resolutions were, after a short discussion, carried by a large majority; to the effect, That its reception, by Dissenting ministers, makes them, in so far, stipendiaries of the State, and is unhappily and injuriously inconsistent with the great principles of Nonconformity. That a memorial be sent to Government, and petition to Parliament

with secular power, the adherents of this system have demanded from the followers of the Cross, an allegiance due only to Him who has said, "My kingdom is not of this world;" and, in the enforcement of their unrighteous demands, have made their power felt in the imprisonment and death of their opponents. And of the victims sacrificed to the bigotry and intolerance of State religion, not a few have been taken from the ranks of the Baptists. Nor has this spirit of persecution alone manifested itself under the supremacy of the Pope, but even under the direction of the leaders of the Reformed Church, has it sent many into exile, to the dungeon, and to the stake. The reign of the despotic Henry 8th, falsely and impiously styled, "the defender of the faith," was one in which the foulest deeds were perpetrated in the name of religion, both under the direction of a Romish and a Protestant Episcopal Establishment. And although, at the commencement of the reign of Henry's successor, the youthful Edward the 6th, many of the laws which had consigned the Lollards to an unjust death were repealed, yet even amid the light of the Reformation, there remained in existence a shameful law, which rendered heresy a capital offence, and doomed the offender to the penalty of burning. Among other persons who suffered death under the sanction

of this law, was the famous but calumniated Joan of Kent, who was a Baptist, and, according to Strype, "a great dispenser of Tyndal's New Testament, and a great reader of Scripture herself." At the repeated solicitation of the Primate, who justified the taking away of her life by the example of stoning blasphemers under the Jewish economy, Edward signed the warrant for her death with tears in his eyes, though not without solemn protestations of his innocence in shedding her blood. While Cranmer was using these carnal and murderous weapons, tidings reached the Council that several foreign Baptists had come into England, and were zealously endeavouring to spread their peculiar sentiments. Had the plague, the pestilence, or an earthquake visited London, it could not have caused much greater alarm in the minds of the Primate and others, who obtained from the king immediate powers to reclaim them if possible, to impose penance on them, to excommunicate and imprison them, and to deliver them over to the secular arm; and in the execution of this charge, the forms of law were dispensed with. Some of them renounced their opinions, but two remained faithful to the dictates of conscience, and refused to purchase life by apostacy or dishonour.

Mary succeeded her brother on the throne, and spared neither effort nor expense to bring about the restoration of Popery. Not without cause, history has applied to her reign the term bloody. Gloomy and vindictive, she sported with the lives of good men; and, after a short career of misery, she died without the tears or regrets of her people. During the five years in which she held the sceptre of England, it has been computed that two hundred and seventy persons died at the stake, besides the vast numbers who were thrown into prison, or were ruined by confiscations. No age, nor sex, nor rank, nor profession was spared; one murder followed another in quick succession: bishops, clergymen, gentlemen, tradesmen, husbandmen, servants, women and children, perished by the order of this monster in the shape of a female. As might be

expected, the Baptists came in for their share of these sufferings; some of them were put to death, and many were imprisoned for maintaining, "that infant baptism is unscriptural; that it is commanded by the Pope, and that Christ commanded teaching to go before baptism."

Mary, however, after a short reign, was summoned to the bar of a just and a righteous tribunal, to answer for her crimes and atrocities committed against the disciples of the Cross. Elizabeth, often called "the good Queen Bess," succeeded to the crown; but her accession effected but little abatement of the sufferings of the Baptists. In the true spirit of Popery, she resorted to the use of torture, fires, and even death itself, in order to compel conformity to the religion set up by the State. Among other laws passed during her reign against Nonconformists of every name, one ordained, "that whoever shall be convicted before a magistrate of absenting himself from the Established Church for one month, shall be detained in prison till he conforms; or, if after three months he persists in his Nonconformity, shall be required to abjure the realm of England, and shall transport himself out of the country accordingly; or, if he refuses to abjure, or abjuring, does not transport himself, or, having departed the realm, shall return, shall be judged a felon, and shall suffer accordingly." Under the sanction of this and similar statutes, victims were soon offered upon the altars of Church intolerance, and some Dutch Baptists, who fled from the Low Countries to escape the atrocities of the Spanish General, were commanded to leave the kingdom within twenty days, on pain of losing all their goods, of being thrown into prison, and further punished. Persecution increased rather than destroyed the sect of immersionists. In spite of these measures to secure a compulsory attendance on the ministry of the State clergy, a congregation of them was found out in the centre of London, twenty-seven of whom were sent to prison. Without delay, the haughty Queen commissioned the bishop and others of the same stamp, "to confer with the accused, and to proceed judicially if the

case required." The consequence was, that some recanted, others were banished, and the rest died at the stake. John Fox did himself everlasting honour by coming forward to intercede with Elizabeth on behalf of those condemned to die, and in a most eloquent and touching appeal he earnestly begged, that whatever other punishment was inflicted, the fires of Smithfield might not be again revived. The Queen gave them a respite for a month, ordered a conference with divines, and declared that at the end of that time, unless they renounced their errors, death was certain. Recantation they firmly refused; death they patiently endured.

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

SECTIONAL EDUCATION.-Great efforts are now making, by some religious denominations, to promote the education of the rising generation; and the voluntary zeal and generosity displayed, affords undoubted evidence of the sincerity and benevolence of the parties who have engaged in the work. But whilst admitting this, we have very grave doubts respecting the tendency of the several sectional movements alluded to, and we think there is much of force, and truth too, in the observations contained in the following extract from Chambers's Edinburgh Journal for February: "The tendency, indeed, of the present time is manifestly in favour of sectionising education in conformity with religious sections, and having as many sets of schools and colleges as there are religious denominations in the land. Ten years ago, it did not appear as if educational efforts were to take this turn; there was then some prospect of a national system of education, such as exists in Holland, Belgium, America, and many other countries, by which all our youth might have associated together in their school-days, without regard to differences on one special point. Now, the prospect seems to be abandoned as hopeless. So be it, since better may not be. But let this great country be aware of the evils of which it is laying the foundations. The unavoidable effect of this dissociation of the people in their youth, according to religious denominations, will be to make them, in

their mature years, aliens from each other. Religious sects will become equivalent to castes in India. The common feelings, in which the union and strength of a people reside, will be attenuated, while all the divided feelings will wax in strength. Class will feel coldly, or despitefully, or hatefully towards class, and this mainly because they know not each other; whereas, if they had all been thrown together in their tender years, they would have formed special friendships, perhaps to last through life, or at least had a sufficient personal intimacy to produce a kindly feeling, and make distinctions in faith appear as no proper cause for mutual distrust or hatred. Already, in the great distinctions which wealth and rank, employing and being employed, produce in this people, there was sufficient cause of disunion: and the effects of these distinctions are even now painfully, and perhaps threateningly, apparent. But these distinctions are as nothing to what must henceforth take place, if the separate system of education be persisted in. DIVISION must then take the presiding place in Britain, and the days of her greatness, if anything of our own doing can bring them to a close, will terminate through this cause."

THE PERSECUTIONS OF EPISCOPACY. -The Rev. Mr. Lewis, Vicar of Sedgley, whose income is not less than £400. per annum, is enforcing his claims for EasterOfferings in the true spirit of Episcopacy. A Mr. Wm. Smith is ordered to pay 1s, and because he refuses a warrant is issued against him, and in order to annoy him by increasing the expenses, three constables are employed to execute it. Goods of the value of £2. were taken. About the same time another seizure was made for 10d. of the bed of Josiah Nock, a poor man out of work, which bed cost him £4. Several persons have recently been treated with equal harshness by the christian Vicar of Batley. These parties were summoned before the Dewsbury magistrates, and amongst the number was a poor old man, nearly 80 years of age, named Robinson, who stated that he was unable to obtain sufficient bread. The magistrates suggested that the old man should be forgiven, but the Vicar's agent was inexorable, alleging that he did not pay the year before, and that many

poorer had been compelled to pay. Such are the tender mercies of Episcopacy. At Wrexham, during last month, Mr. George Lewis, surgeon, had six mahogany chairs stolen, under cover of law, from his house, because he refused to pay a 5s. ChurchRate. On the 14th ult. the Leeds Borough Magistrates issued orders against the following parties, all residing at Headingley, for the payment of a Church-Rate in their Chapelry; and as most of the parties belong to the Society of Friends, their goods would be seized, viz:-Mrs. H. Baker, 5s. 11d.; T. Tatham, 8s. 10d.; T. Shipley, 5s. 11d.; J. Cudworth, 3s. 54d.; E. Birchall, 10s. 64d.; J. Brady and W. Rountree, £2. 3s. 8d.

THE NORWICH CHURCH RATE CASE. -We stated in a previous number that Sir H. J. Fust, of the Arches Court, had decided, that a rate-payer was guilty of a legal offence for NOT attending to vote a Church Rate. The same case has since been argued before Lord Chief Justice Denman, whose judgment completely upsets the monstrous decision in the Arches Court. In allusion to the groundless charge of obstruction, his Lordship plainly said, "that the law permitted the parties charged to object to the amount of the rate, and even to refuse it altogether."

THE ROMFORD CASE.-In the case of Pigott, a poor shoe-maker of Romford, Sir H. J. Fust, in his "christian court," decided that the poor Dissenter must pay the Church-Rates demanded, with costs. Pigott appealed to the Privy Council against this decision, and on the 16th ult. Lord Brougham gave the judgment of the court in his favour, reversing the fusty decision of the Court of Arches. The Privy Council decided, that the rate appealed against, being retrospective, was invalid, as any payment of debts, previously contracted, was clearly an illegal application of the current rate. Surely the Episcopalians will soon have had enough of law on this question.

POPISH ARCHES COURT.-Popery signifies, according to the twenty-third chap. of Matthew, the supremacy, not merely of the Bishop of Rome, but, in general, of human authority in scriptural doctrine. Now, the Excommunicating Canons of 1603, exalt (in a kind of reckless, drunken