CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

"Who hath despised the day of small things?"— Unusual events can scarcely fail to excite our wondering gaze, whilst the noiseless current of ordinary affairs too often flow past almost unnoticed. Yet these apparent trifles bear on their bosom important tendencies, and, by their remote influence, resemble the stream widening and deepening in its course. The creation of our earth -the breaking up of the fountains of the great deepthe sun standing still upon Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Ajalon-and, above all, the mission of the Son of God to our fallen world to effect its ransom, are instances of the Lord's coming out of his place to do great wonders not to be repeated; of each of these it may be said "there was no day like that before or after

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it.' "Yet day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge." The voice of the Lord is continually heard, and his arm manifested. At "the restitution of all things" it will be found that the multitude of occurrences which have crowded themselves into the earth's history, have been united by invisible links, and have constituted parts of one stupendous whole. The dealings of Providence are as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel;" instead therefore of presumptuously forming a comparative estimate of them, it is the dictate of reason and scripture to make each part of the divine procedure, the subject of frequent meditation, as having a mutual dependance, and exerting an influence, in a manner, direction and extent, little anticipated: to neglect this duty, identifies us with those who "regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands."

The admission of this truth will render unnecessary, any apology for retracing in these pages, the footsteps of the Redeemer in the superintendence of one of his churches for nearly a century and a half.

The plantation of the little church at Philippi, was a theme of contempt to the magistrates and multitude of that city. What! would cry many a haughty Roman, ‘this a church of the living God !'—'a jailor for a member !'—‘a private dwelling house often for a sanctuary!'-' a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition' who had been whipped in 'the market-place', for a teacher!-'the idea

is foolishness.'

But "the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called (or call you); but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence."

"So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed," that this fellowship required a plurality of bishops as well as deacons. "These men being Jews do exceedingly trouble our city," cried the inhabitants respecting Paul and Silas; but they little foresaw that the influence of their visit would extend to the very end of the world. When civil and military exploits are forgotten this will be remembered. The name of Phillippi will ever be associated, not merely with the inspired epistle addressed to the church there, but with the poor jailor himself as one of its members, the history of whose conversion will go down from age to age, and be the joy of many generations.

Although the local fellowship referred to in the following pages, traces not its origin to the visit of an apostle, it bears marks of being "the Lord's doing," and should therefore be "marvellous in our

eyes," whatever human agency may have been selected in its formation. Like many of the old meeting houses, their sanctuary little resembles in magnificence some of the structures reared by the hand of man: but the glory of the latter house predicted by Haggai was greater than that of the former, though the building itself was inferior. The glory does not consist in the house itself, but in the presence of Him who condescends to manifest himself in it, "and who has said where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them ;" and proofs of his presence are not wanting. Whilst at the morning of the resurrection it will be said of the jailor, he was converted at Phillippi; of the thousands "which were redeemed from the earth" it will also be told of this man and that man, that he was born here.

The writer of these pages may be permitted to suggest the desirableness of local fellowships preserving the records of their individual history in some suitable repository. As "the people that shall be born" take these archives and peruse them, may they not be able to say, 66 our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old," and thus be led to set their hope in God.

CHAPTER II.

Scripture the only authoritative guide in matters of religion.

Titles of systems have often their origin in passing events. From ignorance of this fact, the popular mind is easily led away with names; because these may be comparatively new, it is hastily concluded that the principles they designate are equally novel. Where was your Protestantism before the Reformation?" once enquired a Roman Catholic of Martin Luther; "where," replied the great Reformer, "in the bible." The religion embodied in this term is that of the apostles, but the appellation is modern, and arose from its abettors protesting against the Papal authority. The terms 'nonconformity' and 'dissent' also grew out of necessity, and are applied to those denominations who secede from the state church of this country. Whilst these titles therefore may be modern, it does not legit