especially to magnify God's grace, and to confirm the faith of His children in the belief of His loving care. Studies in the Life of St. Paul" will be continued, with the view of setting New Testament facts in their true light, and the principles of Divine Redemption in their most winning aspect. "Church and State" is the title of a series of articles in which the claims of that venerable institution known as the Church of England to exclusive Parliamentary and Political privileges will be examined in a fair and candid spirit. "The Highways and Byways of the Connexion" esteemed correspondents will further explore. Records of deceased friends will be still preserved, and reports of successful evangelistic and church work will be made as complete as possible. Two requests we have to make of our readers, that they will daily pray that the Editor and his coadjutors may be so helped to write that a rich blessing may accompany their productions, and that they will by personal recommendation and effort resolve that the Magazine shall be introduced into every family of the Denomination.

THE

BIBLE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE.

HE accompanying portrait we trust Mr. Martin's many friends will recognize as a faithful and excellent likeness. Though only thirty years have passed since he entered the ministry, his hair is fast turning white. In years to come may it be said of him, as Mr. Ossian Davies said of the venerable Robert Moffat, at our Missionary Meeting in Exeter Hall, in May last, "he has been for a long time among us, like a snow-capped volcano,-hoary of head, but with the sacred fire in his heart." Mr. Martin has been dangerously ill more than once during his ministerial career, and his health has not been good for years, but as he is possessed of indomitable strength of will, he has seldom been out of his work. At the time of the Disestablishment of the Irish Church, he helped, by voice and pen, to increase the force of what, we believe, was a righteous agitation; his success in collecting funds to build new chapels or remove debts on old ones has passed into a proverb; and, what is more gratifying, the "seals of his ministry" are to be found in the circuits where he has laboured. Mr. Martin is the first President in our Connexion chosen by ballot without nomination, and as he was elected by a majority of votes on the first voting-which election was afterwards confirmed by a vote of the entire Conference-there is no doubt that he was the man beyond all others that his brethren wished to honour. May his health and strength be equal to the duties of his high office, and may his presidential year be one of peace and unexampled prosperity.

B

1

A GOOD MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST.*

OR some time I have felt a strong wish that it had been the duty of some other brother to address you on this very important occasion. I want you, however, to understand that this feeling does not arise from any want of interest in your welfare, but rather from the deep sense I have of my own unfitness to address you as I would like to do. You have my deepest sympathy, and my most intense desire is that each of you may make "full proof of your ministry."

You have been most cordially received by this Conference into Full Connexion as approved ministers of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and you are now recognized by the Conference and this congregation as the ordained ministers of our beloved community. To this day you have no doubt been looking with great concern. This is a most solemn crisis in your history. The past has converged to it, and your future starts from it. In the presence of these dear friends, to whom you may yet have to minister the Word of Life; in the presence of your brethren, who are fellow-labourers with you in the great field of Christian toil; in the presence of watching angels and glorified spirits; and in the presence of that God, Whose you are and Whom you serve, you have this day taken upon you the vows of the Christian ministry.

My dear brethren, I am very anxious that you shall ever keep before you, most distinctly, the fact that your vocation, on account of its moral dignity, the powerful influences and most momentous responsibilities with which it is associated, is the most important of which the human mind can possibly conceive. You are the allies of Jesus Christ in His great endeavours to save our race. It is yours to awaken in the hearts of men the consciousness of their relationship to the infinite and eternal God. There is nothing on earth comparable to your vocation, and whatever genius, whatever learning, native force or energy of spirit you may have, all may find their freest and loftiest service in the work to which you are set apart. A large number of friends are looking upon you with great interest and deep solicitude; they are cherishing hopeful anticipations concerning you; and many-very many prayers are now being addressed to the Throne of Grace, that you may be eminently successful in your sacred calling.

I can most distinctly remember when I and other honoured breth*The charge delivered to the Brethren, R. E. CRADDOCK, J. BALHATCHET, S. T. THORNE, W. H. ALFORD, and JAMES CORY, on the occasion of their being received into Full Connexion by the Bible Christian Conference, on Thursday, July 31st, 1884.