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would, ere long, come down upon us as showers upon the unmown grass; our grace would revive, our members increase, our borders be extended, and the little one

would soon become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation.

T. CARTWRIGHT.
Pendleton, Manchester.

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THE REVIVAL OF GOD'S WORK WANTED.

MR. EDITOR,We have already heard with pleasure of the glorious work of God that broke out on the Lisburn mission, Ireland, in the month of July. What a cheering report of this revival we have in the October missionary notice! About two hundred souls converted! What an accession to the Church! what a rich harvest of precious blood-bought souls! We are informed that the above delightful work commenced by temperance meetings, united prayer, open air services and special attention to the young, Sabbath-school instruction, and by the distribution of some thousands of religious tracts every Lord's-day throughout every part of the neighbourhood. The leaders' meeting also, in July, appointed special revival services to be held a week in each chapel on the station. These meetings were begun at Broomhedge by singing and prayer; after which, a lecture was delivered for twenty minutes by a leader, or one of the preachers, on the Adaptation of the Gospel," the "Willingness and Ability of Christ to save," on "Decision in Religion," the "New Birth," or on some other like plain, practical and important subject. After this, a prayer-meeting was conducted for about an hour, preachers and leaders praying short, singing two verses of an appropriate hymn at intervals, and praying for present blessings. It was considered inconvenient for all to remain longer; but the leaders and praying friends remained with the penitents for an hour longer; and on one or two occa sions, the after-meeting could not be closed till midnight. Oh, what a time of Pentecost! for hours to hear the cry of new-born souls emerging from darkness into light, and from the bondage and power of Satan into the glorious liberty of the children of God! The like was never witnessed in the New Connexion in Ireland before. Like the missionaries in Tahiti and the South Seas, who preached twenty years without fruit, we have laboured fifty years without seeing any great outpouring of the Spirit until now. The blessing has come. It is no delusion. Many wandering prodigals, are brought home and are sitting at the feet of Jesus. "Not unto us, not

unto us be the glory;" but we will ascribe the praise to Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

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But we long to know that the revival is more general. Say, can there not be a revival in every part of the mission in Ireland? There is wondrous power and mighty energy hidden in that little word, try. "Try me," says God," and prove me." (Mal. iii. 10; Isa. i. 16-19; Hosea x. 12; Joel ii. 28; Acts ii.) Let us depend upon the promises of our God. Let us unite by solemn prayers to God; by close self-examination to find if we are "justified" and "sanctified." Have we, as professing Christians, the "witness of God's Spirit?" Are we walking before the world in "all holiness and righteousness of life ?" Are we burning and shining lights" for Christ in the midst of the gloom of hellish night that surrounds us? Are we living epistles, known and read of all men ?" Filled with love, knowledge, faith, zeal? Can we with satisfaction answer the above queries? If not, we at once decide we need a revival. If we find, upon impartial inquiry, that we have "the life of God within us," we are then "fit instruments for the Holy Ghost to honour" and use to his own glory. The vessels must be clean that carry the Gospel to a perishing world! Let us cry with the prophet, "Awake! put on thy strength, O Zion! Arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, as in the generations of old." (Isa. li. 9, 17.) "Awake! awake! put on thy strength, O Zion! put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the Holy City." (Isa. lii. 1.)

The Church languisheth and who is to blame? "Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened?" asks the prophet Micah (ii. 7). Does the fault attach to God? Every person acquainted with the Divine government, with God's character and purposes in redemption, must reply, No. "Ye are straitened in your own bowels," says St. Paul (2 Cor. vi. 12). blame, then, falls upon ourselves. have "limited the Holy One of Israel." We have acted much like the Papists. The church, the minister, the nice little well-arranged sermon, the prayer including subject and Sovereign, the filling-up

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appointments, these have been too much the adopted end and aim of preacher and people. We complain of Popery, bigotry. poverty, emigration, death, retarding the work of God in Ireland. True we have to grapple with all these trials; but we have a worse, yea a deadlier foe to contend with! Would to God that this was not true! Ministers of Christ, consider

well this matter.

It is said of charity, that "it should begin at home, but it need not end there." So I would begin at home with proof and self-condemnation. I feel convictions of guilt and blame as I write. What amount of sacrifice have I made for Christ, to promote his cause and glory in the earth? What amount of time have I devoted to prayer for the descent of the Holy Ghost during the past ten or twenty years? What time have I spent in holy communion, ardent wrestling, agonizing prayer to God for a lost world? What time spent in supplication, protracted knocking at the door of mercy; anxious waiting at Jehovah's throne, for "power from on high" to " go forth and preach the Word with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven?" Let us all find fault with ourselves, for we are "verily guilty before God." Wesley, and Fletcher, and J. Walsh took no denial when at private devotion. These servants of the Most High God prayed and wrestled with the Saviour, and so far prevailed with the God-Man, that in leaving the closet for their labours they had as powerful a conviction that God would save sinners through their preaching as they had evidence of their own existence. How is it with us, my beloved brethren, ministers of God? Have you ever spent one hour with God in prayer for a revival in the Church? Have you ever spent a night in this hallowed exercise? Waller and Smith spent many a night in prayer to God for the salvation of souls. In the great and glorious revival that broke out at a place near Glasgow, in the year 1742, ministers and people spent whole nights

in prayer! The memorable night before Livingstone preached at that time a sermon on the sacrament, when, under that discourse, five hundred were converted, the ministers and people waited in prayer and wrestled with God till morning dawned on them. In Kilsyth, eight hundred were converted to God in answer to prayer; a revival of religion in 1839. Does the Lord sead men empty away? No, no. He answered the protracted, believing prayers of Waller and Smith, in the salvation of hundreds and thousands of immortal souls! Let us adopt the practice, and try the plans that urged forward the Methodist chariot with such rapid, all but miraculous speed in primitive days! Imitate those sainted men of God, and we shall soon have apostolical Christianity in all its simple glory and saving power! We shall yet have back also Primitive Methodism and then the sound of revivals will be heard in all our Churches.

In America, the land of revivals, all denominations of orthodox Christians hold protracted meetings for prayer for the descent of the Holy Ghost. Shops are closed for days and weeks, worldly business is suspended for prayer and the preaching of the Word. In that land they are favoured with almost constant revivals. In the year 1822, the Presbyterian Church at Albany, State of New York, had fourteen hundred souls converted to God in protracted revival services, held for a few weeks. A short time ago, if I mistake not in 1844, we had 1600 souls added to our Churches in the Canadas by the above means. By our own reports we are informed that our Canadian brethren are often favoured with special outpourings of the Spirit and ingathering of souls, by labour, prayer, and special protracted revival services. Let our beloved brethren in Ireland, on all the stations, begin this "work of faith and labour of love" in simple dependance upon the Spirit, and he will come down in all his fulness and plenitude of power! J. N.

OUR MISSIONS.-THEIR CLAIMS CONSIDERED AND ENFORCED.

THE following remarks appended to the Report of our Canadian Auxiliary Missionary Society, which has just come to hand, deserve the attention of our readers, both for their intrinsic excellence and the encouragement they furnish to increased liberality in the support of a cause by which God is glorified, and the present and eternal happiness of man secured.

"The principle which actuates the genuine missionary band is derived from Heaven; and whether traced back to its source, followed onward through its progress, or contemplated in its final results, recommends itself to every rational creature. That principle is benevolence-the love or benevolence of Christ which constraineth us to employ our talents in promoting the salvation of

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lost men. In the life of the blessed Redeemer we have a living personification of love; and when the professed followers of the Saviour imitate this example, but not till then, may they with justice claim the name of Christian. Times have been when but little of this energetic, Christ-like benevolence existed in the world; but these have not been the palmy days of the Church. The missionary zeal and enterprize of a Church furnish an unquestionable criterion whereby we may judge of its religious attainments at any given point of time. It is utterly unreasonable and vain to expect a community to cry and sigh' for the condition of others, when spi ritual desolation reigns in their own souls. Often and truthfully has it been observed that 'charity,' or the love of God begins at home.' Self furnishes the starting-point and the first scene of its operations; and it differs mainly from the sinful, self-love of the world in that it rests not at home. Disinterested and expansive, like its Divine author, the missionary spirit' stretches its arms like seas,' and as the limit of its operations, ' grasps in all the shore.' Wherever ignorance, sin and misery have established their court-whether in civilized or savage nations, whether in the city full' or amid the wild scenery of the back-woodsthe Church, imbued with a missionary spirit, finds an appropriate place for carrying on her operations.

"Entertaining these sentiments, your Committee contemplates with pleasure the present position as well as the past labours of our little band; nor would we omit to record our devout gratitude to the God of Missions for the wide fields of usefulness he has opened up before us, and the success with which he has crowned the labours of our Missionaries. Every sinner converted from the error of his way (and we rejoice to state that such instances have not been few the past year) is an attestation of the divine commission under which we act, an evidence of the presence of the angel of the covenant with our vanquishing hosts, a stimulus to greater effort and a pledge of future success. On most of our stations such animating indications have been vouchsafed. The dissemination of divine truth has resulted in the awakening of the careless and indifferent to thoughtfulness and prayer, to penitence and faith. Deaths and removals have to some extent diminished our number, yet the Circuit returns show an increase of 328 during the past year; and to such an extent have our Circuits

been enlarged that the division of several stations has been rendered necessary. And although the Lord of the harvest has sent out into our section of his vineyard several additional labourers, yet we have openings either unoccupied or but partially supplied. The growing importance and rapid settlement of many of the townships in the interior call for prompt effort to supply the inhabitants with the word of life. The spirit of enterprize which at present prevails in this province, connected with the immense natural advantages we possess, are attracting to our shores such large numbers from the fatherland, that soon the wilderness of the remotest part of Canada must yield to the hand of industry and become fruitful fields. But if, while natural harvests are gathered, the hearts of the people remain a moral waste, what will our progress avail? How important, under these circumstances, that the Church exercise the necessary zeal and liberality for the gathering of this extensive harvest! The settlers in these remote parts of our prosperous land are thirsting for the living water; and hence, may we not appropriately pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth more labourers, the fields being already white unto harvest?

"Nor is it merely from the back-woods that the Macedonian cry is heard. From Montreal an urgent invitation has been sent for the re-establishment of a Church and the appointment of a suitable pastor. To this call, however, the Conference has found it impossible, at present, to attend, as the supply of that city with a missionary would leave another important station destitute of an adequate supply. Your Committee, nevertheless, feel deeply impressed with the importance of possessing an interest in Montreal; and fervently hope that at no distant day the Conference will be in a position to meet this demand.

"Indicative of the increase of zeal in the missionary enterprize, your Committee refer with pleasure to the increased liberality of the patrons of our Auxiliary Association. The amount subscribed during the past year exceeds that of the previous year; and we trust the same growing liberality will enable our successors in office to record still stronger evidences of expanding beneficence amongst us.

"Your Committee cannot conclude the present report without recording its gratitude to our beloved brethren in England for the increasing interest they manifest in our Canadian work, the en

enlarged liberality, the affectionate counsels, whereby they prompt us to greater diligence and ardour in our hallowed enterprize. And we doubt not, when the triumph of the Redeemer shall have been consummated, they shall have their reward, while they hear the Judge Eternal applaud their disinterested beneficence, and read amid the clear light of eternity the results of their well-directed enterprize.

"The removal of our esteemed brother, the Rev. H. O. Crofts, from the superintendency of the Canadian mission, demands more than a passing notice. For twelve years he laboured as a missionary in Canada; two years as stationed preacher in Montreal; four years as superintendent of Canada East; and for six years as general superintendent of the whole mission. He was the originator of our Auxiliary Missionary Society; and in promoting the interests of the mission has again and again been brought nigh to the grave. In returning to the land which gave him birth, the prayers of our Zion in this country, for his personal welfare and his more abundant usefulness in the Lord's vineyard, accompany him.

"With feelings of unmingled pleasure, your Committee hail the coming of the Rev. J. H. Robinson as the successor of the Rev. H. O. Crofts, as the superintendent of this mission. His well-known zeal and ability as a minister of Christ, his extensive acquaintance with the rules and usages of the body, and his practical knowledge of the working of our system, amply qualify him for the work to which the English Conference has appointed him. And while we address to brother R. a hearty welcome on his coming amongst us, we do not forget the debt of gratitude we owe to our beloved brethren in England for this most suitable ap pointment. Contemplating the united efforts of our esteemed brethren Robinson and McClure in the oversight of the mission, we feel assured that our interests as a community will be regarded. specting the position of the General and Assistant Superintendents, one fact alone gives us pain. Such is the lack of labourers, that both these brethren have the charge of stations, in addition to their general oversight of the work. This we view as an evil-an evil, however, which for the present cannot be obviated. But your Committee hope, ere long, to see this evil rectified, and our brethren to whom is committed the superintendence of the mission devoting all their energies to the general work.

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To the collectors and patrons of ou Auxiliary Association great praise is due, and your Committee would most cordially record its thanks for the aid they have given. To these, we would say, Persevere; yours is a noble enterprize, yours a glorious reward.

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In conclusion, your Committee would call on the patrons and friends of our mission generally to pray for the divine blessing to rest upon us as a community, for the Spirit's influence to accompany our efforts to save souls from death. For we are deeply conscious that the wilderness must remain unproductive until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high.' May the year upon which we are entering be characterized by increased zeal and liberality, and more abundant success!"

The attentive consideration of the preceding statements must awaken feelings of devout gratitude to the God of all grace for the partial realization of hopes directed to the highest objectsfor the spirit of holy zeal and expanding liberality so clearly indicated-and for opportunities of further and yet more extensive usefulness. Ireland presents equal encouragements; and myriads of the inhabitants of the populous towns of Britain, now perishing for lack of knowledge, call loudly for that help which only Christian Churches can give, and which they were established to render.

Among the great facts which every Christian Church, and every officer and member of each Church, is called upon deeply to ponder, these stand prominently forth: The world is the usurped empire of the Prince of Darkness, who holds his willing slaves in a bondage that connects with it a thousand forms of degradation and misery, and terminates in everlasting perdition; the Church is the depository of that truth and those instrumentalities by which alone the cruel chains are to be broken and liberty and salvation brought to the hapless, hopeless sons of men; and so far as that Church fails in exerting all the ability and in bringing into operation all the means it possesses for the accomplishment of those objects, so far does it fall short of comprehending the grandeur of its mission, and of fulfilling its divinely-appointed destiny. Are these facts, then, duly pondered by the officers and members of our Churches? And do they comprehend and practically recognize the obligations and responsibilities they involve? Taking—as it is surely right to take-the entire sum raised in our Home Circuits in aid of the missionary cause as the foundation of our

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judgment, only one reply can be made to these questions; and it cannot be matter of surprise that a gentleman of enlarged views and Christian philanthropy, W. Martin, Esq., is reported to have stated, in more than one missionarymeeting in which he has most worthily occupied the chair, that on looking over the subscription-lists in the missionary reports, the sums subscribed by individuals and raised by the Circuits, with but few exceptions, excited his astonishment and grief. These feelings must be shared by all who compare those reports with others published by the Wesleyans, the Baptists, and other kindred denominations, and who have any knowledge of the comparative social position of the respective parties. Looking at the first of these, it is difficult to resist the conviction that you are surveying the efforts of men who, conscious of the immense importance of the missionary cause, it is ever before their eyes, and finds points of attachment in all the passing events of life; and men, too, who, equally conscious of the expanding and hallowing influence of the missionary spirit, are labouring to cultivate it in the breasts of those to whom they are most endeared, and in whose welfare they have the deepest interest. In addition, therefore, to liberal or munificent legacies, donations, public collections, and yearly subscriptions by parents and children, husband and wife, &c., we have juvenile missionary societies, ladies' serving societies and bazaars, missionary breakfast and teameetings, juvenile Christmas offerings, Christmas singers and new year's offerings, missionary boxes and baskets, cattle and poultry, trees and flowers, thank-offerings for success in business, for recovery from sickness, for family

mercies in a time of general suffering, for mercies received at sea, and for other special benefits received in connexion with the diversified relationships of social and domestic life; and to these are added free-will offerings, some in memory of departed friends-a Christian parent, a beloved daughter, &c.-by a sinner saved by grace, by a debtor to Methodism, the fruits of self-denial, an expression of gratitude to Almighty God for sparing mercies, for preservation amidst disease and death, &c.; we see, in fact, a missionary spirit identifying itself with the whole spiritual and natural life, everywhere living and active, combining with and assimilating everything whereby it may increase its vigour, and pressing into its service every circumstanee by which it may accomplish its heaven-born purposes.

Were the officers and members of the New Connexion, instead of "comparing themselves with themselves," to consider attentively the standards set up by the communities previously named, or the sums contributed by a community which outstrips them all, the Free Church of Scotland, instead of expressions of satisfaction on account of slow advances made, deep humiliation occasioned by the disparity seen, would combine with convictions of obligation to rouse to efforts by which the present missionary income would soon be doubled. This ought to be done, because it may be done; and as Mr. Turner at the close of his excellent article in the December Magazine has stated, "The credit of the Connexion demands it; the blood of the Redeemer calls for it; and if we will give heed to these, God, even our own God, will abundantly bless us.”

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR RETAIL TRADESMEN AND OTHERS то ВоокKEEPING BY DOUBLE ENTRY, or according to the Italian Method of Debtor and Creditor; with Preliminary Remarks, showing its general utility, and urging its application to all kind of Accounts. By J. CALDECOTT. 12mo, pp. 307. London: W. and T. Piper, Paternoster row.

While authors in general select either the flowery fields of poetry, or the inviting walks of general philosophy, or the beaten path of history, or the inspiring themes of divinity, Mr. Caldecott has chosen the science of book-keeping in which to exercise his powers and

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benefit his fellow-men-a department of study which, though less attractive to men of letters and poetry, has yet intrinsically a high degree of importance and practical utility. In our author's hands the science is divested of the repulsive technicalities with which it is often encumbered and obscured, and by a lucid development of its principles and their practical application, expressed in a style remarkably clear, he has clothed the subject with such a degree of freshness and interest as cannot fail to please while it instructs and benefits the student.

In his introductory observations, our author delivers many excellent remarks

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