readiness to communicate. His life adorned his profession; he loved and lived the truth in all business transactions exact; methodical in all departments-the family, the church, the world. A man of fervent supplication and strong faith in God; his sympathy was ever warm for his own chosen people, and he laboured and prayed for their best interests: this, however, by no means interfered with the general interest he took in the cause of God at large. Missions and the spread of the gospel had strong hold on his sympathies and prayers.

The Lord's mercy to the church is seen in our brother being sustained so long to them, and also in his being weaned so gradually from them by increasing bodily weakness, extending over a period of nearly three years, so that though we could not have his presence, we had his counsel. A few weeks before his death, he met with his companion in office at the pastor's house, and suggested the names of members whom he thought suitable for the office of deacons: he lived just long enough to know the decision of the church, and to give his patriarchal blessing to the newly-elected.

He was laid aside in his dying illness about three weeks, suffering much nearly all the time. He had brief intervals of consciousness, in which he was able to converse a little, and to express peace and resignation to the will of God. It was evident to all who heard him, by the expressions that he made, how true to the Pole-Star-CHRIST-his mind pointed. On one occasion, as the writer was standing by his bedside, and as he woke up with the first dawn of consciousness, as quickly as the photograph is taken by the sunlight, he exclaimed,

"Grace!-'tis a charming sound-
Harmonious to the ear:

Heaven with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear."

At another time, when I said I was about to visit another sick brother, whose name I mentioned, he breathed warm salutations, and with an emphasis more than earthly, he said, "Tell him

"This, this is the God we adore

Our faithful, unchangeable Friend,
Whose love is as great as his power,

And neither knows measure nor end."

Thus, through the rifts of the clay tabernacle, he communed with the invisible. His place of defence was the munition of rocks, feeding on Divine manna, and drinking at the streams of Sovereign love-his head and heart pillowed on infinite power, truth, and love. Happy saint,--we almost envied him! On the morning of February 29th, his spirit quietly stole away like the calm setting sun, to shine in a brighter realm.

"Faith strives, but all her efforts fail
To trace him in the flight;
No eye can pierce within the veil,

Which hides that world of light."

His mortal remains were laid in the same grave with his two wives and Mr. Pye (his former pastor), in the Rosary burial ground; and his death was considered by a sermon from the pastor on Lord's-day evening, March the 8th, from Psalm xxxvii. 37, in which was contemplated: 1st, The man of God in the Biblesense of perfection; 2nd, His life; 3rd, His end-peace.

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." Norwich. R. B. HORNE.

BROTHER MEDHURST of Glasgow has forwarded us a capital letter just received from Mr. Joshua Denovan, formerly a minister in that city, from which the following extracts will be read with interest; and as the serious utterances of an eye-witness to many of the abominations of Popery, may serve to stimulate and strengthen our Protestantism at home.

"Smith's Falls, Ontario,

"Canada, 4th Feb., 1868.

"My dear Brother Medhurst,

"Your letter has done me much good: "As cold water to the thirsty soul so is good news from a far country." It delights me to know that so many of those whose names are on my heart are

still holding on their heavenward way of holiness and usefulness.

"Man proposeth, but God disposeth. He doeth according to his will, and none can stay his hand. There are many devices in the heart of a man, but the counsel of God, that shall stand.

"I began farming. I invested all I had in ground, cattle, &c.; but for the last three months I have not been within 200 miles of my home. Bit by bit, the Lord has drawn me from my acres and my cows to work in his vineyard, and herd his sheep. Already I have been honoured to proclaim the unspeakable riches of Christ, in the richest and the poorest Baptist pulpits of the new dominion. In the magnificent city of Montreal, on the hill side of the province of Quebec, in the country school-rooms of the province of Ontario, and even in the United States, the Great Husbandman has sent me to sow seed. I have been so blessed in my poor labours; there has been such a hungering and thirsting after the water of life, that I can get audiences every evening in the week. For miles round the people gather to hear the word. Last Sabbath, I had auditors from a distance of five, seven, and nine miles, although the glass stood about 20 degrees below zero. My ministry has been honoured with a good many baptisms. What my future may be I know not. I am trying to rest in, and stay upon, the Lord. Indeed, I have great peace and comfort, although my poor, weak heart cannot help turning again and again to Glasgow.

"This is a fine, and in many respects a beautiful country. While I am writing, the scene outside is enchanting; the picturesque houses (chiefly built of wood, painted pure white, with green outside venetian blinds and green verandas), the spotless snow covering the street and fields, the wonderfully lofty, cloudless sky adorned with a moon and stars far brighter than ever shone on Britain.

"I am pleased that you are cudgelling the old harlot. God help you to give it her without mercy. I do not believe in trying to conciliate Rome. She is doomed, and the curse of heaven rests on her. Her place in perdition is already prepared. Her future fate is already written. Then give her no quarter, and ask none from her. I would not have her mercy. I would not stand in the light of her smile. I have watched the working of her religion (?) in Britain, on the continent of

Europe, and now on this continent, and everywhere her track is marked with ignorance, rags, and dirt; everywhere she is the nucleus of crime and sedition; everywhere her rising generation are the pests of society-the Arabs of civilisation. Fenianism the priesthood generally disown; but I see upon its forehead the mark of the beast. The pestiferous brat bears unmistakeably the lineaments of its abundant mother. The priests of Rome are all thoroughly-trained liars. I no more believe the peaceable manifestoes of the Bishop (!) of Glasgow than I would a proclamation of peace signed by Beelzebub, and dated from Pandemonium. We will have warm work yet, if we live awhile. We must take sides; and nothing short of plain speaking and heavy hitting will do.

Well, I cannot find language to express myself more plainly and forcibly on this subject. I am persuaded (and have been for years; but the persusion is becoming every day stronger) that the great battle of our day must be against Popery; against Popery in the heart, in the Church, and in the State. As to the heart and the Church, all Arminianism is simply Popery. Indeed, the avowed design of Arminius himself was to make a compromise between the doctrines of grace and human works, and thus make terms of reconciliation between Popery and Protestantism. Pusey's idea of one grand Church is nothing more than Arminius's idea virtually resuscitated. Human nature does dearly desire the realisation of this dream. But it is nothing more than a dream. The Church will be one when there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism;" but never till then. It is all nonsense to try to patch up a hollow peace between antipathies and antagonists. Iron and clay won't weld together. Christ and Belial are sworn and eternal foes. The old harlot and Christ's lawful spouse will never lie peaceably in the same couch. Never! The Son of God has hit one Bride; and woe to the man that would try to bring into his house a painted courtezan!

"No, my brother Medhurst; there can be no peace-no truce! Jesus must reign absolutely and unconditionally. "He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." A universal Church is a very fine human design and desire: but although it cost a ten thousand years' denominational struggle, yet the question of Christ's absolute sovereignty must be

fought out. a perfect righteousness. Popery has been ever dead against this. And my soul is dead against Popery, and every modification of it among Protestants.

GRACE must reign through

"My love to all the saints.-Write me soon. I feel lonely sometimes. "Yours in Christ Jesus for ever, "J. DENOVAN.”

MY DEAR BROTHERS,

You will oblige by inserting in your periodical, "Thanks-offering from P. M., £5," in aid of the brethren engaged in the work of Evangelisation.

You will rejoice to learn that our risen Saviour makes still good that most encouraging promise to us: 'Behold, I am with you always;" whilst we are enabled, in the midst of error and wickedness, to carry out Christ's plain and positive command, to make disciples, and immerse them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The field is widening in every direction; and though we could find the men suited to gather in the precious sheaves, ripe for the harvest, we cannot find the food and garments which they require. Oh! that the thousands in Great Britain, who hold and practice God's truth in common with us, would prove the vitality of their faith, by rendering us all the aid in their power, that thus we might carry out our risen Saviour's command: "Go into all the world, and preach the good news to every creature."

God has wrought wonders in the wide doors opening before us, and the success with which he has crowned our imperfect labours; but much more will be achieved, if we come up to the help of the Lord against the device, Popery, and a corrupted Protestantism; search into infidelity and sacramental regeneration, and priestly absolution.

At present one section of our missionfield (East Prussia) is passing through a "great dearth. We have 14 missionaries in this part of Prussia; but our missionchurches are so impoverishod by the failure of the harvest and inundation, that they are not able to do anything for their support, because they are suffering severely themselves; so much so, that without aid from us many would perish. We are, therefore, stretching every nerve to feed

and clothe our blessed Lord in his suffering members.

I leave to-morrow evening (D.V.) for an extensive mission-tour-south. With warmest fraternal love to yourself and all our brethren with you who bid us God-speed.

Yours in the best of bonds,
G. J. ONCKEN.

Altona, Feb. 18th, 1868.

We give also an extract from another letter of our beloved Brother Oncken, affording as it does, as well, a most refreshing witness for genuine christian liberality, and a touching appeal for the well-earned help and sympathy of British believers in general, and British Baptists in particular:

66 You may tell the English friends and supporters of the German Mission, that our people, generally speaking, do what they can in giving of their substance in aid of the Mission. But we have not a single wealthy member among us. The odium attached to our name as Baptists (Ana-baptists) is still so great that the higher classes will not identify themselves with us, and even the Evangelicals, among the great mass of Infidels in the Lutheran Church, point us out as a sect in contradistinction from the Church, the only legitimate divinely appointed religious body.

"Instances of the most unbounded liberality among our poor members are daily occurrences. I met with one this morning:-A poor carpenter who had done some work in our old chapel, for which he brought in an account amounting to £1 1s. 8d., gave me, without being asked 3s. for the missionaries. The poor fellow had not a shilling in the house, and a family of five persons dependant on him.

"I have now another 100 dollars colIlected here to remit to the missionaries;

'Mid changing scenes and swift revolving time,

Life's heaving waves of trouble and unrest, How sweet to rest in Christ, and call him mine,

To know in him I am for ever blest.

Here rests the Church secure in heaven's own plan,

One with her head who ever lives the same, Exalted lives, though once a suffering man, He walked this earth and bore her sin and shame.

And this is thine, afflicted, tempted soul,

O'er whose rough pathway many storms do beat;

Though waves of sorrow o'er thee ceaseless roll,

He is the same to succour and to keep.

Here is a love which knows no ebb or flowA source of joy whose spring is in itself; Here is an arm that ne'er can weakness know,

In every strait Omnipotent to help.

Nor for himself is Christ alone the same,

But for his Church, and this is all our joy; Here only we a footing firm can gain,

Which sin, nor death, nor hell, can e'er destroy.

'Mid one vast scene of ruin and decay,

Firm as a rock this truth has ever stood; Sin's deadly influence here must loose its

prey,

Its curse and terror lost in Jesu's blood.

Here led by grace and oft pursued by law, Poor ruined outcasts seek to find a home; All weak and broken, weary, sick and poor, They gladly stay, nor care nor seek to

roam.

And when, responsive to the archangel's blast,

Earth, sun and stars and time shall cease to be,

Here safely sheltered, every danger past, This truth confirmed, each ransomed soul shall see.

I WOULD GO HOME.

"I would go home!-fain to my Father's house

Fain to my Father's heart!

Far from the world's uproar and hollow Vows,

To silent peace apart.

With thousand hopes in life's gay dawn I ranged;

Now homeward bound, with chastened heart, and changed:

Still to my soul one germ of hope is

come

I would go home!

"I would go home!-my happiest dreams have been

Of that dear fatherland:

My lot be there, in heaven's all cloudless

scene;

Here flits mirage, or sand.

Bright summer gone, the darting swallows spread

Their wings from all our vales revisited; Soft twittering, as the fowler's wiles they flee

Home, home for me!

"I would go home!-vexed with thy sharp annoy,

Thou weary world and waste:

I would go home, disrelishing thy poor joy;

Let those that love thee taste.

Since my God wills it, I my cross would bear

Would bravely all th' appointed 'hardness' share;

But still my bosom sighs, where'er I roam, For home, sweet home!

TWO RESURRECTIONS. "Thy dead men shall live together; with my dead body shall they arise."-Isa. xxvi. 19. Thy dead shall live-with my dead body rise;

And all that now in ocean's bed are lying

Expectant some, and some to sad surprise, With songs of joy, or moans and bitter crying,

When that Omniscient eye, all time descrying,

Like flaming fire-so terrible and pure-
Shall from his holy testimonies sure,

Fulfilling all the promises, foretell.
Blessed and holy he that shares the first

Great resurrection; but the Scriptures tell Of one most terrible, that wakes in hell: Cain and his children-all that, wisdom spurning,

Have trod the road that leads to death and burning,

To find no rest-no hope-no joy for ever! T. R. H.

Chelmsford, 17th Feb., 1867.

A SPARROW WITH BLACKBIRDS. THE blackbirds had troubled us for several days; or perhaps I should say that as we had seen flocks of them about our cornfield, we laid to their charge the mischief which was done there. One morning my father said, "Paul, I think you had better go over to that field with your gun, and try and get a shot at the blackbirds. Make an example of some of the little thieves. Perhaps that will frighten others hereafter."

I was not in the cruel habit of wandering about the fields and the woods, shooting the harmless singing birds for sport, as you will readily believe when I tell you that robins and other birds built their nests all around our house. One nest was set upon my chamber window, and there the little robins were hatched, and lived until they were strong enough to fly, with nothing but the pane of glass between them and myself when I stood at the window; but I was like most boys who have been taught how to use a gun, and when there seemed to be an occasion for using it, I did not need to be twice told.

Having loaded my gun, I started for the corn-field, and, just before reaching it,

saw a flock of blackbirds aparently accompanied by several small birds, rise from the field and alight in a clump of bushes near by. I crept stealthily along under the wall till within shot, then raised my gun and fired with effect, for I saw a number of the birds fall from the bushes upon the grass. Running to the spot, I picked up six blackbirds and one little

sparrow.

I had never shot a sparrow before, and I felt much grieved as I looked at the little dead bird I held in my hand. He had evidently been on the field with the blackbirds, and with them had left it at my approach, and rested in the bushes. As I went home I comforted myself with the reflection that I had not intended to kill a sparrow, and that if he had not been in such company, he would not have been killed.

And the incident led me to think how important it is for boys, as well as sparrows, to be very careful as to the company they keep. The lesson learned has been a good one to me, and one which I have remembered many years; and the fact that now I might look upon the operations of the blackbirds somewhat differently from what I then did, and