37, 454

Ir it be true, that when the people are happiest the historian has least to record, the opening remarks prefixed to our first issue for 1864 need not, so far as the Magazine is concerned, occupy much space. Month after month, from January to December, we have been enabled, through the kindness of our contributors, to furnish the Church with the usual amount of literary matter and ecclesiastical news; and our efforts in this direction have, it is cheering to know, been to some extent appreciated. In several quarters outside of the Church, unsolicited testimony to the quality of the Magazine has been recently given. Not at all in a spirit of self-gratulation, but to show our readers that the Periodical of the Church is regarded as holding its place among the host of competitors with which it has to contend, we may quote the following sentences from a weekly journal of considerable influence:-"Our knowledge of this Magazine has led us to the conclusion, that it is the most unique of all our Church monthlies. It is a 'record' of the mission-work done by the Reformed Presbyterian Church, both at home and abroad. It is a religious periodical, supplying practical and devotional papers on topics judiciously varied. It is in a certain sense also a secular Magazine, for it supplies articles upon subjects that are not essentially religious, and which might be expected rather in the pages of a popular monthly, were it not for the Christian tone that pervades them all. Considering the space at command, there is also in it a wonderful amount of writing belonging to that department which is generally considered to be the peculiar province of bulky quarterlies. Did all our Churches

issue a Magazine conducted on the same common-sense principles as the Reformed Presbyterian one, their composure would be little disturbed by the immense circulation of popular monthlies." We felt at one time afraid that recent events in the Church might in

A

jure to a considerable extent the circulation of the Magazine. These fears, however, have been happily disappointed, and the efforts made in some quarters to place us "under the ban," has resulted, in other quarters, in greater exertions to add to the number of subscribers. We have no doubt, that were the office-bearers of the Church to bring the claims of the Magazine more frequently before the members, the circulation might be advanced to a point considerably beyond that which it has at present attained. As a rule, the largest congregations are those in which the smallest number of copies circulate, while several of the country congregations have reached a circulation which is creditable alike to their attachment to the Church, and to their interest in its welfare.

If the history of the Magazine be essentially prosaic, and unattended by anything remarkable either in the way of success or reverse, the year that is past has been in some respects an eventful one for the Church of our fathers. We ventured, in a few opening remarks prefixed to our first issue for 1863, to express the opinion, that in the question which was then under the consideration of the subordinate courts, there was "nothing which ought to endanger the peace, or to imperil the unity of the Church." We deeply lament that a few of the ministers, and a larger number of the members of the Church, did not see eye to eye with the majority of Synod in this respect. It is not our intention to re-open this question, beyond expressing our belief, that while efforts have been made to injure, and if possible to rend some of our congregations, by those who profess to hold the truth in simplicity, these efforts have in almost every case signally failed. So far as we can perceive, the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland was never more united, never more earnest in her pleadings for the great principles of the second Reformation, never more heartily at one in all that can conduce to the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom at home and abroad. She has had, it is true, not a little to bear from the misrepresentations of some who have withdrawn from her communion, and from those on both sides of the Atlantic who sympathise with them; but we are not without hope, that the aspersions which have been cast upon her will, at no very distant period, give place to more just views, and that she will yet receive credit for having acted with sincere desire to bring her practice and discipline into conformity with the Word of God.

Looking back upon the history of the Church's operations in the Foreign Mission field during the past year, we have, in many respects, cause to thank God and take courage. The honoured missionary who, with his wife and Williamu, left our shores in the beginning of 1863, has reached Aneityum in safety, and has commenced his work there under the most favourable auspices. We have been privileged, besides, with the visit of another of our devoted missionaries, who is still amongst us, and who has met everywhere throughout the Church with the most cordial reception. After having raised in the Australian colonies between £4000 and £5000, Mr Paton, at the urgent representations of the committees

which had co-operated with him, and of Mr Inglis, whom he had met in Sydney, returned to Scotland for the purpose of securing, if possible, additional missionaries. The time has not yet come to speak positively regarding the results of Mr Paton's earnest appeals; let us hope, however, that these will not be without avail, but that the Lord of the harvest will raise up in our midst more than one prepared to say, "Here are we, send us." Already three missionaries from Nova Scotia are on their way, in the new vessel, for the New Hebrides. This reinforcement will prove as acceptable as it is seasonable, to the devoted men whose hearts are yearning over the natives of these distant isles of the sea. But more than these are required if the mission field of the New Hebrides is to be occupied. It surely cannot be that the outstretched, pleading hands, that the earnest cry, "Come over and help us," should meet with no response among the sons of the prophets. The honour of the Church, the welfare of immortal souls, and, above all, the glory of Emmanuel, are at stake in the answer which may be given. The needs of the Church at home may be pleaded by some, and we willingly concede that these are not by any means to be overlooked; but we trust that our Theological Hall, strong as it is at present in the numbers and talents of those who attend it, will shortly be able to overtake the necessities of both fields. We hope that when Mr Paton returns to his work upon the islands, he will carry back with him to the devoted missionaries already employed in the field, the assurance that they may confidently expect to receive from Scotland an accession to their numbers.

Among the questions which are likely to occupy largely the attention of the Christian public in Scotland, the proposal for the union of the Free, United Presbyterian, Original Secession, and Reformed Presbyterian Churches, will probably hold during this year, as during that which preceded it, a prominent place. From notices which appear from time to time in the public prints, it appears that the committees named by the two first mentioned Churches have set themselves in good earnest to the consideration of the points of difference and resemblance between the tenets which they respectively hold. Meanwhile the Reformed Presbyterian Church, as a party invited to these conferences, would do well earnestly to consider what is her duty in reference to the whole question. Important as Christian union is, there is one thing of even greater importance-the truth. We feel that any union, upon a basis which would not give due prominence to the leading principles for which our Church has so long borne honourable testimony, would be as undesirable as it would prove unsatisfactory. It appears due, however, to the Church of which we are members, that her views upon the important points under discussion should be clearly set forth, and that in a movement which promises to tell so mightily upon the Christianity of Scotland, she who is the oldest Church in the land should embrace the opportunity thus presented of declaring the basis on which she conceives it possible for a strong, pure, and united Church to rest. So far from regarding these over

tures for union as an evidence of the degeneracy of the times, and of that latitudinarian spirit which makes no account of principle, we hail the movement as an omen of good, and as an effort in the right direction. The broader and the more compact the front which the Church presents to the enemies of the truth, so much the more likely is victory to rest upon her banners, and the world to know that Christ is the sent of God.

We have left ourselves but little space for adverting to those matters of public and national interest which meet us as we enter upon a New Year. This we regret the less, as it is our intention to resume at an early date those "Notes on Public Events," which we have reason to know were highly appreciated by our readers, but which, from frequent demands made upon our space by missionary and other intelligence, we were reluctantly compelled for a time to drop. As 1864 is ushered upon the stage of time, it finds the political world in strange confusion. Wars, and rumours of wars-nations, instead of disarming, adding to their naval and military armaments in anticipation of some coming struggle-congresses proposed and rejected—a general feeling of uneasy expectancy-such are the leading features which at present characterise the nations of Europe. The terrible struggle in America has, during the past year, been carried on with varying fortune, though at last the balance of victory seems to incline towards the North. The lustration of blood through which this unhappy country has passed, and is even now passing, affords to the student of history one of the most striking instances on record of the rectoral justice of Him who is King of nations. The cruel tyrannies exercised upon the poor slave have been avenged upon the South; the long and guilty connivance of the North has also met with fearful punishment at the hand of Him who pleads the cause of the oppressed. How it is all to end baffles the skill of the wisest; but that slavery is doomed is admitted on all hands. Even though out of all the bloodshed and tumult this issue alone should come, it is one that will gladden the heart of every friend of humanity, and of every lover of God. From the hearts of both classes goes up day by day the earnest prayer that the seventh angel had sounded, and that the great voices in heaven were heard saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."

A MEDITATION ON PSALM CXXX. 1-4.

A PSALM-a divine lyric. Short, but notable; cries, prayers, and consolations. Who can tell the multitudes of thirsty souls who have drunk water of life from this well? Here it is still; it shall never run dry. It springs up for us with a gush of joy. They who come after us shall find it the same. "Israel sung this song, Spring up,

O well sing ye unto it."
The Psalmist prays.

It was in a time of trouble. Prayer suits