THE Jewish church once proposed to herself this question :-"Why do we sit still?" A very proper question, we conceive, to be proposed to ourselves as a denomination at the present time. Were this inquiry going from church to church, and from member to member, we should view it as a hopeful sign for the future of our denomination. Still, even that would not be an infallible sign of future good. Inquiry in regard to a disease may be excited by occasional agonizing pains; but unless such inquiry leads to prompt, wise, and energetic action for the removal of the disease, all will be in vain.

see.

Are we then as a denomination inactive? are we sitting still? Let us

By denominational inactivity we mean that we are neglecting to do that work which as a denomination we ought to do. What then is that work? It cannot be expected that we should in a single paper specify the whole of what, as a denomination, we ought to accomplish. We will confine ourselves therefore to three departments of effort, and to simplify the question still further we will look at these three in their relation to a single church. In a crowd we are apt to forget our individuality. What a denomination as a whole ought to do, each church, of which such denomination is composed, ought to do. Representing therefore a single church, we ask : -Are we making united-direct—earnest—and persevering efforts to subdue the world to Christ? Here are more than two hundred and fifty of us united together as a church-professing to understand the value of the soul-believing that unless thousands around us repent of sin and believe the gospel they will be lost for ever-that Jesus has died for every one of them that his will is that every one of them should reach heaven-well, what are we doing? What are you doing brother? what are you doing sister to save these? What direct effort are you making to save souls? Where are your earnest-heartedness and perseverance in this work?

"The world," it has been said, "is like an unweeded garden." A few little spots in the wide-wide world may be partially cleared. The rose of

Sharon and the lily of the valley may adorn and perfume some spots, but as a whole it is true still that the world is like an unweeded garden. What are we doing to turn this tangled, poisonous mass into the garden of the Lord? Fifty of you are doing literally nothing. The work of a hun dred more is so small that you actually blush to call it work. All that is really done among us with heart and constancy is the work of a veryvery few. Let those few cease to labour, and we all should be seated at our ease, and no part of the work which we are appointed to do would be performed.

The world is like a vast Augean stable. It is full of filth and corruption. We are expected to clean it out, and to keep it clean. What are we doing? The proportion of effort is as in the former illustration. Yet surprise is often expressed that larger plots are not inclosed from the world's wide wilderness-that the immense heap of moral corruption does not diminish -to drop the illustrations-that more souls are not subdued to Christ! The wonder should be that two-thirds of every church are sitting still—are inactive. In regard to this department of christian effort "why do we sit still?"

Let us now look at another sphere of duty. What are we doing to promote the spiritual improvement of those in the church? Brother, what are you doing? Sister, what are you doing? Is there one whose faith you have strengthened-whose love you have inflamed-into whose wounded heart you have poured a balm? Is there a wanderer whom you have endeavoured to reclaim? The work of instruction should not be confined to our pastor; Christ does not expect him to lay every stone in the spiritual temple. We ought to edify one another-to build up each other on our most holy faith. We profess to rejoice at the conversion of soulsbut many of us do nothing to bring persons into the church, or to keep them there when they are in. We do nothing in bringing them to the birth, or to keep them alive when they are born. "Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion." One reason why there is so little enjoyment of religion in the church, is because there is so little activity. An idle soul cannot be a healthy soul. The exercise of our powers is essential not only to their vigour, but also to their very existence. Brother A. has neglected to take part in our social prayer meetings so long, that it would be with the greatest difficulty that he could pray now. It is so long since brother B. and sister C. conversed with anxious inquirers, that they have become disqualified to engage in this very important department of christian work. Many that did run well, and who were active and zealous in every good work, have yielded to the spirit of indolence, and have become mere ciphers in the church. Instead of running, they are scarcely creeping on the road to heaven. Out of our two hundred and fifty members, how few of us ever attempt to strengthen the weak-to confirm the wavering—to heal the sick-to revive the drooping-to instruct the ignorant-to encourage the timid-and to comfort the distressed. We are sitting still, in regard to such efforts as are essential to promote the spiritual improvement of those in the church.

Let us now look at the third department of effort in which we should be engaged. To be at all consistent we ought to support, and do all we can to improve our denominational institutions. These are four; viz., our Home Mission-Foreign Mission-College-and Magazine. Now our denominational inactivity in regard to at least three of these is a crying

disgrace. We may be more orthodox in sentiment than any other denomination, but in practice we are quite as far before them in heterodoxy. Take for instance our Home Mission. In what direction have we lengthened the cords of our denomination during the last ten years? In what direction have we even attempted to lengthen them? The fact is, instead of lengthening, we have actually shortened them. Though we number as a denomination more than 18,000, yet we liberally support only two Home Mission stations. Were these to be given up, by far the majority of our members would care nothing about it, and would know nothing about it. But out of our two hundred and fifty members what are we doing? Brother, how much have you contributed for Home Mission purposes during the last year? Sister, how much have you?Can you wonder then, if you do nothing, or next to nothing, that so little is done by the denomination? We are sitting still.

Take next our Foreign Mission. Are we actively engaged for it? Well, I think we do well for it. We, who are we? By we, of course I mean the church. I thought so. But don't you know that three-fourths at least of what is done by the church, is done by one-fourth of it? That is a fact in regard to our own church, and in some others the disproportion is even greater. There are many of our members who would be surprised if a good round sum were not raised for our Foreign Mission-who can attend our annual meeting-they can stamp their feet and clap their hands -and laugh-and cry-and sing

"Fly abroad thou mighty gospel"

and when they come to the plate, or the plate to them, they either pass it by, or they put on it perhaps a penny-at most a shilling-to make the gospel fly! Some object to make a donation because they do not like to let their left hand know what their right hand does. Their left hand ought to be very thankful. No doubt their humility preserves their left hand from many a blush.

Next look at what we are doing for our College. 18,000 persons have actually raised £361 10s. 84d. during the last year for the support of our College, i.e., a sum which would amount to about five pence each. But what have we done for our College? We are two hundred and fifty in number, and how much would our collection amount to each? About three pence. So much for our appreciation of an educated ministry. And yet we have sent young men to enjoy the advantages of our College, and our present minister was educated at it. Were we without a minister we should certainly look either to our College, or to one who has received its advantages, as a successor to our present pastor, but with what consistency let the paltry sum of three pence each declare. But there are some of us that have strong objections to some things in connection with our College. Very likely, and I know another thing, and that is, that some of you always have objections to any object that requires money. Some of you have given too much evidence, that your strongest objection to it, as well as other things, is, that it requires money. But waving all objections, what is the fact in reference to our denominational activity toward our College? We are sitting still.

Look for a moment at our Magazine. What are we doing as a church to promote the efficiency and the circulation of our Magazine? To be consistent, a copy ought to be taken by every General Baptist family.

And yet among all our members, and the members of all our congregations only 1600* are circulated. If it be not equal in interest to what you wish it, try and improve it. You are as much bound to do what you can to make it interesting as the editor himself. Brother-sister, realize your responsibility in each sphere specified, then see how far that responsibility has been discharged, and say whether or not we are DENOMINATIONALLY INACTIVE.

SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS AGO; OR, ENGLAND IN

FEUDAL TIMES.

A CONVERSATION AND A LECTURE.

Scene:-A snug parlour. Time :- -A December evening. Mr. Wilson, a wellto-do tradesman, reading his newspaper; Mrs. Wilson and her niece, Emily Mayfield, sewing; James Wilson, the eldest son (home from college for a few days at Christmas), reading an article in the last number of "Fraser;" George and Fanny (aged thirteen and twelve respectively), playing on the fox and goose board; Puss, purring contentedly in front of the bright fire.

Mr. Wilson (looking up from his newspaper), "I do declare the world gets worse and worse!"

Mrs. Wilson.-"What's amiss now, my dear? What dreadful thing have you been reading?"

Mr. W.-"What just now called forth that exclamation was an account of the heartless treatment of a French governess, sent to travel all alone from London to her home in France, ill of typhus fever, unable to speak, and with only a label on her bosom to tell who she was, and the place of her destination. But I was thinking not only of that but of the many horrible things we have heard of lately, the poisonings, the swindlings, the Waterloo-bridge affair, and the rest; I certainly think that notwithstanding the progress of our boasted civilization, the march of intellect,' and so forth, society is, after all, getting more and more corrupt."

Miss Mayfield — -"But don't you think, uncle, that it may be that we know more of the sore places of society now-a-days than we used to do? And is it not possible that if we were better acquainted with the past, we should find that things are, on the whole, no worse but rather better, than they were formerly? Now it so happens that this afternoon I was reading in the Leisure Hour' for the present month an account of London a Century Ago,' and I was amazed at the picture drawn of its social state at that time. I could not have thought we had made the progress in a hundred years which it seems we have."

James Wilson-(closing his book, and joining in the conversation). "And if we could go back seven hundred years, we should find the progress made to be even still greater. For my part, I have not much faith in those good old times." I believe that in many respects they were shocking bad times."

16

Mrs. Wilson." Gently, my boy! you young people are so full of life and hope, and the present looks so bright and sunshiny, that you think

*Only 1500 subscribers as yet (Jan. 22,) for the new year; a number considerably insufficient for the Magazine to pay its expenses.-PUBLISHERS.

never was an age like the one you live in. Perhaps when you have been called to encounter a few of life's real troubles and crosses, and some of the buoyancy of youth has passed off, you may look rather differently on these things."

James W.-Perhaps so, mother, and it may be that I did just now express myself somewhat too strongly; nevertheless I was not speaking altogether without book. I have been lately reading and thinking a good deal about the condition of our own country some centuries ago; indeed, to tell the truth, I am preparing a lecture on the subject which I may probably give to the teachers of your Sunday-school a few weeks hence, and for this purpose have already made a good many notes and extracts from various authors, old chroniclers and modern historians."

Miss Mayfield.—"Why not give it us now, James? I shall not be here a few weeks hence, and it is a subject in which I should be greatly interested." James W.-Now? do you mean this evening?"

Miss M.-Yes, why not? and in this parlour."

George (looking up from the fox-and-goose board, where, as the fox, he has been almost penned up by his sister, the marshaller of the geese). "Hear, hear,! hear!! that will be capital. A lecture by the Reverend James Wilson, Master-of-Arts expectant! and I propose that my respected papa take the chair. Those who approve of it, hold up their hands."

66

Miss M-smiling archly.) Hush, Georgie, you must not talk so. You'll put your brother to the blush. Remember that merit is modest. I fear that, if you talk so, James will not give us his lecture."

Mrs. Wilson."I hope, in all seriousness, he will give it us. I think it will be a very nice way of spending the evening."

Mr Wilson." And I shall be very glad to lay aside my newspaper to listen to it."

Fanny." And don't you see, George, that papa is already in the chair." George.- —“And if my brother wants a larger audience we can call the

servants in

Since you

Mrs. W.-" George, my son, do try to be a little sober. came home from school you have been as frolicsome and full of fun as one of pussy's kittens."

James W-"Well, if my good brother here will, as you say, be a little sober, I have no objection to run over, in a free conversational way the heads of what I have prepared; and if he, instead of announcing my style and titles, will be kind enough to fetch my desk from upstairs, I will read to you in their appropriate places the extracts I have made; so that, though my performance will lack the unity and the finish I hope to give it before I make it public, you will at all events have the facts before you. Moreover, I shall be able to profit by the suggestions of my wise cousin here as to what to omit, and what further explanations to insert." Miss M.-bowing.) "Thank you for the compliment. Be sure you will not find it an empty one."

Mrs. Wilson

But what is to be the title of your lecture, James? How shall you announce it ?"

James W.-"Seven hundred years ago; or, England in Feudal times. And I suppose I must first explain the meaning of that word 'Feudal.' Most persons associate with it vague notions of knights and castles and tournaments and such like; but few, I think, have a correct idea of its signification. It refers, in fact, to the tenure upon which land was held in