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tude. Among those also who have taken a deep interest in this work, are some in mature life, who not only feel indebted to you for your edifying Pulpit services, but who have had their religious impressions invigorated, and their knowledge of Scripture enlarged by attendance upon your valuable weekly lectures. Others there are too, who gladly avail themselves of this opportunity of gratefully acknowledging their obligations to you for those religious influences which have greatly contributed to the establishment of their characters; whilst the younger members of our Congregation anxiously look forward to their continued attendance upon those religious instructions which you regularly and devotedly offer them. All, then, unite in this tribute of respect and gratitude to a Minister so deservedly honoured, respected, and beloved. We earnestly pray that Almighty God may, in His great mercy, long spare your valuable life to be a blessing to your family, and to continue your important services as an enlightened, zealous, and faithful Minister of Christ. We remain, dear Sir, very sincerely and affectionately yours. Signed on behalf of the Congregation assembling in the New Meeting House, Birmingham, James Russell." Also, a Timepiece bearing an inscription from the pen of his excellent and venerable coadjutor, the Rev. John Kentish:-"1849, September 26th., New Meeting House, Birmingham. This Timepiece (together with a purse of Two Hundred and Seventy-four Sovereigns,) is presented to the REV. SAMUEL BACHE, by his Congregation, as a Memorial of their affectionate and grateful esteem for his private and public character, and of their fervent wishes for his long-continued usefulness and comfort."

The Rev. Samuel Bache replied in a speech characteristic of a right-minded Christian man. Truly did he remind the people that "It was impossible that a Society of any kind could effectively carry on its united exertions for the accomplishment of the object they might have in view, without the active coöperation of its several members. This held good with regard to all Societies; but it was eminently true of Religious associations, connected as they were with their Ministers and Pastors, for one of the most powerful elements of success was that mutual kind understanding and affec. tionate sympathy, and cordial coöperation, which was at once the highest reward of the faithful Minister, and his welcome encouragement."

Alderman Henry Smith moved, and William Wills, Esq., seconded the expression of the gratification felt by the Meeting "that that occasion gave them the opportunity of expressing their reverence for the character of the REV. JOHN KENTISH, their gratitude for services rendered, and their hope that the future would produce to him only what was productive of happiness and comfort." Mr. Kentish expressed his acknowledgments. The Mayor of Birmingham, Samuel Thornton, Esq., moved, and Alderman Phillips seconded thanks to the chairman, and the interesting proceedings were closed.

DR. RAPHALL OF BIRMINGHAM.-On Saturday evening, Oct. 6, a deputation, consisting of Samuel Thornton, Esq., Mayor of the borough; the Rev. Hugh Hutton, M.A., and Mr. John Webster, accompanied by a few other friends who were desirous of testifying their respect for Dr. Raphall, waited on the Rev. gentleman at his residence, in the Bristol-road, to present to him, previously to his departure for America, an Address, and a Purse of One Hundred Sovereigns, con

tributed by Christians of nearly every denomination resident in that town.

The Mayor opened the proceedings by assuring the Doctor that he considered it a high honour to have the privilege of thus testifying the esteem and reverence entertained for him, not only by himself and the other gentlemen who accompanied him, as well as by those who contributed to this testimonial, but, he was sure he might add, by all who had the happiness of knowing him. After alluding to the high standing which the character and learning of his Rev. friend had established for him, not only in Birmingham, but throughout the kingdom, and the liberal and efficient services which he had been at all times ready to afford to the Charitable and Educational Institutions of the town, the Mayor concluded by affectionately expressing the deep regret felt by himself and the Christian friends of all denominations whom he represented on that occasion, that they should be deprived, even for the short time which must be consumed in this visit to America, of the benefit of his social intercourse, and of the instruction and edification derived from his public lectures; and the ardent hope that he might have a safe voyage, and a prosperous result to his purpose in crossing the Atlantic, and that he might be spared to return and to settle down once more in the scene of his former honourable and successful labours. The Mayor then read the following address, which he afterwards handed, together with the Purse, to the learned Doctor:

"To the Rev. M.J. RAPHALL, M.A., Ph. D., late Preacher of the Jewish Synagogue, Birmingham, a few of his Christian friends, of various religious denominations, wish to present, on the eve of his departure for America, a sincere, though inadequate testimonial of their affectionate regard and esteem. They are especially desirous of recording their high appreciation of his character and demeanour in all the relations of public and private life; of his extensive learning, in the several departments of abstruse and polite literature; of his cultivated talents and commanding eloquence, in the communication of the stores of his richly-furnished mind, for the instruction and delight of others; of the benefits conferred by his valuable courses of Lectures on all classes of the inhabitants of this neighbourhood; and of the generous services frequently rendered by him in different ways to various of the Charities and other Institutions connected with this town. They request his acceptance of the accompanying Purse, containing One Hundred Sovereigns; expressing at the same time their regret, that the shortness of the interval for preparation, has prevented them from providing a gift more worthy of the occasion. They beg to assure him, on parting, of their earnest wishes for his health, prosperity, and happiness; of their prayers for his safety in his journeyings by sea and by land, and of their desire and hope that he may be permitted once more to land on the shores of Britain, and to resume his studies and his labours, in a neighbourhood where his character is so universally respected, and his exertions in the cause of humanity and truth, have been so productive of good.-Signed, on their behalf, by SAMUEL THORNTON, Mayor of Birmingham.

Birmingham, October 5, 1849."

Dr. Raphall, after having expressed his grateful sense of the honour conferred on him by the Mayor in "his too kind and flattering remarks," and by the contributors to this beautiful and muni

ficent testimonial, proceeded to state the peculiar delight he felt in receiving such a mark of respect from a body of Christians; an honour which he believed to be unprecedented; and which he had received from them without ever compromising, without ever being required to compromise his feelings, his opinions, or his position as a Jew. He rejoiced that the long and dark age of prejudice and intolerance was now passing rapidly away; and he was firmly convinced, that if men would only act honestly and consistently with the religious views which were dear to their own individual hearts, as the truth of God, they would soon learn, however wide their differences of opinion may be, to respect, to love, and to assist one another, as equally children of the One great and beneficent Father of all. The generous testimonial he had just received he should ever honour and treasure most highly; and he should leave it as an heirloom to his family, to remind them that integrity and faithfulness in their religious worship, and other duties, would be no barrier to their possessing the respect and confidence of the wise and good of all sects, parties, and creeds. The learned Doctor concluded a most eloquent and touching address (during the delivery of which there was not a dry eye in the room), by most feelingly alluding to his experience of the greatest kindness and encouragement from his Christian friends in Birmingham, during the eight years that he had lived and laboured among them, which he regarded as the happiest period of his whole life, and assuring them, that wherever Providence might cast his lot in the years to come, the inhabitants and the interests of Birmingham should ever be most gratefully remembered and honoured in his heart.

The Rev. Hugh Hutton could not refrain from saying a few words on an occasion that was so deeply interesting and affecting personally to himself, He was about to part, it might be for ever in this world, with one of his dearest friends; but he could from his own experience verify, if it were needed, every statement which Dr. Raphall had made in reference to his intercourse with his Christian friends. He had himself enjoyed the privilege and happiness of the Doctor's most intimate and confidential friendship for the last seven years; but they always met and parted, they conversed, they advised each other, they acted together, without the slightest violation of principle on either side, the one a most determined and uncompromising Jew, and the other an equally determined and uncompromising Christian. Neither expected the least sacrifice of truth or sincerity on the part of the other; neither blamed the other for differing from him in faith; and, therefore, their friendship was honest, firm, and unabating to this present moment. The speaker was here overpowered by his feelings, and abruptly concluded by saying, “I now part from him as a brother, whom I can never replace."

The Deputation afterwards attended at the platform of the Birmingham and North Western Railway, where a numerous company of Jews and Christians, among whom was the Rev. William M'Kean, of Oldbury, had assembled to bid farewell to their friend. Dr. Raphall proceeded to Liverpool by the express train the same evening, and sailed from that port on Monday (October 8) in the Sarah Sands, accompanied by his two sons. May his voyage be speedy, safe, and prosperous.

HANOVER SQUARE CHAPEL SCHOOLS, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE.— The Sermon in behalf of these Schools, Day Schools for Boys and

Girls, Sunday Schools, and Evening School for young women, was preached on Sunday, October 7, by the Rev. William Turner. At his suggestion, in December, 1784, the Sunday Schools were instituted, and have been kept up with more or less vigour ever since. Upwards of three hundred young people are now receiving instruc tion through their united agency. It was gratifying to listen to the voice which at so early a period had set on foot this instrumentality for good, after sixty-five years experience of benefits thereby conferred on the people, pleading earnestly for its continuance. The weather was very unpropitious, and prevented so large a Collection as would otherwise have been gathered.

THE LORD'S SUPPER. This interesting, impressive, and morally affecting service, has, since Mr. Harris's settlement with the Hanover Square Chapel Congregation, been celebrated at intervals of three months. At the appointed periods, it forms an integral portion of the forenoon religious exercises. By this means, all the people continue present, the nature and mode of the celebration are more thoroughly understood, misapprehension, prejudices, alarms, are removed, and the purposes of its institution, may, it is hoped, by more completely entered into and carried out. Certainly a much larger body of Communicants has been the consequence of the change. All too have thereby the opportunity of contributing to the assistance of the poorer members of the Society, instead of that duty being limited merely to those who remain specially, as in other places, for its observance. Sunday, October 14, the Lord's Supper service was conducted by the Rev. William Turner. Fully one hundred Communicants joined in the celebration of the festival of remembrance of their ascended Lord.

OBITUARY.—On the 9th of March, at Ingalba, New England, New South Wales, David Colquhoun Baird, Esq., only son of James Baird, Esq., of the Customs, formerly of Greenock. This amiable and interesting young man, has been called away in early life. He possessed good talents, and distinguished himself in the School of his native town, and afterwards at the University of Glasgow, at which he took the degree of B.A. His health becoming precarious, change of climate was deemed desirable, and for several years he enjoyed more vigorous strength. But the rally has proved only temporary. Though far away from the home of his youth, he was near valued and dear relations and friends, in the home of his adoption.

At Cork, on the 7th September, in the eighty-fifth year of his age, the Rev. William Jillard Hort, one of the Ministers of the Unitarian Presbyterian Congregation of Princes Street Chapel, in that City. This venerable man it was our happiness to number among our friends. It was a privilege to know him. His frank, open, generous disposition, his unaffected cheerfulness, his straight-forward sterling integrity, his manly, upright, consistent adherence to Christian truth and righteousness, his love of Civil and Religious liberty, his earnestness in all things that could promote human well being, naturally drew around him a circle of attached friends. Respected and honoured by all who could appreciate moral excellence, in the full possession of his intellectual faculties, young in heart though old in years, he has been called to his reward in the kingdom of the just.

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GOODNESS OF GOD-CONCLUSION.

FROM the ample provision which the Creator has made for the happiness of everything on earth, to which He has imparted the capacities of enjoyment and suffering; and especially from the pleasures He has attached in man to the exercise of his senses, appetites, intellect, social affections, and devotional instinct; we conclude that He was neither hostile to our well-being, nor even indifferent to our wellbeing, but highly desirous of our well-being, in other words, undoubtedly and emphatically GoOD. Yet, while few canresist the evidence for this sublime and delightful conclusion, when it is systematically laid before them; many simple minds and earnest hearts are perplexed how to reconcile with it the many pains and woes endured either by themselves or others. How or whence Evil had its origin, and why it is permitted or was introduced, are questions too grave and too comprehensive to be here discussed; but it may tend to good if we can suggest a few considerations likely to prove that God makes even the sufferings, which confessedly exist, work together for the attainment of some benevolent end.

It is a preliminary remark of considerable importance, that while in every part of our nature we can discover hundreds upon hundreds of contrivances, whose direct and obvious purpose is to minister to our gratification; we cannot detect one, of which we can truly and unhesitatingly say, that it was made expressly or exclusively to be productive of pain. To adopt the homely and emphatic assertion of Paley, "teeth were not made to ache," that was not the final end of their formation; and the same may be said of every part of the human system, brain, nerves, stomach, lungs, liver, these organs which, in our present highly factitious mode of life, cause so much disquiet and oftentimes absolute misery to their possessors;

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