constantly increasing claims. The churches here, even with the aid of the British churches, have never been able to meet the claims of Canada upon them; and I venture to affirm that it will be at least ten or fifteen years before the most ganguine of us here can expect such a development of the resources of the country, and such a development of the churches in this country-at least those belonging to our denomination as will at all warrant the statement of Dr. Crofts. I could greatly extend these remarks, but I fear to trespass on your space. In conclusion, Mr. Editor, I am sorry that this subject has to be discussed in the pages of the Magazine; but since it has been introduced to public notice in this way-since it has originated, or at least given countenance to, a public rumour in this country which will seriously damage us, it is unavoidable that through the same medium explanations should be given by yourself and the secretary of our missions, that we on this side the water may know what lies before us. I remain, dear Sir, Affectionately yours, In relation to the preceding article, I beg to express my assurance that neither has the Conference nor the Missionary Committee any intention to withdraw requisite aid from the Canadian Mission; but that, contrariwise, there are few things which would be more repugnant to the judgment and feelings of all classes of the community among us. T. ALLIN. Our worthy brother, Mr. Robinson, expects from the Editor some explanation in reference to the subject of his complaint. We have only to say that we inserted the letter because we were strongly and specially urged to do so. Dr. Crofts had laboured long and successfully as the superintendent of the Canadian Mission, and we did not feel at liberty to exclude his communication from our pages. We cannot nicely adjust every point in dispute; but every one knows that the Doctor is a warm-hearted friend to the Canadian Mission, and has at all times earnestly advocated its claims. As for ourselves, we cannot speak too highly of our regard for the Canadian Mission, nor express too strongly our conviction of its claims. We feel assured that we utter the sentiment of the Connexion when we state most emphatically that no idea whatever is entertained of curtailing our support to that Mission. At a time when it is yielding such gratifying fruits, when it presents an increase of about 800 members in the present year, when such praiseworthy efforts are being made by the friends in Canada to give consolidation to the material, as well as the spiritual, interests of the Mission; and when demands for labourers are increasing by the wants of a rapidly multiplying population, it would be the most ungenerous and ill-judged policy to diminish, or stint with a niggardly hand, our allowance for the support of that flourishing and promising cause. Instead of lessening the amount of our annual grant, we should rejoice to see it doubled. Let Brother Robinson and the worthy brethren labouring with him, take courage and go on in their earnest and enterprising ef forts. They have the sympathy, the affection, and the confidence of all our friends-ministers and people in this country, and they will not be without full and adequate support. "THE EVANGELICAL WITNESS."Just before going to press we received a copy of "The Evangelical Witness," double size, as a specimen number of the paper on its becoming a weekly religious journal. This journal is edited by the Rev. J. H. Robinson, the esteemed superintendent of our Canadian mission. The paper has passed, with honour and advantage to the Connexion, through the introductory stages of a monthly and a fortnightly journal; and now it appears for the first time as a weekly, and is enlarged to double its former size. It is ably conducted, and printed at our own Canadian press. Its matter, both original and selected, is excellent; and while its circulation in Canada subserves the general interests of the Connexion by keeping up a necessary intercourse between the superintendent and the various parts of the mission, it cannot fail to instruct and edify the families of our friends, and afford a regular supply of commercial and general information. We congratulate Mr. Robinson on this achievement, and hope that health and strength will be given commensurate with his onerous labours. The price of the paper is two dollars per annum, and if any of our friends would like to be supplied with it, we shall be happy to receive their names and subscriptions. THE CHANT BOOK, for the use of the Methodist New Connexion. London: William Cooke, Methodist New Connexion Book-Room, 21, Warwick-lane, Paternoster-row,E.C. MR.EDITOR,-I have only just now met with this interesting little work, or it would have given me pleasure to notice it more fully. Although it is comprised within a very moderate compass, the selection has sufficient variety for public services and private devotion. It may, indeed, be said to contain the spirit and substance of the whole Book of Psalms, with some other portions of Scripture, and also (which I am glad to see) those noble hymns, the Magnificat, the Benedictus, the Gloria in Excelsis, and Te Deum Laudamus, the latter of which, though a human composition, is so venerable from its antiquity, having been of almost universal use in the church, and inspired its loftiest sentiments for the space of about fifteen hundred years. Although I cannot claim the merit of having incited the editor of this little work to the performance of this useful service by the series of articles on "Church Music," which I have recently contributed to your journal, I am gratified that simultaneously with those articles the work has made its appearance. This goes to prove, what I have for some time been fondly endeavouring to persuade myself of, that a taste for the higher species of Christian psalmody is steadily advancing. Not long ago neither the organ in chapels, nor the singing of chants in public worship, was favoured by many persons who were truly pious. It was feared that Christian piety and simplicity were in danger of being sacrificed by novelties and innovation. But it is beginning to be very commonly known that the chant is not an innovation; that it is in fact the most ancient and universal of all the forms of divine praise; that the refinements of taste are compatible with the spirit of piety, and that, found in alliance, they honour God, and furnish powerful attraction to the services of the sanctuary. a Although any company of singers would soon acquire a knowledge of chanting with correctness, without the aid of an organ or harmonium, those instruments are peculiarly adapted to sacred music. I do not know a more delightful or acceptable service that could be performed by a Christian lady than to send her harmonium to the chapel, and by voice and instrument, where such aid is needed, take the lead in these divine and heavenly songs. The use of this little Book of Chants will be found in the domestic circle: it will be an attractive auxiliary to family devotion. While the mother or one of the daughters leads the music, the juvenile portion of the family, too apt to be listless, will anticipate the performance with interest, and mingle in it with delight. In many chapels chants have been adapted to hymns of common metre. It was more easy to those unpractised in chanting to adapt the chant to measured and uniform lines than to recitations of varied and irregular length. But now, after such an initiation, any choirs will be able to make use of the Chant Book. The "Remarks on Chanting, and Direc [It is due to our readers to state that the division of the lines for metrical recitation has been done by Mr. James Mills, of Ashton, to whose kindness we are also indebted for the "Introductory Observations and Directions," and for the correction of the press.-Editor.] CONGREGATIONAL SINGING. REV. SIR,-I feel greatly obliged to the author of the articles on Church Music which have recently appeared in the Magazine, and to you for inserting them. They will, I hope, be promotive of improvement in that important and delightful department of public worship. This evidently was the author's motive, and if he has erred at all, it is on the safe side. Still, is it not the impression of some of his warmest admirers (men who feel themselves really indebted to him for the articles in question, and who are so pleased with those articles that they would like to know the author), that he too strongly leans to the " plain choral, with its notes of equal length ?" Now, I confess, that if I were compelled to choose one style out of the many-with the Old Hundredth before me-the style which is represented by that incomparable melody, is the one I should choose. But, happily, the church is not driven to such an alternative. While there is a variety out of which to choose, she may choose every style that has added to the variety of sacred melodies, and received the sanction of respectable usage. And as improvements have been made in sacred music, why should not the increase of useful styles be considered an improvement? And why should not a variety of styles be as admissible in church music as in Christian rhetoric; and as a variety of orders in civil architecture. One But is not variety essential? In conning over a congregational hymn book -say our own-we find a great variety in the character of the hymns. is exceedingly grave and solemn ; another plaintive and mournful; another tender and affectionate; another worshipful and adoring; another penitential and deprecating; another prayerful and confiding; another hopeful and assuring; another grateful and laudatory; another jubilant and exulting. Now, the melody applied to any hymn should be suitable in the character of its strains to the character of the hymn. But how could this be without considerable variety? Melodies in the plain choral style, with the variations afforded by triple time melodies, written in long and short notes, or two notes in one; and such tunes as the famous WARWICK, would not meet the case: they would, indeed, afford variety, but not sufficient variety. WARWICK, certainly, is a great step in advance of Luther's and St. Ann's; not, indeed, in point of excellence, but in the way towards vivacity. But there are hymns whose cheerful and exulting strains would be ill-represented by that excellent common metre. WARWICK is, indeed, a florid melody; but, as your author states, only slightly florid." It is far from being brilliant; and it is not bold, commanding, or majestic. 66 The fugue, As a general rule, melodies which have no repeating lines in them are to be preferred. But there are hymns which would not seem to be half expressed without repeats. too, sometimes expresses with great beauty and force the sentiments of the poet. It is admitted that there are very judicious people, whose judgment we cannot do otherwise than respect, who have strong objections to tunes which repeat one or more lines; and, perhaps, in many instances, justly. For where the singing is conducted by conceited fellows who volunteer their services, such tunes as they fancy will furnish the finest opportunities for them to show off their own powers, they will frequently introduce, however propriety, and the judgment and taste of the most judicious of the congregation, may be outraged. But churches which take the management of their singing into their own care and supervision have little cause of alarm. Another ground of objection may be, that among the extremely florid melodies, trash is too frequently found. That there is much truth in this objection must be admitted. But it must also be admitted that there are exceptions; not even is the extremely florid necessarily trashy. Besides, trash is not peculiar to the florid; it may be found in the plain choral; and in the triple time melodies, even when composed of the longs and shorts, and the twos and ones. This is not all. The church can well afford to spare the extremely florid melodies. Only let nice discrimination and sound judgment be brought to bear on the choice of tunes and their adaptation to hymns, and there will be little to offend the most delicate taste, and the most chastened predilection. What I have written is by no means intended to be a corrective, but an addendum. As far as C. C. has carried out his remarks, I could endorse them; they have given me great pleasure in perusing them. C. J. REVIVAL, HANLEY CIRCUIT. — Mr. Editor. My dear Sir,-Anxious to respond to the wishes of our Hanley friends, and to meet the expectation with which many of your readers will open the next number of the Magazine, I take up my pen to furnish you with some account of the services which the Rev. J. Caughey has, for the last few weeks, been conducting amougst us. I may premise, however, that, on several grounds, I should have preferred the withholding from your pages any notice of the services for a few months, as it is impossible to form anything like an accurate estimate of them at pre sent. From what I have seen of other revivals, the means and immediate results of which were much like what we now witness in connection with the present one in Hanley, I am led to the conclusion that twelve months, at least, must pass away before we shall be able to say how much our churches have gained by it. Revivals of religion-special manifestations of the Spirit and grace of God, which lead multitudes simultaneously to repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ-are not very rare phenomena in the Potteries. About four years since our churches in this locality were visited with what nearly all, at the time, regarded as a great and gracious revival of the work of God. In the course of eight or ten weeks upwards of sixteen hundred persons had their names registered as having obtained the forgiveness of sins or purity of heart. A very large proportion of these united with our churches in Hanley, Newcastle, Burslem, and Longton. And had they all, or any considerable number of them, remained stedfast, the revival of 1855 would have been a great and permanent blessing. Unhappily this desirable issue was not realized, as in a brief period all our societies, with the exception of Longton, were reduced, by the influence of reaction, to a feebler state than that in which they were when the revival was got up. With these lamentable facts before me, I am constrained to say that, while there is much in our present revival that is very gratifying, many cases, facts, and scenes which fill one's heart with joy, there is not a little to create anxiety and awaken fear as to the permanence of its results. Mr. Caughey commenced his labours in Hanley October 10th, and will bring them to a close by a farewell sermon on Tuesday the 21st. Of the eleven weeks that he will have been amongst us, the labours of eight have been given to Bethesda congregation, and the remainder to Upper Hanley and Newcastle. During the whole of the time that he has been with us he has been "in labours more abundant." It may assist those who have not heard him to form some idea of the means, ordinary and extraordinary, which he employs, as well as of the amount of labour which he performs, if I give in detail the services of one week. To begin with the Sabbath-he preaches in the morning, at the usual hour, a sermon which occupies about an hour in the delivery, and the greater part of which is addressed to the Church. In the afternoon, at half-past two, he conducts an inquiry-meeting, to which all who are seeking pardon, the witness of the Spirit, or purity of the heart, are earnestly invited. As Mr. Caughey regards inquiry-meetings as specially important in connection with a revival, and depends mainly upon them for the success of the prayer-meeting that follows the evening service, it may be well to say how they are conducted. Mr. Caughey opens them with a verse of a hymn and a short prayer. As soon as the prayer is ended, and while all present remain kneeling, he proceeds to ask a number of questions, which the persons present are supposed to answer mentally to their own hearts. The questions are such as these:-" Do you know what blessing you now want from the Lord? Have you reason to believe that the blessing you want has been promised by the Lord? If so, what is there to prevent you from now obtaining it? Are you willing to abide by the Lord's order in your salvation?"-telling them what that order includes. These and similar questions having been put, Mr. Caughey requests the company to remain kneeling, while he speaks to every one separately. This he does by asking these questions:-"Brother, what blessing are you seeking? Will you come forward to the communion-rail for prayer as soon as I give the invitation this evening?" In this manner Mr. Caughey usually gets from six to twelve persons to promise at each of these meetings that they will lead the way to the communion-rail when the prayer-meeting is begun, and these encourage and attract others. At the close of the inquiry-meeting, which seldom lasts more than half-an-hour, Mr. Caughey takes part in a public prayer-meeting. In the evening he preaches to the unconverted, and generally begins the prayer meeting without pronouncing the apostolic benediction, or formally dismissing any part of the assembly. He expects the minister of the place, or some other person, to take the management of the prayermeeting, while he goes from pew to pew speaking to those who seem to be impressed by the Word, and bringing such as are willing up to the communion-rail. Before leaving the chapel, and while the prayer-meeting is being held, he goes into the pulpit and spends some time in silent prayer. This is his last act every evening before retiring. On Monday evening, he conducts an inquiry meeting, and afterwards a public prayer-meeting. On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings, he conducts inquiry meetings at a quarter before seven, preaches at a quarter past seven, and takes part in the prayer-meeting which follows each of these services, remaining in the chapel till about a quarter past nine. On Saturday evening, he remains in his room, preparing for the next Sabbath. The above is the usual routine of his labours from week to week; and, as he employs much action, and is very animated in his manner in the pulpit, it must be obvious that they are of a very exhausting nature. From Mr. Caughey's first appearance amongst us, up to the present date, his services have excited much interest in Hanley, and surrounding towns. Our large chapel, which will hold nearly 3000 persons, has been filled to overflowing on Sunday evenings, and occasionally many have had to go away, unable to find even standing room. At many of the week-night services, there cannot have been less than 1500 persons present, some of whom had come from places fifteen or twenty miles distant from Hanley. And persons who have never been in a place of worship before, have come to see and hear him, and been convinced of sin by his first sermon to them, and have found the blessing of pardon before leaving the prayer-meeting. I cannot describe in detail the results of these services. A general summary of them must for the present suffice. Since Mr. Caughey commenced his labours, nearly 800 persons have given in their names, as having received the blessing of pardon, the witness of the Spirit, or purity of heart. He is labouring at Newcastle this week,-next Lord's day, he will preach in Bethesda, and there again, for the last time, next Tuesday evening. By that time, the number will probably be considerably increased. To prevent friends at a distance from drawing false inferences as to the number of persons likely to be added to our churches by these services, it may be well to state, that a number of those who have given in their names as converted in them, were members of our own or of other societies before Mr. Caughey came to Hanley. On looking over the first 700 names entered in the book, in which the visible results of his labours are recorded, I find that 120 are entered as purified, 560 as pardoned. Of the whole number, nearly 450 are entered as from the world, but a very large proportion of these have been hearers of the Word for years, and connected with our Sunday-school, as teachers, or as members of the Bible classes. The converts are nearly all young. Of the 700 which I have examined, 300 are under 20 years of age; 100 are above 20, but under 25; 80 are above 25, but under 30; and of the entire number, only 70 are above the age of 40. It is impossible, however, to furnish a correct representation of the immediate results of the special services by |