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Observer, Sept, 1. '71.

After reading the foregoing table it was unanimously resolved

That a Statistical Committee of three members be now appointed to report to this meeting the following with any other useful items of information they may gather from the schedules :

1. Number of churches returning schedules.

2. Number not returning.

3. The number of churches each of which returned schedules both this year and last. 4. The sum total of increase or decrease in the churches reporting both years (as described in No. 3).

5. The sum total of each column in the schedule table.

Resolved unanimously

That Bro. R. Hay, with the two secretaries be the committee required by the foregoing resolution.

The minutes of the last Annual Meeting were read, after which the Evangelist Committee presented its

REPORT.

Dear Brethren,-We again respectfully lay before you the Financial Statement, and a brief outline of the labours of the brethren engaged in the work of general evangelization.

INCOME. The receipts from twenty-six churches have been £145 9s. 9 d., and from twenty-two individuals the further sum of £377 19s. 10d., which, with the balance in hand at the commencement of the year of £93 19s. 3d., makes a total of £617 8s. 10 d. as the amount available for the year's service.

EXPENDITURE.-Two brethren have been sustained the whole of the year, and four a portion of the year, at a cost (including travelling expenses of evangelists, committee expenses, stamps, stationery, printing, &c.) of £501 18s. 6d.

LABOURS OF EVANGELISTS.-At our last annual gathering you were pleased to recommend that in the course of the year all the smaller churches should receive a visit from one of the evangelists, and two brethren were named as most likely to do this work. This has been kept steadily before us, but through the services of one of these brethren being available for only half instead of the whole of the year, and peculiar and pressing circumstances having arisen in connection with several churches, claiming more attention than was anticipated, this recommendation has not been carried out as completely as your committee desired.

E. Evans has given considerable attention to Banbury, Bedlington and Newcastle. He has also visited North Shields and Broomhill, Derby, Nottingham, Bulwell, and the churches in that district; also Wortley and Huddersfield. A very cheering and interesting part of our brother's labours has been the forming of a church at Spittal, Berwickon-Tweed, now consisting of fifty-seven warm-hearted and devoted followers of our blessed Lord. Very large additions have been credited to our brother's labours. Equal success has attended his ministrations to the churches themselves; under most anxious and trying circumstances his gentle prudence and fervent zeal have, by the grace of God, steered them through their difficulties and inspired them with renewed hope and strength to do the Master's service.

Wm. McDougall has spent six weeks in Chelsea and four in Banbury; several visits each have been made to Manchester, Blackburn, Southport, Liverpool, St. Helen's, Earlestown, &c.; Newcastle, North Shields and Bedlington have each been visited once; altogether about thirty weeks have been given to the general work, the remainder of the time being spent in Wigan. His well-known anxiety for the cultivation of a high spiritual tone in the brotherhood impels him to pay special attention to the internal condition of churches visited, and much lasting good has been accomplished in this direction. His wide knowledge and experience have also greatly strengthened the hands of brethren who have the oversight of churches. A number of sin-sick souls have also been won to the Saviour through his faithful ministrations.

J. Strang's seven months' labours in England were almost equally divided between Liverpool and Carlisle; Manchester, Southport, Mollington, Saughall, St. Helen's and Whitehaven had each a call. A considerable number of baptisms was the result of his efforts to spread the glorious gospel, and when, according to arrangement, our brother proceeded to Scotland for the remainder of the year, he left a place in every heart and a desire soon to see his face again.

B. Ellis has devoted thirteen weeks to Chelsea, according to the recommendation of last meeting, and about one Lord's day each month to Piltdown; the remainder of the

Observer, Sept. 1, '71

year to Brighton, by special arrangement with them. At Chelsea frequent surrenders to the claims of the Saviour testified to his faithful ministry, and to the church his visit was a season of great refreshing.

D. Scott was first engaged to spend six months amongst the churches in Lancashire, but at the expiration of that time his labours as a preacher of the gospel had been so unanimously esteemed that our brother was requested to continue in the work, to which he gladly consented. His field of usefulness has comprised Liverpool, Southport, Wigan, St. Helen's, Earlestown, Golborne, Bolton, Blackburn and Manchester. From most of the places visited a number of baptisms are reported, attesting his zeal and encouraging him in his labour of love.

J. Adam entered upon the general work in February last. Seven weeks were spent in Leicester, mainly devoted to the internal needs of the church; two months were given to the churches in the Nottingham district, during which time he was joyfully stimulated by seeing many enter the fold of the Good Shepherd. His attention was next directed to Donaghmore and Mullycar, in Ireland, where he has laboured for two months. The brethren bear pleasing testimony to his work, which has resulted in the ingathering of several to the number of the saved and the building up of the churches in their most holy faith.

We desire to express our gratitude to bro. King for so readily responding to the invitation of the committee to assist the brethren in Newcastle, and by his mature experience guiding them through a critical juncture.

We remain, dear brethren, your servants in Christ Jesus,

GILBERT Y. TICKLE,
T. COOP,

JOHN CORF,
ELIAS RANICAR,
JAS. MARSDEN.

After reading the Treasurer's Balance Sheet the Report and Financial Statement were unanimously adopted. Various letters, papers, and questions having been committed to the Reference Committee the meeting adjourned till nine o'clock the next morning. Having then resumed, it was resolved, on recommendation of the Reference Committee

That the church in Spittal (near Berwick-on-Tweed), the church in Tonbridge Wells, and the church in Leeds, be added to the list of churches co-operating in annual meeting.

Bro. T. Coop, having reported his visit to the recent Annual Meeting of Welsh Churches, and the appeal of that Meeting to the General Meeting for aid in supporting, for the whole year, an evangelist to preach in the Welsh language, it was resolved to aid them by a donation of £40 from the general fund, with the understanding that such grant would not be repeated, it being the general opinion that churches and brethren in Wales being thus started, will be able themselves to supply the sum required to sustain one evangelist. After considerable discussion the following resolutions were carried—

That Bro. E. Evans be recommended to devote as much attention to Spittal, Newcastle, Shields, Bedlington, and neighbourhood, during the ensuing year as the committee may find desirable, and that he visit Leicester for two or three weeks before proceeding northward.

That the applications from Chelsea and Banbury for help from Bro. McDougall be handed to the committee, that he and they arrange for such labour as his health may permit.

That the best thanks of the meeting be given to the brethren comprising the Evangelist Committee for the past year, and that they be re-appointed on that committee for the ensuing year.

That each year an important practical topic be selected to which the attention of the churches shall be invited, and that a brother be deputed to prepare a paper thereupon, and to read the same to the next Annual Meeting; after which a reasonable time shall be devoted to its discussion.

That the subject for the next Annual Meeting be "The causes, consequents and prevention of divisions."

Observer, Sept. 1, 71.

That Bro. G. Y. Tickle do prepare such paper in accordance with the foregoing resolutions.

That the evangelists sustained by the General Fund, intending in future to attend the Annual Meeting, be requested to hold themselves in readiness to aid the church in the town in which the Meeting is held, for ten days, including the Lord's day previous and the one following the business meetings.

The Reference Committee having reported concerning Leeds, recommending that Bro. A. Brown be engaged for six months entirely, or for twelve partially, it was resolved—

That the Evangelist Committee be recommended to arrange with Bro. Brown for labour in Leeds and neighbourhood for six months or one year (as recommended by the Reference Committee), and to promote any additional aid to Leeds which they may find desirable in view of the requirements of the other churches.

It was also resolved

That the Committee be requested to facilitate passing visits of a day or so to the brethren in Sheffield, pending some further effort in that town.

The following resolutions were also adopted

That Bro. B. Ellis be recommended to labour for six months, as may be arranged, chiefly in Brighton, Piltdown and Tonbridge Wells, giving at least one visit to Leicester. That Bro. D. Scott be requested to labour during the year at Blackburn, Earlestown and Liverpool, giving at least three months to Blackburn.

That Bro. Adam be recommended to labour in Manchester and district for the twelve months.

That it is desirable that some effort be made to attract to New Testament ground, more than has hitherto been done, men of education and culture.

The Reference Committee having reported as to the application to place upon the list a second church in Nottingham, it was resolvedThat Bros. Perkins, King and Tickle be appointed a Committee to carry out the recommendation of the Reference Committee, in the Nottingham matter.

The following resolutions were also carried

That the next Annual Meeting be held in Leicester.

That this Meeting, deeply sensible of the deplorable evils resulting from the liquor traffic and the social drinking customs of the people, desire to express its strong and hearty sympathy with the various movements having for their object the curtailment or suppression of the sale, the deliverance by moral suasion of the victim, and the training of the minds of the rising generation to entire abstinence from all that intoxicates; that this resolution, with the necessary description of the objects of this Meeting, be sent to the Alliance newspaper.

That this Meeting deems it desirable that the brethren in all the churches interest themselves in the great question of the relations of the Government to the Established Churches, and be prepared to support the movement led by Mr. Miall, and, if possible, supply themselves with the Liberator, the organ of that movement; and that copies of this resolution be sent to the Liberator, the Nonconformist and the Christian World newspapers.

That at the next Annual Meeting the Wednesday evening be devoted to the reading and consideration of the paper to be prepared by Bro. Tickle.

That the best thanks of the Meeting be given to the Huddersfield brethren and sisters for the hearty reception they have given and the provision they have made for the requirements of the brethren assembled.

That the best thanks of the Meeting be given to the Chairman and Secretaries, and also to the Committee of Reference, for their arduous labours.

That this meeting desires to record its high appreciation of the presence of Bro. and Sis. Foote, of New York, its delight in listening to his instructive address, and its sympathy for Bro. Carr, of New York, whose presence in much physical weakness is highly appreciated. The Meeting also requests Bro. Foote to convey to the church in New York, its expression of paternal love and desire to promote New Testament principles.

STATISTICAL.

Observer, Sept. 1, '71.

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$1870-3649 Separated

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Members in the 71 churches 1871-3565 Transferred to sister churches

Churches planted during the year
Members in the three churches

Totals of Schedules

Immersed during the year

77 Received from sister churches

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The foregoing figures suggest the following conclusions

1. The net increase of 101 would be most likely increased by some fifty, had the schedules been returned by the thirty-two churches which have made no return.

2. A number of members struck off from membership are not lost to the cause and work of Christ. There are sixty-three removed to where there are no churches. These reduce the net increase, but they are still of the Lord's people, and, in some instances, may originate churches in the places in which their lot is cast. Then thirty-eight have emigrated, taking with them letters of commendation to American or Colonial churches. The uninstructed reader of the entire report of this Annual Meeting is liable to be misled through not knowing certain facts. To prevent this note the following particulars

1. Reference is made to a list of churches, in number one hundred and nine. These churches are not given as comprising some one denomination; nor are they considered as the whole of the churches of God in this country. They are merely a list of churches agreeing to co-operate by Annual Meeting, Committee, and general fund for evangelistic purposes.

2. The report refers to a certain number of evangelists sustained during the year, and also to the sum total of contributions to the fund. But it is not possible to learn either the number of evangelists supported by the churches on the list or the amount devoted by those churches to the support of evangelists. The list of churches embraces churches in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales; some of which singly, and others formed into districts, support evangelists and receive funds for evangelizing purposes, to which no allusion is made in the report and statistics of the Annual Meeting, and with which the Meeting has nothing whatever to do. It only remains to add that the Meeting, this year, was numerously attended and, in the estimation of all, whose opinion we have heard, a most happy one. Many even insist that it stands superior to any former Meeting of the kind.

Several quotations from letters must stand over till next month for want of space. Bro. A. Brown supplies the following :—

THE PUBLIC MEETINGS

In connection with the Annual Meeting held in Huddersfield during the present week there have been held for the proclamation of the truth the following public meetings. On Lord's day evening, August 6th, Bro. E. Evans delivered an address on Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances." The law contained in ordinances made a remembrance of sin, recorded sin against us, and thus held the world in condemnation. Every mouth was stopped and all the world was held guilty before God. The precious blood of Christ blotted out the hand-writing. The vast debt

of every age was cancelled, settled. Our Saviour nailed the hand-writing to His cross, took it out of the way, was made sin for us and was nailed on the cross. The full import of the law of commandments was never understood by the worshippers of the old covenant; it was veiled and remained a mystery. Our Lord's public death spoiled principalities and powersput an end to the old covenant, and showed openly all that the law testified before of His sufferings and death. His death was a triumph over the law; it achieved what the law could not do, and brought in eternal redemption and perfection. All this blessed work was done by Christ. If we are in Christ, if we are dead, buried and risen with Him in baptism through the faith of the operation of God, we are free from sin and condemnation.

On Monday evening Bren. Evans and Brown were the speakers. Bro. Evans testified of Jesus as the appointed Judge, pointing out the equity of such an appointment, the ability of Christ to judge, the rule according to which He will judge, and the fact that He will judge as a source of joy to believers and of solemn warning to unbelievers. Bro. Brown presented some of the proofs of the resurrection of Jesus, naming the immediate and wide-spread belief that Jesus had risen again, while before His resurrection there was really no expectation that He would rise; that the apostles could never have been induced to propagate the report of Jesus' resurrection in face of innumerable difficulties and life-long trials had they not known it to be a truthful report; that there were hundreds of witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus years after, when Paul wrote to the saints at Corinth; and that every first day of the week is a monument sacred to the memory of that resurrection. A fact so well attested was the assurance God gave of the appointed Judge and the appointed day; in view of which all men, everywhere, were commanded to repent.

On Wednesday evening Bro. Foote, of New York, delivered an interesting address based on the faithful saying of 1 Tim. i. 15. He viewed the simple story of Jesus' mission as the best proof of the truth of His claims. The mission of Jesus was presented as a mission of truth-as revealing truth that men knew not before, and revealing such truth in such a manner and to such an extent that its adaptedness was recognised by humanity. The mission of Jesus was one of goodness. His whole life was

goodness, and it was all for us. His mission was universal. It was for all, provided for all and adapted to all. Jesus had restored the correct knowledge of God to the world, and that knowledge operated in elevating man to God. What Jesus had begun was instinctive with the power of production-it repeated itself. The claims of Jesus were such that we ought to be very careful how we deal with Him. He is God. All ought to return to God and to obey him. We ought to sit very humbly and learn, we ought to take encouragement and press on.

Bro. King spoke from the same text. He pointed out a difference between the Lord Jesus and ourselves. He came into the world, so did we. He came with a purpose (had a purpose of His own in coming), we had no purpose. This implied His pre-existence. He pre-existed as the Word that was with God, and that was God. While in the world He was rightly understood to claim equality with God. He prayed to be restored to that glory He had with the Father before the world was. was put to death because he claimed such relationship and equality. The text suggested the necessity of a Saviour, the need of all, the ample provision for all, and the message came bringing solemn responsibility to all. Christ had purchased all, and all must appear before Him in resurrection and for judgment, for life eternal or for destruction.

He

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