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Observer, Sept. 1, '71,

On Thursday evening Bro. King presided, and the following brethren gave short and encouraging addresses: Evans, Ellis, Coop, Hay, Ferguson, Black, Brown, Mott, Frazer, Strang, Smith, Aitken, Scott, Tener, Adam, and Foote. The subjects of address were much as follows: An open door from trial and for the spread of the gospel; the certainty of an open door to the faithful who live as citizens of heaven; forbearance the possession and knowledge of and adherence to God's word a sure source of freedom; the bringing of those outside in through the open door; the enemy always ready to close the door against us; the way to true greatness; obedience to Christ better than sacrifice; the need for preaching Christ as a Divine Saviour; conditions of success in efficiently filling open doors; gratitude and encouragement; why we were all present-because we had found an open door; the debt of gratitude due to Bro. King, because of his devotedness to evangelistic work and to preparing young brethren for that work; the motive power actuating the heart in filling open doors; and the probability that we should not all meet again in the flesh. meeting was one of large enjoyment, encouragement, and benefit. appropriate, earnest, and affectionate words of encouragement and warning given by bro. Foote will long be held in grateful remembrance.

ANNUAL MEETING IN SCOTLAND.

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THIS Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, July 15, in Roxburgh Place Chapel, Edinburgh. There were present in addition to the leading brethren in Edinburgh, Bros. Coop, Wigan; Forsyth, Auchtermuchty; Walker, Grangemouth; Crockett, Perth; Wilson, Dalkeith; Williams, Pathhead; Harrow, Pathhead; Shaw, Crofthead; Anderson, Carluke; Penman, Crossgates; Clark, Bridgeton; Rea, Spittal; Collins, Carlisle; Watson, Newcastle; Henderson, Whitehaven; William McLintock, William Linn, and Alex. Young from Glasgow; also, Bros. Hurte, Strang, and Alex. Brown, evangelists.

Bro. T. Coop being called to the Chair, the meeting was opened with devotional exercises, after which the secretary read letters from Dundee, Perth, and Moree, Ireland.

The secretary then read the annual Report, which, with the cash statement of receipts and expenditure, was unanimously approved of.

The receipts for the year were, including balance on hand from last year, £192 9s 5d, and the expenditure £141 14s 8d, leaving a balance on hand of £50 14s 9d. The Reports of the Delegates were next received, when it appeared that, the smaller churches in Scotland were not in a prosperous condition, they desire more visitation from sister churches; that the larger churches were in a prosperous and hopeful condition, and entered upon the new year with confidence in the prosecution of the work of the Lord.

Bro. Hurte, Edinburgh, gave a report of the visits paid by him and Bro. Aitken to Falkirk, Grangemouth, Perth, Auchtermuchty and Pathhead. The churches gave them a warm reception, and were refreshed by their visit. Bro. Strang gave an interesting account of his labours in Banff, Carluke, etc., and he trusted that some fruit would shortly appear therefrom.

The meeting then proceeded to the engagement of Evangelists.

Bro. Hurte agreed to labour (D.V.) for the next year. Bro. Alex. Brown's engagement was left in the hands of the executive. Bro. Strang

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Observer, Sept, 1, 71.

reported that he could not engage with the committee, as he had entered into an engagement with the Glasgow brethren. The executive were empowered to engage during the year, such other suitable brethren as they may be able.

Brethren from Dalkeith, Pathhead, and Spittal, made special appeals on behalf of the Building Funds of their respective chapels.

It was then arranged that the work of the Evangelist Committee be carried on by the office-bearers of the Roxburgh Place Chapel for next year, with power to call in such assistance as they deem advisable.

The following was unanimously adopted:

That this meeting records its deep sense of the loss sustained by the church by the death of Bro. John Somerville, who was held in much esteem for his many valuable Christian qualities.

It was arranged that the next Annual Meeting be held in Glasgow. The thanks of the meeting were tendered to the executive for the services of the past year, and also to Bro. Coop for presiding over the meeting. In the evening the brethren assembled for tea in Roxburgh Place Chapel, when addresses were delivered on various interesting subjects. following are the principle items of the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE.

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The year has been one of considerable anxiety to your Committee, owing to the continued demand for labourers, and the scarcity of supply. At an early period of the year Bros. Linn and McLintock were deputed to proceed to Newcastle, with a view to urge upon the Meeting there the propriety of allowing bro. Strang to labour in his native land. Their efforts were so far successful that his services were secured for six months; and he has been labouring with great zeal and much acceptance in Banff; he has also visited Edinburgh, Perth, Carluke, &c.

Bro. Rae continued to labour in Dundee for four months, after last Annual Meeting, when he expressed a desire to retire from the field. Your committee felt the loss of Bro. Rae very much, and desired him to reconsider his determination, but the efforts were fruitless.

Bro. James Scott laboured for nine months, principally in Sanquhar, Glasgow, and the North; he also visited Crossgates. The brethren, generally, express satisfaction with his aid in building up the churches.

Your Committee also made an engagement with Bro. Alexander Brown; but at the urgent request of the brethren at Wortley, who were very desirous to continue his services, he was allowed to labour amongst them: the Committe being satisfied that if souls were saved he was doing the Lord's work.

Bro. Hurte, of Edinburgh, kindly offered his services (during week days) to hold meetings for the proclamation of the Gospel, were he might be directed; but as he could not follow up these meetings with attendance on the Lord's day, we, as well as others to whom his offer was submitted, did not deem it desirable to accept of his services.

Bros. Hurte and Aitken have recently visited a number of the churches, including Falkirk, Grangemouth, Perth, Auchtermuchty, Crossgates, Pathhead, &c.

ANNUAL MEETING IN WALES.

THE Annual Meeting of brethren from churches in Wales was held on July 24. There were present W. Watkins, Llanfair; W. Williams, Criccieth; Price Jones, Wrexham; D. Williams, Rhos Llanerchrugog ; Oliver Thomas, Cefn Mawr; W. Williams, evangelist, of Tredegar; J. T. Morgan, Merthyr Tydvil; W. Jones, Portmadoc; and T. Coop, of Wigan.

T. Coop, of Wigan, was chosen to preside, and J. T. Morgan as secretary. The schedules from churches and balance sheet having been read,

Observer, Sept. 1, '71,

W. Williams stated, that he had been labouring as an evangelist from the 21st of January, when he went to Rhos Llanerchrugog and remained labouring in co-operation with the church there until the end of June. During his stay at Rhos he had been engaged in proclaiming the gospel in the chapels, in cottages, and in the open air whenever the weather was favourable. One addition was made to the church. He had also visited Glyn Cerriog and Cefn Mawr, and had removed to Llanfair a few weeks ago.

Oliver Thomas said that the labours of W. Williams at Cefn Mawr were very much approved. If more of his time had been given to Cefn Mawr instead of to Rhos much more good might have been done.

From the amounts promised for the ensuing year and the present state of the fund, it was seen that unless some assistance was afforded by the Annual General Meeting at Huddersfield, we should not be able to retain the evangelist's services for the entire year. It having been ascertained that the labours of Bro. Williams were perfectly satisfactory to the churches, after some deliberation it was resolved, that should we be able to retain him in the field throughout the year, his labours should be devoted to Llanfair until the first Lord's day in September, then to Penmachno for one month, then to Llanfair until the Spring, afterwards to Merthyr and Tredegar until the Annual Meeting.

The following resolutions were also adopted

That the Welsh Evangelist Committee consist of Bros. W. Williams, of Criccieth, treasurer; J. T. Morgan, of Merthyr Tydvil, secretary; W. Jones, Portmadoc; O. Thomas, Cefn Mawr; and John Davies, Portmadoc.

That should the committee have sufficient funds at their disposal, they be empowered to spend £5 in Welsh tracts.

That the place and time of next meeting be left in the hands of the committee.

That the best thanks of this meeting be given to the committee for their past services; to the chairman, and also to the brethren at Llanfair for the kind and hearty reception. The meetings for worship and preaching were full of intense interest and well attended. Lord's day morning the church met for the breaking of the loaf at nine o'clock. O. Thomas, of Cefn Mawr, preached at ten o'clock, and W. Williams, Criccieth, and W. Jones, Portmadoc, in the afternoon. In the evening T. Coop, of Wigan, and W. Jones, of Portmadoc, proclaimed the ancient gospel, and on Monday evening Oliver Thomas and W. Jones proclaimed "the truth as it is in Jesus to a very attentive audience. J. T. M.

Intelligence of Churches, &q.

JAMAICA.-Kingston, July 26th, 1871.— Dear Bro. King, I have long had in mind to write to you respecting the cause in Jamiaca and to enlist your sympathies, and those of the brethren generally in England, on our behalf, but various causes have prevented. In the first place, my time is so fully occupied with other duties that I really have little or no leisure for letter writing. In the next place, I have been hoping each month that the next would bring us some encouraging news from America, but as this

expectation has failed, and matters are growing worse with us every day, I have resolved to make an effort to lay before you our true condition, trusting that the Lord will dispose your heart to aid your suffering brethren in this distant Isle of the sea.

I believe you are acquainted with the history of the Jamaica mission up to the period of Bro. Beardslee's return to the U.S., in June, 1868. But it may not be amiss to state here, that he was sent out to this Island by the A. C. M. S., in February 1858,

Observer, Sept. 1, '71.

and organized the first Christian Church in Kingston on the 9th of May following, consisting of six members including himself and wife.

Notwithstanding the opposition he encountered from the various sects, the truth continued to gain ground, and almost every month witnessed accessions from the different denominations, as well as from the world. Calls were made from other parts of the Island resulting in the formation of new churches, native helpers being also raised up to take the oversight of them, Bro. B., visiting them each in turn, but labouring principally in the city. His removal to the new station at Blerburgh and his subsequent absence of several months on a visit to his native land told unfavourably on the cause in Kingston, and his final departure to join his family, in June, 1868, gave a blow to the entire mission from which it has never recovered. Indeed from that time we have been gradually going down till now we have little more than a name. It is true that most of the country churches have held together very well and in some there is even a gradual increase, but in Kingston we have gone down sadly. If we had been favoured with intelligent men among us, capable of conducting the services, and of fair speaking abilities, this church might not have suffered loss, though we would still have failed to draw a congregation and to increase our ranks, from the fact that there is a decided preference in this community for preachers from abroad, especially old England. But the work has devolved almost entirely on myself and Bro. McHardy who holds a public situation, that not only engrosses his whole time during the week, but very frequently on the Lord's day. As I have also to supply one or other of the country stations one or two Lord's days in each month, the congregation in Kingston is often left without a speaking brother. The consequence is that many have become dissatisfied and have united with other denominations. Our chapel too is sadly out of repair and presents a most uninviting appearance; indeed, if something is not done to it before long it will soon be unfit for use. To expect to raise the means here for putting it in order is out of the question, for our number is exceedingly small and most of them extremely poor, and there is a large amont due to Bro. Beardslee and myself for the purchase money. The Society in America wrote out some time ago to enquire the probable cost, or the desirableness of selling these premises to purchase others, and thus raised the hope that something definite would be done for us, but hitherto we have been doomed to disappointment. For some reason or other they seem to have Jost altogether their interest in the Jamaica

mission, and have done nothing for it since October, 1869, when they discontinued the yearly appropriation, 1,200 dollars, U. S. currency, towards the support of our native brethren. Being thus suddenly thrown entirely on their own resources they have suffered keenly from want of the very necessaries of life, but have still kept to their posts and most of them doing good service, I have till within a very recent period supplied the board in America with monthly reports from each of our churches, and have at various times laid our case before them. Bro. B., too, loses no opportunity of pleading for Jamaica and keeping up an interest in the cause for which he laboured and suffered so long, but apparently with little success. At their last annual convention in October, 1870, they decided to send out a man as soon as a suitable one could be found and to raise the amount required for the repairs of the chapel, and the secretary, Bro. Munnel, wrote me to that effect, but this is the last I have heard on the subject.

Now, dear Bro. King, can you not help us? Will not you or some other brother from the mother counry at least pay us a visit and see what can be done? Are the enemies of our common cause to rejoice over us saying "Aha, Aha, so would we have it "? A failure here would be detrimental not only to the few faithful ones among us but to the cause of primitive Christianity in general; and who is he that will be found ready to "Come up to the help of the Lord, to the Help of the Lord against the mighty." If you are unable to leave your field of labour can you not induce some Christian brother of good speaking abilities, pleasing address, well versed in the Scriptures, and above all, with a heart burning with love to God and zeal for souls, and of strong faith, to visit us during the coming fall and spend, say three or four months if not more, visiting the churches, and making an effort to resuscitate more especially the cause in Kingston. With a large family to provide for and very limited means, I am unable to promise much, but shall be happy to render whatever aid or encouragement I can to any such brother. Apart from the good to be accomplished, a few months sojourn in our lovely Island would well repay any cost or sacrifice attending the undertaking, and a man with the necessary qualifications would be almost sure to meet with success.

I shall wait with anxiety for your reply and trust you will favour me with one at your earliest convenience.

It is now sometime since I have had any tidings respecting the progress of the cause in Great Britain as I have not seen a copy of the British Harbinger since Bro. Beardslee left.

I sincerely trust that the labours and

efforts of yourself and co-workers are continuing to meet with success, and may the great head of the church still continue to bless you and make you a blessing, and may you at last receive your reward in

heaven.

I remain, dear Bro. King, your brother in Christ, JOHN MURRAY.

P.S.-We

Observer, Sept. 1, '71

were delivered to good and attentive audiences. His visit will long be remembered by us; his week-day discourses, visits to many brethren, winning and affectionate manner, combined with deep reverence for the truth, have made an impression upon each one of us. On Lord's day morning, July 31, he gave an impressive address on "The breaking of bread," calculated to stir up the brethren to a more constant and intelligent attendance at the Lord's table. His addresses bearing upon the design and benefit of trials have been especially suited to us. We desire to testify to his being a "workman that needeth not to be ashamed," and to express earnest hope that we may "during the ensuing year be favoured with as many visits from him as possible. G. H. S.

number now in Jamaica, churches, 14; members, 650; preaching brethren, 7; nearly every church has a Sunday school.

HUDDERSFIELD. We have been much cheered and edified by a visit from Bro. E. Evans, extending over three Lord's days. His Lord's day evening discourses upon "Life, how lost and how regained; "Christ our passover slain for "The handwriting against us blotted out;"

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THERE is an old story that, at the battle of New Orleans, half a century ago, a volunteer fighter from the back-woods, not connected with any company or regiment, came on the field and went into the contest with great courage and enthusiasm, and that he attracted attention by his intense desire to know the effect of his ball. At every shot he mounted the breast-work and peered anxiously into the smoke to see if anybody was hit.

His conduct seemed to us slightly unreasonable. The smoke was thick, and he could not see all that took place among the enemy. Moreover, many rifles were aimed in the same direction, and it was impossible to to ascertain the precise effect of each of them. The extempore soldier ought not to have lessened his share of the victory by wasting time in trying to identify it.

Yet we are prone to copy the example of the inconsiderate and anxious warrior. In urging reforms, in preaching, in teaching, it is possible for a vein of self to get into our zeal, and we become anxious, not only to do good, but to have the

credit of it. If a soul is saved clearly and directly by our instrumentality, it is certainly a legitimate matter of rejoicing. If the word of warning or of cheer proved to be just the right word at the right time, and helped a soul through despond, or out of the grasp of despair, we have a right to be glad; and indeed, if we are not glad, we must be curiously constructed Christians. The Lord of the harvest gives these encouragements, now and then, to His reapers, lest they grow weary.

Nevertheless, even this gladness needs to be watched, lest there get into it something of vainglory, which, if not absolutely sinful in itself, detracts from its value in the sight of God, and proves a dead fly in the precious ointment. We ought to look for present results, and yet not be feverishly anxious. We must not be so intent on this Divine recognition of our labours, that we become discouraged and half-angry if the desired evidence is not given. For ordinary times, and the general work, we need a self-forgetful zeal which cheerfully and patiently toils on, never chilled by delay, undismayed

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