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Observer, Nov. 1, '71.

Family Room.

MARTYRDOM BY DROWNING.

AMONG the many methods of tor- | After all means had thus failed to

ture adopted in the sixteenth century was that of drowning. A number of Dissenters met in secret at Rotterdam, in 1554, "to speak to each other for mutual edification and establishment in the truth of the holy Gospel which they had received; likewise, with one mouth and lowly hearts to pray to the great God of heaven and earth for the forgiveness of their sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and also with one accord to praise and thank His most adorable name." They were betrayed, apprehended, tortured, and then put to death: the men, by the sword; the women were "thrown into a boat, and thrust under the ice till death followed." One of them was "a young female only fourteen years old." She composed a hymn, beginning

"To the wide world Immanuel came, His Father's Kingdom left," &c. Richst Heynes was martryed in 1547. When the officers were sent to her house, her husband escaped. "But her they severely treated and cruelly bound, without any pity or compassion, although near her confinement. Notwithstanding all this they led her away, regardles of the tears and screams of her little children, to the prison of Leeuwarden, where, after three week's imprisonment, she was delivered of a son. They afterwards inflicted great torments on this lamb of Christ, and tortured her to such a degree that she could not raise her hands to her head.

Thus was she treated in the inhuman rack, chiefly because she would not give evidence against her brethren. For these wolves were in nowise satisfied, but still thirsted for more innocent blood. But the faithful God who is a refuge in time of need, and a shield for all those who trust in Him, guarded her mouth, so that no one suffered through her.

separate her from Christ, she was condemned at the place above-named, and like a brute beast was put into a sack, and plunged under water until life was extinct.'

In the year 1551, Jeronimus Segerson and another were burned at Antwerp. Segerson's letters, written while in prison, breathe a spirit of exalted piety and manly endurance. "I had rather," said he, "be tortured ten times every day, and then finally be roasted on a gridiron, than renounce the faith I have confessed."

Lysken, Segerson's wife, was drowned. The narrative of her examination and death is so interesting that we transcribe the greater portion of it. "Lysken, our sister, having long lain in bonds, has at last finished the period of her pilgrimage, remaining perfectly steadfast in the Word of the Lord even to the end; the Lord be for ever praised. She very boldly and undisguisedly confessed her faith at the tribunal, before the magistrates and the multitudes. The first asked her concerning baptism- She said, I acknowledge but one baptism, even that which was used by Christ and His disciples, and left to us.' What do you hold concerning infant-baptism?' asked the sheriff. To which Lysken answered, 'Nothing but a mere infant's baptism, and a human institution.' On this the bench stood up, and consulted together, while Lysken, in the mean time, confessed and explained clearly to the people the ground of her belief. Then they pronounced sentence upon her. Lysken spoke in the following manner to the bench: Ye are now judges; but the time will come when you will wish that ye had been keepers of sheep, for there is a Judge and Lord who is above all; He shall

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in His own time judge you. But we have not to wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world.' The bench said, 'Take her away from the tribunal.'

"The people then ran earnestly to see her, and Lysken spoke piously to them. Know that I do not suffer for robbery, or murder, or any kind of wickedness, but solely for the incorruptible word of God.'”

She was then re-conducted to the prison, where two monks visited her, and endeavoured, but in vain, to turn her from the faith. Next morning she suffered.

"On Saturday morning we rose early, some before day, some with

Observer, Nov. 1, '71

the daylight, to see the nuptials
which we thought would then be
celebrated; but the crafty murderers
outran us. We had slept too long,
for they had finished their murderous
work between three and four o'clock.
They had taken that sheep to the
Scheldt, and had put her into a sack,
and drowned her before the people
arrived, so that few persons saw it.
Some, however, saw it.
'courageously to death, and spoke
bravely: Father, into thy hands I
commend my spirit.' Thus she was
delivered up, and it came to pass, to
the honour of the Lord, that by the
grace of God many were moved
thereby.

THE SPIRITS OF WINE AND OF WAR.

The Spirit of WAR-we see him afar!

His glance is all potent to wither and mar.
Pale Terror, his trumpeter, hastens before,

And the red flag he waves is dripping with gore.

He speaks through the cannon; he urges the blows
Received and returned by infuriate foes.

He laughs at the whir of the dread mitrailleuse ;
His music is discord of hell broken loose.

In the field of thick slaughter he raises his throne,
And gloats as he numbers each word and each groan ;
He spares not the hearth of the mourner forlorn,
And the sorrows of man he laughs at with scorn.

The Spirit of WINE- -we see him around!
He walks to and fro on our dear native ground.
No sword he unbares, but his touch as it glows
Is the spell which he craftily, cruelly throws.

He boasts not his slain, yet his victims fall fast
As the leaves of the wood at autumn's chill blast.
His march is not compassed with thunder and fire,
But love, joy and hope at his presence expire.

He brings to his aid the pleasures of sense,
The sanction of law and learning's pretence;
He heralds his course with the toast and the song,
And the smiles of fair women his conquests prolong.

More fatal than War to body and soul
Is the Spirit of Wine, defying control;
And for ever we'll join this foe to assail,
Until, by the help of our God we prevail!

DAWSON BURNS.

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Observer, Nov. 1, '71.

Intelligence of Churches, &q.

DALKEITH, NEAR EDINBURGH.-On Monday evening, October 2, the Church in Dalkeith held a social tea meeting in connection with the opening of their new Chapel. The house was furnished with guests who had come together from various parts to rejoice with the church on this happy occasion. Perhaps the most striking feature was the presence of representatives from five neighbouring societies of immersed believers, viz:-the two divisions of "Scotch Baptists," the preacher from the church of the Haldanes, the minister of one of the General Baptist Congregations, and brethren from the Church of Christ, Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh. As may be supposed, this unusual gathering was taken as a text by several of the speakers, and "Christian Union" may be said to have been the great theme of the evening, and a very cordial desire was expressed for co-operation among the various sections of baptized believers in Scotland. The speakers were Messrs. Johnston and Tullock, Baptist preachers, Mr. Hindle, evangelist, from England, Messrs. Aitkin and Hurte, from the church in Roxburgh Place, Messrs. Horsburgh and Thomson, from the Scotch Baptist church, Galashiels, and several of the Dalkeith brethren.

The church in Dalkeith has upheld the truth in that neighbourhood for upwards of twenty years, receiving frequent visits from brethren in Edinburgh; among others the late Mr. Milner, who took a very lively interest in this cause. Their progress has been very gradual, but steady, and they have thus far been entirely successful in "keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Having outgrown the small hall in which the church has hitherto met, they have, with praiseworthy zeal and liberality built a very convenient and substantial chapel, with side rooms and other accommodation. Their present number of members is upwards of sixty. May they continue faithful to the Lord, keeping the ordinances as they have been delivered "a church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth,' sounding out the Word of the Lord."-ONE OF THE GUESTS. CAMDEN TOWN, LONDON.-The church till recently meeting in Milton Hall, has erected a small but comfortable and very respectable chapel, in Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town Road, which is but a short distance from the former meeting place. On Lord's day morning, Oct. 8, the Lord's table was spread and the house was conveniently filled, brethren from neighbouring churches being present, as also strangers.

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In the afternoon there was a considerable gathering of Sunday School children, and in the evening the gospel was preached by David King, of Birmingham. On Monday evening a goodly party partook of tea, after which a full public meeting was addressed by bren. M. Kerr, B. Ellis, J. B. Rotherham and D. King. Discourses were delivered Wednesday and Friday evenings by B. Ellis, and on Tuesday and Thursday by D. King. The Baptistery would have been used, but the water supply failed, thus postponing the first immersion till the following Lord's day.

LONDON, CHELSEA, Oct. 13th, 1871.During the last seven or eight weeks Bro. Ellis has been with us again. A decided interest in things spiritual seems to be prevailing among the people, as evidenced by the unusually large attendance at the evening meetings, and by the fact that five have confessed their faith in the Lord Jesus, and have been immersed into His Name. As our brother has removed with his family from Brighton to Chelsea, he will be labouring here for a considerable time, and we trust that the success which has always attended his proclamation of the Gospel here will continue. J. C. V.

BIRMINGHAM. Recently three confes sors have been immersed and added to the saved.

The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Class held a Tea Meeting in Summer Lane Chapel (lent for the occasion), on Oct. 2, when over 200 partook of the repast. A larger number attended the evening meeting, when some three hours were occupied with essays, addresses, readings, singing, &c.

The Thomasites (alias the Antipas, and the Christadelphians), whose head quarters are now in Birmingham, have become increasingly active since the death of Dr. Thomas. They have managed to bring out in public debate, one Joel Monaet, an orthodox Jew, who denies, while a Thomasite (Mr. Gratz) affirms, that "Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah." They seem to have known the measure of the man who accommodated them, by seeking to exhibit himself as an incompetent simpleton; and accordingly opening speeches of a half-hour each and subsequent quarter-hour speeches were agreed upon, with the proviso that one failing to fill his time, it should be added to that of the other. Accordingly, Mr. Monaet occupied only some ten minutes of his first half-hour, and a like proportion of his subsequent time, while the Thomasite, having thus three parts of the time, used it in the interest of his party. Not only did

was

Mr. Monaet say little but what he did say mere twaddle, provoking roars of laughter. Still the Thomasites gained their end-it was a move for publicity, and the hall was crowded to overflowing. It now appears, by placards, that they have caught another Jew, whom they advertize, for three night's debate with Mr. Roberts, upon the same subject. What that will turn out remains to be seen.

WEDNESBURY.-On Lord's day, Oct. 1, 1871, the Theatre was occupied by large audiences, afternoon and evening, to listen to discourses by David King, of Birmingham, upon the Bible and the Atonement, in reply to lectures given in the same place, the week before, by Mr. Bradlaugh. The attention was everything that could be wished. Questions were permitted; but though the Secularists were present in force, no one ventured to speak. Mr. Bradlaugh's influence seems to decrease in this place. The church in Wednesbury has recently fitted-up a small meeting room, in which there is reason to expect more good than could be accomplished in the less suitable place till recently occupied.-E. C. DUNDEE.-During the past few months we have enjoyed the fellowship and labours of Bros. Rotherham, Adam and Hindle. The addresses attracted pretty large audiences. Bro. Adam visited us during Bro. Rotherham's stay, and on one Sunday and one night during the following week they jointly conducted meetings. Bro. Hindle spent one Lord's day with us a week ago. He also visited some of the brethren, stirring in their faith and love. The up result of the labours of the brethren whose names I have mentioned has been an awakening to greater life, larger and truer conceptions of individual duty, more prayerfulness, more earnest love to one another, and a deeper delight in meditating on the value and preciousness of the vast treasures of God's grace. Two young men, whose parents are honoured members of the Church, were baptized into Christ a month ago. May the Lord help us all to live in Him and to work His work. T. Y. M.

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Observer, Nov. 1, '71.

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Observer, Dec. 1, '71.

THE CHURCH OF THE PAST.

MUCH has been said about the "Church of the Future." It is difficult to foretell the future. If we take care of the things of the present, the future, no doubt, will take care of itself. Wise men look after the things of the present; fanatics try hard to explore the future. But if it is the Model Church we are in quest of, we had better turn to the past, and take a retrograde movement of about 1800 years. 'The infallibility of the Scriptures will settle the question of the Church of Christ as instituted by His apostles, and not human legislation. The New Testament presents the perfect pattern, and woe be to the man who infringes upon that model. Whoever adds to or subtracts therefrom, or in any way mutilates the apostolic pattern, will in the final day of retribution, be prosecuted by the attorney of the court of heaven. When the Lord commanded Moses to erect a tabernacle in the wilderness, which was to be typical of the "true tabernacle "—the Church of Christ-" See," said he "that you make all things according to the pattern which I gave thee on the mount." An infringement upon that model secured death to him who transgressed the divine law.

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The Church of Christ is a unit, and honest hearted people can understand it. The gospel is a unit, and preachers who love truth more than tradition can find it. The doctrine of Christ is a unit, and theologians who prefer to maintain "the unity of the Spirit" above "the doctrines of men can, discover the doctrine of Christ. There is but " one body" of Christ, and the Son of God died, " tasted death for every man," He might reconcile both (Jews and Gentiles) unto God in one body" by the cross." "God gave him (Christ) to be head over all things to the Church which is his body." This is the language of Paul to the Congregation at Ephesus. The Church, in this same epistle, is represented as "the household of God," of which God is the Father, the disciples of Christ being His adopted children. The apostle Peter presents the Church in the figure of a temple-the spiritual temple of God-which is composed of "living stones," of regenerated men and women, and not of unconscious infants, without faith and knowledge, and therefore irresponsible. The Church is also represented as in a kingdom of which Christ is the king and the only lawgiver, all who have sworn allegiance to Him being His loyal subjects. As one foreigner is naturalized and made a citizen of the commonwealth of Christ, and only by one regenerative process, so must all be made" fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God."

This household of God is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom all the building (not buildings) fitly framed together grows into a holy temple (not temples); in whom you are also builded together for an habitation (not habitations) of God through the Spirit." Of Jews and Gentiles, through the preaching of the same precious faith," there was to be made "one new man"- -not a Papal man, not an Episcopalian man, not a Presbyterian man, not a Lutheran man, nor a Methodist man. The mystery of the gospel was revealed to "the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body." Nearly the entire epistle of Paul to the Ephesians is devoted to an exposition of the unity of the faith. He speaks of one foundation, of one body, of one head, of one family, of one temple, of one new man, of one Lord, of one Spirit, of one hope, of one Father, of one faith, and of one baptism. The New Testament reveals nothing concerning "branch churches.'

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