because I felt uncertain whether my visit | preached on board the "Lauderdale,” at to Foo-chow would prove only a passing the anchorage; with the exception of last one, or whether it should turn out to be Sabbath, when one of the American for a longer period, although I am not missionaries took my place there, I preachyet able to speak with certainty on this ing for him in English at their chapel. point; yet I feel that I cannot longer The missionaries here, who are chiefly delay informing you of the step which I American, have received me very kindly. have taken, and generally of the reasons I lived at first with Mr. Gibson, of the on which I have acted. The general rea- American Episcopal Methodist Mission, son is just that which has influenced me who has put at my disposal apartments in many previous movements, viz.: the attached to their principal chapel, situated desire to preach the gospel of Jesus in the midst of the Chinese population. Christ at large, and unfettered, as far as This chapel, like another belonging to the possible, by pastoral ties. During the American Board, is situated on the great year that has elapsed since I returned thoroughfare between the city to the from Swatow to Amoy I have had a good north, and the quarter occupied by the many things to attend to in connection foreign community, to the south of the with the affairs of the churches at Pechuia river Min. There is a continued stream and Bay Pay; and this has tended to of population passing along this line of hinder my pursuing the evangelical work streets, and when the chapels are opened at large. Now, though it is cause of they are generally soon filled with an thankfulness that several of the matters orderly and attentive audience. Foowhich formerly caused embarrassment chow being the capital of the province, have been for the time, at least, disposed the number of strangers is very great; and of, yet, while I remain in the neighbour- this, while it throws an obstacle in the hood of Amoy I must ever and anon re- way of easy oral communication, makes turn to Pechuia and Bay Pay, and some- this place an important centre for distritimes about matters of no great import-buting books, and for diffusing widely an ance. This necessity, coupled with the fact that our efforts in the direction of Chang-chin have been in the meantime thwarted, and that Mr. Grant, who is rapidly becoming fitted for the work, has of late been making Pechuia and Bay Pay his head-quarters, while Mr. Douglas is able also occasionally to visit these stations when not absent at Au-hae; these considerations have led me to think of a removal to some other field of labour. The circumstance that led me to come here was the arrival at Amoy of the kind Captain (Bowers) who formerly, in the "Geelong," took me from Shanghai to Swatow. His present ship, the "Lauderdale," came in to Amoy to repair from the effects of a typhoon, and having an offer of a passage, I, after much prayerful deliberation and conference with Mr. Douglas and Mr. Grant, decided to go. To avoid the strength of the north-east monsoon, we had to take the circuitous route round the Island of Formosa, but being mercifully favoured on our journey we reached this place in six days. Some time previous to my setting out, I had not been quite so strong as usual, and this formed a subordinate reason for my desiring a change. The voyage I have found very strengthening, and I now feel as vigorous as ever. Since my arrival in Foo-chow I have on the Sabbaths

incipient acquaintance with the gospel,
and the work in which missionaries are
engaged. I am, of course, still unable to
speak this new dialect, but I can already
understand a good deal of the preaching
in it; and should I see my way to remain,
I hope, by the blessing of God on diligent
application, to be able, in due time, to
master its peculiarities. In the meantime,
besides preaching in English, I have
already found an open door in addressing
congregations of settlers from the neigh- |
bourhood of Amoy, who for the most part
reside in the vicinity of the chapel be-
longing to the American Board. I am
now living with the missionaries of that
society; and at their suggestion last week
on Tuesday and Friday evenings, and this
week on Tuesday, we have had the chapel
opened for meetings with these Amoy
people. They have come out uncommonly
well, and seem in some cases to be inter-
ested. Another meeting has been inti-
mated for this evening (Friday). Last
year Mr. Talmage, of Amoy, when here
on a visit, also had several meetings of
these people. You will hear from Swatow
that Mr. Jones had met with a trial in
being bitten in the foot by a snake. He
is now, it appears, out of danger, but has
gone down to Hong Kong for a change.
Mr. Smith wrote mentioning the matter
before I left Amoy, but his letter seems

1

Correspondence.

which may be welcomed as the forerunners of the plenteous rain.

We hope, then, that any who have good tidings to communicate, who can speak of the power of a risen Saviour, having discovered its gracious energy on behalf of some of those committed to their care, that they will write to either of us, and not later than the end of March.

It would be cheering, indeed, if we were in a position at the meeting of Synod to say to the assembled brethren, "The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad" (Psalms cxxvi. 3).

Would not all throughout our borders thank God and take courage for the future?

ANOTHER RELIC OF ENGLISH PRESBYTERIANISM.

To the Editor of the English Presbyterian Messenger.

SIR,-Some time ago I gave your readers auction, and yielded seven hundred pounds." an account of an interesting manuscript, still Dr. Seaman was among the last that clung preserved in Williams's Library, viz., the to the wreck of the London Provincial Asoriginal minutes of the Westminster As- sembly, even after the Restoration had led sembly. I have now to mention another the rest of his brethren to desert it, and to relic of these times, which is preserved in embark in the old ship Prelacy, under the the Library of Sion College, London Wall. new colours which Charles had hoisted, It is a folio volume in manuscript, con- allured by the high bounties which he held taining "The Records of the Provincial out. Among the last entries in these reAssembly of London: begun by Ordinance cords is one dated May 28, 1660: "Agreed of Parliament, May the 3rd, in the Con- that the Register Booke be taken into the vocation House in Paul's, London, 1647." scribe's custody." But from another entry, In other words, this volume contains the "Sion College, August 1, 1660, Adjourned minutes of the first Synod of London, held till August 15, Teste, La. Seaman," it would after the establishment of Presbyterian go- appear that even the scribe had deserted the vernment by the Long Parliament. The Diet, and Dr. Seaman found himself wankingdom of England, instead of so many dering in the deserted hall of Sion College dioceses, was then divided into "provinces," alone. On the 15th of August, he appears which were composed of representatives from as moderator, with three ministers and six the "Classes" (or Presbyteries) within their elders, on which occasion he seems to have respective bounds. Every parish had a con- acted also as clerk, for the records conclude gregational or parochial Presbytery (or Ses- with the following words in his handwriting: sion), and these returned representatives to "The Provincial Meeting adjourned till the the Provincial Assembly, as the provincial 3rd of September, being Moonday, at nine of did to the national. London was divided the clock." This adjourned meeting does into ten Classes, or Presbyteries; and these, not appear to have been held; the Provincial when met in Synod, formed the Provincial Assembly was, for the time at least, dissolved, Assembly of London, the original minutes and the book containing its records would of which are preserved in this volume. doubtless remain in the possession of Dr. The history of the book is rather curious. Seaman, whose name, by the way, never On a fly-leaf is the following entry: "To appears among the leading Presbyterians the Reverend, the President, Deans, Assist- who carried on negotiations with Charles for ants, and Fellows of Sion College:-Gentle-"a reduced episcopacy" and "a reformed men, I present this booke, The Records of the Provinciall Assembly of London, begun anno 1647, to the Library of Syon College, this 20th of September, 1726.' Tho. Granger." Who this Thomas Granger was, or how he came into the possession of the book, I have not been yet able to ascertain. But on the first page I found written, in a very minute hand, the following dedication: "Reverendis Fratibus Presbyteris Londinensibus, hunc librum (quem ex bibliotheca Doctoris Seaman, A.D. 1676, obtinuit), D. D. C. Josephus Hill" i.e. "To his Reverend Brethren, the Presbyters of London, this book, which he obtained from the library of Dr. Seaman, A.D. 1676, is freely given by Joseph Hill." The persons here mentioned are well-known. Dr. Lazarus Seaman was distinguished as one of the leading Presbyterians of his day, a member of the Westminster Assembly, a man of great learning, and an accomplished divine. He was ejected from Allhallows, Bread-street, and died in September, 1675. Calamy informs us that 'he left a very valuable library, which was the first that was sold in England by way of

liturgy."

At the sale of Dr. Seaman's library, in 1676, this important volume was purchased, it seems, by "Joseph Hill." Mr. Hill was a learned and pious Presbyterian minister, born at Bromley, near Leeds, and promoted, in 1659, to the office of proctor in the university of Cambridge. Having declared himself on the side of Nonconformity, he preached for some time in London, after which he spent some time on the Continent, where he wrote a book in vindication of " the Zealander's Choice," which so gratified Charles II. that, on his return to England, the king not only gave him a pension, but offered him a bishopric if he would conform, but, being altogether dissatisfied with the terms of Conformity, he declined the offer, and, in 1678, accepted of a call to Rotterdam, where he died in 1707. Before leaving England, Mr. Hill, who, no doubt, looked upon this volume of records not as personal property so much as the rightful property of the Presbyterian Church in England, formally presented it to "his brethren the Presbyters of London." Now, we know

"Gyles Cripplegate," "Swithin's," &c.

that about the period when this transference touching singing of Psalms." Again, it is was made, between the years 1676 and 1678, | remarkable that to apply the term "saint" the Nonconformist ministers, though ex- to any ecclesiastical building was held to posed to repeated annoyances, still persevered be an undue connivance at Popish superstiin holding meetings for public worship, and tion; and in the enumeration of the city the Presbyterians appear to have kept up churches, the obnoxious title is regularly their ecclesiastical courts, though in a clan- omitted: thus we have "Mary Abchurch," destine manner, to avoid prosecution. A "Mary Woolnoth," "Laurence Poultry," treatise was published in 1674, as “The Judg"Paul's," "Peter Paul's," ment of eighty-four Ministers of the county Alphage," palatine of Lancaster, and of a whole Provincial Assembly of Ministers and Elders in and about London." The minutes of these judicatories, if indeed they ventured to keep regular minutes of their proceedings, have not been recovered. But the older records of the Provincial Assembly, which Mr. Joseph Hill committed to the custody of his brethren, had unfortunately fallen into the hands of Episcopalians, and one of these, Thomas Granger by name, appears to have considered himself at liberty to transfer them to the Deans and Fellows of Sion College. There accordingly the volume lies, carefully kept in the archives of that old institution, and shown to visitors as a great curiosity.

Another source of dissatisfaction with which our fathers had to contend, was the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient number of "ruling elders in their several congrega. tions. Having made an investigation into this matter, the returns show that hardly any of the churches were supplied with a full staff of elders, while many of them had none at all. "Andrew's, Wardrobe. Never any elders chosen as yet, but the minister has promised to do what he can to establish an eldership." " Matthew, Friday-street. The minister hath endeavoured to get elders chosen, but cannot move his parishioners to it." "Steven's, Walbrook. One minister and two elders." "Mary Bothan. One minister and one elder." "Peter Paul's. Cannot be induced to choose elders, nor to have a minister that may act in the government."

The records commence with an extract from the resolutions of both Houses of Parliament authorising their assembly, from which it appears that the Lords and Commons claimed no small share in the regula- Upon the whole, it is to be regretted that tion of their meetings. The time of the the information to be obtained from these Synod seems to have been mainly occupied records is so scanty and unsatisfying. The at first with consultations "about an effectual proceedings of a Synod are not generally so course for the increasing of knowledge and minute or interesting as those of Presbyteries. godliness." Among the best means which they And the time of the Assembly appears to suggest for the training up of children and have been chiefly taken up with the preparaservants, "is some good catechism, especially tion of two learned treatises in defence of the Public Catechism of the Assembly." Presbyterianism, viz., "The Vindication of They frequently complain of the prevalence the Presbyterial Government," published in of gross ignorance in fundamentals, errors, 1650, and "The Divine Right of the Gospel atheism, and profaneness, evils which are Ministry," published in 1654. Both of traced to "the defect of an able and faithful these bulky treatises are engrossed at full ministry, there being about forty parish length in this volume. As the works were churches and congregations within this pro- intended for the press, it may appear strange vince that at present have no ministry settled that so much pains should have been taken among them by allowance of authority;" to transcribe them into this book. But, in which again is ascribed to the striking fact, fact, they formed part of the public actings "that the maintenance of the ministry al- of the Assembly; they were published by ready settled is far short of a competency, its authority; and this document furnishes and that small proportion is much shortened the authoritative record of a transaction selby the general unjust withholding it, not- dom if ever exemplified in the history of withstanding all legal provision for the pay- any church, viz., an ecclesiastical vindication ment thereof." Some curious facts may be of the government and ministry of the church. gleaned from these records; such as that our Surely, Sir, considering the history and Presbyterian fathers were not very fond of character of the volume I have now described, singing, which they seem to have regarded it would be nothing more than an act of as savouring of Judaism. Thus, June 6, justice to restore it to those whom it most 1649, it is reported "that the committee did concerns, and to whom it was originally not think it necessary to add singing of given and dedicated,-the brethren of the Psalms or benediction to the enumeration of Presbytery of London. the substantials of church government,' whereupon "this Assembly is satisfied with what their committee hath agreed upon

I am, yours truly,
THOS. M'CRIE.

London, Jan. 20th, 1860.

Notices of Books.

The Position and Tendencies of English happy specimen of dignified and manly

Unitarianism: an Introductory Address. Delivered at the English Presbyterian College, 29, Queen Square, London, October 4, 1859. By the Rev. THOMAS M'CRIE, D.D., LL.D., Professor of Theology and Church History. Published at the request of the Audience. London: James Nisbet & Co.

criticism. Perhaps we cannot more com-
mend it to the attention of English Pres-
byterians than by quoting its concluding
paragraph :-

:

"If ever Providence uttered his voice in plain accents, he is calling on us to arise, and enter into the labours of our English Presbyterian forefathers. We have small THE Socinian controversy has long been hope of the conversion of Unitarian minispractically at an end in this country. The ters; but should that cloud of promise, two leading points peculiar to it-namely, which has descended in showers of blessing the proper Deity of Jesus Christ, and the on others, visit this part of the United reality of his atonement-have long since Kingdom, may we not expect that their resumed their proper place in the religious people may feel the need of a more soulfaith and teaching of the English people. reviving doctrine than any that such pastors This is, doubtless, to be ascribed to the can supply? On the same principle of blessing of God on the weapons of warfare perfect freedom from human tests and used in the contest for the faith once de- church laws, for which Unitarians have so livered to the saints, to the more general loudly protested, these congregations have and practical recognition of the supremacy surely a right to return if they choose, with But, of the Word of God, and to the gracious all their patrimonial possessions, to the old restoration of spiritual life and energy to paths of English Presbyterianism. While it behoves all to though this should be denied them, let us, the churches. mark this with devout minds and thankful at least, hold ourselves in readiness to furhearts, it is becoming, and also profitable, nish them with what they have an unto remember that the system which was doubted right to demand-an earnest, a thus so happily and extensively checked sound, and a bona fide Presbyterian minisstill survives, and has its adherents in the try. We can point to our Church as a land. There is reason to fear that, amongst proof that English Presbyterianism is not the more intelligent Christians, their sys- merely a thing of the past,' as our oppotem is regarded as something quite meagre, nents would represent it,-'something that negative, and disjointed, and they them- has left its mark on history, but has no We, future before it.' What it has been in the selves as objects of little interest. therefore, think that in the present circum- past we know; and from that we may destances of the Church of God all over the rive a lesson of encouragement as well as world, it was both opportune and useful, of solemn warning. What it is at present we know; and we have every ground to on the part of Dr. M'Crie, to deliver an address on the position and tendencies of thank God for the doors of extended useEnglish Unitarianism. Where all is so de- fulness that are daily opening up before us. serving of consideration, we may simply What it is to be in the future we do not indicate that, in our view, the doctrinal know; but all depends, under the blessing value of the address lies chiefly in its sug- of God, on our being true to the cause gestive statements regarding the Unitarian which we have at heart, united among oursystem, which have only to be followed up selves, and prepared in the spirit of holy in order to show that it is not a mere re-zeal, generous liberality, and unselfish dejection of all the peculiar doctrines of the gospel, but a body of positive opinions bearing on all the topics of theology. Its historical value consists in its interesting sketch of the process by which Unitarianism has arrived at its present low condition. Few can wonder that they who hold such a system participate to almost no appreciable extent in what revives and strengthens the Churches of Christ. In contemplation of their case in this light, the readers of this IN this volume Dr. Weir comes forth as the historian of the Ulster Revivals. address will find thoughts that are seasonable, tender, and wise. Its appendix is a Although others have appeared in the field

votion, to fulfil the mission to which God is
calling us in England."

The Ulster Awakening; its Origin, Pro-
With Notes of a
gress, and Fruit.
Tour of Personal Observation and In-
quiry. By the Rev. JOHN WEIR, D.D.
With a Preface by the Hon. and Rev.
London: Arthur
B. W. NOEL, M.A.
Hall, Virtue, & Co.