doings of the church, can you inform your have. How can the Brampton minister (if readers whether or no we have lost a whole a minister be settled there), urge on his presbytery since the last meeting of Synod? people to take the "Messenger," when they On running over the " contents" of cannot have the pleasure of putting a scrap the "Messenger," there is to be seen of information through it into the hand of a under the article "Presbyteries' Proceed- neighbour or a friend? They can have no ings," notice only of six presbyteries. Is interest in it. And if they receive not the the Cumberland presbytery lost, or defunct "Messenger," how can they know what our and dead? In a notice of the Home Mission interesting mission in China is doing? How proceedings, in the present number for can they interest themselves in collecting for December, there is mention made of Carlisle; missions when they have not the missionaries' but there has not been a scrap of intelligence letters to read? You would meet, we are from the Cumberland presbytery anent that sure, with a heartier response to your recomstation. Some time since, there was a mendation in the present number, could you notice of Mr. Crole's resigning his charge of prevail on Presbyteries to report their prothe Brampton congregation, which by the way, ceedings more regularly and fully. People is one that was founded by an ejected minis- are, generally, more interested in the welfare ter, Mr. Hubbard, and which is consequently, of their own congregation than in the church one of peculiar interest to the church. But abroad, and if they do not find things of whether that congregation has obtained a greatest interest to them reported in their minister since Mr. Crole left, the "Messen- own periodical, this debars them from taking ger" has never informed us. The same it, and they are both shut out from inmay be said about Mr. Kington. There is formation respecting the Church generally, only one scrap of information in all the and from making the "Messenger" the 19 contents for a whole year, with reference medium of interesting others in the church. to any congregation in the Cumberland presbytery, and that not from the presbytery, but from the congregation at Whitehaven.

"AN ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN."

Of course, Mr. Editor, it is not your business to go round the church to collect information; but your readers would be better able to encourage the circulation of the "Messenger" did it contain a more complete history of the church's proceedings. It is the only living history we can ever and not from the Presbytery.-ED.]

[The notice of proceedings of the Cumberland Presbytery which we publish_today, does not in any measure lessen the force of our correspondent's letter, as the report was received from a private source,

Notice of Book.

THE REV. DAVID SANDEMAN.

Memoir of the Life and brief Ministry of
the Rev. David Sandeman, Missionary to
China. By the Rev. ANDREW A. BONAR.
London: Nisbet & Co.

ANY new biography would be welcome from the pen of Mr. Andrew Bonar; and it is with a peculiar fitness that these details of the hidden life of David Sandeman have been given forth by one who so faithfully and affectionately embalmed the memory of McCheyne. Apart from the life of wonderful devotedness which it pourtrays, this book has peculiar claims on the attention of our readers. Mr. Sandeman was our own. It was from our Synod that he received ordination; it was amongst our congregations that he spent most of his last summer, before leaving his native land. On his grave, in the little island of Kolongsoo, is in

scribed, "Sacred to the memory of the
Rev. David Sandeman, Missionary to the
Chinese, from the Presbyterian Church in
England;" and to our Church's mission he
bequeathed his property. We doubt not that
the book will soon be in the hands of very
many of our readers; we, therefore, do not
We
mean to forestal their enjoyment.
would only add a few particulars to the sketch
which appeared in these pages in November,
1858.

The commencement of vital Christianity in his soul was very marked and memorable. He had arrived within a few weeks of his eighteenth birthday, and he had been struck with a remark of Angell James, that it is usually between the age of fourteen to eighteen that persons decide for Christ or for the world. Hitherto he had not been without some form of godliness, but he knew

that he was not willing to give himself to of days" above-mentioned, we find him the Lord unreservedly. It was Sabbath, the writing,-" 13th Oct., Springland. Here am 7th of April, and the next Sabbath was the I in the very room where my adorable Lord communion in Perth. He had been urged manifested the fulness of his love, mercy, to take that opportunity to profess his faith beauty, and glory to my soul, which he resin Christ; but he honestly felt that he ought cued out of the horrible pit and miry clay. not. It was with these feelings disquieting O how sweet was his love to my soul. O his mind, that he that evening retired to his how did he fill me all the day, in this sweet room, and "while pondering alone on his room, and everywhere, with his overcoming spiritual condition, his heart was drawn out love! How was it continually with me; a by the omnipotent hand of God,' to think kind of sweet amazement of love! How simply of Christ, and the 'willingness of did I tremble whether it could all be true. Christ to receive all who have a true wish to'I sat under his shadow with great delight.' come to him.' He says, he knew that this Since then, I trust, my love, if quieted, is wish was not of man, but of the Holy not less true, and it is more established." Ghost (John i. 12, 13), it was the Lord who So was it to the end. The month before now enabled him to take Christ as all his that in which he died, he enters in his salvation and all his desire.' Next Sabbath journal,-" sometimes my life, in some of he was seated at the communion table. A its phases, seems like a romance of love and friend asked him, Were you happy?' 'So happy,' he replied, that I fear to trust it. What a salvation! Shall not life be spent in proclaiming it ?" "

:

joy."

And the last words which in that journal his fingers traced were, "Love and liberty."

With a life so consecrated and so blessed If the transition was instantaneous, the we are not surprised to find that prayerfulself-surrender was entire; and if in his con- ness and efforts after usefulness, were the version he owned the hand of sovereign two features that marked him out from the grace, that hand was no less conspicuous in most of others. "Pray without ceasing," the faith and the fervour which, at the very was one of his three mottoes, often written outset, were given him in measure rare and on his note-books; and it is mentioned, that running over, and which seemed hardly even a fellow-student seldom called on him but to intermit through all the fourteen years he contrived that they should pray together which followed. To him "to live was before they parted. In his first attempts to Christ." On one occasion he thus writes :- speak to others, he felt the awkwardness and "I sometimes ask, what is the world to me, embarrassment which usually accompany or I to the world? The Master's glory, such efforts; but by faithful and perseverthat is sufficient to make me delight exceed- ing repetitions the difficulty wore off, and ingly to remain here as long as he desires. few have found more signally verified the Where is the beauty of earthly things? Apart promise, "I will be to you a mouth and from Jesus, they have none. I would rather wisdom." But such as would like to know have one glimpse of the glorious counte- the blessing that resulted, we must refer to nance of Immanuel than the love of the those portions of this remarkable narrative whole human race. The longings of my which detail the Manchester and Hillhead soul after Christ Jesus have lately seemed experiences of this good soldier and faithful well nigh more than I can bear. All the witness of Christ Jesus. We doubt not that heaven which at present my soul can find it such a record will stir up the minds of possible to long after, is to be alone with many; and even those who feel their own Jesus. I feel as if my heart would break if shortcoming most profoundly, will be thankJesus come not by his grace and take my ful that such lives have been led by men of soul into his everlasting arms. O the peer-like passions with ourselves, and they will less beauty of Immanuel!" rejoice in the "holy beauties" which distinguished one who followed his Lord so fully.

With such unworldliness and such devotion to the Saviour, his happiness was wonderful. Seven years after that "beginning

Presbyterian Church in England.

THE CIRCULATION OF THE

"MESSENGER."

cess

Messenger," would go far to secure this result. Perhaps the secret of Wesleyan sucwas in great measure expressed by a minister at the last conference, when he said :-"I do think that that man is not a true Wesleyan preacher who does not help to diffuse information through the medium of our periodicals among the people." If this was true in their case, it is much more so in ours; and yet we are constantly hearing of whole districts of our Church where the people do not even know of the existence of our periodicals.

Ar the close of 1859, a writer in the "Watchman," speaking of the circulation of Wesleyan literature, said, “Would it not be a purpose worthy of a great people, at a time when God is reviving his work, to resolve that there shall be an increased circulation of our publications?” ..“In the United Kingdom there are 524 circuits; is it too much to expect that in 400 of these, a person could be found, or a few persons, who would unite to give away, during the Could not one or more friends be found first week in the new year to the non-readers in each of our congregations who would be of our publications, in their several cir-willing to purchase twenty shillings worth cuits, twenty shillings worth of our monthly of the January number of the "Messenger" publications? . One gentleman has and "Juvenile Messenger," and by circupromised a pound. If all will agree to do lating them judiciously among the nonthe same, £400 would be well expended; subscribing members of their congregations, 60,000 publications would be circulated, and, endeavour to obtain new subscribers ? supposing that each book was read by five persons before it was worn out, we should get 300,000 new readers, and out of these, some thousands of new subscribers."

Again, we beg our friends to remember that these publications exist for the good of the Church, and for the Church alone are they continued,-no one having any pecuniary interest in them, except for the expense of printing and publishing; and it is impossible for their conductors to make them what they ought to be without the

This proposal was worthy of Methodism. The "Watchman," a short time since, informed us of the results.-"The circulation of the periodicals has been unexampled. The Magazine (1s.) 10,000; the Sixpenny hearty co-operation of the friends of the Magazine, 16,000; the Christian Miscellany Church. (2d.) 60,000; Sunday School Magazine, 33,000; and Early Days, 50,000."

COLLECTIONS AND DONATIONS.

COLLEGE FUND.

Now it strikes us forcibly, that what we greatly want in the Presbyterian Church in England is an infusion of this Wesleyan energy and zeal. Our periodicals languish Aug. 17. Legacy of the late Mr. James from year to year; their very existence is

1860.

Murray, of North Shields,
Nett amount, after deducting
proportion of law expenses £74 15 9

Regent Square Congregational
Association, by Mr. A. Wark 18 0 9
16. One quarter's contribution from
Young Men's Association, for
gas, &c.
Nov. 1. Students' Fees
Collections:---

.

dependent upon the self-denying labours and Oct. 11. Collections up to Michaelmas,
exertions of one or two friends of the Church
who are often forced to make bricks without
straw, whereas a little exertion on the part
of the office-bearers of our congregations
would place the "Messengers" on a secure
and satisfactory footing. Why, an average
of ten new subscribers from each of our
congregations for the larger one, and thirty
or forty for the children's little "Juvenile

Nov. 20. North Shields, by Mr. Stair
Kerr

21. Rockferry, by Mr. K. Mac

kenzie

10

0 7 7 0

St. George's, Liverpool, by

Mr. James Adam

13 0 0

518 6

21 15 4

with the elders elect. One of the brethren stated that while he was willing to do all he could for the good of the congregation, he was still a member of another communion, and was not willing to relinquish his connection with it; whereupon it was moved and agreed to, that his ordination be deferred and that the ordination of the remaining two be proceeded with.

The congregation being now assembled, 0 Mr. Macleod preached, and Mr. Burns explained Presbyterian ordination, and put the usual questions, which being answered satisfactorily, Messrs. R. Kyle, of Pelohill, and C. G. Noble, of Crosshill, were solemnly set apart to the sacred office to which they had been unanimously elected, by prayer, and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.