Observer, July 1, 76.

they decided for the Saviour after our Bro. T. H. Jenning's first earnest pleading discourse on the love and claims of the Lord Jesus, and also his private talk with them. May the Lord enable them to continue faithful to Him amidst these days of desertion. Bro. Jennings has lately come from America, and has been labouring here for a few weeks past, and we intend with the aid of our Heavenly Father to keep him with us for a time. May he continue to the end to be what he plainly at present shows forth to be, a wholly devoted servant of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Yours in the one faith.

A. D. STEWART.

BALLARAT (Australia).-We learn particulars of our Bro. Hamill's late visit to that part of the country. His brief stay was chiefly at Buninyong and Mount Clear, at the latter of which places he was privileged to immerse sic souls into Christ. Four of these will have membership at this place, the others meeting at Buninyong. Flying visits were paid to Buninyong East, Dunham Lead, and Cardigan. One evening's preaching at Ballarat and a Lord's day at Maryborough completed the trip. Our brother reports concerning the judgment he formed of the state of the churches as follows:-"Both at Maryborough and Ballarat the church seems to be in a very healthy state. Increase to the membership at Ballarat church is, I hear, frequent. Bro. Picton and others are working hard for the people's good, looking for the Master's approval at the final day. Buninyong is greatly depressed; half the population has left in search of employment elsewhere. This is true of those in the church as of others. At Durham Lead, more than two-thirds of the church have removed to other localities; such a state of depression as this pervades the entire district.

MARYPORT.-W. Hindle has just left here, after seven weeks of very successful preaching; the result being twenty-nine immersed, two restored, and one entered, being immersed previously, for which we thank the Giver of all good, and hope for a continuation of the good work. We had a very nice tea meeting, brethren visiting us from Carlisle, Wigton, and Whitehaven. After tea several addresses were delivered, including one by Mr. Beccett, who, on the Lord's-day evening, preached an excellent discourse. G. LAWSON.

RETURN OF JOHN STRANG.-We are thankful to be enabled to record the arrival in safety from Australia of John Strang. He landed in London on or about June 20, and by wire intimated his immediate starting to the North. ED.

AMERICA. The Christian, Apostolic Times, and Christian Standard, report, during April last, additions to churches which take no name but those found in the New Testament, amounting to the following totals.

Baptisms Reclaimed

2510

118

Obituary.

ON Wednesday, the 14th June, GEORGE ROBERTSON, Newburgh (who has been for many years identified with the advocacy of primitive Christianity in the town and district in which he resided), fell asleep in the joyful hope of a glorious resurrection. Though occasionally meeting with the church in Auchtermuchty (four miles from Newburgh), he generally observed in his own house, with his wife and another, the ordinances as ordained by the Lord. He was widely known among the brethren in Scotland, and greatly esteemed because of his exemplary character. His mind was richly stored with Divine truth, and ́ he was a profitable teacher and counsellor. Gentleness and love shone in him pre-eminently. When he felt the end near he asked his wife and a brother from Dundee to sing about our eternal home, and in response the beautiful hymn, "For ever with the Lord," and an anthem were sung, and now and again, while even finding it difficult to breathe, his voice could be heard helping to swell the strains. Bearing in his last moments a noble testimony to the power of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, he passed pleasantly away. The Dundee Courier and Argus, in referring to his death, says :-"Newburgh.-Mr. Robertson for many years held the office of collector of poor rates and Burgh librarian, and in these branches of service acted with great ability, and manifested such attention, care, and prudence as thoroughly justified the selection of those who had elected him. In these capacities he was brought daily into contact with rich and poor, and to each and all he showed the same prompt and kindly attention. His charitableness, his quiet and inoffensive disposition, and his readiness to sympathise with those who may have been suddenly involved in distress, earned for him universal respect, and there are many in Newburgh who will miss him as a true friend and counsellor. In his religious views he was a member of the Christian Church, which practises baptism by immersion, and repudiates any sectarian name. He leaves a widow, and we are sure very many lament with her over her heavy bereavement." T. Y. M.

THOMAS WALLIS departed this life June 10, 1876, at Nottingham, in the 76th year of his age. He was the younger brother of the beloved James Wallis, and with him in 1836 took part in the formation of the church now meeting in Barker Gate, Nottingham. His practical Christianity was manifested in visiting the poor, and comforting and aiding the distressed. His constant theme was the unchanging character and attributes of Jehovah. Though weakly of late, and in declining health, he filled his place at the Lord's table when possible, lifting his voice in reading, prayer, and exhortation. Thus has passed away one whom the church has cause to mourn, though not as those without hope. His remains were interred in the General Cemetery, June 13, in the presence of many of the brethren. S. MOTTERSHAW.

Sister CORF, the beloved wife of Pastor Corf, departed this life on the 3rd of May. Her remains were interred in the Necropolis, Liverpool, on the 6th." He giveth His beloved sleep." J. C.

Observer, July 1, '76.

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ALL COMMUNICATIONS (Including those for the Committee of the Free Distribution Fund) to be addressed "Editor of the Ecclesiastical Observer, 30, Belgrave Road, Birmingham.”

SECULAR

ECULARISM and Christadelphianism, or rather the would-be leaders of these two isms, have been engaged for six nights in public debate; the first two in Leicester and the remaining four in Birmingham. Mr. R. Roberts was pleased to seek a debate with Mr. C. Bradlaugh; publicity for self and cause being, no doubt, the ruling motive, irrespective of due consideration as to preparedness for the conflict. The result we take to be, that Christadelphians consider their leader came poorly off, and that Secularists are joyful. After careful hearing or reading of the discussion, our conclusion is, that there is not even remote probability that anyone could thereby be led to embrace either Christianity or Christadelphianism, and that it is by no means unlikely that some, whose

acquaintance with the evidences of Christianity is superficial, may be led thereby into disbelief. One of Mr. Bradlaugh's men writes, "I attended the first night here, and found a very fine audience; eight or nine hundred at sixpence and a shilling each." The cost of the hall in Birmingham would be £2 per night or less, and as the debate lasted six nights there was a fine pecuniary result. So far as we learn, Mr. Roberts allowed the profits to be divided, thus aiding Secularism by putting money into the

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pocket of Mr. Bradlaugh, with the solace that he too was entitled to the like blessing. In our own debates with Infidels we have taken care that they had not a shilling out of the proceeds. We gave our services without compensation and compelled them to do the same, or to look to their own party for pay.

Mr. Roberts gave his opponent considerable advantage by undertaking to lead throughout, giving the last speech each night to Mr. Bradlaugh; which advantage he knew how to use. Upon the whole Mr. Roberts was completely unequal to his antagonist, was unprepared where he ought to have been ready, and allowed Mr. Bradlaugh to take liberties and practice evasion_without hindrance or rebuke. Consequently one T. Evans, who usually does the colouring of Birmingham Secularist, reports for the National Reformer, wrote, "I should be sorry to do Mr. Roberts the smallest injustice in what I am saying about his manner of conducting the discussion; for though what he said I hardly consider debate, he was in all respects a courteous gentleman, showing none of the pious spitefulness of Grant and King." And this measure of praise from Secularists was really deserved; for, on two or three occasions, when he made a passing allusion to points upon which his opponent affects to feel

tenderly, he was bullied in reply in a fashion which Mr. Bradlaugh would no more have attempted in a debate with Brewin Grant than he would attempt to fly. This kind of treatment seemed to depress Mr. Roberts so as to constrain him to complete tameness where the truth and the occasion could only suffer from the want of more robust dealing. In a word Mr. Roberts became exactly the sort of opponent that Secularists delight in. But, after all, to do him justice, it must be said, that he did present arguments of worth, which were completely evaded, and which could not be answered. More than that, had his opponent been a fair and honest man, with all the ability of Mr. Bradlaugh, and even with a larger acquaintance with books and men referred to in the debate, not a trickster but merely intent upon eliciting truth by fair and honourable means, the audience would have been generally conscious that, though the Christian side had been represented in great weakness, yet there were arguments which were not and could not be answered and which stand in the way of any logical surrender of the Bible as the record of Divine revelation.

The debate was not a mutual struggle for truth, and Mr. Bradlaugh's debates on the Bible are never that. On his part the warfare is one of trick, fence, falsehood, and bluster. The question is how best to evade truth and escape an honest and straightforward answer. This was particularly illustrated by the parts of the debate devoted to questions, as clearly apprehended by Mr. Evans (before alluded to), who says, in the National Reformer, "The questioning was very close and relevant, Mr. Roberts' quarter of an hour questions being, in my mind, his best efforts. Had not Mr. Bradlaugh been most skilful of fence, he would have been cornered several times." This witness is, so far, true. But his testimony is not to the credit of his friend. What we want in public discussions is not skilful fence, but honest search and truthful speech, irrespective of where it may lead to; and that is never to be had from Mr. Bradlaugh. On another occasion we may give instances of more extreme evasiveness which we heard, but which are not yet in print. For the present the following will suffice to indicate the fence" on which Bradlaugh, Evans, and Co., pride themselves.

Mr. R. Mr. Bradlaugh, you have admitted that Eusebius wrote.

Mr. B. I never denied it; it is not a question of admitting it: I believe Eusebius did live and did write.

Mr. R. That is my question and the answer to it. Please define to me in a sentence the principle upon which you are persuaded that Eusebius ever lived and ever wrote.

Mr. B. Only that in examining ordinary events my confidence is given to the best experience of the best

Observer, July 15, '76.

Mr. R. Do you mean to say that there is less contemporary evidence to the fact that Paul's writings were received as a literary production?

Mr. B. Which do you call Paul's writings? Mr. R. I am now speaking of the portion of his epistles included in our common Bible.

Mr. B. I will ask you, then, to specify them by name. Mr. R. Then I will take the 1st of Corinthians, for example, and I ask whether there is not the same evidence, and more evidence, in proof of the fact that Paul wrote the 1st of Corinthians than there is in proof that Eusebius wrote his "History ?"

GENERAL ANNUAL MEETING. THE Annual Meeting of Members and Delegates of Churches of the Apostolic Order will (D.V.) be held in Leeds, commencing Tuesday, August 8, at six o'clock p.m., in the Meeting House, Kelsall Street, Woodhouse Lane. Schedules will be duly forwarded to churches already on the list. Any such church failing to receive one by July 10 is requested to make known the omission. Churches planted since the last Annual Meeting, or not already co-operating, are not eligible to obtain the schedule until placed upon the list by the Annual Meeting. Churches desiring to be thus received, to address the meeting by letter. Information respecting lodgings may be obtained from G. W. Grinstead, 126, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, to whom all communications for the meeting are to be addressed.

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Observer, July 15, 76.

THE

PERSEVERANCE.

'HE belief is popular that if a man is truly converted he may wander very far from God with impunity. While his conversion does not remove the possibility of sinning, nor the possibility of continuing for a time in flagrant rebellion, it does remove the possibility of being finally lost. With the inconsistency which exhibits itself in the history of error, this notion, so indulgent to the flesh, is labelled pretentiously, "Perseverance of the Saints," and described as "unconditional." That is, it is not suspended on the condition that they persevere. In other words, a saint may persevere in being a saint, without persevering in the obedience required of saints. He may persevere in the pilgrimage to the heavenly Canaan, and yet permit himself to wander back to the flesh pots of Egypt, and riot and fatten among them. While this life is characterized by the madness and unrest of sin, he may still be sure of that rest which remains for the people of God, if haply he has once "tasted of the heavenly gift," and been "made a partaker of the Holy Spirit."

According to this notion Satan may tole some of the sheep of the Good Shepherd away from the fold, and far off into the bleak, wild jungles of sin, to browse on poisonous weeds, and be torn by briars and thorns. He may thus for a time feed on their lives and gloat over the captured feast, but he must surrender the spoiled carcases to Jesus at last, for Jesus has said that His sheep shall never be plucked out of His hand. Jesus has said, too, that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him; but this doctrine of perseverance is not so pleasing to the flesh as that which permits them to follow the devil, and promises final rest in the heavenly fold, without the restraint of keeping close to the Shepherd who calls them to pastures that are peaceful and pure.

It is

Of course there is a saving clause in the doctrine of unpersevering perseverance. assumed that the gracious Heavenly Father will not permit his backsliding children to persevere in that sort of perseverance until the last gleam of the lamp of life is extinguished. The flame may be flickering in the socket ere the wanderer is recalled; but the recalling is as sure as death itself, though it be but a gasp in advance of it. If in the last moment of life this persevering saint should not repent of not having persevered, how would the neglect of this condition affect his "unconditional" perseverance? The only way of escape from these absurd tangles is to recog nise the simple truth that perseverance, instead of being a blessing unconditionally assured to the saints, is itself a condition to be complied with by them, in order to their final acceptance;

and the nearest approach that, with our limited vision, it is possible for us to make to a decision of the question whether any particular saint will persevere, is that he will, if he will. Human clairvoyance reaches no farther.

The perseverance taught by the Spirit is perseverance in the Christian life-in faith, and love, and obedience. The question which constantly and pressingly demands the attention of each Christian is not, shall I certainly persevere to the final future? but, am I persevering now? Instead of dreaming of what the future will be, see that the present is right.

If you are walking now in the path of duty, persevere. If you are out of the path of duty, do not persevere. Jesus says, "Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love." The Apostles exhorted their brethren "to continue" (persevere) in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God;" to "continue in the doctrine" which they had learned; to be "steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." They had no conception of a backsliding perseverance. The perseverance of the saints who were taught by them was an actual perseverance. "They continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayer.”

Those who talk so feelingly about persevering "through grace to glory," should learn that true perseverance is not only through grace, but through steadfastness in faith and love, and in the work of the Lord-through patience and prayerfulness and much tribulation. Those who "by patient continuance in well-doing" seek for glory and honour, and immortality, illustrate the Saviour's doctrine of perseverance through grace to glory.-Apos. Times.

THE CHURCH-PLANTING AND

DEVELOPMENT.-No. VIII.

Then

WE have seen that during the Saviour's sojourn on earth the church was only prospectively alluded to, and also that it was planted on the Pentecost following His resurrection. began the Church of Christ. We have also noted the calling and training of His Apostles, their baptism in the Holy Spirit, and their entrance on the day of its planting upon the work of legislating for the church. That the church was not then, nor soon after, fully set in order has been pointed out, as also that they were kept in the world and from its evils till that legislation was complete-that is till the perfect had come. The church, then, was absolutely perfect before the death of the last of the Apos