To quote from a writer in the Bibliotheca Sacra, of July, 1864, "The sacramental supper is a symbol both of communion with Christ and with His saints. This last is too often forgotten. True, it is the table of the Lord, and not ours; but it is His table where those united to Him commune, not less with each other than with Himself. The true idea of it is communion with the Head, and with all the members, to His honour who spread it. The brethren, therefore, need confidence in the piety of those with whom they commune; otherwise there can be no communion in spirit. Confidence is based on evidence. Communicants, therefore, must give to each other testimony of their mutual union to Christ." We hold, then, that a man has no more right to demand admission to the Lord's table than he has to demand admission into full Church membership, on his merely saying, "I am a Christian." If he is a Christian he has a right to both, but not while he withholds the evidence which is needful to satisfy those whom he asks to "receive" him. As to the first Churches, we can scarcely imagine a case in which one should dream of asking to observe the Lord's Supper, and not asking to be recognised as a member of the Christian society. But the question arises whether there is anything in our modern circumstances to justify exceptions to the common rule. The occasional fellowship of the members of one Church with another Church, of which they are not members, is no exception to the rule we lay down. For in these cases it is presumed that the Churches have confidence in each others' principles and practices. Nor do we find a clear exception to our rule in the occasional fellowship, say, of a member of the Church of England with a Congregational Church -provided only that the Church which allows such fellowship is content to confide in its pastor's discretion that he has satisfactory evidence of piety. In which case our requirements are complied with-character, and evidence of character. But the division of the Christian Church into denominations may give rise to exceptions that seem more real than this. An Episcopalian may say to a Congregational minister: "From circumstances connected with my parish church, I have to consult my spiritual interests, by seeking instruction and fellowship elsewhere. I am not a Congregationalist, and I do not wish to take any part in the management of your Church affairs, but I ask to be permitted to join you in commemorating the love of our common Lord." Could such a request be granted consistently with the principles we have laid down? We think it could. The supposition is that he is a man of Christian character; a man, whose Christian character is known or evidenced; a man who would at once be received into full membership if he desired it. The supposition further is, that in the event of his character being forfeited by misconduct, you could withdraw from him the privilege of communion with you in the Lord's Supper-thus really exercising Church discipline to the extent to which Church recognition was previously granted. There is no analogy between the principle involved in this case and the principle of making the admission to the Lord's table as free and open as the admission to the common service of the sanctuary. It rather allies itself with the Apostolic principle, "Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule; let us mind the same thing." It There is another modern circumstance which may seem to affect our principle, but it is only in seeming, and that is, that our modern Churches are usually the possessors of property-the houses in which they worship. may be said that many are spiritually fit for the Lord's Supper, who are not competent to exercise the rights which such proprietorship might involve. This, whether true or not, does not in the least affect our principle—that the Lord's Supper and membership in the organised society, called "the Church," are so identified that fitness for the one is fitness for the other, and that the evidence of fitness is as requisite for the one as it is for the other. All that the possession of property by the Church can render necessary is, that the rights of members be limited quoad this particular matter, in any way or to any extent that prudence may dictate. It may be a wise provision, that persons under a certain age, and persons who have not been members of the Church for a certain period, should not be entitled to any voice in any question affecting directly or indirectly the property of the Church, or those who may have a secular interest in such property. But make what provision you please relative to this and other matters, there is no reason why Church membership and the Lord's Supper should not continue among us, associated as they were in primitive and Apostolic practice. COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Quarterly Record. THE Committee of the Colonial Missionary Society are looking forward to the close of the present financial year with some measure of anxiety. Their expenditure has been unusually large. Considerable obligations which will press upon the future as well as upon the present have been undertaken; and the income from ordinary sources has not, down to the present time, exceeded that of the last two or three years. It is to be feared that some of the supporters of the Society, looking at the balances reported for several years, have concluded that the income of the Society is greater than its operations demand; but a careful EDITOR. examination of the accounts will show that these balances do not represent excess of the years' income over the years' expenditure, but balances sometimes smaller sometimes larger carried forward from year to year. Such balances are necessary to the working of the Society, as the income for the first six months of the year bears a very small proportion to the whole income, and does not nearly meet the expenditure. There is some reason to fear, however, that the creditbalance reported last May will, along with this year's income, be swallowed up in the year's expenditure. This danger arises out of the circumstance that the Committee have been more successful this year than for several years past in finding men whom they deemed worthy to occupy the vacant spheres reported to them in the several Colonies. During the year they have borne the cost of the removal of Mr. Elliot and family from Ottawa to Halifax, N.S., and of the passage and outfit of Mr Hall and family to St. John's, Newfoundland; of Mr. Waterhouse to Peter-Maritzburg, Natal; of Mr. Kinghan to D'Urban, Natal; of Mr. Meadowcroft and family to Perth, W. Australia; and of Mr. Woods and family to Melbourne. The outlay in this department of expenditure has not been so large for several years as it has been during the current year, but the Committee could not shrink from undertaking it, without leaving important spheres of labour unoccupied. The serious pecuniary responsibility connected with the origination of a Congregational Church in Halifax, N.S.-the whole of which must for a time be met by the Society - also presses heavily upon the resources of this year; while the partial support of an assistant-minister at Natal, and of the new pastor at St. John's, Newfoundland, adds materially to the burden. The Committee hope that in view of the special demands upon the means placed at their disposal during the current year, their constituents will devise liberal things, and provide an income for the year at least equal to its expenditure. GYMPIE, QUEENSLAND. In the last Quarterly Chronicle it was announced that the Rev. D. Mossop had retired from the pastorate of the Church at South Brisbane, that he might devote himself to missionary labour in the new gold fields, and if found practicable, to the establishment of Congregational Churches there. This enterprise has been beset with some encouraging and some discouraging circumstances. When Mr. Mossop first visited the gold fields, bent on missionary labours, he found a population of about 8,000 without any means of regular Christian service. In the fulness of his heart he resolved to devote himself to the ministration of the Word of Truth to this needy multitude, and made no mean sacrifice that he might give effect to his resolution. After he had been located in his chosen field of labour for six weeks a correspondent writes :-"He went to visit his family at Brisbane, and on his return on Saturday evening he found seven other ministers on the spot." It were ungenerous to attribute the appointment of these ministers to a mere feeling of denominational rivalry, but it cannot be concealed that the work of evangelisation has often been crippled in such spheres as the gold fields present, and in new townships, by the establishment of many Churches where they are not needed to supply the spiritual wants of the people, or for any other end than that of denominational extension. The Colonial Missionary Society is strictly denominational, but its first aim is the evangelisation of the people; and in no case would it encourage the formation of new Churches merely or mainly for denominational ends, unless it were in large centres of population, where it is desirable that Congregational Church principles should be efficiently represented. It is needless to complain, but it is perhaps not needless to record, that there is very little of this reserve in the movements of some other denominations. Mr. Mossop has, however, erected a church at Gympie, and has been able to raise the money necessary to build it, less £100, which he hopes the congregation will be able to pay within the first year of their existence as a Christian congregation. "The congregation," he reports, "is good, and the meetings for 66 prayer better than he could get at South Brisbane." We have also," he adds, commenced a Sundayschool, and if spared till next week, I intend to form a Church. I preach at Gympie in the morning and evening, and at One-Mile in the afternoon, and get some lay brother to take the OneMile in the evening. We have no seat-rents at present, and I intend if possible to do without them." The success of Mr. Mossop's self-denying efforts will largely depend upon the permanence and success of the mining operations. If the sanguine anticipations which have been formed with regard to these should be fulfilled, there will be a large settled population; and although there is the prospect of a more than sufficient number of ministers of one name and another, Mr. Mossop will have the advantage of having been first in the field. SOUTH BRISBANE. The Committee have not yet been able definitely to appoint a successor to Mr. Mossop in this sphere. They have, however, just sent out a wellproved missionary to another colony, with a view to his settlement in a vacant Church there; but as it is uncertain whether their view with regard to that Church will be realised, as it is even possible that the vacancy may be supplied before their agent reaches the spot, they have instructed him, in that event, or in any event which may interfere with his settlement at his first destination, to proceed to South Brisbane, and enter on the pastoral work there. Churches in the position of that in South Brisbane are often severely tried, owing to the time which elapses between the loss of a pastor and the appointment of a successor in England; and the Committee have it in contemplation to provide against this as far as possible by appointing ministers to the leading colonies-say one to each colony-who shall be in the first instance in the position of a minister unattached, acting as an evangelist, and prepared to accept a call to the first Church which may fall vacant. There are considerable difficulties in the way of the practical working of this scheme, but these the Committee hope, by the co-operation of friends in the several colonies, to surmount, and thus to make provision for a more regular and prompt supply of ministers, especially to the Churches of the leading towns, than it has been possible hitherto to secure. ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND. In appointing the Rev. T. Hall, of Dublin, to the Church at St. John's, the Committee made what they were resolved should be, if unsuccessful, a final experiment. The history of the Church had for some years been extremely discouraging; and it was a question gravely entertained both by the Committee and by the leading members of the Church, whether it should not be allowed to die. It was felt undesirable, however, that we should be left unrepresented in the capital of so important a colony, especially as it was believed that the formation of the New Canadian Dominion would ultimately greatly add to its importance; and the Committee therefore resolved to make one more effort. In that effort they believe they were Divinely guided. In their latest communication from the Church, there are incorporated resolutions adopted by the Church, expressing their high appreciation of Mr. Hall's ministry, after several months' experience of it, and thanking the Committee for their judicious selection. "We are sure," the deacons say, "it will give you pleasure to learn that our Sabbath and week-night services have been largely increased since Mr. The Hall's residence amongst us. children's Friday evening service, of which you have already been informed, loses none of its interest, but is still considerably on the increase; and we have an addition to the Church of fifteen members, and five more stand proposed for acceptance at next Church meeting. These are mostly from Church attendants and young persons from the congregation, but a few have joined with us who never worshipped with us before. Inside the Church we are prosperous and united, but we are sorry to say that the financial affairs of the country generally are in such a depressed condition, that our Church, as well as all other religious institutions in the colony, feel the depression exceedingly." Mr. Hall writes of his work with a modest reserve, so far as his own doings are concerned, but in the same hopeful spirit as characterises the communications of the deacons. The Committee hope that Congregationalism has entered on a new phase in St. John's, and that the Church there, which they have long fostered, and which they sought by the appointment of Mr. Hall to save from extinction, will do its part in an honourable way in promoting pure and undefiled religion in the colony. to the present state of its somewhat sparse population, or to its probable future as part of the Canadian Dominion. There was the fact, too, that the denomination had a large and commodious chapel in the city, which had for some time been let for the uses of another denomination, but which was now vacant. The Committee have great satisfaction in being able to report that successive communications from Halifax represent a steady growth and consolidation of the congregation, and hold out the prospect of gratifying ultimate success. The work to which Mr. Elliot was appointed was much more difficult than the commencement of an effort for the first time to establish a Congregational Church in the city. It is true there were in the city several families by conviction Congregationalists, and several who had been members of the former Church, but these had, as a rule, connected themselves with other Christian communities, and were actually engaged in furthering their enterprises. For a time some of these friends stood aloof, interested and friendly spectators, but wisely reluctant to commit themselves until they should be assured that the new effort was to be one worthy of Congregational principles, and likely withal to be permanent and successful. As they became by degrees satisfied on this point, they have one by one identified themselves with the new congregation; and when the Church comes to be formed, which it will be in all likelihood in a few months, it is believed that there will be few, if any, of the surviving members of the old Church who will not connect themselves with it. The Colonial Missionary Society is thus actively engaged in the work for which it was instituted, founding Congregational Churches, and providing for the preaching of the Gospel |