Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1. From and after the thirtieth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, every authority having power to impose or levy any rate upon the occupier of any building or part of a building used exclusively as a Sunday School or Ragged School may exempt such building or part of a building from any rate for any purpose whatever which such authority has power to impose or levy: Provided that nothing in this Act contained shall prejudice or affect the right of exemption from rating of Sunday or Infant Schools, or for the charitable education of the poor in any churches, district churches, chapels, meeting-houses, or other premises, or any vestry rooms belonging thereto, or any part thereof, by virtue of an Act passed in the third and fourth years of the reign of King William the Fourth, chapter thirty, intituled "An Act to exempt from poor and church rates all churches, chapels, and other places of religious worship." 2. A " 'Sunday School" shall mean any school used for giving religious education gratuitously to children and young persons on Sunday, and on week-days for the holding of classes and meetings in furtherance of the same object, and without pecuniary profit being derived therefrom. A "Ragged School" shall mean any school used for the gratuitous education of children and young persons of the poorest classes, and for the holding of classes and meetings in furtherance of the same object, and without any pecuniary benefit being derived therefrom except to the teacher or teachers employed. 3. This Act shall not extend to Ireland. 4. This Act may be cited as the " Sunday and Ragged Schools (Exemption from Rating) Act, 1869." NOTE ON THE READING CASE. In our August number we quoted from a letter by the Rev. John Aldis in explanation of the "Reasons" of objection to the ministry of the junior pastor of Broad-street Chapel, Reading, which have excited considerable surprise. In doing so our only object was to mitigate the surprise which has been felt that any Church could be found among us capable of objecting to a minister on some of the grounds set forth in the document which was laid before the Vice-Chancellor. We have striven throughout to avoid pronouncing or seeming to pronounce any judgment on the personalities involved in the late unhappy controversy. And in this spirit we cheerfully accede to the request of the Rev. S. C. Gordon to publish a few words of explanation on his side. Mr. Gordon has addressed a long letter to the Berkshire Chronicle in reply to Mr. Aldis's letter. The following extract will be sufficient for the vindication of his personal honour : "The so-called jottings were read [at the deacon's meeting] exactly as I found them in MS. three days afterwards, without anything being added in the way of comment, expansion, or explanation. . . This very MS. was, to my own knowledge, exhibited to two Congregational ministers in the town, and found its way to me, and was in my possession for three whole days. According to a promise I made, I did not make a copy of it, but I made use of it in securing the substantial accuracy of a memorandum report which I made immediately after leaving the deacon's meeting. The printed objections do not profess to be exact verbal renderings of the MS. copy, and may not occur in quite the same order; but I contend that they are one and the same in substance and spirit, though different in form, and I CHALLENGE THE AUTHOR TO DISPROVE THE TRUTH OF THIS BY PRODUCING THE MS. I feel as if I could risk my moral reputation upon their substantial agreement and identity." Mr. Gordon goes on to say that the eight objections were read by him exactly as printed in March, 1868, at a meeting of the whole Church, and no one, not even the deacons who heard the original only a few days before, questioned their correctness. So far as to the matter of personal honour. But happily it still remains true that the " objections" referred to, were not adopted by the Church as their own. And we are left to hope that even the author of the paper of objections could not object to Mr. Gordon's sermons that " they set up too high a standard of Christian life," except in the sense explained by Mr. Aldis, that "the descriptions of Christian character were too much idealised, and therefore too remote from the practical and experimental-a defect frequently charged on the ministrations of young pastors, and alleged substantially by John Foster against the sermons of Robert Hall." EDITOR. HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Quarterly Record. WHEN Jesus sent out His first disciples to preach the Gospel He told them to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." What could Jesus mean by giving such advice? Is there anything in the natural history of the serpent which teaches wisdom, or anything in the natural history of the dove which teaches the harmlessness of life? Let us see. The serpent, when attacked, coils itself up to preserve its heart as the seat of life-this is wisdom: the serpent when it hears music can shut up its ears, so that the serpent-charmer fails in his purpose "let him charm never so wisely "-this also is wisdom; and when the serpent finds its vision getting dim it will rub its eyes with the fennel-plant, so common in the East; and this is a sagacious act. Now what could be more necessary for the disciples of Christ, when going forth as evangelists, than to be careful of their heart, as the seat of their spiritual life? What more needful than to shut their ears to the pleasures of sense? and what could be more wise than to keep their eyes clear by contact with the truth as it was given them by Jesus? Add to this the well-known fact, that the serpent when a storm approaches hides itself in the crevice of the rock; and also, it is said, expels the poison from its system before it can enjoy its food; and you have practical lessons for evangelists of great value; they are to be "in malice children; yet in understanding men ;" and in times of trial and trouble find safety in "the Rock of Ages," and have their life hid "with Christ in God." Like the dove they were also to be select and pure in their walk and conversation, never rendering "evil for evil," but always seeking to 66 overcome evil with good." Thus qualified, Christ's disciples went forth as lambs amongst wolves," and, having received power over unclean spirits, devils were obedient to them in the name of Christ. Thus qualified, our evangelist, to be successful now, must also be endued "" with power from on high," and with this power Satan will yet fall like "lightning from heaven." To be able to record the conversion of more than a thousand souls by the varied instrumentality of this Society during the past year is proof that God is with us; but this year we seek a larger measure of success, and by the Divine blessing we shall obtain it. Let us then "have faith in God." Let the Churches unite in fervent earnest prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and let it suffice to encourage such faith, and prayer, and effort, that we now call attention to what follows, as given from the journals of the agents of the Society, of work done during the quarter which has just closed. A GOOD WORK AMONG THE YOUNG. The Lord's work is still going on among our young people. Ever since the year commenced there has been a spirit of inquiry existing among many of them, and special meetings have been held. Now some of the fruits are appearing almost every month. Last Sunday week, after the ublic services, I invited a young man, whom I had watched for some time, to come into our house, for private conversation and prayer; and on Friday last he and his companion came to inform me that they had found the Lord, and could rejoice in His salvation. It was delightful to see them so full of the new life and new joy, and very earnest for the salvation of others. Last evening those two were received into Church fellowship, making the number of young men recently received five. The members of the Church feel quickened and cheered by these tokens of the Divine presence, and determined to seek for greater blessings. One of the elder scholars lately brought to Jesus said to me last evening, "Sir, we must have the whole of our class for Christ." May the Lord grant that such precious fruit may be given us ! THE WORK LABORIOUS, BUT SUC CESSFUL. The Lord has set His seal to our work by the conversion of souls. At C a young man has been called, who had been trained in drunkenness and vice, and who previously spent his Sabbaths at the public-house, and He gave promise of a godless life. was induced to attend the Bible-class, and has now been received into the Church. At W C there has been a gradual work going on, a spirit of inquiry has been aroused in many minds, and the prospects are exceedingly hopeful. We are now pushing our work here by visitation, open-ai preaching, and prayer-meetings, and trust to gather in precious fruit to the Redeemer's kingdom. Our Sabbathschools are doing exceedingly well, and our Bible-classes are well attended, our day-school at C-increases, and we are about to remodel the one at W. Our work is often hard and difficult. Sometimes there are sad reverses and bitter disappointments. It is painful to witness the amount of Sunday drinking we have here, and also the sexual vice which stains these rural populations. A great work lies around us, and we pray for grace and strength to prosecute our labours aright, and to abound yet more and more. 66 THE DYING FARMER." A farmer living about two miles from here has just passed away, to whom my visits have been very useful. He was always a moral man, and a kind neighbour; but when we have said that we have said all. True, he used to attend his parish church generally once a day; but up to the time of his illness, now about a year and ten months ago, he was an utter stranger to vital godliness. I had sometimes called at the house before his illness, and was always treated kindly by him, as well as by the family; but it was not till his illness that I could prevail on him to enter on religious conversation. But from the very commencement of his illness all his past objections were removed; and for many months he has desired to hear of nothing else. I am the only person who has ever attended him as a minister. It is true that the clergyman has called three times. The first time to buy some corn; the second to inquire, and ask for his vote at the election of a member for North Devon; and the third time to offer the sacrament. He sold him the corn, refused to vote for a Conservative, and declined to receive the sacrament at his hands; and from that time he ceased to visit him. I have gone once, twice, and thrice a week, as his illness has increased, or my time would allow up to the day before his death. On the Tuesday, as he died on the following Saturday, among many other good things which he said was the following: "I am now passing away. I shall soon be absent from the body, and present with the Lord. We shall soon be separated, but only for a little while we shall meet again. I shall go first, resting on the one great work of Christ; and, please God, when your time comes to go I will come as far as ever I can to meet you, and then we shall be together again for ever. When I am gone do not forsake my wife and children (ten-seven sons and three daughters). Come as usual, and then they will have some one to talk to. Do come, for my sake. I am all right—all right. I long to be gone." The day before he died I saw him, and found him only just alive. I did not think him at all conscious. A gentleman-farmer was with him (from a distance). I proposed prayer, as the only thing we could do for him, saying "He will be benefited, though he may not know what we do." We knelt by his bedside, and I prayed; and I had not risen from my knees when he stretched out his thin hand, and said, "O thank you, thank you, Mr. W- Do come again, and come soon. God bless you." These were his last words to me. I saw him not again till he was in his coffin. I attended his funeral by his own request. May God sanctify this to his widow and family! But for the Home Missionary Society, in all human probability, he would have died ignorant of himself, and of Christ. Oh, how many will that great day disclose, who will attribute their salvation to the untiring efforts of that Society! NUMEROUS ADDITIONS. Since I last wrote we have received eight persons to Church-fellowship, seven of whom are from the world. Some of them are remarkable cases of conversion. Among them are a man and his wife, who have long lived a godless life. One Sabbath-night, late, I was aroused by a loud knocking at the door of our honse-there stood the husband, pale and trembling, requesting me to come and see his wife, who was writhing under the agony of conviction for sin. They had both been in the house of God during the day, had both retired to bed, but could not rest. I put on my clothes, and went to the cottage, and supplemented a long Sabbath-day's labour by instructing them, and praying with them. Since then, under constant training, they have gone on; and now believing them really to have given themselves to the Lord, we have received them among His people. Another is the wife of that desperate man converted and brought into the fold sometime since. His changed and now godly life in connection with the Word has savingly influenced her. The others have long felt much, but did not reveal the state of their minds -though I had a strong impression, and accordingly reported my belief, that there were those among us who were "not far from the kingdom of God." I hope to be able to speak yet of similar cases. 66 OLD BLIND JOE." The report for the past quarter is brief but encouraging, a considerable and very marked improvement has taken place in the attendance, and a greater desire to hear the Word of God is manifested than has been for some time past. For twelve or eighteen months we have had a most depressing season; but I think there are more signs of truer life, and more and more hopeful and vigorous advance than heretofore. One death has occurred during the quarter, which may be remarked. A poor blind man, known for many miles around by the name Old Blind Joe," came to reside here in the beginning 66 of the present year. He was a good singer and musician, and was accustomed to gain a living by visiting places of public resort, and attending summer excursion parties, to enliven them with his musical skill. He also for many years performed the duty of "waits," perambulating the streets on Christmas-eve, and accompanied his fine resonant tenor voice on the violin, or accordion, or harmonium, until the last two Christmas-tides. The sentiments of his songs, however, were by no means in harmony with the sacred associations of the season; but on a remonstrance and explanation of the reasons for sacred joy at Christmas he changed his theme, and was accustomed to make the streets reecho with the well-known sacred melodies and hymns, in which are embodied the most soul-awakening thoughts connected with the advent of our Lord. When he took up his abode at W Joe commenced attending my ministry, and ultimately became assistant organist. This attached him to the place, and very pleasing it was to observe the rapt attention which he paid to all parts of the service. I shall never forget his face, beamingas only the faces of the blind beamwith deep interest in the thoughts to which he was listening. Sir," said he to me one day, "these prayers and sermons do me more good than my breakfast. I had rather come to chapel at any time without my breakfast than lose one of them." By God's blessing he obtained a clear knowledge of the truths of the Gospel, and I cherished the hope that he would ere long become a shining Christian. The full evidence of this, however, I was not permitted to see. After playing for us on the Sabbath he was seized with an illness which kept him mostly in a state of unconsciousness, and terminated fatally on the night |