great truths are illustrated by his own example; he cheerfully submitted to his heavenly Father's will in his passive obedience by sufferings, unparalleled in the garden, and on the cross of Calvary, where he drank the cup of wrath to the last dregs; and in his dying agonies prayed that his murderers might be forgiven. "Forasmuch, then, as Christ has thus suffered for us in the flesh, let us arm ourselves with the same mind," for he has left us an example to follow his steps. Lastly, we have the example of all the children of God, both in Old and New Testament times. "Take my brethren," says James, "the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience under it. Behold we count them happy which endure ! Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that he is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." May we all have grace given to us to be followers of them who, through faith and patience, are now inheriting the promises.

Catworth.

J. NEWBOLD.

THE PASSING CLOUDS.

"And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds, but the wind passeth and cleansetin

them."-Job xxxvii. 21.

WE have in the passage before us a natural phenomenon, which every day's observation demonstrates to be true. We need not therefore stay to argue the point, but think we may use the fact as an illustration of the life of the Christian; and doubt not we shall be able in his experience to find something analogous, taking this as a figure,-and in doing so we think we may fairly deduce from the passage three things: 1st. That this present time (indicated by the word now) is a cloudy dispensation; 2nd. That God's light never leaves the Christian's hemisphere: although he see it not now, it is still there; 3rd. That darkness is not final, but circumstantial, for the wind passeth and cleanseth the clouds and the light is discovered.

But 1st. We learn that the present life is but a cloudy dispensation. We will not stay to ask philosophically why this is more the case in some countries than others naturally (doubtless there are reasons), nor why there may exist in different communities-yea, in individuals-much difference morally and spiritually; nor would we deny the existence of intervening agencies. But since our God hath set his glory above the heavens, we hold that all things within them and beneath them are subject to his imperial nod; therefore, looking above all secondary causes, we bail the fact that he forms the light-that he creates the darkness. Our business will, therefore, be to show that in this life the Christian is often under a cloudsometimes providentially, sometimes morally, sometimes spiritually. We call that a cloud, which, passing through our hemisphere (and bye the bye, they are all passing clouds) intercepts for the time being the light of our sun more or less. And how many such clouds does the Christian experience, while travelling through this distant country-so far removed from those celestial regions where the sun always shines in its glory, nor sin can cause a shadow! Whenever, therefore, we read of clouds, we may be sure it is in reference to men on earth; for there will be no clouds or darkness in heaven :

"There God the Sun for ever shines,
And scatters night away."

But here we have many clouds, hiding for a while the face of our Father's throne; so that sometimes, when very dense, we feel as though even our prayers cannot penetrate, and we dwell in darkness as those that have been long dead. He sometimes makes darkness his pavilion: round about him are dark waters and thick clouds of the skies; but it is a mercy to know that even the clouds are his. They are no casualties; for, as Job saith, "He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds."

And oftentimes the darkest and most cloudy dispensation has brought us the most sweet and refreshing showers of mercy, and we have sung with the poet,—

"Ye fearful saints fresh courage take:

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head."

We often, like the disciples, fear as we enter the cloud; but there is no cause for fear if Jesus be near. He may for a while hide the purpose of his grace therein; but it is only to make it better known in the end.

"The clouds are not masters, but servants: they bring

The waters, we cannot tell how,-
Reviving, refreshing, and causing a spring,
Where all things were barren just now."

But light and vapourous as are the clouds, we have no power over them. "Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion ?" Or should my enemy envy me the heavenly moisture when it falls, I exultingly ask, "Who can stay the bottles of heaven?" Job xxxviii. 37. None! blessed be God; for the power is alone his, whose are the clouds and their happy contents. Therefore it is his province alone, in his divine sovereignty, to cause it to rain upon one field, and not upon another, as it pleaseth him. Amos iv. 7. But we often find God where we least expected him. It is said that "he dwelleth in the thick clouds," and that "clouds and darkness are round about him," and that "the clouds are the dust of his feet,"-all highly figurative, we admit ; but all go to say that where we had not expected to find him, there he is; and though out of sight, is nevertheless busily engaged in promoting our welfare. And though we may not quite understand the dispensation, perhaps the cloud may sometimes be wisely ordained as a covering to contemperate the light and heat beaming from his divine majesty, making it somewhat bearable to us in our present, weak, and imperfect state of being. We are told God, of old time, often came down in a cloud; and spake to Moses and others in a cloud; and descended upon the mercy-seat in a cloud, even as a cloud overshadowed the disciples on the mount, while God spoke to them out of it, and so forth,-indicating, it may be, that sublime truth, that through the humanity of Jesus, as a temporate cloud, Deity can shed forth its glories upon our wondering vision, without consuming us with its dazzling splendour; and thus through such a heaven-appointed medium, God and man can meet and hold sweet communion with each other. (To be continued.)

The Pulpit.

TEN SERMONS

Preached at Carmel Chapel, Westbourne-street, Pimlico, by MR. JOHN STENSON, Pastor, on Lord's-day Mornings, Jan. 12, 19, 26; Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16, 1845.

(Continued from page 131.)

TEXT.-Luke xii. 12: "For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."

IV. His Godhead, as declared by things ascribed to him. 1. The creation of all things. 2. The inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. 3. The incarnation of Christ. 4. The mission of Christ. 5. The resurrection of Christ. 6. A temple

THE

VOICE OF TRUTH;

OR,

Baptist Record.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE."

IN ESSENTIALS, UNITY; IN NON-ESSENTIALS, LIBERTY; IN ALL THINGS, CHARITY.

AUGUST, 1866.

Expositions and Essays.

ON SOME ERRORS CONCERNING CHRISTIAN GIVING. COMPLAINTS are frequently made that the cause of Christ is not supported with that zeal and liberality which the followers of the Lord ought to manifest. I speak of pecuniary support, rendered entirely on the voluntary principle. Perhaps our conceptions of the nature and bearings of that principle may not be perfectly correct. At all events, it may be proper to re-consider them.

If the voluntary principle be the only true one in reference to the support of religion, it will be found, when rightly apprehended and applied, to be adequate to the necessities of the case. But it is alleged that the necessities of the case are not always met, even where the voluntary principle is firmly held. What then? Are we to abandon the principle as inadequate? or to inquire whether it be rightly or wrongly apprehended and applied? Only the latter alternative can be thought of; and that should be candidly and conscientiously attempted. Let this, then, be our task awhile,-to point out some errors which may possibly exist in connection with the pecuniary support of the cause of Christ; the existence of which may be undetected for want of thought upon the subject; and the detection of which may lead to a clearer judgment, a deeper feeling, and a more liberal action in respect of Christian giving.

First error. That the voluntary principle implies an absolute liberty to give or not to give to the cause of God. By absolute liberty is meant a freedom from authority or obligation, so that the sole rule and impulse are to be found in one's individual judgment and feeling. This view is undoubtedly correct in respect of our relation to our fellow-men; but it is as undoubtedly incorrect in respect of our relation to God. The voluntary principle warrantably revolts from the authority of man in matters of religion. But why? Just because it recognizes the supreme authority of God, an authority which will not admit of either partnership or rivalry. The gold, the silver, and the cattle, are the Lord's. His people hold under him as stewards. To him they must give account of their stewardship. Their obligation to serve the Lord comprises a devotement of a portion of their substance to his cause. No obligation can be stronger than that which binds God's people to himself, seeing that he bought them "with his own blood." Yet the service of the Lord is the loftiest and purest voluntaryism. It must be so. service of slavish fear, of ostentation, or of self-seeking, is not the service which the Lord requires or accepts. It is, in fact, not rendered to him, but to some other VOL. V.-NO. LVI., NEW SERIES.

P

The

object; not for his glory, but for some other purpose. God's service is the service of love. Love realizes, in some measure, the obligations under which the Saviour's love has laid his people. But the sense of obligation, in such a case, is not a sense of bondage. It is a realization of true freedom. Free from the curse of a broken law, free from the dominion of sin, free from the authority of man, free as Christ makes us free,we nevertheless feel that the golden chain of love binds us to the service of God, his people, and his cause. This, and this only, is the true voluntary principle. The question left to the decision of an enlightened judgment and a tender conscience is, not, shall I help in the cause of Christ or not? but, in what form, to what extent, and in what direction shall my help be rendered?

Second error. That Christian giving may warrantably be confined to that particular church or cause with which we are personally connected. Hence it is that we frequently meet with cases of neighbour and sister churches-churches of the same faith and order-near enough for fraternization, yet too distant for rivalry, in which one is sustained in affluence, while the other struggles with poverty. The writer has in his eye a case in point. Church, No. 1, gives its pastor £120 per annum ; church, No. 2, gives its pastor £45 per annum. From a knowledge of both for twenty years, I do not hesitate to express my conviction, that, in proportion to number and means, the smaller church contributes considerably more than the larger. The pastor of No. 1 has not a penny too much; but the pastor of No. 2 has pounds too little. Now the fact is unquestionable, that the larger church could, without being really burdened, increase its pastor's salary by £50 a year. Whether such an increase should be made I shall not enquire. The question for its members to consider is: seeing that they have the ability to give more towards the sustentation of the ministry than they deem their pastor to require, is it not their Christian duty to tender help to their sister church, whose pastor is labouring in poverty? The distinct existence of churches ought not to cause the isolation of churches. Herein lies the weakness of the congregational system. And yet the system is not at fault; but we, who err in the methods of maintaining it. From this error it arises that, while established interests may be well sustained, outlying districts near at hand, and vast tracts in different parts of the world, are left uncultivated, or abandoned to those who teach erroneous doctrines, and build up churches on unscriptural principles. "Brethren, these things ought not so to be."

Third error. That Christian giving may be regulated by the circumstance of actual solicitation, rather than by the ability which God has given us. Hence Christians rarely seek out for opportunities to contribute to God's cause, but wait for personal begging in some of its many forms; and not seldom yield to importunity what they deny to principle. All machinery for obtaining funds, over and above the plain and full statement of facts, argues the influence of this false principle. If the cause be good, if it need aid, if God has given me the ability to help it, why should the giving of that help be suspended upon the circumstance of personal importunity, my presence at an anniversary service, or any such like contingency. For example: an anniversary is advertised: an appeal for help is made: I believe the cause to be good, and the appeal to be warrantable: I intend to go, and to give at the last hour something occurs to prevent my attendance: as a consequence I save the amount of my contemplated contribution, and my brethren lose it. Is this right? If the cause were not good, or if I could not honestly afford to give, I should not be justified in giving, although present to hear the most eloquent of sermons, or the most urgent of appeals. But if the cause be good, if I can honestly afford to give, and if, moreover, I had actually intended to give, can an accidental occurrence discharge my obligation? If, under the influence of Christian principle, I intended to give to God's cause on any particular occasion, was not the amount I intended to give already a devoted thing? Was it not God's? "Will a man rob God?"

Fourth error. That the obligations to Christian giving may be met by a sort of general and indiscriminate beneficence, rather than by a careful and conscientious discrimination of claims and occasions. Hence Christians of different denomi

nations will fraternize on special occasions, and contribute to the maintenance of each other's institutions. This is amiable? But is it right? Perhaps such a question may startle the reader, and suggest that the writer must be a narrowminded bigot. Be it so, or be it not so, let the question itself be well considered. If I hold any distinctive doctrines, or maintain any distinctive practices, must I not deem my Christian brother, who holds contrary doctrines, or maintains any contrary practices, to be in error! Is it right for me to preach and maintain that which I deem to be error? If not, how can it be right for me to help another to preach and maintain that which I deem to be error? But some one will say: "I do not intend to support error, but to manifest brotherly kindness and charity." Be Let me suggest that brotherly kindness terminates upon the person and personal interests of my Christian brother, and not upon his doctrinal and ecclesiastical system. If my Wesleyan brother has fallen into affliction and want, let my heart be open to sympathize with him, and, if need be, my purse to aid him; but it will not thence follow that, when he is in health and vigour, I should help to pay him for preaching Arminianism.

it so.

From the error under review, it frequently arises that Christian giving is reduced to a thoughtless habit. Hence the richer man will give his annual guinea to a dozen institutions, without attempting to ascertain their relative importance and their respective claims. And hence the poorer man will throw his shilling on the plate, whether the collection be for a need of £50 or £5. Christian charity, brethren, is not a blind impulse, an unthinking habit, or an amiable latitudinarianism, but a thoughtful, discriminating, conscientious, and self-sacrificing principle.

Fifth error. That Christian giving is a necessary burden, rather than a lofty privilege. It is not denied that cases occur in which burdensome obligations are incurred in connection with the cause of God. Such cases arise from unwarranted enterprizes, legal obligations to man, unforeseen changes in circumstances, desertion of coadjutors, or some other kindred cause. Such cases are exceptional. They are placed outside the circle of pure voluntaryism. They come under the principles of honour and equity between man and man. The burdensomeness, in such cases, results from some human error or frailty, in one's self, or in another. The truth remains unaffected, that to give to the Lord's cause is a lofty privilege. Such was the royal Psalmist's conception of it: see 1 Chron. xxix. That Jehovah should accept the service of his people in a work so sublime as the extension and triumph of his kingdom, is a great condescension. "For we are labourers together with God:" 1 Cor. vii. 9. And herein he is not a hard taskmaster, gathering where he has not strawed. "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not :" 2 Cor. vii. 12. Neither is he a borrower that doth not repay: "He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again :" Prov. xix. 17. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive :" Acts xx. 35. "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver :" 2 Cor.

ix. 7.

Here we stop for the present. their principles, professions, and love and liberty on their hearts. his cause characterize their lives. Ringstead.

May God's people be stirred up to ponder well practices. May the Holy Spirit write the law of And may a warmer devotion to the Saviour and Amen.

W. KITCHEN,

THE CHRISTIAN RACE, AND THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES. THOUGHTS IN PROSE AND VERSE ON HEB. XII. 1.

By J. W. COLE, Hillmorton, Rugby.

THE words found in the first verse of the twelfth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, contain an exhortation to the believer to run the Christian race with alacrity and patience; and they also present the weary heart and the burdened