When we look over our globe, with its moving mass of human beings, we are reminded of the lines of Crabbe: "Here with an infant joyful sponsors come, Then bear the new-made Christian to his home. A few short years, and we behold him To ask a blessing, with his bride in hand. Such is life. The great thing is to We would still keep before the minds of our brethren the annual meeting. We are in a position now to state that many chapels have been placed at the disposal of the Committee on June 6th, for sermons for the Association. If our country brethren come up in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace, there will be congregations in various parts of London to welcome and listen to them. But we know not what a day may bring forth. There are registered on our pages for January and February the deaths of fourteen of our members or our members' wives. It is possible that some of us, who are calculating on meeting our friends below, may be called in the interim to join our friends above. Mutual-Aid Association Reporter. GENERAL COMMITTEE. Present: Brothers Plant (chair), Prayer was offered by the Honorary Secretary. The minutes were read and confirmed. The monthly abstract showed 5 members dead and 1 wife, 63 sick members, and 94 annuitants. The total receipts through local committees were £1,736 1s. 6d., and the total payments £1,503 5s. 6d. The Honorary Secretary reported that W. M'Arthur, Esq., M.P., had consented to take the chair at the annual public meeting, King's Cross Chapel, June 7th. Brothers Durley, Sims, Salisbury, and others reported progress in the arrangements for sermons and accommodation required. After some consideration, all final determinations were left to next meeting, the brethren to assemble at 3 p.m. precisely for that purpose. The Treasurer reported that he had been informed of a legacy of £100, left by the late John Whalley, Esq., of Stockton-on-Tees. Letters were read and determined upon from Rotherham, Coventry, Grantham, and Bristol. Brother W. L., of C., applied for help. He is 69 years old, has been a preacher for fifty years. Has struggled to earn his bread as a travelling tinker and hawker, but has only managed to earn about 4s. or 5s. a week, on the average. He is now assailed with rheumatism, has lost his wife, has one son living in Manchester, who will find a home for him, but is not able to support him entirely. It was resolved that he have three shillings per week. There was a conversation on magazine affairs; and the Secretary was instructed to make an estimate of the cost of printing all Association matters in the magazine, and lay the same before the annual meeting. Several Union matters were settled; and after prayer by Brother Durley, the brethren separated. The next meeting will be at Brother Creswell's, Prospect House, Mitcham, on Wednesday, 12th May, at three o'clock. DIED. March 15, 1869. Daniel Sumner, of Walsall, aged 61. Claim £6. He has left a delightful testimony of the life and death of a Christian. March 24, 1869. Charles Smith, of Derby, aged 51. Claim £6. His end was peace. Then, failing to conquer, with passionate cry, He quivers his lips, keeps a tear in his eye; And so wins the battle, this wise little thing, He knows the world over that Baby is King. ERATO. Phenomena of the Months. MAY. In THE increase of temperature during this month is, on the average of fifty years, greater than that of any of the spring and summer months. March and April have each an increase of five degrees; May, seven degrees; June, only four; July, only a variation of two. There is thus a certain average increase of heat during the year, up to the middle of July. May the average rises from 50 degrees on the 1st, to 56 and 57 degrees on the last two days; there being nine days at 51 degrees; seven days at 52 degrees; two at 52; three at 54; four at 55; four at 56; and one at 57 degrees. There was less rain in May last year by four-fifths of an inch than the average of the previous seven years. Daylight increases during the month one hour and twenty-five minutes, that is, forty-three minutes in the morning, and forty-two minutes in the evening. The sun rises on the 1st at thirty-five minutes after four, and sets at nineteen minutes after seven; on the 15th it rises at twelve minutes after four, and sets at nineteen minutes before eight; and on the 31st it rises at eight minutes before four, and sets at one minute past eight. The moon is new on the 11th at seven minutes after four in the afternoon, and full on the 25th at twentythree minutes after three in the afternoon. On the first Sunday it does not rise until after midnight; on the second Sunday it sets at five in the afternoon; on the third Sunday it sets a little after midnight; on the fourth Sunday it rises at ten minutes after five in the afternoon, and sets at a quarter past three in the morning; and on the fifth Sunday it does not rise until midnight. The moon is near to Jupiter on the 10th; to Venus on the 11th; to Mercury on the 12th; to Uranus on the 15th; to Regulus and Mars on the 18th; and to Saturn on the 26th. The spectacle of the moon passing Mars and Regulus on the 18th from 9.45 to 10.45 in the evening will be exceedingly interesting. Regulus will be occulted for a few minutes after ten o'clock. Mercury rises in daylight, and is an evening star, On the 26th it sets two hours and nine minutes after the sun-the greatest interval between their times of setting that occurs during the present year. Mercury may be favourably observed on fine evenings between the 19th and 31st. Venus becomes an evening star after the 11th, and sets thirty-three minutes after the sun on the 31st. Mars continues to set after midnight, and is near to Regulus all the month. Jupiter is a morning star, and sets in daylight. Saturn rises a few minutes after ten o'clock in the evening of the 1st, and as the sun sets on the 31st. Passing Ebents. THE great event of the month, politically, and perhaps religiously, has taken place. This country, by its representatives, has declared, by a majority of 120, that the Irish Church shall be disendowed and disestablished. There is the fact. What obstructions the bill may meet with in committee remains to be seen. What may be its fate in the House of Lords cannot be predicted with any certainty. The Christian, however, can afford to wait, with the assurance that "The Lord reigneth." Though much less in importance, yet the Chancellor's budget shows a breadth of view which we cannot but regard with pleasure. Any thing done which may teach the working man to exercise prudent forethought would remove half the misery which now he suffers. Heretofore, if a man wished to insure his furniture and effects against the risk of fire, he was met with a government duty heavier than the expense of the risk. Mr. Lowe proposes the remission of this duty altogether, and we thank him for it. We hope that our fellow working men will insure their property without any unnecessary delay. When we look over our globe, with its moving mass of human beings, we are reminded of the lines of Crabbe: "Here with an infant joyful sponsors come, Then bear the new-made Christian to his home. A few short years, and we behold him stand, To ask a blessing, with his bride in hand. A few still seeming shorter, and we hear His widow weeping at her husband's bier." Such is life. The great thing is to fill up life's short day well, so that the Master of the vineyard may give every one of us his penny. We would still keep before the minds of our brethren the annual meeting. We are in a position now to state that many chapels have been placed at the disposal of the Committee on June 6th, for sermons for the Association. If our country brethren come up in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace, there will be congregations in various parts of London to welcome and listen to them. But we know not what a day may bring forth. There are registered on our pages for January and February the deaths of fourteen of our members or our members' wives. It is possible that some of us, who are calculating on meeting our friends below, may be called in the interim to join our friends above. Mutual-Aid Association Reporter. GENERAL COMMITTEE. THE monthly meeting was held at Brother D. Plant's, 5, Upper Portland Place, Wandsworth Road, on Monday, April 12th. Present Brothers Plant (chair), Durley, Wade 1st, Coman, Harding, Chamberlain, Carter, Creswell, Sims, Parker, Jameson, and Salisbury. Prayer was offered by the Honorary Secretary. The minutes were read and confirmed. The monthly abstract showed 5 members dead and 1 wife, 63 sick members, and 94 annuitants. The total receipts through local committees were £1,736 1s. 6d., and the total payments £1,503 5s. 6d. The Honorary Secretary reported that W. M'Arthur, Esq., M.P., had consented to take the chair at the annual public meeting, King's Cross Chapel, June 7th. Brothers Durley, Sims, Salisbury, and others reported progress in the arrangements for sermons and accommodation required. After some consideration, all final determinations were left to next meeting, the brethren to assemble at 3 p.m. precisely for that purpose. The Treasurer reported that he had been informed of a legacy of £100, left by the late John Whalley, Esq., of Stockton-on-Tees. Letters were read and determined upon from Rotherham, Coventry, Grantham, and Bristol. Brother W. L., of C., applied for help. He is 69 years old, has been a preacher for fifty years. Has struggled to earn his bread as a travelling tinker and hawker, but has only managed to earn about 4s. or 5s. a week, on the average. He is now assailed with rheumatism, has lost his wife, has one son living in Manchester, who will find a home for him, but is not able to support him entirely. It was resolved that he have three shillings per week. There was a conversation on magazine affairs; and the Secretary was instructed to make an estimate of the cost of printing all Association matters in the magazine, and lay the same before the annual meeting. Several Union matters were settled; and after prayer by Brother Durley, the brethren separated. The next meeting will be at Brother Creswell's, Prospect House, Mitcham, on Wednesday, 12th May, at three o'clock. DIED. March 15, 1869. Daniel Sumner, of Walsall, aged 61. Claim £6. He has left a delightful testimony of the life and death of a Christian. March 24, 1869. Charles Smith, of Derby, aged 51. Claim £6. His end was peace. Original Essays. THEOLOGY; NATURAL AND BIBLICAL. CHAPTER VI.-THE HOLY SPIRIT. It has been said that each of the glorious persons in the Trinity has His own peculiar work to perform in nature and grace. And why may this not be the case? If we look back to the day of creation, we read, " And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (Gen. i. 2.) It does appear that the Holy Spirit is the great Agent to produce order from chaos. "The earth was without form." The Spirit brought order out of this confusion. The earth was "void." The Spirit not only produced order but beauty. The earth, when man was placed on it, was fitted up for his reception by the ever blessed Spirit, with all things necessary for his use, and pleasant to his sight. Let us listen to that memorable discourse which the Lord Jesus delivered to his disciples; rendered more memorable by the fact that it was his last, before he was separated from them. In that discourse He comforts them with the assurance that they shall not be left orphans. His place is to be filled by another. One with equal power and equal will is to be in future both their Companion and Comforter. "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John xiv. 16, 17.) In this account of His successor, our Lord designates Him, "The Comforter, the Spirit of Truth;" and points out further His spiritual nature, as though He had said, The Spirit who is to succeed me will not be clothed with a body, such as I have. His essence, as His name implies, is purely spiritual; and hence, He will not only be with you, but will be in you. No one questions the divinity of the Father. The eternal relation in which the Son stands to the Father entitles Him" to think it not robbery to be equal with God." And as the Spirit proceedeth from both the Father and the Son, He too is divine. I cannot see the force of the argument which rests the divinity of the Spirit upon this procession, as it is termed. There are other reasons and proofs of His divinity in the scriptures which have, I think, tenfold the weight of this. The personality of the Holy Spirit has been questioned; He has been spoken of as an influence only. Turning once more to our Lord's introduction of Him to His disciples; the personal pronoun is used no less than eighteen times by Christ (John xiv. xv. xvi.), as though He intended to settle this truth beyond the possibility of successful contradiction. Hence, He is called the Comforter and the Spirit of Truth: "He," JUNE, 1869. VOL. XIX. M says Christ," shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance: He will guide you into all truth." The personality of the Spirit being settled by the teaching of our Lord, we have to adduce proofs of His divinity. "JEHOVAH is the incommunicable name of God, and it imports underived, independent, and immutable existence. The Spirit is called JEHOVAH : compare Exodus xvii. 7, with Heb. iii. 9; compare, again, Isaiah vi. 8-10 with Acts xxviii. 25; compare, once more, Jer. xxxi. 31-34 with Heb. x. 15-17. The passages are too long to be quoted; but in them what is spoken by JEHOVAH in the prophet is said by the apostle to have been spoken by the Holy Ghost."-Dick's Theology, vol. ii. 146, 147. The Holy Spirit is called God, and has the attributes of God ascribed to Him. In that awful judgment which fell upon the liars, recorded in Acts v., Peter says to Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Paul says, 1 Cor. iii. 16, "Know ye not, that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" and again, 1 Cor. vi. 19, “What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?" As Solomon's temple, at its dedication, was filled with the divine presence, so may the believer be filled with the Holy Ghost, and thus filled with light and purity, becomes a temple of God. The Holy Spirit has ascribed to Him the attributes which belong only to God; He is ETERNAL. The apostle Paul, Heb. ix. 14, says, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God!" OMNIPRESENCE is a natural attribute of God. "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there: if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Psalm cxxxix. 7-10.) This sublime passage, which ever has been admired, is conclusive that the Spirit is everywhere, filling all space, and comprehending in His immensity every created object. He is also OMNISCIENT. "The Spirit," says Paul," searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor. ii. 10.) "The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." (1 Cor. ii. 11.) The Spirit is OMNIPOTENT is obvious, inasmuch as with the Father and the Son He is actively engaged in the work of creation, and, as I have already observed, it appears to have been His peculiar province to create order and beauty. This fact, as far as my reading has extended, has not been noticed by theological writers. Chaos is brought into order by His controlling power. What splendour meets the contemplative gaze on a starlight night, when we see the moon walking in her brightness ! "By His Spirit God hath garnished the heavens." (Job xxiii. 13.) |