194 THE SPIRITUAL WINE-PRESS. The first tract that presents itself to our notice is entitled, "Why is God a Stranger in the Churches?" A tract by SAMUEL EASTMAN, of Latimer Chapel, Mile End. (London: Ward & Co.) This is a Lecture based upon those remarkable words in Jeremiah xiv. 7, 8. "O the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land?" &c. There may be a few small words in this powerful pamphlet which some might object to: but upon the whole, it is so wholesome, and its general tendency so good and necessary in these times, that we could gladly circulate it by thousands among our churches. In the hands of God it might do good. Of course there are set times wherein Jehovah doth especially work; there are also certain persons by whom He doth work, always to accomplish the great pur: poses of his everlasting covenant. A powerful illustration of this truth is found in The Conversion of the Infidel Blacksmith, as given on pages 23 and 24 of this little book. Mr. Eastman is contending for individual obligation and responsibility:-if-we repeat, if many such men as the Mr. K., (who is here introduced), could be found in our churches, we should more frequently see and hear of the manifest power of God in conversion. But all genuine instrumentality, as well as every instance of genuine conversion, is the special GIFT OF GOD. Oh, that these powerful instruments, and instances of genuine conversion, were a thousand-fold more frequent than they are! The following is the fact as recorded by Mr. Eastman: "In the time of a great revival in a Church and congregation, the pastor urged one of his brethren, an able, skilful lawyer, to go and converse with a scoffing infidel of their acquaintance. You know,' said he, that Mr. K. comprehends an able argument as well as any of us now, can you not go over with him, the proofs on which the Christian system rests ?' I have done that already,' said the lawyer, and he heard me through patiently, and then pounced upon my arguments like a tiger on his prey. Then he would return bitter reproaches, which made me dread to encounter him again.' One of the elders of the same Church had been also to visit the infidel, had met with a like reception, and had made similar objections to his pastor against visiting the infidel again. But on a subsequent evening he was led by the Spirit of God to wrestle before the throne, with most agonizing prayer, on that infidel's behalf. At intervals, he continued all night, presenting his case before God, and praying for his conversion, as a man would pray for a friend's life on the eve of his execution. Prayer was followed with corresponding effort, and not long afterwards, in a crowded church, Mr. K. stood up, a changed man, to relate his Christian experience! I am as a brand,' said he, 'plucked out of the burning.' The change in my views and feelings is astonishing to myself, and was brought about by the grace of God, and that unanswerable argument. It was a cold morning in January, and I had just begun my labour at the anvil in my shop, when I looked out and saw elder Bapproaching. As he drew near, I saw he was agitated; his look was full of earnestness; his eyes were bedewed with tears. He took me by the hand; his breast heaved with emotion, and with indescribable tenderness he said, 'Mr. K., I am greatly concerned for your salvation-greatly concerned for your salvation!' and he burst into tears. He often essayed to speak again, but not a word could he utter; and finding that he could say no more, he turned, walked out of the shop, and went slowly away. said I, audibly; and I stood and forgot to "Greatly concerned for my salvation,' bring my hammer down! Greatly concerned for my salvation! Here is a new argument, thought I, for religion, which I never heard before; and I know not how to answer it. Had the elder reasoned with me, I could have confounded him; but here is no threadbare argument for the truth of religion. Religion must move the soul with benevolent, holy, mighty impulses, or this man would not feel as he does. 'Greatly concerned for my salvation! It rang through my ears like a thunder-clap in a clear sky. Greatly concerned ought I to be for my own salvation,' said I. What must I do to be saved?' I went into my house, and my poor pious wife, whom I had often ridiculed for her religion, exclaimed, 'Why what is the matter with you ?' 'Matter enough,' said I, filled with agony! Matter cold morning, to tell me he is greatly concerned enough! Elder B- -has come two miles this for my salvation. What shall I do ?' advised me to go and see him. No sooner said than done; I mounted my horse and went after him. I found him alone in that same little room where he had spent the whole night in prayer for my poor soul. 'I am come,' said I to him, 'to tell you, I am greatly concerned for my own salvation.' Praised be God!' said the elder; 'It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief;' and he began at this Scripture, and preached unto me Jesus. On that some floor we knelt together and prayed; and did not separate that day till God had spoken peace to my soul. And here permit me to say, if you a poor sinner as I, you must get your qualification where the good elder did his, in your closet, and on your knees.' That converted infidel long outlived the elder, and was the means of the conversion of many." She would read the heart of such "The Gospel Cottage Lecturer" is a sixpenny pamphlet, to be issued every alternate month, from Mr. Doudney's "Bonmahon Industrial Printing School." From the slight glance we have taken of this production, we feel authorised to announce it as bidding fair to be one of the most decidedly spiritual publications of our day. It opens with three or four lectures under the heading, "JESUS ONLY." THE SPIRITUAL WINE-PRESS. "Who shall estimate the excellency of that knowledge, by which a poor, worthless sinner, is brought up out of all that he is in his own guilt and misery, and caused to sit down under the shadow of the Almighty; and there with the eye of that precious faith which worketh by love, fixed upon Jesus only-like Mary of old, who chose that good part-and with the heart filled with delight, freely to venture to call him, 'my Lord, and my God!' My Brother! my Husband! my Friend! 195 There are two features which stamp the with constantly harping upon one chord. Be writings of the GOSPEL COTTAGE LECTURER it so; my reply is this: let a condemned sinwith the deepest value, and an importance of ner-such as I have been-be brought down no small degree. The first is, the editor-into the same low place, and continue there (Mr. G. D. Doudney, the Incumbent of for many months together, even at the very Charles Chapel, Plymouth), evidently writes gates of death-in expectation-naturally, and under the influence of a personal and savoury that from the workings of inward distress in experience of the deep things of God: secondly, the soul; with nothing short of hell's eternal he labours to comfort the living family by torments before me, and with the verdict prosetting up the Lord Jesus in all the holy nounced in the court of conscience, that God's beauties, the divine perfections, and the new-justice in my eternal punishment could not be covenant relationships which he bears for his impeached. And then, let such an one havepeople. Time nor space will not now admit as I have had-under the divine anointings of of enlargement: we shall seek further ac- the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus exhibited to quaintance with this new literary friend: faith, in all the glory of his Person, 'Immanmeanwhile, we give our readers one morsel. uel God with us,' as crucified for ME, suffering Writing on "THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST," for MY sins, the Just for the unjust, that he Mr. Doudney says, might bring me to God. I say, let any poor wretch who is ready to perish,' see Jesus thus: if he does not love him-if he does not adore him—if he does not henceforth delight to speak of him only-if henceforth he does not desire earnestly to live to the praise of that grace which has made him eternally accepted in this Beloved One, I have no sympathies in But Paul knew him common with that man. thus, and Paul loved him thus. It was such a glorious sight of Christ, which made John exclaim, (Rev. i. 17), 'When I saw him, I fell "Reason may, yea, must, object to the bold at his feet as dead.' Dead to what? Dead claim, and point to the disparity of the parties; to himself, dead to the world, dead to the law, yea, perhaps pronounce it presumption, to dead to sin. Ye are dead,' says Paul, ‘and speak so freely of such relationships: but your life is hid with Christ in God.' It is this still, love and faith working together with sight of Jesus only,' that kills the soul under such excellent knowledge, will overcome all a sense of overwhelming love. Therefore says opposition, and while the dear Comforter is the apostle again, if thus dead, and ‘if ye be 'bearing witness with our spirit, that we are risen with Christ, seek those things which are the children of God,' the claim must be put above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand in, and the boundless mercy rejoiced in, that of God. Set your affections on things above, he is my Lord. And we add, let the eye of not on things on the earth.' Now, we venfaith and love once become fixed on the excel-ture to affirm, that it was just such a process, lency, glory, and divine beauty of Christ; the only in a ten thousand times enlarged deworld, the flesh, and the devil, may conspire together to draw away the affections from Christ, or set up an idol in his stead, but it shall prove utterly vain. The more faith discovers of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, the firmer will love cleave to the prize. It must be so; or we must admit that this divine love which is wrought in the renewed heart is less powerful than creature love. "What can be more monstrous than to treat the subject, as though the attracting power of Him, who is the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely,' is less than that which is every day exercised upon us by those who by nature are dear to us? "It may be inconvenient and annoying to some professors of religion to have this point pressed so closely. It will, however, be found at last, in spite of all objection, that mere natural zeal, which is ever more busy about the vineyards of others, than about one's own (vineyard, Song i. 6), [the Lord make all his dear children especially jealous upon this point], or mere doctrinal knowledge, revolving in a clear head, but accompanied by a cold, unloving heart, will prove a sadly delusive substitute for that faith which worketh by love. I know I shall be charged by many, gree, as that which we have described as wrought in ourselves, by which Paul was brought to his conclusion, to 'harp upon one chord only. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' "The Biblical Messenger and Quarterly Record." Edited by JOHN EDGAR BLOOMFIELD, minister of Salem Chapel, Meard's Court, Soho. Mr. Bloomfield has, within the last few years, become somewhat popular as a minister of the gospel. He is now desirous of rendering service to Zion in the character of an editor. The work is neatly got up; the editor's address is exceedingly brief; the contents exhibit an amount of attractive talent: but we have no doubt many improvements will be made as the work proceeds. THREE QUESTIONS: 'Am I Welcome?" "What is Christ to me?" "What am I to Him?" OH, my dear reader, consider these questions. God Almighty help you to lay them much to heart-and may answers like the following be received by you. First-"Am I Welcome?" 196 THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE. While your poor soul is urging this query, may the answer come, "FOR YOU THERE IS ROOM." "What is Christ to me?" May the answer come, "I AM THY SALVATION.' ." "What am I to Him?" May He look into thy poor soul and say, "Fear not; for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name: THOU ART MINE." If such the answers you receive, happy and holy will thy portion be, when death itself is dead. But, say you, from whence arose these questions? I found them in John Cummings' " URGENT QUESTIONS.' This industrious and enterprising Scotch minister has commenced a series of two-penny tracts. Oh, John Cumming is a right busy fellow. He works hard with his pen; and amid the multitude of his productions, there are some good things to be found. The tract before us is headed-"WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?" It is rather common-place-still, there is some good plain appeals made to men's consciences. This Scotch Doctor steers pretty clear of anything like discrimination. He speaks and writes as though men made themselves Christians, rather than plainly declaring it to be the sole work of the Eternal Spirit. The following closing paragraphs furnish a striking illustration of how Dr. Cumming deals with the Gospel-much of which is very good. Then "But, you ask, 'Is it so easy to be saved is salvation so accessible as this?' Salvation is, in one word, trustful submission to Christ as your Priest, your Sacrifice, your Prophet, your King; and that acceptance, that submission, is now or never. Every day that you reject the gospel, fits you for rejecting it more easily next day, till at last you are left to a hardened heart of unbelief. To show how easy and accessible that gospel is, hear what the Saviour says-Whosoever is athirst, let him come unto me and drink.' But you answer, 'Ah, but I am not athirst.' Well, to meet your case he says, 'If any man will, let him come unto me.'' But you answer,Ah, but I have not a willing heart.' he says,-Him that cometh unto me,'whether you be athirst, or whether you have a willing heart or not, I will in nowise cast out.' Let me remind you again of what that great man-one of the greatest men of his day -so frequently remarked; I mean Howels, of Long Acre: If you cannot go to Christ on feeling, go to Christ on principle.' That is to say, 'I do not feel my need of him, I do not feel my wants as I ought; but I am satisfied that he is the only Saviour-that I am the greatest of sinners; and therefore I go to him as I am, praying to him as he is, satisfied that 'him that cometh unto me ĺ will in nowise cast out.'' But you answer, 'Oh, but my past life stares me in the face; the leaves of memory, even in the dark, shine with the prints of past transgressions. Am I welcome? The answer is, 'He is not willing that any should perish.' 'What,' you answer, 'any?' Not certainly persecutors and murderers; for Saul was converted, and became the apostle Paul. Not idolaters, drunkards, unclean persons; 'for,' says "All God's providential dealings with you are just to bring you to think aright of Christ. The sorrow that breaks the heart till it almost bursts, the painful and keen bereavement that pierces the heart as with a spear, the bitter loss that lays you low in the dust, that grief which corrodes and gnaws the soul by its continual action, are all God's ministry bringing you into that low and lorn position in which you will ask yourself the question, What is Christ to me, and what am I to him?' And if you can be brought to accept him, to trust in him, to love him, to live for him, you will find Christianity is not a penance. The only thing one feels when one urges these things on the reader is, 'You are fact that you so press it, proves that it must pressing upon me this religion; and the very be a very painful and nauseous thing-something that human nature recoils from. Do not retain that impression. I am only trying to dislodge from your mind misconceptions errors; and to awaken within you a sense of your responsibility to God. Instead of being a nauseous thing, it is sweeter than honey life a penance after you have become a Chrisfrom the honey-comb. Instead of finding tian, you will find it a pleasure. All its losses will be light, its trials will be smoothed, below you will taste the earnest of the sweet its heaviest burdens removed, and in life fruits that are to be gathered from the tree of life that grows above. And when life's long journey is finished, and the valley of the shadow of death opens out its dark and its lengthy vista, you will find that that valley has been trodden by holy feet before you— that he has left in its darkest place a joyous lamp; and when you have descended into its blackest depths, it will only be to begin the joyous ascent of the mount that brings you where your God is, because Christ's God; and where your Father is, because Christ's Father." THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE. LORD, heal my soul, and hear my cry, Cheer up my fainting spirit, Lord; Give me a little of that love That sweetens every ill : When this sad scene is o'er and past, Memorials of Departed Saints. DEATH has indeed appeared in our midst in, intelligence of the happy departure of the its dreadful, as well as in its most delightful characters. The cholera has again been suddenly removing a great multitude from the mansions, the busy strects, and the cottages of our land; among them not a few of the members of our churches have passed home to glory. As far as man is concerned, this is truly a changing, a dying, a sinful world: "But there's a nobler rest above :" ANOTHER MINISTER GONE HOME. THE LATE THOMAS BELGRAVE. Lord's dear children, and especially of his own servants, is generally so illustrative of the faithfulness of God, and so encouraging to those of us who are, for a little while, left behind, that we do not think our readers will be displeased with us for collecting together the following valuable records. May the Lord, by these solemn dispensations, and by the out-pouring of his Spirit, stir up our and into that rest, (since our last was pub-churches, and give fresh energy to our paslished,) it has pleased the Lord to remove the tors, that while we live, we may labour for deeply respected Pastor of Cave Adullam, his glory; and when we die, may David's Stepney, and other choice saints, as the follow- happy experience be ours, as recorded in ing pages will shew. "It has been the cus- Psalm xxiii. 4, "Yea, though I walk,” &c. tom, (says a venerable biographer,) of both ancient and latter times, to commend to posterity the eminent grace bestowed upon the saints who have departed. Famous are those (To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel.) panegyric orations made at the tombs of the DEAR BROTHER.-Grace, mercy, and peace Martyrs in the primitive times; when as their be with you, &c. Your practice, I know, is persecuting emperors, priding themselves in to seize on any circumstance that may trantheir lamentable deaths, have left no other spire, whose tendency may be of an instructive or informatory character, or otherwise, noise behind them, than the loud and long-profitable to such of the family of God into continued cries of spilling their innocent blood. Memorable also are the funeral orations of the two Gregories, Nyssed and Nazianzen on Basil the great and in latter times, Melancthon and Camerarius wrote the life of Martin Luther; Junius the life of Ursine; Beza the life of Calvin; Antonius Faius the life of Beza; Josias Simler the life of Peter Martyr; and D. Humphrey the life of our most renowned Jewell. This manner of honouring the saints is warranted by God's own example, who (for ought is revealed to us,) took order for Moses burial, digged his grave, covered him with molds, and made for him that excellent funeral sermon expressed in the first chapter of Joshua; and that all-wise God, who sweetly disposeth of all things, thinks it needful thus to grace his own people, that he may hereby uphold their spirits amid those many pressures, scornes, reproaches, cruel mockings, and innumerable other temptations which befall them in this lower world." Our Obituary this month occupies much more space than we know how to spare; but Vol. X.-No. 116.-Sept. 1854. whose hands the EARTHEN VESSEL may come. become an imitator of this your practice; and I will, with your permission, for once for the information of your numerous readers, request the insertion of the following account of the late Mr. Thomas Belgrave, a brother beloved in the Lord, and for many years a preacher of the gospel of the grace of God, to numbers of those amongst whom the VESSEL is extensively circulated; and by very many of these he was held in the highest estimation; and no doubt all such will long cherish suaded, that since it has pleased God to call a fond remembrance of him; and I feel perhim from the scene of action and useful labor of conflict and trial on earth to his heavenly inheritance, some short narrative of the solemn event cannot fail to be acceptable to those who, while here, knew and loved PETER CHAPLIN. him. Your's truly, ""Tis to the praise of grace we speak, Though of a dying saint we tell." I have been told that "the rose of Sharon" emitted a fragrance so powerful, that even the clods of earth which lay beneath it became tinctured with its odour. This may, or may not be true; but this we know to be truethat he who lives in the midst of sweet perfumes, cannot avoid carrying some of the fragrancy about with him, go whither he will; so he who lives near to the "Rose of Sharon," and knows the name of Christ to be K as ointment poured forth, and lives in intimate" And he led them forth by the right way," communion with him, cannot fail to have &c. God owned his testimony, by giving his spirit deeply tinctured with it. This him a seal of his approval in the conversion spirit and temper formed, through grace, one of one who remains to this day. Previous of the leading characteristics of the late to his becoming a member of the church in Thomas Belgrave, who, in conversation, was Alie Street, he occasionally occupied that pulgrave without sourness, pious without affecta- pit, and was at all times well received by tion, warm and zealous without enthusiasm, that people. During a period of four years affectionate without fawning, free and open he preached the afternoon lecture in that without ostentation, steady and firm in the place. As a minister, his style was methodgreat principles of Christianity, without ical, but lively and attractive; and his bigotry. sermons contained, not words only, but thoughts-thoughts about Jesus, and salvation for all who wanted it. When not engaged in preaching, he was to be found in the Sabbath School, or engaged in domicilary visitation, amongst the sick or dying. was he employed until within a few evenings of his decease. He was the son of eminently pious parents, members of the church under the pastorate of the late Mr. Upton, of Blackfriars, and was in early life called to know and fear the Lord. His own account of his conversion was, That one day, while bathing, he got into deep water, and death appeared inevitable; but it was so, that he was rescued by a companion as he was sinking the third time. This interposition of an all-wise Providence, became the means of leading him to serious reflection upon those things which relate to an eternal world; and was God's method of calling him to a knowledge of himself. It appears that some considerable period elapsed before he became united to any section of the one church. He was at length, however, led to do so, from the following circumstance-viz., being one Sabbath an observer of the administration of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and having along with him his son-a mere child, who, as they were returning home, interrogated his father concerning the signification of the above ordinance. Having received a reply, the child enquired further-Why do some partake, and others not? The reply was, Only good people partook of that ordinance. "But are you not good, father?" asked the child. "I hope I am," replied the father. "Then why do not you partake, father?" The father was led to consider; and afterwards joined himself to the church under the pastorate of the late Mr. Stoddart, of Mulberry Gardens Chapel. He soon became distinguished as a zealous and indefatigable servant of God; for wherever there was anything to be done, that was worth doing, there was he-especially in the Sabbath School. Thus A few days previous to his death he was poorly, but only took to his bed on Tuesday, the 25th instant, on which day he had an attack of diarrhoea; and on Thursday, the 27th, he was gathered to his fathers. Not many hours before his departure, he was visited by his pastor, to whom he observed, that he thought his work on earth was nearly completed; at the same time observing,— 66 All is right." He observed further to his pastor, "Should you feel disposed, after my decease, to say anything about me, let it be from those words, Phil. i. 21, For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain." He knew their meaning, and said, that his sweetest moments had been while preaching the gospel of the grace of God; but on no occasion had his enjoyments been greater than on the last Sabbath but one previous to his death; on which day he supplied the pulpit at Seven Oaks, in Kent, (Mr. Shirley's), and now, in the prospect of death, he felt no desire, unless it were his Lord's will for him to continue to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ-fully understanding the signification of the text, "For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain." He was interred in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery, on Tuesday, the 22nd instant, and on the following Sabbath evening the above words formed the basis of a funeral discourse by Mr. Dickerson; after which, a short memoir of the departed was read, in which some of the above particulars were embodied. Not plucked, but gathered by the hand of love, He was now a member of an Independent Church; at the same time being persuaded that the ordinance of believers' baptism, by" immersion, was of Divine institution. He As tender fruit, or fragrant lilies are; KENT. sought the administration of that sacred rite at the hands of the before-named Mr. Upton, who consented to baptize him, on condition that should he ever leave the church under Mr. Stoddart, he would cast in his lot with the Baptists. This he promised to do, and so THE LATE WILLIAM IRVING, received the administration of that ordinance. He was true to his promise. It is now about twelve years since the writer of the foregoing particulars heard him narrate the same before the little church in Alie Street, (Mr. Dickerson's), with which church he continued till death; and both as minister and deacon, he lived in the affections of the people. It is now about twenty years since he preached his first sermon in Mr. Stoddart's pulpit. It was from that text-Psa, cvii. 5 OF WANTAGE, BERKS. MY DEAR MR. EDITOR. Knowing you are always willing to allow the dead to speak through your magazine, I therefore forward to you the following paper, which was written by our esteemed friend, Mr. William Irving, of Wantage, Berks. One well known to yourself, and to many others of our ministerial brethren, as the nursing father of the little Baptist Church in that town; one whose heart |