to fix the truth on the popular mind. Some will pass from the verse to the prose, others from the prose to the verse; and it is impossible for any one to read these duplicate essays thoughtfully without receiving salutary impressions from the exercise. Mr. Shorthouse appears to be a well-informed man as well as a sound divine.

Footprints of Jesus. By the Rev. GEORGE A. ROGERS, M.A. Wertheim, Macintosh, & Co.

THIS is a valuable series of Essays on a dozen well-selected topics. Everything is clear, short, and scriptural, much fitted alike to impress, instruct, and edify.

Decision and Consistency exemplified and honoured in the History of Daniel and his Three Friends. By T. COLEMAN. Judd & Glass.

WE estimate this volume at a very high price. It presents by far the most striking, luminous, and instructive illustration of the main points of the precious prophecy of Daniel anywhere to be found. It is really a book for all ranks and conditions of men, entitling its author to special consideration.

The Successful Merchant. By WILLIAM ARTHUR, A.M. Hamilton & Co.

WE have here one of the most valuable books of our times, presented in a form

and sold at a price which bring it within the easy reach of the million. While one of the finest of the many fine things done by Mr. Arthur, it is alike acceptable to the peasant and the peer. We are by no means astonished that it has already run through the enormous mass of seventeen editions, comprising forty-two thousand copies! If there be many evil omens in the horizon, there are also some good; and such a sale for such a work we deem among the best

of them.

A Plea for the Ways of God towards Men. Being an Attempt to Vindicate the Moral Government of the World. By WILLIAM FLEMING, D.D. T. & T. Clark. THIS is a work of great power on an allimportant subject. The author occupies a high place among the Scottish Universities, and nothing more is required than this volume to demonstrate his special fitness. He discourses of Evil, in all its aspects, with as much clearness, perhaps, as is attainable in such a theme; and if he has left some questions still unanswered, he must be allowed to have excelled all his predecessors in the matter of simplification, of analysis, and in a successful endeavour to harmonize philosophy with theology. The book is a rare performance, and we hesitate not to predict for it a high cele brity, not with the million, but in the republic of educated men.

papers read, it appeared that the congregation originally came from Philip Street, Kingsland Road, and consisted, at the time of the Rev. C. Dukes's settlement among them in 1838, of about twenty persons. No direct action was taken to erect a new chapel till 1846, when the late John Morley, Esq., his sons Samuel and John Morley, Esqs., H. Rutt, Esq., and other esteemed friends at Hackney and Clapton, came to the aid of the little flock at Philip Street, and, after three preliminary meetings, a permanent building committee was formed. A tender to erect the chapel and two school-rooms for £2,739 (exclusive of

gas and other fittings, and external fences) was accepted. The first stone was laid on February the 2nd, 1847, and the sanctuary was opened for public worship by the Rev. J. Parsons, of York, on the 25th of August following. The total cost was £3,500, £2,000 of which was paid up to the opening, and the remainder borrowed on mortgage. A liquidating fund was established in 1848, which realized to May, 1857, £1,096 10s. It was then deemed advisable to pay off the remaining balance of £403 10s. within the year. The appeal was liberally responded to, and pastor and people rejoiced with each other that the Great Head of the Church had crowned their efforts with such success. In things spiritual they had prospered as well as in things temporal, the pastor stating that 835 persons had joined the church since his settlement at Philip Street. The day-schools, which are selfsupporting, contain 104 boys and 78 girls; school fees varying from 6d. to 1s. per week. The progress the Sunday-school has made was shown from the fact that, in

1818, there were only 36 teachers and 253 scholars on the books, these numbers continuing to increase, till, in the present year, there are 70 teachers and 740 scholars. Each year has witnessed an accession to the church from the ranks of the senior classes, and it is believed the present will prove more fruitful. Two facts, we think, deserve special consideration,-first, that the school-room in which the meeting was held was built at a cost of nearly £800, and paid for while the chapel debt was pressing upon the people; second, that the congregation has raised for all objects during the last ten years more than £11,000. The case altogether is the most interesting of the kind that has occurred in the metropolis during the present generation.

ASH, NEAR ALDERSHOT CAMP.--The new place of worship here is now opened for Divine service. The sermon was preached by the Rev. R. W. Betts, of Peckham, in the afternoon from John iii. 3. In the evening a public meeting was held, the Rev. R. Ashton presiding. The Rev. E. Bromfield gave a brief statement of the movement which led to the erection of the building. The meeting was addressed by the Revs. R. W. Betts, J. Ketley, H. Kiddle, Mr. W. A. Ersery, and Mr. Skitter. The Revs. W. H. Jackson and H. W. Butcher took part in the arrangements of the day. J. W. Wilson, Esq., Ash Common, gave a financial account. Total cost of erection, about £250; amount already collected and promised, about £200. The thanks of the meeting were given to the Surrey Mission Society for sending ministers to preach the Gospel in the neighbourhood; to the Christian Instruction Society, for the loan of its commodious tent in the autumn of last year; to Mr. Holderness, the superintendent of the Ash Church Railway Station, for the use of the Company's warehouse for Divine service until the building should be erected; to J. R. Mills, Esq.,. for the generous gift of the ground and a donation to the building fund; to the Rev. E. Bromfield, J. W. Wilson, Esq., and others, for collecting funds; to the contributors; to the building committee; and also to Mr. J. Souter, for the gift of the neat platform pulpit. Above all, the meeting expressed its deep gratitude to God for the mercies and success of this interesting movement. The property is in trust for the Independent denomination. From the proximity of the building to the military camp, a more important Christian movement has not been made in Surrey for many years. ECCLESFIELD, NEAR SHEFFIELD.- -This church has been united with the churches at Grenoside and Oughtibridge, and a pastor obtained over them, which arrange ment was effected principally by the assis

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tance of the Sheffield Village Preachers' Society. On Monday, the 25th of January, a tea-meeting was held, when 240 persons sat down. After tea the friends adjourned to the chapel. Thomas Birks, Esq., of Bolsover Hill, presided, and addresses were delivered by the Revs. J. B. Paton, M.A. (of the Wicker Congregational church), H. Batchelor (of Nether Chapel), and John Marples (of Ecclesfield), with Robert Leader, Esq., proprietor of the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, and Messrs. Stott, Bower, M'Orea, and Daw

son.

SHREWSBURY, CASTLE GATE CHAPEL. On Wednesday evening, December 30th, 1857, a public tea meeting was held in the school-room, which was tastefully decorated with evergreens and flowers. Mr. Woodall occupied the chair, and addresses were delivered by the Rev. E. Hill, pastor of the church; Revs. J. Maysey, of Wellington, J. Lockwood, of Oswestry, H. Bennett (Primitive Methodist), L. Roberts, of Dor rington, and T. Jones, of Pontesbury, &c., &e.

In his address, the Rev. E. Hill gave a brief outline of the history of the congre gation. On the 10th of September, 1843, a number of persons, who had before worshipped in Swan Hill Chapel, met for the first time as a separate congregation, and on the 13th of December, of that year, 55 of these persons formed themselves into a Christian church. On the 25th of June, 1844, the foundation stone of the chapel was laid, and on the 4th of March, 1845, the chapel was opened. The preachers at the opening services were the Revs. Dr. Raffles, J. A. James, and Dr. Urwick. The site cost £700, and the building including the gallery, &c., £2,398. £721 has been paid as interest on moneys borrowed, so that the actual cost of the chapel has been nearly £4,000. About £400 (including £200, from one gentleman) was contributed by persons not connected with the congregation, £80 of which was collected by Mr. Hill, in Birmingham. Mr. Broomhall, then residing in Madras, generously offered to give £100 if the congregation would raise the remain. der of the sum required before the end of the year, 1857. This 'generous offer was accepted, and the people summoned alltheir strength for a last effort. At the meeting it was announced that the whole of the debt was paid, and that the Trea surer had a few pounds in hand. During the last 14 years, £7,000 has been raised by the church and congregation, and 178 persons have been received into the church. The present number of members is 125. There are in the Sabbath-school nearly 300 scholars.

SHREWSBURY.-The Rev. T. Davis, of Henryd, Carnarvonshire, has accepted a cordial and unanimous call to the Welsh

Independent church at Shrewsbury, and commenced his ministry there on the first Sabbath of January. Mr. Davies, after nearly ten years' successful labour at his old place, left it with the esteem and affection of his people undiminished, and amidst the regrets and sympathies of Christian people of all denominations.

LITERARY HONOURS.-On the 8th inst., the senate of the University of Glasgow, by unanimous vote, conferred on the Rev. Daniel Fraser, M.A., the honorary degree of LL.D. Dr. Fraser studied at Glasgow, where he pursued a very successful course. At the age of nineteen he took the degree of M.A. Two years afterwards he obtained the "James Watt" prize; and the year following that he carried off the Gartmore Gold Medal, and thus secured the first place of his year. From that time to the present he has honourably and efficiently sustained the office of classical tutor at Airedale College.

COCKERMOUTH.--The Rev. William Southwick, of Wirksworth, has received a cordial and unanimous invitation to become the pastor of the Congregational church at Cockermouth. Mr. Southwick was the minister of the church at Cockermouth some time ago; but was compelled to resign because of the failure of his health. As soon as he told his people at Wirksworth, that he felt it to be duty to resume his former charge, they resolved to present him with an address, expressing their grief at his removal, bearing testimony to the usefulness of his ministrations amongst them, and praying that he may be the means of building up the church over which he is called to preside.

Mr. Southwick enters upon his labours at Cockermouth on the second Sunday in March.

IPSWICH.-NEW CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL, TACKET STREET. On Wednesday, January 27th, this handsome edifice was opened for Divine worship, under circumstances fraught with deep and hallowed pleasure. The congregations were large,— that in the evening overflowing. The sermons, which were preached by the Rev. J. Sherman, and the Rev. Dr. Halley, produced a profound impression. The devotional services were led by the Revs. T. C. Hine, of Sydenham, J. Flower, of Beccles, J. Davids, of Colchester, J. Hallett, of Norwich, and J. Lord and J. Webb (Baptists), of Ipswich. In all, thirty ministers were present, and many other leading Nonconformists in the eastern counties. The novelty of so tasteful and elegant a structure belonging to the Independent body in this locality,

-an extensive sympathy with the church for whose use it is designed in their spirited exertions, and respect for its pastor, the Rev. Eliezer Jones,-the attraction of the preachers, may, taken altogether,

account for the number of visitors from a distance, who thus increased the interest which they came to share. After the morning service, 300 persons sat down to dinner in the Assembly Rooms, when the Rev. J. Alexander, of Norwich, and other ministers; E. Grimwade, Esq.; E. Goddard, Esq., the Mayor of Ipswich, as leading members of the building committee, and Mr. Burton, its chairman, and several other gentlemen, delivered speeches. The building is adapted to seat 1,200 persons; it was universally admired, and was considered marvellously cheap, its cost being but little more than £3,000, of which more than £2,000 have been already contributed by the congregation. The gladness of the occasion was somewhat chastened by the unexpected death of the Rev. J. Notcut, who, although he had been compelled to resign the pastorate on account of physical infirmity, had laid the foundation-stone of the present edifice, and had undertaken to offer the first prayer on the occasion of its solemn dedication to the worship of Almighty God; but whose voice only on the day before was silenced by death.

MELKSHAM.-A few Sabbaths ago, a very solemn and impressive sermon was delivered at the Independent chapel, by the Rev. T. E. Fuller, to an overflowing and sorrowful congregation, improving the melancholy death of their late pastor, the Rev. Jacob Jones, who was drowned in the wreck of the Catherine Adamson, off Sydney, last October. Mr. Jones had been the pastor of this church for six years, during which time he was sincerely beloved by his flock, and universally respected by all denomina. tions. He left Melksham, deeply regretted, last July, to settle in Sydney, where a church had been provided for him under the Colonial Missionary Society. He was a man of superior talent and learning, and was educated at Glasgow, and Spring-hill College, Birmingham. His death has caused a sensation not easily to be forgotten. His age was about thirty. It is in contemplation to erect a monument in the chapel to his memory. It is hoped his friend Mr. Fuller will publish the discourse which he so ably delivered on the mournful occasion.

KNUTSFORD.-A numerous assemblage of the inhabitants of Knutsford and the neighbourhood lately took place, in commemoration of the Rev. James Turner having been fifty years pastor of the Independent church in that town. After tea the chair was taken by R. Dutton, Esq., of Stanthorne Hall, and the meeting was addressed by C. Hadfield, Esq., M.P.; the Rev. G. B. Kidd, Macclesfield; Rev. J. Marshall, Over; Rev. W. Rhodes, Sandbach; Rev. R. G. Milne, Tintwistle; Rev. C. Chapman, Chester; Rev. H. T. Robjohns, Bowden.

ILFRACOMBE.-The church of Christ in

connexion with the Independent cause in this delightful and increasingly important little town have to record their gratitude to God for sending them a pastor admirably adapted to the requirements of the place. The Rev. James Kernahan, B.A., of Penzance, having been compelled from the nature of the climate to resign his charge there, has been led to accede to the united wishes of the congregation here, and accepted of the pastorate.

SCARBOROUGH, BAR CHURCH.-The annual meeting of the members of the Bar church was recently held. After tea the annual statement was read by the deacons, from which it appeared, that, since the settlement of their pastor, the Rev. R. Balgarnie, about £2,000 of debt had been liquidated, leaving only about £1,100 to be removed. 228 members had been added to the church, forty-three of whom had been added during the past year. There were 268 scholars in the Sunday-school, and forty teachers, eighty-five Bible-class pupils, and six teachers. 5,000 tracts were annually distributed. In addition to the annual effort towards the extinction of the debt, £256 had been sent to the London Missionary and other societies. The young people of the congregation had raised £15 a-year towards the support of a student at Madras, who is preparing for missionary work.

TIVERTON.-The Rev. J. H. Bowhay, late of Hertford, has accepted a unanimous invitation to become the pastor of the Congregational church in this town. entered on his labours the third Sabbath in February, with prospects of great suc

cess.

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LONDON, NEW COURT, CAREY STREET.-This ancient Independent sanctuary, in which, for many years, Dr. Winter laboured, has undergone a thorough repair and improvement, and now, under the ministry of the Rev. Henry Draper, formerly of Stockwell, promises much prosperity. On the 21st of January a meeting was held. The chair was taken by the pastor. Addresses were delivered by Mr. Draper, the Rev. Jonathan George, and Mr. Maitland, both of Walworth.

BEXLEY HEATH, KENT, CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL.-The Rev. J. Adey (late of Parish Street Chapel, Horselydown) has accepted a very cordial and unanimous invitation to become the pastor of this young and growing church, and commenced his stated labours on Sunday, the 7th ult.

BURY ST. EDMUNDS.-NORTHGATE STREET INDEPENDENT CHAPEL.-On Thursday, the 21st January, a tea-meeting was held in the above place of worship, for the purpose of affording to the members of the church and congregation an opportunity of unitedly recognising and welcoming as their pastor the Rev. W. Bealby, who accepted the

unanimous invitation of the church in December last. During the evening several addresses were delivered, the speakers expressing their sympathy with, and readiness to co-operate in, the work which their pastor had entered upon; and urging upon those present the necessity for united prayer and effort. The meeting was most pleasing and encouraging one; and strong hopes are entertained that the cause will prosper greatly under Mr. Bealby's able ministry.

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LONDON. TONBRIDGE CHAPEL.-A public service for the fraternal recognition of the Rev. Henry Madgin, late of Tiverton, Devonshire, the newly elected pastor of the Independent church assembling at Tonbridge Chapel, London, was held in the chapel on Tuesday evening, the 19th of January. The service was opened with Scripture-reading and prayer by the Rev. Andrew Reed, B.A., of Bedford Chapel, Charrington Street; after which an excellent discourse on the history and principles of the Independent demonination was delivered by the Rev. Richard Alliott, LL.D., President of Cheshunt College. The recognition prayer was offered by the Rev. E. Paxton Hood, of Offord-road Chapel, Pentonville; the address to the church and congregation was given by the Rev. J.W. Richardson, of Tottenham Court Road Chapel; and the concluding prayer, after some appropriate remarks, was offered by the new pastor. The Rev. Messrs. Short and O'Neill assisted in giving out the hymns. This interesting and impressive service was attended by a considerable congregation, and it is devoutly hoped that Tonbridge Chapel, which contains more than a thousand sittings, many of them free, and where the doctrines and precepts of the New Testament have been faithfully expounded and exemplified for nearly half a century, may long continue to furnish religious instruction to the immense population around-a field of labour wherein the Christian zeal and energy of all denominations may be beneficially exerted, not only without contention or interference, but also with that mutual cordiality and goodwill which, under the Divine blessing, affords the prospect of usefulness and suc

cess.

COLONIAL RECORD.

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-The CHRISTIAN WITNESS for February contained an account of deeply interesting services connected with the settlement of the Rev. G. Y. Jeffreys, as pastor of the Congregational Church, Durban, South Africa, who left England in the spring of last year under the auspices of this society. Letters have recently been received from Mr. Jeffreys, describing the encouraging

prospect that has opened before him. Having an opportunity, Mr. Jeffreys visited Petermaritzburg, the capital of the colony, and the seat of the bishopric. The following extracts from his letter will be perused with pleasure. It took him ten hours to accomplish the journey-fifty-two miles. "The road lay," he remarks, "amongst a succession of plateaus, very much broken by rugged precipitous kloofs, and piles of hills heaped together in wild confusion. It seemed a weary land, so destitute of life, so unpossessed and unsubdued, yet teeming with vegetable productions, and presenting almost everywhere the richest promise of what it will be in the hands of British colonists. *** Several families holding Congregational views are to be found in and about Marietzburg. I made it my business to hunt them out. They expressed their great regret at the position of affairs, their utter inability to unite with existing organizations, and their readiness to do anything towards forwarding de novo a fresh cause. They will probably ere long write, memorializing the society for help. The claims of the city are most urgent. Since I have been here, two families have emigrated and settled at Marietzburg, of Congregational principles, who find no home, and who go with but partial satisfaction to other places. The number will increase, for the tide of emigration is beginning to turn this way. Every six months that Marietzburg is unoccupied by us we are losing ground, and the enemy-I mean ritualism, formality, and indifferentism-is gaining. The friends will, I think, raise £150 a-year; and if you could select a man (even without waiting for an application from them) of some eight or ten years' experience at home, a man of average fair preaching powers, and affable in his manner, I feel confident he would soon gather around him in this city (destined one day to be a very large and populous place) a good and useful congregation. I am very interested in seeing this accomplished, and believe the Society would not hesitate in applying £250 or £300 to this object, if they could but visit this spot and judge for themselves."

With the views expressed by Mr. Jeffreys in these extracts from his letters, the committee entirely concur. It is of unspeakable importance that competent ministers should be sent in the early history of a colony, that the foundations of society may be laid in those principles of truth and freedom which alone can ensure future prosperity. In the case of Port Natal, it is of special moment, as the Episcopal Bishop is not only fargone in Tractarianism, but is the advocate of views which, to say the least, are of a doubtful tendency on the interests of pure morality.

MISSIONARY RECORD.

DR. LIVINGSTONE.--A farewell banquet was given on the 13th ult., at the Freemasons' Hall, to the African traveller, Dr. Livingstone, previous to his return to the scene of his former labours, when more than 300 gentlemen, comprising names most illustrious in science and art, assembled upon the occasion. The great dininghall was completely filled, and many persons who applied for admission were unable to obtain it, although in many cases as much as £5 was offered for a seat. The chair was taken by Sir Roderick Murchison, President of the Royal Geographical Society, supported on the right by Dr. Livingstone, and on the left by the Duke of Argyll.

In the course of the business, Sir R. Murchison rose and said: I rise now to propose the toast of the evening. A year and a half ago, it would have been necessary to explain who Dr. Livingstone was, and what he had accomplished; but now, the 30,000 volumes which Mr. Murray has issued to the world have made everybody acquainted with his achievements and character. All readers have been interested in his descriptions and narrative; but men of science also felt his claims on their admiration because he had been enabled to fix, by astronomical observations, the longitude and latitude of all those places in the vast interior of Central Africa, hitherto unknown, and that he has enriched every department of knowledge with valuable and original discoveries. Great as these merits were, they were less admirable than the moral example of fidelity to his word, and of attachment to the poor people who had followed him through Africa, which his conduct had displayed. Here is the man sitting beside me now, who, when he had suffered the attacks of twenty or thirty fevers and agues, and well knew the perils and hardships which he would still have to endure after he had arrived at Loando, where ships were waiting to take him home, and whilst he knew that his children were awaiting him in England, resolved, instead of acting as an ordinary man would have done, threw all these considerations to the winds, at any risk or cost to keep his plighted word to these poor Africans, and lead them back again into the very heart of the country, and thence to the opposite side of Africa, in order that he might leave behind him the glorious example of what an English Christian was. much for the character of the man; and now for the expedition on which he is going. I do not look upon it, and I am sure the Government does not look upon it, in any other way, than as a tentative and exploratory expedition-one which may be productive of great good ultimately, and the sowing of seed for a harvest to be reaped at some future day. Do not run away

So