things I especially bless him. I bless God that I was so early led to Christ, and was enabled to give myself in youth to God. From what snares this has kept me, and what sacred pleasures I have enjoyed! I bless God that I have been permitted to do any thing for his honour, especially in the Missionary cause.' At an interview with a friend he said, 'I wish to make to you the solemn declaration that I do feel myself to be amongst the most unworthy of God's children. My sole reliance for acceptance with God is on the finished work of Christ; and if I enter heaven, it will be as a sinner saved by grace.'

"He was asked, 'Have you any doubts of your interest in Christ? Oh, no,' was his reply: 'all is right there. I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day. He will not deceive me he cannot fail me.' His child-like, and yet firm reliance on Christ was quite a permanent feature in his character when on the brink of eternity.

"When evidently near his end he was asked, 'Is Jesus precious to you?' He replied, 'Yes, very precious, very precious,' while a heavenly smile lighted up his animated coun

tenance. It was remarked, 'You seem fast approaching the valley-you need fear no evil, his rod and his staff will comfort you.' 'They are with me now,' he faintly replied. During the evening of Saturday he suddenly opened his eyes, and looked earnestly around, as if observing some unearthly object, and then heavenly joy appeared depicted on his countenance. Mrs. Stancliffe at once caught what she thought might be the object which had fixed his delighted gaze. Could it be a messenger from the invisible world? She repeated these words

"These glorious minds how bright they shine, Whence all their white array'.

He intimated that she must pause. She asked, 'Shall I repeat it at another time?" He said, 'To-morrow.' Early on the morrow, Sabbath morn, June 30, he calmly and peacefully breathed his last. Not a cloud seemed to cross his sky-not a fear to harass his mindnot a doubt to disturb his repose. All was calm and serene, like the summer's setting sun in a cloudless sky. Early on the morning of this earthly Sabbath, his emancipated spirit entered upon a Sabbath whose sun shall never set, and whose pleasures shall never end."

ACADEMIC HONOURS.

THE Senatus of Marischal College, Aberdeen, has, at one of its late sittings, conferred the degree of LL.D., on Mr. Brown, of Cheltenham. No man can better deserve this mark of honour than our esteemed friend, who is doing a great work in the important town in which he has been called to exercise his ministry.

FINSBURY CHAPEL.

On Friday, December 6th, a small teameeting was held in Finsbury Chapel; for the purpose of presenting the Rev. Alexander Fletcher, D.D., with an elegant silver cake-basket, as a testimonial of esteem from the male department of the catechetical seminary which has existed for nearly forty years under his superintendence, and meet every Sabbath afternoon. The address (which was written in a handsome portfolio of velvet, ornamented with silver gilt filagree work and flowers carved in ivory) was rend by F. Harrison, Esq., one of the Managers of the chapel, who had been a member of the seminary thirty years ago; and the basket, in which were some flowers beautifully

LITTLE HADHAM, HERTS.

THE Independent Chapel, in this interesting and important village, having been closed for extensive alterations and repairs, was reopened on Tuesday, the 26th of October. The Rev. I. Vale Mummery, of Hackney, preached in the afternoon, after which a large company of the friends took tea together in the school-room adjoining; and the Rev. W. Hurndall, of Bishop's Stortford, preached in the evening.

On the following Sunday, sermons were delivered by the Rev. W. Hurndall, and the Rev. W. Hopwood, of London.

The congregations were good, and the collections liberal; while the services were found to be "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord."

TRINITY CHAPEL, TIGH WYCOMBE.

THIS chapel, which is beautifully situated in the London-road, at the entrance of the town, was opened for public worship on Wednesday, October 23rd, 1850. The occasion was one of deep interest, and the proceedings, which lasted the whole day, were sustained throughout with the most entire Christian harmony.

After singing, the Rev. John Hayden, minister of the chapel, read the 6th chapter of the 2nd Book of Chronicles, and offered the dedication prayer.

The Rev. Dr. Archer, who had been appointed to preach the morning sermon, then delivered a powerful and impressive discourse from the following words:-"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God

and of the Lamb." Rev. xxii. 1.

In the afternoon, a public meeting was held in the chapel, the Rev. J. Hayden presiding. After singing, and the offering of prayer by the Rev. C. Hyatt, the meeting was addressed by Dr. Archer, R. Wheeler, Esq., the Rev. J. Elrick, W. A. Salter, J. Dickinson, and Dr. Massie.

In the course of the proceedings the Chairman took the opportunity of bearing his testimony to the almost unparalleled exertions which his people had made to meet this exceedingly difficult object; exertions which had been continued with more or less energy for upwards of fourteen years; and, as an encouragement to future efforts, he felt great pleasure in saying that, if the friends then present would send up to him £125, he should be happy to make it £225.

In the evening, after reading the Scriptures, and the offering of prayer by the Rev. J. Dickinson, a powerful sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Massie, from 2 Cor. v. 20. The Rev. Messrs. J. Edmonds, C. Hyatt, and S. Weston, took part in the service.

The following is a gratifying proof of the great liberality displayed by the people in connexion with the above services: The Collection, in the morning, after sermon by Dr. Archer, £24 9s. 6d.; Ditto, public meeting, £10 18s. 8d.; Ditto, after sermon in the evening by Dr. Massie, £10 148. 10d.; profits of tea-meeting, £6. In connexion with the public meeting a check was given for £50, left by the late Mrs. Collingwood*, to be paid at the opening of the chapel, provided

• The husband of this benefactress, the late S. Collingwood, Esq., of Oxford, gave, during his life, to various objects, at the least £20,000.

the Rev. J. Hayden was pastor at the time. A check to the same amount was also given by the Chairman, who, in the course of the meeting, offered to give £100, if the congregation would raise £125. Towards this Mrs. Hayden gave £100; and the people, including a check for £10 from Messrs. Spicer, Brothers, £16 10s.; and by the Chairman allowing the deficiency to be made up from the collection in the evening, his hundred pounds was secured. On the following Lord'sday, two eloquent sermons were preached at Trinity-chapel, by the Rev. J. M. Obery, M.A., of Islington; and also at the Independent Chapel, West Wycombe; that in the morning by the Rev. J. Hayden, and that in the afternoon by Mr. Obery. The collections at both places amounted to £13 19s., which added to the sums raised at, or in connexion with, the opening of the chapel on the Wednesday, gives the handsome sum of £525 14s. 7d.; and this added to the sum previously raised, during the year, amounted to £886 2s. 74d. These extraordinary exertions would have enabled the people, in a very short time, to have freed themselves from debt, had not the expenses connected with the building greatly exceeded their anticipations. As it is, the deficiency will amount to some £900. Will no kind friend, who reads these lines, send a donation to the minister?

The following description of the chapel which was given in the Patriot, October 31, 1850, and in which a more detailed account is given of the services in connexion with the opening, will be read with interest:

"The chapel, which is built of Kentish rag (or rather the front of it, including the two towers, the other parts of the chapel being built of bricks), is in the Norman style, with nave and aisles sixty feet long, and forty feet six inches wide. The roofs are supported on stone columns, with carved capitals, and semi-circular arches, carrying a clerestory above, containing twenty windows, glazed with rough plate-glass, each in one square. The main timbers of the roofs are seen and divided into eighty square bays, plastered between. The chapel is entered by a vestibule the whole width of the building, and flanked with two well proportioned towers, containing the staircases to the galleries. The windows are decorated with stained glass; the vestibule and aisles are paved with blue and red Staffordshire tiles; the chapel is lighted with double chandeliers. There are also boys' and girls' school-rooms in the rear, and minister's vestry, &c. The interior of the building generally is most complete and elegant, whilst the exterior carries with it the appearance of great strength and beauty. The architect is Mr. Charles G. Searle, of London, to whom great praise is due. The building was erected by workmen, natives of High Wycombe, and does them great credit. The total cost of the edifice is about £2535."

To this must be added, in order to form a correct opinion of the difficulties with which the church and congregation have had to contend, the sum paid for the site, including the conveyance, which was £656 168. 4d., and which makes the grand total of £3191 168.4d. It is, moreover, proper to add that, in this large sum the expenses connected with furnishing the vestry, school-rooms, &c., are not included.

"May peace attend thy gate,
And joy within thee wait
To bless the soul of every guest!
The man that seeks thy peace,
And wishes thine increase,

A thousand blessings on him rest!"

LEE, BLACKHEATH, AND LEWISHAM. THE Rev. W. Campbell, M.A., in compliance with an earnest and unanimous invitation, has consented to minister in Boonestreet Chapel, Lee, with a view to the erection of a new Independent place of worship suited to the rapidly increasing population of Lee, Blackheath, and Lewisham. In the first two of these places there has hitherto been no

Independent chapel, although their united population amounts to about six thousand; and in the last, with a population of about seven thousand, there is only one, in which the Rev. T. Timpson has long laboured, whose cordial approval, together with that of all the neighbouring ministers, has been given in reference to the erection of the contemplated chapel.

[We very cordially and earnestly commend this rising cause to the notice of the Christian public. Our friend, Mr. Campbell, much respected and loved by all who know him, is willing to make the sacrifice necessary in order to build up this infant church, in a populous and neglected district. The Nonconformists of the metropolis will, we trust, come forward generously to secure a new and elegant place of worship for the vicinity of Lee and Blackheath. The Chapel Building Society will assuredly aid this undertaking.EDITOR.]

THE Rev. W. P. Davies, late of Petworth, has received and accepted the cordial and unanimous invitation of the church and congregation, meeting for worship in the Independent Chapel, Putney, and entered on his labours the first Sabbath in January, 1851.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, AND CHINESE SCRIPTURES.

Woodbridge, Suffolk, Jan. 14, 1851.

REV. SIR,-In connexion with a review of two pamphlets by Dr. Legge, on the rendering of the name "God" in the Chinese language, there appeared, in the last Number of your Magazine, a strong condemnation of the course which has been adopted by the British and Foreign Bible Society with reference to that subject. And as I can hardly think that the reviewer would have used such decided terms of censure had he been fully acquainted with the circumstances of the case, I venture to submit a few remarks connected therewith, in the hope that you will allow your readers the opportunity of having rather more information on the subject than they would gain from the article referred to, before they decide that the Committee of the Bible Society have, in this matter, "betrayed their trust."

From the decided manner in which the reviewer pronounces in favour of Dr. Legge's opinion, and in which all different opinions are either scornfully overlooked, or strongly

VOL. XXIX.

condemned, it would seem as if the writer was hardly aware of the extent to which controversy on this difficult subject has been carried, or of the strong array of authorities, which still exists in favour of the renderings, for partially sanctioning which the Bible Society is censured.

For at least three years, some of the missionaries in China, most acquainted with the language, have been engaged in discussing this point; and, after failing in coming to any united decision amongst themselves, Bishop Boone and Dr. Medhurst sent over to England, in 1848, pamphlets which they had published in China, in support of their respective opinions. From the length of time that these two missionaries had been labouring in the country, as well as from their acknowledged standing as men of literary minds, it might well be considered that each was an authority, whose opinion was not hastily to be rejected; and when two such men as these were found differing in their opinion, the Committee of the Bible Society felt that the subject under discussion must be one of so much difficulty, that it would be well for them to forbear from any decision

H

those who, with all the advantages of a long residence in China, and an extensive acquaintance with the native literature, had yet failed in agreeing upon the point.

It

will generally be acknowledged that Dr. Medhurst, at least, brought to the consideration of this subject an extensive knowledge, both of the peculiarities of the Chinese language and of the phraseology of Chinese writers; and, without wishing to depreciate the reviewer's estimate of Dr. Legge's ability, I would remark, that some diffidence might well be expected in the advocate of an opinion differing from that espoused by Dr. Medhurst. Whilst, in two learned pamphlets of one hundred and seventy, and one hundred and six pages, Dr. M. opposes the use of Shin for "God," he argues in favour of the adoption, not of Shang-Te, but

of Te.

The discussion of this question has been principally carried on amongst a body of delegates, to whom the missionaries in China entrusted the revision of the New Testament; and from the advocates of different opinions in this body, a voluminous correspondence has been addressed to the British and Foreign, as well as to the American, Bible Society. Evidence has thus been furnished of the very strong feeling of confidence in their own view being right, with which each party have urged the adoption, respectively, of Shin, or of some other term which has been proposed for rendering "God;" and in consequence of this strong feeling, and of the delegates being equally divided between the two terms then advocated, this body passed a resolution, in August last, expressing their inability to come to any decision on the point at issue, and offering the version they had prepared to the Bible Societies of Europe and America, and all the Protestant missionaries in China, to be used by them, and to be printed with such renderings of the words "God" and "Spirit" as any party so using it might think right to adopt.

It was under these circumstances that the British and Foreign Bible Society adopted the course of making an equal grant to each of two applications for aid in printing; the one, an edition in which Shin should be used for "God;" the other, in which this should be expressed by Shang-Te. Deeply regretting the necessity which seemed to exist for this duplicate edition, the committee considered it more in accordance with their position to aid each, than to incur the responsibility of deciding on a question of such peculiar difficulty. The American Bible Society have adopted another course, but one which will only make them more exposed to the strong censures of your reviewer. With the com

than Drs. Turner and Robinson, professors in the Episcopal and Presbyterian Theological Seminaries of New York, the American Bible Society have printed a Report, giving a decision in favour of the use of Shin for "God," and Ling for "Spirit." Amongst the reasons assigned for this decision, it is urged, in the Report, that "Shang-Te is the designation of a material idol, an object of worship by the mass of the Chinese:" and again, that "the Chinese emperor is addressed by this title." This decision of the American Bible Society is given as the result of a consideration of Dr. Legge's pamphlet in defence of the use of Shang-Te, together with four other printed pamphlets, and various letters, on the subject.

I think it must be acknowledged, from the circumstances already mentioned, that the question is not yet so decisively settled against the propriety of Shin being used to express "God," as the review in your Magazine would lead your readers to infer; and, in further confirmation of this, it may be stated, that of the Protestant missionaries now in China, fifty-five advocate the terms Shin and Ling for "God" and Spirit;" whilst, I believe, nineteen others are agreed in thinking that Shin ought to be appropriated as the term for "Spirit," but differ amongst themselves as to the term they recommend as most proper to express "God."

It is stated, in the conclusion of the article to which I have felt it right to refer, that" the Committee at Shanghae have deemed it their duty to decline the grant of the Bible Society:" I need hardly say that there must be some mistake in this statement, when I mention that it was only on Nov. 15th last, that the Bible Society made the grant for printing an edition, using the terms Shang-Te and Shin for "God" and "Spirit;" the intelligence of which can hardly yet have reached the Missionaries to whose application it was a reply.

I am, Rev. Sir, yours truly,
T. W. MELLER,
Edit. Superintendent of the Bible Society.

THE REVIEWER'S REPLY.
(To the Editor.)

DEAR SIR,-Accept my best thanks for favouring me with an early sight of Mr. Meller's animadversions on my Review of Dr. Legge's Pamphlets, as it is important that they should be accompanied with some observations in reply. These observations will be brief; for it is not necessary that I should occupy much of your space, either to vindicate myself, or to show that the matter, as far as the Committee of the Bible Society is concerned, stands at least where it was.

In writing as I did respecting the comparative claims of Shang-Te and Shin, in

..

nance of the principle of neutrality, which they have uniformly adhered. Now, how does this accord with the fact that, at the very time when the pamphlets of Bishop Boone and Dr. Medhurst were fresh before them-when, according to the statement of Mr. Meller, it would appear that their perplexity and indecision were at their height, the Committee of the Bible Society passed the following resolution, dated December 4th, 1848 That in the best judgment they (the Committee) could form, after due consideration of the subject, it appears to this Committee that Shin is not the appropriate word to be employed for expressing the Divine name?" Here, surely, is no neutrality; no hesitation; no forbearing from a decision in reference to Shin. In their "best judgment;" in obedience to their deepest convictions; in compliance with the highest authority of their understandings; and, after "due consideration" of the subject; after bestowing upon it all the care and investigation which its importance demanded; after weighing the arguments of Bishop Boone and Dr. Medhurst, they pronounced Shin "not the appropriate word to be employed for expressing the Divine name." And yet, in the face of this Resolution, so distinct and decided, in order to screen, or give the semblance of consistency to, their present infelicitous proceeding, Mr. Meller declares that the Committee deemed it "well for them to forbear from any decision;" and, moreover, in opposition to its spirit and letter, he attempts to vindicate the vote which offered £250 of the Society's funds to print, and circulate throughout China, the repudiated term Shin, as the rendering of the Divine name. I leave Mr. Meller to reconcile and explain these things.

In Dr. Medhurst every one who is acquainted with the fact of his long residence in China, and has any knowledge of his writings, would place the highest confidence as a Chinese scholar; but in Dr. Legge, although a younger man, and although not so long resident in China, yet from his superior academic training before leaving England, and from his great capacity for acquiring languages, I should be disposed to place the same confidence; and, therefore, in adopting and advocating an opinion of his, on any point in Chinese literature, should it happen to differ from that of Dr. Medhurst, it does not appear to me that there would exist any ground for diffidence, beyond what is connected with the adoption of any opinion, respecting which great scholars may chance to differ. But why Dr. Medhurst is appealed to by Mr. Meller in the present instance, as holding an opinion differing from that of Dr. Legge, I do not understand. They are at one in condemning the obnoxious term Shin, which the Committee of the Bible