HINTS TO CHURCH MEMBERS. TO NEWLY ADMITTED MEMBERS. ALTHOUGH many hints might be thrown out that would be suitable to church members in general, I shall, for the sake of distinctness, divide the members into classes, and as far as possible address each class separately, and I shall begin with Newly admitted members. Let me first of all, dear brethren, speak to you of what is expected of you. You occupy a different position now from that which you occupied before. You have left the world, and come out on the side of Christ; you are therefore expected to live differently from the world. The eyes of men and angels are upon you, and they take it for granted that you are to live pure and benevolent lives. Were you to live otherwise, you would disappoint all, and injure all. Sinful indulgence, or worldly conformity on your part, would grieve your brethren, grieve the Spirit of God, and stumble unbelievers around you. The chief thing, therefore, you have to attend to is holiness of life, to seek a growing conformity to the example of Jesus Christ. This is to be attained by steady perseverance in well-doing. I take it for granted that you are converted to God. This is a great step in the right course, but remember that it is only the first step. There is a race before you, and you are to reach the goalnot by a single bound, but by holding on day-by-day in the right course, by continuing as you have begun, doing the Will of God, following in the footsteps of Jesus to-day and to-morrow, and the day after that, and every day of your life. Don't be discouraged although you sometimes fail; experience will give you caution and strength. Many of the difficulties that surround you now will by-and-by disappear. Many of the infirmities that now cleave to you, you will gradually outgrow, and your path will be as the shining light shining more and more unto the perfect day." In order to all this you will find it necessary to obtain a thorough knowledge of the constitution and principles of the church. From inattention to this matter some well-meaning good men have made but sorry church-members. 66 All this takes it for granted that you be diligent students of the Word of God. Give heed to the exhortation of Peter-"Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ." You cannot grow in grace unless you grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is only by beholding as in a glass the glory of God-that you are changed into the same image even by the Spirit of the Lord. Avail yourselves of every help within your reach. Attend regularly and prayerfully to the teaching of the pulpit, and if possible the Bible-class. Above all, let your Bible be your daily companion in your closet. It contains mines of heavenly treasure that will gradually open up to you and enrich your souls. And keep in mind that whatever attainments you may reach in knowledge or in holiness this must be your motto "This one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind I reach forth to the things which are before, that I may press on towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." A word now about your duty to the church. Having entered its fellowship, it is expected that you leave nothing within your reach undone, to promote its welfare. The responsibility does not lie with the Pastor and Deacons. As all share in the privileges of the church, all share in the responsibility also. No church can prosper in the highest sense unless its individual members endeavour to realize the highest attainments in grace, and do diligently and zealously the work they are fitted for. In such a fellowship mutual helpfulness is needed. The church is one body, and it is necessary that each member do its own work. If you, therefore, would have the church to be enlightened, spiritual, and a real blessing to the world, you, as individuals, must contribute to all this. Let each of you at the outset resolve—“All I can do for the welfare of this church-by consistency of life-by pecuniary support, and by personal service-shall be done and done cheerfully." The only other word I have to say is about the advantages you may derive from church-membership. If you are true to yourselves these will be great and manifold. You must, however, lay your account with some drawbacks. You have not entered a society of perfect men and women. Should we in charity judge that all have been renewed by the grace of God, still you will be disappointed with individual members. Instead of high spirituality you will sometimes meet with worldliness. Where you look for zeal you may sometimes meet with coldness; and where you expect generosity you may find stinginess; and even where you look for meekness, you may sometimes discover outbursts of temper. Lay your account with all this, and keep in mind that the church exists for correcting all this, and for raising up its members to Christian manhood. Notwithstanding such drawbacks, if you act your own parts well, you will find your membership no small privilege. You not only come under a regular system of Christian teaching on the Lord's Day, and on other days, if your circumstances permit your attendance-but there is "the fellowship of the saints," and this I assure you is no empty phrase. To have the excellent of the earth as your most intimate friends-to live in fellowship with men and women who are themselves living in fellowship with the Father and His Son Christ Jesus, is one of the greatest blessings to be enjoyed on earth. Their example, their prayers—the wholesome atmosphere they throw around you, all tend to quicken your Christian life, and to help you forward in your heavenly course. not meant that your fellowship will be close with the members of the church in general; but if spiritually minded yourselves, and willing to help on with the work of the church, you will fall into smaller circles within the church, drawn chiefly from your fellow-worshippers at the It is prayer-meeting, and your fellow-workers in the district mission or Sabbath School. You will find a fellowship or friendship here that will be deemed by you among your highest earthly blessings. But always remember that very much will depend on yourselves-on what you are, and how you live. You must beware and not imitate a certain lady who had come from some distant place, and who sometime after joining a city church, complained to the Pastor that the church-members were so cold and indifferent. The Pastor said to her "The most spiritual and earnest of my people attend the weekly prayer-meeting, and work in the Sunday Schools; and I do not wonder at your complaint so long as you are never seen at any of these places." EMERITUS. THE EARLY DAYS OF SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCY. ROTHIEMURCHUS-INVERNESS-SHIRE. (We begin this year with the first of the series of Kinniburgh denominational papers to which we referred some time ago. Having ascertained that Mr Kinniburgh had about twenty-five or thirty years ago collected information regarding our churches which he had embodied in a number of historical sketches, and learning that these documents were in the possession of our Secretary, Mr Russell, we asked and obtained liberty from the committee of the Congregational Union, to print them in these pages. They are published for the first time.) Rothiemurchus is situated between Badenoch and Strathspey. A few godly persons formed themselves into a Congregational Church in the year 1804. These individuals were the fruits of a revival which had taken place some time before, but by whom, or how it originated does not appear. This much however is known, that Mr Farquharson and Mr James Reid had both itinerated in that quarter before the church was formed. Mr Peter M'Laren was the first preacher sent to that country after the formation of the church, but left it in 1806. The members composing the church being far scattered on the banks of the Spey, the church was dissolved, and one formed in the village of Kingussie in Badenoch, and another at Grantown. Both these churches have for many years past been connected with the Baptist body. The Baptist friends are much indebted to the Independents for their success in many parts of Scotland. 1 re The system of persecution was also practised in Inverness the summer of 1804, Mr M'Intosh laboured in part of Badenoch. He preached one Sabbath in front of the parish church of Kingussie at the dismissal of the congregation. For this he had to compear before a Justice of Peace Court specially convened to try him. the privilege of saying one word in his own defence. B He was denied As he would not promise to leave the country or abstain from preaching, he was sent to Inverness and lodged in jail. This case was reported to the friends at Edinburgh, and Mr Henry Inglis, advocate, applied to the Sheriff of Inverness for all papers connected with the trial and imprisonment, threatening to bring the case before the Court of Session. The Sheriff, before complying with Mr Inglis's request, visited the prisoner in jail. He gravely asked him what he had been saying against the clergy of Badenoch, Mr M'Intosh replied, "I have been saying what I say still, that they do not preach the Gospel." "You have been speaking against their moral character." "I never did," said Mr M'Intosh. "My lad," said the Sheriff, "as to the Gospel, that is a mere matter of difference in opinion; we have nothing to do with that. The door is there open, you can walk out if you please." NOTES OF THE MONTH. THE MAGAZINE. OUR readers will notice several new features in this our first issue for 1876. We mean to do our best to deserve success, believing that to deserve is the next step to getting success. Will our readers do their part in increasing the number of subscribers, and so extend our influence and help to put the management of the Magazine on a basis that is satisfactory to all concerned? We have received the co-operation of Rev. David Russell and other brethren, whose regular services will tend to lighten our labours and give variety and richness to our contents. We have been much encouraged by communications from readers who value the Magazine and are determined to stand by it. We shall endeavour to be worthy of such assurances of confidence, and make the Magazine a still greater power for good. NEWS FROM BROOKLYN. Our brother, Rev. Alex. Craib, Glasgow, returned a few weeks ago from a brief sojourn in America, and sends us a communication giving his impressions of the revival work in Brooklyn and other parts of the United States and Canada. He has a very strong conviction, from the appearance of things as presented to him, in the different places he visited, that America, from east to west, is in an expectant and hopeful state, and that a precious season of spiritual blessing has been entered upon, which will lead to results not less than what we have experienced in this country. The general features of the work begun are much about the same as they were here. Almost all the evangelical ministers have eventually come into the work. The large gatherings are characterized by great earnestness. Mr Moody is not so well assisted in the inquiry 66 room as he was in Scotland. He and Mr Sankey are as fresh and strong as ever. The general feeling is expressed in these words: we mean not to slacken effort until the whole land is possessed." CHINA BECOMING A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY. At the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Mission at Amoy, Swatow, and Formosa, held in Edinburgh early in December, it was stated, "as an evidence of the growth made by the missions, that there were now in the Swatow and Amoy districts about 10,000 professing Christians; and that one might walk from Canton to Shanghai, a distance of 1500 miles, sleeping every night at a Christian station." At this, as at all other Missionary Meetings where missionaries from China have spoken, indignant remonstrances have been made that our Indian finances could not be brought to the satisfaction of the British Government unless eight or nine millions were got by raising and selling opium, which was ruining the Chinese. 66 The Rev. James Ross, minister of Union Chapel, Calcutta, has been taking part in a discussion which had been started in the pages of the Friend of India on the above subject. His view is that Christian men should be better employed than in spinning theories about the future state. Nothing is gained by diverging from the line of practical action, that both by precept and example is laid down in Scripture, which is to make a present salvation and holiness in Christ the supreme and engrossing theme of our preaching. CHRISTIAN WORK IN RUSSIA. In a letter which a friend received from Mr Nicolson, late of Amble, now of the Bible Society, St Petersburg, there is the following cheering intelligence :-"I am thankful to tell you that Christian work never looked so hopeful in Russia as at present. Our Tract Committee printed in summer about 340,000 evangelical tracts, and already a large number of these are sold out. Our Bible work has reached, for the three first quarters of the year, 176,000 copies; and in 1869, the year when I came, it was 50,000 copies. A Sunday school is being formed by members of our church in Checkuski, a suburb of St Petersburg, and one feature of this is a class of Russian boys, who are to be taught in the New Testa ment." THE BITTERNESS OF ECCLESIASTICAL STRIFE IN ENGLAND. Whatever advantages England may have over Scotland, it cannot be denied that in our ecclesiastical relations there is more equality and amity. |