"One gentle sigh his fetters broke; We scarce could say, 'He's gone!' Before his happy spirit took Its station near the throne." His funeral sermon was delivered in the Independent chapel, Jamaica-row, Bermondsey, in the presence of a numerous assemblage of young persons, on Lord's-day evening, June 28, from Luke vii. 13. G. R. ECCLESIASTICAL QUESTIONS. 6. Are none but such admissible to the church ?-None; the privileges of the kingdom are expressly limited to such, and such only were knowingly received into the primitive church, Acts ii. 41-47, ix. 26-28; and the epistles are uniformly addressed to such, Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 3. 7. Why are these only to be admitted?-Because such only can enjoy the blessings and privileges, sustain the relations, and perform the duties, of the church and kingdom of Christ, which are all ofea spiritual nature. 8. Does not this seem like judging the hearts of men ?—Nothing of the sort; it only requires that we judge their doctrinal views by their own words, and of their sincerity by their 1. WHAT is church-fellowship ?-It is the exercise of the social principle in matters of religion; a privilege that Christ has permitted us to enjoy, and a duty which he has commanded us to perform. 2. Is this all that is meant by fellow-walk and conduct: when they speak ship?—No; it is, further, the instituted way of making a public profession of the faith and hope of the gospel, and the only means by which he can pro-20; Rom. xiv. 1. fess his faith in Christ. and act like Christians we are bound to believe they are Christians, and to receive them accordingly, Matt. vii. 16 9. Does not the parable of the tares, Matt. xiii. 24-30, teach that the righteous and the wicked ought to be 3. Does it not include still more ?Yes; it is the visible band of union with the disciples of Christ, and an ex-permitted to live together in churchplicit declaration of our determination to submit to the government and discipline of the church. fellowship?—No; that parable does not refer to Christian fellowship at all; Christ expressly says, "the field is the world,” (not the church,) and the leading object of the parable is to prohibit the infliction of temporal punishment on hypocrites and unbelievers, ver. 28 -30. 4. What is it designed to exhibit?It exhibits upon a smaller scale that sublime and glorious union and communion which subsist, not only between all real Christians of every country, name, and age, but between the whole 10. Were there no wicked persons in redeemed church and their Divine the primitive churches ?—Yes; some Head, Eph. i. 10, iv. 4; 1 John i. 3. such crept in unawares; but the 5. What are the qualifications neces-churches were most solemnly comsary to those who enter Christian fellowship? It is only necessary that they be born of the Spirit and believe the truth, John iii. 3; Matt. xviii. 8; 1 Cor. iii. 12-17 manded by the apostles to bring such persons to repentance, or to exclude them, 1 Cor. v. 2-13; Gal. v. 9—12; Rev. ii. iii. 11. Ought a society to be acknow. ledged as a Christian church which tolerates in its fellowship those who do not appear to believe the gospel, or who live impenitent in known sin ?No; because the first principle of Christian fellowship is thereby destroyed, and in such a society it must be impracticable to obey some of the plain laws of Christ, 1 Cor. xv. 33, 34; 2 Cor. vi. 14-16; Eph. v. 11. On Church Government. "In any intermediate sense, between a single congregation and the whole community of Christians, not one instance can be brought of the application of the word in sacred writ." Lect. on Eccl. Hist. vol. i. 204. 5. Was the term church always applied to a single congregation in the first centuries of the Christian church? -Yes; Dr. Campbell, as above, declares that "it is the constant usage of the term, in the writings of ecclesiastical authors, for the two first centuries." 6. What is meant by church "go thority of Christ among the faithful. 1. Does the word of God reveal plainly and connectedly any model of church government for universal imi-vernment ?"-The exercise of the autation?-No; it teaches the mind of the Spirit upon this, as it does upon every other subject; and it is by the diligent examination of the Scriptures that we ascertain the nature and particulars of that order which Christ has appointed for his churches. 2. What is the Scripture import of the word 66 church ?"-Unless when applied to the whole body of believers in heaven and earth, it invariably signifies a single congregation or assembly meeting in one place; and when more than one congregation is intended, it is always in the plural, churches, Acts ii. 47, ix. 31; 1 Cor. i. 1; Gal. i. 2; Rev. i. 11. 3. Was this view entertained by the founders of the English and Scotch established churches?—Yes; as appears from Art. 19 of the English church, which declares that "The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men ;"-and the Scotch Confession of 1560, speaking of the faithful, says, "Be the members ever so few, about two or three, there, without all doubt, is the true church of Christ. 4. What is the opinion of Dr. George Campbell ?-He distinctly affirms, that 7, What is church "discipline ?"—It means the application of the laws of Christ as rule of government among believers generally; or it signifies the application of a particular law to some particular offence. 8. Are the most important parts of discipline enjoined, as, 1st, the duty of the whole church?—Yes; such as the receiving of members, Rom. xiv. 1, i. 7. 2nd, dealing with offenders, Gal. vi. 1. compared with i. 2. 3rd, excluding the impenitent, 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. 4th, restoring those who repent, 2 Cor. ii. 6-8. 9. Do you, then, mean to say that every congregation of believers is a church of Christ, and that every such church with its office-bearers is complete within itself?—Yes; perfectly complete, and competent to observe Divine ordinances, to exercise discipline, and is subject to no other authority or tribunal upon earth. 10. Is this form of government suited to the universal nature of Christ's kingdom?—Yes; it must be acted on in all countries at the first introduction of Christianity into them, and it is the only form that can be acted on in all countries, ages, and circumstances. 11. Is there sufficient evidence that such were the churches universally in the first ages ?-Yes; this is attested by all impartial history: Mosheim, vol. 1. 107; Campbell, vol. i. 278; Lord King, 138. 12. What is the testimony of the infidel historian, Gibbon?-Even he confesses that "Every society formed within itself a separate and independent republic; and although the most distant of these little states maintained a The Letter Box. THE GREAT FARCE; there he must remain until poor, fallible OR, PRAYING THE POPE'S SOUL OUT OF creatures have got him out. What a PURGATORY. MR. EDITOR,-I was exceedingly glad to see it announced in the newspapers, that a grand mass had been performed in the Roman Catholic chapel, Moorfields, to pray Pope Gregory's soul out of purgatory. Alas! I thought, is he there! This was showing up the darkest part of the system in the midst of an enlightened people, and it will be of great service to our country if we can get folks to think of it. 1. What is purgatory ?-It is a pit of fire-a little hell. God did not make it, neither did the devil: it was made by the Church of Rome; and there is the soul of the pope. 2. Who was the pope ?-The Head of the Romish Church; and the Head of the Church is in purgatory. 3. What was the peculiar title of the pope?-He was styled His Holiness; and he was the only man in all the world who dared to wear this blasphemy; but now his Holiness, is in purgatory. 4. Wherein did he excel all other men ?-In his infallibility. He could not make a mistake: but now the infallible pope is in a little hell-and farce! 5. What were his powers?-He could regenerate children. He could change plain bread and wine into the true body and blood of Christ. He could qualify his clergy to give absolution to the greatest sinners, twenty times over. He could send dispensations of pardon for the greatest offences, all over the world. In fact, he could do anything that God the Redeemer could do, and yet, with all his powers, alas! where is he now? He lifts up his eyes in flames. 6. What a melancholy idea does the state of the poor old pope's soul give us of Popery. There is no certainty that he will ever get out of the fire-at least, the Bible gives no account what sums of money are needed for masses, or what power is necessary in the priesthood. Indeed, he may never get out, and his successors are likely to share the same fate. What a gloomy religion is Popery! 7. What a wretched substitute this purgatorial system is for the gospel doctrine of justification by faith! How often have we seen true believers in Jesus going out of this world like a ship in full sail, rejoicing in the assurance that, "absent from the body, they shall be present with the Lord!" 12. Let godly men take courage, and employ all their energies to spread the pure gospel everywhere. The fate of the poor old pope is a good lesson to us. Up, then, ye friends of Christ, and be doing! Light will make the darkness visible. Truth will expose the delusion. O let us carry the life-giving word into the abodes of death, and God will bless us as his instruments, for quickening those who are dead in trespasses and sins. Amen. RICHARD KNILL. Wotton Tabernacle. 8. We cannot wonder that Sir Culling Eardley Smith was ordered out of the pope's dominions for circulating God's book; certainly not! It was quite in character. A free circulation of the Bible, and a firm belief of the Bible, would soon remove this burning heresy from the face of the earth. The Bible knows nothing of purgatory. O no! It proclaims a full salvation, and a free salvation, and a present salvation: "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus;" and what should they go to purgatory for? "Being justified by faith, we have peace AFFAIRS IN THE WEST INDIES. with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." "He'that believeth on the Son of God shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." It is an insult to the pope to send him to purgatory, if he were justified by faith in the atoning blood of Christ. 9. How astonishing it is that men of common sense can swallow such a delusion. We can only account for it on the ground that when men leave the Bible for human inventions, God, in his displeasure for their effrontery, sends them strong delusions, that they might believe a lie, that they all might be damned who obey not the gospel. Nov. 16, 1846. MY DEAR SIR,-It is a matter of sincere thankfulness to be able to communicate that our schools are still increasing; we have now, in the Upper Schools-Girls, 21; Boys, 16: Lower School, 98 of both sexes, and 5 Teachers in training; making a total of 140. The CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE for August has just come to hand, and your extracts from the Record have yielded us much pleasure, for we were not aware that it had penetrated so far into the Church as by law established, as their own account states. But, sir, they ought not to have stopped with its running from "parish to parish;" it runs from colony to colony, and from island to island, throughout the world. And here, among those who, eight years ago, wore the galling, degrading badge of slavery, who were not allowed to be instructed, between 30 and 40 copies of every number are circulated, and are in the hands of our best Sun 10. The system of Popery would not have been complete without a purgatory; but how, from the figment of Apostolic Succession to the last act of praying the soul out of a little hell, it keeps salvation entirely in the pockets of the priests. It is a kind of turnpikegate system, and the gate-keeper must be paid. "No trust," is written over the baptismal font, on the confes-day-school teachers and our most intelsional, on the purgatory, and even on the gate of heaven! O how devoutly should we pray, "From such delusions, good Lord deliver us !" ligent members; and considerable as is this number, (when the state of education is taken into account, as well as the fact, that the love of reading has 11. There is not much difference, yet to be cultivated,) yet we hope it after all, between the full popery men will be much increased with the New of Rome and the half popery men of Year; and lest those who do not purEngland. Fatal error is fatal whether chase it, or cannot read it, should lose in the Italian language or in English. the benefit of its valuable articles, we Multitudes are perishing all around us read them at our district prayer-meetfor lack of the knowledge of the doc-ings on Monday evenings, and we hope, trines of the cross. and most fervently pray, that it may be instrumental in the hands of God of accomplishing much good, even in this distant part of the British empire, and enable our people to understand aright their position, duties, and privileges, as Protestant Dissenters, in this land of State Churchism. You are, I believe, aware that every house is included in the Chapel Tract Society. Well, sir, three sabbaths ago, one of our distributors called at the house of the Rev. Mr. We have received West India papers, by the same mail, in which the question adverted to by our correspondent is very fully discussed, and which also contains the indictment, a wonderful curiosity of its kind. Mr. of the English church, to exchange the tract left the previous sabbath. He brought it to the door, declining to take another; she politely asked the reason why he would take no more. He made no answer; but asked whether, if he gave her a tract, she would read it. She replied, "Certainly;" when he produced the wellknown "Beware of Schism," and telling her, if she read her Bible, she would find," Be ye not righteous overmuch," requested her not to call again. Such is a specimen of the men with whom, (if the West India branch of the Alliance is ever brought into existence,) we should be expected to unite; "men who bind heavy burdens upon the people and grievous to be borne." Why, sir, every mouthful of bread I eat is taxed towards the support of the Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, and Presbyterian State Churches, who, with their retinue of schoolmasters, clerks, organists, &c., cost about 1,000l. sterling each per annum, and who stand by and see the people taxed to bring in African, Coolie, and Portuguese labourers to compete with them, and reduce their wages, without ever lifting their voice against one of the most iniquitous acts ever perpetrated upon a free people. Would it be tolerated in England for a week? Why, the man would be scouted who dared to propose that foreign labourers should be introduced into England to compete with the cot-rit,' guilty of sedition,' and so forth. ton-spinners of Lancashire; and that they should be taxed to defray the expenses of procuring those men whose presence would reduce their wages; and yet such is the system acted upon here! Wallbridge, like William Knibb, seems a man of a large English heart that makes common cause with the oppressed, who still require a Christian advocate. We think it probable he may have stepped a little beyond the precise limits assigned him as a missionary, but we have no manner of doubt that his course redounds to his honour as a man. He concludes the article which forms the libel with the following declaration, Having spoken of the gross profligacy of some great folks, he proceeds: I have also to inform you that one of our Demerara brethren, the Rev. E. A. Wallbridge, has been cited to appear before the Criminal Court on a "But if faithful and laborious missionaries, against whom no such abominable immoralities can be charged, happen to meddle a little with reform politics, to complain of reckless public expenditures, to tell out, in plain terms, some unpalatable truths, to oppose cruel and ruinous immigration schemes, or to seek a more excellent and English-like legislative constitution, they are cried down as canting hypocrites,' 'firebrands,' men having a 'diabolical spi "I have exhibited these facts as affording a key to the rabid abuse lately heaped upon my name in the semi-official Times. Every effort is made by the truckling editor of that paper, on behalf of the party that pays him, to blacken my reputation; and the most unfounded, the most barefaced lies are slanderously circulated in |