we to reason only from the analogies of all the systems that comprise one grand universe. But the precepts of Jesus Christ alone, gives it essentiality, authority, and value, without any other consideration whatever. He has solemnly and explicitly commanded faith, repentance, and baptism to be preached in his name, to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

He has commanded it [baptism] to be preached for some specific end. That end is clearly stated, and often alluded to, in the gospel of the kingdom over which Jesus reigns, and in which alone the hope of immortality flourishes. We have but three, or perhaps at most four, authentic records of the commission authorizing this institution. We shall compare them, and compare them in the order in which they stand:

Matthew reports only the things to be done by the apostles, in establishing the church. "Go, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." The things commanded them to teach are not developed here; nor is the end of any one of the duties prescribed so much as named.

Mark expresses it differently: "Go you into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature." This does not indicate what the elements of the gospel are. It, however, adds, that the reception of it will save every one. The reception of the gospel is thus expressed: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' Unbelief, or a rejection of it, secures condemnation. A belief of it, and baptism into it, secures salvation. So the evangelist Mark represents it.

Luke gives the substance of the commission in his own words. He mentions neither gospel, nor faith, nor baptism, but simply says, " He commanded repentance and remission of sins to be preached in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Repentance and remission of sins, with him, then, stand for the whole gospel-for the faith and baptism of the evangelist Mark. Repentance is, however, but the adjunct of faith, as the remission of sins is of baptism. In preaching repentance and remission, according to Luke, the apostle must therefore have preached faith, repentance, baptism, and remission; for all these terms, or their equivalents, are found in the three versions of the commission now quoted.

There remains yet the testimony of John the apostle. It is more concentrated and laconic than any of the preceding. I shall quote the whole passage. John xx. 21-23: On one occasion, Jesus (after he arose from the dead) said to the apostles," Peace be to you: as my Father commissioned me, so I commission you." Having spoken these words, he immediately breathed on them, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Then he added, "Whose sins soever you remit, they are remitted; and whose sins soever you retain, they are retained." They were, then, evangelically to remit sins and to retain them. How this was done, the history of the apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, must explain. [The explanation in our next].

Reader, refer to the following passages: Matt. xxviii. 18 -20; Mark xvi. 16; John iii. 5, 23; Acts ii. 38; viii. 35-40; xxii. 16; Rom. vi. 4; Gał. iii. 27; Eph. iv. 5; Col. ii. 12; 1 Pet. iii. 21; John xv. 14; xiv. 23. "If a man love me he will keep my words."-Jesus.

Having carefully examined these passages, do not allow yourself to think lightly of the Lord's one baptism. It is not a mere external bodily act. Immersion in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is an act of the whole man-body, soul, and spirit. The soul of the intelligent believing subject, is as fully immersed into the Lord Jesus, as his body is immersed in water. His soul rises with the Lord Jesus as his body rises out of the water; and into one Spirit with all the family of God is he immersed. The candidate, believing in the person, mission, and character of the Son of God, and willing to submit to him immediately, upon recognizing him, hastens to be buried with the Lord, and to rise with him, not corporally, but spiritually with his soul. There is no such thing as mere outward bodily acts in the Christian institution; and less than in all others in the act of immersion. Then it is that the spirit, soul, and body of man, becomes one with the Lord.

SELF-EXAMINATION.-He that never examines his own heart is like a captain of a vessel who never examines his ship to see if there is a leak; and, without reformation, all such will finally shipwreck their souls, and all will be lost. Reader, art thou secure?

ITEMS OF NEWS.

A NEW DEVICE.

Ir is truly surprising to see the devices to which the professed ministers of the gospel will resort, rather than submit to the plain and simple teaching of the New Testament. Nothing can be more clearly or definitely stated than the testimony of Luke, concerning the day when the disciples of Christ met together to show forth the Lord's death. Words cannot be plainer. Let us hear them: "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread," &c. - Acts xx. 7. Again: "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him (putting it into the treasury. See McKnight and Doddridge), that there be no gatherings, or special collections when I come."-1 Cor. xvi. 2. Now in order to attend to these divine commands, there must be first, The assembling of the disciples together, into one place (1 Cor. xiv. 23; xi. 18); secondly, It must be upon the first day of the week, and not monthly, or upon any other day, otherwise the authority of the Holy Spirit would be neglected or despised, and the design of these institutions entirely subverted. The Jews were commanded to kill the paschal lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month, nor could they alter it to any other day or month with impunity; neither can we, in this dispensation, alter the arrangements of heaven to suit our own whims and caprice, and still be innocent.

We have been led to make these remarks in consequence of the Reverend H. Hunter, one of the General Baptist ministers of Nottingham, visiting some of their country congregations, especially Bulwell, on a Wednesday evening, to administer to their destitute and forlorn sheep the Lord's supper.

They have no minister over them in this village, and Nottingham is too far for them to come, even once a month, for this important purpose; therefore this new device has been adopted, to prevent them becoming reformers. It is true they have what are called local preachers to visit them every first day, and the people themselves profess to be made kings and priests unto God and the Lamb; still, from some cause or other, they are disqualified to attend to the commands of Jesus, their (pretended) Lord and King! How is this? Has he forbidden them, and at the same time commanded them to obey him? Impossible! Other Lords besides him must have dominion over all who thus act. But the simple fact is, there is in Bulwell a congregation of Christians, who meet every first day in obedience to the command of Jesus, and were these parties to do so, or were they to unite with our brethren, they would be designated reformers-and this would be a most awful and heretical character in the eyes of these ministers. O! who or what is to break up these systems of error and human device? We need a second Luther, Melancthon, or John the Baptist, to do this necessary and important work. J. W.

THE church at Stevenston, which is about a mile from Saltcoats, consists of twenty-one individuals. Two of that number were added

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to us about a week ago. The most of us were formerly connected with the Baptist church; but when we professed our faith in the "heresy "propounded by Peter on the day of Pentecost, and in other passages of a similar nature, we were forsaken by a number of our Baptist brethren, who kindly took it upon them to explain our views to the world, before they rightly understood them themselves; and having, intentionally or unintentionally, either added thereto or diminished therefrom, we were cast rather in the back ground in the estimation of our neighbours for some time; but the consistent conduct of the brethren, and the continued proclamation that "through this man is preached the forgiveness of sins," having opened their eyes, a number of them returned to the church; and others without being convinced that we do not think that water washes away sin, look upon us with a more favourable eye, and hear us with more patience. We live together in peace and love, endeavouring to grow in knowledge; in which some of us have been greatly assisted by reading the Messenger. And as a spirit of piety and zeal exists amongst us to a considerable extent, we are living in the hope of seeing many in this quarter "putting off the old man with his deeds, and putting on the new man.' J. SERVICE.

Saltcoats, December 11th, 1844.

BROTHER GREENWELL'S labours here have not been in vain: the congregations have been edified and built up, and tender their sincere thanksgiving to the Father of mercies for the opportunity thus afforded them of having the ancient gospel, with its present blessings and future prospects, so ably expounded. Though we cannot announce that some have, during his stay here, become obedient to the faith, yet we are confident the seed sown will yet spring up to God's glory.

The unhappy division which took place here some time ago, no doubt has prevented many from attending his labours, and some from submitting to the commands of Jesus. What an awful consideration, that the conduct of Christ's professed friends should prevent accessions to the number of the saved.

There is not a single member of the body but what feels the peculiar situation in which we are placed. Oh that we might prove a warning to other congregations to avoid the rock on which we struck. If you have an opportunity, either through the pages of the Messenger, or by speaking to the congregations in different parts of the country, do, by all and every means, dissuade them from introducing such foolish and such dangerous doctrines as have been introduced amongst us here, as they only tend to anarchy, tyranny, and death.

Our attention of late has been fixed on one great important subject; namely, Christian union-In what does it consist? what are its advantages? and how is it to be maintained? This has been the subject with us for some time.

Brother Greenwell has had crowded congregations at Huddersfield. Good must follow. H. SHAW.

Huddersfield, December 3rd, 1844.

Beeston, December 6th, 1844.

I FEEL gratified by your prompt attention and forbearance with my ignorance, and at the same time, humbled at the little acquaintance which your reply has proved to me I have of the Word of God. In thus thanking you for your kindness, will you permit me to take this opportunity of observing, that having been brought up in attendance upon Sandemanian or Glassite doctrines (a church now extinct in Nottingham, as well as several other places), my mind has always been more than commonly directed to the practices and observances of the primitive Christians, and though I now see that a strict adherence to the letter of the word, as in the instance of washing of feet, &c., may be carried out too far; yet, in this defunct church, I witnessed more practical purity than elsewhere it has been my privilege to observe. A desire has thus originated to see, in this our day, a church whose observances are guided by the New Testament only; and it is this, too, which has led me to feel a deeper interest in the principles and practices of the New Testament Disciples-in the Christian Messenger-and in your spiritual success.

The addition to your number of one of the brightest ornaments of New Connexion Methodism, in Beeston, is another triumph of truth over error; and though local circumstances, and the bounds of my habitation, may now and ever prevent me participating in the public services of the New Testament church, yet accept my earnest" God speed."

Pardon me thus troubling you, and believe me your more than temporal well wisher, J. T. H.

Nottingham. December 16th, 1844.

We have no authority for publishing the note from our friend and well wisher, J. T. H., but we take this opportunity of saying, that we see no reason, either from Scripture or from "the bounds of his habitation" (if indeed he believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God), that should prevent him, or any other person of the same faith, from enjoying a full participation of all the blessings of present salvation. They are as free, and as easy of attainment, to a teachable, obedient mind, as the air we breathe. Indeed, what but lack of faith can prevent any man enjoying the full remission of all his past sins, through a burial by baptism into the death of Christ? "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." And who can deny his right, in connexion with all his brethren in the same town or village, of surrounding the table of the Lord every first day, agreeable to divine appointment, and the constant practice of the primitive church? None will attempt to do this except those who ignorantly suppose themselves to be the specially called and sent of God, to teach the people just what they think proper, regardless of divine authority! And what can prevent a person truly converted to Jesus, going on