a memento of the esteem and affection in which he had been held during the period he had sustained the pastoral office as minister of Portland Chapel. Mr. Rose, in presenting the testimonial-a valuable gold watch-conveyed the feeling of unanimous regard which one and all entertained towards Mr. Hudson, and urged all connected with the chapel to be zealous in the future, so as to ensure a blessing upon their efforts to carry on the work in days to come. Mr. Hudson responded in a most feeling address, full of generous sentiment as to the past, and trustful anticipation of the future. The Rev. J. Walters, Messrs. Rogers, Northover, King, F. Elliston, Ritchie, Bowers, and Capon, also addressed the meeting. BILSTON.-A large and very interesting teameeting was held in the Baptist Chapel, Bilston, on Tuesday, Feb. 16th. Stephen Thompson, Esq., presided. The Rev. W. Jackson (pastor), on opening the proceedings, stated that sixty-three tables had been given for the purpose of raising money to defray the expense of repairing that part of the minister's residence called the "study," which had been demolished by the fall of a large chimney during the violent gale on the morning of the 3rd December last. He said he could sing of mercy and of judgment while looking back upon that sad calamity, because though the desk at which he had been accustomed to write and the chair on which he had been used to sit had been broken to pieces, and many other things had been much injured, far less damage had been done than was at first feared, and above all, his own life had been spared to his family and flock. Eloquent addresses were then delivered by the Revs. G. Curnock and J. W. Bain, Bilston; W. L. Giles, and T. Ness, one of Mr. Spurgeon's students, of Birmingham; D. Evans, and A. Major, of Dudley; B. C. Young, and F. Perkins, M.A., of Coseley; and T. Hanson, of West Bromwich. The proceeds of the meeting were nearly £30. GROSVENOR STREET, STEPNEY.-The church and congregation worshipping in Grosvenor Street Chapel, Stepney, gave a congratulatory tea-meeting to their pastor, the Rev. J. Harrison, on Tuesday, Feb. 23rd, to commemorate his third anniversary, and the second of his pastorate. The tea was provided in the Wesleyan Seamen's Chapel, the rooms of which not being sufficiently large, the meeting took place in the adjoining chapel, where about 500 of the friends assembled. Mr. Harrison on entering addressed a few words to the friends. The officers, Messrs. Wickers, Decosta, Clemoes, and Mace, congratulated him on his success since he had ministered to them as a church at Grosvenor Street and Beaumont Institution, and on the prospect of soon commencing their new chapel on Stepney Green. They then presented him with a purse of gold, and three volumes of Dr. W. Smith's Dictionary of the Bible; the contributors being the ladies who gave the tea, and the friends who kindly responded to their applications for donations. Mr. Harrison, in an affectionate and appropriate speech, thanked the friends for the token of respect given, and prayed that he might long be spared to preach the truth as it is in Jesus. STONDON, BEDFORDSHIRE.-The new chapel in this village, erected in place of an old barn, which has been used for years as a preaching station of the church at Shefford, was opened on Thursday, Feb. 18th, when the Rev. Dr. Macfarlane (late of Glasgow) preached to an overflowing congregation. The Rev. W. T. Whitmarsh, of Shefford, offered the introductory prayer, and the following ministers took part in the service: the Revs. P. Griffiths, Biggleswade; G. Short, B.A., Hitchin; W. Griffith, Hitchin (Independent). After the service, the friends took tea together in an adjoining barn, where in the evening a public meeting was held, presided over by Mr. Dodwell, the treasurer of the building fund. The following friends_addressed the meeting:-Rev. Dr. Macfarlane, Rev. G. Short, B.A., Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Purser (student of Regent's Park College), Rev. P. Griffiths, Rev. J. C. Fairfax, Shillington (Independent), and the Rev. W. T. Whitmarsh. A vote of thanks to the chairman for his valuable services in connection with the erection of this building was carried with enthusiasm. The Rev. W. T. Whitmarsh closed the meeting with prayer and the benediction. The day's collections were very good. SCARBOROUGH.-The rapid enlargement of this town, and the necessity of providing additional accommodation for visitors during the season, combined with a conviction of the duty of welcoming all Christians as such to the Lord's table, have induced a few members of the Baptist persuasion to engage the hall of the Mechanics' Institution for the celebration of Divine worship the first day of the week, and a prayer-meeting Wednesday or Thursday evenings. Opening services were conducted in it on Sunday, Feb. 6th, by Dr. Acworth, now residing in Scarborough. Notwithstanding the unfavourableness of the weather, the attendance both morning and evening was very encouraging. At the close of the evening service, the Lord's Supper was administered to a goodly number of Christian professors, wholly irrespective of their distinctive peculiarities-a practice which it is intended to observe on all similar occasions in future. For the present ministerial assistance will be sought mainly from Rawdon College; but it is hoped that as the season advances the pulpit will be occupied by well-known pastors of the denomination, seeking in this beautiful watering-place a temporary relaxation from the more stated duties of office. YORK.-On Sunday, Feb. 28th, the second anniversary services in connection with the Baptist cause in this old city was held in the Lecture Hall, the usual place of worship for the present, when two appropriate and impressive sermons were preached by the Rev. J. P. Chown, of Bradford. The services were well attended, and the pecuniary aid rendered satisfactory. On the following Tuesday evening the first public tea-meeting took place, the hall being neatly and tastefully decorated for the occasion, when upwards of 160 friends of this and other denominations partook of tea. After tea, Thomas Aked, Esq., of Harrogate, took the chair, but which he was obliged to vacate at an early period of the meeting, when his place was efficiently supplied by Mr. Cole, of Bradford, one of Mr. Chown's deacons. Addresses were given by the Revs. J. Barker, of Lockwood; S. G. Green, B.A., of Rawdon College; J. P. Chown; and Messrs. Newell and Whitwell, of York. The prospects of this little church are quite hopeful, and very shortly four friends will be baptized, on a profession of their faith in Christ, and admitted to its fellowship. PENKNAP, WESTBURY.-On Tuesday evening, March 8th, nearly 300 persons took tea together in the spacious school-rooms connected with this chapel, and at seven o'clock a large congregation had assembled for the purpose of taking a farewell of their beloved pastor and friend, the Rev. J. Hurlstone. The proceedings were of a solemn and interesting character. After prayer, the Rev. J. Preece made a few pointed remarks, and was followed by Mr. Eyers, one of the deacons, who, on behalf of the church and congregation, presented Mr. Hurlstone with a beautiful silver inkstand and gold penholder, suitably inscribed, as a small token of affectionate love for his faithful labours amongst them for eight years and a half. Mr. Hurlstone's address produced a deep impresgion. Appropriate addresses were delivered by the Revs. W. Jones, of Warminster; J. Sprigg, T. Gilbert, and T. Hind; expressive of their esteem and regard for the retiring pastor, with earnest desires for the success of his ministry in the new sphere to which he has been appointed. Mr. Hurlstone preached his farewell sermon on the previous Sunday evening. STOW-ON-THE-WOLD.--On Monday, Feb. 22nd, a public meeting was held in the Baptist Chapel, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, to recognise the Rev. Samuel Hodges as pastor of the church. William Bliss, Esq., Mayor of Chipping Norton, occupied the chair, and opened the meeting with a short speech. The devotional exercises were conducted by the Rev. W. Cherry, Milton, and the Rev. W. R. Warburton (Wesleyan), Stow. Three addresses were delivered; by the Rev. John Christien (Independent), Moreton, on "The Principles of Nonconformity;" by the Rev. J. Wassall, Blockley, on "Relative Duties of Pastor and People; and by the Rev. H. J. Lambert, on "The Theme of the Christian Ministry." The Rev. A. W. Heritage was to have followed, but from the lateness of the hour, his address was postponed until the Tuesday week, when he was to lecture on the "Life and Times of Andrew Fuller," and make a collection in aid of the funds of the Baptist Foreign Mission. OAKHAM, RUTLANDSHIRE.-On Thursday, Feb. 25th, a social tea-meeting was held in the schoolroom of the Baptist Chapel, Oakham, on the occasion of the Rev. J. Jenkinson's resignation of the pastorate, which he has held for nearly fifteen years. After tea a public meeting was held in the chapel. Addresses were delivered by the pastor, Mr. Cave, sen. (one of the deacons), Mr. J. Cave, Mr. Nash, and the Revs. J. Twidale, G. Fowler, and J. Devine. Mr. Twidale, on behalf of himself and the other past and present members of the Rutland Association of Ministers, presented Mr. Jenkinson with a copy of the Life and Works of the celebrated John Howe, in seven volumes; Mr. Jenkinson having been secretary to the Association for the past eight years. On the following Lord's day he preached farewell sermons at Langham and Oakham to large congregations. CANNING-TOWN, ESSEX.-On Tuesday, Feb. 16th, the recognition of the Rev. W. H. Bonner, as pastor of the newly-formed Union Church meeting in the Public Rooms, Barking Road, took place. The hall was crowded in every part. The Rev. J. H. Hinton, M.A., presided. After singing, the Rev. D. Taylor implored the Divine blessing. The Rev. W. H. Bonner explained the circumstances which led to his choosing this sphere of labour, and gave a very lucid exposition of the doctrines he intended to enforce, after which the chairman offered a prayer in behalf of the pastor and his flock. The church and congregation were severally addressed by the Revs. D. Katterns, J. Curwen, J. W. Coombs, E. Schnadhorst, G. W. Fishbourne, and J. Smith. BRIGHTON.-A social tea-meeting took place at the Windsor Street Rooms on Thursday evening, Feb. 25th, consisting of the church and congrega tion of the Rev. G. Isaac, who have worshipped in the large upper room of the Town Hall for the last ten months. Upwards of a hundred persons took tea, after which a very pleasant meeting was held. The chair was taken by D. Friend, Esq. Among those present were the Rev. Messrs. Sharpe, Stafford, Haynes, Murden, &c., all of whom, with others, addressed the meeting. A purse of gold was presented to the pastor by Messrs. Cutlach, of East Street, and Tate, of Bartholomew's, being the third given to their pastor on behalf of the people in about thirteen months. BROUGHTON, HANTS.-On Thursday, March 3rd, the friends of the cause here had a social tea, and afterwards a public meeting, on the occasion of the settlement of Mr. J. F. Smith, formerly of Regent's Park College, London, late of Gottingen University, as pastor over them. H. M. Bumpus, Esq., M.A., LL.B., presided over the meeting and addresses were delivered by Messrs. Dead (deacon of the church), Smith (pastor), Parsons, of Abbott's Ann, and Millard, of Andover. MINISTERIAL CHANGES.-We are requested to state that the Rev. E. Merriman has not resigned the pastorate of the church at Dorchester, as erroneously stated in our last Number.-The Rev. Matthew Hudson has resigned the pastorate of the church meeting at Portland Chapel, Southampton, having accepted the cordial invitation of the Baptist church, Folkestone, Kent, and com menced his labours there on the first Sabbath in March. The Rev. Robert White, late of Walgrave, Northamptonshire, has accepted an invitation from the Baptist church at Roade, in the same county. Mr. William Evans, student of Chilwell College, has accepted the cordial and unanimous invitation of the first Baptist church at Staley bridge, Lancashire.-The Rev. J. B. Pike, late of Bourne, has accepted a very hearty and unanimous invitation to the pastorate of the Baptist church, Lewes, and commenced Lis stated ministrations there on the first Sabbath in March.-Mr. David Rees, of the Baptist College, Pontypool, has accepted a cordial and unanimous invitation to the pastorate of the Baptist church, Letterstone, Pembrokeshire. The Rev. W. B. Birtt has resigned the pastoral charge of the Baptist church, Chowbent, Lancashire.-Mr. T. J. Ewing vacated the pulpit at Waterbeach, Cambs, on the last Sunday in March.-Mr. John Birtt has resigned the pastorate at Bardwell, Suffolk. Mr. John Barrett has again accepted his former charge.-The Rev. J. Pearce has resigned the pastorate of the church at Maldon, Surrey, and is open to engagements.-The Rev. J. T. Gale, having resigned the pastorate of the Baptist church, Darwen, Lancashire, has accepted a unanimous invitation to the ministry of Union Church, Putney, London, and commenced his labours there on the 20th ult.-The Rev. John Price has announced that his ministry at Amersham will terminate on the 1st of May.-The Rev. George Towler, of Barrowden, has accepted an invitation from the General Baptist church, Whittlesea, to become their pastor.-The Rev. Roberts (from near Newport, Monmouthshire) has accepted the unanimous invitation to the pastorate of the Baptist church, Newtown, Montgomeryshire.-Mr. T. A. Pryce, student of the Baptist College, Haverfordwest, has received a cordial and unani mous invitation to become the pastor of the Baptist churches assembling at Manorbier and Cold Inn, Pembrokeshire, and purposes commencing his labours there the last Sabbath in April, THE CHURCH. "Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." MAY, 1864. THE PERPETUAL THANKSGIVING OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE. BY THE LATE REV. E. L. HULL, B.A.* "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."-1 Thess. v. 18. You may observe that these words form the last of a series of precepts which it is apparently impossible to obey; for Paul, in closing this epistle, points the Thessalonian Christian to a life of perpetual rejoicing-a life of perpetual prayer; and then in our text he unites the joy and the prayer as he speaks of a life of perpetual thanksgiving. Hence the question instantly arises, Is it possible, within the limits of our earthly existence, and under the influence of our spiritual infirmities, ever to reach a state of such lofty spiritual gladness? Are not these words simply pictures of a high spirituality after which we are to aspire, rather than precepts we are to obey ? Now, it is unquestionably true that such precepts are not meant to be fulfilled in their most literal sense. They do refer rather to a state of heart than to outward actions of the life. For in saying, "Rejoice evermore," Paul does not mean that we are to live always in bounding joy, but that there is to be the secret peace of God ever hidden in the heart, so that while sorrowful we can be always rejoicing. In saying, "Pray without ceasing," he does not mean that we can always assume the attitude of praying, but that, under the conviction of God's perpetual presence, there may always be a ceaseless aspiration which would render our life one constant prayer. And so in our text, he does not mean that outwardly and formally we are to thank God for everything, but that there may be an inward spirit of trust which would transform our life into one perpetual hymn. He And yet, accepting the injunction in that spiritual light, it has not lost one hairsbreadth of its real difficulty. For when Paul says that in all things we may feel thankful, he meant "all things" to be read in its broad and obvious meaning. He meant, therefore, that everything God sends us is to be accepted thankfully; that toil or rest, success or failure, the events that cheer, or those that overshadow us with gloom, are to be received, not merely in submission, but with absolute thanks, as the best and wisest things that could occur. meant more—that in the pain and depression of sickness-in the awful solitude of broken friendship and expiring hope that even in those tremendous sorrows which shatter the temple of the heart, and leave us homeless and forlorn--a man may not only bow in reverence to the awful will of God, but may thank him amid that sickness, that solitude, that unutterable woe. And looking thus at the injunction, we are driven to ask in amazement, How can that precept be obeyed? and then tempted to cry in despair, Such a life can never be attained! This sermon is taken from a volume of sermons published last year. We inserted one of the ons soon after the book appeared. At the desire of a number of readers, we give another extract. The book is one which, the more we read it, causes us the more to mourn the loss of the preacher. We Juay judge from what he did, what he would have done, had his life been spared.-ED. K Now, we shall try to show to you that such a state of thankfulness is attainable and that, if we believed in "the will of God in Christ Jesus," as Paul believe in it, that state would at once be ours. 1 Our subject, then, is this: The Perpetual Thanksgiving of a Christian Life its difficulty, its motive, and its attainment. I. Its difficulty.-To give thanks in everything implies something more tha silent submission; it implies a constant and trustful acceptance of everythin God arranges, and of every change he sends. For with the spirit of trust in th soul, its whole life would be a hymn of praise. And as we said just now, that i so difficult, that the first cry of any man who realized what it meant would be that it was simply impossible. Let us examine carefully the sources of this let us ask why it is that we do not trust God with sufficient self-abandonmen to thank him in every lot of life. Manifestly, one source of the difficulty lies in those constant changes of th soul's life which are produced by temperament and circumstances. There ar periods of life when it is comparatively easy to be thankful. There are days sunshine when the pulse of health is strong and free, and bare existence is a joy when all nature seems to sing one song, and the very "trees of the field cla their hands;" and then the soul chants gladly its hymn of thanksgiving to th Father. There are other times, not joyous but sad, in which we readily giv thanks too. There are hours when the shock of some trouble has passed, an the sorrow seems holy, and we can trace the glory of eternal love behind i veil. There are hours of solemn meditation, in which we get some deep vision into the divine meaning of our life, and can see how through the yea we have been led wisely, and sheltered by the shadow of the everlasting wing and in these times we can say, not loudly, but very quietly, "Father, I than thee for all." But yet there are other periods, arising from the changing state of our spirits, when to give thanks in sincerity is one of the hardest tasks life. There are days of dreariness, when our life seems one weary round work without meaning or end; and then the song of praise dies amid th murmuring mill-wheels of toil. There are days of coldness in which the spirit wings will not unfold; or, if they do begin to soar into praise, the cold blasts earthly temptation, or the loudly sighing winds of doubt, beat us down again the world. And need I tell you that that disappointment and weariness will wear the heart, that the burdened, quivering spirit for the moment loses all i trust, and can raise no hymn, and feel no thrill of joy? Now these inevitable and perpetual changes of the soul's life form one gre reason why it is difficult to live in perpetual thanksgiving. But apart from this, there are two great sources of difficulty that are p manent, and underlie all changes of the soul, viz., our fancied knowledge of and our unbelieving distrust of God. (1) Our fancied knowledge of life. We profess to believe in things not se and unknown, but we constantly judge our life by what we see and think know, and hence we become unthankful. We speak, for instance, of speci mercies and calamities. That language may be true if taken to mean merci in which we can specially discern the hand of God. But we carry it furthe we think we can tell which are great mercies, whereas that which we pass by a trifle, or shudder at as a calamity, may be Heaven's greatest blessing disguise. We see good men fail in some great purpose, and poor men linger suffering till they die, and we call them strangely unfortunate. I do not me to say that failure is not hard, or pain not evil; but when they come witho our fault, and in the path of duty, it is tremendous arrogance for us to fan that we can pierce the depths of life, and see that these are not blessings which to thank God; and yet we do so every day. We paint our pictures the future, and colour, in imagination, our schemes with success and our hop with fulfilment; and when they fade and fail, we are irritated and unthankful. Alas for our fancied knowledge! Could we see the truth we should know that the failure of that scheme, and the decay of that hope, were blessed helps to the heavenly life, for which we should thank God with all our soul. It is our way with everything. Constantly we are taught our ignorance, yet constantly we assume to know. Experience reveals to us, that what the child would have chosen the man passes by; and as we move on through life we learn that the brightest rainbows of hope spring from the darkest clouds of trouble; and that in the deepest valleys of humiliation grow the fairest flowers of love and faith; and yet, while experience perpetually teaches that we know nothing of life, we are tempted to forget its lesson, and fancy that we understand it all. And it is just this childish ignorance, this arrogant assumption of our power to detect the good and the evil in the circumstances God sends, which makes it so supremely hard to be thankful in every change of our career. in (2) The other grand source of difficulty lies in our unbelieving distrust of God, This shows itself in two forms. We are afraid to recognise his presence everywhere, and when we do see it, we are afraid to trust him perfectly. The proots of this lie close to our daily experience. We see it, for instance, in the fact, that men scarcely dare to believe that God is acting through every little force in nature, and through every trifling change in their career. When he breaks upon us in life's greater sorrows, or flashes out on all men through some mighty calamity, we stand awed, and say, God is near; but we are afraid to believe that, when life is moving on quietly through its common round of dreary toil, and no great sorrows break its sameness, and bring us face to face with the Divine-I say we are afraid to believe that then, amid the quiet work and forgotten mercies of each day, God is acting, moving, breathing through our life; and because we do not believe it, it is hard in all things to be thankful. Or, on the other hand, when we do discern the hand of God, we are afraid to trust him perfectly. I appeal to your experience whether, in our submission, We are not tempted to bow to a kind of awful will that must have its way, rather than to believe with all the simplicity of children that that which God has chosen for us is most wise, most just, and in the end most kind. Are we not almost afraid to believe broadly in the absolute goodness of our Father? Do we dare to stand up in the night of trouble when we feel that we are lonely souls, with the great universe around us, and the untried eternity before-do we dare, then, to say, and to mean it, "This sorrow, which makes me feel my awful loneliness, is a blessing; in this life which seems so stern, I am led every moment by the hand of a Father, and therefore all things are well"? No, no; it is but seldom that we reach that simplicity of trust in the absolute goodness of God; and therefore it is hard "in everything to give thanks." We pass now to consider 66 II. The motive from which this thanksgiving arises. In_everything give thanks," says Paul," for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." He seems to mean that God's will is so revealed in Christ, that, believing in it, we can give thanks in all things. Let us endeavour to trace the revelation given by the Saviour of his Father's will; and then we shall see how it becomes A powerful motive to perpetual thanks. He revealed that will in three great facts. He showed that life was the perpetual providence of a Father; that that providence disciplined human character; and that discipline was explained by eternity alone. (1) Life the perpetual providence of a Father. Such was Christ's first revelation of the eternal will. You know how he said that, and lived it, from the Commencement of his ministry to its close. He could not see the falling Sparrow cleaving the eastern sky, without telling his disciples, "Not a sparrow falleth without your Father." He looked into the mild, beautiful eyes of lilies, |
