WHAT IS SUCCESS?

463 potent agency for counteracting the vices and the follies of our publie streets, and they do a great deal to promote the very ends for which municipal authority has to be supported. What Sunday schools are in rural districts is well known to those who are familiar with the simplicities of country life. They are fulfilling a mission there of incalculable benefit to the community. But in the great toiling municipalities of our realm it is not too much to say they are, with their auxiliary agencies of Bands of Hope, Penny Banks, Sick Provident Societies, and other kindred organisations, doing untold service in begetting habits of sobriety, of thrift, and of kindliness, which are bound to tell on the commonest conditions of town or city life. It was no trifling sentiment therefore, but a worthy practical conception of one aspect, at least, of Sunday school work which was embodied in this great Derby gathering.

One word more may be added with respect to the probable effect of such a Sunday school demonstration on the ordinary estimate of Sunday school work. Too often has that work been regarded as an easy exercise for gifts and graces of a very average character. The mediocrity of church membership-and the epithet is not applied in any offensive sense-has almost seemed to have a monopoly of the Sunday school teachers' office, and as an inevitable consequence a sort of lex non scripta that goodness and earnestness are enough, rules the holding of this office; while in too many instances a veritable minimum of qualification is accepted as a passport to a decided maximum of high responsibility. No custom of this kind can gather either strength or encouragement from the meeting of which this sketch may be a passing memorial. The whole duty and calling of the Sunday School Teacher were lifted up far above any common-place association. The magnitude and the simple grandeur of the work were fully attested; and it may be doubted whether any amount of difficulty or disheartening in the actual experience of those who responded to the Derby Mayor's bidding will soon quench the inspiration, or obscure the ideal of Sunday school toil which were so happily received with the genial entertainment of a chief magistrate whose example is so well worthy of imitation.

What is Success ?

NOT a crowded chapel, not a long list of candidates for church fellowship, not incessant and wide-spread activity in "doing good" along the customary lines of church work. These are but as the ploughing of the soil and the scattering of the seed to the true harvest. Real success is in character-Christian character. It is the increase of the number of Christianized men and women, of those "who put on the Lord Jesus, and make no provision for fulfilling the lusts of the flesh," but provide in the most liberal and splendid manner for the satisfaction of every lofty and pure desire, and of every unselfish and godlike aspiration, and so clothe their lives with the beautiful qualities and captivating grace of the life of our Lord. The test of a minister's and of a church's success is twofold: (1) In the number of separate souls won for Jesus; and (2) in "the strength and beauty" of character manifested by those who call themselves by His Nothing is so exquisitely lovely, conqueringly strong as Christianity when it is fitly and nobly expresed. To secure that fit and noble expression in a congregation of believing men is an object worthy of the consecration of the highest ability, the most insatiable culture, and the longest life. Actually to gain these two ends is to succeed. Nothing less is. JOHN CLIFFORD.

name.

How to Form and Found Churches.

THE LATE MR. JOHN FIELDING.

MR. JOHN FIELDING was one of the oldest members of the General Baptist Church, Tetley Street, Bradford. His name was the first in the church book. When quite a young man he gave his heart to the Saviour, and was baptized in Friar Lane Chapel, Leicester, by the late Mr. Wigg. Shortly after his baptism he removed to Bradford, and not finding any General Baptists in it, he walked to Queensbury and Clayton every Lord's-day. The late Mr. Hudson was then labouring at Queensbury, and, on becoming acquainted with young Fielding, he was induced to preach in a cottage in Bradford. A Sabbath school was commenced by J. F., who, in the first instance, was superintendent, teacher, and almost everything. Eleven persons were soon formed into a church, of which J. F. was one; and with it he continued until his death. While others came and went he remained a child at home. He was one of the trustees of the property, a deacon of the church, a local preacher, and a most earnest well-wisher of the cause. At one time he could rejoice in the fact that his whole family, of eight, were members of the church. To write his history would be almost to write the history of the General Baptist cause at Bradford. He was a most thorough General Baptist of the old school, loved the denomination, and generally attended its Association gatherings. And the work he did is an admirable illustration of what comes of a truly DENOMINATIONAL SPIRIT. If he had been a Christian scattering his energies anywhere and everywhere he Iwould have robbed his life of nine-tenths of its usefulness.

When he died he had been engaged as a town-missionary over twenty years. He was well adapted for his work. He had a good knowledge of the people, possessed a powerful voice, and was a natural orator. He could speak with great effect. By his missionary brethren, and in the districts where he laboured, he was greatly respected. His end was very sudden. He asked for his tea, and while it was being prepared he lost consciousness, and passed away about midnight. All was done that could be, but with no avail. The end had come, and the servant was found at his post. "Be thou faithful unto death." Thus passed away a true man of God, on the 31st of May, 1878, in the 66th year of his age. May we follow him who through faith and patience now inheriteth the promises.

NOW READY.

For CALENDAR OF GENERAL BAPTIST FACTS. See General Baptist Almanack, 1879 For GENERAL BAPTIST SOCIETIES. See General Baptist Almanack, 1879.

For FORTHCOMING DENOMINATIONAL EVENTS. See General Baptist Almanack, 1879. Our "CAMPO SANTO." See General Baptist Alamanck, 1879.

The KHYBER PASS. See General Baptist Almanack, 1879.

The LEANING TOWER OF PISA, See General Baptist Almanack, 1879.

SEAT STEWARDS should read the General Baptist Almanack, 1879.

WHERE ARE OUR LOCAL PREACHERS? See General Baptist Almanack, 1879.

For a ZOOMETER look in the General Baptist Almanack, 1879.

The Afghan Question.

It used to be said that the chief business of Lord Beaconsfield was to "educate" the Tory party into the acceptance of Liberal measures. All that is changed just now. His policy is backward enough to satisfy anyone. Anything more reactionary and despotic could scarcely be conceived than the Tory management of our foreign affairs for the last three years.

One good, however, will come of this. The nation will widen its knowledge of the human race, and possibly may have its interest deepened in the welfare of peoples who were before wholly unknown to us. Cyprus has ceased to be a mere geographical expression; knowledge has taken the place of ignorance concerning its inhabitants, history, antiquities, commerce, religion, and its whole future. Asia Minor, too, has been treated with an interest altogether new, since we passed into the position of Protectors-in-Chief; and its mixed populations have attracted inquiry, if their condition has not deepened sympathy and stimulated effort. And now the wand of the great political magician transports us to Afghanistan to continue our studies on foreign politics, and make us oblivious of the gathering misery and wretchedness, the fruit of Tory misrule, at home.

WHO ARE THE AFGHANS?

The answer to that question depends to some extent upon the person appointed to respond. The best authorities we have been able to discover tell us that the Afghans regard themselves as a distinct race, call themselves the children of Israel, and trace their descent in a direct line to Saul, King of Israel.* Mr. Bellew, who has most diligently studied the people, their country, and their literature, says that they have many confused and vague traditions of the Exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses; of the Ark of the Covenant; of wars with the Philistines, Amalekites, and Anakim; and that in the main these accounts agree with the biblical record. And notwithstanding their detestation of the Jews as the worst of heretics, and the use of the term "Jew" as a by-word, yet they have amongst them certain practises such as "sacrifice," worship in groves and on high hills; the custom of the "lot," and reverence for shrines, which are Jewish and indicate a Jewish origin. One thing must not be forgotten: it is said there is no trace of the Hebrew tongue in their language; but still there is evidence that they have apostatized from their ancient religion, and their records bear witness to their conversion to Mohammedanism by a disciple of Mohammed. Any way the Afghans are Mohammedans now, and Mohammedans of the Sunite Sect; and like good sectaries hate the Persians, their neighbours, because they belong to the opposite faction. There is a good deal of human nature, I suspect, even in the Afghans.

Both men and women are said to be exceedingly handsome, and remarkable for love of country, wild independence, athletic exercises, hunting and war; and, as might be expected, are heedless of authority and prone to insubordination, and develop cupidity to a shameless degree. This is what other people say about them; perhaps if we could hear their side of the question we might arrive at a fair and impartial judgment: but whilst they are silent it would be as well not to judge them harshly.

* Bellew, Henry Walter-Journal of a Political Mission to Afghanistan. Kashmir and Kashgar, J. P. Ferrier. History of the Afghans.

AFGHANISTAN

is merely a geographical expression, and does not stand for a literal and recognisable fact. The term covers three ethnographical domains. It embraces the region occupied by the Khanates in the north; that occupied by other tribes in the east; the district of the Khyberees in the southeast, as well as that of the governing Afghans proper. The country extends to and along the Oxus, touches Bokhara and Khiva in one direction, Persia in another, and most important of all, forms the frontier line of our dominions in India. The total population is 600,000, spread over a country as extensive as all Germany, and embraces no less than nine races. The Afghans themselves are divided into five great tribes, and these again are subdivided into 405 clans.

THE PRESENT QUARREL

is by no means a new one. It is not the first time there has been trouble to our Indian Government from this quarter. At the beginning of this century France sought an alliance with Persia in order to foil the English; and England endeavoured to construct a barrier to the French scheme out of Afghanistan. The disasters which befel the Anglo-Indian Government in 1839, the Revolution of December 1841, and the fatal retreat of the English army along the Khyber Pass, form, after the Mutiny, the saddest page of Indian history. It is thought by some that the beginning of the present difficulty is to be found in our treatment of Persia in the affair of the Seistan Arbitration of 1870. This was a dispute concerning a province; and it was settled in favour of the Persians, and against the Afghans, and therefore the Afghans became hostile towards British rule, and ready to welcome the Russians. But surely we must go deeper than this. Why has this difficulty cropped up just now? Why is it we hear of a Mission of Russia to Cabul at this particular moment. Is it not to be feared that we have the old quarrel between Britain and Russia, settled, as it was said, at the Berlin Congress with "peace and honour," simply transferred to new quarters ?

If so, what is our course? What ought we to do? Unhesitatingly we affirm that it is our duty as a nation to act justly and fairly, to display, as Lord Lawrence says, a "masterly inactivity," rather than a passionate haste to take up the sword; to deal honestly and honourably with all men, and specially with races that have not received the advantages of civilization. No man or nation can profit by injustice. Our sovereignty of India depends upon our moral superiority, not upon our martial prowess; upon our ability to out-do all other peoples in the actual benefits we can confer by our rule upon those whose destinies are in our hands.

The Advance against Afghanistan is ordered. The cruel, unrighteous order has been given, and the foolish policy of making friends at the sword's point adopted. Lord Cranbrook's despatch is a severe condemnation of the Government. Two men dwell near each other. One wishes to be friendly because a distant foe has threatened his hen-roost; the other is disinclined to friendship, and therefore the other loads his gun and shoots him. That is the plain and palpable issue raised by Lord Cranbrook. Can that which would be immoral in Bayswater be right in the Khyber Pass? As sure as we are living, we shall have to pay for this wrong doing. "The gods grind slowly, but they grind to powder." JOHN CLIFFORD.

"Our Mag" for 1879.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

I am just closing the ninth year of my editorship of this ancient periodical; and I feel that I cannot pass into "two figures" with out a little friendly chat about our pilgrimage "up to this present," and our prospects for the future. We have journeyed along very pleasantly for the most part. Of course I have made mistakes. And "of course"how easy it is to take the sting out of our confessions of fault by saying "of course?"-but "of course" aside, I freely and really admit that errors have crept into my work.

"Yes," say a hundred voices at once: and in the din I can hear the sound of a divine who says, "What has become of my copy?" Why did you put it into the waste-basket." A dozen immortal poets say, "and where are our songs?" The "Live Deacon wants to know why he was shelved so unceremoniously. The Secretary of the church in Fussy Street, Vain-glorious Square, asks why his report was cut down till it was scarcely readable, every epithet carefully removed, and the whole reduced to a few unreadable lines.

Friends, have patience with me, and I will tell you all. Solemnly I protest that the easiest thing in the world would be to send your copy to the press exactly as it arrives, and send all that comes. I should save hours by it; and what perhaps is more understandable, I could

put not " a little money into my purse" at the same time, and do vastly

better work than getting your lucubrations into condition for the compositor. Indeed I should like to have them all lithographed, and a facsimile issued: it would be the most memorable document that ever came from the press. As for the "Live" Deacon, his advocacy of "The Rights of Women" was so bold and uncomprising that I was compelled to silence him for a while; but I hereby promise that he shall speak again in 1879, on condition that we hear no more on that subject. The writer for the Church Register must remember that the Mag" is the organ of the whole denomination, and not simply of the respectable church in Fussy Street. There is such a thing as perspective; and an editor shows his skill in that as much as anything. I have seen two or three editors make shipwreck of a good cargo because they did not know what to throw out, and how to set things in their relations to one another. A little more Pastoral Visitation in this number would have been sufficient to disturb its equilibrium. Your editor must not

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forget perspective if you do. Never does he omit a single fact with any real "life," or sign of life, in it: but, precious as the new-born babe is, it can neither do the work nor fill the place of the grown man. Register the babe by all means, but do not be angry if we cannot afford him the room of the man.

But notwithstanding these faults and complaints we have journeyed along very happily, and I trust have done some good to the world, if we have not done much good to one another. I look back at each milestone with pleasure, and I do not mind confessing that I am anxious our journey to the tenth milestone should be the most prosperous of all; indeed I am deeply anxious to get to the GOAL in this new year, and to record at the end a sale of 60,000. Why should it not be?