EXTENSION OF THE GENERAL BAPTIST DENOMINATION. 447 Connexion, in many of its phases, most resembles our own body. In England, at the last conference, they had 21,000 members; we about 19,000. But their admirable circuit system, well and skilfully carried out, leaves us at an immense distance in almost every important particular. They have 116 ministers; we 104. They have 342 chapels; we only 210. They have 54,000 Sunday school children; we only 26,000. They raise for missions between £4000 and £5000; we under £3000. They raise for weak churches £1000; we, I dont know how much! They raise for ministers' children £1485; we nil. They, for superanuated ministers and widows, £1900; we nil. They raise by book-room £500; we nil. So that their funds, for which we have no corresponding ones, are £3885 per annum, to which must be added £2000 for chapel debts, or £6000 altogether. Yet they are not wealthier than ourselves, but in all their small places the fragments are gathered up, so that nothing is lost; while with us, in our 154 churches, we have fortytwo that do not contribute to our Foreign Mission, and one hundred, or twothirds of the whole, that do not contribute at all to our Academical Institution. Whether the connexion would not do well to elect some efficient brother to represent it among all the churches for Home extension, and for Collegiate purposes conjointly, I leave you to determine. But direct, systematical, and zealous effort is absolutely essential to keep up with the progress of the age, to meet the pressing claims of the times, and to secure, to an equal extent with other sections of the church of Christ, the enlargement and prosperity of our denomination. AFTERNOON SITTING. Rev. H. HUNTER, of Nottingham, in the chair. After singing, reading the Scriptures and prayer, the Rev. J. F. WINKS read the third Paper on 66 THE ADAPTATION OF OUR PRESENT HOME MISSIONARY SYSTEM TO THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ITS OBJECT." BEFORE I proceed to offer a few remarks on this subject, permit me frankly to state, that when I met with my brethren, the ministers at Leicester, to assist in making arrangements for this special meeting, I voluntarily offered to undertake this service. If I did wrong, "forgive me this wrong;" and kindly bear with me if I further say, that coming from an ancient town where baptists were almost unknown, though, nearly 200 years before my own birth, it furnished, in the person of one of its Episcopal clergy, John Smyth,* the founder of the first English General Baptist church; and having myself, after several years anxious consideration, adopted your views of Divine truth, I felt when, now nearly forty years ago, I joined your connexion, a strong desire for the wider diffusion of your scriptural principles. And those of my elder brethren who are among you here this day will, I believe, cheerfully bear me testimony, that for this great object I have uniformly laboured ever since; and now as I am "such an one as Paul the aged," I shall esteem it a favour if you will hear from me of your clemency, what may be, a few parting words on this very important subject. I need scarcely remind you, my brethren, that faithful adherence to Divine truth is the manifest and imperative duty of christians, and that in all ages See Wood's History, page 103 of this dispensation, even the darkest, there have been found those, their enemies and persecutors being witnesses, who have recognized this high principle, though thereby they suffered the loss of property, liberty, and life. And hence the noble army of martyrs and confessors. In our own land, we have good reasons for believing-ages before Gregory sent Austin on his mischievous Romanizing mission-a purer faith, similar to your own, prevailed; and for ages afterwards, though its adherents were compelled to seek hiding-places in the mountain fastnesses of Wales or in the gloomy forests of England, we may yet trace its existence in the pages of British Ecclesiastical History. But no sooner had WILLIAM Tyndale— to whom England is more indebted than to any other man who ever did or ever will tread her soil-sent over from Holland, at the price of his own life, the first printed copies of the bible in our language, than our countrymen began to read its sacred pages and judge for themselves. And once possessed of the word of God they never gave it up. "Freedom to worship God," however, according to its dictates, was forbidden to our forefathers by the severest penalties. You know what sacrifices they made to secure that precious privilege during the reigns of the imperious Tudors and the intolerant Stuarts; and you know, too, that notwithstanding all opposition, churches, or congregations as they were then called, of your faith and order were gathered, and formed, and established, both in the metropolis and in many of the counties of England, and chiefly through the itinerating, or, as we might call them, home missionary labours, of such men as Thomas Grantham, and his companions in toil and tribulation. May God raise up from among us now such men as they were! For are we not under a reproach, perhaps too justly merited, that in many of our populous towns and cities, and in most of the counties of England, the General Baptists are unknown; while in London, with its millions of people, we have but four churches! But liberty of public worship came at last, in 1688, with William of Nassau, and the treacherous Stuarts were discrowned and expelled the land for ever! For a season the evangelical dissenting churches rejoiced in the light and liberty they enjoyed. It was only natural, after such an arduous and prolonged struggle, that they should "rest awhile." But they fell asleep; and "while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." For now a blight of error, more fatal than the blasts of persecution, swept over the evangelical churches of all denominations,—the Presbyterian and the General Baptist suffering more than others. The religious state of our country during the reigns of Anne and the first and second Georges' was awful. Infidelity and vice were rampant; both "churchman" and "dissenter" seemed paralysed. A few good men, in the "Church" and out of it, joined in the horror of the pious Doddridge, when he exclaimed, "My God, I shudder at the scene!" It was time for God to work, and he did. Whitefield and the Wesleys' were sent to prophesy to these dry bones; and you are familiar with the mighty results of their home-missionary labours. Ninety years ago a new organization of the remaining evangelical General Baptist churches, with a few others which had spontaneously arisen in Leicestershire and Yorkshire, was formed. EXTENSION OF THE GENERAL BAPTIST DENOMINATION. 449 This brief historical summary has been hastily sketched to remind you that long before what is called the "New Connexion" was formed, churches of our faith and order existed in this land, raised chiefly by the itinerating labours of devoted men. I shall not attempt to furnish statistics of our original or present numbers, or of our rate of progress, beyond reminding you that although we profess to take the Great Commission in its entirety, "preaching the gospel to every creature, baptizing them," we have not advanced abreast with some who disavow the one or disown the other. we do It may be asked, "Have we made no efforts?" We have; but they have, been comparatively weak or powerless. Within little more than the period of our new organization, Wesleyan Methodism, with its divergent branches, has spread over the whole land; and, inasmuch as its preachers affirm that "Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man," " rejoice; yea, and we will rejoice." And "desperately baptistical" though his friend, Dr. Campbell, has pronounced the writer to be, he would rather give up 10,000 baptisms than that greatest truth in creation. Baptism is useless except the gospel be first preached and received by those who hear it. But what have we done? and how have we done it? We have done some. thing, though, as I just said, comparatively little; and as the result is little we had better not linger over it lest we be discouraged. Perhaps by considering how we have done what we have done we shall better ascertain why the results are so far from satisfactory. Our mode of extension has been similar to that of other congregational denominations; viz., by one of our churches building a chapel in a village adjacent, to be supplied by local brethren; or by a number of churches uniting to open a room, or purchase or erect a chapel in some town, to which, it may be, some members of our churches had before removed, and then by sustaining a minister there for a season. The Independents, and the other sections of the baptist body, pursue the same mode; but our means being more limited, our progress has not been so great as we ought to desire. It is, however, only just and right to say, that although several of our first attempts in this way were not successful, in more recent cases they have been encouraging and satisfactory. And yet, my brethren, if this is to be the only mode of extension we are to adopt, when shall we occupy the very "much land" that "remaineth yet to be possessed" in England alone, to say nothing of the Principality, the kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland, and our numerous colonies, with their rapidly-increasing populations? In the matter of England only, should one of you sit down and calculate by the Rule of Proportion, when, at our present rate of progress, we shall be found in every place whose population exceeds 1000, you would stand amazed at the distant date which would be the result of your calculations. But why be concerned about that, some one may say; do not Methodists call upon all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel? and does not the larger section of the baptist body bear its testimony with ours' in favour of believers' baptism? They do. But we differ from the Methodist on baptism, b and from the Particular Baptist on the extent of the provision made for the salvation of men by the great atonement. Who among us is willing to give up either of these? But some, though unwilling to give up these, might urge that we are a conservative body, set for the defence of these truths, and, conserving them, we discharge our appointed duty. Nay, verily, not if the Great Commission be yet in force. There it stands, unrepealed; and who among us would dare to say that we are at liberty to ignore or neglect it, or any part of it. Be conservative, brethren, if you will, but be aggressive too. Take care of those whom you have already brought into your christian folds, but see yon countless wanderers! and hasten after them. At our present rate of speed we are actually lagging far behind the proportionate increase of our population. Hence it is evident that something more is necessary to be done by us in order that we may not only advance onward, but that we may sustain the position we occupy. For except we do, we fear that the present institutions of our body cannot be either sustained or improved in their efficiency. May I, therefore, be permitted to make a few suggestions? Before doing so I am anxious to allay any apprehensions. I do not wish to propose any alteration of our present Home Mission districts, or wish to interfere with their operations. But we have lately formed a General Home Mission, in addition to the existing District Societies. This new, or rather revived, institution has not yet adopted any defined mode of operation, and I submit to your serious consideration whether it might not be adapted to a well-regulated system of itineracy. We have already seen that the ancient General Baptists adopted the itinerating system with success, even in days of bitter persecution. In more recent times Wesley organized his itinerating plans, and, notwithstanding opposition and difficulties, met with wonderful success. But the Wesleyan system, being one of an ever-changing ministry, is not adapted to our independent congregational order. We could not, therefore, recommend its adoption. But could we not adopt something like it for the purpose of gathering congregations? About forty years ago something of this kind was attempted. And yet it was scarcely of this kind, for it was only an interchange of pulpit services by the stated ministers, which was soon found to be impracticable. What we want appears to be the setting apart of two gifted brethren, as the apostles did, to itenerating labours, marking out for them their spheres of operation, furnishing them with suitable tracts for dispersion, and requesting them to preach anywhere, and keep a journal of their proceedings for regular publication in our magazine. Before starting they might be furnished by our ministers with the names of any members who have removed to any of the towns which they design to visit, and whom, on arriving at such places, they might first consult. Time and patience will be required in carrying out a scheme like this. These were given by Wesley, and he was well repaid. We say nothing now EXTENSION OF THE GENERAL BAPTIST DENOMINATION. 451 about chapels or places to preach in; these, as in the case of the Wesleyans, would doubtless be found as congregations were gathered. What, above all things, we first want, is the man, or the men, for the work. And here let me quote the REV. HENRY ALFORD, B. D., who, in his Lecture on Saul of Tarsus, says, "For such a work we want a man of leaping heart and kindling sympathy-for such a work we want not dry precepts, but exhortations steeped in tears-for such a work we want a person whom men can love. For every such work-and here is one of our fatal mistakes in our doing good. When we want to do good, we frame our plan, our society, our rules, excellent perhaps and faultless-we construct our scheme, we build our church, we build our school, we build our hospital-but we forget that for any stirring, living good, engrafted, and growing and prospering, we must have men, first and above all, men, personal centres of love, and respect, and devotion ;—that a cause, however good-rulcs, however faultless-pleading, however earnest and sincere, will never win and set in motion the energies of many men-but that a loving, self-sacrificing, weeping, tender-hearted man will stir multitudes, even with a weak cause; and that every great movement among mankind has, if not originated with, grouped itself about and centred in such a personal agent, round whom, and in sympathy with whom, others have gathered. If we are wisely pursuing our aim for church, schools, institutions of any kind to be effective, for snch a man we shall pray, and search till we find him. And shall not the Head of the Church, who Himself set us the example by placing Himself in our humanity, as the source and centre of love, shall not He provide for this work one who can bind men's hearts together by love-who shall rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep-nay, will not such a person, seeing He ever works by human means, be essential to the founding and consolidating of His church?" I have often wished that our energetic brother, Dr. Burns, had been set apart years ago to this service; and ever since I baptized my old friend, Mr. Thomas Cooper, I have been revolving in my mind for what purpose God has sent him amongst us. At present I dare not venture to say. He has a wide sphere now, and I would not limit it for merely denominational purposes. I mention him, however, as the kind of man, if God preserve him, for such a work, associated with, as his companion, some brother experienced in our customs, and wise in their application. To such an object the funds of our General Home Mission, at present unappropriated, might be devoted. And might we not expect that, for such an object, well worked out, special contributions would be forthcoming? I should rejoice in being able to furnish such agents with suitable tracts gratuitously, as my contribution to the enterprise. The first thing to be done is to discuss this subject more fully in the pages of our own magazine. Our people cannot be expected to move in this matter until they understand it. But seeing the necessity, practicability, and, more than all, the scriptural nature of the plan, they will then no doubt desire it; and, desiring it, they will pray that God would raise up from amongst us the right men for the work, and dispose the hearts of our brethren to furnish the requisite means. Much more might be said in favour of the plan now proposed. Obstacles may, on the face of it, present themselves; but obstacles, we are told, only |