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cauldron filled with boiling water; or he was thrown into the water with a rope round his body. If he sauk, he was declared to have proved his innocence. (4) By experiments with the cross. Each party stood before the cross with arms expanded; and the person who first became weary, and allowed his hands to droop, lost the CAUSE. (5) By experiments with the Eucharist, especially in disputes among ecclesiastics. It was thought that the guilty person would soon afterwards be struck by some manifestation of the Divine displeasure. The laity under. went the experiment with the consecrated morsel, which the person impeached bad to swallow at mass. (6.) By the so-called judicium feretri. The accursed touched the wounds of the person murdered; if blood flowed from them, or foam from his mouth, it was held to establish guilt.' Or this, about organs: The second organ brought to France was given to Charlemagne by the Emperor Michael the First, and placed in the church at Aix-la-Chapelle. But these instruments were still very imperfect; they had only from nine to twelve notes, and the keys were so ill-constructed that they required to be struck with the fist!'

The plan adopted by Professor Kurtz is briefly as follows: after referring to the object, arrangement, different directions, sources and auxiliaries of church history, we have a short sketch of the preparatory history of the church in Judaism and heathenism, and of the primitive era. The main body of the work is then divided into two great sections; the first, entitled 'the development of the church in its antique and classical form; that is, Roman and Eastern; and the second, 'the development of the church in its medieval and Germanic form,' that is, all that comprises the more exclusively western branch of the great stream of church history. These sections are each subdivided into three appropriate periods; the first section comprising the periods, (1.) from the first century to the time of Constantine, (2.) from Constantine to the rise of Mohammedanism; (S.) from Mohammed to the fall of the Eastern Empire and the taking of Constantinople by the Turks: the

second section comprising the periods, (1.) from the fourth century to the extinction of the German Carolingian dynasty, (2) from the tenth century, the Seculum obscurum, to the thirteenth, (3.) from Pope Boniface the Eighth to the eve of the Reformation. As an example of the fulness of detail, take the following analysis of the contents of one chapter, section the first, period the first, chapter the third: 'Internal organization of the church; unity and catholicity of the church; celebration of public worship, administration of baptism; of the Lord's supper; reading, sermon, prayer, praise; places of public worship and influence of art; life, manners, and discipline; the Montanistic reformation;' ecclesiastical schisms; the whole not occupying more than twenty-three pages!

Professor Kurtz writes on one question like a Lutheran divine. He tells us emphatically that it is impossible strictly to demonstrate that infant baptism had been practised by the apostles;' and lest that should be saying too much, he adds, 'although it is highly probable;' and then refers us to Acts ii. 39; xiv. 33; 1 Cor. vii. 14. He continues: Baptism was administered by complete immersion, in the name of Christ, or else the triune God.' He acknowledges that the first churches were purely congregational, and that the first pastors of the church were called elders, from their dignity, and bishops, from the office.'

Making the necessary allowances for Professor Kurtz's German and Lutheran leanings, we regard this manual of church history as by far the best now published. Another volume will complete the work.

The translator has appended, following the method adopted by Kurtz, an excellent sketch of Wycliffe, the Lollards, Huss, and the Bohemian brethren. By the bye, we hope when the second edition is issued, Dr. Edershiem will remove certain blemishes in his otherwise faultless English. 'He knew to conceal,' 'he knew to avert,' 'he knew by intrigues to bring,' most obviously want the adverb how on which in all these cases the infinite mood depends. Awanting' also may be good Scotch, but it is very bad English.

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rather designed to raise the prejudices of the Denomination than convince the judgment-Such for instance where he states it, as highly probable that it (The Association) would try its hand in framing laws for the guidance of the churches in other matters, and perhaps J. E. and some others would have no objections that it should do so.' I hope, however, there is no just ground for apprehension on this point. I yield to no one in my firm conviction of the soundness of the voluntary principle, I only want it to have fair play by every member in our churches having a suitable opportunity given by a public collection of contributing to our different institutions-if so disposed, however small the amount may be. Our independence and liberty are not

Magazine.

MY DEAR SIR,-I must beg space for a few words in reply to J. K. in your April number. Who the writer is I know not. I trust, therefore, I shall not be considered personal in any remark that I may make. If the subject be discussed in a kindly Christian spirit, I have no doubt good will be the result. Before entering upon the general question, permit me to say there are a few remarks in your correspondent's letter which appear to me

of churches is a voluntary union, but when once entered into it brings with it responsibilities and obligations which we cannot violate without injustice to others. Without enlarging more on this point, may I ask your readers just to peruse again Dr. Burns' letter in your March number. Upon the whole I was much encouraged by the friendly discussion which the motion proposed for consideration the Conference at Sutton Bonington elicited, especially as the intelligence of Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough, and Derby

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were very fairly represented. It is an astounding and lamentable fact, that but about 40 churches collect regularly for our Home Mission, leaving 112 doing nothing; about 60 for the College, leaving 92, and as many as 30 churches which are not contributing to any of our institutions. Our Home Mission, as a Denominational Institution is about extinct, as the present position of the committee testifies. This society, it will be remembered, was requested by the great Denominational Meeting at Leicester, last autumn, to commence forthwith a new station in some large and populous town, but alas! it does not move hand or foot, and wherefore? It is because it is completely paralyzed; it has no power, and cannot have with our present disorganized constitution. To turn to the letter of J K there does appear to me a fallacy in the reasoning of some parts of it. In page 144 he observes, I suppose our friend J. E. does not mean that this is the only bindrance to its advancement, but in his view it is the chief.' I am free to confess that my settled conviction is, that this is the fact. Will your readers oblige me by reading a little further on continuously from the passage above quoted, to that part where the writer remarks, 'If they contribute nothing now, they would most certainly contribute nothing then, and I do not see what advantage would result from their excision.' Now, the idea that a church contributing nothing, takes nothing away seems to me erroneous. It does take away, inasmuch as by its example and influence it is a hinderance to others. It is said of the wisest of all husbandmen that 'every branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away' -no doubt, for the best of all reasons, that the presence of such branches hinders the fruitfulness of the rest, and robs them of their strength and vigour. Just so in respect to our present position as a Denomination. Who that has been anxious for the prosperity of our different institutions has not felt discouraged, and his energy and zeal damped by the want of union and cooperation amongst us? I have myself frequently returned home from public meetings with the discouraging impression that nothing great or good

could be accomplished with our present organization. The prospect of success is the greatest of all stimulants to exertion, and vice versa. My impression is, that the churches generally which are now doing nothing, would heartily enter into a combination of efforts if others would do the same. All that I plead for is, that every church should be identified with us by some amount of contribution to each of our approved institutions-inasmuch as these institutions belong to every church and not to a few only. J. K. refers also to the efforts of the late Mr. Ingham, to effect an improvement in our constitution by adopting a similar principle in 1836, but without success. I must say I felt honored by being identified with the efforts of one so worthy of our esteem and respect; I feel myself safe in treading so far in his footsteps, whether I succeed or fail, as he did. I have, however, heard many of our most devoted and liberal hearted friends express their great regret, (and none more so than the late venerable W. Pickering,) that he could not succeed in carrying his measure. Had he been permitted to do so, and the plan properly carried out, our Denomination instead of numbering only 20,000, I believe it might have been 40,000. Well may one of our most popular lecturers say wherever he goes, the enquiry is, in reference to the General Baptist's, 'What are they? Where are they? What are they doing? There is a great moral power locked up in our Denomination for want of proper means of development. Hence our circumscribed boundary, while other bodies have overspread the land, notwithstanding, as we believe their adherence to some of the relics of Popery. There must be something wrong somewhere. It is to be feared our religious liberty in some cases serves only as a cloak of covetousness, hence the grudging and inadequate support which some churches award to their pastors as well as to objects of general benevolence. I do not, of course, mean this to apply to all churches who are not adequately supporting a minister. Some of these may need our sympathy and help, which might be afforded if the principle

letter from a ministerial brother. The great objection of J. K. to your resolution seems to be that it would make that a compulsory, which ought to be a voluntary act. If the plan were adopted in reference to churches entering the body, no such objection would apply. As to the churches at present connected with us, but not subscribing, or not having a collection for any of these institutions,

1. It is not a formidable thing that is required-one collection in the year, no matter how little was obtained.

2. It is consistent with the idea of union, and interferes no more with the independence of the churches than a denomination, or body, or connexion, or whatever it may be called, also interferes with that independence.

3. It cannot be considered arbitrary, for all the churches are represented in the Association, and if there should be a majority in favour of it, the Association clearly has power to pass it, as it has power to say what shall be its basis of union.

4. There is no analogy between state churchism, acts of uniformity, and the passing of such a resolution. The denomination is a voluntary body, the resolution would be passed by an acknowledged ecclesiastical and representative assembly, and not by a parliament, which represents the nation, not the church.

5. We should guard against any thing that would savour of the tyranny of the Wesleyan Conference, but I do not see that this would. It concerns the relation of the churches to the denomination as such, and not the private affairs of those churches.'

ON A RESOLUTION PASSED AT THE EASTER MIDLAND CONFERENCE.

the funds of such institutions, nor in any way to exercise control over their affairs.'

To prevent any mistake, the institutions should have been named, but I presume the Academy and the Home and Foreign Missions are intended. I was not present to hear the discussion, but it appears to me, that the adoption of such a resolution may result in very important consequences. It is even possible that it may lead to a dissolution of the body; and I cannot for a moment believe that its supporters have that object in view. The fact of it being seriously entertained may tend to estrange some of the Churches from the general body, and prevent them sending either reports or delegates to the annual meetings: and I am not quite sure that it would not have this effect on some who do now contribute, and that not sparingly. It is in effect saying; 'we received you into the Connexion, and have hitherto allowed you to share all the privileges pertaining to such a union: anticipating that you would add strength and support to our movements for extending the influence of the Denomination; but you have not answered our expectations, inasmuch as you have not rendered any pecuniary assistance to the institutions established for that purpose. We cannot therefore in future, allow you to take part in anything relating to them, nor do we think it right that you should avail yourselves of the services of students from the Academy, either as occasional supplies or permanent ministers. You will please, however, send us the annual report with statistics as heretofore.'

Magazine.

DEAR SIR,-The last Midland Conference unanimously requested the Association to consider the propriety of adopting the following resolution: viz-That such Churches as do not contribute to the institutions of the body, shall have no power by their delegates, to vote in the disposition of

extent. It does, therefore, seem rather harsh treatment to disfranchise them for not doing that which they never engaged to do.

Such a resolution would, I apprehend, apply with as much force to individual members of churches as to individual churches of the Connexion; and it is well known that many, from