While doing a deed that was calculated, and that was designed to create an erroneous impression abroad, to propagate a falsehood, and to inflict a stigma on the Editor, virtually branding and banishing him, all this must be done "with a due regard to the Property!" Damage the Editor as you please; and should you utterly destroy his public influence, so much the better; but take ye special care to secure the gains of his toilsome enterprise! MIND THE MONEY!

But our grounds of complaint the first day, were not confined to the individuals with whom the folly originated; the Assembly itself acted a part as full of infatuation as of injustice. Without the slightest apparent consciousness of the nature and tendency of their course, they fell into the snare laid for them, and with great simplicity and honest earnestness, played into the hands of the faction. The act was most unaccountable, and most lamentable. We more especially refer to the thing called a rider to the original Resolution, which runs thus:

That the Committee of the Union be instructed to consider the best means by which the CHRISTIAN WITNESS and the CHRISTIAN'S PENNY MAGAZINE may no longer be regarded as the official organs of the Congregational Union, and to report on the subject to the Autumnal Meeting of the Union.

By this rider, not only is the charge of the faction weakly, foolishly, and, as it bore upon us, most unjustly conceded, but it further concedes the truth and the justice of those charges which churchmen have from time to time affected to bring against us, on the subject of our so-called Organship, when they had nothing else to reply to our arguments. The rider assumes what is not true, viz., that the CHRISTIAN WITNESS and PENNY MAGAZINE have hitherto been regarded as the official organs of the Congregational Union. Without this, there is no sense, at least, no truth in it. As to the PENNY MAGAZINE, the allegation is simply ridiculous; that publication bears not, it never bore, a word to the effect of organship. The sum of the crime of that tiny production has been to bring in, from the day of its starting till now, some five or six hundred a year to the Union; while even on its inoffensive front was always inscribed, that "for the contents the Editor alone is responsible." Yet, by this rider, the little favourite is to be subjected to the indignity, forsooth, of being " no longer con

sidered as the organ of the Union." As to the CHRISTIAN WITNESS, the language of the rider, though not quite so absurd, is more mischievous; it actually assumes what is wholly untrue, and what has been denied for the hundredth time, that it was the organ of the opinions of the Congregational Union; and thus it not only makes a false impression, but propagates a virtual untruth. It inflicts a deep stigma, and perpetrates a grievous wrong. The CHRISTIAN WITNESS is, forsooth, to be "no longer considered the official organ of the Congregational Union." Who hitherto so considered it? We did not. Who did? Who, but those whose errors it assailed, whose sins it rebuked, whose systems of evil it exploded? Who, but those that, unable to combat its facts, and resist its argument, were driven to subterfuges, base, mean, and cowardly?

The speeches of the mover and seconder of the Amendment, apart from all thoughts of the motive, the manner, the time, the place, and the circumstances, and simply in themselves considered, as we have elsewhere stated, are quite inoffensive; but they cannot be so viewed in a larger aspect, since they were simply sparks emitted from a deep and hidden fire. The spirit of the movement was one of a very mixed character. As we stated at the time, in the face of the parties, not one of whom dare to deny it, the crime then sought to be avenged was not perpetrated in the Magazines, but in a Journal which need not be named. This fact did not escape the penetration of our excellent contemporary, the Patriot, as appeared from an able, just, and generous article, of which we were wholly ignorant till it came before us in common with the world, after publication. It ran thus:

"A single Editorial article in one Number of the WITNESS, furnished the immediate handle; but it could not be denied, that the real ground of dissatisfaction was afforded by the course taken by our respected friend and fellow-labourer in a publication for which he alone is responsible, and with which the Congregational Union have no connection than with the Patriot, or any other Nonconformist journal."

more

During no year has the CHRISTIAN WITNESS been so neutral as during the last. With the exception of a single Article, a reprint from the BRITISH BANNER, there was not a page nor a paragraph that could have given just

But in the BRITISH

offence to any one. BANNER an unusual number of public questions have been brought forward, by which it is presumed a considerable amount of public service was performed, and no inconsiderable measure of offence imparted to those whose delinquencies were the subject of fearless animadversion. An enumeration of these subjects will best explain the character of the combination which was got up at the Union. They were mainly as follows:The case of Newport Pagnell College, in which order and authority were defended; that of the London Missionary Society, in which mistaken and unreasonable men, who pursued courses which could only tend to disturb its peace and mar its progress, were dealt with as it was meet; that of Dumpton Hall, in which a system in all respects reprehensible, was honestly and fully exposed; that of Dr. Wardlaw, in which an antidote was supplied in the South to the poison which it was attempted to diffuse in English circles; that of the Eclectic Review, in which the most alarming error was crushed in the bud, and the most nefarious transactions exposed and put an end to; that of the Westminster Review, in which unblushing Pantheism and shocking impiety were dragged to public view, and branded in the face of the nation; that of the Anti-State-Church Association, the Claims of which were freely but fairly canvassed. Such were the events that produced the recent conspiracy and its explosion. Our course as to Newport Pagnell was offensive to the less spiritual order of students, a considerable number of whom were observed at the Union, under the gallery, performing their part with noticeable zeal.

The Writer of a pamphlet against the BANNER, because of its support of Dr. Wardlaw, was also pointed out on the occasion. Certain others, deeply interested in the matter of the Eclectic, and its avowed defenders too, were present, eager and busy. But the pith and the marrow of the matter bore an AntiState-Church Association impress. Thus each had his own quarrel to avenge, and all were zealously united in the work of retaliation. They may well make much of their seeming triumph; it was the first, it will be the last.

The bulk of the leading minds of the Union, in addition to the confusion of the moment, saw no serious objections to the thing proposed,-while they were entirely unacquainted with its origin and

character, which, in all respects, were perceived by few beyond the knot and ourselves, and thus they were disposed to view it very much as an effusion of heat and folly, meekly allowing the matter to take its course. But they very soon came to see things in their true light, and deeply did the best and ablest among them regret the course adopted. In the meantime, the exultation of the Eclectic and Anti-State- Church Association men was unbounded. By all pos sible methods it was proclaimed and vaunted as a virtual vote of censure on the Editor, clearly bringing under that vote the deeds of the BRITISH BANNER, rather than of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS. The very walls of the metropolis and its suburbs were forthwith placarded with bills to that effect. But the triumph was short. The arrival of Friday put an end to the delusion. The spectacle presented by that portion of them that were present when Mr. Morley stood up to propose the Resolution on the subject, will not soon be forgotten by those who beheld it. That Resolution runs thus:

"That this Assembly, referring to the Reso"lution adopted on the 7th inst. with regard to "the Magazines hitherto connected with the "Union, and being desirous of preventing any 66 'public misapprehension on the subject, declares "that, so far from intending the slightest imputation "on the integrity and right-mindedness or general "qualifications of their laborious Editor, cherishes "a high estimate of the value of his past services, "and cordially desires for him a long career of "usefulness in promoting the cause of Christian "truth; believing that the arrangement pro"posed, while it will relieve the Congregational "Union from an undesirable responsibility, will "leave to the Editor a more unfettered right to the expression of his own personal views on many of "the great subjects which now prominently occupy "the public mind."

We have no terms in which to express our sense of that gentleman's kindness on the occasion; for he was the first man in the Assembly on which, for such an act, our choice would have fallen. Mr. Morley, alike eminent in the commercial and religious world, ever forward in movements of patriotism and philanthropy, has of late identified himself with Anti-State-Church affairs, to the extent, at least, of occupying the Chair at the recent Public Meeting of the Association, so that that gentleman must be taken as of all men the most unbiassed; or, if there be a leaning, it is probably to that party rather than to

the Editor. Mr. Morley, therefore, was of all men the fittest, on this occasion, to act as Minister of Justice. He did so act; nor was he alone; the speakers who succeeded failed not to set themselves completely right both with the public and with the Editor; and the manner in which they were sustained by the Assembly of the Union was such as to give to their successive statements of feeling and opinion, a weight which admits of no addition.

With respect to the great mass of the Union, our affection, our confidence, and our devotion, are stronger than ever, and we hope it will increase more and more while life shall last. As to those brethren, who have been shooting their arrows at us, we do not despair of conciliating even them, for sure we are that time will bring them over, one by one, to the views which, for the last year or two, have constantly occupied our own minds, and of late oppressed us with a weight that is altogether overwhelming, concerning the importance of the advancement of the Gospel in our native land.

AFTER THOUGHTS ON THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

THE amount and character of our correspondence, since the Union Meeting, have been such as to render it imperative upon us to add somewhat to the foregoing observations. Our knowledge of the public feeling throughout the ranks of Nonconformity was such, that we expected much, and to their honour we speak it, we have found much more than we expected. They everywhere comprehend, as thoroughly as ourselves, "the motives which prompted the movement, and manifest an entire appreciation of the characters of parties and actions respectively. While many of them find but little fault with the act, in itself considered, which, with ourselves, they view as a thing of minor practical importance, and while the majority of them even congratulate us, on official grounds, on the issue, yet they most strongly and indignantly deprecate the manner in which it was brought about, and express astonishment at the tameness which was manifested on Tuesday, and the ready simplicity with which a body of men so wise and so experienced, fell into the snare which was laid for them; and in these views, as our foregoing remarks clearly show, we fully sympathize, and, indeed,

consider them the principal drawback on congratulation.

Most deeply wronged, we sat at the discussion, patient and mute, taking no part in the proceeding, till all was over, when we stood up and intimated, that, on personal grounds, we should make no objection to the course which we deemed so hollow in its origin, so hostile in its object, and so mischievous in its tendency. Nor will our readers wonder that we were sick at heart to be in a position which could by possibility subject us to such indignities at the hands of such individuals, and hailed the deliverance with joy. Such is our confidence in the force of truth, the cogency of reason, the honour, the intelligence, and the rightmindedness of the mass of the Assembly, then met, that we fully believe we could have completely crushed the movement, and overthrown its abettors; but selfrespect, and even higher considerations than those of self-respect, restrained us. We clearly saw that the temper and character of the party who supported the mover and the seconder,-from neither of whom, personally, was any impropriety to be feared, -were such that there were no lengths of outrage to which they were not prepared to go, since they had nothing to lose, and were restrained by neither sense nor modesty. Had we fearlessly proceeded to deal with and discomfit them, the scene would inevitably have been such as to wound the cause of God, and to inflict a lasting stigma upon the place, the occasion, and all concerned. With these views, and, as there was no vital principle at stake, we thought it best to yield to the force of circumstances, and for a moment suffer evil counsels to triumph; while time and further reflection have only confirmed us in the conviction, that we pursued the wiser course. Had any competent member of the Union stood forth resolutely to oppose the faction, we, in the event of necessity, would have struck in; but, with nothing at stake, it was not meet that we should lead in the conflict. Considering the obvious design of the movement parties, and the certainty that it would constitute a weapon which would be used by them to damage the character of the Editor to the utmost of their power in the view of the public, and remembering that, in particular, it would without fail be trumpeted abroad as a verdict against him on those matters of all-important controversy in which he has recently taken a part, it might have been sup

posed that these considerations alone,as they doubtless, would, had they been duly weighed-would have led the Union resolutely to resist the motion at the threshold. Nay, these facts would not simply have authorised, but have rendered it the imperative duty of the Union, even had the motion been brought on regularly, for the present, to resist any attempt at action upon the question.

Again, as a matter of order, these higher points apart, it ought to have been boldly resisted at the outset, and the parties left, if they thought fit, to bring it forward in a proper manner at the next Assembly. No sufficient case was, or could be made out, for so impetuous a proceeding. As matters stood, they bore an aspect so summary as to bespeak the presence, or the near and certain approach of some fearful evil, threatening disaster of the most desolating character, against which this was the only battlement. Nothing short of this could demonstrate the necessity, the justice, or the decency of it. When did this necessity arise was it between the last Annual and Autumnal Meetings? If so, why was not the motion then brought forward? If it occurred since the Autumnal Meeting, at what time?

We

submit, that if it arose at any time before the morning of the Monday, on the afternoon of which the Business Committee of the Union met, it ought then to have been communicated through the Secretary. We contend, that nothing could have authorised the course so marked by haste and secrecy, but the occurrence of some most extraordinary and flagrant act on the part of the Editor, on the morning of the very day-Tuesdaywhen the Union assembled, and when it was too late to proceed by established rules. The wrongs of the Editor apart, the deed was in a high degree insulting to the Union itself, and, in that measure, it was discreditable to the parties with whom it originated.

Had the Union not been taken by surprise, it would undoubtedly have seen the matter in these lights, and have asserted the claims of its own dignity, and prevented the perpetration of the wrong which was inflicted upon the Editor. Personally and officially we had nothing to lose; and it was proper that we should not volunteer a service of defence to a

body so competent to defend themselves. We intimated that we appealed to the country, and to the Nonconformist body at large. Nor was that appeal in vain,

Communications, as we have hinted, are pouring in upon us from every quarter, and from the first men, both lay and ministerial, in the body, in both countries, showing that, without an exception, they viewed the matter precisely as it was viewed by ourselves. To publish the whole would be to fill our sheet.

Perplexed by selection where all is so pertinent and valuable, and, moreover, restrained by want of space, from the pressure of other matter connected with public meetings, we have wholly abstained. What we may do hereafter must depend upon circumstances; from our correspondence we learn, that throughout the country, a certain party are diligently diffusing their own version of the Tuesday's discussion and vote, to the utter suppression of all reference to the discussion and vote of Friday. They are doing their utmost to represent it as a vote in favour of the Anti-State-Church Association movement, and of disapprobation of the severities with which the Eclectic obliquities were treated. Now, no representation can possibly be more unfair-none more false. The vote of the Assembly, on Friday, settled it beyond all rational dispute, that so far as the Assembly were concerned, even the vote of Tuesday was in no respect whatever to be understood as censure on Editorial management, either in that or in any other respect. Let this point be distinctly understood by all whom it doth or may concern. But, this point carried, all is carried. It will then follow, that the Assembly pronounced no "sentence" whatever, either way, on the subject of the Anti-State-Church Association; while, on the other hand, one and another, and nearly all the chief speakers, bore testimony, boldly, generously, emphatically, to the signal service which had been rendered to the cause of true religion, strongly pointing to recent proceedings. So that, either way, and all ways, the triumph of the faction is but imaginary; in the eyes of all but themselves, so far as these points are concerned, it is an utter and unmitigated defeat.

In our correspondence, it is significantly hinted, that no means are left untried to damage the publications with which we stand connected-an intimation for which our friends, we presume, as well as ourselves, were fully prepared; but this creates in our minds no uneasiIt is but little they can do either to help or to hinder us. With the ad

ness.

mirers of German Theology, the New Lights of the land, we were never in favour. As to them, therefore, all the difference between our present and our past position, is, that they are probably somewhat more exasperated; but as to co-operation, no loss has been sustained. It is, however, possible that we may be losers in a number of quarters amongst worthy men who do not see with us on the subject of the constitution and policy of the Anti-State-Church Association. We shall regret the loss of their friendship and co-operation, and should have been better pleased, could they have allowed for a difference of judgment on a matter where the wisest and the best may differ. We are convinced that such is the view actually held by the bulk of the members of the Anti-State-Church Association, who are not yet so far lost to good sense and right feeling, as to confound opinion with crime, and to hold the honest exercise of the right of private judgment to be sufficient ground for persecution. We hope for the continued friendship and co-operation of all such; we can afford to sacrifice all the extreme brethren, whom, nevertheless, we shall

welcome back to the ranks of our adherents and supporters.

We know the spirit of the mass of those by whom we are supported, and we can, with the utmost comfort and confidence, leave the matter in their hands-to them we commit our official character and our publications. Crowned with their continued favour, we remain invincible to all petty opposition, and potent for good, both at home and in other lands. What we have said, we hope will suffice to put them on their guard, and also to awaken the interest which shall prompt them to the necessary action. We need not tell them, that power for good is in exact proportion to circulation. They have already placed us far-very far ahead of the most favoured of our contemporaries of the same class; and, if they think we have swayed the sceptre of the empire to which they have called us with a single eye and a just hand for the interests of truth and the good of mankind, we hope they will give substantial expression to their opinion, by still further extending the sphere of our operation. They have but to will it, and forthwith it will be done!

CHRISTIAN MUTUAL PROVIDENT
SOCIETY.

THE Annual Meeting of Members was holden
at the Office of the Society, 11, Chatham-place,
Blackfriars, on Thursday, May 2nd; SAMUEL
MORLEY, Esq., Treasurer of the Society, in the
Chair.

Our limits will not allow us to do more than record the following Resolution, which was passed unanimously:

That the Society having now completed its third year, this Meeting is enabled, from practical experience, to declare its entire approval of the objects contemplated in the formation of the Society, and the principles upon which it has been conducted. Among the details stated in the Report of the Directors, this Meeting has noticed with especial satisfaction the large increase of Assurances, amounting to no less than 2,504; the great benefits conferred upon the Members during the past year; and the augmentation of the Investment Fund to £7,200. This Meeting would further record the pleasure it derives in assuring absent Members that the Institution merits their fullest confidence, and in inviting whatever influence they can give to extend its important advantages.

It may be a useful notification to our friends who have influence, opportunity, and desire to extend provident habits, that the Directors of the Christian Mutual Provident Society will furnish, gratis, a set of Books and Forms requisite for a Branch, provided twenty persons can be secured at once as Members. We hope this announcement will suggest an effort on the part of many of our friends.

"St. John, New Brunswick,
"February 15, 1850.

"REV. AND DEAR SIR,-We, the members of Union-Street Congregational Church, though for more than two years deprived of the pleasure of seeing you in the flesh, have yet had you frequently in our thoughts.

"We forget not the personal sacrifices you made when, at the call of the Committee of the Colonial Missionary Society, you left an attached and endeared people to come out, as a missionary, to St. John. We forget not the wide and effectual door of entrance which was opened to you in the city, when you came; the success which attended your ministrations; your formation of us into a Christian Church; and your early and persevering efforts to erect a comfortable, commodious, and elegant place of worship. We forget not the severe and prolonged domestic affliction with which it pleased Almighty God to visit you during your residence among us, and that here are the graves of your three lovely boys. We forget not all your works of faith, and labours