Our Churches. Conference. Intelligence. THE WARWICKSHIRE CONFERENCE was held at Netherton, on Monday, Sep. 11th. The service in the morning was opened by brother Payne, of Wolvey, after which brother Cross, of Coventry, preached from Hebrews viii. 3, "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer." At the business meeting in the afternoon the reports from several of the churches were very encouraging. Since last Conference brother Payne has settled at Wolvey, and the friends at Nuneaton have invited Rev. S. Willett, of Belfast, to settle amongst them as their pastor. In four of the churches twenty-eight persons had been baptized. After receiving the reports, the following subjects were introduced and discussed : Trust Deeds.-A letter on this subject, circulated by the Baptist Union, was read, and our friends were desired to examine their chapel deeds to ascertain whether they needed enrolment, and if so, to get them enroled at once. Home Mission.-A letter from the secretary of the Association was read, calling attention to a resolution of the last Association on the above subject. After some deliberation, it was unanimously resolved: "That in the opinion of this Conference it is exceedingly desirable that the efforts of the denomination on behalf of Home Missions should be concentrated. Also, that brethren Crofts of Wolvey, and Harrison of Birmingham, be a deputation from this Conference to the Committee appointed to deliberate on the above subject. should make collections on behalf of the Foreign Missionary Society, that these Missionary meetings should all be held at the same season of the year, and that the secretary of the Conference endeavour to make arrangements by which a series of meetings can be held in connexion with churches situated near to each other, so as to avoid unnecessary expenses to the Mission. Improvement of Conference Meetings. -Several things were stated which it was thought would make our Conference more useful and attractive. After several brethren had expressed their opinions ou the necessity for some alterations it was resolved: "That brethren Allsop of Longford, Marshall of Walsall, and Harrison of Birmingham, be a Committee to consider the best means of improving our Conference, and that they report at our next meeting." The next Conference is to be held at Union Place, Longford. Brother Payne, of Wolvey, to be the preacher for the morning. The thanks of the meeting were given to brother Cross for his excellent sermon. J. HARRISON, Secretary. THE MIDLAND CONFERENCE met at Ilkeston, on Tuesday, Sep. 19th. Mr. J. Ferneyhough, of Nottingham, read the Scriptures and prayed, and Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A., preached from John xx. 30, 31. The attendance was very small. At the afternoon meeting, Rev. J. Stevenson, M.A., of Derby, presided, and Rev. W. Chapman, of Melbourne, prayed. Eighty-nine were reported as having been baptized since the last meeting, thirty-seven were now candidates for baptism, and two had been restored to fellowship. From more than twenty churches there was neither letter Foreign Missions.-It was stated that nor representative, which, it is to be reseveral of the small churches in the Con- gretted, is now coming to be the general ference did not subscribe to the Mission, average of churches that do not report. and that if better arrangements were After the usual preliminaries, the folmade for Missionary Services, some ex-lowing business was transacted:pense might be spared in travelling and 1. The Belper Case.-The admirable deputations. After consideration, it was report of the Committee having been resolved: "That we think it desirable read, it was agreed: (1) That the report that all the churches in this Conference be received, and the best thanks of the E E Conference be given to the Committee for their patient attention and efficient services in the case. (2) That this Conference recommend the Belper case, as now represented, to the notice of the Derby district of the Home Mission; and that Mr. George Malin be advised to nominate at once other trustees, under the counsel of the Home Mission aforesaid. 2. New Conference List.-The Secretary announced that the Conference-list, arranged for five years, was nearly exhausted. A conversation followed on the question of increasing the attractiveness and efficiency of these occasional meetings, and on the propriety of reducing the number of Conferences in the year to three or even two, if thereby a larger attendance could be secured. It was agreed: (1) That the Secretary, Rev. R. Stevenson, and Mr. T. W. Marshall, be a Committee to consider the whole question, and report to the next Conference. (2) That they be instructed to prepare two lists for the coming five years, one for three Conferences in the year, and one for four, according to the present arrangement. 3. Amalgamation of the Home Mission Districts.-The resolution of the Association on this subject was read, and it was decided: (1) That the two delegates to represent the Derby branch of the Home Mission be, Rev. J. Stevenson, M.A., of Derby, and Mr. J. Earp, of Melbourne; and the two delegates to represent the Loughborough branch be, Rev. E. Stevenson, of Loughborough, and Mr. J. Hill, of Nottingham. (2) That in the opinion of this Conference amalgamation of the Home Mission districts is desirable so far as it is found practicable. 4. Enrolment of Chapel Deeds.-The attention of the Conference was called to the circular on this subject issued by the autumnal meeting of the Baptist Union, and referred by the Association to the district Conferences. The gravity of this question, it was thought, should be at once pressed upon the notice of each church in the Conference. It was therefore agreed: That the Secretary prepare a circular to be sent to every church in the Midland Conference, urging them forthwith to attend to this matter, as the period for enrolment ends in the middle of next May, and requesting that they each report to the next Conference whether such enrolment has, or has not, been effected. 5. Ashford.-The attention of the Conference was called to the fact, that a dilapidated General Baptist chapel, a graveyard belonging to the same, and ten acres of land, at Ashford, in Derbyshire, were reported to be in the sole possession of one of the trustees of the property, and that no account had been given of the trust for several years. It was therefore agreed: That Rev. W. Underwood, President of Chilwell College, and Mr. W. Bembridge, of Ripley, be appointed by this Conference as a Committee to enquire into this property, and report to the next meeting. 6. Ilkeston.-The Ilkeston friends referred to their heavy responsibilities in connection with their chapel, and to the decaying state of the church; but as the time of the Conference was gone, they were requested to prepare a case for the December meeting. The next Conference will be held at Burton-on-Trent, on Tuesday, Dec. 5th. Rev. W. Chapman, of Melbourne, to preach; or, in case of failure, Rev. J. Orchard, of Wirksworth. J. JACKSON GOadby, Sec. BAPTISMS. BUTTERWICK, near Epworth. - On Lord's-day, Aug. 27, our pastor, the Rev. W. M. Anderson, after an appropriate address, baptized two believers in the presence of a goodly number of spectators. We look upon this as the prelude of brighter days for our church at Butterwick. LOUTH, Northgate.-On Sunday, Aug. 27, after a sermon from the pastor, the Rev. W. Orton, from, "If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest," five persons were baptized by brother Thomas Burton. ARNOLD. We have had a baptistery put into our chapel. On Lord's-day, Aug. 6, four friends were publicly immersed, and on Sep. 3, five others put on the Lord Jesus Christ by baptism. W. S. RIPLEY, Derbyshire. On Sunday, Sep. 3rd, eight were baptized and received into our fellowship. Six of these are young men in connection with our Sabbath-school. LEICESTER, Archdeacon Lane. -- On Lord's-day, Sep. 3, seven persons were baptized, and Sep. 13, one, by the Rev. T. Stevenson. J. G. W. Other Congregational Churches. BIRMINGHAM.-On Wednesday, Aug. 16th, ten persons were baptized at Lombard-street. PETERBOROUGH.-On Lord's-day, Sep. 3rd, three persons were baptized by Mr. Barrass, at Peterborough, and were afterwards received into the church. CONINGSBY.-Aug. 20th, we baptized two friends, and have received them into church fellowship. MINISTERIAL. W. S. REV. J. T. GALE, of Putney, formerly a student at Rawdon College, has accept ed a call to the pastorate of the church at Wood-gate, Loughborough, and commences his labours on the 3rd Sabbath in October. 387 occasion of the presentation of a gold watch to Miss M. J. Wilson, daughter of the senior deacon. The chair was afterwards taken by Mr. Joseph Binns, and the presentation was made by Mr. H. F. Etherington, in recognition of Miss M. J. Wilson's gratuitous services for several years on the harmonium in the chapel on Sundays. An organ having recently been introduced in place of the former instrument, her services were no longer required, and hence the testimonial. The presentation was appropriately acknow ledged by the young lady's father, and the meeting was afterwards addressed by the Rev. J. Matthews, of Thornbury, Gloucestershire; Mr. Oakes, a deacon of the church; Mr. Atkinson, and Mr. M. Stocks. The chapel choir was in attendance, their performances being accom REV. J. STAPLETON, of Kirton-inLindsey, has accepted an invitation to Sutton Bonington, and is expected short-panied on the pianoforte by Mr. Brenard, the chapel organist. ly to settle in his new sphere of labour. REV. T. WATTS having accepted a call to the Baptist church at St. Albans, his friends at Wisbech invited him to a meeting, with a view of presenting him with a substantial token of their affectionate esteem. About 250 sat down to tea on Monday, Aug. 28. Mr. Alderman Wherry, the senior deacon of the church, presided. The chairman, in a most admirable address, referred to the judicious labours of their esteemed pastor for nearly ten years, and to the feeling of regret manifested by the inhabitants of the town with the members of the church and congregation, that in consequence of his precarious state of health, a change seemed desirable; and in the name of the friends, presented to Mr. Watts a handsome gold lever watch with chain attached, a purse containing twenty guineas, and a beautifully bound pocket Bible, as expressive of their regard and affection. Mr. Watts on receiving the testimonials, replied in a very impressive manner, after which, excellent addresses were delivered by Rev. J. Smith (Independent), Wisbech, and Rev. J. T. Wigner (Baptist), Lynn, wishing Mr. Watts God-speed in his new field of labour, upon which he enters the first Sabbath in this month. MISCELLANEOUS. HALIFAX.-On Tuesday, Aug. 8th, a numerously attended tea-party was held in the school-room of the General Baptist chapel, North Parade, Halifax, on the tember 5, recognition services were held RAMSEY, Hunts.—On Tuesday, Sephere in connection with the settlement of the Rev. T. Baker, B.A., late of RidgeChapel. There was a very considerable mont, as minister of the Great Whyte attendance of friends from the surround ing neighbourhood, as well as of members of the congregation, anxious to give a cordial welcome to the highly esteemed gentleman. After the social pleasures of the tea-table had been duly enjoyed, the chapel was adjourned to, and the chair taken by Foster, Esq., of Huntingdon, who, in the name of the sister churches in the county, expressed pleasure in the prospect of Mr. Baker's ministry at Ramsey. Mr. Ulleyet Ibberson, the senior deacon, stated the cir minister and people is amicable, and a small token of esteem is presented to him on his leaving. OADBY, Leicestershire.-Services have been held lately to celebrate the jubilee of the Baptist church at Oadby, near Leicester, and to liquidate the chapel debt, which was £77. The sum of £41 was privately contributed by friends in the village. The Rev. T. R. Evans, of Countesthorpe, and the Rev. J. A. Picton, M.A., of Leicester, preached, and there was also a public meeting, Mr. R. Harris in the chair. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. J. A. Picton, M. A., R. Cecil, Messrs. J. Bennett, and S. Baines, of Leicester, C. Bassett, of Countesthorpe, E. Gilbert, of Oadby, and others. The collections reduced the sum required to within £6, which was kindly contributed by Mrs. Horspool, Mr. C. Bassett, J. Bennett, R. Harris, and C. Stevenson. cumstances under which the church had decided on inviting Mr. Baker to become their pastor, and then Mr. Baker declared the convictions and sentiments with which he was prepared to enter upon his work. The serious sense of responsibility to God, and the deep concern for the salvation of souls, which the address discovered, awakened the warm sympathy of the congregation, and showed that the confidence of the church in their new minister was well deserved. The Rev. J. H. Millard, B.A., of Huntingdon, and the Rev. T. Lloyd, of St. Ives, spoke of the mutual obligations of people and pastor; and the Rev. T. T. Gough, of Clipstone, under whose guidance Mr. Baker commenced the studying for the ministry, bore testimony to the sterling worth of his character, and invoked the kind co-operation of the church in all his arduous labours, concluding all the interesting engagements of the evening with a fervent and solemn "BAPTISM IN THE NAME OF JESUS."prayer for a blessing on the union thus This is one of the latest novelties brought established. Kindly mention was made out by the Plymouth brethren, and is by most of the speakers of the ministers being very prominently put forth by who had preceded Mr. Baker at Ramsey, them, especially in Ireland. Some of and the strongest hopes expressed of his the leaders in connection with the "Merenjoying as happy and prosperous a rion Hall," Dublin, who have for many career as the most favoured amongst years resisted all instruction as to bethem. The post is doubtless an arduous one, but Mr. Baker's prospects are highly encouraging. WOKINGHAM, Berks.-The Rev. P. G. Scorey, who has been the pastor of the Baptist church in this place for nearly six years past, has just resigned that charge, in consequence of his acceptance of an invitation from friends at Ashford, in Kent, to labour amongst them. On Lord's-day, morning and evening, Sep. 3, he preached farewell sermons, and in the afternoon administered the Lord's supper. lievers' baptism, have at once been taken by this "novelty," and have_submitted to immersion in the name of Jesus only. The Rev. W. Turpin, lately a minister of the Established Church in Dublin, and for a short time in Glasgow, has also been baptized after this fashion. The question was brought before the late meetings of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, on reference for counsel and advice from one of the churches whose members had been disturbed by some of the itinerant advocates of this "new thing," and, after a very careful and deliberate consideration of the matter, the Association unanimously expressed its disapproval of baptism being so administered in direct violation of Christ's command to baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The congregations were large, and the sermons and address to the communicants at the Lord's table were solemn and appropriate. On the following Wednesday about two hundred and fifty friends partook of tea in the British school-rooms, after which they retired to the chapel, where a devotional part- THE NONCONFORMIST MEMORIAL ing service was held. Several brethren HALL.-We hear that the site of the having engaged in prayer, Mr. Scorey Nonconformist Memorial Hall has at concluded the meeting, delivering an last been secured. It is near the junction affectionate farewell address. During of Cannon-street and Bow-lane, City; Mr. Scorey's pastorate at Wokingham, a new chapel has been erected and paid for. He leaves the church in a hopefully progressive state, and the separation of has cost £40,000, and is considered, of course, worth the money. Some hundred and fifty years ago Salter's Hall in Cannon-street was the favourite theatre of Obituaries. ecclesiastical discussion. Here was held the celebrated theological conference of which the second Calamy has given the history, and here were delivered the equally celebrated lectures on Roman Catholicism, to which Doddridge refers, and which gave the first clear intimation in our history that Protestant Dissenters had begun thoroughly to understand and accept the doctrines of religious liberty with all their consequences. The new hall will be only a few yards from the old. Comparing the two, we shall be able to judge of the advance of Nonconformity since the time of Calamy and Doddridge. 389 the town, kindly lent for the occasion, to express public gratitude to Almighty God for a good harvest. The weather proving favourable, not less than eight hundred people assembled. An impressive sermon was preached by the Rev. John B. Brasted, from Psalm xlvii. 1, "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph." Appropriate anthems and spiritual songs were sung by the children and friends. The discourse throughout was listened to with marked attention, and at the close the vast multitude separated with evident expressions of delight and profit. This large company ascending the hill TETBURY.-A very interesting open- on returning from worship presented an air service was held here in the afternoon | interesting spectacle that will be long of Lord's-day, Sep. 17, in a field near remembered at Tetbury. Obituaries. MRS. HORSFALL. On the 22nd of May, 1865, aged 42 years, died, Mrs. Horsfall, wife of Mr. J. Horsfall, recently pastor of the General Baptist church at Shore. She had maintained an honourable profession of religion for about twenty-five years, uniting when seventeen years old with the church at Heptonstall Slack, and closing her life a member of the church at Vale, near to which she was then residing. Her death, which took place a few days after her confinement, was sudden, and was unexpected by her friends, though probably not by herself. She had repeat edly spoken of this result as not improbable; and though she would have preferred to remain longer here on account of her numerous family, if it had been the Lord'swill, her language to God was, "Not my will, but thine be done," and to man, "It will be right and well, whether I MISS MARY MARSHALL. ON the 22nd of May, 1865, aged 20 years, died, Miss Mary Marshall, daughter of Mr. John Marshall, of Vale Terrace. Until about nine days before her departure into the world of spirits, she was particularly blooming and healthful. At this time she effort to prevent it from reaching the brain was attacked with erysipelas, and every and laying her low was unavailing. In the former part of her affliction she was genefaculties. She was calm and resigned, restrally in the full possession of her mental ing her hopes on the Saviour of sinners, often remarking that none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good. She had a deep sense of her unworthiness, and a sweet. confidence in Christ. She earnestly exhorted to decision the undecided who visited her in her affliction, and fervently counselled her Christian companions to let their light shine to the glory of their heavenly Father. She had been a member Beloved by kindred, neighbours, and of the church at Vale about seventeen friends, trusting in the "one sacrifice for months. The sudden removal of one so sins," she has gone, we doubt not, to better useful and beloved in the family has been company, to nobler employments, and a great trial to the bereaved parents, but richer enjoyments in the glorious realms we hope it will be sanctified to them and of light and love, into which enter "they to the special good of those who are rising which are written in the Lamb's book to maturity. To improve her death, her of life." Her death was improved from pastor selected the prayer of David: “Lord, the words of Jesus, "Nevertheless not make me to know mine end, and the meamy will, but thine, be done."- Luke sure of my days, what it is; that I may xxii. 42. know how frail I am." live or die." |