inquiries catechetically, but will try to give substantially, as far as I have been able to collect it, the information desired. In the Peterborough was adopted as a Home Yorkshire Home Mission there are some Mission station in 1846, and received the peculiarities not found in some other dissum of £235. In 1846 the members of tricts of the Connexion, reference to which the church there were reported as 20; and is needful in this inquiry. The Distri in 1865, as 165. This church is now self- Conference, rather than the Committee sustaining. Mr. Pentney was pastor for a manages all important business connected short time, after which supplies were with the weak and needy churches, and obtained, and for the last thirteen years also the new stations that seek help. The Mr. Barrass has been pastor. decision of particular points and many financial items are referred to the "Finance Committee;" but the general business of the Home Mission is discussed and decided upon in the open Conference. It is es tomary, also, for the help and advice f Conference to be sought and given in the case of small churches, new causes, and churches without pastors; in arranging supplies for the pulpits, and determining difficult questions in church order; in purchasing land for sites to build new chapels or enlarging old ones. And if any small party of friends (likely to need help were to take important steps so as to incr serious pecuniary responsibility without consulting or regarding the advice of Com ference, it would be considered irregular and such party would not be expecte afterwards to ask the help of the Co ference in carrying out their plans. Th the Conference maintains a kind of fatherly oversight of all weak and dependant terests in the district, encouraging the friends connected with them to look to it and to expect its best advice in their dif culties, as also its practical sympathy far as it can be rendered, when they nee pecuniary or other help.

Gedney Hill was adopted in 1847, and received the sum of £73. This station was relinquished in 1856, for want of funds. Mr. Billings was the pastor. Number of members in 1847, fifty-two; and in 1865, twenty-eight. Jolo

Holbeach was adopted in 1857, and has received the sum of £95. Mr. Cotton is the pastor. As the statistics for Fleet and Holbeach are returned together, I cannot give a separate report for Holbeach. During Mr. Cotton's ministry the chapel at Holbeach has been freed from debt, and a gallery built and paid for.

Whittlesea was adopted in 1859, and has received £70. Mr. Allsop laboured there for some time, and was succeeded by Mr. Towler. Number of members in 1859, forty-five; and in 1865, seventy-eight.

Lincoln was considered a Home Mission station in 1861, and has received £95. Mr. Cookson is the pastor. Number of members in 1861 was thirty-nine; number now, seventy-four.

N.B.-In the amounts stated to have been received by Holbeach, Whittlesea, and Lincoln, I include the sums voted last June, as they will be paid if they have not already been paid.

Without any comments of my own, I leave this somewhat humbling statement to produce its own effect.

As a rule, pecuniary assistance is vete by the Conference from the Home Mission funds, and the same body appoints all officers. In exceptional cases, when th regular Home Mission funds will not allow of an extra grant, an effort is made at on in Conference for the relief of a suffering church, or a resolution passed encourag The General Secretary of the Home Mis- the churches in the district to help sion, in inviting us to meet other delegates case. The consequence of this is, in Leicester, to take into consideration the ordinary grants from the Home general state of our Home Missions funds do not represent by any means a throughout the Connexion, requested as Home Missionary work done in the dum ample replies as could be conveniently A young interest is some given to the following questions: in various ways for wears

"1. What causes has the Home Missio in the Yorkshire District assisted the last twenty-five years? 2. F help has been given to each c many members were

Report of the Special Home Mission Committee.

25

This arrangement is now being carried on | reported as still in fellowship. The Stone
second year, and many of the evangelists
of the district are helping to succour the
young interest in the same way.

chapel was then taken, at £25 per annum.
And the Yorkshire and Derby and Mel-
send supplies, and as soon as practicable
bourne districts agreed, from that time. to
to get and sustain a minister. The Rev.
J. Tunnicliffe was engaged in 1813. In
1844 the United Committees bought
Byron-street chapel for £999.
Mr. Tunnicliffe withdrew from Byron-
street, taking with him twenty-nine mem-
In 1847
began to preach in another part of the
bers, and leaving about twenty-one. He
town, and the mission again wore a very
discouraging aspect. The Rev. R. Hors-
field was engaged in 1847, and his able
and persevering efforts have been so
blessed, that the church is now not only
self-sustaining, but liberally aiding in the
support of our connexional institutions.
Bradford.-The Yorkshire Conference the support of Leeds until the year 1853,
The Yorkshire Home Mission assisted in
solved to introduce the cause into this when the Derby and Melbourne district
mportant town in 1831. In June, 1832, a
burch was formed of eleven persons.
took the station under its own care. We
they became united with the Association churches, 213 members, 356 Sabbath scho-
have now in Leeds two General Baptist
1833, and reported twenty-two members, lars, and chapel and school property worth
nd Mr. Hinchcliff their minister.
836
In some £2,500.

Daring the period now under review, the Yorkshire Home Mission has assisted some twelve places, several of which have een remarkably successful. So far as we ave been able to ascertain, the average maual sum raised for strictly Home Misannary objects during twenty-five years as been from £50 to £55.

This year the sum in the report is about 267, but the writer knows of not less than 220 raised for other cases in the district which will not appear in the report, which nakes the aggregate £87. And thus it has equently been during the twenty-five

a new chapel was built in Tetley-here under the care of the Yorkshire Constreet, to accommodate 800 persons. Rev. Ingham became the pastor in 1839, and ference in 1845. Engaged the first minisbas successfully employed until 1848, when ter in 1847, when the Home Mission began tle left for Louth. In the same year the to give pecuniary help. In 1848 several of Fate Rev. H. Rose commenced, and died in the Yorkshire churches aided the station 1. He was followed the same year by by collecting for it. It was received into Rev. T. Horsfield, who resigned in 1856. the Association in 1850, and reported present pastor commenced in 1856 thirty-two members and one hundred Rev. B. Wood). The support from the Sabbath scholars. In 1859 a good chapel Home Mission was discontinued in 1846. and school-rooms were erected in an There was a secession from Tetley-street eligible locality, which cost about £800, church in 1852, which led to the erection toward which the Home Mission proof the chapel in Infirmary-street; and now mised, and has now paid, $250. The in Bradford there are two churches, 441 Rev. J. Finn became the minister in 1861. members, 543 Sabbath scholars, and His labours have been energetic and very chapels, school-rooms, and other buildings successful. They have recently erected' which have cost not less than £3,000. Leeds.-The General Baptist interest modate 500 persons or more. Members, new galleries, and the chapel will ac omwas introduced in 1840, in which year the 179; Sabbath scholars, 265.

were assisted here for some time, during
Manchester and Salford.-Two stations
which a new chapel was erected in Strang-
ways, at a cost of £1000. Various efforts
to get and sustain a regular minister were
unsuccessful, and in the end the chapel
as sold, and the church scattered.
Rochdale. The cause here was began
eywood, near Rochdale, in 1859. After
a small chapel was built in the latter
in which divine worship is still
1. Help was rendered to this st
veral years. Their first past
T. Batey, who was succeeded
JX. They are now without
arrange their own suppli
49; Sabbath scholars

Bacup.-This is a considerable manu- period there has been expended in the facturing town in Lancashire, and until district, on chapels, school-rooms, ministhe "cotton panic" came was extending ters' houses, and other church property, rapidly. A small church was quietly no less a sum than £28,000. gathered, the nucleus being a few members After all, the claims of the district seem of General Baptist churches who had re-more urgent and important now than at moved thither to get employment. The any previous period of our short history Conference encouraged these friends to as General Baptists. In nineteen towns commence a fund for a new chapel, and of Yorkshire and Lancashire there is an promised, when a certain amount had been aggregate population of 1,500,000 souls, obtained among themselves, £300 (I be- amongst whom we have not a single lieve) from the Home Mission. They church, chapel, or preaching station! were progressing favourably when arrested THOMAS GILL. by the failure of their trade, since which time the little cause has suffered greatly. Now,-members, 27; Sabbath scholars, 41.

Report of the Special Home Mission Committee.

A district Home Missionary Society was therefore established by the Conference; a Committee was formed of the ministers in the district, with certain other brethren; and brother Clifford was appointed Secretary, and Mr. J. M. Stubbs the Treasurer. A collection was made in aid of the Society at the Wendover Conference, amounting to £1 11s. 24d.

At its last meeting the Conference appointed Messrs. Stubbs and Lawton as a deputation to attend the Special meeting appointed by the Association to be held respecting the General Home Mission.

The Conference passed no resolution on the subject of uniting the different districts into one, but several of the brethren expressed their own views.

Brother Goadby is of opinion that the

union of the districts will be best.

Brother Preston is also in favour of union. He does not think that the London district is likely to sustain a missionary, but in the district we might render some help in association with some other district or districts, and ought to do so.

Brother Batey believes that the churches in the district could support a missionary if they would.

My own view is, that for some time several of the leading churches in the district will be engaged in making special efforts to reduce their own pecuniary responsibilities, and that on this account they will not be able to do much for the Home Mission; at the same time I believe that most of the churches in the district might be prevailed upon to do a little.

J. LAWTON, Deputy.

DERBY DISTRICT.

A verbal report was given of the operations of this district by Mr. J. Earp, of Melbourne. The only cause aided by this part of the Home Mission is Byron-street, Leeds. The amount of money expended from 1844 to 1865 is about £1,600. The church in Byron-street is under the charge of Rev. R. Horsfield, and is both independent and flourishing.

NOTTINGHAM DISTRICT.

Mr. T. Hill gave a verbal report of this part of our Home Missions, from which it appeared that amid many difficulties and discouragements a successful attempt had

been made to establish a church in Sheffield. The average expenditure of the Committee has been about £50 per annum. They have at present a liability of about £150. In Sheffield at the present time they have a large and beautiful chapel in an excellent situation, and an earnest church under the care of Rev. G. Hester.

27

Having heard the reports from the various Home Mission districts, and as the whole of the districts do not seem at present prepared to form one united body, it was resolved

I. That the following arrangement of the districts be recommended, viz. :

1. That Cheshire be united with Yorkshire.

2. That London be united with Lincolnshire.

3. That the Midland consist of the Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, and Warwickshire districts.

II. We recommend to the committees of the districts that they apply their resources chiefly to the establishment of new churches amid the great centres of population.

III. That the district committees consist of the minister and one other representative of each church which contributes to the funds of the Home Mission, and of all subscribers in the district of not less than than ten shillings per

annum.

IV. That the district committees be advised not to make grants to any minister whose appointment they have not approved.

V. We advise each church to appoint some efficient person to solicit and collect the subscriptions.

VI. We earnestly recommend that every church make a public collection annually, however small the amount.

VII. That each district appoint one speaker for the annual meeting, and that such appointment be made known to the General Secretary by the first week in June.

VIII. That inasmuch as the pecuniary responsibilities of the various districts are now discharged, leaving a small balance in hand, with the single exception of the Nottingham branch of the Midland, which being also within the reach of an early removal, no obstacle of that description stands in the way of more systematic and vigorous efforts to obtain enlarged contributions in order to meet, so far as may be expedient, pressing calls for help, and assist in occupying some of the numerous and inviting fields of usefulness which at this time present 66 new feature" themselves. But as some in our Home Missionary system, of a more efficient and business-like character, has been called for, and fearing lest this should be regarded as only one of those

reported that the attention of the Committee had been called to the recommendation of the last Conference, and, after a long conversation, had agreed: That they could not pledge themselves to any pecuniary liability in regard to the Belper case in consequence of the difficulties which surround the whole case. The Conference also adopted the following resolution: That we recommend the churches of this Conference to allow their minister to serve the church at Belper for one Sabbath during the coming year, and defray the expenses of their journey.

fruitless appeals which have been so often made, the desirability and propriety of making the approaching Centenary of the Connexion available for an extraordinary attempt to establish our Home Missions on a more enlarged and permanent basis, was suggested: and bearing in mind that some such extraordinary procedure has been successfully accomplished by other religious bodies at such an epoch in their history, it is proposed that the Association take this important matter into their immediate consideration. In this proposal the delegates from all the districts are unanimous, believing that it is in the present position 2.-The Committee on the general of the Connexion, for the most obvious question of the Conference, and the new reasons, indispensably necessary, and Conference list.-The report presented hoping that it would result in the salva- by the Committee was received. The tion of many souls, and the glory of God. recommendations were discussed seria IX. That brethren Winks and E. Stevenson be requested to advocate this proposal at the next Association.

X. That the substance of the reports now given, and the resolutions passed thereon, be prepared by the Secretary for insertion in our Magazine.

Thanks were given to brother Winks for presiding so efficiently. Brother Lawton prayed. And we then separated, each feeling that we had had a happy meeting, and with the wish that it may issue in a large increase to the Redeemer's kingdom. W. CHAPMAN, Secretary.

Our Churches.

CONFERENCES.

The MIDLAND CONFERENCE met at Burton-on-Trent, on Tuesday, Dec. 5th. Rev. W. Chapman, of Melbourne, preached in the morning from Rom. x. 3. Rev. R. Kenney, minister of the place, presided at the afternoon meeting, and Revs. E. Stevenson and W. Hill prayed. From the reports received eighty-nine had been baptized during the quarter, thirty-seven were candidates for baptism, and nine had been restored to fellowship. Most of the churches have either enrolled the trust-deeds of their chapels, or were about to have them enrolled. After the doxology had been sung, the chairman read the Minutes of the previous Conference, and the following business was transacted.

1.-Belper.-The secretary of the General Home Missionary Committee

tim. It was agreed, (1) That the three county towns still be retained on the Conference list. (2) That with a view of increasing the interest and efficiency of the Midland Conference, the Committee beg to suggest the propriety of having a brief discussion on some seasonable topic, bearing on our position as citizens, Nonconformists, or Baptists; that the topic be decided upon at the previous Conference, and its introduction be entrusted to some member of the Conference, who may either read a short paper thereon, (not to exceed fifteen minutes,) or open the subject by word of mouth, as he may prefer, but that with a view of avoiding inconvenience, the discussion should not take the precedence of the ordinary business of the Conference. (3) That, in place of four Conferences in the year, which are often thinly attended, there be three only, viz.: on Shrove-Tuesday, Whit-Tuesday, and the 3rd Tuesday in September. (4) That the Conference sermon in the morning be still retained; the time for the service eleven o'clock; dinner exactly at one o'clock; and the business meeting at 2.15; and the arrangement for the evening meeting be left, as heretofore, exclusively in the hands of the church where the Conference is held. (5) That with view of making the Conference returns more accurate, each church belonging to it be affectionately urged to send a delegate whenever practicable, and when not, to forward a reply to the Conference circular; either to the minister of the place where the Conference is held, in time for the Secretary to receive it on the Mon