mination to reward her self-denying spirit richly, she turned away.

"You have sacrificed yourself for my sake, Ally," sobbed the dame, folding her gentle child in her arms; "Oh, why did you do it?" "No, mother, I am happier here, and he "Ally pointed to the bed meaningly, "I couldn't mention it before her."

"Yes, darling, you are right, as you always are; he would kill himself without you in a week, I know. But, oh, it is a dreadful thing-my poor, poor Ally!"

Ally was at her sewing, as calm and quiet as though nothing unusual had occurred, though there was a singularly bright spot on her cheek; and the dame had busied herself with preparing the children's supper; when Billy Fisher crept from the bed, and glided half-timidly to the door.

"Don't go to-night, father," whispered Ally, laying her slight hand on his, and fixing her large, mournful eyes on his face most feelingly. "Don't go; I will help you to fix the chessmen you wanted me to do last night; or I will hem the pretty new handkerchief I bought for you to-day, and sing whatever you like best while I am doing it; or I will read to you from my beautiful library book, or do anything you like-only don't go! It is very lonely here without you, father."

The lips of the miserable man parted as though he would have replied; but the word seemed choking him, and he brushed hastily past her. Tears came to Ally's eyes as she turned again to her work; but no one heeded them.

That evening passed as hundreds of others had done. The children were all sent to bed, and then Ally and her mother sat down by their one tallow candle to earn bread for them.

"It is so nice to be together," said Ally, raising a face all beaming with gratitude.

66

Yes, but you lose a great deal by it, dear." "Oh, no; I lose nothing. I should have lost a great deal if I had gone away from you. Mother, I have been wondering since this morning that God has been so kind as to keep us together, and I so ungrateful. I never knew how happy it made me to be with you till now.'

"We never see half the blessings that God bestows upon us, darling."

Murmurer,-you, surrounded by comforts and elegancies, feasting on dainties, and rolling in luxuries-oh, could you but look in upon dame Fisher's cottage, with its bare, broken walls, and scanty furniture! And yet the poor drunkard's wife was really more deeply blest than you-blest with the inner wealth of "a meek and quiet spirit." She never murmured.

The hour of ten drew near, and Ally's quick ear caught the sound of a step upon the door-stone.

"Father! he is very early. Oh, I hope he has not-"

She had no time to finish her sentence. The door was thrown wide open with a quick, earnest, joyous dash.

"I have done it, Ally, my bird! I have done it! There-there-whist! don't look so frightened, pussy; it is nothing bad-it is something good-very good. It will make your little heart glad, and I ought to make it glad once in your sorry life-time, birdie, dear. Shall I tell you, Ally? I have taken the step, the step; and now, darling, your poor mother shall have somebody to love her, and so shall you too. Oh, it has been a dreadful course, it has almost broken my heart sometimes to think of my miserable ways; and I have felt the worst when you thought I was stupid and did not care. Sometimes I have been determined to break away, but then I was tempted, and couldn't. Now I have done it; never another drop to my lips!-So help me God!"

That night there was not so happy a house in all the city, as the wretched hovel to which Billy Fisher had brought such unexpected joy. And Ally? Oh, no! she never regretted having sacrificed her own bright prospects to the happiness of those she loved; for never was human heart more deeply blest than gentle, trusting Ally Fisher's. Other and more brilliant blessings now cluster around her path; but these are mere trifles compared with that great first one.

It was thine own work, sweet Ally; thy never-failing gentleness it was which won him. Go on, pure-hearted one! there is still more good for thee to do.

"Still thy smile like sunshine dart
Into many a sunless heart,

For a smile of God thou art."

REMARKS ON JOHN iii. 5.

To the Editors of "The Church."
Dear Sirs,

I was pleased to see in your pages a letter from the able pen of Mr. Craps on this important passage of the New Testament. Correct views of this passage are very desirable just now, when grave errors on the nature and effect of baptism are so prevalent; indeed the times demand that every christian should strive to gain clear and harmonious views of the meaning of every part of Scripture thought to bear upon this subject.

Mr. Craps's letter has had the effect of strengthening my scepticism in the popular interpretation of this text, and of increasing my desire to ascertain what was the idea the Saviour intended by the words born of water. It appears to me that the opinion that by them baptism is meant, is open to other objections besides the one so well brought out by Mr. Craps. For instance, it may be urged that the words, thus understood, are calculated to mislead the multitude on the vital subject of the way of salvation. We all know the use that is made of this text to support that fearful dogma which teaches that a sinner is made a child of God, and an inheriter of the kingdom of heaven, by baptism: thus substituting the baptismal waters for the blood of atonement. It might not be too much to say, that this error was generated by this view of the passage. Nor can I wonder at this; for if baptism be essential to an entrance into the kingdom of heaven, it is very natural for those who think so to look upon it as the means by which the soul is purified from sin, and fitted for the bliss of heaven.

I am aware that this result is endeavoured to be met by saying, that by the kingdom of heaven the christian church on earth is meant.

But this has proved a very feeble barrier to heresy, and is likely to prove so; for such an exposition bears the marks of being strained, and one that would not have occurred to the mind of person going to it uncharged with reasons for so thinking. Besides, there is a difficulty in so rendering the term kingdom of heaven. The Lord states that none but those who are born of water and the Spirit could enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, Judas and many

others who lived and died in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, were members of the church. Were they born of the Spirit? Surely not. If they were not born of the Spirit, and yet were members of the church, it is difficult to suppose that the Lord could have affirmed that none but such as were born of the Spirit should be numbered among his disciples.

It may be further urged against this exposition, that one more simple and natural might be suggested. If this were done, it would prove a valid objection; for where a passage is capable of more than one rendering, that is to be preferred which is most simple and self-supporting. In this instance, it would be more natural, and more in accordance with the evident meaning of other passages of sacred writ, in which figures are used derived from the use of water, to refer this figure of being born of water to that purification from sin which, we are taught, is effected by faith in the blood of the Lamb of God. Thus Jesus Christ is said to have washed us from our sins in his own blood; and the redeemed in heaven are represented as having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb; and the apostle speaks of the Gentiles being purified by faith. Thus understood, the words are in agreement with the whole tenor of scripture, and teach us that that change is necessary to which the apostle Paul alluded when he said to the Corinthians, "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." The expression of being born of water is a very significant figure to represent the renewal of condition alluded to. Things are purified by water, and therefore to be born of water is to be purified and made clean. This expression conveys to the mind the idea of a polluted thing being washed in the purifying stream, and then drawn forth so perfectly freed from its former defilement, as to appear something new born from the water.

Again, if baptism was intended, it is difficult to understand the point of the Saviour's remark to Nicodemus, when he expressed surprise that a birth of water and the Spirit was needful. Art thou a Master in Israel, and knowest not these things? was

the Lord's rebuke to the Jewish teacher. The Saviour, by this remark, intimates that Nicodemus should have known these things. But was it reasonable to expect from a mere Jew, at this early stage of the Saviour's public appearance, so intimate an acquaintance with the nature and effects of christian baptism, as is involved in this view of the case; and that, moreover, for aught we know, before the institution of that rite as a christian ordinance? But if we understand the text in the sense I have alluded to, the difficulty disappears; for it was just and reasonable to expect a knowledge of the necessity of purification from sin from one whose duty it was to instruct his fellowcountrymen in the nature and design of sacrifices, the various other services of the temple, and the mind of God as made known in the Old Testament.

This view is, moreover, confirmed by the reflection, that the Lord's statement as thus received, is seen to be a suitable prelude to the following part of his address. shewn that the sinner must be cleansed

Having

from sin, and endowed with the graces of the Spirit, ere he could be meet for the presence of God in heaven, he proceeds, at the 14th verse, to open up to his hearer's view the means by which God would effect his glorious intentions of mercy, even the death of the Son of Man, as a sacrifice for sin.

I have thus endeavoured to draw attention to this subject by giving a few reasons why I cannot receive the opinion that our Lord alluded to baptism when he said that unless a man be born of water he could not enter the kingdom of heaven.

And is this all? This all that called forth the howl of The Banner, and the whine of The Evangelical Magazine? This the man who has been described as an apostle of anarchy? Such were the exclamations we involuntarily uttered after we had rapidly, but attentively, read the eight chapters of Mr. Miall's book,-read them with curiosity on the stretch all the time, to detect the elements of ecclesiastical "anarchy." We can assure our readers that our curiosity was most agreeably disappointed. It was owing to mere accident that we had seen hitherto only some of the Abstracts of the Lectures in The Nonconformist, from which we certainly had not received so pleasing an impression of them as by their perusal in this volume; indeed, we think the abstracts were injurious rather than otherwise to the reputation of the book. We hope a cheap edition will appear before long, and shall be very happy to announce it to our readers. It is, altogether, by far the most

valuable contribution towards an honest discussion of the subject on which it treats, that we yet have seen.

It will be seen by what follows, that we do not on every point accord with the author; but thus much we may, at least, state at once, that the writer evidently feels most deeply the solemnity and importance of his subject, that the spirit in which he handles it is unusually christian, conciliatory, and modest, yet firm,-that the book is so entirely free from all bitterness, carping, and reckless desire of innovation, and especially from the slightest tinge of the "anarchical" spirit, that it is marvellous how even bigotry and self-conceit could venture on such disingenuous accusations. Even "desirable alterations," it is observed, ought not to be introduced “abruptly, or without long and painstaking preparation;" and, it is added, "I would be understood to lay great stress on this point, for I believe that nothing tends more directly to reconcile intelligent minds to existing and even glaring defects, than the utter failure which usually follows upon the efforts of intemperate zeal to get rid of them altogether."

Are these the views or words of an anarchist? It is singular, too, in opposition to this malevolent charge, that in church arrangements Mr. Miall lays, as we shall see, unusual stress upon the function of ruling in the "office of a bishop."

The subject of the 1st chapter is "Religious Life, and how it should be treated"-a chapter which, in a cheap edition, might be with advantage very much condensed; indeed, the first three chapters could easily, and with increased impression on the minds of all readers, be included in one. A few paragraphs would sufficiently illustrate what none of our readers doubt, that religion is not letter and form, but spirit and life. These chapters impart an air of cumbrousness to the lectures. It is, indeed, the chief defect of our author's composition, generally, that he is too long in coming to his point. They contain many valuable observations, however, on the impolicy and danger of "reserve," the feebleness of that spiritual life which is petted and nursed in "blissful ignorance" of all views or arguments but those countersigned by the denominational creed and traditions,-on the character of those "historical facts" by which God seeks to draw the universally rebellious will of man into harmony with his moral law,-on the institution, by God, of "organized bodies" (churches), and not the appointment of individuals merely, to give effect to the gospel revelation, and on those qualities of primitive christians which, notwithstanding all their defects, made them far more efficient witnesses for Christ than modern believers.

The 3rd chapter is on the "religion of our churches." And here we certainly differ somewhat from the excellent author. We agree with him in thinking that spiritual life is in very low intensity in our churches; but when he endeavours to shew that in our exhibitions of gospel truth, 1st, "God's rights are commonly considered secondary to man's safety and happiness ;"' 2ndly, That religion is exhibited as a "distinct branch of duty, in such a sense as to exclude secular matters from its jurisdiction;" or 3rdly, That there is a "substitution of law for love" in the urging of motives to duty; we here think his statements but very partially true, and his illustrations of them often strained. We never heard preachers of any character who were guilty of the first, alleged error. Indeed, we do not see its practical consistency with the last. One,

at least, of the chief displays of God's love in the gospel, is the "joy unspeakable and full of glory" which believers are to obtain at the appearing of Christ. God seeks to subdue the will of man into a hearty acknowledgment of his rights, by shewing him "exceeding riches" of grace in raising us up and causing us to "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." No arguments are more conspicuous in apostolic writing and preaching, and even in the discourses of our Lord himself, than those drawn from the "loss of the soul," the dreadfulness of the "fire that is never quenched," the "tribulation and anguish consequent on the "wrath of God," on the one hand, and the rewards, joys, glories, and hopes of salvation on the other. The resurrection of Christ, and its consequences in judgment, punishment, and reward, are perhaps oftener adverted to by Paul than the doctrine of atonement itself. Moreover, nothing is more distinctive in the contrast between early believers and ourselves, than their vivid expectation of Christ's "coming quickly," their simple, direct, overpowering belief in the joys of that day to themselves, and its horrors to the ungodly,-and our feeble realization of the same soulstirring FACTS.

It is we think a point on which Mr. Miall has not dwelt as we should be inclined to do, that a grand defect in "the religion of our churches" now is, that because our Lord has delayed his coming, we have drunk too much into the spirit of those who say," Since the fathers (apostles) fell asleep, all things continue as they were." We grievously lack that intensity of faith which in creatures like us is hardly possible, unless "faith be a substitute for the sight of unseen realities,"-unless it enable us so to realize the person and glory of Christ, the facts of his residence in the heavens till the times of the restitution of all things, and his re-appearance then with all his saintsso to realize them as, by opposing facts to facts, to neutralize the Aristocratic, and Professional sentiments, and the Trade spirit, so justly dwelt upon in the coming chapters. We think Mr. Miall need not have contrasted at all the subjects of the 3rd chapter. God's rights and man's happiness; law and gospel; and even the peculiar claims of distinct religious engagements, all need earnest and parallel enforcement. They certainly need it, if we are to take Christ and his apostles as our model

preachers. What we need is a heartier faith and greater earnestness on all these topics. We wish it to be remembered, however, that we think these chapters full of most valuable practical remarks; though touching the great want in the church of Christ at the present time, we could not, after careful consideration of the three chapters, say that Mr. M. has drawn from us the words he wishes to hear-" that is it."

Very, very valuable are the remarks of Mr. Miall; but they do not, to our mind, indicate the seat or the quality of the radical evil. The subject of the book is, however, so in harmony with the objects of our magazine, that we must do it the justice of returning to it again. We only observe, that the evils Mr. M. depicts in the following chapters, seem to be more rampant in his own denomination than amongst Baptists. Would, however, that we were free from them!

MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF JOSEPH GUTTER-
IDGE, ESQ. OF DENMARK-HILL, SURREY.
London:
BY EDWARD STEANE, D.D.
Jackson and Walford.

Dr. Steane has performed the task assigned him unusually well. Though, as he remarks in the preface, Mr. G., having lived to ninety years of age, had survived the circle who would have felt most interest in a record of his course, the author has, nevertheless, chiefly from Mr. G.'s own diary and letters, most judiciously arranged, presented a memoir of one of the excellent of our denomination, which few will read without interest, and which we are confident will gratify very much all who can remember the denominational events of the last forty or fifty years, and of course such as can look yet farther back. Mr. Gutteridge's character is, from the little we exceedpersonally knew him we should say, ingly well sketched. We were struck with one excellent feature in his diary. It records not merely the alternations of religious emotion, but, even in the few passages here quoted, temptations to those more acknowledged sins which most diary-keepers omit, -temptations to "ambition," "thirst for worldly treasure,' ," "prevarication," "a covetous disposition," "improprieties in temper and behaviour before his family." It will surprise no one who has ever aimed at self-discipline, that the opposites of these were the qualities apparent to others. That he followed truth at the cost of joining a denomination which (especially at the com

mencement of his life) closed up at once many avenues to ambition. That he refused a proffer of the magistracy, because, at that time, accompanied with the requirement of communing occasionally with the Parliamentary Church, or of escaping punishment by an annual indemnity, and he would not prevaricate with conscience. That he was a most liberal contributor to all our institutions, and to every good cause. And that, if naturally warm, and, in a measure, reserved in manner, he was most careful to adorn his profession by a consistent walk before all men. Altogether, in a life of business first, and afterwards of retirement on his earnings, he was quite one of our denominational worthies.

Those who have pious parents advanced in years, will find this volume a very acceptable present to them; and if they read it first themselves, will also find much to prompt and encourage them to act on high and honourable commercial principles; and still more to stimulate them to a life of manly devotedness in the service of Christ. We must not forget to mention, that we are pleased with his staunch nonconformity in a wealthy christian, and one of the last generation too.

LUTHER, HIS MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL HIS

TORY. BY BARNARD SEARS, SECRETARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OP EDUCATION. 12mo. pp. 422. Tract Society.

We have read this little volume with great pleasure. Dr. Sears keeps closely to his topic. The great public events and changes of the time are mentioned, but at sufficient length to serve as a break-ground to the main picture. Luther, the earnest but superstitious monk, struggling upward to the measure of light which he finally reached, is the conspicuous portrait. We are assured by the Tract Society's Editor, that nothing is omitted or altered in this edition, to which, as Liberals and Baptists, we should object. Dr. Sears, many of our readers will like to know, is a Baptist, and of course as an American too, a lover of republican freedom. We are confident that the volume will interest all to whom Luther personally is an object of interest.

JACOB'S WELL. By the REV. G. A. ROGERS. Tract Society.

Those "who are athirst" will gladly follow the author to this fountain.