VOLUNTARYISM AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

THE Cape Town Mail, just received, presents a full report of the Debate on the "6 Voluntary Principle" in the House of Assembly. Mr. Solomon greatly distinguished himself by a most comprehensive and powerful oration, which, in point of length, might advantageously compare with some of the leviathan discourses of Brougham or Peel. It is matter for profound congratulation that a gentleman of such ability and intelligence should be so thoroughly informed on a subject of such interest to society. We can scarcely cherish a more benevolent or patriotic wish than that the House of Assembly of every colony of the British Crown might have a few such men as Mr. Solomon. They may for a season be defeated; but their triumph is only a question of time. Mr. Solomon delivered what may be called a pamphlet; and we do trust it has been separately published, and widely diffused throughout the colony. It may be conquered by a vote, but it is impossible to meet it in argument. It is the ablest, and every way the most conclusive speech that has reached us from any of the more distant parts of the empire.

Dr. Abercrombie opposed the motion, in a speech of considerable ability. The honourable gentleman referred to the popular feeling, stating that petitions against the Voluntary Principle were no fewer than twenty-six in number, and signed by 4,000 persons. This is a fact, however, to which no value attaches. Among them were some from Presbyteries, expressing the sentiments of the Dutch Reformed Church. Some were from the Established Church, which forms no inconsiderable portion of the population of the colony. The honourable gentleman considered that they had an expression of opinion from about one-fourth of the inhabitants of the colony against the Voluntary Principle, intimating that this simple fact spoke volumes; and contended that, if there were no other argument against the introduction of the Voluntary Principle into the colony, this should be regarded as satisfactory. We trust we may not take this as an average specimen of the logic of the House of Assembly; since, if so, it will be necessary to transmit from home a portion

of common sense, from time to time, to guide its debates to a conclusion. The "volume" which he considers "the simple fact" to "speak," is simply a volume of ignorance, prejudice, selfishness, and folly. We hope Dr. Aber crombie may live to be ashamed of his own conclusion, and that we may yet find him on the side of reason and Scripture. We are all the more inclined to this hope from the fact, that he is not altogether a stranger to the writings of the Voluntaries. In the course of his speech, he did us the honour of reading from the CHRISTIAN WITNESS of 1852, when he said: "I hardly think it possible that such an one can declare the whole counsel of God, with the same boldness and freedom that a minister can who is independent of his people; or that he could openly denounce prevailing sins in the hearing of those who, perhaps, cherished and indulged in such, and upon whom he was dependent, it might be, for his subsistence. But, without taking up the time of the House with many remarks on these points, I would rather direct its attention, with permission, for a few minutes, to an account of the state of the American churches, as given in the CHRISTIAN WITNESS for 1852-a work, I doubt not, well known to my honourable colleague, and an authority which he values." The honourable gentleman proceeded to read at great length from the Article, commenting as he went on, and concluding with the declaration, that the time had not yet come for the introduction of the Voluntary Principle into the colony.

But let us be just to Dr. Abercrombie. His argument is very mainly based on the fact of the sparse population of the colony. He grants, that when the population is become more dense thien the question may be introduced. But, in the mean time, he considers that religion exists in too small a measure to give adequate development to that principle; and holds, that a revived piety will be just so much accumulation of moral strength. In the meantime he states that ignorance to a fearful extent prevails-ignorance not only as to general knowledge, but as to religion itself, the one thing needful. He holds, that where men have no true religion, it is not to be expected they will make its support a matter of conscience. Other gentlemen having ad

The Presbyterian has an article, in which he undertakes to show the inefficiency of Congregationalism in reference to the case of the division of the church in Enfield, Connecticut. We could better judge of the conclusiveness of the argument he has drawn from that case if we better understood the facts. The splitting of a large congregation into two is an event which sometimes takes place in the best ecclesiastical families. But we are happy to see that the Presbyterian keeps both debt and credit in his books. For in another column, on the same page, he has an article which might have gone under the head of Per contra. It is as follows:

"CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH EXTENSION. Six new Congregational churches in Wisconsin, it is said, have been dedicated since the year came in, and several more are in process of erection. They have been built on the strength of encouragement given by the Fifty Thousand Dollar Fund lately raised by that denomination. Would that such results might provoke our own church to a like good work. We have ample means, if they could only be properly developed."

Now this strikes us as a confession which in some way touches the matter of the relative efficiency of Congregationalism; and were we to grant (which be far from us) that Presbyterianism is more efficient for the good purposes of church discipline, the facts which are before the world will show that the system which brings every individual member to partake in all church action, brings the mass to more effective action in works of beneficence than that which does the business by delegated powers in the session. A few years ago we were in conversation with one of the oldest and most distinguished ministers now in the Presbyterian body, a native of New England, who was lamenting the imperfections of Congregationalism, as illustrated in the case of Dr. Bushnell.

But

he, of his own accord, ended the discourse with regrets that his own church had not the efficiency of the New England churches in the matter of beneficence and of evangelizing operations.

There is something remarkable in this Chapel Building affair, which ap

pears to have originated in the corresponding movements in England, and to have been conducted with peculiar success. Upon the principle of concentration with a view to power and efficiency, they have converged their labours upon a single region, and the result is, the starting, almost simultaneously, of no fewer than six new Meeting Houses, by our not very correct friends, called "churches."

The tribute paid to the efficiency of the New England churches in the matter of benefactions, and of evangelical operations, with which the foregoing closes, is very gratifying. We are not amongst those who affect to despise Presbytery. We can conceive of that system, administered by wisdom and spirituality, being made to work with tremendous In the power. matter of a converted Ministry, a pure fellowship that is, a fellowship, so far as man can judge, composed of converted men-and the scriptural administration of ordinances, there is nothing in Presbyterianism to prevent the accomplishment of all that Independency contends for. We hold, of course, that Independency is alone the more apostolic plan; but next to it, and second best, is Presbyterianism. It is to be regretted, however, that Independency has frequently been presented in a false attitude. Congregationalism has been pushed into an Independency identical with isolation-a state of things by no means harmonious with the proceedings of the Apostles as stated and detailed in the New Testament Scriptures.

ECCLESIASTICAL CHANGES.

THE more opulent inhabitants of the City of London, and indeed, of all Cities of magnitude, in our land have, of late years, manifested a strong tendency to go forth to the suburbs, or beyond them. The effect of this has been serious, not only to trade generally, but to churches of all denominations. To our certain knowledge, most of the London churches have felt, and are continuing to feel, the evil effects of this emigrant spirit, since it is only persons of means that can afford to practice in that way, and consequently their loss to their churches is very great. Liberal in every good cause, and ready to every good work, the removal of a half dozen of these from a church may be equivalent to the reduction of its weight, influence, and power of contribution 30 or 40 per cent., or even more.

But such emigration must not be viewed as just so much loss to the general cause;

for not a few of the beautiful edifices for worship, rising all around in the suburban districts, have largely originated with, and are carried on by these very emigrant families. By these means Gospel Institutions are being multiplied, and wells of salvation everywhere are opened up, so that, in the end, the results will be in all respects most gratifying. In all this, it must not be supposed, that any very strange thing has happened to the churches of English cities; for the same thing is going on, in a scale of equal magnitude, in America. Most of our readers have heard of the world-wide Edifice in the United States, known as the Broadway Tabernacle. We have before us a statistical account, prepared by the excellent pastor, Mr. Thompson, who was in England some years ago, and attended the Meetings of the Congregational Union, which strikingly illustrates the working of the same change in the City of New York. Mr. Thompson's statement is the following:

"During the ten years of my pastorate over this church, it has been favoured with two remarkable effusions of the Holy Spirit, which resulted in large accessions to its numbers by conversions from the world. In the whole period 170 have been added to the church on profession of faith, and 265 by letter from other churches; being a total of 435 persons, and an average addition of 43 per annum. And inasmuch as in the years 1852 and 1853 the absence of the pastor and his uncertain health detracted somewhat from the ordinary increase of the church, the average may be more fairly reckoned at 53 per annum. There have been connected with this church in all since its formation 870 persons, of whom 364 united on profession of faith. It may therefore surprise some to learn that the present number of members is but 268, or nearly a hundred less than at the time I became its pastor. It then numbered 350; 435 have since been added to it, more than doubling its catalogue-an increase at the rate of nearly 50 a year during the years of my ministry; and yet it now numbers only 268! For the last five years this church has suffered a yearly diminution of members, ranging from 10 to 40 a year, and making since 1850 a nett decrease of 132. At first view this seems discouraging; and it might

be construed to the disparagement both of the church and of its ministry. But whatever may be the imperfections of the church and of its pastor, this decrease is but one among many illustrations of the fluctuating character of a New York congregation. This diminution of members is not owing at all to the want of additions as compared with previous years. Except in the time of my absence, the yearly additions to the church for the last five years have been fully up to the average of former years. In 1851, 24 were added on profession and 40 by letter, making 64; yet in that year our nett loss was 28. In 1852 our additions were 15 by profession, and 19 by letter, making 34; but our nett loss was 40. Last year our additions were 23, yet our nett loss was 28. In the past five years there have been 177 added to the church, of whom 50 united on profession of faith; but in the same period 309 have been removed by death, dismission, and the withdrawal of fellowship, leaving a balance against the catalogue of 132."

Mr. Thompson states, that the press of business in the vicinity of the Tabernacle, and even far above it, is driving out families from the neighbourhood to such an extent that it may, in the end, as in the case of Dr. Halley's chapel in Manchester, compel the church to remove its edifice to a better locality. On this matter, Mr. Thompson remarks, in the New York Independent, as follows:

"It is easy to talk of maintaining Mission churches in the lower part of New York; but it is another thing to support a church where Christian families no longer reside in sufficient numbers to keep up a prayermeeting or a Sabbath-school with even tolerable interest. The poor must have the Gospel. Strangers and foreigners must have it. But how and by whom shall it be supplied? Here is a great problem yet to be solved."

The same problem will require to be con.. sidered by the churches of this country; and it cannot be taken up too soon. While the wealthy are rushing out of the city, the poor remain; and the poor constitute the millions. To meet the case of these something is wanting that does not now exist, and to supply it must become forthwith the business of the churches of Christ.

as the character of the Antagonist of the Western Powers. As a subject of thought, and not only so, but of prayer and supplication, it is well that Christians, even the humblest, should have some idea of the true merits of the

case.

Let us, then, give them to understand

that the ground of the War is the aggression of Russia upon Turkey, the annexation of which to her own Empire she has for ages been meditating. Before the present War broke out, and, as the immediate cause of it, a vast army was sent by the late Russian emperor into the Danubian Provinces, a territory as large, and almost as fertile, as the island of Great Britain. The object of the Czar was at once to possess himself of that which brought him within a short distance of Constantinople, an invasion and an absorption of which would speedily have followed.

In order to show at one glance that the policy of Russia, during the last century and a half, has been directed by a deep-laid scheme of territorial aggrandizement, in pursuance of the schemes bequeathed by Peter the Great, we annex the following statistics in a tabular form. The success of this extraordinary policy is unparalleled in the history of nations; and it has become a Muscovite maxim, "that the Russian empire never recedes." Turkey has been especially the object of Russian ambition, not only because that empire, until lately, has been the least befriended of any of the European States, but also because its territory is infinitely the most valuable and splendid that could be acquired to gratify the ambition, the cupidity, and the vanity of Russia, and which, more than the acquisition of any other European State, would form a nucleus from which she might pursue her cherished schemes of Asiatic and European conquest:

View of the Russian Empire at different
Epochs.

With the certain knowledge which we now possess of the policy of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg, and with this alarming table before us, it is not difficult to point out the duty of every European Power, more especially that of the Continental States. The "Russian empire must recede;" and it is a matter of surprise that Prussia and Austria, especially the former, when such a favourable juncture has arisen, should not act upon this maxim. No Power in Europe lies so much exposed to Russian ambition as Prussia. Memel, Koenigsberg, and Danzig-the former commanding the mouth of the Niemen, and the latter that of the Vistulawould form most important acquisitions to Russia, and would square off her empiré in that direction. Besides, immense quantities of Russian producé are annually conveyed to these ports for shipment; and the possession of them, and the projecting territory from Thorn on the Vistula to Memel, would at once establish for Russia an immense preponderating mercantile and maritime power in the Baltic.

It is not now a question, about which there need be any dispute, that it is essentially necessary for the safety and peace of Europe, for the protection and natural development of the resources of the Ottoman empire, that the aggressive policy of Russia should be checked; that she shall no longer enjoy those privileges which she has long enjoyed, of a right of protectorate over the Christian subjects of the Porte; and that her ascendancy in the Black Sea be completely destroyed. So long as the Russian fleet cruised unmolested along the shores of the Euxine, or rode at anchor in the capacious harbour of Sebastopol, protected and sheltered by its impregnable walls, Constantinople was continually threatened, her commerce interrupted, and her Government awed into obedience

to the wishes of the Czar; protection was afforded and reparation offered to the emissaries of the Russian Government, who not only openly violated their laws, but stirred up the subjects of the Porte to disobedience and open rebellion.

It is yet too early to obtain more than a glimpse at the probable consequences of the War, viewed in the lights of Christianity. So far, however, as our vision extends, there is ground for the amplest hope that results extensive, permanent, and most beneficial, will follow. From time to time, and almost from week to week, facts are arriving confirmatory of this view. The American Mission which has laboured long under serious discouragement, is now entering on a new and hopeful career. In Constantinople, there are actually 3 Christian Churches, with 4 Missionaries, and 1 Native Pastor. On the Bosphorus, there is 1

American Missionaries.

Native Helpers

40

14

6

4

0

0

4

11

14

11

Jewish (at Constantinople,

Smyrna, and Salonica).

It may occasion surprise that so little mention has been made of the Greeks

in Turkey. Though they have been found hitherto very inaccessible, a commencement has been made. Akhissar, (Thyatira,) and Demirdesh are Greek towns; at Tocat also, and some other places, there are Greeks desiring to see Jesus; and at Constantinople, there is the nucleus of a congregation and a valuable native teacher. Many communicants, recently added to the Protestant Church, were Greeks.

The statistics thus supplied refer chiefly to the Asiatic portion of the Turkish empire, but in European Turkey also, there are encouraging openings for preaching the Gospel, though there are so few labourers to gather in the promising harvest. Between the Danube and the Balkan, are four millions of Bulgarians, members of the Greek Church, who are very accessible to evangelic influences.

Those who desire a more complete and comprehensive view of the subjects, may consult the Report of the American Board, as also the First Annual

Report of the Turkish Missions Aid Society, just published-a document of deep interest.

Since the above was written, we have received a Lecture delivered by Dr. Hetherington, of Edinburgh, on "The Religious Aspects of the War;" a seasonable and valuable expression of opinion. The erudite Author has shown that it is-whatever statesmen and politicians may say to the contrary -"a religious" as well as a political war. Russia claimed to protect about three-fourths of the Sultan's subjects in Europe; which was just to ask the Sultan to abdicate in favour of the Czar! This claim was based on religious principle, or, at least, pretence.

The result is, the Doctor observes, that public attention has been directed to the present conflict more fully and constantly than ever was the case in any previous war; the feelings of humanity have been called forth to a degree and extent never previously exemplified in the history of the world; the religious interests and spiritual welfare of the soldiers were never at