WOODCOCKS

LAY PREACHING AMONG CONGREGA

TIONALISTS.

S

TIMULATED by the success that has attended the extensive use

of lay preaching in several other religious bodies, and impelled by a conviction that there is a growing need for more labourers in the great harvest field, our friends the Congregationalists are trying their best to organise such preaching more largely in connection with their churches. For many years there have been preachers, more or less, steadily pursuing their calling, with or without official recognition. The question which is now under discussion is not merely how this recognition may become more general, but how the agency itself may be universally called into exercise, with a view to provide preaching for the smaller churches and out-stations, and to open up new fields of missionary usefulness. Two difficulties present themselves in the

way.

In the first place there is a certain amount of jealousy existing among ministers, and a very large amount of prejudice among the congregations themselves against any preaching except that of ordained pastors. The latter is harder to overcome than the former. There are many places where a poor sermon would be listened to with greater readiness from a❝ regular minister," than a far better discourse from a lay brother. Perhaps the only way to overcome the difficulty arising from these causes is to wait patiently for wiser and better thoughts to prevail.

The second obstacle is more serious, and yet more capable of being grappled with. It arises from the difficulty of organising lay preaching on a large scale among churches constituted like those of the Congregational denomination, among whom the principle of independency and self-government is held with such tenacity. The editor of this magazine has endeavoured, as far as possible, to give a practical turn to the discussions which have from time to time been carried on in the Nonconformist, and in various meetings of the Congregational Union. In so doing he has not hesitated to assert that the very genius of the congregational system specially fits it for the general employment of lay agency in preaching the Gospel, and he has contended that neighbouring churches may combine their efforts in this direction without in the least sacrificing their individual independency. What is wanted is that the same principle of union which already exists

among them for many other religious purposes, should be applied to this particular matter. To form distinct and independent Lay Preachers" Associations, and organise mission and other work in connection with them, as some have proposed, seems to us to be only another method of trying to form fresh sects. Far better, because far simpler and more natural, would it be for each church to call out such of its own members as have a gift of preaching. Let these be formally and officially recognised by the Church so as to afford a check on unworthy and unqualified persons. Then let each Church arrange work in its own neighbourhood for its own preachers, with mutual interchange of help with neighbouring churches, forming groups of such churches into Associations, just as the county unions have their districts already for other purposes.

THE PRINCE OF FIELD PREACHERS.

FEW biographies exceed in interest those of earnest and successful ministers of the Gospel. Several years ago we heartily welcomed a well-written "Life of George Whitefield," by Mr. J. R. Andrews, and we are glad to find that Messrs. Morgan and Scott have issued a remarkably cheap edition of this work, which can now be procured for sixpence. Our younger brethren would do well to avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded them of becoming thoroughly acquainted with the life of this extraordinary man, while preachers of all ages will derive spiritual stimulus from its perusal. We append a few extracts:

PREACHING AT MOORFIELDS.-Shortly after returning to town he decided on the bold step of preaching at Moorfields during the great annual holiday of Whitsuntide ("the season of all others," he says, "when, if ever, Satan's children keep up their rendezvous "). Moor. fields, in Whitefield's days, was a large open space of ground, much frequented by the people on Sunday afternoons and at holiday times. At the great Whitsuntide fair the ground was occupied by booths, where mountebanks, players, puppet shows, etc., exhibited. On Whit Monday, 1742, Whitefield started off at six o'clock in the morning, accompanied by several of his friends, and took possession of an eligible spot for his "field pulpit." He found, at that early hour,. upwards of ten thousand already there. He gives us the following account of his proceedings: "I mounted my field pulpit, glad to find that I had for once, as it were, got the start of the devil. The people immediately flocked round me, and I addressed them from the words, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the

Son of Man be lifted up.' All was hushed and solemn; they gazed, they listened, they wept." He gave notice that he would preach again from the same place at six o'clock in the evening. When he went at the time appointed he was much encouraged to see several thousands collected together, waiting for him; but he was now to encounter a more organized opposition. He continues: "Opposite to the pulpit was one of Satan's choicest servants, exhibiting on a large stage to a great crowd, but as soon as they saw me in my black robes standing in the pulpit, they left the player and ran over. This Satan could not brook; the Merry-Andrew, armed with a long whip, and followed by a crowd of enraged and disappointed showmen, approached. Then mounting upon the shoulders of one of his comrades, the tumbler commenced lashing his whip at me, and pretending to fall down at every stroke with the violence of his exertions. They next persuaded a recruiting sergeant with his drum to pass through the congregation. When I saw them approach I gave the word of command, and ordered that way might be made for the King's officer. The ranks opened, while all marched quietly through, and closed again." Finding these efforts to divert the attention of the congregation fail, a large body assembled, and having procured a pole for a standard they marched upon the audience; but it so happened that when within a few feet they quarrelled among themselves, threw down their standard, and turned away. Whitefield, after this last attempt, was left in quiet possession of the field for the rest of the evening. "We then," he says, "returned to the Tabernacle, with my pocket full of notes from persons brought under concern, and read them amidst the praises and spiritual acclamations of thousands who joined."

PREACHING NEAR DUBLIN.-"I pitched my tent," he wrote, “near the barrack wall, not doubting of the protection of the officers and soldiers if there should be occasion. But how vain is the help of man! Vast was the multitude that attended; we sang, prayed, and preached, without much molestation, only now and then a few stones and clods of dirt were thrown at me. It being war time, as is my usual practice, I exhorted my hearers not only to fear God but to honour the best of kings; and, after sermon, I prayed for success to the Prussian arms. All being over, I thought to return home the way I came; but, to my great surprise, access was denied, so that I had to go near half a mile from one end of the green to the other, through hundreds and hundreds of papists. Finding me unattended, for a soldier and four Methodist preachers had forsook me and fled, I was left to their mercy; but their mercy, as you may easily guess, was perfect cruelty. Volleys of stones came from all quarters, and every step I took a fresh stone struck me and made me reel backwards and forwards,

till I was almost breathless, and all over a gore of blood.

My strong beaver hat served me for a skull-cap for a while, but at last that was knocked off, and my head left quite defenceless. I received many blows and wounds, one was particularly large, near my temples. I thought of Stephen, and I believed that, like him, I should be dispatched. But providentially, a minister's house lay next door to the green ; with great difficulty I staggered to the door, which was kindly opened to me. For a while I continued speechless, expecting every breath to be my last; two or three of the hearers, my friends, got admission, and with weeping eyes washed my wounds, and gave me something to drink. I gradually revived, but soon found the lady of the house desired my absence, for fear the house should be pulled down. What to do I knew not; some advised one thing, some another."

LOCOMOTION IN WHITEFIELD'S TIME.-It is remarkable how well Whitefield succeeded in travelling from place to place in the short time he did, especially when the state of the roads a hundred years ago is taken into consideration; and when travelling on horseback through the narrow muddy lanes, or sailing in the slow clumsy vessels of those days, were the only means of locomotion. Late in July he is in Cork; the first week in August at Wednesbury, in Staffordshire; on the 26th of the same month he is in London; a month later at Exeter; four days later in Bristol; and, after another brief interval of five days, he is in London again. This, be it remembered, was only a part of his summer labours, extending over England, Scotland, and Ireland. Of Plymouth he speaks in warm acknowledgments. "Blessed be God, I can send good news of Plymouth. The scene was like that of Bristol, only more extraordinary to see officers, soldiers, sailors, and dockmen attending with the utmost solemnity upon the word preached. If the weather should alter, I may in town; if not, I may range farther. This spiritual hunting is delightful sport, when the heart is in the work. How soon does the summer fly away!"

"SPIRITS IN PRISON."

FEW passages of Scripture are more perplexing than that contained in 1 Pet. iii, 19, and any contribution towards the solution of the difficulty is always welcome. In an appendix to a volume published by Dr. John Forbes, Professor of Oriental Languages in Aberdeen University, this much-disputed question is discussed.

Premising that the two passages, 1 Pet. iii, 19 and iv, 6, must be taken as referring to the same subject, he notes the manner in which