same vine, why do they not all bear the fruit, and wear the name of the vine out of which they grow?

The conclusion, therefore, to which we must come upon the whole premises, is, that the union for which Jesus prayed, does not now exist among the different sects, as such.

And we are now prepared to inquire whether" Christian Union" is practicable, and if so, how it may be brought about.

We ask our friends to be patient and hear us through. In this number we may seem to be a little severe, but we mean no harm at all by it; we only wish to look at the matter just as it really exists. J. M. M.

SENTIMENTS OF A BAPTIST MINISTER.

*

I HAVE have had some correspondence with my respected friend * * The following is a correct copy of his letter to me on the 5th ultimo:

"MY DEAR BROTHER.—I just snatch a moment to reply to your kind Christian letter of February 8th.

"First. I think it scriptural that there should be a plurality of pastors or bishops in every church.

"Second. That there ought to be evangelists to go forth proclaiming the gospel.

"Third. That there should be opportunities for mutual exhortation.

"Fourth. That the word is invariably the instrument of the Spirit in converting sinners.

"Fifth. That immersion is the visible birth of the child of God into the kingdom of Christ.

"If Mr. Alexander Campbell visits this country my pulpit is at his service.

"The Christian Baptist and six volumes of the Millennial Harbinger enrich my library.

"I consider the church of Christ greatly indebted to A. Campbell and his coadjutors."

**

It is much to be regretted that Baptist ministers and all other persons when convinced that they are not practising the things which are clearly revealed in the Bible, do not remember and feel the full force of Luke xii. 47, 48; James iv. 17. One thing is certain, the unbelievers, the disobedient, the cowards, as well as the polluted, shall never enter the kingdom of heaven. Such is the testimony of God, and hath he said it, and shall it not come to pass?-ED.

ANOTHER EVANGELIST.

It is with pleasure we have to inform the brethren of the reformation, that brother George Greenwell has engaged to labour as an evangelist in the good cause of our Redeemer and King. From the various testimonies we have received of the abilities of this brother in presenting the truths of Christianity to any community, we entertain the hope that his labours will be found highly useful.

Brother Greenwell is now labouring in Dumfries and vicinity, and will next pass on to Carlisle.

The committee take this opportunity of impressing upon the minds of the brethren, the necessity of using every effort to supply the means for carrying on this important part of the affairs of the kingdom of heaven. We have now three evangelists, brothers G. C. Reid, W. Thomson, and G. Greenwell; but this number is by no means adequate to the wide field of labour that is before us. By the zealous and hearty co-operation of all the disciples of Jesus in this country, there is every reason to believe that ere long four-fold this number might be maintained in the field; and whose heart does not respond to wish it may speedily be accomplished. Brother G. C. Reid, who has been for some weeks past at Nottingham, quite unable to speak in public, is, we are happy to say, considerably better, and if the will of the Lord be so, that he still improves, will shortly go on to the west. Brother Thomson is now in Glasgow for a short time. For the committee, J. FROST, Secretary.

OBITUARY.

THE brethren in Kilmarnock have met with a severe loss in the death of our beloved brother Thomas Morton. After a protracted illness he fell asleep in Jesus on the 17th ult., aged twenty-one years. As he was in health so was he in his last illness, a bright example of Christian meekness, patience, and resignation. Brother Morton's manner was affectionate, obliging, and unasuming, which secured him the love and esteem of all who knew him. Nothing could exceed the interest he displayed in the affairs of the kingdom of Jesus. Whilst he was ever ready to do what was in his power for the congregation with whom he stood in more immediate connexion, he at the same time had at heart the prosperity of all the churches. At two different periods he

visited a number of the congregations both in Scotland and England. In these visits he formed an acquaintance with a considerable number of brethren with whom he kept up a regular correspondence, till he was laid aside by indisposition. Many of these brethren, as well as ourselves, will long associate with the name of Thomas Morton, the most tender recollections. HUGH LAUder.

LINES ON THE DEATH OF T. MORTON.
Thy tent is deserted, its tenant hath fled,
Henceforward thy name is enrolled with the dead;
Thy soul hath forsaken its temple of clay,

And thy life-like the morning cloud-vanish'd away.
Thy race is now finish'd, thy battle is o'er:
Earth's tempests and troubles disturb thee no more;
Thy ashes serenely repose in the dust,

And thy spirit's away to the home of the just.

We mourn thy departure-our hearts heave a sigh,
And the tear of deep anguish falls fast from our eye;
And a dark cloud of sorrow our spirits o'ercast,
When our memory recalls the sweet days of the past!

The dear happy moments we once spent with you,
The thrice blissful scenes pass in rapid review
'Fore the eye of our mind; and our heart beats with pain,
When we feel that we ne'er can enjoy them again.

O, we mourn thy departure, although we know well
That thy soul hath ascended, with Jesus to dwell;
For the roots of affection struck deep in our heart,
And the fond wish of love was, Oh, never to part.

Yet tho' we're cast down we're not in despair;
Through the dark gloom of sorrow a star doth appear—
It lessens our grief, and assuages our pain,

For its sweet whispering voice says, "We'll meet thee again."

Even now, on the wings of our faith we can fly,
From the valley below, to the bright field on high;
Even now, by the eye of our mind, we can view
The crown on thy head, and the wreath on thy brow!

How glorious the time when the summons will come
To call us from hence; thou wilt welcome us home
To thy mansion of bliss, and with thee we will share
In the brightness and glory that ever beams there.
Ye slow-moving moments, pass onward in haste;
Ye long-tardy hours move more speedily past:
Approach happy time, when our sorrows shall cease,
And we'll meet our dear brother in regions of peace!
J. SERVICE.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER.

Ashton-under-Lyne, March 16th, 1844. THE following interesting extract is from a letter I received from my son, W. D. Smith, Pitsburgh, dated February 24th, 1844:

"Dear father and brethren in the Lord.-I have something good for you at this time. The reformation begins to go the right way now. I have heard a story from Mr. La Vace, of Ackron, Ohio, last Sunday, which I could scarcely credit, until I found that he is of first rate standing among the brethren, and a proclaimer.

"About a month ago the Presbyterian congregation in that place, with their pastor, Mr. Pigam, who, it appears, had for some time previous contended for the faith "once delivered to the saints," and had actually got some of their presbyterian notions removed by their meeting together for the purpose of edifying one another. They came to what they should call essentials and non-essentials in salvation and determined to bring every thing to bear on the Book of books. There was a meeting called and brother Robinson and Mr. La Vace were invited, both of whom went to the meeting, and returned saying, Mr. Pigam is not honest, he omitted the verse which showed the entrance into the kingdom. Well says brother Robinson, I will call and tell him of it. The result was, that an explanation of the omission led Mr. Pigam to examine coolly and deliberately the subject of Christian baptism and as he is a very superior scholar, he went to the original, commencing with the root and following it through all its bearings upon the Scriptures. After which he came to brother Robinson and acknowledged that our views of that subject were correct, and invited all our brethren to the meeting that night as he had a public acknowledgment to make to them. Of course, the house was crowded. He commenced by thanking God that he had spared his unworthy life to that time, and given him strength to come boldly forward before Him and that audience, to make this acknowledgment, he had spoken against immersion when not in a Christian spirit, and followed these remarks up with a most noble discourse on the subject of Christian baptism. The effects of which at first made his members cry out Campbellism, and the like. Well, says he, if Mr. Campbell found out the truth of these things before me, that shall not hinder me from following. This silenced them. Before he had done, our brother tells us, there was not a dry eye in the chapel. The items are too long to write, suffice it to say, that next morning thirty-three of his congregation, Mr. Pigam and brother, La Vace leading the way, went to the river, and after cutting away the ice, were baptized. Brother La Vace baptized Mr. Pigam first, after which he told him (Mr. Pigam) to baptize the next, which he did; but not having the proper tact he only baptized four, our brother baptizing the remaining twenty-nine. Second day, seventeen; third day, thirty-three; fourth day, seventeen; fifth day, thirty-three others, making one hundred and thirty-three out of a congregation of one hundred and fifty Presbyterians, who have gone over to the reformation. What do you think of this wholesale business? Methinks the west is going to be set on fire this year!!

"At Cleaveland, Ohio, a Presbyterian minister of the name of Fitch, with thirty (and twenty others) of his congregation, have come out in the same way as those at Ackron, J. SMITH."

Bulwell, March 2nd, 1844. You will assent to this sublime truth, That the bond of the gospel is at once the most extensive, firm, durable, and lovely of all bonds. One feeling which pervades every mind in this bond, is the desire that all men may see its adaptation to their wants, and perceive that it is the balm of Gilead for the evils arising from disunion, disorder, and discord. It produces, therefore, great delight to hear of its circle enlarging, although it may be at a distance.

It is with pleasure that I am able in some degree to awaken this feeling, by informing the brethren that the gospel is progressing in Bulwell; eleven in about the space of a fortnight have submitted to its requirements. Our number now is near seventy, and the attendance of the brethren to the commands of the Lord is praiseworthy. We have tolerably good congregations to hear the proclamation of the gospel; and so long as the brethren live righteously in the sight of Jehovah, and morally in the sight of the world, will the truth go on and prosper. W. J. DAWSON.

Auchtermuchty, March 18th, 1844.

* Brother Mill still continues

BELOVED BROTHER REID—* at Lislie. An organization took place there Lord's-day week, and at the evening proclamation a young man came forward, confessed the Lord, and was forthwith baptized. The prospects upon the whole are very favourable, but. I fear brother Mill will not be able to continue so long as desirable. We had another addition yesterday of a sister, a wife of one of the brethren lately added to us. There is some prospect of an opening for the gospel at Newburgh, and I think brother Dowie will make a first attempt shortly.

*

I have just heard in time for the post, that another individual was added to our Lislie friends yesterday, which will now make them twenty-two in number. What a change since we first went through the snow and could not get a place in which to publish the gospel, and when you addressed six females and myself in sister Sinclair's school room, just two years last January, and on the following day at Kirkaldy. What hath God wrought? To his glorious name be all the praise! G. DRON.

Wrexham, February 21st, 1844.

THE church here is in peace and making some progress. Within the last eight days four individuals have been added to us and the Lord, having confessed the name of Jesus in the laver of regeneration. More are expected shortly to be on the Lord's side. I pray God that nothing on our part may interpose to stop them, but that while we contend for the truth as it is in Jesus, we also may be deeply anxious,

"To let our works and virtues.shine,

Thus prove the doctrine all divine." D. KEMP.

Lewisham, Kent, March 25th, 1844.

WE are happy to inform our readers and brethren, that through the joint co-operation of the brethren in London, who are now walking