patronize what is said that it takes a deep experience of what you are, and a clear understanding of God's eternal truth, to enable you so stand against their feasible nothings, and to hold fast God's blessed truth. Why, we live in a day when two-thirds of the preaching is nothing else but self. Go wherever you may, it is what the creature should do, and ought to do, and can do, and may do ; and the people admire it, and so they are contented. But this is not preaching Christ, nor ministering the Spirit, nor setting forth those eternal counsels of God by which alone our souls can be saved.

WHAT CUP WAS IT CHRIST PRAYED MIGHT PASS FROM HIM?

MASTER SALT-Breakers ahead, mate, breakers ahead! We shall be upon the rocks without a sharp look out. Captain Jeremiah lost his anchor in the Lamentation Waters, and broke out in a bitter cry, "My cable and my anchor is perished from the Lord."

MATE-Ah, I remember, there is a log to that effect, but the captain you refer to was mistaken; the truth is, that weather-beaten, gallant seaman was then encountering a piteous storm at midnight; all around was as dark as pitch, the winds were lashing the waves furiously, his ship was pitching and tossing, so that he could neither see nor feel cable or anchor; thus judging only by sense, and NOT KEEPING JUDGMENT, he thought his cable had parted, and his anchor lost. However, in a short time, the storm seems to have abated, the break of day arrived, some rays of morning light came on deck, and he beheld all safe and sound, when he began singing a famous sea-song, "It is of the

Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not, they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness; the Lord is my portion saith my soul, therefore will I cast anchor aloft, mates.

MASTER SALT-What a test to both anchor and cable that night must have been! also an everlasting honour to the great inventor and manufacturer of those patent ship fastenings,

They may on the main of temptation be tossed,

Their billows may swell as the sea, But none of the ransomed shall ever be lost,

The righteous shall hold on his way." MATE-I should have been happy, indeed, to have heard you sing; sailors love a song. Come, sing us one of the songs of Zion, where the glorious Jehovah is exalted as the God of the seas, the ocean's Monarch.

MASTER SALT-Not at present, mate, I have a little bit more on my mind, though I am almost afraid to mention it; but I can assure you the thoughts of it have drifted me leeward many a time. It is not now concerning any one composing his Majesty's fleet, but it is about our Royal Master Himself. I hope my mates will not be angry whilst I mention it with reverence and godly fear, for the glory of my Master, and the general good of the shipping interest.

MATE-Oh, never fear a squall whilst you keep your eye on the admiral's flag.

MASTER SALT-I think, then, it is logged in Matthew, 26th chapter, 39th verse, that our great Immanuel, whilst steering his immaculate ship through billows such as none ever made a way before or since, that he cried out, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." And in the 42nd verse he went away again the second time and prayed, saying, "Oh, my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done." Then, again, in 44th verse: "And he left them and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words." What I want to know, mate, is, which cup was it the cup of Divine wrath, or the cup of death? If it was the cup of wrath due to the whole election of grace, how could He pray so solemnly three times to have it removed? For if His prayer had been answered,

every vessel must have gone to the bottom. Is this consistent with the perfection of the Saviour's character, to pray a prayer opposed to all His love engagements, and which was not answered in the deliverance he sought? First, to ask that He might drink the cup of wrath, instead of His bride, and then when presented to Him. He (perhaps for three hours) begs and prays He might not drink it. If, again, it was the cup of death, why, the book of martyrs presents many proofs they did not shrink from death. Was our Master weaker than they? Did he shrink back, whilst they welcomed the flames ? Weakness of body Jesus had; but who will challenge him with weakness of mind? It may be replied that he also expressed firm resignation to His Father's will. True, He did; but that alters not the question, or removes the difficulty from my mind; the point with me is-did our Lord pray that either the cup of wrath or of natural death should be removed from Him?

MATE-I think not. I feel somewhat persuaded that the cup referred to in that passage is neither the cup of wrath, nor the cup of death, but the cup of temptation; and if I can prove so much, your trouble about that will be removed.

MASTER SALT-Why, I never heard any one suggest such an idea before. Why do you think you can make that out?

MATE-I will try, referring you to a few parts of the Logbook, and then leave it to your meditation.

MASTER SALT-Not the cup of wrath, nor the cup of physical death, but the cup of temptation; please

commence.

MATE-In the 6th chapter of Matthew we are taught by our Lord Himself to pray, "Lead us not into temptation." If this prayer is right for the members, it is also right for the head. In Matthew, 20th chapter, 22nd and 23rd verses, two disciples ask through their mother that they may sit on the right and left of our Lord in His kingdom. Christ said, "Ye know not what ye ask; are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of ?" &c. "He said unto them,

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ye shall, indeed, drink of my cup." Surely this cup, then, could not be the cup of Divine wrath, for who but the God-man could drink that? In Luke the 4th chapter, 13th verse, it reads "When the devil had ended all the temptation he departed from Him for a season." Mark, my friend, "for a season." Please to connect with this John, 14th chapter, 30th verse, where our Lord, after he brake bread, and the same night He was betrayed, just before departing on His journey to the garden of Gethsemane, exclaimed, "Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the PRINCE OF THIS WORLD COMETH, and hath nothing in me. It was but a short time afterwards, perhaps not an hour, when he prays this prayer you refer to, for the removal of the cup; and do also remark, that when He returned to his disciples, (Matt. 26th chapter, 41st verse), he said, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." Note, my friend, how apropos the words, if after an hour's temptation, in Heb., 4th chap. 15 verse: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was IN ALL points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 5th chap. 7th verse, the apostle says, "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." Surely, not from a physical death, but a moral one. Death is the fruit of sin. The first Adam had this cup presented to him, and he drank really its poison, and died. The second Adam now had this filthy cup brimful of the vilest temptations, but He would not drink it as our first parents did ; but His drinking of this cup was His holy nature suffering the continued assaults of the enemy. And now, once more, then I must leave the subject for you to finish. The apostle says (Heb. 12th chap., 3rd and 4th verses), "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds; ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Did not this refer to

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our Lord in the garden? If so, the conflict was between the Prince of heaven and the prince of hell; and the tempter tried all his infernal devices to cause our Saviour to sin, and so bring him under that moral death. But his holy nature resisted-yea, resisted unto blood; for in His violent struggle, He sweated, ah, sweated as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground; and while He fought this terrific combat, He prayed with strong cries and tears -this cup was so filthy, so loathsome to His spotless soul, he hated it, and cried, "O my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me; yet heavenly Father, if it is thy pleasure that I still must endure this suffering, that I may be made perfect through suffering, and so better able to succour those who are tempted, thy will be done." So the battle continued, and such swords crossed as never were crossed before; till at last our Prince gave the fiend a slashing cut in the head, and the monster fell bleeding at Immanuel's feet. No

weakness in mind here, Master Salt; for you see him travelling in the greatness of his strength-mighty to save; but his body became prostrate, and therefore

"Go, strengthen Christ, the Father said, The astonished seraph bowed his head, And left the realms on high."

And there was seen an angel in the garden strengthening Him.

MASTER SALT-O my heart is full! I must sing now; Captain Immanuel fought, and fought, and fought again -gave the death wound in the scalp of that old pirate, put him in irons, and sentenced him to the galleys on the fiery lake for the term of his natural life, whilst the glorious Conqueror nailed his blood-stained banner to the mast-head. Help us to sing, mate; angels will join the song. Common metre, mate; tune, Victory; 125th Hymn, 1st Book Dr. Watts. Blessed Jesus, triumphant Jesus! Crown Him, crown Him, Lord of all. R. G. EDWARDS. Sutton, Isle of Ely.

en

PAST and present history tells alike the sad tale of persecution arising from the fact that Christians " lightened from above" will notcannot dare not-be bound either by natural establishments, or by laws from and association of man's invention. This principle of Spiritual and Biblical Freedom in the modes of public worship, has received an illustrious impetus in a large meeting recently holden in Cambridgeshire; a brief report of which, from the pen of Mr. R. G. Edwards, we here give, simply premising that a review of the whole history will follow.

GREAT NONCONFORMIST DEMONSTRATION AT OAKINGTON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE.

Oakington is a neat little village about three miles from Cottenham, where outside the churchyard, in a

garden, is to be seen three graves of raised brickwork with stone slabs, covering the remains of three heroes of nonconformity, named Francis Holcroft, Joseph Oddy, and Henry Oasland, who with two thousand other ministers were driven out of the Church of England by the Uniformity Act, persecuted and imprisoned, the former for twelve years, for conscience sake, and became the founders of Dissent around this part of the county; but as the whole account will soon be published, it is now only necessary to give a brief account of the public commemoration meeting, held on Wednesday, July 24th, 1867, which will be a red letter day in the remembrance of thousands who were present. An immense tent was erected in a field belonging to Mr. Morris, near the consecrated spot where these three God-consecrated men rest beneath, having been rejected a burial place in man's consecrated ground. Flags were waving

in the breeze each end of the capacious tent, and in the centre one splendid large banner, with large letters, "His banner over me was love-Sutton Dissenting schools :" also another smaller one, inscribed, "Little children, see that ye love one another." At half-past two o'clock the tent was crammed from end to end, and hundreds outside, when Mr. Smith, of Cottenham, gave out the 140th hymn, second book, Dr. Watts,

"Give me the wings of faith to rise," after which, the eleventh chapter of Hebrews was read, and prayer offered by Mr. R. G. Edwards, of Sutton; then Mr. Parish, of Oakington, gave out the 550th hymn in Rippon's selection

"Come let us join our friends above." This having been sung by the vast throng, Dr. Green, of Cambridge, the Chairman, made some excellent remarks as a key note to the meeting, and then called on Mr. J. C. Wells, of Cottenham, who read an elaborate biographical paper concerning these three worthies, which occupied about one hour, and was listened to with intense interest and satisfaction. Mr. Jewson, of Erith, in a short, but well spirited address, and with eulogy on the paper read, proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Wells, seconded by Mr. Gleves, of Willingham, was put by the Chairman to the meeting, and most heartily and unanimously accorded. Mr. J. Smith, of Willingham, gave out the last hymn, 667th, Rippon's

"Jerusalem, my happy home," and Mr. Neale, of Waterbeach, concluded briefly in prayer. Preparations for tea were then made, but such an inundation of Nonconformists completely baffled and outstripped all arrangements, so that hundreds had to tea after others were finished, but they sustained the trial of their patience well. At half-past six o'clock the chair was again taken by Dr. Green. Mr. Moore, of Cottenham, gave out the 660th hymn, Rippon's. Mr. Wm. Ward, of Cottenham, engaged in prayer, and after a lively address from the Chairman, Mr. Shaw, of Over, delivered an excellent speech.. Mr. Flanders, of Swavesey,

read his speech, giving a detailed account of Dissent in ages past to the present. Mr. Neale, of Waterbeach, delivered a powerful address, and Mr. King, of Great Gransden, who stated that the poor of his Church received thirty-five shillings per year from land at Sutton, left by the firstnamed minister, Francis Holcroft. Mr. J. Smith, of Willingham, who was the originator of this monster village demonstration, then gave out the 657th hymn, Rippon's, and addressed the meeting most warmly and eloquently, concerning these three gracious outcasts from Episcopacy, their graves, their lives, their work. and their bequests, in bringing about the Toleration Act, and the glorious privileges we now enjoy. Having resumed his seat after being warmly applauded, Mr. Parish, pastor of the Baptist cause at Oakington, in a good sound speech, showed that whilst we joined together in not conforming to coercive religion, and the triumphant nature of nonconformity with error, how very essential it was, to conform to all God's eternal truth revealed in his word. Mr. Wells, of Cottenham, then read ten verses, that were sent to him, written soon after their death, which will also be published. Mr. J. Smith, of Willingham, then read a speech for Mr. Pung, of Cottingham, who was unable to attend through illness. Then a vote of thanks to the Chairman and friends was carried by acclamation. Mr. Wells gave out 515th, Rippon's, and Mr. R. G. Edwards concluded this most interesting commemoration by pronouncing the benediction. weather was delightful.

The

Christian experience is the best weapon to combat free will.

Paul was not a wretched man, but he had a wretched companion. Vital principles in the heart, will produce right principles in the life.

Whenever we take up the Bible, or hear it read, we should be as little children.

The Holy Spirit does not reveal God to us as He is in Himself, but as He stands related to us.

By breath, throughout the Scriptures, is meant the Holy Spirit; by light, is meant Christ.

MRS. PROTHERO'S DAUGHTER.

Mrs. Prothero has been for many years in church fellowship with me at Unicorn Yard, at Old Ford, and in Bethnal Green. A more upright, devoted, and faithful follower of Christ cannot easily be found. She is a widow, indeed; her losses and her afflictions are, and have been many. I do earnestly beseech the Lord and His people to give her a quiet little alms-house, or pilgrim's lodge in her last days. I shall rejoice to see her thus provided for. C. W. B.

A correspondent, says :—

The subject of this memoir was a proof how the weakest of God's children are led on from grace to glory.

"Born of a God-fearing mother, she was a child of many prayers, and those supplications were answered more than twenty years ago by the Lord beginning that good work in her soul, which was exhibited in her life, and gloriously consummated in her death.

"Some years back she received much spiritual instruction and comfort under the ministry of Mr. C. W. Banks, and the blessed truths proclaimed by him were sweet to her soul, and refreshing to her spirit.

"The great fact that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and that there is now no condemnation to them that are in him, was truly believed by her, but the application of these truths to her own soul was more difficult to realise, and the burden and cross of life was the thought, "Am I one of his chosen ones, is my name written in heaven, yet we believe she could realize the blessedness of salvation, too often doubting her own share in the sacrifice of Christ.

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During her married life her devotion to her family can only be realized by those who are left to mourn her loss, as the most tender care for the welfare of her family was evinced on all occasions, and in every way that a loving spirit could devise.

"Under the ministry of Mr. Waterer, of Ebenezer Chapel, Hornsey Rise, the Lord was pleased to infuse more light into her soul. She

came forward, was baptized, and afterwards realised more peace and happiness than she had before enjoyed.

"Her affliction was very painful and lingering, and she was very fearful of murmuring at the Lord's will, but from this she was mercifully kept.

"She often spoke of the goodness of the Lord in answering her prayers, and hoped he would support her to the end, that he did so was evidenced by the fact that a short time before her death she said, "Mother, all is well."

"She would often weep while speaking of the goodness of the Lord in providing so many kind friends to minister to her wants; and the members of the bereaved family feel assured that those members of Ebenezer Chapel who so generously tried to alleviate the sufferings of the dying saint, can only be fully recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

"MY MEDICINE IS BITTER,

BUT CHRIST IS SWEET!"

A SOLEMN, yet happy account, of the death of Mrs. Cornwell, by Mr. Husband, the minister of Mount Zion chapel, St. Matthias Road, Stoke Newington.

DEAR BROTHER BANKS-It is with a feeling of great sorrow, mingled with delight, that I give you a short account of the death of my dear wife, who died June 18, 1867, but knowing you are generally pressed with abundance of correspondence, I will only touch upon her almost dying moments. She was a young woman, just entered into her 36th year. From the commencement of her illness to her death was nine days. During the first four or five days she suffered much pain, both in body and mind. A week before she died her mother asked her whether she was going to heaven. She paused for a moment, and with deep anguish which could not be hid, said, "O that is hard to say." The next day, Friday, she was taken much worse, and I was sent for. When I reached home and entered the room, and sat about