according to time and circumstances, to others who may be disposed to receive them. From such intercourse as this the best effects might be expected to follow. The Secretary of the Colonial Missionary Society would be General Superintendent of these, both in the Port of London and in the provincial ports, which he would visit occasionally, and at particular times, that he might direct and impel the general movements. All such officers would bear with them a portion of the Society's Tracts, and of such other tracts and books as it might be possible to procure from benevolent opulence. Such a plan as this, or something better-for we only offer hints-would be a meet expression of British patriotism and Christian philanthropy, and could not fail to be attended, both at home and abroad, with the best results. There is surely something due to fellow-citizens, and still more to fellow-Christians, leaving the land of their fathers to go into voluntary exile in search of a home, of bread, and a tomb. Such should not be allowed to depart as if they were just so many quadrupeds without either mind or moral emotion, alike incapable of cherishing a love of life, and a love of country. Nothing should be left undone to sweeten the bitter hour, and wipe away the falling tear; and when all has been done that human kindness and Christian compassion can effect, still much will remain, and which can only be relieved by the help of time.

So much for this side of the water; but the other must not be overlooked; when the voice of kindness here says, "Adieu, and may God bless you! " another and a corresponding voice must yonder say, "Come and welcome, in the name of the Lord!" There is, from all we have read, and been enabled to learn, much less to complain of in this matter abroad than at home. The reason of this will be obvious on a little reflection. Here, the Emigrants are loose and light particles floating in the air; yonder, they are to become the population: here they are those who have turned their backs on society, and whom society, indeed, does not even know; yonder, they are part and parcel of the community hence in the one case they are the objects of the utmost indifference, and in the other, of the deepest interest.

We often hear of the kindness of the ministers of the various denominations, and of their being among the first to board the Emigrants' vessel when she

reaches her desired haven: this is one, and not the least, of the many and valuable, unknown, unpraised, unrequited services of the Colonial Missionary; and only they who have had experience, can tell the amount of solace which the presence of such men, with the kindnesses, the hospitalities, and the counsels which have followed, has imparted to the stranger in a strange land. So great is the importance which we attach to the services of such men, that, we think, it ought to be with the Colonial Missionary Society a point to have at least one missionary in the chief ports of every Colony of the empire. We cannot, at present, further enlarge, nor is it necessary, on this point; but it may be proper to state that the position of the Colonial Missionary is of neces sity one of very considerable expense on the score of hospitality, and there is but too much reason to fear, that, in the case of most, the great, pressing, and highly important duty, is of necessity, from "straitened means," but imperfectly performed, since it could not be performed unless at the expense of violating other and primary obligations. This is a matter, then, with which the Colonial Missionary Society should always be in a condition to deal. If under any circumstances, given to hospitality"—(one of the principal qualifications specified by the Holy Apostles)-be important and absolutely indispensable in order to the highest usefulness and the honour of the Gospel, it is in the case of a Christian Missionary to the Colonies. It is hardly possible to over-estimate the fact of this point, in connection with his office.

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We cannot close without the payment of a passing tribute to the Church of England in connection with this matter. We must specify an individual case by way of illustration, in which the principal subject is the Rev. J. Childs, of Devonport. That gentleman, we see it stated in the Colonial Chronicle, undertook the care of the passengers in that port as a labour of love. While the ships lay at anchor about two miles from shore, ready to sail with the first favourable wind, Mr. Childs availed himself of every opportunity, sometimes late at night, sometimes at the very dawn of day, and often through heavy seas, to visit his outward-bound brethren. In this manner, at great cost of personal ease, and a somewhat considerable outlay, he visited in the course of the year, about 8,000 Emigrants. His plan was simple; getting on board, he took with him a large supply

of Bibles, Prayer - books, Tracts, and School-books. He sometimes found it difficult, at first, to get a hearing, from the worse than Babel confusion which, he says, prevailed. He kept, however, to his object, talked to this one, and looked kindly on the other;-fixing on some intelligent individuals, he tells them who he is, and what is his object. At once there is silence in a circle, with, "Hush, there is a clergyman on board!" This spreads from one end of the ship to the other, and then the path is open for an inquiry of this individual and that; these inquiries turn upon the point of capability to read, the possession of the Scriptures, of Prayer- books, and so forth, and these he distributes, according as they are wanted.

We have great pleasure in setting this beautiful example before our Nonconformist readers, while we urge them to enter into its spirit, and to imitate it on a scale as large as possible. We have the most abundant confidence in the Directors and Officers of the Colonial Missionary Society-in their intelligence, their wisdom, and their benevolence. They will, at least, do their part, if the Nonconformist churches of the land be not wanting in theirs. Let the Directors have the means, in reasonable abundance, and we vouch for it, it will soon be seen that as far as man can accomplish it, the end will be realized. We would very earnestly commend this subject to the Ministers of the Gospel,- those great and best advocates of all that is good and true, lovely and humane. Were they to bring such matters fully before their flocks, at least once a year,-more especially on the occasion of the collections for British Missions, the effect would prove highly salutary. English Christians only require light, that they may perform their duty. Let light be brought in upon them, on subjects of a Colonial character, and very speedily the case of the Colonies will be taken up with a zeal, and an energy, and a liberality which will do honour to the body, the Gospel, and the nation.

NEW SOUTH WALES. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN SYDNEY.-REV. DR. ROSS.

IN connection with the preceding Article, this is the proper time to bring forward the case of the Rev. Dr. Ross, of whom and his movements the public have hitherto heard less than was desirable, because less than would have been beneficial to the cause of truth. The Doctor

is one of those more inclined to perform good deeds than to record them; but it is possible, in this respect, to err; and we think that excellent Colonial Minister has erred. In not letting "his left hand know what his right hand doeth," he has abstained from letting "his light shine before men," that they may be encouraged to imitate his noble example. We were nevertheless favoured some time ago with a MS. account of a public meeting of the Congregational Church, at which its affairs, since the Doctor's settlement, were reviewed in a very interesting and instructive manner. The Chairman, on the occasion, stated the fact that, during the ten years pastorate of Dr. Ross, the church had actually raised upwards of £12,000 for various purposes connected with the cause of God. A number of ministers and gentlemen addressed the meeting in speeches all of which are valuable, but we must satisfy ourselves by simply setting forth the address of the Doctor himself, since we consider it cannot fail to prove useful to the cause of the Colonial Missionary Society, and the evangelization of the Colonies generally. Now that Steam is so soon to be applied to the passage, by which it will reduce the average time hitherto consumed in it to about one-third, without increasing the expense to passengers, we may predict with certainty a prodigious acceleration to the Emigration movement. It is, therefore, of the first importance, that the Dissenters of England should take the part that becomes them at the present hour of Colonial history. The following is the speech of the Doctor:

SPEECH OF DR. ROSS.

The Rev. Dr. Ross submitted to the meeting the first resolution, and in doing so referred to a charge which had been brought against his congregation, that they had done, and were doing, nothing comparatively for the extension of religion in the colony. To meet such a charge, he stated that it was utterly unfounded. When he arrived in Sydney ten years ago, he found a very small and divided church, with a scanty congregation, worshipping in a small chapel. His first and great object was to endeavour to have a large congregation and a flourishing church. By the blessing of God, this object was, to a considerable extent, gained. Before twelve months elapsed, it was determined to build a large place of worship; ground at an extravagant price was purchased, and the foundation-stone was laid. Then came the season of depression in the commercial state of the country, when property was swept away as by a hurricane, and the rich became poor, and every branch of industry was paralyzed. No 80oner, however, did the storm pass away, and the hearts of men began to recover, than we

recommenced our building, and within the space of six years of my arrival here, it was finished at a cost of upwards of £6,000, including the land, and opened for the service of God. Look at the building,-spacious and noble-observe the congregation that assemble in it-count the members of the church-compare these with the old building, the old congregation, the old church, I first met with. Keep in mind that there is not a farthing of debt remaining upon this house of God; that has all been paid; and say whether the Independents of Sydney, formerly a mere handful, not meeting in our congregation above 200 or 300 persons, have not done nobly. Why, if nothing more than this had been accomplished, it ought to be sufficient to shut the mouths of our heartless and slanderous enemies. But, although the raising of funds to erect this building might have been considered sufficient to call forth and exhaust the liberality of the people, this did not satisfy them; they did not confine their donations to that one object,-while liberally providing for the administration of Divine ordinances among themselves, they remembered the claims of the heathen; and, during the whole of that period, contributed not in a small measure to the funds of the London Missionary Society. From their own published Reports it would appear that in the course of the first nine years of my pastorate, we remitted upwards of £1,200 to that Society. The last year's contributions amounted to about £150. But this is not all; after we had taken possession of our present place of worship, but before the debt upon it was discharged, we determined to erect another chapel at Redfern, in order to gecure for that part of Sydney, the valuable services of the Rev. Joseph Beazley, then of Van Diemen's Land. That chapel cost nearly £2,000, and all the debt upon it has also been discharged, with the exception of about £200. For his support for three years in that sphere of labour several of you became responsible; and we thank God that he put it into your hearts to devise, and thus liberally to carry out, this enterprise for the promotion of His glory. Last September the debt of this spacious building was cleared off. At the first church-meeting that was afterwards held, it was resolved, instead of sitting down satisfied with what we had done, to employ a City Missionary; one who had been so employed in London was immediately engaged, at a salary of £120; and from the statements that will be made by him tonight, you will rejoice with me that we were induced to undertake this new responsibility. But we are not yet satisfied with what has been done; we are anxious now, with the co-operation of our brethren at Redfern, to do more to increase the number of our City Missionariesto procure ministers for the principal cities of the Colony-as well as itinerants for the Bush. To secure these objects, a new and more perfect organization is required; we therefore propose to found a Society this evening, to be called "The Congregational Missionary Society for New South Wales;" and in its formation I trust you will heartily join. We are anxious to procure one or more suitable ministers from England; indeed, for years this has been a matter that has weighed upon my mind. With the Rev. A. Wells, the zealous and talented Secretary of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, I have had frequent correspondence

upon the subject. Our friend, Mr. D. Jones, also, while in England, was authorized by some of us to see him and plead our wants; he did so, and the result of the whole is a determination on the part of Mr. Wells (as contained in a letter, extracts from which Dr. Ross read), to endeavour to procure, as soon as possible, and to send out to us, such a minister of Christ as he considers will be likely to prove efficient in these parts. I have said enough to recommend to your adoption the resolution. I have now to lay it before the Meeting, and from the adop. tion of it I earnestly pray that the most beneficial results may flow to the Colony.

We give publicity to the above statement with a view to the furtherance of the great cause of Colonial Missions, as we conceive it to be a very important argument in favour of that movement. It bears, we think, on many points, and teaches important lessons to more than one party. It appeals, not merely to the churches at home for support to such Missions, but to ministers of a superior order, who are adapted to the Colonial enterprise. They will see, in the case of Dr. Ross, a splendid example of the happy results that may flow from selfexpatriation, that the general dedication of himself to the service of Christ in the Colonies has been a great, a noble contribution to the cause of God. He might have remained in Kidderminster to the end of his days, there presiding over a prosperous, peaceful, and happy church, enjoying a large amount of pastoral comfort, and, in his measure, promoting the cause of Christ in the various ways which the community to which he belongs might require. But can it be affirmed that he would have been the instrument of doing one-fourth part of the good which has resulted to the cause of Christ from his labours in Sydney? It will be seen that he commenced with only a handful of members, such as might have met in the parlour of a private dwelling-house, which, from the hour of his arrival, has gone on increasing, till the little one has become a thousand, and the weak one, a strong fellowship, and giving the most abundant and satisfactory proofs of principle, by the liberal contribution of their substance to the support of the Gospel. They have reared a noble edifice for their own special use, at an expense of £6,000, every farthing of which is paid; and not satisfied with this, they have, under their peculiar circumstances, actually reared another chapel at the expense of some £2,000, and brought from a distance an efficient minister to occupy it, guaranteeing to him support for the lengthened period of three years, at the close of which, it was

reasonably concluded, that his labours would bring him the necessary succours. Still, not satisfied with these noble deeds, they have engaged in the work of City Missions, and in the course of ten short years, have contributed to the London Missionary Society the sum of £1,200. Still extending, and desiring to bless all whom the Gospel has not yet reached, they have now formed the Society to which the report refers, which will necessarily involve them in a considerable and permanent annual expenditure. It will be seen, as we have said, that it came out on the occasion, that since the arrival of Dr. Ross, the church has actually raised for subjects connected with the cause of God, on an average, the large sum of £1,200 per annum.

RULES OF CHURCH FELLOWSHIP.

To the foregoing we shall now append a document of a somewhat interesting character:

RULES OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UNDER THE PASTORAL CARE OF THE REV. DR. ROSS, SYDNEY.

I. As a Christian Church ought to be composed exclusively of pious persons, who make a public profession of Religion; acknowledge Christ as their Divine Prophet, Priest, and King; recognize their fellow-members as brethren; and appeal to the Holy Scriptures as the sole rule of their faith and practice:-it is expected that those who are admitted into this Church shall possess a competent knowledge of the Gospel; give practical evidence of their conversion to God; depend wholly on the merits of the Saviour for their acceptance with the Father; strive, by the help of the Holy Spirit, "to maintain good works;" watch against an unholy temper: train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; contribute according to their ability for the relief of the poor members, and the general diffusion of the Gospel; cherish a spirit of brotherly love; and conduct themselves in all things as Christians professing godliness,

II. When a person wishes to become a member of the Church, he shall, in the first instance, make known his desire to the Minister. If approved of by him, his application will be laid before the Church, when the Minister will make such statements regarding his religious history, experience and knowledge, as he may deem necessary. One or more of the Deacons will then be appointed to see and converse with the candidate during the following month. Their report will be given in at the next Church-meeting; if favourable, he will be proposed for admission; and if elected by three-fourths of the members present, will be received into full communion, and allowed to sit down at the Lord's Table on the following Sabbath. Should any member object to the admission of a candidate, it is expected that the ground of such objection should be stated privately to the Minister and Deacons,

that it may be investigated and disposed of as truth and justice may require.

III. It is expected that all the members of the Church shall contribute, according to their ability, towards the expense necessary for the support of the Minister, the due administration of the Divine Ordinances, and keeping in repair and decent order the House of God; either in the shape of pew-rent, or voluntary subscription, or both:-and no member who refuses to do so shall have any voice in the management of the affairs of the Church.

IV. As the Public ordinances of Religion are means of Divine appointment, and highly conducive to the edification, comfort, and stability of the soul, it is expected that every member of this Church will adopt the exemplary custom of attending them as regularly as possible on week-days, as well as on the Sabbath; and will avoid visiting or receiving visits when it would interfere with or prevent such attendance.

V. If a member be absent from our public services four successive Sabbaths without a reasonable excuse, he shall be visited by one of the Deacons. If the case require expostulation, and he disregard it, it shall be made known to the Church, and a deputation of two Deacons or members be appointed to obtain an interview; but if he reject their admonition, and continue to absent himself one month more, he shall be declared to be no longer a member.

VI. If a member be absent from the Lord's Supper three months in succession, without a satisfactory reason, that person shall be admonished for his neglect. If he persist in his nonattendance for three months longer, he shall be excluded from the Church.

VII. If a member know anything against the religious character and profession of another which does not amount to a public offence, he shall expostulate with him privately, in the spirit of Christian love. If he reject the admonition, and persist in the offence, it shall be reported to the Minister or Deacons, if he disregard their expostulation, it shall be laid before the Church, and treated as a majority of the members may decide.

VIII. To preserve the purity of the Church, public and scandalous offences committed by any member, shall be brought before the Church, and decided by a majority, without the intervention of private admonition.

IX. To prevent the interruption of harmony and peace, nothing shall be brought before a Church-meeting by any member, of an accusatory nature, or in which there is likely to be a collision of opinion, without its being previously communicated to the Minister and Deacons, and approved of and introduced by them; and nothing that transpires at Church-meetings, shall be made known to any person who does not belong to the Church.

X. If a member removes his residence to such a distance from Syduey as to be unable to attend the services of the Church, he shall inform the Minister thereof, so as to obtain a certificate of his Membership, or a Letter of Dismissal to any Church of the same order with which he may wish to be united, near the place of his new abode. Should any member omit this precaution, he shall, after six months' absence, be considered as no longer connected with the Church.

XI. If a member, who has been excluded, shall evince contrition, he shall be received again