GATESHEAD FELL.-Rev. Sir, -I have much pleasure in informing you that we held our second annual Juvenile Missionary Meeting in our chapel, on Sabbath afternoon, April 2nd. Our esteemed superintendent minister of the circuit, the Rev. S. Jones, presided on the occasion. Addresses were delivered by Messrs. T. Bell, W. N. Renwick, and G. S. Young. The children also recited pieces of poetry, and sung several pieces of music, suitable for the occasion. The collection amounted to 10s, which is a slight increase on last year; we have likewise realized the "pound" for the Australian Mission. Yours respectfully, GEORGE S. YOUNG. DAWLEY GREEN.-On Sunday, May 7th, 1854, the second Juvenile Missionary Meeting was held in our chapel, when Mr. R. Marston, of Shrewsbury, presided, and conducted the meeting with much good humour, and profit to the audience. Several missionary hymns were sung, and appropriate pieces recited by the scholars, after which the Rev. T. Rudge gave an adddress, and the collection was made, amounting to £2 16s 5d; received by cards, £2 14s; raised by the scholars during the year, for the Australian mission, £1; total, £6 10s 5d; which sum, for a school so small, is truly noble. after an opening address, a number of highly interesting hymns were sung, and pieces recited by the scholars, among which was one on the "South Sea Mission;" "The Good Samaritan;" "Who is my Neighbour?" by J. Montgomery; and a dialogue on Canada. Collected at the meeting, £1; by cards, £3 12s 9d; total, £4 12s 9d; being an increase on the previous year of £1 8s 9d. T. RUDGE. YARMOUTH CHAPEL.-On Lord's-day, May 7th, a Juvenile Missionary Meeting was held, the Rev. C. Mann presiding. An address was delivered by one of the teachers, and suitable pieces were recited by some of the children. The collection was not quite so large as last year's, but the sum raised by cards having increased, the total amount will be a little in advance. It may be stated as an encouragement to others that one little boy, very young, has saved, during the year, fifty-four farthings, and given them to the mission fund. Dear children, save your farthings and your halfpence, and at your next Juvenile Missionary Meeting give it all to the missionary cause. C. M. BARNSLEY.-Dear Sir,-We held our second Juvenile Missionary Meeting in our chapel at Barnsley, on Sunday afternoon, the 7th of May. We had LAWLEY BANK.-On the fol- a very good attendance of the lowing Sabbath, May 14th, the juveniles, who seem to take a second Juvenile Missionary great interest in the mission Meeting was held, when the cause. The proceedings were Rev. T. Rudge presided; and opened by Mr. George Senior. After singing and prayer, Mr. Henchliffe. The speeches were Joseph Rogers was called to the excellent, and so admirably chair, who gave a very appro- adapted to follow in succession, priate speech for the occasion. that they almost made one harMissionary pieces were recited monious whole. After these by M. Cawthorne, C. Gillatt, excellent speeches, a collection 1. Shepherd, F. Woodruff, T. was made, amounting to 12s 8d. Dunstan, Ann Chappel, and E. It appeared that from the cards Ashworth. At this part of the sum of £1 15s 3d had been the meeting, the whole of the collected, being 8s over what juveniles commenced singing was collected by them last "I'd be a Missionary." Sarah year. From teachers' books and Seeley and Mary Adamson then friends, 14s 2d. During the gave a dialogue, entitled "The year, our much-loved minister, Missionary Clock," and Joseph the Rev. C. Ward, had delivered Rose, "The Penny Collector's two most interesting lectures; Petition." At the close, the one on that incomparable work collection was made, which of Mrs. Beecher Stowe's, "Uncle amounted to £1. This, to- Tom's Cabin," the other on the gether with proceeds from cards, "White Slave," which were demakes the sum of £1 18s 3d. livered in his usual masterly The meeting was altogether an style. Total amount in the interesting one, and gave great year, £3 14s 6d. satisfaction. JOHN TAYLOR. BETHESDA CHAPEL, LEEDS. -Mr. Editor,-On the afternoon of Sunday, May 7th, the scholars connected with our chapel held their annual Juvenile Missionary Meeting, and a most interesting one it proved. At a little after two o'clock, the scholars had taken their places, along with their teachers and friends; when the meeting was opened by singing that beautiful hymn, Bright as the sun's meridian blaze," and prayer by our esteemed superintendent, Mr. Rayfield; after which, Mr. Rayfield was unanimously called to the chair, and as a president he did indeed "magnify his office." The writer was called upon to read the report, and the following persons addressed the meeting:-Messrs. J. Jackson, G. Wright, J. Mallinson, and J. W. BARRACLOUGH. collection, £2 14s 2d; books, respected minister, opened the cards, &c., £11 28 2d; service with the 291st hymn, Australian, £1 1s 6d; total, and Mr. Dennis, one of the £14 17s 103d; being a little in superintendents, engaged in advance of last year; averag- prayer. Mr. Lawson, another ing 1s 6d per scholar. May the superintendent, was voted by missionary flame spread and the children to take the chair, burn with brighter lustre. and then the children were adYours, &c., dressed by the chairman, Mr. Dennis, Mr. Walker (another superintendent), Mr. Bullard, Mr. Kemp, and others; all of whom instructed the children on some point connected with the mission cause. The scholars have this year realized toward the mission fund, £1 6s 8d. A NEWARK TEACHER. H. N. YEOMAN. NEWARK.-On Sunday, May 21st, at two in the afternoon, we held our first Juvenile Missionary Meeting, in the schoolroom. The children and adult friends entered heartily into the spirit and object of the meeting. The Rev. W. Beresford, our THE EDITOR'S DESK. THE QUERY 1-ON CHILD man that hath not filled his days," DYING A HUNDRED YEARS he means that neither shall a OLD.-Isaiah lxv. 20. person of mature or advanced DEAR SIR,-As you have age be cut off by any judgment, been so very kind in answering while yet his strength and coninquiries as to the meaning of stitution fit him for longer life. different texts, please favour me When the prophet further prowith an explanation of Isaiah ceeds to say, that "the child shall lxv. 20- There shall be no die a hundred years old," he more thence an infant of days, means that human life shall be nor an old man that hath not extended to a good old age, even filled his days: for the child to a hundred years. When the shall die a hundred years old; prophet concludes the passage by but the sinner being a hundred saying, that "the sinner being a years old shall be accursed." hundred years old shall be accurYours obediently, sed," he teaches that however far human life may have been extended as the reward of obedience, yet, if a man become a sinner in old age, his age shall not excuse him nor save him from divine vengeance, but that notwithstanding his great age he shall be accursed. This is the meaning of the passage; now for its application. X. Y. Z. ANSWER. Let us first explain the terms in the text, and then show their application. When the prophet says, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days," he means that a child or a young person shall not be cut off by a judgment in early life. When he goes on to say, "Nor an old To understand its application we QUERY 2.-FIVE QUERIES- must remember the fact that tem- to old age, even to that of a hunporal rewards and punishments dred years. Yet, at the same entered largely into the Jewish time, to show the faithfulness dispensation. Hence long life and and impartiality of God, he a numerous offspring were often declares that sin should not go promised as the reward or obe- unpunished, for if a man at a dience; but premature death, hundred years old should become and the sudden and early mor- a transgressor, his old age should tality of a man's children, were not shield him from deserved threatened as the consequence of wrath and vengeance-for he sin and disobedience. (See Deu- should be accursed in his sins. teronomy xxviii., xxix., xxx.) Hence we find that patriarchs, good kings, prophets, and righteous men, generally, lived to a good old age; while bloody and deceitful individuals and notoriously wicked persons often did not live half their days. Often, too, the sins of a parent were punished by the early death of his children. Such being both the law of God and the facts of history, it would follow that in proportion as a nation was righteous its people would be blest with long life, domestic happiness, and prosperity; and in proportion to its wickedness, its inhabitants would be the victims of destruction and misery-the people often perishing by judgments from heaven, or by the sword of their enemies, or in some other way, as the consequence of their vices and crimes. REV. AND DEAR SIR, As you are kind enough to answer questions for anxious inquirers after truth, through the valuable JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR and COMPANION, will you oblige me by answering the following ?— Isaiah ix. 6-"His name shall be called the everlasting Father." St. John xvii. 1-"Jesus said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son." If Christ was the everlasting Father, why did he pray to the Father? St. John xxi. 23-" Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away." Where will Christ's saints live, if heaven shall pass away? I am, dear Sir, yours truly, JAS. WREAKS. 11, Lord Duncan-st., Salford, 11th Sept., 1854. Hence the true application and force of the prophet's words. He is here foretelling a period of naEional obedience and holiness, and as the consequence there hould be long life and great national prosperity. Instead of nfants being cut off as a punishment to wicked parents, and perons in mature age perishing by he sword, or by famine, or by ome judgment from God, the nfant should grow to manhood, nd the man should be preserved | 3; Colossians i. 16; Hebrews i. ANSWER (a).-Christ is the Father of all, inasmuch as he is the Creator of all. John says, "All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made." John i. 10. He is also the "Everlasting the earth shall be consumed in Father," because he exists from the great conflagration.—2 Peter all eternity to all eternity.-iii. 10; Heb. i. 11, 12. But Micah v. 2; John i. 1,2; He- so far from the word of God brews i. 11, 12. perishing then, it shall then be gloriously fulfilled. (b) The glorification of Christ mentioned in John xvii. 1, refers partly to the testimony which the Father was to give of the perfection and acceptance of Christ's work by raising him from the dead, and pouring out the Holy Ghost upon mankind; and partly in the ascension of Christ to heaven and the glorification of his humanity at the right hand of God's majesty. Philippians ii. 6, 11; John xvi. 13, 14. (c) Christ prayed to the Father as our intercessor and example. The prayers of Christ, however, are distinguished from those of all others. He never prayed for mercy, nor pardon, nor for a renewed heart, nor for any of those other blessings for himself which are needed by sinful man. prayers are all either intercessory for others, or have respect to his mediatorial work. His prayers are as much distinguished from those of other men, as his spotless character, his infinite dignity, and atoning work are distinguished from all others. Compare his remarkable prayer in John xvii., and then ask who could thus pray but the spotless, perfect, and infinitely glorious Son of God? His (d) Heaven and earth shall pass away at the last day; that is, the present state of things shall pass away, at the awful period when (e) Where will Christ's saints live? Some think that this earth itself, after the conflagration, will be renovated, purified, and fitted up as a glorious abode for the saints, but we do not think this very probable; our Lord intimates that the abode of the righteous will be elsewhere. For he says, In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also." From this it seems pretty plain that the glorious place where Christ is now, will be the future inheritance of the saints. We have many more queries on hand, but have not space for answers this month. They shall, however, not be forgotten at a future day. We ardently wish our young friends to be wise in the knowledge of holy scripture, and shall be glad to help them in this important acquirement. We must request our young friends will not solicit us to answer their inquiries by letter through the post, as our public duties are already so numerous, that we have not time for epistolary correspondence. |