YORKSHIRE.-On Lord's-day afternoon, June 6th, the Association of Yorkshire Churches held its half-yearly meeting in Wortley. The churches represented by delegates, were Huddersfield, Liversedge, Leeds, and Wortley. A letter from the church at Sheffield expressed sympathy and desired to be assisted. The means at the disposal of the churches, and how best to use them, were pretty fully considered. It was decided to send the contributions of the churches for evangelistic purposes to the Evangelist Committee, and to seek assistance from the General Meeting to be held in Glasgow. The frequent removal of an Evangelist from district to district was strongly condemned, and it was decided to use any help afforded for first six months in seeking to open out new ground in the Leeds and Wortley districts. The amount promised by the churches represented was à considerable advance upon what has been done previously. Much satisfaction having been expressed with the way in which the elders of the church at Huddersfield had attended to the work of the association, they were unanimously requested to continue their labours. Thanks are due to the Wortley brethren for kind consideration and care for the comfort of the visitors. On the whole a most enjoyable day was spent.

G. W. G. NOTTINGHAM DISTRICT.-I have just wound up more than a month's service in this district, having been engaged at Barker Gate and Sherwood Street Chapels in the town, and also visiting Bulwell, Underwood, Langley, and Green Hill Lane.

S. H. C.

NOTTINGHAM.-The Christian Evidence Society of this town having succeeded in securing the services of the Editor of the Ecclesiastical Observer, that gentleman delivered two lectures, in a large central hall, to crowded audiences. The first lecture was upon Secularism, the second upon Christianity. Discussion was invited each evening, and the invitation was heartily accepted. Admission was free, with collections at the close. The committee thus met all expenses, having a balance in hand.

LEEDS.-As intimated in March last, our meetings have been more promising than for some time past. The immediate result is eight additions, five by faith and immersion, two restored, one transferred. G. W. G.

KIRKBY AND LINDAL-Meetings are fairly well attended. Four were immersed during May last, and there is good reason to expect more. W. H.

LIVERSEDGE.—I have pleasure in saying that since our last notice two more have been added to our number by immersion into Christ. W. K.

ST. HELEN'S (Arthur Street Church).It is pleasant to record that six have believed in and obeyed the Saviour, being baptized into His name. J. H.

AUSTRALIA (VICTORIA).-The Annual Meeting of Churches in Victoria, co-operating, was held in Ballarat, March 26th, there being a good attendance of brethren from the Metropolitan and Suburban churches. Considerable time was occupied by the reading and discussion of a paper, by W. H. Martin, on "The Relationship and Polity of the Churches of Christ, in Victoria." From a Report of the Statistical Committee the following figures are taken:-The churches co-operating are 21 in number, 17 of which made returns. The total membership of the churches sending in returns is 1,531, showing an increase during the year of 149. The churches which have reported both this year and last are 15, showing an increase of 85 members. The numbers shown upon the schedules as received during the year are made up thus: by immersion, 198; commendation, 43; restoration, 12; previously baptized, 54; giving a total of 307. The losses for the year show a total of 163, thus-departed this life, 20; to sister churches, 41; separated, 33; removed to where there are not churches, 66. Sunday school work was reported by 13 churches, showing of teachers and officers, 83, and scholars, 883. The meeting is said to have been "One of the most thoroughly enjoyable meetings as yet held by the brethren in the colony," the speaking "to have been of a very high standard of excellence, while the animation and good feeling evinced were alike creditable to those engaged in the discussion, and encouraging in their portent of good to be expected to accrue.

Ballarat.-Since my last report, in
February, we have had the pleasure of
adding three more by faith and baptism.
April, 1875.
C. MARTIN.

On

Ballarat.-Availing themselves of the visit of the Evangelists and preaching brethren to the Conference, the brethren in the Ballarat district held special Evangelistic meetings, from which great and lasting results may be anticipated. Lord's-day afternoon, M. W. Green preached to a large concourse in the Botanical Gardens, Reserve; his subject being, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation!" In the evening he preached in the Templars'

Observer, Aug. 1, '75

PLEASING AND EDIFICATION.*

THIS double course of action is always acknowledged to be exceedingly difficult. Even "to please" our neighbour in a Scriptural way is no easy matter. For one thing, it implies that there be no picking and choosing as to who our neighbour is to be. Those who are smooth and those who are rasping; those who are meek and those who are supercilious; those who " cannot understand us," and those who are disposed to cherish and admire us;-there they all are for us to "please!" The only way to solve the difficulty is to follow the example of our Master, and to obey the rules of His Word. Here is a passage in which both occur. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. For even Christ pleased not Himself." (Rom. xv. 1-3). It is evident that such a rule and example, meekly followed, would send us into the society of the weak and the unattractive with a new and forcible power of pleasing, of which the essence would be forgetfulness of self, appreciation of others (see also Phil. ii. 3, 4), and recollection of Christ.

There is another rule superadded, however, which is often strangely forgotten by the courtiers of the great King, both to their fellowcourtiers and fellow-subjects. It is possible to bear the infirmities of the weak, and to go through the world without pleasing one self, and yet frequently to disobey this brief law: "Be courteous." Be courteous." (1 Peter iii. 8). Gold must not only BE gold, but it ought to look golden. Good ought not only to be good, but it ought not to look like evil. (1 Thess. v. 22). Christians, too, ought to be the best mannered of men and women, because they are the children as well as the courtiers of the King, and ought to be polished after the similitude of their palace. (Psalm cxliv. 12.) Also because they have the Gospel to "adorn" as well as to proclaim. Without courteousness, then, we can never fully and Scripturally "please" our neighbour, be he peer or peasant.

True courteousness implies more than manner-it implies attention to the laws of kindness and consideration. (Prov. xxxi. 26; Heb. x. 24), so as to avoid all known occasions of unnecessary offence. We find many persons who are slaves to conventionality, but there is a regard for the bienséances of society, which is very different in its origin and effects from "Mrs. Grundyism ;" and is, indeed, often found deepest in those who are most worth reaching. If searchers for souls therefore wish to be wise winners (Prov. xi. 30), they will specially seek to be wise walkers (Col. iv. 5), towards "them that are without" on these very points.

It is noteworthy that our blessed Lord rebuked His Pharisaic host for omitting the usual social customs observed to guests. (Luke vii. 44-46). On another occasion He took advantage of the Jewish code of precedence to teach a lesson of humility, not forbidding, however, the acceptance of social distinctions. (Luke xiv. 7-11). Paul then exemplifies and amplifies the general law of courtesy from his own experience, both in its God-ward and man-ward aspect: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of

66

* From Woman's Work, by MRS. GORDON.

Observer, Aug, 1, '75.

God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved." (1 Cor. x. 31-33). We find several instances of Paul's high-bred principles put into practice, as in Philemon 8, 9, where he "beseeches" that which he had the right to "enjoin;" also in those slight but pleasing glimpses into social life which are given in Acts xxvii. 3, xxviii. 7. As courtesy begets courtesy, we may be sure that on these occasions Paul, like Julius and Publius, paid all due regard to the ordinary customs of society.

How to please our neighbour is but half the difficulty, however; there remains the very serious question, How to edify him? It is clear from Scripture that while we are to give "no offence," there is yet an "offence of the Cross" which we must bear, that while we are to be strictly courteous there is a charge of "unseasonableness" which we must incur (2 Tim. iv. 2); and, above all, that while we are to love our neighbours as ourselves, there is a likeness to our loving Lord in being objects of hatred which we must not shrink from. (John xv. 18, 19). It is good to realize the utter impossibility of reconciling these opposite modes of action by or in our own wisdom, as we shall thus be thrown entirely on the wisdom which cometh from above. It is only when we feel hopelessly beggared on any subject that we are brought to simple asking and full receiving.

Let us ask wisdom to discriminate between what is a needless offence to social laws, and a needful submitting to the offence of the Cross. To speak quietly of Christ "out of season to our "neighbour" is not only obedience to the Word, but does not involve any necessary breach of courtesy or social law. The world, indeed, considers all words about religion as out of season except at church or on a deathbed, but it has no code against it, no more than it has against striving to pluck a neighbour out of a burning house.

Let us ask to be filled with such real love for souls, that when we seek to "please" them it may really be, like Paul, to "edify" them; that when like him we pay careful attention to observances which we ourselves might think "weak," or become "all things to all men," it may be for the explicit purpose of "saving some" (1 Cor. ix. 22), and not to please ourselves or our own love of approbation. It too often happens that those Christians much alive to courtesy and social laws seek indeed to please their neighbours, but forget to edify those to whom they have been agreeable and complaisant. Those, on the other hand, who are full of burning zeal for souls, often think themselves thereby exempted from all minor considerations. Both positions, however, are equally un-Scriptural.

When we complain of difficulty in edifying our neighbour without displeasing him, it may sometimes be that our own faults that we think at the most "little foxes" are really gigantic devourers of what is good in him as well as in us, and that while we are "straining at gnats" he is more quicksighted than we in discerning our swallowed "camels." If, like Daniel, there might be "no occasion or fault found in us EXCEPT concerning the law of our God," the work of pleasing and edifying would be less difficult. (Daniel vi. 4, 5). We find in the beautiful harmony which ever exists between the Old and New Testaments the same principles inculcated by the Apostle. (1 Peter iv. 14, 15). How

Observer, Aug. 1, '75.

many sharp weapons would be taken out of the hands of the world, if they were, as in verse 14, compelled to speak unjust evil of CHRIST, instead of the much easier process of speaking deserved evil of us who profess and are commanded to be the epistles-nay, more, the increasingly glorious image and likeness of the Holy One! (2 Cor. iii. 3-18).

THE LIFE OF WALTER SCOTT.*

THIS recently published volume will be valued by those who are interested in the work of reformation carried on in this country and America by those followers of the Lord Jesus who desire a complete return to the faith and order of the times of the Apostles. The history of this reformation cannot be complete without the Life of Walter Scott. In one respect he was before the Campbells (Father and Son). He it was who first reintroduced the full way of salvation as preached by the Apostles, giving to Immersion the place and design allotted thereto by the first preachers of the Gospel. We shall give at present but one extract from this interesting book, but may, hereafter, find space for more.

"And now we come to the most eventful period in the life of Walter Scott. He had studied the Word of God long, earnestly, faithfully, and prayerfully. He had drunk into its spirit, and had become so fully convinced of the weakness and inefficiency of modern systems, so sick of sectarian bigotry and party strife, that he resolved to try the bold and novel experiment of preaching the Gospel according to the New Testament model, as set forth in the labours of the holy men to whom Jesus had given the message of salvation to be heralded to a perishing world. He made his first efforts beyond the bounds of the Association, and although a nobler purpose was never formed, the very novelty of his course almost created, in his own mind, a doubt of its propriety; and the great issue at stake, and the anxiety as to the result, created at times misgivings and fears. To his hearers his preaching was like the proclamation of a new religion; so different did it seem to the orthodoxy of the day that they regarded the preacher as an amiable, but deluded enthusiast, and he excited wonder, pity, and even scorn. His efforts, however, were not wholly fruitless; with every discourse his own convictions became stronger, and he felt assured that he had found the true faith; and instead of yielding to discouragement under what seemed to be failures, he said to himself, this way is of God, and ought to succeed, and with His help it shall; and his courage and zeal rose with the difficulties he encountered until his labours were crowned with

success.

The scene of his first practical and successful exhibition of the Gospel, as preached in primitive times, was at New Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio, the place at which he was appointed as travelling Evangelist a few months before. The Baptist Church at that place had become acquainted with him at the Association, and received with pleasure an appointment from him for a series of discourses on the ancient Gospel ;

"LIFE OF ELDER WALTER SCOTT; with sketches of his fellow-labourers, William Hayden, Adamson Bentley, John King, and others; by William Baxter. Cincinnati, 1874."