EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. LIVERPOOL.-A tea meeting of the members and friends of the Evangelical Alliance was held in the spacious school-rooms belonging to St. James's Church, Toxteth Park, on Tuesday evening, Nov. 30. Owing to other important meetings being held the same evening, and to the unfavourable state of the weather, the attendance was not so large as was expected. About 130 sat down to tea at seven o'clock. The chair was taken by John Cropper, Esq., the President of the Division, who announced a hymn, read a portion of Scripture, and then called upon the Rev. Dr. Raffles to offer prayer. The Chairman explained the object of the meeting, and enforced the duty of all Christians to cherish and manifest their essential unity. The Rev. Jos. R. Welsh, M.A., English Presbyterian, delivered an address on "Brotherly Love," in which he dwelt on the importance of being right first of all with God in our own souls, then of having confidence in one another, and finally in extending our love to the world around us, as well as cherishing it towards each other. The Rev. George Scott, Wesleyan, directed attention to the present state of religion in Sweden, giving illustrations of persecution for conscience' sake, and asking the sympathies and prayers of God's people on behalf of their persecuted brethren." The Rev. John Kelly, Independent, showed that the principles of the Alliance do not require its members to yield their own conscientious convictions, but only, while firmly speaking the truth, to speak it in love. The Rev. L. F. Thomas, B.A., Incumbent of St. James's, dwelt on some of the reasons which have hitherto kept Churchmen and Dissenters aloof, showing how a generous recognition of what is good and scriptural in all Evangelical Churches would help to maintain the unity of the Spirit. who were prevented being present by previous engagements. During the evening R. A. Macfie, Esq., and Mr. Harcus, called special attention to Evangelical Christendom, the monthly organ of the Alliance, and to the forthcoming volume, containing the papers read at the Berlin Conference. This meeting was the first of a series intended to be held in Liverpool once a quarter during the coming year. The proceedings closed by singing the doxology, and by the Rev. Dr. Crichton pronouncing the benediction. In addition to the ministers taking part in the meeting, we observed present the Rev. Mr. Dunckly, Curate of St. James's; the Rev. Mr. Keer, Curate of St. Peter's; the Rev. G. Cumock, Wesleyan; and the Rev. I. Dewsnap, Independent. NOTTINGHAM. A public meeting, convened by the local committee, was held in this town, on Monday, Nov. 22, 1858, in the Exchange Hall. A soirée took place at six o'clock, and at seven the chair was taken by Colonel Holden, the president of the Nottingham Division, who was well supported on the platform, while there was a large attendance in the body of the hall. After a hymn had been sung, prayer was offered by the Rev. S. M'All. The Chairman, on rising, was warmly welcomed, and delivered a short introductory address; after which, Mr. Carter, the secretary, read an admirable report relating both to the local and general interests of the Alliance. The members and friends, it was stated, hold a devotional meeting once a quarter, at which a clergyman of the Church of England, and three other ministers of different Evangelical Churches, engage in prayer, one of them presiding and giving a short address on some appropriate subject. The Vicar of St. Mary's kindly lends the Plumptre-street school-rooms for the purpose of the meetings. After adverting to many topics, the report concluded with the following paragraph: "The effect of the Alliance, in moderating the severity of conA resolution of thanks to the Rev. L. F. troversy, developing the true genius of Thomas and his friends, for their hospitable Christianity, and promoting fraternal harreception, was moved by the Rev. W. Harmony, notwithstanding divergent views and cus, and seconded by Robert Gee, Esq., M.D., the secretaries of the Division, and supported by the Rev. Dr. Raffles. The Rev. Dr. Raffles followed with a few kind and loving words, commending the objects of the Alliance to the sympathies of the Churches. Apologies were offered for the absence of the Rev. C. M. Birrell, who was suddenly called from town by a domestic bereavement, and the Revs. J. B. Lowe, of St. Jude's, and W. R. Hunt, of St. Columba's, conflicting interests among Churches, renders it worthy of the good-will and support of all who desire to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace,' and to demonstrate to an observant world that those who love Christ do also love one another, and are still ready to stimulate each other to love and good works." EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. The Rev. Canon Brooke next addressed the meeting. Alluding to the tercentenary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth, he drew a pieture of the religious condition of the country under Henry VIII., and traced the progress of the Reformation till finally settled by Elizabeth. If it were asked, he said, what connexion this had with the Evangelical Alliance, he replied a very close one, for by the Reformation was established the great fundamental principles on which they were united The friends were subsequently addressed by the Rev. James Davis (since appointed one of the new official secretaries), and the Rev. S. A. Walker, Rector of St. Mary-le-Port, Bristol, both of whom attended as a deputation from the Council, and also by the Rev. J. Wild and the Rev. W. Underwood. The proceedings were concluded with the doxology. THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE FRENCH-SPEAKING BRANCH. Our brethren of the different nations which speak the French language held their thirteenth annual assembly at Geneva, on the 4th of November, 1858, under the presidency of M. Adrien Naville, the chairman of the Central Committee. In consequence of the long report of our own Conference at Liverpool, we were unable to report their proceedings in our last number. There were present both ministers and laymen from different countries and different Churches; pastors, for example, of national Churches, and of free Churches, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Reformed, Independent, &c. The meeting was opened by the reading of the Word of God (John iii.) and prayer by Pastor Duby; after which the President made a report of the proceedings during the past year. The assembly was then successively addressed by different brethren. Pastor de Faye, deputed by the Lyons Committee, conveyed their affectionate salutations to the meeting; and related the circumstances connected with the erection and opening of the new Evangelical chapel in that city: he also gave a gratifying account of the progress of the work of evangelisation both there and at Tournus, and some other places. Pastor Frederic Monod represented the Paris brethren, and communicated their Christian greetings. He said that the sacred cause of the Alliance gained ground slowly, but gradually, among them. The work of Divine grace comprehends an infinite variety of details, but at the same time there is a profound unity in it which constitutes the essential truth of God. The progress we make in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ transforms us more and more into His image, and the consequence will be that we shall love our brethren more, we shall strive to manifest a more charitable spirit, and we shall be better fitted as instruments to bring souls to Christ. Pastor Eymar, who had been deputed by the Geneva committee to attend the meetings of the Alliance at Lyons, said how much he had been edified by their truly Christian character; and, after giving some details, dwelt strongly on the great truth that to know God aright, it is necessary to know Him as He is revealed in His word-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This was the name in which the apostles received their commission to teach and baptize the nations, and this is the name of the God and Saviour in which they were met. The President thanked the foreign brethren who had come from distant places to attend the meeting; and after prayer had been offered by Dr. Merle D'Aubigné, and the hymn Gloire soit au Saint-Esprit had been sung, the assembly broke up. The Central Committee at Geneva has determined on the three following measures: I. To prepare the way for convening a General Conference at Geneva in the year 1861. II. To organise a mission through the French-speaking countries, for the purpose of spreading a knowledge of the principles and aims of the Evangelical Alliance, and of gaining it friends. III. To engage the Brussels Committee to be the Central Committee for the years 1859 and 1860, and if they decline, then the Committee of Lausanne. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE AT LYONS. Lyons, Nov. 22, 1858. Honoured and dear Sir,-The Evangelical Church at Lyons has just been holding her annual fraternal meetings. They were opened on Sabbath evening, Oct. 31, by a special service for the young. The congrega EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. tion was very great, and listened with deep attention to an impressive and Evangelical sermon by Pastor F. Coulin, who had kindly accepted the invitation of the Lyons Christian Young Men's Union. This zealous and talented young minister is well known in Geneva and in the south of France, since he undertook a missionary tour last winter, during which he faithfully preached "Christ and Him crucified." Hearing him at Lyons boldly stating the vital doctrines of the Gospel before 1,100 or 1,200 persons of divers shades of religious opinions (as there were many strangers), we were forcibly reminded of the words of Paul to another young minister, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. ii. 7.) And it is not because Mons. Coulin was sure of the good feeling of his hearers in the Evangelical Church that he shunned not the "foolishness of God." He preaches with the same fearlessness the doctrines of the Cross and of Christ's eternal Godhead in every congregation, and in the very teeth of Socinian ministers. "If any one tell you that Christ is not the Son of God... believe him not," &c. God grant His young servants the same boldness to speak, and especially the same faith to believe, in a time like ours, when the best seem to hesitate and to stagger, if they are called upon to state the way of salvation, ie, justification through faith, or the rule of our Christian life, i.e., the Scriptures through the Spirit of God. Pastor Coulin's subject was the love young men should feel for Christ. "Lovest thou me more than these?" (John xxi. 15.) A very good sequel to the subject of the previous year, the love of Christ for the young, "Jesus, beholding him, loved him." (Mark x. 21.) On Monday, Nov. 1, two meetings were held. In the morning the brethren from the environs were welcomed by the chairman of the Alliance, Pastor Descombaz, and it was very cheering to see these dear friends coming from a distance to salute, in the name of the Lord, their brethren of Lyons, and also to hear them stating, in all simplicity, the spiritual wants of their re spective Churches, and the temporal destitution of their poor. This is love, not to fear to say to a brother with a full heart, "Our purse is empty!" "Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" (1 John iii. 17.) At the evening diet, Pastor Eymar, of Geneva, in a clear and heartfelt speech, warned the people against two prevailing obstacles which are insurmountable barriers to Christian union-1. The love of the world, or the comforts of the flesh; and 2. The proud spirit of independence, or every one drawing the way he likes best. This is Amos still inquiring, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" On Tuesday a meeting was held for the purpose of taking the Lord's Supper, and hearing lay brethren, either in prayer or in short addresses, on some edifying subjects. At twelve o'clock we met the children of the Sabbath schools, and Dr. Frederic Monod, one of the founders of Sabbath schools in France, spoke to them with much love and appropriateness. We had our last and perhaps best meeting that evening, when we heard from Dr. Monod the most vivid and heart-stirring details on the Revival in America. The speaker had just returned from that country, and, being well informed with his great subject, succeeded in convincing several sceptics of "the power of the Spirit." Oh! many a stubborn heart was broken that night, many a sleeping conscience was roused, many a dry eye wept, perhaps for the first time, on account of sin -if we are allowed to judge by what we witnessed in the chapel, by what we gathered in the visiting at home, and by what several members of the Church are now doing under the superintendence of one of the pastorsthey go about every Sabbath afternoon, evangelising the city, freely, and two by two. Let us pray for these men whom the Lord has called from the darkness of Popery to the light of His Gospel, and who are now engaged in bringing their fellow-citizens to Christ.-Yours very truly, CLEMENT DE FAYE. GERMAN BRANCH-NEW MONTHLY JOURNAL. It was mentioned in the letter of our Berlin Correspondent last month, that our German brethren intended to issue a new Journal at the beginning of the year, under the title of Neue Evangelische Kirchen Zeitung-"The New Evangelical Church Gazette." We have been favoured with the document which they have issued on the occasion, explaining their intentions and aims, a translation of which we have great pleasure in EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. laying before our readers. This is another fruit of the Berlin Conference. We need bardly say how sincerely we wish our brethren in this new undertaking that success which flows from the blessing of God. We understand that the Consistory of one of the Hanoverian provinces has issued an authoritative recommendation of the journal to all its clergy. One year has elapsed since, under the banner of the Cross of Christ and the patronage of a high-minded King, Evangelical Christians of all countries entered, at Berlin, into a union of love, such as had never before been formed in Germany. The memory of those blessed and promising days, when Evangelical Christians from far and near, accompanied by the prayers and supplications of many thousand brethren assembled in this city, still lives in many hearts; their hopes, also, that upon German soil the testimony thus borne to the great unity of all true confessors of the Gospel, which knows no separating barriers, would find a cordial reception, were fully realised. When, from the mouths of many witnesses, it was proclaimed "how great things the Lord had done," all hearts felt mightily overpowered; but the German members of the Alliance were deeply concerned that, after the termination of the Conference the voice of these witnesses should no longer be heard, and that the union then so happily formed between the brethren would be of so short duration. Thanks to those men, who, discouraged by no difficulties, have therefore endeavoured to establish a grand literary organ, by which their blessed Alliance should be perpetuated among Evangelical Christians of the German tongue; and thanks to them for not having precipitated a work, for the realisation and the good success of which the right moment has now arrived. At their request, we, the undersigned, belonging as we do to different classes and different religious communities, have united in order to prepare the way, and to facilitate an undertaking which is destined to serve all truly faithful members of German Evangelical Christendom. We recognise in this undertaking a truly Evangelical work, and we hope that our word will find in the hearts of many German brethren the same joyful sympathy and echo with which the invitation to last year's great Conference, which was issued by many of us, was everywhere received. When not long before the storms which ten years ago shook Europe to its foundations, English brethren, moved by the dangers which then threatened the Gospel in the Christian world, and foreseeing still greater, made their voice heard throughout Christendom, appealing to all true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ to enter into an alliance for common defence against the common enemy, many of us gladly responded to this appeal and took part in establishing the Evangelical Alliance, which since then has stretched out its arms over all countries where Evangelical Christians live, and numbers its members and friends among all classes. But one voice was heard at that period, as in all the future great assemblies of this Alliance. It was the voice of holy sorrow, that the Evangelical Churches, which had all sprung from the same Reformation, had for so long a period been utterly estranged from each other, and were not seldom burning in hatred and discord one against the other; it was the voice of solemn grief, that owing to these sad circumstances the falling away from the Reformation Confessions to infidelity and Romanism had taken place to so fearful an extent within these Churches, and had marred almost every effort for the spreading of the kingdom of God. But it was at the same time the voice of consolatory hope for a better future for the Evangelical Church, a hope which was founded on the readiness of every one openly to confess his own share in this great and common guilt. The Neue Evangelische Kirchen Zeitung places itself at the service of this great Alliance, which encompasses sea and land, with the object of furthering its important work among German Evangelical Christians at the service of an Alliance, which, not secretly, but in the face of the whole world, in the great centres of Europe, has repeatedly held forth a good confession before many witnesses, which, in order not to be reproached for giving an uncertain sound has testified, in its nine Articles, to the fundamental doctrines of the Gospelat the service of a Communion which numbers among its founders and most zealous promoters, men who have fought, not with the blunt weapons of a selfformed Gospel, but with the edged sword of the old and ever-new Gospel of Christ. Our organ cannot carry on its work of peace on any other foundation than that of the Gospel, and cannot hope to conquer in any other sign but the sign of the Cross of Christ. We know that it is by this Cross that God both "preached peace to them which are afar off, and to them which are EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. neither its object nor intention to unite its members to any internal ecclesiastical communion, which numbers among its most zealous friends men who are proved champions of their particular Church and her sanctuaries, the Neue Evangelische Kirchen Zeitung is very far from wishing arbitrarily to pull down the privilegedbarriers which, by God's permitting Providence, divide the Evangelical Churches from each other. Yet there, where, in one part of the Evangelical Church, a newly awakened religious life has led two intimately connected Churches to form an outward union, we shall be so far from severing and loosening this bond-which was established, and still exists, under the manifest blessing of God-that we shall rather strive to strengthen it as a powerful means of promoting the inner union of all the members of the Evangelical Church. before us; but faithful to the principles of the Alliance-which knows no other commandment than that of the Lord's free love, and has no other power than that of the truth founded on the Word of God-we shall, from every outward union of Churches, again and again direct attention to that inward union of all living confessors of the Gospel, which is deeply established in the heart. nigh," and we will, therefore, exalt the standard of the Cross as long as the Lord shall grant us to carry on this labour of peace. With our eyes fixed on this sign, we cannot help deploring, that, whilst the enemy is wide awake and advances in serried ranks, the voice of bitter strife is not seldom heard in the camp of those who place themselves foremost in the holy war for the Gospel. This voice will not be heard in our organ. Away from this dim present state of things-away from the past time, so full of sad recollections, in which brethren faithfully attached to the Gospel wasted their precious time and strength in useless strife-we shall direct our eyes to the future, in which those who were formerly separated shall find each other to be members of one body under one Head. In the longing desire after a free union of all true disciples of Christ--which is growing stronger and stronger, and extend-Yet never shall we lose sight of the aim set ing more and more-we are led to discover the morning dawn of the coming day. That this dawn may be followed by a bright and sunny day, not to be obscured again by the darkness of the night, shall be our most sacred object and earnest work. With the view of hastening on this day we shall not shun the struggle, we shall even call upon all those who labour with us, in the work of peace, to join in the common contest; but our war will be directed only against whatever hinders and disturbs the peace, and will have for its aim an everlasting peace. We do not find this peace in the victory of one Evangelical Church over another, still less in the victory of one of the contending parties, but only in the victory of the Gospel itself, which is denied by none of these Churches, nor entirely exhausted by any of them. With all love and attachment to our home Churches, with their particular Confessions, we shall embrace, with a wide view, the One Evangelical Church of all times, lands, and nations, and direct the hearts of men to the great purposes of the Saviour, by giving information of the progress of the Gospel in all the world; and we shall endeavour thereby powerfully to influence and strengthen the newly revived religious life. We, therefore, cannot measure the various phases of Evangelical life as they appear by the measure of a single Evangelical Church; we must rather measure each of these Churches with the only infallible measure which the Gospel affords. As the organ of an Alliance which has repeatedly and expressly testified that it is The aim is glorious which the Evangelical Alliance has in view, freely to unite all living members of the Evangelical Churches; and to become the organ of those Christian efforts which are designed to promote the attainment of this object, is worthy of our most earnest labours. And yet there lives in the heart of every true Christian, the longing desire after a more glorious aim, which is represented to us in the Word of God by the one flock and the one Shepherd. This longing will, then, only be satisfied, when those Churches which, in their present formation will not receive this Alliance, shall have joyfully opened their doors. The Neue Evangelische Kirchen Zeitung, would be obliged to consider this latter aim, deferred to a distant future, if, in order to accelerate the realisation of that promise of our Lord, it should dare to weaken any oné of the less essential truths of the Gospel, or even to cover one of the least important errors of those Churches. We are fully aware, that we can, on our part, only help to prepare the way for a lasting peace, by building and strengthening the Evangelical life which may exist in those Churches, and |