The Rev. Thomas S. Crisp, President of the Baptist College, Bristol.

The Essays will be received on or before the 1st of June, 1839, by the Secretaries of the Church of England, Baptist, and Wesleyan Missionary Societies, at their respective Mission Houses, in London; and by the Rev. Dr. Brunton, Convener, or the Rev. Dr. Gordon, Secretary of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland's Committee for Foreign Missions, Edinburgh. Each must be accompanied with a sealed letter, enclosing the name and address of the author-the letter and essay bearing some motto or superscription common to both. No essay need be forwarded which is not written or copied in a clear, distinct, legible hand. The adjudicators are expected to make their decision known on or before the 1st of June, 1840; after which date, the essays will be returned, on proper application at the several offices where they were originally left, with the letters unopened, excepting those accompanying the successful treatises. Half of the profits arising from the sale of the copyright of the essay, to which the Prize of Two Hundred Guineas shall be awarded, to be given to the author; the other half to be applied to such object, promotive of the great cause of missions, as the contributors to the present prize may deem most expedient.

In name of the contributors,
STEVENSON M'GILL, D.D.,

Prof. Div. Univ. Glasg.
THOMAS CHALMERS, D.D., LL.D.,
Prof. Div. Univ. Edinb.

ALEXANDER DUFF, D.D.,

Ch. of Scot. Miss. Calcutta.

A CALL TO OUTDOOR PREACHING.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.

MY DEAR SIR,-That there is a large proportion of the population of our country, who never attend any place of worship, is a fact so generally admitted that I need not enter into a detailed confirmation of it. Can any thing be done to correct this appalling evil? and if so, ought we to make the attempt? I will now tell you, and my ministerial brethren, what I have done in Birmingham; that I may, if possible, induce them "to go and do likewise."

In the month of July last I purchased a tent, and pitched it in eligible situations-having previously announced, by placards, my intention to preach in the open air. My congregations varied from one thousand to six thousand. On returning home, after my last effort to win souls to Christ, on our far-famed New Hall Hill, 1 met with an accident which terminated my open air preaching for the season. Winter came

on before I recovered from the effects of the accident. I then ventured on another experiment. I published an address to the inhabitants of Birmingham, offering them a gratuitous service on a Tuesday evening, in my chapel. My offer was accepted. On a favourable night the chapel is filled; and even during the late intense cold weather, at least, seven-tenths of the space has been occupied by as attentive an audience as ever listened to the Gospel of Christ.

At each stage of this somewhat novel course of procedure, I stood debating, for a long while, on the expediency of advancing -my heart at times gave way-I dreaded (a novel thing to my mental habitudes) the consequences which might result from bringing the eye of the public upon me. My motives will be impeached; and possibly I may become a laughing-stock to the profane-a bye-word and a proverb amongst the people." But, Sir, I had no sooner commenced this new style of preaching, than I preferred it to the old; and now long, with an intensity of emotion, I never previously felt for the return of the spring; not so much for the gratification of gazing on the opening beauties of nature, as for the higher and nobler gratification of preaching Christ and his great salvation in the suburbs of Birmingham.

The late Mr. Rowland Hill has left this fact on record, that he found his open air preaching more useful in the conversion of sinners than his more orderly labours; and why should not this practice become more general? Is it any disgrace to a minister of Christ to follow the example of his Master? I would, then, respectfully call on my brethren, who, like myself, have passed the meridian of life; and on my younger brethren, who are just entering on the ministerial work, to procure tents, and commence a new course of labour-perfectly regardless of the frowns, or even the opposition of men. In my opinion, and that opinion is founded on facts which have come under my own observation within the last six months, a more effective plan cannot be adopted to agitate the stagnant state of the public mind, and set all classes of society thinking and talking about Christ and his glorious Gospel.

the subject of Preaching Tours, and I should have felt gratified if more of them had expressed their opinion on the propriety of the measure, and the possibility of carrying it into effect. The letter of Mr. Wayne, of Hitchin, inserted in your September number, I beg to acknowledge; as also several private communications from different parts of the kingdom. I threw out the hint, hoping it would attract the attention of far more efficient and influential men than myself; and I confess I indulged a hope that some Whitefield or Wesley-like spirits would have seized upon it, as a feasible plan, decidedly in harmony with the movements of those eminent preachers, and, what is still more important, accordant with the proceedings of the first evangelists. I know the proposal has been the subject of conversation in some private parties, and has engaged attention at several meetings of ministers. I am aware that many are pondering the plan, and approving the movement as apostolic and unobjectionable. I have reason to believe that the chief difficulty lies in the expense, and that if a few liberal and zealous friends would guarantee these, for the sake of making the experiment, able and zealous ministers would not be wanting to try the plan in any suitable sphere or line of operations. We are all unrestrained as to our movements, and can preach where we list; but we are all, I conceive, rather too much restricted by our pastoral duties. The age, the state of the public mind, the condition of the neglected masses, the very settled and quiescent state of the churches, all seem to demand some new and extra efforts. Does the ministry itself require an enlargement of view? Pulpits and congregations could readily be obtained, and ministers themselves might receive an impulse, a refreshing, by new congregations, new scenes, and enterprises. We have men of an apostolic spirit, capable of rousing the churches, of engaging the attention of those who are yet lying in the wicked one. Would any pious and zealous individuals, who possess the means, and are willing to use what they possess to the glory of God, and at the same time think that the proposal of some tours, for simply preaching the Gospel, in the course of the ensuing spring or summer, likely to be useful on a large scale, place in the hands of the Editor of this Magazine, or in the hands of any other individual known to the public, any sums of money, for the purpose of defraying travelling expenses; and as soon as 50%. should be raised, would some two, three, or four of the ministers who so frequently travel for our Benevolent Societies volunteer to itinerate for a fortnight, engaging to preach every night in the week, except Saturday,

and send notices of their readiness to do so in any direction they chose to take, offering to stop at intervening towns, wherever an opening might be presented? Or would brethren bring the subject forward at their County Association? and, if they approve the suggestion, signify it through the medium of this Magazine, and appoint their secretaries to arrange the plan of visits, to their own mind. It is highly probable that such efforts might be attended with great good to the churches, and that God might make them the means of calling many into his church. But my particular object in the present communication is, to mention another plan of usefulness, more directly and easily brought into operation. We all know that our American brethren have attributed much of their success in promoting the cause of the Gospel to what they term protracted meetings; that is, religious services, continued day after day, for a week or longer. It has appeared, I believe, to most of us, that it would be impossible to practise any thing of this kind in England with success. Towards the end of last year, it struck me that it might be desirable to make an experiment on a small scale, for the sake of trying whether it were possible to keep up public attention for a few evenings in succession. I therefore formed a plan for public services, to be held on four successive evenings, and engaged four neighbouring brethren to favour me with their assistance. When this preparation was made, I issued the following printed bill:

Special Religious Services.-Four Lectures will be preached, at Angel-street Chapel, on Monday, January 22, and three following evenings. Jan. 22, Dr. Matheson, of Wolverhampton, to the Unconverted.

23, Rev. J. A. James, of Birmingham, on Infidelity.

24, Rev. T. Ashwell, of Bromsgrove, to the Young.

25, Rev. Dr. Ross, of Kidderminster, to Professing Christians. Service to commence each evening at seven o'clock.-No collections.

The weather was very severe and forbidding, and I began to fear that at least I had chosen a wrong season of the year, and might expect only very scanty congregations. You know, Mr. Editor, that a cathedral town is generally a very unpromising place for religious excitement; and few even of such places are less susceptible than the city of Worcester. But I am exceedingly rejoiced to be able to communicate the encouraging fact, that all these lectures were attended by full congregations, and the one on Infidelity by numbers more than could crowd into the aisles

or lobbies. The attention was deep and solemn throughout. The impression produced has been highly encouraging, and will not, I trust, be soon lost. Many profess to have received great spiritual benefit, and some of the very classes we are most anxious to bring under the influence of Christianity. These services were preceded by a special prayer meeting in my own congregation on the previous Sabbath evening, and followed by a general prayer meeting of Independents, Methodists, Baptists, and Countess of Huntingdon's denomination, on the Tuesday in the following week, in which the several ministers engaged. This meeting was also equally well attended.

My object in this communication is to invite brethren and friends throughout the kingdom to the adoption of some plan of this kind, for the purpose of calling the attention of the irreligious, and the working classes in particular, to the great concerns of eternity. I believe there are many brethren who feel that there are vast masses of the population in a state of heathenish darkness, and for whose benefit they would gladly exert themselves. It would not be difficult, in most places, to secure the assistance of neighbouring brethren to preach on such an occasion: many are drawn by novelty; the expense of travelling would be small; but the good effected might be extensive and paramount. Is it not our duty to try? In towns where there are chapels of different denominations, it might be eligible to divide the services among them, or to choose the largest place, trusting in God, and imploring the outpouring of his Spirit. I will only add, that the experiment here has given universal satisfaction; has imparted an impulse to Christians; brought some undecided to a stand; staggered some of the class of infidels; and induced some of the young and careless to cry out, "What must I do to be saved?" It will afford me unfeigned pleasure to find the plan approved and acted upon, or an improved one suggested by any of my ministerial brethren. Let them communicate their views, and let us all endeavour to signalise the present year, as it opens upon us, with some new and more enlarged efforts to do good. Zeal combined with faith and prayer may yet do much for the spiritual welfare of the unconverted myriads in our beloved country. Nothing great will be effected unless some extra means be employed. Brethren, they are in your hands. Go forth in the strength of the Lord, and his blessing will attend you.

Believe me,

Mr. Editor,
Yours affectionately,

G. REDFORD.

THOUGHTS ON HACKNEY COLLEGE.

(In answer to a former Correspondent.) MR. EDITOR,-From a paper in your "Home Chronicle," of January last, purporting to be written by an "Old Friend of Cheshunt College," offering some strictures on what the Rev. Robt. Philip, in his "Life and Times of Whitefield," is said to have stated respecting that institution, I have found that some of your numerous readers might infer that Hackney Theological Academy was founded in a spirit of hostility against Cheshunt College.

The paragraph to which I refer is the following:

"The college (Cheshunt) would have assumed a very different form, if that at Hackney, which the writer believes principally originated in the zeal of three Trevecca students, Messrs. Eyre, Wilks, and Platt, -if these two institutions had been blended together, and had united their funds and their influence. Who was to blame it is not for the writer to assert; but whether the then existing lay-trust of Cheshunt College repelled, or whether the friends of Hackney never made any offer to coalesce, the writer of this article cannot but say that there was an error somewhere."

Allow me to remark, on this statement, that the Rev. Messrs. Wilks and Platt had no part in the origin of the Hackney Theological Institution: it originated with the Rev. John Eyre, of Hackney, in the following circumstauces, for the verity of which I am answerable.

It is well-known to yourself, Mr. Editor, and others yet living, and especially the Rev. John Campbell, of Kingsland, that about the commencement of the present century, Robert Haldane, Esq., of Edinburgh, with a zeal then almost unequalled, had adopted measures for educating, at his own expense, a considerable number of pious and talented young men for the Christian ministry.

In the summer of 1802, at the instance of Mr. Campbell, I spent a month under the hospitable roof of Mr. Haldane, and upon the eve of my departure, he made proposals to me to return to Edinburgh, to assist in the accomplishment of the above object. On my return home to Walthamstow, where I then resided, I requested Mr. Eyre, as a neighbouring minister whose zeal for the advancement of the Gospel I had every reason to admire, to allow me two or three hours of his attention, in order to assist me in determining my line of duty. To this he cheerfully consented. We met at his house at the time appointed. He heard my details of Mr. Haldane's operations with unbroken attention. He then said, "This is most surprising: I have been planning something of the same kind on a

smaller scale, for the Christian ministry in England, and, what is remarkable, you are the person (Independent though you are) that I had fixed upon to assist me in effectuating my plan; but, as I think you must go to Edinburgh, give me two or three names, out of which I may select a suitable tutor." To this I consented, observing, that I was expecting further communications, on which I should be happy to have his opinion for my guidance. We agreed to meet again within a fortnight.

In the meantime, Mr. Eyre had communicated to his friend, Charles Townsend, Esq., of Homerton, the substance of Mr. Haldane's operations. Before we met again, Mr. Eyre informed me that he had had a long conversation with Mr. Townsend, who had distinctly stated, that if Mr. Eyre's plan could be realised, and I would assist in it, he would pledge himself for 10,000l. to the object. Mr. Eyre then said, "As you and your people at Walthamstow are strongly attached to each other, though Mr. Haldane's plans are on a much more extensive plan than mine, you might assist me without leaving your people.' It is not necessary for me to say more than that my esteemed friends at Walthamstow induced me to adopt this plan.

Allow me also to remark, that this disinterested minister, Mr. Eyre, at the very same time carried on measures with Edward Hanson, Esq., (a member of the Independent church in New Broad-street, who had come to reside in Clapton, and who attended Mr. Eyre's ministry,) to found the Theological Academy at Idle, (now Airedale,) Yorkshire, for which Mr. Hanson funded a sum of money.

I have been thus explicit, I am afraid tediously so, that it may be seen there was no hostile feeling whatever towards Cheshunt, or any other institution of a similar nature. Mr. Eyre was a moderate Episcopalian. Mr. Townsend, a member of Mr. Eyre's religious communion, at Ram chapel. I was then, what I am, a Congregationalist.

It is matter of history in the Evangelical Magazine, (1803,) that these three gentlemen died in that year: Mr. Hanson, in January; Mr. Townsend, in February; and Mr. Eyre, in March. Then it was that the Rev. Matthew Wilks was invited to accept the office of secretary to the Hackney Institution; an office which he performed gratuitously, and with great fidelity, to his death. Subscribers to our institution were acquired by Mr. Wilks, from Tabernacle and Tottenham-court chapel; but from all my intimate intercourse with Mr. Wilks to the close of his life, never did I hear him utter a hostile sentiment against Cheshunt College. It is, indeed, a fact, that Mr. Wilks and the then tutor of Ches

hunt College (Mr. Isaac Nicholson) were nominated by our committee to fix the allowance for the board of students at Hackney.

The Rev. Rowland Hill, approving of our plan, as an "Evangelical Association" for advancing the kingdom of Christ, aided the institution by his influence to the end of his life. From the formation of the Missionary Society, in 1795, I had the honour of his acquaintance, and intimately from 1805 to his death; and I think it due to his venerable name to state, that I never heard Mr. Hill utter a sentiment which could be construed as hostile to Cheshunt College. Nay, it is well known to our committee that one of the last chapels which he was engaged in erecting, and which he placed on the trusts of our society, (Leamington,) was occupied, under his own direction, by its present minister, the Rev. Mr. Bates, from Cheshunt College.

I shall be happy, my dear Sir, to remove from the mind of your respected correpondent every vestige of the impression that any thing hostile to Cheshunt College was ever intended by those excellent men.

A Congregationalist myself, from 1790 to this hour, it has been no small portion of my happiness to enjoy Christian fellowship with esteemed ministers of other sections of the Christian church-with Newton and Scott, and Ryland and Fuller, and Eyre and Hill, and Wilks and Waugh; as well as with Lambert and Burder, and Roby and Bogue, and other eminent men yet living, of my own. Sincerely do I rejoice with the Old Friend of Cheshunt College in its prosperity, and only beg leave to suggest, that in bringing forward well-trained and eminently pious candidates for the holy ministry, adapted to the very peculiar circumstances in which we live, both for home and missionary service, in our colonies and through the world, there is ample scope for all our institutions founded on the principles of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God.

"The American churches have taught us an important lesson on this subject. Many of their theological institutions are framed for the world, leaving to the providence of the Son of God to fix the sphere of the individual labourer, at home, or in their back settlements in the far west, or among the idolatrous heathen nations.

"Except in cases where our colleges and theological institutions have their funds limited to specific objects, it may be of vast importance to consider whether a more general character should not be given to them. If the statistical account of our American brethren be at all near the truth, -viz., that there are not more than 25,000 faithful ministers of the Gospel in all the world, surely the direction of the Great

the subject of examinations of candidates for degrees, in the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures, and in Ecclesiastical History, have been amicably adjusted, by their agreeing not to render such examinations imperative on candidates; but still holding out certificates of proficiency to those who, upon voluntary examination in these departments, are found to excel. This is an admirable adjustment of a litigated question.

PRAYER FOR COLLEGES.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine. MY DEAR SIR,-Knowing the deep interest you feel in the rising ministry, I am emboldened to ask for a part of a page in your valuable work, on which to make a suggestion that has of late considerably impressed my mind.

It is impossible to look at the present position of affairs, both in the church and the world, without feeling that our junior brethren, who are now preparing for ministerial duties, will soon incur tremendous responsibilities on the one hand, and be exposed to very serious dangers on the other. They demand our tenderest sympathies, and our cordial aid. Why should our American brethren take a more lively interest in their colleges than we in ours? They have days of prayer for their rising ministry; why should we have none? Would not effects of the best kind flow from ardent, united devotion? Should we not find, as the result, that our colleges would be prayed for more frequently at the family altar, and in the regular public services of the Sabbath? and would not our students become more entirely the objects of Christian interest and encouragement?

I would respectfully propose, then, that the tutors and students of the colleges in and about London should be affectionately invited to meet the members of our different churches, to unite in special prayer for their welfare, in one of the large places of worship, some evening, say, during the first week of April, and that such a meeting should be held in different chapels in rotation, at least once in six months.

I am,
My dear Sir,

Cordially yours,
J. B.

LONDON UNIVERSITY.

We are glad to find, that recent differences which had arisen in the senate, on

ASSOCIATION.

The Dorset Association will (D. v.) be held at Poole, on the Wednesday in Easter Week, April 18th.) It is intended, that the Rev. Andrew Morton Brown, late of the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, shall then be ordained, as successor of the Rev. J. M. Mackenzie, (now of Glasgow,) and co-pastor with the Rev. Thomas Durant. The Rev. J. Wills, of Bridport, has engaged to preach on Wednesday evening, and the Rev. S. Spink on the Tuesday evening. The forenoon service will commence at eleven precisely.

The Annual Meeting and Breakfast of the County Sunday School Union, will be held at the New Town Hall, on the Wed nesday Morning.

NEW CHAPEL, STOKE NEWINGTON. We understand that Abney Chapel, Stoke Newington, will be opened on Thursday, March 22; and that the Rev. Dr. Fletcher, and the Rev. Dr. Bennett, are engaged to preach on the occasion.-See Advertisement on our Cover.

REMOVAL.

The Rev. Charles Greenway, of Cannock, Staffordshire, has received and accepted the unanimous and cordial invitation of the Congregational church at Codington, near Birmingham, and commenced his stated labours there in July last.

IRELAND.

A PLEA FOR THIS LAND OF DARKNESS.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.

SIR, I have read with great interest the letter of "An Annual Subscriber," in

your February number. I have often wondered at the ignorance which prevails among Dissenters as to the state of religion in Ireland, and their even greater ignorance as regards our own denomination. I think that your correspondent is quite right in saying that we attach too little importance to our