through fatigue, no longer able to hold them up he is assisted by Aaron on one side, and Hur on the other. If you cannot preach, you can by prayer hold up the hands of those who do. You can follow the missionary, who leaves all to go and labour in heathen lands, with your daily and fervent prayers. It is not in vain for you to live, while you have access to a throne of grace. Before the advent of Christ, there were some aged persons who seem to have been preserved in life, that they might pray for this event, and that they might enjoy the pleasure of seeing the answer of their prayers, and embracing him in their arms, whom they had so often embraced by faith. While all around was spiritual death and desolation, and corruption and error had infected all classes, from the priesthood downward, there was a little band who had taken up their residence in the Temple, or often frequented this holy place, who were waiting for the consolation of Israel. Two of these are named, Simeon and Anna; but there were others of the same character; for we read that this very aged and pious widow, who departed not from the Temple, but served God with fasting and prayers, night and day, spake of Christ after she had seen him, "to all them who looked for redemption in Israel." The darker the times, the more closely do the truly pious adhere to each other. The little knot of praying people knew each other, and no doubt spake often one to another; and in this case the Lord hearkened and heard; for the object of their desires and prayers was given to them. Was the life of Anna an unprofitable life, although she never left the Temple, and did nothing but fast and pray? Was Simeon a useless member of the Church, because he was probably too old for labour? The truth was, and the same is often verified, that the true church of God was at this time confined to a few pious souls; while the priests and the scribes and the rulers had neither part nor lot in the matter. As God preserved Simeon, according to a promise made to him, until he saw the Lord's Christ, so he may be lengthening out the lives of some of you, my aged brethren, until you may have the opportunity of seeing the salvation of Israel come out of Zion. Do you not wish to be witnesses of the rise and glory of the Church? Pray then incessantly for the peace and pros But perity of Jerusalem. Consider it as your chief business, to pray that the kingdom of God may come. What though the signs of the times may be discouraging; what though you live in troublesome times; what though the Church may be shaken, and the prospects of her increase be dark, yet remember that she is founded on a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against her. The vessel which carries Christ, though it be buffeted by storms, is in no danger of being wrecked. to govern and direct, does not belong to you; your duty is to pray-to pray without ceasing-to wrestle with the Angel of the covenant, and not to let him go until he bless you. Give him no rest until he return and make Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. You cannot offend by importunity, but by this you will be sure to prevail; for, "will not God hear his own elect, who cry day and night to him?" Therefore, never hold your peace, but as long as you live intercede with him to fulfil his gracious promises, and to cause the earth to be filled with the knowledge of himself as the waters cover the sea, when his people shall be all righteous, and there shall be no need any longer for any one to say to his neighbour, know the Lord, for all shall know him from the least to the greatest. Thanksgiving is also a duty peculiarly incumbent on the aged. In the providence of God you are spared, whilst most of your coevals have been cut off in the midst of their career. Some of you have enjoyed almost uninterrupted prosperity. When you consider the dispensations of God's providence towards you, in the time, and place, and circumstances of your birth, in giving you pious and intelligent parents, who took care of your health and education, and in following you with goodness and mercy all the days of your life; giving you kind friends, faithful teachers, health and reason, together with abundant religious privileges, how thankful ought you to be! But that which above all other things enhances your obligations to gratitude is, that in his own good time he effectually called you from the devious paths of iniquity, and adopted you as a child into his own household and family, and perhaps has made you the instrument of much good to others; if not on a large scale, yet in your own family, and in the church of which you are a member. If now, in addition to all these blessings, he has given you pious children, and who promise, when you are gone, more than to supply your place in society; or even if they have been preserved from infidelity and disgraceful immoralities, and are disposed to pay a serious attention to the preaching of the Gospel; no words can express your obli gations to give thanks unto the Lord, A. ALEXANDer. CLAIMS OF IRELAND. SIR,-It has given many of your Irish readers no small degree of pleasure to perceive by a letter in your Magazine in a late number, that they are cared for by their friends on the other side of the Channel; not that we were inclined at any time to doubt the sincerity of those professions of interest for Ireland that have been frequently heard from the platform, when our country, with her circumstances civil and religious, has formed the subject of discussion; but in general there has been connected with the kindly feelings which British Christians entertain towards Ireland, too many indications of despondency, as to the success of any efforts which might be made for her improvement, to permit us to anticipate that those efforts would be begun or carried on with such a measure of zeal and activity as alone would insure the blessing of which she stands in need. It is therefore highly pleasing and encouraging to us to find, as in the letter referred to, Ireland, too often, and in many points too deservedly, the scoff and scorn of the nations; Ireland, the subject of the statesman's perplexity, and the Christian's sorrow; Ireland, of whom it is difficult to say whether she excites most pity by her sufferings, or indignation by her crimes; presented before the public in the language of Hope, and her children invited to spread their woes and their wants to the eye of their elder sister, with the expectation of receiving sympathy and assistance. Among the means which might be added to those already in operation for extending the light of Divine truth throughout Ireland, none seems to me to be more calculated to produce a beneficial result than that suggested in the P. S. of your correspondent; namely, the frequent visits among us of some of those Evangelical Magazine. many eminent Christians by whom your country is dignified and blessed. Why should they be blessings only to the land that gave them birth? Why should they be satisfied to enrich only their own soil, and leave us to our native barrenness? Why should they be content to be "the salt of" their own "earth," but do nothing to preserve ours from corruption? Let them come among us, and they will find that though we have faults-faults not alone as human beings, but as Irish human beings; yet, that we have hearts and understandings too; hearts that can glow with brotherly love, that can burn with love to the friend of sinners; understandings that need but to be cultivated and enlightened by the use of appropriate means, and our now ignorant and half-savage population shall be seen rising to a moral altitude little beneath that of the mightiest people upon earth. The faults of the Irish almost all spring from redundancy of animal feeling it is not the whip but the curb they need, (though, alas! the whip has been unsparingly applied by our rulers civil and ecclesiastical.) Now our more sober-minded brethren from England will form the curb, if in kindness and confidence they favour us with such frequent personal communion, as will blend us into one character, unite us into one family, and bind us by one common in terest. 66 As an encouragement to Christians, and especially Christian ministers from England, to come over and help us," will you permit me to glance at the recent history of the Independent Church in this city? It will be remembered by many of your readers that for fifteen years that church enjoyed the ministrations of the Rev. J. Burnet, now of Camberwell. The seven years that have elapsed since his removal have been indeed to us an apprenticeship of trial and difficulty, affording abundant opportunity for the display of those peculiarities of national character which disfigure us in the church, even more than in the world; and we are called upon, in consequence of much that has occurred, not only for that humiliation of spirit that is demanded by the great Searcher of hearts, but also for such a public expression of it as is due to the church that has been wounded, and the world that has been stumbled by our offences. But it is the office of experience to teach wisdom, and it is the prerogative of Him who is "Head over all things to the Church," to bring good out of evil. And the perception of those evils we have felt and acknowledged, may have tended to produce that unanimity of feeling with which our present respected and beloved pastor has been invited to take the spiritual rule over us. After so many trials and so many disappointments, it is cheering to know that our invitation has been as cordially accepted as it was cordially given; and we have but to pray that the blessing of our Father who is in heaven may give stability to the union his grace has effected, and command it to issue in his own glory, and in the increase of the universal Church. The Rev. John Pyer, late of Southmolton, Devon, has responded to our appeal for British sympathy. After having, in two previous visits, made himself acquainted with the character of the people, and the past and present circumstances of the church; after having maturely, calmly, prayerfully, and with counsel weighed every argument for and against our invitation; he has left friends and country at what he deemed the call of Providence, and has cast in his lot among us, “having it in his heart to live and to die with us." Sir, we feel that in thus acting he has made no light sacrifice, and we desire to be reminded that we are bound to make no light sacrifice for him; that whatever there be with us that may retard the success of his ministry should be struggled against and overcome; that whatever there be possessed by us, that cast into the treasury of God may give efficiency to his ministry, should be cheerfully yielded for that object. We have not invited him merely to be our pastor; we have invited him to cast light on the surrounding darkness; and we trust that the example he has set will be followed by many in the sister isle, till the missionary spirit traversing the length and the breadth of our beloved land, shall carry such a blessing in its train that she may be addressed in the beautiful language of prophecy, and commanded to arise and shine for her light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon her." On the first Lord's-day, in May, 1838, Mr. Pyer commenced his stated ministrations, as pastor of the church assembling in George's-street, Cork. On this occasion he addressed respectable and attentive congregations both morning and evening in highly appropriate and interesting discourses. That in the morning was from Eph. vi. 18, 19. The limits which I must necessarily prescribe for myself will not admit of my giving more than the heads and subdivisions: 1st. The Christian invited to prayer on his own account. To constant prayer. To variety of prayer. To fervency and dependence in prayer. To persevering watchfulness in prayer. 2nd. The Christian invited to prayer for the Church of Christ generally. The character of the Church. The ex tent of the obligation to pray for the Church. 3rd. Christians especially invited to prayer for those who labour among them in word and doctrine. The mutual relation subsisting between pastor and people demands it. The responsibilities of the pastoral office press the obligation. The prosperity of a church individually and collectively greatly depends upon it. The end to be aimed in the ministry of the word requires it. The discourse in the evening was from Numb. xxii. 38, the last clause. The attention of the congregation was called, 1s, To the Divinity and authority of Gospel teaching. It is the word of God. The discoveries which it makes. The influence the word will exercise on our everlasting destiny. 2nd, To the variety of its distribution and fitness for differing states of mind. It may be a word of condemnation-of direction-of consolation-of reproof-of counsel of warning-of excitation and hope, &c., &c. I may not add any thing to say what was the filling up, and the application of the foregoing heads, but I Your correspondent invites us to state not only our spiritual but our temporal wants. Now I do not say that we intend never again to beg from England; we have so often and so successfully handed in our petitions at your doors, that I fear our sister would hardly give us credit for speaking the truth did we say that the Irish would beg no more; at present, however, we crave something from British Christians more valuable than their money,-we ask their prayers. Let all the churches of Britain who have heard (as we know many have) of PRAYER-MEETINGS. "Behold the throne of grace, It is much to be desired that professors of religion, and, indeed, all who attend a place of worship, would be more importunate with God in prayer for his effectual blessing to accompany the preaching of the Gospel. And what seasons more suitable, it may be asked, than those of stated prayer-meetings? For the most part, there is one such meeting weekly, connected with the different places of worship; and it is much to be regretted that, generally, it is so thinly attended, whereby the minister is discouraged; the few who do attend dispirited; and, in not a few cases, those very necessary and important means of grace are consequently given up. The objections and hinderances to attendance are numerous and various, a few of which may be here pointed out. “Oh,” it is said by some, if invited to go, "it is only a prayer-meeting;" but let me seriously ask such persons, what a prayer-meeting is? Is it not a meeting with God-a meeting which he has appointed, and which he stands engaged to attend? We speak it with all reverence, and confirm our assertion by his word, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them;" and for our encouragement he has added, "Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you." Thus hath Almighty God instituted a throne of grace upon earth for the accommodation and comfort of poor sinners; and, blessed be his name, there we can never go and not find Him waiting to be gracious. There it is we have communion with God, and fellowship with Christ. Then, dear reader, no longer object and say, that "it is only a prayer-meeting;" seeing that, in reality, it is a meeting with God. Another does not attend because "he does not find such meetings engaging or interesting." The singing is not good; the prayers are too long and monotonous; the same persons always engage; the attendance is neither numerous nor respectable, &c. &c. Now, if such an objector professes to fear God, and love his ordinances, and is therefore in duty bound to make himself useful, how comes it that he does not endeavour to render such meetings more interesting, by helping the singing, engaging in prayer, in a more brief and judicious manner; and, moreover, by his always being there, adding to the number and respectability of the attendance. This individual seems to see and understand the evil, and, in his very objections and statements, supposes an easy and effectual remedy. Let him, then, come honourably forward, for he seems the very man, so far as means go, to raise and revive the prayer-meetings. Another does not attend lest he should be called upon to engage in prayer, having, as he thinks, not sufficient confidence in his powers or abilities to take upon himself thus to act in a public capacity; but let such remember that if they indeed be desirous, in this way, of serving the Lord, that the surest way to obtain an increase of talents, is making a willing and immediate use of those we have. Most of us, when called to it, say when our interests are at stake, can open our mouths in public in worldly matters, and why not do so in things spiritual? Is it that we cannot, or that we will not? There are other persons who assign as a reason for not coming to prayer-meetings, that they see so much of their own sinfulness and unworthiness, that they really cannot come forward to pray pub licly. Now, this reason may seem plausible, but its application is neither consistent nor commendable. For, if we see our sinfulness and unworthiness so clearly -and would to God that we all saw and felt them more deeply and constantly! then instead of their being a hinderance to such exercises, they would rather supply a motive to our devotional exercises, both public and private, at every convenient opportunity, for the pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace of God through Christ, alike for ourselves and others. Many persons, it is truc, are prevented by the duties of their calling, both domestic and otherwise. But let them not forget that there are prayer-meetings. And they would do well to bear in mind the hour of prayer; and, by occasionally dropping in, (as most might do,) they may thereby discover their love to the means, and afford encouragement to the meeting, whilst, at other times, by their silent aspirations, they might prove a happy auxiliary thereto; and thus, though absent in body, be present in spirit with their brethren and sisters in Christ, while bowing at his footstool in his house of prayer. But, lastly; there is another class of persons, and by far the most numerous, who do not attend prayer-meetings, just because they have no desire, and therefore see no beauty in them, nor necessity for them. Such persons may hear the Gospel, and many of them do, but they are, it is to be feared, "hearers only, deceiving their own souls. They hear, but do not in their hearts believe the Gospel, therefore cannot profit by it. Follow them home, and they have no family worship, or closet prayer. Alas! they pray not for themselves, and cannot be expected to pray for others! O ye professed disciples of the Saviour, who spend much of your time in prayer, both openly and alone, ought not the fact of there being such an awful proportion of Gospel hearers in every congregation who may be justly denominated "prayerless persons," stir you up to a more steady and persevering attention to prayer, both private, social, and public, knowing this to be God's own appointed means, and that none are more likely to secure his blessing on a preached Gospel? And, for our comfort and encouragement, let us remember the promise, Isaiah lxv. 24, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer; and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear." Dear reader, are you a friend to prayermeetings? Do you attend them, and encourage others to do so, and believe them to be a very valuable auxiliary to the preaching of the Gospel? Seek, then, to possess a spirit of prayer, and that God would enable and dispose you to exercise it among his people as well as at home, while you are equally solicitous, by a holy life, to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour. And, though at times you may feel duty to be a cross, still it is 66 your reasonable service," and "a sacrifice holy and acceptable to God," through Jesus our Great High Priest, who is ever pleading our cause at his Father's right hand. Let us, then, my brethren and sisters in Christ, not "forsake the assembling of ourselves together" for such high and holy purposes as PRAYER-MEETINGS. Hexham. E. R. |