Contributions from 18th November, 1874, to 20th February, 1875, Bell, Mr....... Burns, Rev J., D.D. Edwards, Rev Jas. Hazzledine, Mr S.. 6 12 0 Bridgwater, collection.. 4 1 0 14 13 6 Burnham Sully, Mr W. 5 0 0 140 Ashdon 6 14 11 12 6 9 500 500 2 15 0 Harlow....... Loughton,collections and subscriptions 13 18 7 YORKSHIRE-Sutton-in-Craven 0 3 6 IRELAND 1 16 8 1 12 2 Uley........ Mr Truby 0 10 0 Clonmel HAMPSHIRE-Southsea, May, Mr R. R... 2 00 more, Rev S........... Black Tullylin, McDonnell, Mr 4 0 0 500 714 6 500 2 10 0 7 0 0 010 O 3 18 0 9 99 Subscriptions in aid of the British and Irish Baptist Home Mission will be thankfully received by the Treasurer-J. P. BACON, Esq., 69, Fleet-street London, E.C., and by the Secretary, Rev. J. BIGWOOD, at the Mission House, Castle Street, Holborn, London, E.C. Contributions can also be paid at Messrs. Barclay, Beyan, Tritton & Co.'s, Lombard-street. THE CHRONICLE OF THE British & Irish Baptist Home Mission APRIL, 1875. ANNIVERSARY SERVICES. The Annual Sermon will be preached at Walworth Road Chapel, on Friday Evening, April 23rd, by the Rev. J. Culross, M.A., D.D. Service to commence at Seven o'clock. The Annual Members' Meeting will be held at Bloomsbury Chapel, on Tuesday Afternoon, April 27th, at Four o'clock. Tea after the Meeting. The Annual Public Meeting will be held on Tuesday Evening, April 27th, at Bloomsbury Chapel, at Halfpast Six o'clock. John Barran, Esq., J.P., of Leeds, will preside; and the Revds. J. T. Brown, of Northampton, Henry Platten, of Nottingham, and J. M. Murphy, from Ireland, will spek. The season of the year is close at hand when Christians will be assembling in the Metropolis, from all parts of the United Kingdom, to attend the Great Anniversary Meetings of our various religious institutions. To these holy festivities a larger number of the friends of the Redeemer are every year attracted to hear of the progress of His Kingdom, and contemplate its increasing glory. To these anniversaries many of our readers are doubtless looking forward with delight, and, perhaps, with pcculiar interest to the meetings con nected with the British and Irish fish and Irish Baptist Home Mission. The success of T our agents in Ireland, during the past year, has been more than usually encouraging; and we cannot but hope that among our ministers and churches there is a growing conviction of the importance of the Home department of our work. The frequent references to the subject in our thing denominational journals for several months past, warrant the expectation that our Annual Meetings will be more than usually attractive, and afford a stimulus to renewed and enlarged exertions. To the Annual Members' Meeting we especially direct the attention of our subscribers, and solicit their attendance. At this meeting the officers and committee are appointed, and it is desirable that they should be elected and supported by a larger number of the members of the Society than are wont to attend this meeting. We do not believe that the smallness of the meeting arises from want of interest or confidence in the society. To attend a meeting at four o'clock in the afternoon of a day, the whole morning of which has been spent at the Members' Meeting of the Foreign Missionary Society, demands no small effort or self-denial: but still, as this is the only time at which the meeting can be held, to such effort and self-denial we exhort our friends. We urge them to come and strengthen our hands by their presence, their sympathy, and, above all, their counsel; and who can tell what new plans may be devised by which the hearty support of the whole denomination may be secured, and the Society enabled to enter on new fields of labour, plant churches in many a city or town, and diffuse light among the benighted and priest-ridden villages of our country. May our coming annual meetings be a fresh starting-point in the history of the Society, whence it may proceed with renewed vigour, and grasping higher aims, and animated by nobler aspirations, arrive at grander results and achieve a more glorious victory over the darkness, superstition, and ein, which still overshadow our land. Those who have not yet forwarded their contributions, are respectfully and earnestly urged to do so within a week, for which period the account will be kept open, that they may be in time to appear in the report. The Secretary has removed his residence from Denmark Hill, and his present address is Grange Road, Sutton, Surrey. All communications respecting the Mission, and remittances should be sent to the Mission House, 19, Castle Street, Holborn, London, E.C. adi The following letter from our agents in Ireland will, we feel assured, be read with pleasure, and inspire gratitude and praise : Tubbermore, County Derry, March, 1875, My dear Brother, In my letter of last year, addressed to your predecessor, I intimated that though we had sustained some heavy losses by death or removal, we were yet not wholly without encouragement. Eight precious souls had been received to communion; and matters altogether, which before had been in a somewhat depressed, were in a more hopeful, condition. This state of things, L now rejoice to say, was but the beginning of a better time. The good Lord was preparing the way for the outpouring of a rich blessing, and that blessing has now come. Some nine months since I began to feel, in my own heart, that something must be done in the way of a special appeal to the hearer of prayer. As to preaching, all that I could do was being done. Besides this, I was now led to see, as I never had seen before, that it was not the mere force of truth, though presented by an angel, but the power of God, that must convert the soul. God, therefore, I felt, must be sought, and sought at once. Yielding to this-should I not say?-heaven-born feeling, I called together a few of the more spiritual of the brethren, and we began in right earnest to call upon God. At first the band of wrestlers was not only small, but apparently without the sympathy of the great bulk of the people. This, however, did not discourage us. We became only the more earnest for the outpouring of the Spirit on both church and congregation. We had learned, at least in some measure, the secret of Matt. xxi. 22, and "believing" we felt we would obtain what we asked. Gradually our numbers increased; and, with the increase of numbers came an increase of confidence, until all became convinced the blessing was at hand. Just about this time our hearts were made glad by the addition of some two or three to our fellowship; and now, also, we began to hear, with much joy, of the glorious work going on everywhere around us. It was clear the time had come, and we resolved, in our Master's name, at once to open our chapel for a special weekly service. In this we were altogether successful, nearly 100 attending our first meeting; while the interest manifested was most intense. Just now I heard of the successful labours of an agent of the Irish Evangelization Society, not far from Tubbermore. I immediately opened communications with the secretary, James Harton, Esq., and at once the brother in question was sent to me. For two weeks we worked together, holding a meeting every night, Saturday excepted. Gradually the attendance multiplied-so multiplied, that at the close of the series our house would not give standing-room to those who were anxious to hear; many were outside the doors and windows, while our two retiring-rooms were packed from end to end. But what of this, as compared with the most blessed results following the effort? The Lord was now among us, and His work had now begun. On the very first night of our meeting my own three eldest children-Psalm ciii. 1-and a dear young Sunday-school girl were brought to Christ. Imagine, my brother, if you can, my feelings when, in our aftermeeting, my eldest-born (a lad of fifteen) and I wept in each other's arms, and when, moved by the same wondrous power, my two dear girls sobbed out, with floods of tears, their confessions and their hopes. O, that scene! it can never, never be forgotten. Nor was this more than the mere beginning. On each succeeding night of the entire series, from ten to twenty-and they of all denominations-professed to have found the Saviour. The after-meetings were occasions of the most solemn and tender interest. Hundreds remained for conversation and prayer; while on every face you could read the feeling-God is here. Some were bowed down, under strong conviction, weeping out, but in marked silence, their confessions before the Lord; others were radiant with joy, pouring out floods of grateful tears. Altogether, there could not have been less than from 100 to 140 from all sections of the Christian Church brought to Christ at those meetings. As for ourselves, we have reaped a glorious harvest. From the commencement of the gracious movement till the present moment, I have been engaged, without intermission, in examining and baptizing eager candidates. Some fifty-four, during that time, have been added to our number; and, what is most pleasing, these all, with a few exceptions, are gathered from among the young of the congregation. If spared in life, and preserved in the truth, as we trust they may, they will be the bone and sinew of the future Church. In nothing, perhaps, is the influence of this blessed time of awakening more strikingly seen than in the increased liberality of the people. Within the last twelve or fifteen months not less than £25 to £30 were lost to the cause by the removal or death of some six or seven of its best supporters. Such, in this emergency, has been the readiness with which the brethren and friends have come to the rescue, that this sum, it is now hoped, will be fully made up. Besides this, out of regard to our long and loving connection, and in view of my increasing necessities, they have presented me with a purse containing sixty sovereigns, raised exclusively among themselves. The Sunday-school, likewise-an institution among us in which all seem deeply interested-has received a contribution of £5; while, for the Foreign Mission, £9-a sum considerably over that of last year were collected. Unless, as in the past, drained by emigration, the time, we trust, is not far distant when the cause here will be able to walk quite alone. Our Sunday-school, of which I was enabled to speak favourably last year, not only continues to prosper, but is now marked by increased prosperity. Eighteen earnest teachers are hard at work; while the attendance and the attention given are of the most cheering character. There are some 158 on the roll, and of these we have an average attendance of at least 127. Our school is immeasurably the best in the quarter. It is everywhere around us felt to be an unspeakable blessing. Our weekly evangelistic service is one of the most delightful character. We have three short prayers, some hymn-singing, a little reading from revival and other papers, and a brief and pointed Gospel address. We are so happy together, that it seems hard, when the time comes, to separate. We have an average attendance of about 100. Besides this, I take part in a United Evangelistic Service. The Presbyterian minister and a small section of his people seem willing to co-operate with us; and very harmoniously, indeed, do we work together. The attendance at this service is not, however, what it might be. As to Sub-stations, I have none; not that the way is not open for them: I could have any number, with a first-rate attendance; but, situated as I now am, the thing is simply impossible. Part of my time I am obliged to devote to a small farm, the proceeds of which are no unimportant part of my maintenance; wbile fully two days are given to house-to-house visitation, leaving the remainder of the time for marriages, baptisms, funerals, and preparation for preaching. I have not a moment to spare; sometimes, indeed, I am over-wrought. Speaking of house-to-house visitation, this is to me a most refreshing engagement. In no part of my work am I more truly or more deeply happy. Nor do I confine my visits to our own people. Wherever the door is open, I enter and speak for Jesus. Oh, what precious opportunities I have of testifying the Gospel of the grace of God. Many profess to receive good. Our statistics formally stand thus :-Admitted, 58; dismissed, 7; died, 3 : present number, 202. In Christ Jesus, faithfully yours, Rev. J. Bigwood, London. R. H. CARSON. Subscriptions in aid of the British and Irish Baptist Home Mission will be thankfully received by the Treasurer-J. P. BACON, Esq., 69, Fleet-street, London, E.C., and by the Secretary, Rev. J. BIGWOOD, at the Mission House, Castle Street, Holborn, London, E.C. Contributions can also be paid at Messrs. Barclay, Bevan, Tritton & Co.'s, Lombard-street. |