comparison with the great historic river on which these notes are penned, and the illustrated stone bindings of the wondrous volume from which, aided by notes and commentaries of the most eminent Egyptologists, we have been storing and bewildering our minds for nearly three weeks.

Life on the Nile presents a strange compound of antiquity and modern observation. In the freshness of the sculptured and coloured symbols and hieroglyphics of more than 3000 years, we seem to be living amongst the powerful dynasties, the talented architects, sculptors, and painters of ancient Egypt, their temples and tombs being almost animate with signs of their lives and daily occupations. It is indeed a wonderful privilege to be able to come and revel amongst the scenes of ancient Egyptian life; and second only to this privilege is that of being able, in the short space of about ten days, to leave the murky atmosphere and piercing cold of foggy London, and to inhale the delicious breezes of Middle and Upper Egypt, exchanging midwinter for midsummer without realizing the course of the rapid transition. The banks of the Nile are fringed with beautiful crops of wheat and barley in full ear, and a week ago I saw corn in the arms of the reapers-on the 22nd of February. No wonder that those who have the needful means and time at command come here to spend their winter months on the Nile.

It is pleasant to meet, at almost every stopping-place, with some of our neighbours or country-folk, and it is delightful to recognize former travellers in the good books that they have written. Oh, how it enhances the value of historical works to read them on the spot, and how travelling in historic lands intensifies the desire for information. The histories of the Bible, read as school lessons or from a mere sense of duty, are tame and dull compared with the impressions realized by reading on the sites to which they refer. Fulfilled prophecy in reference to Egypt and Palestine is written on the face of these countries, and in the habits and pursuits of their peoples; and there is no wonder that visitors to these lands of the Bible should write "many books" as records of their impressions.

But whilst all abroad is so rich in interest and powerful to produce im

pressions, the value and interest of home associations are intensified by long absence, and we are pleased to receive tidings from home and to call up the memories of old and attached friends; and the further we advance in life's great journey the more we value those scenes and associations of youth that are really worthy to be remembered. Amongst the few friends I have met on the Nile are "Old Mortality," "John Clifford," "J. C. Means,' and a number of other home and distant General Baptist friends, including our valued brethren who have gone treble the distance of this tour to spend and be spent in the service of their divine Master amongst the teeming millions of India. A copy of the General Baptist Magazine for February reached me just as I was leaving Cairo, and through its pages 1 have realized the presence of GENERAL BAPTIST FRIENDS ON THE NILE, who have stirred up within me a desire to communicate, through the same medium, a few words on a few of the topics introduced by them.

Let me not be thought egotistical if I claim a little cotemporaneous relationship to "Old Mortality." I scarcely know what he intends to convey by the cognomen under which he has frequently presented himself; but if his "mortal powers" are felt to be growing old, ere they "faint and die" let him try a season on the Nile, where his "youth may be renewed," and he will find ample material for his still versatile pen. His starting-point of 1824 recalls the recollection of the second month in that year, when with a goodly number of dear friends, at Melbourne, I shared the joy of a public profession of faith in Christ by the "one baptism" of the New Testament. My sainted mother was a daughter of one of those devoted men who walked from the midland counties to London, in 1770, to assist in the formation of the New Connexion of General Baptists, and from her lips I was early taught to revere those apostolic founders of the body to which it was an honour to be united. From that day to the present, in all my wanderings, I have cherished the memories of those devoted men, and have known personally a good many of their succesIn the summer of 1829 I visited most of the churches of the midland counties, as well as some in Lincolnshire, in furtherance of the objects of

sors.

a village mission, of which I was an agent; and these visits enabled me to form an estimate of the character of the chief men and women in the churches of that period; and the sum of all my observations and subsequent comparisons is that a more devoted and generally consistent body of christians has not come under my notice. The General Baptists of half a century ago were warmly denominational, and in that consisted much of their strength. I verily believe that if a jubilee fund of £5000 had been proposed at that time, the money would have been raised with half the difficulty that there is in raising the same amount as a centenary fund from twice the number of members now enrolled in the church books. In those days quarterly conferences were attended with eager interest by members of churches, and I have often had to cater for the conveyance of friends to isolated places, ere railways were available. Baptism days were great events, and always attended with a divine blessing. I remember whit what warmth the late Rev. Thomas Stevenson, of Loughborough (well known to "Old Mortality ") grasped my hand after a baptism of a large number at Wood Gate, and in the fulness of his heart said, "These are days on which we get fat." Let our old friend tread lightly on the ashes of the brave men and women of those days. In the church of my first espousals I could mention the names of a dozen deacons and church officers who would lose nothing by comparison with the best of the present generation. Though strictly denominational, they were not bigots, but loved all who loved Christ and His cause.

With less than 10,000 in our little army, the strongholds of Juggernath were valiantly attacked, slavery in the West Indies was assailed, and a breach was attempted in the great wall of China! The soldiers of the cross in those days were well led by energetic, devoted, talented, and, though selftaught, well-educated generals-men who successfully as well as "earnestly contended for the faith."

It is humiliating, it is lamentable, to read such letters as this February Magazine gives from our brethren in India, who yearn for men and money to sustain the work of Bampton, Peggs, Sutton, Lacey, and their devoted successors, who now plead their advanced age in their cries for help.

It is to be hoped that the appeals of Mrs. Ryder, on behalf of the Bazaar at the approaching Association, will meet with a hearty response, and that next June will not close ere this Centenary Fund is realized. I pledge myself by the life-giving waters of this Nile, where I have met my friends in council, to gather up a few relics and specimens in Egypt, Palestine, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland, for the curiosity stall of our Centenary Bazaar.

The reading of the papers and records of this number of the Magazine stir up a thousand thoughts and reminiscences connected with the "General Baptists since 1824," since which date I have traversed through many lands, and have seen many phases of the so-called Christian religion, but none which bear a more striking resemblance to the primitive church than the New Connexion of General Baptists displayed half a century ago. THOMAS COOK. On the Nile, March 4, 1872.

Rocester...

Rothley Shore Tarporley

...

...

...

...

...

...

0 18 0

1 0

0

THE work of the Spirit to which our Saviour gives the greatest prominence, when he seeks to comfort the disciples by the promise of His coming, is His teaching. Again and again, in varying phraseology, as if it were something of the greatest importance, He dwells on this part of His work. But the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, what soever I have said unto you. shall testify of me. you into all truth. you things to come.

He He will guide

He will show He shall receive

of mine, and shall show it unto you.

It is evident from this that, as the consequence of His coming, the disciples were instructed to expect a great strengthening, and clarifying, and enlargement of vision. And it is impossible to read the history of the pentecostal day without perceiving indications that their expectation in this respect was amply fulfilled. Taking Peter as a specimen, who would recognize in the preacher of the pentecostal sermon, and in the author of kindred utterances which followed from the same lips, and more especially in the writer of the epistles which bear his

VOL. LXXIV.-NEW SERIES, No. 29.

name, the poor impulsive blundering disciple who was so slow to understand the words of our Lord-so prone to misunderstand his plainest teaching? Then, it did not seem as if any child could be more obtuse in perception than he. Now, under the power of the Divine Spirit, he so clearly understands, that he is qualified to become the instructor of others, throughout all ages, in the great truths of the gospel, and the principles of the Christian life. In accordance with the Saviour's promise, the Spirit brings to remembrance their Master's utterancesteaches them all things-guides them into all truth-testifies of Christ and shows them the things that are His. And when we read Peter's first public address to his countrymen, in which he rehearses some of the facts of their history, and argues in support of the Saviour's claims, and brings home a sense of guilt to his hearers, and explains the phenomena of Pentecost, and expounds the way of salvation-and when we trace his course throughout the Acts of the Apostles-and study his letters, so fraught with experimental and practical truths-we see how efficiently men are taught when the Spirit becomes their instructor; and

feel how desirable it is that we should enjoy the tuition of the same Divine Mentor-that that blessed Spirit should lead us into all truth, enlarging our vision, raising us above our childish conceits, rebuking our blind intolerance, giving us worthier views of His own word, and endowing us with holy skill, so as to qualify us for better pleading our Master's claims, and doing His work in the world. Wisdom is greatly needed by all the churchwisdom such as only the Divine Spirit can give. Enlargement of view is greatly needed by most, and can only be derived from the Spirit's enlightenment, for the enjoyment of His ministrations not only as a spirit of love and of power, but of a sound mind!

There is no question of greater interest to the church of Christ than the extent to which she may hope to profit by the Spirit's instructionsto what extent, or in what manner she may expect His aid in her attempts to discover Christian truth. The question is one on which there is a considerable divergence of opinion. On the one hand there are those who would have us believe, on what we must deem very slight and insufficient ground, that a degree of inspiration not less than miraculous, and not inferior to that which the apostles enjoyed, is still possessed, or ought to be possessed, by the church-such a degree as, to our thinking, would make her utterances equally authoritative with those of Holy Scripture, and render that no longer the exclusive standard of religious belief and practice. Substantially, if not ostensibly, this is what is claimed by different sections, who might not perhaps present their claims precisely in this form. In addition to them, there are those who, without pretending to anything miraculous, nevertheless claim to be the subjects of an equally full Divine enlightenment. Not miraculously, yet infallibly, they are

taught by the Spirit, and venture to try things not by the test of Scripture, but by their own spiritual sense. The Spirit shews them this, and shews them that; or the Spirit has not shewn them this or that; they say, when it is evident enough that they attribute to the Spirit whatsoever they choose, and charge the Spirit with withholding the revelation of whatsoever they do not choose to see; and that the teaching of the Spirit is cited to justify opinions and practices for which there is no ground either in reason or in Scripture. On the other hand there are those who not only scout such pretensions, and deny the existence of anything like inspiration or infallible teaching in the church now; but who have no faith in any teaching of the Spirit except such as is contained in the word. Practically, if not avowedly, they hold that the mind of God being contained in His word, the honest and careful study of that word, with such natural powers as God has given us, is the only divine guidance we have any reason to expect.

The truth on this matter does not, in our judgment, lie in either of these extremes. Whether the gift of inspiration, in the high sense of that word, be withdrawn from the church or not, we have looked in vain for any satisfactory evidence of its existence. We hear of miracles, and gifts of tongues, and prophetic insight here and there; but the grounds on which the claims to such endowments rest do not seem to be such as to convince candid and judicious Christian men that they are actually enjoyed. Among those who plead most strenuously for apostolic gifts, there is nothing which can be considered much better than a burlesque on pentecostal phenomena. And while the evidence as to fact is so unsatisfactory, we do not think it can be established as a matter of doctrine that the church has a right to expect still the miraculous endow

ments of primitive times. We can see no good, but can conceive of not a little confusion, accruing from a succession of miracle-workers, in all ages, ever multiplying in number as the church is increased. We do not want them to add to the revelation which we have. God's word, prayerfully studied, is sufficient for our guidance in all matters, whether of doctrine or practice; and we do not want miraculous gifts to tell us what is there, nor can we add to it or alter it with safety. The claim to do so only leads to the grossest absurdities becoming articles of belief, or to practices which are the scandal of Christendom; until it seems as if God gave over to a reprobate mind those who seek to know His will by easier methods than the study of His word. Nor would wonderworking in any form prove advantageous. A multiplication of miracles would only lead to confusion. They would cease to be seals of the supernatural when they became so common as to appear part of the ordinary, albeit unexplained, course of nature. Even when they were of rare occurrence they were not so effectual in producing conviction as many Christians imagine. Those who plead for them now as a means of convincing men who deny the existence of the supernatural, should remember the words of our Lord-If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloke for their sin. It is not always evidence which is required to convince the unbeliever; but more frequently the disposition

to believe. It was after some of our Lord's greatest miracles had been performed in their presence that His countrymen said, He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, and so were in danger of committing, if they did not actually

commit, the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which there is no forgiveness, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.

As to those who assume infallibility without ostensibly laying claim to inspiration, we do not deem their position worthy of serious examination. When divided, as they very often are, into contending parties who take diametrically opposite views of the same question, and cherish mutually hostile and bitter feelings in consequence, they give much greater proof of arrogance than of inspiration.

What, then, because the doctrine of the Spirit's teaching has been misunderstood and abused, is it on that account to be altogether discarded? Because we can see no satisfactory signs of the miraculous among those who lay claim to it; and unmistakeable proofs of arrogance, and folly, and bigoted intolerance, on the part of some who profess to be specially under the Spirit's tuition, are we to conclude, therefore, that there is no such thing as spiritual enlightenment? Must we agree with those who affirm, that the only spiritual instruction we can receive is in the written word—that in no other sense is the Holy Ghost present in the church as her instructor and guide? We think not. We cannot think that this, in any proper sense, answers to the promise of our Lord. The possession of the completed Scripture was not all that He taught her to expect when He promised the presence of a personal Comforter, who would abide with His people forever, and bring His words to their remembrance, and reveal to them the things that are His, and guide them into all truth, and show them things to come. His words describe the presence and offices of a person, not of a bookan active agent, not a passive instrument-a being influencing their own minds actively, not a revelation which they might make the object