Correspondence.

THE BINDING OF SATAN.

DEAR BROTHER MILNER,-I must confess that I differ from you with respect to Satan being bound in the abyss since the day of the proclamation of the Messiah's enthronement, as you have stated in the Christian Advocate for October. If Satan be so bound what are we to understand by the caution given in 1 Pet. v. 8, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your Adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith." See also James iv. 7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you." And Rev. xii. 12, "Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath." If he is bound, how can he walk about? If he be in darkness, how can he seek? If he is shut up from us, how can we resist? If he is chained down, where can he flee? If he be come down amongst us, when did he leave us? Will you please notice these things for the truth's sake, and in all these differences may we obey the truth and love one another. Yours,

St. Helens.

JAMES BERRY.

If our brother had said “days," instead of "day of the proclamation of the Messiah's ascension," he would have expressed our meaning more correctly. We did not confine the binding of Satan to the day of Pentecost. That he went about in the apostolic age as a roar ing lion is no proof that he does so now. Apart from this it is in the style of Scripture to speak of the emissaries of the adversary-wicked men, as the enemy himself. As to Rev. xii. it expressly confirms what we have said. It gives the view that on the ascension of the Son of Man the devil was cast down from his eminence, having but a little season in the earth. So with this before us, we can say as we said last month that the power of the enemy waned as the gospel advanced.-ED.

THE MILLENNIUM.

We have to hand a lengthy epistle from Brother R. D., Bath, on this subject with reference to our statements of last month, which we would gladly have inserted but that it proceeds on the assumption that we argue for a millennium on earth. As we do the express opposite his letter is no reply to our animadversions, and would only confuse what is plain enough already. If our dear Brother is prepared to write against the idea that the millennium has reference to the heavenly state, we will be glad to hear him.-ED.

Intelligence.

CURIOUS EVANGELIZING.-A lay preacher in the Wynd Journal for October 6th says, "I think lay preaching a great mistake except in very rare cases. Conversation, prayer-meetings, short addresses, and the work of organising is the true work of laymen. Nothing spoils a layman so much as his trying to imitate ministers either in their dress or duties, and when converts are employed in evangelistic work, those who call them to the work should make them understand that their work is to evangelize without preaching." This

paragraph from the pen of an evidently earnest man, who signs himself J. Gall, jun., is the most curious piece of writing we ever came across. To one accustomed to the study of the New Testament it seems supremely odd to find it said that "lay preaching is a great mistake" and that "nothing spoils a layman so much as his imitating ministers-and that his work is to "evangelize without preaching." All this is amazingly odd, for as anyone may know there is no such popish creature in all the Scriptures of the church of the living God as a layman; all within the pale of that church, as the reader may remember, are constituted "a royal priesthood," by the King of saints. If, however, by lay preaching we are to understand preaching by unconverted men, it certainly is a great mistake; but evidently this is not the writer's meaning. Then the next curiosity is the idea that laymen are spoiled by imitating ministers! Paul, we know, said to the brethren in his day, "Be ye imitators of me even as I am also of Christ." But the ministers of whom Mr. Gall speaks must be like the men of whom the Saviour said to his disciples, "Do not ye after their works, for they say and do not." Surely Mr. Gall 'would not say it would spoil a layman to imitate Paul! But most curious, and difficult, and impossible of all is the statement that poor laymen are to evangelize without preaching! For to evangelize is to preach; the word rendered preach is evangelize. The Saviour's word is, "Go into all the world and preach,-evangelise-the gospel to every creature." To tell a man to evangelize without preaching is to require him to evangelize without evangelizing!!! But Mr. Gall's meaning is that laymen are not to preach as do the ministers. Quite right in this, for certainly nothing could so surely spoil any man's usefulness as imitation of such preaching. But will not the ministers be very wroth with Mr. Gall for saying that a man will be spoiled if he imitate them? And again for saying that it is the work of laymen to evangelize by organising. What is the work of ministers if it be not to organise? But we fear Mr. Gall himself would be very angry if any of his converts were to set to evangelizing and organising scripturally. Suppose that like the Christians at first they were to go" everywhere preaching the word," would Mr. Gall run after them crying, Don't preach, only evangelise! And suppose they were to organise after apostolic fashion, requiring those who believed to be baptised into Christ and to continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers, would that be the sort of organising that would please Mr. Gall and the ministers? We fear not. Yet it is quite beyond doubt that the Saviour has called his people to this very work. Pray who has a right to call them from it or to call them to any other? How the work of God is to be done by such calling we know not.

EVANGELIZATION IN EDINBURGH.-With last month commenced a series of open-air and in-door meetings for preaching to and dealing personally with the unconverted. Certain gentlemen connected with the popular denominations made their arrangements and invited "the co-operation of all the people of God in the great work." This being done by public advertisement, the Church of Christ meeting in Roxburgh-place Chapel determined to open its doors nightly for the delivery of short gospel addresses, as well as to occupy various corners of the streets a little prior to the in-door meetings, and also to distribute some thousands of tracts on gospel topics among the crowds

gathered together in different parts of the city. But this had not been reckoned upon by those promoters of the great work who advertised for the co-operation of all God's people; and accordingly on the second day of the public gatherings in the Queen's Park one of the most prominent of the Revivalists, moved with indignation that the people should be taught the way of the Lord more perfectly, ordered the distributors off the ground under threat of removal by the police, and shouted out to the people not to take the tracts, for that they were bad tracts, &c., &c., which only made the crowd more anxious to get them and ended in their more speedy circulation. Twelve thousand went off in three days, and now the number of tracts, magazines, and pamphlets thrown amongst the populace amounts to about fifty thousand. No collision was sought with these good but mistaken men, but now that they have taken hostile action against the truth, nothing remains for the church in Roxburgh-place but to diseminate it as widely and immediately as possible. This is the more necessary because of the false views of it which some of the gentlemen referred to do not scruple, ignorantly and unthinkingly, to circulate. If the reader can he must believe that it is sectarian to refuse sectarian names, and that to baptize believers into Christ is to lead them from Christ! For the first ten days of the month Brother Charles Abercrombie was present co-operating with the brethren on the spot, having just returned from the work in Carlisle.

BAPTISMS.-Fifteen believers put on the Lord Jesus by immersion last month in Roxburgh-place Chapel, Edinburgh. Seven have been baptised and added to the church in Carlisle, a further result of Bro. Abercrombie's labours there. Brother Rotherham informs us of an addition to the church in Perth of one woman by baptism. On the 16th September a young woman, after making the good confession before many witnesses, was immersed into Christ and added to the church in Grangemouth. On the evening of October 2, a man having confessed his faith in the Saviour was baptised and added to the church in Hammerman's Hall, Dundee. Brother Chew reports baptisms at Bond-street, Birmingham, September 30th, four; October 14th, four; and Oct. 21st, four.

BAPTISM OF MR. H. GRATTAN GUINNESS. -The well-known preacher Mr. H. G. Guinness was baptised one Saturday evening lately, in Somerset-street Chapel, Bath. On the occasion Mr. Guinness gave an address to a crowded and attentive audience. He said that for five years the subject had occupied his attention, and that he had come at length to the conclusion that only believers in the Lord should be baptised. During his public ministry he had been asked to baptise infants and adults; but he had declined the former because he considered it to be unscriptural, and the latter because he had not himself been baptised on a profession of faith. After reading to his audience the various portions of scripture which refer to the mode, the subject, the design, and obligation of baptism, he strongly urged believers in Christ not to plead ignorance of this important matter; nor to permit indifference, prejudice or pride to keep them from the delightful privilege of being buried with him in baptism. After prayer he was baptised by Lord Congleton.-Freeman.

Printed by S. Owen, Wrexham.

THE SINNER'S FRIEND.

"Do you think I shall get better ?" said a gentleman to his medical man, as he lay very ill on his bed.

"No," said the doctor, "I think not. I have tried every thing I can, but you seem to be sinking. You have not many hours to live. Adieu, I will call again soon."

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Stay, doctor, I should like further advice."

"Very well, whom will you have ?"

"I will consult my friends."

At this crisis his brother came, and thus accosted him, "Well, George, how are you? I wish I had known you were ill before, I came as soon as I received the letter, and by express too, but how are you?”

O! the doctor says I shall not recover, but I have told him I wish for further advice.".

"O, to be sure, doctors differ you know, and I have brought my doctor from London with me."

"Never, mind, that is because you do not know him. I had just the same kind of illness once that you have now, and he cured me. But we are wasting time, I shall fetch him up." The doctor examined the patient, and then said if his prescriptions could be strictly followed, he believed he could cure him. How anxiously the brother waited upon the invalid, watching the time that the medicine might be taken regularly, also the thermometer, that he might know the temperature of the room. The doctor paid his patient a second visit, and pronounced him no worse, but still in danger. The next morning the patient awoke out of a peaceful sleep and said, “I am better." The doctor called again and found him "doing well," and so the patient progressed until he was cured. He ever afterwards looked upon that physician as a preserver of his life, and with gratitude would make known to others the skill of this clever man. Do you blame him? Or do you not rather commend him? Would he not rather have had the last physician first, if he had known his skill? We expect he would. But was he not almost lost for want of that knowledge?

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Well, Turnkey, what do you think of my case now ?" said a prisoner one morning, as the aforesaid official entered the prisoner's domicile.

No. 12, Vol. IV. December, 1860.

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"Say-why I think it is a bad one."

'O, I am no worse than a good many more. I do not think I need trouble very much."

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Perhaps, not; but will these people help you if you should get into trouble ?"

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'Come, come, you are too serious, let me enjoy myself while I may."

"O, I am quite willing, but I thought you wanted to talk about it."

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'Well, once for all, seriously, do you think I shall have to suffer, or is there a chance for me to be set free ?"

"I feel quite certain you will not be set free, but I do think you will have your choice of paying a certain sum or picking oakum."

An old schoolfellow of the prisoner heard of his trouble and sent a kind message to him that he would help him with pleasure, but the prisoner would accept no favour from this friend -many messages were sent, but all alike unheeded. The trial came on, the prisoner was pronounced guilty. The money he could not pay, and back to prison he went, and there lived in misery and want, and at last died from the effects of his unaccustomed deprivations.

Dear reader, take care lest you act like the sick man above, or still worse, like the prisoner. Your soul is diseased-you need the physician. I can introduce to you One who is perfectly able and willing to save you. You have broken God's laws-you stand condemned to be punished unless you will accept the help of my Friend, your Friend, every sinner's Friend as the Propitiator, one through whom mercy is dispensed" for your sins.

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Shall I tell you why you have not loved Him and given your heart to Him before? Just because you have not known '| Him, or having known Him have forgotten Him. "My people' are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee:" Hosea iv. 6. "The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God." Ps. ix. 17. 'Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; keep her; for she is thy life," Prov. iv. 13. "Search the Scriptures for in them ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me." John v. 39. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent," John xvii. 3. "Let him that glorieth glory