Intelligence.-Conferences.

67

5.-A letter was read from the secretary of the Derby and Castle Donington Home Mission, asking for help in the removal of their Home Mission debt.-Agreed, that this case be referred to the Whitsuntide Conference, when Home Mission monies are brought in.

and Rev. W. Gray, presided. From the | the Evangelical Alliance,' (from the reports it appeared that forty-two had 6th to the 13th of January,) and on the been baptized, and that there were ten 13th to have sermons on Christian candidates remaining. At Queenshead missions, as suggested by the Liverthey have extinguished their debt of pool Conference. £150. At Bradford first church, they are in the midst of an effort for the removal of their debt of £462. £160 of this is already raised. Bradford second church, they have numerous enquirers, and have let additional sittings. At Burnley 'All is well.' At Burnley-lane the friends have raised the astonishing sum of £700 during the past two years towards their new chapel. At Denholme they have adopted the weekly offering. At Lineholme they have paid off £60 of their debt, by the weekly offering, and have formed a Working Man's Institute on the model of Vale College, and have about one hundred pupils. Also a large spirit of prayer amongst the friends, and many converts. At Shore a week evening school has been commenced with from eighty to ninety scholars. At Todmorden they have paid off £60 of their chapel debt.

The following resolutions were adopted :

1.—That the following brethren be requested to supply the Rochdale pulpit:

Jan. 13, Rev. J. Maden, of Gambleside. 27, Rev. R. Horsfield, of Leeds. Feb. 10, Rev. J. Taylor, of Allerton. 24, Rev. O. Hargreaves, of Burnley-lane.

Mar. 10, Rev. J. W. Beevers, of Bradford.

6. That the Rev. W. Gray be desired to preach at our next Conference, to be holden at the Vale, on Easter Tuesday. Service in the morning.

7-That we request Rev. J. Tunnicliffe to visit Bradford second church, during the third week in January.

T. HORSFIELD, Sec.

THE LINCOLNSHIRE CONFERENCE WAS held at Wisbech, on Thursday, December 27th, 1860. In the morning the secretary read and prayed, and brother Allsop preached from Col. i. 28. Brother Pike closed with prayer. In the afternoon it was reported that eighteen had been baptized since the last Conference, and that twenty-five remained candidates for baptism. From some of the churches no reports were received. Brethren Watts and J. Wherry having stated the result of their communication with the friends at Castleacre, it was resolved,- That the case be still left with these brethren.'

Brethren R. Wherry and the sur24, Rev. J. Sutcliffe, of Staley-viving trustee were requested to seek the renewal of the trust deeds of Gedneyhill Chapel.

bridge.

April 7, Mr. Samuel Atkinson, of Hali

fax.

21, Rev. B. Wood, of Bradford. May 5, Mr. Shaw, of Halifax.

Attention having been called to the registration of chapels and preaching rooms, it was thought exceedingly desirable that all our places of worship should be registered.

The next Conference will be held at Whittlesea, on Thursday, March 28th, brother Wilson is appointed to preach in the morning.

In the evening brother Wilson preached from Acts xxvi. 18.

N.B. Being requested to give some information in this report, as to the registering of places of worship, I may state that, 'The committee of the Bap

mentioned therein, and receivable by any court without any further proof.

5. To protect our chapels from being alienated at any future period, under the provisions of the 'Dissenters' Chapels Bill.'

tist Union' have issued a circular, in
which they remark, That by a recent
Act of Parliament, (15 and 16 Victoria,
cap. 81,) a change is made in the
mode of registering places of worship, of
which, although it is not compulsory,
it is desirable that every Baptist church
should avail itself, whether their place
of worship be already registered or not.'
The following extracts, on this sub-lic worship.
ject, are from a correspondence pub-
lished in The Baptist Magazine for
December, 1860.

The law which was in force till 1852, provided that Dissenters' places of worship should be registered in Bishops' or Archdeacons' Courts, or at General or Quarter Sessions.

The present law provides that they shall be registered with the Superintendent Registrar of the district, who will make a return to the Registrar General: and that at intervals a list shall be published, by authority, of all the places so registered. The last published list, (to December 31st, 1859,) includes only a few places of worship of all descriptions belonging to Baptists. As this does not include those registered under the old law, it is of necessity very defective and unsatisfactory. But it is the only authentic | list to which easy reference can be made for statistical or legislative purposes. Many places have doubtless been registered under the old law; and this is supposed by some to be sufficient. It is sufficient for some purposes, but not for all. The advantages of registering all places of worship that are not in the Registrar General's list may be briefly stated :

1. To obtain a title to be registered for solemnizing marriages.

2.-To afford greater protection against disturbance of public worship. 3.-To prevent the interference of charity commissioners. If there are endowments or charities connected with a chapel or school, the charity commissioners can inquire into and control their management and application, if the place of worship has not heen registered with the Registrar General, although it has been registered under the old law.

4. To render the certificates of registration valid evidence of the facts

6.-To show to what extent Nonconformists have made provision for pub

7.-To certify the extent and position of Nonconformity, and to strengthen our claims to be heard and regarded with reference to all legislative enactments respecting ecclesiastical matters. All preaching rooms in cottages or elsewhere should be registered.

The course to adopt is this:-Apply to the Superintendent Registrar of your district for two forms for each place; fill them up alike; return them to him with 2s. 6d. for each place; he will then send them to the Registrar General's Office, and one of them will be returned to you duly endorsed, to be preserved with your chapel documents or title deeds. I hope these extracts may be useful.

THOMAS BARRASS, Sec.

THE MIDLAND CONFERENCE met at Mary's-gate chapel, Derby, on Tuesday, January 1st, 1861. Owing to the unusual severity of the weather, the attendance was small. At the morning meeting, Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A., of Nottingham, read and prayed, and Rev. J. Salisbury, of Hugglescote, preached from 1 Cor. vii. 29 31. At the afternoon meeting, Rev. W. Taylor, of Castle Donington, prayed, and Rev. J. Stevenson, M.A., presided. From written and verbal reports it appeared that one hundred and twentyfive had been baptized since the autumnal Conference, one hundred and fifty-three were candidates for that ordinance, and eleven had been restored to fellowship. After singing the doxology, the minutes of the last Conference were read, and the following business transacted:

1.-Arnold.-A letter received from the secretary of the church in this village was read; but some members of the Conference thinking it an ex parte statement of affairs, considerable discussion followed. It was, however,

Intelligence.-Baptisms.

unanimously agreed: That a commu- | mission of recognized local preachers as ex officio members of Conference. It was agreed: That the re-consideration of the traditional rule be deferred to the next meeting.

tized on the first Lord's-day in the new LENTON.--Three friends were bapyear. Two of them retain their connection with the Association Methodists of Nottingham.

COALVILLE.-On Lord's-day, Janu ary 6th, 1861, three friends were baptized and received into the General Baptist Church, Coalville.

LOUGHBOROUGH, Baxter-gate.-Dec. 30th, 1860, five persons were baptized. The occasion was more than ordinarily interesting from the circumstance that two of the candidates were the children of our pastor.

tized on Wednesday evening, January CHESHAM.-Nine persons were bap2nd, and received the right hand of fellowship on the following Lord's-day. May they be faithful unto death.'

ren's Clothing Society.-A few years ago a society bearing the above title was formed for the encouragement of the poor children in the Melbourne branch of our Sabbath-school. Opportunity is given to the children to contribute weekly, and the arrangement is successful and very useful. Free contributions are received from friends in the church and congregation. The sums raised from the children and patrons, jointly, were in 1859, upwards of £61, and in 1860, £67 13s., the whole of which is spent in useful clothing in November or December. The free contributions amount to about a ninth part of the whole sum.

HOSE. We held our first members' tea meeting on Thursday, December 27th, when about two-thirds of our church were present. After tea much interesting and profitable conversation took place, and a good feeling pervaded the meeting. J. S. COALVILLE. Our annual members' tea meeting, held December 31st, 1860, was a season of unusual interest and enjoyment. The attendance of members was larger, the report for the year more satisfactory, the present state of the church more healthy, and the prospects more cheering than at any former period. In connection with the meeting a present was made to the pastor, and a resolution was unanimously pass-flagging thoughout. The lecturer was ed to make a considerable addition to his salary, as a token of regard and esteem for him.

LINEHOLME.-On new year's day we held our annual Sabbath-school tea meeting, in our school-room, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion with evergreens, fruits, and appropriate mottoes. 450 persons sat down to tea, after which the meeting was adjourned into the chapel. Our minister presided. From the report read by the secretary, it appeared that during the year there had been a clear increase of 54 scholars; that 100 volumes had been added to the library; and that ten of the scholars had been received as members by baptism. Ten of the teachers spoke briefly to resolutions and sentiments bearing on the work of Sabbath-school instruction and education, and parental duties and influence. Thanks were cordially voted to the ladies who presided at the tables, and to the committee of man. agement and decoration.

MELBOURNE.- Lecture. On Wednesday evening, November 7th, in the Baptist chapel, the Rev. J. Ritchie, deputation in behalf of the British Society for the propagation of the Gospel among the Jews, delivered a lecture on Egypt, Palestine, &c., in which countries the lecturer had travelled. The lecture was illustrated by diagrams; and the attention of the large congregation was deep and un

introduced by the Rev. T. Gill, who presided, and Mr. John Adcock, Wesleyan, prayed. At the close a collection was made for the 'British Society.'

QUEENSHEAD.-On Christmas-day a tea meeting was held in the General Baptist school-room, to terminate an effort for the removal of the chapel debt. About 350 persons sat down to tables richly and abundantly furnished by the ladies. After tea a public meeting was held in the chapel. Counsellor Wilcock, of Bradford, kindly took the chair, and the meeting was addressed by the Revs. J. Marples, Independent, J. Tunnicliffe, of Leeds, and Messrs. D. Wilson, T. Oakes, and J. Nichol, of Halifax. A number of anthems were sung, and some appropriate recitations given. Resolutions of thanks were moved or seconded by Messrs. R. Oliver, H. Cockroft, J. Farnell, R. Hardy, and M. Stocks. About twenty years ago, after buying new burying ground and making certain other alterations, we found ourselves more than £700 in debt. That debt seemed to be MELBOURNE.-Sabbath School Child- too large for us either to bear or to

MISCELLANEOUS.

W. S.

Intelligence.-Miscellaneous.

71

remove. A subscription was, however, I which was erected in 1836, having be. entered into to lessen it. This was re- come utterly inadequate to accommonewed year after year till it was deemed date the increased congregation, the necessary to repaint the chapel, and church has unanimously resolved, after after that to enlarge the school-room, earnestly seeking Divine guidance in and then to lay gas into the chapel, the matter, to take down the present school, and chapel-house. These ob- building and erect a new and greatly jects accomplished, we returned again enlarged chapel in the course of the to the chapel debt, which had been summer. This important step being brought down to £145; and about a justified not only by our present needs year ago we resolved to remove it, and but also by the increasing wants of a entered into a subscription for that pur- rapidly growing population. To aid pose, and from a financial statement the effort it is proposed to hold a bazaar made to the meeting by J. Farnell, sec., early in the summer. Will our friends it appeared that the debt and interest help us? We are doing our best to had been provided for, and that we help ourselves; but our resources are should have about £20 over. R. H. limited, and we trust this appeal to those whose kindness on former occasions has laid us under obligations,. will not be in vain. Contributions will be gratefully received by the pastor of the church, the Rev. J. Cholerton, Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

SUTTERTON. Although not of a specially public character, the closing services of the Rev. J. H. Wood's ministry at this place were exceedingly interesting. On Lord's-day, Dec. 23rd, five persons were baptized. On the following Sabbath these were received into the church, after the morning service. In the evening brother Wood preached his farewell sermon to a large and deeply affected audience, from the words, Christ is all.' On Monday evening, Dec. 31st, the members of the church met for tea, and afterwards a devotional meeting was held, when many earnest prayers were offered up for the Divine blessing to rest upon brother Wood in his new sphere of labour, and upon the church about to be left destitute of a pastor. The labours of brother Wood, at Sutterton, have been attended with no small amount of success. During the past year eighteen have been added to the church by baptism, and there has been a manifest improvement in the spiritual state of the people. Brother Wood has left amidst the universal regret of the friends, some of whom have not permitted him to go away without very substantial tokens of their strong af fection. His removal will be felt to be a loss in all the district round, he being ever ready to render efficient help on all special occasions. It is our sincere prayer that he may be made instrumental in doing a great work for the Lord in the locality where he has felt it his duty to take up his abode. COALVILLE. New Chapel. The General Baptist chapel in this village,

LOUGHBOROUGH. United Communion-On Lord's-day, January 6th, 1861, the various denominations of nonconforming Christians in Loughborough assembled in the afternoon, in the Baxter-gate chapel, to celebrate in common the supper of our Lord. The weather being so very inclement, it was feared there would be a very great falling off in number; we are glad to state that a very full representation of the different bodies was present, indeed the bottom of the chapel densely filled would not hold all who were anxious to join in the service. The pastor of the Baxter-gate church presided, and with the Rev. Messrs. Broadbent and Boden delivered addresses. The Rev. Messrs. Mason, Independent, and Bumpus, Particular Baptist, were prevented from being present by personal affliction, as were many others. The scene was felt to be very delightful, and the occasion subduing and profitable.

COLLECTIONS FOR THE COLLEGE.
£ s. d.