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a very impressive address to those present at the grave. EDWARD FRANKLIN.

(A further account on page 256.)

IN MEMORY OF A BELOVED
SISTER.

MARTHA LOUISA, the third daughter of Mr. John Garritt, Baptist minister, formerly of Stoke Newington, was born June 19th, 1836. While a child she was remarkably fond of singing that hymn, "Thou dear Redeemer, dying Lamb," but as she grew older she became careless and indifferent. In May, 1856, we went to Vernon Chapel. Dr. Wills preached from "Yea, He loved the people." It was a time of love for her. All her soul was drawn out in love and joy. There was no further need to ask her to attend the house of God; she was always ready when the doors were open. She used to say, "I often wondered at you all taking so much delight in the house of God and His ways, but I now know what it is to feel interested too." She was baptized by Dr. Wills, but did not join the church, as we were going with our dear father to Chelmsford, and afterwards went with him to Gravesend. In the beginning of 1863, her lot was cast at Walworth, and went to Eaststreet, and found a home there for some years. In 1878 she was led, in the providence of God, to be with our dear father at Hornsey Rise, during which she came as often as she could to Chadwell-street, and found Mr. Hazelton's sermons so blessed to her that she eventually joined the church.

She

took great interest in the welfare of our dear pastor, and anxiously inquired after him when he was ill, last February. In the autumn of 1881 she was struck with paralysis of the brain, but was quite sensible till the last week. During her illness I used to repeat as much as I could of the sermons, and read the hymns to her. The last day she was sensible she was slightly better. asked her if she would like to get better, or go to Jesus. She said, "Go

I

to Jesus." She repeated several lines of the hymns; emphatically, "Among the sons of God," the last line of second verse, 982, Denham. While thinking over the apparently dark providences. which had overshadowed her path, Isaiah liv. 7, 8, came very sweetly to my mind on her behalf; also Psalm xxxvii. 18, and 2 Corinthians v. 1, besides several hymns. Just before she breathed her last, two smiles passed over her face. She died May 10th, and is now for ever with the Lord.

M. A. JOSLING.

MR. COOPER ELTON. OUR departed brother was called, by the grace of God, out of darkness into His marvellous light, about forty-two years ago. At that time a great stir was made in the quiet little town of Thame, by the circumstance that six or seven young men were brought under solemn conviction of sin, inducing them to seek every opportunity of meeting with God's people for prayer and spiritual instruction. Mr. Elton was one of these, and, after a time, he and two others of the band were baptized by Mr. Stephen Walker, and received into the Church of Christ at Thame, of which Mr. Walker was then pastorAugust, 1842. Mr. Elton was greatly attached to his pastor and early instructor in spiritual things. He was a most devoted minister of the Gospel, and a warm-hearted, affectionate man of God.. In a few years, Mr. Elton was chosen to the office of deacon, and became a most useful man in the church; for, humanly speaking, he was the means of keeping the cause of God alive in Thame. He took a great interest in the Sabbath school; always at his post, ready to do what he could to interest. and help both teachers and scholars. He was also a great friend to the Strict Baptist Mission; always showing all hospitality to the ministers who came, on its behalf, annually to Thame, Sydenham, &c., and rendering them all the help he could.

His departure from time into eternity

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Ahab, who slew the prophets in his reign,

Himself had ignominiously been slain ; And these good men, enjoying rest and peace,

Had multiplied, and now had so increased,

That frequently one heard another tell

"My tent's too strait-give place that I may dwell."

Thus to Elisha often they complain, And seek his friendly counsel, nor in vain.

The little band repair to Jordan's stream,

Each with his axe, intent to fell his beam.

The forests soon with earnest blows resound,

And massive branches strew th' encum

bered ground.

Their tools were simple, and their work was hard,

Yet patient labour earned a rich reward.

But now a sad discouragement befel; For, lo, an axe-head in the Jordan fell! "Twas not his own; the valued tool was lent

By some kind friend; and hence the man gave vent

To bitter disappointment with a sigh.

Thus to the aged prophet hear him

cry:

"Alas! my master! it, indeed, is true Alas! 'twas borrowed! Oh, what shall I do?"

"Where fell it?" asked the venerated sire

(The question seemed a gleam of hope t' inspire)

The place is pointed out. The man of God,

Like Moses, when he waved his mystic rod,

Cast in a stick. The stick cast in by him

Miraculously made the axe to swim. By faith in God, he Nature's laws o'er

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LYRICS FOR THE HEART.

O HEARTS THAT HUNGER THROUGH THE WORLD.

O hearts that hunger through the world,

But never taste true joy,

Behold the Fount from whence it springs

All pure without alloy !

Lo, from the heart of Christ it flows

All tranquil and serene,

And through the heart which stoops to drink

It flows a constant stream.

O hearts that hunger through the world,

All broken, pierced, and lone, Whose dreams of peace and earthly love

Are faded, lost, and gone! Come hither now and taste the bread By Jesus freely given, The Bridegroom of the soul embrace, And taste the joys of heaven!

O hearts that hunger through the world,

But never speak their grief, Whose weary feet have wandered far, But never found relief!

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Hast thou approached the dazzling light,

Where uncreated glories hide?
Hast thou beheld, enchanting sight,
Him who for thee was crucified ?

Hast thou, amidst the ransomed throng,
Blood-washed, a welcome station found,
And joined in rapturous strains the
song,

Where raptures run an endless round?

Open your ranks, ye bright array,
And give a kindred spirit room;
In these fond arms he might not stay,
For seraph bands would lead him home..

And thou, my child, fall humbly down
Before thy smiling Saviour's face.
Then His dear name with glory crown,
And sweetly sing His endless praise.

J. H. H.

Lotices of Books.

A Hand-book of Revealed Theology. By John Stock, LL.D., Huddersfield. With a prefatory recommendation by C. H. Spurgeon. Fourth edition, revised. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C.

In our previous notice of this work, we referred to the design of the author, and also briefly sketched the plan adopted. At the same time we intimated that we could not give the whole the same unqualified approval as the portion then enlarged upon.

We resume our consideration of the book at Part III., which treats of Theology in its teachings respecting Man. That man is the creature of God, as opposed to the speculations of Darwin and his compeers, is concisely and conclusively established. That he was created holy in God's own image, and endowed with faculties and powers to maintain his integrity, and that he rebelled wilfully by his own act and deed is likewise demonstrated. The representative character of Adam, and the influence of this fact upon his posterity, next claims attention; and this, Dr. Stock handles in the old orthodox fashion, and we are pleased to observe that he maintains that " no one is lost, de facto, for Adam's sin, but for his personal ratification of that sin in his own life. Those members of the human race who die before they are capable of such a ratification are not lost, but saved by our glorious Redeemer. It is, therefore, a libel upon the Divine government to say that any man will be condemned at the bar of final judgment for a sin in which he had no share." But, as we proceed further with this subject, we soon reach the points where we begin to differ from our author. Adopting Dr. Stock's distinction between a mystery and an absurdity-which, by the

way, we met with in John Steven's works, years ago—viz., that the one is above reason and the other is opposed to reason, we will courteously choose the word 66 mystery " in relation to several things that are 'beyond" our reason in the doctor's theology. Having proved (1) that the "law given to Adam" had all the force of a covenant; (2) that its tenour was, do and live, transgress and die; (3) that the law knows nothing of mercy, and can only acquit the innocent, he now tells us (page 88) that as soon as the first proImise of the seed of the woman was made, a new element of mercy was introduced; and from that moment all Adam's posterity have had set before them an open door of escape from the penal consequences of their first father's fall, so that, if they perish, it is by their own voluntary neglect of the appointed plan of salvation. Now, according to our author's own showing, this new element of mercy could not be introduced into the law or covenant of works; while he proves, later on, that the plan of salvation never included the whole of Adam's posterity. Here, then, we are a little mystified. Nor are we helped by the statement that all Adam's posterity have "had set before them an open door," which seems to us to be simply contrary to palpable fact, the heathen world, both in the Old Testament age and now, being witness.

Coming to the important subject of the responsibility of man, Dr. Stock says that "human responsibility is the logical corollary of both law and gospel." This is true of the Gospel so far as that it cannot be questioned that man's guilt, for which he is responsible was the occasion of the Saviour's suffering, which is the great topic of the Gospel; but the responsibility of the Gospel, is the Saviour's responsibility to discharge the

suretyship engagements He had entered into. But our author undoubtedly means that man is responsible for the acceptance or rejection of salvation; we therefore direct our attention to his arguments in support. First, he observes, "it is man's duty to do whatever God requires him to do, however indisposed he may be to do it.

The fact that he has depraved his nature and corrupted his ways does not release him from his moral obligations." This is true, but the salvation of the soul does not consist in the fulfilment by man of "moral obligations." To be saved cannot be an obligation, moral or otherwise; it must be to receive a benefit procured and communicated by another. And if it be said that we have gone too far in speaking of the result instead of the necessary steps, such as faith and repentance, we reply that if it is the duty of man to have the grace which is indispensable to salvation, that is equal to saying it is his duty to be saved; which, again, is equal to saying that it is his duty to be elected, and his duty to be redeemed, and his duty to be regenerated. Again, in regard to salvation matters, it is a question of incapability rather than indisposition. As soon as a man is capable he is disposed, nay, hungry and thirsty, to come to Christ and find salvation by Him. Apart from this, man is in the condition described by the Apostle John, chap. xii. 39, "Therefore they could not believe because that Esaias said again, 'He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted, and I should heal them.' But we need not go farther than Dr. Stock himself. He says (page 97), "For no man ever did or ever will choose to come to Christ until God worketh in him both to will and to do of His own good pleasure. It is an efficacious working which is here spoken of. God not only brings about the will but creates the will. We owe both the will to do good and the power to His indwelling Spirit. The popular doctrine, then, that any man can come to Christ when he chooses is only a partial truth, and, in the mouths

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of many men, amounts to a practical' error, because it is used to ignore the Sovereign and gracious agency of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of a sinner's disposition of heart." Now this is exactly what we think, and hence we cannot see how it can be a man's duty to do or to be what it is acknowledged that God only could do for him and make him, unless he had been originally endowed with this power-that his duties as a fallen sinner exceed the capacity of his original creation. Here, then, we meet with another "mystery." But Dr. Stock goes further. He says (page 78) that "responsibility is in all cases rigidly regulated by privileges and opportunities. God requires of us not according to what we have not, but according to what we have." Of course he applies this premiss to the privilege of hearing and learning the Scriptures and the Gospel. But if the proposition. is a sound one, it is equally applicable to the former question; and since Dr. Stock abundantly proves, later on, that the privileges of the covenant of grace are restricted to those chosen to an interest therein, we think it not unfair to maintain that responsibility to believe in Christ, accept Christ, or come to Christ (which ever way the doctor prefers to put it) cannot be cast upon those who are not included in the very first of New Covenant privilegeselection.

The last chapter of this part is devoted to a consideration of the Immortality of Man. The author acknowledges that this doctrine is not demonstrable by mere reason, but must be proved from the Scriptures alone -that God alone is immortal by nature, and creatures are only so by reason of His will and appointment. Assuming that the immortality of the righteous will not be doubted, Dr. Stock proceeds to argue the question of that of the wicked, carrying with it, as it must do, the solemn pendant of everlasting punishment. This subject. is discussed as becomes its solemnity; but Dr. Stock speaks with no uncertainty or indecision, demolishing the annihilation theory and putting in

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