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serted us in our extremity, and others were overwhelmed with dark forebodings. Nor were there wanting those who prognosticated our extinction, as disaster after disaster fell upon us, until we were all but homeless; and those filled with the greatest confidence had extorted from them the plaint, Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has His mercy clean gone from us for ever? Wilt Thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? These prayers have been heard and answered. God has turned again, and had compassion upon us; and as we take possession of this new and beautiful house for our future religious home, with moved hearts we exclaim, "This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad thereon."

I have just applied the epithet beautiful to this edifice. Shall I be charged with blending together incongruous feelings when I mention this as one source of the joy with which we keep its dedication. The Jews were proud-as we use the term-of the beauty of their sanctuary, especially the one erected by Solomon. It was beautiful for situation, and beautiful for structure-the joy, because the adornment, of the whole land. What intense pathos is breathed in the expression, This holy and beautiful house! And then we read of the beautiful gate of the Temple. And who says it was wrong on the part of the Jews to have this passionate admiration for the beauty of their house of God? Who does not rather sympathise with the ancient men who remembered the glory of Solomon's Temple, and, notwithstanding their joy at laying the foundation of the second Temple, wept when they saw how inferior in architectural beauty and magnificence it was likely to be to the first. "And they sung together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off."—(Ezra iii., 11—13.)

As we gaze on this house to-day, either externally or internally, our joy is heightened, not diminished, by the contrast it presents to the edifices in which we have formerly worshipped. No one passing will take it for a place of merchandise or amusement-a theatre or a music-hall-but will know at once the purpose for which it has been erected; while those who come within its walls will see nothing to offend either Christian feeling or æsthetical propriety, but everything contributing to devout feeling, because appropriate to Christian instruction and worship. This object has been aimed at in the style of architecture adopted, and in the entire planning and arrangement of the edifice; and because we see our object realised in such an admirable manner, we keep the dedication of it with joy.

Our joy to-day also springs from anticipation-it is the joy of hope as well as the joy of memory, and of thankfulness for mercies received, and of desires realised. What our eyes now see, and what

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our hearts feel, are pledges for the future, and induce us to believe that that future will be full of blessing to us as a Church and people. Yes, our faith in God is so strengthened that we can rejoice for what He will give us as well as for what He has given; the language of desire and petition is this day changed on our lips to that of confident assurance.

These walls we to Thy honour raise ;
Long shall they echo with Thy praise !
And Thou, descending, fill the place
With choicest tokens of Thy grace.
Here shall the great Redeemer reign,
With all the graces of His train;
While power Divine His Word attends,
To conquer foes, and cheer His friends!
And in the great decisive day,

When God the nations shall survey,
It shall before the world appear,

That crowds were born for glory here!

SHALL CLASS-MEETINGS CONTINUE, AS NOW, A FORMAL CONDITION OF CHURCH

MEMBERSHIP?

THIS question may be submitted to the January Quarterly Meetings for their consideration. If so, as it is one of very great gravity, I beg respectfully to offer a few reasons for an answer to it in the affirmative:

1. Class-meetings, like Methodism in general, had a confessedly Providential origin, and it would be at least unsafe to interfere with their character and purpose on any other than an equally Providential plea. No such plea, however, so far as I know, can be offered in favour of such interference. True, their first design was not to denote membership. They grew to this function, and so naturally and unintentionally as to suggest that, whatever purpose of Providence attended their establishment, attended also this particular use of them.

2. They are one of the special "notes" of Methodism, determining its distinctively individual character. Destroy or essentially modify these, and Methodism, as such, would cease to be. Why, then, destroy or essentially modify this one?

3. As one of the chief "notes" of Methodism, so class-meetings have been one of the chief means of accomplishing its declared mission. This was "to spread Scriptural holiness throughout the land." At least, they have done much to conserve and further what the doctrine and public ministry of Methodism have done so much to originate and promote. And in their very nature they are fitted to do a great deal more. No means with which I am acquainted are better adapted to preserve believers in their separateness from the world, to pledge them formally and continuously to live a holy life-to give effect, in fact, to the prayer of their great Redeemer and Lord, "I

pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil."

4. They furnish, too, the means to that inner fellowship of spiritual life after which most Churches are ever and anon feeling, but which I think is seldom or never realised so completely as in Methodism. Hence, the internal religious unity, compactness, and true conservatism of Methodism, notwithstanding its outward differences on some questions of polity.

5. Class-meetings, in all but name and mode, are undoubtedly in the Bible, even to the weekly contribution, as many passages might be quoted to show. What may be called their essence is there demanded as a positive duty. What reason then, as against this fact, can be alleged for their discontinuance? For to discontinue them, and by express law to excuse from attending them, are much the same thing.

6. So far as my knowledge goes, there is no demand for membership in our Churches on any other condition than that of meeting in class; and if there is any, it is so limited as hardly to justify a change so serious as the one proposed in order to meet it. The change would be purely experimental, and as such would involve great risks. No one with any clearness and definiteness of conception can forecast the probable result of such a change. Has any one even tried?

7. Besides, what, under the most favourable circumstances, would be the nett advantage of the change? More piety? More zeal? More brotherly kindness and charity? More compactness of organisation, and efficiency of combined working? No one, I believe, will say so. What then? A larger recognised membership, it is thought. Possibly. But possibly not. Is it wise, then, for a possible yes, as probably the only advantage, to risk a possible no?

8. To these reasons may be added the fact, that no other formal condition of Church-membership, of equal simplicity and safety, is proposed in place of class-meetings. A register of names in a classbook, with such oversight of those whose names they are as selected individuals could take of them, would be a poor substitute for the present simple, direct, and confessedly profitable method. To destroy is easy; to supply the place of what is destroyed with something better or equally good is a task of much difficulty.

But it is said the design is not to destroy. The proposal is only to furnish an alternative condition of Church-membership to those who object to meet in class. The answer is not difficult. To make by formal enactment what has hitherto been obligatory personally optional is virtually and in principle to abrogate it. It is, I fear, to do this in fact as well as in principle. Many would probably cease to meet in class, and few would be induced to begin, could they have recognised membership on terms of their own choosing. Such is human nature that, in matters of religion, men require some form of outward obligation and constraint to embrace and use for their benefit what, even, it is their very highest privilege to possess. If class-meetings are of so much practical value, as those who desire the change spoken of themselves profess, then it must be important to Besides, to supply the strongest motives for attendance thereon. introduce a second condition of membership would be, to that extent,

to divide the Body of Christ, and would be virtually of the nature of schism. The Church, in terms of union and association, would not be one, but two. And if two, why not more?

But it is said many who are now reckoned as members have practically ceased to meet in class, and consistency obliges us either to dismember them or to alter the rule to suit their case. Here, again, the answer is at hand. The rule is not so rigorous as that a wise interpretation of it may not honourably retain those persons, as in fact it does. Moreover, it is not a good principle of legislation to alter a rule because it is found inexpedient or impossible always to enforce it. And yet, again, what guarantee can be given that any new rule that may be devised will be found capable of exact and uniform application to all persons coming under its administration? Which is the better mode-to relax the working of a rule, where relaxation is reasonably demanded; or to make several rules to meet and effect the same object?

But we ought not, it is said, to deny membership to any one whom Christ has received. What kind of membership? With the Church universally? We could not if we would. This is outside our province. With the Methodist New Connexion? Then what right have we to exist at all? The objection goes to the root of all denominationalism whatever. It is valid only on the supposition that specific terms of Church-fellowship ought not to be adopted by any section of the Christian Church. But this is to affirm that no such section, as complete in itself, can justify its own separate existence. Logically carried out, the principle would require, even for ourselves, not two conditions of membership only, but as many as would meet the preferences and desires of those in respect to whose individual piety we could entertain no doubt.

On the whole, then, I venture respectfully to suggest to my brother Leaders that it is best, for the present at least, to let the class-meeting alone, except to improve its character and make it more largely and efficiently a means of grace. Its whole capability for good has not yet, I think, been developed; it has not certainly been exhausted. Let us first, with invigorated effort, try our power on the Institution itself, to render it a greater blessing to our congregations and societies; and then, if it fail to answer its present and primary design, and God shall show us, as I cannot doubt He then will, another and better method for our object, we will thankfully adopt His "more excellent way."

AN OLD CLASS-LEADER.

MUSIC.

MUSIC is a power. It can rouse the passions, and it can soothe the mind. It can express sentiments, and depict emotions. It can charm the savage breast, and it can fascinate the savage beast. It can please children, and delight adults. It thrives and advances with the civilization of nations, affording luxury to the affluent, and a department of refined art to the studious. It richly contributes to

the pleasure of the drawing-room, and sheds a benignant infiuence on the homes of the poor.

May not music become dangerous? Most assuredly it may. What power is there in this world that may not become dangerous? Money is a power, and money often becomes dangerous. Some of the most solemn warnings of the Saviour, of the Apostles, and of Christian ministers in all ages, have been directed against money. Yet the most religious people in the world are obliged to use money, and even consecrate it to the use of the Church. Eloquence is a power; and few things are more dangerous than misdirected oratory. Yet one of the brightest blessings in our dark world is sanctified eloquence. Even so, music may be misapplied, as too many things in this world, alas! are: yet music may undoubtedly serve some of the noblest purposes of humanity, and the highest and holiest offices of religion.

Great prominence is given to music in the Bible. The greatest of all historians has recorded the name of Jubal with reverence, as the inventor of harps and organs. The grandest national event of antiquity was the deliverance of Israel from Egypt; and the climax in this deliverance was the crossing of the Red Sea, when Pharaoh's pursuing army was drowned. This mighty victory was celebrated in the desert with song and dance; for at that time dancing had not become disreputable. The prima donna on this occasion was no less a person than the sister of Moses, who is designated as a "prophetess," combining the highest qualities of religious enthusiasm with advanced art culture. "Sing unto the Lord," exclaimed this ancient musician, "for He hath triumphed gloriously."

In the institutions of Moses music was largely employed. The monthly feast of the New Moon, the great commemorative festivals of the nation, and the still greater carnival of Jubilee, were all proclaimed by sound of trumpet. The theory and practice of music formed an essential part of the regular education of a prophet. Hence we find Samuel acting as choir-master at Naioth, and conducting the service of song with such efficiency and effect as to disarm successive homicides.

As the agency of music was employed to celebrate the victory over Pharaoh, it was also employed as a triumphant challenge to the warriors of Canaan, when the Israelites set foot on the promised land. The first achievement, after the crossing of the Jordan, was the taking of Jericho. This was not done by sapping and mining, or by battering rams, or by the regular approaches of siege operations; it was done by music. Priests trained in Hebrew melody played martial strains on wind instruments, while the tramp of armed men kept time, and while the Ark of God was carried in a solemn religious procession.

The Book of Psalms was the hymn-book of the Jewish nation. The greatest contributor to that wonderful collection of inspired Hebrew songs was David, who excelled all men in ancient times in musical attainments. He must have been upon the harp, what Handel was upon the organ, unrivalled. He could charm away the melancholy of Saul, when that melancholy was most violent and dangerous. Christian congregations may yet be heard singing:

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