invited by the rulers of the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia to preach or exhort, "stood up and beckoned with his hand." It appears that the business of expounding was performed by the reader according as the verses of the section read might seem to require, and that the expositions were interlarded with the reading, very much after the manner of the explanatory notes of a commentator; whilst the preaching or exhortation was after the entire section was finished-and by any member of the synagogue whom the rulers might invite, or even a stranger whom they might observe worshipping with them in the congregation. Thus our Saviour, as his custom was, stood up to read in his own synagogue, or that of his native city; and after reading three verses in Isaiah, closed the book, handed it to the angel or messenger, who stood beside him and overlooked him while he read; and having sat down, began to expound unto the congregation the passage before them. But under other circumstances he preached and exhorted, declaring the doctrine of his reign, and developing, as one who spoke not from a text, but from his own authority, the great elements of that new system which was to regenerate the world. So also his Apostles-as Paul and Silas in the synagogue at Salamis and Antioch, availed themselves of the opportunity which this part of the synagogue service afforded, to preach Christ to the Jews.

Such is a brief and condensed statement of the synagogue worship, evidently connected closely with that order which we call ancient or apostolic. We trust in aiming at brevity, we have not been obscure; but that, though omitting some minute details, peculiar to the Jewish system, we have presented in an intelligible form, a perfect outline both of the order required and the means by which it was maintained in their public assemblies, called for the purpose alike of edification and of comfort. Will such of our readers, as feel an interest in the great and important element of the Christian system, which we are attempting to develope under the comprehensive term discipline, give to this summary a careful consideration. that the after use we may make of it may be more readily and duly appreciated, and the conclusions to which it may assist us in coming more discreetly examined. We are told, that in the great reformation effected under the Tirshatha, Nehemiah and the priest Ezra, after the Babylonish Captivity, when in the public reading of the law, they came to the 23d chapter of Leviticus and there found the order for the feast of tabernacles, which, since the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, the children of Israel had neglected; and understood that it was their duty to observe it, they at once set about the

necessary preparations, and with great gladness resumed the observance of this ancient and long neglected feast. This was a true reformation-one which set not out with a new theory, perfect and complete, by which every thing was to be stereotyped, but one whose great principle was to inquire diligently first into what was written, and then with perfect submission to the divine authority, to take measures for its observance. This, we trust, is the spirit and temper of the reformation of this nineteenth century, and that as we learn so will we all be ready to live.

May the Lord direct us in all our inquiries into his will and incline our hearts to walk in all his ways! W. K. P.

NEWS FROM THE CHURCHES.

Pulaski, Virginia, December 14, 1847. The Lord has not forgotten to be gracious. Seven were added at a recent meeting here at Cypress Grove. I received one confession last Sunday at Reed Island; as also at no distant intervals during the Fall, the people gave heed to the word.

I indulge the pleasing hope that you will not weary in behalf of the poor of Ireland. C. BULLARD. Mount Healthy, Ohio, December 11, 1847. Within a few weeks I have baptized from thirteen to fifteen promising disciples, at the first church in the city-all after the regular discourses. D. S. BURNET. Cincinnati, Ohio, December 16, 1847.

I have been travelling as an evangelist since last February up to the first of the present month, and during the time have received by confession of the ancient faith upwards of a hundred persons.

JAMES CHALLEN.

Pleasant Hill, Vanburen county, Missouri, Dec. 21, 1847. There have been great revivals among the various denominations by the Baptists, who seem to use all the means of excitement common among ou, Methodist and Cumberland Presbyterian brethren in this portion of the country, which is a little different from old-fashioned Baptists in days of yore. But I must inform you of the success of our cause, at several meetings. in this county. First, one at Camp Branch, August 6, six additions; and since two more valuable ones; at Harrisville, August 9th, nine additions; four since. Middle Fork, Grand River, August 15, five additions; three since. One from the Baptists last Lord's day. At Pleasant tall, August 31, three additions. Also, on the 8th of July, brother J. Page received eight additions at Pleasant Grove; two since---making in all forty two. To God, and not unto men, be all the praise!

C. P. ARBUCKLE.

Knox county, Illinois, December 24, 1847. Last Saturday and Lord's day I spent with the church at Lafayette, Stark county, Illinois. This congregation was organized some short time ago with ten members: they now number eighteen, and are in a prosperous condition. They requested me to ask our brethren who may be travelling in Illinois, to call on them and labor with them in the good cause. Should any of our brethren desire to locate in the West, I would advise them to

visit that neighborhood before they settle. They will be cordially received by our brothers Charles Himes and Lewis H. Fitch, the officers of the church, and may find a field of labor in which much good may be done. May the Lord bless and prosper his cause! W. F. M. ARNY.

Bruceville, Indiana, Dec. 25, 1847. Our congregation at Bruceville moves harmoniously along. Our worthy and much beloved brother, J. Wolf, preaches for us twice-a-month. His labors are much blessed. Some 18 or 20 have been added to our congregation this summer and fall-amongst the last was my son and wife, and my 24th child, a little son of 14 years old. Praised be the name of my Lord! WM. BRUCE.

Lexington, Kentucky, January 1, 1848.

Brother Campbell---To-day, twelve months ago, I transmitted to the Harbinger a report of my labors during the year 1846. During the progress of the year which just closed the theatre of my labors has been more circumscribed than formerly, eight months of that time having been devoted to this city. Although I have been but little in the evangelical field, my journal records the delivery of two hundred and ten discourses, and the addition of one hundred and forty-five soldiers to the army of the great King. The cause of religion in the city of Lexington is not advancing with all that rapidity we so anxiously desire, yet we rejoice in the conviction that it is not retrograding. May the Lord grant a revival of his good work, that the year eighteen hundred and forty-eight may close with a more favorable aspect than any of its predecessors! S. S. CHURCH.

I much regret the failure to publish brother Church's report for 1847. Whether it came to hand I know not. But if it did, it was an oversight and a failure which was wholly accidental. We are very desirous to obtain news from the churches, and to lay them promptly before our readers.Will the brethren be more communicative and oblige one another?

A. C.

Hannibal, Missouri, January 3, 1847. The brethren of Hannibal have got their house of worship enclosed and advanced so as to meet in the basement story-a large and comfortable room. And on the part of many of the brethren and sisters a commendable zeal and devotion to the interests of Zion are manifested. The zealous and untiring labors of the Elders, through the blessing of the great King, are gradually, and, we trust, permanently building up a society of Christian men and women here, long to bless this portion of the world with their pious example and Christian deportment. Our increase is principally from immigrants. We have had some four or five baptisms since May of last year. One excellent lady (from the Presbyterians, put on the Lord by baptism on yesterday. May the Lord revive his work throughout the J. D. DAWSON.

earth!

Elizabethtown, Kentucky, January 4, 1848. We have had ninety additions in my field of labor last year, in the counties of Hart, Barren, and Warren, including a three weeks' tour to Indiana in August last. We shall pray the Lord to strengthen our hands, and look forward for more prosperous times. M. J. LARUE.

La Fayette, Ohio, January 4, 1848. If you would notice that there is a small church here, perhaps some of the travelling brethren would call on us in passing. J. R. FRAME.

THE CHURCH IN HIRAM, PORTAGE COUNTY, OHIO.

Brother Campbell-About thirteen years ago the church at Nelson, to accommodate its members, effected a division---one branch holding its meot

ings in Hiram, and the other in the village of Garretsville. Both of these churches have enjoyed, since that time, many seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The zealous elders and leading members of these churches have been abun lantly repaid for their sacrifices in behalf of the gospel, in the conversion to God of many precious sons and daughters.The church in Hiram, at the time of its separate commencement, numbered thirteen souls. She plsced herself uoder the oversight of the experienced brother Simonds Rider. She has increased steadily in strength and numbers ever since; and now holds a commanding influence over the surrounding country, embracing in her communion about one hundred members. For several years its members have sustained a Sunday School in flourishing operation; and, during the season of the year suitable for it, they have had Bible examinations from two to four nights in the week, teaching the scriptures from house to house, to all that attend, old and young. The advantages of this course are becoming more apparent every year. The church set apart a few days for a meeting, commencing ou Friday the 17th December. They called to their aid brother Moses N. Warren, and the writer of this. The meeting continued with great interest six days, and closed with the addition of fifteen souls to the fold of Christ. All of these, with one exception, are young persons; mostly of the families of the saints. More of the joys of the gospel, in its calm, deep power, I have seldom witnessed. Here were parents, who themselves are youthful yet in Christ, receiving the first fruits of their families, by a second birth into the same heavenly family with themselves. O! that they may be nourished with the milk of the word, and grow up unto him in all things, who is the head, even Christ. Amen!

Euclid, O., January 6, 1818.

A. S. HAYDEN.

Chancery, Howard county, Indiana, January 6, 1848. The church on Deer Creek is doing well. We closed a protracted meeting on Lord's day evening. Four were added. The Lord be praised! GEORGE W. SMITH.

Owensborough, Kentucky, January 7, 1848. It is with the greatest pleasure I communicate to the Harbinger the success of my labors. During the 'ast year I have travelled all through Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Two hundred and twenty-three have ben immersed for the remission of their sins. May the great Shepherd bless them, and keep them in the road that leads to Paradise!

tures.

J. NEVILLE. Lake Providence, Louisiana, February 11, 1848.

I have recently returned thus far from a visit to New Orleans and Baton Rouge. I wrote you from th city the result of my humble efforts there. We had some truly valuable additions, and such as I trust will be ornaments to the cause. The church at New Orleans cannot but prosper with such choice and devoted spirits as there are in that body. I was pleased to see that much attention is paid in the congregation to the study of the scripAt the close of my second visit to Baton Rouge, having labored in all only nine or ten days, I had the pleasure to see a congregation of more than forty gathered where there was previously none. A fine spirit prevailed in the community, and many others were almost persuaded to go along. Would that my health and circumstances would have permitted me to remain longer. Much more might have been effected had some public speaker been with me. It would rejoice my heart to hear that some able and experienced brother was with them even now. Oh! that you could visit that too much neglected region, and sow the good seed, and extend here the circulation of your periodical. Making Memphis, this place, SERIES. III.-VOL V.

15

Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge stopping places, an impression might be made to be felt in all after time.

Some of those immersed at Baton Rouge were Romanists, and I was told that quite a favorable impression was made among them. So much for the old-fashioned gospel, even when feebly advocated by your devoted brother in hope of eternal life. JNO. ALLEN GANO. Mount Pleasant, Platte County, Mo., December 20, 1847. We have had some forty additions to our congregation during the past year. O. C. STEELE.

New Orleans, January 14, 1848.

Having been induced to visit Louisiana and winter here in the hope of improving the health of my wife, I have not been idie in the vineyard of our Master. While at Lake Providence, in the upper part of this state, early in last month, I delivered a discourse in the court-house introductory to a meeting of several days. A violent and continued rain disappointed our Lord's day meeting and compelled me to postpone operations there. Meeting with a brother Oliver, from North Kentucky, who was preaching and had been for some time on Joe's Bayou and Bayou Mason, at his very kind and earnest entreaty I concluded to join him in a meeting at Mrs. Taylor's school-house on the former Bayou. I spoke in that region some four times, and was kindly listened to by Baptists, Methodists, and nonprofessors. One lady arose on Lord's day, the 3d in December, and confessed the Saviour. Brother Oliver informed me that he had recently gathered in that neighborhood a church of some sixteen members; one at Deerfield, on Bayou Mason, of twenty-eight members; and another lower down, on the same stream, at Walton's, of only nine members He talks of removing his family and locating among them. From the neighborhood of Lake Providence I came ahead of my family to Baton Rouge, to fill an appointment sent me for the 2d Lord's day instant; but our meeting commenced on Saturday before, or the 8th January We occupied, through the kindness of the Methodist friends, their spacious and excellent room On Lord's day, having in some three discourses prepared, as well as I could, the mind of the audience for action, I requested all who were willing and anxious to be constituted into a church of Christ at Baton Rouge, having no foundation but that of Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, to come forward and make it known. Nine presented themselves who had been immersed and belonged to churches elsewhere. Two came to confess the Lord in order to baptism; and, as the meeting progressed, others still. On Tuesday the church was regularly constituted, or the building spiritual commenced; and when I left, on Wednesday, 'o follow my family to this place, about twenty in all had presented themselves for membership or baptism. I received throughout a patient and kind hearing from large audiences. Many seemed deeply and solemnly impressed. Hundreds came to witness the immersions, walking a considerable distance. I made my home at brother C. G. M.Hatton's, who, with his amiable and interesting lady, were the first to step forward in the glorious cause of Bible religion. I cannot express my gratitude for their great kindness to me for my Master's sake. Thank the Lord, they have now united with them some noble-hearted soldiers, both old and young. May Heaven bless the little vine! If spared, I think I shall see them again this winter. I am to begin with the church here a meeting tomorrow night, to last some days.

Brother Campbell, the people of the South are much misrepresented in the North. They are generally less prejudiced, more open and candid on religious subjects than northern men. True, the road to wealth: being open and easy to capitalists, the whole community seem striving after fortune; but when at meeting, they are attentive, respectful, and well behaved. The