took in all his epistles to remind believers of their condition in sin prior to their conversion.

When John wrote his Gospel and Epistles, some 25-30 years after the last Epistle of Paul was written, false teachers swarmed in the churches, who "turned the grace of God into lasciviousness," and "denied the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." One quite numerous and influential class of such teachers, originating in the schools of Egypt, denied openly the divinity and incarnation of Christ; teaching that He was one of the inferior deities, that He never dwelt in a real body, came in the flesh," that like the angels who appeared as men, He appeared as in a body, taught, and in appearance only died upon the cross, and made no real atonement for sin.

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This class of antichrists taught, too, that the soul of man is immaculate, and that, do what we will, we do not and cannot sin as far as the soul, the man himself, is concerned; that sin resides in the body, the flesh; and that sin in the flesh is to be got rid of, not by repentance and faith, but by physical mortifications. Hence the monkery of the Church of Rome. These teachers, of course, denied utterly atonement; that is, "the saving efficacy of the blood of Christ." To meet and refute such seducing errors was an asserted object of John in his writings. "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you." Hence, he commences his Gospel with a formal statement and affirmation, John i. 1-3., of Christ's true and proper divinity, and then verse 14 affirms His incarnation.

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"The

word became flesh, and dwelt among us." Then in the first verse of the Epistle before us, he presents the absolute proof they had of the fact of Christ's incarnation. They had heard Him, seen Him with their had eyes, looked upon Him, and with their hands had handled Him. They knew that He had come in the flesh." "Every spirit" (professed teacher of truth), he tells us, "that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God." Again, 2 John, 7, "Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

In 1 John i. 7, the Apostle, having refuted the error above referred to, affirms the atoning and sanctifying efficacy of the blood of Christ, and the conditions on which that blood becomes efficacious in experience. "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light-the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Then verse 9 tells us what we may expect, and trust God to do for us, through the power of His grace and Spirit, when we confess our sins to Him, viz., forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness. What was the error which then stood opposed to this doctrine, by which many were being "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ," the error which would here suggest itself to the Apostle's mind, writing as he then avowedly was concerning the subverting errors of seducing teachers, antichrists, the error against which believers then needed to be put on their guard? Was it some mistake into which some true believers might fall in respect to the extent of the efficacy of Christ's blood? The Apostle is not thinking at all of mistakes of this kind, but of the subverting errors of false teachers then swarming in the churches, and inducing "many to follow their pernicious ways;" the error specially which denied, in the first place, the fact that "Jesus Christ had come in the flesh," and then the saving efficacy of His blood, by denying the fact of human sin, and the consequent necessity of the shedding of that blood, the error which did "justify the old life, and deny the need of the blood of Christ."

This is the identical error which, in fact and form these false teachers, "anticrists," were every where disseminating in the churches. That this is the specific form of error to which the apostle refers, in the words, "If we say we have no sin,' and, "If we say that we have not sinned," I argue from the following considerations, which will be presented in our next number. The time has arrived when this passage should receive a full and unquestionable elucidation. The reader will appreciate the time and space occupied in accomplishing this object.

M.

Intelligence.

The Rev. William Taylor.

REV. WILLIAM TAYLOR, commonly known as California Taylor, or the Cosmopolitan Missionary, is in New York at the present time, or rather has been here for the last several weeks. There is no telling where he is at this writing, for he flits about like a bird in a forest. He is like God in this respect; He is all action, all fire, all flame, and, in a qualified sense, omnipresent. The zeal of the Lord's house is literally eating him up. Like some of the planets, he oscillates in his orbit-not out of it. Like a comet he comes and goes, followed always by a luminous train of usefulness. The regular work of William Taylor is to work irregularly. He is, doubtless, Divinely appointed to such eccentricities. No one should attempt to follow his example; his mission is unique and peculiar. The seat of his last exploit is South America. • After having visited England, Australia, and Africa, where he conducted extensive revival meetings, and pressed upon the people the privilege and duty of personal holiness, he made his In this field he organised an way to India. Annual Conference, which was at once recognised by the M. E. Church, with Taylor as one of its members. Two years ago he returned to America to enlist missionaries to fill up his new Conference and to raise money to transport them thither. After he should have got his complement of men and money, it was his to purpose return and labour with his men, and live among the people, making the Conference self-supporting. But about six months ago he got an inHe spiration that he must visit South America. felt that God had something for him to do there. He so reported to the chief ministers of the Church. They legally reported that the Church gave them no authority to commission him to go to South America, to either organise a Conference or do Mission work. He was plainly reminded that he was a member of the India Conference, and that the discipline made it his duty to report himself within its bounds. Taylor, who is loyal to the core, and believes in the necessity of general church order, admitted the correctness and propriety of these official statements and limitations, but contended there must be exceptions to meet extraordinary cases and answer the mandates of a Divine call. Believing that he had such a paramount call he gave notice that he would sail for South America Accordon a given day, as in duty bound. ingly he took steerage passage and repaired to the West Coast of South America, where he spent six months in Chili and Peru, living part of the time on 17 cents. a day. Here he found a destitute people prepared of the Lord. They literally said to him "come over and help

us.

The chief inhabitants are an amalgamation of different nationalities, but all desire to be taught the learning and religion of the more civilized and Christian nations. Taylor therefore proposed to furnish them Christian teachers and ministers, if they would promise a moderate support. They readily gave the pledge, and Taylor returned to procure and dispatch the men and

women. Accordingly nine educated and devout young Christians-five men and four women —took steerage passage from the Port of New York, the last of June, for South America, amid responsive singing and tears, on deck and shore. The last I saw of Taylor in connection with this impressive scene, he was moving about with tarcup and brush in hand, writing the names and directions of the missionaries upon their boxes. A singular instance of mutual confidence among strangers was this: the parties in South America offered to pay money in advance to this strange, erratic visitor, trusting him at once as their purveyor of teachers and missionaries, but Taylor declined to receive any money until he should return and report the missionaries ready; then they might send the amount necessary to pay their passage, and purchase equipment. This agreement between total strangers was faithfully complied with on both sides. More missionaries are to follow.

Who does not see the hand of the Lord in all this?

“God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform." Amen.
A. LOWREY.

NEW YORK, July 22.

Missionary Workers for South America.

Ten of the workers for the work in South America, inaugurated by Rev. William Taylor, as stated by Dr. Lowrey, sailed on July 1st, in the Pacific Mail Steamship Company's ship, 'Acapulco.' The following account of the missionaries is given in the New York Christian Advocate,' of July 4th, an account which will be read with deep interest.

Of the party Prof. A. P. Stowell and wife, of Canton, N.Y., and Miss Cora B. Benson, of Boston, go to found a school in Tacua, Peru; Rev. J. W. Collier, of Bristol, Me., goes out to teach and preach in Iquique, Peru; Rev. J. W. Higgins, of Cambridge, Mass., to preach in Coquimbo, Chili; Rev. Ira H. La Fetra, of Washington, D.C., to preach in Valparaiso ; Prof. W. A. Wright, (son of Rev. John Wright, of East Ohio Conference) Miss Sarah E. Langley, late a teacher in California, and Miss Lena H. Waterhouse, to found a school in Conception, Chili.

These brethren are in the main classical and theological graduates, and the ladies well qualified to teach all common English and ornamental branches, including instrumental music, also Half-athe German and French languages. dozen more to follow July 31, and others in September.

As an indication of the spirit and devotion of these Christian workers, we insert, by permission of Mr. Taylor, the subjoined letter, received by him from one of the young ladies who went out on Monday-a highly-educated, accomplished lady, and daughter of one of our ministers. Mr. Taylor wrote her, explaining that in his poverty of financial resource, his workers would have to go as steerage passengers, as far at least as Callao, a distance of three thousand five hundred miles, In answer, he received the following letter from her :

"I am very glad that Jesus is so kind, for I am very strengthless. He will never break the bruised reed. He surrounds my life with His love as with a mantle; He fills my heart with His abiding presence. I have consciously given myself to Him, and am consciously accepted of Him. In all my experience He has never allowed anything to come upon me more than I could bear, but sometimes all that I can bear. He knows how to adjust everything so nicely. I go forward to my seed sowing work without a shadow of fear in my heart. Doth not perfect love cast out fear? Does this seem like boasting? I do not mean it so.

"God is very great; I am very small. In spite of my frailty, it is easy for Him to save and keep me. I dare not go one step alone; but with Him at my side, and my hand clasped in His, why need I fear? It is blessed to trust.

"My box leaves to-day for New York, directed as you requested. I shall certainly hope to see you when I arrive there. I do not think that God chides me because my heart aches so, and the tears come at thoughts of leaving every friend.

"It only shows that I love them well, and yet I love Him more. Why should I fear hardships? My Jesus had not where to lay His head. I have always fared better than that. He became poor, and I, through His poverty, became rich; He wandered foot sore and weary, with no restingplace, and through those wanderings, millions have found rest. Do you suppose that He is sorry now, as He sits by His Father, and sees throng after throng of white-robed ones kneel before Him. Is He sorry that he knew what it was to be poor, and hungry, and tired, and misunderstood, and mocked, and crucified? He groaned beneath a weight of sin that I might go sinless and free. He had no home, in order that I might have a shining mansion. It seems to me that if I had ten thousand lives they would be none too many to consecrate to his service. I do not say this to boast. It comes from a full heart. 'My highest place is lying low at my Redeemer's feet.'

Gems from the Fulton-street Prayer
Meeting, N.Y.

"I had trouble with my watch," a friend said, "because it needed cleaning. The jeweller professed to put it right, but still it did not work. Then a small particle of dust was found in it. Getting rid of that the watch went well enough. Brethren, if we are to be useful in the Lord's work we must get rid of all the dust, the selfishness, the self-indulgence and the sins that we so easily commit.”

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66 Friends," said one, "often look at their trials in the way our leader read the requests for prayer to-day-very mournfully. If there were prayer-hearing God to go to with our trials, then might we be mournful; but the silver lining of His mercy is seen behind every cloud of sorrow, and in answer to prayer sooner or later the silver lining will deepen to gold-the golden beams of His love that will shine away the sorrows."

"We are in too great haste oftentimes," said another," and want to go forward when God says, 'Stand still." One friend says: "I am shut in

by God, but He is with me. Do pray that He may show me the way wherein I shall walk." Well, He will, when He wants you to be walking, dear soul. Sometimes God makes us lie down, but when He does it is always in "green pastures, and by the side of still waters."

"A brother reminded us that to be like Christ in the deeds of our daily life, we must first be like Him in spirit, as the external life is the outgrowth of the inner life. The Spirit of Christ was a spirit of Sonship, which inspired confidence in His Father. Then of the service which involved self-sacrifice and self-denial, toil, trial and suffering, the more we realize that we are God's children, the more easy it will be to do His service."

Gems from Dr. Palmer's Meeting, N.Y.

"WE heard," said Rev. See, "in the lesson read, these words: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit.' When we look at things through fleshly eyes, and realize that we have fleshly bodies, it must mean something when it says, 'Ye are not in the flesh.' He found revealed in these words a peculiar blessedness, the blessedness of being united to Him who is not in the flesh-to Him who was raised from the dead -'you and Jesus are one.""

A brother wished to bear testimony with others to the wisdom of taking everything to God in prayer. After he had been serving the Lord for some time, and when in needy circumstances, he was greatly tempted. A friend offered him twenty-five dollars a week if he would tend bar for him. He was then having only one meal a day, and the tempter said, "Can you hold out this time"? He laid the matter before God, and asked him earnestly for help. Jesus helped and blessed him wonderfully. The greatest point of his experience was the keeping power of God. He had been a drunkard and had written in blood some iniquity in almost every city in the state. Yet, in answer to a mother's prayers, God had saved him and kept him from falling. His purpose was to know nothing but "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."

"Jesus has said,” said another, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' We may, then, ask to be made holy as God is holy, and IIe will do it. God's will is that our character should be rounded according to His standard of perfection."

Dr. Franklin said: "He knew that Jesus was his Saviour because he hated everything that estranged him from his Father's smile. There is no fear when walking with Jesus, no sorrow, no shadow. All is brightness then. In the greatest tribulation in life, there is power in Jesus to make all light. God afflicts only for our good."

Mrs. Mumford.

WE were able a few weeks since, says Mrs. Mahan, to send to this Christian worker in Philippopolis a draft of £13 8s., and at the same time to forward a box of butter, condensed milk, &c. On the reception of the draft, Mrs. Mum

ford writes, that it came at a time when it afforded her great encouragement. Not that she was then in immediate want, but the enemy was whispering in her ear that her former friends and benefactors had forgotten her. "Very many of the poor people around," she says, "are hardly able to get food for this summer, to say nothing of clothing. But when the cold weather comes, they will suffer terribly. They have lost all their cattle and farming utensils, and have not raised food this summer for winter."

The Government having taken possession of the house she occupied, she has changed her quarters, her scholars saving her much expense by their ready help in the removal. "I am praying for and expecting," she says, "more scholars this fall as I open school. I have now fifteen, including the seven I have in my house. If I had the means," she adds, "I could have a large boarding-school of promising girls, whose parents are now too poor to feed them, and can find no work for them to do. Of course they could pay nothing for schooling. Those I now have are of this class; but they are such good girls, and try so hard to learn, that I feel much encouraged for them."

Here is, manifestly, a providential opening, not only to relieve the necessitous, but to introduce Christian education and influence into multitudes of families, from whom such influences would otherwise be excluded, and will be excluded, should the present opportunity be left unimproved. We commend this Christian worker, who has done so much in the past, to the special regard of the Christian public.

Old Orchard Camp-Meeting, Maine, U.S. This Conference which commenced July 25th, and continued ten days, was, unquestionably, one of the most powerful and important ever held in the United States. "The meeting" says Dr. Lowrey in a letter dated August 1st, was a decided success. Attendance large, preaching excellent, meetings frequent and powerful. The work, (as the meetings progressed) went on gloriously, and it seemed that the sanctifying power was universally effective."

The following items which we cite from two of the Portland Dailies, Maine, will furnish the reader some adequate apprehension of the character of the exercises.

At 10 o'clock a.m., Saturday, Rev. Dr. Earle preached a wonderfully effective sermon, his subject being Jacob, and Peniel wrestling; how to get power with God and how to prevail with

men.

The speaker's strong point was on the fact that we prevailed with men when we prevailed with God in prayer. The man who knew how to talk with God knew how to persuade men. These points the speaker illustrated with many incidents which had come under his observation during his revival work. The congregation were moved by the words of the speaker, with the spirit and animated with an enthusiasm, which promised to bear most fruitful results.

The 8 o'clock, a.m., Sunday meeting which took the form of a Methodist love feast, was under the direction of Dr. Cullis. A great many testimonies were given representing almost all evan

gelfcal churches, and representing many of the states of the Union. New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and Canada were represented in this love feast, and the unity of feeling and harmony of heart were delightful. Dr. Cullis remarked that it was one of the best meetings of his life.

At 10.30 Dr. Lowrey of New York City preached one of the ablest sermons ever preached on these grounds, on the subject which has been emphasized through the meeting, i.e., Sanctification. The Dr. took strong grounds on the possibilities of the power of grace in saving a trusting soul from all sin, and keeping such a soul in constant fellowship with God. One can read the whole lesson of salvation in the calm, serene face of Dr. Lowrey. That face is a grand proof text of the doctrine he preaches.

At 7.30 p.m. Monday, Dr. Steele gave a very able sermon from the words found in John, xiv. 15, 16 and 17-"If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, etc." The subject was "The dispensation of the Holy Spirit." Dr. Steele conducted Bible readings of great interest daily during the Conference.

The fine weather of yesterday, Sabbath, was very favourable for gatherings of this character, and the grove attracted an immense throng. It is a noteworthy fact that the majority of the attendants at this meeting have come to seek further enlightenment upon the doctrine of holiness and not as idle spectators. The daily testimony of scores who have received a wonderful blessing since their arrival upon the ground makes it apparent that the object for which the convention was called is being accomplished. Recently meetings for personal inquiry have been held in the Biddeford chapel, and have been productive of great good.

"I am off," adds Dr. Lowrey, "to other Camp Meetings. The Full Salvation-Tide is rising."

A CORRESPONDENT FROM BARCELONA, IN SPAIN, says:-"We are having better days in Spain, as far as the King's business is concerned. It looks to me like the reaping hour. The Word bites now, souls are stung under it, and cry after the Saviour, nor do they cry in vain. Outside the gospel circle all is dark, no prospect whatever."

TEN OF THE RAILWAY COMPANIES of Indianopolis, U.S., have each pledged ten dollars monthly towards a "Railroad Christian Association." Shall not the Railway Companies in England go and do likewise ?"

THE New York Methodist reports that at Schroon Lake, N.Y., a wonderful temperance work has grown out of a mock Methodist classmeeting, held in a saloon by the inebriates. One of the speakers lapsed into the truth, one night, and told his real experience, and sobered the company, who organized a reform in which 1,000 signed the pledge. Every bar has been closed, and a clean Excise Board elected. The temperance revival was followed by a revival of religion, which gives promise of sweeping results.

DIVIDE LIFE

NOVEMBER 1st.

FREEDOM FROM SIN ESSENTIAL TO GROWTH.

THE HE Apostle says, "But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

According to all such declarations, salvation from sin must antedate fruit-bearing, and precede everlasting life. A state of sinfulness is an abnormal condition which stunts the inner man, thwarts progress and stops development. Freedom from sin then is a prime necessity that we may begin to grow, and unfold the natural powers and capacities of our spiritual

Sin acts upon the soul like the weights. in a balloon which anchor it to the earth. When these are thrown out the balloon begins to rise. So sin holds the soul to the earth and makes it grovel. But cast sin out and our whole being at once begins to soar.

Deliverance from sin, then, is not the culmination of moral excellence, but the starting-point-the mere extrication of the soul from the snare of the fowler that it may begin to "mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint." The process of purification from sin has the effect to break off the chains that bind the soul, to fling away the weights that press it down to the earth, and to disentangle those pinions of faith, and hope by which it soars away into the fields of limitless light and glory.

Purity is health and thrift, but not ripeness in the sense of vegetative maturity which marks the point where decay sets in.

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So with healing. Christ cures that we may grow. He takes away the impediments to growth that we may develope and He increase with the increase of God. gives life and then feeds us with the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby," not grow into grace, but grow in grace by a life of faith, subsequent to entire sanctification. There is no notion more unscriptural than the fancy that when entire sanctification is reached we have mounted to the apex of Christian attainment, and can receive no more until we spread our wings and soar away to Heaven.

It is worthy of especial notice that the Apostle Paul in his great prayer in behalf of the Ephesians, asks for every element of holiness as a means to an end. Hear him "That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love."

Here the primary supplications end, and the object of the prayer is stated, to wit, "That ye may be able to comprehend," &c.

In this prayer the Apostle asks for three things. 1st. That we may be strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man.

2nd. That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.

3rd. That we may be rooted and grounded in love.

Now we think it will be generally conceded that these three elements involve full redemption. The Holy Ghost working in us not merely to give light and conviction, but to impart strength to put the might of God into us. To this is conjoined an indwelling Saviour. Where Christ dwells He reigns, and where He reigns sinis subverted. and expelled. In this state the believer is supposed to be rooted and grounded. And yet this high degree of grace is only preparatory and enabling. The Apostle entreats God to endow us with this measure of power and holiness for a higher and more advanced object, namely, that