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And still it lasts, by day and night,
With one consenting voice,
All hymn Thy glory, Lord, aright,
All worship and rejoice.

Christian Year.

The morning stars in choral concert sang, The rolling deep with hallelujahs rang, Adoring angels from their orbs rejoice, The voice of music, was creation's voice. Montgomery.

Mutual-Aid Association Reporter.

PRESIDENTS' LETTER.-No. 12.,
AND LAST.

Aylesbury, May 14.

MY DEAR BRO. SIMS,-Since I last wrote you I have been pleading the cause of my poor old sick brethren with very good success, at Louth, Walsall, St. Ives, Huntingdon; ably assisted by Bros. Rose and Amphlett; after which Bros. Benson and C. S. Madder have held public meetings at Bristol, Penzance, St, Just, Gunnerslake, Callington, Barnstaple, Melksham.

Started new Branch at Gunnerslake and Callington, with some seven or eight new hon. members; rousing up local secretaries, putting new life into old Branches, removing ignorance, and slaying the old enemy, prejudice; and, admitted on all hands, doing good work for our beloved Association. In our Sabbath work, the Master has blessed us by giving us several souls for our hire. To Him be all the praise. The following is all I have been able to gather up this last month. There are still a few more to come, but will send them in next month, D.V.

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NEW HONORARY MEMBERS.
Mr. J. E. Hookey, Birmingham.
Mr. W. Grey, West Hartlepool.
Mr. W. R. Golightly, Durham.
Charles Maggs, Esq., Melksham,
Wilts.

A. Stratton, Esq., Melksham, Wilts.
Gurney Buxton, Alderman.
Ambrose Winter, Alderman.
Samuel Newman, Alderman.
Robert Haselwood, Esq.
E. J. Newbegin, Esq.
S. J. J. Jarrold, Esq.

TO THE BRETHREN TO BE ASSEMBLED IN ANNUAL MEETING AT SHEFFIELD.

Thames Street, Windsor. DEAR BRETHREN,-For thirty years without interruption I have had the pleasure of meeting with you; and, although now detained through severe affliction of body, I feel that I ought rather to be thankful for the past than to murmur at the present.

I wish you all God speed in your Annual Meeting, and trust that the Divine blessing will rest thereon in rich abundance.

I do not know how it will go with me; but in any case I beg that you will feel yourselves at perfect liberty to deal with the Honorary Secretaryship as you judge best for the interests of the Association.

Some notices of motion are in my name as usual; but, no doubt, some other brother will take them up, and show good cause for their adoption. The division of the funds, in such proportion as you may order, would, I am persuaded, be a prudent step, and would tend to check a too lavish generosity on the part of impulsive brethren, who forget how soon the savings of years may be dissipated.

The adoption of a sliding scale of receipts and payments is the only plan that will greatly increase your benefit members; until that principle is adopted, we shall only continue to recruit our ranks from the very poorest of Methodist Local Preachers, and from the comparatively few who, being in better circumstances, are also large-hearted and full of brotherly love.

The large middle class will continue to belong to other friendly societies, into which they can pay more, and when they are sick can receive more out.

But if you are content with the present grasp and extent of the Association among Methodist Local Preachers, as former triennial meetings have been, so let it be. You are only willing to be little when you might be great.

I do sincerely hope that you will consider the motions for increased pay with all Christian prudence before you add to the responsibilities of the Association. Only three years have passed since we greatly increased those responsibilities by adding to the pay of the sick and to the annuitants. We have not felt the burden of this so much as we should have done, on account of sums received from legacies and from the personal efforts of our Presidents. Meantime the number of annuitants has risen 50 per cent., and most

likely that rate will be continued for the next three years.

A study of the table of statistics, which I first prepared many years ago, and which is continued to this date, cannot fail to be profitable to you. I am one who believes that, to Christian associations as well as to Christian men, the Scriptural rule is the only true one. "Owe no man anything," and for us to outrun our ORDINARY income, is to get into debt.

To preserve our funds and to add thereto all legacies and special donations, is the only way to keep faith with those generous friends who have thus made us their almoners.

I hope you will pass the Trust Deed, as it is bearing out the words, "or Independent," which some have misunderstood. But, pray, do not put into the deed the principle of loans, which is not constitutional, according to our rules. The clause respecting a trustee's individual liability only, is the same as in all trust deeds that I have ever seen; and it would be impossible to get a body of trustees who would be content to be answerable for all their fellows in time to come. May He who only is All-wise direct your thoughts aright. Your faithful and affectionate brother, THOMAS CHAMBERLAIN.

NOTICES OF MOTION.

To the Members of" The Wesleyan Methodist Local Preachers' MutualAid Association."

DEAR BRETHREN,-As it is not likely that I shall be at your next annual gathering; yet I am very desirous that nothing should be done to shake the stability of Our Association, or subtract from its invested fund. The permanency of the Association, and its ability to meet the claims of the sick and aged will depend in a great measure on the keeping up and augmenting the reserve fund. At the formation of the Association it was said, "It cannot stand." To that remark I replied, "It must stand if we pay out no more than we receive." For my part, I cannot see the propriety of religious societies overrunning their income.

I look upon Bro. Milsom's Notice, No. 2, page 125, April Magazine, as unwise as it is impolitic, and I should judge it will be negatived by an unmistakeable majority.

Bro. Johnson's Notice, No. 6, in the same Magazine, to raise the Old Men's Annuity a hundred per cent., endorsed by Bro. Amphlett, would be an act of great injustice to our sick claimants, who can only claim 8s. a week, and must not follow their usual employ, while the annuitants can, and receive the same amount. For twenty-five years the maximum allowance to annuitants was 4s. a week. During that time the average claimants on the annuitant fund was about 100, but since the allowance has been raised to 5s. and 6s., the annuitants have increased, and the last committee reported 164 on that fund.

It has for a long time been clearly understood that our Old Men must be supported by the free contributions of our friends; and as the number of aged brethren, as will be seen above, is increasing, it will be far more prudent and do more good to extend the benefits by giving 4s. a week to twenty poor brethren, rather than give 8s. a week to ten. Our object has been, and I believe still is, to extend the benefits of our Association to as many of our old needy brethren as we possibly can, but this will not be done by raising the annuity to 8s. a week. I am, dear brethren, Yours most truly, PHILIP PARKER.

May 7th, 1881.

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to go to the parish for the means of sustenance. He was ashamed that there were so many local preachers in the city who could not deny themselves so much time as was required to attend that meeting. (Hear, hear.) Alluding to the objects of the Society, the speaker advocated an increase of the sick allowances, and the abolition of the funeral fees, because he thought they might safely leave it to the leaders' meetings to take care that an old local preacher who had worked among them should have a decent burial. Mr. E. Benson (ex-president of the Association) stated that at present there were 164 aged local preachers on the fund, receiving from four to six shillings a week. It was required that every person on the fund must be a contributor. During the past year £395 had been paid in funeral expenses, and £1,165 in sick allowances. It was calculated that from £1,800 to £2,000 would be required for the present year, and it was for that reason that special efforts were being put forth on behalf of the society. With regard to the remarks of the chairman, the speaker pointed out that the Association was started solely to provide for poor local preachers, to keep them out of the workhouse, and bury them when dead. The meeting was also addressed by Mr. C. S. Madder (President of the Association), Rev. W. Nicholson, and others, and at the close a collection was made in aid of the funds of the association.

ST. IVES, HUNTS.

THE WESLEYAN METHODIST LOCAL

PREACHERS' MUTUAL-AID ASSOCIATION.

ON Sunday, April 24th, two sermons were preached in the Wesleyan Chapel, St. Ives, Hunts, on behalf of this Association, by Mr. Madder, of Aylesbury (the President). In the morning there was quite a large congregation, and by the amount raised at the collections, and the coming up of the people again in the evening, all seemed not only to enjoy the preaching but to sympathise greatly with the object the preacher had in view, viz., the support of poor Local Preachers of our land when they are

not able to work through illness, old age, &c. The preacher touched very much on this subject in his good practical sermons. On Monday evening a public meeting was held in the school-room adjoining the chapel. The place was filled; the chair was taken at seven o'clock by Mr. Stratton, sen. After singing and prayer the chairman spoke a few words, then called upon the Local Secretary (Mr. Waits) to read the report. The audience then listened to a highly interesting speech from Mr. Rose, of Aylesbury, and another from Mr. Madder, of the same place. These gentlemen set before the meeting the whole working of the Association over England in a very interesting manner, after which the collection was made, being very satisfactory. A few remarks were then made by the Rev. C. Bradley (Superintendent Minister), and Mr. Kiddle (Circuit Steward). The meeting, which was very successful in every way, was closed by singing and prayer about nine o'clock.

SHEFFIELD.

May 14th, 1881. DEAR BRO. SIMS,-May I suggest that, as so many Chapels are placed at our service on the 19th of June, that as a Committee, we do hope all our brethren will seek for a rich baptism of the Holy Ghost in their own closets before they come; and that the prevailing plea should be, as they address (as I am sure they will) the Giver of every good and perfect gift, "I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory;" and then, in this spirit, they will be prepared to do with soul earnestness the tasks assigned by the Committee. The one thought, the glory of God, will include the interests of the Association; and, coming prepared to be "hewers of wood or drawers of water," the services they render will tell for years to come, both on their own spirits and for the furtherance of the cause we love so well. For each and all, we offer to God our earnest prayers.

On behalf of the Local Committee,
I am, dear Bro.,
Yours very truly,

T. TURTLE.

13, Regent Square, Penzance, May 11, 1881.

DEAR SIR,-Mr. Madder, the President of the "Local Preachers' Mutual-Aid Association," and Mr. Benson, one of its Vice-Presidents, have given us a visit at Penzance. Mr. Benson preached at the United Methodist Free Church Chapel, at Parade Street, on the Sunday evening, May 1st, and a collection was made amounting to £1 1s., on behalf of the funds of the Association. And on Monday evening, May 2nd, a public meeting was held in the Wesleyan Chapel, Chapel Street, presided over by the Rev. H. Jones, the chairman of the Cornwall district.

Messrs. Madder and Benson addressed the meeting, making in their speeches strong appeals on behalf of the poor old Local Preachers. The audience, though not a large one, was, all things considered, very good, and seemed to be very much interested in the addresses of the speakers; and sympathy with the object was best shown by the collection at the end, amounting to £8. A great many calls for money have lately been made on our good people here, and the district meeting is shortly to be held in the town, or we should no doubt have had more. I believe that a meeting of this kind, holding forth the claims of the Association, should be held annually, and if so, good results would follow. I should say that Mr. Madder preached in the Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday evening, to a large congregation, and I have reason to believe that good was done.

Hoping that similar service will be rendered in the future by the same or other gentlemen,

Mr. G. Sims.

I am, dear Sir,
Yours truly,
WM. TRIGGS.

MARKET PLACE,

LOUTH, May 12th, 1881.

DEAR BRO. SIMS,-At the close of our financial year, I am thankful to say our Report presents a more favourable aspect than that of last year. Our expenses last year for sickness were unusually large. Glad

to say, through the Divine blessing, this year they are much less.

We have had the gratuitous services of our esteemed President, Bro. Madder, and Bro. Amphlett, to our Anniversary of April 18 and 19, services in the Wesleyan and United Methodist Chapels. Meeting on Monday evening in the Wesleyan Chapel, the Superintendent opening the meeting in the usual way by singing and prayer; after which, Bro. Salmon was called upon to preside, J. Bennet, Esq., having been called from home unexpectedly, who would otherwise have presided. With his usual generosity, he forwarded a sovereign for the collection, and a note expressing his regret at not being present. Meeting good throughout. C. Tregonning and deputation addressed the meeting.

Rev.

I am, yours faithfully,
W. MAWER.

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Johnson, Sims, Wardley and Wright.

The meeting was opened with singing hymn 403, and prayer by Bro. Boorman.

The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.

The Secretary reported that he had searched through all the books but could find no record how the error could have originated as to the reported resignation of Bro Laycock. It was, therefore, Resolved, That his name be at once restored, and that an apology be sent to him.

The monthly abstract was read, showing receipts for the month, £548 13s. 10d.; payments for the month, £368 10s. 3d., and rent, £8 15s. Total receipts since last audit, £3,427 2s. 5d. ; payments, £2,988 3s. 2d. New members for the month, 37; deaths, 2 members, 2 wives; on the funds, sick, 113; annuitants, 166.

CASES FROM BRANCHES.

C. J., of O., whose case was referred from last month for further information, which was now given, was voted 5s. per week superannuation.

W. B., of B., aged 83, a local preacher 56 years; wife dead; no children. A nailer by trade, but having no income beyond the 4s. granted by the Association some time since, applied for increase on the ground of old age. Resolved, That the brother have 6s. per week in future.

E. L., of W., aged 69, local preacher 47 years; wife 77; has three children, who cannot help. A shoemaker by trade, but has not been able to work for three years, and has no income. Suffers from gradual loss of sight, bent fingers, and rupture. A member from the beginning of the Association. Resolved, That he have 6s. per week.

J. F., of N., aged 72, local preacher 46 years; wife 68; has two children,. who cannot help. Has been a farmlabourer, earning 8s. or 9s. per week. suffers from rheumatism. Resolved, That the case be referred for further information.

E. B., of B., aged 78; local preacher 50 years; has seven children, but none can help him. A farm-labourer. Has been on the sick fund six months.

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