(my) the people in Jordan is TISTERY, can was this purpose. We have seen Etymology tortured in different ways, and, after all, what is done? Such endeavours to gain support, clearly shew that the cause of sprinkling or pouring is become desperate. Could it be maintained by direct, substantial evidence, expedients like these would be considered of no value, and would not be exhibited; lest they should weaken the force of other arguments. It is a little singular, that, in the same month in which Lamed is sending abroad the assertions we have been examining, a writer in the Christian Observer informs us, that "it was only upon extraordinary occasions that the rite [of baptism] was administered in any other way than by IMMERSION during the first four centuries." Christ. Obs. p. 211. I am, Sir, May 6, 1824. ANTICIPATIONS! To mention only one instance more, which is drawn from the Old Testament; when the spoil taken from the Midianites purified, it was commanded that THESE may be painful or every thing that may abide the pleasant; and, at some seasons, fire, ye shall make it go through cise the mind, producing their both fears and hopes may exerthe fire, and all that abideth not the fire, ye shall make appropriate effects of pain and through the water." Num. xxxi. pleasure. Not to mention many 23. Here the Syriac translator circumstances to which these rewithout ceremony uses the word marks are applicable, I confine ny, rendering the last expres-NUAL MEETINGS OF THE BAPmyself to the approaching ANsion, baptize in water. I now leave the reader to form his own reflections on Lamed's as go sertion, "that it is evident the word Ty could not be employed in the sense of immersion.” It is surprising what a variety of attempts are made to argue us down; and equally surprising the class of arguments used for TIST DENOMINATION, which cannot be contemplated with pations either of anxiety or desuitable feelings, without anticilight, by those who know that much, very much, depends upon these, as regards the manner and spirit by which they are conducted and attended, as to the future interests of the churches; the Missions, and, perhaps, the spiritual interests of thousands, or even millions, of our fellow creatures. they will attend the future Annual Meetings in London! They will be received with ardent affection and undissembled respect, by their brethren in the metropolis, who well know how to estimate their worth, and how to appreciate their usefulness, in the churches of which they are members, and to the Denomination of which they are ornaments. Many arguments might be employed, if it were thought necessary, to induce them not to let the opportunity, in the present month, be lost for throwing their offerings into the Treasury: offerings not merely of their money, (that is comparatively inconsiderable,) but of their wisdom, and prudence, and zeal; and, above all, of their prayers! O that representatives from all our churches could be seen assembled at the Meeting, appropriated to the purpose of imploring the Holy Spirit's mighty working upon the hearts of all our Missionaries, and all our Ministers!" Without me," said our Lord, " ye can do nothing." Who is there among us, that does not cordially be That these Annual Meetings have been productive of very great and beneficial effects, as to the welfare of the Denomination, there are, perhaps, few who would attempt to contradict; and that they have afforded an opportunity for the expression of brotherly love, and the concentration of the talents and energies of the Denomination, none can deny: to mention but one instance will be sufficient to prove their utility-Two years since, the Baptist Missionary Society owed upwards of £3000; the immediate removal of this burden had neither been attempted nor contemplated by the Committee, though some of them had assisted in advancing the money; but a worthy Deacon from the country, in the Committee Meeting, at the Mission Rooms, previous to the Public Meeting, modestly proposed a plan, by which the whole debt might be removed during the year: this was afterwards adopted, and, though its accomplish-lieve this Divine aphorism? Who ment appeared improbable, yet it was effected and the Society, at the last Anniversary, had the satisfaction of hearing, that, without any injury to the regular subscriptions and collections, this large sum had been more than realized: and the Society thereby relieved from heavy pecuniary embarrassments. Had no other good resulted from the Annual Meetings than this, the evidence of their utility would be fully established! The object proposed by this paper is to induce all the perin of influence, our churches, if they can by any means accomplish it, to resolve sous does not feel it, and daily acknowledge it in his secret and family devotions? It might be added, Who is there among us, who practically believes, and acts upon the spirit of this sentiment, and, therefore, depends wholly, and implores constantly, the assistance of the Holy Spirit of God, expecting no good results from all our contributions towards the ministry of the word, and the spread of the gospel without it? The deaths of some of our Missionaries, and the afflictions of others: the distressed and divided condition of some of our churches, and other circum stances, imperiously call upon us to unite as a Denomination; and the objects to be promoted by the Annual Meetings, afford opportunities for all Calvinistic Baptists, to imitate the primitive Assembly at Jerusalem, and to be of " one heart and one soul in one place." 66 APELLES. Observations on the Letter of Projector" in the last Number of the Magazine. tions by which our youth are expelled from the English Universities. While, however, I express my full approbation of more use being made of the Scotch Universities, I think it will be unnecessary to raise new subscriptions, for the purpose, until it is ascertained, that those which have been provided, by our pious evangelical Dissenting forefathers, are insufficient for the purpose. Dr. enabled to send Ward's Trustees, it appears, are two Baptist Students in every year: Dr. Williams's Trustees can, if they please, I apprehend, extend their assistance to Baptists: and To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. a considerable part of the Bap SIR, tist Fund has been left expressly for young ministers. If six or to provide academical education eight persons annually could be sent from the funds already pro It is evident, from the style and spirit of" Projector's" letter, that he is one of our Denomination, of no common or ordinary charac-vided, I conclude that, at present, ter. That he possesses a liberal and benevolent feeling towards the future respectability and welfare of our churches, is very apparent; and it is probable, also, that his influence is sufficiently great to accomplish the object which he so powerfully and eloquently recommends. That the Scotch Universities open a door for the free admission of our youth, whose education is in progress, and especially of our young ministers, is a gratifying circumstance; and that the liberty has not been fully improved by English Dissenters, cannot be contradicted. I am pleased with the suggestion of "Projector," therefore, because it supersedes the necessity of establishing an English College, free from those vexatious restric the proposed object is fully provided for; but should it be found that a greater number of approved students are anxious to visit Scotland than these can supply, then the plan of "Projector" will, I doubt not, be acted upon; and the writer of this pledges himself to do what he can to promote it, by his own subscription, and by application to his friends. There depend upon annual donations are so many new objects which and subscriptions, that no plan should be obtruded upon the attention of the religious public, for which ample funds are already provided. A BAPTIST. WE are unavoidably obliged to AT SARDIS to our next number. Ed. postpone the insertion of THE CHURCH 242 Miscellanea. IN more particularly examing the human frame, we propose to commence with the bones. The bones may be considered as the frame-work of the system. They give to the body the rudiments of its form, and the materials of its strength. Their texture, though hard and strong, does not render them unwieldy nor cumbersome; but they are neat and elegant, and exquisitely adapted to all the conveniencies of life; and, like all the works of the glorious Creator, each of them, the more it is examined, the more it unfolds his matchless perfections. The head is deservedly consider ed the principal part of the body. Its various bones are wonderfully adapted to their situations and uses; the skull, which contains a most delicate and invaluable treasure, is particularly hard; its spherical form renders it capacious, and better adapted for the defence of the brain; the sides of the cranium are wisely depressed, by which the sphere of vision is enlarged, and the situation of the ears greatly improved, both for the reception of sound, and the avoidance of injury. It must not be imagined that the head, nor even the skull, is formed of few bones, on the contrary, it is composed of very many, each of which has its appropriate form and uses. It is impossible for the reflecting mind not to admire the infinite skill displayed even in the apertures left for the organs of sense, and for all that is needful in the process of sensation; nor can we fail to admire the construction and firmness of the jaws, and the important purposes, which, in connexion with the teeth, they serve. The teeth, alone, display the perfections of their Maker. In addition to their use in mastication, they contribute not a little to the beauty of the face, as seen in conversation, and the occasional display of the benevolent passions, as well as to the harmony of the voice. Their number is generally, although not invariably, thirty-two. The inimitable enamel with which they are covered, not merely adorns, but preserves them, and is so hard that files will scarcely impress it; and, it is remarkable," the fibres of this enamel are perpendicular to the internal substance, and are straight on the base, but, at the sides, are arched with a part towards the root, which makes the teeth resist the compression of any hard body between the jaws, with less danger of breaking these fibres than if they had been situated transversely." The teeth have canals formed in their middle, wherein their nerves and blood-vessels are placed, and those which contain the greatest number are most liable to disease. Divine Providence is further displayed in their growth and exchange. The babe, who draws his nourishment from the breast, needs them not, but, as it is necessary he should be weaned from this indulgence, about twenty progressively appear. About the age of seven, the first set is thrust out by new ones formed deeper in the jaw, and others discover themselves farther back in the mouth. After another seven years, the exchange begins to be completed, and a number of stronger teeth are still added. convex Let it not be imagined that this ex- muscles which perform any of these change of the teeth is a defect in actions are nearer the center of our constitution: as the jaws en- motion; consequently, the lever large, but for this provision, those of with which they act is shorter than the first set must become too far when the centre of motion is on removed from each other; but, the the part of the joints opposite to later teeth having to force out their that where these muscles are inpredecessors, their width is increased | serted; which is the case in raising by the pressure, and they are there- the body. This is extremely neby adapted to the enlarged jaw.cessary, since, in the deflections of Nor is the diversified shape of the the spine, the weight of the body teeth unworthy the notice of those soon inclines it to the direction we who delight to trace manifestations choose; whereas in raising it, this of their Creator's skill: some adapt-great weight must be more than ed for dividing and cutting, others counteracted. for grinding our food. 4." In estimating the force exerted by these muscles, we should always make allowance for the action of the cartilages between the an erect posture, must be stretched on one side and compressed on the other, both which they resist; whereas, in raising the body, they assist by their springing force. In viewing the bones of the trunk, | one cannot but be struck with the simplicity of their construction, considering the innumerable mo-joints, which, in every motion from tions they undergo, and multiplied uses which they serve. The ribs form a powerful yet elegant defence to the principal organs of the animal machine -the heart and lungs, and the erection of the spine, notwithstanding its numerous joints, cartilages, &c. demand particular observation. These joints, unlike those of art, admit of motions the most opposite, and that with the greatest rapidity; thus, without using one foot, we move from side to side, forwards, and even back-ing: but when relieved from their wards, with ease. From a review of this portion of the human frame, these considerations have been deduced: 1. "That, because the joints of which the spine is composed are so numerous, the spinal marrow, nerves, blood-vessels, &c. are not liable to such compression and overstretching as they would otherwise be, since several joints must be concerned in every movement of the spine; and, therefore, a very small curvature is made at the conjunction of any two joints. 2. "That an erect posture is the surest and firmest, because the surface of contact of these joints is then largest, and the weight is most perpendicular to them. 3. "That the muscles which move the spine act with greater | force in bringing the trunk into an erect posture, than in drawing it to any other; for, in bending forwards, backwards, or on either side, the 5. "We are hence naturally led to the reason of our height of stature increasing towards morning, and decreasing towards night: for the intermediate cartilages of the joints being pressed during the day, by the weight of the body, become more compact and thin in the even pressure in the night, they expand themselves to their former thickness; and, seeing the bulk of any part must vary according to the different distension or repletion of the vessels composing it, we may understand how we become taller after a plentiful meal, and decrease after fasting. 6. "From the different articulations of the bodies, and oblique processes of the vertebræ, and the different strength of the ligaments, it is plain that they are formed so as to allow much larger motion forward than backward; this last being of much less use, and might be dangerous, by over-straining the large blood-vesels that are contiguous. 7. "The cartilages, referred to, shrivelling as they become more solid by age, is the cause why old people generally bend forwards." The superior and inferior extremities, as they are called, are |