servants. While all ought to feel and act towards him as being his servants, it is only believers that actually do so. And believers are the servants of Christ, not after the manner of hired servants, but rather, as the term rendered “ser- vant” in our text implies, after that of slaves. Hired servants The Testimony. render a stipulated service for a stipulated consideration; but ══════════════════════════════════ slaves are their master's property, and on this ground owe him all the service they can render. And believers occupy this “BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT.” latter position in relation to Christ. To all such the Apostle says, “Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price,” (1 “THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.” Cor. 6: 19, 20,) “Ye are Christ's.” 3: 23. It is only when men are thus Christ's that they are really ══════════════════════════════════ free. It is alike the duty and the wisdom of all to dedicate NO. 40. SYDNEY, JANUARY 1869. themselves to him, and when any do so, and their choice is ══════════════════════════════════ thus in harmony with their obligations and their interests, they PRICE SIXPENCE. are then, and then only, free. It is in this that true freedom consists, that no power withholds us, or is able to withhold us, from the course which we ought to pursue, and which we must NOTICES. THE TESTIMONY will be published on the 20th of each month. pursue that it may be well with us; and it is only those who When the paper is delivered in town the subscription is 5s. per annum. have dedicated themselves to Christ and are his “servants,” When it is sent by post 6s. payment in advance in both cases. To that have attained to this freedom. persons taking five or more copies the subscription will be 4s. All Christ's “servants” are “good and faithful” servants, Advertisements will be received up to the 18th of each month, at the but some of them are eminently such. They are “faithful” following rates: – servants, and, as being faithful and in other respects, they are Two lines … … … 0s. 6d Half inch … … … 1s. 0d “good” servants. The term “faithful” presents their character For advertisements of four or five inches, the charge per inch will be under one aspect; the term “good,” which is more 1s. 6d. On all insertions but the first of standing advertisements, a comprehensive, affords a general description of it We shall reduction of 20 per cent. will be allowed. consider it first as it is described by the more specific term. ══════════════════════════════════ To each of his servants Christ, to use the phraseology supplied by the parable in which our text occurs, delivers a The Testimony. portion of “his goods,” to some more, to some less. The “goods” thus delivered to them, estimated in the parable as so ═════════════════════════════════ many “talents,” consist of all things whatsoever, capable of No. 40 JANUARY. Vol. 1 being employed or turned to account in his service, that are ═════════════════════════════════ possessed by them; for it is by him as their Creator or in the CONTENTS. administration of providence and as head over all things to the Church, that all such things have been bestowed upon them. PAGE. From this general description it is evident that the “goods” The Good and Faithful Servant … … … … 465 under consideration comprehend the bodily and mental William Manson, Esq. … … … … 466 powers of the servants, their attainments and culture, their The place assigned to the Bible by the Church of Rome… … 467 St. George's Mutual Improvement Association … … 469 spiritual graces and endowments, their material possessions, Correspondence … … … … … 470 the relations they sustain, the offices they bear, and the social Religious Liberty endangered in England … … … 471 positions they occupy; for all these are capable of being turned The Spanish Revolution … … … … 471 The Emmigration of the Jesuits from Spain … … … 473 to account for Christ, and, so far as they admit of being thus Queen Isabella's Confessor … … … … 473 applied or are otherwise desirable, they proceed from his hand A Presbyterian Minister and Pius IX … … … 474 and appointment. And these “his goods,” which he thus Presbytery of Maitland … … … … 475 Moderatism in Victoria … … … … 475 delivers to them, he delivers to them with instructions, that, Protestantism in Madagascar … … … … 476 viewing them and, indeed, themselves as his, they put them to The Prohibition of Christianity in Japan … … … 476 their proper use, and make the proper application of them, acting throughout as his servants and for him. ═════════════════════════════════ Faithfulness on their part consists, accordingly, in their carefully and thoroughly, in the use they make of these “his THE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. goods,” carrying out his instructions with respect to them. (The substance of a sermon preached in St. George's Some of the goods delivered to them indicate the form and Church, on Sabbath, 27th ultimo, the first Sabbath after the special bearing of the service which they are called to render, death of William Manson, Esq., one of the office-bearers of and others of them determine the ability and resources at their the congregation. ) disposal in rendering it; and, when they honestly and earnestly His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful render the service thus prescribed to them according to their servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make ability and resources as thus determined, they act the part of thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy faithful servants. A father, for example, acts so far the part of Lord. – Matt. 25: 21. a faithful servant, when, recognising that, sustaining the In respect of obligation, all men are the servants of Christ, relation of a father, he is required to render the service of for he administers the divine government, all power in heaven bringing up his children for him whose servant he is, doing all and on earth having been given to him. But, in respect of the in his power to secure their interests and to fit them for recognition and discharge of obligation, believers only are his usefulness, 466 and thus to promote the cause of Christ and the glory of God, he designate each of those to whom it is addressed – “good and diligently strives to render this service, availing himself of all the faithful servant,” and by a special reference, for such it seems to advantages for doing so which the portion of his Master's goods be at least in part, to the comparatively repressing circumstances delivered to him confers. In like manner, whatever sphere is under which faithfulness was displayed – “thou hast been faithful occupied, when the occupant of it renders, according to his ability over a few things.” and means, the service which as occupying it he is required to Having thus announced to his servants his high approval of render, – when he honestly determines the details of the service them, Christ will declare to each of them “I will make thee ruler which devolves upon him as occupying it, as they consist of over many things;” and he will give full effect to this declaration duties of a general character common to all servants, and of the by the fiat, “enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” The joy of their more special duties that spring from the distinctive facts and Lord is the joy that accrues to Christ from the glorious issue of features of his position, and, in the conscientious application of his mediation, – from the salvation of his people and the the goods delivered to him, renders that service in all its details, manifestation of the divine perfections which their salvation he bears the character of a faithful servant. affords. Those results he regards with unspeakable satisfaction We have hitherto contemplated the faithfulness of Christ's and delight, and he admits his servants to participate in the joy servants as it consists in conscientious care and diligence on their which he thus experiences. Bearing his image and being of one part in putting his goods to the proper use, or, in other words, in mind with him, they view the results of his mediation in the same rendering the service which devolves on them, on the general light in which he himself views them, cordially sympathising ground that they are his servants, or on the special ground that with and concurring in his appreciation of them, and thus, in their they are servants to whom he has delivered the particular portion measure, they participate in the joy with which he regards them, of his goods with which they have been entrusted; but we shall their position affording them every advantage for doing so. And, fail to form a correct conception of their faithfulness, if we do not besides, the joy which he experiences is itself a source of joy to distinctly recognise that in putting his goods to the proper use them. From their love, their gratitude, and their devotedness to they are influenced by an earnest concern for his interests; that in him, his joy becomes theirs. It becomes theirs also from their rendering the service which they owe they are animated with a union to him. spirit of devotedness to their Master. They not only proceed The participation of Christ's servants in his joy comprehends according to his instructions, so far as regards their activity and in it their being, in association with him, “rulers over many the operations in which they engage, but they proceed according things.” They shall be raised not only to blessedness, but also to to them, desiring earnestly that he may see of the travail of his exalted dignity and glory.