The executive business of Christian Brethren is managed by deacons; but the diaconal stage has not yet been reached in Preston.  There are branches of the body in Blackburn, Southport, Bolton, &c.; but none exist in Lancashire north of Preston.  The brethren here have no Sunday-school; but the establishment of one is contemplated, and it may be in time fairly attended.  What the number of attendants will be we can’t tell, but this may be fairly said—­that if each of the ten members happens, in the lapse of time, to have 12 children, and if all are sent to school, 120 scholars will be raised, and that this would constitute a very good muster for a small denomination.  But we must return to the subject.

After the singing, which our friend so improved—­and he continued “in the werry same tone of voice,” as poor Sam Cowell used to say in his “Station Porter’s” song, through every hymn—­a bearded, mustached, and energetic young man (Mr. W. Hindle), originally a Methodist town missionary, at one time connected with Shepherd-street Ragged School, Preston, and now an “Evangelist” belonging the Christian Brethren, labouring at Southport, Blackburn, &c., but generally engaged for Sunday service at Preston, read several verses from the Bible; then be prayed, his orison being of a free and wide-spreading type; and afterwards he asked if any “brother” would read from Holy Writ.  A pause followed, doubt and bashfulness apparently supervening; but at length a calm, thoughtful gentleman got up, and went through sundry passages in Isaiah.  The singing of a hymn succeeded, and Mr. Hindle then asked if “another brother” would read.  A gentleman, spectacled, with his hair well thrown back, and very earnest, here rose, and having put a small Bible upon a little table in front, and taken up a larger volume which the minister had been perusing, diced into Corinthians, and gave a tolerably satisfactory reading.  The minister then commenced discussing certain antithetical points in St. Paul’s writings, and next asked if “two or three brethren” would engage in prayer.  Thirty seconds elapsed, and then one of the brethren made a prayer.  The sacrament—­bread and wine—­directly followed, and after a purse, suddenly pulled out from some place by the minister, had been sharply handed round for contributions, a serious young man gave out a hymn, which the company genially sung.  More speaking ensued:  but the minister had it all to himself.  He said—­“Will any brother speak; now is the time; if you have anything to state utter it; lose no time, but say on.”  Never a brother spoke; eye-squeezing and thumb-turning, and deep introspection followed; and in the end the minister rose, took his text from three or four parts of the Bible, and gave a lengthy discourse, relieved at intervals with genuine outbursts of eloquence, relative to Christian action and general duty.  He seemed to have a poor notion of many Christians, and somewhat fantastically illustrated their position