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golden cupolas, and inlaid with flowers and arabesques of agate, malachite, and other valuable stones. It stands in the midst of an artificial lake, surrounded by a promenade, planted with trees and paved with marble. A little bridge across the water leads to the temple. In the temple are a number of priests whose daily duty it is to read the Grunth, the religious book of the Sikhs. This great relic takes the place of an idol. Wrapped in a silk handkerchief, it is carefully locked up in a costly casket. The Sikh bows before it, and will never approach it with shoes on his feet. Every morning some eight or twelve priests, with their long white beards, seat themselves each before his copy, and monotone loudly. Instruction and edification are not aimed at; the Grunth must simply be read, for reading it is a meritorious work.

Peshawur is the next most important town of the Punjab. It lies west of the Indus, at the mouth of the Khyber Pass, under the Hindu Koosh mountains, on the borders of Affghanistan, to which country it formerly belonged; but Runjeet Singh conquered it and annexed it to his dominions. It is the northern door of India, and is a military post of much importance. It has a large population of Hindus and Mohammedans, and the latter have a college here, from which many Moulvies, the doctors of Central Asia, take their honours.

Multan is the fourth town in importance. Both it and Peshawur were occupied as stations of the C.M.S. soon after the opening of the Punjab Mission at Amritsar. Lahore was taken up later.

Delhi used to be the imperial capital of India, and it was there that the last nominal emperor of the Mogul dynasty lived till the year 1858. He ended his sorrowful life in banishment after the Mutiny, and his splendid palace stands waste and desolate. Delhi is the most beautiful and, except Amritsar, perhaps, the most interesting town of the Punjab, but the C.M.S. has no station there, it being occupied by the S.P.G. and other societies.

LING SIENG-SING'S TRIALS AT KIONG-NING FU,

Communicated by his Wife Chitnio.

HE following interesting communication, sent to us by the Rev. Llewellyn Lloyd, one of our missionaries at Fuh-Chow, has been written by Chitnio, wife of the Rev. Ling Sieng-Sing. It refers to a persecution at Kiong-Ning Fu two years ago, before Sieng-Sing's ordination, which took place on Easter Day, 1876. Chitnio was educated in the school at Singapore conducted by Miss Cooke, of the Female Education Society, and learned English there; and her account is printed exactly as she wrote it:

Sieng Sing went to a place named Kiong-Ning Fu, 200 miles far from Foochow. There was not one Christian man in that place, all quite dark till Sieng Sing went, there was a little light. Sieng Sing could not speak that language at first, it is a little different from what he can speak, so he was very sad and always praying for the Holy Spirit to help him, his prayer was answered and he could speak that language. He preached in his house, a small chapel, there were many heathen heard him, and several believed in the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. The chief men of the place were quite angry, they were afraid that many would become Christians, and that the English would go and take that place and govern it, so they shut their houses, for many days not open, they said the English sent these catechists there.

Sieng Sing went to Kiong Ning Fu in the 5th month, and in the 7th month he was very sorrowful, he did not know what was the matter, he felt as if the Holy Spirit was saying to him that something would happen to him, he could not sleep, so he read his Bible, he was quite alone in the chapel, but there was a heathen man who took care of the chapel, Sieng Sing used to teach him to read the Bible. Sieng Sing was reading and praying day and night. One night as he was reading there sprang up a light quite bright in the room, everything was quite white, his hands and feet and body were all shaking, and in about half an hour it was all

gone, so he prayed, he was not a bit afraid, God taught him to remember lots of verses in the Bible to comfort him.

In the 11th month there were four students came to help Sieng Sing at Kiong Ning Fu, and in the 12th month the persecution came. The chief men hired other people to do it. It began in this way, they sent some children to throw dirt very nasty on Sieng Sing's bed, they wanted to try him to beat these children so that they may find fault with him, but he did not do or say anything, he was reading his Bible, lots of men came and caught Sieng Sing with the students, two of the students were not there, they had gone to Foochow for their wages, so they caught Sieng Sing, his nephew and two students, took their jackets off, and brought them to a tree, and hanged them with their tails tied up to the tree and their feet lifted up from the earth. Sieng Sing's nephew was quite afraid, so he said to him "To-day you must have great faith." Sieng Sing says he did not feel a bit pain when they beaten him, he was able to sing and praise God, in about two hours they brought down these catechists from the tree and gave them vinegar mixed with hair, they said this would kill them, but they did not swallow it. They beat these men and said "Now what can your God do?" Sieng Sing said "I quite pity you all, because you do not know the way of salvation." They said "You are in great trouble to-day because you wish to work for the English and be their soldiers." Sieng Sing said "I am not working for the English, I am working for my Saviour, whom you do not know, that is the reason I am teaching you now." Some of them had knives and said they wished to kill Sieng Sing, so he said within himself, "If they kill me I am willing to die for my Saviour, and I shall be at home with Him." So the wicked men brought these good men into the streets, tied their tails together, and made them walk about to let all the people see them to frighten them, so that they dare not believe the Gospel. The heathen man who took care of the chapel went and told the Chinese judge. When he came the men all ran away. Then the judge brought Sieng Sing and the students to his house and was very kind to them, gave them some food and money to buy clothes and let one of his men go with them to Foochow. The wicked men also pulled down the chapel.

Sieng Sing was converted about 6 years ago through the preaching of a catechist.

THE POOR PROTESTANTS OF SHEFAMER.

N the GLEANER of July last we gave a picture of Shefamer, a village between Nazareth and Acca, and an account of it by the Rev. J. Zeller. The following is from a letter just received from the Rev. Seraphim Boutagy, the Native pastor stationed there:

I have been troubled very much from the spiritual, temporal, and political state of the congregation; for the devil and all his powers gathered together to fight their weakness by putting doubts in their minds and hearts about the sincerity of our Christianity, because we could not complete, during six years, our church-building here; and they say that they should be very ashamed when the Catholic people speak with them about this matter, especially when they tell them that the English people do not care for themselves and their Church as they care for the Turkish soldiers wounded in the war. I am very sorry to say that some poor persons of our congregations left us, and joined themselves with the Roman Catholic Church for this reason. May I not beg you to publish an appeal in your papers for the money which we want to complete the church-building at Shefa Amer?

I am also troubled too much from the political affairs of the congregation. Yes, in general, all the population of this country are suffering from the bad behaviour of the Government and the extraordinary taxes which she takes of them as a help to the present war; yet I can say that our congregations are in particular more oppressed, for our Government do not care for the rest of any body of her subjects, if he has not a powerful aid or defender. Then she would always care for the Catholic and Greek congregations, because the consuls of the European authorities, and their members in the Mejlisses (Government Councils), help and protect them always; but our congregations scarcely could find any one who would care for their political help by speaking a few words only.

There is a large field here to sow the seed of the Word of God. Oh, I have not the necessary means to bring forth some good fruit from it. There are many villages in the neighbourhood of Shefa Amer which contain many that call themselves Christians, and are neglected all or partly of their own priests; and they wish very much that we would open schools in their villages for their own children. If we would open these schools I believe that they would be a great means to preach the Gospel, not only to those Christians, but also to the Moslems, who inhabit the same villages, and exceed them very much in number; for the schools could be places of rest for the missionary and holy services when he would go to preach the Word of Life; so they should be a great help to bring many of the inhabitants of those villages to the bosom of our

Redeemer, Jesus Christ; and if the consequence of the present war could bring religious liberty, then these schools would be the best means to preach the Gospel to the Moslems of those villages.

I have conversed during this year with many Mohammedans about the truthfulness of our religion, and they showed great wonder when they heard some of our strong arguments, especially those of redemption. I believe, if they had freedom, they would profess Christianity.

THE BUILDING OF THE CITY.
(See NEHEMIAH III.)

ON troublous times, in sight of taunting foes,
By slow degrees the city walls arose;
With willing heart, in wisely planned array,
The builders wrought, and prospered day by day.
The names, the labours, of that faithful band,
In fullest detail, all recorded stand;

The rich, the poor, the weak, the strong, are there;
The daughters' hands the father's burden share.
Type of a nobler city yet to be,

The praise of all who shall its glories see;
Built up of “lively stones," polished and fair,
Earth's richest treasures shall be gathered there.
So doth it grow, the work of many hands,
In spite of scornful speech and hostile bands,
Although "the walls be large," and many a sun
Shall rise and set before the task is done.
Legions of eager angels could with ease
Swiftly complete it, did their Master please;
But, for some reason which we may not know,
The work is given to man-man, fallen, feeble, slow!

Rise, idler! rise, and be one labourer more-
Pass in-there standeth many an open door;
For thine own sake arise, and thou shalt feel
The work will stimulate thy languid zeal.
True labour wakens love. Our interest grows
In that for which we toil; plant thou a rose,
And tend and water it-its flowers shall be
The sweetest in gay summer's wreath to thee.

Oh, wondrous thought! God did but speak at first,
And lo! Creation into being burst;

And yet He deigns to use the help of man,
To consummate Salvation's glorious plan.

Q.

BISHOP CROWTHER: HIS LIFE AND WORK. II. THE CITY OF REFUGE.

T Sierra Leone, as we have said, H.M.S. Myrmidon landed little Adjai and the other slaves rescued with him. Why there ? Before pursuing the slave-boy's history, let us inquire something respecting the place of his refuge.

One hundred years ago England was a great slavetrading nation, and had actually a larger share in the export of slaves from West Africa than all other countries put together. In the year 1771, 192 ships left England fitted up for the stowage of 47,146 Negroes, who were to be carried across the Atlantic to our American and West Indian Colonies. Public opinion, however, was developing upon the subject. John Wesley vehemently denounced the buying and selling of flesh and blood. Granville Sharp's unwearied efforts procured the famous and final decision of Lord Chief Justice Mansfield, on June 22nd, 1772, that "as soon as any slave sets his foot on English ground he becomes free." In 1785 Thomas Clarkson won the prize for the English Essay at Cambridge on the question, “Is it right to make slaves of others against their will?" In 1787 the Abolition Society was formed; and in 1788 began Wilberforce's twenty years' struggle in Parliament.

In 1787 a party of 400 Negroes, many of whom had been turned adrift by their masters after Lord Mansfield's decision, and had been befriended by Granville Sharp, were sent by him, with some Europeans,

to settle on the West Coast of Africa. The spot selected was a mountainous but fertile peninsula, about the size of the Isle of Wight, which the Portuguese had named, from the contour of its hills resembling a lion, Sierra Leone, and which had been a centre of the slave traffic. Four years later the "Sierra Leone Company" was formed, not primarily, like the East India Company and the Hudson's Bay Company, for commercial profit, but for the benefit of the Negroes. This Company obtained possession of Sierra Leone; but notwithstanding the exertions of Zachary Macaulay (father of Lord Macaulay), who was for a time governor of the settlement, misfortunes beset the project. Disease raged among the people; attacks from without and strife within destroyed their peace; in 1794 the French pillaged the colony. At length, in 1808, the peninsula was handed over to the British Crown; and after being managed for some years by another Company under Government control, it became, in 1827, a regular Colony of Great Britain.

The acceptance of Sierra Leone by Government in 1808, was with a view to its being used as a depôt for rescued slaves. For, in the previous year, Wilberforce's long campaign had been crowned with success, and the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade had passed into law (March 24th, 1807). British ships of war were now to cruise up and down the coast, seize the slavers, and deliver the wretched victims composing their cargoes. These liberated Africans," as they were called, were accordingly landed at Sierra Leone: the adults being employed in the cultivation of the ground, and the children put to school. For many years the population was continually augmented in this way, some 2,000 rescued slaves being added to it annually. These having been kidnapped from almost every part of Africa, there were soon gathered at Sierra Leone representatives of more than a hundred tribes, speaking widely different languages; and English therefore naturally became the common tongue.

The moral condition of the poor degraded creatures thus collected together was most deplorable, and for some years Sierra Leone presented sad scenes of barbarism, immorality, and superstition. The natives of different tribes lived in open hostility. When clothing was given to them they would sell it, or throw it away. The purity of family life was unknown among them. Their religion consisted of a belief in gree-grees or charms, as the only preservative against the malice of evil spirits.

How was this state of things to be remedied? No improvement took place until the Gospel was tried; and the result of its application by faithful and praying men was the gradual conversion of almost the entire population to Christianity, and the raising of the colony to a high degree of civilisation and prosperity.

It was in 1816 that the Church Missionary Society undertook the instruction of the liberated slaves. For more than ten years its missionaries had laboured elsewhere on the coast, among the Susus and other tribes, without success; but in that year, on the invitation of the Governor, Sir C. McCarthy, its operations were concentrated upon Sierra Leone, and schoolmasters and catechists were stationed at the different villages. For three years the Society's agents laboured amid much discouragement; but in 1819 the blessing so fervently prayed for was poured out. At Regent's Town, especially, under the ministry of W. A. B. Johnson, the Negroes threw away their gree-grees, crowded church and school, became honest and industrious, and showed every sign of true conversion to God. In 1822-the very year in which the future black Bishop was landed at Freetown-the Chief Justice remarked publicly that in a population of 10,000 there were only six cases for trial at quarter sessions, and "not one from any of the villages under the superintendence of a missionary or schoolmaster."

These triumphs were not won without sacrifice. The climate of Sierra Leone, which has been improved by the cultivation of land once overspread with jungle, was then most deadly; and in the first twenty years of the Mission, no fewer than fifty-three missionaries or missionaries' wives died at their post. Thus, in 1823, out of five missionaries who went out, four died within six months; two years later, two out of six fell within four months of their landing, and the next year, two out of three within six months. But true soldiers of the cross continually stepped forward to fill the vacancies in the ranks; and so the victory

was won.

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To return to Adjai, the rescued slave-boy. The Myrmidon's "cargo was distributed, as usual, among the different villages, and little Adjai was allotted to Bathurst. Two hundred liberated African boys and girls were under the care of the mission schoolmaster at this place, and one of these, who was employed as a monitor, taught the new-comer his alphabet. So eager was the boy to learn that, when the first day's school was over, he ran off to the town, begged a halfpenny from his countrymen, and bought with it an alphabet-card for himself. In six months he could read the New Testament well; and then he too was made a monitor, and earned seven pence-halfpenny a month for his services. The schoolmaster's wife was so pleased with him that she gave him additional instruction in the evening, along with a little girl named Asano, who had been carried captive from the same tribe.

BATHURST, SIERRA LEONE, WHERE SAMUEL CROWTHER PASSED HIS BOYHOOD. (Engraved in 1825.)

But young Adjai's education was not confined to ordinary school education. He learned also the work of a carpenter and of a mason; and his teacher in the former trade was another mission schoolmaster, Mr. Weeks. The future Bishop of the Niger learned the use of the plane and the chisel from the future Bishop of Sierra Leone. Perhaps the progress of Sierra Leone in material prosperity would have been more marked than it has if industrial training to useful handicrafts, and especially to agriculture, had been more vigorously promoted by the authorities. And only six months ago, Bishop Crowther, then in England, in addressing three young lay agents who were receiving the Committee's instructions before sailing for East Africa, earnestly pressed upon them the dignity of manual labour when employed in the cause of Christ, and illustrated its practical value from his own personal experience on the Niger.

But in a higher kind of knowledge still young Adjai soon purchased to himself a good degree. He learned to know the Only True God, and Jesus Christ whom He had sent, and having given ample evidence that his heart as well as his mind had embraced the Gospel, he was baptized on December 11th, 1825, taking the name of a venerable clergyman in England, SAMUEL CROWTHER.

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VENN'S TOWN. UR readers will not have forgotten Mr. Chancellor's work in the Seychelles Islands, and will be pleased to see another of his sketches, which this time shows us "Venn's Town" itself, as he calls his little Industrial Home for African children; and his letter below describes the place. In this letter he mentions the visit to the island of Mahé of H.M.S. Fawn-One of the officers of that ship, Lieut. Sanders, has written to the Society in very warm terms respecting the Mission. "Considering the many difficulties," he says, "under which it labours, I think its success is wonderful, and it only shows that the Lord reigns and will surely prosper His own work. . . . Both Mr. and Mrs. Chancellor

seemed to display great tact and firmness in the management of the children. . . . There are certainly evidences of the Holy Spirit's working, tending to cheer those who are seeking to win souls."

VENN'S TOWN, CAPUCHIN, SEYCHELLES,

July 21st, 1877. As we have finished the building at Venn's Town, I think, perhaps, your readers would like to have a sketch of it. The locality-the altitude of which has at last been decided by Captain Wharton, of H.M.S. Fawn, to be 1,500 feet above the level of the sea-is called Capuchin, on account of the many trees so named which grow here; they belong to the "Sideroscylon" species. This timber is very hard, and almost indestructible, either in water or in the atmosphere, and therefore invaluable for building purposes. The stumps represented in the sketch are of old Capuchin trees. A

great fire, which extended from one end of Mahé almost to the other, destroyed the then standing timber, and left these weird-looking trunks, which very much remind one of some of Doré's pictures. Nearly all the wood of which the houses are built was cut upon the hill which forms the background of the sketch. The stone for the foundation, of which there is a great quantity here, was broken by fire. The lime, which is made of coral, was brought up from town, a distance of about four miles. We can now easily accommodate 200 children, and by ceiling the houses, could lodge 100 more.

The following list will show the present population of Venn's Town:- African boys, 32; African girls, 25; African labourers and families, 19; Mission Servant, 1; Superintendent of manual labour and his family, 6; European Missionary and family, 4; Servants, 2;-Total, 89.

I trust that now we shall be able to concentrate all our energies upon the school, and the Mission in general. Our work now really begins. The ship is no longer in dock, but fairly

NEW YEAR'S DAY AT SHAOUHING. BY THE REV. R. PALMER.

[We insert this in our February number because, as will be noticed, the Chinese New Year's Day referred to fell in February last.]

OST of the readers of the GLEANER are probably aware what a high and festive day New Year's Day is in China. For weeks preparation is made, and upon the last few days of the old year nothing is thought or talked of but "kwunyien" or passing the year, i.e., performing the usual New Year's ceremonies. The literati are busy seeking a tutorship or school for the coming year; the business man is busy writing up his books; the shopkeepers are busy making up heterogeneous parcels, which

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afloat; and I trust that the Good Master will give us wisdom and grace to steer her safely through all evils, and to bring a rich freight of immortal souls to the haven of eternal rest.

Since the above was in type, a letter has been received from Bishop Royston, who was in the Seychelles on visitation in November last, in which he says of Mr. Chancellor's work, "We were much interested in all that we saw and heard. I was struck with very decided progress in the general behaviour and discipline of the children. There is good evidence of patient labour and earnest Christian training. And apart from the felt influences of the place on the young inmates, it is clear that the adult Africans who are scattered all over the islands begin to look on it as a place for their special benefit."

are destined to delight the hearts of old and young in many a household; the artisans are busy trying to earn as much as they can, in order to begin another year free from debt; the housewife is busy washing her lord's clothes and those of the olive branches; the charwoman is busy giving the house its annual cleansing; messengers are busy rushing hither and thither, collecting money which is still owing; and even the very beggars are busy too, going from house to house soliciting alms from the inmates, who cannot refuse a few cash at such a joyful season.

New Year's Day may truly be said to be the only Sabbath the Chinese have. Worship of some kind is performed by nearly every one, shops are closed, men cease to work, and (an unusual thing) all on this day are clad in their very best. Sometimes a man you know calls upon you to pay his respects, but being so metamorphosed by the fine clothing he has contrived to envelope himself in, and being bound to display an extra quantum of ceremony, it is not until you have looked at him again and yet

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again that you can recognise beneath the folds of wool and cloth the individual who-except on this day-always appears before you with garments of many colours, which might aptly be compared to an oldfashioned patchwork quilt much the worse for wear.

This day, then, being a day of worship (idolatrous), leisure, recreation, and joy, it seemed to me that it would be quite in keeping to have a morning service in our school-room for our Christians, and any others who liked to come. I mentioned my desire to one of our Christians, and receiving a "ting hao i-ts" or a warm approval of my plan for an answer, it was arranged to have full morning service, and afterwards Holy Communion.

New Year's Day fell on Tuesday, February 13th, 1877, and at 9.30 A.M. all our regular attendants at church, except two Christians from a village a few miles outside the city, were present. Waiting a short time they

arrived, their late arrival being easily accounted for, by the man having to scull the boat to the city himself, as on this rest day there were no passenger boats. By this time a good number of our neighbours had come in, some expressly to attend the service, and others to congratulate me on being a year older; altogether we had a good congregation. After the second lesson I gave an address, giving a short review of the eventful year through which we had passed, and then addressing the three classes whom I saw before me, namely-1st, Those who did not know the doctrine; 2nd, Those who did, but were undecided; and 3rd, Christians. After the service many good wishes were exchanged between the people, and all seemed pleased at having come together. I was particularly pleased in seeing one or two present whom I had hitherto ineffectually persuaded to attend our services. May it be the beginning of better things even to them!

The morning service over, we celebrated the love of our Lord and Master in dying for us. It was a happy occasion, for two of our Christians who were baptized last August partook of their first Communion, and it was fitting that they on the first day of another year should thus afresh dedicate themselves body, soul, and spirit to Him whom but a few months since they had found to be their Saviour.

Thus we passed the morning of our New Year's Day. The snow was lying thickly on the ground, but above there was a beautiful and unclouded sky. And as the frozen snow thawed under the penetrating rays of the welcome sun, one could not but breathe a prayer to Almighty God, that it may please Him soon to cause the Sun of Righteousness to rise and shine upon poor China, melting the snows of ignorance, superstition, and sin which at present lie thickly upon its heart.

NYANZA MISSION-RECEPTION BY KING MTESA. ETTERS have been received from Lieut. Smith and Mr. Wilson to August 27th last. Lieut. Smith encloses two letters which he had received from King Mtesa, written by the negro boy, Dallington, who was left with Mtesa by Mr. Stanley. They are addressed to "My dear friend wite men," and urge them to come quickly. Messengers were also sent to guide the party.

Lieut. Smith and Mr. Wilson accordingly left Kagchyi, at the southern end of the lake, on the 25th June, in the Daisy. They made for the island Ukara, thirty miles north on Stanley's map. Mistaking, from its dulcet tones, the native war cry for a peaceful invitation, they attempted to land. Providentially a rock suddenly appeared as they were nearing the shore, and the boat was shoved off to avoid striking, whereupon the natives attacked with stones and poisoned arrows. Lieut. Smith received a severe injury in the left eye, and Mr. Wilson was struck by a poisoned arrow, but not seriously hurt.

They then made straight across the lake for Uganda, and reached Murchison Bay on the 26th. They reached the capital, which appears to be called Rubago, on July 2nd. The king received them with great cordiality and state. The letters from the Sultan of Zanzibar and the Society were then read, and translated into Kisuahili by the boy Dallington. When the passage was read in the Society's letter in which a reference is made to our Lord, the king ordered a salute to be fired, which was explained to be for joy at the mention of the name of Jesus. At a subsequent private interview, the king made particular inquiries whether the missionaries had brought the Book, the Bible.

On July 28th, Mr. Wilson writes again that everything continued most encouraging. A service was held at the palace every Sunday morning, the king himself translating into Kiganda everything read and said for the benefit of those who do not understand Kisuahili.

Lieutenant Smith left Mr. Wilson at Uganda on the 30th July, and recrossed the Lake to Kagehyi, where Mr. O'Neill had remained. Much preparation was still necessary before transporting all their baggage, &c., to Uganda, but they hoped to be there at the end of October.

[This number of the GLEANER was ready for press when the news arrived, so we can only give the foregoing summary now. Further particulars in our next.]

EPITOME OF MISSIONARY NEWS.

The consecration of the Rev. T. V. French to the new Bishopric of Lahore, and of the Rev. J. H. Titcomb to the new Bishopric of Rangoon, took place at Westminster Abbey on December 21st, together with that of Archdeacon Trollope to the Bishop-suffragan of Nottingham. The Archbishop of Canterbury officiated, assisted by the Bishops of Winchester and Sydney, Bishops Anderson, Claughton, and Perry. The sermon was preached by Dr. Kay, formerly of Calcutta.

We much regret to report the death of Mrs. F. F. Gough, of Ningpo, on November 3rd, and of Mrs. Russell, of East Africa, on November 20th. The former had been in China many years, having been a missionary's widow before her marriage to Mr. Gough in 1867. She has worked most earnestly among the Chinese women. Mrs. Russell only joined her husband at Frere Town about twelve months before her death.

Mr. J. B. Read, who went out to Leke last summer, to carry on the work begun by Mr. Hinderer, died of fever in a canoe on the lagoon, on Dec. 12th. He had entered on his labours in a true missionary spirit, and his removal is a real loss to the Yoruba Mission.

Mr. H. D. Williamson, B.A., of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, who offered himself to the Society last year, was ordained by the Bishop of London on December 21st. The Committee took leave of him and Mrs. Williamson on January 8th, when they were addressed by General Sir W. Hill. Mr. Williamson is designated to the Mission among the Gônds, the hill-tribes of Central India. His sister and sister-in-law have lately also gone out to the same station, Jubbulpore, in connection with the Zenana Mission.

The Rev. H. Plume, curate of St. Giles'-in-the-Fields, has offered himself to the Society for missionary work, and has been accepted.

The Rev. A. H. Arden, who laboured with much success in the Telugu country in 1864-73, is about to return to the Mission to take part in evangelistic work. He will be a valuable addition to the staff, especially as the death of the able Native clergyman, the Rev. Ainala Bhushanam, has left so serious a blank.

Mr. J. R. Streeter has come home with his motherless children, but will return immediately to Frere Town, to carry on the industrial work he has so well begun. He has shown the Committee two samples of the cotton grown from the seed sown by him last spring.

The Rev. Joseph Carter, Native pastor at Benares, whose ordination we noticed last month, died at Lucknow on November 6th.

A fund is being raised to establish two annual prizes, one for Biblical and the other for secular knowledge, in the Punjab, as a memorial to

General Lake.

Bishop Bompas, of Athabasca, writing in August last, reports that in the previous thirteen months he had traversed the extreme breadth of the diocese, from the Youcon, in the north-west, to the borders of Rupert's Land in the south-east, a distance of 2,000 miles, passing over, in going and returning, about double that distance, and visiting all the Mission stations and other posts on the route. He was about to go through the Peace River district to the south-west, and from thence to cross the Rocky Mountains and visit Metlakahtla.

Dr. E. Downes, our medical missionary in Kashmir, reports that in the four months last summer during which his hospital was open, he had 4,180 out-patients and 219 in-patients, and performed 540 operations. Qadir Bahksh, the old Kashmir catechist, held daily services for the

applicants.

The Rev. James Johnson has sent an interesting report of his tour of inspection last summer to the inland stations of the Yoruba Mission, which will be printed in the C.M. Intelligencer.

A Brahmin student at the Noble High School at Masulipatam was baptized by the Rev. J. Sharp on October 7th, after a most painful struggle between the youth and his relatives, who for four hours on the Saturday night hung upon him, imploring him not to embrace Christianity. A full account appeared in the C.M. Intelligencer for January. A Mohammedan named Galam Hussain, forty-eight years of age, and belonging to a respectable Zemindar family, was baptized at Azimgurh, on September 9th, by the Rev. B. H. Skelton.

Mr. P. M. Zenker, of the C.M.S. Mission at Agra, has, says the Indian Christian Intelligencer, just completed an elaborate History of the Christian Church in Urdu. "It is an exceedingly valuable work, which supplies a great want and supplies it admirably."

The Bombay Guardian says that there are now 116 lady missionaries in India, not including missionaries' wives.

The Spectator of November 10th, reviewing the new edition of Mrs. Hinderer's Memoir (Seventeen Years in the Yoruba Country) says, "This deeply interesting volume is one of the most satisfactory records of missionary work in Africa, and also one of the most impressive personal narratives of missionary experience within our knowledge. Hinderer was a woman who must have made her mark anywhere, by her intellectual force and clear-sightedness, her quiet resolution, and her perfect single-heartedness."

Mrs.

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