appear to have been strangely moved by the position of their brethren in Pegu. They have demanded Christianity and English protection. Fortunately Major Phayre, the commissioner of Pegu, is not attached to the doctrine of neutrality, which means really encouragement to idolatry and hostility to the gospel. He does not consider Christianity in itself a disqualification for office, and has actually employed Karen Christians as envoys. San Qualah, an ordained preacher, with six assistants, have been settled among the wild Karens of the Poung-Long Hills, and have been wel comed both as civilisers and evangelists by the people. They have thoroughly succeeded. The efforts of these teachers soon attained an importance and celebrity that engaged the attention of the remotest tribes. The Yaings, dwelling in the mountain fortresses of the further ranges of the Poung-Long, have presented an appeal to the Government agent to be admitted into the community of Christians, and earnestly requested that a teacher should be sent to reside with and instruct them.Friend of India. THE PROCLAMATION A HINDU WOULD DESIRE FOR INDIA.-The occasion should be one which shall establish a new ceremony, custom, or observance, binding without the aid of penal sanctions on all natives of India, and periodical in its operation. The Hindu, in his daily worship, invokes blessings for all those he loves. His sons, his family, even his dependents, are duly remembered in the daily prayers he puts forth in obedience to a rigid practice, not at all more ceremonial than obligatory. Why should he not be commanded by the forthcoming edict to include in his future prayers the name of the reigning sovereign and his progeny? The Mohammedan, too, makes his daily prayers, and the form he adopts admits of a similar modification. Why should he not be made to do it? No Asiatic statesman would have allowed this opportunity to pass without imprinting on the daily habits of the people he came to govern an enduring mark of the new condition in which they were placed.—Hindu Patriot. ROMAN CATHOLIC ZEAL.-Some years ago, the subject of China's conversion came up, and was much discussed, both by Protestants and Roman Catholics. At that time we were informed by the late Mr. Abeel, an American Missionary to China, that one hundred young Popish priests sent a letter to the Propaganda Society, each signing his name with blood drawn from his own veins, earnestly desiring to be sent as Missionaries to that country. Of Francis Xavier it is said: "Weak and frail as he was, from the days of Paul of Tarsus to our own, the annals of mankind exhibit no other example of a soul borne upward so triumphantly through distress and danger in all their most appalling aspects. He battled with hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and assassination, and pursued his message of love with even increasing ardour amidst the wildest war of the contending elements. When, on one occasion, reminded of the perils to which he was about to expose himself by a mission to the barbarous islands of the Eastern Archipe lago, he replied, 'If these lands had scented woods and mines of gold, Christians would find courage to go there, nor would all the perils of the world prevent them. They are dastardly and alarmed because there is nothing to be gained but the souls of men; and shall love be less hardy and less generous than avarice? They will destroy me, you say, by poison. It is an honour to which such a sinner as I am may not aspire; but this, I dare to say, that whatever form of torture or of death awaits me, I am ready to suffer it ten thousand times for the salvation of a single soul.'" This is a sublime heroism. Wondrous Xavier! whatever were thy errors, it would be the dregs of bigotry not to admire thy martyr-zeal.-Rev. J. A. James. THE BAPTIST MISSION IN JAMAICA.-Among other visits paid with the view of making myself better acquainted with the sentiments of the peasantry, I stopped on two occasions at the principal Baptist Stations, in St. James, Mount Carey, near the Montpelier's, and Salter's Hill, on the road to Maroon Town, the ministers in charge of which had previously requested me to receive addresses from their assembled congregations. I availed myself of the opportunity. Whatever may have been the case in past times, the advice now given by the Baptist ministers to their flocks is sound enough, and I should be very sorry to see the decline of their influence over them, perceiving, as I do, that no other would replace it, and that, if left to themselves, in remote localities, the people must inevitably retrograde. As a member of the Church of England, I, of course, should prefer to see the spread of her communion; but supposing it for a moment possible for her ministers to acquire that influence over the Negro which the traditions of the past, no less than the zealous solicitude of the present, confer on these missionaries, it would obviously be utterly impracticable for the rector or the curates of a parish containing some 300 square miles, to leave the localities to which their duties tie them down, for the purpose of following these settlers in the wilderness, and urging them to the erection of chapels and schools, as the Baptists invariably do. That their teaching has, on the whole, been productive of great good, is now, I think, all but universally admitted; and I am bound to state that I found their congregations well-dressed and orderly, and with every appearance of being, as I believe they are, the most civilised portion of the emancipated population. -Despatch of Governor Sir H. Barkly, May, 1854. HOME PROCEEDINGS. WE have the pleasure to announce that, by the good providence of God, the Rev. R. Williams and Mrs. Williams safely arrived in Calcutta on the evening of the 23rd September, "in health and safety." The voyage occupied ninety days from Gravesend, and was on the whole a very pleasant one. The society of pious friends, and public services on the Sabbath, both among the passengers and the soldiers on board, afforded much interesting occupation. After a few days' stay in Calcutta, Mr. Williams proceeded to Allahabad, where it is proposed that he should stay for a short time, and report to the Committee on the propriety of re-occupying that important city as a missionary station. The Rev. James Smith and his family have also arrived safely in Melbourne, Australia. With his accustomed activity and energy, Mr. Smith had already commenced to give a series of lectures on India, which were largely attended, and the best results were anticipated in deepening the interest of our friends in the India Mission. SPECIAL PRAYER FOR INDIA. We would earnestly entreat our friends to make the welfare of India the subject of their supplications at the first missionary prayer meeting for the year. The direct government of India by the Queen, inaugurating a new era in the history of that great country, the spiritual destitution of its myriads of inhabitants, the restoration of order, the calming of the passions which strife and war have let loose, the need of holy men of God to proclaim the Gospel of peace, the increase of Christian devotedness in the native Christian community, and of zeal and liberality in the work of the Lord at home, are suitable and urgent matters on which to unite in supplication at the throne of grace. The promises of God and the prophecies of holy writ encourage us to draw near with one accord to the footstool of our Father in Heaven. We are happy to announce that a special devotional service will be held in the Lower Room, Exeter Hall, at twelve o'clock, on Monday, January 3rd, to implore the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the missionary labours of all sections of the Christian Church in the East. This is a united meeting of the friends of all the great missionary societies in the metropolis. Tickets of admission can be had at the various mission offices in London. THE MISSIONARY HERALD. It will be perceived that the present number contains a greater variety of missionary intelligence than usual. As announced in previous issues, the contributions and acknowledgments will be found on the cover of the edition of the Herald, which is published separately from the pages of the Magazine, at the price of One Penny. It can be obtained through every bookseller in town and country. QUARTERLY MISSIONARY HERALD. On the 1st of February will be ready for issue, in an attractive form, under this title, a paper of eight pages, small 8vo., for the use of Auxiliaries and Associations, for gratuitous distribution among subscribers of one penny a week, and upwards. It will contain an interesting selection of missionary narratives, incidents of missionary life, and other matter calculated to awaken and sustain a missionary spirit. As it will be issued direct from the Mission House, we shall be happy to receive at an early period a notification from Secretaries of Auxiliaries and Associations the number they are likely to want. JUVENILE MISSIONARY HERALD. With the opening of a New Year arrives a favourable opportunity for extending the circulation of this valuable and interesting Juvenile Magazine. It is written and edited by one of the best of living writers for the young, and we trust that our warm-hearted friends among the teachers of Sunday Schools will do their best to attract the attention of their scholars to its pages, always adorned with pictures, and filled with missionary narratives and facts. There will be some changes this year, and considerable improvements, and we hope a vigorous effort will be made to increase its circulation. WIDOWS AND ORPHANS. Last year we made an appeal for a sacramental collection, the first Lord's day in the new year, to aid our Widows' and Orphans' Fund. We asked only for what might be contributed over and above the usual collection. We ask for the same again, for never was any money given more cheerfully, and the churches sending their contributions up-and many, very many, were poor churches-testified to the interest which the subject excited. Circulars have been sent out in due course, and we trust that even a larger amount will be realised this year. WALAYAT ALI. Copies of this very interesting and affecting narrative continue on sale, and can be had at the Mission House, or through the publishers, Messrs. Pewtress and Co., price One Penny. It is a very attractive and suitable reward book for the season. Subscriptions and Donations in aid of the Baptist Missionary Society will be thankfully received by Sir Samuel Morton Peto, Bart., Treasurer; by the Rev. Frederick Trestrail and Edward Bean Underhill, Esq., Secretaries, at the Mission House, 33, Moorgate Street, LONDON; in EDINBURGH, by the Rev. Jonathan Watson, and John Macandrew, Esq.; in GLASGOW, by John Jackson, Esq.; in CALCUTTA, by the Rev. C. B. Lewis, Baptist Mission Press. Contributions can also be paid in at Messrs. Barclay Bevan, Tritton, and Co.'s, Lombard Street, to the account of the Treasurer. IRISH CHRONICLE. JANUARY, 1859. BELFAST. ENCOURAGING REPORT. The following statement by the Rev. R. M. Henry affords much cause for gratitude and hope. state. MY DEAR SIR,-In reply to your in- ing. Others declined either to send their quiry about the operations of the society children or receive the tracts we offered to in this place, I am glad to say that the them. On the whole, the result of this church here seems to be in a prosperous visitation has been most encouraging, and Our attendance on the Lord's day has issued in a large accession to our has been considerably increased. The school. Many of these new comers are young members of the church and congre- truly the "Arabs" of the streets; as wild, gation are entering with spirit on the various restless, and untamed as the rangers of the plans of usefulness which have been brought desert; but when father and mother have before them. Seventeen members have farsaken them, may they not be taken been added to the church since the time up by Him who came to seek and to save of my connection with it. Others are that which was lost? We have just orapplying for membership; and more, we ganised a Tract Distributors' Association expect, will soon follow their example. in connection with the church here. About Eight from different religious denomina- twenty persons (chiefly teachers of the Sabtions have been received by baptism. bath school) have joined it, and are now employed in this good work. I wrote to the secretary of the Religious Tract Society in London, stating the condition of the district we proposed to visit, and the plan of our intended operations. In reply to this, we received a large and very liberal grant of tracts, chiefly of the narrative and pictorial series, furnishing us with a most excellent and abundant supply of a kind most suitable for our purpose. Our Sabbath School, I am happy to say, has been greatly increased. We began with 35 scholars, and we have now an average attendance of more than 120. The staff of teachers has been largely augmented. We had 6 at first, and above 20 are now regularly engaged in this good work. For the enlargement of the school we adopted the plan of house-to-house visitation. The district surrounding our place of worship, you are perhaps aware, is one of the most degraded and destitute in the town. Public-houses and dens of iniquity abound in it. Brawling, cursing, and fighting are familiar and almost daily scenes. On the Lord's day the streets swarm with neglected children of the worst and lowest class. Through the streets and lanes of this locality we went, two and two, visiting every house, inquiring from the parents if their children were attending any school on the Lord's day; and if not, we invited them to come to ours. Many of the people received us kindly, even gratefully, and promised to send their children to the school. One or two Roman Catholics expressed their gratitude to us for call VOL. III.-NEW SERIES. Above four hundred families of the poorest classes are now being visited by the distributors in different parts of the town, and we trust that the gospel brought in this way to many a home where the minister of God seldom if ever enters, and where the inmates scarcely ever open a religious book or attend a place of worship, will not be without its fruits. The bread cast upon the waters may tarry for a season, but we have the assurance which will never fail, that God's word will not return to him void. I may state that in the circulation of the tracts we have adopted the "loan" system as best adapted to secure both the reading and preservation of the tracts. I may also add, that in the district adjoin 5 ing our place of worship, we have endea- ments this week, I find I must hastily voured to combine the visitation for scholars conclude. with the distribution of tracts. In this way we lighten our work and bring a religious influence to bear both upon parents and children. As I am pressed with special engage I a am, my dear Sir, R. M. HENRY. The Rev. C. J. Middleditch. CONTRIBUTIONS, Received on behalf of the Baptist Irish Society, from Sept. 16 to November 12, 1858. |