votion and liberality necessary for the extension and support of the Redeemer's cause. Disinterested love for the souls of immortal beings such as our Saviour practically exhib. ited for our imitation, must be the moving principle of each christian's heart, or else the church will lose her conquests, and Fallen, fallen,' will be the motto of her decay. Let increased liberality be obtained by every christian feeling increased love to the Giver of every good and perfect gift.' That greater liberality is needed for the support of the G. Baptist Foreign Missions does not require to be stated; missions that all things considered would be an honour and crown of rejoicing to any society; shall they be crippled and circumscribed for the want of a few pounds, shillings, and pence, which every possessor of them after a few fleeting years will count as dross, and when compared with the true riches which Christ has reserved for the believer in heaven, will wonder at the care and toil which he once spent merely for their acquisition? The Christian should look at all things through the immense futu. rity of events revealed in the Word of God. He should, with an eye of hopeful faith, grasp within his comprehension all time and all eternity. It is with such an universal view of the dealings of God with his people, of the ascendancy and superiority of the gospel, of the all in all' sovereignty of Christ, presented to the minds of christians in the records of Holy Writ, and blessed by the Holy Spirit, that can arouse and quicken the zeal of the members of this Connexion. With these feelings and views let this proposal of a plan of liberality for Foreign Missions, meet with their calm consideration. The proposal is for the members of this Connexion to average in their contributions ONE PENNY PER WEEK for EACH MEMBER. Suppose the number of members to be 20,000; 20,000 pence per week will give 1,040,000 pence per annum, which will thus raise the present contributions to £4333 and more, for Foreign Missions. This is what a penny per week will do, and what must be done if the Orissa Mission is to enlarge its sphere of operations, and the Chinese Mission to maintain its position in that pagan empire. Is the proposal too much for a Connexion of 20,000 members? Does the Connexion do enough? all that it is able to do for Foreign Missions? The prior claims of India, and the paramount claims of China, demand a serious, enlightened and prayerful answer to these questions. Your senior mis. sionary in India has requested another missionary. 'Khundittur, however,' he writes, 'is still destitute. I could almost say, send out a man for Khundittur, and we will ask no more. It is connected and surrounded with so vast a field-has had so much labour bestowed on it has a nice little church already collected, that the desirableness, the Not necessity for a European is very pressing.' (Rep. July, 1849.) Shall Orissa have the gospel? Then let it be sent in all that fulness and plenty which should characterize 'glad tidings of great joy. Let India feel her idolatry to be her curse. Let India be purified and regenerated by the holy light and blessed truths revealed in God's word. This cannot be except in God's own appointed way by secondary causes-by poor, feeble instru. mentality. This instrumentality it is in your power to send. This instrumentality it is in your power to increase. 'Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes.' China needs augmented aid. Strong must be the efforts made to arouse this nation. Strong and continued must be the exertions made to uproot their biased prejudices, and change their idolatrous, superstitious vanities. Let these exertions be made confidently, willingly and heartily, and the long predicted success is sure to follow. Lo, these from the land of Sinim.' 'The liberal soul shall be made fat.' 'There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty.' only is your generosity required, and your liber. ality so necessary, but your prayers, the solace of the hard-toiling missionary, open before the members of the Connexion at home, a path of missionary usefulness, a career of missionary glory. Prayers are messengers. Remember therefore the kingdom of God,' in your chamber of prayer. Let the attitude and desires of your spirit be acceptable in God's sight. Ask, and ye shall receive.' With regard to the manner in which God will bring his cause to prosper, say, Thy will be done,' but as regards the actual performance of His will let your earnest petitions prevail with God according as He has promised. Saviour never refused in his lifetime a request offered in implicit faith, and on the other hand he never granted what was not prayed for. It was to the man that cried out to him 'Son of David have mercy on me,' that he restored his sight. It was to the woman that touched the hem of his garment in prayerful, implicit faith, that he gave health and peace. It was to the man who was let down to him through the roof that he said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee.' 'Man's extremity is God's opportunity.' Where are the members of the G. Baptist churches, the Sabbath School Teachers, the Sabbath Scholars, the whole Connexion, who will not offer up prayers for Foreign Missions, and as a test of the sincerity of those prayers, give A PENNY PER WEEK that the gospel may be preached to every creature? A Penny per week from each member of the Connexion for your Foreign Missions in India and China is the TEST. Our LETTER FROM REV. C. LACEY. Cuttack, June 26th, 1851. MY DEAR BROTHER GOADBY,-I have for some time intended to write to you by the mail, which will leave in a few days hence; and I sit down to execute my intention to day. I have just returned from a visit of one day to Choga. Embosomed in the surrounding hills of Athgur and Dekenal, and cut off by the surrounding plain of great extent from all the associations of idolatry, it affords a retreat of quietness and repose exceedingly agreeable to the mind. My visit was a very pleasant one. The air of the early morn was cool and bracing. The larks warbled overhead their sweetest lays, and the forest flowers opened their gorgeous blossoms, and shed through the air their richest perfume. From among the thick, rich, and green foliage, at the distance of three miles, the little white washed chapel on the hill,' suggested many encouraging, animating reflections. That little white spot indicates the spread, in its vicinity, of a good degree of christian light and christian experience; and, O what consequences are connected with the possession of christian light and christian experience! But I do not always enjoy unmixed pleasure at Choga. The suggestions, which occur at a distance, are not always realized when I reach the spot. Sometimes sin, accursed sin, has broken out among the disciples there, and at other times that unruly member, the tongue, 'set on fire of hell,' has set the whole village in a blaze, and brother is devouring brother, and sister her sister; and I find one at work among the people, whose presence is not so indicated, even in heathen villages, blowing up the coals of wrath and strife.' I am always, and I think justly, consoled under such circumstances by the persuasion that souls are lost to Satan, and, therefore, he makes efforts to regain them; that, were not the cause of righteousness and truth established, he would not make such efforts to weaken, discredit, and destroy that which is good indeed; as where it is not established, no such efforts are needed or do appear. The quietness of death, spiritual death, absolutely reigns, where not the leaven of the gospel is operating; but all is activity where the truth has entered, and has obtained some prevalence. Ground is taken and retaken; and souls are captured and recaptured with the utmost diligence, activity, and subtlety. How often I am depressed into the dust to perceive that the conquests which seemed to be won, have been parleying with the foe, and that he has made some fast lodgments! How delighted to the skies I am to see the tears of penitence and contrition flow, sin acknowledged, and fresh resolutions made of love and faithfulness; to see the foe, at least for the time, cast out, and depart, with disap · pointment and rage. Thus is the temple of God erected. I My object yesterday was twofold:-first, and chiefly, to marry a couple of young people; and secondly and subordinately, to settle some disagreements that had occurred. bad little difficulty in effecting the former, but more in bringing about the latter. You have heard of the old persecutor' of Choga, bearer Padhan. He is dead, and gone to answer to God for all his hard words and violent opposition towards the cause of God in his district. He wore out' the cause even to the last; and was visited by an awful dispensation for his removal. He burst a blood vessel, and fell on his face and expired. Raragau, his eldest son, then, in the determination of his own mind a christian, burned his father's body to ashes outside the village. There lie a heap of ashes, an old umbrella, and a pair of wooden clogs, the remains of the 'old persecutor.' Raragau has become a christian! He has left his mother, his brothers, his ancestral house, and above all, his wife, the daughter of the richest Máhàjun in Athgur, but by a process of law he has gained his infant daughter. a very pretty child. And now, a year after his wife has left him, he has been married to the daughter of Parasua, the native preacher of Choga. Kookoomi is a pious, intelligent, and superior girl. Narayan said he wished to have her, and she said she wished to have Narayan, so it was, altogether, a match of mutual choice, and I hope, of mutual affection. Such may it prove. The chapel was filled with people, and numbers of the heathen flocked from the adjacent villages to see the couple married, so well known to all persons in the neighbourhood. Our marriage ceremony is a very solemn and a very excellent one; and when it was over, the people around the door said, ' a very strong word, a very excellent word.' Two hours after the ceremony, the marriage feast appeared on the ground in the public streets of the village, sheltered in the centre by the branches of a lofty tamarind tree, under whose shade, Koosallee, the idol of the hill, once rested. It consisted of two rows of hot smoking heaps of rice, with pulse of several kinds, vegetable curries, and meat curries, rice and milk salted, and rice and milk with treacle, or I should say sugar, which indeed I should, only that the sugar is more like treacle; with sweetmeats and salt meats, and fruit, and cakes, and many other things of all sorts, and all tastes, and all colours. These are placed on plantain leaves, washed and clean. I must visit the feast, ere the guests began to eat; and went at a very interesting moment; just when every leaf was loaded, and the righthand of every man was held out, ready to commence. Silence was obtained, and a blessing was asked on the bridegroom, the bride, the two conjointly, and then on the wedding bitterly, saying it is such a pity to remove dinner. The amen' murmured through the long defile, and the next moment the feast commenced. In the course of the feast poor Parasua, the father of the bride, came with sad accents and a sorrowful complaint, that two of the brethren would not come to the feast. An old grievance existed between them. Attendance at the feast was the sign of cordiality, friendship, and love; non-appearance was the sign of hostility. I must interfere to effect an immediate reconciliation! On this business, therefore, I immediately entered. I first visited Harripani. I found him on his mat, brooding over his grievance, real or supposed. He rose at my call, and listened to my remonstrance. Sir, you are my father and mother, (he is older than myself) and you are the paster of the church, I have always obeyed your wishes, but in this instance how can I obey? He has not asked my wife to the feast, and he did not come to be reconciled to me, when you directed him; and, now, can I go to the feast? I explained the law of christian love to him, and referred to the forgiving disposition of Christ, and some of his early disciples, and gave friend Harri some affectionate advice, and his feelings began to relent, the tear of tenderness began to trickle down his now furrowed cheeks, and he promised to forgive his brother and go to the feast. Next I visited a young spirited man, who had been told that Parasua had said he was a Kundora,—a low caste person; and, as in Christ there was no high and low caste, how could he attend the feast? Gunda is a good lad, and I knew he would soon understand. Gunda, did you hear brother Parasua call you a Kundora? No sir; but So-and-So told me he did. Well, So-and-So may have given you a perverted statement of what Parasua said, and so the enemy has excited your mind with wrath. Brother Parasua declares he has no ill feeling towards you whatever, and says he never did call you a Kundora, but only said in conversation with another person that, though you were formerly a Kundora, yet now you are a christian brother, and not a Kundora. Do you believe brother Parasua's word? Yes sir, I must believe brother Parasua; and I will go to the feast; and also I will go for sister Kookoomi's sake, and for Náráyan's sake. Here the ladies would not submit, as usual, and rose up in rebellion against the son, and the husband, and declared he should not go. However Gunda is a lad of spirit, and he soon told them to hold their tongues, for he should go; and off he set to prepare. The ladies too, yielded after a little time, and so all disagreements were settled, the guests were universally friendly, and their number was complete, to the joy of all. After the feast, till about twelve o'clock, the time was spent in pleasant conversation, singing of hymns, and closed with prayer. p.m., and on my way home met friend Gunga, brahman-like, budging off with great spirit to the marriage feast. He had received an invitation. (To be continued.) LETTER FROM REV. W. BAILEY. But MY BROTHER GOADBY,-As another car festival, with its wonted abominations, has passed away, perhaps a few particulars in reference to our visit and labours there may be acceptable to your readers. There were present from Cuttack, brethren Sutton, Buckley, and Brooks; and from Piplee, brethren Millar and Bailey, with the native preachers, Sebo Patra, and Tama. Brethren Lacey and Stubbins both fully intended being there, but the former was prevented by repeated attacks of fever, and the latter by the prevalence of the cholera among the children in the asylums at Berhampore. The festival commenced this year on the 1st of July, and the weather was remarkably favourable, insomuch that we met with no interruption whatever in the prosecution of our work. Morning and evening, for two or three days previous to the festival, we took our stand near the police office; and ere we had sung a few verses of a christian poem, to call the people together, we were surrounded with a large congregation, anxiously waiting to hear what we had to say. Now and then the 'Pooree spirits' rushed into the throng and raised the cries of Hurri bol, Hurri bol; victory to Juggernaut, victory to Juggernaut.' with this exception we were heard with commendable attention, so much so that we could hardly believe we were preaching in a city full of idols.' And strange to say our ears this year were not once assailed by the old taunting cry, 'If Juggernaut be not the Lord of the world, why does the Government support him? One morning, however, while passing down the large road, I heard two old women muttering to each other that the Siskar had cut Juggernaut's allow. ance, and how could he live now? The publication of the Draft of the Act for the discontinuance of the annual donation to the temple has already done good service. I said to an old idolater who frequents our house, Well, the Siskar has at length determined to discontinue the grant to your Juggernaut.' "What!' he replied, with in. discribable astonishment, will government cut Juggernaut's allowance? Never, never; if they did, the earth would split.' I replied, 'Whether the earth splits or not, such will soon be the case.' 'Oh! what blasphemous wretches your Feringees are; you not only cannot discern the glory of Juggernaut, but you are now going to deprive him of his daily food. Many others are lamenting the grant, as Juggernaut's glory and renown must in consequence inevitably pass away. Shortly after its appearance in the Gazette, Juggernaut himself visited the Rhoorada rajah by night, in a dream, and announced to him that he had come to the conclusion not on any account to receive any more money from the Siskar: that from henceforth he should be entirely independent. Raw and superstitious as are the people in this province, they could hardly receive such a statement under such circumstances. This year the Orissa missionaries felt that a mighty barrier was about to be removed which had so often been a stumbling block in the way of the heathen, and a hinderance to their usefulness. Let the patronage of the East India Company be wholly removed, and one of the most potent arguments of the Pundahs to induce pilgrims to visit the shrine will be for ever done away. The festival was but thinly attended, perhaps not more than fifty or sixty thousand. Though there were a few cholera cases daily, and many died from exhaustion, occasioned by the fatigue of long journeys, still the mortality this year was small compared with former years. I saw a poor woman carried on a litter, apparently in dying circumstances, but a person passing by with food from the temple, ran and fetched some, and forced it into her mouth, doubtless thinking that the mere taste of the rice on which Juggernaut's · eye had fallen' was sufficient to remove many sins. Near where we were preaching a vessel containing holy food was accidentally broken, and its contents fell on the road in the dirt; a number of poor Bengallee women seeing this ran with all possible haste and knelt down and picked out grain after grain of the rice until they had eaten the whole. Around the temple we saw eighteen or twenty wretched females measuring their way as they went along. Some of them were so covered with filth and mud that we could scarcely discover their features. I might go on and tell you how the people worshipped the cars, and the wheels of the cars, and the ropes, and the road, over which the cars passed, &c.; but I forbear, as you have repeatedly heard these things. But O, how heart-rending it is, that our fellow immortals should thus degrade themselves in the presence of that God who hates idolatry. For more than a quarter of a century have the Orissa Missionaries stood as witnesses for the truth among the deluded thousands, and have made known the only means whereby men can be saved. They have borne many torrents of abusive epithets, such as for their obscenity can never be told here; every year been pelted more or less with mud and sand and stones, &c.; but, blessed be God, they have not borne all in vain; incalculable good has been done already by I left the festive scene about 5 o'clock, their labours; several most interesting cases have already come to light. One of the Rhoorada rajah's servants has been reading our books for ten years, he has a very correct knowledge of divine truth, and he openly avowed his determination to relinquish the rajah's service, and unite with the people of the Lord. One young man from Sumblepoor, who had come to Pooree to see Juggernaut, heard the gospel, broke his caste, and joined himself to the Lord's people. He is now with us at Piplee. Hitherto he has gone on satisfactorily. Let the friends of the mission take encouragement, for their servants in Piplee have been much blest by the Lord. Affectionately yours, July 31st 1851. W. BAILEY. I send you a few outlines of our tour to the Isle of Axholme. We arrived at Kirton October 6th, and held a meeting in the afternoon, which was not numerously attended; but in the evening the congregation was large, and the speeches were of an animating character. We were pleased to see the improvement in the chapel and congregation. We are indebted to the friends for their hospitality, and to brother Crooks for his kind assistance on the occasion. Collections more than last year. At Crowle, on the following day, brother tion was small, but in the evening there was On the 8th we visited Epworth, and were kindly welcomed by the friends, who seem anxious to promote the Saviour's interest in heathen lands. We assembled in the place where our fathers held intercourse with the King of kings. The tablets and monuments of the pious dead made the meeting of a solemn and prayerful character. Though the number was not large, great attention was paid to the address delivered by Mr. Simons in which he set forth the joys created in angelic minds when one sinner repenteth. We feel laid under great obligation to those who furnished 'us with a conveyance, and to the young man who drove us to Butterwick through a very heavy storm of rain. I trust the Lord will not be unmindful of his work of faith and labour of love. Our missionary meeting at Epworth in the evening was well attended. J. Asb meilc, junr., took the chair. Messrs. Hunt, Fogg, and Simons addressed the meeting. Collections have considerably improved a pleasing result of our missionary box. The cause at this place is looking up. On the 9th we held an afternoon meeting at Butterwick, when Mr. Simons told us of a sympathizing Saviour to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Though the attendance was small, we believe his sermon will do good. In the evening the few friends that assembled were told of the goodness of God to our missions, and addresses were delivered by Messrs. Gibson of Epworth, Fogg, and Simons; and though things were discouraging, yet the collection has a little improved. We see the necessity of some one taking the oversight of this part of God's vineyard. We were delighted with the conversation of an aged christian, in the ninetyfirst year of his age, who conversed with us on the love of God, his interest in the Saviour, and his prospects of eternal life. We saw in this man how religion can support, and that in hoary hairs God will not forsake those that trust in him. On the 10th we held a missionary meeting at Misterton. This appears a barren spot, and unfruitful soil, yet we called to remembrance that from this place men have been raised up that were valiant for the truth. Our brother who labours there is exceedingly discouraged, and sows in tears. We had little hopes of holding a meeting: yet we did so, and were agreeably surprised at the largeness of the congregation, for the whole chapel was well filled, and the meeting was interested in the speeches of brother Hurt, Fogg, and Simons. Collection small: yet there is an increase. In all our journeys we have seen the advantage of missionary boxes. On the 11th I arrived at Boughton, and on Lord's-day, the 12th, preached two sermons for the cause of christian missions. The congregations were attentive, and in the evening unusually large. On Monday, 13th, we held our meeting, when good feelings appeared to be produced, though the congregation was not so large as in former years, (owing to revival services being held by the Wesleyans in the neighbourhood.) Brother Robinson presided. Brother Fogg, with friend J. A. Cheetham of Ollerton, addressed the meeting. The collections were double those of last year; so that we trust in the Lord and take courage. Yours truly, W. FOGG. STALEY BRIDGE. On Lord's-day, Sep. 21. two sermons were preached in the G. Baptist chapel, Staley Bridge, by Mr. T. Yates, of Hugglescote, when collections were made in behalf of the mission. In the evening Mr. Y. gave an interesting address on the great object of missions. The amount of collections, subscriptions and donations for the year, is £23, 15s. 3 d. T. H. TARPORLEY.-Sermons were preached on behalf of the mission in this place, on Lord'sday, Sep. 28, by Mr. Goadby of Loughborough. A public meeting was held on the following evening, when Mr. Pedley of Wheelock Heath presided, and the cause was advocated by brethren Goadby, Stocks, and two Wesleyan Ministers. AUDLEM.-Sermons were delivered for the mission, on Lord's day and Tuesday, Sep. 28 and 30, by Messrs. Goadby and Needham. A public meeting was held in the evening of the latter day, when the above brethren pleaded for the mission. WHEELOCK HEATH.-A tea meeting was held in this place on Wednesday, Oct. 1, after which missionary addresses were delivered by brethren Pedley, Stocks, and Goadby. here on Thursday, Oct. 2. Speakers. Messrs. STOKE. A missionary meeting was held Baker and Goadby. BRADFORD.-On Lord's-day, Aug. 31st, two sermons were preached in Prospect Street Chapel, Bradford, by Rev. J. Tunnicliffe of Leeds, on behalf of our Foreign Missions. Collections, subscriptions, and donation from a friend amounted to £36 0s. ltd. BURNLEY LANE.-On Sunday, Sep. 21st, 1851, the Rev. R. Hardy of Queenshead preached on behalf of our Foreign Mission; and on Monday evening following, the public missionary meeting was held, when addresses were delivered by Revds. R. Hardy, J. Maden, R. Evans, (P. B.,) J. Cocken, (Indep.) Collections and subscriptions £5. 16s. 8d. W. P. KIRTON LINDSEY.-On Monday, October 6, we held our annual meetings on behalf of missions to the heathen in India and China, when addresses were delivered by Mr. J. C. Smith, our pastor; Mr. Fogg, of Retford; Mr. Crooks, of Killingholm; and Mr. Simons, the meeting was large and very attentive. a converted son of Abraham. In the evening In the course of the evening a clergyman of rhe Established Church sent us a handsome present. The collections amounted to £3 12s. 8d. being nearly treble the amount of last year's collections. T. D. C. REV. W. WILKINSON.-We are gratified to give the following recent intelligence as to our brother's health: 'Berhampoor, Sep. 1.-Yesterday we received the most gratifying intelligence from our beloved friends the Wilkinsons. He is amazingly better; but in accordance with advice, intends to take a short voyage to Madras.-I. STUBBINS. |