and offering fervent prayer. It is thought these are the only seasons in which some of our aged brethren and sisters see and converse with each other, as several of them are too feeble to come to their annual treat; but were fetched and conveyed home again in flys. FORD.-On Nov. 17th, 1853, our anniversary sermons were preached by the Rev. J. W. Lance, of Houghton Regis, near Dunstable; and on Dec. 28th, a thanksgiving meeting was held, for having been enabled to pay off the entire debt incurred by the recent enlargement and improvement of our chapel, Ås a church we embrace the present opportunity of sincerely thanking those friends who have kindly assisted us with their contributions, and also the friends at Chesham for their public collection. W. HOOD. The following Wednesday found us wending our course to a simular gathering at Broadstone, where about 300 partook of the "cup which cheers but not inebriates." The interior of the chapel was adorned with evergreens, presenting a beautiful contrast to the bold scenery and sterile moors of the surrounding region. While the singers endeavoured to please the audience, brethren Springthorpe, Sutcliffe of Staleybridge, and Robertshaw of Burnley, sought to amuse and instruct them. On Monday, Jan. 2nd, the third assemblage of the kind already mentioned was convened at Slack. The attendance was large; the school rooms were tastefully and profusely decorated with mottoes, garlands, &c., composed of the verdant foliage which survives the wintry blast. The meeting after tea, at which our minister presided, was of a useful and practical character. A few select pieces were admirably sung by the choir; and excellent spirit-stirring addresses were delivered by brethren Lockwood of Birchcliff, Crook of Hebden Bridge, and Vasey of Wainsgate. May the Great Head of the church establish the work of our hands upon us.-C. S. NETHERSEAL.-We had our annual teameeting in behalf of the chapel debt, on Monday, Dec. 26, 1853. five believers were baptized upon a proSALFORD.-On Lord's-day, Dec. 25th, fession of their faith in Christ. May our B. Zion continue to prosper. RIPLEY.-On Lord's-day, Dec. 4th, three ficly professed their love to Christ by persons, one male and two females, pubbeing baptized. They were received into the full communion of the church at the Lord's table in the evening. Two of these are teachers in our Sabbath school. We had a very good day. Congregations large. day morning, January 1st, seven persons NOTTINGHAM, Stoney Street.-On Lord'swith one other, added to the church, when were baptized; and in the afternoon were, all received the Lord's-supper on being admitted into fellowship. Mr. Hunter preached from Joshua xxiv. 15. previously to his administration of the rite. B. W. Y. BURNLEY, Enon chapel,- On Lord's-day evening, Dec. 25th, 1853, after a sermon from Luke x. 26, Mr. Batey baptized three persons, one male and two females, on a profession of faith in Christ. J. B. B. 1853, the General Baptist school room at QUEENSHEAD.-On Lord's-day, Dec. 25, the above place having been enlarged, was re-opened by the Rev. C. Springthorpe preaching two sermons in the chapel with which it is connected; and on Monday, 26th, a tea-meeting was held in the school room, at which more than 300 persons sat bloom of life. After tea the chair was down. Most of them appeared to be in the taken by Rev. R. Hardy, minister of the place; and appropriate resolutions were moved or seconded by Messrs. M. Stocks, P. Noble, J. Salter, W. Stocks, J. Field, About one hun-J. Firth, and the Rev. H. Astin of Clayton. Between the speeches the singers contributed much to the interest of the meeting by singing some select pieces. The school room is now a handsome looking building, 42 feet by 36, and contains two class rooms. This alteration is designed to furnish the means for more select teaching on the Lord's-day, and to accommodate the evening classes of our Mechanic's Institute. BIRCHCLIFF.--For some time past a desire has existed in the minds of some of the friends of the G. B. cause at Birchcliff, that their house of prayer should receive some additional improvement, with a view to make its internal appearance more finished and complete, as well as to contribute to its convenience and comfort. During the present winter the question has been entertained by the church, and subscriptions being promptly and cordially offered, a mounting to near £40, it was decided at once to commence. On Lord's-day, Dec. 11th, 1853, two excellent sermons were preached by the Rev. W. Walters, of Halifax, after which collections were made towards the same object, amounting to £11. 13s. We have not been able as yet to ascertain the correct amount of expense incurred, but it is hoped it will not exceed £55. BERKHAMPSTEAD. On Monday, Dec. 26th, an interesting tea-meeting was held, in the Baptist Chapel, to welcome to the pastorate of the church, the Rev. T. Stanion, when about 250 persons took tea. The exercises of the evening were opened with prayer by Rev. N. Hawkes; after which suitable addresses were delivered by the pastor of the church, T. King and J. Sanders, deacons, Rev. N. Hawkes, of Hemel Hempstead, C. Bailbache, and J. Stanion of Stepney college. The entire meeting was characterised by deep and general interest; and allowed to be the best of the kind for many years. We regard it as the dawn of better days. AMICUS. 66 RECENT DEATHS OF EMINENT MINISTERS. -Four very distinguished ministers have been removed by death during the past few months. All of them were full of age and honours. The Rev. Dr. Cox of Hackney, a well known aged Baptist minister, is the first in this list. He commenced preaching when quite a youth, and after taking his degree in Scotland, became the successor of Robert Hall at Cambridge. Affor near half a century, he proclaimed the terwards he removed to Hackney where, word of life. Eloquent, friendly, learned and liberal, he served his generation by the will of God. The Rev. Dr. Wardlaw of Glasgow is another of this class, whose praise is in all the churches," who after of Christ, has gone to his reward. The a long life of eminent service in the cause Rev. W. Jay of Bath, died in December, noble and eloquent preacher ministered at aged 85 years. For sixty two years this Argyle chapel. The last of these aged and celebrated preachers, whose ministry Collier, of Peckham, who died at that commenced in boyhood, is the Rev. Dr. place, and had been minister some fiftythors of some celebrity, and ministers who four years. All these ministers were auhonour in the church of God. We doubt were rightly regarded as worthy of all not that of each of them, their friends will give to the public an extended memoir, which will be replete with interest and instruction to all the lovers of evangelical truth. THE CENSUS OF 1851. Religious worship in England and Wales.-This_admirable Report, prepared by Horace Mann, Esq., from the returns made in March, 1851, will attract universal attention. religious body is reported, as to the share Every and the numbers present at worship on it takes in public religious instruction; the census Sunday are fairly and impartially given. A great variety of historical and statistical information is condensed in the Report, which will be perused and pondered over with deep interest. The tables have been prepared with great care and skill. An authorized abstract is published by Routledge and Co., Farringdon Street, for one shilling. We purpose to notice this more at length next month. The following summary is from table N. containing the number of persons present at the most numerously attended services on Lord's-day, March 30, 1851. Population Church of England............. 17,927,609 2,971,258 3,110,782 249,389 24,793 Total......6,356,222 ........................ MISSIONARY OBSERVER. BRIEF MEMOIR OF REV. CHARLES LACEY. [The following sketch, prepared by Mr. Lacey's companion in labour, contains a number of facts in relation to our late honoured missionary, which will be perused with interest.-ED.] REV. CHARLES LACEY was born at Hoton, Leicestershire, about January, 1799. His parents were substantial members of the Wesleyan society. He has often dwelt in after years on his recollections of the preachers who generally made his father's house their head-quarters. I am not aware that he had any decided religious impressions till after his residence at Loughborough, where he attended the General Baptist chapel; and under the ministry of the late eloquent and successful minister, the Rev. T. Stevenson, was brought to a saving interest in Christ, about his 16th year. He soon after united with the Church. It was under the same able preacher that the late Rev. Dr. Yates was brought to a knowledge of the truth, and who, I believe, became a member of the same church. Here, after a time, brother L. began to exercise his gift of preaching; and many are the villages around Loughborough where he early proclaimed the Saviour's power to save. In some of these, as Syston and Queniborough, &c., his labours were especially useful, and his name is doubtless well remembered there till this day. My acquaintance with brother L. commenced in the beginning of May, 1823. I had just offered myself to the Mission Committee, and was invited to attend his ordination at Loughborough, May 7th, of that year. It was a day never to be forgotten; and deeply was I, with others, interested in the detail he then gave of his youthful career of folly, of his conversion, of his call to the ministry, and of his desire to exercise that ministry among the heathen in India. He left almost immediately after for London with his wife, to whom he had just been united, and who now Before he left, however, he said to me, survives him as his mourning widow. I shall not say farewell to you: we shall meet again in India." Our brother and sister reached Calcutta in September, and spent nearly three months in Calcutta and Serampore. On their leaving Serampore for Calcutta, a prayer meeting was held for them, and Dr. Carey, not being able to attend, gave brother L. the following characteristic advice: "Remember three things-1st. It is your duty to preach the gospel to every creature. 2nd. God has declared his word shall accomplish that for which it is sent. 3rd. When he pleases he can as easily remove all seeming obstacles as we can remove a grain of sand. Be not discouraged. Look constantly to the great recompense of reward. Farewell: the Lord bless you and give you many souls for your hire in Orissa." His residence in Cuttack dates from the 20th of December, 1823; so that he has been a missionary in the province, including his furlough, for upwards of twenty-eight years. Before, however, he reached the station, he gave indications of his aptitude for the work in which he became so singularly proficient. Brother Peggs, who went to meet him on leaving the vessel at Putamoondai, taught him a short sentence in Oriya, the substance of which was, that faith in Christ Jesus was the only way to salvation. With this he started off by himself in some neighbouring village, and repeated his little blundering tale, as he called it, about the Satya Katha (true word); and because the people fled from the fields at his approach, he took their sickle and reaped a little to propitiate them. Here was the early germ of a talent which subsequently became so remarkably developed. I joined the mission in February, 1825. Brother L. met me at Balasore; and from that time to this we have spent our energies in this field. This is not the place for a detail of his missionary life; a few leading facts can only be stated very briefly. was The leading characteristic of his life his aptitude in preaching the gospel to the natives of this province. He learned the language not by severe study, but by a facility (peculiar to himself so far as our mission is con cerned) in picking up words and phrases, imitating modes of utterance and intonations, and a readiness in entering into petty details with anybody and everybody. We often used to smile at him when sitting on his heels, Hindoo fashion, talking to some old woman with fish or vegetables, or holding a controversy with any casual caller at his house. No matter to him who or what they were, he had something to say and was willing to hear. Hence his proficiency in the common colloquial language of the people. John When we first discovered Chamberlain's Bengali poetical pieces, it was a new light shed upon our path. Brother Lacey was especially interested in it; and everywhere, at all times, the Search for Salvation, the Jewel Mine, and the Penitent's Prayer, must be sung. I consider that this was an important era in our mission. Brother Lacey was never a native singer, but he learned much from native poetry, which helped him in his first, best, and last addresses to the people. Still our first years were years of deep depression; and brother Lacey at one time felt it, perhaps more than any of us. I believe he was at that time especially indebted to sister L. for being stimulated to rise above his desponding feelings: such was always my impression. At length, after years of apparently fruitless labour, October 7, 1826, we were cheered by the first deputation from the old guroo. How animated and earnest brother L. was in this matter, those who knew him best may form some idea. That was a time never to be forgotten; its issues are now matter of history. But from that time we hear little of despondency. The work has been onward; and it is impossible to contrast the aspect of affairs now with what it was then, without exclaiming, "What hath God wrought!" From his first arrival in the country, he has been connected with the charge of this church; and from the departure of brother Peggs, July 15, 1825, may be reckoned its pastor. Other brethren have at times been associated with him, and have taken charge during his absence in England, but he has been reckoned its pastor, and when present has discharged its pastoral duties, that is, for a period of between twenty-six and twenty-seven years. The first chapel was erected on this site in 1826; at that time our church consisted of but twelve members :Missionaries.... 4 Missionary Members 21 .... 26 44 229..320 & 17 Making the whole number added to the church about 337; of these about 280 were added by baptism. The whole number of members at brother Lacey's death, in Orissa is about 280, or perhaps a few more. We should, however, form a very erroneous estimate of the change in our missionary prospects did we confine ourselves to mere statistics. Our survey must be much wider, and our views far more general and comprehensive. The problem has been solved whether missionary labours in India, conducted through the medium of the vernacular language, are adapted to the evangelization of the natives of India; and toward that solution, brother Lacey's life has contributed in no ordinary degree. I exclude not his brethren; that would be untrue and unjust; but if a single characteristic of our departed brother, standing out in bold prominence beyond every other feature of his character, be sought for, this is it, his efficiency as an Oriya preacher. For this he was admirably prepared by the God of providence and grace. His stature, his robust frame, his strong voice, his distinct enunciation, his mental habits, his clear, warm, never ending repetitions of the great elementary truths of the gospel, his love for the work, and his interest in the people, all contributed to place him on an eminence in this department of labour. And the example he has set, and the influence he has exerted on others, all go to support the estimate here given of our departed brother's character. It has been well for us too, that whatever difference of opinion we may have at any time entertained in relation to our work, we have ever to a man been unanimous in our opinion as to the importance of preaching the gospel to the people in their own tongue. This has given a character to our labours, and to the general aspect of our mission, in which our departed colleague felt especial satisfaction. As a writer of books, brother Lacey has done something to perpetuate his memory. He revised and edited the Khrist Bibarana Amrat (the nectar of the history of Christ): and translated Barth's Church History, and Bunyan's Holy War. He also edited two or three tracts. But this was not his special work; his work was in the bazar, the native villages, and the large festivals. There he was at home and foremost of the band. He also took his share in schoolsespecially in the early days of the mission. But I do not intend to enumerate all the departments of labour in which he bore a prominent part; there is not room in a single division of a sermon for that. I merely intend to shew that he has invariably had a lead ing part in all that concerns our mission; and that his life has not only been actively consecrated to the mission, but that that work has been crowned with a large measure of success. Yes, he has been a labourer from first to last. He may have had | his seasons of diminished zeal and comparative ease, but as a whole we may confidently say, that he has laboured and not fainted-from first to last he has held on to his work: he has put his hand to the plough and not looked back. And now that his work is done, and the results, so far as they are apparent, pass before review, we can well suppose that, in his dying moments, he could bless God that he had not laboured in vain, nor spent his strength for nought and in vain. Brethren, when we committed his body to the grave, who among us did not feel that Cuttack never witnessed such a scene before? Often had we repaired to that burying ground, but never on so momentous an occasion. There we had buried our wives, our children, our fellow-labourers, our converts, and the members of various christian communities: but then we went to lay amongst them the pastor of the church, the under-shepherd of the flock, the long-tried and unusually successful missionary, our friend and elder brother in the gospel of Christ. And what a scene was there! the anxious looks, the sorrowful countenances, the falling tears of a multitude of Oriya christians, formed at once the noblest monument of his success, and the most affecting tribute to his worth. As I stood at the side of the grave and thought of our early days of toil, our joy when but one convert was added to us: and then looked around on the crowd of beloved Oriya converts and their children, I confess my predominant feeling was devout thankfulness that he had been spared to labour so long and so well. I wept indeed, for who could forbear to weep? but I inwardly blessed God for the living proof before me, that a missionary's life is not spent for nought and in vain. NOTES OF A TRIP DOWN THE RIVER EASTWARD OF CUTTACK. OCT. 20th, 1853.-After a day of much bustle and many preparations, I wanted to start off my things to the boat, which had previously been prepared; but the cooley, whom I had engaged to go with me, very gravely assured me that he could not carry the bread basket I was going to give him to take, as he should lose his caste! I therefore sent him off about his business, and managed without him. After dinner I took my leave of our beloved friends, the Suttons, Brooks', sister Miller, &c., and started off for the boat in company with my dear wife and little Alfred. They want, not to accompany me in my trip, but to see what was to be my abode for a |