Testament this morning," he said, "I was curiously impressed by a thought which, simple as it may seem, never occurred to me before. The portion which I perused was in the First Epistle of Peter; and as I passed from the thinking of the passage to the language in which it is expressed, This Greek of the untaught Galilean fisherman,' I said, 'so admired by scholars and critics for its unaffected dignity and force, was not acquired, as that of Paul may have been, in the ordinary way, but formed a portion of the Pentecostal gift! Here, then, immediately under my eye, on these pages, are there embodied, not, as in many other parts of the Scriptures, the mere details of a miracle, but the direct results of a miracle. How strange! Had the old tables of stone been placed before me, with what an awe-struck feeling would I have looked on the characters traced upon them by God's own finger! How is it that I have failed to remember

that, in the language of these Epistles, miraculously impressed by the Divine power upon the mind, I possessed as significant and suggestive a relic as that which the inscription, miraculously impressed by the Divine power upon the stone, could possibly have furnished!'" It was a striking thought; and in the course of our walk, which led us over richly fossiliferous beds of the Old Red Sandstone to a deposit of the Eathie Lias, largely charged with the characteristic remains of that formation, I ventured to connect it with another. "In either case," I remarked, as we seated ourselves beside a sea-cliff, sculptured over with the impressions of extinct plants and shells, "your relics, whether of the Pentecostal Greek, or of the characters inscribed on the old

tables of stone, could address themselves to but previously-existing belief. The sceptic would see in the Sinaitic characters, were they placed before him, merely the work of an ordinary tool; and in the Greek of Peter and John, a well-known language, acquired, he would hold, in the common way. But what say you to the relics that stand out in such bold relief

from the rocks beside us in their cha

racter as the results of miracle? The perished tribes and races which they represent all began to exist. There is no truth which science can more conclusively demonstrate than that they had all a beginning. The infidel who, in this late age of the world, would attempt falling back on the fiction of an 'infinite series,' would be laughed to scorn. They all began to

be. But how? No true geologist holds by the development hypothesis;-it has been resigned to sciolists and smatterers;

and there is but one other alternative. They began to be, through the miracle of creation. From the evidence furnished by these rocks we are shut down either to the belief in miracle, or in something else infinitely harder of reception, and as thoroughly unsupported by testimony as it is Hume is at contrary to experience. length answered by the severe truths of the stony science. He was not, according to Job, in league with the stones of the field,' and they have risen in irresistible warfare against him in the Creator's behalf."-Hugh Miller's Geological Rambles.

CHINESE LANGUAGE.

No

THE Protestant missionaries in China are of revising the translation of the Bible in now engaged in the very laborious work that most difficult of all languages. foreigner, perhaps, has ever completely mastered that language. Its difficulties are many and peculiar. Words of precisely the same orthography have very different meanings, according to the mode of their enunciation; and the difference of the tones used by a native is often scarcely perceptible by a foreign ear. Thus, as an example, the word pang, according as it is aspirated and intoned, has the different meanings, to help-a bee-to bind-to spin-to let go—corpulent—a room—a sail-a club-a seam. It may easily be seen what grievous and ludicrous blunders a foreigner is liable to fall into whose ear has not caught the proper tone in which a word should be enunciated. Thus Mr.

Pohlman, one of the missionaries, wished

to ask a Chinese if he drank wine

(tsew), but not aspirating the word properly, he actually asked him if he ate his hands! On another occasion going into a house where the females were mourn

ing over the death of their grandmother, mode of burying the dead, and put the he wished to know something about their question to them, if they had buried (tai) their grandmother? They returned no answer, and on the question being rehe discovered that by his mode of aspipeated, they manifested indignation, when rating this little word, he had asked them if they had killed their grandmother.— From the "Presbyterian,” N. Y.

Collection, Brampton, per Rev. Dr. Brown....

Donation, Mr. W. C. Marshall, of Trinity Church, Newcastle-on-Tyne

Donation, Mr. Thomas Mudie, sen., London (annual)

.....

Collection, Bavington, per Rev. A. Trotter

0 13 0

2 0 0

1 0 0

300

Collection, Warrenford, per Rev. Dr. Hutcheson...

Collection, Seaton Delaval, per Mr. John Hewitt...

Collection, Birkenhead, per Rev. John Gardner

............

Miss J. D. Wake Mrs. Hay.

Sabbath School, Sunderland, (Rev. Dr. Paterson's), per Mr. John H. Wake Collection in St. James's Church Sabbath Schools, Alnwick, per Rev. T. F. Clarke....

Collection, Harbottle, per Mr. Thomas Thompson.

Collection, Dudley, per Rev. George Lewis

Collection, Ancoats, per Mr. James Hope Collection, Monkwearmouth, per Rev. John Fisher ......

Collection, Regent-square, London, per Mr. John Johnstone

Collection, Risley, per Rev. William Forster

Collection, Bewcastle, per Mr. George Routledge

Collection, Trinity Church, Newcastle, per Mr. Walter Morrison .... Collection, Crookham, per Mr. Alex. Hutchinson

Collection, Maryport, per Rev. M. Har

vey......

THE SYNOD.

IN our next number we hope to give some account of the Synod's proceedings. As our readers will observe, they commence on Tuesday, the 17th of April. The various Meetings are all open to the public, and, as it is eight years since a Synod was held in London, it is likely that there will be a numerous attendance from our own congregations, as well as many visitors from amongst our neighbours.

matters.

We are not aware that any novel or difficult questions will come before the Synod, and thus more time will remain for considering our Church's weightier It was generally felt last year that the great scheme of the Home Mission did not receive its due proportion of the brethren's thought and time; and, after hearing the Report on the state of religion, every one regretted that, instead of half-an-hour, the subject had not occupied half-a-day. For these, as well as for the Sustentation Fund and Mr. Chalmers's statistical returns, with the questions emerging from them, we trust that ample leisure may be secured this year.

So essential is it to the despatch of business, that we would respectfully urge on all the brethren PUNCTUAL AND CONSTANT ATTENDANCE. We believe that most of them, like the late Lord Stowell, "are above the pedantry which disdains | to gratify an ordinary and every-day curiosity;" in other words, that they mean to visit the sights of London. And some will doubtless be urged to lend their help at those benevolent meetings which nightly stud the several localities of the capital, and which, with the advance of April, come thick and threefold; and therefore we hope that Members of Synod will arrange to spend a minister's week in the metropolis, and by supplying our London pulpits on the intervening Sabbath, they will confer a benefit on their brethren and their brethren's flocks, and on the subsequent days they will be able with a clear conscience to visit Westminster Abbey, and Banvard's Mississippi. Let us hope that every member may be in town on Monday night, so as to attend the several Committees on Tuesday morning, and in his memorandum-book let each mark "engaged against the successive days, from the 17th to the 20th, lest, in an oblivious moment, he should get entangled with a dinner party, a picture exhibition, or a Public Meeting.

DR. URE'S LECTURES.

THE month of February was the recess of our College, and Dr. Ure took that opportunity to redeem his kind promise and give our students a short course of lectures on chemistry. The fame of the lecturer, the brilliancy of his experiments, and the vivacity of his expositions, brought a large assemblage toge

ther, including not a few of the Doctor's fair admirers,- -an assemblage which, contrary to the usage in such cases, was largest at the last. Through the liberality of Professor Edwards, the lectures were delivered in the commodious hall of the Pharmaceutical Society, and the demonstrations had every advantage which they could derive from an excellent apparatus and a skilful assistant. We know that our students deeply appreciate Dr. Ure's exertions to impart a science so essential to an accomplished education; and if anything be needed to fan our Church's ardour in behalf of the College, it should be encouraged by such a noble contribution from one who stands so high in the philosophic world.

CORFU.

A MEETING of the London Ladies' Society in aid of this mission was held in the Committee-rooms, Exeter Hall, on the 28th of February. The Rev. Robert W. Stewart, of Leghorn, was present, and bore his cordial testimony to the zeal, judgment, and efficiency with which Mr. Charteris is conducting his arduous mission. A letter was read from Mr. C., dated February 8, in which he mentions that the two Jews who had gone to Malta in order to receive Christian baptism,-although their case had not proved altogether so satisfactory as Mr. Charteris at first had hoped,-had been taken up by Dr. Kalley, as well as Mr. Denniston and Dr. Disanctis. Let us pray that the instructions of these faithful ministers may be blessed to the poor wanderers.

The Corfu Committee are greatly encouraged by the growing interest manifested in the mission in several quarters; but nothing has cheered them so much as the contributions of so many Sabbathschools. The Corfu Scheme is very much a mission to the young. Miss Mackenzie conducts a school for Jewish girls, and Mr. Charteris, with his assistant, one for Jewish boys and young men. And since our missionary went thither a Sabbathschool has been opened among the Presbyterian inhabitants, and the boys and girls attending it are in the habit of collecting for our own China Mission. We hope that the knowledge of these things will encourage many of our Sabbath scholars to follow the example of their young friends at Sunderland, and Woolwich, and Alnwick, and Newcastle, and Seaton-Delaval.

From which resolution Mr. Fergusson dissented, because such decision tends to override the constitutional right of a minority to arrest proceedings in circumstances calling for such interference and to destroy the independent character of members of court. To this dissent Mr. Gardner adhered.

It was unanimously agreed to transmit the overture to the Synod on the subject of the division of the Presbytery into two Presbyteries.

It was also agreed to transmit the following overture: "Whereas it is of the utmost moment that the constitution, duties, and powers of Deacons' Courts should be clearly determined by the Supreme Court in our Church, it is humbly overtured by the Presbytery of Lancashire, that the Synod take this subject into serious consideration, and so legislate that the constitution, duties, and powers of Deacons' Courts may be fully known."

Adjourned to first Wednesday in May.

PRESBYTERY OF BIRMINGHAM.

This Reverend Court met at Birmingham on Tuesday, the 6th Feb. A commission was received for Mr. John Henderson of Birmingham, as a ruling elder.

It having been intimated to the Presbytery that Mr. Mottear, presently supplying Congleton, was likely to be called to a congregation in Ireland, Mr. M. was requested to continue his services in the meantime, and the clerk was instructed to procure the necessary supply as soon as possible.

The Presbytery having called for the report of the Committee appointed to examine the Congleton accounts, the Committee reported that they had forwarded a copy of the report now on the table, together with the accounts, to the Home Mission Committee, and had received in reply a communication expressing satisfaction with the state of matters at Congleton and voting a grant of 251. for the current year, commencing with January 1st.; whereupon the Presbytery unanimously adopted the report and approved the diligence of the Committee.

The Presbytery having called for Communion rolls, session records, and congregational accounts from all the congregations within their bounds, the same were handed in from the following congregations:-Birmingham, Dudley, Shelton, and Stafford; whereupon Messrs. Martyn and Speers (Convener), ministers,

and Mr. Whitehouse, elder, were appointed a Committee to examine the Birmingham and Dudley books; and Messrs. Mackenzie (Convener), and Lewis, ministers, and Mr. Henderson, elder, were appointed a Committee to examine the Shelton and Stafford books, and report to next ordinary meeting.

The Presbytery agreed to take Mr. Robert Fleming, student in divinity, on trial, previous to licence, at their next meeting.

The Presbytery adjourned to meet at Stafford on the first Tuesday of April at twelve o'clock.

PRESBYTERY OF BERWICK.

MET at Tweedmouth pro re nata, as summoned by circular. Present three ministers and two elders. The Moderator's conduct in calling the meeting was approved. He stated the object of the meeting as mentioned in the circular, to be to receive and consider an application from the Tweedmouth congregation for leave to mortgage their church property. But owing to the paucity of members present the consideration of this matter was adjourned to the ordinary meeting.

Met at Tweedmouth on 27th February, 1849, after sermon by Rev. John Fraser, from Matt. xxiii. 8, 9. Present five ministers and three elders. It was found that the brethren appointed to supply at Belford had officiated. The Committee of Supplies reappointed with former instructions, and further, in correspondence with Mr. Watson and his friends, to endeavonr to secure the services of a regular assistant for three months.

Appointed Mr. Fraser (during that time, or during Mr. Watson's indisposition) as assistant moderator of the Session.

Reports of the Home Mission collections were taken. The application from the Deacons' Court at Tweedmouth for leave to mortgage their church property to a larger amount than originally sanctioned by the presbytery was now considered and granted, Mr. Murdoch having moved that the original grant be adhered to and entering his dissent against this larger one. Mr. Murdoch brought forward an overture to the Synod on a general building fund, which, after consideration was unanimously adopted and ordered to be transmitted to the Synod. It is as follows: "Whereas there is a considerable number of the churches in connexion with the Synod of the Presbyterian Church in England burdened with debt, whereas that burden is a hin