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MISSIONARY OBSERVER.

way of salvation, to give himself to his Redeemer, and enjoy his pardoning love. D. W.

BAPTISMS.

WOLVERHAMPTON.-On Lord's-day, Mar. 3rd, 1844, six persons were added to our Church; four by baptism, and two who stood as members of other Churches. Mr. Shore preached and baptized in the afternoon, when our chapel was crowded to excess, and many were deeply affected; and in the evening he administered the Lord's-supper. This was a day of good things. We are happy in having to state, that since brother Shore came amongst us, our new cause has assumed a most pleasing aspect; numbers have taken sittings. Our prayer-meetings are well attended. As a Church we cannot but express our gratitude, through the medium of the Repository, to the Conference and Connexion, for engaging to render us some assistance towards the support of our pastor. T. ALLEN, Deacon.

MEASHAM.-On Lord's day, March 3rd, four persons submitted to the ordinance of baptism, and received the right hand of fellowship.

KIRTON-IN-LINDSAY. Revival and Baptism.-"The Lord hath done great things for us." We were ready, at the close of 1843, to hang our harps on the willows; but a series of extra meetings, commencing Dec. 31,

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through the Divine blessing, have been the means of producing a pleasing revival. Five persons have been added by baptism; one restored, and many appear to be deeply concerned. A few are waiting for baptism, and some who have formerly wandered, attend the services of the sanctuary with apparent profit. We have enjoyed the assistance of brother Fogg at some of our services. May many such seasons of grace be afforded to our Churches. W. G.

LOUTH.-On a recent Thursday evening, six persons were baptized at this place by Mr. Cameron. Mr. Kiddall preached from Romans vi. 17.

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above brethren, and the pastors of the Churches. The interesting and spiritstirring address of brother Stubbins, was listened to with profound attention, and, it is hoped, his earnest appeals for aid to the missionary cause, will not be in vain. Collections, &c., upwards of £100.

WHETSTONE.-On the following evening a missionary meeting was held in this chapel; this being a branch of the Doverstreet Church, several friends from Leicester were present. Addresses were delivered by the pastor, Messrs. Orton, and Pegg, students, and by brethren Stubbins, and Buckley. The statements of Mr. Stubbins awakened a lively interest. Col. £l 14.

KEGWORTH.A large and lively missionary meeting was held in the General Baptist chapel at this place, on Wednesday evening Feb. 27. Brother Stubbins was absent on account of indisposition. Effective addresses were delivered by Messrs. Wilders, Buckley, and the Secretary. It is hoped the missionary spirit will revive in all our Churches.

BURTON-ON-TRENT. - Our missionary anniversary was held on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 18, 19. On Sunday afternoon, our excellent friend Mr. Stubbins delivered an interesting address to the children and teachers of the Sunday school. In the evening he preached a very appropriate and impressive sermon to a full congregation, who went away delighted, resolving to be present on the Monday night. The public meeting was unusually well attended, and suitably and efficiently addressed by Mr. Stubbins, Mr. Pike, of Derby, Mr. Josiah Pike, and Mr. Buck, of Burton, (Indep.) The people were much interested and pronounced it one of the best meetings they had ever attended. Collections and subscriptions for the year, between £28 and £29, considerably better than last year.

was

J. S.

by a visit from our beloved brethren Stubbins and Buckley, on Wednesday, March 13th. Several kind friends gratuitously provided trays for a tea meeting, at which about 200 persons attended. After tea a meeting was held in the chapel, where an audience of 400 at least were delighted with addresses from Messrs. Stanion, Kluht (Independent), Buckley, and Stubbins. A more interesting meeting has not been held here for many years lively gratification, generous sympathy, tender emotion, appeared alternately to beam from every countenance. The immediate results of the meeting are, an increased interest in the mission, a more ardent affection for brethren Stubbins and Buckley, and a renewal of confidence in them as missionaries, ten pounds to the fund for additional missionaries, and the promise of a double barreled gun* for brother Buckley.

DONINGTON AND SAWLEY.-The anni. versary sermons, for the Foreign Mission were delivered in these places by brethren Stubbins and Buckley, on Lord's - day, March 10. A delightful missionary meeting was held at Donington, on Monday evening. Mr. Owen presided. Addresses were delivered by the chairman, brethren Buckley, Pike, Goadby, Stubbins, and a Wesleyan brother. On the following evening a meeting was held at Sawley, when Mr. Keetley presided, and addresses were delivered by the above brethren, with the exception of the secretary. It is pleasing to add that the collections in this Church are improving, and that zeal for the mission, keeps pace with the improvement of the Church. A benevolent friend, who last year liberally subscribed £20 to the fitting up of the binding office at Cuttack, has this year munificently devoted £100 for the assistance of the mission.

CLAIMS OF OUR

MISSION.

LONGFORD, first Church.. POSITION AND A more in. teresting missionary meeting than the one held in our chapel, March 5th, 1844, has not taken place for these eight or ten years past. Indeed it reminded us of days and seasons long since passed away. Then such opportunities were hailed as some of the most favored means connected with our little hill of Zion. In the afternoon brother Pike preached a very excellent discourse, from John i. 14. In the evening a crowded and very attentive auditory listened with thrilling interest to the addresses delivered by brethren Chapman, Shaw, Buckley, Stubbins, and the secretary. We are happy to say, that our collections and subscriptions have nearly doubled this year, being upwards of £25.

THE following circular from the committee has been sent to all our Churches. It is thought desirable that it should appear in this publication. We trust it will be productive of great good.-ED.

MELBOURNE. - Missionary tea meeting. The friends of the mission here were cheered

DEAR BRETHREN.-We have received from our beloved and laborious Brother Sutton, an earnest appeal in behalf of our interesting Indian Mission. He appeals to us, and he appeals to you for help, and his statements prove how greatly that help is needed, yet while entreating help, he seems to write in almost a desponding strain, and

*This is a necessary part of the travelling furniture of some of our Missionaries, who are often, on their tours, dependent on a fowlingpeice for their subsistence.-ED.

POSITION AND CLAIMS OF OUR MISSION.

has had, alas! too much reason for such despondency. Listen to his statements.

"In sending home our annual report, I feel as if I could not complete my task, without calling your special attention to the present state of the Mission.

"Midnapore is again without a Missionary. "Khunditta. This post is at present destitute.

"Cuttack. Here are brother Lacey and myself, with Mr. Brooks in the Printing Office, and more I suppose we cannot expect. But it should be borne in mind, that Mr. Lacey is the only labourer among the people; and the growing Church, widely scattered, requires much of his time. Whether I shall ever be less tied to home is doubtful. If we receive the contemplated addition of fifty Khund Girls, we shall need assistance, for the health and strength of my beloved wife, are totally inadequate to any additional labour.

"Ganjam or Berhampore must be also reckoned destitute; brother Wilkinson yet wavers as to where he ought to settle.

"Choga is presenting an interesting field, full of promise, and calls for frequent and diligent cultivation.

"Pipply, &c., remains still unoccupied, because we have not the men to send.

"The whole Khund country needs a Missionary to seek its welfare.

"I have thought upon the field of labour before us, and the responsibility which rests upon us to cultivate it, till my feelings have assumed rather the character of despondency than of hope. Not that we have any reason to despair of the most complete and enlarged success, could we bring to bear and sustain among the people the ordinary and established means of Evangelization, but because of the inadequacy of our employment of those means, and because of the coldness, with which our appeals for further aid, and more generous co-operation on the part of our denomination have been met. We have furnished much pecuniary aid ourselves, have had generous friends raised up at home and abroad, but as it would seem without kindly generous enthusiasm in thousands of the members of our body. This leaves the conviction in my mind that our cause has no place in the sympathies of a number of our people. Notwithstanding all the aid obtained in various ways from abroad, and in money, tracts, Bibles, schools, and notwithstanding our members have been doubled, we have fewer Missionaries appointed by our society, than we had in 1828. true that, poorly qualified as we feel ourselves to be, we strive to grapple with our difficulties and meet our pressing necessities, but how imperfectly is much of our work accomplished! and how much are we obliged to refrain even from attempting!

It is

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"I could not have believed ten years ago that in 1843, notwithstanding all the cheering prospects around us we should be so hampered on every side for want of men to occupy our few stations, or to enter on new and promising fields of labour. But the fact is so, and now it becomes to me a painful question, whether as a professedly Missionary body, we ought not to acknowledge our unworthiness, and invite other Christians to come and share the delightful task of giving to these dying myriads, the bread of life. Let the members of our society travel in imagination, mile by mile, from Midnapore to Berhampore, right and left, glancing at the thousands of clustering villages, and the several large cities in their way, then let them stretch their vision over the hills and jungles, tracts for hundreds of miles north and west, let them think of the large tribes of Sabaras, Bhumijas, Santals, Khunds, and Coles, for whom no man careth, and to whom no messenger of Christ has been sent, then let them look at the few men they support, while they might easily support a much larger number, would all and each assist; let them look at our schools, which demand to be supported with vigour; at our rising churches, some with no shepherd for the little flock; at our young men with no adequate system of means employed to make them fit successors of our native preachers; at our stations in part unoccupied, or just kept up, and when they have done this thoughtfully, as Christians hastening to eternity, let them in the attitude of prayer before God, ask what the Lord would have them to do.

"Is not the cause worth this? Does not the case of these dying multitudes demand this? Does not the fact of your Mission being so reduced as to labourers, some of whom from their length of service it were unwise to reckon upon for much longer continuance, make this imperative at your hands?

"Nor would I rest satisfied in pressing the enquiry before God on the members of our Churches generally, but in addition and in an especial manner, urge it upon the hearts and consciences of our young preachers and students. While they believe that Christ died for all and commanded his gospel to be preached to all, let them answer, why are they seeking a settlement at home-what do they hope to gain by it, what to avoid by it? Do they think their course ensures their Master's smile? Are there not others to do their work at home, while there are none to do it abroad? Is not a "Well done," though it follow an early grave, enough for a servant of Christ? Come my dear brethren, come over and help us! I invite you, it may be, to toil and sorrow and sickness perhaps, but I invite you certainly to a work angels

might love to do; I invite you to honors no calling on earth can rival: I invite you to usefulness, no labours elswhere can ensure; I invite you to an enterprize whose founder is Christ, whose first friends were his apostles, whose witnesses are in heaven, whose trophies are found among men of every clime and race, and to have been associated with which will, I doubt not, through eternity, be deemed the most exalted characteristic of a Christian man."

Christian brethren and sisters, the fervent and stirring remarks of our brother are, alas! true. The Connexion does little for the millions of India compared with what its numbers might perform. Many Churches raise nothing for the Mission. In the income of the last year, no contribution was included from forty eight Churches. It is true two or three of these may have raised something which was not remitted in time to appear in the accounts, and several of them are small Churches, yet in the whole they return above three thousand two hundred members, the far greater part of whom regularly and entirely neglect the dying milions of the heathen world. In many cases friends to religion that are not actually members of Churches contribute freely to the Mission, so that what may be announced as received from any Church, is by no means to be considered as contributed by its members only, yet were the whole that is contributed derived from the members only, the average contribution in a number of instances would be distressingly small. With all the aid received from public collections and contributions of friends who are not members, the contributions from three Churches, by no means small ones, amount not to an average of three-pence, a member yearly, from another not to four-pence, from six others not to six-pence, from four others not to eight-pence, from nine others, partly large and flourishing Churches, not a shilling, and from six others not to eighteen-pence. All these profess to prize the Gospel, and to be anxious for the diffusion of its blessings; and is this all that the claims of millions dying in sin demand, and that the love of Christ deserves?

To be continued.

BRITISH SUPPORT OF IDOLATRY IN INDIA.

IN reply to a question proposed by Sir R. Inglis, March 15, Sir R. Peel said, that in the course of the last session a pamphlet had been published (by a Mr. Strachan, we believe), stating, among other things, that a sum of 56,000 rupees were annually paid by the Indian Government for the support of the idol Juggernaut, and in consequence of

existing stipulations between certain Indian authorities and the British Government; and further stating, that "pilgrim-hunters" -persons inciting others to pilgrimages to Juggernaut were encouraged by the Government; and that parties, employed in our police there, were in the habit of persuading people to participate in the service of that idolatrous worship. Immediately on the publication of that pamphlet, a despatch had been transmitted to the Governor-General, enclosing a copy of it-positively enjoining that none of our Indian police should be employed in inducing, still less in enforcing, involuntary service of the Hindoo idol. Inquiries had also been made as to the existence of any stipulation between the Indian Government and any Indian authorities as to the continuance of some allowance for the support of that idol. Hitherto no reply had been received to this communication; but when it was received he should be ready to lay it before the House.

OREAH EVENING HYMN.

THE following is from brother A. Sutton. He says, as to an application from the Madras government, "I fancy we shall not obtain the children from the Madras government. They have given no answer to our application, and I learn, that Captain M. has given away all the children to Hindoos and Mussalmen, with very few exceptions. Nor have we received any other Khund children from our commissioner. Just to fill up the sheet, I transcribe a literal translation of the "Oreah Evening Hymn," which our children usually sing at evening worship.

O Jehovah! listen to prayer;

Keep our souls in peace thy sacred footstool (Chorus.*)

near.

Lord, our evening song of praise,

We to thee devoutly raise;

Bid thy holy light on us in radiance appear.

To thy guardianship divine,

Soul and body we resign;

Safe from every evil, Lord, O thou wilt keep us there.

While in this vain world we stay,

May we never from thee stray; By day, by night, may we to thy blest feet repair.

In a world of sin we're born,
Works of merit we have none;

Be propitious; let us in thy merey share.

Holy Saviour! toward thee May our faith still firmer be; [ensnare. So shall no device of Satan e'er our souls

*Repeated after every verse. The hymn is in this precise measure.

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The meetings of the anniversary of this Society will be held as follows. On WEDNESDAY, April 17, a Lecture will be delivered on Ireland, and its claims on Christian sympathy and effort, at the Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle Street, by the Rev. J. W. MASSIE, A.M., of Manchester.

On TUESDAY EVENING, the 23rd, at six, the Public Meeting will be held. also at the Hall of Commerce. JOSEPH TRITTON, Esq., of Battersea, in the chair.

THE UNION.

SOME persons are much engaged in forming unions for various important purposes; others are seeking to destroy those which already exist. Some are saying, we have too much union; others tell us we have not enough, and never can have too much. It is a subject, therefore, of considerable importance. It is exciting great attention in these times; and, certainly, if the word of God be deemed an authority on such a question, few questions are of deeper moment. earnestly Jesus laboured to promote it! How earnest and importunate his prayers for its success and extension! "That they all may be one; as thou Father art in me, that the world may know that thou hast sent me."

How

Dear friends, there is little union in Ireland. Party spirit rages fiercely. Protestant against catholic, and catholic against protestant. The members of the endowed church are taking up a hostile position against dissenters. Those who possess civil rights and political influence and power, are trying to prevent the extension of them to their fellow citizens. The rich and poor are widely separated, not more in circumstances than feeling. There is little sympathy between them. The mass of the people are united on one object, the repeal of the union between their own country and Great Britain. All admit the undesirableness of such a step; but plead for it on the ground of necessity. But even on this subject there is not a hearty union of one sentiment and one feeling. Though the whole land is in a state of submission to Antichrist, and the people love their bondage too well, yet rents and divisions are seen even here. All is in commotion. The deadly uniformity of stagnation is broken. Ripples appear on the surface, betokening the coming breeze. The dead sea of spiritual lifelessness and mental degradation is at last moved! Tell it through the land, the Bible is no longer a prohibited book; nay, more, it is a RECOMMENDED BOOK!

Are they to Are they to beginning to

And how should British Christians regard this scene of agitation? look on, and fold their arms, and take no interest in the spectacle? be still when mind and heart, so long benumbed and prostrate, are show signs of life? We know what you will say. You are eager to assure us of your willingness to help us. Ireland's woes, and wrongs, and wants, have never been faithfully exhibited to our British churches, without awakening the deepest interest, and calling into exercise Christian liberality.

Friends of Christ! we speak to you through this medium, whom we can address in no other way. A great crisis is at hand. You have the means of healing the waters of strife. As there are no bonds so firm, no union so perfect and lasting, as that cemented by Christian love, we call you to the high purpose of uniting Ireland to England by this tie. Who will now say, "the time is not

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