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In every other respect the report of the year is one to fill the hearts of Christ's servants with joy. The Gospel is preached by the Society's missionaries more widely than ever; the results of their labours show an unusual display of Divine grace; large accessions have been made to the churches; education has made considerable progress; new fields are open on every hand to the feet of them "that bring good tidings of good." Would it not be a fitting close to a year of so much blessing and mercy, were friends of the Mission to resolve at once to remove this burden from the coming year, and enable the Treasurer to commence its duties with a clear balance-sheet? The sum is not large. They commend its consideration to their friends.

The Committee cannot close their report without making reference to the loss they have sustained in the decease of two of their number-the Rev. Wm. Robinson, of Cambridge, and the Rev. C. Vince, of Birmingham. For many years the Committee enjoyed the friendship of these honoured servants of Christ and their hearty co-operation in the work of the Lord. Both were always prompt to aid the cause they loved, and each in his sphere contributed largely to the efficient conduct of the Society's affairs. While the Committee are assured that the Master will never want instruments for the promotion of His glory, they cannot but mourn the absence from their meetings of brethren every way so eminently fitted to counsel and guide. May we all diligently fulfil His behests, and be found each at his post, observant of His command, "Occupy till I come."

IT

Decease of the Rev. B. Millard.

Tis with feelings of great sorrow we announce the decease of the Rev. B. Millard, on Wednesday evening, the 21st April. For thirty years Mr. Millard lived a devoted life in Jamaica, as pastor of the churches at St. Ann's Bay and Ocho Rios, serving the Master with zeal, energy, and devoutness. He filled for several years the arduous post of Secretary to the Jamaica Baptist Union; and his departure for England about three years ago was deeply lamented by his brethren. Since his arrival at home he has occupied the office of Secretary of the Anti-Slavery Society with very great efficiency, and his loss will be severely felt by that institution. His remains were interred in Abney Park Cemetery on Monday, the 26th April. He leaves a widow and a family of six children to mourn his death.

CHE

The Tambulda Mission near Calcutta. YHRISTIAN work has been carried on in this part of the 24-Pergunnahs, for several years past, with a good measure of success. A Christian community gathered out of heathenism, consisting of one hundred souls, of whom fifty are members of the Church, or communicants, exists here as the fruit of the labour bestowed.

There are three principal stations connected with this Mission, namely,Port Canning, Kagra, and Hurrishpoor. At each of these places, Christian worship is regularly maintained, and from them the gospel is constantly proclaimed in the villages around by native evangelists. Of these, there are five employed, two at Port Canning, two at Hurrishpoor, and one at Kagra. They have all been prepared for their work by three years' instruction at the Alipore Theological Institution, and possess the esteem and confidence of their tutor. They are married men, and their wives are Church members. These have also been under careful training, and it is hoped will render good assistance among the females of the congregations.

Mr. Pearce, when at Alipore, originated the Christian work in these districts, and has hitherto carried it on with short intermissions: but advancing age has made him feel it desirablet hat the work here be now committed to younger and more active hands. At his request therefore, Messrs. W. & E. Wenger consented to relieve him of the charge, and have undertaken the effort of carrying it on; and he commits it to them with entire confidence and grateful feelings for their generous compliance with his request.

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THE

The Calcutta Conference.

THE following notice of the Conference of our brethren in Calcutta at the close of last year, is from the pen of our home missionary, Romanath R. Chowdhry. It will, we are sure, interest our friends, and give the views of our native brethren on the value of this annual gathering. It is dated December 2nd, 1874:

"We have just had a time of great refreshing in our annual Conference, which commenced on the 18th November, and lasted till the 25th. The wisdom that instituted this annual Conference is, indeed, of God. It supports and strengthens the entire brotherhood, and increases the devotedness of its members in the cause of Christ. It is productive of fresh vigour. It gives us opportunities to consult and fix on suitable means for the furtherance of Christ's kingdom in this country, and for the building up in the faith' of the members of our native churches. We dissolved the Conference, each having formed nobler anticipations regarding his future labours.

"Thanks be to God, who, by His Spirit, moved His people and caused its formation.

"The late famine filled us with exceeding great apprehension long before the actual calamity of scarcity visited us; but in all our fears and anxieties we looked up to the Lord, and wrestled with Him in prayer for needful provision. The way of the Lord is really marvellous. In this calamity our people learnt the sweet lesson of trusting on God, and depending on Him from whom alone cometh all gifts, temporal and spiritual. The young and old formed prayer-meetings separately, without any suggestion from

us.

And these meetings continued for a considerable time, and were the means of turning many to the Saviour who had not embraced Him before. When they received the intimation that the Churches in England had subscribed liberally towards the relief of their distress, they were filled with joy and thankfulness, and traced in this timely and sufficient help an answer to their prayers. The provision made by the Churches in England strikingly shows how Christianity as a power worketh over them all. I was frequently asked by our people to tender their thanks to the Churches in England for the sympathy shown by them in distress.

"This year has been a year of great trial to me. Sickness and death have visited my family. It has pleased the Lord in His providence to take away one of my sons. A child five years

and ten months old. A few minutes before his death he tried to sing one of our beautiful hymns, but owing to his weakness he could not do more than repeat the words, after which, with a sweet smile, he left us and went to the Lord. How inconsolable would our grief have been, had we not been assured by God's holy Word, that we shall all meet again in that land beyond the river.'"

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At the last Annual Meeting of the Members of the Society, in view of the resignation of Mr. Kirtland, the incoming Committee were "requested to take into consideration the question whether it is not desirable, in making arrangements for the appointment of a successor to Mr. Kirtland, to consult with the Committee of the Baptist Union, on the propriety and feasibility of a closer and more cordial co-operation between this Society and the Baptist Union." In accordance with this request, in the week following the Annual Meeting, a special meeting of the Committee, which was largely attended, was held, at which the whole question was fully discussed. The Committee were almost unanimous in the opinion that the amalgamation of the Union and this Society was impracticable, and that Home Mission work could be done most effectively by this Society as now constituted. They felt, however, that the Union at its gatherings could render the Society essential service, and therefore passed the following resolution:

"That a deputation be appointed to wait on the Committee of the Baptist Union to request that Committee, in connection with the officers of this Society, to make such arrangements as shall bring the work and claims of the British Missions before the representatives of the churches at the next autumnal session of the Union."

Your Committee then proceeded with all earnestness to seek a secretary, and

at length the Rev. J. Bigwood was invited to undertake the office until the close of the financial year, his previous state of health rendering such provisional engagement desirable. He cheerfully undertook the work, and has been able witnout interruption to aischarge its duties.

In accordance with the resolution of the Committee above referred to, an opportunity of presenting the claims of the Society at the Autumnal Session of the Union was sought, and your secretary was requested by the Committee of the Union to read a paper on British and Irish Home Missions at the approaching meeting at Newcastle.

At Newcastle, after the paper of your secretary, a paper on the desirability of a closer connection between the Baptist Union and the leading Baptist Societies, was read by the Rev. R. Glover of Bristol, and the attention of the Union was diverted from the all-important question of Home Missionary work to that of the Constitution of our Missionary Societies. Your Committee regret this circumstance. They are grateful, however, to the Committee of the Union for allowing such prominence to be given at its autumnal gathering to the operations of this society, and feel certain that the effect of the whole discussion has been to beget a conviction, a conviction daily extending itself, that the independent action of this Society must be maintained and that it is the best existing organisation for the accomplishment of the work it contemplates.

During the past year, your Committee and their agents have been steadily pursuing their work, so far as the limited contributions of the churches have enabled them, both in Great Britain and in Ireland; and they are devoutly thankful to God for the great success with which their labours have been crowned. There is no department of the mission-field in which there has not been occasion for gratitude. The letters from your various missionaries are radiant with cheerfulness and hope, and there is scarcely one that does not tell of conversions and baptisms. From the churches directly aided by your Committee, and from those assisted by the several auxiliaries to the Society, welcome letters of growing success have been received. From Consett and Hartlepool in the Northern, Ventnor in the Southern, Longhope and Ross in the Gloucester, Swanwick in the Derbyshire, and Maesycwmmwr in the Monmouthshire Auxiliary, they are informed of increasing congregations and numerous additions to the church. At Whitstable twelve, at Sheerness thirteen, at Redditch fifteen, at York nineteen, at Eastbourne twenty-two, and at Hornsey Rise twenty-nine, have been, during the year, baptized. A large amount of activity has been displayed in the erection and enlargement of chapels and the reduction of chapel debts. In some cases the churches have been enabled voluntarily to relinquish some portion of the help they have been accustomed to receive, and thus have fulfilled the hope of your Committee. Such has been the case at Redditch, which may be regarded as one of the most successful efforts of the Society. At York also, the aid required from the Society is very much diminished, and there is every prospect that in another year this healthy and vigorous church will be able effectively to sustain itself. Their late minister, Mr. Meyer, whose removal from York was an occasion of deep regret, is labouring successfully at Victoria Road, Leicester, and a successor has been found in the Rev. T. E. Cozens Cooke, of Ipswich. Other changes have taken place in the churches aided by the Society. Mr. Bax has removed from Faversham to Battersea, and

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