Missionary Notes.

SAN FERNANDO, TRINIDAD.-The Rev. W. Williams has entered on his work under encouraging circumstances. The church he found very low; but two persons have already offered themselves for baptism. He has opened a Sunday-school, and arranged for regular weekly services. The congregations have been good since his arrival.

CALCUTTA.-The ship Chyebassa, containing our friends the Revds. J. Martin and D. Jones; Mrs. Rouse and children, arrived safely on the 6th December, after a very pleasant and prosperous voyage. Services were held every morning in the saloon, and twice every Sunday, conducted by the brethren and other missionaries on board. Mr. Jones speaks of having made his first attempt at the language. After a short stay in Calcutta, Mr. Jones proceeded to Monghyr.

MADEIRA.-The Rev. A. Saker informs us of his safe arrival at Madeira, with the Rev. G. Grenfell, both in good health. They had had strong winds and much sea, but always favourable.

MONGHYR.-The Rev. E. C. B. Hallam reports that the native preachers had gone into this district with the purpose of attending the Sonepore Mela. The Mela in Monghyr had also offered many opportunities for preaching the Gospel. A native Sunday-school has also been formed for the first time.

BACKERGUNGE.-The Rev. C. C. Brown informs us that, with the help of the native preachers, he has been able to conduct two services and to preach twice in Bengali. By the end of another year he fully hopes to preach without the necessary aid of a manuscript.

CLARENDON, JAMAICA.-The native pastor, the Rev. T. S. Johnson, informs us that the hurricane which visited the island on the 31st December, destroyed twenty-two houses. The school-houses and mission buildings at Mount Merrick and Point Hill, also sustained much injury. Happily, there was no loss of human life, but much cattle and small stock were killed, and the crops were damaged, so that much distress prevailed.

DACCA. From the Rev. Isaac Allen, we learn that his health has so materially failed as to render a visit to a colder climate most desirable. He mentions that his paper on the Disestablishment of the Indian Episcopal Church, read at the Calcutta Conference, has created a large degree of interest and has led to the formation of a Society which will endeavour to bring it about.

COLOMBO, CEYLON.-After a pleasant and rapid voyage of twenty-eight days, the Rev. T. R. Stevenson, and family, arrived in Colombo on the 10th December. They had two days of storm, one of them in the Indian Ocean. A very hearty welcome awaited them, and on the Sunday following his arrival Mr. Stevenson preached to a crowded congregation.

BENARES.-From the Indian Mirror we extract the following note referring

to the schools superintended by Mrs. Etherington-"The largest schools for native girls in India are supported by an enlightened prince, and in this most orthodox of Indian cities. The prince we allude to is the Maharajah of Vizianagram. In 1867 the first school was established, and within a fortnight the Maharajah succeeded, by offering a stipend of one rupee to every pupil, in getting together sixty-s y-seven names on the roll. A normal school was also opened to meet the want of teachers. A second school was then opened close to the celebrated temple of Bisheshwar, and a third was opened within a month after the establishment of the first school. So that within a short time there were no less than 450 pupils on the rolls. In an orthodox city like Benares, the payment of a stipend was thought to be indispensable. But thanks to the exertions of Mrs. Etherington, the stipends have been lowered and given to such only as have mastered the alphabet, and the number of pupils has increased to 600. This speaks highly of the disinterested exertions of the lady Superintendent and of the founder, the Maharajah of Vizianagram, who spends Rs. 700 monthly on this work."

SONTHALISTAN.-From a private source we learn the arrival of the Rev. L. 0. Skrefsrud and his party at their station on the 23rd December. On the evening of the 24th they had a social gathering and celebration. On the 26th fifteen couples of Sonthals were to be married, and afterwards a grand feast of about 2,000 of the Christians was to be held in honour of the recent arrivals. About 2,000 persons have been baptized in this mission.

Home Proceedings.

The Rev. J. C. Page, writing from Colombo, on the 29th December, informs us that the voyage from Port Said had been most pleasant. There had been daily prayer meetings among the passengers. His own health and that of his daughter had also greatly improved. We have since heard, by telegraph, of their safe arrival in Calcutta on the 6th January.

At the meeting of the Committee, on the 6th January, they were happy to accept the services of the Rev. J. E. Gummer, for the mission in Hayti. Mr. Gummer has for the last two years been labouring in Clarendon, Jamaica; but has long desired to devote himself to direct missionary work. He was educated at Bristol College.

The Committee have heard with deep regret, of the decease of Philip Pulla, for thirty years their valued missionary among the Tamil population of Kandy, Ceylon. We hope in a future issue to give some account of his devoted life.

At the Quarterly Meeting, held on the 20th ult., the Committee had before them for approval, the minutes of the Conference of the missionaries in Calcutta, which took place on the 18th November, and six following days. The details embraced every department of the work, and throughout the proceedings the

greatest harmony and devoutness of spirit prevailed among the brethren assembled. One of the most gratifying features of the Conference was the time devoted to the examination and improvement of our staff of native evangelists.

We wish to call special attention to the purpose, announced by Mrs. Lewis, to hold a bazaar at Clifton, in the spring, having for its object to render aid to the funds of the Zenana mission in India. Contributions of work, material, and money, will gladly be forwarded from the Mission House, or by the Treasurer and Secretaries of the Ladies' Association.

The Rev. W. Miller left Marseilles on the 3rd January, for his destination. He will proceed to Benares on his reaching India. We are also happy to report the arrival of the Rev. T. Evans and his family in Calcutta, after a pleasant voyage, on the 21st December.

The designation of the Rev. S. J. Chowrryappah took place at Southampton on Thursday evening, January 14th, in Portland Chapel, in the presence of a large congregation. Mr. A. Pegler, J.P., presided, and addresses were given by the Rev. J. Trafford, M.A., the Rev. F. Trestrail, and by Mr. Chowrryappah. The Revds. J. B. Burt, S. Stribling, E. Osborn, R. Caven, and W. Emery, took part in the devotional service.

A valedictory service was held on the previous evening in the large hall of the Edinburgh Castle, Stepney, to take leave of Mr. Chowrryappah and Mr. Adams, both of whom were students of the East End Training Institute, under the charge of the Rev. Grattan Guinness. Mr. Adams is proceeding to Burmah on an independent footing. The large hall was well filled by a deeply interested audience, and addresses were given by the chairman, Mr. T. B. Smithies, by the Rev. H. G. Guinness, Dr. Underhill, Rev. T. Stevenson, and a Chinese gentleThe two young missionaries also briefly addressed the meeting. Mr. Chowrryappah sailed for Madras, in which presidency he will labour, on Monday, January 18th.

man.

It is with great pleasure we announce that the Annual Sermons for the Society will this year be preached by the Rev. Dr. Cairns, of Berwick-on-Tweed, and the Rev. J. P. Chown, of Bradford. J. S. Wright, Esq., of Birmingham, will take the chair at Exeter Hall, and the speakers who have at present consented to address the assembly, are the Rev. Dr. Mullens, the Rev. W. Brock, jun. and the Rev. E. G. Gange.

Subscriptions and Donations in aid of the Baptist Missionary Society will be thankfully received by Joseph Tritton, Esq., Treasurer; by Edward Bean Underhill, LL.D., Secretary, at the Mission House, Castle Street, Holborn, LONDON. Contributions can also be paid in at Messrs. Barclay, Bevan, Tritton, Twells and Co.'s, 54, Lombard Street, to the account of the Treasurer.

OF THE

British & Irish Baptist Home Mission

FEBRUARY, 1875.

THE letters received from our missionaries in Ireland during the past month are almost without exception of an encouraging character, and inspire gratitude and hope. The awakening seems to have reached even Roman Catholics, not a few of whom have been among the inquirers after salvation. We give a few extracts :—

I was invited to attend the late "Convention of Ministers" in

DUBLIN.

In one of the meetings for inquirers, a Protestant lady requested that I should speak with a Roman Catholic lady under deep concern about her soul. On being introduced to this person, I asked what was the subject on which she sought information. She told me that she had observed from her youth up the rites of her Church; she did not feel happy, and never had any certainty about the forgiveness of her sins; that Mr. Moody had stated in his addresses forgiveness was obtained by believing on the Lord Jesus, but she did not understand what was meant by believing. She had come into this meeting for some one to explain it to her. I said that believing simply meant trusting-first, trust in the faithfulness or truthfulness of God's promises of pardon offered to the sinner, as recorded in the Bible; secondly, trust in the Saviour Himself, as able and willing to save us. "He loved us, and gave Himself for us." She then asked, "Is it necessary for me to confess to a priest, so as to possess a continual sense of my salvation?" I replied, "Christ's Church has now no priest but Jesus! He offered Himself without spot to God upon the Cross, the one and only sacrifice for sin, and, as our priest, He is now in heaven pleading the merits of His death on our behalf. No clergyman has power to forgive sins." "If so," she said, "of what use are ministers?" I answered, "To point sinners to Christ. Suppose the Government had appointed guides at the various cross roads in the kingdom to show travellers unacquainted with the country the right way, would not their services be valuable, though they had not the power to carry the travellers to their destination? Ministers are guides whom Christ has appointed to point out to erring sinners the way to heaven." She exclaimed, with great fervour, her countenance becoming radiant with joy, "I see it all; I do believe! It is the simplicity of the plan of salvation that makes people stumble over it. I am the mother of five children, and, with the help of God's grace, I shall bring them up in the knowledge of the Bible."

A man recently built a new house in —, and invited me to hold a monthly service in it. I have consented; and, on my reaching his house, I was astonished to find about sixty persons awaiting my arrival. This is a new sphere for me. Oh, may the Holy Spirit apply the Word with saving power to many hearts in this place!

At another station about six miles from

PORTADOWN,

The wife of the proprietor, in whose house I hold a monthly service, expired whilst