this is not a human excitement, but that the Spirit has breathed on these country places. Make haste, make haste, then, to send us helpers. I cannot believe that any member of the church of Christ will refuse you the money necessary to carry out this glorious work." "I have just visited,' says a minister, 'my new flock at V- C- They are making progress; and I was convinced of this in a conversation that I had with them, and which lasted till late at night. Though newly born, so to speak, these brethren have a degree of piety, love, and zeal for the gospel rarely found so general and so developed in the oldest churches. I was exceedingly edified among them, and particularly by a young woman, a widow, recently brought to the knowledge of the truth. I found her on the bed of suffering and languishing, from which she is not likely to be raised, surrounded by five young children. As soon as she saw me, she held out her hand, and said, "I have full and firm reliance on Jesus; he is my righteousness and my life; and I am full of peace and joy, waiting for my departure." Then, pointing to her children, she added, "My Saviour God is also the father of these orphans; he will take care of these little ones, I feel assured of that. Since the death of her husband, and her own illness, this dying Christian and her family have had no other means of subsistence than those furnished by the affectionate charity of the members of this little flock!' "I bless God,' says another of our fellow-labourers, to be able to give you the following fact. A woman enlightened by the Spirit of God felt so deeply the desire to be able to read the inspired word, that she bought a New Testament, determined at all events to learn to read. Knowing no one near her who could teach her, she resolved to stop every one she met, and to ask the name of such and such a letter, and how the word was pronounced. persevered; and when she was able to spell the name of Jesus, she kissed the letters with transport. The Lord in his mercy then procured her the means of learning to read, by bringing near her a person who gave her instruction; and she is now reading the Scriptures for herself, glorifying God for the precious privilege he has granted her.' She "The number of our agents has been considerably increased. We have 137 engaged in or preparing for the work of evangelization. We have employed 29 ministers of the gospel, 18 colporteurs-evangelists, 4 directors and directresses,and 2 sub-directors of our Normal Schools, 27 schoolmasters or mistresses. Two students are preparing for the ministry, and in about a month will be at the service of the society; 34 young men are preparing in the Normal School to become schoolmasters, and 21 young females in that for schoolmistresses. "We have the pleasure to inform you that the sums received this year amount to 122,523f. 44c., and exceed by 34,000f. the receipts of the former year, which were already larger than those of preceding years. The society has never received such ample proof of the effective sympathy of the Christians of France and other countries; and we are happy to be able to observe, that since the foundation of our society, and in proportion as it has taken root in the soil, all other truly Christian institutions have been more prosperous, and new ones have sprung up in the midst of us. What other results could we, indeed, expect from efforts such as ours when, without any narrow or party views, the Lord put it into our hearts to endeavour to promote, and to desire alone the extension and the prosperity of the church of his Son Jesus Christ? 66 "By the addition to the 122,523f. 44c. of several sums due, amounting to 14,444f. 74c., the total of our receipts for the year is 136,968f. 16c.: but as our expenses have amounted to 147,028f. 16c., there remains a deficit on the year of 10,060f. This deficit, we venture to say, will be momentary. We speak with tranquillity; or if our heart beats, it is not with fear, but with joy, while we think that we have spent 147,000f. in answering the urgent claims of those who desire the bread of life. Leave not, then, the assembly dejected because there is a deficit of 10,000f., but thankful for what God has wrought. Let us leave to the men who trust in an arm of flesh, fear, anguish, and confusion; when earthly supporters fail, our support is firm. We put our trust in the Lord: how can we be moved? Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away,' said the Saviour; and what glorious and gracious promises he has made to those who come forward and labour and sacrifice for him !” SAMOAS.-WORK OF GOD AT MANUA. THERE are three small islands included under the name of Manua-Olosega, Ofu, and Tau-and the whole population is computed to exceed 1,000. The distance of the group from Tutuila, in a south-easterly direction, is about sixty miles. The Mission was commenced chiefly through the zeal and energy of Teava, a Native Teacher from Rarotonga, and nearly all the inhabitants have, by the introduction of the Gospel, been led to renounce heathenism. Manua has been occasionally visited by our Samoan brethren, and from the favourable aspect it presented, they were encouraged to send thither from Tutuila the devoted European Evangelist, who is named below, God has smiled on these united efforts. Within a recent period, Manua has shared in those showers of blessing which have descended on the Samoas generally; and the land, which, but as yesterday, was a desert without verdure or life, now begins to rejoice and blossom as the rose. The Rev. Thomas Bullen, who is stationed at Leone, in the island of Tutuila, has transmitted the following account of a visit to the group in May of last year, from which our readers will receive delightful confirmation of the statement now made We found much (says Mr, Bullen) to encourage us at Manua: not only had the fallowground been broken up and the seed cast in, but in many places it had sprung up, bearing precious fruit unto God, The labours of the native teachers had evidently been blessed; and soon after the arrival of Matthew Hunkin on the Island, there was an awakening similar to what we experienced at Tutuila, The month we passed at Manua was both pleasant and profitable to my own spirit; and I trust it may prove to have been profitable to the people. Of the numerous classes of inquirers, not a few afforded pleasing evidence that they had partaken of the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit. They dated back their first powerful impressions to the period of awakening to which I have referred, when the word of God, as preached by Matthew Hunkin, reached their hearts in the power and demonstration of the Spirit. Out of about 300 persons, who professed to be anxiously concerned for their salvation, thirty were selected to form a church; these afford satisfactory evidences of Christian character. Many more remain on probation, and will probably be received on another occasion. The Sabbath after our arrival, the Lord's-supper was administered. It was a memorable season to the communicants, and also to the great congregation who beheld, for the first time, the celebration of that sacred ordinance. On Wednesday, May 1st, the people held the anniversary of their Missionary meeting. In the morning I preached to a congregation of nearly 1,000 persons, from Isa. li. 9, and lii. 1, which I endeavoured to adapt to our circumstances. After the service the people adjourned to partake of refreshments which had been plentifully provided in the usual Samoan style. After the repast, they brought their offerings to aid the Society's funds, consisting of arrow-root and cocoa-nut oil. The name of each person was written down, with the amount of his subscription. It would have delighted and cheered our dear English friends, could they have stood by and witnessed the harmony, order, and decent cheerfulness, which that day prevailed among the assembled multitude. Men, women, and children contributed. Each one gave something. As the successive groups came forward and deposited their offerings, my heart rose in gratitude to that gracious God who had shined away the thick darkness of heathenism in which until very lately they had been sitting; and had made them willing to contribute their share in extending the conquests of our dear Redeemer's kingdom into the regions beyond them. About 2,400 lbs. of arrow-root were given, and 50 gallons of oil—a larger contribution than in any previous year, and which, when sold upon the spot, will bring to the Society 257. Sabbath, May 12th, was another memorable day on Manua. After the sermon in the morning, I had the unspeakable satisfaction of baptizing the thirty persons mentioned above, and of receiving them, in the name of the Lord Jesus, into communion with the visible church. In the afternoon, Matthew Hunkin gave an appropriate address from the words, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ;" and afterwards I administered the ordinance. It was a season of deep and thrilling interest to all present. The Holy Spirit appeared to be moving upon our minds. It seemed as though we had a communion, which might be seen as well as felt, with the Great Head of the Church, and with the members of his body on earth and in heaven. After the public services were concluded, the people retired to their homes with such feelings as seemed to say, "We have seen great things to-day, which were never done in Manua before." On Thursday, May 16th, we returned to Tutuila, in a whale boat, accompanied by my own boat and a native canoe, but such a day of peril I never before experienced. It was only by the great mercy of God that we ever reached the land. The morning was favourable, and we enjoyed the promise of a speedy and pleasant voyage. We were moreover well equipped and provided, as we thought, against all contingencies. Our crew was picked from those who had great skill in navigation; and an experienced English seaman, who is a member of our church, was at the helm. But all would have been unavailing if the Lord had not interposed for us. When we proceeded about half way between Manua and Tutuila, night fell, and we were overtaken with stormy wind and heavy rain, with an iron-bound lee-shore close at hand. But when nearly all hope was gone, the unseen hand of our heavenly Father conducted us into Pagopago harbour, where we were received by our friends with almost the same wonder as if we had joined them from another world: they were astonished to find that we had come from Manua in such a terrific wind. Although the canoe foundered and was beaten to pieces on the reef, no life was lost, this accident having been mercifully prevented till we were close to the harbour, so that the people were enabled to swim to the shore. The Lord make us very grateful for his wonderful preservation of us, and may our spared lives be more entirely devoted to his service! In the engraving on the preceding page, an attempt has been made to depict the tempestuous scene described by Mr. Bullen. Such are the dangers to which our devoted Missionaries are exposed in their endeavours to spread the knowledge of salvation; and their frequent deliverance from the perils of the sea, or of the wilderness, demands, as in the instance before us, our highest tribute of gratitude to Him in whose hand is the life of every living thing. MISSIONARY LABOURS IN THE NORTH OF INDIA. The facts presented in the following statements, which form part of a Missionary journal received from the Rev. James Kennedy, of Benares, will be contemplated with strong and painful interest by every christian mind. The Doab country, to which Mr. Kennedy directs our views, has hitherto received but little attention from the churches of Christ, though its spiritual necessities and woes are exceeded by those of no other province in India. From this narrative the friends of Missions will receive another proof, were any needed, that no near approach has yet been made to the completion of the work in which they are engaged, and that the claims upon their self-denying zeal and generosity multiply rather than diminish. Description of Kanoje, and events there. Dec. 13th.-This morning we sent on our tent to the ancient city of Kanoje, with the intention of spending the day there, and re turning in the evening to Mera ki Sarae. We walked to the old city, which is pleasantly situated on a stream called the Kala Nadee, which runs into the Ganges. Before the Mohammedan invasion, Kanoje was a city of great celebrity, and the Capital of a wide empire. It has fallen from its greatness, and is now a poor, though populous town. Vestiges of its former greatness are still visible. Under the Mussalmans, it seems to have been a place of some importance, but under the English it is quite the reverse: no European lives near it. We walked round the place, and looked at the objects pointed out to us as of most interest. After seeing the remains of the old Hindoo fort, and the mausoleums of two Mussalman saints, we returned to our tent, which was pitched near the town. No sooner was breakfast over than persons were assembled who wished to converse with us. The news had spread that Missionaries had come, and we soon had visitors. All day long Mussalmans and Hindoos came in numbers to see us. We had much conversation and good-natured discussion with them. So eager were they to speak with us, and obtain our books, that we could scarcely get leisure to eat our food. Many who came were persons of respectability and intelligence. While stating their objections to Christianity, they kept their temper well, and did not allow a rude word to escape them. Mohammedan opposition to the Gospel. The day we spent pleasantly, and I trust profitably. The Hindoos were, for the most part, ready to acknowledge the excellence of Christianity, but the Mussalmans were not so pliant. With three well-educated young Mussalmans, we had a long and interesting discussion. Their objections to the Trinity, to the Divinity of Christ, and to the Atonement, were identical with those adduced by Socinians. The objections urged against the Atonement, as casting a slight on the mercy of God, gave us an excellent opportunity of setting forth and maintaining that cardinal doctrine of Christianity. In reference to the Trinity, and the Divinity of Christ, strenuous attempts were made to get us beyond our depth, but we stood on the plain statements of that book which they themselves acknowledged to be divine, and the alleged corruption of which there was not a shadow of evidence to prove. One of the young men, more zealous than wise, when unable to draw us nto explanation which would involve us in absurdity, said rather sharply, "If what you maintain be true, why did Christ not appear in the beginning of the world? If your religion be true, why is it not universal?" These were strange questions coming from the mouth of a Mussalman. The others saw at once their self-destructive character, and reproved their companion. He looked as if he felt he had committed himself, and as if he wished to retract his questions. This closed the discussion. They begged us to furnish them with books about Christianity, which we did liberally. Several of the people begged us to stay for some time, but this was out of our power. We promised, however, to visit them on our return. To show their good-will, a Mussalman sent us a basket of fish, and a Hindoo a basket of vegetables. Fallen grandeur of an Indian city. Jan. 3rd.-Reached Agra, after a long march of twenty-four miles. We approached this city with raised expectations, having read and heard much about its splendour; and our expectations were more than realised. The Taj Mahal, erected by the Emperor Shahjahun for his favourite Queen, Nurjahun, is built entirely of marble, inlaid with precious stones, and is considered the finest tomb in the world. When walking over the marble terrace of this magnificent building, (which looks, Bishop Heber says, as if built by a giant and finished by a jeweller,) we could not fail to be struck with that wonderful arrangement of Providence by which our far distant nation has been put in possession of this vast country, with its imperial cities. Other public buildings, the Moti Masjid, (the Pearl Mosque,) Akbar's Palace in the fort, and his tomb at Secundra, six miles from Agra, are scarcely inferior to the Taj Mahal, in the beauty of their structure, and the costliness of their material; and, along with the mass of ruin which meets the eye in every direction, attest the wealth and greatness of Akbar and his successors, who made Agra the Capital of their empire. These ruins present a striking proof of the instability of human glory. Agra is still a large city, and the seat of Government for the North-western Provinces. It was, I believe, one of the first places in Northern India occupied as a Missionary station. The late devoted Corrie was for some time Chaplain of the station, and there, as in other places, laboured indefatigably for the good of the people. Since his time the Mission has been kept up, though not all the time with vigour. We left Agra January 11th, and reached Benares February 15th. I cannot conclude this journal without making one or two general remarks: External appearance of the country. 1. The country over which we travelled is for the greater part very fertile and thickly populated. The Doab, as the country is called, which lies between the Ganges and the Jumna, is highly cultivated, and supports a dense population. It is an extended plain, covered with the marks of |