ful exposures of the perilous delusion, which there is reason to fear is spreading itself to a lamentable extent among the ignorant multitudes of our people, both in town and country.

On

A venerable and highly esteemed minister of the gospel has been called to his rest during the past month. The name of the Rev. J. G. Pike, of Derby, has been for many years one of the most familiar to the religious community of England, amongst whom his numerous works for the young, on personal religion, and practical godliness, will long occupy a high and an enduring position. The Persuasives to Early Piety, has had an immense circulation, and cannot fail to have been productive of an incalculable amount of good. It is said that in early life, while an assistant teacher in an educational institution, he had among his pupils the late Rev. John Williams, the martyred missionary of Erromanga. Mr. Pike studied for the ministry in the Nonconformist College, at Wymonly, and at the close of his college course, in 1809, he became the pastor of a Baptist Church at Derby, where he remained till the Master called him to his rest. the foundation of the General Baptist Missionary Society, Mr. Pike was appointed to be its secretary, an office which he only relinquished with life. In each department of Christian effort, as pastor, author, and secretary, he worked with all his might, seeming at all times to realize the solemn fact, that the time was rapidly approaching when he could work no longer, and the result was an abundant blessing from on high on everything to which he applied himself. The last public act of the deceased was the consulting with his ministerial brethren of the town, on the propriety of uniting in a public thanksgiving for the abundant harvest. After this he retired to his study to attend to his correspondence. Several envelopes were directed, and one note was commenced, but his pen was paralyzed by the stroke of death. Not answering to the call to tea, his daughter entered the study, and found him sitting in his chair, pen in hand, with his forehead on his desk, senseless and lifeless. His death is supposed to have been instantaneous, and to have occured without a struggle or a pang. Absent from the body, present with the Lord! Mr. Pike was in his 71st year. He was greatly blessed in his family. All his children have risen up to call him blessed, and to know and love the God of their father. Three of his sons are in the ministry.

CHINA: THE SIEGE OF SHANGHAE.

THE Rev. J. Edkins, writing under date Shanghae, 11th April last, observes :"Within the last few days a new feature has been introduced into the conflict. The foreign authorities, with all the force at their command, have found it necessary to attack the Imperialists and destroy a large encampment near the settlement. The consuls of all nations resident here have been unanimous in taking this step, and have been supported in it by the public feeling of the community. This you would learn from newspapers; but they would not mention, excepting incidentally, that Dr. Medhurst was one of those who were wantonly and causelessly attacked by the mandarin soldiers. He was near the new road recently constructed within the limits assigned for the foreign settle ment. It was on the same afternoon (April 3d) that numerous attacks were made on other foreigners. Fortunately, Dr M. was on horseback, and escaped with ease from his assailants, ten or twelve in number, who tried ineffectually to seize his bridle. The intentions of the soldiers may be known from the fact that one gentleman received seven sword and spear wounds, and that he thus suffered in parrying the thrusts aimed at an English lady with whom he was walking. You will join with us in gratitude to God that Dr M. was uninjured, and that these ruffians were hindered from taking a life so valuable."

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES IN THE ARMY OF

TAE-PING-WANG.

DURING the last few weeks three more Kwang-se and Canton men, formerly in Tae-ping-wang's army, have been met by us in the city. They now fight for the rebels, who are in possession of Shanghae. One of them still professes attachment to Christianity; but the fact that he has returned to his early habit of opium-smoking, and joined himself to those who are acknowledged pagans, is by no means in his favour. The principal items of new information that we received from him are, the monthly celebration of the Lord's Supper by the Kwang-se insurgents, the performance of baptism by dipping the face in water, and the establishment of orders of priests and elders.

SOUTH AFRICA: LEKATLONG.

Ir is difficult to convey an adequate idea of the obstacles which concur to check the social and moral advancement of the natives of the interior of Africa. Independ ently of those frequent collisions between the white and the coloured races, which have proved so disastrous to the latter, the people connected with many of the mission stations are often compelled to roam far and wide in search of food for themselves, or pasture for their cattle; and not rarely are the hopes of the harvest disappointed by excessive drought, or the ravages of the locust. Labouring among a people subject to these trying conditions, the missionary is under the twofold obligation of seeking to make them wise unto salvation, and of exercising an almost parental care and forethought in providing for their temporal wants.

Our brother, Mr. Helmore, though not without some painful experiences of the kind referred to, has, as will be seen from the following letter, dated Lekatlong, 231 January ult., reason to rejoice that his labours have not been in vain in the Lord:

"In my last annual report reference was made to a revival of religion which had commenced amongst the young people. You will be gratified to learn that during the past year sixty-five, chiefly young per sons, have been received into the church, besides eighteen from our out-station of Lingopeng. There are likewise many inquirers at Boregelong, some of whom I hope to receive in a few weeks. In consequence of the dispersion which I have described, our congregations are much thinned, though, on special occasions, they are good. A few Sundays ago, owing to the influx of people from the out-stations, we had overflowing congregations, many being obliged to sit outside, and the school children unable to enter at all. The tem poral circumstances of the people are now, I trust, improving. Their harvest seems more promising than it has been for some years past; the pasturage has become more abundant; and when the reservoir (towards which the Directors have so generously contributed) is completed, the sta tion will possess a stability which it has never hitherto attained. In consequence of the unsettled state of the country, we till the season had considerably advanced; were unable to return to the river-work we have not therefore completed it, but as

but no pastors. There are some hundred Protestants in the village, though four years ago there was not one avowedly so. It is intended to station two missionaries at Antioch, partly with reference to the Armenians at Kessab and the vale of Antioch, and partly for the heathen Anseyriyeh. The station of Aleppo is connected with the Syrian mission of the Armenian Board, because the language is Arabic. Oorfa (Ur of the Chaldees) has been visited for some weeks, this year, by the missionaries from Aintab. The audiences were encouraging as to numbers-a distinct Protestant community has been formed and recog nized, and it is believed that there is a field for two missionaries.

At Diarbekir, on the Tigris, is a Church, now connected with the Assyrian mission. Two hundred and thirty adults were present at the reorganization of the Church last April, when eleven promising individuals were received, six of whom were Syrian Jacobites. Hainé, the out-station of Diarbekir, has one native helper. In the plain of Kharpoot, north-west of this, are 360 Armenian villages, a most inviting missionary field. Yet more so is that of Arabkir, where a missionary has been stationed only one year, and yet already reports that, on many days, he has been visited by as many as fifty inquirers, and that as many as 500, among whom are the leading individuals in the place, lean to Evangelical views. In a village in the district, a priest and his whole flock have come over. The people on all sides are earnestly entreating for more teachers and more books.

At Erzeroum, the capital of ancient Armenia, and the key to this whole region, there is a small Church under the care of an American missionary, and three native helpers. The fear of priestly persecution, and also of Russian victories, has diminished the little band, which was already

scattered.

At Khanoos, to the south-east, a native evangelist is stationed, who is much cheered in his labours among a rude, and at first prejudiced, people.

At Trebizond is a small Church under one of the American missionaries, which has undergone, like that at Erzeroum, the ordeal of a severe persecution. The sta tion at Marsovan is occupied by an American missionary and four native helpers. At Sivas is a Church which has for years suffered for want of a pastor. Within the last year, Tocat has been made a station of the mission, and two missionaries, one of them a physician, appointed there.

We conclude this reference to the general field of the Armeinan Mission, by quoting an extract from the supplementary chapter of Dr. Dwight's work just published on the Armenian Reformation: "The num ber of Evangelical Armenian Churches organized in Turkey, up to the beginning of the year 1854, is fifteen, besides two others, composed partly of Armenians, and partly of persons from other races. Several more will soon be organised in other places, where the preliminary steps have already been taken. Besides these, there are five other Churches, in connexion with the American Board in the Turkish Fmpire, though not within the limits of the Armenian field.

"The aggregate number of communicants in all the Churches attached to the Armenian mission is about four hundred, while the number of native Protestants regularly enrolled in the bounds of the same mission is two thousand and three hundred. The number of Protestants not enrolled, but still in counexion with the Armenian community, of course cannot be accurately known, though we have reason to believe that it is large."

RESPECT OF ROMISH BISHOPS FOR THE
SABBATH IN FRANCE.

I HAVE spoken of the efforts of certain of the Romish clergy for the better observation of the Sabbath. These attempts are praiseworthy, and we desire that they may be successful. But it must be acknowledged that the bishops themselves hardly set the example of Sabbath rest. Thus Cardinal Gousset inaugurated the railway from Rheims to Eperney on a Lord's-day, and that the day of Pentecost; and M. Bourier, bishop of Mons, also inaugurated the railway from Nogent to Mons on the Sabbath, and in this instance the ceremony was terminated by a banquet, shows, and

balls.

If the bishops do such things, and set such an example to the people; if they sanction, by their own conduct, all kinds of work on the Sabbath, how can they expect that the fourth commandment will be respected by the French nation? The truth is, Popish priests have no idea of a Christian Sabbath. When infidels will not attend the weekly mass, and employ the first day of the week in their manual occupations, or in parties of pleasure, the ministers of Rome cry out that all is lost. But provided the mass is attended for half

* Christianity in Turkey. p. 317. Nisbets.

an hour in the morning, this is the capital point; Romanists may then employ the rest of the day on the promenades, at balls, at theatres, or in any amusements they like.

Never, I fear, will the Sabbath be restored under the impulse of the Popish clergy. The bishops deliver, it may be, beautiful discourses on the subject, they utter their complaints and lamentations, they appeal to Englaud and America as models, but they will not succeed, because the holy law of God is subordinated to the convenience and the calculations of a degenerate Church. Do you suppose, for example, that the bishops have protested against military reviews, which are commonly held on the Sabbath? No, no they are afraid of provoking the anger of Louis Napoleon. Do you suppose the Romish journals suspend their publication on the Sabbath? No, no; they are afraid of losing some of their subseribers. Political considerations and pecuniary gains are more important in the eyes of priests than obedience to the law of God. right, then, have they to accuse the masses of a want of respect for the Sabbath? Is not the first duty of the spiritual guides of the people themselves to set a good example 1

What

THE BIBLE BANISHED FROM SCHOOLS IN

FRANCE.

Ir the bishops are lukewarm and doubleminded on the question of the Sabbath, they are far otherwise in their crusade against the use of the Bible by the pupils in the public schools. M. de Lafforest, rector of the departmental academy of Gers, has recently addressed a circular to the inspectors of primary schools, contain ing these words: "Some priests, as respectable as they are intelligent, have opposed the reading of the Bible in the schools. I am altogether of their mind; and, in concert with Monseigneur, the Archbishop of Auch, I entreat you to make the Bible disappear as much and as soon as possible from all the schools of your arrondissement."

The Siècle, a well-accredited journal, belonging, not to Protestantism, but to the Voltairian party, has made some remarks on this prohibition, from which I give a few extracts: The rector of the academy of Gers has felt it to be his duty, following the suggestions of the clergy, to interdict the reading-guess of what book? Until now it was univeraally believed that the Bible was the best nutriment for Chris

tians...... that the Bible was the Word of God, written to be read by all, by man and woman, by the ignorant and the learned, by the poor and the rich, by the child and the old man... We have been brought up in this belief, that to read the Bible is to enter into communion with God. The Bible is the second life of childhood. But at Auch, it appears, they think otherwise. M. de Lafforest, rector of Gers, discovered, one fine morning, that the Bible is dangerous!... and so the Sacred Book is forbidden to Christian childhood, under the pretence that children caunot understand the word of Him who said, 'suffer little children to come unto Me.""

These severe observations of the Siècle are richly merited, and the priests will bear the weight of them at the bar of public opinion. It is well that such facts should be generally known through the medium of the daily press. The clerical body will thus be unmasked, and the political power will learn not to bow with so much servility to the evil suggestions of the Jesuits.

EVANGELIZATION IN IRELAND FOR 1854.

Ir will be interesting to many of our readers to learn, that the Mission to the South of Ireland, in which nearly 100 ministers of various denominations were engaged last year, has been resumed this summer. Ten are at present on the field; two have returned after fulfilling their month's mission. Six, in addition, will shortly commence their labours, and others are ready to go as soon as the funds will admit. The accounts from those who are gone are very encouraging, and, in some instances, cheering beyond expectation. The violent opposition of the Papists has not as yet been repeated. Two of those who assaulted the missionaries last year have been brought to justice, and sentenced to a month's imprisonment.

It has been the object of the committee to avoid, as far as possible, everything which might tend in any way to excite hostility on the part of the Romanists; and with this view, the ministers have only been sent to those parts in which they had reason to believe that a spirit of inquiry had been awakened by their late visit, and that many would be thankful to receive them, and to listen to their message.

The missionaries having now gained a footing, and having met with very encou raging success, the committee feel themselves at liberty to make known amongst their Christian friends the fact, that the