MISSIONARY. GENERAL BAPTIST MISSIONS. náth's sacred abode more than it had been before; hence another expedient was adopted, they were dragged from the interior of the temple to the summit of an eminence adjoining, and nearly on a level with the outer wall, which is at least sixteen feet high, and, like the carcases of so many dogs, were thrown one by one into the public street beneath, where they lay piled one upon another for some hours. Notwithstanding the order of the magistrate that they should be buried, they were simply removed from this to a Golgotha, and consigned to the disposal of dogs and vultures. When I passed the temple with Mr. Stubbins some hours later, the by-standers directed our attention to the part of the wall where the corpses had been thrown over, which was marked in several places with blood. Several hundred persons were assembled, and we endeavoured to impress their minds by the awful event. Many heard with attention, until our voices were lost, amidst the Hari bols and vociferations of a number of unfeeling and hardened Pandás, seated on the wall above us, who occasionally, with apparent pleasure and triumph, proclaimed that Jagannath had displayed his power in the death, and grace in the salvation, of those killed. Turning from them we went towards the Golgotha, and there beheld the remains of sixteen of these poor creatures, dreadfully torn and mangled. They were fast being devoured, for there was no lack of agents for the horrid work; as soon as one set retired, gorged, to rest on the boughs or at the root of a neighbouring tree, their places were filled by others. Oh, it was a shocking and heart-rending scene. We could not but shed a tear, and weep over the miserable and untimely end of so many of our fellow-creatures; and how could we but vow vengeance and unceasing warfare against the hateful and infernal system which thus, year after year, like "a besom of destruction," sweeps thousands unprepared into eternity? The festival of this year was a small one; not more than 30,000 persons were present, and many of them were inhabitants of Puri. PURI, Orissa, East Indies.-A distressing catastrophe which occurred at the last Car Festival of that infamous idol, the far-famed Juggernaut, is thus described by Mr. Miller, one of the General Baptist Missionaries, who was present at the time:"The Car Festival commenced, July 8th, and was ushered in by a frightful disaster, involving the loss of twenty-three lives, and serious injury to three more persons. This occurred on the morning of the 6th, the day on which the idols are visible for the first time after the Spán festival and being repaired. A large crowd of people had, at an early hour, gathered round the door of Jagannath's temple, with the intention of entering, and having their first darshan; hence the moment the door was opened, there was a general rush inside, during which twentysix persons, chiefly Bengáli women, were knocked down and trampled on, twenty-one of whom were killed on the spot, and two more died shortly afterwards from the injuries received. What renders this event most distressing, is the fact that it might possibly have been prevented, had the superintendent and door-keepers used the proper measures to prevent so many being at the door and going in together, and if they had not been guilty of wilful and most culpable negligence. It is customary to open the door very early on this day; in order to avoid a large accumulation of the people outside at one time. This, however, was neglected, and the door was opened some hours later than usual. Then again, the door-keepers, whose place it is to prevent a large number going in together, intentionally neglected their duty. It appears they had quarrelled with the officiating priests inside the temple on the ground of not being sufficiently remunerated. Their demands not being met, and their services, as they thought, not properly appreciated, they resolved to be revenged and make their value and importance known: and for this purpose they selected this time and occasion, and WESTERN AFRICA.-The latest intelliallowed the people to assemble and rush gence from this interesting scene of misinto the temple, without any attempt to pre-sionary labour will be found in the vent them, thus sacrificing the lives of twenty-following paragraphs. three of their fellow-creatures to their avarice and revenge. The whole case is now being investigated by the authorities; and we have every reason to believe that all the parties involved will receive a punishment in some measure proportionate to their deserts. The manner in which the dead bodies were disposed of, was most revolting to humanity. To have carried them through the gateway would, in the estimation of the priests, have, if possible, polluted Jagan Cameroons.-The joy of the missionary is tempered with grief. While rejoicing over the addition of seven converts to the church of God, the father's heart has been rent with sorrow over the departure of his babe from this scene of anxiety and toil to the home of the blessed. Mr. Saker was at Bimbia, when the sad event took place. The health of Mrs. Saker, we grieve to say, is also impaired. "I urge her," says Mr. Saker, "to voyage to some neighbouring place up the coast, but the only reply I get is, I will go with you into the wilderness when you take your journey.'" Clarence.-Five converts were received into fellowship in September. Since then there has been a large increase of inquirers. On his visit to Clarence, late in November, Mr. Saker says, "I was not prepared to witness the wide-spread influence of the word among the young. The young give brighter hopes for the future than have hitherto been indulged. The whole generation from sixteen to twenty-two years seems to be in some measure moved." Mr. Saker has completed the translation and printing of the Acts of the Apostles. Bimbia.-Mr. Fuller informs us, under date of November 21, that he has had the pleasure of baptizing three persons-two women and one man after giving full proof of their belief in Jesus Christ. One of the women is the daughter of the old king, by name Bwata, or Sarah. The other woman is a native of the Cameroons country, near the mountains. The man, a Byong, was brought up at Isubu. They received the right hand of fellowship from Mr. Saker, "with the earnest prayer that the little one may become a thousand." HAITI, Jacmel.-The congregation in the new chapel is steadily though slowly increasing. It is now usually about half filled. Three persons have been baptized, and two more were awaiting the ordinance on New Year's Day. There are also several inquirers. The girls' school proceeds in a very satisfactory manner under the care of Diana and Corinne, and is daily increasing in numbers. The boys' school will have to be closed, owing to the unworthy conduct of the schoolmaster. Mr. Webley appears to have entirely recovered his health. TRINIDAD. Mr. Law is still busily engaged in the erection of the new chapel, towards which he needs further contributions. In this colony both the Roman and Anglican churches are built and repaired from the funds of the local government. Since his last letter, Mr. Law has baptized twentythree persons. Mr. Augustus Inniss, lately an assistant of our lamented missionary Mr. Cowen, has been engaged by the committee to aid in the work now going on in the island, and is expected shortly to arrive. BAHAMAS, Nassau.-Under date of Dec. 13, Mr. Capern mentions his safe arrival at his "foreign home." Through the divine mercy the vessel very narrowly escaped shipwreck as it was entering the harbour. The sea was running high on the bar, when, just as the ship was in the midst of the breakers, the rudder chains broke. The immediate assistance of the passengers, joining hands and supplying the loss of the chains, only saved the vessel. RELIGIOUS. not TENETS OF THE GREEK CHURCH.-The following synopsis of the theological views of the Greek Church, as given by & theological author, will possess a peculiar interest to those readers who are familiar with its tenets, from the connection of that Church with the present war between Turkey and Russia. "They disown the authority of the pope and deny that the church of Rome is the true catholic church. They do not baptize their children till they are three, four, five, six, ten, nay, sometimes eighteen years of age; baptism is performed by trine immersion. They insist that the sacrament of the Lord's supper ought to be administered in both kinds, and they give the sacrament to children immediately after baptism. They grant no indulgences, nor do they lay any claim to the character of infallibility, like the church of Rome, They deny that there is any such a place as purgatory; notwithstanding they pray for the dead, that God may have mercy on them at the general judgment. They practise the invocation of saints; though they say they do not invoke them as deities, but as intercessors with God. They exclude confirmation, extreme unction, and matrimony, out of the seven sacraments. They deny auricular confession to be a divine precept, and say it is only a positive injunction of the church. They pay no religious homage to the eucharist. They administer the communion in both kinds to the laity, both in sickness and in health, though they have never applied themselves to their confessors, because they are persuaded that a lively faith is all which is requisite for the worthy receiving of the Lord's supper. They maintain that the Holy Ghost proceeds only from the Father, and not from the Son. They believe in predestination. They admit of no images in relief or embossed work, but use paintings and sculptures in silver and copper. They approve of the marriage of priests, providing they enter into that state before their admission into holy orders. They condemn all fourth marriages. They observe a number of holy days, and keep four fasts in the year more solemn than the rest, of which the fast in Lent, before Easter, is the chief. They believe the doctrine of consubstantiation, or the union of the body of Christ with the sacrament bread." The Greek Church comprehends a large part of Greece and the Grecian Isles, Wallachia, Moldavia, Egypt, Abys sinia, Nubia, Lybia, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Cilicia, and Palestine; to which may be added the whole of the Russian Empire in Europe, a great part of Siberia in Asia, Astrakan, Casan, and Georgia. It compre. hends more extent of territory than the Latin Church, with all the branches that have sprung from it. LAMENTATIONS OF POPERY.-The recent success of Protestants in Ireland has produced some doleful lamentations. The Dublin Nation, a Roman Catholic paper, says: "The Irish nation is fast dissolving, as the Jewish nation dissolved before the curse of God-as the Carthaginian nation dissolved before the sword of Rome-as the Red Indian race silently dissolves before the face of the white man. Ireland is ceasing to be a Roman Catholic nation." Priest Fitzgerald, in a recent speech, admits: "Our nation and our church are perishing." Another organ of Romanism says, "shall the soupers and tract distributors accomplish the work which all the force of England for three hundred years has been unable to effect?" "We are afraid that neither the priesthood nor the people of this country have any idea of the system of proselytism carried on under their eyes. Its agents and emissaries are continually at work, and God only knows the evil they have wrought. It is time, and God knows there is full cause, to preach a crusade against them. It has had an incalculable success." He CHINA.-Dr. Medhurst, in a recent communication, states that he had visited Shanghae, and a large congregation of natives was gathered to hear him. In the midst of his discourse a fine-looking man in the crowd called out, "That is true! That is true!" and proceeded to address his countrymen at length, protesting against the folly of idolatry, and the wickedness of opium-smoking, and other customs. referred to the worship of one Supreme God, and to Jesus Christ the Saviour, and other scriptural subjects. He was allowed to go on uninterrupted, and his address evidently produced an impression. Dr. M. conceives that although there may be some serious errors held by these reformers, they may be useful in breaking up the ground for the more correct proclamation of the gospel amongst the people. THE ONE MILLION TESTAMENTS FOR CHINA. We have not heard how the subscriptions are proceeding for this noble gift. But we hear that the christian missionaries of various denominations now in China, have engaged to print 250,000 copies in eighteen months from Jan. 1, 1854. 250,000 more are to be printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society in England, from wooden blocks sent from China. The whole million are to be completed in three years. We hear, too, that our Bible Society has resolved to print 50,000 copies of the whole Bible for China." GENERAL. THE NEW REFORM BILL, introduced by Lord John Russell, proposes to disfranchise nineteen boroughs, with twenty-nine members, which have less than 300 electors or 5000 inhabitants; and to take thirty-three members from as many boroughs with less than 500 or 10,000; which, with Sudbury and St. Albans, now disfranchised, will leave 66 seats to appropriate. Of these, 46 are to go to counties; one more to each of nine towns with above 100,000 inhabitants; one more to Salford; one each to three new boroughs, Birkenhead, Burnley, and Staly Bridge; two for the Inns of Court; and one for the London University. One new metropolitan borough is proposed, and some of the Scotch Universities are to be represented. The franchise is to be extended. 1. To all rated at £10 in counties, excepting represented towns.-2. To all rated at £6 in boroughs, after two and a half years residence.-3. To persons receiving £100 a year, paid not less than quarterly.-4. To persons receiving £10 a year as interest from the public funds.-5. To all paying forty shillings assessed taxes or income tax.-6. To persons who have had £50 in a savings bank three years.-7. To all graduates of Universities. It is proposed, also, that the present freemen retain their right to vote, but that after the passing of the bill, no more freemen be enfranchised. The measure, as a whole, is generally approved. A REAL REFORM.-It is reported that Government intend to propose an entire reform of the mode of nomination to 16,000 public offices. Hitherto, as is too well known, the appointments have been by patronage, which has been a notorious source both of corruption and inefficiency. The proposal is to have a board of commissioners who shall examine all candidates for office, so that public places being open to all, every one who is disposed may apply, and the best men will be selected. Thus at length, we hope, the aspiration of our great poet will be accomplished, when he said: "Oh that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not derived corruptly. That true honour CHURCH OF ENGLANDISM. From the statistics of the late census, it would appear that not more than half the population at tend the places of worship of the established sect. Well other official documents tell us that out of 21,626 prisoners in England on Sep. 25, 1852, as many as 16,077, or nearly three-fourths of the whole, professed to belong to the said church. POPULATION OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE. -The latest authority upon the statistics of the population of the whole Turkish Empire is a work just published in Paris by A. Ubicini. He gives the numbers as follows: Religions. Europe. Asia. Africa. Mussulmans 4,550,900 12,650,000 3,800,000 Greeks 2,000,000 8,000,000 Catholics Jews Gypsies THE COINAGE OF 1853. There were coined at the Mint in 1853, 10,597,993 sovereigns, 2,708,796 half-sovereigns, no crowns or half-crowns, 3,919,950 florins, 4,256,188 shillings, 3,837,930 sixpences, 16,038 fourpences, 36,168 threepences, 4,752 silver twopences, and 7,920 silver pence (of these last two coins the same number is printed every year, for Maunday money, we believe), 1,021,440 pernies, 1,559,040 halfpence, 1,028,628 farthings, and 955,224 half-farthings. The total value of the coinage of the year was £12,663,000; the average of the previous five years was only £4,000,000. A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.-That is, if it be true. But the papers state that at a recent meeting of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, M. Dumas presented a metal, as white and brilliant as silver, as malleable as gold, as light as glass, and that will not corrode, made, by a peculiar chemical process, from common clay ! It is called Aluminum. Now what is this but the discovery of the long-talked-of Philosopher's Stone? That is, if it be true. CENTRALIZATION. We are gratified to notice that an anti-centralization society has been formed to watch and oppose all attempts to centralize power in the hands of Government. Our old constitutional system of local management in parishes and boroughs is the foundation of our rights and liberties. Deprived of this, the way is paved for the return of despotism. DR. BARTH, THE AFRICAN TRAVELLER, has, it is reported, penetrated into a hitherto unvisited region in the interior of Africa, called Adamaua. The scenery is described as most splendid, the soil abundantly fertile, with spacious lakes and noble rivers. But domestic slavery prevails. An expedition up the Niger to reach this region is talked of. THE PEACE DEPUTATION has, we hear, reached St. Petersburgh, after a journey of many hundred miles on sledges, requiring 300 horses. They were received kindly by Neselrode, the Chancellor, and an interview with the Emperor was promised. A DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION has occurred in a coal pit near Wigan. Above 100 are supposed to be killed, and many seriously injured. ROMAN CHARACTERS.-A conference of linguists, including the representatives of various missionary societies, has been held in London, Dr. Bunsen presiding, to inquire into the possibility of expressing foreign alphabets by roman characters; when it was deemed both possible and desirable. SABBATH OBSERVANCE.-Memorials have been presented to the Lord Mayor of London in favour of holding the great cattle market of the metropolis on Tuesdays instead of Mondays; and his lordship expressed his approval of the proposal. A DUST IN CHINA.-When the British were about to attack the Chinese, a few years ago, Lord Palmerston, when writing to Sir Henry Pottenger, advised him "not to batter them too hard, or he might raise such a dust as would smother both him and his soldiers." RAILWAYS. The whole length of lines laid down in Great Britain and Ireland was 7,512 miles on Jan. 1, 1853. During the first half of that year there had been 148 persons killed, and 191 injured, either by accident or carelessness. The passengers conveyed during that period were 45,080,316. SYDENHAM CRYSTAL PALACE.-The vast works are proceeding with all the rapidity possible, but it is doubtful whether the whole of the edifices and grounds will be ready for the reception of the public in May, as was intended. SKATES FOR THE QUEEN.-We hear that during the late ice season a Sheffield house presented a pair of beautiful skates to her Majesty. We hope the Queen will be careful. We should not like to hear of her Majesty having a tumble of any kind. A DIAMOND was lately lodged in the Bank of England, weighing 254 carats, and worth £280,000. It is said to be of the finest water, and free from any flaw. It was found near Rio Janeiro, by a negro slave, who received his liberty as the reward. 66 ARISTOCRATIC.-We once heard of a young lady who cast away the Pilgrim's Progress" with contempt, because, as she declared, it was so ridiculous to think of going to heaven on foot! SWEDEN. A new sect of religionists has arisen in this kingdom, calling themselves " contemplators;" but whether they contemplate that which is good only, appears doubtful. AFFECTING FACT.-Mr. C. Robinson, one of the masters of the City of London school, slightly wounded his thumb when repairing a pen. The place grew gradually worse, and lock-jaw ensued, resulting in death. |