dressed to One who will hear it, would be soothed by comforts, by which the loved addressed in vain to some "who profess ones of many of our ministers have gone and call themselves Christians." "Cast to death, can never be told. They suffered me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." When the services of some of our elder brethren are no longer desired, some have private property on which they can retire; others, to the lasting honour of the churches over which they have presided, have a sufficient annuity settled upon them; but what becomes of those who have neither of these resources? Hard, indeed, must the winter of their old age be, and welcome must be the humble grave where want and poverty can persecute them no more. In the present age, which demands in its feverish state of excitement an incessant and enormous wear and tear of both mind and body in our ministers, it is not improbable that fewer than formerly will attain to old age. Many will die in the midst of their days and life-work, and the question arises, What is to become of their widows and orphan children? Some, will, from their own private means, have made provision for those dear to them as the light of life. Sometimes, their churches most praiseworthily make provision; but it is infallibly certain that the majority of our brethren have no possibility of attaining any such means of support for their families in case of their decease. True; the honoured names of the departed throw a sacredness around their surviving family which for awhile attracts sympathy and aid, but that interest gradually decays. Very charac teristically did the late Dr. Hamilton, of Leeds, remark to the printer as he handed him his manuscript containing the life of his fellow-labourer, Mr. Ely, “Make haste about it, for ministers are soon forgotten." That witness is true. Many a widow and many an orphan, bearing a name of con secrated piety and intellect, could attest it from amidst the chill of penury. Were the secretaries of those funds to which they apply for aid, to publish a "bluebook" of evidence, selected from the letters of applicants, it would prove a startling document. But all can never be written or known on earth. The struggles for bread, the humiliating sense of dependence in the appeals made to the charity of this bleak world, by those who have been suddenly cast from competence into the grim and relentless embrace of poverty, the dark and fierce temptations by which they have been assailed, the sufferings and sickness, un and were silent, and some of these hidden and patient ones might well be enrolled amongst the martyrs of the church. Surely, these things need not and ought not to be. The far-seeing Wesley has given us an example how to manage things better. I apprehend that a fund sufficient for ever to wipe off this reproach from our denomination could be easily raised. Few ministers would refuse to contribute; few churches would refuse a collection; few laymen would decline to aid. We build magnificent chapels. We carry on extensive foreign and home benevolences, but we leave many of our old ministers, and our widows and orphans, to languish and die in indigence or poverty. True, there are funds to which they can apply, but the richest of them can only afford a very small amount of aid. These might be concentrated, and form a basis on which to rear a fund suitable to the wants to be met. The burden would not press heavily on any individual, for no claim would be made that the recipients should be kept in wealth and luxury; but only that, having faithfully preached the gospel, they should "live of the gospel," and that our ministers' families, bereaved of their head, should at least have some reasonable help, on the ground that had the character, health, and talents of the departed husband and father been expended on business, the probabilities would be that the survivors would have been left in a state of competency. I feel persuaded some effectual plan could te adopted were some of our leading laymen and ministers in London earnestly to take the matter in hand, or, were it to be gone into by friends from the country and London together, at a special meeting during our annual services in April next. We know all our foremost men are fully occupied in Christian work; but without implying depreciation of any other mode of serving Christ, I would venture to affirm that no work of benevolence would have a better moral influence on both churches and ministers than this; none would reap a richer reward at last from Him who said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least ofthese my brethren, ye have done it unto me." I remain, very truly yours, W. AITCHISON. Newport, Monmouthshire, From the space devoted to the Memoir of General Havelock, and the pressure of other matter in our pages, we are compelled to omit our Notes on the Month and Editorial Postscript. THE MISSIONARY HERALD. IMPORTANT NOTICE. TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THOSE of our friends who were present at the Annual Members' Meeting for 1856, will remember that the Special Committee, appointed at the previous yearly meeting, presented their report. Two proposals in that report, relating to the nomination of persons to serve on the Committee, were referred to the incoming Committee, in order to carry the general principle into effect in such a way as they might deem practicable, leaving the details to their discretion. At the meeting of Committee, held December 9, these proposals, which had been referred to them, were taken into consideration, and the following resolutions were passed, to which we have to direct particular attention : I. "Resolved-That a notice be inserted in 'The Herald' for February and March, requesting all members of the Society entitled to vote at the annual meeting of the constituents to send up to the Secretary the names of gentlemen whom they desire to nominate as eligible to serve on the Committee, on or before the 31st March, 1857; the list so sent to be signed by the name of the nominator, and to be prepaid." II. "Resolved-That no such letter of nomination can be received after the 31st of March." In order to prevent mistake, and to show who are entitled to send up such papers of nomination, we subjoin the rule of the Society on membership: "All persons subscribing ten shillings and sixpence a year, or upwards, either to the Parent Society or to Auxiliaries; donors of ten pounds and upwards; pastors of churches which make an annual contribution; and ministers who collect annually for the Society; also one of the executors, on payment of a bequest of fifty pounds or upwards, are considered as members thereof. Every contributor to the Society, falling under any one of the above-mentioned descriptions, is entitled to send up a list nominating gentlemen to serve on the Committee. There is no limit assigned as to the number which each nomination may place on the list. He is at liberty to supply as many names as he may think proper. It is desirable, however, that he should know that the parties nominated are willing to serve, if elected. Country members of Committee are always expected to attend all the quarterly meetings. The reason for the second resolution is simply this, that it will require time to make out a correct list from so many papers as may reasonably be expected to be sent up, and to be assured that such lists are sent by bona fide members. No list unsigned by a member's name can be received, nor after the 31st March, in order that sufficient time may be secured for the preparation of the list of parties nominated. As the list to be prepared from these papers will be one submitted to the members at their annual meeting, and is intended to supersede the former plan of personal nomination at that meeting, no nomination can be received on that day. This plan being intended to meet some objections which have been urged against the present mode of electing the Committee, it is to be hoped that our friends will give it a fair trial. Perhaps the giving to the members of the Society a direct action in this matter may do good, and induce a deeper personal interest in its welfare, since many will have a larger share in the election of its executive; which because of inability to attend the annual meetings of subscribers, they have never or rarely enjoyed. VOL. II.-NEW SERIES. MISSIONS IN THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCES. THE north-west provinces of Hindostan constitute a distinct portion of the Bengal Presidency, under a lieutenant-governor. For administrative purposes the country is divided into six divisions, which, by the census of 1853, were found to contain a population of 30,271,885 persons. The following table presents particulars of great interest. Of this great population about nineteen and a half millions are engaged in agricultural pursuits. The non-agricultural population reaches ten and a half millions. Everywhere the people are crowded together on the soil, the average number to a square mile far exceeding the most densely populated regions of Europe. In England there are 304 persons only to a square mile; in Belgium, 337. Although these districts were the seat of the Moslem power, yet the Hindoo population is six times more numerous than the Mohammedan. It is in the city of Delhi only that the two classes approximate to an equality in numbers. There are sixty-seven cities containing from ten to fifty thousand inhabitants; seven, contain from fifty to one hundred thousand; and six, above one hundred thousand. We name the latter:Benares Delhi 171,668 152,424 132,513 125,262 118,000 111,332 The north-west provinces contain very celebrated places, regarded with the highest reverence by all classes of Hindoos. Benares is the holy city of India. It is the seat of Shiva worship, and the resort of pilgrims from all parts of the country. The region around Muttra is noted as the scene of the life and exploits of Krishna, and innumerable legends are attached to every tank, or temple, or rocky hill. Entire cities, as Bindrabun and Goverdhun, are dependent on the gifts of worshippers and the visits of pilgrims. Yet are there existing many proofs of the prevalence, if not the absolute predominance at a former period, of the Buddhist faith. At Sarnath, near Benares, is an undoubted chaitya or tope, a pagoda built for the deposit of some valued relic of Buddha, or early teacher of his creed. Both at Delhi and Allahabad are laths, or stone pillars, with Buddhist inscriptions upon them. At Bindrabun, among the ruins of ancient Delhi, and in Muttra itself, are remains of ancient temples once occupied by the priests of Buddha. A Chinese traveller of the fifth century describes the district now devoted to the worship of Krishna as then occu |