DONINGTON, near Louth.-On Lord'sday evening, February 28th, a special service was held in the General Baptist Chapel, in our village, when the church and congregation presented a number of books to their worthy minister, the Rev. Thomas Burton. as a token of regard, and as a testimony to the unwearied zeal with which he had laboured amongst them for the last twenty years. The text on the occasion was Gen. xxxi. 38,- This twenty years have I been with thee.' The pastor reviewed the history of the church from its commencement, and especially during his labours amongst his flock. This excellent brother resides at Louth, and every Lord's-day goes on foot, on rough roads and smooth, in sunshine and in storm, to Donington and Asterby; consequently he walks in the discharge of his pastoral duties about 800 miles per year, and since the commencement of his ministry has travelled in this way not less than 17,000 miles.-Our readers will see that there is a deep meaning in the phrase used in the address of the church, that he has laboured amongst them in the word and doctrine.'

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present our pastor, the Rev. J. Taylor, with a number of books and as a token of the sincere esteem in which he is held both by the church and congregation. At the close of that meeting a friend, not connected with us, offered to give £20 on condition that the whole of our debt, amounting to £295, was paid off during the following year. On Shrove Tuesday last, February 21st, we again had a public tea meeting, when addresses were given by the Revs. J. Gregory, J. M. Calvert, Independents; our pastor, and other friends. Several pieces of sacred music were very efficiently performed by our choir, assisted by a number of the Bradford Choral Society. At the close of the meeting, the whole of our debt was paid, and a balance remained in our treasurer's hands of £44 towards the erection of a new school.

HOLBEACH.-The untiring efforts of our beloved pastor for the removal of the debt upon our chapel having, by the blessing of God, been succeesful, the members and friends met together on Monday, March 12th, for tea; and in the evening, a goodly number having assembled in the chapel, Mr. May, in the name of the members and friends, presented our pastor, Mr. Cotton, with a purse containing £11 11s., and also with a valuable steel engraving, beautifully framed and glazed, as an acknowledgment of gratitude and esteem for his love and labour amongst us. The subject of the engraving is Christ teaching Humility.' Excellent addresses were delivered by Messrs. May, Daykin, Paterson, and Chamberlain, and we have much pleasure in stating that members of all the denominations in the town were present and most cheerfully co-operated with us. W. P.

ECCLESIASTICAL.

preach in unconsecrated buildings, so says the House of Commons, by their vote against Lock King's bill; and why (?) the parochial system would be disarranged! Souls may perish, but save our parishes! The Bishop of Brechin has been "censured and admonished" only for his Romanism, by the synod of Scottish Episcopal bishops. From abroad the news is exhilirating. Denmark is still in the midst of a religious revival; Spanish Protestants are agitating for toleration; Turkey is affected by a religious movement, set on foot by the venerable Omar Effendi, already" almost a Christian;" and in the far-off isles of Polynesia, Christian men are earnestly asking for more Protestant missionaries.

GENERAL.

The Budget is passed, and the Reform Bill is certain to become low. Italy has occupied more attention than ever within the last few weeks. By

states and duchies have voted for annexation to Piedmont. "The most respectable man in Italy," as a Catholic gentleman in the Prussian Chambers calls the Pope, is in a worse dilemma than ever. He wants to excommunicate the King of Sardinia, but is held back by Louis Napoleon. Savoy and Nice have professed themselves willing to become parts of France; and their union with that empire may lead to further changes. Naples is in the hands of Jesuits, and they are doing all they can to raise a universal cry of shame against them from the civilised world. Calcutta is now only six days off London, for the telegraph is complete. Lord Elgin is in Paris, and is likely soon to proceed to China. The terrific gales at the beginning of this month did great damage all over the country. We rejoice to hear that the committee of the House of Commons has recommended the destruction of the Bible-printing monopoly.

MARRIAGES.

January 18, at Circular Road Chapel, Calcutta, R. E. Green, Esq., fourth son of the Rev. S. Green, London, to Emily, second daughter of T. Collier, Esq., late of Hastings.

February 18, at the General Baptist Chapel, Burton-on-Trent, by the Rev. R. Kenney, Mr. John Richardson, Thornhill farm, Derby, to Alice, daughter of Mr. Tomlinson, farmer, Braunston, Staffordshire.

February 8, at the Baptist Chapel, Hose, in the Vale of Belvoir, by the brother of the bride, Rev. J. Staddon, Baptist minister, of Quorndon, Leicestershire, to Mrs. J. Burnett, the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Hoe, of Hose Lodge.

DEATHS.

January 15, at Hobart Town, Tasmania, Mr. Dixon Davis (after a few months residence in the colony, and a brief illness), in the 75th year of his age.

February 16, at Alnwick, Rev. J. Dunbar, in his 80th year, formerly missionary in the West Indies and North America.

March 12, Betsey, the beloved wife of Rev. Joseph Cholerton, of Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, aged 28. "Asleep in Christ."

3 Mrs. J. Goadby.

2 Rev. J. M. Cropper.

1 Rev C. Lacey. 4 Rev. A. Sutton, D.D. 5 Child of Rev. I. Stubbins. 6 Children of Rev. J. Peggs. 7 Child of Rev. A. Sutton.

Kombho Naik, Thoma, and from Berhampore, Tama. It was a very interesting and exciting sitting. The shirts sent by our long tried and highly valued friend, John Heard, Esq.; the rug and scarlet cloth from North-gate, Louth, for Thoma; the rug from Nottingham Stoney Street Juvenile Association, for Kumbhoo; and the rugs sent by a friend, through Mr. Bembridge, Ripley, in response to Mrs. Buckley's appeal were presented, and many nomuskars and thanks were expressed for the kind friends who had so affectionately remembered them. The articles were greatly admired, and all our brethren seemed very happy. Gunga was in one of his best moods, and was quite disposed to be facetious. Our important operations in distributing Tracts and Scriptures engaged serious attention. We had again the pleasure of acknowledging the invalu- | able help which we have now for many years received from the Religious Tract Societies in England and America the former granting paper, and the latter money for this indispensable part of our work. As in former years, so in the one just closed, we have seen much to encourage us to go on widely diffusing by this means the holy light of the Gospel. We had also to acknowledge the kindness of the Religious Tract Society in London, in sending a very well-selected and valuable present of books for the use of the missionaries and their families. The liberal grant of the Bible Translation Society of £150, with the promise of further aid, if needful, was also suitably acknowledged. We are proceeding as rapidly with the new edition of the New Testament as can reasonably be expected; and deeply feel on the one hand, the desirableness of not unnecessarily losing a day while we are without a single copy of the whole New Testament for distribution; and on the other, are as strongly impressed with the importance of doing nothing hastily or inconsiderately, in a matter affecting the purity and integrity of the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Happily we have a good supply of separate Gospels-of the Gospel harmony, four Gospels and Acts for distribution; and these portions are much more easily understood

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by the heathen than the Epistles in which the sentences are often much longer, and the allusions in some of them to the ancient economy more frequent; still it is very sad among millions of people not to have one copy of the whole book to give to any inquirer. The American and Foreign Bible Society will, I have no doubt, as soon as their funds admit, render us as much help as they are able to do.

The examination of the two students was attended to, and was in a high degree satisfactory. They are highly promising young men. I regret that I cannot report any new students.

The reports from the several stations contained some encouraging and interesting details. The numerical increase at Cuttack was much beyond the average, and the spirit of inquiry and serious concern there, had proved to a gratifying degree the presence of the life-giving Spirit. Pleasing details were given by several brethren of missionary tours. The word of God had been listened to with deep attention, and it was evident that much Christian light had been diffused by books and tracts. Local subscriptions at the several stations had indicated that the efforts of the missionaries were appreciated by their countrymen on the spot, and at Cuttack the amount received had been considerable. I am not prepared to furnish all the details, but may mention that within the last nine months some 700 rupees (£70) have been received at Cuttack for schools, and our annual collection for repairing and lighting the Chapel, realised more than 280 rupees (£28), a larger sum than we had ever before collected for that purpose. Our bazaar also realised more than 600 rupees (£60.) If the Lord had not been with us, such things as we have witnessed with thankfulness and joy could not have occurred.

When our business was finished we discussed the question- What more can we do to promote the Kingdom of Christ amongst us? Many useful remarks were made by one and another. It was felt by all that we were using the right means and handling the right weapons, but that if we wielded them with more prayerful earnestness, the effect would be greater. Placed by the