I begin, as is fitting, by referring to the two missionaries we had on board besides myself, and who were both agents of the London Missionary Society— Mr. Naylor, of Calcutta, and Mr. Colin Campbell of Bangalore. Mr. Naylor only went with us in the Surat as far as Madras, and there waited the coming of another steamer, on which he embarked for England. He lost his wife in Calcutta under deeply affecting circumstances, and after an illness of three days. She was at chapel twice on the Sabbath before her death, and appeared in her usual health. On Monday she became unwell, but no immediate danger was apprehended; the next day she was much worse; and on Wednesday she died. I heard her repeatedly spoken of in Calcutta as a very lovely christian lady; and deep sympathy was naturally felt with the bereaved husband and his motherless babe. To him the stroke must have been utterly crushing if he could not have seen a loving Father's hand; for he had loved her for ten long years, and they had only been married fifteen months. How swiftly and happily the months had passed, and how sudden the sorrowful close! Truly the Lord's ways are not as our ways. Colin Campbell, who embarked at Madras, was a veteran in the Mission cause, having laboured for forty years, and only returned to his native land once.

"To such I render more than mere respect."

He had been separated from his wife for five years. When the state of her health obliged her to leave India, they agreed to a separation of three years; but before the time was expired, he felt that he could not then leave the work, and so he obtained the consent of his wife and the sanction of the Directors to his remaining another year. This heroic self-sacrifice was renewed for even another year; and then, as Mrs. Campbell was not able to join him in India, and as a younger missionary was ready to enter on the work, he thought it right to retire from the field. Surely the language of the apostle Paul in reference to Epaphroditus may be fitly applied to such a veteran, "Hold such in reputation.” The race of heroes and of heroines has not yet died out. When Mr. Campbell was in England before, it was after the exciting scenes of the Mutiny, when the name of the veteran general, Sir Colin Campbell, afterwards Lord Clyde, was in every one's mouth; and many seeing placards with the name of the Rev. Colin Campbell, supposed either that the general had turned preacher, or that the missionary was a relative of the famous commander. Two things I may add about Sir Colin. His decision and promptness may well be imitated by those who are engaged in another warfare. Soon after the terrible tidings of the Mutiny had been received in England, it was known that Sir George Anson, the commander-in chief, had died of cholera. Lord Palmerston, then Premier, with characteristic wisdom, at once selected Sir Colin for the important post. He sent for him, told him of the decision of the Cabinet, and asked when he should be ready to leave for India. To-morrow, was the noble reply of the general; the steamer was delayed for a few hours, and on the next day he embarked. The care of the general over the lives of the soldiers entrusted to him was eminently worthy of commendation. He sought to accomplish the object for which he was sent the suppression of the rebellion-at the least possible sacrifice of life to the troops. Fiery spirits, who had not a tithe of his military knowledge, nick-named him "Old Khaberadar" (i.e., Old Caution). That nickname was the finest laurel that encircled his brow, and marked him out as a very different general from one of his predecessors in command (Lord Gough). But I am digressing.

As all my readers, young and old, enjoy "the cups that cheer but not inebriate,"* I may say a word about tea planters, of whom there were two on board. The cultivation of the tea plant in Assam and other parts of India has very much extended during the time of my residence in India. A few years ago there was a great deal of wild and reckless speculation, and not a few sustained serious losses; but the trade is now, so far as I can learn, on a solid and satisfactory basis. I have been surprised to learn that Indian tea is not appreciated in the English market, and that it is only sold mixed with China tea. We greatly prefer it to the China article.

*This is often misquoted "the cup that cheers," etc. It was written in the times of our grandmothers, and they were not satisfied, any more than we are, with a single "cup." They liked, as most tea drinkers now do, "the cups that cheer;" and so Cowper wrote it.

NOTES OF A VOYAGE TO ENGLAND.

471

At Point de Galle we received a large number of passengers from Australia, and several from New Zealand. With some of these I had a good deal of conversation. I was struck with the statement of one who had spent thirtyseven years in Australia. He possessed a fair measure of the shrewdness and good common sense which characterize the average Englishman all the world over. He said that when a young man he looked round, but there seemed to be no work for for him to do and no place for him to fill in the old country; and so he wisely thought of emigration; and by the blessing of God on diligence, sobriety, and integrity, he had been favoured with a good degree of prosperity. There may be some amongst my readers circumstanced as that young man was, and who may wisely pursue the course he did; only let it be understood that in the colonies, as well as in England and in other lands, it is "the hand of the diligent that maketh rich;" and that "patient continuance in well doing" is necessary to the achieving of success; while idleness and intemperance will bring a man to beggary anywhere. I heard of one of the colonists on board that sold off his stock just before leaving; and it was the finest herd ever sold in the Southern Hemisphere, and realised higher prices. There were thirty-six head of cattle, the pedigree of each of the animals being carefully given; and the sum realised at the sale was £14,605 10s., or an average for each of more than £405! Not being learned in such matters, I can hardly say whether my farmer friends will be as much surprised as I was at the high prices obtained.

Our longest distance without sighting land was between Galle and Aden. We did not stay many hours at Aden, and as it was a very hot, trying day we did not care to go on shore. The barren, rugged rock presented a very uninviting appearance, and so far as could be seen from the steamer, there was nct even a blade of grass. The town, which is said to contain 40,000 inhabitants, is at some distance from the rock; the hotel is kept by Parsees. This place formerly belonged to the Arabs, but there was no security for commerce till it came into our possession; and the importance of its being held by a maritime power will be obvious, as it guards the southern entrance into the Red Sea. Forty miles distant from the Straits of Babel-mandeb there is a group of rocks called Harnish; and Mocha, famous for its coffee, is only thirty-five miles distant. The Alma, a splendid vessel of the P. and O. Company, was wrecked on one of these rocks in 1859; and the navigator when ploughing this part of the great deep has still to be very cautious. We passed the most dangerous part in the night, and had a little alarm; for the steamer suddenly stopped, and of course we all woke out of sleep, wondering what could be the matter. Imagination was beginning to picture scenes of shipwreck, when soon a welcome voice was heard in the cabin next to ours, All right;" and we learnt that the steamer had been stopped to take soundings-a very proper precaution. The next day we saw a mountain called Jibbell Tcar. It is volcanic, and said to be still burning. It is nine hundred feet high. The Southern Cross is nightly visible in these latitudes; but it generally disappoints those who see it for the first time. I well remember the disappointment I felt in seeing it on my first voyage in 1844. It by no means equals in brilliance Orion and other constel

lations of the Northern Hemisphere.

I am now approaching scenes famous in sacred story, and which, associated as they were with some of the most stupendous manifestations of the power and glory of the Most High, were to me intensely interesting; but the narrative would be too long for the present paper. I close with an incident that was to me interesting. One day an infirm old gentleman came up to me as I was reading, and expressed the pleasure he felt in seeing what I was reading. I may tell the reader that I was studying the Bible, or some other book to help me in understanding its precious contents. I assured my old friend that it was gratifying to me to know that I was engaged on what was interesting to him. He then said, "I have known Him and walked with Him for fifty-two years." He did not mention "the name that is above every name," or say with whom he had walked; but the reader understands, as I did. I added, "I hope I have found Him precious for nearly half a century." "Well," he said, "that is something to say, and something very blessed." So indeed it is; and writing this as I am on the forty-ninth anniversary of my baptismal day, how can Ĭ forbear testifying to younger disciples of the faithfulness and love of my ever blessed Saviour? Old disciples will magnify the Lord with me; and younger

friends will, I trust, learn to cling to Him more closely, "for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever." Let us all unite in the fine paraphrase of the 136th Psalm, which John Milton wrote when he was a youth of sixteen,—

"Let us with a gladsome mind,
Praise the Lord, for He is kind;
For His mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure."

"To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

NATIVE AGENCY.

THE subject of Native Agency is ever felt to be one of first importance by those who are seeking the evangelization of a heathen country. Who, for instance, could for a moment imagine that it is possible to convert to christianity the peoples of India, simply by the agency of Europeans? Native labourers have the advantage every way. They are accustomed to the climate; they know the language, with the habits and customs of the people, better than any foreigner can do. In proportion as we can increase the number of able and devoted native ministers, we may expect that the knowledge of Christ will spread in all directions with accelerated speed.

The attention of the large annual Committee meeting was directed to this subject at Loughborough last year. A sub-Committee was subsequently appointed to consider the whole question, consisting of Messrs. T. Hill (the Treasurer), T. W. Marshall, W. R. Stevenson, M.A., E. C. Pike, B.A., and E. Stevenson. The following report, presented to a Committee meeting held at Leicester on Nov. 16th, is the result of much correspondence and careful deliberation. We think that our readers will heartily join with the Committee in giving best thanks to the above brethren for their diligent attention to this business, and for the valuable report they have prepared.

REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON NATIVE AGENCY.

In presenting their report, the sub-Committee ask the attention of the general Committee, first, to a brief statement of facts respecting the College at Cuttack, and then to remarks and suggestions as to Native Agency in general.

I. The College has been established thirty years. The premises have hitherto been found suitable, and are capable of enlargement should that become necessary. The students do not reside at the College, and it would be very undesirable that they should. The number of students has never been more than eight at one time, and sometimes as small as two or three. The President is assisted by a native brother as tutor, of whose ability and zeal he speaks in very high terms. The course of study pursued embraces, daily Biblical Exposition, a course of Lectures on Divinity, another on the Testimony of the Old Testament to Christ. Also Lectures on the Bible, the Church, Preaching, etc. Church History, the Sanscrit Grammar and Dictionary, etc., are studied; Sermons are read and criticised; and in the main the plan adopted at the formation of the Institution is still followed. The applicant for admission to the College needs to be recommended by the church of which he is a member, and his case is decided on its merits by the Conference. If received, he has the benefit of a course of study varying from two to four years according to circumstances. During this time the books necessary for College work are supplied at the cost of the Mission; and a small monthly allowance is made to him for maintenance-eight rupees if he be a married man, five if unmarried. In the cold seasons the student accompanies the missionaries and native preachers on their evangelistic tours; and at the close of his College course he is at the disposal of the Conference as to his location and work.

It is noteworthy that one of the students recently received is a Pooree brahmin, and that amongst the applicants for admission is a government clerk, whose present salary is much more than double the College allowance.

The sub-Committee understand that there are very few English books in the

EXCESSIVE FLOODS IN INDIA.

473 College library, and think a small sum might be voted with advantage for the purchase of more.

II. Convinced that a very wide dissemination of gospel truth amongst the vast population of Orissa can only be secured through the instrumentality of converted natives, the sub-Committee are not surprised that the brethren in the Mission field have given constant attention to this important subject, and strenuously endeavoured to develop so essential an agency. Gratitude to God is excited as the names of eminent native preachers who have passed to their reward are recalled to mind, and as it is observed that they have left behind worthy successors. These brethren itinerate with the missionaries, and preach and do pastoral work at the stations to which they are assigned-a change of location being made every three or four years. Nearly all of them have been trained in the College at Cuttack. They receive much lower salaries than some of their own relatives of inferior ability in the government service; and though native preachers have some advantages which civil servants have not, it is certainly to the honour of our brethren that no one of them has ever left the service of the Mission to engage in secular pursuits.

The sub-Committee are of opinion that any attempt to approximate Mission payments to the scale adopted by the civil service would be futile and mischievous; they believe that in the future, as in the past, the love which is natural to the renewed heart must be looked to as security for a succession of faithful heralds of the cross.

Besides the preachers, there are other native helpers of the colporteur and scripture reader class, who have received no special training, but have been examined by the direction of the Conference.

The missionaries appear to be fully alive to the importance of instilling into the minds of the native christians the principle of self-reliance, and the duty of contributing to the support of those who minister to them the Word of life; but they find this a difficult task. An interesting experiment of a church entirely under native management, and dependent on native support, is being made at Khoordah.

The sub-Committee hope that in days to come a Native Agency more highly trained may supplement that already in exercise; but they feel that the crying need just now, in respect to this and all things affecting the stability of the Mission in Orissa, is an increase to the exceedingly small European staff, more than half of whom have become veteran in the service to which they have consecrated their lives.

In conclusion, the sub-Committee desire to acknowledge the cheerfulness and cordiality with which their inquiries have been met by the missionary brethren, and to unite with them in the prayer that the work so dear to us all may be still more abundantly blest by the Almighty Saviour.

EXCESSIVE FLOODS IN INDIA.

WE quote the following from the Friend of India:

"The year 1875 will be long memorable as a year of almost universal floods. It is difficult to believe that there is not some error in the statement that twenty-three inches of rain fell at Delhi on the 7th and 8th inst. (i.e., of Sept.) in the course of twenty-four hours! Forty lives are said to have been lost, and thousands of houses destroyed in this strange deluge. We have known thirtythree inches fall in Western India in seventy-two hours; but this Delhi flood is the heaviest we have ever heard of except on the Ghaut ranges."

The following extract from the Friend of Sept. 15th relates to our southern station; Aska being about midway between Berhampore and Russelcondah :

"Aska has been flooded for twenty-four hours. Five breaches have been made in the south embankment of the Goomsoor river, and the whole country for miles is under water. Excessive rainfall has occurred also at Berhampore and Gopalpore."

I HAVE, at the request of several friends, promised to furnish a monthly account of the Mission Services held in our churches; but in order that the record may be complete, I shall begin with the first services held after our arrival in England.

Mission sermons were preached on Lord's-day, May 30th, at Spalding, by Mr. Stubbins, and at Bourne by J. Buckley; and meetings were held on the Monday evening at Bourne, and on the following evening at Spalding. An account of the meeting at Bourne has already appeared. It was an interesting and remarkable circumstance-I trust, too, a token for good-that at the first missionary meeting on my return I should be associated with my dear old friend, Mr. Stubbins, the beloved fellow-student of more than forty years ago, and with whom I had been for many years associated in the blessed work of the Lord in Orissa; and that this first meeting should be held in the chapel where my dear brother, Mr. Orton, has faithfully and usefully ministered the word of life for a number of years. It was an additionally interesting circumstance that this meeting was presided over by Colonel S. D. Young, of the Madras army, whose last years with his regiment were spent at Cuttack, who was always welcomed in our social circle, and who was ever ready to help in every good word and work. He is now the Travelling Secretary of the Christian Vernacular Education Society for India, and will, I hope, be encouraged in his work wherever he goes. Bourne, I may tell my readers, has for me many interesting and holy associations. After the death of the good old pastor, Mr. Binns, I came to spend my first midsummer vacation here, and remained for three Sabbaths.* Forty-one years have passed since that time, and many have fallen asleep; but a few still remain who remember, with grateful interest, the visit of the young and comparatively inexperienced student of 1834, and who were glad to welcome the old man of 1875; and with these I did, as Paul did at Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, "thanked God and took courage." At Bourne, may add, the first three weeks of our sojourn in England were spent in the society of beloved relatives.

Lord's-day, June the 21st, was passed at Knipton, when three services were conducted, the morning being devoted to the young. The collections and subscriptions amounted to £14-a pleasing advance on the previous year. My visit to Knipton awakened solemn and tender recollections: for twenty-one years ago I was at a missionary meeting here with the late revered Secretary of our Society. It was the last missionary meeting of the many he attended; and it appropriately closed with a solemn and earnest appeal to the unconverted. Well do I remember the solemnity with which he repeated the third and fourth verses in the 894th hymn

And

"No matter which my thoughts employ;"

"Nothing is worth a thought beneath," etc.

It was a fitting close to the hundreds of missionary addresses which for some thirty-five years he had delivered. Nor could I forget that a few weeks before returning to India I was at a meeting at Knipton with my late dear friend, Mr. Goadby, one of the warmest friends and most effective advocates of the Orissa Mission. A voice from the tomb seemed to say, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." A visit to Belvoir Castle, which we enjoyed, on Monday morning, with our kind host, may probably be described in some future paper.

From Knipton we went to the Annual Association, Wisbech; but as full accounts have already been published of the Annual Missionary Meeting I need not enlarge. The friends of the Mission are not likely to forget the important testimony of Sir George Campbell to the value of the services rendered by the missionaries in the time of Orissa's calamity. It was also a remarkable circumstance that five out of six who were at Wisbech together under the roof of the late revered Joseph Jarrom forty years ago (I. Stubbins, J. Buckley, R. Hardy, H. Wilkinson, R. Îngham, and W. Jarrom,) met at Wisbech that week. Dear Dr. Ingham has fallen asleep, but his memory is fragrant and blessed to all who knew his worth.

August 1st. Missionary sermons were preached, morning and evening, at Barrowden, but no meeting was held on the week evening. Collections, &c., £4 7s. This locality has interesting historical associations, which I may describe in some future paper, if leisure be given.

* In those days our Midsummer vacation was a month, and the Christmas vacation a

fortnight only.