The Supply of Ministers. By the Rev. D. THOMAS, B.A., Bristol. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

THIS is one of the papers read at the autumnal meeting of the Congregational Union at Swansea. The subject was wisely chosen and honestly treated. No one who is acquainted with the religious world of London as it was thirty years ago can have failed to mark the serious decline of the Independents in regard to pulpit ability. The Claytons, the Fletchers, the Strattens, have left no successors who occupy so large a sphere, or wield so wide an influence, as they. The

mania for academical distinctions is largely the cause of this falling off of preaching power. New College is more intent on turning out B.A.'s than able ministers of the New Testament, and unless a reaction speedily sets in, the Congregational body will wane into insignificance.

The New Cyclopædia of Illustrative Anecdote. Designed for Ministers, Teachers, and the Family Circle. No. 1, price Sixpence. To be completed in Twelve Parts. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row.

THIS promises to become a valuable publication, especially useful to those whose limited education and scanty bookshelves place them at a disadvantage in the search for illustration.

NEW YEAR'S PRESENTS FOR

THE YOUNG.

Soldier Fritz and the Enemies he Fought: a Story of the Reformation. London: The Religious Tract Society. -The Wanderings of Master Peter in Search of Knowledge. Edinburgh: W. Oliphant and Co.-Nurse Grand's Reminiscences at Home and Abroad. BY MISS BRIGHTWELL. London: Religious Tract Society.-Scripture Stories in Verse, with Sacred Songs

and Miscellaneous Pieces. By Dr. EDMOND. London: W. Oliphant and Co.-Little Lisette, the Orphan of Alsace, By the Author of Louis Michaud. London : Griffith & Farran. -Marion's Path through Shadow to Sunshine. By MARY MEEKE. London E. Marlborough and Co., Ave Maria Lane.-The Besieged City and the Heroes of Sweden. Edinburgh: W. Oliphant and Co.-Under Gray Walls. BY SARAH DOUDNEY. Sunday School Union, 56, Old Bailey. -Mrs. Gibbon's Parlour Maid. Specially dedicated to Domestic Servants. Edinburgh: W. Oliphant and Co.-Suzanne De L'Orme: a Story of France in Huguenot Times. By H. E. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter, and Co.-From Tent to Palace: the Story of Joseph. London: Sunday School Union, 56, Old Bailey. -The Melvill Family and their Bible Readings. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter & Co.-Grumbling Tommy and Contented Harry":"Buster and Baby Jim" (Children's Friend Series). London Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday, Fleet Street; S. W. Partridge, Paternoster Row.-Old Jonathan: The District and Parish

Helper. London: W. H. and
L. Collingridge, Aldersgate Street.
Another year's issue of this true
helper has come to hand.
The very

name associates itself with large, numerous, and excellent pictures, clear type, and first-rate teaching, and, in this instance, most deservedly so. May Old Jonathan do his parish work as well in the future as in the

past.-The Note-Book. A Collection of Anecdotes and Illustrations for the Use of Teachers. First Series. London: Sunday School Union, 56, Old Bailey. A very useful and cheap publication, containing more than three hundred illustrations from various sources.

MINISTERIAL CHANGES.

The Rev. John Whitaker (late of Barrow) has accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate of the Lancaster Baptist church.

The Rev. J. Hasler, of Downham Market, has accepted an unanimous invitation to the pastorate of the church at Andover.

MANCHESTER STREET CHAPEL, OLDHAM.-The Rev. E. Balmforth, of Rawdon College, was ordained to the pastorate of the church in this place on Wednesday, October the 25th.

SHIPLEY.-The Rev. R. Green, pastor of Rope Street Baptist church, Shipley, has accepted a unanimous call to the church at Townhead, Sheffield.

MISCELLANEOUS.

On Monday, October 30th, a recognition tea meeting, in connexion with the recent settlement of the Rev. T. R. Stevenson, as pastor of the church worshipping in Boutport Street chapel, Barnstaple, was held. Tea was provided in the commodious lecture-room. In spite of the stormy weather there was a large attendance. The public meeting that followed was still more numerous. Rev. R. A. Bertram, pastor of the Congregational church, presided. Mr. Councillor Hills, one of the deacons, gave an account of the circumstances connected with the invitation given to, and accepted by, the new minister. Rev. T. R. Stevenson then addressed the meeting, offering "words of congratulation, caution, and entreaty." The following friends took part in the proceedings:-Rev. F. Bosworth, M.A., Exeter; E. Edwards, Torquay; J. Dixon, Crediton; F. F. Medcalf, Ilfracombe; W. Cutliffe, Brayford; J. P. Williams, Swimbridge; J. F. Avery, Tavistock; J. Glover, Combe Martin; T. Philp, South Molton; B. Brown and W. T. Whitmarsh, Barnstaple. Letters regretting their

absence, had been received from Revs. W. G. Hailstone, of Appledore, and S. Laing, of Barnstaple. Cheering statements were made as to the prospects of the church, and warm sympathy with pastor and people was expressed. The whole proceedings were of a highly satisfactory nature.

GLASGOW.-COMPLIMENTARY SOIREE TO THE REV. W. T. ROSEVEAR.-A social meeting of the friends of the Rev. W. T. Rosevear, was held in the hall of Hope Street Baptist Church on Tuesday evening, December 5th, to express their regret at the reverend gentleman's removal from their midst, and to present him with a testimonial in recognition of his character and high ministerial ability. The Rev. Samuel Newnam, of Edinburgh, presided, and among those present were the Rev. Dr. Pulsford, Rev. Dr. H. S. Paterson, Rev. S. Chapman, Rev. H. Moore, Messrs.John Anderson, Howard, Bowser, W. Quarrier, of Glasgow, and Rev. O. Flett and Thomas Coates, Esq., of Paisley. Letters of apology for unavoidable absence, and expres sive of sympathy with the object of the meeting, were read from the Rev. John Ker, D.D., Rev. H. Batchelor, Rev. David Russell, and Rev. John Guthrie, M.A. The chairman, in the course of his address, alluded to his long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Rosevear, and to the high reputation which the latter enjoyed. After some very kind remarks from Mr. Thos. Coates, Mr. D. Whitelaw, in the name of Mr. Rosevear's friends, presented him with an address and a cheque for £100, which he acknowledged in appropriate terms. Addresses were afterwards delivered by Revs. O. Flett, H. Moore, S. Chapman, and Mr. G. Dunn. Dr. Pulsford spoke of his esteem for Mr. Rosevear, as a man of high character and endowments, and stated that a vote of regret at Mr. Rosevear leaving Glasgow was passed at a recent mecting of the Ministerial Association.

'Thinking of the falling off in the number of missionaries here by death, sickness, and resignation, and at the same time of the difficulty of getting men in England to come out to India, makes me very sad. What is the matter? Is our Mission to die out for want of labourers? Half, or nearly half of our men, are over fifty years of age; more than half the remainder are over forty years of age, and there is scarcely a young man in the Mission. In the ordinary course of things, it is certain that others will pass off the field of labour in a few years. Who are to take the vacant places? The stato of things in our Indian Mission is such as should really awaken, grave consideration,

and calls for immediate action;" for vacancies cannot be filled up at once by the mere sending of men from England. A man must have two or three years in the country before he can be of much practical use as a missionary. Fifteen years ago, one missionary was at Chittagong, another at Cutwa; now there is not one at either of these places. There were

two at Barisaul, two at Jessore, and three at Dacca ; now only one brother is at each place. I do hope that the brethren at home will soon be so favoured of the Lord, that they will be enabled to send out to India large reinforcements to our weakened and fainting band."

Then her temper was such that, whenever she was out of school, her voice was heard in angry altercation with some one or other of her fellow-scholars. Every one feared her. Many months ago she seemed to become the subject of a sudden change; and on its being proposed that any who wished to join the church should come to the missionary for instruction, Sarah was one of the first to come. The change in her has been very marked, and as her

mind has gradually opened to the truth as it is in Jesus, she has shown more than ordinary desire to know Him. Once, on being asked whether she believed on Him, she replied, with much animation, 'Yes, I believe on Him with all my heart.' We look to Divine grace to obliterate from her mind the memories and consequent desires of her earlier days. That alone will suffice for the struggle she must endure.

Tárá came to Mrs. Hobbs under pressure of the deepest poverty.' Starvation drove her to seek for herself and a younger brother and sister an asylum in the Orphanage. The little sister's case was hopeless, and she soon died. The brother, Jeebon, is now a member of our enquirers' class. Tara's chief fault was her temper, which still afflicts her, but which to a large extent she has overcome. The work of the Divine Spirit has been very marked in her case also. She is the only native whom I have ever seen to weep on account of sin. It is very pleas

ing to hear her intelligent questions in the enquirers' class, and to mark the effect of the truth upon her mind.

Let me claim for these, and other young female converts in India, the sustaining prayers of friends to our good work at home. The temptations to which these objects of loving interest are exposed can hardly be understood by those who live so securely in our British churches. To foster their interest in the truth, and to increase their spiritual intelligence, these three are still retained as members of the enquirers' class.