owe to our rather, let us remember now poorly we have requited his favours, and mourn over the spiritual dearth we suffer. We invite your attention to the subject of foreign missions or the conversion of the world. 'The whole world lieth in wicked ness.' 1st John, v. 19. 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' Mark xvi. 15. More than eighteen hundred years ago this command was uttered by our Saviour. It was spoken under circumstances of peculiar interest. He had been during a course of years with his disciples. He had gone in and out before them and imparted to them many and various instructions. He had been with them in trial and in joy, and with them had borne the one and shared the other. At last, having completed his work of instruction, he had for them laid down his life. The grave, however, could not contain him. He arose, and from time to time, for forty days, he mingled with them as before. But the hour had come when he was about to leave them. His work was done. The great plan of a world's redemption was finished. The Great Deliverer had conquered death and triumphed over the grave. He was now about to ascend to his Father, and to become the Great Intercessor for his people. He led his disciples out of Jerusalem, and, standing upon the Mount of Olives, gazed around upon the beautiful scenes which lay spread out before him, and, looking upon them, his great heart took in the entire interest of humanity. Then and there, while he bade his followers farewell, the last command of the great commission was pronounced. It was uttered last that it might sink deep into the hearts of his disciples and be longest remembered; that as we dwell upon and cherish the last sayings of a dying friend, these words might linger in the memory, and be repeated as the watchword of Christianity through all time. This command was addressed not to one of his disciples but to all. Not to the twelve tianize, and save the elapsed before the throughout nearly t known world. But an age of da church; she forgot h perishing world. S mission: 'Go ye in preach the gospel to desolation and darkn rolled by, during w driven to the mount desert. The temples deserted; and idolat seemed to have gain religion of the cros things was not alway people, and it was them, and to make nations and the joy When a long night universal darkness th The reformation daw peared again clad in emerged from the nigh regained her pristine long years rolled became again imbu missions. Little m have passed since mo to reflect upon the heathen, and less tha the first society in ou whose avowed objec preach the gospel to first foreign mission publish on the shores the story of the cros time a great work word of life has be lands where no mes before set foot. The lated into nearly all th and in whole or in p of the languages of A of the South. Hund been gathered; and perishing for lack of the light of life and VLLO Dis epistie. The wave popu e world at that time did not exndred millions, while at the preere are more than nine hundred f these more than eight hundred ve no good hope in Christ, and a hundred millions are without Only here and there a spot of is illuminated by the Sun of ess, while over almost the whole Hown an nnbroken night." Mr. Underhill says, "On the anticipations as to the work of ia are of an encouraging kind. naries have many causes of dist, and many obstacles to contend fter listening to them, I am con= the causes for gratitude preThe testimony is uniform from s and native preachers alike, sp of idolatry is loosening, that are not attached to their idols cence, but worship them from custom, and dread of change. despise them, while they are o expose themselves to reproach ion. Prayerful, faithful labour meet with its reward." парру шап, парру in the rove 01 Gou, RELIGIOUS. THE AMERICAN MISSIONARIES AMON THE NESTORIANS.-American missiona have for some time past been successf pursuing their educational labours amon the Nestorian Christians in and arou Oroomiah. According to the Daily N correspondent at Mosul, they were be interfered with by Russian agents. In m than one case the Russian consul at Tab had used his influence with the Prince G ernor to their injury; and they were slow to confess to myself that but for t energetic support of Mr. Stevens, our o consul, they must long ago have been co pelled to withdraw from the field of the -We have been favoured with labours. This jealousy has now borne fr of a letter from a soldier in the in a more serious result than they have y nt stationed at Meerut, and the had to contend against. A few days befo ich we subjoin cannot fail to the date of my correspondent's letter a firm ader deeply. There is much in had been received by the Prince Govern ken grateful surprise, while they of Tabriz, which restricts missionary exe private Christians may do, even tions to limits that amount to virtual su vare soldiers, in a heathen land. pression. As it is aimed against, and e re of the same sort of activity at pressly mentions the French Lazarist mi 1 produce similarly gratifying sionaries as well as the Americans, there fter giving an account of the no ground for suspecting that the form rtality among the troops, and were in any way instrumental in procurin mong their wives and children, this intolerant order; and all parties affecte by one day passed without some by it agree in attributing it to the Russia uried, the men would say as if minister. M. Khanikoff does not hesitat r, What, no funeral to-day; no to confess that his chief has had a finger i he goes on to remark,-" I am its procurement, and makes no attempt t ileged here. There is not an conceal his own gratification at the issuin the week but we meet together. of so liberal an edict. The decree has no such an outpouring of the Spirit, yet taken effect; and it may be hoped, there rge measures of his grace. Therefore, that Mr. Murray may yet be in time t Eonaries in this district. All are protest against and upset so intolerant kness, bowing down to wood and measure. and that, while in which lasted upwards of an hour and a half, Green) "by the kn THE BURNETT from Aberdeen that t literary prizes-one of £600.-to the a treatises on "The God," has been anno competitors were fou prize, the Rev. Rob A.M., Louth, Linc second, the Rev. Jo Kettins, Cupar An Mary's College, St There were 208 judges were Professo Rodgers, and Mr. Isa unanimous in their envelopes were open Mr. John Webster, a of the other trustees of the principal citiz A SHIRELAND-HALL SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM. -This school, it will be remembered by many of our readers, has been established for the education of Ministers' sons of all persuasions included within the range of Evangelical Protestantism. The institution is under the care of the Rev. T. H. Morgan, and contains rather more than thirty youths, whose fathers comprise ministers of no fewer than seven different denominations. moiety of the expense is borne by the parents of the pupils; the other moiety being provided for by voluntary subscriptions. From the Christmas Examination Papers and the Examiners' Reports, it would appear that the school is in a state of high efficiency. The examination appears to have embraced divinity, classics, mathematics, French and English grammar, etymology, ancient and modern history, geography, natural philosophy, and general knowledge. On each of these subjects, copious series of questions were proposed, of a searching character, and which no boys could have answered correctly who had not been taught thoroughly well. The testimony of the examiners is most satisfactory. The Rev. C. Vince, who examined in biblical history and elementary theology, vouches for the training and for the general progress of the pupils; remark POOLE, DORSET.an unusual and int held here on Wedn 24. Christians of var in the Guildhall, to u of their country, th Army and Navy. P Rev. G. Morgan, (C) Sheers, (Wesleyan F. R. Conder, (Inde able incumbent of W. Jolliffe, express པས་་ most of the men who died were hard dr ers. Teetotalism is the best plan here. RUSSIAN LOSS BY WAR.-A letter f Warsaw, in the Cologne Gazette, states the losses of the Russian army on ad service amounted, in 1854, according official returns, to 107,124 men, of wh 29,204 died naturally. 55,304 were woun 6,450 deserted, and 16,156 died from wou INDIA.-There is great suffering in In from the high price of rice. At Madra has led to rioting, only quelled by mili force, after considerable damage had b done. In Ceylon mothers have sold th infants to obtain the means of buying fo THE PANAMA RAILROAD, connecting Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which hitherto attracted but little notice in E land, is now completed, and at this date trains are probably running through fr sea to sea. THE LIBRARY of the late President Magdalen College, Oxford, is, by a deed gift made two years ago, conveyed to t Warden, Masters, and Scholars of the U versity of Durham. The library is said comprehend nearly 20,000 volumes. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MERCHANT-VE SELS taken up by the Government for w purposes is 206; the tonnage, 205,38 The sailing-ships are 105, of a burden 91,026 tons; the steamers are 101, of 11 362 tons. THERE ARE FOUR SISTERS now living the parish of Bowdon, aged, respectivel 85, 83, 76, and 74. They are all widow and have been so for many years; one, age 83, is mother of twelve children. IF YOU ARE BACKBITTEN AND ANNOYE take example by your boots; which, althoug blackened almost every day, shine the mor brightly, and which endure every rub with out a murmur. THE RECENT STATEMENT of the circula tion of the scriptures, under the authority o the Emperor of the French, has been denied on authority. THE DISSENTERS OF KETTERING having rejected a Church-rate, the Churchmen retaliated by refusing a gas-rate. |