for the year indicated that in addition to yielding £20 surplus to the minister, £13 were carried forward to the next year. A spirit of unostentatious earnestness and entire unanimity characterizes the officers and committees of the church.

SPALDING.-On Monday, Jan. 2nd, the members' 226th annual tea meeting of the church at Spalding was held. Addresses were given after tea by the pastor, and deacons Sharman and Foster, and by Messrs. Green and Godsmark.

WALSALL.-A Christmas Tree was held in Christmas-week to dispose of the goods left from the bazaar, and it was followed by an auction. Over £70 were obtained, making about £370 in all from the bazaar.

SCHOOLS.

BIRCHCLIFFE.-New School Rooms.-The plans were supplied by Mr. Horsfield, of Halifax, who also superintended the works, and the whole has now been brought to a successful completion. On the ground floor the building contains a kitchen and lecture room, each measuring 11ft. by 25ft., and five class-rooms averaging 10ft. by 11ft. each, all of which are entered from a corridor 4ft. wide. The entrance hall and staircase leading to the upper storey measures 8ft. by 15ft.; and the large room is 27ft. by 52ft., and is fitted up with benches of the newest style, made of pitch-pine, and all stained and varnished. The building is lighted with gas, and warmed by Whitaker and Constantine's hot-air apparatus. The opening services were held on the 23rd and 24th Dec. On the 23rd we had a tea and public meeting. About 400 sat down to tea. Mr. J. Lister presided. Revs. J. Dowty, M.A., I. Preston, G. Needham, C. Springthorpe, J. Bamber, and R. E. Abercrombie gave addresses. Rev. W. Gray, on behalf of the Building Committee, presented a financial statement, by which it was shown that the total expenditure would be about £900, of which sum we have now raised over £600; and in addition we have spent nearly £100 in improving the chapel and minister's house, by putting in gas and a warming apparatus. On Sunday, 24th, sermons were preached in the morning by the pastor of the church, and in the afternoon and evening by Rev. J. Harvey, of Bury. Proceeds were upwards of £60.

School Anniversary.-Besides our opening services, we held our annual tea meeting on Christmas-day. About 420 sat down to tea. The public meeting, held in the new room, was densely crowded. Mr. Lister presided, and the speakers were the friends of our own school. Additional interest was given to the meeting by the presentation of a new and beautiful harmonium by the Band of Hope Society for the use of the

school. The instrument is of the newest design, rich in tone, and has cost upwards of £20.

MINISTERIAL.

CRASSWELLER, Rev. H., B.A., concluded his ministry at St. Mary's Gate, Derby, Dec. 31, and will commence at Cross Street, Islington, Jan. 28.

HACKETT.-In connexion with the chapel anniversary services, which were held Oct. 29, a public recognition of the Rev. B. Hackett as co-pastor with the Rev. F. Chamberlain of the church at Fleet and Holbeach, took place on Monday the 30th. The chair was taken by the Rev. F. Chamberlain. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. J. C. Jones, M.A., B. Hackett, and Messrs. Godsmark and W. Franks. Mr. A. Fysh gave some particulars which led to Mr. Hackett coming to Holbeach, and a cordial welcome on behalf of the church. The services were well attended, and deeply interesting. Collections larger than for many years past.

LUMMIS, Rev. J. H., has announced his intention to withdraw from the pastorate of the church at Swadlincote, Burton-onTrent, and will be happy to supply vacant churches with a view to settlement.

SALTER, Rev. W.-A meeting was held in the Baptist chapel, Coalville, on Dec. 26, to bid farewell to the Rev. W. Salter and his wife, who are removing to Netherton, near Dudley. W. Kempson, Esq., of Leicester, took the chair. Mr. Salter had been seven years with them. He had been a hard-worker; and during the late terrible visitation of fever in the neighbourhood he had been foremost in visiting even the most dangerous cases. During his ministry 126 members had joined the church, eighty-five of whom Mr. Salter had baptized; and £800 had been raised to liquidate the chapel debt and enlarge the school premises. The Sunday school teachers presented Mrs. Salter with a handsome easy chair; the young men's Bible class presented Mr. Salter with another easy chair to match. The church and congregation presented to Mr. S. a purse containing £22 5s. The Rev. C. Clarke, B.A., described Mr. Salter's future sphere of labour at Netherton-a station under the auspices of the Midland Home Mission. The Rev. T. H. Richards, Primitive Methodist minister, and Mr. Smith, also gave addresses. Letters were read from friends in the neighbourhood not able to be present. Although the general public were not asked to contribute to the testimonial, two of the colliery proprietors sent their contributions to the fund in acknowledg ment of Mr. Salter's useful and earnest labours in that neighbourhood.

PRESENTATIONS.

LINCOLN. On Jan. 3, a beautiful and costly communion service, consisting of five pieces, was presented to the church by Mrs. Penney, widow of the late John Penney, whose obituary appeared in this Magazine in August last. Also an elegant and valuable communion table by Mrs. Harriet Height to the same church. Both have appropriate inscriptions.

OLD BASFORD.-At the annual church meeting here, on Jan. 8, the pastor, Rev. W. Dyson, was presented with a purse containing thirteen guineas.

SHEFFIELD.-On Jan. 11, Mr. Atkinson, who has been superintendent of the Cemetery Road Sabbath School over thirty years, was presented by the teachers with a very elegant tea and coffee service, supplied by Messrs. Lucas and Johnson of this town. Rev. G. Hester presided. Mr. F. Baldwin made the presentation, and several teachers gave addresses.

SPALDING.-On Friday, Dec. 22, a valuable ornamental inkstand, subscribed to by the pastor and members of the church and congregation, was presented to Mr. C. T. Southwell on his retirement from presiding at the harmonium, and in recognition of the services he has so kindly and gratuitously given for a period of ten years.

BAPTISMS.

BIRCHCLIFFE. -Jan. 7, eleven, by W. Gray. One the eldest son of the pastor. BRADFORD, Tetley Street.-Sept. 3, two; Nov. 5, four, by B. Wood.

DERBY, Mary's Gate.-Dec. 6, six; Dec. 28, one, by H. Crassweller.

GRIMSBY.-Jan. 7, five (one from the Sabbath school), by R. Smart,

HALIFAX.-Jan. 3, eight, by I. Preston. LEICESTER, Dover Street.-Jan. 3, seven, by W. Evans.

Archdeacon Lane.-Three, by Rev. T. Stevenson.

NOTTINGHAM, Stoney Street.-Nov., one; Dec., four, by T. Ryder.

OLD BASFORD.-Jan. 7, five, by W. Dysɔn. PETERBOROUGH.-Jan. 31, three, by T.

Barrass.

SHORE.-Dec. 28, one, by J. Maden. WALSALL.-Dec. 24, one, by W. Lees. WOODHOUSE EAVES.-Nov. 5, two; Jan. 21, four, by Mr. Lacey.

MARRIAGE.

CRABTREE-SLATER.-Nov. 25, at Shore, by the Rev. J. Maden, Mr. John Crabtree, to Miss Emma Slater, both of Redwaterfoot.

A LOVELY FLOWER PLUCKED EARLY.

GELDRED.-It is not often that very young children shew in their little life anything that will interest those outside the circle of their own home, but Martha Louisa Geldred was an exception. When one year and nine months old her father died, leaving her mother with four other children, one younger than herself. He who is the Father of the fatherless and the Husband of the widow so arranged events in His kind care that her uncle and aunt took this little delicate fatherless child beneath their protection. No mother's love or father's concern could exceed the solicitude they felt for their infant charge, and very richly were they repaid, both by her fondness for them and also in seeing the early development of love to Christ. There was a natural quickness of mind in little Patty, which shewed itself in several ways. She would, for example, be often in the garden when her uncle was attending to his flowers, and so interested was she in their beauty that she soon learned their

names; and often she would go with friends round the beds, pronouncing their difficult names in her infant accent, and remark, "But God made them." She was never really happy away from her kind guardians. Once when her aunt took her to Yorkshire to see her mother and sisters, she insisted on calling her aunt mamma, Her brothers and sisters teazed her about it; she then said, "But I must call her mamma." On reaching home after that visit, so overjoyed was she at seeing her uncle again that neither tea nor play could tempt her to leave his knee. Pleasing as her precocity and natural affection were, it was more interesting to see an early concern to please and love God. It would sometimes happen that when her friends went out in the evening to tea with other friends, or to chapel, they would take her; but, however late she went to bed, she would repeat her evening prayer; and if her aunt abridged, she still would insist on saying all. A little while before she died she was placed in the infant class of the Sunday school with

which the writer of this is connected. There it was she came more particularly under our notice. Her pleasing attention and her thoughtful answers were very gratifying. The last Sabbath afternoon she was at school, her teacher was speaking of Jesus, His love, His kindnes, when she interrupted by saying, "Jesus loves Patty-Patty loves Jesus." The impression produced upon our minds is that she had a sincere love to Christ. We do not say she had a consciousness of sin, and therefore loved Christ-her years were too few for such knowledge; but what she heard of Christ fixed her affection, and she delighted to talk of Jesus,

"And of heaven, where He is gone."

Her early and rather sudden removal, at the age of three and a half years (Oct. 7, 1870), was the occasion of great sorrow to those by whom she was known. To her case the words of the poet seem peculiarly appropriate :

"This lovely bud, so young and fair,
Called hence by early doom,

Just came to show how sweet the flower
In Paradise would bloom."

God's holy word says,
"Out of the mouth
of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected
praise," and we think the life of little Patty
was one sweet hymn of praise to God. We
know her influence in the class was good;
and her removal has, we trust, left a good
impression on her young companions. How
encouraging to every sorrowing parent or
teacher to recall our Saviour's words: "Of
such is the kingdom of heaven."
Bourne.

W. R. W.

COOKE.-At Upper Broughton, Sept. 29, 1871, Mrs. Ann Cooke, late of Burton-onthe-Wolds, near Loughborough, in her eighty-fourth year. She was baptized and united with the Wood Gate church, Loughborough, when young. She led a Christian life; and after having kept her bed nearly ten years, sweetly fell asleep in Jesus.

GILL, MRS.-After thirty-three years of devoted and very successful labour as a "pastor's wife," Mary, the beloved partner of Thomas Gill, late of Allerton, now of West Vale, near Halifax, quietly departed to her heavenly home, Jan. 6, aged fiftyseven. Her mortal remains were interred in the Baptist Chapel Cemetery, Blackley, near West Vale, Jan. 10, the service being conducted by Revs. I. Preston and Dr. Ingham. Her health had been declining more than twelve months; but with occasional interruptions she continued her loved work as a teacher of a select class in the Sabbath school, &c., until within six weeks of her decease.

MARTIN.-Jan. 2, at Car Colston, Nottinghamshire, Jane Euerby Martin, aged twenty-five years. "Her end was peace."

PRATT. At the Manor House, Normanton-le-Heath, Dec. 30, Anne Pratt, relict of the late Mr. Benjamin Pratt, of Hoton, aged seventy-five years. She was a liberal supporter of the institutions belonging to the Connexion, and generous in her benefactions to the poor. Her end was remarkably peaceful and happy.

STARBUCK.-Nov. 13th, 1871, at Alford, after a long and painful illness, Miss Elizabeth Starbuck, aged 37. She was led to decision for Christ under the ministry of the late Rev. T. W. Mathews, of Boston, and was baptized by him Dec. 20th, 1852. After residing at Boston for some years, during which she greatly enjoyed the preaching of her beloved pastor, she removed to Preston, Lancashire, and ultimately to Hitchin, of the church at which latter place she was a member at the time of her decease. She was naturally kind and genial, and when she became the subject of divine grace her piety shone with unusal lustre, as she strove to adorn the doctrine of God her Saviour in all things. Being cheerfully consistent and unobtrusively useful, she drew around her a large circle of Christian friends, whose esteem for her was in proportion to their knowledge of her. From the nature of her disease she was not able to speak for a long time previous to her departure, but in other ways she was able, to some extent, to reveal the state of her mind in prospect of eternity. She knew "whom she had believed, and was persuaded that He was able to keep that which she had committed unto Him." She loved to hear sung some of those hymns which express simple confidence and hope in Christ as a Saviour, and to hear read those "exceeding great and precious promises" which Christ has given to His church; and she looked forward with eager eyes to the time when she would enter into the "eternal kindom" of her Redeemer, and there meet with loved ones who had gone before her. At length, after having patiently endured what her Lord saw fit to lay upon her, she quietly fell asleep in the arms of her Saviour.

J. R. G. TOWLER.- Dec 29, 1871, at Isleham, Frank Cartwright, only son of the Rev. G. Towler, aged fifteen months.

WHITE.-Thomas White, of Sawley, departed this life, Nov. 16, 1871, aged eightytwo years. He was for many years a member of the church there; and having been ill for more than twelve years, died trusting in Christ.

TO INDIA VIA THE SUEZ CANAL.

[Continued from page 30.]

On Wednesday evening, a letter signed by all the passengers was sent to the captain, urging him to satisfy himself that the repairs were sufficiently strong to encounter the rough weather we might have in the Bay of Bengal, and if necessary to put into the nearest port to get them thoroughly done. He received the letter very courteously, and in his reply thanked them for their sympathy with him in "the serious and unexpected misfortune" which had happened, for their expression of confidence in his skill and seamanship, and assuring them that his best attention would be given to their interests. Happily, after a delay of sixty hours, the engines, to the joy of all, again started. Though in some respects our position was trying, it had its advantages. For example, we were in a calm region and out of the danger of rocks. Had the accident happened near the shore or in a rough sea, the consequences might have been serious; moreover, the delay may have kept us out of bad weather in the Bay of Bengal. In expressing my surprise to one of the engineers that they should not have duplicates of the parts of machinery likely to break, he replied that the ship was sent off in such a hurry they had not time to get them on board. He said, moreover, that he saw in London a duplicate of the very rod that broke.

Off Ceylon we had hard squalls, but on the whole the ship behaved herself very well. During the time they lasted the wind was furious and the rain came down in torrents. In the midst of these, something getting loose about the engine, she had to be stopped and screwed up on two separate occasions. She now goes thumping on, every stroke being heard and felt all over the ship, and the wonder is that she does not put everything out of gear. There is a strong current against us, but as we are now (three p.m.) only about fifty miles from Madras, and it is expected that we shall reach there sometime this

evening, and the passengers bound for that port (about one-half) land to-morrow morning. Truly thankful shall we be again to reach Orissa, where we hope to find the brethren and sisters as well as usual. As it is forty-one days since we left Plymouth, we are anxiously awaiting letters. We are all, I am thankful to say, in good health; indeed, there has not been a case of serious illness among any of the passengers since we came on board.

Nov. 11.

With devout thankfulness I am happy to state that we anchored in the Madras Roads last evening at nine o'clock. It appears that there was a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal five days ago, and that several ships were lost. Last evening cases were being washed on shore near the lighthouse. Had not our engine broken down we should probably have been in the midst of it; and I should suppose the rough weather we had off Ceylon was the outside of the terrible storm. In wisdom and love, therefore, we were delayed on our journey; and so we see how all things work together for good.

Calcutta, Nov. 22.

As we were more than a week beyond the specified time at Madras, and the weather had been unusually stormy, considerable anxiety was being felt regarding our safety. Only three ships were at anchor in the Roads; the others, in consequence of the bad weather, had been compelled to stand out to sea, and had not returned. For several days prior to our arrival, all communication with the shore had been impossible; so it would appear that our break-down with the engine had kept us out of the cyclone lower down the Bay of Bengal, or out of the boisterous weather off Madras. As we had to take in coal as well as land passengers, we had the opportunity of spending a few hours on shore. Landing, however, in consequence of the heavy swell, was very difficult; and the "masula" boats, each manned by about a score almost naked natives, were tossed about like the

merest toys. To set my feet upon the shores of India and my eyes upon its scenes, after an absence of nearly seven years, was exceedingly pleasant, and it seemed like returning home. The principal houses and offices in Madras are stretched along the sea coast, which from the sea have an interesting appearance. The native town is flat and low, and appears fifty years behind Calcutta.

In the afternoon of Nov. 11th we resumed our voyage to Calcutta, and all progressed favourably until Thursday, the 16th, as we were going up the river Hooghly. To tow us up the captain engaged two tug steamers, one of which was placed at the head and the other at the side of the "Viceroy." It soon appeared, as in the Suez Canal, that the ship would not answer to her helm; and in being conducted by the pilot, who came on board at the Sandheads, up the narrow winding channels of the dangerous river, her head went off, now in this direction and now in that. In trying to pull her into her proper course, the tug steamer at her head broke both her hawsers, or towing ropes, one of which was eleven and the other thirteen inches in circumference. As we seemed likely to get aground, orders were given to "stand by the anchor." Fortunately we still kept in deep water, and the steamer which broke loose returned, and was made fast at the side; the "Viceroy now having a tug on each side of her. Unpleasant symptoms soon began to show themselves, and though the ship was in still water she reeled first on one side and then on the other. In the latter instance it seemed as if she were going right over. "The ship's aground," said the captain. "Stand by the boats," cried out the pilot; and the sailors, rushing to the boats, began to unfasten them, and got them ready for lowering. Fearing lest she should roll over and go down, consternation was written on every countenance. The tugs, fearing lest they should be pulled down as well, cut their hawsers and went a quarter or half a mile away, leaving us to shift for ourselves. It was a time of terrible suspense, of fearful anxiety, as it was felt that at any moment the ship might roll over and go down, and that there would be no escape. Even children partook of the general alarm, and were crying and clinging to their parents.

Such a scene I had never witnessed before, and have no desire to witness again. Both of the tugs were somewhat damaged, the "Cyclone" having her paddle-box broken, and the "Conqueror" her stern_bulwarks completely smashed down. It was, however, most fortunate that the "Viceroy' " had the latter tug under her, or the consequences might have been serious. Providentially, too, the accident occurred when the tide was rising, by which our ship was floated off the ground and rescued from her perilous position. As regards the place also, the misfortune seemed most providentially arranged. Had it occurred where the bottom of the river was "lumpy," instead of in a straight channel, it was said that nothing could have saved us, that the ship would have settled down in the quicksands and have disappeared. Several years ago, two large ships came into collision in one of these places, and in less than half an hour not a single trace of either existed. Abounding as it does with strong currents, with narrow, winding, shifting channels, and with immense quicksands, the Hooghly is said to be one of the most dangerous rivers in the world for navigation; only pilots who are constantly going up and down are able to conduct vessels with safety. As may be supposed, after the above accident, and as there were still more dangerous parts of the river to pass, the passengers became anxious to leave the "Viceroy." To get her, however, into a safe position was of the greatest importance; though, on the plea that she had no hawser strong enough, the larger tug refused to take her in tow. Alone, therefore, the captain of the "Conqueror" undertook the task; and right well did the little vessel prove herself worthy of her name, not only by pulling us out of our dangerous position, but by towing us up to Diamond Harbour, a distance of several miles, where we came to an anchor. On reaching this place, where customs officers come on board, it was announced that in ten minutes the "Conqueror" would leave for Calcutta, and take with her such of the passengers as might wish to go. Nearly all the passengers accepted the offer. Taking with us a small quantity of personal luggage, we were quickly transferred to the tug, and with hurried "good