grounds. The ground on which the rails were laid seemed to me to have been the old road which travellers had formerly used in crossing the desert before the introduction of railways. What a change from the old weary toilsome way in which for many a century people have crossed and suffered in that dreary wilderness! In a few hours, and in carriages almost as comfortable as any to be found on the railways in England, the passenger is whirled along these sandy wastes, and though suffering a good deal from the heat and flying sand which seems to penetrate everywhere, he knows almost within a few minutes when he will arrive at his destination. I was very much struck with one glimpse that I had of desert life. As we were rushing along we suddenly came upon a party of men and camels that were proceeding towards Cairo. They were travelling in single file, and had such a wild spectral appearance as they passed noislessly by, that it was with a kind of mute astonishment we gazed upon the strange uncouth figures of the men and watched the lounging awkward tread of the camels. Nowhere else does the camel appear to such advantage as in the desert. In the fruitful fields we had passed yesterday he appeared quite out of his element, but here, amid the sands of this wild region, he seemed to be evidently in his right place; and yet he still retained that unhappy injured-looking air, to which I have before referred, as though some great sorrow had been experienced and which had sunk so deeply into his nature that it was impossible to forget or forgive. No contrast could possibly have been found greater than that presented by the camel, with its slow unwieldy movements, and our train, which was dashing along at the rate of thirty or forty miles an hour. In the one we had a vivid picture of one phase of life such as might have been found in that region for many a bygone century. In that long string of men and camels we had a faithful portrait of generations long since passed away, and almost instinctively my mind travelled away into the remote past, and the men of these days seemed to live again in the figures that were gliding with such ghost-like quiet along this pathless road. In the other we had a forcible representation of the advance of civilization, of the energy and enterprise of the men of the West, before whom

the difficulties and hardships of the desert had succumbed, and who were rushing along those wild and desert wastes with as much confidence as though they had been accustomed to such for centuries. Along the route, at certain intervals, were stations which had been planted there, I presume, for the convenience of the officials and to allow the passengers occasionally to rest themselves by getting out of the hot sandy carriages. They could never have been made as places where people were to get out and leave the train, for the only population of that region were the few wretched looking natives that seemed to be starving in the neighbourhood of the stations. These, I suppose, were there to assist in the working of the line, for one could think of no other conceivable motive that could induce people to live in those desolate spots. Onward we went along this dreary line across the desert until we reached the much-desired terminus at Suez, a sketch of which you see below.

The first-born of one of the Patriarchs.

A good man who saved many Prophets from the fury of a bloodthirsty Queen.

A frightened Ruler who sent for a sordid Prophet to curse the Lord's people.

The disinherited son of a deceived father.

The wife whom Jacob most dearly loved.

A maritime city on the west of Palestine, noted for its merchant princes.

A brave woman who concealed twelve spies.

A king of Bashan notorious for his weight and size.
Joseph's best beloved brother.

One of Aaron's four sons by his wife Elisheba.

A faithful Prophet who reproved and brought to repentance a guilty king.

The first martyr in Christian times.

The ancient port from which Solomon imported his gold.

The mother-in-law of the wife of Boaz.

The initials of the above will give the name of one well known to all the readers of this Magazine.

Bayswater.

A. G. W.

Mission Work in Southern India.

THE CHAPEL OPENING AT VENTOORLA.

BY REV. E. PORTER.

THE school-room at Ventoorla being much too small for the Sabbath congregation, a chapel, measuring from 45 feet long to 25 wide, was commenced. For want of funds to complete it, it was in an unfinished state for some time; but, through the liberal aid of friends in England and India, it was finished in July, 1867, and on September 5th was dedicated to the worship of the true God. It was a day not to be forgotten by the Evangelist and his flock.

Mr. Porter and Moses Williams had spent many anxious hours, and written many letters, before this object could be accomplished. Now there was a neat and substantial stone chapel, in which upwards of 300 people could be seated upon mats; a very pretty pulpit, and the whole neatly finished. It is standing amidst a group of acacia trees, and it was a very pleasant sight to see a house for God's worship where only idols had been known for many generations. People from the surrounding villages, having heard of the service, came in great numbers. The chapel was filled to overflowing, and there were very many standing outside,

The service was commenced with singing the anthem, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." Mr. Porter prayed, The children sang the Te Deum in Telagoo. Moses Williams then read Psalms with responses. The native

girls then sang "How Beautiful upon the Mountains." Mr. J. Mason offered the Dedication Prayer, and then the 147th Psalm, in which all creation is called upon to praise the living God. The children sang the Dedication Hymn. Mr. Porter preached from 1 Kings viii. 2€, "Will God in very deed dwell with man upon the earth?" Moses Williams prayed. The collection was then made, amounting to 62r. 8a. The girls then sang, "Joyfully, joyfully," &c.

Next day Elijah, formerly a boy in our boarding. school, was married to Martha Seth-an interesting couple. He is now a schoolmaster at Cherlcpully, where there is a small number of native Christians and four candidates for baptism.

On the Sabbath a large congregation assembled. Mr. J. Mason preached. Mr. Porter afterwards baptized five adults and eleven children. In the afternoon the Lord's Supper was administered to upwards of thirty persons, some from Cuddapah, Ventoorla, Ubdullapoor, &c. It was a refreshing season to see so many, who had near that spot once worshipped idols, now commemorating the dying love of Jesus and singing His praises where Satan had held his fearful sway.

I must notice the interest these people took in their chapel. Moses pointed to one as having carted wood, another who had hewn stone, one woman who had ground "chunam," others who had helped to white-wash the walls, others who had brought stone, and so on. They vied with one another to do something towards the building of the Lord's House.