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miles long, and weighs about a ton per mile. The first public message transmitted, was, Europe and America are united by telegraph. Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace; good will towards men." Nothing more appropriate conld have been given as as the first salutation between the two countries. In England the news was quietly received: but in America and Canada the people were almost frantic with joy.

The docks, forts, &c., at Cherbourg and the railway from Paris have been "inaugurated," as the French term it. The Queen of England was there, and the speeches of the Emperor Napoleon and Prince Albert were full of peace and good will. France has now a mighty stronghold opposite our shores. But the impression made on her people by the sight of about 500 pleasure yachts, was, that if the English people make sailing a pleasure, their dominion at sea cannot be destroyed. It is said that the Emperor has been in better spirits ever since the Queen's visit, as both he and the Empress regarded that visit as dictated by kindness and confidence.

Our Queen is now visiting her daughter, in Germany. The Princess of Prussia is well. The King of Prussia is so feeble that he has arranged to surrender the government, in due form, to his brother, in October next. This will bring the daughter of Victoria and Albert nearer to the throne of Frederick the Great.

The harvest in this country is generally got in, and is mostly abundant. The same may be said of Ireland, where the introduction of reaping machines has led to riots, at Kilkenny, &c. These, however, are put down. There is great hope for Ireland.

The vines in France promise well. But large imports of corn are already reported. It is expected that Spain, under the new government. will rapidly develope her agricultural resources. If so, a new and large granary for Europe will be opened. Roads, agricultural implements, schools for train ing, &c. are talked of. She also purposes, as a countervail to French Algeria, to take possession of a large portion of the Moorish territory. Spain might rise if she could be emancipated from popish and priestly

influence.

The Paris Conferences have closed their sittings, Their work has not yet transpired. Will they quiet all about Turkey? The agitation among the more zealous Mahommedans continues. At Gaza, in July, they attacked the Christians at church: other plots for a rising against Christians have been discovered. An attempt has been made to assassinate the Viceroy of Egypt; the would-be assassin said that "God had

| sent him." Many arms have been found concealed in a mosque, in Cario. It is supposed that the government of Egypt is too friendly to Christian powers.

The town of Jeddah has been bombarded by the Cyclops. This vessel was near at the time of the massacre. The bombardment, which lasted several days, and has laid the place in ruins, and the subsequent hanging of eleven of the murderers, and the sending away of four others for the same end to Constantinople, by the Sultan's agent, will, it is hoped, strike such terror into the hearts of fanatic Musslemans, as will prevent these outrages in future.

In India, though the rebels have often been depressed, they are in force, and are recruiting. The fall of the Mogul Dynasty is felt throughout all Mahommedan countries. The wet season has ended our first campaign in India. More troops are being sent from England. The East India Company have elected seven of their old directors to be on the New Council of India.

The death in battle of that bold and licentious virago, the Rhanee of Jhansi, it is supposed, is an event almost equal to the taking of Nena Sahib. Jung Bahadoor has proved himself superior to many inducements held out to him by the insurgents to desert the British. He is greatly commended by Lord Canning.

In Canada there is some disagreement between the House and the Governor. He has threatened to dissolve it. The question is the proper capital of the provinces, and lies between the French and English there.

In New Zealand the tories have demanded the ballot, and will obtain it. They, being weak, demand its protection.

It is reported that the Prince of Wales intends shortly to commence a voyage round the world, and to stay for a time in Australia. He will thus outdo the Emperor Hadrian, whose travels were very extensive. Also, that Lord Palmerston intends to retire into private life. His lordship's public life has been very long. He will reside in Ireland, near Sligo.

The news from China is cheering. The allies are near to Pekin, and are negotiating successfully. The following pleasing intelligence has just been published:"Our readers will rejoice to hear that the differences with the Chinese have been arranged, a treaty having been concluded between China and the allied powers, the principal provisions of which are that the ports are to be opened, liberty granted to the Christian religion, consular establishments admitted, aud diplomatic agents to be established in Pekin. France and England are also to have a considerable idemnity."

Missionary Observer.

A VOICE FROM INDIA.

The following appeal made by the F. W. B. Orissa Missionaries to their brethren in the United States, will be perused with interest. It displays a zealous and hopeful spirit, and shews that the efforts we make in this country are not without their uses among our trans-atlantic brethren.-ED.

DEAR BRETHREN, OF THE F. W. B. DENOMINATION,-Allow me to call your attention to the pressing wants and claims of India. We, as a denomination, have chosen Orissa (India) as our only field of Foreign Missionary operations. And it is now twenty years since our first missionaries entered this field. And is it not most lamentable that we have now only three male and four female missionaries in the field? We have much cause for devout gratitude to our Heavenly Father for permitting us to remain in our chosen field of labour during these perilous times in this country. The fearful disturbances in this country have greatly interrupted missionary efforts in a large portion of the country, and we fear that it will be some time before the country becomes quiet again, and safe for missionary operations as before. But our hope must be in God, that He will overrule this great revolution, which is now going on, and cause it to promote His own glory. This He evidently is doing. And I doubt not that God will make use of this fearful rebellion for preparing the way for the mighty triumph of Christ's kingdom in this country. The Mahometans and Hindoos have set themselves not only to oppose the spread of Christianity in this country, but to drive it from the country. This clearly shows that the efforts made here to spread the gospel have been telling upon the great system of error here. There has, of course, always been opposition, but the opposition has recently been most determined and desperate, which indicates that it may be satan's last great effort to save India to himself, but when once the fearful struggle which is now going on ceases, and the opposing powers are compelled to submit to a Christian rule, we may then expect to see those gigantic systems of error melting rapidly away before the genial rays of the gospel. Already Moslem and Hindoo prestige is gone, never to return. The struggle may yet continue for some time, but we think the issue not doubtful. I am led to think that this was the only thing which would ever have aroused England to look after and at the real condition of affairs in this country. These abominable systems of error and

delusion in this country have not only been tolerated by the British Government in this country, but been countenanced, and in too many instances encouraged. But a mighty revolution is now going on, which must thoroughly shake the very foundations of this vast Empire, and prepare the way for the coming of Christ's kingdom. Already some of the results are beginning to be seen. As illustrative of this, I will give an extract from the report of one of the Missions in the midst of the disturbances. "We beg leave, however, to add one short remark as to the probable bearings of the mutinies on the Mission. Dark as the prospects look for a considerable time to come, yet we are not in the least despairing of the ultimate and perhaps speedy victory of the gospel over Hindooism."

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Viewing the movement from the religious element in it, we look upon it as the first encounter of the Hindoos en masse" with Christ. They believed the Government wanted to make them Christians, and therefore by rising up against the Government, and every Christian individual, they declared: "We will give up our pay, our pension, our life, but we will not give up our caste and become Christians. We will not have this man (Christ) to reign over us." There may be other causes of the mutiny, but we are sure this is one of them; and it is such an one as easily accounts for the fanaticism attending it. Now, what will be the result? No doubt, Christ shall reign, notwithstanding! For "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel, and to all that are afar off." With this exalted Prince at the right hand of God, the Hindoos have now had their first encounter; and as they did not choose willingly to submit to His claims, they have received a shock from which they are not likely to rise in unimpaired vigour. And, as in this struggle the "elite" of the nation, the Brahmins and Rajputs, have been chiefly engaged, the shock they receive will propagate itself over the lower orders even with greater force. And we hear already voices from the midst of the nations to

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this effect:-"It is no use to resist, Christians we will and must become, after all." Yea, we know of some who actually sigh for deliverance from the fetters of caste, and would welcome any scheme which would enable them to shake off those feters en masse," which they, as individuals, despair of accomplishing. Now, in view of what will be the probable results of this unlooked for revolution, in preparing the way for the spread of the gospel, need any be faint-hearted or discouraged, and so cease his efforts for India? On the other hand, are not the signs of the times hopeful, and do they not call loudly for increased effort for India? Let India once be brought under the influence of the gospel, and its effect on the whole of Asia will be most wonderful. God knows how to accomplish His own infinite plans and purposes best, and, for aught we know, He designs to use India for the conversion of other portions of the East. Now what are we as a people doing, or prepared to do for India, if the way is thus opened? Are you ready to reinforce our feeble Mission? Or shall we be compelled to go on as we have been doing? It is for you to say! The Board cannot send out men unless you supply the means, however much they may sigh over the wants of the Mission and desire to make it more efficient. It rejoices our hearts to know that there are promising young men, and young women too, at home, whose hearts burn with love for the heathen, and who are ready to come-yes, to India! But, alas, our treasury is empty-the times are hard, and what is to be done? Can it be that there are not means in our denomination for increasing our missionary operations? No, we do not believe that. There must be some other cause. We try to

economise the means sent to us, so as to leave, as much as possible, for increasing the number of labourers. I have just returned from a visit to Cuttack, where I attended the annual Conference of our English brethren there, and I know that their missionary operations are on a more expensive scale than ours in proportion to the number of missionaries. And during the past year when they found their treasury empty, and they without funds to return Mr. Bailey and his family to his former field, and to send out their new missionary, Mr.Goadby, what did they do? Why put forth an extra effort, and raised an extra amount of nearly £2,000.

Now, dear brethren, if you cannot do as nobly as that, you can do something towards it, and instead of being obliged to wait two years before we have a reinforcement, as our esteemed Secretary, Bro. Hutchins, has just informed us, may we not have a reinforcement this year? How many of you will be in eternity before two years, and not have the opportunity of assisting in this important work! And how many of the millions of India's Idolaters will also be in eternity! I do hope that none of you whom God has entrusted with the means of helping on this work, will be disposed to make the plea of "hard times" an excuse for not doing according to your means. I fear that our people are not consecrated as they should be to the great work of "preaching the gospel to every creature." I have felt constrained to write this, and hope that you will feel the importance of doing more for the cause of Christ, at home and abroad. Yours in Christ, R. COOLEY.

Balasore, Jan. 4, 1858.

EXTRACTS FROM NOTES OF A MISSION TOUR, IN JANUARY, 1858, BY MISS HARRISON.

Recovered from the wreck of the Ava.

"AFTER the departure of our friends to their respective stations we commenced our preparations for this tour. Oh the trouble! the trouble!! you cannot sympathize. Everything in the shape of furniture, clothes, eatables, &c., likely to be needed had to be taken, and all things not wanted had to be put away. We do not exactly take up our beds and walk in this country, but something like it. Our beds are always carried with us, they are made of very light material to fold up,

and one man carries it, bedclothes, curtains, toilet bag, and a change of clothes, another man carries two boxes containing the crockery and provisions likely to be needed, before the garries with the remainder of the things reach their destination. On Friday morning, soon after five o'clock, our party started. Mrs. Stubbins and I had a pony and a palkey and so changed about. Part of our journey was very delightful, the remainder was over an immense tract of sand. On

reaching our resting place we found a small Bungalow with one room, and as we were leaving early next morning did not pitch the tent, but contrived a sort of wall to make two rooms for sleeping. We managed exceedingly well, and the next day moved off again to our second resting place, Kendal, about ten miles further, and there had our tent pitched. As there were several festivals and a number of important markets in the neighbourhood we remained a week. Every day in the blazing sun the Missionaries went forth, frequently riding many miles to proclaim a Saviour's love to these poor perishing heathen. One morning I went to a market about three miles distant, and as I had never seen one before was interested with the novelty, the people were making a great noise everywhere, all their wares were spread upon the ground, and the owners sat in the midst. We had a large congregation and they listened with attention. The next day the Missionaries, with Kombhoo, and Damuda, attended a festival at a much greater distance, the people heard almost with tears, and those most conspicuous for attention were the Brahmins; the Native Preachers remained the whole day, and in the evening one of the Brahmins took them to his house, cooked for them, and his father served and waited upon them. They were engaged till midnight in most delightful conversation, closing with prayer, and were lodged for the night in a room adjoining the temple. Bless God for such men as our Native Preachers, for He has indeed raised up for Himself living witnesses and living epistles in this dark land.

On Friday there was a large festival at the place where we were staying, so we all went, but the scene defies description. Thousands of people were assembled, of all ages and both sexes, hundreds were seated in the midst of their wares; the place was a kind of forest, the ground very uneven. We stood at a short distance on an elevation, and it looked like a sea of heads. What with the noise of congregated thousands, and the din of numberless instruments of music, I can assure you it was almost deafening. We pushed our way to a tolerably clear place where we thought the people would be able to hear to advantage. They pressed so close upon us that it was almost melting, and while hundreds appeared anxious to hear others tried to get as near as possible, and thus a continual noise was made in their efforts to get silence. After several ineffectual attempts to preach we moved into another place, the crowd still

following, and then into another. At last we got a tolerably good one, and the people listened with the greatest attention and seriousness. We could not forbear smiling at a drunken man who would push himself to the front and preach, he gave it the Brahmins and Juggernath in style, told them to put a bit of fire to the latter and see how the old block would burn, and to worship the Sahibs, they had something in them, not a piece of wood like that. He wanted Mr. Stubbins' walking stick sadly to thrash the folks well, but of course his request was not complied with. After preaching was over and the books distributed, oh! I forgot to mention that scene, it more than equalled all the others. I never saw such scrambling and scratching in my life, when one man had a tract put into his hand all those nearest to him tried to get hold of it, then in the scuffle down they would go on the ground and have another scramble there. Mr. Stubbins had the skin scratched off his finger, and both his and Mr. Brookes' hands were quite sore. How thankful we should feel could we but be assured that this intense outward anxiety to obtain the word of life was a true index of the inward. We walked a little way through the multitude to look around. In one place there were twelve men sitting in a half circle, playing cymbals and singing with all their might, and down the middle six men with drums upon their knees playing in the same style. We had no desire to remain long here, a little quite satisfied and convinced us that either our breasts were too savage to be charmed by music, or that it would require some of a very different kind to produce that pleasant effect upon us. We turned and wended our way through the woods home, two kinds of feelings filling our hearts, thankfulness and sadness; gratitude that in the midst of that vast multitude, in whose entire power we were, we had no fear, or occasion for it. The friendly spirit which had in past years characterized the people was the same, and the message of salvation was received with even more feeling than before in every place, while the disasters which have befallen so many of our countrymen and the anarchy which prevails in so many districts seemed to them unknown. You will not wonder at our sadness as we looked round upon that vast multitude lending themselves with eagerness to everything debasing and vile-to feel that we were the only ones out of tens of thousands into whom the true light had shined, and who had a future blooming with immortality, and to

know how poor and insignificant we were, how little even the most competent could do to stem the dense black waters of superstition which sweep over their souls. 'Our bowels did yearn over dying men,' and from our hearts rose many a silent prayer for a new heart and a right spirit to be given them.

Our next place was Mardhara, here we found the tent beneath the shade of a large Banyan tree, it was a pleasant visit there, the situation was pretty and the weather very fine. We were however sadly annoyed in the night though we could not forbear laughing at the tremendous noise made by the Jackals-first one would scream here, and another would answer from there, and another from another place, until the air seemed to ring with Jackals' screaming, the effect heightened by the chorus of the dogs; we had also very heavy fogs and being under a tree the water dropped from the leaves, sounding like a heavy fall of rain. The Missionaries itinerated in this district just the same as they had done in the others, and when the markets had all been attended we moved on to Dabe Daule. Mr. Stubbins not being well came on instead of attending a market on the way where the others stayed. I was with him, and hoping to reach by a nearer way got a villager to come with us, instead of bringing us by a nearer path he took us a long way round, and we seemed to do nothing but ride over one rice field after another, one ploughed field after another, up and down for seven or eight miles. We reached our destination about twenty minutes to twelve o'clock, so you may be sure it was tolerably warm. Here we stayed all night, and the next day moved on to Mahdabe. You must try to bear in mind that at every stopping place our garries had to be unloaded, if only for a night, and nearly always the tent pitched, then there is the business and

bother of reloading when you want to start, and unless you can get some of them on before, you stand a chance of going without anything but what you bring with you until a late hour. They generally travel at the immense speed of three-quarters-of-a-mile in an hour. Yesterday after we left Dabe Daule we had a river to cross. The horses had to swim beside the boat, men holding them by the head, mane and tail to keep them above water. After we were safely across the garries, which not more than a-quarterof-an-hour before had been nicely packed and everything tied on, had to be all undone, the things put upon the boat separately, and the garries taken all to pieces, then on the other side to be remade and packed, so you see we have no little amount of trouble in getting from place to place in this country. It makes us envy you your nice turnpike roads, steam carriages, &c. We remained at Mahdab five days, and pleasant days they were. The tents were pitched on a clear open plain, but on all sides we had numbers of trees and low brushwood, in some places the trees seem really blended together, the climbing clinging to the strong and upright.

The Missionaries attended all the markets. There was one large festival held not far from our tent. We had a walk through the principal thoroughfare before preaching which commenced at dusk. We saw the idols, poor little copper things ornamented with brass, carried to be bathed. A band went first, many of the musicians dancing to their own music, a number of others followed, but Mr. S. and Mr. B. said they never saw so few people with them before. We remained out some time and listened to a most thrilling address which was delivered to a very attentive congregation.

To be continued.

JAMAICA.

Condition of the people, and results of emancipation.

Last month we gave the testimony of a Baptist Missionary, we now give that of a Wesleyan on this question.-ED.

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