CHURCHES. Church Register. new HINCKLEY.-Having erected a gallery, platform, and re-pewed our chapel, it was re-opened, June 9, by the Rev. T. Goadby, B.A. The whole of the building has been thoroughly cleaned and renovated, the ceiling and walls, centre pieces and cornices, have been coloured and painted, the hand rails round the platform and pulpit are supported with ornamental brass and iron balusters, relieved with scroll work, etc. The whole of the wood work is constructed with red deal, beautifully stained and varnished. The building is lighted by seven ornamental brass and iron gas standards, and ten wall brackets, and it is arranged to warm the chapel with atmospheric gas burners placed under various parts of the aisles. The effect of the whole is admirable. A plain and dingy chapel has been transformed into quite a cheerful one, and great credit is due to Mr. J. Surl, who has acted as architect, also to the pastor, the Rev. W. J. Staynes, and the Committee, for undertaking the responsibility of the work. The contracts were £400. £245 have been paid. For this we are very grateful to God, the giver of all good. LYNDHURST. Anniversary tea and public meeting was held, July 17. A large company assembled. The Rev. W. H. Payne, pastor, presided, and gave a very satisfactory statement of the past year's work. Addresses were delivered by Revs. P. Griffiths, T. Evans, E. J. Brown, J. W. Wilson, J. Ridley, W. Bower, G. H. Bennett of Chilwell College, and the colporteur, Mr. Conment. SCHOOL SERMONS. Rev. ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH.-June 23. I. Preston, preached. Colls., £32 16s. 6d. BAGWORTH.-July 14. Preacher, Rev. W. Evans. Collections, £15 15s. BARLESTONE.-June 30. Preacher, Rev. W. Bishop. Colls., £12 11s. 9d. CLAYTON.-June 30. Preachers, Messrs. W. Jones and C. Hall. Colls., £55 3s. 9d. COVENTRY.-May 14. Preacher, Rev. W. Wootton, of Coalville. NEWBOLD VERDON.--June 23. Preacher, Mr. F. Mantle, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Collections, £5 4s. 8d. NORWICH, ST. CLEMENTS.-Anniversary, July 14. Preachers, Rev. G. Taylor and T. A. Wheeler. Monday 15th, public meeting. Mayor of Norwich announced to preside, but was unavoidably prevented. Speeches were delivered by Messrs. H. Trevor, G. White, and P. Gould. The school has added forty-five scholars in the year. Several scholars have passed the S. S. Union Examination. Band of Hope has 160 children in it. Clothing club has sixty members. Attendance and collections unusually good. PACKINGTON.-May 19. Preacher, Mr. J. F. Jones, of Chilwell. Colls., £9 14s. 4d. SAWLEY.-June 23. Preacher, Rev. T. Goadby, B.A. Collections, £19 6s. Address by Mr. SHORE.-June 23. Councillor Altham. Sermons by Rev. C. Williams, Accrington. Collections, £77. MINISTERIAL. ALCORN, REV. J., preached his farewell sermon on Sunday evening, June 30, to a crowded congregation. On the following day a tea and public meeting was held. One of the deacons presided, and addresses of warm fraternal regard and high esteem for the ability, manliness, kindness, and Christian worth of Mr. Alcorn, were given by the Revs. John Thomas (Wesleyan), James Mills (Independent), and E. Stevenson. A purse of gold was presented by the Chairman, in the name of the church and congregation, who desired that his life might be long spared, and that he might have many opportunities of visiting his old flock. Mr. Alcorn reciprocated the fraternal sentiments expressed, and concluded a meeting of great interest. Mr. Alcorn has accepted the pastorate of the church at Old Basford, Nottingham. HARRISON, REV. J.-We learn, with unfeigned sorrow, that our friend, the Rev. J. Harrison, formerly of Birmingham, and for some years past of Park Road, Ryde, has been compelled to resign his pastorate through failing health. Many of our readers will pray that the solace of the gospel may be fully enjoyed in this second period of enforced cessation from duty, and that the period itself may be short. JOLLY, REV. J., of Boston, has successfully passed the Matriculation Examination in the University of Dublin. We warmly congratulate our brother on his success in this "off-work." JONES, REV. J. F., of Chilwell College, has accepted the very cordial invitation of the church meeting in Church Street Chapel, London, to become their assistant pastor, with the Rev. Dawson Burns, M.A. Mr. Jones entered upon his duties on Lord's-day, July 28. LACEY, REV. J. S., was recognized as pastor of the church at Wolvey, July 9. Rev. J. Bateman, of Leicester, presided. Mr. Hewitt, one of the deacons gave an account of the history of the church, and described the circumstances which led to Mr. Lacey's acceptance of the pastorate. The pastor followed with an address explanatory of the reasons which induced him to take the post. Revs. T. Stevenson, E. Stevenson, W. J. Staynes, and C. Hood, gave addresses. ROBERTS, REV. J. T., has resigned the pastorate of the church, Freeman Street, Grimsby. The pulpit is now vacant. MARRIAGES. MASON-HOPKINSON.-June 11, at the G. B. chapel, Kirkby, by Rev. A. Firth, Mr. John William Mason, to Miss Lucy Hopkinson. OBITUARIES. HARRIS, MR. GEORGE, was born at Queniborough, near Leicester, in 1824. In the early part of his life he was a member of the Friar Lane Baptist Church, Leicester, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. S. Wigg; but his piety afterwards declined, and during his residence in Peterborough we do not know that he was engaged in any religious work. He lived in Hitchin three years without attending anyplace of worship. When the Mission Hall was opened, in 1869, he attended the first Sabbath, and from that time his place was seldom vacant. He afterwards joined the young church, and was soon engaged in active Christian service. In 1872 he was elected to the office of deacon in which he was found faithful to the day of his death. As a teacher in the Sunday School and as a local preacher his labours were constant and acceptable. He took a deep interest in the temperence movement and was mainly instrumental in establishing the Walsworth Road Band of Hope, of which he was afterwards president. His death was very sudden. On Friday he was at work as usual but left a little earlier, not feeling very well. On Saturday morning he had medical advice and it was thought he would soon be better, but in the afternoon he quietly passed to his rest. He fell asleep in Jesus, July 6, in the 54th year of his age. His decease is not only felt by his sorrowing wife and family, but all who were engaged with him in Christian work feel that a true friend and real helper is gone from their midst. His Christlike spirit and genial hearty presence cheered and inspirited his fellow Christians. He had always a word for his Master, and many with whom he met in his daily calling have cause to remember the tract given, or the faithful and loving word spoken. His funeral was attended by a large concourse of people, many of his fellow-workmen from the Great Northern Railway and members of all denominations testified their respect to his memory by their presence. An impressive address was given at the grave by the Rev. G. Wright, who also preached on the following Sunday evening to a crowded congregation from Rev. xiv. 13. SOUTHWELL, MR. F. G., of Wisbech, died June 23, 1878. He was born June 23, 1818. "With Christ; which is far better." THE PARABLE OF THE CHILI PALM. A In the gardens at Kew, there is a specimen of a tree which in its own country attains the height of from forty to sixty feet, this tree bears numerous small, edible, thickshelled nuts, and yields, after it is felled, a syrup called palm honey. This honey, according to Darwin, is a sort of treacle, and forms really the sap of the tree. good tree will yield ninety gallons, notwithstanding it looks as dry and empty as a drum. The tree is felled, the crown of leaves lopped off, and for months the vessels of the tree pour forth their stores, and every fresh slice shaved off exposes a fresh surface, and yields a fresh supply. So have we seen Christian men, seemingly hard and unsympathetic, standing in their uprightness, commanding not a little respect, but rarely winning love, till felled by an adverse blow, and cut again and again by sharp and incisive sorrows, and then they have yielded sympathy, and love, and helpfulness, in measureless amounts. Every Christian nature has in it the well-filled vessels of divine sympathy, but in some the vessels are never opened except by the sharp axe of trouble. JOHN CLIFFORD. THE MISSIONARY OBSERVER. AUGUST, 1878. Anniversary of the Foreign Missionary Society. THE ANNUAL COMMITTEE MEETING was held in the Primitive Methodist Church, Harrow Road, London, on Tuesday afternoon, June 25th, and was numerously attended by lay and ministerial representatives from various parts of the kingdom. The chair was occupied by Mr. J. M. Stubbs, of London. As in former years the minutes of the various committee meetings, held during the year, were read and confirmed; the committee for the ensuing year were elected; the Report by the Secretary, and the "Abstract of the Cash Account" by the Treasurer, were presented and adopted. An encouraging report was also furnished by the sub-committee for promoting organization, etc., in the churches for mission purposes. Two meetings have been held during the year at Peterborough. They reported as follows: During another year the reports of the agencies at work, in our various churches, to interest the members of those churches in Foreign Mission Work, and to stimulate their liberality in its support, have come before us. On the whole, we think we may report that interest in this work is spreading and deepening. Meetings have been held in new places; a revived interest has been shewn amongst some of our old friends. Further, we have been pleased to notice announcements of attempts to improve the organization in some of the churches. This latter point we have earnestly urged our deputations to promote; but the review of another year convinces us : that, in this direction, much yet remains to be done. It is true organization only prepares the channels through which the means possessed by our church members can flow to promote the carrying out our Lord's command, "Preach the gospel to every creature;" but we believe there is sufficient interest in our churches, and means also, to do far more for the spread of the gospel, both at home and abroad, than is at present being done, if the opportunities of so doing were systematically put before them. To realize this we believe nothing could be more effectual than weekly calls from appointed collectors-not to demand a subscription (that idea must be care fully avoided), but simply to give any who desire it, and have the means, the opportunity of giving. Were this generally adopted and persevered in, instead of the system of annual subscriptions, we are persuaded many would be astonished at the large amounts raised, and the ease with which it would be done. One fact mentioned in our two last reports has again come before us this year, and to a greater extent than before, viz., the general depression of trade throughout the country: taking that into account we think we have much reason for thankfulness with the amount of pecuniary support the Mission has received. We fervently hope that this cloud over our beloved land, which has continued so long, may soon be dispersed, and that the firstfruits of returning prosperity will find their way into the Lord's treasury. Such a result would enable your society to respond to the earnest calls now before them for increased help in both our Mission fields, where the workers are sadly too few to occupy the ground opening up for preaching the gospel. In closing this report permit us to entreat the earnest co-operation of all our churches, and especially of the brethren who kindly undertake deputation work for the Society, towards furthering the object for which we received our appointment, namely, to cultivate amongst our church members a deep interest in missionary work, and also to ascertain and promote the adoption of such methods as will most effectually give expression to that interest in fervent prayer and liberal giving. (Signed) G. F. BAILEY T. BARRASS S. C. COLMAN T. H. HARRISON W. HILL CHAS. ROBERTS W. R. WHERRY Believing that an efficient organization will very materially aid the funds of the Society, the committee will be glad if friends throughout the denomination will endeavour to organize, as far as is practicable, every church for Foreign Mission Work. Another Missionary for Orissa.-At the above meeting, Mr. P. E. Heberlet, on the cordial and unanimous recommendation of the brethren in Orissa, was accepted a missionary on probation. At present Mr. Heberlet is engaged in the Indian Government service, in the survey department. He was trained a Roman Catholic, but was emancipated by the grace of God, after reaching Cuttack, from the thraldom of that corrupt system, and joined the Cuttack church nearly two years ago. He is twenty-three years of age, has excellent gifts, is a total abstainer, is acquainted with the Hindostani language, is now studying the Oriya, and is desirous of devoting himself entirely to the Lord's work. In the Government service his worldly prospects are greatly superior to what they will be as a missionary, but he has counted the cost, and is prepared to make the sacrifice. That he and Mr. Vaughan may prove valuable accessions to our Orissa Mission staff will be the sincere prayer of all true lovers of the cause of Christ in Orissa. THE ANNUAL MISSIONARY MEETING was held in Westbourne Park Chapel, on Wednesday evening, June 26th, and was well attended. John Barran, Esq., M.P., presided. Prayer was offered by Rev. T. Barrass, of Peterborough; a summary of the report was given by the Secretary, and a cash statement by the Treasurer. Interesting and effective addresses were delivered by the Revs. R. F. Griffiths, John ABSTRACT OF THE ANNUAL REPORT. 319 Vaughan (missionary elect to India), and Dr. Landels. The Rev. H. B. Robinson, of Wisbech, was also prepared to address the meeting, but, as the time was advanced, and the heat intense, Mr. Robinson courteously gave way for Dr. Landels, and simply read his resolution without a speech. A vote of thanks to Mr. Alderman Barran, M.P., for presiding, was proposed by Rev. T. Goadby, B.A., and seconded by Mr. R. Johnson; the President, and Vice-president of the Association. Abstract of the Sixty-first Annual Report. Committee for 1878-79. ALMY, REV. J. T., Hucknall Torkard ARGILE, MR. R., Ripley ASHBY, MR, W., Leicester BALDWIN, MR. B., Loughborough BANNISTER, MR. J., Burton-on-Trent BRAMLEY, MR. J., Halifax COLMAN, MR. S. C., Peterborough HILL, MR. H., Nottingham JONES, REV. J. C., M.A., Spalding. UNDERWOOD, REV. A., M.A., Burton-on- WINKS, MR. J. G., Leicester WRIGHT, REV. G., Hitchin [Trent And all such General Baptist Ministers as are Members of the Society. CONSIDERING that the world has been passing through a year of severe trial-of famine and pestilence; of war and devastation; of trade deeply depressed, and of incomes greatly diminished-a smaller income, on the part of this Society, might reasonably have been expected. But notwithstanding these adverse circumstances your Committee are thankful to report that for the year just ended the contributions from the churches have been in excess of any preceeding year. Such a fact, they consider, cannot but be gratifying to the friends of the Mission; proving, as it does, that this sacred cause still retains the sympathy and support of the denomination, and declaring the belief in those truths which led to the formation of the Mission: first, that man needs the gospel; secondly, that nothing but the gospel can satisfy the wants of man; and, thirdly, that it is incumbent upon the disciples of Christ to preach the gospel to every creature. In turning to Orissa your Committee are thankful to state that the province has been preserved from the horrors of that terrible famine which has raged in Southern India, and through which, according |