CLAYTON.-On Lord's-day, March 20th, 1859, our pastor, Rev. H. Austin, administered the ordinance of Christian baptism to nine persons, one of whom was an Independent from Allerton. In the afternoon eight of them were received into church fellowship.

NOTTINGHAM, Broad-street.-On Lord's day, Jan. 2nd, four men and two women were baptized and added to the church; and on Lord's-day, April 3rd, we were gratified by a larger addition, on which | occasion five men and four women were baptized and received into the church. Four other believers were also baptized, two of them members of one of the Independent churches in this town, and the other two were candidates with the church at Arnold, and have joined their communion. It is a source of sincere pleasure to us, that six of the friends who have on these occasions been added to us, were from our new station at Daybrook. The Lord has signally blessed the labours of our young friends who visit that place. A neat chapel is now

being built, and, if all be well, it will be opened in June.

T. HILL. PETERBORO'.-On Lord's-day, April 3rd, 1859, two candidates were baptized in the General Baptist Chapel, Peterboro'. It is an interesting fact that the wives of both of them have recently been baptized in the same chapel.

HALIFAX, North Parade.-On Lord'sday, April 3rd, our junior pastor, the Rev. J. D. Matthias, baptized six persons, and on the following Sabbath day they partook of the Lord's supper. Mr. Matthias is delivering a course of Sunday evening lectures, which we hope will be attended by good results to the church. On the above occasion the congregation was very large.

PADDINGTON, Praed-street. March 27th, our pastor baptized six persons in the evening of this Sabbath; and on the following Lord's-day they were received into our communion. We have several candidates for baptism. E. B.

LONDON, Commercial-road.-On Sunday, March 20th, the Sunday-school Anniversary Sermons were preached by the Rev. Clement Dukes, M.A., of Dalston, in the morning, and the Rev. F. W. Guinness, of Cheshunt College, in the evening. In the afternoon of the same day the minister, Rev. G. W. Pegg, addressed the children and parents. On Wednesday, March 23rd, at the annual tea-meeting about 230 friends were present. The public meeting was held in the chapel, when about 400 were present. A. S. Ayrton, Esq., M.P. for the Tower Hamlets, had promised to preside, but he being unable, the chair was taken by the Rev. G. W. Pegg. The secretary read the report. During the past year nine out of the school had joined the church and ten are now candidates. A "Band of Hope" has also been established, which numbers above sixty members; and a Tonic Sol

the congregation, and presented Mr. Needham, from the church, with a purse of £20, as a token of esteem and a recognition of his valuable services amongst them during the two years and a half of his ministry. He congratulated the friends upon the success of the past united services, and large number who had given their hearts unto God; laid great stress upon the responsibilities of the officers and leading members of the church, while without a minister-responsibilities tenfold greater when a church was in the midst of so gracious a revival. Mr. Needham, in an excited state of feeling, expressed his heartfelt thankfulness for the kindness which had been so fully demonstrated, exhibiting, also, another beautifully wrought purse, which, with its contents and a testimonial, expressing the feeling of “about fifty young friends," had, previously to this meeting, been presented to him. The meeting will long be remembered. J. B.

JUBILEE OF THE REV. G. CHEATLE, BIRMINGHAM.-On Monday evening Jan. 31st, a preliminary meeting of the church and congregation assembling in Lombardstreet chapel, Birmingham, was held for the purpose of entering into a subscription, the proceeds of which it is intended to present to the Rev. G. Cheatle, at the close of this, his fiftieth year of faithful labour, as a testimonial of the high esteem in which he is held by the church and congregation, as well as in the town where he has so long maintained his standing as a consistent minister of the gospel of Christ. After tea the chair was taken by William Middlemore, Esq. The Rev. J. A. James (the only minister now living who was in Birmingham when our esteemed pastor commenced his labours) kindly accepted an invitation to be present, and alluded, in an affectionate and eloquent manner, to the life and character of Rev. George Cheatle whom he had known and esteemed for nearly half a century, and to his faithful adherence to the great truths which he professed at his ordination. The work, said Mr. James, they were about to engage in, was not an act of charity or benevolence, but a duty, which they owed to their venerable and respected pastor. Mr J. B. Chambers, a member of the congregation, addressed the meeting at some length in a similar strain. Mr. Smart, one of the deacons of the church, who was present at Mr. Cheatle's ordination, bore testimony to the constancy and fidelity of his friend in proclaiming the gospel to others, and its power in his own life. A committee was chosen for conducting the businees through the

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year, and about £150 was promised towards the fund. It is gratifying to state that the teachers and elder scholars in our Sabbath schools have also determined to show, in a substantial manner, their esteem to our minister. Periodical sums will be paid by them, and the whole amount given into the hands of the treasurer previous to the jubilee meeting on 11th Jan. 1860. William Beaumont, Esq., (Manager of the Birmingham Banking Company) has kindly consented to be treasurer, Mr. G. Atkin, sub-treasurer, Messrs. J. B. Chambers and H. Howell, secretaries, by whom contributions will be thankfully received.

ALLERTON, NEAR BRADFORD-PRESENTATION AND REDUCTION OF CHAPEL DEBT.-On Shrove Tuesday we had a tea-party in our chapel, when nearly 200 sat down to tea. After tea the Rev. J. Taylor, our minister, was presented by one of our deacons, on behalf of the church and congregation, with seventeen vols. of the Penny Encyclopedia, Matthew Henry's Commentary, six vols., and a number of other books; also, a splendid gold watch, with an appropriate inscription; and to Mrs. Taylor, a chaste electroplate tea and coffee service. Some stirring addresses were delivered, and the choir added much to the interest of the meeting, by performing appropriate pieces of music. After the meeting, a gentleman, not in connection with us, but who attends the Independents, said that if we would make an effort and pay all the debt of the chapel and minister's House, amounting, with some debt upon premises bought, on which to erect a school, to £337, by next Shrove Tuesday, he would give £20. It looked to many of us as an impossibility, but we set about the work in good earnest, and now we are happy to say that we have got promised about £300, so that we have a good prospect that, next year at this time, we shall be free from debt which has long encumbered us. S. A.

PETERBORO'.-On Lord's-day, April 10th, the Rev. J. C. Pike preached two useful sermons in the General Baptist Chapel, Peterboro', when collections were made for the reduction of the Chapel debt. On the following day a public teameeting was held, which was well attended. The trays were furnished gratuitously. After tea addresses were delivered by Messrs. Pike, Murray, Richards, Colman, and Barrass. By the kind aid of several christian friends, in connection with our anniversary services, £50 have been obtained, thus reducing our chapel debt to £200.

T. B.

London, March 27th 1859. MY DEAR BROTHER PIKE,-I was very thankful to receive your telegraph, and shortly after magazines and letter, yesterday afternoon. It was too late then to write, or I would have written you immediately. I can scarcely believe that it is other than a dream that we are now again in our native land, and are so soon to see our precious children and beloved friends; and yet it must be true, or one's senses are strangely at fault.

We landed in the East India Docks on Friday afternoon, but not knowing where Mr. Pegg lived, went by rail into the city, and got a Directory-there I found he lived at Hackney, so off we started in a cab. After many turns and many enquiries we found out his present residence, where we arrived quite comfortably about 8 p.m. I need not say we rejoiced in a cordial welcome. Yesterday I was down at the docks and got almost the whole of my baggage cleared, and should have had the whole but some of it was in the hold and could not be got at. Our voyage was one that can never be forgotten-there was not a thing left to be desired. Our passengers were almost all pious, and not a few of them eminently pious; and from the beginning to the end of the voyage we were more like one family than anything else. We had service on the deck every Lord's-day morning, and in the cuddy in the evening, and went among the sailors in the afternoon. Mr. Mea dows and I preached alternately; I opening the service for him, and he for me. We had also family worship in the cuddy every morning and evening, which we also conducted alternately, and about thirty persons joined us! We had the Lord's Supper three times on board, when one distributed the bread and the other the l

On calling at St. Helena, we found our friends, the Baptists, were in need of funds; so, on returning, I collected £12 for them. Last Lord's-day, being the last we should spend on board, we had the ordinance, of which twenty-five persons partook. At the close of it £14 12s. 6d. were contributed for the Orphan Asylum of British Merchant Seamen, and £3 more were subscribed afterwards, making £17 12s. 6d, and £2 more promised. This was as a thank-offering for our safe and prosperous voyage. It is singular that, during our whole passage, we were never once interrupted either in our Sunday or daily family worship. "Praise God from whom," &c. On Tuesday morning we start for Garland's Lane. Shall (D.v.) reach Leicester by the train at twenty minutes past two o'clock. Have written to Birmingham for my dear boys to meet us at Rugby, and go on with us. I half wish you could meet us at the station, if you should have any excuse for being at Leicester, but shall not expect you.

Mr. Hunter came in last night from Nottingham. He is to preach for Mr. Pegg to night, and I shall open the meeting-this is all I dare attempt, for I feel so unsettled and excited. I am thankful to say we are all well. My address at present must be Barlestone, near Market Bosworth, Leicestershire.

Thank you, my brother, for your kind congratulations and cordial welcomethey are very sweet. I feel deeply, very deeply, affected to hear of the death of dear Brother Goadby. I had greatly anticipated the pleasure of meeting him. Truly God's thoughts are not as ours. Mrs. Stubbins unites in much love to yourself and Mrs. Pike, and all your beloved family and friends.

Yours, ever affectionately,

I. STUBBINS.

Camp, Jajapore, January 25th 1859.

one of the devil's strong-holds, and is so still. Twelve hundred years ago it was the capital city of Orissa, and though, after Cuttack became the residence of royalty-which was between A.D. 1000 and A.D. 1100-its glory began to decline; yet, at a subsequent period, under the Mussulman rule, when temples were violently destroyed, and idols hurled from their thrones, it was a considerable and important place; and still it contains many indications of its former greatness, which are very interesting to the antiquarian, though alas! most of them are connected with idolatry, that " abominable thing which God hates." Its name, which signifies "the city of sacrifice" (from Jaja sacrifice and pore city) denotes its sanctity. The legend is, that in ancient time Brumha (pronounce the a as in father) once performed here the sacrifice of the horse-the most important sacrifice known to Hindoo mythologyand that he invited all the gods and goddesses to be present on the great occasion. As the sacrifice was being offered, a bright and holy form of a female divinity was seen to ascend from the flames, which assumed the name of Berjai. This then, is her shrine: here she is believed to manifest her glory; and this morning in front of the temple dedicated to her worship we proclaimed the living truths of the living God-truths which will ultimately destroy this and every form of idolatry, and cause the memory of it to pass away for ever.

Jajapore has many temples, the representations on some of which are very vile; and many Brahmins almost as full of pride and hatred to God as their father the devil. It has a very old bridge which shows (as all old Indian bridges do) that the ancient Hindoos did not know how to turn an arch. It has some remarkable pillars, and on a former visit I saw on one an inscription in a language now unknown; but there is this notable circumstance connected with it, that there is an inscription on an ancient pillar at Delhi, and another in the celebrated caves of Ellora-places widely apart as the reader knows-which are in the same character. The celebrated inscription on the rock at Bhobaneswara is also in the same character.

But, to a stranger visiting this old idolatrous town, the most remarkable objects are three huge images carved in stone, which were tumbled from their thrones on the establishment in Orissa of the Mogul Government, which, so far as can be ascertained, was about three hundred years ago. The temple in which

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they had been placed was destroyed, and a mosque built on its ruins. The first and most striking figure is that of the fiend-like Kalee-a ghastly and horrid representation, dancing on her husband; but a respectable Hindoo told us it was all in kindness and love! The second is a well proportioned female figure, and is seated on an elephant. She is Indrani, the wife of Indra, who has the honour of being the king of the gods. The third represents Barahani, the wife of Baraha, the third incarnation of Vishnoo, and is a monstrous figure with a boar's head, and is seated on a buffalo, an animal which has an ungainly appearance. A Hindoo once tried to convince me that they fell down from Heaven with their heels uppermost, as they now lie; but I need not say that he found me incredulous. Scarcely less remarkable are nine smaller but finely executed mythological sculptures. When their shrines were destroyed by the wild zeal of the Mussulman conquerors of the province, they were thrown into the sand of the river, and have been recovered within a comparatively recent period, and placed in a building on the banks of the river. Seven out of the nine represent female deities; two of them are very striking indeed. One is Jum's mother (Jum, in the Hindoo mythology, is the king of death); she is an ugly, frightful, creature, looking extremely old, and very angry. The natives have a proverb to the effect, that a scolding old woman is like the mother of Jum; and in view of this figure the language is very expressive. The other striking figure is again that of the horrid Kalee, holding in one hand the murderous axe, and in another a cup of blood, dancing in an ecstacy of joy on account of the destruction of the giant, while her husband, on whom she is unconsciously trampling, implores her to desist, lest the world should be destroyed. The two male representations in this remarkable building are executed in a very striking manner. One represents the mighty demon, Rabana, with his hundred heads and arms, who was destroyed by Rama Chundra, the seventh incarnation of Vishnoo. The other describes the Narasingh incarnation. Narasingh signifies man-lion, and he is said, in the Hindoo books, to have twisted from a pillar, seized hold of a blaspheming king, torn him to pieces, and drunk his blood. Such were the objects on which, in olden time, Hindoo poets exercised their genius, and Hindoo artists exerted their skill. It seems to me that in those times the people must have been much cleverer than they are now.