66 announced. In the only passage where the 2300 days are specified, it is said, " then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." In the whole vision there is not one sentence respecting the second coming of Christ. The "cleansing of the sanctuary means, I conclude, the purification of the church from all that is polluting, in doctrine, in practice, and in alliance. The process for improvement, and for greatly increased success, through which dissenting communities are now passing, is probably a partial fulfilment of the prophecy. The unsought and undesired separation of the Scotch church from the state, perhaps, a partial fulfilment. The approaching separation of the good from the bad in the English establishment, a partial fulfilment and the purification of American Christianity from the defilement of slavery, perhaps, a partial fulfilment of the prophecy. : Believing that the prophecies of the scriptures have been given that they might be understood, it is to me a cause for rejoicing that they now engage the increasing attention of the church. But the great demand of the day is for active, useful Christianity: that the wise be wise for winning souls; the rich, rich in good works; the ministry a laborious course of consecration to the work for which I remain, Mr. Editor, your's sincerely, EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT. THE Rov, J. M. Cramp, M.A., of Hastings, has been invited by the committee of the Baptist Missionary Society to accept the office of theological tutor in the college at Montreal, vacant through the removal of Dr. Davies to Stepney, and has acceded to the proposal. It is with mingled feelings that we make this announcement. On the one hand, Mr. Cramp having been one of the editor's most intimate friends more than twenty years, private reasons concur with others of a public nature to occasion regret for his loss, On the other hand, we know of no one so peculiarly fitted as Mr. Cramp to necupy the post to which he is called. His extensive knowledge of Ecclesiastical History, and his thorough acquaintance with the Ro mish controversy in its diversified bearings, aeem to render him, at the present crisis, the very man for Canada, May the blessing of Heaven attend him and his family, while erasing the ocean, and when located in that important colony ! he and his family are now residing. A special prayer-meeting was held by the committee at the college, on the 23rd of January, to commend him and the interests of the institution generally to the blessing of the Most High. It may be convenient to many of the friends of Dr. Murch to be apprised that he has removed from Stepney, and that his address now is 11, Belgrave Street, Argyle Square, London. Mr. Abbott of St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, and his family, have reached home in safety. On the evening of the 16th of December, off the east end of the island, they spoke the Chilmark, on her way to Fernando Po, having on board Mr. Clarke and his companions, an account of whose embarkation will be found in the Missionary Herald. The vessel had been out of Falmouth sixteen days, but owing to contrary winds and a strong lee current, she had made but little progress. All were well; but it appeared likely from the prevalent winds that their passage would be trying. Mr. Abbott writes that during the voyage his health has greatly improved. Mr. and Mrs. Oughton arrived at Kingston in safety on the 16th of December, after a passage of twenty-nine days, during which they encountered a severe gale, that lasted five days and five nights. Writing on the 23rd, Mr. Oughton says, "It will give you pleasure to hear that I found my church in a state of complete peace and harmony: during my absence the people have been most exemplary in their conduct." About 150 persons, who had been examined by Mr. Rouse, Mr. Oughton's colleague, were waiting for bap tism. In a very few copies of our last number, on page 4, Colchester was mentioned instead of Chichester, as a place supplied by the late Mr. Foster at the commencement of his ministry. One of them happened to go to the gentleman to whom our readers are indebted for the memoir; and, at his suggestion, we point out the error, which however had been observed, and corrected in the greater part of the impression. One or two of our correspondents having misapprehended the purport of the article entitled "The Celestial Railroad," we beg to say that it is designed to illustrate the worthlessness of a light and fashionable Christianity, and to teach that though the inventions of modern science may in earthly things be very useful, human ingenuity and worldly wisdom can do nothing to facilitate the journey towards heaven. The piece is of transatlantic origin, and has appeared in some American De Davies, late of Montreal, has entered periodicals; but it is due to the writer to say on his engagements at Stepney College, where i that in our pages it is slightly abridged. 1 SLIGO VILLE, JAMAICA. This township, named in honour of the Marquis of Sligo, when governor of Jamaica, was commenced in 1835, "anticipative," says Mr. Phillippo, "of the necessity that would exist for such establishments in the incipient operations of freedom, both as a refuge for the peasantry, and for the general advantage of the country." The chapel was built by the spontaneous and energetic exertions of the worshippers. "The entire church and congregation at Sligo Ville devoted one day in the week to this object, each class labouring in succession, and often conjointly. They thus conveyed almost all the wood materials, and no inconsiderable portion of the other requisites to the spot, bearing the more ponderous timber on their heads up an acclivity along narrow and almost inaccessible paths from the woods, full three miles distant, and carrying the rest from Spanish Town, a distance of twelve miles of steep ascent; thereby, on a moderate calculation, contributing in cheerful, energetic, voluntary labour, and that in addition to monthly pecuniary donations, the sum of three hundred pounds." ASIA. CALCUTTA. MEMOIR OF GANGA NARAYAN SIL. Our account in the Missionary Herald for January, 1843, of the Jubilee meetings held in Calcutta, referred to a promising young native who took part in the proceedings, and included an extract from an address which he delivered on that occasion. His unexpected removal from this world, which we have now to record, is deemed by our brethren a heavy loss. It took place on the 19th of August, after an illness of only five days, which did not assume an alarming aspect till the morning of the day on which he died. Gangá Nárayan Sil was baptized in the| Circular Road Chapel on the 27th August, 1837, and on that solemn occasion gave the following account of his religious experience: "As there are many things connected with my conversion which I feel assured will be interesting and encouraging to those who are engaged to promote the kingdom of Jesus Christ, a brief mention of them in this place will not, I hope, be deemed improper. "It was about nine years ago that I was admitted into the Chitpur Mission school, then under the care of the Rev. George Pearce. When I first went to school, I had not a ray of knowledge concerning God and salvation. It was by the grace of God and the kind exertions of Mr. Pearce, that I began to be acquainted with the knowledge of my Creator and my sinfulness before him. Born, as I was, in a Hindu family, my views of religion were in no way different from I associated, and excesses in evil conduct, those of the Hindus in general. I was, both into which I had fallen. Thus was true in in theory and practice, a strict observer of me the word of Jesus Christ, that ye "hearidolatry. In this awful state I remained for ing, hear not, and seeing, see not; and light two or three years after entering into the is come into the world, but men love darkChitpur school, when it pleased God to excite ness rather than light, because their deeds are me to think on the system set forth in the evil." But about six months ago it pleased Hindu shastras (for then it was I began to God to arouse me from my lethargy, and my feel the importance of religion, through the mind took a sudden change. For at that instructions I daily received in the school), time I began to think how I had abused the and in a few months I was convinced of its knowledge which God had been pleased to emptiness and unworthiness of acceptance by impart to me. A warning passage of the reasonable beings; at the same time I was scripture also came suddenly to my mind, favourably impressed towards Christianity; "He that hardeneth his neck, being often but knowing that there was another foreign reproved, shall be suddenly cut off, and that shástra, namely, the Qurán, I therefore bor- without remedy." I thought also of eternity, rowed from a friend Mr. Sale's translation, and other important subjects were awakened and studied it for a few months, when I came in my mind. On my return home I comto the same conclusion of Muhammadanism as I had previously of Hinduism. I returned with greater interest to the study of the bible, and by the blessing of God I soon found the truth which in vain I had searched for in the Hindu and Musalman shástras; and, feeling its great importance, I became, if not altogether, at least an almost Christian, and endeavoured to live according to the bible. At the same time I felt desirous of seeking the spiritual good of my countrymen, for I thought that a man would truly be charged with cruelty in a country ravaged by a dreadful disease, who possessed a remedy that would cure, but kept the same by himself, and refused to give it to his dying fellowcreatures. Accordingly I wrote a contrast between Christianity nd Hinduism, and inserted it in one of the native papers. This publication excited a persecution against me, and both in company and in the streets I was often assailed by my friends and neighbours, and the members of my family, sometimes with abuse, and sometimes with expostulation: nevertheless I continued for some months en deavouring to observe the precepts of the bible. But at length Satan took occasion to dissuade me from the way of the Lord, for some infidel works having been put into my hands, I soon fell a victim to their pernicious statements. menced reading Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, which strengthened my convictions, and made me see more plainly the dreadful precipice on which I was standing. Still I endeavoured to suppress these unwelcome thoughts, even by means which it would be improper to mention here, and thus attempted to shut my eyes to the danger which awaited me; but this I did in vain, for soon I felt that I may fight with God as long as this life lasteth, but in so doing I must perish finally. It also occurred to me at this time (and was of use in binding my stubborn heart), that Newton, Bacon, and other renowned philosophers, had not thought Christianity beneath their attention, and died happy in the belief of it: and I remembered also the death-bed accounts of Paine, Voltaire, and other infidels, who, although in their lifetime they fought against the bible, yet in their last moments were obliged to acknowledge Jesus Christ. Thus God was now pleased again to lead me to the study of the bible, with an earnest desire for salvation, and as I proceeded I felt more and more the importance of being prepared for another world. I also learnt my sinful condition in the sight of God, and my utter inability to be saved by my own works. I learned also that Jesus Christ is the only appointed Saviour, and that he is both able and willing to save to the uttermost all that apply to God by him. I left my sinful companions, and kept at home, principally studying good books. And as a candle is not lit to be put under a bushel, so I feel it my duty, having in my heart embraced Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners, publicly to profess myself to be his disciple in the presence of his people, which I do willingly this day. And may God strengthen me to serve him faithfully to the end of my life, that I may dwell with him hereafter. Amen." "The first thing that I began to question on Christianity was the divinity of Christ, and afterwards by degrees the various truths of the bible, until at last I rejected the whole, and became a believer in no religion. And when religion ceased to have any influence over my mind, I became again a slave to sin and Satan, and so opposed was I to Christianity, that I often spoke against it; and for a time attempted, in writing, to refute the arguments brought forward to establish its divine origin. By this exercise I learnt that Christianity was too well established by evi- After our late friend had been received into dences to be shaken by me, and therefore I the church by baptism, he maintained a conbegan again to think that it was true. Still sistent Christian character to the last. He I did not yield to its admonitions, through never was under church censure. He was the influence of evil companions, with whom careful not to expose himself or others to |