PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS. the Chinese, giving us an insight into the not feel very sanguine about getting the state of heathenism from which the converts £600 or £700, between this and then, are rescued; and there is a concluding which will be necessary to make our purse paper, with useful notes on climate, diet and as good as in the previous year; and the outfit. The whole is intended to form a total of our disbursements must be greater, MANUAL for the use of ministers, students, as we have now nine missionaries in the and others requiring information regarding field." The letter went on to state that our work in China. We trust the Manual the committee had sanctioned sums for will be well circulated and extensively mission buildings, which would require a read. fund of £2,000 to meet the drafts for that purpose against next year. Last year the outlay was £4,000, which was nearly met by the receipts, and those were materially THE annual soirée of the friends of these helped by the Edinburgh committee. All missions in Liverpool was held on Tuesday over their church the annual collections evening, the 13th February, in Hope-hall, had been on an average only £10 a conMr. William Ferguson presiding. Among gregation, but a great deal more ought to the gentlemen present were-the Rev. R. have been done, and was done in some H. Lundie, Fairfield; Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, medical missionary from Ningpo; Rev. J. Paterson, Rev. Mr. Moore, Rev. D. Henderson, Rev. John Thomson; Messrs. Donald Matheson, R. A. Macfie, John Patterson, Robert Macfie, Robert Lockhart, Thomas Matheson, Alex. Anderson, Alex. Balfour, John Cropper, Thos. Moffatt, B. Price, Thos. Jeffries, John Reid, James Montgomery, &c. instances, by associations. The chairman went on to detail a conversation he had had on the previous day with Dr. Duff, in regard to the want of agents to go out as missionaries, and who said very emphatically that they could not expect to get a supply of missionaries as long as they refused to take the adequate means for obtaining them. Throughout not only England, but Scotland, the subject of missions was not brought prominently before the students when they were passing through the divinity halls, and the con The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, stated that all the congregations in the Presbytery of Lancashire had, with one or two slight exceptions, increased sequence was that those students got their subscriptions to the Home Missions scattered and placed throughout the during the past year. The total amount country, without having the least idea of contributed by the annual collections in the importance of the mission fields. Dr. that Presbytery in 1864 was £442, whilst Duff's remedy was to appoint in the those of the finar cial year now terminating divinity halls a chair of missions-a chair was £583. Adding the donations, the total of evangelistic theology, to be occupied by last year was £502, and this year £753. a man who knew what missions were, and This result he attributed to the appeal whose duty it would be during the session made at the meeting held in that place on to deliver a regular course of lectures on that very day last year. He wished he missions. The result would be that in the could present so gratifying an account of course of a few years the pulpits of the the condition of the treasury of their land would be occupied by men who had Foreign Mission fund. He held a letter that work at heart, and who would bring in his hand from one of the treasurers, in it before their congregations, so that the which he said, "I am sorry to say our subject would be perpetually brought under Foreign Mission funds do not yet seem to the notice of young men. Instead of having have derived the smallest advantage from a great lack of parties to come forward to the relief given in many quarters by the occupy the mission stations, they would grants for church building and debt have a missionary ministry in the pulpits extinction, and the cessation of the college of their own country, and numbers coming collections. I am within three weeks of forward to become practical missionaries in the close of the financial year, and I do foreign lands. Dr. Duff required £10,000 to endow that mission chair, and four £430, and from Scotland there came gentlemen had promised £5,000 for that £1,300. That amount supported nine purpose. He also suggested the establishment of a Mission Institute, the object of which would be to employ a vast amount of mission talent which, to use Dr. Duff's expression, was now rotting in idleness. He meant to employ the missionaries who had come home invalided, and who, would devote their time and experience to commence the missionary education of missionary agents in this country. Dr. Duff had also been promised assistance in the establishment of that institute. (Applause.) The Rev. J. H. Taylor gave an interesting account of the state of the missions in China. missionaries and twenty native evangelists, besides a Gospel-boat which went up and down the rivers, and was manned by Christian sailors; it also supported chaplains and paid for the travelling expenses of the missionaries. Besides, the missionaries had given very large sums out of their own pockets. Mr. Burns, for instance, gave one whole year's salary for mission purposes; and that noble missionary, Mr. Sandeman, who died in 1858, left seveneighths of his property, amounting to about £4,000, for that object. (Applause.) Mr. Alex. Anderson also addressed the meeting in forcible terms on the present position of the China Missions. Mr. Donald Matheson followed, and in the course of his remarks mentioned that On the motion of the Rev. Mr Moore, the contributions to those missions seconded by the Rev. J. Paterson, and amounted to £3,700, but only about supported by Mr. R. A. Macfie, a vote of £2,000 came from the churches in Eng- thanks was passed to the speakers. land; the children in England gave about The benediction closed the proceedings. rator. Home Intelligence. PRESBYTERY OF NEWCASTLE.-John Thompson, and for the congregation Messrs. Knox Church, Newcastle-on-Tyne, the Robert McIntyre, Joseph Lewis, and Selby 13th of March, 1866, the Presbytery met West, and craved that the Presbytery susand was duly constituted by the Mode- tain the call and prosecute it in the usual There were present the Rev. T. W. way. The Presbytery agreed unanimously Brown, Moderator; the Revs. John Black, to sustain the call and take the usual steps John G. Murray, John Brown, S. McLel- in reference to it, instructed the Moderator land, John Jeffrey, A. Wilson, A. Ander- to transmit the call and relative documents son, and J. Reid, ministers; with Messrs. to the Moderator of the reverend the Free R. Brewis, J. P. Laybourne, J. Hedley, A. Church Presbytery of Brechin, and apPurvis, and T. Taylor, elders. The mi- pointed the Rev. Thomas W. Brown their nutes of last ordinary and the two sub- Commissioner to prosecute the translation sequent pro re nata meetings were read of Mr. Wallace before the said reverend and sustained. Reason of Mr. Johnman's Presbytery. Mr. Black, in the name of absence was submitted and sustained. the Session at North Shields, then stated Home Mission Schedule from Wark was that the congregation there was rife for a laid on the table, examined, and ordered to call, and craved moderation on an early be transmitted with a strong recommenda- day. Messrs. Ralph Wake and Peter tion that the grant to Wark be continued Malcolm, for the Session, and Messrs. as in former years. Mr. Murray, in behalf Robert Robson and Walter Mitchell, for of the Committee appointed to make in- the congregation, appeared in behalf of quiries in regard to Hebburn, stated that this request. The Presbytery agreed to inquiries have been made, and that there is grant the motion as craved. Appointed no opening there meantime. There was to meet in the church at North Shields on then laid on the table the call from the 22nd current, at seven o'clock p.m., St. George's, Sunderland, to the Rev. for this purpose. Mr. Black to preach and George Wallace, of the Free Church, Marytown, having in all 505 signatures. There appeared as Commissioners from the Session, Messrs. Robert Brewis and John preside on the occasion. The edict to this effect to be served in the church on Sabbath next by the officiating minister. Mr. Jeffrey, on the part of the Session of the John Knox Church, then stated that the John Knox congregation was rife for a call, and requested moderation on an early day. Messrs. Thomas Taylor and Walter Morrison appeared in support of this application. The Presbytery agreed to grant moderation as craved. Appointed to meet in the John Knox Church for this purpose on the evening of the 23rd current, at a quarter past seven o'clock. Mr. Jeffrey to preach and preside on the occasion; and ordered the edict to this effect to be served in the church on Sabbath next by the officiating minister. Mr. T. W. Brown having left the chair, which was occupied by Mr. J. Brown pro tem., submitted the statistical report of the Presbytery for last year. The report was ordered to be printed and circulated; and Mr. Murray gave notice that he would call attention to it at the next ordinary meeting. The Moderator having resumed the chair, the following were appointed a Committee to consider the whole subject of Presbyterial expenses and clerks' salary, and report, viz., Messrs. T. W. Brown, Black, and Jeffrey, with Messrs. Brewis and Hedley, elders; Mr. Brown, Convener. A form of application to the Home Mission Committee for supplemental grant from Falstone was laid on the table, examined, and ordered to be transmitted with recommendation. The Presbytery then proceeded to hear the trial of Mr. James Blake. Mr. Blake having engaged in prayer, read discourses, and was examined on the subject previously prescribed. Thereafter, on a conjunct view of his whole trial, the Presbytery agreed to sustain the same; and the Moderator having put to him the questions appointed to be put previous to license, did in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by anthority of the Presbytery, license him to preach the Gospel within the bounds of this Presbytery, or wherever God, in his providence, may call him. He was then suitably addressed by the Moderator, signed the Confession of Faith and Formula, and the clerk was ordered to furnish him with an extract of his license. The Presbytery then adjourned to meet in the church at North Shields on the evening of the 22nd current, at seven o'clock. The meeting was closed with prayer. PRESBYTERY OF LONDON.-The ordinary monthly meeting of this reverend court was held on Tuesday evening, March 13th, in Queen Squaro House, Rev. P. M'Laren, of Brighton, Moderator, in the absence of the Rev. Mr. Dinwiddie, who is one of the numerous deputation appointed to visit Scotland this week for the purpose of advocating the claims of the English Presbyterian Church Extension movement on the Free Church of Scotland, and on other friends in that country. Rev. Mr. Chalmers postponed till next meeting the overture of which he had given notice, on the subject of the Presbyterian Hymn Book. Rev. Mr. Fotheringham, on the part of the Tottenham congregation, reported that they had now elected a session, and that the interim session could be discharged. He also laid on the table a schedule with answer to be submitted to the Home Mission Committee. He also stated that their new place of worship was to be opened on the 30th inst., and that they hoped that the Rev. Mr. Arnot, of Edinburgh, would officiate at the forenoon diet. Rev. Mr. Alexander, Professor Lorimore, Rev. Mr. Keedy, Rev. Mr. Wright, and Rev. Mr. Ballantyne, all supported the claims of the congregation, and bore testimony to the great good which had been rendered to the cause of Presbyterianism in Tottenham by Mr. Fotheringham since his settlement. Mr. J. E. Mathieson, on behalf of the Convener of the committee on Croydon station, requested that the Lord's Supper should be dispensed there, and that two elders be appointed to assist in its celebration. The application was agreed to, and Mr. Mathieson and Mr. Thompson were appointed. The Rev. Mr. Wright reported that a staff of admirable office-bearers had been appointed at Portsmouth, the result of which would, he trusted, be great prosperity. The Rev. Mr. Alexander formally reported that the Chelsea congregation had purchased Halkin Street West Church, the sum being, £3,875, and that they had agreed to call it Belgrave Presbyterian Church. They intended to open the church on Wedesday, the 28th inst., and Dr. Hamilton had kindly agreed to officiate at three o'clock in the afternoon, and Mr. Samuel Martin, of Westminster, in the evening. Mr. Alexander suggested the appointment of a day for humiliation and prayer on account of the cattle plague, and it was finally agreed that the 29th inst. should be set apart for special prayer and humiliation. Professor Lorimer stated the circumstances connected with the death of the Rev. Mr. M'Millan, and briefly referred to the good which he had been instrumental in doing while the Presbyterian minister of Bournemouth. It was agreed to record the Presbytery's deep sense of the Christian worth of their brother, and their sorrow for his early removal. Mr. Watson briefly im pressed on the Presbytery the necessity of making suitable arrangements in connection with the approaching meeting of Synod in London; after which the Presbytery adjourned. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, GROS currency. After eight hours of railway travelling from Alexandria, Cairo was reached, from whence were visible, grandly pointing upwards to the sky, three of the pyramids of Egypt. It being the Mohammedan season of Ramadan, the mosque of the citadel was illuminated, and proved well worthy of a visit. In connection with this subject the lecturer remarked upon VENOR SQUARE, MANCHESTER, On the has also failed to form another of the same evening of Tuesday, the 20th February, at dimensions. A similar challenge is held the invitation of the Young Men's Society, forth in the amazing proportions of a lecture was delivered in the large hall of Pompey's pillar, consisting in its centre the Church, by George Barbour, Esq., part of one block of red granite 73 feet in B.A., Bolesworth Castle, Cheshire, on length. An interesting description was "Egypt and the Pyramids," being a portion given of the ancient lighthouse at the of his recent travels in the East. The entrance of the port. Alexandria is also chair was occupied by the Rev. Dr. famous as having possessed the great Munro, who expressed the great pleasure library of 700,000 books, amidst which he had in introducing to the large audience perished by fire the original copy of the assembled a young gentleman so well and Septuagint translation of the Old Testaso favourably known to all, and who gave ment. Mr. Barbour remarked upon the so fair promise of a career of usefulness and present state of Alexandria, the dusty distinction. The lecture opened with a streets, the swift-footed and noisy outbrief but graphic description of a Mediter- runners, the Turkish mode of dress, and ranean storm, in which the mail steamer the unsatisfactory nature of the money took refuge in the harbour of Toulon, giving the passengers the unexpected pleasure of viewing the French fleet. After enduring all the miseries of a rough sea voyage, Malta was safely reached, and, though at midnight, the beauty of its buildings and the view of the great harbour by moonlight were duly appreciated. The voyage from Malta to Alexandria was as calm as the preceding one had been tempestuous, the exemplary regularity of the Islam and with the exception of the temporary worship, with which, at the stated hours, stoppage of the machinery, no incident of nothing is allowed to interfere. During note occurred. The heavy night dews and Ramadan, from sunrise to sunset, neither beautiful phosphorescent light of the water food nor water are tasted, but at sunset a of the Mediterranean were noticed by the gun announces the hour of feasting. At lecturer, as also the fact that the rigging sunrise on the first morning after arriving on the land side was coated with sand in Cairo, Mr. Barbour and his party started while the vessel was a considerable distance for the pyramids. The Nile was crossed in from the shore. The voyage closed with a a large boat, which also carried over the thanksgiving service previous to the parting doukeys and their drivers. [Specimens of of the passengers on their various routes. wheat and cotton then growing upon the At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the 27th January, banks of the river were shown.] On the the low shores of "the Land of Egypt" rising ground four pyramids appear, towere first seen, the numerous windmills gether with the sphynx. The amazing suggesting the fact that still there is "corn magnitude of these erections can only be in Egypt." Soon the vessel was surrounded estimated upon a near approach. Mr. by a vociferous crowd of boatmen; and on Barbour confined his observations to a shore the donkeys and donkey boys, the minute description of the largest of the Oriental costumes and heavy laden camele, pyramids, which is 500 feet in height. It presented a fund of interest and amuse is built of limestone, and had originally ment to eyes hitherto accustomed to the smooth sides; the steps are from one to arrangement of European life. But the four feet high, to ascend which four or interest of the traveller in Egypt is prin- five Arabs insist upon helping each traveller. cipally derived from the extreme antiquity The interior of the pyramid is reached by and fame of its historic records. When a narrow passage ending in what is called visiting that cradle of the arts and sciences, the "King's Chamber," in which is placed he is reminded that in ancient cities, which a large sarcophagus without a lid. now have almost disappeared, the greatest Barbour's opinion the great pyramid was sages of antiquity acquired their stores of not intended to be a tomb, for in it were learning that there, before Homer ever found no mummies or any of the usual wrote, hieroglyphic records existed which contents of sepulchral monuments. told of achievements and contrivances of would rather appear to be a receptacle for mechanical art beyond the reach of science one standard measure of capacity for all in its present state. From Heliopolis, nations, and it was stated that four quarters where Plato studied, the famous obelisk of wheat exactly filled the sarcophagus, and known as Cleopatra's needle has been re-that of water it contained exactly one ton. moved, but not only has modern art been On the walls are divisions and sub-divisions, unable to convey it to its destination, but showing the measures of time. In order to In Mr. It CARLISLE. At a large and enthusiastic meeting of the Carlisle English Presbyterian Church, held on Monday last, the Rev. Gilbert Stewart, of East Miller Street Free Church, Glasgow, was unanimously elected to the pastorate of the congregation. Carlisle affords a noble field for an able minister, and the people cherish ardent hopes that Mr. Stewart may be induced to accept their call. obtain an exact standard free from all at- Mr. Dinwiddie, and Rev. Dr. Hamilton, mospherical fluctuations, it is necessary on behalf of the evangelistic efforts now that the temperature should be perfectly being put forth by the English Presbyterian equal; this result is obtained by having Church. on all sides of the chamber containing the sarcophagus 180 feet of solid masonry. The pyramid was in the centre of the known world, and intended by that God, who speaks of a false balance as an abomination, to be a world-wide standard of weights and measures. The lecturer exhibited many interesting specimens, amongst them a piece of brick, with evident traces of the straw used in its construction. From Cairo an interesting journey was made to Heliopolis, where the father-in-law of Moses lived, and near which is shown the only relic in the country connected with New Testament history, called "The Tree of the Virgin." Another expedition was made to Suez, when along the line of railway was observed a remarkable optical illusion (in the appearance of a sheet of water), known by travellers as a mirage. At Suez there are no wells: fresh water is conveyed by a canal from the Nile. An exceedingly interesting and minute description of the promontory of Ataka was given by the lecturer, who pointed it out in the diagram as the point at which the passage of the Israelites is supposed to have taken place. On the other side of the Red Sea, at Ayoun Mousa, where the triumphant song of Moses and Miriam was sung, there are several palm trees and 17 wells, the water of which is brackish. After some eloquent remarks upon the position and natural advantages of Egypt, the oppressive rule of the Viceroy, and the degraded state of the inhabitants, Mr. Barbour concluded his lecture, which was listened to with the deepest interest and attention and frequent applause. Votes of cordial thanks were proposed to the lecturer by the Chairman of the Society, and to Dr. Munro by the Secretary. Both being duly acknowledged, the proceedings, which were in all respects highly satisfactory, were closed with the Benediction. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.-A soirée in aid of the missionary and other operations of the English Presbyterian Church was held on the evening of the 14th inst., in the Music Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. After tea the chair was taken by Jas. C. Stevenson, Esq., of South Shields, and on the platform were also the Rev. Dr. Hamilton, London; Rev. Dr. Anderson, Morpeth; Dr. Bruce, Newcastle; James Stevenson, Esq., Edinburgh; Rev. Mr. Dinwiddie, London; Rev. T. W. Brown, Newcastle; Rev. John Reid, Blyth; Rev. John Jeffrey, Gateshead; Rev. Mr. M'Clelland, South Shields, &c. Addresses were delivered by the Chairman, Rev. Mr. Brown, Rev. Dr. Anderson, Rev. ORDINATION ADDRESS.-The following is the substance of the Rev. R. Scott's address to the Rev. G. McGuffie, at his ordination to the charge of the Etal congregation:- "Dear Brother, -It now devolves upon me to address a few words of counsel and encouragement to you with reference to the office with which you have now been entrusted. I could have wished that one with greater experience than my. self had been appointed to discharge this duty, for counsels given by one who has had many years of experience would justly be considered more worthy of your attention than those given by one who has been only a short time in the office of the ministry. I shall only endeavour to present to you such counsels and encouragements as I desire ever to guide and sustain myself. Seek ever to carry along with you a due sense of the nature and importance of the work to which you have this day been set apart. You are to labour here for the conversion of sinners, and the upholding of God's people, in faith, in comfort, and in holiness. As an ambassador for Christ, you are to beseech the ungodly and unbelievers to be reconciled to God. As a shepherd of the flock which Christ has purchased with his blood, you are to care for their wants, to comfort them in distress, to guide them in perplexity, to seek their restoration when they stray from the paths of duty, and to feed them with the bread of life, that so they may grow in holiness, and become better prepared for the service of God here, and for his glory hereafter. The work to which you are called is one of infinite importance, whether you consider the eternnl doom to which they are exposed who are in a state of rebellion against the Most High, or the God-like qualities you seek to develop in those who have become the Lord's people. Remember also how important it is for yourself that you discharge your duties with fidelity. The highest interests of this people are committed to your care, and great is your responsibility. You are to watch for souls 'as one that must give an account.' What the Lord said to Ezekiel, he says to all his servants, 'Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto |