and as a balm to heal. It struck like destroying lightning, and at the same time expanded itself like refreshing dew. Oh, there is inexpressible power in the look of Jesus! With a look of majesty He beholds the earth, and it trembles. With a judicial look He overtakes the sinner, who exclaims, "I perish at His presence." His dying look on the Cross melts stony hearts, and transforms lions into lambs. With a look of forgiving mercy He makes a contrite soul forget heaven and earth in its happiness; and by means of a grieved and loving look He restores lambs to His fold, which had long gone astray in the wilderness. To this day His people feel that His eyes are upon them, and according to what they read in them, their peace or joy rises or falls.-Dr. Krummacher.

RELEASE OF THE REV. E.
PALMER.

OUR readers are already acquainted with the sufferings and imprisonment of this native minister, the pastor of the church in Hanover-st, Kingston. Jamaica A victim of the "reign of terror," during which so many of his countrymen were cruelly slaughtered, he providentially escaped with his life, but not until he had been made to endure a further imprisonment of eight weeks' duration. It ceased on the 19th April. On the morning of that day his people met at an early hour in the chapel; while many went and stood in front of the gaol to witness his liberation. Precisely at nine o'clock he left the prison, accompanied by the Rev. Samuel Oughton, and at the gates was warmly and affectionately received by the officers of the church, and driven to the chapel. His arrival was

the signal for a hymn, and after prayer by one of the deacons, Mr. Oughton addressed the crowded audience on the painful scenes through which their pastor had passed, and expressed his pleasure at Mr. Palmer's return to resume his duties among the people of his charge. At the close of Mr. Oughton's speech the deacons placed in his hands an address from the Church, expressing their esteem and love for their pastor, which Mr. Oughton read aloud, the whole congregation standing. Scarcely a dry eye was seen as the address proceeded. Every one was more or less affected. none more so than Mr. Palmer himself. A few paragraphs of this address will be acceptable to our readers. They will show the high regard in which this native brother is held, and that recent events have only deepened his peoples' affection for him:

"For a series of years you have, by good Providence of God, been led to preside over us. Although er number is not large, yet we can stify, from blessed experience, that

have not laboured among us in ain nor spent your strength for ought. Under your ministry sinners ave been converted, backsliders redamed, and believers edified and map in the faith. Our peace and tranquillity as a Christian Church had ever during all the period of your ministry been disturbed until very ely, when you were called upon suffer bonds and imprisonments. Throughout them all God graciously ouchsafed you all needed support, trength, and consolation.

We thank our Almighty Father for imparting to you so much Christian fortitude in every stage of your arduous nflict. What trying scenes have you iot passed through! What hardships ave you not endured! What dangers Are you not encountered! But our nd has delivered you because you sted in Him.

"We record with gratitude our ungned thanks to those ministers of our dy who assisted to supply your inantary lack of service towards us, ad who not only broke the Bread of ife, comforting our bereaved and ddened hearts with loving and kindly ards, but who also visited you in rison, and addressed to you words of brstian sympathy and love, conCg you under your trials, and vanelling you under your difficulties ad perplexities.

We also desire to express our gratide to the friends, both here and in ngland, who have in any way tried assist and help you in the time of Ir sore tribulation. May they enjoy be blessing of the Most High!

And now, dear pastor, we welcome home again. We do so heartily, ly, thankfully. Accept our arts deepest love. You have sufrad long and painfully, and no doubt you have in seasons of mental dejection hought and spoken like one of old,

'All these things are against me.' But fear not. Think it not strange concerning the fiery trials' through which you have passed. We beg to assure you that we will draw more closely together around you; we will endeavour as much as possible to make you happy; we will not forget to hold up your hands in prayer; we will strive to compensate by love at home to you, and to each other, for unkindness, injustice, and cruelty suffered abroad by you. The Lord help us to perform our vows!

"We fervently pray that the churches under your pastoral care may continue to prosper and bring forth much fruit to the praise and glory of God. May every happiness both here and hereafter attend you and your beloved partner!"

Mr. PALMER replied as follows :—

'My dear Friends,-The address which you have so kindly and considerately presented to me on my return to you, after two months' imprisonment in this city, awakens varying emotions in my breast. Accept my many thanks for the sentiments therein expressed with regard to myself and family, and to the various missionary brethren and others, who all came forward to help me. I have suffered much, but the Almighty has at length brought these sufferings to a close. I cannot sufficiently thank Him. His holy name be praised! If He had not been on my side from the 19th October, 1865, to the present time, then, surely, would I have been long ere this swallowed up by the grave, and the place that now knows me would have known me no more. will excuse me from saying more on this novel but very interesting occasion. My heart is full. Believe me, dear friends, when I tell you that I reciprocate all your good feelings towards me and my beloved partner. May you all be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and endure hardness as good soldiers in the good fight of faith!

You

66

'Again accept my thanks for your sympathy, kindness, and love; and may all the wishes of your hearts for the prosperity of the churches under my pastoral care be abundantly realised."

After this the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. S. Oughton, and the assembly broke up in a chastened. but happy and rejoicing spirit. It will be an event not soon forgotten.

GENERAL.

The Conservatives have succeeded, with the help of about forty Liberals, in defeating the Government o the great question of the Reform Bill. The immediate question on which the vote was taken, was whether the Borough franchise should be a rating or a rental one: the real question was whether the franchise should be one of seven or of nine pounds a year. Of course, the Government could not accept a defeat on what is really the most important part of their measure. At the time we write, therefore, it is understood that they have placed their resignations in the hands of her Majesty, or have advised a dissolution of Parliament. The result will be known before this page issues from the press.

Meantime, the interest in domestic politics has been greatly diminished by anxiety as to Continental affairs. War has broken out between Austria on the one hand, and Prussia and, Italy on the other; and according to present appearances the war, will be one of the most desolating and destructive, and, at the same time, unjustifiable conflicts of modern times. Englishmen can sympathise wholly with neither party, so that it may be hoped that our Government will be able to keep clear of both; but a struggle between two such powerful nations, with France and Russia only professedly neutral, cannot be contemplated without grave anxiety.

The report of the Jamaica Commission has at last been laid before Parliament. It has been published in the daily papers. The conclusions arrived at include the following:That there was a planned disturbance by the negroes; that Mr. Eyre acted with judgment (in the first instance) in putting it down; that martial law was continued longer than was necessary; and that the measures of repression were unnecessarily severe and often barbarous. As to Mr. Gordon's case, the Commissioners think there was no evidence to support the charge against him, and upon which he was condemned to death. Along

with the report a despatch from Mr. Cardwell to Sir H. Storks has been printed, in which the finding of the Commissioners is approved. Mr. Eyre is censured for his conduct in reference to Mr. Gordon. Sir H. Storks w warned to be very careful in granting or ficates under the Indemnity Act, and ordered to institute proceedings against those who were guilty of wanton cruelty and robbery during the suppression of the disturbances. Finally, Mr. Cardwell thinks it will be advisable on all grounds that Mr. Eyre should not resume the governorship of the island.

Many of our readers will hear with regret of the decease of two honoured friends, whose names will be long remembered in connection with our Missions. We refer to Mr. Allen (of Ceylon) and Mrs. Knibb. Mr. Allen was the senior missionary of the Baptist Missionary Society. He had laboured with much succOSS in Ceylon for upwards of twenty years. His death, which was somewhat sudden, took place on the morning of April 30th. Respecting Mrs. Knibb, a correspondent says:-"Y will mourn with us in the loss we suffer by the removal of our dear friend Mrs. Kail She has entered into rest beloved and revered by us all. Her memory is fragrant with the meekness, gentleness, prudence, and kind. ness, which characterised her missionary la and her last days passed away in the undis turbed possession of that peace which the presence of the Master she had so long loved and served can alone impart. A great co pany stood around the grave of Will Knibb, opened to receive the remains of his widow. It was no common privilege to lo into that silent resting-place of that whe is corruptible and mortal, and to think them-glorified spirits now before the thr of God in heaven."

At Orissa, where our General Baptist m sionaries have so successfully laboured, terrible famine has broken out. The Rev. J. Buckley, writing on March 31st, says "The state of things is truly awful. It becoming worse and worse. The famine is sore in the land, and the future is dark indeed Rice is selling at 5 seers and 5 seers to th

rupee. It is impossible that the people geneEy should procure it at such a price. They Eust starve. The pressure of the times affects za all, and in a day of unexampled distress La the present, when it is desirable that we ld do much more to relieve the sufferers, personal ability is much diminished. If I were to record all that I have heard during the month, it would be a chapter of horrors; but I sicken to think of some things that have been reported. Last week a man murdrei his wife and children, assigning as a Te that they were starving, and he had Bushing to give them. More than one case of eating human flesh has been reported, but I am not the heart to record all that I hear. There is no prospect before multitudes but atarvation. I have heard of individual cases offering among our Christians which have grieved me much. In one case a mother with four or five children assured me that they had not had any rice to cook for three days, and that she and the children had lived onable fruit and water. In another instance a mother with three children, one of who was only a few months old, fasted two daye. Of course we should not have allowed such suffering in our community if we had known in time the depth of their distress." According to later accounts the famine was increasing. "Thousands upon thousands," says a missionary, "must die of starvation, they have not already, in remote districts." An appeal for aid has been issued by the comtee of the General Baptist Missionary Poety, which we hope will be widely reganded to.

DOMESTIC.

GREENOCK-On Tuesday, June 5th, Mr. Penezer McLean, late of the Glasgow Uniity, was publicly set apart to the pastoral Sa over the Baptist church here. T. W. MeAlpine, Esq., of Paisley, having com

d the service by reading the Scriptures and prayer, the Rev. James Culross, A. M., Surling, preached a most suitable introatory discourse from Col. i. 2, first clause, nd afterwards asked the usual questions. In y to these, J. McIlvain, Esq., senior deashortly related the circumstances which talled the church to invite Mr. McLean to the pastoral office; and Mr. McLean gave a ment of his religious experience and ctrinal views, also of the motives by which had been actuated in devoting himself to Christian ministry, and the reasons which induced him to accept the present inviThe ordination prayer, which was mpanied with the imposition of hands, then offered up by the Rev. Alex. MLeod, of Glasgow, after which the Rev. James Paterson, D.D., of Glasgow (under

whom Mr. McLean had previously studied) addressed the pastor, and the Rev. T. W. Medhurst, of Glasgow, addressed the church. The service, which was held in the chapel, West Burn-street, was well attended, and was closed with prayer by the Rev. Robt. Thomson, of Milport. In the evening a public soirée, in connection with the ordination, and to welcome Mr. McLean, was held in the Town Hall. John McIlvain, Esq., occupied the chair. The Rev. Mr. McLean having addressed the meeting, the Rev. Mr. Jarvie (Congregational) welcomed the new pastor to the town; and the meeting was afterwards addressed by the Revs. Alex. McLeod, Richard Glover, David Young, and H. H. Bourn, of Glasgow; James Culross, A M., of Stirling; William Grant, of Granton; Robert Thomson, of Milport; and A. McDougall, of Rothesay; also by D. H. Lusk, Esq., of Glasgow.

EAST DEREHAM, NORFOLK.-A recognition meeting was held at East Dereham on Tuesday, June 5th, in connection with the settlement of the Rev. S. Hawkes (late of Greenock), as pastor of the church.

After

tea, which was provided in the schoolroom, the public meeting was held in the chapel, the chair being taken by the Rev. S. Chapman, of Birmingham. The Rev. R. G. Williams read a portion of Scripture, and engaged in prayer; the pastor then briefly reviewed the history of the church during the fourteen months he had laboured amongst the people, a period during which God had given them much prosperity; the Rev. S. B. Gooch, of Norwich, addressed the pastor from the words, "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it," after which he offered the dedicatory prayer; the Rev. S. Chapman then delivered a very telling address on the relation of the church to the pastor; and the Rev. R. G. Williams, the eldest Dissenting minister in the town, offered some congratulatory remarks, expressive of the esteem and sympathy in which the pastor is held, and promising him the help and sympathy he might need in the discharge of his duties.

WARWICK.-On Tuesday, May 15th, the memorial-stone of a new Baptist chapel was laid by J. H. Hopkins, Esq., of Birmingham. The devotional part of the service was conducted by the Rev. G. Allen, and the Rev. H. Angus. A brief statement was read by Mr. Burdett, showing that a Baptist church existed here in the perilous times of Charles the First. An admirable exposition of Nonconformist principles was delivered to an attentive audience by Rev. the J. J. Brown, of Birmingham. After tea, in the Court-house, at which about 200 persons were present, the chair was taken by J. H. Hopkins, Esq.

Prayer was offered by the Rev. J. M. Percy, and suitable addresses given by the Revds. R. Hall, W. A. Salter, D. Payn, G. S. Allen, and H. Angus. The pastor of the church, the Rev. T. Overbury, read a financial report, from which it appears that the building-fund has reached the sum of £1,000. About £550 more will be required in order to complete the work. The dimensions of the new edifice are 36 feet by 48 feet within the walls; classrooms and a convenient schoolroom will be attached; and the whole Gothic structure will be built with red brick and Bath-stone dressings.

RIDGMOUNT, BEDS.-Services in connection with the recognition of the Rev. W. Cuff, late student of the Metropolitan Tabernacle College, were held at Ridgmount, Beds, on Monday, May 28th. The afternoon service was presided over by the Rev. J. E. Cracknell, of Cambray Chapel, Cheltenham. Prayer was offered on behalf of the church by the Rev. J. Andrews, of Woburn (Independent), after which an account was read by one of the deacons of the invitation to the pastorate. The pastor gave an account of his conversion and of his settlement at Ridgmount. The Rev. G. Rogers delivered the charge to the pastor from Isa. xliii. 6. The ordination prayer was offered by Mr. J. E. Cracknell. The Rev. T. Ness, late co-pastor with the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, then proceeded to deliver an address to the church from 1 Thess. v. 25. In the evening a public meeting was held, when addresses were delivered by the Revs. J. Andrews, of Woburn; J. Minett, of Stantonbury; D. Mace, of Stotfold; W. Osbourne, of Gamlingay; J. Bloodworth, of Cheltenham; W. Burton, of Kingsgate Chapel, London; and T. Ness, who concluded the meeting.

LANCASHIRE.

On

OSWALDTWISTLE, Monday, May 21st, Mr. John Brown, A.M., late of Conlig, Ireland, was publicly recognised as pastor of the church at Oswaldtwistle. Mr. Jackson, of Church, commenced the services in the morning. Mr. Dawson, of Liverpool, asked the usual questions of the pastor. Mr. Brown also related the steps by which he had been led to Oswaldtwistle, and stated that he had been for nineteen years in the service of the Baptist Irish Society. Mr. Howe, of Waterbarn, offered up the ordination prayer. Mr. Dawson delivered the charge to the pastor from Isa. xli. 27. In the afternoon, Mr. Prout, of Haslingden, conducted the introductory services. Mr. Howe addressed the people from 1 Thess. v. 12, 13. Mr. Cameron, of Blackburn, concluded with prayer. In the evening there was a public tea-meeting in the schoolroom; after which the congregation assembled again in the chapel, and the meeting was addressed by

Messrs. Cameron, Prout, and Bowden, of Driffield. The congregations were large, and the services solemn and impressive.

DISS, NORFOLK.-The Rev. W. F. Gooch, of Foulsham, has been recognised as the suc cessor of the Rev. J. P. Lewis, at Diss, Norfolk. The service took place on May 15. The Rev. G. Gould, of Norwich, preached in the morning. There was a largely attended social gathering in the afternoon. The Rev. S. B. Gooch, the father of the new pastor, presided in the evening. Mr. Ayton, of Scole, one of the deacons, stated the circumstances of Mr. Lewis's retirement from, and Mr. Gooch's appointment to, the pastorate, which, he said, was unanimous on the part of the church. The Rev. W. F. Gooch briefly stated his doctrinal views and his reason for accepting the pastorate. The Rev. C. Elven, of Bury St. Edmunds, expressed his satis faction with the statement of the principles and views held by Mr. Gooch. The charge to the pastor was delivered to the Rev G. Gould; the Rev. C. Elven gave an address to the church; and the Rev. T. Morris, of Ipswich, gave an address to the congregation.

ROMNEY-STREET, WESTMINSTER. Оп Wednesday, May 29th, the Rev. J. S. Morris was publicly recognised as pastor of the Baptist church worshipping at Romney-street Chapel, Westminster. The meeting was commenced by the Rev. W. H. Jellie; after which Mr. Morris briefly stated the course of his religious life. The Rev. F. H. White offered prayer for the church and pastor. The Rev. G. Rogers gave the charge to the pastor. The Rev. D. Katterns, of Hackney, followed with a charge to the church. The Revs. G. D. Evans and R. R. Finch also took part in the service.

MINISTERIAL CHANGES.- The Rev. W. Heaton, having received a cordial and unaniinous invitation from the church and congregation assembling in Union Chapel, Shirley, Southampton, commenced his stated labours on Sunday, the 3rd of June.-The Rev. G. Rouse Lowden has resigned the pastorate of the church at Uxbridge.-The Rev. T. M. Thorpe has resigned the pastorste of the Baptist church, Winchester, and will be glad to supply any vacant church.-The Rev. J. B. Lockwood, late of Nantwich, having accepted a cordial and unanimous ins vitation to the pastorate of the General Bap tist church, Infirmary-street, Bradford, commenced his labours there on the first Lord's day in June.-The Rev. William Morgan, of Bassalleg, Monmonthshire, hav ing been unanimously invited to take the oversight of the Baptist Church, Redwick near Newport, Monmouthshire, commenced his stated labours there the last Sunday in May.