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Church Register.

over the stalls, by an industry and skill which cannot be too highly praised, displayed their valuable and well-assorted selection of goods to the best advantage. It is worth noting, that one of the stalls was furnished, and well furnished too, by the hearty enthusiasm and sustained industry of the teachers and scholars of the schools. The bazaar was attended by large numbers of friends connected with other congregations, and was marked throughout by a pleasant rivalry, a cheerful activity, an unceasing excitement, and unexpected success. The prospects of the bazaar were darkened by the unusual number of bazaars which had preceded it during the year. And, considering that the town seemed heartily tired of such enterprises, it appeared unlikely that a young, and comparatively feeble folk, should be able to arouse such an interest as would secure the necessary £750. The effort, however, was dared, and the work was done. The church is glad to announce that the bazaar, from all branches of the effort, will yield £700 clear of expenses. For this result the church is largely indebted, first of all, to the stimulus given by the Home Mission Committee, and next, to the cordial assistance rendered by members of other congregations. The time of need has discovered a measure of sympathy and goodwill, for which the church was unprepared, but for which it is sincerely grateful. And now, with expenses diminished, good fellowship and courage increased, the people of Longmore Street look forward with hope, and move forward with resolution. The second G. B. church has at last won an independent foothold in Birmingham. It hopes to discharge its great mission worthily; so serving Christ, and the denomination, that the value and vigour of its life may be manifested to Christ its Head, and to all the churches of its order.

DERBY, Osmaston Road.-New Schoolchapel at Pear-tree, Litchurch.-On Saturday afternoon, June 14, the memorial stone of the new school-chapel, Rutland Street, Pear-tree, was laid by Thomas Swingler, Esq., the donor of the land. The building is intended for a mission station, in connection with Osmaston Road church. It will consist of six class rooms and a large room capable of accommodating about 250 persons. It will be used as a Sunday school, and for religious services. The cost of the building will be about £800. It is placed at the back of the plot of land, that in due time a commodious chapel may be erected in the front. The Scriptures were read, and prayer offered by the Rev. J. Wilshire. Mr. Councillor Higginbottom, chairman of the building committee, read a statement of the origin and progress of

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the movement, and presented Mr. Swingler with a handsome silver trowel, in the name of the friends of the church. The Rev. T. Goadby, B.A., delivered an address. A liberal sum was collected, and the assembly adjourned to Sacheverel Street school room, where tea was provided, and other addresses were delivered.

TODMORDEN.-On Monday, June 30, the Rev. E. H. Jackson, of Ripley, gave an interesting, humorous, and instructive lecture on "Love, Courtship, and Marriage." At the close a collection was made toward the chapel debt, an effort to remove which is being made during this year.

SCHOOLS.

BURNLEY, Enon.-The anniversary sermons were preached on Sunday, June 22, by the Rev. Dr. Burns. The congregations were very large, and the collections over £100. This sum does not include the special contributions of the Young Men's Class for their new room, which has just been furnished by them at a cost of between thirty and forty pounds.

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CASTLE DONINGTON. - On Lord's-day, June 29, two sermons were preached here by the Rev. Watson Dyson, of Old Basford. Collections, £20 6s.

CHELLASTON.-June 15, two sermons by Mr. H. A. Blount, of Derby. Collections and congregations very good.

CLAYTON.-June 29, the sermons were preached, in the morning and evening by the Rev. I. Preston, in the afternoon by the Rev. James Dunn, of Bradford. Collections amounted to £65.

LYDGATE.-July 6, our sermons were preached by the Rev. E. K. Everett, to Collections, very large congregations. £50 2s. 7 d.

SAWLEY.-June 22, sermons by Rev. H. J. Bannister, of Melbourne, to good congregations. Collections, £16 14s. On the following day about one hundred and seventy friends sat down to tea, which was provided in connection with the children's treat.

SMALLEY.-July 5, the sermons were preached by Mr. Smith, jun., of Chilwell College. Congregations good. Collections, £7 15s.

TODMORDEN.-The anniversary of the school took place, June 29. In the morning the scholars sang their hymns, and the Rev. E. H. Jackson, of Ripley, gave an address to teachers, scholars, and parents. In the afternoon and evening Mr. Jackson preached. The weather in the evening was very unfavourable, and numbers of friends were kept away. Collections amounted to upwards of £44.

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BERKHAMPSTEAD.-The services in connection with the settlement of the Rev. James Harcourt, as pastor of the church, took place July 8. About 500 friends took tea in the Town Hall, where excellent provision had been made by the ladies of the congregation. The subsequent gathering was in the chapel. A large number of local ministers and friends of other denominations were present, and Mr. James Stiff, of the London School Board, presided. An excursion party of more than fifty of Mr. Harcourt's friends from the Borough Road was present; also, another similar excursion from Luton, from which place Mr. Harcourt went to London. Two deacons of the church, Mr. T. King and Mr. J. Sanders, gave Mr. Harcourt a hearty welcome, to which he responded. Mr. Strange, of Luton; Rev. Mr. Hart, of Guildford; and the Rev. J. Clifford, M.A., LL.B., of London, bore high testimony to Mr. Harcourt's Christian work. Messrs. Read, of Berkhampstead, Underwood and Prebble, (deacons of Borough Road,) Revs. A. Cave, B.A., D. McCallum, T. Foston, R. Smith, and J. Bainton also took part in these most interesting services.

The REV. J. GREENWOOD, of Swadlincote, was invited by the Todmorden church, with which he has hitherto been connected, to a farewell meeting on Saturday, July 19. A large number of friends took tea in the school-room, and afterwards a public meeting was held, and addressed by a number of the friends. During the evening the pastor, in the name of the church, presented a parting gift to Mr. Greenwood, consisting of twenty-two vols. of books. Mr. G. enters upon his work at Swadlincote with the heartiest good wishes, and the fervent prayers of his former asso⚫ciates.

STOKE-ON-TRENT.-On Wednesday evening, July 2, a social tea meeting of the Baptist church and congregation was held in the school room, to welcome the Rev. W. March and his bride on returning from their wedding tour. After tea, the Rev. C. E. Pratt presided, and gave a most cordial

welcome to the pastor and his wife. Mr. J. Taylor, secretary of the church, then read a hearty address of congratulation and encouragement, and ended with presenting to the minister, in the name of the church and congregation, a very handsome and costly electro-plated tea and coffee service, together with two dozen knives, a carver and fork, and also two half-dozens of electro-plated prongs. The Rev. W. March responded, expressing his highest appreciation of the munificent presents, and his best thanks for the congratulatory address, as well as kind feelings cherished towards himself and his bride. Messrs. W. M. Grose, A. Wright, W. Boulton, and W. Ollier followed with suitable speeches, after which a most interesting and enjoyable meeting was closed with singing and prayer.

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Obituaries.

MARCH-MOORE.-June 11, at the Baptist chapel, Stoke-on-Trent, by the Rev. T. Churchyard, assisted by the Rev. H. C. Field, the Rev. W. March, minister of the above chapel, to Jennie, youngest daughter of Edward Moore, Esq., Hill-field House, Trent Vale.

CUNLIFFE-GREENWOOD.-June 23, by the Rev. J. Maden, Mr. James Cunliffe, of Pudsey, to Miss Betty Greenwood, of Kitson-royd.

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OLIVER-RICHARDSON.-June 15, at the Baptist chapel, Crowle, Lincolnshire, by the Rev. J. Stutterd, Tom Oliver, to Miss Mary Hannah Richardson, both of Crowle.

THORNTON BUTLER.-June 12, at St. Andrews church, by the Rev. S. Cresswell, Vicar of Old Radford, assisted by Rev. H. Tebbutt, Incumbent of St. Andrews, Nottingham, John Thornton, Esq., Radford House, Old Radford, to Eliza, fourth daughter of the late Alfred Butler, Esq.

Obituaries.

THE LATE MR. CHARLES BATE, TARPORLEY. AGED eighty! What volumes lie couched in these words, which lead us back into a past century, to times when Nonconformity was just beginning to burst through the stratum of superstition and proud ignorance which lay at the surface of English society, especially in the rural districts, and link this period with the present day, when the mighty tree spreads its laden branches, defiant of the hissing storm. Mr. Charles Bate, two words from whose epitaph commence this brief notice, was baptized near Brassey Green chapel on the 14th of September, 1817, at the same time as his brother Thomas Bate, (died March 9th last,) Richard Tomlinson, Samuel Walley, John Vernon, William Vernon and Charles Twiss. These brethren were formed into a regular church under the pastorate of the late much revered Cornelius Gregory, through whose self-denying efforts success was imparted by the great Head of the church. Since that time Mr. Bate has been a leading man amongst the Baptists in Tarporley, having not ceased to be a member during the period of his residence at Erbistock, some miles distant. During that period many stormy controversies swept over the churches, and sometimes ruffled to no inconsiderable extent the church with which Mr. Bate was connected-a fact due, perhaps, to the absence of some such safety valve as that supplied by our modern serial literature with its multiform correspondence, &c. Through all this time the truth was firmly held, and the simple gospel preached by the few friends who had to struggle on-and thank God it was on and onward. Mr. Bate seemed, by the grace of Christ, to be able to show the power of religion in active and ordinary life, and was known by many who had scarcely learned his name, as the "godly cheesefactor." Frequently during his old age was his heart gladdened by casual intimations

concerning several unknown to himself, who had, by his instrumentality, been led to see that religion was a living power. He preached very frequently in Tarporley and the surrounding villages, and his efforts in this direction have produced results that will never need an obituary. In visiting the sick, the subject of our memoir was most eminently blessed. Prior to the death of his beloved wife, in January, 1871, he would walk miles, while visiting the cottage homes of the sick; and his visits were always welcome, his counsel was good to the soul, his religious comfort was as ointment to the wound, and his prayers led men and women to forget all in thinking of the much availing of the "effectual earnest prayer." When, during the last year of his life, these visits were suspended, many times has the inquiry been made, with anxious voice, "How is old Mr. Bate. He used to call here, you know,"--but now he is gone. Let us pray God that the pious work of home visitation may be more heeded by lay Christians. The funeral took place on Tuesday, June 17, at the Tarporley chapel. The service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. R. Foulkes Griffiths, assisted by the Rev. J. Harvey and the Rev. R. Kenney, of Wheelock Heath. All the shops were closed. and the funeral cortege was met by a delegation from the church, and the ministers of the various dissenting churches. Mr. Bate being the senior deacon of the church, a funeral sermon was to have been preached on Sunday, July 27th.

CURTIS.-June 16, at Haxey, Lincolnshire, aged sixty-nine, John Curtis, for nearly forty years a most acceptable local preacher in connection with the Epworth General Baptists. His holy and consistent life has embalmed his memory, and causes us to exclaim, The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance. A good man, and full of the Holy Ghost.

DYSON.-July 9, at Haddenham, Bucks, the Rev. Amos Dyson, formerly assistant minister to the late Rev. Dr. Ingham, at Bradford, aged sixty-two.

ELLERBY.-Mrs. Elizabeth Ellerby departed this life, June 21, 1873, aged twentyfour years. She was led to the Saviour partly through the ministrations of her pastor, Rev. W. Chapman, then of Louth, and partly through the faithful and affectionate words of Mr. Burton, one of the deacons of the church, and ever since has maintained a consistent Christian profession. About a year ago she, along with her husband, removed to Manchester, where they both united themselves to the General Baptist church at Bank View, Hyde Road, where her loss is truly felt by the little struggling church. She died resting on the Rock of Ages, and was enabled to give a clear testimony of her faith in the Lord Jesus to her friends and relatives. She left two little children, one only a week old, to the care of her sorrowing husband. Her death was improved by a discourse, preached by Mr. Thos. Jarratt, from Acts xvi. 14.

MALIN. It is with deep regret that we announce the death of George Malin, of Bowmer Lane, Derbyshire, which occurred on the 21st of May, at the age of seventythree. The commencement of our brother's spiritual life dates from the beginning of the church at Wirksworth. In 1812 Mr. Barrow, a member of the Duffield church, commenced preaching the gospel in a farm house at Shottle; and the encouraging results induced him, with the noble band of labourers associated with him, to advance to Wirksworth, Bonsall, and other places. Much and lasting good was the result; and one of the earliest converts was our departed brother, then a lad fifteen years of age. He gave himself unreservedly to the cause of Christ, and soon commenced preaching in the surrounding villages. The Lord cheered His servant by making his ministry very useful, and for more than fifty years he was loved and honoured as a noble and devoted soldier of Jesus Christ. He was early favoured with the friendship of the late Rev. J. G. Pike, of Derby, from whom he received valuable advice in his work; and was long associated in the gospel with W. Smith, J. Richardson, and R. Ingham, names whose precious savour will long linger in this locality. As a member of the church he adorned the name of Christian by a life of unblemished consistency. As a deacon, he was helpful, judicious, and reliable. As a preacher, his sermons were saturated with gospel truth, practical in their aim, and tenderly affectionate in the manner of their delivery. For the past year he had

been almost wholly laid aside, enfeebled by old age, though mercifully exempt from suffering. His mind was filled with unclouded peace, and his interest in the Lord's work was warm to the last. A little after midnight "he, having served his generation according to the will of God, fell asleep.”

RICHARDSON.-Lucy, the beloved wife of Mr. Benjamin Richardson, had been a consistent member of the G. B. church, Gosberton, for the period of forty-seven years. She and her aged partner, who survives her, were baptized by the Rev. J. S. Thompson, at Sutterton, where she and her husband had formerly lived. She attributed her first awakening to spiritual concerns, under God, to the kind and Christian conduct of her mistress, Mrs. Edward Bissill (sister of our late departed sister Bampton) who used frequently to draw her servants aside to have religious conversation and prayer with them. Being a person of great activity, she soon found employment in the Sabbath school, and much work in the church. She was a true lover of all good men, and to the utmost of her ability the minister's friend. It has many times refreshed the heart of the writer to listen to the kind words she would utter respecting her blessed minister and holy man of God, Rev. J. S. Thompson. She and her aged husband were much given to hospitality, as the writer, with many other Christian friends and ministers, could testify. Her end was peace. She gently passed away in the presence of her three daughters, who were watching at her side. Her husband, being heavily afflicted, was confined in an adjoining room, and much felt the heavy though passing trial that he could not witness the last of his companion, who had laboured and hoped and prayed together for fifty-three years. The best of all was, that when heart and flesh failed, Jesus was present. He did not forsake His aged and faithful servant. She died, Nov. 22, 1872, aged seventy-nine.

WALKER.-June 16, in Lincoln Lunatic Asylum, aged sixty-two years, William Walker. Nearly forty years ago he was baptized and united with the church at Crowle. He was formerly a local preacher. His first text was from the scripture, "What went ye out for to see: a reed shaken with the wind?" While his reasoning faculties continued his prayers were perfumed with an unction from the Holy One. He was a most benevolent man, though far from being perfect, and often over this he mourned. His mortal remains were brought from Lincoln and interred with his fathers in the Baptist burial ground, Crowle. The Rev. J. Stutterd officiated on the occasion.

THE

MISSIONARY OBSERVER.

AUGUST, 1873.

GENERAL BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

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THE annual meeting of our Society was held this year at Enon Chapel, Burnley. After singing, the Rev. Isaac Stubbins, formerly missionary in Orissa, opened the meeting with prayer. J. H. Scott, Esq., Mayor of Burnley, presided, and after a few appropriate remarks, called upon the Secretary, the Rev. J. C. Pike, of Leicester, to read an abstract of the report, which was as follows:

Although your Society has laboured for over fifty years in Orissa, it is only recently that it has been possible accurately to estimate the wide extent of the field which the Lord of the harvest has committed to your care, and to that of your esteemed fellow labourers from the United States. The census of the population of India, which has lately been taken, is said to be far more reliable than any former one; while in the opinion of those best able to judge, it errs rather on the side of understating than overstating the numbers of the people. The following are the figures which have been obtained from official

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Ditto of Tributary States

1,283,309

Ditto Berhampore, Ganjam Zillah. Total population of the district 1,487,227. Supposed proportion of Oriyas, two-thirds

991,484

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From the above, it is clear that the Oriya-speaking population must considerably exceed SIX MILLIONS AND THREE-QUARTERS, and approaches very close upon SEVEN MILLIONS! Well may your brethren feel their spirits stirred within them, as they think of these millions of Oriyas, wholly given to idolatry, and exclaim, with sadness of heart, concerning them, "How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" Where, too, are the preachers for these millions to be found except in connection with your own Mission, and that of your brethren in Northern Orissa? SIX MILLIONS AND THREE QUARTERS! The words are easily spoken, but who can realise the vast masses of fallen and degraded fellow-creatures which are included in them, or the magnitude and extent of the idea which the words convey? When Jesus saw the multitudes in Galilee "as sheep having no shepherd," His heart was "moved with compassion," and He exclaimed, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." But, one of your missionaries aptly remarks, the spiritual destitution of Orissa is much greater than that which awakened the Saviour's compassionate concern; and the population of Orissa, hills and plains, is vastly more numerous than that of Palestine. "In Judah was God known, and His name was great in Israel;" but Orissa is famed throughout the world, as the principal seat of Juggernath's worship, and the honour and homage due to the

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